core

HP Folio ultrabook available--initially, on the cheap

HP's first ultrabook is now available--and for a limited time below the list price of $899.

The 3.3-pound, 0.7-inch thick Folio 13 was announced on November 15 and has just become available today.

It packs decent hardware for a model that retails for $899, sans coupon code (see graphic). The Folio has a Core i5-2467M processor (not a lower-performance Core i3 like other ultrabooks), 4GB of RAM, a 128GB solid-state drive, a backlit keyboard, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. … Read more

Are blue screens contagious?

"Right now we're the only vendor with a review up because our system got through your testing and another three weeks of use as a comparison system. But we're the ones with the 'unstable' scarlet letter on the review as well."

Update: Since this post went live, Falcon Northwest resubmitted a Mach V with full production-level hardware and BIOS software. It has showed no signs of instability after enduring another set of performance and stability tests and idling for three days. Accordingly, I have removed the editor's note the review.

That's what Kelt Reeves, … Read more

List surfaces of Intel chips destined for ultrabooks, MacBooks

Don't run out and buy that new ultrabook or MacBook yet. Not until you look at the deets on Next-gen Intel mobile processors, which were just leaked.

Dubbed Ivy Bridge, these chips are due in the April-May time frame and pack Intel's first 3D transistors built on its world-leading 22-nanometer process technology.

By, let's say, the end of 2012 virtually all new MacBooks and ultrabooks will house Ivy Bridge processors. Not to mention the larger Windows (by then, let's hope that's Windows 8) mainstream and gaming laptop varieties.

A couple of model numbers of interest … Read more

Intel 'Ivy Bridge' chip lineup outed--report

Intel's imminent Ivy Bridge processor lineup has been revealed in all of its model-number glory.

CPU World has posted the specifications and model numbers for all to see (see chart below).

Ivy Bridge, for the uninitiated, is Intel's next-generation processor technology that will feature improved graphics silicon, built-in support for USB 3.0, and Intel's 3D transistor technology, among others goodies.

Here's what CPU World says about the new chips due to be announced in the CES 2012 timeframe: "The third generation Core i7 processors will integrate 4 CPU cores, 8 MB L3 cache and … Read more

Kyocera DuraCore review: Stripped-down push-to-talk

The way I see it, the demographic of buyers for the Kyocera DuraCore is rather slim.

Rugged, it absolutely is, but it's also rather plain. It has a thick, sturdy build, a good, grippy surface, and is the third phone to ride on Sprint's new Direct Connect network. However, if you're looking for a durable device with a camera, a microSD card slot, and even more ruggedness, the Kyocera DuraMax will be more your speed. If it's a basic, durable phone you want for just making calls, stick with the more affordable DuraCore.

Watch the video, … Read more

Apple, Amazon, Asus: Three awesome tablet choices

Apple made the tablet viable. Amazon showed that a populist concept can work. Now Asus may bring the latest wrinkle to the market.

Before we get to Asus, let's look at two of the most prominent players as of December 2011.

Apple's iPad 2:

Screen: A gorgeous 9.7 inch screen: the perfect size for me. Interface: Ditto. iOS-based interface is the gold standard. Speed: Apple's A5 chip delivers good performance for a tablet. Responsiveness: No lag to speak of jumping between apps. Apps: Plenty of those. Battery: Acceptable but worse than the original iPad. Features: Two … Read more

Samsung's 2GHz chip to drive new tablet displays

Samsung is readying a 2GHz chip with amped up graphics, offering more evidence of a wave of high-resolution tablets to come.

The Exynos 5250 dual-core chip is based on the latest and greatest Cortex-A15 ARM design. And just in case you're not sure what kind of device the chip is targeted at, Samsung leaves no doubt. The 5250 is "designed specifically for high-end tablets," according to Samsung's press release.

But let's get the nuts and bolts out of the way first. It uses 32-nanometer "high-k metal gate" process technology (translation: smaller chip geometries … Read more

More leaks on Acer, Lenovo Android 4.0 tablets

One thing is certain. The Android tablet crowd has beaten Apple to the punch with quad-core silicon--and the list is growing.

In the wake of the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime becoming available for order at stores like Best Buy in the U.S., a few more details have leaked on upcoming quad-core tablets from Acer and Lenovo, according to an Asia-based Digitimes report. … Read more

Best Buy chimes in with MacBook, laptop deals

Best Buy is doing its part to make MacBooks more affordable--and also offering decent deals on Windows laptops.

11.6-inch MacBook Air: In the shadow of Apple's Black Friday deals, Best Buy is striving to stand out with better deals. And it's succeeding in some cases. For instance, the retailer is selling the 11.6-inch MacBook Air with an Intel Core i5 chip, 2GB Memory, and 64GB solid-state drive (model: MC968LL/A) for $849--that's about $50 less than Apple's Black Friday $898 sale price. (And note that MacMall has been selling a 2010 11.6-inch MacBook Air for $799.)… Read more