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x86 Weekly News Collected By Robert R. Collins |
Week of December 14, 1998 |
Older News |
December 18, 1998 | ||
AMD powered missile hits Intel quarters in BaghdadDecember 18, 1998 |
The timer chip in Cruise Tomahawk
missiles could have been responsible for one of the
missiles going awry and landing in Iran today, The
Register can reveal. This morning, a Tomahawk missile landed by mistake in southern Iran,although President Katamai (it's true!) has not lodged a formal complaint. After Gulf War I, we put it to a senior executive at AMD that it was the 286 chips in Tomahawks which had caused some of them to not hit their targets. |
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Baghdad's Intel HQ hitDecember 18, 1998 |
Did you know Intel had a Military HQ in
Baghdad? No, nor did we. So we were surprised when we
opened our copy of UK national the Guardian to see the
pictures (below) of the HQ before and after the first US
air strike. The photograph, emanating from the Pentagon, is the first clear proof of the US government's intent to smash the monopoly... |
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Intel, S3 strike 10-year patent dealBy Mark Hachman December 17, 1998 |
S3 Inc. and Intel Corp. signed a
ten-year patent cross-licensing deal that also allows
Intel the option of investing in S3. The broad agreement covers all of the patents owned by S3 and Intel, but specifically excludes S3 from manufacturing an x86-based microprocessor, according to an S3 spokeswoman. In addition, Intel will purchase an undisclosed number of warrants to purchase S3 stock, details of which will be released in a future SEC filing. |
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S3-Intel deal heralds more consolidationBy Michael Kanellos December 18, 1998 |
With S3 teaming up with Intel, life just
got tougher for other graphics chip vendors. The long-predicted consolidation in the crowded graphics field took another big step forward today when S3 said it will make "integrated " chipsets in 1999 that combine 3D capabilities with some of the input-output functions required by Intel's Pentium II processors. There are more than 40 graphics vendors now, "and I certainly would hope that graphics companies recognize that there are way too many of them," said Peter Glaskowsky, graphics vendor at MicroDesign Resources. |
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Intel, S3 shake hands rather than duke it outBy Lisa DiCarlo and John Spooner December 18, 1998 |
Although Intel Corp. and S3 Inc. have
agreed to share their respective architecture and
graphics technology, the cross-licensing agreement
reached Thursday appears to be more about legal issues
than technical innovation. The companies announced they will share intellectual property for 10 years. As part of the agreement, S3 gets a bus license for Intel's "general purpose" processors -- most likely Celeron and StrongARM, although neither company disclosed specifics. S3 will also build integrated processors that can be used in set-top boxes and devices running Windows CE. |
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Today's Related Stories | ||
Intel, S3 sign 10-year licensing pactBy James Niccolai December 18, 1998 |
Intel has signed a 10-year
cross-licensing agreement with graphics chip maker S3
that allows Intel to use S3 technology in future
semiconductor products. The move is the latest by Intel to become more of a player in the graphics chip arena. Earlier this year the company closed a deal to acquire graphics chip maker Chips & Technologies, and took a 20 percent stake in another graphics technology vendor, Lockheed Martin subsidiary Real 3D. |
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S3 gains on pact with IntelBy Eric C. Fleming December 17, 1998 |
Shares of S3 Inc. (Nasdaq:SIII) rose 1
11/16 to 6 23/32 Thursday after the graphics chip maker
entered into a 10-year cross-licensing agreement with
Intel Corp. (Nasdaq: INTC), which also plans to buy
warrants to buy S3 shares for undisclosed terms. S3 may need Intel's help as its market shrinks. Earlier this week, 3Dfx Inc. agreed to merge with STB Systems Inc. |
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Intel, S3 In Cross-licensing PactBy Marcia Savage December 18, 1998 |
Graphics-chip maker S3 announced a deal
with Intel Thursday that includes a broad, 10-year
cross-licensing agreement for all S3 and Intel patents
for development of certain semiconductor products. The arrangement also includes a bus license for current and future Intel processors, and the selection of S3 as a validation, or development partner, with Intel on 4xAGP technology. Specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed. |
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December 17, 1998 | ||
Intel to Buy S3 StakeDecember 17, 1998 |
S3 Inc. here today announced that Intel
Corp. plans to purchase warrants for shares in the
graphics chip supplier, and the two companies have
entered into a 10-year cross licensing agreement. The
terms of the stock acquisition were not disclosed. S3 said the cross licensing agreement covers all semiconductor-related patents, including current and future general-purpose processors, buses and graphics technology. |
See Today's Related Stories |
Katmai NI a dead pigeonBy Mike Magee December 17, 1998 |
In a burst of pre-launch publicity, chip
giant Intel has renamed its Katmai New Instructions set
to the far sexier "Streaming SIMD Extensions". But the company is at pains to point out that the new name is not a trademark, will not be abbreviated to SSE and will not be used in advertising material. According to Intel, Katmai was an internal codename for both SSE (oops) and for the desktop CPU which will be introduced late February. |
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AMD, Intel squabble over KatmaiBy Mike Magee December 17, 1998 |
A table released by AMD claimed that
3DNow beats KNI (Katmai New Instructions) by supporting
functions in existing operating systems, DirectX 6.0 and
current titles. But those claims are disputed by Intel. A representative said: "KNI will run with Windows 98 straight out of the box." He said, however, that Windows 95 will never support the instructions. He said that Microsoft has already released a Windows NT patch to allow it to support Katmai CPUs and that DirectX 6.1, which is currently in gold code, also supports the instructions. |
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Today's Related Stories | ||
Intel in graphics pact with S3 for chipsBy Reuters December 17, 1998 |
Graphics computer chipmaker S3 said
today that it had agreed to a ten-year cross-licensing
pact with Intel that will allow Intel to use S3
technology in future Intel chips. The deal marks the latest advance in Intel's march to incorporate advanced graphics technology into its microprocessors, the chips that form the brains of the vast majority of the world's personal computers. Under terms of the deal, S3 said Intel would purchase warrants to buy S3 shares. It did not disclose the terms of the warrant purchase, or other financial terms of the deal. |
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December 16, 1998 | ||
SIS says near Intel chipset dealBy Reuters December 16, 1998 |
Taiwan's Silicon Integrated Systems said
today that it was close to signing a licensing deal with
giant Intel to make chipsets using Intel's Pentium II
processors. "We have been in talks with Intel about the Pentium II patent for a long time and now are finally close to a deal," an SIS spokeswoman said by telephone. "There are a few details yet to be finalized. But we are very, very close," said the spokeswoman, who asked not to be named. "We could strike a deal any time." |
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K6 faces uncertain futureDecember 16, 1998 |
The end of AMDs K6 chip now looks
even more likely than ever. The rival to Intels throne claims that it sold 11 million members of the K6 chip family in 1998 and says an additional 10 million K6-2 chips will be sold by the middle of the first quarter of 1999. |
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December 15, 1998 | ||
Shortage of 350MHz PIIs spreads to 450MHz partsBy Mike Magee December 15, 1998 |
The shortage of 350MHz Pentium IIs now
appears to have had a knock on effect on higher end
processors, with reports that there is now some
difficulty in sourcing 400MHz and 450MHz parts. But Intel is sticking by its official statement it made three weeks ago, when it stated there were some constraints on 350MHz Pentium IIs. That has caused some distributors and dealers to persuade customers to buy 450MHz PIIs instead. |
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Intel staff start book on proper name of the KatmaiBy Socket Tuomey December 15, 1998 |
Now what is Intel going to call the
Katmai when it's released February end? Sources tell The Register that the former contender, Pentium III, is now out of the picture. Too many characters for the special department at Intel that regulates these things. Someone reckons the family is going to be called the Pentium 2000. Hmm...too close to Microsoft. |
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AMD, Intel locked in bus marketing warBy Mike Magee December 15, 1998 |
Intel is likely to introduce a Celeron
processor with a 100MHz bus next year but will wait until
Katmai is released to differentiate these processors from
its low end chips, it has emerged. But the possibility of a 100MHz Celeron is likely to confuse end users, already bewildered by a plethora of clock speeds, different chip flavours and branding campaigns. Yesterday, AMD claimed it had an edge on Intel's technology because it would have a frontside bus of 200MHz on its forthcoming K7. |
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Intel
to Accelerate Celerons
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Intel is taking new aim atrecapturing
lost market share at the low end of the desktop PC
market, industry sources here said, by accelerating
release dates of its Celeron processor series. And by
mid-1999, Celeron speeds could jump to 433 MHz from
today's 333 MHz. Intel early next month will debut the first Celeron chips in a new 370-pin socket packaging at speeds as high as 366 MHz. A 400-MHz version will follow by March, and an even faster 433 MHz iteration is scheduled for introduction late in the second quarter, sources at Taiwan chip set and motherboard makers said. |
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Intel's Security Plans Worry PC BuildersBy Rick Boyd-Merritt and Mark Carroll December 14, 1998 |
Intel will add new security and software
functions to future chip sets in a move that will boost
the profile of its upcoming Katmai processors as key
silicon for multimedia and e-commerce. But the plan is
raising concerns among software, semiconductor and
systems companies that fear the processor giant could
wind up encroaching on their markets, extending its own
reach deeper into the PC architecture. Intel's plans center around a so-called firmware hub, essentially a flash memory with key BIOS functions, which will be part of its Camino, Carmel, and Whitney chip sets. Those products will accompany next year's Katmai processors and are expected to be used in the Merced line, too. |
See Today's Related Stories |
Intel Pushes Specs For Server AppliancesBy Marcia Savage December 14, 1998 |
Intel is looking to ensure product
reliability and broad application support for server
"appliances" by teaming up with other industry
leaders to develop a set of platform specifications. The goal is to produce a design guide that defines common hardware platform basics for the emerging network-based server-appliance market, said executives at the Santa Clara, Calif.-based chip maker. Server appliances are custom-built to perform a single function or a limited set of functions, said Lauri Minas, general manager of Intel's server-industry marketing operation. They don't require any configuration by the end user. Businesses now use them mainly as Web servers, caching servers, e-mail servers, or for a firewall. |
See Today's Related Stories |
December 14, 1998 | ||
Sub-$1000 Systems Take Toll on IntelBy Tom Spring December 11, 1998 |
Study says Intel is lagging in
competitive low-cost PC market. The chips are down for Intel in the booming low-cost computer market. Intel is losing its lock-tight grip of the microprocessor market, according to recent market data. Competition is particularly tough in the robust sub-$1000 PC niche. |
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Intel could have same timing problem as AMDBy Mike Magee December 14, 1998 |
A problem with a software timing loop in
Windows 95 has re-emerged but this time it is Intel,
rather than AMD, which appears to have difficulties. Motherboard manufacturer Gigabyte, one of the most successful third party manufacturers for Intel, is stressing the fact that it is providing what it calls the Intel PIIX4 Patch Utility for Windows 95 with 370-pin Celeron motherboards it is supplying. |
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K7 architecture to stay slottish because of technical issuesBy Mike Magee December 14, 1998 |
A senior executive from AMD Europe has
expressed surprise that Intel is moving from slot
architecture to socket architecture again, given that bus
speeds will mount swiftly over the next two years. Rana Mainee, head of European market research at AMD, said that the K7 will have a slot architecture for technical and not for marketing reasons. He said: "The slot architecture is significant for 200MHz buses, which the K7 will support. Bus timings between 133MHz and 150MHz start to get very difficult to guarantee using socket architecture." |
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Intel seeds move to dedicated serversBy Andrew Orlowski December 12, 1998 |
Several major vendors emerged last week
as backers for Intel's new, dedicated, easy-to-configure
network servers. The concept of appliance servers is
being backed by Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Lucent, Novell,
Oracle and SCO, and Compaq is expected to join them. The hardware and software suppliers will forgo their traditional profits margins to seed a volume business in low-cost server appliances. New motherboard designs have been discussed, and will form a major part of Intel's plans. |
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