t2300e
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Sony at fault for another Dell-style T2300E switchup?
Well, aren't Sony and Dell just two peas in a pod. After getting dragged into the muck by Dell's recent battery recall, Sony is once again following the mega-manufacturer into another bit of scandal: the great T2300/T2300E switchup of 2006. Apparently, Sony's SZ2 laptops are subject to the same confusion that scored Dell a class-action lawsuit from some disgruntled consumers China. Their extensive marketing material purportedly claims a VT-happy T2300 chip, while forum buzz so far makes it sound like most purchasers ended up with the slightly cheaper T2300E. Since Intel replaced the T2300 with the T2300E in June, it's understandable that some manufacturers might fail to update their marketing material accordingly, and we're sure Sony and Dell weren't the only ones to do so. From the sounds of the Dell debacle, all Sony needs to do is quickly provide an apology and a replacement/refund option to the small amount of consumers that care for VT functionality or just want the satisfaction of getting the entirety of their laptop dollar. Or they could just do things Dell style, and deny the whole affair until it gets messy.[Thanks Afiq]
Dell facing slew of Chinese lawsuits over CPU switcheroo
What a difference an "E" makes. Chinese owners of Dell's Inspiron 640m laptop are apparently furious over the fact that the company misleadingly equipped their new machines with Intel's Core Duo T2300E processor instead of the T2300 chip that had been advertised, and are lining up to sue over the alleged defrauding, according to news site China Daily. Since the only real difference between the T2300 and T2300E is the former's support for Intel's Virtualization Technology, the average consumer probably wouldn't even be affected by the cheaper processor, but customers are still understandably peeved that they're not getting all the functionality they paid for. The discrepancy was first discovered in early June by a single owner, who by way of an online bulletin board, learned that hundreds of other unhappy customers were afflicted with the same problem. The owner filed suit against Dell in late July after having apparently been rebuffed in an attempt to get the CPU swapped out (""I tried to negotiate with Dell and simply asked them to change the CPU, but they said there was no difference between the two and it was unnecessary to change," claims the owner); now 19 more customers have joined together for their own class-action suit, with many more waiting in the wings, according to lawyers handling the cases. For its part, Dell claims the mix-up stems from a failure to update its Chinese marketing materials, and has issued affected customers both an apology and an offer to refund the full price of returned machines -- but at this point, that doesn't seem to be enough for many of the folks involved. It's unfortunate that it took a big public stink for Dell to own up to its mistake and attempt a resolution, but as with the just-announced, historic battery recall, this incident proves just how powerful a determined group of individuals can be.Read- Chinese lawsuits [Via Ars Technica]Read- Dell's response
Toshiba announces U205 ultra-portable and R25 convertible notebooks
Toshiba just introduced another pair of Intel-powered notebooks to join the Epson and Alienware models we spotted earlier, both members of the Satellite series: the U205 ultra-portable (pictured) and the R25 convertible tablet (pictured after the break). Weighing in at 4.1 pounds, the 12.1-inch U205 (which is pretty similar to the U200) comes in either S5002 (Core Duo T2300E, 100GB hard drive) or S5022 (T2400, 120GB HDD) configurations, with both versions sporting 1GB of 533MHz DDR2 RAM, WXGA TruBrite TFTs, integrated graphics, dual-layer DVD burners, and Toshiba's LifeSmart Technology -- which includes a fingerprint reader, shock-absorbing components, and spill-resistant keyboard. Meanwhile, the 5.95-pound R25-S3503 also sports a Core Duo processor -- though only the 1.66GHz T2050 -- along with a 14.1-inch WXGA+ display, 100GB hard drive, and the same burner, graphics, memory configuration and LifeSmart swag as the U205. Both models are available immediately, with the S5022 and the tablet each going for $1,349, and the S5002 priced at $1,199.Read- U205Read- R25
Sotec's new WinBooks: Core Duo DN7000 and Turion 64 X2 DN6000
Sotec just announced two new WinBook laptops for the Japanese market: the DN7000 and DN6000. Ok, not really two, since the DN7000 and DN6000 are essentially the same slab, only with your choice of Intel or AMD processors as is the rage these days. The DN7000 is the 1.66GHz Core Duo T2300E model with Intel 945GM graphics while the DN6000 nuzzles up to the 1.6GHz Turion 64 X2 and ATI Radeon Xpress 1100. Both feature a 15.4-inch, 1280 x 800 LCD and base-level configs with 512MB of DDR2 RAM, 40GB SATA disk, and dual-layer DVD burner. The DN6000 will set you back about ¥99,800/$889 while the DN7000 will demand another Benjamin for that proud Intel sticker. Available today for our Japanese brethren and the more resourceful amongst you.
