At the Design Automation Conference, IBM and Intel announced an
EDA-aimed collaboration for a new Linux-based mobile workstation
combining ThinkPad notebooks and Centrino mobile technology with
Cadence Design Systems software.
Intel developers are said to be using the solution in pilot form
for engineering and product development functions, with plans for
broader deployment starting in the second half of the year.
"With this new platform, mobility is taking a significant step
forward," said Guru Bhatia, general manager of engineering
computing at Intel. "Engineers will get the flexibility and
productivity of Intel Centrino mobile technology with the
outstanding performance that electronic design automation software
requires. This will help accelerate product development cycles so
that semiconductor manufacturers can get products to market faster
and ultimately be more competitive."
Beyond mobile circuit-design work, engineers will also have the
ability to perform routine office tasks without having to switch
workstations between the office and the lab, Kevin Reardon, general
manager, IBM global electronics industry, added. "This solution
will change the way engineers work," he said.
IBM launched the ThinkPad T42p mobile workstation with these
processors in May, offering high-end graphics performance and a
large 15-inch Flexview screen, viewable from 170 degrees. New
technologies, such as an "air bag" for protecting data on hard
drives if the notebook is dropped, also support mission-critical
applications in the field, Big Blue said.
"Cadence has been fully engaged on the pilot projects with IBM
and Intel and is working hard to deliver the highest performance
solutions for our customers," said Lavi Lev, an executive v-p at
Cadence. "The combination of Intel mobile technology inside IBM
notebooks, and running our Virtuoso custom design platform,
provides our customers with the flexibility and productivity to
further reduce design cycle time and time to market for complex
ICs."
Initial testing with Cadence's Virtuoso Spectre Circuit
Simulator indicates that the Intel Pentium M processor 745 (1.8
GHz, codenamed Dothan) delivers a performance gain of 56 per cent
when compared with the Pentium M processor at 1.7 GHz (codenamed
Banias), according to the firms. This improved performance,
combined with the benefits of mobility, can enable significant
productivity improvements in the field of EDA, the companies
claimed.
In addition to Intel, engineers at National Semiconductor and
IBM Microelectronics are said to be using the IBM ThinkPad mobile
workstation in pilot form.