Pentium 4 Systems Recalled By Some U.S. Stores 152
An unnamed correspondent directs your attention to this article in the Australian PC World . It reads in part: "Consumers trying to purchase computer systems loaded with the Pentium 4 chip at Best Buy outlets in Houston; Jacksonville; Fort Wayne; and Hawthorne, were each told that Pentium 4 systems had been recalled from store shelves due to issues such as excessive heat and inadequate performance, sources said." Note: As a reader points out, the orginal headline ("Pentium 4 Recalled By Some U.S. Stores") inaccurately implied that chips rather than complete systems were being recalled.
AMD's turn? (Score:1)
Hopefully not. I'm quite excited about the real competition that's finally happening in the PC microprocessor market. This bodes well for the PC operating system market. Soon any ordinary Joe be able to walk into a Comp-USA and buy Linux on an Athlon or Windows on a Penitium...or any combination thereof. With increased consumer choices, prices will hit an all time low. Maybe it's time for me to replace that 386 system...
wouldn't it be a nice change? (Score:2)
Re:This is getting crazy (Score:2)
some money educating the masses on what really pushes chip performance
because an informed consumer is a monopolist's worst enemy.
If Intel educated the masses, they'd all buy Alphas, PPCs, or SPARC machines.
Re:I'm starting to notice a cycle here (Score:2)
Until people figure out that there's a difference between earning enough money for "survial" and "top of the line Lexus for my 16-year old daughter, only the best", stuff like this will just go on and on, not just in the chip industry.
Re:Next Slashdot Poll: (Score:1)
--
Re:More on the BlueManGroup (Yes, it's OT... I kno (Score:2)
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Re:This is getting crazy (Score:2)
So I can burn at 12x on my 8x burner with a P4? Whoa! [/Keanu] I gotta get one of those...
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Re:Best Buy Employees (Score:1)
Re:Voodoo5 won't work in a P4 board! (Score:1)
Not unless they want to fry their systems. The slot is not electrically compatible with the V5. 5v EDO DIMMS do not fit in 3.3V SDRAM DIMM sockets for the same reason.
Re:Best Buy Employees (Score:1)
Anyway, to answer the questions:
1. Openbox refers to anything which has been purchased, opened, and returned to the store. Most merchants will give you a discounted price on Openbox stuff and, for major things like electronics, appliances, etc---stuff which could conceivably be broken as opposed to a shirt someone just didn't like and returned---is marked as openbox.
2. BBB = Better Business Bureau, an organization which collects complaints about businesses and makes them publically available. Check out their site [georgewbush2001.com]
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Re:I'm starting to notice a cycle here (Score:3)
That would break my heart.
I'm curious, though. Most corporations (including AMD) have nothing especially lovable about them, so what will keep AMD from getting a similar stranglehold on the PC market like Intel had? Is there anything that we as consumers can do to prevent this? It would be a shame to repeat the whole cycle again with another company. I'd like to see long term competition in the PC industry, not just companies taking turns being the top dog.
Re:It's the PCs, not the chip (Score:1)
*ponders* (Score:1)
Transmeta recalls chips
Intel recalls chips
hmm, soon AMD will be the only ones left.. *conspiracy theories form*
Re:Burn Down the Fun (Score:1)
Re:Great.... (Score:1)
Seriously, how has PB managed to survive?
Re:Great.... (Score:2)
Re:The *TRUTH* About The Recall (Score:2)
NEWS: Intel Announces Merger (Score:1)
Multi-Billion Dollar Deal To Create Chip/Toy Recall Empire
LOS ANGELES, CA (UPI) - In yet another high-stakes mega-merger that is sure to draw scrutiny from the Federal Trade Commission, microprocessor manufacturer Intel today announced that it plans to merge with children's toy giant Mattel. The multi-billion dollar stock swap deal, which much be approved by stockholders, was announced today at a gala media event hosted at the Los Angeles Civic Center.
The new company, tentatively entitled Mintel, will oversee an empire of famous product names, such as "Pentium", "Barbie", "RAMBUS", and "Hungry Hungry Hippoes." "The goal of this merger," stated Mattel chairman Charles Waxley, "is to get a Mintel product in every American home. We can combine Intel's processing power with Mattel's child appeal to create gobs and gobs of revenue." Waxley did not specify how much money a gob consists of.
The new combined corporation will also have its share of recall woes to contend with. Intel, having gone through this process with its microprocessors at several points in the past, is currently facing a recall of its newest product, the Pentium 4 (codenamed "Ravenous Hedgehog".) Mattel is in the process of recalling several of its product lines, including "Survivalist Steve's Napalm Kit For Children" and "Silly Scissors Race."
"It's a matter of pooling resources," explained Intel chairman Andy Grove. "For example, if we have to send a field rep to somebody's home with a fire extinguisher to recall an Intel Pentium 4-based machine, it's only good business sense to have that same representative pick up their kid's 'I Dare You To Drink This Unmarked Bottle From The Garage' Mattel board game. It's called killing two birds with one stone." Financial analysts have estimated that Mattel and Intel could save upwards of a billion dollars by pooling their recall resources.
Mattel and Intel stock were both sharply higher in overnight trading.
Alan Greenspan contributed to this story.
never run for office (Score:3)
You can get help at Best Buy? (Score:2)
A few weeks ago my brother goes down to Best Buy to buy a Palm. People in front of him at the counter. The salesperson is telling them about the different models, blah blah blah. The salesperson lets them play with all of them. They leave. My brother steps up and starts looking at them. The salesperson actually pulls them out of his hands as he's looking at them. He asks a question, "What's the difference between these two models?" "Memory."
That's why I absolutely hate Best Buy. Next time I go I think I'm just going to waste the salesperson's time to get revenge....
inadequate performance? (Score:2)
Re:Best Buy Employees (Score:1)
I love doing stuff like that.. going into stores and asking technical (and some quite obvious non-technical) questions and seeing the blank looks on their faces
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Re:I'm starting to notice a cycle here (Score:1)
If I were into stock, I would probably buy some AMD right about now...it's got to get higher from here.
"It is well that war is so terrible, lest we grow too fond of it."
Re:Wait a minute... (Score:1)
2.) Athlon is like dead in a way. Thunderbirds and Durons are what's happening.
That's about it.
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Re:I'm starting to notice a cycle here (Score:1)
I'll start to worry about them when they do finally start to get even with Intel in size. Until then it's all kinda pointless to go on about...
0xf0 0x0f [was Re:(muffled laughter)] (Score:1)
I think you mean "Merry MMXmas from Intel."
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Re:I DID work at Intel/Mattel (Score:2)
Re:The *TRUTH* About The Recall (Score:3)
right now best buy is offering an alternative configure to order system in place of the recalled hp at the same price and with free shipping.
At this point, does this make sense? Since the HP P4 systems will be in the store, non-CTO of course, by December 2, all those technophiles would be able to get their computers well before the CTO system hits their door. Guess it is a matter of making the quickest buck.
Bryan R.
Ever play DLL jenga? (Score:1)
The rules: Remove one DLL at a time, and reboot. The person who removes the DLL that makes the computer not boot anymore loses.
read the article! (Score:1)
Anoyances (Score:2)
Just shows how much money they make on those, I guess.
My wife is ready never to go back to Best Buy.
intel P4 mobo not up to standards? (Score:1)
Re:AGAIN?!?!? (Score:2)
Wait a minute... (Score:2)
Athlon will be king!!!
Disclaimer: I make no claim that this isn't already the case.
Re:The *TRUTH* About The Recall (Score:1)
Excessive heat? (Score:2)
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Re:Great.... (Score:1)
Burn Down the Fun (Score:2)
The really real reason for the recall (Score:2)
Re:Best Buy Employees (Score:5)
"This guy has only 640K of base memory and 7,300K of upper memory. He says he needs more base memory to run X-Wing. What type of memory do we sell here so he can upgrade the base memory?"
I turned around and walked away...
Bryan R.
Re:I'm starting to notice a cycle here (Score:5)
Re:the real reason for the recall (Score:1)
AGAIN?!?!? (Score:2)
score: AMD 1 Intel: 0
Re:The *TRUTH* About The Recall (Score:3)
Damn, it's a shame someone doesn't invent a BIOS chip that could be updated without removing it from the motherboard.
Hey, wait a minute....
Re:This is getting crazy (Score:1)
Intel/Mattel Had Its Uses [was: Re:I DID work...] (Score:1)
You might be interested to know that the PC Microscope was in some demand on university campuses. If you disconnected the mediocre-to-poor microscope from the camera portion of the device, you could use that camera with more powerful microscopes, hooking them up to computers for image-capture on the cheap.
Sometimes simple or frivolous things are unexpectedly useful. . .
Larsal
Watch As Intel Goes Belly-Up And AMD Pulls Ahead (Score:1)
Re:Best Buy Employees (Score:4)
Pop a floppy with PicoBSD [freebsd.org] in and reboot the machine, then leave.
Bring a boot floppy with a .bmp of something rude and move it to C: and edit system.ini (or is it win.ini?) to set it as the background in windows.
Format c:
Open Regedit and delete random keys from the registry. Reboot and see what happens.
If there is a camera connected to the thing, stick up your middle finger and take a picture. It's best to be wearing sunglasses or something to make you a little difficult to identify later. Set that image as the windows background.
Go to the games aisles, find a game you want, take it to the computer section. Open the box, pop in the CD, and play the game. If an employee asks you what you are doing, pretend to be a novice computer person and tell them you found it.
It's been a while since I've done anything like this, but I have done all of them, and a few more, including moving price tags (at places like Sam's where it is easy to do since they are held on the shelves with magnets) but these are some of the easiest.
Oh, and to remain on topic...as a prank you should go to Best Buy and ask for a Pentium 4.
HP has some trouble with their P4 system (Score:2)
Still, there's the cardinal P4 caveat: Don't get one until Intel makes a DDR chipset. I'll try to convince them to give it the model number 82510QX or something.
Re:AGAIN?!?!? (Score:1)
Re:Intel Evil? (Score:1)
Intel lost a lot of credibility with me when they delayed implementation of the Athlon about 6 months by applying pressure on chipset makers and mobo manufacturers. When Via became the first company to break ranks, it was rewarded with a spate of questionable lawsuits and an attempt by Intel to limit their export privileges to the United States. This is not the kind of behavior that I would describe as endearing.
No, Intel is not evil, and they have backed off substantially in the last year from their most objectionable practices (thank you, Department of Justice).
But it's gonna take more than a few computers sent to Massachusetts to make me like them.
Blue Man Group (Score:1)
Re:The *TRUTH* About The Recall (Score:1)
From Best Buy's point of view it makes lots of sense. They do whatever they can to keep from having to give back your money.
The customer comes back with their recalled computer. They're pissed off, and really just want their money back so they can drive down the road to Circuit City and buy one there. They end up in line for 15 - 30 minutes at the customer service desk to finally get to talk to some 17 year old kid who's been told to get you to come back and pick up a replacement for your computer on or after Dec 2nd, or they can send a "custom built" on just like it to your home for no additional charge. At this poit you can spend another 15 - 30 minutes trying to get a refund, then go to Circuit City and spend another frustrating hour or so getting a new computer there, or you can just take the custom built computer choice, and hope it works so you won't have to deal with these people again. I be a lot of people go for the custom built choice.
Re:Best Buy Employees (Score:1)
"No thanks, just looking"
"But Sir, I want to let you know we are NOT paid by commision"
"Uhm ok, I'm still just looking thanks"
Later I purchase a DVD player, and the salesperson spends 15 minutes explaining a $60 warranty that basicly lets me clean my DVD player for Free 3 times.
"Now I really think you should get this, but not because I get paid extra for selling it-- I don't"
Sigh. I'm thankfull for online shoping, saves alot of time from things like this.
I DID work at Intel/Mattel (Score:2)
Some of the products of this unholy union include the Intel Me2Cam and the QX-3 PC Microscope.
Re:The *TRUTH* About The Recall (Score:2)
>Damn, it's a shame someone doesn't invent a BIOS chip that could be updated without removing it from the motherboard.
They did and that is what is happening. Comp USA is doing the BIOS upgrades and there will be a sticker on the bottom of the box indicating that the BIOS has been updated.
Re:I'm starting to notice a cycle here (Score:2)
Re:This is getting crazy (Score:2)
Ahh, but if Intel did that people would know that the 1.4Ghz P4 isn't that much better 1.2Ghz Athlon despite 1.4>1.2. And they would also know that the CPU isn't the bottleneck in PC's today; it's the memory and hard drives. That certainly wouldn't help sells of the P4.
Bottom line, marketing is about telling people about your product and why they should buy it in the fastest way they can. ( well not all the time, but people do have short attention spans when listening to ads)They don't have the time to explain the subtleties of CPU performance(cache, pipelines, instruction sets, etc...)and Joe Consumer doesn't really care to hear it either. He just wants a quick an easy way to see how fast his 'puter is going to be by spurting out some large number.
And as for those blue guys...uh well I have no idea why the marketing dept thinks they'll sell P3's. They should stick with the Dust Suit guys dancing around, they're alot more hip than those blue dudes.
competition bad? (Score:1)
Intel's first real competition on the performance desktop in a long time was the Athlon. Intel answered with the Katmai PIII 600, which was essentially an overclocked 550 (as it ran with slightly higher voltage than all other Katmai core P3's). Shortly after that, AMD upped the stakes with 700 MHz and greater Athlons, Intel countered with the Coppermine, which could reach higher clockspeeds. I'm not sure whether processors were being shipped faster in terms of time or performance.
At the same time, the underlying chipsets haven't gotten the chance to keep up. There hasn't been anything as good as the BX chipset in a LONG time...
(end comment) */ }
Two words... (Score:1)
Re:Best Buy Employees (Score:2)
it's sort of tough to get knowledgable tech oriented employees to work for six bucks an hour in retail. just a thought. that's why it seems like every time you go to a compusa or best buy or something you end up talking to a half-bright thumb wrestler from the bayou.
not to say that the training is adequate for these poor bastards, but there _is_ a reason they're so dumb.
--saint----
Re:Not paid by commission? (Score:1)
You should have tried to sell more 83 year super delux mega warranties that cover stuff like nuclear war.
Re:I'm starting to notice a cycle here (Score:1)
Hmmm, we will then purely chose on the chips themselves, and due to that we will avoid chips with FDIV bugs, F00F bugs, or other recallable problems...
Oh dear, doesn't look good for Intel does it?
FP.
People need to stop chasing MHz (Score:1)
This whole thing is fueled by the mass production of single-processor OSes. You can get a more responsive PC, with a smoother UI, even under load, by aggressive multithreading in the OS, SMP support in the OS, and well-made, dual, quad, and higher motherboards. Unless I had to use a specific, single-threaded app, that was time-critical, I'd take 2 500 MHz chips over a single GHz chip any day. In fact, I do. ;-)
I'd wager that a quad processor system, each chip running at 200 MHz, would be much better for Joe PC User, than a single 1 GHz box. Since no single task that the mainstream user performs requires massive processing power (AOL, Word, Netscape), you'd have a system where you could surf, burn CDs, play MP3s, and print to your Winprinter, all without slowing any of the other tasks down. How disappointing is it to hear skips in MP3s on your 500MHz+ machine, because Netscape decides to choke on DNS lookups and pin the (only) CPU up to 100%?
Intel & Co. need to spend more time and $$ on designing PC architectures that will work and remain responsive, instead of just revving the same old engine faster.
Re:Best Buy Employees (Score:1)
Openbox: a computer that has been sold, then returned and simply re-packaged for a new sale, without being verified. If it was verified, it is usually called "refurbished" and often carries a shorter warranty (like 90 days instead of 1 year).
An open box computer can also be a demo model (hence the term, the box was opened before it was sold).
Re:Best Buy Employees (Score:1)
Like I shine Mag-Lights at my fiber cables.. *sigh*
-marius
Re:Wrong reason (Score:1)
This just has to have something to do with the P4 "running too fast." Like MacOS requiring more instructions/clock rather than MHz bloviation.
-toddhisattva
Intel off the pace again... (Score:5)
Once again, Intel have been beaten to the punch by their competitors: Transmeta recalled their chip a full 24 hours ago!
Re:This is getting crazy (Score:2)
Um... actually the P4 has almost four times the memory bandwidth of the P3. And as for slow hard drives... the solution to that is RAID or SCSI, depending on how much you're willing to spend.
You correctly note that clock speed isn't the only important factor in a chip. However, realize that high clock speed is a pretty good way to get good performance out of an old ISA like x86. The P4 was specifically created with high clock speeds in mind.
Ironically, the P4 does worst on "serious" applications with lots of branching, like compilers. This could be due to its long pipeline. It does best on things like Quake and CD burning, probably due to high memory bandwidth. What a strange inversion!
Re:wouldn't it be a nice change? (Score:3)
Easy on Intel (Score:2)
Then we have this Rambus thing, if you think about it, Intel could have really killed Intel if Rambus' memory was as good as they said it was going to be. Intel made the mistake of having a vital part of the processor/motherboard system provided by an outside source. If Rambus would have come through, (aka smaller latency on their memory, and maybe CHEAPER) then Intel's P4 would be much, much faster since memory speed is the current speed bottleneck.
Most people didn't even bother to research this recall before taking shots at Intel, it WASN'T a HEAT ISSUE!
Lastly, Intel is much bigger than just it's desktop processor market. They have networking components, flash memory (doing really well), intel toys, server market share, low power market share (strong arm and soon p3 low power). Coming in second place to AMD in the desktop market won't kill Intel.
My harangue is over.
Re:Best Buy Employees (Score:5)
The return went smoothly from then on.
FWIW, my girl ended-up buying an iMac used from a guy who does development research for Adapatec. Sweet little iMac and she's had nary a problem and loves it.
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Next Slashdot Poll: (Score:3)
The Presidential Fiasco
The Pentium IV Fiasco
Voodoo5 won't work in a P4 board! (Score:2)
Re:The *TRUTH* About The Recall (Score:3)
Re:Just unbelievable! (Score:2)
Re:Best Buy Employees (Score:5)
I have had to wait (seemingly) 6 hours while the dude explains the extended warranty on and HP Pavillion to the granny in front of me when all I want is for him to hand me a hard drive off the shelf behind the desk.
Fun way to torment Best Buy/Staples/CompUSA employees of the day: Go conspiciously hang out in the networking aisle, say you are looking at, say a linksys 10/100 hub versus switch, and then when he tries to explain the difference, ask "Can you tell me if this switch uses store-and-forward or cut-through switching"?
Re:Crusoe and P4 -- How to fix it. (Score:2)
I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but the average nerd-in-training, when challenged to respond to this remark, would likely add (rather cautiously):
Maybe it's just me, but I found the abrupt nature of the parent comment fall-over funny, though it seems to have been meant seriously. On the other hand, I'm the one who hurriedly checked google to determine whether the preferred phrasing is "phasers on stun" or "phasers to stun" -- only to find that both "on" and "to" excluded from searches.
It's ok to point and laugh at me now.
Re:I'm starting to notice a cycle here (Score:2)
And the cycle continues...
Spreading, perhaps, initiating, no (Score:2)
And the nice thing about /. is that you've been able to hose down the misinformation by posting here yourself :)
Intel Evil? (Score:2)
I often wonder why people consider Intel evil. After all, Intel donates substantial numbers of PCs to academic departments around the country (and world, I think). Before AMD starting cutting into Intel's profit share, we used to get a new shipment of top-line PCs about every six months. Plus, Intel funds a lot of research, funds lots of interns, etc. To my knowledge, AMD doesn't behave in a reciprocal fashion. I know there's been no offers from them to MIT, at least.
Sure Intel's engaged in some apparently predatory business practices, but do you really think AMD won't? And how well do you think AMD will do without clearing the path in front of them?
Not paid by commission? (Score:2)
True, sorta... (Score:2)
Best Buy Employees (Score:5)
I love how the story slips this in, and shows just how knowledgable those Best Buy employees are.
Great.... (Score:4)
Great, now if only we could recall a few elected officials for excessive stupidity.
infoworld article (Score:4)
Once again, this just goes to show .. (Score:2)
I can't be the only one who sees the P4 as a product that was rushed to market because of pressure from competitors such as AMD. The result is, quite frankly, a questionable processor. I'm in the market for a new machine, and I'll be buying a high-end Pentium III. Less money, more stability, and if we can believe what we've been told
The lesson to be learned here is simple: wait. Any machine you buy today is going to be obsolete tomorrow (figuratively), regardless of whether it's a Pentium III or 4. This being the case, a handful of clock cycles doesn't matter. Wait for the technology to mature and come down in price. This is why I'm holding off on buying a PS2
Patience. Control, control, you must learn control
Re:Crusoe and P4 -- How to fix it. [sorry guys] (Score:2)
As usual, it was taken way too seriously and modded down.
My personal opinion of ISO and SEI is that they are used as "corporate clubs" to get contracts -- "my SEI level is bigger than yours".
There is a lot of anecdotal evidence on the web and in various books that show both to be a lot less effective than the ISO or SEI proponents would like us to believe.
My personal opinion? Quality employees and leadership make the difference, not certification or standards.
Case in point: DirectPC has much of their s/w written in India by a level III shop. The end result, in many cases, has been horribly buggy (just look at the posts in deja.com regarding DirectPC software when the release comes out)
Why? SEI places a major focus on "on-time" delivery -- not quality. When SEI is implemented, the majority of the tracking is on engineering metrics -- "was it on time?" -- and that, in general, is how the engineer is judged.
Note that this is directly contrary to traditional engineering -- that your overriding focus should be on correctness.
SEI and ISO are, unfortunately, not what they are represented to be in the mainstream press. When a single teenage programmer can crank out a fairly robust freee software project in a matter of weeks, with no metrics, SEI, or ISO (just his personal integrity) but a full ISO/SEI shop takes several months to produce a buggy work that is not as easy to use as the teens s/w, there is something grotesquely wrong with the system and the perception of engineering in general.
More on the BlueManGroup (Yes, it's OT... I know.) (Score:2)
Still...
I saw the BlueManGroup in Boston a couple years back, the show was called "Tubes." It's still running. (It's no 'Cats', but this isn't Broadway, either!) If you've ever had fun whonking on a piece of PVC pipe for the noise it makes, these people are for you!
- Their website is at www.blueman.com [blueman.com]
- You can hear demos [blueman.com] of their custom-made (or custom-used...) instruments from their site
- They've just released a CD titled "AUDIO" [blueman.com]
- They have regular performances in New York [blueman.com], Boston [blueman.com], Chicago [blueman.com] and Las Vegas [blueman.com]
- There's an article [cnn.com] that appeared on CNN recently -- with some video
- ESPN's 'extreme' site EXPN hosts some realmedia clips of them performing [go.com] (I recommend the Cap'n Crunch clip, it's good for a laugh.)
- There are 3 intel PIII commercials so far... you can get them here [intel.com].
That ought to satisfy a minor craving... Damn I want to go see them again! (And remember, they're like Gallagher in some ways. If you have seats in the front rows, bring plastic.)Know what? After thinking about it while writing this, I think taking on the 'Idea Box' would be right up their alley! Celebrity Death Match anyone?
New lemon laws about PC's (Score:2)
This is the second recall on the page today, not that Intel is a suprise but the Transmeta news was kind of a let down
Maybe the OEM's are getting scared by articles like this [consumerreports.org] saying things like
or maybe the products are really that bad!Well I haven't seen AMD today so I guess that makes them the winner(today).
Re:The *TRUTH* About The Recall (Score:3)
This happened on November 21st : (Score:3)
Intel recalled the Pentium IV on November 21 2000.
You can read about it Here [tuplay.com]
Other major Intel blunders can be found Here [tuplay.com]
--
Why pay for drugs when you can get Linux for free ?
The *TRUTH* About The Recall (Score:5)
- The P4 systems from HP were recalled because of the bad BIOS chips in them.
- The P4 did not have performance issues (at least none that aren't supposed to be there), did not have heat issues, and it did not run too fast
:)
- Intel forced the issue that the retailer OR the manufacturer should switch out the BIOS chips.
- BBY opted to have HP do it.
- If the customer got their panties in an uproar, they were issued a raincheck. The systems were to be back in stock by Dec. 2.
Nothing like spreading a little FUD in aBryan R.
Re:Best Buy Employees (Score:2)
Also, ask "I'm interested in upgrading my twenty eight point eight kilobaud internet connection to a one point five megabit fibre-optic T-1 line. Will you be able to provide an IP router that's compatable with my token ring ethernet LAN configuration?", and dazzle them with your superior wit and intellect.
Re:Best Buy Employees (Score:2)
Re:More on the BlueManGroup (Yes, it's OT... I kno (Score:2)
Re:Best Buy Employees (Score:2)
ZD Net says it's just a bios upgrade (Score:2)
This is getting crazy (Score:2)
Intel has a pretty good marketing department behind them, I can't figure out why the hell they don't try and spend some money educating the masses on what really pushes chip performance.
If they ever managed to get full scale developer buy in and good marketing behind some of their extensions to the instruction sets, like the new Pentium 4 stuff, they would really be able to put AMD into the dirt. They just have to wait and release new products when they are stable and have decent (read useful) software that takes advantage of them.
It looks to me like Intel has fallen into the maketroid trap. They are not building bad products, they are executing poorly beacuse they are stuck in a rushed development cycle. How may of you
Intel really needs an engineer back in the CEOs office, without Moore they are lost.
Excessive heat and inadequate performance (Score:3)
Replace heat with odor and you have the reason my last girlfriend gave for breaking up with me.
Fortunately I am a skilled dba and always have a backup solution [fufme.com].
--Shoeboy