Intel Invests in Social Media Incubator Betaworks

From PC World: Intel invested an undisclosed amount in social media incubator Betaworks to gain insight into real-time user behavior on social networks, the chip maker said on Thursday.

The investment could help Intel develop better hardware for mobile devices or servers that either access or provide real-time social media services, said Mike Buckley, managing director of Intel Capital. Buckley declined to comment on how much Intel invested in Betaworks.

Intel joined other companies, including Aol, that invested in Betaworks on Thursday. An AOL spokeswoman confirmed the investment in Betaworks but declined to comment on the amount.

Betaworks is best known as an investor in social media companies that include Twitter, Tumblr, Bit.ly and TweetDeck. The company did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Intel is known primarily as a hardware company, but the investment in Betaworks isn't directly tied to its hardware operations, Buckley said. But real-time Web services where users exchange messages instantly are gaining popularity and offer the potential to create additional demand for products ranging from mobile phones to servers, Buckley said.

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