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Eug · Apr 16, 2010, 09:54 AM

Go figure

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD-N9.78-0.38-3.74%) returned to profitability in the first quarter as the world's No. 2 microprocessor maker benefited from a strengthening computer market.

So, AMD isn't dead yet. Personally, I'd be happy if AMD gets stronger, can can give Intel some real competition. It's good for the market, and it's always healthier to have two real potential chip suppliers out there rather than just one. (See IBM and G5.)

Lateralus · 10:28 AM

And yet they're trading down 7% at the moment. Not exactly a vote of confidence.

AMD's story over the past few years really has been tragic; The also-ran that turned itself song-worthy... source of every bad night's sleep caught at camp Intel... reduced to life support and cash haemorrhage that wiped out all they'd reaped. And all as the result of a few decisions, that in any other industry, would be seen as nothing more than 'missteps'.

macaddict0001 · Apr 17, 2010, 01:00 AM

Google and Apple both lost quite a bit today as well though, so...

For the Record Apple down 1.52 to 247.4, Google Down 45.16 to 550.14.

iM@k · Apr 17, 2010, 01:29 AM

Hmmm, there are strong rumors going around of AMD folks being at the Apple campus......

Could Apple be thinking of buying AMD?

Lateralus · Apr 17, 2010, 05:34 AM

Originally Posted by macaddict0001

Google and Apple both lost quite a bit today as well though, so...

For the Record Apple down 1.52 to 247.4, Google Down 45.16 to 550.14.

$1.52/0.61% from $250~ is 'quite a bit'?

macaddict0001 · Apr 17, 2010, 01:14 PM

Well considering they have been up most days, but google is still quite a bit. My point was that short term stock prices aren't a huge factor in how successful a company is.

imitchellg5 · Apr 17, 2010, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by iM@k

Hmmm, there are strong rumors going around of AMD folks being at the Apple campus......

Could Apple be thinking of buying AMD?

Are you nuts?

Steve

Sent from my iPhone

Salty · Apr 17, 2010, 09:21 PM

Apple would never buy AMD, they learned from PPC that it's best to let other people take the risk on the processors especially when competing against Intel.

Lateralus · Apr 17, 2010, 10:34 PM

I don't know about that... AMD has a lot of potential in spite of having a lot of problems. But money has a way of solving problems. And Apple has a lot of money.

Salty · Apr 18, 2010, 02:29 AM

Yah but AMD is not the sort of company to buy. That talent will stay around even if the company died, and Intel has interest in keeping them on life support.

Eug · Apr 18, 2010, 03:14 AM

AMD would be a money sink, and would be of no real benefit to Apple. In fact, it could be a detriment to Apple, as it would only serve to piss off Intel, who supplies Apple with fast, relatively low power and reasonably priced chips. If AMD chips were more competitive, then maybe though.

Meanwhile, others claim AMD and Apple are in discussions.

All I can say is of course they'd be in discussions in some point, but that doesn't mean they'd actually adopt AMD chips. And even if they did, that doesn't mean Apple would want to buy AMD. And for all we know, they might just be talking about ATI GPUs.

Salty · Apr 18, 2010, 03:27 AM

My guess is Apple is considering some AMD offerings since Intel did the whole locking out Nvidea's integrated graphics offerings.

Big Mac · Apr 18, 2010, 03:32 AM

Apple likes to have competition for the components it buys. It makes sense that Apple is now opening up to possible usage of AMD parts. And it's good that AMD isn't dead, yet, because without AMD Intel could get fat, complacent and monopolistic again.

Salty · Apr 18, 2010, 11:44 PM

Indeed. My guess is they'll start doing what most PC makers do and start using competitive AMD chips when they're cheaper than the Intel options, or when they let them do things that the Intel ones aren't letting them do.

Lateralus · 12:38 AM

I'm hoping for the custom-design option. It'd be nice to see Apple return to a model of selling unique hardware for a premium price rather than the lickable-enclosures wrapped around status quo hardware we've been getting since the Intel switch.

And it wouldn't take much - I'd love to see Apple partner with AMD on their existing offerings, but with a few tweaks like increases in cache size... etc. Enough to justify marketing chip/solution under another name.

Big Mac · Apr 19, 2010, 12:52 AM

With a market cap of only $6.9 billion Apple could pick AMD up for a song. . .

Salty · Apr 19, 2010, 06:58 AM

Buying AMD would be anticompetitive. Either they buy them and then keep supplying a quarter of the PC industry, or they phase out their chips for everyone else and leave the whole market to Intel. It's much more cost effective to buy from whoever's doing the best job. Especially since they want to make more and more devices that are ARM based.

Lateralus · Apr 19, 2010, 07:54 AM

I'm not sure throwing out the word 'anticompetitive' in relation to any company buying AMD makes much sense. AMD is in a situation to be bought exactly because of the anticompetitive practices of their competitor.

If any company, Apple especially, is willing to take the reigns and throw enough money into the game to get the ball rolling, then... fantastic!

Big Mac · Apr 19, 2010, 08:36 AM

It would be a bold move to go into competition to with Intel, though. Probably not something Apple would want to risk.