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Computers, Laptops, Notebooks, CES 2009

Is Sony's Clutch-Purse-Like Sony P Notebook for You?

by Terrence O'Brien (RSS feed) — Jan 14th 2009 at 1:21PM

Snap Judgment: VAIO P Series
Other than the Palm Pre, the biggest darling of CES has clearly been the Sony VAIO P Series Lifestyle PC. There has been plenty of coverage of the clutch-purse-like device, but we wanted to boil it down to just what you really need to know.

We spent some time with the tiny "don't call it a netbook" from Sony and came away quite impressed with it on the whole. We couldn't truly test any streaming media because the network connection was clogged with a million and one devices, but otherwise the speed of it was truly impressive. Despite having an Atom processor (and not even the top of the line model), the VAIO P in our brief tests ran Vista faster than most other netbooks with faster processors and can run Windows XP (which makes us wonder if Sony is cheating somehow).

The screen is bright and crisp, but probably too small for anyone who requires reading glasses, and the pointer nub requires tiny, nimble hands.

Starting at $899 the VAIO P isn't cheap, but it's as close to a full-featured ultra-portable notebook as you're going to get in that price range (though we haven't had time to really manhandle MSI's X-Slim 320 yet). Add in the instant-on, though surprisingly slow, cross-bar menu that anyone who has used a PSP or PS3 would be familiar with, and Sony has a real winner on its hands.

So who exactly is the VAIO P for? Well, if you want the smallest possible notebook and style and speed are important, but price is not, then you should seriously consider it when it becomes available in February.

For a quick overview of the Sony P's basics, check out our video below.

If you crave some of the finer, geekier details, check out Engadget's extensive coverage here.

Read more →

Tags: ces-2009-top, ces-2009-videos, ces-2009-videos-top, fashion, laptops, netbook, netbooks, sony, style, travel, vaio, vaio p, VaioP

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Cell Phones, Computers, BlackBerry, Google, iPhone

Could Your iPhone or BlackBerry Ever Replace Your Laptop?

by Terrence O'Brien (RSS feed) — Oct 28th 2008 at 11:28AM

Will Smart Phones Replace Laptops?Will Smart Phones Replace Laptops?Will Smart Phones Replace Laptops?
Computers are progressively getting smaller -- at this point it's a good chance that your cell phone is more powerful than the machines used to send the Apollo missions to the moon. The move from desktops to laptops occurred first in the workplace, and the shift towards smaller and lighter laptops has been primarily driven by business users.

The Wall Street Journal is now reporting that some business users (though a relatively small portion) are even starting to phase out the laptop entirely. As smart phones have gotten more powerful and loaded with more features (full QWERTY keyboards and large touch screens), mobile professionals are beginning to leave the laptop at the office (or hotel) and rely on these souped-up handsets while on the move.

While the iPhone, BlackBerrys, Android, and Windows Mobile handsets have given cell phones surprising amounts of power and versatility, they're still fairly limited when compared to a full sized laptops. Professional tools like Salesforce and Office have made their way to handsets, but with limited feature sets. The tiny keyboards (or touch screen keyboard, in the case of the iPhone) are fine for text messages and quick e-mails, but really aren't ideal for lengthy editing of text or spreadsheets.

Could smart phones one day replace laptops? Perhaps, but the limitations of the form factor pose a major roadblock. Viewing large spreadsheets on even the relatively large screen of the iPhone requires far too much scrolling to be practical and writing even brief blog posts on a BlackBerry is just asking for thumb cramps. [From: Wall Street Journal]

Tags: android, laptop, laptops, mid, smart phone, SmartPhone, trends, umpc, windows mobile, WindowsMobile

Computers, Editor's Picks, Switched Video, Reviews, Laptops, Notebooks, Holiday Gift Guide 2008

Top 3 Travel Laptops (Video)

by Tom Samiljan (RSS feed) — Oct 20th 2008 at 1:30PM


Traveling isn't what it used to be, particularly now that you have to whip out your laptop at security checks. (We also can't stand the tight spaces in economy class that make opening a laptop fully on a tray table to work all but impossible.) Luckily, nearly all computer manufacturers are pulling out the stops and creating super-compact, ultra-thin laptops that are aimed specifically at travelers, yet don't necessarily skimp on some high-tech specs. Take a look at the above video for three of our favorites.....

Tags: features, hggfeatures, laptops, travel

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Computers, Laptops, Notebooks

Samsung Introduces Laptops for the US Market

by Tom Samiljan (RSS feed) — Oct 14th 2008 at 5:53PM



Over the last decade, you've probably lusted after some sleekly designed Samsung cell phone, MP3 player, or flat-screen TV, but unfortunately you've never had the chance to lust after a Samsung laptop. That's because, unlike the rest of the world, Samsung's laptops have never been available in the U.S. – until now. Today, Samsung unveiled a new line of high-end portable computers, which will be available online at sites such as Amazon.com, NewEgg.com, Buy.com, and TigerDirect.com later this month.

We got an early hands-on with the laptops when Samsung stopped for a visit a couple of weeks ago, and were impressed with the look and feel of the new models. The snazziest of the new models are the 13.3- and 14.1-inch ultra thin X360 and X460, which are designed to go head-to-head with the MacBook Air and the Lenovo X300. These two-toned beauties are just under three pounds and are said to have a superlative 10 hours of battery life, despite having SuperBright LED backlit displays. We're curious to try out the battery life for ourselves, but 10 hours is about as good as it gets. All in all are slick-looking laptops that won't take up much space in your backpack, but we wish they had built-in mobile broadband capability, as the Lenovo X300 and even smaller Sony TZ series do.

Samsung also announced the R610 ($1,049) desktop replacement, which has a feels a bit less bulky than the typical desktop replacement, but still offers a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio, HD resolution and Windows Vista Home Premium for recording and managing all your favorite TV shows and movies. Again, it has a two-toned look that'll look nice on a table or desk and most of the bleeding-edge features you'd want (Bluetooth 2.0, HDMI output, Wi-Fi, 3 USB 2.0 ports), but lacks, for example, a Blu-ray drive, which means it's fine to replace a desktop computer, but maybe not your entire home entertainment system (as many other desktop replacements can).

The new laptop we were most impressed with was the NC10 ($899, pictured, above). Like the Asus eeePC and the Everex Cloudbook, this clutch-sized mini-laptop falls into the growing affordable and small netbook category, which means it's perfect for checking your e-mail and basic Web-surfing, but don't depend on it for editing videos. Still, we liked the keyboard on the NC10 more than on any other netbook we've had the chance to try out so far – slightly bigger and spaced out keys made for typing at a fast clip not too far off from a standard-sized laptop keyboard. We also like the chrome border around the NC10's edge, which gives this netbook a stylistic edge over some of its brethren (the eeePC, Dell 910 mini, etc).

For a closer look at these laptops, take a look at the gallery below.



Gallery: Samsung

  • r610
  • r610
  • R610

Tags: breaking news, BreakingNews, laptops, netbook, new products, NewProducts, samsung, travel, windows

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Computers

Laptop Shock Sensors Could Help Predict Earthquakes

by Tim Stevens (RSS feed) — Aug 9th 2008 at 6:39PM

Laptops Acting As Earthquake SensorsEarthquakes strike dozens of times every day around the world, usually doing no more than rattling a few dishes, but occasionally causing some real damage. There's a worldwide network of sensors able to track and locate the center of earthquakes after they've struck, but a new network is being built up in the hopes of detecting quakes as they happen, communicating that information to those likely to be impacted, and even possibly beating the quake itself. At the center of this is not some fancy, expensive worldwide sensor array -- instead, it's a bunch of laptops.

So how on earth is the everyday laptop helping solve one of the natural disaster prediction riddles of the ages? You see, hard disk drives, the spinning things where most people store data on laptop or desktop computers, are fairly fragile things. They contain platters of information spinning at high RPM, with the heads that read from them skimming the surface a few fractions of a millimeter away. Give it a hard knock and the head whacks the disk, resulting in data loss. For this reason, many laptops contain accelerometers, which can detect when the laptop is about to hit the ground after a fall (the hard disk is then automatically stopped temporarily for protection).

This program uses those same accelerometers in a network of laptops to detect quakes. Right now, there are only three laptops connected (enough to successfully detect last month's quake in southern California), but the hope is to eventually deploy a much larger collection and, ultimately, warn those in harm's way. We're just hoping they put in some safeguards to make sure the information is valid; we wouldn't want a bunch of jokers jumping up and down with their laptops to set off early warning sirens across the state. [Source: BBC News]

Tags: accelerometer, earthquake, laptops, research, thinkpad

Computers, Laptops, Summer Fun

The Water-Proof PC -- for Computing Poolside?

by Evan Shamoon (RSS feed) — Jun 23rd 2008 at 5:25PM



The only problem with summer (other than mosquitoes, droughts, and bad hair days) is the difficulty of computing. Sit inside at your desk, missing out on the beautiful days? Or perhaps fry your genitalia as you sit poolside with a laptop on your lap?

While it's only a concept at this point, the Swim-Rings PC looks like it has some real potential (for the absurdly rich Hollywood agents among you, at least). The concept is, essentially, to build a PC that incorporates itself into your innertube. The fully-functioning PC will purportedly have a GPRS receiver, Bluetooth connectivity, and magnetic charging interface -- all encased in a fully waterproof design. Let's just hope they figure out how to minimize the glare on their 7-inch LCD display.

Oh, and there's a built-in webcam to remind your friends know just how rich you are. Sign Ari Gold up right now. [Source: ShinyShiny]

Tags: laptopnews, laptops, waterproof

Computers, Laptops

$30,000 Laptop Has Ivory Keys, Violin-Wood Casing, and Diamond 'Mouse'

by Christine Whitney (RSS feed) — Jun 11th 2008 at 12:09PM



Are you bored already with your MacBook Air? Some really really rich people are -- well, it's okay for running around with, but not so much for the personal library.

What's a tragically wealthy laptop user to do? Singulum has come up with a great way to relieve such unfortunates of at least $30,000 dollars, the approximate starting price for the brand's newest luxury laptops.

The laptops are one of a kind "works of art," and are hand made from fine woods selected for crafting violins. The basic price buys a ThinkPad with a 2 GHz Intel dual core processor, plus your preferred fancy wood casing.

Of course, you can spend more on extra features like ivory keys and diamond track point tips, but we're afraid the rocks might clash a little with the wood. Singulum can also put in different hardware as per your specifications -- gosh, they'll do whatever you want if you put down enough money.

Or, you could invest your pocket change in something more practical, like a car or butt implants. [Source: Singulum, via dvice.com]

Tags: breaking news, laptopnews, laptops, luxury

Computers, Laptops, Summer Fun

Voodoo PC's Super-Thin Envy Laptop Could Be a MacBook Air Killer

by Thomas Ricker (RSS feed) — Jun 10th 2008 at 8:39AM



Oh my. First you're slicing cake with the MacBook Air, then you're looking to steal its market share. Lenovo, you can't afford to be too smug either. Voodoo's $2,099, carbon fiber Envy 133 -- out July 20 -- isn't a gaming rig. It is, however, a 13.3-inch ultra-portable with LED-backlit display, 1,280 x 800 resolution, Intel GMA X3100 graphics, 1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SP7700 processor, HDMI, 2x USB (1 doubles as eSATA) and hard disk or SSD option. Size-wise, it's a rival to Apple's super-thin MacBook Air, but like the similarly slim Lenovo X300, the Envy has solid graphics power, HDMI out (for HD video connection to a TV, and two USB ports. Starting at $2,099, though, it's a bit more pricey than the $1,800 MacBook Air.

It also features an instant-on Voodoo IOS mode that lets you surf the Web, chat, look at photos, and make Skype calls without booting into Windows. Impressed yet? Well, what if we told you that the power brick (and it's definitely a brick!) doubles as a Wi-Fi access point? Check the preview just beyond the read link, or full video explanation after the break. [Source: VoodooPC]

Tags: breaking news, BreakingNews, laptopnews, laptops, new products, NewProducts, summernews, super-thin laptops, Super-thinLaptops, ultraportable

Computers

Buying a Laptop? Read This.

by Tom Samiljan (RSS feed) — Apr 10th 2008 at 2:09AM



Looking for a new laptop? We've got you covered. From essential tips on what to look for in a new computer and round-ups of the handiest laptop accessories to hands-on-reviews of the latest high-end MacBook Pros and even sub-$500 Asus eeePCs, the 2008 Switched Laptop Guide will help you make the right purchases.

Check back here every day for the latest laptop news and reviews, as well as a boatload of how-tos to make sure you make the most of your brand-spanking new notebook. Happy hunting!


Tags: laptop, laptops, notebooks

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Computers, Green Tech, Laptops

Intel Launches New 'Atom' Processor For Low-Cost Laptops

by Terrence O'Brien (RSS feed) — Mar 3rd 2008 at 9:31AM

Intel Give Low Cost, Low Power Processor a Name, AtomIntel Give Low Cost, Low Power Processor a Name, Atom

Intel is prepping to take over the low cost laptop and PC market with its newly unveiled Atom line of processors, which joins Core 2, Pentium, and Celeron in the chipmaker's lineup. Formerly codenamed Diamondville and Silverthorne, Atom is an ultra-low power, low cost chip that is aimed at machines like the ASUS Eee, UMPC's, MID's, and may have had a spot in the next version of the OLPC had Intel and OLPC-creator Nicholas Negroponte not had a falling out.

The processor is built on the same 45nm manufacturing process that powers Intels new Penryn family of processors, but is otherwise a completely different chip from it's Core 2 branded brethren. Atom was designed from the ground up to use as little power as possible and provide the highest possible yields of functional chips from a piece of silicon, keeping costs incredibly low. It will also come in a Wi-Fi-and-graphics-optimized version that will be called Centrino Atom. In other words, even sub-$500 computers will be able to see speeds and processing power typical of much pricier computers.

Intel is still mum on price points, all we know is the low end single core version is targeted at laptops in the $250-$300 range that will be out later this year.

From PC World

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Tags: atom, centrino atom, CentrinoAtom, cloudbook, diamondville, eee, intel, Laptop News, LaptopNews, laptops, menlow, notebooks, olpc, poulsbo, processor, processors, silverthorne

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Computers, Reviews, Laptops, Notebooks

First MacBook Air Reviews In, and They're Not Entirely Positive

by Tim Stevens (RSS feed) — Jan 24th 2008 at 10:32AM

First MacBook Air Reviews In, Not Entirely Positive

The first reviews of Apple's skinny and sexy MacBook Air are in. The laptop is less than two-tenths-of-an-inch thick, but such slimness comes at a price ($1800-$3000). Even that price, the Air's minimalist hardware will make the Air a poor choice for no-compromise users, according to the first reviews posted today (the Air itself won't be in stores for another two weeks).

Edward C Baig from USA Today loves the size and weight of the thing, but has a number of complaints about the hardware shortcomings, including comparatively short non-replaceable battery's life, the missing internal DVD drive, and the lack of many common ports business users might need to hook their machines up to external displays or devices.

Newsweek's Steven Levy echoes many of the same complaints as Baig, but praises the Air's low temperatures when running and indicates that it's so small and light you'll never wonder whether you should take it with you because there's really no reason not to. Walt Mossberg of The Wall Street Journal says much the same thing, indicating he loves the design but spends plenty of paragraphs describing its shortcomings -- the non-removable battery, the paltry one USB port, and the missing DVD drive that makes this impractical for those who like to pack a few discs for a long flight. Still, usual-Apple-lover Mossberg says "the result is a beautiful, amazingly thin computer, but one whose unusual trade-offs may turn off some frequent travelers."

So, is the $1,799 (and up) MacBook Air for you? Well, are you planning on using it as your only computer or will it be a second (or third) one just for trips and mobile computing? It seems it's just not quite up to the task of being your sole, go-to computing device. If you plan to get one, you should probably make it your second computer.

The Air is sexy, but just like those impractical roadsters a lot of people own but keep in the garage except on sunny afternoons, it's not really meant to be your only means of getting about.

From Engadget, USA Today, Newsweek, and Wall Street Journal

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Tags: Apple, breaking+news, Laptop News, LaptopNews, laptops, MacBook Air, MacbookAir, notebooks, sexy, top, ultraportables

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Computers, Top Lists, Slideshows, CES 2008

World's Tiniest Computers

by Terrence O'Brien (RSS feed) — Jan 9th 2008 at 2:10PM


In the world of computing, small is in. Be they laptops or desktops, PCs keep getting smaller. And that's not a bad thing. Smaller means a laptop is easier to toss in a backpack without feeling like you're carrying a computer, or that a desktop can be moved to the living room without looking too tacky. Bottom line: Smaller PCs can be hidden completely from view.

We took a walk around CES collecting shots of the tiniest PCs we could find. Including some that make the Mac Mini look downright bulky.



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Tags: Laptop Features, LaptopFeatures, laptops, mids, pcs, small, tiny, umpcs

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Audio/Video, Cell Phones, Computers, Editor's Picks, iPod, TV, Slideshows, iPhone, CES 2008

Graffiti-Splotched Gadgets All the Rage In 2008

by Terrence O'Brien (RSS feed) — Jan 8th 2008 at 11:01AM


Sure, iPods are cool, but they're just not the status symbol they once were, and there's nothing cool about having sleekest slimmest laptop on the market if everyone else has one, too.

Companies are realizing this and know that people, especially fiercely independent Americans, have a need to be different. So, as a way to make their products stand out (and their customers feel a little more unique), consumer electronics producers have taken to decorating many of their goods with graffiti and modern-art inspired graphics, intricate etchings, vaguely Japanese designs, and yes, even leather.

We wandered around CES and snapped pictures of some of the coolest examples of decorative electronics and customization options available to try and make you the consumer feel a little less like just part of the herd.

Gallery: Custom Design Gadgets



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Tags: art, artdio, customization, decoration, dell, design, dvd, gelaskins, graffiti, hp, iphone, ipod, Laptop Features, LaptopFeatures, laptops, memorex, trends

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Audio/Video, Computers, Laptops

Enough Storage Space For Everything? Terabyte Laptop Coming

by Terrence O'Brien (RSS feed) — Jan 3rd 2008 at 6:30PM

1 Terabyte Laptop Coming Soon From AsusGood news for digital packrats who are always on the move: Asus is gearing up to release a notebook computer with a pair of 500 gigabyte hard drives inside. This one terabyte of hard disk space will be a first for a laptop -- and should give you enough memory to carry around at least the vast majority of your media collection. With enough space for 350 feature length movies or 250,000 four-minute songs, you could fly around the world and never run out of things to watch or listen to.

The Asus M70 will be available sometime later this year, primarily since the hard drive that will be packed into these glorified media vaults, the Hitachi Travelstar 5K500 (pictured here), won't be available until February.

From Cnet

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Tags: asus, hard disks, hard drive, HardDisks, HardDrive, hitachi, Laptop News, LaptopNews, laptops, storage, terabyte

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Computers, Laptops

MacBook Design Flaw Can Lead to Permanent Data Loss

by Alon Avdi (RSS feed) — Nov 29th 2007 at 9:02AM



Apple MacBook and MacBook Pro owners should be aware of a design flaw that may lead to unrecoverable data loss, claims Retrodata, a data-recovery firm based out of the United Kingdom. The company says that MacBooks manufactured in China and equipped with a 2.5 inch Seagate SATA hard drive with a Firmware version 7.01 may have faulty read/write heads that become dislodged from the hard drive's arm, scratching the magnetic platter surface and causing irrecoverable data loss.

For those customers who wish to know whether they are at risk, Retrodata suggests going to the System Profiler and checking the Serial ATA for the Firmware Revision number. If the computer has Firmware version 7.01, data should be backed up immediately, the company urges. Models affected may include ST96812AS and ST98823AS.

Not so fast, say specialists from other data-recovery companies like DiskEng. While Apple has been silent and Seagate insists that they are looking into the matter, these parties suggest that thousands of instances of the same problem must first be seen and diagnosed before a design flaw can be pronounced for an entire line of hard drives. Some say specific factors such as temperature and read/write head oscillation may be to blame for damaging some computers rather than a general design shortcoming that affects them all.

Just to be safe, consumers should check whether their computer has the specific hard drive in question, and should back up their files if that is the case. Those concerned should also monitor Apple and Seagate pronouncements regarding the issue.

From Retrodata (via Engadget)

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Tags: Computer, Hard Drive, HardDrive, Laptop News, LaptopNews, Laptops, MacBook, MacBook Flaw, MacbookFlaw

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