NEWS ABOUT: personal computers
personal computers stories: 14 news briefs
Sales slowdown hides fact that low-cost laptops are taking over
Wired Jun 17, 09 8:11 AM CDT
(Newser Summary) -
You may not be able to buy a "netbook" in the not-too-distant future, but a new generation of low-power, low-priced laptops descended from the netbook are poised to conquer much of the PC market, experts tell Wired . Sales of the netbook—one of last year's hottest gadgets—haven't met expectations so far this year, but manufacturers are turning their attention to new categories like "consumer ultralow-voltage notebooks."
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Tech Review
Wall Street Journal Apr 23, 09 9:07 AM CDT
(Newser Summary) -
It’s a bad time to buy a computer, writes Walter Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal . And that makes it an equally awkward time for his annual computer buying guide. Both Microsoft and Apple will release new operating systems in the fall, and it’ll be easier to buy a computer with the new software preinstalled. But if you can’t wait, here are some issues to consider when buying an upgrade-ready PC.
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At CES, the line blurs between netbooks and laptops
Wall Street Journal Jan 6, 09 9:46 AM CST
(Newser Summary) -
An unexpected 10 million netbooks—scaled down, lower-priced laptops—were sold in 2008, sending tech companies racing into the market, the Wall Street Journal reports. At this week’s Consumer Electronics Show, market segments like cell phones and PCs seem to be converging faster than ever as they try to improve on the devices.
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Cost-cutting kills off plans for flashy new product lines
Wall Street Journal Nov 28, 08 8:17 AM CST
(Newser Summary) -
Shifting consumer demand and the sagging economy spell trouble for Dell's turnaround strategy, the Wall Street Journal reports. Founder Michael Dell had been making progress since returning to the company last year with a two-pronged rescue plan, but weak sales mean his goals of cutting costs at the low end of the PC market while developing high-end gadgets are starting to conflict.
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Before the iMac, there were mega machines
LiveScience Jul 16, 08 8:21 PM CDT
(Newser Summary) -
Convenience is a given when it comes to today's PCs, but the machine you're reading this on has come a long way. Major transformations date as far back as the early 19th century. Live Science gives the back-story on 10 revolutionary computers. The Difference Engine, 1822: Designed by Charles Babbage but not built until decades later, today's replicas show this math-table-generating machine to work flawlessly. ENIAC, 1946: This US Army computer weighed 30 tons, used 17,478 vacuum tubes, and consumed 150 kilowatts.
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On eve of retirement,
he narrates slideshow for Fortune on history
of Microsoft
Fortune Magazine Jun 26, 08 9:00 PM CDT
(Newser Summary) -
Pictures of Bill Gates the child in a football uniform and alongside Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in their high school computer room are among 15 shots in an exclusive Fortune photo essay. Gates himself narrates the slideshow chronicling Microsoft’s roots, through its founding and 1986 IPO. Other shots show the first Microsoft business card and Gates signing autographs for Harley-Davidson fans in 1991.
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iPhone-like screen,
due by 2010, signals need to replace Vista
Wall Street Journal May 28, 08 11:51 AM CDT
(Newser Summary) -
Microsoft, still smarting over consumer discontent with its Windows Vista operating system, yesterday offered a peek at the touch-screen operating system it believes will revolutionize personal computing, the Wall Street Journal reports. The OS isn’t expected to hit shelves for 20 months, but already is creating buzz with its iPhone-like ease of use.
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Some wait for Windows 7 instead
BusinessWeek May 13, 08 12:00 PM CDT
(Newser Summary) -
Companies like General Motors and Alaska Airlines are considering bypassing Microsoft’s latest operating system. Facing problems getting Vista to work on its computers, GM may simply wait for Windows 7, due in 2010 or 2011. Consumer hesitation on Vista finally hurt Microsoft in the last quarter, when profits slipped 11% due to a drop in the desktop Windows group’s sales, reports BusinessWeek .
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Computer giant tries to recapture geek hearts with languishing brand
Wall Street Journal May 13, 08 11:48 AM CDT
(Newser Summary) -
Dell is dumping its popular XPS line of gaming PCs so it can focus exclusively on the once-hot Alienware brand it acquired in 2006, the Wall Street Journal reports. The PC giant is in the midst of a full turnaround push, having fallen behind arch-rival HP, so it’s hoping the overdue-but-risky move will once again vault Alienware to the top of the $12 billion gaming-PC market.
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opinion
If inventions can evolve, they can survive, says New York Times
New York Times Mar 23, 08 4:17 PM CDT
(Newser Summary) -
Older technologies frequently face predictions of their demise as they are replaced with cutting-edge innovations, but so-called progress is rarely the sea change it’s chalked up to be, writes Steve Lohr in the New York Times . If old tech can adapt, it can often stay alive. Case in point: PCs were supposed to kill the mainframe computer, but the back office workhorse is still kicking thanks to investment and improvements.
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US remains biggest market as demand in other skyrockets
USA Today Mar 7, 08 12:23 PM CST
(Newser Summary) -
PC makers are increasingly setting their sights on markets outside the US, which are making up an ever-larger share of the worldwide computer market, USA Today reports. PC sales are growing in the US, still the world’s largest market, but are rising much faster elsewhere. Last year, the US accounted for 26% of worldwide sales, compared to 35% 5 years ago.
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PC and overseas sales boost earnings
Wall Street Journal Feb 19, 08 8:10 PM CST
(Newser Summary) -
Hewlett-Packard thumbed its nose at concerns over falling tech spending today, posting a 38% rise in earnings and 15% revenue jump in its first quarter, the Wall Street Journal reports. The health of the tech giant, boosted by PC and overseas sales, is good news for an industry whose leaders, including Microsoft and Google, don’t expect a booming 2008.
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Your frustration, the tech guy's misery
ABC News Jan 27, 08 6:40 PM CST
(Newser Summary) -
We've all done it: The computer misbehaves and we vent our frustration on tech support. But the ugliest of these confrontations can have real consequences, ABC reports. What the user sees as just blowing off steam, the tech support pro might experience (and report to superiors) as bullying. Aggravating the problem? People often say things on the phone or in e-mail that they wouldn't say in person.
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New models will emphasize design, extra features
Wall Street Journal Jan 3, 08 12:17 PM CST
(Newser Summary) -
Longtime business stalwart Lenovo will unleash a stylish new line of laptops on a crowded consumer field, the Wall Street Journal reports. Lenovo’s IdeaPad line will offer sporty red aluminum-alloy cases and higher-performance gaming specs, as well as novel features such as face-recognition software that lets users log in simply by looking at the screen.
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