Editing Quantum Effect Devices (section)

===Business===
The original product plan for QED was to build a MIPS microprocessor for a laptop computer. This was during the [[Advanced Computing Environment|ACE]] initiative from [[Microsoft]] to support multiple [[RISC]] architectures for their new [[Windows NT]] operating system. System companies like [[DeskStation Technology]] and board companies like [[ShaBLAMM! Computer]] were building products in the hope that RISC-based [[personal computer]]s would become mainstream. While that market never materialized, the first product, the [[R4600]] "Orion" microprocessor, proved to be successful in several embedded markets such as networking routers and arcade games. Subsequent projects were designed for companies such as [[Toshiba]] and [[Integrated Device Technology|IDT]] ([[R4700]]), IDT & [[JFE Holdings|NKK]] ([[R4650]]), [[Silicon Graphics|SGI]] and [[NEC Corporation|NEC]] ([[R5000]]).

The PowerPC 603q was a [[PowerPC]] microprocessor designed for [[Motorola]], meant for [[Apple Computer]]'s home PC and game machine designs. Neither of these designs were productized, so the PowerPC 603q never reached full production.

Several years later, in an attempt to increase product revenue, the company transformed itself to a product company selling its own line of MIPS microprocessors. At that time, the company changed its name to Quantum Effect Devices. After successful products introductions like the [[RM5200]] and the RM7000, under its own "RISCMark" label, the company had its [[Initial public offering|IPO]] on 1 February 2000. The initial stock price of $16 jumped to $56.50 on the first day of trading.<ref name=twsNovZa14>{{cite news
 |title= 3 Technology Issues Surge on Debut Day
 |publisher= The New York Times: Business Day
 |quote= Quantum Effect Devices, a company that develops embedded microprocessors for routers, network computers, set-top boxes and other equipment, closed at $56.50, compared with an offering price of $16.
 |date= February 2, 2000
 |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/02/business/3-technology-issues-surge-on-debut-day.html?ref=sequenom-inc
 |access-date= 2010-11-27
}}</ref> The company was acquired by [[PMC-Sierra]] in October 2000; at the time, Quantum Effect Devices was valued in a stock swap worth $2.3 billion according to one estimate.<ref name=twsNovZa13>{{cite news
 |title= COMPANY NEWS; PMC-SIERRA TO ACQUIRE QUANTUM FOR $2.3 BILLION
 |publisher= The New York Times: Business Day
 |quote= The chip maker PMC-Sierra Inc. said yesterday that it would buy Quantum Effect Devices Inc., a maker of microprocessors used in consumer electronics, in a stock swap worth $2.3 billion based on Tuesday's closing prices ... The deal will give PMC a strong presence in the design of high-speed networks and adds a missing component to its product line
 |date= July 13, 2000
 |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2000/07/13/business/company-news-pmc-sierra-to-acquire-quantum-for-2.3-billion.html?ref=pmcsierra_inc
 |access-date= 2010-11-27
}}</ref> The company became the Microprocessor Products Division of PMC. The acquisition was done by stock exchange and was valued at $2.3 billion. The team completed the RM9x00 product line while at PMC, but that product line was not successful in the marketplace. Most of the microprocessor core development team derived from QED was laid off as a group by PMC-Sierra in June 2005; the last few were laid off in January 2006.

The company name was attributed to Tom Riordan. He believed that the company would survive to the age when semiconductor geometry dimensions would become so small that quantum effects would dominate circuit behavior.