AMD might buy Ageia

[SafeFire]

http://www.custompc.co.uk/news/601680/amd-considers-buying-ageia/page1.html (http://www.custompc.co.uk/news/601680/amd-considers-buying-ageia/pahtml)


Now that communications between AMD and Havok have broken down, AMD has admitted that it’s considering buying Ageia, if the price is right. AMD’s head of developer relations, Richard Huddy, told Custom PC that ‘we’ve had that discussion, yes. It’s a discussion that goes round every three months – someone turns to me and says ‘why don’t we buy Ageia?’ and I go through the arguments about why we should and why we shouldn’t.’

:welcome:

[GAR]

LOL, AMD keeps on getting funnier with their bad business choices...............ageia hasnt hit it off yet, and with multi core cpu's i dont see a place for a physics cpu........seriously who is running AMD???? a buncha monkeys????? wow......

[Cold Fussion]

Multi core cpu's only seem suffice because there is no complex cloth and fluid physics in games:rolleyes:

[G.Foyle]

Ageia is not only PhysX, it's a physics processing library that's used widely in UEngine 3 and perhaps will e used in lots of other engines.

[naokaji]

Well, if amd can glue a gpu to a cpu (fusion) they might aswell be able to add a ppu to the mix, and buying Ageia is prolly cheaper than developing the tech behind it first.

[eric66]

hmmm interesting lets see how they will use them

[GAR]

either way this will be a bad choice for AMD business wise, just like buying ATi was............

[eXa]

funny to see all the business experts here...

[freeloader]

Buy another company with borrowed money! What will they think of next? :rofl:

[gillll]

well don'f forget that intel and havok are pretty good friend.

and as mentioned to buy technology is faster then developing one from scratch.

[Zytek_Fan]

Acquiring Ageia MIGHT be a good move. The Ageia physics are be used more and more...

[gillll]

...to use ?
not many games support it.

but the idea of a standalone ppu still attract developers .

maybe ppu will be assimilated somehow in the future amd Xpu(fusion) but as of today the technology isn't worthy.

[flopper]

If AMD sets a multichip that has, cpu/gpu/ppu on it, and you dont need add on cards,
for a gamer I bet that would start to look like a PC to Consol version and might include an easier to program games for in the future.

That seems for me to be a good move that Intel might not do.

AMD got to do something that allow them to stay into the business.

[Zytek_Fan]

...to use ?
not many games support it.

but the idea of a standalone ppu still attract developers .

maybe ppu will be assimilated somehow in the future amd Xpu(fusion) but as of today the technology isn't worthy.

Not the PhysX crap. Like someone said a few posts earlier, the Unreal engine uses the Ageia physics library, and the Unreal engine is pretty popular ;)

[Brother Esau]

considering whats gone wrong with AMD the past year I see this as a bad move to divert even yet more attention away from the serious pressing issues at hand like Bankruptcy comes to mind.

[Zytek_Fan]

considering whats gone wrong with AMD the past year I see this as a bad move to divert even yet more attention away from the serious pressing issues at hand like Bankruptcy comes to mind.

It seems Hector is set on driving AMD into the ground before he leaves :(

[Brother Esau]

Yea no Sh***t I could have made better business and financial decisions when I was stoned all the Time 10 years ago! Really makes you wonder if the Board is smoking Crack when you hear crap like this it just makes no logical sense at all:confused:

[iddqd]

Multi core cpu's only seem suffice because there is no complex cloth and fluid physics in games:rolleyes:

A physics processor is essentially a "floating point unit". Video cards have lots of them, I hear.

[Shintai]

Is it just me that starts to think these custompc tries to rival theinq and fud in random tabloid jibberish news?

[GoThr3k]

Is it just me that starts to think these custompc tries to rival theinq and fud in random tabloid jibberish news?

it is just you :):p:

[KoHaN69]

UNreal3 uses agaias library, and some some u3 games even support physx

seeing the success of U2 engine, and that U3 engined games came out almost 3 years b4 unreal3 itself, im betting high on ageia

[Nedjo]

I guess it's hard to look outside of the box! Imagine Physix simulation in weather forecasting, oil industry space explorations... only for a fraction of current price when supercomputer clusters are used...

[saaya]

no offense, but with what money?

[happychappy]

Why would they want to? Haven't they learnt from ATi?

[Calmatory]

NOT AGAIN!

Though, does AMD have resources to compete Intel or Nvidia when it comes to physics processing on their own? AGEIA has the experience, knowledge and resources needed. If Nvidia buys AGEIA, they will most probably integrate PPU to GPU, or both on a same PCB. Then AMD would have to do it's own research, fool around with a simple PPU, and finally make it more advanced, and then try to make it to work with GPU.

AMD has no money, no success atm, they are quite much nothing. :| Could Fusion + PPU beat Intel?

[DTU_XaVier]

UNreal3 uses agaias library, and some some u3 games even support physx

seeing the success of U2 engine, and that U3 engined games came out almost 3 years b4 unreal3 itself, im betting high on ageia

Correction, the games that came out then were heavily refurbished Unreal 2.0 engine games, Unreal 2.5 in the common tongue ;)
The first Unreal 3 games came out about a year ago, starting with Ubisoft using it for Splinter Cell Double Agent and Rainbow Six Vegas... Both of which were badly optimised and developed, code-wise, so it's only now that we see the "true" U3 engine at work...
But I agree on the rest...

Best Regards :toast:

[WeStSiDePLaYa]

wow, why do multi billion dollar companies need consultants when this forum is full of gurus?

[metro.cl]

I guess it's hard to look outside of the box! Imagine Physix simulation in weather forecasting, oil industry space explorations... only for a fraction of current price when supercomputer clusters are used...

You are right.

But AMD should have bought Ageia instead of ATI, not both together.

AMD rushed to buy ATI because they needed a GPGPU contender, HPC where they sell the most CPUs was in a real thread once GPGPU was a reality and even more for AMD, you get 100x the performance by using a GPU on certain apps.

Now the Ageia PPU is used on games just because is faster to get them into that market, the software development for HPC takes more time than games, but is really intended for GPGPU, the Core of the PPU is hundreds of smaller cores.

Now with the little money AMD has and also having ATI it doesnt make any sense.

[eric66]

intel could have bought ati either

[Face]

The Inq... (http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2007/11/22/amd-will-not-buy-ageia)


AMD will not buy Ageia

At least, not for now...

Richard gave us the following statement:

"I think my words have been taken to mean more than they really do."

"I said that I wouldn’t rule it out and I said we’re not likely to splash $100M on a PPU vendor, and I said that we go through the arguments every few months.

That’s certainly not something that I would have headlined as “AMD considers buying Ageia”. The thought has certainly passed through our minds - but then humans think about a lot of things, and if you look at what I said I also point out that the cost is crazy high, so actually I come very close to ruling it out…

As far as I can see there’s really no news here. Everyone in the industry understands that Ageia’s primary aim is to just to be bought, and we’re one of the companies that needs to work out whether we think it makes sense."

[Rock&Roll]

This can't be true. Far to dumb to be true. I'm hoping my intuition is right. Though, given AMD's recent track record, I have little reason to have much faith in their decision making.

[purefun65]

amd/ati really need to be more compettive with what they have instead of buying bigger headaches. They need to gain market share. :shakes:

[LordEC911]

The point of all this "buying" is something few of you seem to understand.
It is called investing, spend money now to make more later or put you in a better position in the market place.

AMD still has a decent amount of cash on hand.
Anyone know the price of Ageia?

[saaya]

this shows how stupid it is not to take good care of your employees.
most of ageia people are ex amd and ati afaik, if they would have made them feel comfortable at amd/ati to begin with they would have to cash out now to get them to work for them again :lol:

[GAR]

What AMD needs to do is not purchase Ageia, are they jelous that INTEL bought HAVOK?? seems very funny right after intel made the purchase AMD like a puppet makes statements about interest in ageia............what AMD really needs to do is concentrate on the budget part of the pc market...........lowering their prices of the quads to under $200 for top model......lower the price of the 3870 to $179, and 385o to 149........the thing about AMD/ATI is they dont provide top end performance and they shouldnt be charging the same amount as intel or nvidia, intill they match performance or surpass it, while they have had time to make this choice they didnt, intel and nvidia released their products before them and still 1 year after they outpeform there best product with something that has been on the market for over a year.............AMD needs t concetrate on the BUDGET portion of the market.

[xenolith]

intel could have bought ati either

Why? Intel already owned 70% if the mobile and desktop GPU market and AMD had 0-nata-nil-none throughout its history. AMD's purchase of ATI was the quickest solution they had to take a bite out of that market share, and from future market shares.

When is everyone here going to remember the highend/enthusiast market will never be the primary focus and initiative of Intel and AMD?

[GAR]

Why? Intel already owned 70% if the mobile and desktop GPU market and AMD had 0-nata-nil-none throughout its history. AMD's purchase of ATI was the quickest solution they had to take a bite out of that market share, and from future market shares.

When is everyone here going to remember the highend/enthusiast market will never be the primary focus and initiative of Intel and AMD?

If you look at the valve survey results you can see the most video card used was indeed an 8800 series......ofcourse the average house hold probably doesnt even know who its video card manufacturer is...........its all depends who the oem company (dell, gateway, emachines, etc..........)

[xenolith]

If you look at the vavle survey results you can see the most video card used was indeed an 8800 series.....ofcourse the average house hold probably doesnt even know who its video card manufacturer is...........its all depends who the oem company (dell, gateway, emachines, etc..........)


Right, and everyone who owns a GUI device logs onto steam's surveys. :rolleyes:

[pH(x)]

The point of all this "buying" is something few of you seem to understand.
It is called investing, spend money now to make more later or put you in a better position in the market place.

AMD still has a decent amount of cash on hand.
Anyone know the price of Ageia?

100 million dollars.

[GAR]

Right, and everyone who owns a GUI device logs onto steam's surveys. :rolleyes:

RIGHT..............now listen here and try to udnerstand what i was trying to say...................PC gamers, people who actually play good pc games, 90% have STEAM installed, i can guarantee you this.........so therefor that servey is very important...........whats that servey means that is PC GAMERS, not pc users, most of them DO actually have an 8800..........SO if you had actually taken the time to understand this, you wouldnt have made that post you did.......there is that saying, think before you speak (type in this case).

:owned:

[takamishanoku]

Looks like AMD are trying to go for an Apple like stratergy. Provide a platform and produce everything themselves. It will be interesting but will take time to bear fruit. I would rather they try to stick at CPU's to be honest.

[del_fuego]

If you look at the valve survey results you can see the most video card used was indeed an 8800 series......

All that means is the people who could be bothered to take part in the survey (at that time), were alot of 8800 owners. The survey tells me nothing about how many people didnt take part (like me) and so therefore without these figures its impossible to draw a concrete conclusion on what cards the majority of 'steamers' use.


wow, why do multi billion dollar companies need consultants when this forum is full of gurus?

Too true! Did anyone actually check Face's post?

[PhilDoc]

Very true, the steam survery is also not a random sample. Its an accidental sample. As you said the results can only be applied to those who are on steam and happened to decide to respond. We also don't know what people are using who don't use their computers to game, which is probably a pretty high percentage. A survey like the one steam used has so many biases that any real conclusions just cant be drawn. Statistics 101

[The_Beast]

AMD is going :down: with this deal

[hixie]

It's the algorithm they want, not the technology. The technology is the same everywhere, their all calculators.
I see a huge potential in AMD-ATI, but only if they deliver what they promised, and on time.

[turtle]

It's the algorithm they want, not the technology. The technology is the same everywhere, their all calculators.
I see a huge potential in AMD-ATI, but only if they deliver what they promised, and on time.

Right, they want the ability to run the API, not the actual PhysX chip technology (which is a joke); essentially the same thing they were going to use from Havok, only it's not nearly as important because both AMD and nVIDIA had ongoing business plans with Havok to deliver a product they promised, something Intel purely and simply stole from them because of that fact.

Like you said, "they're all calculators", I'm sure the API would run fine through CTM, but why just not wait for another programmer/developer/company to come up with a new API, either universal or based on CTM? I imagine SOMEONE will do it eventually, if not soon, and if not at any rate the time will come where there is a unified interface for using the raw FLOP/s (ala CTM and CUDA) in dx11.

Personally, I think AGEIA is a company that just needs to die for trying to be proprietary for no reason. Havok had the right idea, and they were awarded for it (well, to keep it from happening). Someone needs to follow in their footsteps before it doesn't matter anymore.

Irregardless I think this is a non-issue, and poor Huddy is being made out as a fool for no reason with a couple sites' taking some quotes way out of context. To me, here's the one that matters:


‘If Ageia want to command a comparable price [to what Intel paid for Havok],’ said Huddy, ‘then that’s a pretty significant problem for AMD. No one would think of us as cash rich at the moment, so splashing an extra $100 million just to get physics, which is a niche market, is quite an issue for us.’


He understands the sitch. It's like saying simply "Yes, that would be a nice thing to have, but if they do what any smart company in their position would do after their only competitor was just bought to screw us over, and ask for equal if not greater money for being the only option left, and they will, we simply cannot afford it at this juncture."

Case closed.

[dinos22]

AMD has to look outside the box now and create a competitive advantage. This is not a bad start :D if put to proper use

[Jimmer411]

If they buy Ageia then that might mean the introduction of cheap cheap PPU's. $50-75 would be enough to significantly increase market share in that market, along with the popularity of the Unreal engine that just might be what it takes to get more developers on the bandwagon giving AMD/ATI quite an advantage early on if integrated into future hardware properly.

Alternativly it can have the same negative impact on AMD/ATI that not choosing to do a K8 quadcore in the same style as C2D when it had the market lead.

[hecktic]

lol whats next they going to buy an NPU brand like KillerINC ??

[AMD-PHENOM]

lol whats next they going to buy an NPU brand like KillerINC ??

No, they looking to buy intel :ROTF:

[ColonelCain]

no offense, but with what money?

Unfortunately, that is the cold hard truth.:shakes:

[squilliam]

Hmm, I was thinking of buying AMD stock, but with them splitting it and all, I don't know if it would be that smart of a choice.

[NapalmV5]

can it get anymore weirder @ amd

theyre almost 6 feet deep and they dream acquisitions

release 3ghz phenom/barcelona 2xxx/8xxx first

[bigdaddy25fb]

Since everyone on this board seems to be a financial advisor to a multi-billion dollar company I was wondering if you guys would like to help me setup my retirement plans??

[NapalmV5]

we, your retirement plan?

we professionals, the more money u give us the better your plan, just like amd

lol

[G80]

Multi billion in dept company you mean?