Spun out from Philips Electronics in 2007, Silicon Hive specializes in paralell processing designs that can be built into the system-on-chip products at the heart of multimedia-friendly consumer electronics devices.

FORBES: Intel Snaps Up Mobile Multimedia Specialist Silicon Hive

Diamond Multimedia, a consumer-electronics firm, has already announced plans to build tablet-like web-browsing devices using Crusoe chips.

ECONOMIST: Transmetamorphosis

In Paris, the blue-chip CAC 40 shed almost 4 percent, or 189.94 points, to a 17-month low of 4, 824.82, led by consumer electronics maker Thomson Multimedia ( PTMM) and insurer AXA ( PAXA).

CNN: European markets routed