Cell Processor Development to Continue

IBM, Toshiba and Sony on Wednesday announced that they had struck a five-year deal to continue developing the Cell microprocessor. The three had spent about $400 million over the past five years to build the first chip, which was used in the PlayStation 3, due out later this year. Plans are to look into ways of using the technology in televisions, audio equipment and in other video game consoles.

The next phase of the partnership will focus on technology to produce the Cell chip at 32 nanometers and smaller, the companies said. "By extending this relationship to the next-generation of process technologies and deepening our partnership at the research level, we expect to increase the pace of development for major technology advances," IBM semiconductor research vice president Lisa Su said in a statement. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.