The VAR Guy

Anybody want to buy a $40 billion PC business? While you ponder that offer, here are six channel partner blog entries The VAR Guy didn’t have time to write for the week ending Aug. 19, 2011.

7. Peace of Mind? There’s An App for That: uTest, which claims to be the world’s largest marketplace for software testing services, has launched localization and security testing services. The company’s marketplace offers on-demand testing services for companies’ web, desktop or mobile applications. The testing services also include functional, usability and load testing.

6. Money Matters: Synnex has launched RENEWSolv, a single dashboard that allows resellers to manage their software/service renewals and hardware refresh. The dashboard is free to all Synnex resellers. The VAR Guy has a clear vision for how this is going to play out over the long term. It’s too early to share speculation — but Synnex is up to something very smart here, and MSPs who are in the know are impressed. Stay tuned.

5. The Marketing Man: Tech Data named Derrek P. Hallock as VP of, TDAgency. the distributor’s full-service advertising, marketing, public relations and sales support agency for partners and resellers.

4. What a Week: Rewind six days. Imagine if The VAR Guy told you that in a single week Google would buy Motorola Mobility; Dell would reduce its revenue forecast but claim storage victories; Lenovo would claim to be gaining worldwide market share; and HP would kill WebOS TouchPad tablets and try to sell of its PC division. That’s too crazy a week for The VAR Guy to make up. But it all happened in a four-day period.

3. Is that Trademarked: In a tweet, Michael Dell suggested HP spin off its PC company and call it, um, Compaq. Ouch.

2. Storm Cloud: Cloud computing and cloud services stocks fell nearly 13 percent this week and are down nearly 14 percent so far this year, according to the Talkin’ Cloud Stock Index, which is maintained by The VAR Guy’s sister site. Also of note: Cloud stocks were up around 20 percent in Q1 2011 — which means everything has gone off a cliff since early April.

1. Check the Headline: This remains a top-six list. There is no Number One because The VAR Guy is a bit lazy… and headed for the exit this weekend.

Read More About This Topic

• Technology News The VAR Guy Forgot to Write: Nov. 4
• Lenovo: Special Financing for Small Business VARs
• Synnex Helps Resellers Go Mobile
• Tablet Moves: Lenovo Confirms Android LePad; HP Pursues PalmPad Trademark
• Palm for Sale: Is This The End?