The dv5 has a 15.4" display, along with 4 USBs and an NVIDIA graphics card. Available this month, the minimum on this notebook is $700 for AMD, $900 for Intel.

The top-of-the-line dv7 has a 17" display, multi-channel audio with subwoofer, 4 USBs, ATI and NVIDIA graphics cards, and a hard drive up to 640GB. It'll start at $950 for AMD and $1230 for an Intel chip when it's out in July.

The Pavilions also have LightScribe laser etching for CD/DVD-Rs, and accelerometers inside that stop the hard drive of a falling laptop to prevent data loss. In fact, the only downside to the Pavilion series is that it runs Vista.

A docking station, the xb4, will also be available for the new Pavilion line for $250 in July. One great thing about the docking station is that USB drives will run directly from it.

Last but not least, HP is also introducing a new tablet PC. The tx2500z has a 12.1" display that rotates 180 , up to 320GB hard drive, a 5-in-1 card reader, and 3 USBs, among other features. Pricing and availability have not been announced yet.

HP Fuses Style and Entertainment in Next-generation Notebook Portfolio

BERLIN, June 10, 2008 - HP today unveiled six consumer notebook PC series that push the boundaries of innovation and aesthetics, embodying the company's blend of mobile computing and design expertise.
Announced at the company's Connecting Your World event, the entertainment-packed HP Pavilion "dv"-series notebooks is adorned with a sleek, liquid-metallic HP Imprint 2 surface design, "magic chrome" touch controls that appear at the touch of a finger, and intuitive, one-click access to high-quality TV,(1) photos, movies and music from nearly any location. The notebook series also features built-in HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection, which automatically stops the hard drive from spinning after it detects sudden movement, helping to prevent the loss of data.

Also new are three series in the Compaq Presario notebook PC line, which provide high value and attractive designs in an array of sizes and configurations. All HP consumer notebooks are also designed with protecting the environment in mind, with energy-efficient features and select materials for easier recycling. In fact, HP has set a goal to remove all mercury - a potentially hazardous substance commonly found in notebook screens - from its entire notebook line by the end of 2010.

In addition, HP announced accessories to personalize the mobile experience with multimedia docking stations, power adapters, extra capacity batteries, TV tuners,(1) remote controls, speakers, color-matched accessories and much more, enabling consumers to do more with their notebooks.(2)
"HP is creating notebook computers that captivate consumers by combining sleek and striking designs with immersive entertainment capabilities that make for a great user experience," said Kevin Frost, vice president and general manager, Consumer Notebooks, Personal Systems Group, HP. "As the No. 1 consumer notebook brand, our new lineup raises the bar even higher, with notebooks that are tailored for the ever-changing lifestyles of people who are on the go and need to stay connected."

HP Pavilion notebooks deliver exquisite design and powerful entertainment
HP Pavilion notebooks set a new standard in notebook design with unexpected innovations such as invisible "magic chrome" controls that light up and become fully interactive upon power up. Smooth lines, optional HP BrightView Infinity Widescreen flush-glass screens, along with color-matched keyboards and touch pads create a frameless, thin and elegant appearance.

The new HP Pavilion notebook series also offers consumers a choice of the latest AMD and Intel processors and a high-speed eSATA interface for backup to external storage drives. The series also introduces to consumers built-in HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection technology, which was previously available only in HP business-class notebooks. This technology automatically detects if a notebook has been dropped and, while the notebook is on its brief journey to the floor, automatically stops the hard drive from spinning, helping to prevent the loss of files and data.

Matching outer style with inner power, the new HP Pavilion series offer a broad range of features and sizes to match consumers' lifestyles.

The ENERGY STAR -qualified HP Pavilion dv4 Entertainment Notebook PC packs the latest technology into a 14.1-inch diagonal display. Already lightweight and power-efficient, an HP SmartBay enables the use of an included weight saver in place of the optical drive for even greater mobility. Entertainment-ready, the HP Pavilion dv4 offers a choice of integrated TV tuner(1) and Blu-ray(3) optical drive, delivering a portable high-definition(4) experience. Other options include broadband wireless(5) for those who wish to stay connected without a wireless hotspot, and a brighter, mercury-free LED display.(2)

For users seeking an ideal balance among mobility, performance and screen size, the HP Pavilion dv5 Entertainment Notebook PC delivers a mid-size, 15.4-inch diagonal display, exquisite design and powerful entertainment with optional discrete graphics from NVIDIA.

The HP Pavilion dv7 Entertainment Notebook PC's 17-inch diagonal display and sleek design deliver powerful high-definition entertainment for TV,(1) photos, movies and music with full-size realism that makes it an ideal alternative to desktop PCs. The HP Pavilion dv7 brings together a rich set of standard features such as premium multi-channel audio and options such as subwoofer, Blu-ray optical drive, built-in TV tuner(1) and robust graphics from ATI and NVIDIA.(2)
Style made simple and affordable

Designed for those on the go, the versatile HP Compaq Presario notebook PC line includes a new industrial design and HP Imprint 2 surface finish, a range of optical drives, built-in wireless(6) technologies and high-quality audio, webcam and analog microphone capabilities.

The Compaq Presario CQ45 Series Notebook PC is a powerful system that pays equal attention to design and performance. The 14.1-inch diagonal display offers a built-in TV tuner,(1) optional Blu-ray and discrete graphics technology that bring together the paramount combination of consumer entertainment and notebook computing.

The Compaq Presario CQ40 and CQ50 Series Notebook PCs are 14.1-inch and 15.4-inch diagonal display notebooks, respectively. Versatile and affordable, the notebooks are built to travel, offering essential mobile and wireless technologies.
Personal accessories for the mobile lifestyle
HP accessories are loaded with innovative features to let users personalize their notebook experience.

The HP xb4 Notebook Media Docking Station combines the comfort of a standard notebook stand with the connectivity of a port replicator. Convenient and easy to use, the dock requires no software for set up and connectivity is achieved by a single cable that passes all signals, including USB, video, audio and power. For superb audio output, the dock includes speakers, a subwoofer and an auxiliary audio-in port to play music from MP3 players and other external devices.

HP Bluetooth Stereo Headphones with Active Noise Cancellation allow consumers to stream music wirelessly from a wide variety of audio sources, including MP3 players, notebooks and desktop PCs and CD players. Active Noise Cancellation reduces ambient noise and improves the listening experience and enhances audio quality.
Pricing and availability(7)

The HP Pavilion dv4t (Intel) Series Entertainment Notebook PCs start at $999 and will be available beginning later this month. The HP Pavilion dv4z (AMD) Series Entertainment Notebook PCs start at $799 and are expected to be available beginning in September.

Both the HP Pavilion dv5t (Intel) Series Entertainment Notebook PCs, starting at $899, and the HP Pavilion dv5z (AMD) Series Entertainment Notebook PCs, starting at $699, will be available later this month.

The HP Pavilion dv7t (Intel) Series Entertainment Notebook PCs start at $1,229 and will be available later this month, while the HP Pavilion dv7z (AMD) Series Entertainment Notebook PCs start at $949 and are expected to be available in July.

The Compaq Presario CQ45 and CQ40 Series Notebook PC availability and pricing varies by region.

Compaq Presario CQ50 Series Notebook PCs start at $499 and will be available later this month.

The HP Bluetooth Noise Cancelling Headphones start at $149 and are available now. The HP xb4 Notebook Media Docking Station starts at $249 and is expected to be available in July.
Customers can shop for the new HP Pavilion and Compaq Presario notebook PCs by calling +1 888 999 4747, via chat, online or at retail outlets nationwide.

(1) Availability of signals limited by the strength and accessibility of the originating TV signal, location and other factors. Performance issues may arise, and do not constitute defects in the product.
(2) Sold separately or as an add-on features.
(3) Blu-ray is a new format containing new technologies. Certain discs, digital connections, compatibility and/or performance issues may arise, and do not constitute defects in the product. Flawless playback on all systems is not guaranteed. In order for some Blu-ray titles to play, they may require a DVI or HDMI digital connection and the display may require HDCP support. This Blu-ray drive does not support writing to ultra-high speed CDRW media (16X to 32X advertised performance). HD-DVD movies cannot be played on this notebook PC.
(4) High-definition content (for example, WMV HD files) is required to view high-definition images.
(5) Broadband technologies require separately purchased wireless data service contracts. Check with local service provider for coverage and availability.
(6) Wireless access point required and is not included. Availability of public wireless access points limited. Wireless Internet use requires separately purchased Internet service contract.
(7) Estimated U.S. street prices. Actual prices may vary.

This adds to past rumors of a mystery Apple device making use of Atom, though Schwaderer's supposed semantic choice calling it a "version of the iPhone" seems odd, given that Atom is designed more for UMPCs than traditional mobile devices. Also, too much bigger and it's not much of a phone-sized gadget anymore—more like a mini-tablet or as Jesus has called this particular phantasm, the Son of Newton. As always, we'll believe it when see it. [ZDNet.de via MacRumors]

Wacom claims that their RRFC (Reversing Ramped Field Capacitive) display is the only surface capacitive touch technology in the world that works with "excellent accuracy, stability and sensitivity even when working on battery power." The features seem similar to N-Trig's DuoSense technology, except Wacom's product apparently also have their tablet's precision and sensitiveness specs, something that the DuoSense doesn't offer. They also say that their design is immune to noise, as well as having "highly durable and transparent glass sensors" which actually is tougher than glass.

We will have to wait to May 20, when it will be presented at the International Society for Information Display Exhibition, to see how it looks like.

Press Release:

Wacom Introduces Major Innovations In Capacitive Touchscreen Technology
New human interface solution to debut at the Society for Information Display exhibition

Tokyo, Japan and Vancouver, WA, USA April 22, 2008 Wacom announced today a major innovation in capacitive touchscreen technology, called Reversing Ramped Field Capacitive (RRFC ) touch, that will be publicly unveiled at the International Society for Information Display Exhibition, booth #1129, May 20 to 22, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. Wacom's patent-pending technology employs newly designed low-power circuitry and revolutionary reversing ramped electro-static fields to deliver pinpoint precision and drift-free performance to touchscreen users. The technology can be integrated into dual-input applications with Wacom's market-leading EMR pen-input technology for Tablet PC OEMs or work by itself on other platforms that require only a finger touch interface. With this newly developed technology, Wacom can provide true flexibility to OEM partners seeking best-in-class interface solutions.
"Wacom's latest capacitive touch innovation is truly another technology breakthrough for Wacom," said Masahiko Yamada, President and CEO of Wacom Company Ltd. "It demonstrates our calling and commitment to bringing human interface products to market that make computing more natural, easy and fun."

Intuitive Integration
Wacom's RRFC touch technology overcomes many limitations that are inherent in surface capacitive touchscreens available today. For starters, Wacom employs new static field engineering for increased stability and drift-free performance. With advanced ASIC design and high resolution signal processing, RRFC touch is effectively immune to noise. It is also the only surface capacitive touch technology that can demonstrate excellent accuracy, stability and sensitivity even when working on battery power. As an additional benefit, both Wacom's RRFC touch and EMR pen input technologies can work together off of a single ASIC and MCU pair, significantly reducing overall bill of materials and manufacturing costs. Furthermore, Wacom incorporates highly durable and transparent glass sensors with multiple coating and bonding options as well as intuitive driver software, creating a compelling portfolio of human interface solutions for OEM partners seeking cost-effective, state-of-the-art technology for system integration.

"Our new proprietary RRFC touch technology is exciting on a couple of fronts," said Shawn Gray, Wacom's Director of Touchscreen Operations. "New controller processing methods and system design provide extremely accurate pointing at much lower power consumption levels and without increased cost. These factors and others, such as ease of integration and stability, position Wacom RRFC touch as a natural alternative to resistive, surface acoustic wave and infrared touch technologies. Any OEM should seriously look at Wacom's solution when deciding to move beyond resistive touch solutions on portable devices or when seeking to find new and exciting capacitive touch performance in AC-powered applications."

Benefit of Wacom s RRFC Dual Touchscreens
Compared to touchscreens with resistive capacitive, an older touchscreen technology, Wacom's RRFC touch offers superior optical performance, while having increased sensitivity and durability. Wacom touchscreens have greater transmissivity of up to 95 percent, compared to transmissivity of only 80 to 85 percent in resistive capacitive touch screens. Wacom RRFC touch technology requires less pressure, that is, only a very light stroke to activate a signal, compared to the force required in a resistive touch screen. The hard surface in Wacom's RRFC touchscreen is also tougher than glass, which helps eliminate wear and scratching.

History of Innovation in Human Interface Technology
For the last 25 years Wacom has brought people and technology closer together through its natural and highly intuitive line of pen tablets and interactive pen displays. The company's electro-magnetic resonance (EMR ) technology, bolstered by its patented battery-free and cordless digital pen, dubbed Penabled , has played a significant role in the development and success of the mobile computing industry, culminating with the introduction of the first Tablet PC in 2001. As OEM and consumer demand for new and more natural input options increased, Wacom took the lead by offering electronic solutions for its pen together with 3rd party resistive touch input to manufacturers of Tablet PCs. To date, Wacom's pen and resistive touch systems can be found on some of the world s leading convertible notebook computers including, Lenovo, HP, Toshiba and Gateway. Wacom's introduction of its own RRFC touch technology continues the strong tradition of developing human interface solutions solely aimed at creating and delivering affordable, ergonomically sound, efficient and enjoyable computing experiences to both consumer and professional users.

Engineering, Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management Expertise
A global company with a wealth of experience producing large volumes of components for PC OEMs, as well as its own branded products, Wacom's engineering, manufacturing and supply chain management teams will work closely with OEMs looking to integrate Wacom's technology into their computing devices. Wacom's modern, high-capacity manufacturing facilities provide OEM system integrators with low-cost, high-quality products. Its extensive design and testing services allow integrators to find the right solution so that they may compete for larger, more profitable business.

Basically, the Triped combines the mouse, the touchpad, and the digitizer pen into one ergonomic device. That having been said, its main advantage over the traditional pen is in the area of text entry. According to the product page, the combination of mouse and pen functions, with improved document navigation would make it a better choice. Unfortunately, we won't know if these claims hold water until the device is picked up by a manufacturer—but something tells me that will probably happen fairly soon. [Simtrix via Stuff.co.nz]

The Pros:
• It's essentially a MacBook. They've taken a Core 2 Duo MacBook with Leopard, replaced the standard screen with a Wacom Penabled Digitizer and even stuck a GPS inside.
• The screen is bright, but matte (not glossy like the new MacBook Pro models), so images are a bit fuzzier than my MacBook Pro.
• Handwriting recognition works well in inkBook (the included app)
• The screen is scratch/fingerprint free and pretty durable

The Cons:
• It's heavier than a standard MacBook, because of its "aircraft grade magnesium alloy", which means it's not quite as portable as you'd like
• The standard digitizer pen is usable, but slightly flimsy
• No keyboard means typing is a pain
• Expensive! $2279 and $2479.
• No way to orient the screen vertically like a clipboard

If you're looking for a touchscreen Apple laptop that lets you actually draw on the screen (similar to the idea of the Wacom Cintiq Jesus reviewed), the ModBook is perfect for you. For $2279 or $2479 (the difference is in CPU speed, slightly more hard drive space, twice the RAM and a double layer DVD drive), you'll be able to get a MacBook and a touchscreen tablet in one—great for traveling cartoonists and caricature artists.

I'm no Photoshop or art expert (obviously), but the ModBook was even better than my current Wacom Bamboo because it allowed me to draw directly on the screen. For an amateur digital tablet user, that's the huge difference between being able to draw something that looks like what it's supposed to look like and an unintelligible blob. The two drawings below are what I whipped up in ArtRage on the ModBook. Bender is a trace, in case you thought I killed Jesus and usurped his talent.

The good news is that the screen works perfectly. It's scratch and fingerprint resistant, durable, bright, but somewhat fuzzy since it's not a glossy screen. The bad news is that it's heavy, and will probably be too heavy for you to walk around like a gym teacher with a clipboard. The white built-in pen that slides into a built-in pen holder is good, but isn't as sturdy as the Wacom pens you're probably used to. It'll take you a few weeks to get used to not hitting either the "right mouse button" or the the on-screen keyboard button when you're drawing.

Speaking of the on-screen keyboard, this is what you're going to be using to type. There is no built-in keyboard. Forget about writing long emails with this thing unless you've got a USB keyboard handy. It's solely for drawing. But, if you really have to write something long or take notes, the handwriting recognition is actually great and fairly accurate. For the times when you're forced to use the keyboard (like in OS dialogues), here are the options you can choose from.

There's also a GPS inside, which gives you the same result as attaching a GPS unit to a regular MacBook. It works, and you can rig it up to do navigation or look up where you are in Google Earth, but it's not a practical GPS device that you can take into the car and drive to grandma's with.

The people who are in the market for a ModBook are people who want to draw and make art with a laptop, but have another computer for their normal email and internet browsing. If you're one of these people, the ModBook is a definite buy. For others who just want a touchscreen MacBook so they can do art sometimes, but rely on a keyboard most of the time and want a regular laptop more often than not, the ModBook isn't quite right, and we recommend a standard Wacom tablet instead. [Macsales]

The F5's magnesium frame, outdoor friendly display, resistance to dust and moisture and an easy-to-clean surface add to the semi-ruggedness of this Tablet PC. At 3lbs., it houses an HDD or an optional 32GB solid-state drive, a 2-megapixel camera, and, like its bright-red ancestor, a built-in mono speaker. There's no optical disc drive, though, as often is the case with these smaller tablets. It'll be priced from $2700 to $4000, not including the sweet dock, external keyboard or mounting hardware for the dashboard of your intergalactic space saucer emergency vehicle. [Motion Computing]

The pressure-sensitive display feels perfect for SketchBook Pro, as pressing harder draws bolder, thicker lines, just like the now hideously-antiquated analog sketching. But we were more surprised by how fluid it felt to navigate OS X with a stylus. From about half an inch away from the screen, a cursor tracks your position. Opening programs by clicking icons and skimming through iTunes selections never seemed so intuitive, and it makes you realize, wow, OS X is a tablet-ready package without modification. (And then wonder, why the hell does Axiotron need to fill this void, Mr. Jobs?)

Look for a full review of the hardware in the not-so-distant future (that will hopefully give us the opportunity to test the Modbook's GPS capabilities, but for the moment, Axiotron's little Frankencomputer is looking pretty fantastic.

The main draw of the Modbook is the Wacom digitized pen-sensitive LCD slate-style display, which is combined with either a 2.0 GHz or 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, a built-in iSight camera and an integrated 24x DVD Combo drive or 8x DVD SuperDrive. We have not tried it out properly yet, but if you have $2,290 saved away for a Macbook tablet, the Modbook maybe the solution to your weighty wallet woes. [Axiotron]

The UMPC will run Windows Vista, but there is no pricing or shipping information at present. Naturally, we would be excited, but our morbid obesity is so severe, we can no longer sense our emotions. Yeah Amtek, we know we are fat, but even we have feelings, you know. We'll go drown our sorrows in a high sugar content soda. [Aving via Mobilewhack]

(UPDATE: Since there were so many questions in the comments, I've updated the post with new information)

Pressure-sensitive displays are common now in the Windows Tablet PC world, but not all tablet displays (or as Wacom calls them, interactive pen displays) are created equal. The 1,280 x 800 Wacom Cintiq 12WX has 1,024 pressure levels on both the pen tip and the eraser, with a +/- 60 tilt sensitivity. The difference is clear from the very first time you fire up Painter or Photoshop. The pen smoothly reacts to your actions like it would in the real world. The only thing you will miss is the drag of the actual pencil or pastel on paper.

I connected the Wacom Cintiq 12WX to my 24" iMac via DVI (using a mini-DVI-to-DVI adapter, only necessary when dealing with an iMac or some laptops). I connected it to the Mac via USB as well, to record the pen's data. The video and the USB, along with the power, go into a small box that you can easily put on the floor, as the cable that goes from the box to the tablet is quite long and allows for plenty of freedom of movement.

The process is pretty much plug-and-play. Once you are connected, the Mac or PC with Vista will automatically recognize the extra monitor, which behaves like any other display connected to your machine: your desktop will extend by 1,280 x 800 pixels and that will be that. You can also mirror your main monitor, but I like having the extended display. After you install the Wacom drivers (and I recommend you download the latest ones from the site), the tablet component will be live and ready to use to its full capacity.

The trackpads, thin strips of touch material similar to those on a laptop or an iPod, allows you to zoom in and out dynamically, just by sliding your finger. Those along with the buttons—which are programmable but come by default as modifier keys like Shift, Control and Command or Windows keys—allow you to draw and retouch constantly without having to use the computer keyboard at all. The top key on each side is, by default, configured to allow you to jump from the Wacom display to the main display. When you click on it, the cursor jumps to the main screen so you can select menu items or whatever you want. This effectively converts the Cintiq 12WX into a regular Wacom and completely avoids the use of the mouse in your system.

You probably recognize some of the illustrations in the video from Giz's pages. That's because I have been using the Cintiq for the past two weeks yet even so, I can only come up with two negative things to say about it. First, it has a very rare video glitch that I can't reproduce in other systems and, in fact, I can hardly reproduce it in my own. My guess is that it's a strange video driver issue, either with Mac OS X or the Wacom. The second "negative" thing is that it takes a bit of time to get used to those buttons and side trackpads but once you get in the habit, they can be real time savers.

Other than these two points, I can only say positive things about the tablet. The quality is great, the ease of use can't be beat and it just feels great in your hands. What's more: it speeds up your work because this is the way that you are supposed to work. After using it, trying to control Photoshop with the mouse—or regular graphic tablet—will feel like trying to paint holding a brick dunked in acrylic paint. In your mouth. Blindfolded.

For some people, the price for natural hands-on drawing and photo/video retouch would look excessive, however. If you are an amateur, the $999 price tag is hard to justify. However, if you have the money and you enjoy working on your images and digital paintings, I can tell you that it's worth every cent, if only for the joy.

If you are a professional artist that needs to retouch stills or video or draw from scratch, the Wacom Cintiq 12WX's price is peanuts. It saves so much time and could make the job so much more precise and better that it will pay off in a few hours of work. In other words, if you do this for a living and don't get one of these, you will be wasting your money. Even with that little glitch, which looked like a driver issue in my iMac, I can tell you that you won't be able to go back to a regular graphic tablet or, God forbid, a mouse. The two-year guarantee just sweetens the deal even more.

There's only one thing I miss in this thing. Like my wife would say: more inches. Or pixels. Or however she's measuring the size of my tablet these days.

UPDATE

Response time
The response of the tablet is great. There's is no delay between the pen moving and the actual pixels appearing on the screen. In the video some people perceive a delay but this is because of two reasons: first, the actual LCD screen is separated from the drawing surface a couple of millimeters. While you draw, you don't see this separation because you calibrate the tablet to match your point of view, so the tip touches the pen. However, when you film it from another angle, you see the separation of the pen and the pixels, giving you the illusion the trace follows the pen while this is not true. Another reason, while watching the video again myself, could be that I sometimes do the gesture a few times without actually drawing. This is something that happens to me—and most illustrators—naturally with both real media and the Cintiq. While filmed, sometimes you get the illusion that I am drawing and the line doesn't appear until later, on the second or third pass.

Software compatibility
The Wacom Cintiq 12WX is compatible with any software, including Photoshop (that's the whole point of it, not Excel.) It works transparently and, like I said in the review, it's completely plug-n-play.

If you have more questions, please use the comments.

[Wacom]

The eight listings in the Multi-touch Engineering section call for an Input Firmware Engineer, Panel Process Engineer and Touch Technology Instrumentation Software Engineer among other positions. While hiring one engineer could be dismissed as simple R&D, hiring a group of engineers devoted to multi-touch makes us think Apple is serious about a production product. [Apple Jobs via Mac Rumors]

The sorta interesting claim about the price itself is that it's only "a slight premium to our competition (emphasis on the word 'slight')," which is based on the math its "non-standard features" only carry a 13 percent premium over the competition. If you're still not convinced it's worth it, they're going to be following it up with more posts explaining why you're wrong.

The problem is that however much it surpasses other tablets, when you come down to it, $2500 is still two-and-a-half grand, and that's just for the base model. You bump the processor to dual core, the RAM to 2GB and expand the hard drive to 80GB, you're talking closer to $3,000 for what's really the acceptable spec configuration. And that kind of money makes most consumers antsy, however fancy your wares. We know we'll be waiting for it to plunge to more plebian prices, though we do appreciate the tech inside, Dell. [Direct2Dell]

Jesus Diaz: Are you working with other big brands on this? And I mean BIG (wink wink nudge nudge)...
Abigail Solomon: Yes, N-Trig is in discussions with other leading brands, but we are not in a position to discuss who.

JD: What kind of companies?
AS: Well, not only notebook makers. N-Trig's technology is not limited just to notebook PCs. Think gaming, handhelds, medical devices, TVs, computer screens... anything with a screen.

JD: How does this technology compare to Wacom's pressure sensitive displays, which seems like the current leader? I know theirs is not capacitive touch, but I thought their pen technology was unmatched.
AS: N-Trig's sensor materials are combined with sophisticated software algorithms which enable true digital touch and can be easily be integrated and supports any type of LCD or size.

JD: But does your pen require a battery?
AS: The pen is an electrostatic pen, so no, it doesn't require a battery. The stylus is light, ergonomic and customizable and requires no internal power source. It has an integral sensor that changes transmission frequency in accordance with tip pressure, which has a more natural, hassle-free and life-like pen experience. It also features right-click and eraser capabilities.

JD: How many pressure levels does it support?
AS: It currently supports 256 pressure levels, since it is the standard for mobile computing devices. For other types of devices we may enable more pressure levels, as it may be required by each device standard. [By comparison, Wacom display technology supports 1,024 levels, plus tilting and bearing, but no finger touch.]

JD: Does it support tilting and bearing like the Wacoms?
AS: No, the pen does not support tilting and bearing since it isn't required by the operating system. However, in terms of touch performance DuoSense introduces outstanding accuracy and full compatibility with Microsoft Vista requirements and features.

JD: How does the dual input work, having to cope with the hand touching the surface while using the pen?
AS: We have a feature called "intelligent digital palm rejection," which enables the user to switch seamlessly between the pen and the touch functionality. The DuoSense displays knows when you are using the pen or expecting it to react to your finger input.

As you can see, this technology is completely new and totally different from what current tablet manufacturers have in the market now. So new in fact that when we first talked with N-Trig back in October, they were still in the process of ramping up manufacturing and couldn't even discuss the technology in detail. The Israeli company, which has offices in Tel Aviv, Taiwan and Austin, had Dell lined up at the time, as well as other undisclosed OEMs.

The ability to have electrostastic, battery-free pen input with 256 levels of pressure and being able to seamlessly switch from pen to hand back to pen without a hitch is quite unique, to the point of justifying a price much higher than that of regular pen-based devices.

More importantly, it feels natural and simple. That simplicity is what got me thinking that, if the rumors and patents hold any water, a company like Apple would have to use DuoSense or something equivalent to it, if it exists. It's one of those things that Steve Jobs would set as a requirement for any portable with multitouch and ink (pen writing) capability, the latter already supported in Mac OS X.

Right now, the only game in town is Dell, and even then, the new Latitude XT doesn't have multitouch support—yet. There has been some speculation about why the Dell doesn't support multitouch at this point, with some people blaming Vista for the lack. While it's true that—thanks to system-wide programming interfaces—future multitouch support in Vista will make things easier for any program to support the capabilities of the DuoSense, we're told, "Vista is not the issue."

According to N-Trig, "All it takes is a firmware upgrade and it's ready to go," like the pressure levels. Why not throw it all in, then? At this point, N-Trig offered up the obligatory "This is all we are allowed to say at this time," which makes us speculate that it was a strategic decision due to the lack of multitouch-enabled apps. Surely all this secrecy must have a very good reason.

We will have to wait and see who's the next in adopting DuoSense. Until then, here's a great demo to drool over:[N-Trig]

Dell Adds New Touch to Tablet PCs Round Rock, Texas, December 10, 2007

* Dell LatitudeTM XT system is the only sub-four-pound 12.1-inch convertible tablet with ground-breaking capacitive touch technology
* System is the thinnest and one of the lightest convertibles available
* Optional daylight viewing display offers the brightest display in its category
* Hardware supports future multi-touch functionality

Dell is setting new benchmarks for tablet PCs with the addition of the Latitude XT, the thinnest and one of the lightest 12.1-inch convertible tablets available. It is also the brightest in its category with an optional daylight viewing panel. The system starts at $2,499 and Dell will begin to take orders and ship the Latitude XT by the end of the year.

The Latitude XT is also the industry's only sub-four-pound convertible tablet with pen and capacitive touch capability. Capacitive technology senses the touch of a finger with no pressure required for the system to recognize input. It is also the forerunner to emerging multi-touch capabilities that allow the use of more than one finger for tasks such as zoom and repositioning a picture, to name a few. Other touch features available on the Latitude XT include:

* Accuracy and speed - touch response times on the Latitude XT are faster than the Lenovo X61T1
* Advanced digital palm rejection technology, helping prevent inadvertent contact that disrupts pen input
* The digitizer technology on the Latitude XT is rated up to 10 times more durable than competing resistive touch digitizer technology
* Maintenance-free, no-battery pen with eraser and "right" mouse click functionality

"We are listening and aim to exceed customers' expectations," said Margaret Franco, director, Dell Product Group. "Until now, customers have been forced to make tradeoffs in tablet functionality to have usable systems. With Capacitive touch technology, the Latitude XT will revolutionize the way customers interact with their systems, allow customers to take full advantage of tablet technology and enables customers to get more done with greater speed and precision."

Most competitive tablets on the market today rely on resistive touch that requires the application of force for the system to recognize user interaction. The older technology can be less accurate and durable than capacitive touch and may not support multi-touch. In addition, many customers who use resistive tablets that support both pen and touch functionality may disable the latter because the palm rejection technology is subpar.

Market Impact of Dell Tablet PC
"Dell's plan to enter the tablet PC market will help promote the platform among its large number of customers and help facilitate the product category to go mainstream," said Doug Bell at industry analyst firm IDC.

The Latitude XT is designed with the future in mind with the capability to support multi-touch. As the technology matures, the system can serve as a premiere development platform for applications that can take advantage of multi-touch.

"By integrating our DuoSense technology into the Latitude XT, Dell creates the ultimate machine destined to lead the tablet PC market," said Amihai Ben-David, CEO of N-trig. "Customers using the new Latitude XT will find that the zero pressure touch combined with the accurate stylus changes the usability of tablet PCs. Once they try it, they won't want to go back."

As part of Dell's ongoing goal to be the "greenest technology company on the planet," Energy Star 4.0-compliant configurations of the Latitude XT will be available in January 2008.

Other features of the Latitude XT include:

* Optional media base for docking and optical media
* Full-size keyboard with dual pointing
* Up to 64 GB2 solid state drive; up to 120 GB2 hard drive
* Optional battery slice designed to provide up to 9.5 hours of battery life3
* Intel® Core 2TM Solo and Duo ULV processors
* ATITM RadeonTM X1250 UMA integrated graphics

[Dell, Dell Blog via I4U]

TOSHIBA UNVEILS COMPANY'S FIRST TABLET PC WITH TOUCH SCREEN LED BACKLIT DISPLAY

New Portégé M700 Series, Toshiba's 9th Generation Tablet PC, Provides Mobile Professionals a Powerful and Versatile Solution

IRVINE, Calif. (Dec. 10, 2007) - Building upon its award-winning legacy of Tablet PCs, Toshiba's Digital Products Division, a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced the Portégé® M700 Tablet PC series. The Portégé M700 is the company's first Tablet PC to incorporate a touch screen LED backlit display.
As the ninth generation of Toshiba's innovative Tablet PC product line, the Portégé M700 series offers enhanced versatility, performance and productivity to attend to the needs of on-the-go professionals, "corridor warriors," educators and students.
"Toshiba's Portégé M700 Tablet PC provides mobile professionals with an exceptionally intuitive Tablet PC to meet their mobile computing needs," said Jeff Barney, vice president of marketing, Digital Products Division, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. "Building upon many years of successful Toshiba Tablet PC platforms, the Portégé M700 incorporates our customer's most requested features resulting in Toshiba's most powerful and versatile Tablet PC to date."
As Toshiba's first Tablet PC with a touch screen supporting both fingertip input capabilities and traditional pen-based input, Toshiba's Portégé M700 empowers users with a more flexible and convenient Tablet PC computing experience. The Portégé M700 detects the presence of a digital pen or a user's fingertip, automatically switching between the different input methods, with the digital pen given priority when both inputs are simultaneously detected.
The Portégé M700 series incorporates an LED backlit display with anti-glare coating, which allows Toshiba's new Tablet PC to be viewed in a wide range of environments both indoors and outdoors. The LED backlit display produces superb image quality and rich color saturation indoors. While outdoors the anti-glare display delivers a clear, easy-to-view image.
The resolution offered by the widescreen 12.1-inch WXGA display of Toshiba's Portégé M700 yields 30 percent more detail than a standard 12.1-inch XGA display. This affords users enhanced clarity for viewing multimedia files and multiple page documents side by side. The Portégé M700 Tablet PC display mirrors the layout of a standard sheet of paper when in portrait mode to give users a familiar writing workspace.
The Portégé M700 series uses high-performance Intel® Centrino Pro processor1 technology, including Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processors2, Intel® 965 Express chipset, Intel® Wireless Wi-Fi Link 4965AGN supporting draft 802.11n3, and Intel® Active Management Technology (AMT 2.6). Intel's AMT 2.6 delivers the ability to remotely deploy systems and supply proactive security and maintenance measures. This provides the network manager better control of mobile computing assets to minimize user downtime and provide greater efficiency at the office of when traveling.
The Ultra SlimBay® on the Portégé M700 gives users the flexibility to change the configuration of the Tablet PC to adjust to their individual user needs. With support for an internal optical drive, second hard drive or weight saver, the Ultra SlimBay helps eliminate the bulk and inconvenience of carrying additional external components. The Portégé M700 comes with a DVD SuperMulti Drive4 and weight saver as part of the standard configuration.
To simplify the transition from notebook computer to Tablet PC, the Portégé M700 design incorporates an improved hinge and display guide/peg mechanism as well as latch-less design to provide greater ease of use and industry leading stability. This combination of features ensures the display is securely locked into position in both notebook and Tablet PC mode.
The inclusion of the latch-less design enables Toshiba to cleanly integrate a Webcam and microphone on the bezel of the Portégé M700. The 1.3 megapixel Webcam provides mobile professionals the flexibility to communicate face-to-face with colleagues, co-workers and loved ones when out of the office or traveling. The Portégé M700's Webcam can take still photos, record video clips and record audio notes.
Featuring the full suite of Toshiba's third-generation EasyGuard™ technology5, the Portégé M700 brings a more reliable and secure mobile computing experience that includes:
• HDD Protection—Because the hard disk drive (HDD) is one of the most critical Tablet PC components and that a dropped Tablet PC rarely falls in a single linear direction, Toshiba implemented the 3D accelerometer. This mechanism detects the acceleration caused by a sudden fall from multiple directions. The 3D accelerometer helps guard the HDD against awkward accidental drops, including a spinning, falling Tablet PC, by rapidly removing the HDD head from between the HDD platters, better protecting the Portégé M700 in all three rotational dimensions of pitch, roll and yaw.

• Shock Absorbing Design6—The Portégé M700 Tablet PC features enhanced protection zones that run along all sides of the Tablet PC to help the Portégé M700 better withstand accidental drops. Toshiba also placed reinforced ribs within the rounded edges of the display to better protect critical components including the display and inverter by dissipating energy resulting from accidental bumps or drops. For further durability, Toshiba encased the display with magnesium alloy, a lightweight, rugged material utilized in structural, automotive, industrial and aerospace manufacturing.

• Spill Resistant Keyboard7—Toshiba improved its spill resistant keyboard to help protect against accidental spills of water and other liquids, including soda and coffee with cream and sugar. This enhanced feature affords users time to save work and shut down the system in the event of an accidental spill — helping to prevent the loss of data.

Additional information about Toshiba's EasyGuard technology is available at www.EasyGuard.Toshiba.com
In addition to providing a reliable and secure mobile computing experience, Toshiba has incorporated several value-added features, including two "Sleep-and- Charge" USB ports. These ports allow users to charge compatible electronic devices, such as select cell phones or MP3 players whether the system is on or off. The Sleep and Charge USB ports eliminate the bulk and inconvenience of carrying extra chargers to recharge mobile devices. Toshiba's Portégé M700 is compatible with several Portégé M400 accessories including: Express Port Replicator, digital pen, reserve pen, battery and secondary battery.
The following configurations demonstrate the various specifications and price options available within the Portégé M700 Series:
Portégé M700-S7002 Recommended Configuration (ESUP $1,799)8
• Genuine Windows® Vista™ Business (32-bit version)
• Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T75001
o 2.2GHz, 4MB L2, 800MHz FSB
• 2048 MB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM memory9
• 160GB (5400 RPM) Serial-ATA hard disk drive10
• 12.1-inch diagonal widescreen LED backlit display
o supporting digital pen and touch screen
o Indoor/outdoor display
o Wide viewing angles
o 1280 x 800 (WXGA) native resolution
• Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 with 8MB-251MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory11
• Integrated DVD SuperMulti (+/-R Double Layer) drive4
• Intel® Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN (802.11a/g/n)
• Intel® Pro 82566MM 10/100/1000 Ethernet
• Bluetooth® v.2.0 + EDR
• Integrated 1.3 megapixel Webcam® with built-in microphone

Portégé M700-S7001X Recommended Configuration (ESUP $1,699)8
• Genuine Windows® XP Tablet PC Edition 2005
• Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T7500
o 2.2GHz, 4MB L2, 800MHz FSB
• 1024 MB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM memory9
• 160GB (5400 RPM) Serial-ATA hard disk drive10
• 12.1-inch diagonal widescreen LED backlit display
o supporting digital pen and touch screen
o Indoor/outdoor display
o Wide viewing angles
o 1280 x 800 (WXGA) native resolution
• Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
• Integrated DVD SuperMulti (+/-R Double Layer) drive4
• Intel® Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN (802.11a/g/n)
• Intel® Pro 82566MM 10/100/1000 Ethernet
• Bluetooth® v.2.0 + EDR
• Integrated 1.3 megapixel Webcam® with built-in microphone

Complete product specifications for all the Portégé M700 models are available at www.sell.toshiba.com or www.toshibadirect.com.
The Portégé M700 series is available with a three year standard, limited warranty12, which includes carry-in support at Authorized Service Providers throughout the country; or customers may utilize any of the 4,460 UPS Stores and Mail Boxes Etc. locations nationwide for packaging and delivery of the product to a
centralized depot for prompt turnaround service. Customers can also choose to upgrade the Portégé M700's service plans, including up to four years of extended warranty coverage.
All new Toshiba notebooks and Tablet PCs are RoHS-compatible13, effectively reducing the environmental impact by restricting the use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances. This coupled with a mercury-free LED backlit display has earned Toshiba's Portégé M700 the Green Electronics Council's Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) gold status. To achieve this status, the Portégé M700 had to pass a strict set of criteria created to reduce the impact electronics have on the environment. The Portégé M700 is Toshiba's sixth mobile computing solutions to earn the EPEAT gold status.
Toshiba also offers a computer trade-in and recycling program to reduce environmental impact and promote efficient utilization of resources. All Toshiba computers qualify for free recycling, while non-Toshiba computers and other consumer electronic products can be recycled for a small fee. For more information please visit: www.reuse.toshiba.com

- Single or dual-core Intel ULV CPUs (with integrated graphics)
- LED-backlit WXGA 1280 x 800 display option - Outdoor viewing WXGA 1280 x 800 display option
- Pen and touch support (digitizer and touchscreen)
- (3) USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet (duh), 1394, VGA out
- Wi-Fi options up to 802.11n, optional Bluetooth
- Optional 3G (HSDPA, EV-DO Rev. A)
- ExpressCard slot, optional Smart Card slot, fingerprint reader

The internal document shows the XT will have a 1.2 GHz Core 2 Duo Ultra Low Voltage processor, 1 Gig of RAM (expandable to 3), Bluetooth 2.0 and built-in mobile broadband. Other cool features include a biometric reader, ambient light sensor, digital array microphone, and a score of quick control macros along the screen bezel. The media bay can also support a dual-layer DVD burner, or an additional 80 GB HDD.

Another point of interest is that the document had the XT lined up for release last month. I'm curious as to what caused the delay on this, seeing as it would have been popular this holiday season. [istartedsomething]

Will it have a keyboard hidden underneath? Will it look like the iPhone? Will it have straps so you can keep it on your person at all times? You choose! Just submit your entries to contests@gizmodo.com with the subject "Apple Tablet Contest," and we'll feature all of them on Giz come next week. We'll present the person who made the best design with a nice *cough* *inaudible*. Get to it!

It also adds GPS capability with tons of preloaded maps complete with points of interest to get you where you want to go. It has 2GB of internal storage, but when you stick a 10GB memory card in there, you can be well stocked with music, too, or view videos on its 4.13-inch 800x480 wide touchscreen.

While that's the same rez as its Nokia N800 predecessor, the N810 improves upon that with a 20% brighter screen and a 400MHz processor. Shipping in November, it's a pretty good deal at $479. [Nokia]

Nokia N810 Specifications
General
Operating Frequency
* Volume: 128 cc
* Weight: 226 g
* Length: 72 mm
* Width: 128 mm
* Thickness: 14 mm

Display
* High-resolution 4.13" WVGA display (800 x 480 pixels) with up to 65,000 colors

Processor
* TI OMAP 2420, 400Mhz

Memory
* DDR RAM 128MB
* Flash 256MB

Storage
* Up to 2GB internal memory
* Support for compatible miniSD and microSD memory cards (with extender). Supports cards up to 8GB. (SD cards over 2GB must be SDHC compatible.)

Operating times*
* Battery: Nokia Maps BP-4L
* Continuous usage (display on, wireless LAN active): up to 4 hours
* Music playback: up to 10 hours
* Always online time: up to 5 days
* Standby time: up to 14 days

*Operating times may vary depending on the radio access technology used, configuration and usage. The availability of the product and its features depend on your area and service providers, so please contact them and your Nokia dealer for further information.

Other characteristics
* Smooth slide with integrated QWERTY keyboard
* Built-in GPS receiver
* High quality stereo speakers and sensitive microphone
* High-resolution widescreen display
* Integrated desk stand
* Integrated VGA web camera
* HW key to lock touch screen and keys
* Ambient light sensor

Connectivity
* WLAN standard: IEEE 802.11b/g
* Bluetooth specification v. 2.0. +EDR
o Profiles supported: HID, FTP, DUN, GAP, SPP, HSP, SAP and OPP
* USB 2.0 high speed
* 3.5 mm stereo headphone plug (Nokia AV Connector)

Language support
* HW keyboard variants: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish-Portuguese, Scandinavian and Russian
* User interface languages: British English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, American English, Brazilian Portuguese, Canadian French, Latin American Spanish, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Russian, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese
* User guide languages: British English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, American English, Brazilian Portuguese, Canadian French, Latin American Spanish, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Russian, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese, Arabic

Internet Tablet OS: maemo Linux based OS2008
General
* Easy install for new applications, applets, and personalization
* Operating system updates available over the Internet

Web Browsing
* Browser based on Mozilla technology with state-of-the-art web standard support including AJAX
* Page navigation with scrolling, panning or using hardware buttons, zooming in and out of web sites.
* Full desktop Adobe® Flash® 9 plugin, including video and audio streaming

Media
* In-built media player for viewing and listening to downloaded, transfered or streamed media content and easy-on-device management of media library
* Direct access to shared media over Universal Plug and Play (UPnP)
* Supported video formats: 3GP, AVI, WMV, MP4, H263, H.264, MPEG-1, MPEG-4, RV (RealVideo)
* Supported audio formats: MP3, WMA, AAC, AMR, AWB, M4A, MP2, RA (RealAudio), WAV
* Supported playlist formats: M3U, PLS, ASX, WAX, WVX, WPL

Communications
* Internet messaging and calling with video
* Effortless and automated presence and contacts application for centralizing communication tasks
* SIP support and interoperability with industry standard services

Map
* Map application with pre-loaded maps including points of interests
* Premium services available on purchase including Wayfinder navigation

E-mail
* Browser access to familiar webmail services
* E-mail application for personal e-mail usage with IMAP, STMP, and POP3 support

Images
* Full-screen image viewing and slideshow functionality
* Supported Image formats: BMP, GIF, ICI, JPE, JPEG, PNG, TIF/TIFF, SVG, Tiny, WBMP

RSS Reader
* Reader for subscribing, managing and keeping up-to date with web feeds
* Support for RSS 1.0/2.0 and Atom 1.0

Utilities
* File manager
* PDF reader
* Clock
* Games chess, blocks, mahjong and marbles
* Backup and restore

Input Methods
* HW keyboard, full screen finger keyboard and on-screen keyboard
[NSeries]