Uh-oh, Windows RT, Samsung's got second thoughts

LAS VEGAS--Microsoft launched Windows RT with grand ambitions only a few months ago, but CNET has learned the operating system is facing yet another setback.

This time it's Samsung having second thoughts about the computer software that runs on cellphone chips.

Mike Abary, the Samsung senior vice president who oversees the company's PC and tablet businesses in the U.S., told CNET today at the Consumer Electronics Show that the Korean electronics giant won't be launching its Qualcomm-powered Windows RT device in the U.S. It's unclear what the company's plans are for the non-U.… Read more

HP tops Lenovo in lackluster PC market

HP is still the top dog in computer sales around the world, at least according to IDC. But those sales continue to plummet.

Released today, IDC's Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker pegged fourth-quarter global PC shipments at 89.8 million units, down 6.4 percent from the same quarter in 2011.

The drop was actually worse than IDC's forecast of 4.4 percent and marked the first time the industry saw a year-on-year decline during the holiday season. For 2012 as a whole, PC shipments were down by 3.2 percent.

Windows 8 officially launched at the end of … Read more

HP's Windows 8 launches 'muted,' says analyst

LAS VEGAS--Hewlett-Packard's Windows 8 launches were "mixed" and "muted," according to a research note from RBC Capital Markets analyst Amit Daryanani.

"HP noted Win8 launches were mixed/muted but should improve in H2:13," Daryanani wrote in a research note sent out yesterday, referring to the second half of 2013.

Daryanani met with HP at CES in Las Vegas, according to the note.

He continued: "HP is focused on mid/high-end of the market as they don't see profit opportunity in low-end. Focused on growing China market share (opened a design … Read more

Panasonic pushes prototype pixels: 4K Windows 8 tablet

LAS VEGAS--Panasonic is ready to go to the next level in PC and tablet resolution. Is anyone else?

Ultra HD/4K televisions blanket this year's Consumer Electronics Show like freshly fallen snow, but Panasonic is standing alone demonstrating 4K technology in a personal computer. The company's 4K tablet prototype on display at its booth has a ridiculous 3,840x2,560-pixel resolution and 230 pixels per inch packed into a 20-inch IPS LED-backlit LCD display.

The 15-inch Retina Display MacBook Pro has a 2,880x1,880-pixel resolution at 220 ppi. There isn't a 20-inch display currently in a … Read more

Windows 8 licenses hit 60M mark

Microsoft officials said the company has sold 60 million Windows 8 licenses to date.

Tammi Reller, chief financial and chief marketing officer for Windows, shared the data at the JP Morgan Tech Forum at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas today.

That 60 million figure includes "sell in to OEMs for new PCs" and upgrades, said Reller. She didn't explicitly cite whether the figure also includes any Enterprise Agreement/volume license sales.

"Windows 8 is a big, ambitious change," Reller acknowledged. She reiterated that Windows 8 sales are roughly in line with Windows 7 … Read more

Windows RT hack? Don't sweat it, Microsoft says

Windows RT can be hacked to run unsigned desktop apps, but Microsoft sees no reason to worry.

As described yesterday, the hack allows someone with a certain amount of savvy to change code in the Windows RT kernel so the tablet-based OS can run desktop apps. Officially, the only desktop programs that Windows RT supports are Microsoft's own Internet Explorer and Office suite. Otherwise, the OS can run only Windows Store apps.

But the hack isn't geared for the average Windows RT user.

Besides requiring the necessary programming chops, the hack can only change code in memory. So … Read more

Dropbox rolls out Windows 8 app

Dropbox users running Windows 8 or Windows RT can now access their online files right from the Start screen.

The new and free Dropbox app for Windows 8 displays tiles for all of the folders and files stored in your online account. The app offers the usual touch-friendly approach, so you can swipe and tap your way around the screen to view your files.

Using the Search Charm, you can search for specific files by name or extension. You can right-click a file, open the Share Charm, and share the file via e-mail or a social network. And you can … Read more

Windows RT hacked to run unsigned desktop apps

Microsoft's Windows RT can apparently run unsigned desktops app with a little bit of hacking.

In a blog posted yesterday, a hacker dubbed clrokr described how he was able to change a value in the Windows RT kernel to bypass certain restrictions set up by Microsoft. The blog details how clrokr tracked down the right value to open up the types of apps that RT can run. And it includes his code for other enterprising hackers.

The specific value can't be permanently altered on devices enabled with Secure Boot, but it can be changed in memory. As a … Read more

Maybe Microsoft should have shown up to CES 2013

LAS VEGAS--It's getting more popular for companies to bail on the Consumer Electronics Show, but at least one should reconsider: Microsoft.

When the Las Vegas gadget conference kicks off this week, it will be missing the longtime CES presenter that declared 2012 to be its last hurrah at the show.

Microsoft doesn't really need CES to get attention for its products, but the company should have stuck it out one more year. Sure, the show is big and noisy and expensive, but Microsoft is trying to turn itself into a major computer hardware vendor with its Surface tablet. … Read more