[f1000]

By PAUL AMES, Associated Press Writer 50 minutes ago

BRUSSELS, Belgium - European antitrust regulators raided Intel Corp. offices Tuesday, two weeks after rival U.S. chip-maker Advanced Micro Devices filed a lawsuit claiming Intel used its market dominance to bully computer makers away from using AMD chips.

The European Commission said it was also inspecting offices of companies that make or sell computers.

A statement from the European Union head office said the inspections involved officials from the EU's antitrust department and national competition authorities. It said they visited several Intel premises in Europe.

EU regulators regularly conduct unannounced inspections of companies under investigation in competition cases.

"Investigations are being carried out in the framework of an ongoing competition case," the statement said.

Officials declined to say which offices had been searched, reveal if documents had been taken away or give further details.

Intel acknowledged that several offices were "visited" by staff members from the European Commission, company spokesman Chuck Mulloy said. He declined to specify how many or what information was being sought by investigators.

"Our normal practice is to cooperate with authorities from regulatory agencies, and that's just what we're doing in this case," he said.

Intel microprocessors for Windows computers account for about 90 percent of the worldwide market in revenue.

For more than four years, the EU has been investigating claims that Intel used unfair business practices to persuade clients to buy its microprocessors to the exclusion of rivals' chips.

In March, the bloc said it was continuing its probe after a Japanese investigation found that Intel had violated antitrust rules there. The EU cooperated with the Japanese regulators.

Last year, the commission sent formal notices to France, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Italy and Germany seeking information on government procurement tenders for computers that either require they contain Intel chips or specify a chip speed that only the U.S. semiconductor giant can provide. That investigation was sparked by Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

EU antitrust regulators reached a preliminary conclusion in 2002 that there was insufficient evidence to bring any charges. But in June 2004, regulators said they would look into Intel's business practices again after AMD refused to withdraw its complaint.

On June 27, AMD sued Intel for billions of dollars in Delaware federal court, claiming that Intel strong-armed 38 computer companies into buying Intel chips. Intel denied the allegations, saying AMD was making excuses for its secondary market position.

Intel shares fell 0.18 percent to $27.65 in trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...bi_ge/eu_intel

[f1000]

Think this might push back the rollout date of Mactels?

[Hugi]

Originally Posted by f1000

Think this might push back the rollout date of Mactels?

I don't see why that should be.

[budster101]

I believe in Steve.

[The Godfather]

Could this mean that Apple could be blackmailed into sticking with Intel, and never use AMD?

[goMac]

Originally Posted by The Godfather

Could this mean that Apple could be blackmailed into sticking with Intel, and never use AMD?

You do realize this is Steve we're talking about, right? I think by this point we all should know Steve does whatever Steve pleases.

[budster101]

Steve is teh Godfather.

[Superchicken]

Blackmail Steve? Actually it's interesting to hear the way Apple treated their PPC manufacturers. I imagine Apple will be fine with Intel.

[Big Mac]

Originally Posted by goMac

You do realize this is Steve we're talking about, right? I think by this point we all should know Steve does whatever Steve pleases.

Yeah, I doubt Steve is embarking on a transition that may very well destroy Apple just to get dicked around with by Intel or anyone else.

[Link]

Woohoo! I dunno why anyone would choose intel over AMD *sigh* Let's see, netburst vs AMD64...

EMT vs AMD64..


IA64 vs AMD64

[Super Mario]

omg a monopoly!

[Link]

Calling euge wanger!

[goMac]

Originally Posted by Link

Woohoo! I dunno why anyone would choose intel over AMD *sigh* Let's see, netburst vs AMD64...

Apple probably won't be using NetBurst. My bet is the Apple Dev systems are the only ones that will ever use it. Apple will use the Pentium M in laptops, and by the time they move the desktops NetBurst will be dead.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Super Mario

omg a monopoly!

Can I join ?

-t

[The Godfather]

IBM says the Power PC will trump x86 processors:
http://www.cio-today.com/news/After-...d=03000108J7ZU

Now, Big Blue will plow its research efforts into processors for game consoles and other consumer products that might one day knock the PC down a rung.

Mac developers confirm that the G5 sucks compared to the Pentium 4
http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1175

"It's fast," said one developer source of Mac OS X running on Intel's Pentium processors. "Faster than [Mac OS X] on my Dual 2GHz Power Mac G5."

[The Godfather]

Could Steve convince IBM to put more engineering into the G4 and G5? No.
Let's just hope that Apple hasn't signed any exclusive contract with Intel, just so that they don't become potential victims of Intel practices.

Steve Jobs and Paul Otellini are now in bed together, and Paul is the bigger man.

[goMac]

Originally Posted by The Godfather

Mac developers confirm that the G5 sucks compared to the Pentium 4
http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1175

And, again, from personal experience, I can confirm that story.