National Semiconductors Israel Ltd., US company National Semiconductors' largest R&D centre, will develop a complete PC on one chip. The plan is for the computer to be ready for marketing by May 1999. The development project manager will be Dr. Eliezer Kinsbron, National Semiconductors Israel general manager. He will also supervise the production of the computer in the US, at the Cyrix processor manufacturing plant acquired by National last year.
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Brian Halla said the company considered the Israeli engineering team particularly talented, especially for their problem solving abilities. "Even when I was working at Intel, they looked upon it as a ‘legendary team’", he said. Today, National Semiconductors Israel employs some 200 engineers. In order to keep to the tight schedule, they will recruit more employees, and complete the move to the new building in Herzlia Pituah.
At this week’s National Semiconductors management conference in Israel, the resources will be allocated for the R&D centre to achieve the development target. Subsequently, contracts will be signed with the first clients. Among other things, the company has decided to acquire new technologies to be used in the new computer, and is looking for them in Israel. "We would be pleased to buy any company that can offer a suitable interface for the audio, or any other, system", said Halla.
Meanwhile, yesterday, National signed an agreement with Intel for the transfer of Intel technology, including the future "Kayak" technology, which will be integrated into National's computer chip.
Published by Israel's Business Arena February 4, 1998