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faceoff508
04-17-2002, 06:47 PM
Actually there is a ps3, IMB has won a contract. Read more:

US computer giant IBM has won the contract to produce the next generation of micro-processors for Sony's Playstation 3 games console.
The new chip will be designed for the broadband era, allowing the games machines and other "intelligent" devices to communicate with each other or connect to the internet.



We're aiming to create something fundamentally different

Sony spokesman
IBM's semi-conductor business landed the contract ahead of Toshiba, which built the Emotion Engine graphics processor used in the phenomenally successful Playstation 2 console, launched last year.

Toshiba will retain a close involvement in the new project and will contribute part of the $400m development costs.

Deep Blue

The three companies aim to design a "super-computer on a chip" with a wide variety of consumer applications, they said in a joint statement.

"The result will be consumer devices that are more powerful than IBM's Deep Blue super-computer, operate at low power and access the broadband internet at ultra-high speeds," the statement added.

Deep Blue defeated then world chess champion Garry Kasparov in a high-profile battle pitting man against machine in 1997.

Production of the new chip is expected to start in 2004.

Fundamentally different

It will be developed at the IBM laboratory in Austin, Texas, and manufactured at a new $3bn plant IBM is building in East Fishkill, New York.

The chip will also be capable of massive parallel processing - dividing up complex or time-consuming processing tasks among many chips - and could eventually be used in computer products.

"This isn't just an extension of what we've done in the past," a Sony spokesman said.

"We're aiming to create something fundamentally different."

The chips will aim for features smaller than 0.10 micron, and Sony announced separately it would licence 0.10 micron fabrication technology from IBM.

Internet access

Toshiba and Sony also signed a memorandum of understanding to develop 0.13 micron-sized dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips for the Playstation 2 console, the two companies said in a separate statement.

This will help Sony reach its goal of equipping Playstation 2 with internet access - once a sufficient number of Japanese homes have access to broadband.

Although the announcements came after the end of Monday trade on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, both Sony and Toshiba managed to outperform the market benchmark and posted lighter losses than most other shares in Japan's battered high-tech sector.

Sony ended 1.88% lower at 8,330 yen and Toshiba was off 0.91% at 656 yen, compared with a 3.6% drop in the Nikkei 225 share index.

l Maximus l
04-17-2002, 06:51 PM
Wow! Cool news...too bad for Sony that XBox got there far before 2004 :D

Dre
04-17-2002, 06:58 PM
Originally posted by Maximus
Wow! Cool news...too bad for Sony that XBox got there far before 2004 :D

Xbox doesn't do parrallel processing over multiple CPU's. That idea sounds really cool...

Actually, the only thing that Xbox did was internet axs.

Admittedly, I'm a geek :D The stuff that Sony and IBM are talking about doing is really freaking cool! And a .1 micron process? Thats going to be able to run insanely fast.

Cool news

Crazy Joe
04-17-2002, 06:58 PM
that new chip does sound interesting though, it will be interesting to see how it comes out.

Hugh_Jass
04-18-2002, 08:59 AM
Originally posted by Dre


Xbox doesn't do parrallel processing over multiple CPU's. That idea sounds really cool...

Actually, the only thing that Xbox did was internet axs.

Admittedly, I'm a geek :D The stuff that Sony and IBM are talking about doing is really freaking cool! And a .1 micron process? Thats going to be able to run insanely fast.

Cool news

The concept of multiple CPUs is interesting. I use dual-processor PC and I have found that the benefit is tangible, but not earth-shattering. Given a choice between dual-1GHz chips and a single 2GHz chip, I would rather have the single chip.

If Sony's new paradigm is to make the PS3 a multimedia center (PVR, music server, game console, DVD player) then I think it might make more sense to have dedicated CPUs for some functions rather than parallel processors.

UnitedKingdom
04-18-2002, 09:12 AM
Great, another console to slag off!
Only joking.:D


I'm sure in a few months Microsoft and nintendo will start talking about their next machines, both with higher specifications and better technology.:cool:

grandcrusader
04-18-2002, 09:47 AM
Good news for gamers but it sounds like Garry Kasparov is going to have a hard time when he goes over to peoples houses in the future who have a PS3.

I can just see owners saying "Garry fancy a game on my PS3? I have that chess program Deep Blue, remember the same program that was on that super computer that kicked your ass!"

Wu3000
04-18-2002, 11:15 AM
2 is good but i have to agree i would go with the 1 chip first. but bye 2004 it might be different

wu

l Maximus l
04-18-2002, 11:19 AM
I imagine that the more that Sony announces that they are coming out with the PS3, sales will diminish for the PS2.

Afro Aura
04-18-2002, 06:34 PM
Originally posted by Maximus
I imagine that the more that Sony announces that they are coming out with the PS3, sales will diminish for the PS2.
To right mate and with the cost of the XBOX over at £199.99 it will kill it full stop hehehehe
Well thats another way to get that parasite out of Europe tooo hehehe

E-Xbox
04-18-2002, 06:47 PM
hmm...if this is wat ps3 is gonna have...
i wonder what the next console by m$ and nintendo will have...

peace

hybridmatrix
04-18-2002, 07:08 PM
TSMC (who fabricate the xGPU and Geforce chipsets amoung others), have stated that their 0.09 micron process will be in mass production in the 1st half of 2003. About 18 months later their 0.065 micron process will be in full process (just in time for the XBOX 2).

I would guess that the "xGPU" in the XBOX 2 will be based on the 0.065 micron process, and the CPU on either 0.065 or 0.09. The 0.065 micron process should give the "xGPU" upwards of 200-250+ million transistors to play with.

HybridMATRiX

GokuX
04-19-2002, 05:37 AM
I think it's funny how some people are expecting the PS3 by like the beginning of next year. :D