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Internet Explorer 9 Beta review
(function() { var s = document.createElement('SCRIPT'), s1 = document.getElementsByTagName('SCRIPT')[0]; s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.async = true; s.src = 'http://widgets.digg.com/buttons.js'; s1.parentNode.insertBefore(s, s1); })(); Digg If you're anything like us, as soon as you get a new PC there's a laundry list of things you do: uninstall every piece of crapware, change the desktop wallpaper, and fire up Internet Explorer 8 to download a new browser like Firefox or Chrome. Without fail, we've repeated that last step on every Windows laptop we've reviewed in the last year. Why is it that we almost instantly replace IE with another option? There are lots of reasons, but to name a few... the browser usually comes plastered with toolbars, which makes it painfully slow to load even just a simple news site. And even when those are uninstalled it feels sluggish in comparison to Firefox and Chrome. Also, it's just not as attractive or intuitive as the others. Oh, and then there are the smaller items, like the fact that it lacks a download manager or uses more RAM than the competition. That's no short list of complaints, but you can't say Microsoft hasn't been listening. It's been saying for months that Internet Explorer 9 -- which is now available for download as a public beta -- will mend all those issues and then some. A lot of the improvements come in speed -- Redmond's been talking about hardware acceleration since November of last year -- but there are some other interesting features such as "Pinned Sites" and "One Box" that Microsoft's been less vocal about. So, does IE9 live up to the hype and will it finally give us a preloaded browser that's fast enough to run with the others? Should you run along and download it right now? We've spent the last week using it as our primary browser on a number of different laptops to find out. We'll meet again in our full review after the break. %Gallery-102354%
NVIDIA GTX 470M highlights rollout of 400M mobile GPU series
Not everybody needs the world's fastest mobile GPU, so NVIDIA is sagely trickling down its Fermi magic to more affordable price points today. The 400M family is being fleshed out with five new midrange parts -- GT 445M, GT 435M, GT 425M, GT 420M and GT 415M, to give them their gorgeous names -- and a pair of heavy hitters known as the GTX 470M and GTX 460M. Features shared across the new range include a 40nm fab process, DirectX 11, CUDA general-purpose computing skills, PhysX, and Optimus graphics switching. 3D Vision and 3DTV Play support will be available on all but the lowest two variants. NVIDIA claims that, on average, the 400M graphics cards are 40 percent faster than their 300M series counterparts, and since those were rebadges of the 200M series, we're most definitely willing to believe that assertion. Skip past the break for all the vital statistics, and look out for almost all (HP is a notable absentee, while Apple is a predictable one) the big-time laptop vendors to have gear bearing the 4xxM insignia soon.
ASUS N53JN and N73JN with Blu-ray and SonicMaster sound now available in the UK
So it's been six months since ASUS announced its new N Series laptops, but who's counting? Okay, we are, but there's good news, at least for the dear Brits -- the 15.6-inch N53JN and the 17.3-inch N73JN are now available in the UK. The N53JN will range from £649.99 to £999 ($1,005 - $1,545) and has an impressive array of specs, including a Core i5 CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GT325/415M graphics with Optimus, 320GB of storage, a Blu-ray drive and USB 3.0 ports. The wider £1,099 N73JN is pretty much identically configured, but has 640GB of storage (with two 320GB drives). However, ASUS is hoping the major lure of these systems will be its new SonicMaster sound technology, which has been developed with Bang & Olufsen ICEpower. The press release claims the audio feature is not a "gimmick" and that ASUS's "Golden Ear" team toiled over the audio fidelity...for months we assume. There's some bold assertions, but we guess there's really no knowing what these bad boys really sound like until you take one home and pump up the volume. %Gallery-100272%
ASUS U33Jc-A1 Bamboo series review
Pandas, East Asia, wood. Nope, "laptop" hasn't ever been on the list of words we typically associate with "bamboo," but ASUS sure has us willing to tack it on with the introduction of its U Bamboo Series. The company's newest 13-inch U33Jc is covered in one of the most durable and recyclable materials on earth, and its internals are made of equally strong parts. Sure, the laptop looks incredibly traditional, but the $999 machine actually packs an incredible amount of new technology, including a fresh Core i3 processor, NVIDIA Optimus enabled graphics, USB 3.0 and Intel's wireless display technology. It's truly one of the most impressive laptops we've heard about in the last few months, but a few gripes hold it back from being the killer laptop it could be. Intrigued? Bamboozled? Hit the break for our full review. %Gallery-98391%
NVIDIA's refreshed Optimus interface sheds more light on what your GPU is doing
There's no question that NVIDIA's Optimus system -- which enables a discrete GPU to operate when a machine is taxed and a power-sipping IGP to function when you're involved in less strenuous tasks -- has changed the way the world looks at laptop graphics, but it hasn't been able to avoid a fair amount of criticism about the controlling interface. With the July release of the monthly Verde drivers, the company has just rolled out a revised UI that provides "even more visibility into how Optimus is working and allows you even more control over how Optimus operates." The newest Optimus control panel, as well as a brief demonstration of what's been tweaked, is available for viewing just after the break, but it's on you to hunt down drivers for whatever rig you call your own.
ASUS U33Jc and U53Jc Bamboo Series laptops priced for UK consumption
Just when you were thinking the pandas had gobbled up all the bamboo laptops, ASUS has finally shipped some of its latest offerings to the UK. Unlike the US, however, the lucky tea-sipping Brits are spoiled with two size options: the 13-inch, 3.75-pound U33Jc and the 15-inch, 6.1-pound U53Jc. Apart from the extra inches and the bonus DVD burner on the U53Jc, these two Windows 7 machines are almost identical: there's a 2.26GHz Core i5-430M CPU, 1,366 x 768 LED-backlit LCD, NVIDIA GeForce 310M with Optimus technology, 4GB DDR3 RAM, and one USB 3.0 port along with two 2.0 ports. The prices? £849 ($1,292) and £899 ($1,368), respectively. Before you whip out your credit card, though, be sure to keep an eye out for our forthcoming review. %Gallery-97756%
ASUS UL-series laptops surface at e-tailers with Core i3 ULV processor
If the pint-sized ASUS laptop above looks a wee bit familiar, it's because you've seen it before -- the 12-inch UL20FT is basically a refreshed UL20A, but with the surprisingly elusive Core i3 ULV guts. The UL20FT appeared at ExcaliberPC this weekend, while its Optimus-equipped big brother appears destined for Amazon; in a slight change of plans, both feature the 1.2GHz Core i3-330UM processor. While the $600 UL20FT is a solid netbook alternative, the $900 UL80JT has double the capacity (500GB) and memory (4GB) plus an optical disc drive, and if our review of its doppelganger is any indication, the 14-inch switchable graphics machine will have stellar battery life. Still, we can't help feel a little bummed by the lack of the Core i7-640UM we were originally promised. [Thanks, David T.]
ASUS Eee PC 1215N to ship in the US at the end of August
With the NVIDIA Ion 2-powered Acer Aspire One 532g falling by the wayside and the ASUS Eee PC 1201PN hitting the market sans NVIDIA Optimus, all eyes are on the ASUS Eee PC 1215N to be the true Ion 2 machine. Well, super-charged netbook fans, we've got good news: the 12-inch laptop, which has a 1.8GHz dual-core Atom D525 CPU and NVIDIA's Optimus to intelligently switch between discrete and integrated graphics, will ship in the US around August 23. And while an MSRP hasn't been set in stone, we're told "it should be below $500." Sure, a glance at the calender will reveal that you won't get your mitts on this bad boy for at least 40 days, but we're confident you'll find something to pass the time.
ASUS U43JC and U43F show up at Best Buy boastin' bamboo bods
ASUS has been showing off bamboo laptops at trade shows for about three years now, but actual machines adorned in the special wood haven't quite made it to market for what we'd call affordable prices... until now. The sub-$1,000 U43JC and U43F have been hanging out on Best Buy's website for the last couple of days, and will be shipping towards the end of the month. Internally, these two 14-inchers certainly match their strong exterior -- the $999 U43JC is a lot like the U30Jc we reviewed a few months ago with its Core i5-450M processor, NVIDIA Optimus / GeForce 310M graphics, and a 640GB hard drive. The $950 U43F has the same Core i5 processor, but instead sticks with Intel's graphics to get some WiDi bragging rights. We're planning to review at least one of these puppies in due time , but hey, don't let that deter you from hitting those pre-order links below.
ASUS Eee PC 1215N with NVIDIA Ion and dual-core Atom D525 is a netbook powerhouse
The phrase "netbook powerhouse" would typically be considered an oxymoron. That was before ASUS announced its Eee PC 1215N bumpin' a 1.8GHz dual-core Intel Atom D525 processor with NVIDIA Optimus to intelligently switch between its NVIDIA Ion discrete and integrated graphics. That means it'll cut through 1080p video without any problem when displayed on the 12-inch 1,366 x 768 pixel display or out to an HDTV via the included HDMI jack. Other specs include Bluetooth 3.0, 802.11n WiFi, integrated webcam with lens cover, choice of 250GB or 320GB hard disk drives augmented by 500GB of ASUS WebStorage, and pass-through USB to charge connected devices like cellphones when the Eee is powered off. Sorry, no mention of battery performance, price, or availability on this so-called netbook.
Gateway's glowing ID laptops arrive along with new LT series netbooks
Oh sure, Acer may have spent the first half of the week convincing us that its newest laptops and netbooks were the sweetest systems around, but now it's turning the attention to its Gateway brand only tempt us with equally as enticing options. The ID series has been on our radar ever since we saw its blue-glowing touchpad at Computex, and luckily both the 14-inch ID49 and 15.6-inch ID59 will hit US retailers for less than $800 in the coming weeks. The exact configurations are unclear, but they'll have Core i3 / i5 CPU options as well as NVIDIA Optimus graphics. On the netbook front, Gateway's bringing out the 10.1-inch LT23, which looks the same as the LT22 we caught a glimpse of a few weeks back. Powered by an Intel Atom N450 CPU, 1GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive, the netbook will start at a tempting $329. Check out the gallery below for some shiny press shots and the full press release after the break. Oh and Acer, we're giving you permission to chill on the new laptops for a bit! %Gallery-96075%
NVIDIA Ion 2-based Acer Aspire 532g netbook canceled
Acer may have announced a handful of new netbooks this morning, but we've been waiting and waiting on the NVIDIA Ion 2-powered Acer Aspire One 532g. And we hate to be the bearer of this bad news, but it turns out we could be waiting forever on the 10-inch, 1080p-playing netbook. Blogeee is reporting that bugger has been canceled in France due to technical issues with NVIDIA and Acer drivers, and when we followed up with our Acer contact here in the US, we were told that the 532g would not be launched in the "upcoming back-to-school cycle." It's truly not looking good for the little laptop, not to mention it's extremely disappointing not to see any other Ion 2 netbooks on the market almost five months after its launch. Well 532g, we'll always look back on our time together at CeBIT fondly. Sniff.
Toshiba Satellite M645 boasts NVIDIA Optimus and improved aesthetics, Satellite A665 makes its 3D arrival
We know, that's a pretty loaded headline, but that's exactly what Toshiba's new laptops are... loaded. Let's start with that beauty pictured above -- the now fairly familiar and often leaked 15.6-inch Satellite A665. Starting at $1,599, the 3D bad boy boasts pretty much everything you'd want in a mobile gaming rig under two grand, including an Intel Core i7-740QM CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTS 350M graphics with 1GB of VRAM, a 640GB hard drive, 4GB of RAM, and a Blu-ray drive that supports 3D playback. It comes with NVIDIA's 3D Vision kit, which includes the usual active shutter glasses and emitter. But it's not all about the specs on the A665 -- both it and the M645 have been redesigned with chiclet keyboards and a new Fusion X2 finish that combines a glossy and matte coating. Those taken with the A665 but aren't into the 3D stuff can configure a 16-inch version, which starts at $799, with a choice of Intel Core 2010 processors. The 14-inch M645 is the smaller version of the A665 and features Core i3, i5 and i7 CPU options as well as AMD's Phenom II Quad Core processors. On the graphics front, we're extremely happy to see the line use NVIDIA's Optimus technology to automatically switch between the GeForce 310M or GeForce GT330M GPU and the IGP. To boot, the systems can be configured with Blu-ray and 7,200rpm hard drives. We should also mention that both the A665 and M645 have Toshiba's new Sleep + Music capability, which allows you plug a music player into the mic jack and blast out your tunes through the laptop's Harmon Kardon speakers even when it's powered down. We told you these machines were loaded. We'll be bringing you full reviews soon, but in the meantime enjoy the pics and full PR below. %Gallery-95111% %Gallery-95196%
NVIDIA shows 16 new Optimus laptops at Computex, teases GTX 460M GPU
Just in case you were wondering where and when you might get a taste of the Optimus elixir, NVIDIA has handed us a detailed list of Computex debutants that will be taking the graphics switching technology with them to retail. A total of sixteen new Optimus machines are on show in Taipei, and although ASUS is still the biggest purveyor (with six SKUs, not counting previously announced products), Lenovo and Acer have also jumped on board, with the IdeaPad Y460 and a pair of Packard Bell EasyNotes, respectively. Notably, the FX700 above from MSI is marked as using an "unannounced" next-gen graphics chip, which we suspect might be the GTX 460M, a mobile GPU that NVIDIA is showing, but not talking about yet. Guess that'll be slotting in just below the recently unveiled GTX 480M. We've got pictorial evidence of the 460M's existence after the break, along with the full list of new Optimus-ized machines, which you can also scope out in the gallery below.%Gallery-94167%
ASUS Lamborghini VX6 and VX7 peel out with NVIDIA Ion 2 and Core i7, respectively
ASUS may have spent most of its Computex press conference talking tablets and pads, but the company is definitely descending on the show with some new laptops. The 11.6-inch Lamborghini VX6 and 15.6-inch VX7 are amongst the most eye catching -- ASUS has redesigned the premium systems with new glossy casing, sleek automotive adornments, chiclet keyboards and a Bang & Olfsen ICE power sound system. We're totally swooning over the smaller VX6, which packs a dual-core Atom D525 processor, USB 3.0 and NVIDIA Ion 2 graphics, though the higher end Core i7 VX7 and its NVIDIA "enthusiast graphics" sound pretty darn good as well. No word on when these bad boys will be going from zero to sixty to a store near you, but given the fact that the systems at the show didn't boot we're going to go with a not very soon. We'll let you know when we hear more, but you'll certainly want to check out the beauty shots of these puppies below. %Gallery-94072%
Four more major laptop manufacturers will use NVIDIA Optimus by the fall
It's no secret that we've been big fans of NVIDIA's automatic graphics switching Optimus technology, but we've had one major complaint -- there's just not enough systems with it on the market. While ASUS has been employing the technology in most of its new systems, others, like Lenovo and HP, have been quite tight-lipped on the GPU tech. But apparently that's about to change. When we crossed paths with NVIDIA's Vice President of Worldwide Sales Rene Haas at the Netbook Summit, he revealed that at least four more major manufacturers will be using Optimus by the end of the summer. He wouldn't share any details on brands, but he did say that there should be a total of 50 Optimus lappies on the market by the fall. Of course, we don't know how many of those will be made by ASUS or will be Ion 2 netbooks, but it surely looks like the momentum is growing, and we're hoping to learn more at Computex next week. Fingers crossed that we can count the Alienware M11x among them.
First wave of Ion 2 ASUS Eee PC 1201PNs lack NVIDIA Optimus
Well, this is sad. While we told you earlier this week that the Ion 2-powered ASUS Eee PC 1201PN wouldn't be arriving until late May, a number of European sites have gotten early review samples of the 12-inch "netbook" -- if you choose to call it that -- and have discovered that it doesn't use NVIDIA's Optimus automatic graphics switching technology. That's right, instead we're told by NVIDIA that the discrete GeForce 201M GPU runs continuously and Intel's integrated chip is never used -- a configuration which sounds like it'll absolutely kill the battery life on this machine. According to Hardware Zone, ASUS made this choice aiming to be the first to market with the next generation of Ion, but an Optimus version of the ASUS Eee PC 1201PN will be ready later this quarter. It also appears that an Eee PC 1215N with both Ion 2 and Optimus is floating around, but we haven't confirmed what's going on with that. We're sorry if we confused you even more, but we'll be keeping our eyes out for the early reviews of the 1201PN to see if our predicted two hours of battery life is on the mark. Update: The 1201PN cannot be updated with firmware to enable Optimus -- the hardware isn't there for the automatic switching.
ASUS U30Jc review
Core i3 laptops with no more than 2.5 hours of battery life... seen 'em. Intel ULV laptops that last for more than 5.5 hours... seen 'em. A Core i3 laptop with NVIDIA's Optimus discrete graphics that boasts 9.5 hours of battery life? Well, now that sounds new, and that's exactly what the 13.3-inch ASUS's U30Jc promises to be – that perfect chocolate vanilla swirl of portability and performance. But like us, you've got to be thinking there's got to be sacrifices here, right? We thought so too, but surprisingly enough they're extremely minimal considering the $900 pricetag. You aren't going to find out what they are up here -- hit that read more link for our full review. %Gallery-90291%
Alienware M11x getting NVIDIA Optimus and new Intel CPUs this summer?
Either someone at Alienware is reading our reviews or the engineers over there happen to be as smart as us. What was our top complaint about the M11x? The lack of NVIDIA Optimus to automatically switch between the IGP and the GT335M GPU to help save battery life, of course. Well, if Notebook Review forum commenter Darkhan, who apparently has some affiliation with Alienware, is to be believed the company is working on adding just that to an updated M11x. Said to be released in the June / July time frame, the refreshed 11.6-inch laptop will apparently also be getting some new Intel Core 2010 CPUs. It does seems a bit early to update a product that started shipping just a month ago, but we wouldn't put it past those crazy gamers. Dell wouldn't comment on the rumor, so the only thing we can promise at this time is that we'll be keeping an ear to the ground on this one. Updated: Darkhan has updated the Notebook Review forum page saying that he isn't an employee of Dell or Alienware and that he just hears rumors like everyone else. We still have a hunch that some sort of update is headed to the M11x, but to reemphasize it is all just wishful thinking at this point.
ASUS U30Jc on sale today, come get your Optimus-ized Core i3 in a thin and light package
Lusting for the ultimate compromise between a desktop replacement and an ultraportable computer? The ASUS U30Jc might -- in spite of its generic name -- be just the ticket for you, since it packs in a 2.26GHz Intel Core i3-350M CPU plus an NVIDIA GeForce GT310M graphics chip, which will be used in the most efficient fashion possible thanks to the addition of that newfangled Optimus auto-switching technology. ASUS also manages to fit in an optical drive, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, 320GB hard disk (5,400RPM), HDMI-out, WiFi, and the usual webcam and mic. The 5,600mAh battery is rated to last 9.5 hours according to ASUS (sounds pretty optimistic to us) and the display's resolution is 1366 x 768. That last spec is the only thing we can find wrong with this package, and the $899 sticker and immediate availability should garner plenty of fans out there. If you need a little extra convincing, keep an eye out for our forthcoming review. Full PR after the break.