The OLPC has filed documents with FCC related to its XO 1.5 laptop. The XO 1.5 is an update to the original XO laptop. While the XO laptop had an AMD Geode processor, the XO 1.5 sports a relatively faster VIA C7-M processor.

Documents filed with FCC indicate that the notebook will support Wi-Fi 802.11b/g. Other specifications include 1GB of RAM and a 4GB of flash storage. The graphics solution is the integrated VIA Chrome9 graphics.

The OLPC XO laptop is meant for poor students in the developing world. OLPC has no intention of selling it directly to customers at retail. The FCC filing, nevertheless, indicates that the machine will be available in the US as well but not necessarily in its original form.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X100e is the first consumer-oriented ThinkPad notebook. It is powered by the AMD Neo MV-40 processor and ATI Radeon 3200HD graphics. The AMD-ATI combination does make the notebook stand out from rival notebooks sporting Intel Atom/CULV processors. But is the ThinkPad X100e any better than its cheaper rivals?

Well, Slash Gear recently did a review of the notebook and the findings aren’t very impressive. While the notebook delivers reasonable performance it isn’t significantly better than rival Atom powered netbooks. Worse still, the ThinkPad X100e gets only around 3 hours of uptime. Agreed, it was not meant to offer 10+ hours of uptime, but 3 hours is still too bad for an 11 inch notebook.

Review Laptop Specifications
Processor: 1.6GHz AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 processor
Memory: 2GB of RAM
Storage: 160GB, 5400 rpm hard drive
Graphics: ATI Radeon HD3200 graphics
Battery: 6-cell, 2,600mAh

Design and Build Quality
The ThinkPad X100e has the standard ThinkPad looks, but build quality is average. The keyboard is the best feature of this notebook. In fact, the keyboard on X100e is better than the keyboards on most ultraportable laptops. Besides the multi-touch touchpad there is also a red trackpoint in the middle of the keyboard.

Display
The display is good. It has a matte finishing which prevents the reflections and makes the display suitable for use outdoors.

Heat and Noise
The X100e is neither silent nor cool. The notebook gets warm to touch even during normal use. The fan is also loud.

Performance
Performance is satisfactory. The AMD Neo processor isn’t significantly better than Atom/CULV processors, but it has enough power to handle your everyday computing needs. The notebook is also capable of handling 1080p HD video playback, thanks to its ATI graphics.

Battery life
The most disappointing feature of this notebook is its mediocre battery life. Lenovo says that its 6-cell battery will power the laptop for around 6 hours, but that is not true. You should consider yourself lucky if you get anything beyond 3 hours.

According to a DigiTimes report MSI will release a touch screen tablet in the second half of this year. The tablet hasn’t been named yet, but it is expected to have a starting price of $500. Interestingly, Apple’s just unveiled iPad tablet also starts at $499.

MSI showed off its 10 inch tablet at CES early this year. The device is powered by a NVIDIA Tegra 2 chipset which will make it capable of handling 1080p HD video playback. Tegra 2 chipsets are also known to get excellent battery life. The MSI tablet will run Google Android. The OS doesn’t support Adobe Flash at the moment but it is working on it.

MSI will probably not want to market its tablet as a better alternative to Apple’s iPad. But comparisons are inevitable and believe it or not, the MSI tablet does have some plus points over its celebrated rival. For one thing, it is capable of handling 1080p HD video playback. The Apple tablet, we are told, can handle only 720p video. The MSI tablet will probably also be able to handle multi-tasking. And most importantly MSI has nothing against allowing Flash on its device. Still it is too early to predict that this device would be better than iPad.

Dell has uploaded the order pages for Alienware M15x and M17x gaming laptops. The M15x sports a 15.6 inch WLED display with 1,600 x 900 or 1,920 x 1080 pixels. This notebook can be ordered with a Core i3 , i5 or i7 processor and your choice of a 512MB NVIDIA GeForce GT 240M or 1GB GeForce GTX 260M discrete GPU. For storage there is a 250GB hard drive. A choice of 128GB or 256GB of SSD is also available. Other features include Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR.

The M17x sports a bigger 17 inch display. It is powered by a Core i7 920XM processor with dual 1GB GeForce GTX 280M discrete graphics. Alternatively you can opt for a pair of Radeon Mobility HD 4870s graphics. Other features include 8-in-1 media card reader, dual-layer Blu-ray and HDMI out.

Pricing and availability
The Alienware M15x has a starting price of $1,199. It will start shipping early next month. The M17x starts at $1,799.

Lenovo will start shipping its IdeaPad S10-3t multi-touch tablet in a few weeks. The netbook runs Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit. Incidentally IdeaPad S10-3t is the first netbook to ship with Intel’s Atom N470 processor. Other specifications include 2GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive.

The Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t is a convertible netbook with a touch-screen display. It is equipped with Lenovo’s Natural Touch interface which works well with the touch features of Windows 7 Home Premium.

The IdeaPad S10-3t is also available with Atom N450 processor. This model runs Windows 7 starter and ships with 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive. Both models feature 10 inch multi-touch display.

The Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t with Atom N470 starts at $649. The base model with Atom N450 has a starting price of $549.

The Lenovo IdeaPad S12 and IdeaPad U150 are similar in many respects. Both notebooks are ultraportable. While the S12 has a 12.1 inch display with 1280 x 800 pixels, the U150 sports a smaller 11.6 inch display with 1366 x 768 pixels. Keyboards on both machines are nearly full-sized and touchpads feature separate left and right buttons.

Internally both are distinctly different machines. The IdeaPad S12 is powered by an Atom processor. The U150 has a faster Intel CULV processor. In looks also the U150 and S12 are quite different. The S12 has a glossy lid whereas the U150 has a matte lid with a textured pattern.

The keyboard on S12 is more comfortable to use than the keyboard on U150. As far as performance is concerned, the S12 has an Atom N270 processor, but it is configurable with ION graphics. The U150 has a more powerful Intel CULV processor. Graphics is handled by the GMA 4500MHD which isn’t as powerful as the NVIDIA ION graphics. Both machines are capable of handling most day to day tasks including 1080p HD video playback. In overall performance the U150 is better than the S12. But when it comes to performing GPU-intensive tasks such as gaming, the S12 is ahead of U150.

The IdeaPad S12 has a starting price of $429. If you need a model with NVIDIA ION graphics you will have to shell out $599. The U150 is pricier. It starts at $650.

The HP Mini 2102 is now available for order. It is basically the same laptop as the Mini 210. While the Mini 210 is sold through HP’s consumer division, the Mini 2102 is handled by HP’s business division. Laptops sold through HP’s business division offer more customization options; they also carry a higher price tag.

HP has just uploaded the customization and order page for Mini 2102. The base model with FreeDos or SUSE Linux and a 3 cell battery is priced at $447. But if you are patient enough to wait for a few more days, you will be able to buy the laptop with Windows 7 through a ‘Smart Buy’ option for a lower price.

The HP Mini 2102 offers several configuration options. Some of these options may not be available through ‘Smart Buy’.

Operating System: Windows 7 Starter/Win 7 Pro/Win XP Pro/SUSE Linux 11/FreeDOS
Memory: 1GB/2GB of RAM
Storage: 160GB/250GB/320GB 7200RPM hard drive
Connectivity: 802.11b/g/ 802.11a/b/g/n/optional Bluetooth
Battery: 3 cell, 28Whr/6 cell, 62Whr

The HP Mini 2102 is powered by a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor with GMA 3150 graphics. It has a 10.1 inch display with 1024 x 600 pixels.

Gateway’s newly unveiled EC14D sports something you wouldn’t normally find in an ultraportable laptop – a built-in DVD drive. The laptop is expected to start shipping by the end of January.

The Gateway EC14D is equipped with an 11.6 inch HD widescreen LED-backlit display with 1366 x 768 pixels. It is powered by a 1.3GHz Intel Pentium SU4100 ULV processor. The notebook runs Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit. Up to 8GB of RAM can be installed. For storage there is a 320GB 5400rpm SATA hard drive. No discrete GPUs – Graphics is handled by the GMA 4500MHD.

The touchpad recognizes multi-touch gestures. Other features include Ethernet, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, built-in webcam, multi-in-1 media card reader and HDMI. There are 3 USB ports.

The EC14D will ship with a 6 cell, 5600mAh battery. Prices start at $629.99.

Dell’s hideously pricey Adamo notebooks have suddenly become affordable and all the more tempting too. Dell has again cut the prices of Adamo Admire and Adamo Desire.

Starting today, the lower-end model the Adamo Admire is available for an amazing $999. The Adamo Admire is powered by a 1.4Ghz Intel Core 2 Dup processor with 2GB of DDR3 RAM and a 128GB SSD. It runs Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit).

The higher-end model, the Adamo Desire, has its price cut by a full $500. It is now available for $1,799. The Adamo Desire has a 2.1 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of RAM, integrated mobile broadband and a 256GB SSD for storage.

The HP Mini 5102 is now fully customizable. It is now possible to officially order the laptop with your preferred configuration options through the HP website.

The base model with SUSE Linux, 160GB hard drive and a 1024 x 600 pixel display will cost $518. This configuration costs around $120 more than the lowest Smart Buy Configuration ($399) with Windows 7. A higher-end model may cost as high as $1000.

The HP Mini 5102 offers numerous configuration possibilities. Some of the available options are:

Operating system: Choice of Windows 7 Starter/Win 7 Pro/Win XP Home/SUSE Linux 11/ FreeDOS
Display: 1024 x 600 pixels/1366 x 768 pixels/1024 x 600 pixel touch-screen (Touch-screen with 1366 x 768 pixels is not available.)
Graphics: Intel GMA 3150 graphics/Optional Broadcom HD Video Decoder card
Memory: 1GB/ 2GB
Storage: 160GB/250GB/320GB 7200RPM HDD or 80GB/128GB SSD
Connectivity: Optional Bluetooth 2.1, choice of 802.11a/b/g/n or 802.11b/g/n, optional Gobi 2000 mobile broadband card with GPS for 3G access
Battery: 4 cell, 29Whr/6 cell, 66Whr
Colors: Red, blue or black lids

Remember that configuring your laptop on your own through the HP website will easily cost more money than purchasing it through one of the Smart Buy options. The Smart Buy configurations, however, doesn’t offer HD display or touch-screen options.

As for the optional handle, it is worth remembering that the handle is non-removable. If you order the laptop with one, it will stay attached all the time.

Alienware has announced a thin and light gaming laptop called M11x.The company, we are told, has been working on an ultraportable gaming rig for well over five years. But back then it was not possible to get high-performance, low power chips, but now they are available in plenty.

The Alienware M11x is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo CULV processor with NVIDIA 335M GPU. The notebook has an 11.6 inch display with 1366 x 768 pixels. The machine is capable of playing most modern games including Call of Duty 4 and Left 4 Dead 2. No further information is available at the moment.

Pricing and Availability
No word on pricing or availability as yet. But unofficial sources claim that it could be priced in the $800-$1000 range.

Starting February 1st, HP will start offering new Smart Buy options for its Mini 5102 mini-laptop. There will be three new options priced at $399, $525 and $649.
The base model priced at $399 will have a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, 1 GB of RAM, a 160GB,7200rpm hard drive and a 4 cell battery. This version will run Windows 7 Starter. Other features include Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n and Bluetooth. The $525 model will have 2GB of RAM and Windows 7/Vista Professional.

The third Smart Buy model priced at $649 has a 6 cell, 66Whr battery, 2GB of RAM, Windows 7 or XP Pro and a Gobi mobile broadband module.

The HP Mini 5102 has a 10 inch display with 1024 x 600 pixels. It is one of the best mini-laptops available at the moment. It sports a durable magnesium alloy case and a fast 7200 rpm hard drive. The laptop is also available with a number of optional features such as touch-screen, handle and HD display.

When HP introduced the laptop a few days ago it promised that the base model would start at $399. However, the lowest possible configuration available at the moment is priced at $599. But that is about to change and in a few days you will be able to take home the laptop at a price you can afford.

The fabled Apple tablet has finally come out of its shell. Apple has officially unveiled the device we have been hearing about for quite some time. Of course, it won’t start shipping in another 60 days or so, but official specs are now available.
The Apple tablet or iPad is powered by a 1GHz Apple A4 ARM-based processor. It is equipped with a 9.7 inch IPS multi-touch display with 1024 x 768 pixels. The tablet supports Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 and 3G (optional).

The iPad weighs just 0.5 inches in thickness and weighs around 1.5 pounds. The 25Whr battery is expected to offer up to 10 hours of runtime. Other features include Accelerometer and compass.

The iPad is capable of running all iPhone applications plus new iPad applications that include iTunes, games, iBooks and New York Times reader. It can also handle video up to 720p. There are no physical keyboards. The on-screen keyboard looks like a giant version of the iPhone keyboard.

Pricing and Availability
The base model with Wi-Fi and 16GB of storage costs $499. If you need a 3G enabled version, be willing to shell out anything between $629 and $829.

Targus has unveiled its newest line of laptop and mobile chargers. The new chargers are extremely light and compact.

The new chargers include the following:

Premium Laptop charger
Targus says that its Premium Laptop Charger is significantly smaller and lighter than a typical AC/DC adapter. This charger is capable of charging two devices at the same time. It comes with nine laptop tips, an iPhone/iPod tip and a mini-USB tip. It goes for $149.99.

Compact Laptop Charger
The Compact Laptop Charger weighs just 11.6 ounces. It is available in two models and is compatible with a large number of devices. The Compact Laptop Charger retails for $89.99.

Netbook Charger
The Netbook Charger is meant for charging a netbook and a low-powered mobile device at the same time.

Mobile Laptop Charger
The Mobile Laptop DC Charger comes with eight laptop tips and a mini-USB tip. It is also capable of charging two devices at the same time. It weighs just 6.9 ounce and retails for $79.99.

HP has released its latest series of consumer-oriented tablets called the TouchSmart tm2t. The tm2t tablets are powered by Intel Core 2 Duo Ultra Low Voltage (ULV) processors. The ATI Radeon graphics is provided as an optional feature.

The TouchSmart tm2t is available with a six-cell battery. It weighs 4.72 pounds.

Detailed specs are as follows:

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo processors (SU7300 1.3GHz, SU9600 1.6GHz)
Graphics: Intel GMA 4500MHD integrated graphics or
Memory: Up to 8GB DDR3 RAM
Storage: 160-500 GB 7200RPM hard drives
Display: 12.1-inch WXGA LED-backlit touch-screen display with 1280 x 800 pixels

The ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4550 512MB graphics is available with SU9600 processor. An external optical drive is also provided as an optional feature.

Pricing and Availability
The HP TouchSmart tm2t is now available for purchase. Prices start at $949.99

HP has updated its Pavilion dv6t and dv7t line of notebooks with Core i3 and Core i5 processors. New graphics options are also available with the updated notebooks.
Details are as follows:

The Pavilion dv6t and dv7t are now available with i3-330M/350M and i5-430M/520M processors. The graphics option is the 512MB NVIDIA GeForce G105M GPU. 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GT 320M GPU is also available as an optional upgrade.

Both notebooks are now available with 3GB of memory and a 320GB 7200rpm hard drive. The previous models had 2GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive.
The updated dv6t and dv7t have the same looks as the previous models.

Lenovo has updated its IdeaPad S12. The new version ships with Nvidia ION which means that it will be able to decode 1080p HD video. It will also be able to handle some modern video games. The original version had integrated Intel GMA 950 graphics which isn’t very helpful when it comes to performing GPU intensive tasks.

The new model is also more expensive. The IdeaPad S12 with Nvidia ION graphics has a starting price of $599. The previous version with GMA 950 goes for as low as $429. The new model also ships with Windows 7 Home Premium and up to 3GB of RAM. But both models are powered by the Intel Atom N270 processor which means that you will probably not see much difference in day to day performance.

The Lemote Yeelong isn’t your typical netbook. No, it doesn’t have particularly impressive specs. The only factor that sets the device apart from the rest is that it uses 100% open source software. Everything including the BIOS, OS and drivers are open source. In that aspect, the Lemote Yeelong will certainly make the champions of open source happy.

On the flip side, the netbook has a small screen; it is powered by a slow processor and doesn’t possess enough RAM. In other words other than being 100% open source the netbook doesn’t have any other plus points.

The Lemote Yeelong netbook by the way has an 800MHz Loongson processor. It sports has an 8.9 inch display with 1024 x 600 pixels. Up to 1GB of RAM can be installed. For storage up to 8GB of SSD or a 160GB of hard drive are available. The netbook ships with Debian Linux, and it is capable of running all Linux-based operating systems. An upgrade to a 10 inch screen will be available soon.

A series of photos of the upcoming Asus DR-950 eBook reader has hit the cyber space. The DR-950 is equipped with a 9 inch e-Ink display.

Numerous eBook readers were on display at CES this year. Both big and small companies showed off their products. Asus is the latest mainstream PC maker to enter this space which is already a bit crowded.

The Asus DR-950 has a 9 inch display with 1024 x 768 pixels. The reader can handle eBooks in a range of formats including ePub, HTML, and PDF. It is also capable of playing audio and offers the text to speech functionality. There is also an SD card slot for expanding the storage space. But every other eBook reader also offers these features, you might think. Well, they do and the Asus eBook reader isn’t revolutionary by any means. Still, it is an interesting product.

Asus was the company that sparked the netbook revolution by releasing its Eee PC line of mini-laptops. Asus certainly isn’t the first company to launch an eBook reader, but it will be interesting to see if they manage to accomplish the same feat in this space as well.

The HP Mini 5102 is an updated version of the Mini 5101which is one of the best netbooks around. Much like its illustrious predecessor the Mini 5102 is also equipped with a great keyboard and possesses excellent build quality. What is more, it gets around 10+ hours of uptime.

The HP Mini 5102 is aimed at small and medium businesses. It is a bit pricier than typical netbooks, but it offers value for your money.

HP Mini 5102 specs
Processor: 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 Pine Trail processor
Display: 10.1 inch display with 1024 x 600/1366 x 768 pixels; optional capacitative touchscreen
Operating system: Windows 7 (including Home Premium and Starter Editions), Windows XP Pro or Home, FreeDOS, SUSE Linux
Memory: 1GB to 2GB
Storage: 160/250/320GB 7200RPM Hard drive, Optional SSD: 80/128GB

The HP Mini 5102 and Mini 5101 have almost identical looks. But the netbooks are different in some aspects. The HP Mini 5102 is powered by Intel Atom N450 processor. The previous model has an Atom N280 processor. Other differences include the optional touchscreen and higher capacity batteries offered with the Mini 5102.

Battery life
The HP Mini 5102 gets excellent battery life. The netbook is shipped with higher capacity batteries. The 4 cell battery will power the laptop for up to 4.5 hours. Need more uptime? Opt for the 6-cell battery pack and you should be able to get around 10 hours of runtime.

Design and Build quality
The HP Mini 5102 possesses excellent build quality. The netbook weighs around 2.6 pounds with the 6-cell battery. It is available in blue, black and red colors.

Display
The display is good. Colors are bright and vivid. The Mini 5102 measures around 0.91 inches with the standard display. If you opt for the touch-screen display, you will find the netbook a bit thicker. The capacitative touchscreen recognizes multi-touch gestures such as pinching and zooming.

Keyboard and touchpad
One of the best things about the Mini 5102 is its excellent keyboard. The keyboard is nearly full-sized and very comfortable to use. The touchpad is the right size for a 10 inch netbook and shows good sensitivity.

Ports and Slots
There are the regular ports and slots. The HP Mini 5102 supports a wide range of connectivity options including Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, Ethernet, Bluetooth, optional 3G and GPS.

Performance
Performance is excellent. The Mini 5102 can do everything a netbook is supposed to do. HP also offers the option of configuring the netbook with a Broadcom Crystal HD Enhanced Media Accelerator which would enable 1080p HD video playback on Atom powered netbooks. The Broadcom card also enables HD video streaming using Adobe Flash Player 10.1 Beta. Previously only HP’s consumer oriented netbooks could be used with the Broadcom card.

Pricing
The HP Mini 5102 starts at $399. If you buy a model with touch-screen display and other optional features you will have to pay more. In fact, a fully decked up machine may cost as high as $1,000.

The verdict
The HP Mini 5102 is undoubtedly one of the best mini-laptops around. But it is only slightly better than its predecessor. Of course, it offers some optional features which can’t get with the Mini 5101. But if you are on a tight budget and just want a great laptop to meet your computing needs, you will be better off buying the 5101 which also has low starting price.

Two Of Samsung’s new Pine Trail netbooks the N210 and NB30 are now shipping in the US. The N210 can be bought from Best Buy for $379.99. The laptop sports a professional look and Samsung claims that it will offer up to 12 hours of uptime.

The Samsung NB30 is a semi-rugged laptop. It is available from Newegg for $369.99. The netbook has a spill-resistant keyboard and features a textured lid and case which would help hide fingerprints. The NB30 also features a hard drive protection system that would protect the data by shutting down the computer in the event of a fall.

Both laptops sport new Island-style keyboards that leave some space in between the flat keys. Other common features include a 10.1 inch display, Intel Atom N450 processor and GMA 3150 graphics.

Toshiba has started shipping its Tecra A11 and Qosmio X500 notebooks. These are now available for purchase in the US.

The Toshiba Tecra A11 carries a starting price of $879. It is powered by an unspecified Intel processor. The notebook sports a charcoal black chassis. Other notable features include a dedicated number pad and a NVIDIA GPU, again we don’t know which one.

The Qosmio X500 is a high-end mobile workhorse starting at $1549. Specs do match the price tag. The notebook is powered by a Core i7-720QM processor with 8GB of RAM and a GeForce GTS 360M discrete graphics. It has an 18.4 inch display which probably makes it a little less mobile. The storage option is a 500GB 7200rpm hard drive. Other features include a Blu-ray drive. The Qosmio X500 is available in attractive color schemes.

Two other Toshiba notebooks, the Satellite Pro L450 and L500, are also currently shipping in the US. These notebooks are powered by Intel Core 2 Duo processors and sport 15.6 inch displays. Prices start at $529.

Asus unveiled its Congo-based Eee PC 1201T in November last year. And finally the netbook is all set to start shipping.

The Eee PC 1201T has popped up on Amazon’s German portal. The netbook is powered by a 1.6GHz MV40 processor based on the AMD Congo platform. In looks and feel it isn’t different from other Eee PCs in the market. Other specifications include 2GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive and Windows 7. For graphics there is a discrete ATI HD3200 GPU.

At €399 ($560), the Eee PC 1201T is not cheap, but it is also refreshingly different from the multitude of Atom powered netbooks out there. What about battery life? Atom powered netbooks are known to offer all-day long battery life, but don’t expect anything such from this machine. Buy it only if horsepower is what you are after. For battery life, get the Eee PC 1001PE.

Android has become the flavor of the season. The Google OS is suddenly everywhere. Android as an operating system is meant for powering smartphones. But now it is increasingly being used in tablet PCs.

ViewSonic has become the latest company to introduce an Android powered tablet pc. The machine, we are convinced, won’t revolutionize the way we surf the web, but it still deserves its place in the sun. The ViewSonic VTablet 101 does not have a physical keyboard. It is powered by a rather speedy 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor with NVIDIA’s Tegra graphics. The tablet also possesses 3D graphics capabilities.
The VTablet 101 has an 8.9 inch touch-screen display with 1024 x 800 pixels. 4GB of storage is available. Other features include Wi-Fi, 3G and Bluetooth.

The tablet carries a price tag of $440. When it will be available outside of China is not known.

The Notion Ink Adam tablet is the first device designed to use the Pixel Qi display. The tablet was on display at CES and first impressions are all positive.

The Notion Ink tablet is based on the Tegra 2 platform which combines an ARM based processor and NVIDIA graphics. Tablets running on this platform can fluently decode HD video. They are also highly power efficient because ARM processors consume very little power.

The Adam tablet can be used for several purposes. You can use it to play games or watch HD videos. Video playback is flawless. As we mentioned earlier the tablet uses a Pixel Qi display which is readable in direct sunlight.

While this device is not a dedicated eBook reader it serves that purpose as well. The reading experience you get is comparable to dedicated eBook readers with e-Ink displays. But the page refresh rate could have been better.

There is no word on pricing or availability as yet. Notion Ink, we are heard, is in talks with some wireless carriers and plans to release the device with 3G.

Packard Bell has released two rebranded versions of the Acer Aspire 1810. The notebooks called Packard Bell Dot M/A and Dot M/U are both equipped with 11.6 inch displays featuring 1366 x 768 pixels. Acer owns the Packard Bell brand name and this is not the first time the company has released rebranded notebooks.

The Packard Bell Dot M/A is powered by an AMD processor, whereas its sibling the Dot M/U is powered by an Intel CULV processor. Other specifications include up to 4GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive. There is the regular array of ports including VGA and HDMI.

The Dot M/A looks pretty much like the M/U. The only difference is in the processor. While the Packard Bell M/U has an Intel Pentium SU4100 dual core CULV processor and GMA 3500MHD integrated graphics, the Dot M/A has an AMD Athlon L110 processor and ATI Radeon Xpress X1270 graphics.

Lenovo unveiled a number of new and updated ThinkPad laptops at CES. Leading the pack was the lean and mean ThinkPad Edge. This notebook is aimed at small and medium businesses. In pricing and functionality it lies somewhere between the business-oriented ThinkPads and consumer-oriented IdeaPads.

The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge is available in 13, 14 and 15 inch screen sizes. It will be available in three shades – matte black, glossy black and heat-wave red. Incidentally this is the first time Lenovo has offered a ThinkPad notebook in a range of colors.
The ThinkPad Edge can be configured with AMD (Turion X2/Athlon X2) or Intel ULV processors. Up to 4GB of RAM and 500GB of storage can be installed. Other features include 3G/4G WWAN modules.

The notebooks will come pre-loaded with a full suite of Lenovo’s ThinkVantage software.

LG showed off its 11.6 inch X300 ultraportable laptop at CES earlier this month. The notebook is powered by an Intel Atom Z550 processor.

LG’s X300 features a borderless touchpad and a reflective keyboard. At just 970g, the notebook is ultraportable. Rest of the specs are pretty regular. Up to 2GB of RAM is available. The storage option is a solid state drive. Other features include built-in 3G modem, Wi-Fi and 1.3 mega pixel webcam. The notebook is shipped with a 2-cell battery. LG claims that the batteries will power the laptop for up to 7 hours.

The LG X300 will come pre-loaded with Skype and LG’s Smart Pack software which would let you synchronize your notebook and smartphone via Bluetooth. The Smart Pack software will allow you to read and reply to your mails and text messages directly from the notebook.

Pricing and Availability
The X300 is expected to be available worldwide in February. No word on pricing yet.

Scores of tablets were on display at CES this year. The Eros Shenzhen tablet was not one among them. Not that, you felt its absence.

The Eros tablet has a 10.1 inch resistive touch-screen display with 1366 x 768 pixels. Other specifications are pretty regular. You get an Intel Atom N270 processor, 1 GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive. The tablet runs Windows 7. We won’t know which version but it can’t be Starter as it doesn’t support touch features. So the specs are neither good nor bad, you might think. Well, not really. The three cell battery will offer only around 2 hours of uptime. The machine also looks a bit chunky, but that is how most tablets are. The Eros tablet is currently only available in China for about $450.

GammaTech has released yet another rugged laptop. The machine dubbed Durabook D14 E also happens to be the first fully rugged laptop to offer 1TB of storage. In other specifications the notebook isn’t much different from the company’s previous Durabook D14RM.

The Durabook D14E is equipped with a 14.1 inch display. It is powered by a Core 2 Duo processor clocking at ‘greater than 2GHz’. Up to 8GB of RAM can be installed. There are dual 500GB hard drives and you can make your choice of RAID-0 or RAID-1 configuration options for them.

No info on pricing or availability as yet. But just don’t expect the machine to retail for anything less than $1500.

Toshiba introduced its WiDi-enabled (Wireless Display) Satellite E205 at CES earlier this year. The company has also started shipping the model.

The Satellite E205 is one of the world’s first laptops featuring Intel’s Wireless Display technology which would let you wirelessly connect your notebook with your HDTV. Dell and Sony are also releasing WiDi enabled notebooks this year but the Satellite E205 is the first to hit the market.

The Toshiba Satellite E205 is powered by a 2.53GHz Core i5-430M processor. The notebook features a 14 inch display with 1366 x 768 pixels. Up to 4GB of DDR3 can be installed. Other specifications include a dual-layer DVD writer, 500GB hard drive, multi-card reader, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Ethernet jacks, media buttons and Netgear Push2TV wireless display adapter. There are no discrete GPUs, so high-end gaming will probably be out of question.

The notebook is now shipping from Best Buy and carries a respectable price tag of $899.99.

Toshiba has just introduced a new version of its T115 thin and light laptop with AMD Neo processors and ATI Radeon 3200 graphics. The previous models sported Intel’s CULV processors and integrated graphics. The notebook has started shipping and some customers who got to lay their hands on the first models have posted their impressions.

Build quality is satisfactory. The T115D has a plastic exterior, but it doesn’t show any flex at all. And unlike the ThinkPad X100e, the battery on T115D doesn’t protrude out the back of the notebook.

The single core version ships with 2GB of RAM. The Toshiba T115D has the regular array of ports including eSATA, HDMI, VGA out, LAN and Wi-Fi.

The keyboard shows no flex at all. Most keys are of the normal size. But the tab, Win, Alt and Fn keys are very small. The island style keyboard is comfortable to type on. The touchpad features a textured finish. There are no separate left and right buttons, but the single touchpad bar works fine.

The battery life isn’t particularly impressive. The single core machine lasts for about 3.5 hours during moderate use. Expect to get less if you buy a model with a dual core processor. But this is hardly surprising given the fact that the T115D is powered by an AMD processor which isn’t quite known for its power efficiency.

As for the cooling system, well, it is silent. You are unlikely to hear the fan. On the flip side, the notebook tends to get a bit warm while performing tasks that may stress the CPU or GPU.

HP announced four EliteBooks and two ProBooks at CES earlier this month. The ProBook models called the 6440b and 6540b sport 14 inch and 15.6 inch displays. They start at $949. The EliteBook 8440w and 8540w sport a gunmetal anodized-aluminum finish with a full magnesium alloy chassis which makes the machines quite sturdy. The 8440w and 8540w feature 14 inch and 15.6 inch displays. They have a starting price of $1,299 and $1,499 respectively. HP has also announced two other EliteBooks – the 8440p and 8540p - with platinum anodized-aluminum finish and the full magnesium-alloy chassis. These machines start at $1,099 and $1,249 respectively.

All the six models sport endless configuration possibilities. You can choose between Intel Core i7 processors or future Intel Core or Core vPro processors. Available graphics options are the Intel Unified Mobile Access (UMA) or NVIDIA dicrete graphics.

All notebooks feature spill resistant keyboards with a drain. Other features include HP QuickWeb and HP QuickLook3 applications which allow users to access the web and edit their emails without having to boot the notebook into Windows. Another premium feature is the 24 hour battery option on the 8440p and 8540p.

AvailabilityAll notebooks are expected to be available in the US in February.

Sony has made several additions and updates to its VAIO line of notebooks. The new additions include the VAIO Y11, S11 and F11 notebooks. The VAIO Y11 has a 1.3GHz Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor, 4GB of DDR3 RAM and 320GB of hard drive. These specs are better than what you would get with the VAIO X laptops. Sony has also refreshed its high end VAIO Z series with the addition of a Core i5-520M notebook.

Other newly announced laptops include the 16 inch F11 notebook and the 13 inch S11 which is powered by a Core i3-330M Arrandale processor. Not much information is available at the moment, but we will get to hear proper announcements soon enough.

Toshiba Satellite E205 is one of the first few notebooks to feature Intel’s Wireless Display Technology or WiDi. This notebook is now available exclusively through Best Buy as part of the Blue Label partnership program between the retailer and the manufacturer.

The Satellite E205 sports a different look from other Toshiba notebooks. It has a 14 inch LED backlit display. The notebook is powered by an Intel Core i5-430 processor with up to 320GB of hard drive. While the specs are impressive in their own right, the coolest feature is the Wireless Display Technology or WiDi that would help you wirelessly connect your laptop with your HDTV. You will be able to stream Hulu videos of up to 720p quality wirelessly.

Other features include slot-loading DVD drive, USB drives with sleep and charge technology, Wi-Fi /g/n and Bluetooth 2.1. The keyboard has LED backlighting and the touchpad recognizes multi-touch gestures. Toshiba claims that the battery will provide up to 6 hours of runtime which is pretty impressive for a notebook of this size and capabilities.

The Toshiba Satellite E205 is available in Metallic Blue. It goes for around $999.99.

One of the major stories of the CES this year was the partnerships Best Buy formed with Sony, Dell and Toshiba. Through a special program called Blue Label 2.0, Best Buy will introduce exclusive notebooks that are only available through its outlets. The laptops that would be offered through this program include a 14 inch Toshiba notebook, a 13 inch Sony notebook and a 15.6 inch Dell notebook.

All of the notebooks that will be available through the Blue Label 2.0 will have Intel’s Wireless Display technology incorporated into them. As a result of this consumers will be able to wirelessly stream HD video and images from their notebooks to their HDTVs. You can, for instance, wirelessly stream Hulu and Netflix videos of up to 720p quality. All of these notebooks are powered by Intel’s Core i5 processors and start at around $899.99.

Asus Eee PC 1001P is now available for pre-order. This Seashell netbook offers updated specs at a competent price.

Asus Eee PC 1001P is available in two models – the Eee PC 1001P-P and Eee PC 1001P-M. Both models feature an Intel Atom N450 processor clocking at 1.66GHz. The 1001P-P comes pre-loaded with Windows 7, 250GB of hard drive and Bluetooth. This model is available in black and white.

The lower end model the Eee PC 1001P-M comes with Windows XP and 160GB hard drive. This model is available in Black, White, Blue and Pink. Other common specifications include Wi-Fi b/g, multi-format card reader and VGA output. There are 3 USB ports. The netbook weighs 2.4lbs. The 6-cell battery is expected to provide up to 11 hours of uptime.

Lenovo’s consumer oriented ThinkPad X100e notebook is now shipping. The first models sport the single-core AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 processor clocking at 1.6GHz. Dual-core Neo and Turion processors will also be available later.

The ThinkPad X100e has an 11.6 inch matte display with 1366 x 768 pixels. For graphics, there is the ATI Radeon HD 3200 GPU. Other specifications include 1GB of RAM, 250GB hard drive and Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n. The notebook runs Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit. It weighs 3.3 pounds with the 6-cell battery.

Lenovo notebooks are famous for their excellent keyboards. The ThinkPad X100e is no different. Its keyboard is comfortable to type on, but does show a tiny bit of flex if you press down hard enough. The matte display is refreshingly different from the glossy display found on most notebooks. The touchpad is simply great. The buttons are easy to press and don’t make a noise when pressed.

The fan is very quiet, but the notebook does tend to get hot while performing tasks that stress the CPU or GPU. But this is hardly surprising: AMD processors are notorious for generating heat.

Toshiba has announced seven new additions to its Satellite line of notebooks. The new laptops in the series have varying sizes and capabilities. They are powered by Intel’s Core i3, i5 or i7 processors.

The 16 inch Satellite A505 is aimed at multimedia enthusiasts. It can be configured with a range of Intel CPUs including the Core i7 or their equivalent AMD CPUs. Other features include discrete GPU (optional) and Blu-ray/HDMI. The laptop starts at $769.
The 15.6 inch Satellite L505 lies on the other end of the spectrum. It starts at only $459. The highest possible configuration on this laptop involves a Core i3 Processor.

The other models include the 13.3 inch U505, 14 inch E205, 17.3 inch L555 and M505 and 18.4 inch P505. More information is available at the Toshiba website.

It is no secret that netbooks have only limited capabilities. But while the low power Atom processors are good for handling day to day tasks like net surfing and word processing, they are practically useless when it comes to performing CPU-intensive tasks. But these minor drawbacks certainly haven’t affected the popularity of netbooks. In fact, they are selling like hot cakes.

Now Wyse technology has introduced a novel concept that would help you find another use for your netbooks. Their X90cw mini-laptop has an 11.6 inch display with 1366 x 768 pixels. It is powered by a 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z520 processor which is a bit slower than the Atom N270/N280 processors found in most netbooks. The laptop supports most connectivity options including WiFi 802.11b/g/n, LAN, Bluetooth and 3G. But these are not the features that set this machine apart from the rest.

The Wyse X90cw laptop comes preloaded with software that would let it act as a remote terminal. In other words you can use this machine to access all the applications on your primary computer while you are on the go. And since the PC or server at office will be doing all the processing, you needn’t necessarily have a high-end processor on a machine that merely acts as a client.

The Wyse X90cw is expected to retail for around $699 which makes it a bit expensive. In fact you can pick up a fully functional notebook for this price and it will satisfy almost all of your computing needs. But, yes, you won’t be able to use that machine as a remote client. The Wyse website says that you can ‘call for price’, so maybe you will get a better deal.

Simmtronics has introduced a mini-laptop called the Simmbook. The machine is already available in India for INR 13,999 (about $306). While the price is pretty competitive, the specs unfortunately aren’t.

The Simmbook is powered by a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor. This is the same processor you used to get with most netbooks a little over a few months ago. But now with the advent of the Atom N450 processor, most companies have made the transition with zero effect on the price. A case in point is the Acer Aspire One 532h which is available with an Atom N450 CPU and retails for as little as $299 in the US.

The Simmbook has a 10.2 inch display with 1024 x 600 pixels. Other specifications include 1GB of RAM (expandable to 2GB), 160GB hard drive (expandable to 500GB), 10/100 LAN, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, 1.3MP webcam, SD card reader, VGA output and 3 USB ports. The 3-cell battery is rated at 2200mAh.

The Simmbook can run Windows 7, Windows XP or Ubuntu Linux. The company plans to bring the netbook to Europe and the US.

Samsung’s existing netbooks the N130 and N140 has received a minor update. The computers will now ship with Windows 7 Starter Edition. The updated N130 will be called N135. The N140 hasn’t even undergone a name change.

Except for the OS, the N135 has the same specifications as the N130: the netbook has an Intel Atom N270 CPU, 1 GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive. While the N130 runs Windows XP, the N135 runs Windows 7 Starter. The Samsung N140 is also now available
with Windows 7 Starter.

Windows 7 is fast replacing Windows XP as the preferred OS for netbooks. While the new OS runs just as well as Windows XP on netbooks, the Windows 7 Starter Edition has many limitations. For instance, you can’t even change the background image.

Tablets stole the show at CES this year. While there were a ton of them, it was the Notion Ink Adam tablet that grabbed the most attention. This cool machine sports some of the hottest new features.

The Notion Ink Adam tablet is one of the first devices to use Pixel Qi’s 3qi LCD display. The Pixel Qi display is capable of operating in two modes: a higher contrast ePaper mode a full color mode. While the ePaper mode would consume just 0.5 watts of energy, the full color mode isn’t much different from a standard LCD screen in power consumption.

The Notion Ink tablet is based on NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 platform. This platform combines a low power ARM processor and a high performance NVIDIA GPU. The result is that the machines running on this platform can easily decode 1080p HD video. The chipset can also handle many modern games. And since the whole set up is based on an ARM processor, you will also get excellent battery life.

Tablets are good for using as portable media players and web surfing tools. But most of them lack a physical keyboard. Agreed, there are on-screen keyboards but many people still prefer using a physical keyboard for entering text. While most tablets don’t have keyboards built into them, they are still usable with a physical keyboard.
All you need to do is to buy a portable USB keyboard and plug it in.

Aisonic, a company known for its range of keyboards, showed off a ton of them at CES. There are both USB and wireless keyboards that you can connect via Bluetooth and use with your tablet PC. Some of these keyboards are tiny they will almost disappear into your hands. There are also nearly full sized keyboards. While some keyboards appear
flimsy others are very sturdy.

Aisonic is unlikely to sell these keyboards under its brand name in the US. The company, we are heard, is looking for international distributors for its products.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon platform was very much present at the CES. It was the basis of Lenovo’s Skylight smartbook. It was also heard that HP was building a smartbook based on the same platform. As if these weren’t enough, Lenovo announced that its
LePhone would use the Snapdragon chipset.

The Qualcomm Snapdraon chipset isn’t just for use in smartbooks and smartbooks. A tablet based on this platform is also in the offing. Qualcomm showed off a prototype at CES.

Qualcomm calls the device a ‘Snaptop’. The computer has a kickstand on its back that can be brought down to prop the PC up on a table. There is also a removable keyboard attached to the kickstand. The Qualcomm’s Snaptop can’t be called a laptop. It simply won’t fit on your lap. But you can put it in the bed or on the couch and surf the web or watch movies. And if you are particular, you can also carry it around.
There is an on-screen keyboard but if you don’t feel like using it, you may connect a physical keyboard via Bluetooth.

The Snaptop is powered by an ARM-based processor which offers HD video acceleration. There is one problem though. The prototype device runs Google Android which doesn’t offer support for Flash. So playing Flash videos are simply out of question.

The Mobinnova Beam Smartbook is getting ready to hit the market. We have been hearing about this device for a while, but now Mobinnova has teamed up with AT&T for offering the smartbook at a subsidized price.

The Mobinnova Beam is a 3G enabled netbook based on NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 platform. The Tegra 2 platform combines a low power Atom processor with a high performance GPU. Smartbooks running on a Tegra 2 chipset can decode 1080 p HD video with minimal efforts.

The Mobinnova Beam smartbook has an 8.9 inch display with 1024 x 600 pixels. It weighs around 1.88 pounds and measures 0.8 inches in thickness. The hardware specifications are pretty basic. The smartbook comes bundled with 512MB of RAM, a 512MB of flash storage for the operating system plus up to 64GB of SSD. The connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11b/g and 3G. There is also an SD card slot for expansion. You should be able to add up to 64GB of storage.

The Beam Smartbook is capable of running both Windows CE and Google Android. The AT&T version is expected to run Android. It should hit the market by the second half of 2010. No word on pricing as yet.

Lenovo has started offering a cheaper version of its IdeaPad U150 thin and light notebook. The new model is powered by a 1.2GHz Intel Celeron SU2300 processor. The IdeaPad U150 is already available with 1.3GHz Intel Pentium SU4100 and 1.3GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 CPUs.

The Celeron powered U150 will have less RAM and less storage than the other two models. This model starts at just $550. Other specifications include up to 2GB of RAM, 160GB storage, Wi-Fi 802.22b/g and integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics. The 11.6 inch display comes with 1366 x 768 pixels.

The notebook runs Windows 7 Home Premium. It weighs around 3.3pounds.

Pricing and Availability
The Lenovo IdeaPad U150 with Celeron SU2300 is now available for pre-order from Amazon. Prices start at $549.99.

CTL, the company that sold a rebranded version of Intel’s Classmate PC in the US, has added a 10 inch Pine Trail netbook to its 2Go PC line. The CTL 2Go E10IS as it is called is powered by a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor. It features a spill-resistant keyboard and a semi-rugged case. These are the features you wouldn’t normally find in a 10 inch laptop.

The keyboard is large enough to touch-type. The touchpad is wide for a netbook of this size and there are two large buttons beneath it. The remaining specifications are pretty regular. The laptop has 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive and a 1024 x 600 pixels display. There are 3 USB ports, VGA, Ethernet, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, headphone and mic jacks.

The CTL 2Go E10IS is available with Windows XP (Home/Pro) and Windows 7 (Starter/Professional). The 6-cell battery is expected to provide around 4.5 hours of uptime, which is quite low for a Pine Trail netbook.

The Gateway LT2102H is one of the first Pine Trail netbooks to hit the market. We know plenty are coming but most of them are yet to start shipping.
The Gateway laptops have more or less the same looks as Acer laptops, and that is for good reason. Acer owns Gateway. The only major difference in most cases is the Acer and Gateway logos on their respective machines. The Gateway LT2102H isn’t much different.

Some bloggers recently did some benchmark tests on the PC and they seem quite impressed with the performance. The netbook feels quite snappy. That said, don’t expect this to be a speed demon. Atom processors which power these tiny machines have pretty limited capabilities. But you will still be able to perform your day to day computing jobs without much difficulty.

The 3 cell battery rated at 2200mAh offers around 5 hours of uptime. This is probably due to the power efficiency of the Atom N450 processor. If the machine does manage to deliver this performance under real world conditions, then we may soon start seeing 3 cell netbooks with respectable battery life.

Toshiba’s 10 inch laptops are known for their large touchpads, nice keyboards and excellent battery life. The Toshiba Mini NB305 is no different. It has an Intel Atom N450 processor which is said to be more power efficient than the Atom N270 processors found in older versions. Still the new version doesn’t offer more battery life than its predecessor the Mini NB205. Laptop Magazine recently tested both models and they discovered that both of them offer around 9 hours of uptime.

The NB305 has the same keyboard and touchpad as the NB205, but Toshiba has made some changes to the chassis. The battery is now situated at the bottom of the laptop. The previous version had the battery at its back. The front of the notebook is now thinner than the back giving the machine a slimmer profile.

The netbook runs Windows 7 Starter Edition. Other specifications of this model include up to 2GB of RAM, 250GB/4500rpm hard drive and GMA 3150 graphics. The 10.1 inch display comes with 1024 x 600 pixels. There is also a USB Sleep-and-Charge port.

Pricing
The Toshiba Mini NB305 is now available for $399.99

Samsung has announced 4 netbooks with Pine Trail Atom N450 processors. All models feature multi-touch touchpads, matte displays and island-style keyboards.

The Samsung N210 and N220 feature 6 cell batteries rated at 5600mAh. Samsung claims that the machines will offer up to 12 hours of uptime. The netbooks also feature a 3D textured pattern on the lid. They are shipped with the Phoenix HyperSpace quick boot software.

The two models are identical in almost every aspect. But while the N220 is meant for the European market, the other model, the N210 will be available in the US. The hardware specs for both models are pretty regular, but the keyboard does feature some minor differences.

The third model in the series – the N150 – also has an island style keyboard, multi-touch touchpad and matte display. It should give you up to 7.5 hours of uptime. While seven hours aren’t necessarily bad, the N150 seems to be the weakling among the bunch with the other models offering 11+ hours of uptime.

Samsung has made several new additions to its R30 and R80 series of notebooks. The updated line has something to offer every customer – be they gamers, business people or multimedia enthusiasts.

There will be three new notebooks in the R80 series, the R480, R580 and R780. The first two models will have a Blu-ray optical drive. The third model – R780 – is aimed at gamers and will sport a NVIDIA GeForce GPU. Other common specifications include Intel Core i5 450M processor, 4GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive and Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n. The R480 and R580 have 14 inch and 15.6 inch displays respectively. The R780 is equipped with a 17.3 inch display with 1600 x 900 pixels. The other two models come with 1366 x 768 pixel displays. The notebooks have prices ranging between $829 and $949.

Samsung has also released two new notebooks in the R30 series. Dubbed R430 and R530, the machines are powered by Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 CPU with 4GB of RAM, GMA 4500MHD graphics and 320 GB hard drive. The R430 has a 14 inch display whereas the R530 features a 15.6 inch display. Both models are now available for $670.

The Lenovo Skylight is one of the first smartbooks based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon platform. The little machine was on display at CES and it invoked considerable interest among the audience.

The Lenovo Skylight is an ultrathin machine. It has a fanless design, thanks to the ARM processor which doesn’t generate much heat. Lenovo says that the smartbook will offer 10 hours of uptime.

The Skylight has an HD display. The machine can easily decode 720p video locally, but playing high quality Flash videos, especially in full screen mode, is another story. Lenovo says that the company is working on resolving the issue.

As for the OS, the Skylight runs a custom operating system based on Linux. The User Interface is built around twenty or so widgets which would help you access various web applications. Overall, the UI is interesting and it works as it is supposed to.