Processors

Nvidia CEO says Windows RT is disappointing

Windows RT has turned out to be pretty "disappointing" so far, the chief executive of chipmaker Nvidia said today.

Jen-Hsun Huang, speaking during a meeting with analysts at Nvidia's conference for developers, noted that devices using the software -- such as Microsoft's Surface RT and Asus Vivo Tab RT -- aren't selling very well.

"Windows RT is disappointing to us because we expected to have sold more than we did," Huang said. "Everybody expected to have sold more than we did."

He said the next question is: How important is Windows … Read more

Apple probably won't tap Intel until 2015: Piper Jaffray

Don't hold your breath for Intel chips inside Apple iPads or iPhones.

Piper Jaffray analyst Gus Richard doesn't see it happening until 2015.

"We believe Apple could add roughly $5B-$6B/yr in revenue for Intel but is unlikely to be a foundry customer this year or next," said Richard, who follows Intel closely, in a research note today.

Five to six billion dollars in added revenue is nothing to sniff at in light of all the smartphone and tablet chip business now going to Intel rivals like Qualcomm, Nvidia, and Samsung.

But he added that … Read more

No strategy shift ahead for ARM, incoming CEO says

ARM Holdings will have a new CEO soon, but the chip designer's strategy won't be changing.

Simon Segars, ARM's president who will take over the CEO role from Warren East in July, told CNET today that he'll be focused on executing the current plans in place, rather than overhauling ARM's strategy.

"What we've been doing is a very appropriate strategy for responding to the dynamics of the market in which we operate," Segars said. "There will be no fundamental shift in strategy. It's about execution and making sure we take … Read more

Apple's next-gen iPhone chip being prepped

Apple and its manufacturing partner are readying the next-generation processor expected to land in future iPhones and iPads.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, or TSMC, is expected to tape out -- one of the final steps before manufacturing -- Apple's A7 chip this month, according to a report in Digitimes.

That will set the stage for pilot production by TSMC this summer and commercial production by the first quarter of 2014.

The A7 will use TSMC's future 20-nanometer manufacturing process -- which isn't expected to be ready until 2014.

Apple, in fact, is designing products now based on … Read more

Meet the (wo)men who could be named Intel's next CEO

In a few short months, Intel will have a new CEO. Who that person will be remains a mystery, but he (or she) is sure to have a big role in shaping the future of the company and the broader technology industry.

Since Intel sure isn't talking (a spokesman simply said the search is ongoing and thorough and that Intel hopes to have a replacement by the time CEO Paul Otellini retires in May), CNET decided to list a few candidates whose names are mentioned on Wall Street and around the Intel water cooler. Keep in mind that our … Read more

Slim chance of Apple-Intel chip deal anytime soon, analysts say

Intel merrily building processors for Apple's iPhone and iPad is a nice thought. So, hold on to that thought for at least a couple of years.

Until then, Samsung's in the way. That chipmaking giant has a factory in Austin, Texas, for building iPhone and iPad processors -- now and well into the future.

And Samsung seems to be doing a pretty good job. Courtroom wrangling alone won't necessarily drive an immediate wedge between the two companies if Samsung delivers the goods, which it has done pretty consistently.

Then there's the other big obstacle to an Intel deal: … Read more

Heads up DIYers, supply of Intel circuit boards may dry up

Intel desktop circuit boards may begin to get scarce.

The chipmaker cut back on motherboard orders by 80 percent to only 100,000 units, claims an Asia-based Digitimes report, citing sources in the "supply chain."

A person familiar with Intel's motherboard business contacted by CNET could not confirm whether the 80 percent figure was accurate but said the general thrust of the report was correct, as Intel announced in January that it was winding down the desktop motherboard business.

"We disclosed internally...that Intel's desktop motherboard business will begin slowly ramping down over the course … Read more

Intel touts multiscreen flexibility with 'display as a service'

HANOVER, Germany--Intel today debuted a technology called display as a service (DAAS) that it hopes will transform how people use their gadgets.

The technology breaks the hard link between a video source and a screen the way virtualization software breaks the hard link between an operating system and a processor. With DAAS, people can view what's on their tablet on a big-screen TV, mirror the same imagery on multiple displays, or link up multiple displays to create a single, bigger display.

Another possibility, which Intel Labs' Divya Kolar described on blog post, is to combine multiple devices' video onto … Read more

Laptop using future Intel 'Haswell' chip surfaces

Intel's new "Haswell" chip design is just around the corner. But we're already getting a peek at finished products, courtesy of a German PC vendor.

High-end laptops with Intel's upcoming fourth-generation Core series of chips appeared on DevilTech's site, according to Heise online.

Unannounced Intel silicon in those rigs includes quad-core Core i7s, such as the 4800MQ and 4900MQ.

And speaking of leaks, Haswell chips are actually up for pre-order on some online retailers.

For those who follow Intel chip rollouts closely, the chipmaker usually debuts quad-core mobile chips first and then follows up … Read more