Prediction articles:
2020: A consumer electronics forecast for the year(s) ahead
AI Chips: What Will 2020 Bring?
CEO Outlook: 2020 Vision: 5G, China and AI are prominent, but big changes are coming everywhere
Top 10 Tech Failures From 2019 That Hint At 2020 Trends – Last year’s tech failures often turn into next year’s leading trends
Trends:
AMD’s 7nm Ryzen 4000 CPUs are here to take on Intel’s 10nm Ice Lake laptop chips
Top 9 challenges IT leaders will face in 2020: From skills shortages to privacy concerns
From the oil rig to the lake: a shift in perspective on data
In December 2020, the new IEC/EN 62368-1 will replace the existing safety standards EN 60950-1 and EN 60065-1
Use of technology money outside company IT department is the new normal
Tech to try:
12 Alternative Operating Systems You Can Use In 2020
CONTINUOUS INTEGRATION: WHAT IT IS AND WHY YOU NEED IT
Research:
Universal memory coming? New type of non-volatile general purpose memory on research, some call it UltraRAM.
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Tomi Engdahl says:
Chinese EDA
https://semiengineering.com/chinese-eda/
Without a good EDA flow, China’s semiconductor investment is at risk. While its commercial EDA ventures have not been successful, it’s highly likely that work continues.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Is Hardware-Assisted Verification Avoidable?
https://semiengineering.com/is-hardware-assisted-verification-avoidable/
Simulation is no longer up to the task of system-level verification, but making the switch to hardware-assisted verification can lead to some surprises if you do not fully plan ahead.
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Renaissance For Semiconductors
https://semiengineering.com/a-renaissance-for-semiconductors/
New horizontal technologies and vertical markets are fueling the opportunities for massive innovation throughout an expanding ecosystem.
Major shifts in semiconductors and end markets are driving what some are calling a renaissance in technology, but navigating this new, multi-faceted set of requirements may cause some structural changes for the chip industry as it becomes more difficult for a single company to do everything.
For the past decade, the mobile phone industry has been the dominant driver for the semiconductor ecosystem, from EDA and IP to foundries. That industry has hit a plateau in growth, but new drivers are emerging in verticals such as automotive, medical and industrial, and in horizontals such as artificial intelligence, More than Moore, and in managing growing constraints on power and thermal.
This kind of turmoil looks as if it will be good for the entire semiconductor ecosystem, and innovation is at the highest level in recent memory. “If the ESD Alliance Market Statistics Service (MSS) Q2 report is an indicator, EDA is growing despite the smart phone industry plateauing,” says Bob Smith, executive director of ESD Alliance. “Chip companies are clearly designing new end-user products. According to the report, CAE and IC Physical design are up substantially, while PCB is down slightly. Longer term, CAE and IC Physical Design have been generally trending up, and that infers new chip design activity is proceeding.”
The industry now has multiple drivers. “Until 10 years ago, you would find single big inflection points,” says Michal Siwinski, corporate vice president for market and business development at Cadence. “It would be datacoms, and then it would be mobile, but that has evolved. Over the last five years it started to become multi-faceted. A lot of the push for innovation used to come primarily from mobile, because mobile was pushing the envelope of things harder than anyone else. They still are, but in addition the hyperscalers are pushing other verticals that depend on large data center infrastructure or adding intelligence to all kind of compute, be it in consumer products, be it in industrial, be it in automotive, be it in aerospace. It’s a good problem but it’s almost too many drivers.”
One example of divergence can be seen between mobile and high-performance compute (HPC). “The end of Dennard Scaling impacted both groups but the responses of each were somewhat different,” says Thom Gregorich, director of business development for Carl ZEISS SMT. “HPC continued to pursue more advanced fab nodes, implemented multi-core designs, and supported those processors with arrays of conventional DRAM packages. Mobile caught-up to HPC in the pursuit of advanced fab nodes and subsequently dominated leading-edge fab business due to their larger purchasing power. They also implemented multi-core designs with sophisticated POP DRAM solutions to address the physical constraints of mobile. The ending of Moore’s Law hit HPC first, and to some extent resulted in the development of HBM DRAM and 2.5D packages to circumvent the DRAM performance wall. At the same time, the POP technology portfolio continued to provide mobile with sufficient bandwidth.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Output of Taiwan’s IC industry expected to grow over 20% in 2020
https://focustaiwan.tw/sci-tech/202010270024
Tomi Engdahl says:
DRAM Price Erosion Expected Through the End of 2020
https://www.icinsights.com/news/bulletins/DRAM-Price-Erosion-Expected-Through-The-End-Of-2020/%20
Price jump that typically coincides with the introduction of new smartphone models in 3Q and 4Q is not expected due to disrupted buying patterns and cautious discretionary spending.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Transpilers, Emulators, and Containers, Oh My
Catching up on several interesting developments that slipped by due to volume, here’s a look at the TeaVM translator, Nvidia’s Jetson emulator, and Ubuntu’s MicroK8s container management project.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/altembedded/article/21146296/electronic-design-transpilers-emulators-and-containers-oh-my
TeaVM
TeaVM converts Java byte code into Javascript, allowing a Java application to run on most browsers and other platforms that support Javascript (Fig. 1). Java never made it on the desktop or browser and Javascript was the winner on the browser, so TeaVM can be very handy for a Java developer.
TeaVM converts Java byte code into Javascript that can run on a web browser without needing to access the original source code.
Nvidia Jetson Emulator
The Nvidia Jetson family encompasses a range of hardware platforms starting with the new, low-cost ($59) Jetson Nano 2GB (Fig. 2). The Jetson Nano is a platform I highly recommend, but it may not always be the best bet even at its low price. In particular, many teachers and developers would like to get their feet wet using CUDA and Nvidia’s massive AI support before purchasing some hardware, especially since some of Jetson Nano’s big brothers may be a more suitable solution even though they have a higher cost.
Tomi Engdahl says:
4 Archaic Functions Windows 10 Still Supports
https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/archaic-functions-windows-10/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Redpoint and Sequoia are backing a startup to copyedit your shit code
https://techcrunch.com/2020/10/29/r2c-series-a/
Tomi Engdahl says:
AMD’s Ryzen 9 5950X Shatters PassMark Records
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/amd-ryzen-9-5950x-zen-3-cpu-benchmarks
Tomi Engdahl says:
AMD Agrees to Buy Rival Chip Maker Xilinx for $35 Billion
U.S. semiconductor industry consolidation gains pace with another landmark transaction
https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/amd-agrees-to-buy-rival-chip-maker-xilinx-for-35-billion-11603794663
https://www.amd.com/en/press-releases/2020-10-27-amd-to-acquire-xilinx-creating-the-industry-s-high-performance-computing
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.notebookcheck.net/A-whole-bunch-of-Asus-ZenBook-and-VivoBook-laptops-are-now-shipping-with-11th-gen-Intel-Tiger-Lake-CPUs.499405.0.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
AMD’s 5600X Chip Claims Top Score in Single-Threaded Performance
The $299 chip scored a 3,495 on Passmark’s test, which is about 10 percent higher than the runner-up, Intel’s $549 Core i9-10900K processor.
https://uk.pcmag.com/processors/129554/amds-5600x-chip-claims-top-score-in-single-threaded-performance
Tomi Engdahl says:
Dev Team Health: Vital Signs To Watch
https://linearb.io/blog/dev-team-health/
Team Health is the most important KPI for dev leads. Monitor these vital signs during your iteration to identify problems early and prevent developer burnout.
Tomi Engdahl says:
AMD’s $299 5600X Spotted Flying Past All Intel CPUs in Single-Threaded Performance
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/amd-5600x-passmark-singlethread
Tomi Engdahl says:
AMD Ryzen 9 5950X 16-Core CPU Hits 5 GHz Without Breaking A Sweat
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/amd-ryzen-9-5950x-5ghz-benchmarks
Tomi Engdahl says:
Programming language Python is a big hit for machine learning. But now it needs to change
Despite its popularity, Python could become limited to data science alone on its current trajectory, say two experts.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/programming-language-python-is-a-big-hit-for-machine-learning-but-now-it-needs-to-change/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/intel-9th-gen-coffee-lake-cpus-cheap-prices
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/amd-ryzen-5-5600x-vs-intel-core-i5-10600k-benchmarks
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/microsoft-windows-10-breaking-pcs.amp
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.tomshardware.com/uk/news/amd-introduces-new-chipset-driver-for-ryzen-cpus
Tomi Engdahl says:
Chris Lattner: The Future of Computing and Programming Languages | Lex Fridman Podcast #131
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWTvXbQHwWs
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://electricalfundablog.com/ddr5-sdram-features-architecture-how-it-works/
Tomi Engdahl says:
2020 was a good year to be an entry-level candidate for technology jobs, especially if you’ve got PHP skills.
2020′s fastest-rising tech jobs? Programming language PHP leads the way
https://www.zdnet.com/article/2020s-fastest-rising-tech-jobs-programming-language-php-leads-the-way/
2020 was a good year to be an entry-level candidate for technology jobs, especially if you’ve got PHP skills.
Scripting language PHP might not be that cool to know these days, but it is very valuable if you’re new to the workforce and looking for a tech job in the US, according to job search engine Indeed.
Job listings for entry-level PHP developer roles have increased a massive 834% since January 2020, making it the fastest-growing tech job across the industry, according to Indeed’s data.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Early ‘reviews’ of AMD Ryzen 5 5600X show it beating Intel Core i9-9900k
https://www.techradar.com/news/early-reviews-of-amd-ryzen-5-5600x-shows-it-beating-intel-core-i9-9900k
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://spectrum.ieee.org/at-work/tech-careers/when-user-experience-means-life-or-death
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft’s Flight Simulator 2020 Blurs the Line Between Tools and Toys
https://spectrum.ieee.org/computing/software/microsofts-flight-simulator-2020-blurs-the-line-between-tools-and-toys
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://blog.taiste.fi/en/misunderstandings-about-design-and-how-to-correct-them
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://pilvilampi.fi/dokumentti-ei-ole-tyokalu/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://blog.paessler.com/4-ways-to-reduce-alert-noise-in-enterprise-it
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.conseptas.com/blog/2020/8/13/tuotannon-testausjrjestelmt-miksi-testaaminen-on-trke
Tomi Engdahl says:
Could Microsoft be en route to dumping Windows in favor of Linux?
Microsoft Linux is the next evolution of the Microsoft desktop operating system, argues Jack Wallen. He explains why this would be a win-win for Microsoft, IT pros, users, and the Linux community.
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/could-microsoft-be-en-route-to-dumping-windows-in-favor-of-linux/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.computerworld.com/article/3584919/an-introduction-to-windows-10-s-new-powertoys.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Chinese CPUs Now Work On Domestically-Produced Operating System
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/chinese-cpus-now-work-on-domestically-produced-operating-system
MyDrivers reports that China’s homegrown Zhaoxin processors are now operational with its self-developed Unity Operating System (UOS). It’s no surprise that China wants to stop depending on U.S. technology, and the latest development is an important step towards the country’s autonomy. The news come on the tail of new Chinese government restrictions that force Chinese institutions to replace all foreign-powered PC hardware and software with domestically-produced products over a three-year span.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Early ‘reviews’ of AMD Ryzen 5 5600X show it beating Intel Core i9-9900k
https://www.techradar.com/au/news/early-reviews-of-amd-ryzen-5-5600x-shows-it-beating-intel-core-i9-9900k
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://venturebeat.com/2020/10/29/microsoft-excel-power-bi-data-types/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://techcrunch.com/2020/10/31/is-wall-street-losing-its-tech-enthusiasm/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Remote Work Complicates Tech Audits. Here’s How CIOs Can Reduce The Headaches.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/noahbarsky/2020/10/27/pandemic-tech-audits-cause-cios-headaches/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Cloud revenue equation: One AWS equals Azure + Google + Alibaba
https://www.theregister.com/2020/10/30/canalys_worldwide_cloud_market_q3_2020/
Pandemic makes for huge growth, but one customer remains elusive: Facebook plans $23bn new infrastructure spend
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kick Microsoft Windows 10 to the curb — switch to Ubuntu-based Linux Lite 5.2 today!
https://betanews.com/2020/10/31/windows-10-ubuntu-linux-lite-52/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/windows-10-now-hides-the-system-control-panel-how-to-access-it/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Linus Torvalds hails ‘historic’ Linux 5.10 for ditching defunct addressing artefact
Memory-handling oddity from the age of the 286 has been around since ‘pretty much the original release of Linux’
https://www.theregister.com/2020/10/25/linux_5_10_rc1/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://medium.com/swlh/why-i-switched-to-linux-after-using-windows-for-10-years-247de78058ef
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.enfo.fi/blogi/rpa-nopeasti-hyotykayttoon-nama-6-etua-puoltavat-avoimen-lahdekoodin-ratkaisuja
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel Meteor Lake Architecture Added to Linux Kernel
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/intel-meteor-lake-architecture-added-to-linux-kernel
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://techcrunch.com/2020/11/06/review-sonys-playstation-5-is-here-but-next-generation-gaming-is-still-on-its-way/
Tomi Engdahl says:
First real gaming benchmarks of new Ryzen 5000 series processors spotted
https://technosports.co.in/2020/11/05/first-real-benchmarks-of-new-ryzen-5000-series-processors-spotted/
The day of availability of the new AMD Ryzen 5000 series processors has come and we are seeing a lot of new official benchmarks and numbers now on the internet. Among the very first reviews, the Pichau channel has already released the video on gaming benchmarks of these new processors.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Next-generation computer chip with two heads
https://techxplore.com/news/2020-11-next-generation-chip.html
EPFL engineers have developed a computer chip that combines two functions—logic operations and data storage—into a single architecture, paving the way to more efficient devices. Their technology is particularly promising for applications relying on artificial intelligence.
It’s a major breakthrough in the field of electronics. Engineers at EPFL’s Laboratory of Nanoscale Electronics and Structures (LANES) have developed a next-generation circuit that allows for smaller, faster and more energy-efficient devices—which would have major benefits for artificial-intelligence systems. Their revolutionary technology is the first to use a 2-D material for what’s called a logic-in-memory architecture, or a single architecture that combines logic operations with a memory function. The research team’s findings appear today in Nature.
Until now, the energy efficiency of computer chips has been limited by the von Neumann architecture they currently use, where data processing and data storage take place in two separate units. That means data must constantly be transferred between the two units, using up a considerable amount of time and energy.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel’s pinning its future on Alder Lake’s hybrid design, but AMD won’t follow suit ‘just to have a bigger number’
https://www.pcgamer.com/amd-ryzen-hybrid-architecture-big-little-intel-alder-lake/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Arm has launched a CPU monster that will get Intel and AMD very worried
https://www.techradar.com/news/arm-has-launched-an-nvidia-cpu-monster-that-will-get-intel-and-amd-very-worried
Designed to power the next-gen always-on portables
Arm has just announced the Arm Cortex-A78C CPU, which can support up to eight cores and eight MB of cache to meet compute-intensive workloads.
What makes the announcement even more noteworthy is that it comes days before Apple will unveil its first batch of three Arm-powered laptops at its ‘One More Thing’ event on November 10.
The newly announced CPU is Arms first serious contender in the high-performance CPU market, currently dominated by Intel and AMD. The Arm Cortex-A78C is part of the Cortex-A78 family of CPUs that Arm unveiled earlier this year in May 2020. But while the A78 was pitched for mobile devices, the A78C is designed specifically for high-performance, always-on devices such as laptops.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Raspberry Pi 400 is out: $70 for a complete PC with a faster Pi 4 in a keyboard
The Raspberry Pi 400 comes with 4GB RAM, a faster Raspberry Pi 4 and a built-in heatsink to keep it cool.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/raspberry-pi-400-is-out-70-for-a-complete-pc-with-a-faster-pi-4-in-a-keyboard/