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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%
Acer Aspire One 722 caught in the wild (video)
If that offbeat Acer Aspire One 722 we told you about last month caught your fancy, well, we still don't know when you'll be able to buy it or how many pretty pennies it'll cost. In the meantime, the folks at NewGadgets, at least, got to spend some time with one and gave it the full hands-on treatment, including a video (embedded below for your viewing pleasure) and gallery of close-up shots. So if you like your netbooks blue, dented, and loaded with AMD innards, head on past the break to get your eyeful. Now if only this had a release date to go with it...
Samsung Sliding PC 7 Series now available for $649 Amazon pre-order (update)
Samsung has yet to announce a revised release date for its Sliding PC 7 Series tablet / laptop hybrid, but the 2.2-pound netvertible slider is already available for pre-order on Amazon. According to Amazon's listing, the 7 Series should ship with many of the same specs we noticed at this year's CES: a 10-inch touchscreen with 1366 x 768-resolution, dual front and rear cameras (1.3 and 3.0 megapixels, respectively), a 32GB SSD, 2GB of RAM and, of course, Intel's 1.5GHz Atom Oak Trail Z670 processor, which was originally scheduled to launch in March, before being pushed back to May. The slider will also run on Windows 7 Home Premium, and come equipped with 802.11b/g/n WiFi. When it debuted earlier this year, the Series 7 boasted optional 3G and WiMax features, as well as a six-cell battery that claimed to last up to nine hours on a single charge. Amazon doesn't mention either of these specs in its listing, but everything else checks out with what we've already heard. And, at $649, it's even a little cheaper than we expected. Update: Looks like you'll have to wait a bit longer to order your Sammy slider, as the Amazon source link now leads to nowhere. [Thanks, Jake]
IdeaPad S205 hits Lenovo webstore, starts at $499
The first of Lenovo's CES-announced S Series, the S205, sauntered into the computer manufacturer's online store this week, albeit lacking the 8GB DDR3 SDRAM option mentioned at its announcement. The base model sells for $499, sporting a 1.60Ghz dual-core AMD Fusion E-350 CPU, an 11.6-inch (1366 x 768 resolution) 16:9 widescreen panel, 3GB of DDR3 SDRAM, ATI Mobility Radeon 6310 graphics, and a 350GB HDD. Two higher cost configurations score an extra gig of RAM, an optional Bluetooth radio, and a 500GB or 750GB HDD. The lesser of the higher end models can be had for a $429 at LogicBuy until Wednesday, if you can live without Bluetooth (which man did for thousands of years, but you know what we mean). [Thanks, Tim!]
Details of Samsung's 'Alex' Chrome OS netbook leaked, Atom N550 in tow
As we approach the expected mid-2011 launch for a few Chrome OS devices, it seems inevitable that some details are bound to slip out ahead of time -- here's looking at you, Acer ZGB and Seaboard. The latest victim outed by a Chromium bug report is the Samsung "Alex," which sports a 1280 x 800 display (probably at 10 inches as previously rumored; like the mockup above), 1.5GHz dual-core Atom N550, SanDisk SSD P4 of unknown capacity, and 2GB RAM. Also listed are a Qualcomm Gobi 2000 3G card, Bluetooth, WiFi, webcam, and a Synaptics touchpad. Well, not long to go now -- perhaps the Alex might even make a cheeky appearance at Google I/O in two weeks' time? Screenshot of the bug report after the break. [Thanks, Marco]
Chrome OS machines leaked in bug reports: Acer netbook and touch-friendly Seaboard
Plowing through bug reports is a reliable way to dig up juicy morsels of info, and thanks to that timeless tactic we've got some specs on a pair of unannounced Chrome OS devices. First up is a netbook from Acer codenamed ZGB which, according to a recently filed report, will have a 1366 x 768 panel, presumably in the 10 to 12 inch range. We also know that you can hook up an external display to it via an HDMI port powered by an encoder chip from Chrontel. Since AMD's Fusion netbook platform supports HDMI natively, we can also safely assume that the ZGB will be running the web-only OS on an Atom processor. That's where the details end for now but, hey, it's better than nothing. The other device, Seaboard, has been floating around the Chrome OS flaw depot for some time, but reports are finally starting to reveal some tantalizing details. We now know that it is powered by a Tegra 2 and sports a touchscreen -- the perfect place to test out those finger-friendly tweaks we've heard so much about. There are also mentions of a "lid switch" and a physical keyboard, indicating it may be a convertible or something in the vein of the Eee Pad Slider rather than a pure slate. The hybrid form factor would make perfect sense since it will house a pair of USB ports and an HDMI jack, which could make for a rather chunky tablet. Obviously, neither of these devices are confirmed yet (and Seaboard is most likely being used for internal testing only) but at least we've got a better idea of what to expect when the browser-based OS comes to consumers later this year.
Acer releases Aspire One 722 netbook, tries to make molded plastic happen
It looks like that funky Acer netbook with the dented lid that we spied at MWC wasn't a one-off. The company just released the Aspire One 722, an 11-inch mini with the same aesthetic (and a likely successor to the 721). Like the D257 we saw in Barcelona, its lid is made of molded plastic, sculpted to resemble a series of ripples. Spec-wise, it has the same innards as the more staid-looking Aspire One 522, pairing AMD's netbook-class 1GHz C-50 Ontario processor with Radeon HD 6250 graphics. But the 722 improves on the 10-inch 522 with higher 1366 x 768 resolution, two speakers instead of one, and rated battery life of up to seven hours -- a boost over the 522's six-hour max. No word yet on pricing or availability, but for now you can content yourself with some official press shots.
The iPad's effect on rival companies' CEOs
Apple's iPad and iPhone are shaking up the netbook and smartphone market, producing a chain reaction of events that has led to the resignation of chief executives from three major electronics manufacturers. This past Thursday, Acer Corp. CEO Gianfranco Lanci became third in the line when he announced his resignation from the Taiwanese company. A report from Digitimes suggests the success of the Apple iPad had a major impact on Acer's netbook business, which in turn led to Lanci's departure. Acer climbed to the top of the netbook market when it introduced the Aspire One netbook back in 2008. Since the launch of the iPad in 2010, netbook manufacturers have struggled to compete with Apple's tablet device. The past year was particularly hard for Acer, which saw its netbook sales go flat, while the Apple iPad took off among consumers. Acer is reportedly working on an iPad competitor, but the tablet device is said to be underpowered and "outmatched by the iPad in terms of both hardware and software."According to the report, Acer's focus on affordable consumer devices makes it incapable of producing a device to compete with Apple. Acer is not alone in sacrificing its CEO as a result of Apple's success. In this last year, both Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo and LG CEO Nam Young left their respective positions due to increasing competition from Apple's mobile products. Both LG and Nokia are struggling in the smartphone market and have yet to produce a blockbuster handset to compete with the iPhone. LG's latest offering, the dual core Optimus 2X, features a dual-core processor, 4-inch display and an 8-megapixel camera, but the Android handset has not caught on as well as the Apple iPhone. [Via AppleInsider]
Hercules re-invents the netbook again, launches 10-inch Linux- and A8-powered eCAFE
It's perhaps a little too early to be feeling all retro-nostalgic for the netbook, with much of the industry moving on up to your notbooks and your tablets and such, so we'll just say that Hercules is still kickin' it old school by launching its eCAFE netbooks. There are two models, the Slim HD and EX HD, the former tipping the scales at 1.9lbs and measuring only .8-inches thick, while the EX model is a bit heftier at 2.5lbs and 1.1-inches, managing 13 hours of "real use" battery life. Both are said to smoothly play 720p video on their 10-inch, 1024 x 600 displays or export it over HDMI, running a custom flavor of Linux and powered by an ARM Cortex-A8 processor. Hercules says this "sets a new standard" in netbooks, but 8 or 16GB of flash storage and 512MB of RAM sounds all too familiar to us, and if that cramped, recessed keyboard is the future we're quite happy to stick in the present, thanks. %Gallery-120076%
Asus Eee PC 1015B and 1215B go on sale starting at $289
It seems like just yesterday -- okay, more like three weeks ago -- we went hands-on with Asus' latest additions to the Eee PC family, and now these Fusion-equipped netbooks are getting their very own price tags. The Eee PC 1015B and 1215B offer 10-inch and 12-inch displays starting at $289 and $379, respectively. For that price, you'll get 250GB of storage, 1GB of memory, VGA, USB, and HDMI ports, and 1080p output. They grow up so fast -- don't they? Check out the source links to make one of these babies your own. [Thanks, Daniel]
Sony crafting VAIOs with Chrome OS, external GPUs and Thunderbolt tech?
Sony's top-secret prototype labs must be clocking hours like mad, as Sony Insider reports that the company has two more surprises in store -- in addition to a PlayStation tablet, dual-screen clamshell and sliding PC, the skunk works has cooked up a Chrome OS notebook, as well as a "VAIO Hybrid PC" that defies any sort of meaningful explanation in just three words. The Chrome OS device is reportedly modeled after Google's own Cr-48 reference design with roughly the same dimensions and keyboard but an oh-so-slightly smaller 11.6-inch screen, and NVIDIA's Tegra 2 running the show alongside 1GB of RAM and 16GB of flash storage. Sony's also shooting for eight hours of battery life, and a weight of just 2.2 pounds. All of that pales in comparison to what Sony's plotting for this "Hybrid PC," though. The publication says we're looking at a thin-and-light Core i7 notebook with an incredible 8 to 16.5 hours of battery life, Intel Thunderbolt and an internal SSD, all of which plugs into a dock of some sort that adds a Blu-ray burner and external graphics (by AMD) for gaming and multimedia. We don't have any pictures or proof at this point, but it sounds like a whopper of a tale, and just the sort of thing that Intel was talking about making possible with the 10Gbps of bandwidth that Thunderbolt brings.
Will a $200 ASUS Eee PC finally ship with Google's help?
As hard as it tried, ASUS never could get its Eee PC prices down to $200 MSRP as promised way back in 2007 -- a time when Intel-based netbooks still shipped with Linux distros and "tablet PCs" ran a Microsoft OS. Fast forward to today and netbooks are being kicked to the curb for ARM-based tablets running smartphone operating systems. To compete, ASUS, a company that's become synonymous with netbooks, is planning to ship an unsubsidized $200 to $250 netbook running Android 3.0 or Chrome OS in June. According to DigiTimes sources, anyway, who tend to be pretty accurate with regard to Taiwanese companies. If true then expect to see it announced at Computex which kicks off in Taiwan on May 31st.
How would you change Dell's Inspiron Duo?
We aren't ones to knock a company for throwing convention to the wind, and frankly, we were downright excited to see how Dell's Inspiron Duo would revolutionize our mobile lives. During our own review, we found the design to be top-notch and the build quality to be world-class, but the sluggish performance, annoying software overlay and lackluster UI didn't exactly earn it any brownie points. Enough about us, though -- this is your time to shine. If you bit the bullet and picked one of these multifaceted laptops up, we're interested in hearing how you'd change things. Would you ditch the swiveling LCD? Would you prefer a dual-boot setup as found on the ViewPad 10? How's the hardware standing up over time? Would you have rather seen AMD's Fusion platform take the place of Intel's Atom? Speak out in comments below, won't you?
The Razer Switchblade concept slithers its way to GDC 2011
Razer was on hand at the Intel booth on the GDC expo floor with a sealed-off concept unit of the Razer Switchblade, the company's new small-form gaming PC. Travis Wannlund, Razer's global community manager, gave me the ins and outs of the hardware. The unit has a touchscreen to replace the pointer and also accepts a USB or Bluetooth mouse as an input device. The keyboard is made up of small LED screens that work as contextual keys, changing to ability keys with pictures, alphabetical keys, arrows, and more. The Switchblade was cycling through games, showing off different context-sensitive key setups depending on the game. Quake Live placed down a row of abilities ranging from grenades and rockets, alongside buttons for walk and crouch. A WASD array also popped up, and presumably a mouse would facilitate the view space. I couldn't touch it, of course, as the machine was guarded by a nefarious plastic box, but it was there, working, and impressing the heck out of everyone who stopped by. The Switchblade looks very promising, even in its concept stage, showing that Razer intends to push a whole lot of boundaries with its new little darling. It is almost as if the machine were built with the express purpose of playing a game like WoW on the go, with other games as an added bonus. Now we just have to watch and wait, hoping this little beauty goes from concept to production as soon as possible.
Intel and Lenovo release the Classmate+ PC for the kids
Thinking that netbook up there looks exactly like Intel's latest Classmate PC with a Lenovo sticker smacked on? Well, you'd be entirely correct. Lenovo and Intel have teamed up to bring out the Classmate+, which is indeed just a rebadged Classmate PC (or Intel Learning Series reference design). The 10.1-inch netbook doesn't have Intel's fresh Atom N570 processor, but it has all the other netbook essentials, including an Atom N455 CPU, Windows 7, 1GB of RAM, a 1.3 megapixel camera, WiFi, and three- and six-cell battery options. However, like most of the other Classmate PCs, the Classmate+ won't be available directly to consumers -- they will be sold in bulk to educational institutions or agencies, primarily in the developing world. And the Classmate+ is off to a great start -- 158,000 are already set to be deployed this spring in Buenos Aires. See kids, netbooks are far from dead! Hit the break for the full press release / specs and the gallery below for a few more images of the lunch box-like laptop. %Gallery-118732%
China clones the sliding netvertible tablet PC
We'd forgive you for thinking you're looking at a smartphone in the picture above -- seeing how HTC and Nokia owners have enjoyed this form factor for years -- but that's actually a netbook up there, sporting a full five-row keyboard and a desktop operating system. Yes, what took Samsung and ASUS until CES 2011 to realize has been copied by Shenzhen in two months flat, and even if you'd thumb your nose at its vanilla configuration (10-inch 1024 x 600 screen, 1.66GHz Intel Atom N455 CPU, 1GB of RAM, 160GB hard drive, 3700mAh lithium-ion battery) and optical touchpad next to the display, it's hard for a lover of all things gadgety not to appreciate that. Besides, the 1,600 yuan (about $244) price tag doesn't hurt any.
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.
How would you change Jolicloud's Jolibook?
Jolicloud's Jolibook may not be the hottest selling netbook in the universe (or maybe it is, and we just don't know it), but regardless, it's certainly quite the eye-catcher. For those who diverted from the paths more beaten and picked one up, we're keenly interested in finding out how things are going for you. Are you content with the overall design? Would you have changed anything about the operating system? What about that bulging battery? Would you have rather it ran Windows after extended use? Tell all in comments below, and remember -- no matter how sour you get, you'll always have one bodacious looking lid.
ASUS' Jerry Shen pledges 3D tablet, MeeGo and Android netbooks, plus a 2012 Windows Phone
ASUS (A-seuss) CEO Jerry Shen is rarely a man without a good quote or two for journalists and this year's CeBIT has been no exception. Sitting down for a chat with some Russian scribes, Shen outlined ASUS' general product roadmap, which includes a 3D tablet (the iPad 2-threatening secret weapon, perhaps?), Atom-based netbooks for both MeeGo and Android platforms, and a Windows Phone device that should be with us next year. An aside from his PR aide Mae Wang also states that ASUS aims to be second in the tablet market by 2012, with a giant five to eight percent market share. We're sure the Apple board are all shaking in their hemp sandals right now. Anyhow, hit up the source for the full story.
ASUS Eee PC 1015B and 1215B hands-on
Okay, picture an ASUS Eee PC 1015. Got it? Good -- now picture it with AMD Fusion internals. Boom: the 1015B is born. We spied versions in both white and black trim here at CeBIT, promising 1080p output in your choice of 1.2GHz single-core and 1GHz dual-core APUs, both with ATI Radeon HD 6250 graphics, 1GB of RAM (expandable to 2), and Bluetooth 3.0 along with 802.11b/g/n WiFi. If you're looking for something a little beefier, ASUS has a Fusion remake of the 1215, too -- the 1215B -- with many of the same features but the added benefit of a larger 12.1-inch WXGA LCD, an optional 1.6GHz AMD E350 dual-core processor, and up to 4GB of RAM. No word on when these will be in retail channels, but by all appearances, these are production or very-near-production models on display here at the show, so we imagine they'll be popping up any time now. %Gallery-117909% %Gallery-117911%
