AMD and Intel

[Dave Conger]

Just wondering what people’s thoughts are of AMD buying Alchemy and the effect that could have on the market. Also there was interesting information about the next generation processors in an article I was reading today...

Now the [XScale] architecture has been retargeted at handhelds with two chips: the PXA250, a high-performance device operating at 200, 300, and 400MHz; and the PXA210, a “value line” processor running at 133 or 200MHz.

Alchemy's first offering, the AU1000, began sampling in December and is offered in 266, 400, and 500MHz versions. Alchemy has about 20 customers and claims to have shipped more than 100 development boards based on the AU1000.

The article also says that Intel will "unveils its first XScale-based embedded processors for portable computing" next week. Full article here: http://www.siliconstrategies.com/story/OEG20020208S0093

[James]

Guess we're headed for the days of having only one processor manufacturer out there regardless of the market area...

[Dave Conger]

Guess we're headed for the days of having only one processor manufacturer out there regardless of the market area...


Why do you say that? Intel, AMD, TI, Motorola....they all will be or already are making ARM based chips, so technically any of these should be able to be used in devices.

[James]

AMD is hanging on threads at this point - they're latest disaster has several lawsuits pending from consumers and the changes of them holding out long term seem to dim every year. Hadn't heard that TI was making the ARM, so maybe we will have more of a choice in the PDA processor market.

[Dave Conger]

I wouldn't count AMD out to quick. I have done that a few to many times in the past and they have always seem to bounce back.

Yeah, Motorla and TI are working more on the Palm end of things, but they are still ARM.

[James]

I keep counting Apple out...but they just won't die either. I think there's gonna be a major computer manufacturer going under in the next 9-12 months. My bet is on either Compaq or HP when the merger fails (it's got no hope of passing at this point, and it shouldn't. And Carly just needs to go away), but perhaps more likely is Gateway.

[kettle]

I'm putting my money on Gateway going down. What's with you and Carly? Sounds like you don't like her.

[Dave Conger]

I keep counting Apple out...but they just won't die either. I think there's gonna be a major computer manufacturer going under in the next 9-12 months. My bet is on either Compaq or HP when the merger fails (it's got no hope of passing at this point, and it shouldn't. And Carly just needs to go away), but perhaps more likely is Gateway.


True that on Apple. The Compaq HP merger won't happen I bet. The two companies are two similar to have HP buy out Compaq. Gateway is doing something right though, they still have their stores and such so I think they have a lot of cut backs they can do before they would shut down.

[James]

I'm putting my money on Gateway going down. What's with you and Carly? Sounds like you don't like her.


Me and the most of the rest of the world :)

She's single handedly manage to run a great company into the ground with questionable acquistions, bad management, and a vision that apparently only she can see.

[James]

True that on Apple. The Compaq HP merger won't happen I bet. The two companies are two similar to have HP buy out Compaq. Gateway is doing something right though, they still have their stores and such so I think they have a lot of cut backs they can do before they would shut down.


Unless the Hewlett's or the Packard's suddenly change their minds, that's sunk already (thankfully!). One of my coworkers was a long time Gateway fan. After 3 systems in a row that were dead within a few weeks and bad tech support, he's switched to Dell and is much happier now.

[Dave Conger]

Unless the Hewlett's or the Packard's suddenly change their minds, that's sunk already (thankfully!). One of my coworkers was a long time Gateway fan. After 3 systems in a row that were dead within a few weeks and bad tech support, he's switched to Dell and is much happier now.


My old HS bought Gateway's over Dell's way back when....I much would have rather had the Dell machines. I kinda wish Dell would look into bringing out a PDA of their own, just because I have liked my family's Dell machines in the past. Their new products tend to be pretty nice looking as well.

[James]

My old HS bought Gateway's over Dell's way back when....I much would have rather had the Dell machines. I kinda wish Dell would look into bringing out a PDA of their own, just because I have liked my family's Dell machines in the past. Their new products tend to be pretty nice looking as well.


And they keep getting better. I love their new small form factor cases. Their tech support is excellent usually, and I've yet to have a box show up DOA. I love their servers too. A Dell PDA would be great, though I remember reading something recently where Michael Dell said he preferred to leave that to the existing manufacturers....

[Dave Conger]

And they keep getting better. I love their new small form factor cases. Their tech support is excellent usually, and I've yet to have a box show up DOA. I love their servers too. A Dell PDA would be great, though I remember reading something recently where Michael Dell said he preferred to leave that to the existing manufacturers....


Yeah, Dell did say they wouldn't get into that an wern't going to sell their own PDA. I have never had to use Dell support cause my parents Dell computers always worked (or I could fix them). I have to say, though I think Micron is a shotty company and would never buy anything from them again, there tech support never kept me on the phone long when I knew what the problem was and were always willing to pay for me to ship back my laptop for fixing or checking out.

[James]

own PDA. I have never had to use Dell support cause my parents Dell
computers always worked (or I could fix them). I have to say, though I

I've only used them on the Enterprise side, doing things that they hadn't really intended some of their stuff to do (and they were happy to help me make it work which is even cooler)

think Micron is a shotty company and would never buy anything from them again, there tech support never kept me on the phone long when I knew what the problem was and were always willing to pay for me to ship back my laptop for fixing or checking out.

There was a brief time when Micron was good that but that only lasted the first year they were doing business. They're another one of those companies that has died but hasn't realized it yet.

[Dave Conger]

There was a brief time when Micron was good that but that only lasted the first year they were doing business. They're another one of those companies that has died but hasn't realized it yet.


I just want to state that I am not just making saying bad things about them, I actually have had bad experiences. Like when they send your laptop to Costco, in another state, instead of your house and then loose it...you aren't really happy.

[spg]

I just want to state that I am not just making saying bad things about them, I actually have had bad experiences. Like when they send your laptop to Costco, in another state, instead of your house and then loose it...you aren't really happy.


Uhhh, no that is not good. I have never liked Micron as a company anyway, I have always stayed away from them.

[James]

I just want to state that I am not just making saying bad things about them, I actually have had bad experiences. Like when they send your laptop to Costco, in another state, instead of your house and then loose it...you aren't really happy.


Wow...that's pretty impressive! Impressively stupid of them that is.

[Dave Conger]

Wow...that's pretty impressive! Impressively stupid of them that is.


Oh, I have more! It is gets interesting when i realize I know more about the problems with their product the tech support!

[James]

Oh, I have more! It is gets interesting when i realize I know more about the problems with their product the tech support!


Sadly typical of tech support places these days - especially considering the rise of the "support for hire" call centers. My sister's dog knows more about the MSN network then the folks that answer their phones.

[Dave Conger]

Sadly typical of tech support places these days - especially considering the rise of the "support for hire" call centers. My sister's dog knows more about the MSN network then the folks that answer their phones.


Hey, if they need decent people I could use a job right now...

[James]

Hey, if they need decent people I could use a job right now...


I think you'd probably kill yourself within 5 minutes. My favorite MSN tech support statement was by the idjit that tried to tell me they didn't "...that SMTP thing you keep talking about. We support Outlook or Outlook Express for Email."

[Dave Conger]

I think you'd probably kill yourself within 5 minutes. My favorite MSN tech support statement was by the idjit that tried to tell me they didn't "...that SMTP thing you keep talking about. We support Outlook or Outlook Express for Email."


:wink: yeah, but at least I would probably know something about the product. There are definatly some tech support people that know their stuff, but many I have found our are doing the same searches online I am or have a "book" of answers to look up.

[spg]

I think you'd probably kill yourself within 5 minutes. My favorite MSN tech support statement was by the idjit that tried to tell me they didn't "...that SMTP thing you keep talking about. We support Outlook or Outlook Express for Email."

:wink: yeah, but at least I would probably know something about the product. There are definatly some tech support people that know their stuff, but many I have found our are doing the same searches online I am or have a "book" of answers to look up.


Well, I think tech support is more fun if you work for a company and support their internal systems. I do that during the summer for a local university (wireless campus, all students have laptops, cool stuff) and I enjoy it tremendously. Only thing though, when our cable modem broke and the guy came out to fix it... well lets just say all of the sudden I knew nothing! The funny thing was, they finally ended up fixing it after about 5 days and do you know how they did it? They did what I told him I thought needed to be done from the very beginning! I just love tech support people like that :).

[Dave Conger]

Hey guys, I think if we want to continue this tech support string, we better do it in Off-Topic and make this one about AMD and Intel again!