Microprocessor trends: It's time to double up

What are multicore devices?
A microprocessor that combines two or more independent processors into a single package or IC. Multicore chips allow for greater increases in computing power as compared to a single CPU continually made to run faster. In general, multicore microprocessors allow a computing device to exhibit some form of thread-level parallelism (TLP) without including multiple microprocessors in separate physical packages. This form of TLP is often known as chip-level multiprocessing.

What is a core?
A core usually refers to a reusable block of semiconductor intellectual property. It may also be called semiconductor IP (SIP) or IP core.