AMD to launch eight new consumer-oriented processors

AMD to launch eight new consumer-oriented processors

Chip designer Advanced Micro Devices is announcing eight new additions to its consumer-focused Athlon II desktop microprocessors today.

The new desktop chips include chips with two, three and four computing brains on a single chip. They’re targeted at mainstream computer users looking for bargains on new… Continue Reading

Graphics chip rivals race to deliver next-generation chips

Graphics chip rivals race to deliver next-generation chips

The next-generation of graphics chips is due to arrive in PCs sometime this year. Both Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices are  expected to deliver these chips for the personal computer market this year, but no one knows exactly when.

This change is so important that, depending… Continue Reading

Roundup: Facebook snares more funding? Craigslist wins injunction, eBay beats L’Oreal

Roundup: Facebook snares more funding? Craigslist wins injunction, eBay beats L’Oreal

Here’s the latest action:

From Russia With Love
– Digital Sky Technologies, a Russian investor, is offering to put more money into Facebook, raising its valuation to $10 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal. [We've since confirmed.]

Court backs Craigslist in South Carolina injunction — A federal judge… Continue Reading

Craig Barrett bows out with wisecracks at his last Intel annual meeting

Craig Barrett bows out with wisecracks at his last Intel annual meeting


Bringing an era in Intel history and a storied career in the chip industry to a close, Craig Barrett (above) retired as chairman of Intel today at the company’s annual meeting in Santa Clara, Calif.

The 69-year-old spent 35 years at the company and rose in… Continue Reading

Intel’s chief executive speaks out against $1.45 billion fine for antitrust violations

Intel’s chief executive speaks out against $1.45 billion fine for antitrust violations

In a sign that Intel’s regulatory troubles are just beginning, the European Commission slapped Intel with a record antitrust fine of $1.45 billion today for allegedly abusing its monopoly power in competition with Advanced Micro Devices .

The EU specifically said that Intel gave hidden rebates… Continue Reading

Reversing a five-quarter trend, AMD regains market share against Intel

Reversing a five-quarter trend, AMD regains market share against Intel

Changes in quarterly market share for PC microprocessors don’t usually raise our eyebrows. But the first quarter results from market researcher IDC are interesting because Advanced Micro Devices has finally reversed five quarters worth of market share losses to Intel .

While the market share change… Continue Reading

AMD shuffles executives as it combines graphics and microprocessors

AMD shuffles executives as it combines graphics and microprocessors

Some members of Advanced Micro Devices‘ management team just got Fusioned. Fusion is the brand name for the company’s plans to put graphics and a microprocessor on the same chip. The day that happens is still quite far off, but today the chip design company… Continue Reading

Graphics chips make a comeback in first quarter sales

Graphics chips make a comeback in first quarter sales

In a sign that the recession in the PC market may be subsiding, graphics chip sales bounced back somewhat in the first quarter.

Graphics chip sales were up 3.3 percent in the first quarter from fourth-quarter levels.

Graphics chips are one leading indicator of PC sales, since… Continue Reading

Chip wars: EU expected to levy antitrust fine against Intel

Chip wars: EU expected to levy antitrust fine against Intel

The computer industry’s chip giants keep fighting each other, and the latest blow appears to be coming soon in Europe.

The European Union is on the verge of fining Intel for anticompetitive behavior in competition with its chief rival Advanced Micro Devices. Action is imminent, although… Continue Reading

AMD puts pressure on Intel with new generation of server chips

AMD puts pressure on Intel with new generation of server chips

Advanced Micro Devices said today it has a new six-core server microprocessor debuting months ahead of schedule and it will have new server processors with as many as 16 cores coming in the next couple of years.

The product introductions show AMD is serious about keeping… Continue Reading

AMD reports wider loss in first quarter, lacks Intel’s bullishness

AMD reports wider loss in first quarter, lacks Intel’s bullishness

While Intel said last week that the recession was bottoming out, Advanced Micro Devices continued to have problems in its first quarter.

The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based chip maker said it lost $416 million, or 66 cents a share, compared to a loss of $364 million, or 60… Continue Reading

Intel results show PC industry hit bottom in the first quarter

Intel results show PC industry hit bottom in the first quarter

Intel, a bellwether for the bleak first quarter earnings season and the whole tech industry, may have just thrown a life jacket to sinking tech stocks.

The world’s biggest chip maker reported that its first-quarter net income fell 55 percent from the first quarter a year… Continue Reading

Intel launches Nehalem server chips to improve data center efficiency

Intel launches Nehalem server chips to improve data center efficiency

Intel introduced its Xeon 5500 Series family of server chips today — chips it hopes will be the standard for data centers of the future.

The chips (formerly code-named Nehalem) are the server variant of the Core i7 microprocessor that Intel introduced in November. They include… Continue Reading

Intel’s Larrabee graphics processor draws a crowd at Game Developers Conference

Intel’s Larrabee graphics processor draws a crowd at Game Developers Conference

Intel will be launching its Larrabee chip next year — a chip that will live or die depending on how popular it is with game developers.  Which is why it saw some serious discussion at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco today.

Mike Abrash, founder… Continue Reading

Intel alleges AMD breached its cross-licensing pact

Intel alleges AMD breached its cross-licensing pact

The chip giants look like they’re heading toward a hot war. Intel said that Advanced Micro Devices has breached a licensing pact that has been in place since 2001.

AMD said in a document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission that Intel sent a letter… Continue Reading

How ugly can the chip business get?

How ugly can the chip business get?

The semiconductor industry has been through so many ups and downs over the course of more than 60 years. If anyone should know how to get through the turmoil, it’s the chip makers who have become the elder statesmen of Silicon Valley.

But the greatest recession… Continue Reading

AMD divides itself in two, hoping to gang up on Intel

AMD divides itself in two, hoping to gang up on Intel

After a couple of years of preparation, Advanced Micro Devices is finally going to split itself in two today in the belief that competing with Intel is easier done with two heads instead of one.

Sunnyvale, Calif.-based AMD will retain 11,000 employees focused on the design… Continue Reading

GamesBeat 09: More great speakers lined up

GamesBeat 09: More great speakers lined up

As the March 24 GamesBeat 2009 games conference draws near, we’re unveiling a new list of speakers. We’re proud to say that some of the biggest names in the gaming world are joining us for the program. Tickets are still available.

Chris Taylor (right), founder of Gas… Continue Reading

Gentlemen, start your next-generation game console rumors

Gentlemen, start your next-generation game console rumors

The video game console wars have been kind of boring lately, with no hot rumors to talk about. But Charlie Demerjian of the Inquirer tech news site has kicked off a new round of chatter about which chips are going to be in the PlayStation… Continue Reading

AMD launches new Phenom II processors: Take that, Intel

AMD launches new Phenom II processors: Take that, Intel

Intel hasn’t yet responded to the last salvo Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) sent its way, but AMD is already back to take another whack at the world’s biggest chip maker.

A month after it launched its last round of consumer desktop microprocessors, AMD is launching five… Continue Reading