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A Year Ago Today: Sun cooks Java chips

This story was first published October 14, 1996
Written by Martin Veitch, Contributor

Sun Microsystems has taken the wraps off its first processor dedicated to running Java.

Expected to be available in volume late in 1997, the RISC-based chips will ship with 16Kb cache and optional floating point unit. Sun expects pricing to be under $25 per processor.

LG Semiconductor, Mitsubishi, NEC and Samsung will be among chip makers who will build the devices. Target products include network computers (NCs), smart phones, PDAs and set-top boxes. Sun will also license the JavaOS, HotJava browser and development tools for picoJava and Java.

Later in 1997, Sun will follow up the picoJava with microJava processors including application-specific I/O, memory and communications, for consumer products, and UltraJava chips, aimed at 3D multimedia workstations.

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