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This article has had some of the original links removed, and was published on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at 10:07 AM.
THE HOT RUMOR going around IDF is one that we discussed a long time ago when Nvidia bought Stexar, that the company will do an x86 part. The background whispers say that the part will be announced next week at Nvision, but we don’t see that happening.
As we said here and here, they certainly have the brainpower to do it, but they also most certainly don’t have a license to sell such a part. Nvidia may have the arrogance to attempt such a thing while hoping to prevail in court, but I can’t see how they would be stupid enough to believe they have a realistic chance of winning that fight.
The problem NV has is that both major x86 players have a lock on the technology, and they don’t want any new players in the mix. VIA certainly has a nice part with the Nano, but they barely got out under the threat of a lot of legal fighting, and Nvidia certainly doesn’t have the x86 patent leverage VIA has. NV is basically locked out unless Intel and AMD both decide to be magnanimous, and we would not recommend holding your breath waiting for this to happen.
That leaves the lawsuit option open, and again, it is hard to imagine them being that self-destructive. Any attempt to enter the market without a license would bring down Intel legal on them like flying monkeys blackening the sky. It would get ugly. Really ugly. Expensive too.
So, in the end, the rumors fly, and there might be an attempt to try. Badly rhyming poetry aside, I can’t see how it would slide. The chances are slim to none, but who knows, next week, we just might see one. And that is enough poetry and speculation for one day.S|A
Charlie Demerjian
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