IBM POWER6 microprocessors arrive-- IBM Test Manufacturing Technician B.J. Barrett tests POWER6 microprocessors at the company's Burlington, Vermont facility. IBM today launched its first POWER6-based systems that set new benchmarks for speed, energy efficiency and virtualization capabilities.

IBM's mask technology center in Burlington, Vermont, develops and manufactures all the masks for the company's 300-millimeter and 200- millimeter wafer fabricators. Masks are used to "print" chip circuitry on wafers in a process similar to photography.

IBM technicians Duke Alexander, Kingston, NY, and Samantha Sillik, Port Ewen, NY, perform final test and inspections on an IBM System p575 supercomputer at IBM's Poughkeepsie manufacturing site. The p575 will be used by the Beijing Meteorological Bureau to provide official weather forecasts during the 2008 summer Olympics.

"Gameframe." IBM engineer Tami Vogel inspects the Cell Broadband Engine(tm) under a powerful optical microscope while technician Jim Never prepares to view the IBM mainframe's multi-chip module. IBM announced a project to integrate the Cell Broadband Engine -- which powers the Sony PLAYSTATION(r)3 -- and the mainframe to create a super-powerful system capable of running massive, incredibly-realistic online games and virtual worlds.