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News & Opinion
Troubleshooting
Tech Trends
Products & Services
News & Opinion
Mac OS X 10.5.7 Causes Freezing and
Overheating?
The
Inquisitr's Duncan Riley says:
"The latest update to Apple's Leopard operating system 10.5.7 is
causing widespread problems with Mac products including regular OS
freezing and overheating issues (both possibly related.)
"I know this because my two year old MacBook Pro has been constantly
freezing since I installed the update, and when I started searching for
a solution it took about 5 seconds in Google to discover that I was far
from alone."
Link:
Leopard 10.5.7 Causes Freezing, Overheating Issues?
Half of IT Professionals Considering Dumping
Windows
CNN Money's
David Goldman notes that Windows 7 is coming soon, but anticipates that
a correspondent PC sales rebound coming with it seems unlikely.
Despite the positive reviews, says Goldman, most analysts say
Windows 7 alone is not enough to jump-start lackluster PC sales. While
Windows 7 will be shiny and new version of the world's number one OS,
the operative question is whether consumers will be willing to give
Microsoft a second chance after the Vista debacle.
Particularly interesting is that Goldman cites a a survey of more
than 1,000 IT professionals by Dimension Research that found 50% saying
they were considering leaving Windows altogether rather than switch to
Windows 7, with Mac OS X the OS they're most likely to switch
to.
Link: 50% of
IT Professionals Surveyed Considering Dumping Windows
Apple Partners with Edhance to Provide Additional
4% Discount to Students
PR: Edhance Inc. is a new company providing student discounts
on partner companies' products through a membership site. Apple has
signed on with Edhance to deepen the savings available to college
students purchasing their products.
Apple's partnership with Edhance will give Edhance members a 4%
discount on all in-store and online Apple products, including
computers, software and even iPods, which is a first. This discount is
added to the 10% student discount Apple currently offers college
students.
Link: Apple Partners with Edhance
to Provide Larger Student Discounts
Troubleshooting
When to Fix Permissions, Run Disk Repair, and Clean
Caches
MacFixIt
says:
"There are a variety of maintenance routines that people can run in
OS X, including the disk verification and permissions repair that come
with the system, along with scripts such as cache cleaners that are
available in third-party utilities. These scripts can be quite useful,
but also can give odd-looking output that may concern people and cause
them to try extra measures to fix problems, which can lead to
unexpected errors....
"...many times running a cache cleaning program will fix the
problem.
"There are a variety out there, including 'Leopard Cache Cleaner',
'MacCleanse', and 'OnyX', which are good to get in the habit of running
every month or two...."
Link: When to
Run Permissions Fixes, Disk Repair, and Cache Cleaning Routines
Tech Trends
Intel's New Chip Branding Structure
PR: Intel's PC chip
lines will be simplified into entry-level (Intel Core i3), midlevel
(Intel Core i5), and high-level (Intel Core i7), retaining Celeron for
entry-level computing at affordable price points, Pentium for basic
computing, and the Intel Atom processor for compact devices
Intel blogger Bill Calder says that over the last year or so,
Intel has been quietly working behind the scenes taking a hard look at
the company's brand structure and exploring ways to make it more
rational and easier to understand, moving from too many platform
brands, product names, and product brands that have made things
confusing for consumers and IT buyers in the process.
Calder
says that Intel is embarking on a process of change that will evolve
over time, focusing its strategy around a primary 'hero' client brand
which is Intel Core. Today the Intel Core brand has a mind-boggling
array of derivatives (such as Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad, etc.), but
now over time those will go away to be replaced by a simplified family
of Core processors spanning multiple levels: Intel Core i3 processor,
Intel Core i5 processor, and Intel Core i7 processors. Core i3 and Core
i5 are new modifiers and join the previously announced Intel Core i7 to
round out the family structure.
For example, upcoming processors such as Lynnfield (desktop) will
carry the Intel Core brand, but will be available as either Intel Core
i5 or Intel Core i7 depending upon the feature set and capability.
Clarksfield (mobile) will have the Intel Core i7 name.
Intel's PC chip lines will be simplified into entry-level (Intel
Core i3), midlevel (Intel Core i5), and high-level (Intel Core i7),
retaining Celeron for entry-level computing at affordable price points,
Pentium for basic computing, and the Intel Atom processor for compact
devices ranging from netbooks to smartphones, or in terms of
good-better-best Celeron is good, Pentium better, and the Intel Core
family representing the best Intel has to offer.
Link: Intel's
New Brand Structure Explained
USB Market Will Get SuperSpeed Boost after Slower
2009
PR: Although the global recession will prompt a slight
decline in USB-enabled device shipments this year, next-generation
"SuperSpeed" technology will fuel the market over the next several
years, reports In-Stat.
SuperSpeed, USB's new incarnation, will deliver 5 Gbps, a tenfold
improvement over high-speed USB. With the late 2008 introduction of
SuperSpeed, the question is not whether it will be successful, but how
successful it will be.
"All PCs, and most PC peripherals have transitioned from full-speed
to high-speed. Most of these devices will eventually transition to
SuperSpeed, the only issue is the speed of the transition," says Brian
O'Rourke, In-Stat analyst. "For PC peripheral devices, the key will be
how quickly SuperSpeed is integrated into the application-specific
integrated circuits (ASICs) and microcontrollers that are the brains of
these devices."
Recent research by In-Stat found the following:
- With over three billion devices shipped in 2008 alone, USB is the
most successful interface ever. It has been broadly adopted across PCs,
PC peripherals, consumer electronics (CE), communications and
automotive devices.
- Consumer electronics devices with USB will rise at a 6.6% compound
annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2008 and 2013.
- Although mini-USB ports have not made significant progress as a
connector on mobile phones, micro-USB ports are expected to become the
dominant standard for connectors in mobile phones by 2013.
- USB in computer mice will remain the single highest volume PC
peripheral category.
- SuperSpeed USB will represent over 25% of the USB market by
2013.
- The research, "Wired USB 2009: High-speed Rules, SuperSpeed on the
Way" (#IN0904460MI), covers the worldwide market for USB and
USB-enabled devices. It includes:
- USB-enabled device forecasts by type and by detailed product
category through 2013.
- USB-enabled device penetration forecasts by detailed product
category through 2013.
- Product category segmentation for
- Computers
- Computer Peripherals
- Consumer Electronics
- Communications
- Automotive
- Results from In-Stat's residential technology survey regarding
USB.
- USB silicon vendor profiles: Cypress Semiconductor, DisplayLink,
Fresco Logic, Gennum, Intel, LSI, LucidPort Technology, MCCI, NEC, PLX
(Oxford Semiconductor), SMSC, STEriccson, Symwave, Synopsys, Texas
Instruments.
The price is $3,995.
Link: USB Market Will
Get SuperSpeed Boost After Slower 2009
Products & Services
Belkin's New Retractable, Wireless, and Bluetooth
Comfort Mice
PR: Belkin have developed a new range of mice that place your
hand in the optimum position for working in comfort. The Wireless
Comfort Mouse and the Bluetooth Comfort Mouse are shaped in a design
that conforms to your hand, for ultimate comfort wherever you use your
laptop.
Availability:
- End of June in the Americas
- End of July in Europe, Asia, and Australia
- Retractable Comfort Mouse: August in the Americas, Europe, Asia,
and Australia
Wireless Comfort Mouse (F5L030) - $29.99
- Provides most comfortable mouse shape to fit your hand
- USB dongle doubles as a perch to hold mouse in place when moving
from room to room
- Features an all-terrain optical engine to mouse on any surface
- Power-save mode puts mouse to sleep after 8 minutes of
inactivity
- Compatible with Mac computers
-
Includes 2 AAA batteries
- Colors: Midnight Blue, Pitch Black, Fuchsia, Candy Red
Bluetooth Comfort Mouse (F5L031) - $49.99
- Provides most comfortable mouse shape to fit your hand
- Connects wirelessly to laptops with built-in Bluetooth
technology
- Scroll wheel offers vertical and horizontal scrolling
Features a laser optical sensor to mouse on different
surfaces- Compatible with Mac computers
- 2.4 GHz Bluetooth wireless
- Colors: Black and White
Retractable Comfort Mouse (F5L051) - $19.99
- Provides most comfortable mouse shape to fit your hand
- Retractable cable prevents knots and tangles
- Features an all-terrain optical engine to mouse on any surface
- Compatible with Mac computers
- Colors: Pitch Black, Midnight Blue, Fuchsia, Candy Red
Link: Belkin
World's First Web-Connected Home Printer
PR: HP has unveiled the world's first web-connected home
printer: The HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web.
HP is bringing the power of the web directly to the printer and
combining it with HP's TouchSmart technology to give people quick,
easy, touchscreen access to popular digital content.
Designed for the digital generation and connected households,
the HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web features an entirely new
web-based printing platform with HP applications (apps). Similar to
other Internet-connected devices, these apps, which are viewable on an
extra-large, intuitive-to-use TouchSmart panel, allow people to connect
instantly with fun, informative and personal content.
In addition to receiving apps preloaded on the printer, people can
download new ones as they become available at the HP Apps Studio to
suit their interests and needs. With the sweep of a finger, users will
be able to browse and view popular web destinations and simply touch
the app of their choice to launch a web page where they can customize
and print content on demand in an easy-to-read format.
As pioneers of this new content-on-demand delivery platform, the
world's first HP app partners will be USA TODAY, Google, Fandango,
Coupons.com, DreamWorks Animation, Nickelodeon, Web Sudoku and Weather
News Inc. Through these apps, people will have free access to
customized daily news, maps, coupons, coloring pages, movie tickets,
recipes, personal calendars and more - all at the touch of a
finger.
The new printers also will connect directly to a user's Snapfish
account to view, print and upload photos. People additionally can
access projects from the HP Creative Studio.
People will be able to create and share their own apps to customize
their printers through the HP Apps Studio starting in late 2009.
"Twenty-five years ago HP invented consumer printing and today we
are taking advantage of the digital content explosion to reinvent the
category with an entirely new printing platform - powered by touch and
empowered by the web," said Vyomesh Joshi, executive vice president,
Imaging and Printing Group, HP. "By giving people access to the content
they want at the touch of a finger, the ability to customize their
printing experience and create their own apps, and enabling easy 'one
touch' wireless setup, we are driving a significant shift in how people
will be printing in the future."
Free HP apps available at launch
Industry leaders from the worlds of news, entertainment and
information are the first to offer free apps debuting on the HP
Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web. Consumers will be able to print
daily, weekly or monthly news from USA TODAY, updated in real time and
customized according to their interests, such as sports, news and
politics.
"Today marks another change in the way our readers can access news
and information as we bring print-on-demand to consumers' homes," said
Jeff Webber, publisher, USATODAY.com. "People can print the latest
stories from USA TODAY at the touch of a finger to better fit their
busy, on-the-go lives."
From Google Maps, consumers will be able to enter their destination
and print a map; from Google Calendar, they will be able to print their
weekly schedule to place on their refrigerator or bulletin board.
With Coupons.com, users can save money by printing coupons for
groceries, restaurants, entertainment and more. People also can browse
and print recipes for quick, easy meal planning.
Consumers will be able to search movies in their local area from any
one of Fandango's 16,000 theater screens across the country. They can
then buy tickets in advance and print their tickets at home or the
office, helping ensure an easy and convenient moviegoing
experience.
To empower busy families, the printer provides one-touch access to
fun coloring pages and templates from DreamWorks Animation and
Nickelodeon. Through the DreamWorks Animation app users also will be
able to view movie trailers to upcoming releases without having to log
on to a computer. Nickelodeon printables will include color-ins, word
finds, mazes and more from top properties, including "Dora the
Explorer," "The Wonder Pets!," "Sponge Bob Square Pants" and
"iCarly."
For commuters, Weather News Inc. provides a weekly forecast to allow
for informed travel planning. With Web Sudoku, people can quickly print
brain teasers for light entertainment on the go.
World's first web-connected printer
The HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web has an extra-large
4.33" touchscreen - the largest LCD touchscreen of any all-in-one
inkjet printer on the market.
The versatile printer prints, faxes, copies and scans - producing
laser-quality text documents and lab-quality photos - making it ideal
for multitasking households. With a full range of wired and wireless
connectivity options, the printer provides the flexibility to print
directly from WiFi-enabled PCs, Bluetooth®-enabled devices, the
Apple iPhone and the Apple iPod touch using HP iPrint Photo.
ENERGY STAR qualified, the all-in-one printer helps users save paper
with automatic two-sided printing and reduces packaging waste by
shipping in an innovative, reusable bag made from recycled
plastics.
Expected to be available this fall, the HP Photosmart Premium with
TouchSmart Web will retail in the United States for a target street
price of $399.
Customers also can access printer diagnostics and software driver
updates with HP Printer Check.
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