A.M.D. to Acquire ATI Technologies(NYTimes)
“The deal puts A.M.D. on more equal footing with Intel," said Samir Bhavnani, director of research at Current Analysis, a market research firm in San Diego. “It completes the puzzle for A.M.D.”
He said the deal was important because it took A.M.D. beyond PC’s and gave it greater strength for the cellphone and handheld markets.
グラフィックスを取り込むことと，携帯電話へに進出は筋が悪いというのが過去の例なのだが・・・・
The ability to sell graphics chipsets along with a processor could help improve A.M.D.’s overall gross profit margins, which fell in the latest quarter to 56.8 percent from 58.5 percent in the prior quarter.
WSJも以下の記事を掲載した
AMD to Buy ATI,A Grasp for an Edge Over Intel
The broad product line has hurt AMD, too. In markets such as laptop computers, controlling both chip sets and microprocessors has helped Intel offer such benefits as lower power usage. The combination also helps Intel woo big corporate personal-computer buyers, which want guarantees chip sets won't change for long periods, to hold down maintenance costs. AMD, relying on other component vendors, hasn't been able to guarantee such stability, said Roger Kay, an analyst at market researcher Endpoint Technologies Associates.
継続性にそれほどこだわるとは思えないが。
The one-chip computer at the heart of AMD-ATI deal
Other companies have tried similar combinations in the past. Cyrix came out with the MediaGX, which had integrated controllers and graphics. Intel also designed, but never released, Timna in 1999, which had integrated graphics and a memory controller.
Neither product succeeded, but not because integration wasn't a good idea. Cyrix, which got bought by National, rarely landed design wins with customers, and the performance of its processors typically lagged.
Timna was doomed because the integrated memory controller connected to memory based on designs from Rambus. The memory was supposed to become the standard for PC memory, but manufacturing problems, high prices and other issues grounded it.
懐かしい失敗プロジェクトが続々。
