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Core 2 Duo iMacs unofficially rock 802.11n capabilities
We know, it's still draft-spec equipment, but the fact that Apple has knowingly strapped an 802.11n-compliant wireless card inside its newest refresh of iMacs could certainly be telling of a certain product's future (or not). While a few enterprising users happened to spot the 802.11n inclusion while kicking around in the latest build of Windows Vista, there seems to be a bit more supporting evidence now; service source documents apparently credit the Broadcom BCM4321-series chip as the brains behind the iMac's WiFi, which Broadcom proudly boasts as the "first IEEE 802.11n draft-compliant solution." While the "firstness" is certainly debatable, the part number is reportedly visible on the iMac's AirPort Extreme module, giving us hope that Vista is somewhat on track and not completely doomed for infinite delays after all. While the current version of OS X chooses to ignore this speedy potential, future releases may be a bit more likely to fully disclose its secrets -- should the IEEE ever get its act together on a final 802.11n protocol, that is. Nevertheless, we're still a bit stumped as to why the snazzy new Mac Pro's didn't get the undercover next-gen WiFi offering, but hey, that's Apple for ya.
Acer's TravelMate 6460 and 6410, continuing the Merom love
We thought that Acer was all done for the time being with announcing its latest Core 2 Duo lappies, and boy are we pleasantly surprised to be wrong -- the company has just paraded out two swanky new models for us to enjoy: the TravelMate 6460 and 6410. Sadly, deets on the TravelMates are few for the time being, but we do know that they'll come with the latest Merom action (no word on what speed), "omnipotent communication" (WiFi, gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, 1.3 megapixel integrated webcam), DVI-D out with HDCP support (on the 6460 only), fingerprint-based login, and a 15.4-inch display. Yo Acer, how about some pricing and availability info to go along with your spec sheets, hrm?
Intel's Santa Rosa chipset to rock with integrated HSDPA
Today at the Intel Developer Forum, the company announced that the next generation of mobile processor chipset, known as "Santa Rosa," will feature an integrated HSDPA radio from Nokia. (Oh, and it should bump the FSB to 800MHz and drop power consumption, as usual.) This follows a trend that we've been seeing over the last year with various laptops frontin' 3G access so you can get your speedy internet on wherever life may find you, be it Northern California or elsewhere -- though we've not necessarily seen it so deeply embedded. In other news expected to materialize in 2007, Intel says it will also offer a new ultra-mobile chip based on the Core 2 Duo design but with half the power draw and one-fourth the physical size. No word on if that HSDPA and low-power stuff will make it into that sexy sketch of a sports car we saw earlier, though.
Averatec 6600 does Core 2 Duo
Look, not every Core 2 Duo lappy is going to have full-on 17-inch gaming prowess, sometimes they've gotsa have 15.4-inch screens with 1280 x 800 resolutions and one of those 128MB ATI Radeon X1400 graphics cards. And that's OK. Really, Averatec, your new 6600 unit might not have the freshest of designs, but it looks plenty thin, and we like how you've packed in a 2GHz T7200 Core 2 Duo processor, 1GB of RAM, and a 100GB SATA HDD. It'd be nice to know a price or release date, but we're not pushy, we're sure you'll do it up on the cheap. You do your thing, Averatec, we're behind you all the way.
More Merom from Toshiba, the Satellite P105-S9722
You know what they say: if you've seen one "onyx blue metallic" laptop, you've seen them all, but we thought we'd run this new P105-S9722 by you just in case that's not entirely accurate. The new 17-inch laptop is mainly a Core 2 Duo bump from its Core Duo P105 predecessors, but that's not the only spec getting some love here. The laptop's "media port" can now be configured with S/PDIF or DVI-D output, along with the existing options of a 5-in-1 card reader or instant play button. Otherwise, things remain the same, though a 2.0GHz T7200 processor is nothing to scoff at. You should be able to pick up one of these now for around $2,000 with all the trimmings, including Bluetooth 2.0, 2GB of RAM, 256MB GeForce Go 7900 GS graphics and Windows XP Professional. Not bad at all.[Via Laptoping]
Toshiba's Satellite A105-S4344 goes Merom
In case you haven't had your fill of Merom-powered notebooks, Toshiba is hoping to spice things up a bit with its oddly-spec'd A105-S4344. We hope you really dig the 6-pounder's "onyx blue metallic" finish, as it's the only available color option at present. If you're still hanging with us, you'll find a 15.4-inch LCD, 1.66GHz T5500 Core 2 Duo CPU, a whole 2GB of RAM, a massive 200GB 4200RPM hard drive, dual-layer DVD burner, 802.11a/b/g, and even a fingerprint reader to boot. Toshiba apparently felt these impressive inclusions could cover up the lackluster Intel GMA 950 integrated graphics, missing Bluetooth, substandard XGA resolution, and the lack of gigabit Ethernet. Anyways, the machine does muster a nice selection of ports, including PCMCIA, ExpressCard, 5-in-1 flash reader, S-Video out, 4-pin FireWire, and a foursome of USB 2.0 ports. Presumably catering to media-centric buyers, Toshiba includes Windows XP Media Center Edition and a reported "4.22 hours of battery life" to watch at least a couple decent flicks while on the move. The snazzy blue A105-S4344 is currently available for $1,399.99 (after rebate).[Via Laptoping]
Sony brings late Core 2 Duo love to VAIO F TV and AR
Man, just when we thought everyone who would announce a Core 2 Duo upgrade had announced -- well, almost everyone -- Sony comes along with a bump to their Sony VAIO AR and VAIO F TV. The AR (pictured on the right), you'll likely recall, is their 17-inch, Blu-ray totin' powerhouse with a burly 2GHz Core 2 Duo T7200 at the heart and terrestrial digital TV tuner now included standard. The F TV, then, is the 15.4-incher with variety of tuner options for terrestrial digital or analog broadcasts and comes maxed-out with a 1.66GHz Core 2 Duo T5500, 2GB memory, 160GB disk, dual-layer DVD burner, 802.11a/b/g WiFi, and of course the ability to record TV. A well spec'd AR will cost ya ¥400,000 or about $3,436 while the top-end F TV will demand ¥250,000 or about $2,147. On sale in Japan starting October 7th. [Via impress]
Apple's 24-inch iMac reviewed
If you're still fence sitting on whether or not the 24-inch iMac would appropriately fill the gaping expanse on your desk, and the unboxing photos, impressive Core 2 Duo benchmarks, and promise of "upgradable graphics" haven't convinced you just yet, maybe a full-fledged review will relieve the hemming and the hawing. PCMag has given Apple's biggest all-in-one about as much praise as any glossy white device can handle, while finding little to harp negatively upon; reviewers were quick to espouse the machine's prowess in nearly every aspect imaginable, calling it "a system that photo, video, music and even graphics enthusiasts could love." More specifically, they admired the brightly lit LCD, "zippy" performance in OS X, better than expected gaming performance (in Windows XP, of course), and tight Front Row integration. The only notable digs were it's sluggish 3D results in OS X (surprise, surprise) and the disappointing lack of a built-in flash card reader or TV tuner. Regardless, PCMag handed out a 4.5 out of 5 rating (along with an Editor's Choice award), and proudly stated that returning their test unit would be tough -- so if you still aren't swayed, hit the read link for the full rundown.
Intel readies Quadro chips for November release
Our good friends in Santa Clara, California have been very busy as of late -- Intel's working on getting lasers into silicon and getting its Core 2 Duos into everything under the sun (but sometimes not). But Moore and Noyce's baby isn't stopping there, no sir: DigiTimes is reporting that Intel's first quad-core "Kentsfield" chip, the 2.66 GHz Core 2 Extreme QX6700, will be officially called the Quadro and should be available starting in mid-November. Meanwhile, Reg Hardware chimes in that while Intel is also ramping up its Merom-based Celeron M series for budget laptops, the more interesting news is that the first low-voltage Core 2 Duos will hit the streets in January 2007. According to the Reg, the next generation of low-voltage Centrino chips, the L7200 and the L7400 (code-named the "Santa Rosa"), will feature Core 2 Duos running at 1.33 GHz and 1.5 GHz, priced at $284 and $316, respectively. Speaking of low-voltage chips, we haven't decided if trying to overclock one would be an incredibly brilliant or an incredibly foolish idea -- but we'll find out soon enough.Read - DigiTimes [Photo courtesy of Tom's Hardware]Read - Reg Hardware
Lenovo takes their 3000 N100 to Core 2 Duo
While we wait for Apple to get their MacBook act together, a few more Core 2 Duo stragglers are wandering in, and this time it's Lenovo's N100 from their 3000 series getting the Merom boost. Beyond the processor goodies, which seem to encompass most of the Intel's offerings, the N100 boasts of an 802.11n MIMO WiFi option, your choice of a 14.1 or 15.4-inch widescreen LCD, and an option with the 15-inchers for an NVIDIA GeForce Go 7300 card running 64 or 128MB of memory. The 15-inch models also seem to have an option for a built-in webcam, but we're low on deets. Since Lenovo isn't telling us any different, we're guessing the screen res options match up with the previous offerings, along with the rest of the specs. We should be seeing these for sale any day now -- they're listed at the Lenovo site now, but one of the links is broken and some of the specs don't match -- and prices should start around $800.
So, where the hell are our Core 2 Duo MacBooks?
The funny thing that happened when Apple decided to make the switch to Intel was they couldn't any longer espouse the merits of their typically non-standard processor architectures as, um, apples and oranges with PCs. In other words, Apple had to start keeping up with the jonses in a very flat, discernible, and easily quantifiable way: PC speed benchmarks (which were made even easier with Boot Camp). So yeah, you could say we find it a little odd that since being announced in late July (i.e. two months in real-life time, or six years in Engadget time) and shipping in August, we've yet to see only one prominent manufacturer neglect to launch some Core 2 Duo laptops of their own. So it's on shaky faith we tell you that the latest in an already irritatingly long line of C2D MacBook (Pro) rumors has Cupertino's entire line of laptops done with the damned upgrades, and company just waiting on the marketing department to line 'em up and knock 'em out. Of course, it would be market-suicide if they didn't launch these before the holiday season (unless they wanted to bundle them with Vista that is -- we kid!), so don't be surprised if you wake up to some new Apple laptops any day now.[Thanks, Chris]
Boot Camp updated for Core 2 Duo Macs
Boot Camp, Apple's software that allows Mac users to run Windows XP on a separate partition, has been updated to version 1.1.1. Specific in this release is support for Core 2 Duo Macs (Mac Pro and new iMac), though the Boot Camp page lists other updates, such as support for built-in iSight cameras and improved Apple keyboard support, that actually appeared in Boot Camp 1.1.This release weighs in at 186MB, and is available from Apple's Boot Camp page.Thanks Randy
Sotec releases Core 2 Duo-based WinBook WS5000
Japanese manufacturer Sotec is feeding the Core 2 Duo frenzy, releasing a lightweight laptop available in a range of configuration options. Weighing in at 3.5 pounds with a 12-inch 1024 x 768 screen, the WinBook WS5000's can come loaded with your choice of Core 2 Duo T5500, T7200, or T7400 processors, with 40 to 120GB hard drives (all just 5,400 rpm), 512MB to 1.5GB RAM, DVD / CD-RW combo or DVD burner drivers, and built-in WiFi, with basic white the only color option. Battery is promised to be 4.2 hours, with a "long haul" battery also available to give you over six hours. Spec'd out with the bare minimum, the WinBook will set you back ¥119,800, or just over $1,000, though we're guessing few will be completely satisfied without at least a couple of upgrades.[Via Akihabara News]
The wait is over: Dell launches AMD desktops
Dell sure dragged it out long enough, but they've finally gone official on four new desktops, two of which hold those elusive -- at least for Dell -- AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core chips. Privy to the Athlon action are two new Dimension models, the E521 and C521 (pictured), while the new XPS 210 and Dimension E520 fight for truth, justice and the American way, Intel Core 2 Duo style. The E520 and E521 sport all the usual options, including ATI and NVIDIA graphics, dual TV tuners and dual HDDs. As for processors, the E521 can handle anything from AMD Sempron to Athlon 64 X2, while the E520 covers Pentium D and Core 2 Duo processors. Oddly, the E521 only sports one PCI slot, compared to the E520's two, but matches its Intel brother for slots otherwise, with room for a x16 PCIe and a x1 PCIe card. The C521 slims things down to about half the size of the E521, and lacks multiple disc drive and HDD bays, but still manages to match the E521 for PCIe/PCI action. Similarly, the XPS 210 keeps things small, with even less expandability, but measures a mere 1 foot tall. In other news, Dell is moving ahead with their retail strategy, and has plans for opening a New York store in early 2007.Read - Dell launches AMD desktopsRead - Dell plans NYC store
Intel's Core 2 "Quadro" on the horizon
Just when we were getting excited about the Core 2 Duo chips that have become standard in everything from the 24-inch iMac to new Dell laptops, we've now got quad-core fever. Yes, Intel already has the shown them off before, but Tom's Hardware has a very thorough investigation into the nature of these four-headed beasts -- what Tom's is dubbing the Core 2 Quadro. (Of course if this really is the name, Intel may have to chat with NVIDIA first, as it already uses the name Quadro in a set of graphics cards.) So how'd it turn out? Not surprisingly, video editing and rendering are everyday tasks that took advantage of all four cores: "Test results with the software packages Main Concept with H.264 encoding and the WMV-HD conversion make this very clear. We noticed performance jumps of up to 80% when compared to the Core 2 Duo at the same clock speed (2.66 GHz). A Core 2 Quadro at 2.66 GHz and higher is the answer for HD video (editing and rendering) at full HD resolution (1920x1080)." However, Tom's also noted also that the Core 2 Quadro requires 167 W of power in idle mode, which is the same amount that a Core 2 Extreme demands at full capacity, and attributes this to an "incomplete implementation of Intel's SpeedStep technology at this stage." That said, maybe once Intel reaches 32 cores (as it's said previously would be possible), the new chip name will be Core 2^5 Insanely Awesome.[Thanks, Mack S.]
Core 2 Duo-based iMacs benchmarked
It's been barely a few days since Apple released the new Core 2 Duo iMacs, but already the benchmarks are coming out. As usual, Macworld is among the first to spar with the new hardware. The lab concluded that compared to the previous iMac Core Duo models, the new models hit a 10 percent improvement over previous models in Macworld Lab's comprehensive Speedmark Test over the previous models. As he explains, part of the advantage is also likely to come via the doubling of the iMacs' L2 Cache to 4MB, which is, of course, contained within the new processor. We feel for the thousands of people who've already bought their Core Duo iMacs -- only to have been surpassed by a 10 percent increase. Really.
HP's Compaq business notebooks get the Merom touch
Oh, how we love new processor releases. Just when you think that you have every last spec-bumped PC covered, along comes HP with Core 2 Duo options for nearly all of its business-oriented Compaq notebooks. As we've seen almost all of these models before, you're probably quite familiar with their features, so we'll gloss over those and instead concentrate on the five new CPUs available to each machine. Starting at the low end we have the 15.4-inch nx7400 series, which along with the previous Celeron M, Core Solo, and Core Duo configurations, now offers you a choice of the 1.66GHz T5500, 1.83GHz T5600, 2.0GHz T7200, 2.16GHz T7400, or 2.33GHz T7600 flavors of Merom. Next up are the nx6320 and nc6320 members of the 6300 series, which retain their respective 14.1-inch and 15-inch screens, but add the same Core 2 Duo options as the nx7400. Then we have the 14.1-inch widescreen nc6400, which used to only offer Core Solo and Duo processors, and now (guess what?) gives you all the Merom you can handle. A little higher up on the food chain are the 17-inch nx9420 (pictured) and 15.4-inch nx8420 and nc8430 notebooks, once highlighted by their 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 GPUs, and now best known for their Core 2 Duo configurability. Finally, the last machines to get the Merom bump are the 4400 series, a set of 12.1-inch ultraportables that ship as either regular notebooks or convertible tablets. That's all for now folks, but like a bad penny, these re-speced laptops promise to keep turning up no matter how hard we will the deluge to end.[Via MobileMag]
Dell Latitude D820 with Core 2 Duo reviewed
Somehow those good ol' boys down in Texas got sneaky on us -- while we were busy getting ready for Labor Day, Dell went and updated the Latitude, Inspiron, and XPS series with Core 2 Duo chips. Laptop took the new bumped Dell Latitude D820 for a spin and wasn't dissappointed. This spiffy new laptop topped the charts on the magazine's MobileMark 2005 test with an all-time high score of 308. Further tests showed that the Core 2 Duo scored high marks when processing more information at a time, such as running a virus scan while ripping a CD: the Core 2 Duo machine scanned 15,446 items and ripped the CD in 8 minutes 32 seconds while the Core Duo scanned 2,579 items and ripped the same CD in 6 minutes 36 seconds. We're still waiting to see if Apple will follow Dell's lead -- maybe that's what's happening next week in San Francisco?
Hitachi's PriusOne and PriusAIR do the Merom bump
So in addition to the Prius K series of laptops, Hitachi brought the Core 2 Duo to their Prius Air type R and Prius One Desktop W. At the top of the Air type R series is the AR35RS2 Windows Media Center PC which features a 26-inch LCD with 1360x768 resolution, 1.86GHz Core 2 Duo E6300, Intel G965 Express graphics, 1GB memory (expandable to 2GB), 320GB of disk, dual-layer multi-drive, and integrated terrestrial digital TV tuner. That model demands ¥340,000 (about $2,930) and ready to ship October 26. Sure, lesser configs are available for less with a 19-inch display and Pentium 4524, but why settle? The Prius One type W also got a shot of Merom for more all-in-one PC fun. This series comes in W and S flavors with the AW37W2S bringing a 20-inch 1360x768 display, 1.66HGz Core 2 Duo T5500, Intel 945GM Express graphics, 1GB memory (2GB max) that generous 320GB of disk, dual-layer multi-drive, and integrated digital/analog TV tuner which provides a TV-mode to view the boob while the computer is off. The S brings much the same only with a lowly (and much cheaper) Celeron M 410 proc and 17-inch 1280x1024 display. Expect to fork over about ¥290,000 (about $2,499) for the W or ¥210,000 (about $1,810) for the S when they drop in September. Picture of the Air after the break.
Apple spec bumps iMacs, minis, adds 24-inch iMac
Well done, Steve, you've surprised us yet again. While we were sitting around bracing for another day filled with Apple rumors (e.g. "OMG! What's he gonna announce on the 12th? iPhone!!!!), Cupertino has gone and released some actual products today, including upgrades to the entire lineup of iMacs and minis. Most exciting, perhaps, is the all-new 24-inch iMac (we were all looking out for a 23-incher), complete with a 2.16GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, 1GB of RAM, 250GB HDD capacity, FireWire 800, and some of that sweet nVIDIA GeForce action in the form of a 128MB 7300GT graphics chipset. Besides the 24-incher, both the 17-inch and 20-inch models now come with Core 2 Duo standard (ranging from 1.83GHz to 2.16GHz), 160GB or 250GB worth of hard drive space, 512MB or 1GB of RAM, 8x dual-layer SuperDrive, and ATI Radeon X1600 graphics (except for the low-end 17-incher, which sports integrated graphics and just a 24x Combo drive, plus no bundled remote or Bluetooth 2.0). As for the minis, they're all part of the dual core family now as well, featuring 1.66GHz or 1.83GHz Core Duo CPUs, 512MB of RAM (2GB max), up to 160GB of hard drive capacity, either a Combo drive or a SuperDrive, but still just integrated graphics. Available immediately from Apple online or retail, pricing on the new models is as follows: $999 for the 1.83GHz 17-inch iMac, $1,199 for the 2.0GHz 17-incher, $1,499 for 20 inches of iMac goodness, and $1,999 for the 24-inch monster, while the minis start at $599 and $799, respectively, depending on the processor. So now the big question is: what IS going to be announced at the "It's Showtime" event? Damn, guess we're in for another week of rumors after all...Read - iMacRead - mini[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
