Lordy, Lordy! AMD Turns 40!
Word on the street is that AMD launched its super-cheap ($69 MSRP) Athlon X2 7850 Black Edition this week to celebrate 40 years in the industry, and while the last decade in particular hasn't been too kind to the company, it's still hanging tough and struggling to compete with Intel, NVIDIA and the rest of the big boys.
Today, the Sunnyvale-based chipmaker began celebrating 40 years of "innovation in the semiconductor industry and its important role as a catalyst for enabling next-generation solutions." Officially, May 1st will be Advanced Micro Devices' 40th birthday, as it was established that day by Jerry Sanders and seven co-founders in 1969. Unlike most folks, AMD is choosing to party for an entire year (seriously!), where the outfit will hold a series of contests in the U.S. and Canada as a gesture of thanks to the "dedicated customers who have been, and continue to be, key to AMD’s critical presence in the processor industry."
Of course, a 40 year anniversary just wouldn't be a 40 year anniversary with a little sentimental speak, so we'll just quote Dirk Meyer, AMD president and CEO: "Forty years in any industry is a major achievement, but doing so in the rapidly changing, competitive semiconductor business is an enduring testament to the dedication and talent of AMD employees and alumni. As the world and technology markets have changed through the years, AMD has remained focused on enabling the next wave of applications that we expect to drive the industry. We mark our 40th year as a much different company; a company intensely focused on designing and developing new products and platforms that combine our unique graphics and microprocessor technologies to create compelling user experiences."
It's hard to imaging what the next 40 years -- or even 5 years, honestly -- will bring for AMD. The market is getting tougher to crack, and consumers are demanding more for less. Intel seems to be picking up market share at a breakneck pace, while AMD seems to be largely one step behind in most every major area. Still, if it can compete on cost, it can remain successful. Here's to 40 AMD, and here's to 40 more.
Today, the Sunnyvale-based chipmaker began celebrating 40 years of "innovation in the semiconductor industry and its important role as a catalyst for enabling next-generation solutions." Officially, May 1st will be Advanced Micro Devices' 40th birthday, as it was established that day by Jerry Sanders and seven co-founders in 1969. Unlike most folks, AMD is choosing to party for an entire year (seriously!), where the outfit will hold a series of contests in the U.S. and Canada as a gesture of thanks to the "dedicated customers who have been, and continue to be, key to AMD’s critical presence in the processor industry."
Of course, a 40 year anniversary just wouldn't be a 40 year anniversary with a little sentimental speak, so we'll just quote Dirk Meyer, AMD president and CEO: "Forty years in any industry is a major achievement, but doing so in the rapidly changing, competitive semiconductor business is an enduring testament to the dedication and talent of AMD employees and alumni. As the world and technology markets have changed through the years, AMD has remained focused on enabling the next wave of applications that we expect to drive the industry. We mark our 40th year as a much different company; a company intensely focused on designing and developing new products and platforms that combine our unique graphics and microprocessor technologies to create compelling user experiences."
It's hard to imaging what the next 40 years -- or even 5 years, honestly -- will bring for AMD. The market is getting tougher to crack, and consumers are demanding more for less. Intel seems to be picking up market share at a breakneck pace, while AMD seems to be largely one step behind in most every major area. Still, if it can compete on cost, it can remain successful. Here's to 40 AMD, and here's to 40 more.
