elite

Hewlett-Packard said today that it prefers to spin off its PC business rather than sell it outright, according to a Reuters report.

The company is studying the ramifications of the spinning off its personal computer business, according to the report.

Earlier this month, HP announced that its board of directors had "authorized the evaluation of strategic alternatives" for its Personal Systems Group (PSG). Those alternatives include the separation of its PC business into a separate company through a spin-off or other transaction.

"We prefer a spin-off as a separate company, and the working hypotheses is that a … Read more

Is Hewlett-Packard's attempt to jettison its PC business really the uber-shrewd strategy of a forward-looking executive? Or just another supremely dubious move in a series of dubious moves by HP in the past year or so?

I lean toward the latter. And analysts I've talked with are mystified. But the Wall Street Journal offers up one of the best quotes yet. Courtesy of Jayson Noland of Robert W. Baird & Co.

It's "like McDonald's getting out of the hamburger business."

Or Boeing suddenly dumping its plane business because it's tired of trying to … Read more

Hewlett-Packard has been in the PC business for more than 25 years. And, needless to say, it had some good designs. It's worth a quick look at select models that stood the test of time in the wake of the disclosure today that the company is trying to unload its PC business.

Let me preface this with a caveat that was buried in the various HP statements today about its PC business: "There can be no assurance that any transaction regarding PSG (Personal Systems Group) will be pursued or completed." So, it's not a done deal. … Read more

Just as our houses require regular cleaning to get rid of the messes of daily living, so, too, do computers require cleaning to get rid of the messes of downloading, installing, uninstalling, and Internet surfing. System Boost Elite is a full-featured program that can tidy up your Registry, junk files, and more. Unfortunately, the free version can only fix three problems at a time, which could be a drawback if you haven't been staying on top of your housekeeping.

The program's interface is attractive and easy to navigate, with check boxes that let users select Registry Clean, Privacy … Read more

Pioneer licensed the Elite brand to Sharp earlier this year, gaining at least the title of one the most highly respected line of HDTVs ever to be produced. In fact, even though Pioneer stopped making TVs in 2009, its Kuro panels are still regarded as the best-performing TVs and all new sets are compared against them.

Today Sharp announced the rebirth of the Elite brand with two high-end LED-based LCD panels, a 60-inch and a 70-inch model. The two TVs carry enormous price tags: $6,000 for the 60-inch PRO-60X5FD and $8,500 for the 70-inch PRO-70X5FD. To put those … Read more

On Monday, Activision officially unveiled Call of Duty: Elite, a supplementary online service to Call of Duty games. Now, London-based newspaper the Guardian reports that Elite will feature a transmedia aspect--a video series based on the first-person shooter series.

"We have engaged some top Hollywood talent to create linear video content that will be exclusive to Elite members," Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg told the Guardian. "That content is inspired by Call of Duty."

Read more of "Call of Duty: Elite to feature video series" at GameSpot. … Read more

On today's episode of preGame we'll be previewing the biggest gaming event of the year, E3! Join us along with special guest Scott Stein as we dive deep into E3 2011 predictions, anticipated games, and more previews than you can handle; from the Wii 2 to the NGP, and everything in between.

We'll also have an in-depth conversation about today's announcement from Activision regarding Call of Duty Elite. This brand-new premium service will enhance the online multiplayer experience by leaps and bounds. But is it worth a premium price?

All this and much more on this … Read more

SAN FRANCISCO--Call of Duty, meet the social network.

Today, Activision announced Call of Duty: Elite, a dedicated social experience for players of the long-running and extremely popular video game franchise.

The service will be initially available this summer to limited numbers of Call of Duty: Black Ops players in beta, and on November 8, all Call of Duty fans will be able to access it when it launches formally alongside the next iteration of the game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Earlier this month, Activision held an invite-only presentation on the Elite service.

The service will be accessible across a number of digital platforms, including all the major video game consoles, Web browsers, and some mobile systems. … Read more

HP unveiled three new towers for its consumer desktop line this morning. The Pavilion, slim tower Slimline, and higher-end Pavilion Elite series all received new external designs. HP wasn't overly specific regarding the new hardware specifications in the new systems, but we do know HP is bringing Intel's second-generation Core (aka Sandy Bridge) CPUs to certain models in all three new systems.

Compare the new Pavilion p7 series design with that of the p6 series and you'll see that the p7's new look is really more like a straightening up. The glossy black front panel is … Read more