A species now completely hunted to extinction: the ATI booth babe!
The U.S. Department of Justice has issued subpoenas to Nvidia Corp. (NVDA.O: Quote, Profile , Research) and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD.N: Quote, Profile , Research) as part of a probe into potential antitrust violations involving graphics chips, helping to send shares in the companies lower.
Nvidia, the largest independent maker of graphics chips for computers and other devices, said on Friday that no specific allegations had been made against the company and that it plans to cooperate with the investigation.
AMD, the No. 2 maker of computer processors, said late on Thursday that it had been subpoenaed. AMD entered the graphics business in October after acquiring Canadian firm ATI Technologies for $5.4 billion.
Nvidia and AMD each control about 25 percent of the market for graphics chips that are used in personal computers, mobile handsets, video game consoles and other devices, with Intel Corp. (INTC.O: Quote, Profile , Research) controlling the rest.
Justice Department spokeswoman Gina Talamona confirmed that it is looking into “the possibility of anti-competitive practices” involving graphics chips and cards, but declined to elaborate.
Intel, which does not make separate graphics chips like Nvidia and AMD but integrates graphics functions on computer component boards it builds, said it did not believe it has been subpoenaed in the investigation.
“nvidia, the largest independent maker of graphics chips for computers and other devices, ”
Um, wouldn’t that actually be Intel??
They make and ship far more graphics products than just abut everyone else combined!
“Um, wouldn’t that actually be Intel??”
I agree Intel sells more graphics chips, but nVidia is “independent” while Intel’s graphics division is owned by, you guessed it, Intel.
I think they are barking up the wrong tree. Computer hardware, particularly graphics hardware, is a fantastically competitive and difficult business. Maybe the D.O.J. will seriously investigate the oil industry someday, maybe not.
And who cares besides overzealous government regulators and crybabies who don’t want to pay so much for something they want but can easily go without?
I fail to see how an anti-trust investigation is warranted. The graphics market is in actuality a three-company market at worst, even if Intel only does integrated graphics. Not only that, but there are still other graphics solutions, even if their market share is relatively small. If there is competition in the market, and if one is not trying to buy out all other competitors, then there is no cause for allegations of anti-trust. Collusion, maybe…but that would be better directed at the oil companies than at the graphics industry.
I think that it is the government trying to control the market, i mean there are so many other companies that they can go after, except most of them are have nice lobbyiests’ and own the government anyway.
They should be shot for wanting 600$+ for a 8800.
“They should be shot for wanting 600$+ for a 8800.”
I remember when some company about then years ago, I think it was Diamond, sold a video card which was essentially two Voodoo 2 cards. (Remember, two could be used in SLI?) Well, anyway, those cards were the highest end consumer gaming cards available and their price was 600 bucks. Fast forward about a decade and the highest end gaming cards cost about the same price and are infinitely more powerful. When you factor in inflation I see the market as being a good value.