WORKHORSE CERTE ZA MC10

With each day that goes by, going to a store and grabbing a netbook becomes a more appealing solution for my mobile computing needs. Unfortunately, these needs are very close to zero, so... but it's great seeing so many alternatives on the market, nevertheless! Speaking of alternatives (alternatives to the asus Eee PC netbook, the first one on my shopping list, if I ever go shopping such a device), Workhorse PC also has such an alternative, and I must admit it looks pretty well...
This netbook is coming straight from Texas, although I bet it's not manufactured there. Anyway, Workhorse PC is based in McKinney, Texas, and since this netbook is coming from them, here's the standard specs list, although the system will be configurable online(hooray!):

- Operating System: Ubuntu Linux, Windows XP, or Windows Vista
- CPU: Intel Atom N270 with 945GSE
- Display/Resolution: 10.1 inches/1024 x 600
- Memory: Up to 2GB
- Card Slots: ExpressCard, 4-in-1 card reader
- 1.3 megapixel Webcam
- Wireless: 802.11b/g, Bluetooth, WiMax, and WLAN (Sprint, Verizon Wireless, and AT&T)
- Size: 10.0 x 7.3 x 0.75 inches
- Weight: 2.9 pounds

Now, I guess you weren't expecting for the Linux and Windows versions to have the same price, because this is not the truth, although I've seen some asus Eee PC models priced the same, and the Linux version having more memory and/or storage than the Windows counterpart.

Despite the fact there's no product page ready yet, Jill Henson, Workhorse PC’s vice president, said the Certeza MC10 will be available from $399 for a Linux version, $449 for XP Home, up to $549 for a Vista Business version(why use Vista on a netbook, that's beyond my ability to comprehend). The price could also be affected by your choice of a 4-cell or 6-cell battery, but probably not too much.

LENOVO NVIDIA LON

When it comes to notebooks, I always had something pulling me back. In the end, I guess it's only the fact that I am an old-fashioned guy, and nothing more. When I'll really need to go on the road and have my computer with me, grabbing some notebook won't be that hard, I am sure of it, but in the meantime, it's my pleasure to watch as the industry is moving forward. Today, the time has come once again to take a look at lenovo...Unfortunately, we're not going to talk about a new lenovo laptop. Fortunately, the topic is pretty interesting, since the NVIDIA Ion platform looks great in theory, and lenovo may become the first to turn it into a notebook. A small one, of course. A netbook, to be more accurate.

According to early reports, Ion's graphics are expected to be much faster than Intel's 945 series currently used by most notebooks, systems using this new platform being capable of running games like Call of Duty 4 on lowered settings, and even play 1080p video, while using the Intel Atom processor. Yes, my friends, COD 4 and 1080p graphics on netbooks! Isn't this impressive?

Now, the latest rumors claim that lenovo is asking its contractor, Wistron, to build 11.6- and 12.1-inch IdeaPads for the spring, expecting to get inside them the GeForce 9400M-level graphics of Ion and an Intel Atom processor. Even more, a 13-inch model may also arrive, using about the same platform.

The way things seem to go, we'll probably have the first NVIDIA Ion-based notebooks by this summer, although I wouldn't bet on lenovo or any other company to become the first to field them...

SONY NOTEBOOKS VAIO (NEW)

Finally, some sony-related news. Good news, that's more important of all, because lately I've been reading heere and there about sony closing down some factories and sending a bunch of people home. On the other hand, I've been reading about new sony Cybershot digital cameras, and about this...
"sony Electronics Inc. and Qualcomm Incorporated today announced that sony has selected Qualcomm’s Gobi™ mobile Internet technology for use in its VAIO® notebook PC lines.

The embedded Gobi solution enables notebook users to expand beyond Wi-Fi hotspots so they can experience a high-speed connection to the Internet via 3G cellular connectivity. sony is the first notebook manufacturer to make Gobi technology a standard feature in several of its PC models."

Ehem, so they'll bring in 3G connectivity to notebooks? Damn, that's awesome! Well, at least as you have strong signal, because I am sure you know how tricky can be to get to a decent 3G spot, even in large cities that are supposed to have excellent 3G coverage...

Unfortunately, the official mumbo-jumbo also reminds a painful fact - "A service activation charge and other fees apply." Let's just hope these "other fees" won't include even more expensive sony VAIO laptops! ;)

NVIDIA NOTEBOOKS DRIVERS

Notebooks can be a real pain, believe me! Once, a friend of mine dropped by with a laptop, asking for help. Guess what? He got the damn thing with all drivers on a hidden partition, and then installed a license of Windows XP he had lying around. Fully partitioning the drive before and formatting it once again, just to be sure. No more Vista drivers on disk, no XP drivers online. Fortunately, I managed to recover the hidden partition, and put back Vista...

LENEVO IDEAPAD Y650

ASUS N81vg

The official mumbo-jumbo takes off as usual, but I think it's worth taking a look: "ASUS, a pioneer in the adoption of cutting-edge notebook graphics, announced today the ASUS N81Vg, the world’s first notebook to feature the new NVIDIA® GeForce™ GT 120M graphics processing unit (GPU). The NVIDIA® GeForce™ GT 120M GPU features NVIDIA CUDA™ technology with 32 processor cores, DirectX 10 support, and 1080p High Definition video playback through NVIDIA® PureVideo® HD technology. Coupled with the ASUS N81Vg’s 14-inch LED backlit display, the NVIDIA® GeForce™ GT 120M delivers unrivalled visual clarity and vibrancy."

According to the news release from ASUS, the N81Vg is able to hit an impressive 3DMark® 2006 score of 5,431, delivering "up to 15 times better performance than most other 14-inch notebooks." Unfortunately, battery life isn't that impressive, with 3 hours in Performance mode and 4 hours in Battery Conservation mode, according to ASUS.

Apart from the new graphics processor, you can choose your components as you wish, a variety of Intel Core 2 Duo processors, and hard drive capacities from 160GB to 500GB being available. At last, the two DDR2 SO-DIMM slots allow RAM expansion up to 4GB, and you can also add the DVD Super Multi drive with Blu-Ray capabilities into the equation, and see if the ASUS N81Vg is a good piece of hardware for your needs.

Oh, yeah, the sad and the ugly part - pricing and availability are still unknown, so... you'd better start saving some money, just in case!

MINI NOTBOOK

DELL INSPIRION 15

When talking about Dell, all I can say is "awesome," at least when it comes to their older products. I had two Dell CRT monitors so far, and the last one of them still works pretty well(it's about 8 years old now, I guess). Unfortunately, I have no hands-on experience with Dell laptops, but since the Dell Inspirion 15 was announced about a month ago, I think now it's the right time to roundup some interesting facts about it, especially pricing, availability, and user feedback.

On BestBuy, the Dell Inspirion 15 is available for $649.99, and has an overall rating of 4.1 out of 5, after 30 user reviews. Considering that you get a dual core Intel T6400 processor, 4 GB of memory, and 320 GB of storage space, this is really a great deal! Apart from those, you'll also get 7-in-1 digital media reader, a built-in 1.3MP webcam, and a bunch of other goodies.

Other than the above, finding the Dell Inspirion 15 proved to be a rather gruesome task. Could this be because we're talking about a great product? Well, for that price, I wouldn't think twice before grabbing one, even as a desktop replacement, as long as my main focus is not hardcore gaming!

Don't worry, we're not finished - as expected, you can also find the Dell Inspirion 15 on the official Dell website, but starting at $699 for a weaker configuration than the one mentioned above (3 GB of memory, 4-cell battery). If you want to grab this one, be sure to setup your system on this page.

Other than the above... it seems we have a very interesting choice for a sub-$1000 notebook with the Dell Inspirion 15, especially the blue one, my favorite! ;)

http://afxafx.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/03/18/lap3.jpg

Elitegroup Computer Systems has putted their latest launched models in display at Cebit show. They have introduced their S, L, H, and G series to society. Each series is particularly focused on specific users as per their choices and all four sports Windows XP and Windows Vista. Sailent specs comprises: • Slim design “S” series especially meant for everyday users embraces LCD display of 12.1-inches to 14.1-inches, 12.1-inch S20II with Core 2 Duo processor, Bluetooth, and a built-in 1.3 Megapixel camera. • “L” Series notebooks circumscribe value shoppers that include enlarged LCD display of 14.1-inches to 17-inches with many other common specs of “S” series. • Next, is “G” series(the cute pink one in the picture) model G200 which will surely boost the market and is categorically meant for those who compliment screen tilt comfort upto 360 degrees. • And, finally at last “H” series with H70. The series touts its 7” inch touch screen display with stylus input, 4-in-1 card reader and 1.3 Megapixel built-in camera.

Fujitsu Lifebook

Fujitsu has added some new babies to its Lifebook laptop series. The newly upgraded series are H-Series, E-Series, and S-Series models. Of all the new notebooks, the H-Series tops all others in terms of pricing and specifications. The FMV-H8240 model comes with a 15.4-inch WUXGA display, Core 2 Duo CPU, an  NVIDIA graphics card, up to 4GB of RAM, and 60GB hard drive. The FMV-E8240 also features an unnamed Core 2 Duo processor, WXGA or WSXGA+ 15.4-inch display, a 40GB hard drive, and a maximum of 4GB of RAM. The portable FMV-S8340 comes with a 13.3-inch WXGA display, again an unspecified Core 2 Duo processor, up to 4GB of RAM, 40GB hard drive, and a claimed 5.5 hours of battery life.

Motorola Rugged Laptops?

Motorola seems firm to develope its assortment as they have now released tworugged mobile computersnamed ML910 Rugged Notebook and the MW810 Mobile Workstation. The ML910 notebook is power-driven by an Intel Core Duo 1.66Ghz processor and features an ATI Radeon X1400 GPU, 128 MB graphics memory, Bluetooth, Wirelese LAN (local area network), WAN and GPS. The laptop comes with a unique heating mechanism that allows the system to work in extremely cold conditions. The MW810 Mobile Workstation is the three piece make of separate display, CPU and keyboard designed for delivering imposing connectivity. Bothe the models will be exhibited at FOSE 2007 in Washington D.C. Convention Center

Dynabook Satellite

A  fully upgraded range of Laptops have been made public by Toshiba. ThisDynabook Satellite has come up with enough tools and hardware facilities which make it fully competitive machine. Its CPU menu comfortably portrays the prospects of buying a Core 2 Duo T7400 and one may also incorporate a Nvidia GeForce Go 7600 video card with 256MB of VRAM. It also boasts a 15.4 inches screen (1280×800), 120GB for your data/information and a DVD-DL, 1 or 2GB of RAM would definitely make it every person’s dream notebook

Dell and Alienware

Dell and Alienware are now selling Laptops with a massive 250GB storage space. Dell is offering XPS M2010 and Alienware is offering m9700, both of them come with the same 250GB hard drive. Users can also have two of them configured as RAID-0 for a total of 500GB space. This will increase the price tag by $300.

Haier

HAIER is gonna release their two new laptops in Korea, the T31G and W18. TheHAIER T31G features a 13.3 inches WXGA widescreen (16:10), GeForce FO 7400 with 128MB of VRAM, 1.73Ghz Core 2 Duo T2250 CPU, 512MB RAM, an 80GB HDD, 1.3MP webcam and DVD/CD-R combo. The HAIER W18 features 12.1 inches screen with the same graphic card, Core 2 Duo T2250, 512MB for the RAM, 120GB SATA HDD and the DVD/CD-R combo.

Phillips

beyond goflex317

During April 11 and 17 in Las Vegas will take place the NAB Show 2008 where 1 Beyond will showcase its new line of notebook computers consisting of a quad-core RAID 5 model and two rugged and advanced laptops destined for the military sector.

1 Beyond is a company focused on professional mobile systems and not only, which will introduce the world’s first notebook equipped with Intel quad-core desktop processor, RAID 5 protection, and High Definition support.

1 Beyond GoFlex317 is available at a high price of $6,595 featuring RAID 5 for total data and system protection against drive failure, 3 HDDs with up to 960GB high performance internal storage, support for Avid Media Composer, Mojo and Adrenaline, as well as support for Autodesk 3ds Max and Adobe AfterEffects.

In addition it comes with Intel Quad Desktop processor options from a 2.4GHz Q660 up to a 2.66GHz Q6700 with 1066 FSB, Intel Desktop Core 2 Duo E6750 2.66GHz or E6850 3.0GHz 1333MHz FSB, Firewire port, 4 USB 2.0, 8x DVD burner dual layer drive, optional Blu-ray, 3 SATA2 100 or 200 GB HDD drive, 7200 RPM internal drives, 60 MB/sec at RAID 5, hardware RAID 0/1/5 support, the PCI-Express 16x modular video, NVIDIA 8800 graphics with 512MB, a 17-inch polished LCD display of 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution, DVI for second monitor, full keyboard with numeric keypad, up to 4GB memory, HD audio on 8 channels at 192 kHz/32-bit quality, Dolby Surround Sound with 4 speakers, built-in camera with microphone, Gigabit LAN, Wi-Fi A/G/N, Bluetooth connectivity, Infrared, Express Card slot, a 7-in-1 card reader, and the following software: Windows XP Pro/Vista-ready, DVD Playback software, Windows Media Player, QuickTime Player, Adobe Reader, Flash Player and 1 Beyond Recovery DVD for system recovery.

ZT AFINITY N4001i

ZT Systems is a US producer of notebooks, desktop computers and servers, that has announced new laptop models powered by the Intel Centrino 2 processing technology, including the one i plan to tell you about in the following lines.
ZT computers powered by the new Intel technology deliver improved energy efficiency, increased performance, and enhanced wireless connectivity via the wireless draft N support.

“These new ZT notebooks leverage the power of Intel Centrino 2 processor technology to improve the user’s experience in terms of wireless networking and battery life,” said Russell Carlisle, ZT Systems Vice President of Marketing. “For our customers, this means improved Windows Vista performance, increased productivity for small businesses, and an outstanding digital entertainment experience for home users, at great prices and in stylish form factors.” 

ZT Affinity N4001i is one of the latest ZT computer additions, available for pre-order at a price of $1,000. It features a 15.4-inch display with 1280 x 800 resolution, and was optimized for mobile productivity and entertainment on the go. Thanks to the new Intel processing technology, it provides HD video encoding and up to 5x wireless speed. With the Intel Core 2 Duo mobile technology and 4MB cache, the laptop has 20% increased performance, which is great for intensive applications requiring multitasking.

Via Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium with its nice and friendly interface, users can easily manage their applications and access the Windows Media Center to reach their photos, TV, movies, and music.
ZT Affinity N4001i is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile Processor P7350 with 2Ghz speeds, 4GB DDR2 SODIMM Dual Channel memory, 250GB HDD, a super multi DVD-RW, the GMA X4500 graphics chipset, Realtek ALC 888 sound, built-in 1.3MP CMOS web camera, a 4-in-1 card reader, Realtek Gigabit Ethernet Adapter RTL8111B, Intel Wireless Wi-Fi Link 4965 A/G/N module, and modem.

KDDI H001

This is an amazing new gadget designed for mobile communication and prepared for launch this spring in Japan at KDDI.
Called the WOO Ketai H001, the mini notebook computer, or how you like to call it, developed by no other than Kitachi sports a large 3D display supporting both images and videos.
The 3D display has a resolution of 845 x 480 pixels and measures 3.1 inches in diagonal. It is an LCD featuring the IPS Technology.

WOOO Ketai H001 from KDDI comes with a built-in 5MP digital camera with autofocus,microSD expansion slot for extra storage, TV tuner from1Seg, ewallet application and measures 51 x 111x 18.6 cm at just 145 grams.
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We don’t know the price or the exact availability date but it’s only for Japanese customers.

EPSON NJ1000

Epson's busted out a new laptop for the low end set, loading up its Endeavor NJ1000 with yesterday's specs to keep the price down -- and offering a few upgrade options for those wanting something a tad more respectable. 

Opting for the base model, however, will net you the most basic of basic laptops, with 15-inch XGA display, Celeron M 410 processor, 256MB of RAM, a 40GB hard drive, and a plain old CD-ROM drive -- all for just 64,890 Yen (about $550). 

If you're in an upgrading mood, you can max out the system (for a price) with a Core 2 Duo T5500 processor, 160GB hard drive, 2GB of RAM, and a DVD burner.

Epson Endeavor NJ1000 has a white model, and reversing the trend, it's the one that'll cost you a few extra Yen in this case.

NEC HELLOKITTY EDITION

Here’s another Hello Kitty branded luxurious laptop, this time coming from NEC.

The NEC LaVie G Hello Kitty laptop edition is featuring a 15.4-inch WXGA display with 1280 x 800 pixels resolution and is powered by an AMD Turion processor.
Under the black chassis decorated with beautiful multi-reflexive Swarovski crystals, is hiding a RAM memory of 2GB DDR II, 120 GB of S-ATA HDD storage and a DVD-RW.

This Hello Kitty laptop is equipped with USB ports allowing you to plug in the Hello Kitty flash drives and other useful stuff, not necessarily Hello Kitty branded.

Available only in Japan, the laptop costs almost $2,000.

Announced last year by Clarion, a subsidiary of Hitachi, ClarionMIND is available for US and European customers earlier than it was scheduled for release, more exactly this spring.
It comes at a retail price of $649.99, which can be considered affordable if we take a look at all its capabilities.

POCKET SURFER 2

The mobile web browser from Datawind it is very thin, lightweight and fits your pocket.
You can use it for web surfing and the navigation is better than on your mobile phone as the display is large enough at 5 inches and 640 x 240 pixel resolution to show web pages perfectly clear with full graphics and Java, wirelessly, and via an ergonomic QWERTY keyboard on which you can type as much as you please even in low light conditions, thanks to the backlight technology.Besides this cool design, Pocket Surfer 2 comes with built-in GPRS modem and is powered by a Li-Ion battery which lasts up to 5 days in stand-by mode or 4 hours of operating time.
You can use the pocket PC navigator for Internet navigation, writing and reading emails, update your social network profile, or read the latest news, all these from your palm.The mobile Internet handheld is compatible with all networks and displays a web page in less than 7 seconds.
It is available at $322.2 on Iwantoneofthose.com with 20 hours of free surfing every month for the first year.

ROCKET SURFER

Mobile Internet Devices or MIDs are very popular these days because of their practical design and small form factor that cuts the weight as well. We wrote about Pocket Surfer 2 from Datawind a while ago and you were attracted by it. Now we want to show you a new improved version of the same gadget, released on September 30, as we discovered on pocketables. This one is called Pocket Surfer 2/R and adds some new functionalities beside the ones you already read about in our previous article.PocketSurfer 2 mini laptop computers are available at Iwantoneofthose.com at a price of $322.2 with 20 free hours of web navigation on month, having a 5-inch display with a resolution of 640 x 240 pixels in order to display web pages and videos in full format, while the QWERTY keyboard with cool LED backlit technology is perfect for intensive typing on the go.
The gadget continues to be among the most popular mini laptop computers optimized for Internet access and supports Java, has wireless connectivity, GPRS modem built inside, and a rechargeable Li-Ion battery providing up to 5 days or standby or 4 hours of continuous operating time. During the 4 hours you can do a lot of things with it, such as read the latest news, compose emails, upload newest pictures on your blog and chat.

While watching movies or playing games the sound comes from the four built-in Hi-Fi speakers via the 8-channel external audio output.
CompAmerica ships it with Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows XP operating system pre-installed at a price of $2,789.

ORCA EXTREME:

Under the title Most Powerful Laptop on Earth, comes the Orca Extreme from CompAmerica which is said to be capable of what CAD CAM workstations can do and supports the next-generation high-graphics-demanding games.

An Orca Extreme portable machine integrates the latest dual SLI technology from the two Nvidia 7950GT with up to 1GB dedicated memory, and runs on either an Intel Core 2 Duo Extreme X6800 at 2.93GHz or the E6700 at 2.66GHz, with the possibility to add up to three mobile HDDs having 200GB each and Raid 0, 1 and 5 support.n this laptop we find also four USB ports, Firewire, Gigabit LAN, the Super 108Mbps wireless module 802.11 G/B , Bluetooth connectivity, a 4-in-1 card reader, optional TV tuner, modem, and a built-in 1.3MP camera for video chat.
The display is a 17-inch Glass View LCD with a high resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels or 1680 x 1050 pixels and the optical drive is a Dual Layer DVD burner.

VOODO

VoodooPC launched today the Voodoo ENVY HW:201,a high-performance laptop especially for gamers.

This 20.1-inch widescreen laptop features two NVIDIA GeForce Go 7950 GTX GPUs running in NVIDIA SLI mode and is powered by an AMD Turion 64 X2 dual-core processor.For the ENVY HW:201, users can choose between two NVIDIA graphics cards: the NVIDIA GeForce Go 7950 GTX with 512MB of RAM for PC gaming or the NVIDIA Quadro FX 2500M with 512MB of RAM for those looking for a portable workstation.

LAPTOP LCD PROBLEMS?

First of all, let's see what can be done if your laptop LCD screen has a faint image or - even worse - the image displayed is very dark:

1. Before anything else, check the display settings in Windows and using the controls on your laptop - if any;

2. Now, if the image you see on your computer can't be adjusted at all, is possible that the laptop's LCD lid close switch is simply stuck in the closed position. Obviously, this makes backlight to stay off, even with the LCD lid open, to save power when the laptop is ON, but the lid is closed.

3. Close to the back LCD hinges, you will find the close switch - it looks like a small plastic pin, you can't miss it.

4. Tap the switch a few times, and see if this helps. If it doesn't, then you will probably have to replace the FL inverter board.


Next, we have another problem - what if your LCD screen is simply showing solid white, or garbled images?

1. Connect an external computer monitor to the laptop and see how it behaves.

2. If the external monitor shows what your LCD should, then you have a problem with the laptop LCD screen, or your LCD cable connection.

3. Obviously, if the external monitor image is also white/garbled, then your graphics adapter may be in trouble, but it could also be a video driver-related issue. Try to see if booting in Safe Mode helps.

4. If you can boot in Safe Mode, install the latest video drivers.

5. If you can't boot in Safe Mode, than probably you'll need a new motherboard for your laptop.

ASYS 1000HE

Fortunately, the 1000HE doesn't blow up on impact, as it happens with HE rounds, which I am sure you're familiar with, if you've ever been in the Army, or at least if you're into playing serious military simulations/shooters. Unfortunately, you won't be able to play America's Army on the 1000HE, but that's not the purpose of such computers, so no worries about that. Better see what's new with it, don't you think?

Here's the most interesting part of the official press release:

"World’s First Atom N280 Netbook
With the extra power of the Intel Atom N280 processor, users will be able to boot faster, get work done quicker, and enjoy higher performance compared to other Atom N270-powered netbooks. The Eee PC 1000HE also features ASUS’ exclusive Super Hybrid Engine (SHE) technology, which can boost CPU speed for extra power or lower it to preserve battery life, all at the touch of a button.

Higher Density battery, New Keyboard
The Eee PC 1000HE is equipped with a high-density battery that, when combined with the Super Hybrid Engine, allows for an industry-leading 9.5 hours of battery life*. Using the Eee PC all-day has never been easier thanks to its bright 10” LED backlit display and new “chiclet” keyboard that allows for faster and more comfortable typing.

Acer Ferrari 1000 Laptops

Technology and innovation are driving forces behind man’s greatest achievements. They are the foundations of past victories and the essence of future successes. The Ferrari 1000 combines breakthrough technologies from the fast-moving world of Formula 1 with revolutionary dual-core processing power in an exclusive, ultra-lightweight work instrument designed for a single purpose: to deliver an ultra-mobile experience that is second to none.

HTC

HTC announced for Mobile World Congress 2008 to add new software, more storage capacity and an enhanced keyboard.
The ultra portable PC comes with a new customized HTC Home today screen with one-touch access to e-mails, messages, calls, contacts and even weather forecasts.

Its TouchFLO software is enhancing the finger touch scrolling and web sites browsing, and there are included also Opera Mobile 9 and Google Maps.
Now the HTC Advantage has 16GB of Flash storage and a G-sensor which recognizes the display orientation improving the viewability.

More than that, the UMPC model lets users run programs via the projctor and TV output capability and comes with a nice 5-inch VGA toch-sensitive screen and a magnetic QWERTY keyboard for best ergonomics while working in the Microsoft Office applications.

It will come to Europe in March under the name HTC Advantage X7510, with WCDMA/HSDPA/GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks support, the 3.1MP camera, miniSD card slot, WLAN 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth 2.0, GPS, the HTC ExtUSB miniUSB, HTC16 pin port, the 3.5mm audio jack with microphone, a 2100mAh Li-Ion battery, and powered by the Marvell PXA270 624 MHz processor and Qualcomm MSM6275.

Spark laptop

At International Design Excellence Awards 2008, the already known Spark laptop concept occupies a special place in the top of the most innovative design concepts. It was created for Strategic News Service’s Project Inkwell including the K-12 learning platform, which provides new learning solutions for students from kindergarten through high school. Project Inkwell develops international standards for teaching and learning at the pre-university level, using the K-12 desktops.

IDEO partnered with Project Inkwell and revealed this innovative laptop prototype called Spark, which could be used as a free laptop for students, just like the XO laptop. It is a portable computer with multimedia support, educational software, wireless data transmission, networking and sharing capabilities.

Posted by: Sierra in Concepts

One of the design entries from the 2007-2008 NextGen PC Design Competition we wrote about on TechPin.com is very similar with the idea that stays at the base of another laptop concept that you love, called Vaio Zoom Holographic from Eno Setiawan. You can see some pictures in the Top 10 Coolest Laptop Concepts article.

The Eternal Life/Flex Life Laptop, as Cristina Chigusa Matsushita and João Diego Schimansky liked to call it, sports a glass monitor with transparent properties when the laptop is idle or turned Off, which comes to live at a touch of your finger.
Eternal Life/Flex Life Laptop has wireless module, touch-sensitive technology for both the screen and keyboard, and you’d be able to assign different functions to the keys, as well as change languages or eliminate some characters.

Dell vs Apple

According to Bill Begg, owner of Begg Technology Group, quoted by Ashley Laurel Wilson, the MacBook Air isn't exactly the best choice as your everyday laptop. "As an everyday laptop, I'm not convinced it's such a great buy. It is expensive for what you get, and can go way above sticker if you start adding peripherals like an optical drive (CD-ROM), video cables, solid state drive, etc. When you start adding those items to your shopping cart, you increase the weight of the overall package and the cost of the system as a whole."
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I fully agree with the above, and if we leave the "cool factor" aside, there's a lot to improve when trying to come up with a worthy competitor to Apple's MacBook Air. First of all, the price could be improved... for the customer, of course!

For now, we have no idea about pricing and features of the Adamo, but some think it will be a luxury laptop, so it won't be exactly an affordable thin laptop, but there's still a lot to be seen, since we're talking about pure rumors here.

As Begg said, "If someone is looking for a small form-factor Windows machine, I think the Dell has a chance. If Dell's goal is to compete on the "cool" factor, I think they are taking a huge risk. Apple seems to have that market locked up. "Cool" and good design aren't necessarily the same thing I have to admit that I'd bet on the Air to maintain it's post as the "cool" one, regardless of how many Adamos Dell moves."

x460-44p

latest laptop computer released in the United States is a 14.1-inch system measuring just 0.80 inches thick and with a very light weight for ultra portability, in addition to a stylish design on the business users’ taste.
It comes in two versions, according to Laptoping, which are Samsung X460-44G and Samsung X460-44P, differentiating by the processor model and speed. Samsung X460-44G is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo P7350 clocked at 2GHz, while the Samsung X460-44P integrates an Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 of 2.26GHz.
Another difference between the two lightweight laptop computers, in configuration, is the hard drive capacity, which in the first model’s case can hold up to 250GB and in the second case supports 320GB.

The new 4-pound laptop model is available at NewEgg with the NVIDIA GeForce 9200M GS graphics card with its own 256MB memory, 3GB of DDR3 memory and an integrated DVD burner for CDs and DVDs.
Its 14.1-inch display has LED backlight technology, which increases the viewability in low light conditions and sunlight. The screen resolution is of 1280 x 800 pixels, perfect to watch video content on the go and adjust images in a complex editor.

The lightweight laptop computers come also with a built-in 1.3MP web camera for web conferences and built-in microphone to support voice chat, eliminating this way the

Samsung x460

14.1-inch system measuring just 0.80 inches thick and with a very light weight for ultra portability, in addition to a stylish design on the business users’ taste.
It comes in two versions, according to Laptoping, which are Samsung X460-44G and Samsung X460-44P, differentiating by the processor model and speed. Samsung X460-44G is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo P7350 clocked at 2GHz, while the Samsung X460-44P integrates an Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 of 2.26GHz.
Another difference between the two lightweight laptop computers, in configuration, is the hard drive capacity, which in the first model’s case can hold up to 250GB and in the second case supports 320GB.

The new 4-pound laptop model is available at NewEgg with the NVIDIA GeForce 9200M GS graphics card with its own 256MB memory, 3GB of DDR3 memory and an integrated DVD burner for CDs and DVDs.
Its 14.1-inch display has LED backlight technology, which increases the viewability in low light conditions and sunlight. The screen resolution is of 1280 x 800 pixels, perfect to watch video content on the go and adjust images in a complex editor.

in the US Posted by: Sierra in Fujitsu

Running on Windows Vista Business operating system, it provides lots of useful applications accessible via the most pleasant touchscreen user interface, while securing all the stored information with a fingerprint reader, Trusted Platform Module and pre-boot authentication.
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Dedicated to professional users, the tablet PC touch screen computer we covered back in November, comes powered by a power-efficient Intel Core 2 Duo ULV SU9400 processor and integrates the Intel GS45 video graphics controller, up to 4GB system memory, up to 1,295MB video memory, electromagnetic digitizer input, optional Intel Turbo Memory, a built-in 1.3MP web camera, two built-in microphones for high-definition audio, 250GB hard drive, optional 64GB Solid State Drive, Gigabit Ethernet LAN, wireless N support, optional Bluetooth 2.1, two USB ports, card reader, and a 6-cell battery.

Comes from Apple Posted by: Sierra in Apple

Covered in the aluminum chassis characterizing all Apple’s notebook computers, the new 17-inch MacBook Pro brings a LED backlit screen of 1920 x 1200 pixels, the Multi-Touch trackpad, backlit keyboard, NVIDIA graphics card, and a 2.93 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor.
It is just 0.98 inches thick at 6.6 pounds which makes it the world’s thinnest and lightest 17-inch notebook computer.
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Internal components include 8GB DDR3 system memory, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics, additional NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT discrete graphics, a 320GB 5400 rpm hard drive with Sudden Motion Sensor, a 320GB 7200 rpm hard drive, optional 256GB solid state drive, Mini DisplayPort, slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support, Mini DisplayPort for video output, built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, Gigabit Ethernet port, built-in iSight video camera, 3 USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port, ExpressCard slot, and many others.

Posted by: Sierra in Accesories, Peripherals & Components, Apple

We know that many of you are searching for a pink Apple Macintosh laptop computer and that there are many sites claiming to provide information on how to get one, but they just tell you long stories forgetting the essential part, which is to tell you exactly where to find them.
Unfortunately, Apple didn't provide colored laptop computers after the special edition of the iBook Clamshell, but after doing some research over the Internet, we found some good solutions to help you create your own pink Apple Macintosh laptop, which is called customization.

First we’ll start with some cool shells that stretch on the laptop, just like those transparent cases for cell phones. This method will give the look of color shades on the aluminum surface of the laptops, and the best models are those from Speck.
Speck’s SeeThru hard plastic pink shells for Macbooks are of high quality and offer access to all the ports, as well as non-slip rubber feet. They protect the laptop from dirt, dust and spills, and are very easy to clean, covering the system only on the exterior.

Posted by: Sierra in Apple, Axiotron

It comes equipped with the Synergy Touch technology developed by Axiotron, which supports touch input with the Radio Frequency-based stylus pen, the Quicktouch user interface with transparent-like overlays of buttons and pads, Axiotron Quickscript handwriting recognition technology with portrait mode, the Quickclicks with on-screen keyboard and shortcuts, Wuickflip screen rotation tool, high-resolution of 1440 x 900 pixels on the 15.4-inch screen, ForceGlass protective layer, a 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB DDR3 system memory, 320GB hard drive, optional 128GB SSD, and NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT graphics.
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Based on Apple’s MacBook Pro design, Axiotron’s Modbook Pro comes with optional Windows Vista Business Edition operating system pre-installed on a partitioned drive, and support for Mac OS X and Apple hardware components.

The high-end tablet will come out in June at a suggested retail price of $3,049 for your Apple MacBook Pro base system enhanced with Axiotron’s technologies, and $4,998 for a new Apple MacBook Pro customized by Axiotron.

Xbox 360 Elite Laptop is the best gaming laptop in the world

Benjamin Heckendorn or also know as Ben Heck has to be the best man alive at the moment seeing as he has made the best gaming laptop in the world. Oh boy when it comes to playing games on a laptop we can safely say this one is taking it to another level.

We are talking about the awesome Xbox 360 Elite laptop, ok the machine does look on the ugly side, but who cares it is a laptop with Xbox 360 gaming power, how the hell he got to this extreme mod is beyond us but he did it.

This Microsoft console laptop should win awards visit here for more info.

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Alienware PC Systems Alienware M17 High Performance Gaming Laptop Computer (PC-LT-M17) PC Notebook

The World's Best Gaming Notebook

What is the world's largest PC OEM's best gaming notebook? What is the most powerful notebook out there, period? Dell's Inspiron XPS Gen 2 notebook offers nothing less than superior 2D and 3D graphics performance compared to any other laptop we've seen to date. Need we also mention that the system offers far more horsepower than needed for office applications? Add to the accolades a sleek design and light weight, and you have what Dell is touting as its ultimate gaming notebook.

Everything comes at a price, though, but for $3,000 as tested, the Inspiron XPS Gen 2 delivers excellent value for those who hunger for extreme notebook performance.

In February, we were able to secure a preproduction version of the Dell XPS Gen 2 for the launch of NVIDIA's Go 6800 Ultra . As reported then, we were not able to fully test the system for several reasons. First, it was only one of four in existence then, and our testing time, to say the least, was limited.

Qosmio X305-Q706

Windows Vista® Home Premium (SP1, 64/32-bit)

• Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor P8400 (2.26GHz)
• 4GB DDR3 memory
• 320GB hard drive (7200rpm)
• Dual NVIDIA® GeForce® 9800M GTS graphics cards
• Bluetooth®
• stereo speakers with subwoofer
• webcam and microphone

Model Fujitsu Lifebook S6520 Part number FPCM43723 Brief Specifications Core 2 Duo P8600 2.4 GHz, 14.1" Screen, 1280x800, 250.0 Gb HDD, 2048 Mb RAM, DVD-Multiburner, 802.11a/b/g/n wireless, 10/100/1000 Ethernet, Bluetooth, 56K modem, Windows Vista Business, 4 lbs, 1 year Warranty, Crystal View Camera Fingerprint TPM Condition New Availability In Stock Regular Price $1,749.00 Instant rebate $90.00 Your Price $1,659.00

Acer Aspire 6930G-6723

Widescreen notebook computers all over the world are now undergoing significant transformation. The transition you find is from 16.10 to 16.9 displays in the widescreen notebook. Reasons for such transition are that these panels are cheaper and their aspect ratio is also largely consistent with the HDTVs used by the end users.

Among all the leading lap top computer manufacturers, Acer was the first to avail the opportunity of the new screen format suggested by the LCD companies. As a first step Acer launched Aspire 4920G-6071. It was 16 inch size media center laptop that became popular instantly around the world. However, the model quickly went out of market and lost its popularity and preferences to a large extent in the process.

This brought into fore the next model brought up by Acer. It was the Aspire 6930G-6723, the model about which this review is written. Basic objective of this model was to provide those who did not avail the benefits of the previous model, the excellence of the new widescreen notebook lap top. The version has some similarity with the previous version like both have Blu-ray reader. The best part of it is that the price is highly affordable. Another very attractive feature is the 3D game play that is saddled with updated Nvidia graphics card. People who are home theater enthusiast will certainly appreciate the rich features of the new model. In terms of value the new notebook edition is highly affordable at the price of approximately thousand dollars.

Sony VAIO VGN-AR590E

Released in mid 2007, Sony VAIO VGN-AR590E is the first laptop in history which has ability to play Blu-ray discs. I don't know but at least that's what Sony Said about this high-tech laptop. VGN-AR590E is rated as one of the best among all media center laptops. The price ($3,400 from Amazon) describes everything. VAIO VGN-AR590E absolutely is a high-tech laptop for high-class people.

Despite VGN-AR590E uses big monitor (17" diagonal) but its weight is not heavy at all. With weight only 8.2 pounds, you can easily carry this laptop everywhere you want and play games in your free time. The monitor uses XBrite screen with resolution up to 1,920x1,200. Sony VAIO VGN-AR590E is the new challenger for Dell XPS and HP Pavilion products. For better gaming experience, I recommend you to buy one. The beautiful design and strong performance are the main reasons why I suggest you to choose this laptop.

Don't forget its BD-RE drive to play Blu-Ray discs. You can watch and play all Blu-Ray titles, from movies to games in VGN-AR590E. Of course BD-RE also lets you to play DVDs and CDs whenever you want. Other interesting issue about VGN-AR590E is the TV Wonder Digital Cable Tunner feature. Just with one CableCard, you would be able to watch tv cables from your laptop. Nice, isn't it?

Gateway P-171XL FX

Finally there is a laptop with excellent specification and beautiful design. Gateway P-171FX is obviously one of the best choices for hardcore gamers. With Intel Core 2 Duo X7900 (2.8 GHz), nVidia GeForce 8800M GT, and massive 400 GB hard disk capacity, I think Gateway P-171FX is even better than XPS M1730. However, its price tag is quite expensive as well ($3,000).

Some people believe Gateway P-171 FX is the re-branding product of its earlier edition, P-170L QS. Well, both are extremely different. Gateway P-171 FX steals attention from here and there for its awesome performance. The casing design with “FX” logo is cool enough for me but if you think the otherwise, you could pay more for design customization. Gateway even offers you choices like LED lights such as the one that you can find on Dell XPS M1730.

About monitor, Gateway P-171 FX has resolution options up to 1,920x1,200. I was quite impressed when I tested heavy games such as Crysis and Call Of Duty 4 with this laptop. About features, maybe Gateway P-171 FX is not better than Toshiba Satellite X205-SLi4 because it only puts three USB ports but also has one eSATA port.

Apple MacBook Air

An extremely-thin laptop with comfortable black keyboard and wireless connectivity. Yes, this is an amazing and revolutionary laptop. Apple MacBook Air is the new Apple invention that has amazed most people in this world. Apple calls it the thinnest laptop on the planet.

With thickness up to 0.16" , MacBook Air breaks another "laptop limit". If you think a laptop with 1" thickness is a superb invention, you will be astonished when you see this laptop with your own eyes. The LED backlit keyboard is another plus point for Apple MacBook Air. Nonetheless, skeptic people criticized this laptop a lot. They think MacBook Air's battery won't last as long as the other mobile laptops. The specification is also not impressive at all although you can get it for around $1,700.

Whatever people say about it, Apple MacBook Air is rated as one of the most impressive things in January 2008. If you are searching for a new laptop and you are a kind of "design worshipper", probably you will be tempted to buy MacBook Air. Some people even made a joke about Al Gore and this laptop. They said Al Gore (who travels a lot to different countries recently) will buy Apple MacBook Air to replace his old laptop.