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Technology Stocks : Rambus (RMBS) - Eagle or Penguin -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dave B who wrote (28439)	9/2/1999 4:56:00 AM
From: Estephen	Respond to of 93625

From WSJ September 1, 1999 Dow Jones Newswires Intel Supports PC133 Memory Chips In Addition To Rambus By MARK BOSLET PALO ALTO, Calif., -- Intel Corp. (INTC) maintained its long-term support for computer memory technology based on Rambus Inc.'s (RMBS) design. But the chip giant also said for the first time it would back the transitional technology known as PC133 - a less expensive and less powerful alternative sought by many computer makers. Speaking at the company's developers forum in Palm Springs, Fellow Peter MacWilliams said Intel would ready a new chip set during the first half of 2000 to support the PC133 memory technology, spokesman Michael Sullivan told Dow Jones. Both PC133 and Rambus designed DRAMs increase the speed data are transferred from a computer's memory to its processor. As processors become more powerful, data needs to move at a more rapid pace to take advantage of the extra horsepower. However, the greater cost of Rambus memory has many industry watchers skeptical that computer makers will get behind it with computer margins already thin. Even Intel has acknowledged there are hurdles to its adoption. In addition, analysts surmise the company's backing for PC133 could slow Rambus use even more. Even so, PC133 may have a relatively short lifespan. MacWilliams said performance improvements from PC133, running at 133 megahertz, would be only modest compared with today's 100 megahertz systems. He also told developers Intel remains on schedule to bring out its 820 chip set, with support for the Rambus technology, by late September, Sullivan said. The chipmaker expects to begin seeing Rambus memory technology in computers costing about $1,500 and more this month. Lower-cost computers will begin carrying Rambus technology by late 2000, MacWilliams said. At the same time, mainstream computers should begin using PC133 during the first half of 2000, Intel said. The company began studying the use of PC133 in February at the request of computer makers. -By Mark Boslet; 650 496-1366

To: Dave B who wrote (28439)	9/2/1999 11:37:00 AM
From: pompsander	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 93625

<pomp, anything to add>, jeez, a guy goes to bed and finds himself 45 posts behind. On the practices followed by businesses in buying hardware, remember two major points. One, most work from budgets - often created many months before. As hardware prices come down, IT managers will still buy what the same alloted dollars will buy rather than pocket savings by buying the orginally anticipated machine for less. Reasons for this are many, but, of course, they want to protect budget dollars (politics, politics) and they want the most machine they can get for the dollars allowed to avoid criticism for buying a machine which will become obsolete sooner. This is one reason why I was very pleased to see the leaked Dell page- it looks to me like some of the initial Rambus enabled machines will be in the current "sweet spot" for corporate purchases. (ours is about $2400 for fully loaded high-end workstations). IT managers love to be out on the cutting edge IF THE EDGE IS NOT A BLEEDING EDGE, meaning the system is tested and trustworthy. Rambus and Intel have met this criterea and you can bet a lot of IT guys want to get their hands on some of these new hot boxes. Secondly, Dave's point about memory needs is very real. No one is sure what apps we will be required to be able to run in two or three years. Buy as much and as powerful a memory system as you can in the business world - a couple of hundred bucks will pay back big time.