Surface Pro Sales Reach 400,000 in Only a Month

Since its launch, the Surface tablet from Microsoft has reached 400,000 sales, which isn't a bad start for a tablet that is definitely on the pricey side with an $899 price tag. What's even more impressive is that this tablet only launched a month ago. According to IDC Analyst Bob O'Donnell, "That's a respectable number and it leads me to believe that Surface Pro will end up outselling Surface RT."

O'Donnell is, of course, referring to the RT version of the Surface tablet, which is slightly less expensive at $499, though isn't compatible with older Windows software. "It's something that we've predicated all along because of the compatibility that Surface Pro offers," O'Donnell added. Overall, Microsoft has sold nearly 1.5 million Surface devices, including both Pro and RT versions, and was announced only three months ago.

Even though the RT version sold out initially, Microsoft was surprisingly able to keep up with demand quickly. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case with the Pro. The high-end, 128GB Pro version of Surface has been continuously sold out since it was released on February 9. This model of the Surface tablet has only recently become readily available in the last week or so.

Regardless, the numbers being put up by the Pro are nothing compared to that of Apple's iPad. Apple sold more than 20 million iPads in the quarter ending in December, though Apple has been in this market substantially longer than Microsoft has and has also had time to fine tune its device. However, like Surface RT, the 9.7" Retina iPad starts at $499 while the iPad Mini is even cheaper at $329.

The trick with the Surface is that it puts a conventional, mainstream laptop into a 2 lb, 0.5" thick tablet. The Pro version comes with a 10.6" 1,920 x 1,080 full HD resolution display, Intel Ivy Bridge processor, 4GB of memory and a full-fledged solid-state drive, which is exponentially faster than the flash drives found in Apple and Android tablets.

Nonetheless, the numbers posted by Microsoft are impressive, especially considering the lackluster reviews that Windows 8 has been receiving. Windows 8 is the operating system that the Surface uses, though the OS has clearly been designed for use on touchscreen devices. It will be interesting to see what kind of numbers this tablet will post in the coming months.

Source: CNET - Microsoft Surface Pro sales hit 400K in a hurry

Windows 8 Pro Discount Officially Ended

Well, it's official, you can no longer purchase an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for the discounted price of $39.99. As of February 1, Microsoft has quintupled the price to $199.99. Just upgrading to the standard Windows 8, which doesn't include corporate features like BitLocker encryption and the ability to remotely connect to a company's network, will cost $119.99, though that edition was never discounted.

Upgrading to Windows 8 from an existing Windows operating system, like XP, Vista or 7, comes with varying degrees of success. It should come as no surprise that upgrading from Windows 7 causes the least amount of hassle with bringing along existing files, settings and applications whereas upgrading from XP is a little more difficult.

In addition to the end of the discount, several other deals also ended, including $69.99 prices for Windows 8 Pro on a DVD and something Microsoft was calling Windows 8 Pro Pack, which upgrades Windows 8 to Windows 8 Pro. The first upgrade will jump to $199.99 with the latter costing $99.99. Windows 8 Media Center pack, which is an add-on that makes it possible to play CDs and DVDs on a Windows PC, now costs $9.99.

Only one time has Microsoft discussed Windows 8 Pro upgrade numbers. This occurred back in October when CEO Steve Ballmer said his company had sold 4 million copies in its first three days. Since then, Microsoft has declined to give any specific sales numbers, even though the firm's CFO recently cited upgrades as one of several reasons why the Windows division's revenue increased 11% in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Have a short term rental need for Windows 8 systems?

Purchasers of the Windows 8 upgrade do not have to install it right away. Instead, they can create a bootable flash drive or installation DVD, then set aside the physical media for a later date. The final offer that recently expired was the eight-month deal that offered a $14.99 upgrade for customers who purchased a Windows 7-powered PC between June 2, 2012 and January 31, 2013. Those customers have until February 28 to claim the promotional code for the $14.99 price.

Windows 8 has received quite a bit of flak from users who believe that the heavy focus on touch-screen features do not translate well to desktops and laptops without touchscreens. Having used Windows 8 personally, I can honestly say that the new home screen and layout definitely take some getting used to, especially for long-time Windows users, though some of the features that are available are pretty cool and the operating system itself isn't all that bad (though that was at the time of the $39.99 download). I don't know if the operating system (or any, for that matter) is worth $200. 

Lenovo Reveals 2 New Models

In February of 2002, Lenovo came in to being. 10 years later, Lenovo is now the top computer manufacturer in the world. In January 2013, Lenovo revealed 3 new computer designs at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The three new computer designs consist of 2 different lines. The IdeaCentre A730 is the first model and the C-series makes up the 2nd line. The C-Series is the more affordable line  that will offer 2 models; a touch screen and non touch screen versions. With high end graphics cards being the standard and  the availability of up to 2 TB of memory, these models to compete with high end gaming systems but will be a little easier on the wallet. The non touch screen model will be available in February, while the touch screen version will be available in June.

The IdeaCentre A730 is a super sleek multi touch all in one model.  This model will allow Windows to openly compete with the Apple Mac Book Pro series. But the IdeaCentre A730 has a slight advantage over it Mac counterpart, it is equipped with a Blu-Ray drive. Lenovo has announced that this series of computers will be available in June of 2013 with a starting price of $1,499.

I think the new Lenovo all in one computers offer users a powerful compact computer with the portability of laptop with even more functionality than the new Mac Pro books.

Should you are ever need an all-in-one computer for a short term rental, please check with Rentacomputer.com

Windows 8 Not the Beacon of Hope the PC Market Needs it to Be

The PC market is slipping and, despite being launched with much fanfare, Windows 8 doesn't seem to be the shining beacon of recovery for the market as predicted. According to analysts, Windows 8 may do well to keep the PC industry running, but isn't enough to restore it to its former glory. According to Pund-IT Analyst Charles King, "Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that Windows 8 will be enough to turn around PC sales."

In addition to that, King added, "At the end of the day, IT sales depend as much on customer confidence as they do on vendor innovation. Vendors can occasionally nudge a market in one direction or another, a bit like a tugboat guides a far larger ship. But no single company can drag broader markets along in its wake."

The weight of the sluggish world economy has brought down the PC industry and so has a growing consumer infatuation with products like the iPad and other tablets. A lot of analysts have said that some enterprises have been holding off laptop and desktop purchases until Windows 8 comes out while others have been turning to tablets and smartphones as replacements for the traditional systems.

Robert Enderle, an analyst for the Enderle Group, believes that the PC business should get help from at least some of the waiting demand for Windows 8. "We do traditionally get a slowdown prior to a release," Enderle added. "Windows 8 is compelling. It could help turn things around but it will really depend on demand."

Another analyst, Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy, isn't quite as optimistic as Enderle. Moorhead notes that the biggest drag on the business hasn't been the imminent shipping of Windows 8 but has been the economy and tablets. "Windows 8 will help PC sales some, but won't be enough to make up for the lousy economy," he stated.

To top it all off, King added that he thinks the release of Windows 8 could even hurt business. "Windows 8 is so new and so radically different than previous versions of Windows that it could spark as much resistance as curiosity. On the other hand, some research has found that Windows 8's touch enablement tops the wish lists of most PC users. If that proves right, Microsoft and its OEM partners should reap the benefits."

Note: Windows 8 is expected to be readily available on computer rentals starting in early 2013.

Source: Computer World - Windows 8 not likely to restart ailing PC market

At $199 Will The New(er) Chromebook Finally Become Mainstream?

Consumers lining up to get their hands on the all new, low-priced Samsung Chromebook may want to wait. Google announced today that a new Acer Chromebook will be released tomorrow for the new low price of $199. This comes a little over a month after Google released the new Samsung Chromebook, at a then-low-price of $249.

The move by Google is an unexpected but pleasant one. Releasing a brand new Chromebook by a different manufacturing partner a month after the release of the Samsung Chromebook begs the question as to why the two were not released at the same time? Regardless of the timing, Google is now looking to make this Acer Chromebook the first truly mainstream Chromebook laptop.

Some of the new features, or to put it better, differences between the Acer and Samsung Chromebooks include storage and battery life.  The display of the Acer is the same as the Samsung Chromebook, an 11.6 in. display with a resolution of 1,366x768. The Acer Chromebook also comes with the same Chrome Operating System as the Samsung and the 100 GB of Google Drive Storage for two years. The differences, however, between the two computers as far as storage could not be more different. The Samsung Chromebook featured a SSD (solid state drive) that contained only 16 GB of storage, while the new Acer Chromebook has a traditional HDD (hard disk drive) that contains 320 GB of storage. This major leap in storage is sure to be a tipping point for many consumers who like the idea of the Chromebook but did not like the lack of storage. The other major difference, and really major flaw for the Acer-made Chromebook, is the decrease in battery life. While the Samsung Chromebook has a good 6.5 hours of battery life, the Acer Chromebook's battery lasts only 3.5 hours. This lack of battery life is sure to be a big issue for many potential customers who are not looking for a laptop that you have to "plug in" every few hours.

Google, with these two new laptops, and more specifically with the Acer Chromebook, is trying to get their Chrome Operating System into the mainstream computer world. Chrome Operating System, or Chrome OS, is a very basic and simple operating system that uses Google's popular web browser, Chrome, to operate. Users of Chrome OS do all of their interaction through the Chrome interface and can download and use applications from the "Chrome Web Store". Since the productivity and usefulness of this operating system is largely dependent on the internet, it has not become a huge success. With the addition of offline apps and the continual drop in price of Chromebooks, however, Google may finally see their product become mainstream.

While Google certainly has a long, and frankly impossible, shot of taking down Microsoft as the king of computer operating systems, they certainly are taking steps in the right direction. While the functionality of the Chrome OS may still be limited, the reduced price point for a "fully functioning laptop" is sure to attract many consumers. Only time will tell if the new $199 price point will be just what was needed to lure customers to their brand, but one thing is for sure, at that low price Google will get people's attention.

Source: CNET - Acer C7 Chromebook

Windows 8 Released to the World, But is it Good?

The wait is finally over, Microsoft Windows 8 is officially here. The newest iteration of the world's most popular computer operating system was released today after months of demos and commercials showcasing it. Microsoft has said that over 1.24 billion hours of testing went into the new operating system and is in many ways hedging the future of the company on the new release. Because of the increased pressure from Apple and Google, Microsoft wants to assure consumers that they are still relevant in today's world.

Windows 8 marks a radical change for Microsoft in terms of the layout of their operating system. Gone is the traditional start menu, replaced by an entirely new start interface with "live tiles" and an array of downloadable applications from the all new Windows Store. Current windows users will notice a drastic change from Windows 7 to Windows 8. While the traditional "desktop" is still there, it is no longer the center of the computer's processes, and more of a "background application". Part of Microsoft's reason for making such drastic changes to the interface is to make their operating system compatible across more devices. Microsoft is trying to not only keep hold of the traditional PC market, but also branch into tablets and smartphones. Windows 8 is truly built more for new hybrid, touch-based computers and tablets more so than traditional desktops, though it is built to run on those as well.

Having already downloaded Windows 8 to my laptop early this morning, I have only had a short time to interact with it. That being said, I noticed one thing right away, there is a steep learning curve. The interface, short of the traditional desktop which is now essentially an "app", is completely different. Even for someone that is very familiar with the way Windows computers work, navigating Windows 8 is in many ways a whole new experience. That is not to say that all is bad. I do like the modern interface that Microsoft has introduced, and I like many of the new, full screen applications that are available from the Windows Store. I also like the deep integration with all Microsoft services, if you have an email account, that allows many settings and files to be synced over the cloud.

There are, however, plenty of drawbacks, at least currently, to Windows 8. For starters, nothing is where it used to be. Just trying to turn the computer off takes multiple steps that may take users a while to figure out. Also while Windows 8 is "easy" to navigate, it is more so for a touch screen rather than a traditional computer. A traditional keyboard and mouse feel "out of place" in this new user interface, save for when working with the traditional desktop. I understand Microsoft wanting to make Windows 8 touch friendly for tablets and new touch-enabled computers, but traditional computers upgraded to the new OS feel a bit neglected. In addition, the current offering of applications in the Windows store is very limited, and until more popular applications are added, it will suffer.

Overall, my opinion of Windows 8 is still up in the air. While I think it is a must have if you are looking for a new, touch enabled PC, it is not yet a necessary upgrade for existing computers. If Microsoft continues to add new, relevant applications to its Windows Store and allows easier ways to interact with the traditional desktop, then I think it will truly be useful to everyone. It remains to be seen how the radical change in design will impact sales of the operating system, but one thing is certain right now, it is a new age for Microsoft and for the future of personal computers.

Firefox 16 Re-released After Fix of Flaw

One day after suddenly pulling the latest version of its popular web browser off of their website, Mozilla has re-released Firefox 16 for download. Mozilla pulled the latest version of Firefox from their install page as a result of a discovered security flaw. The security flaw apparently allowed harmful and malicious websites to track and identify which websites the user had visited. This flaw was discovered by security researcher Gareth Heyes, who then publicly disclosed the vulnerability.

While Mozilla has stated that there is no evidence of this flaw "in the wild", Mozilla on Wednesday recommended that users who upgraded to version 16 downgrade back to 15.0.1. By noon Thursday, however, a new version, 16.0.1, was available for download and according to Mozilla, is now safe to download and use. Anyone that had already downloaded version 16 was upgraded to this newer version, along with an update for the Android version released Wednesday night.

The good news for Mozilla is that this security flaw appears to be minor and was one that they were able to quickly fix. Their browser Firefox, an open-source, free web browser, has enjoyed continued growth and success since its release in November of 2004, and now holds 22% of the global browser market share. With the continued competition from poplar web browsers such as Internet Explorer and Google Chrome, Mozilla has to ensure that their browser is safe and secure for users. It remains to be seen if any more security flaws will be discovered with the updated version, but for now it appears to be working well for Firefox.



Source: CNET - Mozilla rereleases Firefox 16 after fixing critical flaw

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