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NEC's spring all-in-one PC lineup melds TV with Twitter
Like all-in-one PCs, TV and Twitter? NEC's new desktop PCs might just hit the spot -- if you live in Japan, that is. The company just launched its spring 2013 lineup of Valuestar systems which will be available in two display sizes on February 7th. Valuestar W computers pack a 23-inch screen and Core i7 processor with the 3D-capable VW970/LS costing ¥235,000 ($2,550) and the 2D-only VW770/LS listing for ¥215,000 ($2,330). The Valuestar N series boast a 21.5-inch display and come in three versions: VN770/LS with Core i7 for ¥195,000 ($2,110), VN570/LS with Core i3 for ¥160,000 ($1.740) and the ¥125,000 ($1,360) Celeron 1000M-equipped VN370/LS. While there are no details on RAM or storage options, all PCs run Windows 8 with Office 2013, and feature TV tuners, Blu-Ray drives (DVD on the VN370/LS), DLNA support, Yamaha sound systems, built-in video tutorials and access to music.jp's service. The 23-inch models provide instant-on TV functionality with three TV tuners (two for recording, one for viewing) while 21.5-inch units include dual TV tuners. NEC offers several ways to control the computer's TV functionality: via standard remote control, using gestures (except VN370/LS), with a custom smartphone / tablet app and even from Twitter, Yes, you can now DM your Valuestar system (even when it's turned off) and tell it to record TV -- what could possibly go wrong? It can also monitor Twitter for mentions of your favorite TV show(s) and overlay a popularity meter right on the screen -- welcome to the future.
NEC announces Ivy Bridge processors for some, not all, of its series refreshes
Ivy Bridge continues to subsume its aging Sandy brother, this time as part of NEC's refresh of both its laptop and desktop families. However, only two machines have been gifted Intel's third-generation processors. The ValueStar L desktop series arrives with a Core i7-3770S at 3.1GHz, accompanied by a 2TB HDD and a 23-inch display. The LaVie L series packs a Core i7-3770S clocked at 2.3GHz, alongside a 15.6-inch screen, 1TB hard-disk, USB 3.0 port and digital TV tuner -- well, it is Japan. NEC expects both models (alongside the renewed LaVie S, E, M and ValueStar W and N series) to hit Japanese stores later this month.
NEC expands Valuestar 3D lineup with two new desktop PCs; laptops say LaVie
We'll have to assume NEC managed to free Willy and that its first 3D venture was a success, as the company's just revealed a brand new set of stereoscopic screens, one of which is actually not part and parcel of an all-in-one PC. NVIDIA's 3D Vision kit (with active shutter glasses) and a 23-inch, 1920 x 1080 120Hz monitor accompany this Valuestar L, with a 2.93GHz Core i7-870 processor, GeForce GT 330 GPU, 8GB of memory, 1TB of storage and Blu-ray 3D drive in an attractive white case. There's also a similarly-sized Valuestar W 3D all-in-one with a 2.53GHz Core i5-460M and GeForce GT 330M graphics, a digital TV tuner, half the memory, a 1.5TB drive and a passive, polarized display. If you're not interested in wearing glasses while chained to a desk, of course, you could always consider the new LaVie Light netbook, newly refreshed with a dual-core Intel Atom N550. And yes, we know we made a horrible pun. Sometimes we just can't help ourselves.
NEC's 3D Valuestar N all-in-one PC: orcas all up in your retinas
Golly. We never thought to invest in a 20-inch all-in-one PC just to watch converted versions of Free Willy in 3D, but darn if we're not reconsidering now. NEC has today revealed its Valuestar N range, with the VN790/BS being the standout in the range. The machine offers up a native 1,600 x 900 resolution panel, integrated Blu-ray drive, 4GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive, WiFi, six USB 2.0 sockets, an undisclosed Intel Core 2010 CPU, Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit), and of course, native 3D support. You'll need to spring for an optional (but not really) pair of glasses to fully enjoy the third dimension sans intense headache-inducing blur, but given that they aren't of the active variety, any ole set will probably get you through. Pricing looks locked at ¥220,000 ($2,422) for a June debut in Japan, with approximately none of that actually going to save the whales. A crying shame, we say.
NEC introduces wild new ValueStar, LaVie and LaVie Light models
NEC is back on the scene with a clutch of new products, including a couple all-in-ones, some notebooks and a color refresh for the LaVie Light. Standing in stark contrast to the new Viewsonic all-in-ones, the two additions to the ValueStar line pack a little heat, with Intel Core and AMD Athlon processors, generous helpings of memory and storage, and features like Blu-ray and digital TV tuners that are sure to amuse and titillate. The new LaVie notebooks run the gamut from 13.3- to 16-inch, with either Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon processors. In addition to the usual storage and memory options, the 13.3-inch model sports an LED that can be configured by the user to display either the time or a line of text. Last but not least, fans of the boxy LaVie Light netbook have a couple more color options -- aside from the original black or white, they've thrown pink and blue into the mix. Be sure to check out the additional images and detailed specs after the break.Read: Two NEC New ValueStar All in One DesktopsRead: Three New LaVie Notebooks from NECRead: NEC Launches a New Color Pack for their LaVie Light Netbook
NEC intros water-cooled all-in-one Valuestar W PC
NEC's dabbled in water-cooling before, but it now looks to be making the technology a bit more commonplace, with it helping to keep its new Valustar W line of all-in-one PCs both cool and quiet. Available in both 22 and 19-inch models, the PCs top out with a Core 2 Duo E4400 processor, NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GT graphics, a 500GB hard drive and, apparently, a Blu-ray burner / HD DVD reader, with a digital/analog TV tuner thrown in for good measure. If that's a bit too much for you, you can scale things back all the way to a 1.6GHz Celeron 420 processor, with a 320GB hard drive and a standard DVD burner. From the looks of it, both options (and a few in between) are available in Japan now, with them setting you back between ¥210,000 and ¥340,000 (or roughty $1,800 to $2,900).
NEC mimics VALUESTAR laptop with latest flash drive
We've seen flash drives disguised as vehicles, bowling balls, and even Legos, but NEC's latest rendition of the handy USB memory key actually favors one of its own. The diminutive drive is a near-picture perfect copy of the company's VALUESTAR Type C laptop, sports ReadyBoost certification, and matches the grown-up lappy in color and other minutia such as the "battery compartment, air inlet, and screw placement." The 1/10 scale model certainly looks to do its hero justice, but as usual with gimmicky things like this, there's sadly no word on price nor where proud VALUESTAR owners can pick this thing up.
NEC unveils Vista-equipped VALUESTAR all-in-one / LaVie J laptop
No, we haven't heard any rumors of NEC merging with Fujitsu, but apparently both companies enjoyed busting out the ugly stick on their latest creations. Expanding its VALUESTAR lineup, the VW990/HG sports a relatively gorgeous 32-inch LCD HDTV with a WXGA resolution (or a 20-inch WSXGA+), but loses all hope of being attractive due to the gaudy PC flanking its bottom. While the firm has various spec'd models available, you'll find in them an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, up to 2GB of RAM, NVIDIA's GeForce Go 7600, up to 800GB of hard drive space, a Blu-ray drive (read-only), four USB 2.0 ports, dual FireWire connectors, PCMCIA, flash card reader, gigabit Ethernet, 56k modem, VGA, audio in / out, and a hybrid digital / analog TV tuner to boot. On the laptop side, the 12-inch LaVie J (pictured after the jump) ultraportable packs an Intel Core Duo U2400 processor, up to 120GB of hard drive space, Intel's 945GMS Express integrated graphics set, up to 2GB of RAM, dual-layer DVD burner, a trio of USB 2.0 ports, 802.11a/b/g, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, SD / SDHC slot, PCMCIA, audio in / out, VGA out, and if you're really going against the grain, you can pick this bad boy up in "Urban brown" as well. The clunker of a desktop should be available right alongside Vista's upcoming release for ¥360,000 ($2,989) to ¥500,000 ($4,150) depending on your configuration and LCD size, while the Vista-equipped laptop should land early next month for around ¥200,000 ($1,660).Read - NEC's VALUESTAR W/S lineupRead - NEC's LaViE J lineup
NEC Valuestar X VX780/GD packs Blu-ray and liquid-cooling
While there aren't too many PCs that come with standard Blu-ray drives as of yet, there is surely also only a small selection that come with standard liquid-cooling. Well, a prototype of the new NEC Valuestar X VX780/GD with both is currently on display at the Ceatec expo in Chiba, outside Tokyo. According to IDG News Service, the Valuestar runs super-quiet at 31 decibels, or slightly above a whisper. Beyond the slick cooling system and the swanky optical drive, the computer comes with a digital TV tuner, a 3.4GHz Pentium D processor, 1GB of RAM, dual 250GB hard drives, a remote control, and a 20-inch LCD. But all those bells and whistles will set you back a hefty ¥543,000 (over $4,600), so start fishing out those stray yen coins out of your couch now. Hundreds of thousands of them.[Thanks, Dave]
NEC Japan's twenty-six new laptops and all-in-one desktops
If there were ever any doubts as to our complete and total dedication to you, dear reader, let them be dispelled here and now, as we've just trudged through page upon page of horrible machine translation to bring you the relevant deets and specs on no less than 26 new computers from NEC -- for the Japanese market! This cornucopia of hardware comes in both laptop and all-in-one, media-centric desktop flavors, and can be further divided into their respective series: the LaVie 15.4-inch L, T, and 12.1-inch A laptops, and Valuestar W/X, L, and R desktops. More specifically, the W lineup come in four different configurations (VW970/FG, VW900/FH, VW770/FG, VW700/FG), with displays ranging from to 20 to 32-inches, either a 2.8GHz Pentium D or 3.06GHz Celeron D processor, and RAM and hard drive capacity ranging from 512MB to 1GB, and 400GB to 800GB, respectively, while the only X model, the 20-inch, 2.80GHz VX780/FD, seems to differ from the W's in that it utilizes a tower configuration and sports a nVidia GeForce video card (all the rest of the desktops feature integrated graphics). For pics and details on the rest of the desktops and all of the notebooks, keep on reading after the jump...
