SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                       WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                              FORM 8-K
                           CURRENT REPORT


               Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                  Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                               July 25, 1999
                     ---------------------------------
                     (Date of earliest event reported)


                             Unitrode Corporation
           ------------------------------------------------------
           (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


  Maryland                 1-5609                  04-2271186
----------------     -----------------------    ------------------
 (State or other     (Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer
 Jurisdiction of                                Identification No.)
 Incorporation)



           Seven Continental Boulevard, Merrimack, NH 30354-4334
           -----------------------------------------------------
            (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)


                               (603) 424-2410
            ---------------------------------------------------
            (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)


                                    N/A
       -------------------------------------------------------------
       (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)


 ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS.

           Unitrode Corporation, a Maryland corporation (the "Company"),
 Texas Instruments Incorporated, a Delaware corporation ("Parent"), and
 Unicorn Acquisition Corporation, a Maryland corporation and a wholly owned
 subsidiary of Parent ("Merger Sub"), entered into an Agreement and Plan of
 Merger, dated as of July 25, 1999 (the "Merger Agreement"), pursuant to
 which, and subject to the conditions thereof, the Company will become a
 wholly owned subsidiary of Parent through the merger of Merger Sub with
 and into the Company.

           In connection with the Merger Agreement, the Company and Parent
 entered into a Stock Option Agreement, dated as of July 25, 1999 (the
 "Stock Option Agreement"), pursuant to which Parent has the right, under
 certain circumstances, to purchase up to 6,470,760 shares of the Company's
 common stock, par value $0.01 per share, at an exercise price of $38.60.
 Copies of the Merger Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement are attached
 hereto as Exhibit 2.1 and Exhibit 4.1, respectively. Such Exhibits are
 incorporated by reference into this Item 5 and the foregoing description
 is qualified in its entirety by reference to such Exhibits.

 ITEM 7.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

 (c)       Exhibits.

 Exhibit No.    Description
 -----------    -----------

      2.1       Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 25, 1999,
                among Unitrode Corporation, a Maryland corporation, Texas
                Instruments Incorporated, a Delaware corporation, and
                Unicorn Acquisition Corporation, a Maryland corporation and
                wholly owned subsidiary of Texas Instruments Incorporated.

      4.1       Stock Option Agreement, dated as of July 25, 1999, between
                Texas Instruments Incorporated, a Delaware corporation and
                Unitrode Corporation, a Maryland corporation.

      99.1      Press release dated July 26, 1999.



                                 SIGNATURE




           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its
 behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                    UNITRODE CORPORATION


                               By:   /s/ Allan R. Campbell
                                   ------------------------------
                                   Name:  Allan R. Campbell
                                   Title: Senior V.P, General
                                          Counsel and Secretary



 Date:  July 27, 1999


                               EXHIBIT INDEX

 Exhibit No.    Description
 -----------    -----------

      2.1       Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 25, 1999,
                among Unitrode Corporation, a Maryland corporation, Texas
                Instruments Incorporated, a Delaware corporation, and
                Unicorn Acquisition Corporation, a Maryland corporation and
                wholly owned subsidiary of Texas Instruments Incorporated.

      4.1       Stock Option Agreement, dated as of July 25, 1999, between
                Texas Instruments Incorporated, a Delaware corporation and
                Unitrode Corporation, a Maryland corporation.

      99.1      Press release dated July 26, 1999.
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "UNITRODE CORP", "cik": "0000101911", "assigned-sic": "3674", "irs-number": "042271186", "state-of-incorporation": "MD", "fiscal-year-end": "0131"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-05609", "film-number": "99671189"}, "business-address": {"street1": "7 CONTINENTAL BLVD", "city": "MERRIMACK", "state": "NH", "zip": "03054", "phone": "6034242410"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "7 CONTINENTAL BLVD", "city": "MERRIMACK", "state": "NH", "zip": "03054"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                       WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                              FORM 8-K
                           CURRENT REPORT

               Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                  Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                               July 25, 1999
                     ---------------------------------
                     (Date of earliest event reported)

                             Unitrode Corporation
           ------------------------------------------------------
           (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

  Maryland                 1-5609                  04-2271186
----------------     -----------------------    ------------------
 (State or other     (Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer
 Jurisdiction of                                Identification No.)
 Incorporation)

           Seven Continental Boulevard, Merrimack, NH 30354-4334
           -----------------------------------------------------
            (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

                               (603) 424-2410
            ---------------------------------------------------
            (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                                    N/A
       -------------------------------------------------------------
       (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS.

           Unitrode Corporation, a Maryland corporation (the "Company"),
 Texas Instruments Incorporated, a Delaware corporation ("Parent"), and
 Unicorn Acquisition Corporation, a Maryland corporation and a wholly owned
 subsidiary of Parent ("Merger Sub"), entered into an Agreement and Plan of
 Merger, dated as of July 25, 1999 (the "Merger Agreement"), pursuant to
 which, and subject to the conditions thereof, the Company will become a
 wholly owned subsidiary of Parent through the merger of Merger Sub with
 and into the Company.

           In connection with the Merger Agreement, the Company and Parent
 entered into a Stock Option Agreement, dated as of July 25, 1999 (the
 "Stock Option Agreement"), pursuant to which Parent has the right, under
 certain circumstances, to purchase up to 6,470,760 shares of the Company's
 common stock, par value $0.01 per share, at an exercise price of $38.60.
 Copies of the Merger Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement are attached
 hereto as Exhibit 2.1 and Exhibit 4.1, respectively. Such Exhibits are
 incorporated by reference into this Item 5 and the foregoing description
 is qualified in its entirety by reference to such Exhibits.

 ITEM 7.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

 (c)       Exhibits.

 Exhibit No.    Description
 -----------    -----------

      2.1       Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 25, 1999,
                among Unitrode Corporation, a Maryland corporation, Texas
                Instruments Incorporated, a Delaware corporation, and
                Unicorn Acquisition Corporation, a Maryland corporation and
                wholly owned subsidiary of Texas Instruments Incorporated.

      4.1       Stock Option Agreement, dated as of July 25, 1999, between
                Texas Instruments Incorporated, a Delaware corporation and
                Unitrode Corporation, a Maryland corporation.

      99.1      Press release dated July 26, 1999.

                                 SIGNATURE

           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its
 behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                    UNITRODE CORPORATION

                               By:   /s/ Allan R. Campbell
                                   ------------------------------
                                   Name:  Allan R. Campbell
                                   Title: Senior V.P, General
                                          Counsel and Secretary

 Date:  July 27, 1999

                               EXHIBIT INDEX

 Exhibit No.    Description
 -----------    -----------

      2.1       Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 25, 1999,
                among Unitrode Corporation, a Maryland corporation, Texas
                Instruments Incorporated, a Delaware corporation, and
                Unicorn Acquisition Corporation, a Maryland corporation and
                wholly owned subsidiary of Texas Instruments Incorporated.

      4.1       Stock Option Agreement, dated as of July 25, 1999, between
                Texas Instruments Incorporated, a Delaware corporation and
                Unitrode Corporation, a Maryland corporation.

      99.1      Press release dated July 26, 1999.