Wave Systems Corp. (fka WAVXQ)

[vickers2]

Sort of OT-Infineon Named And Shamed For Gates' Xbox Woes

(My comment,I can't imagine this endears Infineon to Softee)

Chris Noon, 02.15.06, 1:18 PM ET

http://www.forbes.com/2006/02/15/microsoft-xbox-chips-cx_cn_0215autofacescan07.html?partner=yahootix


LONDON - Society may have progressed since the hysterical days of the 15th century and the notorious Malleus Maleficarum, yet our determination to find a culprit remains as strong as ever. Take the case of German chipmaker Infineon.

According to our dictionary, there are four words in Deutsch for witch-hunt--Hexenverfolgung, Treibjagd, Kesseltreiben, Hexenjagd--though which one is the most appropriate for the albatross of blame that has been slung round Infineon's (nyse: IFX - news - people ) neck for Microsoft's inability to supply enough Xbox 360s is anyone's guess.

A story published in the San Jose Mercury News suggests that Infineon is the culprit for the console's slow manufacturing
process, which has lead to continued worldwide shortages. According to the newspaper's unnamed sources, Infineon apparently had trouble manufacturing enough graphics double date rate (GDDR3) chips at the right speed, which slowed the production process.

Bill Gates' Microsoft, which has been either incredibly loyal or incredibly indulgent throughout, has blamed "component shortages" for the delays. "We have more than 200 suppliers and I'm not going to point the finger at any one of them," the company's game division head Peter Moore is quoted as saying in a media report.

What happens now? Will Infineon be tossed into the river to see if it sinks or swims?