channel | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Wed, 21 Jul 2021 15:57:01 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png channel | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Zalman CNPS10X Performa Black CPU cooler warranty extended in UK https://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/matthew-wilson/zalman-cnps10x-performa-black-cpu-cooler-warranty-extended-in-uk/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/matthew-wilson/zalman-cnps10x-performa-black-cpu-cooler-warranty-extended-in-uk/#respond Wed, 21 Jul 2021 15:57:01 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=524075 Earlier this week, we reviewed the brand new CNPS10X Performa Black, the latest CPU cooler from Zalman. While we had positive takeaways from our performance testing, we were a little let down by the 12 month warranty. As it turns out, the UK distributor for this CPU cooler is now offering a longer two-year warranty. …

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Earlier this week, we reviewed the brand new CNPS10X Performa Black, the latest CPU cooler from Zalman. While we had positive takeaways from our performance testing, we were a little let down by the 12 month warranty. As it turns out, the UK distributor for this CPU cooler is now offering a longer two-year warranty.

Here in the UK, the Zalman CNPS10X Performa Black is distributed to retailers through VIP. While initially the cooler was listed with a 12-month warranty, VIP has committed to a two-year warranty for all Zalman CPU coolers following our review.

So what does this mean for you as a customer? Well, if anything goes wrong with your cooler, you should be able to get support through the retailer you purchased from for a longer period of time, which is good news all around.

Unfortunately, the CNPS10X Performa Black is not in stock at UK retailers just yet, but it should be available starting from next month. In the meantime, you can find our full review, HERE.

KitGuru Says: How important is warranty length to you when shopping for new PC hardware?

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The UK’s average sale price for PCs has risen by 30% in the last year https://www.kitguru.net/channel/matthew-wilson/the-uks-average-sale-price-for-pcs-has-risen-by-30-in-the-last-year/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/matthew-wilson/the-uks-average-sale-price-for-pcs-has-risen-by-30-in-the-last-year/#comments Fri, 22 Sep 2017 12:14:32 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=347343 We have seen plenty of companies raise their prices following Britain's EU referendum last year. With that in mind, it should come as no surprise to hear that the average trade price of PCs in the UK has shot up by almost a third in the year following. However, there are a few other factors …

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We have seen plenty of companies raise their prices following Britain's EU referendum last year. With that in mind, it should come as no surprise to hear that the average trade price of PCs in the UK has shot up by almost a third in the year following. However, there are a few other factors also at play.

According to data collected by analyst CONTEXT and shared by The Register, the average sale price for desktops, notebooks and workstations reached £480 in July and August. This is a 30 percent bump from those same months last year.

Note: This is just a generic picture used for illustration purposes. 

The weaker pound will play a part here but it isn't the only cause for a rise in average sale price. CONTEXT believes the currency issue has “had the biggest impact” but component shortages, fewer sales to retailers and a shift to higher-spec PCs will also play a role.

Over the last 12 months, there has been a major shortage in DRAM and NAND components, which has had an impact on pricing. Beyond that, the pound sterling is weaker against the US dollar now compared to before the referendum, acting as another factor. This isn't the biggest surprise though, as the likes of Dell, Apple, Microsoft and Lenovo have all raised prices in the last year.

KitGuru Says: PCs aren't the only things going up in price at the moment. We have also seen game companies like Blizzard and Riot raise prices, as well as smartphone companies like OnePlus. 

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CeBIT: Thermaltake shows off new cases https://www.kitguru.net/channel/matthew-wilson/cebit-thermaltake-shows-off-new-cases/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/matthew-wilson/cebit-thermaltake-shows-off-new-cases/#respond Tue, 15 Mar 2016 21:31:38 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=287159 CeBIT is under way this week and our man on the ground, Leo Waldock, has been reporting back to us with his interesting findings. Today, he popped by the Thermaltake booth to take a look at two of their new cases, the Core W and the Core X31. While the Core W has been shown …

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CeBIT is under way this week and our man on the ground, Leo Waldock, has been reporting back to us with his interesting findings. Today, he popped by the Thermaltake booth to take a look at two of their new cases, the Core W and the Core X31.

P5020149

While the Core W has been shown before at previous trade shows, the front panel has now changed and the price is set to sit at around 400 Euros, making it a fairly expensive buy. However, Thermaltake has the distribution network to make its case widely available, which means it could be a good option for those that don't want to import.

Thermaltake

The Core X31 system comes with three RGB ring fans and a control box for them. The lighting is also compatible with ASUS Aura we have been told though there is no official affiliation between the two brands.

KitGuru Says: Be sure to stay tuned for more CeBIT coverage! 

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BBC Three is now online only https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/bbc-three-is-now-online-only/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/bbc-three-is-now-online-only/#comments Tue, 16 Feb 2016 11:25:09 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=284435 BBC Three has ended its run as a traditional TV channel and is now officially an online only destination. To celebrate the end of its 13 year run on TV, the channel broadcast some of its most popular shows, including Family Guy and the Mighty Boosh among others. BBC Three will now showcase new and …

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BBC Three has ended its run as a traditional TV channel and is now officially an online only destination. To celebrate the end of its 13 year run on TV, the channel broadcast some of its most popular shows, including Family Guy and the Mighty Boosh among others. BBC Three will now showcase new and old programming on Youtube and through the official BBC Three platform, known as the Daily Drop.

Started in 2003 to replace BBC Choice with a better service for younger viewers, BBC Three has always aimed at a viewerbase of 16-34 year olds. It's also fostered new talent and acted as an alternative destination for viewers unhappy with programming on the likes of BBC One and Two.

However with a younger audience comes changing times, and as younger viewers today tend to watch most of their content on-demand and online, BBC Three was considered for the chopping block as part of cost saving measures. It's thought that it could save upwards of £30 million a year to make the channel online only and there are still many plans for the types of original programming fans are used to.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkqhKUUoqmU']

That didn't stop them trying to save it though. A petition to stop the transfer raised upwards of 300,000 signatures, but it was largely ignored by the BBC.

Moving forward, many popular past series like Little Britain and Gavin and Stacey will be available in their entirety on demand, much like Netflix and similar services. It will also release around four hours of new, original content per week through the various channels, mixing up short films, documentaries, comedy shows and sports updates.

The new BBC Three ventures will continue to focus on a younger audience, but is largely seen as an experiment by the BBC. With audiences moving more and more towards on-demand programming, if it can cut back on the amount it shows on traditional channels, but maintain a viewing audience, it could well make big savings through online-only platforms.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: BBC Three certainly makes sense being an online only destination. The millennial generation it targets (and younger) are far less interested in TV than the generations before them. How much live TV do you spend time watching? Personally, I don't think I've watched anything with adverts for years.

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Intel’s building channel inventory could impact future sales – analyst https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/anton-shilov/intels-building-channel-inventory-could-impact-future-sales-analyst/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/anton-shilov/intels-building-channel-inventory-could-impact-future-sales-analyst/#comments Wed, 05 Nov 2014 02:58:26 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=220329 Intel Corp. has been reporting strong financial results this year since it gained market share from Advanced Micro Devices, enjoyed increased sales of corporate PCs and introduced rather competitive products for various market segments. However, the success of Intel’s products could also has its disadvantage: since the company is boosting inventory in the channel, this may impact …

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Intel Corp. has been reporting strong financial results this year since it gained market share from Advanced Micro Devices, enjoyed increased sales of corporate PCs and introduced rather competitive products for various market segments. However, the success of Intel’s products could also has its disadvantage: since the company is boosting inventory in the channel, this may impact its future sales.

It is normal for chipmakers to build channel inventory in the first half of the year and then sell it in the second half of the year. According to Stacy Rasgon, an analyst with Bernstein Research, the situation with Intel this year is somewhat atypical since inventory build in the first half of 2014 was not followed by channel inventory drain in the second half of the year. The world’s largest chipmaker sells microprocessors at a rate that surpasses sales of PCs, thus continues to build up inventory in the channel.

intel_core_pentium_devil_s_canyon_lga1150_haswell

“Far from draining channel inventory in 2H14, Intel’s Q3 results and implied Q4 outlook suggest channel inventories will continue to build into the second half of the year, an event we have not seen in years and years,” said Ms. Rasgon in a note to clients, reports Tech Trader Daily. “This is not necessarily inconsistent with Intel’s own statements (they have indicated they are replenishing the channel in front of a “normal” consumer sell-through season).”

If sales of personal computers during the holiday season and prior the Chinese New Year are high enough, then Intel’s chips will all be used to build systems. However, if sales of PCs fall short of expectations, then there will be millions of unsold Intel’s processors in the channel.

15526518299_a712934166_o

Excessive amount of microprocessors in the channel will make it harder for Intel and partners to sell future chips, including mainstream central processing units based on the “Broadwell” and the “Skylake” micro-architectures starting from the second quarter of 2015. In the worst-case scenario Intel may even need to delay (or limit) new product launches to sell older products first.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Intel is clearly interested in selling as many CPUs as possible, it is just natural for the company. What is unclear is why PC makers and channel partners of the chip giant get more microprocessors than they can possibly sell?

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YOYOTech appoints eBuyer as an official reseller https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/gaming-rig/faith/yoyotech-appoints-ebuyer-as-an-official-reseller/ https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/gaming-rig/faith/yoyotech-appoints-ebuyer-as-an-official-reseller/#respond Wed, 12 Mar 2014 08:21:49 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=181632 Anyone who has walked around a large electronics reseller like PC World, will have experienced a mixture of disappointment and pity when they check out the desktop system specifications. KitGuru has just received a press release that promises a much better option for those who want an ‘off the shelf' experience.  Back in June last …

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Anyone who has walked around a large electronics reseller like PC World, will have experienced a mixture of disappointment and pity when they check out the desktop system specifications. KitGuru has just received a press release that promises a much better option for those who want an ‘off the shelf' experience. 

Back in June last year, KitGuru brought you the news that UK system builder YOYOTech was being purchased by a major distributor called Centerprise. But calling Centerprise a distributor does the Hampshire-based organisation a disservice. It also has a significant manufacturing facility in Wales.

Combining YOYOTech's R&D ability with a large-scale production facility sounded like a good plan, but it's taken time to bring the companies together properly. Now, according to the latest news, it seems that the partnership is in full swing and the massive online reseller eBuyer, will become a major part of its route to market.

The release says that YOYOTech, the high-performance computer division of Centerprise, has today announced a brand new partnership by appointing eBuyer as an official reseller, effective immediately. They say that demand for high-end systems in the market is healthy and growing, largely due to:-

  • 4K Gaming
    As game resolutions increase, there is pressure on system builders to include ever more powerful graphic cards
  • 4K Video
    Editing next-gen content for broadcast takes a substantial amount of power and storage, neither of which are readily available from existing retail brands
  • Crypto Currency
    As the world moves toward new monetary systems, the demand for high end systems is enormous

YOYOTech’s Managing Director, CK, explained “This promises to be a fantastic partnership for both companies, with eBuyer’s vast customer base and reputation for logistics and service, alongside YOYOTech’s reputation for creating cutting edge systems ahead of the competition”.

For CK, the opportunity is clear, “Historically, so called ‘tier one vendors’ have struggled to bring new technologies to market quickly. Our partnership with eBuyer will change that forever”.

“Not only will we be able to deliver the very latest technologies to eBuyer’s customers”, said CK. “But we will be able to do so in great volume, because all of these systems will be built at Centerprise’s enormous manufacturing facility in Wales, where sustained daily rates of more than 500 units are possible”.

Checking out eBuyer's web site, the new range seems to be live already over here.

YOYOTech-appoints-eBuyer-as-official-reseller-KitGuru
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KitGuru says: Anything that promises stimulation in the market is a good thing. It will be interesting to see just how many technology enthusiasts go for fixed specification systems Vs regular punters that just want ‘something more' than the current high-street can offer.

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Rumour: Youtube may start charging for some videos https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/rumour-youtube-may-start-charging-for-some-videos/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/rumour-youtube-may-start-charging-for-some-videos/#respond Mon, 06 May 2013 10:08:23 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=133901 According to some hints floating around several different sites this morning, Youtube could be set to begin charging for certain channel subscriptions, marking the first time that its content has been restricted to a specific user base. According to the Mashable report and its sources, this payment model could be launching as soon as this …

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According to some hints floating around several different sites this morning, Youtube could be set to begin charging for certain channel subscriptions, marking the first time that its content has been restricted to a specific user base.

According to the Mashable report and its sources, this payment model could be launching as soon as this week, with the idea behind it, to give shows on the platform more money to work with and therefore produce higher quality content. Each channel is said to cost around $1.99 (£1.28) each, per month, with around 50 channels taking part in the scheme.

erb
Epic Rap Battles Season 2 just finished… COINCIDENCE?!

Of course this is all speculation at the moment, but one Youtube spokesperson did say: “We have nothing to announce at this time, but we're looking into creating a subscription platform that could bring even more great content to YouTube for our users to enjoy and provide our creators with another vehicle to generate revenue from their content, beyond the rental and ad-supported models we offer.”

This isn't the first time we've heard hints of Youtube beginning a paid subscription program either, but this is the first time we've been told it'll be happening in a matter of days.

KitGuru Says: So guys, do you think this will pan out? And if so, is a Youtube channel something you'd pay a subscription for? It seems to me that any channel that starts doing so is going to lose a lot of viewers very fast. You aren't getting Psy video numbers if people have to put their credit card details in just to watch it.

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Nintendo set to discontinue Wii features https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/nintendo-set-to-discontinue-wii-features/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/nintendo-set-to-discontinue-wii-features/#comments Fri, 12 Apr 2013 20:00:11 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=131809 Nintendo has announced that several features from the original Wii, are set to shut down on 28th June, bringing an end to their seven year lifespan and further encouraging people to move over to its newer offerings on the Wii U – at least that's got to be the intention. The list of services coming to …

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Nintendo has announced that several features from the original Wii, are set to shut down on 28th June, bringing an end to their seven year lifespan and further encouraging people to move over to its newer offerings on the Wii U – at least that's got to be the intention.

The list of services coming to an end includes:

  • Nintendo Channel
  • News Channel
  • Forecast Channel
  • Everybody Votes Channel
  • Mii Contest Channel
  • Data exchange with Wii Friends – including Wii messages on the Wii Message board and certain exchanges between Miis

Not all services are shutting down however, with a continuation of both the Wii Shop Channel and Today's Accomplishments on the Wii message board.

nintendochannel

“We at Nintendo sincerely thank you for your continued patronage of our company's products,” Nintendo said in a statement (via CVG). “We apologise to those of you currently using these services.”

KitGuru Says: Can't say I ever made much use of these. I've had a Wii for years and if I wasn't playing  a game on it, I wasn't using it. Did you guys enjoy Wii channels that much?

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Roy Taylor appointed head of AMD worldwide channel sales https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/jules/roy-taylor-appointed-head-of-amd-worldwide-channel-sales/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/jules/roy-taylor-appointed-head-of-amd-worldwide-channel-sales/#respond Thu, 13 Dec 2012 08:36:04 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=118817 In one of the world's longest detours, technology sales guru Roy Taylor will be reunited with some of his oldest friends when he takes over the worldwide channel sales role for AMD in 2013. KitGuru adds some historical context and ponders what John Byrne's decision to bring Roy inside AMD will mean for the chip …

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In one of the world's longest detours, technology sales guru Roy Taylor will be reunited with some of his oldest friends when he takes over the worldwide channel sales role for AMD in 2013.

KitGuru adds some historical context and ponders what John Byrne's decision to bring Roy inside AMD will mean for the chip specialist.

Once upon a time, in a shire far, far away, Scottish braveheart John Byrne and true-Brit Roy Taylor came together to create a company specialising in technology sales.

We're talking about the 1990s and the company's key product was an Intel-compatible X86 processor from a small vendor called IBM.

The chips were marketed under the name Blue Lightning and the company was Blue Micro, founded in rural Britain in 1993 with the express aim of pushing IBM chips to the fore. The company quickly attracted new talent and grew not only itself, but also sales for IBM.

But it was over almost as soon as it started. IBM made the decision to move away from CPUs, so the team decided to go for the fledgling graphics brand, nVidia. Roy joined nVidia on the inside, helping to put together the regional teams needed to support expansion, while John formed an aggressive, motivated and highly-focused company called 3DSL in order to drive nVidia's sales for the region. In no time at all, they were sitting pretty in the number one spot.

It's at this point in our story that we're gonna slide past the Hollywood-esque drama of lovers falling out with each other, going on to new partners (John to ATi and then AMD – Roy into the world's of 3D production, developer relations, benchmarking and 21st century interfaces) and rejoin the happy couple at the point of reconciliation.

While the battle between AMD (ATi) and nVidia has been close over the years, it has always been marked by AMD's ability to win long term deals into companies like Lenovo, while nVidia has engaged the channel harder – winning the hearts and minds of the gamer through programmes like TWIMTBP.

Also, at the grass roots (routes?) level, nVidia has traditionally done a great job of constant communication with the channel – using bright young bods to constantly communicate with customers – making sure they are onside with all of the latest promotions and offers.

John Byrne will be hoping that by re-uniting key members of the old Blue Micro team, AMD's channel effort will be able to regain some of the old IBM-days magic.

It won't be easy, but AMD's CSO seems determined to win.

One challenge that will come up straight away for Roy will be to question ‘What the channel is stocking'. Companies can only sell what they are stocking. The same is true for distributors.  A quick ring around this morning shows that nVidia now has the majority of the  product lines available through some of the major distributors like Enta and VIP. Switching that ration will require serious work from Roy to turn around, but it's good to have balance and competition in every market – so we wish him luck.

What do we think the underlying strategy is?

When it comes down to it, Roy Taylor is a hunter. He's fiercely competitive and hates to lose. The single biggest thing that Roy can bring to AMD's channel game is a desire to win – and KitGuru's exclusive review of the VTX3D 7870 BLACK shows that it's exactly the kind of tool he's going to need to achieve that result.

All together, now sing: Love is such a beautiful thing

KitGuru says: Byrne's decision to recruit someone of Roy Taylor's calibre will create a lot of opportunities for AMD – and that puts the focus squarely on AMD's engineering teams. Can they execute? Give the right ammunition to the right soldiers and, even against Intel and nVidia, you can look to score some wins. Send the best troops into the field without proper equipment and supplies, and their skills won't matter.

Comment below or in the KitGuru forums.

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Mushkin Blackline Ridgeback 1600 MHz 16 GB Review (Quad Kit) https://www.kitguru.net/components/memory/henry-butt/mushkin-blackline-ridgeback-1600-mhz-16-gb-review-quad-kit/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/memory/henry-butt/mushkin-blackline-ridgeback-1600-mhz-16-gb-review-quad-kit/#comments Sun, 23 Sep 2012 09:35:52 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=108017 Today we are going to look at a quad channel memory kit from the Mushkin Blackline Ridgeback range. This kit runs at 1600 MHz with tight timings of 8-8-8-24 and is aimed at users who are looking to build a powerful X79 system without spending too much money.  It's also fully compatible with Z77 systems …

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Today we are going to look at a quad channel memory kit from the Mushkin Blackline Ridgeback range. This kit runs at 1600 MHz with tight timings of 8-8-8-24 and is aimed at users who are looking to build a powerful X79 system without spending too much money.  It's also fully compatible with Z77 systems although it will be obviously restricted to a dual channel configuration with this platform.

Mushkin are one of the smaller memory manufacturers operating today with a primary focus at the high end of the enthusiast market.  Their memory is very popular with enthusiasts and is regarded to be some of the finest available.  They have a few different ranges of memory available for different applications as well as a small range of solid state drives.

Features

  • Enhanced Frequency – This product has been programmed to operate at the ideal frequency for your system when properly installed.
  • Enhanced Timings – This product has been programmed for timings that offer improved performance when properly installed.
  • Hand-Tested – This product has been tested by hand for quality assurance.
  • Lifetime Warranty – Quality guaranteed – we offer a lifetime warranty on this product and genuine, unmatched service and support.
  • Ridgeback Heatsink – This product is equipped with the Ridgeback™ heatsink.
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Microsoft extends Windows 8 cheap upgrade to Valentines https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/operating-systems/harrison/microsoft-extends-windows-8-cheap-upgrade-to-valentines/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/operating-systems/harrison/microsoft-extends-windows-8-cheap-upgrade-to-valentines/#respond Wed, 29 Aug 2012 08:00:56 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=106241 Whenever a new operating system launches from Microsoft, the company gives those who bought close to the launch date a chance to upgrade to the new operating system for cheap/free. With Windows 8, it looks like that window might shut around Valentine's Day. KitGuru wonders if Windows 8 users will play cupid or stupid. It's …

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Whenever a new operating system launches from Microsoft, the company gives those who bought close to the launch date a chance to upgrade to the new operating system for cheap/free. With Windows 8, it looks like that window might shut around Valentine's Day. KitGuru wonders if Windows 8 users will play cupid or stupid.

It's difficult when someone tells you, “Oh, this is much easier than the old way”, but you can see that they are simply doing more work. That's the way many people feel about Windows 8.

Sure, with time and practice, you could end up being as fast – but why does Microsoft have this over-riding need for us to learn a new operating system every few years?

The largest company on the planet, recently announced what it described as the world's most advanced operating system. Shall we have a quick look at Apple's OSX when it first launched (Cheetah) – compared to the Mountain Lion version that has just hit the market at £13.99?

As far as we can tell, 90% of the changes/improvements would appear to have happened 'under the skin'. i.e. Genuine improvements to the OS, rather than cosmetic changes designed to confuse existing users

.
In fact, one of the most remarkable things about the original OS X, is how much it looks like Windows 7. Over the years, Microsoft has tried a lot of ‘innovations', but with severely limited success. Remember the hoo-har surrounding the ‘aero look and feel' that everyone would want?  No, we can't recall anyone using it either.

Microsoft's problem is that it knows any updated operating system that it wants to sell in stores for more than £100, had better look different, because it's not confident in (a) its design or (b) in its pricing.

Given that hardly any Windows PCs sold today have a touch interface, why would you force the market to move over and learn ANOTHER completely different interface?   Checking Windows 7 Vs Windows 8, we can tell you which one we find more appealing. The one that looks like OS X.

Given the billions that Microsoft has thrown at its flagship operating system over the past 20 years, it's hard to understand why it has not managed to find a design/layout that it's happy with. When you look at a Bentley car from 20 years ago and one today, you can see refinement. Love it or hate it, that's what you see with OS X.

With Microsoft's mentality, the Bentley of only 4 years ago will, tomorrow, look like a grocer's fruit stand. Very strange.

Clean, simple and familiar - or new, weird and cluttered?

.
If you buy a Windows 7 PC, Microsoft will give you a chance to ‘upgrade' the clean/smooth/familiar interface for one that's been described by Gabe Newell from Valve as a ‘catastrophe'.

We have learned that the time you have available to make the switch is likely to be extended to around 14th February 2013. You will still need to pay around £15 for the privilege of the new ‘touch-screen-friendly' layout and missing ‘Start' button.

KitGuru says: Now you know what to get the person you love to hate.

Comment below or in the KitGuru forums.

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AMD brings new focus to UK processor strategy https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jules/amd-brings-new-focus-to-uk-processor-strategy/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jules/amd-brings-new-focus-to-uk-processor-strategy/#respond Mon, 06 Aug 2012 18:18:23 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=102785 How many distributors a manufacturer needs for a product is a very personal thing. It's a decision that will be based on a number of factors – including price range, volume and the speed at which new lines are introduced. KitGuru considers AMD's new move to focus CPU and APU sales for the region. Manufacturers …

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How many distributors a manufacturer needs for a product is a very personal thing. It's a decision that will be based on a number of factors – including price range, volume and the speed at which new lines are introduced. KitGuru considers AMD's new move to focus CPU and APU sales for the region.

Manufacturers make products which are shipped to distributors who then sell them to resellers (stores – both online and retail), who then sell the product to us – the end user/consumer. That's distribution 101 over for today – thanks for listening.

Until now, AMD has used the same kind of distribution method for both its graphics and processor businesses, but – going forward – things will change. Several distribution partners, who are doing very good volume on Radeon graphics cards, will become ‘graphics only' distributors.

At the same time, the giant Avnet, Ingram, VIP and Microtronica companies will receive increased focus from AMD for mainstream, multi-core CPUs and APU products with integrated Radeon graphics.

This will be seen by many as a ‘collapsing of the supply chain' and the most logical way for any company to move forward in the 21st century.

We're likely to see the biggest differences around each product launch. So, for example, when the updated AMD Trinity platform products begin to ship in the 4th quarter, AMD can focus its efforts (and marketing dollars) where they will do the most good.

It's a bold strategy, but one that AMD needs to consider if it wants to create any ‘force' in the market at all. We've pondered this over tea and biscuits with the conclusion that trickling 10 litres of water out of a large shower head can never compete with the same amount of water being blasted through a Karcher jet wash.

So, to summarise, it looks like half a dozen existing sub-distis will become ‘graphics only', while Avnet, VIP, Ingram and Microtronica become the sole suppliers for CPU and APU. Resellers and stores across the country will need to make sure they are ordering the right parts from the right place, but the impact on consumers should be minimal.

AMD is hoping to force some extra business in the UK channel by altering its strategy to focus on 2 master distributors for CPU/APU. It's hoping that a trickle becomes a jet and they clean up some additional sales from Intel. Tough challenge.

KitGuru says: If its Intel that you're fighting, then you're going to need all the force you can get. Will the change work? Too soon to know, but it has to be worth a go – just to mix things up a little ahead of AMD's Trinity launch and the arrival of Intel's Haswell at the start of Q2 2013.

UPDATE: We've been contacted by a source close to AMD to say that Ingram and VIP will still be allowed to sell processors, but there was no comment on the ending of the existing sub-distribution agreements – so that change still looks to be on

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