BenQ’s featherweight Joybook Lite U101 is Atom powered Bharat | Jan 9 2009 BenQ has been off the hook for a while now, but they have finally collect

Sony’s laptop batteries are again becoming a problem. Last year, Toshiba recalled 830,000 notebook batteries and now, they have made a recall for another 10,000 Sony laptop batteries. Three of the machines were reported to go up in smoke between September 2006 and June 2007. No injuries have been reported, but the recall has once again raised the concerns with the Sony notebook batteries.
The new recall caters to two models, the Satellite A100/A105 and the Tecra A7. The details of the part numbers and instructions for the battery exchange have been put up on the Toshiba web site.
Sony in problem:
Last year, nearly 10 million Sony manufactured hazardous batteries were recalled and that reportedly cost Sony approximately $418 million. The new recall by Toshiba is small but the situation might get worse. Moreover, customers will think ten times before opting for a laptop integrating Sony manufactured battery. It’s the high time Sony should come out with a solution to the burning problem.

Billy Joel certified GPS equipped Asus U3 laptop released in market

Is that a book on the table? Well, it’s a notebook. The picture above is not anything else but, a Asus U3 laptop released in the market. Asus, the laptop manufacturing company has been developing some pretty innovative products lately. The latest in the market is the 13inch ultra portable U3 laptop.
The U3 is well equipped with a Santa Rosa chipset. This laptop is probably one of the fewer models which use the low voltage intel dual core processor. The best part about this baby is it’s packed with a host of technologies. It has a HDMI, GPS, S-video and eSATA. This is the first time I am hearing about a laptop equipped with a GPS. I think that’s a great deal.
The antenna port of the laptop is built in on the right side of the laptop. The laptop will have firewire ports along with ExpressCard 54 slots.
The exterior is finished in superior piano black leather approved by Billy Joel. Now this yet another interesting part. I wonder how Billy Joel fits in the equation. Moving on, the exterior also provides a set of USB ports just like any other laptops.
The laptop is priced at around $2000. However, this depends on the dealers. For this price tag, the company provides a great laptop with a LED backlit variety screen. The narrow and slim profile makes this laptop slim and as they claim ultra portable. Even though the pricing information has been released, we haven’t managed to get a release date yet.

Fujitsu LifeBook N6460...fully loaded!

Another notebook that amalgamates desktop like power in it and touts aloud of its power to convert your notebook into an inflexible Media Center PC is Fujitsu’s new LifeBook N6460 .
The notebook comes powered with Genuine Windows Vista and features Intel Core 2 Duo Processor united with high-speed ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2600 graphics that delivers superior level of performance to gamers and technology cravers and comes packed with high contrast 17-inch Color-Enhanced Crystal View display, video optimization circuitry and built-in stereo sound system with subwoofer.
More features of the LifeBook N6460 include:
* 2 GB DDR2 667 MHz SDRAM memory * 1 GB Intel Turbo Memory * Dual-Layer Multi-Format DVD Writer * Fingerprint Sensor * Remote Control * Built-in WLAN 11AGN * 1000/100/10 Mbps (GigaBit) LAN * 56Kbps modem * PCMIA Card Slot * 5x USB 2.0 ports * Mini D-SUB 15-pin VGA-out * S-Video Out * HDMI-Video Out * IEEE 1394 * SD/MS/MS PRO memory card slot * Lithium ion 3200 mAh battery
The laptop is available in 2 configurations in US stores with main difference of 200 GB (4200 rpm, SATA) hard drive (200 GB x 1) and 400 GB (4200 rpm, SATA) hard drive (200 GB x 2) and to get it you have to shell out $1,799 and $2,599, respectively.

BenQ’s featherweight Joybook Lite U101 is Atom powered Bharat | Jan 9 2009 BenQ has been off the hook for a while now, but they have finally collect

Asus’ U3 laptop is now officially announced to hit our shelves and it appears that company has bundled it with all the goodies to magnetize young geeks with its arresting specs.
This 13.3 inches Santa Rosa-based notebook features piano painted LCD cover exterior, stainless contour and magnesium aluminum alloy casing with genuine leather bound palm rest.
U3 series notebooks detailed hardware specs comprise:
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7500/ T7300/ T7100/ T5450/ T5250/ CM540 Mobile Intel GM965 Chipset, ICH8M South Bridge Intel 4965 a/b/g/n, 3945 a/b/g Network Connection Genuine Windows Vista nVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS with 128MB VRAM, Turbo Cache 384MB with 1GB system Memory; 896MB with 2GB System Memory 1.3M Pixels Video Camera Up to 2560MB DDR2 667 MHz RAM (only 1 slot) Support for Intel Turbo Memory SATA HDD up to 160 GB, Turbo Memory/ GPS/ 3G/ Bluetooth Option External USB Optical Disc Drive (Combo/Super Multi) Ports: 1x HDMI, 1x e-SATA, External GPS RF in connector, VGA port/Mini D-sub, 3x USB 2.0 ports, Audio jack, LAN RJ-45, Phone RJ-11 jack, 1394 Type jack, TV-Out (S-video) Dimensions: 31.85 x 24.3 x 2.22~3.22cm Weight: 1.75kg (with 3 cell battery)
The notebook is forecasted to release sometimes in September and will hit our shelves with $2,000 price tag ballpark.

Toshiba Qosmio G35-AV660

CPU 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7200

RAM 2GB DDR2 667

Hard Drive 240GB SATA (120GBx2 RAID-0)

Graphics Card(s) NVIDIA GeForce Go 7600 (256MB)

Optical Drive HD DVD

Screen Size and Resolution 17" / 1920x1200

Dimensions 16.0" W x 11.6" D x 1.79" H

Weight 10.1 lbs

Approximate Price $3,499.99

Here we have another HD DVD capable laptop, this time brought to you by the good people over at Toshiba. With a 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2GB of RAM, 240GB of RAID-0 goodness, and a NVIDIA GeForce Go 7600, Toshiba provides a nice supporting cast of components to complement the HD DVD player. They also throw in a biometric fingerprint scanner for good measure.

If you look really closely, you will see that the Qosmio G35-AV660's specs are very close to the Acer Aspire 9810 reviewed earlier, albeit with some slight differences. That being said, Toshiba is going to have a hard act to follow considering that the Qosmio costs roughly $900 more than the comparable Acer.

Toshiba offers 240GB of hard drive space (RAID-0) in the Qosmio, which differentiates it slightly, but RAID-0 just offers more space, without any data protection benefit, rendering it near-useless as a selling point or justification for a higher price. One area that some users may find it worth shelling out the extra dough for the Toshiba is that it offers full HD resolution, instead of being limited to 720p like the Acer is. Unfortunately, the Qosmio's screen is only 17', so some users may be willing to tradeoff 1080p on a 17' screen for 720p on a 20' screen.

I'm not going to completely rehash why buying a HD DVD laptop may not be a good idea at this junction in time, except to say it may not really be a viable reason to spend money on a brand new technology that might not be around in a few years. Like the Acer before it, I'm going to put a better video card on my short wish list of things to fix about the Qosmio G35-AV660.

Is the Qosmio worth the asking price? It depends on your needs, I suppose. If you really need a high definition portable video player with 1920x1200 resolution, this may be the system for you. If you don't see the immediate need for something like this right now, you may consider the laptop slightly not worth it.

Sony Vaio VGN-AR190G

CPU 2.0 GHz Intel Core Duo T2500

RAM 2GB DDR2 533

Hard Drive 200GB SATA (2x100GB RAID-0)

Graphics Card(s) NVIDIA GeForce Go 7600GT (256MB)

Optical Drive Blu-ray

Screen Size and Resolution 17" / 1920x1200

Dimensions 16.4" W x 11.8" D x 1.32" H

Weight 8.4 lbs

Approximate Price $3,799.00

We have here a first for the mobile world - a portable Blu-ray drive in a laptop. Depending on your needs, this may not get a rise out of you, but for a lot of tech geeks out there this is a pretty cool thing. We've seen several vendors (including a few on this list) with HD-DVD capable laptops, but this is the first one available with Blu-ray.

If you set aside the fact that there is a Blu-ray drive in this laptop, the hardware doesn't seem that amazing compared to the others. The only exception is that the VGN-AR190G boasts dual hard drives for 200GB of storage. Otherwise, the CPU is a normal Core Duo, it has the standard 2GB of RAM, and the GeForce Go 7600GT is an okay choice. 1920x1200 resolution on a 17' screen again may be too small for some users, but the HD video junkie that purchases this laptop is unlikely to care.

My main gripe about this system also happens to be its biggest selling point: Blu-ray. While it is indeed cool that you can record HD quality video on this laptop (unlike the other systems that only have HD DVD players) there is questionable value in this fact. There's an interesting duality here. If you were to buy a standalone Blu-ray recorder for your home, it will run you about $1,000. Depending on how you look at it, the rest of the hardware technically would only cost $2,800, which isn't too bad for a system such as this. There's another viewpoint however, and this is more like how I see the VGN-AR190G. Since Blu-ray is waging its war with HD-DVD for the title of de facto high definition standard (this generation's BetaMax vs. VHS?), it is still too early to tell which will win, so why would you shell out this much money when down the road Blu-ray may not emerge victorious? I personally would not be a happy camper having shelled out $3,400 for this laptop, and God knows how much on blank Blu-ray discs, only to have them go the way of the dinosaurs by the end of 2007. For this reason, factoring in the current market price for normal Blu-ray recorders as justification for the price is nullified by the fact that it may be useless in a very short time.

On the other hand, Blu-ray may win and then you can have the privilege of crowing to all your buddies about how you knew it all along and were cool enough to be an early adopter. Check back later, my crystal ball's kind of cloudy at the moment.

Falcon Northwest FragBook DR 6800A

CPU 2.4GHz AMD Athlon64 X2 4600+

RAM 2GB DDR 400

Hard Drive 120GB SATA

Graphics Card(s) NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900 (512MB)

Optical Drive 8X DVD+/-RW

Screen Size and Resolution 17" / 1920x1200

Dimensions 15.5"W x 11.7" D x 1.9" H

Weight 12.7 lbs

Approximate Price $4,943.34

You almost had to expect to see an entry from Falcon Northwest on this list. Having long been one of the premier boutique PC shops, Falcon does not disappoint with the FragBook DR 6800A (well, relatively speaking). Probably the closest competitor to Apple in the way of fit and finish, you'd be hard pressed to find many nicer looking laptops. There's a great deal of aesthetic modifications you can have done right at Falcon's factory before the laptop ships.

Inside the FragBook isn't much of a slouch either. Powered by a desktop 2.4GHz AMD Athlon64 X2 4600+, there's a ton of power at your fingertips (and a lot of heat in your lap). Coupled with 2GB of DDR RAM, a 120GB SATA hard drive, and a NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900 displaying 1920x1200 on a 17' screen, you've got yourself quite a system, for gaming or otherwise.

There's not a lot to criticize this system for- save the desktop processor and its heat output, the potential eye strain mentioned previously when coupling a 17' screen with a 1920x1200 resolution, and lack of SLI at this price point. Remember, this article is not really focused on whether or not this is a good system. Every laptop here is kickass. The determining factor is whether the price is justified.

Despite the fact that the laptop is a great performer and has eleventy-billion coats of nice shiny paint that you can comb your hair while looking at, for almost $5,000 it's a bit steep. For that price, I would be looking for SLI and either a Turion64 X2 or Core 2 Duo processor.

Dell XPS M2010

CPU 2.33GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7600

RAM 2GB DDR2 667

Hard Drive 120GB SATA RAID-1

Graphics Card(s) ATI Mobility X1800 (256MB)

Optical Drive DVD-RW

Screen Size and Resolution 20" / 1680x1050

Dimensions 18.85" W x 15.9" D x 2.9" H

Weight 18.3 lbs

Approximate Price $4,649.00

Dell sort of broke the mold with this one. They're not usually known for innovative design, but this mobile' unit is like none of the others. It's a true desktop replacement solution, and runs a 2.33GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2GB DDR2 RAM, ATI Mobility Radeon X1800 graphics card, and boasts a 20' LCD running a native resolution of 1680x1050. It's a beast in every sense of the word- an 18 pound, almost 19' wide monster.

There's a lot to like in the M2010. If you so choose, you can boost the RAM to 4GB (and add a couple grand to the price tag in the process), run 120GB SATA hard drives mirrored in RAID-1 (as the above configuration shows), and have a great screen with a resolution that is perfectly matched for it.

There are a couple of things I question about this model, however. First and foremost, I question the usefulness of the M2010 as a mobile' unit, as it has been marketed by Dell. I suppose you could fold the screen down, pick the thing up and lug it somewhere, but its sheer size makes that seem very unlikely in real world practice. It appears like it would be more at home on some yuppie's minimalist glass desk than in a student's book bag or on a commuter train. I would hesitate to brand it as a mobile' unit as it more closely resembles an all-in-one or small form factor (SFF) computer.
Also, since the unit is so large, I don't know why Dell didn't choose a better (or newer generation) video card. They could have fit a bigger, faster card that produces more heat inside because size (and heat dissipation) is not as much of an issue when you have 19' to work with.

The system is a design marvel, but the limited mobility makes it somewhat of an overpriced desktop system, as you can get a better SFF desktop for a lot less.

Asus Lamborghini VX1

CPU 2.0 GHz Intel Core Duo T2500

RAM 2GB DDR2 667

Hard Drive 160GB PATA

Graphics Card(s) NVIDIA GeForce Go7400 VX (512MB)

Optical Drive 4X DVD+/-RW

Screen Size and Resolution 15" / 1400x1050

Dimensions 13" W x 10.7" D x 1.5" H

Weight 5.3 lbs

Approximate Price $2,799.99

Following in the footsteps of Acer's Ferrari line of laptops, Asus has teamed with Automobili Lamborghini to bring you the VX1. Available in the same yellow or black that you can purchase your next Lamborghini pasta-rocket in, the VX1 is largely crafted out of carbon alloy to reduce its weight to a hair over five pounds, a full pound-and-a-half less than the next lightest laptop, the MacBook Pro.

A standard VX1 configuration includes a 2.0GHz Intel Core Duo CPU, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, 160GB PATA hard drive, NVIDIA GeForce Go7400 VX GPU, and a 15' screen running at 1400x1050 resolution.

The hardware in the VX1 leaves me a little under whelmed for almost three grand out of my piggy bank. The CPU isn't even Core 2 Duo, the video card is middle of the road, the DVD drive is slower than any other laptop in this review, and the screen is 2' smaller than the other guys' laptops. I know they all can't be 19'+ behemoths, because that's not the only kind of laptop there is, but for this price you'd expect a little more.

I can understand why a company would market such a laptop - it certainly looks great, it's compact and light, and comes with a nice bundle (including a Lamborghini branded mouse pad and carrying case). In this instance, you're definitely paying a price premium for the automotive paintjob and Lamborghini emblem. A similarly equipped Dell XPS would run you about $800 less, but would certainly not look as nice. You probably won't see a lot of people running around with this laptop (kind of like you won't see a ton of Lamborghinis on the road) but I think that's more to do with Asus' method of distribution than anything else.

Apple MacBook Pro (17")

CPU 2.16GHz Intel Core Duo T2600

RAM 2GB DDR2 667

Hard Drive 120GB SATA

Graphics Card(s) ATI Radeon X1600 (256MB)

Optical Drive 8X DVD+/-RW

Screen Size and Resolution 17" / 1680x1050

Dimensions 15.4" W x 10.4" D x 1.0" H

Weight 6.8 lbs

Approximate Price $3,099.00

The list of features, bundled accessories and capabilities of this small device look pretty impressive on paper, but let's see how it stacks up in actual usage.

Often synonymous with the word expensive', Apple makes an appearance on this list with their 17' MacBook Pro. Featuring an Intel Core Duo processor, 2GB of RAM, and an ATI Mobility Radeon X1600, Apple can finally hang with the big boys of the laptop world.

The bar for measuring how much laptop you get for the money is a little different with the MacBook Pro. Normally I would fault Apple for only' including an ATI Radeon X1600 with a machine that costs $3,100 because of my gaming tendencies. Since gaming and Apple are not normally used in the same sentence (unless that sentence is prefaced with the words don't even think about'), I can't really fault the MacBook Pro too much.

I hate to say it, for fear of inciting the anti-Mac crowd, but there are few laptops that are built as well as Apple's or include as many innovative or well-engineered features. The quality here is top-notch, and the fit and finish is second to none. It is also the thinnest laptop of the bunch, besting the next-thinnest by almost a third of an inch.

The rest of the hardware specs are comparable to the other models in this article, perhaps a tad worse. The area in which this laptop really shines is the fact that you can now dual boot Windows XP and OSX with the Apple-supplied Boot Camp or Parallels on the MacBook Pro, which obviously is a feature unique to Apple products. In my mind, this feature adds a great deal of value to the MacBook Pro, especially for those who have wanted to try OSX but were afraid to spend the money on an OSX-only Mac system. This laptop allows users to run all of their favorite programs for each OS on one single machine, and to choose between Microsoft and Apple for specific tasks, which was previously unheard of.

Sure, this laptop isn't that great for gaming, but the added functionality of dual booting makes that shortcoming seem miniscule. Now, had Apple included a better video card and a Core 2 Duo CPU, then the MacBook Pro could have earned ten moneybags.