L Series
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Lenovo ThinkPad L Series doesn't look or feel like it's made of recycled materials
Alright, so we didn't really expect the made-partially-of-post-consumer-content (PCC) Lenovo L Series laptops to feel any different than past ThinkPads, but we did get a chance to play around with the recently announced 14- and 15-inch machines yesterday. The solid-feeling chassis is on the heavier end, though that's to be expected from this mainstream line which has built-in optical drives and discrete graphics options. While you may not be getting the svelteness of the T Series, you do get that always-reliable ThinkPad quality -- the classic spill-resistant keys felt solid under our fingertips and the touchpad with its raised dots was equally satisfying. We're actually big fans of the smooth surface treatment they're using on the palmrest as well as the shortcut keys that flank both sides of the keyboard. Obviously, we didn't get a chance to test the battery life or performance in our short time with it, but our guess is those Core i3 and i5 processors won't disappoint spreadsheet and PowerPoint multitaskers. Shouldn't be long before these systems hit Lenovo.com in May, but in the meantime you have the pictures below to help you make a decision on this greener than grass business lappie. %Gallery-91455%
Lenovo to launch new ThinkPads, probably on April 22
Those wily social media hounds over at Lenovo are at it again, this time teasing us with a crossword puzzle relating to a new "ThinkPad Series" of machines. Referencing our handy, and so far wholly accurate, leaked slide from February shows that the only Think-branded laptops not yet revealed are the midrange L series. Positioned to replace the aging R models, the L400 and L500 are expected to slot in as bulkier alternatives to the premier T-label ThinkPads. This puzzle tells us that whatever the new computers, they'll be firmly focused on energy and resource efficiency, and for an extra bit of PR kick, they are likely to be announced on Earth Day 2010, which just happens to be this April 22nd. Let's wait and see what Lenovo does to justify the name change and grab for green attention, eh?
Canon captures your coffee in a 70-200mm telephoto lens
OK, not really, but Canon was indeed giving out these novelty coffee mugs -- in the shape of an EF70-200mm f/4L USM lens -- at the Winter Olympic's press center, and here's Microsoft's Josh Weisberg (Director of Rich Media Group) showing off his swag to the whole world. Yes, we're just a bit envious. So anyone got a spare Canon L-Series lens that we can tamper with? Or maybe that big-daddy Sigma lens if you're game with sharing coffee?
Nikon CoolPix 'Style' and 'Life' series hands-on
What, it wouldn't be a camera convention without Nikon (and everyone else, for that matter) showing off a basket of new point-and-shoots. We knew what the company was bringing -- selections from its "Style" and "Life" series, as well as the P100 superzoom we covered earlier this week -- and now we've gotten our hands on the L22, S4000, L110, and S8000. There isn't much to say, frankly -- a collection of pocket shooters of various feature sets and various price ranges to cater to various demographics and psychographics. Still, we know you need to get that "fix" when it comes to pictures of gadgets, so let's get on with it, shall we? %Gallery-86322%
Lenovo X201 Tablet, W701 and new L series revealed by ThinkPad roadmap slide (updated)
Our crack team over at Engadget Chinese has managed to snag the above roadmap slide for Lenovo's mobile computer division. We've seen earlier versions of the same slide -- when the Edge and T410 / T510 were freshly added -- but the very latest iteration contains a sprinkling of even newer machines. Most intriguing will be the L400 and L500, which are set to replace the former "corporate mainstream" mainstay R series, which incites the more hopeful among us to believe that perhaps a new chassis design is on the cards too. No less notable are the new X201 models, though we might surmise by the mild numerical change that they'll just be upgraded to low-voltage Arrandale CPUs and left well enough alone. For more info on the likely specs of the W701, you should check out our breakdown of its FCC appearance right here. Update: In light of the X201 discovery, we've combed through our CES 2010 imagery and found a photo of an X200 with a touchpad, which was a curious thing to see when Lenovo has never sold such a creation. Our suspicion is that the X200 on display was in fact an early showing of the touchpad-enabled X201 that is soon to come. Browse past the break for the evidence.
Sony brings 120Hz Motionflow, BRAVIA Engine 2 to lower-end V-, S-, and L-series HDTVs
While Sony's already revealed its secrets with the action packed VE-Series and ZBR9 family, it's the V-, S- and L-series that'll hit the sweet spot in terms of price for the vast majority. Not much has been improved upon within the 52-inch KDL-52V5100, 46-inch KDL-46V5100 and 40-inch KDL-40V5100, but all three now feature the BRAVIA Engine 2 and Motionflow 120Hz technology for improved sharpness and detail in fast-moving images. Furthermore, they include four HDMI inputs, BRAVIA Sync and a USB port for loading up external media. The V-Series also features Sony's own LightSensor technology and dynamic backlight control to ease up on energy usage. The 52-inch KDL-52S5100, 46-inch KDL-46S5100, 40-inch KDL-40S5100 models, and the 31.5-inch KDL-32S5100 all boast 1080p panels and three HDMI ports, while the 31.5-inch KDL-32L5000 and 26-inch KDL-26L5000 ratchet things down to 1,366 x 768 in the resolution department and take aim for your nearest guest room / kitchen. Head on past the break for the full release, and keep an eye out for all of these to start shipping sometime this Spring.
NEC's L series is back -- now in four exciting colors!
The last time we saw a LaVie netbook we were seriously taken aback by the company's apparent decision to base its design on that of a ten year old Micron, so it's nice to see that NEC Japan will soon be releasing another of their (relatively) classy L series machines. Due out Christmas Day for about ¥175,000 (about $1,950) the LL750 sports a 15.4-inch, 1280 x 800 LCD display, a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo with Intel graphics, 4GB of memory, 320GB storage, HDMI out and a FeliCa port. No sure on Stateside availability, but lucky consumers in Japan will get their choice between white, pink, black, and red -- how debonair! [Via Akihabara]
MSV shows off L-Series satellite phone prototype
On a typical day, anything shown off at CTIA with a "coming in 2010" sticker would cause some serious unrest, but given that we've already found that LTE is eons (or so it feels) away, we're just taking things in stride. The MSV prototype shown above will purportedly become a proud member of the L-Series, and its satellite / cellular hybrid system will enable it to play nice on traditional cell bands as well as snag sat coverage anywhere in North America. Apparently the firm is planning on shooting up a pair of birds in 2009 as well as landing a deal with an undisclosed US carrier, and the 0.6-inch thick unit itself should feature a 480 x 320 multi-touch screen, WiFi and an integrated camera. No word on a price just yet, but feel free to check back in a few years.
Kohjinsha's new L and V-series UMPCs get GPS, higher screen resolutions
Kohjinsha's UMPCs might have gotten a little overshadowed by the Eee, but the company is making a renewed push with two new models. The new L series replaces the SA series, retaining the aging AMD Geode chipset but upgrading the keyboard and bumping the touchscreen resolution to 1024x600, while the V series replaces the K series, keeping the Intel A110 chipset but adding GPS and a 7mm optical drive. Both models should be shipping in the middle of the month, but there's no word on pricing -- we'll let you know if we hear any numbers at CES.[Via jkkmobile]
Spotswood drum PC case brings the beat back
We've seen a lot of ways to use computers as musical instruments, but the L-series case from Spotswood Custom Computer takes that concept to dizzying new heights by mounting components inside a 22-inch circular shell that's a dead ringer for a snare drum. The company says the built-from-scratch case design eliminates hot spots and promotes better cooling, but we think we know a drum PC when we see one. Hit the read link for more pics of the $500 case, and be sure to check out the FAQ, which contains the answer to the following mind-boggler: "I want a quiet PC but that case looks like a drum. Aren't drums supposed to be loud?"
Nikon's new L10, L11 and L12 Coolpix take it low-end
Nikon is beefing up its L Series ("L" stands for life, dontchaknow) and while the specs pale in comparison to some of Nikon's other new offerings, there's plenty to love here for the point-and-shoot set. The L10, L11 and L12 sport 5, 6 and 7.1 megapixel CCDs respectively, with 3x Zoom-Nikkor lenses and a full quality movie mode. The L10 and L11 can muster a mere ISO 800, and the 2-inch LCD on the L10 is positively cro-magnon, but the L11 picks it up a bit with 2.4-inches. We wouldn't be caught dead with anything less than the L12, which adds in optical image stabilisation, a 2.5-inch LCD and ISO 1600, but the $120, $150 and $200 price tags make all of these compact shooters quite tempting to the low-frills, no-budget types. All three should be available near the beginning of March.%Gallery-1706%
