STMicroelectronics extends its flash memory portfolio

TI announces TCS3500 EDGE chipset for new smartphones

Intel mobile processors: release dates and heat emission

STMicroelectronics extends its flash memory portfolio

STMicroelectronics extended its Serial Flash family with 16Mbit M25P16 and 32Mbit M25P32 solutions that have clock speed increased up to 50MHz. The remaining models (512Kbit, 1, 2, 4, 8 Mbit) had their clock speeds increased from 25 to 40 MHz that provided the top places in the market.

The nonvolatile Serial Flash is used to store code and settings in devices like CD/DVD players, Internet consoles, digital TVs, cameras, graphics cards, printers, motherboards, LCD displays, WLAN tools, DSL and cable modems. As a rule, after power is on, this data is sent from the Flash memory to RAM, e.g. for execution (code).

The new chips are organized as 32 and 64 x 512KB sectors, respectively. Similar to other chips, the new solutions utilize 4 pins for addressing, data transfers, management (via SPI-compatible serial interface). Requiring 2.7-3.6V, they consume 8mA at reading, 50µA in the energy-saving mode, and 1µA in "deep sleep".

Based on the CMOS technology, chips can store data during 20 years and can withstand up to 100,000 rewrite cycles. M25P16 and M25P32 are offered in 8-pin MLP8 (6x5mm/8x6mm) or 16-pin SO16 packages. Samples are available now, while the volume production is scheduled to Q1 2004.

TI announces TCS3500 EDGE chipset for new smartphones

Texas Instruments announced the TCS3500 EDGE chipset and the reference design for smartphones and PDAs supporting cellular operation. The chipset bases on the OMAP platform (currently used in palmOne Treo 600, Tungsten E, Motorola MPx200) and supports Symbian, Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Linux and Nokia Series 60 software platforms alongside third-party Java platforms.

Speaking of technical features, TCS3500 bases on OMAP850 application processor and 4-band EDGE modem. OMAP850 enables it to work with multimedia applications and provides an opportunity to implement 2.0Mp digital cameras.

To understand the features possible with the new chipset, look at these OMAP850 characteristics below:

• 0.13µm process
• 1.1-1.5V core and 1.8-2.75V I/O voltage
• 10 µA standby current

ARM926TEJ subsystem

• ARM926EJ-S V5 architecture, 200MHz max.
• 16KB I cache, 8KB D cache
• Hardware Java acceleration
• Multimedia instruction set

General

• Supports Linux, Nucleus, Microsoft Windows MobileTM, Palm OS, Symbian OS
• DMA with 4 physical and 17 logical channels and dedicated 2D GPU
• Programmable GPIO keyboard interface
• WLAN interface (54Mbps)
• Hardware encryption acceleration
  • Protected loader
  • 48KB protected ROM
  • 16KB protected RAM
  • Random number generator
• Advanced audio controller
• Memory controller:
  • 128MB mobile SDDRAM
  • 256MB Flash
  • NAND Flash controllers
  • 1.6Mbit ISRAM
• SD/MMC/SDIO interfaces
• LCD controller
• Bluetooth data/audio
• USB On-the-Go
• 2 x 3.68MHz UART
• Fast IrDA (FIR)
• 2 x 32-bit timers
• 289-pin 12x12mm MicroStar BGA package

The TCS3500 reference design includes board circuitry and design, GSM/GPRS/EDGE protocols stack, developer kit. TCS3500 will be sampling in Q1 2004, while the volume production is scheduled to Q4 this year.

Intel mobile processors: release dates and heat emission

Yesterday Japanese PC Watch published rather interesting information about Intel´s mobile processor and their release dates in regard to 2004 and some data about processors´ heat emission as well.

As for the heat emission values, look at the chart below:

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