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DAILY NEWS AND INFORMATION
FOR THE GLOBAL GRID COMMUNITY / SEPTEMBER 29, 2003: VOL. 2 NO. 39
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Breaking News -
Platforms:
AMD Unveils Athlon 64, Seen As
Head Start Vs. Intel
Advanced Micro Devices Inc said it launched its new Athlon 64 processor on
Tuesday, a move analyst say will give the chipmaker a head start against its
larger rival, Intel Corp, in the race to bring cutting-edge data processing to
personal computers.
The new chip, which will be marketed first to hard-core gamers and
scientists
and engineers, is seen over the longer term as vital to the future of AMD,
which has posted losses for eight straight quarters and has built its
reputation as a lower-cost alternative to Intel.
"They're relying on it to generate additional revenue and eventually drive
them to profitability," said Kevin Krewell, a senior analyst at the
Microprocessor Report.
Currently, most desktop computers have processors and applications written
to
crunch 32 bits of data at a time, while servers -- including those based on
Intel's Itanium and AMD's Opteron processors -- handle 64 bits at once.
That faster data handling is particularly helpful when doing more
computing-intensive tasks, like using databases, rendering digital animation
or performing scientific simulations.
The Athlon 64 not only runs existing 32-bit applications extremely well,
according to analysts, but it will be able to run 64-bit PC applications when
those become available.
"The pervasive adoption of 64-bit computers is not a question of if, but
when," AMD Chief Executive Hector Ruiz said at the TECHXNY conference in New
York last week.
Intel, meanwhile, has not stated its plans for offering a 64-bit PC
processor
and is downplaying the need for the technology.
"The production operating systems are not there yet" for 64-bit PCs, Intel
President Paul Otellini said last week in an interview at the Intel Developer
Forum. "The mainstream applications won't exist until next year."
Standard consumer PCs will not be configured with enough memory for 64-bit
computing for a few more years, said Nathan Brookwood, principal analyst at
research firm and consultancy Insight 64. However, engineers and scientists
who are pushing the limits of the technology now will be early adopters, he
said.
Cinematic Realism
AMD said another market needs the power boost now -- gamers. Chips offering
64-bit capability will greatly increase the realism for PC games, AMD
said.
"When you go into a movie theater, the experience is radically different
from
a PC," said Rich Heye, general manager and vice president of AMD's
microprocessor business unit. "If you want to get that experience on your PC
you are just going to have to go to a 64-bit architecture."
With the launch, "AMD is on top of the mountain and we're dropping a
snowball
down the hill," he added.
In a pre-emptive strike, Intel said last week it has developed a new
processor
with extra memory, called Pentium 4 Extreme Edition, that is targeted at
gamers and will be available in a month or two.
But AMD still has the upper-hand since Microsoft has said it will deliver a
version of Windows to run on AMD's 64-bit processor. Intel will either have to
adopt AMD's architecture or develop their own and convince Microsoft to enable
Windows to work on its 64-bit PC chip as well, analysts said.
"The key thing here is AMD has staked a claim for architecture for 64-bit
desktops ahead of Intel and it will put pressure on Intel when the company
plans to move to 64-bit" on PCs, Krewell said.
"AMD will have a wide open playing field to sell into, won't have to even
think of competing on price in lieu of its benchmark superiority and should
handily turn profitable -- and then some," Rick Whittington, an analyst at
research firm AmTech Research, wrote in a note.
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