Alpha Processors aims to bring out a 1-GHz chip in 1999, possibly becoming the first chip manufacturer to reach this lofty goal, while Compaq announced price cuts on Alpha-based computers.

Sometime next year, Alpha Processors Incorporated is planning to deliver an EV68 Alpha chip that could reach a speed of 1,000 MHz, or 1 GHz, said Dr. Daeji Chen, the company's chairman and CEO. Alpha chips currently run as fast as 600 MHz. They also employ a 64-bit architecture. Intel's first 64-bit processor, Merced, was recently delayed to 2000.

API simultaneously expects to move to a copper production process, echoing similar plans by IBM and Advanced Micro Devices. Copper-based circuits are expected to yield chips that run much faster than the aluminum chips of today. Chen further anticipates the emergence of workstation computers, from Compaq and others, that are compatible with both Alpha processors and AMD's next-generation K7 processors, also due in 1999. Many of the components, such as circuit boards and ancillary chips, will be common to both the Alpha and K7, he said.

Separately, Microsoft is currently developing "NT 64" on the Alpha processor, according to Chen. NT 64 is the full- fledged 64-bit version of the Windows NT operating system due out after NT 5.0 ships. Chen also claims that Alpha will have the ability to deal with 64-bit technology on Windows NT 5.0, even though this will be a 32-bit operating system.