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Video: MSI's skinny X600 laptop gets handled

by Laura June, posted Jul 10th 2009 at 11:12AM

It's been a little while since we'd heard anything about the super-slim MSI X600 -- part of the X-Slim lineup they've unleashed upon the world. NewGadget's gotten their hands on one, and it's looking pretty sexy, we have to admit. We already know that there will supposedly be two offerings for this 15.6-incher -- one with a 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Solo processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB hard drive, and the other with a 1.2GHz Intel Celeron processor, 3GB of RAM, and a 320GB hard drive. We still don't have official word on US release or pricing, but the video's after the break.

Continue reading Video: MSI's skinny X600 laptop gets handled

Red Fox Wizbook N1020i netbook gets a hands-on

by Laura June, posted Jul 6th 2009 at 12:44PM

Red Fox's recently unveiled netbook -- the Wizbook N1020i -- has just gotten a hands-on treatment from the folks over at Electronic Pulp. The 10.2-incher is looking like pretty standard netbook fare -- a 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU, a 160GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM, Wi-Fi, built-in webcam and card reader, plus 3 USB ports and a 6-cell battery -- all tell the same old tale. Rather interestingly, though, this model supports Bluetooth 3.0 and boasts an ExpressCard/34 slot... which may not be enough to make you run out in search of one, but is at least enough to keep it semi-interesting. We're really digging the neons, too. There's no word on pricing or availability yet -- but there is another shot after the break, and hit the read link for a full set.

Colorware offers up $6,000 Stealth MacBook Pro: it's really dark

by Darren Murph, posted Jul 4th 2009 at 4:10PM

Colorware's well known for offering up all sorts of consumer electronics in all sorts of hues, but the outfit has definitely stepped up its game with the Stealth MacBook Pro. This limited edition piece is an all-black 15-inch MacBook Pro with a matte display, 3.06GHz CPU, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, 256GB SSD, an 8x SuperDrive, zero gloss finish and a SofTouch coating that'll make it downright impossible for your fingers to stop stroking it. Reportedly, these will be limited to just ten units, and each one will cost a not-at-all affordable $5,999. See Apple, this is what you get when you voluntarily axe the BlackBook. Opportunity, lost.

[Via Engadget Polska]

Acer poised to beat Dell, become number two PC maker

by Nilay Patel, posted Jun 28th 2009 at 11:03PM

Interesting piece in the New York Times today about Acer -- the company is about to ride the tidal wave of netbooks and other el-cheapo computers straight to the number two spot on the PC sales chart. That's a big deal -- no non-US company has ever made it so high -- and it's interesting that the strategies Acer took to get there are the same things Dell's been trying to do lately: it's heavy on low-cost, stylish laptops and netbooks, it keeps inventory extremely lean, and it relies on an extensive set of retail partnerships in Europe. What's more, the Aspire One has been the best-selling netbook for a while now, and we'd say Acer's way out in front of the CULV thin-and-light race with the Timeline -- in fact, we'd say the only open question here is whether the company can take all this computing success and translate it to something worthwhile in the smartphone space. Based on what we've seen so far, we've got our doubts, but we'll see what those super-secret Android sets look like before we place our bets.

Acer Aspire One AO751h reviewed -- sweet battery life, sad CPU marks

by Laura June, posted Jun 27th 2009 at 10:18AM

Acer's 11.6-inch netbook -- the Aspire One 751h -- has been available Stateside since mid-May, and Laptop's spent some quality time with it, delivering a full review. Overall, they found the nice, large screen to be welcoming, and the battery life (on their 6-cell configuration) was fantastic -- clocking in at over seven hours. They were, however, pretty disappointed in the 1.22-GHz Intel Atom Z520 CPU, finding it to really slow the unit down. They note that other similarly priced models boast better processors, and might be a smarter choice. The Aspire One 751h runs $399 with a 3-cell battery, and $449 for the 6-cell version. Hit up the read link for the full review. One more shot after the break.

Continue reading Acer Aspire One AO751h reviewed -- sweet battery life, sad CPU marks

Ask Engadget: Best gaming laptop for under $1,500?

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 26th 2009 at 1:44AM

Believe it, vaquero -- you just happened upon this week's episode of Ask Engadget, the only time of the week where you get the opportunity to bestow your wealth of gadget knowledge onto a fellow reader in need. Given the open-mindedness of Niko here, we couldn't help but pass on his inquiry:

"What's the best gaming laptop for under 1,500 bucks? I had my eye on the P7805u (Gateway), but it seems Best Buy has run out for the time being. Also, as a secondary question, I like the specs on brands such as iBUYPOWER and CyberPower and the like, but are they reliable? I'm a little worried about buying labels that aren't huge like Dell, Gateway, etc. Thanks!"

So, make sure those of you who've avoided the big boys chime in here -- who knows, maybe it's actually better to snag a machine from a lesser-known label. After you've contributed, feel free to send in your own question to ask at engadget dawt com.

Panasonic's Toughbook CF-30 gets gnawed by tiger, stomped by elephant and 187'd

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 25th 2009 at 8:41AM

In a whirring round of hurt that only a dear friend we know simply as Congmasta could deliver, a team of his irreverent cousins got ahold of Panasonic's Toughbook CF-30 to see just how far the envelope could be pushed. We already discovered that said machine was plenty tough for the average adventurer, but Forbes' tests prove that this bad boy is tailor made for maltreatment in the field. Somehow, the machine survived a round of Diet Coke to the keys, a few chomps from a white tiger, an elephant's playful attempt to extirpate it and even a single .22 slug through the lid. After the torment concluded, the CF-30 still managed to boot, and while that hole in the LCD was certainly a nuisance, it didn't stop the rest of the pixels from lighting up and trudging onward. Tap the read link for all the gory details, photographs and video, but seriously, don't try this at home. Or anywhere.

[Image courtesy of Schim Schimmel/SchimmelSmith Publishing, thanks Vipul]

Gateway adds the 15.6-inch NV series to its laptop lineup

by Ross Miller, posted Jun 25th 2009 at 12:01AM

Gateway seems to be on a roll with new product announcements lately. Tonight the company's unveiled a new NV series of laptops with one-touch backup and powersaving features. Let's get down to business: the 15.6-inch laptop's got an LED-backlit display with 1366 x 768 widescreen resolution, up to 4GB DDR2 RAM and 320GB HDD, DVD optical drive, 802.11a/b/g/Draft-N, multi-card reader, VGA and HDMI out, four USB 2.0, 6-cell battery, and Windows Vista Home Premium. Fanciful color choices? We got you covered: NightSky Black, Midnight Blue, Cherry Red, and Coffee Brown. Doling out $499 will net you a 2.1 GHz AMD Athlon 64 with Radeon HD 3200 graphics, while the $599 option comes with 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with GMS 4500MHD. Full press release and another glimpse of the laptop after the break.

Continue reading Gateway adds the 15.6-inch NV series to its laptop lineup

Lenovo IdeaPad s12 now available (at least for pre-order)

by Laura June, posted Jun 24th 2009 at 2:57PM

At long last, the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 is available for pre-order. The 12.1-inch, WXGA (1,280 x 800) resolution netbook, if you've forgotten, boasts an Intel GMA950 chipset (and will have NVIDIA's Ion chipset as an option in September), an Intel 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU, 1GB of DDR2 memory, 160/250/320GB HDD options, an optional 6-cell battery, Ethernet jack, WiFi, Bluetooth, three USB 2.0 sockets, an ExpressCard slot, a 4-in-1 card reader and VGA / HDMI outputs. It also has a full sized keyboard, and optional 1080p video playback. Starting price for the base model is $499. Hit the read link for the full host of options -- we'll let you know when it's shipping!

Netbook study finds that netbook buyers don't know what netbooks are

by Joseph L. Flatley, posted Jun 24th 2009 at 1:04PM

Oh noes! According to some market research dudes, the average consumer cannot tell the difference between a netbook and a notebook. We're inclined to believe that this is simply because the average consumer hasn't perused this handy chart, but what do we know? Of course, the readers of Engadget are an intelligent and sophisticated bunch, one that understands all the intricacies of this -- one of the most important questions of our time. But what about the folks that need to sell netbooks (and notebooks) to 18-24 year olds, one of the main demographics that manufacturers hope to reach with their products? Hit the read link for what's sure to be a gripping (if wicked expensive) report titled Netbooks II: A Closer Look. Or, if you're only moderately curious, feel free to check out the PR after the break.

Continue reading Netbook study finds that netbook buyers don't know what netbooks are

New Toshiba Satellite laptops now available Stateside

by Joseph L. Flatley, posted Jun 23rd 2009 at 3:57PM

Remember those new Satellite's Toshiba that dropped in Europe a week or two ago? Seems like they're making the scene Stateside starting today, alongside several of their siblings. As previously noted, the A500 is a 16-inch multimedia machine (starting at $749.99), while the U500 ($849.99) is a 13.3-inch guy more suited to on-the-go computing. Newly announced are the M500/M505 (with 14-inch high-def LED display, starting at $699.99) and the P500/P505 (an 18.4-inch desktop replacement with slot-loading DVD drive, starting at $799.99). All the new Satellites include multimedia command keys, webcam, face recognition software, harmon/kardon speakers and, of course, the world renowned eSATA/USB combo port. And if you're good, we have a couple pics for you. After the break, of course.

Continue reading New Toshiba Satellite laptops now available Stateside

Entelligence: Netbooks, R.I.P.

by Michael Gartenberg, posted Jun 23rd 2009 at 3:02PM

Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

It's one of the hottest selling items in the consumer electronics market today. At a time when vendors are struggling to sell PCs, it's the one category that has been selling consistently in Amazon's top ten list of technology purchases. Apple and Sony have both dismissed the category, even as other vendors bring more models to market. Yes, I'm talking about the phenomenon called the netbook. Here's why I think it's going to be pretty short lived as a category.

Continue reading Entelligence: Netbooks, R.I.P.

ASUS Eee PC 1005HA hands-on and impressions

by Laura June, posted Jun 23rd 2009 at 9:00AM

ASUS has certainly changed the netbook game a bit with its Eee PC Seashell line, aesthetically-speaking, anyway. Slimmed down and sleek, the Seashell's one of the handsomest netbooks we've seen. When we reviewed the 1008HA just a few weeks back, we had just a few minor issues with it, but overall, found it to boast a solid user experience. The Eee PC Seashell 1005HA is nearly identical to its elder brother, but presents some small changes for the better without sacrificing these now famous looks. Read on for our full impressions and hands-on photo gallery.

Continue reading ASUS Eee PC 1005HA hands-on and impressions

Intel making 'important announcement' today -- a Nokia netbook / MID?

by Thomas Ricker, posted Jun 23rd 2009 at 4:29AM

Possible big news on the way later today. According to Bloomberg, Intel's very own Mr. MID, Anand Chandrasekher, will announce Nokia as a new customer of its mobile processors. This is important because Nokia is a long time friend of ARM and Intel by its own admission can't currently compete with ARM when it comes to the ultra-low power consumption requirements of smartphones. So whatever Nokia's got cooking will presumably be running on Intel's upcoming Moorestown MID platform or its ultra-low power Medfield silicon targeting mainstream smartphones in 2011. On the other hand, Nokia's CEO already expressed interest in entering the laptop race with Intel or the ARM-based Snapdragon rumored to be at the core. But if this announcement results in yet another Atom-based netbook, well, good luck with that Nokia.

[Via IntoMobile]

MacBook Pro update rights the wrong, enables 3Gbps SATA transfers

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 22nd 2009 at 5:53PM

We've seriously no idea why Apple didn't just ship all of the June 2009 MacBook Pro units with the SATA 3Gbps specification enabled, but at least it caved to the chorus of complaints and enabled it today via a firmware update. MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.7, as it's called in Software Update, weighs in at just 3.35MB and requires OS X 10.5.7 to be installed. According to Apple, the update "addresses an issue reported by a small number of customers using drives based on the SATA 3Gbps specification with the June 2009 MacBook Pro." Of course, it goes on to say that it still doesn't support the use of drives that can take advantage of such speeds, but at least you have the option now of taking matters into your own hands and upgrading to a non-hamstrung SSD should you choose.

[Via MacRumors]