Market analysts` PC shipment figures clash
Gartner has estimated that 218.5 million PCs were shipped in 2005 while IDC reports that worldwide PC shipments totaled 208.6 million units.
Both companies count desktops, mobile computers and x86-based servers in their figures and both said the data is provisional.
"Despite long-standing concerns about weakening consumer PC sales, shipments have grown more than 17% above 2004`s totals for the past three quarters running," said Loren Loverde director of IDC`s PC tracker research.
IT World Canada reports that the Europe, Middle East and Africa region came out on top of Gartner`s regional ranking for the first time to become the largest PC market worldwide.
New virus attacks a half million PCs
A new virus known as Blakmal.E or Nyxem.E, that is coded to delete files on 3 February 2006 may have spread to more than 500 000 servers.
Security Focus reports that the programme travels as an attachment to e-mail messages with suggestive subject lines such as "Schoolgirl fantasies gone bad" and "Re: Sex Video".
The virus will completely compromise systems whose users open the attachment, attempting to disable security software and making extensive changes to the registry.
Apple`s switch a surprise to many
Apple`s CEO Steve Job`s announcement that Apple Computer`s would immediately begin shipping its` first Intel-powered machines, took many by surprise.
Many, including Apple`s closest allies, knew that Apple was planning the switch but the new computers weren`t expected to ship until June at the earliest.
Because of Apple`s hush-hush decision to bump up delivery of the new machines, many software developers simply haven`t had time to rewrite their applications for Intel-based systems, reports statesman.com.
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