PCs

The first major fruits of Advanced Micro Devices' acquisition of ATI Technologies are ready for the public just as the market for those products is going through some profound changes.

Spider will be AMD's first "platform" product when it makes its expected debut Monday. It is designed for desktop PCs, and the entire Spider package comes with a new processor, AMD's quad-core Phenom chip, the new 7-series chipsets, and new graphics chips.

The two Phenom processors launching Monday are essentially desktop versions of AMD's Barcelona quad-core processors. They're designed for the upper half of … Read more

For the second time this month, Dell says it is making an acquisition. In this case, it will buy Everdream, a remote-services management company based in Fremont, Calif., Dell announced Thursday.

The companies are not saying what Everdream's purchase price is. In a statement, Dell said Everdream's services will be used to manage desktop and notebook PCs, as well as other devices remotely from any location. Both Dell and chief rival Hewlett-Packard are trying to be a one-stop shop for enterprise customers who want to buy servers, PCs, and management software.

Dell acquired another managed-services company, SilverBack Technologies, … Read more

Lenovo is making some changes. In the space of less than a week, the Chinese PC maker has announced it is dropping the IBM logo from its Think-branded products, and now it is entering a new, if not exactly exciting, segment of the PC market: workstations.

The newest member of the family will be called the ThinkStation, and Lenovo says its debut marks the first new Think-branded product since it bought IBM's PC business two years ago.

The first two models, the ThinkStation S10 and D10, are aimed at creative professionals and engineers, Lenovo says. The D10 will have … Read more

If you haven't already, say goodbye to that little IBM sticker on your ThinkPad.

Turns out, Lenovo doesn't need the reputable computer brand to sell its notebooks and desktops anymore. Lenovo Chief Executive Bill Amelio said as much following the company's most recent earnings results, which was noted by E-Channel Line.

"By making substantial progress on all of our critical priorities over the past few quarters, we're now a stronger, healthier company," Amelio said. "One important sign of this progress is our decision to completely transition our Think products from the IBM brand … Read more

The mini-laptop from Taiwanese computermaker Asus made its official U.S. debut Thursday.

In an outdoor courtyard of the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, Calif., the computer's intended audience--schoolkids--were in ample attendance. Like most animated Disney films today, the Eee PC is on the surface intended for children, but has plenty to keep the attention of adults too.

The Eee PC is similar in idea to the XO from the One Laptop Per Child initiative and Intel's Classmate PC. But unlike the former two, the primary audience for the Eee is not children in developing nations. Instead, … Read more

Note: This blog was updated at 10:30 a.m.

Dell is broadening its retail presence, and on Monday announced a distribution agreement with Staples.

Desktops, notebooks, printers, ink and toner from Dell will be sold in 1,400 Staples stores and on the Staples Web site beginning November 11. Dell Inspiron 1721 and 1521 notebooks, Inspiron 530 desktops, Dell 948 and 926, 1320c laser printers, and two flat-panel LCD monitors will be the first products to hit shelves.

Dell decided to go with Staples because of its wide reach, and because of its commitment to customer support, according to … Read more

Shipments of PCs to the saturated U.S. market may be declining somewhat, but the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, Africa) gave the worldwide PC market a big boost in the third quarter, according to figures released Wednesday by IDC.

PC shipments grew 15.5 percent worldwide in the past quarter. Growth in the EMEA regions, led by Hewlett-Packard and Acer, was paced by a strong demand for notebooks and back-to-school promotions, leading to the best growth rates in the region in the past two years.

"The issue is that it continues to be notebooks that are driving strong … Read more

Can't live without ultramobile access, great speed and free phone calls? Here's a great price and the answer to all your compulsions.

Listed elsewhere at almost $400, the does-it-all teeny Nokia N800 Internet tablet is offered at Buy.com at a reduced price. (With that Google checkout thing, it's even less.) Skype, surf, schedule and send e-mail. This lustworthy gizmo does everything but pick up the groceries. Oh wait, if you text your list to a grocery delivery service to get them to bring the food to your house, then yeah, it does that too. And it'… Read more

This blog was updated at 3:30 p.m.

Gateway announced Monday that it has agreed to take over the controlling stake in Paris-based PC vendor Packard Bell.

Gateway has exercised its right of first refusal to purchase all of the shares of PB Holding Company, the parent company of Packard Bell, from Lap Shun (John) Hui and Clifford Holdings Limited, also controlled by Hui. Both companies control 75 percent of Packard Bell stock. Financial details of the transaction have not yet been disclosed.

The announcement wasn't a surprise--Gateway and Lenovo have waged a public battle over Packard Bell--with … Read more