The hottest Semiconductor Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Technology Topics

FPGAs: The Ultimate Flex

The Asianometry Newsletter • 2115 implied HN points • 14 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Hardware Semiconductor Innovation
  1. FPGAs are integrated circuits that can be reprogrammed for prototyping and niche uses.
  2. The development of FPGAs evolved from PROMs to PLAs to PALs, eventually leading to the emergence of modern FPGAs.
  3. Xilinx and Altera were key players in the FPGA industry, with FPGAs now widely used in various sectors like aerospace, military, and telecom.

Elite X Hype, Mediocre Financial Impact

Irrational Analysis • 159 implied HN points • 27 Apr 24
💰 Finance Analysis Investing Stock Market Technology Semiconductor
  1. Qualcomm's market share in laptop/PC is expected to grow from less than 0.1% to 5% by CY 2025.
  2. The stock price of Qualcomm may not show significant movement as the potential market share gains are likely already factored in.
  3. Qualcomm's gain in market share is predicted to come at the expense of Intel, which is already facing numerous challenges in their core business.

Semiconductor Outlook 2024: AI's Adolescence

Mule’s Musings • 443 implied HN points • 02 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Semiconductor AI Stock Market Economy
  1. Semiconductor market experienced a downturn in 2023 but is showing signs of recovery in 2024, especially in AI-related segments
  2. AI is emerging as a significant market segment in the semiconductor industry and is expected to continue growing in 2024
  3. Memory market, particularly High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), is also expected to see growth and become a major category in 2024

The Risk of RISC-V: What's Going on at SiFive?

More Than Moore • 405 HN points • 24 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Semiconductor RISC-V Funding
  1. RISC-V is a royalty-free alternative for core architectures with high adoption in low-end core space.
  2. SiFive, a major player in RISC-V, has experienced significant layoffs and a shift towards focusing on custom cores.
  3. There is speculation around SiFive's investor funding situation, but the company has clarified that they are well-funded and continuing to enhance their product roadmap.

A Guide on Computer Architecture

Irrational Analysis • 99 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
🕹 Technology CPU GPU Semiconductor
  1. CPUs are versatile and efficient in running various types of code, particularly excelling in handling "branchy" code with features like branch prediction, out-of-order execution, and speculative execution.
  2. GPUs are specialized for linear algebra tasks, such as those found in graphics processing, and though not as versatile as CPUs, they excel in speed and energy efficiency.
  3. ASICs are application-specific integrated circuits designed for particular functions, showcasing tasks like video encoding/decoding and cryptography with dedicated hardware blocks for efficient processing.
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The Copper Chains Holding Cerebras Back

Irrational Analysis • 39 implied HN points • 27 Oct 23
🕹 Technology AI Hardware Semiconductor Data processing
  1. Cerebras, a unique AI-hardware startup, faces challenges in scaling due to copper chains and thermal density issues.
  2. They have developed proprietary technology to print wires across scribe lines, a unique capability in the semiconductor industry.
  3. Cerebras is selling systems for non-AI workloads like drug discovery and scientific research, but they need significant upgrades to compete with Nvidia.

Mobileye's Rancid Kitchen Sink

Irrational Analysis • 19 implied HN points • 06 Jan 24
💼 Business Finance Technology Earnings Investing Semiconductor
  1. Mobileye's CFO actions hinted at potential manipulations with revenue and earnings data, raising concerns of corporate mismanagement.
  2. The preliminary financial outlook for 2024 revealed a significant decline in revenue that might continue for a few quarters, hinting at wider challenges in the automotive semiconductor market.
  3. Investors are advised to diversify into safer stocks, considering the uncertainties in the auto semi industry, with Mobileye's situation being a concerning outlier.

The Relentless Pursuit of Moore’s Law

Bits and Bytes • 1 HN point • 24 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Innovation Semiconductor Computer Architecture AI
  1. Innovations in the pursuit of Moore's Law evolved individually until high-volume semiconductor manufacturing adopted them.
  2. Advancements in transistor density and computer design followed an S-curve pattern with periods of rapid progress followed by diminishing returns.
  3. Architectural innovations, like wider instruction widths and core-level parallelism, drove the evolution of computers with each 10X increase in transistor count.

10/14 TBC Insider Digest

Tech Buzz China Insider • 0 implied HN points • 15 Oct 21
🕹 Technology E-commerce Social media Semiconductor Professional networking
  1. Taobao Deals by Alibaba is gaining popularity in China but faces interoperability challenges with WeChat.
  2. Live shopping in China appeals to lower income earners and younger demographics, with significant GMV numbers in the first half of 2021.
  3. LinkedIn shutting down its Chinese version due to challenges in social aspects and operating environment, with local platforms like Maimai offering more engagement.