No Kidding Paul, it doesn't take a PhD to figure it out... IBM is the biggest threat to INTC especially on the low end... factor this in as well: (EBN Magazine) ebnonline.com
Intel's Grove Makes Rare Appearance in Taiwan
(2:30 p.m. EDT, 5/11/98)
By: Sandy Chen
Hoping to build a more solid foundation with Taiwan's PC and board
makers, Intel Corp. chairman Andrew S. Grove made a rare appearance
today on the island in order to drum up support for the company's
current and future processor lines.
Speaking at the opening ceremonies of Intel's annual Technology Forum
event in Taipei, Grove outlined Intel's future, Pentium II processor
roadmap, showing everything from a low-end, Celeron chip running at
333-MHz, to a high-end MPU called Xeon running more 500-MHz. There were really no surprises concerning Intel's future roadmap, but the real blockbuster was the appearance of Grove himself in Taiwan. Grove, who last week was in China, has not been to Taiwan in some 10 years despite the fact the island's PC and board makers have been Intel's best - and sometimes worst - customers. Today, Taiwan is the world's manufacturing center for the hottest product in the PC industry--the sub-$1,000 computer. Compaq Computer Corp., IBM Corp., and other major OEMs are sourcing their sub-$1,000 PCs in Taiwan.
The only problem for Intel, however, is that many of the sub-$1,000 PCs in the market today are built around non-Intel MPUs. Recently, Intel struck back and rolled out its processor for low-cost systems, dubbed Celeron. However, the response for the Celeron chip has been lukewarm in the worldwide PC industry, including Taiwan. Still, Grove realizes that he needs Taiwan's support in order to get Celeron into the mass markets, while also heading off competition from Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Cyrix Corp., and others. ''(Intel and Taiwan) are really engaged in exactly the same mission in building a low-cost, modern computer world,'' Grove said in a speech. ''We are like a big family.''
And Paul, don't forget, INTC is the company who put the Taiwan Motherboard business in the tank a few years ago... I'm sure they are just DYING to help INTC with their low end DILEMMA...
Now go ahead, keep on dreaming about how the highend products are going to help INTC get themselves out of their current malaise...
Might as well talk about 1999, there's no good news for them ahead this year... Intel Inside, sign on to less price/performance....
And Paul, regarding IBM, here's another goodie for you to digest..
IBM Takes On Intel With 300-MHz x86 Chips
(11:00 a.m. EDT, 5/19/98)
By Will Wade
Semiconductor Business News
IBM Corp., East Fishkill, N.Y., has begun shipping samples of its own
line of x86-compatible microprocessors that operate in the 300-MHz speed range and priced for what IBM characterizes as the sub-$1,200 PC market.
IBM Microelectronics claims its two new chips are the first alternatives to Intel Corp.'s fast MPUs aimed at this personal computer segment. The two processors are the IBM 6x86MX PR333, a 333-MHz device, and the IBM 6xMX PR 300, a 300-MHz version. The faster version is priced at $299, while its sister chip is listed at $217, both in quantities of 1,000. The high-end device is scheduled for volume availability later this month, while the other one is expected to ramp next month. Both are manufactured using 0.25-micron technology.
The move is likely to further heat up the sub-$1,200 PC market. The less expensive systems have become the surprise hit of the year, and the result has been stiff competition throughout the market. Numerous chip companies are hoping to undercut Intel's more expensive products with less expensive MPUs, notably IBM, Advanced Micro Devices and National Semiconductor Corp.'s Cyrix division. At the same time, softer sales for high-end computers has made the top of the computer segment just as competitive, and chip prices have been falling.
Any more questions about IBM and the sub-$1000 Market??? It appears that YOU are the one who needs to educate yourself on this market... but since INTC doesn't have a REAL product to address this, and you engage in denial and rationalization regarding INTC competition, you obviously have ignored educating YOURSELF in these matters... |
