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ZTE and OKWAP team with Intivation to deliver next generation solar devices
Let's be honest, we'd scorch the Earth to eke just one more hour of power from our superphones. Fortunately, as residents of the western world we've got plenty of juice to power all of our gadgets. Still, we can definitely see the attraction of a solar-powered cellphone meant for the peoples of developing nations living off the grid. Throw in a flashlight and you've just changed somebody's life. That's what we've got in the ZTE S316, a dead simple candybar with color display and torch. Also announced is the S101 charger with its own built-in flashlight that can be used to charge select, non-solar devices and costs just $12 to $13, maybe less on volume. The third solar device comes from China's OKWAP and is built by Inventec. The $40 GS109 (pictured above) feature phone is destined, believe it or not, to be an object of ultimate desire when slung from the neck on a lanyard as proof of ones prosperity. Spec-wise, this dual-SIM solar-powered phone packs a video camera, color display, microSD slot, MP3 player, and even Bluetooth 2.1 -- a lot of features for a solar phone. Linking the three devices is Intivations SunBoost solar conversion technology allowing the devices to charge in conditions less than ideal. The ZTE S316, for example, draws a max of about 113mA when on a call, while the solar cell pumps out about 50mA to 60mA of juice depending upon the natural lighting conditions (it even charges when cloudy). That's about two minutes of natural light exposure required for every minute of talk time to keep the device going. The solar cell on the GS109, meanwhile, produces about 70mA in direct sunlight to keep the device humming. Remember, the idea isn't to charge a phone from 0% to full but to keep a device continually charged at about 70% to 80%. Intivation is so confident in its tech that it claims to provide "a far better charging experience than anything else on the market today." Both the S316 and S101 charger will be available in April while the relatively swank GS109 will hit next month. See them all in the gallery below. %Gallery-85611%
Super Talent unloads 32GB / 64GB SSDs for ASUS Eee PC S101
If your prior budget forced you to select an ASUS Eee PC S101 with just 16GB of succulent SSD storage space, Super Talent has the cure. The outfit has just introduced three new solid state drives made specifically for the aforementioned netbook, all of which tout 90 MB/sec maximum sequential read speeds and up to 55 MB/sec write speeds. You can select from the FPM16RSE (16GB), FPM32RSE (32GB) or the FPM64RSE (64GB), though you'll have to guess on the prices of the first two. As for the big daddy? It'll run right around $169.[Via HotHardware]
Video: Windows 7 Device Stage on Eee PC S101 running dual-core Atom
At WinHEC yesterday, Microsoft also announced early industry support of its Device Stage, advanced peripheral management scheme. So far, the list includes Brother, Epson, HP, Motorola, Nikon, Sansa, Canon, Sony and Nokia. This is more than just plug-and-pray kids, Device Stage is meant to provide users with customized device information and access to things like ring tones, direct management of ink cartridges and photo printing, or links to live customer service chat sessions -- just to name a few of the end user benefits. Microsoft demonstrated the new Windows 7 feature by attaching a Canon SD990 camera to an Eee PC S101 running a 1.6GHz "Atom dual-core chip" (the Atom 330, we presume) to upload a photo over Sierra Wireless' 3G data modem to Flickr, not Windows Live Photo Gallery... oops. See the full video after the break.Update: Microsoft's PR folks just got in touch to let us know that the device demoed was not a dual-core Atom, but actually a single-core chip. Apparently the speaker misspoke when mentioning what kind of processor was being used.
ASUS Eee PC S101 reviewed: sexy, but not worth the premium
We already knew ASUS' Eee PC S101 had it going on when it came to design, but how did it hold up under the stresses of everyday use? The critics over at Laptop Mag took the fashionable netbook into their testing lair, and while it was deemed "gorgeous and strikingly thin," users who opt for this one must be willing to "make some trade-offs in the name of fashion." For starters, the $699 machine shares almost all of the same internal components as the $449 Eee PC 1000H, so you'll have to fall awfully hard for the looks in order to justify the delta. Generally speaking, the palm rest and keyboard were both praised, but the critics did find the Shift key to be "awkwardly placed". In the end, there wasn't much here to discuss outside of cosmetic differences, and while this crew couldn't place its highest recommendations on the pricey S101, those with deeper pockets may certainly feel otherwise.
Engadget Podcast 115 - 10.24.2008
We're back, just as promised! This week, Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, and Nilay Patel discuss the finer points of new ASUS laptops, Casio digicams, and a score of other compelling, enthralling, and generally fascinating items that will tickle your braincells and delight your many respectable senses. Sit back, relax, kick off your shoes, crack open a can of Dr. Terrific's Party Juice, and enjoy the soothing sounds and delightful pseudo-sights of the Engadget Podcast. Update: It looks like the Podcast is back up in iTunes! Thanks to everyone who pinged them, but you can call off the dogs -- and a big thanks to Scott at Apple for making it happen! Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, and Nilay Patel Producer: Trent Wolbe Music: Professor Murder - Dutch Hex Subscribe to the podcast [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC). [RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator. [Zune]Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace Download the podcast LISTEN (MP3) LISTEN (AAC) LISTEN (OGG) Contact the podcast 1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com.
ASUS Eee PC S101 hands-on
Confession: we love, love slim laptops. Air, Envy, X300, slips of copier paper with "laptop" written on them... anything decently under that magical 1-inch thick mark has a special place in our hearts. And then there's the Eee PC S101. Don't get us wrong, we really like this little netbook. It's slim, light, solidly built, not entirely gaudy and comes with quite the pedigree, but we're having trouble choking down that $699 pricetag for what's still ostensibly a "second" computer. Here's the way we see it: this new, wonderful 0.75-inch thick form factor can't just be a random noodling by ASUS, we're expecting all sorts of trickle down to other models in the future -- except there's really no place to trickle down on the specs. Perhaps they could drop the Bluetooth, or the "n" spec from the WiFi, but at the end of the day 1GB of RAM and an Atom processor are pretty baseline for netbooks, and we expect something exactly delicious as this netbook from ASUS or elsewhere before the glossy paint is dry on the S101 -- or at least a built-in 3G option in a few weeks to make this thing obsolete. Our other big gripe is with the keyboard. The keys are good-sized and rather tactile for a netbook, but they could certainly be better, and the right shift key is inexplicably on the far side of the up arrow key -- basically unreachable by our mortal pinkie. It makes zero sense from a typing standpoint, and since we tend to over-rely on the right shift key out of bad Mavis Beacon-induced typing habits, we're not stoked about ASUS's choice here. Otherwise there's a nice collection of ports, a great (multi-touch) touchpad, a wonderful matte screen and that pesky hole in our wallet where all our cash used to be.%Gallery-35015%
ASUS Eee PC S101 hits US November 1st for a steep $699
We went back and forth on price specifics for the States, and now it looks like ASUS has landed firmly in the "forth" category. ASUS's new "fashion-on-the-go" Eee PC S101 hits the States November 1st, and brings with it a hefty $699 pricetag. What you get for that price is a new super-slim enclosure (a mere 0.75-inches thick) and some stylish accents, but the specs are pretty standard for the higher-end of netbooks. There's an Atom N270 processor doing the heavy lifting, 1GB of RAM, a matte 10.2-inch 1024 x 600 LED-backlit display, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, multi-card reader, multi-touch touchpad, VGA webcam, 5.4 hours of quoted battery life (unlikely) and Windows XP. There won't be a Linux option offered in the States. All of this weighs in at 2.3 pounds, and there's still room for "hybrid storage" of a 16GB SSD and 30GB HDD -- but despite the laptop's slimness, it seems a bit of a reach at this price. The laptop comes in "copper brown" and "graphite" versions. Stand by for our impression later today.%Gallery-35011%
Press shots and first review of ASUS' sexy Eee PC S101
You've already seen just how sexy ASUS' Eee PC S101 is in person (save for that heinous brown motif), but now you can take a peek at just how luscious this slim slab of computing prowess looks in the eyes of a press photographer. And if you're worried about real-world use, an early review puts those fears completely to bed. Critics found the machine to be absolutely stunning (a real shock, we know), and on the performance end, they were generally pleased. Of note, it did long for integrated WWAN and a tinier price tag, but we suppose you can't have everything. Speaking of which, we're seeing a €599 ($816) price tag for the European model, which clearly includes a premium for the aforementioned overall hotness.Read - Press shotsRead - Review
ASUS' Eee PC S101 gets hands-on treatment, release details
Anxious to get your claws around an Eee PC that looks -- amazingly -- nothing like an Eee PC? Feast your eyes on the S101, which was recently toyed with by our brethren over at Engadget Chinese. We must say, this here piece of machinery looks mighty fine save for that not-at-all appealing brown coat, but we suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder after all. As for launch dates (pricing should range between $699 and $799), we're hearing that the Asia-Pacific realm could see it as early as tomorrow, while Europe will get it in around a fortnight and North America sometime later this month. Oh, and if you're in that latter region, you better bite early -- just 1,000 of 'em will be made available here initially.
ASUS makes Eee PC S101 official, 904HA images leak out
Just when we think things can't get any worse for the Eee's bedraggled reputation as a brand, along comes ASUS with a subtle deviation to give us some much needed hope. The "fashion-friendly" S101 ($699 to $799), which will ship in brown (seriously?), champagne and graphite hues, and feature a 10.2-inch WSVGA LED-backlit display, an SSD up to 64GB in size, 4-in-1 flash card reader, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, a VGA output, three USB 2.0 ports, 0.3-megapixel webcam and a multi-touch trackpad. In related news, we've got the remarkably heinous 904HA (shown after the break), which inexplicably comes in puke green and lollipop red (or black, phew), and includes a 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB HDD, 6-cell battery and a $399.99 price tag. You're stoked, aren't you?Read - Eee PC S101Read - Eee PC 904HA; via EeePCNews
Not-an-Eee Eee PC S101 shows up at the FCC
Although ASUS's "premium" N10 netbook managed to ditch the Eee branding, it looks like the S101 is having a harder time breaking loose from the fam -- the 10.2-inch netbook just showed up in the FCC database sporting the Eee PC name, even though ASUS told us it won't be an Eee when it goes on sale. We'll see how it's labeled when Uncle Sam gets done with it -- we've got a feeling ASUS is going to take its already-confusing Eee marketing to a whole new level with this one.
ASUS Eee PC "Ultimate" S101 revealed, and it's brown
We've already seen the S101 Ultimate Eee PC at the top of ASUS' Eee PC pyramid of implosion. ASUS' prez, Jerry Shen, told us earlier to expect the Atom-based netbooks to ship with a 32GB SSD, 10.2-inch, 16:9 aspect LED backlit display and battery life of about 4-5 hours. Today in Taiwan, he personally revealed the S101 prototype (pictured above next to the Eee PC 901), and it's brown (at least for now) and it's sporting the Eee logo as you'd expect. Interestingly, ASUS has apparently decided to ditch the Eee branding on the S101 when it goes production in mid-September to keep it distinct from the low-cost ultra-portable branding that the Eee PC name is (or at least was) synonymous with -- a move we wholeheartedly support. The S101 will measure in at a tapering 16 ~ 21-mm and weigh less than 1KG. Seems Jerry re-enacted the ol' MacBook Air (4 ~ 19.4-mm thick) trick and pulled the S101 from an envelop to demonstrate its thinness. Played carny tricks aside, the S101 features the same 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor and 945GME chipset found in current gen Eees with prices to range from $699 for the 32GB SSD model on up to $899 for a 40GB SSD (and possibly more). Interesting, to say the least.Update: We're hearing that the $899 model actually carries a 64GB SSD -- could be if it's that $313 cheap-o from Buffalo. [Via iTechNews]
ASUS prepping "high-end" Eee PC S-series for September
Remember the ASUS Eee PC roadmap we peeped a few days back? Right, the one that lists the new Ultimate S-series and Pro Fashion Eee PCs amongst the 23 models. Turns out both categories are planned for a 2008 launch with specs like dual-core Atom processors, 120GBs of hard disk, and 32GB SSDs. This according to ASUS president, Jerry Shen. The first Eee PC with a 32GB SSD (wink wink Buffalo) will launch in late September and feature a 10-inch, 16:9 aspect LED backlit display and battery life of about 4-5 hours. As members of the Exquisite and Extremely slim and light S-series, these Eee(ee) PCs will cost between $700 to $900 with the "high-end market" in mind. Funny, we didn't know there was a high-end to the race to the bottom.
Leaked Eee PC roadmap shows 23 models, redefines brand dilution
Engadget Chinese received the slide image above showing ASUS' Eee PC roadmap. Go ahead count 'em up, we'll wait... Right, 23 Eee PCs before they're done, some of which we've already seen. The "extreme slim and light" S101 and S91 models, however, are new and tantalizing Eee PC "Ultimate" series additions and should compete nicely with the Dell E Slim. Really though, 23 models ASUS? Guess we shouldn't be surprised, after all, this is the same company that offers more than 50 models (not just configurations) of laptops. Read -- Engadget Chinese Read -- ASUS Notebook list
ROAD's Handy-PC S101 apparently real
It's one thing to see Photoshop upon Photoshop of a device that may or may not exist (just think of how many iPhone concepts we got inundated with), but it's quite another to see it in the flesh. It gives you that warm, fuzzy feeling to know that the hotness you're gazing at is something more than vaporware. Not to say spotting a handset in the wild guarantees its release -- far from it, in fact -- but still, ROAD's been offering us nothing more than ridiculously badass-looking drawings of their Handy-PC for the past year and a half, and we can hear the collective sigh of relief from Nokia Communicator fans everywhere as they lock eyes on this first in-the-flesh shot. As we previously reported, the specs on their production quad-band S101 model leave little to be desired as folding smartphones go, with 128MB of RAM, 64MB of ROM, a 2-megapixel shooter, 400MHz of the XScale PXA263 variety, and Qtopia's mobile Linux platform in a 210-gram package. Where do we sign up? Ahh, that's right, ROAD's site -- still no word on actual availability, but at least you can let out a little pent-up excitement by placing an "advance order."[Via Slashphone]
ROAD keeps their Linux Handy-PC concept alive
Announced way back in February 2005, ROAD has been promising this Handy-PC Linux dreamphone of theirs for a while now, and even stated in late 2005 that they'd have it out by Q1 2006. Well, it still hasn't materialized, but their new concept version of the phone looks a tad snazzier and a bit more for-reals. The specs haven't really gone anywhere, it's still a QWERTZ clamshell with Bluetooth, WiFi, quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and a 640 x 240 display. When closed the unit acts like a slightly chunky candybar (pictured after the break) -- ala Nokia 9300 -- with a 102 x 65 monochrome display. What's new is a fleshed out Qtopia GUI (the Handy-PC was still running Windows screenshots back when we saw it last), which looks functional, if a tad busy. The device is powered by a 400MHz Xscale CPU, and comes in two flavors: the S101 and S101K, the latter of which adds a 2 megapixel camera and encryption of some sort. You can "advance order" your very own Handy-PC right now, but since there's no word on when it will be available, or for how much, we figure we're in for a bit of a wait yet.[Via El Reg]
