dell chromebook sends a clear signal

For a company that is moving aggressively towards a software and solutions focus, Dell is making a lot of noise with its new hardware.

At the Dell World conference in Austin, Texas, last week, it made yet another product announcements that signaled a reinforcement of its computer offerings. It unveiled its first Chromebook – a laptop using Google’s simplified Chrome OS operating system - targeted specifically at the education market in the United States and United Kingdom, and claiming 10 hours battery life.

The device follows the launch, in October, of two tablets – the Venue 7 and 8 – running Google’s Android operating system and a further two – the Venue Pro 8 and 11 – running on Microsoft Windows 8.1. And that’s just the beginning.

“We’re launching a lot more devices, a lot more form factors,” said Dell executive director of end-user computing, Margaret Franco in an interview. “How are all these devices making any sense? In this new world, it starts with the use case of the customer. By understanding the end user and the application of the device, you can marry the right device to the right customer.”

Combined with Dell’s growing software and services capability, the wide range of devices appears to make for a solution range rather than merely a device range. 

Franco concurs: “If you just had a bunch of devices, you couldn’t drive value. You have to have consulting services, build or outsource applications, and provide enterprise networking and storage infrastructure.

“Post Dell being privatised, our strategy hasn’t changed. I’ve been in end-user computing for a long time, and this is one of the more exciting times to be in this area. The death of the PC has been forecast, but if you look at computing resources for end user and include tablets, the market is actually growing. “

source: www.gadget.co

intel expands foundry service for outside chip designers

Intel plans to open up its small semiconductor foundry business to more companies as part of a major strategic overhaul under a new leadership team headed by CEO Brian Krzanich.

"We're going to go much further. If we can utilize our silicon to provide the best computing, we'll do that. People who can use our leading edge and build computing capabilities that are better than anyone else's, those are good candidates for our foundry service," Krzanich was quoted as saying by Reuters during the company's annual Analyst Day on Thursday.

Intel has traditionally utilized its state-of-the-art silicon fabrication facilities to manufacture its own x86-based microprocessors on a near-exclusive basis. But a few years ago, the chip giant started sending signals that it was considering selling its manufacturing services to other chip design firms. Early last year, Intel confirmed that it had been quietly offering semiconductor manufacturing services to third-party customers while bringing its state-of-the-art 22-nanometer fabs online.

This all occurred as the company's erstwhile bitterest rival, Advanced Micro Devices, spun off its own manufacturing assets and Intel found itself struggling to compete in the mobile device market with fabless companies like Qualcomm. At the same time, Intel watched as Samsung supplied Apple with foundry services for the chips in iPhones and iPads, even as the South Korean tech giant managed to also compete directly with Cupertino with Android-based handsets and tablets.