Skype subpoenaed by AMD over Intel-only feature

[Steve]

AMD's chips can't handle 10-way conference calls, so Skype seems to think. When Skype 2.0 starts, it checks the CPUID of the processor it's running on, and unless it's a dual-core Intel chip, conference calls are limited to 5-way. So why aren't AMD's dual-core chips up to the task? Hell, why not their single core chips; they're pretty damn fast. Could it be cohearsion from Intel, or some less sinister reason? AMD wants to find out.

[AMD] believes Intel has provided Skype with incentives to limit the feature to Intel's chips, said Chuck Diamond, a partner with O'Melveny & Myers and lead counsel in AMD's antitrust suit against Intel. Intel has denied doing so, but even if no financial incentives were included in the deal, as a company with dominant market share, Intel is subject to different rules, he said.

[News.com]

Of course, it could just be that Skype haven't tested 10-way calls on AMD chips... but that seems a tad unlikely, doesn't it? Still, I can see where this will end... Skype: "We've now completed testing on AMD dual-core chips and can verify that performance is sufficient for 10-way conference calls. We have updated our software accordingly." Hmph.

[[GSV]Trig]

Mmmm, wouldnt suprise me, people are going for VoIP and stuff and if Intel can push there chips by having an advantage in that arena then they'd go for it.

[BEANFro Elite]

Oh let me make 10-way conference call :O oh wait, I'd don't even have ten skype contacts to have a voice conference and I don't use Skype anymore, I use Teamspeak

I think AMD should focus their time, money and energy towards the gaming market, as Intel CPUs are well known for their program pwnage whilst AMD CPUs are known for their pwnage at running games.

That said, the day you see "Buy an Intel CPU and get 10-way voice conferences" then AMD may have been onto something

[dangel]

Good. It's pretty stupid to suggest you can't do the same thing on AMD processors.

[davidstone28]

If true about the incentives, its probably going to breach every single US anti-trust / EC competition law known to man......

Naughty naughty Intel.

[schmunk]

I think AMD should focus their time, money and energy towards the gaming market, as Intel CPUs are well known for their program pwnage whilst AMD CPUs are known for their pwnage at running games.

Unfortunately the gaming market is nowhere near as large and lucrative as the 'phoning Auntie Janice in Detroit / Uncle Vijay in Bangalore for cheap/free' market.

Family computers from Dell/PC Shed/etc outsell 'gaming' home-builds (or Scan/Voodoo PC/etc) by very very large numbers.

[Nox]

Isn't this called discrimination?

Nox

[MakaveliThaDon]

For an age, thats why Intel had always been one, or at times, 5 steps ahead of AMD. Intel, like Microsoft are hard players and if they see a hole, even if it is imaginary, in the armour of AMD, they will take a shot at it.

Intel know full well that AMD are on top of the market. They can out-perform and sell their chips for cheaper. Hence why Intel are totally re-marketing themselves with a different image, as the hub of the digital home. And this can only be helped by having SkyPE on their 'side'.

Maka

[Agent]

I think AMD should focus their time, money and energy towards the gaming market, as Intel CPUs are well known for their program pwnage whilst AMD CPUs are known for their pwnage at running games.

Thats totaly missing the point of why this was done though.

[BEANFro Elite]

Thats totaly missing the point of why this was done though.

I was just pointing out that I personally am not concerned about VOIP or this Intel vs. AMD thing, I'm just concerned about gaming , but yeah I'm aware I totally missed the point

[Nick]

That's it. Expect Intel's next marketing campaign to claim to make your phone calls faster....

[TheAnimus]

TBH, as much as i hate the idea of intel using this method to make their old tech look better, i have to admit i think skype should be allowed to take bribes from whoever they want.

Think of it this way, the year is 1998, and i'm writing a game, i use the 3D-NOW extensions, i'm writing it in MASM and its easyer to use these extensions. As such it won't run on a Pentium II.
Is that wrong? I don't think so, myself this is another reason for me to use my "grown up" VoIP technologies rather than skype.

just my ramblings.

[DavidM]

That'll make BT (or other telecoms) pleased

[hitman67]

It's Intel trying to get themselves back into the Market with a good old fashioned bribe.

And it's something AMD can add to the court case against Intel

[TooNice]

Isn't this called discrimination?

Nox

Doesn't discrimination only applies to people? Here, it seems like business to me..

I guess this is one way Intel sells their internet "superiority" (remember when they made claims that a P4 would make your internet faster?).

[vincent]

Business Discrimination.... Pfff please...

the only assumption made here is incapactibility.....

Really- i think this astonishing to find that a Multi Billion company in making a ass of itself....

Amd= risen up to the challenge over something so pathetic a 2 year old can think of a entire series of WWE wrestlign for an entire Year...