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Panasonic toughens up Santa Rosa with a pair of new laptops
it's a little late to the game, but Panasonic has now seen fit to bestow some of that Santa Rosa mojo on a couple of its ruggedized Toughbook laptops, recently announcing its new CF-74 and CF-52 models based on the platform. From the looks of it, the CF-74 (pictured above) will be more or less the same as the existing model of the same name, with the notable exception of all those Santa Rosa-related upgrades, including Intel's 965 Express chipset, an unspecified Core 2 Duo processor, integrated 802.11n WiFi, and Intel's Turbo Memory cache card. The CF-52, on the other hand, takes things up a whole digit from the current CF-51 model, with it getting some of the added security benefits of the more business-minded Centrino Pro platform. According to Panasonic, the CF-74 will be the first out the gate in June, with the CF-52 following sometime in July, although there's no word on pricing for either of 'em just yet. [Warning: PDF link]
Sony's business savvy VAIO BX40 officially hits Europe
Granted, Sony's BX-series of VAIOs has been around for quite some time, but the long-standing business lappie is getting a makeover in Europe that includes a hop over to Santa Rosa. This 15.4-inch widescreen machine packs a 1,280 x 800 resolution X-black LCD, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, WiFi, a multi-function drive bay that houses your choice of a dual-layer DVD writer or a secondary hard drive, Intel's T7300 Core 2 Duo processor, ATI's Mobility Radeon HD 2300 handling the graphics, and up to 2GB of RAM. Additionally, users will notice a fingerprint scanner, Sony's G-Sensor HDD shock protector, Ethernet, a 56k modem, VGA out, stereo speakers, SD and MS flash card slots, a number of USB 2.0 ports, and a 4-pin FireWire connector to boot. Unfortunately, the VGN-BX41VN currently lacks an official price or release date, but there's plenty of similar alternatives already out if you need something on the double. Click on through for a couple more glimpses.[Via PCLaunches]
HP Compaq's 2510p laptop / 2710p tablet to rock LED displays
If you can somehow look back all the way to this year's humble beginnings, you'd know that HP was already whispering about LED-backlit laptops, and while it's taken a tick to hear something official, it looks like the long-awaited upgrade to LED-based displays will be landing shortly. The HP Compaq 2510p 12.1-inch laptop and 2710p tablet PC will reportedly be the first two on the list to receive such treatment, and while we've already seen the majority of the specifications for the both of 'em, the tantalizing Illumi-Lite display is definitely icing on the cake. Unfortunately, pricing information is still being held behind tight lips, but the firm's duo of LED-packin' machines are scheduled to ship out in Q3 of this year.
Santa Rosa: el rodeo completo
Well, the flood's slowing down to a trickle -- looks like most of the laptop manfacturers that are going to be jumping on Intel's Santa Rosa Centrino Pro / Duo bandwagon right away have gotten their machines out the door. We're still waiting on a couple stragglers -- hello, Apple -- and HP's really the only company to update across the board, but it certainly seems as though Intel's hit a home run here. A full list of updated machines after the jump.
Sony bumps Vaio SZ and AR notebooks to Santa Rosa
Looks like Sony's decided to go all the way with Santa Rosa -- not only did it introduce the new FZ today, it's also giving the AR and SZ lines the full Centrino Duo makeover, with Core 2 Duos ranging from 1.80 - 2GHz sitting on that oh-so-popular 800MHz frontside bus and 802.11n networking. The AR (pictured above) is the real bruiser here, with a 17.8-inch XBRITE screen powered by an NVIDIA GeForce 8400M, a built-in webcam, HDMI out, a recordable Blu-ray drive, and a digital TV tuner beakout box with a CableCARD slot. All that power doesn't come light, though -- the AR tips the scales at 8.4 pounds. Road warriors will be more interested in the 4.1-pound SZ, which drops the old-school EDGE modem of its predecessor for a Sprint EV-DO model but otherwise remains basically the same: 13.3-inch XBRITE screen with the ability to toggle between integrated Intel X3100 graphics and an NVIDIA GeForce 8400M chip to save battery life, built-in webcam, and a trick carbon fiber body on the Premium model. No word on pricing or availability, but these two rolled out at around $3000 each the last time around, so we're not expecting any mad rush here.
Intel's Centrino Duo and Centrino Pro Santa Rosa chipsets go live
If you haven't noticed by now, the laptop industry is going Santa Rosa crazy today, and for good reason: Intel's next-gen chipset is officially "out" as of now, following up the Napa / Yonah combo of last year. Intel is sticking with the Core 2 Duo "Merom" processor for the time being, but is releasing new, faster versions that take advantage of Santa Rosa's faster front-side bus, which is up at 800MHz, compared to 667MHz of prior versions. The new processors are odd-numbered to set them apart, and include the 1.8GHz T7100, 2GHz T7300, 2.2GHz T7500, 2.4GHz T7700, 1.4GHz L7300 and 1.6GHz L7500 -- with the latter two being low-voltage versions. As seen on many of the models announced today, or leaked in the recent weeks, the new Intel 965 Express Chipset includes more than the FSB goodies, with support for the new DirectX 10 and Vista-friendly Intel GMA X3100 integrated graphics and the Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN 802.11n chip. That's the gist of the consumer-oriented Centrino Duo, while the Centrino Pro adds in a Gigabit Network Connection that supports remote wake-up over WiFi. Unfortunately, while the processors and front-side bus are all ready to go, laptop memory is still stuck at 667MHz, and Intel hasn't made it clear whether the Santa Rosa platforms will be able to handle the 800MHz memory due to launch later this year.
Lenovo's ThinkPad T61 laptop gets official
Just in case the leaked specs weren't solid enough for you, Lenovo has finally opened up and revealed the 14.1-inch T61 to the world. In what's being dubbed the "strongest, coolest, and quietest ThinkPad ever," the T61 comes sheathed in a magnesium alloy frame (Top Cover Roll Cage in Lenovo lingo), and touts an "improved cooling system, enhanced wireless connectivity with Ultra Connect II, and up to 15-percent longer battery life through its Battery Stretch control option." Furthermore, you'll find a WXGA+ display, a wide range of Intel's Core 2 Duos, up to 160GB of 5400RPM HDD space (or 100GB at 7200RPM), NVIDIA's 128MB Quadro NVS 140M graphics set, an optional Blu-ray drive, gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth, 802.11a/b/g/n, and even an option for WWAN connectivity via EV-DO or HSDPA; additionally, there's a four-in-one media card reader and your choice of Windows XP / Vista. It looks like the May timeframe we had heard about earlier will actually stay true in this case, and while you can price this bad boy as high as you can dream, the base machine will run you $1,399.[Via LaptopLogic]
Compal readies IFL90, IFL91, IFT00, and ITF01 Santa Rosa laptops
The race to crank out Santa Rosa-equipped lappies has just become a sprint, as even Compal has joined the ranks of Fujitsu, Dell, Asus, and HP (among others) to loose a bevy of new machines on the world. The IFT00 and IFT01 each sport a 14.1-inch display, up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM, an option for an HD DVD player, gigabit Ethernet, an ExpressCard slot, four USB 2.0 ports, FireWire, WiFi, a biometric scanner, and a SATA hard drive to boot. The IFT00, however, ups the ante on its lesser-spec'd sibling by throwing in a 512MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 8600, while the IFT01sports Intel's integrated GMA X3100 graphics set. The IFL00 and IFL01 maintain most of the same specifications, but offer up a 15.4-inch WXGA+ or WXGA display and the option for a nine-cell battery. All four units should drop in Europe sometime soon, with pricing details to disclosed at a later time.[Via PCLaunches]
Fujitsu's newest LifeBooks: the E8410/8490 and A6030
Just a day after seeing the Amilo Pi2515, a few FCC sleuths have discovered that a different pair of Fujitsu machines are waiting for release here in the US. Looking to add to new options to the LifeBook lineup, the E8410/8490 should tout a 15.4-inch WUXGA or WSXGA display, Intel's 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo T7700 processor, and a WM3945ABG Mini-PCI WLAN module that completely shuns 802.11n. The LifeBook A6030 looks to posses the same CPU as its more expensive sibling, but chops the resolution on its 15.4-inch screen down to WXGA. Unfortunately, that's all the dirt that the existing documentation was able to spill on these up and coming lappies, but after this paperwork get ironed out, it shouldn't be too long before it happily joins the ever-growing Santa Rosa population here in America.[Via PCJoint]
Lenovo's ThinkPad T61 and R61 Santa Rosa-tops leaked, due in May
While the classic IBM ThinkPad stylings might play well in the ultraportable range, we've never been quite impressed with Lenovo's widescreen attempts at business friendly minimalism. That said, there's a lot to love in the specs department of Lenovo's upcoming T61 (pictured) and R61 Santa Rosa 14-inchers, which IBM leaked info on today -- which is odd, considering the fact that the IBM logo has left these things completely -- and while the looks might be a tad frumpy, the actual sizes aren't so terribly chubsy. Of course, the big news here is the Santa Rosa processor action, with chips like the T7100, T7300, T7500 and T7700 bringing up to 2.4GHz of 64-bit Core 2 Duo lovin' to the two models. Other notables include Intel's latest PM965 integrated graphics chipset, Intel Turbo Card "Robson" flash memory cache tech in select models, and a LCD "roll cage" in the T61. You can also toss in discrete NVIDIA graphics, or pretty much whatever else you're up for: wireless, connectivity and storage options abound. No word on price, but we should be seeing the first of these around May, with NVIDIA, 160GB encrypted drives and Blu-ray versions following in July.[Via NotebookReview]Read - Lenovo ThinkPad T61Read - Lenovo ThinkPad R61
Zepto's Znote 6625WD does DX10, HSDPA, and HD DVD
Considering that Zepto isn't exactly "the name" in full-blown gaming laptops, we certainly hope this one won't turn out like ones prior, but the Znote 6625WD purportedly packs a plethora of lavish innards if it proves legitimate. The 15.4-inch machine is based around Intel's Santa Rosa, er, Centrino Pro platform, and sports a WSXGA resolution, Core 2 Duo processor, 1GB of RAM, Bluetooth 2.0, NVIDIA's 512MB GeForce Go 8600 graphics card, DirectX 10 support, an optional HD DVD writer, 802.11a/b/g/n, HSDPA compatibility, and to top things off, an HDMI output. The company will supposedly be taking customized orders in May to satisfy your wildest dreams, and while the bottom-end of the bunch could land at around "$1,100 to $1,200," we imagine that some of the aforementioned luxuries will ratchet that right on up.[Via Laptopical]
Intel gets official on Centrino Pro, adds vPro
Things are shaping up nicely for prospective laptop buyers holding out for Santa Rosa systems before they make the plunge. Intel just confirmed that the platform will be making its way into laptops in the second quarter of this year, and clarified that Centrino Pro is only part of the action, not the whole dealio. Intel also has come forward with a welcome feature addition for enterprise types: vPro, which Intel unleashed on the desktop side last year, will be included in Centrino Pro, allowing for remote management and upgrades of systems by IT folks, and improved virtualization. Of course, it'll also involve signing up for a smorgasbord of Intel-only parts, such as the 802.11n MIMO WiFi, but that's just the way Intel rolls.[Via Laptoping]
Gigabyte unveils U60 UMPC, Centrino Pro notebooks
Gigabyte chose to unveil the products it'll be showing off at CeBit today, and though we had been anticipating the 6.5-inch, Via-powered U60 UMPC Medion-rebadge, the five new Santa Rosa / Centrino Pro-based notebooks come as mostly a surprise. Built around Intel's latest, Merom-specific mobile platform, all five models sport a capacious 10,000mAH eight-hour battery and are loaded up with Vista. The entire spec sheets won't be made available until the show kicks off, but what we do know for now is that the W251U is a 12.1-inch ultraportable with built-in webcam, the W466U and W468N are both 14.1-inch machines -- with the latter offering 256MB NVIDIA NB8P graphics as well as Robson quick-boot technology -- the 15.4-inch W566N sports the same chipset along with Dual-Heatpipe cooling, and the 17-inch W756N is a gaming workhorse with 1GB worth of graphics cards in SLI. Obviously with the lack of details comes a dearth of info on pricing and availability as well, but all that and more should be revealed in just a few short days. [Warning: PDF link].[Via Core Duo News, thanks Staska]
NVIDIA confirms GeForce 8-series for laptops
NVIDIA may be talking up its high-end graphics for cellphones these days, but that doesn't mean it's forgotten about those who prefer their portable gaming slightly less portable, recently firming up some details on its GeForce 8-series graphics hardware for laptops. The big news is that the company has confirmed that they plan to ship the new-and-improved hardware in time for the launch of Intel's upcoming Santa Rosa platform, otherwise known as Centrino Pro, which still seems to be on schedule for a Q2 launch. Assuming ATI doesn't have something up its sleeve, that would make the GeForce 8-series the first DirectX 10-compliant laptop graphics hardware, able to handle high-definition video as well as games. As you might have guessed, there's unfortunately no word yet on how much of a premium it'll add to sure-to-be-already-pricey laptops.[Via Laptoping]
Intel's Penryn Core 2 Quad processor "on schedule"
With the rampant delays swarming nearly every aspect of consumer electronics, it's understandable to approach "release dates" with a certain level of skepticism, but Intel's Mark Bohr has stated that the company is already "processing the first samples of the Penryn design," which is good news for Intel fans everywhere. The 45nm, quad-core successor to its Core 2 Extreme QX6700 was previously scheduled to be released "sometime during Q3 2007," and just as Intel nailed their November target on its latest Kentsfield chip, it just might be safe to put a little stock in this date as well. Dubbed the Core 2 Quad, this next generation processor will seek to increase power, consume less energy, and primarily outgun AMD by releasing its 45nm CPUs only months after AMD launches its 65nm Barcelona. Additionally, Penryn could play a role in the part of Montevina, which according to Intel's roadmap, would be the successor to Centrino Pro. Nevertheless, Intel's done a fair job of keeping its promises as of late, so we're banking on them keeping this one as well, which means the first batch of Yorkfield-derived wafers should hit motherboards "in the second half of next year."[Via RegHardware]
Intel's Santa Rosa platform officially dubbed Centrino Pro
While the Mac faithful are still twiddling their thumbs waiting for Apple to finally bump those sexy MacBook Pros to Merom status, Intel's not wasting any time officially dubbing its next generation notebook platform. The company unveiled the Santa Rosa chipset, complete with integrated HSDPA, at this year's Intel Developer's Forum, but we've now learned that it will not only be built "around the 64-bit dual-core Merom" processor, but it'll carry a "Centrino Pro" nametag to boot. Although specific speeds weren't announced, the chip giant did say that next year's Core 2 Duo lineup would include "T7300, T7500 and T7700 models," which boast an "800MHz front side bus and 4MB L2 cache," while the low-end T7100 gets it on-die cache halved. Simultaneously, Intel's "GM965/PM965 chipsets and 82566MM Gigabit Network/Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN network chips" will be unveiled to complete the Centrino Pro trifecta. Intel's planning on having these expeditious goodies ready by "Q2 2007," and the $300 million its throwing down for "promotion purposes" should keep us all very informed on its progress.[Via Laptoping]
