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Nokia announces Asha 210: a colorful QWERTY with a social heart, we go hands-on (video)
The last time we saw new members of the Asha family they eschewed the usual QWERTY keyboard, opting instead for a full touchscreen. The newly announced (and previously teased) Asha 210, however, returns to the more tactile input method, and brings a healthy splash of color (five different ones, to be precise) plus a dual-SIM option along for the ride. As before, social networks feature heavily, but the focus clearly remains on low-end and developing markets. We know Nokia can do budget (and do it well), but is a full keyboard, a design update, and a dedicated WhatsApp button (all costing $72 SIM-free, excluding taxes when it lands late Q2) enough to make it appeal to anyone beyond the entry-level social addicts? Nokia was kind enough to show us the devices first hand, so head on past the break to see if we thought so.%Gallery-186661%
HP Mini 210 hands-on (video)
Truth be told, we liked the Mini 210's not-too-glossy design when we reviewed it last year, but compared to the latest generation, it manages to look frumpy. The made-over version (starting at $299) has a shimmering paint job that's almost metallic, but since the 210 is still made of plastic, it feels light in the hands -- as a netbook should. And oh, the colors! We'd be lying if we said the palette didn't help sell us on the design. (It's just too bad that all but the charcoal gray model will set you back an extra $30). Even more than our sweet spot for turquoise, what makes these color options appealing is that HP committed to them. Lift the lid, and you'll see the color extending onto the palm rest, above the keyboard, and even between the keys. The 210 also has a flat bottom with a larger, six-cell battery inside, and it's because of this flush battery that HP was able to paint the area near the hinge, as opposed to letting the battery stick out. Throw in the edge-to-edge 10.1-inch display and flush touchpad, and you've got a design that feels seamless, minimalistic. That continuity -- even more than the metallic finish -- is what makes the Mini 210 look like a high-end laptop, cut down to size. In fact, the Mini 210 borrows design elements you might recognize from the company's premium Envy line -- namely, rounded edges, scooping around the keyboard area, and Beats audio -- a surprise feature in a category that doesn't usually offer much in the way of rich sound. As for the keyboard, HP's stuck to a chiclet layout that's served it well in the past. In our brief hands-on, the panel felt sturdy, and we made few typing errors. The buttons, meanwhile, felt tactile, though we'll have to spend more time with it to gauge how well HP fixed the trackpad issues afflicting last year's model. We hope to do just that before it ships in mid-June, but until then take a peek at the gallery of close-up shots below, along with the video tour after the break. %Gallery-123010%
HP unveils the Pavilion dv4, Envy 14 with Sandy Bridge, and a redesigned Mini 210
With a Sandy Bridge refresh, a new 14-inch mainstream laptop, and a redesigned netbook, HP's latest crop of consumer systems offers a little something for everyone. First up, there's the 14-inch Pavilion dv4 (not to be confused with the metal-clad dm4), which bears the same Imprint finish and CoolSense technology as its siblings and ushers in a striking cobalt blue color option, as you can see in the photo above. Look for it on May 18 with a starting price of $600. Then there's the revamped Mini 210, which swaps last year's not-too-glossy plastic lid for candy-colored lids, and adds a seamless touchpad, edge-to-edge 10.1-inch display, and a flush six-cell battery promising up to 8.8 hours of battery life -- an upgrade over last year's standard four-cell. Spec-wise, nothing has changed from the current 210, except for the addition of Beats Audio, something you'll find across HP's notebook lineup. It'll be available on June 15 and cost $300 for the charcoal version -- alas, you'll have to pony up $330 for one of the punchier colors. For now, be sure to check out our video hands-on. Lastly, HP did the predictable and refreshed the high-end Envy 14 with Sandy Bridge CPU options and USB 3.0. It also promises an improved touch experience -- something we bemoaned in our review last year -- with a trackpad that uses optical sensors to analyze your multitouch gestures. That will go on sale June 15 for $1,000 and up. %Gallery-123016% %Gallery-123021%
Intel's 1.66GHz Atom N570 slips into refreshed HP Mini 110 and 210
Remember that elusive Atom N570 that popped up here and there in machines debuting last month? At long last, the spec wizards over at Intel's headquarters have seen fit to divulge a few more details surrounding the new silicon, and it goes a little like this: the chip runs at 1.66GHz, supports four threads and touts 1MB of L2 cache, an 8.5W TDP and DDR3-667. It'll also start shipping this month, and should emerge soon on low-power machines from ASUS, Lenovo and Samsung. Meanwhile, HP has apparently seen fit to jump the gun a bit by refreshing its Mini 110 and 210 (shown above) netbooks, both of which are making their debut with the new processor over in Japan. It'll be interesting to see how much traction such a chip gets now that AMD's Zacate E-350 is out and about, but as mama always said, competition makes everything just a wee bit better.
Garmin updates GPS watch line with Forerunner 210 and 410, data-craving runners rejoice
Runners love to tell you about their post-workout highs, but they rarely mention the mid-workout delirium that comes when muscles deprive your brain of blood, leading to doubts about how long you've been running, what your target heart rate should be, and indeed how to get home again. Garmin's updated Forerunner 410 (above) can help you out with all those things, and the larger touch bezel means oxygen-deprived cardio hounds can easily scroll through data describing things like pace and heart rate, even when it's raining -- or you're sweating excessively. Once back home and showered this $325 watch automatically syncs to a USB dongle via ANT+, uploading data to Garmin Connect, just like its predecessor the 405. Then there's the $300 210, pictured below, a follow-up to this spring's 110 and providing a more simple display of real-time distance and heart rate without a bunch of other confusing data. Both models will be on display at the upcoming Chicago and New York City marathons before pacing themselves into stores this fall. Update: The 410 can indeed help you find your way back home thanks to a simple navigation mode that will direct you from one waypoint to the next. Great for finding new routes -- or new tactical insertions.
HP Mini 210 HD edition review
Netbooks for all! We're convinced that's the motivational saying plastered to the wall in the HP lab where the company births Minis for everyone but your pet fish. But of all the company's Pine Trail offerings, we're most excited about the $425 Mini 210, which has a 10.1-inch HD screen and a Broadcom Crystal Accelerator chip that promises decent HD video playback, even with Flash. With an attractive new thin design, improved chiclet keyboard and that promise to handle high-def content, the Mini 210 has the potential to kick the others to the curb. Given the issues we had with the Broadcom-powered Dell Mini 10 and HP's newer touchpads, though, we had to put on the glasses and take a closer look. Join us past the break for the full review, will you? %Gallery-86317%
HP 210 netbook forgets announcement in lieu of support pages, retail listings
Uh oh, looks like HP has confused its product release order of operations. Without even a hint of an official announcement, the HP 210 netbook has appeared in two quadrants of the internet: retail and troubleshooting. The former is eCost, which claims the 10.1-inch matte black portable is in stock for $390 and touts a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 (yep, that's Pine Trail), integrated graphics, 1GB RAM, 250GB HDD, and a 6-cell battery. As for the latter, we need look no further than HP's own support pages -- similar to what happened with the Mini 311 back in September. So will we get an eye-full before CES or will we have to wait for the big show? After?
HP Mini 210 spied with PineTrail CPU, found cavorting on retail sites
Remember that Mini 210 mentioned in HP's leak from a few months back? Looks like it's on the comeback as the Pine Trail-powered replacement for the Mini 110 (noticing a trend here?). Logichp has some fancy press pics, and additionally, online retailer eCost lists the little guy for $321 and claims 1GB of RAM, 160GB to 250GB HDD, 802.11b/g/n, card reader, and Windows 7 Starter Edition, a.k.a. the new norm for netbooks. [Thanks, Tim]
Mio's Moov GPS units hit the States
If you've been waiting on the edge of your seat for Mio's new GPS satnavs to hit the States, it's time to break out the party favors. The PND-maker has just launched its Moov 200, 210, 300, and 310 touchscreen GPS units in the US, all equipped with SiRFstar III chips (with SiRFInstantFix II technology), pre-loaded maps of the US and Puerto Rico, and real-time traffic reports (on the 310 and 210). Prices range from $179.95 for the 3.5-inch 200, up to $249.95 for the 4.3-inch 310, and all four should be available on April 1st.
iPaq 210 finally ships, gets reviewed
For an otherwise-generic PDA, the iPaq 210 has already led a controversy-filled life filled with numerous delays, canceled pre-orders, retracted and clarified official statements from HP, and even a website bug that constantly promised shipment in two weeks -- but now it's finally here, and according to the crew at Brighthand, all that bake time seems to have paid off. The 210's 4-inch VGA-res screen drew high praise, of course, but what really set the 210 apart was the wealth of connectivity options -- with both CF and SDHC slots, the 210 can store up to 64GB of data, and transfer it over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, and USB 2.0. The only issues seem to be a touchscreen that requires a firmer touch than usual and that high $450 MSRP -- but if you're among the few still in the market for a standalone PDA, the 210 is probably worth checking out.
HP clarifies iPaq situation: 210 delayed, 110 shipping now
Looks like HP finally noticed that people were a little confused about the shipping status of its newest iPaqs, so the company dispatched Worldwide Public Relations Manager Mike Hockey to clear things up: according to Mike, the iPaq 110 should be in stores soon, but "a supply issue discovered in the development of the recently announced HP iPAQ 200 products will cause the availability to be later than we had hoped in some regions of the world." So much for that optimistic ship date HP had listed, which appears to be a glitch with the web ordering system that always promises an "estimated ship date" of two days in the future. Also, it never comes to your Little League games. Stupid promises.
iPaq 210 shipping on Friday?
The last we heard about HP's iPaq 210, all pre-orders had been canceled and HP's product pages had been updated to cheerily say "Coming in 2008!" -- which makes it so very strange that HP's store now lists the business-oriented handheld with an "estimated ship date" of 10/26 and a $50 price bump to $450. We're assuming it's just be a typo like yesterday's SanDisk false alarm, but there's still a chance something's up, especially considering the device was originally supposed to ship on the 8th for $399 -- not exactly easy numbers to screw up. [Thanks, Speed]Read -- HP store page with 10/26/2007 estimated ship date and $449 priceRead -- HP product info page with "Coming in 2008!"
HP's iPAQ 110 and 210 delayed?
If you were waiting patiently for HP's iPAQ 110 and 210 models that were due for release earlier this month, you may already know that you're out of luck. jkOnTheRun pieced together a few reader reports and discovered that HP's official site for the 210 now features the text "Coming in 2008!" That's a shame, since the last we heard these two PDAs should have been shipping by the 8th of this month. Anyone else had their order canceled? If so, HP's got some 'splainin' to do.Read - New HP iPAQ 110, 210 delayed? (jkOnTheRun)Read - HP iPAQ 210 (HP)
HP's iPAQ 110 and 210 PDAs get shipment date, prices
We know that you're all on pins and needles right now waiting to find out when you can get your hands on those new HP PDAs, the iPAQ 110 and 210, and how much it will cost you when you do. Well, you're in luck, because the company has just added shipping dates and pricing to its website, thus making your Fall plans a little bit easier. If you'll recall, both WiFi equipped, Windows Mobile 6 devices feature color TFT touchscreens, Marvell PXA310 624 Mhz processors, and Bluetooth 2.0. The devices will be shipping on October 8th, with the 110 selling for $299, and the 210 for $399.[Thanks, Speed]Read -- HP iPAQ 110 Classic HandheldRead -- HP iPAQ 210 Enterprise Handheld
HP unleashes iPAQ series 100 and 200 PDAs
As we've mentioned recently, HP has been readying a handful (no pun intended) of new iPAQ handhelds. Luckily, today we get to move from rumor to fact, as the company has officially announced the next wave of its mobile line. Along with new 3G phones and a GPS navigator, HP is launching the 100 Series "Classic" and 200 Series "Enterprise" edition (pictured) PDAs. Both models are based around Windows Mobile 6 Classic, and sport 64MB of RAM, 256MB of ROM, a Marvell PXA310 624MHz CPU, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.0, and color touchscreens. There are some notable differences between the two models, however, with the 100 sporting a 3.5-inch, 240 x 320, RGB screen, Mini-USB, and SDIO card slot, while the 200 sports a 4-inch, 480 x 640, 260k screen, 24-pin and Mini-USB connectors, plus SDIO and CF card slots. No word yet on pricing and availability, but you'll know when we do.
2.1 PTR notes, continued
Here's the rest of them; first part here. Please leave comments back over on the first part.- Hellfire Citadel: Blood Furnace Shadowmoon Adepts on Heroic now double attack instead of triple attack on occasion. Laughing Skull Legionnaire no longer uses the "Sweeping Strikes" ability. Shadowmoon Technician's "Silence" spell is used less frequently. Laughing Skull Warden will stay engaged with his main target on Heroic difficulty. The Maker's "Exploding Beaker" damage and knockback radii have changed for consistency to both be 8 yards. The Maker's "Exploding Beaker" damage has been increased on Heroic difficulty. Shadowmoon Technician's "Throw Dynamite" ability damage has been increased. Nascent Fel Orc will Dual Wield properly now. Keli'dan the Breaker's "Shadow Bolt Volley" has had both its damage and range increased Shadowmoon Channeler's "Mark of Shadow" will have a longer delay before being cast at the start of the fight and now does more damage. Felguard Annihilators and Felguard Brutes will now do less damage.- Hellfire Citadel: Shattered Halls The "Resist Shadow" buff cast by Shadowmoon Acolytes will be dispelled from players if they leave the dungeon. Shattered Hand Reavers will do less damage in Heroic difficulty. The "Uppercut" used by the Shattered Hand Reaver now has a smaller combat range. Rabid Warhounds on Heroic will now do less damage. Shattered Hand Houndmaster's "Impaling bolt" damage and movement impairing effects have been increased. Warbringer O'mrogg now applies a smaller amount of threat to the target of his "Beatdown" ability and will now correctly disable his "Burning Maul" ability after a wipe. Warbringer O'mrogg and Warchief Kargath Bladefist can be seen from a farther distance. Warchief Kargath Bladefist can now travel slightly farther during "Blade Dance".
Fake (?) 2.1 patch notes
There are a few constants in World of Warcraft. Mages will pull aggro. People in the forums will complain about every class, build, area, and profession. And as patches draw closer, people will make fake patch notes. So normally I wouldn't even bother posting something like this (unless it was unusually entertaining). However, as our pal Boubouille points out, this particular set of fakes came out three days ago, and contains the names to the new Darkmoon cards. Those names were just posted today by Ommra (check out line 39 in the original of these patch notes, and compare to today's Blue Notes). Coincidence? Shenanigans? Probably something like that. But just in case, here's some patch notes that may or may not be real.Again, there's no particular reason to think these are real aside from the fact that they seem to have had the names of the new Darkmoon cards early. Grain of salt, and all that. And if they are real, I will be very disappointed, because they contain a substantial Paladin healing nerf: Illumination cut to 50%. Illumination is a Paladin Holy talent that, for five points, gives a 100% chance to get a mana refund on heal crits. It's a big part of the reason why pallies are such efficient healers. While I agree that there are some discrepancies between Priest and Paladin healing at the moment, I do not think the solution is to nerf Paladins; buffing Priests would be far better in my book (and most Paladins would agree with me, I think).To be sure, the patch notes do have some Priest changes, but they're along the typical lines of how Blizz has been dealing with Priests: give us tricks we really, really don't want and won't use (lolwell), and then keep buffing them to try to make us use them. Of course, they never buff them enough to make them actually good (with the exception of the 5% spirit boost on Improved Death Spirit of Redemption), so the net result is buffs to talents and skills we never use. This time around it's a mana cost reduction (33%) to Binding Heal and unspecified improvements to Circle of Terrible Healing. Sorry Blizz, still not going to use them. GG though. Well, notes after the cut at any rate. Even if these are fake, they're still somewhat interesting.
