• In January, Intel will introduce what they claim is the smallest SSD in the industry. Officially named the Z-P140 PATA SSD, the drive holds 2GB or 4GB and is 12x18x8mm (about the size of a penny if you couldn't tell from the pic), and 0.6 grams. The Z-P140 can act as a controller for compatible NAND memory, which means these drives are expandable to 16GB. Intel says that this new style of SSD should be showing up soon in several UMPCs and other mobile internet devices from companies such as Asus, BenQ, Clarion, Lenovo and more.

• Intel will also bring WiMax and other wireless connectivity options to these devices. A WiMax/Wi-Fi combo chip, code-named Echo Peak, will also come to market in 2008. Of the 25 devices in the mobile computing category planned for next year, Intel says that 20% will have WiMax, 60% will have 3G and 40% will have GPS. 100% will of course support both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

• For desktop users, processor capacity and hi-def performance will see major enhancements in 2008. "Skulltrail", a new dual-processor based platform, will enable high-end and professional computer users to run dual quad-core Core 2 Extreme processors for a massive 8-core performance, for gamers and other hardcore users. In addition, a new feature called HD Boost is an instruction set that will provide faster video encoding/decoding, 3D rendering and photo editing.

• Consumer electronics such as set-top boxes and digital televisions will also get a boost from "Canmore", a "system-on-a-chip" that combines 1GHz processing core with A/V processing and graphics and I/O components onto a single chip. Intel sees increased internet connectivity in these types of devices, and cited examples such as playing video games over your cable box as possible implementations.

• Santa Rosa Refresh, an updated version of the Centrino processor, is a 45nm Penryn chip with better graphics capabilities. The Refresh will be offered in notebooks and desktops and is geared to improving the quality of HD DVD and Blu-ray, among other graphic intensive applications.

• Finally, Intel says that the Gateway One and Dell XPS All-In-One will get the Penryn boost next year, and I was also told that they are "talking to Apple."[Intel]

Now you can get a 13-inch 80GB 2GHz Core 2 Duo white MacBook for $1099. Bump that up to a 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 120GB hard drive and a double layer SuperDrive for $1299. The black model now has a 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo and a 160 GB hard drive is $1499.

If you're looking for a MacBook Pro, well, they've had the Santa Rosa chipset since last June, but now you can upgrade to a 2.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor for $250, and you're also able to bump up to a 250GB drive. [Apple, via Mac Rumors]

Some software enthusiasts found a full set of GMA X3100 drivers within Leopard's files, which are essentially for a Santa Rosa chipset with integrated graphics. (The currently available Santa Rosa MacBook Pros actually use separate graphics cards.) But even more interesting than the driver itself was the date when it was added.

Tacked on to the OS on just October 11th, this seems like a last minute inclusion by Apple. Maybe this means nothing, or maybe this means that we'll be seeing a Santa Rosa MacBook refresh sooner as opposed to later. Seeing as the first Santa Rosa laptops hit in May, and MacBook Pros with the chipset appeared in June, it's about damn time this update makes its way to Apple's low-end lineup. [electronista]

With the MacBook already topping out at 2.16 GHz (which is only 40 MHz slower than the low-end 2.2 GHz MacBook Pro), an update could cause some confusion. Especially if it includes a switch to the Santa Rosa chipset. So could there be a MacBook/Pro/Slim (arrange those as you see fit) still in the cards or even a Mac Mini successor? [Think Secret]

The revision will cut the number of currently Energy Star eligible machines from around 90% to 25%, so performers will be distinguished. The company plans for all of its X-, T-, and R-series machines to get the new Energy Star sticker, as well as any Santa Rosa machine Lenovo makes. Any of its Santa Rosa systems can qualify after a free, simple download, Lenovo says. It looks like Lenovo is taking the revision seriously, which other companies would do well to imitate. [Crave]

Touchy Fire-Fly
If you touch the computer it results warm, but much cooler than my previous MacBook Pro with the lower limit of the cooling fan setted to 2000 rpm.

CNET
Perhaps the biggest improvement in the revamped MacBook Pro is in battery life. ... we got an impressive 3 hours and 35 minutes with our DVD battery drain test—that's 36 minutes more than the non-LED version of the MacBook Pro...[and] you can expect longer life from casual Web surfing and typical office use.

Ars Technica
Intel's new mobile platform ups the front-side bus speed to 800MHz from 667MHz while adding support for Dynamic FSB Switching, which allows the FSB to be underclocked in order to save power. There's a new 965 Mobile Express chipset and built-in support for 802.11n, as well as Intel Turbo Memory.

PCWorld
The new [GeForce 8600M] chip is designed to improve performance with demanding programs, such as 3-D games and HD video editors. Indeed, in frames-per-second tests with id Software's Quake 4 and Doom 3 games...improvements of 25 to 60 percent...

Notebook Review
LED back-lighting is touted to provide a more evenly lit screen with sharper images and colors without sacrificing battery life. All these I find to be true, the screen is without a doubt the best i've ever seen on a laptop, and better than a lot of desktop monitors I use. With the brightness up to full, even in the most well lit rooms, solid whites are almost blinding,

Computerworld
The only difference in software is the version of OS X being used. Earlier models run Build 8P2137; the new one runs 8Q1058 — tweaked, no doubt, to run smoothly on the new chips...the best laptop Apple has ever made.

MacInTouch
Past MacBook Pro models have not been without their issues, from overheating to sparkly displays to uneven lid gaps to optical drive problems. If our test unit is indicative, all of these issues have been addressed

Now if I could convince my wife that I needed to upgrade from my old model...

As for power, they'll pack one of Intel's Core 2 Duo CPUs (1.8GHz) paired with 2GB of RAM. Graphics are unfortunately integrated, though luckily Sony includes built-in 802.11n wireless LAN. There's also a built-in webcam, optical drive and a tray-less keyboard (yeah, we know, just like the MacBook). Overall, it's a sweet system that'll start at around $1,350 and come in five shades (from sangria to white). Would I pick it over the Blu-ray lappie? Yup, but only 'cause I like the easily luggable notebooks. – Louis Ramirez

Press Release

Sony UNVEILS Powerful Notebooks In BOLD COLORS SAN DIEGO, June 11, 2007 Sony today introduced a new line of thin lightweight notebooks featuring eye-popping colors and a chic design. Sporting a luxurious, glossy finish and framed with a silver, luminous trim, the VAIO® CR notebooks reflect style and taste. They are available in five fashion-forward colors —sangria, cosmopolitan, dove, indigo and black (matte finish). Personalized extras are abundant throughout. A uniquely configured keyboard is comfortable to use, while a specialized keyboard font adds a fun touch. An LED pulsates beneath the notebook's trim reflecting what the PC is doing — booting up, powering down, hibernating — and glowing and fading accordingly. Completing the look, each CR notebook comes with its own funky VAIO branded wallpaper and optional color-coordinated carrying bag and mouse. "Just like the car you drive, notebooks today are an extension of your personality" said Mike Abary, senior vice president of VAIO product marketing for Sony Electronics in the United States. "As such, users expect their PC to reflect their creativity and individuality, as well as handle their spreadsheets." Get Moving, Get Noticed Weighing just 5.5 pounds (with a standard battery), the CR model is portable enough to take just about anywhere. The PC is backed by Intel® Centrino® Duo processor technology with plenty of power for high-speed performance and an energy-efficient design for computing on-the-go. -more- Whether surfing the web at a coffee shop or on the couch, the unit's built-in 802.11n wireless LAN capabilities make it faster and easier to connect to wireless networks with greater performance, range and reliability than ever before. The notebook comes pre-installed with Windows Vista™ Home Premium operating system (with the Windows Vista Business edition optional). Portable Entertainment Paradise Equipped with a 14.1-inch widescreen display (measured diagonally) and Sony's XBRITE-ECO™ LCD technology, a CD/DVD player/burner and a set of speakers, the CR model is an easy way to take your entertainment with you. Instant-on mode and A/V controls provide on-demand access to media content. Select the "instant mode" button just above the keyboard and go straight to watching a movie, playing music, or viewing photos without ever booting-up the operating system. A complete set of multimedia controls make content navigation a breeze. The PC comes loaded with LocationFree® software so you can "place-shift" live TV, access your personal video recorder or DVD player, and view that content on your notebook via the Internet. A base station and broadband connectivity is required, which is sold separately. A built-in digital camera and microphone let you quickly snap photos and participate in live video chats. You can create, manage and share your photos and home movies, as well. The PC comes with a suite of multimedia tools for easy backup of data, photos, music and videos including DVgatePlus™ and Click to DVD® software for creating customized DVDs. Importing and editing digital content is easy too. Simply transfer photos from a device such like a digital camera using Memory Stick Duo™, Memory Stick Pro™ , SD card or ExpressCard™ media slots, an i.LINK® IEEE 1394 port or USB ports, and organize them into albums or create slideshows. The model also includes an S-video port, making it convenient to connect to a compatible television set and watch a DVD or play games on the big screen. Sony VAIO CR notebooks will be available at the end of June starting at about $1,350. Pre-orders begin online today at www.sonystyle.com/pr/cr and at Sony Style® stores (black model online only). Select colors will be available at retail and military base exchange outlets nationwide. ###

That means no more computer slow down when you're watching Planet Earth on Blu-ray (or HD DVD) and checking out Gizmodo at the same time. That's a win for us, and a win for you. Thanks Intel. – Ben Longo

At last, here are the new Santa Rosa-based Apple MacBook Pros, loaded with faster Core 2 Duo processors. Same design but with LED-backlit LCD screens, increased processor speeds, more memory and zoomtastic NVIDIA 8600M GT graphics at the same $1,999 and $2,499 prices. And all this shaving 0.4 pounds off its weight. Full specs and information about the also-revamped 17" model, with optional 1,920 x 1,200 pixel screen, after the jump.

Although the new optional resolution is a welcome addition, this is not new in the notebook world. PC laptops, like some models from Dell, have had this kind of resolution for a long time now, even on smaller display sizes. On top of that, none of the 17-inch screens are LED-backlit, which could have changed things a little. Upgrading to 1,920 x 1,200 will only add $100 to your order, however.

The new 15-inch 2.2GHz base model includes now 2GB of main 667MHz DDR2 memory as well, while the 2.4GHz model increases the size of the hard drive to 160GB.

15-inch 2.2 GHz MacBook Pro

$1,999
2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
1440 x 900 resolution
2GB memory
120GB hard drive1
8x double-layer SuperDrive
NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics with 128MB SDRAM

15-inch 2.4 GHz MacBook Pro

$2,499.00
2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
1440 x 900 resolution
2GB memory
160GB hard drive1
8x double-layer SuperDrive
NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics with 256MB SDRAM

17-inch MacBook Pro

$2,799.00
2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
1680 x 1050 pixels
2GB memory
160GB hard drive1
8x double-layer SuperDrive
NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics with 256MB SDRAM

And of course, if you want a MacBook mini you will have to buy it from Sony. – Jesus Diaz

Product page [Apple]

Brushed Metal iMacs Dropping at WWDC [9 to 5 Mac]

AMD is charging against Intel's current Santa Rosa dominance and future Montevina platforms with their Puma chipset. They said it has been designed for mobile computing from the ground up. I say it was about bloody time already.

At the core of Puma there is their new Griffin 65nm mobile processor, with cores in separate power planes (so they can be managed separately and save energy), a new DRAM pre-fetcher (to increase efficiency on memory operations) and HyperTransport 3.0 (so you can travel through interdimensional portals and do the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs).

On paper the Griffin is not that different from the Intel Core 2 Duos. However, the big news are in the chipset itself, which has features that are not present in Santa Rosa and even Montevina. You can read about them after the jump.

The AMD 780G can deliver DirectX 10 graphics acceleration, full high definition H.264 decoding with both HDMI and Display Port outputs and 5GHz PCI Express ports. As you know, Santa Rosa doesn't have any of these features. Montevina won't have 5GHz PCI Express support until 2010. AMD will also add the option for HyperFlash, which is a technology similar to Intel Turbo Memory.

Keep in mind that Puma is not here yet and these are only "platform details" announced by AMD. They have even pointed to a new platform called Fusion, which will feature CPU-GPU integration for laptops in 2009. Intel has said that they are also investigating that path but for the time being, my bet is that they are thinking "fusion-schmusion" as Santa Rosa takes over the world today. – Jesus Diaz

AMD "Puma" Mobile Platform Details Unveiled [Daily Tech]

We start you off with the importance of being rosy, that is, everything you needed to know about Santa Rosa. If you did your homework, you know that the Mobile 965 chipset has an 800MHz frontside bus with better power management, graphics jacked to 500MHz that can handle the Vista Aero experience and score a 95 on the really tough Silicon Optix HQV display test. You also know that the chipset supports Intel Turbo memory—optional NAND flash that boosts performance when DDR2 RAM is in short supply—and that it's got the Draft-N wireless, for disturbingly high-quality streaming video.

We showed you our favorite notebooks, and singled a few out:

•The Sony Vaio FZ, which looks suspiciously like it was once touched by Jonathan Ive (only it burns Blu-ray discs)

•The Lenovo T61, which almost but didn't quite end up in the ring with Lady Deathstrike (we still don't know who would win)

•The hunka hunka HD DVD burnin' Toshiba love known as the Qosmio G40 with its elephantine HD antenna

•And the dragon lady herself, the belle of the ball (if you're a gamer):
HP's 20-inch HDX 20-inch statement of power, performance and largess (or maybe that's largeness).

When Louis and I stopped by the Intel launch event in NYC, we got our mitts on some pretty sweet laptops, and talked shop with some Intel wizards—no, there won't be a Viiv-branded notebook, but there might be some new Viiv compatibility around the corner, and what's that we heard about a certain Korean manufacturer making a dual-disc Blu-ray HD-DVD drive for laptops?

We even stumbled on a few pretenders, desktop systems that run on the new Santa Rosa chipset. Small, cute and aimed to be servers for apartment dwellers, they might even have N wireless, but don't call them Centrinos!

In the world of Santa Rosa, we covered it all, even something we couldn't quite pin down: Where is that Santa Rosa MacBook? I guess you'll have to keep reading Giz to find out. – Wilson Rothman

Full Intel Santa Rosa Coverage [Gizmodo]

And though we saw and liked plenty of new laptops today, it's the HP HDX which bowled us over with its massive, but not overwhelming, design. Check out the gallery and the review below. – Louis Ramirez

HP HDX Review [Computer Shopper]

Some days it just feels like Groundhog Day. With Santa Rosa popping in more places than the Virgin Mary today, each post feels exactly like that and here's the Sony VAIO FZ to prove it. Not only it has the already-sickening brand new Intel chipset, but it was leaked at the beginning of the month.

Today it's official though, and we have prices, full specs and more photos of this widescreen 15.4-inch Core 2 Duo T7300 notebook after the jump.

The VAIO FZ is a bit of a Qosmio's nemesis: although smaller, the top of the line FZ has a Blu-ray player and burner, HDMI output and a similar multimedia control clickwheel. However, it will only give you 1,280 x 800 pixels coated in XBRITE HiColor Technology, for glosstastic color and increased brightness and contrast action.

It comes with 802.11n compatibility, built-in camera and microphone for videoconferencing and LocationFree software, which let's you see TV and movies from a compatible personal video recorder or DVD player via the Internet.

We haven't tried it yet but looking at the specifications, the Sony VAIO FZ looks like a solid, attractive computer. The only disappointing point is the promised battery life (2 to 4 hours, I wonder where the rest of the battery life that Santa Rosa promised has gone). The price is not bad either if you are looking for a Blu-ray player: the top of the line FZ is only 3.3 PlayStation 3 or $2,000. The standard model will set you back $1,400. – Jesus Diaz

Full specs

Intel® CoreTM 2 Duo Processor T7300
Speed: 2GHz
Front Side Bus Speed: 800MHz
L2 Cache: 4MB Advanced Smart Cache

Installed Memory: 2GB (1GBx2) PC2-5300
Maximum: 4GB
Speed: 667MHz

Drive units
Hard Drive: 200GB
Speed: 4200rpm
Interface: Serial ATA
Optical Drive: CD/DVD burner, Blu-ray burner on the top model

Expansion Slots
Multimedia Card Reader: One Memory Stick DuoTM
media with MagicGate® functionality
One ExpressCardTM /34 Slot
One Secure Digital Media (SD)

Audio
Sound System: Sony® Sound RealityTM - Audio Enhancer

Display
Screen Size: 15.4"
Resolution: 1280 x 800
XBRITE HiColorTM Technology
Processor: NVIDIA® GeForce® 8400M GT GPU with 256MB RAM
Video RAM: 1023MB Total Available Graphics
Interface: HDMI, VGA and S-Video Out with Smart

Inputs and Outputs
Ethernet Port: 1
Headphone Jack: 1
Memory Stick® Media Slot: 1
Modem Jack: 1
Secure Digital Slot: 1
Microphone Input: 1
S-Video Output(s): 1
USB Port(s): 3 (2.0 compliant)
VGA Output(s): 1
DC-In: 1
Express CardTM Slot: /34 x 1
i.LINK® Connection: 1 (4pin) i.LINK® connector (IEEE
1394)
HDMI Connection(s): 1

Networking/Modem
Ethernet Protocol: Fast Ethernet (RJ-45)
Ethernet Speed: 10Base-T/100Base-TX
Modem Type: Integrated V.92/V.90 Modem (RJ-11)
Wireless LAN: Intel® PRO/Wireless 4965AGN Network
Connection (802.11a/b/g/n)

Power
Estimated Battery Life: 2.0-4.0 hours

Operating System: Windows VistaTM Home Premium
Limited Warranty and Onsite Service: 1 Year Limited

First up is AOpen's new Mini PC Duo (MP965), which uses the 965 GM chipset and houses one of Intel's new Core 2 Duo processors. It's not a Centrino system (because it uses the Viiv platform and doesn't pack any battery-saving features), but it does have the option for built-in wireless. It'll come out this summer ranging from $999 to $1499. Likewise there's this Viiv-based system from the folks at Niveus which is set to launch Q3. There was no pricing on the latter, but looks-wise, Niveus' system looks right at home in any living room, especially since it's packing an HD DVD drive. – Louis Ramirez

The single piece roll cage under the keyboard is a single piece of metal, 3D, with mounts for the drives, motherboard, and other components, which when bolted in actually make the frame even stronger. The real genius is the replacement of the metal lid on the old Thinkpads with Plastic. Huh?

Yes.

More, more, more:

There's a 3D, honeycomb sub frame below the surface, which makes the lid not only stronger, but roughly 50% more durable against uneven impacts (like a baseball hitting the back of the LCD in one point). The antenna for WiFi and WWAN is placed inside the plastic, but outside the lid cage, so reception is 2x that of the previous generation. Flexing the laptop hard resulted in minimal flex, and only a bit of protest from the optical bay. I'm tempted to make comparisons to toughbooks and other rugged notes, but I'm unqualified to do so.

Oh, I'm also happy to report that the IBM moniker, while not on the wrist rest, isn't gone as reported. The logo, which is available for Lenovo's use for five years from the purchase, is still on the lid.

The Thinkpads also have better thermal management, thanks to extremely tweakable software that shows you how much additional juice you get from turning components off, as well as better cooling hardware, along with that rollcage doing a great job of dissipating heat. And they've even gone and made the bottom a little bit more Mac-ish than the fugly old bottoms. It still has the drive head parking, which it pioneered before the Macs, and a fingerprint reader which is my preferred method of signing into Vista these days.

And they've got some 1GB of memory hanging off one of the express card controller (you'll have to sacrifice something) to be used as a disk cache. This is their alternative to using hybrid drives. They found it to be much faster than the very limited 256MB on a drive, and now you can swap in big old perpendicular drives without losing your big cache. It's called Intel Turbo Memory, and they find that it can bring a 5400RPM drive to faster then a 7200RPM drive in some cases (obviously not straight reads of uncached data.)

Some of the configs also have webcams, Blu-ray players, card readers. And they have HDD hardware encryption, 802.11n, WLAN with Cingular's HSDPA or Verizon's EVDO. (Aw, no Sprint). Both have up to Core 2 Duo (64-bit) up to 2.4 GHz, in Centrino Duo setups.

P.S. Lenovo, good job keeping your computer relatively craplet free. Sure you had lots of utility apps to power the fine Thinkpad hardware, but that's acceptable.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. - May 9, 2007 - Lenovo today announced two new ThinkPad notebooks PCs - the first ThinkPad T61 14.1-inch widescreen notebook and the first ever R Series widescreen, the ThinkPad R61 14.1-inch widescreen notebook. Lenovo engineered the PCs with its latest innovations, including a new Top Cover Roll Cage for excellent durability, an improved cooling system, enhanced wireless connectivity with Ultra Connect II and longer battery life through its Battery Stretch control option. Featuring the latest Intel® Centrino® Pro and Intel® Centrino® Duo mobile technology, the ThinkPad T61 and R61 14.1-inch widescreen notebooks, respectively, offer users the strongest, coolest, quietest and best performing ThinkPad lineup yet.

Lenovo also today introduced the Lenovo 3000 N200 15.4-inch widescreen notebook offering top connectivity and graphics capabilities with the latest Intel® Centrino® Duo mobile technology.

"The technologies we've designed and integrated into our new ThinkPad notebook PCs demonstrate Lenovo's best engineering at work," said Peter Hortensius, senior vice president, Notebooks, Lenovo. "Improvements in durability, reliability and wireless connectivity will help to make our customer's PC experience more enjoyable and productive. With the latest Lenovo technologies, we are continuing to set the standard for innovation and reliability."

Rock Solid Reliability from Top to Bottom
Engineered with a new Top Cover Roll Cage in addition to the original hard drive magnesium roll cage, the new notebooks provide rock solid reliability with top to bottom protection. The new honeycomb-designed roll cage cushions the notebook's LCD, reinforcing the screen and helping reduce stress on the display structure and antenna. The new Top Cover Roll Cage reduces the stress on the LCD screen by 25 percent on average when the notebook is dropped compared to previous ThinkPad notebooks. Combined with features like the airbag-like sensor of Lenovo's Active Protection System and a shock-mounted hard drive, these notebooks provide the highest level of Lenovo notebook reliability and durability.

Improved Wireless for Road Warriors
Lenovo offers its best wireless performance with Ultra Connect II. This connectivity design helps reduce the effect of conductive material and LCD noise, boosting WWAN and WLAN performance and eliminating the need for external antennas. The notebooks offer several different connectivity options such as WWAN1 (on select ThinkPad T61 models) and WLAN with 802.11n technology,2 GB Ethernet LAN, Bluetooth and modem. When used with Access Connections, Ultra Connect II helps give road warriors an easy to manage wireless experience.

Cooler, Quieter System Designed by Nature
Owls are known for their silence during flight, and the unique shape of an owl's wing inspired the design behind Lenovo's improved cooling system design. The system reduces surface temperature by up to 10 percent and lowers the noise level by three decibels over previous ThinkPad notebooks, giving Lenovo its coolest and quietest notebooks yet.

Stretching Out PC Battery Life
Lenovo puts users in the driver's seat for up to 15 percent longer battery life3 with Battery Stretch. Whether it's finishing a presentation or watching the end of a DVD, Battery Stretch allows individuals to select and manage options like minimizing refresh rates and disabling radios and Bluetooth options in the Power Manager ThinkVantage Technology software to maximize their battery life.

Packed with Security and Performance
The new notebook PCs offer cutting-edge security with select models offering full disk encryption hard drives, an integrated biometric fingerprint reader and a smart card reader. Users can also opt for Intel® Turbo Memory with both notebooks and new IT management capabilities with Intel® Active Management Technology in the ThinkPad T61 14.1-inch widescreen. To enhance the multimedia experience, the notebooks offer choices of Intel integrated or NVIDIA discrete graphics and a four-in-one media card reader. Users can also opt for an integrated camera with the ThinkPad R61 14.1-inch widescreen notebook.

Lenovo 3000 N200: Another Smart Choice for Doing Business
Lenovo gives customers another smart choice for doing business with the Lenovo 3000 N200 15.4-inch widescreen notebook. This notebook features leading technology in a thin and light form all at a good value. With today's always-connected environment in mind, the notebook offers WLAN with 802.11n technology, 10/100 Ethernet and Bluetooth connectivity options. Integrated fingerprint readers help individuals manage their passwords and information. And to help lower the total cost of PC ownership, Lenovo Care Tools help manage IT tasks with automatic updates, one-button system recovery and simple network connectivity.

Choices of Intel integrated graphics or NVIDIA discrete graphics combined with options like an integrated camera and microphone, a five-in-one multicard reader and Vibrant View display add up to an excellent multimedia experience.

Pricing and Availability4
The ThinkPad T61 and R61 14.1-inch notebooks start at approximately $1,399 and $1,249, respectively, and will be available in mid-May.

The Lenovo 3000 N200 15.4-inch widescreen notebook starts at approximately $1,099 and will be available at the end of May. All three notebooks will be available through Lenovo Business Partners and online at www.lenovo.com
d

First things first, what's the deal with Santa Rosa. In an nutshell, Santa Rosa is a new platform (the consumer version is dubbed next-gen Centrino Duo while the business version is Centrino Pro) for your notebook that ushers in new Core 2 Duo CPUs, a new Mobile 965 Express chipset, Draft-N wireless and Intel Turbo memory. Collectively, these features equal 1) better performance 2) better battery life. Here's how they pull it off.

The CPUs. The new Core 2 Duo CPUs behind Santa Rosa are packing a faster front side bus that now maxes out at 800MHz (instead of 667MHz). Basically that means your CPU, mobo and RAM will get along splendidly. But there isn't a greater power demand, since the FSB now uses a technology similar to SpeedStep to manage its power efficiency.

The 965 chips aim to please gamers and media junkies alike by bringing DirectX 10 compatibility and HD-friendly features to the table. The chipset's graphics engine now goes up to 500MHz, so that even the lowest performing chip, the GL960, is promised to deliver the Windows Vista Premium experience.

Next up we have Intel Turbo memory, which is essentially flash memory on your motherboard that will make it easier to cache frequently accessed data. Again, another feature aimed squarely at improving system performance. And finally, Santa Rosa brings Draft-N wireless, which as we all know gives you greater speeds and range than 802.11g. Intel stresses the fact that, while they are delivering a "draft" spec on the wireless, it is sure to be ratified by the IEEE in the near future.

Will you be able to live without Santa Rosa? Of course. But if all these new features sound appetizing, stay tuned for some of our favorite new Santa Rosa hardware. – Louis Ramirez

Product Page

Santa Rosa this, Santa Rosa that, Santa Rosa in the soup, Santa Rosa-o-rama. Except you know who, everyone and their dogs keep pumping out new Santa Rosa-equipped laptops. Here's the glossy black Aura R70, another one from Samsung today, directly from Korea. Trusted Reviews has been able to grab a pre-production unit and their take on it is that the shiny shiny notebook is "a complete bargain."

When the Aura R70 hits the world expect 1.8GHz to 2.0GHz Core 2 Duos processors with 2 to 4MB caches and Intel 965 Express chipsets. It will also include a GeForce 8400M GS with 128MB, which has Pure Video HD processing to process H.264 high definition video and pump it to a a 15.4-inch screens and also through its HDMI port. The screen itself has 1,280 x 800 pixels, although it seems that there would be a 1,680 x 1,050 option available. More information after the jump.

The test unit came with a DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive, although final production machines will have Super-Multi DVD writer and the higher-end models, to be released later, will have Blu-ray or HD DVD drives. The only disappointing fact about this unit is the fact that it doesn't seem to support either 802.11n (only a/b/g) or Intel's Turbo Memory, the cache technology that Santa Rosa uses to speed up Vista operation.

But maybe the best thing about this laptop is the price, which in the UK will go for $1399, tax included. Not bad at all. – Jesus Diaz

Samsung Aura R70 Santa Rosa - Exclusive Preview [Trusted Reviews]

The gigantastic high-definition Toshiba Qosmio G40 someone leaked last month is out in Japan and soon it will be available all over the world. As expected, it comes along with the Qosmio F40 just in time to join all that hot Santa Rosa action from LG, Samsung and HP.

Unlike the HP Dragon, that 20-inch titan that can be used as a laptop, desktop, surfboard and truck loading bay, the 17-inch panoramic Qosmio G40 is a full high definition beast. It's powered by a NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 256MB of RAM, running at 1,920 x 1,200 pixels. The top of the line model comes with a Core 2 Duo T7300 processor, 320GB hard drive and a HD DVD player/recorder built-in, plus 1 GB of flash RAM for accelerated Vista operation. To complement its HDTV capability it also comes with digital/analog TV tuner (yes, that thing on the side is the antenna), remote control and four speakers, plus HDMI and S/PDIF digital AV outputs.

Enough? Not really. This technological terror even comes with more stuff, right after the jump.

All the Toshiba Qosmio G40 models come loaded with 1GB of PC2-5300 RAM, 5 USB 2.0 ports, FireWire, a PC Card type 2 and Express Card/54 slot, a flash memory card reader supporting all flavors including Memory Stick Pro and the obligatory Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11a/b/g wireless connectivity and mini-D-Sub15 and S-Video video outputs. To round it all out, it has an integrated 1.9 megapixel Web camera and a fingerprint sensor.

Of course, this all comes at a price: expect $3,600 (430,000 yen) and 11 pounds to tote around. On the bright side, for that you get both a computer and a defensive weapon to use in medieval tournaments.

The F40 only has a 1,280 x 800 15.4-inch screen, but it's not much lighter at 8.8 pounds. The top of the line includes a NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS video card with 128MB, 160 GB hard drive, digital/analog TV tuner and wireless. Price would be around $2,090. The lower-end model, going at $1,800 in Japan, will only have an Intel GM965 Express for the graphics and takes the HD down to 120 GB. – Jesus Diaz

I love this machine's design. First off, the 20.1-inch widescreen ultrabright has a generous 1680 x 1050 resolution, backlit by two lamps. A hinge let's it swivel from two places, the middle of the panel's back and the standard location, for optimal screen positioning. HP even promises to bump the res to true 1080p-capable 1920 x 1200 pixels in a future version. Secondly, the keyboard tray is so generous that it can fit a media center remote in its left side, and a built in SD/HD OTA tuner (something many vendors have abandoned.)

Laptop Mag reviewed one of the first preproduction samples, and quoted their performance results:

This preproduction model wouldn't run PCMark05, but its 3DMark03 score of 12,240 and 3DMark06 score of 4,002 mean this system can plow through graphics-intensive applications. Thanks to Intel's new draft-802.11n connection, wireless scores were through the roof, hitting nearly 18.9 and 15.8 Mbps at 15 and 50 feet, respectively. Battery life, while not great, was better than we expected at one hour and 31 minutes on our DVD rundown test. This is likely attributable to Santa Rosa's power-saving technology.

[DEEEP Breath]And then 400GB of storage spread over twin 200GB SATA drives, and HD DVD Rom with a DVD+/- double layer burner, gigabit ethernet, quad speaker setup plus subwoofer, 4 gigs of RAM, and a Centrino Duo setup with Core 2 Duo proc at T7700 (2.40GHz, BTW), and an ATI HD 2600XT with 256MB of GDDR3 RAM that can use some system mem to eek out more performance. [INHALE]

HP HDX Preview [Laptop]
HP HDX News [Notebooks.com, thanks Xavier]

A chain partner revealed to us that a new model of MacBook is coming out as soon as next week, which is pretty ridiculous if we do say so ourselves. However, since PC makers are making the transition to Santa Rosa very soon, it's not out of the question that Apple will as well—maybe as soon as WWDC. After all, it's been more than a year since the switch to Intel, and they should be pretty good with this stuff by now. What do you think? – Jason Chen

All the members of the gang include 802.11n wireless capabilities built-in except for the E500, which only has 802.11a/b/g. An extra photo of one of the usual suspects and full description after the jump.

R500-UP75K

15,4 WSXGA LCD (130-degree vision)
Intel T7500 2.2 GHz, 4MB cache, FSB800
2GB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GS 256MBC
160GB Hard Drive
Super-Multi DVD recorded
802.11n

R500-UP73K

15,4 WXGA LCD (130-degree vision)
Intel T7300 2.0 GHz, 4MB cache, FSB800
2GB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS 128MB
160GB Hard Drive
Super-Multi DVD recorded
802.11n

R405-SP71K

14,4 WXGA LCD (130-degree vision)
Intel T7100 1.8 GHz, 2MB cache, FSB800
1GB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS 256MBC
160GB Hard Drive
Super-Multi DVD recorded
802.11n

E500-SP71K

15,4 WXGA LCD (130-degree vision)
Intel T7100 1.8 GHz, 2MB cache, FSB800
1GB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS 256MBC
120GB Hard Drive
Super-Multi DVD recorded
802.11n

R200-SP73K

12,4 WXGA LCD (130-degree vision)
Intel T7300 2.0 GHz, 4MB cache, FSB800
1GB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS 128MB
120GB Hard Drive
Super-Multi DVD recorded
802.11n

R500-UP75K

15" XGA LCD (130-degree vision)
Intel T7500 2.2 GHz, 4MB cache, FSB800
2GB RAM
ATI Mobility Radeon X2300 HD 128MB
160GB Hard Drive
Combo recorder
802.11n

Press release (Korean) [LG Korea]

Have a butchers at Lenovo's newest ThinkPads, the T61 and the R61. While there's nothing particularly scrummy about the design, the laptops do have Intel's Santa Rosa platform under the hood. Both models will be available from next month, with updated versions following on in June (a WWAN model of the T61) and July (a Blu-Ray DVD burner on the R61). There's even fingerprint technology on some of the T61s to keep your private stuff just that.

Both models have 14.1-inch displays, Intel Turbo memory card for some KITT-like Vista performance turbo-boost, hard disk encryption, SmartCard support and NVIDIA graphics. And if you were looking for the IBM badge, you can forget it: Lenovo has finally scratched it off - the first time they have done that since they bought the company's PC division in 2005. UPDATED: The logo is on the lid. All the new technology specs of both models after the jump, but no prices as yet.

T61
Intel Centrino® Duo mobile technology on selected models:
Intel Core 2 Duo processor family1 — T7100, T7300, T7500, and T7700 processors with up to 800 MHz front-size bus (FSB) and up to 4 MB L2 cache
Intel PRO/Wireless family
Intel GM/PM965 Express chipset families
Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 graphics for clear images (models with GM965 chipset)
Intel Wireless Wi-Fi Link 4965AGN LAN or Intel 3945ABG Wi-Fi Wireless or ThinkPad 11a/b/g6
UltraConnect II antenna to help optimize frequency coverage and performance for improved wireless LAN (WLAN) connectivity around the world, when used with compatible options
Intel Turbo Memory Card
Microsoft Windows Vista, which facilitates better security
ThinkVantage Access Connections utility to help manage wired and wireless communications
ThinkVantage Rescue and Recovery™ 3.0
Widescreen TFT display starting at 358-mm (14.1-in) has WXGA (1280 x 800) or WXGA+ (1440 x 900) resolution
Ultrabay™ Slim for fast and easy hot- and warm-swapping of selected options
The ThinkPad T61 notebook is approximately 1.1-in thin (27.6 mm)7 with optimal weight starting at approximately 5 lb8

R61
New processors and chipsets
Intel® Core 2 Duo (64-bit) processors1 up to 2.4 GHz — T7100, T7300, T7500, T7700
New Intel GM/PM965 chipset
Speedy 800 MHz front-side bus (FSB), up to 4 MB L2 cache
Added choice is 32-bit or the new 64-bit Vista operating system
Improved communications
Next generation of wireless LAN (WLAN) performance through 802.11n 2x3 MIMO
1 GB Ethernet LAN, Bluetooth, modem
14.1-inch wide screen
Hard drives for different needs
Up to 160 GB, 5400 rpm
Up to 100 GB, 7200 rpm
Intel Turbo Memory Card boosts performance (select models)
Full disk encryption provides security
New discrete graphics offerings
New NVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M (128 MB) discrete graphics
Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 graphics for clear images
Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG LAN, Intel wireless 4945AGN LAN, or ThinkPad 11a/b/g6 WLAN card
UltraConnect II antenna to help optimize frequency coverage and performance for improved WLAN connectivity around the world, when used with compatible options
ThinkVantage Access Connections utility to help manage wired and wireless communications
ThinkVantage Rescue and Recovery™
Widescreen 358-mm (14.1-in) with WXGA (1280 x 8000) or WXGA+ (1400 x 900) resolution TFT display 358-mm (14.1-in)
Ultrabay™ for fast and easy hot- and warm-swapping of selected options

– Ad Dugdale

WiMax has been slow to take off, but Bangeman seems optimistic. He notes that WiMax's competitor, HSDPA, was left out of the Santa Rosa platform, because Nokia and Intel agreed they couldn't get a good enough return on investment. I can see Intel saying that, but Nokia? Come on, guys—first EVDO got a head start, now this? Who feels like harrumphing about the best technology for a high-speed wide-area wireless network? –Wilson Rothman

WiMAX coming to Intel laptops in 2008 [Ars Technica]

Intel Santa Rosa/Centrino Pro Launching May 8th? [Computer Shopper]