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If Tablets Are PCs, PCs Are Thriving and Apple Is King By Barry Levine February 7, 2013 11:12AM     Apple's strength in Q4 was driven by the iPad mini tablet, which also qualifies under Canalys' definition of a PC. The research firm said the mini accounted for more than half of Apple's total tablet shipments, and it was cannibalizing both iPad and PC sales. This also was the first quarter when Apple's tablet share dipped below 49 percent.   Related Topics Apple HP Lenovo Samsung Dell iPad iPad mini Tablet PC Latest News Reality TV's New Stars: Small Biz Soundbars Up the Ante on TV Sound Google Glass Raises Privacy Concerns Pentagon Gives iOS 6 Security OK Should Enterprises Skip Windows 8? Should tablets be considered PCs? The answer to that seemingly academic question determines whether PCs are in decline or growing, and whether Apple is the top PC maker in the world. On Wednesday, industry researcher Canalys released a new report which found that worldwide PC shipments increased by 12 percent year-over-year for the fourth quarter. The company considers the tablet to be a kind of personal computer, and it described Apple as leading the PC market with a market share that exceeded 20 percent for the first time. In their data , Hewlett-Packard -- which other surveys often find to be the leading computer maker in the world -- is second, followed by Lenovo and then Samsung, with Dell in fifth. Dell 'Continues to Fade' The report found that notebook computers were flat for the quarter, compared with 2011, which included the impact from Windows 8 devices entering the market. However, tablets grew by 75 percent. Canalys said "Dell's reputation in the PC market continues to fade," with a 19 percent decline compared with 2011. Tablets with a Microsoft operating system represented only 3 percent of those shipped in the fourth quarter. Avi Greengart, an analyst with industry research firm Current Analysis, said that, in some ways, asking if a tablet is a PC is like asking if "an SUV is a car or a truck," in that it's a matter of methodology. Greengart said he prefers to address the issue as a question of platforms and vendors, and in that view, Apple's iOS "is a major computing platform." But those definitions are continually evolving, he told us, and sometimes depend on the market in question. "In some markets," he said, such as in developing countries, "the smartphone is the key computing platform." RT's Outlook 'Bleak' The report also said that the ARM-based Windows RT tablet's outlook "appears bleak." Canalys blamed that on high pricing and poor channel strategy, among other things. There have also been reports of considerable consumer confusion because the Windows RT tablet does not run Windows legacy applications. Canalys suggested that Microsoft might turn the fate of the RT tablet around if it dropped the price by 60 percent and conducted "a strategy to educate consumers as well as attract developers" to create RT tablet-specific apps . Apple's strength in Q4 was driven by the iPad mini tablet, which also qualifies under Canalys' definition of a PC. The research firm said the mini accounted for more than half of Apple's total tablet shipments, and it was cannibalizing both iPad and PC sales. Interestingly, this was the first quarter in Canalys' reports when Apple's tablet share dipped below the majority, to 49 percent. If not for the mini, Canalys said, Apple's market share would have dropped further. Samsung saw a phenomenal increase of 226 percent in tablets for Q4, which the research firm said was attributable to lower pricing. It also noted that Amazon 's worldwide shipments grew by 18 percent, and that the two companies together now account for 46 percent of tablets.   Based on your interest in this article, here's something that may be of interest to you also: (Why?) This article relates to the following term(s) that also match our recommendation: Ipad. (Close) Gift Suggestion: Give your favorite children the gift of an amazing adventure in reading. Check out one of the hottest new series of the year: The Mason Dexter Adventure Series chronicles the adventures of Mason Dexter, a resourceful middle-school boy who builds amazing tech gadgets and saves America from impending doom. The Mason Dexter Adventure Series is available now on Amazon.com. Perfect to read on the iPad, Kindle, Android eBook readers, or any computer with Amazon's free Kindle app. Tell Us What You Think Comment: Name: Also Visit: iPad Info Center Billions of Bytes Mobile Device Now Apple Info Center TopTechWire.com

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Network Security Spotlight

Syrian Electronic Army Hacks Financial Times The Financial Times is the latest victim of the Syrian Electronic Army, a group that supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The U.K.-based newspaper said a blog and its Twitter accounts were hacked.   Patch Tuesday Hyper Focuses on IE 8 Microsoft on Tuesday issued 10 security bulletins that fix 33 vulnerabilities. These updates include MS13-038, which will address the Internet Explorer 8 issue described in Security Advisory 2847140.   Surge of Venture Capital Buoys Tech Security Sector With companies and governments spending billions to repel cyberthreats, a surge of venture capital is pouring into companies developing cybersecurity technologies, the front line of the conflict.

Enterprise Hardware Spotlight

U.S. Defense Department Gives iOS 6 Security OK In a vote of confidence for Apple's iOS devices, the Defense Department has given the all-clear for employees to use iPads and iPhones for work. But only those running iOS 6, and only if issued by the government.   Cisco Surges After Profit Exceeds Analysts' Estimates Networking equipment giant Cisco's net income jumped 14 percent in the latest quarter as revenue at all four of its divisions rose for the first time in a year and a half, as tech spending increases.   HP and SAP Team To Advance HANA Database Technology The two tech leaders are working on a system that SAP says could fundamentally change the database market. HANA is SAP's technology that keeps data in-memory, for super fast processing.

Mobile Enterprise Spotlight

Google Glass Raises Congressional Privacy Concerns The buzz around Google Glass continues, but it's not all good. Some in Congress have questions. "We are curious whether this new technology could infringe on the privacy of average Americans," their letter to Google says.   Windows Phone Now No. 3 in Market, BlackBerry No. 4 Has Microsoft Phone moved into a coveted though distant third place for smartphone platforms behind Google's Android and Apple's iOS? A new report says yes, while BlackBerry has slipped to No. 4.   Intel Going Mobile with Its New CEO In his first speech as Intel's CEO, Brian Krzanich said he plans to focus on beefing up Intel's presence in mobility. The next step: a world tour showing mobile devices based on Intel chips, from PCs to phones and tablets.

Enterprise Technology Spotlight

HP and SAP Team To Advance HANA Database Technology The two tech leaders are working on a system that SAP says could fundamentally change the database market. HANA is SAP's technology that keeps data in-memory, for super fast processing.   Cloud Computing Gains Another Competitor with Google Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure now have a full-on rival in Google, with its I/O announcement that it is opening its hosted Compute Engine environment for virtual machines to all comers.   Hackers' New Tool of Choice: Smartphones Smartphones are increasingly popular not only with consumers, but with thieves who see the devices as another way to tap into bank accounts and other sensitive information, experts say.

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