---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash TI To Follow SuperSPARC With Next-Generation CPU Products SunFLASH Vol 41 #11 May 1992 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Based On SMCC's SPARC Silicon Designs Ongoing Relationship Will Benefit System Developers HOUSTON, (May 7, 1992) -- The SuperSPARC(TM) microprocessor introduced today by Texas Instruments (TI) is the first in a series of products from TI that will utilize designs from Sun Microsystems Computer Corp. (SMCC). Spanning a wide range of prices and performance levels, these future microprocessor products will be available to system manufacturers worldwide. SPARC microprocessors resulting from the TI/SMCC collaboration will reflect the evolving architecture as defined by SPARC International, Inc. As part of their continuing relationship, TI and SMCC are already developing a family of highly integrated SPARC microprocessors that will accelerate SPARC's penetration into the low-cost desktop, portable and embedded markets. The first microprocessor to be available in the new family is currently being developed under a project codenamed Tsunami. It is a low-power "workstation on a chip" that will make possible the creation of very low-cost SPARC workstations with outstanding performance. Also under development is a very high-performance, next-generation series of processors that will extend the SuperSPARC family. These high-end SuperSPARC follow-ons will utilize the most advanced semiconductor technologies, such as 64-bit architectures and will function as single-chip supercomputing engines. According to the two companies, by the year 2000, their new SPARC microprocessors could contain more than 100 million transistors, operate at clock rates approaching one billion cycles per second and deliver performance exceeding two billion instructions per second. Both product lines will incorporate TI's leading-edge semiconductor process technologies, from the 0.8-micron EPIC IIB BiCMOS process used in today's SuperSPARC, to 0.1-micron CMOS and BiCMOS processes planned for the future. These chips will also use TI's advanced packaging technologies, including multichip module (MCM) and fine pitch tape automated bonding (TAB) packaging to manage performance increases and reduce system footprints. Besides leveraging TI's processing and packaging strengths, this ongoing collaboration between SMCC and TI makes use of SMCC's expertise in silicon design. The relationship between the two companies is also an example of the silicon design program recently made public by SMCC under which its designs are licensed to semiconductor vendors, who manufacture, sell and support the resulting chip products. One objective of the program is making products from semiconductor vendors available early rather than after SMCC systems containing these products are introduced and shipped. Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation, a subsidiary of Sun Microsystems, Inc., is the world's leading supplier of client-server computing solutions, which feature networked workstations and servers that store, process and distribute information. Used for many demanding commercial and technical applications, SMCC's products command the largest share of the computer industry's fastest-growing market segment: workstations and servers. Sun Microsystems, Inc., founded in 1982 and headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., is a multi-billion dollar corporation doing business worldwide. Texas Instruments Incorporated, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is a high-technology company that develops, manufactures and markets semiconductors, defense electronics systems, software productivity tools, computer systems and peripheral products, metallurgical materials and consumer electronic products, and also offers custom engineering and manufacturing services, and electrical controls. It has sales and manufacturing operations in more than 30 countries. Trademarks: Sun Microsystems, Sun Microsystems Computer Corp., Sun, the Sun logo, are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsytems, Inc. All SPARC trademarks, including the SCD Compliant logo, are trademarks or registered trademarks of SPARC International, Inc. Products bearing SPARC trademarks are based on an architecture developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc. All other products are referred to herein by the trademarks as designated by the companies who market those products. Reader inquiries to: Texas Instruments Incorporated Semiconductor Group, SC-92035 P.O. Box 809066 Dallas, TX 75380-9066 1-800-336-5236, Ext. 3990 (U.S./Canada) 1-214-995-6611, Ext. 3990 (Outside U.S.) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ For information send mail to info-sunflash@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. Subscription requests should be sent to sunflash-request@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. Archives are on solar.nova.edu, paris.cs.miami.edu, uunet.uu.net, src.doc.ic.ac.uk and ftp.adelaide.edu.au All prices, availability, and other statements relating to Sun or third party products are valid in the U.S. only. Please contact your local Sales Representative for details of pricing and product availability in your region. Descriptions of, or references to products or publications within SunFlash does not imply an endorsement of that product or publication by Sun Microsystems. John McLaughlin, SunFlash editor, flash@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. (305) 776-7770.