Latest About  Microsoft

Intel delivers USB 3.0 in its chips, finally

In Silicon Valley time, it's been eons but USB 3.0 support has finally landed in Intel chips.
Intel -- somewhat stealthily -- announced today that its 7-series chipset family is now available and "shipping in mobile and desktop OEM systems and motherboards worldwide...[and] they also integrate USB 3.0."
The new chipsets -- companion silicon to the main processor -- support both 2nd Generation Intel Core processors, aka Sandy Bridge, and 3rd Generation Intel Core chips, aka Ivy Bridge.
With today's announcement of availability, it's been roughly ten years since Intel announced support for USB

Why Microsoft spent $1 billion on AOL's patents

Microsoft dropped an eye-popping $1 billion on 800 AOL patents today, an astonishing amount likely spent to keep the intellectual property trove away from rival Google.
But according to a source close to the situation, Google didn't even bid on the portfolio.
That makes Microsoft's lavish bid, which averages $1.25 million per patent, all the more astounding. Still, even without Google, there was good reason: according to data crunched by MDB Capital Group, an investment banking firm that focuses on intellectual property, the AOL patents have far more relevance to Microsoft than to any other company.

AOL to make over $1 billion in patent sale to Microsoft

AOL is starting off the week with a bang -- and a billion-dollar jolt to its financials.
The company today announced that it has inked a deal with Microsoft that will see the online firm sell 800 of its patents and their related patent applications. In addition, Microsoft will be granted a non-exclusive license to the patents that AOL retains. The deal will cost Microsoft $1.056 billion in cash.
After the deal is done, AOL will hold 300 patents and patent applications related to advertising, search, and other technologies. It has also agreed to sign a license to use.

Microsoft store coming to an Apple Store near you?

Are we seeing a trend of Microsoft setting up shop next to Apple Stores?
If so, it's not a bad trend. Even a necessary one to check the Apple consumer Juggernaut.
At the Westfield Century City mall in Los Angeles, the Apple and Microsoft stores are close enough that when you leave one you'll almost immediately see the other.
That's helpful for consumers interested in exploring both rival camps. The Apple Store is a known quantity. The Microsoft Store isn't, for many people. That's too bad, because a Microsoft store offers a much better snapshot

Nvidia Tegra 4 chip leak whets appetite for non-iOS tablets

A roadmap of Nvidia's next chip, the Tegra 4, could also be a blueprint for the internals of future Android and Windows tablets.
If VR-ZONE's (in this case, VR-ZONE's Chinese-language site) sources speak the truth, then we've got plenty of tablets packing quad-core A15 chips to look forward to.
What's an A15 you ask? That's the next chip design -- officially the Cortex A15 -- from tablet and smartphone chip design powerhouse ARM.
Think of it this way: Four A15s are faster than the four Nvidia Tegra 3 Cortex-A9s now found in the Asus 

Intel SSD to boost Windows 8 boot, wake times

New Intel solid-state drives are aimed at boosting Windows startup and wake times, making them a hardware feature that will be especially applicable to Windows 8.
The Intel SSD 313 Series offers what is in effect a solid-state drive cache, increasing the "responsiveness" of PCs that are based on hard disk drives -- that being a word Intel and Microsoft throw around a lot these days.
Responsiveness is code for the kind of instant-on experience you get on a tablet or smartphone.
And both Windows 8 PCs (think: ultrabooks) and tablets should offer that kind of responsiveness as long as 

Microsoft still paying developers to create Windows Phone apps

Microsoft has in the past acknowledged that it pays mobile developers to help them create apps for its Windows Phone platform.
That practice is now even more alive and well as both Microsoft and Nokia struggle to make a dent in a competitive marketplace with Windows Phone and the new Lumia lineup, according to the New York Times.
Microsoft has eagerly contributed money to developers, anywhere from $60,000 to $600,000, to help build apps. That's the type of cash the developers themselves could never raise on their own.

To succeed, ultrabooks need displays like the iPad, MacBook

For ultrabooks to succeed, the display needs to approach an iPad's quality or least match that of a MacBook--which uses higher-end displays.
A lower quality display can be a deal breaker for consumers in the age of the iPad, which boasts a high-quality, high-resolution in-plane switching (IPS) display.
IPS and high-quality TN displays offer viewing angles and contrast typically better than those used on most ultrabooks today.
This shortcoming has become apparent in more than a few reviews of the Dell XPS 13 ultrabook, which in almost every other respect is generally considered an excellent design.

Intel revs up ultrabook campaign: A better MacBook?

With Intel's latest silicon due soon, the chipmaker is cranking up the marketing volume for ultrabooks, saying the skinny laptops usher in a "a new era of computing."
The marketing campaign launched this week is the biggest in about a decade, spanning television, online, and print ads, the company said today. And Intel is putting its proverbial money where its mouth is.
Hundreds of millions of dollars will be allocated for the "largest marketing spend for the company since launching Intel Centrino in 2003," Intel said in a statement. 
 

IE10 in Windows 8: Can pinned Web sites truly replace Favorites?

Internet Explorer users accustomed to working with Favorites will find life a bit different in the new Windows 8 Metro version of the browser.

The desktop flavor of IE10 still lets you create Favorites to manage your Web sites, but the Metro edition does away with such legacy options. Instead, you're given the option of pinning often-used Web sites, as described in a new Microsoft blog. Pinning a site places a tile for it on both the Metro Start screen and in the browser when you click in the address bar.

                    


                        

                    Laptop Computer Review

Why Buy a New Laptop Computer

Laptops are portable, stylish and highly efficient computing devices. They make it possible to continue working away from home or the office, accomplish schoolwork and view multimedia content. With so much available on these small devices, anyone can find some use for these computers, whether it's for business, work or play.
If you're a business professional, laptops allow you to take your work on the road. Their small size makes it easy to slide them in a bag and take them with you wherever you may go. The Wi-Fi connection on the laptop allows you to read, send emails or access the internet. For a student, a laptop is a worthy option for note taking during class; you can easily type papers on the large keyboard or read articles on the 11- to 17-inch display screen.
If you are looking for a laptop for multimedia activities, the best laptops offer webcams and built-in mics for web conferencing and video chats. They offer high-resolution displays and graphics for viewing movies or TV shows and a large hard disk for storing music, photos, movies and other files.
Take a look at our articles on laptop computers for more in-depth information regarding these computing devices. Don’t forget to look at our top-three laptop computers: the HP ENVY 17, Sony S Series and the Dell XPS 15z.

Laptop Computers: What to Look For

When deciding upon which laptop is best for you, you need to determine the type of work you will most frequently use your computer to perform. If you plan to use your laptop to check email, browse the internet or listen to music, you don’t need anything too powerful. However, if you plan to travel with your computer, store many files or documents and access information, you want a device with a long battery life, adequate hard-disk space, a memory-card reader, and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections.
Below are the criteria we used to evaluate laptop computers.

Design
 

The main purpose of a laptop computer is portability. Each computer offers different dimensions, so it is vital that you look at the device before you buy it to ensure it is not too large. Laptops offer a vast selection of display features. You can find a screen size on one of these devices ranging from 11 inches up to 17 inches. You may find these computers in an assortment of colors from black and brown to bright green or orange. The top laptops are also ENERGY STAR qualified, meaning they have energy-efficient features.

Performance
 

The best laptops feature a fast processor. You don’t want to wait around all day for files to download or applications to open. You also need a video card and an operating system that performs well and is user friendly.

Feature Set
 

Several connectivity options such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are most often found in some of the top laptops on the market. In addition, you will find options with a webcam and a built-in microphone for video chats or web conferences. Several laptop computer models also include a few extra features such as a Blu-Ray disc drive or built-in security features.

Memory/Battery Life
 

The memory and battery life available on your laptop are crucial. Without a large amount of internal memory, you can’t save all your files, applications, music and other content on your device. Most of laptops offer between 2GB and 8GB of RAM memory. In addition, without a long battery life, you may find yourself without power at the most inconvenient times. The best laptops offer up to 7 hours of battery life on a single charge.

Support/Warranty
 

Wear and tear happens to electronic devices no matter how well you take care of them. Before you buy, look at the warranty for the device. Most computers feature a one-year warranty, but some may offer more, along with extended warranty options. Also, if problems occur, you need a company with customer-service representatives who will help you resolve your issues. Many manufacturers offer email, phone and live chat support for their customers to help them when technical problems arise.

If you combine all of these elements into one computing device, you will create the ultimate laptop computer. Portability, design, power, speed and space will all come together to give you the laptop that is the best fit for you needs.

 

Laptop Configurator

Will your laptop be primarily used for creating business proposals or defending the universe from hostile aliens? This laptop configurator can help you determine which type of laptop is right for you.…

HP ENVY 17

The HP ENVY 17 is a laptop computer with a beautiful display, an outstanding feature set and powerful performance. This computing device excels in almost every aspect and offers many features and…

Care for Your Laptop in a Few Easy Steps

Your laptop can be your constant companion throughout the day. You may use this portable computing device for work, fun or school. With so many uses, it is crucial that you keep your laptop at its…

OCZ Technology Group has introduced the Vertex 4 SATA III SSD

 

                        

 

OCZ Technology Group has introduced the Vertex 4 SATA III                                         SSD

                  Fourth Generation SSD Delivers a New Class of Performance and Endurance that is backed by a 5-Year Warranty

OCZ Technology Group has introduced the Vertex 4 SATA III SSD series featuring the company’s advanced Indilinx Everest 2 controller platform. The Vertex 4 delivers the industry’s highest input/output operations per second (IOPS) performance for SATA-based drives across a wide variety of application workloads making this fourth generation flagship product line ideally suited for demanding computing and workstation environments. It consistently accomplishes superior real world performance over the long term regardless of whether the data streams are in compressed or uncompressed formats.

The Vertex 4 features sequential bandwidth up to 535 MB/s, maximum random performance up to 120,000 IOPS, and with hard to manage incompressible data, delivers 95,000 4K random read IOPS and 85,000 random write IOPS. In comparison to OCZ’s previous generation Vertex 3 SSD, rated at 60,000 sustained 4K random write IOPS, the Vertex 4 doubles typical transactional performance. The Vertex 4 also generates best in class latency as low as 0.04ms for read operations and 0.02ms for write operations, delivering an improvement of approximately 80 percent over the Vertex 3. In typical use case scenarios, the Vertex 4 outperforms the Vertex 3 by as much as 400 percent.

Powered by its new Indilinx Everest 2 controller platform, featuring a dual core architecture and 400MHz clock speeds, the Vertex 4 eliminates the need for internal data compression, further enhancing drive reliability. This advanced controller architecture also includes key features such as an advanced error correction code (ECC) engine, dynamic wear-leveling, auto encryption, and Indilinx’s next generation Ndurance™ 2.0 NAND flash management technology, enabling OCZ to support the Vertex 4 SSD line with a 5-year warranty.

Ndurance 2.0, embedded within the Everest 2 platform, overcomes NAND flash memory shortcomings to extend NAND flash life well beyond the manufacturer rated program and erase cycle specifications. It ensures that the Vertex 4 can be reliably used in a wide range of computing environments over an extended lifetime. This advanced NAND flash management suite not only radically extends NAND flash memory life, but provides enterprise-class endurance even when commodity-grade NAND flash is used.

Pricing & Availability

The Vertex 4 SSD will be available through OCZ’s Indian channel partners in128GB/256GB/512GB capacities. OCZ Vertex4 128GB SSD is priced at an MOP of INR 14,900/-

Sony Forecasts Record £4 Billion Loss

Fourth straight year of losses may result in 10,000 jobs being cut

Sony expects to report a record $6.4 billion (£4.02b) net loss for the business year just ended on March 31.

The firm's annual results are due on May 21, and reports earlier this week suggested Sony intends to cut 10,000 jobs, or around six percent of its global workforce, as it looks to turn its fortunes around.

Weak demand for its televisions - the business has lost $10 billion (£6.3b) in ten years - and falling behind Apple and Samsung in the gadgets market are largely responsible for what will be a fourth straight year of losses, according to Reuters.

Newly appointed CEO and former PlayStation boss Kaz Hirai has said he's willing to take "painful steps" to stop the rot, and that he expects the firm to bounce back this year with an operating profit of 180 billion yen (£1.39b).

Key to this will be a new "convergence" strategy centred on bringing together Sony's entertainment properties, including singers Kelly Clarkson and Michael Jackson, and the Spider-Man and Men in Black film franchises, with its Vaio computers, Bravia TVs and other electronics products.

               
            

                What is a Personal Computer?

     A small, relatively inexpensive computer designed for an individual user. In price, personal computers range anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. All are based on the microprocessor technology that enables manufacturers to put an entire CPU on one chip. Businesses use personal computers for word processing, accounting, desktop publishing, and for running spreadsheet and database management applications. At home, the most popular use for personal computers is for playing games.

Personal computers first appeared in the late 1970s. One of the first and most popular personal computers was the Apple II, introduced in 1977 by Apple Computer. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, new models and competing operating systems seemed to appear daily. Then, in 1981, IBM entered the fray with its first personal computer, known as the IBM PC. The IBM PC quickly became the personal computer of choice, and most other personal computer manufacturers fell by the wayside. One of the few companies to survive IBM's onslaught was Apple Computer, which remains a major player in the personal computer marketplace.

Other companies adjusted to IBM's dominance by building IBM clones, computers that were internally almost the same as the IBM PC, but that cost less. Because IBM clones used the same microprocessors as IBM PCs, they were capable of running the same software. Over the years, IBM has lost much of its influence in directing the evolution of PCs. Many of its innovations, such as the MCA expansion bus and the OS/2 operating system, have not been accepted by the industry or the marketplace.

Today, the world of personal computers is basically divided between Apple Macintoshes and PCs. The principal characteristics of personal computers are that they are single-user systems and are based on microprocessors. However, although personal computers are designed as single-user systems, it is common to link them together to form a network. In terms of power, there is great variety. At the high end, the distinction between personal computers and workstations has faded. High-end models of the Macintosh and PC offer the same computing power and graphics capability as low-end workstations by Sun Microsystems, Hewlett-Packard, and DEC.

                          

My World Mt. Samat, Bataan

                  
                                       

My World#32 Mt. Samat, Bataan

                        

The Mt. Samat of Bataan and the island fortress Corregidor were the sites of the most vicious battles in the Philippines during WWII which unfortunately led to the infamous Bataan March in 1942. Both sites are now mute witnesses to the war that led to thousands of dead American and Filipino soldiers.

This is the Shrine of Valor (Dambana ng Kagitingan) of Mt. Samat in Bataan. The memorial site houses a lot of war memoribilias. The cross is called Bataan Cross which rises 92 meters in height. Inside the top of the cross are pictures and memoribilias of the war. It also commands a 360 degree breathtaking view of the place.

Me and my friends went there on a month of April a few days after the commemoration day of the infamous Bataan March. It was summer and the sun was unrelentingly hot. As we did not have our own car in getting there, we had to do some walking to and fro the memorial site (actually, it was more like hiking/climbing). We imagined how it was back then for the soldiers during the march. Tired, hungry and defeated from the battles, they endured the 61 mile walk to the prison camps. It must have been hell.