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Technology Stocks : 3DFX -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: micren@aol.com who wrote (9702)	12/15/1998 6:01:00 PM
From: James Sinclair	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 16960

Web Marketing Model Recognizing that STB has not historically had the same strength in the retail market as CL and Diamond, a couple of us over on MF have been kicking around the idea of the new 3dfx/STB combo selling their cards directly over the Internet in the same way that Dell sells computers. I can see several advantages to this approach: 1. Eliminate another middle man and sell directly to the consumer with only one markup. 2. Flexibility - you could offer a choice of 3 or 4 different game bundles. 3. Tighter inventory control because you see the actual demand at the end of the pipe. One poster even suggested that the site could actually sell the game software as well, becoming a full service 'entertainment center'. Hey they could even rename the company 3dfx.com! (OK, now I'm kidding ;-)). Seriously though, what would be the negatives to taking this approach?

To: micren@aol.com who wrote (9702)	12/15/1998 6:03:00 PM
From: Obewon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 16960

Another reason for Nvidia to get scooped: With the loss of half of today's competitve 2D/3D chipsets providers (3Dfx and Nvidia), the boardmakers can no longer hedge their bets by offering the comparable cards. In the past they could hype whichever chipset suited their purpose (ie high margins for them). As many a 3Dfx shareholder knows, both Creative and Diamond have been touting the TNT since before it came out while quietly selling Voodoo2 & Banshee cards. Regardless of their marketing hype, Banshee has been crushing TNT at the consumer level (ie where users get to vote for their favorite) even though it "lacks that essential (but wasteful so far) feature: AGPx2" OB

To: micren@aol.com who wrote (9702)	12/16/1998 1:23:00 AM
From: Jeff Lins	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 16960

I think you missed my point...if people buy TDFX chips from any boardmaker, then why not use any maker to buy TNT, IFFF it is the TNT they like? I am not saying that is the case, just that we presume people don't care so much about board brands, they care about the wonderful super-de-duper power of TDFX...BUUUT if tides have shifted at all in OEM land, and they really want nVidia chips, then who cares who provides them? As long as they meet the necessary needs and provide the high levels of service. Believe me, if CREAF has a brain in their head, they are trying to figure a way to capitalize on this action. They have a BIG win with GTW for Banshee, and are trying to build momentum in OEM graphics...now, if GTW, for example, wants TNT, CREAF is going to be working hard to get the business. Pat, I'll search the archives... :) And CREAF can't do a hostile deal with TDFX...the pill is in place, and the value of TDFX is mostly in the brains of pods (equipped with feet...)