Dallas Semiconductor Corp – it does live in Dallas – has come out with the DS1587 Serialised Real Time Clock, claiming that it is the first timekeeper for personal computers capable of initiating a system power-on so that regularly scheduled tasks can proceed without operator intervention; the part also identifies the machine with a unique 64-bit serial number laser-engraved into the silicon of the chip; the part has a date alarm register and when the current time and date match the date alarm value, the DS1587 activates its power control pin that drives a solid-state power switch, turning on the computer – and it can also be set to switch the machine on in resernal stimulus; it comes in a 28-pin Dual-In-Line encapsulated package that incorporates the chip, a 32.768KHz crystal and a Lithium battery and costs $15.50 when you buy 10,000 or more, immediately.
