Jun 18
In the netbook market, Acer has a light and thin winner with the Aspire One (D250-1165) (http://tinyurl.com/nvl39j)
Jun 17
Power users running low on desktop space now have some breathing room with the introduction of AVADirect.com and GTR Tech‘s small form factor GT3 case. Despite its smaller size, the case uses the full ATX form factor, ensuring compatibility with a majority of motherboards and components. The case will take up only 25% of the footprint of mid-tower computer cases and will be substantially easier to transport, AVADirect.com said. In addition, the company will be selling full systems based on the new case, as well as the case itself, on their website.
Though the GT3 might be the first full ATX case in a small form factor, Falcon Northwest also offers a small, turbo-charged gaming PC running in a microATX case. Those looking for the smallest case regardless of price would do well to take a look at Falcon’s offering, but if you just want something smaller than you’re used to without sacrificing compatibility, the GT3 might be the best choice. For gamers looking for a little bit more space and portability, the GT3 is available for your next LAN party for $179.20 (chassis only).
Jun 16
Call it “Baby’s First Laptop.” Disney’s branded netbooks are kid-proof and kid-friendly, and pack plenty of power to boot. Also known as the ASUS MK90 and MK90H, these “Netpals” are rugged and durable with a spill-proof keyboard and ShockShield protection that should save data in a fall. More importantly, parents can be confident that their children will be safe, with more than 40 robust parental control options.
The systems come in Princess Pink and Magic Blue and offer customizable themes that kids can set to their favorite Disney films and characters, including Club Penguin, WALL-E, Hannah Montana, and JONAS. The netbooks also come with a sizable software bundle, including Disney-branded media-management software (Disney Mix), photo software (Disney Pix), games, widgets, and more, that all launch from the Disney Magic Desktop.
More on the Netpal’s specs after the jump.
Jun 16
Intel Core i7 processor, X58 chipset, 6 gigs of memory, and an Nvidia GTX 280M… Anyone want to play Crysis?
This is no desktop mash-up I’m talking about, but a 17-inch laptop. CyberPower announced today the release of its latest gaming computer, the Xplorer X7-Xtreme. This notebook is one of the first, alongside Falcon Northwest and other custom computer builders, to feature an Intel Core i7.
Some bonus features of the Xtreme S1 are a Blu-ray player, HDMI port, and 3.1-megapixel Webcam. The computer comes preloaded with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium. CyberPower offers further customizable options than the base configuration specs listed above.
The price for the Xtreme S1 starts at $2335.
Base specs listed after the jump.
Jun 16
Students will soon have a more energy-efficient way to play Oregon Trail and Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing with the release of the Tangent VITA LT, an all-in-one “green” PC that costs less than $1,000 and is aimed at the education market. The VITA LT uses Intel’s Atom N270 processor, commonly found in netbooks, to draw up to 72 percent less energy than standard Energy Star 4.0-compliant PCs.
For a sub-$1,000 all-in-one, it’s loaded with perks for class projects, including a 18.5-inch touchscreen display, a 4-in-1 media card reader, an integrated webcam, and built-in wireless. In addition, the computer is 1.4 inches thick and seems to be taking style tips from Apple (which is never a bad idea).
Tangent’s emphasis with the VITA LT is to provide a client for their virtual desktop infrastructure solution, which allows students (or employees) to take their desktop with them over a network, regardless of what computer they’re on. This type of application doesn’t require the latest and greatest in processing power, so it makes sense to power it with an Atom-based machine. The decrease in energy consumption is a definite plus too.
Jun 15
Apple did a pretty a good job of talking up those new MacBook Pros during last week’s WWDC keynote presentation. There’s one new spec the company didn’t mention, however: The computers’ SATA interface. According to a number of folks who picked up the new laptops, the company has bumped the SATA Interface from 3GB to 1.5GB on the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros.
The SATA interface on the 17-inch MacBook Pro and 13-inch MacBook Air remains at 3GB. As Mac Rumors points out, users aren’t likely to see much of a difference in performance unless they upgrade to a Solid State Drive.
Jun 12
A couple of weeks ago, troubled Mac clone maker Psystar filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Now, as part of the filing in Florida, federal court documents have revealed that Psystar owes Apple $75,000.
Computerworld notes that under “Schedule F — Creditors Holding Unsecured Nonpriority Claims,” Psystar listed Apple Inc., said it owed $75,000, and also had the phrase “Litigation Pending” in the section where Psystar was to provide “consideration for claim.”
There’s no word yet on what the money is for, and an Apple spokesperson had declined to comment on the matter. But the article points out that Psystar has long claimed it purchased legitimate copies of OS X from Apple for each of the computers it had sold. It’s possible that some or all of that money has to do with retail copies of OS X (since Apple quit licensing its operating system directly to clone makers over a decade ago).
Jun 10
How many laptops have border officials searched at U.S. borders? The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) wants to know.
The group filed a freedom of information (FOIA) request with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Homeland Security Department requesting any and all records dating back to January 1, 2007.
“Disclosure of the requested information … will further public understanding of the government’s expansive exercise of search authority over all travelers, including U.S. citizens, passing through the country’s international borders,” the letter reads.
“These searches implicate core Fourth Amendment interests, because they involve highly intrusive governmental probing into a traveler’s most private information,” it continued. “They also implicate the First Amendment, because searching or retaining a traveler’s ‘information’ – especially the vast stores of information contained in a laptop or other electronic device – risks chilling the free exchange of ideas.”
Jun 10
Leading netbook manufacturers and suppliers on Wednesday dismissed the idea that interest in the small-form PCs will dissipate as the economy improves, suggesting instead that consumers will embrace them as complimentary devices.
Economic troubles has spurred consumers to purchase netbooks, but as consumers emerge from the recession, they will likely purchase both – a notebook for the home, for example, but a netbook for the children or to take on business, Todd Bouman, director of product marketing and development for mobile computing at Samsung, said at the Consumer Electronics Association’s New York line show.
Netbooks will likely be a third of the business by the end of the quarter, he said.
Sarah Bussell, senor manager of product marketing for business notebooks at Hewlett-Packard, also saw netbooks as companion devices. But in her experience, the price point of netbooks also appeals to people without a notebook or mobile device, people who need them for on-the-go business needs, and those in emerging markets.
“Business typically takes longer to evaluate new technologies, but the opportunities have surprised us,” she said.
Jun 10
HP Releases Dual Core Almost-Netbook
Posted in: AMD, dual-core, HP, netbook, processor, Today's Chili
Need some serious portable processing power? HP’s not-quite-netbook, the dv2z, is now configurable with dual-core versions of AMD’s not-quite-netbook processors, the Athlon Neo (with 512K of L2 cache) and Turion Neo (with 1 Mb of L2 cache). The super-thin laptop, the single core version of which hardware analyst Cisco Cheng reviewed in April, maintains a claimed 5 hours of battery life despite the dual-core’s battery load.
Other potential options when configuring your machine include an 4 Gb of RAM, an ATI Mobility Radeon HD3410 discrete graphics chipset for moderate 3D gaming and smooth video and a built in 3G modem capable of connecting to multiple cell networks. In HP’s recommended configuration, this travel-worthy notebook will cost you $755.
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