computing

Think the PC industry is due for a resurgence in the near future? Think again, says analyst firm IDC. In a new report, IDC researchers predict the PC market will see a staggering decline in sales over the remainder of 2013. IDC had originally ... predicted a modest 1.3 per cent decline in sales for 2013, followed by slight rebounds in the following years. But then we learned about first quarter sales. PC manufacturers shipped just 76.3 million units in the first months of 2013, down an astounding 13.9 per cent from the same period in 2012. Of the world's top five PC vendors, only Lenovo avoided a ... (view more)

Microsoft has released a new tool to help scientists and other researchers access the power of cloud computing . Project Daytona could help them analyze data in a more efficient and affordable manner. Cloud System Uses Decentralized Computing The ... project builds on Microsoft's could-based Windows Azure system. That doesn't simply mean storing information online, but also using remote computers to carry out tasks. Cloud computing can range from relatively simple tasks, such as accessing email on services such as Hotmail, to more complex tasks, such as the way some websites run through databases ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader 'feckinbricks' writes: " Dear Dennis I am trying to find a program for a friend who cannot read or write in order to assist him in being able to use his computer -- and maybe even have the program teach him some skills in the ... process. He loves his computer but can not use it to the capacity that he would like to. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! " My response: Great question. There are two things that are universal when using a computer for literate and non-literate users: and that is it requires (and provides) both input and output in order ... (view more)

The mainframe computer, thought by many to be the equivalent of a "cyber-dinosaur", is not extinct yet. IBM is introducing a new one, the IBM Z10, a far faster computer with a much larger capacity than any of its IBM predecessors. According to IBM, ... the mainframe computer heralds a big step forward in high-performance, energy-efficient computing. (Source: nytimes.com ) At one time, PC manufacturers were quick to compare the performance of individual PCs, or clusters of PCs, to mainframes. The idea was that mainframes were big and expensive while PCs were small, and inexpensive. Now, IBM has ... (view more)