Asus has announced two new ultraportable notebooks. While the Asus UX21 has an 11.6 inch display, the UX31 sports a larger 13.3 inch panel. Both models will be introduced in the US on October 11th.


The Asus UX21 and UX31 measure 0.67 inches at their thickest part. They sport a brushed aluminum chassis, Intel’s latest Core series ULV processors and SSDs. Other specifications include Chiclet-style keyboards, a glass trackpad, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, micro HDMI output port and mini DisplayPort. The smaller model has a 1366 x 768 pixels resolution, while the larger model has an unusually high resolution display with 1600 x 900 pixels.

Asus says that the new laptops will resume from sleep mode in just two seconds. They can also stay in hibernate mode for up to 7 days. No word on pricing for the US market.

HP has launched a new budget-friendly 15.6 inch laptop. The new HP 2000z has an AMD processor. It is even cheaper than the corresponding Intel version.


The new HP 2000z starts at $349.99. It can be configured with an AMD Ontario or Zacate Fusion APU. The base configuration has an AMD C-50 dual core processor, 2GB of RAM, 320GB hard drive, a DVD burner and a 6-cell battery which will reportedly get up to 5.5 hours of battery life. Models with the E-240 and E-350 Zacate processors, up to 4GB of RAM and up to 500GB of hard drive are also available.

The 15.6 inch display has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. Other specifications include WiFi 802.11n, a built-in webcam, USB 2.0 ports, VGA and a multi-in-one media card reader. The notebook doesn’t have an HDMI output port.

The HP 2000z is now available from HP’s official online store.

Asus Eee PC 1015BX, one of the first netbooks to sport the 1.33GHz AMD C-60 lower processor, is now up for pre-order in Germany. The AMD C-60 was one of the processors AMD introduced last month. It has a total power draw of 9W and comes bundled with the Radeon HD 6290 graphics.

The Asus Eee PC 1015BX has a 10.1 inch, 1024 x 600 pixels display, 1GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive. In Germany the tablet is up for order from Amazon for 206 Euros. The AMD C-60 dual core chip is no speed-demon. Nonetheless it is faster than the 1GHz C-50 dual core processor. So you should get a minor boost in performance.

That said, there is no point in expecting anything more than what you get from an Intel Atom processor. On the bright side, the AMD C-50 and C-60 processors offer much better graphics performance than Intel Atom chips. They also support HD video playback and DirectX 11 graphics.

The 7 inch Toshiba Thrive tablet will start shipping in December for under $400. It has the exact same specifications as the 10 inch Toshiba Thrive. It just happens to be smaller. Just like its bigger brother, the 7 inch Thrive also has a high resolution 1280 x 800 pixels display. Both models have the same 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core processor. There is a 5 megapixel camera on the rear side and a 2 megapixel camera on the front-side.


The 10 inch Toshiba Thrive has many features that make it stand out from the rest. For instance, it has a full sized USB, SD card and HDMI output ports. The 7 incher lacks these goodies. It has all of these ports but they are in the mini and micro versions. Another feature missing from the smaller version is the user-replaceable battery.

While the 10 inch model weighs 1.7 pounds, the 7 incher is significantly lighter: it just weighs 0.88 pounds. The Toshiba Thrive 7 will run Google Android 3.2 operating system. Other specifications include WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and SRS audio. It will be available in two models – one with 16GB of storage and another with 32GB of storage.

Asus will soon start offering a semi-rugged Android tablet in Japan. It will be available from the carrier KDDI. There has been no official announcement regarding the Asus Tough ETBW11AA in the western world. So chances are this is going to be exclusively sold in the Japanese market.

The Asus Tough tablet has a 7 inch display with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. It is powered by a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core processor and runs Android 3.2 Honeycomb operating system. The supported connectivity options include WiFi and 4G WiMAX.

The tablet has a water and dust-resistant case and that probably justifies the name ‘Tough’. On the flipside, the rugged features make the tablet a little heavy. It weighs 1.4 pounds and measures 0.9 inches in thickness. With its 7 inch display the Tough tablet is the smallest member of the Asus tablet family. Asus has already launched two tablets with 10 inch displays. The Asus Eee Pad Transformer and Eee Pad Slider are both available in many parts of the world.

The BlackBerry PlayBook is now available in Canada for just $299.99. Will this price drop revive interest in the tablet? Well, that needs to be seen. In Canada both Best Buy and Future Shop are still selling the 16GB version of the tablet for $399.99. But now they also offer a $100 discount or a $100 gift card with the tablet. Note that to see the new prices you will have to add the tablet to your shopping cart first. The 32GB model now runs $399.99. The 64GB model will set you back $499.99.


The BlackBerry PlayBook is the company’s first foray into the tablet space. It is a 7 inch device running the BlackBerry Tablet OS. The tablet has a speedy 1GHz dual core processor and a 1024 x 600 pixels capacitive touchscreen display. It is decent tablet with excellent multitasking capabilities. Unfortunately, there aren’t many third party applications it can run at the moment. It also ships without some BlackBerry features like native email, calendar or contact apps.

RIM plans to release software updates sometime soon to solve many of these issues. That could make the tablet more useful. Meanwhile, it looks like RIM has no plans to go the HP way. The company, as of now, has no plans to discontinue the tablet. It has no plans to drop the prices any further either.

AT&T has started offering the Acer Iconia Tab A501 Android tablet with 4G connectivity. The Iconia Tab A501 is essentially the same as the Iconia Tab A500. It just happens to have a 4G LTE HSDPA+ modem to connect to AT&T’s 4G network. According to AT&T’s website, the 4G speeds will be available in areas like Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, San Antonio and Houston. The coverage will be available in more metropolitan areas by the end of this year.


The Iconia Tab A501 currently runs Android Honeycomb 3.0.1. It has 16GB of storage and a NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core processor with a clock speed of 1GHz. The contract free version of the tablet is priced at $480. If you are willing to sign up for a 2-year data plan costing a minimum of $35/month, you will be able to pick up the tablet for $330.

Meanwhile, PC Mag has posted a review of the tablet. According to the site, the 4G version gets only an average of 1.9 Mbps download and 1.2 Mbps upload speed. The 4G LTE version of Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy Tab, on the other hand, gets 19Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload times.

Excaliber PC has started taking pre-orders for the 14 inch Asus U46SV-DH51 thin and light laptop in the US. The U46SV-DH51 has an Intel Core i5-2410M processor, NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M discrete graphics, 4GB of RAM, a 650GB hard drive and a DVD burner. Despite having a DVD burner, the laptop measures just 1.08 inches at its thickest point.
The Asus U46SV has a brushed metal chassis and a thin bezel which allows the 14 incher to fit inside the chassis of a 13.3 inch notebook. Other specifications include HDMI, VGA, 2 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.0, Gigabit LAN, a 3-in-1 media card reader, WiFi, Bluetooth and a 0.3 megapixel webcam. It weighs 4.85 pounds with the 8-cell battery which will reportedly get up to 10 hours of runtime. The Asus U46SV-DH51 is priced at $879. It will start shipping on October 1st.

The Asus Eee Pad Slider Android tablet has started shipping in the US and Canada. The Eee Pad Slider is a 10 inch tablet with a slide-out keyboard. The tablet is currently up for order from Amazon, Newegg and B&H. The 16GB version runs $479. A higher capacity model with 32GB of storage runs $579.
The most interesting thing about the Slider is its slide-out keyboard which hides itself behind the display. The keyboard is a bit cramped but the sliding mechanism is pretty solid. There is no touchpad.That means you will need to reach up to the screen to perform certain tasks.

The Slider has impressive specs. It has a 10.1 inch, 1280 x 800 pixels capacitive touchscreen IPS display made of Gorilla Glass. Other specifications include 1GB of DDR2 memory, a 1GHz dual core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor and Android 3.2 operating system. The tablet has two cameras – a 5 megapixel camera on the rear side and a 1.2 megapixel camera on the front side.

The Acer Aspire S3 Ultrabook has hit the FCC. The laptop is due out this fall. The Ultrabook is a new category of ultrathin and light laptops that measure less than an inch in thickness and weigh under 3 pounds. Unlike netbooks, Ultrabooks have Intel’s latest processors and price tags hovering around $1000.

The Aspire S3 is the first Ultrabook from Acer. The FCC application for the laptop doesn’t reveal a lot of details, but one thing is certain now. The laptop will have a 36.4Whr, 3280mAh battery which isn’t user replaceable. That means you will have to send the laptop for repair if you want to replace the battery.

The Aspire S3 has a 13.3 inch, 1366 x 768 pixels display. It will be available with a choice of Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processors. Other specifications include WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, and a choice of SSDs and HDDs. The notebook measures 0.5 inches in thickness and weighs about 3 pounds. Acer says that it will get up to 7 hours of runtime.

HP will offer one last batch of the TouchPad tablet before discontinuing the device forever. That last batch will reportedly be made available to HP employees first. The HP TouchPad has been the hottest selling tablet in recent times, thanks to the price drop which now makes it possible to buy one TouchPad for just $99. HP launched the tablet a couple of months ago but it wasn’t selling exactly well. As a result of that HP dropped the price of the tablet from $399 to $99. Since then it has been selling exceptionally well and now none of the retailers have the tablet in stock. The HP TouchPad has impressive hardware, but the OS is a bit problematic. The TouchPad is the first tablet to run the webOS operating system. While webOS is a decent smartphone OS, it feels kind of sluggish on the tablet. What’s more, there aren’t many third party applications for the webOS platform. Nonetheless, for $99, it is nothing short of a steal. Hackers are also working on hard on making the tablet compatible with Android apps.

The micro-website for the Panasonic ToughBook Android tablet is now up and running. Like laptops in the Toughbook series, the new ToughBook tablet is also rugged and capable of withstanding extreme weather conditions. However, Panasonic hasn’t provided any information about the tablet’s compatibility with any ruggedness standards. The ToughBook tablet has a 10.1 inch XGA multitouch display with active digitizer pen support. It will reportedly get a ‘full-shift’ battery life although that isn’t exactly clear what that means. Other specifications include front and rear facing cameras, 3G/4G support, GPS and micro input / output ports. The ToughBook is aimed at small and medium businesses and incorporates hardware-based system security. There is no word on pricing or availability at the moment.

AMD has uploaded a short video that showcases the capabilities of its upcoming E-300 and E-450 processors. Like the E-350 the new processors also have integrated CPU and graphics cores and a total power draw of 18 watts. The new E-450 processor has a clock speed of 1.65 GHz which makes it slightly faster than the 1.6GHz E-350. The E-300 is a little less powerful, but it is cheaper and suitable for lower priced tablets and computers. The new AMD E-series processors are far more powerful than Intel’s Atom processors. They also deliver excellent graphics performance thanks to the Radeon graphics that comes bundled with them. The new E-series processors are also highly power efficient. The HP Pavilion dm1, which will be one of the first laptops to ship with the new AMD processors, will reportedly get up to 10 hours of run time. Although that battery life estimate is too good to be true, you get the idea. The Pavilion dm1 is scheduled to ship later this week. It will be available with both AMD E-300 and E-450 processor options.

The next generation Cedar Trail Intel Atom processors will have GMA 3600 graphics with HD video capabilities. They are due out by the end of this year. These processors are designed for use in netbooks, tablets and desktop computers. The Cedar Trail Atom processors will be able to handle 1080p HD video playback and Blu-ray decoding. These chips will also support hardware acceleration for HD video playback. This feature is not supported by the Pine Trail or earlier Atom processors. This isn’t the first time Intel has built Atom chips with HD video capabilities. The company’s Oak Trail and Menlow processors also had integrated graphics cores which offered some support for high-definition video. But these processors were much less powerful than today’s Atom processors. They are now mostly used in low power devices with a fan-less design.

The 7 inch ViewSonic ViewPad 7x Android tablet will start shipping in October $379. At that price it is costlier than the Lenovo IdeaPad A1 and Acer Iconia Tab A100. Still, it is a whole lot cheaper than the 7 inch HTC Flyer which is selling for $499.

The ViewSonic ViewPad 7x has a 7 inch capacitive multitouch display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. It runs Google Android 3.2 Honeycomb operating system and comes standard with a complete suite of Google Apps. The tablet is powered by a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core processor.

The ViewPad 7x also has a 5 megapixel camera on the rear side and a 2 megapixel camera on the front side. Other features include SRS audio and support for HDMI and DLNA video connections.

While the ViewPad 7x is costlier than similar 7 inch tablets, it does seem to have certain things going for it. The tablet, for instance, has a bright display with excellent viewing angles. It also feels a little snappier.

RIM isn’t selling a lot of its PlayBook tablets. While reporting its quarterly earnings, the company announced that it shipped just 200,000 PlayBooks during this quarter. It is much less than what analysts had predicted.

Worse still, that 200,000 is not the actual figure of the tablets sold. It is the number of tablets RIM shipped to stores, wireless carriers and other partners. It is not exactly clear how many of these tablets were actually sold.

Till date RIM has shipped only 700,000 PlayBooks and that is kind of surprising because the BlackBerry PlayBook has some impressive specs. It has a speedy 1GHz dual core processor with excellent multitasking capabilities. The PlayBook is the first tablet to run the BlackBerry Tablet OS which is based on QNX software. Although, that is a decent operating system, few third party apps are available for the platform at the moment. The tablet also launched without many key features BlackBerry is famous for.

RIM has, however, announced that they were working on making the tablet compatible with Android apps, but that feature is yet to come.

It is still too early to predict whether RIM will discontinue the tablet and sell off existing stock at discounted prices. That is what HP did with its TouchPad tablet. When the company realized that the TouchPad tablet wasn’t a success, they discontinued the device and dropped the price to a ridiculously low $99. The rest as they say is history. Retailers are now struggling hard to keep the Touchpad in stock.

Best Buy has started taking pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9. Incidentally, Best Buy is the first retailer in the US to offer the tablet. The 16GB model is priced at $469.99. The 32GB model runs $569.99. The 10 inch Galaxy Tab 10.1 runs $499.99.

Perhaps the only difference between the Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1 is in the screen size. Other specifications are nearly the same. The Galaxy Tab 8.9 has a 1280 x 800 pixels capacitive touchscreen display, 1GB of RAM and Android 3.1 Honeycomb operating system. There is a 2 megapixel camera on the front side and a 3 megapixel camera on the rear side.

The Galaxy Tab 8.9 measures 0.3 inches in thickness and weighs less than a pound. It has a proprietary docking port for connecting to a computer. The tablet comes standard with a 6100mAh battery. It also supports a wide range of audio and video formats.

The new Archos 80 G9 and Archos 101 G9 tablets will go on sale on September 20th for prices ranging between $299 and $469.
Here is a quick overview of both models.

Archos 80 G9
The Archos 80 G9 is an 8 inch tablet with a 1024 x 768 pixels capacitive touchscreen display. The base configuration which runs $299 has a 1GHz dual core processor and 8GB of flash storage. Other specifications include WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS, a G-sensor, compass, mic and speaker.

Like other Archos tablets, this model too supports a range of audio and video formats. The tablet also has a 720p front-facing camera. For $329, you will get a 1.5Ghz processor and 16GB of storage. If you are willing to spend even more money, you will get a 250GB hard drive and a 1.5GHz processor for $369.

Archos 101 G9
The 10.1 inch Archos 101 tablet has a 1.5GHz dual core processor. The $399 model has 16GB of storage. For $469, you will get a model with a 250GB hard drive. The rest of the specifications are pretty much the same as the 8 inch model. Both tablets also come with a kick-stand.

Chipmaker Qualcomm says that its superfast 2.5GHz quad-core processors will start showing up in tablets early next year. The company announced plans to build these chips early this year.

The new chips will reportedly be available in single, dual and quad-core variants. The top-of-the-line among them will also feature next-gen Adreno graphics which provides support for 3D graphics and 1080p HD video playback. The new Qualcomm chips will be built on the 28nm architecture. They are aimed at high-end smartphones and tablets.

The new 2.5GHz chips are likely to be S4 class processors. Qualcomm also plans to launch less powerful S1, S2 and S3 processors for lower end smartphones and tablets. No word on the pricing of the new processors.

The Asus X101 MeeGo Linux netbook is now up for pre-order from Amazon and some other retailers. The Asus X101 is a 10.1 inch netbook running the MeeGo Linux operating system.

Currently two models are available for pre-order. The white model called Eee PC X101-EU17-WT runs $199. There is also a black model called the X101-EU17-BK. It runs $226.99. Meanwhile CDW is taking pre-orders for the same black model for $209.99.

Both models have a 1.33GHz Intel Atom N435 processor, 1GB of DDR3 memory, 8GB of storage and a 3-cell battery which will reportedly get up to 4 hours of run time.

Fusion Garage, the company which launched the disastrous JooJoo tablet, is back with another offering. The new Fusion Garage Grid 10 tablet runs the GridOS software. It is expected to start shipping in the first week of October. Incidentally, Fusion Garage has dropped the price of the tablet by almost $200. The WiFi-only version now runs $299. The 3G-model will set you back $399.

The Grid 10 tablet has a 10.1 inch HD display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. It is powered by a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core processor. The capacitive touchscreen can recognize up to four touch inputs at the same time. Other specifications include 512MB of RAM, Bluetooth 2.1, WiFi 802.11b/g/n and GPS.

While the Grid 10 has regular tablet specs, the most distinctive thing about it is the GridOS operating system which is based on Android. While the GridOS is capable of running Android apps, it has a completely redesigned user interface.

Asus has made three new additions to its N family of multimedia laptop lineup. The new models are the 14 inch N45SF, the 15.6 inch N55SF and the 17.3 inch N75SF.

All new models in the N-series have a built-in speaker system and an optional external subwoofer designed by Bang & Olufsen. They are powered by 2nd generation Intel Core I series Sandy Bridge processors. While the 14 inch N45SF has a 720p display resolution, the larger models are available with up to full HD resolution. The graphics option on all models is the NVIDIA GeForce GT555M discrete video card.

The new N series laptops sport a brand new design with piano-gloss lids and silver keyboards. Other specifications include up to 750GB of storage, up to 8GB of RAM and optional Blu-ray.

Pricing and availability
The Asus N55SF and N75SF are now available in the US for around $1,200 and $1,350 respectively. No word on the pricing or availability of the N45SF.

The Asus Eee Pad Slider is now up for pre-order in the US. The Slider is a 10 inch Android tablet with a slide-out keyboard. Unlike the Eee Pad Transformer which has a detachable keyboard, the Slider comes standard with its keyboard which will hide itself behind the display when you are not using it.

The Eee Pad Slider was introduced at CES in January. It has more or less the same specifications as the Transformer. Both models have 10 inch HD displays and 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core processors. They also run the same operating system – Android 3.2.

While you can pick up the Transformer for just $400, you will need to shell out an extra $150 for the keyboard dock. The Slider together with its keyboard is available for $479. On the other hand, the keyboard dock on the Transformer has a battery of its own. The Slider keyboard is merely a keyboard.

There is still no launch-date, but Amazon is taking pre-orders for the 16GB model for $479. The 32GB model runs $579.

The 10 inch Acer Iconia Tab A501 is coming to AT&T. The carrier will start offering the tablet on September 18th. The SIM free version will run $480. If you are willing to sign up for a 2 year service contract, you will get the tablet for the subsidized price of $330.

The Iconia Tab A501 has a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core processor. The 10.1 inch display has a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. The tablet runs Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system and has 16GB of storage.

The WiFi-only Iconia Tab A501 has been available for a few months. The new model supports AT&T’s HSPA+ mobile broadband network. The data plans for the tablet starts at $15 (250MB of data).

Archos unveiled a two Android Honeycomb tablets at the IFA trade show last week. Here is a quick rundown of each model.

The Archos 101 G9 and 80 G9 both run Android Honeycomb 3.2 operating system. While the Archos 101 has a 10.1 inch 1280 x 800 pixels display, the Archos 80 G9 has an 8.9 inch 1024 x 768 pixels multitouch display. Both devices have the OMAP 4 ARM Cortex A9 dual core processor with a clock speed of 1GHz.

While most tablets on the market have solid state drives for storage, the Archos 101 G9 and 80 G9 are also available with a 250GB hard drive option. The SSD choices include 8GB and 16GB. There is a proprietary SIM card USB stick for 3G connection. Other connectivity options include WiFi and Bluetooth. The tablets also have micro HDMI and USB ports and a microSD card slot.

The Archos 101 and 80 tablets aren't the thinnest around, but they have good build quality and a matte gray finishing. Both models also come with a kickstand which can be used to prop them up.

The Archos 101 G9 will start at 300 Euros. The Archos 80 G9 will run 250 Euros with 8GB of
storage.

Asus is the company that sparked the netbook revolution and now the Taiwanese maker of portable computers is keen on making its presence felt in the tablet space as well. Asus has already launched a 10 inch tablet called the Eee Pad Transformer which is selling reasonably well. And now their second tablet – the Eee Pad Slider – has hit the market.

Like the Eee Pad Transformer, the Eee Pad Slider also has a 10.1 inch, 1280 x 800 pixels display. Currently it runs the Android 3.1 operating system, but Asus says that they will upgrade the tablet to Android 3.2 when that becomes available.

The Slider has a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core processor. It comes with 16GB of storage. The supported connectivity options include Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and WiFi. As for ports and slots, it has USB 2.0, microSD card slot, miniHDMI output port, SD/SDHC port and a 3.5mm audio in/out port. There is a 5 megapixel camera on the rear side and a 1.2 megapixel camera on the front side.

The most notable feature of the Slider is its slide-out keyboard which hides itself behind the display when you are not using it. The slide-out mechanism works really well. Although, the keyboard is a bit-cramped it does have that quality feel to it.

The HD display is very bright with colors that really pop up. It is also quite responsive to strokes and pinches. As for performance, well, the dual core processor has enough power to run most apps perfectly.

So could the Eee Pad Slider be the iPad beater that everybody is waiting to arrive? Well, that is unlikely to happen. The Slider is a good tablet and is quite capable of doing everything a tablet is expected to do. But the Android OS, which powers the tablet, is still not in a position to beat the nearly perfect iOS operating system powering the iPad. The new version of Android is much better than previous versions, but it still isn’t perfect.

The Dell Latitude XT3 convertible tablet style notebook has started shipping in many parts of the world. The Latitude XT3 has a hinged design that allows you to fold the keyboard down over the display and use the computer as a tablet.

The Latitude XT3 has a 13.3 inch LED backlit touchscreen display with an HD resolution. It is powered by an Intel Core i5 processor and runs Windows 7 operating system. The laptop has enough power to handle almost everything you throw at it.

Unlike a standalone tablet, a convertible offers the full functionality of a laptop and a tablet. But premium features come at a premium price. The Latitude XT3, for example, runs around $2000. You can buy a tablet for under $500.

Dell has added a new laptop to its business laptop lineup. The new Dell Vostro 3555 has a 15.6 inch display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. It is powered by AMD's latest Llano processors ranging between the dual core E2-3000M and quad-core A8-3500M.
The Dell Vostro 3555 also supports up to 6GB of RAM, up to 500GB of storage, DVD burner / Blu-ray combo.


Other features include spill-resistant chiclet keyboard, optional webcam, fingerprint reader, 3 USB 3.0 and one eSATA / USB 2.0 combo port. Backlit keyboard is available as an optional feature. The Dell Vostro 3555 also has an Express card slot and an HDMI output port.

The Vostro 3555 is only available in silver color. It weighs around 5.45lbs and measures 1.37 inches at its thickest point.

Pricing and availability
The Dell Vostro 3555 is now available from Dell's online store. Prices start at $429.

The Asus Eee Slate B121 tablet computer is now available for purchase in the US. The Eee Slate B121 is basically the business version of the consumer-oriented Eee Slate EP121. While the EP121 is itself pricey with a starting price of around $1000, the B121 is even pricier. It has a suggested retail price of $1499.


The B121 has a 12.1 inch, 1280 x 800 pixels capacitive multitouch display. It also supports digital pen input. The computer is powered by a 1.33GHz Intel Core i5-470UM processor. It also has 64GB of storage and 4GB of DDR3 memory.

While the EP121 runs Windows 7 Home Premium, the B121 has Windows 7 Professional 64-bit operating system. Other specifications include WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, 2 USB ports, an SD card slot and an HDMI output port. It comes standard with a 34Whr battery which will reportedly get up to 4.5 hours of runtime.

The Asus Eee PC X101 MeeGo netbook hasn't started shipping in the US yet. The $200 mini-notebook is powered by a 1.33GHz Intel Atom N435 processor and runs MeeGo Linux operating system. The folks at EeePc.it have published a detailed review of the netbook. Here are the excerpts.


In terms of looks, the netbook has got that cheap feel and that is hardly surprising: it is a cheap netbook after all. The keyboard is somewhat cramped. The 3-cell battery gets only around 4 hours of run time. The X101 seems quite upgrade friendly. There are easy access panels to the RAM, SSD and other internal components.

The reviewer wasn't impressed with the software. In his opinion, the computer is reasonably responsive and has a decent web browser, but the app store that comes bundled with the laptop has few, if any, third party applications at the moment.

On the bright side, the laptop has an x86 based processor. That means it can run any operating system. So you can just pick an X101 for $200 and then install your favorite OS on the laptop if you aren't satisfied with the MeeGo Linux experience.

Velocity Micro introduced two new tablets today. Both models are now available for pre-order from Amazon. Here is a rundown of both tablets.

Velocity Micro Cruz Tablet T410

This model has a 10 inch, 1024 x 600 pixels capacitive touchscreen display. It is powered by a 1GHz ARM-Cortex processor. The tablet runs the dated Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system. Other specifications include 512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage, WiFi 802.11b/g/n. There is a camera on the front side. The Velocity Micro Cruz T410 runs $299.99.



Velocity Micro Cruz Tablet T408


This model has an 8 inch, 800 x 600 pixels capacitive touchscreen display. It is powered by a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor. The Cruz T408 runs Google Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system. Other specifications include 512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage, WiFi 802.11b/g/n and a front facing camera. This tablet runs $239.99.

Word is that Microsoft will unveil a Windows 8 tablet at the BUILD developer conference next week. That model will reportedly be built by Samsung. Samsung recently introduced a new Windows 7 tablet called Samsung Series 7 Slate. It has an Intel Core i5 dual core processor. This model was probably the same Windows 8 prototype tablet Microsoft showcased in August.


The new version of Windows is touch-friendly. That means it is suitable for devices with touchscreens. Microsoft is hoping that once Windows 8 launches it will be able to claim a share of the tablet space.

It is not clear whether Microsoft will show off the exact same device next week. Chances are Samsung is working on a new model with an ARM-based processor because the Windows - Intel combination is not good for battery life. An ARM-based processor, on the other hand, will get excellent battery life. And because the new version of Windows is compatible with ARM-based processors, it seems very likely.

HP is launching a new version of its budget-friendly thin and light laptop called Pavilion dm1. The new models are expected to start shipping on September 21st for a starting price of $399.

While the previous version of the Pavilion dm1 had AMD E-350 processor, the new models are available with a range of processor options including the AMD E-300, AMD E-450 and Intel Core i3. The touchpad on the new Pavilion dm1 has distinct left and right buttons. This feature was absent in the previous model.


The base configuration has a 1.3GHz AMD E-300 processor and 4GB of RAM. The model with the 1.65GHz AMD E-450 will set you back $425 and up. The Intel Core i3 version will have prices starting at $599.99. Hp says that the models with the AMD processors will get up to 10 hours of battery life. If you need even more battery life, you can consider configuring the laptop with an SSD instead of the standard 7200 rpm hard drive. The SSD configuration will reportedly increase the battery life to 11.5 hours.

The 8 inch Velocity Micro Cruz T408 Android tablet has showed up at Amazon where it is available for pre-order for $240. Its bigger cousin the 10 inch Cruz T410 still isn't available for purchase.

The Velocity Micro Cruz T408 has an 8 inch capacitive touchscreen display. It is powered by a 1GHz Samsung Cortex A8 processor. The tablet comes standard with 4GB of storage and a 3400 mAh battery. It also has a front-facing camera.


The CruZ T408 runs Google Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system. It doesn't have official access to the Android Market. Instead it ships with the Amazon Appstore.

The 8 inch display has a resolution of 800 x 600 pixels. Other specifications include WiFi 802.11b/g/n and 512MB of RAM.

No shipping date is available at the moment. Although the $240 price point doesn't make the CruZ T408 tablet pricey, it is not clear whether it is sufficient to attract buyers especially when you consider the fact that Amazon is expected to launch its first ever tablet in the coming weeks for prices under $250.

MSI has updraded its X370 with AMD's new E-450 processor. Incidentally, the MSI X370-206US is the first laptop to ship in the US with an AMD E-450 processor. The AMD E-450 has a clock speed of 1.65GHz. It is only slightly faster than the E-350 found in the old X370. But unlike the E-350, the E-450 supports the Turbo boost feature. It also comes bundled with the Radeon HD 6320 graphics.


The new MSI X370-206US has a 1366 x 768 pixels glossy display. Other specifications include 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive spinning at 7200 rpm. The laptop seems to have the same design as its predecessor. It will be available in black or white.

Pricing and availability
Amazon has started taking orders for the X370. Prices start at $579.99.

Samsung introduced a new 3D-enabled Series 7 17.3 inch gaming laptop at the IFA trade show this week. The Samsung Series 7 Gamer uses active shutter glasses to display 3D games and movies. It has a full HD display with 400 nits brightness.

The Series 7 Gamer is powered by a second generation Intel Core i7 2630QM quad core processor, AMD Radeon HD 6970M GPU, 8GB of RAM (supports up to 16GB) and Blu-ray. That means it will be able to handle just about anything you throw at it.


There is a physical button for switching between the gaming and power-saving mode. The laptop will reportedly get about 2 hours of battery life. It has an elegant design with some colorful LED lights. Other specifications include 3D surround sound tech with Dolby Home Theater.

Pricing and availability
The Samsung Series 7 Gamer has a price tag that matches its premium features. It is now available for prices starting at 1,499 pounds.

Gateway has launched what looks like a rebranded version of the Acer Iconia Tab A500. The only major difference between the two models is that this model has a Gateway logo on it. Gateway is a subsidiary of Acer and this isn't the first time Acer has introduced the same device under different brand names.

It is not clear whether the Gateway TP A60 will be available in the US, but you can pick up one in Canada for $399.99.


The Gateway TP A60 has a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core processor, a 10.1 inch 1280 x 800 pixels display, 16GB of storage and 1GB of RAM. It runs Google Android 3.1 operating system. The tablet has two cameras - a 5 megapixel camera on the rear side and a 2 megapixel camera on the front side.

The Gateway TP A60 has a 6520mAh battery which will reportedly get up to 8 hours of run time. It measures 0.5 inches in thickness and weighs about 1.7 pounds.

The HTC JetStream tablet is now available from AT&T. Customers who are willing to sign up for a 2 year service contract can pick up the tablet for $700. The contract-free version runs $849.99.


The JetStream is the second tablet from HTC. The first one was the 7 inch HTC Flyer. While the Flyer had a single core processor, the JetStream has a snappier 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon dual core processor. The 10.1 inch display has a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. The tablet runs Google Android 3.1 Honeycomb operating system. Other specifications include 1GB of RAM, a 32GB hard drive and a 7200mAh battery which will reportedly get up to 12 hours of run time.

The tablet has a capacitive display that supports multitouch finger input. It also comes with a digital pen for precise writing or drawing. Right now the AT&T version of the tablet comes bundled with the stylus.

The 12 inch MSI Wind U270 has received a minor spec bump. When the company launched the netbook earlier this year, it had an AMD E-350 Fusion processor. Now it sports the snappier AMD E-450.

The new model has started showing up at French retail sites where it will be up for pre-order for 390 Euros. It could have a lower price tag when it makes its debut in the US.


The AMD E-450 is a dual core processor with a clock speed of 1.65GHz. Like the E-350 it has a total power draw of 18W, but it is faster and has better graphics. The E-450 also supports the Turbo Core technology which is designed to improve performance by underclocking one processor core while overclocking another.

The MSI Wind U270 has 2GB of DDR3 memory, a 320GB hard drive, WiFi 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1. Other specifications include 2 USB 2.0 ports, a USB 3.0 port,HDMI, Ethernet and VGA output port. The laptop comes standard with a 6-cell battery.

Acer has officially launched its first ultrabook: the Acer Aspire S3. The device has a 13.3 inch, 1366 x 768 pixels display. It will be powered by an Intel Core i Series processor. The laptop will reportedly have a starting price of 799 Euros. It is likely to cost less when it launches in the US.

An ultrabook is an emerging category of ultrathin laptops with good hardware. The Aspire S3 measures less than half and an inch in thickness and weighs about 3 pounds. Acer says that it will get up to 7 hours of battery life and a standby time of up to 50 hours.

The Acer Aspire S3 will be available with a choice of Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processors and a choice of 240GB of SSD or 320GB / 500GB of hard drive with an embedded SSD which will reportedly improve performance. The laptop also has a 1.3 megapixel camera, WiFi 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0. It will be available in some parts of the world during this month itself.

Lenovo has announced a cheap Android tablet. The new Lenovo IdeaPad A1 will retail for $199. No, that is not the discounted price.

The tablet will have a 7 inch 1024 x 600 pixels display. It supports 2 finger multitouch and runs Google Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system.


The IdeaPad A1 is powered by a single core ARM Cortex A8 processor. The connectivity options include WiFi and GPS. It has two cameras - a 3 megapixel camera on the rear side and a 0.3 megapixel camera on the front side.

The $199 model has 8GB of storage. Models with 16GB and 32GB of storage run $249 and $299 respectively. All models have SD and microSD card slots for expanding storage. Lenovo says that the tablet will get up to 7 hours of battery life. It will be available in various colors. There is still no word on the availability of the IdeaPad A1.

Toshiba is the latest PC maker to jump on to the Ultrabook category with its 13.3 inch Portege Z830 laptop. Toshiba claims that its Portege Z830 is almost 40% thinner than its predecessor, the R830 which is one of the thinnest and lightest Toshiba laptop.


The Portege Z830 will sport Intel's 2nd generation Core i series processors and a 128GB solid state drive. It will start shipping in the US in November with a sub $1000 price tag.

Ultrabooks are a new category of high performance ultra-thin laptops. They don't weigh significantly more than a typical netbook while at the same time packing high performance components inside. The Toshiba Portege Z830 weighs about 2.5 pounds and measures 0.63 inches in thickness. The laptop has a spill-resistant backlit keyboard.

Sony unveiled a pair of Android Honeycomb tablets at the IFA trade show in Berlin today. These are the same tablets that we used to call Sony S1 and S2, but now they bear different names.

The Sony Tablet S (previously S1) has a 9.4 inch display. In looks it resembles a folded magazine. The Sony Tablet P has a pair of 5.5 inch displays and a clam-shell design. You can run different apps on the separate screens simultaneously. Both displays can also run a single app. Alternatively you can use one of the displays as a virtual keyboard.


Both tablets have NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core processors under their hood. They are both PlayStation certified which means that you can run standard PlayStation games on the tablet. The supported connectivity options include DLNA, WiFi, optional 3G / 4G. There is a 5 megapixel camera on the rear side with 720p video capture capabilities. The Tablet S will be available with 16GB or 32GB of storage. The Tablet P has only 4GB.

The Sony tablets don't have an HDMI output port. That means you won't be able to transfer content to an external monitor. They do have a built-in infra-red controller which means that you will be able to use the tablet as a remote controller for various TV sets.
There is no word on availability at the moment. In Europe the S and P tablets will run 479 and 599 Euros. In the US they will start at $499 and $599.

Toshiba is planning to launch a new Android tablet at IFA in Berlin this week. The company hasn't officially announced the tablet yet, but details have leaked.


Like Toshiba's existing Thrive tablet, the new tablet will also have a 10 inch display, but it will be thinner and lighter. The new tablet has an aluminum and chrome finish. It lacks many premium features found in the Thrive tablet. For example, it doesn't have full-sized USB, SD and HDMI ports. Instead, it features the mini-versions of each. It is not clear whether the new tablet also lacks the replaceable battery found in the Thrive.

The tablet runs a version of the Google Android operating system. It reportedly has a 1.5 GHz TI OMAP4460 processor instead of the NVIDIA Tegra 2 chip found in most tablets.

Netbook Navigator has started taking pre-orders for their new 10 inch tablet called Nav10i. The device has a starting price of $549. Bear in mind that it is the price of the hardware. The $549 model doesn't have an operating system. If you need a model with Windows 7, you will need to pay more.


The Nav10i has a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N455 processor and a 10.1 inch, 1024 x 600 pixels capacitive touchscreen display. It will be available in three models - 16GB, 32GB and 64GB of storage.

The tablet will support up to 2GB of DDR3 memory. Other specifications include WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 and optional 3G. It also has 2 USB 2.0 ports, a microSD card slot, mini HDMI port, a SIM card slot, stereo speakers and a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera.