Windows 8 Total Fail

from Greg
Microsoft announced at CES they they are releasing Windows 9 in 2015 due to significantly poor reviews of Windows 8 and slow acceptance from commercial customers. HP has highlighted the problem by offering a line of Windows 7 computers. The Windows 8 operating system is actually hurting HP's computer sales. The computers run $480 to $999 which includes a $150 price reduction.

from Business Insider
Read the full story HERE
This weekend HP brought in a blast from the past in an attempt to boost its PC sales.

Windows 7.

In promotional material on its website and email blasts, HP says it'll start shipping PCs with Windows 7 again due to "popular demand." And that's not a good sign for Microsoft, which still bets that its touch-based Windows 8 operating system will reinvigorate the PC market.

Many agree that one of the contributing factors to the PC market's implosion is Windows 8, which can be hard to operate on the traditional desktops and laptops that many people still use. Despite manufacturer's best attempts, PC sales continue to decline year over year. In fact, 2013 was the worst year for PC sales, according to research firm Gartner.

Meanwhile, there are a slew of other options for people to choose from, including Chromebooks, the cheap laptops that run Google's Chrome operating system. Chromebooks are gaining momentum with customers, causing Microsoft to launch some very negative ads. HP has started making a bigger push in Chromebooks too.


Finally, Microsoft is reportedly working on a new version of Windows called Windows 9 that will fix many of the gripes people have with Windows 8. We'll likely get a tiny preview of Windows 9 at Microsoft's Build developers conference in April.


from HP
Read about the deal HERE.
Back by Popular Demand


Featuring genuine Windows 7 Home Premium for a familiar and intuitive environment.


All-around perfect fit
With convenient expandability options, the HP Pavilion 500 is the versatile PC that grows as your needs do. With a sharp, modern design, it fits seamlessly anywhere you put it. Top that off with powerful performance, strong graphics, and generous storage, and you’ve found your ideal PC.

Proven and powerful
Choose the latest Intel processors and multitask across more programs—including your favorite immersive games, HD3 videos, and photo editing software. Enjoy smooth and seamless life-like gaming with NVIDIA discrete graphics, or choose AMD ultra-high performance graphics for a thrilling experience. The options are yours.


Internal specs
Operating system
Windows 7 Home Premium 64

Processor
4th Generation Intel® Core™ i3-4130 processor dual-core [3.4GHz, 3MB Shared Cache]
4th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-4570 processor quad-core [3.2GHz, 6MB Shared Cache]

Memory
8GB DDR3-1600MHz [1 DIMM ]
10GB DDR3-1600 MHz [2 DIMM ]
2 DIMM

Hard drive
1TB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
2TB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
3TB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive

Graphics
Intel HD Graphics [DVI-D]
1GB Nvidia GeForce GT625[HDMI,DVI,VGA via adapter]
1GB AMD Radeon R5 235 [DVI, HDMI, DVI to AVG Dongle]

Optical drive
SuperMulti DVD Burner
Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner

Wireless technologies
802.11a/g/n; Bluetooth

Networking
Wireless-N LAN and Bluetooth (1x1)
Premium Wireless-N LAN card and Bluetooth(R )(2x2)

Ports
4 USB 3.0; 4 USB 2.0; 1 headphone; 1 microphone
3 PCIe x1; 1 PCIe x16; 1 mini PCIe x1
7-in-1 memory card reader

Related articles

• AMD Develops Behemoth Chip with Sixteen Cores on Single Die
• Microsoft Is Going To Try And Save The Imploding PC Market With Another New Version Of Windows
• Windows 9 could see a complete 180, return to glory days
• Microsoft employees reportedly call Windows 8 'the new Vista'

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What is a Chromebook?

from Greg
A Chromebook is a computer that runs entirely on Chrome the Google browser / operating system. No Windows or Mac operating system is installed. It backs up files onto the cloud instead of on a local hard drive. While this makes your data much more secure it also makes the laptop highly dependent on an internet connection.

Chromebooks may become more mainstream in the future as all software moves to the web. Right now they are best for students on wired campuses and rural or low income families that cannot get internet access wired to their homes.

Users must rely on online tools such as Google Drive and Microsoft Office Online to create documents. With the explosion in web based software there is no shortage of good (and often free) tools to use.

The laptops have good technical specs but it won't run Windows or Mac software out of the box. If you spend all your time on the web consider one. If you need specialty software (e.g. graphic design, video editing, playing high end games) then you need to get something different.

from HP and Google
Chromebooks are a unique class of mobile computing devices, designed specifically for Web-based tasks. They differ from traditional laptops in a few important ways:

Chromebooks run Web-based apps, not traditional PC applications.
Chromebooks are designed to be connected to the Internet. You can create documents and spreadsheets or edit photos on a Chromebook using Google apps designed for these purposes. The Chrome operating system will not load and run traditional PC software like Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop. However, files created in these applications can be viewed and edited using Google apps on your Chromebook or cloud-based applications like Microsoft’s Office web apps.

You store your files in the Cloud, not on the machine. To help make them thin and light, Chromebooks are built without large-capacity drives. So instead of storing your documents, videos, and photos on your computer, you save them to Google Drive (Google's Cloud-based storage service). Your files are password-protected and secure, and you can access them anywhere there's an Internet connection. If you know you'll want access to a file or photo offline, however, you can easily save it to the built-in solid-state drive.

Everything you need in one laptop. Clever touches like an extra bright screen and a charger that also works with your Android phone are designed to keep up with the things you do every day.

Relax with your favorite music, write a report using Google Docs, or put the finishing touches on a family video. Your Chromebook has 6 hours of battery life, slips easily into a bag or purse, and weighs just over 2 pounds – so it’s equally comfortable at home or keeping up with the things you do everyday.*

Chromebook starts in seconds, so you can go straight to playing or working (if you have to). Unlike traditional computers, Chromebook updates itself automatically so it doesn’t slow down over time. Browse the web at lightning speed with features like Chrome Instant and the Chrome Omnibox.

Video chats are loud and clear on digitally-tuned speakers. YouTube videos shine on the brilliant screen. And 100GB of free Google Drive storage safely stores all your stuff.** Your favorite Google apps are built-in, and there are lots of other apps available for free on the Chrome Web Store.

Your Chromebook is probably easier than any computer you’ve ever used – there’s no clutter, no waiting, and no nagging. It uses the same charger as most Android phones, starts up in seconds, and automatically stays up-to-date without interrupting you.


Tech Specs
Screen
11.6" IPS display with 16:9 aspect ratio
1366 x 768 pixel resolution
60% color gamut
300 nit screen
Wide viewing angle (176 degree)

Inputs
Chrome keyboard
Fine-tuned, clickable touchpad
VGA webcam
Ports
Two USB 2.0 ports
MicroUSB for 15.75W charging and SlimPort video output
Industrial Design
Magnesium chassis for strength
White with a blue accent color
Silent, fanless design
No visible screws, vents, or speakers

Size
297 x 192 x 17.6mm (not including feet)
Weight
2.30lb / 1.04kg

CPU
Exynos 5250 GAIA Application Processor

Memory
2GB (4x 4Gbit) DDR3 RAM
16GB Solid State Drive

Audio
Combined headphone / microphone jack
Digitally-tuned speakers with sound directed up through the keyboard

Battery
Your Chromebook has up to 6 hours of active use (30 Wh battery)*

Network
Dual-band WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0

Goodies
100 GB Google Drive cloud storage, free for two years**
60-day free trial with Google Play Music All Access, and $9.99 per month after that***
12 free sessions of GoGo Inflight Internet****

Related articles

• Tech Outlook: Chromebooks
• Why Microsoft's Scroogled Ads Are Wrong About Chromebooks
• Google's Chromebooks Now Account for nearly a Quarter of all Notebook Sales
• Putting Chromebook Sales in Proper Perspective

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