[PCWorld]

Post your comments for 5 PC industry omens hidden in Intel's financial statements here

[ReadandShare]

Of course the PC isn't dead. PC stands for Personal Computer -- and the computer has gotten increasingly personal.

1980's - a desktop seemed pretty darn personal when compared to a room-size mainframes and banks of dumb terminals.

1990's - a laptop you could easily carry anywhere seemed even more personal than a desktop -- esp. when connected via wifi (or phone plan).

2000's to now - PC is now a phone computer or a pocket computer -- and truly personal.

So regarding form change, the author is absolutely correct: it's always been the personal computer -- just ever more personal.

[scoundrel]

Quote

Of course the PC isn't dead. PC stands for Personal Computer -- and the computer has gotten increasingly personal. 1980's - a desktop seemed pretty darn personal when compared to a room-size mainframes and banks of dumb terminals. 1990's - a laptop you could easily carry anywhere seemed even more personal than a desktop -- esp. when connected via wifi (or phone plan). 2000's to now - PC is now a phone computer or a pocket computer -- and truly personal. So regarding form change, the author is absolutely correct: it's always been the personal computer -- just ever more personal.

What you're describing is that the computer is becoming more "individual", we're in closer contact, it goes to more places with us, etc. But as long as someone needs to approve whether you're allowed to use an app (or not) it simply can't be "personal".

[melgross]

This author, like others, has to get off the horse of believing everything a company says. Just because Intel says that these hybrids will be selling in large numbers doesn't mean that they actually will.

Intel, and others, stated that Ultrabooks would sell well in 2012, but they did poorly, coming in at about 25% of predictions.

While the "PC" industry isn't dead, it's definitely in decline. Predictions of sales have been wrong for several years now, always coming in below expectations. That may happen again this year. Remember that it was predicted that during this past holiday quarter, Win 8 would give a healthy boost to PC sales, rather than the 5-6% decline that actually occurred.

[ronin7752]

Not surprising that Intel is betting on "high-end" future sales. They must also know that M$ has no *intentions* of backing off the designed-for-touchscreen-and-crippled-for-mouse-and-keyboard commitment to Win 8 and the Metro UI.

Based on the reactions I'm seeing to Win 8 -- both companies are in for a surprise.

[adholt]

Ronin, what reactions are you seeing? I see people picking up Win8 and loving the way it works. Maybe you dont like Win8 but there are plenty of others that want touchscreens that want a truly touch enabled OS. The adoption rate will be slower but the use of smartphones and tablets require that Windows be more touch friendly and it is that. Hate all you want but Win8 is the beginning of a new era in PC's.

[karthiq]

1) Intel should spend some of those billions on its gpu research which is behind amd's in performance.

2) Global economic conditions should also be taken into account when predicting/hoping for future sales

3) It should also invest more into ssd research and development to explore ways to drive its cost furthur down.. When consumers spend around 1000 dollars they expect ssd's in computers, not hybrid drives.

[max999]

Quote

ronin7752 said:
Not surprising that Intel is betting on "high-end" future sales. They must also know that M$ has no intentions of backing off the designed-for-touchscreen-and-crippled-for-mouse-and-keyboard commitment to Win 8 and the Metro UI. Based on the reactions I'm seeing to Win 8 -- both companies are in for a surprise.

I agree! Windows 8 is hurting desktop PC/Laptop sales. Win8 is the dumbest thing Microsoft has ever done. No correction ram down PC users throats!!!

[KLanD]

Quote

Of course the PC isn't dead. PC stands for Personal Computer -- and the computer has gotten increasingly personal. 1980's - a desktop seemed pretty darn personal when compared to a room-size mainframes and banks of dumb terminals. 1990's - a laptop you could easily carry anywhere seemed even more personal than a desktop -- esp. when connected via wifi (or phone plan). 2000's to now - PC is now a phone computer or a pocket computer -- and truly personal. So regarding form change, the author is absolutely correct: it's always been the personal computer -- just ever more personal. What you're describing is that the computer is becoming more "individual", we're in closer contact, it goes to more places with us, etc. But as long as someone needs to approve whether you're allowed to use an app (or not) it simply can't be "personal".

Who's approving whether or not you can use an app? Are you referring to Apple? If so you do have a choice. Apple or Jailbreak and do whatever you want.

[Bumptious]

"the old Wintel homogeny"

Hegemony?

[brainout]

ronin7752, on 18 January 2013 - 07:32 PM, said:

Not surprising that Intel is betting on "high-end" future sales. They must also know that M$ has no *intentions* of backing off the designed-for-touchscreen-and-crippled-for-mouse-and-keyboard commitment to Win 8 and the Metro UI.

Based on the reactions I'm seeing to Win 8 -- both companies are in for a surprise.

You bet! Since MS is tyrannizing us with its Hitlerian OS, and Intel is tyrannizing us with its soldered-processor-to-motherboards, I'm getting the computers I'll need until death, right now. So I don't ever have to buy another OS or machine from either of them again.

I hope AMD doesn't join the 'brave new world' those two dingdongs envision. Future OS is Linux, and the software suddenly becoming attractive to write for it; Future hardware is anyone who won't solder the processor to the mobo. Freedom has to be fought, and we fight by NOT BUYING what tyrants sell.

[Grahamf]

I'm pretty sure that Haswell is an optimized 22nm chip, while it's successor Broadwell is the 14nm die shrink.

[krblanco]

Of course the PC isn't dead and nay to anyone who says so. Rather, if anything, the PC has/is falling victim to diversification in that everything has become smaller and more portable if not outright mobile. PC's are still the goto heavy lifters for business and personal work, try creating a PowerPoint presentation like I just did but try it on a tablet instead of a PC. The market if anything is sorting itself out amongst what device is best suited to what situation. But the PC, and those nameless internet servers, will always be the backbone of the computing world.

[krblanco]

If the computing world wants PC sales to grow, they should make PC's for the common man. Sure, they're will always be those that want some uber PC or laptop and there will be those that outright have an actual need. But does the common man really need an uber-machine? A few years ago I went laptop shopping and genuienly thought about going Apple, until I saw that the starting price for a 10'' laptop was $999.00. I'm a lite PC user and in no way could justify a $1000.00 laptop. So I bought the second teir Acer for less than $500.00 bucks. It may run Vista, say what you will but I've not had any problems with my OS, but it actually comes reasonably nicely equiped and does everything I want it to do and does it well. I suspect if things were "inexpensive" realitive speaking, then people wouldn't hold on to their devices for so long.

[KLanD]

brainout, on 20 January 2013 - 08:07 AM, said:

ronin7752, on 18 January 2013 - 07:32 PM, said:

Not surprising that Intel is betting on "high-end" future sales. They must also know that M$ has no *intentions* of backing off the designed-for-touchscreen-and-crippled-for-mouse-and-keyboard commitment to Win 8 and the Metro UI.

Based on the reactions I'm seeing to Win 8 -- both companies are in for a surprise.

You bet! Since MS is tyrannizing us with its Hitlerian OS, and Intel is tyrannizing us with its soldered-processor-to-motherboards, I'm getting the computers I'll need until death, right now. So I don't ever have to buy another OS or machine from either of them again.

I hope AMD doesn't join the 'brave new world' those two dingdongs envision. Future OS is Linux, and the software suddenly becoming attractive to write for it; Future hardware is anyone who won't solder the processor to the mobo. Freedom has to be fought, and we fight by NOT BUYING what tyrants sell.

MS..Hitlerian OS..? Soldered components..

Ever heard of Apple?

[KLanD]

krblanco, on 20 January 2013 - 11:32 PM, said:

If the computing world wants PC sales to grow, they should make PC's for the common man. Sure, they're will always be those that want some uber PC or laptop and there will be those that outright have an actual need. But does the common man really need an uber-machine? A few years ago I went laptop shopping and genuienly thought about going Apple, until I saw that the starting price for a 10'' laptop was $999.00. I'm a lite PC user and in no way could justify a $1000.00 laptop. So I bought the second teir Acer for less than $500.00 bucks. It may run Vista, say what you will but I've not had any problems with my OS, but it actually comes reasonably nicely equiped and does everything I want it to do and does it well. I suspect if things were "inexpensive" realitive speaking, then people wouldn't hold on to their devices for so long.

They tried this.. they were called Netbooks.