Corporate affairs
[edit] Partnerships
AMD utilizes strategic industry partnerships to further its business interests as well as to tackle Intel's dominance and resources.
A partnership between AMD and Alpha Processor Inc. developed HyperTransport, a point-to-point interconnect standard which was turned over to an industry standards body for finalization. It is now used in modern AMD processor compatible motherboards.
AMD also formed a strategic partnership with IBM, under which AMD gained silicon on insulator (SOI) manufacturing technology, and detailed advice on 90 nm implementation, the partnership was announced by AMD to be extended to 2011 for 32 nm and 22 nm fabrication related technologies.[34] Further, AMD is loosely partnered with end-user companies such as HP, Compaq, ASUS, Alienware, Acer, Evesham Technology, Dell and several others to facilitate processor distribution and sales.
On May 18, 2006, Dell announced that it would roll out new servers based on AMD's Opteron chips by years end, thus ending an exclusive relationship with Intel. Dell also began offering AMD Athlon X2 chips in their desktop line-up in September 2006.
AMD is also a sponsor of the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro F1 Team since 2002 and the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team since 2004, in 2009 AMD also became the jersey sponsor of the USL expansion team Austin Aztex FC.
[edit] Litigation with Intel
See also: AMD v. Intel
AMD has a long history of litigation with former partner and x86 creator Intel.[35][36][37]
* In 1986 Intel broke an agreement it had with AMD to allow them to produce Intel's micro-chips for IBM; AMD filed for arbitration in 1987 and the arbitrator decided in AMD's favor in 1992. Intel disputed this, and the case ended up in the Supreme Court of California. In 1994, that court upheld the arbitrator's decision and awarded damages for breach of contract.
* In 1990, Intel brought a copyright infringement action alleging illegal use of its 287 microcode. The case ended in 1994 with a jury finding for AMD and its right to use Intel's microcode in its microprocessors through the 486 generation.
* In 1997, Intel filed suit against AMD and Cyrix Corp. for misuse of the term MMX. AMD and Intel settled, with AMD acknowledging MMX as a trademark owned by Intel, and with Intel granting AMD rights to market the AMD K6 MMX processor.
* In 2005, following an investigation, the Japan Federal Trade Commission found Intel guilty on a number of violations. On June 27, 2005, AMD won an antitrust suit against Intel in Japan, and on the same day, AMD filed a broad antitrust complaint against Intel in the U.S. Federal District Court in Delaware. The complaint alleges systematic use of secret rebates, special discounts, threats, and other means used by Intel to lock AMD processors out of the global market. Since the start of this action, The Court has issued subpoenas to major computer manufacturers including Acer, Dell, Lenovo, HP and Toshiba.
* In November 2009, Intel agreed to pay AMD $1.25bn and renew a five-year patent cross-licensing agreement as part of a deal to settle all outstanding legal disputes between them.[38]
[edit] Events and publications
Although AMD frequently refuses to provide information about upcoming products and plans, it does hold annual Technology Analyst Days (often shortened to "Analyst Day") to reveal and explain key future technologies, and to present official technology roadmaps. The event held in mid-year is referred to as "Technology Analyst Day", with its main focus on upcoming technologies and trends.[39] The end-of-year event is referred to as "Financial Analyst Day" and focuses on the financial performance of the company through the previous year.[40]
In addition to these events, AMD also publishes printed media. Publications include the AMD Accelerate and the discontinued AMDEdge. The AMD Accelerate magazine, originally published through Ziff Davis Media, focuses on SME and business applications, while AMD Edge focused on overall technologies from AMD. Since Ziff Davis Media filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the AMD Accelerate magazine has been published through IDG. AMD also has electronic newsletters to promote its server-oriented Opteron processors and related business solutions.
[edit] Partnerships
AMD utilizes strategic industry partnerships to further its business interests as well as to tackle Intel's dominance and resources.
A partnership between AMD and Alpha Processor Inc. developed HyperTransport, a point-to-point interconnect standard which was turned over to an industry standards body for finalization. It is now used in modern AMD processor compatible motherboards.
AMD also formed a strategic partnership with IBM, under which AMD gained silicon on insulator (SOI) manufacturing technology, and detailed advice on 90 nm implementation, the partnership was announced by AMD to be extended to 2011 for 32 nm and 22 nm fabrication related technologies.[34] Further, AMD is loosely partnered with end-user companies such as HP, Compaq, ASUS, Alienware, Acer, Evesham Technology, Dell and several others to facilitate processor distribution and sales.
On May 18, 2006, Dell announced that it would roll out new servers based on AMD's Opteron chips by years end, thus ending an exclusive relationship with Intel. Dell also began offering AMD Athlon X2 chips in their desktop line-up in September 2006.
AMD is also a sponsor of the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro F1 Team since 2002 and the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team since 2004, in 2009 AMD also became the jersey sponsor of the USL expansion team Austin Aztex FC.
[edit] Litigation with Intel
See also: AMD v. Intel
AMD has a long history of litigation with former partner and x86 creator Intel.[35][36][37]
* In 1986 Intel broke an agreement it had with AMD to allow them to produce Intel's micro-chips for IBM; AMD filed for arbitration in 1987 and the arbitrator decided in AMD's favor in 1992. Intel disputed this, and the case ended up in the Supreme Court of California. In 1994, that court upheld the arbitrator's decision and awarded damages for breach of contract.
* In 1990, Intel brought a copyright infringement action alleging illegal use of its 287 microcode. The case ended in 1994 with a jury finding for AMD and its right to use Intel's microcode in its microprocessors through the 486 generation.
* In 1997, Intel filed suit against AMD and Cyrix Corp. for misuse of the term MMX. AMD and Intel settled, with AMD acknowledging MMX as a trademark owned by Intel, and with Intel granting AMD rights to market the AMD K6 MMX processor.
* In 2005, following an investigation, the Japan Federal Trade Commission found Intel guilty on a number of violations. On June 27, 2005, AMD won an antitrust suit against Intel in Japan, and on the same day, AMD filed a broad antitrust complaint against Intel in the U.S. Federal District Court in Delaware. The complaint alleges systematic use of secret rebates, special discounts, threats, and other means used by Intel to lock AMD processors out of the global market. Since the start of this action, The Court has issued subpoenas to major computer manufacturers including Acer, Dell, Lenovo, HP and Toshiba.
* In November 2009, Intel agreed to pay AMD $1.25bn and renew a five-year patent cross-licensing agreement as part of a deal to settle all outstanding legal disputes between them.[38]
[edit] Events and publications
Although AMD frequently refuses to provide information about upcoming products and plans, it does hold annual Technology Analyst Days (often shortened to "Analyst Day") to reveal and explain key future technologies, and to present official technology roadmaps. The event held in mid-year is referred to as "Technology Analyst Day", with its main focus on upcoming technologies and trends.[39] The end-of-year event is referred to as "Financial Analyst Day" and focuses on the financial performance of the company through the previous year.[40]
In addition to these events, AMD also publishes printed media. Publications include the AMD Accelerate and the discontinued AMDEdge. The AMD Accelerate magazine, originally published through Ziff Davis Media, focuses on SME and business applications, while AMD Edge focused on overall technologies from AMD. Since Ziff Davis Media filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the AMD Accelerate magazine has been published through IDG. AMD also has electronic newsletters to promote its server-oriented Opteron processors and related business solutions.
Sabtu, 10 April 2010
Production and fabrication
Production and fabrication
Main article: GlobalFoundries
Ever since the spinoff of AMD's fabrication plants in early 2009, GlobalFoundries has been responsible for producing AMD's processors.
GlobalFoundries' main microprocessor manufacturing facilities are located in Dresden, Germany. Additionally, highly integrated microprocessors are manufactured in Taiwan made by third-party manufacturers under strict license from AMD. Between 2003 and 2005, they constructed a second manufacturing plant (300 mm 90 nm process SOI) in the same complex in order to increase the number of chips they can produce, thus becoming more competitive with Intel. The new plant has been named "Fab 36", in recognition of AMD's 36 years of operation, and reached full production in mid-2007. Fab 36 has been renamed to Fab 1 during the spinoff of AMD's manufacturing business during the creation of GlobalFoundries. In July 2007, AMD announced that they completed the conversion of Fab 1 Module 1 from 90 nm to 65 nm. They then shifted their focus to the 45 nm conversion
Main article: GlobalFoundries
Ever since the spinoff of AMD's fabrication plants in early 2009, GlobalFoundries has been responsible for producing AMD's processors.
GlobalFoundries' main microprocessor manufacturing facilities are located in Dresden, Germany. Additionally, highly integrated microprocessors are manufactured in Taiwan made by third-party manufacturers under strict license from AMD. Between 2003 and 2005, they constructed a second manufacturing plant (300 mm 90 nm process SOI) in the same complex in order to increase the number of chips they can produce, thus becoming more competitive with Intel. The new plant has been named "Fab 36", in recognition of AMD's 36 years of operation, and reached full production in mid-2007. Fab 36 has been renamed to Fab 1 during the spinoff of AMD's manufacturing business during the creation of GlobalFoundries. In July 2007, AMD announced that they completed the conversion of Fab 1 Module 1 from 90 nm to 65 nm. They then shifted their focus to the 45 nm conversion
Other platforms and technologies
Other platforms and technologies
[edit] AMD chipsets
See also: Comparison of AMD chipsets
Before the launch of Athlon 64 processors in 2003, AMD designed chipsets for their processors spanning the K6 and K7 processor generations. The chipsets include the AMD-640, AMD-751 and the AMD-761 chipsets. The situation changed in 2003 with the release of Athlon 64 processors, and AMD chose not to further design its own chipsets for its desktop processors while opening the desktop platform to allow other firms to design chipsets. This is the "Open Platform ATI, VIA and SiS developing their own chipset for Athlon 64 processors and later Athlon 64 X2 and Athlon 64 FX processors, including the Quad FX platform chipset from Nvidia.
The initiative went further with the release of Opteron server processors as AMD stopped the design of server chipsets in 2004 after releasing the AMD-8111 chipset, and again opened the server platform for firms to develop chipsets for Opteron processors. As of today, Nvidia and Broadcom are the sole designing firms of server chipsets for Opteron processors.
As the company completed the acquisition of ATI Technologies in 2006, the firm gained the ATI design team for chipsets which previously designed the Radeon Xpress 200 and the Radeon Xpress 3200 chipsets. AMD then renamed the chipsets for AMD processors under AMD branding (for instance, the CrossFire Xpress 3200 chipset was renamed as AMD 580X CrossFire chipset). In February 2007, AMD announced the first AMD-branded chipset since 2004 with the release of the AMD 690G chipset (previously under the development codename RS690), targeted at mainstream IGP computing. It was the industry's first to implement a HDMI 1.2 port on motherboards, shipping for more than a million units. While ATI had aimed at releasing an Intel IGP chipset, the plan was scrapped and the inventories of Radeon Xpress 1250 (codenamed RS600, sold under ATI brand) was sold to two OEMs, Abit and AsRock. Although AMD states the firm will still produce Intel chipsets, Intel had not granted the license of 1333 MHz FSB to ATI.
On November 15, 2007, AMD has announced a new chipset series portfolio, the AMD 7-Series chipsets, covering from enthusiast multi-graphics segment to value IGP segment, to replace the AMD 480/570/580 chipsets and AMD 690 series chipsets, marking AMD's first enthusiast multi-graphics chipset. Discrete graphics chipsets were launched on November 15, 2007 as part of the codenamed Spider desktop platform, and IGP chipsets were launched at a later time in Spring 2008 as part of the codenamed Cartwheel platform.
AMD will also return to the server chipsets market with the next-generation AMD 800S series server chipsets, scheduled to be released in 2009 timeframe.
[edit] AMD Live!
Main article: AMD Live!
AMD LIVE! is a platform marketing initiative focusing the consumer electronics segment, with a recently announced Active TV initiative for streaming Internet videos from web video services such as YouTube, into AMD Live! PC as well as connected digital TVs, together with a scheme for an ecosystem of certified peripherals for the ease of customers to identify peripherals for AMD Live! systems for digital home experience, called "AMD Live! Ready".[16]
[edit] AMD Quad FX platform
Main article: AMD Quad FX platform
The AMD Quad FX platform, being an extreme enthusiast platform, allows two processors to connect through HyperTransport, which is a similar setup to dual-processor (2P) servers, excluding the use of buffered memory/registered memory DIMM modules, and a server motherboard, the current setup includes two Athlon 64 FX-70 series processors and a special motherboard. AMD pushed the platform for the surging demands for what AMD calls "megatasking" for true enthusiasts,[17] the ability to do more tasks on one single system. The platform refreshes with the introduction of Phenom FX processors and the next-generation RD790 chipset, codenamed "FASN8".
[edit] Commercial platform
The first AMD server/workstation platform after ATI acquisition is scheduled to be released on 2009 timeframe. Codenamed Fiorano, AMD's first multi-processor server platform after ATI acquisition consists of AMD SR5690 + SP5100 server chipsets, supporting 45 nm, codenamed Shanghai Socket F+ processors and registered DDR2 memory. Future update include the Maranello platform supporting 45 nm, codenamed Istanbul, Socket G34 processors with DDR3 memory. On single-processor platform, the codenamed Catalunya platform consists of codenamed Suzuka 45 nm quad-core processor with AMD SR5580 + SP5100 chipset and DDR3 support.[18]
AMD's x86 virtualization extension to the 64-bit x86 architecture is named AMD Virtualization, also known by the abbreviation AMD-V, and is sometimes referred to by the code name "Pacifica". AMD processors using Socket AM2, Socket S1, and Socket F include AMD Virtualization support. AMD Virtualization is also supported by release two (8200, 2200 and 1200 series) of the Opteron processors. The third generation (8300 and 2300 series) of Opteron processors will see an update in virtualization technology, specifically the Rapid Virtualization Indexing (also known by the development name Nested Page Tables), alongside the Tagged TLB and Device Exclusion Vector (DEV).
AMD also promotes the "AMD I/O Virtualization Technology" (also known as IOMMU) for I/O virtualization.[19] The AMD IOMMU specification has been updated to version 1.2.[20] The specification describes the use of a HyperTransport architecture.
AMD's commercial initiatives include the following:
* AMD Trinity, provides support for virtualization, security and management. Key features include AMD-V technology, codenamed Presidio trusted computing platform technology, I/O Virtualization and Open Management Partition.[21]
* AMD Raiden, future clients similar to the Jack PC[22] to be connected through network to a blade server for central management, to reduce client form factor sizes with AMD Trinity features.
* Torrenza, coprocessors support through interconnects such as HyperTransport as PCI Express (though more focus was at HyperTransport enabled coprocessors), also opening processor socket architecture to other manufacturers, Sun and IBM are among the supporting consortium, with rumoured POWER7 processors would be socket-compatible to future Opteron processors. The move made rival Intel responded with the open of Front Side Bus (FSB) architecture as well as Geneseo,[23] a collaboration project with IBM for coprocessors connected through PCI Express.
* Various certified systems programs and platforms: AMD Commercial Stable Image Platform (CSIP), together with AMD Validated Server program, AMD True Server Solutions, AMD Thermally Tested Barebones Platforms and AMD Validated Server Program, providing certified systems for business from AMD.
[edit] Desktop platforms
Starting in 2007, AMD, following Intel, began using codenames for its desktop platforms such as Spider or Dragon. The platforms, unlike Intel's approach, will refresh every year, putting focus on platform specialization. The platform includes components as AMD processors, chipsets, ATI graphics and other features, but continued to the open platform approach, and welcome components from other vendors such as VIA, SiS, and Nvidia, as well as wireless product vendors.
Updates to the platform includes the implementation of IOMMU I/O Virtualization with 45 nm generation of processors, and the AMD 800 chipset series in 2009.[24]
[edit] Embedded systems
Main articles: Alchemy (processor) and Geode (processor)
In February 2002, AMD acquired Alchemy Semiconductor for its Alchemy line of MIPS processors for the hand-held and portable media player markets. On June 13, 2006, AMD officially announced that the line was to be transferred to Raza Microelectronics, Inc., a designer of MIPS processors for embedded applications.[25]
In August 2003, AMD also purchased the Geode business which was originally the Cyrix MediaGX from National Semiconductor to augment its existing line of embedded x86 processor products. During the second quarter of 2004, it launched new low-power Geode NX processors based on the K7 Thoroughbred architecture with speeds of fanless processors 667 MHz and 1 GHz, and 1.4 GHz processor with fan, of TDP 25 W. This technology is used in a variety of embedded systems (Casino slot machines and customer kiosks for instance), several UMPC designs in Asia markets, as well as the OLPC XO-1 computer, an inexpensive laptop computer intended to be distributed to children in developing countries around the world.
For the past couple of years AMD has been introducing 64-bit processors into its embedded product line starting with the AMD Opteron processor. Leveraging the high throughput enabled through HyperTransport and the Direct Connect Architecture these server class processors have been targeted at high end telecom and storage applications. In 2006 AMD added the AMD Athlon, AMD Turion and Mobile AMD Sempron processors to its embedded product line. Leveraging the same 64-bit instruction set and Direct Connect Architecture as the AMD Opteron but at lower power levels, these processors were well suited to a variety of traditional embedded applications. Throughout 2007 and into 2008 AMD has continued to add both single-core Mobile AMD Sempron and AMD Athlon processors and dual-core AMD Athlon X2 and AMD Turion processors to its embedded product line and now offers embedded 64-bit solutions starting with 8W TDP Mobile AMD Sempron and AMD Athlon processors for fan-less designs up to multi-processor systems leveraging multi-core AMD Opteron processors all supporting longer than standard availability.
In April 2007, AMD announced the release of the M690T integrated graphics chipset for embedded designs. This enabled AMD to offer complete processor and chipset solutions targeted at embedded applications requiring high performance 3D and video such as emerging digital signage, kiosk and Point of Sale applications. The M690T was followed by the M690E specifically for embedded applications which removed the TV output, which required Macrovision licensing for OEMs, and enabled native support for dual TMDS outputs, enabling dual independent DVI interfaces.
[edit] Flash technology
Main article: Spansion
While less visible to the general public than its CPU business, AMD is also a global leader in flash memory. In 1993, AMD established a 50-50 partnership with Fujitsu called FASL, and merged into a new company called FASL LLC in 2003. The joint venture firm went public under ticker symbol SPSN in December 2005, with AMD shares drop to 37%.
AMD no longer directly participates in the Flash memory devices market now as AMD entered into a non-competition agreement, as of December 21, 2005, with Fujitsu and Spansion, pursuant to which it agreed not to directly or indirectly engage in a business that manufactures or supplies standalone semiconductor devices (including single chip, multiple chip or system devices) containing only Flash memory.[26]
[edit] Mobile platforms
Better by Design Sticker -1.png
Main article: AMD mobile platform
AMD started a platform in 2003 aimed at mobile computing, but, with fewer advertisements and promotional schemes, very little was known about the platform. The platform used mobile Athlon 64 or mobile Sempron processors.
As part of the "Better by design" initiative, the open mobile platform, announced February 2007 with announcement of general availability in May 2007, comes together with 65 nm fabrication process Turion 64 X2, and consists of three major components: an AMD processor, graphics from either Nvidia or ATI Technologies which also includes integrated graphics (IGP), and wireless connectivity solutions from Atheros, Broadcom, Marvell, Qualcomm or Realtek.
The Puma platform and Turion Ultra processor was released on June 4, 2008. In the future, AMD plans quad-core processors with 3D graphics capabilities (Fusion) to be launched in 2011 as the Sabine/Fusion platform.
[edit] Other initiatives
* 50x15, digital inclusion, with targeted 50% of world population to be connected through Internet via affordable computers by the year of 2015.
* The Green Grid,[27] founded by AMD together with other founders, such as IBM, Sun and Microsoft, to seek lower power consumption for grids. Intel was notably absent from the consortium when it was founded, and finally joined in early 2007.[28]
* Codenamed SIMFIRE interoperability testing tool for the Desktop and mobile Architecture for System Hardware (DASH) open architecture.
[edit] Software
* Extensions for software parallelism (xSP), aimed at speeding up programs to enable multi-threaded and multi-core processing, announced in Technology Analyst Day 2007. One of the initiatives being discussed since August 2007 is the Light Weight Profiling (LWP), providing internal hardware monitor with runtimes, to observe information about executing process and help the re-design of software to be optimized with multi-core and even multi-threaded programs. Another one is the extension of Streaming SIMD Extension (SSE) instruction set, the SSE5.
* AMD contributes to open source projects, including working with Sun Microsystems to enhance OpenSolaris and Sun xVM on the AMD platform.[29] AMD also maintains its own Open64 compiler distribution and contributes its changes back to the community.[30]
* In 2008, AMD released the low-level programming specifications for its GPUs, and works with the X.Org Foundation to develop drivers for AMD graphics cards.[31][32]
* Other AMD opensource projects include the AMD Performance Library and the AMD Core Math Library.
[edit] Technologies from ATI
After the takeover of ATI, AMD restructured some of the product lineups from both companies. Some products were being rebranded under the AMD brand, including the Imageon for mobile phones and handheld devices, the Xilleon for consumer electronics (digital TV sets), ATI Xpress chipsets (to AMD chipsets) for AMD processors platform and GPGPU computing line-up FireStream, previously known as AMD Stream Processor. Some others retained the use of ATI branding, including the Radeon line of graphics, and chipsets for Intel processors.
[edit] AMD chipsets
See also: Comparison of AMD chipsets
Before the launch of Athlon 64 processors in 2003, AMD designed chipsets for their processors spanning the K6 and K7 processor generations. The chipsets include the AMD-640, AMD-751 and the AMD-761 chipsets. The situation changed in 2003 with the release of Athlon 64 processors, and AMD chose not to further design its own chipsets for its desktop processors while opening the desktop platform to allow other firms to design chipsets. This is the "Open Platform ATI, VIA and SiS developing their own chipset for Athlon 64 processors and later Athlon 64 X2 and Athlon 64 FX processors, including the Quad FX platform chipset from Nvidia.
The initiative went further with the release of Opteron server processors as AMD stopped the design of server chipsets in 2004 after releasing the AMD-8111 chipset, and again opened the server platform for firms to develop chipsets for Opteron processors. As of today, Nvidia and Broadcom are the sole designing firms of server chipsets for Opteron processors.
As the company completed the acquisition of ATI Technologies in 2006, the firm gained the ATI design team for chipsets which previously designed the Radeon Xpress 200 and the Radeon Xpress 3200 chipsets. AMD then renamed the chipsets for AMD processors under AMD branding (for instance, the CrossFire Xpress 3200 chipset was renamed as AMD 580X CrossFire chipset). In February 2007, AMD announced the first AMD-branded chipset since 2004 with the release of the AMD 690G chipset (previously under the development codename RS690), targeted at mainstream IGP computing. It was the industry's first to implement a HDMI 1.2 port on motherboards, shipping for more than a million units. While ATI had aimed at releasing an Intel IGP chipset, the plan was scrapped and the inventories of Radeon Xpress 1250 (codenamed RS600, sold under ATI brand) was sold to two OEMs, Abit and AsRock. Although AMD states the firm will still produce Intel chipsets, Intel had not granted the license of 1333 MHz FSB to ATI.
On November 15, 2007, AMD has announced a new chipset series portfolio, the AMD 7-Series chipsets, covering from enthusiast multi-graphics segment to value IGP segment, to replace the AMD 480/570/580 chipsets and AMD 690 series chipsets, marking AMD's first enthusiast multi-graphics chipset. Discrete graphics chipsets were launched on November 15, 2007 as part of the codenamed Spider desktop platform, and IGP chipsets were launched at a later time in Spring 2008 as part of the codenamed Cartwheel platform.
AMD will also return to the server chipsets market with the next-generation AMD 800S series server chipsets, scheduled to be released in 2009 timeframe.
[edit] AMD Live!
Main article: AMD Live!
AMD LIVE! is a platform marketing initiative focusing the consumer electronics segment, with a recently announced Active TV initiative for streaming Internet videos from web video services such as YouTube, into AMD Live! PC as well as connected digital TVs, together with a scheme for an ecosystem of certified peripherals for the ease of customers to identify peripherals for AMD Live! systems for digital home experience, called "AMD Live! Ready".[16]
[edit] AMD Quad FX platform
Main article: AMD Quad FX platform
The AMD Quad FX platform, being an extreme enthusiast platform, allows two processors to connect through HyperTransport, which is a similar setup to dual-processor (2P) servers, excluding the use of buffered memory/registered memory DIMM modules, and a server motherboard, the current setup includes two Athlon 64 FX-70 series processors and a special motherboard. AMD pushed the platform for the surging demands for what AMD calls "megatasking" for true enthusiasts,[17] the ability to do more tasks on one single system. The platform refreshes with the introduction of Phenom FX processors and the next-generation RD790 chipset, codenamed "FASN8".
[edit] Commercial platform
The first AMD server/workstation platform after ATI acquisition is scheduled to be released on 2009 timeframe. Codenamed Fiorano, AMD's first multi-processor server platform after ATI acquisition consists of AMD SR5690 + SP5100 server chipsets, supporting 45 nm, codenamed Shanghai Socket F+ processors and registered DDR2 memory. Future update include the Maranello platform supporting 45 nm, codenamed Istanbul, Socket G34 processors with DDR3 memory. On single-processor platform, the codenamed Catalunya platform consists of codenamed Suzuka 45 nm quad-core processor with AMD SR5580 + SP5100 chipset and DDR3 support.[18]
AMD's x86 virtualization extension to the 64-bit x86 architecture is named AMD Virtualization, also known by the abbreviation AMD-V, and is sometimes referred to by the code name "Pacifica". AMD processors using Socket AM2, Socket S1, and Socket F include AMD Virtualization support. AMD Virtualization is also supported by release two (8200, 2200 and 1200 series) of the Opteron processors. The third generation (8300 and 2300 series) of Opteron processors will see an update in virtualization technology, specifically the Rapid Virtualization Indexing (also known by the development name Nested Page Tables), alongside the Tagged TLB and Device Exclusion Vector (DEV).
AMD also promotes the "AMD I/O Virtualization Technology" (also known as IOMMU) for I/O virtualization.[19] The AMD IOMMU specification has been updated to version 1.2.[20] The specification describes the use of a HyperTransport architecture.
AMD's commercial initiatives include the following:
* AMD Trinity, provides support for virtualization, security and management. Key features include AMD-V technology, codenamed Presidio trusted computing platform technology, I/O Virtualization and Open Management Partition.[21]
* AMD Raiden, future clients similar to the Jack PC[22] to be connected through network to a blade server for central management, to reduce client form factor sizes with AMD Trinity features.
* Torrenza, coprocessors support through interconnects such as HyperTransport as PCI Express (though more focus was at HyperTransport enabled coprocessors), also opening processor socket architecture to other manufacturers, Sun and IBM are among the supporting consortium, with rumoured POWER7 processors would be socket-compatible to future Opteron processors. The move made rival Intel responded with the open of Front Side Bus (FSB) architecture as well as Geneseo,[23] a collaboration project with IBM for coprocessors connected through PCI Express.
* Various certified systems programs and platforms: AMD Commercial Stable Image Platform (CSIP), together with AMD Validated Server program, AMD True Server Solutions, AMD Thermally Tested Barebones Platforms and AMD Validated Server Program, providing certified systems for business from AMD.
[edit] Desktop platforms
Starting in 2007, AMD, following Intel, began using codenames for its desktop platforms such as Spider or Dragon. The platforms, unlike Intel's approach, will refresh every year, putting focus on platform specialization. The platform includes components as AMD processors, chipsets, ATI graphics and other features, but continued to the open platform approach, and welcome components from other vendors such as VIA, SiS, and Nvidia, as well as wireless product vendors.
Updates to the platform includes the implementation of IOMMU I/O Virtualization with 45 nm generation of processors, and the AMD 800 chipset series in 2009.[24]
[edit] Embedded systems
Main articles: Alchemy (processor) and Geode (processor)
In February 2002, AMD acquired Alchemy Semiconductor for its Alchemy line of MIPS processors for the hand-held and portable media player markets. On June 13, 2006, AMD officially announced that the line was to be transferred to Raza Microelectronics, Inc., a designer of MIPS processors for embedded applications.[25]
In August 2003, AMD also purchased the Geode business which was originally the Cyrix MediaGX from National Semiconductor to augment its existing line of embedded x86 processor products. During the second quarter of 2004, it launched new low-power Geode NX processors based on the K7 Thoroughbred architecture with speeds of fanless processors 667 MHz and 1 GHz, and 1.4 GHz processor with fan, of TDP 25 W. This technology is used in a variety of embedded systems (Casino slot machines and customer kiosks for instance), several UMPC designs in Asia markets, as well as the OLPC XO-1 computer, an inexpensive laptop computer intended to be distributed to children in developing countries around the world.
For the past couple of years AMD has been introducing 64-bit processors into its embedded product line starting with the AMD Opteron processor. Leveraging the high throughput enabled through HyperTransport and the Direct Connect Architecture these server class processors have been targeted at high end telecom and storage applications. In 2006 AMD added the AMD Athlon, AMD Turion and Mobile AMD Sempron processors to its embedded product line. Leveraging the same 64-bit instruction set and Direct Connect Architecture as the AMD Opteron but at lower power levels, these processors were well suited to a variety of traditional embedded applications. Throughout 2007 and into 2008 AMD has continued to add both single-core Mobile AMD Sempron and AMD Athlon processors and dual-core AMD Athlon X2 and AMD Turion processors to its embedded product line and now offers embedded 64-bit solutions starting with 8W TDP Mobile AMD Sempron and AMD Athlon processors for fan-less designs up to multi-processor systems leveraging multi-core AMD Opteron processors all supporting longer than standard availability.
In April 2007, AMD announced the release of the M690T integrated graphics chipset for embedded designs. This enabled AMD to offer complete processor and chipset solutions targeted at embedded applications requiring high performance 3D and video such as emerging digital signage, kiosk and Point of Sale applications. The M690T was followed by the M690E specifically for embedded applications which removed the TV output, which required Macrovision licensing for OEMs, and enabled native support for dual TMDS outputs, enabling dual independent DVI interfaces.
[edit] Flash technology
Main article: Spansion
While less visible to the general public than its CPU business, AMD is also a global leader in flash memory. In 1993, AMD established a 50-50 partnership with Fujitsu called FASL, and merged into a new company called FASL LLC in 2003. The joint venture firm went public under ticker symbol SPSN in December 2005, with AMD shares drop to 37%.
AMD no longer directly participates in the Flash memory devices market now as AMD entered into a non-competition agreement, as of December 21, 2005, with Fujitsu and Spansion, pursuant to which it agreed not to directly or indirectly engage in a business that manufactures or supplies standalone semiconductor devices (including single chip, multiple chip or system devices) containing only Flash memory.[26]
[edit] Mobile platforms
Better by Design Sticker -1.png
Main article: AMD mobile platform
AMD started a platform in 2003 aimed at mobile computing, but, with fewer advertisements and promotional schemes, very little was known about the platform. The platform used mobile Athlon 64 or mobile Sempron processors.
As part of the "Better by design" initiative, the open mobile platform, announced February 2007 with announcement of general availability in May 2007, comes together with 65 nm fabrication process Turion 64 X2, and consists of three major components: an AMD processor, graphics from either Nvidia or ATI Technologies which also includes integrated graphics (IGP), and wireless connectivity solutions from Atheros, Broadcom, Marvell, Qualcomm or Realtek.
The Puma platform and Turion Ultra processor was released on June 4, 2008. In the future, AMD plans quad-core processors with 3D graphics capabilities (Fusion) to be launched in 2011 as the Sabine/Fusion platform.
[edit] Other initiatives
* 50x15, digital inclusion, with targeted 50% of world population to be connected through Internet via affordable computers by the year of 2015.
* The Green Grid,[27] founded by AMD together with other founders, such as IBM, Sun and Microsoft, to seek lower power consumption for grids. Intel was notably absent from the consortium when it was founded, and finally joined in early 2007.[28]
* Codenamed SIMFIRE interoperability testing tool for the Desktop and mobile Architecture for System Hardware (DASH) open architecture.
[edit] Software
* Extensions for software parallelism (xSP), aimed at speeding up programs to enable multi-threaded and multi-core processing, announced in Technology Analyst Day 2007. One of the initiatives being discussed since August 2007 is the Light Weight Profiling (LWP), providing internal hardware monitor with runtimes, to observe information about executing process and help the re-design of software to be optimized with multi-core and even multi-threaded programs. Another one is the extension of Streaming SIMD Extension (SSE) instruction set, the SSE5.
* AMD contributes to open source projects, including working with Sun Microsystems to enhance OpenSolaris and Sun xVM on the AMD platform.[29] AMD also maintains its own Open64 compiler distribution and contributes its changes back to the community.[30]
* In 2008, AMD released the low-level programming specifications for its GPUs, and works with the X.Org Foundation to develop drivers for AMD graphics cards.[31][32]
* Other AMD opensource projects include the AMD Performance Library and the AMD Core Math Library.
[edit] Technologies from ATI
After the takeover of ATI, AMD restructured some of the product lineups from both companies. Some products were being rebranded under the AMD brand, including the Imageon for mobile phones and handheld devices, the Xilleon for consumer electronics (digital TV sets), ATI Xpress chipsets (to AMD chipsets) for AMD processors platform and GPGPU computing line-up FireStream, previously known as AMD Stream Processor. Some others retained the use of ATI branding, including the Radeon line of graphics, and chipsets for Intel processors.
Processor market history
Processor market history
Early AMD 8080 Processor (AMD AM9080ADC / C8080A), 1977
AMD D8086.
See also: List of AMD microprocessors
[edit] IBM PC and the x86 architecture
Main articles: Am286, Am386, Am486, and Am5x86
In February 1982, AMD signed a contract with Intel, becoming a licensed second-source manufacturer of 8086 and 8088 processors. IBM wanted to use the Intel 8088 in its IBM PC, but IBM's policy at the time was to require at least two sources for its chips. AMD later produced the Am286 under the same arrangement, but Intel canceled the agreement in 1986 and refused to convey technical details of the i386 part. AMD challenged Intel's decision to cancel the agreement and won in arbitration, but Intel disputed this decision. A long legal dispute followed, ending in 1994 when the Supreme Court of California sided with AMD. Subsequent legal disputes centered on whether AMD had legal rights to use derivatives of Intel's microcode. In the face of uncertainty, AMD was forced to develop "clean room" versions of Intel code.
In 1991, AMD released the Am386, its clone of the Intel 386 processor. It took less than a year for the company to sell a million units. Later, the Am486 was used by a number of large original equipment manufacturers, including Compaq, and proved popular. Another Am486-based product, the Am5x86, continued AMD's success as a low-price alternative. However, as product cycles shortened in the PC industry, the process of reverse engineering Intel's products became an ever less viable strategy for AMD.
[edit] K5, K6, Athlon, Duron, and Sempron
Main articles: AMD K5, AMD K6, Athlon, Duron, and Sempron
AMD's first in-house x86 processor was the K5 which was launched in 1996.[6] The "K" was a reference to "Kryptonite", which from comic book lore, was the only substance (radioactive pieces of his home planet) which could harm Superman, a clear reference to Intel, which dominated in the market at the time, as "Superman".[7]
In 1996, AMD purchased NexGen specifically for the rights to their Nx series of x86-compatible processors. AMD gave the NexGen design team their own building, left them alone, and gave them time and money to rework the Nx686. The result was the K6 processor, introduced in 1997. Although the K6 was based on Socket 7, variants such as K6-2/450 were faster than Intel's Pentium II.
The K7 was AMD's seventh generation x86 processor, making its debut on June 23, 1999, under the brand name Athlon. Unlike previous AMD processors, it could not be used on the same motherboards as Intels' due to licensing issues surrounding Intel's Slot 1 connector. AMD's Slot A, referenced to the Alpha processor bus.) The Duron was a lower cost and limited version of the Athlon (64KB instead of 256KB L2 cache) in a 262-pin socketed PGA or soldered directly on to the motherboard. Sempron was released as a lower cost Athlon XP as socket 754 PGA and migrated upward to AM2 after the Athlon 64.
On October 9, 2001 the Athlon XP was released, followed by the Athlon XP with 512KB L2 Cache on February 10, 2003.[8]
[edit] Athlon 64, Opteron and Phenom
Main articles: Athlon 64, Opteron, and Phenom (processor)
The K8 was a major revision of the K7 architecture, with the most notable features being the addition of a 64-bit extension to the x86 instruction set (officially called AMD64), the incorporation of an on-chip memory controller, and the implementation of an extremely high performance point-to-point interconnect called HyperTransport, as part of the Direct Connect Architecture. The technology was initially launched as the Opteron server-oriented processor.[9] Shortly thereafter it was incorporated into a product for desktop PCs, branded Athlon 64.[10]
AMD released the first dual core Opteron, an x86-based server CPU, on April 21, 2005.[11] The first desktop-based dual core processor family—the Athlon 64 X2—came a month later.[12] In early May 2007, AMD had abandoned the string "64" in its dual-core desktop product branding, becoming Athlon X2, downplaying the significance of 64-bit computing in its processors while upcoming updates involved some of the improvements to the microarchitecture, and a shift of target market from mainstream desktop systems to value dual-core desktop systems. AMD has also started to release dual-core Sempron processors in early 2008 exclusively in China, branded as Sempron 2000 series, with lower HyperTransport speed and smaller L2 cache, thus the firm completes its dual-core product portfolio for each market segment.
The latest AMD microprocessor architecture, known as K10, became the successor to the K8 microarchitecture. The first processors released on this architecture were introduced on September 10, 2007 consisting of nine quad-core Third Generation Opteron processors. This was followed by the Phenom processor for desktop. K10 processors came in dual, triple-core,[13] and quad-core versions with all cores on one single die. A new platform codename "Spider" was released utilising the new Phenom processor as well as an R770 GPU and a 790 GX/FX chipset from the AMD 700 chipset series. This was built at 65nm, and hence uncompetitive with Intel who already progressed to the smaller and more power efficient 45nm node.
In January 2009 AMD released a new processor line dubbed Phenom II, a refresh of the original Phenom built using the 45 nm process. Along with this came a new platform codename "Dragon" which utilised a new Phenom II processor, an ATI R770 GPU from the R700 GPU family, as well as a 790 GX/FX chipset from the AMD 700 chipset series.This came in a dual, tri and quad core variant, all using the same die with cores disabled for the tri and dual core versions. This resolved issues that the original Phenom had including low clock speed, a small L3 cache and a Cool'n'Quiet bug that decreased performance. This was price and performance competitive with Intel's mid to high range Core 2 Quads. The processor also enhanced the Phenom's memory controller, allowing it to use DDR3 in a new native socket AM3, while maintaining backwards compatibility with AM2+, the socket used for the Phenom, and allowing the use of the DDR2 memory that was used with the platform. In 2010 a new Phenom II hexa-core processor codenamed "Thuban" will be released. This will be a totally new die based on the hexa-core "Istanbul" Opteron processor. This will be part of AMD's new Enthusiast platform codenamed ”Leo" utilising a new Phenom II processor, a new chipset from the AMD 800 chipset series and an ATI "Cypress" GPU from the Evergreen (GPU family) GPU series.
The Magny Cours and Lisbon server parts will be released in 2010. The Magny Cours part will come in 8 to 12 cores and the Lisbon part will come in 4 and 6 core parts. Magny Cours is focused on performance while the Lisbon part is focused on high performance per watt. Magny Cours is an MCM (Multi-Chip Module) with two hexa-core "Istanbul" Opteron parts. This will use a new G34 socket for dual and quad socket processors and thus will be marketed as Opteron 61xx series processors. Lisbon uses C32 socket certified for dual socket use or single socket use only and thus will be marketed as Opteron 41xx processors. Both will be built on a 45 nm SOI process.
[edit] Fusion
Main articles: AMD Fusion, Bulldozer (processor), and Bobcat (processor)
After the merger between AMD and ATI, an initiative codenamed Fusion was announced that will merge a CPU and GPU on some of their entry level chips, including a minimum 16 lane PCI Express link to accommodate external PCI Express peripherals, thereby eliminating the requirement of a northbridge chip completely from the motherboard. The initiative will see some of the processing originally done on the CPU (e.g. Floating Point Unit operations) onto the GPU, which is better optimized for calculations such as Floating Point Unit calculations. This is referred to by AMD as an Application Processing Unit (APU).[14] AMD will move to a modular design methodology named "M-SPACE", where two new processor cores, codenamed "Bulldozer" and "Bobcat" will be released in the 2011 timeframe.
While very little preliminary information exists even in AMD's Technology Analyst Day 2007, both cores are to be built from the ground up. The Bulldozer core focused on 10 watt to 100 watt products, with optimizations for performance-per-watt ratios and HPC applications and includes newly announced XOP, FMA4 and CVT16 instructions,[15] while the Bobcat core will focus on 1 watt to 10 watt products, given that the core is a simplified x86 core to reduce power draw. Both of the cores will be able to incorporate full DirectX compatible GPU core(s) under the Fusion label, or as standalone products as a general purpose CPU.
Llano is to be the first APU to be released, targeted at the mainstream market.[14] This will incorporate a CPU and GPU on the same die, as well as the Northbridge functions, and labeled on AMD's new timeline as using socket "AM3r2" with DDR3 memory. This will, however, not be based on the new bulldozer core and will in fact be similar to the current Phenom II "Deneb" processor serving as AMD's high-end processor until the release of the new 32 nm parts.
Bulldozer is revealed to be two integer cores capable of processing integers and one floating point unit (FPU). This will be seen by the OS as two cores and all of AMD's new 2011, 32 nm high-end desktop and server parts will be built on it, including Zambezi and Orochi for the desktop and Interlagos and Valencia for the server market.
Early AMD 8080 Processor (AMD AM9080ADC / C8080A), 1977
AMD D8086.
See also: List of AMD microprocessors
[edit] IBM PC and the x86 architecture
Main articles: Am286, Am386, Am486, and Am5x86
In February 1982, AMD signed a contract with Intel, becoming a licensed second-source manufacturer of 8086 and 8088 processors. IBM wanted to use the Intel 8088 in its IBM PC, but IBM's policy at the time was to require at least two sources for its chips. AMD later produced the Am286 under the same arrangement, but Intel canceled the agreement in 1986 and refused to convey technical details of the i386 part. AMD challenged Intel's decision to cancel the agreement and won in arbitration, but Intel disputed this decision. A long legal dispute followed, ending in 1994 when the Supreme Court of California sided with AMD. Subsequent legal disputes centered on whether AMD had legal rights to use derivatives of Intel's microcode. In the face of uncertainty, AMD was forced to develop "clean room" versions of Intel code.
In 1991, AMD released the Am386, its clone of the Intel 386 processor. It took less than a year for the company to sell a million units. Later, the Am486 was used by a number of large original equipment manufacturers, including Compaq, and proved popular. Another Am486-based product, the Am5x86, continued AMD's success as a low-price alternative. However, as product cycles shortened in the PC industry, the process of reverse engineering Intel's products became an ever less viable strategy for AMD.
[edit] K5, K6, Athlon, Duron, and Sempron
Main articles: AMD K5, AMD K6, Athlon, Duron, and Sempron
AMD's first in-house x86 processor was the K5 which was launched in 1996.[6] The "K" was a reference to "Kryptonite", which from comic book lore, was the only substance (radioactive pieces of his home planet) which could harm Superman, a clear reference to Intel, which dominated in the market at the time, as "Superman".[7]
In 1996, AMD purchased NexGen specifically for the rights to their Nx series of x86-compatible processors. AMD gave the NexGen design team their own building, left them alone, and gave them time and money to rework the Nx686. The result was the K6 processor, introduced in 1997. Although the K6 was based on Socket 7, variants such as K6-2/450 were faster than Intel's Pentium II.
The K7 was AMD's seventh generation x86 processor, making its debut on June 23, 1999, under the brand name Athlon. Unlike previous AMD processors, it could not be used on the same motherboards as Intels' due to licensing issues surrounding Intel's Slot 1 connector. AMD's Slot A, referenced to the Alpha processor bus.) The Duron was a lower cost and limited version of the Athlon (64KB instead of 256KB L2 cache) in a 262-pin socketed PGA or soldered directly on to the motherboard. Sempron was released as a lower cost Athlon XP as socket 754 PGA and migrated upward to AM2 after the Athlon 64.
On October 9, 2001 the Athlon XP was released, followed by the Athlon XP with 512KB L2 Cache on February 10, 2003.[8]
[edit] Athlon 64, Opteron and Phenom
Main articles: Athlon 64, Opteron, and Phenom (processor)
The K8 was a major revision of the K7 architecture, with the most notable features being the addition of a 64-bit extension to the x86 instruction set (officially called AMD64), the incorporation of an on-chip memory controller, and the implementation of an extremely high performance point-to-point interconnect called HyperTransport, as part of the Direct Connect Architecture. The technology was initially launched as the Opteron server-oriented processor.[9] Shortly thereafter it was incorporated into a product for desktop PCs, branded Athlon 64.[10]
AMD released the first dual core Opteron, an x86-based server CPU, on April 21, 2005.[11] The first desktop-based dual core processor family—the Athlon 64 X2—came a month later.[12] In early May 2007, AMD had abandoned the string "64" in its dual-core desktop product branding, becoming Athlon X2, downplaying the significance of 64-bit computing in its processors while upcoming updates involved some of the improvements to the microarchitecture, and a shift of target market from mainstream desktop systems to value dual-core desktop systems. AMD has also started to release dual-core Sempron processors in early 2008 exclusively in China, branded as Sempron 2000 series, with lower HyperTransport speed and smaller L2 cache, thus the firm completes its dual-core product portfolio for each market segment.
The latest AMD microprocessor architecture, known as K10, became the successor to the K8 microarchitecture. The first processors released on this architecture were introduced on September 10, 2007 consisting of nine quad-core Third Generation Opteron processors. This was followed by the Phenom processor for desktop. K10 processors came in dual, triple-core,[13] and quad-core versions with all cores on one single die. A new platform codename "Spider" was released utilising the new Phenom processor as well as an R770 GPU and a 790 GX/FX chipset from the AMD 700 chipset series. This was built at 65nm, and hence uncompetitive with Intel who already progressed to the smaller and more power efficient 45nm node.
In January 2009 AMD released a new processor line dubbed Phenom II, a refresh of the original Phenom built using the 45 nm process. Along with this came a new platform codename "Dragon" which utilised a new Phenom II processor, an ATI R770 GPU from the R700 GPU family, as well as a 790 GX/FX chipset from the AMD 700 chipset series.This came in a dual, tri and quad core variant, all using the same die with cores disabled for the tri and dual core versions. This resolved issues that the original Phenom had including low clock speed, a small L3 cache and a Cool'n'Quiet bug that decreased performance. This was price and performance competitive with Intel's mid to high range Core 2 Quads. The processor also enhanced the Phenom's memory controller, allowing it to use DDR3 in a new native socket AM3, while maintaining backwards compatibility with AM2+, the socket used for the Phenom, and allowing the use of the DDR2 memory that was used with the platform. In 2010 a new Phenom II hexa-core processor codenamed "Thuban" will be released. This will be a totally new die based on the hexa-core "Istanbul" Opteron processor. This will be part of AMD's new Enthusiast platform codenamed ”Leo" utilising a new Phenom II processor, a new chipset from the AMD 800 chipset series and an ATI "Cypress" GPU from the Evergreen (GPU family) GPU series.
The Magny Cours and Lisbon server parts will be released in 2010. The Magny Cours part will come in 8 to 12 cores and the Lisbon part will come in 4 and 6 core parts. Magny Cours is focused on performance while the Lisbon part is focused on high performance per watt. Magny Cours is an MCM (Multi-Chip Module) with two hexa-core "Istanbul" Opteron parts. This will use a new G34 socket for dual and quad socket processors and thus will be marketed as Opteron 61xx series processors. Lisbon uses C32 socket certified for dual socket use or single socket use only and thus will be marketed as Opteron 41xx processors. Both will be built on a 45 nm SOI process.
[edit] Fusion
Main articles: AMD Fusion, Bulldozer (processor), and Bobcat (processor)
After the merger between AMD and ATI, an initiative codenamed Fusion was announced that will merge a CPU and GPU on some of their entry level chips, including a minimum 16 lane PCI Express link to accommodate external PCI Express peripherals, thereby eliminating the requirement of a northbridge chip completely from the motherboard. The initiative will see some of the processing originally done on the CPU (e.g. Floating Point Unit operations) onto the GPU, which is better optimized for calculations such as Floating Point Unit calculations. This is referred to by AMD as an Application Processing Unit (APU).[14] AMD will move to a modular design methodology named "M-SPACE", where two new processor cores, codenamed "Bulldozer" and "Bobcat" will be released in the 2011 timeframe.
While very little preliminary information exists even in AMD's Technology Analyst Day 2007, both cores are to be built from the ground up. The Bulldozer core focused on 10 watt to 100 watt products, with optimizations for performance-per-watt ratios and HPC applications and includes newly announced XOP, FMA4 and CVT16 instructions,[15] while the Bobcat core will focus on 1 watt to 10 watt products, given that the core is a simplified x86 core to reduce power draw. Both of the cores will be able to incorporate full DirectX compatible GPU core(s) under the Fusion label, or as standalone products as a general purpose CPU.
Llano is to be the first APU to be released, targeted at the mainstream market.[14] This will incorporate a CPU and GPU on the same die, as well as the Northbridge functions, and labeled on AMD's new timeline as using socket "AM3r2" with DDR3 memory. This will, however, not be based on the new bulldozer core and will in fact be similar to the current Phenom II "Deneb" processor serving as AMD's high-end processor until the release of the new 32 nm parts.
Bulldozer is revealed to be two integer cores capable of processing integers and one floating point unit (FPU). This will be seen by the OS as two cores and all of AMD's new 2011, 32 nm high-end desktop and server parts will be built on it, including Zambezi and Orochi for the desktop and Interlagos and Valencia for the server market.
Advanced Micro Devices
Advanced Micro Devices
Corporate history
AMD headquarters in Sunnyvale, California
AMD Markham in Canada, formerly ATI headquarters
AMD's LEED-certified Lone Star campus in Austin, Texas
Advanced Micro Devices was founded on May 1, 1969, by a group of former executives from Fairchild Semiconductor, including Jerry Sanders III, Ed Turney, John Carey, Sven Simonsen, Jack Gifford and three members from Gifford's team, Frank Botte, Jim Giles, and Larry Stenger. The company began as a producer of logic chips, then entered the RAM chip business in 1975. That same year, it introduced a reverse-engineered clone of the Intel 8080 microprocessor. During this period, AMD also designed and produced a series of bit-slice processor elements (Am2900, Am29116, Am293xx) which were used in various minicomputer designs.
During this time, AMD attempted to embrace the perceived shift towards RISC with their own AMD 29K processor, and they attempted to diversify into graphics and audio devices as well as EPROM memory. It had some success in the mid-1980s with the AMD7910 and AMD7911 "World Chip" FSK modem, one of the first multistandard devices that covered both Bell and CCITT tones at up to 1200 baud half duplex or 300/300 full duplex. The AMD 29K survived as an embedded processor and AMD spinoff Spansion continues to make industry leading flash memory. AMD decided to switch gears and concentrate solely on Intel-compatible microprocessors and flash memory, placing them in direct competition with Intel for x86 compatible processors and their flash memory secondary markets.
AMD announced a merger with ATI Technologies on July 24, 2006. AMD paid $4.3 billion in cash and 58 million shares of its stock for a total of US$5.4 billion. The merger completed on October 25, 2006[3] and ATI is now part of AMD.
It was reported in December 2006 that AMD, along with its main rival in the graphics industry Nvidia, received subpoenas from the Justice Department regarding possible antitrust violations in the graphics card industry, including the act of fixing prices.[4]
In October 2008, AMD announced plans to spin off manufacturing operations in the form of a multibillion-dollar joint venture with Advanced Technology Investment Co., an investment company formed by the government of Abu Dhabi. The new venture is called GlobalFoundries Inc.. This will allow AMD to focus solely on chip design.[5]
Corporate history
AMD headquarters in Sunnyvale, California
AMD Markham in Canada, formerly ATI headquarters
AMD's LEED-certified Lone Star campus in Austin, Texas
Advanced Micro Devices was founded on May 1, 1969, by a group of former executives from Fairchild Semiconductor, including Jerry Sanders III, Ed Turney, John Carey, Sven Simonsen, Jack Gifford and three members from Gifford's team, Frank Botte, Jim Giles, and Larry Stenger. The company began as a producer of logic chips, then entered the RAM chip business in 1975. That same year, it introduced a reverse-engineered clone of the Intel 8080 microprocessor. During this period, AMD also designed and produced a series of bit-slice processor elements (Am2900, Am29116, Am293xx) which were used in various minicomputer designs.
During this time, AMD attempted to embrace the perceived shift towards RISC with their own AMD 29K processor, and they attempted to diversify into graphics and audio devices as well as EPROM memory. It had some success in the mid-1980s with the AMD7910 and AMD7911 "World Chip" FSK modem, one of the first multistandard devices that covered both Bell and CCITT tones at up to 1200 baud half duplex or 300/300 full duplex. The AMD 29K survived as an embedded processor and AMD spinoff Spansion continues to make industry leading flash memory. AMD decided to switch gears and concentrate solely on Intel-compatible microprocessors and flash memory, placing them in direct competition with Intel for x86 compatible processors and their flash memory secondary markets.
AMD announced a merger with ATI Technologies on July 24, 2006. AMD paid $4.3 billion in cash and 58 million shares of its stock for a total of US$5.4 billion. The merger completed on October 25, 2006[3] and ATI is now part of AMD.
It was reported in December 2006 that AMD, along with its main rival in the graphics industry Nvidia, received subpoenas from the Justice Department regarding possible antitrust violations in the graphics card industry, including the act of fixing prices.[4]
In October 2008, AMD announced plans to spin off manufacturing operations in the form of a multibillion-dollar joint venture with Advanced Technology Investment Co., an investment company formed by the government of Abu Dhabi. The new venture is called GlobalFoundries Inc.. This will allow AMD to focus solely on chip design.[5]
Competition
Competition
The company has been controversial for its alleged use of patents as a competitive hindrance. The "1-click patent"[68] is perhaps the best-known example of this. Amazon's use of the one-click patent against competitor Barnes and Noble's website led the Free Software Foundation to announce a boycott of Amazon in December 1999.[69] The boycott was discontinued in September 2002.[70] On February 22, 2000, the company was granted a patent covering an Internet-based customer referral system, or what is commonly called an "affiliate program". Reaction was swift and negative. Industry leaders Tim O'Reilly and Charlie Jackson spoke out against the patent,[71] and O'Reilly published an open letter[72] to Bezos protesting the 1-click patent and the affiliate program patent, and petitioning him to "avoid any attempts to limit the further development of Internet commerce". O'Reilly collected 10,000 signatures[73] with this petition. Bezos responded with his own open letter.[74] The protest ended with O'Reilly and Bezos visiting Washington, D.C. to lobby for patent reform. On February 25, 2003, the company was granted a patent titled "Method and system for conducting a discussion relating to an item on Internet discussion boards".[75] On May 12, 2006, the USPTO ordered a re-examination[76] of the "One-Click" patent, based on a request filed by Peter Calveley, who cited as prior art an earlier e-commerce patent and the Digicash electronic cash system.[citation needed]
Amazon has a Canadian site in both English and French, but is prevented from operating any headquarters, servers, fulfillment centers or call centers in Canada by that country's legal restrictions on foreign-owned booksellers. Instead, Amazon's Canadian site originates in the United States, and Amazon has an agreement with Canada Post to handle distribution within Canada and for the use of the Crown corporation's Mississauga, Ontario shipping facility.[77] The launch of Amazon.ca generated controversy in Canada. In 2002, the Canadian Booksellers Association and Indigo Books and Music sought a court ruling that Amazon's partnership with Canada Post represented an attempt to circumvent Canadian law,[78] but the litigation was dropped in 2004.[79]
In March 2008, sales representatives of Amazon's BookSurge division started contacting publishers of print on demand titles to inform them that for Amazon to continue selling their POD-produced books, they were required to sign agreements with Amazon's own BookSurge POD company. Publishers were told that eventually, the only POD titles that Amazon would be selling would be those printed by their own company, BookSurge. Some publishers felt that this ultimatum amounted to monopoly abuse, and questioned the ethics of the move and its legality under anti-trust law.[80]
In 2008, Amazon UK came under criticism for attempting to prevent publishers from direct selling at discount from their own websites. Amazon's argument was that they should be able to pay the publishers based on the lower prices offered on their websites, rather than on the full RRP.[81][82]
In June 2008 Amazon UK drew criticism in the British publishing community following their withdrawal from sale of key titles published by Hachette Livre UK. The withdrawal is apparently intended to put pressure on the publisher to provide levels of discount described by the trade as unreasonable. Curtis Brown's managing director Jonathan Lloyd was quoted in The Bookseller magazine as saying: "I think the entire industry of publishers, authors and agents are 100% behind [Hachette]. Someone has to draw a line in the sand. Publishers have given 1% a year away to retailers, so where does it stop? Using authors as a financial football is disgraceful."[83][84]
[edit] Kindle content removal
See also: Criticism of Amazon Kindle remote content removal
In July 2009, The New York Times reported that Amazon.com deleted all customer copies of certain books published by MobileReference[85], including the books 1984 and Animal Farm from users' Kindles. This action was taken with neither prior notification nor specific permission of individual users. Customers did receive a refund of the purchase price and, later, an offer of an Amazon gift certificate or a cheque for $30.[86]
[edit] Products sold and not sold
Amazon at one time carried two cockfighting magazines and two dog fighting videos although the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) contends that the sale of these materials is a violation of U.S. Federal law. The Humane Society of the United States has filed a lawsuit against Amazon.[87] A campaign to boycott Amazon purchases gained momentum in August 2007 after the much publicized dog fighting case involving NFL quarterback Michael Vick.[88] On May 21, 2008, Marburger Publishing agreed to settle with the Humane Society by requesting that Amazon stop offering their magazine The Game Cock for subscription. The second magazine named in the Humane Society lawsuit, The Feathered Warrior, remains available.[89]
On April 12, 2009, it was revealed that some erotic, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, feminist and politically liberal books were being excluded from Amazon's sales rankings.[90] Various books and media were flagged as "Adult content" (including children's books, self-help books, non-fiction, and non-explicit fiction), with the result that works by established authors like E. M. Forster, Gore Vidal, Jeanette Winterson and D. H. Lawrence were now unranked.[91] The change first received publicity on the blog of author Mark R. Probst, who reproduced an e-mail from Amazon customer service describing a policy of de-ranking "adult" material.[90][91] However, Amazon later said that there was no policy of de-ranking LGBT material and blamed the change first on a "glitch"[92] and then on "an embarrassing and ham-fisted cataloging error" that had affected 57,310 books.[93]
In September 2009 it emerged that Amazon was selling defamatory MP3 music downloads falsely suggesting a well-known Premier League football manager was a child sex offender. Despite a campaign urging the retailer to withdraw the item, they refused to do so citing freedom of speech.[94] The company was finally forced to withdraw the item when legal action was threatened.[95] However, they continued to sell the item on their American, German and French websites.
[edit] Collection of sales tax
Amazon has been criticized for its refusal to collect sales taxes from consumers in States in which it does not have a physical presence, thus giving it a comparative advantage over brick-and-mortar retailers, who cannot protect themselves from State taxing authorities. In theory, such consumers should pay the equivalent amount in use tax directly to their state, however in reality few consumers do so. In 2008 New York passed a law that would force online retailers to collect sales taxes on shipments to New York State residents.[96] Shortly after the law was signed, Amazon.com filed a complaint in the New York Supreme Court objecting to the law.[96] The complaint wasn't based on whether instate customers should pay tax, but upon the long-standing practice of it being the responsibility of the customer to report the sales tax (known as use tax in this case) and not that of the out-of-state businesses.[96] The lawsuit was tossed out of court in January, 2009, when New York State Supreme Court Justice Eileen Bransten stated "there is no basis upon which Amazon can prevail."[97]
Amazon has created wholly owned subsidiaries for parts of the company that are treated separately for tax matters, a legal technique called "entity isolation". For example, the subsidiary that developed the Kindle is in California, but because it doesn't sell the Kindle directly to consumers, Amazon's legal position is that it isn't required to collect sales taxes in California. In the company's financial report for the quarter ending September 30, 2009, the company told investors in its discussion of risk factors that the imposition of sales-tax collection by more states or Congress could "decrease our future sales."[98]
[edit] Other
In 1999, the Amazon Bookstore Cooperative of Minneapolis, Minnesota sued Amazon.com for trademark infringement. The cooperative had been using the name "Amazon" since 1970, but reached an out-of-court agreement to share the name with the on-line retailer.[99]
A 2004 glitch in Amazon.ca's review system temporarily revealed that many well-established authors were anonymously giving themselves glowing reviews, with some revealed to be anonymously giving "rival" authors terrible reviews.[100][101] According to Amazon, those reviews have since been removed or made non-anonymous.
In April 2009, BusinessWeek magazine reported that Amazon.com was one of 25 US companies that paid the least US taxes. Amazon.com paid a 4.1 percent annual tax rate, far less than the standard 35 percent corporate rate, based on an analysis of the company's financial figures for 2005-2008. According to SEC filings, this rate was caused in part by lower tax rates for Amazon.com's international subsidiaries.[102]
Amazon has opposed efforts by trade unions to organize in both the United States and the United Kingdom. In 2001, 850 employees in Seattle were laid off by Amazon.com after a unionization drive. The Washington Alliance of Technological Workers (WashTech) accused the company of violating union laws, and claimed Amazon managers subjected them to intimidation and heavy propaganda. Amazon denies any link between the unionization effort and the layoffs.[103] Also in 2001, Amazon.co.uk hired a US management consultancy organization, The Burke Group, to assist in defeating a campaign by the Graphical, Paper and Media Union (GPMU, now part of Amicus) to achieve recognition in the Milton Keynes distribution depot. It was alleged that the company victimized or sacked four union members during the 2001 recognition drive and held a series of captive meetings with employees.[104][105]
Following the announcement of the Apple iPad on January 27, 2010, Macmillan Publishers entered into a pricing dispute with Amazon.com regarding electronic publications. Macmillan asked Amazon to accept a new pricing scheme it had worked out with Apple, raising the price of e-books from $9.99 to $15.[106] Amazon responded by pulling all Macmillan books, both electronic and physical, from their website (although affiliates selling the books were still listed). On January 31, 2010, Amazon "capitulated" to Macmillan's pricing request.[107]
The company has been controversial for its alleged use of patents as a competitive hindrance. The "1-click patent"[68] is perhaps the best-known example of this. Amazon's use of the one-click patent against competitor Barnes and Noble's website led the Free Software Foundation to announce a boycott of Amazon in December 1999.[69] The boycott was discontinued in September 2002.[70] On February 22, 2000, the company was granted a patent covering an Internet-based customer referral system, or what is commonly called an "affiliate program". Reaction was swift and negative. Industry leaders Tim O'Reilly and Charlie Jackson spoke out against the patent,[71] and O'Reilly published an open letter[72] to Bezos protesting the 1-click patent and the affiliate program patent, and petitioning him to "avoid any attempts to limit the further development of Internet commerce". O'Reilly collected 10,000 signatures[73] with this petition. Bezos responded with his own open letter.[74] The protest ended with O'Reilly and Bezos visiting Washington, D.C. to lobby for patent reform. On February 25, 2003, the company was granted a patent titled "Method and system for conducting a discussion relating to an item on Internet discussion boards".[75] On May 12, 2006, the USPTO ordered a re-examination[76] of the "One-Click" patent, based on a request filed by Peter Calveley, who cited as prior art an earlier e-commerce patent and the Digicash electronic cash system.[citation needed]
Amazon has a Canadian site in both English and French, but is prevented from operating any headquarters, servers, fulfillment centers or call centers in Canada by that country's legal restrictions on foreign-owned booksellers. Instead, Amazon's Canadian site originates in the United States, and Amazon has an agreement with Canada Post to handle distribution within Canada and for the use of the Crown corporation's Mississauga, Ontario shipping facility.[77] The launch of Amazon.ca generated controversy in Canada. In 2002, the Canadian Booksellers Association and Indigo Books and Music sought a court ruling that Amazon's partnership with Canada Post represented an attempt to circumvent Canadian law,[78] but the litigation was dropped in 2004.[79]
In March 2008, sales representatives of Amazon's BookSurge division started contacting publishers of print on demand titles to inform them that for Amazon to continue selling their POD-produced books, they were required to sign agreements with Amazon's own BookSurge POD company. Publishers were told that eventually, the only POD titles that Amazon would be selling would be those printed by their own company, BookSurge. Some publishers felt that this ultimatum amounted to monopoly abuse, and questioned the ethics of the move and its legality under anti-trust law.[80]
In 2008, Amazon UK came under criticism for attempting to prevent publishers from direct selling at discount from their own websites. Amazon's argument was that they should be able to pay the publishers based on the lower prices offered on their websites, rather than on the full RRP.[81][82]
In June 2008 Amazon UK drew criticism in the British publishing community following their withdrawal from sale of key titles published by Hachette Livre UK. The withdrawal is apparently intended to put pressure on the publisher to provide levels of discount described by the trade as unreasonable. Curtis Brown's managing director Jonathan Lloyd was quoted in The Bookseller magazine as saying: "I think the entire industry of publishers, authors and agents are 100% behind [Hachette]. Someone has to draw a line in the sand. Publishers have given 1% a year away to retailers, so where does it stop? Using authors as a financial football is disgraceful."[83][84]
[edit] Kindle content removal
See also: Criticism of Amazon Kindle remote content removal
In July 2009, The New York Times reported that Amazon.com deleted all customer copies of certain books published by MobileReference[85], including the books 1984 and Animal Farm from users' Kindles. This action was taken with neither prior notification nor specific permission of individual users. Customers did receive a refund of the purchase price and, later, an offer of an Amazon gift certificate or a cheque for $30.[86]
[edit] Products sold and not sold
Amazon at one time carried two cockfighting magazines and two dog fighting videos although the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) contends that the sale of these materials is a violation of U.S. Federal law. The Humane Society of the United States has filed a lawsuit against Amazon.[87] A campaign to boycott Amazon purchases gained momentum in August 2007 after the much publicized dog fighting case involving NFL quarterback Michael Vick.[88] On May 21, 2008, Marburger Publishing agreed to settle with the Humane Society by requesting that Amazon stop offering their magazine The Game Cock for subscription. The second magazine named in the Humane Society lawsuit, The Feathered Warrior, remains available.[89]
On April 12, 2009, it was revealed that some erotic, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, feminist and politically liberal books were being excluded from Amazon's sales rankings.[90] Various books and media were flagged as "Adult content" (including children's books, self-help books, non-fiction, and non-explicit fiction), with the result that works by established authors like E. M. Forster, Gore Vidal, Jeanette Winterson and D. H. Lawrence were now unranked.[91] The change first received publicity on the blog of author Mark R. Probst, who reproduced an e-mail from Amazon customer service describing a policy of de-ranking "adult" material.[90][91] However, Amazon later said that there was no policy of de-ranking LGBT material and blamed the change first on a "glitch"[92] and then on "an embarrassing and ham-fisted cataloging error" that had affected 57,310 books.[93]
In September 2009 it emerged that Amazon was selling defamatory MP3 music downloads falsely suggesting a well-known Premier League football manager was a child sex offender. Despite a campaign urging the retailer to withdraw the item, they refused to do so citing freedom of speech.[94] The company was finally forced to withdraw the item when legal action was threatened.[95] However, they continued to sell the item on their American, German and French websites.
[edit] Collection of sales tax
Amazon has been criticized for its refusal to collect sales taxes from consumers in States in which it does not have a physical presence, thus giving it a comparative advantage over brick-and-mortar retailers, who cannot protect themselves from State taxing authorities. In theory, such consumers should pay the equivalent amount in use tax directly to their state, however in reality few consumers do so. In 2008 New York passed a law that would force online retailers to collect sales taxes on shipments to New York State residents.[96] Shortly after the law was signed, Amazon.com filed a complaint in the New York Supreme Court objecting to the law.[96] The complaint wasn't based on whether instate customers should pay tax, but upon the long-standing practice of it being the responsibility of the customer to report the sales tax (known as use tax in this case) and not that of the out-of-state businesses.[96] The lawsuit was tossed out of court in January, 2009, when New York State Supreme Court Justice Eileen Bransten stated "there is no basis upon which Amazon can prevail."[97]
Amazon has created wholly owned subsidiaries for parts of the company that are treated separately for tax matters, a legal technique called "entity isolation". For example, the subsidiary that developed the Kindle is in California, but because it doesn't sell the Kindle directly to consumers, Amazon's legal position is that it isn't required to collect sales taxes in California. In the company's financial report for the quarter ending September 30, 2009, the company told investors in its discussion of risk factors that the imposition of sales-tax collection by more states or Congress could "decrease our future sales."[98]
[edit] Other
In 1999, the Amazon Bookstore Cooperative of Minneapolis, Minnesota sued Amazon.com for trademark infringement. The cooperative had been using the name "Amazon" since 1970, but reached an out-of-court agreement to share the name with the on-line retailer.[99]
A 2004 glitch in Amazon.ca's review system temporarily revealed that many well-established authors were anonymously giving themselves glowing reviews, with some revealed to be anonymously giving "rival" authors terrible reviews.[100][101] According to Amazon, those reviews have since been removed or made non-anonymous.
In April 2009, BusinessWeek magazine reported that Amazon.com was one of 25 US companies that paid the least US taxes. Amazon.com paid a 4.1 percent annual tax rate, far less than the standard 35 percent corporate rate, based on an analysis of the company's financial figures for 2005-2008. According to SEC filings, this rate was caused in part by lower tax rates for Amazon.com's international subsidiaries.[102]
Amazon has opposed efforts by trade unions to organize in both the United States and the United Kingdom. In 2001, 850 employees in Seattle were laid off by Amazon.com after a unionization drive. The Washington Alliance of Technological Workers (WashTech) accused the company of violating union laws, and claimed Amazon managers subjected them to intimidation and heavy propaganda. Amazon denies any link between the unionization effort and the layoffs.[103] Also in 2001, Amazon.co.uk hired a US management consultancy organization, The Burke Group, to assist in defeating a campaign by the Graphical, Paper and Media Union (GPMU, now part of Amicus) to achieve recognition in the Milton Keynes distribution depot. It was alleged that the company victimized or sacked four union members during the 2001 recognition drive and held a series of captive meetings with employees.[104][105]
Following the announcement of the Apple iPad on January 27, 2010, Macmillan Publishers entered into a pricing dispute with Amazon.com regarding electronic publications. Macmillan asked Amazon to accept a new pricing scheme it had worked out with Apple, raising the price of e-books from $9.99 to $15.[106] Amazon responded by pulling all Macmillan books, both electronic and physical, from their website (although affiliates selling the books were still listed). On January 31, 2010, Amazon "capitulated" to Macmillan's pricing request.[107]
Products and services
Products and services
Amazon.com has incorporated a number of products and services into its shopping model, either through development or acquisition. The Honor System was originally launched in 2001 to allow customers to make donations or buy digital content, with Amazon collecting 2.9 percent of the payment plus a flat fee of 30¢. The service was discontinued on December 11, 2008.[59] It has been superseded by Amazon Payments. Amazon launched Amazon Web Services (AWS) in 2002. The service provides programmatic access to many features leveraged behind the scenes on its website. Amazon also created "channels" to benefit certain causes. In 2004, Amazon's "Presidential Candidates" allowed customers to donate $5–200 to the campaigns of 2004 U.S. presidential hopefuls. Amazon has periodically reactivated a Red Cross donation channel after such tragedies as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. After the 2004 earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean, Amazon set up an online donation channel to the American Red Cross, waiving its processing fee. By January 2005, nearly 200,000 individuals had donated over $15.7 million in the US alone.[60]
Amazon Prime offers customers unlimited expedited shipping with no minimum purchase amount for a flat annual fee. The service also offers discounted priority shipping rates. Amazon launched the program in the continental United States in 2005, in Japan in June 2007, in the United Kingdom and Germany in November 2007, and in France (as "Amazon Premium") in October 2008. Launched in 2005, Amazon Shorts offers exclusive short form content, including short stories and non-fiction pieces from best-selling authors, all available for immediate download at 49¢. As of June 2007, the program has over 1,700 pieces and is adding about 50 new pieces per week. In November 2005, Amazon.com began testing Amazon Mechanical Turk, an application programming interface (API) allowing programs to dispatch tasks to human processors. In March 2006, Amazon launched an online storage service called Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3). An unlimited number of data objects, from 1 byte to 5 gigabytes in size, can be stored in S3 and distributed via HTTP or BitTorrent. The service charges monthly fees for data stored and for data transferred. In April 2006, Amazon introduced Amazon Simple Queue Service (Amazon SQS), a distributed queue messaging service. In August 2006, Amazon launched product wikis (later folded into Amapedia) and discussion forums for certain products using guidelines that follow standard message board conventions. In August 2006, Amazon introduced Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2), a virtual site farm, allowing users to use the Amazon infrastructure with its high reliability to run diverse applications ranging from running simulations to web hosting. In 2008, Amazon improved the service adding Elastic Block Store (EBS), offering persistent storage for Amazon EC2 instances and Elastic IP addresses, static IP addresses designed for dynamic cloud computing.
In January 2007 Amazon launched Amapedia, a collaborative wiki for user-generated content to replace ProductWiki. In March 2007, Amazon launched an online video on demand service, Amazon Unbox. In September 2007, Amazon launched a new music store (currently in beta) called Amazon MP3, which sells downloadable tracks, all in the MP3 format and most recorded at 256 kilobits per second variable bitrate (VBR).[61] Amazon's terms of use agreements legally restrict use of the music, but Amazon does not use DRM to enforce those terms.[62] :Amazon MP3 sells music from the Big 4 record labels: EMI, Universal, Warner Bros. Records, and Sony BMG, as well as many independents. Previous to the launch of this service, Amazon made an investment in Amie Street, a similar music store with a variable pricing model based on demand.[63] In August 2007 Amazon launched Amazon Vine, which allows top product reviewers free access to pre-release products from vendors participating in the program. Reviewers may either return the used product to Amazon, or post a review and keep the product, within a few months of receipt. In August 2007 Amazon launched a payment service specifically targeted at developers called Flexible Payment Service FPS. Amazon FPS has facilities for developing many different charging models including micro-payments. The service also gives developers easy access to Amazon customers.[citation needed]
In November 2007, Amazon launched Amazon Kindle, an e-book reader which downloads content over "Whispernet", a free EV-DO wireless service on the Sprint Nextel network. The screen uses E Ink technology to reduce battery consumption. In 2008 Amazon claimed its library had grown to 200,000 titles. In December 2007, Amazon introduced SimpleDB, a database system, allowing users of its other infrastructure to utilize a high reliability high performance database system. In August 2007, Amazon launched an invitation-only beta-test for online grocery delivery. It has since rolled out in several Seattle, Washington suburbs.
In January 2008 Amazon announced they would be rolling out their MP3 service to their subsidiary websites worldwide throughout the year.[64] On December 1, 2008, Amazon MP3 was made available in the UK. At the beginning of September, IMDB and Amazon.com launched a Music metadata browsing site with wiki-like user contribution.[65] In November, Amazon partnered with manufacturers including Fisher-Price, Mattel, Microsoft and electronics manufacturer Transcend to offer products in minimal packaging. This reduces environmental impact of the packaging and frustration with opening "clamshell" type security packaging.[66] Amazon Web Services launched a public beta of Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud running Microsoft Windows Server and Microsoft SQL Server.[67] Amazon Connect enables authors to post remarks on their book pages to customers who have bought their books. WebStore by Amazon allows businesses to create e-commerce websites using Amazon technology. Merchants can customize their sites using their own photos and branding. Sellers pay a commission of 7 percent, which includes credit-card processing fees and fraud protection, and a subscription fee of $59.95/month for an unlimited number of webstores and listings.
Amazon.com has incorporated a number of products and services into its shopping model, either through development or acquisition. The Honor System was originally launched in 2001 to allow customers to make donations or buy digital content, with Amazon collecting 2.9 percent of the payment plus a flat fee of 30¢. The service was discontinued on December 11, 2008.[59] It has been superseded by Amazon Payments. Amazon launched Amazon Web Services (AWS) in 2002. The service provides programmatic access to many features leveraged behind the scenes on its website. Amazon also created "channels" to benefit certain causes. In 2004, Amazon's "Presidential Candidates" allowed customers to donate $5–200 to the campaigns of 2004 U.S. presidential hopefuls. Amazon has periodically reactivated a Red Cross donation channel after such tragedies as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. After the 2004 earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean, Amazon set up an online donation channel to the American Red Cross, waiving its processing fee. By January 2005, nearly 200,000 individuals had donated over $15.7 million in the US alone.[60]
Amazon Prime offers customers unlimited expedited shipping with no minimum purchase amount for a flat annual fee. The service also offers discounted priority shipping rates. Amazon launched the program in the continental United States in 2005, in Japan in June 2007, in the United Kingdom and Germany in November 2007, and in France (as "Amazon Premium") in October 2008. Launched in 2005, Amazon Shorts offers exclusive short form content, including short stories and non-fiction pieces from best-selling authors, all available for immediate download at 49¢. As of June 2007, the program has over 1,700 pieces and is adding about 50 new pieces per week. In November 2005, Amazon.com began testing Amazon Mechanical Turk, an application programming interface (API) allowing programs to dispatch tasks to human processors. In March 2006, Amazon launched an online storage service called Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3). An unlimited number of data objects, from 1 byte to 5 gigabytes in size, can be stored in S3 and distributed via HTTP or BitTorrent. The service charges monthly fees for data stored and for data transferred. In April 2006, Amazon introduced Amazon Simple Queue Service (Amazon SQS), a distributed queue messaging service. In August 2006, Amazon launched product wikis (later folded into Amapedia) and discussion forums for certain products using guidelines that follow standard message board conventions. In August 2006, Amazon introduced Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2), a virtual site farm, allowing users to use the Amazon infrastructure with its high reliability to run diverse applications ranging from running simulations to web hosting. In 2008, Amazon improved the service adding Elastic Block Store (EBS), offering persistent storage for Amazon EC2 instances and Elastic IP addresses, static IP addresses designed for dynamic cloud computing.
In January 2007 Amazon launched Amapedia, a collaborative wiki for user-generated content to replace ProductWiki. In March 2007, Amazon launched an online video on demand service, Amazon Unbox. In September 2007, Amazon launched a new music store (currently in beta) called Amazon MP3, which sells downloadable tracks, all in the MP3 format and most recorded at 256 kilobits per second variable bitrate (VBR).[61] Amazon's terms of use agreements legally restrict use of the music, but Amazon does not use DRM to enforce those terms.[62] :Amazon MP3 sells music from the Big 4 record labels: EMI, Universal, Warner Bros. Records, and Sony BMG, as well as many independents. Previous to the launch of this service, Amazon made an investment in Amie Street, a similar music store with a variable pricing model based on demand.[63] In August 2007 Amazon launched Amazon Vine, which allows top product reviewers free access to pre-release products from vendors participating in the program. Reviewers may either return the used product to Amazon, or post a review and keep the product, within a few months of receipt. In August 2007 Amazon launched a payment service specifically targeted at developers called Flexible Payment Service FPS. Amazon FPS has facilities for developing many different charging models including micro-payments. The service also gives developers easy access to Amazon customers.[citation needed]
In November 2007, Amazon launched Amazon Kindle, an e-book reader which downloads content over "Whispernet", a free EV-DO wireless service on the Sprint Nextel network. The screen uses E Ink technology to reduce battery consumption. In 2008 Amazon claimed its library had grown to 200,000 titles. In December 2007, Amazon introduced SimpleDB, a database system, allowing users of its other infrastructure to utilize a high reliability high performance database system. In August 2007, Amazon launched an invitation-only beta-test for online grocery delivery. It has since rolled out in several Seattle, Washington suburbs.
In January 2008 Amazon announced they would be rolling out their MP3 service to their subsidiary websites worldwide throughout the year.[64] On December 1, 2008, Amazon MP3 was made available in the UK. At the beginning of September, IMDB and Amazon.com launched a Music metadata browsing site with wiki-like user contribution.[65] In November, Amazon partnered with manufacturers including Fisher-Price, Mattel, Microsoft and electronics manufacturer Transcend to offer products in minimal packaging. This reduces environmental impact of the packaging and frustration with opening "clamshell" type security packaging.[66] Amazon Web Services launched a public beta of Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud running Microsoft Windows Server and Microsoft SQL Server.[67] Amazon Connect enables authors to post remarks on their book pages to customers who have bought their books. WebStore by Amazon allows businesses to create e-commerce websites using Amazon technology. Merchants can customize their sites using their own photos and branding. Sellers pay a commission of 7 percent, which includes credit-card processing fees and fraud protection, and a subscription fee of $59.95/month for an unlimited number of webstores and listings.
Headquarters
Headquarters
Amazon.com's headquarters in the PacMed building in Beacon Hill, Seattle.
The company's global headquarters are located on Seattle's Beacon Hill. It has offices throughout other parts of greater Seattle, including Union Station and The Columbia Center.
Amazon has announced plans to move its headquarters to the South Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle beginning in mid-2010, with full occupancy by 2011. This move will consolidate all Seattle employees onto the new 11-building campus.[14]
[edit] Software development centers
The company employs software developers in medium- to large-sized centers across the globe. While much of Amazon's software development is in Seattle, other locations include:
* Slough (United Kingdom)
* Edinburgh (United Kingdom)
* Dublin (Ireland)
* Bangalore, Chennai, and Hyderabad (India)
* Cape Town (South Africa)
* Iaşi (Romania)
* Shibuya, Tōkyō (Japan)
* Beijing (China)
* Tempe, Arizona (United States)
[edit] Fulfillment and warehousing
Fulfillment centers are located in the following cities, often near airports. Amazon offers warehousing and order-fulfillment for third-party sellers including large companies such as Target Corporation:[15]
* North America:
* Arizona, USA: Phoenix, Goodyear
* Delaware, USA: New Castle
* Indiana, USA: Whitestown and Plainfield
* Kansas, USA: Coffeyville
* Kentucky, USA: Campbellsville, Hebron (near CVG), Lexington, and Louisville
* Nevada, USA: Fernley and North Las Vegas
* New Hampshire, USA: Nashua
* Pennsylvania, USA: Carlisle, Chambersburg, Hazleton, Allentown, and Lewisberry
* Texas, USA: Dallas/Fort Worth
* Virginia, USA: Sterling
* Ontario, Canada: Mississauga (a Canada Post facility)
In March 2009, Amazon announced plans to close three U.S. distribution centers: Red Rock, Nevada; Chambersburg, Pennsylvania; and Munster, Indiana.[16]
* Europe:
Amazon.co.uk warehouse, Glenrothes.
* Bedfordshire, England: Marston Gate, near Brogborough
* Inverclyde, Scotland: Gourock
* Fife, Scotland: Glenrothes
* Swansea, Wales: Crymlyn Burrows[17][18] near Jersey Marine[19]
* Loiret, France: Orléans-Boigny (2000)
* Loiret, France: Orléans-Saran (2007)
* Hessen, Germany: Bad Hersfeld
* Saxony, Germany: Leipzig
* Asia:
* Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan
* Yachiyo, Chiba, Japan
* Sakai, Osaka, Japan
* Guangzhou, China
* Suzhou, China
* Beijing, China
* [[Timothy B schell, Main U.S
[edit] Product lines
Amazon has steadily branched into retail sales of music CDs, videotapes and DVDs, software, consumer electronics, kitchen items, tools, lawn and garden items, toys & games, baby products, apparel, sporting goods, gourmet food, jewelry, watches, health and personal-care items, beauty products, musical instruments, clothing, industrial & scientific supplies, groceries, and more.
The company launched Amazon.com Auctions, its own Web auctions service, in March 1999. However, it failed to chip away at industry pioneer eBay's juggernaut growth. Amazon.com Auctions was followed by the launch of a fixed-price marketplace business called zShops in September 1999, and a failed Sotheby's/Amazon partnership called sothebys.amazon.com in November.
Amazon no longer mentions either Auctions or zShops on its main pages and the help page for sellers now only mentions the Marketplace.[20] Old links to zShops now simply redirect to the Amazon home page,[21] while old links to Auctions take users to a transactions history page.[22] New product listings are no longer possible for either service.
Although zShops failed to live up to its expectations, it laid the groundwork for the hugely successful Amazon Marketplace service launched in 2001 that let customers sell used books, CDs, DVDs, and other products alongside new items. Today, Amazon Marketplace's main rival is eBay's Half.com service.
Beginning August 2005,[23] Amazon began selling products under its own private label, "Pinzon"; the initial trademark applications suggested the company intended to focus on textiles, kitchen utensils, and other household goods.[23] In March 2007, the company applied to expand the trademark to cover a larger and more diverse list of goods, and to register a new design consisting of the "word PINZON in stylized letters with a notched letter O whose space appears at the "one o'clock" position.".[24] The list of products registered for coverage by the trademark grew to include items such as paints, carpets, wallpaper, hair accessories, clothing, footwear, headgear, cleaning products, and jewelry.[24] On September 2008, Amazon filed to have the name registered. While the USPTO has finished its review of the application, Amazon has yet to receive an official registration for the name.
On May 16, 2007 Amazon announced its intention to launch Amazon MP3, its own online music store.[25] The store launched in the US in public beta September 25, 2007, selling downloads exclusively in MP3 format without digital rights management.[26] This is especially notable as it was the first online offering of DRM-free music from all four major record companies.[27][28][29][30]
In August 2007, Amazon announced AmazonFresh,[31] a grocery service offering perishable and nonperishable foods. Customers can have orders delivered to their homes at dawn or during a specified daytime window. Delivery was initially restricted to residents of Mercer Island, Washington, and was later expanded to several ZIP codes in Seattle proper.[32] AmazonFresh also operated pick-up locations in the suburbs of Bellevue and Kirkland from summer 2007 through early 2008.
In 2008 Amazon expanded into film production and is currently funding the film The Stolen Child with 20th Century Fox.[33]
[edit] Website
The domain amazon.com attracted at least 615 million visitors annually by 2008 according to a Compete.com survey. This was twice the numbers of walmart.com.[34]
According to the Internet audience measurement website Compete.com, Amazon attracts approximately 50 million U.S. consumers to its website on a monthly basis.[35]
[edit] Reviews
Amazon allows users to submit reviews to the web page of each product. As part of their review, users must rate the product on a rating scale from one to five stars. In 2004 a software error accidentally showed the names behind reviews that were submitted anonymously, and some authors were shown to have written glowing reviews of their own books.[citation needed] Amazon created a feature in recent years that allowed users to comment on reviews. Amazon provides an optional badging option for reviewers which indicate the real name of the reviewer (based on confirmation of a credit card account) or which indicate that the reviewer is one of the top reviewers by popularity. The U.S. site generally has the most reviews.[citation needed] A review posted on one site is not necessarily visible on another site.
Amazon.com's customer reviews are monitored for all negative or indecent comments that are directed at anything, or anyone, but the product itself. In regards to the reviews lacking relative restrictions, Robert Spector, who is the author of the book Amazon.com, describes how "when publishers and authors asked Bezos why Amazon.com would publish negative reviews, he defended the practice by claiming that Amazon.com was ‘taking a different approach...we want to make every book available – the good, the bad, and the ugly...to let truth loose’" (Spector 132).
Reviews for different media of the same product are grouped together (for example, the review page for a particular film, whether on VHS, Blu-Ray, or DVD, will feature reviews from all three media formats). Currently, there is no way to look at reviews only for one version of a product.
[edit] Content search
"Search Inside the Book" is a feature which allows customers to search for keywords in the full text of many books in the catalog.[36][37] The feature started with 120,000 titles (or 33 million pages of text) on October 23, 2003.[38] There are currently about 250,000 books in the program. Amazon has cooperated with around 130 publishers to allow users to perform these searches.
To avoid copyright violations, Amazon.com does not return the computer-readable text of the book. Instead, it returns a picture of the matching page, disables printing, and puts limits on the number of pages in a book a single user can access. One author observed that his entire book could be read online by searching a few words.[39] Additionally, customers can purchase online access to the some books via the "Amazon Upgrade" program, although the selection is currently quite limited.
[edit] Third-party sellers
According to information in Amazon.com discussion forums,[citation needed] Amazon derives about 40 percent of its sales from affiliates whom they call Associates and third-party sellers who list and sell products on the Amazon websites. Associates receive a commission for referring customers to Amazon by placing links on their websites to the Amazon homepage or to specific products. If a referral results in a sale, the Associate receives a commission from Amazon. Worldwide, Amazon has "over 900,000 members" in its affiliate programs.[40] Associates can access the Amazon catalog directly on their websites by using the Amazon Web Services (AWS) XML service. A new affiliate product, aStore, allows Associates to embed a subset of Amazon products within, or linked to from, another website.
Amazon reported over 1.3 million sellers sold products through Amazon's World Wide Web sites in 2007. Selling on Amazon has become more popular as Amazon expanded into a variety of categories beyond media and built a variety of features to support volume selling. Unlike eBay, Amazon sellers do not have to maintain separate payment accounts; all payments and payment security are handled by Amazon itself.
Amazon.com's headquarters in the PacMed building in Beacon Hill, Seattle.
The company's global headquarters are located on Seattle's Beacon Hill. It has offices throughout other parts of greater Seattle, including Union Station and The Columbia Center.
Amazon has announced plans to move its headquarters to the South Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle beginning in mid-2010, with full occupancy by 2011. This move will consolidate all Seattle employees onto the new 11-building campus.[14]
[edit] Software development centers
The company employs software developers in medium- to large-sized centers across the globe. While much of Amazon's software development is in Seattle, other locations include:
* Slough (United Kingdom)
* Edinburgh (United Kingdom)
* Dublin (Ireland)
* Bangalore, Chennai, and Hyderabad (India)
* Cape Town (South Africa)
* Iaşi (Romania)
* Shibuya, Tōkyō (Japan)
* Beijing (China)
* Tempe, Arizona (United States)
[edit] Fulfillment and warehousing
Fulfillment centers are located in the following cities, often near airports. Amazon offers warehousing and order-fulfillment for third-party sellers including large companies such as Target Corporation:[15]
* North America:
* Arizona, USA: Phoenix, Goodyear
* Delaware, USA: New Castle
* Indiana, USA: Whitestown and Plainfield
* Kansas, USA: Coffeyville
* Kentucky, USA: Campbellsville, Hebron (near CVG), Lexington, and Louisville
* Nevada, USA: Fernley and North Las Vegas
* New Hampshire, USA: Nashua
* Pennsylvania, USA: Carlisle, Chambersburg, Hazleton, Allentown, and Lewisberry
* Texas, USA: Dallas/Fort Worth
* Virginia, USA: Sterling
* Ontario, Canada: Mississauga (a Canada Post facility)
In March 2009, Amazon announced plans to close three U.S. distribution centers: Red Rock, Nevada; Chambersburg, Pennsylvania; and Munster, Indiana.[16]
* Europe:
Amazon.co.uk warehouse, Glenrothes.
* Bedfordshire, England: Marston Gate, near Brogborough
* Inverclyde, Scotland: Gourock
* Fife, Scotland: Glenrothes
* Swansea, Wales: Crymlyn Burrows[17][18] near Jersey Marine[19]
* Loiret, France: Orléans-Boigny (2000)
* Loiret, France: Orléans-Saran (2007)
* Hessen, Germany: Bad Hersfeld
* Saxony, Germany: Leipzig
* Asia:
* Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan
* Yachiyo, Chiba, Japan
* Sakai, Osaka, Japan
* Guangzhou, China
* Suzhou, China
* Beijing, China
* [[Timothy B schell, Main U.S
[edit] Product lines
Amazon has steadily branched into retail sales of music CDs, videotapes and DVDs, software, consumer electronics, kitchen items, tools, lawn and garden items, toys & games, baby products, apparel, sporting goods, gourmet food, jewelry, watches, health and personal-care items, beauty products, musical instruments, clothing, industrial & scientific supplies, groceries, and more.
The company launched Amazon.com Auctions, its own Web auctions service, in March 1999. However, it failed to chip away at industry pioneer eBay's juggernaut growth. Amazon.com Auctions was followed by the launch of a fixed-price marketplace business called zShops in September 1999, and a failed Sotheby's/Amazon partnership called sothebys.amazon.com in November.
Amazon no longer mentions either Auctions or zShops on its main pages and the help page for sellers now only mentions the Marketplace.[20] Old links to zShops now simply redirect to the Amazon home page,[21] while old links to Auctions take users to a transactions history page.[22] New product listings are no longer possible for either service.
Although zShops failed to live up to its expectations, it laid the groundwork for the hugely successful Amazon Marketplace service launched in 2001 that let customers sell used books, CDs, DVDs, and other products alongside new items. Today, Amazon Marketplace's main rival is eBay's Half.com service.
Beginning August 2005,[23] Amazon began selling products under its own private label, "Pinzon"; the initial trademark applications suggested the company intended to focus on textiles, kitchen utensils, and other household goods.[23] In March 2007, the company applied to expand the trademark to cover a larger and more diverse list of goods, and to register a new design consisting of the "word PINZON in stylized letters with a notched letter O whose space appears at the "one o'clock" position.".[24] The list of products registered for coverage by the trademark grew to include items such as paints, carpets, wallpaper, hair accessories, clothing, footwear, headgear, cleaning products, and jewelry.[24] On September 2008, Amazon filed to have the name registered. While the USPTO has finished its review of the application, Amazon has yet to receive an official registration for the name.
On May 16, 2007 Amazon announced its intention to launch Amazon MP3, its own online music store.[25] The store launched in the US in public beta September 25, 2007, selling downloads exclusively in MP3 format without digital rights management.[26] This is especially notable as it was the first online offering of DRM-free music from all four major record companies.[27][28][29][30]
In August 2007, Amazon announced AmazonFresh,[31] a grocery service offering perishable and nonperishable foods. Customers can have orders delivered to their homes at dawn or during a specified daytime window. Delivery was initially restricted to residents of Mercer Island, Washington, and was later expanded to several ZIP codes in Seattle proper.[32] AmazonFresh also operated pick-up locations in the suburbs of Bellevue and Kirkland from summer 2007 through early 2008.
In 2008 Amazon expanded into film production and is currently funding the film The Stolen Child with 20th Century Fox.[33]
[edit] Website
The domain amazon.com attracted at least 615 million visitors annually by 2008 according to a Compete.com survey. This was twice the numbers of walmart.com.[34]
According to the Internet audience measurement website Compete.com, Amazon attracts approximately 50 million U.S. consumers to its website on a monthly basis.[35]
[edit] Reviews
Amazon allows users to submit reviews to the web page of each product. As part of their review, users must rate the product on a rating scale from one to five stars. In 2004 a software error accidentally showed the names behind reviews that were submitted anonymously, and some authors were shown to have written glowing reviews of their own books.[citation needed] Amazon created a feature in recent years that allowed users to comment on reviews. Amazon provides an optional badging option for reviewers which indicate the real name of the reviewer (based on confirmation of a credit card account) or which indicate that the reviewer is one of the top reviewers by popularity. The U.S. site generally has the most reviews.[citation needed] A review posted on one site is not necessarily visible on another site.
Amazon.com's customer reviews are monitored for all negative or indecent comments that are directed at anything, or anyone, but the product itself. In regards to the reviews lacking relative restrictions, Robert Spector, who is the author of the book Amazon.com, describes how "when publishers and authors asked Bezos why Amazon.com would publish negative reviews, he defended the practice by claiming that Amazon.com was ‘taking a different approach...we want to make every book available – the good, the bad, and the ugly...to let truth loose’" (Spector 132).
Reviews for different media of the same product are grouped together (for example, the review page for a particular film, whether on VHS, Blu-Ray, or DVD, will feature reviews from all three media formats). Currently, there is no way to look at reviews only for one version of a product.
[edit] Content search
"Search Inside the Book" is a feature which allows customers to search for keywords in the full text of many books in the catalog.[36][37] The feature started with 120,000 titles (or 33 million pages of text) on October 23, 2003.[38] There are currently about 250,000 books in the program. Amazon has cooperated with around 130 publishers to allow users to perform these searches.
To avoid copyright violations, Amazon.com does not return the computer-readable text of the book. Instead, it returns a picture of the matching page, disables printing, and puts limits on the number of pages in a book a single user can access. One author observed that his entire book could be read online by searching a few words.[39] Additionally, customers can purchase online access to the some books via the "Amazon Upgrade" program, although the selection is currently quite limited.
[edit] Third-party sellers
According to information in Amazon.com discussion forums,[citation needed] Amazon derives about 40 percent of its sales from affiliates whom they call Associates and third-party sellers who list and sell products on the Amazon websites. Associates receive a commission for referring customers to Amazon by placing links on their websites to the Amazon homepage or to specific products. If a referral results in a sale, the Associate receives a commission from Amazon. Worldwide, Amazon has "over 900,000 members" in its affiliate programs.[40] Associates can access the Amazon catalog directly on their websites by using the Amazon Web Services (AWS) XML service. A new affiliate product, aStore, allows Associates to embed a subset of Amazon products within, or linked to from, another website.
Amazon reported over 1.3 million sellers sold products through Amazon's World Wide Web sites in 2007. Selling on Amazon has become more popular as Amazon expanded into a variety of categories beyond media and built a variety of features to support volume selling. Unlike eBay, Amazon sellers do not have to maintain separate payment accounts; all payments and payment security are handled by Amazon itself.
Satyam Computer Services Campuses
Satyam Computer Services Campuses
Satyam IT Campus, HITEC City
Satyam Computer Services is the largest IT employer of Hyderabad. The company has three campuses in Hitec City:
* Satyam Cyber Space [Opp Jayaberi]
* Satyam InfoCity [Behind Satyam Cyber Space]
* Satyam GateWay [Bldg 1 & 2 in My Home Hub]
[edit] ValueLabs Hyderabad Campus
ValueLabs Campus, HITEC City, Hyderabad, India
ValueLabs is an offshore software product development, QA/Testing and KPO Services Company based in Hyderabad, India. The company started its operations in 1997 with a remote execution model and has since been offering services to startup and multi-billion dollar companies across the globe. Astro, MakeMyTrip.com, Maxis, SHPS, Snapfish, SpiceJet, TIBCO, Nielsen Mobile are some of the clients of the company.
The company’s expertise lies in servicing clients in the domains like Internet / mobile / interactive TV applications, internationalization, enterprise solutions and maintenance of legacy systems. The extended team model spun into the requirements of the clients has been successfully followed by the company over the years. ValueLabs has companies incorporated in the US, UK and Malaysia serving the respective geographies. ValueLabs has clients worldwide with about 70% business coming from the US.
ValueLabs' Services
Offshore Product Development
Application Development
QA/Testing
KPO Services
Maintenance and Support
Remote Infrastructure Management Services
ValueLabs facility in Hyderabad is being widely acclaimed for its architectural excellence. It is designed by the world renowned Chandavarkar and Thacker Architects Pvt Ltd, Bangalore, popularly known as CnT. Arjun Rao, CEO of ValueLabs always believed in providing the right ambience for his employees, the result of which is the most appropriate fit between the arrangement of the office space for business and the space for developing a culture of camaraderie among its associates. ValueLabs’ facility is built on a 2-acre (8,100 m2) land located in the HITEC city of Hyderabad having neighbors like Oracle, Dell, Google and Deloitte. The facility has 75,000 square feet (7,000 m2) of space that houses around 1500 people with a fifth of the space allocated purely for employee welfare (Gym, dorm, cafeteria, yoga / meditation rooms, sauna, etc.). An integrated approach is followed by ValueLabs that helps it in meeting its business requirements and at the same time benefitting its associates.
[edit] Microsoft Hyderabad Campus
Microsoft India Development Center, Hyderabad
The Microsoft Hyderabad development center campus is spread over an area of 54 acres (171,000 m²) and is the corporation's biggest facility outside the U.S. and the first one in India.
The campus houses employees across its three units
* The India Development Center (IDC)[14],
* The Global Delivery Center India (GDCI) and
* The Sales and Marketing organization.
Apart from development labs, the campus also features a sports facility as a recreational area for employees.
Microsoft India Development Center (IDC) commenced its operations in 1998 and is recognized today as a strategic center for developing products critical to Microsoft. Since its inception, the IDC has released several Microsoft products including Services for Unix (A key product in Microsoft's Unix Migration strategy), Visual J#.NET (A Java language development environment) for the .NET platform and MSN connector. Currently, the Windows Group in the IDC is developing technologies for Windows R2 Server and Longhorn client and server. The Developer Division Group is working on the next version of Visual Studio and Visual Studio Team System.
Steve Ballmer, CEO, Microsoft Corporation, with Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh participated in the official inauguration ceremony of Microsoft's Hyderabad Campus on November 15, 2004:
“ Our India Development Center plays an important role in contributing to innovation at Microsoft. The inauguration of our new campus in Hyderabad underscores our commitment to deepening our relationship with India and partnering with Indian governments and developer communities to create new opportunities for customers and for our industry. — Steve Ballmer ”
The Microsoft Global Delivery Center India (GDCI) started operations in 2002 and is the delivery center for developing mission critical applications that support Microsoft businesses worldwide and manage Microsoft's world wide IT infrastructure. The GDCI's service delivery involves managing Microsoft's World Wide IT infrastructure which consists of over 7000 servers and 300,000 client devices spread across 400 locations world wide and being used by 89,000 end users.
The GDCI focuses on developing applications using pre-ready-to-manufacture Microsoft products and technologies like: VB.NET, ASP.NET, SQL Server, Yukon, XML web services, SOAP and BizTalk Server with continuous process improvements using six sigma and TSP/PSP.
[edit] The TCS Deccan Park Campus
TCS Deccan Park, HITEC City
The Deccan park is the largest global development centre of the Tata Consultancy Services. The facility was designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta. The Deccan Park has been set up with an estimated investment of 15 billion INR with recreation and sporting facilities, which houses more than 2,200 professionals. The centre has been set up in 11 acres (45,000 m²) of land, with a built-up area around 320,000 ft² (30,000 m²) on 9 floors. The centre works in domain areas such as telecommunications, e-governance, biological sciences, ports, and shipping and also deploy technologies including .Net, opensource billing and bioinformatics.
[edit] The ilabs Centre
iLabs Centre and iLabs OVAL, HITEC City
iLabs Hyderabad Technology Center Private Limited operates in the real estate sector by providing commercial leasing services to out-sourcing companies. iLabs Hyderabad Technology Center Private Limited is based in Hyderabad, India. Compaines like Intelligroup & GE Money work out of Ilabs Centre. iLabs Centre is exactly opposite to the Inorbit Mall, which happens to be the largest mall in South India.
[edit] Future developments
Apart from the developments in HITEC City, other notable developments are planned with the area in and around Shamshabad which are expected to attract an investment of around 70 thousand Crores in next 5-10 Years. There are developments planned for Hyderabad beyond HUDA (Hyderabad Urban Development Authority) transforming into HMDA (Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority). HUDA which covered Hyderabad for about 250 km² will be replaced with HMDA that will span across at least 700 km².
Some of these developments include:
1. Hyderabad International Airport - projected to be India's largest airport spread over an extent of at least 5500 acres (22 km²). This International Airport will also serve as an International Aviation Hub for the international air traffic of U.S, Europe and Far-East. It began its operations on 23 March, 2008.
2. Software Park - INFOSYS will relocate its Head Office from Bangalore's Campus and set up a Campus at least four times in size compared to Bangalore — an area of 2000 acres (8 km²) for the development of various Software Products & Services. The Government of AP has made it mandatory for the Company to recruit two thousand employees at the facility.[15]
3. Hardware Park - This will come up on an area of around 2500 acres (10 km²) for manufacturing of Silicon Chips. Land allotment has been done to set up a manufacturing & R&D base for INTEL, AMD, ZEN TECHNOLOGIES and many more reputable Semi-Conductor MNCs.
4. SemIndia/Fab City - Hyderabad beat other contenders such as Mysore and Chennai to win the mandate for locating India's first semi-conductor wafer fabrication or 'Fab'—plant to be set up by SemIndia Inc., licensed from U.S based chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Inc., with an investment of around $3 billion. SemIndia will also set up an assembly, test, mark, packing (ATMP) facility close to the Fab unit. The SemIndia plant is expected to come up on 1,200 acres (5 km2) at Srinagar which is on Srisailam Highway and close to the Hyderabad International Airport at Shamshabad.[16]
5. Nanotech Park - At an area of 1,100 acres (4 km2), a Korean firm, Intellect Inc., with an estimated investment of 1 billion US Dollars has already laid the foundation of the Company's presence. Manufacturing would commence approximately around October, 2007. This would provide direct employment to around 20,000 skilled personnel. Its Phase II is anticipated to be completed by 2010, thereby creating a job pool of around 100,000 people.
6. Gems and Jewellery Park - an area of 200 acres (0.81 km2), land allotment to Geentajali Jewellers would create job opportunities for two thousand people by the end of 2008. Several MNC Jewellers especially from Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, and other countries will follow suit.[17]
7. Textiles Park - 500 acres (2.0 km2) of land has been allotted to SARODE HYCOT TEXTILES. This will be the largest Textile Park ever set up by the Central Government and will create job opportunities for at least 100,000 people by establishing close to 2000 Powerloom Units between 2008 and 2010.[18]
8. Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), has announced that launch of its third campus in India at Hyderabad. The BITS campus at Hyderabad is spread over 200 acres (0.81 km2) of land at Jawaharnagar near Shamirpet in Rangareddy district.
9. Seven star hotel and golf course - EMAAR Group of Dubai to build a 7 Star Hotel within the proximity of Hyderabad International Airport on a land area of around 700 acres (2.8 km2) which will also contain a large Golf Course.
10. Reliance will acquire 25,000 acres (110 km²) of Land around the Vijayawada Highway at Ibrahimpatnam to set up its LPG Gas Plant. An eight-lane direct road will link the Reliance Plant area to the Shamshabad ring road.
11. Aero Park - which would cater to the Aerospace and Aeronautics industries, is proposed to be established near the Hyderabad International Airport under the aegis of the Federation of Andhra Pradesh Small Industries Associations. This would consume around 200 acres (0.81 km2) of Land. Hyderabad has emerged as a major centre during last couple of years in production of various Aerospace & Aeronautical components & sub-systems. In total, there are currently around 60 Units manufactured with an annual turnover of 150 Crores. This will be augmented at Aero Park by an investment of 250-300 Crores annually leading to production of at least 100 Units.[19]
12. The Outer-Ring-Road - the longest of its kind in the country, it would stretch to at least 170 km around Hyderabad, with exit points. Work has already commenced and will be like a beltway without any traffic signals and 8 lane roads plus two service lines.
13. India's biggest/longest fly-over - a fly-over from Mehdipatnam would link up to a road close by Hyderabad International Airport at Shamshabad. The Project has been allotted 800 Crore rupees and stipulated timelines. This will be one of very few long flyovers in India.
14. Trade Center tower - will be either a single 60 story trade-tower — the first to reach such heights in India — or more than two towers of 30-40 floors each. The Towers will be near Manchirevula village and cater to IT industry, other businesses, and a stock market. The government selected Manchirevula because of its proximity to the Hyderabad International Airport at Shamshabad and the out ring road passing by the village. The Government has issued GO Ms No. 269 handing over the project to APIIC. The Ranga Reddy district have handed over 100 acres (0.40 km2) of land, in survey numbers 283 and 311, to the corporation to prepare the groundwork. A Bangalore based construction firm along with a Malaysian firm are working on this Project.[20]
15. 567 Acres IT park at Mucherla on Hyderabad to Srisailam Highway
16. TCS, Cognizant, Wipro SEZs at Adibatla in Ibrahimpatnam mandal
17. SEZs like Brahmani InfoTech park,150 acers Point INDU IT/ITES SEZ, Stargaze(Raheja) SEZs on Hyderabad to Srisailam Highway
18. Georgia Tech University near to Hyderabad to Srisailam Highway
19. Knowledge Corridor - The Dubai Government is interested in partnering with AP to develop the Hyderabad Knowledge Corridor. The Project – the Hyderabad Knowledge Corridor is aimed at being the hub for all IT activities from animation to financial software. Dr. J.C. Mohanty, principal secretary to the IT and communications Dept for AP said that this Project will laid down across 20,000 acres (80 km²) of Land stretching from Kanamet to Kollur covering about 34 Revenue Villages.[21]
20. Agha Khan International University - to be built on at least 100 acres (0.40 km2) of land.
21. IIM is coming up with 150 acres which will be the biggest IIM's in India beating IIM-A.[citation needed]
22. India's Tallest Building is coming at Manchirevula which is called as APIIC Tower and it will be 100 floors (450 meters) which will be completed by the end of 2010.
Satyam IT Campus, HITEC City
Satyam Computer Services is the largest IT employer of Hyderabad. The company has three campuses in Hitec City:
* Satyam Cyber Space [Opp Jayaberi]
* Satyam InfoCity [Behind Satyam Cyber Space]
* Satyam GateWay [Bldg 1 & 2 in My Home Hub]
[edit] ValueLabs Hyderabad Campus
ValueLabs Campus, HITEC City, Hyderabad, India
ValueLabs is an offshore software product development, QA/Testing and KPO Services Company based in Hyderabad, India. The company started its operations in 1997 with a remote execution model and has since been offering services to startup and multi-billion dollar companies across the globe. Astro, MakeMyTrip.com, Maxis, SHPS, Snapfish, SpiceJet, TIBCO, Nielsen Mobile are some of the clients of the company.
The company’s expertise lies in servicing clients in the domains like Internet / mobile / interactive TV applications, internationalization, enterprise solutions and maintenance of legacy systems. The extended team model spun into the requirements of the clients has been successfully followed by the company over the years. ValueLabs has companies incorporated in the US, UK and Malaysia serving the respective geographies. ValueLabs has clients worldwide with about 70% business coming from the US.
ValueLabs' Services
Offshore Product Development
Application Development
QA/Testing
KPO Services
Maintenance and Support
Remote Infrastructure Management Services
ValueLabs facility in Hyderabad is being widely acclaimed for its architectural excellence. It is designed by the world renowned Chandavarkar and Thacker Architects Pvt Ltd, Bangalore, popularly known as CnT. Arjun Rao, CEO of ValueLabs always believed in providing the right ambience for his employees, the result of which is the most appropriate fit between the arrangement of the office space for business and the space for developing a culture of camaraderie among its associates. ValueLabs’ facility is built on a 2-acre (8,100 m2) land located in the HITEC city of Hyderabad having neighbors like Oracle, Dell, Google and Deloitte. The facility has 75,000 square feet (7,000 m2) of space that houses around 1500 people with a fifth of the space allocated purely for employee welfare (Gym, dorm, cafeteria, yoga / meditation rooms, sauna, etc.). An integrated approach is followed by ValueLabs that helps it in meeting its business requirements and at the same time benefitting its associates.
[edit] Microsoft Hyderabad Campus
Microsoft India Development Center, Hyderabad
The Microsoft Hyderabad development center campus is spread over an area of 54 acres (171,000 m²) and is the corporation's biggest facility outside the U.S. and the first one in India.
The campus houses employees across its three units
* The India Development Center (IDC)[14],
* The Global Delivery Center India (GDCI) and
* The Sales and Marketing organization.
Apart from development labs, the campus also features a sports facility as a recreational area for employees.
Microsoft India Development Center (IDC) commenced its operations in 1998 and is recognized today as a strategic center for developing products critical to Microsoft. Since its inception, the IDC has released several Microsoft products including Services for Unix (A key product in Microsoft's Unix Migration strategy), Visual J#.NET (A Java language development environment) for the .NET platform and MSN connector. Currently, the Windows Group in the IDC is developing technologies for Windows R2 Server and Longhorn client and server. The Developer Division Group is working on the next version of Visual Studio and Visual Studio Team System.
Steve Ballmer, CEO, Microsoft Corporation, with Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh participated in the official inauguration ceremony of Microsoft's Hyderabad Campus on November 15, 2004:
“ Our India Development Center plays an important role in contributing to innovation at Microsoft. The inauguration of our new campus in Hyderabad underscores our commitment to deepening our relationship with India and partnering with Indian governments and developer communities to create new opportunities for customers and for our industry. — Steve Ballmer ”
The Microsoft Global Delivery Center India (GDCI) started operations in 2002 and is the delivery center for developing mission critical applications that support Microsoft businesses worldwide and manage Microsoft's world wide IT infrastructure. The GDCI's service delivery involves managing Microsoft's World Wide IT infrastructure which consists of over 7000 servers and 300,000 client devices spread across 400 locations world wide and being used by 89,000 end users.
The GDCI focuses on developing applications using pre-ready-to-manufacture Microsoft products and technologies like: VB.NET, ASP.NET, SQL Server, Yukon, XML web services, SOAP and BizTalk Server with continuous process improvements using six sigma and TSP/PSP.
[edit] The TCS Deccan Park Campus
TCS Deccan Park, HITEC City
The Deccan park is the largest global development centre of the Tata Consultancy Services. The facility was designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta. The Deccan Park has been set up with an estimated investment of 15 billion INR with recreation and sporting facilities, which houses more than 2,200 professionals. The centre has been set up in 11 acres (45,000 m²) of land, with a built-up area around 320,000 ft² (30,000 m²) on 9 floors. The centre works in domain areas such as telecommunications, e-governance, biological sciences, ports, and shipping and also deploy technologies including .Net, opensource billing and bioinformatics.
[edit] The ilabs Centre
iLabs Centre and iLabs OVAL, HITEC City
iLabs Hyderabad Technology Center Private Limited operates in the real estate sector by providing commercial leasing services to out-sourcing companies. iLabs Hyderabad Technology Center Private Limited is based in Hyderabad, India. Compaines like Intelligroup & GE Money work out of Ilabs Centre. iLabs Centre is exactly opposite to the Inorbit Mall, which happens to be the largest mall in South India.
[edit] Future developments
Apart from the developments in HITEC City, other notable developments are planned with the area in and around Shamshabad which are expected to attract an investment of around 70 thousand Crores in next 5-10 Years. There are developments planned for Hyderabad beyond HUDA (Hyderabad Urban Development Authority) transforming into HMDA (Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority). HUDA which covered Hyderabad for about 250 km² will be replaced with HMDA that will span across at least 700 km².
Some of these developments include:
1. Hyderabad International Airport - projected to be India's largest airport spread over an extent of at least 5500 acres (22 km²). This International Airport will also serve as an International Aviation Hub for the international air traffic of U.S, Europe and Far-East. It began its operations on 23 March, 2008.
2. Software Park - INFOSYS will relocate its Head Office from Bangalore's Campus and set up a Campus at least four times in size compared to Bangalore — an area of 2000 acres (8 km²) for the development of various Software Products & Services. The Government of AP has made it mandatory for the Company to recruit two thousand employees at the facility.[15]
3. Hardware Park - This will come up on an area of around 2500 acres (10 km²) for manufacturing of Silicon Chips. Land allotment has been done to set up a manufacturing & R&D base for INTEL, AMD, ZEN TECHNOLOGIES and many more reputable Semi-Conductor MNCs.
4. SemIndia/Fab City - Hyderabad beat other contenders such as Mysore and Chennai to win the mandate for locating India's first semi-conductor wafer fabrication or 'Fab'—plant to be set up by SemIndia Inc., licensed from U.S based chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Inc., with an investment of around $3 billion. SemIndia will also set up an assembly, test, mark, packing (ATMP) facility close to the Fab unit. The SemIndia plant is expected to come up on 1,200 acres (5 km2) at Srinagar which is on Srisailam Highway and close to the Hyderabad International Airport at Shamshabad.[16]
5. Nanotech Park - At an area of 1,100 acres (4 km2), a Korean firm, Intellect Inc., with an estimated investment of 1 billion US Dollars has already laid the foundation of the Company's presence. Manufacturing would commence approximately around October, 2007. This would provide direct employment to around 20,000 skilled personnel. Its Phase II is anticipated to be completed by 2010, thereby creating a job pool of around 100,000 people.
6. Gems and Jewellery Park - an area of 200 acres (0.81 km2), land allotment to Geentajali Jewellers would create job opportunities for two thousand people by the end of 2008. Several MNC Jewellers especially from Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, and other countries will follow suit.[17]
7. Textiles Park - 500 acres (2.0 km2) of land has been allotted to SARODE HYCOT TEXTILES. This will be the largest Textile Park ever set up by the Central Government and will create job opportunities for at least 100,000 people by establishing close to 2000 Powerloom Units between 2008 and 2010.[18]
8. Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), has announced that launch of its third campus in India at Hyderabad. The BITS campus at Hyderabad is spread over 200 acres (0.81 km2) of land at Jawaharnagar near Shamirpet in Rangareddy district.
9. Seven star hotel and golf course - EMAAR Group of Dubai to build a 7 Star Hotel within the proximity of Hyderabad International Airport on a land area of around 700 acres (2.8 km2) which will also contain a large Golf Course.
10. Reliance will acquire 25,000 acres (110 km²) of Land around the Vijayawada Highway at Ibrahimpatnam to set up its LPG Gas Plant. An eight-lane direct road will link the Reliance Plant area to the Shamshabad ring road.
11. Aero Park - which would cater to the Aerospace and Aeronautics industries, is proposed to be established near the Hyderabad International Airport under the aegis of the Federation of Andhra Pradesh Small Industries Associations. This would consume around 200 acres (0.81 km2) of Land. Hyderabad has emerged as a major centre during last couple of years in production of various Aerospace & Aeronautical components & sub-systems. In total, there are currently around 60 Units manufactured with an annual turnover of 150 Crores. This will be augmented at Aero Park by an investment of 250-300 Crores annually leading to production of at least 100 Units.[19]
12. The Outer-Ring-Road - the longest of its kind in the country, it would stretch to at least 170 km around Hyderabad, with exit points. Work has already commenced and will be like a beltway without any traffic signals and 8 lane roads plus two service lines.
13. India's biggest/longest fly-over - a fly-over from Mehdipatnam would link up to a road close by Hyderabad International Airport at Shamshabad. The Project has been allotted 800 Crore rupees and stipulated timelines. This will be one of very few long flyovers in India.
14. Trade Center tower - will be either a single 60 story trade-tower — the first to reach such heights in India — or more than two towers of 30-40 floors each. The Towers will be near Manchirevula village and cater to IT industry, other businesses, and a stock market. The government selected Manchirevula because of its proximity to the Hyderabad International Airport at Shamshabad and the out ring road passing by the village. The Government has issued GO Ms No. 269 handing over the project to APIIC. The Ranga Reddy district have handed over 100 acres (0.40 km2) of land, in survey numbers 283 and 311, to the corporation to prepare the groundwork. A Bangalore based construction firm along with a Malaysian firm are working on this Project.[20]
15. 567 Acres IT park at Mucherla on Hyderabad to Srisailam Highway
16. TCS, Cognizant, Wipro SEZs at Adibatla in Ibrahimpatnam mandal
17. SEZs like Brahmani InfoTech park,150 acers Point INDU IT/ITES SEZ, Stargaze(Raheja) SEZs on Hyderabad to Srisailam Highway
18. Georgia Tech University near to Hyderabad to Srisailam Highway
19. Knowledge Corridor - The Dubai Government is interested in partnering with AP to develop the Hyderabad Knowledge Corridor. The Project – the Hyderabad Knowledge Corridor is aimed at being the hub for all IT activities from animation to financial software. Dr. J.C. Mohanty, principal secretary to the IT and communications Dept for AP said that this Project will laid down across 20,000 acres (80 km²) of Land stretching from Kanamet to Kollur covering about 34 Revenue Villages.[21]
20. Agha Khan International University - to be built on at least 100 acres (0.40 km2) of land.
21. IIM is coming up with 150 acres which will be the biggest IIM's in India beating IIM-A.[citation needed]
22. India's Tallest Building is coming at Manchirevula which is called as APIIC Tower and it will be 100 floors (450 meters) which will be completed by the end of 2010.
HITEC city
Other campuses around HITEC city
WIPRO Campus, HITEC City
Oracle Campus, HITEC City
TCS Building
AppLabs Building
Several companies have opened built to suit facilities in and around HITEC city. Some of these are:
* Ananth Technologies (Ananth Info Park)
* Computer Maintenance Corporation (CMC) Campus
* Convergys Campus
* DELL Campus
* CyberCity I.T. Campus[13]
* E-Park I.T. Campus (Currently leased by TCS)
* Franklin Templeton campus
* Honeywell Campus
* HSBC Campus
* Kanbay Campus
* Infosys Campus
* Infotech Enterprises Campus
* Microsoft Campus
* Motorola Campus
* Oracle Campus
* Polaris Campus
* Satyam Cyber Space Campus
* Satyam Infocity Campus
* Satyam GateWay Campus [My Home Hub - Bldg 1 & 2]
* Sierra Atlantic Campus
* Soft Sol Campus
* Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Campus (Deccan Park)
* UBS
* ValueLabs Campus
* VSNL campus
* WIPRO Campus (Before Cyber Towers)
* WIPRO Campus (Manikonda)
WIPRO Campus, HITEC City
Oracle Campus, HITEC City
TCS Building
AppLabs Building
Several companies have opened built to suit facilities in and around HITEC city. Some of these are:
* Ananth Technologies (Ananth Info Park)
* Computer Maintenance Corporation (CMC) Campus
* Convergys Campus
* DELL Campus
* CyberCity I.T. Campus[13]
* E-Park I.T. Campus (Currently leased by TCS)
* Franklin Templeton campus
* Honeywell Campus
* HSBC Campus
* Kanbay Campus
* Infosys Campus
* Infotech Enterprises Campus
* Microsoft Campus
* Motorola Campus
* Oracle Campus
* Polaris Campus
* Satyam Cyber Space Campus
* Satyam Infocity Campus
* Satyam GateWay Campus [My Home Hub - Bldg 1 & 2]
* Sierra Atlantic Campus
* Soft Sol Campus
* Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Campus (Deccan Park)
* UBS
* ValueLabs Campus
* VSNL campus
* WIPRO Campus (Before Cyber Towers)
* WIPRO Campus (Manikonda)
The V, An Ascendas IT Park
The V, An Ascendas IT Park
The V (Mariner), HITEC City
The V is spread across 20 acres (81,000 m²) and currently has five multi-tenanted buildings with gross floor area of 1.65 million sq ft (90,000 m²) having close to 100% occupancy.
With over 10 acres (40,000 m²) of open space, it is a green township with environmentally friendly landscaped gardens. Most of the large rock formations have been left untouched, with the buildings designed around the natural landscape. The park is known for its vibrancy. It is the first IT park which is completely operational. It accommodates about 15000 IT professionals.
It boasts highly efficient office space, minimum lighting due to lots of open space, a separate cafeteria building, and fully-equipped training class rooms.
It is about 10 km from the city center and 14 km from the airport, both being within an hour's drive. The nearest local train station is around 3 km from the campus.
Ascendes Front Gate, HITEC City
The V is composed of five buildings.
* Mariner
* Auriga
* Orion
* Capella
* Vega
The V (Mariner), HITEC City
The V is spread across 20 acres (81,000 m²) and currently has five multi-tenanted buildings with gross floor area of 1.65 million sq ft (90,000 m²) having close to 100% occupancy.
With over 10 acres (40,000 m²) of open space, it is a green township with environmentally friendly landscaped gardens. Most of the large rock formations have been left untouched, with the buildings designed around the natural landscape. The park is known for its vibrancy. It is the first IT park which is completely operational. It accommodates about 15000 IT professionals.
It boasts highly efficient office space, minimum lighting due to lots of open space, a separate cafeteria building, and fully-equipped training class rooms.
It is about 10 km from the city center and 14 km from the airport, both being within an hour's drive. The nearest local train station is around 3 km from the campus.
Ascendes Front Gate, HITEC City
The V is composed of five buildings.
* Mariner
* Auriga
* Orion
* Capella
* Vega
Mindspace IT Park
Mindspace IT Park
The Mindspace IT Park was envisioned by Raheja Corp, which identified the need for a world-class environment and ecosystem to foster great business ideas. This vision was translated to "Mindspace", a new-age philosophy of working and living, conceived to make corporates feel at home even while they are at work. It includes residential, recreational, entertainment, and retail spaces. The park provides about 4 million square feet of office space.
Spread across 110 acres (445,000 m²), this layout also provides about 40% open space with telecommunications and civic infrastructure, wide roads, and greenery. The district witnessed immediate success with over a million square feet built and occupied within just 14 months of starting the project. The park provides both multitenant and built to suit faclities. Companiees such as IBM, Accenture, CSC, Bank of America, and Novartis have built to suit facilities in the park with 10000 professionals working within them. Other companies in multitenant facilities include Qualcomm, Zensar Technologies Ltd, Satyam Computer Services, Oracle, Accenture, Amazon, GE, Patni, Verizon, CFC, Wellsfargo and Tieto. As of 2008 March, 20000 professionals work in the park. The park is a notified SEZ and is set to accommodate about 55000 IT professionals making it the largest of the IT parks in HITEC CITY. The park also has a Westin Hotel and Inorbit Mall which are slated to open in the second half of 2009.
The Mindspace IT Park was envisioned by Raheja Corp, which identified the need for a world-class environment and ecosystem to foster great business ideas. This vision was translated to "Mindspace", a new-age philosophy of working and living, conceived to make corporates feel at home even while they are at work. It includes residential, recreational, entertainment, and retail spaces. The park provides about 4 million square feet of office space.
Spread across 110 acres (445,000 m²), this layout also provides about 40% open space with telecommunications and civic infrastructure, wide roads, and greenery. The district witnessed immediate success with over a million square feet built and occupied within just 14 months of starting the project. The park provides both multitenant and built to suit faclities. Companiees such as IBM, Accenture, CSC, Bank of America, and Novartis have built to suit facilities in the park with 10000 professionals working within them. Other companies in multitenant facilities include Qualcomm, Zensar Technologies Ltd, Satyam Computer Services, Oracle, Accenture, Amazon, GE, Patni, Verizon, CFC, Wellsfargo and Tieto. As of 2008 March, 20000 professionals work in the park. The park is a notified SEZ and is set to accommodate about 55000 IT professionals making it the largest of the IT parks in HITEC CITY. The park also has a Westin Hotel and Inorbit Mall which are slated to open in the second half of 2009.
CII - Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre
CII - Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre
The centre is housed in a green building which received the coveted LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum rating in 2003. This was the first platinum rated Green Building outside of the U.S. and also the first in India. The Centre was inaugurated by H.E Shri A P J Abdul Kalam, the then President of India, on July 14, 2004.
CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre is a unique and successful model of public-private partnership between the Government of Andhra Pradesh, Godrej & Boyce Mfg Ltd and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), with the technical support of USAID.
Main article: CII – Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre
CII Hyderabad
Shilpakala vedika - A Multi-purpose auditorium, HITEC City, Hyderabad
The Green Business Centre (GBC), has an area of 5 acres (20,000 m²). It is near HITEC City in Hyderabad, and the concept was launched during the then U.S. President Bill Clinton's visit to the city in March 2000. The Green Institute entered into a strategic partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industries to establish the Green Business Centre (GBC) at Hyderabad for promoting "Green Activities" in India. The GBC has become the basis of an ongoing partnership with the Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center (PEEC), a project of the Green Institute.
[edit] Shilpakala Vedika
The centre is housed in a green building which received the coveted LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum rating in 2003. This was the first platinum rated Green Building outside of the U.S. and also the first in India. The Centre was inaugurated by H.E Shri A P J Abdul Kalam, the then President of India, on July 14, 2004.
CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre is a unique and successful model of public-private partnership between the Government of Andhra Pradesh, Godrej & Boyce Mfg Ltd and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), with the technical support of USAID.
Main article: CII – Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre
CII Hyderabad
Shilpakala vedika - A Multi-purpose auditorium, HITEC City, Hyderabad
The Green Business Centre (GBC), has an area of 5 acres (20,000 m²). It is near HITEC City in Hyderabad, and the concept was launched during the then U.S. President Bill Clinton's visit to the city in March 2000. The Green Institute entered into a strategic partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industries to establish the Green Business Centre (GBC) at Hyderabad for promoting "Green Activities" in India. The GBC has become the basis of an ongoing partnership with the Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center (PEEC), a project of the Green Institute.
[edit] Shilpakala Vedika
HITEX Exhibition Center
HITEX Exhibition Center
View of HITEX Exhibition Center
Hyderabad International Trade Expositions Limited (HITEX)[4] is a state-of-the-art venue for international exhibitions, conferences, trade shows, and corporate events in India. It was conceptualized by German architects and inaugurated on January 14, 2003 by Commerce Minister Arun Shourie, and the Trade Fair Office Building by Andhra Pradesh former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
HITEX is the corporate hub of the HITEC City and is India's most modern exhibition centre. HITEX is located at Madhapur (near HITEC City). The facility is spread over nearly 100 acres (400,000 m²).
GITEX Hyderabad[5], is the annual IT&C expo organized by the Dubai World Trade Center in association with the Department of IT&C, Government of Andhra Pradesh.
View of HITEX Exhibition Center
Hyderabad International Trade Expositions Limited (HITEX)[4] is a state-of-the-art venue for international exhibitions, conferences, trade shows, and corporate events in India. It was conceptualized by German architects and inaugurated on January 14, 2003 by Commerce Minister Arun Shourie, and the Trade Fair Office Building by Andhra Pradesh former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
HITEX is the corporate hub of the HITEC City and is India's most modern exhibition centre. HITEX is located at Madhapur (near HITEC City). The facility is spread over nearly 100 acres (400,000 m²).
GITEX Hyderabad[5], is the annual IT&C expo organized by the Dubai World Trade Center in association with the Department of IT&C, Government of Andhra Pradesh.
Hyderabad International Convention Center
Hyderabad International Convention Center (HICC)
HICC
Hyderabad International Convention Center was built by Emaar MGF[3] of India. The company is part owned by Emaar of UAE. The Hyderabad International Convention Center with 4,000 seating capacity is India's largest and the most technologically advanced convention facility. It is an integrated 291,000 square foot (27,000 m²) facility with a 287-room-capacity business hotel, Novotel Hyderabad, covering 15 acres (61,000 m²). This air-conditioned center can be configured to increase seating capacity to about 6,500.
HICC
Hyderabad International Convention Center was built by Emaar MGF[3] of India. The company is part owned by Emaar of UAE. The Hyderabad International Convention Center with 4,000 seating capacity is India's largest and the most technologically advanced convention facility. It is an integrated 291,000 square foot (27,000 m²) facility with a 287-room-capacity business hotel, Novotel Hyderabad, covering 15 acres (61,000 m²). This air-conditioned center can be configured to increase seating capacity to about 6,500.
Cyber Pearl
Cyber Pearl (An Ascendas IT Park)
Cyber Pearl would have been named Cyber Oasis, but since Hyderabad is associated with Pearls, Pearl was considered more appropriate. The park accommodates over 5000 IT professionals with 5 million square feet of office space. Companies located at Cyber Pearl are
* Sitel India Ltd
* GE
* UMC
* Keane
* Mahindra Satyam
* MarketTools Research Pvt Ltd[1]
* RSA /Valyd Software[2]
* SD Softech
Cyber Pearl would have been named Cyber Oasis, but since Hyderabad is associated with Pearls, Pearl was considered more appropriate. The park accommodates over 5000 IT professionals with 5 million square feet of office space. Companies located at Cyber Pearl are
* Sitel India Ltd
* GE
* UMC
* Keane
* Mahindra Satyam
* MarketTools Research Pvt Ltd[1]
* RSA /Valyd Software[2]
* SD Softech
Transport
Transport
MMTS station at Hitec city
The Cyber Pearl, HITEC City
The nearest MMTS local train station is around 2 kilometres away on the Kukatpally road, which connects to important parts of the city. Taxis and autos shuttle between the station and the city. Metro rail access is being planned for completion by 2012 and is expected to complement the already existing MMTS.
Most of the MNCs located here provide cab facilities to its employees, and transport is not a problem. Also the state runs the city bus service, connecting to all the major centres of the city.
MMTS station at Hitec city
The Cyber Pearl, HITEC City
The nearest MMTS local train station is around 2 kilometres away on the Kukatpally road, which connects to important parts of the city. Taxis and autos shuttle between the station and the city. Metro rail access is being planned for completion by 2012 and is expected to complement the already existing MMTS.
Most of the MNCs located here provide cab facilities to its employees, and transport is not a problem. Also the state runs the city bus service, connecting to all the major centres of the city.
Cyber Towers
Cyber Towers
Cyber Gateway, HITEC City, Hyderabad
Cyber Towers is the first phase of HITEC City and was inaugurated in November 1998. Companies include 7Hills Business Solutions, AppLabs, Keane, Microsoft, Patni Computer Systems, Oracle Corporation, GE Capital and Prithvi Information Solutions , Orbees, Four Soft operate offshore development facilities or call centers in this four-quadrant, 10-story building.
The Cyber Towers building is divided into four quadrants with a large fountain in the middle of the quadrants.
With a total 10 floors, part of the 6th and 7th floors and all of the 8th floor are occupied by Keane.
Four Soft Ltd, can be found on the 3rd, 4th and 5th floor of this building.
[edit] Cyber Gateway (Phase II)
The Cyber Gateway is Phase II of HITEC City. A giant arch in front of the building stands as a gateway to the rest of HITEC City and hence the name. It comprises over 866,000 ft² (80,500 m²) of office space across 8 acres (32,000 m²) of land with a glass façade, landscaped gardens, and waiting lounge.
The Cyber Gateway is designed for ITES and BPO services with multiple redundancies for connectivity and power. Large offshore processing operations operate out of this building. Dell, Inc., General Electric, Capitol Records, Lanco Global Systems and Microsoft were the first companies to start operations at the Cyber Gateway. They were soon followed by Oracle, Virtusa, Vertex Computer SystemsVertexcs.com and others. Soon the companies grew in size and operations and started to build their own campuses.
Cyber Gateway, HITEC City, Hyderabad
Cyber Towers is the first phase of HITEC City and was inaugurated in November 1998. Companies include 7Hills Business Solutions, AppLabs, Keane, Microsoft, Patni Computer Systems, Oracle Corporation, GE Capital and Prithvi Information Solutions , Orbees, Four Soft operate offshore development facilities or call centers in this four-quadrant, 10-story building.
The Cyber Towers building is divided into four quadrants with a large fountain in the middle of the quadrants.
With a total 10 floors, part of the 6th and 7th floors and all of the 8th floor are occupied by Keane.
Four Soft Ltd, can be found on the 3rd, 4th and 5th floor of this building.
[edit] Cyber Gateway (Phase II)
The Cyber Gateway is Phase II of HITEC City. A giant arch in front of the building stands as a gateway to the rest of HITEC City and hence the name. It comprises over 866,000 ft² (80,500 m²) of office space across 8 acres (32,000 m²) of land with a glass façade, landscaped gardens, and waiting lounge.
The Cyber Gateway is designed for ITES and BPO services with multiple redundancies for connectivity and power. Large offshore processing operations operate out of this building. Dell, Inc., General Electric, Capitol Records, Lanco Global Systems and Microsoft were the first companies to start operations at the Cyber Gateway. They were soon followed by Oracle, Virtusa, Vertex Computer SystemsVertexcs.com and others. Soon the companies grew in size and operations and started to build their own campuses.
History
History
Soon after India started witnessing an IT revolution with Bangalore, Mumbai,Chennai and Delhi as key IT hubs, the government of AP realised the need for infrastructure to attract investments of several IT companies. It was a well known fact that a large number of IT professionals working in Silicon valley and other technology hubs were from this region. This prompted the government to start the project with private investments. The project was commissioned initially with L&T ECC and was named L&T INFOCITY. Then several other companies started to partner with the government after the project's success.
Soon after India started witnessing an IT revolution with Bangalore, Mumbai,Chennai and Delhi as key IT hubs, the government of AP realised the need for infrastructure to attract investments of several IT companies. It was a well known fact that a large number of IT professionals working in Silicon valley and other technology hubs were from this region. This prompted the government to start the project with private investments. The project was commissioned initially with L&T ECC and was named L&T INFOCITY. Then several other companies started to partner with the government after the project's success.
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