LENOVO INTRODUCES IDEAPAD S10-3 AND S10-3T NETBOOKS

Lenovo has released two consumer-oriented 10 inch netbooks. One of the devices called IdeaPad S10-3 can be configured with either an Intel Atom N450 or N470 processor. The machine sports a different design from its predecessor the S10-2.

The other model, the IdeaPad S10-3t, has a 10 inch multi-touch touch-screen (capacitative) display. The display can be rotated in either direction. It can also be folded down over the keyboard for using the device in the tablet mode. Clearly, Lenovo wants this machine to compete with the 9 inch Asus Eee PC T91MT and 10 inch Gigabyte TouchNote T1028X.

Both netbooks feature the Lenovo QuickStart 2.0 instant-on software which allows a user to access the web within seconds after switching the PC on.

Pricing
The Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3 starts at $349.99. The S10-3t has a starting price of $499.99. A higher-end configuration will set you back $599.

VIA INTRODUCES MINI MOTHERBOARDS FOR NANO PROCESSORS

It is not everyday that you hear about a notebook running a VIA processor. And it is nothing unusual, because VIA occupies only a tiny share of the notebook CPU market. The company is now heavily focusing on the market for tiny PC chips.

VIA has introduced two new desktop motherboards for use in small-form factor desktop computers called nettops. These motherboards are deigned for use with VIA’s Nano processors which compete with Intel’s Atom in the netbook segment.

The new VIA EPIA-M800 Mini-ITX motherboard can use either a 1.2GHz Nano U2500 processor or a 1.3GHz U2250 processor. It comes with VIA VX800 media processor and supports dual gigabit Ethernet, DVI and HDMI.

The VIA EPIA-N800 Nano-ITX motherboard can use the 1.3GHz U2250 processor. It also comes with the VIA VX800 media processor and has 6 USB and 2 SATA II ports. Other features include VGA, Gigabit Ethernet.

SKYCROSS INTRODUCES COMBO ANTENNA FOR WIFI AND BLUETOOTH

SkyCross has introduced a combination antenna that can handle Bluetooth and WiFi 802.11b/g/n. Called iMAT, the antenna allows you to use both Bluetooth and WiFi at the same time because of its ability to isolate the signals.

Netbooks are small devices that do not have a lot of room inside to accommodate multiple cards necessary for WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G modules. While many laptops come with all the three, manufacturers are sometimes forced to sacrifice one or two to save space. That is why chip makers like Atheros have started combining the functionality of multiple wireless dongles onto a single chip. While this is a good idea it still requires users to carry separate antennas for WiFi and Bluetooth. The SkyCross iMAT should be able to solve this problem. But still this is not an all-in-one solution as it doesn’t support 3G modules.

VIEWSONIC INTRODUCES ALL-IN-ONE PC WITH WINDOWS 7

ViewSonic has introduced a new all-in-one PC with a touch-screen display. The ViewSonic VPC101 as it would be called will run Windows 7 Home Premium which has several touch friendly features. The desktop has an 18.5 inch display with 1366 x 768 pixels. It is expected to be available in December.

The VPC101 has more or less the same specifications as a typical netbook. It is powered by a 1.6GHz Intel Atom 230 processor with integrated GMA 950 graphics. Up to 1GB of RAM and 160 GB storage space is available. The all-in-one also has WiFi 802.11b/g.

The VPC101 carries a price tag of $650 but ViewSonic PCs tend to sell for a lot less than their list price. The same can be true of VPC101.

ViewSonic also introduced two other mini-PCs last week – the VOT530 and the VOT550. These machines are more powerful and expensive than most nettops.

DELL INTRODUCES XT2 XFR RUGGED TABLET

Dell has introduced what it calls industry’s first rugged tablet PC with capacitive multi-touch technology. The device called XT2 XFR has a 12.1 inch display and some decent specifications packed inside a rugged frame.

The XT2 XFR is powered by a 1.60GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU9600 processor. It can be configured with either a 160GB hard disk drive or a 128GB solid state drive. Up to 5GB of RAM can be installed. There are no discrete graphics cards: Intel’s GMA 4500MHD does that job. The touchpad is gesture enabled. Other features include 3 USB ports, Ethernet, FireWire, VGA, a fingerprint reader and hot-swappable 2MP camera or GPS.

At just 5.4lb, the tablet is fairly lightweight. Presently it is customizable with Windows Vista and XP. Windows 7 may be available in the near future. Prices start at $3599.

TOSHIBA INTRODUCES 320GB HARD DRIVE

Toshiba has unveiled a new hard drive that is big in capacity but small in size. The new Toshiba MKxx33GSG hard drives can hold up to 320GB of data and spin at 5400rpm. These are not the highest capacity hard drives out there but they are better than the 160GB and 250GB hard drives usually found in netbooks. The new hard drives measure just 1.8 inches and can easily fit inside an iPod or a super-thin netbook. They are also available in 250GB and 160GB versions.

Manufacturers are trying hard to make devices thinner and lighter. In fact, 1.8 inch hard drives are ideal for use in netbooks less than one inch in thickness and at 5400rpm, the new hard drives are faster than the 4200rpm drives common in netbooks.
A cheaper model, the MK1235GSL, is also available. It can hold 120GB and spins at 4200rpm.

ASUS INTRODUCES 3D NOTEBOOKS

Asus has introduced two laptops with 3D displays – the G51J3D and the G72GX. The G51J3D is powered by an Intel Core i7 processor with 1GB of NVIDIA GeForce 160M graphics processor. It has a 15.6 inch display.

The G72GX is bigger with its 17.3 inch display. Its specifications have not yet been disclosed.

The Asus 3D notebooks are different from 3D notebooks released by Acer. Asus claims that the special glasses it uses on its 3D notebooks allows for better viewing of 1080p HD video playback. The glasses also provide better viewing angles.

Pricing and Availability
The G51J3D is expected to be released in December and the G72GX in the second quarter of 2010. No information regarding pricing is available as yet.

TOSHIBA INTRODUCES ITS DYNABOOK MX/43 AND DYNABOOK MX/33 NOTEBOOKS

Toshiba has introduced two new additions to the Dynabook family of notebooks. The Toshiba Dynabook MX/43 is a 13.3 inch laptop powered by a dual core Intel CULV processor. The other model Dynabook MX/33 has an 11.6 inch display with 1366x768 pixels. It can compete with similarly sized notebooks such as Dell Inspiron 11z and Acer Aspire 1410. Both machines will run on Windows 7.Detailed specifications are not available.

The Dynabook MX/33 runs on a 1.3GHz Intel Celeron 743 single core CPU. Other specifications include 250GB hard drive and 2GB of RAM.

Pricing and Availability
Both notebooks will be available in Japan from October 22. While the Dynabook MX/43 costs around $1300, the smaller MX/33 will have a price tag of $1000.

ASUS INTRODUCES CORE i7 POWERED M60J NOTEBOOK

Asus has introduced yet another notebook powered by Intel’s new Core i7 processor. Dubbed M60J, it is equipped with a 16 inch display and NVIDIA GeForce GT 240M GPU with 1GB of video memory.

The Asus M60J can be configured with either an Intel Core i7 720QM 1.6GHz or 820QM 1.73GHz Processor. The dual hard drives provide up to 1 TB of storage. Up to 4GB of DDR3 RAM can be installed. The 16 inch display features 1366x768 pixels.
The notebook also features the AI TouchMedia feature which is a one-touch multimedia center. Other notable features include WiFi 802.11n, 2 megapixel web camera, a fingerprint reader, an ExpressCard slot, an eSATA port, 4 USB ports, HDMI, VGA outputs and 4-in-1 media card reader. The machine weighs 3.3kg with the 6-cell battery.

Pricing and Availability
There is no information regarding pricing or availability.

ASUS INTRODUCES CORE i7 POWERED G60J AND M60J NOTEBOOKS

Asus has officially announced two notebooks – the M60J and the G60J - powered by Intel’s Core i7 processor.

The G60J is powered by a quad-core mobile processor with 4GB of DDR RAM and Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 260M GPU. Other features include 1GB of VRAM, a pair of 500GB 7200rpm hard drives, Blu-ray combo drive and Altec Lansing speakers. The notebook is available in two display sizes – 16 inch HD panel with 1366x768 pixels and 15.6 inch full HD with 1920x1200pixels. Prices start at $2,999.

The M60J is a multimedia notebook with touch controls. It uses the same quad-core mobile processor, 4GB of RAM, Blu-ray combo drive and 16 inch HD display. The graphics option on this notebook is a slightly slower GeForce GT240M and the pair of 500GB drives spin at 5400rpm. Other features include Altec Lancing speakers with Dolby 2 Home Theatre certification. Prices start at $2,599.

Availability
Both notebooks will be available next month. They will come pre-installed with 64-bit edition of Windows 7 Professional.

ACRONIS INTRODUCES NETBOOK SPECIFIC BACKUP SOFTWARE

Acronis known for their backup/recovery software has announced a netbook-specific ‘Acronis True Image Home 2010 Netbook Edition’. The company said that this version is optimized for the unique hardware configuration of netbooks. It is cheaper than the desktop versions and retails for £23.95.

The Acronis True Image Home 2010 allows users to back up data locally to an attached storage device. Users can also backup data online using the optional Acronis online service. The software supports almost all Windows operating systems and processors used in netbooks including Intel’s Atom and VIA’s C7-M chip.

TOSHIBA INTRODUCES ITS WIRELESS USB DOCKING STATION

Toshiba has introduced a universal wireless USB docking station dubbed Dynadock. It will work with all Windows based computers. Unlike traditional docking stations, the Dynadock does not have to be attached to the laptop by a cable. Peripheral devices that require wireless access to the notebook (e.g. keyboards, mice, speakers, monitors etc.) can be connected to the dock.

The Dynadock comes with a wireless adapter. It has 6 USB ports and an integrated 7.1 surround sound card. It supports VGA and DVI monitors having up to 1680x1050 resolution. It is now available for $299.99.

AIS INTRODUCES LOW-COST TABLET PC

AIS has launched a 10.4 inch low-cost tablet notebook. This machine has received medical equipment certifications and is fit for use in the field, factories and retail service industries.

The AIS tablet is powered by a low voltage Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz processor with Intel 945 GSE Chipset + ICH7. It has a transflective touchscreen display which is readable in direct sunlight. Other features include integrated 802.11b/g WiFi and Bluetooth. There is also a PCMCIA slot for wireless connection in areas where WiFi or Bluetooth is not available. The tablet can be configured with Windows XP, Embedded, or CE.

The AIS tablet is made of an aluminum-magnesium alloy. It has sealed ports for waterproof and dustproof protection. The machine can also withstand shock, vibration and drops. Prices start at $1,499.

NEC INTRODUCES IT'S FIRST NETBOOK

NEC has finally entered the netbook market with the introduction of a small mobile netbook – the LaVie Light Lui Mobile. In specifications and looks this netbook isn’t very different from other netbooks available in the market. It, nevertheless, has some distinct features in the form of a VNC Client option and optional WiMax.

Specifications
Processor: Intel Atom N280 1.66 GHz
Memory: 1 GB DDR2 RAM
HDD: 160 GB of Hard Disk
Display: 10.1-inch 1024 x 600 LCD display

The branded VNC client provided with this netbook will help you connect the device to a remote desktop system. So you can work on the netbook and then sent the files to the Home desktop devices. The optional WiMax will allow the netbook to access broadband internet connection.

Other features include WiFi b/g and Bluetooth 2.1. The 6 cell battery is expected to give 8.5 hours of battery life.

There is no information regarding pricing and availability.

SAMSUNG INTRODUCES 2 NEW N-SERIES NETBOOKS

Samsung has announced two new additions to its N series of netbooks – the N130 and N140. These netbooks have similar specifications and looks.

The N130 and N140 are powered by a 1.6GHz N270 Atom processor and 945GSE chipset. The hard disk capacity is 160GB. Up to 1 GB of RAM can be installed. The 10.1 inch matte displays have a resolution of 1024x600. Other features include Wi-Fi, webcam, 3-in-1 card reader and 3 USB 2.0 ports.

The N140 offers additional features like Bluetooth 2.1, stereo 1.5 W speakers with SRS audio. Both models have 6 cell batteries. While the N130 is expected to give 7.5 hours of uptime, the higher capacity battery on N140 will make it last for up to 11 hours. Both models are available in black and white. They have already started shipping in the UK.

KENSINGTON INTRODUCES TWOFOLD NOTEBOOK STANDS

Kensington has introduced two new collapsible notebook stands. The TwoFold Notebook Stand (K60400US) can be used to raise your laptop’s display when you are working at the desk. When you are done using it, you can fold it and store easily.

Besides raising your laptop’s screen, the TwoFold Notebook Stand and Sleeve K60401US) serves one more purpose. It can be used as protective sleeve for your Laptop when you are on the go.

Both models have straps on either side to keep the laptop secure in its place. They are available in Grey and Blue/Grey and Green. The stands will fit notebooks of the size ranging from 14.1 inch to 15.4 inch.

Pricing & Availability:
The notebook stands will be available with select dealers soon. The TwoFold Notebook Stand will be retailed for $20. The Stand plus Sleeve model can be bought for $40.

GATEWAY INTRODUCES LT2000 NETBOOK

Gateway has unveiled its new netbook LT2000. It is powered by the Intel Atom N270 CPU. This is a revised version of the LT3100 netbook which had an AMD Athlon processor and Integrated ATI Radeon X1270 Graphics.

Specifications
Processor: Intel Atom Processor N270 (1.60GHz, 533MHz FSB, 512KB L2 Cache)
Operating System: Genuine Microsoft Windows XP Home (Service Pack 3)
Display: 10.1-inch WSVGA 16:9 ratio TFT LCD (1024x600 resolution)
Memory: 1024MB DDR2 533 MHz SDRAM
HDD: 160GB SATA 5400RPM Hard Drive
Graphics: Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
Display: 10.1 inch LED backlit TFT display

The new model has a reduced screen size of 10.1 inch. The previous model had 11.6 inch screen.

Connectivity
There are 3 USB 2.0 ports, card reader, two built-in speakers, Wi-Fi and web camera. The machine weighs just 2.62lbs with the 3-cell battery.
Prices start at $299.

AVERATEC INTRODUCES ITSELF AS A NOTEBOOK PRODUCER:

With the world in a frenzy mood of preferring compatible notebooks, over the bulky space occupying desktops and as the sun shine on the firms that produce them it is a revelation that witnesses a lot of new comers. Averatec is working on a net book with nice specs and a decent price. Averatec is working on their own version of the EEE 1000, a currently nameless net book that has vague specs. While nothing is official, it appears the net book will sport a 10.2 display, will run on the Atom, will have a keyboard that resembles those found on ThinkPad’s, and will host a 120GB hard drive. The price will be between $400 and $500, which actually isn't too bad when compared to similar net books.

ACER INTRODUCES BLU-RAY LAPTOPS

With the death of HD DVD laptops, the companies have decided to build in new kind of laptops for the next season. While other companies are just thinking about it, Acer is out with its announcement of letting Blu-ray laptops for the year. The company anticipates the sale of Blu-ray devices in laptops will boom better than the standalone pieces. Acer is out with the next quarter of the year too. Scott Lin, president of Acer, announced the plan to launch BD-capable notebooks in that latter part of the year. Acer is well known for competitiveness and competencies. It is proving its worth every year and Blu-ray laptops are just examples.

SEAGATE INTRODUCES FASTER MOMENTUS DISK DRIVE

Seagate Tech is ready to show off their new Momentus disk drive for laptops that will increase storage and capacity all the way from 160GB to 250GB. This is almost a hundred GB leap and is something that we have been looking forward to seeing and using for some time now. The momentus 5400.4version is 2.5” and will come with 8MB of cache, two disk platters, and will have the ability to spin at 5,400rpm.