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Trends, news, reviews and more about PCs

Wall Street Beat: Earnings, spending forecasts highlight tech sector strength

Recent market research reports and earnings this week from tech bellwethers including Lenovo and Cisco Systems underscore underlying strength in IT even as the global economy continues to experience significant turbulence.
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Buyers lining up for Raspberry Pi's $25 PC

Raspberry Pi Foundation's $25 PC will become available by the end of this month, and buyers hope it could fill in as a low-power desktop, while being an alternative to the more expensive open-source hardware.

Demand growing for application performance management tools, experts say

The growing importance of reliable applications in the enterprise has opened a lucrative market opportunity for application performance management vendors, some of which have taken full advantage lately.

Microsoft fixes Windows 8 Consumer Preview launch event for Feb. 29

Microsoft said it will host a launch event for the Windows 8 beta on Feb. 29 in Barcelona, the site of the Mobile World Congress.

Acer sues former CEO Lanci for breach of contract

Acer has sued its former CEO and President Gianfranco Lanci in Italian courts for allegedly violating a non-compete clause, the company said Tuesday.

Systems management, cloud services likely in Dell's software acquisition plans

Dell's formation of a new software group, which was announced Thursday, could be the forerunner to a string of acquisitions by the vendor, with some observers predicting a focus on systems management and cloud services provisioning.

Toshiba, Fujitsu join Japanese tech peers in booking massive 3Q losses

Toshiba and Fujitsu, two of Japan's largest tech companies, both said Tuesday they booked deep losses during the October-December quarter, blaming a spike in component costs caused by Thai flooding and a tough market for consumer electronics.

Intel's new Core i5 chip qualifies for protection plan

Intel has rolled out a handful of new Core i5 desktop processors, including one that raises the clock speed and qualifies for a new protection plan under which CPUs can be replaced.

iPad sales beat HP, Lenovo, Dell PC numbers

Apple sold more iPad tablets last quarter than any single PC maker sold personal computers.

Android 4.0 tablets coming for under $250

Inexpensive tablets with screen sizes up to 10 inches and Google's new Android 4.0 OS will soon become available at prices ranging from US$100 to $250.

Predator secures your PC with a USB drive...and some difficulty

Predator may not be as magical as BioTrust, which lets you unlock your computer using a webcam and your face, but it's still a nice idea.

Alienware X51: The little PC that could

Among built-to-order gaming PCs, Alienware is about as close as one gets to a household name, and the brand is largely synonymous with huge black boxes covered in garish blinking lights. The new Alienware X51 is a marked departure from that routine, cutting both costs and girth to deliver a machine that's palatable to the masses but doesn't lose any of that gamer cred.

10 IT news stories to expect in 2012

Well, we erred in our 2011 predictions in not repeating a 2010 forecast that Carol Bartz would be ousted as Yahoo CEO -- it was bound to happen, we just called that one too early. Then again, we also predicted last year that Oracle would buy Salesforce.com and have decided not to repeat ourselves this year, so we'll see if we were just ahead on that one, too. Meanwhile, these are our predictions for the next 12 months:

New computer interfaces challenge touch screens

Touchscreens could be extinct if researchers pioneering new human-computer interfaces have anything to say about it. From brain-controlled machines to gesture-driven devices, there's a range of technologies in development that may find their way into everyday electronic devices.

Windows 8: The InfoWorld Deep Dive report

Find out what Microsoft's forthcoming OS means for developers, admins, network security, mobile usage, and more in InfoWorld's comprehensive guide Insider (registration required)

Toshiba DX1215: Decent performance and a gorgeous display

Toshiba's touchscreen all-in-one, the DX1215, has one of the best touchscreens around. Add some shiny wireless peripherals and awesome speakers, and you have a decent -- but not great, thanks to the mobile processor -- multimedia all-in-one.

Lenovo ThinkStation C20: A compact, powerful and pricey business PC

Lenovo's ThinkStation C20 compact workstation saves space and supports high-end graphics.

Silver Surfers are past it? Never!

Been around a while? You may well be a "Silver surfer" and that makes you an IT hero!

Visual tour: The future of tablets

Folding tablets. Solar-powered slates. Apps that automatically install -- and delete -- themselves based on your location. Not all of these concepts will survive the leap from research to retail, but many will ship before you know it.

QuickPoll: Is the PC dead?

IBM engineer Mark Dean, who helped design the first personal computer, recently proclaimed that the PC was dead. Also of note: Google this week said it would buy Motorola Mobility, not a PC maker. Are you ready to trade in your desktop or laptop for a tablet or smartphone? Has the PC outlived its usefulness?