Dell used the occasion of Windows 7's launch to unveil the first all-in-one desktop since Apple's new iMacs. Showing initially in Japan, the Inspiron One 19 returns to an easel-like design and is meant as a faster alternative to a notebook without taking up much additional space. The PC carries an 18.5-inch, 1366x768 display and uses desktop processors that scale up to a 2.93GHz Core 2 Duo.
ViewSonic has recently unveiled some of its first portables above the netbook class in its Viewbook series. The 12.1-inch VB120, 13.3-inch VB130 and 14-inch VB140 Pro are all powered by Intel's CULV chips, with the VB120 getting a 1.3GHz Core 2 Duo and 2GB of RAM. It also has a 250GB hard drive preloaded with Windows 7.
Fujitsu has opted for an unusual end-of-week introduction for a pair of new notebooks in its LifeBook mix. The P3010 and P3110 are the company's first netbook/notebook crossovers and have 11.6-inch screens as well as a long 6.7-hour battery life that can be pushed to 7.2 with an eco mode toggle. They also borrow a technique from Apple that will share a DVD drive on the local network to read or burn discs instead of having to use a physically attached USB optical drive.
HP's sub-label Compaq tonight received three upgraded systems to ready itself for Windows 7. The Presario CQ61z refreshes the familiar 15.6-inch CQ60 with a more modern 2GHz AMD Sempron whose choice helps put the system at a particularly low $400 price (post-rebate) even while brand-new. The refresh further adds Mobility Radeon HD 4200 video in place of the older NVIDIA hardware but still has 2GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive.
NVIDIA's Ion 2 chipset is still due to ship before the end of year and could provide a significant boost not just to netbooks but to notebooks using Intel's CULV (Consumer Ultra Low Voltage) processors as well, an update from the company has shown. In addition to supporting the timeframe, an executive heading chipset development has reportedly confirmed rumors that the next-generation Ion will support processors other than the Atom, including the Celeron, Core 2 and Pentium processors that make up CULV as well as VIA's competing Nano design.
Sony at an event tonight launched a trio of new systems, starting with its first touchscreen PC. The VAIO L supports Windows 7's own multi-touch elements for scrolling and zooming through content without needing special software. Like Gateway and HP, Sony has its own custom touch portal, here called Media Gallery, that lets users rely on touch to edit photos and videos.
Gateway today preempted its rivals with one of the first fully multi-touch all-in-one desktop lines. The One ZX series' staple feature lets them both take advantage of the pinch-to-zoom, scrolling and other features inherent to Windows 7 as well as a custom touchscreen front end for music, notes, photos and content sharing.
Toshiba this morning made its second-ever Windows 7 notebook its first system ever to use Intel's CULV platform. The Satellite T100 series is aimed at the space just above netbooks with the added processor speed but also larger screens and thinner designs; at its smallest, the line is less than an inch thick and weighs just under 3.5 pounds. Every model is said to get as much as nine hours of battery life out of its built-in six-cell pack.
MSI this afternoon gave its US audience the Wind Top AE2200, the most advanced version of its all-in-one desktop. It gets a 21.6-inch touchscreen with MSI's own interface for apps, editing and games, but it's also treated as a media center with its own TV tuner and HDMI input. Helping the goal along are parts that put it above nettops and let it decode HD, such as a 2.7GHz Pentium dual-core and GMA 4500 video.
HP on Tuesday announced the release of its new family of desktop PCs aimed at businesses, in the form of the Compaq 6000 Pro and HP Compaq 6005 Pro. The main difference involves the choice of CPUs, with the Compaq 6000 Pro available with a number of Intel chips, including various Core 2 quads, Core 2 Duos, dual core Pentiums and Celerons, while the Compaq 9005 Pro can be had with chips from AMD's Sempron, Athlon II, and dual-core, triple-core or quad-core Phenom II processors.
Dell today grew its budding CULV (Consumer Ultra Low Voltage) notebook line with two mid-sized models. The 14-inch Inspiron 14z and 15.6-inch Inspiron 15z together use the slower but also much cooler and more efficient processors to both slim down significantly from the regular systems while also shedding weight and extending their battery lives: the systems can last over eight hours (8.5 on the 14z) on a six-cell pack.
Samsung used the IFA show in Berlin to revamp its portables, starting with its X series notebooks. The X120 is Samsung's first system to use an Intel CULV chip and runs on a new dual-core, 1.3GHz Pentium SU4100 whose 10W power draw lets the system run for up to nine hours on a charge, even with a small four-cell battery. It also leads a new design language for the company with rounded, glossy shells that are resistant to both scratches and UV-related fading.
Intel is on the verge of dramatically swelling the ranks of its CULV (Consumer Ultra Low-Voltage) processor ranks if a leak of early information proves true. The chip producer is seen by Fudzilla as shipping seven processors in early October that would significantly expand the range. Two low-end models, the SU2500 and SU2600, should be joined by the mid-range SU4100, SU4500 and SU4700 as well as the high-end SU7300 and SU7800.
Lenovo this afternoon put an end to speculation and launched its IdeaCentre Q series of mini desktops as well as its first Windows Home Server. The Q110 is Lenovo's first home nettop and gets NVIDIA's Ion chipset, giving it enough power to decode 1080p in hardware as well as render reasonably modern 3D as well as accelerate some heavily optimized tasks like video encoding. Its other specs aren't known but involve HD video output and should be based on an Intel Atom chip at its $349 price.
As promised, Dell is now shipping its Vostro All In One desktop in North America. The 19-inch system was already available in Japan and China, and sports VESA mounting compatibility for a wall-mount or an accessory arm stand. Like in the other markets, the base versions have a 2.6GHz Pentium dual-core CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive preloaded with Windows Vista Home Basic and an integrated DVD player.
Computer manufacturer Lenovo has posted a teaser page for an upcoming IdeaPad U450p notebook, revealing nearly no information at all as a full-blown product page does not yet exist. At 14 inches, it's the larger sibling to the recently launched 13.3-inch IdeaPad U350 and will add an optical drive. Like the U350, it will be powered by a range of Intel's Consumer Ultra Low Voltage (CULV) processors, though which ones exactly isn't known.
TriGem today moved its US PCs somewhat upscale by shipping the Averatec N3400. Thanks in part to its aluminum shell, the 13-inch portable is one of the thinnest in its class at between 0.4 and 0.98 inches thick but still uses a regular notebook processor in the form of a 2.16GHz Pentium dual-core. It's also one of the lightest in its category at 3.8 pounds and manages this by bundling a USB-based external DVD burner instead of adding weight to the system's insides.
Intel's first truly mainstream, desktop processors based on its Nehalem architecture should be ready in less than two months, a leaked roadmap shows. The first three processors tipped earlier are now reportedly due to arrive on September 6th and, as promised, should be headlined by the quad-core 2.66GHz Core i5 750, 2.8GHz Core i7 860, and 2.93GHz Core i7 870. New, however is word that the i5 part won't support Hyperthreading but that all three will overclock substantially in Turbo Boost mode, reaching as high as 3.2GHz, 3.46GHz and 3.6GHz each when one or more cores can be shut down.
TriGem added a fourth all-in-one to its US lineup today through the Averatec D1005. The first mid-sized system of the kind from the company has a 22-inch, 1680x1050 display and, in contrast to the two smaller models, uses fuller desktop-class parts. A 2.5GHz Pentium dual-core, 3GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive and a DVD burner render it a complete system. It likewise has 802.11n Wi-Fi and a 2-megapixel webcam to keep the number of cables to a minimum.
Turning its attention to the work side of its PCs, Dell today launched its first integrated desktop in the Vostro line. The simply named Vostro All In One is the company's first for business and is meant to get back space on the desk. Aside from having a more serious all-black design, the 19-inch system has features sometimes needed at work, such as parallel and serial ports, as well as options for a built-in webcam, backup software and VESA mounting for a display arm (shown) or a wall.
Dell today filled out its mainstream notebooks with the Inspiron 17. The desktop notebook switches to the same 16:9 aspect ratio display and thinner, more efficent LED backlighting as newer Inspirons but, matching its 17.3-inch size, has a much higher 1600x900 resolution as standard. Processors are also generally faster in standard trim and scale up to a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo.
Four new notebook PCs from ASUS have appeared in Italy, including the 15.6-inch K50AB and K50IJ, the 17.3-inch K70AB and ultrathin 15.6-inch U50VG, some of which were shown at CeBIT in Germany a few months back. The official release of the notebooks for Italy also revealed some further specs, including the K50AB's AMD Turion 2.3GHz CPU and 4GB of RAM. Graphics are handled by ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 that sports 512MB of dedicated memory, while users work on an LED-backlight, 1366x768 resolution LCD.
Dell this morning kicked off its first-ever offerings of fast-ship PCs. Offered under the FastTrack banner, the systems can't be customized but ship by the next business day, eliminating the delay of two weeks or more that often accompanies ordering a system from Dell. The approach is based on the popularity of Dell's custom-order configurations and should be continuously refreshed to mirror what customers actually want.
eMachines today gave a new look to its least expensive ET series desktops along with hardware upgrades to match. Like the recent EL1300 slimline PC, the ET1300 and ET1810 shed the company's previous black-and-silver look for a sleeker, glossy white. They all also make NVIDIA's lower-end graphics standard for slightly faster than usual performance in the category.
Acer on Friday announced it has redesigned its Acer Aspire M5, M3 and X3 Series of consumer desktops, including the high-end Aspire M5800 with its brushed metal chassis, the value-oriented Aspire M3800 and the small form factor Acer Aspire X3810. The Aspire M5800 sports a silver chassis that matches the keyboard, speakers and mouse, with all featuring chrome and dark gray accents. The card reader, audio jacks and USB ports are on behind a hinged door on the front of the chassis.
Acer on Monday added three 16:9 ratio notebooks to its media-centric Gemstone Blue designs that all focus on price over raw performance. The 15.6-inch, LED-backlit Aspire 5739G is the fastest of the trio with a 2.1GHz Core 2 Duo, 4GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, an 8X Blu-ray drive and a GeForce GT 130M for video. It comes with a multi-touch trackpad and ships at the end of June for a particularly low $750, making it the least expensive new Blu-ray notebook today.
Intel is having enough success with its 32 nanometer manufacturing process that it plans to skip certain 45nm processors entirely, tips from within the mainboard industry. Rather than produce Havendale, the 45nm dual-core, desktop processor based on the Nehalem architecture, the company is purportedly ready to skip to its 32nm equivalent, Clarkdale. The new chips would arrive slightly later, in early 2010 instead of late 2009, and would be priced between $60 and $190 depending on clock speed and features.
Intel's corporate communications manager Bill Calder, in a Wednesday post on the company's corporate blog, informed readers of forthcoming changes in the chipmaker's brand structure. Calder admits Intel's current complex structure has too many platform brands, and product names and brands, which confuses customers. This will start with leading with Intel and what it has done for technology, with Calder pointing to the company's Sponsors of Tomorrow ad campaign.
Intel has quietly a pair of new Consumer Ultra Low Voltage (CULV) processors to its lineup to help drive the costs of ultraportable notebooks downwards, an industry leak claims today. Although it doesn't yet show in Intel's processor list, a 1.3GHz Celeron 740 would be Intel's first dual-core Celeron, keeping the costs low but still taking advantage of modern operating systems; DigiTimes says it would have 1MB of Level 2 cache and an 800MHz front-side bus. A 1.2GHz SU2300, badged either as a Core 2 Duo or Pentium dual-core, would step in with more software features but similar specifications.
HP this morning rolled out a trio of notebook refreshes it's gearing towards students, particularly in price but also in design. The Pavilion dv6 is being given a headlining dv6z Artist Edition 2; the 16-inch notebook has special lid artwork that won a recent MTV design contest and also comes with relatively high specifications for an AMD-based system, including a 2.3GHz Turion X2 Ultra, 4GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive and a Mobility Radeon HD 4650 for its video. It also gets a bundle of three Corel audiovisual editing apps and will launch on June 10th for $950.
TriGem's US label Averatec today introduced a new flagship all-in-one PC, the D1200. As the largest model, it's treated as a media center with a 25.5-inch, 1080p display and an internal ATSC TV tuner to pick up over-the-air HD signals. Combined with 802.11n Wi-Fi, the system is treated as a hybrid PC and TV combo that can be used either as a kitchen PC or a combination unit that can handle both roles in a very tight space.
Acer today provided US details of its Timeline notebooks using Intel's new CULV platform for ultraportables. The least expensive of the group is also the largest and starts with the 15.6-inch AS5810TZ-4657; it costs $598 with a 1.3GHz Pentium, 3GB of memory, a 320GB hard drive and an internal DVD burner. It totes the Timeline series' multi-touch trackpad as well as 802.11n Wi-Fi, a webcam and HDMI output.
Intel at Computex today formally outlined the details of its mid-year refresh of its notebook processors, including its Consumer Ultra Low Voltage (CULV) platform. The new platform is intended to bring ultraportable designs to low-cost but still reasonably fast systems and centers on Intel's new GS40 mobile chipset. The technology is a fraction the size of the regular notebook platform, permitting far smaller and thinner systems, but still has a GMA 4500 graphics core capable of full hardware HD video decoding, higher-level 3D features and native HDMI output.
Dell this morning has launched a new, relatively thin-and-light portable that nonetheless promises to be fast. The Studio 14z is the first notebook in the Studio line to drop the optical drive and does so in the name of both size and weight: unlike the 15 or 17, the 14z measures 1.2 inches at its thickest point while also weighing 4.3 pounds. A 14-inch, LED-backlit, 1366x768 display contributes to the thinness as well as to battery life that can run as long as 6.75 hours with an optional 8-cell battery.
Lenovo chose Memorial Day to launch a range of PC updates that include a world-first. The IdeaPad S12 is the first netbook to have an option for NVIDIA's Ion platform and overcomes one of the performance setbacks for netbooks: the advanced graphics can fully decode 1080p HD in hardware and is capable of 3D that would be off limits for Intel-based video. It also helps drive visuals on the newly enlarged 12-inch, 1280x800 display or the (optional) HDMI output.
The US Federal Trade Commission today dropped its antitrust case against memory producer Rambus. The company had previously been found guilty of abusing its monopoly power but successfully won an appeal in 2008; the FTC's decision to quit follows after its own appeal was rejected in February and the government body considered its options. Officials say the departure comes after they decide it would "not be in the public interest" to pursue Rambus further.
ASUS has fleshed out the details of its designer U series notebooks. Ostensibly based on the shape of a butterfly, the systems share the same tapered shape of the MacBook Air and are also faster, larger versions of the Eee PC 1008HA. The 12-inch U20A, 13.3-inch UX30 and 15.6-inch UX50V are all based on the basic processors expected to be part of Intel's Consumer Ultra Low Voltage (CULV) effort and attempt to bring ultra-thin designs to larger systems, ranging from the entry 1.2GHz Celeron M in the U20A to the 1.3GHz Pentium, 1.4GHz Core 2 Solo and 1.6GHz Core 2 Duo in the UX30 and UX50V.
As promised, Dell today made its Studio One 19 all-in-one desktop available in the US. The 18.5-inch system in US trim starts at $699 and has slightly better performance than the Japanese version launched in March. A 2.5GHz Pentium dual-core, 2GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive and GeForce 9200 integrated video serve as the baseline in the system, which is more consciously designed as a lower-priced alternative to an iMac.
Acer on Thursday announced the release of three new Veriton business desktops that focus on longer-lasting design and easier access. The Veriton M265, Veriton M421G and Veriton M670G sport new open air vents for better ventilation and cooling. Servicing the PCs has been made easier thanks to a hinged and cable-less front bezel and a modular design that makes the optical, floppy and hard drives directly accessible. Internal cable management has also been cleaned up, allowing for tool-free power supply, PCI card and hard drive access.
A new roadmap of upcoming Intel chip upgrades has Intel ramping up clock speeds for its range-topping Core i7 chip as well as adding newer speed grades for its Core 2 line, including the Core 2 Quad S. On May 31st, the chip designer is understood to be introducing a 3.33GHz Core i7 quad-core part, tbe i7-975, that will effectively replace the 3.2GHz model. A 3.06GHz version (i7-950) will also supplant the 2.93GHz model at the same time. The two should be priced at $999 and $562 respectively in large batches.
Dell today unveiled the company's first all-in-one PC to bear the Studio badge. The Studio One 19 is more consciously fashionable than the XPS One and has the same basic "hanging" design concept as the iMac. Like the Studio Hybrid, though, Dell lets users customize the Studio One's colors (here the outer frame and wireless input devices). It centers on an 18.5-inch display with a 16:9 ratio, 1366x768 resolution that optionally supports multi-touch input for media playback as well as image, music and video editing.
ASRock, a budget brand of ASUS, has unveiled three new products at CeBIT in Germany, including the MultiBook M15 and MultiBook G12 notebooks as well as the S330 NetTop PC. The former is the company's budget mainstream entry and sports a 15.6-inch LED-backlit screen with 1366x768 resolution and a 16:9 aspect ratio. Processing power comes from a choice of Intel chips from the Pentium or Celeron family along with up to 4GB of RAM. Graphics is handled via Intel's integrated gMA 4500M, while 2.5-inch hard drives can be had in capacities as large as 500GB. An Ethernet connection and draft-N Wi-Fi are built into the M15, which tips the scales at 5.7lbs.
Dell today unveiled a limited run of its 15.4-inch Studio notebook, appropriately named the Studio 15 Special Edition. Compared to the standard Studio 15s, the Special Edition gets an LED-backlit display and a Black Vapor exterior paint scheme. Technically, the Special Edition is available in three separate trims with various levels of equipment. All share a 2.0GHz Intel Pentium dual core CPU and Intel's integrated 4500MHD graphics processor, while the display has a 1440x900 resolution, a step up from the regular Studio 15's 1280x800 resolution.
If accurate, a new leak has NVIDIA releasing an updated version of its Ion platform with support for more than just netbook processors. As part of a presentation obtained by Fudzilla that responds to Intel criticism of Ion, NVIDIA has acknowledged that it will launch a second-generation version that supports not only the Atom and VIA Nano but also regular Celeron, Pentium and Core 2 chips. The update would allow full-speed notebooks to use the smaller footprint.
Gateway this morning kicked off the start of a new notebook range in the TC series. The 14-inch system has the relatively upscale design language of the MC but is significantly lighter at 5.3 pounds in addition to being smaller. It also becomes one of the least expensive full-size notebooks to include an LED-backlit display and shares the same 16:9 ratio and 1366x768 resolution as the MC, suiting it to watching movies.
A new leak indicates that Intel may be abandoning at least early plans for its first mainstream processors to include built-in graphics. Versions of the company's Auburndale and Havendale desktop and notebook processors with graphics cores on the chips themselves have reportedly been shelved due to economic concerns. As Intel can less afford to keep plants making 45 nanometer processors, the company allegedly hopes to shut down sooner by focusing only on 45nm Core 2 and Pentium parts for the low end and Core i7 for the high end.
Toshiba has quietly added four new, lower-cost models to its business Satellite Pro S300 notebooks. Common to all is the S300's 15.4-inch screen, a DVD burner and an eSATA/USB combo port. The EZ1511 and EZ1512 models share the same hardware specs, with a 2.16GHz Pentium dual-core CPU, 1GB of memory and 120GB hard drive, with the only distinction being the operating system, with Windows Vista Home Basic in the former and Vista Business in the latter. They also get Wi-Fi and an integrated GMA 4500MHD graphics chipset.
Normally known only for manufacturing notebooks for others, Quanta is making a system of its own that would compete against Apple's MacBook Air in dimensions but aim at the low end, alleged tips from within the PC industry suggest to Digitimes. The system would measure between just 1-2cm (0.79-0.39in) thick but would be a step in quality above large netbooks like the MSI X-Slim 320, which uses an Intel Atom to keep its price down despite a 13.4-inch display.
Intel has quietly made sweeping changes to its desktop processor line that lead off with its first high-efficiency quad-core chips. The 2.83GHz Core 2 Quad Q9550s, 2.66GHz Q9400s and 2.33GHz Q8200s all use just 65W of power versus the 95W of their predecessors at the same speed. Dropping the energy output is not only eco-friendly but also more space-efficient, letting system designers fit full-speed desktop chips into smaller enclosures.
Taking a two-prong approach, Acer this morning has introduced both a new range-leading 23-inch computer LCD as well as a mini desktop built partly with that display in mind. The 23-inch H233H stands as one of Acer's most upscale displays and replaces the usual hardware buttons with backlit, touch-sensitive controls. It importantly produces a more TV-like 1080p picture with a dynamic 40,000:1 contrast ratio and carries both HDMI input and a 3W stereo speaker array to take in video from Blu-ray players and consoles.
