Acer sees Linux as key to low-cost laptops
Acer sees Linux as key to low-cost laptops
Acer, the world's third-largest PC maker, believes that Linux software is a key to the low-cost laptop computer movement and hopes to create a community around the devices, a top executive said.
Several of the new low-cost laptops announced recently come either with Microsoft Windows XP or with a Linux OS, and other Linux programs. Acer, for example, developed One Page, a homepage for the laptop that pops up before the OS loads so people can start navigating through their computer more quickly. One Page offers quick access to music, messaging software, games, the Internet, and more.
"We really need to continue our journey on Linux," said Jim Wong, senior corporate vice president at Acer, in an interview. "We can develop it more and we will try to develop alliances with more partners. Linux is a lonely word. We need to try to create a community," he added.
The call to develop a Linux community around low-cost laptops appears to be a swipe at Microsoft.
The Linux push in low-cost laptops highlights the battles PC makers face with Microsoft to persuade it to keep supporting Windows XP, an OS the software giant would like to retire in favor of Windows Vista. Vista is a problem because it requires more expensive components than XP, which would raise the price of a low-cost laptop.
Linux is cheaper for several reasons, including easy hardware requirements and there is no license fee paid for the OS. Microsoft doesn't like to lose ground to any software rival, and has worked hard to make XP as available as possible, even tweaking the OS to run on the One Laptop Per Child Foundation's XO laptop . Despite the efforts, an XP license still makes such laptops more expensive than Linux models. In addition, some companies have complained about Microsoft rules requiring them to use XP only in notebooks that fit certain requirements, such as limiting the biggest screen size to 10 inches and not allowing touchscreens.
Acer on Tuesday launched its first ever mini-notebook for the low-cost space, the Aspire one. The $399 to $499 mini-laptop is aimed at people who want an inexpensive, convenient mobile device they can take anywhere and use to surf the Internet wirelessly.
Other Taiwanese companies are working with Linux. Asustek Computer (Asus) offers both Linux and Windows XP versions of its popular Eee PC, the device that kicked off the trend to commercialize low-cost laptops. The company expects to sell 2 million Eee PCs with the Linux OS this year.
It's also trying out its Express Gate Linux software in some laptop PC models now and will put it in all laptops in the future. Similar to Acer's software, Express Gate bypasses the OS at start up and goes directly to a start-up screen offering direct Net access, game playing, or access to music or other files in just five seconds.
In Asustek's F8V laptop on display at Computex, Express Gate was running with the Windows OS.
Taiwan's Micro-Star International (MSI) is also offering a Windows XP version and a Linux version of its low-cost laptop. The Linux version of MSI's Wind mini-laptop, at $399, is much less expensive than the $499 Windows XP model.
Acer is banking on Linux for a lot of its Aspire one sales. The mini-laptop only carries Linux right now, but a Windows XP version will be available by the time the laptop launches in early July, Wong said.
"But in our marketing, our main message to users is about Linux because the experience is more real, it is more vivid," he said.
Read your watts with a GPS Technology power supply
While walking the halls of the Computex trade show, we saw this interesting power supply with an integrated watt meter. The Classic PC Power Supply (not sure what makes it so classic) by GPS Technology has a three digit LED readout along with a temperature gauge on the power supplys chassis. The companys founder says the watt meter is accurate to within 10 watts.
Computex 2008: Shuttle showcases mini-PC solutions
IBM cools 3D chips with integrated water channels
IBM cools 3D chips with integrated water channels
Why cool semiconductors with liquid on the surface when you can run water right through them? IBM believes that tiny rivers of water within stacked chips may not only advance Moores Law, but also pave the way to green data centers, significantly reducing the energy requirements by computers.
Frostytech Covers the Heatsinks of Computex 2008
[Frostytech.com]
This year Computex expands into the new Nangang exhibition building in Taipei, promising an even more exciting event as the worlds largest computer brands and manufacturers come together in one location for 4 days of PC hardware tech goodness! Frostytech will be covering the cooling angle from lovely (and very Hot) Taipei. See you there!
Reports say Apple may tout new OS next week
Reports say Apple may tout new OS next week
Reports circulated Wednesday that Apple may demo the next iteration of Mac OS X next week or even release code to developers in preparation for an early-2009 launch.
According to an account on Mac enthusiast site TUAW (The Unofficial Apple Weblog), Apple may provide early copies of Mac OS X 10.6 at next week's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), which opens Monday and runs through next Friday in San Francisco.
Mac OS X 10.6 will run on Intel-based hardware only, said TUAW, and so will mark the ditching of support for the older PowerPC processor-equipped Macs. Apple announced it would shift to Intel processors three years ago, and unveiled the first systems in January 2006; most analysts have said that move is largely behind the reason for Apple's renewed success selling personal computers. It has never disclosed how long it would support the PowerPC with OS upgrades, however.
[ For an in-depth look at Mac OS X Leopard, see InfoWorld's review. ]
Technology site ars technica also weighed in Wednesday on Mac OS X 10.6; its sources pegged with OS with the code name "Snow Leopard."
Both TUAW and ars technica said that Mac OS X 10.6 could launch as early as January 2009 with a focus less on dramatic new features than on better stability and performance.
One analyst said that next week's WWDC would be the right time for Apple to talk up or release an early build of Mac OS 10.6. "It's always important to remember the venue Apple uses," said Michael Gartenberg, an analyst with JupiterResearch and a Computerworld columnist. Apple, he went on, typically saves the WWDC spotlight for developer-related news.
"They may mention a new Mac OS X next week," said Gartenberg, "but Apple's never been compelled to tell the entire story at one sitting." Instead, the company often parcels out information over time. That's exactly what it did in June 2005 when Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced that the company would transition to Intel processors. "They also said 'we're going to be working on Leopard,' and then showed a slide," Gartenberg said.
In fact, Apple delayed its WWDC event in 2006 until August so Apple CEO Steve Jobs could unveil Leopard to the developers in attendance. The OS was not released to the public for another 14 months.
"They can be more selective in telling their story over time" than, for example, Microsoft, said Gartenberg, because Apple only has to worry about one hardware maker — itself — while its rival has to contend with scores or hardware partners.
When asked if Apple was accelerating its release schedule, Gartenberg noted that Apple's never stuck with a set time span between operating system upgrades. "Some cycles have been short, others have been longer."
Leopard, which Apple originally said would release at the end of 2006 or early 2007, was delayed until October 2007, debuting an Apple-record 30 months after its predecessor, Mac OS X 10.4, or Tiger. That version, however, launched just 18 months after the previous OS, dubbed Panther. The average time between Mac OS X upgrades has been close to 16 months, but the trend has been toward longer stretches between new versions.
Jobs will kick off WWDC next Monday with a keynote address, where most analysts expect he will spend the bulk of his time talking up a new 3G-capable iPhone and that platform's major software upgrade, iPhone 2.0.
Computerworld is an InfoWorld affiliate.
OCZ Vendetta 2 HPT CPU Cooler OCZTVEND2
Computer hardware is an ever-evolving industry, and since Moores law only applies to an exponentially growing transistor count then there should probably be another law for cooling. In the very recent past there have been two major trends which have accelerated the performance potential of CPU cooler. That first development was the use of heat-pipes to directly contact with the CPU surface; which resulted in the Heat-pipe Direct Touch technology. The second development is by no mean a new concept, just new to our industry in specific. For many years now heatsinks have been full of right angles, but very recently companies have begun to recognize the need to disrupt smooth airflow and reduce the laminar skin effect which allows air to travel just above the solid surface. Manufacturers like OCZ have used both of these trends in their new Vendetta 2 CPU cooler. Benchmark Reviews will see how much this effects the overall performance as we test OCZTVEND2 against a large segment of competitor products.
Best CPU Cooler Performance - Q1 2008
Benchmark Reviews strives to offer the overclocker and hardware enthusiast community solid evidence reflecting the true performance of computer products through rigorous testing and evaluation. We understand that many of our readers have been involved with other community websites for years, and take our test results personally; this was made clear to us when we released our 33-Way Thermal Interface Material Comparison (index.php?option=com_content task=view
OCZ Vendetta 2 HPT CPU Cooler OCZTVEND2
OCZ Vendetta 2 HPT CPU Cooler OCZTVEND2
Computer hardware is an ever-evolving industry, and since Moores law only applies to an exponentially growing transistor count then there should probably be another law for cooling. In the very recent past there have been two major trends which have accelerated the performance potential of CPU cooler. That first development was the use of heat-pipes to directly contact with the CPU surface; which resulted in the Heat-pipe Direct Touch technology. The second development is by no mean a new concept, just new to our industry in specific. For many years now heatsinks have been full of right angles, but very recently companies have begun to recognize the need to disrupt smooth airflow and reduce the laminar skin effect which allows air to travel just above the solid surface. Manufacturers like OCZ have used both of these trends in their new Vendetta 2 CPU cooler. Benchmark Reviews will see how much this effects the overall performance as we test OCZTVEND2 against a large segment of competitor products.
Still Time to Win an HP HDX Dragon
There are still several chances to win an HP HDX Dragon in the 31 Days of the Dragon contest. Chris won our contest, but you can still enter contests at TGB, i started something, Bleeping Computer, Hardware Geeks, Geek News Centeral and Geek Zone.
LG introduces three new Blu-ray drives 
The large electronics company LG has announced it will be releasing three new PC Blu-ray drives with a price range of $200 USD to $380 USD.
The three drives, the BE06, GBC-H20L, and GBW-H20L are the latest in a successful line from LG. The BE06 is an external model which connects through a USB 2.0 port. It is supposed to be compatible with “all” Blu-ray disc formats, as well as all CD and DVD formats. The drive however, can only write DVDs and CDs at up to 16x and 24x speeds respectively and read BD-R at 6x speed. BD-REs can stream at 2x. That drive will cost $380 USD.
The other two models are internal drives and the GBW-H20L is the only of the three that can write Blu-rays. It “has a read/write capacity of 6x for BD-R discs, and 2x for BD-RE. A 16x speed is retained for DVD+RW/-RW in both models.” The models are listed as $200 USD and $280 USD, respectively.
BD Combo drives preferred for mid-range PCs, say Taiwan makers
BD Combo drives preferred for mid-range PCs, say Taiwan makers
News - 2008.05.30
TDK Develops GBDriver HS1 microSATA Solid State Drive Controller for SSD TDK Corporation announced that it has completed development of the GBDriver HS1 solid state drive (SSD) controller for SSDs used in laptop PCs and industrial system hardware that employs PC platforms and completed commercialization and began shipments of the HS1 series of SSDs equipped with […]
News - 2008.05.30
News - 2008.05.30
TDK Develops GBDriver HS1 microSATA Solid State Drive Controller for SSD TDK Corporation announced that it has completed development of the GBDriver HS1 solid state drive (SSD) controller for SSDs used in laptop PCs and industrial system hardware that employs PC platforms and completed commercialization and began shipments of the HS1 series of SSDs equipped with […]
BD Combo drives preferred for mid-range PCs, say Taiwan makers
Surge in global demand helps to revive Dell
A jump in international sales helped Dell to withstand weakness in its core business of selling to US commercial customers during its most recent quarter, the maker of PCs, servers and other hardware reported
Best CPU Cooler Performance - Q1 2008
Best CPU Cooler Performance - Q1 2008
Benchmark Reviews strives to offer the overclocker and hardware enthusiast community solid evidence reflecting the true performance of computer products through rigorous testing and evaluation. We understand that many of our readers have been involved with other community websites for years, and take our test results personally; this was made clear to us when we released our 33-Way Thermal Interface Material Comparison (index.php?option=com_content task=view
Surge in global demand helps to revive Dell
A jump in international sales helped Dell to withstand weakness in its core business of selling to US commercial customers during its most recent quarter, the maker of PCs, servers and other hardware reported
BD Combo drives preferred for mid-range PCs, say Taiwan makers
10 common mistakes you should avoid when flashing your BIOS
10 common mistakes you should avoid when flashing your BIOS
The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is critical to the proper operation of your computer. It is the first code that is executed at start-up and defines the way your motherboard will communicate with the system hardware components. The decision to flash your BIOS should not be taken lightly. It is essential that you do it mistake free if you still want to be able to use your computer. Alan Norton runs through 10 common mistakes you need to avoid.
This download is also available as an entry in the TechRepublic 10 Things blog.
Alienware relaunches flagship ALX desktop with 4 GHz quad-core processor
Alienware relaunches flagship ALX desktop with 4 GHz quad-core processor
Given Dells recent product launches in the high-performance desktop PC segment, Alienware may be in the midst of an identity crisis, as Dells house brand was matching almost all specs of Alienwares high-end computers for similar money. Dell is now relaunching its flagship system to restore the distance to the Dell XPS.
BD Combo drives preferred for mid-range PCs, say Taiwan makers
BD Combo drives preferred for mid-range PCs, say Taiwan makers