INTEL, the world's biggest microchip maker, has been on an amazing spending spree this week.

First it caught everyone on the hop with the announcement that it planned to takeover security specialists McAfee in a deal worth $7.6 billion.

A couple of days later Intel splashed the cash again -this time a mere $1.4 billion on Infineon's mobile phone chip business.

So what's going on?

McAfee had been linked to Hewlett Packard before the Intel deal.

In the aftermath of the announcement Intel pledged to keep all McAfee's current security software products.

So what does it want with the anti-virus specialist?

The company has been suitably vague (talk of integrated "software/hardware" products is as far as Intel will go).

Word is the company bought McAfee with one eye on the burgeoning wireless market.

When the deal is complete Intel will be the only company able to offer hardware and the software needed to secure it.

McAfee is a profitable business, of course, but security vendors are facing stiff competition from free products. Coming under the Intel umbrella will give McAfee and the mobile business the financial muscle to develop better products.