AMD welcomes Intel to OLPC table

By Shaun Nichols on Jul 17, 2007 9:31 PM
Filed under Hardware

Rivals in partnership.

AMD and Intel appear to be setting their differences aside for the One Laptop Per Child project.

The chip firms have been locked in a fierce battle for the enterprise and consumer CPU markets that has at times spilled over into public wars of words.

These hostilities seem to have been put aside for the moment, however, as Intel has jumped onboard the OLPC initiative to provide laptops to children in developing nations.
"Intel has apparently had a change of heart, and we welcome them to the table," an AMD spokesperson told vnunet.com.

Just six weeks ago, an Intel/OLPC alliance did not appear to be on the cards. The chip company was developing its own Classmate PC to compete with OLPC's AMD-powered XO laptop.

OLPC founder Nicholas Negroponte, meanwhile, had accused Intel of using dirty tactics to undercut XO sales.

An Intel spokesperson told vnunet.com that the OLPC partnership will not affect the Classmate PC project.

"The thing we have been highlighting is that both parties are working towards the same goal," said the spokesperson.

All sides are keeping quiet on Intel's role in the project. An Intel spokesperson said that the specifics are still being worked out, but OLPC could not be reached for comment.

AMD maintains that it has no knowledge of any plans to use Intel hardware in the XO and that AMD's role in the manufacturing process has not changed.

An AMD spokesperson also stressed that this is not the first time the rival chipmakers have collaborated, citing the Green Grid and Climate Savers initiatives.