Intel offices raided in Germany

As part of their investigation into the company's alleged abuse of its market position at the expense of rival AMD, EU competition regulators have raided chip giant Intel's offices in Munich, Germany, along with those of Metro AG-owned Media Markt and other unnamed PC retailers. The European Commission has been keeping a close eye on Intel since last summer, when the company was formally accused of offering rebates and making payoffs to customers and retailers in exchange for preferential treatment -- charges that Intel has repeatedly, although somewhat obtusely, denied. It's not clear at this point what material, if anything, was confiscated in these latest raids, which come exactly a month prior to a closed hearing the megacorp faces on this matter in Brussels.

[Via BBC]

[Anthony @ Feb 12th 2008 10:07AM]

I do hate being given rebates...

[Superprime @ Feb 12th 2008 10:10AM]

They were giving rebates if the customers would NOT use anything AMD. That's most likely illegal

[Anthony @ Feb 12th 2008 10:42AM]

Oh I know, I was just trying to get a laugh. It is just odd that Intel would do such things when they don't really need to right now. Given the choice of Intel or AMD, I'd go Intel with no more incentive than that.

[Ryan @ Feb 12th 2008 12:52PM]

Intel's closed due to AMDS

[E71 @ Feb 13th 2008 4:39PM]

I wonder when if ever is AMD going to quit whining like a baby. I also would go Intel with no incentives other than the fact that they outperform AMD's best.

[steve @ Feb 12th 2008 10:17AM]

Yes, because we all know the government can only ever focus on one thing at a time. They are completely incapable of multitasking, and are really just one large collective conscience.

[luciusad2004 @ Feb 12th 2008 10:22AM]

orly? I wasn't aware germany had a huge population of Neo-Nazis running around causing havok in the streets. I'll keep that in mind when planning future vacations.

[imec @ Feb 13th 2008 4:15AM]

Ah, I see, so Germany's insane socialist government is so much better then? Last time I checked being affiliated with anything that even remotely relates to National Socialism results in your immediate arrest (funny how the EU/US endorse such oppressive practices when they aren't legal in their very own country).

[joewat @ Feb 12th 2008 10:25AM]

I suggest to ban Borat for his comment.

First, his comment has nothing to do with the subject (which is the fight of bribery and corruption from an EU level).

Second, if he relates to the fire in Ludwigshafen, he must have "special insight" since it is an ongoing investigation with international investigators. As far as I know a technical failure has not been ruled out as the cause of this tragedy.

Thirdly, I think Engadget is a place where it's fun to read the comments. But they should not be unsubstantiated hatred against people. Against gadgets and fanboyism, it's ok with me :)

[Borat @ Feb 12th 2008 10:30AM]

joewat, here in America we have this thing called Freedom of speech. Look into it sometime. You suggest banning me because of what I said? Get a clue.

[krillel @ Feb 12th 2008 10:37AM]

"here in America" And that just explained everything about why you don't have a clue about anything that's going on outside America.

[Argot @ Feb 12th 2008 10:37AM]

That's cute, you think you have freedom of speech... Awwwww..

[Abuzar @ Feb 12th 2008 9:38PM]

Bro, we DON'T have as much freedom as they have in Europe. Face the facts. What we do for "freedom" is conquer poor Muslim states. Have you ever heard of the Patriot Act? Freedom my ass.

[Lucius @ Feb 13th 2008 12:23PM]

When are people going to realize you can't just yell out "FREE SPEECH!" and then proceed to say anything you want. Just because the internet is "public" doesn't mean you can act like it is your personal soap box to spread what ever speech you want. You see this website is owned by a private organization. You are a guest on this website. Coming in here and saying something that nobody agrees with is akin to walking in to someone's house and saying something the owner/residents of that home doesn't agree w/. They have every right to remove you from the premise. That's how the internet is. Much like you are free to put up signs and banners in your house, or give speechese from you front lawn, you are perfectly welcome to spread your views around on the internet... from your ownwebsite. Engadget doesn't exist to spread your views. This is their house, they make the rules.

[zen @ Feb 12th 2008 10:35AM]

Seems the EU is not as dickless as the DOJ and department of trade.

Does this mean Dell will begin deleting all its emails it recieved last week before it announced no longer selling AMD spec'd machines? Anti-trust bashing for intel anyone?

[tekdroid @ Feb 12th 2008 10:34AM]

rebates desire to be free!
open source the rebates!

Dell has every right to stop selling AMD machines online.
Etc etc

;)

[blarvh @ Feb 12th 2008 10:43AM]

I always imagine those raids to include SWAT teams with MP5's and dog officers breaching trough the door violently shouting and waving their weapons at everyone.

What I don't understand is why they would be at the offices in the middle of the night and why they are shooting back at the police...

They are like this... right?

[Nate @ Feb 12th 2008 12:54PM]

Hahahahahahaha I don't know why either. Unless they really do have something to hide!!!!!!

[Djunior80 @ Feb 12th 2008 10:44AM]

To hell with the damn EU...All they do is pick on american companies and fine them absurd amounts of money to enrich their pockets. The EU is about keeping itself powerful, and underlying the US by bashing American companies. Where was the EU when Spain, Germany and the UK subsidized Airbus with 15 billion dollars just to get them to compete with boeing??

[krillel @ Feb 12th 2008 10:49AM]

Seams like the US can't do it them selves so someone else have to.

[Andrew @ Feb 12th 2008 11:59AM]

You mean the equivalent to what the US gov spends onBoeing military deals every year?

[Dave @ Feb 12th 2008 2:49PM]

oh please, how about all your EU "startup loans" you give to Airbus with no recourse obligations if their new aircraft are a failure. dont even get me started...

[steve s @ Feb 12th 2008 10:50AM]

Are they still doing the "leap ahead" thing? Check out www.leapsbeyond.com =)

[Abuzar @ Feb 12th 2008 10:01PM]

Wait a sec, that points to a website full of crap micro processors! I don't get it...

[Pro7 @ Feb 12th 2008 10:55AM]

Monopoly sux. Intel had no competition for a year in the notebook sector. What has happened. A year ago you got for the same money a C2D 2.0 T7100, 100GB HDD, 1GB DDR2, and a GF7600GO. Today you get for the same money a C2D 2.0 T7300, 1600GB HDD 2 or 3GB DDR2 and a GF 8600M GT. It's almost the same CPU, merom 2GHZ 2MB L2.
A year has passed, almost everything improved by 50%, intel hasn't moved. No competitors in the notebook sector. Why should they make progress?

[Superprime @ Feb 12th 2008 11:32AM]

1600GB HDD? Holy crap that's some upgrade for a year! :)

Seriously I do get what you're saying. Mobile processors have been dead in the water for the last year in terms of progress.

[dawookie @ Feb 12th 2008 11:01AM]

oakland or la?

[Daryl Gregg @ Feb 12th 2008 11:32AM]

Yeah im sick and tire of constantly hearing about the whiney EU about american companys.. Then buy your own stuff dont buy ours. We dont poke into your companys there constanly whining. So punish Intel and Microsoft for there success?

[Andrew @ Feb 12th 2008 12:01PM]

Oh, yeah? It was *AMD* that complained about another American company! You see there's this thing called justice here in Europe. Even American companies like justice. Too bad the DOJ in the US doesn't know where they put it..

[Argot @ Feb 12th 2008 12:10PM]

@Andrew:

Be silent or prepare to be waterboarded! And justice for all...

[Leroy Vargas @ Feb 12th 2008 11:47AM]

I am still with AMD. Intel, go to hell along with your monopolistic cronies.

And you NVIDIA, I'm watching you. Better not go Intel-exclusive, or you'll suffer the consequences. ATI, watch out.

[josh @ Feb 12th 2008 1:05PM]

LEEERROOOOYYYYYYYYYYYY JEENNNKII.....oh wait read that wrong :\

[BigBloke @ Feb 12th 2008 12:06PM]

You really are a loser mate! What about all the 'contracts' that the American defence industry 'wins' while at the same time not allowing EU companies to tender for the contract. 1 word - JSF. And you don't call that subsidization?

Get a life and read something that is not a product of your US Media, and thus find out what is actually happening in the real world.

[why not the LS2/LS7? @ Feb 12th 2008 12:14PM]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080114/bs_afp/usaerospacemilitarycompanyeadsairbusboeing

Like that? Where EADS (Airbus) is competing for our tanker contract? Looks like they were allowed to tender to me.

Beretta also won a major sidearm contract from the US military. Last I checked, Beretta was an Italian company and we haven't annexed Italy yet.

Military is a sensitive situation though. No one wants to go to war and find out they can't get parts for their systems because they are on the other side of the battlefield. So you'll have to cut us a little slack there.

[why not the LS2/LS7? @ Feb 12th 2008 12:09PM]

Great job AMD. Turn into a litigation factory.

It's really sad. AMD turned the industry on its ear with incredible innovation when it was needed most. Now they can't seem to get in gear at all. And now the fix is to sue everyone?

Pathetic.

[mschaffer @ Feb 12th 2008 2:10PM]

Hats off for the EU!

Intel gets raided for doing a good job selling chips that are better than AMD's,
and SocGen goes scott-free for lack of internal audits and obvious error checking.

[Rik @ Feb 13th 2008 3:20AM]

And since the US isn't much better at that we are left at the mercy of the Japanese/Taiwanese?

[Warren Ward @ Feb 28th 2008 11:57AM]

Microsoft should just pull out of Europe and let them use Linux. They don't want to let a company do what it wants with its own products, they should develop their own. After all, they tell the farmers what to plant, the retailer what system of weights and measures to use, so apply this destructive thinking to creating your own EU Operating System. Only, your high megatax state kills business innovation, so you go after ours...

Parle vous "third world government?"

[Warren Ward @ Feb 28th 2008 12:00PM]

I meant to say "Operating system and Microprocessors".