Sunday, August 16, 2009

Acer announces Aspire Core 2 Quad 8930G



Now here is a laptop that packs quite a punch but doesn't exactly break the bank. Acer has recently announced it's new Aspire 8930G.
Under the hood is a Intel Core 2 Quad Q9000 2GHz processor, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, a GeForce 9700M GT complete with 512MB of video RAM, a 500GB hard drive and Vista Home Premium.
Also included is a Blu-ray/DVD Super Multi combo burner, WiFi connectivity, an 18.4 inch 1920x1080 LCD display with webcam, 6-in-1 media card reader and Dolby Home Theater sound.
All of this packed into the neat little package above for $1,799.99. Not bad

Toshiba E105: Pre-Order at Best Buy for $1,200

The Toshiba E105 was announced a few days ago, and it is already available for pre-order online at BestBuy for $1,200. The laptop has a reasonable price and fair specs, but there are a few details that could be improved, maybe we'll see that change in the next model.
Anyway, the Satellite E105 is a 14.1-inch laptop with a hard-drive of 320GB, a DVD burner and a card reader that supports various formats. The technical stuff includes an Intel 4500MHD integrated graphics, which will surely make the 1280x800 resolution a good one. The processor is a 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo, and the RAM memory is pretty good at 4GB of DDR2.
On the wireless connectivity options it offers WiFi (a/g/n) and bluetooth. Obviously, there are also 2 USB ports, and as an extra you get a fingerprint reader.

HP releases fresh notebook: Pavilion dv3500t series



It seems as today is a good day to make announcements about small laptops, which means that on top of the Averatec AVN270N, there was another company presenting a new product - HP and the Pavilion dv3500t series.
Believe it or not, this is the first laptop made by HP that has a screen measuring 13.3-inches, and taking a look at the specs + price, it looks like they did a nice job. The computer is already available online, with a starting price of $1,000.
Besides the usual features, there are two details that stand out and will help the users: under-keyboard backlighting, and a LED backlight panel.
Since the Pavilion dv3500t series can be configured by the buyer, it means that are a lot of options available. For example, the Intel Core 2 Duo processor can go from 2.0GHz up to 2.53GHz, while the memory RAM starts at 2GB and ends at 8GB.

Samsung NC10 Netbook Going Cheaper than the Rest

Sure the specs are the same as any other netbook in the highly saturated market right now, but Samsung at least got one thing right: price!
The company will sell its NC10 netbook later this month for 299 GBP, and that's including VAT. This comes out to approximately $530 in US dollars, but Samsung is sure to cut the price further in the States, so it's all okay.
For 300 GBP, you will land a 10.2 inch, 1.3kg netbook with a 160GB hard drive and 1GB RAM. And it doesn't look too shabby either.

MSI PR211 Notebook



There's a new notebook coming out from MSI - the MSI PR211 Notebook. The PR211 is equipped with a 12.1″ display with a resolution of 1280×800, graphics card ATI Radeon HD 3200, processor AMD Turion X2 Dual Core ZM-80 2.1 GHz and 2 GB of RAM, with the possibility of expanding up to 4 GB if necessary.
Data storage is done through a 250 GB SATA hard drive. In addition, there are also built optical drive DL DVD-RW, adapter Wireless LAN 802.11 a / b / g / n, slot ExpressCard, 1.3-megapixel webcam, port HDMI, three USB 2.0 connectors and 3-in-1 card-reader .
PR211 maintain the confidentiality of your information through biometric fingerprint and crawler MSI FileSave. This special software that encrypts all data stored on a hard drive, and without special password, they can not be decoded. FileSave works effectively even when removing the hard drive from the laptop.
MSI PR211 with preloaded operating system Windows Vista Home Premium has already appeared in sales at price of € 799.

LG Xnote Mini - Only at Korea



Remember the small LG notebooks released last year during September and October? In case you can't recall, I'll refresh your memory by presenting the R200 and E200 - both have a small form factor and a humble 12.1-inch display screen.
In addition to those 2 models, LG has recently come up with a new netbook named Xnote Mini. As the name suggests, the mini computer has a tiny LCD screen that only measures 10-inches.
Besides those details, it is known that the Xnote Mini will have a 160GB hard-drive, a 1.3-megapixel camera, and a battery of 3-cells. Sadly it will only be available for the Korean market, at a price and date that we currently don't know.

Dell XPS 730 H2C Four-Barreled Gaming Horsepower



Dell has just unveiled XPS 730 H2C Four-Barreled Gaming Horsepower Chassis for hard core gamers. Now you can play Crysis at Full 1920x1200 Resolution and 30+ FPS with Quad Graphics. This premium quality Desktop is the most powerful system available in the market. It equips Patent-Pending H2C Cooling Solution that makes the CPU cool. Consumers can choose from the available painted Anodized Aluminum H2C Chassis or Silver Brushed Aluminum Air-Cooled Chassis with Optional X-View Clear Panel.
"There is a measure of satisfaction involved in delivering products that meet the expectations of a unique set of customers who are incredibly knowledgeable, passionate, intense and competitive," said Arthur Lewis, head of Dell's gaming group. "With XPS and Alienware gaming systems we've been progressively delivering an awe-inspiring experience to gamers and now, with the XPS 730, we've set the bar for a truly kick-ass gaming experience."
Supporting optional quad-core processors and Enthusiast System Architecture (ESA), the Dell XPS 730 H2C is powered by NVIDIA® nforce® 790i Ultra SLI ® chipset with standard ATX motherboard. The system comes installed with four hard drives. While the air-cooled XPS 730 is priced at $3,999, the XPS 730 H2C can be purchased at $4,999.

Dell to Launch Environment Friendly PC



I am on an environmental writing spree today and after telling you all about the new Credo accessories I simply have to show you what Dell has in store for its buyers. The picture above is the eco-friendly PC which is said to be 70% less energy consumer and 81% smaller than a mini tower Dell PC (but bigger than the Asus EEE). Michael Dell says about it: "These are important issues. When you think about our industry, we produce 260 million computers a year. There's a responsibility that comes with that."
It's only logical for Dell to invest more and more in electronics, specifically in laptops and desktops, meant to reduce overall energy consumption. Further more whether you own one of their products or not, you can be part of this ecological movement by joining one of their programs: "Plant a Tree for Me" (for private buyers) or "Plant a Forest for Me," (for companies).

Dell XPS 420 Desktop PC - Available for order



The latest Dell desktop computer made available for order (online) is the XPS 420, with prices from $1,500 to $2,500, you will certainly have a nice system that comes with a 20-inch LCD monitor.
There are 3 models that have big differences on the hard-drive, processor, and optical drive. The low-end model is named “Media Powerhouse” and comes with an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor running at 2,66Ghz, which is the same processor used in the medium model called “Performance and Productivity”. On the other hand there is the best model, called "Ultimate Entertainment" that features an Intel Core 2 Quad-Core processor running at 2.4Ghz.
The hard-drives can go from 320GB (for the two first models) up to 500GB for the last and most expensive model. Another difference is that the first two models only have a CD/DVD burner, while the last model has a Blu-Ray drive.

Gateway DX430X Desktop Computer



Gateway DX430X Desktop Computer costs between $1,344 and $1,454 comes with an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 2GB of memory in the RAM department, a graphics card provided by nVidia – GeForce 8800 GTS, a hard-drive containing 500GB of storage capacity, and a 19-inch widescreen LCD monitor which is probably the aspect that makes the price a bit high.
On the good side we have the new style combined with a good performance, many inputs + outputs, and also a praised removable hard-drive bay.

Sony Vaio LT19U




Sony had already announced the Vaio type L19, but it seems like they have upgraded the computer and now present the Vaio LT19U, which is a bit more expensive and has better specifications overall.
Basically this is an all-in-one system, much like the iMac, but with a different operative system and not so impressive specs. The Vaio LT19U has a 22-inch widescreen that provides a big resolution of 1680x1050.
It is powered by a Core 2 Duo T7500 processor, it has 2GB of DDR2 RAM memory, and a hard-drive with 500GB. The graphics card is from Nvidia, more specifically a GeForce 8400GT with 256MB.

Sony VAIO type L 19



You gotta hand it to Sony. They make some pretty interesting gadgets. This time it's the Sony Vaio Type L 19 PC/monitor. Powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, the new Vaio packs in a whole lot of features into the available space.
At a depth of just 19 cm, the Vaio Type L is sleek, while the transparent frame makes it the center of attraction in your room. What's more, it supports digital TV and allows you to record shows. A Blu-ray disc drive along with DVD+/-R and CD-RW is available.
There's also a video camera on the Vaio. It features a huge 750GB hard drive and Nvidia GeForce 7600 for graphics. Bundled with Windows Vista and Office 2007 for your productivity needs.

HP V7046kr - Desktop Computer



HP has presented a new computer for the Korean market, it has a strange name - V7046kr - but that doesn't mean nothing about the quality of the product, as a matter of fact, the desktop computer looks pretty good, at least in terms of design.
Inside the machine there are Intel parts on the processor - Intel Core 2 Duo E4300 at 1.8Ghz - and on the graphics card - Intel GMA 950. As for the RAM memory, it is on the DDR2 category and contains 1GB. The hard-drive is a big one with 250GB of capacity, and last but not least there is the usual Windows Vista (Home Premium) as the operative system.
The keyboard has some special characteristics that can be described as hot-keys placed on each side, there are some small sized keys as well that provide not-so-normal functions. One strange detail is the inclusion of a built-in speaker on the system.

Puget Custom Computers ships first DDR3 computers



Puget Custom Computers has recently started shipping the first computers using DDR3 memory, more exactly last Friday on June 30. Inside their customizable systems there is a chipset from Intel - P35 - a motherboard from ASUS - P5K3 - and also Kingston's low latency HyperX 1375Mhz modules.
This new kind of technology is expected to have some good improvements, such as producing less, heat, being twice as faster as its previous version named DDR2, and offer lower voltages.
But while it is good to have all the speed that Puget Custom Computers has to offer, there is a price for that luxury which in this case is pretty expensive. A Liquid Cooled Workstation for example, costs $5,572.59, and that price is without adding some basic accessories.
Our goal has been to be consistent early adopters in the enthusiast market. We've successfully accomplished that again with this release, and we're looking forward to delivering the high performance of this new line to the eager masses.

Acer Aspire L320 wins Best Choice of Computex Taipei 2007 Award



Acer's Aspire L320 desktop PC wins the Best Choice of Computex Taipei 2007 Award. With a small, stylish design the Aspire L320 are up to 10-times smaller than a traditional tower PC. The L320 is the provides the perfect balance for size, performance, and cost of a PC. The full-featured media center PC system features Intel Viiv technology and Intel Core 2 Duo processor to deliver faster processing with up to 40% less energy consumption and 7.1 Channel High Definition Audio deliver clear acoustics for theater-like entertainment.The L320 impliments a copper heatsink and heat pipe design with three airflow passages complimented by ultra-quiet fans to provide an efficient air flow system to keep the PC running at a lower operating temperature. The Acer Aspire L320 which was also awarded by Germany's Red Dot design competition is available in a stylish silver/black color scheme.

Creative Live Cam Optia AF Web Camera



Creative unveiled the new Live! Cam Optia AF, one of the first PC webcams with auto-focus feature that's truly plug-and-play. That's right, no more messy driver CDs or BSODs.
The Live! Cam Optia AF is equipped with a 2 megapixel sensor and Live! View technology for high quality video. With the Audio FX software that comes with the camera, users can modify their voices to reflect different accents or even change the voice from male to female or vice versa.
Then there's also Video FX, that lets you go all goofy with your videos, where you can add a hat or a wig. Reducing the background audio are the dual adaptive-array microphones. Expect seamless integration with Yahoo! IM, AIM and Windows Live Messenger.
Priced at US $129.99, the Creative Live! Cam Optia AF is out now.

Vigor Desktop Force Recon QXN gaming system



Vigor Gaming Computer announces the release of its Force Recon QXN gaming system. The Force Recon QXN base model comes standard Intel's recently introduced Core 2 Extreme Quad-core QX6800 processor. The new Intel processor is made up of four separate processing cores in a single package, which increases it’s multitasking ability.
The complete system are enclosed in a Vigor FORCE screwless chassis w/aluminum trim, which can be custom painted and includes Tornado Air Ventilation System. The system comes standard with 1GB RAM, two 150GB hard drives, 16x DVD+CD-RW Combo drive, and a floppy drive with an 8-in-1 card reader. Vigor Force Recon QXN offers onboard Gigabit PCI Network Card and PORTS for adding peripherals including 1 Parallel, 1 Game/Midi, 1 IEEE 1394 Firewire and 10 USB ports. Vigor also uses an NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX video card with 768MB DDR3 575MHz and DVI and TV input, to provide clear, crisp graphics with great performance.
All units are loaded with Microsoft Windows Vista 32-bit Home Edition and is backed by a three year limited parts and labor warranty. The base price starts at $3499, and can continue to climb higher with the many self-build options available direct from Vigor.

Appro XtremeWorkstation with Four Processors!




For those professionals that deal with computing and memory intensive applications that require speed and performance in their computers, check out the Appro XtremeWorkstation. The workstation can handle two to four AMD Opteron 8000 series processors, and offers a 128GB DDR2 memory, providing four times the graphic, processor and memory bandwidth. If high performance computing is what you are looking for, then this is just what you need. Appro offers an affordable, quiet, energy efficient computing experience with Appro XtremeWorkstation series.


Media Center Communicator v3 for Windows Vista & Xbox 360



One Voice Technologies, Inc. has announced today the upcoming release of their Media Center Communicator v3 for Windows Vista that will allow users to simply speak to play music, videos, watch recorded tv, or play photo slide shows on the Xbox 360 gaming consoles. The device can control up to 5 Xbox 360s connected to a Windows Vista computer.

With the Media Center Communicator v3, you can control both the main Windows Vista computer and the Xbox 360 console using voice commands. There's no fumbling for remotes - all you have to do is say something like "Xbox play American Idol" and it will load up the content for you. The device recognizes a wide range of accents, and there's no need to talk in a strange way - just talk like you normally would.
Other than controlling your entertainment, the Media Center Communicator can also be set up for a variety of other home automation tasks, such as setting thermostats, lighting, security cameras, and so on.

Happy Hacking Keyboard Lite2 for Mac



PFU, a Fujitsu company, has announced the release of the Happy Hacking Keyboard Lite2 for Macs in both an English version arrangement, as well as a Japanese version arrangement. The Happy Hacking Keyboard Lite2 is a small, compact keyboard for use with Mac computers. It is available in the color "Snow White".

The keyboard is USB compatible, and has a top key which adminsters the Mac private hallmark, as well as a multimedia key and an eject key. With the include drivers, this keyboard also supports customization of the keys. The keys themselves are full-size, as is spacing, but by reducing keys to a minimum requirement, miniturization is possible to almost an A4 half size. The Happy Hacking Keyboard Lite2 for Mac is compatible with Mac OS 8.6 to Mac OSX v10.x.

Lenovo USB 2.0 Super Multi-Burner Drive with LightScribe -- External portable DVD and CD recordable drive

Lenovo has introduced the new USB 2.0 Super Multi-Burner Drive with LightScribe. This external device allows you to copy music, video, or data and create professional labels. Features of the device include read/write speeds of up to 24x to CD and 8x maximum writing to DVD.
The multi-burner drive is extremely lightweight and slim for ultimate mobility. With the included LightScribe feature you can burn professional quality labels on LightScribe compatible CDs and DVDs. The Lenovo US 2.0 Super Multi-Burner Drive has read/write capabilities for DVD-R Dual Layer and DVD+R Double Layer media.
The drive also includes the easy-to-use Multimedia Center for Think Offerings software, WinDVD movie navigator software, WinDVD Creator Plus video editing software. When used with suppored computers such as the ThinkPad X40/X41, X Series Tablet, and X60 series notebooks, a power adaptor is not required for normal operation.
The Lenovo USB 2.0 Super Multi-Burner Drive with LightScribe will be available for purchase on January 26 for $249.95.

SOLiCharger for iPhones





For iPhone owners who want a reliable charger, the SOLiCharger is something you are going to like. Banking a lot on solar energy, this new charger helps ensure that your iPhones are running on sufficient battery power levels. Most chargers require you to plug in to an electric socket. But the only plugging in for the SOLiCharger is via the power input that most phones come with.
The SOLiCharger™ is the essential accessory for any iPhone or iTouch fanatic. This tiny, lightweight (just 1.4oz - 40 grams) Lithium-ion battery pack slips sleekly onto any iPhone to provide up to 50% full iPhone charge (enough for several hours of use). No cords or adapters to forget, lose or break: the SOLiCharger plugs directly into your iPhone.
Available in black or white, the price tag for this charger is $39.95



(Source) Sollight

iPhone 4G Concept Is Everything You Expect It to Be

Look at those curves there. The phone in the picture here is an iPhone 4G concept which won't see the light of day anytime soon.We've seen one earlier this year but this one is totally new. The design is inspired in the MacBook Air and it would probably offer us everything we're missing in current iPhone models. In the picture here the iPhone 4G is engaged in videochat while Google is quietly displaying the GPS location of your friends. Naturally this iPhone has a front camera, a better processor and it knows how to multitask. I bet there's even copy and paste action inside. Enough day-dreaming for now, maybe Toshiba's touchscreen phone will deliver everything the iPhone didn't.

via Gizmodo

iPhone Batteries Deteriorating?

It seems that new iPhones are now revealing some of their flaws. One glaring feature and need for most devices today is the length of the battery life, something that some people over at Los Angeles are experiencing. There is no word if the issue only concerns the batch that came to them but this is really something that Apple should look into.
According to IFixit.com, repairing company which specializes in Apple products, the 3GS's battery life was about 15% smaller than the original iPhone. But Apple spokeswoman Natalie Harrison emphasized, battery consumption is highly dependent on what applications and features are used.
It could be the size but the Apple spokeswoman has a point. If you have an application, like let's say a game which you often play, chances are your battery will need a recharge sooner than you think. For now, this is the best explanation available but if the number of people who have the same issue without the given explanation, expect this problem to be a full-blown issue soon.

(Source) iPhone Buzz

Square iPhone app lets you charge credit cards on the go

In the past there have been several offerings for those who want to use their iPhone to charge one of their customers credit card but they require you to punch in the card's entire number.
A recently announced project codenamed Square is looking to remedy that as it will make use of a magentic-strip reader that plugs into the iPhone's headphone port. All users of the app need to do is swipe the card, punch in the amount and have the customer sign right on the phone. After the transaction is complete it is geotagged and a receipt is sent via email.
There's no word on when exactly this will hit the market but when it does it is sure to be very valuable to those who do selling on the go.

Read (Cool Hunting)