The inside story of the multibillion-dollar quest to make faster, cheaper gadgets

"Moore's Law, which was conceived by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore in 1965 and turns 50 on Sunday, remains one of the most accurate predictors of future technology. It's set the breakneck pace that all electronics moves along today, goading chip companies to make sure they can keep up. Semiconductor makers are sinking billions of dollars into research and manufacturing each year just to stay in the race. In 1966, a new chip plant cost $14 million. In 1995, the price tag was $1.5 billion. Today, it can cost as much as $10 billion -- roughly the annual gross domestic product of Mongolia."