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ZTE Era flagship phone brings Tegra 3, 4.3-inch qHD display, 7.8mm chassis
We're just about to get hands-on with ZTE's latest high-spec ICS phone, the Era, but in the meantime here's a heads-up on the main credentials. The guts are all NVIDIA, with a Tegra 3 quad-core processor and an Icera HSPA+ modem. The display has 960 x 540 pixels spread over 4.3-inches of real estate, housed in a razor-like 7.8mm-thick (0.31-inch) slab. The 8GB of onboard memory is expandable via microSD, while there's also HD Voice and Dolby sound processing. ZTE will be looking to release the Era in the second half of this year, and says it's counting on the handset to help it become a "top three handset provider by 2015." More big words in the PR after the break.
ASUS Eee Pad MeMO ME171, ME370T and high-end Transformer Prime TF700T revealed
Flustered with the original Transformer Prime you just purchased? We'd advise you to have a seat. ASUS just took the wraps off an all new Transformer Prime (the TF700T) here at CES, which is presumably designed to rival Acer's newly-announced Iconia Tab A700. Notably, this guy won't be an outright replacement for the existing TF201 model; it's simply an upmarket alternative for those tired of the same specs over and over again. Speaking of, let's dive under the hood of this one, shall we? It's a 10.1-incher with NVIDIA's Tegra 3 within (1.3GHz quad-core Cortex A9), a Super IPS+ / Gorilla Glass 10.1-inch display with a downright silly 1,920 x 1,200 resolution (watch out, Lenovo!) and 32GB or 64GB of internal storage space. There's also an 8 megapixel rear camera / 2 megapixel front-facing cam, support for 1080p playback, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a micro-HDMI port, microSD card reader, a 25WHr Lithium-Polymer battery and a chassis that weighs just over a pound. It'll ship with Android 4.0.1 onboard (yeah, that's Ice Cream Sandwich), and will be compatible with the exact same keyboard dock as the existing Prime. Needless to say, ASUS is aiming for the stars with a build sheet like this, and the $599 to $699 retail price points enable you to know it. It'll land next quarter here in North America, and no, there's no GPS functionality listed on the spec sheet after the break; though we've been informed that this new Prime will come with a new back panel design (pictured after the break) that should enhance WiFi, BT and GPS performance. Moving onto more diminutive offerings, the Eee Pad MeMO (ME171) that we saw months ago is getting a formal reveal here in Las Vegas, boasting a 7-inch WXGA (1,280 x 800) IPS capacitive touchpanel, a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm 8260 processor, a gigabyte of memory, 16GB / 32GB of storage, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a 1.2 megapixel front / 5 megapixel rear camera (with 1080p recording), an A-GPS sensor, gyroscope, proximity sensor and a micro-USB port. There's a 4,400mAh Li-polymer battery reportedly good for some 8.5 hours of video playback, and it'll be Android 4.0.1 running the show. The unit checks in with dimensions of 7.8- x 4.6- x 0.50-inches (and a weight of 14.2 ounces), and while mum's the word on price (sadly), it'll supposedly ship in Q2 to North American adobes.
Habey USA's 12-inch panel PC brings that rugged look to your home
It's a shame this steel-encased touchscreen PC from Habey USA arrived too late for our violent outburst on the Engadget Show, but at least it has some broadly agreeable specs. The PPC-6512 can reel off 1080p vids on its 12-inch screen while consuming just 30W thanks to its 1.8GHz Atom D525 and NVIDIA Ion GT218 combo. An empty 2.5-inch removable HDD tray and eSATA port give it potential as a networked storage hub, and an old-school serial port lets it handle home automation controls too. It could also be used as a comms or security terminal, as there's a 1.3MP webcam on board, vesa mounting holes and four USB 2.0 ports. Heck, we'd buy three and rig our whole house up -- were it not for the $800 price tag, the apparently limited availability on Habey USA's underloved Amazon page, and the fact that we like our terminals to show a bit of emotion. Full specs in the PR after the break.
Editorial: The rise of the notbook, the fall of the netbook
Notbook (n.) -- An affordable ultraportable laptop, typically with a 11.6-inch or 12-inch display that is not a netbook. It packs more power than a netbook (i.e. can handle 1080p video and Flash at fullscreen) and provides a more comfortable computing experience than the typical, 10-inch underpowered, shrunken Atom-based laptop. Most do not have optical drives, but do last for over five hours on a charge. Unlike pricey ultraportable laptops, notbooks are more affordable and start at around $400. About six months ago, the 11.6-inch Dell Inspiron M101z arrived on my doorstep for review. The AMD Neo-powered system looked like a slightly enlarged netbook, but in a briefing with Dell, the product manager reinforced quite a few times that the system was absolutely "not a netbook." I can't remember his exact wording, but he made it crystal clear -- the $449 Inspiron M101z was so much more powerful than an Intel Atom netbook that it could be one's primary machine. Obviously, I started calling these sorts of laptops "notbooks," and over the next few months, more and more of them started popping up. Some of them paired Atom with an NVIDIA Ion GPU (e.g. Eee PC 1215N), while others used AMD's Neo chip and more recently AMD's new Fusion Zacate APU. (Intel's Core ULV-powered systems are frankly too expensive to be considered in this category, though some Pentium / Core 2 Duo systems, like the Acer Timeline X1810T, could qualify.) Uh, so what? There's a new crop of more powerful, affordable, and highly mobile laptops -- what's the big deal? Well, while many think tablets are what will ultimately cut the netbook market down to size, it's the notbooks that will also seriously hit the Atom-based lilliputian laptops of today where it really hurts. Don't get me wrong, ARM-powered tablets like the iPad and Motorola Xoom are going to impact netbook sales in a big way, too (heck, they already have!), but mark my words, notbooks or affordable ultraportables will take a noticeable chunk of both the netbook and the mainstream laptop market. There's finally a class of laptops that provide a terrific balance between primary and mobile computing without breaking the bank. Think I'm crazy? Hit the break to understand what I'm talking about.
ASUS Eee PC 1015PN review
It's not a secret: ASUS likes to roll out many (and we mean many!) variations of the same laptop. However, while most of the time the differences between the various model numbers -- the PEs, PNs, UCs, UFs, etc. -- usually don't result in much, the $430 1015PN happens to be quite a system in comparison to the many other 1015 or 1215 models roaming the universe. Sure, it has the same chassis as the 1015PE we reviewed not too long ago, but inside it's the first netbook to have Intel's brand new dual-core N550 processor and NVIDIA's Ion graphics. It's arguably the most powerful 10-inch Atom netbook to ever hit the market, but there's one thing that kills the experience for us. Find out just what that is in our full review after the break! %Gallery-107314%
Acer unveils AMD-infused Aspire AZ3100 AIO, Revo 3700 nettop now available for $349
Can you smell it in the air? Autumn is most assuredly here. Sure, you can deduce as much from equinoxes or changing leaves, but if you ask us, it's almost just as precise to go by a new, pre-holiday product cycle. Acer's taken the cue with two new desktop SKUs -- one each in the nettop and all-in-one categories. First with the latter: the 21.5-inch AZ3100 all-in-one (pictured). A tier lower than the AZ5700, this one lacks the multitouch and TV tuner, and instead utilizes a 2GHz AMD Athlon II 170u processor, NVIDIA GeForce 9200 graphics, 3GB RAM, and 500GB HDD. Add in a DVD drive, webcam, HDMI, six USB 2.0 ports, Windows 7 Home Premium, and a side chassis for "cable management." It does best its older brother in the price category, though, at just $599 -- about five Benjamins lower. As for the Aspire Revo 3700, it was actually announced earlier this month, but now we've got the skinny on this book-sized nettop's price and availability. That'd be $349 for the tag, and a street date of approximately... now, according to the press release. Speaking of which, all pertinent paperwork can be found after the break. %Gallery-103244%
Internet Explorer 9 Beta review
(function() { var s = document.createElement('SCRIPT'), s1 = document.getElementsByTagName('SCRIPT')[0]; s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.async = true; s.src = 'http://widgets.digg.com/buttons.js'; s1.parentNode.insertBefore(s, s1); })(); Digg If you're anything like us, as soon as you get a new PC there's a laundry list of things you do: uninstall every piece of crapware, change the desktop wallpaper, and fire up Internet Explorer 8 to download a new browser like Firefox or Chrome. Without fail, we've repeated that last step on every Windows laptop we've reviewed in the last year. Why is it that we almost instantly replace IE with another option? There are lots of reasons, but to name a few... the browser usually comes plastered with toolbars, which makes it painfully slow to load even just a simple news site. And even when those are uninstalled it feels sluggish in comparison to Firefox and Chrome. Also, it's just not as attractive or intuitive as the others. Oh, and then there are the smaller items, like the fact that it lacks a download manager or uses more RAM than the competition. That's no short list of complaints, but you can't say Microsoft hasn't been listening. It's been saying for months that Internet Explorer 9 -- which is now available for download as a public beta -- will mend all those issues and then some. A lot of the improvements come in speed -- Redmond's been talking about hardware acceleration since November of last year -- but there are some other interesting features such as "Pinned Sites" and "One Box" that Microsoft's been less vocal about. So, does IE9 live up to the hype and will it finally give us a preloaded browser that's fast enough to run with the others? Should you run along and download it right now? We've spent the last week using it as our primary browser on a number of different laptops to find out. We'll meet again in our full review after the break. %Gallery-102354%
ASUS Eee PC 1215N review
About nine months ago ASUS released its 12.1-inch Eee PC 1201N to much fanfare. It was the first "netbook" to pack NVIDIA's Ion platform and a desktop-class Atom processor. Translation: it absolutely wrecked regular netbooks (and even other Ion netbooks) on the graphics and performance battlefield. Indeed, the 1201N blurred the lines between netbook and regular laptop, but we ultimately knocked it fairly hard for not lasting longer than 2.5 hours on a charge -- it was dubbed a "netbook" of course. Our apologies for the brief history lesson, but it's actually quite important in understanding why ASUS' second generation of the 1201N is such a big deal. The 1215N has a Pine Trail 1.8GHz dual-core Atom D525 processor and NVIDIA's Ion 2 with Optimus, which no longer requires the GPU to be running the entire time and saves battery power. The $500 rig (though we're seeing it on sale for as much as $599) is still on the pricey side for a "netbook," but promises 1080p playback, seven hours of battery life and a 250GB hard drive. So, does the 1215N correct all the wrongs of the 1201N and live up to the "netbook powerhouse" title that ASUS has given it? And more importantly can it compete with some of the newer thin and light laptops, like the Dell Inspiron M101z? We found out, and we're assuming you want to as well in our full review after the break.
JooJoo software update adds local video playback and password storage, still a few months too late
It's baaaack. Okay, it never really went anywhere, but thanks to a very nice tipster we learned that Fusion Garage released a new software update for the JooJoo last night. The new 0.2.4 firmware, as you can see from the shot above, adds a few previously-lacking features such as the ability to store passwords, calibrate the screen, and basic USB support. Obviously, we couldn't help but whip out our JooJoo review unit and try it all out. The download didn't take more than three minutes and, lo' and behold, we were able to log into Twitter, close the browser, and then launch it again without having to log back in! However, more impressive is that its sole USB port is now functioning. We put a 1080p trailer of Scott Pilgrim on a flash drive, plugged it into the side of the tablet, and miraculously the NVIDIA Ion chip was finally put to work -- it handled the clip with ease and with absolutely zero stuttering. Don't believe us? Video after the break, so there. %Gallery-100522% [Thanks, Mark]
Shuttle's excessively thin XS35 nettop now shipping, 1080p Ion 2 graphics and all
It's been a long wait (nearly half a year, in fact), but Shuttle has finally transitioned the XS35 from a luscious HTPC promise into a retail reality. The 1.5-inch thick nettop is today rolling out to online retailers in the US and Canada, offering three preconfigured options to suit a variety of budgets. All come with built-in 802.11n WiFi, a dual-core 1.66GHz Atom D510 CPU, 5 USB ports, and a 4-in-1 media card reader, while the pricier two also include DVD-RW drives for good measure. The top XS35 spec gives you 500GB of storage, 2GB of RAM, a HDMI output, and the crowning glory of NVIDIA's scrumptious Ion 2 powering 1080p video playback. Newegg doesn't seem to yet have that SKU available, but it's priced the other two at $240 and $290, suggesting a price somewhere north of $300 for the complete package. Full press release after the break. Update: And sure enough, the Ion 2-equipped SX35 has also made its Newegg debut, yours for $380. Thanks, RatioTitle!
ASUS' EeeBox EB1501P leaks out with Atom D525, Ion GPU
We're still waiting on leaked (or official, we're not partial) images to confirm, but based on a presentation slide and a bit of insider information passed on to Notebook Italia, ASUS is gearing up to replace its aging EeeBox EB1501 with the EB1501P. Reportedly, the box will be based around Intel's dual-core Atom D525 processor and will feature NVIDIA's Ion GPU, a 250GB hard drive, 2GB of DDR3 memory, 802.11n WiFi, an HDMI output, six USB sockets and Bluetooth. That aligns quite nicely with the EB1501U (shown above) that we spotted back at CeBIT, which has yet to launch in any capacity since. A proper introduction at IFA, perhaps? We'll be watching, ASUS.
ASUS' 23-inch VG236H 3D monitor gets reviewed: pricey, but a real looker
ASUS' VG236H was quietly announced back at CeBIT, but the 23-inch 3D monitor is just now getting around to making itself known to worldwide retailers. On sale now for a penny under $500 (which includes the complete $180 NVIDIA 3D Vision kit), this 1080p display has also managed to hit the test bench over at Hot Hardware. Critics over there found that it was amongst the nicest looking TN (boo) panels out there, and that the third dimension had no issue popping out on command. In fact, they had little to complain about, noting that it "consistently hit the mark in their testing [while producing] a fantastic image, whether it be 2D, 3D, work or play." Granted, it's not like you've too many options when it comes to snagging a 3D LCD, but at least we're hearing this particular one is worth a look (or three).
ASUS Eee PC 1215N with NVIDIA Ion and dual-core Atom D525 is a netbook powerhouse
The phrase "netbook powerhouse" would typically be considered an oxymoron. That was before ASUS announced its Eee PC 1215N bumpin' a 1.8GHz dual-core Intel Atom D525 processor with NVIDIA Optimus to intelligently switch between its NVIDIA Ion discrete and integrated graphics. That means it'll cut through 1080p video without any problem when displayed on the 12-inch 1,366 x 768 pixel display or out to an HDTV via the included HDMI jack. Other specs include Bluetooth 3.0, 802.11n WiFi, integrated webcam with lens cover, choice of 250GB or 320GB hard disk drives augmented by 500GB of ASUS WebStorage, and pass-through USB to charge connected devices like cellphones when the Eee is powered off. Sorry, no mention of battery performance, price, or availability on this so-called netbook.
ASUS Eee PC 1201PN with NVIDIA Ion now available at an Amazon.com near you
Well, what do you know? Just a few hours after hearing the Acer Aspire One 532g with NVIDIA Ion 2 has been canceled, the Ion 2-equipped 12.1-inch ASUS Eee PC 1201PN that we've also been waiting on pops up for sale on Amazon.com. While we had heard this Eee wouldn't be shipping in the US, that's clearly not the case, and for $484.00 it's not a bad deal either -- especially considering the Eee PC 1201N started at $499. The spec rundown is exactly the same as we've been hearing for months -- it's got a Intel Atom N450 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive and NVIDIA GeForce 201M graphics. But don't forget while this is technically dubbed as having "Ion 2," it doesn't use NVIDIA's Optimus technology, which means the GPU is always on, and thus probably going to chew away at the battery life. The whole last part is quite a bummer, but we're still betting some will hit the source link below and pull out the plastic. Will you? Updated: If you're waiting to read a review before pulling the trigger LAPTOP Mag has one up right now. Stay tuned for the official Engadget review soon.
NVIDIA Ion 2-based Acer Aspire 532g netbook canceled
Acer may have announced a handful of new netbooks this morning, but we've been waiting and waiting on the NVIDIA Ion 2-powered Acer Aspire One 532g. And we hate to be the bearer of this bad news, but it turns out we could be waiting forever on the 10-inch, 1080p-playing netbook. Blogeee is reporting that bugger has been canceled in France due to technical issues with NVIDIA and Acer drivers, and when we followed up with our Acer contact here in the US, we were told that the 532g would not be launched in the "upcoming back-to-school cycle." It's truly not looking good for the little laptop, not to mention it's extremely disappointing not to see any other Ion 2 netbooks on the market almost five months after its launch. Well 532g, we'll always look back on our time together at CeBIT fondly. Sniff.
ASUS Lamborghini VX6 and VX7 peel out with NVIDIA Ion 2 and Core i7, respectively
ASUS may have spent most of its Computex press conference talking tablets and pads, but the company is definitely descending on the show with some new laptops. The 11.6-inch Lamborghini VX6 and 15.6-inch VX7 are amongst the most eye catching -- ASUS has redesigned the premium systems with new glossy casing, sleek automotive adornments, chiclet keyboards and a Bang & Olfsen ICE power sound system. We're totally swooning over the smaller VX6, which packs a dual-core Atom D525 processor, USB 3.0 and NVIDIA Ion 2 graphics, though the higher end Core i7 VX7 and its NVIDIA "enthusiast graphics" sound pretty darn good as well. No word on when these bad boys will be going from zero to sixty to a store near you, but given the fact that the systems at the show didn't boot we're going to go with a not very soon. We'll let you know when we hear more, but you'll certainly want to check out the beauty shots of these puppies below. %Gallery-94072%
Lenovo IdeaCentre Q150 upgrades to Atom D510, keeps NVIDIA Ion, 1080p playback, and ultraslim look
The world might be all abuzz about Ion 2 already, but we reckon we can still make room for an NVIDIA Ion nettop that measures a malnourished 21mm in width and offers full 1080p video playback. The successor to Lenovo's IdeaCentre Q110, the Q150 is built around a pair of Intel Atom options -- the single-core D410 or dual-core D510, both running at 1.6GHz -- and will come with Windows 7 Home (Basic or Premium) preloaded, built-in WiFi, a quartet of USB 2.0 ports, and an HDMI output should you pick up the Ion option. The wireless Multimedia Remote with Keyboard is also optional, but Lenovo seems to rightly expect you to want one in order to match the stylishness of the machine. The starting price for this little beaut is listed at $249, with availability by the end of June, but expect to pay quite a bit more for the fully outfitted option above. One more intimate pic of the Q150 awaits after the break.
Zotac's ZBOX HD-ID11 starts shipping for $250
You've seen the sneak peek, you've dug into the review, and now you're more ready than ever before to part with $249.99 in order to get your grubby mitts around one of the world's smallest Ion 2-based small form factor PCs. You've already dreamed up the perfect application for this pint-sized rig, and now it looks as if Newegg is shipping out the orders that it receives right now. Go on and head down to the source link if your mind's made up, but remember, we can't be held responsible for buyer's remorse effective March 13, 2004.
Zotac ZBOX HD-ID11 and its Ion 2 innards reviewed
Small form factor? Check. Low power consumption married to 1080p video playback capabilities? Of course. Quiet cooling? Naturally. Those are the basic requirements for, and their fulfillment is the means by which we judge, a good home theater pc. They're also the highlights of Zotac's Ion 2-powered ZBOX HD-ID11 barebone (you have to add your own RAM, storage and OS) nettop, which recently visited AnandTech's labs for some old fashioned review action. It's a highly illuminating read, particularly for those interested in the differences between NVIDIA's Ion generations, which throws up a mixed bag of results. While you'll be quite alright watching Full HD Blu-rays on the ZBOX, Flash hardware acceleration -- yeah, that old nugget again -- is not yet implemented well enough, resulting in a maximum of 480p resolution before Hulu streams started glitching out on the reviewer. A June driver update from NVIDIA should rectify this issue, and we're encouraged to wait it out and see what we might see then. In the mean time, you can just delve into the complete analysis which awaits at the link below. [Thanks, Wowzers]
Zotac's ZBOX HD-ID11 tiptoes into the wild, should ship soon
When you've got a footprint of just 7.4- x 7.4- x 1.73-inches, it's hard to make too big of an impression. That said, Zotac's new ZBOX looks to be just the thing for those scouting a diminutive HTPC or bedroom machine that can handle the best Glee re-runs and all of that YouTube HD footage that your long-lost siblings continue to email you from the wilds of Wisconsin. Originally launched back in March, this pint-sized PC is just now starting to make its way out to reviewers, which hopefully means that it's ever closer to shipping to end users, too. The benchmarking lords over at Hot Hardware took the time to unbox and preview the device, giving you the opportunity to wade through a gallery of images while it undergoes all sorts of torture. Head on down and have a look if an Ion-based machine that can fit inside your shoebox sounds even marginally appealing.
