Gizmodo: Laptops

3G Networks Reviewed: AT&T Is the Fastest

matt buchanan — Tue, 13 May 2008 13:00:00 EDT

Computerworld took Verizon, Sprint and AT&T's 3G data services for a spin all around the tri-state area—500 points in NY, NJ and CT—with data cards from everyone and an X300 to determine the king of 3G. Surprisingly (or maybe not), AT&T was the snappiest of the bunch in both average (755Kbps) and top data speeds (1.6Mbps). Of course, there's more to consider: As we've said, only Sprint gives you unlimited data freedom; Verizon and AT&T have 5GB caps (they're squishy, but they're there.) Also, EV-DO has a bit wider coverage area. But if you're mostly roaming around the NYC area, it looks like AT&T might be the new go-to, especially if speed is your main concern. [ComputerWorld]

Buy Designer Laptops for a Good Cause

Mark Wilson — Mon, 12 May 2008 15:40:00 EDT

PC Magazine has partnered with HP and a slew of designers to create nine "computerlicious" (one-of-a-kind) laptops for a charity auction. Available on eBay now (and currently up to about $100 a pop), 100% of the auctions' proceeds will go to The National Cristina Foundation (they donate used PCs to schools and non-profits). If you've been looking for a good way to make your new laptop a tax deductible endeavor (or if you just really like Paul Frank), head on over to eBay and do some bidding. [eBay and PCMag]

Asus Eee Crystal Case Actually Made of Plastic (But Still Good)

Mark Wilson — Mon, 12 May 2008 08:52:00 EDT

Asus Eee fandom has no bounds, and while replacing the case on most laptops seems preposterous, for the Eee it's just another day of tiny typing and eye strain at the office. This Crystal Case by Proporta is constructed of scratch/shock resistant polycarbonate, but maybe more impressively, features a double hinge that adds 360 degrees of screen rotation to the Eee (perfect for the touchscreen-modded system). Personally, I could use about another 15 degrees of tilt on my Macbook Pro—not for my own use, but for every time a friend checks their email and attempts to push the screen beyond its natural bounds. Ooh, I get shivers just thinking about it. [Product via BBGadgets]

UPDATE: Yes, it looks like a case protector rather than replacement...so no touchscreen fun.

Emergency Telecoms Team Forced to Wait in Thailand by Burmese Junta

Addy Dugdale — Sat, 10 May 2008 13:30:00 EDT

Emergency communications kits destined to help the clear-up of the Burmese cyclone have been held up by the Asian country's military junta. A five-man team from NGO Telecoms Sans Frontieres has been waiting all week for its entry visas from the ~~turds~~ powers that be of the brutal regime. And, until the visas are issued, over 175 pounds of vital equipment will stay right where it is, in a Thai warehouse.

As well as printers, PCs, scanners, cellphones and laptops, the kits contain a large VSAT satellite dish, two satellite phones, including a mobile device, routers and access points, wireless relays, GPS, power packs that include car batteries and solar panels. Primary connection is provided by an AsBGan satellite link, with a Gan M4 giving back-up.

The gear will be used by both aid workers and any locals affected by the disaster who need to get in touch with friends or family. However, despite continuing diplomatic efforts, the generals are refusing to allow foreign aid workers into the country to help the estimated 1.5 million Burmese caught up in the tragedy. "There is a lot of frustration among aid workers," says a TSF spokesman. "We want to help the people of Burma but the authorities aren't letting us do our job." [BBC News and NY Times]

Moshi Zefyr: A MacBook Heatsink On Your Lap

Adrian Covert — Fri, 09 May 2008 20:06:48 EDT

Moshi's Zefyr is a portable cooling pad for the MacBook that provides a near silent fan, powered by USB, and offers a temperature drop of roughly 6 degrees Fahrenheit. The Zefyr is designed to place your MacBook at an ergonomically beneficial tilt, and when not in use, the Zefyr collapses to better fit in a bag.

The Zefyr also provides a pass-through USB port, so that peripheral use is not sacrificed. A portable cooling pad might be a little silly, but for anyone who's experienced the heat of a MacBook on their lap, and worries about going sterile, it may be useful. It's available now in black and silver colors, and sells for $75. [Moshi]

Stolen MacBook Victim Uses Screen Sharing and iSight to Bust Thieves

Adrian Covert — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:37:42 EDT

A White Plains, NY woman who was the victim of burglary, including her MacBook, used the Back To My Mac screen sharing feature to turn on her webcam and capture images of the unwitting culprits using the computer. As a result, police were able to arrest the thieves and recover most of the stolen goods, which included two laptops, two flat-screen televisions, two iPods, gaming consoles, DVDs and computer games.

This plan first launched into action when a co-worker of the nameless woman at the Apple Store noticed her computer online and notified the woman. She was then able to log into her computer and the rest is history. So the moral of the story is this: If you steal a MacBook, please be sure to cover the iSight with some tape. Otherwise, you could also be charged with a second degree felony. [Iohud via TUAW]

Toshiba Bringing PS3 Innards to Notebooks, TVs

Adrian Covert — Fri, 09 May 2008 13:54:00 EDT

Its recently been revealed that Toshiba is planning to use Sony PS3 technology in its upcoming TVs and Notebooks. The OC Register's Gadgetress got her hands on the Toshiba's Qosmio notebook (shown above), which will use the SpursEngine chip, jointly developed between Toshiba and Sony around the Cell. The processor will handle much of the video and multimedia processing, taking the load off the main CPU.

According to Toshiba, HD processing that once took an hour now only takes 10 minutes. And though the SpursEngine chip can handle graphics processing for games, no PC games are currently optimized for the chip, rendering it useless. But game development built around the processor is in the works. Tentatively, the Qosmio will also feature gesture based controls via webcam, but will lack the usual Blu-ray drive, 1080p resolution and TV tuner. But it will only run for $1700, shaving about $1300 off the price.

As for the TV, it will make use of Sony's Cell microprocessor for realtime HD upscaling, recording of multiple channels, and "displaying video as if it is being viewed through opera glasses" (whatever that means). The Qosmio notebook is planned for a 2008 release while the TV will hit stores in Fall 2009. [Electronista and Gadgetress]

Narae Inter Recorder Mini, Tiny Mobile Mic

Mark Wilson — Fri, 09 May 2008 12:00:00 EDT

A laptop microphone can be pretty handy, but not all computers have them built in. Narae Inter's Recorder Mini is a tiny microphone that will fit in any standard mini jack microphone port and pick up sounds within a 30-foot radius. Released only in Korea at the moment, we're not certain about the price, but the magic of the internet could surely make the product part of your mobile arsenal. Like your USB hub. And your gun. [AVING via TechFresh]

Rumor: New Dell Inspirons Take Shot At Macbook Air, Lenovo X300

Mark Wilson — Thu, 08 May 2008 12:50:00 EDT

While Apple and Lenovo may have started the latest thin laptop trend, Engadget reports that Dell is entering the ring with their Inspiron 1435, 1535 and 1735. The three laptops are said to share a similar design, with a graduated thickness from 1 to about 1.5 inches. With processors up to Core 2 Duo 2.16GHz, each model will support optional 3G and slot-loading Blu-ray. It sounds good so far, but we'll have to see how competitively they are priced if/when the first of the models hits later this month. [Engadget]

Eee 900 Available for Pre-Order, Like, Yesterday

Addy Dugdale — Wed, 07 May 2008 05:35:00 EDT

Monday, May 12 is the day you can all get your hands on the $549 Asus Eee 900 in the US, but it's been on pre-order, from all the usual suspects, since last Monday. Just thought you should know. [Hot Hardware]

Hitachi's 2.5-Inch HDD Does 7200rpm Speeds With 5400rpm Power

Christopher Mascari — Wed, 07 May 2008 03:01:00 EDT

Fujitsu might have been the first to introduce a 2.5" 7200rpm hard drive with 320GB capacity, but Hitachi is hot on their trail. Today, Hitachi announced that they too have a quick lil'-drive, the Travelstar 7K320. The HDD will support the same SATA 3Gbps interface as the Fujitsu, but will supposedly use less power. With only a 1.8 watt read/write power draw and a 0.8 watt low power idle, Hitachi claims the 7200rpm 7K320 power consumption is on par with their 5400rpm models. So if you were set on getting a faster 2.5" 320GB HD for your notebook, Hitachi's version should be available in a few weeks with a $219 price tag. Press release after the jump.

Hitachi Delivers Performance Without Sacrifice in New 7,200 RPM Travelstar Hard Drive
New 320GB Notebook Hard Drive Combines High Capacity and Superior Performance With Power Efficiency and Low Acoustics

SAN JOSE, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Continuing its longstanding tradition of delivering superior performance with no sacrifices required, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (Hitachi GST) today began shipment of its fourth-generation 7,200 RPM mobile hard drive, the Travelstar™ 7K320. The new drive delivers 60 percent higher capacity than its predecessor, while improving application performance by 12 percent and power consumption by 22 percent. The drive's quiet acoustics improve the experience of watching movies or listening to music on a notebook PC. The 2.5-inch drive is offered with optional Bulk Data Encryption for users wanting increased data security. Hitachi also plans to ship enhanced-availability (EA) models, designed to provide high-capacity storage for low-duty-cycle, 24x7 applications.

The performance attributes of the Travelstar 7K320 allow consumers to opt for a full-featured notebook or compact desktop model, while still achieving all the capacity and performance typically associated with a more traditional desktop PC. The new drives bring forth a number of essential features that are in strong demand from manufacturers of notebooks, compact desktops, gaming systems, blade servers and video surveillance systems. Some of these attributes include best-in-class operating shock protection of 400Gs, 5,400 RPM-equivalent power consumption and quiet acoustics.

"As operating systems have grown more complex, users have struggled with an overall decrease in system performance," said Larry Swezey, director, Consumer and Commercial HDD, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies. "Solid state drives (SSD) have yet to deliver an overall increase in speed, and certainly not at an affordable price. The 7,200 RPM speed of the Travelstar 7K320 provides an improved overall experience, at the capacities users want and at a far lower cost than SSD."

Gartner is predicting worldwide mobile PC shipments will surpass global desk-based PC shipments in the second half of 20091. This evolution has been driven by the ever improving performance-for-price of mobile PCs, relative to desktop PCs. Hitachi believes the greater availability of 7,200 RPM hard drives will help accelerate this trend, as more users realize the benefits of combining desktop-class performance with the convenience and portability of a notebook.

Advanced Features

The Travelstar 7K320 includes many features that translate into very tangible benefits for users, including:

* 320GB capacity for storing approximately 80 hours of high definition video, 320 hours of standard video, 100 movies, 80,000 4-minute MP3s or 160 games2
* The 7,200 RPM provides any operating system with a noticeable advantage in boot times and application performance. A SATA 3Gb/s interface and fast media transfer rates provide faster file copying and document retrieval, better graphics and improved game performance
* Best-in-class operating shock protection of 400Gs to minimize the effects of rough handling and vibration
* Power utilization on par with Hitachi's 5,400 RPM mobile drives, so that users can enjoy more "unplugged" notebook computing time
* The drive's quiet acoustics provide a richer audio listening experience for music, movies and games

Protect Your Data

The Travelstar 7K320 features optional Bulk Data Encryption (BDE), a capability that Hitachi has offered in its mobile hard drives since the start of 2007. Previously, data on a hard drive could be protected either through software-based encryption or a system-level password. Hard drive level encryption provides improved performance and a higher level of security than any of the previously available methods.

When employing bulk data encryption, data is scrambled using a key as it is being written to the disk and then descrambled with the key as it is retrieved. Thus, data encryption at the hard-drive level represents a more sophisticated approach of securing users' data and is generally considered to be virtually impenetrable. Another benefit is that it speeds and simplifies the drive re-deployment process. By deleting the encryption key, the data on the drive is rendered unreadable, thereby eliminating the need for time-consuming data-overwrite.

BDE models ship exclusively with a SATA 1.5Gb/s interface.

Technical Specifications:

Travelstar 7K320
320/250/160/120/80GB
9.5mm in height
7,200 RPM
252 billion bits per square inch maximum areal density
2/2/1/1/1 glass disks
4/4/2/2/1 TMR recording head(s)
1000G/1ms non-operating shock
400G/2ms operating shock
4.2ms average latency
12ms average read time
1.0W active idle
0.8W low-power idle
Serial ATA 3Gb/s, 1.5Gb/s encrypted
115/110 grams in weight
2.5Bels typical idle acoustics
2.8Bels typical operational acoustics

Availability

The Travelstar 7K320 is now shipping to customers worldwide. The enhanced-availability version of the drive is expected to ship in the third quarter of 2008.

About Hitachi Global Storage Technologies

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies develops advanced hard disk drives to store and preserve the world's valued data. Founded by the pioneers of hard drives, Hitachi GST enables users to fully engage in the digital lifestyle by providing high-value, high-capacity storage in formats suitable for the office, in the home or on the road. With vertically integrated research, design and manufacturing capabilities, Hitachi GST delivers leadership technology and quality to its global customer base.

With approximately 33,000 employees worldwide, Hitachi GST offers a comprehensive range of hard drive products for desktop computers, high-performance storage systems and servers, notebooks and consumer devices. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.hitachigst.com.

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies trademarks are authorized for use in countries and jurisdictions in which Hitachi Global Storage Technologies has the right to use, market and advertise the brands. The Travelstar trademark is authorized for use in the Americas, EMEA, and in the Asia-Pacific region in the following countries: Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan.

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi, Ltd., (NYSE:HIT) (TOKYO:6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company with approximately 384,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2006 (ended March 31, 2007) consolidated revenues totaled 10,247 billion yen ($86.8 billion). The company offers a wide range of systems, products and services in market sectors including information systems, electronic devices, power and industrial systems, consumer products, materials and financial services. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com.

1 Garter Global PC Forecast and Shipments Quarterly Statistics, George Shiffler, March 13, 2008

One GB is equal to one billion bytes and one TB is equal to 1,000 GB when referring to hard drive capacity. Accessible capacity may be less.

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies' trademarks are authorized for use in countries and jurisdictions in which Hitachi Global Storage Technologies has the right to use, market and advertise the brands. The Travelstar trademark is authorized for use in the Americas, EMEA, and the following Asia-Pacific countries and jurisdictions: Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Taiwan. Hitachi Global Storage Technologies shall not be liable to third parties for unauthorized use of its trademarks.

2 Actual storage may vary depending on the compression rate applied. Capacities may not be combined.

Question of the Day: Which Company Has The Worst Computer Tech Support?

Sean Fallon — Tue, 06 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT

If you have ever dealt with tech support for a computer issue, chances are you have a story or two that recounts a very frustrating experience. With much of the tech support industry working overseas and the seemingly infinite amount of things that could go wrong, it really should come as no surprise when things don't run smoothly. That having been said, which of the following computer companies has the worst tech support? Feel free to recount your experiences in the comments—and check out who Consumer Reports ranked as #1 this year.

If you are looking to see how the experts ranked tech support, Consumer Reports has just released their list of the top performers based on reader's experience with 10,000 computer fixes. [Consumer Reports]

Dell Goes Urban With Mike Ming's Art House Laptops

Jason Chen — Tue, 06 May 2008 15:38:32 EDT

What's the best way to make kids who are all hopped up on Apple's MacBooks to get excited about your laptops? Hire Mike Ming, a Brooklyn-based artist, to decorate up the backs of your laptops in graffiti-like designs. These paints are available on the Inspiron 1525 in both Mike Ming and Mike Ming Extreme Edition. The extra cost for Mike Ming to go extreme? $100. Available now for $699 and $799. Also, in about a year, you'll be able to order a laptop with your own custom designs, such as your face or a picture of your kids. [Dell]

Phoenix Enables Users to Remotely Track, Disable and Erase Data From Fujitsu Drives

Sean Fallon — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:10:36 EDT

Phoenix Technologies has announced that they are currently working with Fujitsu in an effort to bring users equipped with Fujitsu's new full disk encryption (FDE) 2.5" 7200RPM SATA hard disk drive the ability to remotely track, disable and even erase their drive in the event that the laptop is ever stolen. According to Phoenix, their new "FailSafe" technology is "the industry's strongest security method for mobile computing" and their encryption capabilities will "ensure data on the disk drive is inaccessible to unauthorized users."

Phoenix also noted that in the event that the Fujitsu FDE HDD product is removed by the thief, it can be restored remotely by the rightful owner and further steps can be taken at that point to secure and recover their data. Exactly how the user will be able to LoJack their hard drive was not outlined in the press release, but if it works as advertised, having the ability to track down, disable or destroy data remotely could prove invaluable for individuals privy to sensitive information. Exactly when the FailSafe system is expected to be released has not been announced.

Press release:

Phoenix Technologies Brings Remote Data Protection to Fujitsu Mobile Disk Drives
- Phoenix FailSafe(TM) will enhance FDE-based notebooks with remote secure erase functionality and more
- Phoenix FailSafe service is optimized for the leading mobile hard drives available in the market today

MILPITAS, Calif., May 5, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ — Phoenix Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq: PTEC) today announced it is working with Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) to enable remote disk control and disk data protection for mobile computing environments equipped with Fujitsu's new full disk encryption (FDE) 2.5" 7,200RPM SATA hard disk drive (HDD). With Phoenix FailSafe, the laptop or notebook owner can remotely disable the Fujitsu FDE drive in the laptop, thus ensuring "failsafe" protection against data theft and personal information loss.

"Fujitsu's new FDE technology delivers the industry's strongest security method for mobile computing, while preserving a high level of performance," said Joel Hagberg, vice president, marketing and business development, Fujitsu Computer Products of America, Inc. "Our encryption capabilities ensure data on the disk drive is inaccessible to unauthorized users if a laptop is lost or stolen. By enabling users to remotely disable, enable or securely erase the drive in a laptop, the Phoenix Failsafe solution provides an added level of protection to further prevent any confidential information from being compromised."

Surendra Arora, vice president of business development at Phoenix Technologies, said, "We are committed to providing the best theft deterrence service and data protection solutions in the PC industry. Phoenix's FailSafe theft-deterrence service will allow the PC owner to track, remotely disable and securely erase the Fujitsu disk drive. In the event of laptop theft, if the FailSafe agent pre-installed on the Fujitsu FDE HDD product is removed by the computer/data thief, the authorized owner will be able to remotely re-install the FailSafe agent in the compromised system and take further steps to ensure protection as well as recovery of the data on the laptop."

Phoenix FailSafe not only enables laptop owners to remotely protect and encrypt vital content stored on their laptops' hard drives, it also provides the ability to locate/recover missing laptops and lost data as well as remotely 'kill' sensitive data or the device to avoid potential misuse.

[Phoenix via TFTS]

Lenovo IdeaPad U110 Review (Verdict: Short Ride In A Reasonably-Paced Machine)

Mark Wilson — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:30:00 EDT

The Lenovo IdeaPad U110 comes in the wake of America's new obsession with tiny laptops. I could tell you that it's powered by a 1.6Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo processor (4MB, 800 MHz), packing 120GB of PATA storage and up to 3GB of RAM (2 tested), but all you want to know is that it's over half a pound lighter than the MacBook Air and will impress the fellow yupps at Starbucks. Still, if you're interested in seeing if beauty is more than ultra-glossy skin deep, hit the jump to see what I loved and hated about the Lenovo IdeaPad U110.

The Decor
The top is a sharp red with tendril textures—actually quite classy in person. Flip it upside-down and you'll see that even the air vents feature a touch of style.

The Weight
Lenovo's U110 weighs just 2.42 pounds (and 2.92 with the larger battery). That's only .4 pounds more than the Eee and, trust me, it's freakin' light. So you know though, 2.92 pounds feels way, way heavier than 2.42. The "ohhh" factor is lost with the bigger battery.

The Screen
In the past, I've found that the Eee screen was too small for enjoyable use. The HP Mini Note was borderline. Now I've found the perfect size. 11.1" WXGA (1366x768) is just right for comfortable multitasking. And it's LED. Ooooh!

The Keyboard
I'm digging the keyboard. The Backspace button has been chopped a bit beyond my penchant for typos, but the keyboard is generally spacious enough for sure. And the subtly concave "piano painting" buttons feel excellent to the touch.

Glowy Button Things
Touch the panel above the keyboard for a tattoo-like glow of buttons. They offer some hot key support and extra sound control. Looks kinda neat, works kinda crappy.

The Footprint
The 10.8" by 7.7" by .72"-.88" dimensions can be tough to picture. That's quite small. Just know that it's officially beyond impulse purse stuffing size.

The Hookups
Tons of good stuff here: 3 USB ports, FireWire, multi-card reader, Mini-PCIe, Express Card, mic, headphones, Ethernet, and VGA out.

Little Extras
Lenovo packed in the little details. You get two batteries (4-cell and 7-cell) depending on your desired weight load. You get an external USB DVD drive since it lacks one of its own. Oh, and you get a cloth for the unbelievable smudgetastic glossy finish.

The Speed
The Lenovo U110 is not a speed machine. You can look at Vista's performance rating of 3.5 to draw your own conclusions (3.0 is Aero graphics minimum), or you can know that, more often than not, it can become a bit irritating waiting for programs to launch. It's not a "OMG THIS IS SOOOO SLOOOW" slow, but it is "Boy, I wish Office would load a bit faster" slow.

The Battery
The 4-cell 1750mAH battery is rated at two hours. In the default "balanced" processing mode, I received less than an hour of runtime from normal use. Since the 7-cell battery is rated at six hours of use, expect only three.

VeriFace 2.5
VeriFace scans your face and loads your computer without the need for typing. And it works great...when it works. Booting Vista, a Veriface animation pops up for about three seconds and loads with no problem. But for some reason—and correlation is by no means causation—I found that when waking the computer, VeriFace had recognition problems quite often. You are left sitting there like an idiot, double checking your lighting, positioning and hairdo...realizing that maybe you aren't pretty enough to touch this beautiful computer.

The Price
It's $1899. That's $100 more than the MacBook Air. For that, many Windows lovers may consider Lenovo's X300. And they'd be right to. EVDO and a solid state drive would be great additions to the U110. And for not much more money, size or weight, you can get that with the X300.

Should You Buy It?
Let's put it this way—it's buyable. It's not the fastest Vista laptop, and if you want any decent battery life you'll lose a chunk of the ultra-sexy form factor. But if you want a fully-capable laptop that's extremely mobile—one that I'd say can conceivably function as your main computer—then sure. Because while the smaller battery's life may be less than optimal, the real purchase-preventer here seems to be the price. And if you don't care, neither do we.

Sony Hybrid Fuel Cell Delivers 14 Hours of Cellphone Video, Will Arrive "Soon"

Elaine Chow — Sat, 03 May 2008 15:00:00 EDT

Sony's new hybrid fuel cell 1.2 x 2-inch battery prototype has managed to keep the juice flowing to a cellular video broadcast for 14 consecutive hours off of 10mL of methanol. The micro fuel cell system uses methanol as fuel and is complemented with a Li-polymer secondary battery to help it deal with electronic peak loads. And according to the R&D team behind it, it may arrive to your gadgets "soon."

The battery prototype was made by the R&D team at Sony Material Laboratory, which told spectators at the Small Fuel Cells 2008 expo that it was in talks with Sony's operation division to push the tech out soon. Looks like the day when our gadgets can stay unplugged and awake longer than we can might finally have arrived. [Tech On]

CTL IL1 Netbook $50 Cheaper Than Eee PC, Has Better Specs

matt buchanan — Thu, 01 May 2008 18:00:00 EDT

Ultraportables or netbooks as Intel is wont to call them, are officially a dime a dozen now, but an upcoming model, the IL1 from CTL (who's making the Classmate 2) looks like it might shake up the market, at least a bit, if being the cheapest thing around is the bottom line. A 1GHz Via processor, 1GB of RAM, 4GB SSD or 60GB HDD plus an SD card reader, with Linux or Windows XP. The screen's Eee-sized, an LED-backlit 7-inch LCD, all for "less than $350." It's also got less of a kiddie or toy-look to it than either the Classmate or Eee PC, which might be a selling point for suits. Full stat smatter below.

CPU & PLATFORM Via C7-M 1000MhZ Processor Bios: 1MB Flash Rom Via VX800U Chipset ACPI 2.0 Power Management
MEMORY
1GB SO-DIMM
200 Pin Socketx1
200-pin socket x 1

VIDEO
7" LCD, 800x480
Embedded Graphics
Color LCD TFT, LED Backlight
Dual Display Support through 15 Pin D-Sub out

STORAGE
4GB Solid State Flash Drive
Supports boot from Card Reader and USB
2USB Ports
USB2.0 Interface for external storage

WIRELESS LAN
WI-FI 802.11 B/G
Mini Card form factor, single antenna

AUDIO
Integrated Mono Microphone
Microphone in and Line out
2 integrated 1-watt speakers

I/O Ports
2 USB 2.0 Ports
1x RJ-45 10/100 LAN
56K Modem
1/8" External microphone-in jack
1/8" External headphone jack
3-in-1 SD/MMC Memory Card Reader

Operating System
Microsoft Windows XP Ready
Supports Linux

Dimensions & Power
Size: 9.6"W x 6.8" x 1.7"
Weight: 2.6 LBS
4-cell Li-Ion Battery
Approx 4.5 Hours Typical Usage

Other
Integrated Camera
30FPS @640x480, .03M
Integrated Microphone

[CTL]

First Shots of Black Eee PC 900 in the Wild

matt buchanan — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 23:57:17 EDT

The chowed down fish crowding the shot almost gives a new meaning to "in the wild" pics, but I digress. Until now we've only seen the bigger, badder Eee PC 900 in that single shade of paleness (unlike its little bro), but this shot seems to confirm that a veritable rainbow (or um, a pair) of color options is shortly on the way. So what'll it be folks, black or white? More shots at the link, if you need help making up your mind. And yes, the fish is in all of 'em. [Flicka via EeeUser]

Alienware "Fastest Ever" 17-Inch Area-51 m17x Gaming Notebook On Sale Right Now

matt buchanan — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:56:14 EDT

Alienware's latest community effort is AlienNetwork, a "digital channel" which debuted today. To kick off the show with a bang, they revealed that their "fastest ever" 17-inch Area-51 m17x gaming notebook shown back in November is launching today at 5PM (right now, give or take). Versus the m15x, it's got a higher res 1920x1200 screen, NVIDIA GeForce 8800M GTX SLI graphic cards, up to a Core 2 Extreme CPU and the option for two hard drives set up in RAID. It's in all black and if we might say so, just a bit sexier than the m15x. Update: Here's the product page.

Other worthy tidbits from the show: They're not planning on a MacBook Air competitor. They're big-boned (for performance) and proud of it. Also, they're looking at making some cheaper notebooks for more mainstream gamers that can't afford to drop $3k on a sweet gaming notebook. Budget gaming notebook, I like the sound of that. [Alienware]

Question of the Day: How Big is Your Monitor?

Sean Fallon — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:20:00 EDT

We already asked about the size of your TV, so it is only fitting that we do a follow-up focusing on computer monitors. The choices after the break offer a basic range that should accommodate owners of most laptops, LCDs and CRTs. Just pick the number that is closest to the measurement of your viewable area (rounding up if necessary). That having been said, if you own a CRT, keep in mind that the two types of monitors are measured differently. Make sure your figure does not include the screen frame. UPDATE: TV monitor option added.

Final Specs for Lenovo IdeaPad U110 Notebooks, On Sale Tomorrow

matt buchanan — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:48:50 EDT

We've got the final spec sheet for Lenovo's 11-inch LED-backlit U110 lappie, and it looks like past price/specs line up, though this is the first we're hearing of the "bezel-less screen that looks like an infinity pool." Inside is a 1.6GHz Core 2 Duo L7500 (4MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB), up to 3GB of RAM (part of retail package), Intel X3100 integrated graphics and up to 120GB hard drive. It's also got facial recognition security jazz, not to mention the swirly design lid. Goes on sale tomorrow at Lenovo.com starting at $1899, hits retailers mid-May for $1999.

Processor (speed, L2 cache, FSB) Intel® Core™2 Duo L7500 (1.60 GHz, 4 MB, 800 MHz) Operating system Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium Display/resolution 11.1" widescreen WXGA (1366 x 768) LED backlit Video graphics Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 Hard drive 120GB 4200rpm Parallel ATA Memory 2GB PC2-5300/667 MHz (up to 3GB in retail) Optical drive Dual Layer CD/DVD Recordable (external via USB) Camera 1.3 megapixel integrated camera Sound 2 speakers, Dolby® Home Theater™ Integrated communications 10/100 Ethernet, Intel® Wireless WiFi Link 4965AG, Bluetooth (select models) Weight 2.4 lb. with 4 cell battery (1.09 kg) Dimensions 10.8'' x 7.7'' x 0.72''-0.88'' (275mm x196mm x 18.4 -22.4mm) Warranty 1 year system /1 year battery Battery life (4-cell Li-Ion plus 7-cell Li-Ion) Approx. 8 hr. (4-cell approx. 2 hr., plus 7-cell approx. 6 hr.) Expansion 3 USB 2.0, IEEE 1394, VGA, 6-in-1 card reader (SD/SD Pro, MS/MS Pro, MMC, XD), Mini-PCIe slot, Express Card slot, microphone jack, headphone jack Included software VeriFace™ 2.0; EasyCapture 2.5; OneKey Recovery 4.65; Energy Management 3.1; Adobe Reader 8.1; Power2GO 5.5; Shuttle Center 2.0; Norton Antivirus 2007 (90 days of virus definitions); Microsoft Windows Live™ portal; Microsoft Office® (trial version)

[Lenovo]

Lightning Review: HP 2133 Mini-Note

Mark Wilson — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT

The Gadget: HP's response to the Asus EEE PC, the HP 2133 Mini-Note.

The Price: $499-$750. The ($750) tested version packs a 8.9" screen, 1.6Ghz processor, 2GB of RAM, 120GB HD and Windows Vista Business.
The Verdict: It's a remarkable little laptop if you can stand the extra weight and price over the Eee PC 4G.

It starts with Vista. It's not that you can't do basic functions in Linux (or load XP onto the Eee), but the Mini-Note note not only runs Vista, it runs Aero at a pretty reasonable level. It's not the speediest computer on the planet, but you're never left holding your breath for programs to open or to properly multitask.

And it's extremely comfortable to use. The keyboard is rated at "92% of full-sized QWERTY," and the keys even have nice rebound off your fingers. (My biggest problems typing arose when I narrowed my finger pattern, subconsciously anticipating the keyboard to be smaller given the size of the computer.) I wish the trackpad were so well designed. It works, but—and this will sound petty—my finger seems to stick to its finish. That wouldn't be a big deal, but you really have to crank up the sensitivity to compensate for the tiny pad in the first place.

The screen is gorgeous at 8.9" and 1280 x 768 resolution. Side by side against the Eee, it's night and day, like comparing a PSP to a Nintendo DS. It's still not quite big enough for me, as I constantly move the screen closer to my face. But it's sharp, bright and contrasty. You can't fault it for quality.

Compared to the Eee: The HP I've tested runs $350 more than the stock, classic Eee 4G. That's almost double the price. But you will need to add more RAM to its 512MB base on the Eee, and its stock Linux package just isn't acceptable for advanced use. I think that most Eee owners will find that $400 price point too good to be true.

Then again, my Eee weighs so much less than the Mini-Note. I'm not sure that HP's advertised sub-3lb metric counts in my configuration (and a 6-cell battery). Because it just doesn't have that throw-it-in-your-~~purse~~-manbag lightness. It feels like it weighs two Eees.

Loaded with Vista and packing 100+GB of storage, the HP Mini-Note is a full-blown laptop in a little package. The Eee PC 4G is not (pending some modification).

Like you, I'm also interested to see how the Eee PC 900 (with its 8.9" screen) sizes up—I'll keep you posted. [HP]

Starbucks/AT&T Wi-Fi Launches May 1 for AT&T Customers (But Not the Rest of Us)

matt buchanan — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:29:00 EDT

AT&T officially began rolling out their Starbucks Wi-Fi hotspots today (and confirmed the first one spotted in the wild). AT&T broadband customers get free Wi-Fi at all 7,000 Starbucks starting May 1 but the rest of us have to wait as it's deployed on a market-by-market basis throughout the year. (Which means the spots for AT&T customers are probably running on T-Mo's boxes.) We tried to get a more clear timeline, at least for major markets, but they aren't elaborating right now. [AT&T]

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, and SEATTLE, Wash., April 25, 2008 — AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) and Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) today announced the beginning of the rollout of AT&T Wi-FiSM service at company-operated Starbucks stores, kicking off a nationwide effort that will continue through 2008. At the 2008 AT&T Inc. Annual Meeting of Stockholders in San Antonio, chairman and chief executive officer Randall Stephenson announced that the companies have already started the deployment of AT&T Wi-Fi service at Starbucks locations in San Antonio, making it the first market to deliver the complete AT&T Wi-Fi experience in the U.S.
Also, as of May 1, qualifying AT&T high speed Internet and Wi-Fi customers will have complimentary Wi-Fi access at more than 7,000 Starbucks locations nationwide. For millions of AT&T customers, that means more speed in more places — and for free — is on its way.

"With the power of our Wi-Fi network, and through our partnership with Starbucks, we're strengthening our ability to meet the needs of today's mobile consumer virtually anywhere and everywhere," Stephenson said. "Expanding our reach across company-operated Starbucks locations nationwide helps us bridge the gap between our wired and wireless offerings and affirms AT&T's commitment to connect people with their worlds, everywhere they live and work."

"We continue to build on the experience we know our customers expect from us," said Chris Bruzzo, chief technology officer, Starbucks. "By partnering with AT&T as our U.S. Wi-Fi provider we aim to deliver a better value, greater convenience and seamless connectivity in a mobility centric world to our customers."

As of May 1, qualifying AT&T customers can connect to the Internet from Wi-Fi enabled company-operated Starbucks locations nationwide by simply selecting "ATTWiFi" after powering up their computers. Free AT&T Wi-Fi service is currently offered with AT&T's three higher-speed residential broadband packages, all small business broadband packages and with all AT&T U-verseSM offerings with high speed Internet service.

For other customers, AT&T Wi-Fi service will reach company-operated Starbucks locations on a market-by-market basis throughout the year. The experience will include a mix of free and paid connection options for both frequent and occasional Wi-Fi users and qualifying Starbucks customers. Once AT&T Wi-Fi service is available, customers will be able to shop and surf both Starbucks' and AT&T's respective home pages for products and services.

The initiative brings together two of the most recognizable global brands to create a powerful and convenient online experience for consumers and business customers. The San Antonio launch delivers on the companies' joint commitment to begin the rollout of AT&T Wi-Fi service this spring.

Sharp-Willcom D4 UMPC With Intel Atom Centrino, Vista Hits the States on June 20th

Sean Fallon — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:10:00 EDT

If, for some reason, you were interested in picking up one of Sharp-Willcom's new D4 WS016SH UMPCs, the device will be available in the States starting on June 20th from GeekStuff4U. Personally, I would not be thrilled about dropping $1,526.33 on a device running Vista huffing and puffing with only a 1.33Ghz processor and 1GB or RAM—but to each his own. [GeekStuff4U via BGR]

Border Agents Can Frisk Your Laptop and Gadgets Without Cause

matt buchanan — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT

If you don't want border agents to see nekkid pictures of your significant other, you might wanna leave your laptop at home when you travel abroad. The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled earlier this week that computers are like any other dumb luggage, so they're subject to search even without reasonable suspicion that you're a turrist or doing anything illegal.

The District Court for California had previously said laptop searches were an "intrusion of the mind" but the feds appealed to the Ninth Court, arguing that laptops are like any other container, and they need to search them to prevent crime and turrism.

The law already allows border agents to rifle through diaries and other "personal material" without cause, so this isn't a huge change in one sense, but the Association of Corporate Travel Executives is now advising corporate drones to avoid carrying proprietary information with them across US borders. Wow, I never thought I'd be on the same side of an argument as a bunch of suits. [InfoWeek, Thanks Carlos]

Asus' VX3 Lamborghini Laptop Arrives, Costs 2% of Real Lambo

Wilson Rothman — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:09:08 EDT

Asus just gave a new look and hardware upgrade to its Lamborghini laptop. The VX3 edition has a 12.1" screen, weighs 3.6 lbs, and features such luxe amenities as a sapphire-crystal lens on the built-in camera, a handmade leather palm rest and a titanium alloy hinge. There is also the "authentic" Lamborghini logo to show all the kids at school what car you really want to drive when you're a balding 45-year-old with a sizable investment portfolio and two ex-wives. The PC specs aren't bad, but to be expected in a $3,300 laptop: 320GB HDD, a NVidia GeForce 9300 graphics card, Intel T9300 Core2 Duo chipset and 4GB of RAM, plus HSDPA wireless. [Asus]

Asus Fixing Their Battery Blunder

Mark Wilson — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:05:00 EDT

Yesterday we told you that Asus was not everyone's favorite company after shipping customers Eee PC 900s with smaller batteries than those supplied to reviewers. Now Asus is offering their Hong Kong customers a free battery upgrade. Here's the letter that Asus is sending to eligible customers:

Automatically translated text:
Eee PC 900 free upgrade to replace Tai capacity 5800 mAh battery

Dear Asustek users

Hello, Thank you for the support and love Asustek.

EeePC 900 series with the four cells of the battery (4400mAh) and (5800 mAh) two. Because of Hong Kong products in the conference at the scene a short time display time, the company only display four cells (5800mAh) for samples, but the media reports, so that customers have the misconception that and the actual shipping 4 cells (4400mAh) specifications are inconsistent, Shuo are deeply sorry.

All customers of the Hong Kong-based Asustek's long-term support and love, Asustek decided ASUS HK Royal Club Hong Kong EeePC 900 users a free upgrade and replace all 4 cells (5800mAh) batteries.

Once again, thank you for your support and love Asustek products

Telephone: ASUS HK Royal Club
Kowloon: 29581620
Hong Kong: 35824770

Asustek Jingshang

It's a good move on Asus' part. Because that would have been a scary precedent to set. [jkkmobile via ubergizmo]

Negroponte Moots Windows XP Version of OLPC--Is It a Case of So Long, Sugar?

Addy Dugdale — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:30:00 EDT

The founder and chairman of OLPC has admitted that only using open-source software has not been good for the project. Just a day after the resignation of group president Walter Bender, Nicholas Negroponte admitted that the choice of the Sugar operating system has hit the XO laptop project in two places: usability; and popularity.

With Windows XP already available for the XO on an SD card, the news that future OLPC machines may have Windows XP, with Sugar running on top, may dismay the non-profit brigade. But with no support for the latest versions of Flash—a staple on many educational websites—the XO may not be catering to its supposed target audience.

If Windows XP does become the XO's operating system, then a substantial reworking of the laptop will be in order. Currently just 1GB of internal memory is available, and XP needs around 1.1GB. Sticking a larger SSD inside the machine will just pump up the price, making the XO even further out of reach of those who need it. [ComputerWorld]

An Acer Aspire 5920 With Built-in WiMax Cometh

Sean Fallon — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:30:00 EDT

The latest laptop to feature built-in WiMax comes from Acer in the form of an updated Aspire 5920. According to InfoWorld, plans are to sell it through "Sprint Nextel and other companies" along with WiMax service in a manner similar to mobile phone service packages. Unfortunately, no information has been made available about the laptop itself or how much all of this will cost. Acer hopes to deliver the laptop by the end of the year. [InfoWorld]

Western Digital Velociraptor Is New "Fastest Hard Drive Ever"

Mark Wilson — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 09:43:00 EDT

Western Digital has announced the Velociraptor ($300 retail), their latest and greatest in speedy storage. Connecting through 3GB/s SATA, the 300GB, 10,000RPM Velociraptor is actually a 2.5" hard drive with a massive "Icepack" heatsink that makes it large enough to fit in a 3.5" bay. Maximum PC already got their hands on a preproduction unit. So how fast was it? Real fast.

In fact, the Velociraptor bested the competition (Western Digital's old Raptor and the Samsung HD103UJ) in every test they threw at it. Plus it worked great in a RAID setup as well.

So then Maximum PC decided to pull out an SSD to see what the Velociraptor could really do. Of course, the $300 Velociraptor was thwarted by the more affluent $1,950 Mtron Pro-series 64-gigabyte SSD.

Still, in terms of bang for your buck, you aren't going to do any better than Western Digital's new chosen one. And besides, it's just a matter of time before someone rips off that heatsink and fits this 2.5" monster into a laptop.

Here's the full press release:

WD(R) Announces WD VelociRaptor(TM) - The World's Fastest SATA Hard Drive
Next-generation 10,000 RPM, 2.5-inch, 300 GB SATA Hard Drive, WD VelociRaptor is 35 Percent Faster and Twice the Capacity of the Previous Performance King

LAKE FOREST, Calif., April 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — WD(R) (NYSE: WDC) announced today that it is now shipping WD VelociRaptor(TM) hard drives, the next generation of its 10,000 RPM SATA "Raptor" series of drives. Designed with an enterprise-class foundation, the new WD VelociRaptor hard drive is modified specifically for PC and Mac(R) enthusiasts and professional workstations. Destined to become the new high-performance favorite of these groups, the WD VelociRaptor hard drive comes packed with twice the capacity and a 35 percent performance increase over the previous generation.
From the bloodlines of the WD Raptor, the most popular hard drive for high-performance enthusiasts who demand the ultimate SATA drive, the WD VelociRaptor hard drive is built with enterprise-class mechanics and packs 300 GB of storage capacity into a 2.5-inch enterprise form factor. The 2.5-inch WD VelociRaptor drive is enclosed in the IcePack(TM), a 3.5-inch mounting frame with a built-in heat sink — a customization that fits the drive into a standard 3.5-inch system bay and keeps this powerful drive extra cool when installed in a high-performance desktop chassis.
"Demand for ever-higher PC performance continues to increase and WD is the leader in this category with the WD Raptor. We created WD VelociRaptor hard drives to lead PC enthusiasts into the next era of PC and Mac storage performance and satisfy their insatiable thirst for computing speed," said Tom McDorman, vice president and general manager of WD's enterprise business unit. "The new WD VelociRaptor delivers the greatest performance and reliability of all SATA hard drives currently on the market."
WD VelociRaptor is the next step up for the speed-craving PC enthusiast, and as with all WD drives, attention to detail in features, performance and reliability is a top priority. Features of the new WD VelociRaptor hard drives include:

Killer Speed — Built on the performance of the WD Raptor, these 10,000

RPM drives, with SATA 3 Gb/s interface, and 16 MB cache deliver mind-
bending performance.

Rock-solid Reliability — WD VelociRaptor drives are designed and
manufactured to business-critical, enterprise-class standards to provide
enterprise reliability in high duty cycle environments. The design
results in the highest available reliability rating of any SATA drive at
1.4 million hours MTBF.

IcePack Mounting Frame — The 2.5-inch WD VelociRaptor drives are
enclosed in a 3.5-inch enterprise-class mounting frame with a built-in
heat sink that keeps this powerful little drive extra cool when installed
in high-performance desktop chassis.

Rotary Acceleration Feed Forward (RAFF(TM)) — Optimizes performance when
the drives are used in vibration-prone, multi-drive chassis.

SecurePark(TM) — Parks the recording heads off the disk surface during
spin up, spin down and when the drive is off. This ensures the recording
head never touches the disk surface, resulting in improved long-term
reliability and increased drive protection when the chassis is moved.

Price and Availability
WD VelociRaptor (model WD3000GLFS) hard drives will be available on Alienware's high-performance ALX gaming desktop by the end of April. At launch, Alienware will offer maximum performance with two 300 GB WD VelociRaptor hard drives in RAID 0 configuration on www.alienware.com. WD VelociRaptor hard drives will be shipping exclusively through Alienware this month and will be available through the company's online store (http://www.shopwd.com) and at select distributors and resellers mid-May. Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the WD VelociRaptor 300 GB is $299.99 USD. More information about WD VelociRaptor hard drives may be found on the company's Web site.

The Original Messenger Bag Might Still Be the Best

Mark Wilson — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 08:58:00 EDT

While we are adorned with the latest and greatest in trendy, designer messenger bags, J.Crew has recreated and rereleased the original. Modeled after the U.S. Postal Service's standard bag from 1868 until the 1970s (before they ditched timeless style and durability for blue nylon), "the original" leather postal messenger features fine leather reminiscent of the favorite baseball glove we never had, along with a secure buckle strap to keep your valuables safe. At 15" wide, we think it will fit many 'a laptop. But for $795, a less-historical-more-practical inner lining would be nice. [jcrew via gizmodude]

Buy the Crappiest, Rustiest MacBook Pro Ever for Only $1300

matt buchanan — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 13:30:00 EDT

Macs tend to have a high resale value that outpaces PCs with similar specs and age. But this MacBook Pro on eBay looks like it was literally beaten with an ugly stick before being left to rot in a vat of orc piss, and the dude's still asking $1295 (more than a brand new MacBook). For that, you get a 17-inch Core 2 Duo Tiger-based MBP that's covered in rust, missing the battery and plagued by a bum screen.

Granted, it comes with Windows XP and all the Adobe software—Photoshop, Dreamweaver, etc.—you could ever want, but this thing still makes Blam's sorry, battered MBP look like a supermodel. If you think real beauty's on the inside and are still interested, get clicking, 'cause there's only a couple hours left on the auction.
[eBay, Thanks Caleb!]

MSI Wind Notebook To Come In 8.9 and 10-Inch Flavors

Elaine Chow — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 10:30:00 EDT

MSI has dropped some new info on its contender to the Eee-PC throne, the Wind Notebook, which we first peeked at in March. The roughly 2.2 lb UMPC will come with either an 8.9 inch or 10 inch LCD display sporting a 1024 x 600 resolution. MSI says the Wind will feature a 2.5-inch HDD with an 80 GB capacity and have a purported 7 hours of battery life—compare that with the Eee PC's 20GBs and puny two-hour battery.

Other reported specs include a choice of processors ranging from 1.0GHZ to 1.6GHz, 1GB RAM and a Windows XP operating system. The laptop will get a European release in June. Prices are expected to be between $471 - $1100, depending on the options chosen. No word on a US release yet. [Electronista]

Asus Eee PC 900 Hits U.S. May 12 for $549

matt buchanan — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 10:00:00 EDT

We'd heard that Asus's bigger, badder Eee PC would be getting an early launch next month in Asia but it looks like the US won't have to wait very long either. Crave's Asus sources are telling them it'll launch stateside on May 12 for $549. That's definitely a bit more than the long-rumored $500 pricepoint. Is it worth it?

You're getting a pretty significant spec and comfort upgrade for the money—but breaking the $500 mark pushes it past super cheap, and very possibly out of the category that the original Eee helped to create. So, $550. You guys still interested, or too much? [Crave]

ASUS M70 One Terabyte Laptop Screams "FIRST!!!"

Mark Wilson — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:25:00 EDT

For the digital pack rats, the ASUS M70 (which was quasi-announced at CES) looks to be the first stock laptop to support a full terabyte of storage (a feat achieved by packing dual 500GB Hitachi Travelstar drives). So what do you do with all that data? Store HD videos to play back on the built-in 17" WUXGA screen displaying 1920x1200 resolution, listen to audio through the four built-in Altec Lansing speakers, or use the M70's HDMI port to watch your footage on your surely larger, more impressive, second mortgage of a television you've got in your living room. Oh, and for those who could care less about storage, the M70 packs facial recognition, fingerprint scanning, Blu-ray "support", and integrated webcam. Here are the full specs:

M70 Specification
Intel® Centrino® Processor Technology
- Intel Core™ 2 Duo T7500 ~T7700/T8100/T8300/T9300 Processor
- Mobile Intel® PM965
- Intel® PRO/Wireless 4965ABGN Network Connection; Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection (optional)
Genuine Windows Vista®
- Genuine Windows Vista® Business
- Genuine Windows Vista® Ultimate
- Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium
- Genuine Windows Vista® Home Basic
M70SA: ATI Mobile Radeon HD3650 with 1G VRAM (500GBx2)
M70SR: ATI Mobile Radeon HD3470 with 256MB VRAM
DDRII 667MHz, 2 up to 4GB*; Support Intel Turbo Memory
*Depends on OS support
Built-in 1.3M pixel swivel webcam
12.5" HDD 500G/ 9.5" HDD 160/200/250/320G; Support Dual HDD: up to 1 Terra HDD (500GBx2)

[via wired]

What Would Chicks Do for a Klondike Bar? Give Up Their Password

matt buchanan — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:20:00 EDT

I thought that the whole chicks would do anything for chocolate stereotype was just, you know, a stereotype, but vaguely scientific market research proves it's true! Infosecurity Europe went around posing as marketers, offering people chocolate bars in exchange for their computer passwords, and 45 percent of the women gave it up like prom night. Only 10 percent of the dudes went for it. Of course, it's totally possible the women were actually more conniving in their desire for the chocolate, and they all just lied about their password, while only 10 percent of the guys were able to devise such a clever ruse. I mean, that's what I would've done. [McSolutions via The Raw Feed]

Old, Beaten PowerBook Reborn as Shiny, New Desktop

Mark Wilson — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EDT

If your otherwise perfectly functional PowerBook has fallen apart from rough handling, many would either pay big bucks for a new screen or just replace the computer outright. But one modder had a better idea: gut the components to create a sleek desktop system.

The case is essentially just two large pieces of white acrylic separated by chrome spacers that are reminiscent of Mac Pro grating. Fun factoid: the acrylic is actually just recycled shower wall.

Apparently the most difficult proposition was mounting the motherboard with all of the drives attached. The modder explains:

The tolerances inside the slim drive are so tight, even the slightest deformation of the case will have a detrimental effect (i.e. I broke one!).

On the upside, since the system retains the PowerBook's original battery, it has a natural built-in UPS.

Pretty great idea. Excellent execution. [macmod via technabob]

First Asus Eee PC 900 Review (Verdict: A Bit More Comfy)

Mark Wilson — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:00:00 EDT

CNET UK has just published the first review of the upcoming £329 Asus PC 900—the 8.9" version of the Eee packing a 20GB SSD. Their verdict? While still disappointed by the unchanged keyboard, CNET appreciated the bigger screen and addition of multitouch on the trackpad.

Also of note: even though the 900 includes a whole 1GB of RAM, the processor is the same Celeron model we had in the original Eee. CNET was hoping to see an Atom stuck in there for more power and battery life. So overall, despite the extra RAM and storage, CNET sees the upgrades as a bit superficial. Given our long-term impressions of the Eee, superficial was a good place for Asus to start. [cnet]

Comcast Wants a P2P Bill of Rights: Should You Be Excited or Afraid?

matt buchanan — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:33:00 EDT

Comcast officially loves P2P as much as George Washington loves freedom. It's calling for an industry-wide P2P bill of rights and responsibilities that would cover ISPs and users and "clarify what choices and controls consumers should have...as well as what processes and practices ISPs should use to manage P2P applications." Furthermore, as they stated earlier, Comcast is pushing for protocol agnostic management, more bandwidth and more transparency. Sounds groovy, but here's why we don't think they're doing this just to make your 30 Rock torrent experience a silky smooth ride.

As Ars points out, they don't plan on inviting consumer groups to this constitutional convention, viewing it as more of an "industry" deal. Which is what we told you guys earlier about ISPs suddenly seeing the light of P2P. It's an industry thing, not a you thing. Protocol agnostic management, for one, can simply mean slowing down all your traffic equally, be it p2p or streaming video.

Also, if they make a "bill of rights" on their own terms, it's a further case for the industry that the FCC doesn't need to step in with a government-mandated bill of rights or net neutrality rules—which no ISP wants, not even Verizon, who is the most vocal about not policing or throttling their pipes.

The upside, again, is smarter use of increasingly taxed pipes with more efficient protocols. But that's not necessarily about you. And if the rest of the industry doesn't jump aboard, this could all amount to jack. [Comcast, Ars, Multichannel]

Bazooka-Like Wi-Fi Predator Snags Distant Wi-Fi Signals

matt buchanan — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:30:00 EDT

The Wi-Fi Predator is like a Wi-Fi swiping sniper rifle, capturing distant ethereal Wi-Fi signals for your internets. Basically it tosses a directional antenna with the relatively easy (and awesome) DD-WRT router firmware hack, which will let you boost your router's power to 200dB and set it to feed off other wireless signals. The instructions look lengthy and scary, but they won't take you more than an hour or so.

After you have the router configured and the Predator assembled, all you've gotta do is point it in the general direction you plan to steal signals from (obligatory disclaimer which could be illegal in your locale), and it'll automatically grab the strongest one around that can connect to the internet. Overall, pretty neat hack, and useful (and totally legal) if you need internet in, um, your tree house. [I-Hacked via BBG]