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Forget credit crunch and falling economy: Laptop sales rising

We all know that the economy is pretty sluggish at the moment the credit crunch will affect many businesses and of course sales, but it seems with the huge demand for laptops worldwide the laptop market seems to be in a safe place right now and of course for the future.

We have always said that laptops will take over many products on the sales front, the solid growth over the next few years seems to be very strong indeed and a new study has just been released by IDC to prove it.

The Framingham, Mass.-based market research firm has predicted that the global PC shipments will grow immensely by 15.7% this year, that’s 311 million units. The report from IDC says that PC sales growth will stay within the double digits through to 2011. So all in all it looks like laptops/notebooks are doing very well indeed in sales and no sluggish economy will get in their way.

Read the full report here.

BlackBerry Smartphones better than laptops according Verizon

It seems that Verizon are ready to dump their laptop PC’s that their engineers use in favor of a Blackberry Smartphone. The company is to use their Network Application to use on the smaller device so that their engineers do not have to carry a bigger device that weighs about 8 pound, this will in time save money and make it easier for them to work. Verizon Partner Solutions has a force of 2,250 field technicians and they have seen some encouraging results from their technicians and customers since moving from the laptop to the Blackberry Smartphone. The engineers must love the fact that no longer will they have the big and bulky 8 pound devices, now they have the nice compact 5-ounce product.

The Blackberry that Verizon are using is a first-of-its-kind from the company and has been specially configured so that they can handle the same kind of computing processes that the company used to achieve with their laptops. They are a fraction of the size as well as weight and also in cost, which is something that can only be great for the company. The company’s field technicians need to use automated electronic systems as well as software applications which help to have a daily service workflow; this daily work consists of repairing services for their customers as well as helping to maintain things as well.

In the good old days the Verizon technicians used to go to remote location in the field, and had to use a laptop pc to work on fixing the problem, this must have been cumbersome and limiting, so now using a more portable device it make the whole work process much easier.

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UMPC Choice: ASUS Eee PC vs. MSI Wind notebook

The UMPC seems to becoming a more popular choice for people who are on the move as they are much easier to transport around with you while traveling. There are a few Ultra Mobile PC’s on the market however; there is only one that has had all the attention, and that is the ASUS Eee PC. Asus has not really had much competition in this area, but this could be about to change with the release of the MSI Wind notebook.

So what has the Asus Eee PC got to offer? Well firstly Asus have two models of their popular UMPC Eee 700 series and the Eee 900 Series. The 700 series was the first out and did prove popular however; at only 7-inches It seemed to be a little on the small side. The standard Eee PC 700 only had a 2GB solid-state drive and just 256 MB, but a later model see this increased to 512 MB of RAM.

Asus learned a lot from their first attempt which was great news for when they released the larger Eee 900 Series, as you would expect the new model had a more popular larger screen and a full size keyboard with a multi-touch trackpad. This new machine now had the choice of either Linux or Windows XP OS.

The new Asus Eee 900 comes with a 20 GB SSD on the Linux version and a 12 GB solid-state drive on the Windows XP version, It seems strange that the more resource hungry windows gets a smaller hard drive. The new Eee 900 has had a few problems from the start, like a battery that does not last as long as it should do. Do not despair though as Asus are now rectifying this with a more powerful battery.

So will the new MSI Wind notebook be able to compete with the Asus Eee PC, and the first to try and take the fight to the Eee PC is the U100. As with the Eee PC the U100 comes with the choice of either Windows XP or Linux OS. The processor used to keep things running will be the Intel Atom 1.6GHz and 2GB of DDR2 RAM. One area that the U100 will lose out on is the standard 80GB 2.5” SATA hard drive; this will use a lot more power than a SSD. The screen is a 10-inch so a little larger than the biggest Eee PC, so getting towards a normal size laptop.

The MSI U100 Wind notebook will come with a choice of either a 3 cell or 6 cell batteries, not sure what the difference between the two is not known.

The future of computers is changing fast so many people seem to be dumping their bulky desktops for laptops, but then again laptops sales have been affected with the increased in sales of the much more portable and lighter UMPC’s. And sales will increase even further once larger SSD’s are developed and processors get more efficient.

Thanks to TweekTown for MSI Wind Notebook Images

3K Unveils Longitude 400 Notebook UMPC: Another Eee PC knockoff

3K has decided to unveil their new Longitude 400 Notebook and weighs in at just under 2Lbs. This ultra lightweight ultra mobile PC has a 7-inch LCD screen, it seems as we are looking at yet another Eee PC knockoff.

The Longitude 400 Notebook is perfect if you are on the move or if you are a student who needs a cheap and small alternative to a standard laptop. Do not think for one moment that the new Longitude 400 UMPC will be slow and useless as you would be wrong, you are able to do all your everyday tasks like you would normally do on your standard size notebook from browsing the net, sending messages, playing movies and music and much more.

The 3K Longitude 400 Notebook UMPC uses an energy saving 400Mhz CPU, there is also a full size keyboard as well as 1 Ethernet 10/100 LAN port and 3 USB ports. The UMPC comes with the Linux Operating System and will be combatible with programs such as AbiWord, Excel, GNUMeric as well as Word.

The 3K Longitude 400 Notebook UMPC will cost $399 and will be available by late May, so if you want one you should reserve your order now as there will be a high demand.

Source - Business Wire

Asus to replace Eee PC 900 UMPC batteries

It has not even been a day since reports came in about Asus Eee PC 900 UMPC, owners started to complain about how long their batteries were lasting. Well now it seems that Asus are all ready to get something done about the poor battery performance.

When you go to the Asus website and then do a rough translation, the company posted a statement stating that they are thankful for the support of their customers business and that they are now chalking some ideas to resolve the whole battery issue. Asus has said that every single owner of an Asus Eee PC 900 in Honk Kong will be receiving a free 5800mAh replacement battery, not sure on the rest of us yet.

The original batteries were a four-cell 4400mAh which Asus now realize was a mistake as the battery life was from 1.5 to 2.5 hours; both are not fantastic for such a small UMPC.

It is a shame that the Asus Eee PC 900 has got of to a poor start, as the original did not have any of these problems. However; it is satisfying to know that a company like Asus is big enough to own up and admit that they made a mistake and will fix the problem quick.

Source – Engadget

Asus Eee PC 900 UMPC: launch dates and details

The original Asus Eee PC was a great little UMPC, however many of us knew that this was just a teaser until the launch of the Asus Eee PC 900. We thought that this slighter larger model would be a huge improvement on the previous model however, I was a little shocked to learn that they would still be using the 900MHz Celeron M processor.

Although Asus have tried to make up for this by giving us two different flash storage units, the first is 4GB of flash storage that is soldered on the motherboard while the other is the 8GB SSD which will be in the PCIe slot however, this is only on the XP version of the Ultra Mobile PC, and on the Linux version that will come with a 16GB SSD.

One thing that I do not understand, why would Asus give the more simpler Linux operating system more storage, very strange. The price for the Asus Eee PC 900 UMPC will be $500 - $650, the reason for this high price tag has something to do with the Windows license fee.

So now comes the all important launch dates of this Ultra Mobile PC, well both the UK and Honk Kong should see ship dates from today with France following tomorrow. Germany, Italy and Australia will have to wait until May. As yet there is no news as to when the Asus Eee PC 900 UMPC will be released in the U.S.

Source - Asus News

Seagate’s fourth generation of Momentus notebook drives: 5400.4 250GB 2.5 HDD

This is the fourth generation of Seagate’s Momentus notebook drives, the 5400.4 250GB 2.5 HDD has slightly higher performance than the Western Digital and Hitachi drives, this is the only thing that stands out about the drive. The bump in performance from it should be enough to sway you more towards this hard drive over the competitors, even if it is only a small increase.

Tweak Town have done an eight page hands-on review of the Seagate Momentus 5400.4 250GB 2.5 HDD, they summed up by saying the “Seagate Momentus Hard Disk has been one of the best notebook drives to come out, with the exception of the Hitachi 7200RPM models that is. It’s one of, if not the fastest 5400RPM notebook drive out there.

Its construction matches that of all other 2.5” drives; it’s lightweight so you’re not lugging an extra brick inside your notebook. It runs extremely cool, so not to add to heat which is especially important in the HTPC and notebook market where most of these run with only one fan. Furthermore, its capacities continue to grow; the 250GB model is large, but there are 320GB and 500GB models in the fourth generation already making their way to market.

With a good price tag, high performance and a long warranty period, the Momentus 5400.4 is a definite drive to have for the HTPC and notebook environments.”

Li-on laptop battery life improved: extra 30 percent capacity

While technology for electronics have moved at an incredible rate one area has not been able to keep up, and that is the battery. It seems that some of our devices like laptops demand more power from its Li-on battery and companies have tried their best to keep up the pace.

However it seems that we could see advancement in Li-on battery technology thanks to Argonne National Labs. They have managed to increase the power from a Li-on battery by an extra 30 percent.

What Argonne National Labs have done to get this extra power is by developing a new composite battery material, these are that’s partially electrically inactive and instead of the traditional cobalt oxide a new manganese oxide-based electrodes are used instead.

Source – Technology Review

Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000: available in five colors

The number one best selling notebook mouse is the Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000, and the company do not want to change the already successful design. However what Microsoft has done is produce the mouse in a Limited Edition, giving you a choice of five new colors.

The five colors include Aloe (green), Creme brulee (khaki), Dragon fruit (dark pink), Milk chocolate (brown) and finally Pomegranate (red). There is only one problem when you purchase a new Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 Limited Edition, you will need to buy a laptop that matches the color that you have chosen. Expect to pay $29.95 when they are released next month.

Source - Electronista

Apple MacBook Air gets new EFI Firmware Update 1.0

Apple have finally released the EFI Firmware Update 1.0 for the MacBook Air, it is not a big download just 2.1MB and is available from software update. Apple states that this EFI Firmware Update 1.0 fixes a number of issues which will help to improve the stability of the MacBook Air.

However the update is also available for the MacBook and the MacBook Pro. Once you have downloaded this update you will have to run the Firmware Updater. While running the update just make sure that your power cord is plugged in at all times.

For full details on this update please visit: ZD Net

USB 2.0 DVR Guardian: convert any notebook into a digital video recording surveillance system

Swann Communications, the global leader in security monitoring solutions, is proud to announce their latest innovation in DIY security: USB 2.0 DVR Guardian™. This compact, portable system turns any notebook computer into an advanced surveillance system capable of monitoring any home, office or retail space.

The Swann USB 2.0 DVR Guardian™ is easily installed by simply plugging it directly into any computer’s USB port. The DVR supports up to four channels, so the user can choose to display and record live video from one to four cameras. With an easy to use graphical interface, the USB 2.0 DVR Guardian™ can be programmed for recording at a specified time, set for motion detection or set up to auto e-mail a notification to the user’s e-mail account upon motion activation. Furthermore, the entire security system can be viewed and controlled remotely via the internet. Swann’s latest DIY security solution offers flexibility in terms of viewing options; users are able to view their security system through their PC and remotely via the internet and mobile phone Read more

Asus luxury U2E series ultra portable notebook now released

Recently I wrote a post about the unboxing of the forthcoming Asus U2E notebook; well I can now tell you that this luxury ultra portable notebook has now been released. This new laptop has set a new benchmark for other laptops.

The design of the U2E is different than what we are used to, like its stainless steel frame which has a hand polished finish as well as a copper etch as well as leather, yes you heard me correct, leather.

Some of the features of the Asus U2E include:

• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor ULV U7500 (1.06GHz)
• Intel 965GM Chipset
• 11.1-inch (WXGA, Color-Shine LED backlight)

For the full specification visit: Pocket Lint

USB Webcam with Suction Cup: worst gadget ever

If you have a laptop without a webcam, the best thing for you to get is one that will just sit nicely on top of your notebook screen. However somebody forgot to tell the company who made this USB Webcam.

Why would you want to use a webcam with a huge suction cup that will have to waste a huge portion of your screen? And you know how strong some of those suction cups can be, there will be a number of people with a weird bulging shape on their laptop screens.

I am sure that the USB webcam was not made to stick on your notebook screen, however where else could you stick it as you need a smooth flat surface. Waste of time if you ask me.

Source - Geek Alerts via Coolest Gadgets

Spectrum ZX Laptop: built out of an old ZX Spectrum 48k and Toshiba Libretto 110

What do you get if you’re combine a Toshiba Libretto 110 and an old ZX Spectrum 48k, that’s right a Spectrum ZX Laptop mod. This is just what Jim from “hack a day” built using the Spectrum as a case and keyboard, then the Libretto for innards and the screen. The laptop runs Linux, has a 2-hour battery life and there is plans to emulate some ZX Spectrum games soon.

Source: Read | Via Engadget

Asustek’s UMPC: Eee PC with either Microsoft Windows XP or Linux, no Vista

In 2008 over two thirds of Asustek’s Eee PCs shipped will include Microsoft Windows XP (not Vista), the rest will be Linux. The reason for this change is because computer users are more comfortable with Windows and XP is a more suitable than Vista for this UMPC.

In 2007 we saw the 7-inch Linux-based personal computer with a price of only $200, this new one will be higher thanks to Windows XP and other features, it will be priced at around $390 to $400. The Eee PC should ship 5 million units in 2008, compared to 300,000 units in 2007.

Source: NZHerald

FlashBack Adapter from SanDisk

You never know when the worst could happen to your laptop PC, which is that something gets spilt on it or you drop it. SanDisk have prepared for this by giving you a new solution, it a FlashBack adapter, if you had one of these then you wouldn’t worry too much about your work.

It is easy to set up with Windows based laptops and once it is installed users pre-select the files that they wish to have backed up. The device is able to then back up the information and also encrypt it and it will automatically happen continuously so that you don’t have to remember to do it yourself. The device will start shipping in the 2nd quarter of the year and will cost approximately $29.99 (memory card not included).

Source

The Elonex ONE:UK’s first laptop for less than £100

The Elonex ONE is the UK’s first laptop for less than £100 is due to go on sale this summer.

This ultra portable computer has a 7in screen and 1GB memory and is designed for kids and comes with educational software.

The great thing about this is that you can also play MP3s and games on it.

Elonex’s Sam Gould said that “We also expect it to be a huge success with adult learners, those who are always mobile, business users, the elderly and first-time internet users.”

I think that this is a great idea and would be great for my kids as they love computers and now they can have there very own.

What do you think?

Would you buy one for your kids or even for yourself?

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DRS brings tough Armor portable computers: C12, X10

DRS Tactical Systems have announced today that a line of portable computers.

It is called the Armor line and it consists of the C12 convertible notebook and the X10 tablet PC. Read more

ThinkPad X300 by Lenovo: Will it be better than MacBook Air?

The ThinkPad X300 notebook OC has been officially launched by Lenovo and it claims that it is the thinnest and lightest fully functioning notebook in its class.

By combining a number of leading technologies, including Read more

Recive TV & FM Radio with the Cinergy Hybrid

There is a new TV stick from Terra Tec and it is the Cinergy Hybrid T USB XS FM, it is a TV receiver which can get receive FM Radio.

All the user has to do is connect the USB stick to a Read more