Stories related to: PCs

Semiconductor company AMD has revealed updates to its Phenom line and will launch four quad-core chips that “can improve performance for gaming and multi-threaded applications,” the company says. The California firm also said it would ship triple-core processors, which CNet reports is a first for the PC market, CNet reports. More »

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. More »

Starting up a Windows machine is normally an exercise in patience, but that could be changing, thanks to several companies working to do away with the eternal boot-up. One startup, for example, has introduced Splashtop, a tiny, simple operating system you can boot instead of Windows. Boot time? About 5 seconds, Technology Review reports. More »

The Department of Transportation has banned certain kinds of lithium batteries from checked airline luggage, citing worries over short circuiting and fires. Lithium batteries installed inside of electronic devices will be permitted as carryon, but loose batteries, unless sealed inside a plastic bag, will no longer be permitted on board. More »

The tech wizards at ZDNet offer their picks for security-conscious PC users on a budget: Secunia Personal Software Inspector (psi.secunia.com) OpenDNS (www.opendns.com) Active Virus Shield (www.activevirusshield.com/antivirus/freeav/index.adp?) Haute Secure (www.hautesecure.com) GMER anti-rootkit (www.gmer.net/index.php) More »