Sphere 3D Corp. (ANY)

[Justfactsmam]

ztocking that is a real BINGO! MSFT for AMD with GW/SOC and IOT

"They designed the consoles to be the future hub for all home entertainment and home automation and control. To effectively do this, they will need hundreds of complex apps that are relatively straight-forward to code. (added GLASSWARE TO THE RESCUE?) Therefore, you need to start with an application processor architecture that supports this, and it’s not Power architecture."

more on the possibility...from Zacks Research

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/rumor-microsoft-may-just-attracted-204508577.html

"Advanced Micro DevicesAMD is reportedly getting a lot of attention these days from probable acquirers and, according to gaming site, KitGuru, this time it is none other than Microsoft MSFT.

Zacks
After Qualcomm QCOM and Samsung SSNLF, sources close to the matter are saying that apparently Microsoft is weighing an offer for Advanced Micro, as it is looking to enhance its chip design operations.

Microsoft: A Perfect Suitor?

If the transaction goes through, it would represent an amalgamation of a software giant with a real hardware force.

At present, Microsoft and Sony utilize AMD graphics chips in their game consoles. Microsoft itself spent more than $1.2 billion for Xbox One chips in the one and a half years of its launch. The company would be able to save this amount if the buyout is materialized.

Also, considering Microsoft’s bank balance, Advanced Micro’s $1.8 billion valuation would not be much of a problem. According to Game Debate, currently “Microsoft has just shy of $100 billion in cash, and it seems like the $1.8 billion would be better spent on investment in AMD than just lying around, racking up interest.” Microsoft could save the cash it pays out for Xbox One chips and also pick up a tidy sum from every PlayStation 4 sold.

Advanced Micro, on the other hand, is losing to both Nvidia (NVDA) and Intel (INTC). If Microsoft offers the financing, AMD could channelize more funds toward research.

In spite of being a small company in contrast to its competitors, Advanced Micro manufactures CPUs, graphics cards, server processors and SoCs and its processors power all the leading game consoles."

a little added commentary:

ULY 2, 2015 12:07 P.M.
Silicon valleyguru wrote:
it makes a lot of sense: AMD can supply server to MSFT to boost its cloud efforts in addition to game console; supply SOC for tablet for co-design. AMD can boost muscle and R&D effort. AMD's Fury-X2 is great idea and its HBM2 will change the video world in the time of 4K PC and TV. AMD is the only player take advantage of both the strength of ARM64 and x86_64, AMD instead of INtel will lead the world to better server and GPU. so far AMD has done everything right in the last 2 years.

JULY 2, 2015 12:29 P.M.
Silicon valleyguru wrote:
in the time of 4K TV and PC, and laptop, AMD is the only player can do SOC that incooperate both a great CPU/XEN/K12 and GPU.

I also believe Oracle, AMAZON, Google would love to buy AMD as well: 1. AMD has learned the advantage of both ARM64 and x86, thus it is the most likely AMD can make XEN the best CPU for server and cloud.

JULY 2, 2015 1:25 P.M.
shrottenapple wrote:
So much in AMD under the radar, but if MS is to take control of "IOT", they must take control of the chips. With AMD and Sphere3D, someone would finally gain control and manage IOT, simply and efficiently.

JULY 2, 2015 1:44 P.M.
rob wrote:
Microsoft is likely going to spend $2BILLION probably more for console silicon over the life of XBOX.

Sony is likely going to spend a little more and if the rumours are right, Nintendo will likely spend maybe $1BILLION for it's NX silicon.

Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo pay for the R&D to design their custom silicon.