Endpoint Technologies Associates

The Consumer Electronics Show starts Wednesday in Las Vegas under the dark cloud of a recession and a sharp downturn in consumer spending.

Nearly 2 million square feet of convention hall will be stocked with the latest mobile phones, portable music players, digital cameras and expensive flat-screen televisions.

In a move to attract more gamers and multimedia enthusiasts, Acer America on Monday introduced the Aspire 8930G-7665 notebook PC. The notebook taps into the power of the new Intel Core 2 Quad mobile processor Q9000, designed for extreme mobile performance and speed for gaming on the go.

"By incorporating the latest capabilities of Intel's Core 2 Quad mobile processors into the Aspire 8930G-7665, Acer is delivering a perfect combination of mobility, innovation and extreme gaming capabilities," said Sumit Agnihotry, vice president of product marketing for Acer America.

Acer, AT&T and RadioShack have teamed up to offer a deal that brings the Acer Aspire netbook to market for only $99. Netbooks are mobile computing devices with a screen size of five to 10 inches that run a full version of a client operating system, such as Windows XP or Linux.

The Acer Aspire, with integrated 3G wireless technology, usually sells for $500. AT&T is subsidizing the cost of the device, but customers have to sign up for a two-year AT&T DataConnect mobile-broadband service agreement. Plans start at $60 a month.

Netbooks Emerge in the U.S.

The Khronos Group on Monday announced that its OpenCL 1.0 specification has been ratified and publicly released. Apple proposed the spec six months ago.

OpenCL (Open Computing Language) is the first open, royalty-free standard for cross-platform, parallel programming of modern processors found in personal computers, servers and handheld/embedded devices.

Microsoft plans to stop accepting paid subscriptions to Windows Live OneCare in mid-2009. The security software is slated to be replaced by a free offering code-named Morro, which will focus on providing consumer PCs with core protection from viruses, spyware, rootkits, trojans and other forms of malware.

Sony and three major PC makers are recalling 100,000 laptop batteries in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Lithium-Ion batteries used in about 35,000 Hewlett-Packard, Toshiba and Dell notebook computers -- as well as an additional 65,000 units sold worldwide -- are defective. Specifically, these Lithium-Ion batteries can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.

Dell on Thursday announced a new consumer product line of PCs. Dubbed Studio, the laptops take a personalized approach to high-definition mobile computing.

The Dell Studio 15 and Dell Studio 17 are the first two laptops in the new lineup. Dell opted for visual color elements and personalization options with features such as a built-in Webcam, media-control touch buttons, slot-load drives, optional mercury-free LED displays, and built-in mobile broadband.

Many employees -- frustrated that their companies are unwilling to pay for the laptops, cell phones and other electronic devices that they want on the road -- are spending their own money to get them.

Nearly 40 percent of professionals recently surveyed by researcher In-Stat paid for a laptop that they regularly carried. Cell phone users often picked up their bill. And company-provided personal digital assistants (PDAs), cameras and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are relatively rare, says the survey, released today.