We'd already come to grips with the fact that a Vostro 1220 was indeed on the way, and now Dell's own Japanese branch has confirmed it. Over in the Land of the Rising Sun, the 12.1-inch business laptop has gone legit, bringing with it Intel processor options (a 2.20GHz Celeron or 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo, namely), 1GB or 2GB of RAM, a WXGA (1,200 x 800) glossy display, 4-cell battery (a 6-cell is available), WiFi, three USB 2. sockets, FireWire, gigabit Ethernet, VGA output, ExpressCard slot, a multicard reader and a 1.3 megapixel webcam. The unit should start shipping soon in various configurations, with a lower-end build tagged at ¥79,980 ($837); needless to say, we're expecting a US announcement to follow in short order.

[Via Impress]

Update: And now it's a go in North America. Check the local press release after the break.

Thinner than some netbooks and more potent than four or five of them combined, Lenovo's ThinkPad T400s aims to hit some sort of sweet spot in between weak ultraportables and battery-draining 15-inchers. The 14.1-inch lappie measures in at a remarkable 0.83-inches thin and boasts a starting weight of under four pounds. Within, you'll find Lenovo's heralded roll cage technology, a 2.53GHz Core 2 Duo processor, your choice of a 128GB SSD or 250GB HDD, a 9.5mm slim DVD burner or Blu-ray player, a multitouch trackpad, Ethernet, WiFi, optional WiMAX / WWAN / Bluetooth / ultra-wideband, a 34mm ExpressCard slot (or 5-in-1 card reader), a battery good for six hours and VGA / DisplayPort outputs. There's also support for the company's ConstantConnect and Protect technology as well as a built-in USB / eSATA port. In a surprising move, Lenovo decided to actually tweak the keyboard that has become a staple of the ThinkPad line; it increased the size of the Delete and Escape keys and tightened up the spaces between the keys to "help avoid crumbs that would otherwise fall below the keyboard." You can check the full release just past the break, and you can call one your own starting today for $1,599 and up.

It's hard to hate on Dell's Vostro lineup: cheap is cheap, and there's nothing wrong with that. In truth, it could probably look a lot worse, but there's just something vaguely depressing about these unflattering leaked shots of what's apparently a crimson version of an upcoming 12-inch Vostro 1220 model -- in comparison with the fairly clean lines of the existing lineup, these new curves aren't doing the laptop any style favors, though it's at least an improvement over the existing 12-inch model. Specs are certainly alright, with a Core 2 Duo T6750 processor (remember back when every small, cheap computer wasn't running Atom?), 4GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, SD card slot, ExpressCard and even a fingerprint reader, and we're sure the price is even better. No word on a release date.

Lenovo's T400s has been caught in the wild once before -- if by wild you understood us to mean a well-lit, relatively clean and sterile environment. Well, we've caught another several glimpses of the latest ThinkPad, but this time, it's actually in the wild. As in, dropped in the middle of the road to be run over by a giant truck, or left in the downpour of a tornado. Sounds fun, right? No, it doesn't expand our knowledge of price or availability for this puppy, but it is fun to watch in a sick, twisted sort of way. Check both videos after the break.

Apple just let loose a new 15-inch MacBook Pro at WWDC 2009, with what appears to be the same built-in, non-removable battery (or, non-user serviceable, if we're being proper) as in the current unibody 17-incher. Phil asserts that the cell will last the average user around five years (1,000 recharges), and could last around seven hours under ideal conditions. There's also an SD card reader rather than an ExpressCard slot (seriously Apple -- replaced? -- why not just add it like every other Wintel laptop available today?). Oh, and the starting tag just dropped to $1,699.

• Starting at $1,699 (down from $1,999 in prior lineups)
  
• $1,699: 2.53GHz Core 2 Duo, 4GB DDR3 RAM, GeForce 9400M graphics, 250GB HDD, SD card slot, no ExpressCard
  
• $1,999: 2.66GHz Core 2 Duo, 4GB DDR3 RAM, GeForce 9400M + 9600M GT graphics, 320GB HDD, SD card slot, no ExpressCard
• $2,299: 2.8GHz Core 2 Duo, 4GB DDR3 RAM, GeForce 9400M + 9600M GT graphics, 500GB HDD, SD card slot, no ExpressCard
• 17-inch unibody MacBook Pro remains the same specs-wise (it's the only Apple laptop left with an ExpressCard slot), but it's getting a price cut to $2,499.
• Shipping today

Not enough for you? The 13-inch unibody MacBook has been beefed up and revised, and it's now part of the MacBook Pro line as well. Yep, all the aluminum machines are now Pros, with the same built-in battery promising seven hours of life. The littlest Pro also gets the SD card slot, a FireWire 800 port, up to 8GB of RAM, upwards of 500GB of storage and a backlit keyboard as standard. You just knew Apple couldn't let its remaining white MacBook outperform its more expensive unibody for long, right? It'll be available (today, we expect) in two configurations.

• $1,199: 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB DDR3 RAM, GeForce 9400M graphics, 160GB HDD, SD card slot, no ExpressCard
• $1,499: 2.53GHz Core 2 Duo, 4GB DDR3 RAM, GeForce 9400M graphics, 250GB HDD, SD card slot, no ExpressCard

Wilder still? A new MacBook Air, which starts at $1,499 (while the SSD unit gets going at $1,799). Yeah, that's $700 less than before.

• $1,499: 1.86GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB DDR3 RAM, GeForce 9400M graphics, 120GB HDD
• $1,799: 2.13GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB DDR3 RAM, GeForce 9400M graphics, 128GB SSD

MSI's X-Slim X340 has already made its way out into this brave, new world, but the version that checks in at a score less (for whatever reason) is just now starting to do the same. If you're looking for the least expensive way to snag yourself an X-Slim, head on over to one of a few reputable e-tailers and part ways with $599. Depending on courier and location, you should be reveling in your decision within a few business days. Oh, if only everything else in this world was so easy.

Oracle sure has come a long way since its cardboard laptop days, but is it really ready to take on the likes of Acer, ASUS, HP and Dell in the netbook area? During a brief appearance at Sun's JavaOne conference today, Oracle's main man Larry Ellison proclaimed that his firm "might build a variety of devices as a result of its planned acquisition of Sun Microsystems, including netbooks." Sadly, there was absolutely no elaboration beyond that, but it's certainly interesting to think of what a netbook would look / feel like with a Sun flair to it. Who knows, maybe we won't even have to wonder in a few months.

Acer's Aspire Timeline inexpensive thin-and-lights have been popping up here and there around the world since we first laid eyes on 'em in April, and now the CULV machines are ready to hit the States. Pricing is actually a little lower than we initially heard, with the base 15.6-inch 1.3GHz Pentium SU2700 machine coming in at $598, but you're more interested in the two smaller machines: the 14-inch, 4.2-pound 1.4GHz SU3500 Core Solo unit is $699, while the 13.3-inch, 3.5-pound 1.4GHz SU9400 Core 2 Duo pictured above is $899. All three machines feature 16:9 1366 x 768 LED-backlit displays driven by Intel 4500MHD graphics, and battery life exceeds eight hours, aided by a PowerSmart energy-saving switch. So -- anyone still thinking about an Adamo? Full press release and two more pics after the break.

My, my Olidata -- why on Earth have you been depriving our wandering eyes from this beauty for so long? After being originally introduced at CES, we've heard precisely nothing since... until now, obviously. At long last, the striking Conte ultraportable has found its way outside of the lab over in Italy, sporting an ultrathin frame, chiclet-style keyboard, a bezel that's a bit too wide for our tastes, an HDMI output and a price tag starting at just €799 ($1,129). From what we can gather, a few versions of the machine will be available, one of which sports an SU2700 CPU, 13.3-inch LED-backlit display, a 120GB hard drive, 3GB of RAM, Bluetooth, WiFi and a multi-touch trackpad. Another variant is slated to include a Core Solo SU3500 CPU and a 120GB HDD, while yet another gets a Core 2 Duo SL9400 and a 128GB SSD. Peek the read link for a few more looks, including one of the most bizarre advertisements we've ever seen for a mere laptop.

[Thanks, Andrea]

Remember that Wistron PurseBook we peeked back in early April? Yeah, that's not just some one-off creation to wow folks on a show floor. We just sat down with Qualcomm to hear all about the newest small form factor machine that it has a hand in, and while we're still unsure if the market can handle it, smartbooks are coming. The machines are currently in development by a handful of Qualcomm partners, and while exact specifications have yet to be disclosed, here's what we do know. These devices will be marketed as companions to smartphones and bona fide laptops, and honestly, they kind of look like a stripped down version of Sony's VAIO P. Within the Snapdragon-based rigs, you'll find a 1GHz CPU, a battery good for eight to ten hours of use, WWAN, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, built-in GPS, HD video encoding capabilities and screen resolutions as high as WXGA (1,280 x 768). As with NVIDIA's Tegra, this chip also promises pretty awesome 3D graphics considering the low power draw. Click on for more.

It's hard to say if our harmless threats influenced the MSRP here, but either way, we'll take it. MSI has finally (finally!) come clean with a set price on its succulent X-Slim X340, and while we heard through the grapevine awhile back that it would ship here for under a grand, we definitely had our doubts. Starting today, eager consumers can order one for the low, low price of $899.99, which buys you an Intel ULV SU3500 processor, Vista Home Premium, a 13.4-inch 1,366 x 768 resolution display, GMA 4500MHD graphics and 2GB of DDR2 RAM. There's also a 320GB hard drive, gigabit Ethernet, WiFi, 4-cell battery (an 8-cell is optional), 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, twin USB 2.0 sockets, VGA / HDMI outputs and an SD / MMC card reader. The 0.78-inches thick machine is shipping today in the US of A from a bevy of e-tailers, and you can peek the full release just after the break.

Update: Looks like some e-tailers even have it at $799. Nice!