 In This Issue
Universal Serial Bus
DSP Solutions
Get ready for the 1997 DSP Solutions Challenge
Packard Bell to offer high-speed x2 modems
From the mouths of babes an industry was born
TI discounts DSP development tools
Mixed Signal
Product Update |
Packard Bell to offer high-speed x2 modemsPackard Bell NEC, Inc., U.S. Robotics and Texas Instruments have joined hands to enable next-generation 56 Kbps high-speed modem capabilities in future Packard Bell and NEC brand personal computers.U.S. Robotics x2 technology, built into modem chipsets manufactured by TI, will be incorporated in Packard Bell and NEC brand systems. The high-speed modem-equipped PCs are expected to be available in the second quarter of this year. 
This new high-speed integrated modem, paired with service from one of the more than 400 Internet Service Providers adopting x2 technology, means Packard Bell and NEC PC users will be able to surf the Internet and download e-mail, complex graphics, audio and video files in nearly half the time. And because the x2 technology is implemented in TI's TMS320x2 DSP chipset, consumers will be able to upgrade their modems to faster modem speeds and evolving 56 Kbps industry standards. U.S. Robotics extensively field-tested x2 and shipped its first x2 products on Feb. 24, 1997. It is the first company to market with 56 Kbps modem technology. This gives Packard Bell NEC an edge in providing this high-speed modem technology well in advance of PC manufacturers that are dependent on other companies for their modem technology. "With x2's widespread acceptance by more than 400 Internet service providers worldwide, representing more than 18 million subscribers, Packard Bell and NEC customers will have numerous options for Internet access at x2 speeds," said John McCartney, president and COO of U.S. Robotics. "The modems in Packard Bell and NEC systems will be based on TI's software-defined DSP, which provides flexibility and cost performance advantages over conventional modem chipsets," said Richard Templeton, TI executive vice president and semiconductor group president. "This technology protects the customer's investment by allowing them to upgrade their modems with software to comply with evolving technological advances." TI, a world leader in digital signal processing solutions, has shipped more than 20 million modem chipsets equipped with the DSP software upgradeable solution since late 1995. TI was the first to market with 33.6 Kbps modem chips and the first semiconductor manufac-turer to deliver 56 Kbps modem capabilities on the same chip. This new DSP-based modem technology reflects TI's focus on Digital Signal Processing Solutions as the corner-stone in the company's strategic direction. x2 is a trademark of U.S. Robotics. |