@Dee: "except its worth remember ARM can not run x86 code. Imagin a smartphone powerful enough to run x86 code and remain competative in power consumption"

And?

@Dee: "except its worth remember ARM can not run x86 code. Imagin a smartphone powerful enough to run x86 code and remain competative in power consumption"

And?

except its worth remember ARM can not run x86 code. Imagin a smartphone powerful enough to run x86 code and remain competative in power consumption, The two largest smartphone OS designers both could get x86 working very easily, Mcafee can and would need to bring a solid brand to the table, one that for better or worse everyone knows, mobile computing is the way forward, security will tag right on there, Lets be clear on something someone doesnt shell out the yearly GDP of a medium sized african Nation on the hunch its going to work out ok.

I have a suggestion for intel. How about they buy a small security company and then spend the rest of billions on buzzing the net and make fake reviews and recommendations. So then anyone will buy their products.
All of intel strategy is to throw money at a piece of crap named mcafee so they make something that work. Then they could easily sell it because it's now trusted and well known software. After that no one will mention mcafee was a failure in its own business.

Until about 10 years ago, x86 CPUs were underpowered. As soon as a faster CPU came out, you upgraded to it - because you had to. A five year old PC (for example) would be hideously obsolete - like trying to run Windows 95 on a 386.

Now, thats no longer the case. Even a bottom of the range CPU is able to run everything youre likely to throw at it. A five year old PC today is a 3 gig chip running XP. People are staying with such systems - because they *can*. They only upgrade when something breaks (or when someone else is paying).

The fact that people arent upgrading regularly no doubt worries Intel (and AMD). But it gets worse.

The ARM CPU is a huge win on MIPS/W, but until recently it couldnt compete with x86 on performance. But as x86 CPUs become more powerful, so does ARM. Sooner or later, we will reach the point where even an ARM CPU can run everything youre likely to throw at it.

When that happens - and you can *feel* how close it is - ARM will be a serious threat to x86.

That wouldnt normally be a problem, because the Wintel monopoly is protected by its "legacy" status. Unfortunately, mobile computing has appeared and is coming up fast. Already, punters are eschewing desktops in favour of laptops. In ten years, or less, they will be dumping laptops for netbooks, or pads, or even phones. And how many phones run Windows and require x86 support?

So. Intel saw all this, shat a rather large and pointy brick, then hatched a cunning plan to regain "their" market.

Sadly, the plan seems to involve buying a purveyor of unofficial Windows security patches. I havent figured that part out yet.

HTH.

The question is how disruptive ARM actually is to x86 market? At this moment, for home computing, there is a point of diminishing returns for the consumer, which has probably already been reached for the office PC. Can ARM processors perform the same basic tasks, with the same latency and convenience as an Intel or AMD chip, but with lower capital and running costs?

Intel doesn't like not controlling the entire CPU industry. That is why it created MEEGO with Nokia. It wants to usurp the Android/ARM combo which is getting in it's way. I bet the security goes into MEEGO. With a "secure" OS, a chip to drive it, and a major phone company to distribute it through, Intel hopes to gain full control.

Intel should have bought ARM & Nvidia( after regulatory approval)???
Only if they'd bought the regulators first. I cant think of anything more anti-competitive than that - except maybe an Intel/Dell/MS caball.

Intel & TI team up on cable modem. Recently bought SurfBoard 6120 & streams 20 minutes. Finally computer quit 790 Resting now, plugged in 690 from Microsoft tech tour & SB6120 streams ALL Day. So Not completely modem,maybe computer or game card.

Only visual difference is cursor bobbles on 790 lots w/SB. So Mccafre or Mcafre, only proof in using, might even stop viruses, yet something tells me highly individualIZED experience.

vondrashek md

Stupidest waste of money in this century!

McAfee is one of the worst security companies in the market, very close to Symantec.

I wish that all those companies making "security" software and shifting away responsibility and knowledge from the users go to hell, no return ticket.

Intel should have bought ARM & Nvidia( after regulatory approval). Instead it bought paid arm and leg for PC security software. Intel is already ahead in trusted computing and MacAfee shareholders have pulled a coup and have all the reasons to celebrate along with AMD & ARM as they will find it easier to deal with intel as it burns its war chest on petty PC software. Intel may produce another version of Microsoft Security Essentials called Intel Security essentials for $ 7.7 billion.

Disguised with some grandiose "strategic, forward looking, vertical integrated" plan, but most likely those who contrived this deal will cash in short term on their stock options, reward themselves with ridiculous bonuses, and the company will stagger along confused and wounded.