Netbook mania
The netbook world saw a fair bit of activity this week. First we heard that CPU underdog VIA was creating a Global Mobility Bazaar to encourage emerging markets to buy netbooks with VIA processors in them. This cause was undermined a tad when HP announced it was switching from Via to Intel for its own new range of consumer netbooks.
Then Asus, currently the world's biggest netbook maker, rubbed further salt in VIA's wound by announcing that it had teamed up with Intel to launch a new website that hopes to get consumers to design its netbooks for it.
They'll be getting us to assemble them ourselves next, something that might be simpler than you think if Crucial's latest innovation is anything to go by.
The growing trend towards PC/telco convergence took another step forward this week with the news that O2 was tarting-up its stores to represent the growing demand for smartphones, netbooks, etc. This was trend was further emphasized by good results from UK low power processor designer ARM.
Additionally the most eagerly anticipated smartphone launch since the iPhone finally occurred, with some people prepared to queue for over two hours to get hold of a T-Mobile G1.
Finally there was a fair bit of to-ing and fro-ing in the executive ranks this week. AMD shocked us by appointing a former HP exec to head up its EMEA operations...for the second time this year. Meanwhile, at BT, the CEO of its under-performing Global Services division was given a punitive 12 month holiday. That'll learn him.
