This post was written by Maureen Jones
The CNET Reviews discusses the pros and the cons of the 6-pound, general-purpose Dell Latitude D531 notebook. It says that as compared to other general-purpose notebooks on the market, this 15.4-screen sized laptop is very inexpensive at around $500 and has a built-in Wi-Fi (wireless connectivity). The Dell Latitude D531 comes with simple word processing software. So, if your work entails creating complex documents, you will likely need to upgrade to a more powerful office suite.
Read the full article here
Dell has announced that the company will debut Adamo, the “world’s thinnest laptop” in February, according to reports. Code-named Adamo, the sleek laptop will go head-to-head with Apple’s MacBook Air. It is black and silver, similar to the XPS 13, but has a different overall design. Adamo is reportedly is going to be marketed as the “world’s thinnest laptop.” The laptop had been set for a fourth quarter 2008 release but is now expected to be unveiled in February.
3K Computers has launched a $299 device, RazorBook 400 Mini Notebook Ultra Mobile PC, to heat up competition in the ultra mobile PC space. 3K is targeting the machine as a low-cost portable internet appliance for professionals and students, offering web browsing, Flash games and instant messaging. With a boot-up time of under eight seconds, the RazorBook 400 is designed to be turned on and off instantly with an energy-saving processor, no fan and quiet running. The open source Office Suite opens most of the Microsoft files in the laptop and includes an email client and a PDF reader as well as the Mozilla Firefox browser.
Intel will show off its next-generation Classmate laptop, which includes a touch screen and new features that make it easier for students to use, next month. The new Convertible Classmate is a tablet PC, with a touch screen that swivels to make data input easier. Intel will show prototypes of the laptop at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to be held in Las Vegas between Jan. 8 and 11. Intel bills the Classmate as an educational laptop for kids in developing countries, but it will also be available in the general market.
Acer has launched its new Aspire one mini-laptop and has forecasted sales of up to7 million units this year and 15 to 20 million next year. The new-mini laptop will compete with a growing number of rivals in a market jump-started by the popularEee PC from Asustek Computer of Taiwan. Acer believes the Aspire one, which will cost between $399 and $499, can attract a new kind of PC buyer, primarily those who want a low-cost, convenient mobile device they can use to surf the Internet from anywhere.
ASUS Computers has launched what could be the world’s smallest, cheapest and most accessible laptop. The company has redesigned and launched its second generation ‘Eee PC’, a small, highly portable laptop computer costing only a fraction of other computers. The small one kilogram laptops have up to 12″ screens, 2GB memory and 40GB of storage space. They are also equipped with Bluetooth and wireless technologies. ‘Eee PC’ is aimed at the burgeoning Asian consumer market and is believed to be a bridge between mobile and regular laptops.
Simmtronics Semiconductors Ltd. has ventured into the netbook segment with the announcement of the company’s first Netbook, based on Intel Atom mobile CPU. Simmtronics’ new compact and lightweight netbook is powered by the incredibly small, amazingly smart Intel Atom processor, which delivers the performance needed to enjoy popular activities like streaming videos or music, emailing, web surfing or instant messaging. Designed specifically for mobile computing needs, it provides the power of full-sized laptop, with the latest Intel Atom processor in a compact body with a 10.2-inch screen.
MSI today added just its second E-series notebook to its US lineup through the EX300. The 13.3-inch system focuses on external design first with a colored, glossy outer shell and a lightweight alloy-based chassis that comes at just 4.5 pounds even with a larger capacity eight-cell battery. The system is also comparatively thin and measures less than 1.2 inches at its thickest point. Just one trim level is available but is comparatively fast for the class. The system comes with a 25-watt 2GHz Core 2 Duo and is supplied with 4GB of memory and a 250GB hard drive.
Hewlett Packard Inc. has released its new Voodoo Envy 133 laptop that falls into the ultra-slim MacBook Air laptops’ category. The Voodoo Envy 133 laptop is as thick as 0.7 inches and weighs in at only 3.4 pounds. As expected from such a thin laptop, the Voodoo Envy 133 does not incorporate any CD or DVD drive. The 13.3 inch laptop features a multiple gesture touchpad that offers capabilities such as a circular gesture called chiral scroll and pinch options. Envy 133 is powered by Intel Centrino technology, due to which the small sized notebook can carry a wide range of functionality efficiently.