AMD unveils 'Live' offerings

AMD revealed its AMD Live PC and AMD Live Entertainment Suite on Wednesday, as the chipmaker goes head-to-head with archrival Intel in the digital entertainment arena.

AMD, with the aid of third-party vendors, is aiming to create a media-centre PC that will allow users to organise, distribute and share their content while at home or in other locations. The chipmaker is also launching AMD Live Entertainment Suite, which is designed to offer applications and services to assist users in designing and operating their digital entertainment systems.

The company's announcement comes less than a year after Intel announced its Viiv digital entertainment brand. Last month, PCs loaded with Intel's Viiv dual-core processor, chipset and network controller began shipping to the market.

AMD, however, contends its digital entertainment technology takes an approach that is different from that of its rival. AMD offered a sneak peek at its Live technology during the CES in January.

"We have guidelines for OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), but don't require them to use certain component makers or chipset makers. This allows the OEMs to differentiate their PCs," said Teresa de Onis, AMD desktop brand manager. "The OEMs also don't have to buy a software stack from us."

Roger Kay, an analyst with Endpoint Technology, said PC makers may find the flexibility of choosing components more attractive with AMD Live, but also must weigh it against the marketing dollars they may receive with Intel's Viiv.

"There is not a compelling price difference between (AMD and Intel) for the desktop, so the OEMs will look at not only the component prices, but also the relationship with partners and... the one that gives them the most profitable offering," Kay said.

AMD Live, which uses the chipmaker's Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processor, will come loaded onto PCs from HP, Acer, Fujitsu Siemens, Alienware and Tsinghua Tongfang. HP is expected to immediately begin offering AMD Live PCs, while the others are expected to introduce their systems in June and July. AMD's agreements with the PC makers are not exclusive.

The Live Entertainment Suite will offer four main features. One, called AMD Live On Demand, is designed to offer a service, via Orb Networks, to stream live or prerecorded television shows, photos, music and movies to devices connected to the Internet. The suite will also include an application tool that aims to compress recorded TV shows, allowing more shows to be stored on a PC. The suite will also offer 25GB of free storage via AMD's Live Media Vault and a service to set up and manage a home network.

"We're focused on the day-to-day problems," said de Onis. "Intel is offering premium content and services, but we're offering applications and services to help users solve problems like streaming to a laptop."

AMD is planning to expand its offerings later in the year with the capability to show Internet content on a user's television screen, via its Live PC and a set-top box. AMD will begin demonstrating its technology reference designs next week with set-top manufacturers.

"We don't believe, like Intel, that most people will put a PC in their living room. We believe in working with the existing ecosystem to enhance TV," de Onis said.