ultra slim
Latest
Powertech Ultra Slim outlet expander brings USB ports to your wall outlet
There's always a few unexpected devices to be found, and we just caught a glimpse of one such device at CES Unveiled this evening from an OEM called Powertech Industries. Called the Ultra Slim, it's an outlet expander that gives any regular electrical outlet a pair of USB power sockets -- without the wiring required of more permanent solutions like FastMac's U-Socket. The Ultra Slim is just that, as it's only about half inch thick, and has a unique folding collapsible plug on the back to keep its trim figure. Its thin profile is also able to accommodate the depth of regular plugs with extending sections in the back. The adapters we saw were prototypes, though production will begin in earnest this July and Powertech plans to find a retailer willing to rebrand and sell them to the public for an as-yet-undetermined price. A full gallery of pics of the adapter awaits below. Sean Cooper contributed to this report.
Dell S2330MX ultra-slim monitor reckons it's gorgeous, actually just 'above average'
Dell's much bragged-about skinny 23-incher just got put through its paces by the bods at HotHardware. Their conclusion? The 1080p display sports glossily good aesthetics and scores major points for its lumbar-loving 8.3-pound weight and 0.4-inch waistline (which burgeons to 1.19-inches around the ports). The twisted nematic panel isn't up to IPS standards and won't satisfy graphics or photography pros, but the LED backlighting produces good brightness and better-than-average black levels. Gaming was held back by minor streaking despite the 2ms response time, while Blu-ray movies suffered slightly in darker scenes. All in, a "relatively good buy" at $250 -- although you might want to check out the source link to see if the S2330MX meets your exact requirements.
MSI X460 and X460DX make their slim and shiny debuts
MSI took the wraps off of two similarly named slim notebooks today. The X460 and X460DX both pack 14-inch displays, two USB 3.0 slots (and one 2.0), and shiny multitouch trackpads into 4.3 pound frames. The higher end X460 rocks an Intel Core i7 processor, WiDi 2.0 and 750GB of storage. The models are currently available, with a suggested starting price of $799.%Gallery-130951%
Dell's ultra-thin laptop will have a 15.6-inch screen, tread lightly on your wallet?
This is Dell's Vostro V13. It looks like a dream, and it's cheap -- but there's not much raw muscle here, and no battery life to speak of. No, this descendent of Dell's iconic Adamo didn't prove a suitable MacBook Air rival, but we know one that might -- Dell's oft-teased, never-seen thin-and-light. Now, CNET's anonymous sources have come forward with news that Dell will introduce the thinnest 15.6-inch laptop we've ever seen, and with Intel's latest Core i5 and Core i7 Sandy Bridge processors inside. Those sources also report that the laptop will be made of special materials, and yet won't be "a one-time product" like the Adamo -- it will allegedly be a consumer product with a sub-$1,000 price. It's a juicy rumor, but we're inclined to believe it's true. Why? Dell's in-house blogger Lionel Menchaca confirms that Dell's working on just such a 15.6-incher, and says there are "more models to come."
Dell ultra-slim laptop gets Cougar Point tease, Sandy Bridge Inspirons next week
While the Adamo brand might be dead, Dell's quest for the ultimate ultra-slim laptop is anything but buried. The boys from Tejas just let us in on their plans to unveil a new "ultra-slim" consumer laptop in April guaranteed to "excite and delight" with its "beauty and brawn." Naturally, the new slimster will be riding the reintroduced Cougar Point chipset and Sandy Bridge processors from Intel, as will some new Dell Inspiron systems on deck for an announcement next week. Of course, Dell will also be shipping Cougar Point options for business customers soon, including Sandy Bridge Latitude laptops, Optiplex desktops, and laptops and desktops from its Precision lineup. But hey, we know most of you are only interested in the ultra-slim and its "innovative new form factor." Read the calculated tease from Dell after the break.
Samsung unleashes slew of new HZ, TL, and SL-series cameras
Because camera companies can only unveil point-and-shoot in groups of four or more, Samsung's just announced a quintet of scene stealers. Let's go down the list, shall we? The 12.2 megapixel TL105 and 14.2 megapixel TL110 ultra-slims sport a 0.65-inch frame, 2.7-inch LCD, 720p 30fps H.264 video recording, some image effects, and a 4x / 5x optical zoom, respectively. Those will be available next month, with no price tag mentioned in the presser. The 12.2 megapixel SL630 claims all the other features but with a 28mm wide-angle lens, and only 640 x 480 AVI video recording -- that one's coming in March. Also coming in March are the 12-megapixel HZ30W and HZ35W, successors to the HZ10W / HZ15W and both with a wide-angle 24mm Schneider lens and 15x optical zoom. The pair does 720p 30fps H.264 video recording, but only the HZ35W can claim a 3-inch AMOLED screen and GPS geo-tagging. All the pics below and press releases after the break. World, you have our promise that if we ever own a camera company, we'll be sure to release less than three models in any given month. %Gallery-83403%
Elecom's new TK-FCP004 ultra-slim keyboard is minimalism at its finest
Pining for a numeric keypad, which Apple has so unceremoniously discarded, but can't bring yourself to pick the numeric version off a list? Do you have other personality problems, but appreciate good design? Do you live in Japan? Then Elecom's got just the thing for you, the new TK-FCP004 series ultra-slim keyboards. Rising a mere 0.57-inches off the ground, and sporting incredibly minimal aesthetics, we'd say Elecom has hit a real nerve here. The keyboard comes in silver, white or black, and hits Japan mid-October for 5040 yen after tax (about $50 US).[Via Akihabara News]%Gallery-46496%
BenQ intros the DC-X735 ultra-slim camera
BenQ has been firing on all cylinders lately, dropping more projectors, cameras, and Intel-based MIDs then you can shake a stick at (trust us, we've tried to shake a variety of sticks at them). Joining the fold today is the DC-X735 compact digital camera, a sleek little shooter which looks conspicuously similar to the company's recently release T800. Regardless, the 7.2-megapixel camera does it up with a 2.5-inch LCD display, 3 x zoom (4 x on the digital side), ISO to 6400 (in Movie Mode), MPEG4 video recording, and an SDHC slot for up to 4GBs of storage. The camera comes in "Vixen-red" or "Midnight-black" paint jobs, so you can match it to your handbag (provided your color schemes are based on The Masquerade), and will be available this month for an indeterminate amount of cold, hard cash.[Via PhotographyBLOG]
MacBook Pro 12-inch ultraportable rumor resurfaces
MacScoop is reporting that some "trusted sources" have intimated Apple is readying a new, ultraportable 12-inch laptop for its MacBook Pro line. The sources say that the new model -- which boasts a thickness of 0.6 or 0.7 inches, and will weigh less than 3 lbs -- will drop before the end of the year. Of course, MacScoop has been reporting on the "ultraportable" 12-inch Apple laptop since March of 2006, and we've heard this same rumor in one form or another over the past year, which should give anyone pause before they run screaming into their local Apple Store demanding to place a pre-order. However, the fact the this rumor persists does give the suggestion of some truth behind it, so if Apple suddenly makes the announcement, don't say we didn't warn you... repeatedly.[Via MacDailyNews]
