Back in the Saddle

I’m back! I wasn’t gone, just busy with business and politics like always. And now that the snow is here I have a few minutes to keep you in computer clover.

The news is that the march of smaller is moving forward, with phones and smaller tablets being the focus in the future. This year's Consumer Electronics Show saw Intel drop the only really big bomb, with the announcement of a processor that makes the currently-used microprocessor in phones and tablets seem like a boat and not a ship in abilities. Let’s say the future for smart phones and tablets finally looks bright.  

Google and Microsoft finally are getting an OS (Operating System) solution that will drive these new processors to do many of the things that desktop computers do today. While my partner was at CES he saw firsthand a sample of speed coupled together with OS and application when an artist drew a character on a smart phone that looked like it was done on paper. It was amazing to watch, he said, and watch no delay or stepping in the flow of the artist.

I think that 2012 is the catch-up year for many and while most changes will be software and OS based you’ll see some hardware advances in graphical processors in smaller devices. The biggest bottleneck is getting the screen to respond with no shudder or stepping, just smooth look and feel. 

The next news was in 2011 with all the floods in Asia. These floods caught the whole tech world with shortages for hard drives, basic ICs used in everything, and we are just now seeing things getting back to almost normal. Another big news event was that Sony and Samsung ended the relationship for LCD development. Samsung was the manufacturing arm for Sony on LCD panels. These panels are in TVs typically, and Sony would simply add the driver systems for display and tweak to Sony quality, but now Sony will be like many buying spot market for LCD panels. What does this mean for you, the consumer? I hope nothing, but would you buy an overpriced Sony now?

OK folks, I’m back and look forward to seeing your bright and shining faces in computer class. Remember to back up your computer and remove all that dust in the system, please!