PC shipments in Western Europe totaled 12.3 million units in the first quarter of 2013, a decline of 20.5% from the corresponding period of 2012, >according to Gartner.

"The first quarter of 2013 brought the worst quarterly decline in Western Europe since Gartner started tracking PC shipments in this region," said Meike Escherich, principal research analyst at Gartner. "Wide availability of Windows 8-based PCs could not boost consumer PC purchases during the quarter. Although the new Metro-style user interface suits new form factors, users wonder about its suitability for traditional PCs - non-touchscreen desktops and notebooks."

All PC segments in Western Europe exhibited on-year declines in the first quarter of 2013. Mobile and desktop shipments fell by 24.6% and 13.8%, respectively. Shipments to the professional PC market declined by 17.2%, while those to the consumer PC market decreased by 23.7%.

Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Acer both recorded declines of over 30%. However, despite seeing its consumer notebook volumes halve during the quarter, HP remained the market leader.

In the first quarter of 2013, the mobile PC market accounted for 62% of PC shipments in France as volumes decreased by 26%. "One reason for the decline was a drop in netbook shipments, which represented less than 1% of all notebook shipments in France during the quarter," said Durand. The decline in desktops, of 24%, was less steep than that of mobile PCs

Via: http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20130516PR204.html

The Greek government said Monday it will use emergency powers to prevent protesting teachers from disrupting university entrance exams this month. Civil servants' unions retaliated by calling a 24-hour strike for Tuesday.

It is the third time this year that the conservative-led coalition government has used the emergency civil mobilization order — a measure normally reserved for natural disasters and other times of national crisis — to end a labor dispute in the crisis-hit country.

More than 2,000 teachers — some dressed in army fatigues to mock the order — and left-wing unionists held two separate, peaceful protests in central Athens late Monday.

Tuesday's nationwide strike is expected to close schools and disrupt public services. Civil servants' union officials told the AP on Monday that the union was also planning a work stoppage Thursday and a series of public protests.

Government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou said the government decided to use the civil mobilization order against the teachers under its "moral obligation" to safeguard the May 17-31 exams for school leavers and university candidates.

Via: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/greece-emergency-power-striking-teachers-19166051

Now one remember them to use emergency power to help teachers by butchering banks? No? Strange.