But the problems are exacerbated in the multi-storey chips which IBM, as well as others, believe offer "one of the most promising approaches" for building future processors.

BBC: IBM aims to cool chips with water

Technologies including multi-core processor chips, more efficient power supplies and smart cooling systems are already available.

ECONOMIST: Computers and the environment

It has a fast multi-core processor, separate chips for graphics and sound, and a hard drive.

NPR: The Game Is On: PlayStation 3 Vs. Wii

Intel already sells chips capable of simultaneous multi-threading, and Sun's UltraSparc IV chip, launched in February, incorporates both multiple cores and multi-threading.

ECONOMIST: REPORTS

While competing solutions require either two sensors or multiple chips to support pen and multi-touch, N-trig is the first company to offer both on a single chip and a single sensor, providing device manufacturers with a compact, low-power solution and paving the way for N-trig to enter the handheld market.

ENGADGET: N-Trig pen tech whittled down to single DuoSense chips and sensors, shrinks scribblings to travel size

Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNPS), a global leader providing software, IP and services used to accelerate innovation in chips and electronic systems, today announced that its multi-year collaboration with Samsung on FinFET technology has achieved a critical milestone: the successful tapeout of the first test chip on Samsung's 14LPE process.

ENGADGET: Samsung reveals its first 14nm FinFET test chip, should offer substantial power improvements in future silicon

In the early 1980s, the rising cost of fabs created a new kind of company that designed chips but did not want to be in the business of running multi-billion-dollar fabs themselves.

ECONOMIST: Semiconductors