[Inquirer] APM tech improves Xenon yields, Chartered to start Cell production in Q3

[Titanio]

Yup. Later in the article they talk about their combined production of 240/week. They also confirm that both plants are currently at full capacity.

How old is that article? I wonder when they hit that number. Because apparent shipments into the US up until quite recently wouldn't seem to tally with that, and in fact were quite far off from what you'd expect if they were even close.

 

[ADEX]

With so many fabs on Cell production by the end of this year, I wonder if indeed Cell will start making it's way into consumer electronics sometime in the not-too-distant future.

Sony and Toshiba are both planning to use them in TVs this year.

Because beyond Nagasaki and East Fishkill, going Chartered - which has never been mentioned for Cell before - just seems like it would provide over capacity in terms of PS3 alone.

Chartered was mentioned months ago as a second source for IBM.

Chips are made in batches, just because they can build X chips per month doesn't mean they will be doing that every month. The Cell blades will be available in volume in Q3 so Cells will need to start soon if not be in production already.

 

[scooby_dooby]

How old is that article? I wonder when they hit that number. Because apparent shipments into the US up until quite recently wouldn't seem to tally with that, and in fact were quite far off from what you'd expect if they were even close.

It's the april issue, not sure when it was printed.

 

[Carl B]

Chips are made in batches, just because they can build X chips per month doesn't mean they will be doing that every month. The Cell blades will be available in volume in Q3 so Cells will need to start soon if not be in production already.

Chartered has had a relationship with IBM for some time, but Cell specifically has never been mentioned as a chip that wouldbe produced there; wasn't it the XeCPU that was mentioned?

Also in terms of the CE goods, I know supposedly Toshiba went on record as saying their TVs in 2006 would incorporate Cell, but thus far we still haven't seen solid product announcements. It's not that I doubt it's going to happen, it's that right now chips from Chartered don't seem to have an immediate home.

Is there a source that coroborates this Charted/Cell situation other than the Inquirer?

 

[expletive]

Yup. Later in the article they talk about their combined production of 240/week. They also confirm that both plants are currently at full capacity.

Cool, thanks.

 

[ADEX]

Chartered has had a relationship with IBM for some time, but Cell specifically has never been mentioned as a chip that wouldbe produced there; wasn't it the XeCPU that was mentioned?

Chartered act as a second source for the XCPU.

There was a press release about them being a second source for Cell quite some time ago, it's mentioned here:
http://www.reed-electronics.com/electronicnews/article/CA635592.html

 

[Carl B]

There was a press release about them being a second source for Cell quite some time ago, it's mentioned here:
http://www.reed-electronics.com/electronicnews/article/CA635592.html

Indeed, thanks for that link.

 

[superguy]

I dont know if MS can sell 1 m a month!

I'd think NPD would have to be running 500K a month in USA to get close. That would likely mean another 250K+ in EU (I assume EU=50-60% of USA sales based on past 360 shipped numbers from MS). So then you can add in all the rest of the world and you're at least in ballpark of 1m per month.

I fully expect March NPD to see a increase in 360's sold. Question is how much...

One interesting thing, but I've read a lot of people mention seeing 360's on store shelves, well I was at target yesterday and saw three or four x360's freely available in the display.

I think availability is seeing massive spike.

 

[superguy]

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=999947300050001&type=product&id=pcmprd47500050001

It appears to me the premium is available for MSRP on Best Buy right now with immediate shipping..

So yes, availability seems high. Will it last?

Also found this on EBgames

http://www.ebgames.com/product.asp?product_id=B020259F

399 for a bundle is the lowest I believe I've seen from them.

 

[superguy]

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4861319

Wal Mart.com's cheapest bundle however is this ($529).

Boy you can really see how PS3 can pull off $500 if they haven't been able to keep 360 bundles in stock at those type of prices until recently. And it's near 5 months from launch..

 

[The_Standard]

With so many fabs on Cell production by the end of this year, I wonder if indeed Cell will start making it's way into consumer electronics sometime in the not-too-distant future. Because beyond Nagasaki and East Fishkill, going Chartered - which has never been mentioned for Cell before - just seems like it would provide over capacity in terms of PS3 alone.

But who knows, I could be wrong on that.

Toshiba is producing Cell at their 300mm Oita TS Semiconductor Fab as well, IIRC.

-E. Fishkill
-Nagasaki
-Oita Pref.
-Singapore

That's a lot of Cell production, for sure.