It's not PC sales that are declining, it is workstation sales

Subject: General Tech | April 19, 2013 - 05:06 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: sales, workstation

The Tech Report put up an editorial which discusses the recent reports on the shrinkage of PC sales and point out that it is not necessarily Personal Computer sales which are slowing but only the workstation sales.  You may feel that a PC is a desktop and only a desktop but the market has changed to the point where a watch can qualify as a personal computer and your smartphone definitely does.  The term post-PC may be applicable but at the same time limiting your definition of a PC to a desktop and possibly laptops is not as accurate as it once was.  The term workstation is accurate for those of us who actually do work which requires the power of a multicore system with dedicated daughterboards, but the vast majority of users do not need the power of a full system.  Enthusiasts and professionals will always need the power of a full workstation but perhaps it is time to realize we may be in the minority, which is why sales of traditional workstations have declined.  Ask makers of ARM devices if their sales are declining; the main stream market is shifting to devices that many of us would not consider a "real PC".

"PC shipments suffered their greatest decline ever last quarter, in spite of Windows 8 and all those tablet-notebook hybrids. Some say there's no hope, but I disagree. Because the PC is booming—just not the PC we know."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• Google smashes analyst expectations with 31 percent revenue climb @ The Inquirer
• Microsoft CFO quits as quarterly results fail to sparkle @ The Register
• AMD posts mediocre numbers, cites 'difficult market environment' @ The Register
• Cupertino funk, part II: No joy in iVille @ The Tech Report
• Java 8 Delayed To Fix Security @ Slashdot
• Rosewill Ultra-Slim HDMI RedMere Cable Review @ Legit Reviews
• Intel Chipset Codenames Cross-Reference Table @ Hardware Secrets
• Bad Microsoft patch trapped you in a boot loop? Here's your fix @ The Register
• Win Tt eSPORTS Gaming Gear @ eTeknix

Deal for April 19th - Dell UltraSharp U2913WM @ $540

Subject: General Tech | April 19, 2013 - 03:03 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: deals

Today's special is a 29", 2560 x 1080 IPS LED backlit LCD with an HDCP compliant Dual-link DVI, DisplayPort 1.2, Mini DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI, and D-Sub inputs as well as USB 3.0 and audio.  It claims an 8ms response time and from the TFTCentral testing it lives up to the hype and is capable of gaming with little to no ghosting whatsoever.  Free shipping and a 3 year warranty is also something that makes this deal even more attractive.

Deal Description: Dell UltraSharp U2913WM panoramic 29" 2560 x 1080 LED-backlit LCD Monitor
Dell Home is offering 29-inch UltraSharp U2913WM 2560 x 1080 LED-backlit LCD Monitor for $539.99 with FREE shipping. Use $100 instant savings and extra 10% coupon code: ?K0N8$SDH1ZF0P to get final price. Backed by 3-year Advanced Exchange Warranty and Premium Panel Guarantee.

Raja Koduri Returns to AMD After 4 Years at Apple

Subject: General Tech, Graphics Cards | April 19, 2013 - 02:51 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: raja koduri, apple, amd

Interesting information has surfaced today about the addition of a new executive at AMD.  Raja Koduri, who previously worked for ATI and AMD as Chief Technology Officer, departed the company in 2009 for a four year stint at Apple, helping to turn that company into an SoC power house.  Developing its own processors has enabled Apple to stand apart from the competition in many mobile spaces and Koduri is partly responsible for the technological shift at Apple.

Starting on Monday though, Raja Koduri is officially back at AMD, taking over as the CVP (Corporate Vice President) of Visual Computing.  This position will result in more complete control over the entirety of the hardware and software platforms AMD is developing including desktop discrete, mobile and APU/SoC designs.  This marks the second major returning visionary executive in recent memory to AMD, the first of which was Jim Keller in August of 2012 (also returning from a period with Apple). 

It will take some time for Koduri to have effect on AMD's current roadmap

Having known Raja Koduri for quite a long time I have always seen the man as an incredibly intelligent engineer that was able to find strengths in designs that others could not.  Much of the success of the ATI/AMD GPU divisions during the 2000s was due to Koduri's leadership (among others of course) and I think having him back at AMD at an even more senior role is great news for both discrete graphics fans and APU users. 

In a discussion with Koduri recently, Anandtech got some positive feedback for PC gamers:

Raja believes there’s likely another 15 years ahead of us for good work in high-end discrete graphics, so we’ll continue to see AMD focus on that part of the market.

Koduri sees 15 years more GPU evolution

So even though this hiring isn't going to change AMD's position on the APU and SoC strategy, it is good to have someone at the CVP level that sees the importance and value of discrete, high power GPU technology. 

In many talks with AMD over the last 6 months we kept hearing about the healthy influx of quality personnel though much of it was still under wraps.  Keller was definitely one of them and Koduri is another and both of the hires give a lot of hope for AMD as a company going forward.  Some in the industry have already written AMD off but I find it hard to believe that this caliber of executive would return to a sinking ship. 

Metro: Last Light System Specifications Revealed

Subject: General Tech | April 19, 2013 - 04:15 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: metro: last light, gaming, deep silver

Metro: Last Light is nearing completion, with an expected release date of May 17th for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360. Developer Deep Silver – famous (or perhaps infamous) for the STALKER game series – has taken over the project from THQ.

According to Bit-Tech, publisher 4K Games has announced the game’s system requirements. It seems that Metro: Last Light will continue the system-punishing trend that its Metro: 2033 predecessor started. In order to play the game with all the eye candy, gamers will reportedly need at least a NVIDIA GTX 690 or GTX Titan video card. Notably absent from the requirements list is an AMD equivalent, but the AMD Radeon HD 7990 would be the closest match.

The Optimum system requirements represent PC that will be able to crank up all the details. At least a quad core CPU clocked at 3.4GHz, 8GB of RAM, a GTX 690 (or GTX Titan), and Windows 7 or higher is recommended.

The Recommended system requirements suggests hardware used to play the game with most details turned on and at at least 1920 x 1080 resolution. 4K Games recommends at least a 2.6GHz quad core processor, 4GB of RAM, and a DirectX 11 compatible GPU equivalent to at least a NVIDIA GTX 580, GTX 660 Ti, or AMD HD 7870.

Interestingly, even the minimum system requirements are pretty steep compared to other modern titles. A computer running the 32-bit version of Windows XP or higher is needed along with at least a 2.2GHz dual core CPU, 2GB of system RAM, and a DirectX 9 Shader Model 3 compatible video card such as the NVIDIA GTS 250 or AMD HD 4000-series.

The suggested system requirements (especially the optimum level) are impressive, and do suggest that Metro: Last Light is a game that will take full advantage of PC hardware. (I am curious to see whether the system requirements are mostly due to graphical prowess or code optimization issues though. In other words, I hope that the game is more-stable than the STALKER series.)

One thing is for sure: my unlocked AMD 6950 is looking rather dated in light of the new Metro: Last Light specifications!

Windows 8.1 (Blue) Build 9369 Leaks, Adds New Apps, Syncing Options

Subject: General Tech | April 19, 2013 - 12:06 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: windows blue, windows 8, windows, microsoft, leaked build

A new build of Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 8.1 (also known as “Windows Blue”) operating system has leaked to the Internet. Build 9369 is the build in question, and it adds quite a few new features to the Start Screen.

My Windows 8 Start Screen.

The new Windows 8.1 build features further integration with the company’s SkyDrive cloud storage service as well as new applications and synching options. The new SkyDrive integration includes the ability to save files to SkyDrive by default, as well as a new “Files” application on the Start Screen (Metro, Modern UI, whatever-it’s-called-this week interface) that allows users to browse local and SkyDrive files in a Windows Explorer-like fashion without leaving the Start Screen.

Microsoft has also tweaked the Start Screen search function to allow users to begin typing on the Start Screen and get search results on the right-hand side of the display without leaving the Start Screen icons. Personally, I would have liked to see Microsoft revamp the Start Screen search to show all results by default and let me filter afterwards rather than only showing applications by default and letting me remove the filter by clicking a button. It should be the other way around in my opinion, but I suppose the current changes so far are still positive ones (even if they are not the changes I was hoping for).

Build 9369 also adds new sync-able settings that includes synching mouse, Start Screen, and file explorer settings across your Windows PCs. Microsoft has also added a click-able button to the Start Screen that allows non-touchscreen users to easily bring up the Apps List. Once viewing the list of all installed applications, the build allows users to sort the apps by name, install date, or by the frequency of use.

Microsoft has also made a multitude of smaller tweaks to existing functionality. You can find a full list of changes and a video walk-through of the new build over at WinBeta. Windows 8.1 is shaping up to be a better operating system, though it remains to be seen whether or not it is worth paying a subscription price for.

Read more about Windows 8 and Windows Blue at PC Perspective!

SEIKI SE50UY04 50-in 4K 3840x2160 TV Unboxing and Preview

Subject: General Tech, Graphics Cards, Displays | April 18, 2013 - 08:52 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: video, seiki, se50UY04, hdtv, hdmi 1.4, displays, 4k, 3840x2160

This just in!  We have a 4K TV in the PC Perspective Offices!

While we are still working on the ability to test graphics card performance at this resolution with our Frame Rating capture system, we decided to do a live stream earlier today as we unboxed, almost dropped and then eventually configured our new 4K TV. 

The TV in question?  A brand new SEIKI SE50UY04 50-in 3840x2160 ready display.  Haven't heard of it?  Neither have we.  I picked it up over the weekend from TigerDirect for $1299, though it actually a bit higher now at $1499.

The TV itself is pretty unassuming and other than looking for the 4K label on the box you'd be hard pressed to discern it from other displays.  It DID come with a blue, braided UHD-ready HDMI cable, so there's that.

One point worth noting is that the stand on the TV is pretty flimsy; there was definitely wobble after installation and setup.

Connecting the TV to our test system was pretty easy - only a single HDMI cable was required and the GeForce GTX 680s in SLI we happened to have on our test bed recognized it as a 3840x2160 capable display.  Keep in mind that you are limited to a refresh rate of 30 Hz though due to current limitations of HDMI 1.4.  The desktop was clear and sharper and if you like screen real estate...this has it. 

The first thing we wanted to try was some 4K video playback and we tried YouTube videos, some downloaded clips we found scattered across the Internet and a couple of specific examples I had been saving.  Isn't that puppy cute?  It was by far the best picture I had seen on a TV that close up - no other way to say it.

We did have issues with video playback in some cases due to high bit rates.  In one case we had a YUV uncompressed file that was hitting our SSD so hard on read speeds that we saw choppiness.  H.265 save us!

And of course we demoed some games as well - Battlefield 3, Crysis 3, Skyrim and Tomb Raider.  Each was able to run at 3840x2160 without any complaints or INI hacks.  They all looked BEAUTIFUL when in a still position but we did notice some flickering on the TV that might be the result of the 120 Hz interpolation and possibly the "dynamic luminance control" feature that SEIKI has. 

We'll definitely test some more on this in the coming days to see if we can find a solution as I know many PC gamers are going to be excited about the possibility of using this as a gaming display!  We are working on a collection of benchmarks on some of the higher end graphics solutions like the GeForce TITAN, GTX 680s, HD 7990 and HD 7970s!

If you want to check out the full experience of our unboxing and first testing, check out the full live stream archived below!!

Podcast #247 - Frame Rating and Vsync, the future of GLOBALFOUNDRIES, the OCZ Vertex 3.20 and more!

Subject: General Tech | April 18, 2013 - 01:46 PM | Ken Addison
Tagged: vsync, vertex 3.20, podcast, pcper, overclocking, ocz, haswell, gtx 780, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, gigabyte brix, frame rating

PC Perspective Podcast #247 - 04/18/2013

Join us this week as we discuss Frame Rating and Vsync, the future of GLOBALFOUNDRIES, the OCZ Vertex 3.20 and more!

You can subscribe to us through iTunes and you can still access it directly through the RSS page HERE.

The URL for the podcast is: http://pcper.com/podcast - Share with your friends!

• iTunes - Subscribe to the podcast directly through the iTunes Store
• RSS - Subscribe through your regular RSS reader
• MP3 - Direct download link to the MP3 file

Hosts: Ryan Shrout, Jeremy Hellstrom, Josh Walrath, and Allyn Malventano

This Podcast is brought to you by MSI!

Program length: 1:07:41

1. 0:01:08 Win the Roccat ISKU Keyboard
2. Week in Review:
   1. 0:03:30 Enermax Ostrog GT Mid-tower Gaming Case Review
   2. 0:06:45 Frame Rating: Visual Effects of Vsync on Gaming Animation
   3. 0:22:45 GLOBALFOUNDRIES: 2013 and Beyond
   4. 0:31:15 OCZ Vertex 3.20 240GB SSD Review
3. 0:43:00 Help PC Perspective Expand by Contributing to our Indiegogo Project!
4. 0:51:20 A PC Perspective on Gaming: How We Rank Games
5. News items of interest:
   1. 0:56:00 I can Haswell-overclock?
   2. 0:56:30 NVIDIA Rumored To Release 700-Series GeForce Cards At Computex 2013
   3. 0:58:00 Gigabyte BRIX small form factor PC--NUC and Zotac Nano competitor
6. 1:00:20 Hardware/Software Picks of the Week:
   1. Ryan: Peavey USB-P
   2. Jeremy: support Full Control not just because they're nordic
   3. Josh: Nice, open source router/firewall- just add used Firebox!
   4. Allyn: (portable headsets that don't suck)
7. 1-888-38-PCPER or podcast@pcper.com
8. http://pcper.com/podcast
9. http://twitter.com/ryanshrout and http://twitter.com/pcper
10. Closing/outro

Toshiba Qosmio X870-BT3G23 17.3" Core i7 Laptop w/3GB GeForce 670M @ $1300

Subject: General Tech | April 18, 2013 - 01:21 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: deals

At $395 off the full price, the Toshiba Qosmio X870-BT3G23 is a rather powerful Win8 gaming laptop or desktop replacement for $1300.  It has a proper 1080p LCD, an i7-3630QM, 8GB DDR3, a 1TB HDD, Blu-ray burner and a 3GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M.  With four USB 3.0 ports and HDMI out this is easily used as a desktop replacement as well as giving you great gaming performance while mobile though even Optimus won't save your battery if you are getting in a few BF3 games while waiting for a plane.

Toshiba Qosmio X870-BT3G23 17.3" Core i7 Laptop w/3GB GeForce 670M, Blu-ray RE, 1080p, 8GB RAM, 1TB HDD
ToshibaDirect now offers new loaded Qosmios including the Qosmio X870-BT3G23 Laptop starting at just $1,299.99 with free shipping.  You also save $100 off in instant savings, plus $295 in component rebates (8GB RAM, 1TB HDD, Blu-ray RE, 1080p). 

Intel and Vint Cerf are both talking up SDN

Subject: General Tech | April 18, 2013 - 12:35 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: vint cerf, Intel, sdn, software defined networking, tha internets, open network summit, Seacliff Trail

Vint Cerf has been talking about the current topic on the minds of many network admins, software defined networking, sometimes referred to as smart networks.  While his original design was great at providing much cheaper connectivity than telcos, with the entire network being effectively dumb and not requiring any expensive routing equipment during transfer, that benefit is no longer as compelling as it used to be.  Moving from a model of only having routing equipment at the very edge of your network to placing equipment en route can offer advantages to security, speed and reliability.  He is quick to bring up a topic that is near and dear to anyone working in infrastructure; no matter how smart the equipment is, if there are no established standards which can operate between vendors and protocols then we will be worse off than we are now.

One company that has the power to bring SDN to the market and do so with enough backing to create standards and enforce them is Intel.  They are also at the Open Network Summit and are presenting their plans for SDN, virtual switches and even physical hardware.  Over at The Register you can see some of the slides that they presented along with information on new chipsets and ASICs that have been developed by Intel for use in a variety of networking applications.

"As you get to the point where you want to have something big happen, spend some time working on getting agreement on standards,” Cerf is quoted as saying. Standards encourage innovation because everyone can work to the standard, as “happened in the creation of the Internet—and these standards often create a certain amount of stability.

“Stability is your friend in networking environments. If you can’t rely on some stable point in the architecture, you’ll have some trouble in making things work reliably."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• Botched Security Update Cripples Thousands of Computers @ Slashdot
• TSMC 16nm FinFET to enter mass production within one year after 20nm ramp-up, says Chang @ DigiTimes
• Foxconn to pay Microsoft for production of Android/Chrome devicesFoxconn to pay Microsoft for production of Android/Chrome devices @ DigiTimes
• Microsoft offers Outlook, Skype and Xbox users two-step authentication @ The Inquirer

Come fly the unfriendly skies of Columbia

Subject: General Tech | April 17, 2013 - 06:13 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: gaming, bioshock infinite

As is their wont, [H]ard|OCP focuses on performance when reviewing the game, leaving examination of the game its self to sites dedicated to that type of content.  The half dozen contestants represent the top 3 single GPU cards from NVIDIA and AMD and the drivers used were released this March.  The game is DX11 through and through but tesselation is conspicuosly absent as is MSAA, only FXAA is available; even when enabled at the driver level they saw no differences.  Both companies cards could play the game at 1080p with all settings maxed out but for higher resolutions we saw NVIDIA's performance pull ahead somewhat.  Check out the image quality of BioShock Infinite in the full review.

"BioShock Infinite is here, delivering a colorful and dynamic world with the help of a customized Unreal Engine 3. BioShock Infinite has an improved PC gaming experience, we will test this game's performance among 8 video card configurations, and look at image quality of this immersive and colorful new game."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Gaming

• Bioshock Infinite Review @ OCC
• Squad Chat: Jagged Alliance – Flashback Interview @ Rock, Paper, SHOTGUN
• You’re The Boat Boss: Leviathan’s Smoooooooth Moves @ Rock, Paper, SHOTGUN
• Please Watch This Dumb Blood Dragon Live-Action Short @ Rock, Paper, SHOTGUN
• Antichamber just blew my mind @ The Tech Report
• Space Hulk Studio To Make Turn-Based Jagged Alliance @ Rock, Paper, SHOTGUN
• Defiance @ LanOC Reviews
• Roundup of the 6 New Gaming Platforms Launching in 2013 @ eTeknix
• Smashing Dolphins: Planet Punch Redefines Self-Loathing @ Rock, Paper, SHOTGUN
• Resident Evil 6 - Too Much Action for Horror? @ Techgage

HP ENVY dv7t-7300 Quad Edition Core i7 + Blu-ray @ $720

Subject: General Tech | April 17, 2013 - 01:09 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: deals

At 20% off, both the 17.3" HP ENVY dv7t-7300 Quad Edition laptop deals are a bargain, though the more expensive 1080p model at $840 might be a bit preferable to the $720 model with a 1600x900 screen.  The base specs to both models are the same, with an Ivy Bridge i7-3630QM @ 2.4GHz, 8GB DDR3 and a 750GB HDD inside, running Windows 8 64-bit Edition.  For extras you get Beats Audio and an HD camera and mic built in, a 2 year warranty and discounts on some software and tools available from HP.

To get base HP ENVY dv7t-7300 Quad Edition deal, use 20% coupon code, follow these steps:

1. Start here at HP Home direct store
2. Select Customize button
3. Click View Summary button at the top, add to cart
4. Apply coupon code NB7361 during checkout

This HP dv7 Quad Edition deal: $899.99 - 20% coupon code = $719.99 + $9.99 shipping. shipping & 2-year warranty.

OR

To get HP ENVY dv7t-7300 Quad Edition with 1080p LCD, use 20% coupon code, follow these steps:

1. Start here at HP Home direct store
2. Select Customize button
3. Choose 17.3-inch diagonal Full HD Anti-glare LED-backlit Display (1920 x 1080) +$150
4. Click View Summary button at the top, add to cart
5. Apply coupon code NB7361 during checkout

This HP dv7 Quad Edition deal: $1049.99 - 20% coupon code = $839.99 + $9.99 shipping & 2-year warranty.

Otellini's last quarter

Subject: General Tech | April 17, 2013 - 12:44 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Intel, otellini, earnings

The downturn in the PC market has depressed the earnings of Intel during Paul Otellini's last quarter as head of the company, but not as badly as many companies thanks to decent sales of data centre products.   Their overall earnings are down $1bn from this quarter last year with their PC sales down 6.6% but their data centre sales up 7.5% when compared to Q1 2012.  The numbers are not so rosy when you look at the last year of sales, PC down 6% and data centre down 6.9%, in line with expectations but far from good news.  Intel has come a long way since 1974 when he first joined the company but even they are not immune to the decline in sales which has been hurting the industry recently.  Get the full sales numbers at The Register.

"After 39 years at Chipzilla and over 80 earnings calls Paul Otellini has just finished his final one before stepping down in May. He didn't so much leave with a bang as a whimper.

The company booked $12.6bn in revenue for Q1 2013, down nearly a billion from the last quarter, and profits dropped 25 per cent to $2bn, over half of which will be given out as a dividend and another $553m used to buy back 25 million Intel shares. The results were broadly in line with analyst's expectations and Intel stock is up slightly in late trading."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• Oracle critical patch plugs 128 security vulns @ The Register
• How to Install and Configure a Dedicated PhysX Video Card @ Hardware Secrets
• Google Drive and Gmail go down for some @ The Inquirer
• PLA4201 Powerline Ethernet Adapter @ VelocityReviews
• Magellan Switch Review @ TechReviewSource

ROCCAT's feature filled keyboard, the Isku FX

Subject: General Tech | April 16, 2013 - 07:21 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: roccat, input, Isku FX

There is a new keyboard from the company that Ryan loves to try to pronounce; ROCCAT's new Isku FX is more than just a gaming keyboard with multimedia buttons and LED backlighting.  With the configuration software installed you can change the Caps Lock key to modify the macro and thumb keys to give you a total of 16 macro keys, remap the multimedia keys or even change up what ROCCAT refers to as the Easy Zone.  For aesthetic purposes you can choose from 16.8 million distinct colours in the backlighting.  There are also apparently achievements you can unlock with this keyboard if you have become addicted to those thanks to Steam.  If this sounds like something you might like you should check out the full review at Techgage.

"At the time of writing, the Isku FX is ROCCAT’s range-topping keyboard. Appropriately it’s packed to the gills with features and capabilities lesser keyboards tend to eschew. No, it’s not a mechanical keyboard, but despite this is it still worth your hard-earned dollars? Read on and find out!"

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• ROCCAT Isku FX Multicolor Gaming Keyboard Review @ Legit Reviews
• SPEEDLINK ATHERA Multi-Profile Keyboard Review @ Madshrimps
• AZiO Levetron Mech5 Mechanical Keyboard @ eTeknix
• Gigabyte AiVia Osmium Keyboard Review @ Hi Tech Legion
• Your Wireless Mouse Or Keyboard Acting Up? Blame USB 3.0! @ TechARP
• Corsair Vengeance M95 Performance MMO & RTS Laser Gaming Mouse @ Tweaktown
• Func MS-3 Gaming Mouse @ Rbmods
• FUNC MS-3 Gaming Mouse @ Modders-Inc
• Leetgion El'Druin "Optimized for Diablo" Gaming Mouse @ Tweaktown
• Steelseries Sensei Limited Edition Mouse @ eTeknix
• Razer ONZA Xbox 360 PC Tournament Edition Pro Gaming Controller @ eTeknix

IBM gets serious about flash storage

Subject: General Tech | April 16, 2013 - 01:26 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: TMS RamSan, IBM, FlashSystem, flash, 1 billion

IBM has invested $1 billion in SSD research and development, creating a project called IBM FlashSystem.  They will create a dozen 'competency centres' across the globe this year to help customers understand scenarios in which flash storage will help their business.  To show off their prowess they created a 500TB system based on their FlashSystem 820; you can see a video of the system at The Register.  IBM has already signed a deal with Sprint to build 9 storage systems and there will be more customers soon.  IBM is also redesigning their system software to take advantage of the speed of flash which will make the transition even more attractive to companies.

"Say goodbye to TMS RamSan and hello to IBM FlashSystem. Back in 2001, IBM CEO Lou Gerstner said IBM would spend a billion dollars to boost its Linux business and that billion paid itself off within two years. In 2002, the firm splurged the same amount on Java tools, and in 2006, pumped $1bn into information management. Fast-forward seven years and Ginny Rometty's IBM is going to spend a billion dollars to boost its flash solid state storage business."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• VIA Labs lands new orders for USB 3.0 hub controllers @ DigiTimes
• Gigabyte gaining on Asustek in motherboard shipments @ DigiTimes
• 63 TRILLION maths ops a second - in 5 inches? Mm, show me @ The Register
• 10 dual-band router round-up @ Hardware.info

Deal for April 16th - Alienware X51 SFF with GTX 645 and Ubuntu @ $600

Subject: General Tech | April 16, 2013 - 12:25 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: deals

Today's deal is not something you see every day, a WiFi enabled console sized Alienware PC running Ubuntu.  At that $600 price you get a Core i3-3220 @ 3.3GHz, 6GB RAM, 1TB HDD, DVD burner, a 1GB GTX 645, and pre-installed UBUNTU Linux 12.04.  It also comes with a one year warranty which could come in handy if you are unfamiliar with Linux.  This might not be the Linux powered Steambox of rumour, but it will certainly function as one and will provide more fun than speculating on when or if that device will ever be released.

Alienware X51 Compact Core i3 Gaming PC w/ Ubuntu Linux & GeForce GTX 645 @ $599

To get the cheapest Alienware X51 Core i3 deal, follow these steps:
1. Start here at Dell Home direct store
2. Click Review & Checkout button at the top
3. Proceed to final checkout/payment

A second tale of doom and gloom for the PC market

Subject: General Tech | April 15, 2013 - 02:53 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: fud, sales

Last week we saw a report describing the downturn in PC sales and it has been repeated today in a report from Gartner.  With a global decline of sales this quarter totalling over 10% compared to the first quarter of 2012 the trend of falling PC sales continues for the fourth quarter in a row.  It seems that tablets and smartphones are making headway into the market and many people who would have purchased an inexpensive TV for surfing and other light-duty tasks are satisfied with a smaller mobile device.  In the US the decline was a hair under 10% and only Apple and Lenovo showed any growth.  Get the full global breakdown at DigiTimes.

"Worldwide PC shipments totaled 79.2 million units in the first quarter of 2013, a 11.2% decline from the first quarter of 2012, according to Gartner. Global PC shipments went below 80 million units for the first time since the second quarter of 2009. All regions showed a decrease in shipments, with the EMEA region experiencing the steepest decline."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• Increase the range of your wireless network @ Hardware.info
• Microsoft Windows 8 and Metro UI: The (d)evolution of the world's most popular OS @ Tweaktown
• Server Update April 2013: Positioning the HP Moonshot 1500 @ AnandTech
• CASIO Edifice EF-558D-1AVEF Review @ NikKTech
• Rosewill RSL-113 Solar Infrared LED Lights @ Benchmark Reviews
• Antec a.m.p Joint Giveaway @ NikKTech

Deal for April 15 - VIZIO E552VLE 55" 1080p 120Hz WiFi LCD HDTV @ $650

Subject: General Tech | April 15, 2013 - 02:26 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: deals

Looking for a new TV, but not a 72" monster?  Want 120MHz for smooth performance when hooked up to a PC plus support for 3D movies?  How about a 55" 1080p TV for $650 plus free shipping which can access the internet for streaming video!  The VIZIO E552VLE 55" 1080p 120Hz WiFi LCD HDTV is on sale right now.

Dell is offering the VIZIO E552VLE 55" 1080p HDTV for $649.99 with FREE shipping.

Specs:

• 1080p Resolution
• 100,000:1 contrast ratio
• 6.5ms response time
• 120Hz Refresh Rate
• Vizio Internet Apps (VUDU, Netflix, Hulu Plus, Pandora, Facebook, Twitter)
• 4 HDMI, 2 USB, Composite, VGA ports
• ECO HD exceeds the current ENERGY STAR Guidelines

AMD Never Settles: Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon Bundled

Subject: Editorial, General Tech, Graphics Cards | April 14, 2013 - 02:22 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: never settle, never settle reloaded, amd, far cry 3

So when AMD reloaded their Never Settle bundles, they left an extra round in the barrel.

Some of my favorite games were given to me in a bundle with some piece of computer hardware. You might remember from the PC Perspective game night that I am a major fan of the Unreal Tournament franchise. My first Unreal Tournament game was an unexpected surprise when I purchased my first standalone GPU. My 166MHz Pentium computer also came bundled with Mechwarrior 2 and Wipeout.

As we discussed, AMD considers bundle-offers as a way to keep the software industry rolling forward. The quantity and quality of games which participate in the recent Never Settle bundles certainly deserve credit as it is due. Bioshock: Infinite is a game that just about every PC gamer needs to experience, and there are about a half-dozen other great titles as a part of the promotion depending upon which card or cards you purchase.

As it turns out, AMD negotiated with Ubisoft and added Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon to their Never Settle bundle. The coolest part is that AMD will retroactively email codes for this new title to anyone who has redeemed a Never Settle: Reloaded code.

So if you have ever Reloaded your Never Settle in the past, check your email as apparently you can Never Settle your reloads again.