Filed under: Laptops

There were few surprises from Apple yesterday — MacBooks were in the cards, and MacBooks are what we got — and the jury’s still out on whether these new laptops are exactly what the market needs right now, but there’s no denying that Apple’s pretty proud of its new all-aluminum lineup. We’ll have a full review of the laptops shortly, but in case you missed anything, here’s a look back at the mayhem.

The liveblog

Live from Apple’s “spotlight turns to notebooks” event

First impressions

New MacBook / MacBook Pro unboxing and first impressions

Hands-on coverage

MacBook Pro first hands-on!
Apple MacBook aluminum and glass super-shiny hands-on
Apple 23-inch Cinema Display hands-on

Product announcements

Apple finally refreshes Cinema Display: 24-inch, LED backlit, $899
MacBook Air gets NVIDIA graphics, storage bump
Apple’s MacBook gets a fresh face, NVIDIA graphics, original drops to $999
Apple’s all-new MacBook Pro packs new NVIDIA GPUs, glass trackpad

In-depth / details

NVIDIA GeForce 9400 M, 9600M GT get official in new MacBooks
Apple’s Steve Jobs calls Blu-ray “a bag of hurt”
MacBook Pro requires logout to switch graphics modes
Intel: MacBook Air sheds custom CPU for 45-nm Penryn “S”
Multi-finger MacBook trackpad gestures demonstrated on video
New MacBook Pro running HybridSLI?

Permalink

Share This

Filed under: Laptops

Late last month, we found that Toshiba’s Satellite NB100 netbook was making a beeline to the UK, and while a press shot is well, fine and good, there’s just nothing like a tiny hands-on action to get you salivating. The crew over at TrustedReviews made it over to Zurich for Tosh’s first ever Mobility Conference, and the star of the show wasn’t one of those new Port

Share This

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Hmm, what have we here? A current Microsoft survey sent out to choose users has us wondering what on Earth the mega-corp is planning to do next, and judging by the looks of things, it has everything to do with Instant On. We’ve seen a number of these lightning-fast boot applications, with the most current being ASUS’ Splashtop OS and the iteration loaded onto Dell’s freshest Latitudes. The survey makes mention that the “Instant On experience is different from ‘Full Windows’ because it limits what activities you can do and what applications you’ve access to.” The survey also asks about which applications would be most important to have swift access to, and it very plainly states that in this “scenario,” your PC would “be usable in eight seconds.” So, is Instant On coming to Windows? Who knows — but it’s clear someone at Redmond is giving it some thought.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Permalink

Share This

Filed under: Laptops

Get ready for some legal mastication. According to DigiTimes‘ manufacturing sources, HP — the world’s leading supplier of Computers — is said to be demanding that its manufacturing partners “refuse outsourcing orders from ASUStek.” HP apparently “sent out a notice” to its partners threatening to reduce its own outsourcing volume for anyone who violates the demand. It’s worth noting that DigiTimes offers no evidence of HP’s demand and its sources can be hit or miss in the industry. Having said that, DigiTimes has a very good track record related to leaks in the netbook industry. The allegation becomes all the more interesting on the heels of yesterday’s Gartner report that shows HP slipping into second place behind Acer in Europe due to Acer’s strong continental netbook sales. While worldwide Computer shipments rose 15 percent from last year thanks to a strong showing by both ASUS and Acer in the netbook segment, HP’s share has remained stagnant at 18.4% of the total market. Perhaps it’s time to reinstate that internal spying program to prepare for some anti-competitive practices litigation, eh HP?

Read — HP threatening notebook OEMs
Read — HP drops to 2nd in Europe

Permalink

Share This

Filed under: Laptops

Dell’s Studio laptops have style, we’ll give them that, but we were a bit dismayed when they launched right before Intel’s Centrino 2 processors. After three months of living a pleasant but not-really-cutting-edge life, the Studio 15 finally crashed the cool kids’ party a couple weeks ago, rocking the house with two new Centrino 2 configurations. Purchase one now and your processor will be either a P8400 (2.26GHz, 3MB cache, 1066MHz FSB) or for an extra 175 simoleons, a T9400 (2.53GHz, 6MB cache, also 1066MHz FSB). If you were holding out for this before buying one of Inspiron’s classy siblings, well, here you go — but the competition is awfully fierce right now.

Read

Share This

Filed under: Laptops

You’ve seen our hands-on first impressions, now check the video summary of the new multi-touch, glass trackpad featured on Apple’s new MacBooks. It covers 2-, 3-, and 4- finger gestures in addition to the traditional 1 finger gesture some of you would like to direct towards Steve for all those glossy displays. See the demonstration after the break.

Continue reading Multi-finger MacBook trackpad gestures demonstrated on video

Permalink

Share This

Filed under: Laptops

We can finally bring an end to all the fuss made about the custom, 65-nm processor dusted-off special for use in the MacBook Air — it’s gone, although still available inside the Voodoo Envy if you’re feeling nostalgic. Intel confirmed its replacement by the smaller, off-the-shelf, 45-nm Penryn-class 1.6GHz and 1.86GHz Intel Core 2 Duo procs which go by the product names SL9300 and SL9400, respectively. So while those clock speeds are identical to the first generation MacBook Air, the bump from 4MB to 6MB of L2 cache in the new Core 2 Duo “S” processor should give the processor access to more information, faster, while providing less drain on the battery thanks to a drop in TDP from 20W to 17W. For the record, while Intel laments the loss of Apple’s laptop graphics business to Nvidia, an Intel spokesperson states it’ll “work hard to win back the business.” Hmm, we talking Larrabee by any chance?

Read

Share This

If you’re the type of person who prefers making their own costumes and accessories, there’s nothing that can’t be done, as this gamer proves. Continue reading to see more. Click here for first picture in gallery.

Via Techeblog

Share This

Called the Quattroflex, this Audi concept features “two cylinders, a control joystick, four wheels and open-roof passenger area.” Click here for first picture in gallery.

The flexible materials allow wheelbase to expand or contract for customizable seating. The chairs are very practical and very complaint so that they have the ability to be changed the way you want.

[via Tuvie]

Via Techeblog

Share This

Keep your trackpad safe with the Finger Trap, which “is applied to a Kensington lock when the laptop is not in use and a easy screensaver is started.” Click here for first picture in gallery.

Tino Dobra designs the only true clicker-happy jerk deterrent: “The Finger Trap as an analog extension is used for deterrence of unsolicited use of your own Laptop.”

[via Yankodesign]

Via Techeblog

Share This