eWeek reports that IBM next week will announce a new PowerPC chips ranging from 700MHz to 1GHz. Code-named 'Sa-hara,' it may also include enhancements to match the "current performance advantages of the PowerPC G4's AltiVec acceleration and is expected to be the successor to the G3 line:
"The Sahara chip will feature an 'AltiVec-like acceleration' and not require the AltiVec co-processor in order to provide a speed boost to applications. Details were not yet available as to whether this is due to new hardware or code mapping, but sources said Sahara's technology is entirely distinct from AltiVec. Sahara will be constructed using a combination of copper and silicon-on-insulator technolo-gies....
Sources also said a revised version of Sahara, called Sahara 2, will be released sometime in 2002. Although details are scarce, Sahara 2 will be moved from Sahara's CMOS 8 (0.18 micron) to CMOS 9 (0.13-micron) fabricating technology."
"The Sahara chip will feature an 'AltiVec-like acceleration' and not require the AltiVec co-processor in order to provide a speed boost to applications. Details were not yet available as to whether this is due to new hardware or code mapping, but sources said Sahara's technology is entirely distinct from AltiVec. Sahara will be constructed using a combination of copper and silicon-on-insulator technolo-gies....
Sources also said a revised version of Sahara, called Sahara 2, will be released sometime in 2002. Although details are scarce, Sahara 2 will be moved from Sahara's CMOS 8 (0.18 micron) to CMOS 9 (0.13-micron) fabricating technology."
