In London last week, Sony Microsystems – ostensibly in town for the UK announcement of its already-previewed MIPS Computer Systems Inc R3000-based NWS-3800 NEWS RISC workstation, and a new low-end 1500 Series NWS-1520 offering – surprised industry observers with news that it is currently working with unannounced R4000 and R3500 RISC microprocessors from the Sunnyvale, California chip designer, with a view to adopting either one or the other – or both – for use in future NEWS workstation products. Previously the R4000 was mooted by observers to be the name of the ECL successor to the R3000 part. However MIPS preferred to call that chip the R6000 – because it is claimed to offer double the performance of the R3000 – and launched it in a new range of systems last month. Along with Japanese rivals NEC, Sony has already committed to fabricating the R6000 processor – it says volume shipments should be available by the middle of next year. The new 50MHz R3500 and 33MHz R4000 MIPS RISC processors Sony is using in its research and development laboratories in Tokyo were sourced from LSI Logic Corp – MIPS has previously used Bipolar Integrated Technology as the initial source of supply for its chip technology. Sony has been working with early versions this month, but expects to receive more substantial quantities by March, according to Mr Nakamura, general manager of Sony Microsystems Europe. He said that future development plans could include one or other, or both both the R3500 and R4000 – indeed both were plain to see in a slide presentation of Sony’s product evolution plans for the early 1990s. In light of these revalations, the R3500 processor – an upgraded R3000 chip set is likely to hit the streets by the middle of next year, though the R4000 is reckoned to be at least a year away from delivery onto the market, according to sources. For its part MIPS Computer Systems is keeping quiet about the new processors, furthermore, MIPS UK explains, it is unlikely that much will be heard from the company at all until towards the end of January, the reason being that the company is now in the 90-day quiet period that has to accompany any public offering of shares in the US: a company is required not to reveal anythying that has not been covered in its prospectus until the shares start trading.
