Infrastructure

Federal Budget Watchers Zoom In on Cloud Spending Plans
August 24, 2012

It seems so easy and so simple. Federal agencies should put most of their efforts into their missions and use management tools which enable them to meet mission goals. One such tool is cloud technology -- an "on demand" option for information technology services. In concept, the simplicity of using on-demand IT pretty much the way water comes from a tap is appealing.

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.

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.

Barnes & Noble Carves Nook Niche in UK
August 20, 2012

Today in international tech news: Barnes & Noble will take Nook overseas for the first time. Also: In Asia, an underwater cable stretching nearly 5,000 miles becomes operational; Korea has a huge second quarter for TV sales; McDonald's gets into the pay-with-your-smartphone business; Netflix gets 1 million users in the UK and Ireland -- but is still losing $100 million overseas each quarter.

AAPL Investors Hold Hands Out for Long-Awaited Dividend
August 15, 2012

Apple shareholders will be paid a dividend on Thursday as part of the company's $10 billion share buyback program announced in March. Starting on Aug. 16, shareholders of record will receive $2.65 per share each quarter. When it announced the dividend, Apple was coming off a quarter that blew away Wall Street expectations.

Acer's Anger Rises to the Surface
August 07, 2012

Acer Chairman and CEO JT Wang has lashed out at Microsoft over the software giant's plans to launch its own Surface tablets in October. Microsoft should think twice before going forward with the tablet, as the move would be detrimental for the worldwide PC ecosystem, Wang said during an interview.

HTC Sputters in Global Smartphone Race
August 06, 2012

Even with the launch of new products, HTC's second quarter fiscal results came in lower than expected, with revenue down on the year and a sober outlook going forward. The smartphone maker launched new lines, including the HTC One series, Desire series, EVO 4G LTE and Droid Incredible 4G LTE, as well as a wireless digital content program called "HTC Connect."

Bringing Sexy Back to Hardware
July 18, 2012

Is hardware becoming sexy again? Why? I noticed an article in The New York Times the other day covering Eric Schmidt's announcement of Google's new gadgets, including a home entertainment device and a tablet. There's history here. Schmidt was CEO of Google, of course, before turning over that job to cofounder Larry Page, but he was also a longtime confidant of Steve Jobs.

PC Sales Pinched Between Tablets and Windows 8
July 13, 2012

Personal computer sales are down across the industry as consumers turn toward newer devices such as smartphones and tablets and await the arrival of system upgrades like Windows 8, according to reports from Gartner and IDC. PC sales for the second quarter in the U.S. were down between 6 and 11 percent compared to the same period last year, the firms reported.

Ballmer Pokes Apple to Stoke Microsoft's Fire
July 11, 2012

To listen to Microsoft's Steve Ballmer talk, you'd think he was the prime minister of a besieged nation, rather than the captain of one of the largest software companies in the world. In an interview Tuesday with CRN, a website for VARs and technology integrators, the flamboyant head of Microsoft pledged to compete with arch rival Apple on every front.

BB10 Pep Rally Fails to Lift RIM Investors' Spirits
July 10, 2012

Following a 30-day period in which the company lost $2 billion in value, Research In Motion executives faced shareholders Tuesday at the company's annual meeting. On the positive side, CEO Thorsten Heins reportedly told shareholders RIM remains strong in some market segments. However, he admitted it's weak in the North American market and said he isn't satisfied with its performance over the past year.

Google Tries On IaaS for Size
June 29, 2012

Google announced this week the launch of the Google Compute Engine, an Infrastructure as a Service product that lets users run Linux Virtual Machines on Google's servers. It promises to provide resources to businesses and other organizations that need intensive, short-term computing power to solve high-level problems.

RIM Curls Up as BB10 Salvation Fades Into the Distance
June 29, 2012

Research In Motion reported quarterly results that fell below investors' already meager expectations Thursday, adding that it plans thousands of further layoffs as well as another delay to the release of its BlackBerry 10 platform. RIM announced a $518 million net loss on the quarter, or about 99 cents per share.

With Nexus 7, Little Tablets Grow Up
June 28, 2012

Google's new Nexus 7 is the company's first attempt to push its line of Nexus Android devices into the tablet realm. However, instead of launching a head-on attack on tablets like the Apple iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Google has designed the new Nexus as a smaller slate measuring seven inches.

RIM Sheds More Flesh in Long, Hard March to BB10
June 20, 2012

Research In Motion is issuing pink slips as part of a massive cost-cutting effort that could save the company $1 billion in expenses. RIM is reportedly laying workers off in small batches, starting with the quality control, operations and parts departments. The company is also looking to cut costs by restructuring its supply chain.

Microsoft Flies Solo With New Tablets
June 19, 2012

Microsoft recently announced a new line of tablets dubbed "Surface." However, instead of partnering with any of its traditional hardware friends to make Surface, Microsoft is going it alone. Redmond will make the hardware itself and load it with its Windows 8 operating system.

Samsung Hardware Tucks Chrome Into New Niche
May 30, 2012

Samsung has launched two new computers running Google's Chrome OS. The Series 5 550 Chrome OS notebook, referred to as a "Chromebook," is a 12.1-inch laptop. The Samsung Chromebox 3 is a small desktop PC that can connect to a separate keyboard, mouse and monitor, much like Apple's Mac mini.

Dell's New XPS All-in-One Jousts With Apple
May 29, 2012

Dell on Tuesday announced its latest all-in-one desktop, the 27-inch XPS One 27. It has what Dell calls a "Full Quad HD" screen with a resolution of 2,560 by 1,440 pixels. It has Intel i5 or i7 quad core processors with Intel Turbo Boost technology, high-performance graphics from Nvidia, and entertainment features as well as an optional internal TV tuner.

HP Touts R&D as Silver Lining to Massive Layoffs
May 24, 2012

HP has posted its second quarter earnings and announced it will lay off 27,000 workers worldwide in an effort to simplify its business and increase efficiency. HP beat Wall Street expectations with its earnings but still faces questions about how it will compete in a changing tech industry.

Dell Shares Take Thrashing After Sour Earnings Report
May 23, 2012

Dell took a hard hit on Wall Street Wednesday after it revealed sluggish PC sales and a disappointing quarterly earnings report. Shares of Dell were down 17 percent Wednesday, Dell's biggest one-day drop since 2000. The stock, already down 15 percent on the year, closed at $12.49. Shareholders expressed disappointment with the company's Tuesday earnings report.