Latest News on LaptopLogic

Smartfish Takes New Angle With Portable Mouse

info@laptoplogic.com — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:11:51 +0100

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

The ErgoMotion mouse is available today for $50.

Product page

Sharkoon Debuts USB3.0 SATA QuickPort

info@laptoplogic.com — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:11:34 +0100

This SATA hard drive dock can handle hard drives of either the 2.5" or 3.5" variety. The device is a simple one and designed only to handle HDDs simply and easily, sporting only a couple of LED indicators and an eject button.

The device should be available within the next week for a price of roughly €49.99 ($75). Note that you'll need a PC with USB 3.0 compatibility to achieve the USB 3.0 speeds. Relatedly, Sharkoon is also selling a PCI expansion card to add USB 3.0 capabilities to any PC.

Press release

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Malata Introduces Sleek Convertible Netbook R108T

info@laptoplogic.com — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:11:06 +0100

The convertible R108T features a swiveling 10" 1024x600 touchscreen display, and comes packaged with the touch-friendly Windows 7. Beyond that, the specs are standard for the netbook genre - 1.6GHz Atom N270, 1GB DDR2 RAM and a 160GB HDD. There is a 1.3MP integrated webcam as well as 2 USB ports, VGA, and a card reader.

Currently, Malata is only focused on China, but it seems possible this will make it to the US eventually. The current asking price appears to be $439, and if it retains that price it will certainly be a good value.

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Transcend Debuts Large 1.5TB External HDD

info@laptoplogic.com — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:11:16 +0100

The StoreJet 35T features a one-touch backup button, making backing up a snap. There is also included StoreJet Elite software for 256-bit AES file and folder encryption, as well as for compression to maximize space should the 1.5TB fail to suffice. It promises to save power as an "eco-friendly" drive as well by entering a power saving sleep mode after 10 minutes of inactivity.

As far as performance, Transcend promises from 33MB/s up to an average of 42MB/s when using the TurboHDD transfer mode. Pricing and availability are not yet available.

Product page

AT&T Now Offering Subsidized 3G Samsung Go

info@laptoplogic.com — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:11:42 +0100

The latest netbook which AT&T is offering under the subsidy arrangement (requiring a 2 year data plan signup from the consumer) is the Samsung Go. The mini-notebook tips the scales at 2.8lbs and sports a midnight blue "soft texture" design featuring rounded edges and a chiclet keyboard.

The netbook specs are fairly standard. The Go will utilize an Intel Atom N270 with 1GB RAM and a 160GN HDD. It has 3 USB ports and VGA along with audio in/out and 802.11b/g WiFi, and a 10.1" 1024x600 resolution. It will also feature Windows 7 SE, and it should be noted that this is not a fully functional version of Windows 7, limiting the user to 3 simultaneous applications among other things.

The Go will be available for $199 after mail in rebate. AT&T offers 2 data plans, 200MB for $35/month or 5GB for $60/month.

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Boxee Box Internet TV Announced for 2010

info@laptoplogic.com — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:11:59 +0100

The company has not yet revealed detailed hardware specifications or the hardware manufacturer. However, the Boxee set-top box is among several devices the company will release as part of the platform. The Boxee Box is expected to be based on System on Chip (SoC) design supporting Internet TV, HD media playback and multiple connectivity options. Mock-up of the box will be shown on December 7th at an official event. The company is also working on MythTV integration with Boxee along with support for game consoles and media applications.

The company suggests the retail price to range between $199 and $299 depending on hardware configuration and the release is expected on January 7th, 2010 at CES.

Official Announcement

Qualcomm Announces Snapdragon-Based Smartbook

info@laptoplogic.com — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:11:24 +0100

The Snapdragon platform by Qualcomm includes a low power ARM processor capable of running HD 720p content along with flash media. The mini-netbook will also have capability to run graphics and is expected to be running Linux based OS. Due to the low power requirements of the platform, it will be able to give netbook like performance while giving extended battery life. Support for wireless connectivity including Wi-Fi and 3G is also included. Qualcomm is also planning the next generation QSD8672 Snapdragon chipset which runs at 1.5GHz and supports 1440x900 display resolution. Support for full HD 1080p playback is also expected in the release, something even the new generation Intel Atom processors lack.

The new platform will be announced at CES in January whereas the QSD8672 will start appearing by the end of next year. Prices of these smartbooks should be lower than most netbooks.

Manufacturer's Website

MSI Debuts 12.1

info@laptoplogic.com — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:11:03 +0100

The MSI L2100-036US notebook will feature a 1.6GHz AMD Athlon Neo MV-40, 2GB RAM, and a 250GB HDD. The graphics will be powered by an underwhelming ATI Radeon X1250.

The resolution will be 1366 x 768, and you will have 802.11b/g/n, 3USB ports, a multi-card reader, audio in/out and both VGA and HDMI for connectivity. It tips the scales at 3.2lbs and is currently selling for $459.99 running Windows 7.

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

info@laptoplogic.com — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:11:25 +0100

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

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New Core-i7 Powered Notebook From iBuyPower

info@laptoplogic.com — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:11:48 +0100

The Batallion 101 @870CU is fairly customizable, and all Core-i7 CPUs from the 1.6GHz 720QM to the 2.0GHz 920QM Extreme edition are available. DDR3 RAM is available up to 8GB, and HDD space can reach up to 1TB (twin 500GB drives) or 320GB Intel X25-M MLC SSDs (twin 160GB drives). Video is handled by a 1GB Mobility NVIDIA GTX280 GPU.

The notebook has an eSATA port, 4USB ports, Bluetooth, fingerprint reader, and can have Blu-ray as well. The resolution is a full 1080p 1920x1080. The base price is $2,114 for this new desktop replacement laptop.

Product page.