Personal Computers

Linux in Lilliput
November 29, 2012

Well half a year has passed since Linux Girl last wrote about the invasion of the tiny, Linux-powered PCs, and she's delighted to report that the trend has shown no sign of slowing down. No indeed! "Tiny $57 PC is like the Raspberry Pi, but faster and fully open" is one headline that recently appeared, for example. "Meet the PengPod, a 'true Linux' tablet starting at $120" is yet another.

Innovation vs. Magic: Why Apple and Microsoft Need James Bond
November 26, 2012

After seeing the new Microsoft offerings, Steve Wozniak recently lamented that Microsoft is now out innovating Apple. Wozniak is the surviving founder of Apple, and his perspective clearly is important, but he was the guy who got the product to work. It was the other Steve who was largely responsible for creating the entity that was Apple and making it a huge success.

Surface Success May Hinge on Cool Covers
October 26, 2012

The Microsoft Surface tablet made its official debut on Thursday, and many are judging this tablet by its two magnetic keyboard cover options. The keyboards are one of the main components allowing the Surface to be positioned as much as a laptop as a tablet. They could allow the new Windows 8 machine to break out and claim its own niche in the market.

Google's New Chromebook Caters to Cloud Crowd
October 19, 2012

Google unveiled a new Samsung Chromebook on Thursday, available for pre-order at $249. The new model is more streamlined and far cheaper than its predecessors. It costs $200 less than the Samsung Chrome 550, which was released earlier this year, and $100 less than the Series 5 model, which debuted last year. The sleek new form factor is compelling, said iSuppli analyst Craig Stice.

The World Post-Windows 8: Getting Better All the Time
October 15, 2012

Given that the Theme for Windows 95 Was "Start Me Up," Windows 8 likely should pull from the old Beatles hit "Getting Better." As we approach launch, it truly appears to be getting better all the time. It is clear Microsoft has been holding some things back for the launch. I've been working on a Windows 8 tablet for some months now, and I just did my first system build from scratch with Windows 8.

Dell Goes for the Windows 8 Gold
October 12, 2012

With Microsoft's next-generation Windows 8 operating system set to launch later this month, Dell on Friday announced new computers that will support it: the Dell XPS 12 convertible laptop, the Dell XPS One 27 all-in-one desktop, and the Dell Inspiron One 23 all-in-one.

Reports: Lenovo, HP Neck and Neck as PC Market Tailspins
October 11, 2012

Worldwide PC sales slid more than 8 percent in the third quarter of 2012, according to reports from research firms Gartner and IDC. The two reports had different leaders in global sales numbers -- Gartner had Lenovo taking a narrow lead over IDC's top-seller, HP -- but both agreed that PC sales are undergoing one of the most serious declines in the past decade.

Thinning Out Your Gadget Hoard
October 11, 2012

New iPhone? Now, what to do with the old one, and the one before that? Wondering what to do with the old, redundant gear spilling out of drawers, relegating your automobile to the driveway or street? Step 1: Gather it up. Collect all of the household electronics that are no longer being used and place the smaller items, with chargers and any peripherals, into a clear zip-style kitchen bag.

Make a Handy Little Android PC for Light Lifting
October 04, 2012

As many of us are gearing up for Windows 8's imminent release, it may well be worth considering some alternatives. I don't know about you, but after XP to Windows 7, via Vista, the idea of another OS from Microsoft, while not yet causing night sweats, is engendering some trepidation.

Microsoft Makes Staffing Push Into China
September 06, 2012

Microsoft plans to hired an additional 1,000 employees in China over the next year, bringing the company's total in the country to 4,500, according to Reuters. The move is designed to tap into what Microsoft sees as an integral market for future growth. The company has struggled to gain ground in China's IT market, which is flooded with cheap software.

Speeding Up Your PC, Part 5: Getting Secure
September 01, 2012

One of the most dreaded words for any computer user is "malware." Rogue software and infected files can implant bits of code that log keystrokes, spy on activities, slow down searches and snatch financial information. Users can help protect their PC by installing antivirus software, but even this comes with its own set of issues and is not always foolproof.

Speeding Up Your PC, Part 4: Managing Drivers
August 31, 2012

Driver software manages communications between a computer and its system components and peripherals, such as printers, graphic and sound cards, motherboards, game controllers, Bluetooth devices, and other hardware. Driver software acts like a translator, helping a computer's operating system communicate with its hardware, and telling the hardware how to work.

Intel Connects With IDT to Power Up Wireless Charging
August 30, 2012

Intel has signed up IDT to develop an integrated transmitter and receiver chipset for the former's wireless charging technology. It will use magnet resonance technology that could enable a computer to power a device wirelessly -- just set the device down near the PC, and it starts charging. Intel and IDT will deliver validated reference designs for deployment in Ultrabooks, all-in-one PCs and more.

Samsung Waves Hello to Windows 8 With New All-in-One PCs
August 29, 2012

Samsung on Tuesday announced its new Series 7 and Series 5 All-in-One PCs designed to run Windows 8 when the OS is launched later this year. The PCs have high-resolution, 10-point touchscreens, as well as slim bezel displays, metal bases, and third-generation Intel Core processors. The displays also have five hand gesture recognition features that work when the user is up to three feet away.

Speeding Up Your PC, Part 3: Getting Crucial Updates
August 25, 2012

Lots of people think that updates aren't really that important. In the past, updating a program often involved implementing small features or fixes that, most of the time, didn't seem worth the bother. While this may still be true for some applications, there's no doubt that updates are crucial for much of the software running on your computer.

HP Bleeds Billions in Q3 Due to Whopping Write-Down
August 23, 2012

HP posted numbers Wednesday for what was the worst financial quarter in the company's long history. It reported an $8.86 billion loss for its third fiscal quarter, which ended July 31. In the last three months, it took in a net revenue of $29.7 billion, down 5 percent year over year and down 2 percent when adjusted for the effects of currency.

Apple Fans, Welcome to the Machine
August 23, 2012

I've been an Apple Mac user since high school, using them even as I struggled through business classes on clunky PCs. As an adult, I used them in college. I have since purchased five Mac laptops and an iMac, and while I'm not a graphic artist, I've pounded on them most days of my life for years and years.

Power to the PC: How to Manage Your Laptop's Battery
August 23, 2012

I've written about gadget battery technologies and how to calculate basic battery needs in previous articles like "Juicing Up Your Gadget Battery Power." I've also covered some of the ways to keep yourself charged up on the road with extended battery packs for smaller devices. Continuing this theme of maximizing battery life on your devices, this article addresses specifics related to laptop PC power management.

Investors Wince at Dell's Painful Transformation
August 22, 2012

Dell announced an 18 percent drop in profit for its fiscal second quarter on Tuesday and warned that PC sales could continue to decline in the second half of the year. The company is in the midst of a transformation that will switch its focus from consumer PCs toward enterprise and commerce customers as increased competition from rival PC and mobile device makers saturate the market.

Making Linux Work
August 21, 2012

The fear of failure factor is one reason why potential newcomers to the Linux operating system never complete the switch. After all, when was the last time you saw a sign in a big-box computer store identifying the aisle labeled "Linux Loaded?" Most desktops and laptops come out of the box with Microsoft Windows preinstalled.