Intel launched its new Core i7 chip today. John Markoff's behind-the-scenes report in the Times is a good alternative to the technical-stats posts you can Google up anywhere. Intel — and several thousand miserable business reporters — want to spin Core i7 as as a sign of new hope for the tech industry's future. Truth is, there are three reasons Core i7 can't save us all:Forrester CEO George Colony listed them last week:

  • Intel's chips are primarily sold inside desktop and notebook PCs. IT spending is now spread out elsewhere, so that Intel is no longer one component of a Windows/Intel monopoly.
  • Virtualization software, which runs many server environments simultaneously on one chip, has reduced the demand for Intel-based servers.
  • Companies are laying off employees, not buying them new computers.