Siemens AG is to start making dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips that support Rambus Inc’s memory-interface technology, says it will sample its first Direct Rambus DRAMs (RDRAMs) around June 1998 with volume ships set for 1999. Siemens is the twelfth DRAM maker to license the Rambus technology, which has been endorsed by Intel Corp. Siemens says it will continue to develop DRAMs using the Synclink consortium-based SLDRAM interface alongside the Rambus devices. Siemens told US papers that Intel is committed to Rambus and Intel is the leading semiconductor manufacturer, but there are other architectures in the PC world, in the graphics area and in servers, making the case for SLDRAMs. Both types of devices are now expected in the same timeframe. The Rambus technology is claimed to increase memory access times by tenfold.