Intel cuts prices on some processors

In today's podcast: Intel cuts prices on some processors; IBM unveils LotusLive suite of Internet services; and AMD cuts jobs, salaries.

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Intel on Monday announced price cuts across a wide range of chips used in mobile and desktop PCs, including cuts of up to 40 percent for its quad-core chips. Intel's Core 2 Quad Q9650 processors are now priced at US$316, a 40 percent drop from December. Other Core 2 Quad chip prices were cut between 16 percent and 20 percent. The quad-core chips are used in high-end desktops like gaming systems. Intel's move could be a response to increasing price pressure exerted by rival Advanced Micro Devices, which recently announced the Phenom II quad-core chips for high-end desktops. AMD has priced its Phenom II quad-core chips between $235 and $275.

On Monday, IBM introduced LotusLive, which it describes as a portfolio of integrated Internet-hosted services for social networking and collaboration in workplaces. LotusLive's Web site is now the portal where all of IBM's Lotus "cloud" offerings are located, including e-mail, collaboration and Web conferencing. Built on open standards, LotusLive is designed to allow for simple integration with third-party applications. It features a "click to cloud" functionality to tie existing applications residing on customer servers with LotusLive services.

Chip maker Advanced Micro Devices will shed 1,100 more jobs and cut salaries as it tries to reduce costs in a tough economic environment. The company will lay off 900 at all levels of its product business, and will shed a further 200 positions through attrition and by divesting its handheld business. The cuts affect 9 percent of AMD's work force of 12,000, and come on top of hundreds of job cuts the company announced last year. None of the 3,000 workers within AMD's foundry operations, which were spun off in October into a separate company, will be affected.

IBM's Chinese subsidiary last week acquired a stake worth US$15.8 million in Chinese television set maker Changhong Electric. IBM Global Services China, the services and consulting arm of IBM China, acquired a 1.56 percent stake in Sichuan Changhong Electric from its parent company and largest shareholder, Sichuan Changhong Group. Changhong Electric is China's largest TV maker, and also produces air conditioners and other electronics products, like MP3 players, set-top boxes, and DVD players. The company is also an IBM customer, having adopted the Product Innovation Management model developed by IBM Global Services.

...And those are the top stories from the IDG Global IT News Update, brought to you by the IDG News Service. I'm Sumner Lemon in Singapore. Join us again later for more news from the world of technology.