Laptop review

Products and tools for watermarking and image processing.

2011-04-28T19:44:00.000-07:00

	Photo Batch Resizer Photo Batch Resizer is a program developed specially for changing photograph size, changing format, batch photograph processing, renaming files and adding water marks. The program will help you change the size of a large number of photographs, which is often necessary when sending photos by email, publishing them on the internet or just for saving hard drive space. Download Purchase
	Photo Batch Sorter You can now sort your photos and add some information to the file name (date, time, camera model or any text). Virtually any digital photo made by a camera contains EXIF data. This data block includes the photo creation time and date, the camera model and even (in some models) the GPS coordinates of the place the photo was taken at. The program uses the actual photo creation time taken from EXIF data for sorting, not the time the photo file was created o your computer. You can configure sorting templates as you like to get a fully custom data storage structure. Surprise your friends and family members by showing them perfect order in your photo collection. Photo to photo, carefully organized by places and dates. Download Purchase
	Photo Batch Watermarker Protect pictures and convert images from one format to another, add time on pictures, resize/ shrink collections of pictures, rename images with meaningful names and so on. It can be a great companion for your collection of image editing software and a great time saver for you! Download Purchase
	Batch Html2Image Convert the HTML web page to image or thumbnail of a specified size in batch, save the long web page, .MHT, .TXT file as JPG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, WMF and EMF image. Download Purchase

Ask Engadget: best passive noise cancelling headphones?

2010-11-04T22:56:00.001-07:00

We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Alex, who just can't take the noise, dude. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

"Hello Engadget. I've always been a fan of high quality audio but I have a problem. I need noise cancelling headphones, but active noise cancelling gives me a headache and my ear canals aren't round enough to use in-ear earphones. I've also looked into custom earphones but I can't afford paying $400 or more for a set.
What are your recommendations for the best pair of passive noise cancelling headphones? My ears thank you."

We will say that Klipsch's oval ear tips tend to fit in funky ear canals that typically reject round ones, but if you're still hellbent on a pair of cans, we're hoping our audience below can toss out some advice. If they can hear us from underneath their noise cancelling headphones, of course.

QNAP's QMobile app enables multimedia NAS streaming to Android and iOS

2010-08-19T20:36:00.001-07:00

Got yourself a QNAP NAS, do you? If you're also in legal possession of an Android or iOS-based device, you could soon be streaming your dusty Boyz II Men and / or Our Lady Peace jams straight from your network. Over the past month, the outfit has released QMobile apps for both Android and iOS, enabling everything from Google's Nexus One to Apple's iPod touch, iPad and iPhone to remotely stream images, tunes and videos so long as their NAS is online (and connected to a halfway decent broadband line).
The app is said to work just fine over 3G or WiFi, and there's even a My Jukebox feature that essentially acts as a shuffle system for those who aren't too picky about what comes through. Both apps are available now in the Android Market and App Store for no charge, but you'll probably want to tap those source links and update your NAS management software to v3.3.0 before trying any fancy business.
Video promo is past the break, if you need some encouragement. See more video at our hub! Show full PR text

QNAP Announced QMobile Application for Android The World's First All-in-One Media Player Solution for Android Phone Users to Access the Stored Photos, Music, and Videos from Their Network Storage Device QNAP QMobile for AndroidTaipei, Taiwan, August, 2010 - QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading manufacturer of world class NAS (Network Attached Storage) servers announced today the beta application of QMobile, the world's first multimedia player solution for Android.
QMobile allows users to stream music, digital pictures, and videos from their QNAP NAS servers and play directly on their Android handsets from anywhere. So long as you have Internet access, you can play all the contents on the NAS remotely, just like having a media center in your pocket! "We are pleased to announce QMobile application as the first multimedia app for the connection between NAS and Android devices.
For now, both iPhone and Android users can have fun with their mobile device and QNAP NAS," said James Wu, Product Manager of QNAP Systems, Inc. "Users no longer need to be concerned about synchronizing the multimedia contents to the mobile device. They can save storage space of the mobile device and get a compelling user experience with QMobile," James Wu added. QMobile is compatible with Android 1.5/1.6/2.1 platforms, and needs to be used with a QNAP NAS server running V3.3.0 management software or above. QMobile is available for both iPhone and Android handsets. For more information about QMobile app, please visit http://www.qnap.com/QMobile/ . The new V3.3.0 NAS management software update (required to use QMobile) can be downloaded from the QNAP website at http://www.qnap.com/.

HP's Rahul Sood says Microsoft killed Xbox vs PC online gaming due to keyboard-mouse superiority

2010-08-03T22:43:00.001-07:00

Once upon a time in 2007, there was a little-known game called Shadowrun, that let gamers on both Xbox 360 and PC destroy one another for sport. Such is the environment that Microsoft facilitated, but alas, it wasn't for long, as the moment Shadowrun flopped the cross-platform feature was dropped, though it resurfaced once or twice in third-party titles as the years shot by. Outspoken HP exec Rahul Sood (of Voodoo fame) spins a slightly more complex yarn, however: he says Microsoft killed the project when it found that "mediocre" PC gamers could wipe the floors with the very best players on Xbox. Now, we're not confirming his story, and there are plenty of other possible explanations if you follow the money, of course, but we can't help but feel a hint of admiration for the longevity of gaming mouse and keyboard. Here's hoping we can all leave our predilections at the door as developers pit Android vs. iPhone.

The Game Season 3 Episode 22

2010-06-01T02:48:00.001-07:00

Watch The Game Season 3 Episode 22, You will know if thats Derwin's baby and if tasha gets married to Rick Foxx, and Melanie haves Derwin baby. Kelly and Jason share an emotional moment; Tasha finally admits to setting Jason up with Camille. The person that commented this episode needs to hush because this is a good show.and nobody asked for your opinion to cancel the show.i don't know whats going through your tiny brain but you just need to stop talking cause this show don't like you either. All of the are great actors and i wanna see you go up and act in front of a million people and i bet that you would suck so just shut up. so you need to stop criticizing people and just go. no one
asked for your opinion Hun. so you could just go. but anyone ways i
love the game its such a good show. i cant wait til season 4. and i
really want Kelly and Jason to stop this nonsense.

RIM's BlackBerry Bold slider with OS 6 does a little dance, gets down tonight (video)

2010-05-08T19:24:00.001-07:00

The apple iphone Video Converter is a nice movie encoder which helps changing AVI information to apple iphone. The avi to psp
can even put Mp4, Avc, Dat, MPG, Realmedia (RM, RMVB), AVI (Avc, XviD), ASF, Wmv on your apple iphone. Pictures are great, but video's better. What holds true for salacious celebrity tattle is equally true for gadget gossip. So hold tight and prepare to leer, we've got the first quick and dirty video of RIM's new Bold slider running BlackBerry 6 after the break. Somebody alert TMZ.
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iPhone 4G: proof

2010-04-18T22:06:00.001-07:00

Well what do you know about this? With all those rumors flying around that the iPhone 4G we'd spotted was no more than a Japanese knock-off of an Apple product, it was starting to look like this thing was too good to be true. That is until one of the Engadget editors spotted what seems to be solid proof that this is -- in fact -- the next iPhone. If you'll recall, the night before the iPad was revealed, we had leaked shots of the device from what appeared to be an Apple test lab. Upon further inspection of these pictures today, the aforementioned editor discovered that the new iPhone 4G we've just gotten photos of is actually sitting on the table beside the iPad prototype! Imagine how blown our minds were when we realized we have had a photo of the next iPhone for months! As you can see in the pic above, the left side of the new device is clearly visible on this table in the upper right hand corner, and since we believe that these photos come directly from an Apple testbed, it's hard to deny that the phone you've just seen is in fact the real deal. Not only that, but we suspect that the device on the tablet itself is also a version of the new phone (you can see what looks like aluminum along the bottom) which seems to be housed in some type of iPhone 3G-like case. Additionally, a source -- who confirms this is the next Apple iPhone -- also tells us that the device apparently does have a higher res screen on-board, a front-facing camera, a higher resolution camera with flash, and takes MicroSIM cards (that's the little "button" around the side you see in the Twitpic which is floating around the internet). We're working on uncovering more info, but right now you can take a look at the proof above for yourself, and in the gallery below. Note: The device we're talking about can be clearly seen in the UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER OF THE PHOTO, you know, with the arrow pointing to it. Update: A Mac Rumors forum member has just posted pictures from Chinese site WeiPhone of what appears to be the guts of this device. These images line up with what we know right now. We've added a gallery of the shots below. Update 2: In response to commenters and tipsters questioning the differences between the Twitpic and WeiPhone pics and the "San Jose" photos; these are likely handmade demo units, therefore there will be minor differences between them such as the screws appearing and then not appearing.
We believe the models which will roll off of the production lines in China will look like these devices, likely with some minor physical tweaks, but they will look like these phones.
Other major design decisions are already set in stone, such as the rumored glass back, which is present on both of these devices (Daring Fireball's John Gruber mentions them here).
Yes, there are very minor discrepancies between these photos, but you need to understand they are from a very small pool of hand-built tester units. It is incredibly likely that the next
version of the iPhone will look like the photos you see in the
gallery below, and we certainly wouldn't claim that if we didn't
have good reason to believe it.
iPhone 4G:
proof

iPhone 4G internal shots from WeiPhone

ICD's Tegra 2-powered Gemini is the most feature-complete tablet we've seen yet

2010-04-06T08:54:00.001-07:00

Built around the 1GHz Tegra 2 SOC, the 11.2-inch ICD Gemini should provide comparable endurance to Apple's A4-sporting iPad, while besting it in the grunt stakes with its glorious ability to chew through 1080p video when required. If that wasn't enough, the rest of this thing's spec sheet reads like a wishlist. Headlined by a 3G connection that allows cellular voice calls (crazy, we know!), it also includes a user-replaceable 40Wh battery, an SD card reader, FM radio, GPS, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth, MicroUSB connectivity to PCs and USB peripherals, stereo speakers, and dual webcams -- a 2 megapixel front-facing unit and a 5 megapixel autofocusing snapper on the back. Multitouch displays will be available in both resistive and capacitive flavors, with the 1,366 x 768 resolution being filled by Google's snappy Android OS.
Oh, and did we mention it will run Flash? Because it will. Full specs and a comparison to its direct competitors await after the break, though we've yet to find out when this JooJoo killer will be making its arrival or at what price.

ICD Gemini official pictures

Nokia N900 Maemo / MeeGo dual boot 'will come at some point,' but not next firmware

2010-03-27T21:35:00.001-07:00

Quim Gil of Nokia's Maemo team has dropped some knowledge on the folks chatting up the upcoming MeeGo release in the official Maemo forums, and it sounds like there are at least a couple critical points to be aware of for N900 owners and would-be ROM flashers when the first developer preview drops next week. To quote Gil, "nothing beautiful, stable or fully featured" will be a part of that initial release -- and to be more blunt about it, "99% of you don't want to install that release in your N900." The good news, though, is that Nokia seems to be aware of the importance of a dual-boot solution to MeeGo devs working with N900s in the long term, and Gil reports that a proper setup for that "will come at some point" -- it's just not on their short-term radar. We can totally understand that; we've no doubt there's still tons of reconciliation to manage between the legacy Maemo and Moblin ecosystems, and that's presumably priority one as they march toward a May release of what's being billed as a MeeGo 1.0 release. Speculation had been building that the next cut of Maemo 5 -- PR1.2 -- might have MeeGo dual boot capability, but it's not to be. That said, PR1.2's still got plenty of tweaks that should be of interest to N900 owners, including a totally revamped landscape on-screen keyboard, onboard memory wipe capability (thank goodness), and an option to enable auto-rotation in the device's settings. The forums
are all abuzz over both topics, naturally -- and since a proper
PR1.2 release for N900 is still just a twinkle in Olli-Pekka
Kallasvuo's eye, you may as well have a peek, right?

HP flexible display unfurled on video

2010-03-20T21:19:00.001-07:00

HP has been working on flexible displays for some time now, but it looks like things are starting to get a bit more real. Not real as in actual products, mind you -- but real like a big, flexible display spotting out in the wild. Doing the honors for this one is Hardware.info, which not only snapped shot above, but captured some of the action on video (head on past the break for that). Interestingly, HP doesn't acutally see
these panels being used in truly flexible or rollable displays --
the material itself would only survive being rolled up about a half
dozen times -- but instead sees them mostly being used to make
displays thinner and lighter.
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First Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Series devices to boast 480 x 800 pixel displays, HD2 owners sigh

2010-03-12T11:48:00.001-08:00

Even though Microsoft's big MIX event is still days away, the Windows Phone 7 Series development platform is already pretty well defined. It's also clear that Microsoft wants to keep things tidy for developers by requiring all WP7 phones to meet a certain base-level spec. Now, thanks to a post from Microsoft's Shawn Hargreaves, we know the display resolution for the first batch of Microsoft's next generation phones: 480 x 800 (WVGA) pixels at launch, with a future update that will introduce a 320 x 480 (HVGA) native resolution. Dedicated hardware will ensure image scaling across all those pixels without taxing the GPU. That allows game developers, for example, to write to a lower resolution (requiring less horsepower) and then scale up as required while remaining compatible to a variety of screen resolutions.
Now, for those playing along at home, the HD2 getting ready to launch on T-Mobile in the USA is also WVGA and it features a 1GHz Snapdragon processor from Qualcomm, Microsoft's WP7 silicon partner. So we can assume (but not guarantee) that it meets the image scaling hardware requirements described by Hargreaves. Man,
if only the HD2 had
three-buttons.

Ask Engadget: Best touchscreen-equipped ultraportable / tablet out there?

2010-03-05T10:22:00.001-08:00

We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Sami, who apparently thinks that touchscreens are totally useful even in the frigid wilds of (gorgeous) Finland. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

"I have a 13-inch MacBook and I love it. But I'm beginning to think it might be a little too big for me to carry around. I'll be going to university soon, and I do random IT support in my downtime. So, the question: Which netbook / tablet / small laptop would you recommend for me? Touchscreen would be nice, 3G is a must. I'm not going to sell my MacBook so the new gadget doesn't have to hold 'my life' in it. Thanks!"

We've yet to really see a touchscreen-based ultraportable with software to really take advantage, but who knows -- maybe Sami has a few very specific uses where finger inputs will come in handy.
Drop your advice in comments below, and be sure to wave your
passport as you do.

Palm sales 'lower than expected,' revenues to miss targets

2010-02-25T10:00:00.001-08:00

Ruh-roh. Palm just confirmed what we heard from analysts yesterday: sales aren't going so well. The company's updated its third quarter financial guidance to say that consumer adoption of its products is "taking longer than expected," leading to lowered order volumes from carriers and deferral of some orders to "future periods." That certainly puts that "Chinese New Year" Pre / Pixi work stoppage in a slightly different context, doesn't it? Looking at the new numbers, Palm says it expects non-GAAP Q3 revenue to be about $300m, or about the same it pulled in in Q2 before the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus launched on Verizon. That's not a good sign, but we'll see if that kicks someone at Verizon or Palm into realizing they might need a new, less-stupid ad campaign focused on capabilities, not stereotypes.

2010-01-30T21:10:00.001-08:00

You
know, January is all but expired now. Gone are the heady (or is
that
headless?) days of
CES 2010, and we're nearly past the rumor euphoria
of the decade, so what do we have to look forward to? According
to CNET's sources, WinMo 7. This year. Sure, we

heard as much from DigiTimes, but it's always good to
put a more legitimate source to what is quite the juicy forecast.
Confirmation that Microsoft is planning to finalize all code by
this summer also meshes with an earlier leak of an LG Windows
Mobile 7 handset set for a
September release, while the latest
Pink phone rumors are also reiterated. At any rate, it all
kicks off in Barcelona come February 15, with Microsoft also
circling its MIX 2010 web development conference a month later as
the time it'll start dishing the dirt on how to code for the new
OS. So there we have it, new consumer phones and a long overdue
WinMo overhaul all coming to you within the next few months.

Dell smartphone to launch in China this week?

2009-08-11T08:35:00.001-07:00

We haven't heard a peep about this from anywhere else, but the
inimitable Michael Arrington at TechCrunch says Dell's
gearing up to launch that
long-rumored smartphone
in China "within days." Don't get too excited, though: even
Mike says the evidence is "thin," and we doubt anything Dell
eventually brings out in China will have much bearing on the rest
of the world, since the Chinese government requires quite a bit of

product customization for the domestic market. Still, we'll see
what happens -- and if Dell manages to produce something
a little more interesting than its previous efforts.

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic sees v30 firmware update

Workhorse Certeza MC10 brings WWAN and ExpressCard to netbook scene

2009-02-17T07:21:00.001-08:00

Yeah, we've seen netbooks with integrated WWAN / WiMAX before, but it's still pretty far left on the "uncommon" scale. Workhorse PC, a little known company that generally sticks to making products for governments and educational institutions, is apparently looking to vie for its piece of the netbook pie with the Certeza MC10. Overall, the 10.1-incher is pretty average, sporting an Atom N270 CPU, 1,024 x 600 resolution panel, up to 2GB of RAM, a 4-in-1 card reader, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, WiFi, Bluetooth and a 4- or 6-cell battery. Keeping it differentiated is the inbuilt WiMAX and WWAN options, not to mention the trio of OS choices (Ubuntu Linux, Windows XP or Windows Vista). The machine will be available starting at $399 (for the Linux model) and will go to around $549 (for the Vista model); regrettably, there aren't any actual launch dates to speak of.

[Via: Laptop Mag ]

IBuyPower dishes Dragon-based gaming desktops under $1,500

Intel puts the freeze on notebook prices, ponders Calpella delay

2009-02-10T09:31:00.001-08:00

We know what you're thinking. A global economic downturn can only mean one thing: savings! Perhaps, but if you were holding out for a price break on that new Intel-powered laptop, it looks like you may have a little longer to wait. According to DigiTimes, Intel is notifying its partners that it won't be cutting notebook prices before the end of May. If the report is correct, the company will start reducing the price of some notebook CPUs (including the Core 2 Duo T9600) by 13-40% in June, adjusting the launch schedule of its Calpella platform "based on its partners' inventory status and market demand." You know what that means -- no new processor, and no price cuts, not until manufacturers get rid of their current inventory. And it looks like Intel means it. Now go clean up your room or you won't get any dessert.

[Via: SlashGear ]

17-inch MacBook Pro delayed two weeks

2009-02-04T17:59:00.001-08:00

Bad news for those of you waiting on pins and needles for the 17-inch MacBook Pro -- it's been delayed to at least February 19th. According to an email Apple's sending to pre-order customers, "wrapping up the new 17-inch MacBook Pro is taking a few days longer than we projected," and orders won't ship for another two weeks. Guess cramming all that fancy new sealed battery tech in that new unibody enclosure wasn't so easy, now was it? Full text of the email after the break.
[Thanks, Roy]
--
To Our Valued Apple Customer:
Thank you again for your order!
Wrapping up the new 17-inch MacBook Pro is taking a few days longer
than we projected.
As a result, we will be unable to ship your 17-inch MacBook Pro
until February 19, 2009.
If you don't want to wait, you may cancel your order and receive a
prompt refund by calling our toll-free customer service number at
800-676-2775 or by visiting our online order status website at
http://www.apple.com/orderstatus.
If we do not hear from you before we ship the 17-inch MacBook Pro to
you, we will assume that you have agreed to this shipment delay. In
that event, a shipment notification with tracking information will be
emailed to you as soon as your order is shipped.
Again, there is no need to contact us unless you wish to cancel
your order.
We appreciate your business and apologize for any inconvenience this
delay may have caused you.
Thank you for shopping at the Apple Online Store!
Sincerely,
The Apple Online Store

[Via: Engadget ]

HP issues software update for MediaSmart Server

India 'unveils' $20 laptop, the Sakshat

2009-02-03T18:38:00.001-08:00

As expected, India's government unveiled the jointly-developed "$10 laptop" today, now priced at $20. Unfortunately dubbed Sakshat, which ironically translates as "before your eyes," the laptop is slated to ship in six months, with specs in line with what we've heard already: 2GB of storage, WiFi, Ethernet and 2 watts of power consumption. In fact, there really isn't much "unveiling" going on at all, since there's still no published image of the thing, or information about the screen size, RAM or processor. Some folks are also still skeptical as to whether a laptop can really be produced at such a low cost, since most LCDs alone would put it over budget, but we suppose we'll find out this summer. The laptop itself won't be subsidized, but the government will shoulder 25 percent of the cost of broadband for colleges, and there will be free e-learning textbooks available to students online.

[Via: Engadget ]

Charter launching 60Mbps broadband, asks "FiOS what?"

Alpha version of Intel's Moblin OS released for brave netbookers

2009-01-30T09:57:00.001-08:00

It's been nearly a year since we were first confused about what this whole Moblin thing was going to be, but now here it is released to the wild, roaming about in alpha form and looking to find a home for itself in your netbook. If you haven't been following along, Moblin is a custom flavor of Linux that intel has been whipping up for installation on devices using its chips, particularly the Atom but Core 2 processors as well. It's based on Fedora and, as of this release, is confirmed to work on Acer's Aspire One and Dell's Mini, though Eee peeps can check it out too -- so long as they don't mind living without WiFi. Mind you, this is still a very early version and there's a ways to go before a final release, so feel free to sit this round out if you're not into the whole bleeding edge thing.

[Via: Ars Technica ]

OCZ's 250GB Apex SSD reviewed, recommended

AMD CEO sees Netbooks going away

2009-01-23T08:29:00.001-08:00

Advanced Micro Devices' chief executive predicts that Netbooks will eventually disappear. This thinking, though obviously favorable to AMD's strategy, isn't completely at odds with Intel's. The lightweight HP Pavilion dv2, which uses the AMD Neo processor, is marketed as a notebook(Credit: Hewlett-Packard) "The distinction between what is a Netbook and what is a notebook is going to go away," AMD CEO Dirk Meyer said Thursday in the company's earnings conference call. "There will be a continuum of price points and form factors," he said. "Given the way Netbooks are configured today, consumers who want a notebook at those kind of (low) price points have to compromise and as a result don't enjoy a full PC experience, particularly around the graphics and media capability of the machine," Meyer said. "And likewise people who wanted a thin and light machine had to pay a lot of money, typically well over a thousand dollars." Upcoming inexpensive ultra-thin notebooks will meet the need for a small, thin, lightweight laptop that is more powerful than a Netbook, Meyer said. This sentiment is actually backed up to some extent by Intel's recent behavior. Intel CEO Paul Otellini, in that company's earnings conference call last week, spoke oddly of Netbooks in the past tense. He said the buzz around Netbooks at the Consumer Electronics Show "validates our view that (the market) had a high potential for growth and it was an exciting segment, in particular in this kind of economic environment." (Emphasis added.) Otellini did add, however, that he expected Intel "would do very well in the Netbook market in the course of the next couple of years." Whether his use of tense is just a way to refer to the Netbook market to date or a Freudian slip tied to Intel's intention to bring out new mainstream Core architecture chips for inexpensive thin notebooks later in the year, is not clear. This chip platform could potentially suck a lot of the enthusiasm out of the Netbook market. And Intel has small plans for its Atom processor in 2009. Aside from a tiny increase in processor speed and a slight improvement in graphics, nothing big is slated for the platform. Is the demise of the Netbook market as we know it today something both AMD and Intel agree on? We'll see.

[Via: cnet.com ]

Seagate says it now fixes 7200.11 drives for real

MSI Wind U100 Valentine Edition: geek romance, exemplified

2009-01-21T10:16:00.001-08:00

Oh sure, there's all manners of garb and chocolates that you could get your lover this Valentine's Day, but the true geek knows just how hard it is to pick up those all-too-cliched items when it's a gadget you're really after. Enter MSI, who has just delivered the appropriately named Valentine Edition of its Wind U100 netbook just in time for that special holiday. If you'll recall, this isn't the first time MSI has outed a minuscule laptop oozing with romance, but this one boasts a limited edition label (figuratively, at least), a 6-cell battery, 160GB hard drive and a 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor. You can purchase 2.6 pounds of lovey-dovey right now for $429.99, but you better act fast -- no lady worth having will accept the "my UPS guy didn't come through" excuse. The full release is after the break.
Show That Special Someone You love Them with a Limited Valentine Edition MSI Wind U100
Enter to win one of 15 Valentine Edition Winds at
http://www.msimobile.com/Valentine.aspx
CITY OF INDUSTRY, CA – January 20, 2009 – MSI Computer, a leading manufacturer of computer hardware products and solutions, is excited to announce the MSI Wind Valentine Edition. To help celebrate Valentine's Day MSI will give away 15 of these limited edition Wind U100 models. Participants simply fill in their contact information and upload a picture of them with their Valentine between now and 2/14/09 on http://www.msimobile.com/Valentine.aspx. MSI will then choose 15 winners at random and announce the winners at the same site on 2/17/09. MSI will also give his and her "My Valentine" 2GB USB Flash Drives to the first 100 participants.
Those that don't win one of the Valentine's Day Netbooks can purchase one at www.msimobile.com for just $429.99. These limited edition Winds feature the Intel Atom N270 1.6G processor, Windows Home XP Home Edition™, a 6-cell battery and the same great light weight ultra mobile design as the other U100 models. MSI will also be offering free shipping on all the Valentine Edition Winds.
Full Spec and Dimensions Below
For additional information and images, please contact MSI PR representative Mark Olson at
(305) 576-1171 x17 or by e-mail at markolson@maxborgesagency.com.
About MSI
Founded in 1986, MSI strives to design and manufacture superior technology and innovative products, while offering outstanding customer service. The company's expansive range of product lines includes Mainboards, Graphic Cards, Servers/Workstations, Laptops, Barebones, IPCs, Multimedia Products, CE Devices and Networking Devices. MSI is ranked among the world's top 3 motherboard manufacturers and is one of the top 5 server manufacturers. MSI has developed several new technologies, including ACV (Amazing Crystal Vision), and ACS (Advanced Cooling System). MSI's notebooks are known for their aesthetically pleasing designs and powerful components. To keep abreast of the global market MSI provides multi-language customer service and associated web sites. MSI has offices in Taiwan, Mainland China, USA, Germany, France, Holland, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Korea, Poland, Russia, Canada, and India. To learn more about MSI's complete line personal computers and components please visit www.msimobile.com.

MSI Wind Limited Valentine Edition
CPU	Intel Atom N270 1.6G
Operating System	Genuine Windows XP Home Edition™
LCD	10"WSVGA (1024?600) LED
Memory	1GB DDR2/ 533 MHz
Hard Drive	160GB SATA
Battery	6 Cell Lithium Ion
WLAN	802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth
Webcam	1.3M
Dimension	10.23" x 7.08" x 0.748" ~1.24"
Weight	2.6 lbs

[Via: Engadget ]

Corsair joins SSD party with 2.5-inch 128GB drive

Details on Intel Atom N280 begin to surface, are short on excitement

2009-01-14T18:29:00.001-08:00

Sure, the Atom N270 has done great things for humanity during its brief tenure powering pretty much every netbook that comes down the pipes, but it's time for a change, and it looks like the N280 from intel -- already slated for a couple Eee PCs -- could provide just the sort of marginal boost we're looking for. The single core chip bests the N270's 1.6GHz clock with blazing 1.66GHz speeds, and a 667MHz bus over the original's 533MHz. What could perhaps be much more interesting is the promised Intel GN40 chipset that accompanies the N280, which there's currently very little info on, but hopefully does a little bit towards competing with NVIDIA's ION -- or at least pepping up that game of solitaire we've been working on.
[Via: Engadget ]

QNAP unveils stately 6-bay TS-639 Pro Turbo NAS device

Mouse Computer's new netbook sports DVD-Rom, little else of note

2009-01-14T09:04:00.001-08:00

We saw Mouse Computer switch gears with their gaming notebook the other day, and the company is back already with the LB-F1500W. Their first netbook with an optical DVD drive, this little terror "boasts" a 10.2-inch display, 1.6GHz Atom processor, 1gb memory, 160GB hard disk storage, and Windows XP Home. These are pretty run-of-the-mill specs, and for ?64,800 (roughly $725) not really all that awesome. Available in two colors -- gothic-industrial black and a white as pure as the new fallen snow -- the thing should hit the streets on or around the last week of January.
[Via: Portable Monkey ]

Western Digital about to ship 2TB Caviar Green hard drive ?

Marvell announces 1GHz processor for tiny things that need big power

2009-01-11T07:43:00.001-08:00

Everyone's heard of the Atom and its 1.6GHz worth of ubiquity providing the oomph behind many a netbook, and, while not directly targeting Intel's frugal juggernaut, Marvell may have itself a contender with the PXA168. It's an upcoming processor intended for mobile devices that's aspiring to speeds in the 1GHz and beyond range. While we're expecting it'll be most commonly found in smartphones and the like (particularly those from Asus), there's a chance these could show up in some low(er) cost netbooks, too, possibly helping to keep that race to the bottom going for a few more laps yet.
[Via: GadgetMix.com ]

Lenovo All-in-One IdeaCentre A600 hands-on

OLPC "refocuses" its mission, cuts staff by 50%

2009-01-08T04:20:00.001-08:00

We've already seen quite a few shakeups at OLPC, but it looks like things have taken a considerably more drastic turn today, with Nicholas Negroponte himself announcing that the organization is "refocusing its mission" by cutting its staff by about 50% and giving the remaining 32 folks a cut in pay. But that's not all, OLPC will also apparently be "passing on the development" of the Sugar OS to the community, and it'll be increasingly shifting its focus toward the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Northwestern Pakistan as it spins off its operations in Latin America and Africa. Negroponte does say, however, that OLPC will continue to focus on the development of its second generation platform, and it apparently even hopes to bring the cost of the laptop down to zero for the least developed countries. Hit up the link below for the complete announcement.
[Via: OLPC News ]

LaCie offers up LaCinema Classic multi media hard drive

Freescale's i.MX515 netbook processor promises low cost, long battery life

2009-01-05T05:23:00.001-08:00

Look out, Intel -- the whole world's gunning for you, with both VIA (possibly, anyway) and now Freescale looking to snag a sliver of the netbook CPU pie. Reportedly, the latter company will be debuting a netbook-centric chip at ces this week from its i.MX line. More specifically, the i.MX515 -- which is based on the Cortex-A8 core from ARM -- will aim for miniature laptops that sit at or below the almost mythical $199 price point. It's being reported that Freescale will showcase a Pegatron (ASUS spinoff) built netbook in Vegas, though it's not clear just yet if similar models will actually be available for purchase in the near future. The real kicker, however, is the potential battery life of machines with this here chip installed -- we're talking up to eight hours, though there's no indication of what size battery pack would be required to reach that goal. It should be noted that the low-power CPUs won't support Windows at all, so you'll only see 'em within machines with Linux-based operating systems.
[Via: PC World ]

PQI showcasing microSATA SSD, ExpressCard SSD and more at CES

Originatic to bring wall-mountable Smart-Leaf PC to CES

2009-01-04T03:26:00.001-08:00

You know, the world really needs more wall-mountable PCs. We mean, who hasn't had the urge lately to pull up in one's hallway and check their email on something other than a handheld? All unwarranted sarcasm aside, Originatic is planning to reveal a rather unique machine at CES, with the Smart-Leaf pc boasting a "space-saving" in-wall design with a fold-out, spill-proof keyboard, touchscreen panel, WiFi module and even a TV tuner. For those with incredibly acute memories, you'll likely recall that this very rig debuted in prototype form at last year's CES, though the commercialized Oasis and Mountain variants will be ready for shipping in March. Sadly, there's no word on pricing nor detailed specifications, but we get the feeling you'll end up paying too much for too little.
[Via: Engadget ]

Eazo's Z70 wooden PC looks uncommonly natural, expensive

Is this the VAIO P?

2008-12-29T07:56:00.001-08:00

Sony isn't being too coy with the VAIO P, is it? In addition to that teaser image, oh-so-beautiful FCC shot, and mistakenly-posted specs page, CNET's uncovered this pic of the rectangular netbook with its lid open. We can't really tell if the machine pictured has that crazy 8-inch 1600 x 768 display we'd heard about, but there's a lot of the VAIO TT in those lines -- so much so we're wondering if it's a 'shop, albeit a super-hot one. Of course, there's no word on pricing, but we're hoping it's somewhere close to reasonable -- we'll find out in just a couple weeks at CES.
[Via: Engadget ]

HP debuts Mac-compatible media Smart ex485 / ex487 home servers

Laptops outship desktops for the first time worldwide

2008-12-24T12:09:00.001-08:00

Laptops have been out-shipping desktops in the US for years upon years (upon years), but it wasn't until now that such a scenario was true worldwide. According to iSuppli, global notebook computer shipments exceeded those of desktops for the first time ever in Q3 of this year, a "watershed event" according to it. More specifically, notebook PC shipments surged around 40% to 38.6 million units, while desktop shipments slipped 1.3% to 38.5 million. We'd say this is a marvelous day and a sign of what's to come, but haven't we all known that desktops were being reserved for hardcore gaming, computational science and games of chess for years now?
[Via: Engadget ]

Intel ships 160GB X25-M SSD, 1.8-inch X18-M flavor coming soon

Microsoft extends Windows XP lifespan yet again

2008-12-22T18:21:00.001-08:00

Windows XP is turning out to be the operating system that just won't die. Microsoft has stopped offering retail copies of the operating system.
The company had planned to tell computer makers to stop preloading the software on new notebook and desktop systems earlier this year. But Microsoft has issued several stays of execution so far -- and this week the company did it again. Windows XP was scheduled to go gently into that good night on January 31, 2009. But now computer makers are allowed to continue shipping machines with Windows XP through 2009.
While Windows Vista has been available for nearly 2 years, there's still a strong demand for Windows XP from customers who don't want to switch to the newer OS for one reason or another. Windows XP has also been given a bit of new life by low power netbooks like the Asus Eee PC which often have slower processors, less RAM, and less storage space than full sized computers, making it difficult to run Windows Vista on them.
[Via: Silicon Alley Insider ]

21 USB drives tested, 20 immediately misplaced

Crazy HP offers $400 off on tx2500z tablet, throws in printer, will not be undersold

2008-12-22T10:55:00.001-08:00

Are you looking for a full-featured tablet but, thanks to current economic conditions, find yourself stuck with a netbook budget? Check out HP's tx2500z 12.1-inch portable, available now through the company's online store for just $599.99 shipped -- if you can wade through the mildly convoluted customization process that's detailed at the read link. Select all the right options and free upgrades (including 3GB of RAM and a 250GB HDD) and you'll get yourself a 2GHz touch-screen device plus a D1560 inkjet printer for under $600 after a $400-off coupon and $70 mail-in rebate -- just a little bit of hassle to get a stellar deal on a sweet tablet.
[Via: Engadget ]

Dell Adamo to challenge MacBook Air in February?

2008-12-21T10:04:00.001-08:00

If recent rumors are anything to go by, Dell is preparing the release of a brand new “Adamo” notebook computer that will aim squarely at taking some of that MacBook Air market share. Although Dell has not made an official statement about the product, Engadget claims a “totally amazing” source has confirmed the black and silver laptop will be both lighter and thinner than Apple’s offering.

No further details were given other than it will be marketed as the world's thinnest laptop sometime around February. The New York Times also speculates that the Adamo notebook will arrive as an ultra-thin portable system, and infuses their claims with a little credibility by referencing the nervous body language of Dell executive Michael Tatelman when asked about them making a laptop to compete with the MacBook Air.

Whatever the case may be, all we know is that Adamo is definitely coming, as evidenced by Dell giving it its own website featuring only the name and the words “coming soon.” But what exactly Adamo will be is still subject to a fair amount of speculation. Perhaps we’ll learn more about it at CES next month.
[Via: Jose Vilches ]

Studio XPS 13 materializes on Dell website

2008-12-21T00:16:00.001-08:00

Earlier this week we showed you photos of the slick Dell Studio XPS 13, and now it's popped up on the company's website -- sort of. It's currently showing among its laptop lineup, but trying to get to the individual product page gives us an error screen. Starting price is $1,406, sandwiched just between the XPS M1330 and M1730. We think it's safe to say we'll be seeing the official launch soon.

[Via: Engadget ]

ThinkPad W700 surfaces with secondary 10.6-inch LCD

2008-12-19T20:45:00.001-08:00

Not that we haven't seen laptops with multiple screens before, but this is a ThinkPad, people. You know, an all-business, totally not flashy ThinkPad. Hidden deep within a Lenovo Asia-Pacific hardware announcement is something we'd swear was a prank if it were hosted anywhere other than IBM.com, but it looks like the dual-screen W700 is for real. Reportedly, the machine will feature a 17-inch WUXGA (1,920 x 1,200) primary display along with a 10.6-inch WXGA (1,280 x 768) secondary panel. Think SideShow, just jacked up on whatever Clemens and McGwire were using. The rest of the specifications are swell but expected, but the tidbits we're really reaching for (price and availability, naturally) are nowhere to be found. Can you say "want."?

[Via: NotebookReview ]

Toshiba announces 512GB SSD, other smaller SSDs

Clevo laptop shocker! Scores of new, cryptic model names

2008-12-17T18:37:00.001-08:00

We got a good look at the M98xNU a few days ago, and now it seems that one of those crazy kids over at the Notebook Review forums has dropped the dime on some other new Clevo notebook models we might be seeing at CeBIT 2009. Most notably, he names the predecessor to the company's D901C laptop: the D90xF will offer a 17-inch screen (up to 1920 x 1200), and it may be Core i7, though this is not certain (sometimes desktop chips end up in high-end laptops, so it wouldn't be unheard of). Also in this batch are several touchscreen tablets, including the 7-inch TN70xM with an Atom Z series processor and passive cooling, the 8.9-inch T89xM with "rugged" design, and the TN12xT, a 12.1-inch based on the Montevina platform with Intel's GM45 chipset. Additionally, we can look forward to the second quarter of 2009 for the launch of the 10.2-inch M71xL, the 10.1-inch M81xL and the 13.3-inch R13xT. And if that weren't enough, early next year should see the release of the company's widescreen W76x series of laptops with 15.6-inch, 16:9 aspect ratio displays. Not that you'll necessarily see the Clevo name on many of these -- the company is known primarily as an OEM. Still, this is an interesting peek into next year's possible Alienware, Voodoo and Sager machines. And you know what? There's plenty more where that came from -- hit the read link for all the glorious details.
[Via: Engadget ]

AMD intros Athlon X2 chips featuring Phenom design
intel talks up self-powered sensors that do just about everything
Sierra Wireless intros 'ruggedified' AirCard 501 and 502 modems

Are Netbooks Too Small? [Qotd]

2008-12-14T19:00:00.001-08:00

About the only way a guy my size can use a netbook is with one hand. Seriously, those things can be super tiny. But what do you think? How small is too small?

Results from "Do You Think You Can Tell The Difference Between Standard Def, 720p and 1080p?" I can tell the difference between 720p and 1080p. 42%
I can't tell the difference between 720p and 1080p, but I know HD when I see it. 44%
I can't tell the difference between standard def and high def. 4%
It depends. 6%
I'm not sure. 5%

[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]

Clevo's 18.4-inch M98xNU gaming laptop packs a lot of junk in its trunk

2008-12-14T18:55:00.001-08:00

You'd think with an 18.4-inch panel, the engineers at Clevo could figure out a way to stretch the components within the case into a more horizontal orientation. Instead, this beast is as thick as ever (at least, it sure looks that way), but we suppose you need a good bit of breathing room when tucking a quad-core intel processor, twin NVIDIA 9800M GTX GPUs and gigabytes upon gigabytes of RAM within a "portable" enclosure. Word on the street has it that the machine -- which also features a 1080p panel as well as a hybrid graphics system for times when hardcore frames-per-second pushing isn't necessary -- will be officially unveiled next March at CeBIT. Our initial thought is "wow, that's a long ways off," but maybe that'll give the size some time to grow on us.
[Via: NotebookReview ]

ASUS summons Core i7 power in ROG CG6190 gaming desktop
Smooth Creations' LAN Shark reviewed, well loved
NextDimension RVE portable video editing machine packs an LCD on a tower
Upcoming dual- processor Nehalem EP machine benchmarked -- yeah, it's fast

Mouse Computer delivers QX9300-powered NEXTGEAR M750WX1 gaming laptop

2008-12-11T09:36:00.001-08:00

It has been a hot minute since we've heard from our pals at Mouse Computer, but it has apparently ditched those netbook-esque ways in favor of the other extreme judging by the monstrously potent NEXTGEAR-NOTE M750WX1. The 17-inch goliath touts a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9300 processor, 4GB of RAM, NVIDIA's GeForce 9800M GTX (1GB), a 120GB SSD, WiFi, a slew of ports and even a Logicool G5 LaserMouse. Too bad the ?349,000 ($3,769) price tag is on the wrong side of awesome.
[Via: Engadget ]

Microsoft to digitally distribute pc game titles and DLC

Alpha 400: the crappiest netbook you'll ever hate

2008-12-09T08:07:00.001-08:00

Looking for the ultimate in nerve-shatteringly cheap cheapo netbooks? Don't want to break the $200 price point? Introduce yourself to the Alpha 400 -- a tiny "computer" with about as much processing power as your last TI scientific calculator. The miniature laptop sports a 400MHz (megahertz!) MIPS CPU, 128MB (megabytes!) of RAM, a mind-blowing 1GB (gigabyte!) of flash storage, 802.11b (b!), a 7-inch "display," and support for SD cards up to 32GB (gigabytes!). Seriously, this thing is essentially a glorified pocket dictionary, but who are we to question its awesome $189.95 price tag? Oh wait, we're Engadget. Yeah, we don't recommend this.
[Via: jkOnTheRun ]

Medion rolls out 18-inch Akoya P8610 media center laptop

2008-12-06T07:20:00.001-08:00

Medion's netbooks and GPS units may have been garnering the company the most attention as of late, but it's also still in the traditional laptop business, and it looks like it's new 18-inch Akoya P8610 model should turn at least a few heads, and not just for its sheer size. This one is aimed squarely at those looking for a media center in laptop form, with it boasting a 1,680 x 945, 18.4-inch display, a 2GHz Core 2 Duo T5800 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, a 512MB GeForce 9600M GS graphics card that can operate on its own or in hybrid mode, a Blu-ray drive, and a 5.1 Dolby audio system, among other media-friendly features. This being Medion, it also won't completely break the bank, with it setting you back a fairly reasonable ?800, or just over $1,100.
[Via: Engadget ]

Dell opens doors on Design Studio for jazzing up Studio 15 / 17 laptops

2008-12-02T18:04:00.001-08:00

It was HP who made the PC "personal again," but don't think Dell isn't doing its darnedest to make it ultra-personal... again. After seeing a number of Dell laptops get unorthodox paint jobs and hearing that it would make Art House machines CTO in 2009, we've now learned that Dell has swung open the doors to its all new Design Studio. Naturally, said studio was built to customize the outfit's Studio 15 and Studio 17 lappies, and it features an interactive gallery of original artwork commissioned exclusively for this initiative. available for browsing right now, each unique image costs $75 to have "permanently tattooed into the laptop lid," meaning that you better heart that design a whole lot before pulling the final trigger.
[Via: Engadget ]

Fujitsu's Laptop4Life Scheme Gets You A New Laptop Every 3 Years 'Til You Die [Laptops]

2008-12-01T18:38:00.001-08:00

Craziness: buy one Fujitsu laptop, get a new one every three years until you're dead. That's basically the crazy principle behind Fujitsu's Laptop4Life program. Sure, you have to buy the extended 3-year warranty at first, not damage the old machine too much, and hang onto the receipt for grim death, but then you'll get a lappy worth the same as your original, plus 10% for inflation. Okay, it ties you to one manufacturer, but think of the tech leaps that'll happen in three years, and that'll end up in your next machine. Tempting marketing, for sure, and cunning too: you can't pass it on in your will. [Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]

FCC leaks tiny VAIO with WWAN -- Sony's first netbook?

2008-12-01T05:59:00.001-08:00

They might not like it, but Sony looks ripe to enter the netbook market in the US. Unveiled today is the backside of this tiny "notebook PC" as described by the FCC under the model numbers PCG-1P1L and PCG-1P2L (PCG synonymous with Sony's VAIO laptop brand). We see tests for Bluetooth, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, and both EVDO and HSPA data courtesy of Qualcomm's Gobi chipset. What's more, with the FCC providing the exact measurement of that label (128-mm wide), we can eyeball dimensions at just over 9.5 x 4.5-inches making this netbook even smaller than the 10.3 x 6.56-inch HP mini 1000. What impact that has on the QWERTY and trackpad (if there is one) remains to be seen. Now please Sony, just announce, we were just about to pull the trigger when you spoiled our netbook purchasing party.
P.S. It runs windows according to the label's mention of the "Windows logo."
[Via: Engadget ]

Fujitsu-Siemens offers Lifebook4Life laptop replacement warranty, has some land in Florida it would like to sell you

2008-11-28T20:37:00.001-08:00

Fujistu-Siemens in the UK has recently announced their Lifebooks4Life program, which at first sounds a bit it like some sort of gang tattoo, but turns out to be a new program that entitles you to a new laptop of the same value (adjusted 10 percent for inflation) every three years for the rest of your life. Granted, you'll be obliged to purchase a three year warranty with each new machine, and the machine must remain in warranty (you know what that means -- no cheap, off-brand RAM AM upgrades and absolutely no mods). But still -- a new notebook every three years for the price of a warranty? This doesn't sound like a disaster waiting to happen. Not at all. And one more caveat: you can't pass this contract on to your next of kin. Those of you in high-risk professions -- Dare Devils, Soldiers of Fortune, and contributing editors at Engadget -- might want to pass this one up.
[Via: Engadget ]

Instant Nostalgia: Apple-Themed Halloween Costumes [ Apple halloween ]

Liquid nitrogen-cooled MSI Wind U100 overclocked to 2.3GHz

2008-11-25T18:45:00.001-08:00

When MSI rolled out its v1.09 BIOS, we're willing to wager it absolutely did not have anything like this in mind. The mad scientists in Team Australia are at it again, this time overclocking a netbook to the point (almost, anyway) of implosion. The unafraid members grabbed hold of a hopeless Wind U100 with 2GB of RAM, hooked up a little liquid nitrogen and proceeded to push the poor 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU to an amazing 2.385GHz. No telling how quickly the whole thing was over, but still, this is pretty ridiculous, mate.
[Via: Engadget ]

The Week in iPhone Apps : To The Polls! [IPhone Apps]

Mobile Edge 'fashion-inspired' TSA-friendly laptop bags for her are not very inspiring

2008-11-19T11:41:00.001-08:00

We've seen Mobile Edge's ScanFast line of TSA-approved laptop bags before, so it was only a matter of time, we suppose, until there was a spate of the cases specifically for women. What does it mean, then, to be a laptop bag that is "designed for women by women?" Well, it helps to be pink or have faux alligator skin (or is that croc?) detailing, we can tell you that much. Regardless, the company is announcing three "fabulous" products: the Onyx Briefcase, the Onyx Backpack and the Element Briefcase, each coming in the three different color / style schemes. They're going to be available later this month, and sell for $99.99 each -- Chihuahua named Princess Sparklepants wearing a ballerina Costume e not included.
[Via: Engadget ]

Useful Windows 7 touch and multi-touch gestures demonstrated on video
HP Mini 1000 is a Sleek, Svelte 10.2-inch Netbook With a Custom OS [ NetBooks ]
Screenshots emerge of Tablet PC features in Windows 7 beta
windows 7 Taskbar, 'Peek' and Multitouch Gestures Caught On Video [Windows 7]
I'm a PC, and I'm Creepy as Hell [ Microsoft ]
Microsoft secondlight Caught on Video: It's Like Surface, With Magic [Microsoft Secondlight]

Acer seeks to become number one netbook maker in 2009

2008-11-08T04:24:00.001-08:00

Acer has their sights set on becoming the largest netbook manufacturer in the world as soon as next year. The current overall #3 computer manufacturer is expecting to take upwards of a 50% share in netbook shipments next year, which would put them in a prime position for making of 2009 their year in this growing market.

Acer shipped about 2.4 million units of their Aspire One netbook in the third quarter, with a total of 5-6 million Acer netbooks sold in 2008. If their forecast for next year is correct, the global market for netbooks would expand to up to 35 million units, with the Taiwanese manufacturer hoping to grab anything from 40-50% of the pie.

It remains to be seen how this will contribute to the bottom line and image of Acer on a global scale, but for the time being the company seems to be financially healthy with $12.8 billion in revenues so far this year which would represent a 31% increase from 2007.
[Via: Justin Mann ][Tag: ]

Asus, Intel launch WePC website, ask community to design PCs for them

2008-10-30T07:18:00.001-07:00

True power is derived from the people, yes? Asus and Intel know this well, so they've launched a website called WePC, where users can draw up concepts and specs for new netbook and notebook models then argue about how fantastic or utterly impractical they are. In a sense cooperative laptop design is not new -- we've seen groups of companies work together to develop products, and Best Buy's Blue Label is somewhat similar to this -- but Asus and Intel are going full-on populist (or at least the appearance of it) with WePC. The promise is that designers will lurk on the site and implement some ideas -- probably (and thankfully) not including the ones that are completely whacked.
[Via: Engadget ][Tag: asus, community, design, forums, gaming laptops, gaming notebooks, gaminglaptops, gamingnotebooks, intel, laptops, netbooks, notebooks, populism, website, wepc ]

Possible Psystar Mac laptop clone in the works

2008-10-30T07:17:00.001-07:00

It looks like Psystar really hasn't been hit by either the economic downturn or the lawsuits Apple has brought against it regarding those "OS X-capable" machines. Adding insult to yesterday's injury -- the announcement of desktops with built-in Blu-ray and NVIDIA's GeForce 9800GT-- it also looks like the company is actively developing a Mac laptop clone, according to an email obtained by AppleInsider. A Psystar spokesperson claims that, "Although there is no mobile open computer at the moment, I can tell you that it is something that is in development," and adds "No release day or price has been set for any potential mobile product line. However I can assure you that at release it will be very competitively priced." Well then -- assuming the quality of the laptops will be comparable to those desktops -- we can hardly wait.
[Via: Engadget ][Tag: apple, clone, mac, mac clone, MacClone, open computer, OpenComputer, os x, OsX, psystar ]

Why I wouldn't buy the new MacBook... and probably you shouldn't either

2008-10-28T10:04:00.001-07:00

When my old Thinkpad T needed to retire, I looked into the Vaio TX series, at the time the best 11" ultra-portable money could buy with its mere 2.9 pounds. That was months before the MacBook Air and other similar ultra-portables arrived to the market. Unfortunately the small size didn't cut it for me and had to look elsewhere to replace the Thinkpad until I finally decided to get a MacBook Pro. In spite of the fact that I'm a Windows user, I did it with the purpose of checking out the then new Leopard OS X release. Today the MB Pro remains as my primary laptop. Although I have my gripes about OS X, I have remained more or less content about the hardware which has proved to be of top quality construction, all while running Windows Vista. You have probably heard the stories of how the MB Pro makes for a great Windows laptop anyway, and in my case that has hold true - in fact, I haven't touched Leopard in months.And now with the well publicized release of the new MacBooks, I started looking into the possibility of getting a new laptop, but instead of the Pro I was checking the upgraded MacBook which is cheaper, has got many of the Pro's biggest selling points like the aluminum body, powerful specs, but sports a smaller 13.3-inch screen that is also LED illuminated. Sounds good so far? Until I saw this....
[Via: Julio Franco ][Tag: ]

New MSI Wind BIOS enables overclocking

2008-10-28T10:03:00.001-07:00

Overclocking is nothing new for MSI. After all, we’ve seen how they flaunt their one-button Turbo Drive technology. Such feature is usually reserved for their gaming oriented notebooks, but the latest official BIOS update for the company’s Wind U100 netbook includes overclocking functionality.

MSI includes 8, 15, and 24 percent overclocking presets, which can be activated by just by hitting Fn+F10 with the laptop hooked up to AC power. The folks over at Electric Vagabond have put the freshly released v1.09 BIOS update to the test, and found it provides up to a 30% boost in performance – which means the 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor is pushed up to almost 2GHz.

It certainly sounds like a must-have update, but we should note that MSI says it “takes no responsibility for any damage caused by improper use or lack of technical expertise,” so while this is an official BIOS you should use it at your own risk.
[Via: Jose Vilches ][Tag: ]

OLPC embraces and criticizes XO competitors

2008-10-09T18:18:00.003-07:00

Since the launch of the OLPC project years ago, many other vendors have slowly started to pick up on the idea and ultimately set themselves on a path to compete with the non-profit group. While that may shrink the “market” that the XO's can be sold to, it has left David Cavallo, the “Chief Learning Architect” for the OLPC project, with a sense of pride. He says they take it as a huge success, and admits that a few years from now they may not even be making or selling the XO. He says that as long as someone is producing these laptops at low cost and aiming them at children in developing nations, their goals are being achieved.
A good point, but he just as quickly turned around and said that some of the actions of their for-profit competitors are “unfortunate.” He says that some of these competitors are seeing it as simply another market to compete in, not a humanitarian project. That could lead to fears that if players like the OLPC were pushed out, the costs would rise – directly against what the goal of the project began as.
The OLPC project has seen a lot of progress, recently getting a pilot program started in Peru and getting retail backers like Amazon. One of their biggest competitors will be Intel in the years to come.
[Via: Justin Mann ][Tag: ]

Western Digital releases 500GB My Passport units

2008-10-09T18:18:00.001-07:00

Western Digital expanded their mobile lineup today with the introduction of a new My Passport portable drive, offering a 500GB capacity. Available in two iterations of their My Passport series, the 500GB portable units go up to $220 in price and come with all the functionality you'd expect, such as software backup suites and drive-mounted capacity displays. They are, of course, designed to fit comfortably inside a laptop bag or a pocket, capitalizing on the recent introduction of their 500GB Scorpio 2.5” drives.

One interesting note is that the drive is fully USB powered, which is a blessing to anyone who often travels with extra hard drives. Lugging around power cables for them is just one more cumbersome thing to add into a laptop bag.

[Via: Justin Mann ][Tag: ]

Sub-3-Lb. Sony Vaio TT Rumored To Have Blu-ray Burner, 250GB SSD [Rumor]

2008-09-22T18:41:00.001-07:00

According to leaks collected by Sony Insider, that Sony Vaio TT I mentioned yesterday is turning out to be one of the sweetest laptops we've ever not seen. A new spec sheet shows that the 2.87-lb. laptop will come in Champagne Gold, Crimson Red and Silk Black with respectable features, and then there will be a Premium Carbon Fiber Black, with a 250GB solid-state two-drive array and a 2X speed Blu-ray burner—with no change in overall weight. Sounds too good to be true, but here are the full leaked specs for your perusal:

VGN-TT190UBX:
• 11.1 inch LED screen with XBRITE-DuraViewв„ў (1366Г—768)
• IntelВ® Coreв„ў 2 Duo Processor SU9400 at 1.4ghz
• 4GB of DDR3 RAM
• 2.87 pounds
• (2x) Blu-Ray writer, reader / DVD writer, reader / CD writer, reader
• 250gb (128GBx2 RAID) solid state hard drive
• HDMI output, 2 USB ports
• Built-in camera
• Memory stick Pro, SD slot
• Bluetooth, 802.11b/g/n, ethernet
• Windows Vista Ultimate Common features of the VGN-TT190EIN, VGN-TT190EIR, VGN-TT190NIB:
• 11.1 inch LED screen with XBRITE-DuraViewв„ў (1366Г—768)
• IntelВ® Coreв„ў 2 Duo Processor SU9300 at 1.2ghz
• Up to 4GB of DDR3 RAM
• 2.87 pounds
• Hard drive options max out at 160GB (non SSD, SATA 5400rpm)
• DVD writer, reader / CD writer, reader
• HDMI output, 2 USB ports, VGA output
• Built-in camera
• Memory stick Pro, SD slot
• Bluetooth, 802.11a/b/g/n, ethernet; we are unsure which model will have the EVDO that was cleared by FCC
• Windows VistaВ® Home Premium (VGN-TT190EIN/VGN-TT190EIR), or Windows VistaВ® Business (VGN-TT190NIB can also get XP Pro)

[Sony Insider]
[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ][Tag: ]

Asus Eee 901 reaches $500

2008-09-08T17:53:00.001-07:00

Asus has faced a lot of criticism with their Eee line related to how they have become increasingly expensive. What was originally envisioned, sold and received as a very cheap solution with low powered hardware has turned into “netbooks” that are nearly as expensive as midrange laptops – and more expensive than bottom of the barrel laptops.

It seems they are realizing how out of touch they have become with that original focus and are talking a step backwards. The 901 has reached a $500 price point, coupled with the 1.6GHz Atom and a gig of ram. That's still a leap from the around $300 tag Asus was originally known for, one that made them look quite good at the time.

It's obvious the Eee line has grown far beyond the simple “cheap laptop” market that they started off in, but I hope Asus will dedicate at least a portion of their hardware lineup to ultra-cheap hardware.

[Via: Justin Mann ][Tag: ]

Asus releases F6V laptops with scent

2008-09-07T18:41:00.001-07:00

Have you ever particularly worried about what your computer smells like? As long as it doesn't smell like smoke or burning plastic, I've been pretty content with the “factory” odor that just about every new piece of hardware comes with. That's not enough for some, it seems, who want a machine that is pleasing to the nose as well as pleasing to the touch.
Asus is going after them, with the introduction of the F6V-C1 line of laptops. The machines come in a variety of colors and designs, intending to be aesthetically pleasing. On top of that, each color of the laptop comes with its own smell as well, ranging from “Grass” to “Cologne” to “Flower” and more.
The laptops are fairly compact, though certainly not as small as the Eee line, and boast modest hardware to accompany their look and smell. You can read more in the press release.

[Via: Justin Mann ][Tag: ]

ASUS N10 netbook forgets the streets, ditches Eee moniker

2008-08-23T23:11:00.001-07:00

It looks like ASUS knows how much it's trashed the Eee brand -- the company's new, higher-end 10.2-inch netbook is simply labeled "N10" in an effort to give the rig some premium cachet, and it looks like it deserves it, with a slick new case, Altec Lansing speakers, HDMI out, and a 1024 x 768 display. Apart from Digitimes saying pricing will be in the range of €300 - €400 ($446 - $595) -- which we're not buying -- that's really all we know, but we're sure to find out more soon. Anyone else think it's funny that ASUS so diluted the Eee brand in under a year that it has to start a new premium line? Tons more pictures at the read link.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: asus,n10,netbook,rumor,rumors ]

ASUS launches a slew of new laptops

2008-08-23T23:08:00.001-07:00

ASUS took a break from cranking out an endless series of Eee PCs to revamp some of its traditional laptop lines today, here's what you need to know:

B50A business laptop: 15.4-inch screen, Penryn Core 2 Duos on Intel's GM45 Express chipset with ASUS's Expressgate SplashTop implementation and integrated X4500 graphics, max 4GB RAM and 320GB drive, spill-resistant keyboard, Bluetooth, WiFi, dual-layer burner, 1.3 megapixel webcam.
F8 laptops (pictured): 14.1-inch WXGA screen, Penryn Core 2 Duos with 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3470 graphics with Express Gate, TV tuner with remote control, up to 4GB RAM and a 320GB drive, 1.3 megapixel swivel webcam, five available colors.
F6 "scented" laptops: 13.3-inch screen, lids feature five available graphics and fragrances (really), Penryn Core 2 Duos with 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3470 graphics with Express Gate, TV tuner with remote control, up to 4GB RAM and a 320GB drive, fingerprint scanner.
G71V and G50V "Republic of Gamers" laptops: 17-inch (G71) and 15-inch (G50) gaming laptops with up to Intel Core 2 Quad QX9300 processors and 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 9700M GT graphics, 4GB of RAM, 2x 500GB hard drives, dual-layer burner, 2.0 megapixel swivel webcam, LED lighting effects, gaming hotkeys.

No pricing or ship dates yet, but we'll get you those as they come in.

[Via: i4u ]
[Tag: asus,b50a,centrino 2,Centrino2,f6,f8,g50,g50v,g71,g71v,montevina ]

Intel shows off next-gen, convertible Classmate PC

2008-08-22T11:17:00.001-07:00

Intel wasn't exactly all that forthcoming with details about its next-gen Classmate PC when the subject last came up (describing it only as having both hardware and software upgrades), but it looks to have dropped its guard at this week's IDF, with it not only dishing out details, but an actual unit as well. As you can see, this one's a convertible, but Intel is quick to point out that it's not the Classmate 3.0 some have been expecting -- it'll apparently exist alongside the current generation model. Also, as you might have guessed, there's not a lot of surprises in terms of specs, with it boasting the same 1.6GHz Atom processor as every other netbook out there, along with an 8.9-inch 1024 x 600 display, an SD card slot, a pair of USB ports, and an SSD drive of unspecified size. Intel is apparently still promising to provide a few more details a bit later on but, in the meantime, you can bide your time by digging into the pics available at the link below.
Update: Check out a video from Intel after the break, and even more pics at jkkmobile.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: classmate,classmate pc,ClassmatePc,idf,intel ]

Fujitsu's U2010 goes for 11 hours strong with extended battery

2008-08-21T18:39:00.001-07:00

Fujitsu's cute-as-a-button U2010 (or U820, for you USers) was shown off over in Japan at a company event, and while most of the specifications were already hammered out, one particular tidbit at AkihabaraNews took us by surprise. With seemingly every other netbook out there getting blasted for lackluster battery life, the U2010 will reportedly support an extended cell that offers up 11.1 hours of run time. We've no idea if that's a "maximum" number based on "optimal" usage, but no matter how you dice it, it sure beats the (also respectable) 5.3 hour rating given to the standard battery.

[Via: BoingBoing ]
[Tag: battery,battery life,BatteryLife,fujitsu,japan,lifebook,Loox U,netbook,U2010,U820,umpc ]

Lenovo's ThinkPad T500 gets previewed

2008-08-20T10:36:00.001-07:00

Now that you're well acquainted with the specifications of Lenovo's ThinkPad T500, there are only a couple more hoops to leap through before pulling the trigger or calmly placing the mouse on the ground and walking away. Here to help you inch closer to one option or the other is NotebookReview, which has procured one of these rigs and given it a thorough inspection. Fans of the trademark design (read: plain, simple, boring / beautiful) will find oodles to love, and build quality (overall) was seen as satisfactory. Unfortunately, a good bit of flex was noticed in the keyboard, which could be a serious issue for fans of previous units. There's plenty more discussion where this came from, so head on down and give the full writeup a look if you're remotely interested in bringing the T500 into your loving abode.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: first look,FirstLook,lenovo,preview,T500,thinkpad,thinkpad t500,ThinkpadT500 ]

More pictures of Dell's Mini Inspiron surface

2008-08-20T10:34:00.003-07:00

Dell's Inspiron 910 can't stay hidden, apparently -- check out these new, higher-res shots of the 8.9-inch netbook in the wild. Nothing spectacularly new here -- and we'd still like to see some locked-down specs on this thing -- but ooh, shiny. Check the power adapter after the break.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: dell,inspiron,inspiron 910,inspiron mini,Inspiron910,InspironMini,mini inspiron,MiniInspiron,rumor,rumors ]

Intel's UrbanMax slider laptop concept unvieled at IDF

2008-08-20T10:34:00.001-07:00

Intel appears to be firing on all cylinders at IDF. Besides whatever surprised they have planned for tomorrow, the chip-maker rolled out a prototype of a convertible laptop / tablet / MID / UMPC / netbook / super-gadget called the UrbanMax. There's not much in the way of specs on the device, but as you can see from the photos, it utilizes a combination sliding / tilting screen to transform into any variety of configurations. The display is a resistive touchscreen, though it's not clear what the guts are made up of here. The whole thing reminds us of a giant Tilt, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. One more pic after the break.

[Via: jkkmobile ]
[Tag: concept,idf,intel,mid,netbook,prototype,slider,tablet,umpc,urbanmax ]

ASUS kicks out four new XP-based Eee PCs for Taiwan

2008-08-19T18:26:00.001-07:00

We know it's been a tough few days since the last Eee PC launch, but ASUS has now thankfully come through with four more ever so slightly different models to feed your questionable appetite, this time for Taiwan. Those include the 1000HD XP, 904HD XP, 901 XP and 900 XP (16G), each of which, obviously, run XP, and at least two of which (the 901 and 900) come in some of the same eye-catching colors that Korea got a taste of the other day. Somewhat curiously, only the 901 XP is listed as having an Atom processors, while the others are simply described as packing an "Intel Mobile" processor. Otherwise, you can expect the usual range of specs found on countless similar models, with prices coming in at the local equivalent of $444 to $539.

[Via: Slash Gear ]
[Tag: asus,eee,eee pc,EeePc ]

Compal's MID slider with global HSPA/EDGE data -- first UMPC it, now you don't

2008-08-19T18:24:00.001-07:00

Compal's been a vocal supporter of Intel's MID followup to the tragic UMPC platform ever since It was announced in April of last year. Hell, the Taiwanese ODM even dedicated a team to crank out all the devices expected in the first half of 2008 but never came thanks in part, to Intel's Atom slippage. Now Compal looks ready to toss a MID to consumers (either direct or through a third-party manufacturer, it's not clear) with the unveiling of this handheld at Intel's IDF in San Francisco. The QWERTY slider packs GPS, a Linux-based OS with media player, browser, eMail and IM clients, and Option's GlobeTrotter Connect and GTM501 HSPA data kit offering tri-band HSUPA/HSDPA and quad-band GPRS/EDGE connectivity the world-over. No pricing or availability has been announced but we hope to hear more later today.
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: atom,compal,globetrotter,globetrotter connect,GlobetrotterConnect,gps,gtm501,hspa,intel,mid,option,silverthorne ]

Lenovo's IdeaPad S10 netbook ready to order, maybe

2008-08-19T18:23:00.001-07:00

Just days after FCC approval, the IdeaPad S10 netbook just popped on Lenovo's retail site tossing a big Chinese wrench in ASUS' plans for global Eee PC domination. At least we think so -- the S10 wasn't expected to hit the US until October (China September 5th). Availability says "ships within 2-3 weeks" but clicking on the "customize and buy" link results in an "Exception Occurred" error -- pretty much on par with Lenovo's US retail launch routine. Anyway, for ~~$399~~, er $429 (thanks again dollar) you'll take home 512MB of memory and 80GB worth of hard drive, a 1.6GHz Atom N270 proc, Windows XP, and a paltry 3-cell Lithium-Ion battery. Annoyingly, the progression from the base-model black color to white or red costs an extra $10 without any appreciation in specs. While ASUS' is approaching the netbook market like attrition warfare, it might just be a few, well-placed products with stellar support that wins over the netbook market in the end.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: ideapad,ideapad s10,IdeapadS10,lenovo,netbook,s10 ]

Lenovo's IdeaPad S9 / S10 shows up in FCC database

2008-08-19T18:12:00.003-07:00

Hey, look -- another cart before the horse scenario! Long after coming to grips with the fact that Lenovo was indeed producing an IdeaPad S9 and S10, the netbook(s) have surfaced in the FCC's lair. Interestingly, the User Guide looks to tackle both machines in one fell swoop, suggesting that there's not enough difference to warrant the writing of two whole pamphlets that no one will read. There's not too much here that you didn't already know, but it's always a great sign to see a machine make it past this federal hurdle.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: fcc,ideapad,lenovo,netbook,S10,S9 ]

HP's rugged EliteBook 2730p tablet and 2530p laptop for suits and Gobi squares

2008-08-19T18:12:00.001-07:00

HP just unveiled a pair of rugged (MIL-STD 810F tested for dust, altitude, and high temperature) Centrino 2 12-inchers with the launch of its 2530p laptop and 2730p tablet. The 2730p bests the HP 2710p launched last year with the inclusion of a touchpad and new jog-dial along the side for use when the tablet is in slate mode. HP is also offering improved ULV (up to 1.2GHz) and LV (up to 1.86GHz) Core 2 Duo processor options and faster, 1.8-inch 5400RPM hard drive (up to 120GB), 80GB SSD, and Qualcomm's Gobi dual EV-DO / HSPA wireless option for near-complete WWAN support globally. The 2730p continues to maintain the legacy LED-backlit display, "Night Light" keyboard lighting, optional webcam (with business card reader), slice battery (up to 10-hours), and expansion base / docking station. Importantly, the stylus no longer slips out of the silo when carrying the 2730p through the cubicle farm.
The 2530p offers pretty much the same in a thinner (0.99-inches vs. 1.11-inches thick), lighter (3.19-pounds vs. 3.74-pounds), more traditional laptop design. See it pictured after the break.

[Via: jkOnTheRun ]
[Tag: 2530p,2710p,2730p,elitebook,Gobi,hp,MIL-STD 810F,Mil-std810f,rugged,tablet ]

Dell's "Mini" Inspiron 910 gets specs, pics, and potential release date leaked

2008-08-19T18:08:00.001-07:00

The cats over at Gizmodo have gotten their eyes on some succulent and salacious photos of the oft-rumored, much-discussed, openly-desired Dell "Mini Inspiron" (or as it's now being called, the Inspiron 910) -- and they've shared with the world. In the pics you get to see that familiar pencil-pose along with a slew of insides and outs, including an up-close look at ports, keyboard, and guts. The specs look like they're right in line with those leaked materials we had back in June, and the word is this little baby will be hitting shelves come August 22nd. Time to swing by the Coinstar machine.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: dell,dell e,DellE,inspiron,inspiron 910,Inspiron910,leak,mini inspiron,MiniInspiron,netbook ]

Xplore debuts rugged iX104C4 tablet PC

2008-08-19T18:07:00.001-07:00

Xplore Technologies isn't exactly the most prolific purveyor of rugged computers, but it looks like it's finally managed to churn out a follow-up to its circa-2006 iX104C3 tablet PC, with its new and slightly improved iX104C4 now making its official debut. This one retains the same 10.4-inch form factor of its predecessor, but gets a 50% brighter Dual Mode AllVue Xtreme display (still XGA), along with a 1.2GHz Intel Core Duo processor, 1GB of RAM, a 120GB hard drive, and all the usual wLAN, wWAN, Bluetooth and GPS options. As has been the case with Xplore in the past, there's no word on a price but, then again, most of the folks that wind up using these in the field won't exactly be paying for them out of their own pocket.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: ix104c3,rugged,rugged tablet,rugged tablet pc,RuggedTablet,RuggedTabletPc,tablet pc,TabletPc,xplore ]

HP EliteBook 2730p gets shown off on video

2008-08-19T18:06:00.001-07:00

We didn't exactly get the best look at HP's new EliteBook 2730p tablet when it was announced earlier today, but Notebooks.com has now thankfully come through with a video of the device, in which HP's Kyle Thorton helpfully shows off every nook and cranny of sleek yet supposedly rugged convertible. That includes a peek at the tablet's jog dial, which makes a welcome reappearance after being ditched on the 2710p, and its "double clutch" stylus-holding system, which promises to keep you from losing your trusty input device (it's actually pretty slick). Head on past the break for the full show.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: 2730p,compaq,convertible tablet,ConvertibleTablet,elitebook,elitebook 2730p,Elitebook2730p,hp,hp 2730p,Hp2730p ]

Leaked Intel slides reveal 8-core CPUs, AVX instruction set

2008-08-19T07:02:00.001-07:00

We recently learned that Intel would be (officially) calling Nehalem Core i7 and Centrino Atom, um, Atom. Now, however, we've got a few more related details for you to digest thanks to a stack of leaked presentation slides. The Tick Tock Development Model explains that both Westmere and Sandy Bridge (codenames, of course) will be fabricated with 32-nanometer technology in 2009 - 2010. Moving even further into the unknown, geeks can expect Ivy Bridge and Haswell (both doing the whole 22-nanometer thing) to surface between 2011 and 2012. The Sandy Bridge architecture will reportedly "double the number of cores per die to eight," while a new instruction set coined Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX) will likely get most of the attention. For those of you who haven't conked out yet (you know who you are), hit the links below to get a better idea of what your future rigs will likely house.

[Via: Electronista ]
[Tag: Advanced Vectors Extensions,AdvancedVectorsExtensions,atom,AVX,Core i7,CoreI7,cpu,cure 2 duo,Cure2Duo,Haswell,intel,Larabee,Nehalem,processor,roadmap,Sandy Bridge,SandyBridge,Tolapai ]

MSI Winds said to be shipping without Synaptic touchpads

2008-08-15T23:50:00.001-07:00

If the increasing number of posts on the MSIWind.net forums are any indication, it looks like at least some MSI Winds are now shipping out with Sentilic touchpads in place of the more-functional Synaptic ones that have been standard issue until now. Among other things, the Sentilic touchpads don't allow for horizontal and vertical side scrolling (instead offering just corner clicking), and they apparently don't let you turn off the tap-to-click feature, which seems to have caused plenty of frustation among those that have received a Wind from this latest batch. For its part, MSI only seems to be offering an updated driver to anyone that contacts them complaining of problems which, not surprisingly, apparently doesn't do much to improve things.
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: msi,msi wind,MsiWind,sentilic,synaptic,touchpad ]

Dual-display laptop design has wings

2008-08-15T23:46:00.001-07:00

Perhaps it's just that nostalgia for the ThinkPad 701 but there's something about this dual-display reference design that's causing optical interrupts all over Engadget editorial. It's certainly not as elegant as some other dual-display laptops we've seen, but what it gives up in looks, the Electronic Keyboards, Inc. design makes up for in practicality. They're currently pitching it to OEMs and will gladly sell you the related US patents if interested. Though given our choice, we'd be more interested in patents related to an elongated trackpad which doubles as a secondary glass display or e-Ink informational widget. Hey, a boy can dream can't he?

[Via: The Raw Feed ]
[Tag: concept,design,dual-display,electronic keyboards,ElectronicKeyboards,oem,patent,reference design,ReferenceDesign ]

MacBook Air with Penryn launch imminent?

2008-08-15T07:46:00.001-07:00

File this rumor under the "sure, that makes sense" category. Granted, PhoneNews may not be the go-to source for Apple rumors, still, the site's reputable enough to at least give this one a listen. It claims that national retailers have been alerted to an imminent announcement of a new revision to the MacBook Air. More specifically, PhoneNews claims that the MBA will move away from the stop-gap, 65-nm Intel processor dusted-off special for Apple (and now Voodoo's Envy 133) in favor of Intel's latest "standard" 45-nm Penryn processor. If true, then we're talking about possible clocks ranging from 2.26GHz to 3.06GHz (up from 1.6GHz or 1.8GHz), a 1,066MHz FSB (up from 800MHz), and appreciable increase in CPU power draw to 29W (up from 20W). We can also expect better GMA X4500 integrated graphics assuming Apple adopts the Centrino 2 chipset. To offset the potential degradation in mobility, PhoneNews asserts that Apple will beef-up the battery and replace the 45W MagSafe adapter with a 60W version like those found with existing MacBooks. With this rumor and all the others related to Apple's lineup of MacBooks, we wouldn't be surprised to see Apple announce some kind of special media event sometime soon.
Update: It's worth noting that Intel also plans to release a few low and ultra-low voltage Penryns in a 22-mm package (same as now) around the September timeframe. Though these would decrease, not increase, the power draw as described by PhoneNews.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: apple,macbook air,MacbookAir,penryn,rumor ]

Gateway P-7811 FX gaming laptop gets reviewed

2008-08-14T18:51:00.001-07:00

We already got our hands on Gateway's new P-7811 FX gaming laptop for a brief looksee, but if you're craving a few more details on the (relatively) bargain-priced unit, you can now hit up Laptop Magazine for a full review. While they had some of the same quibbles with the "almost garish" design, they were mightily impressed by the laptop overall, with them flat out declaring it "one of the best value-price rigs of 2008." The site was especially impressed by the Gateway's "beautiful high-definition display," as well as its welcome HDMI and eSATA ports, its spacious and comfortable keyboard and, of course, some of the best 3D performance around for the price. On the downside, they found that speakers left a bit to be desired, and you don't get a Blu-ray drive, which is becoming increasingly common even in this price range. Still, if the appearance isn't a deal-breaker for you, it seems like this one is as solid a bet as any.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: gaming laptop,GamingLaptop,gateway,P-7811 FX,P-7811Fx ]

HP EliteBook 8730w gets the hands-on treatment

2008-08-14T18:48:00.001-07:00

HP's touting the DreamColor display in its new Centrino 2 / NVIDIA Quadro FX 3700-powered EliteBook 8730w as being one of the best displays on the market, and if the crew at Maximum PC is to be believed, the $400 option lives up to the hype. Other notable bits included the Durakey keyboard coating, which should protect against wear and tear for three years, and the semi-rugged chassis that can withstand short falls. Sadly, all these features bump the starting price from a reasonable $1,700 to over five large, but you get what you pay for, it seems -- check out tons more pics at the read link.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: 8730w,dreamcolor,elitebook,elitebook 8730w,Elitebook8730w,hewlett packard,hewlett-packard,HewlettPackard,hp ]

Hints dropped about Ubuntu Netbook Remix; Wishlists already created

2008-08-14T08:06:00.001-07:00

There is a subculture among the Download Squad bloggers (and you thought you couldn't get any further sub-anything) of ultraportable computer users. We love the little things. They're teeny, have the right amount of power to do their designated tasks well and with little fuss, and they're fairly inexpensive.
But sometimes we're not real enamored of the default operating systems. The Eee users among us love the machine, but the verdict is out on Xandros in either simple or advanced mode. We've used eeeXubuntu, and it works well, but it seems as though the project is stuck on the Gutsy release and has no plan to move forward.
In a Guardian interview, Mark Shuttleworth of Ubuntu dropped the intriguing news that there is a Netbook Remix version of Ubuntu in the pipeline. Details are scant, but it seems there is some work being done with Intel to support the custom chips it manufactures for this market (no word on whether this release could leave VIA-powered machines out of the loop). There is a Launchpad account up and running, but there's not too much to see there (yet).
Ubuntu is fairly easy to tailor to ultraportables, but we're expecting that the Netbook Remix project is going to offer a bit more than resized windows and applications altered to make the most of screen real estate.
Personally, we'd most like to see tweaks made to software to extend battery life, special repositories set up for applications optimized for ultraportables, and perhaps some utilities to better support those of us who use both the internal hard drive and a supplement memory card to house the operating system.
Fellow ultraportable users, what would be on your wishlist for Netbook Remix version of Ubuntu?
[The Guardian by way of Slashdot]

[Via: Download Squad ]
[Tag: ]

MSI Wind gets official pricing and availability for the US: $399

2008-08-14T08:05:00.001-07:00

We already knew most of the details on the MSI Wind, but the Atom-based ultraportable just got official US pricing and availability today -- and just like we hoped, it got a little cheaper on the trip over. Although there'll be both 8.9-inch and 10-inch versions worldwide, we're only getting the 10-inch in both XP and Linux flavors, starting June 3rd. The SuSE version will feature that 1.6GHz Atom, 512MB of RAM, 80GB hard drive, and a 3-cell battery rated at 2.5 hours of use for $399, while the XP edition will come in at $549 with 1GB of RAM, Bluetooth, and a larger 6-cell battery good for 5.5 hours. There's also apparently going to be a $500 "base" XP edition, but details on that are pretty sparse at the moment. Looks like ASUS had better get that Atom-based Eee 900 out by June as planned if it wants to keep up, eh?
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: msi,msi wind,MsiWind,ultraportable,ultraportables,wind ]

Gigabyte's swivel screen M912V netbook gets reviewed

2008-08-13T17:56:00.001-07:00

There's a whole mess of netbooks out there, but if you're scouting one with a swiveling screen, chances are the M912V is sky high on your list. For starters, this one's pretty pricey at $699, and for that much change, you'd really expect the battery life to be better than "poor," the temperature to remain a few degrees below boiling and the keyboard to not be described as "cramped." Of course, not everything was a downer -- the speakers were strong, the port assortment was praised and the touchpad was smiled upon. Still, critics couldn't recommend procuring one without strong reservations, so unless you're just goo-goo for swivel, your dollars are probably better off spent elsewhere.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: gigabyte,M912v,netbook,review,reviewed,subnote,swivel screen,SwivelScreen,tablet,tablet pc,TabletPc ]

Dell Precision and Latitude E series hands-on

2008-08-12T18:27:00.001-07:00

Tons of pics of Dell's new Precision and Latitude E series machines? You got 'em, including shots of the crazy-small E4200, which really takes us back to the days of the hot little Samsung-built X1. Hit the gallery below, marvel at some of the machines your IT department may be rolling out in the next 6-18 months.
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: dell,E4200,E4400,E5400,E5500,E6400,E6500,features,hands-on,latitude,latitude e,LatitudeE,M2400,M4400,M6400,precision ]

Dell announces new Latitude E series

2008-08-12T18:26:00.001-07:00

Dell's dropping a ton of new laptops on us today, and first up are the new Latitudes. Just like we'd heard, the E series is replacing the Ds, with seven new models total. As you no doubt remember from our Week o' Dell Scoops, the E6500, E6400, E5500, and E5400 are the traditional models with 15.4 and 14.1-inch displays, while the E4400 and E4200 are ultraportables and the previously-leaked E6400 ATG is a ruggedized edition. The 12-inch E4200 is the lightest corporate laptop Dell's ever made, at just 2.2 pounds, while the 13.3-inch E4200 comes in a 3.4 pounds. Both feature Latitude ON, which allows you to access data without fully booting the machine -- sounds a lot like SplashTop to us. Dell's claiming that the batteries on the larger machines can last for up to 19 hours, which sounds great, but we'll believe it when we see it. The new models also have an available backlit keyboard, and can be outfitted with dual pointing devices, fingerprint readers, and WWAN options including WiMAX.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: breaking news,BreakingNews,dell,e series,ESeries,latitude ]

Limited Edition Eee PC 901 and 1000H ready to candy-coat Korean hearts

2008-08-12T18:21:00.001-07:00

After suffering a presumed Jolly Rancher infestation, ASUS is prepped to loose these artificially flavored Eee PCs onto Korea. Available for pre-order now, the limited edition "pink" (hey, that's what they say) and Jell-O green Eee PC 901 and Eee PC 1000H ship on the 22nd of August for an undetermined price. Hmmm, blood-red snowflakes and glo-stick mistletoe? Feels like Christmas in our very own Eee PC hell.
[Via: Akihabara News ]
[Tag: 1000h,901,asus,eee pc,eee pc 1000h,eee pc 901,EeePc,EeePc1000h,EeePc901,limited edition,LimitedEdition ]

Dell E-series netbooks to include 10-incher? Today we hope to find out.

2008-08-12T18:20:00.003-07:00

It's time for more Dell E-series netbook rumors, you ready? According to DigiTimes and its industry sources, Compal Electronics is slapping together both 8.9-inch and 10-inch E-series netbooks for Dell. Previously, we've only heard mention of an 8.9-inch E and 12.1-inch E Slim. The 10-inch E is scheduled for an October product launch while the 8.9-incher was previously rumored for August. Interestingly, Dell expects the 10-incher to experience almost twice the demand of the 8.9-inch model (assuming a sole-source manufacturing deal) based on Compal's monthly production estimates of 400k-450k and 250k units, respectively. There's a Dell press event later on today where we might just bring all these Dell netbook rumors to rest. Stay tuned, as they say.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: dell,dell e,DellE,digitimes,e,e slim,ESlim,netbook,rumor ]

Lenovo intros the monstrous ThinkPad W700, and we get our hands all over it (updated with Wacom video demo)

2008-08-12T18:20:00.001-07:00

Like your laptops to be over-achievers? Like, the really annoyingly stacked variety of over-achiever? Enter Lenovo's newest outrage -- the ThinkPad W700. Containing enough computational artillery to level a small village, this for-creatives-only behemoth is designed for sheer pixel pushing... and little else. The system packs in two features aimed at graphic artists and photographers which are fairly unique to a laptop: a built in Wacom digitizer just to the right of the trackpad, and an on-board color calibrator. But what's happening under the hood you ask? Well for starters the 17-incher sports the first ever Intel Quad Core Extreme CPU in a laptop (no word on speeds at this point) as well as the first showing of NVIDIA's Quadro FX 3700 graphics chipset (with a hefty 1GB of memory on-board). The workstation also serves up dual hard drive bays configurable as RAID 0 or 1 (SSD or traditional disk, naturally), up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and an optional Blu-ray burner. Of course, that's fully kitted out -- the W700 starts at

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: breaking news,BreakingNews,color calibrator,ColorCalibrator,digitizer,features,lenovo,nvidia quadro fx 3700,NvidiaQuadroFx3700,quad core extreme,QuadCoreExtreme,w700,wacom,workstation ]

Averatec to inevitably pump out a netbook

2008-08-12T18:18:00.001-07:00

Averatec reliably cranks out stylish-but-generic takes on most new hardware trends, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that the company is prepping a netbook. Although nothing's been locked in, it sounds like we should expect an Eee 1000-class machine, with a 10.2-inch screen and an Atom processor -- but it'll also have a "real" Shift key, a 120GB drive, and a $399 - $499 price tag. We should fine out more by Christmas, when this thing hits stores -- but will anyone care by then?

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: averatec,netbook ]

New Dell Latitude Biz Notebooks: As Light as 2.2 Pounds, Up to 19 Hours Battery Life [Dell]

2008-08-12T18:16:00.001-07:00

Dell is loosing sevenвЂ”yes, sevenвЂ”new Latitude business notebooks today. Rather than recount each model in detail and scrambling your brain since they (and their accompanying options) go in a million directions from ultraportable to semi-rugged, here's the basic list of new features: вЂўRidiculous battery lifeвЂ”some configs will go to 19 hours.
вЂўWireless N, Bluetooth, Ultra-wideband, mobile broadband, WiMax and GPS options
вЂўHardware disk encryption, Dell ControlVault, fingerprint readers and other security stuff
вЂўFull-frame magnesium alloy construction
вЂўBacklit keyboards, USB Powershare, DisplayPort
вЂўE4200 and E4300 have Dell Latitude ON, an instant boot mode for email, contacts, internet, etc., that supposedly will give you multi-day battery life via a dedicated low-voltage sub-processor Get the full monty on every model here: [Direct2Dell]

[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
[Tag: ]

How would you change HTC's Advantage X7510?

2008-08-11T07:57:00.001-07:00

There's no denying that HTC's Advantage X7510 fills a narrowing niche -- after all, how many of these things have you seen out and about in the subway / underground? Still, there's just something very enticing about a 5-inch VGA display, built-in GPS, HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth and a full-blown QWERTY keyboard, is there not? For you folks who plunked down quite a few bills in order to bring this home, how has your experience been? For you folks in America who have just recently decided to bite the bullet and jump in, was it worth it? How would you tweak this do-it-all conglomerate (besides making it way more affordable)? Here's your shot to get it out, don't let it pass you by!

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: advantage,advantage x7510,AdvantageX7510,conglomerate,do-it-all,features,handheld,how would you change,HowWouldYouChange,htc,hwyc,x7510 ]

Another PS3 laptop hits the scene, but can it stand up to the master?

2008-08-10T18:22:00.001-07:00

Granted, we're biased, but it seems to us that Ben Heck's PS3 Laptop could teach this young pretender a thing or two. That said, this here 3 month project by PS3HaX modder "Pirate" utterly unscoffable, and certainly wins some points for that LED-lit window up front. He's hoping to build another version now that he's worked out the kinks in the 1st gen model, and plans to work in more portability and slimness into the new version. Hey, maybe he could slap on a cellphone and a touchscreen while he's at it? Just riffing here. Video is after the break.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: hack,mod,pirate,ps3,ps3 laptop,ps3hax,Ps3Laptop ]

Official: HBO arrive's on iTunes, standard pricing be damned

2008-08-09T07:53:00.001-07:00

It's official. HBO content just entered the digital halls of iTunes with variable pricing. Episodes of Rome and The Sopranos pop for $2.99 while The Wire and Sex and' the City (yes the complete series) go for the iTunes "standard" pricing of $1.99. We just fired-up iTunes and confirmed it just like the rumor predicted. With Apple backing down from its strict, flat-rate pricing policy, don't be surprised to see additional content from previously iTunes-shy providers arriving in succession.

[Thanks, Turki]
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: apple,breaking news,BreakingNews,hbo,itunes,rome,sex and the city,SexAndTheCity,sopranos,the wire,TheWire ]

ECS G10IL netbook gets taken for a spin

2008-08-08T20:44:00.001-07:00

When it first hit the scene in March, the awkwardly-named ECS G10IL was just about the hottest thing going in the netbook scene. Months later it's finding itself getting shoved around by the big kids like the MSI Wind and the recently announced Lenovo S10. Still, the G10IL has plenty to offer, and Laptop Mag's word is anything to go by, this thing is a "beauty" to be reckoned with. We're not quite convinced of it from the hands-on shots, but apparently the glossy lid has inlaid silver stripes that really set the thing off. Laptop also raved about the comfy keyboard, bright 10-inch LCD and peppy Atom performance with that 1GB of RAM and XP Professional. The laptop will probably retail for $499 as configured when it arrives in September, but a Linux version for $399 should also be available if Microsoft isn't your thing.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: ecs g10il,EcsG10il,hands-on,netbook ]

Sylvania's G Netbook Meso toyed with on video

2008-08-08T04:47:00.001-07:00

We still can't get over the fact that Sylvania is selling a netbook, but all weirdness aside, the unit deserves the same hands-on attention given to most all of its biggest competitors. According to initial reports, the 8.9-inch Sylvania G Netbook Meso sports an atypical (albeit appreciated) matte display, an expectedly cramped keyboard and a smooth-as-butter trackpad. Need proof? Hit up the read link for a smattering of hands-on shots and a brief video.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: g netbook meso,GNetbookMeso,hands-on,netbook,pics,pictures,Sylvania,video ]

ASUS launches Eee Storage, takes your Eee PC to the cloud... kind of

2008-08-07T18:17:00.001-07:00

Apparently Jerry Shen and the homegirls / boys at ASUS want to get a slice of that sweet cloud pie. According to a report, the computer-maker has launched a service called Eee Storage, which provides 20GB of online storage for Eee PC users, as well as access to downloads of around 3,000 pieces of free software and games. The company hopes to expand the service -- which uses a drag and drop interface for file management -- into a full blown "store" where users can download music and "various other content." In the picture above you can see Jerry demonstrating the service to a group of bemused high school reporters.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: asus,asustek,cloud computing,cloud storage,CloudComputing,CloudStorage,eee,eee pc,EeePc,jerry shen,JerryShen,online storage,OnlineStorage ]

First Nehalem system built, geekery ensues

2008-08-07T07:57:00.005-07:00

Look, we're all nerds around here, no shame in that game, but Maximum PC is taking it to a special level with its latest write-up. They managed to sneak into an unnamed "hardware contact" who let them mess around with a mid-range, 2.93GHz Bloomfield chip -- the desktop version of Nehalem -- and an Intel D58XSO "Smackover" motherboard. No benchmarks just yet, but they do go over all sorts of interesting topics like DDR3, larger heatsinks and SLI compatibility. Riveting stuff, we tell you.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: bloomfield,intel,nehalem,smackover ]

Lenovo's 8.9-inch S9 netbook is not for you

2008-08-07T07:57:00.003-07:00

We mentioned it briefly the other day, but just so we're clear: Lenovo's S10 (pictured) won't be alone this fall. The company is also pushing out an 8.9-inch version for a few non-US markets, and dubbing it the S9. According to Digitimes, the S9 will be running an 8GB SSD instead of the 80GB HDD of its big brother, but specs otherwise will be pretty much the same. The laptop should retail for 12,900 Taiwan dollars, about $420 US (though we can't really rely on a straight exchange rate for this), but a decent bit cheaper than the 17,900 Taiwan dollar S10.

[Via: TG Daily ]
[Tag: lenovo,netbook,s9 ]

MSI Wind Netbook Love Edition

2008-08-07T07:57:00.001-07:00

Just let that name sink in a little. Seriously, we couldn't make this stuff up. Our main point of contention is the emphasis on netbook love, or is this merely a love edition of the Wind netbook? Questions that need answers, MSI. From what we can tell, the only netbook loving that's happening here is MSI has slapped on a few hearts in various colors, and will be making charity contributions to Taiwan, China, Poland, Ukraine, Turkey, Russia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Korea and India to help kids there learn how to use computers. Oh, and you want to know what this charity is called? "Love with the Wind." We're dead serious. Would we lie to you on matters of such gravity? Well, probably. No word on exactly when, where, or how much these new laptops are going for.

[Via: Pocketables Forum ]
[Tag: love edition,LoveEdition,msi,msi wind,MsiWind,netbook love edition,NetbookLoveEdition ]

HP gets hot on touchscreen technology, plans array of finger-friendly gear

2008-08-07T07:56:00.001-07:00

In case you haven't noticed, HP has a thing for attempting (emphasis on attempting) to stay one step ahead of the sector. Now, it's being reported that touch technology is all the rage within Palo Alto, and HP is purportedly aiming to introduce "an array of products, including notebooks," that utilize the finger-friendly tech within the next 18 months. Details on those very products are few and far between, but Phil McKinney (CTO of the Personal Systems Group) sees touch "as the almost preferred method for nontechnical users." Funny thing, though -- it seems most everyone else recognized touch as the new hotness a good while back. We're betting HP has just been holding all of this mighty close to the chest... guess we'll see in 18 months, huh?
[Image courtesy of Old-Computers]

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: future,HP,touch,touch panel,touch screen,TouchPanel,TouchScreen ]

Study: Average Mac Computer Price More That Twice That of Average PC [Apple]

2008-08-07T07:52:00.001-07:00

Fanboys, get your commenting fingers warmed up. A new study shows that, on average, the cost of a Windows PC is half that of an Apple computer. According to data collected by the NPD group, the average Windows notebook goes for $700, while the average Apple laptop costs above $1,500, dropping a mere $59 in the last two years. And that's nothing compared to desktop computers. The average Mac desktop sells for about $1,000 more than the average PC desktop, which sells for a mere $550. "But wait," you say, "that's because people interested in higher-end machines buy Apple, while cheap idiots buy PCs." Eh, maybe. But that doesn't explain away the discrepancies.

Specifications often vary sharply for these systems, with Apple often focusing on faster processors than some rivals in notebooks but at the expense of memory and hard drive space. Its insistence on using mobile processors and custom designs for desktops, however, has created feature discrepancies where a Dell Inspiron 518 tower nearing the $700 mark features two more processor cores, three times as much memory, and twice the hard drive space of an $1,199 entry-level iMac despite both coming with near-equivalent LCDs.

While the average price for Windows-based systems is described in the NPD data as having largely flattened and unlikely to drop further in the near future, the disparity between these and Macs has only widened in the last few months, according to eWeek. Apple's general policy of refusing to alter prices until its next hardware revision has reduced the value of its systems relative to Windows competitors.

So while Apple's marketshare has gone up quite a bit in the last few years, analysts don't think they'll be able to keep up the growth with prices so much higher than their PC counterparts. There are only so many video editors, bloggers and rich fanboys in the world, after all. Sooner or later, they'll need to appeal to those cheap idiots as well. [Electronista]

[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
[Tag: ]

Windows XP tested on the OLPC XO, as slow as you'd expect

2008-08-06T18:18:00.001-07:00

Here's the surprise of the century: Windows XP runs excruciatingly slowly on the OLPC XO. We're shocked, simply shocked. The folks at Laptop Mag got to kick the tires on this fruit of the XO and Microsoft partnership, and while to their credit they've manage to build a computer that works and runs real-world applications, it's not a pretty sight. Sure, most of the hardware is (or will be) supported just fine, though Sugar's mesh networking is absent, but boot time off of the 4GB SD card is 1 minute and 24 seconds, and once booted into XP you don't have access to the data on the XO's 1GB of internal storage. Internet Explorer 6 took a mere 5 seconds to start, but Word 2003 takes 42 seconds of thumb twiddling. Even more disconcerting is that the system is pretty much locked to running one app at a time, since things just get too sluggish after that. The upshot of this is that the OLPC folks are considering a new edition of the original machine with more RAM and a new processor, but we certainly feel sorry for kids to who this existing machine will be their first taste of computing. Well, only a little bit. Back in our day...

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: microsoft,olpc,olpc xo,OlpcXo,windows xp,WindowsXp,xo,xp ]

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