400 Mhz Xscale are on the way out....Thanks MIPS !!!!!!!!!!

[GreyWolf Ghost]

Thanks Info Sync
http://www.infosync.no/news/newsbits/show.php?id=1455


Well don't stop deveolping for MIPS quite yet !!!!

600 mhz Mips tech

What MIPS Technologies claims is the embedded processor industry's highest performance licensable processor core is now available to customers for design starts. The 64-bit, 600-MHz MIPS64 20Kc hard core at a 0.13-micron fabrication process achieves performance of 1370 Dhrystone 2.1 MIPS (with inlining). The 20Kc microarchitecture is scalable to 1 GHz in a 0.10-micron process, and the core already is available at 400 MHz in TSMC's 0.18G-micron process. Among MIPS core licensees we find well-known handheld device manufacturers such as HP, Motorola, Sony, Casio and Toshiba. According to MIPS Technologies, the MIPS64 architecture is supported by, Java, Linux, VxWorks and Windows CE .NET - and in fact, the only 64-bit processors that are currently supported by Windows CE .NET are based on the MIPS architecture.

[GreyWolf Ghost]

This also from info sync

A MIPS 400 mhz unit:


Windows CE .NET is what will lay at the base of Pocket PCs in the not too distant future - and Alchemy has now demonstrated the operating system running at a whopping 400 MHz.


One of the most interesting aspects of technology is that you know there's always something new around the next corner. Microsoft is of course no exception - quite the contrary actually, and has already been working for some time on the operating system that will replace Windows CE 3.0 in various handheld devices and embedded systems. Called Windows CE .NET, in line with Microsoft's name change of all its product lines, the operating system was recently demonstrated running at a whopping 400 MHz.

Alchemy Semiconductor, an Austin-based fabless semiconductor company, demonstrated its Au1000 SoC (system-on-a-chip) running a beta version of Microsoft Windows CE .NET at the Microsoft Windows Embedded Developers Conference (DevCon) in Las Vegas November 28-30. The MIPS32-based Alchemy Au1000 microprocessor was featured in the demonstration with its new Windows CE Board Support Package (BSP) developed by BSQUARE, which is designed to work on the Alchemy Pb1000 hardware reference platform to reduce time to market for embedded designs.

"The Au1000's power and performance combination of 400 MHz while typically burning only one-half watt, and high integration of peripherals, make it ideal for a variety of Windows CE applications," said Alchemy President and CEO Jim Moore. "With the immediate availability of the Au1000, and with the upcoming release of Windows CE .NET, OEMs can jump start their development of next-generation devices such as Web pads, PDAs, Internet and media appliances, gateways, and industrial controls."

Designed for maximum performance at very low power, the Au1000 runs at speeds of up to 500 MHz. Alchemy designed its Au1000 processor for the next generation of networking and remote access equipment, wireless Internet connectivity and wired information appliances.

[Guest]

go mips!

[sponge]

This is old, and too late for MIPS as far as MS is concerned. MS has standarized on the ARM platform for it's Pocket PC devices. MIPS is not making a comeback.

WindowsCE.net on the other hand supports a huge variety of processors. Again, MIPS is not making a comeback in PocketPCs.

That, and the new MIPS processor simply isn't impressive when it comes down to it.

[DillRye]

Now Im all for new technology, but why does this seem like your just happy that a technology that runs the be300 is being updated?

[ktemkin]

1) MIPS was good because of the Casio E-125; I would have bought an ipaq if it wasn't for the fact that thing had the best screen out of any pocket pc back then, and even now.

2) The whole reason for getting rid of MIPS on PPC2002 was because there were already more ARM purchases than MIPS and Microsoft wanted standardization. (Could you picture having do develop different software versions for different PC processors? Windows 98- Pentium Edition, Windows 98- Athalon edition... and then old processors such as the Intel Overdrive would be of no use...) the whole point in making PPC2002 run on ARM-type chips only was because they wanted to standardize the market so developers didn't have to have a hard time. That's the reason intel made the X-Scale a faster ARM- they could have easily made a new processor that ran at 10,000 mhz and would use a variation of one of their current IEP modules.

[damian]

[ktemkin]

[damian]

[GreyWolf Ghost]

[ktemkin]

[sponge]

[James S]

Microsoft is using MIPS processors in their line of set-top boxes that use WinCE.NET, ones available (if any, I'm not sure) and boxes being released soon that feature web access, DVD playback, and plenty of simple games. Microsoft has in no way disregarded MIPS. It's just that 80% of the market was ARM and the trouble that the seperate line of processors caused cost more than the 20% of the market that they would replace with ARM in a short time period. Microsoft chose the right thing to do, for marketing reasons, and look at where we are now. We have XScale processors that give 8 hours of battery life. If Microsoft chose MIPS then sure we'd have 400MHz MIPS processors that ran PocketQuake at 14FPS, but we'd also be getting about 2 hours of battery life.

[damian]

[damian]