In the months since our second article on the CELL processor was published, the STI consortium has released new information on the microarchitecture and programming model of the CELL processor. In a show of force equivalent to the introduction of the CELL processor at ISSCC, five presentations were given by members of the STI consortium at COOL Chips VIII in April of 2005 in Yokohama, Japan. An IBM presentation revealed that the CELL processor has grown slightly, principally due to an enhanced PPE. Furthermore, technical specifications of Sony?s Playstation 3 were announced at E3 in May. Collectively, these presentations clarify some unresolved issues and provide insights into the utility and programmability of the CELL processor, which this article will summarize.

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