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World Business Quick Take

■ Semiconductors
Low-power chips unveiled
The Intel Corp announced on Tuesday a new process to make chips for cellphones and other mobile devices that use far less power, thus helping extend battery life. The company said the new process, which will run parallel to Intel's current manufacturing process, would produce chips that can reduce power "leakage," or battery life drain, to as little as one-thousandth of current levels. The new process could be used commercially by early 2007, the company said.

■ Electronics
Dell takes on iPod
Dell Inc, the world's largest direct computer seller, on Tuesday launched a new flash-memory digital music player designed to compete with the iPod Shuffle. Dell billed its DJ Ditty as a better value than the Shuffle. Both devices are US$99 and come equipped with 512mb of memory, but because the Ditty uses an audio format that compresses digital music files more efficiently, Dell asserts the Ditty can hold up to 220 songs while the same-sized Shuffle stores about 120. The biggest difference between the devices is the Ditty's 2.5cm LCD display screen, which helps users navigate their music lists.

■ Semiconductors
Infineon to sell chip division
Infineon, Europe's leading semiconductor maker, is to sell off its loss-making memory chips division before the end of the year, the business daily Handelsblatt reported yesterday. A supervisory board meeting on Nov. 17 would give the go-ahead to a spin-off of the division, the newspaper said, quoting sources close to the company. Infineon's new chairman, Wolfgang Ziebart, has been planning the move since he took over, Handelsblatt said.

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