Gartner plays the role of analytic soothsayer and reveals its top 2012 predictions, with visions of the challenges "big data" involves, the cloud, tightening budgets and the consumerisation of IT. 

One message from the analyst is immediately clear-- "adapt or be swept away." 

And now, the top 2012 predictions themselves... Read more...

Global PC shipments reach 90.4M units in Q3 2011, growing by just 2.6% Y-o-Y (from 88.1M in Q3 2010) according to IHS iSuppli-- lower than earlier forecasts from the analyst of 6.8% Y-o-Y growth.

"The attainment of any growth at all represents a victory for the market," iSuppli says as it tries to find the silver lining at a time of "weak consumer sales and a strong challenge from alternative platforms [tablets]."

Europe remains a struggling market as economic conditions in both Eurozone and elsewhere remain weak, to say the least.

One vendor Read more...

According to an Ovum research survey, 44% of enterprise IT departments in Europe, N. America and Asia-Pacific plan to invest in Big Data analytics in the future, budgeting for projects in the next 2 or 5 years. 

More proof (if any was needed) of big data equating into big business. 

The Ovum survey shows not only "big" companies are interested in big data-- 38% of respondents maintaining data warehouses in the terabyte range have revenues below $50M. 

Survey respondents also predict the data in their warehouses will grow by at least 10-20% in 2012 Read more...

W. European PC shipments total 14.8M units in Q3 2011-- an -11.4% Y-o-Y decline according to Gartner. The analyst rightfully describes the results as "unpleasant reading for the PC industry."

After all Q3 is traditional "strong" consumer quarter, being the back-to-school sale season. Thankfully, the inventory build-up slowing down the last 4 quarters appears to be clearing up.

The mobile PC market declines by -12.6% Y-o-Y-- mostly due to the sharp decrease of over -40% in mini notebook shipments-- while Q3 2011 desktop PC shipments are down Read more...