Personal Computers

Samsung, Linux and the Bothersome Bricking Problem
February 11, 2013

If Linux Girl didn't have to spend such a large proportion of her salary dry-cleaning her cape each week, there's no doubt she would invest those extra fortunes in some of the many purveyors of ibuprofen and other pain-relieving medicines. Why? Because of all the headaches FOSS fans are forced to endure here in the Linux blogosphere.

Nemo, Early Reviews Freeze Out Surface Pro Launch
February 09, 2013

Microsoft scrapped plans for Friday night's launch of its Surface Pro tablet at the Best Buy store in New York City because of an impending blizzard meteorologists have dubbed "Nemo." "Surface Pro launch activities in NYC have been canceled due to weather," said Microsoft spokesperson Dani Reese.

Count the iPad, and Apple Rules PCs
February 08, 2013

Apple lands the top spot among PC makers for the holiday quarter -- as long as the iPad is included in the figures, according to the latest report from Canalys. The market research firm, which includes tablets in its worldwide PC numbers, reported this week that overall PC shipments increased 12 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012, with 134 million units shipped during the holiday season.

Google Victorious in 6-Year Aussie Legal Battle
February 06, 2013

A court in Australia has ruled in favor of Google in its lengthy legal fight with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. The case, which lasted six years, concerned search results from 2006-07. The Commission claimed that sponsored links published by Google diverted users to rival companies.

Dell Hightails It Into Private Territory
February 05, 2013

After years of diminishing returns amid a slumping PC market, Dell announced Tuesday that it would take itself private in a leveraged buyout estimated at $24.4 billion. Chairman and CEO Michael Dell will buy back the company he founded in a University of Texas dorm room in 1984.

HP Enters Pavilion 14 in Chromebook Games
February 05, 2013

After years of being one of Microsoft's biggest supporters in the Windows-based laptop market, HP has officially released its first Chromebook: the Pavilion 14 running Google's Chrome OS. Now that HP has followed Samsung, Acer and Lenovo in jumping on the multi-OS bandwagon, the question is this: Can this portable computer maintain the Chromebook shine?

Linux Netbooks: Hiding in Plain Sight
February 05, 2013

You just think that's a Chromebook beckoning you with an open source OS, easier upgradeability and fast connections to the cloud. All those qualities could make it a Linux netbook in disguise -- or at least what the netbooks of a few years ago promised before they all started selling preloaded with Windows. The key? More manufacturers buying into the flexibility of the Linux kernel in the Chrome OS.

HP Horns In on the Chromebook Action
January 29, 2013

The brief appearance of a spec sheet on HP's online shopping website Monday seemed to indicate the company has joined the list of Microsoft partners offering Chromebooks. The sheet listed details of the HP Pavilion Chromebook 14-c010us PC and carried an advertisement embargo date of Feb. 17. It may have been placed on the Web by accident, but it's also possible it was a marketing ploy.

Lenovo, Linux, and the Coming of the Chromebooks
January 21, 2013

However great the strides made by user-friendly distros such as Ubuntu and Mint in recent years, it seems fair to say that Linux has not yet enjoyed any sweeping successes on the desktop the way it has on the mobile side with Android. That, however, may be changing. Thanks once again to none other than Google, Linux is now appearing with increasing frequency in the PC lineups of hardware makers.

Lenovo Chromebook Starts School Fight With Tablets
January 18, 2013

Lenovo on Thursday announced the ThinkPad X131e Chromebook for schools. Aimed at the K-12 market and up, the laptop is ruggedized with a rubber bumper around the top cover and stronger corners for protection in case it is dropped. The hinges and hinge brackets have been strengthened. The ThinkPad X131e Chromebook will be available to K-12 schools beginning Feb. 26 at $429 through special bid pricing.

Set Up Windows 8 to the Beat of a Different Drum
January 17, 2013

Microsoft's latest version of its operating system, Windows 8, has more personalization options than any predecessor. Backgrounds, themes, colors, start screen, apps, picture passwords and more can all be customized. You can choose a new theme by opening the Search charm and typing "personalization." Then click on the Settings tab. Click Change the Theme to enter the control panel's Appearance & Personalization area. Then choose a theme.

Dell May Be Dickering for Private Deal
January 15, 2013

Investors sent Dell stock soaring Monday when reports surfaced that the struggling PC maker is in discussions to go private. Representatives from the third-largest PC maker are reportedly in talks with TPG Capital and Silver Lake about a private-equity investment that would give Dell breathing room to regroup outside the public eye.

Sluggish Sales Hint at End of PC Era
January 14, 2013

PC sales sank in the fourth quarter of 2012 due to increased competition from smartphones and tablet devices, Gartner said in a report released Monday. Shipments totaled some 90.3 million units -- a 4.9 percent decline from the fourth quarter a year earlier, the firm found. In the U.S. market, PC shipments fell 2.1 percent from the year prior to 17.5 million units.

CES 2013's Big Untold Stories
January 14, 2013

While the announcements at CES tend to eclipse everything else at the show, including the prior announcements, often the bigger events are going on behind the scenes. This year, Nvidia, Microsoft, Qualcomm, and a bunch of Chinese companies you've never heard about -- and one you have -- were far more interesting than the headliners.

Using 2 Monitors in a Windows 8 Environment
January 10, 2013

With screen real estate, as with the dirt version, more is generally better. Like earlier incarnations of the OS, Windows 8 has external monitor functionality that lets you spread out. However, there are Windows 8-specific features that especially benefit from having more screens.

Lenovo's Horizon Does Double Duty: Table PC or Huge Tablet
January 07, 2013

Lenovo on Monday announced a 27-inch table PC that doubles as a monster tablet and a desktop at the 2013 CES in Las Vegas. The IdeaCenter Horizon Table PC has a two-legged kickstand in the back that, when extended, props the device up for vertical use. It has a 10-point multitouch screen that's optimized for Windows 8.

Asus Takes Giant Leap Into Gesture Tech
January 03, 2013

Leap Motion announced on Thursday that its touch-free 3D motion sensing and control technology will be bundled with high-end notebooks and premium all-in-one PCs high-tech vendor Asus will launch later this year. The Leap Motion controller can track movements smaller than the tip of a pin with no visible lag time.

All Things Appy: 5 Best Windows 8 Entertainment Apps
December 14, 2012

Windows 8, Microsoft's latest operating system, has its own app library. In many cases, these apps can replace now-aging bookmarks or favorites, and the software that we used to install from floppies, CDs or downloads. Windows 8 apps are often usable on both desktop or laptop PCs, as well as tablets.

Whip Your Files Into Shape in Windows 8
December 13, 2012

There are three big changes in Windows 8, the latest version of Microsoft's operating system. All three affect how you organize your computer. First, Microsoft replaces its Start menu search box with a new, always accessible Search charm. Second, the Windows Explorer file browser gains ribbon functions like previewing and archiving.

Apple to Reel In Some Manufacturing Jobs
December 07, 2012

The push to create jobs and return manufacturing to the U.S. has had an effect on Apple. The company's CEO Tim Cook said publicly in interviews this week that Apple will invest $100 million in 2013 to move production of a line of its Mac products from China to the U.S. Cook was not specific as to which models Apple intends to produce in the U.S., but it is reported to be the iMac line.