Hasta La Gadget!

Acer’s Aspire Timeline inexpensive thin-and-lights have been popping up here and there around the world since we first laid eyes on ’em in April, and now the CULV machines are ready to hit the States. Pricing is actually a little lower than we initially heard, with the base 15.6-inch 1.3GHz Pentium SU2700 machine coming in at $598, but you’re more interested in the two smaller machines: the 14-inch, 4.2-pound 1.4GHz SU3500 Core Solo unit is $699, while the 13.3-inch, 3.5-pound 1.4GHz SU9400 Core 2 Duo pictured above is $899. All three machines feature 16:9 1366 x 768 LED-backlit displays driven by Intel 4500MHD graphics, and battery life exceeds eight hours, aided by a PowerSmart energy-saving switch. So — anyone still thinking about an Adamo? Full press release and two more pics after the break.

Continue reading Acer Aspire Timeline thin-and-lights priced for the US: $600 to $900

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Acer Aspire Timeline thin-and-lights priced for the US: $600 to $900 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s hard to say if our harmless threats influenced the MSRP here, but either way, we’ll take it. MSI has finally (finally!) come clean with a set price on its succulent X-Slim X340, and while we heard through the grapevine awhile back that it would ship here for under a grand, we definitely had our doubts. Starting today, eager consumers can order one for the low, low price of $899.99, which buys you an Intel ULV SU3500 processor, Vista Home Premium, a 13.4-inch 1,366 x 768 resolution display, GMA 4500MHD graphics and 2GB of DDR2 RAM. There’s also a 320GB hard drive, gigabit Ethernet, WiFi, 4-cell battery (an 8-cell is optional), 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, twin USB 2.0 sockets, VGA / HDMI outputs and an SD / MMC card reader. The 0.78-inches thick machine is shipping today in the US of A from a bevy of e-tailers, and you can peek the full release just after the break.

Update: Looks like some e-tailers even have it at $799. Nice!

Continue reading MSI’s X-Slim X340 now shipping in US for $899.99

Filed under: Laptops

MSI’s X-Slim X340 now shipping in US for $899.99 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 May 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell’s been showing Ubuntu lots of love over the past few months, so it’s no real shock to see the Linux-based operating system slide on over to Dell’s hottest (literally and figuratively) 13-incher. The Studio XPS 13 can now be ordered with Ubuntu 8.10 or 7.04 right from the factory, though it seems you’ll be forced to upgrade to Jaunty Jackalope once the rig hits your doorstep. Ah well, you won’t find us kvetching over added options, so we’ll just pencil on a smile and raise a glass to diversity at Round Rock.

[Thanks, Landon]

Filed under: Laptops

Dell now offering Studio XPS 13 with Ubuntu originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 May 2009 08:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Given the hideous MSRP affixed to the Adamo, we have all ideas that only a select few have chomped on what Dell’s offering here. That said, we also reckon those with enough cash to buy in are quite the critical bunch, and we’re interested to hear what y’all have to say. During our own testing, we were decidedly underwhelmed with the value proposition; in pretty much every meaningful way, it underperformed for the price. But hey, we can’t knock the styling. Are you cool with the ho hum performance? Would you throw a different CPU in there? Lower the price? Add a little thickness in exchange for a few more frames per second? Tell all, won’t you?

Filed under: Laptops

How would you change Dell’s Adamo? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 May 2009 23:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For those near and dear to ASUS’ Eee PC netbook line, the 1008HA ‘Seashell’ is definitely a breath of fresh air. It doesn’t look like an Eee, it doesn’t feel like an Eee and it doesn’t boast a replaceable battery like an Eee; needless to say, only two of those three facts were lauded by reviewers across the web. Much like Apple’s MacBook Air, the battery in this here machine is not user-serviceable, and while tests proved that it could last well over three hours with “normal” use, ASUS has yet to make clear what plans it has for offering replacements. In any case, most everything else about the machine was found to be on par or above, with performance being satisfactory for basic tasks and the keyboard / trackpad being exceptionally yummy. Still, it feels as if ASUS is charging a bit much for a familiar lineup of internals, but those willing to pay for style should definitely take a closer look.

Read – Trusted Reviews (“a very refined and classy netbook”)
Read – T3 (“a good all-round package”)
Read – CNET UK (“great styling and a relatively light chassis”)
Read – Bit-Tech (“definitely worth considering, but looks come at a cost”)
Read – WhatLaptop (“a compelling proposition”)
Read – PCPro (“If you don’t mind paying a premium for fine design, then the Seashell is a tantalizing prospect”)

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ASUS Eee PC 1008HA ‘Seashell’ review roundup originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 May 2009 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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