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After months of industry anticipation, Intel today released the first of its next-generation Ivy Bridge desktop and laptop processors. So what does it mean for computer buyers? Faster performance, longer battery life and better, more affordable graphics in computers hitting the market in the coming months.

"Conflict minerals," those mined to support groups conducting armed conflict or engaging in human rights abuses, have been an issue since long before we first wrote about it in July of 2010. The mineral equivalent of blood diamonds, they include tantalum, tungsten, tin and gold, all of which are used to manufacture our electronics.

Nokia, the world's largest manufacturers of mobile phones, today published its policy on conflict minerals.

Update after the jump.