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Sony wants you to delay upgrading your old VAIO PC to Windows 10
Sony might not be making PCs anymore, but it's still on the hook for supporting its older systems -- and that's creating a big problem for Windows 10 upgrades. The electronics giant is warning owners against installing Microsoft's latest software on older VAIO PCs until it has the drivers needed to get all the hardware working properly. And unfortunately, that's going to take a while. If your computer first ran Windows 8.1, the Windows 10 drivers won't be ready until October; if it's old enough to have shipped with Windows 8, you'll have to wait until November.
Lenovo PCs installed custom software even if you wiped them (updated)
Samsung isn't the only Windows PC maker to have hijacked Windows' update process as of late. Users have noticed that some Lenovo PCs running Windows 7 and 8 (such as the Yoga 3) had firmware that automatically downloaded and installed Lenovo's own update software on boot, overwriting a Windows system file at the same time. More disconcertingly, this was true even if you wiped the system clean. So long as you were reinstalling a compatible version of Windows in the first place (including Windows 10), those Lenovo apps would inevitably return.
Custom 'Minecraft' PC is more than a skin-deep tribute
You may see yourself as a big Minecraft fan, but Spencer Kern just took that devotion to another level. The Microsoft game artist marked the launches of both Windows 10 and its special version of Minecraft by building Redstone, a custom PC that's a tribute to Mojang's construction game in more ways than one. Kern didn't just slap some pixel art on a case and call it a day -- he custom-built the cube to pay homage to its namesake game resource through and through, including eerie red lighting, custom storage labels and a miniature version of Steve lurking inside. He even personalized his gamepad, headphones, keyboard and mouse to match the theme. You sadly can't buy Redstone, but Kern has documented enough of its assembly that you could theoretically create a reasonable facsimile with enough time and elbow grease.
HP won't ship products for almost a week in August
We hope you weren't dead set on getting that shiny new HP laptop in early August. HP is warning partners that it won't ship any orders to customers and resellers between August 1st and August 6th due to a "shipping transition" necessary for its upcoming split into two companies. You can still order whatever you like during that limbo period, but it won't start moving until August 7th at the earliest. It's an unusual gap, to put it mildly, but likely important given that HP is orchestrating one of the biggest tech splits ever. Update: While the transition will affect HP's corporate partners and resellers, a representative told us simple orders from HP.com will ship as normal.
Lenovo is the latest to hop on the PC-on-a-stick bandwagon
Who knew that stick computers were suddenly in vogue? In the wake of pocket-sized desktops from Intel, Dell and Google, Lenovo is joining the fray with the Ideacentre 300 Stick. The extra-tiny Windows PC is much like a sleeker, more polished version of Intel's Compute Stick. It shares the same 1.3GHz Atom chip, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of built-in storage as its counterpart, and you'll also have the familiar USB port and microSD card slot for those moments when wireless peripherals won't cut it. The system's biggest difference (and really, biggest draw) is its price. It'll cost $129 when it hits stores in July -- that's about $20 less than the Intel stick, and you're getting a full-fledged home computer versus a corporate "thin client" like Dell's similarly priced Wyse Cloud Connect.
An '80s-era Amiga controls the heating for an entire school district
Think the Windows XP workstation you use at the office is ancient? It doesn't hold a candle next to what the Grand Rapids Public School district is using to control its climate systems. All 19 schools covered by the authority depend on a nearly 30-year-old Commodore Amiga 2000 to automate their air conditioning and heating. It communicates to the other schools using a pokey 1,200 baud modem and a wireless radio so behind the times that it occasionally interferes with maintenance workers' walkie talkies. Oh, and a high school student wrote the necessary code -- if something goes wrong, the district has to contact the now middle-aged programmer and hope that he can fix it. It's a testament to the dependability of the Amiga in question, but you probably wouldn't want to trust the well-being of thousands of students to a computer that's probably older than some of the teachers.
Dell unveils a range of affordable PCs ahead of Windows 10
While Dell managed to surprise us with its rather handsome XPS 15 -- the sibling of the thin-bezel XPS 13 laptop -- at Computex, it's also bringing us a range of both new and refreshed models ahead of the Windows 10 launch. Starting off with the headliner, we have the Inspiron 15 7000 series laptop (pictured above) that runs on Intel's quad-core Core i7H chip, and it's garnished with Waves MaxxAudio enhancement plus a "performance class" NVIDIA graphics processor with 4GB of GDDR5 memory, so you'll get some good gaming action on it. Most importantly, the machine's 15-inch FHD display has an optional 4K touchscreen upgrade that looks stunning, though it isn't clear as to how long that 74WHr battery can last for. The price? All we know so far is that it'll start from 5,999 yuan or about $970 when it launches in China on August 7th.
This transforming PC tower could be a robot in disguise
Remember that time when Hasbro got really upset with ASUS for calling its convertible laptops Transformers, only to have its request for sales injunction shot down by the court? A little over three years later, we find ourselves staring at a desktop PC dubbed the H-Tower -- a collaboration between ASUS ROG and In Win -- that is begging to be given the same name. At the click of a button, the tower's outer case breaks open to reveal the liquid-cooled core frame, which then tilts up slightly for easier access to the components (or probably just to make it look cool). Surprisingly, we heard from ASUS that it intends to mass-produce this awesome machine, but there's no word on whether it's an Autobot or a Decepticon. Our money's on the latter. Anyhow, we've got a video clip after the break.
ASUS' fancy all-in-one packs a 3D camera and speedy USB 3.1
PCs with integrated Intel RealSense are still hard to come by these days, so excuse us for getting a little excited with this new ASUS all-in-one. Specifically, it's the 23.8-inch Zen AiO (Z240IC) that comes with said 3D camera technology, which offers gesture control and 3D face recognition (for authentication); but you can also go for the smaller 21.5-inch Z220IC variant if you don't mind missing out on RealSense. Similar to the iMac, the Zen AiO consists of an aluminum unibody that tapers to 6mm-thick edges; though it's gone with the "subtle Icicle Gold" as its flagship color, and finished with horizontal brushed lines on the back. ASUS' iconic concentric-circle brush pattern can also be found on the chin below the screen.
Apple I worth $200,000 gets tossed out for recycling
You're about to get a textbook lesson in why you should always, always check vintage gadgets before you toss them out. A woman discarding her late husband's electronics inadvertently gave a Milpitas recycling firm an ultra-rare Apple I computer that ultimately sold for $200,000. While the recycler's policy is to share half the revenue from these sales, the woman refused to offer her name or get a receipt -- she's missing out on a $100,000 check for trading in a piece of computing history. The company would recognize her on sight, but its only chance of rewarding the mystery donor right now is to get the word out and hope she returns. [Image credit: Emmanuel Dunand /AFP/Getty Images]
CyberPower's three-blade gaming PC is built for showing off
Sure, you can accessorize a gaming PC with curved monitors and glowing lights to make it stand out, but what if you don't think they're eye-catching enough? CyberPower thinks it has an answer: it just started taking orders for the Trinity, an oddball gaming rig that divides the chassis into CPU, Performance (read: graphics) and Storage "blades." According to the company, that three-part design is both pretty and functional. The unusual split prevents the components from heating each other, so a hot-running video card shouldn't cook your processor.
This adorable desk gadget motivates you like Pavlov's bell
We're almost halfway into April and chances are your self-improvement-minded New Year's Resolutions bit the dust sometime between Valentine's Day and Easter. Whereas our day-to-day habits are pretty ingrained into our minds, establishing new ones is the hard part, and that's where MOTI comes in. It's a cute little gizmo that you place in plain sight (this is key) that acts as a motivator, hence the name, for your menial tasks. How it works seems pretty simple, too. Just put it on your desk or wherever else you might see it on the daily and press its face when you do the task you're having trouble keeping up with.
You can't ride on this Harley-Davidson-themed PC case
We don't normally come across whacky desktop towers until Computex (which is less than two months away), so this beast of a PC at IDF was a nice surprise for us. Courtesy of Chinese startup Micle, this case is awkwardly called the "Proud of Blood" but has nothing to do with Diablo; instead, you're better off remembering it as the 90cm-tall desktop tower inspired by Harley-Davidson motorcycles. All the details are there: the V2 engine, the pipes, the tank cover, the spoiler and more. Unlike the plastic prototype we saw, the final version will be mostly aluminum, according to Micle co-founder and famed local modder Wei Zheng.
The PC market is shrinking again as companies stop upgrading
It's not a good time to be a PC maker... especially if you cater to the corporate crowd. Both Gartner and IDC estimate that the computer market shrank between 5.2 to 6.7 percent in the first quarter of 2015, in part because many companies stopped upgrading from Windows XP. Simply put, many of the businesses that wanted to modernize already have -- they're not propping up the market like they were for a good chunk of 2014. IDC goes so far as to claim that this was the lowest volume of PC shipments since the start of 2009, which is no mean feat given that the world was still reeling from an economic collapse at the time.
Acer's Chrome OS all-in-one is the first with a touchscreen
Intrigued by the idea of an all-in-one Chrome OS computer, but were hoping for something a little more exciting than the likes of LG's Chromebase? You've got it: Acer has just unveiled its own Chromebase. The system has a 21.5-inch 1080p display like its LG rival, but it's the first to include a touchscreen for those times you want to share input (or just can't be bothered to reach for the mouse). It's also running on NVIDIA's Tegra K1 chip rather than the speedier Intel Celeron of its competitor, although that's not necessarily a bad thing if you're looking for a quiet, low-powered PC. Whether or not it has the lower cost to match is up in the air, however. Acer ships its Chromebase to Asia and North America in the second quarter of the year, but it hasn't divulged pricing just yet.
CyberPowerPC takes a second shot at Steam Machines
CyberPowerPC's original Steam Machine plans didn't amount to much (the company ultimately turned them into Windows boxes), but it's back again for another round. Its recently established Syber division has revealed that it will launch no less than six SteamOS computers this fall. The system builder isn't saying much about its new living room gaming rigs at the moment, but it'll give Game Developers Conference guests a sneak peek at three systems: the Mini, Mercury and Switch.
Lenovo strips some of the unwanted software from its PCs
Lenovo said it was rethinking its approach to pre-loaded software on PCs in the wake of the Superfish security fiasco, and it's now clear that the computer maker wasn't kidding around. It's promising that its home PC software bundles going forward will be limited to Windows, in-house apps and security software. The only exceptions will occur in certain countries, where some third-party apps are "customarily expected." That IdeaPad or Yoga won't be truly bloatware-free (that would limit you to Windows alone), but a lot of the annoying and potentially dangerous cruft will be gone. Just be prepared to wait a while before you see leaner, cleaner Lenovo computers. The system builder is starting to tidy things up right away, but its effort won't be in full swing until Windows 10 arrives.
AMD's next laptop processor is mostly about battery life
Intel isn't the only chip giant championing battery life over performance this year. AMD has revealed Carrizo, a processor range that's focused heavily on extending the running time of performance-oriented laptops. While there will be double-digit boosts to speed, there's no doubt that efficiency is the bigger deal here. The new core architecture (Excavator) is just 5 percent faster than its Kaveri ancestor, but it chews up 40 percent less energy at the same clock rate -- even the graphics cores use 20 percent less juice.
Lenovo wants cleaner software bundles to avoid security disasters
Lenovo was quick to stop preloading Superfish and clean up its immediate PC security problem, but what about preventing problems going forward? Well, you can relax a little -- the company is thinking about the long term. In an open letter, technical chief Peter Hortensius reveals that Lenovo is investigating a "wide range of options" to avoid software that poses a threat to your data. Among its choices are preloading a "cleaner" software bundle (definitely our pick) and consulting with both security experts and regular users to determine what programs it should use. The computer builder doesn't have a firm plan of action yet, but it's promising one by week's end -- while you probably won't see truly bloat-free Lenovo PCs, your next IdeaPad or Yoga should have a bit less cruft.
New video spec clears the way for 8K laptop screens
Think your 4K laptop or 5K iMac is hot stuff? If specification developers have their way, both will soon be old hat. The Video Electronics Standards Association has unveiled Embedded DisplayPort 1.4a, a new format that lets all-in-ones and laptops use 8K screens (7,680 x 4,320, if you want to be exact). The technology uses compression to squeeze more data into the video feed, and it can divide displays into two or four segments to help the pipeline cope with all those extra pixels.
