August 19 - 8:00am EDT   The American Customer Satisfaction Index on Tuesday gave Apple its highest-ever score for pleasing customers of its Macs, giving the firm a record 85 points in the ACSI annual report based on reactions from users to both their opinions on computer quality as well as support after the sale. The award is Apple's fifth consecutive nod in as many years and is partly attributed to the sales success of its computers, which have been gaining marketshare in recent months. [full story]

August 13 - 3:55pm EDT   Gateway today gave its FX notebook line a performance increase with its first retail system using newer technology. The P-7811 FX is based on Intel's Centrino 2 platform and runs a 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo from the newest generation, improving on the older 2GHz and 2.2GHz chips with a faster 1,066MHz bus. It also brings NVIDIA's GeForce 9800M GTS graphics for more desktop-like 3D performance, particularly at the 17-inch LCD's native 1920x1200. [full story]

July 25 - 11:50am EDT   Gateway on Friday revealed that it will formally quit direct-order sales of PCs and other products and offer its lineup only in retail stores. The surprise move ends the business that underpinned Gateway's early success in the 1980s and 1990s but is described as bringing the American company's approach in line with that of its parent company Acer, which took over Gateway last year and itself offers computers only through resellers. Moving to a single model is also said to save on costs by simplifying Gateway's sales process. [full story]

July 8 - 10:45am EDT   The American music industry may be pressuring Dell and other computer manufacturers to disable stereo recording support in an artificial attempt to discourage piracy, say accounts from users. Users of Dell systems with SigmaTel chips in particular claim to be only allowed single-channel recording out of the box and are told that an official solution that restores stereo input will cost $99; Gateway and (in Europe) Packard Bell systems with the audio hardware are also said to be affected. [full story]

July 1 - 10:25am EDT   Dell on Tuesday introduced the Your Tech Team support option for its PCs. The nationwide service follows a New York City pilot project and gives owners of any Dell-branded device quicker access to technicians, the ability to schedule contact with a specific technician, and the ability to support at least some non-warranty problems. Performance tuning, network setup, and security are also available for a fee during the calls, Dell says. [full story]

June 30 - 1:50pm EDT   Gateway today revamped both its notebooks and its desktops with a technology upgrade to keep them current ahead of the back-to-school season. The 15.4-inch budget M series, retail-only 14-inch T series, and the 17-inch P series all get newer generation Core 2 Duo processors, more storage, and in some cases more memory. The example M-6848 and T-6836 updates (both $800) both have 2GHz Core 2 Duos as well as 250GB hard drives, 4GB of memory and a 64-bit edition of Windows Vista Home Premium to support the extra RAM. [full story]

June 10 - 4:00am EDT   HP on Tuesday completely replaced theTouchSmart PC with a new design more conspicuously aimed at the iMac and a recent crop of Windows-based all-in-ones such as the Gateway One. The IQ500 series expands from the earlier 19-inch screen to a 22-inch model that also eliminates the separate floating display: the entire computer is stored behind the main display and uses a slot-load optical drive as well as side-mounted ports to keep the design thin. The touchscreen interface has likewise been given a makeover with a new Cover Flow-like fan layout for choosing music from album covers, an enhanced image editor, and an application tray that gives users access to many more ... [full story]

June 5 - 2:15pm EDT   ASUS today has provided PC World and other guests at a company-run seminar their first glimpse of its Eee Monitor all-in-one PC and confirms an iMac-like design that should cost less than half the price of its Apple-made rival. Resembling a cross between a white third-generation iMac and Apple's easel-like Cinema Displays, the system is already being marketed as a fashion item that fits into an interior decor; all its expansion ports are tucked to the back to avoid cluttering the front. [full story]

June 2 - 12:50pm EDT   HP and its gaming acquisition, Voodoo PC, are planning to make a major announcement on June 10th, Forbes writes. Though the companies are refusing to detail any specifics in their early publicity efforts, they will say that the product(s) are intended to bring Voodoo's emphasis on aesthetics and performance to HP's mainstream audience. With few exceptions, most HP computers are designed for a budget or mid-range level, and do not use unique case or monitor shapes. [full story]

May 6 - 9:20am EDT   Gateway this morning revamped the core of its desktop line to take advantage of newer processors. The FX7026 and the higher-end FX541 series replace earlier models in Gateway's gaming line and all focus on quad-core as well as fast 3D. The base FX7026 starts off with a 2.5GHz Core 2 Quad, 4GB of RAM, and a factory-overclocked GeForce 8800 GT for video. It also includes Western Digital's new 640GB Caviar drive at its $1,100 price point. The FX541 series adds an SLI-capable mainboard with two GPU slots; a stock $1,200 model is similar to its lower-end sibling, while the FX541XT at the very high end includes an overclocked but unnamed CPU as well as dual GeForce 8800 ... [full story]

April 17 - 2:25pm EDT   eMachines on Thursday released a pair of AMD-based towers that serve as the very entry level for desktops. At $300, the T3646 is the Gateway label's least expensive system and accomplishes the feat with a 2.2GHz Sempron, 1GB of memory, and a 160GB hard drive; Vista Home Basic also trims the price and reduces the operating system's demands on the computer. [full story]

April 17 - 12:45pm EDT   AMD's Phenom X3 processors, which use an unusual triple-core design as opposed to standard dual- or quad-core arrangements, are now available in a select number of HP and Gateway systems. Gateway's GT5670 desktop uses a 2.1GHz X3 8400, along with 3GB of RAM, a 320GB SATA II hard drive, and 3GB of RAM; graphics are limited however to an integrated GeForce 6150 SE chipset, as opposed to a dedicated card like the 8800. Best Buy is charging $550. The X3 8400 uses 2MB of L3 cache memory. [full story]

April 11 - 9:20am EDT   Gateway is finishing its week with a significant upgrade to its FX Edition gaming notebooks that brings its first mid-size models. Previously limited only to the 17-inch P series, the FX name is now attached to the M series with a new model that provides relatively quick performance at a smaller size. The M-6850FX is slightly slower than the base P series with a 1.83GHz Core 2 Duo and uses the cooler-running Radeon HD 2600 to provide better-than-average 3D to a category often neglected by PC builders. It also leaves little necessary to upgrade with 3GB of memory and a 320GB hard drive as stock. Gateway sells the system at retail shops for $1,000. [full story]

March 17 - 12:05pm EDT   Typically associated with notebooks, Acer's plans for next year include some form of game machine, according to the company's senior vice president. James T. Wong explains, however, that the company is not merely working on a performance-tuned Windows PC, but something intended to compete with the current crop of dedicated consoles. Furthermore, the machine is expected to be based on "open standards," a term which may refer to the Linux operating system. [full story]

March 13 - 1:45pm EDT   Gateway on Thursday quietly updated two of its staple notebook lines with improved specs, including the addition of one model based on Intel's newer Penryn-era Core 2 Duo architecture. Both the M-151X and the M-151XL are now faster and hold more storage: at the top end, the M-151XL now brings a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo with the larger 3MB Level 2 cache and better battery life that come with the Penryn upgrade. It also comes shipped with 3GB of memory as well as a 250GB hard drive. The 256MB Mobility Radeon HD 2400 XT, HDMI output, and 802.11n also come intact from the earlier M-150. [full story]