Switched On: A keyboard PC seeks to Eee-peat success

Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

The original Asus Eee PC took on the challenging North American market for a small notebook PC and was so successful that it created a new wave of product that’s turned the PC business upside down. And although Asus has since released over a dozen permutations of its original Eee PC notebook as well as several desktop models both with and without integrated monitors, its next big test will be a keyboard.

A top-slice reincarnation of the pioneering Commodore 64, the Eee Keyboard has a full complement of ports and can run Windows, but its two standout features are a 5″ LCD that replaces the numeric keyboard and wireless high-definition output to a television. Much like the original Eee PC, it is unlikely that the Eee Keyboard would be anyone’s primary PC. In fact, Asus’s keyboard-footprint computer will have to overcome a number the same problems PCs and other information products like WebTV have had in the living room. But Asus may be hitting the market at a critical inflection point — for a few reasons.

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Switched On: A keyboard PC seeks to Eee-peat success originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows 7 to ship early from custom PC makers

Oh boy, we’re getting close, eh? The October 22nd retail launch of Windows 7 is just around the corner. But if that’s too late then you can get a new system nine days early through smaller custom PC makers. Apparently, Microsoft has given the green light for smaller system builders to begin selling their Windows 7 PCs just as soon as they get their product keys. That magic is set to begin as early as October 13th. A loophole that little Puget Systems in Washington state is more than happy to flaunt on its website (pictured above). So why not take a trip down to the strip mall and spread the wealth around the local community — you might be rewarded with a custom-built Win7 PC to go with that new Indian Summer scrapbook kit and yarn sampler. Imagine the bragging you could do at all those parties.

[Thanks, Sammy]

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Windows 7 to ship early from custom PC makers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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$4,000 Alienware Aurora ALX benchmarked: domination this world has never seen

Alienware’s Aurora ALX, which was just unveiled this week alongside ATI’s blisteringly fast Radeon HD 5870 GPU, gets going at $2,299. If that doesn’t bother you, the late-October estimated ship date might. Somehow, the benchmarking fiends over at HotHardware were able to grab hold of one of these rigs, and the results are fairly stunning (if not expected). Granted, their test configuration was a fully loaded $4,074 model, complete with a 3.33GHz Core i7 Extreme Edition 975 CPU, twin ATI Radeon HD 5870’s in a CrossFire configuration and 6GB of DDR3 memory. Oh, and blue lights. Lots of blue lights. Put simply, the one-two CPU / GPU punch produced results that led to domination that made pretty much anything else out there look weak. Don’t believe us? Hit that link for the bar-charted proof.

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$4,000 Alienware Aurora ALX benchmarked: domination this world has never seen originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear, CyberPower and iBuyPower gaming desktops pick up ATI Radeon HD 5870

ATI’s Radeon HD 5870 GPU has already taken its rightful place within a few of Alienware’s newest desktops, but as with most every major GPU launch, a few of the smaller guys are also taking the opportunity to offer gamers the option to pick one up inside of a new rig. Maingear‘s Ephex, F131, Prelude, and Dash can all be ordered up right now with the staggeringly potent graphics card, and if none of those suit your fancy, CyberPower would be more than happy to have your business. In fact, it has squeezed the DirectX 11-friendly GPU into the Gamer Xtreme 4200 (starts at $999), Gamer Xtreme 5200 (starts at $1,393) and the AMD-based Gamer Dragon 9500 (starting at $927). Still on the hunt? iBuyPower has an eerily similar trio, though their lineup starts at just $819. Hit the read links below if you feel like putting together a system for kicks, but don’t blame us when the order button presses itself.

Read – Maingear rigs
Read – CyberPower rigs
Read – iBuyPower rigs

Continue reading Maingear, CyberPower and iBuyPower gaming desktops pick up ATI Radeon HD 5870

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Maingear, CyberPower and iBuyPower gaming desktops pick up ATI Radeon HD 5870 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware slaps 2GHz Core i7 920XM in M15x, new designs on Area-51 / Aurora desktops

It’s a wild day in the land of Dell, so it makes sense that said meshugaas is carrying over to the company’s Alienware portfolio. We knew that five new rigs were slated to launch today, and now we’ve finally got the details you’ve been craving (in official fashion, no less). Up first is the revamped Area-51 M15x laptop, which boasts a streamlined chassis and the entirely overused “most powerful 15-inch gaming laptop in the universe” tagline. Those with deep pockets can get this pup outfitted with a 2.0GHz Core i7 920XM (yes, that’s the new Clarksfield mobile Core i7!) and a 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M, both of which should work wonders on your most demanding NES ROMs. You’ll also find up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, a 500GB HDD or 256GB SSD, slot-loading Blu-ray drive, FireWire, gigabit Ethernet, a trio of USB 2.0 sockets, VGA and DisplayPort video outputs, an ExpressCard slot and an 8-in-1 card reader. There’s no mention of a starting price, but before you even look, you should decide whether or not you’re kosher with toting around a 1.92-inch thick machine weighing 9 pounds.

Moving on, there’s the all-new Area-51 and Area-51 ALX desktops, both of which usher in yet another case change along with ridiculously fast / pricey innards. The standard Area-51 is a liquid cooled beast with factory overclocked Core i7 CPUs (as high as 3.6GHz), an array of multi-GPU options from ATI and NVIDIA, internal lighting effects and a handy door to quickly access the HDD compartment. All of the hard drives are loaded via a cable-free dock, and there’s enough room for six SATA II HDDs. The rig also holds up to 12GB of 1,333MHz DDR3 memory, twin Blu-ray drives and a pair of gigabit Ethernet jacks. The ALX edition, on the other hand, is the “most powerful desktop” the company has ever created, as it packs an optional 3.86GHz Core i7 975, twin 1.8GB GeForce GTX 295 GPUs and a power supply large enough to trip most household breakers.

Closing things out is the Aurora and Aurora ALX, the latter of which is the most potent microATX rig Alienware has ever called its own. The liquid cooled ALX can be equipped with a 3.6GHz Core i7 975, dual 1GB ATI Radeon HD 5870 GPUs and up to 12GB of DDR3 RAM, while the slightly more affordable Aurora — which goes down as the smallest mid-sized desktop ever crafted by the outfit — can be upgraded nearly as much itself. Pricing on these rigs still remains open, but we’ve a feeling that’ll be cleared up just as soon as the new product pages go live.

Show full PR text

DELL FEEDS GAMERS’ PASSIONS WITH FIVE NEW ‘ALL POWERFUL’ ALIENWARE GAMING RIGS

  • All-New Alienware Gaming Systems Include the M15x Laptop and Aurora and Area-51 Desktops
  • Alienware M15x Features the New Intel(R) Mobile Core[TM] i7 Processor
  • Alienware M17x Laptop Receives Up To 145 Percent Graphics Performance Boost with Addition of Dual 1GB ATI Radeon Mobility[TM] HD 4870
  • Alienware Peripherals, Including the New Alienware TactX Keyboard and Mouse, Offer Gamers a Fully-Integrated PC Gaming Ecosystem

ROUND ROCK, Texas, Sept. 23, 2009 – PC Gamers now have five new ways to level up with a fleet of high-performance gaming rigs from Alienware, including four overclocked* liquid-cooled desktop systems and the most powerful 15-inch gaming laptop in the universe.

Jointly developed by the Dell and Alienware teams, and featuring the latest technologies for maximum performance, aggressive designs and unmatched customization and personalization through Alienware’s exclusive Command Center software suite, these systems represent a new era in PC gaming.

The All powerful Alienware Aurora, Aurora ALX, Area-51 and Area-51 ALX desktops and the Alienware M15x laptop join the M17x, launched in June, to expand the Alienware arsenal and reaffirm Dell’s position as visionary and designer of the industry’s most coveted gaming systems.

The News:

  • Alienware M15x – The most powerful 15-inch gaming laptop in the universe. Sporting Alienware’s acclaimed new mobile ID which debuted with the M17x laptop, the M15x offers Alienware performance in a compact package guaranteed to appeal to mobile enthusiasts and hardcore gamers on the go. The first Alienware laptop to feature a mobile Core i7 processor, the M15x also offers a 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M GPU* and up to 8GB DDR3 1333MHz memory* to take on, and dominate, even the most intense game titles. Prices start at $1,499 and additional technical specifications are here.
  • Alienware Aurora and Aurora ALX – The Aurora is most upgradeable and the Aurora ALX is the most powerful MicroATX desktops Alienware has ever created. Featuring the latest Intel(R) Core[TM] i7 processors, including an optional Extreme Edition overclocked** to 3.6GHz, the Aurora line of desktops are designed to deliver the power needed for hardcore gaming, pro-level HD audio and video editing, 3D animation and more. To crank up your gaming performance, Aurora and Aurora ALX have options for dual 1GB ATI Radeon HD 5870 graphics cards, up to 24GB DDR3 1333MHz memory[asterisk] or 12GB DDR3 1600MHz memory, respectively, and up to 2TB of hard drive storage – all in a compact, MicroATX chassis for taking up less desk space. Prices start at $1,299 and additional technical specs are here.
  • Alienware Area-51 and Area-51 ALX designed for extreme gamers and tech enthusiasts who demand only the latest, most advanced equipment, the Area-51 line of desktops features Intel Core i7 processors factory overclocked* to an intense 3.86GHz for peak performance. To max out your graphics benchmarks, these systems offer the quad-GPU power of dual NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) GTX 295 graphics cards. Other featured specs include up to 12GB DDR3* memory clocked at 1333MHz or 1600MHz, respectively, and six easy-access, cable-free hard drive bays that support both 7,200RPM and 10,000RPM drives, solid state drives and RAID 0, RAID 1 and RAID 10 configurations. Prices begin at $1,999.

The ALX brand denotes a distinguished class of Alienware systems that deliver both unique designs and peak performance. Both Aurora ALX and Area-51 ALX offer technology options beyond their respective standard editions, allowing for higher benchmarks, extended future-proofing and all-around increased bragging rights. Aurora ALX features design elements not available on Aurora such as the Active Venting louver system, internal theater lighting and cable-free hard drive bays. Area-51 ALX ups the ante with an anodized aluminum body and motorized front panel. All Alienware desktops also offer CPU liquid cooling right out of the box which allows the ease of overclocking that deliver extreme computing.

Also announced today, Alienware customers can now configure the M17x laptop with the intense power of the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4870 in both single and ATI CrossFireX configurations for up to a 145 percent graphics performance increase1. The result is an immersive, cinematic experience when playing the latest HD games and movies.

Alienware users can build out a complete, high-performance gaming ecosystem with the recently announced Alienware TactX Mouse and Keyboard, and the Alienware OptX[TM] AW2210 Monitor which features a 21.5-inch full HD screen for experiencing the latest generation games and HD movies in glorious 1080p resolution.

The Aurora and Aurora ALX start at $1,299, and are available for order immediately at www.alienware.com
The Area 51 and Area 51 ALX start at $1,999, and will be available to order in the coming weeks.
The Alienware M15x starts at $1,499 and is available for order immediately at www.alienware.com
The branded peripherals can be ordered immediately at: www.alienware.com

Alienware is one of two brand pillars within Dell’s broader consumer portfolio. Dell’s Alienware gaming brand delivers high-performance computing for enthusiasts and tech lovers alike, and complements the Adamo by Dell brand, which offers unmatched style, design and craftsmanship. Alienware and Adamo are the standard-bearers of Dell’s personalization efforts, which extend to the entire consumer portfolio, including Inspiron and Studio and Dell Design Studio, which reinvents the way people can customize their laptops as extensions of self-expression.

Quotes:

“These newest additions to the Alienware lineup represent the culmination of months of hard work, bringing together two world-class teams to create a family of world-class products targeting PC gamers,” said Arthur Lewis, general manager of Dell’s Gaming Group. “Our current offering of desktops, notebooks and peripheral products signals our commitment to providing the best PC gaming experience possible and to being the global industry leader for PC gaming products.”

“Alienware systems are, and always have been, our benchmark for PC gaming performance,” said Michael Tatelman, vice president of sales and marketing for Dell’s consumer business. “Through the Alienware brand, Dell is committed to offering gamers the richest possible PC gaming experience with the latest technology and coolest designs.”

“The new Intel(R) Core[TM] i7 mobile processor redefines expectations for performance, flexibility and extreme gaming on mobile platforms,” said Mooly Eden, vice president and general manager of the PC Client Group at Intel. “We are pleased that Alienware has designed the Intel(R) Core[TM] i7 920Xm processor into their latest mobile gaming laptop.”

“As the first-ever DirectX(R) 11-capable graphics card, the ATI Radeon[TM] HD 5870 is the pinnacle of PC graphics performance,” said Matt Skynner, Vice President & General Manager, GPU Division, AMD. “By pairing the awesome power of this card with Alienware’s reputation for industry-leading technology, gamers can expect an unmatched gaming experience.”

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Alienware slaps 2GHz Core i7 920XM in M15x, new designs on Area-51 / Aurora desktops originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mission-style PC casemod easily slides into your La-Z-Boy collection

Jeffrey Stephenson is to case mods what Benjamin Heckendorn is to console mods. There, we said it. After watching the former pump out wood-grained mod after wood-grained mod, Sir Jeff has issued yet another — wait for it — wood-grained mod. The black walnut mission-style side table is actually a full-blown PC in disguise, with a standard ATX mid-tower within that’s equipped with an Intel Core i7 CPU, NVIDIA graphics and dual stage temperature-controlled exhaust fans. He notes that it’ll be available next Spring for those with fine tastes, though we’re sure he’d customize it to fit your living room suite for the right price.

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Mission-style PC casemod easily slides into your La-Z-Boy collection originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo serves up Atom-powered C100 all-in-one desktop for $399

Clearly there’s something special waiting for some product manager who gets all of his / her new kit out the door before the fiscal Q4 ends, as Lenovo has been on a serious tear of late. Hot on the heels of its ThinkPad X200, T400s touch and IdeaPad S12 comes this, another all-in-one desktop that should suit the web surfers and email checkers of the world just fine. Starting at $399 (or $50 less than the similar IdeaCentre C300), this rig is equipped with an 18.5-inch LCD, a two-inch thick chassis, Intel’s Core 230 or Core 330 CPU, a DVD burner, four USB sockets, GMA950 integrated graphics, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB (5400RPM) hard drive and Windows XP running the show. Something tells us these will be flying off the shelves come Christmastime.

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Lenovo serves up Atom-powered C100 all-in-one desktop for $399 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Moneual’s MiNEW A10 nettop gets preciously attacked by Hello Kitty

You remember Moneual, right? You know — the guys and gals playing a torrented movie on their demo unit at a trade show. Now that we’re on the same page, have a look at the show-stopper above. That’s the Hello Kitty-embellished MiNEW A10, or in other words, the most outrageous nettop to ever see the light of day. The wildest part is that existing A10 owners can even make their relatively sane looking machine morph into cuteness overload for the tidy sum of ₩150,000 ($123). Or you can just get a whole new rig that no one else has to know about for ₩540,000 ($443) — totally your call there. One more frightening look is after the break.

[Via Akihabara News]

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Moneual’s MiNEW A10 nettop gets preciously attacked by Hello Kitty originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mad Catz Modern Warfare 2 peripherals break cover, reveal pricing

You should already have a pretty good idea of what extra sauce Mad Catz will be bringing to Modern Warfare 2’s November 10 release, but here are some up close and personal snaps of the hardware anyway. Monochromatic camo patterns — all the rage in that war-torn near-future world — are evident throughout and will cost you a cent under $50 for either of the Xbox 360 or PS3 Combat Controllers, the Combat Keyboard or Sniper Mouse, or a cool hundred for the Elite Keyboard with a blood-red backlight. And if you want to spruce up your current hardware, gamepad faceplates and Xbox 360 Skinz will be available for $15 and $30, respectively. Feeling like a badass comes as a free extra.

[Via Joystiq]

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Mad Catz Modern Warfare 2 peripherals break cover, reveal pricing originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell packs Intel’s Lynnfield CPUs into Studio XPS 8000 and 9000 desktops

With the introduction of new Intel CPUs comes the introduction of new rigs, and you can bet that Dell has been champing at the bit to unveil these two beauties. The new Studio XPS 8000 and 9000 machines are amongst the first from the Round Rock powerhouse to include Intel’s minty fresh Core i5 and Core i7 processors, with the 8000 aimed squarely at mid-range users who’d prefer a smaller case. Both rigs can be equipped with some pretty decent innards, with up to 16GB of DDR3 RAM, room for dual internal hard drives, eight USB 2.0 ports, an eSATA socket, 350W power supply and an optional TV tuner available. Graphics cards from ATI and NVIDIA are also available (ATI’s HD 3450; NVIDIA’s GT220, GTS240 and GTX260), and if you’re really feeling crazy, a Blu-ray drive can also be slotted in. Both rigs can be ordered up today, with the 8000 starting at $799 and the 9000 requiring at least $1,999 to bring home.

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Dell packs Intel’s Lynnfield CPUs into Studio XPS 8000 and 9000 desktops originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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