AMD Q2 2013 losses total $74 million from revenues reaching $1.16 billion with 7% Q-o-Q growth (or -18% Y-o-Y decline) as it sees falling graphics product shipments and a sequential increase in computing products.

However the company says it is still on the way to growth, and should become profitable in Q3 2013.

"Our focus on restructuring and transforming AMD resulted in improved financial results," AMD CEO Rory Read says. "Our performance in Q2 2013 was driven by opportunities in our new high-growth and traditional PC businesses. Looking ahead, we will continue to deliver a strong value proposition to our established customers and also reach new customers as we diversify our business"

Reveues from the AMD Computing Solutions (CS) segment (covering CPUs, APUs, chipsets, embedded processors and server chips) total $841 million with 12% Q-o-Q growth (and Y-o-Y declines of -20%), with by higher notebook, server and desktop unit shipments driving sequential growth.

Intel Q2 2013 profits drop by -29% Y-o-Y to $2 billion while revenues fall by -5% to $12.8bn as a declining PC market continues to affect the biggest chip maker in the world. 

Revenues however do see slight (2%) growth if taken on a Q-o-Q basis.

The Intel PC Client group sees Y-o-Y revenue declines of -7.5% (or Q-o-Q growth of 1.4%) to $8.1bn, the Data Centre group remains flat Y-o-Y and Other Architecture revenues fall by -15% Y-o-Y to $942 million. 

"In the second quarter, we delivered on our quarterly outlook and made several key product announcements," recently installed CEO Brian Krzanich says. "In my first 2 months as CEO, I have listened to a wide variety of views about Intel and our industry from customers, employees and my leadership team and I am more confident than ever about our opportunity as a company." Read more...

IBM beats analyst expectations in Q2 2013, even if net income drops by -17.% Y-o-Y (from $3.9 billion in Q2 2012 to $3.2bn) due to a "workforce rebalancing" charge (read "layoffs") worth $1bn. 

Big Blue sales reach $24.92bn with a -3.3~% Y-o-Y decline, an improvement over the -5.1% drop seen in Q1 2013. 

“The workforce restructuring had significant impact on our year-to-year profits,” IBM CFO Mark Loughridge says. The so-called "restructuring" involved the firing of over 3000 employees according to IBM employee organisation Alliance@IBM. 

IBM EMEA sales remain flat at $7.8bn, if with growth in the UK and Spain. 

The company hints at a "larger divestiture project" getting pushed to 2014. Maybe Lenovo is going to buy the IBM x86 server business after all? Read more...

Following a few weeks' worth of rumours Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announces "a far-reaching realignment"-- a massive management reshuffle effort creating a so-called "One Microsoft." 

"Our strategy will focus on creating a family of devices and services for individuals and businesses that empower people around the globe at home, at work and on the go, for the activities they value most," Ballmer writes in an internal memo. 

"As the times change, so must our company," Ballmer continues. 

The reshuffle divides the company by function-- Engineering, Marketing, Business Development and Evangelism, Advanced Strategy and Research, Finance, HR, Legal, and COO. It is the first significant Microsoft reorganisation since 2008, when Ballmer split the platforms and services division in 3, namely Windows, online services and server and tools.  Read more...

Avnet launches Rorke Global Solutions, a business unit providing OEMs, ISVs and channel partners with purpose-built solutions melding hardware, software and services for specific business requirements. 

Avnet Embedded senior VP Chuck Kostalnick leads the newly formed unit. 

The company crafts solutions using a combination of internally-developed and off-the-shelf technologies, while services align with each stage of the product lifecycle, from installation and advanced replacement all the way to end of life and asset recovery.  Read more...

Back in February 2013 Michael Dell announced a grand plan to bring a struggling Dell back on its feet-- a leveraged buyout (LBO) worth $24 billion. However the past months proved complicated for Dell, as shareholders division made efforts for Dell's privatisation difficult. But what exactly is going on within the Dell boardroom?

Spearheading efforts against the buyout is one Carl Icahn. A billionaire with a 6% stake in the company, Icahn opposes the buyout. He demanded a "leveraged recapitalisation" (meaning a recalculation of the PC maker's value) back in March 2013 together with other investors, chiefly Southeastern Asset management, who argue Dell's going price ($13.65 per share) is too low.

"We believe management is intentionally emphasizing declining PC sales in order to justify its inadequate buyout price," a March 2013 Southeastern statement claims.

Fast forward by four months, and Icahn fires another assault-- a letter with a very unsubtle title, "Why Does Dell Keep Attacking Its Own Business?"