5100 -- Engadget

5100 posts

Navigon's 5100 max slips into FCC database

by Darren Murph, posted Oct 8th 2008 at 12:59PM

Details are understandably scarce at the moment, but Navigon is apparently taking its 1+ year old 5100 navigation unit to the max. The predictably titled 5100 max has reportedly just seen its way into the FCC's lair, and we're told that it'll feature a 4.3-inch display, Bluetooth, text-to-speech and lifetime traffic / Zagat ratings. As for price and availability? We'll have to wait for the official word from Navigon on those bits. In the meanwhile... Rockford or Chicago?

ASUS' bamboo laptops ditch the Pandas, bring the WiMax as they go production

by Thomas Ricker, posted Sep 1st 2008 at 6:33AM

Whether counting its 23 Eee PCs or 50 plus models of traditional laptops, ASUS isn't exactly known for its frugality. So seeing yet another press release touting the launch of its bamboo -- a renewable material with immense tensile strength rivaling that of many metal alloys -- laptops shouldn't be a surprise. What's new here, perhaps, is the detail. Now in mass production, these partially biodegradable laptops come with either 11.1- or 12.1-inch, 1,280 x 768 pixel displays, your choice of 3/6/9-cell batteries, and ASUS' Super Hybrid Engine allowing you to dial down the power when the wails of the Antarctic penguins become too much to bear. The 12.1-incher is the relative powerhouse of the pair offering Vista a ride atop your choice of Intel T9400/P8600/P8400 Core 2 Duo processors, 256MB of NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS graphics, a 320GB hybrid hard drive sporting 256MB of flash, and Intel's WiMAX / WiFi Link 5100 chipset. Pricing? Sorry, we'll likely have to wait for another press release for that detail.

[Via The Inquirer]

An effortful DIY alternative to a rumbling DS Lite

by Darren Murph, posted Jul 23rd 2007 at 8:42AM

Those with loads of disposable income probably wouldn't mind ponying up for the relatively inexpensive rumble cartridge made specifically for Nintendo's DS Lite, but the frugal (and engineering) sets will certainly appreciate Xyzzy's efforts. After dissecting a Pokemon Pinball GBA game and ripping the rumble motor from a salvaged Nokia 5100, he put his circuitry knowledge to work and conjured up a rumble device that fit flush in the DS Lite and cost him nothing more than a little blood, sweat, and tears. Be warned, however, that this guide isn't for the faint of heart (or those who don't natively speak in 1s and 0s), but feel free to tag the read link and get busy if you dare.

[Via Joystiq]

Navigon unveils 5100 / 7100 GPS units at CeBIT

by Darren Murph, posted Mar 15th 2007 at 9:43AM

While we suspect a fair amount of rebadging will be going down at CeBIT this year, we've got good news for those hoping for Navigon to step it up a notch. The firm is reportedly coming clean and finally manufacturing a unit of its own, and based on what we're seeing right now, it's not a half bad first effort. Both the 5100 and 7100 GPS navigation systems purportedly sport a Bluetooth handsfree calling system, "exclusive lane assistance," free traffic jam reports, voice input, and PIN code security as well. The higher-end 7100 boasts a 4.3-inch widescreen display, while the more budget-minded 5100 sticks with the more diminutive 3.5-inch variety, but both units do feature a new technology dubbed "Reality View" to give you a "more realistic" look at those oh-so-critical signs and upcoming roadways. Of course, both devices are slated solely for a European release, and while the 7100 series will be landing this summer for around €450 ($593) to €500 ($659) depending on map selection, the 5100 series will demand just €350 ($461) to €400 ($527).

Acer drops Turion 64 X2-based Aspire 5100

by Paul Miller, posted Jul 14th 2006 at 2:25PM

Now that those new AMD Turion 64 X2 chips are out and about, Acer is looking to put them to good use and has crammed some of that 64-bit, dual core goodness into their new Aspire 5100 laptop series. There are plenty of specs to go around: a 15.4-inch display with 16ms response, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0 option, gigabit Ethernet, DVI-D, four USB 2.0 ports, Firewire, 5-in-1 card reader, ExpressCard and PC card slots (though it could be "or," specs aren't clear), and S-Video out. To go along with its new chipset, the 5100 packs a new ATI Radeon Xpress 1100 integrated graphics card, that boasts a 33 percent performance boost over its predecessor, and 512MB of video RAM (128MB of that dedicated). You can get a SATA drive up to 160GB in capacity, and beyond the "DVD super-multi double layer drive" there's even an option for HD DVD upon availability. We're not sure about the price to spec breakdown, but the series starts at a comfortable $899, and should be available now.

[Via MobileWhack]