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With the number of servers Amazon has powering AWS, etc. maybe it's worth their while to buy a chipmaker and design custom chips to keep things going? I have n

With the number of servers Amazon has powering AWS, etc. maybe it's worth their while to buy a chipmaker and design custom chips to keep things going? I have no idea why Amazon would need a chipmaker otherwise.

DiabloD3 12y ago
You mean besides their e-reader, tablet, phone, media device, and whatever-the-hell-the-Echo-is product lines?
- duaneb 12y ago
  In general, CPUs are definitely not the problem with those devices.... it's the terrible software and tiny app store.
  - DiabloD3 12y ago
    If they're trying to lower the cost by cutting out various middlemen, it still helps. I'll buy a Kindle Fire 7" if they can get them down to $50, yet have the same or better feature set.
    - orbifold 12y ago
      There is no way that the processor costs ~50% of the retail price and that they would be able to lower costs by designing their own chip (the acquisition alone, plus chip design and manufacture could easily run into the billions of dollars).
      - DiabloD3 12y ago
        It doesn't, the glass and battery is the majority of the cost. But Amazon is thinking long term here, so who knows what their next purchase will be.
        gonzo 12y ago
        Jeff wants to be Steve.
wmf 12y ago
It could also be for the Fire Router and Fire NAS.
- dangrossman 12y ago
  Speculation about future products aside, Amazon already has custom designed routers manufactured for them to run AWS. They already have Intel selling them custom CPU variants that aren't sold on the open market.
  - rousse101 12y ago
    If you mean they have signed contract to not sell CPU on the open market, that's interesting.
    - sliverstorm 12y ago
      Presumably that means a built-to-order SoC that is mostly Intel parts with some Amazon special ingredients. I believe Sony & Microsoft have similar deals with the chips in their game consoles.
      - wmf 12y ago
        Amazon (and Oracle) just has a different bin of the existing Haswell die; it's not really comparable to the gaming SoCs IMO.
        wtallis 12y ago
        Intel's done custom packaging, though, like the first-generation MacBook Air getting a smaller BGA package that wasn't available to other OEMs until the next generation processor.
      - greggyb 12y ago
        This is correct. The consoles tend toward AMD APUs, though (at least in recent/current generations). My understanding is that it's pretty much the same as a chip you could buy on your own, but soldered directly to the board and custom clocking/voltage.

DiabloD3 12y ago

You mean besides their e-reader, tablet, phone, media device, and whatever-the-hell-the-Echo-is product lines?

duaneb 12y ago
In general, CPUs are definitely not the problem with those devices.... it's the terrible software and tiny app store.
- DiabloD3 12y ago
  If they're trying to lower the cost by cutting out various middlemen, it still helps. I'll buy a Kindle Fire 7" if they can get them down to $50, yet have the same or better feature set.
  - orbifold 12y ago
    There is no way that the processor costs ~50% of the retail price and that they would be able to lower costs by designing their own chip (the acquisition alone, plus chip design and manufacture could easily run into the billions of dollars).
    - DiabloD3 12y ago
      It doesn't, the glass and battery is the majority of the cost. But Amazon is thinking long term here, so who knows what their next purchase will be.
      - gonzo 12y ago
        Jeff wants to be Steve.

wmf 12y ago

It could also be for the Fire Router and Fire NAS.

dangrossman 12y ago
Speculation about future products aside, Amazon already has custom designed routers manufactured for them to run AWS. They already have Intel selling them custom CPU variants that aren't sold on the open market.
- rousse101 12y ago
  If you mean they have signed contract to not sell CPU on the open market, that's interesting.
  - sliverstorm 12y ago
    Presumably that means a built-to-order SoC that is mostly Intel parts with some Amazon special ingredients. I believe Sony & Microsoft have similar deals with the chips in their game consoles.
    - wmf 12y ago
      Amazon (and Oracle) just has a different bin of the existing Haswell die; it's not really comparable to the gaming SoCs IMO.
      - wtallis 12y ago
        Intel's done custom packaging, though, like the first-generation MacBook Air getting a smaller BGA package that wasn't available to other OEMs until the next generation processor.
    - greggyb 12y ago
      This is correct. The consoles tend toward AMD APUs, though (at least in recent/current generations). My understanding is that it's pretty much the same as a chip you could buy on your own, but soldered directly to the board and custom clocking/voltage.