Via intros retail Cyrix III box

Chipset and CPU contender Via has introduced a retail package for its Cyrix III processors aimed at PC resellers and distributors.

At the same time, the firm announced that it had concluded its joint venture arrangement to use SonicBlue (formerly known as S3) technology in upcoming technology.

The Cyrix III retail boxes include microprocessors at 600MHz, 650MHz and 666MHz (sorry, Via) initially. The boxes include fan, heatsink, installation manual and guarantees. Prices range between $50 and $65, depending on quantity.

While AMD and Intel have slogged it out in the performance desktop market, Via has spent the last nine months or so setting up distribution channels in China, India and other countries for the "value" (read cheap) PC market. The Cyrix III chip, which uses the old Centaur core, is a Socket 370 device, and Via is expected to roll out a 1GHz version soon enough.

The S3-Via joint venture, which initially faced investigation by the Taiwanese government, will result in more chipsets and integrated graphics for volume desktop and notebook PCs, said Wenchi Chen, Via's CEO.

He claimed that Via would be able to bring out solutions that will "outperform" the rest of the industry for integrated solutions.

Via is spelt all in caps, and also distributes DDR t-shirts with what can only be described as an astounding design, which, we understand, are shortly to see the light of day again. ®