Intel sales and profits fall in the fourth quarter

[danrok]

Profits at Intel have fallen as the world's largest maker of computer microchips continues to suffer from weaker PC sales.

Net income for the last three months of 2012 fell 27% to $2.47bn (?1.54bn), although the figure beat analysts' forecasts. Revenue fell 3% to $13.5bn.

Sales of PCs, the majority of which use Intel chips, have suffered with the rise of smartphones and tablets.

More here: BBC News - Intel sales and profits fall in the fourth quarter

[Daniel ~]

Could it be? Could the Computer, the machine of the future already be slipping into our past?

Who could have guessed that "The Computer" would become so omni-present as to disappear!

Why make, sell or buy a computer when everything you have has it's own computer?

I'm looking over at my favorite computer of all time...born to be toast...time is already passing it by...sigh.

[booman]

For most of us this is still a recession. I can't afford a $150+ CPU when I can get an AMD for under $99 and its still dual-core or triple-core.
Then I save another $100 by using Linux.
I just lowered the cost of a custom computer by $200 at least

I have even wanted to upgrade my socket 775 to a quad-core CPU but they have increased in price due to limited availablilty.
But those AMD's can be upgraded easily with AM3 socket.
so yeah, Intel is loosing a lot of profit to ARM processors and AMD

[danrok]

It's mostly because the market for more powerful desktop/laptop processors has shrunk.

People are buying mobile devices rather than laptops.

I don't think desktops and laptops are on their way out, that would be like saying people don't want cars just because not so many new cars are being sold.

[booman]

Agreed!
If they stop making powerful Desktop computers, then I will have to eventually throw out most of my games.... and game graphical quality will plateau because you know developers are using desktops.

[Daniel ~]

The trouble with a lot of the new devices is that while they are not cheap, they are not very repairable either. Something goes wrong it gets tossed.

[booman]

Sadly, that is how a lot of people treat their laptops too.
Its true, the smaller the technology the harder to repair and upgrade.
So technically its a disposable media

[Daniel ~]

I had to tos a three year old TV because the part to fix is cost $1500.00, four years ago the TV cost $1200...

This isn't planned obsolesces this planned waste. The dead TV looks like new. Except for the part going out was working perfectly and should have done so for another 10 years at lest!

God I hate waste...there is nothing more selfish than waste.