Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

[HailMary]

Also, they will probably employ the Microsoft strategy of adopting and then adding proprietary features to create future products that are not fully compatible with competitors

This would be the smartest thing for Intel to do. Adopt AMD64 as quickly as possible and make it their own by adding things to it. They'll set the standard, and people will soon forget that x86-64 was developed by AMD first. If I see Intel following this route, I will pull out of my AMD investment as AMD will be right back in the usual position of following.

Perhaps Intel has already done this and it could be a nasty surprise as some are suggesting.