The results of our October 2007 Driver Survey are in. Our initial analysis of the survey data is found below.
Over 7,500 respondents participated in this survey. 72% have updated a driver before and 78% have resolved a problem they were having by installing a different driver.
Run our free Driver Scan to check if your computers have the latest drivers.
PC Pitstop Driver Survey Results Read More »
Microsoft has now posted a hotfix package to its Web site that corrects this flaw in Excel 2007 and Excel Services 2007. The fix will be offered soon through Microsoft Update so that users can get the patch automatically without having to go to Microsoft’s site.
Microsoft Excel 2007 Calculation Issue Read More »
Our September 2007 survey polled the folks visiting the PC Pitstop web site to determine just how intimate people are with their PCs. Nine out of ten people surveyed indicated that they knew the manufacturer of their PC, the size of their hard drives and how much RAM is installed. Almost as many indicated that they remember the model number of their PC and who manufactured the CPU. No surprises there. These are the common attributes that PC marketers highlight in their ads and that most people look for when buying a PC.
PC Pitstop PC Information Results Read More »
How does your state rank in general PC technology? We analyzed several technology metrics for folks running the PC Pitstop online tests and ranked the states based on our findings. Surprisingly, no one state or region clearly dominated all the metrics we reviewed. Delaware appears to have surfaced towards the top of the rankings while the states of Missouri, Iowa, Arkansas and Ohio generally ranked lowest.
US State Technology Metrics – Quartile Rankings Read More »
The PC Pitstop July 2007 survey took a look at how people make use of the Windows accessory tools, services and applications. These accessories are generally included as part of the Windows operating system with each providing some specific functionality for PC users.
PC Pitstop Window’s Accessory Usage Survey Results Read More »
Microsoft launched Vista Business in late 2006 and Vista Home in early 2007. Our research shows that in July 2007, Vista was found on 12% of the PCs running the PC Pitstop online tests. Our research also shows that Vista is significantly lagging the historical XP launch ramp by almost 57%. In the six months following the XP launch in 2001, the operating system had grown to be found on over 28% of all PCs. Vista’s prevalence, after six months from its consumer Vista Home launch, sits at 12%.
The PC has provided the ability for users to make, edit and copy of all types of digital information. PC Pitstop Research took a look at the prevalence of DVD decryption and ripping software found on the PCs running the analytical tests on our website. This type of software makes it possible for a PC user to decrypt and rip a DVD movie onto their hard drive or other digital media. A search of the Internet for DVD coping software reveals a variety of both freeware and commercial applications that a user can use to create backups of their DVD movies. Approximately 15% of the PCs visiting our web site have at least one of the DVD decryption and ripping applications installed.
DVD Copying Tools Software Trends Read More »
Over the past 20+ years, the PC industry has revolved around key innovations in processor technology. Recent years have been marked by the emergence of multi-core processor technology. Today, there are essentially three types of processors currently available for the desktop PC user: single core, dual core, and quad core. The ‘core’ is the part of the microprocessor that does the work. This is different from computers with multiple processors.
World of Processors Read More »
The PC Pitstop June 2007 survey took a look at how people are adapting to and using online video. Improvements in technologies and bandwidth have opened up a whole new way for how information is being shared and accessed on the internet. 40% of the folks that answered our survey indicate that they are frequently watching online news videos. Web sites such as YouTube.com and MySpace.come are basically allowing anyone, with a PC and the desire, to make and share their online videos with the world.
PC Pitstop Online Video Survey Results Read More »
The results of our May 2007 PC Gaming Survey have been analyzed. How many people use the various shortcuts or media features on their computer?
The significant highlights:
PC Pitstop PC Obsolescence Survey Results Read More »