IBM: Cell technology is free of charge

IBM, Toshiba and Sony have worked together to the development of the Cell project, and the result is a processor built around 234 million transistors graved using SOI (Silicon On Insulator) 90 nanometer technology, which measures 221 square millimeters.

These technical specs are not secret anymore, but IBM promises that it will disclose new information about the solution that has received many praises from the IT experts. Not only that, but this information might lead to the development of an architecture for open-source solutions.

IBM has already made boastful statements regarding the Cell processor, the company saying that it's 10 times more powerful than current processors. IBM's solution will also be included in the PlayStation 3 console.

Associated Press quotes Kahle, an IBM spokesman, announcing that IBM will "donate four years of discoveries and inventions to the open-source community". It seems that IBM, Toshiba and Sony are preparing to publish the complete specifications of the processor, trying in this way to get the open-source community on Cell's side.