CES - Computers and hardware

LAS VEGAS--The 18.5-inch wide-screen C205 is Lenovo's answer to the budget desktop computer, and Lenovo hopes that families will look to its all-in-one as the central data hub that can truly do it all. Powered by an AMD dual-core E-350 processor, up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, and up to 500GB of hard disk storage space, the C205 is well-equipped to handle light-duty functionality, streaming video, and most of the common processes that we expect in the modern household.

Unlike its full-featured sibling, the Lenovo IdeaCentre A320, the C205 comes with an integrated optical DVD drive and a … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Lenovo displayed a flair for design with last year's unique all-in-one IdeaCentre A300 40181OU, which we gave positive marks for its competent Web video capabilities, HDMI input, and plentiful connectivity options, so we're anxious to see how the IdeaCentre A320 holds up to the competition.

The update gets the HD treatment with a 21.5-inch, 16:9 widescreen LED display supported by the familiar horizontally situated base unit. This time around, you also get additional benefits by way of Intel's second-generation Core i5 processor, double the memory (up to 8GB), 750GB of hard-disk storage, an integrated … Read more

LAS VEGAS--While the Lenovo IdeaCentre B320 doesn't offer quite as many entertainment features as the larger, more expensive IdeaCentre B520, the 21.5-inch B320 offers a more specialized take, focusing on enabling you to watch TV content on your PC.

The B320 comes with a TV tuner, which isn't particularly innovative, but it also supports a feature Lenovo is calling Hardware TV. Essentially it allows you to watch TV on your all-in-one without having to boot the system up first.

You get the same features you normally expect from a TV tuner-equipped PC, including recording and picture-in-picture (PIP) … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Marvell announced its new storage controller this week that combines a regular hard-disk drive (HDD) and a solid-state drive (SSD) to create a hybrid storage solution designed to offer SSD-like performance while retaining the capacity benefits of traditional hard drives.

Intrigued by the idea, I visited the company's demonstration today and found it indeed intriguing and at the same time practical.

At the demo, Marvel used a controller card, powered by its HyperDuo chip, that has two SATA 6Gbps ports. This card is similar to any PCIe SATA controller cards you find on the market. The difference is, … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Lenovo just demonstrated a sharp-looking, powerful new home entertainment-oriented all-in-one PC for us, and while it wasn't the most seamless presentation we've ever seen, the IdeaCentre B520 has potential. The 23.6-inch B520 comes with Intel Sandy Bridge Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs, as well the option for multiple Nvidia graphics chips, a Blu-ray drive, and HDMI output and input, among other specs.

But unlike the Acer Aspire Z5673, Lenovo is actually bringing its Nvidia 3D Vision-capable all-in-one to the U.S. We watched a few movies and played some games on the IdeaCentre B520 during … Read more

LAS VEGAS--A new gadget from Aluratek takes the idea of an Internet-enabled TV and ramps it up a few notches.

Being demonstrated this week at the Consumer Electronics Show, the new device lets you use your TV as a full computer with the ability to surf any Web site. The device is so new that it doesn't yet have an official name. The working title is Plug PC, but that may change based in part on the response it gets from the crowds at CES.

How does it work? Plug PC contains an embedded copy of Ubuntu Linux. Just … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Adding to the parade of new desktops with Sandy Bridge CPUs, Dell announced that its new XPS 8300 and an Alienware Aurora system will be getting Intel's new CPUs.

Details are scarce at the moment, at least until we can find a minute to get over to Dell's booth, but for now, Dell's PR blog has some specs for the Alienware system (scroll down to the bottom of the page).

We'll stop in with Dell in a little while to check out the new systems, but the basics include Sandy Bridge Core i5 and Core … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Sony's Vaio line adds several new models, including a high-end 3D gaming laptop and a slim 11-incher that is clearly aimed at replacing less expensive Netbooks in the company's lineup. Here are the new models, rounded up for easy viewing.

>> Sony's 13-inch Vaio S Series aims up the middle The Vaio S series aims to offer a stylish 13-inch Vaio at much more competitive prices.

>>Sony trades Netbooks for the 11-inch Vaio Y series In the space of 12 months, Netbooks, though still popular, have lost some of their sheen, and we'… Read more

Victorinox Swiss Army, makers of the popular multitool, today announced three new secure flash drives for travelers who want more than just your generic USB-powered storage key. The Slim and Slim Duo devices are outfitted with Victorinox's classic folding pocket knives, scissors, and nail files, but each also includes a USB flash drive, with up to 64GB of storage for the Slim and 128GB for the Slim Duo.

Both drives are waterproof and shock-resistant, available for purchase in a variety of bright colors (red, blue, orange, pink, green, silver), and also available in knifeless flight-friendly versions.

The Victorinox Secure … Read more