NVIDIA shows signs ... [2008 - 2017]

[OpenGL guy]

I like the part where he says the gpu is only worth $20. Now if only the vendors would sell them for that. ( at dell a $100 charge is about the minimum for an upgrade to discrete gpu).

The memory and PCB aren't free. And when NVIDIA says "$20", do they mean their cost, the board manufacturer's cost or the end-user's cost?

 

[INKster]

How many of those belong to the roughly 300 that came with the ULi purchase ?

I guess it might indeed be the case after all...

Nvidia Taiwan takes the largest cuts

Taipei office looked like Lehman Brothers


We've learned that a lot of people in Nvidia's Taiwan office got pink slips. Apparently they suffered the biggest cut in the recent layoffs.
Our sources in Taiwan have confirmed that a large number of Nvidia Taiwan employees were made redundant. We suspect that the notebook chip packaging issue has been sinned by someone in Taiwan and that this might be the reason why they are getting the largest cuts, but at the same time we believe that is much easier to lay off people in Taiwan than in the USA or Europe, simply due to different labour laws.

Nvidia simply had to cut its labour force as it hasn’t done it for years and especially as 2008 is not one of the greatest years for Nvidia. As one of our friends said, Nvidia got lazy and cocky and was punished by ATI, Intel and the notebook issue, but this is a good thing since it will get them back in shape.

http://www.fudzilla.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9554&Itemid=1

 

[nAo]

I don't know, it's pretty easy to lay off ppl in the US, actually you don't even need a proper motivation with at-will contracts, AFAIK.

 

[Geo]

I don't know, it's pretty easy to lay off ppl in the US, actually you don't even need a proper motivation with at-will contracts, AFAIK.

Well, "at will" is a little bit of a fiction in California. Tho if they spread it around pretty well they might be okay. But any gay, old, woman, black, armenian, etc. . .

 

[nAo]

Well, "at will" is a little bit of a fiction in California. Tho if they spread it around pretty well they might be okay. But any gay, old, woman, black, armenian, etc. . .

Italian? Thanks for the hint, one day it might be useful!

 

[gostriker]

Well, "at will" is a little bit of a fiction in California. Tho if they spread it around pretty well they might be okay. But any gay, old, woman, black, armenian, etc. . .

Edited: Toned down my discomfort with social commentary singling out people that are generally at a huge disadvantage. Lets hope not too many layoffs hit the US in the coming months.

 

[Geo]

The only "social commentary" that occurred was in your post. But feel free to take it to RPSC if you feel the need.

Perhaps what I knew that you didn't was that nAo works in California. I was just trying to tell him, as a recent immigrant to the US, to not sweat the literal interpretation of "at will" given the state he lives in. California "at will" *is* mostly a fiction given legal precedents in the state. If you do go to RPSC I'll be happy to start citing them for you.

 

[nicolasb]

My apologies if this has already been mentioned.... Nvidia, Dell and Hewlett-Packard are all being sued over the "defective chips" issue:

http://www.itexaminer.com/nvidia-dell-hp-sued-over-defective-chips.aspx

 

[Jawed]

http://www.appleinsider.com/article...ook_pros_affected_by_faulty_nvidia_chips.html

"However, after an Apple-led investigation, Apple has determined that some MacBook Pro computers with the NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics processor may be affected," the company said. "If the NVIDIA graphics processor in your MacBook Pro has failed, or fails within two years of the original date of purchase, a repair will be done free of charge, even if your MacBook Pro is out of warranty."

Another one time charge, this time for Macs?

Jawed

 

[ShaidarHaran]

http://www.appleinsider.com/article...ook_pros_affected_by_faulty_nvidia_chips.html


Another one time charge, this time for Macs?

Jawed

I don't recall seeing an official statement from NV WRT their $200 million write-off being limited to any specific OEMs. I believe any such statement would be speculation on the part of the author.

 

[Jawed]

I don't recall seeing an official statement from NV WRT their $200 million write-off being limited to any specific OEMs. I believe any such statement would be speculation on the part of the author.

For its part, Apple also contacted Nvidia in July and was assured "that Mac computers with these graphics processors were not affected," it revealed in a support document for the first time this week.

So if the ~$200M excluded Apple, because NVidia was "certain" that no Mac computers were affected, then there is now a chance there will be another charge.

Alternatively, if NVidia did include Apple in that charge, then, well...

Anyway, at least they've stopped making these Macs with the faulty parts.

Jawed

 

[ShaidarHaran]

It could be that Macs might not have been affected because of better thermal design (i.e. larger/more efficient HSFs).

 

[Jawed]

It could be that Macs might not have been affected because of better thermal design (i.e. larger/more efficient HSFs).

Eh?

Jawed

 

[2senile]

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2377

Apple is issuing refunds to customers who may have paid for repairs related to this issue. Please contact Apple for details on the refund process.

I assume this would apply for products outside Warranty so I
wonder whether Apple will be able to pass these costs on to nV?

 

[Geo]

At that same time, NVIDIA assured Apple that Mac computers with these graphics processors were not affected.

Surely the news from the Apple thing is that this brush fire just "hopped the fireline" and is now officially alleged by an OEM to be taking out G84-based laptops too even tho Nvidia solemnly told them 8600 wasn't at risk? That's what that sentence means. Seriously, the possibility of "major conflagration" just came into play.

That's not good for Nvidia. . .not good at all. And almost certainly above and beyond the original $200M. And once one OEM bellys up to that bar, it's a near certainly that the others will want to dip their beak as well even if they've already had a taste from the G86 fund.

I wonder what Nvidia is saying internally now? That Apple is trying to pick their pocket just to see if they can since Apple's stock has been under pressure lately? Or "Oh sh*t!".

And, btw, Apple is supposed to be announcing new laptops next week. . . .gee, I wonder who will get the gpu?

Lastly, once you've lost one fireline in this kind of situation, your credibility at drawing the next one is even shakier. . . Damn, I hope I don't find myself saying something nice about the Inq at some point. That would be painful.

 

[XMAN26]

Surely the news from the Apple thing is that this brush fire just "hopped the fireline" and is now officially alleged by an OEM to be taking out G84-based laptops too even tho Nvidia solemnly told them 8600 wasn't at risk? That's what that sentence means. Seriously, the possibility of "major conflagration" just came into play.

That's not good for Nvidia. . .not good at all. And almost certainly above and beyond the original $200M. And once one OEM bellys up to that bar, it's a near certainly that the others will want to dip their beak as well even if they've already had a taste from the G86 fund.

I wonder what Nvidia is saying internally now? That Apple is trying to pick their pocket just to see if they can since Apple's stock has been under pressure lately? Or "Oh sh*t!".

And, btw, Apple is supposed to be announcing new laptops next week. . . .gee, I wonder who will get the gpu?

Lastly, once you've lost one fireline in this kind of situation, your credibility at drawing the next one is even shakier. . . Damn, I hope I don't find myself saying something nice about the Inq at some point. That would be painful.

According to the Inq and otehr places, the next new mac has Nv hardware in it too.

 

[Geo]

According to the Inq and otehr places, the next new mac has Nv hardware in it too.

I suppose these decisions are made many months in advance, so it is entirely possible that the issue Apple feels they found with 8600M GT came to light too late to have much if any impact on the next generation.

I guess we'll see shortly.

 

[Jawed]

Surely the news from the Apple thing is that this brush fire just "hopped the fireline" and is now officially alleged by an OEM to be taking out G84-based laptops too even tho Nvidia solemnly told them 8600 wasn't at risk? That's what that sentence means. Seriously, the possibility of "major conflagration" just came into play.

I'd still like to know why it was once abundantly clear that this was not the case:

http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?p=1208915&postcount=362

That's not good for Nvidia. . .not good at all. And almost certainly above and beyond the original $200M.

But it's also possible that NVidia's ~$200M is actually enough to cover all these issues. In other words, NVidia did in fact include Apple failures in that amount, but simply didn't reveal as much.

Jawed

 

[Geo]

You have Apple's own testimony on the matter that they were told by Nvidia that 8600M GT was in the clear, and that it took their own three month investigation to decide "not so much".

Do you think Apple was the only one who was told that?

As to your second point, you're saying Nvidia made provision for G84 and then lied to the OEMs about it?

 

[Mark]

All I really know is that Dell thinks that running the fan at 100% on my laptop is an acceptable solution to this problem. I, however, tend to think in more black & white terms when it comes to a major investment of mine. If something is broken, it should be replaced/repaired under the terms of my warranty. Band-aid solutions are not acceptable.