Writing at ZDNet, John G. Spooner explores a new system-on-chip processor dubbed the 'Cell.' The unique new chip, a joint design by engineers from IBM, Sony, and Toshiba, reportedly will contain as many as 16 processor cores on a single chip and will offer a wide variety of support for devices and operating systems, including Linux. Expected uses for the new chip include gaming, streaming audio, networking, and more. Spooner writes . . .

” . . . Cell has nearly “taped out” — an industry term meaning that the chip's pen and paper design and layout have been completed. Soon these will be handed over to engineers in manufacturing, who will craft samples. Meanwhile, engineers have been testing various sub-elements of the processor, both separately and together, before the manufacturing unit connects them inside actual Cell chips. At this rate, commercial production of Cell could come as soon as the end of 2004.”

“While details remain vague, Cell will differ from existing microprocessors in that it will have multiple personalities. The chip will not only perform the heavy computational tasks required for graphics, but it also will contain circuitry to handle high-bandwidth communication and to run multiple devices, sources say . . . “

“Cell will likely use between four and 16 general-purpose processor cores per chip. A game console might use a chip with 16 cores, while a less complicated device like a set-top box would have a processor with fewer, said Peter Glaskowsky, editor in chief of influential industry newsletter Microprocessor Report. Some of these cores might perform computational functions, while others could control audio or graphics . . .”

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