Intel insists SiS, ALi keep unlicensed chipsets hidden, says website

A CHINESE-LANGUAGE WEBSITE claims that Intel has leaned on chipset firms SiS and Ali to stop them showing off their latest P4 chipsets at SnoBit in northern Germany this week.

Both SiS and Ali have produced 800MHz "Springdale" compatible chipsets for the Pentium 4 but Chipzilla has refused to license either's efforts. The firms are reluctant to follow the lead of fellow far-eastern chipset maker, Via, which is also understood to have plans to introduce 800MHz front side bus Pentium 4 chipsets, but is far more disposed to ploughing its own furrow and letting the courts sort it out later.

The website here (in Chinese!) doesn't state what sort of leverage Intel is said to have applied to its little friends, but as we know, the chipster has pretty big muscles.

Intel was unable to respond to the allegation at press time.

SiS has just announced it will show a number of Intel and AMD chipsets at the show, but any mention of Springdale is eerily absent. Ask nicely and we bet you'll find one under the counter (Sshh!)... µ

See also:
Little SIS fears chipset wrath of mighty Intella