US wire Electronics Buyers' News is reporting that 3D Labs has licensed its entire patent portfolio to Intel, in an effort to raise some hard needed cash. According to the wire, the licensing deal will be worth around $7.5 million to 3D Labs. Intel already has a small share holding in 3D Labs of 1.5 per cent. The story suggests that 3D Labs'patents will be used in future PC chipsets, but both Intel and 3D are refusing to comment on precise details of the deal. One of Intel's bigger blunders this year was to admit that it wasn't really up to bothering with discrete graphics chips -- an expensive mistake which started when the company bought Chips & Technologies for nearly half a billion last year. Yesterday, we reported that S3 was in possible takeover talks with arch-Intel chipset rival Via. Earlier this year, Intel and S3 signed a patent cross licensing deal while more recently Via and S3 agreed to put money into a joint venture. So it's all getting slightly interesting again. ® Related Stories Intel abandons chip -- half a billion lost at sea Via-S3 merger would make Intel really grumpy