IBM Powers Down Chips

Low power is the name of the game nowadays, as more and more of our electronic devices go mobile. Still, as I've said before, it would be nice to see new battery technologies to accompany all these low power gadgets. It seems a little silly to spend millions on developing ultra low power chips for devices that use low-tech disposable batteries. Keeping up with other chipsters who are trying to make your MP3 player run for days before you toss the old AAA in the trash, IBM told us about the first of a family of chips that it says are capable of ultra-low-power operation. IBM PowerPC 405LP system-on-chip includes circuitry to conserve power by shutting off portions when not in use, improving power efficiency in both active and standby modes. IBM figures the chip will lead to products that could consume ten times less power than those we're using today. The 405LP includes a mode in which power is reduced to virtually zero while still providing "instant-on" response to an external stimulus, such as a pen stylus on a touch screen. The new chips also offer the ability to incorporate functions like voice recognition and encryption into hardware. This processor is the first to come from the recently announced Low-Power Computing Research Center based at IBM's Austin Research Laboratory.