Business

Now that AMD has purchased graphics-card producer ATI for an impressive $5.4 billion, what are the ramifications for the processing chip market and the tech industry as a whole? In many ways, AMD is trying to break out of its rut by expanding to ... markets previously untouched by it or Intel -- a gamble that might be proceeding at a pace too fast for itself or shareholders. With that in mind, let's take a look at the details of the purchase: The purchase will cost AMD a reported $4.2 billion in cash, with an additional 57 million shares being provided to ATI shareholders. The immediate benefit ... (view more)

In a rather desperate attempt to lift itself out of a spiraling drop into the black (or perhaps red) abyss of financial decline, AMD plans to purchase major video-card producer ATI for $5.4 billion US Dollars. Rumours first surfaced back in May by a ... few wise analysts, and it appears that yesterday, the plans have finally set in motion. The attempt has been rumored as a last-ditch effort for AMD to save itself from losing all face in a bitter processing chip war against Intel. (Source: news.com ) For those not familiar with the product AMD is seeking to purchase, ATI is perhaps the gaming ... (view more)

In a bid to win back the hearts of tech junkies dismayed by European antitrust fines and deceptive anti-piracy programs ( Windows Genuine Advantage ), Microsoft is defending the average surfer by waging a new war against "spam". As spam -- the ... advertising granddaddy of Spyware most typically found in emails -- spreads to bulletin boards, Microsoft is integrating a program that roots out such false and annoying offers. As mentioned, spam has traditionally been associated with email. Culturally linked to the Monty Python viking sketch, "spam" was first used to describe annoying online messages ... (view more)

After nearly a year of delays, Microsoft and Yahoo are finally ready to release a combined Instant Messenger (IM) service. As of July 13th, 2006, the two companies have begun to offer a limited beta test to the general public. The new IM service ... connects Microsoft's Windows Live Messenger (the newest version of MSN Messenger) with Yahoo Messenger, using a single user ID. The service is merely an added capability to the Microsoft and Yahoo messengers; all that is needed is to download the latest beta update to either messenger to begin using the new service. The merge will spawn a worldwide ... (view more)

The processing chip war is already taking its toll on Intel. Recent reports suggest that not only is Advance Micro Devices (AMD) laying down a heavy antitrust lawsuit against Intel in Germany, but the latter is also slashing 1,000 management ... positions worldwide in order to remain competitive. Infopackets recently reported on the clearance of current generation processing chips by both Intel and AMD, and the price is evidently proving costly for Intel. The battle between AMD and Intel is most ferocious abroad, where AMD plans on officially complaining to German authorities that Intel made ... (view more)

In a rather strange -- perhaps even insecure -- move, Bill Gates himself recently stated that there is just a 20% possibility that Vista will miss its newly etched January 2007 release date. The statement was anything but confident, however, as ... Gates reportedly informed software partners in South Africa that a legitimate chance for further delay exists -- especially if beta testers uncover further issues with Vista. (Source: news.com ) Reminder: What is Windows Vista? Known originally for its codename "Longhorn", Vista is the upcoming and highly anticipated operating system from Microsoft. It ... (view more)

Let's face it: Microsoft has been facing an incredible amount of bad press as a result of Spyware lawsuits (Windows Genuine Advantage) and criticisms of its security programs (OneCare Live). However, the impending release of Internet Explorer 7 ... (IE7) might just reverse public opinion of the software giant. Internet Explorer 7 has been in extensive beta testing since July of 2005. Over the course of that year, IE7 has progressed beyond a basic browser framework, showcasing a buggy interface and sluggish performance. Recent beta tests have shown IE7 to be a nearly complete build and with a host ... (view more)

Citing security threats to the consumer, eBay has banned its buyers and sellers from using the recently launched Google "Checkout". Largely considered to be a future threat to eBay's PayPal service, Google Checkout is considered by Paypal as an ... "official payment service not permitted." Like bounced checks bitterly taped to the counter in an old convenience store, this move my PayPal is seen by many as a cheap way for eBay to prevent the growth of a major competitor. (Source: zdnet.com ) Reminder: What is Google Checkout? Google Checkout was recently released as a rather simple " ... (view more)

After weeks of speculation, Google has finally introduced "Google Checkout", its first foray into the world of online payment systems. Although Google refused to confirm such rumors, it has today gone ahead with a program that is most comparable ... with Microsoft's "Passport" service. Both systems use a single login name to allow users a payment method with a host of participating online vendors. The greatest difference between Google's Checkout and Microsoft's Passport are the time and, obviously, the company. In recent months, Microsoft has scaled back its Passport service considerably. ... (view more)

A new message is now appearing on Google's video Web site: "You can now watch selected videos for free -- thanks to our sponsors. These videos usually sell from $0.99 to $14.99." That's good news for net addicts with a few hours to kill. The service ... features full-length movies, documentaries, sports, cartoons, talk shows, and professional wrestling matches. (Source: Google.com ) You won't find Casablanca, the Super Bowl, or WrestleMania -- but there should be something among Google's sponsored videos to tickle your fancy. Besides, as the old saying goes, "free is free." You're probably ... (view more)