OPINION

080 BOOKS ARIK HESSELDAHL

The Brain of a New Machine

Sony's PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360 raced to get a "supercomputer on a chip." Somehow, both lost

In 2003 the electronic industry's chattering classes began buzzing push exhausted and demoralized engi-
about a forthcoming superchip, one so powerful that video games using neers who are pulling 80-hour weeks.
The authors see their experiences
it would have near - cinematic clarity and run far faster than any other as providing management lessons. In
piece of silicon made by Intel, Advanced Micro Devices, or anyone else. a chapter called "Building a Team for
Success," Shippy describes his hiring
Its backers raved about what they termed a "supercomputer on a chip."
choices—favoring engineers who are
The rumors were true. Unveiled in technical point is illustrated by evoking skilled, with a sense of fun. Another
2005, the Cell processor—a joint proj - the cartoon character Wile E. Coyote. chapter is "Be Proactive, Anticipate
ect of Sony, Toshiba, and IBM begun Most of the time this approach serves Problems." Yet here, Shippy doesn't
in 20 0 0—held undisputed claim to the the general reader well. follow his own advice: The chapter
silicon equivalent of the land speed The subtitle, Creating the Chips In- focuses on solving complex engineer-
record for a few years. Nevertheless, side the Xbox 360 and the ing bugs that no one
neither the chip nor the PlayStation 3 PlayStation 3, foreshad- foresees, while trying to
video-game system for which it was ows a major turning point appease grumpy senior
designed has lived up to expectations. in the plot. In the first executives.
The Race for a New Game Machine half, Shippy and his team By the end, the rules
by David Shippy and Mickie Phipps focus almost entirely on of what can be accom-
provides the at times absorbing, inside meeting Sony's Christmas plished by a square of
story of the arduous process of creating 2005 delivery date for the silicon no bigger than a
the chip. Shippy was IBM's chief archi- PS3. But in late 2002, IBM quarter are permanently
tect and technical lead on the PowerPC executives cut a deal with changed. But nothing
core, a key section of the chip. Phipps Sony's primary gaming ri- goes as planned. While
was a project manager who worked val, Microsoft, to design a the Cell chip shattered
with Shippy at IBM's Austin (Tex.) re- chip for the Xbox 360— many barriers, it worked
search lab before leaving IBM to pursue with some of the same little magic for Sony,
a writing career. attributes as the one going previously king of
Be warned: At times the authors into the PlayStation 3. This is some- The Race for a New video games. The
wander into complex technical terri- thing like arranging to supply a secret Game Machine: PS3 was launched
tory that's necessary to advance the drink ingredient to Coke and Pepsi at Creating the Chips
a year late, a fact
the same time, with only one of those Inside the Xbox 360
narrative. Chips are manufactured in & the PlayStation 3 for which Sony
Space Age sterile environments, but the rivals aware of both deals. But IBM was by David Shippy and IBM share the
design process is as cumbersome as any aggressively pursuing new business, and Mickie Phipps; blame. Today, the
large construction project. Inevitably and nothing in the Sony-Toshiba-IBM Citadel Press; Sony machine is
agreement prohibited this deal. 240 pp.; $21.95
there are heated clashes involving egos only the third-
and corporate politics. The authors Already facing a tight schedule, most-popular gaming console, behind
do their best to describe the tensions,
Shippy and his team of IBM engineers the Xbox 360 and the business leader,
simplifying the arcane through the deft
must cope not only with additional the Nintendo Wii—both of which have
use of easy-to-understand metaphors.
work but with the burden of hiding the very popular applications. The Nin-
One aspect of chip design is compared
Microsoft deal from their Sony and tendo device—which, oddly enough,
to "calling ahead to have alimo at the
Toshiba "partners." It doesn't take long has yet another IBM chip bearing
door waiting for you," while another
for the Japanese to figure out what's Shippy's fingerprints—last year outsold
going on. The main the PS3 nearly 3 to 1 in the U.S.
result: a nagging sense In their epilogue, Shippy and Phipps
The Cell processor was an astounding of guilt for Shippy, offer a shout of victory that rings hol-
technical accomplishment, so why is the along with a madden- low. The authors all but ignore the fact
ing struggle to please that PS3 hasn't been much of a success,
Wii now vastly outselling PlayStation 3? two masters at once. leaving the reader to wonder how Sony
All the while, he has to went wrong, IBWI

BUSINESSWEEK I FEBRUARY 23, 2009