Sony, Toshiba, IBM to develop supercomputer on a chip !!!

[BizioEE]

Could this be the technology that will be used in the Playstation 3?

Sony, Toshiba, and IBM have struck a deal to develop a "supercomputer on a chip."

Being developed in Austin, Texas, the new chip architecture, codenamed "Cell," will provide "teraflops of processing power," and will be "more powerful than IBM’s Deep Blue supercomputer."

The new microchips will employ the world\'s most advanced research technologies and chip-making techniques, including copper wires, silicon-on-insulator transistors and low-K dielectric insulation, with features smaller than 0.10 microns -- 1,000 times thinner than a human hair!

http://www.ibm.com/news/2001/03/12.phtml

Sony is adamant the information held in the BBC’s piece is false.
                                                   "It’s a memorandum of intent that means we’ll be working with
                                                   IBM and Toshiba to exploit extremely thin silicon wafer technology,
                                                   around 0.1 micron, for multiple applications," said a spokesperson
                                                   for SCEE today. "The BBC’s report is wrong."

                                                   It definitely seems there are crossed wires here, and SCEE, the
                                                   European arm of Sony’s PlayStation division, has been quick to
                                                   whitewash the talk with the ever-present "it’s just a rumour" line.
                                                 
                                    -CVG todays news

[BizioEE]

UPDATE: Sony has denied the rumors that IBM won the contract to produce chip technology for the Playstation 3. A spokesperson from SCEE has stated: "You get publications needing a story, and two and two suddenly makes 18. Then Ken Kuturagi talks about the future, juxtaposing the words ‘PlayStation’ and ‘three’ but we have never confirmed a PlayStation 3, and neither would we want to. We’ve only just put out PlayStation 2. All this talk of PlayStation 3 coming out in two years is just ridiculous."

It does not tell us, however, whether or not this chip might be used for the unofficial Playstation 3 console.

Sony, Toshiba, and IBM have struck a deal to develop a "supercomputer on a chip."

Being developed in Austin, Texas, the new chip architecture, codenamed "Cell," will provide "teraflops of processing power," and will be "more powerful than IBM’s Deep Blue supercomputer." [Writer\'s note: "Wow!" - Joe]

Here is an excerpt from IBM\'s press release -

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The companies will invest more than $400 million in the next five years to design a "supercomputer-on-a-chip" at a development center within an IBM facility in Austin, Texas.

Code-named "Cell," the new microchips will employ the world\'s most advanced research technologies and chip-making techniques, including copper wires, silicon-on-insulator transistors and low-K dielectric insulation, with features smaller than 0.10 microns -- 1,000 times thinner than a human hair.


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Currently, Dr. John Kelly, senior VP and group executive for the IBM Technology Group, has declined to state what the new chip would actually be used for.

The plant will be built by 2002, with full production capabilities by 2003, and the "Cell" is expected to be in full production by 2004. Kind of a coincidental year, as most gaming consoles last an average of about five years, wouldn\'t you agree? Apparently, instead of the normal "hundreds of thousands" of sales of chips, this agreement will lead to the sale of tens of millions of the "Cell" chip.

So, will this end up being the heart of the Playstation 3? Maybe. As time rolls by, we will try to bring as much information as possible.....