HP announces additions to its consumer desktop PC families, with x5 models carrying Ivy Bridge, the 3rd generation of Intel quad-core processors.

Three of the new Ivy Bridge-powered models come in the all-in-one format-- the Omni 220qd (with a 21.5" display and optional Beats audio), the Omni 27qd (the first HP all-in-one with a 27" display) and the touch-enabled TouchSmart 520xt.

Moving to towers, HP offers the Pavilion HPE h8t and more-powerful HPE h8xt, as well as what the company calls "most Continue reading...

Cubitex announces what it says is the smallest case in the world supporting EATX motherboards-- the Magic Cube AIO, an aluminium case measuring just 24 x 49 x 48cm.

Ideal for customers wanting their hardware within a small footprint, the Magic Cube AIO holds one 3.5" HDD and one 2.5" SDD on top of the 5.25" optical drive cage. A second 3.5" HDD fits below the same drive cage, and one can install three more 3.5" HDDs and one more 2.5" SDD behind the motherboard tray.

It also has space for VGA cards Continue reading...

Intel launches the long awaited first set of 22-nanometer Ivy Bridge processors, with 13 varieties of quad-core chip for desktop and full-size laptop use.

Smaller devices will have to wait though-- dual-core and low-power processors for ultrabook-style PCs (and tablets) will only be available "later this spring."

"This is the world's first 22-nanometre product and we'll be delivering about 20% more processor performance using 20% less average power," Intel claims.

The company hopes the Ivy Bridge Continue reading...

Microsoft announces the full selection of Windows 8 editions-- Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro, Windows 8 Enterprise and, perhaps most interesting of all, Windows RT (aka Windows on ARM or WOA).

Windows 8 is the generic consumer edition, for use in 32- and 64-bit x86 machines (both PCs and tablets, Microsoft says), while Windows 8 Pro  is the enhanced enthusiast/professional/business edition.

Enterprise customers get Windows 8 Enterprise (obviously), with features such as PC management and deployment, advanced security, virtualisation and mobility scenarios.

The most interesting edition, however, remains Windows RT-- Windows ARM machines. In a drastic change, Microsoft will not be selling Windows RT separately, instead only pre-installing it in devices.

According to IHS iSuppli the thinner, smaller 2.5-inch HDD format will soon have a market in desktops, thanks to demand from all-in-one PCs and low power consumption requirements.

The analyst predicts WW 2.5-inch HDD shipments for all-in-one PC use will reach approximately 1 million units in 2013 (accounting for 4% of the all-in-one PC market), up from "virtually zero" in 2012. Shipments will grow even further in the future, reaching 3m in 2014 and 7m (18% of the market) by 2016.

The 3.5-inch Continue reading...

PC Case Modder Takes Computer Design Beyond the Dull Gray Box

Jeffrey Stephenson surrounded by several of his computer designs. He is a fan of the Mid-Century Modern designs depicted in the AMC TV series Mad Men-- he is working on a project to tie into the season premiere of the cable series.

By day, Jeffrey Stephenson works as an information technology professional, but in his free time, he's better known as "slipperyskip." That's his Twitter handle and the name he uses on computer hardware forums where he posts about how he transforms retro furniture and antique appliances-- he once turned an Elvis microphone into a fully functioning PC. His handcrafted designs have made him a celebrity in many computer hardware circles and a living legend among PC modders.

After bringing back the C64 with the retro-tastic C64X, Commodore USA launches the Amiga mini-- a mini-PC boasting a stylish aluminium case (similar to the Mac Mini) ideal for use as either a Home Theatre PC or a gaming machine.

It carries a 3.5GHz Core i7-2700k CPU, 16GB DDR3 RAM, an Nvidia GeForce GT 430 (with 1GB RAM), 1TB HDD and optional 300 or 600GB SSD. Connections come via wifi, Bluetooth, x4 USB 2.0 and x2 USB 3.0 ports, while outputs include VGA, DVI and HDMI.

It also carries a slot Continue reading...

Intel will be introducing optical Thunderbolt cables later this year, an Intel spokesperson says-- allowing longer data transfer distances (with potentially greater bandwidth) for the connection standard.

The news joins the earlier announcement of Intel adding Thunderbolt support to PCI Express 3.0.

What are the differences between copper and optical? Copper handles data transfers for up to 6m (with sufficent bandwidth) while optical technology allows for tens of metres-- making it particularly Continue reading...