Tag: Laptop
ViewSonic launch new Viewbook notebook range
A whole host of new notebooks have been announced by ViewSonic. The six notebooks make up the new Viewbook range by the PC manufacturers, and are available now. The flagship Viewbook Pro is the most exciting of the newly announced…
Toshiba launches laptop trade-in scheme
Once the customer has registered, their old model is collected, the valuation is confirmed and a tidy sum of up to £150 is sent their way.
Britons prefer to be online than between the sheets
In news that is set to put a tear in the eye of romantics everywhere, it appears nearly two thirds of Brits would rather surf the web than spend passionate time with a loved one.
Sony Vaio Mini W netbook coming in August
It’s got a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280 CPU, a 10.1-inch screen, 1GB of RAM, runs Windows XP and weighs just 1.19kg. Now that sounds to me like Sony has decided to get with the program and bring out a netbook.
The Vaio Mini W-Series looks typically smooth with an WXGA LED screen, spaced keyboard, dimpled palm rest and free carry case to match your choice of white, pink or dark brown.
On the inside, there’s DDR2 RAM running at 533MHz, WLAN 802.11b/g/Draft-N, Bluetooth and 160GB of HDD. Surprised not to see an SSD but I’ve a feeling that might send the price a little high for a netbook.
It measures 179.6 mm x 267.8 x 32.4 and it’s out from August. Rather late to be releasing something like this when every TomTom, Dixons, and Harrods already has a netbook but there’s clearly a market here that Sony recognises. I’ll be interested to see if it offers anything that the others already don’t, apart from just the Vaio name.
Gallery: Top 10 Lightweight notebook PCs
Laptops, notebooks, netbooks… whichever flavour of portable PC they are, here are ten of the lightest yet fully-featured machines currently available. Is your favourite here? Click on the picture below to start the tour, and if you don't find yours…
Samsung's 16-inch, 16:9, multimedia based R620 laptop
Samsung has updated their R series laptop range. Well, I say updated but spec-wise the R620 isn’t all that different from the R610. Sure, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD4650 graphics card may be an improvement on the R610’s nVIDIA GeForce Go 9200M GS, but the HD4650 is only included in the premium models. The ATI Mobility Radeon HD4330 in the standard version isn’t all that different.
On board memory has gone up a gig to 4GB DDR2 and the maximum hard-drive is 500GB, although the standard size is only 160GB. It keeps the 16-inch, 16:9 HD ratio for movie watching via its built-in Blu-ray player. The premium version is full HD 1080p whilst the standard version has a resolution of 1366x 768. There’s also HDMI-out if you want to hook it up to your TV.
One new feature is the anti-bacterial keyboard. It’s coated with a special finish that makes it almost impossible for bacteria to live and breed. Presumably if you spill your Yakult on it, it will simply evaporate into thin-air.*
If you’re looking for a mid-range laptop and you’re also considering buying a Blu-ray player then this laptop could help you kill two birds with stone. As a laptop alone it is decent – not exactly a world-beater – but the added Blu-ray, plus fast transfer via the combo USB/eSATA, make it a pretty good media-centre laptop.
It’s out in July and the standard version will cost you £699 from Samsung.
* This will not actually happen. The Yakult will kill your laptop – don’t try it.
Related post: Samsung R610: 16″ Blu-ray multimedia laptop
Toshiba's new Satellite range of laptops announced
Toshiba is remaining pretty tight lipped as to the exact technical specifications of their new laptop range but we do know that all models will feature an eco utility management system that allows users to reduce the amount of energy being used. And remember, green is good kids.
Here’s a quick look at what we do know about the four models that have been announced:
A500
This looks like being the more multimedia based one of the litter. A 16-inch TruBrite HD screen, 16:9 aspect ratio and a 1366×768 resolution will be perfect for movies and games, particularly on the premium version which will have a flush screen – i.e. an edge to edge picture.
The impressive picture will be assisted by equally impressive sound – all versions will ship with Harman Kardon stereo speakers. A HD webcam that records in widescreen will also be a welcome addition to web-video creators.
The premium version is the only one which will contain a DVD drive, sadly, though. Available on all versions, however, is the Multi-Touch control pad that provides the ability to use fingers to pinch, swipe or rotate using just the trackpad – a bit like you use the iPhone screen I imagine.
Looks wise, it doesn’t look too dissimilar to the A350, which we previewed back in January although there will also be a silver version available. Also, looks like there is a little remote control in there which would be a nice touch for a multimedia machine.
U500
This looks like a scaled down version of the A500 to be honest, this time with a 13.3-inch screen which isn’t quite HD but 1280×800 WXGA instead.
Again, they’ll be a premium and a standard model with, again, only the premium containing a built in DVD drive, to go with its edge-to-edge (or “chrome-trimmed” as they’re calling it) screen.
Interestingly it will be available in “Luxe Brown” in order to “give a big impression” whilst “on the move”. Can brown ever give a big impression on the move? Err, well I suppose……
L500 and L550
I’ve lumped these two together because Toshiba has done the same in their press-release. And if they’re going to be lazy then so am I.
These are the wide screen versions, both HD, the L500 is 15.6-inch and has a resolution of 1366×768 and the L550 is a mammoth 17.3-inch and has a resolution of 1600×900.
That’s about all I know on these ones, apart from the fact that the keyboard is available in silver as well as the black as shown in the picture.
Keep your eyes peeled for further details of this range on Tech Digest, as always we’ll do our upmost to keep you all in the loop.
Alienware M17x – the post powerful 17" laptop in the Universe
Dell has officially brough the Alienware brand fully under its 35-country wide wing today with the launch of the M17x aka “the most powerful 17-inch laptop in the Universe”. The gaming behemouth was lauched this morning at E3 but I was lucky enough to have sneak preview of the 5kg beast at the end of last week. Here it is…
The final specs on this monster are up to dual 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M graphics processing units, Intel Core 2 Extreme Quad-core factory overclockable mobile processor (which Dell expects you to overclock by up to 3 bin speeds), 8GB DDR32 1333MHz RAM, 1TB 7200RPM HDD or 512GB of SSD in Raid formation, WUXGA 1200p (1920 x 1200) edge-to-edge gloss glass LCD and integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9400M G1 GPU with HybridPower technology for all your day to day needs. Naturally, you don’t get all that for the starting price of £1,699 but you get the picture.
It comes with Windows Vista 64-bit as standard but were Windows 7 to come out on, say, 23rd October 2009, then Dell has confirmed that they would provide the same kind of free upgrade service to the new OS that they have on the past with only shipping of the new disc to pay. Good on them.
But the service doesn’t stop there. It’s easy for some hardcore elitists to have a go at these kinds of pre-packaged machines but if you’d rather get a tailor made option then I’ve been really impressed by the lengths that Dell goes to take care of you.
There’s a metal plate on the underside of the anodised steel chassis which they will engrave with whatever you like in both your native alphabet and the alien language too, and there are all sorts of other customisable options when you go to order yours online. The idea is that it’ll be ready to go precisely to your needs as soon as you take it out of the box.
You can pick one up as of today with delivery included in the price. Enjoy.
Alienware
MSI X340 super slim notebook coming in June
MSI has being showing us its svelte side ever since CES and today they’ve come good on one of those sexy show models in the shape the of MSI X340.
It weighs a netbook threatening 1.3kg and runs between 6mm – 19.8mm thick. Unlike its Windier cousins though, the X340 is armed with a proper Intel Core 2 1.4GHz processor, 2GB of DDR2 RAM and a 320GB HDD for all your storage needs. What’s more, there’s a 13.4″ LED screen and a proper keyboard.
There’s no mistakes in the connectivity department with b/g/n compatible wireless and Bluetooth 2.0, although 3G might have been nice. It comes off the shelf with a 4-cell battery and DVD drive but I’d say upgrading to a 6er and Blu-ray would probably be a good choice. You have got built-in speakers and an HD screen after all.
The X340 can be yours for £859 from June. Not cheap but X-rated slim models never are.
Asus launches F70: World's First 17.3" laptop
This is not a joke. This is a banana. Although it may as well be a picture of the Asus F70 laptop launched today as the world’s first 17.3″, 16:9 LED widescreen, portable computer. According to the specs, it’s a very decent machine. I’m not posting a picture of it not to protect you from its terrible ugliness but to shield you from its hideous averageness. It’s a flat, grey cuboid. You can go and have a look if you like but consider yourself warned.
