Well it's about time, Spring Design! After missing its February ship date, the company is finally ready for you to whip out the plastic and pre-order its Alex -- that dual-screen, Android-based ereader we liked so much at CES. While you can shell out the $399 today, you'll still have to wait until mid-April for the mailman to drop off the package. We'd like to say the wait stops there, but we've also learned that early buyers won't have access to the promised Borders eBook store until June. When we chatted with Spring Design CEO Priscilla Lu last week she confirmed that Borders will officially launch its store in the "June time frame," which will be around the very same time that the 3G version of the Alex will be ready to hit the market -- at least there's access to Google Books and an micro-SD card slot for sideloading in the meantime. With so much coming down the pike it may be worth waiting a bit more time for this one, but our own Alex arrived just last night so no matter what it'd behoove you to wait a few days for our review before you hit the source link to pre-order.Update: Well, this is odd. Even though this news hit the wires today, the shop page on Spring Design's website is definitely non-functional right now. Instead, you'll see a message to check back soon. We'll keep doing just that until we see signs of life... or hear otherwise.
Spring Design Alex finally up for pre-order, Borders eBook store launching in June originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Is it an Android tablet? An e-reader? Just a sweet gadget with two screens? Truth is the Entourage Edge is a little bit of everything, and that's exactly why we've been so intrigued with the "dualbook" since we fondled it at CES. Finally ready to make its shipping debut, the $499 dual screen device is aimed at students, but really it's for anyone interested in a combination 9.7-inch E Ink reading / note-taking experience and a 10.1-inch Android web tablet. It's sounded very cool to us for quite a while, but there's always a difference between hype and reality. Does the Edge live up to its promise or attempt to do too much? The only place to find out is after the break in our full review.
Continue reading Entourage Edge review
Entourage Edge review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The details are slim to none on this one, but we're all about a good pocket cam rumor. According to the usually-reliable Business Insider Cisco will launch a new set of Flip camcorders around the NAB show which runs from April 12-15, but we don't have any specs yet. Come on Cisco, now you've got us guessing not only about the future of the Internet, but also if your newest Flip will support 1080p. Told you we didn't know much, but we'll obviously be keeping an eye out for more. New Flip cams to launch in early April? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Who says you have to pick between a netbook and the coming onslaught of standalone tablet devices? Okay maybe some (eh hem Apple), but Lenovo's trying to have it both ways with the IdeaPad U1 and the S10-3t. In clamshell mode the S10-3t looks like any old 10-inch netbook, but swivel around its capacitive mulitouch display and it turns into that slate device you've been dreaming of. That's not all: the S10-3t is one of the first netbooks (or netveritbles) that has the new Intel 1.83GHz Atom N470 processor. But can the S10-3t straddle both worlds and do it well? And perhaps more importantly, is it worth the premium $649 price tag? That's the question we've been asking ourselves for the last few days, so hit the break for some answers in our full review.
Continue reading Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t review
Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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We know you've barely recovered from our Devour review, but Moto just threw another Blur-ified phone in our laps this afternoon - the CLIQ XT. We've been playing around with the Android 1.5-based, Flash Lite-supported, multitouch-capable handset for the last couple of hours -- but before we grace you with our first impressions, just a fair warning: we don't yet know the price of the new T-Mobile Android handset, though Motorola did promise us that it will hit shelves this month. With that said, hit the break for a quick rundown of our early thoughts.
Continue reading Motorola CLIQ XT hands-on
Motorola CLIQ XT hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Planning on buying one of those fresh Samsung 3D HDTVs and Blu-ray players now that they are available? Well, the good news from Samsung's press conference is that you'll get a free 3D Starter Kit if you decide to fork over the cash for them both. Included are two pairs of active shutter glasses (available separately for $150) and the 3D Blu-ray version of Monsters vs. Aliens, which is exclusive to Samsung for the time being. And speaking of new 3D titles, DreamWorks' own Jeffrey Katzenberg took stage to announce that Shrek will be coming soon. We're not sure how we feel about these super expensive sets, but the hands-on pictures of the kit do seem to make spending plus $2,000 for that new Sammy 3DTV and Blu-ray player a bit more enticing. 
Samsung 3D Starter Kit gets 3DTV and Blu-ray buyers started originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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We're starting to bank on the small business-oriented Vostro for a really compelling blend of features and price. Sure, it's usually not the sexiest kit on the block (though the Vostro V13 would beg to differ), but it's hard to argue with the stellar pricetags. Dell's just thrown down a big 3000 series refresh to the Vostro lineup, with the Core i5 and Core i7 options across the line, and even a Core i7 Quad Core option for the 17-inch Vostro 3700. And it isn't just spec upgrades -- the 13-, 14-, 15- and 17-inch boxes all are available in silver, red or bronze, and are made of fairly sturdy stuff. Though the 17-inch 3700 is the mightiest of the bunch, we're particularly taken with the 13-inch 3300 which starts at $699 and boasts a rather thin chassis, onboard optical drive and Core i5 power. Thankfully, all of the models are available with discrete graphics options, ramping up to a 1GB NVIDIA graphics option on the 3700. It sounds as if there will be some killer deals to be had, and you should be able to configure these puppies on Dell.com starting today. In the meantime feast your eyes on the colorful systems below and hit the break for the official press release. 
Dell jazzes up Vostro lineup with new look and Core 2010 processors, keeps prices in check originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The first week of March may have brought warmer weather and an awesome episode of the Engadget Show, but unfortunately we're still missing a Spring Design Alex pre-order page. The company had promised to have its dual-screen, 3.5-inch Android and 6-inch e-ink e-Reader ready last week after the original February delay, but we've now been told that there were some slight issues with the order page and that it should be up within the "next week or two," and Spring Design still plans to have the reader in customer's hand's by "early spring." We've got no choice but to wait, but we can tell you we are looking forward to this whole spring thing in general.
Spring Design Alex still not available for pre-order, 'early spring' ship date still planned originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Today in Tales from ASUS we bring you the story of the 10.1-inch Eee PC 1005PR. While we didn't catch this one hiding out in the overflowing CeBIT booth, it appears big A has gone and swapped out the screen on the 1005PE for one with a 1366 x 768-resolution and tucked a Broadcom Crystal HD accelerator inside, which means the little lappie should be able to handle some YouTube HD (at least after you download 10.1 Beta 3). Nothing special apart from that, as it's standard netbook down the line: 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450, 1GB of RAM, and 320GB hard drive. No word on pricing or availability, but we're guessing it'll probably come in at under $400, like the Dell Mini 10 and HP Mini 210. It may not be a bad deal in the end, but we're still holding out for the Ion 2-equipped 1201PN and for ASUS to someday slow down the frenetic pace of Eee PC iteration.ASUS Eee PC 1005PR packs Broadcom Crystal HD and high-res screen originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Where art thou Dell Adamo XPS? That's the question this poor error page seems to be asking when customers attempt to order the insanely thin laptop on Dell's site. Though it only went on sale back in late November, Dell.com no longer has the crazily designed, $1,799 laptop up for purchase. We're currently trying to get official word from Dell, but all is not lost for those that feel they've made the biggest mistake in the world by not ordering the ULV laptop that only lasts less than two hours on a charge -- it's still available from Best Buy and Amazon.com. Stay tuned for more news as we do a bit of digging on this one.Update: Dell confirmed that the Adamo XPS will not be making a reapperence on its site. "While the Adamo XPS was certainly and engineering marvel, it also was a limited edition product with a finite number of systems available," said a Dell spokesperson. Adamo XPS 2 anyone?
Dell Adamo XPS order page falls off Dell.com, discontinued for life? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Doesn't look too bad for a $95 Android tablet, huh? Well, there's plenty more where that came from. Scattered along the main halls of CeBIT are dozens of Chinese and Taiwanese consumer electronics resellers looking to sell products to new customers, and this year they sure loaded up the suitcases with cheap Android / Windows CE tablets. For the most part all these tablets (or small smartbooks) have ARM 9 or 11 processors and 5 to 7-inch resistive touch displays. While some like the FirstView PC607V tablet (pictured above) have attractive skins on top of Windows CE, others from companies like Forsa and Huawei have gone with stock versions of Android. In truth, all of the ones we played with felt chintzy, but it was easier to lower our standards when we learned they wouldn't draw more than $150 from our wallets. We've got a hands-on video with FirstView's Android tablet after the break, but if that doesn't fill your cheap tablet needs hit the more coverage links for videos by some serious Android / ARM tablet lovers. 
Continue reading FirstView's $95 Android / Windows CE PC607V tips a craptablet iceberg at CeBIT
FirstView's $95 Android / Windows CE PC607V tips a craptablet iceberg at CeBIT originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 09:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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What's better than gaming on one 3D screen? Gaming on three, of course. We're no strangers to NVIDIA's 3D Vision along with the Acer and Alienware displays, but the company has unveiled its 3D Vision Surround capability at CeBIT that lets you play 3D games on three 1080p 3D displays simultaneously. Yeah, it's as crazy as it sounds -- we got to throw on a pair of the glasses and it's one seriously panoramic and immersive experience. What won't be as pleasing is how much a set-up like this will cost you -- you'll need three 3D screens, and a rig with an GeForce GTX 480 SLI configuration or higher (the desktop we saw had two GeForce GTX 280 GPUS). NVIDIA will officially launch the whole platform along these new GeForce GTX 480/470 GPUs later this month.Thinking about digging into your savings? Maybe the video after the break will put an end to your wavering. 
Continue reading NVIDIA 3D Vision Surround eyes-on, triple the fun
NVIDIA 3D Vision Surround eyes-on, triple the fun originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Some people have soft spots for puppies and panda bears; we have them for tiny laptops. Claiming to be the world's smallest computer, USmart's 4.8-inch MC-1 is about the size of a man's wallet yet manages to pack the guts of a netbook. That's right in that tiny little chassis is a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530 CPU, 1GB of RAM and 4GB of on-board storage. What it doesn't have is some sort of fan; when we put the little guy in our hand it was quite toasty. Wondering how in the world one would navigate Windows XP on such a small screen? Like the 4.8-inch UMID MBook BZ, it has a resistive touchscreen and comes with a stylus, but USmart will also sell an external touchpad / keyboard combo that's bound to be more comfortable. We're strongly questioning the practicality of this $300 device and its title of "world's smallest computer," but can you really argue with something so adorable? How about you tell us after checking out the video after the break. 
Continue reading USmart's MC-1 claims 'world's smallest' title, certainly wins over our hearts
USmart's MC-1 claims 'world's smallest' title, certainly wins over our hearts originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Oh, you thought we were done with ASUS' new Eee PC models at CeBIT. That's cute. In addition to launching the aluminum 1018P and 1016P, ASUS has also quietly released the 1015PE and 1015P (or Diary series as it says on the units), which look to be joining the Seashell line with some minor design tweaks. The 1016PE's faux dark wood lid has a more professional look, and its shape reminds us somewhat of HP's Mini 5102. On the other hand, the 1015P has a white, softer-looking matte lid and an updated touchpad with integrated mouse buttons. Inside it appears they will be available with Intel's Pine Trail Atom N450 and N470 processors, and apparently the forthcoming N455 and N475 CPUs. Last but not least, ASUS also seemed to whip out the race car-inspired, kid-intended 1001PQ that has the same specs as the 1005PE we reviewed awhile back. We don't know about you, but we'd actually dig that design for ourselves. Until the next Tales from ASUS' Eee PC booth update, we leave you with the hands-on pictures below.
ASUS Eee PC 1015PE, 1015P and 1001PQ hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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We're not suggesting playing a 720p vid while at the wheel, but Mio's Moov V780 -- or "premium PND," as they call it -- sure is a jack of all trades. We spent sometime playing around with the 7-inch tablet at the company's CeBIT press conference and came away surprisingly impressed with the entire experience. It's tapered edges and smooth plastic back remind us a lot of the Dell Mini 5, though Mio's gone with a NVIDIA Tegra chip (we were told Tegra 2, but our friends at jkkmobile sneaked a peak at the device's console and discovered it was apparnetly rocking the progenitor Tegra chip, at least on the show floor) and created a nice 3D user interface on top of Windows CE. Though it doesn't support multitouch, the capacitive screen made flicking through the coverflow-like interface a breeze and the virtual keyboard was a pleasure -- those who wish to use the device to fire off e-mails can always pick up the carrying case pictured above. So yes, overall we definitely like the Moov V780 and its Internet tablet/PND capabilities... but not enough to pay the 599 euros the company expects to sell it for. Perhaps the video below will convince you, but for now we'll be waiting for this one to drop in price when it starts shipping this summer.
Mio's Tegra-powered Moov V780 puts maps, 720p video, and the interwebs on dashboards originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Paging all butterfly-admiring netbook lovers! With spring upon us, HP's officially launching the Mini 210 Vivienne Tam edition that it previewed back at September's Fall Fashion Week, and, well, it sure is unique looking. We actually got to take a peek at it a few weeks ago, and while the butterfly adorned cover may only appeal to a certain 
Continue reading HP Mini 210 Vivienne Tam Edition leaps off the runway and into our hands
HP Mini 210 Vivienne Tam Edition leaps off the runway and into our hands originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Well isn't this the most unlikely partnership of the year. Apparently world famous designer and maker of watches/belts Pierre Cardin thought the tablet selection in the world was lacking, and teamed up with a small Taiwanese OEM to bring some touchscreen devices to market. We checked out the line today, and though both the 7-inch PC729 and 8.9-inch PC819 tablets are rather thick the build quality is actually solid. The tablets pack resistive multitouch displays and include a stylus for navigating around Windows 7. Internally they're packing VIA's older C7-M processors which doesn't mean good things on the battery life front -- we can't imagine these things running for longer than two hours. All we know is that we're loving the attachable leather murse that opens up to reveal a rubbery physical keyboard. Whether you'd shell out $450 ($300 without Windows 7) for one of these really just depends on how much you love Pierre Cardin -- the man, not the tablet maker. 
Continue reading Pierre Cardin tablets won't keep your pants up
Pierre Cardin tablets won't keep your pants up originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Ever wonder about the man behind the insane amount of ASUS products we cover? We do too, which is why we jumped at the chance to sit down with ASUS CEO Jerry Shen here at CeBIT. Our lengthy discussion covered just about everything you can imagine, but we've clipped some of the highlights together for you in the video below. We're particularly taken with his excitement over Windows Phone 7 and his disinterest in the smartbook category. As for that EeePad or future tablet? You'll have to watch to find out...Continue reading ASUS CEO talks tablets, smartbooks and Windows Phone 7 Series phones
ASUS CEO talks tablets, smartbooks and Windows Phone 7 Series phones originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Well this is a bit different -- it looks as if the big M is looking to put a little Android (v1.6, if you must know) in the home with this DECT 6.0 phone. Though the device is made by Binatone, the Hong Kong-based company will be selling a $150 Motorola branded version of its cordless phone in the US come this summer. While this isn't the first time we've seen an Android desk phone, this particular one packs WiFi so you can use the 2.8-inch touch display on its back to not only dial up mom, but also surf the web or check email. We did ask if you could make Skype calls on WiFi, but the app won't be preloaded and the phone won't have Marketplace support. That's not to say it doesn't have some intriguing tricks up its sleeve, though -- we were duly impressed with the speaker-equipped charging station, which enables it to blast out your favorite jams from the 70s while docked. It's no Droid or Devour, but it may not be a bad home calling option if you just can't cut ties with your landline. We've got some more pictures in the gallery below as well as some shots of Binatone's future Android tablet, so go on, indulge.
Motorola HS1001 cordless Android phone hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Funny how our tune on smartbooks totally changes when one's got an $85 price tag. We happened upon Coby's booth at CeBIT this morning and of all the fairly cheap feeling laptops the company had on display it was its 7-inch NBPC722 smartbook that cozied right up to us. Okay, so it isn't as thin or attractive as the $499 Lenovo's Skylight, but again let us remind you that it costs about as much as a couple of new printer ink cartridges. Inside the little guy packs a 624MHz Marvell PXA303 processor, 2GB of flash storage and runs Windows CE which all should be good enough for some light Web browsing and e-mail writing. There was actually a YouTube shortcut on the desktop, but the NBPC722 wasn't connected to try it out. Apparently this inexpensive laptop should be making its way stateside this spring, but until the flowers start blooming you've got the video below.
Continue reading Coby $85 smartbook feels like a hundred bucks (hands-on)
Coby $85 smartbook feels like a hundred bucks (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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While MSI didn't have an official unveiling of the new F Series laptops at CeBIT, the 14-inch FX400 and 15.6-inch FX600 models and their NVIDIA Optimus placards were the first thing that caught our eye at the company's booth. In typical MSI fashion, it looks like there will be a number of configurations of the two models, but it appears that both with pack Core i5 processors and use NVIDIA's technology to automatically switch between the integrated and discrete GeForce GPU. While there's no word on availability, an MSI rep on hand suggested that the systems would start somewhere in between $800 to $1,000. That doesn't sound too bad, though the early units we got to play around with were a bit plasticy and the keyboards could sub as a trampoline. Those issues aside, we're quite excited that MSI's been added to the Optimus team, and that the company has designed a fairly nice looking chassis with a (thankfully) non-glossy lid.
MSI's race car inspired F Series packs NVIDIA Optimus, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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There's no escaping that 3D trend, that's for sure. Both ASUS and MSI are demoing 3D versions of their respective all-in-one PCs here at CeBIT, though both companies say they are just concept models at this point. ASUS' 3D Eee Top wasn't up and running, but there was a pair of NVIDIA-branded glasses next to it which hints that they may be exploring putting 3D Vision into its touchscreen system. We had better luck at MSI, where we got to put on a rather large pair of shades and watch some very happy show-goers play Left 4 Dead in 3D. We're not sure what to make of the 3D in a touchscreen all-in-one thing, but it was pretty cool to just tap the screen to enable some three-dimensional images. Hit the break for a quick video of MSI's 3D Wind Top.
Continue reading MSI and ASUS show off 3D all-in-ones at CeBIT
MSI and ASUS show off 3D all-in-ones at CeBIT originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Bewildering. We're pretty sure that's the only way to describe our adventure at Smartbook's CeBIT booth. First off, let us just clear up that there are absolutely no smartbooks on display -- don't forget that this is the company that's going after Qualcomm's jugular for using the term smartbook in the first place. Now that that's out of the way, the German outfit introduced two new 11.6-inch laptops at the show, both which are clearly a rip on Apple and Sony laptops. What's confusing there? Well, the fact that they are actually nice. First you have the Atom N280-powered Razor that's clad in a brushed aluminum that feels impeccably similar to the unibody MacBook. Sure, it will run like a last-generation Windows 7 netbook, but it felt seriously solid in hand. Next up is that ULV-packing Logo we told you about last week, and with a glowing power button embedded in its circular hinge there's no doubt that it was Sony VAIO "inspired." Again, the make is actually quite good, and we were shocked to feel how sturdy the chiclet keyboard was. Both 
Continue reading Smartbook's laptops hands-on: a MacBook and a VAIO walk into a bar...
Smartbook's laptops hands-on: a MacBook and a VAIO walk into a bar... originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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After weeks of hearing about the DR-900 (or DR-950) e-reader, you had to know that we'd sprint (okay, walk at a brisk pace) over to ASUS' booth to finally handle the touchscreen device in person. The 9-inch ebook reader was quite light in hand, and though we didn't have Amazon's Kindle DX with us, it appeared very comparable in size. As far as the reading experience goes, the preloaded text-based PDFs looked crisp on the 1024 x 768 display and as per usual the e-ink display took about a second or two to refresh. Unfortunately, here's where we tell you that the former touch experience was less than stellar -- we had to press quite hard to select the homescreen icons and light finger taps didn't register when we tried to type "engadget" into the address bar. We got the hang of having to press firmly, but we're happy there are the up and down arrows on the right edge for alternate navigation. Perhaps it will all be fixed up once it heads into production, though we don't have details on when that will be. What we do know is that there's a just lovely hands-on video for you after the break.
Continue reading ASUS DR-900 e-reader hands-on
ASUS DR-900 e-reader hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Score one for the kids! We just got to toy around with the new convertible Classmate PC and, boy, does it feel solid. Though it feels quite heavy in hand, it definitely feels like it can take a beating in a backpack and, as you can see in the video below, survive a decent fall. We're less impressed, however, with the resistive touchscreen performance. Though we're keeping in mind that these were pre-production units, the resistive touchscreen was quite unresponsive to the pen input when we tried to draw on the screen. Can't you hear the youngins, Intel? They want multitouch! We still appreciate that rotating webcam and the improvements made to the expanded the keyboard and touchpad. You'll have to hang tight on getting one of these for little Jimmy -- Intel tells us these will be brought to you by OEMs sometime in April. 
Continue reading Intel's new convertible Classmate PC hands-on
Intel's new convertible Classmate PC hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 06:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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It's been awhile since Intel refreshed the tablet version Classmate PC, and it's decided to launch the next generation kiddie netbook here at its CeBIT press conference. We just got a look at the new 10.1-inch light blue netvertible from afar and it looks slimmer than the previous version, but according to the press release below the updates really come in the form of ruggedness. It's got that always-cute grippy handle, a water resistant, anti-microbial keyboard, hard drive protection and a rubberized bottom. Still in tact is the rotatable webcam, screen accelerometer, and onboard microphone for recording notes. Unsurprisingly, Intel has updated the internals with its latest Pine Trail Atom processors. While it comes with a stylus, we're unsure if the touchscreen will support multitouch, but you can be sure we'll be finding out when we get some hands-on time. Oh, and happy birthday from Intel everyone! 
Continue reading Intel refreshes convertible Classmate PC with increased ruggedness and new Atom
Intel refreshes convertible Classmate PC with increased ruggedness and new Atom originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 03:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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NVIDIA's Ion 2 chipset -- or "the next generation of Ion" as the company clunkily calls it -- hasn't exactly been a secret, but NVIDIA is finally signing on the dotted line and giving up the deets on the new Intel Atom-compatible graphics chipset. It hasn't been a secret that Ion 2 uses NVIDIA's new Optimus GPU switching tech to automatically toggle between the Pineview chipset's integrated GMA 3150 and a discrete NVIDIA Ion GPU, but we can now confirm that both the 16-core Ion chip for desktops and eight-core unit for netbooks are based on the GeForce G210 GPU. That means Ion 2 should support HDMI out, 1080p Blu-ray and Flash playback, Windows 7 Home Premium, and mainstream gaming out of the box. (Take that, Broadcom Crystal HD.) And unlike Ion numero uno, NVIDIA's also promising up to 10 hours of battery life on netbooks -- thanks to Optimus the system knows when to shut off the discrete GPU when not in use to save power.
How about some actual systems? While the Acer Aspire 532G netbook already popped up at MWC, NVIDIA is promising 30 more Ion netbooks, nettops and all-in-ones before the summer. To kick it off, NVIDIA confirmed that ASUS will update its Eee PC 1201PN netbook, Eee Top 2010P, and Eee Box with the new graphics solution, while Lenovo's C200 and Acer's Aspire Revo will also get in on the action. We got to see the Revo strut some Blu-ray playback, so hit the break for some video footage and the full PR.
Continue reading NVIDIA Ion 2 now official; Acer, ASUS and Lenovo at the ready
NVIDIA Ion 2 now official; Acer, ASUS and Lenovo at the ready originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Ever get the feeling that what you see on paper just isn't going to be as good in person? That's sort of how we felt today when we stopped by Gigabyte's CeBIT booth to get a look at its newly announced T1000 netvertible. On the spec front the T1000 has everything we could possibly want in a netbook -- a new 1.83GHz Atom N470, 2GB of RAM, a chiclet keyboard and a 1366 x 768-resolution multitouch display -- but in our few minutes of use things were far from rainbows and butterflies. The resistive touch panel required a pretty firm press, and when in slate mode there's no buttons (or accelerometer) for rotating the device. While we liked the chiclet keyboard, we'll never understand why Gigabyte has kept the two mouse buttons on the sides of the touchpad. We realize that we may be jumping to conclusions too quickly here, so we'll let you decide for yourselves with the help of a short video after the break. 
Continue reading Gigabyte T1000 takes a new twist on life with Atom N470 and a multitouch display
Gigabyte T1000 takes a new twist on life with Atom N470 and a multitouch display originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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We don't really know what to make of this, but while battling the onslaught of new netbooks at the ASUS's CeBIT booth we noticed some peculiar new Intel Atom processors on a few signs. As you can see above it looks like the Eee PC 1015PE will not only be available with the current N450 and the newly announced N470 Pine Trail processors, but also the rumored N455 and N475 CPUs. Intel tells us that these are not-yet-announced-products, but we're guessing we'll hear more tomorrow morning at Chipzilla's press conference -- although we're not too optimistic that dropping a zero and adding a five is going to provide all that much more Atom netbook power.Intel Atom N455 and N475 mysteriously pop up on ASUS placards originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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You didn't think ASUS would let Acer be the only one with a next-generation Ion netbook, did you? While wandering around ASUS's CeBIT booth we couldn't help but notice some new Ion 2 systems, including the 12.1-inch Eee PC 1201PN. With an identical chassis to the 1201N that we reviewed a few months back, the 1201PN swaps out the Diamondville Atom for a new Pine Trail N450 processor and a discrete NVIDIA GPU. We couldn't figure out much more from the system properties, but the neighboring sign confirmed that Ion 2 would use NVIDIA's Optimus to switch between the discrete and integrated GPU. Around the corner we also stumbled into that Eee Top 2010PNT we heard about awhile back, and just as rumored it packs a dual-core Atom D510 processor along its "next generation Ion." Really more than anything we're looking forward to testing the HD performance and battery life of these new Ion systems, but until then we'll be stuck watching the video below of the 1201PN playing a 720p promo clip.
Continue reading ASUS Eee PC 1201PN and Eee Top 2010PNT with Ion 2 caught lounging around at CeBIT
ASUS Eee PC 1201PN and Eee Top 2010PNT with Ion 2 caught lounging around at CeBIT originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Come on, you had to know that one of our first stops at CeBIT was going to be the ASUS booth to see if we could get a glimpse at the leaked 10-inch Eee PC 1018P and 1016P. Though they will be officially announced at ASUS's press conference tomorrow we got some time to play around with the new aluminum netbooks, and they sure beat any of the plastic Eee PCs we've been groping for the past few years. The overall build quality feels great, and with the flush battery they are both seriously slim and light. We wish ASUS had equipped the systems with metal keyboards to match the expanded aluminum touchpads, but the plastic keys felt plenty sturdy under our fingers. As for specs, the placards claim that they will have the new Intel N470 processors (and some peculiar N455 and N475 CPU choices), 2GB of RAM and 10 hours of battery life. We're still trying to figure out the difference between the two models, but our guess is that the 1016P will have 3G, while the 1018P sticks just to WiFi. Also, no confirmation yet on that rumored USB 3.0, but until we find out more details at tomorrow's press conference we've got you covered with the hands-on pics and video below. 
Continue reading ASUS Eee PC 1018P and 1016P quick hands-on
ASUS Eee PC 1018P and 1016P quick hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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That's right friends, we've unpacked the Lederhosen, cameras, and laptops and touched down in Hannover, Germany for CeBIT 2010. We've already heard of quite a few tablets and netbooks crawling around the massive show, but you can expect us to be digging up much more over the next few days. It all officially kicks off tomorrow morning with Intel, ASUS and Acer press conferences, so you can expect some exciting liveblogs and then a boatload of hands-on posts coming your way. In the meantime we'll be mentally preparing by loading up on Nutella and schnitzel!
Engadget is live from CeBIT 2010! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Intel introduced the new Atom N470 netbook CPU back in September and then Lenovo showed off its S10-3t with the new processor at CES, but chipzilla's taking the time today to give its newest Pine Trail CPU a proper unveil. The 1.83GHz N470 joins the 1.66GHz N450 as an option for netbooks, and like the rest of the Pineview integrates the GMA 3150 graphics controller on the same chip and supports hyperthreading. According to Intel, the major OEMs are expected to introduce new netbooks based on this processor soon, but if our experience with the Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t is any glimpse into the "performance boost" of this processor we're not sure there's anything to wait for. Our full review of the S10-3t netvertible is almost done cooking, but we can tell you right now the system didn't feel faster in use even with its 2GB of RAM, and on PCMark05 it scored in the same range as other N450 netbooks. While the slightly faster clock speed may be a nice bragging right, at the end of the day Atom N470-based netbooks are still, well, netbooks.Intel officially adds Pine Trail Atom N470 processor, early performance results don't impress originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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No offense to the previous ProBooks s-series, but we think HP may have finally removed the last pieces of boring from the line. The new crop of business laptops - if you can even call them that anymore - are available with 13.3, 14, 15.6 and 17.3-inch display sizes, and can be configured with Intel's latest Core i3, i5 and i7 processors. There are too many configurations to list, but the $900 15.6-inch ProBook 4520s with a Core i5 CPU and a 500GB 7,200RPM drive sounds like a deal to us. Fear not graphics mavens, you can configure any of the models with ATI's Mobility Radeon HD 5350 GPU. Specs aside, we were pretty enamored with the externals - all are clad in a brushed aluminum case and a matte surface lid that's available in "caviar" brown or a reddish "bordeaux." Our fingers were big fans of the chiclet keyboard, but the addition of the ClickPad with its integrated mouse buttons makes us a bit anxious, you know, given the issues we've had with those on the Mini 210 and Envys. We'd be remiss if we didn't mention HP's new Day Starter software that lets the workaholics amongst you check a configured Outlook calender while the laptop boots up in the background -- it doesn't work yet with Google Cal, we asked. You should be able to start configuring the lappies in the next few weeks, but hit the break for some hands-on pics and the full PR.
Continue reading HP spices up ProBooks with Core 2010 CPUs, ClickPads and caviar paint
HP spices up ProBooks with Core 2010 CPUs, ClickPads and caviar paint originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Thought HP was done unleashing its new line of semi-rugged EliteBooks at CES? So did we, but apparently it needed just a little bit more time to pull the 12.1-inch 2540p and 2740p out of the oven. An update to the 2530p, the 3.8-pound 2540p still has the same magnesium alloy chassis that's met all those super-tough MIL-STD 810G military standard tests, but its innards have been freshened up with the alluring scent of Intel's 2010 Core processors. Prices start at $1,099, but in typical HP fashion it will be configurable online with tons of juicy options, including standard and low voltage Core i5 and i7 processors and a range of 7,200RPM and SSD drives. Up next is the 2740p which packs much of the same internal spec options as the 2540p (sans the low-voltage CPUs), but puts them into a convertible tablet form factor. Starting at $1,599, its capacitive multitouch 12.1-inch display now supports both pen and finger input and thus pits it head-to-head with Lenovo's ThinkPad X201t, though from our hands-on we found the 3.8-pound 2740p to be much slimmer and lighter. A lot of that has to do with its flush battery, but if adding some juice (and thickness) is your thing, you can add a slate battery (or two!) to the bottom of the system. Both the 2540p and 2740p will be available later this month, but hit the hands-on gallery below to get a look at these magnesium puppies up close.
Continue reading HP adds EliteBook 2540p and 2740p to the lineup, brings the power and the touch
HP adds EliteBook 2540p and 2740p to the lineup, brings the power and the touch originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Well, that didn't take too long. Just a day after we pondered the shipping status of Fusion Garage's JooJoo tablet, the company's come clean and told us shipping will delayed to March 25 because of a manufacturing issue with the tablet's 12.1-inch capacitive screen. Yep, it looks like it's going to be at least 27 more days until you've got a JooJoo of your very own -- which means, of course, that Fusion Garage will now be trying to launch this thing during the same week Apple's scheduled to launch the iPad. Ouch. To its credit, Fusion Garage says it's not happy with the delay and has promised a free accessory to pre-order customers to make it better -- we're told it's likely to be the $30 stand. We'll see if that's enough to hold back the effects of Cupertino's coming media blitz, but either way we're quite excited about making a tablet sandwich at the end of March. Full PR after the break.Continue reading JooJoo ship date pushed to March 25 due to manufacturing issues
JooJoo ship date pushed to March 25 due to manufacturing issues originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Call us optimistic, but we pictured February 25th rolling around with us laying on a couch and watching some Olympic ice dancing clips on the JooJoo's 12-inch screen. Ah, but here we are about to cross off the last few days of the month and the only thing we've got in our hands are some tissues and hot cocoa. Promising to ship units to those who pre-ordered in December within 8-10 weeks, Fusion Garage CEO Chandra Rathakrishnan told us just a month ago that it was on track to ship before the end of February. However, when we called them up to see what the deal was we were told they'd have a shipping update for us by the first week in March. Additionally, when asked if there were delays with production or shipping the first units to customers we got the never fun "no comment." We're going to go ahead and assume there's been some sort of delay -- perhaps JooJoo primary investor CSL has been too busy updating the BlueBerrry KIRF line with an optical pad to write out the check for the manufacturing costs. Okay, that's unlikely, but we'd love to hear if any of those that pre-ordered have heard differently or anything at all.It's the end of February, where's your JooJoo? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Looks like there won't be a shortage of new laptops and netbooks next week at CeBIT, and if Blogeee is to be believed ASUS will be showing up with at least three new 10.1-inch Eee PCs. The most exciting of the bunch seem to be the executive-aimed 1016P and 1018P, which will both apparently have an aluminum chassis and 14 hours of battery life. The .7-inch 1018P is said to be the thinnest netbook ASUS has ever created, and sport an integrated fingerprint reader and USB 3.0. Uh, USB 3.0 in a netbook? We don't see why not. Finally there's the 1015P, which seems to just be an refresh of the 1005PE with a matte display and a wider touchpad. It sounds triple E exciting, but we promise to find out more on these little guys next week when we are live in Deutschland.
ASUS Eee PC 1018P, 1016P and 1015P prepping for a CeBIT debut originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Netbooks for all! We're convinced that's the motivational saying plastered to the wall in the HP lab where the company births Minis for everyone but your pet fish. But of all the company's Pine Trail offerings, we're most excited about the $425 Mini 210, which has a 10.1-inch HD screen and a Broadcom Crystal Accelerator chip that promises decent HD video playback, even with Flash. With an attractive new thin design, improved chiclet keyboard and that promise to handle high-def content, the Mini 210 has the potential to kick the others to the curb. Given the issues we had with the Broadcom-powered Dell Mini 10 and HP's newer touchpads, though, we had to put on the glasses and take a closer look. Join us past the break for the full review, will you?
Continue reading HP Mini 210 HD edition review
HP Mini 210 HD edition review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Oh sure, the world may be off creating underpowered, web-based tablets, but Lenovo's not giving up on those who still need an old-fashioned, fully-powered tablet PC (all 10.1 of you). Truth be told, powerful is exactly how we would describe the new X201 Tablet with its new Intel low voltage Core i7 CPU and 4GB of RAM. But beyond being one of the speedier 12-inch laptops out there, its capacitive touchscreen now lets the touch-happy among us alternate between taking notes with its Wacom stylus and putting two fingers down to zoom or scroll. Sounds like a near perfect experience to us, but before tossing over $1,900 we figured you'd want to make sure it really is. We've been putting the X201T through the paces over the last few days, so hop on past the break for our full review.
Continue reading Lenovo ThinkPad X201 Tablet review
Lenovo ThinkPad X201 Tablet review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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