Intel delays new chipset as Rambus falls further.

Memory maker Rambus and chipmaker Intel today acknowledged that the key component for making PCs with Rambus-style memory will be delayed, a development that will impact a wide variety of technology companies. Rambus stock took another hit on the news today, dropping 11, or 15.57 percent, in midday trading. The company_s stock has been declining rapidly since CNET News.com broke the story last week. The problems occur when all three of the memory slots on a Rambus motherboard are filled, said an Intel spokesman. Intel is still in the process of identifying the exact nature of the problem, and the company does not have a tentative release date for the chipset, he said. In a statement issued this morning, Rambus identified the problem as affecting some computers with three memory slots, "relating to the combination of the memory system components, module configurations, and motherboard design." PC manufacturers said the problem would appear to be with the third memory slot, which can cause the corruption or loss of data.