All articles tagged with #silicon
Apple's transition from Intel to its own M-series chips has revolutionized computing by setting new standards for performance and efficiency, enabling longer battery life and more integrated architecture, and influencing industry strategies over the past five years.
Apple has launched its fifth-generation M-series silicon, the M5, powering new MacBook, iPad, and Vision Pro devices, with significant upgrades in GPU and neural processing capabilities aimed at boosting AI performance, graphics, and machine learning workloads, while waiting for updates on other Apple devices.
Apple announced the M5 chip, built on 3nm technology, featuring a 10-core GPU with Neural Accelerators, a powerful CPU, and enhanced memory bandwidth, significantly boosting AI and graphics performance for devices like the MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Apple Vision Pro.
Apple is expected to announce the M5 chip this week, but contrary to previous assumptions, it will likely be fabricated on TSMC’s older 3nm ‘N3E’ process instead of the newer ‘N3P’, possibly due to cost considerations, although this would be unusual given Apple's history of using cutting-edge manufacturing processes.
The article discusses the analysis of the extremely stripped supernova SN2021yfj, revealing insights into silicon and sulfur formation sites through spectral data available in public archives, highlighting the importance of spectral analysis in understanding supernovae composition and evolution.
Researchers at UC Riverside have discovered a method to control electron flow in silicon at the quantum level by manipulating molecular symmetry, enabling nanoscale switches that could revolutionize electronics and energy devices beyond traditional chip limits.
A recent claim suggests that drinking silicon-rich sparkling water may help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease by promoting the excretion of aluminum, a potential risk factor for the condition. While some experts, like Professor Chris Exley, support the idea that silicon-rich water can improve cognitive function, others caution against assuming all sparkling waters are beneficial due to added sugars or artificial sweeteners. The exact cause of Alzheimer's remains unclear, involving genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.
TSMC is progressing with the development of 2nm and 1.4nm chips for future Apple silicon, with trial production of the 2nm node set to begin in the second half of 2024 and small-scale production in the second quarter of 2025. Apple is expected to adopt these new chip technologies, with historical trends showing advanced chip designs appearing in iPhones before moving to other Apple devices. The M1 series of Apple silicon chips is based on the A14 Bionic and uses TSMC's N5 node, while the M2 and M3 series use N5P and N3B, respectively. Each successive TSMC node surpasses its predecessor in terms of transistor density, performance, and efficiency.
A new side-channel vulnerability, dubbed GoFetch, has been discovered in the architecture of Apple Silicon processors, allowing malicious apps to extract cryptographic keys. The issue stems from how processors equipped with data memory-dependent prefetchers implement certain cryptographic operations, mixing data and addresses at the hardware level. The vulnerability affects Apple Silicon chips and 13th generation and newer Intel architectures. The researchers were able to mount end-to-end attacks on Apple hardware containing M1 processors and found similar exploitable behavior in base-model M2 and M3 Apple Silicon CPUs. Disabling the vulnerable feature may seriously degrade performance, and the only alternative fix is to rely on third-party cryptographic programs to improve their implementations.
Researchers have demonstrated the feasibility of building 3D computer chips from 2D semiconductors, addressing the limitations of silicon-based chips as devices become more powerful. The use of ultrathin layers of non-silicon semiconductors presents a promising solution to the challenges faced by the semiconductor industry, offering a potential pathway for the development of more advanced and efficient electronic devices.
Google's Gemini, a new technology, was launched with a misleading demo that misrepresented its capabilities. Despite this, Gemini showcases Google's ability to integrate from silicon to model, making it a powerful tool in the tech industry.
CNBC has released a video providing a rare glimpse inside one of Apple's chip testing labs in California, featuring commentary from Apple's chipmaking head and hardware engineering chief. The report recaps Apple's in-house chipmaking history and hints at what's next for the company, although Apple remains tight-lipped about its future plans.
A new report and video from CNBC provide an inside look into Apple's silicon lab and the team working on Apple Silicon. Apple executives, including John Ternus and Johny Srouji, discuss the company's in-house technology development, the benefits of optimizing chips for their own products, and the success of Apple Silicon in devices like the MacBook Air. While Apple is reportedly working on making its own 5G modems, Srouji remains focused on building the best products and technology, even if it means buying off-the-shelf components.
New research demonstrates that the amount of friction between two silicon surfaces, even at large scales, is determined by the forming and rupturing of microscopic chemical bonds between them. This discovery opens up possibilities for controlling friction using surface chemistry techniques, which could have significant implications for reducing energy consumption, material wear, and increasing positioning precision in machinery.
Apple has announced its new M3 processing platform, which will be featured in the 2023 iMac and MacBook Pro models. The 24-inch iMac, starting at $1,299, will exclusively use the M3 chip, while the more powerful M3 Pro and M3 Max chips will be available in the updated MacBook Pro models. The design of the iMac remains the same, with a slim all-in-one display and a range of color options. The display technology and resolution also remain unchanged, but the new iMac features Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and up to four USB Type-C ports. The M3 chip offers improved performance with eight processing cores and eight GPU cores, with the option to upgrade to a more powerful configuration. The base model of the 2023 iMac starts at the same price as the previous model, with additional customization options available.