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ASUS 13.3-inch UL30 gets reviewed, called a cutie pie
We've already witnessed the unveiling of ASUS' largest two UL series laptops, so it's only fair to pass along an in-depth look at the midget of the bunch. The UL30A was recently taken for a ride over at HotHardware, and while we've had our suspicions as to whether Intel's CULV platform really would provide an incentive for to-be netbook buyers to spend a bit more, it seems as if this ultraportable definitely is worth the extra scratch. Unlike your average Atom-powered netbook, the UL30 could actually handle 720p video like a champ (though 1080p brought it to its knees), and even with Vista taking a toll on its resources, day to day work was found to be surprisingly snappy. At $749 and up, the seductively silver UL30 was found to be a solid buy in its category, but we're not asking you to take our word for it. Hit that read link for the full writeup, benchmarks and all.
ViewSonic VNB132 laptop and VNB102 netbook hit the massage table
If you believe Jon Rubinstein, mobile computing is the future, but if you look at the VNB102's spec sheet, you'll find that the future still comes with an Atom N270 CPU, 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard disk. Should that still satisfy your humble needs, it'll cost you $349 with a 3-cell battery or $399 for the 6-cell edition. Now for grown-up people, ViewSonic ditches the glossy casing and throws up a most righteous 13.3-inch 1280 x 800 display, riding atop an SU7300 CULV processor, 2GB RAM and 320GB HDD. For $899, you'll even get a DVD rewriter, or you can sacrifice it to save a hundred bucks and get an even thinner machine. The VNB132 (pictured) is set to ship with the release of Windows 7, but check the read link below to see it handled today.
ASUS UL80 and N61Vg hands-on
Windows 7 has inspired an expected new model bonanza among PC manufacturers, and ASUS is no exception. Just for starters the new UL80 (pictured running Windows Vista) and N61Vg offer up some "mainstream" prices and performance up against that Win 7 hotness. The UL80 makes like a thin and light, with a new dual-core CULV SU7300 processor and a quoted 12 hours of battery life, but also works in switchable discreet graphics, Turbo33 tech for selective overclocking the processor, and a disc drive. It's still relatively thin and light, and to our eyes has a pretty snazzy display. The N61Vg has a bit of a new design language for ASUS, with a pleasant rubberized palm rest. It also has a multi-touch trackpad, strong multimedia features and a decent size / weight for a 16-inch Core 2 Quad machine. The existing UL80 configuration, without the overclocking, goes for about $849, so we expect the new UL80 to be in that ballpark, while the N61Vg is slated for around $1,049. %Gallery-73346%
ASUS gets classy with sleek UL series laptop range
If ASUS' N61 / N71 laptops were just too -- shall we say, glamorous -- for you, how's about the ultra-classy UL lineup? Short for UnLimited possibilities (groan), the UL series offers up a variety of models, all of which rely on Intel's CULV platform for juice and can squeeze up to 12 hours of claimed battery life thanks to having both discrete and integrated graphics onboard. The 1-inch thin machines arrive in either black or brushed aluminum, with room for up to 8GB of DDR2 RAM, a dual-layer DVD burner, a Core 2 Duo CPU and hard drives as large as 500GB. Both 14- and 15.6-inch models are available, though your guess is as good as ours when it comes to pricing and availability.[Via HotHardware]
HP dm1 and dm3 ultraportables leaked, Pavilion dv8 to pack Core i7? Update: Mini 311 has ION!
Eager HP fans have been doing some digging around and have uncovered details on the company's Fall updates. Heading the pack will be the 18.4-inch dv8, set to feature a quad-core Core i7 720QM CPU, 640GB of storage and 4GB of memory. The processor formerly known as Clarksfield has 6MB of onboard cache and can be Turbo Boosted to 2.8GHz, which should do justice to the gargantuan screen size and included Blu-ray drive. If, on the other hand, you want to be able to move your laptop, there's the CULV-powered 11.6-inch dm1 or 13.3-inch dm3 (pictured). Both will come with 1366 x 768 glossy displays, while the dm3 will also offer a cheaper AMD Neo flavor. Another three models, a TM2 tablet and Mini 210 and 311 netbooks, are also known by name if not spec. While the usual pinch of salt is advisable, a Dutch website already has the new laptops listed in its price comparison engine, corroborating the specs and the expected arrival alongside Windows 7's October 22 release. Update: We've also come across the specs for the Mini 311. Apparently, it'll be an 11.6-inch NVIDIA ION machine, with the Microsoft-mandated Atom N270, 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD spec and a six cell battery. See it in the flesh after the break. [Via Liliputing and Notebook Spot] Read - HP Softpaq update reveals new models Read - Pavilion dv8 listing - €1,426.81 / $2,040 Read - Pavilion dm3 listing - €677.11 / $968 Read - Pavilion dm1 listing - €481.89 / $689 Read - Mini 311 specs
Samsung X420, X520 CULV laptops outed
Now, details are slightly thin here (as well as machine translated), but we're getting word of two new Samsung laptops on the horizon -- the 14-inch X420 and the 15.6-inch X520. The X420 will supposedly boast a 1.3GHz Intel Pentium dual-core SU2700, Intel GMA X4500M graphics, 3GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive, with not an optical drive in sight. Similarly the X520 will also feature the ultra-low power consumption SU2700 CPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM and a 320GB HDD. The X520 will weigh in at 2.09 kg with its 6-cell battery, while the X420 will supposedly weigh 1.7 kg. We're hearing these bad boys are coming to European soil in mid-October, and while we don't have any solid pricing information -- both have been estimated to run somewhere in the €700 range (around $1,000).
BenQ endows S35 and S43 Joybooks with CULV, kicks 'em out the door
It's not quite on the scale of the netbook revolution, but the CULV ultraportable uprising does seem to be gathering steam. Latest on the scene is BenQ, with its 13.3-inch S35 and 14-inch S43 Joybooks, sporting a choice between a single core SU3500, dual core SU7300, or some old and busted Celeron 723 / 743 chips. From what Acer's Timeline series has shown, the 1.4GHz SU3500 is a major step up from Atom machines, while making for ridiculous battery longevity. BenQ claim you'll be able to squeeze more than five hours of juice from the default batteries and there's an eight cell option on the S35 that is rated for 11+ hours. Hard drives clock in at 500GB, Bluetooth, WiFi and the like are all present, and the S43 also gets an ATI Mobility Radeon HD4330 GPU option to make it stand out. The announcement is for Asia only so far, but we see no reason why these laptops shouldn't make it to more familiar shores as well. [Via Engadget Chinese]
Santech LV1 is low voltage and low fat, but not low price
Santech might not be the most familiar name around here, but the company has a bit of history in the mobile field, and its latest 13.3-inch effort definitely merits a second look. Coming in under that magical mental barrier of an inch in thickness and sporting an Intel CULV processor, it's slinky and (just) powerful enough to be called an ultraportable. Add in a claimed 12 hours of battery life, and the LV1 would seem like a viable competitor to Acer's Timeline series, but it falters on pricing, which -- once you add the 8-cell battery to the base unit of a SU3500 1.4GHz CPU, 2GB RAM and 160GB HDD -- is €701 ($1,003) after taxes, or €100 more than an almost identical Aspire 3810T from Acer. [Via Notebook Italia]
Acer Aspire 1410 ULV, America's 1810T, now in stock stateside
Peculiar name change or no, Acer's 11.6-inch Aspire 1410, the ULV known in Europe as 1810T, is now available in the US. Price tag is $460.33 from Cost Central and that nets you a 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Solo SU3500, 2GB RAM, a 250GB HDD, and Windows Vista. There's quite a few Sapphire Blue models in stock, while Diamond Black are only available in limited quantities. Waiting for Ruby Red, you say? Sorry, no such luck yet, but keep checking. [Via Liliputing; thanks, knifex4] Read - 1410-8414 (Sapphire Blue) Read - 1410-8804 (Diamond Black) Read - 1410-8913 (Ruby Red)
Gateway's 11.6-inch EC1803h CULV ultraportable surfaces in Canada
All the cool kids are building CULV-powered 11.6-inch miniature wonders, and Acer-owned Gateway is no exception. This new EC1803h unit (a rebadge of sorts of Acer's Timeline 1810T) just popped up in Canada, and has a lot in common with Gateway's LT2000 netbooks -- though somehow knowing there's a "real" processor underneath makes it seem just a bit more sexy. Unfortunately, the $600 Canadian (about $550 US) pricetag isn't quite as grand as the $400ish CULV laptops that Acer and Dell have been showing, but it's hard to fault the 3GB of RAM, 6 cell standard battery and 250GB hard drive. No word on when this will head to the States.
MSI's X-Slim X340 becomes a little chubbier, a little cheaper, and a little better
You might think that making a super-skinny laptop like the MSI X-Slim X340 wider would necessarily be a bad move, but when that extra girth more than doubles the battery life to a whopping 8:48, it's a trade-off many will make. Extra bonuses include a keyboard that won't bow under the pressure of your more expletive-filled rants and an MSRP $100 cheaper than the $899 it launched at. Given the older, four-cell model is already shipping at well under that ($749 at most major electronics retailers) we're eager to see just how much of a better bargain this already excellent deal can become. Oh, and if you're one of the folks already slinging one of these around wherever you go, you can get in on the eight-cell battery bandwagon for $99, but will just have to make do with that bouncy keyboard.
Dell's 11.6-inch Inspiron 11z thin-and-light now on sale for $399
Dell may have ditched the 12-inch Mini netbook, but for those still looking for something a touch larger than 10-inches, there's the all-new Inspiron 11z. Strictly classified as a "thin-and-light," this three-pound machine measures in at just one-inch thick and ships with a 1.2GHz Celeron 723 processor, a 1,366 x 768 LED-backlit panel, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, a 250GB (5400RPM) SATA hard drive, GS45 integrated graphics, WiFi, a 3-cell battery and nary an optical drive to speak of. There's also a 1.3 megapixel camera, twin stereo speakers, an Ethernet port, three USB sockets, a 3-in-1 multicard reader and an HDMI output, though we get the feeling Windows Vista won't be too happy with the hardware. Thankfully, you can drop your $399 now and snag Windows 7 on the cheap here in just a few months.[Thanks, Joe]
Acer Timeline 1810T gets renamed and reviewed ahead of imminent US release
With a 1.4GHz Intel SU3500 chip, up to 4GB of memory and a 1366 x 768 display, Acer's 11.6-inch Timeline 1810T threatens to bridge the usability gap between netbooks and workhorse laptops. And now that the first review has come in, we can say that the verdict is... well, ambivalent. Multitasking, battery life and general build quality scored the thumbs up, but the glossy screen and casing weren't so well received, and 1080p and Flash video playback were hit-and-miss. Set to be known as the Aspire 1410 in the US, this grown-up netbook is expected to arrive pretty soon, with some online retailers already offering pre-orders at $450. The video review is after the break, or hit the read link to check out the unboxing and more extensive thoughts on the laptop. [Via Netbooked] Read - 1810T to be sold as 1410 in US Read - 1810T / 1410 unboxing and review
Lenovo caves, lets you order 14-inch IdeaPad U450p laptop
Apparently the note sent in by the collective internet had its desired effect, as the machine we knew was sitting somewhere in a Lenovo R&D lab two weeks ago is now available to order. The IdeaPad U450p packs a 14-inch "anti-glare" display (1,366 x 768 resolution), your choice of Intel's 1.3GHz SU2700 or 1.4GHz SU3500 CPU, Windows Vista Home Premium, GMA X4500 integrated graphics, 3GB or 4GB of DDR3 RAM, a 250GB or 320GB 5400RPM hard drive, six-cell Li-ion battery, WiFi and a bundled DVD writer with Ultrabase. Current shipping estimates show that machines ordered today won't arrive until mid-September, but those with ample amounts of patience (and at least $799 in marked US bills) can get in line right now.[Thanks, M. Hellenthal]
MSI X-Slim X600 reviewed: an 'attractive choice'
MSI's X-Slim X600 may not be the quickest, most nimble or most powerful 15.6-inch laptop on the market today, bit with a thickness of just 0.75-inches, it's definitely got the ultrathin motif down pat. The kind lads and ladies over at Laptop Mag recently secured one of the machines for review, and they seemed adequately impressed with the combination of a low-power CPU (1.4GHz Core 2 Solo SU3500) and a multimedia-friendly discrete GPU (ATI's 512MB Radeon HD 4330) -- a tandem that's hard to find anywhere, let alone for $799. All told, the machine performed satisfactorily across the board, notching decent scores in a wide array of benchmarks and looking good all the while. Still, critics noted that Sony's VAIO NW would be more suitable for those with a Blu-ray craving and that Gateway's $599 NV is probably better for those looking for raw horsepower. If style is atop your list, though, it'll be tough to dodge the "buy" button on this one.
Lenovo slips out IdeaPad U450p, won't let you order one
Hey Lenovo, that's a pretty sweet landing page you've got there for this newfangled IdeaPad U450p. In fact, we're crushing pretty hard on that glossy 14-inch display, ultrathin frame and patterned lid. If you're really looking for candor, we'd even go so far as to say that the "energy-efficient ULV processor" and "integrated optical drive" have us all sorts of hot and bothered, but the inability to actually see a full build sheet or order a unit for ourselves is simply disheartening. Care to fix that? Thank you so much. -Signed: The Internet[Thanks, alsyl]
ViewSonic's VOT120 and VOT121 nettops suck in their guts for the camera
Unsatisfied with only having the tall and slim 130 and 132 nettops, ViewSonic's newly announced family of hardware also features a pair of even more diminutive options: the VOT120 and 121. Snapped in the wild for your delectation, these machines are small enough to be confused for a well-filled CD wallet and come with WiFi, four USB inputs, gigabit Ethernet and DVI-out. While the 120's standard netbook spec is nothing to write home about, the 121 does receive a (comparatively) potent 1.4GHz CULV chip and a HDMI output 'round back, making for an intriguing HTPC proposition. Prices in Taiwan are set for $304 and $423 respectively, but feel free to browse past the break for an inquisitive look at these miniature computers.
HP reportedly beginning production of new 10.1-inch, 11.6-inch netbooks / ultralights
This is about as early and unofficial as it gets, but DigiTimes is reporting that HP has contracted Quanta to begin production of an apparently all new 11.6-inch netbook in August, and another new 10.1-inch before the end of the year, which SlashGear rightly speculates could well be CULV ultralights rather than standard "netbooks." That's further bolstered by the fact that HP has separately contracted Inventec to build a revision to its current 10.1-inch netbook at the end of September. It's not all netbooks and ultralights for HP, however, as Quanta has also landed a deal to produce some new 15.6- and 17.3-inch laptops, while Compal will be handling HP's new 13.3- and 14-inch enterprise notebooks.[Via SlashGear]
Acer and ASUS reportedly freeze netbook releases until 2010
Looks like even Acer and ASUS are getting bored with the Atom N270 -- Digitimes says the two companies are suspending development of new netbooks until the first quarter of 2010 when Intel's next-gen Pine Trail platform with the Atom N450 is set to arrive. What's more, Acer's also apparently postponing that dual-boot Android / XP machine since it's found demand to be low -- we could have told you that months ago, but whatever. Still, turning off the netbook spigot will be a big step for the two companies most responsible for the segment's overheated product cycle, but don't you worry about them -- they'll have plenty of CULV thin-and-light machines to obsessively iterate in the meantime.[Via SlashGear]
Adamo redux: Dell teases new thin-and-light laptops in Paris with no specs
See that? That's Dell's Phil Bryant and Michael Tatelman briefly displaying what they described as an "entirely new model line" of thin-and-light laptops without any further comment at an event in Paris this morning. If that sounds like a replay of the poorly-received Adamo teaser at CES with old dudes instead of models, well, you're right -- Tatelman even referenced the negative Adamo reaction but said "we're going to try this again." Good plan. At least this time we don't have to wildly guess at what we're seeing: we're almost positive that's a pair of those Intel CULV-based ultraportables rumored to be released in August, and unless Dell's foolishly keeping with the Adamo theme, we'd assume specs and prices will match up with Acer's Timeline series. Keep a sharp eye, we'll let you know.
