According to Numonyx employees, the memory spin-off from Intel and STMicroelectronics is to close its R&D center in Santa Clara, known as the California Technology Center (CTC). Continued price declines and weakening macro-economic climate is forcing Numonyx to restructure, forcing the company to close facilities and reduce its headcount. Employees at the CTC were told of the closure last Tuesday, which is believed to come into effect by April, 2009. According to the Numonyx sources,

"We are seeing ... that the slowdown in the U.S. hasn't spilled everywhere else. The world's economy is not as robust as it could be, but it's not a disaster."

As part of its move to Intel chips in early 2006, Apple abandoned its practice of using custom motherboard chipsets. Instead, it began to rely on slightly tweaked versions of industry-standard chipsets offered by Intel. However, with Apple striving to maintain Mac sales growth of more than two times the industry average, it's again looking to differentiate the architecture of its PCs through alternative technology.

For the past 10 years, U.S. chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) has been filing complaints with regulators in the U.S., Europe, and Asia alleging that Intel engaged in anticompetitive practices that limit consumer choice. Every time, Intel has responded by painting the charges as nothing more than the gripes of a jealous foe.

...Initial products at launch in Baltimore were confirmed to include embedded WiMAX laptops using Intel chipsets, the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet WiMAX Edition, a Samsung PC Card, a ZTE USB dongle and a ZyXEL CPE modem. Other vendors and products are expected to be approved by Sprint for use on the network and enter commercial availability in the future...

In a major change in strategy, Intel has selected Nikon over ASML for a hotly-contested lithography order for the chip giant's 32nm node, according to sources. At 32nm, Nikon has reportedly won the entire lithography business within Intel, leaving ASML out in the cold, source said. The multi-million-dollar order represents Intel's initial scanners, based on immersion lithography. Up until now, Intel had been using "dry" scanners for wafer processing within its fabs.

The WiMax Forum has issued its first certifications for mobile-centric products that operate around the 2.5GHz frequency, and said it will start certifying 3.5GHz products later this year. The organization announced that 10 mobile WiMax products had received the "WiMax Forum Certified Seal of Approval". Four base stations, from Alvarion, Motorola, Samsung and Sequans, won certification, along with mobile modules from Intel, Samsung, Beceem, Airspan and Zyxel.

Intel is spinning off its solar-energy operations, which were birthed inside Intel's research labs, to form a company called SpectraWatt.