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Detailed Notes about IBM 970

RealWorldTech posts some detailed notes from IBM's presentation last week. Here are some hilights:

- the SIMD unit is AltiVec compatible

- PowerPC 970 has already "taped out", parts exist in labs, undergoing performance eval and debugging

- Second half of 2003 is when volume production is expected

- if Apple adopts the 970, 32-bit applications can run seamlessly, after OS modifications are made

- due to the subsystem support required for the chip, "Unless Apple can also obtain a low cost support chip from IBM, the PowerPC 970 processor would likely force the Apple Macintosh product lines to become even more upscale".

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