In the still of the night, Dell quietly gave the nod to the Studio 17 laptop addition to the touchscreen lineup.  The laptop features multi-touch gestures for manipulating the screen as well as its own set of touch-enabled applications.  The laptop is expected to ship next month for $899.

The base Studio 17 received high marks for design and user experience.  The touch version adds only the touchscreen and apps.  Unlike other touchscreen laptops of late, the Dell Studio does not turn into a tablet (by swiveling the screen). 

All this is great right?  Ready to head over and buy it?  Hold up, the product page is gone from Dell’s site.  We are unsure why Dell has removed the page from their site.  The link to the non-existent Dell page is here. Perhaps an early test?

Either way this looks like an interesting laptop that might usher in an era where all screens will be touch-enabled.  Are consumers willing to pay for this?

Read: [Electronista]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

After a few months of speculation, Google today finally decided to show us just what Chrome OS is going to be.  Contrary to what some were hoping, there is no real beta to be had as of now, and Google doesn’t expect to have one for another year.  What we do get today, is an outline of what Google is trying to do with the new OS, and what it would do.

First thing you need to know about Chrome OS, as Google stated before, is that as of now it is mainly focused at secondary computers like netbooks and laptops.  The idea behind Chrome OS is that it will launch in seconds, bringing you straight to the Internet before most computers even boot.  The entire OS is based around the Internet, including all of the apps.  There will be no apps actually stored on Chrome OS, instead all of your apps will be web apps.  There’s no need, according to Google to store anything on the netbook, the main focus is to use Chrome OS as a secondary computer to access web apps and the Internet.

While there is no beta as of now, it is possible to compile your own version of Chromium OS, as the source code was put up today just prior to the Chrome OS event (Chromium is the open-source, developer-focused section of Chrome).  There are instructions on how to compile the OS from source.  It might be a bit long and confusing for some, and it does require a Linux OS to compile it, but it looks to be a worthwhile weekend project if you happen to have a netbook with an SSD to wipe.  While there are certainly arguments for and against having an OS that is only a browser if anyone can pull it off, it might be Google.  Either way, I know I’ll be spending part of my weekend compiling code to try it out.

Read [Official Google Blog]

Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

We have seen a few good deals coming from Walmart including the $30 Pixi and the BlackBerry offers. Not to mention the sales on video games. But after digging through the leaked sales flyer for Black Friday, we now have a complete list of nice prices—including a Blu-ray player for $78. Of course this is a lower end model, its the Magnavox NB500 and it normally retails for $129, but still $78.

Anyway, in addition to the low-priced Blu-ray player, Walmart also has a good selection of HDTV’s, computers, digital cameras, GPS units. Here is a quick rundown of some of the deals that can be found, but the full list can be found by hitting the ‘read’ link below.

DVD Players

• Magnavox NB500 Blu-ray Disc Player - $78.00
• Samsung BD-P1590 Blu Ray Player (Saturday) - $148.00
• Sony BDP-S369 Blu Ray Player - $148.00

Televisions

• Emerson 32” LC320EMFX LCD 720P HDTV - $248.00
• Emerson 42” PL-P42W-10A Plasma 720P HDTV - $448.00
• Flat-Panel TV Stand - $89.00
• Philips Large Fixed TV Mount - $69.00
• RCA 46” LCD 1080p HDTV (Online Only) - $688.00
• Samsung 32” LN32B360 LCD 720P HDTV (Saturday) - $398.00
• Samsung 42” LN40B500 LCD 1080P HDTV (Saturday) - $598.00
• Samsung 42” PN42B400 Plasma 720P HDTV (Saturday) - $548.00
• Samsung 46” LN46B500 LCD 1080P HDTV (Saturday) - $848.00
• Samsung 50” PN50B400 Plasma 720P HDTV (Saturday) - $698.00
• Sansui 19” HDLCD1909 LCD HDTV - $128.00
• Sayno 50” DP50719 Plasma HDTV - $598.00
• Sony Bravia 32” KDL32L504 LCD 720P HDTV - $378.00
• Sony Bravia 40” KDL40S504 LCD 1080P HDTV - $598.00
• Sony Bravia 46” KDL465504 LCD 1080P HDTV - $798.00

Computers

• Acer 17.3” Blue Laptop w/4GB Memory, 320GB Hard Drive and Windows 7 Premium (Online Only) - $498.00
• eMachines 15.6” Notebook w/AMD Processor, 2GB Memory, 160GB Hard Drive (Model # EME627) - $198.00
• HP 15.6” Notebook w/Intel Processor, 3GB Memory, 250GB Hard Drive (Model # G60-519WM) - $298.00
• HP 17” Notebook w/4GB Memory, 320GB Hard Drive (Model # G71-329WM) - $398.00
• HP Pavilion All-In-One 19” Desktop w/4GB Memory, 500GB Hard Drive, MS213 AMD - $598.00
• HP Pavilion Desktop w/AMD Processor, 3GB Memory, 320GB Hard Drive, w/20” Monitor (Model # P6243w-b) - $398.00

Digital Cameras

• Kodak C182 12.0 Megapixel Digital Camera - $69.00
• Nikon CoolPix S230 10MP Digital Camera - $139.00
• Sony Cyber-Shot DSC S930 10.0 Megapixel Digital Camera - $79.00

GPS

• TomTom One 125-SE GPS - $59.00
• TomTom XL325-SE GPS - $89.00

Read [BlackFriday.info]  Via [Gizmodo]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

SquareTrade set off an ambitious study to compare netbooks and laptops failure rates of their customers.  SquareTrade provides warranties on electronics as an aftermarket sale, so when something fails, they should know, right?  Their study shows Asus and Toshiba tops the list in reliability but just how reliable are these devices?

The study performed by SquareTrade included laptops with sales over 1,000 units in an attempt to provide statistical significance.  Unfortunately, we don’t know if there were 1,001 Asus machines vs 11,000 HP (who scored worst in the study).  So there is some wriggle room.  Overall, the 3-year malfunction rate for Asus is 15.6% while HP was 25.6%. 

The study also shed light on some other interesting questions.  What is more reliable: netbooks or laptops?  The study’s answer is in the 3-year range, netbooks have a 25.1% malfunction rate while laptops score 20.6% and premium laptops rate 18.1%.  In short, the more you spend, the more reliable you gear is.

Overall, 1 in 5 laptops fail in the first three years.  The brand info is interesting but take it with a grain of salt.

Study page: [SquareTrade]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

The Samsung X120 with Intel’s new ULV chip got a hands-on and the result: there is lots to love.  It is small, not much bigger than a netbook, packs lots of computing power (it can handle Windows 7) and a multi-touch trackpad.

The hands-on demo came up with a battery life of just 2.5 hours, troubling as the official spec is 4 hours but a six cell battery is available for a suggested 9 hours of run time.  The notebook also boasts a 3-in-1 card reader as well as a HDMI input/output so you can connect to your high-def TV with ease.

Mobile Computer Mag is smitten with the device.  In the UK, it sells for £470.  Word is Samsung has not decided to ship this unit to the US yet.

Read: [MobileComputer]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Despite not hearing much in terms of the OLPC project recently it seems that they are still seeing their fair share of success. According to Walter Bender they have topped one million downloads on Sugar Labs.

“I had been meaning to mention that already several weeks ago we exceeded one-million downloads from activities.sugarlabs.org. We are now over 1.1 million.”

Of course, it should be pointed out that the one million number does not really represent individual users, but total downloads. But still reaching, or in this case, topping one million downloads is still impressive.

With that, it does make you wonder just where the OLPC project is going, and thanks to a recent New York Times article we are being given a look at just that. It seems that we are going to see the release of the OLPC 1.5 sometime next month. Which, the OLPC 1.5 will be the follow up to the current XO1. According to the details, the OLPC 1.5 will offer “double the speed and four times more memory.”

It was also noted that a future model is currently in development that will come “with double screens to enable several kids to work on each one.”

And for those wondering, as of now nothing has been mentioned in regards to another round of the G1G1 program for 2009.

Read [New York Times] and [Walter Bender] Via [OLPC News]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Courtesy of a Best Buy Reward Zone member advertisement, we now know that the Nokia Booklet 3G will be available as of November 15. Which is of course much nicer than the previous time frame of sometime during the holidays.

For those interested, the Booklet 3G will set you back $299.99, but that price does required a two year commitment. Otherwise, those looking to make the purchase contract free can expect to pay the full retail price of $599.99. And yes, for good or bad that contract is with AT&T.

Additionally, although we did know many of the details and features surrounding the Booklet 3G, except the actual release, I did at least get a nice little chuckle from the

“Windows 7 operating system is crazy fast”

comment in the ad. Crazy fast, really? That is the best they can do.

Anyway, for those waiting, well for those that are also a Reward Zone member, you can now head out to Best Buy and get your pre-order in.

Read [Nokia Mobile Blog]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Finding a new way to store power in our mobile devices has been a problem for quite some time.  We’ve been stuck with Lithium-Ion batteries for a while now, and unless a device is using ULV or is a netbook, chances are the battery life could be a lot better.  There’s been promises of several types of new battery tech recently, but none has really taken off.  Now yet another new possibility has come as the replacement for the Lithium-Ion.

The new technology is called Metal-Air Ionic Liquid.  It works by conducting electricity through an ionic liquid salt.  Without getting into too much detail, it means that batteries can be made with metals heavier than the zinc used in zinc-air batteries.  To put it into perspective to Lithium-Ion batteries, one kilogram or MAIL can hold about 11 times more watt-hours than the same weight of Lithium-Ions.  The main idea of MAIL batteries will be for cars, but they could easily benefit our laptops can netbooks.

The promise of being able to hold up to about 11 times the charge of a Lithium-Ion battery could easily mean that our laptops and netbooks can last for close to a day, or even multiple days.  It will probably be a while before we start seeing anything with MAIL batteries, but it might be worth the wait.  With Intel pushing it’s ULV chipsets, it wouldn’t be all that surprising to see standard laptops running for days at a time when combined with MAIL.  We can only hope that this, like so many other battery improvements, doesn’t end up falling away into obscurity or becomes to unfeasible.

Read [jkOnTheRun] Read [Electronista]

Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Yesterday, fellow Gadgetell writer JG told us about Walmart’s pre-Black Friday sale and one of the items up for sale is a $298 laptop from HP. According to the initial ad listing we could see that laptop has a 15.6-inch display with a 250GB hard drive.

Of course, there are many more specs to that and it was hard not to wonder if a sub-$300 laptop would be worth the money. Anyway, the laptop in question is the G60-519WM from HP. Bottom line, everyones needs and use will require something different, but in this case it seems worthy.

Luckily, said laptop is now listed in its fully spec’d glory over at Walmart.com.

Feature wise, the G60-519WM will offer users a 15.6-inch WXGA display with a 1366 x 768 resolution, a 2.2GHz Intel Celeron 900 processor, 3GB of RAM, a 250GB 7200RPM hard drive, LightScribe SuperMulti DVD drive and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit edition.

Additionally, users can also expect Ethernet, Wi-Fi, three USB ports, one VGA out, a microphone in, headphone, Altec Lansing audio and a 6-cell battery.

Sure, it may not be a screamer in terms of performance with the Celeron processor, but for $298 this could make a nice addition to the house. Of course, actually getting one may be a different story.

Product [Walmart]  Via [I4U]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

What’s better than a Black Friday sale?  A desperate Pre-Black Friday sale in hopes to get all the dollars you would have spent on the actual Black Friday.  Wal-Mart delivers with a sale this Saturday, Novermber 7.  The deals look worthy of making a special trip.

From the Xbox 360 reduced to $199 and includes a $100 gift card,  to a 46” Panasonic Plasma HDTV (I love mine) at just $788, $149 for a Sony Blu-ray player and $298 HP 15.6 laptop.  Both the Xbox and the HP laptop are guaranteed to have 10 units per store, according to our friends at bfads.com.

The Panasonic’s lowest price on Google Checkout is $830 and it looks to be a full 1080p, nice. 

Walmart says the sale starts at 8:00am on the 7th.

Read: [BFads]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

This week stands out for me and my mobile phone addiction.  Big announcements in the tech world get us all excited until we stop to ask some questions.  Then we get kind of pissed off and start turning on the hype.  Behold the gems I turned up this week:

• Sears says deals won’t wait for Black Friday
• Microsoft has trust issues
• Barnes and Noble doesn’t want to start fist fights
• HTC brags about being smart

Sears says screw the calendar

Just the mention of Black Friday and shoppers pupils dilate just a bit, showing their arousal.  Sears has decided the calendar is for suckers and has started their sale this weekend.  Why not?  Our Sue Walsh explains:

Sears has announced it will be kicking off the holiday shopping season this weekend by offering special Black Friday deals.  It plans to offer those special “Black Friday Now” deals every Saturday from 7am until Christmas.

The Saturday after Christmas Sears shoppers will be welcomed by 1,000s of Abe Lincoln impersonators as the store kicks off “President’s Day Now” sale.  Feel free to move holidays around at home kids, it is the new marketing paradigm.  Somewhere, Sears marketing team is giggling at duping the American public.

Microsoft says manufacturers can’t be trusted

Our Heather Wood posted about Microsoft’s Signature PCs: “When you usually buy a PC, you have to spend time removing all of the pre-installed applications on the computer.  These can include 30 day music trials, limited anti-virus protection software and photo editing tools you probably will never use.  On these signature PCs, no crapware or trials will be included. “

Instead, Microsoft Signature PCs that they are selling direct to consumers will have only the basics installed.  The take-away from this is Microsoft is attempting to control the experience consumers have with their products.  Clearly, MS feels the crapware festival that greets most new owners is less than stellar.

It is a good move for MS but you’ve got to wonder, if companies pay to get crapware there in the first place, will prices go up?  Could this start a price war between MS and manufacturers at other retailers?  This could mean the net result of MS adventures in retailing will be to lower prices in an ever-dropping market.  Sweet.

Barnes and Nobles averts reader wars

What is likely to happen when folks who love hard covers and the smell of a new book mix with internet-loving einkers?  Book fight!  Imagine volume upon volume being flung about as screams of “tree killer” and “experience killer” get flung just as hard.  It is a nightmarish scene typically reserved for winning an NBA championship.

Our Robert Nelson commented on the plan: “Personally, it seems only logical that Barnes & Noble would have at least some Nooks in stock and ready for those that want instant gratification. But that is not the case, instead it looks like only select locations will have them available to purchase and take home.”

Only a crackhead could come up with a crazy retail plan, right?  Do they really fear book fights?  Are they worried the Nook would convert masses away from physical books and drive them to their online bookstore?  Sounds like some paranoid addict is afraid of losing retail locations over this.  That’s embarrassing.

HTC brags

It’s been my experience that folks that are actually smart don’t need to say it, much less make it their new advertising campaign.  So it goes with HTC’s new “quietly brilliant” as our Robert Nelson explains:

HTC has just recently begun a new ad campaign which deems them as “Quietly Brilliant” and is simply going by the name of “You.” While some may say that the quietly brilliant part is a bit self centered, the You campaign in general appears to be offering a welcomed push at showing consumers just how nice it can be to have a smartphone.

I am quietly brilliant too.  Something along the lines of “keep your mouth shut and let everyone assume your’re an idiot vs. opening your mouth and proving it,” springs to mind.  Wait, wasn’t this the plot to “Good Will Hunting”?  Will HTC singlehandedly relaunch the career of Ben Affleck, (who was the bomb in Phantoms)?  Doubt it.

Robert focuses on the “You” side of the campaign and the “you don’t need to get a phone, you need a phone that gets you” but that troubles me.  I don’t get me.  How can I expect some engineers in Taiwan to get me?  Should I be flattered if they do?  Can I get a phone number if they do to talk about being penpals?

Either way, I find the concept disturbing.  How about you?  Do you think they get you?

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Yesterday, Dell announced that its new Latitude XT2 XFR tablet laptop is shipping.  Claiming to be world’s thinnest for a 12.1” screen at a narrow 1.5”, the laptop/tablet comes ruggedized and ready for battle.  Designed for the rigors of first responders in the field, the price tag is a sharp $3599 for the base model.

Here we are just a week after the Windows 7 launch and Dell’s new tablet says it runs Vista with XP Tablet installed in the buy information, but the Tech Specs say Windows 7.  Trying to customize the device in Dell’s packages only lead to Windows Vista options.  Windows 7 doesn’t seem to have propagated to this release.  Odd for a new release huh?

The 12.1” LED screen is impact resistant, capacitive, sunlight viewable, and is mulit-touch enabled.  A resistive screen is an option as well.  Dell will have accessories that are hot-swappable such as GPS and webcam in the coming weeks.

“The Latitude XT2 XFR is more than a laptop, it’s a key part of our mobile command and data-center solutions for field service, defense and first-responder customers,” said Paul Bell, president, Dell Global Public-Sector Business. “These unique solutions, coupled with our service model, make those communities more effective, enabling them to focus on their core missions instead of managing technology.”

The announcement does not include a shipping date as it uses future-tense for its verbs.  Know a good lawyer?

Product Page: [Dell] Press release: [Dell]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

If you’ve been issued a laptop from your company, thoughts of how to turn this quasi-mobile device into a passable workstation immediately springs to mind.  Logitech answers the call with their MK605 Notebook Kit.  The kit includes some smart parts to make your in the office time a bit more bearable.

The Logitech kit includes a wireless keyboard, wireless mouse and notebook riser.  The wireless keyboard features a number pad for banging through spreadsheets, the mouse is classic M505 and the riser helps put the laptop or keyboard at angle more suitable.  The kit costs a manager-agreeable $99 and is available now.

Product page: [Logitech] via [Uncrate]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Welcome back to InterrupTech where we catch you up on the most important tech stories.  This week there’s plenty to cover:

• The Barnes & Noble Nook e-Reader gets official
• Windows 7 is here
• The Motorola Droid goes after the iPhone
• Apple updates the iMac, MacBook, and introduces the Magic Mouse
• RIM’s BlackBerry watch
• VW launches car via iPhone app
• Google’s music service

The best part about the show?  Topics move quickly, but if you don’t like a topic, just skip it.  Keep an eye on that timer to help you along.  Enjoy the show.

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Toshiba isn’t the new kid on the block when it comes to universal docking stations.  They’ve had several earlier versions out, to mostly favorable user reviews, and were rated the top online seller May-August of this year.*  Now, they’ve announced their latest tech brainchild, the newest dynadock wireless U universal docking station.

So, what does this one have?  It features wireless USB so you don’t have to worry about the pain of wires and and using a cable connection between your laptop, and the docking station.  It also offers an integrated digital audio card that provides 7.1 surround sound.  Two of the six USB 2.0 ports are the nifty front “Sleep-and-Change 1” variety, which allow users to power up devices even when the laptop is turned off.  That’s rather handy.  It also comes with a one touch dock/undock button.  This button is really nice since it makes sure that all of your peripherals are actually shut down correctly when undocking.  This prevents any outbursts, combined with a loss of data.

It gives you automatic connectivity, so there is no lag time.  You get an HD Digital Video card to connect to an additional VGA or DVI monitor (up to 1680x1050 resolution.)  It has bi-directional ISOCH support, support for USB speakers, audio, webcams, and microphones.  And what really makes this stand out from the current model is that it is offering beta drivers for Windows 7 for both the dynadock wireless U, as well as the dynadock U.

The new Toshiba dynadock wireless U universal docking station is now available at an MSRP of $299.99 at most major e-tailers and at toshibadirect.com.  It is also soon to be made available to major electronics and computer stores nationwide.  You can find out more information by checking out their site.

Product Page: [dynadock]

Full Story » | Written by Jodie Andrefski for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Acer has recently unveiled the AS5738PG, which is the latest model in the Aspire notebook lineup and also the companies first to offer multi-touch capabilities.

The Aspire AS5738PG is going to be sporting a 15.6-inch display with a 1366 x 768 resolution.  But a little more specifically, that display will be an “HD CineCrystal LED Backlit Multi-Touch” display and in turn the notebook will be able to take advantage of the touch functionality that will come along with Windows 7.

Other features of the Aspire AS5738PG include a 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, an 8x DVD-Super Multi optical drive and for graphics an ATI Radeon HD 4570 card with 512MB of dedicated DDR3 VRAM.  Additionally, you will also find a dedicated numeric keypad, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/draft-n, four USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI port, 6-cell battery and built-in stereo speakers with Dolby.

As I mentioned earlier in the post, the notebook will be running Windows 7, but more specifically it will be the 64-bit edition of Windows 7 Home Premium.  And as you would imagine due to the installed operating system, the AS5738PG is not going to be available immediately.  Instead those wanting to make a purchase will have to wait until October 22.  As far as pricing, expect to find a starting price of $799.99.

Keep reading to check out the full press release…

Launching with Windows 7, the new Aspire AS5738PG multi-touch screen notebook delivers incredible new functionality, high-performance features, and mobile entertainment

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 14, 2009 – Acer America, part of the world’s third largest PC company(1) today debuts its new Acer Aspire 5738PG notebook PC – the company’s first notebook with multi-touch screen capabilities that offer a natural and enhanced way to interact with the PC, applications and digital data.

The Acer Aspire 5738PG multi-touch screen notebook launches with Windows 7 Home Premium and will be available starting October 22 at select retailers.

The Acer Aspire 5738PG’s high-quality multi-touch screen display and Windows 7 multi-touch support makes entertainment and multimedia experiences more intuitive and interactive. As a result, customers can touch anywhere on the screen using one or two fingertips to play movies, zoom in and out on websites, edit photos and video, handwrite notes, resize windows, launch entertainment applications and more.

Also, customers can use the multi-touch screen for a variety of gestures directly on the screen for intuitive and accurate access and control. For example, customers can pinch inward or outward to zoom in and out of photos, flick the screen to turn the page and browse through media and documents, as well as swirl their finger for quick and simple navigation of lists.

“Customers will experience an incredible level of flexibility and control in the multi-touch screen interface, as it frees them to interact with their digital world in a way that is familiar yet also new and exciting,” said Ray Sawall, senior manager of product marketing for Acer America. “The Acer Aspire 5738PG’s multi-touch experience takes advantage of the many new capabilities in Windows 7 and provides incredibly powerful first-rate technology such as ATI Radeon graphics and an Intel Core 2 Duo processor.”

Sawall continued, “Until now, touch notebooks have been limited in capabilities and available only at a substantial price premium. The new Acer Aspire 5738PG changes all this with multi-touch screen capabilities and a price that is affordable for a wide range of customers.”

Impressive Mobile Theater Entertainment

More than the sum of its touch points, the Acer Aspire 5738PG notebook combines first-rate technologies that deliver excellent performance for mobile theater entertainment and mainstream games.

The display was designed to provide an extraordinary cinematic experience that is immersive and incredibly realistic. The vibrant HD display is a 16:9 widescreen size that’s ideal for enjoying movies and online entertainment. Plus, it’s LED-backlit, which reduces energy usage compared to traditional laptop displays. Along with the 1366×768-resolution, the LED-backlit display contributes to the display’s crisp clear visuals and is ideal for enjoying HD movies.  Plus, the touch-control is remarkably precise.

Complementing the HD display, the system’s Intel Core 2 Duo processor provides the horsepower to drive demanding applications with ease.  In addition the high-definition ATI Radeon HD 4570 Graphics with 512MB Dedicated DDR3 VRAM enhances imagery with vivid color and crisp detail. Dolby Home Theater Audio Enhancement with built-in speakers and 5.1-channel surround sound output bring these incredible visuals to life with vibrant crisp audio.

Technology and Extras for On-the-Go Productivity and Fun

Customers will have plenty of ways to access, store, share and enjoy their digital media files. The spacious 320GB hard drive can store a vast library of music, video, photos, spreadsheets and email. An integrated multi-in-one media reader enables connection to peripherals and electronic devices, while an HDMI port allows the system to support any PC, TV or other device with an HDMI port via a single cable.  The four USB 2.0 ports provide ample connections to peripherals and consumer electronics.

Staying in touch is fun and convenient with the notebook’s integrated 802.11a/b/g/Draft-N wireless technology and Gigabit Ethernet. The Acer Crystal Eye webcam enables high-quality video chats and VoIP with friends, family and work associates. It can also capture still pictures and videos for sharing with others.

Hardware and Design Enhance the Touch Experience

The overall multi-touch screen experience is further enhanced by giving customers more ways to interact with their notebook through the multi-gesture touchpad. Affording easy PC navigation, the new Aspire 5738PG’s multi-gesture touchpad lets users access their applications and media with the same sort of natural, intuitive gestures they can use on the touch screen, including pinch, flick and swirl. The convenient touchpad lock can be set to prevent unintended cursor movement.

The new Acer Aspire 5738PG multi-touch screen notebook also comes with helpful and easy-to-use one-touch buttons:  the Acer Backup Manager for backing-up important files and information, and the PowerSmart button for maximizing battery life. In addition, the notebook is Energy Star qualified.

Availability, Configurations and Pricing

The Acer Aspire AS5738PG-6306 notebook is the first model available in the line. It will be available for U.S. customers with Windows 7 Home Premium beginning Oct. 22 at leading retailers.  Specifications and pricing follow.

The Acer Aspire AS5738PG-6306 is available in Acer’s popular Gemstone Blue color.

Acer® Aspire AS5738PG-6306 Multi-Touch Screen Notebook PC

  · 15.6-Inch HD CineCrystal™ LED-Backlit Multi-Touch Screen Display (Widescreen 16.9 Aspect Ratio, 1366×768 Resolution)

  · Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

  · Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T6600 (2.2GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 800MHz FSB)

  · ATI Radeon™ HD 4570 Graphics with 512MB Dedicated DDR3 VRAM

  · 4GB DDR2 667MHz Dual Channel Memory

  · 320GB SATA Hard Drive(2)

  · 8X DVD-Super Multi Double-Layer Drive

  · Dedicated Numeric Keypad

  · Intel® Wireless WiFi Link 5100 802.11a/b/g/Draft-N Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ Network Connection, Featuring MIMO Technology, Supporting Acer SignalUp™ With Nplify™3, 4 Wireless Technology

  · Two Built-In Stereo Speakers With Dolby®10-Optimized Surround Sound System

  · Acer Crystal Eye Webcam With 640 x 480 Supporting Acer PrimaLite™ Technology

  · HDMI Port and Four USB 2.0 Ports

  · Energy Star

  · 6.16 lbs with 6-Cell Battery

  · MSRP: $799.99

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

The notebooks riding the Windows 7 train continues as we now have an announcement coming courtesy of Toshiba.  I should also point out that a few of these latest models from Toshiba will also have a touchscreen displays.

Touchscreen models

Lets begin with the new touchscreen display models, these are the Satellite M505 and the Satellite U505 notebooks, both of which feature widescreen TruBrite TFT touchscreen displays.  They M505 will have a 14-inch display and also be HD while the U505 is slightly smaller at 13.3-inches.  Other features of the new touchscreen Satellite notebooks include Windows 7 Home Premium, 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processors, Intel 4500MHD Graphics Media Accelerators, 4GB of RAM, 500GB hard drives, slot-loading SuperMulti DVD optical drives, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Ethernet, HDMI-CEC, two USB 2.0 ports, a combo eSATA/USB port, 6-cell batteries and more.

As far as pricing and availability for these two models, the M505 will be available on October 22 with prices starting at $949.99, and the U505 will come a little later on November 1 and have a starting price of $1,049.99.

Updated models

Moving on, Toshiba has also updated their existing models including the NB200 series netbooks as well as the Satellite U500, M500, A500, P500, L500 and T100 series notebooks.  These models include notebooks ranging in size from 13.3 up to 18.4-inches and are priced (starting) from $449.99 and going up to $799.99.  Additionally, the NB200 netbook series is priced from $399.99 with a 10.1-inch display.

Toshiba has also updated the Qosmio X500 series which are priced at $1,1449.99 and $1,899.99 for the 18.4-inch X505-Q830 and the 18.4-inch X50-Q850 respectively.

Finally, these latest notebook and netbook updates will be available beginning October 22, which is the same as the earlier mentioned Satellite M505 notebook.

Keep on reading to check out the full press release…

Toshiba Satellite, Qosmio Laptops and Netbooks to Feature Windows 7
Laptops to Meet Every Need and Budget Feature New Stylish Color Options and Latest Processors from Intel and AMD

IRVINE, Calif. – Oct. 14, 2009 – Toshiba’s Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced its line of Satellite and Qosmio consumer laptops will be available with Windows® 7 beginning October 22. The new line of versatile laptops, pre-installed with Windows 7, are designed to match every budget, with the latest processors and spacious storage, in a wide range of screen sizes and styled for every taste.
“From faster performance and extended battery life to simplified navigation and connectivity to new ways to share media, Windows 7 greatly enhances the PC experience,” said Carl Pinto, vice president of product development, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division. “With Windows 7 and our new laptops, people can get exactly what they want, innovations they can see and touch, at prices they can afford.”
Toshiba’s range of consumer laptops with Windows 7 Home Premium includes the following:
Compact and Stylish: Satellite® U500 Series
The Satellite U500 Series are not just lightweight, highly mobile laptops, they are a fashion statement. With a vivid 13.3-inch high-def diagonal widescreen display, a unique textured finish on the outside and impressive multimedia performance on the inside with dual-core Intel® processors, these ultraportables fuse function with style and travel well with great battery life and a starting weight of just 5 pounds. The Satellite U500 Series will be available in four color finishes to match your personal style – Luxe Red, White, Pink and Brown. A touch-screen model is also available. Pricing starts at $698.99 MSRP.
More information and detailed specifications about the Satellite U500 Series can be found at laptops.toshiba.com/thenewU500.
Multimedia on the Go: Satellite M500 Series
The Satellite M500 Series are versatile, upscale multimedia performance laptops for work and play for home users, students and mobile enthusiasts. With Toshiba’s Fusion™ Finish with Sonic Pattern in new Red Onyx and White Onyx finishes as well as the original Black Onyx, this laptop packages performance-class technology with a 14-inch diagonal high-def LED backlit display perfect for enjoying digital media and entertainment. A touch-screen configuration is also available. Pricing starts at $699.99 MSRP.
More information and detailed specifications about the Satellite M500 Series can be found at laptops.toshiba.com/thenewM500.
High Definition Entertainment: Satellite A500 Series
Perfect for home users and tech enthusiasts, the Satellite A500 Series are entertainment-packed performance laptops that combine performance-class processing with Toshiba’s latest design elements. The sleek Satellite A500 Series features a 16-inch diagonal widescreen HD Edge-to-Edge display on select models, harman/kardon® speakers, optional Blu-ray® disc players and Fusion Finish and high capacity hard drives. Intel® Core™ 2 Duo or AMD Turion™ II Ultra processor configurations and choices of integrated or discrete graphics are also available. Pricing starts at $589.99 MSRP.
More information and detailed specifications about the Satellite A500 Series can be found at laptops.toshiba.com/thenewA500.
Desktop Replacement: Satellite P500 Series
Featuring a brilliant 18.4-diagonal widescreen HD TruBrite™ display, the Satellite P500 Series is designed with digital media enthusiasts and mainstream PC gamers in mind. The premium Satellite P500 Series offers more than an ordinary laptop. Featuring harman/kardon speakers, as well as sleek slot-loading DVD drives and Edge-to-Edge displays in select models, this high-performance desktop replacement also incorporates powerful processing muscle with either Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Turion II processors, and choices of integrated or discrete graphics. Select models also include a Blu-ray disc player and/or illuminating LED backlit keyboard. Pricing starts at $799.99 MSRP.
More information and detailed specifications about the Satellite P500 Series can be found at laptops.toshiba.com/thenewP500.
Everyday Value: Satellite L500 Series
The Satellite L500 Series laptops are ideal for students, home users and anyone looking to enjoy digital media, staying productive, connecting online or casual gaming. Satellite L500 Series laptops are available with either a 14-, 15.6-, 16- and 17.3-inch diagonal display sizes and come equipped with powerful processor options from Intel and AMD, including the new Turion II and Athlon™ II, hard drives ranging from 250GB to 500GB and Toshiba’s popular Fusion Finish. Starting prices range from $504.99 to $579.99 MSRP.
More information and detailed specifications about the Satellite L500 Series can be found at laptops.toshiba.com/thenewL500.
Also to include Windows 7 Home Premium are Toshiba’s recently announced ultra-thin Satellite T100 Series laptops (starting at $449.99 MSRP1), which offer the performance, flexibility and functionality of a standard-sized laptop, yet in a highly portable package, and the recently announced enthusiast-class Qosmio® X500 Series line of performance laptops geared for high definition multimedia and gaming that feature the new Intel Core i7 processor and Blu-ray disc players.
Toshiba will offer the Qosmio X500 laptop in two configurations. The Qosmio X505-Q830 laptop features a stunning 18.4-inch HD TruBrite diagonal widescreen display with 1680 x 945 native resolution, a high-speed 7200RPM 320GB hard drive, 4GB of memory and is priced at $1,449.99 MSRP1. The Qosmio X505-Q850 laptop features an 18.4-inch HD TruBrite diagonal widescreen display with 1920 x 1080 native resolution, a dual hard drive configuration with a 64GB solid state drive and a high-speed 7200RPM 320GB hard drive, 6GB of memory and is priced at $1,899.99 MSRP.
Toshiba will also feature Windows 7 Starter on its popular line of netbooks.
Small in Hand, Big on Innovation: Toshiba mini NB200 Series
The follow-up to Toshiba’s award-winning, super-compact netbook is now available with Windows 7 Starter. The Toshiba mini NB205 will continue to feature a 10.1-inch diagonal widescreen display, full-sized keyboard, laptop-sized touchpad and nine-hour battery life. Toshiba will offer the mini NB205 in multiple configurations with either 160GB or 250GB hard drive configurations and a choice of five color finishes: Sable Brown, Frost White, Indigo Blue, Posh Pink and Onyx Black. Prices start at $399.99 MSRP.
More information and detailed specifications about the mini NB205 can be found at laptops.toshiba.com/thenewNB205.
Availability
The new Toshiba consumer laptops will be available at major retailers and direct from Toshiba on toshibadirect.com on October 22, 2009.

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

The details on the Nokia Booklet 3G have finally dropped and they are interesting to say the least.  The Intel Atom powered laptop will cost $299 if you get it with a two year contract from AT&T.  It will run Windows 7, has GPS, Nokia Ovi store access, Wi-Fi, and, as the name says, 3G.  Buying the computer outright will cost $599.  Even with its 16-cell battery (and 12 hour battery life), computers with better stats can be had. 

Randall Bennett, Clayton Morris, and I talked over the Nokia Booklet 3G.  Who exactly is this for and is this a good idea at all?

Read: [InformationWeek]
Watch More: [TechVi.com] http://techvi.com

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

HP is looking to give IT employees powerful laptops, yet portable and easy to bring around.  To do so, they have launched two new notebooks within their ProBook lineup each powerful enough to act like a desktop machine, yet are compact enough to bring around the office or to travel with.  No information on pricing or availability have been released at this time for either the 6445b or 6545b. 

The HP ProBook 6445b

The 5.3lb 14-inch 6445b notebook operates on the Windows Vista platform as well as the Windows 7 platform and can be upgraded to Windows 7 when Microsoft releases the OS later this month.  It can run on a powerful 2.4GHz AMD processor or a 2.0GHz AMD processor.  In terms of RAM, it allows for as little as 1GB or it can expand to fit 8GB of RAM, allowing it to be a simple machine or a very powerful one.  Remember 8GB of RAM is only powerful if the OS is the 64-bit version.  In terms of hard disk space, it can go from 160GB to a large 500GB.  The screen comes with an LED backlight, anti-glare technology, and a resolution of 1366 x 768.  For security, it comes with a fingerprint sensor among other measures, comes with a 2MP webcam for video conferencing, and a full-sized QWERTY keyboard.

The HP ProBook 6545b

One of the main differences between this model and the previous notebook is its larger screen, measuring in at 15.6-inches.  Since it has a larger screen, it weighs slightly more - 5.9 pounds.  Both models allow for the optional HP Mobile Gobi powered broadband access, but feature WLAN, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth for connectivity; it also uses HP’s native Connection Manager.  Again, it has the same support for operating systems (both variants of Windows 7 and Windows Vista) as well as support for the same AMD processors.  The dual channel DDR2 SDRAM RAM remains the same, it can go from 1GB to 8GB.  Hard drive storage is still 160GB, 250GB, 320GB, or 500GB at 7200RPM.  If the 1366 x 768 resolution 15.6-inch screen does not fit your needs, you can purchase the notebook with 1600 x 900 resolution, allowing for more screen real estate.  Furthermore, the machine houses a 2MP webcam and a full QWERTY keyboard. 

Unfortunately, there is no word on pricing or availability at this time.  Expect the HP ProBook 6545b to cost more than the ProBook 6445b. 

Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

HP is taking advantage of Windows 7’s built-in multi-touch support with its new TouchSmart tx2-1377nr tablet PC.  Here’s the rundown: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, fingerprint reader, it has a capacitive 12.1-inch touch screen that can take inputs from fingers and the included stylus and the screen can turn up to 180 degrees or be folded flat.  Inside, you’ll find an AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor RM-75, 320GB hard drive, 802.11b/g, ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics card and 4GB of RAM.  Like many new HP machines, the TouchSmart tx2 comes with a fancy pattern that HP calls the “HP Reaction Imprint finish.”  It weighs 4.65 pounds and starts at $799.99.

Company Site: [HP.com]

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Compaq’s got a new Windows 7 laptop called the CQ61-310US.  It’s got a big 15.6-inch screen with a 1366 x 768 resolution, 2GB of RAM, 802.11b/g, an AMD Sempron Processor, ATI Radeon HD 4200 Graphics card, and, of course, Windows 7 in the Home Premium 64-bit flavor.  While a major new trend in notebooks has been thin, light, and cheap - the CQ61 is a bit bulky at 5.9 pounds, but starts at only $399.99.  Its styling is a bit on the conservative side with a black and silver look, but is far from ugly. 

Company Site: [Compaq]

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It is beneficial to purchase electronics whenever good deals are available, therefore it is important to search the web for the best possible deal on that new laptop, or HDTV.  But don’t worry, we did the search for you.  Today, Gadgetell has a few deals ranging from laptops, video games, HDTVs, to an Electricity Usage Monitor. 

Acer Laptop

The first deal for this weekend is the Acer AS1410 11.6-inch notebook PC on sale for $429 with free shipping.  The notebook can be purchased from BuyDig and ships within 1-2 business days.  In terms of RAM, it sports 2GB DDR2 SDRAM, features a 250GB 5400RPM hard drive, 11.6 inch LED screen, Intel Core 2 Solo Processor, and operates on Windows Vista Home Premium.  It is available in a Sapphire Blue color. 

HP Laptop

The second laptop deal for today is the HP HDX 18t laptop series, which sells from HP.com.  It normally sells for $1450, but comes with a $550 off coupon code which brings the price down to $899.  The laptop features 4GB SDRAM, 500GB hard drive, webcam, microphone, fingerprint reader, an 18.4 inch HD screen, Blu-ray player, and a one year warranty.  In order to receive the $550 off, enter in NBT548571 at the checkout.  Be warned that the promotion may end at any time.

Fallout 3: Game of The Year Edition

Our video game deal for today is Fallout 3: Game of The Year Edition, which is available for pre-order on Amazon.  The Xbox 360 game has a list price of $59.99, but it is on sale for $43.  It will officially be available on October 13. 

Panasonic HDTV

Our HDTV deal comes from TigerDirect and it is the Panasonic TCP46U1 Viera 46” Plasma HDTV.  It normally sells for $1,199.99, but it is on sale for $799 after $400 instant savings, however, shipping and handling costs $99.  The 46 inch HDTV features full 1080p resolution.  It will continue to be available for this price until supplies run out. 

Electricity Usage Monitor

Our last deal for today is the P3 International Kill A Watt, from SuperMediaStore.  As the name implies, it helps reduce your electricity bills because it identifies electronics that use a lot of energy even when the device is powered off.  Knowing which outlets are still being used even when the device is powered off will reduce your bill, since you will be able to unplug it.  Normally $30, it is on sale for $19.  Supermediastore offers free shipping if you purchase $25 worth of goods. 

Please visit again next week for more deals in technology!

Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

The Latitude Z from Dell is the first laptop to offer the ability to charge the computer without the use of a power cord.  Instead, you will place the notebook on a special stand that creates an inductive charging field.  Dell’s engineering department described the science behind the wireless charging similar to the technologies used for cordless toothbrushes and electric shavers. 

The charger will recharge the battery for the Latitude Z at the same speed as a traditional power cord and is said to not affect other electronic devices.  Additionally, an optional wireless docking station will be available through Dell.  Audio jacks and USB cables can be connected through the station.  As long as the Latitude Z is within 9 feet of the station, it can wirelessly access the devices connected to it. 

Other features of the Latitude Z include the new Latitude On, a secondary motherboard within the notebook that has an ARM processor, graphics card and Wi-Fi chip.  The notebook weighs only 4.5 pounds and is only 0.5-inches thick.

The charging stand will add on an extra $199 to the price and the docking station will also cost $199.  The base price for the Dell Latitude Z is $1999.

Read: [Computerworld]

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With Windows 7 around the corner, there are a lot of announcements of new PCs.  Check out the new Toshiba Satellite T100 Series.  These notebooks will start at 3.49 pounds and use the Intel ultra-low voltage processors which means better battery life as Toshiba claims about 9 hours.  One of the nicer trends in notebooks has been lowering the weight while keeping some style in the design. 

Toshiba’s Satellite T100 series comes in red and black (one has the color option of white as well).  Each color has a carbon fiber like design if you like that kind of thing. 

Both have WIndows 7, multi-touch trackpads, HDMI port out, 5-in-1 memory card reader, 802.11 b/g/n and 10/100 Ethernet, and webcam with face recognition.

Here’s the breakdown on the line:

T135

• 13.3-inch screen
• 3.88 pounds
• 9 hours battery life using 6 cell battery
• Bluetooth
• $599.99 MSRP
• Colors: red, white, and black

T115

• 11.6-inch screen
• 3.49 pounds
• 9 hours of battery life with 6 cell battery
• $449.99 MSRP
• Colors: red and black

Product Page: [Toshiba Satellite T100]

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The MSI Wind, a favorite for Hackintosh enthusiasts, has a new model out called the Wind U110 ECO.  MSI touts the battery life at over 15 hours on a 9-cell battery.  The specs are pretty much what you expect out of a netbook these days: Intel Atom processor (1.60GHz), 10-inch display at 1024 x 600 resolution, webcam, and a 160GB hard drive.  This model has 802.11 b/g/n for Wi-Fi, so you can get some nice speeds on this machine if you have a N router.  At 3.2 pounds and 1.24-inches at its thickest point, this netbook stays on the thin and light side even with the 9-cell battery.  The Wind U110 ECO costs $429.99 and comes in any color you want as long as that color is silver. 

Company Site: [MSI US]

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Welcome back to InterrupTech where we catch you up on the most important tech stories.  This week there’s plenty to cover:

• HP’s new Envy13 and Envy15 are here.
• HP’s not-a-tablet HP DreamScreen.
• All HP news at Gadgetell.com.
• Kindle book outsells hardcover.
• Facebook tops 300 million users and will be profitable soon.
• Microsoft drops the ball on the Zune again.
• Android gaining some steam in the tech world.

The best part about the show?  Topics move quickly, but if you don’t like a topic, just skip it.  Keep an eye on that timer to help you along.  Enjoy the show.

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

The New York Office of the Attorney General has announced Dell will pay $4 million to settle a lawsuit the AG filed against it back in 2007.  The suit accused Dell of misleading customers by making false promises of cheap financing and refusing to honor rebates and warranties.  In May of last year, the New York State Supreme Court found the company guilty of fraud, false advertising, abusive debt collection practices, and deceptive business practices.

Along with the settlement, Dell is required to disclose detailed information about the level of service their customers will receive and the percentage of customers that qualify for low cost financing.

“Today’s announcement is the final step in ensuring New Yorkers harmed by Dell’s deceptive and illegal business practices are fully compensated,” said Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo said in a statement announcing the settlement.

If you are a New York resident you can go online to the AG’s website and file an application for restitution.

Read [PCWorld]

Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

HP is pushing the limits on what a “mini” is with an 11.6-inch HD screen on the Mini 311, but it’s a looker.  Additionally, HP has built a budget and style conscious laptop called the Pavilion DM3 that goes for under $600 and it’s under 1-inch thick and weighs only 4.2 pounds.  How do these new notebooks look in real life?  Take a look.

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

HP introduced the HP Mini 110 designed by Studio Tord Boontje to go after the fashion conscious (and budget conscious) netbook user.  On the other side, HP also introduced the ProBook 5130m, a laptop designed for the very mobile business person.  Take a look at these laptops getting manhandled by Gadgetell.

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

We got a chance to check out the HP Envy13 and Envy15.  They’re slick machines, but a picture is worth a thousand words, so check them out.  If you want to know more about the HP Envy13 and Envy 15 click through. 

• Say Hello to HP’s Envy13
• The Intel Core i7-powered HP Envy15 has arrived

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

The rumors are true, there are actually two HP Envy computers coming out.  The first one is the HP Envy13.  The “Voodoo” name is gone due to branding to the international market.  Like its predecessor, this Envy is thin at 0.8-inches and light at 3.74 pounds.  While light, battery life is claimed to be up to 7 hours with its user-replaceable battery. 

Battery life can be brought up to 18 hours using the Envy’s slice battery.  The battery is the size of the bottom of the laptop and is pretty thin.  It latches onto the bottom of the device adding a little heft, but it’s probably worth it. 

What else did HP cram into this thing?  A very, very bright screen at 400 nits, compare that to a MacBook Pro at around 250 nits (nits being a measure of brightness).  There is also a glass trackpad that supports gestures.  HP even teamed with Monster to bring Beats audio to the Envy. 

There is no internal optical drive, but HP will be offering the slice battery and a USB powered Blu-ray drive as a package for about $200.  The 13.1-inch display is available in two resolutions: 1366 x 768 and an optional “HD+” resolution at 1600 x 900.  Both displays are of the glossy variety, no anti-glare here. 

The Envy 13 will be using an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and will have an ATI 4330 with 512MB of video RAM.  The starting cost?  $1699.  Also interesting is that HP will package the Envy line in special black boxes to give the unboxing experience a premium feel.  There will be minimal paper documentation as the Envy line comes with one sheet of paper and a SD card with full documentation. 

Selected Specs:
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo Processor SL9400
• Memory: 3072MB DDR3 System Memory (1 Dimm), Max supported =5120MB
• Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 Graphics M92LP with up to 1757MB total graphics memory with 512MB dedicated
• External 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 connector)
• 2-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader for Secure Digital cards &  MultiMedia cards
• HDMI Out
• 2 USB 2.0 ports

Company Site: [HP.com]

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HP is calling its newest business machine the “world’s thinnest full-performance notebook.”  Why do they use that tag line?  It’s the thinnest standard-voltage notebook measured at its thickest point.  The ProBook 5310m has an Intel Core 2 Duo SP9300 (2.26 GHz) processor.  If you choose, you can get an Intel Celeron SU2300 (1.20GHz).  Battery life is somewhere between 6 and 7 hours.  You get more battery life with the Celeron.  HP chose to put in a display port into this notebook since it is more versatile than placing a HDMI port.  There’s a 13.3-inch LED backlit LCD display at a resolution of 1366 x 768. 

Since this is HP’s business machine, there is an anti-glare option, as well as HP QuickLook 3 which gives you access to your Outlook calendar, and QuickWeb browser.  QuickLook and QuickWeb are accessible via dedicated buttons on the right of the keyboard - they allow you quick access to apps without needing to boot up a full operating system.  There is a 4 cell battery as well as a 6 cell battery option. 

After handling this particular laptop, it seems like a winner.  The black brushed aluminum case along with a rubberized bottom case make the 5310m seem sturdy and hard to drop.  The HP ProBook 5310m starts at $699. 

Selected Specs:
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo SP9300 (2.26 GHz, 6 MB L2 cache)  or Intel Celeron SU2300 (1.20 GHz, 1 MB L2 cache)
• Memory: DDR3 SDRAM, 1333 MHz (running at 1066 MHz), one slot supporting 1024/2048/4096 MB SODIMM
• Graphics: Mobile Intel GMA 4500MHD
• Networking: 802.11a/b/g/n, 10/100/1000 NIC
• Secure Digital slot: supports SD (Secure Digital), MMC (MultiMedia Card)
• Connectors: 3 USB 2.0 ports (1 powered), DisplayPort, power connector, RJ-45/Ethernet,  combo stereo headphone/mic jack

Company Site: [HP.com]

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Vivian Tam has company.  HP has just introduced a brand new fashion netbook, this time designed by Studio Tord Boontje.  The pattern is applied in multiple layers - the more you look, the more you see.  HP calls it “HP Imprint 3D” and the “industry’s first three-dimensional surface technology.”  It’s actually a pretty cool effect.  Think of the old Apple iBooks with the clear shell with a pattern on the case, a pattern on the inside of the plastic, and a pattern on the front of the plastic shell and you can sort of picture the HP Imprint 3D.  What’s the pattern?  A design of of plant life and endangered animals is on this white-on-white artwork.  There are also 15 wallpapers included designed by Tord Boontje.  The Vivian Tam HP was criticized for a high price tag.  That won’t happen here.  The HP Mini 110 by Studio Tord Boontje will start at $399.  There will also be a line of companion mice and bags to match the design. 

Company Site: [HP.com]

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How’s this for a set of specs?  An 11.6-inch display with 1366 x 768 resolution powered by NVIDIA ION, HDMI out, 3.22 pounds, 1.60 GHz Intel Atom, 1GB of DDR3 RAM, and 6 hours of battery life at $399.  Sounds pretty good to me.  The downsides: this netbook still can’t handle streaming HD video, there is no wireless n (only b/g), some crapware is preinstalled like AOL Portal and MSN Toolbar.  Then again, at that price, it’s hard to complain. 

Selected Specs:
• Processor: Intel Atom Processor N720
• Memory: 1024MB DDR3 System Memory (1 Dimm), Max supported = 3072MB
• Graphics: NVIDIA ION LE for Windows XP with up to 319MB total graphics memory
• Networking: 802.11b/g, 10/100 NIC
• Card reader: 5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader for Secure Digital cards, MultiMedia cards, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, or xD Picture cards
• Connectors: 3 USB 2.0 ports, HDMI, 1 VGA (15-pin), RJ -45 (LAN)

Company Site: [HP.com]

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There were plenty of rumors about this laptop, but here’s the official word.  The HP Envy15 is the big brother to the HP Envy13.  What separates this from its little brother?  The HP Envy15 has an Intel Core i7 Processor and can support up to 16GB of DDR3 RAM.  It’s also 1-inch thick and weighs 5.18 pounds.  This is a monster of a laptop packed into a thin package.

Like the Envy13, there is no internal optical drive.  However, there are 2 hard drives, 1GB of VRAM, and the LED backlit LCD display has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 so you can watch full HD video on this thing.  The case is all aluminum and magnesium.  The VGA webcam that is built in has IR projectors so if there is low light, the IRs will blast you so the camera can see you.  It’s like night vision.

The Envy15 also can use a slice battery, although not the same one as the Envy13.  Style-wise, the case is aluminum and laser etched.  There is only one pattern so far, but expect a transition in color next year. 

What’s this going to cost?  The Envy15 starts at $1799.  HP will package the Envy line in special black boxes to give the unboxing experience a premium feel.  There will be minimal paper documentation as the Envy line comes with one sheet of paper and a SD card with full documentation.

Company Site: [HP.com]

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At $549, the Pavilion DM3 could easily be a bulky and unstylish machine, but it’s not.  HP made a sub-$600 notebook under 1-inch thick and it weighs only 4.2 pounds.  There are two processor options: the Intel Pentium SU4100 (1.30 GHz) and the AMD Athlon Neo X2 (1.60 GHz).  The Intel version costs a little more at $649, but offers up to 10 hours of battery life.  The AMD version costs less at $549, but gets around 6 hours of battery life.  Neither one will have an internal optical drive. 

Selected Specs: AMD version
• Processor: AMD Athlon Neo X2 Dual-Core Processor for Ultrathin Notebooks L335
• Memory: 4096MB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• Graphics: ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics with 128MB Display Cache Memory AMD M780G with 64MB GDDR2 (sideport memory) with up to 1982MB total graphics memory
• Networking: 802.11a/b/g/n, 10/100 NIC
• Card reader: 5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader for Secure Digital cards, MultiMedia cards, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, or xD Picture cards
• Connectors: 4 USB 2.0 ports, 1 Headphone out, 1 microphone-in, HDMI, 1 VGA (15-pin), RJ -45 (LAN)

Selected Specs: Intel version
• Processor: Intel Pentium Processor SU4100, 1.30GHz
• Memory: 4096MB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• Graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD (shared) with up to 1695MB total available graphics memory
• Networking: Intel WiFi Link 5100AGN, 10/100 NIC
• Card reader: 5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader for Secure Digital cards, MultiMedia cards, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, or xD Picture cards
• Connectors: 4 USB 2.0 ports, 1 Headphone out, 1 microphone-in, HDMI, 1 VGA (15-pin), RJ -45 (LAN)

Company Site: [HP.com]

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Making sure to avoid getting buried by the Apple (presumably iPod) announcement tomorrow, Dell today announced a number of new computers.  The new machines come in the form of a new desktop with options for Intel Core i5s or Core i7s and two new slim laptops.

Dell’s new desktops

To start, the new desktop is the Dell Studio XPS 8000, and even with the standard feature set it is fairly impressive for a gaming, home theater or image/video editing PC.  The Dell Studio XPS 8000 starts at $799 with an Intel Core i7, 4 GB of RAM, integrated 7.1 surround sound, and an ATI Radeon HD 4350 512MB, which isn’t bad at all.  Upgrades include the aforementioned Core i7, up to a monstrous 16 GB of RAM, and Blu-ray read-only or burnable drive.  Looks to be a good deal no matter what the specs.

New Inspirons, too

The two new “ultra-slim” laptops come in the form of the Inspiron 14z and 15z.  Both are using Intel’s Utra-Low Voltage (ULV) to provide lots of battery life, to the tune of 4 or 8 hours from 4 and 8 cell batteries, respectively.  They each feature Intel Core 2 Solo, Core 2, or Core 2 Duo processors, and, unlike the Inspiron 11z, both the 14z and 15z have a DVD-drive.  Aside from the ULV technology and the reduced size (each stand at less than 1 inch thick when closed), they are pretty much the same as the Inspiron 14 and 15, though the added battery life may be worth the extra money.

Hold your horses?

The new computers are definitely nice machines, but it might be worth it to hold off on buying them for at least a month and a half.  At this point, with Windows 7 looming at the end of next month, buying a PC right now is probably not worth the hassle of installing the new OS.  Unless you really need a new computer of laptop right now, just hold off on these until they have 7 instead of Vista pre-installed.  Or, of course, there’s always a Snow Leopard installed Mac.

Read (laptops) [Virtual Press Office]
Read (desktop) [Virtual Press Office]

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Asus just dropped the new UL Series of laptops with a 1.3GHz dual-core processor that is a Intel Consumer Ultra Low Voltage processor.  Why is that good news?  Increased battery life—Asus is claiming up to 12 hours of battery life in their new UL series.  While battery life hardly ever matches manufacturer’s claims, a battery at 1/2 that life is still pretty good. 

The UL Series also is thin and light at under 1 inch thick and weighs 3 pounds in a brushed aluminum chassis.  Asus also threw in the ability to switch between an integrated graphics card and a dedicated one to keep battery life up.  Unfortunately, Asus did not release the price and lists the availability as “soon.” 

Company Site: [Asus]

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HP looks to be the first manufacturer to use the new Intel Mobile Core i7 CPU.  In a pair of leaks from the company, we now know that not only is HP looking at the core i7, but is also working on a Consumer Ultra Low Voltage (CULV) laptop, a new Compaq netbook, and finally a new Voodoo laptop.

The biggest laptop of the leaks is the HP Pavilion dv8, which will come equipped with the mobile Core i7.  The 18.1-inch laptop will serve as a desktop replacement, and have the CPU clocked at 1.6 GHz when using all 4 cores, or 2.8 GHz when using only 2 cores.  It’s expected that the laptop will come with 4 GB of RAM, a Blu-ray drive, and 640 GB of storage.  It would make sense for the dv8 to have more available storage and RAM, but just having the mobile Core i7 makes it impressive.

For the CULV laptops, there appears to be the dm2 and dm3 (pictured), both of which will feature 11.6-inch screens and 1.2 GHz processors.  They’ll likely come with prices and specs that place them just above netbooks.  The new Compaq netbook looks to stand at 11.6 inches for the screen, with nearly standard netbook specs with the added bonus of NVIDIA’s Ion LE netbook graphics chip.  Not much is known about the new Voodoo laptop, the Envy 15, but it will most likely be similar to the Envy 133, have better specs, a 15-inch screen, and probably still drool-worthy.

Keep in mind that these leaks are always subject to change.  That doesn’t make them any less interesting, but it’s possible that these machines could change between now and the time they’re released.  Hopefully by then HP will make a mobile Core i7 laptop that isn’t ginormous.

Read [Electronista]

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Yesterday, Sony launched their new marketing slogan: Make. Believe.  The idea is whatever you can think up, Sony can make.  The products the company showed off yesterday show some of this idea while some were classic old Sony.

Xperia 2: Miss

Sony launched the Xperia 2.  You’ll remember the oohs and aahs from the Xperia one that took forever to launch and then finally did to little fanfare.  The 2 will run at $1000 unsubsidized and runs Windows Mobile 6.5 (so we won’t see it before October 6th for sure).  The phone features a familiar slide out keyboard 480x800 touchscreen and 8.1mp camera with autofocus.  All the right answers but nothing outstanding.

Vaio X: Hit

At IFA, Sony showed off a few interesting things, chief among them was the ultra slim Sony Vaio X.  Adorned with sexy carbon fiber, the Vaio X weighs in at under 1.5 lbs and is expected to be powered by an Atom chip and have unprecedented battery life (Sony says, “all day and all night battery life”).  There are very few specs on this, other than it looks hot, but the price is sure to be the buzzkill.

TX1 Cybershot: meh

Sony also showed off their latest TX1 Cybershot camera.  The TX1 features a one-touch automatic panorama mode as well as low-light sensitivity.  This one was announced last month and was waved about on stage showing off how proud Sony is of the panorama mode.

Thankfully Sir Stringer, Sony CEO spoke about 3D and fulfilled the expectation that Sony is getting more than knee deep in the game.  You can read all about it here.

Stay tuned to Gadgetell for more IFA coverage.

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