Strictly speculative -
1. A check of S3's web site shows that S3 hiring is concentrated on graphics driver developers for Windows 98, etc. Hmmm, more software people to handle incoming hardware??? S3 must have their hardware roll out available in conjunction with Windows 98. Likely, design wins must be obtained prior to rollout. A NINE buyout does seem quite logical on all fronts.
2. Just to prove that I do read the articles, in the Jan 98 Playboy, Wired section there is an article on Yves Faroudja, "what Ray Dolby is to audio, Yves Faroudja is to video", blah, blah, blah, at the end they state that coinciding with DVD-ROM equipped PCs (at years end), "the first S3/Faroudja line-doublers for PCs will sell for about $600." At first, I'm thinking why does Playboy care about high resolution video, then duh, it hits me.
Mark. |
