Filed under: Laptops

Asus has never been one to shy away from making from making bold predications about it’s fast-selling Eee PC, and it’s now come out with yet another feat of prognostication, saying that it expects it’s forthcoming Windows-based Eee PC to outsell its Linux-based counterpart by a ratio of 6 to 4. As PC World points out, that’s despite the fact that the Windows version will cost nearly twice as much as the cheapest Linux-based Eee PC. Asus chairman Jonney Shih seems undaunted by that fact, however, and assures us that “a lot of people have been waiting for the Windows version.”

Filed under: Laptops

Just glancing at the specifications sheet, you can tell Sony’s 13.3-inch VAIO VGN-SZ791N packs quite the punch for its size. After all, who wouldn’t be pleased with a 2.5GHz T9300 CPU, discrete GeForce 8400M graphics, 4GB of RAM and a built-in optical drive? Still, what looks good on paper doesn’t always translate into perfection on your lap, but according to a glowing review posted over at PC Mag, this is one of those cases in which it does. When benchmarked, this critter bested the highly-praised Asus U6S, Acer Ferrari 1100, Fujitsu P8010 and MacBook Air in the vast majority of tests — heck, it even cranked out a whopping 2 frames-per-second running Crysis at high quality (seriously, that’s an accomplishment). All in all, this beauty managed to impress in basically every category, and with 4.5 out of 5 stars and an Editor’s Choice badge, it seems that you’d be hard pressed to find a better ultraportable for $2,500.

[Thanks, Kane]

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

It’s all a silly misunderstanding, we tell you. Microsoft has been holding fast to its “three years” development time frame for Windows 7 since forever, the problem is that it’s never been clear when that three year period started. Well wonder no longer, Microsoft has finally officially confirmed that the three years started at Windows Vista’s general availability release, which was January 30th, 2007. Obviously that doesn’t mean will have Windows 7 on midnight of January 30th, 2010, but it does mean we can look forward to sometime within that year for a release. Microsoft plans to give an exact release date only once Windows 7 “meets its quality bar for release.” Sounds like a good metric to go by, if you ask us.

[Thanks, Isaac]

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Filed under: Laptops

Although HP has already stuffed Intel’s latest Core 2 Duo chips into its Pavilion lineup, now it appears that some of its business-minded units are also getting the Penryn treatment. As of now, the 2.1GHz T8100 is an available option on the 6720s and 6820s, while the 2.4GHz T8300 becomes available on the 6510b and 6710b. Reportedly, the firm’s 8700 lineup will be joining the club within “the next two weeks,” but we won’t blame you if you head elsewhere in the meantime.

[Via CNET]
Read - HP Compaq 6720s
Read - HP Compaq 6820s
Read - HP Compaq 6510b
Read - HP Compaq 6710b

Filed under: Laptops

What, you don’t read the official Transportation Security Administration blog? No worries, we’ve got your back on this one with the TSA’s official reaction to Michael Nygard’s missed flight as a result of its incredulous MacBook Air inspection. TSA agents are in fact trained to look for anomolies. So along come the MBA laptop. It’s new (thus, rarely seen), ridiculously thin, and lacks a mechanical hard drive and any visible ports. Requesting further inspection is exactly what Mr. Nygard should have expected. As surly and detached as TSA officers tend to be, in this case they were doing their job just as they were trained. Of course, knowing this isn’t going to prevent any of us from bitching and moaning every time we’ve to remove our shoes now is it?

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Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Great news for those of you enrolled in Microsoft’s Windows Feedback Program. In exchange for giving Microsoft access to your computing habits for the last 3 months, your free copy of Windows Vista Ultimate, Office Ultimate ‘07, Money Plus Premium, Encarta Premium or Streets and Trips (depending upon your enrollment selection) should be delivered in the next 4 to 6 weeks. Oh sure, the price for the most popular choice — Vista Ultimate — has dropped $80 since you flittered away your privacy. It’s not like the MyFaceSpaceBook types have anything left to hide anyway. And free is free no matter the cost, right?

[Thanks, Gal C, Anthony, and everyone who sent this in]

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Vstone has just unveiled “Black Ox”, a 1.5-foot robot that features “20 movable axis points and fierce fighting skills.” Video after the break. Click here for first picture in gallery.

Finally, after a scourge of sissy, beer serving robots we meet our maker. Vstone’s Black Ox stands more than 7,000 feet tall and brings a Tokyo-sized lust for meat

[via Engadget - Robot Watch]

Via Techeblog

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More than just a piece of software, KORG DS-10 lets you control a “four part drum module, two analog synth simulators, and 6-track/16-step sequencer” with your Nintendo DS’s touchscreen. Video after the break.

Musicians who lead double lives as gaming geeks will soon have their world’s collide when KORG releases its DS-10 software for the Nintendo DS

[via Gizmodo]

Via Techeblog

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Cube World from ThinkGeek is a “complex community of digital people who live in boxes — each have their own behavior set –”, which allows them to interact when connected. Video after the break. Click here for first picture in gallery.

The boxes they live in have magnetic contacts on four sides so that they might connect with other Cube World folks. When connected Cube World folks interact with one another in amazing ways. It’s that simple. And complex. And therein lies the fundamental pleasure with Cube World

Via Techeblog

This unique student designed clock “combines the 7-segment look of a modern LED or LCD clock, but messes with your head by making the digits come to life with a mechanical movement.” Video after the jump. Click here for one more picture.

As the numerals change state, the segments gradually rise and fall into their plain white background. Built from a combination of Corian and wood, and powered by custom circuitry and servo mechanisms

[via Technabob]

Via Techeblog