Updated We have just had word from Via sources in Taiwan that it has concluded a deal to buy Cyrix. According to Via, it has signed a letter of intent to buy the Cyrix stand alone x.86 PC chip business for an undisclosed amount. Via will continue to develop Cyrix CPUs. It will announce the structure and timing of the transaction next month. The deal is likely to mean that Via will have access to National Semiconductor patents. Those include Slot One patents. Indeed, last year, National Semiconductor was considering releasing a Slot One processor in 1999. The news will be welcomed by those who feared that the Cyrix line would disappear, making for less competition in the chip market. It is also likely to get Via out of the hole it was in after Intel withdrew its patent and started litigation against the chipset manufacturer. Taiwanese mobo designers are also likely to be pleased by the news, as it will reprieve PC-133 designs they were voting for. At press time, Intel was unavailable for comment.® Register Factoid 486 Several of Intel's cutesy little InBusiness range of networking widgets are powered by 486 processors. NatSemi 486 processors... See also Mobo makers wavering over Intel-VIA lawsuit Via buying Cyrix in bid to save PC-133 Intel Twister set to wreak PC havoc Computex 99 Coverage