By Ed Sperling

Mentor Graphics introduced the first Verification Academy, aimed at boosting functional verification skills. This is a good concept, given this is one of the big pain points and cost centers in chip design. Better still, it’s available anytime, anywhere using the latest methods in verification. We think this is a nifty idea for anyone working in verification.

Network-on-chip provider Arteris introduced an interesting twist on the whole NoC concept—the ability to connect peripherals by the dozens without worrying about what’s on, what’s off and in what order. This is a big step forward, and certainly one of the more interesting twists on ESL design.

Actel’s Q2 numbers show a slide, but minus all the restructuring charges the company still managed to keep its net income in the black and its four tires on the road. Revenue was $45.2 million, which is down from last year but down just 6.7% from the first quarter, which is the only real measurement companies can use these days to measure their progress—and their imminent turnaround. Projections for next quarter will be up by as much as 4%. Actel also introduced a new version of its Libero low-power and design integrated design environment, complete with design debug that allows engineers to insert a probe after layout to bring signals out to package pins.

Magma’s auditors may have doubts about the company, but apparently Magma’s customers don’t. The company will beat previously announced guidance for the quarter ended Aug. 2, posting better-than-expected sales and a lower-than-expected loss of 16 cents to 17 cents a share, rather than the projected 19 cents to 20 cents. The company also generated cash flow of $4.5 million. That doesn’t sound quite as dire as last week’s report.

Intel teamed up with Facebook to do good rather than just do well, creating a new volunteer program that allows computer owners to turn over their unused processing power for disease research and climate change study. It may not sell more processors, but it certainly will help ensure that people are around to buy them.  Along the same lines, but this time more on the doing well side, Intel Capital invested in five cleantech companies. This stuff may be good for the planet, but it’s also good for Intel’s bottom line.

Tags: Actel, Arteris, Facebook, Intel, Magma, Mentor Graphics

This entry was posted on Friday, August 7th, 2009 at 7:14 am and is filed under News Stories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.