GLG News by Semiconductor Experts in GLG Member Programs (California)

Jim HandyDirectorObjective Analysis

Major Shift in PC Memory Could Harm DRAM Makers

July 19, 2011

Analysis of:Could NAND Flash Kill DRAM in PCs? | www.cio.com

DRAM will soon have to compete against NAND flash in the PC.  Benchmarks have shown that, dollar-for-dollar, NAND provides more performance than does DRAM.This is bad enough news for Micron, Samsung, and Hynix, all of whom make both DRAM and NAND flash, but it is positively deadly for DRAM makers who do not have a strong NAND flash position: Elpida, Powerchip, ProMOS, and Nanya.SSDs will continue to lose out to HDDs in the PC, since a NAND layer gives SSD speeds at a HDD prices & capacities.

Jim HandyDirectorObjective Analysis

SSDs Still Hot in Enterprise Computing

June 7, 2010

Analysis of:Enterprise SSDs to soar through 2015 | www.computerworld.com

Although SSDs have failed to materialize in the PC, there is strong growth in the enterprise.  This means strengthening sales for STEC and Hitachi, Fusion-io, Plaint, and others, along with their customers IBM, EMC, NetApp, Dell, and HP, but could cause trouble for Seagate and Western Digital.

Jim TurleyOwner and AnalystSilicon Insider

PC Security Hack Is No Big Deal

February 10, 2010

Analysis of:Security Chip That Does Encryption In PCs Hacked | www.npr.org

The security hack was time-consuming, expensive, and technically difficult. It's not broadly applicable to PCs in general.It required physically obtaining and disassembling the entire PC, so it's only relevant to stolen machines, not "drive by" security hacks.The methods, although expensive and complex, are already well-known in the industry.

Nathan BrookwoodResearch FellowInsight 64

How will Intel’s Decision to Cancel Larrabee Impact Intel, AMD and Nvidia?

December 7, 2009

Analysis of:Intel Scraps Plan For Graphics Chip | online.wsj.com

Intel’s decision to cancel its first generation Larrabee design gives AMD and Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) two more years without significant competition from Intel in the discrete GPU market, and lets these vendors gain momentum in the GPU Computing segment. Don’t count Intel out; the second generation LRB design will be a far stronger product than the Gen 1 product would have been.

Nathan BrookwoodResearch FellowInsight 64

Even 2-D Users Will Miss Nvidia's Integrated 3-D Graphics on Core i3/i5 Systems

October 8, 2009

Analysis of:Nvidia Escalates Feud With Intel | online.wsj.com

Nvidia's chipsets outperform Intel's when it comes to integrated 3-D graphics, but Intel's move to incorporate graphics into its Core i3/i5 CPUs leaves no room for Nvidia's integrated solution. Too bad! Windows 7's DirectCompute feature speeds up media operations on systems with AMD or Nvidia discrete or integrated GPUs, but won't work with Intel's integrated graphics. Even users who don't care about 3-D may notice this media deceleration on Core i3/i5 systems that lack discrete GPUs.

Nathan BrookwoodResearch FellowInsight 64

Fermi versus AMD Radeon: Who Wins, Who Loses in Supercomputing Applications?

October 4, 2009

Analysis of:Supercomputer to use new Nvidia 'Fermi' chip | news.cnet.com

While AMD and Nvidia battle for supremacy in the GPU computing arena, there's one obvious loser, Intel. AMD's 5870 appeared on schedule. Nvidia's Fermi is late, but its GTX 280 series still is competitive. Intel's Larrabee remains a no-show. End users who buy their systems by the teraflop have discovered and validated an alternative approach that requires fewer x86 CPUs, less power, and less space. GPU computing is here to stay, and the market will punish those who lack a competitive offering.

Jim HandyDirectorObjective Analysis

Samsung and Numonyx See PRAM-PCM as Next Winner

October 3, 2009

Analysis of:Samsung upbeat about PRAM market | www.digitimes.com

Flash memory will hit the end of its life in the next few years.Samsung and Numonyx are betting that phase-change memory, PRAM or PCM, will fill the void to become flash's successor.Other companies, Spansion, Macronix, SST, Sharp, and Hynix, have not disclosed their plans, but Intel, Toshiba, and Micron have outlined different plans.

Jim TurleyOwner and AnalystSilicon Insider

Software - The New Silicon Business

October 1, 2009

Analysis of:Intel Gets Deep Into Software | online.wsj.com

Software is becoming the key differentiator among silicon company, and especially among microprocessor companies. Intel's move is reflective of a larger trend already taking place among chip suppliers and IP vendors.

John BergChief Technology Officer AMERICAN SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.

Agilent Technologies and Varian: Good Deal

July 28, 2009

Analysis of:Agilent to Buy Varian for $1.5 Billion | online.wsj.com

Agilent Technologies Inc. agreed to acquire Varian Inc. for about $1.5 billion. This acquisition will expand Agilent's product portfolio in the industrial and life sciences markets and will give Agilent entry to the NMR, imaging, and vacuum technology fields. This is another major step in Agilent's evolution into a leading bioanalytical measurement company. One should expect the deal to be accretive in 2010, as Agilent estimates $75 million in cost savings from the deal.

John BergChief Technology Officer AMERICAN SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.

Sun Microsystems and Oracle: Perfect Together?

July 20, 2009

Analysis of:Sun Holders Approve Oracle Deal | online.wsj.com

The shareholders of Sun Microsystems $7.4 billion takeover. Will the be buyer's delight or buyer's remorse for Oracle? Are the winners Oracle's shareholders or Sun Microsystems' competitors?

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