If one is to believe a supposedly leaked Intel roadmap on Japanese website PC Watch, Intel might kill off a CPU standard-- the current Land Grid Array (LGA) socket will give way to Ball Grid Array (BGA).

The current LGA socket is an 8-year old technology where the actual contacts are on the motherboard while the contact points are on the CPU.

On the other hand BGA technology involves directly attaching chips on circuit boards via small balls of solder.

BGA is already used for DRAM, embedded CPUs and other surface-mount chips, but is more difficult to troubleshoot and repair-- and does not allow for PC CPU upgrades.

It would also mean the end of selling separate Intel CPUs and 3rd party motherboards, since OEMs would have to hard-mount CPUs themselves.

Lenovo claims it has the smallest desktop PC with the IdeaCentre Q190-- a mini PC less than 1 inch thick (excluding Blu-Ray/DVD player add-on) ideal for home theatre applications.

It runs on Windows 8 and carries a maximum Core i3 processor, 1TB HDD, 8GB RAM and integrated Intel graphics, giving it enough power to smoothly support home theatre essentials such as 7.1 surround sound and HD video.

An optional Blu-ray player also provides 3D video playback.

Lenovo also includes couch-friendly control Continue reading...

Romania-based nJoy prepares for the launch of its gaming ATX PSU series-- Rogue, with 3 models with power outputs of 450W, 500W and 600W.

To handle power efficiency nJoy provides an Active PFC system, which changes the wave-shape of current drawn by load in order to improve power factor.

Meanwhile the 120mm fan produces only 21dB of noise, with a thermal control system adjusting rotation system according to internal temperature.

The company says the PSU also provides protection from over- and Continue reading...

All PC segments remain in decline in W. Europe according to Gartner-- with total shipments dropping by -15.4% Y-o-Y to reach 13.6 million units during Q3 2012.

The consumer PC market is down by -15%, while the professional market is down by -15.8%. Mobile PCs drop by -15.2% and desktops decrease by -15.7%.

Gartner describes June and July PC shipments as "very low" due to vendors clearing Q2 2012 inventory. Channel and retail partners also showed caution, prefering to wait it out for the Windows 8 launch.

Germany sees the sharpest decline in shipments (-19% Y-o-Y), due to weak consumer demand and inventory control from the channel. French shipments see a -7.6% decline as the PC market remains weak, while shipments in the UK total nearly 3m with -7.2% decline.

Following downbeat Q3 2012 results Systemax exists the PC making business, moves its European offices to E. Europe and drops the CompUSA and Circuit City brands.

Q3 2012 revenues for the Misco owner drop by -6% Y-o-Y to reach $846.3 million, while operating losses total $1.9m (down from $19.3m profits in Q3 2011).

From 2013 pan-European Systemax operations will be consolidated in "a shared services centre in E. Europe" providing admin and back-office functions.  The move will cost the company $ Continue reading...

According to early Informa estimates, over 70% of PC users will be on Windows 8 by 2014, with 36% using new touch-enabled hardware.

The analyst describes the Windows 8 launch as "a new strategic direction" not only for Microsoft, but for the way PCs are used-- from a user experiences locked on desktops and notebooks to the "Personalised Computing" framework.

Of course we all know how the PC market is shrinking as a result of cannibalisation by the tablet market and slower PC replacement cycles. Continue reading...

LG announces its Windows 8 portfolio ahead of the Microsoft OS launch-- a device range consisting of All-in-One PC and (now obligatory) tablet-laptop hybrid.

The V325 AIO PC has a 23-inch touchscreen (with 10-point multi-touch support), Core i5 processor and Nvidia GeForce GT640M graphics. It also carries a TV tuner users can access on without having to power up the whole PC.

Meanwhile the H160 is perhaps a bit more interesting-- an 11.6-inch hybrid device with a slide-out (accessible via auto-slide Continue reading...

Lenovo beats HP as top global PC vendor (by shipments) according to Gartner, taking over 15.7% of the Q3 2012 market with 9.8% Y-o-Y growth while HP shipments contract by -16.4% to 13.5 million units.

HP global PC market share for Q3 2012 totals 15.5%, down from 17% in Q3 2011.

However not all analysts agree on the Q3 2012 vendor rankings-- as HP points out, IDC Q3 2012 market analysis has HP on top with 15.9% share (Lenovo follows with 15.7%). However one has to keep in mind IDC adds the "very important" workstation segment to its PC market analysis, while Gartner does not.