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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.
Acer further bolsters Timeline lineup with new 8000 Series
It may seem like only yesterday (or a couple of months ago) that Acer was rolling out its very first Timeline laptops to much fanfare, but it's now already turned things around and kicked out a whole new addition to the line-up: the 8000 series. Apparently aimed at both business users and average folk, this one will be available in 13.3-, 14- and 15.6-inch variations, and pack the usual Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Solo ULV processors, 4GB or 8GB of RAM, a 160GB or 500GB hard drive (or even an 80GB Intel X25-M SSD, for those looking to go all out), and either some basic Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics or a ATI's 4330 dedicated GPU -- not to mention some bonuses like a multitouch trackpad and optional 3G (at a later date, it seems). No word on pricing or availability just yet, but it seems safe to bet that at least the entry-level models will be sub-$1000, if the current Timelines are any indication.
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]
NEC VersaPro VS-7 netbook manhandled, makes one reviewer positively giddy
You know that new ultra-light, ultra-thin, and ultra-portable laptop from NEC you got an eyeful of way back in May? Of course you do. You've been obsessing, actually -- and frankly, we've been worried about you. Still, we'd be remiss in our duties if we didn't turn you on to this mini-review that Akihabara News scored of the VersaPro VS-7. And we must say, the kudos are flowing pretty freely over there: "freaking light," (that's right: freaking), "slim and robust." The reviewer is simply "amazed" at the netbook's performance. Even in full screen mode HD video plays "just fine," and 720p DivX video playback is characterized as "flawless." But that ain't all -- hit the read link for the full, unexpurgated tale. But not before peeping the video after the break.
NEC's VersaPro UltraLite Type VS is thicker but lighter than Air
Another challenger enters the ultrathin notebook arena. This time it's NEC, prepping its lightest and daintiest edition of the UltraLite line, the Type VS. Its thickness ranges from 15.8mm to 29.9mm, comparing unfavorably to the 19.4mm MacBook Air or the 16.51mm Adamo. But, its 725g weight (about a pound and a half) definitely undercuts the competition, and its three USB slots, Ethernet port, and SD card reader give reasonable connectivity without external adapters. Its 10.6-inch screen has a resolution of 1208 x 768, the CPU is Intel's 1.86GHz Atom Z540 (the same as found in the higher-spec version of the Vaio P), 1GB of RAM is on tap, and a 64GB SSD keeps things persistent. Solid specs for sure, and with an asking price of around ¥99,750 (a little over $1,000) it should be reasonably solid value when it hits Japanese retailers in July. Just don't go wasting your summer waiting for these to appear domestically.Update: That ¥99,750 is actually a special promotional price for those who pre-order directly through NEC. The device's MSRP after that will be nearly double, ¥176,000 ($1,850), and while we're guessing it'll sell for something less than that, it still won't be nearly the bargain early-adopters will receive.[Via PC Watch]
MSI X320 ultralight escapes its box
We've already spent some time ogling over the MSI X-Slim X320 in person, but the ultrathin laptop is starting to ship out in Europe, and these are the first unboxing photos we've come across. Sadly it looks like retail units will be festooned with an nasty array of stickers across the palm rest, but overall it looks like MSI's pulled off a nice little riff on the MacBook Air theme. Full set of pics at the read link.[Thanks, Jens]
Samsung's 850 PAVV plasma teases the 1-inch thick mark
The plasma industry may be teetering on the edge of certain doom (okay, so maybe that's exaggerating it... a little), but Samsung's still pushing the envelope. Over in South Korea, the company just outed its latest PDPs, the 850 PAVV lineup. Aside from being 40 percent more power efficient, 20 percent lighter and 120 percent more seductive than the prior generation, the new 50- and 58-inch sets also boast DLNA support, a USB 2.0 socket, DivX compatibility and a rather striking stand. The real kicker? The 29 millimeter depth, which equates to just over one inch thick for those who abhor the metric system. There's no word on when these beauties will hit the streets, but we're guessing Panasonic will be keenly interested in knowing.
Compal producing August-bound ultraportable for Dell?
With the Studio XPS 13 and newfangled Adamo already in its pocket, what other ultraportable does Round Rock really need? That's a question that Compal seems eager and ready to answer, at least according to Chinese-language Commercial Times. The all-too-scant report mentions that the ultrathin laptop will be based on Intel's excruciatingly slow (but power-sipping) CULV (consumer ultra low voltage) processor and should start shipping this August. Our best (and only, really) guess as to what Dell's mystery machine could be? That already planned Mini 11, which we heard earlier this month would be ready between yesterday and Q3.
Hitachi unveils 11 latest Wooo plasmas & LCDs: Greener, better looking & network connected
This year's edition of the Hitachi Wooo line of flat panels look a lot like their predecessors on the outside (120Hz IPS LCDs, 250GB HDD equipped models with iVDR slots for additional hard drives and Wooonet DLNA network support) but it's what's inside that counts. The four new XP plasma models range from 42- to 50-inches and promise even better contrast ratios, as high as 40,000:1, with better color reproduction and the promise of greater energy efficiency. The ultra-thin 35mm / 1.4-inch thick LCDs are back in four new models, with UWB wirelessly connected tuners, auto sensing/adjusting brightness and aforementioned "eco" power sipping improvements. The relatively fat XP line of LCDs consists of just three displays, but just like all the rest, buyers can still hook up to the 'net and pull down video on-demand or Yahoo! Japan's web TV portal -- features unlikely to make the jump when we see U.S. versions of these later this year. The XP plasmas and LCDs go on sale in Japan later this month or next, while the ultra-thins will be crash dieting until October.Read - Hitachi, recording double-35mm-thin LCD TV "Wooo UT800"Read - Hitachi, 7 new plasma / LCD
Hitachi unveils 11 latest Wooo plasmas and LCDs: Greener, better looking & network connected
This year's edition of the Hitachi Wooo line of flat panels look a lot like their predecessors on the outside (120Hz IPS LCDs, 250GB HDD equipped models with iVDR slots for additional hard drives and Wooonet DLNA network support) but it's what's inside that counts. The four new XP plasma models range from 42- to 50-inches and promise even better contrast ratios, as high as 40,000:1, with better color reproduction and the promise of greater energy efficiency. The ultra-thin 35mm / 1.4-inch thick LCDs are back in four new models, with UWB wirelessly connected tuners, auto sensing/adjusting brightness and aforementioned "eco" power sipping improvements. The relatively fat XP line of LCDs consists of just three displays, but just like all the rest, buyers can still hook up to the 'net and pull down video on-demand or Yahoo! Japan's web TV portal -- features unlikely to make the jump when we see U.S. versions of these later this year. The XP plasmas and LCDs go on sale in Japan later this month or next, while the ultra-thins will be crash dieting until October.Read - Hitachi, recording double-35mm-thin LCD TV "Wooo UT800"Read - Hitachi, 7 new plasma / LCD
Acer Aspire One D250 and 531 pop official in Germany
This is it, folks -- our wildest dreams are coming true. Oh, and in case you aren't savvy on our wildest dreams, we're talking about having more Aspire Ones to talk about than we can even count. At any rate, the rumored Aspire One D250 and ultrathin Aspire One 531 have both grabbed a landing page over on the outfit's German portal, which likely means we're just minutes, hours or centuries away from seeing these slide over to North America. As for the D250, it checks in with a 10.1-inch WSVGA panel, 160GB HDD, 1.6GHz Atom N270 (or an upgraded 1.68GHz N280) processor, Intel's 945GSE chipset, a multicard reader, up to 2GB of RAM, 0.3 megapixel webcam, Ethernet, WiFi and optional WWAN. The latter machine is a sleek, 1-inch thick (maximum) rig with most of the same specs internally. As for pricing? Try €379 ($502) for the D250 and €399 ($529) for the 531.[Via PortableMonkey]Read - Aspire One D250Read - Aspire One 531
Samsung's 46-inch 460UTn completes that flush, in-wall monitor look
Looking for a unique, specialized LCD TV to fit flush in a recessed wall? Would you say "yes" if you could barely see the bezel, adding to that TV-in-the-wall look? Samsung sure hopes so, as it's pushing out its 46-inch 460UTn with an ultrathin bezel that's just 4.3 millimeters thick on the left and 2.4 millimeters on the right. The screen also includes Sammy's ID 2 solution, which enables smooth transitions between screens, resulting in a more "natural look and feel of videos." Specs wise, we're told that the set has a WXGA resolution (1,366 x 768), 700 nits of brightness, a contrast ratio of 3,000:1 and VGA / DVI / BNC / composite / RS-232 inputs. Mum's the word on price, but we're guessing somewhere between "expensive" and "you don't even want to know."
A pictorial guide to the subtle differences between small, cheap laptops
We've yapped it up with MID and UMPC makers before in order to figure out exactly what makes the two any different from one another, and now that lines are being blurred at a blistering pace in the ultraportable / netbook / low-cost laptop / undersized PC market, it's about time someone laid down some ground rules. Thankfully, there's no "discussion" necessary here -- just follow that flow chart above and you'll be an expert in seven to ten seconds flat. Guaranteed.
Panasonic's ultra-thin 54Z1 plasma in the wild
Now that it's official and priced, Panasonic seems much happier to show off its wireless HD-sporting, ultra-thin Z1 series, and it's quite the sight to behold. The 54Z1 we got to look at was very strikingly clad in brushed metal gray -- compared to the regular black of most of Panasonic's TV lineup -- and of course incredibly thin. The wireless HD receiver box was across the room and working flawlessly, and it was nice to see that the included remote is an RF unit, capable of non-line-of-sight channel changing -- it's starting to feel like the 21st century around here! The plasma picture was of course very good, and we're really feeling those Viera Tools icons across the bottom. $6,000 though? That's your call.
Samsung X360 ultraportable dips below $800 mark
Samsung's ultrathin X360 didn't quite get the love of some of its competition out of the gate, and has already been preempted by the X460, but the X360 has always had a lovable price tag on its side. Not like this, though. The originally $1900-ish laptop is now going for $750 after rebate on Amazon.com, and that includes 3GB of RAM and Vista Biz to boot. Sure, the 1.2GHz Core 2 Duo SU9300 and Intel integrated graphics never did anyone any favors, but at least this should shut up your non-productive Atom-powered bowling buddies. Or you could wait a month for every other ultraportable on earth to best this pricetag and netbook specs to catch up.
Hitachi "Unlimited" CES theme shows some realistic boundaries for 2009
Hitachi asked itself "what if...?" prior to CES 2009, and its best idea included a "Style-Unlimited" corner for its booth, said to feature design ideas that match the craftsmanship of its TVs with stands and frames made of Japanese lacquer and gold leaf. Immediately refocusing on "what is..." -- a questionable economy and wary buyers -- the 2009 line of UT HDTVs will expand primarily by carrying a more mainstream pricetag and now standard 1080p / 120Hz features. For those still living the dream, Hitachi's managed to narrowly beat its previous best with a 15mm thick 37-inch LED backlit display , while the 50-inch UltraThin plasma from CEDIA comes along for the ride. Also making celebrity appearances? 2010's finest Super Resolution upconverting technology plus the always hilarious Gesture Control TV demo. Excited or depressed, we can't decide.
Displays to match pocketbooks with thinning profiles, says DisplaySearch
Wallets all over the world are getting thin, and DisplaySearch says that displays will match that vanishing act in an effort to hang on to product differentiation. Calling for negative sales growth in 2009, the prognosticators still see sales of ultrathin (less than 40mm thick) displays reaching 14 million units in 2012, with the profile being even more important than LED backlights in product differentiation. We'll admit that styling is a big feature, and we rank thin profiles above the "Hertz race" we see spiraling out of control, but honestly we'd rather see emphasis on image quality -- LED backlighting included. Tell us your take, and try not to spill the beans on this "thin is in" trend to LaserVue.[Via TGDaily]
Dell Adamo ultrathin laptop rumors surface
According to the New York Times, Dell may have a little surprise on the way. Based on some wild trademark searches, a tiny bit of digging on the "internet" using a "search engine," and the lack of eye contact from the company's VP in charge of consumer sales (Michael Tatelman), there's a MacBook Air rival beneath all this subterfuge. It seems that the brand name "Adamo" is registered to the computer-maker with a site to match, and somehow the fashion blog (!?) Uptownlife.net came up with this gem: "Rumor has it that Dell is coming out with a computer called Adamo that will rival the MacBook Air." How they came up with that is anyone's guess, but apparently the look on Tatelman's face when asked about it was enough to convince at least one journalist that this is a done deal. Us? Well we're going to wait and see, but we're happy to work with Commander Adamo as soon as we see him.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Hitachi's 37-inch UltraThin UT37X902 LCD HDTV reviewed: quirky, yet stunning
If you're gunning for a mid-sized HDTV this holiday season, the chances are relatively high you've paid at least a small bit of attention to Hitachi's 37-inch UT37X902. An integral crew member of the 1.5 UltraThin family, this here set was recently taken for a ride over at CNET, and unfortunately for fans, they weren't entirely pleased. Now look, even they couldn't give a cold shoulder to the beautiful design and exceptional thinness, and the "solid" picture quality, "relatively" deep black levels and "accurate" color were all lauded. The kicker, though, is that it's mighty expensive (around $1,900), had a tendency to introduce blues in very dark scenes, offered few ports and boasted a poorly integrated optional AV center. What's it all mean? It still managed to a net a 3.5 out of 5 stars, so if money ain't a thang, you just might be alright here; those on a budget, however, may be disappointed in the value proposition.
Hitachi shows off custom HDTV frames at CEATEC
Hitachi sure was busting out the prototypes at CEATEC: a 15mm 37-inch LCD TV, wireless HD camcorder and a slew of custom framing options for its Wooo HDTVs. This isn't the first (far from it, actually) attempt we've seen at covering those traditional black / silver bezels with something a bit more flashy, but it's not often that a TV manufacturer gets involved. Unfortunately, there's still a good chance the pre-production frames will be held as Japan-only accessories depending on US demand, but we hear planes fly to Tokyo everyday if you're dead-set on eventually acquiring one.
