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Lenovo ThinkPads to freeze when texted, deter thieves from getting the goods

2008-12-07T05:26:00.002-08:00

We've seen some pretty sophisticated laptop security measures out here in the volatile civilian world, but Lenovo's taking things all top secret with its new Constant Secure Remote Disable feature. Slated to hit select ThinkPads in Q1 2009, the Phoenix Technologies, um, technology enables specially equipped notebooks to become utterly worthless if stolen -- so long as the owner remembers to text in the emergency code, that is. You see, with the Remote Disable function, proper owners can send an SMS to their missing WWAN-enabled machine in order to make it inoperable; the lappie then sends a message back to confirm that it's currently irritating the daylights out of a wannabe data thief. 'Course, said thief can track you down and implement all manners of torture to get you to reactivate it, but we suppose that's the risk you take with that sort of lifestyle.

2008-12-07T05:26:00.001-08:00

It's takes a -- how do you say? -- special type of person to get all jazzed about an 18-inch laptop, but given that there's a solid chance you're one of those folks, we figured it prudent to pass along PC World's review of HP's beastly HDX18. Obviously designed with multimedia in mind and to possibly take the place of your desktop, this sucker performed satisfactorily in all the basic, everyday tasks as well as those media playing duties. It's not meant for hardcore gamers, but you probably already knew that. Amazingly, the included battery lasted nearly three hours before petering out, which is pretty astounding for an 8.9-pound energy destroyer. At the end of the day, critics found enough to love to slap down a 90 out of 100 rating, noting that anyone crazy enough to want a "laptop" this big (save for FPS freaks) would likely find lots to love. In more ways than one.

Acer readies 10-inch Aspire One for Q1 launch

2008-12-07T05:25:00.000-08:00

Acer's top-selling Aspire One is set to break into 10-inch territory as early as February or March. This according to Scott Lin, Acer Taiwan president. Also on the books are 12.1-, 13.3-, and 15.6-inch LED-backlit laptops for 2009 -- a 14.1-incher should hit this year with a price of NT$40,000 or about $1,200 of the green, presidential stuff.

Lenovo S10 with six-cell battery gets pictured, priced

2008-12-07T05:24:00.001-08:00

Lenovo's S10 netbook has been relatively well received since its introduction earlier this year, but the battery life has always been a bit of a sticking point, with the included 3-cell battery simply not meeting some folks' netbook demands. It looks like that situation has now been rectified, in Germany, where a new model equipped with a six-cell battery has just gone on sale for the fairly reasonable price of €329 (or roughly $425).

Gateway's 16-inch MC7803u laptop reviewed: great rig for the price

2008-12-07T05:23:00.001-08:00

We can't explain the sudden onslaught of 16-inch laptops hitting the scene, but if neither the R610 nor the Aspire 6930 suited your fancy, maybe Gateway's MC7803u will. The multimedia-minded rig recently hit CNET's review bench, and generally speaking, critics were pleased with what they saw. The expansive display was found to be quite useful, the recessed touch pad was a nice touch and the "minimalist" design was thoroughly lauded. Reviewers did find time to bash the shallow key travel, the omission of a Blu-ray drive and somewhat sluggish performance in a few of the benchmarks, though. Evidently those negatives weren't enough to put a damper on the system as a whole, as it still managed to snag a 3.5 out of 5 golden star rating -- still not quite high enough to buy blind, but it's probably solid enough that you don't need to refuse shipment on the one that's already halfway to your doorstep.

Apple's completely unsurprising Black Friday deals appear on Australian site

2008-12-07T05:21:00.001-08:00

Apple's Black Friday sales have appeared on their Australian site, giving us a little insight into the 'deals' we in the US can possibly expect tomorrow. It looks like the biggest cut will be on the new MacBooks and iMacs -- up to $100 off, with some smaller discounts on iPods and the Apple TV. Everything else falls pretty much in line with what we've seen in previous years. It's nothing terribly exciting or unexpected for sure, so if you were thinking about busting down the doors in search of a $7 iPhone tomorrow morning, you might want to cuddle in for a few extra winks instead.

ASUS' 12-inch bamboo laptop gets a price

2008-12-07T05:20:00.000-08:00

ASUS may have been beaten to the punch by a few other companies and their bamboo-ensconced offerings, but it looks like it's now getting its first bamboo laptop out the door at long last, and it's taken the opportunity to finally get official with a price. Apparently, the first few 12-inch models will go on sale at Taiwan's IT Month exhibition on Saturday, where they'll run NT$59,900, or just over $1,800. Unfortunately, it's not clear exactly which configuration that'll get you, but, judging from the last word out of ASUS, even the base config seems to be pretty capable.

Samsung's X360 ultraportable reviewed: cheaper than competition, but not as good

2008-12-07T05:19:00.001-08:00

If Apple's Macbook Air is the poster-child for "form-over-function," and Lenovo's X300 its utilitarian cousin, Samsung's X360 falls somewhere in between on the 13.3-inch wafter-thin ultraportable family tree, serving as another solid, though somewhat underwhelming choice according to TrustedReviews' full write-up. It's not as thin as the Air, but is slightly lighter while still feeling reasonably durable, and with a full complement of ports certainly has the edge in terms of utility. It also manages to be a bit more visually appealing than the X300, is blessed with a "superb" keyboard (which we liked, too), and the five hours of battery life in real-world usage impresses as well. But, it's hampered by a disappointing 1280 x 800 glossy screen and an under-performing 1.2GHz Core 2 Duo CPU. The thing is popping up at online retailers a bit cheaper than we'd expected (we found one for about $150 lower than Samsung's indicated $1,899 MSRP), but, in the US at least, might just be priced a little too close to its proven competitors to make it a serious contender over here.

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

2008-12-07T05:18:00.000-08:00

Fujistu-Siemens in the UK has recently announced their Lifebooks4Life program, which at first sounds a bit 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 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.

Buffalo unveils 16GB and 32GB SSDs for Inspiron Mini 9

2008-12-07T05:15:00.000-08:00

It looks like the kids at Buffalo are hard at work making sure that all of you netbook-lovin' Engadget readers aren't stuck with the minimal storage that has plagued early adopters of the solid state drive. In addition to their recent Eee PC-compatible SSDs, the company is now offering 16GB and 32GB drives for Dell's Inspiron Mini 9. Due out sometime this month, the 16GB should set you back ¥5,300 ($57), or you can shell out ¥9,400 ($101) for the 32GB.

BenQ Joybook U101 launches, gives almost no joy

2008-12-06T12:50:00.001-08:00

The BenQ Joybook Lite U101 we spied back when it was announced in September has just launched, and though there's nothing incredibly exciting here, we thought we'd give you a quick rundown, because we're just cool like that. The U101 boasts completely standard netbook fair -- an Atom N270 CPU, Intel 945GSE chipset, 1GB of DDR2 memory, with 80-160GB mechanical drives and 4-16GB SSD options. It's also got a 16:9 display with a 1024 x 576 resolution (rare for a netbook), a 1.3 megapixel webcam, and three USB 2.0 ports. The sassy little number comes in blue, pink, white and black, and it can be yours for €398 ($503) in Taiwan right now, but we've got no word on when it will be available elsewhere. Dip this puppy in gold or something and then maybe, just maybe we'll bite.

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

2008-12-06T12:49:00.001-08:00

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.

Fujitsu Siemens rolls out AMILO Sa 3650 laptop, GraphicBooster add-on

2008-12-06T12:47:00.000-08:00

Fujitsu Siemens has been showing off its AMILO Sa 3650 and AMILO GraphicBooster add-on for a few months now, and we even recently saw the combo put to the Crysis test, but it looks like both are now finally, actually rolling out to the general public. In case you missed it, the laptop itself is a 13-inch, AMD-based number (your choice of Turion X2 or Athlon X2 processors), with an ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics card, up to 4GB of RAM, and either and either a 250GB or 320GB hard drive. The GraphicBooster add-on, which currently only works with the Sa 3650, is based around an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3870 graphics card, and promises a 470% increase in graphics performance over the laptop's built-in graphics. No word on prices just yet, unfortunately but both the laptop and the GraphicBooster add-on will apparently be available at some "specialist retailers" this month.

MSI ships $999 13.3-inch EX300 laptop

2008-12-06T12:46:00.000-08:00

If MSI's suite of Winds are just too cramped for your gorilla-sized hands, maybe the marginally larger EX300 will do the trick. The 13.3-inch laptop tips the scales at 4.5-pounds and includes a Core 2 Duo P7350 CPU, ATI's 256MB Mobility Radeon HD3450 GPU, WiFi / Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, a 3-in-1 card reader and a 2.0-megapixel webcam. You can claim one now at a variety of fine e-tailers for $999.

Novatech's X50MV Pro gaming laptop reviewed, SideShow makes surprise appearance

2008-12-06T12:45:00.002-08:00

Man, remember when everyone thought their next laptop would have a minuscule SideShow display baked in the lid? Yeah, whatever happened to that fantasy? Apparently the engineers over at Novatech never got the memo that said technology was doomed for failure, as they certainly included a 2.5-inch color display on the lid of the X50MV Pro gaming laptop. That nifty inclusion aside, the unit also packed some pretty stout internals, though reviewers did lament the GeForce 9600M GT graphics chip. Still, the LCD was deemed gorgeous to look at, the inbuilt TV tuner was a welcome extra and performance was highly lauded in every area except hardcore gaming -- which is obviously odd given the nature of the beast. In the end, critics couldn't wholeheartedly recommend this machine over a litany of others for close to the same price, but there just might be a few unique features here that push you over the edge.

ASUS Eee PC 1002HA reviewed: looks cool but the battery stinks

2008-12-06T12:45:00.001-08:00

Laptop Magazine's reviewed the ASUS Eee PC 1002HA we've been hearing so much about lately, and they're pretty impressed with what they're seeing. They gush over its looks, design and slimness, noting the similarity to the more expensive S101, and think the keyboard's decently comfortable. The reviewer found the 10-inch screen to be pretty cool for watching My Best Friend's Wedding on, though viewing at an angle was not necessarily awesome by any means. The 1002HA is a fast booter, and pretty speedy in general, with a strong WiFi connection. Where it really fails, however is in the fact that the two-cell battery (which ASUS claimed would last for five hours) made it only a sad 3 hours and 39 minutes, and the company isn't planning on offering an extended life model either, apparently. So much for watching My Best Friend's Wedding and Notting Hill back to back, huh?

HP Vivienne Tam Edition Mini 1000 Digital Clutch now available

2008-12-06T12:44:00.000-08:00

Well, we heard that the Vivienne Tam-designed Mini 1000 was coming in December, and here it is, available to order on HP's site. The custom 10-inch netbook is, as expected, sporting a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom with 1GB of RAM, plus an up to 60GB hard drive -- a little smaller than the 80GB we initially heard about. The fashion-conscious laptop is less than an inch thick and has a starting weight of 2.45 pounds, and though it's not exactly an example of "understated elegance," those who want to start (loudly) classing up their act can do just that for a starting price of $699.

Axiotron tweaks Modbook for better, stronger, faster performance

2008-12-06T12:43:00.000-08:00

Axiotron has the upgrade bug again, and it's making a litany of small, useful improvements to its Modbook that add up to a seriously improved machine. For starters, the rig now has a new hardware controller board for improved sleep, battery and system performance. Moreover, a fresh bonding process for the AnyView LCD panel and paper-emulating ForceGlass screen cover results in a "better contrast ratio, a firmer etched drawing surface, and decreased parallax between pen tip and cursor." Also of note, the updated beast incorporates the company's QuadCoat process, which protects the top shell with a liquid metallic coating and decreases the weight to 5.3-pounds. The Modbook starts at $2,249 by itself, or users can convert their non-aluminum Core 2 Duo-based Macbook into one starting at $1,299.

Medion rolls out 18-inch Akoya P8610 media center laptop

2008-12-06T12:40:00.000-08:00

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.

Qualcomm shows off Snapdragon-based netbook / tablet concept

2008-12-06T12:39:00.000-08:00

It's already doubled the power of its SnapDragon platform with a new dual-core processor, but it looks like Qualcomm is now really making a push to take on Intel in the netbook / MID space, with it recently showing off a seemingly fully-functional concept device.

Lenovo's IdeaPad U330 reviewed: nice for the price

2008-11-20T03:41:00.003-08:00

After launching this summer, we're heard way more about netbooks than Lenovo's shiny IdeaPad U330. For those who've refused to forget about it, the aforesaid rig has been reviewed by the kind souls over at Laptop Mag, and impressions were fairly positive overall. The biggest boon here is likely the price -- we mean, $1,199 for a 13-inch lappie of this stature isn't half bad. As with most of the other IdeaPads, the design was applauded, the mix of features and performance was satisfactory and the size (4.4-pounds) was just right. Critics did slam the mushy touch buttons and the below-average battery life, but even so, the U330 was deemed a "a compelling thin-and-light notebook that offered plenty of style and strong performance" for the price.

The $280 Eee PC 900A can make a dead president smile

2008-11-20T03:41:00.001-08:00

If you thought that a $300 Eee PC 900A price was tempting then how about this: $280. Best Buy just dropped the price of this bare-bones Eee PC by a full Jackson. No catch, no limited time offer, just an 8.9-inch, Atom N270-based netbook with 4GB of flash SSD storage ready for the gift giving season.

[Thanks, Matt]

AMD to release Atom killer netbook CPUs tomorrow?

2008-11-20T03:40:00.001-08:00

We've been hearing rumors of AMD's Atom killer CPUs for over a year now. Unfortunately, vapor doesn't help the bottom line -- it does however explain AMD's conspicuous absence from the deluge of netbooks now trumping laptops for shelf-space. AMD's CEO, Dirk Meyer, has promised on a few occasions (as recently as the Q3 earnings call) to unveil "Bobcat" in November. So seeing the chips on display at tomorrow's analyst conference is pretty much a given. Check back then for all the details.

UMID's "super mini laptop" is small, shiny, super

2008-11-20T03:39:00.003-08:00

Netbooks too big for you? MIDs too cramped? What you need is a super mini laptop from Korean company UMID, one of the sexiest entrants into what seems to be a burgeoning sub-netbook category (or subnet-books for the network admins out there).

Qualcomm begs for Snapdragon attention, doubles processor power

2008-11-20T03:39:00.001-08:00

After last year's CES fiasco and the non-launch of a Snapdragon device in June, this is what it's come to: the no really, manufacturers love our platform press release. According to Qualcomm, HTC, LG, ASUS, Samsung and other leading device manufacturers have created more than 30 device designs based on Snapdragon chipsets. No word on when these will come to market though. Sigh. In a more meaningful announcement, Qualcomm claims to have doubled the power of Snapdragon with its new dual-CPU, single chip, QSD8672 running up to 1.5GHz. The chip is designed for low-power pocketable or netbook-style devices and should be out the door for sampling sometime in the first half of 2009. Hear that Intel? AMD's not the only cat looking to soil your Atom sandbox.

Dell's Mini 12 netbook is ready for US orders, ships in December

2008-11-20T03:38:00.004-08:00

It was bound to happen sooner or later. We received the birth announcement, we read the reviews, and it looks like Dell is finally set to unleash the Mini 12 upon us lowly North Americans. The 12-inch netbook is pretty much what we expected specs-wise, starting at $549 for a 1.33GHz Atom processor, 1GB of memory, 40GB hard drive and standard 3 cell battery. Perhaps $758 is a little steep for a netbook, but if you're game the top-end machine sports a 1.6GHz Atom processor, 80GB hard drive and a 6 cell battery. All configurations should be shipping with Windows Vista Home Basic starting sometime in early December.

Dell taking Art House laptops made-to-order in 2009

2008-11-20T03:38:00.003-08:00

Dell's been taking its design new directions for a while now, but it looks the company's war on boring is about to get personal. Ed Boyd, Dell's new Industrial Design Director, told BusinessWeek that Dell also plans on launching customizable computers with "scores of colors, patterns, and textures," and options that will "go far beyond the handful of choices available" from most rivals. We assume he just means the exterior, though that's unclear, so we'll keep our fingers crossed for that hot pink keyboard. There are also no details yet on which models will be up for customization or their pricing, but the other Art House models range from $649 to $800, so our uncle probably won't have to break the bank to unveil his edgy laptop graffiti when these hit sometime next year. Can't hardly wait.

Dell's Vostro A860 yours for a song (and $379)

2008-11-20T03:38:00.001-08:00

The Dell Vostro A860 we've heard so much about has finally hit the Stateside scene, and it looks like we'll be able to get our hands on the laptop that those lucky folk in the "emerging markets" of Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America have been into since before it was cool (that is, late August). Starting at $379 with Dell's instant savings, the 15.6-inch, 5.4 pound laptop comes with either a Celeron or Pentium Dual Core processor, GMA X3100+ integrated graphics, up to 2GB of memory, up to 160GB storage, 1366 x 768 display resolution, WiFi and optional Bluetooth. This "speed demon" comes preloaded with Vista Home Basic or Vista Business and is available now at Dell's website.

AMD says it's "ignoring" netbooks, will focus on ultraportables

2008-11-20T03:37:00.001-08:00

It seemed earlier this week that AMD's new Conesus chips would take on Intel's dominant Atom platform in the netbook market, but it sounds like that was just wishful thinking -- according to CEO Dirk Meyer, the chipmaker is "ignoring the netbook platform" in favor machines "above that form factor." AMD says that it's seeing high return rates on netbooks, a phenomenon it's chalking up to an unsatisfactory user experience on smaller machines.

MacBook innards crammed into makeshift mini Mac Pro tower

2008-11-20T03:36:00.002-08:00

When we first laid eyes upon the slick box pictured above, we were struck with an eerie feeling of déjà vu. Now, it all makes sense. After receiving an all-but-completely-dead MacBook, one particular modder decided to rip the motherboard out, break out the soldering iron, throw in a few replacement parts and shove everything into a Macally G-S350SUA aluminum hard drive enclosure. Wanna know why? Because he had a peek at this -- a Mac Pro Mini mod that popped up here in March. Talk about taking inspiration and improving upon it.

Canonical bringing Ubuntu to ARM-powered devices

2008-11-20T03:36:00.001-08:00

It was inevitable, really -- now that ARM processors are bound for netbooks and the like, it follows logic that ARM would tag team with Canonical to bring along Ubuntu support. The two firms have collaborated in order to "bring the full Ubuntu Desktop operating system to the ARMv7 processor architecture (targeting the Cortex-A8 and Cortex -A9 in particular) to address demand from device manufacturers." They even go out of their way to assert that this is all about bringing Ubuntu to "new netbooks and hybrid computers," though we're still hopeful that the OS will find its way into even more diminutive ARM-powered devices in the future. Sadly, you'll have to wait until April of 2009 to see the fruits of this so-very-special relationship.

Samsung's Q310-34P laptop reviewed: not bad for a first try

2008-11-20T03:35:00.000-08:00

Okay, so maybe Samsung isn't entirely new to the laptop game here in the USA, but for its first line of self-branded lappies, the Q310 ultraportable didn't fare half bad in its first review. Critics over at Laptop Mag found the design of the 13.3-incher to be "handsome," the performance "smooth" and the endurance to be satisfactory enough.

Celio's new REDFLY C7 and C8N answer questions no one is asking

2008-11-20T03:34:00.003-08:00

What if you took the REDFLY -- you know, that Foleo-like thing for Windows Mobile phones -- and cheapened it up a bit? Maybe knock the luxurious 8.3-inch display down to a more reasonable 7 inches, lose three hours of battery life, and add $30 to the asking price, for starters? That's the indecent proposal Celio has put together with its new C7 model, trading endurance and screen size for an eight-ounce drop in the original's two-pound frame. Not what you had in mind, you say? Okay, okay, try this, then: the C8N carries over the 8.3-inch display and adds a "REDFLY Media Port" for connecting an iPod, iPhone, Zune, digicam, or pretty much anything else with a composite TV-out for viewing on the 800 x 480 screen -- but the catch is that you'll also need the $20 "REDFLY Media Cable" (sorry, but that really does belong in quotes) to complete the package on top of the cost of the C8N itself. Either way, the new models are still dumb terminals that need juice from a WinMo-based device to function -- so yeah, if your Treo 750's looking a little lonely over there in the corner, the C7 and C8N should fill the bill nicely when they hit in the first week of December for $229 and $299, respectively.

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

2008-11-20T03:34:00.001-08:00

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 not included.

Celio's REDFLY C8N hands-on and video not terribly exciting

2008-11-20T03:33:00.004-08:00

We just got the official announcement of Celio's REDFLY C8N a few hours ago, and Laptop magazine's already had a chance to touch it and make a video! Their initial impressions? That $20 REDFLY Media Cable you have to buy to hook the C8N up to your phone is a tangled mess! This is exciting stuff, folks -- that is if you are just dying to shell out $299 for a buddy for your Windows Mobile device. Check out the terrifically brief video of the terminal after the break.

HP reveals multitouch TouchSmart tx2 convertible tablet

2008-11-20T03:33:00.003-08:00

While HP mistakenly claims that its sparkly new (but previously rumored) TouchSmart tx2 is the world's first multitouch consumer notebook, we're still decidedly stoked about this here convertible tablet. Boasting a 12.1-inch swivel display (LED-backlit) that's just dying to have your prints all over it, the tx2 will come loaded with Windows Vista, a bezel-mounted fingerprint reader, integrated webcam with microphone, Bluetooth / WiFi, stereo speakers, a 5-in-1 multicard reader and a LightScribe SuperMulti DVD burner. HP's also delivering the oh-so-stylish Reaction Imprint exterior, an AMD Turion X2 dual-core processor, the firm's own MediaSmart 2.0 software, a VGA output, Ethernet and at least one USB port from the looks of things. You're supposed to be able to add one of these to your digital shopping cart right now via HP's own webstore or Amazon.com, but both links currently lead to sections of the intarwebz you don't ever, ever want to see. Hold tight -- we've a feeling HP will be getting really official with this one momentarily.

Dospara doles out Atom-powered Prime Note Cartina UM netbook

2008-11-20T03:33:00.001-08:00

It's been forever and a day since we heard from Dospara, but as it typically does, it's just hanging around and waiting to see what catches on before it dives in. Case in point: here we have the Prime Note Cartina UM, an 8.9-inch netbook that's hitting alongside the second and third iteration of everyone else's. You could likely guess the specifications in your sleep, but we'll humor you anyway; we've got a 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, 120GB hard drive, a 1,024 x 600 panel, 802.11b/g WiFi, a battery good for two hours and a mysterious Linux build pre-installed. You won't find an optical drive bundled in, but you will find a ¥39,980 ($413) price tag should you venture over to Japan.

Epson's Endeavor Na01 mini is a netbook

2008-11-20T03:32:00.002-08:00

Not much to say here, just an Atom N270 1.6Ghz processor, 10.2-inch 1024 x 600 LCD, 1GB of RAM, 160GB HDD and a dash of Windows XP, doing what they always do. There's a nice complement of completely standard interfaces, like three USB 2.0 plugs, 802.11b/g WiFi, Ethernet, mini VGA out and a multicard reader, all stuffed into a slightly frumpy 1.5-inch thick enclosure, but let's not get off message: Epson's new Endeavor Na01 mini is all Microsoft-proscribed netbook and nothing more. The Japan-only computer is available today for the completely palatable price of 46,800 Yen (about $484).

HP's TouchSmart tx2z multitouch convertible tablet starts at $1,149

2008-11-20T03:32:00.001-08:00

Oh sure, you could select Dell's multitouch-enabled Latitude XT over HP's latest, but given the $1,829 starting price of the former, we'd say the TouchSmart tx2z is looking a lot more delectable these days. Hailed as the first multitouch "consumer" convertible tablet (a claim that's certainly open for debate), the 12.1-inch tx2 gets going at just $1,149.99, though HP's "recommended" configuration starts at $1,223.99. The baseline setup includes Vista Home Premium, a 2.1GHz AMD Turion X2, 3GB of DDR2 RAM, an ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics set, 250GB of HDD space and a built-in webcam. As of now, the estimated build date shows December 8th, so we'd get that order in five minutes ago if you're looking to ensure a holiday delivery.

MSI Wind U120 gets spotted, examined in the wild

2008-11-20T03:27:00.000-08:00

We've already seen a few shots of MSI's forthcoming Wind U120 netbook, but our pals at Engadget Chinese have now taken in one of its first public appearances and, naturally, they've provided plenty of pics for folks to dive into. That includes some close-up shots of the netbook's slightly revised port situation, some comparison shots with the non-two tone U100, and even another glimpse of that 9-cell battery we've already seen floating about. MSI also had it's full-fledged Bravo EX620 laptop on display, though it's a pretty safe bet that we won't be seeing it 'round these parts anytime soon.

Sony's 17-inch VAIO AR with Blu-ray meets Penryn

2008-09-21T06:28:00.002-07:00

Check it Blu-ray on-the-go fans. Sony just gave the Penryn bump to their VAIO AR series of media laptops. Sweet, powerful, 2.5GHz of cool running, long lasting, Core 2 Duo T9300 processing and 512MB of NVIDIA GeForce Go 8600M GT graphics now at the heart of this 17-inch, 1,920 x 1,200 resolution lappie. Your $3,300 pre-order should be greeted by a Jan 29th ship date if you're lucky.

Dell's XPS M1330 with Ubuntu pre-load in Germany, only

2008-09-21T06:28:00.001-07:00

by Thomas Ricker, posted Jan 24th 2008 at 7:56AM

Whoa Dell, what's this? An exclusive, XPS M1330 in Germany sporting an Ubuntu 7.10 pre-load with full DVD and webcam support? Where's the Stateside love, yo?

Update: Dell tells us it's also available in the UK, France, and Spain. Headed to the US in "a week or so."

[Thanks, Roland K. and Andrew M.]

Asus rolls out Eee PC in Japan, Windows XP standard

2008-09-21T06:27:00.003-07:00

It's taken a while, but it looks like folks in Japan can now finally get their hands on Asus's diminutive and eminently-hackable Eee PC, although not exactly the same models we have 'round these parts. Dubbed the Eee PC 4G-X, the Japan-centric laptop is apparently identical to the regular 4G model, with the notable exception that it now comes pre-loaded with Windows XP Home Edition as standard instead of the usual Linux OS. That, of course, takes up a hefty chunk of the 4GB of internal storage, so Asus has thoughtfully 4GB SDHC card with the laptop as well. Look for it to be available in your choice of black or white for ¥50,000 (or about $468), with free access to NTT's WiFine hotspot network thrown in for good measure.

Confirmed: MacBook Air SuperDrive does NOT work with other machines

2008-09-21T06:27:00.001-07:00

One obvious and debated question on a lot of potential buyers' minds: okay, I'm dropping nearly two large on this here machine, but will the external optical drive even work with one of my other laptops and/or desktops? The answer: no. Regular USB simply doesn't support the power draw an optical drive needs, which was evidenced as plugged the SuperDrive into a stock MacBook Pro and it came up bupkis. It wouldn't even let us insert a disk without forcing it down the drive's maw. Of course, it worked just fine on the Air. Seriously though, how many machines do you have that need an external optical drive, anyway?

Dell and Microsoft get official with (PRODUCT) RED gear

2008-09-21T06:26:00.003-07:00

We knew Dell and Microsoft would be giving some of their gear the Bono treatment this week, but the two companies and the AIDS-in-Africa relief project unveiled their partnership in style today at Davos. Just like we'd heard, the XPS m1530, m1330, and XPS One machines are all going crimson, as well as the 948 AIO printer. Microsoft's kicking in a special (PRODUCT) RED-themed edition of Vista Ultimate to keep things special on the OS tip, and obviously you'll feel better about things with donations of $50 - $80 of each machine's purchase price going to RED, and $5 on the printer (hey, those margins are low enough as it is). All the new stuff should be available by the end of the week in the States, and by January 31 in 30 additional countries -- or right now for your viewing pleasure in the gallery.

Adding insult to injury: USB 3G modems won't fit in the MacBook Air

2008-09-21T06:26:00.001-07:00

Ouch, we just tested and confirmed that one of the smallest (and thus likeliest to fit) USB EV-DO modems around, the Sprint / Novatel U727, won't even come close to fitting in the cramped, foldaway USB port on the MacBook Air. Most flash drives will probably be okay, but it looks like 3G users might need powered USB hubs or a USB extension cable to get online where WiFi isn't available (read: most places). Of course, your mileage may vary -- we recommend testing your modem of choice on a live machine in an Apple store before dropping any coin.

Don't hold your breath for OLED key alternative: United Keys guy has a history

2008-09-21T06:25:00.000-07:00

It all looks innocent and feasible on the surface, but behind the scenes we have no idea how realistic this gaming keyboard from United Keys is ever going to get. Sure, word of a manufacturing deal with FoxConn is good news, but it turns out a key employee has a bit of a history with false product launches. The man is Valdi Ivancic, of Medison fame -- that $150 laptop that never was.

Everex's Cloudbook postponed for "tweaks"

2008-09-21T06:24:00.000-07:00

Remember how we told you Everex's little gOS-sporting Cloudbook was headed to Wal-Mart this month (today, to be specific)? Well hold your check book, friend-o -- they ain't done with it. According to the company's director of marketing, Paul Kim, the system requires, "

First VIA Nano-based netbook spotted

2008-09-19T06:59:00.001-07:00

Stop the presses, UMPC Portal (AVING really) spotted the first netbook pumping VIA's Atom-hating Nano processor at its core. The 10.2-inch Imini S1 Mini-Note from TongFang is just a customized VIA OpenBook reference design. Still, it does our Intel-weary, competitive hearts good to see a 1.2GHz VIA Nano CPU listed in the specs.

Dell Latitude XT displays compared: daylight viewable vs. LED

2008-09-19T06:57:00.001-07:00

When Dell's long-awaited Latitude XT finally hit the scenes, many were captivated by the idea of a daylight viewable screen on such a portable rig. Up until now, however, there's been little analysis over which was actually superior. Granted, we aren't saying that you can't disagree firmly with GottaBeMobile's assessment, but after checking each out for an extended period of time, Rob Bushway actually concluded that the LED-based machine was preferable.

NVIDIA gets official with GeForce 9M series of laptop GPUs

2008-09-19T06:56:00.002-07:00

NVIDIA's not just going after the MIDs and smartphones of the world -- oh no, it's making sure your future notebook has the necessary oomph to blaze through Crysis without folding in on itself. Announced today at Computex, the aforesaid outfit has officially introduced its GeForce 9M series of laptop GPUs alongside a new graphics innovation dubbed Hybrid SLI. Slated to launch this summer in Intel- and AMD-based rigs, the GPUs will boast a multi-core architecture, PureVideo HD, full support for Blu-ray Profile 2.0 / BD-Live and a graphics engine that delivers "up to 40% faster performance than the previous generation of GeForce notebook GPUs." As for the Hybrid SLI technology, this simply enables a pair of the company's GPUs (one low-power and one wicked fast model) to work together to save power and dole out maximum performance when needed. Head on past the cut for more of the nitty-gritty.

Canonical makes Ubuntu Netbook Remix official at Computex

2008-09-19T06:56:00.001-07:00

Not like we weren't totally expecting this or anything, but Canonical has chosen Computex as the expo where it will officially showcase Ubuntu Netbook Remix. Hailed as a "reworked desktop image of Ubuntu built specifically for a new category of portable internet-centric devices," the operating system will probably not be too foreign for those familiar with the standard Ubuntu Desktop Edition. We are told that this flavor will feature a launcher that enables users to "get online more quickly and have faster access to their favorite applications," and that it "leverages Moblin technologies optimized for the Intel Atom processor." Unfortunately, devices pre-loaded with UNR aren't apt to ship until "later in 2008," though OEMs interested in getting in while there is still room on the bandwagon are encouraged to hit up Canonical. Full release waiting after the jump.

Intel expects Atom processor shortage to end by September

2008-09-19T06:55:00.003-07:00

With the Atom-based mini laptop orgy that has become synonymous with 2008, it's no surprise that Intel has had problems meeting demand for the new processor. That should end soon, however, says Sean Maloney, executive VP and GM of Intel's Sales and Marketing Group. Maloney points out that Intel now has four 300-millimeter manufacturing plants that he says will be doling out the silicon wafers en-masse by September. "We've got four 300-millimeter fabs, so we can really hose this stuff out," he told PC World. With the expected popularity of the ASUS Eee PC 901, this news is coming just in time.

AMD jumps into the netbook game, challenges opponents to a duel

2008-09-19T06:55:00.001-07:00

Clearly not content with letting Intel, VIA, and now NVIDIA own the market on the architectures of miniature, budget laptops, grumpy underdog AMD showed off what look to be some reference designs that would sit nicely next to the Eees of the world. At Computex 2008, the company unveiled two models: a white, 8.9-inch Linux laptop with 1GB of RAM, an AMD CPU, the ATI RS690 chipset, and an almost MacBook-like black XP-based model with a 7-inch 1280 x 600 display (that's some pixel density!), a 60GB or 80GB hard drive, and 1GB of RAM.

We had heard that MSI planned to offer up an 8.9-inch Wind in overseas markets in addition to the 10-inch model we're getting 'round here, but we have

2008-09-19T06:54:00.001-07:00

It looks like that mysterious listing on Dell's support site for a "Studio 1535" laptop is evidence of a larger branding push soon to come -- we just got a tip that says Dell's planning on creating an entire Studio line as "a midpoint between performance XPS systems and entry-level Inspiron systems." The first machines out of the gate will apparently be those rumored 1535 and 1735 laptops we caught a glimpse of last month (the 1435 appears to have been canned), but we're being told that eventually there'll be Studio desktops as well, and that the 1535 will get an AMD-based 1536 twin. All still rumors for now, but they dovetail nicely with the recent merger of the XPS and Alienware teams and Dell's hints at "new directions" for XPS -- and based on the obviously-related design language of the XPS m1530 and Studio 1535, we'd even go so far as to guess that the Studio line is destined to replace the XPS line, not simply supplement it. We'll see when we see -- any other theories out there?

8.9-inch MSI Wind shows up at Computex

2008-09-19T06:53:00.000-07:00

We had heard that MSI planned to offer up an 8.9-inch Wind in overseas markets in addition to the 10-inch model we're getting 'round here, but we haven't actually been able to get a look at it until our crack team from Engadget Chinese hit up Computex and got up close and personal with one of 'em. Dubbed the Wind U90, this one is apparently identical to the now-familiar 10-inch model in every respect except for the screen (no word on the resolution) which, as you can see above, is accommodated by an extra-wide bezel instead of an all around smaller laptop. No word on a price, but you can look for this one to launch alongside or slightly after the 10-inch U100 model "towards the end of June."

[Thanks, Ax]

Fujitsu U2010 comes to Japan as the LOOX U / B50N, all tokidoki'd up

2008-09-18T04:39:00.001-07:00

Sure, we're getting Fujitsu's U2010 convertible UMPC Stateside pretty soon as the LifeBook U820, but we're crazy jealous that our friends in Japan are getting this hot tokidoki version, labeled as the LOOX U / B50N. Same kit underneath, but we'd bet that exclusive limited-edition skin will command a premium -- now if we only had pricing info, we'd know whether or not to get our clandestine grey-market importers on the case. Anytime, Fujitsu.

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

2008-09-18T04:37:00.004-07:00

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.

Intel's convertible Classmate PC gets the hands-on treatment

2008-09-18T04:37:00.003-07:00

We already got a decent enough look at Intel's new convertible Classmate PC when it made its debut at IDF yesterday, but if you're looking for a slightly more thorough examination of it, you may want to hit up Laptop Magazine, which got a chance to spend some time with the device and offer some initial impressions. As is even more apparent in these pics, the hardware is very much not finalized, with it sporting some mismatched parts and some components that may or may not make it into the final version. That said, they do seem fairly impressed by the laptop, with the built-in accelerometer working well, and the included "Quick Launcher" software shell making Windows XP considerably more accessible to students, and adults for that matter. Hit up the link below for the video hands-on and, of course, plenty more pics.

OLPC achieves goal of One Laptop Per Child... on The Rock

2008-09-18T04:37:00.001-07:00

One Laptop Per Child. That was the lofty goal set out by NickNeg before Intel ever dreamed of a Classmate PC. Today that goal was realized although perhaps on a smaller scale than the non-profit may have hoped. The tiny, South Pacific island nation of Niue (known locally as "The Rock") just issued a shiny new laptop to every sticky-fingered, primary and secondary school miscreant -- that's 500 in total for a island of 1,500 people. Seems, high-schoolers have been fitted with the freebie as well to go along with the free Internet access provided to all the island's inhabitants. Luxembourg, you paying attention?

Lenovo's ThinkPad X200T tablet with UWB confirmed by FCC

2008-09-18T04:36:00.002-07:00

There it is, the X200 Tablet courtesy of the FCC. No more guessing, no more burrowing into the bowels of asian Baptist organizations, the X200T is real and packing a bit of UWB special sauce for UltraBase docking. We expect to see it appear on Lenovo's retail site with loads of misprinted features, errant pricing, and bogus delivery dates any day now.

Dell Mini Inspiron caught running Ubuntu in the wild

2008-09-18T04:36:00.001-07:00

At this point we've seen a ton of Dell's upcoming Inspiron 910 / Mini Inspiron, but until this thing hits the street for real it looks like our pal Mr. Blurrycam has a new favorite target. Here's the 8.9-inch netbook testing Ubuntu somewhere, with a far less ugly keyboard than last time -- maybe next time it'll sprout some function keys. Two more, including a configuration screen, after the break.

Acer remembers netbooks were supposed to be cheap, drops price on Aspire One

2008-09-18T04:35:00.004-07:00

Not sure if you noticed (though you probably did), but these so-called netbooks never actually ended up being nearly as inexpensive as we were all led to believe. Matter of fact, some manufacturers even took the liberty of charging more than basic 15-inchers as they pimped the whole "pay a premium for portability" aspect. Nevertheless, we're glad to see the stickers declining on at least one subset, as Acer has announced price drops today on its Aspire One. The Windows XP unit will fall to $349 (from $399), while the Linpus Linux Lite model will sink to $329 (from $379). Best of all, the longevous six-cell battery-packin' flavor is now $399. Full release is after the break.

Intel slips new Core 2 Duo "S" processors out the door

2008-09-18T04:35:00.003-07:00

Not exactly many surprises here, but it looks like Intel used its big Developer Forum this week to finally, and quietly, get official with its tiny new Core 2 Duo "S" processor, which is the stock version of the processor used in laptops like the MacBook Air and Voodoo Envy 133. The new 45nm processors boast same 1,066MHz system bus and 6MB of Level 2 cache as the newer Core 2 Duos, and will apparently be available in 1.6GHz and 1.86GHz versions to start with (dubbed the SL9300 and SL9400, respectively). That, of course, hasn't stopped folks from speculating that Apple will once again go its own way and push well past the 2.0GHz mark for its seemingly imminent MacBook Air revision, but we'd recommend waiting for some official word out of Cupertino before getting too excited about that tantalizing possibility.

ASUS N10 netbook forgets the streets, ditches Eee moniker

2008-09-18T04:35:00.001-07:00

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.

ZPower promises to deliver Silver-Zinc laptop batteries in 2009

2008-09-18T04:34:00.003-07:00

ZPower has made a few promises before that haven't exactly panned out, but that apparently hasn't stopped it from making another bold claim at IDF this week, with it boasting that its newfangled Silver-Zinc battery will be rolled out in a "major notebook computer" sometime in 2009. According to ZPower, that battery will provide up to 40% more runtime than traditional lithium-ion batteries and, just as importantly, be far more "chemically stable" than its sometimes explosion-prone lithium-ion counterpart. ZPower also looks to be going the extra mile when it comes to recycling the batteries, with 95% of the battery itself apparently recyclable, and the company offering "financial discounts" to folks when they trade in their old Silver-Zinc batteries.

ASUS launches a slew of new laptops

2008-09-18T04:34:00.001-07:00

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.

Thinkpad X200t surfaces in the wild

2008-09-18T04:33:00.004-07:00

While we've seen tons of evidence that the Thinkpad X200t is ready to hit, the tiny tablet's managed to remain thoroughly hidden until now -- and unsurprisingly, it looks a lot like the X61t it's undoubtedly going to replace. Still no specs, pricing, or release date to be found, but we're guessing those'll come any day now.

Lenovo's ThinkPad W500 and W700 now on sale

2008-09-18T04:33:00.003-07:00

Not like Lenovo has been keeping this duo on the DL or anything, but the potent W500 and W700 are now available to order. Hailed as the company's "most powerful notebooks ever," the 15.4-inch W500 gets going from $1,629 with a 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 CPU, Vista Home Premium, a WSXGA+ display, 1GB of DDR3 RAM, ATI's 512MB Mobility FireGL V5700, a 100GB HDD, DVD combo drive, WiFi and a 6-cell battery. Overshadowing that is the 17-inch W700, which starts at $2,978 and features a WXGA+ display, T9400 CPU, 2GB of DDR3 RAM, NVIDIA's 512MB Quadro FX-2700 and a 160GB hard drive. The W500 should ship within 1 to 2 weeks, while the W700 isn't expected to head your way for a solid month. No worries -- that gives you plenty of time to save up for the $1,275 QX9300 Core 2 Extreme option.

Samsung's X360 and X460 laptops revealed in Turkey?

2008-09-18T04:33:00.001-07:00

Apparently Samsung has it's own X300-esque laptops in the works, and Turkish site ShiftDelete.net has gotten a few specs and some video. The slick looking (yet poorly named) X360 will sport some variety of Core 2 Duo CPU (in this case, the 1.2GHz U9300) and 2GB of RAM, and we can reasonably expect the X460 to bump those up a bit, though little else is known. Judging from the video, the design takes more than a few cues from the Sony VAIO Z / TZ, but throws in a little of that Samsung piano black finish for good measure. Check the video starting at about 4:12 after the break -- and extra bonus if you speak Turkish.

Texas Instruments gets excited about energy scavenging

2008-09-18T04:32:00.004-07:00

Texas Instruments has a lot to do with the original microchip, if for no other reason than being the employer of inventor Jack Kilby. Now, however, TI is looking to produce chips and other related gizmos that require an infinitesimally small amount of energy to operate. The overriding theme guiding the engineers is "energy scavenging," which alludes to grasping power from even the most unlikely of places -- vibrations from a bridge as cars pass over, capturing wasted exhaust from a car or bottling up all that frustration your sibling shows when you own him / her again in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. The possibilities are just about endless, with networked battery-free smoke alarms, solar-powered mobiles and gaming laptops that feed off of extraordinarily focused brain waves in the mix. Okay, so that last one is still eons from reality, but at least we're headed in that direction.

IOGEAR's USB Laptop KVM Switch provides your portable with impressive new powers

2008-09-18T04:32:00.003-07:00

Despite the best attempts of computer manufacturers, most of us still need two computers to make it through the week: perhaps a laptop for the daily grind and a desktop for transcoding h.264 files... whatever works for you. IOGEAR is looking to cash in on this trend with its new USB Laptop KVM Switch, which, unlike traditional KVMs, allows you to use your laptop's keyboard, mouse and display to control a second computer over USB. Setup couldn't be simpler, with a USB 2.0 plug on each end of the widget, and a USB port in the middle for hooking up to printers or external drives and such. You can drag and drop files between environments, and obviously switch on the fly between the two computers. Only trouble is that it only works with Windows operating systems -- no cross-platform switching -- and it'll run you a steep $130.

ASUS launches "Eee Download" service, forgets the "installation" part

2008-09-18T04:32:00.001-07:00

While ASUS's new, quietly-launched Eee Download service would seem to be a welcome addition for most Eee PC users, it looks to have caused nothing but confusion in the few days it's been live. The main problem is that all of the files on the site are in the so-called Click 'N Run (or CNR) format, which is a quick and easy way to install Linux apps -- when the Linux distro supports CNR, that is. Unfortunately for ASUS (and Eee PC users), the Eee PC's Xandros distribution does not. As some on the EeeUser forums point out, however, Xandros now actually owns Linspire (the company behind CNR), so it would seem to be entirely possible that CNR support could be coming in a future version of Xandros, but that still doesn't explain ASUS putting the cart before the horse like this.

ASUS Eee PC 900HD hits the FCC, reveals little

2008-09-18T04:31:00.004-07:00

Hey, remember when the Eee PC was announced, and everyone got all hot and bothered, and we couldn't wait for it to ship, and we couldn't wait to get it into our hands? Then remember how ASUS created so many annoying variations that it became almost impossible to pay attention? Well, pay attention -- the Eee PC 900HD has hit the FCC. Excited? Yeah, we thought so. Hit the read link to see what the label and undercarriage of your new supposedly-hard-drive-equipped netbook look like, and feel free to browse some SAR reports while you're there. Of course, this reveals nothing about the actual hardware save for the fact that this bottom casing is different from previous models, so... that's one thing.

LG and Quanta settle 8-year long patent dispute

2008-09-18T04:31:00.003-07:00

LG and Quanta have been going at it over patents for eight years now, with LG notably seeking an injunction against the importation of Quanta-built Apple, HP, Dell, and Sony laptops, and the Supreme Court ruling that LG wasn't entitled to additional royalties, but it looks like the fight's finally over -- both sides say they've come to an agreement and will now negotiate royalty rates. No further details, but we're told BMW sales near the offices of LG and Quanta's law firms just skyrocketed.

Dell Studio XPS 13 and 16 leak out, due in November?

2008-09-18T04:31:00.001-07:00

We sort of figured Dell's Studio branding would come to the XPS line sooner or later -- the family resemblance between the Studio laptops and the XPS m1330 and m1530 is hard to ignore, after all -- and it looks like we don't have much longer to wait, if you believe these slides discovered by Jayson in the NotebookReview forums. The Studio XPS 13 and 16, due in November, will be Intel Centrino 2-based machines with hybrid SLI support, slot-loading Blu-ray drives, edge-to-edge glass displays with optional LED backlighting, backlit keyboards, and WiMAX and UWB support. We're digging the funky woodgrain on the Studio XPS 16, but it'll be interesting to see how much these cost if and when they hit -- the Studio line was supposed to sit in between the Inspiron and XPS lines, so we're hoping these'll also come in below the current XPS price tags. Check the other four slides, including the Studio XPS 13, after the break.

Psystar to countersue Apple for antitrust violations, will ask court to declare Leopard EULA void

2008-09-18T04:30:00.004-07:00

Wannabe Mac cloners Psystar hired itself some hotshot lawyers to defend against Apple's lawsuit, and they're not wasting any time earning their fees -- as Psystar's hinted in the past, it's going to countersue Apple for antitrust violations and ask that the court declare the Leopard EULA void. That's a pretty longshot argument, especially since EULAs have traditionally been upheld in California and Florida and we find it hard to believe a court would find a company with ten percent marketshare to be abusing a monopoly position, but we'll see how everything goes down -- this one is going to have some fireworks

Dell Inspiron 13 now available build-to-order

2008-09-18T04:30:00.003-07:00

Dell's Inspiron 13 made its Wal-Mart debut earlier this month, but now the budget back-to-school lappy is ready for you to trick it factory-style on Dell's site. Nothing too crazy on the options list, and it looks like you're stuck with some form of integrated graphics no matter what -- but hey, when the most extravagant configuration maxes out at $1,149, you can't be too picky.

Dell's new Vostro A860 and A840 laptops do Ubuntu, headed for emerging markets

2008-09-18T04:30:00.001-07:00

While the Vostro 2510 might be Dell's primary bid for dual-use small business computers, that doesn't mean they have to keep beating the rest of the Vostros with the ugly stick. The new Vostro A860 and A840 feature spiffed up looks and aggressive prices for emerging markets. Unfortunately, "emerging markets" means we won't be getting these in the States for the time being. Both laptops are naturally light on specs, with 1GB of RAM, 160GB or 120GB hard drives, CD or DVD burners, WiFi and optional Bluetooth. The 15.6-inch A860 sports an "HD" resolution, while the 14.1-inch A840 runs at WXGA. Processors range from Celeron to Core 2 Duo, both laptops can be outfitted with Vista or Ubuntu, and they both weigh in around 5 pounds. Oh, and if you're more of a desktop sort, Dell is also offering the new Vostro A180 and A100 desktops, with the A180 offering a range of specs and both OS choices, while the A100 sticks with an Intel Atom processor and Ubuntu. No word on price for any of these yet, since pricing will vary from country to country, but we might be looking at a new low for Dell in both categories.

Dell's Inspiron 13 already reviewed: basic, but capable

2008-09-18T04:29:00.002-07:00

Look, we know you've spent the last three or so hours toying around on Dell's build-to-order page, but be honest with yourself -- are you really willing to pull the trigger on an Inspiron 13 without taking one tiny peek at a review first? NotebookReview has snagged one of the new 13-inchers and taken it for a ride on the test bench, and overall, things are lookin' up. Reviewers found the design to be "sleek," the specifications to be "reasonable" and the price point "attractive." Beyond that, it also found the battery life to be surprisingly satisfactory, though the "cheap palm rests and noisy slot-loading optical drive" were small (albeit noteworthy) nuisances. In the end, critics summed things up by suggesting that if you're scouting "a basic mobile companion with good looks and a low price tag, then this is probably the right notebook for you." Hit up the read link for the full writeup and even a few benchmarks.

MSI rolls out EX300, EX400 laptops

2008-09-18T04:29:00.001-07:00

While it may seem like MSI has nothing but the Wind on its mind these days, the company is, in fact, still in the general laptop business, and its just let loose a pair of decidedly ordinary new models to prove it. From the looks of it, the "athletic and fashionable" EX300 (pictured above) is the slightly more interesting of the pair, with it sporting a 13.3-inch WXGA display, an unspecified Core 2 Duo processor, ATI Mobility Radeon HD3450 graphics, a max 320GB hard drive, up to 4GB of RAM, and a Blu-ray drive, among other standard fare. The EX400, on the other hand, opts for a slightly less portable 14.1-inch display and some more traditional styling, along with some virtually identical specs to its more "athletic" counterpart. No word on a price for either of 'em just yet, unfortunately, nor is there any indication of a release 'round these parts.

Dell's Inspiron 910 netbook limps a bit closer to release

2008-09-18T04:28:00.006-07:00

You're looking at official Dell pics of its upcoming Inspiron 910 netbook nabbed from their on-line support docs. These images match the others we've seen down to the key (look, no dedicated function keys) which pretty much confirms the mini laptop's final appearance. Now if Dell could just hit one of the rumored release dates we could all get back to pillaging market share from standard sized laptops.

[Thanks, Mike and Hao]

Hands-on with LG's X110 netbook: HSDPA, GPS and a price to match

2008-09-18T04:28:00.005-07:00

A USB shuffle here, a logo swap there and here's what you get, the ~~MSI~~, uh hem, LG X110. Sporting a fairly obvious MSI Wind base, LG's X110 is making its first appearance in Berlin. Prices will range from €399 to €499 (about $590 to $738) which takes home an 8.9-inch display, 120GB disk (6GB SSD option), 1GB of RAM, and choice of built-in 3G HSDPA and GPS modules. Yes, XP running atop a 1.6GHz Atom processor, too. On sale in Europe at the end of September.

Fujitsu Siemens' Amilo Mini netbook gets official, spec'd

2008-09-18T04:28:00.003-07:00

When it was revealed, the appropriately titled Mini netbook looked like a toy next to a 17-inch Fujitsu Siemens Amilo notebook. That short video we saw managed to prove it was indeed the real thing, and now we have some official specs to go with the two-tone looks. The 8.9-inch Amilo Mini Ui 3520 will retail for €399 ($588), and come equipped with a trendy 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, 1GB of RAM, a 60- or 80GB hard drive (no SSD on offer), and the usual accoutrements: 1.3 megapixel webcam, Bluetooth, 802.11b/g, and a copy of XP Home Edition. No mention of battery size or life, but with a weight of just 2.2lbs we're guessing a wee 3-cell, which means no coast-to-coast flight duty for this one.

Samsung debuts X360 "lighter than air" ultraportable

2008-09-18T04:28:00.001-07:00

Newsflash, Samsung: your (previously rumored) new X360 laptop isn't actually lighter than air. Also newsflash: it's still pretty special. Samsung shouted a resounding "me too!" today with its new X360 13.3-inch ultraslim / ultralight / ultraportable laptop. Weighing in at 2.8 pounds and measuring as thin as 0.66-inches (1.2-inches on the fatter end), the laptop is based on a Centrino 2 ULV processor and is built to compete. 1GB of RAM is standard -- there's room for up to 4GB -- and you can pick a 64GB or 128GB SSD, or opt for a 5400RPM 120GB HDD if you're feeling boring. Graphics come from X4500 integrated graphics, and the screen runs at 1280 x 800. The best and worst news comes with the inputs and outputs; Samsung didn't integrate an optical drive, but did find room for a 7-in-1 card reader, three USB ports, PCI ExpressCard/34, HDMI, VGA, LAN and a docking port. There's naturally WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0+ EDR and a 1.3 megapixel camera. Battery life is specced at 6 to 10 hours, but we're guessing the upper end of that spectrum will add considerably to the weight. No word on price or availability, but as far as we know Samsung hasn't gone backsies on its "no computers for those dirty Americans" policy, so it looks like we're stuck with the other dozen or so similarly specced laptops out there.

Samsung X360 handled, fights MacBook Air to the death

2008-09-18T04:27:00.003-07:00

We're not just staring down a boring press release of Samsung's new X360, we actually got to fiddle around with it for a few minutes and came away fairly impressed. It has a build somewhere in-between the plastic-ish Voodoo Envy 133 and the rock-solid ThinkPad X300, though probably closer to the latter, and the sheen of Silver Nano Technology on the technology saves us from bacteria but adds a slightly cheap flavor to the keyboard. The isolated keys aren't as deep as those found on Sony's latest models, nor not quite as crisp as an Apple keyboard, but should make for a comfortable typing experience. The port layout seems reasonable, the LED-backlit screen bright and not-too-terribly-glossy, and the brushed metal finish on the back is surely a nice touch. We didn't play much with the Korean OS, but Samsung claims the next-gen 128GB SSD offers a 25-50 percent boot time bump. Up against the MacBook Air the X360 is significantly thicker, but actually a tiny bit (3 ounces) lighter. We'll leave it to you to decide the victor while we swap USB devices willy nilly in an attempt to finish this post.

T-Mobile set to offer Eee PC 901 GO with built-in 3G

2008-09-18T04:27:00.001-07:00

T-Mobile has already offered up a standard issue Eee PC as part of a mobile broadband package, and it looks like it's now set to take things one big step further by introducing a special Eee PC 901 GO model with built-in 3G. As you may recall, a disassembled Eee PC 901 recently revealed some pretty clear accommodations for a 3G card, so this latest development is hardly a huge surprise, though it is certainly a welcome one. Unfortunately, there's not a whole lot of details just yet, but T-Mobile says the "jointly developed" ASUS Connection Manager will get you up and running within seconds, and you can apparently expect about to get about five hours of mobile broadband use out of the battery before it runs dry. Given that T-Mobile chose to make the announcement at IFA, however, we'd assume they'll have a bit more to say about it before all is said and done, and we'll be sure to let you know if they do.

Fujitsu-Siemens Amilo Mini bends beneath our grubby paws

2008-09-18T04:26:00.002-07:00

There's no nice way to say this, Fujitsu-Siemens: your Amilo Mini's keyboard flexes like a trampoline. Sure, there's an Atom processor inside here, a great 9-inch screen and some other fine tech specs, but in general this netbook just feels like a shoddy piece of work, and we expect more from a top-tier manufacturer (you do desire to be a top-tier manufacturer, right?) Take those trackpad-flanking mouse buttons, for example: how are we supposed to work 'em? Have you ever attempted to use this laptop? Let's hope Dell's Inspiron 910 can lift this form factor up from the mire and give it a shot at actually outlasting this faddish stage -- netbooks like this just aren't going to cut it.

Fujitsu announces M1010 netbook for Q4 launch

2008-09-18T04:26:00.001-07:00

Fujitsu finally got official with its Amilo Mini netbook yesterday after not exactly keeping it a secret these past few months, and it's now gone out and announced another curiously similar netbook, the M1010, which may or may not actually just be slight variation of the Amilo Mini. Like the Mini, the M1010 weighs in at 2.2 pounds and will pack an 8.9-inch display, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, and built-in WiFi and Bluetooth, plus some removable clip-on covers in an "array of delightful colors." Fujitsu doesn't seem to be quite ready to go any further than that, however, which could certainly suggest that it's not one and the same as the Amilo Mini, as could the fact that Fujitsu describes the M1010 as "easy on the wallet," which doesn't exactly apply to the nearly $600 Amilo Mini. We should know for sure soon enough either way though, as the netbook is set to launch sometime in the fourth quarter of this year.

MSI's Wind U90 to boast 8.9-inch display

2008-09-18T04:25:00.004-07:00

Well, that took long enough, now didn't it? We've been hearing about an 8.9-inch MSI Wind for months now, but it has just now popped up on the outfit's website. The Wind U90 will pack an Atom N270 processor, built-in 1.3-megapixel webcam, stereo speakers, microphone, 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth, 512MB or 1GB of DDR2 RAM, a 1,024 x 600 resolution panel, 80GB hard drive and a 4-in-1 card reader. Additionally, you'll find an Ethernet port, three USB 2.0 sockets, VGA out, a 3-cell battery (optional 6-cell available upon request) and a weight of 2.2-pounds. Your guess is as good as ours when it pricing / availability, but hey, we're just thrilled to know this thing is destined to be more than a trade show crasher.

Keepin' it real fake, part CXXXVIII: HiVision knows that even netbooks need fake friends

2008-09-18T04:25:00.003-07:00

HiVision (also known as Shenzhen), a Chinese OEM exhibiting at IFA, is completely unabashed about its collection of netbook look-alikes, which range from 400MHz ARM-based computers that could retail for as little $150, to full featured VIA-powered affairs. Everything was as plastic as could be, of course, but the HP Mini-Note rips were almost passable as sexy. Almost.

Demand for HP's Mini-Note growing fast?

2008-09-18T04:25:00.001-07:00

HP has always been confident that the 2133 Mini-Note would sell quickly, to the point where the company planned to build some two million units this year, and it sounds like that bet's paying off -- China's Apply Daily is citing sources at HP Taiwan quoting worldwide sales growing 50 percent monthly. That's pretty good for one of the more expensive small laptops on the market -- we'll see if that rumored cheaper edition moves even more.

MSI's 8.9-inch Wind U90 in the flesh, Linux version shipping for 339 Euro

2008-09-18T04:24:00.005-07:00

While MSI's 8.9-inch Wind U90 first made an appearance in June at Computex, it took MSI this long to flesh out all details -- which is actually a relief, given the ridiculous quantity of Eee PC SKUs ASUS has managed to pump out in the meantime. We just got to handle the new laptop, and we think MSI might have a winner here. The laptop is shipping with SUSE Linux exclusively to start, with an XP version in the works, and boots quite rapidly to the full OS. SUSE has never looked better, and we think these two might be quite the pair. MSI has kept the full keyboard of the 10-inch Wind, and merely bumped up the bezel while cutting the price; all the other specs are the same. MSI is planning on shipping this at the end of September or beginning of October for 339 Euro (no word on a US release), and is also working on a six cell battery to fix the paltry 2 hours of battery the Wind currently gets from the three cell.

Dell replacing XPS touchpad with touchscreen... or someone, somewhere owns Photoshop

2008-09-18T04:24:00.003-07:00

There are two kinds of Dell rumors: sure things, and ones that aren't sure things. This one falls in the latter camp, so proceed with caution. We've got a tipster who says a friend of his from Dell handed him this shot of what is purportedly a new XPS M1330 / M1530 design. As you can see, pretty much the same old fare... but what's this? A large glossy touchpad? Here's our hunch: Dell is tired of drawing inspiration from Apple after the fact, and decided to turn the tables by capitalizing on one of the most persistent (and outlandish) Apple rumors in existence. A good capacitive touchscreen for the trackpad on a laptop would undoubtedly be a blast if it was done right, with the right software support, and at least seems like a good gimmick. Or maybe it'd just be lame. We won't go further than that, this could just as easily be a Photoshop, but we will be keeping an eye out.

ASUS' bamboo laptops ditch the Pandas, bring the WiMax as they go production

2008-09-18T04:24:00.001-07:00

Whether counting its 23 Eee PCs or 50 plus models of traditional laptops, ASUS isn't exactly known for its frugality. So seeing yet another press release touting the launch of its bamboo -- a renewable material with immense tensile strength rivaling that of many metal alloys -- laptops shouldn't be a surprise. What's new here, perhaps, is the detail. Now in mass production, these partially biodegradable laptops come with either 11.1- or 12.1-inch, 1,280 x 768 pixel displays, your choice of 3/6/9-cell batteries, and ASUS' Super Hybrid Engine allowing you to dial down the power when the wails of the Antarctic penguins become too much to bear. The 12.1-incher is the relative powerhouse of the pair offering Vista a ride atop your choice of Intel T9400/P8600/P8400 Core 2 Duo processors, 256MB of NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS graphics, a 320GB hybrid hard drive sporting 256MB of flash, and Intel's WiMAX / WiFi Link 5100 chipset. Pricing? Sorry, we'll likely have to wait for another press release for that detail.

Fujitsu 8.9-inch LifeBook P1630 sashays into the FCC's lair

2008-09-18T04:23:00.005-07:00

Fujitsu's looking to keep its typically small and light P-series alive by dumping the wee P1630 into the FCC's oh-so-capable hands. Based on the filed documentation, the unit will possess a 8.9-inch 1,280 x 768 resolution display, a 1.4GHz Core 2 Duo SU9400 processor, Intel's GMA X4500 graphics set, up to 2GB of RAM, a fingerprint reader, WiFi / Bluetooth, Ethernet and a smattering of ports including SD, VGA out, USB (x2) and PCMCIA. The 2.2-pound lappie doesn't have any sort of official price or release date, but eager LifeBook fanatics can rest assured that it's closer to commercial release today than it was yesterday. Er, before it hit the FCC. Never mind.

Updated Intel SCH specifications reveal support for 2GB of RAM

2008-09-18T04:23:00.003-07:00

Ready to inhale some serious Intel technobabble? Here goes. As it stands, MIDs and UMPCs that utilize Windows operating systems are pretty much restricted to using Vista due to their incongruence with the "low-cost" requirement for still using XP. On top of that, Intel's chipset used in these critters (you know, with those Silverthorne Atom CPUs) only supports 1GB of RAM. We don't need to explain how underwhelming performance can be when mixing Vista with just 1GB of RAM. Now, however, a new PDF from Intel details updated System Controller Hub (SCH) specifications that include support for up to 2GB of RAM. What isn't clear is whether current systems can be updated via a BIOS update, but we'll be keeping an ear to the ground in hopes of hearing "yes."

Dell's Latitude E6400 ATG gets acquired, previewed

2008-09-18T04:23:00.001-07:00

Merely weeks after Dell offered its long-awaited Latitude E6400 ATG up for sale, one of said units has been procured, unboxed and briefly tested by the laptop lovers over at NotebookReview. Initial impressions are that it's quite heavy (expected for a tough cookie such as this), built Ford tough and made to be used in broad daylight. The keyboard showed slight flex and a somewhat disheartening layout, though the touchpad was "very smooth" and the buttons had "excellent action." We won't spoil the first batch of benchmark results for you, so you'll have to wander on down to the read link for that and a handful of other pics.

Not-an-Eee Eee PC S101 shows up at the FCC

2008-09-18T04:22:00.004-07:00

Although ASUS's "premium" N10 netbook managed to ditch the Eee branding, it looks like the S101 is having a harder time breaking loose from the fam -- the 10.2-inch netbook just showed up in the FCC database sporting the Eee PC name, even though ASUS told us it won't be an Eee when it goes on sale. We'll see how it's labeled when Uncle Sam gets done with it -- we've got a feeling ASUS is going to take its already-confusing Eee marketing to a whole new level with this one.

Commodore hops on the netbook bandwagon with UMMD 8010/F

2008-09-18T04:22:00.003-07:00

As we've seen countless times by now, the folks behind the Commodore brand will stop at nothing to keep the venerable name alive, and they've now finally hopped on the biggest bandwagon going, with the UMMD 8010/F marking the company's first foray into the netbook game. Unfortunately, apart from that familiar logo, there's not too much that stands out here, with the netbook packing a 10-inch screen, a 1.6GHz VIA C7-M processor, an 80GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM, built-in WiFi, and optional Bluetooth. The nearly $600 price tag also doesn't do it any favors, but we're guessing there's at least a few nostalgic folks out there that'll add one to their Commodore collection as soon as they're available.