Hasta La Gadget!

So as it turns out, Intel isn’t just casually accepting of Google’s new OS initiative, it’s actually been privy to the project for some time now, according to a spokesperson for the chipmaker. The two have apparently also worked together (and are potentially still working together) on portions of Chrome OS, he says, which really makes it all the more curious that the company isn’t mentioned among Google’s first partners while Qualcomm, Freescale, and Texas Instruments are. Then again, said inclusion might make the Moblin team more than a little bit upset, and either way, let’s not forget that Atom chips will be sold regardless of which OS is on the system — it’s really kind of a win-win situation that we reckon the hardware division isn’t complaining about.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Software

No surprise: Intel has known about Chrome OS, worked with Google on ‘elements’ of project originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here at Gadget Lab we got a chance to tinker with Toshiba’s Mini NB260 netbook. The verdict? It’s a pretty awesome netbook with excellent battery life (roughly six hours) and zippy performance, but we found the keyboard to be rather awkward. Also, stay away from the pink model: The color’s so vibrant that it makes stuff look purplish on-screen. Check out the video above and our review to get the full picture.

Looks like our friends across the pond were among the lucky few to get a their hands on Sony’s Vaio W netbook — that still feels weird to write — and the big takeaway here is that despite its size, the 10.1-inch, 1366 x 768 resolution screen is gorgeous. As for video, though, it’s still an Atom-powered portable with integrated Intel GMA graphics, meaning smooth HD is more or less out of the question. The good news if it pans out, however, is that Sony will likely offer a 2GB RAM update, which should help out a bit. There was also near-universal love for the keyboard, with PC Pro being the lone exception, decreeing it just average when compared to what the Samsung N110 offered. Battery life couldn’t be tested, and as for price? Well, no one seemed too bothered by the £400 tag, but we still maintain our own reservations until we get some time with it ourselves. You want more? A platter of impressions await you just below.

Read – PC Pro
Read – TechRadar
Read – Stuff.tv
Read – What Laptop

Filed under: Laptops

Sony Vaio W hands-on roundup originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This one doesn’t look to be heading into the hands of consumers just yet, but China’s GB is now apparently shopping its new X1200 thin-and-light around on the OEM market in the hope that some company will pick it up and do their rebadging thing with it — and from the looks of it, they likely won’t have much trouble finding some takers. Like some other hard to peg down laptops, this one packs the still somewhat rare combo of a 12-inch screen and an Atom processor, along with some otherwise standard specs including 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, a built-in webcam, and a pair of USB ports. No word on a potential price just yet, but it’ll no doubt be a fair bit more than the 2,200 yuan (or $322) that GB itself is currently asking for it — in large quantities, presumably.

[Via SlashGear]

Filed under: Laptops

GB intros budget-priced, Atom-based X1200 thin-and-light originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’re doing our darnedest to keep our expectations in check, but it looks like the long, painful wait for a halfway potent netbook may be drawing to a close. With Windows 7 just months away, laptop makers are finally able to skirt around Microsoft’s Windows XP-netbook limitations in preparation for a better, more refined OS. The just-leaked Aspire Timeline 1810T, for example, shares the same chassis as the underpowered Aspire One 751, though the innards are similar to those found in the Timeline series. We’re talking an 11.6-inch display (1,366 x 768 resolution), Intel’s 1.4GHz ULV SU3500 processor, GMA 4500MHD graphics, hardware accelerated decoding of HD video, up to 4GB of RAM, an HDMI socket, gigabit Ethernet, WiFi, optional 3G / Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and an 8-hour battery. Naturally, this one is slated to ship with Vista Home Premium, but that free upgrade to Win7 makes said pill entirely easier to swallow. C’mon Acer — dish out the price and release date, won’tcha?

Continue reading Acer’s 11.6-inch Aspire Timeline 1810T: a netbook we can finally embrace?

Filed under: Laptops

Acer’s 11.6-inch Aspire Timeline 1810T: a netbook we can finally embrace? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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