Digital StrongARM group supports Oracle NC model

Electronic News, June 30, 1997 by Gale Bradley

The event's main focus was the release of the Oracle8 data server for network computing platform, but StrongARM still took a prominent seat as a 233MHz, $49 (price in 10,000-unit quantities) embedded microprocessor for NCs. The 233MHz StrongARM, which offers a performance level of 270 MIPS, is a three-layer metal, 0.35-micron device that generates one watt of power and measures 49 square millimeters.

Digital StrongARM NC integrators Uniden and Funai, who received box design help from DEC, showed their systems at the New York event. In all, 110 NC systems were on display, 56 of them StrongARM-based, Mr. Joseph said. Uniden's standard NC is priced at $299 and a version that integrates a 900MHz cordless phone sells for $399, he said. LG Electronics, Wyse Technology, Acorn Computers, and Apple--which uses the chip in its Newton handhelds--are also StrongARM platform systems vendors.

Peripheral function chips are currently coming from National Semiconductor, Mr. Joseph noted. Though Digital Semi has its eye on an NC-on-a-chip offering, he said, that "will bring this NC system cost down below $200 eventually." Digital's reference design calls for 8MB RAM and making that 16MB (better for Web browsing) brings the bill of materials up about $35, he said.

Emulating the Netscape marketing model, Digital is giving away the Digital Network Appliance Reference Design and NCI is giving away much of the NC terminal software. These are available for download from their respective Web sites.

Digital Semiconductor is the only architecture licensee from Advanced RISC Machines (ARM, Ltd.) among the group. The same agreement granting that license also calls, however, for Digital to license back what it develops "to anyone who asks," Mr. Joseph said.

All that aside, Digital Semiconductor was also standing up with Oracle because the new Oracle8 runs on server offerings from DEC, both AlphaServer and x86-based Prioris systems. Digital and Oracle have been aligned for about 20 years.