At long last, the Cyrix name is back in the limelight as VIA Technologies unveiled Joshua, officially known as the 'Cyrix-III'. Based on the once-stalled Cayenne processor core, the Socket370-compatible Cyrix-III will try to push its way into the Celeron market.

Also reviving the Cyrix 'PR' (Performance Rating) system, VIA wants to sell the idea that the Cyrix-III PR-500 (at 400MHz) is a match for the 500MHz Celeron. No official benchmarks are available yet, as volume shipments are not expected until April 2000. To try to avoid confusion, The CPU Scorecard will group these processors according to their more commonly used PR ratings.

Meanwhile, amid rumours that this may be the last Socket-7 CPU ever, AMD released its fastest K6-2 at 550MHz (that's real clockspeed). Check out where it clocks in.

After announcing his intention to spin off their CPU division, VIA C.E.O. Wen Chi Chen is now on damage control duty, as Cyrix engineers take a hike in protest.

Now to be based on Centaur Technologies' WinChip4 core, VIA's "new" Cyrix-III will finally  run at its rated clock speed, rather than the nebulous 'Pentium-Rating' (PR) system. Go here to find out why the switch.

Goodbye and good riddance to 'PR'. Just when will we see some actual chips, though?

VIA paid Intel an unspecified lump sum to have them drop their chip set lawsuit. It all started last fall when VIA started shipping Celeron- and Pentium-compatible chip sets that used faster PC133 SDRAM. Intel had poo-pooed PC133 in favour of its darling Rambus memory, and brought the suit against VIA only when it became evident that computer makers were reluctant to adopt Intel-RDRAM chip sets, preferring VIA's cheaper SDRAM solutions.

VIA's chip set success must have them swimming in extra cash, which Intel needs right now to help cover its MTH recall. The settlement should be good for VIA too, hopefully allowing them to forge into compatible DDR-SDRAM chip sets without Intel's encumbrance.

With sketchy details on specifications and availability, VIA launched its series of also-ran mobile CPU's with 'LongHaul' (can anyone say 'LongRun lawsuit'?) voltage- and speed-stepping technology. So far, just another ho-hum addition to a ho-hum processor line.

With two new Cyrix-III chips officially running on a 133MHz bus at clock speeds of 650- and 667MHz, VIA struggles to maintain its grip on the coattails of AMD and Intel. At least they have finally published some benchmarks showing just how--almost--near they are to achieving the performance of  a Celeron.

Reportedly beating both Intel and AMD out of the 0.13-micron gate, VIA announces working Cyrix-III chips based on this smaller trace design. Intel and AMD are still both hotly plodding along at only 0.18-microns.

Still not apparent when these cooler, faster Cyrix-III's will be available. Or is VIA just jealous they don't have a Cyrix-IV of their own to announce, even on paper?