AMD and ARM Team Up 108
Vigile writes "Today AMD is making an announcement that is the first step in a drastic transition for the company by integrating an ARM Cortex A5 processor on the same die with upcoming Fusion APUs. Starting in late 2013, all AMD APUs (processors that are combinations of x86 cores and Radeon SIMD arrays) will also integrate an ARM Cortex A5 processor to handle security for online transactions, banking, identity protection and DRM integration. The A5 is the smallest Cortex processor available, and that would make sense to use it in a full APU so it will not take up more than 10-15 square mm of die space. This marks the first time AMD has licensed ARM technology and while many people were speculating a pure ARM+Radeon hybrid, this move today is being described as the 'first step' for AMD down a new road of dexterity as an IP-focused technology company with their GPU technology as 'the crown jewel.' So while today's announcement might focus on using ARM processors for security purposes, the future likely holds much more these two partners."
Fan-fucking-tastic. (Score:5, Insightful)
Thanks for nothing, guys.
I don't like the sound of this. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:They should be called AAA. (Score:5, Insightful)
what's a phone book?
It's that lump of wood pulp that is left on your doorstep once a year. It is completely filled with advertisements and phone numbers, but no reviews at all.
Re:OMG TPM (Score:4, Insightful)
Before you start flaming about DRM and TPM taking over your computer and all, please remember that all TPM chips currently available allow you to install your own keys.
And once you're tied to using them, they'll stop allowing you to install your own keys.
Vendor lockin FTW.
Re:Fan-fucking-tastic. (Score:4, Insightful)
So AMD and ARM team up, and the product of their blissful union is an on-die TPM?
Thanks for nothing, guys.
Basically. The only ones who will ever make use of it are DRM assholes.
They make it sound like a feature by talking about "security for online transactions", "banking", and "identity protection", but no one will ever use it for that.
It's dead silicon until Windows is updated to recognizes it and allow DRM schemes to tap into it.
Re:OMG TPM (Score:5, Insightful)
I simply can not imagine why anybody would intentionally buy a modern computer without these wonderful capabilities.
Ever since TPM was created, we're always just a few bits and bytes away from having it leveraged against us, by them.
And by "us" I mean "the computer users."
By "them" I mean "the hardware manufacturers and software/media companies."
Example: The newest motherboards don't need the ability to disable trusted boot. Heck, it'd have been easier to not include it!
We're more or less at the mercy of a small number of companies and their design decisions.
Worse, we have no real power other than social pressure.
Re:OMG TPM (Score:4, Insightful)
You have the power to not purchase locked down motherboards.
Of course once Windows requires that all systems are locked down before it runs, there'll be a remarkable lack of affordable motherboards that will run any other operating system. Nor will you be able to buy a Windows machine and install another operating system instead.
Anyone who thinks this isn't intended to create vendor lockin is incredibly naive.
No Internet without TPM (Score:4, Insightful)
please remember that all TPM chips currently available allow you to install your own keys.
Which won't help if both the cable company and the DSL company start using Trusted Network Connect [slashdot.org] to control home customers' access to their networks. In such a case, you wouldn't be able to get Internet service with your own key on the TPM.
Re:Fan-fucking-tastic. (Score:5, Insightful)
Comment removed (Score:4, Insightful)