On this day in 2004, Chinese tech firm Lenovo bought IBM’s PC-making division. For a cool US$1.75 billion the Beijing-based Lenovo acquired IBM’s PC division which included research, development and manufacturing operations. IBM kept an 18.9 per cent stake.
At the time of the acquisition, Lenovo was already the world’s third-largest PC maker, and expected the deal to change the structure of the global PC manufacturing business. IBM had earned a good name for its desktop and laptop systems, gained over the years from 1981.
Some tech enthusiasts look back fondly at IBM-made computers like classic 2004 ThinkPads. In November this year a new retrofit motherboard for the T60/T61 range was announced. Coming next year, the new mainboards will pack an Intel 11th Gen 1165G7, with Thunderbolt 4, eDP 1.4 display, and more.
Personal computing
- Asus ProArt Studiobook Pro 16 OLED (W7600), a MacBook Pro rival, costs $5,000
- Corsair: SCUF gaming unveils the SCUF Reflex – the first high-performance controllers created for PS5 (see video above)
- Nvidia believes graphics card supplies will improve in the second half of 2022
- PowerColor X Ducky One SF RGB keyboard unveiled
- Razer made a $60 RGB cooling fan with MagSafe for your iPhone
- Der8auer breaks the 3DMark 2001 world record (Windows XP, GTX 980 Ti, Core i9-12900K, DDR5)
Technology and business
- Microsoft unveils concept workspace for the near future (see one example, above)
- Intel has acquired Israel-based @Screenovate, a provider of screen duplication software
- Virgin Media O2 completes gigabit rollout across the UK
- Intel wants to power the metaverse, too. Full reveal promised for Monday
- Nvidia’s ARM acquisition takes another hit, with EU investigations delayed
- Intel Majority Report: 2022 predictions on how AI will impact global industries
- Cloud Site List Management experience for IE mode in Microsoft Edge now generally available
- SoIC / hybrid bonding is 15x the interconnect density versus other 3D integration tech (e.g. Intel’s current gen Foveros)
