source – engadget.com/ By Ross Miller

Acer’s dual-screen Iconia laptop is bold, for sure — eschewing a physical keyboard for another display — but its LCD panels are also mighty glossy. If you’ve got a light in the vicinity above you, there’s gonna be glare — we saw it on stage, and we just saw it now in person. That said, the screen is clear and the touch functionality is pretty clever (five fingers open up a widget where you can scroll through other touch-friendly apps). The keyboard, on the other hand, is pretty hard to use — even the rep admitted there’s a learning curve. You can’t rest your fingers down without hitting something, of course. We managed to browse to Engadget, but it took several tries. Check out the photos below!

Update: Now with video! It’s after the break.

Acer Iconia first hands-on!

This is just a rumor at this point, but it’s definitely one we’d file in the believable column. According to NewGadgets.de, HP’s planning to update its 12.1-inch tm2 convertible tablet with Core i3 and i5 processors in June. Considering we’ve heard that Intel will be releasing its Core i5 ULV processors around then, this certainly makes sense — after all, we’d expect HP to swap out the current Core 2 Duo ULV processors for something more powerful, yet power efficient. Time will tell if the new chips make it into the multitouch laptop, but it’s good to know that HP’s still working on at least some sort of Windows 7 tablet.

Lenovo has officially announced their ThinkPad L Series. The greenest and most recycled laptop as stated by Lenovo.

Quick overview

Lenovo’s ThinkPad L Series:

• 14-inch L412 and 15-inch L512 models
• powered by Intel Celeron, Core i3 and Core i5 processors.

With the Edge models replacing SL in the small business realm, this “new” L Series will be replacing the R Series for entry-level corporate models. These are intended to provide comparable functionality to the more expensive T Series, but with a lower cost design and some feature de-contenting to reduce cost. Lenovo will also sell these to the education market, serving primary and secondary schools.

Differences between L and T Series

• Wider choice in processors, including Celeron, Core i3, Core i5; no Core i7
• Optional ATI graphics on L, NVIDIA graphics on T
• No SSD option on L
• Both have ExpressCard/34, 4 USB 2.0 ports, multi-card reader, VGA & DisplayPort (w/audio); no Firewire on L
• L has USB/eSATA combo port, T410 has separate eSATA
• No ThinkLight, roll cage or swappable bay drive on L Series
• ABS plastic on L; HEPC plastic on top, carbon fiber reinforced plastic on bottom of T410
• 6-row (non-chiclet) keyboard on L; standard 7-row on T
• 16:9 LCD on L, 16:10 on T410, 16:9 on T510

Differences between L and SL Series

• Update to newest Intel processors on L
• SL series have HDMI output, L Series have DisplayPort (w/audio output too)
• Combo headphone/mic jack on L
• L gets TPM chip, upgraded to Gobi 2000 WWAN

There are netbooks and then there’s the HP Mini 5102. Or at least that’s always been our impression of the 10-inch business and education targeted laptop, since it isn’t every day that you see what’s supposed to be a secondary system with a 7,200rpm hard drive, durable aluminum chassis, spill resistant keyboard and capacitive touchscreen options. Or you know, a $415 starting price. The Mini 5102 doesn’t fall into the same class as those $299 netbooks — considering our review unit rings up at $668 and all — but does the extra dough really pay off in a noticeably better shrunken computing experience? We’ve been on a mission to find out just that over the last few days, so hit the break for our full review.

for the entire review pls visit engadget.com

Gateway’s limited edition VR46 Valentino Rossi branded notebook, previously getting action in the UK and Europe, has just launched in Australia, priced at $1,200 AUD.

Gateway VR46 series

• 11.6” 1366 x 768 display
• Intel Pentium SU4100 processor
• Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics
• 4GB RAM DDR3 (8GB max)
• 500GB HDD
• Gigabit LAN, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
• 6-cell battery (8 hours)
• HDMI, VGA out
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• 1.4kg / 22.1mm thick

see the video at netbooked.net

It looks like the 3D fad that has made it’s way to TVs and some notebooks might be making its way to netbooks, too thanks to Sharp, who introduced a new 10.6” widescreen 3D display last week that does not require special glasses and can work with a touchscreen. In addition to netbooks it is also suitable for e-book readers and tablets.

Whether we actually see such products with 3D displays remains to be seen. Browse the web in 3D? Sounds headache inducing….

Source: IT Media, Akihabara News via Netbook Choice

Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he’ll explore where our industry is and where it’s going — on both micro and macro levels — with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

A few months ago, some videos leaked from Microsoft showed a book-like device with two touch screens and a stylus. The user is seen researching, creating and designing content in a manner that looks both intuitive and innovative. Called Courier, the product doesn’t (yet) exist beyond the conceptual videos, but it shows Microsoft is thinking in some new ways. Ross Rubin discussed Courier’s role for creative professionals last week but I think there’s even more at stake here — I think the concept shows computing models are evolving. Here’s what Courier represents to the market:

The pen isn’t dead. The pen’s been searching for a place in computing for more than a decade. We’ve seen experiments in all different types of pen computing from the PC to the PDA and the phone. They’ve all pretty much failed, and today’s hot commodity is capacitive touch. Microsoft’s Courier video shows how the pen can play a prominent role in the evolution of computing interfaces. While fingers are great for many things, there are tasks better served by the ability to manipulate at the pixel level. Handwriting and the ability to take written notes is one of them. Content creation and painting is another. It’s clear Microsoft knows all this — in addition to Courier, there’s the Deskterity project that melds pen and touch on Surface.

Microsoft can move beyond Windows. It wasn’t that long ago that Microsoft thought the UI for other devices and platforms needed to mimic Windows. Windows CE devices all had tiny start menus and task bars which were totally unusable in a small form factor. The result were clunky devices trying to replicate a desktop experience designed for a large screen with input from a mouse and keyboard. One of the reasons that Windows 7 slate PCs look so un-interesting is that Windows 7 just wasn’t designed with those devices in mind. The net result is that Microsoft appears to be designing and optimizing for the form factor. We’ve seen this before with Surface and the beginnings of a new design with Windows Phone 7. If Microsoft can make the Courier experience familiar enough that consumers can embrace it while optimizing for the dual displays and pen we could see a nice breakthrough in next generation UI.

Tablets aren’t just about content consumption. The Courier UI shows a lot of interaction between the user and the device for content creation. While designers are the example shown, Courier appears optimized for researching, note taking, journaling and other tasks that might require a combination of different media types interacting. As appliance computing becomes more common, users will need both the ability to consume as well as create and interact. Courier shows some new thought and how we might evolve beyond mouse and keyboard while still able to create and design.

The Courier video is impressive not only for technology it showcases but the thinking behind it. UI enhancements such as the “book spine” that holds content placed on the clipboard and the integration of connected content show some out-of-the-box thinking that’s refreshing to see from Redmond — it’s cool that Microsoft is thinking about life beyond Windows and what it might look like. I’m personally hoping that there’s more than just some conceptual animation and Microsoft is able to turn this set of ideas into a real product offering.

In a quiet recognition of the new Lenovo ThinkPad L Series we’ve heard about before, details of the new L412 and L512 notebooks have been made public. But wait: why do these look exactly like the existing ThinkPad SL410 and SL510? Ladies and Gentleman: meet the refreshed SL Series, aka the “new” ThinkPad L Series.

While we have received no official comments from Lenovo, the facts don’t lie: the images appear identical, the specs are near identical and with the introduction of the Edge lineup, Lenovo’s model strategy is finally becoming apparent. What we have here is a rehash of the existing SL Series with a new name and running on the new Intel platform. You’ll find Core i5 processors in the L Series to start with, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see Core i3 show up at a later date.

If you carefully compare the specs of the L412 to the SL410 and L512 to the SL510, you’ll find the port layout and overall features are the same. Dimensions are identical within a tenth of an inch. The main variance is in system weight, but this is typically a convoluted number in the first place and fluctuates a surprising amount based on what options are installed in the system.

We don’t expect these to show up for sale on Lenovo.com for some time, but it is interesting to note that the initial configurations are rather well loaded with Win7 Pro, 2GB or more of RAM, 7200rpm hard drives, and Gobi 2000 WWAN. The biggest change from the SL to the L Series is the loss of HDMI output, instead relying on the “business standard” DisplayPort. This is not a big surprise, considering the “SMB” Edge models get HDMI.

There are no details on pricing or availability at this point, but expect base model configurations to be in-line with or slightly above the $499 prices of the existing SL410/SL510. Well configured models, like those listed in the PSREF doc today, will likely run in the $800 range.

Lenovo ThinkPad L412 images

Lenovo ThinkPad L512 images

Source: [Lenovo PSREF]

Lenovo’s been busy adding new models for sale lately, and today brings us the monstrous ThinkPad W701 and W701ds mobile workstations. These 17-inch uber-ThinkPads start $2599 for the “plain jane” W701 or $3299 for the transforming W701ds dual screen model. Announced back in January at CES 2010, they are finally available for purchase today!

All W701 configurations come standard with quad core Core i7 processors, NVIDIA Quadro FX 2800M 1GB graphics, 2GB RAM, DVD burner and Windows 7 Professional 64-bit. Unfortunately the plain 45% color gamut WXGA+ LCD is standard, but the must-have WUXGA 100% color gamut, RGB LED backlit display is only $175 extra. While the $3299 starting price for the W701ds may seem high, it includes the upgraded display out of the box, helping take a bit of the edge off that sticker shock.

For those who need serious graphics horsepower, the juicy NVIDIA Quadro FX 3800M 128-core card takes an extra $470 out of your pocket, or nearly 20% of the base price of the W701! The integrated color calibrator and digitizer panel built into the palm rest are a more reasonable $150 option.

Internal RAID is a no-cost configuration, you just have to pay for the cost of the additional hard drive and they will configure it to run right out of the box. Those with deep pockets can get dual 128GB SSDs in a RAID configuration for $790!

Finally, photographers will appreciate the $10 option that trades the 54mm ExpressCard slot for a CompactFlash slot that transfers data through the PCIe bus. This should provide decent performance, unlike the first generation solution implemented on early W700 models.

If you want to check out some more detailed specs on the W701 and W701ds, hit up Lenovo’s PSREF page and download the latest “ThinkPad Notebooks” PDF.

Click here to configure your ThinkPad W701 or W701ds

Lenovo has announced another new netbook with the IdeaPad S10-3s. It is pretty much identical to the current IdeaPad S10-3 model except the S10-3s has the option for an Atom N470 processor, SSDs and higher resolution 1280 x 720 display on the hardware side and a few tweaks on the cosmetic side of things – rounder curves on the lid and newly designed buttons on the screen bezel (round instead of square). We’re back to 100% glossy here and it looks cheaper than the S10-3 (check photos from my IdeaPad S10-3 review).

Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3s Specs

• 10.1” 1024 x 600 or 1280 x 720 display
• Intel Atom N450 or N470 processor
• 1 / 2 GB RAM
• 160 / 250 / 320 GB HDD
• 16 / 32GB SSD
• Dolby Headphone
• APS protection
• 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth
• WWAN / 3G
• Windows 7 Starter
• Quick Start (Instant On OS)
• 3 or 6-Cell Battery
• 2.76 pounds (6-cell battery)

The IdeaPad S10-3s will start shipping in mid-April with prices starting at $379.99. It’ll be available in black, white or “spring flowers”.

Press shots below:

Source: Engadget, Liliputing

We won’t detail our murderous wrath for glossy netbooks, but we will tell you that ASUS is on our good side today by striking the shiny lid on its newest 10-inch Eee PC 1001PX in exchange for a carbon fiber-like replacement. The little guy boasts the same specs as the budget Eee PC 1001P — an Intel Atom N450 CPU, 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive — and will be available in the US in May. And if you had any doubt that ASUS is after Acer’s throat in pricing, we’re told that the Windows 7 Starter model will be priced at an aggressive $299, while the XP version will only set you back a cool $279. In typical ASUS form, we’re hearing word of an Eee PC 1001PG that will fall into this same line, but will be equipped with 4G in most markets and possibly 3G and 4G stateside. Now, if only we had as much information about those brewing Eee Pads…

ASUS Eee PC 1001PX press shots

Are you in search of a fast tablet PC that will run all the programs you use on your deskop? You want it now? Take a look then at the Fujitsu T4410 tablet PC, a serious tablet powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU. The other spec you’re interested in is the 12.1 inch screen with multitouch and digitizer option that allows you to control the tablet with your fingers or the included stylus.

The Core 2 Duo CPU is not the fastest around since Intel launched the Core i5 and i7 mobile CPUs, but it does a better job than your Atom or Ultra Low Voltage CPU, and you’ll feel the speed in any of the apps you will run. Here’s a break down of the specs of Fujitsu T4410 Tablet PC:

• Intel Core 2 Duo CPU up to T9600 running at 2.8 GHz
• 12.1 inch screen (1280 x 800 pixels) multi touch enabled which can be rotated in both directions!!!
• up to 8 GB RAM
• up to 320 GB HDD or 128 GB SSD drive
• WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G
• modular second expansion bay with options for battery, HDD or optical drive
• ambient light sensor, fingerprint reader
• 6 hours run time with the primary battery, up to 9 hours with the second one mounted in the modular bay
• 1.8 kg weight
• Windows 7 Professional OS with Windows XP downgrade option

Those specs are respectable for any of the current 12 inch laptops, so expect a seamless user experience thanks to the combination of hardware and software, but the other consequence is the high price tag. On Amazon I’ve found two models: one with T6670 CPU at 2.2GHz for 1291$ and one with a P8700 CPU at 2.53 GHz for 1544$. They’re not cheap by any means, but if performance is what you seek then this is your best option currently.

Now back to the overall look of Fujitsu T4410, you won’t be amazed about how it looks like, but you’ll appreciate the fact that the screen can be rotated both ways, so no more trouble when lending your computer to a friend and he doesn’t know how to open it. That if you are the type that lends 1500$ worth of gear often.

check out the original post with a couple of videos of the table at alltouchtablet.com

The guys at netbooked.net got their hands on the Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t tablet convertible netbook. Their model came with an Atom N450 processor, Windows 7 Home Premium and a 8-cell battery.

Read on the rest of their review…

Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t

• 10.1” 1024 x 600 display
• capacitive multi touch display
• Intel Atom N450 processor
• 1GB RAM
• 250GB HDD
• Windows 7 Home Premium
• 8-Cell battery
• 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth
• APS protection, Dolby Headphone
• 1.54 kg / 3.4 pounds

First impressions are that it is extremely heavy for a 10 inch netbook (surpasses the the 12-inch UL20A in weight) and the keyboard and touchpad feel a little flimsy and cheap, though usable. Haven’t played around with the touchscreen much yet as I will run through my battery tests first. No accelerometer but there’s at least a button on the screen bezel for rotating the screen. Capacitive multi touch screen seems to be responsive to very light touches as you’d expect.

Unboxing video below:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltsMwhJ-xk4

Some pics below:

review source - netbooked.net

The ASUS Eee PC T101MT has already appeared in store listings in Europe and has just been announced in Italy where it’ll be priced at 499 Euros and be available in April. Same goes for the US – It’ll be available early April for around $499 though this model is likely to have 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD and Windows 7 Starter, which won’t work the multi-touch capabilities.

You can see that some stores like OnSale and Amazon have started to list a T101MT-EU17-BK model for around that price mark.

The specs: 10.1” 1024 x 600 resistive multi-touch display, Atom N450 processor, 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD, 0.3MP webcam, 6.5 hour battery (35Wh, li-poly) and Windows 7 Starter.

Source: Liliputing alltouchtablet.com netbooked.net

On which netbooks you can install Mac’s OS X – read on..

When it came to OS X on netbooks the only chart I knew about was the Boing Boing OS X compability chart. It hasn’t been updated in ages though and the list of netbooks are old-ish and small in number.

Now there’s a new OS X compatibility chart on the block over at mymacnetbook.com.  Well actually apart from the ASUS Eee PC 1201 (which doesn’t support Wi-Fi and LAN with OS X it seems) all the other netbooks are old-ish.

The new blog seems like it’ll be a good place to keep up with the latest OS X happenings on netbooks, outside of forums.

Source: Liliputing

Why carry around a netbook and a smartphone when you can have a netbook / smartphone? Why indeed. Especially when you can have something as sensible as the BPhone, which is now finally available for the completely reasonable price of $569.99 (unlocked, of course). That will get you a not-quite-pocketable convertible device with a 5-inch touchscreen, along with a 624MHz Marvell CPU, ARM Linux 2.6 for an OS, 256GB of flash storage, built-in Bluetooth, WiFi and GPS, and quad-band GSM connectivity on the “phone” side of the equation. Sound like just the thing you’ve been looking for? Hit up the link below to get your order in.

[Thanks, BrianB]

Anxious to find out more of the rumored and soon to be launched 11.6 inch Acer 1825PT/1825PTZ convertible netbooks?

Well, the guys at Newgadgets.de have a 10 minutes video presentation of this new series and if you weren’t craving for one of them before, you definitely will after watching this clip. Check it out below.

All in all, it seem that this new Acer line will finally be able to bring a proper touch-experience in a mini laptop (unlike the Asus T101MT which was kind of sluggish), thanks to the ULV hardware inside and capacitive display. And since these 1825PT/1825PTZ devices are Acers, they’ll hopefully come with a proper price too.

Stay tuned for more info on them in the following days.

In a press release dated for tomorrow, Lenovo officially announced the existence of 14-inch and 15-inch versions of its new ThinkPad Edge lineup, appropriately dubbed the Edge 14 and Edge 15.

These models sport the same general design, with the same island or isolation style keyboard. While the more budget and battery life oriented Edge 13 can only be had with lower end AMD or Intel CULV processors, its larger brethren get a bit more power under the hood. $599 base models are saddled with Celeron chips, but you have the option to upgrade to spiffy Core i3 or Core i5 chips as well.

The full range of features will be available, including Bluetooth, 3G, 4GB, WiFi, 7-in-1 card reader, optional AMD graphics, optional Blu-ray and HDMI output. To help open its appeal to the masses, all Edge models are available in three colors: red, glossy black and matte black.

The Edge 14 and 15 are available through resellers now and will hit additional partners, as well as Lenovo’s website, in April. Starting price is $599 with Intel Celeron processors.

Source: [Engadget]