Chinese semiconductor vendor BLX IC is shipping a faster successor to its Godson-1 processor, according to the EETimes UK. The 300-500MHz Godson-2 has a 64-bit MIPS-like architecture, and can run office applications under Linux with performance similar to a Pentium-III, the company says.

BLX's 32-bit, 266MHz Godson-1 chips have been used primarily in low-power embedded applications, such as thin clients developed in conjunction with AMD at the Computing Client Development Center. The new Godson-2, in contrast, could prove powerful enough to compete with Via's x86 chips in the vast market for computing appliances in developing nations such as China. The “Godson” name even seems meant to invite comparison with Via processors, all of which have Biblical names, such as Nehemiah, Isaiah, Mark, Luke, and John.

According to the EETimes UK, Godson-2 is built using the same 0.18-micron process technology as the Godson-1, suggesting that BLX may be able to offer die-shrunk models with increased performance relatively soon. The chip supports Linux, NetBSD, VxWorks, and Windows CE. BLX first announced the Godson-2 in March of 2003.

The EETimes UK article can be found here. More details about Via's planned 64-bit processor, Isaiah, can be found here. Also of interest might be Glenn Henry's analysis of the advantages of the x86 architecture in devices with complex interfaces, which he discussed in this extensive interview. Henry is CEO of Via's Texas-based Centaur processor division.

 
This article was originally published on LinuxDevices.com and has been donated to the open source community by QuinStreet Inc. Please visit LinuxToday.com for up-to-date news and articles about Linux and open source.