PCs

Apple invites some MacBook Air owners to test Wi-Fi fix

Apple is asking certain MacBook Air owners for help in resolving a Wi-Fi bug.

Released in early June, the new 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Airs come with the latest version of Wi-Fi, namely 802.11ac. However, some people who bought the new models have complained of lost wireless connections. After investigating the issue, Apple has been providing affected users with replacement Airs and now has a new fix ready for field testing.

MacBook Air owners invited to check out the MacBook Air WiFi Update 1.0 fix have received the following message, according to 9to5Mac:

You have been selected to … Read more

Samsung denies report it will exit desktop PC business

Samsung desktop PCs may soon be a thing of the past.

The Korean electronics giant plans to close its desktop business in order to focus on tablets and all-in-one laptops, according to a report from the Korea Times that cited unnamed officials at the company.

"Tablets, all-in-one and hybrid PCs are Samsung's current focus. Samsung is speeding up its restructuring of its PC business via product realignment toward profitable variants," one Samsung official told the Korea Times.

However, Samsung denied the report as "groundless" in a statement to The Next Web.

The rumor that Samsung … Read more

Dell special committee says Icahn bid lacks credibility

Activist investor Carl Icahn's bid for Dell lacks credibility, the computer maker's board said in a regulatory filing Monday.

The comments echo remarks made last week by the group managing Dell's efforts to go private. At that time, the board rejected the latest takeover proposal put forth by Icahn as lacking key details necessary for its approval.

In a Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Monday, the board said that Icahn "has failed to provide any of the key provisions and mechanics" of letters he sent on May 9 or June 18, as requested by … Read more

Lenovo Yoga 11S convertible laptop now available

Consumers eyeing Lenovo's Yoga 11S hybrid laptop/tablet now no longer have to wait to get one.

Lenovo kicked off preorders for the new Yoga on May 16, promising that the convertible would be available for shipping and on store shelves starting June 23. Buyers can now pick one up directly at Lenovo's online store, which estimates a June 27 ship date based on an order date of June 24.

The 11S is also available through Best Buy, both online and at the company's retail outlets.

At this point, the new convertible is available in the U.… Read more

Tablet shipments to jump 68%, PCs to slip 10%, says Gartner

Global shipments of PCs, tablets, and mobile phones will rise by 5.9 percent this year, reaching 2.35 billion, research firm Gartner predicted on Monday.

Though PC shipments continue to nosedive, the technology industry is getting a shot in the arm from tablets and smartphones.

Worldwide PC shipments, which include desktops and notebooks, are expected to drop by 10.6 percent this year to 305 million, Gartner said. Tablet shipments are pegged to jump by 67.9 percent, hitting 202 million. And shipments of mobile phones are forecast to grow by 4.3 percent to more than 1.8 … Read more

Shocker: A new Apple product seems to have Wi-Fi issues

New Apple products and Wi-Fi issues go together like, well, Apple pie and ice cream.

It usually goes like this. Apple announces a new iPad, iPhone, or MacBook, and within days users spawn long threads about Wi-Fi issues.

It's no different this time with Apple's new Haswell-based MacBook Air.

The thread on Apple's Support Communities page isn't actually that long compared with past product releases. But it's long enough to indicate that many new MBA owners aren't happy with their Wi-Fi connectivity.

"It won't [stay] connected to wifi" is a common … Read more

Fate of Microsoft's tablet OS in question -- again

Reports that Windows RT is headed for the dustbin of failed Microsoft operating systems has become a month -- if not weekly -- ritual for Asia-based sources.

This time Digitimes has gone so far to compare RT to the fate of Hewlett-Packard's failed WebOS.

"Microsoft's Windows RT operating system may fall to the same fate as Hewlett-Packard's (HP) WebOS as most brand vendors have already stopped developing related products," Digitimes wrote on Wednesday, citing sources at hardware suppliers.

The last high-profile put-down of RT came from Acer's chairman earlier this month when he wondered … Read more

Nvidia to license its graphics technology to device makers

Could Apple tap Nvidia for graphics power in its mobile devices? Maybe, now that the chipmaker has decided to license its graphics technology.

Nvidia on Tuesday said it would begin licensing its GPU cores and "visual computing" patent portfolio to device manufacturers -- a new business model for the company. The technology could appear in a full range of products from phones to supercomputers, the company said, with products likely emerging in 2015, given design and testing requirements.

"It's not practical to build silicon or systems to address every part of the expanding market," David … Read more

2013 MacBook Air gets low repair score from iFixit teardown

Newly unveiled by Apple, the 2013 13-inch MacBook Air has received the teardown treatment from the folks at iFixit, who gave out low ratings on the ability to repair and upgrade the laptop.

At its WWDC keynote on Monday, Apple revealed several enhancements to its 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air ultrabooks, including a faster solid-state drive, an upgrade to Intel's fourth-generation core processor, increased battery life, and support for 802.11ac Wi-Fi.

On the outside, the new MacBook Air is virtually the same as its predecessor. But a peek at the innards of the 13-inch version uncovered the new tech. … Read more