Crave

In this week's preholiday edition of the Digital City Podcast, we all get ready for our one long break of the year, accompanied by special guest smartphone guru (and new CNET East Coaster) Bonnie Cha.

Scott and Joe have seen James Cameron's "Avatar"; Bonnie and Julie haven't. We also discuss Intel's new Atom Netbooks, 3D Blu-ray on the PS3, holiday smartphones, and upcoming laptops and phones at CES 2010. Best of all, Scott gets a chance to show off his one and only Batjew T-shirt. Watch it on video or you'll miss it.

Plus, don't forget to enter a comment to win a 16GB Zune HD of your very own. Happy holidays!

Related links:
>>3D Blu-ray standard outlined, includes PS3
>>New Atom Netbooks: Strange timing for shoppers?
>>CES 2010 Preview: Cell phones
>>CES 2010 Preview: Desktops and laptops

>>Watch the Digital City live every Monday at 3 p.m. EST on CNET Live!
>>Subscribe to Digital City on iTunes
>>Join the Digital City Facebook fan page
>>Need more? Follow Dan on Twitter! And Scott!

(Credit: Dan Ackerman )

As someone who moves into a new laptop a couple of times per week on average, I'd like to think I know a thing or two about getting a PC optimally set up. For more than a year now, I've carried a USB key on my keychain (most recently the excellent LaCie Iamakey), containing a folder of install files for apps I know I'm going to want to have on whatever laptop I'm reviewing at the moment.

While you're probably setting up only one new desktop or laptop this holiday season (or maybe more if you're the unofficial family IT guy), it makes sense to have a checklist of apps, especially free ones, that should be installed on any new PC.

Check out the slideshow below to see my personal list of apps I keep on my USB key, or give us your suggestions in the comments section below.

New PC survival kit: download these free apps on day one

> Need more? Follow me at twitter.com/danackerman.
> See our Holiday laptop picks in the CNET Holiday Tech Guide.
> Everything you need to know about buying a laptop.

PC shipments are the latest tech sector showing signs of life.

For the third quarter, worldwide computer shipments rose 2.3 percent from the same quarter a year ago, their first gain after three consecutive quarters of declines, according to IDC's latest Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker report released on Thursday.

Hot back-to-school demand boosted overall shipments. Portable PCs enjoyed a 33.5 increase from a year ago, but desktops continued their descent reflecting the consumer drive to mobile computers.

The decline in commercial PCs also began to slow in the third quarter, indicating to IDC that IT spending should gradually revive over the next few quarters, with a solid rebound expected in the second half of 2010.

Thanks to the latest results, PC shipments are expected to show gains of 1.3 percent for 2009, rising to 10.3 percent next year. The total number of shipments is likely to hit 291.4 million units this year and 321.4 million next year, up from 287.6 million in 2008.

(Credit: IDC)

Much of the growth will come from emerging regions, which now account for half of the market. Portables should enjoy an 18.1 percent gain in shipments in 2010, but desktop shipments are likely to be flat. Netbooks will grow, but at a slower pace, due to the appeal of new ultra-thin portables. Overall, IDC forecasts double-digit gains in PC shipments each year to 2013, when the number of units could reach as high as 444.4 million.

"Once again, the PC market shows its resiliency," said Loren Loverde, program director of IDC Worldwide Trackers, in a statement. "The speed of market stabilization and growth in key segments reflect the essential role of personal computing today. Technology evolution and falling prices remain a compelling combination. As commercial spending recovers in 2010, we expect to see robust growth over the next several years."

With Psystar barred permanently by a judge from selling anymore Open Computers, the Mac clone maker became just one in a string of companies that have tried selling Mac OS X on non-Apple hardware.

During Apple's three decades in business, it has at some points licensed its operating system for use on third-party computers. But since CEO Steve Jobs' return in 1997, the policy has been clear: Apple will be the only company allowed to sell Mac OS preinstalled.

Though Psystar tried and failed, there are still two companies out there--safely outside the U.S. and the reach of American copyright law--continuing to defy Apple's legally upheld EULA.

Here's a look back.

A short history of Mac clones (photos)

(Credit: SchultzeWorks)

(Credit: SchultzeWorks)

A California-based design studio has dreamed up a deliciously retro desktop PC that looks like it came from the set of midcentury sci-fi classic "Forbidden Planet." The Philco PC from SchultzeWorks pays homage to an iconic brand of TV marketed in the late '50s, the Philco Predicta.

The hep PC won top-three placement in a design contest, according to SchultzeWorks. It was designed with Rhino modeling software.

The Philco Predicta was revolutionary for its time but suffered from poor picture quality. It featured a sculpted CRT separated from the receiver chassis and was marketed under the slogan "TV today from the world of tomorrow." Predictas sold well when launched in 1958, but color sets outsold them, and by 1962 Philco was bankrupt. Today, Telstar Electronics makes replica Predictas with color screens.

In styling his Eisenhower computer, Dave Schultze also drew upon antique typewriters for the keyboard design, as well as steampunk objects. He also seems to have been motivated by bland PC design in general, remarking that "most computers are engineered eyesores."

There's no word yet on whether anyone will actually make the Philco PC. For a closeup look at the concept, check out the promo video after the jump.

Apple's delay in shipping the 27-inch iMac may have more to do with the sheer volume of sales than any problems with the graphics chips, according to numbers from market research firm NPD.

(Credit: Apple)

Stephen Baker, NPD's vice president of industry analysis, told CNET on Monday that for October and November, Mac desktop sales were up 74 percent over the same period last year. While NPD did not break the numbers down by desktop model, it's clear the iMac is a top seller.

In fact, the 27-inch iMac appears to be selling so well, it could account for the shipping delay that Apple apologized for on Sunday.

"It's not surprising Apple would be having problems supplying them [iMacs]," said Baker. "I can't imagine in their wildest dreams they would have thought they would sell like this."

Reports over the weekend suggested Apple was delaying shipments of the 27-inch iMac due to reported problems with the graphics card. While those issues remain, it may not be the root cause of the delay.

The surge in Mac sales was not limited to the 27-inch model. Baker said that the 21.5-inch iMac and the Mac mini are also doing very well.

Piper Jaffray financial analyst Gene Munster estimated in a research note to clients on Monday that Apple could sell 2.9 million to 3 million Macs for the current quarter, according to a report on AppleInsider. Munster cautioned that approximately 50 percent of all Mac sales for the quarter happen in December, so that number could change.

Mac notebooks saw a 5 percent increase for October and November, while iPod sales were down 11 percent year-over-year for the same time period.

On this week's Digital City, we discuss Google's rumored new phone; get to the bottom of the current iMac shipping delays, and go over the best games you can play on a Netbook (all after Dan had to get up at 5am to shoot a local news TV segment on his favorite holiday games).

Then, things take a turn for the weird with a solid gold PlayStation 3, rumored to be under Jay-Z's Xmas tree; and a surprising NYC find -- a Mario-themed pizza place that is calling out for a visit from the ghost of intellectual property lawyers past (see below).

Related links:
>>Is Google making a phone?
>>Top 20 Netbook games
>>Top 5 Holiday Game Picks (CW11 morning News)

>>Watch the Digital City live every Monday at 3pm EST on CNET Live!
>>Subscribe to Digital City on iTunes
>>Join the Digital City Facebook fan page
>>Need more? Follow Dan on Twitter! And Scott!

Spotted on Houston street in NYC.

(Credit: Dan Ackerman)

The biggest consumer electronics event of the year is around the corner, and by that we of course mean CES 2010. We'll all be there in Vegas scouting out the best of what's new, but you may find yourself asking: after Windows 7 and the launch of Core i7 laptops, what else is there to look forward to? Plenty, by our measure. Here are the trends we're expecting to see.

New Atom processors, new Netbooks
The star of the show will likely be Intel's new line of Atom processors for Netbooks. Previously codenamed Pine Trail, these new CPUs will give the Netbooks platform a performance push, we hope, making these popular laptops even more ubiquitous. Currently, Netbooks are great for some tasks, but can be frustrating to use if you need them for all-around computing. Look for added graphics and HD video performance in particular.

On a related note, hardware manufacturers will continue to try to "upscale" Netbooks, by adding features such as discrete graphics, touch screens, and HD displays--all in an effort to move prices past the low-margin $299 mark. We'll see increased stratification in Netbooks--a category previously notable for its commodity nature.

(Credit: Qualcomm)

Here come the Smartbooks
If you don't know the term already, get ready to know it, as this will be one of the hot product trends of 2010. Consider them even cheaper and smaller Netbooks toting smartphone-level processors and a pared-down OS. Small CPUs such as the Nvidia Tegra and the Qualcomm Snapdragon are what will power this next generation of devices, and almost none of them will have an operating system that will be Windows or Mac.

Expect to see most of these hybrid devices with 3G antennas, sold in cellphone stores, and subsidized by mobile phone providers, much like some Netbooks already are. Economic realities have pushed computer makers to favor value over flash in designing new systems, and at CES 2010, we're likely to see a bigger focus on Netbooks and other low-cost PCs over the extravagant showstoppers of previous years. Smartbooks could help define a new low-end pricing zone, but it remains to be seen whether they'll offer enough computing power.

This seriously well-equipped desktop costs just $325 (plus shipping).

(Credit: TigerDirect)

It's remarkable how much bang for the buck you can get from a PC these days.

For example, if you're looking to replace an aging desktop with something far more powerful, Tech For Less has a refurbished HP Pavilion a6700y quad-core desktop for $325.04. Shipping will run you about $25.

The system offers some mighty impressive specs for the price, starting with an AMD Phenom 9150e quad-core processor. Multitask all you want; it won't break a sweat.

It also comes with 4GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive, a DVD burner, and built-in 802.11b/g (a rare perk in a desktop).

The system runs Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit. I'm sure most users would prefer Windows 7 at this point, but you can always upgrade later--and there's really nothing wrong with Vista as long as it's running on a powerful machine like this one.

The only mediocre spec here is the integrated GeForce 6150SE graphics--fine for ... Read more