Wired digs into the past and examines the future for these computer giants. What you read will surprise you.
Wired tells readers:
HP. DELL. EMC. Intel. The giants of computer hardware aren’t what they were ten years ago. Heck, they’re aren’t even what they were five years ago—or, for that matter, just a few months ago.
These hardware giants realize that the technology landscape is shifting. With the rise of smartphones and tablets, PCs are far less important. With the rise of cloud computing services from Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and others, many businesses can build websites and other software without buying hardware for the data center. And when they do need hardware, they’re looking for something different, thanks again to the influence of the biggest Internet companies, including Facebook as well as the big cloud computing vendors. But although HP, Dell, EMC, and Intel see the shifts, they aren’t always sure how to deal with them….
Dell, EMC, HP, and Intel didn’t see where the future was going. Instead of buying McAfee, Intel should be pushed harder into mobile phones. Instead of buying Autonomy, HP should have gotten far more serious about the cloud.
Ah, but Intel certainly sees the next wave: artificial intelligence. The same week it spun-off McAfee, it bought Movidius, a company that specializes in making AI chips for drones, smartphones, and other gadgets. With this buy, Intel has a chance of finding a real foothold in the mobile business. Last month, it also bought a company called Nervena, which makes AI chips for servers. And last year, it dropped $16.7 billion on Altera, whose chips can also help with AI. …
HP is doubling down on printers. But that is hardly the future.