Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Of or pertaining to a company that does not make its own silicon wafers and primarily concerns itself with research and design.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

fabrication and -less.

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Examples

  • This is a tough business, the so-called fabless chipmaking for analog ICs, which allows optimizing of such settings as brightness and power efficiency they are distinct from digital microprocessors which handle on/off commands.

    'White-Haired Devil' Joyce Huang 2010

  • This is a tough business, the so-called fabless chipmaking for analog ICs, which allows optimizing of such settings as brightness and power efficiency they are distinct from digital microprocessors which handle on/off commands.

    'White-Haired Devil' Joyce Huang 2010

  • It will operate a so-called fabless venture, relying on other companies to manufacture the microchips it designs.

    Ericsson, ST in Chip-Design Deal 2008

  • Telegent designs and markets its chips but is a so-called fabless semiconductor maker, or one that doesn't have its own manufacturing facility to fabricate chips.

    Home:blogs 2009

  • It is the world's largest "fabless" chip maker, meaning it designs its chips but outsources their manufacturing to others.

    Qualcomm In India 2010

  • It is the world's largest "fabless" chip maker, meaning it designs its chips but outsources their manufacturing to others.

    Qualcomm Takes on India 2010

  • A "fabless" company, it designs chips for its customers yet outsources the manufacturing.

    Marvell Technology's Mobile Connector 2010

  • A "fabless" company, it designs chips for its customers yet outsources the manufacturing.

    Marvell Technology's Mobile Connector 2010

  • It is the world's largest "fabless" chip maker, meaning it designs its chips but outsources their manufacturing to others.

    Qualcomm Takes on India 2010

  • TSMC created two new models for technology: independent chip makers and "fabless" design houses, each of which could better withstand the brutal cycles of the industry.

    Stumbling Toward Innovation 2007

Comments

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  • Of a semiconductor design business: doing only the design, and lacking the industrial facilities ('fabs') to fabricate the product. See more at Quinion.

    May 13, 2009

  • Ohhhh! I love this word! I'm going to use it to describe anything and everything that isn't fabulous!

    May 13, 2009