Digital Semiconductor and IBM Microelectronics last week introduced chips that promise to make less-than-$500 network computers a reality. Digital added to its StrongARM portfolio, and IBM extended its PowerPC product line.

The Digital 21285 device is a $20 core-logic chip that complements the company's SA-110 processors, which cost from $29 to $49 in 100-MHz to 233-MHz versions. At these prices, even after adding all the other pieces to make a network computer, "you can get under $500," said Parivash Aram, embedded StrongARM marketing manager for Digital, in Palo Alto, Calif.

"[ARM is] at the heart of several thin-client Internet appliances shipping today," noted Robin Saxby, president and chief executive of Advanced RISC Machines Ltd. (ARM), in Cambridge, England.

ARM and Sun's JavaSoft unit last month ported JavaOS to the ARM architecture, adding it to the Intel x86 and Sun Sparc processors as JavaOS NC contenders.

"The StrongARM microprocessor gives the [Acorn] Office NC the performance to address the needs of businesses," said Malcolm Bird, chief executive of Acorn Computer Group's Network Computing Division, also in Cambridge.

Network Computing Devices uses PowerPC 4xx processors in the NCs it makes for IBM, noted Doug Klein, senior vice president of technology at NCD, in Mountain View, Calif. The latest device in the series, 403GCX, offers higher performance while maintaining a low price and low power consumption, said Ron Tessitore, manager of PowerPC-embedded products at IBM Microelectronics.

The 403GCX is $37 or $44 for 50-MHz or 66-MHz parts, respectively.

Digital Semiconductor, a Digital Equipment Corp. business unit in Hudson, Mass., is at (800) 344-4825.

IBM Microelectronics Division, in Fishkill, N.Y., can be reached at (800) 426- 3333.

Source: InfoWorld