SAN JOSE--Transmeta Corp. today announced plans to ship a highly integrated, system-on-chip version of its low-power consuming Crusoe PC processor during the second half of 2002. The x86-compatible processor will have 1-GHz speeds and combine Northbridge, Southbridge, and graphics functions on a single device, according to the company.
Transmeta said the new TM6000 processor will integrate functions typically found in today's three- or four-chip microprocessor solutions. Compared to Transmeta's current Crusoe processor, introduced last year, the new TM6000 will take up about one-third the board space and use much less power in portable computers and other applications requiring small size as well as low cost, said the company, which is disclosing the integrated processor at today's opening of the Microprocessor Forum in San Jose.
"The new Crusoe microprocessor is targeted at lightweight, full-feature notebooks; small and thin form factor devices, such as Tablet PCs; ultra dense servers; and a range of embedded systems that are migrating to x86, such as networking equipment, printers and set-top boxes," said Mark Allen, president and chief executive officer of Transmeta.
The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company said it has improved the power efficiency of the TM6000 over its existing TM5800 processor with the Transmeta LongRun power management design, which integrates chip-set and graphics functions on one die. Transmeta said the Crusoe TMS6000 will be shipped to system makers in the second half of next year at speeds of 1 GHz. No pricing information was initially released by the company.
Transmeta also said it plans to ship an 800-MHz version of its current TM5800 processor before the end of 2001, with a 1-GHz version due out in the first half of 2002.
