Acer debuts green, biodegradable notebooks

Acer is getting greener, at least according to Greenpeace.

The computer maker unveiled two new notebooks on Friday that have already received kudos from the international environmental group. The Acer Aspire 3811TZ and Aspire 3811TZG are designed to be energy efficient, recyclable, and biodegradable, thereby winning high marks from Greenpeace, which rates PCs and other electronics for their environmental friendliness.

As part of its green initiatives, Acer said it built the two new Aspires to be free of PVCs (polyvinyl chloride) and BFRs (brominated flame retardants).

PVC is a cheap but durable plastic that has been criticized by Greenpeace for not being biodegradable and for emitting toxic substances into the environment. BFRs are chemicals added to plastics to make them more flame resistance, but these have also been accused of leeching into the environment. Their use in products for babies and children has especially concerned many groups. With the exception of the power cables, all components for both Aspires are free of these toxins.

"The chemical characteristics of PVC and BFRs may generate toxic substances like dioxins and furans at products' end-of-life, therefore, the reduction of PVC and BFRs in Acer products will help protect our environment from being poisoned by electronics goods," Acer said in a statement.

The new Aspires are also designed to cut energy use--both models can save up to 40 percent of the energy consumption of traditional notebooks, providing more than 8 hours of battery life, said Acer. Further, the company designed the units to be easily recycled. With more modular parts than in traditional notebooks, users can also extend the life of the Apires by replacing certain components.

Part of Acer's Timeline series, the two notebooks are targeted as CULVs (consumer ultra-low voltage). These laptops are typically as small and light as Netbooks but deliver greater power and performance with more memory and the use of Intel's Core 2 Duo processor. (We're still working on getting specs and photos.)

Acer first promised in 2005 to eliminate PVCs and BFRs in all its products by 2009, a goal that the company has yet to achieve. Though Greenpeace has applauded the new Aspire models, the group still gave Acer only a grade of 4.5 out of 10 for environmental friendliness in a report published January 7. The company received a strong A for effort on trying to reduce toxic substances from its computers and monitors. But it scored poorly by Greenpeace for its limited recycling and disposal initiatives.

Toshiba Introduces Business Minded Satellite Pro L450, L550

The new laptops come in pre-built models. You will have two choices for the 15.6" L450, either coming with an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T5870 and 3GB DDR2 RAM or with an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T6670 and 4GB DDR2 RAM. Both models come with a 320GB HDD, Intel's GMA 4500MHD integrated graphics, and Windows XP SP3.The larger 17.3" L550 comes with just one model, featuring similar specs to the higher end L450 above - an Intel Core 2 Duo T6670, 4GB DDR2 RAM, 320GB HDD and Intel's GMA 4500MHD. However, this model comes with Windows 7 Professional as well.The L450 models can be had for $629 and $729, respectively. The L540 will cost $999.

Intel To Launch Three 32nm Core i5 and i7 CPUs In 1H10

The three new 32mm CPUs will be the 1.2GHz Core i7-640UM, the 1.06GHz Core i7-620UM, and the 1.06GHz Core i5-620UM. They will be selling in thousand-unit trays for $305, $278, and $241 respectively. The new chips will aim to keep the ultra-thin notebook price point at between $600-$800, while the target price point for netbooks will remain at $500

MSI Debuts 12.1

The MSI L2100-036US notebook will feature a 1.6GHz AMD Athlon Neo MV-40, 2GB RAM, and a 250GB HDD. The graphics will be powered by an underwhelming ATI Radeon X1250.The resolution will be 1366 x 768, and you will have 802.11b/g/n, 3USB ports, a multi-card reader, audio in/out and both VGA and HDMI for connectivity. It tips the scales at 3.2lbs and is currently selling for $459.99 running Windows 7.

Malata Introduces Sleek Convertible Netbook R108T

The convertible R108T features a swiveling 10" 1024x600 touchscreen display, and comes packaged with the touch-friendly Windows 7. Beyond that, the specs are standard for the netbook genre - 1.6GHz Atom N270, 1GB DDR2 RAM and a 160GB HDD. There is a 1.3MP integrated webcam as well as 2 USB ports, VGA, and a card reader.Currently, Malata is only focused on China, but it seems possible this will make it to the US eventually. The current asking price appears to be $439, and if it retains that price it will certainly be a good value.

Smartfish Takes New Angle With Portable Mouse

The ErgoMotion Mouse contains, as far as buttons go, a pretty normal set. There are large right and left click buttons and a scroll wheel. The wireless laser mouse uses a small USB wireless dongle as well. But where the ErgoMotion sets itself apart is the fact that it is essentially a mouse on a raised platform, allowing the mouse to tilt and pivot in the direction you're trying to move it as you do. This supposedly results in a more natural motion for your arm and reduces the likelihood of a RSI (repetitive stress injury), though it is likely it would take some getting used to for those more accustomed to traditional mice.

Matala Releases R108T Convertible Netbook

The netbook includes an Intel Atom N270 1.60GHz processor along with 1GB DDR2 RAM and a 160GB Hard disk. The 10-inch rotating resistive touchscreen display comes with 1024x600 screen resolution. There is Wi-Fi b/g/n, Ethernet, 1.3MP webcam, multi-format card reader, audio ports and two USB 2.0 ports. The default OS is Windows 7. It's available in Ferrari Red, Piano Black, Coffee, Champagne and Gold colors.
The netbook comes with a 3,400mAh battery which should be good enough for more than three hours of runtime. It retails in US and Europe for $435

Pimp Your MacBook with Stylish BassJump Subwoofer

Ordinarily speaking the speakers on an average MacBook are good for a laptop, but if that's not enough for you, Twelve South has entrusted you with the ability to rock the baseline with their new BassJump subwoofer. It is small enough to be easily portable and connects easily via USB, improving the sound quality via an analog-styled tuning app. The design of the subwoofer makes it a perfect fit for MacBooks - and only for MacBooks.

ASUS Eee PC 1201HA Now Available in the US

The 1201HA features a 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z520 to go along with 1GB RAM and a 160GB HDD. However, it still manages a battery life of up to 6 hours and 38 minutes and a weight of 3lbs while powering a 12.1" LED display with a WXGA resolution of 1366 x 768.The Eee PC 1201HA will run Windows XP SP3 and is available for $329.99 at Best Buy.

4G WiMAX Now Available Throughout Hawaii

Coverage is now available in both Maui and Honolulu, and they claim service can now reach the vast majority (800,000 out of 1,200,000) of citizens in Hawaii, with 4G services blanketing 1,759 square miles of Oahu, Maui and Lanai.4G coverage can sustain download speeds of 3-6Mbps, with "bursts" of up to 10Mbps. Clearwire plans to extend CLEAR's coverage to the following cities by the end of 2009: Atlanta and Milledgeville, GA; Baltimore, MD; Boise, ID; Chicago, IL; Las Vegas, NV; Philadelphia, PA; Charlotte, Raleigh, and Greensboro, NC; Honolulu and Maui, HI; Seattle and Bellingham, WA; Portland, OR; and Dallas/Ft. Worth, San Antonio, Austin, Abilene, Amarillo, Corpus Christi, Killeen/Temple, Lubbock, Midland/Odessa, Waco and Wichita Falls, TX.For those who it is available to, service charges begin at $30/month.

Dell Announces Studio 17 Touch Laptop

The laptop has multiple processor options ranging from the Intel Pentium Dual Core T4300 2.1GHz to the Intel Core i7 Quad Core CPUs. It can have up to 8GB DDR3 RAM and a 1TB 7200rpm Hard disk. There's the option for an Intel GMAX4500MHD or discrete graphics. The LED backlit display has a native 1600x900 resolution. It includes Wi-Fi b/g/n, HDMI and VGA ports, four USB 2.0 ports, Firewire, Bluetooth and optional Blu-Ray drive.
The laptop comes with a 6-cell battery and weighs 7.08 lbs. It retails for a starting price of $899 and shipping will start from the 4th of December.

Dell Precision M6500 Featuring Core i7 Launches

The Precision M6500 will have the option of the 2.00GHz Intel Core i7-920XM Extreme, the 1.73GHz i7-820QM, or the 1.60GHz i7-720QM quad core CPU. It will also pack some other serious features, including the choice of a 1GB ATI FirePro M7740, a 1GB NVidia Quadro FX 2800M, or a 1GB NVidia Quadro FX 3800M, RAM upgradable to 16GB DDR3, and either dual 500GB HDDs or dual 256GB SSDs. Resolution can be upgraded to an LED backlit 1920x1200 and a Blu-ray player is available.For connectivity, there will be 4 USB ports, Display Port and VGA along with ExpressCard and PC Card. There will also be eSATA and Firewire, although there does not appear to be HDMI. WiFi, Bluetooth, UWB and mobile broadband support come standard, as does Windows 7. It will weigh 8.5lbs and in its basic pre-configuration will cost $2,749.

Dell Vostro V13 Now Available

The new 13.3" (1366 x 768) ultraportable laptop will feature a 1.2GHz Intel Celeron CPU at the low end, but it can be upgraded as high as a 1.3GHz Core 2 Duo. Other features include HDDs ranging from 250GB 5400RPM to 500GB 7200RPM, Intel's GMA4500MHD graphics, a 1.3MP integraged webcam and a 6-cell battery. 1 USB port, 1 USB/eSATA, a card reader and ExpressCard slot round out the connectivity on this .65" and 3.5lb portable.The Vostro V13 can be had for as little as $450, and is available today

Dell Adamo XPS Now Available in UK at John Lewis

The much hyped Adamo XPS, hitherto unavailable in the United Kingdom, has just started appearing online and in stores at John Lewis. The 9.99mm, 13.4" ultraportable features a ULV 1.4GHz Core 2 Duo SU9400, 128GB SSD and 4GB RAM on route to justifying its £1750 price tag. Featuring a unique design, it is the thinnest laptop in the world. Its weight isn't too shabby either for a full sized notebook, managing a somewhat feathery 3.2lbs.The laptop is already available in the United States for a starting price of $1,998.

Acer Aspire Timeline 1820PT Now Available in the UK

The Aspire Timeline 1820PT is a convertible tablet with multitouch functionality for both finger and pen input. The notebook will come with a 1.3GHz Intel Pentium Dual Core ULV SU4100 CPU, 3GB RAM and a 160GB HDD for £529.99 (roughly $858).Other features include Intel's GMA4500MHD for graphics, an HDMI port, up to 8 hours of rated battery life and Windows 7 Professional 64 Bit. A version of this computer is expected to be available in the US soon, although no exact pricing or availability is yet known.

Pegatron Smartbook with Ubuntu Spotted

The smartbook was spotted at the ARM's Technical Symposium 2009 held last week. The 10-inch smartbook is going to be equipped with an ARM processor with passive cooling. The processor might be based on Qualcomm's Snapdragon platform. However, this is not publicly announced just yet. The company promises several connectivity options, speedy boot times and all-day long battery life. These devices will be compatible with Google Chrome OS as well and gives a combination of smartphone and netbook features. The unit is going to cost around $200 and can be expected in early 2010.

CherryPal Netbook for $99 Now Available

This netbook features a 7" display, a 400MHz CPU, 256MB of RAM and 2GB of flash storage. The battery life is rated at about four hours, and the operating system will be either Linux or Windows CE.The specs above are unimpressive, reminiscent more of a cell phone than a netbook, but could represent an extremely affordable way to access the internet.

MSI Announces X-Slim X350 Ultraportable

The 13.4" X350 is extremely portable, weighing in at just 3.31lbs and with a battery life of up to 9 hours, but doesn't entirely sacrifice power to achieve the lightweight frame and long lifespan. It's display will feature an LED backlit 1,366 x 768 resolution, and it will be powered by an Intel CULV Core 2 Duo CPU. The device will sport 2GB RAM, and graphics will be handled by Intel's GMA 4500MHD integrated graphics. There will be HDMI (VGA optional), as well as Bluetooth, WiFi, a card reader and USB ports. An external optical drive is also optional.

Special Edition Olympics Acer Aspire Timeline 1810TZ Now Available For Pre-Order

The Acer Aspire Timeline 1810TZ will be available with a silver lid and palmrest that feature the Olympic logo of 5 interconnected rings. It will have the same specs as the standard 1810TZ, which include an 11.6" 1366 x 768 display, 1.3GHz dual-core Pentium SU4100 (CULV), 3GB RAM, a 320GB HDD and graphics handled by Intel's GMA 4500MHD. The 6-cell battery is rated to last about 8 hours, and the notebook features HDMI as well as 802.11n WiFi.

Intel Core i3, Core i5 CPUs Coming for Notebooks in January

Both the Core i3 and Core i5 will be dual core chips, with the integrated GPU core being labeled "Intel HD Graphics." Notebooks should be able to handle HD video with the integrated GPUs, but switchable graphics will be an option for gaming rigs. Both CPUs will feature the latest in hyperthreading technology from Intel, and the Core i5 model will feature "Turbo Boost," a feature which focuses power on a single core in situations where it would increase performance.The chips should be available on January 7th.

Intel Officially Announces Next Pine Trail Atom CPUs

Intel's Pine Trail Atom N450, D410 and D510 CPUs have just been announced. The 1.66GHz processors will integrate the memory controller and Intel graphics directly onto the CPU die, which should increase overall efficiency. The N450 is targeted at netbooks while the D-class chips will be aimed at nettops.Battery life is expected to be increased in netbooks/nettops as a result of the use of this chip, and its small size makes it even more preferable for smaller devices.

Dell Inspiron Mini 10 with Atom N450 Debuted and Priced

The new Inspiron Mini 10s will feature Intel's new Atom N450 CPUs, which are noted for extending battery life. At least in part due to that, the new Minis are expected to last well over nine hours on a single charge of their 6-cell battery. There is an optional Broadcom Crystal HD video accelerator for HD video playback as well as a TV tuner, WWAN, GPS and Bluetooth. Resolution can get as high as 1366x768 as well.Pricing will start at $299 for the new Mini 10, though it will cost more with the optional features. It should be available in early January.

Sony VAIO T Refreshed in Japan

The new VAIO Ts come with a variety of CULV CPU options, ranging from a 1.2GHz Celeron SU2300 up to a 1.6GHz Core 2 Duo SU9600. There will be up to 8GB RAM and Intel's GMA4500MHD graphics, and hard drive options of 500GBHDD or 512GBSSD. Options like Blu-Ray, 802.11n, TV tuners and more are also available.Battery life is rated at 11 hours on a standard battery or up to a whopping 17 with the extra large version. Resolution on these 11.1" units is 1366 × 768 and the weight is about 3.2 lbs with the battery pack attached. Currently available in Japan, where they can be picked up for ¥129,800 (roughly $1400).

Acer Aspire One Updated with Pine Trail

The slightly redesigned 10" Acer Aspire One A0535h will have a new Intel Atom N450 CPU behind it, along with Intel GMA 1350 graphics. The netbook will have 1GB RAM and a 160GB HDD, and the 4400mAH six-cell battery should is expected to give power in the range of 10 hours.The Aspire One A0525h will be available in January for $299, which is lower than many other new Pine Trail netbooks. It comes with Windows 7 Starter Edition. Page:1/1

ASUS Launches ROG G73jh Laptop Featuring Core i7

The latest ROG laptop is packing a Core i7-720QM along with 8GB RAM and a DirectX11 handling ATI Radeon HD 5870. If that wasn't enough, there will be 1TB HDD space, 8-channel HD audio, and a 17.3" 1920x1080 resolution along with a Blu-ray / DVD drive, integrated webcam, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth, card reader, and mini-VGA.The ROG G73jh will have the Windows 7 Home Premium operating system. Exact prices and availability are not yet known.

ASUS Debuts Eee PC 1008P with Garish Designs

The 10.1" 1008P will be powered by a new Intel Atom N450 CPU with 1GB DDR2 RAM and a 250GB HDD. It will feature 802.11n, Bluetooth, an integrated webcam and a weight of only 2.5 lbs.But more interestingly, it comes in hot pink and coffee brown. It will be running Windows 7 Home Premium. Pricing and availability are not yet known

Toshiba Debuts T115 and T135 CULV Notebooks

Toshiba's 11.6" T115 and 13.3" T135 laptops will be available with CPUs from both AMD and Intel, ranging from an AMD Neo/Turion to an Intel Pentium SU4100. With Intel's chip the laptop can achieve 9 hours of battery life with graphics powered by Intel's GMA 4500MHD. With AMD's chip battery life is more like 6 hours, but the somewhat more powerful ATI Radeon HD 3200 powering your graphics.Both laptops have a width of under 1" and their respective weights are 3.5lbs and 3.9lbs, which are just a tad above netbook sizes. Though they can come with 320GB HDDs and 4GB RAM and range up to $700 in price, the starting price of $450 is just over netbook prices as well.

ICD Tegra Powered Tablet Spotted

The 7-inch capacitive touchscreen comes with either a 800 x 480 or 1024 x 600 screen resolution. It's targeted for home users especially for entertainment purposes and can become your ultimate mobile companion. The Nvidia Tegra chip runs at 1GHz and there's 256MB RAM and a 512MB NAND memory included. It also gives option for 3G and GPS for true mobility. It includes Wi-Fi b/g, Bluetooth, USB ports, Bluetooth 2.1, 3.5mm audio jack, microphone, internal speakers, accelerometer and a HDMI port.
The tablet measures only 186 x 158 x 18mm and weighs less than 600g. It should give more than 4 hours of runtime although the pricing details are not released just yet.

Pioneer Computers Introduces DreamBook Light U11

The ultraportable comes with either an Intel Pentium Dual-Core or Core 2 Duo series CULV processor. It comes with 4GB DDR2 RAM and either a 256GB SSD or up to 1TB hard drive storage. Graphics is powered by Intel GMA X4500 built-in chipset. The notebook gives support for 3G connectivity. There is Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth, Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI and VGA ports, 1.3MP Webcam and a multi-format card reader.
The ultraportable weighs only 3.0 pounds with a 4-cell battery and comes with a starting price of $629.

Toshiba Updates Qosmio Series with Core i5/i7

The X505 can come with such high end specs as an Intel Core i7-720QM, 6GB DDR3 RAM (max 8GB), a 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTS 360M GPU and combination storage in the form of one or dual 64GB SSDs/320GB 7200RPM HDDs. For those looking for the more affordable version we mentioned, customers can opt for an Intel Core i5-430M CPU, 4GB RAM, and just a single HDD. All versions come with the GPU and a beautiful 18.4" widescreen display, though you can opt for a sub-1080p resolution.The Qosmio X505 will run from $1,199.99 – $1,899.99 in price.

Averatec Releases HS-105 Netbook for Christmas

The netbook is based on the older Intel Atom N270 1.60GHz processor and Intel 945GSE chipset. The next generation PineTrail platform with Intel Atom N450 processor will be released officially next month, which will make this platform redundant. The system includes 2GB DDR2 RAM and either 160GB or 250GB Hard disk. The 10.1-inch LED display has 1024x600 screen resolution. There is Wi-Fi b/g/n, 1.3MP webcam, three USB ports and VGA port.
Pricing details are not announced for now but we can expect ultra low price for this model.

Toshiba Releases 7 New Core i3/Core i5 Satellites

For multimedia lovers, the 16" Satellite A505 is available with Intel CPUs up to Core i7 or the equivalent AMD CPUs, along with optional discrete GPU and Blu-ray/HDMI, and starts at $769. On the opposite end, the 15.6" Satellite L505 goes no higher than i3 and starts at only $459. The 13.3" U505, 14" E205, 17.3" L555 and M505, and 18.4" P505 round out the remaining new choices from Toshiba - head on over to their website to check them out

Asus to Release Eee PC 1001P in January

The netbook will come with the Intel Atom N450 1.66GHz processor with on-die graphics chip and memory controller. There will be 1GB system memory and a 160GB hard disk. The rest of the specifications are the same as the older netbooks like Wi-Fi b/g, multi-format card reader, three USB 2.0 ports and VGA out. It will come bundled with Windows XP SP3 OS and available in both black and white colors.
The netbook weighs 2.4lbs and gives 11 hours of runtime on a single charge. It's expected to start shipping on January 6th, 2010 for around $384.

Sony Vaio T Back with CULV Processor

The new notebooks gives the option for an Intel Celeron SU 2300 1.20GHz, Core 2 Duo S9400 1.40GHz and Core 2 Duo SU9600 1.60GHz dual-core processors. The system supports up to 8GB RAM and either a 500GB Hard disk or a 512GB SSD. The 11.1-inch notebook can be upgraded with a Digital TV Tuner, Blu-Ray drive, Wi-Fi b/g/n, fingerprint scanner and Gigabit Ethernet. It comes with Windows 7 OS.
These ultraportables are rated for 11 hours of battery time with standard battery, whereas an extended battery can take the runtime to 17 hours. It's available for retail in Japan for ¥129,800 (about $1,405).

ASUS UL80JT Extends Battery Life With New Switchable Technology

The UL80JT is a 14" notebook with an Intel Core i7 CPU that can be overclocked, as well as an NVidia GeForce 310 GPU. However, what is most notable about this laptop is the "second-by-second" automatic switching mechanism, which instantly moves you from discrete graphics to integrated graphics, rather than requiring you to switch manually like older switchable technology does. As a result, ASUS promises 12 hours of battery life while the automatic feature is enabled.Availability for this laptop is not yet known, but it was spotted recently at CES by Ars, who predict a price of around $1000.

Nurture Your Green Self with the NEC Mate ME and Versa Pro VD

The VersaPro VD notebook will come with Intel's Core i5 or Core i7 CPUs. A Core i5 configuration will be available with a 64GB SSD, 1GB RAM, Intel's new GMA HD graphics and Windows 7 Professional. On the green side, it comes with some handy preloaded software to help you monitor and control your energy use, which should already be low with the SSD and latest energy saving Intel hardware.The Mate ME desktop sports the same low-energy hardware, from SSDs to Core i5/i7 CPUs to Intel's GMA HD. It also features environmentally friendly flame retardant bio-plastic and a specially engineered motherboard to increase efficiency by 30% while using less hazardous materials. It comes with the integrated software that the VersaPro comes with as well.