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Microsoft reveals the Office 2013 customer preview-- now with a consistent touch-based interface shared across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and the other familiar Office modules.

Supposedly available by early 2013, Office 2013 follows the Windows 8 "re-imagining" with a tablet-centric interface and a clean Metro-style look.

A touch mode brings up special navigation icons on screen as it "flattens" the UI. Users can pinch to zoom into images, tables and charts, while a "Read Mode" makes on-screen text easier to read and activates swipe-based controls.

Online integration is also deeper-- a few clicks allow users to search for and integrate online images and SkyDrive acts as a secondary storage location.

While the enhanced 2013 features generally represent good news for future Windows 8 customers, they might mean less so for current users. Microsoft says Windows XP and Vista will not support Office 2013, instead demanding an upgrade to (at least) Windows 7.

However the majority of PC users still uses older Windows versions. According to Net Applications Windows 7 accounts for 41.59% of PC users tracked on June 2012, while 50.33% (43.61 + 6.72) use Windows XP or Vista.

The preview announcement follows the confirmation of the Windows 8 launch date-- October 2012, revealed at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference earlier last week.

Go Microsoft Office 2013 Customer Preview

Go Windows Milestones Shared at WPC 2012

Go Desktop Top OS Share Trend (Net applications)

Intel lowers Q3 2012 expectations after it falls short of Q2 2012 goals, noticing softer consumer spending in Europe and the US-- even if Q2 revenues grow by 5% Y-o-Y to total $13.5 billion.

This means Intel is doing like AMD in lowering outlooks as a sign of current tepid economic conditions.

The Intel PC client group sees revenues of $8.7bn (with 3% Q-o-Q growth), while the Data Center Group sees the most growth (14% Q-o-Q) and revenues reaching $2.8bn.

The earnings call also allows the company to tell how its mobile efforts are going-- CEO Paul Otellini says at least 20 Windows 8 tablets already carry Intel processors, while Clovertrail-powered devices will hit the market as soon as Windows 8 does.

H2 2012 should also see the launch of more Ultrabooks, touch-enabled PCs and Intel-powered smartphones.

Go Intel Q2 2012 Earnings Report

Gartner reports Q2 2012 EMEA PC shipments total 25.1 million units-- a 1.9% Y-o-Y increase, with "very weak" demand across both W. and S. Europe as the eurozone crisis continues growing.

As a result, distributors might end up with greater inventory levels while retailers take the (perhaps wise) risk adverse approach. This can hinder future growth before Windows 8 and new Ultrabook models hit the market sometime around H2 2012.

The global situation is not any better-- according to Gartner, the Q2 2012 WW PC market is virtually flat. Shipments reach 87.5m and decline by -0.1%, the 7th consecutive quarter of flat to single-digit WW growth.

"Despite the high expectations for Ultrabooks shipment volume was small and little impact on overall shipment growth,” the analyst remarks.

Customers also prefer spending on non-PC (or post-PC) technologies-- chiefly smartphones and tablets.

D-Link launches its first 802.11ac router-- the Cloud Router 5700 (DIR-865L), offering dual-band performance of up to 1750Mbps (1300ac + 450n) for high-bandwidth wireless applications.

It uses the 5GHz band for "less interference and cleaner connection" and carries x4 ethernet ports and x1 USB port allowing the connection of external storage. It is IPv6 ready and backwards compatible with 802.11n wireless standards.

Security comes through SPI firewall and WPA2.

D-Link also offers the mydlink cloud services-- enabling customers to monitor internet activity (via Cloud App) and access saved content on mobile devices (via SharePort app).

Go D-Link Ships First 802.11ac Router