Fujitsu Siemens preps ‘piano lacquer’ Laptop
Fujitsu Siemens recently showed off what it claims is “the world’s most desirable laptop” due to the limited quantity, 2cm thickness and the black piano lacquer finish. The macine will set you back a fair amount too, running at around $4,800 USD.
The machine named the Fujitsu Lifebook Q2010 will also have Bluetooth 2.0, 802.11g, 3G mobile phone, and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, and is said to be VoIP-ready thanks to a pair of microphones with good sound quality and noise cancelling technology.
To access the notebook, you will have to pass a fingerprint scanner backed by a Trusted Platform Module which is some pretty hefty security.
The machine’s a Centrino-branded item based on an Intel Core ULV processor of as-yet-undetermined speed and Intel’s 945GMS chipset, which also provides the machine’s graphics. The Lifebook sports a 1280 x 800, 12.1in display. The machine will be offered with up to 1GB of 400MHz DDR SDRAM on board, up to 128MB of which will be grabbed as video buffer.
The Q2010 has an SD and Express Card slots for expansion, along with a SIM slot to enable cellular networking. There are a pair of USB 2.0 ports too - a dock connector links the unit to a port replicator box with integrated optical drive.
Weighing 1kg, the Q2010 measures 29.7 x 21.9cm - roughly the same as an A4 sheet of paper - and is 1.8-2cm thick. Inside is a lithium-ion battery capable of delivering up to eight hours’ runtime, FS said.
It looks like the Q2010 will be available the second quarter of this year.
[source]
Sony VAIO VGN-SZ1VP Review
TrustedReviews looks at the Sony VAIO VGN-SZ1VP, an upper end laptop that earned itself a nine out of ten on their review scale, due to its power, and slim size.
Sony has spared no expense when it comes to the construction of the SZ1VP. Using a mixture of brushed aluminium and carbon fibre, this is one desirable mobile computer, as well as being pretty robust to boot. As soon as you open the lid you’ll notice that it’s wafer thin - Sony has achieved this by using an LED backlight source for the screen, a technology that was first seen in the VAIO TX1XP. However, the screen in the TX1XP wasn’t without its problems. There was significant light bleed from the base of the screen which could be quite distracting, but it’s good to see that Sony has totally solved that problem with the SZ1VP. In fact the lighting on this screen is both bright and uniformly even across the entire surface. Of course Sony has employed its X-Black high-contrast coating which ensures that colours are extremely vivid and life like, while blacks look, well black. This really comes into its own when you’re watching movies and the widescreen aspect ratio of the display will add to the cinematic effect.
Iridium Durabook R15D-740 Review
IT Reviews look at the Durabook R15D-740 (who comes up with these names?), a laptop designed to be rugged and waterproof.
The ruggedness and waterproofing are built-in from scratch. The case and lid are made from magnesium alloy, which is claimed to be twenty times stronger than the ABS plastics used in regular laptops. Internally the hard drive is encased in rubberised foam and the screen is also surrounded by the same foam. It’s supposedly strong enough to survive a drop of 29 inches, though we haven’t tested that…
In addition the keyboard is resistant to spillages and conforms to European Ruggedised Equipment Standard IP31.3. However, if it does go wrong then as an extra precaution the Durabook comes as standard with a three year collect and return warranty covering both parts and labour.
The things they did not really like include the hard to use keyboard and trackpad, but otherwise they have a fair amount of praise for this machine.
Averatec AV1050 Review
I was lucky enough today to get my hands on the Averatec 1050, a tiny little waif of a laptop, with its 10.6 inch screen, I felt as though I had a super sized PDA, or shrunken laptop in my hands, but the machine ran rather well, opening various applications felt quick and responsive, though I can’t say the same for the keyboard which is much smaller than its 14+ inch counterparts. The keyboard and trackpad both felt slow, and sometimes if my thumb touched the trackpad even slightly, I missed out on a word or two that I had typed, which was very frustrating. I doubt I could use the machine for long term typing, but I can’t argue the portability of such a machine.
Lined up next to a row of laptops from other manufacturers, the Averatec machine stands out with its pearl white exterior and interior, you would almost think you are looking at an Apple machine, rather than something with an Intel or AMD processor inside. The machine I tested was powered by an Intel Pentium M (Centrino 733) 1.1 Ghz processor, with 512MB DDR 333 Ram, and an 80 gigabyte hard drive.
I found the screen a little hard to look at for a long time, as everything seemed rather small. A ten inch screen would be nice for watching a DVD on a train, but I could not see writing documents, or browsing the web for long periods of time as an enjoyable use for the 10.6 inch screen. I was pleasantly surprised by the DVD drive that was in the machine. I did not expect such a small laptop to include such a thing, but they were able to include one while leaving plenty of connections available for general use, including a PC Card slot.
Would I recommend this laptop to anyone looking for a highly portable machine? I am not too sure, but it would be great to travel with to watch DVD’s on and check your e-mail wirelessly. Otherwise get a portable DVD player, and buy a laptop with a bit more screen real estate.
Acer TravelMate 4060 Review
According to me, having a battery life of only two hours is unacceptable, so I don’t know why Laptop Magazine rated the TravelMate 4060 a three and a half out of five on their rating scale. I suppose the sub-$1000 price and the 15.4 inch screen probably had something to do with it, but I just don’t see value in a laptop I can’t move away from a power cord longer than four or so hours.
Prioritizing value and usability over technological prowess, Acer’s update to the TravelMate 4000 line packs a 15.4-inch WXGA monitor into a 6.4-pound, $999 package. Sporting a comfortable, if not stunning, design and a range of flexible power-management features, this mainstream notebook almost overcomes its skimpy two-hour battery life.
The case is business oriented all the way, with a silver plastic cover and interior. The black keyboard features Acer’s five-degree curved design; it’s quiet and responsive. The two mouse buttons are large and easy to blindly use with your thumbs, as is the middle rocker button. The trade-off for the full keyboard and large screen is a sizable chassis, which occupies a 14.3 x 11-inch footprint. The system’s 1.5-inch profile makes occasional mobility possible.
Lenovo Introduces Own Laptop
Looks like Lenovo has begun releasing laptops and computers with their own name on them. The Lenovo 3000 product family as it will be known is the first of the new products with a Lenovo name and a silver chassis.
“The new Lenovo 3000 product family embodies a distinct entrepreneurial persona by combining the most successful components of enterprise level, ThinkPad-inspired technologies with the latest Lenovo innovations to create PCs users can depend on,” said Deepak Advani, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Lenovo. “Lenovo will offer the new PCs as the smart choice for today’s most savvy entrepreneurs, priced to fit the budgets and computing needs of even the smallest firms.”
Under the new line you will see the Lenovo C Series of notebooks which compliments the company’s ThinkPad brand aquired from IBM.
Weighing in at 6.2 pounds, the new C100 offers complete connectivity features on select models, such as integrated 802.11 a/b/g wireless LAN, Bluetooth (select models) and 10/100 ethernet and modem, and multimedia capabilities, such as stereo speakers with an integrated microphone for playing and recording audio and an integrated combo or DVD recordable drive. At 1.3-inches thin, the C100 also incorporates a 3-in-1 multi-card reader for downloading digital pictures, four USB ports and firewire and S-Video slots.
The C Series includes an Intel 915 GM Chipset with choice of either Pentium M or Celeron M processors. Select models also feature Intel Centrino mobile technology. Mobile users will benefit from an 8-cell lithium ion battery offering up to five hours of battery life and Lenovo’s industry-leading keyboard.
The Lenovo C Series will be available starting on 23rd of February 2006. Prices for the C100 start at US$599.00.
Source: Geekzone
Sting 919 SLI Laptop
It looks like the Sting 919 SLI Laptop might be coming to a store near you sometime soon, as Widow PC is ready to announce it sometime soon.
Details from Gizmag:
Gaming computer specialist Widow PC is set to announce the world’s first SLI-equipped gaming notebook in conjunction with nVidia, the developers of SLI. SLI takes advantage of the increased bandwidth of the bi-directional PCI Express bus architecture and uses multiple Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) to deliver up to twice the graphical performance of a single GPU configuration for an unparalleled gaming experience.
Averatec 4100 Review
Laptop Magazine looks at the 4100 from Averatec. I love the “apple-like” look of the Averatec machines and three and a half out of five for a $1099 notebook is great.
Unlike other value notebooks that tip the scales at six pounds or more, Averatec designed the 4.6-pound 4100 with a compact frame that makes it ideal for business users on a budget, students, and anyone else who’s constantly on the go. It’s not terribly fast and we wish it lasted longer on a charge, but you get a lot for a little over a grand.
The 4100 is an easy travel companion. It has a small footprint of 12.3 x 8.8 inches and measures one-inch thick. It also has style, thanks to its silver base and glossy black lid featuring the Averatec logo embossed in a silver flourish along the top edge. Adding to the cool look is the special hinge that closes with a gentle snap to hold the lid securely against the base without any need for the traditional latch.
HP COMPAQ NC4200 Review
Pocket-lint reviews the NC4200 from HP Compaq. It is an affordable lightweight machine with a 12.1 inch display.
HP’s notebooks have had something of a re-birth in recent months. A year ago it seemed the company had lost their way, now with its back to basics approach it seems that it can’t do any wrong.
Take the Compaq nc4200, weighing in at £1000 (inc. VAT) it ticks the “affordable” button before you’ve even checked out what it has to offer. True, it’s billed as a corporate model but as HP sells its wares in places like PC World as well as online at Dabs or Misco, you don’t have to be in business to mean business with this machine.
The machine is solid and well built, if a little understated and weighs in at 1.8kg, and with a battery life in use of over 4 hours, means you can take it on the go with you and not run out of power. The notebook has plenty of protection and the casing is solid and would stand up to the occasional knock.
Incase you are wondering, the NC4200 earned an eight out of ten on their review scale.
Leather-Clad Asus
TrustedReviews looks at the leather clad notebooks from Asus, which in my opinion look really cool.
At a press briefing yesterday, Asus invited a motley crew of journalists to see its new range of notebooks and TrustedReviews was happy to joing the throng. The highlights included the Lamborghini VX1 notebook (below), no doubt intended to compete with Acer’s Ferrari range and in a more ground-breaking move, several leather-clad notebooks such as the S6.
I don’t really like the pink, but a black or red leather notebook would be cool to have. I am glad notebook producers are worrying more about aesthetics than they used to.
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