Archos is throwing the keyboard out the window for its new netbook, the Archos 9 PCtablet. The 9-inch screen is touch sensitive, so all typing is done on onscreeen. The design allows this netbook to weigh under 2 pounds, and it's only 0.63 inches thick.
It's not just about what's on the outside, though. The Archos 9 uses the new Intel Atom Z515 processor, boasts a 60GB or 120GB hard drive, has built-in Bluetooth, and features two antennas to receive DVBT TV with diversity reception. As a final bonus, this model comes standard with Microsoft Windows 7.
Look for the PCtablet to ship this fall; no pricing information has been announced as yet.
Budget PC manufacturer eMachines has released a new all-white budget desktop in a mini-tower form factor, priced from $299 to $449. The computers come with a matching white-trim keyboard and LCD monitor with a 1366x768 resolution. There are three models in the line, from the cheapest ET1810-01 to the most expensive ET1300-02. As for computing power in these sleek desktops, these are exactly the type of computers that eMachines is known for. Expect budget performance and affordable prices.
While some consumer notebooks attempt to attract the eye, Lenovo's business-oriented ThinkPads take a more austere, simple approach.
But in all notebooks, there's some serious design decisions made under the radar, that consumers and other customers don't necessarily see. In a blog post, David Hill, Lenovo's vice president of corporate identity and design, explained the evolution of one decision: a revision of the keyboard layout in the new T400s.
Hill and Lenovo installed keyboard loggers (with permission) in a dozen or so keyboards within Lenovo, to gain a better understanding of what users hit what keys, and with what frequency. (Hill notes that one unscientific way to understand this is to simply look at your keyboard at an angle -- the most frequently-used keys will be polished, whereas others, such as the '~', or tilde key, appear rougher.)
Acer's AspireRevo nettop and the Sony Vaio NW series notebooks will each use the DeviceVM SplashTop software, DeviceVM said Tuesday.
SplashTop is a quick-boot Linux shell that quickly allows access to surf the Web upon booting up. its higher-profile rival is probably Phoenix Technologies' HyperSpace, which allows Web surfing as well as multimedia and basic office applications, and has won design wins with Acer, among others.SpalshTop's counter to this is an argument that you can do all this within the browser.
DeviceVM claims that millions of PCs already ship with SplashTop installed; a list may be found here.
NPD today released a report stating that some 60-percent of consumers who have purchased a netbook assumed that the smaller, cheaper devices would have the same functionality as standard notebooks. In their defense, the category as it's defined now is a relatively new one--and a fairly nebulous one. Also, netbook and notebook do sound kind of similar.
Naturally the confusion has led to some unhappy customers. Fifty-eight percent of those who picked up a netbook in the place of a notebook claim to be happy with the choice. NPD VP Stephen Baker had this to say about the confusion,
There is a serious risk of cannibalization in the notebook market that could cause a real threat to netbooks' success. Retailers and manufacturers can't put too much emphasis on PC-like capabilities and general features that could convince consumers that a netbook is a replacement for a notebook. Instead, they should be marketing mobility, portability, and the need for a companion PC to ensure consumers know what they are buying and are more satisfied with their purchases
Today Toshiba released their latest flock of external USB hard drives to the market. Targeted at complete backup, the 500GB ($149.99 MSRP) and 320GB ($119.99 MSRP) capacity drives have the space for the files on your laptop or desktop.
The Toshiba Portable Hard Drives come with both Mac and Windows software, including a Drive Space Alert that tells you that your drive is getting full, and 256-bit software based encryption. The drives come with NTI Backup Now EZ for Windows PCs, which can either backup the whole hard drive for disaster recovery, or can be set to search for and backup just your personal files (Outlook, photos, videos, etc.) which is quicker. The drives come with NTI Shadow 4 for Mac, which can search for and backup files. Toshiba's hard drives support Time Machine built into Mac OS X 10.5+ for total backup.
The drives are available today from www.toshibadirect.com and through major retailers and online outlets. The drives are available in an array of color choices, such as Vivid White, Liquid Blue, Komodo Green and Rocket Red.
Verizon on Monday unveiled faster pricing tiers for its FiOS Internet service and announced a promotion that will provide new residential customers with the choice of a free netbook or Flip camcorder.
The company will bump its entry-level, fiber-optic FiOS service from 10 Mbits/s download and 2 Mbits/s upload speeds to 15-Mbits/5 Mbits. Mid-tier speeds will also jump from 20-Mbits/5-Mbits to 25-Mbits/15-Mbits, Verizon said.
For unbundled FiOS Internet service, an annual plan for the 15-Mbits/5 Mbits service will cost $44.99 per month, and a month-to-month plan will cost $54.99. For 25-Mbits/15-Mbits, an annual plan will be $64.99 per month and a month-to-month option will cost $72.99 per month.
In Long Island and the New York City suburbs, entry-level service will be available for 25-Mbits/15-Mbits and mid-tier will have speeds up to 35-Mbits/20-Mbits. To receive 35-Mbits/20-Mbits, however, cutomers must subscribe to a $109.99 per month bundle that also includes FiOS TV Extreme HD plus Showtime, and Freedom Essentials voice service.
To pull customers away from cable to FiOS, Verizon will be offering a free Compaq Mini netbook or Flip Ultra camcorder to customers who subscribe to certain pricing tiers and bundles.
Power users running low on desktop space now have some breathing room with the introduction of AVADirect.com and GTR Tech's small form factor GT3 case. Despite its smaller size, the case uses the full ATX form factor, ensuring compatibility with a majority of motherboards and components. The case will take up only 25% of the footprint of mid-tower computer cases and will be substantially easier to transport, AVADirect.com said. In addition, the company will be selling full systems based on the new case, as well as the case itself, on their website.
Though the GT3 might be the first full ATX case in a small form factor, Falcon Northwest also offers a small, turbo-charged gaming PC running in a microATX case. Those looking for the smallest case regardless of price would do well to take a look at Falcon's offering, but if you just want something smaller than you're used to without sacrificing compatibility, the GT3 might be the best choice. For gamers looking for a little bit more space and portability, the GT3 is available for your next LAN party for $179.20 (chassis only).
Call it "Baby's First Laptop." Disney's branded netbooks are kid-proof and kid-friendly, and pack plenty of power to boot. Also known as the ASUS MK90 and MK90H, these "Netpals" are rugged and durable with a spill-proof keyboard and ShockShield protection that should save data in a fall. More importantly, parents can be confident that their children will be safe, with more than 40 robust parental control options.
The systems come in Princess Pink and Magic Blue and offer customizable themes that kids can set to their favorite Disney films and characters, including Club Penguin, WALL-E, Hannah Montana, and JONAS. The netbooks also come with a sizable software bundle, including Disney-branded media-management software (Disney Mix), photo software (Disney Pix), games, widgets, and more, that all launch from the Disney Magic Desktop.
Intel Core i7 processor, X58 chipset, 6 gigs of memory, and an Nvidia GTX 280M... Anyone want to play Crysis?
This is no desktop mash-up I'm talking about, but a 17-inch laptop. CyberPower announced today the release of its latest gaming computer, the Xplorer X7-Xtreme. This notebook is one of the first, alongside Falcon Northwest and other custom computer builders, to feature an Intel Core i7.
Some bonus features of the Xtreme S1 are a Blu-ray player, HDMI port, and 3.1-megapixel Webcam. The computer comes preloaded with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium. CyberPower offers further customizable options than the base configuration specs listed above.
Students will soon have a more energy-efficient way to play Oregon Trail and Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing with the release of the Tangent VITA LT, an all-in-one "green" PC that costs less than $1,000 and is aimed at the education market. The VITA LT uses Intel's Atom N270 processor, commonly found in netbooks, to draw up to 72 percent less energy than standard Energy Star 4.0-compliant PCs.
For a sub-$1,000 all-in-one, it's loaded with perks for class projects, including a 18.5-inch touchscreen display, a 4-in-1 media card reader, an integrated webcam, and built-in wireless. In addition, the computer is 1.4 inches thick and seems to be taking style tips from Apple (which is never a bad idea).
Tangent's emphasis with the VITA LT is to provide a client for their virtual desktop infrastructure solution, which allows students (or employees) to take their desktop with them over a network, regardless of what computer they're on. This type of application doesn't require the latest and greatest in processing power, so it makes sense to power it with an Atom-based machine. The decrease in energy consumption is a definite plus too.
Apple did a pretty a good job of talking up those new MacBook Pros during last week's WWDC keynote presentation. There's one new spec the company didn't mention, however: The computers' SATA interface. According to a number of folks who picked up the new laptops, the company has bumped the SATA Interface from 3GB to 1.5GB on the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros.
The SATA interface on the 17-inch MacBook Pro and 13-inch MacBook Air remains at 3GB. As Mac Rumors points out, users aren't likely to see much of a difference in performance unless they upgrade to a Solid State Drive.
A couple of weeks ago, troubled Mac clone maker Psystar filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Now, as part of the filing in Florida, federal court documents have revealed that Psystar owes Apple $75,000.
Computerworld notes that under "Schedule F -- Creditors Holding Unsecured Nonpriority Claims," Psystar listed Apple Inc., said it owed $75,000, and also had the phrase "Litigation Pending" in the section where Psystar was to provide "consideration for claim."
There's no word yet on what the money is for, and an Apple spokesperson had declined to comment on the matter. But the article points out that Psystar has long claimed it purchased legitimate copies of OS X from Apple for each of the computers it had sold. It's possible that some or all of that money has to do with retail copies of OS X (since Apple quit licensing its operating system directly to clone makers over a decade ago).
How many laptops have border officials searched at U.S. borders? The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) wants to know.
The group filed a freedom of information (FOIA) request with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Homeland Security Department requesting any and all records dating back to January 1, 2007.
"Disclosure of the requested information ... will further public understanding of the government's expansive exercise of search authority over all travelers, including U.S. citizens, passing through the country's international borders," the letter reads.
"These searches implicate core Fourth Amendment interests, because they involve highly intrusive governmental probing into a traveler's most private information," it continued. "They also implicate the First Amendment, because searching or retaining a traveler's 'information' - especially the vast stores of information contained in a laptop or other electronic device - risks chilling the free exchange of ideas."
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