AMD Vision to simplify computer choice for consumers

And still no netbook platform

10 September 2009 5:01 GMT / By Dan Sung

AMD is "going to change the game" according to the company's corporate vice president and general manager Alberto Bozzo at the launch of the Vision marketing scheme in London this week.

The chip manufacturer's research has shown that 66% of the public chose computers based on features such as screens, 3D graphics and video editing, and have decided to make it clear to shoppers exactly which machine is the one most suited to them.

"We're still marketing to them like it's 1995," said vice president of product marketing, Leslie Sobon after quite candidly admitting AMD's recent poor performance. "We're giving them chip specs. We currently have 221 differnent stickers that go on computers and the average person doesn't know what they mean."

The move is now into just three simplified sub-categories for each chipset to fall into - See, Share and Create - represented by the Vision, Vision Premium and Vision Ultimate stickers soon to be seen in the shops. The first is for causual gamers and those who wish to watch DVDs. Share adds mainstream games and HD playback, and Create is for those that require advanced video editing and beyond.

AMD will continue to support ultra-slim notebooks, full laptops and desktop computers only, with no plans specifically for UMPCs. "The netbook market is just a small part of the overall picture," explains Sobon. "We don't have to expand the market right now, we just have to take a larger share of what's already been there."

It's unclear as to whether rebranding on its own will be enough to bridge the gulf between AMD and Intel but, so far, the company is yet to let slip any further plans.