Posts in Notebooks
Convert any laptop into a tablet
CNET Crave | Mar 30, 2007
It's an enticing idea: Replace your keyboard with a stylus and tap your screen--or write all over it--to get things done.
That's the basic premise behind tablet PCs, and while they haven't fully caught on yet, the NAVIsis Laptop Tablet lets you give the tablet user interface a go without having to splurge on a brand-new tablet PC.
The NAVIsis Laptop Tablet is a US$130 (S$197.16) USB device that clips onto the side of your laptop screen and lets you tap, write, and draw on the display to your heart's content.
Sure, US$130 (S$197.16) is far from free, but it's an intriguing alternative to current laptop input devices: The jumpy laptop touchpad, the bulky travel mouse, or the effective but underused keyboard nub.
AMD launches new mobile chipset
Michelle Thatcher | Mar 29, 2007
Today AMD announced the M690 chipset, a mobile version of the 690 chipset announced a month ago. Like its desktop counterpart, the M690 seems aimed at the entertainment sector: Both the high-end M690T and budget M690V offer DVI video output, with the M690T adding support for HDMI output so you can connect your laptop to an HDTV. The M690 is also AMD's first mobile platform to support ATI Avivo technology, which the company claims enhances high-definition video playback. Both the M690T and M690V incorporate ATI Radeon X1200 series graphics and Turion 64 X2 series processors; you can find all of the technical specs on AMD's Web site.
Like every new laptop component, the M690 chipset reportedly results in longer battery life; in this case, AMD claims it will extend battery life by up to 30 minutes. We look forward to testing those claims in systems from ASUS, HP, and Fujitsu, who will be the first adopters of the new chipset.
If you'd like to learn more about AMD's future release plans, see our CPU Roadmap feature.
HTC Shift: Windows Vista UMPC
Darius Chang | Mar 28, 2007
At first glance, one can be forgiven for mistaking the HTC Shift for the Dopod U1000 with its 7-inch display and HSDPA connectivity. It is upon further inspection that the new model reveals a unique sliding design which ends in a tilt and reveals a full QWERTY keyboard beneath. The most interesting thing, however, is that instead of running Windows Vista Basic on its rather weak 1.2GHz VIA CPU, this portable shows up with Vista Business Edition displaying the graphics-intensive Aero interface in all its glory.
Other notable specifications from the CNET UK Crave report include a 30GB harddisk, fingerprint biometric scanner, USB port, a VGA camera for video calls, a small Synaptics touchpad, and what looks like an SD card slot. At press time, Dopod Asia (which carries HTC products under its brand) was unable to comment on the availability and pricing of the HTC Shift.
Click for larger image
Samsung R20: Touch-typing without the dirt
Edvarcl Heng | Mar 20, 2007
At CeBIT, Samsung launched three new notebooks with a color scheme that it obviously wants to use to appeal to style-conscious consumers. The R70 (15.4-inch), R20 (14.1-inch) and the Q45 (12.1-inch) will come encased in a sleek black package and will sprint on Intel Core 2 Duo processors.
The R20's graphics engine will run off an ATI Radeon Xpress 1250 internal graphics card, but the real frilly feature here is the silver nano technology-enabled keyboard that's built to keep off bacteria. Samsung has also chose to beef up the R20 with an in-house diagnostic program, the Magic Doctor, to do some PC voodoo, or to really diagnose and correct application errors automatically.
The R70 will feature an external graphics card, the Nvidia GeForce GO 8000M, which is good news for easy future upgrades as well as HDMI connectivity and an optional 1.3-megapixel camera. The smaller Q45 will, on the other hand, offer the same external graphics card and camera plus support for WiBRO and HSPDA wireless connections as well.
More CeBIT tidbits here
More pictures of Samsung notebooks here
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Samsung R20
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Samsung R70
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Samsung Q45
Motorola's rugged notebook
Darius Chang | Mar 20, 2007
Considering it does not have any rugged phones in its stable, Motorola's foray into the notebook market is, surprisingly, a military-grade portable capable of surviving in almost any environment.
The Motorola ML910 Rugged Notebook is a fully connected 13.3-inch machine able to withstand drops of up to a meter and resist water penetration. Based on a 1.66GHz Core Duo processor, it contains an ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 graphics controller with 128MB of video RAM. Besides the usually Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, the ML910 also includes a GPS radio for navigation as well as WWAN for linking to mobile phone networks. A fingerprint biometric scanner provides strong security for vital information.
Recognizing the need of front-line responders such as EMT (Emergency Medical Team) and law enforcers to share information securely, the ML910 is equipped with MotoMesh and Multi-Net Mobility technology. This allows users to maintain a secure link to headquarters across different broadband networks.
There was no information on the pricing and availability of the Motorola ML910 Rugged Notebook at press time. The image shown is of the previous ML900 model.
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