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*pdiggitydogg* · 11-29-2004, 04:07 PM

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Today, the Sony Corporation and its entertainment arm as well as I.B.M. and Toshiba will reveal some of the first details of the Cell chip, jointly developed by the three companies, that will form the basis of the next generation of PlayStation game consoles.

The chip, which is still being designed, has been one of the most guarded secrets in the entertainment, semiconductor and computing industries since the companies started work on it in 2001.

Industry analysts expect the new PlayStation to be released in late 2005 or early 2006. The advanced chip will include multiple processors versatile enough to provide richer video images, multiplayer gaming and the addition of still pictures, audio and other media, the companies and analysts said.

Sony plans to introduce high-definition televisions powered by Cell in 2006, while I.B.M. says the Cell chip has the potential to be included in other consumer electronics and computing products, the companies said.

I.B.M. and Sony also said they were testing a workstation driven by the Cell chip that will be used by video game makers and producers of special effects.

To handle all these functions, the Cell will have separate microprocessors that manage specific jobs simultaneously, as well as allow for data to be sent and received at high speeds over broadband lines. This is a step ahead of the current generation of chips that typically have one microprocessor and can manage more limited amounts of data and functions at a time.

"The Cell processor is probably the first major change in chip processors in 10 to 20 years because there are multiple brains" inside the chip, said Richard Doherty, the president and research director at the Envisioneering Group, a technology consultant in Seaford, N.Y. "With previous chip generations, communications was an afterthought. It was just about how fast it goes and never about the richness of the gasoline."

Though Sony has said little about the successor to the PlayStation 2, analysts expect it to range far beyond games. The current machine has a DVD player and offers access to the Internet to allow for multiplayer games online.

But with Cell inside, the new machine may also be able to download satellite television signals and connect to digital cable set-top boxes, Mr. Doherty and other analysts said. Because the machine is expected to include a hard drive, users may also be able to store photos and videos. The Cell-driven machine is expected to display video and pictures in high definition.

The workstations with Cell inside will allow video game developers and special effects producers to create products in a fraction of the time it takes now, the companies said. That could reduce the cost of making movies and video games, a potential boon for movie studios.

11-29-2004, 04:07 PM	#2
pdiggitydogg Yahoo Watashi wa kattaze! Join Date: May 2002 Location: Meanwhile, up in The D... Age: 41 Posts: 10,579	(requires a login) Today, the Sony Corporation and its entertainment arm as well as I.B.M. and Toshiba will reveal some of the first details of the Cell chip, jointly developed by the three companies, that will form the basis of the next generation of PlayStation game consoles. The chip, which is still being designed, has been one of the most guarded secrets in the entertainment, semiconductor and computing industries since the companies started work on it in 2001. Industry analysts expect the new PlayStation to be released in late 2005 or early 2006. The advanced chip will include multiple processors versatile enough to provide richer video images, multiplayer gaming and the addition of still pictures, audio and other media, the companies and analysts said. Sony plans to introduce high-definition televisions powered by Cell in 2006, while I.B.M. says the Cell chip has the potential to be included in other consumer electronics and computing products, the companies said. I.B.M. and Sony also said they were testing a workstation driven by the Cell chip that will be used by video game makers and producers of special effects. To handle all these functions, the Cell will have separate microprocessors that manage specific jobs simultaneously, as well as allow for data to be sent and received at high speeds over broadband lines. This is a step ahead of the current generation of chips that typically have one microprocessor and can manage more limited amounts of data and functions at a time. "The Cell processor is probably the first major change in chip processors in 10 to 20 years because there are multiple brains" inside the chip, said Richard Doherty, the president and research director at the Envisioneering Group, a technology consultant in Seaford, N.Y. "With previous chip generations, communications was an afterthought. It was just about how fast it goes and never about the richness of the gasoline." Though Sony has said little about the successor to the PlayStation 2, analysts expect it to range far beyond games. The current machine has a DVD player and offers access to the Internet to allow for multiplayer games online. But with Cell inside, the new machine may also be able to download satellite television signals and connect to digital cable set-top boxes, Mr. Doherty and other analysts said. Because the machine is expected to include a hard drive, users may also be able to store photos and videos. The Cell-driven machine is expected to display video and pictures in high definition. The workstations with Cell inside will allow video game developers and special effects producers to create products in a fraction of the time it takes now, the companies said. That could reduce the cost of making movies and video games, a potential boon for movie studios.