Hardware giant, facing death, and Intel has found a way out-Intel, Intel-IT information

Wired magazine published an article on Tuesday said the hardware giants such as Intel, HP, Dell, and EMC move and wave of cloud computing are software companies, wants to become a software company, but after being hit and sold back into the business software sector, from the hardware to find a new direction. But after after tossing only Intel find the right direction.

Following is the full text of the article:

Compared with a decade ago, Intel, HP, Dell, and EMC computer hardware giant has not been the same. In fact, they're five years ago, compared with even a few months ago, are not the same.

These giants are well aware, technology trends are rapidly changing. The rise of smartphones and Tablet PC becomes less important. Google, Amazon, Microsoft and many other companies providing cloud computing services, many businesses do not need to buy data center hardware, can build their own Web sites, develop a variety of networking software. Even if these companies really need the hardware, will also find a number of different products. These products also come from some of the big Internet companies, such as Facebook, and large cloud computing services provider. Intel, HP, Dell, and EMC see these trends, but they do not always know how to respond.

Technology trends of change around the face, these hardware giants through the restructuring, rebuilding or transition to keep pace with the times. Sometimes, in order to enter new markets, they acquired a number of companies. But sometimes, they in order to follow the market, and sold the company for the acquisition. The only constant thing is change.

Once upon a time, the hardware giant believes that the best way to deal with change is to make yourself into a software company. In 2010, the world's largest computer chip manufacturer Intel paid $ 7.68 billion purchase of security software company McAfee. A year later, PC and server giant HP acquired large data Autonomy, deals valued at $ 11.1 billion. In the past few years, another PC and server giant Dell has spent billions of dollars to buy the variety of software companies. However, all of these mergers and acquisitions did not bring them success. This summer, Dell sold its software subsidiary. Last week, Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Enterprise) also said goodbye to Autonomy, sold them to the Micro Focus. In the same week, Intel to sell McAfee.

Dell and HP also think they can becomes cloud enterprise, but that strategy did not succeed. In desperation, they again had to restructure. HP in half. This week, after splitting a company and buy a printer business from Samsung. Dell and EMC merge. Meanwhile, Intel bought a variety of chip makers. Since it is impossible to become a software company, these companies had to return to the old ways, and continue to make hardware. In summary, hardware Giants struggling to adapt to technology changes in the future. Intel has found the answer. Other Giants? Don't know if they have the answer.

Shopping spree

Some companies can transform itself as the market changes. About 15 years ago, IBM put himself into a completely different company. In 2002, IBM acquired IT consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. 3 years later, it sold its PC business. In the years that followed, IBM focused on providing hardware, software, and consulting services to large enterprises. And, it succeeded. PC more commercialized and PC markets are waning, Enterprise IT became a highly profitable business.

As the market continues to shift from PC to mobile phones and tablet, and other computer giants have also adopted the same strategy. Dell for a crazy acquisition, bought database software developer Quest, SonicWall network security company, cloud management company Enstratius. Intel took the McAfee. HP's practices the most radical. In 2011, then HP CEO Apotheker (Leo Apotheker) announced the acquisition of Autonomy Corporation, and said the company will spin off and sell the PC business. A month later, Apotheker was fired, HP suspension considering selling PC sector.

HP new plan, ready to spin off PC sector. Investors see their investment company will change over night, and scared. However, HP does need to change, and the situation is getting urgent.

From 2010, the area of cloud computing, Enterprise IT, once again, all of these companies are changing. Intel have done quite successfully, and it became the major chip vendors for large Internet companies, Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Facebook are its customers. These large Internet companies drop the HP, Dell and storage giant EMC for its servers and data-storage equipment purchasing Intel chips.

Last year two, a HP Enterprise (HP Enterprise), focused on enterprise hardware and software, is a Hewlett Packard (HP Inc.), focusing on PC and printer, but the two companies have missed opportunities, missed the sailing. Amazon dominate the cloud computing industry, Google and Microsoft go ahead of other companies. Microsoft has also carried out a thorough reform, to keep up with the new era. Although the two companies are still faced with many obstacles, but was better than HP and Dell. HP not only missed the shipment, also paid a high price for wrong on the ship, which is acquiring Autonomy.

To find a new direction

Intel, HP, Dell, and EMC is a lesson learned in recent years, from a hardware company to a software company is never easy. But we cannot blame them, after all, other companies have made the same mistake. Google and Microsoft are found, from a software company to a hardware company is not an easy task. For example, Google's acquisition of Motorola mobility, but soon sold it to Lenovo. Microsoft bought Nokia, burn a lot of money turns out to be in vain.

For Intel, HP, Dell, and EMC, and unclear development direction in the future will be the biggest problem. Intel should not acquire McAfee, it should really be concerned about is the mobile phone. HP should not acquire Autonomy, it should pay attention to is cloud computing.

Lucky is that Intel sees the future direction: AI (artificial intelligence). McAfee the same week in split, the British acquired Movidius. This is a company that develops AI chip, its products are used in drones, smart phones, and other electronic products. Through this acquisition, Intel find a foothold in the mobile industry. Last month, Intel bought a server named Nervena AI chip companies. Last year, Intel paid $ 16.7 billion acquisition of Altera, the company's chips are also used in AI.

Intel's series of acquisitions are justified because they very similar to Intel's core business belongs to one chip maker to buy other chip manufacturers. But acquisitions similar businesses alone does not guarantee success. For example, HP double with the printer business, but hard to become the future direction of the printer.

硬件巨头面临生死劫，Intel已找到出路 - Intel,英特尔 - IT资讯

《连线》杂志周二刊文称，英特尔、惠普、戴尔和EMC等硬件巨头在移动和云计算浪潮中纷纷收购软件企业，希望变身为软件公司，但遭碰壁之后又把软件部门卖掉做回了老本行，从硬件中寻找新方向。可惜经过一番折腾之后，只有英特尔找对了方向。

以下为文章全文：

跟十年前相比，英特尔、惠普、戴尔和EMC等计算机硬件巨头已经大不一样了。实际上，它们跟五年前，甚至几个月之前相比，都不一样了。

这些硬件巨头们清楚地知道，科技趋势正在快速发生变化。智能手机和平板电脑的崛起让PC变得不再那么重要。谷歌、亚马逊、微软等多家公司提供了云计算服务，许多企业不用购买数据中心硬件设备，也能建设自己的网站，开发出各种联网软件。即使这些企业真的需要硬件，也会寻找一些不同的产品。这些产品也是同样来自一些大型互联网公司，比如Facebook和大型云计算服务提供商。英特尔、惠普、戴尔和EMC虽然看到了这些趋势变化，但它们不总是知道该如何应对。

面对着周围科技趋势的变化，这些硬件巨头们不断通过重组、重塑，甚至转型来跟上时代的步伐。有时候，为了进军新的市场，它们收购了一些公司。但有时候，它们为了追随另外的市场，又把这些收购来的公司卖掉了。唯一不变的事情就是变。

曾经有一段时间，这些硬件巨头认为，应对变化的最佳办法就是让自己变成软件企业。2010年，全球最大的计算机芯片厂商英特尔出资76.8亿美元收购了安全软件公司McAfee。一年之后，PC和服务器巨头惠普收购了大数据公司Autonomy，交易金额达111亿美元。在过去几年里，另外一家PC和服务器巨头戴尔也耗资数十亿美元收购了各种各样的软件企业。然而，所有这些并购都没有给它们带来成功。今年夏天，戴尔抛售了其软件子公司。上周，惠普企业（HP Enterprise）也向Autonomy说拜拜，将其卖给了Micro Focus。在同一个星期，英特尔也把McAfee给卖了。

戴尔和惠普还认为它们可以变成云企业，但是这种策略也没有获得成功。无奈之下，它们只好再次进行重组。惠普一分为二。本周，分拆之后的一家公司又从三星手中收购了打印机业务。戴尔与EMC合并。与此同时，英特尔收购了各种各样的芯片制造商。既然无法变成软件公司，这些硬件公司只好回到老路，继续搞硬件。总而言之，硬件巨头们苦苦挣扎着让自己适应未来的科技变化。英特尔已经找到了答案。其它巨头呢？不清楚它们是否有了答案。

收购狂潮

一些企业能够做到随着市场的变化改造自身。大约在15年前，IBM让自己变成了一家完全不一样的公司。2002年，IBM收购IT咨询公司普华永道。3年之后，它出售了PC业务。在随后的几年里，IBM专注于向大企业提供硬件、软件和咨询服务。而且，它成功了。PC越来越商品化，PC市场也日渐没落，企业IT成为一项高利润业务。

随着市场不断从PC转向手机和平板，其他计算机巨头也采取了相同的策略。戴尔进行一番疯狂的并购，买下了数据库软件开发商Quest、网络安全公司SonicWall、云管理公司Enstratius。英特尔则拿下了McAfee。惠普的做法最激进。2011年，时任惠普CEO李艾科（Leo Apotheker）宣布收购Autonomy公司，并称公司将会分拆并出售PC业务。一个月之后，李艾科被炒，惠普暂缓考虑出售PC部门。

惠普拿出新方案，准备分拆PC部门。投资者看到自己投资的公司将在一夜之间改头换面，被吓到了。不过，惠普确实需要改变，且形势越来越紧急。

从2010年开始，云计算改变了企业IT领域，所有这些公司都需要再一次改变。英特尔做得比较成功，它成为了大型互联网公司的主要芯片供应商，谷歌、亚马逊、微软和Facebook都是它的客户。这些大型互联网公司抛弃了惠普、戴尔和存储巨头EMC，为其服务器和数据存储设备采购了英特尔的芯片。

惠普最终一分为二，一家是惠普企业（HP Enterprise），专注于企业硬件和软件，令一家是惠普公司（HP Inc.），专注于PC和打印机，可惜两家公司已经错过机会，误了船期。亚马逊统治了云计算行业，谷歌和微软也走在了其他公司前头。微软也进行了彻底改造，跟上了新时代。虽然这两家公司仍然面临着许多障碍，但过得比惠普、戴尔都要好。惠普不只是误了船期，还为上错船付出了昂贵的代价，那就是收购Autonomy。

寻找新方向

英特尔、惠普、戴尔和EMC在近几年所吸取的一条教训是，从硬件公司变成软件公司绝非易事。但我们也不能苛责它们，毕竟其他企业也犯了同样的错误。谷歌和微软发现，从软件公司变成硬件公司也不是一件容易的事。例如，谷歌收购了摩托罗拉移动，但很快将它转手给了联想。微软收购了诺基亚，结果却是白白烧掉了许多钞票。

对于英特尔、惠普、戴尔和EMC来说，不清楚未来的发展方向将会成为最大的问题。英特尔不应该收购McAfee，它真正应该关注的是手机。惠普不应该收购Autonomy，它应该重视的是云计算。

幸运的是，英特尔看到了未来的方向：AI（人工智能）。就在剥离McAfee的同一周，英行尔收购了Movidius。这是一家开发AI芯片的公司，其产品被用于无人机、智能手机及其他电子产品。通过本次收购，英特尔在移动产业找到了立足之地。上个月，英特尔收购了一家名为Nervena的服务器AI芯片公司。去年，英特尔出资167亿美元收购了Altera，这家公司的芯片也被用于AI产品。

英特尔的一连串收购都合乎情理，因为这些企业跟英特尔的核心业务很相近，属于一家芯片厂商收购其他芯片厂商。但单单依靠收购业务相近的厂商并不一定会获得成功。比如，惠普加倍发力打印机业务，但是，打印机很难成为未来的方向。