Article Abstract:
Silicon Valley is still thriving while Boston's Route 128 is declining because of the former's emphasis on design rather than manufacture of semiconductors. American engineers excel at the skill, and a time may come when the chips are fabricated in Asia based on designs supplied by US companies, an idea based in the fashion industry. The two hotbeds of the computer industry, Silicon Valley in California and Route 128, south of Boston, diverged early on. The California companies had their initial success with microcomputers and workstations, while the Route 128 companies concentrated on minicomputers. Now it is likely that future success lies in the ability to design and sell software. Silicon Valley companies are making that adjustment, but Route 128-area firms are not. Analysts are confident that Silicon Valley companies will always be able to make similar adjustments and thrive in their niche.
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Article Abstract:
DEC will use a new technology created by the Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corp (MCC) to connect silicon processing chips within its computers via a tape-automated bonding process. The process is more efficient and reliable than bonding methods that require metal wire to make the connections. The technology will allow DEC to reduce the size of its laptop and parallel microcomputers. MCC is a research consortium of 19 American corporations including DEC, Boeing Co, Control Data Corp, Eastman Kodak Co and General Electric Co. Such research is vital for US companies, because as computers grow faster, the connection between the chips becomes as important as the chips themselves. IBM has been investigating chip packaging methods, but DEC is one of the first US companies to use tape bonding technology. DEC will use tape bonding in its VAX 6000 Model 400 computer system.
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Article Abstract:
Kyocera Corp and AVX Corp are the latest in a series of mergers using stock swapping. Kyocera is a Japanese manufacturer of technical ceramics for use in semiconductors and electronic components, and AVX manufactures ceramics and glass capacitors. Company officials do not expect the $531 million merger between Japanese and US firms to draw government objection. Kyocera is already a major supplier to military contractors. Kyocera and AVX shares both received a boost from the announcement of the merger. They will market their wares in the US, Japan and Europe.
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