Intel may up stake in Nvidia - report

DODGYTIMES IS REPORTING that Intel is sniffing at Nvidia, not to outright buy them, but to increase its stake. If true, it seems to make more of a mess of things than it helps.

The magazine quotes Taiwanese mobo makers as its source. Quite why these should have a clue about whatever shenanigans might be going on behind closed Intel doors is beyond us, but anyhow.

The move could be away for Intel to hand NV a bunch of cash, and to have a nice photo op. Until NV and Intel realised that AMD really was buying ATI, they were the worst of enemies. We can't see how they will put everything aside and become friends now, they have far too much to hate each other over.

This new potential partnership will probably cause more long term problems than it smooths over. If Intel doubles its stake in NV, it will only make things that much harder to disentagle when they decide they hate each other again. The difference between a 10% and a 15% or 20% stake will make all of zero difference when it comes to strategic planning.

Make no mistake about it, everything NV is capable of bringing to the table, Intel is already working on. Some programs are in pretty dismal shape, others exceedingly solid. Barring an utter P4-like collapse, Intel will have all the graphics parts it needs before the end of the decade.

So, what does this new partnership bring? Lots of Porsches (aka investment vehicles) to bankers, photo ops and good press to the companies, and smiles to the faces of divorce lawyers, because they see the writing on the wall. Then again, it may not be true. µ