Scott Ferguson

Nvidia is looking to bring its graphics technology into the mini-notebook and “netbook” market with a new chip set platform that combines its own graphics processor with Intel’s Atom chip. On Dec. 17, Nvidia announced its “Ion” platform for mini-notebooks and netbooks. This chip set platform combines Nvidia’s GeForce 9400 GPU (graphics processing unit) along […]

Rackable Systems, which was one of the first IT vendors to offer a modular, portable data center, is looking to bring that same type of mobility to its server enclosures. The Rackable MobiRack houses the company’s line of half-depth servers along with networking equipment and storage in one portable enclosure made of rugged plastic. The […]

Intel is preparing to roll out the latest version of its Classmate PC design, which now includes tablet and touch-screen features along with an Atom processor, at the 2009 CES expo in Las Vegas. The latest incarnation of the Intel Classmate PC now gives Intel and its OEM partners a choice of two different laptop […]

Intel Readies New Classmate PC Design for 2009 CES by Scott Ferguson No Title Intel now has two specific designs for its Classmate PC. The original clamshell laptop design is on the left and the newer convertible tablet design is on the right. No Title The Intel Classmate PC based on the clamshell design running […]

The world’s semiconductor industry is poised to lose revenue in 2008 and 2009 – the first time the industry has ever lost money in back-to-back years, according to a new report from Gartner. The Dec. 16 Gartner report found that the world’s semiconductor companies will collect $219.2 billion in revenue in 2009, a decline of […]

Advanced Micro Devices has released a pair of dual-core Athlon processors for mainstream desktops as the chip maker prepares to roll out 45-nanometer microprocessors for PCs in early 2009. AMD released the two Athlon processors Dec. 15. The first chip is the AMD X2 7750 “Black Edition” processor, which is unlocked but has a listed […]

Super Micro, which is best known for its enterprise and high-performance computer (HPC) servers, is now eyeing small and midsized business customers with a new, low-cost system. On Dec. 15, Super Micro will begin selling the SuperServer 5035L-iB, a mini-tower server that offers configurations with starting prices between $300 and $500, which is typically 20 […]

1. The Economy Although several research firms predicted that IT spending would slow in 2008, the impact that the failures at Freddie Mac (the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.), Fannie Mae and Lehman Brothers in September caused many firms to lower their already low IT spending forecasts. The biggest impact: Spending on hardware from PCs […]

The Top Hardware Products of 2008 in Review by Scott Ferguson Lenovo ThinkPad X300 The sleek but expensive ThinkPad X300 came to market in February 2008 and Lenovo included a number of cleverly engineered features to keep this ThinkPad compact, lightweight and thin. The use of only a solid-state drive with the ThinkPad X300 is […]

While Intel and Qualcomm managed to increase their chip revenues in 2008, the rest of the world’s semiconductor companies lost money this year as the financial crisis continues to have a significant impact on enterprise IT and consumer spending, according to a Dec. 12 Gartner report. The Gartner report estimates that the worldwide semiconductor industry […]