Increasing its focus on its MIPS Computer Systems Inc R3000 RISC fabrication and exploitation activities, Integrated Device Technology Inc, Santa Clara, California has formed a RISC Subsystems division to centralise its R3000 module products activities. First move by the new unit was to launch the MacStation, which converts the Apple Macintosh II into an R3000/R3001 software development system. The kit includes a NuBus board carrying an R3000, Unix, and a C compiler so that embedded control designers can evaluate the R3000 architecture and design for it cheaply. The kit costs $6,900 plus the cost of a Mac II with at least 8Mb memory, 80Mb disk and 40Mb tape drive. That’s the good news from the company: the bad is that it expects to report lower sales and earnings for the third fiscal quarter to December 31 than for the second fiscal quarter $51.5m or so against $54.1m with earnings per share down to 8 cents to 12 cents against 22 cents in the second quarter. The company says that orders taken for delivery during the quarter failed to meet expectations, and that there was severe pricing pressure on some products – there is a price to be paid for the intensification of the RISC Wars.
