beats

New HP laptops and accessories on the way, from Netbooks to 3D desktop replacements

Market-leading PC maker Hewlett-Packard has been making headlines this summer, but not necessarily for its hardware. That's about to change with this collection of new laptop hardware and related accessories, ranging from 10-inch Netbooks to massive 17-inch desktop replacements that play 3D content.

Mini 210 and Mini 5103 NetbooksThe Netbook scene hasn't seen a lot of upgraded hardware since the start of the 2010, but new Intel dual-core Atom N550 processors are a potential bright spot (we've already seen Netbooks such as the Asus Eee PC 1215N with the current D525 dual-core version). The Atom N550 will be available on the new HP Mini 210 as an upgrade option. Otherwise, the new HP Mini 210 remains similar to what we've seen previously.

Starting at $329, the 10-inch-screened Mini 210 comes in Atom N455, N475 or N550 versions, with optional HD-resolution screens, Broadcom Crystal HD Enhanced Video Accelerators, and GPS. New colors include charcoal, crimson red, lavender frost, luminous rose, and ocean drive. The new HP Mini 210s are immediately.

The higher-end HP Mini 5103 is the successor to the 5102, and shares its ProBook-like looks (both are technically part of HP's business laptop line, but still very popular with consumers). An Intel Atom N550 dual-core processor is the default, along with support for faster DDR3 RAM and 7,200 rpm hard drives.

A spill resistant, more durable keyboard, Espresso-color metal chassis, and optional Gobi broadband and GPS round out the features on this slightly more upscale 10.1-inch Netbook, which also starts a bit higher at $399. The Mini 5103 is available starting September 17.… Read more

Google starts video series showcasing hot searches

Too bad This Week in Google was already taken.

Google announced plans Friday to produce a weekly video show called Google Beat, in which it will highlight the top search queries of the week as produced by Google Insights for Search and Google Trends. Gabriel Stricker, a Google representative, described the show as a weekly representative of the yearly Google Zeitgeist list that the company puts together toward the end of a calendar year, listing the most active search terms for that year.

It's a bit of a departure for Google: the format is basically a 90-second news/entertainment … Read more

Diddybeats serve up features, style, and sound

It might be said that the best people to create audio products such as headphones are musicians. That was certainly Monster's feeling when the cable company teamed up with Dr. Dre to create a line of headphones vetted by the hip hop legend. The Beats line encompasses everything from full-size studio cans to a pair of glittery 'buds from Lady Gaga.

Now, Monster and Dr. Dre have brought Sean "Diddy" Combs into the fold, and he has introduced yet another model to the line, the Diddybeats High Performance In-Ear Headphones. The $150 earphones certainly reflect the rapper'… Read more

Reports: Zynga may launch social-games network

It may owe its fortunes to Facebook, but the word is that social-gaming giant Zynga is getting ready to launch its own site in a bid to wean itself from its dependency on the popular social network.

According to TechCrunch, Zynga CEO Mark Pincus hosted a company meeting Thursday afternoon in which he asserted that hit games like Farmville, Mafia Wars, Cafe World and others might soon appear on their own social games site called Zynga Live.

"'Pincus announced at a 5 p.m. meeting yesterday at Zynga that Zynga was going to launch a social game network called Zynga Live,'" TechCrunch wrote, quoting from an anonymous insider e-mail.

The theory here is that Zynga and Facebook are clashing over the percentage that the social gaming giant might have to pay to use Facebook Credits, the social network's nascent currency platform.

"'Facebook and Zynga [have] been negotiating on Facebook Credits and the talks turned for the worst,'" TechCrunch quoted the e-mail as saying. "'In the negotiation process, Facebook shut off Zynga's feeds and threatened to shut down games. Zynga, in the process, threatened to completely leave Facebook and prepared to do so in the previous upcoming weeks."… Read more

HP expands Envy laptop line with 14- and 17-inch models, plus new Pavilions

One of the few new premium laptop brands we've seen recently is HP's Envy line, launched late last year with the HP Envy 13 and HP Envy 15. We liked both for their snappy designs, high-powered components, and big touch pads--but at $1,500-$2,000, depending on configuration, they were ridiculously expensive.

The second generation of Envy laptops is here, and the two new models are the Envy 14 and Envy 17. The new machines have some subtle tweaks, but the most important one is the new starting prices. The 14-inch model starts at $999, and the 17-inch model starts at $1,399. Breaking the $1,000 barrier is a big deal, at least psychologically, and makes these seem like a good choice in the premium-but-affordable department.

The Envy 14 is 1.1 inches thick, weighs 5.25 pounds, and offers Intel Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 processors. The 14.5-inch 16:9 display runs at 1,600x900 pixels, and the system supports switchable graphics, pairing integrated Intel graphics with an ATI Mobility Radeon 5650. The Envy 14 also adds a backlit keyboard, one of the key upscale features missing from the more-expensive Envy 13. At $999, the magnesium/aluminum alloy Envy compares very favorably with the current $999 MacBook, which has a polycarbonate body and an older Core 2 Duo CPU.

The Envy 17 is about 1.5 inches thick and weighs 7.5 pounds--making it thin but heavy for a desktop replacement. In it, you've got a choice of Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors, along with ATI Mobility Radeon 5850 graphics. Two 17.3-inch 16:9 display options are available: basic 1,600x900-pixel resolution (but for a 17-inch laptop that costs more than $1,000, why bother?) and full HD 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution. Like the 14-inch model, it also includes a backlit keyboard, and both have Beats-Audio-branded audio subsystems.

The HP Envy 17 will be available starting May 19, and the HP Envy 14 will be available starting June 27. Check out some more shots of the Envy 14 and Envy 17 in the gallery after the jump. … Read more

eBay founder launches Hawaiian news site

The founder of eBay is launching a new online site where people can read and discuss local news. The catch? It'll cost you a monthly subscription, and it's only available in Hawaii for now.

Pierre Omidyar, who started eBay in 1995 and now lives in Honolulu, is hoping his fellow Hawaiian neighbors will pay $19.95 a month to read and comment on local and community news. Launching on Wednesday but officially opening for business May 4, Civil Beat is billing itself as a virtual civic square where reporters will write about issues relevant to Hawaii, converse with … Read more

Amazon.com has the TrekStor i.Beat Organix 1GB MP3 Player for $84.80, after $35.19 savings.

Save $35.19 on the TrekStor i.Beat Organix 1GB MP3 Player from Amazon.com >> Regular price is $119.99 >> Sale price is $84.80 >> Savings $35.19 (29.33%) >> Click here for deal

Prizefight: Beats Solo by Dr. Dre vs. Bose On-Ear Headphones

Bose has built quite the reputation for its entire audio line, so it's no surprise that the company's portable headphones, the On-Ear, have a tidy little following. These cushy, earpad-style cans distinguish themselves from their brethren by removing Bose's signature noise-canceling functionality in favor of offering a slightly deflated price tag. But don't fret: the On-Ear headphones still present a sleek design that's understated and compact without feeling flimsy. It's no wonder the Bose name springs easily to the lips whenever headphones are mentioned, and why plenty of competitors want a piece of that … Read more

Be a rockstar on your iPhone

Rock Band Free is a one-song, no-cost preview of Rock Band, the iPhone and iPod Touch adaptation of the hit rhythm-based game available on consoles such as the PS3 and Xbox 360.

The game's interface shows incredible fidelity to the console version, right down to menus, sound effects, and a look and feel that closely mimics the original. Without plastic instruments, though, gameplay is of course fairly different, as you're pressing touch-screen buttons in time with approaching notes on bass, guitar, drums, and vocals--but the game still does a good job of keeping a Rock Band feel, with … Read more