OLPC XO Laptop Will Be An eBook Computer By 2012

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There is some information about the OLPC project of Nicholas Negroponte. Apparently the 2nd generation OLPC XO laptop will only be a hardware upgrade of the current model and OLPC focuses on a completely new design for the 3rd generation which is supposed to hit the market in 2012.

Negroponte is quoted in an article on Xconomy as saying that the XO 3.0 is a single sheet, completely plastic and unbreakable, waterproof, 1/4" thick, full color, reflective and transmissive, no bezel, no holes. 1W and a price of $75. Read more

Posted on Tue, 3 Nov 2009 09:08:57 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr

Maingear Shift Personal Supercomputer Unveiled

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MAINGEAR Computers, a builder of custom computers for PC gamers and enthusiasts, unveils SHIFT. The Maingear Shift is supposed to be the everyday supercomputer that will reshape the current landscape of high performance computing.
Read more

Posted on Mon, 2 Nov 2009 15:00:00 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr

Asus G51VX Gaming Notebook Computer Review

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Today I am checking out the Asus G51Vx gaming notebook. The machine has a quad core processor, NVIDIA graphics and much more. The gaming prowess of the notebook is very good.

The notebook is heavy and sucks battery power quickly, but many gamers will be willing to give up battery life for performance. The real question is will gamers be willing to cough up the high price tag Asus wants for the machine. Read more

Posted on Mon, 2 Nov 2009 07:50:54 CST | by Shane McGlaun

Microsoft And Samsung Partner On Green Computers

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Samsung and Microsoft announced plans to collaborate on efficient energy usage in computers.
Microsoft and Samsung aim to encourage PC users to purchase more environmentally friendly PC systems.
Samsung expects substantial energy savings when Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system and Samsung's 40nm class DDR3 DRAM are used together.
At the beginning of September, Samsung initiated its own global marketing campaign centered around 'Less Energy, More Speed', initially focused on its energy-efficient, 40nm-class, 2Gb DDR3 DRAM. Read more

Posted on Mon, 2 Nov 2009 01:00:00 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr

Antec Skeleton Open Air Computer Case Review

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Tweaknews published a Antec Skeleton Open Air Computer Case review.
Quote from the review: "Antec's Skeleton case is a real work of art that also brings top-notch cooling and innovative design elements to the table. Read more

Posted on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 02:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Sony Recalls Computer AC Adapters Over Shock Risk

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There have been several recalls in the last few week of products in the consumer electronics world. Today Sony has issued a recall of 69,000 AC adapters for various models of its VAIO computers. The specific adapter recalled is the Sony VGP-AC19V17.

The power adapter was supplied for use with the VAIO all-in-one computers, VAIO docking stations, VGC-LT, and VGC-JS2 series of computers and the VGP-PRBX1 and VGP-PRFE1 models. The adapters were sold at the SonyStyle store and website from September 2005 to October 2009. Read more

Posted on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:00:00 CDT | by Shane McGlaun

Lenovo Launches Windows 7 IdeaPad/Centre Computers

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It's a little jarring to see another major PC release so soon after the slew of new Windows 7 machines launched last Thursday. Apparently Lenovo thought waiting a few days would be a better strategy than possibly getting lost in the crowd. As HotHardware points out, they've got the spotlight to themselves today.

Lenovo's new machines include three notebooks, the U150, 550, and Y550P. The Y550P is Lenovo's first Core i7 notebook. It packs Intel's turbo boost technology, Nvidia graphics, a 15.6" HD screen, and Dolby Home Theater sound. The Ideapad U150 is a more portable machine; just 13.5mm thick with an 11.6" display. It packs a low-energy Core 2 Duo processor and 8 GB of RAM. Lastly, the IdeaPad U550 has a 15.6" display, Intel Core 2 Duo processor, integrated DVD drive, and a switchable graphics card for increased energy efficiency.

Posted on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:56:54 CDT | by Robert Evans

Microsoft Sells Computers Now

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In yet another bid to be more like Apple, Microsoft has taken to selling computers in their online store (CNet). This isn't much of a surprise. We already knew Microsoft was planning to sell Windows 7 PCs in their new line of Window's Stores, the first of which opens today in Scottsdale, AZ. Still, I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a bit of a surprise when MS updated their store this morning to include a range of computers.

Selection isn't great yet. They have just 9 different laptops, 3 different netbooks, and one desktop in total so far. One presumes they're going to expand their selection regularly over the next few months. If not, I don't really see much reason to buy from this online store. Their prices are about what you'd expect to pay in any big box store, but the selection is far worse.

Posted on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:38:43 CDT | by Robert Evans

The Complete Asus Windows 7 Computer Line-Up Unveiled

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Windows 7 is here and PC makers tout their offerings as loud as possible. Asus just made an announcement that says that Asus Notebooks, Netbooks, Nettops and Desktop PCs come with exclusive technologies that take Windows 7 further.

Asus says that all their Windows 7 notebooks ship with the Windows 7 64-bit version because it can fully utilize the vastly-higher RAM ceiling of 128GB. Question is who can afford 128GB RAM in his notebook?
More interesting is the Asus FastBoot technology which shortens notebook boot times to as low as 30 seconds says Asus.
Read more

Posted on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:57:05 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

iSkin Offers Cool Keyboard Protection for Mac Computers

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I am pretty much a slob and I tend to eat while I work during the day so crumbs and goo ends up on my keyboard. That means that I end up having to blow the debris out with a can of air a few times per month. If you tend to collect crumbs and dust in your keyboard and the keyboard is attached to a Mac notebook or desktop keyboard iSkin has a new product for you.

The iSkin ProTouch Classic, ProTouchFX, and Protouch Vibes keyboard covers are cool and go over the keys to protect them from the normal mess that can end up on your keyboard. They come in various colors and look very cool. Read more

Posted on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 07:00:00 CDT | by Shane McGlaun

History Of The Tablet Computer, In Case You Were Not There

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The rumors about the Apple Tablet and the recent appearance of the cool Microsoft Courier prototype have put Tablet computers back into the center of attention.
If you were not there when Apple unveiled the Newton or Microsoft pushed the first Tablet PCs then read this nice article on the New York Times that takes us down the memory lane of failures. Read more

Posted on Mon, 5 Oct 2009 08:16:37 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

SGI Unveils Octane III Personal Super Computer

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SGI has announced a new computer system for professional users that it is calling the personal supercomputer because of the performance the machine offers. The system is the Octane III and the machine offers massive computing power in a desk side form factor.

The Octane III is an office-ready machine with a pedestal with a 1 x 2 foot form factor that is easy to use and low maintenance. The machine runs from normal office power outlets and can use up to 80 cores and 1TB of RAM. Read more

Posted on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:00:00 CDT | by Shane McGlaun

New Apple MacBook and iMac Computers Rumored

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Barron's reports that Research firm Wedge Partners sees Apple announcing new iMacs and new MacBooks in the next several weeks. Well, you can bet your house on Apple unveiling new Macs for the Holiday shopping season.
Apple unveiled the iMac 2009 back in March. The latest MacBook got unveiled in June with the 15 inch MacBook. Read more

Posted on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:35:46 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

AMD ATI 4800 Series Video Cards in iMac and Mac Pro Computers

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AMD has announced that its line of HD 4800 video cards is being used inside of some of Apple's iMac and Mac Pro computers. Apple has been using NVIDIA video cards and GPUs in many of its systems, but they GPUs have been failing in many of its computers.

AMD says that its GPUs complement Snow Leopard's fully OpenCL Verison 1.0 implementation. The specification is a key enabler of ATI Stream technology that allows developers to balance application workloads across the GPU and the CPU. Read more

Posted on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 07:00:00 CDT | by Shane McGlaun

Acer Launches Veriton Z280G AIO Computer

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Not too long ago Acer offered the new Veriton nettop computer aimed at business users. Acer is back with a new Veriton system aimed at business users called the Z280G all in one. The all in one machine features an 18.5-inch widescreen LCD measuring 19-inches x 15-inches x 2.14-inches making for a very compact system.

The AIO machine is powered by an Intel Atom ULV processor and the screen features a 16:9 aspect ratio, 1000:1 contrast ratio, and a resolution of 1366 x 768. Storage for the machine is to a 160GB HDD. A super multi DVD burner is built-in and the machine has integrated 802.11b/g wireless connectivity. Read more

Posted on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 09:00:00 CDT | by Shane McGlaun

Jessica Biel: Bad for your Computer

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McAfee has just published this year's list of most dangerous celebrities to search for, and this year Jessica Biel tops the charts. For the last three years McAfee, an Internet security company, has compiled a list of the celebrity names that turn up the most virus-laden hits. Hackers and scammers love to lure unsuspecting pop-culture junkies onto websites filled with malware, spyware, and other nasties by promising celebrity gossip and photos.

Last year Brad Pitt was the most dangerous celebrity on the Internet. Beyonce Knowles still holds the number 2 slot, which she also won last year. The top five celebrities on McAfee's site all have names that are used by malicious hackers on a frequent basis; as many as one out of every five hits when 'Jessica Biel' is searched for are loaded with dangerous programs.

Read more

Posted on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:40:00 CDT | by Robert Evans

InFocus Cuts Wires Between Computer and Projector

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Projector company InFocus has announced a new solution that allows it to cut the cords between a computer and its line of projectors. The wireless solution is made possible through a partnership with Wisair, a leading provider of Wireless USB solutions.

The new system is called the InFocus DisplayLink wireless systems and it allows presenters to show HD content without wires on select InFocus projectors. The system features a DisplayLink wireless adapter that allows the computer to instantly connect to the projector. Read more

Posted on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:00:00 CDT | by Shane McGlaun

Windows Reactivation After Hardware Change on same Computer?

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Yesterday marked the launch of the new AMD Phenom II X4 965 CPU and I reviewed the CPU and plugged a different video card into my computer at the same time. Today I am minding my own business working on my computer and I get a notice that Windows has been deactivated on my computer.

I have been reviewing CPUs and video cards on Windows for years and this has never happened to me before. I have had issues when I had to unexpectedly reformat my computer and had to call Microsoft to get a reactivation. Read more

Posted on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 10:00:00 CDT | by Shane McGlaun

ZiiLabs Announces EGG StemCell Computer.

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Another Android-capable device comes down the line, but this one is different from anything currently out on the market. ZiiLabs created the StemCell computer to be an open standards development platform, capable of running a Linux distro or Android with equal ease. This ZiiLabs EGG is not a phone, but it can be upgraded with the proper chipset to become one.

In terms of specs, this bad boy is easily the equal of the Zune HD or iPod Touch. It's got a 3.5” true-color capacitive 10-point multitouch screen, X-Fi audio, 32 GB of internal NAND Flash, 256 MB of RAM, HDTV support through HD Cable, and a forward-facing VGA camera/rear facing HD camera, for recording and video conferencing. It also comes with WiFi and Bluetooth enabled, a GPS receiver with antenna, a 3-axis accelerometer, an ambient light sensor, a full SDHC slot that supports up to a 32 GB card, USB 2.0 Mini-B, a universal docking connector, a built-in speaker and microphone, a 1200mAH lithium-ion battery, and support for Linux-based Plaszma OS and Android.

Posted on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 09:12:28 CDT | by Robert Evans

Apple Owns 91% of Premium Computer Market

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The 1990's got the world used to the idea of Apple as the struggling underdog, fighting the evil empire and surviving against all odds. It was a romantic image, and one I've no doubt the higher-ups at Apple love to foster, but today it's become increasingly inaccurate. Apple is huge now. They're one of the leading smartphone manufacturers on the planet, and in a couple of years they'll probably be at the top of that heap.

And now Apple can add personal computer domination to their list of achievements. In the 'premium' computer category, Apple controls 91% of the market share. Premium computers are machines that cost more than $1,000. That's a segment of the market I'm not at all surprised to hear Apple owns, especially considering the fact that all of their desktops and notebooks cost more than that.

Posted on Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:11:43 CDT | by Robert Evans

Apple Loses Ground in Computer Sales

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As a general rule, this Spring has been really good to Apple. They've continued to post record profits, despite the fact that the rest of the country is currently busy being mired in a deep recession. But today we've gotten some news that things might not be quite as peachy-keen as they seem over in Cupertino. Since the winter, Apple has dropped from 4th place, to 5th place in overall domestic computer sales.

Mac sales have been down for a while. This spring Apple shipped 12.4% fewer Macs than they did last year. That's a substantial drop, and I wonder just how much of it can be blamed on the economy. Apple and Dell were the only two of the top five computer manufacturers to lose market share this year. I think the most likely explanation is that Macs saw less sales due to cuts in consumer spending, and Dell dropped because Acer (who has grown 51% this year) gobbled up their market share.

Posted on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:00:00 CDT | by Robert Evans