HP Envy 13

HP Envy 13 and Envy 15 are the new banners of HP’s portable design with aluminum casing and exquisite finish. The 13-inch model comes with only 1.7 kg weight and a thickness of 2 cm. On the model of 15 inches, his weight up to 2.3 kg and thickness less than an inch, ie about 2.5 cm.

Another very positive point of these new computers are HP Envy batteries, replaceable and autonomy of 7 hours for Envy 13 Model, but we can go to incredible 18 hours with an external battery. This battery is sold together with a Blu-Ray external drive for only $ 200. The HP Envy 13 Notebook Series does not have an optical drive.

But things are not there. The brightness of the display of the new HP Envy 13 is 400 nits and the trackpad is glass and supports gestures. For audio, HP has partnered with Monster to provide sound Beats these new notebooks.

The HP Envy 13 has a screen resolution of 1366 × 768 pixels in series but we can choose the model with higher resolution, 1600 × 900 pixels. Both models have screen brightness.

The processor of this computer is an Intel Core 2 Duo with ATI 4330, 3GB of RAM, HDMI output and is priced at $ 1,700. A but you only have two USB ports.

The HP Envy 15 is the real monster beautiful dress. Putting aside her angelic appearance, the processor that you can mount is one of the new Intel Core i7 with up to 16 GB of DDR3 RAM. Also join Radeon HD 4830 with 1GB and two SSDs in RAID 0 and you can imagine what we get laptop.

There are two display options to choose from, both the 15.6-inch LED technology, one with 1080p resolution and brightness of 300 nits. The webcam has been designed with night vision LED for ease of use in the dark. As for the battery, an extra thin and we could give up to 7 hours of battery life.

The HP Envy 15 can be from our $ 1,800.

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VIA NetNote 1080p HD

VIA have announced their latest ultraportable reference design, the NetNote, which the company describes as “a mashup between the netbook and the traditional notebook.”  Based on VIA’s Surfboard mainboards, using either VIA C7-M or Nano CPUs, the NetNotes will have screens ranging from 10.2-inches to 12.1-inches and play back Full HD 1080p video.

Other possibilities include an HDMI port, hardware video acceleration and integrated 3G, all from VIA’s Surfboard platforms.  Positioned as an OEM solution (rather than being marketed directly to end-consumers), the NetNotes could also have an FM transmitter, digital TV receiver with extendable antenna, or even an externally-controlled MP3 player which wouldn’t require the NetNote to be booted up.

From our talks with VIA about the platform, it seems they’re not so much focussed on kick-starting a new niche with NetNotes – in fact it’s more of an internal name – but instead wanting to draw attention to netbooks with performance.  The VIA NetNote Turnkey Systems will have their formal debut at ShenZhen TechForum Autumn 2009 next week, where the company is promising 35 designs together with pricing and availability information.

 

 

Press Release:

VIA Unveils SurfBoard Platforms and Turnkey Systems for New NetNote Category

NetNote blends the portability and affordability of netbooks with the functionality and HD video capabilities of notebooks to define a new sweet spot in the mobile computing market

Taipei, Taiwan, 16 September 2009 – VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced additions to its growing range of VIA Surfboard mainboards along with turnkey systems designed to enable a new category of NetNote mobile computing devices.

A mashup between the netbook and the traditional notebook, the NetNote combines the portability and affordability of a netbook with the functionality and HD entertainment capabilities of a notebook in a light, high performance clamshell mobile device with long battery life, screen sizes of between 10.2” – 12.1”, and support for flawless playback of high bit-rate 1080p HD video.

“NetNotes are illustrative of the type of device that is possible after artificial restrictions on screen size, resolution and connectivity are removed,” said Richard Brown, Vice President of Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. “Light, snappy ultra mobile devices with notebook-level functionality are what consumers want and what the NetNote category of device provides.”

Combining the highly-integrated VIA VX855 media system processor with a choice of VIA C7™-M ULV or VIA Nano™ processors, two new VIA Surfboard NetNote Edition Platforms provide high-quality, energy-efficient and feature-rich “ready to build” solutions for manufacturing NetNote devices.

Additionally, complete VIA NetNote Turnkey Systems offer customers a quick, low cost approach to entering the mobile computing market or expanding their current product portfolio.

Along with support for hardware acceleration of a broad variety of leading video standards including H.264, MPEG-2/4, VC-1 and WMV9, NetNotes come with a host of other advanced features including an optional HDMI port and a choice of integrated 3G connectivity modules.

VIA GMB Alliance – Harnessing the China Growth Engine

The new VIA Surfboard NetNote Edition platforms and VIA NetNote Turnkey Systems have initially been made available to members of the VIA Global Mobility Bazaar (GMB) Program – an alliance of leading China hi-tech manufacturers focused on harnessing the country’s emerging manufacturing base and rapid domestic growth to bring innovative mobile computing devices to China and other fast-emerging markets around the world.

Over 40 companies in the VIA GMB Alliance have developed more than sixty mobile systems based on VIA SurfBoard platforms since its establishment in October 2008. All have expressed support for the new NetNote category, and the first NetNote products are expected to be introduced into the market later this month.

Through the provision of high quality, high performance building blocks such as VIA platforms and turnkey systems, the VIA GMB Alliance aims to build up the mobile device ecosystem in China ultimately enabling manufacturers to offer innovative, affordable mobile solutions to global markets.

The new VIA NetNote platforms and systems will be on show at the next VIA Global Mobility Bazaar Alliance event to be held on Friday 25 September in Shenzhen, China. Further details can be found at: www.via.com.tw/en/company/events/2009gmb-techforum-autumn

About VIA NetNote Platforms and Systems

Designed for 10.2”-12.1” NetNote devices, the feature-rich yet highly power-efficient VIA Surfboard NetNote Edition Platforms feature a choice of VIA C7-M ULV or VIA Nano processors supporting an 800MHz FSB, combined with the VIA VX855 media system processor with its support for a wide range of digital media technologies and I/O.

The advanced graphics of the VIA Surfboard NetNote Edition Platforms is powered by the high performance VIA Chrome9 HCM IGP and allows for flawless playback of 1080p HD video at amazingly low processor utilization levels. The boards also feature HDMI ports that can be used to deliver HD content to external displays.

The latest high definition audio is supported through VIA Vinyl 8-channel HD audio, and a rich range of connection options includes support for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS and 3G for unparalleled flexibility.

More information about the VIA SurfBoard NetNote Edition Platforms may be found on the VIA website at: www.via.com.tw/en/initiatives/spearhead/netnote-edition-platforms

VIA NetNote Turnkey Systems not only boast the full functionality and larger keyboard and screen sizes more commonly found on standard notebook devices, but also incorporate innovative features such as an integrated, externally controlled MP3 player that doesn’t require the user to boot the OS, an extendable aerial used to receive digital video broadcast from both satellite and terrestrial transmitters, and the ability to act as an FM transmitter allowing users to tune in car radios or cell phones to pick up NetNote broadcasts.

More information on the VIA NetNote Turnkey Systems may be found on the VIA website at: www.via.com.tw/en/initiatives/spearhead/netnote-turnkey-system

About VIA Technologies, Inc.

VIA Technologies, Inc is the foremost fabless supplier of power efficient x86 processor platforms that are driving system innovation in the PC, client, ultra mobile and embedded markets. Combining energy-saving processors with digital media chipsets and advanced connectivity, multimedia and networking silicon enables a broad spectrum of computing and communication platforms, including its widely acclaimed ultra compact mainboards. Headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, VIA’s global network links the high tech centers of the US, Europe and Asia, and its customer base includes the world’s top OEMs and system integrators. www.via.com.tw

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Lenovo ThinkPad X200 Tablet PC & T400s

The touch screen force begins to arrive at computer screens, especially the all in one and laptops. And it does, then you better do multitouch, Lenovo will have thought. They introduced the Lenovo ThinkPad X200 Tablet PC and the Lenovo ThinkPad T400s.

In both models, touch screens are optional, so we can get them also without them if needed. The Lenovo X200 comes with an Intel Core 2 Duo 1.4 GHz, 160 GB hard drive, 12.1 inch screen and, oddly, only 1 GB of RAM, although its operating system, now is Vista.

Obviously, when it launches Windows 7 this will be the option chosen for a laptop. For now, this configuration is offered for $ 1654 but will only be recommended to increase the RAM in a couple of GB more. Something can stay short the 4-cell battery included, but promise a range of up to nine hours with 8 cell.

The Lenovo ThinkPad T400s has a base price of $ 1999 and comes with an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz, 14.1-inch screen, 2 GB RAM, 120 GB hard drive and a 6-cell battery. Both models have the softare SimpleTap from October 22.

With him we have access to different functions usually performed by hardware, since toggle the Wi-Fi to adjust the volume or put the PC into hibernation. This function is activated by pressing twice on the screen and turns off with a single touch.

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Hercules unveils eCafe EC-1000W netbook

Hercules is a company more known for video game controllers and other peripherals than anything else. With the netbook category of the PC market booming lots of companies not traditionally associated with full computer systems are entering into the market. Hercules is the latest to jump on the netbook bandwagon

.

Today Hercules announced its new eCafe EC-1000W netbook, and as much as I am surprised to say it, the machine offers some features that you don’t see often on netbooks. Namely, Hercules has crammed 250GB of storage into the machine. The system will also ship with Windows 7 starter edition in October.

Other features of the netbook include a 10.1-inch LCD with a resolution of 1024 x 600 and it runs an Intel Atom N270 processor. Along with the 250GB HDD, Hercules also offers 50GB of online storage. Wireless networking is integrated with 802.11n tech and a 6-cell 4400 mAh battery pack powers the entire works. One of the more impressive features is the price of the machine at $399; it’s a good value for what you are getting

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LG X130 Netbook

Finally we come to more accurate data of the new LG netbook. Known as the LG X130, with 10 inch screen and will be sold in several countries for a price $632 respectively.

Some of its features are:

• 10.1-inch LCD screen
• Resolution 1024 x 600 pixels
• Intel Atom processor N270 at 1.6GHz
• 1GB of RAM
• 160GB hard drive capacity
• Connectivity Bluetooth 2.0 and 802.11b/g/n
• Autonomy of the battery in approximately 12 hours in active mode

The nerbook does not come with an integrated modem while they will be managed by Windows XP Home.

As mentioned at the beginning, LG X130 come to Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East Africa for a price of around $ 632.

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Dell Inspiron 11z CULV notebook

With little fanfare, Dell this morning has launched its first notebook based on Intel's CULV (Consumer Ultra Low Voltage) platform. The Inspiron 11z costs as much as a netbook but uses an ultra-low voltage 1.2GHz Celeron that Dell estimates is about 40 percent faster than a 1.6GHz Atom. It also has a larger 11.6-inch, 1366x768 screen and faster GS45 integrated graphics, but isn't tangibly bulkier at about 1 inch thick and just over 3 pounds in weight.

Moving to the faster platform pushes Dell to use Windows Vista Home Premium instead of the older, smoother-running XP, but in return the PC builder outfits a stock $399 system with 2GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive. Costs are largely kept down by using a basic 3-cell battery and 802.11g Wi-Fi, though the system does have a 1.3-megapixel webcam and HDMI output as standard.

At present, few options exist for the 11z outside of an external DVD burner, though as a consequence the notebook is considered one of Dell's FastTrack systems and should ship almost immediately.

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Gigabyte TouchNote T1028

The new Gigabyte TouchNote T1028 is another more notebook PC, the specifications of which are showing the most esots models, but with one striking difference: a touch screen.

This screen, with a size of 10.1 inches, with hinged and can be rotated, is LED and has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. Arguably, it’s like any other team in the industry, but the touch screen (not multitáctil) makes the T1028 can be turned into a Tablet PC.

It is clearly a competitor against the Asus Eee T91, the first that took the first big tech touch screen for an ultraportable. The main differences of the last gigabyte model are compared to the T91 size, 8.9 to 10.1 inches in front of the T1028.

The remaining features are most often Atom processor N270 or N280, depending on the model chosen, with 1 GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive. Highlight the 6-cell battery, which is becoming increasingly easy to find on netbooks.

The price of the Gigabyte TouchNote T1028 is at $ 680, and is currently for sale on the Amazon site.

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MSI Bravo EX628

 

MSI launch their new portable computer system with the name MSI Bravo EX628. The 16-inch screen notebook equiped with new Ati Mobility Radeon HD 4670.

It is powered by an Intel Vore 2 Duo processor, HD resolution of 1366 x 768 and, the DDR2 memory can be up to 4GB. If you like to chat using video webcam, you can use its 2.0 megapixel webcam.

Other features we can mention:

• 1.56K Fax/Modem
• LAN
• Bluetooth V2.0+EDR
• Wireless 802.11 b/g/n
• 3 in 1 card reader
• HDMI port
• Three USB 2.0 ports, as well as e-SATA
• 160, 250 and 320 GB SATA Hard Drive
• six or nine cell baterry.

The price of MSI Bravo EX628 is not confermed yet, there is no information also about the release date.

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MSI X-Slim X600

 With official photos, full specifications, an unboxing and demo video behind us, all that’s left for MSI’s X-Slim X600 – before a post eventually saying it’s been retired, of course – is a full review.  Happily LaptopMag are on hand to deliver just that, putting the 15.6-inch CULV ultraportable through its paces to see if it’s more than just good looks or falls flat like its smaller X340 sibling

.

The X600’s dimensions can’t be ignored, and that’s partly down to shedding an internal DVD burner in favor of an external one, and partly thanks to MSI’s using an Intel 1.4GHz Core 2 Solo SU3500 ULV processor that requires less in the way of cooling.  Of course, the payoff to that is reduced performance, significantly below that of traditional 15-inch notebooks, but the graphics – from the ATI Radeon HD 4330 GPU – put in a reasonable performance, squeezing 25fps from Far Cry 2 at 1,024 x 768 resolution.

For $799 LaptopMag are quietly impressed by the X600.  You’re choosing size and portability over performance or multimedia capabilities – for the same money you can get a Sony VAIO NW with integrated Blu-ray drive – but it certainly doesn’t disappoint like the X340 has.

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Gigabyte T1028X TouchNote

It's only been a few months since Gigabyte unveiled the 1028M netbook / tablet hybrid, but its successor is already available to buy in Europe. Announced in Hong Kong last month, the 1028X ups the resolution to 1366 x 768 on the 10.1-inch swivel display and bundles a 6-cell 7650 mAh battery for a purported six and a half hours of juice. There's also an utterly meaningless 60MHz CPU upgrade from the Atom N270 to the N280, but the most surprising thing of all might be the price: €622 ($877). That's an awful lot of damage for what is still very much a netbook, but then if you simply must have a touchscreen display in that specific size range, there isn't much competition going around. At least for now.
[Via Slashgear]
Read -- Gigabyte product page

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Averatec's N3400

Averatec probably isn't the first name that pops into your head when you think of cleanly designed thin laptops, but if the $800 N3400 is any indication of things to come, that could change. Laptop had a chance to review the 13-inch machine and found its slim, aluminum body compares favorably to the MacBook Air -- despite being nearly a full inch thick. The 1,280 x 800 glossy display was rated as "decent," the dual-core 2.16GHz Intel T3400 processor paired with 3GB of RAM gave very good performance, but unplugged longevity was where it all went wrong. Just over three hours was the mark this machine achieved and, while the battery is replaceable, a screwdriver is required to do the deed, meaning it probably isn't an operation you want to attempt whilst sitting in coach. So, if you need a powerful ultraportable that won't break the bank, this looks to be it -- so long as you aren't planning any long trips.

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Lenovo IdeaPad U350

If you have laptop needs but only a netbook-sized cavity in your carry-on, you need one of the growing number of notebooks that slot in between the eee-clones and pricey ultraportables. Lenovo's IdeaPad U350 is the latest, a svelte, 13.3-inch machine with a funky rubberized back and sophisticated design. It's been hitting test benches at various places and is getting good but not quite great reviews. Laptop Magazine loved the design and the $679 starting price, but found battery life (3.5 hours) to be disappointing. Computer Shopper was a bit more positive, knocking its performance but calling the system "feather-light" and its 1,366 x 768 screen "gorgeous." Finally, StarkSilverCreek's review is the least flattering, including concerns about excessive heat and a system fan that hardly ever turned off. Overall it seems like a decent choice if you don't mind a warm lap and can't quite swing a T400s, but if you're looking for alternatives perhaps you'd be interested in a Timeline 8000 or the like.

Read - Laptop Magazine

Read - Computer Shopper

Read - StarkSilverCreek

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Sony laptops can't use Windows 7's XP

 

Bad news for VAIO owners out there hoping to use Windows 7's XP mode or run any other hardcore virtual machine applications -- Sony disables the required hardware virtualization features of its laptops for "security reasons." That means XP Mode won't work on any VAIOs, but there's hope yet: Sony's Xavier Lauwaert says that the company will re-enable VT on "select models." We'll see what that means going forward -- XP Mode is a niche feature, but it's still pretty lame for Sony to be intentionally disabling hardware features.
Read - The Register
Read - Xavier's post on the Windows Partner Blog (scroll down to his comment)

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Lenovo ThinkPad T400s

Lenovo combine the powerful and slim design notebook, with the name announced Lenovo ThinkPad T400s. Its powered by Intel 2.53GHz Core 2 Duo processors.

Other features will found as mentioned below:

• 250GB Hard Drive
• Optional up-to 128GB SSD
• 9.5mm DVD Burner / Blu-Ray Player
• Ethernet
• Wi-Fi
• 34mm Express Card Slot
• 5 in 1 Card Reader
• 6 Cell Battery
• USB/eSATA Port
• VGA connectors
• Lenovo ConstantConnect and Protect technology

The ThinkPad T400s will be on sale to the market start from 1,599 USD.

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Medion Akoya P6620

Medion will launch its new laptop with the name of Medion Akoya P6620. The 16-inch device will go on sale on August 9. Its widescreen size will look strange carrying such a big laptop, isn’t it?

The 16 inch screen have a resolution of 1366 x 768. Using Intel Core 2 Duo T6500 processor, up to 4GB of memory, graphich support by NVIDIA GeForce GT220M DirectX 10 graphics card, and the 8 cell Li-ion battery will keep it longer in working time.

Other features are:

• 320GB Hard Disk
• DVD burner
• USB/eSATA port
• VGA
• HDMI
• Webcam
• Microphone
• Ethernet LAN
• Two speakers

The Medion Akoya P6620 is support Windows 7 OS, and will be available on the market about £ 499.99.

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ASUS Eee PC 1000HE

 

Netbook ASUS Eee PC 1000HE is not just a lightweight upgrade from ASUS netbook 1000 series. Powered by Intel Atom N280, although not bring a significant change from the preceding Intel N270.

Increasing the power of use, the 6 cell battery of this asus netbook make very long endurance battery life, can even say netbook that has the the longest battery than the others on the market.

Specifications as follow:

• Intel Mobile Atom N280 Processor
• 1GB DDR2 Memory (2GB Maximum)
• 160GB 5400rpm SATA Hard Drive
• 10-inch WXVGA (1024 × 600) Wide LCD with 1.3 Megapixel Webcam
• Intel GMA 950 Integrated Graphics
• Fast Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n Wireless, Bluetooth
• Three USB 2.0, VGA, 4-in-1 Card Reader
• 10.5″ x 7.5″ x 1.5″ @ 3.2 lbs.
• Windows XP Home

In addition, ASUS change keyboard layout by putting among the “shift” in a more easy to reach. Other features is a 802.11n wireless connectivity and Bluetooth. With the abundant and light weight features, Eee PC 1000HE could be a netbook with a relatively cheap price.

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Compaq Presario CQ60-419WM

CQ60-419WM laptop has 15.6-inch with 1366×768 resolutions, equiped with 2.10 GHz AMD Sempron SI-42 Processor and up to 4096MB Ram, the graphic useNVIDIA GeForce 8200M with Up to 1407MB memory, the storage media will have 160GB hard-drive.

Other features found on this laptop as follow:

• SuperMulti 8X DVD±R/RW Double Layer
• WiFi 802.11b/g Connectivity
• Altec Lansing audio
• OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (32-bit)

If you are interested with this Compaq Presario CQ60-419WM, Walmart has announce limited promotions with a good deal at only $289.

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Maingear's eX-L 18

You know, this whole "most powerful laptop" game is pretty hilarious. Back in '05, CompAmerica's (who?) Orca 9098 held the title with a cutting-edge 3.8GHz Pentium 4, and over the years, we've watched outfit after outfit pull the award back and forth, much like those tugging games we used to play as tots. Regardless, it seems as if Maingear's down for the fun, today rolling out the planet's all new "world's most powerful gaming laptop" in the eX-L 18, which arrives with an undisclosed Intel Core 2 Duo Extreme processor, twin NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M GPUs, up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, up to three 2.5-inch SATA or SSD drives, an optional Blu-ray drive and a screen that's probably larger than your mother's desktop LCD. And by that, we mean 18.4-inches with a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. If you're down with lugging around this beast, you can get one headed your way provided you've got at least $2,999 you're willing to see off.

MAINGEAR Unveils the World's Most Powerful Gaming Notebook

eX-L 18 laptop delivers unprecedented performance with Dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M GPUs with NVIDIA SLI technology, GPU Computing with NVIDIA CUDA, 1080p HD resolution support and an Intel Core 2 Extreme CPU

Union, New Jersey – July 23, 2009 – MAINGEAR Computers, award-winning builders of high performance custom computers for PC gamers and enthusiasts, is proud to announce the world's most powerful desktop replacement notebook, the eX-L 18. Featuring dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M graphics processing units (GPUs) with NVIDIA SLI technology, the eX-L 18 brings your games and multimedia to life with brilliant 3D graphics and movies in 1080p HD resolution. With powerful Intel Core 2 mobile processors, eX-L 18 delivers breakthrough multi-core performance and dual-channel DDR3 memory.

"MainGear has equipped the eX-L 18 with the world's fastest notebook graphics solution," said Rene Hass, General Manager of the notebook business unit at NVIDIA. "With NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M GPUs, MainGear's customers will experience breathtaking in gaming physics from titles such as Terminator Salvation or Darkest of Days and are ready for GPU computing applications such as Badaboom, vReveal and Arcsoft SimHD."

NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 280M GPUs are the fastest GeForce notebook GPUs ever. Built-in support for NVIDIA® PhysX™ technology enables a new world of ultra realistic gaming effects from lifelike explosions to natural water. Stay on top of your game with the highest performance using the latest notebook drivers direct from NVIDIA.com. When you're not gaming, NVIDIA® CUDA™ technology offers breakthrough performance in compute-intensive tasks like video transcoding and photo editing, delivering up to 10x faster performance compared to traditional CPUs. Watch high-definition videos come alive with sharp images and vibrant colors supported by NVIDIA® PureVideo® HD technology, which enables extended battery life so you never miss a scene.

The eX-L 18 is chock full of expansion potential, with up to 3 2.5" SATA or SSD drives configurable in RAID formations. eSATA, HDMI, USB 2.0, and FireWire ensure that you can use the eX-L 18 just

like you would a desktop and without compromise. Additional features include a 3 Megapixel video camera provides high definition video conferencing, and a full sized keyboard with a number pad, and programmable gaming buttons.

"With the increasing demand for mobile high performance computing solutions, we wanted to offer our customers with the most powerful gaming desktop replacement possible" said Wallace Santos, CEO and Founder of MAINGEAR. "With the co-processing power of the Intel Core 2 CPU and dual NVIDIA GPUs , you're able to get the same cutting edge technology available to desktop users in a balanced computing configuration that is ideal for today's GPU computing environment ."

The eX-L 18 also features MAINGEAR's M.A.R.C. custom laser etching technology. Customers can upload the image or logo of their choice and MAINGEAR will customize your notebook to specifically fit your personal style or corporate brand.

Consumers can purchase the MAINGEAR eX-L 18 at MAINGEAR's Web site www.maingear.com or order by phone at (888-MAINGEAR). The base price $2,999. eX-L 18 comes standard with MAINGEAR's standard 14 month warranty and is backed by the best in-house support team

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HP Mini 5101

HP Mini 5101 netbook approved for use by mini executives

The Mini 5101, or Mini Executive as HP would have it, is now available to purchase, with prices starting at $399.99. While still a netbook at heart, the 5101 has an impressive array of accoutrements: aluminum and magnesium shell for lightweight (2.64 lbs) sturdiness, flat chiclet keyboard, 10.1-inch LED-backlit display, and at an extra cost, 128GB SSD and 1366 x 768 resolution upgrade options. The build quality and keyboard got high marks from us when we handled the machine back in June, and now a couple of online scribes have put together timely in-depth reviews of the device. They share the impression that HP has a strong business product on its hands, highlighted by a class-leading WiFi signal of 37.7 Mbps at 15 feet, though they were also concerned that neither pricing nor battery life (between 5 and 7 hours) are the best available. Hit up the read links for all the delectable details.
[Thanks, Knifex4]
Read - HP product page
Read - Laptop Mag review
Read - PC Mag review

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Dell Studio 14z hits the review bench

While ASUS is busy adding an optical drive to its Eee PC line, Dell is diving into the low-priced, optical-free, thin-and-light category with its new Studio 14z portable. The folks at Laptop Mag have taken the new laptop for a spin, and seem to like what they see. While its 4.4 pound weight isn't quite best in class, the 14z outperforms most of its brethren thanks to GeForce 9400M graphics and a "real" Core 2 Duo processor -- none of that weak sauce CULV stuff. The battery life isn't bad either, and for $750 it's easy on the wallet. You just have to ask yourself: can you live without instant access on-the-go to your limited edition set of Billy Joel hits on Compact Disc?

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