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ASUS C200 review: The company's first Chromebook is a battery life champ
Sorry, naysayers: You're going to see a fair number of Chromebook reviews from us over the next few months. That's mostly because sales of these inexpensive laptops have shot up -- which means everyone and their mother is now making one, even companies that had previously shied away. The latest brand to join the fray is ASUS, which already has loads of experience building small, cheap notebooks. Indeed, ASUS' 11-inch C200 Chromebook ($250) looks like a 2009-era EeePC brought back to life: The spacious keyboard feels eerily familiar, as does the long, 11-hour battery life. Even so, it's not a perfect machine by any means -- in fact, it has a pretty serious flaw -- but if you're in the market for a Chromebook, it couldn't hurt to consider a company that seems to know what it's doing.
Lenovo C200 brings NVIDIA Ion 2 stateside for $499
If you've been patiently waiting on a low-cost NVIDIA Ion 2 system it looks like today is your lucky day since it looks like Lenovo has scored an early lead in unleashing the wrath of the new Atom / GeForce combo. Available sometime this month, the 18.5-inch C200 all-in-one isn't going to replace that Core i7 rig for ripping through Command & Conquer 4, but its Intel dual-core Atom D510 CPU can handle the light productivity while its GeForce G210 GPU will automatically turn on -- thanks to Optimus -- to deal with some Spore or 1080p video. Unfortunately the C200 only has a single touch, 1366x768-resolution display and a standard integrated DVD drive rather than Blu-ray, but we guess we can't expect much more for its appealing $499 price tag. Lenovo will also offer a sans Ion and touch version of the C200 for $399. We told you today was going to be your lucky day! PR and press pics for your viewing pleasure below. %Gallery-89877%
NVIDIA Ion 2 now official; Acer, ASUS and Lenovo at the ready
NVIDIA's Ion 2 chipset -- or "the next generation of Ion" as the company clunkily calls it -- hasn't exactly been a secret, but NVIDIA is finally signing on the dotted line and giving up the deets on the new Intel Atom-compatible graphics chipset. It hasn't been a secret that Ion 2 uses NVIDIA's new Optimus GPU switching tech to automatically toggle between the Pineview chipset's integrated GMA 3150 and a discrete NVIDIA Ion GPU, but we can now confirm that both the 16-core Ion chip for desktops and eight-core unit for netbooks are based on the GeForce G210 GPU. That means Ion 2 should support HDMI out, 1080p Blu-ray and Flash playback, Windows 7 Home Premium, and mainstream gaming out of the box. (Take that, Broadcom Crystal HD.) And unlike Ion numero uno, NVIDIA's also promising up to 10 hours of battery life on netbooks -- thanks to Optimus the system knows when to shut off the discrete GPU when not in use to save power. How about some actual systems? While the Acer Aspire 532G netbook already popped up at MWC, NVIDIA is promising 30 more Ion netbooks, nettops and all-in-ones before the summer. To kick it off, NVIDIA confirmed that ASUS will update its Eee PC 1201PN netbook, Eee Top 2010P, and Eee Box with the new graphics solution, while Lenovo's C200 and Acer's Aspire Revo will also get in on the action. We got to see the Revo strut some Blu-ray playback, so hit the break for some video footage and the full PR. %Gallery-86770% %Gallery-86776%
The Popcorn Hour C-200 media streamer makes its way into the wild
It looks like Popcorn Hour's C-200 media streamer is making its way into end-users' hands, so prepare yourself for a flurry of reviews. Our friend Brent over at GeekTonic should be jumping into the fray soon, and has kicked things off with a preview. Yeah, the C-200 is bigger than its sibling A-100, but it brings so much to the table that we'd say Popcorn Hour has packed in just as much -- if not more -- goodness per cubic inch. With space available for a hard and/or Blu-ray drive, wired and wireless networking, and USB ports to round out the input connectivity, the C-200 then adds a smorgasbord of codec support just to make sure your bits will survive the translation back into entertainment. With the "it plays anything" kind of capability the C-200 is promising, we've got a feeling that a positive review or two might be the only thing standing between us and a $300 dent in our credit cards. [Via ZatzNotFunny]
Popcorn Hour C-200 launch nearly upon us, preorders start tomorrow
As you may have noticed, the new Popcorn Hour C-200 media box didn't quite make its anticipated July launch, but the company now says that as of 12 a.m. PST August 27, pre-orders will open allowing the willing faithful to put in a request for the first batch, anticipated to ship September 3 or thereabouts. Don't remember the June announcement? The $299 Sigma powered box takes HDD, Blu-ray discs, USB or network inputs of nearly any video or audio codec available and brings them to your living room. Since then, pics and video of the units guts and interface have leaked out on the forums, check after the break or beyond the read link for a better look.[Via MediaSmartServer.net]
Logitech introduces seven new webcams, makes decisions ever harder
You know, in the vast majority of situations, we'd prefer choice over no choice. But in this particular kettle of fish, we're not so sure we're eager to parse through build sheets associated with no less than seven new Logitech webcams. In a presumed effort to get every PC owner on planet Earth equipped with a Logitech Vid-enabled device, the outfit is today introducing the Webcam Pro 9000, Portable Webcam C905, Webcam C600, Webcam C500, Webcam C300, Webcam C250 and Webcam C200. For those of you still with us, you'll (possibly) be elated to know that the higher-end Pro 9000 ($99.99; shown above) packs a 2 megapixel sensor for capturing 720p video, while the lowest-end C200 ($29.99) handles the basics with a 1.3 megapixel sensor that serves up VGA footage. The whole lot is expected to ship to the US and Europe next month, and you can catch the nitty-gritty details there in the read link.
Popcorn Hour prices C-200 media streamer at $299, launches next month
Looking for a more official announcement than a forum post? Beyond the read link awaits Popcorn Hour's official press release for the C-200 containing some of the details we so desperately wanted, like a July release window and price of $299. Otherwise the details remain the same with support for nearly every codec we could ask for and a front mounted drive bay ready for HDD or optical drives of your choosing. We sent over a query about the Blu-ray and Blu-ray live support mentioned, but were unable to nail down any new details -- we'd bet on being able to play back your de-AACS'd rips & backups but that's about it. Any other questions that need answering once we score some hands on time with this do it all media box?[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
PopcornHour's latest C-200 media box is Blu-ray (& anything else) ready
The followup to the popular PopcornHour media streamer series has finally been announced, and the list of features makes it look worth the wait. Revealed in a post on the Networked Media Tank forums the C-200 contains an upgraded Sigma SMP8643 667 Mhz processor, HDMI 1.3 out, two SATA slots, a drive bay for mounting your own HDD, DVD or even Blu-ray drive (requires internal HDD or 1GB USB stick) and supports a list of networking standards, codecs and containers far too long to recount here. At first glance, only DivX jumps out as missing from the list, have a look at the forum posting and let us know if you spot. Of course, there's already a video unboxing available, seen after the break (along with the copied list of specs) or check out the full Google translated early hands on impressions from HomeTheater.co.il. The most pressing questions of when will these be available and for how much, will have to be answered at another time.[Via HomeTheater.co.il & Geek Tonic]
Micron announces insanely quick RealSSD C200 SSDs
Intel's partner in solid state crime, Micron, just announced an update to its RealSSD lineup of SSDs. Based on the typically slower (and cheaper) MLC NAND process technology, the new 2.5-inch (up to 256GB) laptop and 1.8-inch (32GB to 128GB) ultra-portable storage slabs offer a 3Gbps SATA interface and ridiculous 250MBps read and 100MBps write speeds -- yes, that's fast, damn fast when you consider the 70MBps write and 90MBps read speeds of Samsung's latest consumer oriented SSDs. They even best the listed read speeds of Samsung's top-ender. Unfortunately, no prices were given though it's said to be "balanced price to performance." Expect 'em to hit the market in Q4 under the Lexar brand, and maybe even Crucial, Seagate, and Intel for all we know.
Commodore unveils Gravel C200 media player
Commodore, a company which had long been considered dead and gone, continues to mount its inexplicable return to the spotlight with its latest offering, the Gravel C200 media player. As excited as we are that the C64-makers are back on the scene, it's hard to get too jazzed about this media-player, which is about as rote as you can get. The HTC Touch look-alike rocks a 1.8-inch color screen, comes in 512MB, 1GB, and 2GB storage varieties, and plays back all sorts of file formats like MP3, WAV, WMA, MPEG 2, MPEG 4, DivX, XviD, and WMV. Although the form-factor is nice and utilitarian, Commodore is going to have to do something really special to entice a purchase out of us... like, maybe add C64 emulation?[Via Tech Digest]
Orange intros SPV C200 with Windows Mobile... 5?
While the general assumption would be that handset manufacturers would jump at the chance to pre-load their mobiles with the latest and greatest Windows Mobile flavor on the market, it seems that the SPV C200 is going against conventional wisdom. The Amoi-built handset is slated to launch on Orange, and will include tri-band support, Bluetooth, and an integrated 1.3-megapixel camera. Of course, the expected €9 ($12) pricetag that will reportedly grace this device (if you commit to a two-year agreement, that is) may explain the lack of WiFi and slightly obsolete OS, but this sure is an interesting maneuver to slash the price.[Via TheUnwired]
SanDisk's Sansa C250 goes red and pink
Calm down fellas, you haven't let Valentine's Day slip up on you or anything, but SanDisk is looking out for those who like to look way ahead, or for those with in-the-know mums who need a new pocket-sized DAP for Mum's Day. The Sansa C250 digital audio player falls into the bargain-priced C200 series, and while a black iteration has been available for some time now, those who haven't caved and snapped up the highly-regarded Sansa Express can grab a pink or red C250 in 1GB or 2GB flavors. They also sport 1.4-inch color displays for showing album art and JPEG thumbnails, an FM tuner, radio recording abilities, a voice recorder, USB 2.0, a microSD expansion slot, and a removable, rechargeable Li-ion cell that purportedly offers up 15 hours of battery life on a full charge. The 10.4-ounce music machine is currently on sale for a penny under $80 at the store you love to hate, while the less spectacular black version will save you $20.
Gateway's imminent new tablet PC
Amongst the circulating rumors regarding Gateway's fate comes the information that Gateway is looking to update its Tablet PC range with a new model featuring a finger print scanner and an ambient light sensor. All we have to go on at the moment is a PDF manual which unfortunately doesn't list any specifications beyond the standard ports (they're very standard: VGA, Ethernet, PC Card, a Memory Card slot, FireWire, and USB) and the aforementioned ambient light sensor and finger print scanner -- which interestingly, but probably uselessly, doubles as a trackpad when the tablet is in tablet mode. Aside from that you'll note that the screenshots are of the machine running Vista, and not a lot else. Expect this machine to get some sort of C-class designation, which incidentally both Gateway and Acer have used for their tablet PCs.
Europeans now have optional FM tuner on Sansas
We're not sure how this one slipped under the radar, but earlier this month, Sansa announced that its e200 and c200 (pictured) MP3 player series would be coming to Europe with and without FM tuners. Apparently, all players that ship with an FM tuner are subject to an additional tax by the European Union, and Sansa was originally afraid that people wouldn't buy the player with a slightly raised price. Well, Sansa has come to its senses and realized that people probably would be willing to pay just 10 percent more to have the pleasure of gettin' that good ol' fashioned radio right on the same device. The new versions, with and without radio, should be on European shelves already, just in time for Chrismahanukwanzakah.[Via Trusted Reviews]
Lenovo unveils 3000 V100 / C200 Core 2 Duo-powered notebooks
Joining the growing parade of manufacturers upping the innards of their notebook lines with Core 2 Duo chips, Lenovo is bumping the specs in its buget-minded 3000 series. While the N100 has already made the Merom leap, the newly-unveiled C200 now offers a 1.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 processor, 15-inch XGA display, up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, 80GB 5400RPM hard drive, Intel's GMA950 integrated graphics set, 802.11a/b/g wireless, and a DVD Burner to boot. It also sports VGA / S-Video out, a 56k modem, Ethernet, 4-pin FireWire, four USB 2.0 ports, and a PCMCIA slot, but the 6.2-pound weight and 2.5-hour battery life may scare some away. On the ultraportable side, the 4-pound V100 now touts a 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 processor, 12.1-inch WXGA LCD, 100GB 5400RPM hard drive, 6-cell battery, and a dual-layer DVD burner, while sharing the remaining specs with its larger sibling. Lenovo also threw an ExpressCard slot, 5-in-1 flash card reader, and snazzy fingerprint scanner in the little guy, but yanked the S-Video output and one USB 2.0 port in the process. Both units will be available in a plethora of configurations later this month, with prices starting at $650 for the C200, and $999 for the V100. Read - Lenovo 3000 C200 Read - Lenovo 3000 V100
Altec Lansing to launch inMotion iM510 speaker dock for SanDisk Sansa
If you've settled on picking up a SanDisk Sansa e200 or c200 but feel a bit left in the cold in terms of specialized accessories, Altec Lansing is rushing in to heat things up. In what appears to be a spinoff of the "Made for iPod" agenda, Altec Lansing has partnered with SanDisk to create a lineup of accessories geared specifically towards the Sansa music players. The flagship device -- dubbed the inMotion iM510 -- is a black docking speaker station that doesn't veer too far from the company's iPod-friendly versions, save for its Sansa compatibility, of course. While details thus far are a bit slim, we do know the portable system will dock, sync, and charge the e200 and c200 series DAPs, and will play nice with the (optional) BB2001 subwoofer. Although no word on pricing nor availability has been given, the coinage should be a tad lower (we'd guess, um, 10 percent or so) than the iPod-conforming units when it hits the street. [Via MobileWhack]
Engadget Podcast 087 - 09.05.2006
Seems like all those IFA goers and showers are getting up on the portable media device tip, between the Toshiba Gigabeat V, the Zen Vision:W, and the Sansa c200. And why not? It looks like Apple's prepping to launch a whole mess of stuff on September 12th, so if you can't beat 'em, at least get your products out earlier. Also in Apple: myTunes strips iTunes 6 DRM (albeit a little complicated), and Crossover Mac runs Windows apps without a virtual machine. And then along came the Chumby, making its adorable little way into our cold, jaded hands. Enjoy the show! Get the podcast [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3). [RSS] Add the Engadget Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically (MP3). [MP3] Download the show (MP3). [AAC] Download the enhanced show (AAC). [OGG] Download the show (OGG). Hosts: Peter Rojas and Ryan Block Producer: Trent Wolbe Music: Solvent - Instructograph (Ghostly International) Format: 30:27, 14 MB, MP3 Program: 01:25 - Toshiba drops a bomb: Gigabeat V in the US 03:35 - Creative Technology introduces Zen Vision:W 09:15 - SanDisk intros Sansa c200 player 10:45 - SanDisk intros Made for Sansa 13:07 - CrossOver Mac beta released: run Windows apps in OS X 15:45 - myTunes: the simplified iTunes DRM stripper for Windows 18:20 - Apple planning event in SF on September 12th? 23:40 - Hands-on with Chumby LISTEN (MP3) LISTEN (AAC) LISTEN (OGG) Contact the podcast: 1-888-ENGADGET, Engadget (Gizmo Project) or podcast at engadget dawt com
SanDisk's Sansa Base Station dock with remote for Sansa players
If you're one of the non-conforming, iDon't conformers then you'd best get with the program son. SanDisk just hit us with their Sansa Base Station which, for all the hyperbole about it transforming your Sansa MP3 into a home audio jukebox, is just a run-o-the-mill dock and remote for you Sansa player. As such, it includes a USB 2.0 and RCA jack, remote control, and of course, a "universal connector" which slots into the bottom of your e200 or C200 series players for some hot DAP-on-dock charging action. Thing is, for all their marketing audacity, the only bit we find surprising is the fact that this "must-have" accessory didn't already exist. Yours for $70 bills by October in the both the US and Europe, you choose.
SanDisk intros Sansa c200 player
SanDisk is kicking out a successor to their aggressively-priced c100 line of flash-based players. The c200 won't be out until October, but you're looking at a 1GB model (the c240) that'll sell for $80 and a 2GB model (the c250) that'll go for $100. Both will support playback of MP3, WMA, and WMA DRM files (that includes PlaysForSure compatibility), and sport an FM tuner, integated voice recorder, a microSD memory card for adding up to 2GB of additional storage capacity, a 1.4-inch, 128 x 98 pixel LCD screen, and a battery life of about 15 hours.
