Filed under: Laptops

Although it’s only been a couple weeks since MacWorld, the Apple rumor machine is still going strong — this time with news of updated MacBook Pros. Apparently a utility called MiniBatteryLogger that provides public tracking stats recently got a record from a machine identifying itself as a “MacBookPro4,1″ — current machines being “MacBookPro3,1.” That jives with entries for the same machine in dev builds of 10.5.2, and apparently the machine posted from an Apple IP address — which means, thrillingly, that Apple has updated MacBook Pros somewhere in development. We would have never guessed. Still, let’s hope we see them sooner rather than later — we might be ambivalent towards the MacBook Air, but we’re definitely interested in scoring a multi-touch trackpad.

Filed under: Laptops

Not that we’d anticipate any different but, in just two days after the first few shipping notices went out, we now have some of the first MacBook Air unboxing pics, which again show that thing is really thin (and the box isn’t too pudgy either). What’s more, the folks at Uneasy Silence who did the unboxing honors are also promising to benchmark the system shortly, although there shouldn’t be too much surprise as to how it stacks up. Head on over after the break for a couple more pics, and hit up the read link below for the full show.

Continue reading MacBook Air gets the unboxing treatment

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Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Just like expected, Acer has formally bought into Packard Bell, snapping up 75% of PB Holdings, Packard Bell’s parent company. Things got a bit hairy for a bit there when Packard Bell started speaking with Lenovo as well, since Acer fears losing its strength in Europe to the Chinese giant. Luckily for Acer, Gateway was the real clincher here, since Gateway started talks with Packard Bell before getting bought by Acer itself, and had nabbed the right to counter any offers Packard Bell might get from other companies. The deal officially went through on Wednesday for $45.8 million.

Filed under: Laptops

Everything’s free in America, for a small fee in America! Or something like that. Don’t mind us. Dell is shipping its XPS M1330 laptop with a DVD-playing version of Ubuntu 7.10 pre-installed in the States now, exactly as promised. Everybody else got this about a week ago, but we’re not bitter: the $954 US starting price sure beats the 799 Euros those suckers over there have to drop.

[Thanks, Nigel]

Filed under: Laptops

That special Intel processor found in the MacBook Air could be getting a lot less special. PC Advisor, citing “a source familiar with Intel’s plans,” claims that a pair of PC makers will use the MBA processor. Not that this would be unexpected. The custom-built 1.6GHz and 1.8GHz Intel procs remember, are 60% smaller and consume less power than the typical Core 2 Duo while using the same 65-nm manufacturing processes. Of course, with Intel’s 45-nm Montevina platform scheduled to ship as early as May, the advantages gained by the processor will likely be short lived, though glorious if a PC maker can dethrone Apple of its claim to the world’s smallest thinnest laptop.

Here’s a first: an inflatable computer mouse that goes anywhere. Basically, you “blow up the Jelly Click, attach the USB cable and you’re good to go.” Click here for first picture in gallery.

The Jelly Click takes mouse portability to the extreme. All the electronic circuity lives on a small flexible board. The body itself is just soft plastic

[via YankoDesign]

Via Techeblog

Zelman’s FPSGun FG1000 features a “2000dpi adjustable-resolution optical sensor that grants for more precise horizontal control than a traditional mouse, but only at the expense of the vertical control.” Click here for first picture in gallery.

Still, Kudos to Zalman for thinking out of the box on the design. Pricing information and a release date have not been announced

[via Gizmodo]

Via Techeblog

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Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Sure, most of the Microsoft antitrust action is going down in Europe nowadays, but Uncle Sam’s lingering judgment against Redmond is still kicking around — Judge Colleen Kollar Kotelly (remember her?) just issued a ruling extending the consent decree against Microsoft for another two years. The judge said that the company has been extremely cooperative with the government thus far, but that “the extreme and unforeseen delay” in acquiring technical documentation from Bill and the boys requires that monitoring continue. That pretty much leaves things at the status quo, although we’re not exactly holding our breath for anything to change once the consent judgment actually does expire.

Filed under: Laptops

Straight out of Cupertino’s mouth, the MacBook Air is officially shipping. ‘Course, we’d already heard a few reports from early adopters that they had received shipment notifications, but now we can all rest assured they weren’t just dreaming. Brace yourselves, MBA pre-orderers, your wee machine should be on its way soon, but it seems as though folks placing their orders as late as today will still face a “2 to 3 week” lead time.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Just as we feared, Dell will indeed be axing 100-percent of its US mall kiosks — 140 in total. Unsurprisingly, the official word attributes the move to Dell’s shift into big box retail stores, but we’re sure that’s not the least bit consoling to the fine folks who were pushing Round Rock’s machines to mall-goers just yesterday. According to Tony Weiss, vice president for Dell’s Global Consumer business, the move “fits in with how its broad global retail strategy is evolving,” and for whatever it’s worth, kiosks outside of US borders are still safe for now. You might still be getting a Dell, but dude, it won’t be from the mall.

[Image courtesy of NotebookReview]

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