WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 — The Federal Trade Commission today sued Intel Corp., the world’s leading computer chip maker, charging that the company has illegally used its dominant market position for a decade to stifle competition and strengthen its monopoly.

In its complaint, the FTC alleges that Intel has waged a systematic campaign to shut out rivals’ competing microchips by cutting off their access to the marketplace. In the process, Intel deprived consumers of choice and innovation in the microchips that comprise the computers’ central processing unit, or CPU. These chips are critical components that often are referred to as the “brains” of a computer.

According to the FTC complaint, Intel’s anticompetitive tactics were designed to put the brakes on superior competitive products that threatened its monopoly in the CPU microchip market. Over the last decade, this strategy has succeeded in maintaining the Intel monopoly at the expense of consumers, who have been denied access to potentially superior, non-Intel CPU chips and lower prices, the complaint states.

“Intel has engaged in a deliberate campaign to hamstring competitive threats to its monopoly,” said Richard A. Feinstein, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition. “It’s been running roughshod over the principles of fair play and the laws protecting competition on the merits. The Commission’s action today seeks to remedy the damage that Intel has done to competition, innovation, and, ultimately, the American consumer.”

The FTC’s administrative complaint charges that Intel carried out its anticompetitive campaign using threats and rewards aimed at the world’s largest computer manufacturers, including Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and IBM, to coerce them not to buy rival computer CPU chips. Intel also used this practice, known as exclusive or restrictive dealing, to prevent computer makers from marketing any machines with non-Intel computer chips.

In addition, allegedly, Intel secretly redesigned key software, known as a compiler, in a way that deliberately stunted the performance of competitors’ CPU chips. Intel told its customers and the public that software performed better on Intel CPUs than on competitors’

CPUs, but the company deceived them by failing to disclose that these differences were due largely or entirely to Intel’s compiler design.

Having succeeded in slowing adoption of competing CPU chips over the past decade until it could catch up to competitors like Advanced Micro Devices, Intel allegedly once again finds itself falling behind the competition – this time in the critical market for graphics processing units, commonly known as GPUs, as well as some other related markets. These products have lessened the need for CPUs, and therefore pose a threat to Intel’s monopoly power.

Intel has responded to this competitive challenge by embarking on a similar anticompetitive strategy, which aims to preserve its CPU monopoly by smothering potential competition from GPU chips such as those made by Nvidia, the FTC complaint charges. As part of this latest campaign, Intel misled and deceived potential competitors in order to protect its monopoly. The complaint alleges that there also is a dangerous probability that Intel’s unfair methods of competition could allow it to extend its monopoly into the GPU chip markets.

According to the FTC’s complaint, Intel’s anticompetitive tactics violate Section 5 of the FTC Act, which is broader than the antitrust laws and prohibits unfair methods of competition, and deceptive acts and practices in commerce. Critically, unlike an antitrust violation, a violation of Section 5 cannot be used to establish liability for plaintiffs to seek triple damages in private litigation against the same defendant. The complaint also alleges that Intel engaged in illegal monopolization, attempted monopolization and monopoly maintenance, also in violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act.

To remedy the anticompetitive damage alleged in the complaint, the FTC is seeking an order which includes provisions that would prevent Intel from using threats, bundled prices, or other offers to encourage exclusive deals, hamper competition, or unfairly manipulate the prices of its CPU or GPU chips. The FTC also may seek an order prohibiting Intel from unreasonably excluding or inhibiting the sale of competitive CPUs or GPUs, and prohibiting Intel from making or distributing products that impair the performance-or apparent performance-of non-Intel CPUs or GPUs.

The Commission vote approving the administrative complaint was 3-0, with Commissioner William E. Kovacic recused, and Commissioner J. Thomas Rosch issuing a separate statement in which he concurs in part and dissents in part from the Commission vote.

Chairman Leibowitz and Commissioner Rosch issued a statement outlining the rationale for bringing the case under Section 5 of the FTC Act, which can be found on the FTC’s Web site and as a link to this press release. In his concurring and dissenting statement, Commissioner Rosch described the legal principles that limit an FTC Act Section 5 claim in this case, and the problems that could result from adding follow-on Sherman Act Section 2 claims. A copy of the Commissioner’s statement also can be found on the FTC’s Web site and as a link to this press release.

Under the recently implemented rule expediting the Part 3 administrative hearing process, this matter is tentatively scheduled to be heard before an Administrative Law Judge on September 8, 2010, at 10:00 a.m.

NOTE: The Commission issues a complaint when it has “reason to believe” that the law has been or is being violated, and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. The issuance of a complaint is not a finding or ruling that the respondent has violated the law. The complaint marks the beginning of a proceeding in which the allegations will be ruled upon after a formal hearing.

The FTC’s Bureau of Competition works with the Bureau of Economics to investigate alleged anticompetitive business practices and, when appropriate, recommends that the Commission take law enforcement action. To inform the Bureau about particular business practices, call 202-326-3300, send an e-mail to antitrust@ftc.gov , or write to the Office of Policy and Coordination, Room 394, Bureau of Competition, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave, N.W., Washington, DC 20580. To learn more about the Bureau of Competition, read “Competition Counts” at

http://www.ftc.gov/competitioncounts

Before MacBook Air, now there is the latest Dell Adamo XPS notebook which can be considered the world’s thinnest laptop on the market today. Having a thickness of 9.9mm only, this Dell notebook is an ultra mobile machine in terms of portability and lightness. This Dell’s second Adamo range boasts itself for having ergonomic design, plus great hi-tech features that will surely suffice the needs of end users.

Instead of having a traditional clamshell design, the keyboard flips down from the display. This kind of setup lets it to claim the overall thinness and allowing consumers to turn heads and impress their colleagues. Depending upon the model of Adamo XPS laptop, its starting weight is just over 1.3kg.

In order to achieve the maximum thinness, there are few things that need to be sacrificed. This slim Dell notebook doesn’t come with Ethernet socket and optical drive. However, there is an optional drive which can be bought separately.

Below is the technical specification of Dell Adamo XPS:

• Dimension: 0.38-0.41” x 13.39” x 10.78”
• Intel Core 2 Duo (1.4Ghz) ultra-low voltage processor
• 64-bit Windows 7 pre-installed
• 4GB DDR3 memory (800MHz)
• Thin 128GB solid state drive
• 13.4” LED display with 720p output capability
• Built-in 802.11n wireless
• 20 WHr Li-Ion battery
• Full size keyboard with aluminum keycaps; touchpad with gestures
• Connectivity: display port, 2xUSB 2.0, audio, Ethernet (via included dongle)
• Built-in location awareness to provide real time local maps to show people where they are

Now, this notebook offers head-turning design along with decent capabilities for everyday computing tasks. For techie and regular users who want to impress their friends, this thin laptop will definitely do the trick!

The Dell U2410 Monitor is a very decent upgrade from Dell. Users will surely be attracted to this new Dell screen because it is a nice upgrade from the 2407 and 2408 versions. It was nice that Dell stuck with few things such as the many connectivity and ergonomic options. It was a very wise decision from Dell to incorporate those things. Plus, they also improved few things like the monitor responsiveness, input lag and viewing angles. They also throw in some extras like the new OSD style and 12-bit LUT for smooth gradients. Gamers will also love the 6ms response time which is great for displaying video and games without any ghosting or unwanted blurring.

Dell UltraSharp U2410 has lot of features that will make you decide to upgrade your CRT monitors. Some of its features are:

* Picture-in-Picture and Picture-by-Picture Multi-Views – This feature is also available in the Dell U2410 Monitor but if you plugged in DVI or HDMI you will only be able to choose VGA, DisplayPort, component or composite as the alternative source. You can’t pair a DVI with a DVI picture, or an HDMI with a DVI picture. All other combinations should work fine without problem. The picture-in-picture options make it easy to do multitasking.
* Flexible Viewing and Mounting Options – This feature is perfect for those who usually do multipurpose things or activities with their monitor. It has height-adjustable stand and other features such as tilt, swivel and pivot.
* Intuitive Controls – The control buttons of Dell U2410 are touch sensitive. Just by moving your finger near it, the bottom blue LED will light up and all you need to do is to touch it to bring up the selection menu.
* Extensive Connectivity – The new Dell U2410 monitor offer 4 USB ports and a xD/SD/MS/MMC media card reader. Aside from that you can also add Dell Soundbar below the monitor panel as well.
* Color Calibration – You don’t need to further calibrate the color because the Factory-tuned Adobe RGB and sRGB modes are already ok. People who are into photography, graphics editing and other image intensive work will surely find this monitor a very good choice.
* 8 Preset modes – This monitor also has 8 preset modes which are: Standard, Multimedia, Game, Warm, Cool, Adobe RGB, sRGB and Custom Color mode. The various preset modes and the custom color mode makes the Dell UltraSharp U2410 good for accurate color work.

Dell U2410 Display Product Specifications

Panel Size: 24-inch (518.4 mm) viewable area
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (16:10)
Panel Type: IPS – In Plane Switching
Optimal Resolution: 1920 x 1200 at 60 Hz
Contrast Ratio: 1000 to 1 (typical)
Dynamic Contrast Ratio: 80,000:1 (Max)
Brightness: 400 cd/m2 (typical)
Response Time: 6ms (gray to gray) Typical
Max Viewing Angle (vertical/horizontal) : 178º vertical / 178º horizontal
Color Support: 1.07 billion colors
Color Gamut: 110% (CIE 1976)
Pixel Pitch: 0.27 mm
Internal Processing: 12 bits
Pixel Per Inch: 94