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+
+# Big Picture
+
+*(circa Q1 2012)*
+
+The generic term "System on a Chip" refers to the fact that the CPU and many
+"peripherals" (USB, ethernet, memory controller, GPU) are integraded into a
+single package instead of being distributed across a motherboard via a
+northbridge and southbridge. There still needs to be external analog and
+digital circuitry for most "connectivity" interfaces like USB or ethernet to
+provide level conversion, isolation, etc. Notably, RAM is not usually
+integraded into the chip, and the large parallel bus to the RAM chips must be
+routed very carefully. Some newer chips (popular circa 2010?) include "package
+on package" technology where the RAM chip is right on top of the SoC to make
+routing easier (eg, iPhones, RaspberryPI).
+
+The establishment players for mobile ARM SoCs are TI (OMAP), Qualcomm
+([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snapdragon_(System_on_Chip)](Snapdragon), not
+regular ARM), Samsung ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exynos](Exynos))), Broadcom (Armada, Armada XP, )
+
+The establishment players for MIPS SoCs are Broadcom and Marvell (Kirkwood).
+
+
+# ARM
+
+Marvell Armada XP: MV78260
+
+(samples available from nu horizons?)
+<http://www.nuhorizons.com/featuredproducts/portal/samples/January_2012.asp>
+
+(apple experimenting with these chip?)
+<http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2011/09/support-for-quad-core-arm-cpu-shows-up-in-apples-xcode-but-why.ars>
+
+Calxeda "EnergyCore"
+
+# MIPS
+
+Ingenic jz4760B
+
+# x86
+
+# PowerPC
+
+AppliedMicro APM86290
+
+# Other
+
+Marvell Avanta ethernet switch SoCs: http://www.marvell.com/broadband/
+
+Marvell Prestera EX/MX enterprise packet processors
+
+Freescale QorIQ DPAA