Computer Memory

Shuttle Incorporated is one of a myriad of computer manufacturers heralding from Taiwan, which produces complete PC systems, ‘barebone’ computers, motherboards and monitors. For some time now, the company has been one of the global leading lights in the manufacturing of motherboards. It came to the fore back in 2001, when it released it’s Shuttle SV24, a groundbreaking, commercially available small form factor computer. In the present day, the model is typically owned by enthusiasts and hobbyists.

Between the late 80s and the middle of the ‘noughties’, Shuttle produced AT, ATX and Micro ATX motherboards and it's most sought after hardware included the HOT603 Socket 7 product that was loosely based on the AMD640 motherboard.

Modern Day Offerings
The XPC desktop Shuttle produces for the present day market uses the same XPC barebone PC platform as its basis, including the PC case, motherboard, and power supply only. In recent times, there has been a greater disparity between their barebones systems and the ‘complete’ systems that they manufacture, with the premium X series and M series representing the company’s current high end offering.

In the years since 2005, Shuttle has continued to innovate and develop lasting industry partners.

In 2006, Shuttle is chosen to be one of the premiere partners of manufacturing giant Intel at the same time as it releases the T series and the X series, a new range of chassis.

2007 was another busy year for the company as it launched a line of high performance PCs featuring the Intel Core 2 Extreme processor. It also released an optical drive that supported dual HD formats, as well as winning a prestigious award for its barebone PC products.

By 2010, Shuttle Inc had established an OEM plant in order to launch itself onto the mobile hardware market.

Moving back to the present day, Shuttle continues its mission to design and produce desktop PCs with a much smaller form factor than traditional designs. Their XPC product includes a custom-built motherboard with a small ‘footprint’, a rectangular aluminium chassis, the ICE heatsink and a small but effective power supply.

Shuttle continues to be ever present in the world of professional gamers, as the hardware they produce is particularly suited to this medium. Back in 2004, the XPC was named the ‘Official Desktop’ of the prestigious World Cyber Games in San Francisco.

Whilst Shuttle is not one of the very biggest players in the world of PCs, it has carved out its own niche of motherboards, in which it excels. Look inside the case of a serious gamer’s desktop and you’ll likely find a motherboard created by this pocket powerhouse from Taiwan.

Microchip Technology is a computer component manufacturer from the US that primarily produces computer memory, microcontrollers, and analogue semiconductors. Amongst its wide range of products, there is a diverse array of hardware that includes:

• DsPIC, PICmicro, AVR32, SAM Microcontrollers
• Serial SRAM hardware
• Radio Frequency hardware
• USB devices
• Linear Interface hardware
• Battery and power management devices

With its base of operations in southern Arizona, the corporation has wafer manufacturing plants in Oregon and Colorado, as well as testing labs in the Philippines and Thailand.

Huge Turnover
Since coming into being in 1987 when the microelectronics arm of General Instruments broke away to form a fully owned subsidiary, the company has performed extremely well in the global semiconductor market. Microchip Technology recently posted sales figures in excess of $2bn.

The corporation sits at the top table in terms operational levels, with its main rivals being NXP Semiconductors, Infineon, Maxim Integrated Products, Texas Instruments and Renesas Electronics.

Independent
After spending 2 years under the umbrella of General Instruments, Microchip Technology set out on their own in 1989, becoming a fully independent enterprise in the Autumn of 1989. Just 4 years later in 1993, the firm was floated on the stock exchange and in doing so became a public enterprise.

Innovation and Growth
The company is no stranger to innovation and in 2009, it launched the world’s most economical microcontroller, the nanoWatt XLP of which billions have been sold across the globe.

In 2010, Microchip Technology (MT) consolidated its market position, buying the American Silicon Storage Technology from California and selling off its flash memory division in the process.

The company’s growth showed no signs of slowing down in 2012, as it took control of Standard Microsystems (SMSC) and Atmel in 2016 for a reported $3.5b. It doesn’t end there, however, as in early 2018, Microsemi Corporation (MSCC) was acquired for a colossal $10bn.

Massive Operation
It would be fair to say that MT is one of the largest players in the computer component manufacturer world, shipping as it does, more than 1,000,000,000 microprocessors each and every year.

Corporate Responsibility
Despite its size, MT retains its connection to the people and has very strict policies on its impact on the world as a whole. For example, the company has made clear statements about the use of minerals sourced in areas from conflict regions around the world. It states that these materials are not used in any part of their manufacturing chain in any shape or form.