No more Adamo: Dell discontinues gorgeous but underpowered laptop

You had to know this day was coming. After aggressively discounting the Adamo 13 over the holidays and then again in the new year, Dell has finally given up on its eye-grabbing ultraportable and is instead focusing on getting you to buy its new gear. The Adamo’s biggest hurdle to overcome has always been its wonky price-to-performance ratio, but we admit we’re going to miss its ostentatiously thin design and high-minded aesthetics. You’ve got to hope Dell has something equally sharp-looking on its future roadmap, but don’t despair if all you’re after is an Adamo — you should still be able to grab one for a bargain price at Dell’s refurb outlet.

[Thanks, Daniel]

No more Adamo: Dell discontinues gorgeous but underpowered laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 07:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Latitude XT3 convertible tablet, hands-on (video)

Dell unveiled a mighty business laptop lineup this morning, but only a few stood out — like this Dell Latitude XT3 convertible tablet PC with a quad dual-core Intel Sandy Bridge processor inside. Yes, it seems Dell’s decided to forgo the incredible battery life of its predecessor for potent performance instead, with this particular unit packing a 2.5GHz Core i5-2520M CPU and 2GB of RAM underneath that swiveling 13-inch display. While the prototype XT3’s screen seemed a little washed-out and viewing angles left something to be desired, we have to admire its matte dual-digitizer display, which takes multitouch input from at least three fingers simultaneously and also recognizes a pop-out stylus pen (the former responsive enough to navigate Windows 7 by touch alone, and the latter beyond our can’t-draw-a-straight-stick-figure ability to easily test). That sunlight-readable screen isn’t just for traveling artists, though, as Dell was quick to inform us that the XT3 is the company’s attempt to make a convertible tablet that corporate IT will accept as one of its own, thanks to the same magnesium frame and universal docking port as the rest of the new Latitude lineup. We can’t lie: we’d be pretty excited about the potential for awesome here, if we had any notion of release dates or price. Find some pictures below, and mosey past the break for a hands-on video.

Myriam Joire contributed to this report.

Continue reading Dell Latitude XT3 convertible tablet, hands-on (video)

Dell Latitude XT3 convertible tablet, hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 22:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HP’s Pavilion dv6 and dv7 get Envy-like features, g-series loses the bargain basement looks

We know the story: all you want is an HP Envy 14 or 17, but you just don’t have the cash. Well, as it turns out, HP’s been thinking long and hard about your issue, and its new Pavilion dv6 and dv7 may very well be what the doctor ordered. Pulling out some of the higher-end Envy features, the new 15.6- and 17.3-inch laptops have been refreshed not only with Beats Audio speakers, HD webcams, and HP’s CoolSense technology, but they’ve also been given “dark umber” metal lids / palm rests. Oh, and did we mention the light-up touchpads? Okay, so it’s not the same as the Envy’s etched-metal case, but they’re certainly a step up in design from the previous glossy rigs, and for their respective $750 and $1,000 starting prices, there’s no arguing that it’s a pretty sweet deal. Spec-wise the machines are just as impressive — they boast Intel’s latest Sandy Bridge Core i5 and i7 processors, AMD Radeon 6000M graphics, and USB 3.0 ports. Additionally, both models will be available with Blu-ray drives and up to two terabytes of storage. Want it tomorrow? We don’t blame you, but you’ll have to wait until “sometime in March” to order these bad boys.

On the lower end, HP’s refreshed its Pavilion g-series, and you know what? For under $500, they don’t look half bad. Yep, HP’s gone ahead and given its budget mainstream line a total makeover with colorful lids (name a color, they’ve got it), a pseudo-chiclet keyboard, a touchpad that is totally flush with the palmrest, and Altec Lansing speakers. But while you may be able to take the bargain look out of the laptop, it’s hard to remove those bargain specs — the 14-inch g4, 15.4-inch g6, and 17.3-inch g7 get cut off at AMD’s Athlon and Turion and Intel’s Pentium and Core i3 processors. Still for the $450 to $600 price points, it’s not too shabby. The g-series will be available on March 13th, but until then enjoy the hands-on shots below and the full press release after the break.

Continue reading HP’s Pavilion dv6 and dv7 get Envy-like features, g-series loses the bargain basement looks

HP’s Pavilion dv6 and dv7 get Envy-like features, g-series loses the bargain basement looks originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo ThinkPad X120e review

Most things deserve a second chance, right? Hey, if they promise improvement, we think so, and that’s exactly what we’re giving Lenovo’s ThinkPad X120e. If you recall, the previous X100e was quite a disappointment, and that’s actually putting it rather nicely — not only did the 11.6-inch system redefine the term “lapburner,” but it struggled to last 3.5 hours on a charge. It was bordering on tragic, but Lenovo’s ready to right all those wrongs with the X120e. While it has kept the chassis and the wonderful chiclet keyboard unchanged, it’s subbed out AMD’s older Neo chip for the long awaited Fusion Zacate APU. The same platform already proved to be pretty awesome in HP’s Pavilion dm1z with an almost perfect blend of power, graphics, and endurance, but does the X120e reap the same benefits? At $399 ($579 for our review unit), is the perfect, affordable ThinkPad ultraportable finally here? Has Lenovo finally gotten it right? And how does it compare to the other new Fusion affordable ultraportables or notbooks, as we’ve taken to calling them? We’ve got those answers alright – hit the break for our full review.

Continue reading Lenovo ThinkPad X120e review

Lenovo ThinkPad X120e review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10 Geeky Gift Ideas for Valentine’s Day

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It’s that time of the year again. Stores are wall-to-wall with boxes of chocolates, roses, and cheesy Hallmark cards. If you’re reading this blog, chances are you’re on the nerdier side of the divide, and there’s a good chance your significant other is on that side, too. With Valentine’s Day only one week away, it’s time to start shopping for those V-Day gifts.

If you’re married to or dating a geeky guy or gal, chances are they’d rather get an upgrade in RAM than jewelery or boxers. From cute plush stuffed animals, to bath time fun, we scoured the Web and we were not surprised to find a plethora of geeky gifts perfect for Valentine’s Day. Check them out after the jump!

Sony VAIO YB now shipping AMD Fusion to your door for $600

The wait on AMD’s Fusion has been so long that we feel like we should pop open the bubbly every time another laptop ships with it. Latest off the assembly line is Sony’s VAIO YB series, which gives you a 1.6GHz processor to make similarly-clocked Atoms AMD-green with envy, 4GB of RAM and 500GB of hard drive space, an 11.6-inch glossy screen with 1366 x 768 resolution, and up to six hours of battery life for $599.99. It’s available in silver and pink varieties today, or you can wait a little while longer for Amazon to get stock of its lower-specced variant, with 2GB of RAM and 320GB of storage, which will cost you $50 less. See more of the VAIO YB in our CES hands-on gallery below.

Sony VAIO YB now shipping AMD Fusion to your door for $600 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 07:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hints Of AT&T Support In Cr-48 Surface

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Using your Google Cr-48 netbook on Verizon is all well and good, but AT&T devotees looking for the slightly-faster HSPA flavor of 3G over EV-DO have been left out in the cold. If a recent update to Chrome OS is any indication, this won’t be the case forever. The download added GSM support to the Gobi chipset in the Cr-48 at an OS level, but Google has yet to enable it for users. 

Hacker Hexxeh (known for his custom builds of the ChromiumOS project, the open-source version of Chrome OS) has managed to get an AT&T SIM card running on the Cr-48 using a little bit of hacking. This type of thing is likely frowned upon by AT&T, but it definitely shows that Google is only a few software changes away from letting you surf with ease on the network. T-Mobile and Vodaphone are both apparently valid options in the software as well, though neither has been confirmed to work so far.

Because of the unofficial, totally hacked-on nature of GSM support right now, there’s no data counter. And no guarantee that it won’t “break totally unexpectedly,” according to Hexxeh himself. Probably better off waiting until the carriers give their okay.

[via Hexxeh, Engadget]

Hong Kong gadget flea market: a blast from the past

If you’ve seen our Hong Kong feature from awhile back, then you would’ve already heard about my favorite gadget hangout Sham Shui Po. By chance, my post-flight stroll in said district yesterday coincided with Apliu Street’s Chinese New Year flea market, which featured many vintage items like jade figurines, paintings, jewelry, video tapes, vinyl records, etc. Naturally, what really caught my attention were the old gadgets that were literally piled up along the street, and from just HK$30 (US$3.85), you could easily pick up an old classic such as a Sony Clié, an HP iPaq, a WonderSwan Color, an original GameBoy, a MiniDisc player, or even a proper old school laptop or camera. Hell, some guy even had a couple of Nintendo Micro VS Systems (Donkey Kong Hockey and Boxing)!

The catch? Well, there was obviously no warranty for these old timers, plus the broken screens or the lack of compatible batteries for some meant that most were more suitable as collectibles. Regardless, we took a $6 gamble with a Sony Clié PEG-NR70 Palm PDA with docking station and boom! It works! Well, except for the battery that only lasts for an hour, but I’ll figure something out.

Hong Kong gadget flea market: a blast from the past originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 20:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS chairman Jonney Shih promises ‘secret weapon’ to rival iPad 2, disses 3DTVs

Jonney Shih has never been one to back down from his stance on anything, and in a recent sit-down with IDG News Service, the ASUS chairman delivered quite a few nuggets worth poring over. For starters, he played up (and subsequently downplayed) a “secret weapon” that would likely rival the iPad 2, but wouldn’t go so far as to confirm that said weapon would actually be a slate. His response to prying? “I think it’s best not to say now. You will have to wait until the launch.” He also noted that personal cloud computing was poised to boom, and didn’t leave much hope for the likes of webOS and QNX — he claims that there is only room for three OS camps to win, and those three slots are already occupied with Windows, Android and iOS. Finally, he took the opportunity to fling water on the 3DTV buzz, noting that he “doesn’t think that will prevail.” He did leave open the possibility for glasses-free options in handhelds to succeed, but beyond that, it’s safe to say he’s not much of a 3D advocate. Hit the source link for the full skinny, but don’t go digging for any extra details on his iPad 2 killer — something tells us you’ll be sorely disappointed.

ASUS chairman Jonney Shih promises ‘secret weapon’ to rival iPad 2, disses 3DTVs originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 12:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AMD Radeon HD 6970M reviewed: major leap from HD 5870M, not quite a GTX 485M

What has 960 shaders, two gigabytes of dedicated GDDR5 memory with throughput of 115.2GBps, and the ability to churn 680 million polygons each and every second? Yes, the Radeon HD 6970M. AMD’s fastest mobile chip to date has been doing the review rounds recently and the response has been unsurprisingly positive. Most modern games failed to trip up the 6970M even at 1920 x 1080 resolution, though the usual suspects of Crysis and Metro 2033 did give it a little bit of grief. All in all, the leap from the HD 5870M was significant, although NVIDIA’s still relatively new GeForce GTX 485M has managed to hold on to its crown as the most powerful GPU on the mobile front. Benchmarks, architectural details, battery life tests (what battery life?), and value-adding enhancements await at the links below.

AMD Radeon HD 6970M reviewed: major leap from HD 5870M, not quite a GTX 485M originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 09:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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