ultraportable
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Everex's Nanobook becomes the Cloudbook, gets gOS
While we haven't heard much more about the gOS laptop with the $300 price tag, word is that Everex will be equipping another portable model -- the 7-inch, VIA-based, ultra-portable Nanobook -- with a $400 MSRP and its Google-themed Linux OS. The device -- apparently being referred to as the "Cloudbook" -- is rumored to be launching at the CES in January, and will become available to the public the following week. Specs include a VIA C7 ULV 1.2GHz CPU, a 30GB hard drive, 512MB of RAM, WiFi, a card reader, two USB ports, and a DVI out. Nothing has been confirmed as of yet, but there seems to be ample information supporting the rumors. Just give us multiple colors, an SSD, and tell us where exactly the trackpad is and we could be in serious like.[Via jkkmobile]
Macbook ultraportable and Penryn Mac Pro due for Macworld, 3G iPhone in June?
We've taken a "don't stop believing" approach to Apple ultraportable rumors up to this point, and there's no reason to think these "fresh" predictions from CNBC's Jim Goldman are anything different, but they at least serve as a nice refresher in the lead up to Macworld in January. Goldman predicts the new Pro laptop will be half the thickness of the MacBook Pro, the hard disk will be replaced with NAND storage, and Apple will be selling the thing for $1,500 -- the same price the black MacBook currently goes for. He's purportedly citing sources that claim to have seen the product, and says that the laptop is supposedly due to show up at Macworld. Jim's sources also say that the 3G iPhone is supposed to hit shelves by late May or early June of next year, which beats out some industry predictions of a late '08 release.Of course, since it's just a month before Macworld, it's about time the rumor mill heated up a little beyond incessant Macbook and iPhone rumorings, and MacBidouille is stepping up to stoke the flames. The French rag is claiming that the Mac Pro will get bumped to an 3.2GHz eight-core Penryn setup (totally believable) featuring NVIDIA QuadroFX graphics (sure) with a BTO Blu-ray burner available (maybe), and that DVD Studio Pro will be renamed Disk Studio Pro and refocused on BD authoring (another definite maybe). On top of that, MacBidouille also claims that OS X 10.5.2 will be released, and that it will be "the largest and most important intermediate system update ever released by Apple." We're a little less sure we buy that, but as always, only time and Steve will tell.[Thanks, L2 and Mark]Read - Jim Goldman predictionsRead - MacBidouille predictions
Ultra-portable MacBook display rumors surface
Apple rumor mill aficionados, prepare for action. According to reports that are making their way out into the public arena today, the Cupertino monolith has placed orders for a new type of 13.3-inch LED backlight unit, destined to be used in an as-yet-unannounced product... like, say, a new ultra-portable MacBook. The "news" here, as divulged by "industry sources" is that Kenmos Technology and Taiwan Nano Electro-Optical Technology (Nano-Op) have recently become suppliers to both Apple and Dell for the aforementioned goods -- meant to be used in "high-end models" -- with a shipment of over 90,000 units this month. Those numbers are expected to rise to 200,000 before year's end, and 300,000 during Q1 of 2008. Whether or not this tips the scales in favor of a new Apple MacBook is questionable, but it certainly provides some food for thought.[Via AppleInsider]
Compal expects big things from MIDs in 2008 -- dedicates team
While the first generation (and second generation for that matter) of UMPCs fell well short of the bloated origami hype, Compal sees big growth from Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) in 2008. According to DigiTimes, this belief has prompted the giant, Taiwanese ODM to dedicate an entire team to the mobile platform unveiled by Intel in April 2007. As such, MID devices will receive special attention, away from their laptop and UMPC efforts. If nothing else, we find it reassuring that somebody out there can understand the difference between a UMPC and MID device with such clarity.
How would you change Asus' Eee PC?
The Eee PC's journey from introduction to mass production hasn't been filled with too many surprises, and aside from the obligatory price / release date speculation, unexpected Russian review and even more chatter over the almighty pricetag, it's been a pretty smooth ride. Granted, everyone and their long lost cousin was buzzing about the potential of getting a fully-featured machine in their laps for under two bills, but as these things always seem to go, final figures (for individual consumers, at least) managed to creep up a fair bit. Price hikes or not, it didn't seem to matter much come launch day, as dear ole NewEgg managed to sell right out of its initial allotment, though we're left to wonder if it didn't really have a few more to go around. Regardless, just about everyone who managed to get ahold of Asus' little darling came away impressed, if not thoroughly pleased, with how much functionality was stuffed into a sub-$400, two-pound ultraportable. Of course, critics were not hesitant to admit that the bugger wasn't perfect, and we've all ideas that a number of you early adopters out there share similar sentiments. So without further ado, why not give the world a piece of your mind on the matter? How would you meliorate the Eee PC? Make it more functional, more fashionable or just (even) more affordable? Chime on in below with your recommendations for the Eee PC Rev. B -- it's not like we don't already know it's coming.
The case of the missing resolution independence
What the heck happened to resolution independence?In Gruber's review of the Powerbook a few years ago, he trumpeted the coming of a feature long evading the Mac faithful, a resolution independent interface. Others at the time expected the same thing to appear in Leopard: UI elements that were completely independent of the screen's resolution, and, finally, a fully scalable interface, and freedom from whatever screen you were working on. Higher resolutions without squeezing down the UI elements. And as we got closer to Leopard, more and more word went around that OS 10.5 would have it. At WWDC 2006, some developers even confirmed it. And Apple even filed a patent to get it done.Except now it's November, Leopard is out, and resolution independence is nowhere to be found, at least at the user-accessible level. What gives?
Asus' Eee PC 701 gets reviewed, adored
"Pound for pound, the best value-priced notebook on the planet." Sure, you could stop right there if you'd like, but where's the fun in that? Laptop Mag was able to get their paws around an Asus Eee PC 701, and while you may not think a meager 900MHz Intel Celeron processor could stir up all sorts of jubilant emotions, apparently it still can. Reviewers made no bones about the machine's lack of raw horsepower, and it did make sure to knock Asus for releasing a machine with webcam drivers "on the way," but despite the rough edges, the wee 701 was deemed a great choice for the novice PC user or someone scouting a secondary machine. Notably, the Eee PC 701 isn't apt to make just anyone smile, but if you're interested in finding out if such a device would work for you, be sure and give the read link a bit of your time.
Hey Asus, where's the $199 Eee PC?
Last week Asus finally revealed pricing and specs for their much anticipated Eee PC ultra-portable laptop. Anticipated not so much for the specs -- 7-inch LED-backlit LCD, 2 to 8GB of flash storage, up to 1GB memory, WiFi, and webcam -- but for the low, low $199 retail price. Rightly, more than a few of us were dismayed when the entry-level model was revealed to actually cost as much as US$358 in Taiwan and an expected $300 (pre-tax) price when launching Stateside before the month is out. The culprit? Well, according to DigiTimes' Taiwanese component insiders the relatively steep price is in large part due to an unexpectedly high cost for the 7-inch LCD panels. Asus had expected to source the panels for about $15 each but found themselves paying AU Optronics (AUO) and Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO) up to twice as much for the hardware. Feel better for knowing? Yeah, didn't think so.
How would you change Dell's XPS m1330?
Believe it or not, Dell's sexy XPS m1330 ultraportable was unveiled to us way back in June of this year, which may not be all that notable if the Round Rock powerhouse would've had these things out to eager customers in a timely fashion. As it stands, one of Dell's most highly anticipated laptops (dare we say, ever?) spent the majority of its time in a cycle of perpetual delays. Once thought to be ready as early as July 10th, the wee machine was spotted exclusively from the sidelines by eager customers for months on end, and while most fanboys (and girls) easily swallowed the first setback, the subsequent holdups garnered more and more objections. Even after Dell finally got its act (and paint guns) together, the XPS m1330 had its image tainted further by arriving to one user's home only partially built. Currently, it seems that the ruckus surrounding the shiny PC has finally calmed, and most customers who've placed their orders in the not-too-distant past are receiving them sans an unbearable wait. But for the folks who were sold from the word go, you've earned the right to be extra critical of the oft-delayed lappie. As respectable as the specifications (and for that matter, the design) on the XPS m1330 are, we just have to believe that it has managed to lose some luster after being so late to its own party. After all these months, now's your chance to explain how you would change things. Would you have simply axed the reportedly troublesome Pearl White hue from the start? How about adding a high-definition optical drive? Or is your only desire to beat down Michael Dell's door and demand a Jobsian refund for the trouble? The floor is yours.
Rumor: Mac mini turns Nano in late October
I've had this plan ever since the mini almost died earlier this year, and I'm sticking to it: as soon as I can buy a Mac mini with Leopard on it, I'll do so. And no one's going to stop me-- except maybe Jobs himself. Mac OS Rumors reports that they've heard that as of October's end, the mini is dead-- long live something new called the Mac Nano. Supposedly, the new low-end Mac will be even smaller than a mini (just tall enough to fit a hard drive in), and the enclosure will have a completely new design.Intriguing idea indeed, even if it isn't quite new-- the Nano name has been floating around for a while. There are four other products sliding out of the rumor mill as well-- AppleTV is rumored to get an update (and a hard drive), and supposedly we'll see a MacBook Nano as well, the long-rumored ultraportable that Apple is supposedly working on-- a.k.a. Rumor #3.The future of Mac, or wishful thinking? At this point, we have no indication-- Mac OS Rumors is no 9-to-5 Mac (ouch, but they deserve it, don't they?), but they are called "Rumors" for a reason. Either way, I want to buy an extremely small, compact, headless Mac with Leopard on it this fall. Whether it's called mini or Nano doesn't matter to me at all.
Asus intros U1E ultra-portable laptop
We just caught sight of three new Asus laptops, but it looks like that's not all the company has up its sleeve, with its ultra-portable U1E model now also making its first appearance. This one boasts an even smaller form factor than the company's just-announced 12.1-inch, 3.3 pound U6S laptop, in this case shrinking things down to an 11.1-inch WXGA display and a mere 2.2 pound carrying weight (albeit with only a 3 cell battery). Otherwise, you'll get an Intel Core Duo ULV7500 processor, up to 2GB of RAM, a 100GB hard drive, and built-in WiFi and Bluetooth, with an external DVD burner thrown in for good measure. A nine cell battery is also available for those that actually want to get some work done, with it apparently promising upwards of six hours of running time. Look for this one to be available next month, in Italy at least, for €1,999 (or $2,844).
Sony intros upgraded and drip-proof VAIO G-Series laptop
It looks like Sony's found yet more room for improvement in its VAIO G-Series ultra-portable laptop, and not just in terms of the usual spec bumps. While it certainly has that front covered, it's also mangaged to squeeze in some newfangled water-proofing measures, which apparently discharges water through a "water pit" at the rear of the laptop, and can even shut down the laptop when there's too much water for it to handle. As for the more conventional upgrades, the laptop is now available with your choice of 48GB or 64GB SSD drives in addition to the previous 32GB one, and your choice of U7600 or U7500 Core 2 Duo processors, with lower-voltage Core Solo processors apparently still an option. As with the previous models, however, this one's still only available in Japan, where it'll set you back between ¥154,800 and ¥275,000 depending on the configuration (or roughly $1,350 to $2,400).[Via Akihabara News]
Kohjinsha SH-series UMPC bumped to Intel A110 processor
If you're a Kohjinsha fan (and trust us, UMPC pumpers love 'em) then you'll want to take note of this, their latest flagship mini. The new SH8-series eases the processor up a notch to an 800MHz Intel A110 while stiffening the disk to 120GB -- 32GB SSDs still available. Unfortunately, they've somehow managed to decrease battery life from 3.5- to 3.3-hours with the SSD, or 3.1-hours with an HDD -- a real no-no for ultraportables. You'll be looking at ¥238,000 (about $2,047) fully specced with a 1Seg TV tuner and Vista / MS Office pre-load when these hit Japan in September. Docked, white-on-black style after the break. [Via Impress]
Fujitsu's LOOX T70XN laptop: now in a multitude of colors
Just in case Fujitsu's colorful new line of LOOX U50XNs weren't enough for ya, the outfit is also giving a vivid facelift to its LOOX T70XN. This ultraportable sports a 10.6-inch LED-backlit display, a 1.2GHz Core 2 Duo U7600 processor, up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, between 80GB and 100GB of hard drive space, and Intel's GMA950 graphics set. Moreover, this bad boy can get up to 13.8-hours of battery life when hooked up with optional cells, and connectivity shouldn't be an issue considering the built-in WiFi, Bluetooth, 56k modem, 4-pin FireWire, twin USB 2.0 sockets, multicard reader, and audio / in outs. This well-spec'd little machine can be had right now for around $2,650 depending on options, but it's the nine color choices that are likely to give you the most pause when ordering.[Via AkihabaraNews]
Packard Bell's EasyNote XS 7-inch laptop
Just in case you hadn't noticed, there's a real bumper crop of super-tiny 7-inch laptops this year, and it looks like Packard Bell didn't want to miss out on the fun. The new EasyNote XS eschews the Linux of some of its peers for some vanilla XP Home action, and runs on a VIA C7-M Ultra Mobile Platform. There's a VGA webcam, built-in WiFi, 4-in-1 card reader, 30GB HDD and even a friendly 1GB of RAM. Packard Bell expects this 1.2-inch, 2 pound unit to get 3 hours of battery with WiFi on, and hopes to hit the UK market by the end of the year. Hopefully the price is right.
Apple files patent for collapsible ports
Apple Insider is reporting that Apple has filed a patent for collapsible ports, supposedly for use inside a coming ultraportable computer. I didn't quite get the idea at first (because supposedly the ports collapse in order to give the innards more room to spread out), but apparently the ports actually sit on the hinge at the back of the unit-- by opening the thing up, you also open up the ports, and can then plug the cords in. So while the system is in storage position, you don't actually need to have a whole port on there-- it can fold up and make for less space.Ingenious. But does it mean an ultraportable is right around the corner? Seems unlikely to me-- with the iPhone at $600, and the MacBook at $1100, Apple would have to squeeze a 13" display portable in at around $800-900. What's the point? I love my 12" Powerbook, but if I was spending that much on an portable, I'd go with a MacBook anyway.[ via Mac Rumors, thanks Brian! ]
Switched On: MacBook mini would answer iPhone's call
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment: A few weeks ago a two-part Switched On column (see: here and here) discussed Apple's approach to the iPhone keyboard. I agreed with Apple's reasoning that, for a phone, or at least this first iPhone, the gains that could be made by going with a soft keyboard outweighed the cons. And, make no mistake (or actually a lot of them with typos), there are cons. Even in a best-case scenario of perfect accuracy, the iPhone's keyboard has drawbacks. There are, for example, no cursor keys, (Mac history buffs will remember that this is just what the original Macintosh forced users to do as its keyboard had no arrow keys), and users must go into punctuation (albeit briefly if using the famous "Pogue period" hint) mode whenever you want to type a period.Since Apple seems to have decided that keyboards are only for laptops and larger devices, and now has an opportunity to create an embedded appliance (call it Foleo-like, if you must) loaded not with some souped-up file viewers but embedded versions of, Pages, Keynote, perhaps some future Apple spreadsheet product, and a light version of FileMaker (which, for all of Apple's stealth initiatives, is one of the company's best-kept secrets). iWork, much like Safari, may well have some agenda beyond being a Microsoft insurance policy for the Mac.
HP Compaq's 2210b/CT ultraportable aims for the suits
As you'd expect with any laptop carrying a corporate agenda, the 12.1-inch HP Compaq 2210b/CT isn't anything too riveting, but it's not a half bad option if you're scouting something small (and strictly for the office). Weighing in at just 3.7-pounds, this ultraportable packs a modest 1.86GHz Celeron processor, 512MB of RAM, an 80GB hard drive, an optional integrated optical drive, a 1,280 x 800 resolution panel, Vista Home Basic, and your choice of a four- or eight-cell battery. Additionally, you'll find an SD card slot, a trio of USB 2.0 ports, VGA / S-Video outputs, gigabit Ethernet, audio in / out, and an ExpressCard slot to make that 3G wireless card feel at home. Get your boss' credit card ready -- this one lands next month for a mere ¥89,880 ($760).[Via Impress]
The iPod and the "product transition"
Perhaps the most interesting and mysterious two words heard yesterday during Apple's big conference call were "product transition." The biggest surprise of the call was that Apple was setting its profit guidance much lower than expected, and the two big causes they gave for doing that were "higher commodity costs" (because they believe they got a good deal on iPhone components this quarter) and these mysterious "product transitions." So what's the deal there?Almost unanimously, the analysts are predicting a product shakeup, specifically in the iPod family. Ars says multitouch is coming, Forbes suggests that Apple tipped its hand to upcoming product changes, and Apple Insider has Ben Reitzes, who was the first analyst to question the low guidance, suggesting that an iMac redesign or "ultra-portable" may be in the works.But the majority of analysts say it's the iPod that Apple will focus on. The iPod has been waiting in the wings, watching the iPhone and OS X get all kinds of pretty updates, and call it what you want-- the halo effect or trickle down-- the iPod is ready for a refresh. ThinkSecret comes right out and says it: we'll see a 6G iPod as early as the first half of August.Whatever this "product transition" might be, odds are we'll hear about it sooner than later. Apple's execs made it clear that by the time they did another call in October, everything would be made much clearer.
MSI launches PR200 ultraportable in Korea
Recall that quietly seductive PR200 we saw way back in January? MSI has gone and launched the 12-inch ultraportable in Korea, given it a dark outfit, and thrown it into the ever-expanding MEGABOOK lineup. The finalized machine will reportedly sport Intel's 965 Express chipset, a Core 2 Duo T7300 processor, 2GB of RAM, 802.11n support, integrated GMA X3100 graphics, a 1.3-megapixel camera, built-in microphone, and an HDMI port. Additionally, you'll find a fingerprint scanner, onboard optical drive, audio in / out, a number of USB ports, and a ginormous palm rest sticker for good measure. Click on for a snapshot of the front.
