Entries in Notebook (48)

Tuesday
Apr172012

Ultrabooks–are they worth waiting for?

imageI just got my hands on the Toshiba Z820  Ultrabook that is just an amazing piece of technology. The WOW is in the the design and feel of the unit with the laptop. It is sleek and light and feels like a piece of tech art. When someone hands over the unit with the screen closed and you how thin and light it is and you still have the specs this system sports you can’t help but feel a little flush. I know, I am showing my geek side but I love where this technology is heading towards and I can’t wait until we see where it eventually settles into. Look below for specs and be sure to come and ask us what we thing about this wonderful product.

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Monday
Mar192012

Lenovo is pushing hard to be the first out of the gate with a Window 8 Tablet…

imageSpeculation surrounds the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga that Lenovo showed at CES 2012 a couple of months ago as to whether this will one of their tablets they will put Windows 8 on in the Fall. It was an impressive configuration with a 13.3 inch display, resolution of 1600 x 900 an with 10 touch points. The designed showed the screen turning around an axis 360 degrees allowing it to be turned from a notebook with a full-size keyboard to a touchscreen tablet.

Rumors have it that Lenovo is hoping to ship in October. It was the Verge that is speculating the Yoga as the product they will be dropping the operating system on. Basic specs make this a viable choice. My only concern would have been the screen size but minimum spec right now is 1024x768 which is more than met by the Yoga that was shown at CES 2012.

Sunday
Jan292012

Ultrabook Theme at CES 2012

The MacBook Air has helped to create a new category of mobile computing where the manufacturers are offering systems that are small, light and powerful to give the ultimate road warrior a sexy machine to take out on the road with them. These devices are all going to hit in the upper end of the pricing scale start at about $850 and going up from there.

The first attribute that is striking is the thinness of the profile of these systems. Weighing in at around 3lbs their screen sizes vary quite a bit. Most of these devices are using Intel’s third generation Core processors or Ivy Bridge delivery more speed, more battery life and better graphics performance.

Most of these devices are missing optical drives, usually have around a 13 inch screen and usually either an SSD or gone big on the HDD side. The SSD versions usually drives the price a bit higher than the non-SSD version. The SSD will help with making it lighter and protect your data a little better with less moving parts.

So what systems are out there?

Wednesday
Dec212011

Look at the bright orange Lenovo!

imageThe new Lenovo IdeaPad U300 has some interesting specs and is going after the Ultra PC market that seems to be the new must have design for the ULTRA CHIC!

But, if you are a road warrior you want to have a really functional PC that is light and doesn’t take up much space. This is one of the reasons that I run around with and iPad under my arm and what would interest me in Lenovo’s Ultrabook™ design.

Here is a list of the U300’s best features:

  • Slim, Ultrabook™ design for easy mobility, from just 0.6” thin
  • Minimalist, one-piece aluminum shell, available in Graphite Gray or Clementine Orange (coming soon)
  • Long battery life* with up to 30 days standby time
  • Lenovo RapidCharge brings battery charge to 50 percent in 30 minutes
  • Boot in as little as 10.5 seconds with RapidDrive SSD technology**
  • Breathable keyboard uses Intel® Advanced Cooling Technology to improve airflow so PC can run cooler on your lap
  • Cool-touch palmrest and intelligent glass touchpad with easy scroll, zoom and rotate functions
  • HD graphics and stereo speakers with SRS® Premium Surround Sound™
  • USB 3.0 port, HDMI output and 1.3M (720p HD) webcam
  • Intel® Wireless Display (WiDi): wirelessly stream content from your laptop onto a big screen (requires TV adapter)
  • BIOS-embedded anti-theft protection

U300s Tech Specs

Take the Lenovo U300 Tour:

Saturday
Nov052011

Panasonic Toughbook CF-H2 Tablet for the Healthcare Sector

This is Panasonic’s second generation rugged tablet PC is part of the Toughbook product line that is specifically designed for health-care workers. Panasonic states that this product sets: “new standards in ease of use, connectivity and productivity, the CF-H2 is a lightweight, water-resistant, shock and drop-tolerant and easily disinfected tablet device that meets the highest demands for mobility and networking within clinical environments. It allows doctors and nursing staff to benefit from instant access to medical records at the point of care, accurate documentation on patient conditions and medication, and enables greater efficiency of clinical processes.”

What’s Inside:

With the latest Intel Core i5-2557M (1.7GHz) Ultra Low Voltage processor with vPro and the Intel HD 3000 graphics for enhanced multimedia capabilities, the Toughbook CF-H2 performance has been improved more than 400% over its CF-H1 predecessor. The CF-H2 is ideal for power hungry healthcare applications such as Electronic Patient Records (EPR) and Patient Administration Systems (PAS). RAM has also been raised to 4 gigabyte as standard, with up to 8 gigabyte optional, and it comes with a 320 gigabyte hard disk drive as standard with 128 gigabyte SSD as an option. The operating system is Windows 7 Pro.

Features and Benefits List:

Clean, reliable and durable - The CF-H2 has also been designed for easy disinfection, reducing the risk of infections being spread from patient to patient. Maintaining its fanless design, limiting the opportunity for germs to be transported by the device, the CF-H2 Health model features a smooth surface with sealed buttons and no exposed ports. Panasonic has also developed a special exterior case material, which can withstand frequent alcohol wipes. To further aid in disinfection, a Panasonic-designed software utility can be programmed to remind users to wipe the unit down at defined intervals and automatically records a successful cleaning for the hospital’s permanent records.

The CF-H2 remains the toughest rugged tablet in its range. It is drop tested to 90cm and has water, dust, vibration and temperature protection.

Ergonomically designed for clinicians - The CF-H2 is designed for clinicians who need to multi-task whilst holding the device in one hand. Lightweight rugged design (approx. 1.58kg), with an easy-to-grab handle, the fanless device maintains a low surface temperature using its unique heat dissipation system and is available as a dual touch (digitizer and touchscreen) and touchscreen model.

The best screen visibility on the market - The CF-H2 always ensures the screen delivers just the right level of brightness for optimum viewing whatever the conditions, inside or out. To achieve premium visibility the CF-H2 uses a 10.1” display with Panasonic Transflective Plus technology. This operating mode helps to reduce power consumption and enhance battery life as no backlight is required in bright environments. This results in a massive enhancement of up to 6,000 unit equivalent of transflective brightness under a 200K lx environment.

Functionality to fit every purpose - For maximum productivity around the hospital, medical staff need to perform a wide range of tasks. The CF-H2 is ideally suited. Optional Barcode readers are available to assist with data capture requirements. For taking photos, the CF-H2 Health features an optional auto focus, 2.0 megapixel camera with one LED light. For Using Audio Applications whilst working, the CF-H2 features a front speaker to enhance audio capability.

Healthcare workers often need interfaces to connect devices and peripherals for data capture and communication purposes. The CF-H2 is perfectly positioned to fulfill this requirement with a USB 2.0, LAN and serial port (optional 2nd USB 2.0 port in lieu of LAN port) available directly integrated within the device.

The CF-H2 also has all the options covered to ensure medical data is secure. Quick user authentication can be achieved using the optional fingerprint reader enhanced security. There is an optional contactless smartcard reader, which is compliant with ISO 14443 type A and type B, or an integrated, contact smartcard reader covered and sealed with it own latch for maximum protection and security.

Built to stay connected on the move - Ensuring medical workers can always stay in touch when on the move, the Toughbook CF-H2 offers WLAN, 3G (optional), Bluetooth and GPS (optional) for navigation and job scheduling. To improve data transfer capability, the Ericsson F5521gw HSPA+ module with wireless ready connection manager can be integrated as an option, significantly increasing download speeds up to 21Mbps. Available upon request, the device can also be switched into Anti-Theft-Protection mode by utilizing the latest Intel ATP technology.

The power to last - To ensure that medical workers have a device that can work for as long as they do, even when access to power is lost, the CF-H2 can operate for up to 6.5 hours (MobileMarkTM 2007, 60nit) running on Windows 7 by using the hot swappable, high-capacity twin-batteries developed internally by the Panasonic battery division. The CF-H2 charges its 2 batteries at the same time, in a rapid parallel mode, for quicker charge times (approx 3 hours).

All units also use the Panasonic Power Management Utilities technology to maximize power efficiency by managing the power of all relevant resources required by the CPU depending on each task or by definition of individual user profiles.

Improved system start-up - To maximize the efficiency of health workers, the CF-H2 also includes Panasonic’s Quick Boot Manager which can reduce the boot-up time of the device down to approximately 15 seconds.

“This next generation Toughbook CF-H2 for the health sector is the ultimate rugged medical tablet,” said Stephen Yeo, Panasonic Toughbook European Marketing Director. “Listening closely to our existing customers, we have built a second generation device that is more powerful, easier to use and with more functionality than any comparable device on the market whilst maintaining all the essential health features required from clinicians in a busy medical environment.”

Compatibility that counts - To ensure existing customers can continue to use existing peripheral equipment, the new CF-H2 is compatible with many of the CF-H1 peripherals such as docking stations in order to provide long-term product lifecycle stability.

Backed by outstanding service - Every Toughbook comes with a 3-year warranty covering hardware failures for systems used as designed; with a 96-hour repair commitment and a 5-year spare parts guarantee.

Friday
Jun242011

Fujitsu Q550 - W7 Tablet should be available in July

clip_image002Fujitsu Stylistic Q550

The Fujitsu STYLISTIC Q550 is a Slate PC that really works for you whether you are a prosumer, work in business, government or SME. It combines a brilliant display with precise and pressure sensitive pen input plus a touch screen for multiple touch input. It brings you the ideal tools for creating data and collaborating. You can get logged in and working fast and secure with the built in fingerprint and SmartCard readers. If you lose your device or it's stolen, Advanced Theft Protection will allow administrators to track, recover and if necessary delete the data on missing slates. The STYLISTIC Q550 is fast-on, with a balanced weight distribution and a special coating to keep it in your hands. The screen image auto-rotates and reflows your content so you'll always be looking at your work right side up. You'll always be connected to your work through the internet no matter where you are with embedded mobile broadband. You'll be able to work more efficiently because you'll never have to hunt for a hotspot again. With WLAN, and Bluetooth you won't lack for a way to connect with the world and stay on track. Active pen input is just like writing on paper. It gives you the power to fill out forms, mark up plans, and brainstorm with all of the benefits of electronic collaboration. Edit, share and save your electronic documents with all the familiarity, flexibility and exactitude of paper. You work all day, so your slate has to keep up. The STYLISTIC Q550 gives you power to work all day long, and your battery is detachable in case you've got to work overtime. You'll never be stuck searching for a socket when you should closing the deal.

Download Spec Sheet

Main Specifications

  • Product Description Fujitsu Stylistic Q550 - Atom Z670 1.5 GHz - 10.1" TFT
  • Dimensions (WxDxH) 10.8 in x 7.6 in x 0.6 in
  • Weight 1.9 lbs
  • System Type Tablet PC - slate
  • Built-in Devices Speaker, wireless LAN antenna, Bluetooth antenna
  • Embedded Security Trusted Platform Module (TPM 1.2) Security Chip , fingerprint reader, SmartCard reader
  • Processor Intel Atom Z670 / 1.5 GHz
  • Cache Memory 512 KB
  • RAM 2 GB (installed) / 2 GB (max) - DDR2 SDRAM ( 1 x 2 GB )
  • Card Reader Yes
  • Hard Drive 62 GB Solid State Drive
  • Display 10.1" LED backlight Multi-Touch High-Bright TFT 1280 x 800 ( WXGA ) - 16:10
  • Graphics Controller Intel GMA 600
  • Audio Output Sound card
  • Networking Network adapter - IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, Bluetooth 3.0
  • Wireless NIC Ralink RT3572
  • Notebook Camera Integrated - 1.3 Megapixel (back), 0.3 Megapixel (front)
  • Input Device Digitizer, touch-screen, Tablet Pen
  • Power AC 120/230 V ( 50 - 60 Hz )
  • Battery 4-cell lithium polymer
  • Run Time (Up To) 8 hour(s)
  • Operating System Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
  • Microsoft Office Preloaded Includes a pre-loaded image of select Microsoft Office 2010 suites. Purchase an Office 2010 Product Key Card or disc to activate preloaded software on this PC.
  • Manufacturer Warranty 1 year warranty

General

  • System Type Tablet PC - slate
  • Built-in Devices Speaker, wireless LAN antenna, Bluetooth antenna
  • Embedded Security Trusted Platform Module (TPM 1.2) Security Chip , fingerprint reader, SmartCard reader
  • Width 10.8 in
  • Depth 7.6 in
  • Height 0.6 in
  • Weight 1.9 lbs

Processor

  • Processor Intel Atom Z670 / 1.5 GHz
  • 64-bit Computing Yes
  • Chipset Type Intel SM35 Express

RAM

  • Installed Size 2 GB / 2 GB (max)
  • Technology DDR2 SDRAM
  • Configuration Features 1 x 2 GB

Storage Controller

  • Type Serial ATA
  • Serial ATA Interface Serial ATA-300

Storage Hard Drive 62 GB Solid State Drive

Card Reader

  • Type Card reader
  • Supported Flash Memory Cards SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory Card

Display

  • Display Type 10.1" Multi-Touch TFT - IPS
  • LCD Backlight Technology LED backlight
  • Max Resolution 1280 x 800 ( WXGA )
  • Widescreen Display Yes
  • Image Aspect Ratio 16:10
  • Features Anti-glare, Outdoor View, WideView

Video Graphics Processor / Vendor Intel GMA 600

Audio

  • Audio Output Sound card
  • Audio Codec Realtek ALC269
  • Audio Input Microphone

Notebook Camera

  • Camera Type Integrated
  • Sensor Resolution 1.3 Megapixel (back), 0.3 Megapixel (front)

Input Device(s) Type Digitizer, touch-screen, Tablet Pen

Networking

  • Networking Network adapter
  • Wireless LAN Supported Yes
  • Wireless NIC Ralink RT3572
  • Data Link Protocol IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, Bluetooth 3.0
  • Compliant Standards IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11g, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED, IEEE 802.11n, Bluetooth 3.0

Expansion / Connectivity

  • Expansion Slot(s) 1 (total) / 0 (free) x memory
  • 1 (total) / 1 (free) x Smart Card
  • Interfaces 1 x Hi-Speed USB - 4 pin USB Type A
  • 1 x audio / video - HDMI
  • 1 x audio - line-out/headphones - mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm
  • 1 x docking / port replicator

Miscellaneous

  • Features Administrator password, system password, hard drive password
  • Compliant Standards CE, CB, EN 60601-1-2

Power

  • Power Device External
  • Voltage Required AC 120/230 V ( 50 - 60 Hz )
  • Power Provided 40 Watt
  • Output Voltage 19 V
  • Output Current 2.1 A

Battery

  • Technology 4-cell lithium polymer
  • Installed Qty 1
  • Capacity 5240 mAh
  • Run Time (Up To) 8 hour(s)

Operating System / Software

  • OS Provided Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
  • Microsoft Office Preloaded Includes a pre-loaded image of select Microsoft Office 2010 suites. Purchase an Office 2010 Product Key Card or disc to activate preloaded software on this PC.
  • Software Drivers & Utilities, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Norton Internet Security (90 days subscription), Fujitsu Battery Utility, Fujitsu Portshutter, Softex OmniPass Fingerprint Authentication Utility, Power Saving Utility, Fujitsu Touch Launcher, Microsoft Office 2010 Starter, Auto Rotation Utility, Fujitsu HomeLauncher, Fujitsu OnScreen Touchpad

Manufacturer Warranty

  • Service & Support 1 year warranty
  • Service & Support Details Limited warranty - 1 year
Sunday
Feb272011

Samsung’s 9 Series Notebook Looks Really Interesting

imagePRESS RELEASE: Yes, I’m locked into the Microsoft World of PC’s so when I look at hardware I naturally am not looking into the Apple world of hardware for my mobile and desktop computing needs. Samsung has announced its Series 9 notebooks at this January’s CES show and I must say it looks really nice. It is very thin with artistic curves. This 13.3 inch notebook weighs in at just 2.89 pounds and is only .64 inches thick. It claims a 6.5 hour battery life with 4GB RAM, a 128GB SSD and a 1.5 watt subwoofer.It is also supporting USB 3.0 and has built-in WiMax 4G.

The 13.3-inch 9 Series offers mobile professionals and power users a sophisticated laptop equally suited for work and entertainment. Thanks to a stunning design, Samsung’s hallmark SuperBright Plus display and Intel performance processing power, the notebook ushers in a new era in mobile computing.

Key Specs:
• CPU: Second Generation Intel® CoreTM i5 Processor 2537M (1.40 GHz, 3MB; turbo up to 2.3 GHz)
• Operating System: Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium (64 bit) / Windows® 7 Professional (64 bit)
• Memory: 4GB DDR3
• Storage (max): 128GB Solid State Drive (SSD)
• Screen: 13.3-inch HD LED-backlit SuperBright Plus display (400 nit)
• Resolution: 1366x768
• Graphics: Intel HD GT2 Integrated Graphics
• Speakers: 3 watt (1.5W x 2) stereo speakers and 1.5 watt sub-woofer
• Battery: Lithium Polymer; up to 6.5 hours
• Wireless: 802.11b/g/n; WiMaxi
• Weight: 2.89 lbs.

These units were supposed to be available in February 2011 but I think that since they are based on the Intel’s Sandy Bridge CPU the recall of the supporting chipset by Intel may have caused a set back on the delivery schedule. We are starting to see some movement on deliveries from other manufacturers with their Sandy Bridge products so hopefully this notebook will be showing up shortly. Starting at around $1,599 you may want to put in your order soon!

Wednesday
Jan262011

Same Old Story

 I was really hoping that there was going to be something really exciting coming out of CES this year but it seems that most of what I have seen so far has been just more of the same. It seems that the Tablet market is still on the precipice of becoming a reality with the exception of the iPad. While we are waiting, the iPad is still the only real product with a magnitude of software support available for it. I don't believe totally that tablet market has totally killed the need for a notebook  in everyone, I have found that I have stopped carrying my Netbook into meetings and instead bring my trusty iPad with me.

I am using my iPad for both data collection as well as for my entertainment. I don't do a lot of document creation on it because the on screen keyboard slows me down and so far I am too cheap and lazy to add a bluetooth keyboard case to my gadget list.

Another reason I am not big on creating my content using this device is that it lacks screen Realestate. While it is slightly better than my Netbook's, I wasn't using it as a content creation device either for the same reason.That being said, guess what I am typing on right now? My iPad of course! Why, you might ask. Well, there are some situations, I don't want to get off of my living room couch for instance, that cause me to use what I have at hand. I am much closer to the coffee pot here you see.

So, while it is much easier to create content with a dual screen system with a real keyboard and a mouse to control cursor placement, you can always find other ways to accomplish what you want to do with the tools at hand. Having such a portable device that has so many functions makes it very convenient to do the things that I want to do, where and when I want to do them. 
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Friday
Jan072011

CES 2011

2011-01-07_0922Last year Jude and I had launched our video studio right about this time and had produced some videos about products that we thought were neat and that we wanted to have. Many of these products never came into production as is the nature of the beast, but it is still interesting that the same basic theme this year seems to be the same as last year.

Hands down I think that one of the most exciting products of last year was the iPad and I am so glad that I found a way to justify my purchase because once I did get it into my hands, I found many more uses for it then I originally imagined. One of the things that I do daily is look for either new applications or peripherals to add to my collection of supporting items for my iPad. My two newest purchases being speaker docks that charge my iPad and iPhone while playing content. Productivity enhancements and ease of sharing data between systems is still my biggest concern when choosing a new application.

So, enough of my Bully Pulpit! The main focus of new and improved upcoming products include iPad type devices either using Android and Microsoft's Windows for operating systems. Throw in products from HP and RIM and we have a large number of choices in many varying sizes. For many of these we will still have to wait and see if they will actually reach production.

Another carryover from last year is the eBook reader. My feeling is that Amazon and Barnes and Noble are our two leaders with Sony in as a distant third. I am not sure that there is any more room for anything else out there but when people see a successful product they will try to ride the coattails of those products with what they feel is a better mousetrap.

3D TV was introduced last year but this year we see it being put into almost everything with a screen. I am not sold on this yet as anything more than a gimmick, but there is a lot of money being poured into it.

Believe it or not there are some interesting things happening with desktop and notebook computers with the new integrated video residing right in the same silicon with the CPU. there are many benefits to be found doing this that I will discuss in some follow-up articles. But we are seeing a small resurgence in Tablet Notebooks (convertibles), and more units in smaller more powerful form factors.

I haven't seen any new product groups yet but we are still pretty early in the show for me to determine that, more on this later. Anyway, over the next few days we will be perusing CES from afar and as we come up with products that we fill compelling, we will be sure to bring them to your attention.
So for now I'll go back to work and see what I can find!

Thursday
Dec162010

Lenovo ThinkPad T410s Reviewed: Fastest Notebook of the Year

2010-12-16_1752Laptop Magazine just reviewed the Lenovo ThinkPad T410s rating it as the Fastest Notebook of the Year. This is the first notebook with Nvidia Optimus graphics that can power up to three external displays at once (see review).

Besides the discreet graphics card the model tested also has a 128GB solid state drive, 4GB/s of 1333-MHz RAM, Core i5 processor and weighs in at only 3.8 pounds. With our penchant for more screen real estate this product brings a lot to the table. It’s one negative is its battery life that can be boosted by replacing the optical drive with another battery.

Other add-ins include a webcam and microphone, DisplayPort, eSATA/USB, Ethernet, VGA, power, and a USB port that can charge gadgets when the notebook is sleeping or off. The left side houses the third USB port, the audio jack, and memory card slot. A DVD drive, Kensington lock slot, and wireless on/off switch line the right side. The touchpad supports multi touch gestures including pinch-to-zoom.

Accessories you will want to consider include:

  • ThinkPad Mini Dock Plus Series 3 ($249), which houses two DVI connections, two DisplayPorts, and a VGA output.
  • Mini Dock Series 3 ($219), is limited to a single DVI, DisplayPort, and VGA connection.
  • Upgrade to the three-cell ultrabay battery ($120)
  • Multitouch display can be added for $400
  • 8GB of RAM ($240)
  • Gobi 2000 3G with GPS is a $126

The ThinkPad T410s comes standard with a one-year warranty on parts and labor and 24/7 toll-free phone support.

Technical Specifications
Lenovo ThinkPad T410s (Nvidia Optimus)
http://www.lenovo.com/us

2010-12-16_1808

Wednesday
Oct062010

Give Your Toshiba Laptop More Battery Life with the Slice Expansion Battery

The Toshiba Slice Expansion 6-Cell Li-Ion Laptop Battery add-on is available for select Toshiba Laptops. You can get extended batter life with the new Toshiba Slice Expansion Battery Pack this is custom designed for select Satellite, Portege and Tecra PCs. Priced at $199.99. Part Number: PA3510U-1BRL

Click to read more ...

Thursday
Aug262010

ASUS Intros Eee PC 1015PEM, Powered by Atom N550

Another product is being announced that will be using the new Intel Atom Dual Core N550 Processor. Asus joins others in announcing a product that will make use of the Intel Atom N555 processor after it is release by Intel later this year. What has drawn my attention to this particular entry into the Netbook arena? Memory and Screen Resolution.

Click to read more ...

Monday
Aug232010

Fall is going to be an exciting time for us hardware geeks

Two things will be be going on this fall and Christmas season, first Intel is releasing its new dual-core Atom processor for Netbooks and we are about to see Netbook Manufacturers like Acer, Asus, Lenovo, Toshiba and others releasing new models with this processor installed. This will begin to take the Netbook for internet browsing status to a system with a little more clout. The dual core will help manufacturer’s provide more energy efficient models for us to play with and hopefully we will see a whole slew of these products with full size keyboards and 11.6-inch screens. This will be a great boon for someone that wants a reasonably priced Netbook that will allow them to do more functions more easily…

Click to read more ...

Sunday
Jul042010

How to Stay Connected

I talked a little bit about how I pick the devices that I use, in this post I want to talk about the what I am using to accomplish this. First, let’s go down the list of devices that I use both for the office and my own entertainment. At the office I have an i7 Workstation with dual 19 inch monitors in the traditional square or 4:3 format. At home my primary system is again an i7 but I am using a 32 inch TV/Monitor as my secondary monitor and a 22 inch widescreen for my primary screen. I also have three mobile devices, an 10.1 inch Acer NetBook, an iPhone 3gs, and my newest acquisition an Apple iPad.

Click to read more ...

Monday
Jun212010

New TOSHIBA Laptops-Faster-More Power Efficient-Lighter

Ultrathin and lightweight. Beautiful looks. A long battery life rating. Full performance. What else would you expect from the Portégé® R700, Toshiba's 25th Anniversary Edition laptop?

Click to read more ...

Monday
Jun072010

Intel Anti-Theft Video – At the Beach

Very interesting video discussing laptop theft and how Intel can help loss of private data. If you are in a situation where you can’t afford to have someone else gaining access to the information on your notebook then this technology is important to you. Watch the video, it has some humor inserted about a subject that both scares and haunts me.

Click to read more ...

Monday
Jun072010

Intel's Anti-Theft Technology

In this mobile world that we live in it is important to protect our data and identities from intrusion and theft. Intel can help in this battle with their Intel® Anti-Theft Technology.

Click to read more ...

Thursday
May062010

Looking for a Reasonably Priced Small Notebook

I've been doing some research recently looking for some smaller notebooks that will give me a little better function than a standard Netbook does. But I was looking for, was something that had a slightly larger screen to give me a larger working area on the screen and something closer to a full size keyboard to accommodate my big hands. Here are two systems that are lightweight and fit my other two criteria.

Click to read more ...

Tuesday
Apr062010

Toshiba M780 Tablet Notebook

If you are like me and want just about everything, including the kitchen sink, in one device The Toshiba Portégé® M780 Tablet PC may be just the thing for you.Most tablet PC’s that I have worked with in the past seem to have a sluggishness in their response to the stylus.

Click to read more ...

Friday
Jan082010

CES 2010 – Part 2 Laptop Announcements

Lenovo IdeaPad U1Hybrid Notebook

 

imageLenovo seems to be causing the most interest at CES with its wealth of new product announcements. The one that really catches my attention is the new IdeaPad U1 hybrid notebook that will be released in the June 2010 timeframe and will be priced around $999. What makes this product so special is that it is a combination slate and notebook. The screen detaches from the notebook shell and it becomes a Linux multi-touch slate that is enhanced for digital media consumption. You can use it to watch video, listen to music, watch a movie or read a book. It has full wireless so it can also be used to browse the internet as well while detached. When you bring it back to the notebook shell it snaps into place and it instantly (or relatively quickly) switches back to a Windows 7 based notebook.

Now let’s look at its basic features: The screen is an 11.6 inch HD Led backlit multitouch screen that is detachable and weighs 1.5 pounds. When attached to the shell it weighs 3.8 pounds, is cherry red, has two operating systems each having its own processor running independently or sharing info between them.  We don’t know the specific Intel dual-core processor that is in it yet that is used on the Windows 7 side. The Screen runs the SnapDragon Processor. It also sports a 1.3-megapixel webcam, ethernet 10/100 ports, 802.11 a/b/g, Bluetooth, (2) USB ports and an eSATA/USB combo port to attach more storage if you care to. This is the first notebook/slate computer that combines the versatility of a notebook with the entertainment value of a slate style computer. Jim Louderback does a nice video review of this product that I have included below.

 

 

Lenovo Ideapad S10-3t

image

Tekzilla announces this Lenovo convertible Netbook a iTablet Killer. Lenovo’s Ideapad S10-3t will be released this month and will be priced starting at $499. With a 10.1 inch capacitive touchscreen that can be swiveled and laid back against the keyboard to turn this netbook into a Tablet PC. It will be available with either an Intel Atom 1.66GHz N450 processor or a 1.83GHz N470 processor, up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, and a 320GB 6400rpm 2,5 inch SATA hard drive. Network connection is important and this unit comes with a built in 80802.11b/g/n2.11b/g/n wireless radio, Bluetooth 2.1 and Ethernet port. 3G and WiMax will be available as options as well. It has two USB 2.0 ports, a 6 in 1 card reader, VGA external port, headphone and microphone jacks, and a 1.3 megapixel webcam. A 4-cell or 8-cell battery will also be available providing up to 10 hours of battery life on the 8-cell battery. Again, Jim Louderback did a very nice video review of this system.