The return of the EeePC with Linux (Ubuntu)

While Microsoft makes more efforts to assist manufacturers of netbooks to offer not expensive machines, they turned, in the image of Asus, to Linux.

The first EeePC of Asus had sold equipped with a Linux OS, before that the netbook market is overwhelmingly on Windows. However, Asus intends to return to his first love, and prepares a new EeePC Linux.

It must be said that Microsoft is completely disinterested market laptop to pas cher, very occupied by Windows 8 and Windows RT. The editor offers indeed most version of Windows at low prices to the manufacturers of these computers. At the time, those who do not want to increase their prices feel free solutions and Linux.

It is made by Asus with the EeePC 1015CX. In the program, screen 10.1 "in 1024 x 600 pixels, Atom N2600, 2 GB RAM and 320 GB hard drive. All for 1.25 Kg and the dimensions of 26.2 x 17.8 x 2.5 cm, sold less than €230 with the Ubuntu distribution.

The EeePC 1015CX left and on the right the 1225C...

Note that a second model EeePC Ubuntu will be also proposed to Asus, probably a little later. Sold from €299 and known as the EeePC 1225C reference, it will be in the format 11.6 "in 1366 x 768 pixels and may have an Atom N2800 with a 500 GB hard drive. Its weight will vary between 1.33 and 1.45 Kg with the onboard battery.

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Hard drives: the return to a mass production in Thailand will take time

Digitimes Research table on a resumption of intensive production in Thailand to the beginning of the second quarter of 2012, and as soon as early January as some believed.

Everyone knows that the floods in Thailand had a strong impact on the delivery of the hard drives, in fact increasing the rates of these parts. If production chains are distributed on the whole, the climate catastrophe caused a net loss on sales of the fourth quarter, reflected in the figures of Intel.

Several sources suggest that the return to a normal production in the stricken region will be next February. Assemblers, living on their stocks, are able to maintain production as with almost 20 million disks on their shelves. Western Digital HDD parts manufacturers, think able to return to 70% of their production capacity for March 2012, three months after the scheduled date. Although it should be remembered that WD is a case apart and is the most affected by the Thai floods.

Hard disk production table according to Digitimes Research

On the second quarter, Digitimes Research estimates that manufacturers will be able to ensure the production of 165 million units, or only a million units less the demand. To catch up and redo stock, production units out half a million additional hard disks for the third and fourth quarters of 2012.

Concerning the prices of these products, from our information and contrary to the chart, the first quarter of 2012 will not really good season for the purchase of hard drives, and it is likely that resellers will be able to revise downward the rates from mid-2012, even if stocks are not yet fully back. Of course, these estimates will be subject to evolution with what actually happens in manufacturing of hard drives.

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Microsoft: the return of Bill Gates?

Unconfirmed seem to indicate the return of Bill Gates to Microsoft controls. Hard to believe...

Yarn needle, the site Fortune predicted the return of Bill Gates as CEO of Microsoft... even if this is more than the fantasy of shareholders than anything else. They would indeed that the current President and CEO of the company leaves office at the earliest, hoping to revise upwards the current course of action that stagnant for too long to their liking.

Difficult however to believe a return to Bill Gates, well engaged in its foundation in the company of his wife. Knowing more continued to be part of Board of Directors, participating thus to the main decisions taken in the company of Redmond. For example we learned recently that it was he who had sealed the fate of the Courier tablet.

For or against the removal of Steve Ballmer? It is rather this question wants under hear Fortune. On the one hand, the multiple predictions or unforgettable phrases at the climb make him a CEO who is not deemed as sighted the future of the company. On the other, Windows 7 or Kinect are success stories that indicate that it is able to manoeuvre the ship in the right direction. Steve Ballmer could finally play its place with Windows 8 and the revolution that he intends to carry out, both in terms of interface and compatibility...

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The return of Art Lebedev with a keyboard to €750

A keyboard mode in Art Lebedev Christmas tree, available in preorder for the modest sum of €750.

Since the time that we talk about the projects of Art Lebedev OLED Keyboard, it had to be that this model with all the keys which change the configuration and the use of the computer so. Hence the principle that "when you love, it is not", this Russian design studio is therefore for the load with this Optimus Popularis after have presented us the Optimus Keyboard mini mini Six this summer.

                    

False joy. In fact one presented above, it is the Tactus, still in the concept phase. But it takes and we could not show you.

The true keyboard Optimus Popularis, presented below, and available in pré-commande for €750, is a little more simple.... Each key on the keyboard has a mini-écran LCD (and not OLED) to display different combinations of selected keys, all being fully configurable via the application available for Windows and Mac. If developers, graphic designers and players could use it to display the icons of their favorite shortcuts, Art Lebedev says that this keyboard also allows to display the alphabet of choice and the layout that goes with. In short, a keyboard happening everywhere and is able to meet all expectations. A beautiful gift for wealthy geeks...

          

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Microsoft/Yahoo: the return of the rumour of the repurchase

Sources close to Microsoft indicate that the buyout of Yahoo is considered.

Microsoft and Yahoo, it has become the story of a great partnership expected to still see the fruits, which recently cost the place of Carol Bartz, CEO of Yahoo dismissed for his lack of results. But before this, strained relations with buyout attempts, it was a little "I love you, me no more". One particularly recalls that in 2008, Microsoft went very far in its intentions of buyout of Yahoo, without that operation results.

And that's that Reuters relaunches the rumor by publishing a dispatch which cites sources very close and in which the Agency says that the possibility of a takeover is currently evaluated at Microsoft. A buyout that would split internally, between those who feel that Microsoft should spend its billions of dollars in a structure showing better growth, and those who see great opportunities of development.

Finally, Reuters said that Microsoft is not the only giant to be interested in a takeover of Yahoo. Indeed, Chinese Alibaba (which Yahoo is a shareholder of 33%) would be interested, like the Russian Digital Sky Technologies Fund. During this time, some relatives of Microsoft disclaim the rumor, explaining that Microsoft does not seek to buy Yahoo, but mainly to obtain assurance of the future stability of the portal, in view of the ongoing partnership with him. Remains that the idea of the sale of Yahoo appears to be its long way...

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