If you remember, in the end of last December (see this news story) when we commented on VIA’s detailed plans of the year 2002, we drew your attention to really unattractive actions of the company regarding the launching of the "pseudo-new" chipsets (we were talking about KT333). Here is a quote:

If VIA goes on like that launching chipsets with the "A" index one after another, they will one day find out that the customers are completely indifferent to the chipset without this "A". As they will think that the normally working chipset is to come out later and the one without "A" in the name is just the first try.

No doubt that many other sources may have commented on these plans in a similar way, because launching "pseudo-new" chipsets seems to be turning into some kind of tradition already.

So, now it looks as if VIA heard the public discontent and is ready to make some correct steps towards the customers. The Inquirer claims that VIA will really announce their new Socket A chipset on February 20, as we all have expected them to (see this news story), but it will be not KT333 but KT333A!

To tell the truth, we didn’t understand that well how will VIA explain where the "A" index actually comes from, if there was no predecessor without the index. But, this is not that important. Maybe the newcomer will be called KT333 and not KT333A. The more important thing is that it will be a really new solution supporting PC2700 DDR SDRAM, AGP 8x, 533MB/sec V-Link and will feature a new South Bridge supporting USB 2.0 (though this is still in question, as the launching is going to take place very soon now).

Of course, this is all unofficial info, though we sincerely hope that it will turn out correct. Long Live common sense! :)