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

John BergChief Technology Officer AMERICAN SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.

Applied Materials: The new 800 pound gorilla in Solar

July 9, 2009

Analysis of:Applied jumps to top of solar equipment rankings | www.eetimes.com

Applied Materials is the largest equipment provider of photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing equipment in 2008, its first full year in the market, according to market research firm VLSI Research Inc. Although this revenue includes  its 2007 HCT acquisition's reveue, Applied has gained traction with its SunFab Solar Module Production Line. The implication is ominous for the other nine suppliers on this list, many of whom have been in the solar equipment business for some time: the 800 pound solar equipment gorilla has arrived.

John BergChief Technology Officer AMERICAN SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.

Spansion: A Titanic in Disguise?

July 6, 2009

Analysis of:Spansion names fourth CFO in less than five months | www.siliconbeat.com

When a company replaces a CFO, it is important to look at the new individual's background to determine whether the company has placed a knowledgeable hand on the corporate financial rudder.

Jim TurleyOwner and AnalystSilicon Insider

Clearer Signs of Intel's Post-PC Future

June 24, 2009

Analysis of:Intel Wins Nokia as Customer, Will Work on Devices (Update2) | www.bloomberg.com

Intel's tie-up with Nokia is more evidence, as if any was required, that the future is not with PCs. Intel has tried many times, and mostly failed, to penetrate this very large market. Only two percent (2%) of microprocessor chips are used in PCs; the other 98% is a market Intel has largely ignored. Having missed out on cell phones, Intel is now gunning for the next tier: portable Interned devices, a segment that has many names. It's a fair target, and Intel has a decent shot at making a dent there.

Jim HandyDirectorObjective Analysis

The NOR Flash Market is Headed for Big Changes

June 10, 2009

Analysis of:SST Strengthens Management Team by Appointing Bertrand F. Cambou as President | www.marketwatch.com

With Spansion moving away from their Wireless business they will have to grow by taking share from other embedded companies like SST (Silicon Storage Technology, Inc), Winbond, Macronix, ISSI, and others.  This will also impact long-time rival Numonyx, the merger of Intel's and STmicroelectronics' NOR flash businesses, and even Samsung.

Jim HandyDirectorObjective Analysis

Samsung-SanDisk Deal Good for Both Companies

June 10, 2009

Analysis of:SanDisk, Samsung ink patent cross license, flash supply agreements amidst memory industry turmoil | www.edn.com

SanDisk has renewed its license agreement with Samsung on terms that are more agreeable to Samsung although less profitable for SanDisk.  The royalty rate is still higher than the industry norm, though, which has negative implications to companies who are not yet SanDisk licensees, like Micron and Hynix and Kingston technology, as well as for existing licensees, whose rates could creep up when renewal time comes around.  This would include Intel, Toshiba, Numonyx, and the many card companies like STEC, SMART Modular, Sanmina-SCI Viking, and many more.

John BergChief Technology Officer AMERICAN SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.

Ex-Spanion CEO Parachutes into SST: Will this be another Dunkirk?

June 8, 2009

Analysis of:SST Strengthens Management Team by Appointing Bertrand F. Cambou as President | www.marketwatch.com

Bertrand Cambou has moved into his new role as President at SST, a company mired in a difficult situation: a fabless embedded memory semiconductor company that is trying to re-invent itself as a NAND controller company. In reaching for outside management, the Board acknowledges that the existing senior management team of Bing Yeh (CEO), Dr. Yaw Wen Hu (COO), Paul Lui (SVP), and Chen Tsai (SVP) need an outsider to energize the company.

Jim TurleyOwner and AnalystSilicon Insider

Growth Is No Longer in PCs, It's In Embedded Systems

June 5, 2009

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

Intel's acquisition of embedded-software vendor Wind River Systems (WRS) outlines today's reality for the company: the growth is no longer in PCs, it's in so-called "embedded" systems, or computers that don't look like computers. Only two percent (2%) of the world's microprocessor chips go into PCs. The other 98% are used in these embedded sytems, such as cars, TVs, games, HVAC, appliances, aircraft, etc. It's not a glamorous market, but it's a huge one. With PC sales leveling off, Intel needs to look elsewhere for growth, even if it antagonizes long-time partner Microsoft. (Microsoft has its own embedded-software strategy.) With Moblin and now WRS, Intel has stepped firmly into the embedded-systems marketplace.

Jim TurleyOwner and AnalystSilicon Insider

Good move for the netbook market

June 1, 2009

Analysis of:Microsoft to Drop Three-Application Limit of Windows 7 Starter | www.bloomberg.com

Good work, Microsoft. This change makes Windows 7 more palatable for the fast-growing "netbook" market, where Windows was previously overpriced. * PC buyers show a strong preferance for Windows, they just don't want ot pay for it. * Intel, Linux vendors, and others are actively developing Windows alternatives * By dropping this restriction on Windows 7 Starter, Microsoft stays in the game.

Jim TurleyOwner and AnalystSilicon Insider

Intel needs to sell processors any way it can

June 1, 2009

Analysis of:Intel goes after Windows 7 on netbooks with Linux | www.computerworld.com

* Netbooks have upset the apple cart for both Intel and Microsoft, so old alliances are starting to crumble. * To remain relevant, Intel has developed its own low-cost alternative to Windows, hoping to cling to the hardware-side of the equation. * It won't help much, as most netbook buyers want the Windows experience more than they want Intel hardware.

Jim TurleyOwner and AnalystSilicon Insider

Netbook popularity grows as conventional PCs reach overkill

May 26, 2009

Analysis of:One in Five Laptops Shipped in Q1 Was a Netbook | www.informationweek.com

After my initial skepticism, I'm now a believer in netbooks. They slot nicely between feature-phones like BlackBerry or iPhone, and below traditional laptop computers. Price is the limiting factor, so cost-competitiveness is everything. Features and performance are secondary. Indeed, the who reason netbooks exist is because PCs are now faster and more feature-laden than most uers need. * Solid-state disks (SSD) may have finally found their niche. * Traditional hard disks will continue to sell well because of their greater capacity and established supply chain. * Linux will not maky any significant inroads. * Windows will remain the operating system of choice. * Netbooks will supplement, not replace, traditional PCs and laptops.

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