Laptops - Page 89

We told you yesterday that Digitimes was flogging a rumor about a new Mac Netbook. Well it seems that Dow Jones has gotten a hold of the story and gotten more confirmation on it.

This does not make it a certainty but it would make it more likely. As Digitimes claimed Apple will be using touch screens from Wintek and Quanta will build them.

While none of the companies would comment on this news it does seem rather odd after Steve Jobs made his statement "we don't know how to make a $500 computer that's not a piece of junk." That Apple would build a netbook.

This could mean that it will still be a cheap product with the usual Apple price tag or it could simply mean that all the fuss is over a different product altogether.

Read more here.

This is something that while not new is a new twist on an old idea. The folks over at Front Door Software have developed an application that can help in the recovery of stolen laptops.

The way it works is pretty simple; you install the software and setup an online account. After this if someone steals the laptop, you simply logon to your account and report is stolen. From there the laptop will display owner contact information and can also play a loud recorded message indicating it is stolen. There is also an IP tracer function that can allow you to track the stolen laptop as well as a lock down feature.

The application is available as a 90-Day trial while purchasing a full 3-year license is only $29.95.

Read more here.

ASUS has announced a special edition Eee PC by parnering with the Austrailian National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF).

Is it me or has the netbook become its own monster? When the concept was first pushed out it was all about small, light, portable internet and basic office/school tasks. Now everything has changed.

If rumors are to be believed Lenovo will be dropping the new HD capable nVidia ION under the hood of its new netbooks. The new Lenovos won't be your typical netbooks, they will run in 11.6 and 21.1 inch flavors.

This could be good for Lenovo if they can get it to market before everyone else and very good for nVidia. If the Lenovo netbooks are a success it means further adoption in the market and more revenue for nVidia.

Read more here at Electronista

Samsung's new NC20 Netbook has shown up for pre-order on shop.bt.com.
The new thigh-top has a 12.1" display and a Via Nano under the hood.

The NC20 as it will be called sells for 390.98 (GBP) and is available in both white (ala Apple) and a sleek glossy black. The availability dates are listed as Feb 09 for the white model and March 09 for the black.

There is no news on when these might show up elsewhere in the world.

Pre-Order yours here.

According to Microsoft's Brad Brooks, who is corporate vice president for Windows Consumer Product Marketing, all Windows 7 versions will work on mini notebook and netbook computers.

Putting it down to the intelligent development work by Microsoft software engineers, Windows 7 is not only looking to have a smaller OS footprint than Vista, but also come with improvement power management for enhanced battery life, enhanced media capabilities and increased reliability, stability and security.

nVidia seems to be changing its focus. While they will never get away from making GPUs the company certainly has shifted its focus from the desktop to the portable PC world.

In a recent conversation with nVidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang, Laptop Magazine finds Huang talking up Ion.

The Ion platform throws the Intel Atom together with the GeForce 9400M GPU (oddly enough the same GPU that powers the new MacBook). Ion is intended to bring greater functionality to the netbook world.

According to Huang the current Netbook is nothing more than a PC that does not work that well. But with Ion the netbook can be a "Premium PC Experience" Huang also says that the current Atom with Intel chipset/GPU will be crushed by AMD's Neo.

Read more here.

Sony has taken the wraps off its latest VAIO P series notebook today, or I should perhaps say netbook. Weighing in at a mere 636 grams, this is said to be the world's lightest 8-inch notebook released to date.

ASUS had today announced the first notebooks to make use of AMD's ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4600 series GPUs, also released today.

The two models include ASUS' N81Vp and N51Tp and along with leveraging the latest in GPU technology, they also include other advanced features in the way of efficiency with the use of the Super Hybrid Engine (SHE) being said to preserve battery life by up to 35% more than standard notebooks running identical specs. The built-in Express Gate operating system is also implemented along with ASUS' SmartLogon facial recognition system.