Rambus Inc. has licensed its memory boosting technology to Sony and Toshiba, which plan to use it in unspecified new products that are due out in three years" time. The shares of both companies jumped 17 percent on speculation that Rambus" technology will be used in combination with Cell, a new microprocessor that Sony, Toshiba, and IBM have planned for Sony"s PlayStation 3.
Analysts confirm the timeline coincides with plans of the aforementioned companies; the PlayStation 3 is due out in 2005. The PlayStation 2 also features Rambus technology.
Rambus will receive royalty payments. The license is non-exclusive, which means both Microsoft and Nintendo could use the technology for their respective new consoles.