Hardware

HP Takes Leap of Faith Into Motion Control Tech
April 17, 2013

HP will be incorporating Leap Motion's motion control technology into some of its upcoming products, both companies confirmed Tuesday. Select PCs from HP bundled with Leap Motion's technology will be available this summer, HP spokesperson Cherie Britt told TechNewsWorld. Devices with the Leap Motion Controller technology embedded in them will come later.

The Rebirth of PCs, or Telling IT to Frack Off Again
April 15, 2013

I've been watching the horrid numbers surrounding the PC market with double digit declines and folks increasingly talking about the "death of the PC," but I don't think the PC is dying any more than computing was dying when the PC was created. What we are seeing is a rapid evolution of the platform -- a shift to where the calculations are made back to a centralized resource, but the end result is at least as personal as we have always had.

Analysts: PC Makers Have Plenty of Plan Bs
April 11, 2013

Worldwide PC sales plunged during the first three months of the year, the worst quarterly decline since 1994, according to research firm IDC. PC shipments have been declining recently thanks largely to the rise of mobile devices, but the first quarter of 2013 was as bad as it's been since IDC started tracking the market. PC makers shipped 76.3 million units around the world during the past quarter.

Brainwaves Could Make Passwords Old School
April 10, 2013

Brainwave authentication can be used instead of passwords to protect computer logins, researchers at the University of California at Berkeley's School of Information said this week. The development opens up the potential for users thinking certain thoughts or picturing specific images to gain access to devices, thereby adding a layer of biometric security.

Real World Burglars Rain on Vudu's Cloud-Based Service
April 10, 2013

Streaming video service Vudu is the latest Web-based business to be the victim of data theft, although unlike some recent highly publicized data breaches, this one began with a physical break-in. Thieves broke into the Vudu offices on March 24 and stole hard drives that contained personal customer information including names, email addresses, phone numbers, addresses and dates of birth.

HP Targets a Cloud-Friendly Future With Moonshot Servers
April 08, 2013

HP on Monday announced the availability of a new platform of microservers in its Project Moonshot program as it tries to carve out a new energy efficient, lower-cost niche in the server market. The company says the new servers are designed to help companies and organizations deal with the challenges of current computing trends such as cloud computing, Big Data, and mobile and social usage.

iTwin Connect Doubles the Pleasure of Remote PC Access
April 05, 2013

I am going out of town. And what do I do? I copy all my crucial files over to a high-capacity USB drive so I can have access to my documents on the road. That works to a degree. However, nothing beats having access to my desktop when I'm away from my PC. Fortunately, there is a device that gives you secure access to your desktop or another designated computer from remote locations.

Samsung to Hang Its Shingle Inside Best Buys
April 04, 2013

The latest consumer electronics manufacturer to follow the store-within-a-store trend is Samsung, which announced Thursday that Best Buy will dedicate space within its U.S. showrooms and specialty stores for the Samsung Experience Shop, an area dedicated to the company's products and demonstrations. Best Buy will rollout the Samsung Experience Shop in more than 1,400 Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores.

One Ring to Rule iTV?
April 04, 2013

The long-awaited Apple TV set will finally hit shelves this year, accompanied by a controlling ring and a smaller portable screen, according to analyst Brian White at Topeka Capital Markets. After a tour of some of Apple's supply chain stops in China, White wrote in a note to investors that the launch of the "iTV," as he calls it, will happen later this year.

Sorting Out the Linux Desktop Mess
April 04, 2013

It seems fair to say that every tech community out there has its own hot-button issues that are pretty much guaranteed to get conversations flowing and blood pressures rising. The Linux community, of course, is no exception, and it's difficult to imagine a better illustration than a debate that came up recently. "The Linux Desktop Mess" is the title of the post that got the discussion going.

Taiwan Semiconductor May Win iPhone Chip Biz
April 03, 2013

Apple might be ditching Samsung as a chip partner in favor of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, according to a published report. Samsung has been making all of Apple's mobile chips since 2010, but the company's contract is set to expire in 2014. When that happens, Apple is reportedly going to rely on TSMC to make a so-called "A7" processor.

No Clear Reason for Windows 8's Failure to Thrive
April 02, 2013

Windows 7 is the most popular desktop operating system, with 44.73 percent market share, according to Net Applications' March report. Windows 8 is not even a close second -- old standby Windows XP is. Though Microsoft released Windows 8 with great fanfare last October, it hasn't developed much traction so far. In fact, it trails behind Vista -- an OS not known for its legions of loyal fans.

Oracle Launches New Servers - and War of Words With IBM
March 28, 2013

Oracle launched new midrange and high-end Sparc T5 and M5 servers this week with claims that the T5 models have set 17 world records and performed better than IBM's Power 780 series. That set off a round of dueling statements between the companies. "Most Oracle benchmark claims are not audited or published, although they do have some industry benchmarks, including TPC-C," said IBM spokesperson Jeff Cross.

HP's Officejet Pro Does 1 Thing Extremely Well
March 26, 2013

The HP Officejet Pro X551dw doesn't scan, doesn't copy, doesn't fax, and obviously doesn't make coffee. It is, however, among the best single-use printers you could get in a small-to-medium sized office environment. It is fast, it operates at a low cost, and although it doesn't do those aforementioned things, it does much more.

Oracle's Q3 Malaise Could Be Contagious
March 21, 2013

The bulls have been running on Wall Street but every silver lining apparently is cloaked in a gray cloud. In this case, it's the dismal Q3 earnings report Oracle released on Wednesday. Oracle did actually make money. The company reported third quarter earnings of $2.5 billion, or 52 cents a share, on revenue of $8.96. However, that was down 1 percent from a year earlier.

iOS Update Locks the Gate on Evasi0n Jailbreak
March 21, 2013

Apple on Wednesday rolled out another update to its iOS operating system: 6.1.3, which clamps down on Evasi0n, one of the most popular iOS jailbreaks. "The widespread use of this latest jailbreak hack seems to have energized Apple to deliver a fix in relatively short order," said Charles King, principal at Pund-IT.

Mac and Back Again
March 21, 2013

There's no denying that those of us here in the Linux community see our fair share of ups and downs in any given week or month, as events unfold that either advance or set back our favorite operating system. Sometimes, though, it's difficult not to be amazed by the way things often balance out "Even Steven" -- much the way they did for Jerry Seinfeld way back when.

Nvidia Delivers Workstation Graphics Experience to the Network
March 20, 2013

Nvidia on Wednesday debuted its GRID Visual Computing Appliance, a device that lets businesses deliver ultra-fast GPU performance to any Windows, Linux or Mac client on their network. The GRID VCA is a GPU-based system that allows complex applications, sending graphics output to the network and enabling it to be displayed on a client machine.

Bribery Investigation Rumors Haunt ZTE
March 19, 2013

Chinese telecom ZTE may have ended 2012 in the red, but a new report alleges there was enough in the coffers for bribes. ZTE's Mongolia office is being investigated for bribery, according to China's IT Business News. The outlet is also reporting that Mongolian anti-corruption officials have already unearthed proof of bribes doled out for that country's national digital education project.

Dell's XPS 18: Radically Rethinking the Tablet
March 19, 2013

From the first day of the tablet computing revolution -- April 3, 2010, when Apple's iPad became publicly available -- users have willingly traded limitations in computing form/function for innovations in access/interface. In part, that was because Apple maintained a careful line between the iPad and its traditional Macbook and iMac products to avoid self-cannibalization.