Hardware

A major microprocessor company has designed a new chip that requires far less energy to work than more conventional chip designs. The breakthrough could allow millions of non-computing devices to benefit from an Internet connection. The new design ... comes from British-based firm ARM Holdings, which builds the processors used in most smartphones. While PC chips generally require so much power from batteries that they are limited to only a few hours of portable operation, the new ARMchip allows smartphones to run for several days without recharging. Cheap and Tiny 'Flycatcher' Chip Uses One-Third ... (view more)

Nokia has announced plans to release a Windows 8 tablet computer. No shipment date has yet been scheduled, but a key Nokia manager recently indicated a launch for the product could be on the horizon. In a recent interview, Finland's Kauppalehti ... Optio magazine asked Nokia executive Marko Ahtisaari about his company's plans to launch a Windows 8-based tablet, and reports that he answered: "We are working on it." (Source: informationweek.com ) Ahtisaari even went so far as to admit that he is devoting approximately one-third of his own working time to overseeing the new tablet's ... (view more)

A new "ultrabook" from Hewlett-Packard (HP) is getting high marks for squeezing solid performance from a very small package. And the packaging itself is drawing lots of extra attention: the HP Envy 14 Spectre is covered almost entirely in glossy, ... scratch-resistant glass. By the numbers, it's hard to tell the HP Envy 14 Spectre is a premium laptop. For example, it's only modestly powerful for the price: you'll find a Intel Core i5 processor under the hood, along with 4GB RAM, a 14-inch or 13.3-inch display, and a battery capable of lasting eight hours unplugged. Laptops with this level of ... (view more)

Dell has joined Apple in announcing a brand new device for the growing tablet market. However, unlike Apple's iPad 3 , the new Dell slate will run Windows 8 and will be engineered primarily for business use. Not much is known about the upcoming ... "business friendly" Dell tablet, except that it will run Windows 8. In a recent interview with Bloomberg News, chief executive officer (CEO) Michael Dell said consumer demand for a Windows 8 tablet is growing, and his company plans to give them what they want. Dell Tablet Focused On Security, Microsoft Office Compatibility Michael Dell claims ... (view more)

Research in Motion (RIM), best known for its BlackBerry smartphone, has recently released a highly-anticipated software update for its struggling PlayBook tablet computer. The updates help to resolve interactive features of the device. The PlayBook ... was first launched in April, 2011, in an attempt to siphon off sales from the iPad. Unfortunately, it sold just 500,000 units in its first quarter of availability, only 250,000 units in the next quarter, and a disappointing 150,000 units in its third quarter. (Source: thestar.com ) Email Issues, Lack of Apps Kept Down PlayBook Sales Several factors ... (view more)

One of the most ambitious computing projects of recent years has now become a reality. The Raspberry Pi, a computer that costs just $35, has been manufactured by a British organization and is now on sale. As reported last May , the aim of this new ... device is to make a computer affordable enough that schools and parents can buy them for children to learn programming and other computing skills. The device is roughly the size of a credit card and, to save money, has no external casing -- which means its circuit board is exposed. Mini PC as Powerful as Desktop PCs 10 Years Ago Despite the small ... (view more)

When a 15-year-old daughter complained on Facebook that having to perform chores without being paid a decent allowance made her a "slave," her angry father took her laptop into the yard and blasted it with a handgun. Having thoughtfully ... video-recorded the entire event and posted it for Internet consumption, Tommy Jordan (the father) now finds himself a YouTube phenomenon. So far, more than 22 million people have watched Jordan's eight-minute YouTube video, in which he reads his daughter Hannah's Facebook note entitled "To My Parents." Dad Accused of Overworking Teenage Daughter While ... (view more)

All-in-one PCs are becoming more popular these days with the advancements in technology and the ability to shrink computer components. The new, smaller parts are more efficient and require less cooling (as well as power consumption) than their ... counterparts of yesteryear. So far, however, there haven't been any 'must-have' all-in-one PCs on the market. That may change, however, with new offerings from Hewlett-Packard (HP). Hewlett-Packard Unveils 27" Z1 Workstation On a rainy Valentine's Day (February 14) in Las Vegas, HP unveiled what it calls the HP Z1 Workstation. Boasting a massive 27 ... (view more)

Apple says it sold 15.4 million iPads globally last quarter, more than double sales during the same period in 2010. This makes for an incredible 39 per cent increase over the iPad's former record quarter, when Apple sold 11.1 million units. Industry ... analysts at IDC (International Data Corporation) say they believe Apple sold more iPads than HP, Lenovo, or Dell sold 'traditional' computers in the quarter. Expert: Pressure From iPad Will Help PC Market However, it may not be all doom and gloom for the PC. David Daoud at IDC thinks that pressure from Apple's tablet could lead to widespread ... (view more)

Legendary rock musician Neil Young intends to release a digital music player and service, claiming to offer better-quality music than Apple's iTunes or Amazon.com's digital download platform. Young, widely known for hits like "Old Man," "Rockin' in ... the Free World," and "Heart of Gold," says he originally worked on a similar project with Steve Jobs, former Apple chairman, but the experiment was sidetracked and shelved by the Cupertino, California firm. Compression Reduces Quality of Music Young says his goal is to offer a device that plays music of the highest quality. For those who aren't ... (view more)