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Lenovo's ThinkPad T500 gets previewed

by Darren Murph, posted Aug 20th 2008 at 1:53AM


Now that you're well acquainted with the specifications of Lenovo's ThinkPad T500, there are only a couple more hoops to leap through before pulling the trigger or calmly placing the mouse on the ground and walking away. Here to help you inch closer to one option or the other is NotebookReview, which has procured one of these rigs and given it a thorough inspection. Fans of the trademark design (read: plain, simple, boring / beautiful) will find oodles to love, and build quality (overall) was seen as satisfactory. Unfortunately, a good bit of flex was noticed in the keyboard, which could be a serious issue for fans of previous units. There's plenty more discussion where this came from, so head on down and give the full writeup a look if you're remotely interested in bringing the T500 into your loving abode.

Apple replacing faulty MagSafe power adapters, too

by Thomas Ricker, posted Aug 20th 2008 at 1:06AM


First the iPod nano, now Apple's Mag(not so)Safe adapters. That look familiar? If so, Apple is ready to replace the faulty MagSafe adapter from your 13-inch MacBook or 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pro -- in warranty or out. You do live nearby an Apple-Authorized Service Provider right?

More pictures of Dell's Mini Inspiron surface

by Nilay Patel, posted Aug 19th 2008 at 9:23PM


Dell's Inspiron 910 can't stay hidden, apparently -- check out these new, higher-res shots of the 8.9-inch netbook in the wild. Nothing spectacularly new here -- and we'd still like to see some locked-down specs on this thing -- but ooh, shiny. Check the power adapter after the break.

Continue reading More pictures of Dell's Mini Inspiron surface

Intel's UrbanMax slider laptop concept unveiled at IDF

by Joshua Topolsky, posted Aug 19th 2008 at 9:21PM


Intel appears to be firing on all cylinders at IDF. Besides whatever surprised they have planned for tomorrow, the chip-maker rolled out a prototype of a convertible laptop / tablet / MID / UMPC / netbook / super-gadget called the UrbanMax. There's not much in the way of specs on the device, but as you can see from the photos, it utilizes a combination sliding / tilting screen to transform into any variety of configurations. The display is a resistive touchscreen, though it's not clear what the guts are made up of here. The whole thing reminds us of a giant Tilt, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. One more pic after the break.

[Via jkkmobile]

Continue reading Intel's UrbanMax slider laptop concept unveiled at IDF

Intel teases with a new tablet at IDF, shows off the best of the rest

by Joshua Topolsky, posted Aug 19th 2008 at 7:42PM


Apparently Intel is on a bit of a roll already at this year's IDF. After showcasing and talking up a number of new products, including (but not limited to) the lap-destroying mobile Quad Core Extreme CPUs (as featured in Lenovo's vicious W700), new switchable graphics solutions that allow on-the-fly toggling between integrated and discrete graphics, and even more talk about forthcoming WiMAX options. What really got everyone's eye, however, was a slide they teased with at the end of Mobility Group VP / GM Dadi Perlmutter's presentation of a mystery touchscreen tablet with the ominous question "What is this?" and a promise to reveal the goods tomorrow morning. Call us dangerously psychotic, but it looks like a clunky medical accessory to us. Paging Dr. Design to Intel's R&D lab, STAT.

ASUS kicks out four new XP-based Eee PCs for Taiwan

by Donald Melanson, posted Aug 19th 2008 at 11:37AM


We know it's been a tough few days since the last Eee PC launch, but ASUS has now thankfully come through with four more ever so slightly different models to feed your questionable appetite, this time for Taiwan. Those include the 1000HD XP, 904HD XP, 901 XP and 900 XP (16G), each of which, obviously, run XP, and at least two of which (the 901 and 900) come in some of the same eye-catching colors that Korea got a taste of the other day. Somewhat curiously, only the 901 XP is listed as having an Atom processors, while the others are simply described as packing an "Intel Mobile" processor. Otherwise, you can expect the usual range of specs found on countless similar models, with prices coming in at the local equivalent of $444 to $539.

[Via Slash Gear]

Lenovo's IdeaPad S10 netbook ready to order, maybe

by Thomas Ricker, posted Aug 19th 2008 at 3:45AM

Just days after FCC approval, the IdeaPad S10 netbook just popped on Lenovo's retail site tossing a big Chinese wrench in ASUS' plans for global Eee PC domination. At least we think so -- the S10 wasn't expected to hit the US until October (China September 5th). Availability says "ships within 2-3 weeks" but clicking on the "customize and buy" link results in an "Exception Occurred" error -- pretty much on par with Lenovo's US retail launch routine. Anyway, for $399, er $429 (thanks again dollar) you'll take home 512MB of memory and 80GB worth of hard drive, a 1.6GHz Atom N270 proc, Windows XP, and a paltry 3-cell Lithium-Ion battery. Annoyingly, the progression from the base-model black color to white or red costs an extra $10 without any appreciation in specs. While ASUS' is approaching the netbook market like attrition warfare, it might just be a few, well-placed products with stellar support that wins over the netbook market in the end.

[Thanks, Kevin]

Tom Bihn's Checkpoint Flyer: a TSA-approved bag worth owning

by Darren Murph, posted Aug 19th 2008 at 2:54AM


Now that the TSA has doled out the official verbiage about what it considers a checkpoint-friendly laptop bag, expect to see the usual players toss in an option or two for frequent fliers. Thus far, all we've seen are cases that get the job done while throwing style to the wind in the nearest dumpster; now, however, we've a better option to choose from. Tom Bihn's stylish Checkpoint Flyer meets all of the TSA's requirements while still looking like a briefcase we wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen with. The 2.6-pound bag is crafted from US 1050 denier ballistic nylon and 500 denier Cordura and includes a trio of pouches on the outside, splash-proof zippers and ten smaller pockets for stashing those increasingly rare bags of peanuts / pretzels. It's available now in three colors for $220 (yeah, we know, but it's made in the US of A).

[Via Electronista]

InfoWorld finds 35% of enterprise-class users downgrade to XP

by Darren Murph, posted Aug 18th 2008 at 7:11PM

Hold your horses, vaquero. Let's not blow this all out of proportion here. While it's no secret that a certain amount of Vista purchasers are utilizing that "downgrade to XP" option to its fullest extent, a small (and let us emphasize "small") collection of data suggests that some 35% of "mainly enterprise-class users" have opted for XP over Vista on their newly-purchased rig. By scouring data from the 3,000 or so members feeding information to the InfoWorld Windows Sentinel tool, the site found that just over 1 in 3 users had defected to Microsoft's previous OS. Granted, the tool cannot take into account Linux users or even the "Hackintosh crowd," though as Randall Kennedy puts it, 35% is "still a huge percentage, and way out of proportion for even the dramatically unpopular Windows Vista."

Dell offers 1-year limited warranty enhancement for NVIDIA GPU issues

by Darren Murph, posted Aug 18th 2008 at 6:15PM

Details are slim at the moment, but one thing's for sure: Dell customers affected (or not affected... yet) by those wonky NVIDIA GPUs will have their warranties extended by 12-months to compensate. The 1-year "limited warranty enhancement" will add coverage for this issue to everyone who recently purchased one of the 15 NVIDIA-equipped machines listed in the read link, and we're told to expect further details about the whole ordeal in short order. Breathe easy, folks -- you'll be taken care of somehow or another.

HP EliteBook 2730p gets shown off on video

by Donald Melanson, posted Aug 18th 2008 at 5:43PM


We didn't exactly get the best look at HP's new EliteBook 2730p tablet when it was announced earlier today, but Notebooks.com has now thankfully come through with a video of the device, in which HP's Kyle Thorton helpfully shows off every nook and cranny of sleek yet supposedly rugged convertible. That includes a peek at the tablet's jog dial, which makes a welcome reappearance after being ditched on the 2710p, and its "double clutch" stylus-holding system, which promises to keep you from losing your trusty input device (it's actually pretty slick). Head on past the break for the full show.

Continue reading HP EliteBook 2730p gets shown off on video

Dell's "Mini" Inspiron 910 gets specs, pics, and potential release date leaked

by Joshua Topolsky, posted Aug 18th 2008 at 1:36PM


The cats over at Gizmodo have gotten their eyes on some succulent and salacious photos of the oft-rumored, much-discussed, openly-desired Dell "Mini Inspiron" (or as it's now being called, the Inspiron 910) -- and they've shared with the world. In the pics you get to see that familiar pencil-pose along with a slew of insides and outs, including an up-close look at ports, keyboard, and guts. The specs look like they're right in line with those leaked materials we had back in June, and the word is this little baby will be hitting shelves come August 22nd. Time to swing by the Coinstar machine.

HP's rugged EliteBook 2730p tablet and 2530p laptop for suits and Gobi squares

by Thomas Ricker, posted Aug 18th 2008 at 4:45AM


HP just unveiled a pair of rugged (MIL-STD 810F tested for dust, altitude, and high temperature) Centrino 2 12-inchers with the launch of its 2530p laptop and 2730p tablet. The 2730p bests the HP 2710p launched last year with the inclusion of a touchpad and new jog-dial along the side for use when the tablet is in slate mode. HP is also offering improved ULV (up to 1.2GHz) and LV (up to 1.86GHz) Core 2 Duo processor options and faster, 1.8-inch 5400RPM hard drive (up to 120GB), 80GB SSD, and Qualcomm's Gobi dual EV-DO / HSPA wireless option for near-complete WWAN support globally. The 2730p continues to maintain the legacy LED-backlit display, "Night Light" keyboard lighting, optional webcam (with business card reader), slice battery (up to 10-hours), and expansion base / docking station. Importantly, the stylus no longer slips out of the silo when carrying the 2730p through the cubicle farm.

The 2530p offers pretty much the same in a thinner (0.99-inches vs. 1.11-inches thick), lighter (3.19-pounds vs. 3.74-pounds), more traditional laptop design. See it pictured after the break.

[Via jkOnTheRun, twice]

Read -- 2730p
Read -- 2530p

Continue reading HP's rugged EliteBook 2730p tablet and 2530p laptop for suits and Gobi squares

Lenovo's IdeaPad S9 / S10 shows up in FCC database

by Darren Murph, posted Aug 18th 2008 at 2:14AM


Hey, look -- another cart before the horse scenario! Long after coming to grips with the fact that Lenovo was indeed producing an IdeaPad S9 and S10, the netbook(s) have surfaced in the FCC's lair. Interestingly, the User Guide looks to tackle both machines in one fell swoop, suggesting that there's not enough difference to warrant the writing of two whole pamphlets that no one will read. There's not too much here that you didn't already know, but it's always a great sign to see a machine make it past this federal hurdle.

Lenovo's IdeaPad S9 Lite gets a site, more specs, and discounted pricing... in Hong Kong

by Joshua Topolsky, posted Aug 17th 2008 at 2:09PM


If you've been making a mess of the floor (you know, with drool) waiting for Lenovo's IdeaPad S9 netbook to come flying in your direction, here's a little something to further whet your appetite. A "Lite" version of the device appears to have gotten official pricing, specs, a site, and apparently a deal if you buy three at once (at least in Hong Kong). The diminutive laptop will feature that Intel N270 Atom CPU (at 1.6GHz) we've already heard about, an 8.9-inch SWVGA display, 512MB of RAM, a 4GB SSD, and will apparently utilize a Linux build. That last point is of note as this model was previously believed to be carrying around an install of Windows XP. The new literature also suggests that the S9 (and presumably the S10) will pack a multi-touch trackpad, and be available in white, red, or pink. The S9 Lite will be launched next month, and prices run from HKD 2,899 (about $371) for a single model down to HKD 1,933 ($247) if you pick up three at once. And hey, who doesn't need three small laptops?

[Thanks, Joe; Via UMPC Fever]
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