Tag Archives: quarters

Jun 25

RIM discontinues 16GB BlackBerry PlayBook

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RIM said: “There is more value for our customers in the higher capacity models and as such we have decided to focus our efforts here.”

Last week the company warned of “significant” job cuts ahead as it prepared to report its second consecutive quarterly operating loss. the BlackBerry-maker said it had hired JP Morgan and the Royal Bank of Canada to conduct a strategic review of its business.

Thorsten Heins, who took over as president and chief executive of RIM in January this year, said the company’s performance would “continue to be challenging for the next few quarters”.

It is thought that the decision to cut the 16GB BlackBerry PlayBook model could be a cost-cutting measure. the tablet computer was released last year but is already viewed by analysts as a failure.

In January, RIM slashed the price of all PlayBook models, cutting the 64GB version to $299 in the US – less than half its $699 launch price. Last December, the company wrote down $485m on the value of its PlayBook inventory.

RIM did not add a native email app to the PlayBook until February this year, despite email being one of the key services for which the BlackBerry brand is known. However, the latest version of the operating system still doesn’t support BBM, the popular instant messenger client for the BlackBerry range.

RIM’s stock has fallen sharply over the last year as it has struggled to keep pace with smartphone rivals and missed sales targets.

RIM discontinues 16GB BlackBerry PlayBook

Dec 24

Acer CEO pinning company future on ultrabooks

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Acer Aspire S3 ultrabook

(Credit:Amazon)

Acer’s financial troubles are mounting, but its CEO insists that he knows what will return the company to profitability: ultrabooks

“Ultrabooks will become our key growth driver next year as customers want a lighter, thinner notebook with longer battery life,” Acer CEO J.T. Wang told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview published yesterday. “Selling more ultrabooks will also help improve our profit margins as they command higher prices.”

At one time, Acer seemed well on its way to becoming the world’s largest PC maker, surpassing Dell in 2009 as its shipments soared. over the last several quarters, however, things have soured considerably for the Taiwanese company.

Gartner reports that Acer shipped 9.7 million PC units worldwide last quarter, earning it 10.6 percent of the market and putting it in fourth place behind HP, Dell, and Lenovo. Acer’s total PC shipments dropped a whopping 23.2 percent compared to the same period last year. it was a similarly disconcerting second quarter for Acer when the company shipped 9.1 million PCs, dropping 10 percent year-over-year.

Those shipment declines have caused sales to drop by 23.34 percent over the last twelve months.

Of course, it’s far from clear whether ultrabooks can actually reverse Acer’s fortunes as Wang suggests. last month, Digitimes reported, citing sources, that both Acer and Asus have cut their ultrabook orders due to sluggish demand for the computers.

It isn’t clear exactly why ultrabooks like the Acer Aspire S3 and the Asus Zenbook UX31 haven’t succeeded so far. CNET senior editor Scott Stein thinks the problem is that most ultrabooks are largely indistinguishable from Apple’s popular MacBook Air.

“Any of these laptops are, first and foremost, MacBook Air-alikes,” Stein said of ultrabooks in October. “Yet, somehow, Apple’s MacBook Air is a nothing-alike: it stands alone. It’s earned that distinction, because it was the first kid on the block: the first Air debuted in January 2008. It’s also the most likely laptop to be recognized out of a lineup by 10 random people on the street, by a long shot.”

But Wang claims to have a strategy for turning things around. Speaking at a conference in Taipei last week, he said that ultrabook success hinges on prices hovering “at about $699.” he went on to tell those in attendance that he expects Acer to ship between 250,000 and 300,000 ultrabooks this quarter.

Acer CEO pinning company future on ultrabooks

Nov 25

Lenovo reports 88% rise in quarterly profits

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2 November 2011 last updated at 07:29 ET Share this page Lenovo has gone from number four to number two in the PC market

Chinese PC maker Lenovo has reported an 88% rise in second quarter profits, helped by sales in emerging markets.

Net profit was $143.9m (£90m) for the three months to the end of September compared with $77m a year ago.

Lenovo chief executive Yang Yuanging said sales had been growing by "three times the market growth rate" in emerging markets.

Lenovo said its chairman, Liu Chuanzhi, was stepping down, with mr Yang adding the role to his responsibilities.

Mr Yang pointed out that the company had gone from number four to the second-largest PC vendor in the world in just two quarters.

He said he not only wanted to lead the PC market but, "also accomplish much more in the… smartphone and tablet [market]".

They Hong Kong-based company overtook Dell to claim the number two spot, with Hewlett-Packard still at the top.

Lenovo reports 88% rise in quarterly profits

Nov 15

HP UPDATES WINDOWS TABLET PC FOR PROFESSIONALS

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“Moving to a Windows-based inscription is a great citation for HP,” pronounced researcher Mike Kitagawa. “but we am not certain how a product will assistance [boost the] altogether revenues as well as profitability [at HP's Personal Systems Group], as a marketplace is approaching to be tiny during this point.”

Having not long ago validated a joining to a Personal Computer side of a business, Hewlett-Packard is staid to launch an updated inscription Personal Computer using a veteran book of Microsoft ‘s Windows 7 handling system. Called a HP Slate 2, a appurtenance will capacitate blurb operation professionals to say seamless smoothness with a complete operation of calm residing upon a machines used by their managers as well as associate workers.

The preference to modernise a strange Slate inscription launched by HP final year demonstrates that a association continues to see enlargement opportunities in a veteran shred of a inscription market. about 6 percent of all inscription shipments during a second entertain of 2011 went to blurb users — up from 3 percent in a before dual buliding of 2010, pronounced IDC Vice President Loren Loverde in an e-mail Thursday. “Apple had about 80 percent of that in a past dual quarters,” she said.

HP gifted clever enlargement in a U.S. Personal Computer marketplace during this year’s third entertain — when a company’s Personal Computer shipments increasing 15.1 percent year over year as well as a marketplace heading share totaled 28.9 percent, pronounced Mika Kitagawa, a principal researcher during Gartner .

“Moving to a Windows-based inscription is a great citation for HP,” Kitagawa pronounced in an e-mail Thursday. “but we am not certain how a product will assistance [boost the] altogether revenues as well as profitability [at HP's Personal Systems Group], as a marketplace is approaching to be tiny during this point.”

Right Mix of Features

HP’s latest 1.5-pound inscription will capacitate mobile workers to create, revise as well as examination blurb operation documents, spreadsheets, presentations as well as alternative sorts of Windows-compatible files whilst upon a go. The HP Slate 2 additionally ships with a claim mSATA SSM record for delivering faster Windows 7 foot times.

Slate 2 integrates a 1.5GHz Atom Z670 processor from Intel , 2GB of DDR2 SDRAM, a plain state expostulate with a limit genius of 64GB as well as an SD enlargement label slot. The inscription sports an inward-facing VGA webcam as well as outward-facing 3-megapixel camera/camcorder.

The device ‘s 8.9-inch capacitive multi-touch display, that ships with a latest Swype-enabled set of keys , offers await for both coop as well as hold input. according to HP, touch-screen fortitude varies in between 1024x600p as well as 1024x768p, depending upon a specific focus in use.

On a wireless side, Slate 2 incorporates both Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n) as well as Bluetooth 4.0 radios. HP’s latest device offers await for discretionary accessories such as a 3G radio, Bluetooth-enabled set of keys as well as visual mouse, digital pen, captivating ribbon reader as well as barcode scanner.

“The HP Slate includes a right brew of abounding features, await for custom-built applications, as well as a confidence as well as connectivity indispensable for today’s rarely mobile as well as severe day-to-day veteran environment” pronounced HP Vice President Dan Forlenza.

Security Enhancements

Under a Slate 2′s metal cover is a TPM-embedded confidence thinly slice for safeguarding a firmness of a e-mails, papers as well as alternative interpretation stored upon a machine’s plain state drive. also upon daub is BIOS await for Computrace Pro — an focus that enables IT managers to secure mislaid or stolen inclination by remotely deletion interpretation during a file, office or operating-system level.

Slate 2′s discretionary advancing hire has dual USB 2.0 ports as well as an HDMI connector. Slated to launch after this month in markets around a world, HP intends to suggest a latest appurtenance during prices that begin during $699.

Gartner as well as IDC right away do not compute normal PCs from those media tablets that run a full chronicle of Windows. so it is not right away probable to establish a border to that Windows-powered tablets have been already assisting to fuel veteran Personal Computer sales growth.

“if a device is versed with Windows 7, it should be counted as a Personal Computer for now,” Kitagawa said. However, she added, “we might shift [this] clarification starting forward.”

HP UPDATES WINDOWS TABLET PC FOR PROFESSIONALS

Oct 21

Lenovo Becomes World’s Second Largest Maker ...

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After years of expansion, numerous acquisitions and other actions, Lenovo Group has managed to become the world’s second largest supplier of personal computers in the world. Thanks to rapid growth in all markets, Lenovo now commands around 13.5% of the market that is slowing down due to economic turmoil, according to leading PC market tracking companies Gartner and IDC.

Worldwide PC Market Total 91.8 Million

Worldwide PC shipments totaled 91.8 million units in the Q3 2011, a 3.2% increase from the Q3 2010, according to preliminary results by Gartner. These results are slightly lower than Gartner’s earlier projection of 5.1% growth for the quarter. the EMEA region contributed to lower-than-expected growth led by a weak Western European market.

"the inventory buildup, which slowed growth the last four quarters, mostly cleared out during the third quarter of this year; however, the PC industry has been performing below normal seasonality. as expected, back-to-school PC sales were disappointing in mature markets. the popularity of non-PC devices, including media tablets, such as the iPad and smartphones, took consumers’ spending away from PCs," said Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner.

HP, the No. 1 vendor based on global PC shipments, grew faster than the industry average, and its market share reached 17.7% in the third quarter of 2011. Despite announcing in the middle of Q2 2011 the potential spinoff of its PC business, HP experienced strong growth in the U.S., while outside the U.S., growth was relatively weak or average.

Lenovo became the second-largest PC vendor in the worldwide market for the first time. the company’s expansion was boosted in part by the joint vendor with NEC in Japan. however, its aggressive marketing to both the professional and consumer PC markets accelerated its shipment volume, according to Gartner.

Dell‘s performance was below the industry average in most regions, as the company faced intensified competition in the professional space, where Dell has been traditionally strong, according to Gartner. nonetheless, Dell’s expansion efforts in China continued to pay dividends, maintaining double-digit growth in Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan), IDC claims.

Acer continued to struggle with inventory clearing and adjusting its strategy following declines in netbooks and its management shake-up, said Gartner. Total shipments were down 20.6% from a year ago – the fourth consecutive quarterly decline – but easier comparisons may help the company turn a corner in coming quarters.

Asustek Computer had a strong quarter, boosting growth to over 30%, said IDC. Strong gains in Asia/Pacific, along with improvements in EMEA, helped Asus overtake Toshiba for the number 5 spot in worldwide shipments. while the vendor has had some difficulties adjusting for the decline in netbook PCs, its mainstream notebooks have done well, especially in emerging markets.

Total shipments of Apple increased more than 20% in Q3 2011, recovering from a dip to 15% growth in the second quarter but otherwise continuing a trend of more than 2 years with over 20% growth. the MacBook Air continues to boost volumes, and Apple’s position in driving changes in consumer expectations for devices also positions it favorably relative to other players and tight consumer spending, according to IDC.

EMEA PC Market Remains Weak

In an uncertain environment, quarter-on-quarter growth provides a better indication of the dynamics of the EMEA PC market. the EMEA PC market exhibited growth of 17.1% from the second quarter of 2011.

"the PC market in EMEA remained weak in the third quarter of 2011, due to slow consumer demand and lower sell-in to the channel. as a result, the market recorded its third consecutive quarterly decline," said Ranjit Atwal, research director at Gartner.

In the third quarter of 2011, HP regained the No. 1 position from Acer and grew its market share by 1.1%  points year-on-year. HP managed the impact of separating its PC division better than we had expected.

Acer pulled down the market average as it continued to suffer inventory issues. Over the first three quarters of 2011, the EMEA PC market declined 4%, compared with the same period in 2010. Most of the decline resulted from the continued poor performance of Acer, which declined more than 30%. the prolonged inventory clearance will have a permanent impact on Acer, as its direct competitors are securing new channel and retailer partners

Asus‘s shipments grew sharply, with increased sales of mobile PCs in both the consumer market and the small and midsize business market. It moved up to third place, overtaking Dell.

Lenovo performed strongly in both the professional and consumer markets. It took advantage of HP’s strategic issues and Dell’s inability to match Lenovo’s prices in the professional market.

Many PC vendors were banking on media tablets to boost their growth in the second half of 2011, but given the collapse of the non-Apple part of the media tablet market, most have refocused on getting PCs into retailers. however, retailers remain cautious about demand and have shortened their order lead times. this passes more cost on to the PC vendors at a time when margins are under pressure.

U.S. PC Market Grows by 1.1%

In the U.S., PC shipments totaled 17.8 million units in the third quarter of 2011, a 1.1% increase from the third quarter of 2010. the U.S. PC market experienced year-over-year growth for the first time in three quarters. while the consumer market continued to be weak with disappointing back-to-school sales in the third quarter, the inventory was kept mostly in check as industry expectations were relatively low.

"the main contributor to the weak consumer PC market in the U.S. was intensified competition for consumers’ money. Media tablets and smartphones took center stage in the U.S. retail sector, and the expectation is for continuing demand for these devices throughout the holiday season," said Ms. Kitagawa.

HP showed strong growth in the U.S. PC market, as shipments increased 15.1% in the third quarter, and its market share totaled 28.9% (see Table 2). Despite the potential spinoff of its PC business, HP executives’ efforts to give the appearance of "business as usual" seemed to work in the quarter.

Dell struggled as shipments declined 7.2% in the third quarter of 2011.

"Dell’s issue has been balancing profitability and market share gain, a difficult task in a PC industry where high volumes and low margins are the norm," Ms. Kitagawa said.

Gartner’s early study shows that Apple experienced the strongest growth among the top five vendors in the U.S. PC market. Apple’s PC shipments increased 21.5% in the third quarter of 2011. the robust growth of the MacBook Air continued to lead Apple’s overall growth in the U.S. market.

APAC, Japan and Latin America Continue to Grow

In Asia/Pacific, PC shipments reached 31.8 million units in the third quarter of 2011, a 6% increase from the same period last year. Vendors continued to stimulate demand aggressively with promotions and prices, benefiting buyers looking for good prices. It also provided an opportunity for some consumers to buy their first mobile PC.

The PC market in Latin America grew 19.6% in the third quarter of 2011. Mobile PC shipments grew 31.1% year over year, and desk-based PC shipments increased 6.5% in the third quarter of 2011.

PC shipments in Japan grew 3%, with shipments reaching 3.9 million units. the consumer market received a boost in demand with the introduction by vendors of new consumer models in September. there was also a rebound in production for the professional market, after a drop in enterprise demand because of the higher prioritization for business continuity plans that coincided with the earthquake and tsunami in March.

"for the moment, PCs have taken a backseat to a range of other devices competing for shrinking consumer and business budgets. while growth is expected to stay in mid-single digits in the fourth quarter, we should see faster growth in 2012 and beyond based on easier comparisons and refreshed PC offerings as the industry better addresses the evolving usage models by integrating more of the features in ultra mobile devices," concluded Jay Chou, senior research analyst with IDC’s worldwide quarterly PC tracker.

Tags: Lenovo, HP, Dell, Acer, ASUS, Apple, Toshiba, Business, IDC, Gartner

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Lenovo Becomes World’s Second Largest Maker of PCs amid Market Slowdown – X-bit labs

Sep 27

Apple slashes fourth-quarter iPad orders, report ...

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Did Apple slash iPad shipments in the fourth quarter?

(Credit:Apple)

Apple has cutiPad orders from manufacturing partners, Bloomberg is reporting, citing an investment report from JP Morgan Chase.

Apple has reportedly cut fourth-quarter iPad shipments by 25 percent, Bloomberg says, per JP Morgan Chase. the analysts at JP Morgan said that this is the first time they’ve seen Apple slash iPad shipments since thetablet launched last year.

If Apple has, in fact, cut iPad shipments for the fourth quarter, it will have a profound impact on many of its suppliers, including Hon Hai Precision. According to the analysts, Bloomberg says, Hon Hai was planning to ship 17 million iPads in the fourth quarter, but will now only ship 13 million units.

Related stories:• Tablet shipments jump 304 percent in second quarter• Apple to sell 149 million iPads in ’15, researcher says• PC shipment growth to slow in 2011, jump in 2012

It’s unclear why Apple might want to cut back on iPad shipments, if that is in fact what’s happening. perhaps it ordered too many iPads in previous quarters, or it’s slowing down iPad 2 production to prepare for the eventual iPad 3, or there might be other supply chain management and spending issues involved.

What’s more, even with those purportedly reduced shipments, analysts aren’t ready to say that Apple will sell fewer iPads in the fourth quarter. According to Bloomberg, JP Morgan analyst mark Moskowitz will maintain estimates that Apple will ship up to 12 million iPad units in that quarter, even with reduced orders to suppliers.

If Apple can keep up its momentum, and sell as many iPads as researchers expect, this could be another big year for the tablet. last week, research firm Gartner reported that it expects Apple to sell nearly 47 million iPads this year, up from the 14.7 million it sold last year. Even more impressive, Gartner believes Apple will ship nearly 149 million iPads in 2015.

Apple did not immediately respond to CNET’s request for comment on the Bloomberg report.

Apple slashes fourth-quarter iPad orders, report says

Sep 23

What to Expect From Intel’s Developer Forum

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Intel is expected to highlight new chips for laptops and tablets at the Intel Developer Forum, Sept. 13 to 15 in San Francisco. Intel will also share further details about Ultrabooks, a new class of thin and light laptops, for which Microsoft will show its upcoming Windows 8 OS.

But as the decades-long Wintel monopoly in the PC market crumbles under tablet pressure, Intel will try to stake a position in the mobile market by drumming up support for Linux-based OSes such as MeeGo and Google’s Android, analysts said.

The strength of the once-prosperous Wintel alliance could be tested as the chip maker and Microsoft adapt to a market shift from PCs to mobile devices such as tablets, analysts said this week.

PC shipments have slowed down over the last few quarters amid growing interest in tablets. With that writing on the wall, Intel and Microsoft are cutting cords on their PC-era relationship to move with the market, analysts said. Microsoft has added support for ARM architecture with Windows 8, while Intel has expanded its commitment to Linux by developing its own MeeGo OS and porting Android to work with its tablet chips.

Ironically, IDF’s dates also clash with Microsoft’s BUILD conference, from Sept. 13-16 in Anaheim, California. some analysts said that Intel and Microsoft would not usually compete for developer attention, but the collision of major conferences is a sign of the changing times.

The Wintel alliance made the PC great, but Microsoft and Intel seem to be headed in different directions to catch up with rivals in new markets such as tablets, said Nathan Brookwood, principal analyst at Insight 64.

“There’s still a lot of common interest in terms of the PC. However, Microsoft’s move to support ARM-based systems clearly puts some stress on that relationship,” Brookwood said. ARM processors are found on most smartphones and tablets today, and are considered more power-efficient than Intel’s Atom chips.

Intel may use IDF to prove that its Atom chips can outperform ARM when running Android on tablets, said Jack Gold, principal analyst at J. Gold Associates. Intel may show new Android tablets based on upcoming Atom chips to prove its point, Gold said.

Intel is also trying to build a developer base as it takes steps to fit into the emerging mobile markets, Gold said. Intel has virtually no presence in the tablet and smartphone markets, and needs to develop a software ecosystem to supplement its hardware, Gold said. Intel will be holding technical sessions for Android and Windows developers at IDF.

“What we’re seeing is the Wintel monopoly falling apart as the market is moving another direction,” Gold said. “The market is pushing [Intel and Microsoft] in different directions, but that doesn’t mean they won’t work together.”

But the PC market isn’t dead yet and will grow over the coming years, said Dean McCarron, principal analyst at Mercury Research. The Wintel alliance will manifest in the form of ultrabooks, which over years could develop into a market that blurs the lines between tablets and laptops.

“You are seeing Intel take steps to fit into the newer as well as older markets,” McCarron said.

Intel will demonstrate Ultrabooks running Windows 8, which will include a revamped touch-based user interface, said Insight 64′s Brookwood. Tablets currently are ideal for content consumption, but Windows 8 Ultrabooks could ultimately be interchangeably used as PCs or tablets to consume or create content, Brookwood said.

An Intel spokesman said a three-phase rollout for Ultrabooks will be detailed at the show, but did not provide further information. some Ultrabooks that have already been announced, such as Lenovo’s IdeaPad U300S, form the first wave, and are based on Sandy Bridge microprocessors. Intel has said that the second wave of ultrabooks will reach consumers early next year and be based on upcoming Ivy Bridge chips, which are faster and more power-efficient than Sandy Bridge processors. The Ivy Bridge Ultrabooks will get touchscreens that can swivel or slide out.

Intel at IDF may also share details on Haswell, the successor to Ivy Bridge, which will form the third wave of Ultrabooks, reaching consumers in 2013. Intel has said the graphics engine integrated in Haswell will deliver greater performance than any current mobile discrete card while consuming just 15 watts of power.

Intel is on a trajectory to improving chips through manufacturing advances as it tries to catch up with ARM on power consumption. Intel will share more details about its manufacturing efforts to achieve improved performance and power efficiency on chips at IDF. The chip maker earlier this year introduced 3D transistors, which will make chips smaller and more power efficient. The transistors will be available in chips made using the 22-nanometer process, which should reach laptops early next year.

Intel is also expected to make announcements around integrated security offerings with McAfee, which is operating as a separate unit within Intel. Intel completed the $7.68 billion acquisition of McAfee earlier this year.

What to Expect From Intel’s Developer Forum

Sep 02

Acer Ships 7-inch Tablet With Android 3.2 for $329

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Acer on Friday started shipping a US$329 Iconia Tab A100 tablet, which the company says is the first tablet with a 7-inch screen to run Android 3.2.

Iconia Tab A100The Iconia Tab A100′s smaller screen will bring Android 3.2 applications in a more portable form factor, Acer said in a statement. a majority of Honeycomb tablets available today come with 10.1-inch screens, including Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Toshiba’s Thrive.

Android tablets with 7-inch screens are already available, but most run older versions of the operating system. the Samsung P1000 Galaxy Tab with a 7-inch screen runs on Android 2.2, which is usually found in smartphones. Android 3.2 is also known as Honeycomb.

The A100 is the latest addition to a string of tablets from Acer. the company already offers the Iconia tablets with 10.1-inch screens that run Honeycomb and Windows 7. the company increased its focus on tablets in recent quarters as PC shipments slowed. Acer was the second-largest PC maker in the world in 2009, but slipped to the fourth spot during the second quarter this year because of a heavy commitment to the PC market.

Android 3.2 has a specialized user interface for tablets, which allows users to multitask and navigate between multiple applications. the OS receives e-mail and social networking feeds in a centralized location, and also has features for tablets to be used as gaming consoles.

The A100 runs on a dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, and provides four hours of battery life on regular Internet usage and four-and-a-half hours when playing high-definition 720p video, the company said. the device weighs 0.92 pounds (0.41 kilograms) and is 0.5 inches (12.7 millimeters) thick. the tablet has a rear-facing 5-megapixel camera and a front-facing 2-megapixel camera. Support for Adobe Flash 10.3 allows for video playback through a browser.

The tablet also includes an HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) port so images can be mirrored on high-definition TVs. the device also includes a micro-USB port.

The device is available through retail stores in the U.S. it will become available in Canada next month for C$399 (US$405). it will also become available in Europe next month, though company representatives could not provide a price. the company could not comment on availability in other countries.

Acer Ships 7-inch Tablet With Android 3.2 for $329

Sep 02

HP, Dell: Stop Tweeting, Start Executing

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If you missed the brief but acerbic war of words between Hewlett-Packard and Michael Dell over the past few days, you’re excused.

If you missed the brief but acerbic war of words between Hewlett-Packard and Michael Dell over the past few days, you’re excused.

after all, there was enough news already: Google’s proposed acquisition of Motorola Mobility; HP’s decision to possibly spin off its PC group, and pull out of WebOS hardware; and, finally, the TouchPad fire sale that went on over the weekend. oh, and the supposed lull before things really heat up during the third and fourth quarters.

but, suddenly, fellow Texan and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban apparently hijacked Michael Dell’s Twitter account and started popping off about HP’s decision to exit the PC business.

“If HP spins off their PC business….maybe they will call it Compaq?”

“HP…. They are calling it a separation but it feels like a divorce”

“Goodbye HP, sorry you don’t want to be in PCs anymore..but we do more than ever. how would you say goodbye to HP?”

Don’t get me wrong. I like trash talking. it sells ads. it takes players out of the game. I played baseball through college, and did very well as the typical lefty pitcher who relies on junk, control, and smarts to get outs. there was nothing quite like pulling the string in a tough situation, making eye contact, and grinning. Frustration can be a powerful demotivating force.

but the sports arena isn’t the PC market. LeBron James may be the best player in the league today, but Dirk Nowitski has a ring on his finger.

Michael, you’re still number two in the PC market, both worldwide and in the United States. Remember that. HP may have celebrated passing Dell in April 2009, crowning itself the U.S. PC leader as well as the number-one vendor worldwide, a position it had held since 2006. but it certainly wasn’t as public.

HP, You’re Not Helping

“Not so fast @MichaelDell,” HP tweeted in response. “We are still the #1 PC manufacturer in the world. our team remains 100% committed”

Well said. but HP then linked to a blog post where HP social media strategist Mark Budgell chipped in with a post titled “A Toast to Opportunity.” “Our competitors might say to send us flowers. I say bring on the champagne,” he wrote. “I am proud of our successes to date, and bullish about the future. In the meantime, it’s all systems go for us.”

oh, dear god. I understand that Hewlett-Packard is essentially considering ditching a low-margin business (PCs) for a high-margin one (enterprise services) but you can’t celebrate the end of a market-leading PC business at the same time mumbling that you still might keep it.

HP’s PR team, meanwhile, is anything but “all systems go.” HP has botched two earnings releases in a row; in May, the company was forced to release its results early after a memo from CEO Leo Apotheker was leaked. this time around, HP’s PSG news also found its way into the papers early.

HP, a once great company, has had its image rent into shreds in a year’s time. a year ago, Mark Hurd resigned, replaced with Apotheker, a software guy that PCMag mobile analyst Sascha Segan never trusted. In April 2010, HP said that it was doubling down on WebOS, before killing off the hardware little more than a year later. Books will be written about this; business courses will use this as a case study. Annus horribilis, indeed.

Who Will Fill the HP Niche?

meanwhile, Michael Dell has just put himself on the firing line. It’s almost certain that HP’s boneheaded PSG move will cost it market share. Dell, like other PC OEMs, is preparing cloud services to help take on Apple’s iCloud and create an ecosystem. none had the potential for synergy like HP, though, which had set itself up to tie PCs, tablets, phones and printers together through the magic of WebOS, plus the cloud.

You’d better gain market share, Michael. you should be embarrassed if you don’t.

In the meantime, Apple continues to climb. They’re now the third-largest U.S. PC vendor, by the way. Acer stumbled; Apple passed them. Dell killed the Streak 5, while Apple continues to sell billions of iPhones and iPod touches. Apple’s a safe bet. And it’s a rare day when Steve Jobs or Tim Cook issues a statement as public as this one from Dell:

“@HP PC business 100% committed to ownership change to new unknown owner(s) w/unknown strategy, on an unknown time frame,” he tweeted on Saturday.

Let’s be honest here. last week was an embarrassment for anyone who enjoys calling themselves a technologist. Google bought a struggling handset maker as a patent defense, and forced its partners to robotically parrot two common words in supporting it: “defending Android.” Hewlett-Packard’s management has taken a reputation for quality hardware, painstakingly built over decades, and tossed it away in an attempt to ape its chief rival. Business won last week. Technology lost.

Walk the walk, Michael and Leo. you don’t build great products on words. you build them on great technology, designed by great people.

For more from Mark, follow him on Twitter @MarkHachman.

For the top stories in tech, follow us on Twitter at @PCMag.

HP, Dell: Stop Tweeting, Start Executing