Scott Ferguson

A group of University of Utah physicists are working on a way to convert heat into sound and then into electricity, which could open the door for better ways to cool laptops and other electronic devices and could potentially ease the power crunch in data centers. The team of researchers, led by Orest Symko, a […]

A trio of IT vendors are preparing server platforms that will support Advanced Micro Devices soon-to-be-released quad-core Opteron processors, dubbed “Barcelona.” At the Computex trade show in Taipei, Taiwan, June 5, AMD announced that Supermicro, Tyan Computer and Uniwide Computer will be among the first vendors to offer server platforms based on the chip makers […]

IBM is looking for more ways to bring its microprocessor technology to a larger audience. At the Design Automation Conference in San Diego June 5, Big Blue is announcing that it will offer once proprietary chip technology to a much larger audience, which will have new implications for enterprise customers and consumers. Much of the […]

Competition in the rugged and semi-rugged notebook space is about to get a lot tougher. Panasonic and General Dynamics Itronix, two of the leading vendors of rugged and semi-rugged notebooks, are each preparing revamped laptop models based on the new Intel Centrino mobile platform, which the chip maker officially launched in May. Unlike conventional laptops […]

Advanced Micro Devices chalked up a victory against rival Intel when Toshiba announced it will start using dual-core AMD Turion 64 X2 processors and the M690 chip set in some of its Satellite notebooks. For years, Toshiba has used only Intel chips in its notebooks, but company executives at a press conference in Tokyo May […]

The good news coming from Dells release of its quarterly numbers May 31 is that the company managed to beat Wall Street expectations. For its financial quarter that ended April 30, the Round Rock, Texas, company posted net income of $759 million, or 34 cents per share. While those numbers were down from last years […]

Symantec is moving closer to offering its first security appliance that will work with Intels vPro technology. The release of Symantecs Virtual Security Solution application will likely coincide with Intels update of its vPro technology—now called code-named Weybridge—later in 2007. Gary Sabala, a senior product manager for Symantec, based in Cupertino, Calif., did not offer […]

Lenovo is revamping several of its ThinkPad notebooks, including a tablet PC, to include Intels new Centrino Pro mobile platform plus features to improve security and battery life. Lenovo, which acquired the ThinkPad name when it bought IBMs PC division in 2005, plans to roll out the new versions of its ThinkPad X61 and X61s […]

Increased competition and lower prices for dynamic RAM have led to Gartner to lower its forecast for the worldwide semiconductor market, the research firm announced May 31. In 2007, Gartner expects the semiconductor market to grow 2.5 percent with revenues of $269.2 billion. The Stamford, Conn., research firm had originally called for growth of 6.4 […]

Dell wants its enterprise customers thinking “green” when it comes to desktops. For the second time in a month, the Round Rock, Texas, company is offering PCs with updated configurations that will meet the new Energy Star 4.0 requirements developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Starting May 30, Dell will offer its OptiPlex 745 […]