YAEC: The One A210 Mini Notebook

Yet another eeepc clone: the second one of today is the One A210 Mini Notebook.

This little copycat features a 7-inch 800 × 480 pixel display, VIA C7 1.0 GHz processor, 512 MB RAM, 4GB Flash Drive, 2 USB ports, 100 mbit LAN, 3-in-one card reader, 0.3 megapixel web cam, and windows XP home.

The One A320 measures 24.3cm x 17.1cm x 2.8cm, weighs 950g, and costs 279 euros (around $430).

(one.de, via eeepcblog)

Toshiba Portege M800 laptop

Toshiba has just announced the Portege M800 laptop in Europe.

The Portege M800 has a 2GHz core 2 duo processor, 1GB RAM, 250GB hard drive, 13.3" screen, FM tuner, 1.3 megapixel webcam, and wireless 802.11a/b/g/n.

There is no pricing yet, and it should be available in Europe in Q3.

(via techdigest)

Third party batteries making eee pcs explode?

Asus has warned users to beware of third party batteries that may have damaged at least one eee pc and noted that such damage would not be covered under warranty.

Apparently there are batteries available in China for $71 to $86 that had capacities up to twice that of the standard eee pc battery.

The battery maker denies the claims of overheating and states that it is propaganda put out by their rivals designed to hurt their sales.

(via digitimes)

YAEC: The Yinlap micro pc

YAEC: Yet another eeepc clone.

This time it's the Yinlap Micro PC YDP-G77 that is unremarkably similat to the 7" Eee PC 701.

It's specs are 7" LCD screen, LINUX operating system, 400MHz processor, 500MB flash memory.

With those mediocre specs expect it to be slow and cheap.

(via eeepcblog)

NEC Versa S9100 tough laptop

NEC has unveiled a tough laptop designed to compete with Panasonic's toughbooks being strong (able to withstand 300kg per square foot pressure) and secure (fingerprint sensor and TPM security chip).

The NEC Versa S9100 comes with a 1.2Ghz Core 2 Duo processor, 1GB RAM, 160GB hard drive, DVD multi-writer optical drive, Intel GMA X3100 graphics, a 12.1" screen, and 801.11a/b/g/n wireless.

Price is 4099 Singapore dollars (about $2,700), it weighs just over 3lb, and battery life is supposed to be around 6hrs. It should be available later this month.

(via cnetasia)

Continue reading "NEC Versa S9100 tough laptop"

New Gateway PCs

Gateway has announced a bunch of new desktop pcs.

The new PCs ranger from the $549 DX442 with Pentium Dual-core, onboard graphics, 2GB RAM and 320GB hard drive to the $3500 factory overclocked, dual 8800 GT graphics FX541XT.

More details after the jump.

Continue reading "New Gateway PCs"

Dell Inspirons getting all artsy

Dell is now offering graffiti influenced artwork by Brooklyn based artist Mike Ming on the top lids of their Inspiron 1525 laptops.

There are 4 different pieces of artwork available across two different versions of the 1525: a $699 model with 1.73Ghz processor, 3GB RAM and 160GB hard drive, and a $799 model with 1.83Ghz processor, 3GB RAM, and 320GB hard drive.

The new laptops are available today and will ship in about two weeks.

(more at dell)

Lenovo Ideapad U110 reviewed

Engadget has posted their full review of the Lenovo Ideapad U110.

Here's what they thought:

"So, did Lenovo hit a home run with the IdeaPad U110? All things considered, we might have to say no. Granted, that's based primarily on the dreadful keyboard and slightly underpowered feel. You just can't make an ultraportable that's tough to type on -- this class of machine, more than any other, requires the quality of the keys to be top-shelf. Unfortunately, we weren't able to adapt to the annoyingly slick coating, and we found ourselves frustrated by the inability to type for even short periods of time without accidentally inputting characters that we didn't intend to.

That being said, the U110 is otherwise still a solid machine. If the keys felt half as good as the trackpad, we'd feel totally different about the entire thing. Additionally, the absurdly glossy display doesn't help matters, as it's next to impossible to avoid seeing those ever-present reflections. We really dig the design and overall build quality, but at $1,899 (or $1,999 for the 3GB RAM model), it's a stretch to recommend it without qualifications. If you really, really like what you're seeing, we would suggest finding one and giving those keys a go on your own; for those not bothered by the coating, it's entirely more inviting."

(full review at engadget)

Eee PC 900 available for pre-order in the US

ASUS North American headquarters today announced the availability of the long-awaited ASUS Eee PC 900. The US is the 3rd in-line to offer the 8.9-inch ASUS Eee PC following its release in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. Both Linux and Microsoft Windows operation system will be available for the pre-order.

This new generation of ASUS Eee PC includes a package of new features. The new 8.9-inch (1024 x 600) is equipped with a 1.3 Mega Pixel webcam, 1GB of memory, and has a FingerGlide feature which enables users to zoom in and out of pictures with simple finger movement.

The ASUS Eee PC 900 will officially become available in the US on May 12th.

US Specs:

$549, 8.9" 1024x600 LCD, 1GB RAM, either 12GB SSD and XP or 20GB SSD and Linux, 802.11b/g, 1.3mp webcam, MMC/SD card slot, 3 USB ports, 8.86" x 6.69" x 0.79"~1.33", 2.18lb.

Lenovo U110 unboxing

Last week Lenovo started selling the Ideapad U110 laptop with the following specs:

Intel Core 2 Duo 1.6GHz (4 MB cache, 800 MHz FSB), 2GB PC2-5300/667 MHz RAM (up to 3GB supported), 120 GB 4200 rpm PATA HDD, System ships with two batteries: 4-cell and 7-cell, plus an external USB portable DVD burner, 2.4 lbs weight, 11.1-inch 16:9 LED-backlit WXGA screen (1366 x 768), Intel X3100 integrated Graphics, Aluminum etch cover and Magnesium Aluminum case, Frameless screen, Touch-sensitive controls, Vista Home Premium, Dolby Home Theatre Speaker System, Veriface security authentication, Integrated 1.3 megapixel camera, 3 USB 2.0 ports, 6 in 1 card reader, Express Card slot, and Mini-PCIe slot.

Engadget got hold of one and have posted a bunch of nice unboxing photos.

(more at engadget)

Fujitsu U810 and T2010 tablet PCs now available

The two new tablet pcs announced by fujitsu earlier this year are now available for purchase.

The U810 mini laptop is just 1.56lb with a 5.6" LCD and Ultra Low Power 800MHz Intel A110 processor and costs $999.

The T2010 is larger and more powerful with a 12.1" LCD, Intel Core2 Duo 7600 processor, and a $1499 price tag.

Both can be ordered with built-in HSUPA connectivity allowing access to 3G and EDGE/GPRS wireless systems in 145 countries through AT&T, this options costs $200 plus the usual AT&T data plan.

Continue reading "Fujitsu U810 and T2010 tablet PCs now available"

MSI GX600X laptop reviewed

TweakTown has reviewed the MSI GX600X laptop.

Here's what they thought:

"If they had one without the logos and glossy finish, and instead a simple matt black coating understating the products true power, then I would have no qualms in stepping out and buying it today.

We have decided to give it the Best Performance award because of the amazing overclocking ability, as well as being a feature packed product at an affordable price. Well done MSI."

(full review at tweaktown)

Acer 18.4 inch laptop reviewed

Laptop Mag has reviewed the Acer 8920G Aspire laptop that has a massive 18.4" screen, this is no ultraportable, it's almost an unportable at 8.8lb.

A full review will come later but for now they say:

"What immediately jumped out at us was the dramatic revamping of the Gemstone design. This new Gemstone "blue" design consists of a slick blue, black, and silver color scheme, textured NeoWeave palmrest and touchpad, illuminated power button, Acer logo on the lid, and status indicators. The best use of the illumination is in the Acer CineDash Media Console, a touch-sensitive interface positioned left of the keyboard that lets you control music and videos."

(review at laptopmag)

Lenovo thinkpad X300 reviewed

The Register has reviewed the $2500 Lenovo Thinkpad X300 think lightweight 13" laptop.

Here's what they thought:

"The ThinkPad X300 is an expensive piece of kit but it's a superb laptop that is well worth the asking price. Yes, it costs the best part of two grand. Yes, that is a very high price, but you really ought to get your hands on an X300 for a test drive. If you do, you won't want anything else."

(full review at theregister)

Seven reasons not to buy Psystar Mac clone

Gizmodo have come out with seven reasons why they think you should steer clear of Psystar and the "open computer" mac clone right now.

1. You can't update
2. You can't reinstall Leopard if you mess things up
3. Their support is untested
4. Apple is going to sue and try to put then out of business
5. The build quality isn't good and the fan is very noisy
6. You are breaking the EULA of the Leopard OS
7. You can build a better mac yourself

I have to say I find it hard to disagree with any of their arguments.

(more at gizmodo)

Eee PC 900 Now available in the UK

The Asus Eee PC 900 is now available for purchase in the UK in two versions:

The Eee PC 900 has a 8.9" 1024x600 pixel screen, 1GB RAM, 20GB SSD, 802.11b/g wireless, 1.3 megapixel camera, and is preloaded with Linux.

The Eee OC 900 Windows has the same specs except it only has a 12GB SSD and is preloaded with Windows XP and Microsoft Works.

Both versions are priced at £329 ($660) and are available in black or white.

(asus uk)

2 new dell business laptops - Vostro 1310 and 1510

Dell has announced the availability of two new inexpensive Vostro laptops.

The Vostro 1310 is a 13.3" laptop that weighs 4.6lb and starts at $749 and the Vostro 1510 is a 15.4" laptop weighing 5.7lb and starting at $599.

Both laptops have Intel Core 2 Duo processors, up to 4GB RAM, optical drive, and fingerprint reader.

In about 2 weeks Dell will launch a similar 1710 laptop with 17" screen (pictured).

(via laptoping)

Dell XPS 730 H2C review

It looks like everyone got a Dell XPS 730 H1C to review recently. We can't tell if CNET or PC Magazine were the first to get their review posted so we will link you to both.

CNET says: "Dell's updated flagship gaming desktop incorporates the latest hardware from Intel, Nvidia, and AMD into a system that delivers some very impressive gaming scores. We'd give it a higher recommendation if it wasn't so expensive compared with systems from the competition."

PC Magazine says: "At this price level, however, only high-end gamers with deep pockets need apply (though the XPS 730 H2C is actually a little less expensive than its predecessors). It yielded some of the better gaming performance I've seen lately, but for the time being you're really buying a system with future-proofing built in."

(reviews at cnet, and pcmag)

Asus M50S photos

PC Perspective got their hands on the new Asus M50S multimedia laptop and while they work on a full review they posted some photos.

Here's how it came equipped:

"A quick look at the specs of the system should impress most: Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 processor that rocks at 2.10 GHz, 3GB of memory, 15.4" screen that is incredibly bright (but very capable of producing glare), 250GB SATA hard drive, 802.11 networks galore (a, b, g, n), Bluetooth and even the new NVIDIA GeForce 9500M GS mobility GPU with 512MB of dedicated frame buffer. Oh, and it comes with a Blu-ray disc reader / DVD burner as well. "

(more at pcperspectives)

Dell XPS 730 H2C unboxing

Ok, it's official, I am suffering from computer envy.

5 minutes after posting the press release on the Dell XPS 730 H2C I find out that not only do hothardware already have one but that they have posted the unboxing and ran some benchmarks.

"So far, the XPS 730 H2C is shaping up to be a very impressive machine. However, we've barely just started to explore this system. Stay tuned and keep watching the front page because we'll have a full review of the XPS 730 H2C soon, complete with a full suite of benchmarks and, of course, plenty more pictures."

(more at hothardware)

Dell XPS 730 H2C

Dell has announced it's new top end gaming machine: the Dell XPS 730 H2C.

It comes in two versions: the XPS 730 with air cooling and starting at $3,999 and the watercooled XPS 730 H2C starting at $4,999.

These PCs are quad-tastic with quad graphics cards, quad core factory overclocked processors, and quad hard drives.

We just specced one out the way we want it and it came to over $10k, that's what I call a high-end gaming pc!

Continue reading "Dell XPS 730 H2C"

Eee PC in 3 pastel colors

The Eee PC is being released in three pastel colors in Japan: sky blue, brush pink, and rush green.

No word yet on if these colors will ever make it to the Eee PC 900 or to non-Asian countries.

I like these colors, very relaxing, it's the sort of laptop I would buy for my 9 nieces and nephews (if I were stinking rich).

(via akihibaranews)

Asus G70 gaming laptop specs

Asus has announced the specs of their G70 gaming laptop.

It will ship with an Intel core 2 duo or core 2 extreme processor, twin GeForce 8700M graphics, 17" 1920x1200 screen, up to 4gb RAM, and up to 640MB of hard drive space.

Full press release:

Continue reading "Asus G70 gaming laptop specs"

Asus to double Eee PC shipments in Q2

Asus expects to nearly double shipments of their Eee PCs during the second quarter of 2008. In the first quarter they sold 700,000 Eee PCs and expect to sell 1,300,000 this quarter including their new Eee PC 900.

It will be interesting to see if they meet that goal considering all the competition coming online in the ultraportable space.

(via pcworld)

Macbook air overheating

Determined to get to the bottom of their macbook air overheating problems engadget took their too hot to trot skinny laptop to an Apple "genius" but he couldn't reproduce the problem.

So, when all else fails create a poll. They asked their readers if they too were having problems and the winning answer with a resounding 73.2% of the vote was......

"I don't have a MacBook Air, thanks for asking"

Of the people who responded that do own a macbook air the majority were having problems with over 2000 people reporting their macbook air "Overheats all the time, really annoying".

Sounds like the problem is real and Apple needs to do something about it.

(poll at engadget)

Psystar open computer benchmarks

Engadget has put their Psystar open computer through it's paces and have posted their thoughts, a video, and some benchmarks:

Okay, so we've been playing with the Psystar Open Computer for a few hours now, and we've formed some early impressions and put together a short video of it in action. We haven't really tried to stress the system yet, but based on our other experiences with OSx86 machines, we're expecting things to generally go smoothly. That said, there are some definite rough patches and issues, all mostly having to do with the fact that OS X isn't really built for this hardware. Here's what we know so far:

.......

(more at engadget)

Psystar open computer reviewed

CNET got a Psystar Open Computer running MacOS Leopard to review.

They don't have the full review posted yet but they have put up a slideshow and an unboxing video:

slideshow
unboxing

The full review should be up later today.

It seems like despite all the naysayers who thought it was a scam the product is real. The next part of the story though will likely be the lawsuit against Psystar by Apple.

New Fujitsu lifebook tablet pc spotted in Germany

TabletPCReview found out about an unannounced tablet pc shown recently by Fujitsu in Germany. Here's what they know:

"At this point the following specifications are known: Intel Core 2 Duo P8400, 13.3" passive digitizer Display, Accessories in the same design.

It looks as though it could be a replacement for the T2010 tablets or maybe we are in luck and Fujitsu has a completely new design. No word on pricing yet either, but we hope more information will start trickling out."

more at tabletpcreview via engadget)

Toshiba laptops get facial recognition security software

Toshiba's laptops with "fusion finish" (the U400, M300, A300 and P300) will now come with facial recognition software that won't let you login unless your face (or whatever other part of your anatomy you waved at the webcam during setup) matches a database of stored user images.

In unrelated news police expect the number of decapitations associated with laptop thefts to increase.

"Hand over your laptop or else!, hold on that's one of them fancy Toshiba ones, sorry mate I'm just going to have to decapitate you as well."

(via hothardware)

Comparison chart of ultraportables

Eeepc.net has come out with a couple of nice charts that compare features of both 7" and larger ultraportables listing displays, CPU, RAM, storage, WiFi, lan, webcam, USB, card reader, battery, weight, OS and cost.

7 inch chart

8 to 10 inch chart

Lenovo announces two larger ideapads

The U110 wasn't the only ideapad laptop announced by lenovo yesterday: they also announced two less exciting new members of the ideapad line.

The Ideapad Y510 is a pretty standard 15.4" laptop for $669 and the Ideapad Y710 is a higher performance 17" laptop for $1099.

Full press release:

Continue reading "Lenovo announces two larger ideapads"

Alienware m17x - their fastest laptop ever

Alienware has announced their new Area-51 m17x gaming laptop, a massive laptop that is their fastest ever featuring Intel Core 2 extreme processors, dual SLI GeForce 8800M GTX graphics, 4GB RAM, up to a terabyte of storage space, 1200 x 1920 pixel 17" LCD. TV tuner draft-n WiFi, and much more.

The m17x starts at $2,199, but for top performance max out all the options and cough up a little over 6 grand.

(more at alienware)

Lenovo Ideapad U110 full specs

The Lenovo Ideapad U110 is now available for purchase. The full specs of this $1899 laptop are:

Intel Core 2 Duo 1.6GHz (4 MB cache, 800 MHz FSB), 2GB PC2-5300/667 MHz RAM (up to 3GB supported), 120 GB 4200 rpm PATA HDD, System ships with two batteries: 4-cell and 7-cell, plus an external USB portable DVD burner, 2.4 lbs weight, 11.1-inch 16:9 LED-backlit WXGA screen (1366 x 768), Intel X3100 integrated Graphics, Aluminum etch cover and Magnesium Aluminum case, Frameless screen, Touch-sensitive controls, Vista Home Premium, Dolby Home Theatre Speaker System, Veriface security authentication, Integrated 1.3 megapixel camera, 3 USB 2.0 ports, 6 in 1 card reader, Express Card slot, and Mini-PCIe slot.

Lenovo A61e green pc reviewed

The register has reviewed the Lenovo A61e green pc (called a green pc because of low power requirements).

Here's what they thought:

"The ThinkCentre A61e is very basic and while it does a competent job it seems terribly expensive compared to a better-specced Dell Vostro."

(more at theregister)

World's Smallest Mac

It looks like a guy over at OQO Talk has "modified" his OQO so that it runs MacOS Leopard.

Bluetooth works, WiFi works, sound and power management all work, and for the skeptics out there there is even video posted (after the jump).

"The Leopard install is legitimate and works quite well. However, I am still working on two final issues which are video resolution, presently limited to 800x480, and wwan which I have not yet attempted. Sound, wifi, power management, and usb are working fine and the system is very responsive. When I have completed these final tasks I will post a review with further details."

(oqotalk via engadget)

Continue reading "World's Smallest Mac"

New iMacs running overclocked Penryn chips

When apple announced the iMac upgrade yesterday people were excited to see that the top of the line model boasted specs equivalent to the upcoming X9100 Montevideo chip not the expected Penryn chip.

It turns out Apple didn't get the first bite at Montevideo, instead they are using overclocked Penryn chips that use 55W of power instead of the Montevideo's 44W.

With that kind of overclocking I wonder how that affects the chip's lifespan. No worries though, the mac fanatics will be upgrading next year to the new new iMac running the new new mac operating system.

(via tgdaily)

Alienware Area 51 gets CrossfireX

Alienware has announced that they are now offering 4 GPU CrossFireX graphics using a pair of Radeon HD 3879 X2 cards on their Area-51 gaming PC.

Alienware are famous for their high performance gaming PCs and this enhancement helps keep them at the top of the field.

(press release after the jump)

(via engadget)

Continue reading "Alienware Area 51 gets CrossfireX"

HP DC5850 and DC2450 business desktops, they are stable

The second half of the "AMD Business Class" comedy duo has just reared it's head.

HP jsut announced two new desktops that support the exciting "next-generation AMD Business Class processors" that are much more stable than every other nasty unstable AMD processor out there. Way to shoot yourself in the foot AMD.

If you ignore the marketing babble the PCs themselves aren't bad: good features at a very good price.

(full press release after the jump)

Continue reading "HP DC5850 and DC2450 business desktops, they are stable"

iMac update happens a day early

Everyone knows apple always does stuff on Tuesday, so why are they messing with our heads by releasing the iMac update a day early?

The update itself is as expected:

Entry level $1199 20" iMac with 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo Penryn processor, 1GB memory, 250GB hard drive, 128MB ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT graphics.

High-end $2199 24" iMac with 3.06GHz Core 2 Duo Penryn processor, 2GB memory, 320GB hard drive, 512MB Nvidia GeForce 8800 GS graphics.

(full press release after the jump)

Continue reading "iMac update happens a day early"

Asus making Eee a seperate brand

Digitimes is reporting that Asus is considering splitting off Eee as a separate brand:

"Asustek Computer is considering making Eee an independent brand with a lineup products including the original Eee PC notebook, as well as the previously reported upon Eee TV (E-TV), Eee desktop (E-DT), and Eee monitor which are all expected to be introduced by the end of the third quarter this year, according to industry sources.

In other news, in addition to the Eee PC 900, the company will launch the Eee PC 1001 with a 10-inch panel as well as an 11-inch model by the end of this year, market sources have revealed."

(via digitimes)

More on the iMac update

More info is leaking out on the iMac update that is expected to happen tomorrow.

Prices are staying the same (at $1199, $1499, and $1799) but the hardware is supposed to be updated with:

Intel's latest penryn chipset
More memory
Bigger hard drive
and possibly an upgraded graphics card

(via slashgear)

Lenovo Ideapad U110 ultraportable coming April 29th

Lenovo has confirmed that their Ideapad U110 ultraportable will be available in the US on April 29th, direct from Lenovo, for $1899.

Specs are likely to be a 1.6GHz Core 2 Duo L7500 processor, 3GB of RAM, 120GB hard drive, and an 11.1-inch WXGA (1366 x 768 pixels) display.

Other features include Intel GMA X3100 integrated graphics, a 1.3-megapixel web camera, Ethernet LAN, Intel 4965AGN wireless, and Bluetooth, and a battery life of up to 8 hours.

Not bad considering the lenovo ideapad u110 is only 2.3 pounds and 0.7" thick.

Continue reading "Lenovo Ideapad U110 ultraportable coming April 29th"

Falcon Northwest FragBox 8500 reviewed

PC Mag has reviewed the small form factor Falcon Northwest FragBox 8500.

Here's what they thought:

"All things considered, naming the Falcon Northwest FragBox 8500 the new Editors' Choice in this category was a no-brainer. Most important, you can play Crysis on it. It's the system to buy right now if you're interested in a Wolfdale-powered gaming PC but don't want to break into the $3,000-plus stratosphere. You'll be paying a bit more than budget gamers for performance and portability, but you won't regret it. The FragBox is here to kick ass. Let it be your opponent's."

(full review at pcmag)

Large images of the MSI Wind

MSI has released a bunch of "large" (600x500 pixel) photos of their EeePC-like Wind ultraportable.

The Wind will have Intel processors between 1GHz and 1.6GHz, 1GB RAM, 80GB hard drive, 8.9 inch 1024 x 600 pixel screen, 3 USB ports, VGA output, SD card reader, Windows XP Home, WiFi, Bluetooth, 1.3 megapixel webcam, and should be available in June.

(more pics at engadgetchina)

Continue reading "Large images of the MSI Wind"

Comprehensive list of Eee PC clones and copycats

Liliputing has put together a comprehensive list of all the Eee PC clones, copycats, and coincidentally similar low cost ultraportable PCs.

The list includes PCs already shipping such as the Eee PC itself, the Dreambook Light IL1, the Everex Cloudbook, and the HP2133 Mini-note, PCs coming soon such as the ECS G10IL, the Everex Cloudbook Max, and the MSI Wind, and 18 PCs recently announced that may or may not end up as vaporware.

(more at liliputing)

iMac update coming next week?

Geeksugar got the scoop on an update to the iMac range coming next week.

The rumor is that the new iMacs will be the same prices as the current models but will have faster processors and more hard drive space.

Go check out geeksugar to see if they have any more good gossip.

When a toughbook isn't tough enough

When a toughbook isn't tough enough and you need to take rugged computing to the next level you should consider the Vigor Evo HD from Next Computing.

It looks like a large (19"W x 7.5"D x 13.44"H) metal briefcase but it contains a powerful desktop pc complete with 17" LCD monitor - all secured inside the chassis and designed to withstand tough conditions.

No price is listed but you know anytime a website says "request a quote" it will be expensive.

More at nextcomputing.

(via hothardware)

Continue reading "When a toughbook isn't tough enough"

Want to win an Asus Eee PC 900?

Want to win a new Asus Eee PC 900?

Laptop Magazine are giving one away: all you have to do is visit their site and fill out a short survey.

The new Asus Eee PC 900 features 20gb hard drive, a 8.9" screen, Xandros Linux OS, and weighs just 2.2lb.

Enter the contest at Laptop Magazine

Asus Lamborghini VX3 reviewed

CNET has posted a review of the Asus Lamborghini VX3 laptop.

This is a premium compact laptop costing $3300 for a 12.1" screen, 2.5GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9300, 3GB RAM, 320GB HD, and Nvidia GeForce 9300M graphics.

Overall they thought it looked great and had excellent build quality bot was slow and had a poor battery life.

(full review at cnet)

Continue reading "Asus Lamborghini VX3 reviewed"

Lenovo Thinkpad X300 Review

Digital Trends have posted a review of the Lenovo Thinkpad X300 ultra-thin laptop.

The X300 is comparable in size to the Macbook Air but crams in an optical drive and a 64GB SSD.

This high-tech wizardry doesn't come cheap though - the X300 starts at $3000.

For someone who travels a lot and wants to stick with windows instead of mac then the X300 sounds like an excellent choice - especially if your employer pays for it!

(full review at digitaltrands)

Averatec: two new semi-rugged laptops

Panasonic has long been the market segment leader when it comes to rugged laptops with their toughbook range but they are facing new competition with the announcement by Averatec that they are going to start selling two new semi-rugged laptops.

The Voya 4473 will be a 14.1" standard notebook, while the larger Voya 6494 will have a 15.4" widescreen display. Both will have magnesium alloy outer cases, corner bumpers, and an anti-shock mounted hard drive.

As standard the Voya 4473 has a Intel Core Duo T2080 (1.73GHz) processor, 1BG RAM, DL-DVD curner, 802.11a/b/g wireless, 120GB hard drive, and 4-in-1 media card reader.

No word on if these meet any Department of Defense specs although Averatec describe them as offering "military grade reliability": our troops serving overseas often look for rugged laptops but are put off by the high prices, with the Voya 4473 starting at just $1299 (half the price of a comparable toughbook) it looks like Averatec may end up getting a lot of military business.

Continue reading "Averatec: two new semi-rugged laptops"

Eee PC 900: Free battery upgrades for all

We have a follow up to yesterday's story about Eee PC 900 buyers in Hong Kong receiving 4400mAh batteries instead of the 5800 mAh batteries included in all 900's given to reviewers.

Asus has now apparently announced that they will be giving a free battery upgrade to all buyers that received the 4400 mAh battery equipped Eee PC 900s.

Congrats to Asus for doing the right thing (and caving so quickly to the negative publicity).

(more at jkkmobile)

Continue reading "Eee PC 900: Free battery upgrades for all"

Acer to offer Aspire 5920 with WiMax

Acer has announced they are going to offer a new version of their Aspire 5920 laptop with built-in WiMax in partnership with Sprint.

What do they mean by "in partnership with Sprint"? that means you can only buy the laptop through sprint with a (2 year) service plan.

I am looking forward to the widespread availability of WiMax: being able to get online seamlessly with your laptop almost anywhere just like using a cell phone.

(via infoworld)

Eee PC 900: battery bait and switch?

Digitimes is reporting that early adopters of the Eee PC 900 are finding weaker batteries than those provided to the media for review:

Asustek Computer is considering plans to give a free Eee PC 900 battery upgrade to consumers in Hong Kong who purchased their machines on the first day of launch following complaints that the company had mislead customers and early reviewers.

Several consumers in Hong Kong who purchased Eee PC 900s on the first day have complained that the battery that came with their system (4-cell, 4400mAh) does not have the same capacity as that of review samples supplied to the Hong Kong media (4-cell, 5800mAh) before the launch.

Asustek explained that the 4400mAh battery is currently the standard for the Eee PC 900, while it plans to introduce the 5800mAh battery in later products. It said 5800mAh batteries were provided to the media for testing by mistake.

The company said it is currently evaluating procedures to instigate a replacement program, details of which it will announce at a later time.

(via digitimes

Toshiba announces 5 new laptops

Toshiba has announced a bunch of new laptops:

The Satellite Pro L300 and L300D start at $699 for a basic 15.4" laptop.

The Satellite Pro M300 is a more portable 14.1" laptop starting at $999.

The Satellite Pro U400 is a compact 13.3" laptop for $1049.

The Satellite Pro L350 is more of a desktop replacement with 17" screen starting at $1099.

Not really earth-shattering new, just your average business laptops.

(full press release after the jump)

Continue reading "Toshiba announces 5 new laptops"

Fujitsu's new all-in-one PC: F-A50

Fujitsu has announced a new entry in the all-in-one pc category where the innards of the pc are packed inside a (hopefully svelte and alluring) large LCD monitor.

The F-A50 goes on sale in Japan in about a month's time and will cost the equivalent of $1300.

What about the features? well according to a Japanese to English translation it has a 16" display running at 1366x768, core 2 duo T8100 processor, Intel integrated graphics, wifi, and a PC Card slot (who uses PC card slot anymore? maybe they are more popular in Japan alongside beer and panty dispensers??).

(via Engadget)

Gold plated Mac with sapphires

Computer-Choppers have taken ostentatious to a new level with a 24kt gold plated Macbook Air complete with sapphire encrusted apple logo.

If that isn't enough for you they also have a matching gold superdrive.

Bling Bling!

(more info and pics at http://www.computer-choppers.com/)

Asus M70 Notebook - 1 terabyte storage and blu-ray!

People always wish their laptop was as powerful as a desktop pc, then when they get one that powerful it is too heavy to move around. Well that is a trade off you have to accept if you want a top of the line laptop.

Asus just announced a new desktop replacement laptop, the M70, that has some really impressive specs including 1 terabyte of storage space, blu-ray support, 17" lcd with 1920x1200 pixel resolution, and a smartlogon system that uses facial recognition.

Of course you are going to pay a lot for all this power, probably around $3200.

Continue reading "Asus M70 Notebook - 1 terabyte storage and blu-ray!"

Dell Inspiron XPS 2

Dell's second new laptop announcement is targeted straight at gamers who use laptops, not the largest market segment but a fast growing one as gaming capabilites of laptops exceed last years fastest desktop PCs.

The Dell Inspiron XPS 2 (second generation of the XPS) is big and heavy (8.6 pounds) but not as big or ugly as the previous XPS.

The XPS 2 is also a big leap forward over the XPS in terms of technology, sporting the Sonoma chipset (instead of a desktop P4 chip), DDR2 RAM, 256MB GeForce Go 6800 PCI-Express graphics, 17" 1920 x 1200 widescreen LCD, and a load of LEDs that you can change the color of (and presumably make the laptop run faster??).

The XPS2 laptop is available now from Dell starting at a substantially wallet breaking $2,749.

Current Dell Deals

Dell Inspiron 9300

Dell has just announced a pair of nice new laptops: The XPS2 and the inspiron 9300.

The Dell Inspiron 9300 is Dell's first Media Center Edition laptop (if you upgrade the OS when ordering) and can be supplied with an optional external TV tuner, but mostly this is just a very high spec, lots of bang for the buck, desktop-replacement laptop.

The Dell Inspiron 9300 replaces the Inspiron 9200 (yes, logic is one of our strong points) which has itself only been out short while. It features lots of new technology including the Sonoma chipset (the replacement for Centrino), 533Mhz DDR2 RAM, (optional) 256MB GeForceFX 6800 Go PCI-Express video, and a whopping 17 inch LCD that comes in two resolutions, 1152x864 or 1600x1200.

Equally whopping is the weight: 7.85lb so you wont be carrying around everywhere, but if you are an occasioanl traveler looking for a laptop this would be a great choice.

The Dell Inspiron 9300 starts at $1,599 and should be available on the Dell Site in mid-march.

Current Dell Deals

Samsung Q30 Ultra-Portable Reviewed

TrustedReviews has reviewed the very nice Q30 ultra-portable laptop from Samsung, and one good part of the review is that they compare it to the Sony Vaio X505.

At the end of the day the Q30 isn't as small or light as the X505 but it is still very small and light, and the Q30 wins over the X505 as it can do a lot more: built-in Wi-Fi, D-SUB, Ethernet, and memory card reader.

The Q30 performed well and would be a good choice for someone who travels a lot and needs to travel light, just don't expect it to be able to play games (except for solitaire or minesweeper which is all I ever see people playing on planes).

Full Review at TrustedReviews

$500 Mac Rumors

ThinkSecret says that Apple's bombshell announcement at this years MacWorld Expo show is going to be a tiny iMac that doesn't come with a monitor, is under 2" tall, and costs less than $500.

Specs of the new Mac (codenamed Q88) are said to be a 1.25GHz processor, DVI/VGA video output, CD/DVD combo drive, 40GB+ hard drive, 256MB RAM, USB 2.0, and 10/100 ethernet.

I wouldn't suggest anyone get this as their main computer but if you want an inexpensive second PC and want to see how a Mac works this could be a good buy.

We may get one of these just to use to use in reviews of products that support both mac and PC and to see how our web sites look on a mac.

ThinkSecret Exclusive

They Call It a Laptop.....

.... but I'm not sure if I would want it on my lap.

PC Magazine has reviewed the latest incarnation of the Dell Inspiron XPS "desktop replacement" laptop.

This 9.8lb (probably excluding battery) 14.1" x 10.8" x 2" thick $4400 monster boasts a 3.4GHz Intel Pentuim 4 Extreme Edition processor, Mobility Radeon 9800 Pro graphics, and 256MB DDR2 memory.

Frankly I don't get it, a ten pound laptop is too big to carry around, gets too hot to keep on your lap for long (and could benefit from the chillpak we mentioned recently), and despite it being plugged as an extreme gaming system it only managed a 3DMark05 score of 2300, a full 1500 points less (and $3500 more) than we got with a $649 Dell Desktop PC upgraded with a $200 graphics card.

If you absolutely have to have a large laptop for gaming this is a good choice, otherwise give it a miss.

Full review at PC magazine

Sexy Media Center PC

Now this is one sexy piece of Italian design, the OnCinema Teatro D1 Media Center PC.

The OnCinema Teatro D1 is made of aluminum, comes in silver and black, prominently features a 1280x720 pixel touchscreen LCD, and costs a jaw-dropping 5000 euros ($6000).

There is no mention when you buy of what processor or memory you get with at (irrelevent details?), but you do get a dual layer DVD recorder, 500GB hard drive space, 802.11g wireless, USB 2.0, firewire, Dolby DTS 7.1, dual TV tuners, and a host of outputs including S-Video, component, DVI and lots more.

Foxy!, do you think it's too late to call santa and change my wish list?

OnCinema home page (Italian) (via Gizmodo)

Build your own Media Center PC

Until recently you could only buy Windows XP Media Center Edition as part of a new PC purchase, but now you can buy it with as little as one piece of hardware and then build your own Media Center PC.

Extremetech did this and while they had a few difficulties getting all the software and drivers to play nice together they ended up with a very nice HDTV Media Center PC for just over $2300 to go with the HDTVs from their HDTV buying guide we mentioned earlier this month.

Our opinion is that while it would be nice to build your own Media Center PC to your exact specifications, for that much money you could buy a Media Center PC from a major manufacturer and have the reassurance of tech support when things go wrong, so give this a miss unless you are very confident in your PC building abilities.

Extremetech Media Center PC Building Guide (via digitalmediathoughts)

Walmart $500 laptop

Walmart have put out a press release about a new bargain laptop they are selling for under 500 bucks. The catch is that it runs linspire which is a Linux based operating system.

We suggest you go for the version that has Windows XP home and costs $50 more.

Other specs of the XP version are just ok: 1.1GHz mobile Athlon 4 processor, 40gb hard drive, 128mb RAM, 14.1" screen, 802.11b wireless and DVD drive.

This is a PC that will just about start up Windows XP and let you do email and surf the web, you wont be able to play games or do much else with a slow processor and minimal memory (XP really needs at least 256mb).

Press Release

Balance Windows XP Laptop on Walmart.com for $548

Dell Dimension 8400 Review

This review should have been called "how to get a high-performance desktop PC with 17 inch LCD monitor for under $650".

Yes, you read that right. If you had the chance to buy a PC with 3.2GHz Pentium 4 processor, PCI Express Graphics, Serial ATA Hard Drive, 533MHz DDR3 Memory, Gigabit Ethernet, and lots more, for about half the price of buying each component and putting it together yourself, would you do it?

We did, in fact we jumped on the deal, and now we are going to tell you if the Dell Dimension 8400 lives up to the promise of being a high performance PC with all the latest technology.

Continue reading "Dell Dimension 8400 Review"

Next Generation PC Power for Less $$$

Most of our site visitors are like us; we want to have the latest greatest PC technology without either:

1) Buying a $3000 system and breaking the bank, or
2) Buying seperate components and building our own system, or
3) Overclocking less powerful components

We like to buy a PC for well under $1000 and then spend a couple of hundred bucks every few months to increase its power.

We are going to show you how to do this so you can have the latest greatest PC technology.

Continue reading "Next Generation PC Power for Less $$$"

Gateway M210 Widescreen Laptop

Gateway have started selling their new M210 widescreen laptop.

The basic configuration of the M210 is 1.2" thick, weighs 5.3lb, costs $899.99, and features a 1.5GHz Celeron M processor, XP home, 256MB RAM, 40GB hard drive, CDRW/DVD combo drive, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, integrated graphics, and a 14.1" widescreen WXGA (1366x768) LCD screen.

Seems like a good choice for a sub-$1000 laptop that is good for work and good for watching DVDs on long plane flights, but it's no good for playing games.

M210 Product Page

FCC Power Grab

Susan Crawford found some very interesting wording in a legal brief filed by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) as part of a lawsuit brought by a number of advocacy groups over the Broadcast Flag (a mandate that by mid-2005 all devices capable of receiving a digital signal have to obey a flag settable by the networks to prevent copying).

Now this is bad in itself as it limits our rights to record a program for viewing at a later date but it gets worse: in the brief the FCC claims that they have regulatory power over "all instrumentalities, facilities, and apparatus associated with the overall circuit of messages sent and received via all interstate radio and wire communication."

So, if a Gadget (PC, Tivo, home distributed wiring control panel, wireless router, networked hard drive) is capable of receiving and/or transmitting on any digital file the FCC thinks they can regulate it and force manufacturers to support the broadcast flag.

Now the FCC is on a morality crusade at the moment, starting with Janet Jackson at the Superbowl and leading to 20 ABC affiliates refusing to air "Saving Private Ryan" on Veterans day because they were afraid of FCC fines over the violence and the F word, I don't want an organization like that trying to regulate my pc, my home network, and my internet use.

(Does the White House know? at Susan Crawford blog)

Elonex Media Center PC

TrustedReviews has taken a look at the Elonex Lumina Media Center PC which, although named like a car, is a Microsoft XP Media Center 2005 PC inside a 32 inch LCD TV.

The stats of the pre-production Elonex Lumina are 3.0GHz Pentium 4 processor, 512MB RAM, 200GB hard drive, 128mb Radeon 9600 graphics, Win-TV PVR-500 dual tuner TV card, 10/100 ethernet, 802.11a/b/g wireless, DVD writer, memory card slot, and a 1344 x 768 pixel widescreen display.

Pretty impressive stats!

I would buy something like this for the family room of out new house except for one reason: a 32 inch screen is still too small for a medium or large family room; it works for an apartment but when you are 15 feet or more away from the screen you need something at least 45 inches across. Now, if Sharp were to put a similar setup inside their 45" Aquos screen for about $1,500 above the price of the screen on its own I would be very interested.

The Elonex Lumina will be available in the UK and will cost around $4,000.

(trustedreviews via digitalmediathoughts)

Dell Accessories Deals

Dell Home has a bunch of coupons today:

Dell Axim X30 high Pocket PC: $379 with free shipping (use $35 off $350 code)
Dell Axim V50v VGA Pocket PC: $464 with free shipping (use $35 off $350 code)
Canon Powershot S500 5 megapixel digital camera: $324 with free shipping (use $35 off $350 code)
Canon Powershot S410 4 megapixel digital camera: $279 with free shipping (use $35 off $350 code)
Dell 2001fp 1600x1200 pixel 20 inch LCD monitor: $604 with free shipping (use $35 off $350 code)
Dell 2005fp 1680x1050 pixel widescreen 20 inch LCD monitor: $644 with free shipping (use $35 off $350 code)

$35 off $350 accessories purchase with code BPDHZ0CHM?ZBLZ (expires 11/11/04)

25% off $999 Inspiron laptops with code 2WL7WMLD3Q4G23 (expires 11/15/04)
25% off $1299 Dimension desktops with code M60LDQM2TH?N37 (expires 11/18/04)
30% off $1799 Dimension desktops with code 3TB6R405280WT1 (expires 11/18/04)
(above codes replace the 15% to 25% discounts shown for desktops and laptops)

Niveus Denali and Rainier Media Center PCs

I got a look (and a listen) at both of the new high end media center PCs from NiveusMedia at the Digital Life show.

The Denali features P4 3.2Ghz HT, 1GB 400Mhz DDR SDRAM, 320GB HDD, DVD Recorder, Dual TV Tuner, Single HDTV, Nvidia GF6600 PCI-X, 24-bit/192Khz High Definition 8-Channel Audio & Windows XP MCE 2005 for $3999.

The Rainier features P4 2.8Ghz HT, 512MB 400Mhz DDR SDRAM, 160GB HDD, DVD Recorder, Dual TV Tuner, ATI 9600XT, 6 Channel Audio, Gigabit LAN & Windows XP MCE 2005 for $2999.

I have to say these things aren't just quiet most of the time, they are silent!

4 photos of them, and their rear ends, below.

Continue reading "Niveus Denali and Rainier Media Center PCs"

Evesham ebox Media Center PC

It has been a week of new media center pc releases and now The Register and TrustedReviews have taken a look at the Evesham ebox Media Center PC.

The Evesham ebox Media Center PC, definately has the look of a media center pc and would look good in a living room. It specs seem good too: 2.8GHz Pentium 4, 512mb RAM, 160GB hard drive, DVD-RW writer, but no wireless or PCI-express/AGP graphics card.

The Evesham ebox Media Center PC is available in the UK for for 765 pounds plus VAT (about $1400).

(more from the Register)

Gateway 820GM BTX Media Center PC

Gateway have announced their new Media Center PC: the Gateway 820GM Media Center PC.

The Gateway 820GM Media Center PC is interesting because it is one of the few PCs to use the BTX architecture for improving airflow through the computer.

Features of the Gateway 820GM BTX Media Center PC include 1GB RAM, Radeon X300SE PCI-Express graphics, Pentium 4 Processor, 250gb hard drive, and 8x DVD burner.

The Gateway 820GM BTX Media Center PC should be available this weekend, pricing is not yet known.

PDF 820GM Setup Guide/Info

(via engadget)

3 New HP Media Center 2005 Thingies

Gizmodo is keeping on top of all the Windows XP Media Center 2005 releases today.

First up are 3 new offerings from HP: The HP Digital Entertainment Center z500 series, the HP Media Center m1100, and the HP Media Center Extender x5400.

The HP Digital Entertainment Center z500 series is a living room system with dual tuners, 802.11b/g, 200gb hard drive, and a 160gb external drive for $1999.

The HP Media Center m1100 is designed more for managing photo ans auio collections, also feaures 802.11b/g wireless, and will cost $999.

The HP Media Center Extender x5400 delivers live/recorded TV shows, music and photos stored on any Media Center PC or the HP Digital Entertainment Center to any TV in the house using home networks and will cost $299.

Press Release

(via gizmodo)

Pepper Pad 2

While at TechXNY last week I got my hands on an interesting little device: The Pepper Pad 2 linux based tablet PC.

The idea behind the Pepper Pad is that is a simple to use portable wireless edevice for web browsing, emailing, and anything else it's "Pocket PC on Steroids" specifications can handle.

The Pepper Pad 2 features a 624MHz xscale processor (same as on the best Pocket PCs, 256MB RAM, 32MB video RAM, 20GB 1.8" hard drive, and a 8.4" SVGA (800 x 600 pixel) LCD screen.

Other features of the Pepper Pad 2 are 802.11b/g wireless, bluetooth, USB (only USB 1.1 though), and a SD/MMC card slot. The Pepper Pad 2 also has a QWERTY keyboard (split into 2 parts on either side of the screen), a S-Pad, scroll wheel and a stylus for input.

The Pepper Pad 2 felt nice in my hand but wouldn't be so nice to my wallet at $800. It seems a good gadget although I have to wonder if there is a big enough market for it to be a success.

Pre-order the Pepper Pad 2

Larger picture of the Pepper Pad 2

Toshiba Qosmio 17" Widescreen Laptops

Toshiba has added 2 17" widescreen laptops to their Qosmio range.

The new Toshiba Qosmio G10 laptops feature a dual-layer-compatible DVD Super-Multi drive, up to 160GB of storage (2 80gb 2.5" hard drives in one laptop), a 1440x900 17" Clear Super View LCD display, 1.6GHz Pentium-M processor, 512MB RAM (can be upgraded to 2GB), GeForce FX Go5700 video and realtime hardware-encoding TV tuner.

Battery life is low (2.4hrs) and the Toshiba Qosmio G10 isn't exactly what I would call small: 16.1" x 11.3" x 1.7", and almost 9lb.

The Toshiba Qosmio G10 laptops start at 300,000 Yen (about $2700).

(via techjapan)

Banned for testing Apple iMac G5

Not the best bit of publicity for Apple:

Robert Morgan runs a site called barefeats where he regularly tests Apple hardware. Instead of getting the hardware from Apple (who mostly give it out to larger sites and magazines to review) he has, for years, been going to various Apple stores and testing hardware there.

After his latest review of the Apple iMac G5 showed it wasn't as fast as Apple claimed Apple HQ told his local store not to let hime test Apple hardware any more.

Apple are trying to play nice now by promising to send him a G5 to test at home.

(Wired via engadget)

Sager Laptop Review

Engadget has a review of the very nice Sager 3790 laptop.

The Sager 3790 has either a 1.5GHz to 2GHz Centrino processor, 256mb to 2gb RAM, 40gb to 80gb hard drive, 15.4" 1920 x 1200 pixel screen, 128mb Radeon 9700 graphics, 4 in 1 card reader, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, and lots more.

The price is very good in comparison to other high end laptops: A configuration with 1.7GHz processor, 512mb ram, and 60gb hard drive is just $1795.

order the 3790 from Sager
read the review at engadget

Walmart's $600 Laptop

We haven't talked about this before but Walmart has got into the laptop business.

If you are looking for a basic laptop for back to school or around the house then this is worth considering as it is just $598 (with no rebate forms or other tricks).

The specs are really good for the price: Athlon XP-M 1600+ processor, 14.1" LCD screen, 40gb hard drive, 128MB RAM, DVD drive, 802.11b Wi-Fi wireless, and Windows XP. Only bad part of the spec is the 128mb memory but it has an upgrade slot to add more DDR SO-DIMM memory (up to another 512mb).

Walmart ECS 14" Laptop with W-Fi: $598

New Apple iMac G5 Details

Apple has officially launched the new iMac G5.

The design of the iMac G5 has all the computer components inside the monitor, kind of like a big thick tablet pc on a stand, or as a Apple puts it: "The entire computer, including a G5-based logic board, slot-loading optical drive, hard disk, speakers, and even the power supply — dwells inside the enchanting display".

There are 3 models of iMac G5 available:

1.6GHz iMac G5 with 17" widescreen lcd monitor, 256mb DDR400 SDRAM, 80GB hard drive, 64mb GeForce FX 5200 graphics, and combo cd-writer/dvd drive, for $1299.

1.8GHz iMac G5 with 17" widescreen lcd monitor, 256mb DDR400 SDRAM, 80GB hard drive, 64mb GeForce FX 5200 graphics, and combo cd and dvd writer drive, for $1499.

1.8GHz iMac G5 with 20" widescreen lcd monitor, 256mb DDR400 SDRAM, 160GB hard drive, 64mb GeForce FX 5200 graphics, and combo cd and dvd writer drive, for $1899.

The 17" iMac G5 is 16.9" x 16.8" x 2" (6.8" with stand), and weighs 18.5lb, and the 20" iMac G5 is 18.6" x 19.4" x 2.2" (7.4" with stand) and weighs 25.2lb.

They look nice but I guess I expected a little more for the price: no built-in wireless, DVD-writer is only 4x speed, underpowered video card, 20" display only goes up to 1680x1050 resolution.

More from Apple

Gateway BTX Computer

Gateway has announced the release of the first major desktop PC to use the new BTX architecture: The Gateway 700GR.

BTX is a new specification for motherboards and computer design based upon reliable quiet cooling: major components are aligned in a central wind tunnel between two large fans, one at the front and one at the back.

The gateway 700GR features a 3.4Ghz Pentium 4 550 processor, 1GB RAM, Radeon X300 128MB PCI-Express Video Card, 250GB hard drive, DVD Dual Layer Writer, 10/100/1000 Ethernet, 8-in-1 Media Card Reader, 7 USB 2.0 ports and 2 Firewire ports.

The Gateway 700GR will be available in stores this weekend for around $1200.

Press release

New iMacs on the way

Apple has posted on their web site that they screwed up have run out of current iMac models before the long rumored replacement models were ready.... new ones are due in September:

"Apple has stopped taking orders for the current iMac as we begin the transition from the current iMac line to an all-new iMac line which will be announced and available in September. We planned to have our next generation iMac ready by the time the inventory of current iMacs runs out in the next few weeks, but our planning was obviously less than perfect. We apologize for any inconvenience to our customers."

In related news, reliable online discount tech store Computers4Sure (owned by Office Depot) is now an official Apple retailer so hopefully we will see some good deals combined with their long-time free shipping on $50 promo when their Apple store goes live July 7th.

Kitchen PC's

Techreport.com has an article about building your own PC for the kitchen, I think in a couple of years I will build something similar but will probably fix the SFF case out of sight under a counter and have a LCD attached to the wall.

A Few Gateway Deals

Go to any Gateway store before they close tomorrow for great bargains, reportedly everything is reduced 15%+ to clear stock. (go to the Gateway home page and click on "Find A Store".

Other Gateway Deals:

$25 off any $500+ Gateway purchase with code SAVE25GTW (Exp 4/14)
Free Shipping on all Pentium Desktop PCs and Pentium & Centrino Notebooks with code NOSHIP (Exp 4/14)
Free 128MB Memory Card with Gateway Digital Cameras & Accessory Kits (exp 4/14)
Gateway 310T Pentium 4 Desktop PC w/ 17" monitor for $499 after rebate
$400 off Gateway 46" Plasma TV, now $3160 shipped (Exp 4/28)

Gateway Laptop Deal

Gateway have an extra $150 off their M305X Laptop with coupon code SAVE150NB (expires 4/7) for a final price of $849.

Its a fairly basic Laptop: 2.5Ghz celeron, 512mb ram, 30gb hard drive, CD-RW/DVD combo drive, 15" XGA screen. (no 802.11 wireless).

Continue reading "Gateway Laptop Deal"

Gateway Closing Stores

Gateway have announced they are closing all their 188 remaining retail stores on April 9th.

This is all tied into their acquisition of eMachines and the replacing of gateway founder Ted Wyatt at Gateway CEO with eMachines CEO Wayne Inouye.

Expect to see a change of strategy for Gateway over the next few months with less home gadgets and monitors and more cheap PCs.

Good Dell PC < $400

Here is the latest Dell "Outrageous Deal":

Dell Small Business has a great deal at the moment: Dimension 4600 for $399 (after $150 rebate), not recommended for the latest 3D games but great for web browsing, document writing, blog creating etc. Click on the link, then on outrageous deal on the bottom right of the page. 2.8Ghz Pentium 4, 512mb memory, 80gb hard drive. These deals typically last about a week.

Continue reading "Good Dell PC < $400"

Widescreen Laptop < $1000

I would love a nice widescreen laptop for watching movies on flights but until now its been difficult to justify the high prices.

Tigerdirect has refurbished eMachine M5312 laptops with an AMD Mobile XP2400+ processor, 512MB memory, 60GB hard drive, DVD-CDRW Combo drive, 15.4" WXGA screen, 802.11g wireless and XP Home for an amazingly low $999.99.

Continue reading "Widescreen Laptop < $1000"

$299.99 Basic Gateway PC

Gateway Sb-310-a PC only $299.99 shipped after $50 rebate: 2.4ghz celeron, 128mb, 40gb, windows XP.
Could be good for a 2nd PC or as a gift for a less tech savvy relative.

Continue reading "$299.99 Basic Gateway PC"

TigerDirect Sale

TigerDirect has a 48-hr sale ending today, some good deals are:

emachines 2.5ghz 256MB 40GB PC for $329.99
HP 2.66mhz 512mb 40gb 15.4" screen Laptop for $1199.99
DVD-RW burner for $49.99
Samsung 17" LCD monitor for $389.99

Click here for all the sale bargains (ends 3/19)

Basic Dell PC $349

Dell Small Business has a great deal at the moment: Dimension 2400 for $349 (after $200 rebate), not recommended for the latest 3D games but great for web browsing, document writing, blog creating etc. Click on the link, then on outrageous deal on the bottom right of the page. 2.66Ghz Pentium 4, 256mb memory, 80gb hard drive. Expires 3/17.

Continue reading "Basic Dell PC $349"