The Notebook Arena

Kohjinsha PA series gets unboxed, looks kind of hardcore

2009-11-11T16:12:00.003-02:00

Kohjinsha PA series gets unboxed, looks kind of hardcore

It's sort of difficult for us to say what exactly the Kohjinsha PA is. Part UMPC, part MID and part tablet PC, this mishmash has captivated us for quite some time, and while we were able to spend a few brief moments with it at CEATEC, the crew over at Pocketables was able to snag a shipping unit to unbox. They begin by noting that this thing is far from stylish, and while the hinge is ~~almost~~ laughably large, there's something subtly satisfying about just how chunky it looks. Hit the read link to see if you agree -- it's cool if you don't, you're only hurting feelings.

(Via Engadget Tablets.)

Asus Eee PC 1101HA-WP 11.6-inch Netbook

2009-11-11T16:12:00.001-02:00

Asus Eee PC 1101HA-WP 11.6-inch Netbook

Asus is ready to release their latest Eee PC netbook in the form of the Asus Eee PC 1101HA-WP. Available in black or white colors, the 11.6-inch netbook is powered by an Intel Atom Z520 processor with a 2GB RAM, a 250GB hard drive, an Intel GMA 500 graphcis chipset, and Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium edition as its operating system. Its battery provides up to up to 8-hours of operating time. The new Asus Eee PC 1101HA-WP is priced at $610 (after conversion).

[Impress]

Haleron Releases 7-Inch MIO Smartbook

2009-11-11T16:11:00.005-02:00

Haleron Releases 7-Inch MIO Smartbook

Haleron has added a new smartbook to its range by releasing the MIO. This compact system is powered by a VIA ARM 266MHz processor and sports a 7-inch display, a 128MB RAM, a 1GB hard drive, WiFi, an optional 3G USB modem, 3 USB ports, an SD card reader, a 6-hour battery and runs on Windows CE 6.0 OS. The MIO Smartbook retails for $189.

(Via Laptop Notebook News.)

Adesun AD-708 tablet

2009-11-11T16:11:00.001-02:00

Adesun AD-708 tablet

Adesun's latest AD-708 tablet will be based on the x86 architecture with Windows XP as the operating system of choice. This 7' device will play nice with Windows Vista and Linux OS as well if that's your cup of tea, although it would surely be pushing the processor to its limits. The basic model comes with 512MB RAM, an 8GB SSD and a 3200mAh battery, while the deluxe model has double the RAM, SSD capacity and battery, boasting an integrated SD memory card slot and a GPS receiver. Shared specifications comprise of a 7' 800 x 480 WVGA touchscreen display, Bluetooth 2.0 and Wi-Fi 802.11b/g connectivity, a G-sensor, a couple of USB 2.0 ports and a VGA port. Prices for the basic and deluxe models stand at around $293 and $441, respectively.

(Via UberGizmo, the Gadgets News Blog.)

HP Envy 15 unboxing and hands-on

2009-11-11T16:10:00.001-02:00

HP Envy 15 unboxing and hands-on

After our mixed feelings on the HP Envy 13, we were excited but also a little bit scared to see the 13's big brother, the Envy 15. It's running a Core i7 processor clocked at 1.6GHz, and has 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4830 discrete graphics fronted by a 1920 x 1080 15.6-inch display despite the fact that it doesn't have a built-in disc drive. Luckily there's an external Blu-ray packed into the box (that's a $225 option on top of the $1,800 base price), but most games and apps these days are available via download anyway, so it's not that big of knock on your power-user cred. The unboxing experience is actually identical to that of the Envy 13 (quite elegant), and we were happy to see that when we fired up the laptop the trackpad seemed better configured than that of the pre-update Envy 13 we reviewed. We were less enthused to see that the IE comes pre-installed with HP and Norton toolbars -- pretty janky for a premium machine -- but luckily we rarely have to see the ugly sight of IE more than once on a new machine. For the most part this is just an Envy 13 bigged up, and that's nothing to complain about.

Gallery: HP Envy 15 unboxing

(Via Engadget Laptops.)

Lenovo IdeaPad U150 11.6-inch ultraportable hits the streets with $699 asking price

2009-11-11T16:09:00.001-02:00

Lenovo IdeaPad U150 11.6-inch ultraportable hits the streets with $699 asking price

Just in case it had slipped your mind, now is a pretty great time to be looking for a computer. Take this IdeaPad U150 from Lenovo which just started shipping, for instance. For $699 you can get a CULV processor, 3GB of RAM and a 250GB HDD stuffed inside a 3 pound, 0.75-inch thick enclosure, with a 11.6-inch 1366 x 768 display and Windows 7 Home Premium. Bump it up to $849 and you're looking at better internals all around, and while those Intel X4500 graphics might be holding you back performance-wise, the external looks and build quality of this thing almost make up for it.

(Via Engadget Laptops.)

Dell Mini 9 modded into motion sensitive, touchscreen tablet (video)

2009-11-11T16:07:00.001-02:00

Dell Mini 9 modded into motion sensitive, touchscreen tablet (video)

True, this ain't the first Dell Mini tablet hack we've laid eyes on -- but what we do have here is a pretty sweet mod by MyDellMini forum member 'rock99rock' (must be his confirmation name). In addition to replacing his Dell Mini 9 display with a touchscreen kit, our man re-jiggered an ActionXL motion sensing controller to allow the screen to rotate as you rotate the device. Not bad, eh? Hit that read link for some real radical instrucciones -- but not before checking out the enthralling video after the break.

[Via Liliputing]

Acer Ferrari One In January

2009-11-11T16:02:00.003-02:00

Acer Ferrari One In January

You may be jealous of the folks over in the UK who already have Acer’s Ferrari One laptop, but the good news is that the netbook should be hitting the US market in January, just 2 months away. It’ll feature AMD’s Athlon X2 L310 processor, featuring 2 cores at 1.2GHz, and also the ATI Radeon 3200 integrated graphics chip. It also features support for ATI’s XGP technology, where you can connect to an external graphics device, but it remains to be seen how well that’s implemented. Will this be the netbook that’s powerful enough to game?

(Via UberGizmo, the Gadgets News Blog.)

HTC netbook may soon become a reality

2009-11-11T16:02:00.001-02:00

HTC netbook may soon become a reality

If there is a company that wants to jump into the netbook market and offer something unique and solid, it would be HTC. It has already produced some rock-solid handsets like the Hero, Eris, Touch Pro2 and HD2, so why not a netbook? HTC CEO Peter Chou mentioned that his company is still very much interested in building a netbook. We think that Mr. Chou may be onto something with the idea that HTC should put out something unique and not just another ‘me too’ netbook. After all, it seems like the entire netbook market is one giant clone army. With the Nokia Booklet 3G coming very soon, HTC is probably thinking that if one major handset manufacturer can pull it off, why not take a crack at it? As long as HTC doesn’t bomb like it did with the Shift, we think it will be a hit.

(Via The Boy Genius Report.)

Colorful S101 NewYork netbook

2009-11-09T14:42:00.001-02:00

Colorful S101 NewYork netbook

What a name - the Colorful S101 NewYork netbook us a 10' computer that comes with an integrated accelerometer alongside software which is capable of detecting the current screen's orientation, rotating it automatically for a more comfortable viewing experience. This isn't the slimmest nor lighters e-book reader in the market, but the Colorful S101 NewYork netbook is capable of functioning as one, featuring a resolution of 600 x 1,024. The built-in accelerometer also offers some safety against shock protection for the hard drive, perfect if you're the resident klutz. Other specifications are pretty much standard with a Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz processor, a 160GB hard drive and up to 2GB RAM. No idea on pricing though.

(Via UberGizmo, the Gadgets News Blog.)

8.9-inch Asus Eee PC T91MT Shipped

2009-11-07T20:24:00.001-02:00

8.9-inch Asus Eee PC T91MT Shipped

The long wait is over. Asus has finally launched the multi-touch-capable 8.9-inch Asus Eee PC T91MT. In case you didn’t know, the mini-tablet is powered by a 1024 x 600 LCD display, a 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z520 processor, a 1GB RAM (2GB max), a 32GB HDD + 500GB online storage, Bluetooth and a 5-hour battery.

[Netbooked]

HP Pavilion G60-519WM Entertainment Notebook

2009-11-07T20:23:00.009-02:00

HP Pavilion G60-519WM Entertainment Notebook

Walmart have listed another affordable entertainment notebook from HP on their online store namely the HP G60-519WM. Priced at just $298, the notebook offers a 15.6-inch 1366 x 768 BrightView widescreen display, an Intel Celeron 900 2.2GHz processor, an Intel GMA 4500M graphics card, a 3GB RAM, a 250GB hard drive, a DVD writer, WiFi, a 6-cell battery and runs on Windows 7 OS (64-bit edition).

(Via Laptop Notebook News.)

Sagem Spiga Takes Over From UMID M1 Mbook

2009-11-07T20:23:00.007-02:00

Sagem Spiga Takes Over From UMID M1 Mbook

We cannot confirm if Sagem has changed the specs of the UMID M1 mbook, but what we can say is that the renamed Sagem Spiga will go for less: 499 euros from the previous 600 to 700.

It’s still the same tiny 4.8-inch (1024 x 600) screen netbook with the 1.1GHz Intel Atom processor, WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G and a webcam. Hopefully, Sagem will improve the build quality of the smallest laptop in the world, a flaw which had garnered the most complaints. Video after the break. See if you can spot some changes.

[via gmp3]

(Via PMP Today.)

Witstech A81 tablet

2009-11-07T20:23:00.005-02:00

Witstech A81 tablet

Here's another tablet that might just pique your interest if you're into devices like these - the Witstech A81 tablet. This 7' ARM-powered tablet will most probably fall under the WinCE category, but we're pleased to note that it comes with a capacitive touchscreen display while running on an unidentified ARM Cortex A8 core. No idea on pricing, but a range of $200 to $250 has been bandied about alongside a future Android build.

(Via UberGizmo, the Gadgets News Blog.)

Caszh CA-L11B Netbook

2009-11-07T20:23:00.003-02:00

Caszh CA-L11B Netbook

Chinese-based company Caszh has released its latest netbook for the Chinese market called the CA-L11B. This mini laptop sports an 11.1-inch 1366 x 768 LCD display, an Intel Atom N280 1.66GHz processor, an integrated Intel GMA950 graphics card, a 1GB RAM, a 160GB hard drive, a 1.3MP webcam, a 4-in-1 card reader, WiFi, a 3-cell lithium battery and runs on Windows XP OS. The CA-L11B sells for 2,688 Yuan (about $394).

(Via Laptop Notebook News.)

Dell Adamo XPS Officially Confirmed

2009-11-07T20:23:00.001-02:00

Dell Adamo XPS Officially Confirmed

Dell has finally confirmed the availability of their latest Adamo XPS laptop, which is claimed to be the world’s thinnest PC laptop. Measuring at just 9.9mm thin, the Dell Adamo XPS is powered by a 1.4GHz Intel ULV processor with a 4GB of DDR3 RAM, a 128GB solid state drive (SSD), a 13.4-inch HD display with a resolution of 1,366 x 728, two USB 2.0 ports, a headphone jack and a mini display port. The Dell Adamo XPS is expected to go on sale before Christmas 2009 for $1,799.

[Via TechRadar]

Asus To Introduce Two 3D Laptops

2009-11-07T20:22:00.001-02:00

Asus To Introduce Two 3D Laptops

While Acer might be pretty happy with its 3D laptop offering, Asus certainly isn’t going to sit back and do nothing. And the answer from Asus lies in the form of the 15.6-inch G51J3D and the 17.3-inch G72GX laptops, both sporting 3D displays. While the details of the 17-inch laptop haven’t been revealed just yet, we do know that the G51J3D will sport NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX160M graphics card with 1GB of dedicated DDR3 video memory. The machine relies on active-shutter specs to achieve the 3D effect, allowing up to 15 people to sit around the laptop and watch a 3D film without having viewing angle problems. The G51J3D will be launched by Asus next month, and the G72GX should follow around Q2 of 2010, giving you a few more months to save your pennies.

(Via UberGizmo, the Gadgets News Blog.)

uSmart M1C Mini Netbook

2009-11-05T13:39:00.001-02:00

uSmart M1C Mini Netbook

If you thought the 7-inch version of Asus’s EeePC was hard to use, you’ll most certainly have problems with the uSmart M1C 4.8-inch netbook, spotted at a trade show in Hong Kong. It sports an Intel Atom Z530 processor, Intel GMA500 graphics, 800 x 480 resolution, HDMI support, and a weird looking keyboard layout. Apparently it runs Linux, XP, Vista or Windows 7.

(Via UberGizmo, the Gadgets News Blog.)

Gigabyte Booktop M1305 13-Inch CULV Laptop

2009-11-05T13:38:00.003-02:00

Gigabyte Booktop M1305 13-Inch CULV Laptop

The Booktop M1305 is the latest energy efficient laptop from Gigabyte which is based on Intel’s CULV platform. This ultra-thin machine is equipped with a 13.3-inch 1366 x 768 LCD display, a 4GB RAM, a 500GB HDD, a replaceable optical drive, a 1.3MP webcam, a fingerprint reader, WiFi, Bluetooth and runs on Windows 7 OS. Sadly, there’s no word on pricing yet.

[PCLaunches]

Lenovo Thinkpad x200e Netbook Rumors

2009-11-05T13:38:00.001-02:00

Lenovo Thinkpad x200e Netbook Rumors

Word has it that Lenovo is working on the latest Thinkpad netbook namely the x200e. According to Chinese Tech website zol.com.cn, Lenovo didn’t deny the truth of these pictures. However, the company has refused to give comment about the rumor. Stay tuned for more updates.

[Viazol]

Lenovo IdeaPad U150 gets unboxed and critiqued (video)

2009-11-05T13:05:00.003-02:00

Lenovo IdeaPad U150 gets unboxed and critiqued (video)

We spotted the IdeaPad U150 sitting pretty as far back as CEATEC, but now it seems the 11.6-inch beaut is finally finding its way out into the wild, wild... wilds. The suave folks over at Netbooked were able to wrap their paws around a retail unit, and aside from just unboxing it on video (which was a nice gesture in its own right), they also ran it through some basic tasks and spit out a few general opinions. Hit the links below if you'd like to follow the journey from undressing to battery life testing, and hop on past the breaks if you're into this hot new thing called 'video.'

Continue reading Lenovo IdeaPad U150 gets unboxed and critiqued (video)

(Via Engadget Laptops.)

Litl Webbook Banks On Cute, Overlooks Practical

2009-11-05T13:05:00.001-02:00

Litl Webbook Banks On Cute, Overlooks Practical

How did Asus, Acer and all the other netbook manufacturers miss such an obvious ploy? The word 'Litl Webbook' must be the most cutely named gadget since the 'Chumby.' And it's also an interesting product in its own right.

But I did say 'interesting,' not 'buyable.'

The Litl Webbook is a 12-inch netbook that can flip from laptop to easel, making it ever so more aesthetically pleasing while watching movies or displaying photos. Extra design touches like a nob and optional remote smooth the transition from laptop to artsy laptop, but the Litl Webbook is not a tablet—it lacks those last few degrees of flexibility, plus there's no touchscreen.

As for the hardware specs, it's a typical 1.6GHz Atom, 1GB RAM and...wait...just 2GB of flash storage? Yes. The Webbook wants to be a cloud computing machine that runs widgets (on top of Linux, we assume) instead of a full OS. So you're supposed to store all of your precious files somewhere else and rely on the service's automatic software updates.

The idea is alright, but not for $700. At that price, you're in full-out capacitive multitouch laptop territory.

And you know what? Double-checking my spelling on 'Litl Webbook' has gotten super annoying by this point, too. Drop the price by $300, hook a guy up with some extra vowels, and then we'll talk.

[Via Netbook Choice]

Acer Aspire AS8940G Brings 18.4″ Screen and Intel i7 to the Party

2009-11-05T13:04:00.003-02:00

Acer Aspire AS8940G Brings 18.4″ Screen and Intel i7 to the Party

Acer just announced the new Acer Aspire AS8940G-6865 notebook PC which packs in the power and a huge screen for a portable multimedia and entertainment experience.

At the heart of the new Aspire is an Intel Core i7 Quad-Core 720QM processor that gives the notebook the power to handle the demands of many applications, such as gaming and entertainment. The power of the Intel Core i7 processor comes from its ability to provide a better multitasking environment. One such way is through Turbo Boost, a feature that lets the computer speed up the processor by up to 75% to match your needs.

The 18.4″ screen is LED backlit with a 1920x1080 resolution was designed with movie watching in mind; a feat made easy by the included Blu-Ray drive and five built in speakers including an ‘Acer Tuba CineBass booster’ for clearer deeper bass. The multimedia experience is backed by an NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250M which provides 1 GB of dedicated video memory to round out the power of the Acer Aspire AS8940G.

Other features of the Acer Aspire AS8940G include a touch-capacitive media control interface for quick access to multimedia controls and a backlit keyboard that makes working in the dark a much simpler affair.

Acer Aspire AS8940G-6865 Specs:

Intel® Core™ i7 Processor 720QM (1.60GHz, 6MB L3 Cache, 1333MHz FSB)

18.4″ Full HD Widescreen CineCrystal™ LED-backlit Display

(1920x1080 Resolution, 16:9 Aspect Ratio)

4GB DDR3 Dual-Channel 1066MHz Memory

NVIDIA® GeForce® GTS 250M with 1GB dedicated DDR3 VRAM

500GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive ⁽¹⁾

4X Blu-ray Disc^™/DVD SuperMulti Double-Layer Drive

Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader

Intel® Wireless WiFi Link 5100 802.11a//bg/Draft-N Wi-Fi CERTIFIED®

Acer Crystal Eye™ Integrated Webcam

Touch-Capacitive Media Control Interface

5 USB 2.0 Ports, 1 HDMI Port, 1 eSATA Port

8-cell Li-Ion Battery (4800mAh)

Dolby Home Theater® Audio Enhancement

Acer CineSurround Sound System (5 built-in speakers)

Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit

MSRP $1,349.99

The Acer Aspire AS8940G-6865 is already available for sale at Newegg.com for $1349.99

(Via notebooks.com.)

MSI's Wind12 U230 flaunts AMD Athlon Neo X2 chip, Windows 7 OS, stress-free keyboard

2009-11-05T13:04:00.001-02:00

MSI's Wind12 U230 flaunts AMD Athlon Neo X2 chip, Windows 7 OS, stress-free keyboard

Don't call it a netbook. MSI's latest sits just out of the low-end category with its 12.1-inch, 1,366 x 768 resolution screen, roomy 'ergonomic de-stress' keyboard, and 1.6GHz AMD Athlon Neo X2, a chip that should best Intel's Atom offerings of the same spec -- at least slightly. A mere four hours of battery life is also decidedlynon-netbooky, but beyond that the usual suspects are here, including a 1.3-megapixel webcam and 160GB hard drive. It weighs in at 2.9lbs and will be running Windows 7 Home Premium (a genuine copy, MSI seems proud to point out) whenever it ships. We'd guess soon.

[Via electronista]

Sony introduces limited edition VAIO Nebula FW laptop

2009-11-05T12:58:00.005-02:00

Sony introduces limited edition VAIO Nebula FW laptop

Sony's done plenty of limited edition 'Signature Collection' laptops before, but it sure does seem to be particularly excited about its new VAIO Nebula FW model -- how else can you explains such imaginative advertising copy as the blurb above? Better still, the laptop demands a relatively non-premium starting price of $809.99, and packs some more than respectable specs across the board, including a 16.4-inch display, your choice of Core 2 Duo processors, up to 8GB of RAM, a range of SSD or standard hard drive options up 500GB, and a Blu-ray drive that comes at no added cost to the base price. Of course, if that nebula design is a little too flashy for your liking, you can also still grab the laptop in basic black or brown for the same price.

[Via Chip Chick]