Conexant providing the means to an online Nintendo.
CONEXANT
What’s Conexant about? What is the company’s History?
Conexant became an independent company in January 1999, though was a start-up backed by strong financial support and three-decades worth of experience as one of the leading forces behind today's multibillion-dollar fax, modem and wireless communications marketplace. Conexant came into being when Rockwell International Corp. spun off its Rockwell Semiconductor Systems business to shareowners.
In its 11-year existence, Conexant have become to be known as one of the top ten providers of supplier of semiconductor solutions for the Internet Infrastructure and Personal Networking markets. Conexant has worked to broaden its services, with these efforts result its solutions are found in a wide variety of wireless and wireline voice and data products that power the Internet, cordless and cellular wireless telephony systems, personal imaging communications equipment, and emerging cable and wireless broadband networks.
Conexant employs more than 8,800 people, including approximately 2,900 at its headquarters in Newport Beach, Calif. It has operations all over the world. In September 2000, Conexant has divided its workforce into two divisions, to increase specialized attention to two major segments of the rapidly growing communications semiconductor industry. With annual revenue exceeding $2.1 billion, Conexant’s partnership with Nintendo seems to be only one part of this company’s bright future.
What is Conexant’s Involvement with Nintendo and the GameCube?
Conexant will be providing the Nintendo GameCube with both a 56k modem adaptor and a Broadband adapter to enable players to log on to the Internet to participate on network gaming, among other functions. Both adapters are expected to be released around the launch of the NGC system and will be sold separately.
"Conexant is pleased to be contributing our modem technology to Nintendo's exciting new video game console," said Matt Rhodes, senior vice president and general manager for Conexant's Personal Computing Division. "Conexant helped to re-shape personal computing in the 1990s with our low-cost, dial-up modem technology for Internet access and online connectivity, and now we are helping industry-leading consumer companies like Nintendo do the same for video gaming."
The deal with Conexant, announced in August 2000, is an excellent display of how Nintendo is taking online endeavors seriously for its next-generation consoles.
Genyo Takeda, Nintendo's corporate director and general manager of integrated research and development reaffirms this: "[GameCube] will combine Nintendo's world-class design and beloved franchise characters with the expansion of the world of gaming by an online network."
For more info on these online adaptors and Nintendo’s online plans, consult the Hardware Accessories and Online sections of the FAQ.
