Yes, the teasing is finally nearing an end as Dell formally announces the Adamo XPS notebook – the industry’s “thinnest laptop PC ever” measuring a mere 9.99mm (or approximately 0.4 inch) thick. Some of the features and specs to the Adamo XPS include:

• Capacitive latching device – one finger swipe opens the latch
• Built-in location awareness to provide real time local maps to show people where they are
• Replaceable battery with optional higher-capacity battery available
• Full-sized keyboard with aluminum keycaps
• Touchpad with gesture support
• Intel Core 2 Duo ULV processor clocked at 1.4GHz
• 4GB DDR3 800 MHz memory
• 128GB Solid State Drive
• 720p 13.4 inch WLED display
• Built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi
• 2 USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet via included dongle
• Windows 7 64 bit edition
• Measures 13.39 x 10.71 inches and weighs just over 3 pounds

Looks and sounds pretty sweet huh? Well thin and light it is.. but cheap thin and light it is not. Starting prices for the Dell Adamo XPS begins at $1799. Yeah.. pricey.

As for when the Adamo XPS will come out – the company expects to begin taking orders and shipping the Adamo XPS in time for this holiday season.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Dell Adamo XPS

Toshiba announces updates to their Satellite Pro, Tecra, and Portégé lineup of notebook PCs – all of which feature Windows 7 support. Here’s what you need to know about the systems.

On the Satellite Pro front, you have the following new models:

Satellite Pro U500 Touch Laptop

• Multi-touch enabled 13.3 inch display
• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T6670
• Windows 7 Professional 32 bit
• 3GB RAM
• Intel GMA 4500MHD
• 250GB 5400 RPM HDD
• DVD SuperMulti Drive
• USB Sleep and Charge
• Webcam and Microphone
• HDMI and eSATA USB combo port
• Includes touch-ready basic productivity software called Toshiba LIfeSpace consisting of two applications – Toshiba Bulletin Board and Toshiba ReelTime
• Starting price of $999

Satellite Pro L450:

• 15.6 inch widescreen display
• Intel Core 2 Duo processor
• Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
• 2GB RAM
• Intel GMA 4500MHD
• 250GB 5400RPM HDD
• DVD SuperMulti drive
• Memory card reader
• Webcam and Microphone
• HDMI port
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/g/n
• Webcam
• Prices start at $529

Satellite Pro L550:

• 17.3 inch diagonal HD widescreen TruBrite display
• Intel Core 2 Duo processor
• Windows 7 Professional 64 bit
• 4GB RAM
• Intel GMA 4500MHD
• 320GB 5400RPM HDD
• Full-sized keyboard with 10 key numeric keypad
• Built-in webcams
• Bluetooth
• Face recognition
• HDMI port
• LED Backlit Display
• 802.11 a/g/n Wi-Fi
• Media card reader
• Prices start at $999

On the business front, Toshiba released updates to the Tecra lineup including the new Tecra R10, A10, and M10 systems.

Tecra R10:

• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor SP9400
• 14.1 inch widescreen display
• Windows XP Professional with recovery media for Windows 7
• 2GB RAM
• Intel GMA 4500MHD
• 250GB 5400RPM HDD
• DVD SuperMulti Drive
• Active Management Technology
• Bluetooth
• EasyGuard Technology
• eSATA USB Combo Port
• LED Backlit Display
• Prices start at $1399

Tecra A10:

• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P8700
• 15.4 inch widescreen display
• Windows XP Professional with recovery media for Windows 7
• 2GB RAM
• Intel GMA 4500MHD
• 250GB 5400 RPM HDD
• DVD SuperMulti Drive
• Active Management Technology
• Bluetooth
• EasyGuard Technology
• USB Sleep and Charge
• Fingerprint Reader
• eSATA USB Combo Port
• Prices start at $999

Tecra M10:

• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P8700
• 14.1 inch widescreen display
• Windows XP Professional with recovery media for Windows 7
• 2GB RAM
• Mobile Intel GMA 4500MHD
• 250GB 5400 RPM HDD
• DVD SuperMulti Drive
• Active Management Technology
• Bluetoth
• Smart Card Reader
• USB Sleep and Charge
• Fingerprint Reader
• eSATA USB Combo Port
• Prices start at $999

On the Portégé, we have the new Toshiba Portégé M750 which features:

• Convertible Tablet PC
• Intel Core 2 Duo processors
• Pen and touch input capable
• 2GB RAM
• Mobile Intel GMA 4500MHD
• 160GB 5400RPM HDD
• 12.1 inch diagonal display
• Windows XP Tablet PC Edition with upgrade media for Windows 7 Professional
• Prices start at $1279

Finally, there’s the new Portégé R600 ultraportable which features:

• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor SU9400
• Windows XP Professional with Recovery Media for Windows 7 Professional
• 3GB RAM
• Mobile Intel GMA 4500MHD
• 160GB 5400RPM HDD (or Solid State Drives)
• DVD SuperMulti Drive
• Bluetooth
• Transflective Indoor/Outdoor Display
• USB Sleep and Charge
• Fingerprint Reader
• Prices start at $2099

Technorati Tags: Portégé R600, Portégé M750, Tecra A10, Tecra M10, Tecra R10, Satellite Pro U500, Satellite Pro L550, Satellite Pro L450, Toshiba

Acer announces a new high-end multimedia notebook PC with the introduction of the Acer Aspire AS8940G-6865 system. It has all the makings of an powerhouse entertainment PC with features such as the Intel Core i7 quad-core processor, 18.4 inch widescreen HD display, NVIDIA graphics, lots of storage space and memory, support for Blu-ray, and Windows 7 Home Premium.

The full specs of the AS8940G-6865 include:

• Intel Core i7 Processor 720QM (1.60GHz, 6MB L3 Cache, 1333MHz FSB)
• 18.4″ Full HD Widescreen CineCrystal LED-backlit Display
  (1920×1080 Resolution, 16:9 Aspect Ratio)
• 4GB DDR3 Dual-Channel 1066MHz Memory
• NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250M with 1GB dedicated DDR3 VRAM
• 500GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
• 4X Blu-ray Disc/DVD SuperMulti Double-Layer Drive
• Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader
• Intel Wireless WiFi Link 5100 802.11a//bg/Draft-N Wi-Fi CERTIFIED
• Acer Crystal Eye Integrated Webcam
• Touch-Capacitive Media Control Interface
• 5 USB 2.0 Ports, 1 HDMI Port, 1 eSATA Port
• 8-cell Li-Ion Battery (4800mAh)
• Dolby Home Theater® Audio Enhancement
• Acer CineSurround Sound System (5 built-in speakers)
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

The Aspire AS8940G-6865 will be available this holiday season with a starting price of $1349.99.

Technorati Tags: Acer Aspire AS8940G-6865 notebook PC

Looking to address the needs of vertical markets that require rugged systems, Dell announces the industry’s smallest 12.1 inch rugged convertible tablet PC complete with multi-touch display – the Latitude XT2 XFR.

Designed to withstand “changing mission requirements” and to “withstand harsh environments”, the Latitude XT2 XFR shares common images and components with the Latitude XT2 and features:

• Intel Core 2 Duo processors
• Up to 5GB of DDR3 1066MHz RAM
• QuadCool Thermal Management System enables excellent performance, even in extreme temperatures from minus 10 degrees to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
• 4, 6, and 9 cell battery options
• Impact resistant, sunlight viewable, 12.1-inch wide LED display with capacitive multi-touch gestures-enabled or optional resistive touch screen
• Optional hot-swappable modules including GPS (in the coming weeks) and webcam.
• Wireless LAN 802.11 a/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 and mobile broadband
• Optional expansion sliver provides camera/light, serial, and RJ11 inputs.
• Thickness of a mere 1.5 inches
• Weight of 5.4 pounds with four cell battery and solid state drive
• Meets MIL-810G standards for operations in harsh environments (certification to follow in the coming weeks)
• Compression-sealed and rugged I/O doors, LCD, and keyboard

The XT2 XFR is ideal for markets such as defense, law enforcement, homeland security communities, field service departments, and utility companies – places where touch-screen computers excel but could use more ruggedness.

The Latitude XT2 XFR is available in the U.S., Canada, France, Spain, UK, Germany, and Italy with a starting price of $3599.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Dell, Latitude XT2 XFR, rugged Tablet PC

The Core i7 processor continues to make strides in the mobile space as HP introduces the new Pavilion dv6t Quad Edition notebook.

The new Quad Edition dv6t has the following specs:

• Choice of either Core i7 720QM (1.6GHz) or 820QM (1.73GHz) quad-core processor
• NVIDIA GeForce GT 230M 1GB discrete graphics
• Up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM
• Up to 500GB hard drive
• DVD burner or Blu-ray combo drive
• 15.6 inch HP Brightview LED backlit display with 1366 x 768 resolution
• Optional HP Integrated HDTV Hybrid Tuner
• Optional Verizon Wireless V740 ExpressCard with service activation required
• Webcam or Webcam + fingerprint reader
• Built-in Altec Lansing stereo speakers
• HDMI and VGA outputs
• Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity
• Optional Bluetooth
• 4 USB 2.0 ports with 4th port shared with an eSATA port
• ExpressCard slot
• 5 in 1 media card reader
• Firewire port
• 6 cell battery
• Weighs 6.34 pounds
• Windows 7 OS
• Liquid metallic chassis
• Available in Espresso Black or Moonlight White color

Prices for the Pavilion dv6t Quad Edition notebook currently start at $999.

[Check it out via Ubergizmo, Laptoping]

Technorati Tags: HP Pavilion dv6t Quad Edition notebook, Intel Core i7

For those of you disappointed that Apple failed to deliver any news on a possible tablet device with their recent product refresh, here’s an interesting story to keep your interests possibly peaked. 

In a private speech delivered to the New York Times digital staff around October 15/16th, New York Times executive editor, Bill Keller, states the following:

“We need to figure out the right journalistic product to deliver to mobile platforms and devices… I’m hoping we can get the newsroom more actively involved in the challenge of delivering our best journalism in the form of Times Reader, iPhone apps, WAP, or the impending Apple slate, or whatever comes after that.“

Yup.. that’s right.. the “impending Apple slate”.

So the real question is – did Keller make a boo-boo with the reference to the Apple slate/tablet device? In addition, if this indeed was a confirmation for a table device, did Keller spill the beans on the name of the device? Are we talking about the Apple “slate” or the Apple “Slate”?

Keep in mind that the term “slate” isn’t new to the Tablet PC world. Tablet devices that consist of only the touch-screen display and nothing else are typically referred to as “slates” while Tablet PCs that convert from a notebook form factor to a “slate” form factor are known as “convertible notebooks”.

Yeah I know.. this is probably a whole lot of nothing right now but hey – it keeps your interest in the matter right?

You can check out a video of the speech over at the Harvard Nieman Journalism Lab website.

[Check it out via PC World]

Technorati Tags: Apple Tablet Rumor, New York Times

Lenovo officially announced their new refreshed lineup of IdeaPad mobile products and IdeaCentre desktop systems featuring the latest Intel Core processor architectures and the new Windows 7 OS. The new system announcements are as follows (we’ll start with the mobile front):

IdeaPad Y550P:

• Most powerful laptop in Lenovo’s consumer product line
• First Lenovo laptop to feature the Core i7 processor
• NVIDIA discrete graphics
• 15.6 inch HD widescreen display
• Dolby Home Theater surround sound technology
• SlideNav – touch-sensitive bar above keyboard for faster and easier navigation of programs, documents, and shortcuts
• Prices start at $1149

IdeaPad U150:

• Ultraportable notebook
• Intel Core 2 Duo processor
• Support for up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM
• 11.6 inch HD widescreen display
• Long battery life
• Measures only 13.5mm thick
• Weighs only 1.35kg
• Textured red or black cover
• Active Protection System protects hard drive if the laptop is dropped or bumped into
• New version of OneKey Rescue System (v.7.0) which performs data backups up to twice as fast and includes more powerful antivirus scanning that can be run before OS is loaded
• Prices start at $585

IdeaPad U550:

• 15.6 inch widescreen HD display
• Intel Core 2 Duo processor
• Switchable graphics – from discrete to integrated graphics
• Dolby Sound Room surround sound
• Large integrated speakers
• Ambient light sensor automatically adjusts screen brightness based on ambient light
• Built-in DVD drive
• Integrated fingerprint reader
• VeriFace facial recognition software
• Measures 24mm thick
• Prices start at $650

IdeaPad U350 and IdeaPad S10-2

• Both the U350 and S10-2 is now available in a wider ranger of new textures and colorful patterns
• U350 now available in brown lizard print, white lamb skin print and red light weave
• U350 prices start at $649
• S10-2 now available in pop art, violet floral, red floral, green floral, phoenix, garden, sailing and origami
• S10-2 prices start at $349

On the desktop front..

IdeaCentre B500:

• All-in-one system
• Intel Core 2 Quad processor
• Discrete graphics
• Up to 8GB DDR3 memory
• Up to 1TB HDD storage
• 23 inch full HD display
• Integrated JBL speakers
• 4 in 1 remote control acts as motion drive games controller, VOIP handset, air mouse, and media remote control
• CamSuite – tool to help keep users in the center of the webcam’s focus and adds special effects to live video feeds
• Prices start at $649

IdeaCentre K300:

• Intel Core 2 Quad processor
• High performance RAID configured storage
• Lenovo Power Control Switch  – makes it simple to adjust level of power needed – from high performance to power-efficient modes
• Prices start at $499

IdeaCentre H230:

• Value systems
• Range of HDD and DDR3 memory configurations
• Comes with Lenovo Rescue System for worry-free experience by enabling quick and easy data recovery and advanced antivirus tech
• Starting price of $449

Technorati Tags: Lenovo, IdeaPad Y550P, IdeaPad U150, IdeaPad U550, IdeaCentre B500, IdeaCentre K300, Lenovo H230, IdeaPad U350, IdeaPad S10-2

Another Core i7 notebook hits the market as LG introduces the new X-NOTE R590. Featuring support for either the 820QM or 720QM Core i7 processor, the X-NOTE R590 comes with:

• 4GB RAM
• NVIDIA GeForce CT 230M with 1GB RAM
• 15.6 inch LED backlit display with 1600 x 900 resolution
• 500GB HDD
• 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi
• Windows 7 Home Premium

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: LG X-NOTE R590, Intel Core i7

You have to give Psystar some credit here – they certainly have some balls! Despite their on-going legal trouble with Apple, Psystar continues to up the ante – this time releasing a software package called “Rebel EFI” which essentially makes it possible to run OS X on compatible non-Apple branded PCs. The software is free to download and try although there is limited hardware functionality. The trial version is time limited to two hours – afterwards you’ll need to purchase Rebel EFI from Psystar for $49.99. Looks like you’ll need Snow Leopard to make this work (is this true folks?). Check out the FAQ for instructions on how to install the image.

[Check it out via Ubergizmo]

Technorati Tags: Psystar Rebel EFI

The folks at Sony Insider have published some awesome pics as well as a hands-on video of the new Sony VAIO L Touch HD PC/TV system here on their website. For those of you not familiar with the new VAIO L Touch, it’s essentially an All-in-One (AIO) PC featuring a 24 inch Full HD multi-touch enabled display, Intel Core 2 Quad processor, dedicated NVIDIA GeForce series graphics, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, built-in TV tuners, and optional Blu-ray support.

For those of you with HP TouchSmart PCs, Sony Insider claims the TouchSmart’s touch-screen display are not as good as the VAIO L Touch touch-screen displays. Having used the TouchSmart PC myself, it’s probably not too hard to believe that to be true – I’ve always found the touch-screen on the TouchSmart a bit slow and sluggish.

As for the concept of a touch-screen HTPC system that can be hung on the wall – I love it. I’ve always wanted an all-in-one HTPC system that I can hang on the bedroom wall where interactions are as simple as touches and swipes. My only complaint – can’t we have a system with a larger screen size than 24 inches?? In due time I suppose (of course there needs to be higher demand for such systems..).

In any case, check out Sony Insider’s coverage of the VAIO L Touch. VAIO L Touch systems will have a starting price of $1300.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Sony VAIO L Series HTPC