When Intel calls, Skype listens

The latest version of Skype's Internet-calling software can host up to 10 users on a conference call, but only if your PC has a dual-core processor from Intel, Skype and Intel announced Wednesday.

Intel's Core Duo and Pentium D processors have been designated the mass conference-calling processor of choice for Skype 2.0, launched last month. The limit will remain at five callers for PCs using single-core chips and Advanced Micro Devices' dual-core Athlon 64 chip, which some tests have shown outperforms Intel's dual-core chip.

Skype's software allows PC users to make free voice calls to other Skype users over the Internet and to call cell phones and landlines for a fee.

Dual-core processors are basically two processing engines crammed onto a single piece of silicon. The individual processor cores tend to run slower than the clock speeds achieved by single-core chips, but a dual-core chip excels when confronted with two demanding tasks at once, such as scanning a PC for viruses while decoding a video stream.

Despite both AMD and Intel releasing dual-core chips to the market last May, Skype 2.0 software will allow 10-way conference calls only if it detects code specific to Intel's chips when the PC boots, said Rob Crooke, vice president of Intel's Business Client Group.

Intel approached Skype with its plan to optimize code on its chips for Skype's software so users would have a good experience while hosting a multiperson conference call, Crooke said. In recent years, Intel has increasingly touted its software development resources as a competitive advantage over AMD, which also trails Intel in the marketing budget category.

Other processors based on the x86 instruction set, such as AMD's chips or Via's, obviously will not come with the same optimized code found on Intel's chips. Intel and Skype announced a partnership at the Fall Intel Developer Forum last August to make sure Skype's products would run well on Intel's chips.

VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) conference calls are a compute-intensive undertaking. Skype's minimum system requirement of a 400MHz processor applies only to a single person-to-person VoIP call. Adding multiple users to that connection requires the PC to simultaneously host multiple sessions with those new users, which strains the processor, a Skype representative said.

By choosing to work exclusively with Intel, Skype is excluding technology that is arguably more powerful than Intel's. A series of benchmark tests conducted last year by Tom's Hardware gave an overall performance edge to AMD's dual-core chips but rated Intel's dual-core chips better in some multitasking situations.

AMD is gaining some market share at Intel's expense. Intel still dominates the market for desktop and notebook processors, but AMD took several points of market share from Intel in the fourth quarter, according to Mercury Research and Current Analysis.

Skype did extensive performance testing before releasing this feature for Intel's chips, said Henry Gomez, general manager of Skype's North American operations. He declined to comment on whether the company tested Intel's dual-core chips against AMD's dual-core chips, but said Skype was very satisfied with the performance of the Intel chips.

The 10-way calling feature will be exclusive to Intel's chips for a limited time, Gomez said. Skype is not releasing the time frame for the expiration of the exclusive agreement, he said.

An AMD representative did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Blatant pro-Intel bias

That kind of pro-Intel bias means I'll never be a Skype customer. I've only used AMD for years and this just screams discrimination to me. I guess Skype doesn't need my business.

Blatant pro-Intel bias

That kind of pro-Intel bias means I'll never be a Skype customer. I've only used AMD for years and this just screams discrimination to me. I guess Skype doesn't need my business.

[CentrOS]

This is BS

I'll be looking at the Skype alternatives now, this is stupid.

[CentrOS]

This is BS

I'll be looking at the Skype alternatives now, this is stupid.

[System Tyrant]

Skype lost me.

I don't have anything against Intel or Skype, but as a loyal AMD user I can not in good faith support a company that puts more focus on Intel in such a blatent way. Although I don't control what my family uses for software I can say that many of them look to me for assistance when choosing software and I will do my best to talk them out of using Skype until Skype shows as much support for AMD as they do Intel.

If Skype chooses to show the same amount of support for AMD as they do for Intel then I have no problem using their software.

For those of you who feel the same way I suggest going over to Skypes website and e-mailing them your feelings.

[System Tyrant]

Skype lost me.

I don't have anything against Intel or Skype, but as a loyal AMD user I can not in good faith support a company that puts more focus on Intel in such a blatent way. Although I don't control what my family uses for software I can say that many of them look to me for assistance when choosing software and I will do my best to talk them out of using Skype until Skype shows as much support for AMD as they do Intel.

If Skype chooses to show the same amount of support for AMD as they do for Intel then I have no problem using their software.

For those of you who feel the same way I suggest going over to Skypes website and e-mailing them your feelings.

[sharikou]

Lawyers look into this

http://www.amd.com/breakfree

[sharikou]

Lawyers look into this

http://www.amd.com/breakfree

[jbc94523]

Desperate...

When Intel and Skype collude to discriminate against AMD, it's a sorry statement for Intel. Now that AMD beats the pants off Intel's chips, Intel has to compete in a sneaky below the belt manner like this.

[jbc94523]

Desperate...

When Intel and Skype collude to discriminate against AMD, it's a sorry statement for Intel. Now that AMD beats the pants off Intel's chips, Intel has to compete in a sneaky below the belt manner like this.

[sharikou]

Dutch hores are so cheap

It's a shame eBay paid so much money for these cheapo ....

http://sharikou.blogspot.com/

[sharikou]

Dutch hores are so cheap

It's a shame eBay paid so much money for these cheapo ....

http://sharikou.blogspot.com/

[Spectel]

Skype Software is Broken

They want to play with fire. I got a good one for them! Everyone I give advice to will hear Skype Software is Broken, don't even bother using it.

They will not be welcome on my WISP either. Since I use an AMD processor on my Microtik, for some reason, Skype can't pass through my router now. Hmmm, how about that,
Their software must be broken....

[Spectel]

Skype Software is Broken

They want to play with fire. I got a good one for them! Everyone I give advice to will hear Skype Software is Broken, don't even bother using it.

They will not be welcome on my WISP either. Since I use an AMD processor on my Microtik, for some reason, Skype can't pass through my router now. Hmmm, how about that,
Their software must be broken....

[Applepye]

I'm not sure that's right

Intel recently released the core duo (Yonah core)with a new architecture. How did Tom's Hardware do a benchmark on it a year ago when Intel had barely released the Smithfield cores? Also if the architecture is optimised for a certain software shouldn't it be able to handle a higher load?

[Applepye]

I'm not sure that's right

Intel recently released the core duo (Yonah core)with a new architecture. How did Tom's Hardware do a benchmark on it a year ago when Intel had barely released the Smithfield cores? Also if the architecture is optimised for a certain software shouldn't it be able to handle a higher load?

[S R]

Morons, this is exactly what the consumers were thinking of...

when the TPC module was announced. It just goes on to prove that
corporate bas***** would do something like this.

Think of a consumer buying a laptop; what are all the things that
one has to take into account before buying it? Now, add this!
Guys, get a clue; use TPC for the kind of things that it's supposed
to.

[S R]

Morons, this is exactly what the consumers were thinking of...

when the TPC module was announced. It just goes on to prove that
corporate bas***** would do something like this.

Think of a consumer buying a laptop; what are all the things that
one has to take into account before buying it? Now, add this!
Guys, get a clue; use TPC for the kind of things that it's supposed
to.

[random-rambler]

Sky High Hype

As a soon to be former skype user, do they think we're stupid? I had thought they were on the ball since they offered skype on Windows, Mac and Linux. What's next, support for only one OS? Since all of the gee-whiz new features are only found on the Windows version, it's not hard to imagine which OS skype would pick.

I've always liked AMD chips and didn't mind intel inside. If intel has to stoop to these kind of tactics to sell their chips I have to wonder about them. Maybe intel thinks this is how to jump on the telecom bandwagon.

Maybe skype is short for sky high hype.

[random-rambler]

Sky High Hype

As a soon to be former skype user, do they think we're stupid? I had thought they were on the ball since they offered skype on Windows, Mac and Linux. What's next, support for only one OS? Since all of the gee-whiz new features are only found on the Windows version, it's not hard to imagine which OS skype would pick.

I've always liked AMD chips and didn't mind intel inside. If intel has to stoop to these kind of tactics to sell their chips I have to wonder about them. Maybe intel thinks this is how to jump on the telecom bandwagon.

Maybe skype is short for sky high hype.