Carbon Design Systems announced the availability of virtual models for ARM Mali Graphic Processor Units (GPUs). These new models, including the Mali-200 and Mali-400MP, are compiled directly from the ARM register transfer level (RTL) code and are 100% implementation accurate.

The Open SystemC Initiative (OSCI) has released the SystemC Analog/Mixed-signal (AMS) extensions language standard, AMS 1.0. The AMS 1.0 standard is the first modeling language targeting system-level design and verification to describe analog/mixed-signal behavior as natural extension to existing SystemC-based design methodologies.

Forte Design Systems, announced it is shipping the latest version of CellMath Designer datapath synthesis and Cellmath IP software. The CellMath family allows register transfer level (RTL) designers to reduce area, improve performance and lower power consumption for their existing datapath-intensive design blocks.

Real Intent Inc. announced that it is shipping Meridian Clock Domain Crossing (CDC) verification software Version 3.0. The company believes that Meridian CDC is the most precise and comprehensive CDC solution in the market today. It employs a multi-strategy analysis approach including Automatic Clock Intent Analysis, Formal Analysis, Hierarchical Analysis, and Dynamic Analysis (SimPortal).

AgO Inc. has introduced AnXplorer -- a new tool for optimizing analog and RF circuits. Starting with an unsized SPICE netlist, variables for device dimensions and a set of design objectives and constraints, AnXplorer optimizes device sizes by rigorously exploring the design space. By centering the design across all specified, process, temperature and voltage corners, AnXplorer achieves a robust design thereby enhancing the yield and improving the probability of first time silicon success.

Jay Vleeschhouwer authors a weekly research paper on the software industry. This week he covered both Cadence and Magma among other companies that do not serve the EDA industry. Some of the remarks about Cadence will sound familiar to those who either attended the EDAC CEO Panel, or Lip-Bu Tan's keynote speech at DVCon.

Synopsys, Inc. has announced new capabilities in its System Studio C/C++ model-based analysis and simulation environment, further enhancing algorithm developer efficiency. System Studio now offers matrix and vector data-type support, which reduces the coding and debugging effort necessary to author signal processing simulation models. Furthermore, System Studio addresses the need for faster simulation runs by integrating highly efficient parallelized matrix and vector function libraries optimized for multicore systems. Synopsys believes that these function libraries speed up simulation performance by up to eight times (8x).

MUSIC provides an open forum for users to gain expertise using Magma's chip design software, and to exchange ideas about and solutions for the challenges of analog and integrated circuit and system-on-chip (SoC) designs.

Over the years MUSIC has become a leading venue for Magma users to gather, share and learn best practices and solutions. This year's program covers a range of Magma software capabilities including synthesis, placement and routing, floorplanning, library characterization, verification, circuit simulation and analog design. Users will share useful tips on how to leverage Magma software to improve results, reduce power, minimize costs and increase productivity.

Atego, an independent supplier of modeling and development tools for complex, mission and safety-critical embedded systems and software has acquired Blue River Software GmbH, extending its embedded development software portfolio to now include C++ tools. Atego's acquisition of Blue River closely follows its creation from the recent merger between Artisan Software Tools and Aonix.

Geensoft, a new, independent company focusing on the provision of software design tools and associated professional services for embedded systems development, has been created by a management buy-out (MBO) of the former embedded design tools business of Geensys.