Intel Corp (INTC)

[SemiconEng]

Windows XP Service Pack Release Delayed

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nf/20040730/bs_nf/26105
Microsoft will delay the release of its Windows XP (news - web sites) Service Pack 2 software by a few weeks. The company also will hold up the release of its 64-bit based applications for desktops and servers until the first half of next year......

The idea of computing in a 64-bit environment has helped to increase the excitement around Advanced Micro Devices' strategy to improve computing performance. But doubters included the dominant chipmaker Intel, which questioned whether users would feel an improvement by moving from 32-bit to a 64-bit realm.

Even so, Microsoft signed on with AMD (NYSE: AMD - news) last year to develop an OS that would unleash the full capabilities of the AMD Athlon 64. But the hoopla, having receded, reveals that there are scant applications that require 64-bit capabilities. Intel may be right -- it may be too early to push the market toward the technology.......