Two years after its low-end 32-bit microSparc RISC architecture went into a holding pattern, Sun Microsystems Inc has yet to define a new product plan to serve the general purpose embedded systems, but is said to be working on a new line called UltraSparc e (CI No 3,013). MicroSparcs, originally used in Sun’s very low-end, sub-$4,000 SparcStation workstations were also offered in chopped-down configurations for embedded system developers as the microSparc e series. The latest and probably last incarnation of it, the problematic PCI-enabled microSparc IIep, is used in company’s JavaStations. Sun is currently readying Java instruction processors for companies building small footprint all-Java devices – early versions of the delayed microJava 701 are supposed to sample this month with full- function cuts due by year-end – which cuts right across the microSparc e’s traditional territory. To serve this general purpose embedded market Sun says it will produce a series of 64- bit UltraSparc e processors from the PCI-enabled UltraSparc i line which is in turn derived from the UltraSparc s chips found in Sun’s high-end workstations and servers. MicroSparc licensees include graphics chip company C-Cube Microsystems Inc. Fujitsu Ltd fabricated microSparc I and II and NEC Corp had been lined up to manufacture a microSparc III.
รก
