Maximum PC pc RSS Feed

The 2009 PC Hit List: Apple's Secret Weapons

Paul Lilly — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:31:57 -0500

You might not realize it yet, but we're at war, and the enemy is closer than you think. While you're busy planning your next PC build and which Intel Core i7 processor you're going to pair with that swank X58 motherboard that supports both SLI and CrossFire, there's an entire regime behind the scenes at Apple plotting the company's next move. Will there be another assault of Mac commercials aimed at downplaying the recent "I'm a PC" retorts? Maybe another round of rumors will spark both interest and hype into what life is like on the 'other' side. Or perhaps we should be most fearful of Walter Mossbert of The Wall Street Journal and David Pogue of The New York Times, arguably two of the most influential Apple product testers who always end up playing with new Apple gear before everyone else.

Be warned, the imminent attacks won't come from a single a source, but all of the above and many more. That's the bad news. And the good news? Sister site MacLife.com has already identified the top 10 Apple influencers of 2009 and presented each one's bio in great detail. And as G.I. Joe taught us in multiple PSAs, "knowing is half the battle."

Are you prepared to have your PC allegiance tested? Get familiar with MacLife's list, then hit the jump to post your thoughts.

Dell Unveils the Inspiron Mini 12 Netbook

Pulkit Chandna — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:35:10 -0500

Dell has added the second product to its netbook lineup. The Dell Inspiron Mini 12 is now available in Japan, but will only appear on American store-shelves by the end of next month. The Inspiron Mini 12 is essentially a high-end netbook with its starting price nearly touching $600.

Although its name suggests that it is a netbook, its 12.1” screen – rather expansive for a netbook – tells a different story altogether. The Inspiron Mini 12 features an Intel Atom processor (1.3 GHz Z520 or 1.6GHz Z530), up to 80GB hard drive, 1 GB of RAM, Bluetooth and WiFi. It weighs 2.72 lbs and is less than 1 inch thick.

Amazon Enters Casual Games Market by Acquiring Reflexive Entertainment

Pulkit Chandna — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 04:28:29 -0500

Amazon has agreed to acquire casual web gaming company Reflexive Entertainment. The move marks the internet behemoth’s foray into casual gaming. Reflexive was constituted in 1997 and is stationed in Orange County, California. Reflexive is working on a game development and distribution service called Reflexive Arcade.

The Reflexive Arcade service will be restricted to only PC, Mac and web-based games. The true motivation behind this particular acquisition is not yet known. The two companies haven’t made the details of the transaction public.

New Apple Ads Take Direct Shot at Microsoft's $300 Milliion "I'm a PC" Campaign

Paul Lilly — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:35:29 -0500

While it seems most PC users got a kick out of watching Seinfeld inquire about the future of chewy computers and Bill Gates doing the robot, I've remained critical of Microsoft's $300 million ad campaign and have yet to be impressed with one of its commercials, including the "I'm a PC" segments currently being aired. By contrast, I found myself chuckling at Apple's initial round of ads, not because I thought they were accurate (they're not), but because they managed to throw humorous jabs without going for that impossible knockout punch. For those of you who follow baseball, it's like being a Red Sox fan (which I am) and tipping your hat at the Tampa Bay Rays for outplaying your team last night (which they did), even though you despise them (which I do).

But lest anyone accuse me of sleeping with the enemy (you know, those whiny Mac losers), let me go on record as saying that the new Mac ads suck too, and not just because I've developed an urge to want to punch Justin Long-in-the-tooth square in the face (I bet he's a Tampa Bay fan too, the smug bastard).

Hit the jump to read my beef with the new Mac ads.

How To: Control a PC and Mac with One Keyboard and Mouse

Alex Castle — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:00:17 -0500

We at Maximum PC remember a time, long ago, when having a dual-monitor setup was enough to establish some pretty serious nerd cred. These days, however, everyone and their grandma are playing World of Warcraft and checking their email at the same time on their two screens. So what’s a guy got to do to stand out from the pack? Here’s one idea: run two computers in tandem.

Synergy is a free, open source program that allows you two control two or more computers with a single keyboard and mouse. The linked computers behave as though they were simply different monitors in a traditional multi-monitor, single-computer setup. That is to say, if you drag the mouse off the left side of the right monitor, it appears on the left monitor, directing all keystrokes to that box. More impressively, Synergy synchronizes the two computers’ clipboards and even their screensavers.

July 2008: PC Hardware Hacks

The Maximum PC Staff — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:02:40 -0500

In the PDF archive of the July 2008 issue, you can find:

12 DIY Hardware Hacks
Budget Case Roundup
Midrange GPU Deathmatch
How To: Organize and Tag Your Videos
Awesome Product Reviews, including the excellent Thermaltake Duorb
Ask the Doctor
Rig of the Month
The Watchdog
And a whole lot more!

Click the big giant cover image to the right to download the PDF archive today!

Internal Page Divulges Precious Dell Studio Hybrid Details

Pulkit Chandna — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:55:19 -0500

Details about Dell’s Studio Hybrid mini PC are in dearth as the company is keeping everything under wraps and all information is coming through leaks and sketchy sources. Now Engadget is reporting that an internal customer service page carries precious little details about the diminutive PC. The Studio Hybrid mini PC is codenamed Nausicaa as a tribute to a Greek mythological character. The internal page has revealed that the Studio Hybrid will ship with a wireless mouse and keyboard. The report further hints – quoting anonymous sources - that the mini PC will come with an in-built Blu-ray drive and user-changeable color panels; and possibly hit store shelves in the next fortnight.

Gateway to Stop Selling PCs Online, Moves to Indirect Sales

Paul Lilly — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:51:59 -0500

Call it an end of an era or a move that was long overdue, but no matter how you label it, Gateway will soon stop selling PCs through its website. Instead, the company will transition to a 100 percent indirect sales model focusing exclusively on brick and mortar stores, e-tailers, and channel partners.

Gateway had struggled in previous years to compete with Dell and other OEMs, but their fortunes looked to change after Acer acquired the company last year for $710 million. The acquisition turned Acer into the world's third-largest PC vendor overnight, while also giving both companies a boost in the North American market.

In a press release, Gateway claims the change in its business model will "deliver significant cost savings, ultimately resulting in an improved value proposition for consumers." Exactly how much the company thinks it will save wasn't disclosed, nor was the amount of job cuts that would result from the shift away from online sales.