PCs

Acer patent app reveals MID aspirations

With so much attention paid to Netbooks lately, the MID category has been largely ignored as a portable device that basically exists for accessing the Internet. But not by Acer, which looks to be readying a device for the category.

An application filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office shows a small, rectangular device whose front is taken up entirely by screen except for a thin bezel. Besides what appears to be a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack and dock connector for PCs, there's not much else in the way of distinguishing features revealed in the drawing.

It'… Read more

Logitech to cut up to 600 jobs

Clarification at 7:40 a.m. PST: The percentage figure for net income has been fixed.

Logitech International announced late Monday plans to cut 550 to 600 jobs, as it posted a steep drop in its financial performance and predicted continued weakness in the months ahead.

The company expects to make the bulk of its job cuts in its fiscal fourth quarter, which started January 1, and take a charge of $16 million to $18 million during the quarter. Overall, Logitech expects to take a $20 million to $24 million charge over the next 12 months.

Logitech, a peripherals giant … Read more

The evolution of the Netbook

It's getting harder to tell the difference between a Netbook and a notebook.

Except when you look at the bottom line of the companies making them. Though initially thought of as a way to sell cheaper, less powerful companion devices to notebooks, Netbooks are beginning to lose their distinction, as evidenced by the new Netbooks unveiled at CES 2009. While it's good for consumers, the blurring of lines between the two could potentially be destroying the business models of PC manufacturers.

That lack of distinction between a Netbook and a notebook will become more clear as soon as … Read more

PC shipment growth drops to virtually zero in Q4

After several years of seemingly tireless 15 percent quarterly growth, the PC industry hit a wall at the end of 2008.

Overall PC shipments worldwide dropped 0.4 percent to 77.3 million units during the fourth quarter, according to IDC's Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker study released Wednesday. The results are more alarming for the embattled industry considering that the quarter--the worst in several years--wasn't helped out more by the holiday shopping season. There hasn't been an overall drop in shipments since the second quarter of 2001, after the last recession.

"We had projected growth of … Read more

Is it time for a left-handed MacBook?

A few people came to my house today to watch the Baltimore Ravens steal an NFL playoff game with their usual display of vomit-forward video game violence.

When I say 'people', some, including my friend Ali, were not as fascinated with the game as with checking their friends' breast-feeding pictures on Facebook. So Ali grabbed my MacBook (black, seeing as you ask) with the intention of anti-socially networking.

She tugged at the power cable in order to plug it into the MacBook and seemed to be having trouble. After several attempts she was still not successful in making the magnetic … Read more

Samsung shares a Byline with MetroPCS

Just a week after it launched the ZTE C78, MetroPCS added another new phone to its lineup when it unveiled the Samsung Byline. Also called the SCH-r310, the Byline has a minimalist flip phone with clean lines and a shiny red color.

Features are basic but functional. You'll find text and multimedia messaging, Bluetooth, support for the carrier's ChatLink push-to-talk service, a WAP Web browser, voice recognition, an airplane mode, organizer features, and a speakerphone. We don't know a price yet, but we'll pass on when we do.

Intel's twist on the Classmate PC debuting at CES

Updated at 11:30 a.m. PT with pricing info.

Intel has a convertible Netbook on tap for the CES 2009 crowd assembling once again in Las Vegas next month.

Laptop magazine got a sneak peek at the newest version of the low-cost Classmate PC. It has an 8.9-inch swivel screen with touch and stylus input, a Web cam, and 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor, 60GB hard drive, and Windows XP, with a few Intel touches to make XP work for the convertible form factor. So far, that includes Vision Objects Pen Input, which makes anything input via … Read more

RadioShack sells $99 Netbook with 2-year AT&T contract

RadioShack is selling an Acer Aspire One 3G Netbook for $99, with a two-year AT&T DataConnect contract.

The Acer Aspire One grabbed 38.3 percent of Netbook market share in the third quarter, propelling it past industry pioneer Asus and its Eee PC 4G.

Acer's Aspire One normally sells for about $300.

The RadioShack-AT&T offer, as previously reported, is valid through December 24. The 2.44-pound, 9.8-inch by 6.7-inch Netbook includes:

Built-in 3G capability 802.11b/g wireless (Wi-Fi) 8.9-inch LCD screen Built-in Webcam Intel Atom processor &… Read more

Lenovo explores investments, acquisitions

Updated at 7:26 a.m. PST with Lenovo statement.

Lenovo Group is in preliminary talks about possible investments or acquisitions, the PC maker confirmed a day after its stock shot up 27 percent on the Hong Kong exchange.

The company issued a statement after reports surfaced it was in acquisition talks. The PC maker, however, said that it was neither in negotiations nor has signed any agreements, but that it was in preliminary discussions with other parties about a possible investment or purchase.

According to its statement:

The directors of Lenovo Group Limited have noted recent comments in certain … Read more

ZTE C78 now on MetroPCS

MetroPCS added the previously announced ZTE C78 phone to its lineup this week. This marks the third ZTE phone to hit MetroPCS this year; the no-contract, regional carrier continues to be the main place for ZTE fans in the United States to get their fix.

The C78 offers a candy-bar design in an eye-catching purple hue (didn't we tell you that purple is the new red?). That's a change from MetroPCS's previous ZTE phones, as both the C79 and C88 are flip phones. Features are slim, but functional. You'll find Bluetooth, a VGA camera, personal organizer … Read more