netbooks

Toshiba teases a 14-inch ultrabook prototype, we go hands-on

LAS VEGAS--While Toshiba usually has a flood of new laptops every year, the company surprised us this CES by highlighting a single model.

Even more unusual, instead of a ready-to-ship product, it is a still-unnamed 14-inch ultrabook prototype. The unit we saw had a Satellite logo on it, rather than the Portege branding we saw in last year's Z835 (a 13-inch ultrabook currently available for a rock-bottom $799).

Otherwise, it looked very similar, with Toshiba's standard business/consumer crossover look of a gray brushed-metal lid, rounded corners, and an inset screen with a too-thick black plastic bezel.

The keyboard was a standard island-style design, with Toshiba's custom row of page navigation keys along the far right side. We haven't had a chance to use it more than briefly, but the large clickpad looked interesting, with small left and right clickzone indicators etched into it. … Read more

Don't call it a Netbook! Atom-powered 11-inch Lenovo IdeaPad S200 is 'mini notebook'

LAS VEGAS--The netbook's not quite dead yet. The Lenovo IdeaPad S200 features a next-gen Intel Atom processor, and it should offer a significantly better experience than previous-generation 10-inch Atom netbooks.

The rise of low-cost 11-inch ultraportable laptops began last year with a wave of affordable computers powered by AMD E-350 APUs. The colorful IdeaPad S200 series does include an AMD-powered version (the S206), but it's the Atom version that bears the most interest for us.… Read more

Vizio jumps into the laptop and desktop game

A slate of laptops and desktops from TV-maker Vizio was reportedly expected at CES 2012, and now it looks like that news has dropped a little early.

Update: We've updated the gallery below with new official product shots from Vizio. The company also says the current names of the systems are as follows: 24-inch All-in-One PC, 27-inch All-in-One PC, 14-inch Thin + Light Notebook, 15.6-inch Thin + Light Notebook, 15.6-inch Notebook.

The Verge notes a Financial Times story detailing the basics of this new PC lineup. According to FT.com:

[Vizio] will be showing two Windows 7 all-in-one PCs and three notebooks at CES, notable for sleek, aluminium-styled designs that pay due homage to Apple's MacBook and iMac products.

Few details on the actual systems or specs are available, but the systems are said to be targeting a May 2012 release in North America. The systems mentioned include 24-inch and 27-inch all-in-one PCs, each with a subwoofer in its audio system, a media remote, and a matching wireless keyboard and mouse.

Three laptops are planned. Two are ultrabook-style thin systems, with 14- and 15.6-inch screens. The third is a 15.6-inch performance system. … Read more

Lenovo kicks off the CES 2012 laptop wars with several early debuts

Lenovo is starting the flood of CES news a bit early with several new laptop announcements.

While CES 2012 doesn't start until next week, as of today, you can start putting the new ThinkPad T430u ultrabook, and dual-OS ThinkPad X1 Hybrid, on your shopping list, as well as a few new ThinkPad Edge models and even a couple of budget-priced systems from Lenovo's B series. Check out photos and details for each below.

ThinkPad T430u ultrabook hits pre-CES 2012 The look and feel keeps to ThinkPad tradition, with a matte-black finish and an island-style keyboard similar to what … Read more

Lenovo's ThinkPad T430u ultrabook hits pre-CES 2012

Lenovo is nearly a veteran at the ultrabook game, putting out one of the very first ultrathin laptops in late 2011, with the 13-inch IdeaPad U300s. Now the business-targeted ThinkPad line is getting a 14-inch version, called the T430u.

Of the new system, announced just days before the start of CES 2012, Lenovo says it "equips business users with the same thin and light designs found in consumer ultrabooks without sacrificing business-class performance, and it comes at a mainstream price starting at $849."

That starting price is important, as the consumer Lenovo ultrabook started at around $1,100, making it more expensive than many of the others in the first wave of ultrabooks.

The look and feel keeps to ThinkPad tradition, with a matte-black finish and an island-style keyboard similar to what we've seen on the ThinkPad Edge line. The system weighs under 4 pounds and is 0.8 inches thick, hitting Intel's specs for a 14-inch ultrabook.

Lenovo hasn't said what the exact specs or configuration details are yet, only that you can expect, "the latest Intel Core processors and Intel integrated or Nvidia graphics," and "SSD storage or up to 1 TB of HD storage," indicating that hybrid drive options mixing SSD and HDD drives may be an option. … Read more

Hands-on with the HP Envy 15

Editors' note, January 20, 2012: We posted our full review of the HP Envy 15. We also added our hands-on video to the bottom of this blog.

One of the few reliable high-end Windows laptop lines, HP's Envy series has always impressed with its sharp design, high-end components, and (aside from the too-expensive very first models) reasonable prices.

The Envy has gotten its first serious makeover for this new version, officially released in late 2011, but only now filtering into stores. The new look is quite a departure from previous Envys. Made of aluminum and magnesium, in a dark … Read more

Netbooks get faster but less popular, at least in the U.S.

Netbooks will get a boost from faster Intel silicon. The question is, does anybody still care?

Intel's new Cedar Trail silicon for Netbooks will endow new models with up to 18 percent better overall performance, including a two-fold increase in graphics speed while maintaining long battery life, according to Intel.

Windows 7-based Netbooks typically sport 10-inch screens, are under three pounds, boast up to ten hours of battery life, and priced below $400.

Netbooks are not designed for high-end productivity like photo editing or demanding games, as the Atom processor in the Windows environment is built for power efficiency, not speed. … Read more

Tablets hurt, but cloud helps Intel

While tablet sales are passing Intel by, server sales are not, allowing the chipmaker to keep a healthy chunk of the global processor market.

Intel in the third quarter accounted for 83.7 percent of global microprocessor revenue, up about 3 percentage points from the same quarter last year and widening its lead over Advanced Micro Devices, which lost more than a percentage point, according to IHS iSuppli.

"The boom in media tablet sales has...both upsides and downsides for Intel--hurting its business in netbook microprocessors--but boosting its sales of chips used in data centers to support cloud computing,&… Read more

Thinner laptops at CES 2012, but what about Ivy Bridge and Thunderbolt?

Laptop and desktop computers aren't always the most high-profile of products shown at CES, but with an influx of new, thin, ultrabook laptops expected, as well as an updated CPU platform from Intel, you're sure to get a detailed view of what PCs will be on shopping lists for the rest of 2012.

Laptops get thinner We've seen a good handful of ultrabooks already, but the rumor mill says that nearly every computer manufacturer will get in on the act with at least one 13- or 14-inch entry. Remember that an ultrabook (according to Intel's official definition) can include laptops in the 15-inch range, so we may see some of those as well.… Read more