Dell EMC Looks to Automate PC Configuration

As IT organizations in increasingly larger numbers make the shift to #Windows10, many of them are rediscovering the trials and tribulations of having to configure large number of PCs and tablets at the same time. Aiming to automate as much of that process as possible, #DellEMC this week launched #ProDeployClient Suite, a series of services exposed via a portal that IT organizations can employ to load images on systems as they are manufactured by Dell EMC to outsource the entire deployment process. John Moody, vice president for global support deployment services for Dell EMC, says most IT organizations have better things to do in terms of adding value to the business than configuring PCs. The ProDeploy Client suite provides three different options for making use of Dell EMC to either simply load images, provide a single point of contact, or support or manage the entire process on their behalf. On average, Moody says, depending on the type of service invoked, Dell EMC charges anywhere from $50 to $150 per PC to deliver these services. The alternative, says Moody, is for the IT organization to perform these tasks itself or hire a third-party service provider to do it at a much higher cost.

http://mobile.itbusinessedge.com/blogs/it-unmasked/dell-emc-looks-to-automate-pc-configuration.html

Dell Technologies wants to grow share against HP Inc and Lenovo despite "muted" Windows refresh cycle

#DellTechnologies isn't counting on #Microsoft 's #Windows10 operating system to drive PC sales anytime soon, but the company's CFO expects to continue to take market share from #HP Inc and #Lenovo. "We are long-term bullish on Win10, but expectations for refresh cycle are a bit more muted, probably more in the second half of next year rather than [the] first half," Dell Technologies CFO Tom Sweet said during a conference call to discuss the company's third-quarter earnings Thursday. "We haven't been able to attribute significant buying patterns as a result of Win10 at this time." Sweet's assessment came as Dell manages to gain market share in an increasingly challenging PC market dominated by three major players: HP Inc, Dell, and Lenovo. By Sweet's estimation, the market is set for "gradual improvement" after "hitting a trough last year". "Our focus is on outperforming the market and taking share as we grow our footprint," Sweet said. That strategy seemed to play out in the third quarter. According to IDC data, Dell gained the most market share of any major PC vendor during the quarter, posting 6.2 percent share growth in shipments worldwide. That's nearly double HP Inc's growth total, and it came as global PC leader Lenovo lost 3.3 percent of share. In the US, Dell is locked in a close, back-and-forth battle for PC supremacy with HP Inc, and notched 10.8 percent market share growth in shipments in the third quarter compared with HP's 5.8 percent growth. HP, however, was the market leader during the quarter with a nearly 30 percent market share. "We expect consolidation to continue, which is helpful to us and some of our larger competitors," Sweet said. Dell Technologies' Client Solutions Group, which includes its PC business, posted US$9.2 billion in sales for the third quarter, up 3.2 percent year-over-year, a result Sweet called "better than expected".

http://www.crn.com.au/news/dell-technologies-wants-to-grow-share-against-hp-inc-and-lenovo-despite-muted-windows-refresh-cycle-444311

Lenovo reportedly blocking Linux on Windows 10 Signature Edition PCs (updated)

According to Reddit user BaronHK, it is impossible to install #Linux onto the Signature Edition #Lenovo Yoga 900 ISK2 UltraBook because the SSD is locked in a proprietary RAID mode that Linux doesn't support, and that even Windows 10 cannot use without an Lenovo driver being downloaded first. Evidence -- in the form of owner reports and reviews -- has been uncovered which suggests that the Yoga 900S, and Yoga 710S are locked in a similar manner. To confuse matters further, there is a post from a Lenovo "product expert" claiming that Signature Edition PCs have to lock out Linux users because Microsoft says so. Signature Edition PCs differ from other systems because they are free from the usual bloatware or other junk that clutter up regular PCs. If you're looking for a "clean" PC then the Signature Edition systems are indeed worth a look (well, if you're happy with Windows 10 at any rate). 

http://www.zdnet.com/article/lenovo-reportedly-blocking-linux-on-windows-10-signature-edition-pcs/

Microsoft admits it will miss Windows 10 goal of 1 billion devices by mid-2018

#Microsoft had bold ambitions for Windows 10. But the company now admits those sights were set too high. When Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30) launched the latest version of Windows a year ago, it boasted that 1 billion devices would run the new operating system by mid-2018. With less than six months left in the year, the company said Friday that it's only about a third of the way there -- and that it needs at least two more years to achieve its goal.

http://money.cnn.com/2016/07/15/technology/microsoft-windows-10/

Here's what's most important to save Intel's shrinking $35 billion PC business

To reinvigorate its PC business, #Intel is counting on the release of its new #Skylake chips and #Microsoft 's new #Windows10 operating system. But that alone may not be enough, according to #Gartner analyst @MarkHung.
http://goo.gl/niHVsu