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History

View the Wikipedia article on Mostek.

10th Anniversary Issue of "Blue Chip News".new.gif (111 bytes)

15th Anniversary Issue of "Blue Chip News".

Dallas Semiconductor Corporation Announces Death of C. V. Prothro, Chairman Of The Board, President and CEO

Miscellaneous history bytes found on the internet... until I get something better.

1969 -- Mostek founded as a spin-off of Texas Instruments.

1969 -- Busicom (Japan) asks Intel (USA) and Mostek (USA) to develop ICs for an electronic calculator. Intel completes the task with a single microprocessor chip, the 4004, which is used by Busicom for a desktop electronic calculator. Intel eventually buys back the rights to the 4004 for use in other devices. The modern-day Pentium IC links back to this early calculator chip. Mostek develops a complete "calculator-on-a-chip" which is used in Busicom's first handheld model, the Handy LE-120. Sold in 1971, it is the world's smallest handheld calculator for at least a year.

Merged with United Technologies in 1979.

Mostek:

  • Spin-off from TI. A hot semiconductor fab company in 70's.
  • Lost out during late 70's slump. -- United Technologies invested $600M to no avail.
  • '85: Thomson buys Mostek for $71M and fires 80% of workers.
  • '86: Thomson semicon merges with Italy's SGS
  • Dusted off old DRAM patents and went after infringers.
  • 87-93: Thomsom earned $450M from patents alone.

 

MostekLives!
Mary.Hall@pobox.com - Last updated February 17, 2007