Browse > Home /

S1 imini Mini-Note Series from Tsinghua TongFang

VIA Technologies, Inc., a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the S1 imini Mini-Note Series from Tsinghua TongFang, Co. Ltd., a leading PC OEM based in Beijing. Easy to carry and use, the S1 imini has a maximum power consumption of just 15W, and its distinctive, lightweight design makes it perfect for today’s digital lifestyle Read more

Digital Nomads: Dell pushing out ten new notebooks, better battery life

Dell are moving forward to better themselves in the notebook market and they are going to achieve this hopefully with the ten laptops they have coming. They want to be better in the market which is driven by the so called digital nomads.

Dell has announced ten new laptops or should we say Latitude corporate laptops, Dell have always had a great and now with the new-line of business laptops which boast 19 hours of battery life and many other innovative features, we can see them coming out on top in the market.

What we should look at is the demanding features from digital nomads and their all day connectivity, high-level security, long battery life, durability and of course uncompromising design. The new line-up from Dell will include an ultra-lightweigh model and backlit keyboards, the ultralight model is much lighter than that of the Apple MacBook at just 2.2 pounds and will feature a 12.1-inch display.

The line-up includes the 14.1-inch E5400 starting at $839, 15.4-inch E5500 starting at $869; the 14.1-inch E6400 and the 15.4-inch E6500 both starting at $1,139 and the 14.1-inch semi-rugged E6400 ATG, which starts at $2,399 and there is also the ultra-portable 12.1-inch Latitude E4200 and the 13.3-inch E4300.

The Dell Latitude E6400 ATG is built and tested to meet MIL-810F standards for humidity, dust, vibration, and altitude (Got to love that the Dell Latitude with good altitude). This laptop will feature a removable shock-mounted hard drive, spill-resistant keyboard, and port covers.

Read the full line-up over on Information Weekly.

Very Thin Laptops: HP Voodoo silicon, MacBook Air & ThinkPad X300

When looking at all the latest thin laptops you will be forgiven for thinking that they look almost the same, the main three are the HP Voodoo Envy, Apple MacBook Air and the ThinkPad X300. Yes they are all thin, but it is not just in looks where they are the same, when you look inside there are many more common features. When it comes to the processing power, the Hewlett-Packard Voodoo silicon shares the same one used in the MacBook Air, this is the low-power Intel SP7700 and SP7500.

Don’t try looking for these processors on any price list from Intel; these CPU’s were designed especially for the MacBook Air. The processors have a thermal envelope of just 20 watts at 1.8GHz and 1.6GHz, CPU’s which run at those speeds usually have a power rating of 35 watts. The ThinkPad X300 uses a different processor, an Intel SL7100. This CPU still comes in a small package, but has a lower clock speed of just 1.2GHz and only uses 12 watts of power.

One thing that we notice about these CPU’s is the fact that they are the older 65-nanometer “Merom” processors, we would have thought that they would have used the newer 45-nanometer Penryn generation. There are rumours of an upgrade of these processors coming, which will be able to fit into these slim notebooks.

There are also a number of other similarities with these laptops; all three use the Intel X3100 integrated graphics as well as offering a choice of 80GB hard disk drive (4200RPM) or a 64GB solid state drive. One thing is certain about the HP Voodoo silicon, MacBook Air & ThinkPad X300; they are the future in laptops.

Source

Hands-on: MSI GX600X TurboBook with excellent overclocking capabilities

This is the MSI GX600X TurboBook that is a powerful notebook with no compromise, its got excellent overclocking capabilities, a sleek glossy black trim and tattoo flames. If your looking for a laptop that’s a peak performer then your looking at it, the GX600X TurboBook sports great features and peripherals, you will find a special ‘Turbo’ button that gives around 20% more processor speed, HDMI connectivity, e-SATA, Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, and some tasty graphics.

Tweak Town has just gave the MSI GX600X TurboBook a hands-on review and in their final thoughts they said “MSI has not been strong in the notebook market in the past. Often their products lacked any sense of purpose, being somewhat haphazard in their features. Recently however, the shift as products have taken on shape in roles such as being exclusively for business, or geared for gaming, we have seen a much more organized structure develop as the brand MSI builds in notebooks gathers strength; so too do the products. Or is it the other way around? Anyway, with both aspects improving we have to commend MSI for vast leaps forward in terms of appeal for target markets and in terms of features in focused products as well as in performance of those products.

In particular, this GX600X top of the line notebook is a peak performer, with excellent overclocking capabilities as well as lots and lots of features and peripherals; from e-SATA or HDMI connectivity to a special ‘Turbo’ button that we found gives a 20% increase in processor speed. The Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity are as to be expected from a high-end notebook, whereas the graphics are truly magnificent in such a small platform.

In addition, the bundled extras such as Halo 2, a laser mouse and a unique backpack give the product a flavor all its own. What remains to be said though is the aesthetic color scheme, which is both rich and original. The tribal tattoo flames licking around the edges are bound to make many people drool in appreciation. Unfortunately I am not one of them, and while I can respect it since I know the product performs, I would not buy this product simply because it doesn’t fit my aesthetic tastes.

If they had one without the logos and glossy finish, and instead a simple matt black coating understating the products true power, then I would have no qualms in stepping out and buying it today.

Putting my tastes aside, I have to consider the target market and what the product aims to deliver. In all aspects I find it extremely well rounded, lacking in nothing and delivering on all of its promises. The only very slight niggle I have is the sound quality which sounds a bit tinny and flat, and which could be better in a product of this class.

We have decided to give it the Best Performance award because of the amazing overclocking ability, as well as being a feature packed product at an affordable price.”

Read the full six page review.

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

Toshiba Portege R500-12Q complete with 128GB SSD now available

Well it looks like the Toshiba Portege R500-12Q has now made an appearance on Toshiba’s European website, and by looking at the laptop thing look normal. However it is not until you look at the hard drive that you will notice that things are not normal, as it comes with a 128GB SSD.

The Toshiba Portege R500-12Q is powered by the Core 2 Duo ULV U7700 processor as well a 2GB of Ram. The drive in this notebook is a dual-layer DVD writer and comes with a 12.1 Inch screen. As yet there is no pricing, however if you are in the market for a laptop with a nice sized solid state disc, then the Toshiba Portege R500-12Q could be the perfect choice.

Source – Toshiba via Cheap Laptops

Unboxing and hands-on of the Gateway P-172X FX gaming laptop

More and more people are moving away from playing games on a PC and moving toward a laptop. The thing is peoples life has changed and we tend to spend more time on the move. However spending time on the move can be stressful, so playing games is a great way to unwind.

One such laptop that hopes to do the job is the Gateway P-172X FX gaming laptop, and Engadget have got their hands on way and decided to show us the unboxing of it. This is not a hand-on review, just a little feature just to get to see what the first impressions are; firstly they were not so happy with the design, but the performance more than made up for this.

The Gateway P-172X FX gaming laptop has a 17-inch screen and comes with a 2.4GHz T8300 Core 2 Duo CPU. There is 4GB of RAM and a huge 320GB hard rive. The power behind the graphics is NVIDIA’s GeForce 8800M GTS GPU.

For more information just visit: Engadget

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

Apple MacBook and Pro to get major design changes: new eco-friendly materials

It seems that both the Apple MacBook and MacBook Pro are to undergo a major design change, and it is the 13-Inch MacBook that will see the biggest changes. The plastic cover will go and in its place will be eco-friendly materials, like aircraft-grade aluminum as well as stainless steel.

Steve Jobs has wanted a new greener Apple MacBook, and the old white cover will not be around for much longer. The new upcoming MacBook Pro will have design features borrowed from both the aluminum iMacs as well as the MacBook Air. The re-design of both these notebooks are long overdue, as they have looked the same for a little over two years.

Source – Apple Insider

HP 2133 Mini Note PC: Hands on with this UMPC

The HP 2133 Mini Note PC is going to be the company’s competitor for the Asus Eee PC. This new UMPC weighs in at just 3.2 pound and is 10.0 x 6.5 x 1.1 inch in size, making this the perfect Ultra Mobile PC. This small notebook has an aluminum chassis as well as a decent size screen and keyboard.

The HP 2133 comes with a 1.0GHz VIA processor and 512MB RAM as well as 4GB flash storage. The UMPC comes with the Linux OS, however it will be able to run on Windows Vista or XP as well. There is also a bigger spec version; this will give you a 1.6GHz CPU, a larger 2GB of RAM as well as a 120GB standard hard drive.

For a more detailed review please visit: Slash Gear

Intel to launch 2Go PC: second-gen low-cost Classmate laptop

Intel have now launched their second generation low-cost Classmate PC, well laptop to be precise. The new model is called 2Go PC and will now come with a slightly larger 9-inch screen, and you will also notice that the new 2Go PC has a more mature look.

This new second-gen low-cost Classmate laptop has a built in webcam and comes with a choice of a 30GB hard drive or 4GB of flash storage. Intel will use their 900MHz Celeron M chip and as the 2Go PC will not be used for complex work the 512MB of RAM is more than enough.

Intel will give you the choice of wither Linux of Windows XP; expect to pay about $400 through Amazon.

Source – DigiTimes

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

Hands on: Acer Aspire 6920 and 8920G Gemstone Blue Notebooks

Well we mentioned earlier today about an announcement from Acer about their new Blue Notebook. We can now give you some more details about these new laptops. There are two in the range, these are the Acer Aspire 6920 and 8920G and are named the Gemstone Blue Notebooks.

The Aspire 6920 Blue has a 16-inch screen while the Aspire 8920G has an 18.4-inch screen. Although laptops are thin, they are still bulky, and the CineTouch controls that are to the left of the keyboard is not as good as Acer hopes. However with that aside Acer has worked hard on the design of the Gemstone Blue Notebooks and they have done a good job.

Source - Engadget

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?

source

Do you miss a CD/DVD Drive from Apple MacBook Air?

The Apple MacBook Air without a doubt is a great laptop for people who are on the move, as it is so thin and light, making it easy if you travel a lot. This full size notebook only weighs 3 pounds that is Read more

Asus U2E ultra portable notebook: see it unboxed

It seems like an age since we first learned of the release of the ultra portable Asus U2E notebook. The company delayed the release of this hot product, just so they could release some of their Read more

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

Two Toshiba Satellite laptops A300 and P300 to feature Intel Penryn processors

Toshiba have announced that two of their latest laptops, the Satellite A300 and P300 are to feature the Intel Penryn Mobile Processor. The smaller one of the two notebooks is the Satellite A300, with its Read more

Samsung battery melts from P10 laptop

Just a few days ago we learned that LG have suspended sales of their Z1-AE007 laptop as there was problems with its battery, well it seems as if Samsung are having trouble with their P10 laptop as the batteries have been Read more

Next Page »