Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Toshiba's NB105 netbook shows up on video


It's being called the Satellite Arizona 10X for some reason, but here's the Toshiba NB105 we spotted the other day getting the video treatment. Still no word on pricing or availability, but unless you're a crazy Tosh fanboy or super into the portable DVD player-looking design, we're certain you can find another netbook with a 1.6GHz Atom to keep you warm in the meantime. Video after the break.

HP intros HDX16 / HDX18 entertainment notebooks


Whoa, boy -- HP just went loony on us tonight, and in the midst of everything else, we found a new pair of HDX notebooks. Kicking things off is the X16, which boasts a woefully under-pixelated 16-inch 1,366 x 768 resolution display, a 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo P8400 CPU, NVIDIA's 512MB GeForce 9600 GT, 4GB of DDR2 RAM, a 320GB 5,400RPM hard drive, dual-layer SuperMulti optical drive and built-in WiFi / Bluetooth. As for the beastly X18, you'll find a lot of the same kit internally, but the 18-inch 1,920 x 1,080 display is one we can really salivate over; additionally, this one ups the ante with twin 250GB HDDs and a Blu-ray reader. Each unit includes the essentials: an Ethernet port, multicard reader, integrated Altec Lansing speakers, ExpressCard slot, four USB 2.0 sockets, audio in / out, HDMI / VGA and a 4-pin FireWire connector. Both units should ship later this month starting at $1,249 and $1549, respectively.

Hands-on with HP's new HDX laptops and TouchSmart IQ800


We got a look at HP's latest and greatest, and it's a mixed bag. For starters, we just can't stand HP's consumer laptops (not to be confused with the company's rapidly improving business lineup), and the HDX16 and HDX18 seem to revel in all that's wrong about HP's consumer approach -- no matter how many million units they move. The glossy trackpad is difficult to use, the overly-glossy screen is bad enough in press shots, and a downright pain in real life, and the glossy, chrome-ish exterior is gaudy and over the top -- did we mention glossy? It's one of those love-it-or-leave-it affairs, and we really could leave it. The new, larger TouchSmart IQ800 (pictured) has a lot more going for it, and the hardware is quite elegant, but it seems to share many of the problems its touchphone brethren face: the software isn't quite there, and therefore almost might as well not be there at all. Everything seems half-baked, and not ready for full-time use.

OS X 10.5.5 update available for download


Apple's latest OS update -- 10.5.5 -- is now up and dancing in Software Update. It includes the latest batch of security updates, Address Book, Spotlight, and iPhone sync enhancements, and iCal, eMail, MobileMe and Time Machine performance tweaks. In other words, it's a biggie.

HP's Pavilion HDX 16 entertainment laptop gets reviewed


First things first: LaptopMag's Pavilion HDX 16 was entirely more equipped than the basic $1,249 unit that was uncovered last night, so it makes sense that they were swooning over the (optional) 1080p display and the (optional) Blu-ray drive. Granted, those extras will cost you, but it's items such as those that made this notebook so appealing to critics. Overall, the unit performed well in all of the areas that mattered, with strong WiFi scores, decent battery life and excellent processing power. Of note, reviewers did wish for a smoother touchpad and more responsive touch-sensitive buttons, but outside of that, we didn't hear too many complaints. Looking for the 30 second version? "Overall, the HDX 16 is a desktop replacement in a mainstream notebook's body that delivers great value for the price." Got it?

Dell Latitude E4200 / E4300 now on sale


Lookie, lookie -- Dell has placed its sparkling new Latitude E4200 and (slightly larger) E4300 on sale today, just as promised. The 12.1-incher gets going at just over two large, while the 13.3-inch sibling starts up at around $1,750. 'Course, those figures can head far north if you start speccing 'em out, so, um, why not hit the read links and start doing just that?

Kaliho KU860 convertible UMPC is now ready to be re-badged


It looks like you can only buy 'em by the truckload at the moment but, given the current state of things, we're guessing Kaliho won't have too much trouble attracting some interest in its new KU860 convertible UMPC, which packs all the expected specs in a decent enough package. That includes a 7-inch WXGA touchscreen, a 1.2GHz VIA C7-M processor, 1GB of RAM, a max 60GB hard drive, a 1.3 megapixel webcam and, perhaps most notably, built-in GPS. Unfortunately, there's no indication whatsoever of a price, but Kaliho is apparently more than happy to take your inquiry if you're looking to expand your burgeoning UMPC empire.

[Via Pocketables]