This is MChip news release that I think answers both questions:

"The PIC16/17 8-bit RISC microcontroller family features a high performance
Harvard architecture, low cost, low power and
smallest package size, providing the best price-performance ratios in the
industry. To date, more than 300 million PIC16/17
microcontrollers have been shipped for high-volume embedded control
applications in the automotive, consumer,
communications, industrial control and office automation markets. In the
most recent Dataquest reports, Microchip ranked
number five in worldwide shipments of 8-bit microcontroller units.

Available in 8-pin PDIP, SOIC and ceramic window packages, pricing in
5,000-unit quantities is $1.88 each for the
PIC12C671 (PDIP, commercial temperature version). Product samples and
volume shipments are planned for the second
quarter of 1997. Contact any Microchip sales representative or authorized
worldwide distributor for more information.


Ben

At 04:15 PM 7/17/97 +301000, you wrote:
>Bob Lunn
>07/17/97 04:15 PM
>
>
>The price list recently posted here by Microchip shows the
>12C671 as available, the one-off price being US$2.63.
>
>I don't know what availability is like.  But I do think the
>product is released now.
>
>___Bob
>
Ben Wirz                For PIC microcontroller development systems, Serial
mailto:ben@wirz.com     LCD Interface(SLI), as well as motor drivers,
Wirz Electronics        Polaroid sonar units, and more hobbyist robotic
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