John G. Spooner

Virtualization is becoming commonplace in the data center arena, as companies seek to wring more out of their servers. But broad use on the desktop is a year or two away at best, experts say. Chip makers Intel and Advanced Micro Devices have begun paving the way to client-side virtualization—technology that can partition a computer […]

Intel and the GSM Association, an industry group that promotes Global System for Mobile Communications operators, intend to work together to ensure that notebook computers can more easily connect to advanced GSM networks. Intel and the association the week of Feb. 13 announced a collaboration under which they will work to create guidelines for adding […]

Apple Computer is set to begin shipping its MacBook Pro notebook line with an automatic processor upgrade. The notebook line, announced last month, is Apples first to incorporate Intel processors. It joins the companys iMac desktop in offering Intels Core Duo, a dual-core processor created mainly for notebooks but also billed as a chip for […]

Oracle has purchased database maker Sleepycat for an undisclosed sum. Database giant Oracle announced the acquisition on Feb. 14, saying it would add Sleepycats Berkeley DB to its line of embedded databases. The buy, which marks one of a trio of potential open-source database purchases expected by Oracle, could signal a shift in its plans […]

Chip makers intel and advanced Micro Devices are preparing to roll out a new generation of chips that will deliver significant performance gains for the crucial servers that power enterprise networks. Intel is expected to launch its upgraded “Bensley” server platform next month at its Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco. Meanwhile, AMD offered a […]

A new generation of networking chip startups is attempting to find a path into business networks by making 10G-bps networking gear more palatable to their IT budgets. The companies, which include ClariPhy Communications and KeyEye Communications, are crafting optical physical layer interface chips and copper media transceivers, respectively, that they say network equipment makers can […]

Apple Computer appears to be investigating reports of a video glitch within its new Intel-processor-based iMac. Some iMac owners, posting on various online forums, have reported distortions when playing in videos and other files inside Apples Front Row application. Front Row, which comes preinstalled on the iMac, provides a special user interface with large, on-screen […]

Officials from South Koreas Fair Trade Commission, which has been investigating Intels business practices there, made an unscheduled visit to the chip makers offices in Seoul on Feb. 7, an Intel representative at the companys Santa Clara, Calif., headquarters said. Intel, sued over claimed U.S. antitrust law violations by rival Advanced Micro Devices last summer, […]

PC maker Gateway, which has roots in direct sales as well as government and education, made a major foray into the retail market following its 2004 eMachines acquisition. Now, as it searches for a new CEO, its aiming to boost its direct sales, as well as its presence in segments such as SMB (small and […]

Skype Technologies and Intel are making good on a promise to work together to get people talking on their Intel-based computers. Skype said on Feb. 8 that it will offer a free voice conference calling feature for up to 10 people inside its Skype 2.0 VOIP (voice over IP) software. The feature is designed for […]