http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8047546.stm
Computer chipmaker Intel has been fined a record 1.06bn euros ($1.45bn; £948m) by the European Commission for anti-competitive practices.

Well at least they aren't just having a go at M$

WOW, I though £60 for speeding was steep!

Well that should be able to fund the MEP's expenses for a week or two.
Now those guys really know how to milk the gravy train. They make our MP's look like a bunch of ametuers.

So, our taxes will now go down because Intel are paying them for us?

In all seriousness, AMD was doing well before dual cores became standard in desktops (~2006), even if Intel were passing money around to people, it surely wasn't harming AMD that much? Many people who knew anything about computers was going with AMD...
Since CD and indeed C2D, Intel seem to have the upper hand...Hands up who has built a computer with an AMD chip in the last year.

Me, I got a Phenom. I try to buy AMD where possible on principle.

Wow a market where somewhere is leading, that isnt fair, lets fine the leader!!!!

Total bull.. if they like burnt down AMD's research department then fine, but comeon, all they are doing is better than AMD.. simple..

It seems to be the same as bidding on business, saying if you use us then you pay less. Just it was hidden.

Ah, but the difference is intel is saying "if you use us and not AMD we'll give you the discount"

It's not fair competition purely based on merit of chip performance anymore.

Still, Intel has been kicking AMD's ass lately

There's a good set of "articles"/stories over at Hexus regarding the issue.

Apparently as Vigil said Intel were either paying discounts to retailers if they stocked/sold Intel to the majority/larger clients and offered rebates to those only willing to buy ~90% of their stock from Intel.

Er no, it's abusing its position to try and put a competitor out of business. This, quite rightly, is illegal. It'd be like Tesco offering bread for sale at 10 pence for an 800gram loaf, Tesco can afford the loss, but it would put a load of competitors out of business.

Giving a PC maker backhanders that make it uneconomical to accept 1 million free AMD processors is fair practice?

<waves> I've built two Phenom based machines for friends this year.

They were allegedly offering smaller and mid sized firms, plus some larger ones cash bungs to scrap AMD usage !

Meh, how would that be illegal lol
Special offer bread for 10p... aint it just the same as selling things as BOGOF's.

Surely Intel were just giving loyalty bonuses...

(for anyone picking up that I dont have the faintest about 'anti competitive' laws and stuff, gratz).

That’s the “Harvard” method of business. It’s how the Americans work, and they just don’t get it that the rest of the world don’t behave in that way.

Good, maybe the Americans will learn that there is a world beyond the US boundary. If they want to trade in the EU they have to play by our rules, simples.