ConsumerIT - For Europe's High Volume PC Retailers, Distributors & Builders

Ingram Micro Logistics signs an agreement to provide Freecom logistics and e-commerce services across Europe.

Freecom says outsourcing these 2 key business parts helps streamline the process, free up capital and improve order accuracy.

This new agreement brings the market new services and ideas, Ingram says. The company supplies chain services for manufacturers, publishers, brick and mortar retailers and web marketers.

Go Ingram Micro Logistics adds Freecom to Customers

If last August and September in the UK are any indication, notebooks may bounce back-- notebook sales grow up by 6% (August) and 1% (September).

Gfk reports notebook value growth also outstrips volume, by 18% (August) and 12% (September).

Netbooks slip into YoY decline (-8%) in August-- their first ever. Value share falls even lower, by 13%.

Gfk says even with netbooks' poor performance, notebook sales manage to keep the market in growth. However the growing web-book category (225% growth Jun. 2010 vs. Sep. 2010) might hamper the notebook/netbook categories' positive trends.

Q4 sees a number of lower priced web-book launches, potentially impacting netbook/notebook sales. Consumers could decide to buy a web-book instead of updating their older devices, Gfk concludes.

Go Gfk: UK Back to School Success: Netbook or Notebook?

Elecom's MR-C25 is a USB SD-card reader designed for laptops and notebooks-- with a twist.

The device doesn't stick out perpendicularly to the machine's side, but lays flat on the side. It also swivels as needed, getting out of the way if it covers up other ports next to it.

It is also thin enough to stay in one place even one slips the computer into its carry case.

The reader reads SDHC and SDXC formats, and has a separate slot for microSD cards.

Go Elecom MR-C25 card reader

The technology allows peer-to-peer wifi connections between devices like smartphones and cameras-- without the need for wifi networks or access points.

Range and speeds are the same as existing wifi's (200m, 250Mbit/sec). The system employs the latest WPA2 security protections.

Wifi Alliance as an example tells of a user taking photos from a ship's upper deck and sending pictures to a laptop (wifi direct-enabled) on a deck below.

The first Wifi Direct certified devices include Atheros XSPAN Dual-band 802.11n PCIe Mini Card (AR928x), Broadcom BCM43224 Dual-Band 802.11n 2x2 MIMO PCIe Half Mini Card and Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200.