Popular x86 SoC returns

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Oct. 17, 2005

Fabless chipmaker ZF Micro Solutions announced plans today to resume production of its x86-based SoC (system-on-chip) processor in the first quarter of 2006. The company says the chips will be fabbed by IBM, with which it has just signed a multi-year agreement.

(Click here for larger view of ZFx86 block diagram)

ZF claims its ZFx86 SoC has achieved more than 400 design wins worldwide. The chip, "tailored specifically to the requirements of the embedded control market," according to the company, integrates a "complete PC feature set," along with low power consumption, an embedded BIOS, and a "patented crash recovery mechanism."

The highly integrated SoC includes a 133MHz 32-bit x86 processor; PCI and ISA bus controllers; USB, serial, and parallel ports ports; general purpose I/O lines; and PC-compatible keyboard/mouse, IrDA, floppy, and hard drive interfaces. Display and networking functions are not included, and require the addition of external chipsets.

Market perspective

The ZF SoC competes with x86 SoCs from AMD and Via, as well as non-x86 SoCs based on ARM, MIPS, and SuperH, cores.

Last year's WindowsForDevices.com reader survey showed the x86 and ARM architectures tied for first place among projects undertaken during the past two years, at 33 percent each. For new designs, ARM had pulled out in front, with a three-point lead. Still, the x86 remains the only architecture for Windows XP Embedded designs, and also continues to be a popular option for new Windows CE device designs.

Availability

ZF said it expects samples of the ZFx86 chip to be available by the end of this year, with volume production beginning in the first quarter of 2006.

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