Techiton

Lenovo has announced its new notebook - ThinkPad T400s which according to Lenovo is created to give business users a thin and light yet powerful, feature-packed PC.

The T400s is inspired from the thin, light and strong ThinkPad X301 and weighs in less than its predecessor ThinkPad T400. This customizable laptop is powered by Intel's Core2Duo with either the 2.4 GigaHertz or 2.53 GigaHertz chip available. With support of upto 8 GigaBytes of DDR3 type memory. Storage includes upto 128 GigaBytes SSD or 250 GigaBytes of HDD.

The laptop has a display size of 14.1 inches, it is ultra-slim at 0.83 inches and weighs in under 4 pounds with a 6-cell battery offering upto 6 hours of battery life. The general specs are listed below.

Lenovo T400s Specifications:
CPU: Intel Core2Duo SP9400 (2.40GHz) or SP9600 (2.53GHz)
RAM: upto 8GB DDR3 1067 MHz
HDD: upto 250GB (5400 rpm) HDD or upto 128GB SSD
GPU: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
Weight: 1.8 Kgs with a 6-cell battery
Screen size: 14.1 inch TFT Wide Screen LED WXGA+
Other features: DVD writer or Blu-Ray player, ethernet, wifi, WIMAX(optional), bluetooth (optional)
Price: starting at US $1600

[Source: Lenovo]

Other Laptops from Lenovo:
IdeaPad Y650
ThinkPad W700ds
ThinkPad X301
ThinkPad W700

HP has revealed their new netbook series called the HP Mini 5101 which according to them is especially designed for mobile professionals who want a lightweight mini PC.

The HP Mini 5101 features a strong built light weight metal case made of magnesium with aluminium finish. It is powered by Intel's Atom processor with support of upto 2 GigaBytes of memory. Storage options include both SATA and SSD with 128 GigaBytes of SSD or upto 320 GigaBytes of 7200 rpm SATA. The display size is 10.1 inches and the netbook weights in at around 1.3 Kilograms for starters.

It will be released in July, 2009 and prices for the netbook start at US$ 450. More specs are listed below.

HP Mini 5101 Specifications:
CPU: Intel Atom N280 1.66GHz (533Mhz FSB/512KB cache)
RAM: 1GB or 2GB DDR2
HDD: 128GB SSD/ 160GB or 250GB or 320GB(7200 rpm) SATA
Chipset: Intel 945GSE Express
GPU: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
Weight: 1.30 Kgs
Screen size: 10.1 inch WSVGA LED display
Other Features:

• Ethernet 10/100/1000 Mbps
• Intel 802.11 a/b/g/n Wireless LAN mini-card
• Bluetooth
• 2MegaPixel Web Camera
• Integrated stereo speakers
• Includes Vista Home Basic

I/O Ports:

• 3 x USB 2.0
• 1 x Integrated 10/100/1000 LAN (RJ45)
• 1 x 15-pin VGA video connector
• 1 x line out
• 1 x mic-in
• 1 x SD Card Reader
• 1 x AC adapter connector

Price: Starting at US $450

Global PC shipments have dropped by 8.1 percentage in the first quarter according to a survey conducted by iSuppli this week.
The survey conducted by iSuppli concurs with a previous Gartner report showing the worst drop in PC sales since records began.
iSuppli said 66.5 million units were shipped in the first quarter of 2009, a drop of 8.1 per cent compared to the same time last year and a 14.4 per cent drop compared to the previous quarter.

Matthew Wilkins, principal analyst for computer platforms research at iSuppli, said: “The worldwide recession sparked by the credit crisis slammed PC shipments for the second quarter in succession during the first three months of 2009.”
“The first-quarter performance of the worldwide PC market was worse than iSuppli had expected in its prior forecast, which called for a 4 percent decline in shipments compared to the same period in 2008. After a long period of immunity to the global downturn, the economic crisis finally has begun to impact the PC market.”

While desktops numbers looked bad, the notebooks and especially the netbook segment saw sales pick up this quarter. The top five manufacturers – HP, Dell, Acer, Lenovo and Toshiba – all reported the growth in the netbooks market.
Wilkins said: “The bundling of a low-cost portable computer and an internet access package clearly has struck a chord with consumers.”
iSuppli believes the netbook market will continue to increase, predicting a growth of nine per cent market share to 14 per cent for 2009.

[Source: ITPro]

Intel will refresh its Pentium dual-core series with a faster processor - the E6500. The Pentium dual-core processor series are faster than centrino series but slower than Core and Core 2 line of processors.

The E6500 is based on the 45 nanometer Wolfdale technology, it has a clock speed of 2.93 GigaHertz and a cache size of 2 MegaBytes.
It will be released around the third quarter of 2009.

Pentium Dual-Core E6500 Specifications:
Speed: 2.93GHz
Cores: 2
Cache Size: 2MB L2 Cache
Bus Speed: 1066MHz
Manufacturing technology: 45nm
Socket: LGA775
Power TDP: 65W
Price: US$ 84

Update: May 5, 2010

Asus has together with Disney Consumer Products launched a new Disney-themed netbook called the Disney Netpal by Asus for kids. Asus states that its new netbook is infused with the Eee PC's trademark ease-of-use and Disney's charm, making it a child's perfect study buddy and play pal.

The Disney Netpal hosts a number of software features designed especially for the kids. It includes 40 robust parental control options, kid-friendly software for music and photos featuring Disney characters and icons in stunning visual environments, reminder-nodes, alarm clock all with in an easy-to-use interface.
It also has a reinforced mechanical design that can withstand significant abuse, a spill-proof keyboard, ShockShield Data Protection that protects against data loss to impacts. It also has a stable embedded polymer battery, which is safer as it prevents kids from inadvertently accessing or removing the battery and thereby subjecting themselves to electrical dangers.
The Asus Disney Netpal comes in two models - MK90H and MK90 (available exclusively at ToysRUs). The only main difference between these two models is that MK90H comes with a 160 GigaBytes HDD (Hard-disk Drive) storage while the MK90 has 16 GigaBytes SSD (Solid-State Drive) making the latter lighter by about 200 grams.

Disney Netpal MK90H and MK90 Specifications:
CPU: Intel Atom N270 1.60 GHz
RAM: 1 GB DDR2
HDD: 160 GB HDD (MK90H) / 16 GB SSD (MK90)
Weight: 1.2 Kgs (MK90H) / 1.0 Kgs (MK90)
Screen size: 8.9 inch (1024 x 600 resolution) LED display
Battery Life: 5 hours
Other Features:

• Built-in stereo speaker
• Intel 802.11 b/g/n Wireless connectivity
• 100 Mbps Ethernet
• 0.3 Mega Pixel Web Camera.
• OS: Windows XP Home
  

I/O Ports:

• 3 x USB 2.0
• 1 x Integrated 10/100 LAN (RJ45)
• 1 x 15-pin VGA video connector
• 1 x line out
• 1 x mic-in
• 1 x MMC/SD Card Reader
• 1 x AC adapter connector

Price: US$ 349

[Source: Asus]

Intel is going to release a new processor in its Atom lineup in October this year, 2009. This new CPU will be the successor to the current Atom N270 chip and is called the Atom N450. According to a report at digitimes, Intel is scheduled to phase out its Atom N270 CPU for netbooks in October at the earliest, according to industry sources.

The 45 nanometer Intel Atom N450 is codenamed Pine Trail, will be a single-core CPU with built-in northbridge functions, and will be paired with the new NM10 (Tiger Point) chipset.
Intel will issue last order notice for the Atom N270 in the first quarter of 2010 and the processor will phase out before the end of the first half next year.

[Source: Digitimes]

Intel has lowered the prices of two of its mobile processors - the 2.8 GigaHertz T9600 and the 2.53 GigaHertz P8700.

The price of the T9600 is reduced by a massive 40% down to US$ 316 from US$ 530. While the P8700 is reduced by 13% to US$ 209 down from US$ 241. These two price drops will affect other CPU prices resulting in cheaper notebook prices.

Intel T9600 Specifications:
Speed: 2.80 GHz
Cores: 2
Cache Size: 6 MB
Bus Speed: 1066 MHz
Power TDP: 35 W
Price: US$ 316

Intel P8700 Specifications:
Speed: 2.53 GHz
Cores: 2
Cache Size: 3 MB
Bus Speed: 1066 MHz
Power TDP: 25 W
Price: US$ 209

[Source: Intel.com]

Intel has already planned to replace its just released Core i7 950 with the Core i7-960. The new processor will be released in the 4th quarter of 2009.

The Core i7 960 will have a clock frequency of 3.2 GigaHertz and a cache size of 8 MegaBytes. It will replace the 3.06 GigaHertz Core i7 950 which has the same cache size.

Core i7 960 Specifications:
Speed: 3.2 GHz
Cores: 4
Cache Size: 8 MB
Memory controller: DDR3 800/1066/1333 MHz
Bus Interface: 1x 4.8 GT/s QuickPath
Socket: LGA1366
Power TDP: 130 W
Price: Click here for latest prices.

[Source: Fudzilla]

Asus has brought out a new innovate product for Home theater PC solutions, the O!Play HDP-R1 HD Media Player is aimed at providing 1080p Full High Definition entertainment across a wide variety of media formats with ultra-fast eSATA interface.

Asus states that is currently the world's only High Definition media player which supports an extremely wide range of file formats, including MPEG1/2/4, H.264, VC-1, and the popular RM/RMVB. It comes with a remote control which provides a music shuffle function via a dedicated button. It has the eSATA interface providing transfer speeds of up to 6 times as compared to USB 2.0. It also has LAN connectivity to transfer media right from their PC's.

Asus O!Play HDP-R1 HD Specifications:
Supported video formats: MPEG1/2/4, H.264, VC-1, RM/RMVB
Supported video file extensions: .mp4, .mov, .xvid., .avi., .dvix., .asf, .wmv, .mkv, .rm, .rmvb, .flv, .ts, .m2ts, .dat, .mpg, .vob
Supported audio formats: MP3, WAV, AAC, OGG, WAV, FLAC, AIFF
Supported image formats: JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF, TIFF
Supported subtitle formats: SRT, SUB, SMI, SSA
Outputs:

• HDMI
• Composite Audio/Video
• Optical Digital Audio

Inputs:

• 1 x USB2.0
• 1 x eSATA/USB2.0 combo port
• 1 x RJ-45 LAN port
• 1 x DC Power In

Price: n/a

[Source: Asus]

Asus has announced a new version in the Eee PC lineup - T91 at the COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2009 held between June 2-6. According to Asus, this new model is the first to sport an 8.9 inch swivelable touchscreen.

The Eee PC is powered by Intel's Atom Z520 processor clocked at 1.33 GigaHertz. It has 1 GigaBytes of memory and 82 GigaBytes of storage capacity all this weighing in at a mere 0.96 Kilograms and lasts around 5 hours on battery with the power saving Super Hybrid Engine (SHE).

The Eee PC T91 comes with TouchSuite software application made especially for touchscreen compatibility, it allows users to perform a myriad of fun tasks with their fingertips, such as touching up photos, creating photo albums, leaving handwritten desktop memos for loved ones, and sketching cartoons or custom emoticons.

Asus states that the Eee PC T91's tablet PC functionality makes it easy to cradle in one arm, enabling users to read documents, scribble ideas into digital notebooks and surf the Internet while traveling on foot. The Eee PC T91 is also equipped with a TV tuner and Global Positioning System (GPS) for extensive entertainment options and advanced navigation capabilities on the go. The T91 is available in Black and White to match different moods, personalities and lifestyles.

Asus Eee PC T91 Specifications:
CPU: Intel Atom Z520 1.33GHz
RAM: 1 GB DDR2
HDD: 16GB Solid State Drive + 16GB SD Card + 30GB Portable Hard Disk Drive + 20GB Eee Storage
Chipset: Intel US15W
Weight: 0.96 Kgs
Screen size: 8.9 inch LED display
Battery Life: 5 hours
Other Features:

• Built-in stereo speaker
• Intel 802.11 b/g/n Wireless connectivity
• Bluetooth v2.1
• 100 Mbps Ethernet
• 0.3 Mega Pixel Web Camera
• GPS
• TV Tuner
• 3G plus (HSUPA)

I/O Ports:

• 2 x USB 2.0
• 1 x Integrated 10/100 LAN (RJ45)
• 1 x 15-pin VGA video connector
• 1 x line out
• 1 x mic-in
• 1 x MMC/SD/SDHC Card Reader

Price: n/a

[Source: Asus]

Asus has unveiled their upcoming gamers notebook called the G51 and the G60 at the latest COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2009 held between June 2-6.

According to Asus, the G51 and G60 sports a futuristic, robot-inspired 'mecha' design, equipped with Altec Lansing speakers—augmented by EAX Advanced HD and CMSS technologies — that provide stellar 3D surround sound to users for gaming, music or movies. An extreme performance Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M graphics solution provides true-to-life visuals, further supported by PhysX Technology which brings real-world realism and particle physics to games. The ASUS G51 and G60 deliver their spectacular visuals on full high definition displays with a 16:9 aspect ratio.

The Specifications have not been released but it will come with the option of Core2Quad or Core2Duo processors, upto 4 GigaBytes of RAM, upto 1 TeraBytes of storage and a display size of 15.6 inches.