Vista use grows as Mac OS X stays flat

According to Net Applications, in June Windows Vista accounted for 4.52% of all systems that browsed the Web, up from January's 0.18%. Vista has grown its usage share each month since its release to consumers Jan. 30, hitting 0.93% in February, 2.04% in March, 3.02% in April and 3.74% in May. Apple Inc.'s Mac OS X, meanwhile, accounted for 6.22% in January and hit its high point of 6.46% in May, but it slipped back to 6% in June.

If Vista's uptake trend continues, it should pass Mac OS X in Web usage share by the end of August.

Shifts from the Mac OS X running on older PowerPC processors to the edition running on Intel CPUs have been constant, but according to Net Applications' data, the computer maker is not making new Mac converts. In January, for example, the PowerPC version of Mac OS X was reported by 4.34% of the machines Net Applications tracked, while the Intel version accounted for just 1.88%. June's numbers showed that the PowerPC edition of the operating system still held the lead, but the gap had narrowed considerably: Older versions were pegged at 3.52% and Intel editions at 2.48%.

Likewise, Vista's increases have come at the expense of Windows XP and Windows 2000, both of which have dropped in usage since January. Windows XP, for instance, accounted for 85.02% of all machines that month but was down to 81.94% in June. Windows overall total has remained flat, ranging between 90.01% and 90.46% through the first six months of the year.

Net Applications' 6% share for Mac OS X jibes with recent IDC sales estimates, which put Apple's portion at 5.6% of all personal computer sales in the U.S. during the second quarter.

Apple's next major upgrade to Mac OS X, dubbed Leopard, is scheduled to ship in October.

source computerworld

Dell M1330 meant to take share from MacBooks?

Dell's just-released XPS M1330 is likely built to counter the MacBook, according to sources within Taiwan's notebook building industry. The Texas-based Windows PC maker is said to have chosen the 13.3-inch widescreen format in part as a response to Apple's mainstream notebook, which has helped the latter's notebook sales climb well above the industry average. The introduction of more energy-efficient Core 2 Duo chips may also have simplified Dell's choice by allowing the same level of performance as a larger system without the power consumption issues, the reports say.

The new XPS is notable for including options that the MacBook currently lacks, such as options for a thinner and more efficient LED-backlit display as well as dedicated GeForce 8400M graphics.

source Macnn

Dell XPS M1330

As one of the thinnest and lightest notebooks in its class, the XPS M1330 is a truly portable notebook. With optional LED display which uses 32 tiny, white LEDs for a super bright, super skinny screen. Projected weight starting at just under 4 pounds (1.8 kg) and featuring next-gen technologies like optional embedded mobile broadband, slot load optical drive, HDMI connection, Biometric Fingerprint Security, the XPS M1330 is the last word in leading edge high tech.

The Specs (maxed out!)

Intel® CoreTM 2 Duo Processor T7500 (2.2GHz,4M L2 Cache,800MHz FSB)

Genuine Windows Vista™ Ultimate

Up to 4GB shared Dual Channel3 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM. NVIDIA GeForceTM Go 8400M GS with 128MB dedicated DDR3 graphics memory LED - backlit 13.3" UltraSharpTM WXGA display with TrueLifeTM (available with 0.3 MP camera) Up to 200GB4 configured with 7200 RPM SATA hard drive. Integrated Slot-Load DVD+/-RW Drive Weight: Starting at 3.97 lbs (1.8 kg) Width: 31.8cm Height: 2.31cm – 3.38cm Depth: 23.8cm 2 USB 2.0 compliant 4-pin connectors IEEE 1394a RJ45 Ethernet port (10/100) Video: VGA Video: HDMI ExpressCard 54 mm slot 8-in-1 removable memory card reader Audio jacks: Stereo in & headphone/speaker out (x2) dual digital array mics

Source Dell