Microsoft High Fashion PCs

The next gen of Microsoft PCs is shaping up to be fashionable. Yes, you heard right! Microsoft is staying au current recognizing that laptops are now more than just a useful device but more so a trendy fashion accessory. The company is coming out with high-fashion PCs and held a fashion PC show at CES to showcase some of their designs.

And, they are not the only ones. Sony, ASUS, Lenovo and Gateway are also in on the action and are coming out with more "pretty" computers. OEMs are taking a page from fashion designers and are blinging out laptop cases with anything from cow fur, aluminum, leather and carbon fiber. Apple hardware has long been very sleek and cool, thereby, attracting a lot of younger users and maybe even bucking this trend; whereas, Microsoft's has been more enterprise and less focussed on aesthetic design. This is a step in the right direction for Microsoft in capturing a younger consumer market and moving the needle a little in terms of their brand perception.

Lenovo's Facial Recognition Notebooks

Lenovo today announced its entry into the global consumer PC market with the launch of a new line of notebook and desktop PCs. Its IdeaPad Notebooks come with facial recognition log-in and authentication. Users can make their face their password with VeriFace™ Face Recognition to log into their PC and other applications. "The combination of the VeriFace software and an embedded camera can recognize a user's face for log-in and help eliminate the need to remember passwords." Already, some IBM notebooks come with biometric digital identification and verification using fingerprint login capability.

Lenovo feels its new consumer-oriented IdeaPad notebooks and IdeaCentre desktops complement its business-oriented ThinkPad notebooks and ThinkCentre desktops. The new PCs will be initially offered in countries including the U.S., France, Russia, South Africa, India, Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, China, the Philippines and Singapore. Why the entry into the consumer market? The company cites an IDC study that reveals the worldwide consumer PC market is expected to grow by an average of nearly 10 percent annually through 2011. Recommended pricing for the IdeaPad Y510 and Y710 starts at $799 and $1,199, respectively. The IdeaPad U110 notebook will be available in April.

Google's Eric Schmidt Defines Web 3.0

Google's CEO, Eric Schmidt, was recently asked how he would define Web 3.0 and what Web 3.0 means to Google.

I am paraphrasing below so watch the video as well.

Web 2.0 is a different way of building applications using Ajax as the underlying technology.

Web 3.0 are applications that are pieced together which are relatively small, the data is in the cloud, apps can run on any device (PC or mobile), apps are very fast, very customizable, apps distributed virally by social networks and email, not store bought.

It's a very different application model from the mainframe era and PC industry, likely to be very very large, low barrier to entry, new generation of tools being introduced by Google and others make it relatively easy to do, solves a lot of problems, and works everywhere.