November 13, 2009
Windows XP on netbooks to lose life support?
The Register
Gavin Clarke writes why customers may not be able to buy new netbooks running Windows XP next year.
“Microsoft has committed to offering that operating system (Windows XP) for another year (but it) hopes – and expects – that shoppers will buy Windows 7 Home Premium instead. Shoppers’ buying choices will naturally be assisted by the fact Microsoft won’t be doing much to advertise the aging Windows XP – or even the new Windows 7 Starter Edition that OEMs can install on new PCs but that consumers could also be steered towards.”
Apple ranks 3rd in smartphones, nipping at RIMs heels
ZD Net
Robin Gareiss writes that according to research firm Gartner, Apple is in third place when it comes to global smartphone sales for this year’s third quarter.
“Apple’s 3Q09 smartphone sales totaled just over seven million units, commanding 17.1 per cent of the market. What’s more surprising is that Apple is just 1.5 million sales (about 21 per cent) behind Research In Motion (RIM). The second place Blackberry weighed in at 8.5 million units sold and almost 21 per cent of the market. Nokia continued to dominate the smartphone market in the third quarter with over 16 million units and a commanding 39.3 per cent of the market.”
Coming Soon: Free video conferencing from Google
ZD Net
Garett Rogers writes that according to Rishi Chandra, a Google Apps product manager, the company will introduce multi-user video conferencing within the next year.
“‘This [current Gmail capability] is the first step in a much broader set of features we hope to roll out over the next six to 12 months around video [and voice] chat capabilities,’ said Rishi Chandra, a Google Apps product manager. ‘It’s a great opportunity for us to push that space along.’”