Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

[bobs10]

convergence is picking up

SFA is being bought by CSCO

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051118/bs_nm/scientificatlanta_dc

Anyone looked at the new XBOX-360? Looks like MSFT is getting into the harware business in a big way.

http://www.anandtech.com/systems/showdoc.aspx?i=2610&p=7


Considering that you need a $550, 7800 GTX GPU for starters in any home HTPC you build, it's looking like MSFT will be taking over the home PC market soon. Both INTC and AMD seem seriously outclassed in this market and it doesn't help any having MSFT dragging its' feed on the MCE for the PC. Talk about INTC being a monopoly, you ain't seen nothing yet, MSFT is going to take over the world. And this thing is so chock full of propritary items like wireless that INTC is probably gasping in admiration.

Notably HD graphics up to 1080i are supported(you need the 7800 GTX to do 1080P), but this box is going to be more than adequate for the vast majority of people that are looking for a home HTPC like experience. When MSFT puts a couple $100 more into the XBOX, and they will, that will be the end of the home PC market.

Right now it looks to me like MSFT wants to separate the the Hope PC market into low end gamers like the XBOX and high end units that use conventional PCs and run MCE. The big problem with this strategy is the difference in cost of the 2 solutions. An HTPC solution can easily cost 2 grand or more, just talking computer stuff. Of course HP and others have MCE solutions priced at about $1000, but as far as I'm concerned these are still works in progress that probably won't prove adequate until about the time vista is released. The real problem is the software that lags way behind what's needed. It doesn't help any having MSFT controlling the only really competitive solution out there and dragging its' feet on adding necessary features like handling HD cable/satellite infeeds.

Not a pretty picture by any means. Things are changing very fast.