Let LTE and quad-core apps processor battle begin

Let LTE and quad-core apps processor battle begin

NEW YORK – As the Mobile World Congress raises its curtain next week in Barcelona, practically every mobile chip company is rushing to announce new smartphone ICs with the mobile industry’s two new “must-have features”: quad-core and LTE modem.

Of course, not all quad-cores are equal. LTE modems, too, come in different flavors. Every modem chip is at a different stage in operators’ certification processes, a hurdle that every chip vendor needs to clear before claiming a design win.

Aside from Qualcomm which detailed its Snapdragon 600 and 800 and announced it during International Consumer Electronics Show, and Broadcom which discussed last week what the company claims to be smallest 4G-LTE Advanced modem chip, both Nvidia and Marvell are competing for the market’s attention this week.

Nvidia unveiled Tuesday (Feb. 19) Tegra 4i, a new member of the Tegra 4 family. It’s an application processor integrated with LTE processor on the same die.

Will Strauss, president of Forward Concepts, called it a “stunner,” due to a number of advanced features integrated in it. The 4i is based on four Cortex-A9 (2.3-GHz) CPUs jointly developed with ARM, featuring a fifth “battery saver” core. It also comes with 60 GPU cores and a version of the i500 LTE modem optimized for integration.

Nvidia's senior vice president, Phillip Carmack, wrote in his blog at Nvidia’s website, “Tegra 4i will bring super phone capabilities to the mainstream smartphone market, and there will be nothing on the market like it.”

Carmack probably isn’t just saying that. With Tegra 4i, Nvida is firmly setting its sights on Qualcomm. Nvidia’s spokesman claims that Tegra 4i “is significantly faster yet half the size of its nearest competitor, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800.” If true, that sets a new benchmark.


TAG:Quad Cores LTE Modem Apps Processor

Sequans gung-ho for LTE Broadcast

Sequans gung-ho for LTE Broadcast

NEW YORK – Mobile TV broadcast is rearing its ugly head again.

The world may have determined that mobile TV broadcast -- via DVB-H or Qualcomm’s now defunct FLO TV -- is going nowhere especially in the United States and Europe. But LTE Broadcast -- which can effectively turn cell towers into the equivalent of mini-digital TV towers -- is looking to make a splash this week in Barcelona at the Mobile World Congress.

Sequans Communications S.A., a 4G chip company based in Paris, France, announced Monday (Feb. 25) that it has successfully completed interoperability testing of Alcatel-Lucent’s LTE infrastructure equipment with Sequans’ eMBMS-capable LTE chipsets. eMBMS (evolved multimedia broadcast multicast service), also referred to as LTE Broadcast, is an advanced mobile video delivery technology, allowing mobile operators to multicast popular content over LTE cellular networks.

Enabling LTE Broadcast is an underlying technology of “carrier aggregation,” developed for LTE Advanced, a new specification designed for overall 4G enhancements.

At a time when network bandwidth is limited and operators’ spectrum is fragmented, LTE Advanced’s carrier aggregation is critical to “help group operators’ spectrum in a meaningful way,” said Georges Karam, Sequans CEO. For example, an operator can bundle two separate 5-MHz carriers and use this as one 10-MHz bandwidth. Or, the technology can be used “to combine two 20-MHz carriers to increase throughput to 40 MHz,” he added, allowing an operator to push big data.

Sequans is sampling next quarter its first LTE-Advanced chip, capable of carrier aggregation of 40 MHz total bandwidth. It is part of Sequans’ Cassiopeia platform, supporting 3GPP Release 10 specifications. With Cassiopeia, the company’s third generation LTE platform, Karam claimed, “we have leveraged nearly a decade of 4G experience to develop an exceptionally powerful LTE-Advanced solution.”


Carrier aggregation
Intra-band and inter-band aggregation alternatives
TAG:Sequans LTE Broadcast LTE Advanced eMBMS

Let LTE and quad-core apps processor battle begin

Let LTE and quad-core apps processor battle begin

NEW YORK – As the Mobile World Congress raises its curtain next week in Barcelona, practically every mobile chip company is rushing to announce new smartphone ICs with the mobile industry’s two new “must-have features”: quad-core and LTE modem.

Of course, not all quad-cores are equal. LTE modems, too, come in different flavors. Every modem chip is at a different stage in operators’ certification processes, a hurdle that every chip vendor needs to clear before claiming a design win.

Aside from Qualcomm which detailed its Snapdragon 600 and 800 and announced it during International Consumer Electronics Show, and Broadcom which discussed last week what the company claims to be smallest 4G-LTE Advanced modem chip, both Nvidia and Marvell are competing for the market’s attention this week.

Nvidia unveiled Tuesday (Feb. 19) Tegra 4i, a new member of the Tegra 4 family. It’s an application processor integrated with LTE processor on the same die.

Will Strauss, president of Forward Concepts, called it a “stunner,” due to a number of advanced features integrated in it. The 4i is based on four Cortex-A9 (2.3-GHz) CPUs jointly developed with ARM, featuring a fifth “battery saver” core. It also comes with 60 GPU cores and a version of the i500 LTE modem optimized for integration.

Nvidia's senior vice president, Phillip Carmack, wrote in his blog at Nvidia’s website, “Tegra 4i will bring super phone capabilities to the mainstream smartphone market, and there will be nothing on the market like it.”

Carmack probably isn’t just saying that. With Tegra 4i, Nvida is firmly setting its sights on Qualcomm. Nvidia’s spokesman claims that Tegra 4i “is significantly faster yet half the size of its nearest competitor, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800.” If true, that sets a new benchmark.


TAG:Quad Cores LTE Modem Apps Processor

Let LTE and quad-core apps processor battle begin

Let LTE and quad-core apps processor battle begin

NEW YORK – As the Mobile World Congress raises its curtain next week in Barcelona, practically every mobile chip company is rushing to announce new smartphone ICs with the mobile industry’s two new “must-have features”: quad-core and LTE modem.

Of course, not all quad-cores are equal. LTE modems, too, come in different flavors. Every modem chip is at a different stage in operators’ certification processes, a hurdle that every chip vendor needs to clear before claiming a design win.

Aside from Qualcomm which detailed its Snapdragon 600 and 800 and announced it during International Consumer Electronics Show, and Broadcom which discussed last week what the company claims to be smallest 4G-LTE Advanced modem chip, both Nvidia and Marvell are competing for the market’s attention this week.

Nvidia unveiled Tuesday (Feb. 19) Tegra 4i, a new member of the Tegra 4 family. It’s an application processor integrated with LTE processor on the same die.

Will Strauss, president of Forward Concepts, called it a “stunner,” due to a number of advanced features integrated in it. The 4i is based on four Cortex-A9 (2.3-GHz) CPUs jointly developed with ARM, featuring a fifth “battery saver” core. It also comes with 60 GPU cores and a version of the i500 LTE modem optimized for integration.

Nvidia's senior vice president, Phillip Carmack, wrote in his blog at Nvidia’s website, “Tegra 4i will bring super phone capabilities to the mainstream smartphone market, and there will be nothing on the market like it.”

Carmack probably isn’t just saying that. With Tegra 4i, Nvida is firmly setting its sights on Qualcomm. Nvidia’s spokesman claims that Tegra 4i “is significantly faster yet half the size of its nearest competitor, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800.” If true, that sets a new benchmark.


TAG:Quad Cores LTE Modem Apps Processor

Sequans gung-ho for LTE Broadcast

Sequans gung-ho for LTE Broadcast

NEW YORK – Mobile TV broadcast is rearing its ugly head again.

The world may have determined that mobile TV broadcast -- via DVB-H or Qualcomm’s now defunct FLO TV -- is going nowhere especially in the United States and Europe. But LTE Broadcast -- which can effectively turn cell towers into the equivalent of mini-digital TV towers -- is looking to make a splash this week in Barcelona at the Mobile World Congress.

Sequans Communications S.A., a 4G chip company based in Paris, France, announced Monday (Feb. 25) that it has successfully completed interoperability testing of Alcatel-Lucent’s LTE infrastructure equipment with Sequans’ eMBMS-capable LTE chipsets. eMBMS (evolved multimedia broadcast multicast service), also referred to as LTE Broadcast, is an advanced mobile video delivery technology, allowing mobile operators to multicast popular content over LTE cellular networks.

Enabling LTE Broadcast is an underlying technology of “carrier aggregation,” developed for LTE Advanced, a new specification designed for overall 4G enhancements.

At a time when network bandwidth is limited and operators’ spectrum is fragmented, LTE Advanced’s carrier aggregation is critical to “help group operators’ spectrum in a meaningful way,” said Georges Karam, Sequans CEO. For example, an operator can bundle two separate 5-MHz carriers and use this as one 10-MHz bandwidth. Or, the technology can be used “to combine two 20-MHz carriers to increase throughput to 40 MHz,” he added, allowing an operator to push big data.

Sequans is sampling next quarter its first LTE-Advanced chip, capable of carrier aggregation of 40 MHz total bandwidth. It is part of Sequans’ Cassiopeia platform, supporting 3GPP Release 10 specifications. With Cassiopeia, the company’s third generation LTE platform, Karam claimed, “we have leveraged nearly a decade of 4G experience to develop an exceptionally powerful LTE-Advanced solution.”


Carrier aggregation
Intra-band and inter-band aggregation alternatives
TAG:Sequans LTE Broadcast LTE Advanced eMBMS

Intel to make 14-nm FPGAs for Altera

Intel to make 14-nm FPGAs for Altera

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Intel Corp. will build FPGAs for Altera Corp. using its 14-nm FinFET process technology in a deal that turns up the heat on TSMC in foundry and Xilinx in high-end FPGAs. The deal marks the largest of a string of publicly disclosed foundry deals for Intel to date--and its first at 14 nm--but is not expected to result in products until 2014.

Altera (San Jose, Calif.) declined to disclose details of the deal, including what products it will make when. However, Altera CEO John Daane did say he believes Intel is two to four years ahead of other foundries with its 14-nm FinFET process, which Altera will use initially to give its highest-end FPGAs advantages in density, performance and power.

High-end parts make up about half the FPGA market, with Altera claiming a lead with 40- and 28-nm parts that it aims to extend with the new Intel process. Besides winning more business away from rival Xilinx, the 14-nm parts could help Altera grab more sockets away from ASICs and application-specific standard devices, Daane said.

Intel promised Altera access to the 14-nm process for 12 years to satisfy long-term availability requirements of defense and other customers, Daane said. The multi-year deal allows Altera to use other existing and future nodes, but the FPGA maker initially will focus on high-end parts at 14 nm, he said.

Using multi-die chip stacks, Altera currently ships an FPGA that packs 1.2 million logic elements, lagging a similar chip from Xilinx with 2 million logic elements. However, such parts have relatively high costs and power and take a performance hit due to additional on-chip communications. They are used “for prototyping predominantly—it’s a niche,” Daane said.

Altera surveyed foundries for a year before striking the deal with Intel. It will continue to make chips at TSMC and conduct ongoing evaluations of other processes as they develop.

Daane cited reports that other foundries are grafting a first-generation of FinFETs on to existing 20-nm design rules to create what they are calling a 14-nm node. “Intel’s 14-nm is a second generation FinFET process, while others are just starting to implement their first,” he said.

The deal marks "a significant departure for Altera," said Deutsche Bank analyst Ross Seymore, who doesn't expect Altera to see revenue from it until 2015. It is also "a validation of Intel's manufacturing leadership" that "should help Intel make gains in foundry services," he added.
Next: Intel says 14-nm node ready this year
TAG:14nm Foundry FPGAs Intel Altera Xilinx TSMC GlobalFoundries Achronix Cisco Apple

Sequans gung-ho for LTE Broadcast

Sequans gung-ho for LTE Broadcast

NEW YORK – Mobile TV broadcast is rearing its ugly head again.

The world may have determined that mobile TV broadcast -- via DVB-H or Qualcomm’s now defunct FLO TV -- is going nowhere especially in the United States and Europe. But LTE Broadcast -- which can effectively turn cell towers into the equivalent of mini-digital TV towers -- is looking to make a splash this week in Barcelona at the Mobile World Congress.

Sequans Communications S.A., a 4G chip company based in Paris, France, announced Monday (Feb. 25) that it has successfully completed interoperability testing of Alcatel-Lucent’s LTE infrastructure equipment with Sequans’ eMBMS-capable LTE chipsets. eMBMS (evolved multimedia broadcast multicast service), also referred to as LTE Broadcast, is an advanced mobile video delivery technology, allowing mobile operators to multicast popular content over LTE cellular networks.

Enabling LTE Broadcast is an underlying technology of “carrier aggregation,” developed for LTE Advanced, a new specification designed for overall 4G enhancements.

At a time when network bandwidth is limited and operators’ spectrum is fragmented, LTE Advanced’s carrier aggregation is critical to “help group operators’ spectrum in a meaningful way,” said Georges Karam, Sequans CEO. For example, an operator can bundle two separate 5-MHz carriers and use this as one 10-MHz bandwidth. Or, the technology can be used “to combine two 20-MHz carriers to increase throughput to 40 MHz,” he added, allowing an operator to push big data.

Sequans is sampling next quarter its first LTE-Advanced chip, capable of carrier aggregation of 40 MHz total bandwidth. It is part of Sequans’ Cassiopeia platform, supporting 3GPP Release 10 specifications. With Cassiopeia, the company’s third generation LTE platform, Karam claimed, “we have leveraged nearly a decade of 4G experience to develop an exceptionally powerful LTE-Advanced solution.”


Carrier aggregation
Intra-band and inter-band aggregation alternatives
TAG:Sequans LTE Broadcast LTE Advanced eMBMS

Intel to make 14-nm FPGAs for Altera

Intel to make 14-nm FPGAs for Altera

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Intel Corp. will build FPGAs for Altera Corp. using its 14-nm FinFET process technology in a deal that turns up the heat on TSMC in foundry and Xilinx in high-end FPGAs. The deal marks the largest of a string of publicly disclosed foundry deals for Intel to date--and its first at 14 nm--but is not expected to result in products until 2014.

Altera (San Jose, Calif.) declined to disclose details of the deal, including what products it will make when. However, Altera CEO John Daane did say he believes Intel is two to four years ahead of other foundries with its 14-nm FinFET process, which Altera will use initially to give its highest-end FPGAs advantages in density, performance and power.

High-end parts make up about half the FPGA market, with Altera claiming a lead with 40- and 28-nm parts that it aims to extend with the new Intel process. Besides winning more business away from rival Xilinx, the 14-nm parts could help Altera grab more sockets away from ASICs and application-specific standard devices, Daane said.

Intel promised Altera access to the 14-nm process for 12 years to satisfy long-term availability requirements of defense and other customers, Daane said. The multi-year deal allows Altera to use other existing and future nodes, but the FPGA maker initially will focus on high-end parts at 14 nm, he said.

Using multi-die chip stacks, Altera currently ships an FPGA that packs 1.2 million logic elements, lagging a similar chip from Xilinx with 2 million logic elements. However, such parts have relatively high costs and power and take a performance hit due to additional on-chip communications. They are used “for prototyping predominantly—it’s a niche,” Daane said.

Altera surveyed foundries for a year before striking the deal with Intel. It will continue to make chips at TSMC and conduct ongoing evaluations of other processes as they develop.

Daane cited reports that other foundries are grafting a first-generation of FinFETs on to existing 20-nm design rules to create what they are calling a 14-nm node. “Intel’s 14-nm is a second generation FinFET process, while others are just starting to implement their first,” he said.

The deal marks "a significant departure for Altera," said Deutsche Bank analyst Ross Seymore, who doesn't expect Altera to see revenue from it until 2015. It is also "a validation of Intel's manufacturing leadership" that "should help Intel make gains in foundry services," he added.
Next: Intel says 14-nm node ready this year
TAG:14nm Foundry FPGAs Intel Altera Xilinx TSMC GlobalFoundries Achronix Cisco Apple

二手雅玩遭遇变现无门

二手雅玩遭遇变现无门

　　节后开业,一些雅玩艺术品店铺没等迎来买主,却先接待了不少“卖家”.昨日上午,记者采访了解到,雅玩市场上近期频见市民拿着“宝贝”找店家鉴定,其中许多人想要出手变现.“市民拿来的玉石玛瑙等工艺品都是在春节期间收到的礼物或是假期旅游时在外地淘到的,但雅玩店一般不会收购这样的东西,更何况超过八成的此类物品为假冒伪劣,没有太大收藏价值.”多位业内人士提醒,目前我市还未形成二手买卖市场,而其中假货扎堆更暴露了消费者的常识缺失.

　　云南买翡翠回连想挣差价

　　“我过年去云南时买的,当地的翡翠都特别便宜,你看看怎么样,要是觉得合适,我就转给你.”上周末,一位40多岁的女士走进港湾桥古玩城德玉堂,她拿着两个翡翠貔貅把件请店主刘先生掌眼.可刘先生扫了一眼,说了句“挺好”,就把该女士请出了店门.“她拿来的都是砖头料,也就是最低等级的翡翠,毫无收藏价值,在咱大连百八十元就能买到.”昨日,刘先生告诉记者,他遇到过不少此类消费者,以为在产地价非常低,想买回来再“批发”给商家.“实际上在产地门道更多、水更深,专业人士都很容易打眼.”

　　而他拒绝收购的更主要的原因是,世界上没有一块玉是相同的,翡翠等雅玩工艺品的这一特点决定了其没有一个统一清晰的定价标准.一件翡翠是否有升值潜力由材质、工艺、稀缺性等很多因素决定,在普通消费者手中极少看到这样的东西.“另外还有一个原因,很多东西的来路让人无法确定,甚至很可能是非法所得,所以基本没有雅玩店会收购消费者拿来的宝贝.”

　　收购价远低于消费者预期

　　随后,记者假称要出手家中收藏,又走访了市内5家雅玩店,无一例外均遭到了店家的婉拒.其中一位不愿意透露姓名的雅玩商表示,就算是回收,他也只考虑以前自己卖出去的东西,“消费者必须有当年的购买发票,而且东西得在这段时间以来确实升值不少.”不过他也坦言,自己会把收购价压得很低,甚至远低于对方当年购买时的价格,所以至今也未做成一笔回购生意.

　　此外,记者了解到,二手雅玩工艺品的流通在典当行同样阻力不小,以翡翠为例,光普典当行负责人李成斌此前接受采访时介绍,典当行估价往往远低于消费者的心理预期,成交率并不高,只有不到10%.

　　近百万元的籽料

　　竟非新疆和田玉

　　昨日11时许,一位中年男子既气愤又无奈地离开了二七温州城立宝斋.而在半个小时前,他还兴冲冲地请店主汪先生品评自己的5个玉件.结果这些“价值近百万元的新疆和田玉籽料”在行家看来就是青海料、俄罗斯料和岫玉.

　　“俨然冒牌新疆和田玉大全.”汪先生事后告诉记者,该中年男子称这些玉石是他春节前从一个生意伙伴处半买半送得到的,都有和田玉鉴定证书.“但实际上,国家鉴定标准中,只要成分相同就都可以称为和田玉,而只有新疆和田玉的价值才被市场真正认可,也最有升值空间.”

来源:新浪收藏


TAG:二手雅玩遭遇变现无门 翡翠 翡翠手镯 中国翡翠网 翡翠新闻

Big Data streamlines fabs

Big Data streamlines fabs

PORTLAND, Ore.—Unless you've been living off the grid, you already know that the world is drowning in a tsunami of Big Data, especially in manufacturing settings where realtime analytics can pinpoint semiconductor fabrication errors and processing inefficiencies that could spell the difference between success and failure.

However, by integrating sophisticated analytics into Microsoft's structured query language (SQL), Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. report a 90 percent reduction in data warehousing support efforts and a 10-fold boost in the speed of energy-efficiency analytics, respectively.

"Microsoft is leveraging its business intelligence (BI) expertise to offer Big Data solutions for manufacturing, including the automotive and electronics industries," said Sanjay Ravi, worldwide managing director for discrete manufacturing at Microsoft. "We believe that the confluence of ubiquitous sensors, connectivity, on-demand cloud processing and realtime analytics uniquely positions Microsoft for a new era of instant actionable BI."

One of Microsoft's biggest design wins so far is in the automotive industry, where it convinced Ford to adopt its Windows Embedded Automotive solution for Ford's Sync platform. Sensor data from the automobile itself, along with infotainment- and user-generated queries, are integrated by SQL both in-vehicle and using Microsoft's cloud computing environment, Azure, to provide seamless automotive analytics and realtime intelligence for everything from malfunctions to voice recognition.


Microsoft's Windows Azure cloud computing platform and its SQL Server with StreamInsight aim to streamline manufacturing analytics.

TAG:Big Data Wafer Fab Semiconductor EETimes NextGenLog Electronics

Big Data streamlines fabs

Big Data streamlines fabs

PORTLAND, Ore.—Unless you've been living off the grid, you already know that the world is drowning in a tsunami of Big Data, especially in manufacturing settings where realtime analytics can pinpoint semiconductor fabrication errors and processing inefficiencies that could spell the difference between success and failure.

However, by integrating sophisticated analytics into Microsoft's structured query language (SQL), Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. report a 90 percent reduction in data warehousing support efforts and a 10-fold boost in the speed of energy-efficiency analytics, respectively.

"Microsoft is leveraging its business intelligence (BI) expertise to offer Big Data solutions for manufacturing, including the automotive and electronics industries," said Sanjay Ravi, worldwide managing director for discrete manufacturing at Microsoft. "We believe that the confluence of ubiquitous sensors, connectivity, on-demand cloud processing and realtime analytics uniquely positions Microsoft for a new era of instant actionable BI."

One of Microsoft's biggest design wins so far is in the automotive industry, where it convinced Ford to adopt its Windows Embedded Automotive solution for Ford's Sync platform. Sensor data from the automobile itself, along with infotainment- and user-generated queries, are integrated by SQL both in-vehicle and using Microsoft's cloud computing environment, Azure, to provide seamless automotive analytics and realtime intelligence for everything from malfunctions to voice recognition.


Microsoft's Windows Azure cloud computing platform and its SQL Server with StreamInsight aim to streamline manufacturing analytics.

TAG:Big Data Wafer Fab Semiconductor EETimes NextGenLog Electronics

听玉商讲那暴利的故事

听玉商讲那暴利的故事

　　曾经有一块7万元的籽料放在我面前,我没有珍惜,等老板50万元卖掉后才后悔莫及.如果上天能给我再来一次的机会,我会对那块籽料说三个字:我要买……孔伟/摄

　　作者:孔伟

　　玩玉的时间长了,听到不少玉商暴发的故事.其中真真假假虚虚实实,或经过讲述人的演绎,不能完全当真,不过类似的事情肯定不止一次地发生过,并且正在或仍将发生,对后来者也有一定的启迪,倒也不妨说上一说.

　　凭眼力吃饭

　　这是我最近听到的“比贩毒利润还高”的和田玉暴利故事.让我们看看故事的主人公小张是如何在很短的时间内将1500元“变”成10万的吧.

　　近年来和田玉的皮色料比较盛行,尤其是带点黄沁皮、玉质偏白的料子,更是抢手货.却不知什么原因,一个新到古玩城的维族卖家的黄沁皮大把件籽料开价却并不算高,只要价5000元.这价格原本已经能够比较愉快地接受了,因为其真实价值至少不会低于这个价.但对于长期混迹市场的小张来说,不还价无异于打眼.不仅还价,这一刀下去还比较狠,直接砍到了500元.几经拉锯之后,终以1500元成交,双方还都比较满意,击掌祝贺交易成功.

　　小张不仅是玩家,也是玉商,开有一家规模不大的玉器店,高中低档的玉石玉器应该也不算少了,但他偏偏对这块料子情有独钟,一有空就捏在手里把玩,还美其名曰“盘出油来”.事实也确实如他所愿,盘玩近一个月之后,料子的油润程度确实比刚买时好了许多.

　　小张店里有不少熟客,其中一些来自香港,甚至有身家过亿的富人.他们买东西不仅重在品质,更重在口味,只要买对,不怕买贵.这不,一位相熟的港客就看上了小张手里的那块料子.看着港客爱不释手的模样,小张直接给出了15万的报价他摸准了这位港客的脾性:只要喜欢上了,八成会买；当然,再有钱的主也会过过砍价的瘾,这位港客的砍价幅度一般是1/3,小张报价后面的那个5就是留给他砍的.

　　果然,港客发话了:都这么熟了,还15万干什么啊？整数不就得了嘛！小张自然很干脆地答应了,临了还不忘拉下一单生意:“这次优惠了,以后可得多照顾我的生意哦！”被小张戏称为“周瑜黄盖”的生意就此成交.

　　1500元不到一个月就变成了10万元,这不是暴利又是什么？面对玉友们奉送的“奸商”称号,小张却不以为然:“男人嘛,下手就得狠一点.这叫凭眼力吃饭,靠人脉赚钱,啥奸商不奸商的,别说那么难听好不好！”

　　靠体量赚钱

　　大半年不见,女老板孙胖的体量却见清减了.说起这段时间的生意,女老板很是得意,自己“坦白交代”说靠阿玉(阿富汗玉,一种比较细腻的大理石)赚了几百万.

　　事情缘起一次住酒店经历:在一家酒店的大堂里,孙老板看到一件体量巨大的阿富汗玉摆件,酱红色的石皮被磨制出一棵大树,旁边一只拖着长长尾羽的鸟翩翩飞至.向大堂经理一打听,说这摆件叫“有凤来仪”,价值不菲,听说是好几百万买来的.

　　好几百万？！孙老板当场震惊.想起自己老家就有不少人加工这种东西,只是因为以前对经常用于仿冒和田玉的阿富汗玉的东东不屑一顾,也就没有太在意,只隐约听说过批发价也就三五千,最多万把块钱,却不料“登堂入室”之后会有如此身价！她认为主要是块头大唬人,外加也有一个“玉”字的缘故.于是立即作出了决定:不卖和田玉了,一门心思专营阿玉摆件！

　　说干就干.孙老板跑宾馆酒店,找大企业老总推销,甚至不放过私企老板,说辞还一套一套的:住别墅的大老板,不会连这么一块石头都买不起吧？你看,不仅多一道景致,一旦生产经营陷入低谷的时候还能够“石”来运转,让您的生意很快火起来,相比之下,这点投入算得了啥？偏偏这几年不少老板的生意都受到金融危机影响,一些人求神拜佛已经花费巨资却仍未见起色,这番说辞确实容易打动他们的心,于是一块块巨大的阿富汗玉摆件与为数不菲的钞票也就“移形换位”,女老板的腰包很快便鼓了起来,身形却随着整天东奔西跑外加贩卖“口水”而清减了不少,可以说实现了“双丰收”.

　　如今,在外奔波了大半年的孙老板重新回归她的店铺,只是店里已难觅和田玉的踪影,却矗立着几块巨大的阿富汗玉摆件,有的还贴上了“已售”的标签.

　　钓鱼式销售

　　进价12万元的白玉籽料,买家开价80万都没卖,却白送给了一位工厂的大老板！这魄力,恐怕不是一般人能有的,也不是家底一般的人能够有这般“挥一挥衣袖,不带走一张钞票”的潇洒.

　　原来店主早就仔细调查过了:这位大老板对“敢于”给他送礼的人十分信任不说,还绝对有来有往投桃报李.这次送他的一块白玉籽料,最终被他加工出10只手镯,单只价值均过10万,加上边角料,总价值超过120万了.这虽然有运气的成分在里头,但大老板对送玉给他的店主的印象,无疑一下子提升了好几个档次,以后会有怎样的动作不言而喻.

　　果然,手镯脱手之后,大老板兴冲冲地赶到了店主的店里,一阵哈哈一通感谢之后,“顺便”订购了一块重约百公斤的原石,很轻松地在POS机上刷出600万.

　　这么重一块料子,还是白色的,哪怕是还算不错的山料也不亏,要是籽料赚钱的可能性就很大了,但这件东西甚至连青海料、韩料都不是,而是被业内称为水石的石英岩质地的东东.说它一钱不值有些过分,毕竟从新疆和田搬运过来运费也不便宜,但对懂行的人来说,开价过万肯定会被认为是“想钱想疯了”.如今,就这么一块石头,不仅是过万,而是令人咋舌的600万！

　　以后发生的事可想而知:大老板把料子拿去一切就露馅了,但只能自己吃下这个哑巴亏:料子是自己挑选的,店主并没有主动推荐,甚至没有将这块料子与和田玉三字联系在一起,不能说店主卖假货；价格是大老板自己给的,店主只是顺着他答应了一声；之前人家还送了你价值百万的东西,足见店主不是个小气之人,要是回去找他闹腾一番,岂不显得自己小气？亏得起这钱,丢不起这人呐！

来源:新浪收藏


TAG:听玉商讲那暴利的故事 翡翠 翡翠手镯 中国翡翠网 翡翠新闻

故宫专家周六详解玉雕

故宫专家周六详解玉雕

　　本周六,天津博物馆“天博讲堂”将为观众带来由故宫[微博]专家郭福祥主讲的《乾隆皇帝与苏州玉器雕刻》.昨天,郭福祥接受了本报记者的专访,对于玉雕工艺和民间艺术品收藏表达了自己的看法.

　　郭福祥介绍说,此次讲座将为天津的观众主讲乾隆时期的玉雕和一些苏州风格的玉雕,“比如 桐荫仕女图玉山子 ,这个玉雕很有代表性,做工非常好,原料来自当初制作玉碗时碗中央剩下的玉,由于不能浪费,所以当时的工匠就在这块废料中打了一个孔洞,中间开了一扇门,旁边又雕了两个侍女,两个人仿佛在聊天,栩栩如生,意境非常美妙,很有代表性.”

　　郭福祥告诉记者,从古至今,雕刻玉雕的技术没有变化,但是设计思想始终是不一样的,“其原因就在于要把形状不同、颜色不一的玉雕刻成精美绝伦的工艺品,每一块都需要单独设计,还要迎合大多数人的审美需求,这就很有难度.最具代表性的就是乾隆对苏州玉雕作品的青睐.”他举例说,乾隆对玉器的了解很透彻,可以称得上是“玉痴”.“他对玉雕的收藏主要看中三点.首先,这件玉雕是不是对人有所劝诫,有所收获,不单要看它的美,还要看它的规劝作用,比如一条玉龙,乾隆就认为这象征着皇权的至高无上,当然很重视；其次,要有浓郁的人文气息,比如玉器上的图画和诗词,这里面含有大量的中华经典故事,乾隆有很深的汉文化造诣,当然对这些很喜欢；最后,就是一些仿古作品,比如一些经典作品之前是用其他材料制作的,这次就用玉来制作,这也是乾隆所喜好的.”

　　目前,社会上流行“收藏热”,对于民间收藏,郭福祥也提出了自己的建议:“第一,每一个人的精力、财力有限,对于收藏类别,应有自己的喜好和选择,选择自己最感兴趣的种类来收藏和钻研,不能 东一榔头,西一棒槌 ,浪费钱的同时也不利于自身收藏知识的积累；第二,不要急于求成,在选择一个藏品之前应仔细了解研究它的工艺和流通历史,许多人只看到它的短期经济价值,这是很不好的风气,要理性收藏；第三,多多交流,不管是请教身边的专家还是周围的藏友,多了解一些总是好的.”

　　本报记者 张帆 见习记者 祁振

来源:新浪收藏


TAG:故宫专家周六详解玉雕 翡翠 翡翠手镯 中国翡翠网 翡翠新闻

收藏陨石先看来路

收藏陨石先看来路

　　俄罗斯陨石坠落事件吸引了世界各地的陨石收藏爱好者,一家著名的购物网站上与“陨石”相关的商品超过1万件,最便宜的只要1元,贵的标价6000万元.有业内人士透露,网上的很多所谓“陨石”都是玻璃制品,即使是真的陨石,在收藏时,也不仅仅是看其大小,更要关注它是哪里来的.

　　2012年的陨石拍卖市场上,最受瞩目的是一组名为Daral Gani 1058的陨石.它曾是月亮的一部分,也是迄今为止被拍卖的最大的月亮陨石.这块陨石于1998年在利比亚被发现,科学家到现在也没弄明白这么大的陨石是怎样脱离月亮来到地球的.这组陨石最终以33万美元成交.

　　由美国和苏联宇航员带回地球的陨石曾经都拍出过好价钱,1970年苏联的航空器曾带回3粒种子大小的月亮陨石以44.25万美元成交.有关专家表示,衡量陨石价值最重要的不是它的重量,而是它从哪里来,购买者会主要考虑陨石背后的历史故事.有关专家表示,衡量陨石价值最重要的不是它的重量,而是它从哪里来,购买者会主要考虑陨石背后的历史故事.

　　在美国举行的那次拍卖会上,竞标最激烈的是一片1960年代在西伯利亚发现的Seymchan陨石,23厘米的石板上镶嵌着橄榄石.最后,这块珍贵陨石以4.375万美元售出,比预估价高约11倍.

　　从目前全球收藏市场来看,陨石的价格体系已经基本形成.最受追捧的是月亮陨石,市场零售价一般在500美元/克左右,最贵达2.5万美元/克.火星陨石的价格通常在200美元/克以上,而铁陨石的价格则处于第三位,市场价格一般为15美元至150美元/克.至于石陨石的价格则非常低了,普通的在1美元至30美元/克不等.

　　了解了这个市场体系,就能知道市场上一些价格太低的所谓“陨石”,基本上是赝品无疑.有些陨石构造十分复杂,有些又和普通石头太相像,可能连行家也分辨不清.此外,外表比较完好的陨石,收藏者不愿破坏其完整性,但不做切片又不能进行仪器鉴定,“陨石”的真伪就成了“永远的谜”. 方 翔

来源:新浪收藏


TAG:收藏陨石先看来路 翡翠 翡翠手镯 中国翡翠网 翡翠新闻

翡翠始终受到很多投资者追捧

翡翠始终受到很多投资者追捧

　　翡翠作为玉中之王,始终受到很多投资者的追捧.当前,值得注意的是,很多投资者对当下的严峻形势并不悲观,他们对翡翠的投资,很有战略眼光.

　　晶莹剔透的翡翠、润泽无暇的和田玉,无论是收藏家还是投资者,自古至今都是爱不释手的物件.翡翠作为玉中之王,始终受到很多投资者的追捧.

　　据了解,翡翠原料的市场滑坡会直接影响玉雕艺术品的走势.我们看到艺术品拍卖的形势也并不乐观,2012中国嘉德的珠宝拍卖专场,翡翠类拍品流拍率近30%,一直以高端珠宝拍卖著名的佳士得.

　　而今年的翡翠类拍品流拍率也达到了20%,其中一件预期较好估价高达3500万港币的翡翠串珠,最终也以流拍告终.

　　有人问,究竟是什么原因会导致今年翡翠市场如此不堪？道理其实也简单:经济大环境造就翡翠运行的小环境；全球的金融危机波及到各行各业,于是出现持币观望、抛售变现的经济态势,这样势必引出市场的“寒流”,“疯狂的石头”大戏也似乎就这样谢幕了.

　　不过,细心的投资者发现,当前中低档翡翠价格是下滑了,而高端翡翠原石依然走势稳定,没有下跌趋势.

　　当今的市场是一方面不景气,另一方面则是“面粉比面包贵”、“小麦比面粉贵”,原料要比以其制成的艺术品贵,这样的怪圈更凸现了投资市场严峻.

　　此外,值得注意的是,很多投资者对当下的严峻形势并不悲观,他们对翡翠的投资,很有战略眼光.因为从长期看,翡翠的投资收藏价值呈现上升趋势,这是大多数人士的共识.

　　目前,翡翠价格的回调,或许它只是一次理性的盘整,是价值得到合理回归的反应,而对投机者而言,就无疑是泼了一盆冷水.

来源:新浪收藏


TAG:翡翠始终受到很多投资者追捧 翡翠 翡翠手镯 中国翡翠网 翡翠新闻

新疆是国内最大陨石富集区

新疆是国内最大陨石富集区

　　亚心网讯(记者孙红江 周玉婷报道)在国内数百人的专业陨石收藏者中,新疆就有两百多位猎星人.缘何新疆藏友对陨石收藏的热情如此之大？

　　“主要是新疆石友收藏陨石有其他地区没有的地缘优势.”2月19日,多位业内专业人士在接受记者采访时说,新疆是目前国内公认的最大陨石富集区.

　　"陨石富集区"是指陨石保存量多,且容易寻获到陨石的特定区域.”中国陨石网站长、陨石发烧友“赣南断层”在电话中告诉记者,世界上陨石富集区多以沙漠周边为主,比如撒哈拉沙漠北部的利比亚、阿尔及利亚以及阿拉伯半岛的阿曼等,而新疆之所以成为世界知名的陨石富集区,则是得益于塔克拉玛干沙漠.“这是因为沙漠地区比较干燥,利于保存陨石,且有较大的风沙,容易把坠落的陨石剥离出来”.

　　据了解,目前,新疆陨石富集区主要集中在哈密地区、罗布泊地区,阿克苏地区也偶有发现.

　　“这两年尤以哈密地区的陨石富集区比较出名.”哈密观赏石协会副会长马吉青说,2011年,在距离哈密地区200公里的沙东、沙西等地发现不同品种陨石；2012年,哈密地质六大队的地质工作者在哈密南湖戈壁土屋铜矿附近发现了几块陨石,经南京紫金山天文台专家鉴定后为石铁陨石.

　　不是所有发现陨石的地方就能被称为陨石富集区.“陨石富集区一般是确定发现的陨石是不同时期的不同品种,而同一时间集中出现不少同种陨石的地方不能称为陨石富集区.”“赣南断层”介绍说,去年2月国内较大的一场陨石雨在青海发生,但这样偶然事件发生的地区不能算是.

　　特有的陨石地缘优势使新疆成为国内陨石猎人的首选猎星地.国内知名陨石猎人赵志强就曾多次和星友来疆猎星,去年更是驻扎在哈密周边猎星长达四个多月.

　　他透露了一个寻找陨石的小诀窍: 新疆的主要强烈风向是西北风,且多是在春季刮风.“刮西北风,沙子会往东南方向飞.也就是说,不管哪块沙漠,都是西北边缘地段,容易被剥离,理论上发现陨石的几率高一些”.

　　延伸阅读:

　　阜康陨石每克卖两三百

　　总重量1003公斤的一块橄榄石铁陨石几经转手,2012年被运往美国纽约市场进行销售与拍卖,每克售价30-50美元,相当于人民币200-300元,可谓贵比黄金.

　　2012年美联社的报道引起了国内对阜康陨石的关注:2000年,阜康一位市民在当地戈壁滩发现一块罕见陨石.

　　据了解,阜康陨石是一种昂贵的陨石,也是21世纪最大的陨石发现之一,这种陨石在陨石家族的比重只有1%.通过网络图片看到,阳光穿过时,阜康陨石内半透明的黄金色橄榄石晶体闪闪发光,整个内部结构好似一个蜂巢.

　　而经过多次转手,阜康陨石被运到美国后,最初被切割成三大块,两块分别被某影视明星和一个博物馆所拥有,另一块再次被分解至近百块不同大小的碎片,在国际陨石市场秘密流通.

　　中国最大陨石在新疆

　　中国第一大、世界第三大铁陨石“银骆驼”,于1898年发现于新疆阿尔泰地区,1965年7月运至乌鲁木齐.这位宇宙“名星”目前存放在新疆地质矿产博物馆内.

　　新疆地质矿产博物馆相关工作人员说,“银骆驼”长2.58米、宽1.89米、高1.76米,外形呈不规则三角形,体积3.5立方米,重达30吨,含铁88.7%,含镍9.3%,还有少量的钴、铬等.

　　值得一提的是,从它的身上找到了6种地球上没有的矿物锥纹石、镍纹石、变镍纹石、合纹石、陨流铁和磷铁镍,其重量位居世界铁陨石第三.

　　据了解,陨石分为石陨石、铁陨石、石铁陨石三种.

　　阿勒泰有颗“安拉之泪”

　　“阿勒泰发现了25吨的巨大陨石！”2011年7月,新疆阿勒泰地区发现了中国第二、世界第四的铁陨石.当地政府已采取各种措施,由专人对巨大陨石进行有效保护.

　　其实,阿勒泰地区与陨石颇有渊源,中国现存最大的铁陨石“银骆驼”,就出自阿勒泰地区青河县.当地居民海拉提·阿依萨就是听着“银骆驼”的故事长大的,并成为了一名“陨友”.

　　2月19日,海拉提·阿依萨在电话中告诉记者,在跑运输时,他认识了收购牛羊的加尔恒·哈布德海,后者从牧民口中得知,在阿勒泰市红墩镇克兰大峡谷的夏牧场有一块奇怪的石头,可能是陨石.2011年6月,海拉提·阿依萨和同伴第一次见到这块陨石并先行通知了新疆陨友.

　　据了解,这块陨铁呈不规则圆锥体,高2.3米,底部直径为1.5米,重量为17.8吨,仅次于藏于新疆地质矿产博物馆的“银骆驼”,经对切片的化验,这块陨石和“银骆驼”是一体的成对陨石.

　　陨石在哈萨克族文化中被称为“安拉的眼泪”,神圣的“天外来客”.

　　相关知识:

　　陨石从哪里来？

　　为什么会落下陨石呢？中科院紫金山天文台王思潮介绍说,地球也是天上的一颗星球,它被一层厚厚的大气层包围着,并以每秒30干米的宇宙速度绕着太阳奔驰不息.除地球以外,还有水星、金星、火星、木星、土星等七颗行星也分别沿着不同的轨道绕着太阳旋转.

　　在太阳系这个浩瀚的空间里,还有无数的小行星、彗星、其他碎块和细小颗粒也在绕太阳运转,它们的速度很快,1秒钟就能飞驰几十千米,当小行星、和其他碎块与地球相遇时,就会以宇宙速度冲进地球大气层,并与空气分子激烈碰撞,产生高温发热发光的火球现象,小行星、和其他碎块在空中未“烧完”落到地面上的就是陨石.

　　陨石打中人的可能性大吗？

　　美国天文学家艾伦·哈里斯通过计算认为,一个人一生中被陨石击中的概率约为70万分之一,甚至略低于一个人一生中遇到一次空难的概率.像俄罗斯2月15日陨石事件是由更大的陨石造成的,它通过冲击波击碎玻璃间接伤害人群,这样的事件是很少见的.

　　现在绝大多数陨石的落下还难以预测,原因是它们较小,在飞近地球以前,只是十分暗淡的小星星,难以观测到.

　　吉林市有个陨石博物馆

　　吉林市陨石博物馆是中国第一个以展出陨石雨为专题的博物馆.博物馆内收藏着世界最大的陨石中国吉林一号陨石以及全世界十几个国家送来的各类陨石标本.

　　1976年3月8日15时许,吉林市郊区附近县镇,随着一阵震耳欲聋的轰鸣,一位来自宇宙的客人,突然降落到这里,它就是现在陈列在吉林市陨石博物馆的吉林陨石. 吉林陨石降落在吉林市和永吉县附近方圆500平方公里的范围内.当时共收集到陨石标本138块,碎块3000余块,其最小一块落入一农夫背后的柴堆内.总重2616公斤.

来源:新浪收藏


TAG:新疆是国内最大陨石富集区 翡翠 翡翠手镯 中国翡翠网 翡翠新闻

陕西文物局网上晒出唐代无线鼠标

陕西文物局网上晒出唐代无线鼠标

微博上所流传的陕西文物局晒出的唐代“无线鼠标”

　　东方网记者方翔1月21日报道:今天,陕西省文物局官方微博发布了一张1956年西安市东郊韩森寨M45唐墓出土的唐代滑石兔,并“严重声明”,称“绝非鼠标”.这条“此地无银三百两”的声明,立刻引起了网友的热议:

　　网友“@爱吐槽的Ray”,西安市东郊韩森寨出土的无线鼠标充分说明了我国唐代的科技水平已达同时代世界顶尖水平,此无线鼠标造型圆润,手感平滑,精度及高,是当时贵族社会专业游戏玩家的珍藏品.

　　这件唐代滑石兔,目前收藏在陕西省博物馆中.

来源:新浪收藏


TAG:陕西文物局网上晒出唐代无线鼠标 翡翠 翡翠手镯 中国翡翠网 翡翠新闻

翡翠雕件钱景广阔

翡翠雕件钱景广阔

　　翡翠,既是当代时尚奢侈首饰品,更是稀缺的艺术珍藏品.然而,在谈及“亿术品”时代的时候,人们第一时间想到的应该都是珍贵的经典书画.其实,翡翠的拍卖成果和市场表现如同书画艺术品一般惊人.

　　天价频出

　　不久前,在广东保利2012冬季拍卖会上,一件估价为3.888亿元人民币的童子观音摆件,以4.746亿元人民币刷新世界翡翠拍卖史的新记录成交.据悉,这件童子观音的高估价并非偶然.早在2011年8月7日的保利夏季艺术品拍卖会中,这件拍品就已亮相于众藏家的视线中,当时这件拍品以1.456亿元的天价成交,大量媒体争相报道,在藏界引起一时的震惊.时隔一年后,正当人们逐渐淡忘此事时.此拍品再次亮相广东保利拍卖行,短短的一年时间里,竟然翻了三倍之多,确实让人对精品翡翠玉雕升值之快而震惊.

　　据了解,这件翡翠雕件,质地细腻,呈亚透明色,工艺亦好之至极.拍卖图录注释中还标明已被专业的权威部门评定,质量等级为珍品三级.近年来,高档的翡翠玉雕藏品逐渐成为拍场上的主流,也频频拍出天价,引得大批藏家和投资者趋之若鹜.

　　矿源稀缺

　　翡翠历来被尊为“玉石之王”.时至今日,翡翠已成为最受人们喜爱的珠宝之一,被加工成手镯、项链、挂坠等各种形式,装点着我们的生活.而随着翡翠的持续升值,很多人又将翡翠首饰赋予了装饰之外的又一重要属性投资升值.

　　不同于钻石高温高压的条件,翡翠产生的环境是低温高压,这也是翡翠产地很少的原因.世界上80%的原料都是出自缅甸腾冲,其政府控制了原料的开采.1995年以前,均用人工开采,产量少且品质不高.其后,缅甸政府为了加快开采量,将河水全部抽干,加上爆炸式的开发,翡翠的产量急速上升.但尽管其原料很多,真正意义上珠宝级原料还是很少的.

　　现在,我国大部分翡翠饰品是在广州加工.我国最早翡翠加工从清代就开始,从审料、切片、备料、设计画样、切形、光胚、打磨、灰酸、出水到抛光,很长的一串.而看一件翡翠的工艺如何,有一个矛盾的标准,即是否精细又简洁.精细是指,外观漂亮,设计、打磨得精益求精.而简洁是指,做功不宜过多.有时一块翡翠原石的价格也能达到很高的水平,比设计过的价格更高.

　　“钱”景广阔

　　虽然一块质地很好的翡翠本身就具有很高的收藏投资价值,但经过翡翠工艺大师雕琢过的雕件往往价值更高,也更值得投资收藏.

　　近年来,中国富裕阶层快速壮大,在对高水准生活的追求下,以及炫富心理的驱使下,翡翠首饰的价格被迅速推高.3年前,几千元一件的无色玻璃种翡翠吊坠如今已身价几十万,升值百倍,令人咋舌；而一只翡翠手镯动辄售价百万亦不稀奇,但即使付出这样高昂的代价,买到的也只能算中上乘的货色,至于顶级翡翠手镯,已频频在拍卖会中创下数千万元的天价,可望而不可及.

　　俗话说:“玉不琢,不成器.”其实,历史上流传下来的一些真正国宝级的翡翠珍品并不是手镯、扳指或发簪,而是一些大师级工匠经过精妙构思,巧夺天工而成的雕刻精品,如大名鼎鼎的清宫翡翠三宝“翡翠白菜、翡翠西瓜、肉形石”便是其中的翘楚.

　　翡翠雕刻家王朝阳先生曾谈道:“翡翠首饰更多只是反映了石头本身种、水、色的价值,远谈不上艺术,收藏价值自然有限；而只有那些凝结了人类智慧结晶的作品才是真正的艺术. ”

　　如今,在奢侈品消费风潮的推动下,翡翠首饰未来的投资空间已愈发有限,而承载了更多传统文化与时代精神的翡翠摆件与翡翠雕件则尚处于明显的价值洼地之中.难怪有投资人发出这样的感叹:“如今花几十万买不到一只称心的翡翠手镯,却可以收藏一件国家级大师的翡翠雕件.这就好像在上世纪70年代买进徐悲鸿的画作,恰逢其时,前景无限.”

来源:新浪收藏


TAG:翡翠雕件钱景广阔 翡翠 翡翠手镯 中国翡翠网 翡翠新闻

疯狂的石头在腾冲

疯狂的石头在腾冲

　　虽然行话说:“十赌九败.”可这并不妨碍赌石人前赴后继千金搏一回.赌石业的兴旺与中国内地近年对翡翠的旺盛需求密切相关.进入20世纪90年代后期,经过原始积累后,人们的消费需求越来越成熟,作为中国传统文化的代表,寓意平安健康的翡翠进入人们的收藏与投资视野,拥有一件高档翡翠成为身份的象征.在香港佳士得拍卖会上,上等的翡翠珠链动辄拍出上千万的高价,品质一般的翡翠手镯也能拍到几十万.

　　目前缅甸是全球唯一的优质翡翠矿产地,而上等翡翠只产在缅甸北部密支那一带几十平方公里的范围.与黄金、钻石等其他奢侈品相比,优质翡翠由于产地的唯一性、成矿的复杂性、极为缓慢的再生性、产量的不确定性,更加具有收藏价值.与此同时,历经了上千年的开采,优质翡翠原石已日渐稀少,缅甸最大的翡翠产区帕敢的产量连年下降,以前有2000多家公司在这里开采翡翠,如今只剩5家了.帕敢的矿脉已经挖到第4层,不知道什么时候会枯竭.出产的翡翠矿石中,能达到参加赌石标准的不到万分之一.

　　由于原料的日益匮乏和需求的日益旺盛,翡翠从20世纪90年代开始进入新一轮上升周期,每4年翡翠的价格都会翻一番,从2005年底到2006年中期仅半年时间,国内翡翠原料价格上涨了50%.而2007年1月至7月,国内翡翠原料的价格上涨了40%.业内人士判断,从目前缅甸翡翠原料日益减少的现状看,未来翡翠原料和成品价格将继续走高,每年保持30%以上的增长速度基本没有问题.

　　由于价格上涨迅猛,翡翠市场吸引了大批的投资者.在缅甸首都仰光每年两次的赌石大会上,充斥着来自我国台湾、香港和广东、北京等地的玉石商人.在内地著名的翡翠毛料集散地和赌石市场广东平洲,以及云南的瑞丽、阳美、盈江、腾冲等地的翡翠毛料市场,到处是渴望发财的眼神.

　　600年前,幸运的腾冲人意外地发现了隐藏在一种石头里的秘密.从那时起,这些一块块貌不惊人的石头里就裹藏了一批又一批人的希望与梦想.一个个关于财富、事业、道德、家庭甚至生命的传奇故事因为石头而流传不息；一代代人梦想着有朝一日能够成为这些故事中辉煌的主角.在这场失败远远大于成功的博弈中,想窥探石头里秘密的人,却只有极少数能在惊鸿一瞥后,脸上依然留有灿烂的笑容.

　　赌石表面上赌的是石头里那些似是而非的翡翠宝石,但就是因为这关键的似是而非,赌石赌的其实是赌石人的身家性命,“一刀穷,一刀富,一刀穿麻衣.”19世纪末,入侵缅甸的英国人把他们怎么也琢磨不透的翡翠矿石敬畏地称为“东方魔石”！

　　又一个百年过去了,魔石魔力不减,一个个关于赌石、关于翡翠的故事仍在不断上演……

　　一刀切掉了50万,一块石头开启了一个噩梦.

　　年逾50岁的胡续建和所有的普通中年男人一样,每天为了家庭奔波于昆明这座城市的大街小巷.“现在,看石头纯粹是我的个人爱好.”忙碌了一天的胡续建坐在家里,显得平静而无欲无求.要不是胡家角落里散落的几本翡翠专业书,任何人也不会把老胡和赌石、翡翠拉上关系.而事实上,胡续建一生的希望几乎都在一块小小的石头上.赌石成为老胡心中挥之不去的隐痛.

　　从卧室走出来的老胡手上多了一块表面有些乌黑的石头,拳头大小的石头已被切成大小不等的两块.通过剖面,可以清楚地看到,乌黑的表皮里面是一片花白色中夹杂着点点星绿.

　　“这块石头,让我告别了翡翠行业！”老胡多少有些黯然.老胡用手在石头的切面上抹上清水.随后,拿起一把手电筒,把光束打在了石头上,在光的照射下,石头的切面没有任何变化,还是一片花白.“如果我现在告诉你,这石头花了我50万,你一定不信.”

　　11年前,老胡从一个缅甸人手里买下这块石头,当时,石头是完整的,并没有被切开.老胡认定石头里有货,自己可以靠它发家致富.东拼西凑的50万让老胡在背负了20多万元债务的同时,也成为石头的主人.但是,这也正是老胡噩梦的开始.

　　“买石头的时候,我看得非常仔细.以我当时的经验判断,这块石头肯定不一般.”交易很顺利,缅甸人开始要价80万,最后以50万成交.“我买的这块石头完全被皮壳包裹住,既没有切面,也没有开口.按照行话说,这就是一块标准的赌石.虽然风险很大,但是如过切开后赌涨了,利润也是相当可观的.”老胡的眼中微微有些放光.但是,事情并不是那么幸运.胡续建这次赌垮了.

　　“上午买的石头,我下午就解了(把翡翠原石切开).”胡续建至今仍然清楚地记得解机(专门用来切翡翠原石的机器)在切石头时发出的轰鸣声.“那声音震得我的心直打颤.”

　　“切石头前,我还找了几个一起做翡翠的朋友研究了半天,决定这个石头应该从什么地方切.”十几分钟后,解机的轰鸣停了下来,掀开解机盖的那一刻,胡续建的手有些颤抖.“那时的感觉很复杂,不知道是因为害怕还是激动.”当看到切开的石头一片花白,玉薄得像竹叶一样时,胡续建当场呆住了.“最后是怎么回的昆明,我都不记得了,梦游一样.”赌垮了的老胡再也没敢碰过赌石,几年来,靠些小打小闹的生意,老胡好不容易才还清了债务.“神仙难断寸玉,一刀就切没了50万,我当时是彻底读懂了这句话的意思.”说这话的时候,胡续建有些激动.

　　腾冲工艺品厂是在“文革”末期1973年正式投产的,主要从事翡翠毛料的加工.由于当时并没有对外开放,加工翡翠的原料很难从产地缅甸运到腾冲.当时就靠埋在地下的边角料加工生产.在腾冲几百年的翡翠历史中,工匠们一直都只能生产最简单的手镯,这样一来,许多价值不菲的边角料就被随意地埋到了地下.按照现在的加工技术,这些以前的边角料里,有很多都是价值连城的翡翠原石.

　　因此腾冲可以说是一个遍地是翡翠的城市.在腾冲,只要碰到老建筑拆迁,就会有许多人到工地上挖掘,他们都希望能够找到先人们埋在地下的“边角料”.对这一情况已见怪不怪的腾冲县文化馆馆长段应宗说:“因为大家都相信,地下的‘边角料’有好货,所以在腾冲县城内拆旧房盖新房时,房主往往只会付给施工方一半的价钱,另一半则由地下可能挖到的翡翠来抵偿.这其实也是一种独特的赌石行为.”

　　腾冲县城距全球唯一的翡翠毛料产地缅甸国境线,只有80多公里距离,按照《徐霞客游记》记载,从明朝开始,腾冲已经成为缅甸翡翠交易的中转站,那时起,腾密路、腾八路成为缅甸翡翠毛料运往中国的要道,在腾冲交易后再运往世界各地的交易市场.云南解放后,持续几百年的翡翠交易戛然而止.

　　由于赌石表面一般都有一层风化皮壳遮挡,看不到内部情况,人们只能根据皮壳特征和人工在局部开口,来推断赌石内部有无上等翡翠.这就使得翡翠原料交易中,对翡翠原料品质鉴别成为一件颇为困难的事,而且带有很多悬秘意味.“我看了那么多年的石头,对一块完全没有开解的石头也没有百分之百的把握.原料石头究竟有没有上等的翡翠,没有任何科学仪器可以检测出来.所以说神仙难断寸玉.”对赌石持反对态度的一位人士也相信赌石确实可以使人一夜暴富,但他却觉得这样的几率实在太小.“要买好的赌石,你必须拥有很强的经济实力,而且要到缅甸的矿山上直接购买.运到腾冲还没开解过的石头中几乎不可能有什么上等货了.它们的赌性都太大了.”这位人士同时指出,矿山上的相玉师傅天天在和石头打交道,“有内容”的石头几乎不可能逃过他们的眼睛,所以在腾冲或者说在缅甸以外的地区,要找到廉价而高品质的翡翠原石基本不可能.

　　在腾冲,绝大多数买主卖主都懂毛料,双方最后商定的价格很合理,知道买块毛料能怎样处理,能获得多少利润.翡翠从挖掘到最后制成成品是条流水线,这条流水线的每一环节能获取多少利润都是相对明确的,谁都有机会致富,但都不会像传闻中那样暴富.

来源:新浪收藏


TAG:疯狂的石头在腾冲 翡翠 翡翠手镯 中国翡翠网 翡翠新闻

一个玉石商人眼中的2013：市场行情好转

一个玉石商人眼中的2013：市场行情好转

　　金证券记者 胡春春

　　2013年2月7日,距离农历新年还剩两天,浙江杭州玉石商人陈历(化名)终于将手中积压许久的一批翡翠饰品出售完毕.当身边的朋友大都已经开始准备回家过年的时候,陈历却在自己的玉石店中酝酿来年的生意.

　　在经历了2012年的冷清、蛰伏、调整之后,玉石市场在2013年伊始似乎就有了转机的迹象.“玉石市场今年可能迎来一个新时点,不过中小玉石商的压力也在增加.” 陈历对《金证券》记者说.

　　转折—陈货终于售罄

　　压在手中将近一年半的一批翡翠饰品,在农历新年前一个星期陆续售罄.这批货的平均利润超过了300%,让陈历着实兴奋了一把.

　　“2011年我拿了6只翡翠手镯,入货后市场就一直不好,去年整个翡翠市场价格更是一路跳水,仅这6只翡翠手镯就让我压了200多万的货款.”陈历对《金证券》记者说.据其介绍,这6只翡翠手镯的拿货价格平均每只在35万元左右,售出价格基本在135万—150万元之间.陈历补充称,“我开始判断年中可以全部卖出去,没想到农历新年前市场竟然出现了好转.”

　　《金证券》记者从行业中了解到,2010年是玉石市场的一个高点,此后开始进入调整阶段,2012年在经济大环境下滑的影响下,玉石市场价量齐跌特别明显.在浙江,一些玉石商人甚至暂停了自己的玉石生意,将资金转做期货、小贷等投资.

　　压力—成本可能上涨

　　“虽然市场有了好转迹象,但玉石饰品的成本也在上涨.”农历新年前一天,陈历在自己的连锁店中接待了一位从广州来的供货商.据了解,江浙一带的玉器商人拿货渠道主要有两个,一个是来自广州,一个是来自边境等地区.

　　陈历介绍,从2011年到2012年间,在市场不好的情况下,玉石商品的成本价格还上涨了两倍多.“今年玉石商品成本最少还会上涨一倍,如果是从广州拿货,成本可能更高.”

　　陈历对《金证券》记者表示,往年市场好的时候,玉石商品销售利润率在100%以上很正常,但随着今后成本的增加,平均利润率能维持在60%—70%就已经很不容易了.“以前经常有人说,玉石是暴利生意,但这是以前,现在生意是越来越难做了.”

　　困难—市场分化明显

　　在玉石行业摸爬滚打十多年的陈历明显感受到中小玉石销售商的“困境”.这或许起源于这两年市场越来越严重的“分化”.

　　“去年年初我去参加苏富比[微博]的拍卖,当时他们拍卖的一串翡翠珠子,起拍价就是1000多万,后来我在北京一个商场里看到一串翡翠珠子,和苏富比拍卖的相似度非常高,标价是5000多万,而且是只展示不卖的.现在好的玉石、翡翠商品价格非常高,而且很少受市场大环境影响,但中低层次的价格波动就特别大.”陈历对《金证券》记者说.

　　由于目前面对普通消费者的玉石店,产品大多是中低端品质的玉石商品,所以行情的变动很能影响店铺的发展.“我一个朋友在去年行情不好情况下,压了接近2亿货在手上,风险太大了.”他表示,2013年玉石市场的行情会好于去年,这也是玉石投资、购买的一个很好的时点,但在行业分化下,中小玉石商生存可能更困难.

　　文章来源:《金陵晚报》

来源:新浪收藏


TAG:一个玉石商人眼中的2013：市场行情好转 翡翠 翡翠手镯 中国翡翠网 翡翠新闻

潘才岳：趣谈C形玉龙(图)

潘才岳：趣谈C形玉龙(图)

百科资料·红山玉龙

　　作者:潘才岳[微博]

　　在红山文化的典型玉器鉴藏中,我们最为常见的莫过于藏界里所说的“中华第一玉龙”.这“中华第一玉龙”名字听着倒是挺儒雅的,但其形状却有点古怪.因其颇似英文字母“C”,故对于C形玉龙的赏析可谓是颇具趣味.

　　今日中午,笔者到本地的新华书店里闲逛.来到收藏类的书籍专柜里,随手翻起了马未都[微博]写的《醉文明》.书中“观复学堂”一栏中,马未都老师提出了一个看似简单却不简单的问题.问的是,C形玉龙的器形是属于仿龙、猪、蛇、虎四个答案中的何种动物的造型.结果,马未都的答案分析是除“龙”以外的其他四个生肖.

　　答案排除“龙”,不是没有道理的.其一,仔细观察那C形玉龙确实是有点像“猪、蛇、虎”；其二,问题都说是了仿何种动物,岂有“龙”仿“龙”之说.

　　其实,“C形玉龙”不论是对于我们喜好鉴藏的业内人士,又或者是普通的外行人对此器形均不陌生.我们经常可以在各类文化书籍、收藏家手中、甚至是古玩地摊都可觅得C形玉龙的踪影.从而导致原本有“中华第一玉龙”美誉的C形玉龙,变得普通起来了.原本是珍稀之物,却成为了人们闻之黯然的“物美价廉”之物了.国宝级的文物,却可以如此轻松见到,甚至贱价即可拥有.给我们的感觉是,必假无疑.笔者在藏界里的一些资深藏家们对于“C形玉龙”的态度是,“坐飞机的速度也来不及逃跑”.意思是说,见到这类的东西,藏家对其避而远之,对其定义十之八九都是赝品.

　　即便是在一些资深的收藏家手上,笔者也不敢轻易相信其“C形玉龙”为真品.因为,笔者到目前为止都没有在收藏类的电视节目中见过真品“C形玉龙”的详细品鉴赏析；更没有在一些专家前辈们的家中上手过此类藏品的实物.再者,这类红山文化的藏品对于笔者目前的鉴藏水平,确实是属于仍需学习的阶段.

　　品鉴从百度百科搜索到的红山“C形玉龙”图片,可见得龙体正中有一个小穿孔.百科里的文字简介为“龙首较短小,吻前伸,略上噘,嘴紧闭,鼻端截平,端面近椭圆形,以对称的两个圆洞作为鼻孔.”鉴于其独特的造型,玉龙的形象留给我们更多的还是幻想的韵味.

　　2013年2月19日 午夜

　　于【岳宝轩】

　　来源:新浪博客博主 潘才岳

　　博文地址:http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_70886e4d0101j145.html?tj=1

来源:新浪收藏


TAG:潘才岳：趣谈C形玉龙(图) 翡翠 翡翠手镯 中国翡翠网 翡翠新闻

德宏瑞丽建成云南首家玉雕博物馆

德宏瑞丽建成云南首家玉雕博物馆

　　前日,德宏州瑞丽建成了云南首家玉雕艺术博物馆.200余件色彩亮丽、生动鲜活的玉雕作品在馆中大放异彩.该馆预计4月正式开馆,届时将免费向公众开放.

　　瑞丽市文产办主任储云春介绍,该博物馆是云南省首家专业集中展示传播玉雕文化的博物馆,是瑞丽玉雕文化传播展示的示范基地.

　　据介绍,该馆投资1000万元兴建,馆内分为中国玉雕历史文化展、瑞丽巧雕大师榜、历届“神工奖”金奖展、玉雕大师精品四个展区,收藏了当代玉雕大师精品共计200余件(套),收藏投资总额超过1.86亿.

　　纳英 潘林虎

来源:新浪收藏


TAG:德宏瑞丽建成云南首家玉雕博物馆 翡翠 翡翠手镯 中国翡翠网 翡翠新闻

解密古玉造假七法

解密古玉造假七法

　　■煨头:将玉器用火烧烤,使玉色变为灰白,极似古玉中的“鸡骨白”.凡是煨头,其上必有火烧后形成的细裂纹,真鸡骨白则无.

　　■梅玉:用质地松软、质量较差的玉制成器物,再用浓度高的乌梅水煮,松软处会被乌梅水淘空,呈现出水冲痕迹,然后用提油法上色.人们称这种作伪产品叫梅玉.

　　■风玉:用浓灰水和乌梅水煮玉后,趁热取出,放在风雪之中一个昼夜,将玉冻裂,玉质坚硬者,裂纹细若毫发,以其冒充古玉.真玉的牛毛纹有曲折,粗细不匀,伪者则不然.

　　■叩锈:此法产生于清乾隆时,具体做法是用铁屑拌玉器坯料,然后用热醋淬火,放入潮湿地下数天,取出后再埋入地下数月,这时玉已为铁屑腐蚀,出现橘皮纹,纹理中铁锈呈深红色,有土斑,宛然古玉.

　　■老提油:据说此法甚古.北宋年间,有人用甘肃深山中所产的一种红光草,取其汁加入硵砂少许,腌入新琢成的玉器纹理之间,再用新鲜竹枝燃火烧烤,使红色入于玉器,其红似鸡血,鉴定名家也往往不察.

　　■造黄土锈法:把玉器涂上胶水,埋入黄土泥中,产生的黄土锈会随着时间的延长越来越像古玉的黄土锈.

　　■造血沁法:用猪血和黄土混合成泥,放入大缸内,将玉器埋入其中,时间较长后,玉器上会有黄土锈血沁的痕迹.北京商报记者 邹艳

来源:新浪收藏


TAG:解密古玉造假七法 翡翠 翡翠手镯 中国翡翠网 翡翠新闻

投资收藏寿山石已趋于理性

投资收藏寿山石已趋于理性

　　寿山石向来受到收藏界的宠爱.在经历了2012年收藏市场的震荡后,寿山石的行情现在如何？有藏家表示,随着市场日渐成熟,人们对于寿山石的投资收藏更趋于理性.

　　2012年堪称艺术品市场的深度调整年,而寿山石的拍卖行情出现两极分化.据相关数据显示,在去年的福建东南春拍上,两个寿山石专场总成交额为4160万元,“寿山石雕珍品夜场”全部成交,成交额达到2294.35万元.而在福建东南秋拍上,寿山石雕三个专场成交总额4782.965万元,较今年春拍增长14.98%.在大环境疲软的情况下,高端寿山石行情依然坚挺.不过,由于担心亏本,一些拍卖行去年秋季已不敢再拍卖寿山石,其专场拍卖会不及2011年的一半.

　　业内人士分析,面对冷热不均的行情,既有投资者与藏家手中现钱紧缺、对艺术品市场投资信心度下降的原因,也有寿山石市场精品数量减少等原因.寿山石在经历了疯狂热炒之后,进入冷静期是必然的,成熟的投资者会越来越理性.(记者 张东伟 报道)

　　来源:汴梁晚报

来源:新浪收藏


TAG:投资收藏寿山石已趋于理性 翡翠 翡翠手镯 中国翡翠网 翡翠新闻

在杭州看美术馆藏品展

在杭州看美术馆藏品展

浙江美术馆藏展品《兰花松鼠》

　　春节期间,艺术圈内有意思的新闻不少.其中最值得关注的一桩发生在几天前,达·芬奇传世了300多年的名画《蒙娜丽莎》有了年轻版,这幅《艾尔沃斯·蒙娜丽莎》经过意大利几何学专家鉴定后,认定画作同样是属于达·芬奇真迹,并且创作时间要远远早于《蒙娜丽莎》.画中人面色红润,与蒙娜丽莎有着非常相似的长相、服饰、手势甚至一模一样的神秘笑容,只是看起来更显年轻.于是,相比之下,原本被收藏于法国巴黎卢浮宫内的“最美微笑”本尊就略显晦暗了.

　　作为卢浮宫最为人熟知的镇馆宝之一,《蒙娜丽莎》的关注度自然很高.而事实上,对于绝大部分博物馆、美术馆的珍贵馆藏品,普通人其实很难得有机会与之见面.

　　下周,在杭州有两个馆藏展值得一看.正在浙江美术馆进行的“浙江美术馆藏当代优秀美术作品展览”,共展出了不同类别的当代美术作品90件,形式多样,题材丰富.参展艺术家阵容包括了浙江本土的赵延年、吴山明、曾宓、孔仲起、尉晓榕、方增先、潘公凯等名家精作,同时又有朱鸣岗、田黎明、王迎春、陈平、王克举、巫俊等活跃在中国当代艺术界的艺术家作品.展览将持续到3月10日.

　　另一场“瑞玉呈祥——湖北省博物馆[微博]藏明清玉器精品展”,地点在余杭良渚博物院,重头戏是2001年发掘的湖北钟祥明代藩王梁庄王朱瞻垍和其继妃魏氏合葬墓出土文物,各类随葬品共计1400余件(套),尤其是金、银、玉器及首饰、佩饰、冠饰、腰带和密教文物,这在崇尚薄葬的明代,实属罕见,也为已发掘的明代亲王墓所罕见.展览将持续到2月24日.(本站编辑 唐佩摘编)

来源:新浪收藏


TAG:在杭州看美术馆藏品展 翡翠 翡翠手镯 中国翡翠网 翡翠新闻

春节遇情人节：金银珠宝消费最热

春节遇情人节：金银珠宝消费最热

　　福建69家被抽样百货、超市,春节黄金周揽金4.8亿元

　　春节遇情人节 金银珠宝消费最热

　　早报讯 (记者 赖劲松)昨日省经贸委对外发布消息称,春节期间,全省各地市场呈现供应充足,价格平稳,消费热点集中等特点.据监测,69家百货、超市等零售样本企业春节黄金周期间实现销售额4.8亿元,同比增长10.1%,其中金银珠宝类增长明显.

　　金银饰品市场热销.从2月初开始,各地大型商场、百货就开始启动春节促销活动,掀起了一阵又一阵的打折送券热浪,各大商场人流如潮,促销活动随处可见,广大消费者在新年享受到购物的快乐、温馨与实惠.据监测,福州市金银珠宝类、家用电器和音像器材类、通信器材类销售同比分别增长74.3%、31.3%、15.9%.厦门市金银珠宝类、食品类、饮料类、烟酒类销售同比分别增长51.4%、22.7%、18.1%和14%.金银珠宝类商品成为今年春节最大销售热点,主要是因为节日期间购买金银珠宝是居民的传统消费习惯,春节期间又恰逢“情人节”,对金银珠宝类销售起了进一步的拉动作用.

来源:新浪收藏


TAG:春节遇情人节：金银珠宝消费最热 翡翠 翡翠手镯 中国翡翠网 翡翠新闻

加拿大卑诗省玉矿受中国投资者追捧

加拿大卑诗省玉矿受中国投资者追捧

加拿大卑诗省玉矿受中国投资者追捧

　　中新网2月16日电 据加拿大《世界日报》报道,加拿大业者表示,由于中国需求大增,让玉石价格在过去十年翻涨数倍,加拿大卑诗省西北部也出现“采玉热”(jade rush),尽管新矿区及员工不断增加,但仅能满足一半的需求.珠宝商则指出,卑诗省玉石质量不高,主要是加工做为纪念品或装饰用,涨势最凌厉的是高档玉石.

　　卑诗省玉石生产商Jade West Group公司总经理梅可皮斯(Kirk Makepeace)说,中国对玉的需求高,这对卑省业者而言是从未有过的机会.他表示,十年前中国消费者对卑省所产的“软玉”(nephrite)兴趣不大,而偏好缅甸生产硬度较高的“翡翠”(jadeite).

　　梅可皮斯说,过去三年该公司的业绩成长三倍,一些出口为主的珠宝级玉石价格目前每公斤为200元,较十年前上涨10倍.尽管卑省玉石产量每年已达800吨,但只能供应中国需求的半数,他们不得不重开一些已闲置的矿场,大举招募员工.

　　随着“采玉热”方兴未艾,愈来愈多中国投资者也到加拿大内陆寻找矿场投资,但梅可皮斯提醒投资人,并非所有矿场都有开采价值,他就看到一些中国投资人花大钱买进只有麋鹿的草地(moose pasture),却以为买到了玉石矿场.

　　不过永恒珠宝店经理陈慕贞表示,卑省所产的玉石质量不高,主要是出口到中国加工做为纪念品或装饰用,过去几年国际市场涨势最凌厉的,仍是缅甸翡翠、新疆和田玉等高档玉石.

　　她说,在产量减少等影响,过去几年极具收藏价值的高档玉石价格已翻升好几倍,涨势比黄金更为凌厉.(阮耀毅)

来源:新浪收藏


TAG:加拿大卑诗省玉矿受中国投资者追捧 翡翠 翡翠手镯 中国翡翠网 翡翠新闻

Baidu taps Marvell for ARM storage server SoC

Baidu taps Marvell for ARM storage server SoC

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Baidu has become the first big data center to adopt an ARM server. China’s Internet search giant will use a custom storage server powered by the 32-bit Armada XP from Marvell.

The news marks the first foot in the door for an ARM server SoC in what is a market dominated by x86 chips from Intel and Advanced Micro Devices. The ARM-based alternatives claim they will cost less and use significantly less power.

Most observers say the current 32-bit chips available from Marvell and startup Calxeda will have limited opportunities, given most software is based on 64-bit code. As many as nine companies, including AMD, Applied Micro, Cavium, Nvidia, Samsung and Qualcomm are planning 64-bit ARM server SoCs that will ship mainly starting in 2014.

The Baidu Pan storage server is a 2U-sized system packing 24 2.5-inch hard disk drives offering a total of 96 TBytes storage as well as two 10G and six gigabit Ethernet interfaces. Marvell won design wins for the overall server processor as well as drive controllers and an Ethernet switch in the system, said to be made by Wiwynn, a Taiwan manufacturer focused on data center systems, spun out of Wistron.

Marvell also designed server management software compliant with the IPMI 2.0 specification for the storage server. It claims the system consumers 25 percent less power than an x86-based design.

“This was a collaborative design with the ODM and Baidu,” said Ramesh Sivakolundu, general manager of cloud services and infrastructure at Marvell. “The market for cloud storage is significant, and there is a good play for 32-bit chips there--the level of interest is very good."

Next: Facebook kicks the tires on ARM
TAG:ARM Storage Server ARM Servers Baidu Pan ARM Servers Baidu China Intel X86

Baidu taps Marvell for ARM storage server SoC

Baidu taps Marvell for ARM storage server SoC

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Baidu has become the first big data center to adopt an ARM server. China’s Internet search giant will use a custom storage server powered by the 32-bit Armada XP from Marvell.

The news marks the first foot in the door for an ARM server SoC in what is a market dominated by x86 chips from Intel and Advanced Micro Devices. The ARM-based alternatives claim they will cost less and use significantly less power.

Most observers say the current 32-bit chips available from Marvell and startup Calxeda will have limited opportunities, given most software is based on 64-bit code. As many as nine companies, including AMD, Applied Micro, Cavium, Nvidia, Samsung and Qualcomm are planning 64-bit ARM server SoCs that will ship mainly starting in 2014.

The Baidu Pan storage server is a 2U-sized system packing 24 2.5-inch hard disk drives offering a total of 96 TBytes storage as well as two 10G and six gigabit Ethernet interfaces. Marvell won design wins for the overall server processor as well as drive controllers and an Ethernet switch in the system, said to be made by Wiwynn, a Taiwan manufacturer focused on data center systems, spun out of Wistron.

Marvell also designed server management software compliant with the IPMI 2.0 specification for the storage server. It claims the system consumers 25 percent less power than an x86-based design.

“This was a collaborative design with the ODM and Baidu,” said Ramesh Sivakolundu, general manager of cloud services and infrastructure at Marvell. “The market for cloud storage is significant, and there is a good play for 32-bit chips there--the level of interest is very good."

Next: Facebook kicks the tires on ARM
TAG:ARM Storage Server ARM Servers Baidu Pan ARM Servers Baidu China Intel X86

Baidu taps Marvell for 32-bit ARM storage server

Baidu taps Marvell for 32-bit ARM storage server

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Baidu has become the first big data center to adopt an ARM server. China’s Internet search giant will use a custom storage server powered by the 32-bit Armada XP from Marvell.

The news marks the first foot in the door for an ARM server SoC in what is a market dominated by x86 chips from Intel and Advanced Micro Devices. The ARM-based alternatives claim they will cost less and use significantly less power.

Most observers say the current 32-bit chips available from Marvell and startup Calxeda will have limited opportunities, given most software is based on 64-bit code. As many as nine companies, including AMD, Applied Micro, Cavium, Nvidia, Samsung and Qualcomm are planning 64-bit ARM server SoCs that will ship mainly starting in 2014.

The Baidu Pan storage server is a 2U-sized system packing 24 2.5-inch hard disk drives offering a total of 96 TBytes storage as well as two 10G and six gigabit Ethernet interfaces. Marvell won design wins for the overall server processor as well as drive controllers and an Ethernet switch in the system, said to be made by Wiwynn, a Taiwan manufacturer focused on data center systems, spun out of Wistron.

Marvell also designed server management software compliant with the IPMI 2.0 specification for the storage server. It claims the system consumers 25 percent less power than an x86-based design.

“This was a collaborative design with the ODM and Baidu,” said Ramesh Sivakolundu, general manager of cloud services and infrastructure at Marvell. “The market for cloud storage is significant, and there is a good play for 32-bit chips there--the level of interest is very good."

Next: Facebook kicks the tires on ARM
TAG:ARM Storage Server ARM Servers Baidu Pan ARM Servers Baidu China Intel X86

Linaro group gives ARM a hand in networking

Linaro group gives ARM a hand in networking

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The ARM architecture is getting a helping hand making its way into networking gear from the newly formed Linaro Networking Group. ARM, Texas Instruments, Freescale, AppliedMicro, Enea, MontaVista, LSI and Nokia Siemens Networks are among the initial members of the effort writing low-level open source code for Linux on ARM.

The effort comes at a time when networking SoC makers Cavium (parent company of MontaVista), Freescale and LSI are all migrating to more ARM-based products. The move represents part of an increasing consolidation among OEMs on ARM and the x86.

An interim steering committee set four initial targets for the group in meetings that started in late 2012:

• Virtualization on multicore chips working in mixed operating systems
• Real-time tasks, including Linux kernel updates for the control and data plane
• Packet processing enhancements to boost performance and lower latency
• Support for mixed-endian environments and legacy code

The group expects to deliver its first code before June, followed by regular monthly releases.

“Embedded networking software has been very fragmented due to point-optimized hardware implementations,” said Jarmo Hillo, head of processor technology at Nokia Siemens Networks in a press statement. “Nokia Siemens Networks is committed to collaborating in the creation of the Linux ecosystem for ARM that enables easier adoption of new technology while leaving room for innovative SoC designs,” he said.

Linaro got its start in June 2010 as a collaboration on mobile Linux on ARM and expanded last year with a new server-focused group.

Related stories:

• Linaro ARM server efforts targets Linux code
• London Calling: Linaro takes on Internet of Things

TAG:Linaro Networking Group Nokia Siemens Networks Linaro ARM Networking Enea Freescale MontaVista Cavium X86 Intel

Linaro group gives ARM a hand in networking

Linaro group gives ARM a hand in networking

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The ARM architecture is getting a helping hand making its way into networking gear from the newly formed Linaro Networking Group. ARM, Texas Instruments, Freescale, AppliedMicro, Enea, MontaVista, LSI and Nokia Siemens Networks are among the initial members of the effort writing low-level open source code for Linux on ARM.

The effort comes at a time when networking SoC makers Cavium (parent company of MontaVista), Freescale and LSI are all migrating to more ARM-based products. The move represents part of an increasing consolidation among OEMs on ARM and the x86.

An interim steering committee set four initial targets for the group in meetings that started in late 2012:

• Virtualization on multicore chips working in mixed operating systems
• Real-time tasks, including Linux kernel updates for the control and data plane
• Packet processing enhancements to boost performance and lower latency
• Support for mixed-endian environments and legacy code

The group expects to deliver its first code before June, followed by regular monthly releases.

“Embedded networking software has been very fragmented due to point-optimized hardware implementations,” said Jarmo Hillo, head of processor technology at Nokia Siemens Networks in a press statement. “Nokia Siemens Networks is committed to collaborating in the creation of the Linux ecosystem for ARM that enables easier adoption of new technology while leaving room for innovative SoC designs,” he said.

Linaro got its start in June 2010 as a collaboration on mobile Linux on ARM and expanded last year with a new server-focused group.

Related stories:

• Linaro ARM server efforts targets Linux code
• London Calling: Linaro takes on Internet of Things

TAG:Linaro Networking Group Nokia Siemens Networks Linaro ARM Networking Enea Freescale MontaVista Cavium X86 Intel

App developers to be given Google Glasses

App developers to be given Google Glasses

SAN FRANCISCO – Google is preparing to release a prototype version of its Google Glasses to application developers, said the lead of the project in a panel at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference here.

"We are hoping in the not too distant future to share these with developers, and we expect some people will open them up and post what they find online," said Babak Parviz of Google who wore a version of the glasses to an evening ISSCC panel on what the killer applications will be in 2020.

The comment came in a response to a question about what processor the glasses use. Parviz said Google is not disclosing contents of the current prototype except to say it includes a display, camera, audio in and out, a gyro, accelerometer, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS and the equivalent computing power of a laptop from "a few years ago."

Separately, Parviz called for multi-discipline system design tools.

"These are not simple electronics devices anymore – they involove acoustics, optics, and mechanical and electrical engineering," he said. "We don't have proper tools to monitor design across these multiple disciplines, and there are more [design] domains coming," he said.



Babak Parviz demoed his glasses taking a picture and hearing and answering a spoken question.

TAG:Google Glasses Killer Apps Babak Parviz Google ISSCC ARM

App developers to be given Google Glasses

App developers to be given Google Glasses

SAN FRANCISCO – Google is preparing to release a prototype version of its Google Glasses to application developers, said the lead of the project in a panel at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference here.

"We are hoping in the not too distant future to share these with developers, and we expect some people will open them up and post what they find online," said Babak Parviz of Google who wore a version of the glasses to an evening ISSCC panel on what the killer applications will be in 2020.

The comment came in a response to a question about what processor the glasses use. Parviz said Google is not disclosing contents of the current prototype except to say it includes a display, camera, audio in and out, a gyro, accelerometer, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS and the equivalent computing power of a laptop from "a few years ago."

Separately, Parviz called for multi-discipline system design tools.

"These are not simple electronics devices anymore – they involove acoustics, optics, and mechanical and electrical engineering," he said. "We don't have proper tools to monitor design across these multiple disciplines, and there are more [design] domains coming," he said.



Babak Parviz demoed his glasses taking a picture and hearing and answering a spoken question.

TAG:Google Glasses Killer Apps Babak Parviz Google ISSCC ARM

China's Godson processors to power servers in 2014

China's Godson processors to power servers in 2014

SAN FRANCISCO – Loongson Technology Corp. Ltd. is sampling its first commercial microprocessor with plans to ship production chips in the fall to as many as ten China server makers. The milestone, if reached, represents a long-term dream of China’s technocrats – a home-grown computer based on its own microprocessor.

Loongson (Beijing, China) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences described the Godson 3B1500, an eight-core server chip at the International Solid State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) here. The 32-nm part is sampling now with the tape-out of a shrink to a 28-nm manufacturing process expected within two months.

The 28-nm version will be Loongson’s first commercial processor, said Weiwu Hu, who heads the project, speaking to EE Times in an interview at ISSCC. He cautioned that it’s still early days for the architecture despite the fact it has been in development for nearly a decade. STMicroelectronics NV has been a manufacturing partner for Loongson in the past.

"Our ecosystem is still small," Hu said, noting Loongson has been actively developing a server software community for its 64-bit MIPS-based processor for about 18 months.

Developers in China have created a database and middleware platform for Godson in Java that rides on Linux. They have also developed a software stack for running storage and email servers.

"We are initially targeting dedicated markets with fixed software stacks," said Hu, who attended ISSCC in a traditional Mao-era suit fitted with a red pin signifying his membership of the Communist Party

The processor has been tested running open-source KVM virtualization software as well as Hadoop, he said. Such software could help it make inroads into general-purpose servers in data centers for Web services such as Baidu, China’s search engine.

China server makers Dawning, Great Wall and Inspur are among the ten systems companies planning to use Godson. The processor may sport somewhat lower performance than competing chips from Intel and others, but Loongson and its partners will have an advantage in price and in local support, Hu said.

Loongson and CAS oversee two of about six major microprocessor efforts in China, Hu said. Besides its effort in commercial servers, Loongson is working on versions of Godson for government supercomputers as well as for personal computers and embedded systems.

"We have done pilot runs of a few thousand Godson desktops," Hu said. “They are being used mainly in government-related businesses,” he added.

In addition, 32-bit embedded versions of the Godson core are already used in televisions made by China’s Haier and Hisense. Loongson has a license to the MIPS architecture on which Godson is based, Hu added.

Separately, C*Core develops and licenses embedded processors. Its technology is based on Motorola’s M*Core design.

At least two other microprocessor teams in China are quietly working on supercomputer-class projects, Hu said. Loongson is also developing versions of Godson for such high performance systems, he added.

The following pages provide some details of the 32-nm Godson 3B1500 processor that Loongson is now sampling.


Related stories:

China's Godson MPU aims for 28-nm

China claims 'MIPS-like' processor does not infringe

China readies first multicore Godson CPUs




Next: From 45 nm to 32 nm and sampling
TAG:Chinese Academy Of Sciences Loongson Technology Godson 3B1500 Weiwu Hu C*Core M*Core Godson Loongson ISSCC China Servers MIPS Ja

Carver Mead: Finish the physics revolution

Carver Mead: Finish the physics revolution

SAN FRANCISCO – You need to question the assumptions of today's science to "finish the revolution" in physics and keep technology moving forward, Carver Mead told an audience of well over a thousand semiconductor engineers here. Accepted constants such as the speed of light need to be re-examined, said the 78-year-old veteran of semiconductor design technology, speaking in quietly passionate tones without foils or notes.

"It's a mind opening experience to think about physical law this way," said Mead in a keynote at the 60th annual International Solid State Circuits Conference (ISSCC). "I am spending the entire rest of my life doing that, and when we are done with this revolution we will have a way of thinking about the universe vastly more intuitive and inspiring than what we have today," he said.

Mead called for breakthroughs in the understanding of "the nature of how matter works and pass that on to our children in intuitive, accessible ways, not buried in a pile of obscure mathematics." Scientists and engineers need to challenge orthodox thinking, he said, giving examples of little known critics of physicists such as Newton and Werner Heisenberg.

"We have been living with misconceptions and gobbledygook, of thought processes not allowed to go forward," Mead said. "People couldn’t imagine the world being as interesting as it is, partly because some big egos got in the way," he added. "Our view of science, that got us this far, is keeping us from going further," Mead said. "There’s a bigger conceptual picture we need to integrate into our thinking," he added.


Mead co-authored a seminal text on VLSI design.

TAG:Carver Mead ISSCC Physics Semiconductors Mead

ISSCC: ASML says EUV best option at 10nm

ISSCC: ASML says EUV best option at 10nm

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – ASML reported incremental progress on extreme ultraviolet lithography which it said will be the best option for making chips starting at the 10 nm node and below. An executive was more cautious about the outlook for 450mm wafers in an industry keynote here.

Using double patterning and other techniques, EUV can make devices at 7 and 3 nm nodes, Martin van den Brink, chief product and technology officer at ASML told EE Times after a keynote at the International Solid State Circuits Conference. “I don’t see a fundamental limit with what we have, the question is can we do it economically,” he said.

He also discussed plans for supporting commercial production of 450mm wafers in 2018 with a second generation EUV system. While Intel, Samsung and TSMC provided additional funding of 828 million euros last year for EUV work, currently Intel is the sole company funding the 450mm program, providing 553 million euros, he said.

“We remain cautious about 450mm [given a] single customer is pushing it,” he said in the keynote.

An EUV prototype at ASML recently delivered up to four billion light pulses at 60W, the equivalent of almost 40 hours operation, he told ISSCC attendees here (see figure below). “This is a major breakthrough and a couple months ago couldn’t have shown it,” he said.


Click on image to enlarge.
He also showed results of EUV at 40W delivering simulated yields of 99.99 percent in five runs of more than an hour, theoretically delivering 165 wafers per hour. “But the issue is we must maintain that” performance, he added.

To make commercial production viable ASML is targeting a goal of making 100 wafers per hour at 250W. In 2014 it hopes to ship a prototype capable of 70 wafers per hour, he said.

ASML is working on a separate EUV problem with mask defects by trying to develop a pellicle for the systems. Today’s immersion lithography systems could be extended to make 10 nm chips with double patterning, but EUV offers a better alternative with single patterning, he argued.

The talk raised questions about the level of investment the industry has placed in a single technology and a single company to continue the pace of chip innovation.


Related stories:

Even with Intel's chips on the table, EUV still no sure bet

Slideshow: IBM outlines fab future beyond FinFETs
Next: Immersion won't cut it at 10nm, says ASML
TAG:Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography 400mm Wafers EUV ASML Lithography ISSCC Intel 400mm

Carver Mead: Finish the physics revolution

Carver Mead: Finish the physics revolution

SAN FRANCISCO – You need to question the assumptions of today's science to "finish the revolution" in physics and keep technology moving forward, Carver Mead told an audience of well over a thousand semiconductor engineers here. Accepted constants such as the speed of light need to be re-examined, said the 78-year-old veteran of semiconductor design technology, speaking in quietly passionate tones without foils or notes.

"It's a mind opening experience to think about physical law this way," said Mead in a keynote at the 60th annual International Solid State Circuits Conference (ISSCC). "I am spending the entire rest of my life doing that, and when we are done with this revolution we will have a way of thinking about the universe vastly more intuitive and inspiring than what we have today," he said.

Mead called for breakthroughs in the understanding of "the nature of how matter works and pass that on to our children in intuitive, accessible ways, not buried in a pile of obscure mathematics." Scientists and engineers need to challenge orthodox thinking, he said, giving examples of little known critics of physicists such as Newton and Werner Heisenberg.

"We have been living with misconceptions and gobbledygook, of thought processes not allowed to go forward," Mead said. "People couldn’t imagine the world being as interesting as it is, partly because some big egos got in the way," he added. "Our view of science, that got us this far, is keeping us from going further," Mead said. "There’s a bigger conceptual picture we need to integrate into our thinking," he added.


Mead co-authored a seminal text on VLSI design.

TAG:Carver Mead ISSCC Physics Semiconductors Mead

ISSCC: ASML says EUV best option at 10nm

ISSCC: ASML says EUV best option at 10nm

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – ASML reported incremental progress on extreme ultraviolet lithography which it said will be the best option for making chips starting at the 10 nm node and below. An executive was more cautious about the outlook for 450mm wafers in an industry keynote here.

Using double patterning and other techniques, EUV can make devices at 7 and 3 nm nodes, Martin van den Brink, chief product and technology officer at ASML told EE Times after a keynote at the International Solid State Circuits Conference. “I don’t see a fundamental limit with what we have, the question is can we do it economically,” he said.

He also discussed plans for supporting commercial production of 450mm wafers in 2018 with a second generation EUV system. While Intel, Samsung and TSMC provided additional funding of 828 million euros last year for EUV work, currently Intel is the sole company funding the 450mm program, providing 553 million euros, he said.

“We remain cautious about 450mm [given a] single customer is pushing it,” he said in the keynote.

An EUV prototype at ASML recently delivered up to four billion light pulses at 60W, the equivalent of almost 40 hours operation, he told ISSCC attendees here (see figure below). “This is a major breakthrough and a couple months ago couldn’t have shown it,” he said.


Click on image to enlarge.
He also showed results of EUV at 40W delivering simulated yields of 99.99 percent in five runs of more than an hour, theoretically delivering 165 wafers per hour. “But the issue is we must maintain that” performance, he added.

To make commercial production viable ASML is targeting a goal of making 100 wafers per hour at 250W. In 2014 it hopes to ship a prototype capable of 70 wafers per hour, he said.

ASML is working on a separate EUV problem with mask defects by trying to develop a pellicle for the systems. Today’s immersion lithography systems could be extended to make 10 nm chips with double patterning, but EUV offers a better alternative with single patterning, he argued.

The talk raised questions about the level of investment the industry has placed in a single technology and a single company to continue the pace of chip innovation.


Related stories:

Even with Intel's chips on the table, EUV still no sure bet

Slideshow: IBM outlines fab future beyond FinFETs
Next: Immersion won't cut it at 10nm, says ASML
TAG:Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography 400mm Wafers EUV ASML Lithography ISSCC Intel 400mm

Former Freescale CEO takes Dialog director's seat

Former Freescale CEO takes Dialog director's seat

LONDON – Mixed-signal, power and RF chip company Dialog Semiconductor plc (Kirchheim-unter-Teck, Germany) has appointed Richard Beyer and Michael Cannon as non-executive directors with immediate effect.

Beyer was chairman and CEO of Freescale Semiconductor from 2008 to 2012. Prior to this, he held successive positions as CEO and director of Intersil Corp., Elantec Semiconductor and FVC.com. In his earlier career Beyer held senior positions at VLSI Technology Inc. and National Semiconductor Corp. and served as an officer in the US Marine Corps. Beyer currently serves on the boards of directors of Freescale and Micron Technology Inc.

Cannon has held several C-level positions including: president of global operations for Dell Inc., CEO of Solectron Corp. and CEO of Maxtor Corp. Prior to this he held senior management positions at IBM and Control Data Corp. Cannon currently serves on the boards of directors of Adobe Systems, Seagate Technology and Lam Research.


Related links and articles:

Gregg Lowe, ex-TI exec, takes helm at Freescale

Freescale CEO Beyer to retire

Beyer on WSTS: 'We will fix this'


TAG:Rick Beyer Michael Cannon Dialog Freescale directors mixed signal power RF

Former Freescale CEO takes Dialog director's seat

Former Freescale CEO takes Dialog director's seat

LONDON – Mixed-signal, power and RF chip company Dialog Semiconductor plc (Kirchheim-unter-Teck, Germany) has appointed Richard Beyer and Michael Cannon as non-executive directors with immediate effect.

Beyer was chairman and CEO of Freescale Semiconductor from 2008 to 2012. Prior to this, he held successive positions as CEO and director of Intersil Corp., Elantec Semiconductor and FVC.com. In his earlier career Beyer held senior positions at VLSI Technology Inc. and National Semiconductor Corp. and served as an officer in the US Marine Corps. Beyer currently serves on the boards of directors of Freescale and Micron Technology Inc.

Cannon has held several C-level positions including: president of global operations for Dell Inc., CEO of Solectron Corp. and CEO of Maxtor Corp. Prior to this he held senior management positions at IBM and Control Data Corp. Cannon currently serves on the boards of directors of Adobe Systems, Seagate Technology and Lam Research.


Related links and articles:

Gregg Lowe, ex-TI exec, takes helm at Freescale

Freescale CEO Beyer to retire

Beyer on WSTS: 'We will fix this'


TAG:Rick Beyer Michael Cannon Dialog Freescale directors mixed signal power RF

TransferJet to demo speedy wireless at MWC

TransferJet to demo speedy wireless at MWC

LONDON – The TransferJet Consortium is due to demonstrate close proximity wireless transfers at data rates that are more than 1,000 times faster than near field communications (NFC) at the Mobile World Congress being held in Barcelona, Feb. 25 to 28.

At the event accessory products and prototypes – USB adapters, SD and SDIO cards – from Sony and Toshiba will be shown working with commercial smartphones and tablets. The consortium also plans to demonstrate a content download service from kiosk machines whereby smartphone and tablet users can download movies, music, e-books and so-on using TransferJet add-ons.

Chips, components, and modules that support TransferJet and available for design-in will also be on show, the consortium said.

TransferJet is a low-power, proximity data transfer technology designed to deliver a transfer data rate of up to 560-Mbits per second using a radio carrier center frequency of typically 4.48-MHz.



Click on image to enlarge.
Position of TransferJet in the distance versus data rate space. Source: TransferJet Consortium.

The TransferJet Consortium includes Sony, Hitachi, JVC Kenwood, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Pioneer, Seiko Epson and Toshiba as "promoter members" and more than 30 adopter members.

The TransferJet Consortium was established in 2008 and registered as a Japanese incorporated association in 2011.


Related links and articles:

www.transferjet.org

News articles:

TransferJet versus NFC at CES

Toshiba offers TransferJet IC

Worlds are about to touch: a TransferJet overview


TAG:TransferJet Sony Toshiba USB SDIO smartphone tablet semiconductor NFC