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Google Launches Worlds First Retail Outlet In London

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Google has opened its first highs street retail store on London’s famous Tottenham Court Road. The ‘Chrome Zone’ is located within the PC World branch and is designed to allow consumers to try out the company’s own Chromebook laptops.

iPhone 4S Sales Top 4 Million In Debut Weekend

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

More than 4 million iPhone 4S handsets have been sold worldwide in just the first three days of the mobile's release, Apple has revealed. The staggering figure compares with the 1.7 million units that were sold by the California-based company in the same period last year following the launch of the iPhone 4 smartphone .

Sony Adds Glasses-Free 3D Display To Vaio S

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Sony has upgraded its Vaio S laptop to include a glasses-free 3D display. But instead of the implementing glasses-free 3D functionality, the electronics firm has released a full HD clip-on screen that turns the Vaio S into a 3D device.

Tablet Sales Continue To Soar Ahead Of Netbooks

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Tablet PCs are outselling netbooks by nearly two to one as they continue to be the must-have gadget for most tech-savvy consumers. New figures from ABI Research reveal that some 13.6 million tablets were sold during the summer, compared to 7.3 million mini-laptops, while tablet sales have doubled since the start of the year, largely driven by the launch of the iPad 2 in March. In fact Apple's iPad devices currently account for over two-thirds (68 per cent) of all tablets sold worldwide.

Tablets and e-Readers Changing Lives, Study Finds

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Nearly one in five UK consumers now own a "life-changing" tablet device or e-reader, according to a new research conducted by media communications agency UM London. The 'Will Tablet Computers Change Our Lives?' study found that 18 per cent of consumers own a tablet computer or an e-reader such as the Amazon Kindle.

UK Pricing For iPhone 4S Revealed

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Britons looking to get their hands on the recently unveiled iPhone 4S will have to pay upwards of £500 for a SIM free model, Apple have confirmed. The California-based company have released details on UK prices for the latest version of their iconic smartphone, which will is due to be released on all the major networks on October 14 and is now available to pre-order from Apple .

Asus Becomes Top Three PC Vendor In Western European

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Asus has overtaken rival Dell in terms of PC shipments to Western Europe, according to new figures from Gartner. The technology research firm’s data revealed that Asus' shipments in the region grew by 20 per cent in the third quarter of 2011, giving the company the third largest share of the Western European market at 10.6 per cent.

Best Ever Black Friday Sales For Amazon Kindle Tablets

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Sales of Amazon’s Kindle products soared last week as shoppers across the globe rushed to take advantage of the company’s Black Friday sale. The company said that sales of Kindle products - the Kindle, Kindle Touch, Kindle Touch 3G and the Kindle Fire - were the 'best ever" on Black Friday and four times greater than on the same day in 2010, with the new Kindle Fire the bestselling product on Amazon.com in the US.

Toshiba Laptop Prices Cut At Asda

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Laptop buyers will be pleased to hear that Asda has slashed the prices of its two best selling notebooks – the Toshiba Satellite C660D-1C6 and the Toshiba Satellite C660-21Z. The C660-21Z, which utilises Intel’s Core i3 processor, and the AMD E300-powered C660D-1C6 are now available for £319 and £259 respectively – some £60 cheaper than what closest rival Amazon is offering.

Toshiba Portege Z830 Ultrabook To Launch Before Christmas

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba will launch the newest addition to its ultra-light laptop range, the Toshiba Portégé Z830 Ultrabook, later this month. Due to launch at the end of November, the 15.9mm-slim Portégé Z830 comes with a choice of Intel Core i3 or i5 processors, a 13.3-inch HD LED display with 1,366x768 resolution and a backlit keyboard .

Apple close to launching cloud-based music service

Mon, 23 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Apple is set to launch a new online music storage and streaming service having reached deals with three of the four major labels, and is expected to sign up the fourth in a few days, according to Reuters. The company behind the iPhone and iPad are believed to have completed work on the new service a while back and will beat Google Inc and Amazon.com Inc in launching an extensive 'cloud' music service. With the iTunes cloud-based service, users will have the capacity to buy, store and stream favourite songs and albums on any device wherever they have an internet connection.

Apple Testing iPad 2 Processor In MacBook Airs

Fri, 27 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Apple have reportedly been testing out the performance of the A5 processor found in the iPad 2 in their MacBook Air laptops . According to a report from a Japanese tech blog Macotakara, the electronics giant has produced a prototype MacBook Air powered by the same ARM-designed A5 chip seen in the company's iPad 2 tablet device instead of the iCore 2 Duo processor made by long-term CPU partner Intel .

Dell Precision M6600 Laptop Gets Early UK Release

Thu, 05 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The new Precision M6600 laptop from Dell has arrived in the UK earlier than expected, and is now available for sale at the company’s UK outlet. According to the Dell website, the M6600 mobile workstation laptop is powered by a 2.5GHz quad-core Core i7-2910XM processor together with 16GB of DDR3 RAM, and packs a 17.3-inch multi-touch LED-backlit screen with stylus functionality.

Dell Releases Sleek And Powerful XPS 15z Laptop

Wed, 25 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The new XPS 15z notebook from Dell is now available to UK buyers exclusively at Dell’s UK website (Dell.co.uk). According to the PC maker, the XPS 15z is one of the thinnest and lightest 15-inch laptops on the market, measuring just 0.97 inches at its thickest point and weighing a mere 5.54 lbs.

Google takes on windows as it launches chrome powered laptops

Tue, 17 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Google has launched its first range of laptops that will run on its web-based chrome operating system as it goes head to head with Microsofts Windows . The Chromebooks, made by Samsung and Acer, will be available for order in the UK from June 15 2011. The new devices run an operating system which discards nearly all the standard features expected in an OS like Windows or Apple's Mac OS X, instead focussing entirely on accessing the web through Google's chrome browser.

Lenovo launches its slimmest ThinkPad business laptop

Thu, 19 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The computer manufacturer Lenovo has announced the launch of its slimmest ThinkPad business laptop, called the X1. The firm has also released details of an all-in-one multimedia desktop called the ThinkCentre Edge 91z. Both of these devices aim to combine business and consumer features. The new ThinkPad X1 is only 17mm thick and is available with a choice of Intel's standard-voltage, second-generation Core i3, i5 and i7 processors which according to the company, are normally reserved for its 14 and 15-inch laptops . It also comes with a 13.3-inch Corning Gorilla Glass screen for added scratch resistance, Dolby Home Theatre sound and a redesigned backlit keyboard which removes unused legacy keys.

LG Unveils New Super Slim Laptops

Wed, 04 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Fans of LG’s Blade Series laptops will be happy to hear that the electronics giant has added two new machines to the popular range. The 14-inch LG P430 and the 15.6-inch LG P530 are a pair of ultra-portable and powerful laptops that both make use of Super Slim LED LCD displays as well as Intel’s new Sandy Bridge processors.

Panasonic Unveils Upgraded Toughbook CF-31

Thu, 26 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Panasonic has announcement that it’s fully-rugged, flagship Toughbook CF-31 laptop has been upgraded to feature Intel’s latest generation of Sandy Bridge processors . The revamped Toughbook comes with the choice of either Intel’s Core i5 or i3 chipsets, increased RAM and hard drive capacity, AMD Radeon HD 6750 graphics and a 13.1-inch XGA LCD display with CircuLumin technology, which enables the screen to be viewed in bright outdoor areas.

Samsung Introduces Super Bright 3D Laptop

Tue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Samsung has launched a new ultra bright 3D -enabled laptop that promises to counteract the effect tinted 3D glasses have on picture quality. The Korean company’s all-new RF712 features the same Super Bright Plus system used in Samsung's Series 9 laptop, which displays a clearer picture (quoted brightness of 400 nits) on a 17.3-inch LCD screen that outputs video at full HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels).

Asus Eee Pad Transformer Tablet Given April 6 Launch Date

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Tablet PC buyers will have an even wider range of devices to choose from next week with the arrival of the new Asus Eee Pad Transformer. The company has confirmed that its new Android–based tablet, which can transform into an ultra portable laptop with the help of a docking station, will go on sale in the UK next week (April 6) with a retail price tag of £379 for the Wi-FI-only 16GB version – undercutting the recently launched iPad 2 by £20.

Brits Not As Interested In Tablet PCs As The Rest Of Europe

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Most Britons are not that keen on buying a tablet computer such as the newly released iPad 2, according to new research. A new global survey carried out by market research firm TNS found that Britain is the highest-ranked Western country for the use of social networks such as Facebook on the go.

Dell Introduces Vostro 3000 Series Laptops

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Dell has launched a new range of durable and feature-packed notebooks aimed at small business users. The company’s Vostro 3000 series laptops are available in 13, 14, 15 and 17-inch forms and are all powered by Intel’s latest 2nd generation Core I Series processors.

Dell To Offer Free Repairs On Faulty Sandy Bridge Laptops

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Dell is to finally begin repairing faulty laptops and desktops affected by the serious fault in Intel's next-generation Sandy Bridge processor. Over the coming weeks, the PC maker will offer replacement motherboards to customers who purchased the new XPS 8300, Vostro 460, Alienware Aurora computer or Alienware M17x R3 laptop before 1 March.

iPad 2 announcement expected today as iPad 2 features on Amazon Germany

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Apple is widely anticipated to unveil the iPad 2 today at the Hardware 2.0 live event in London from 6pm (GMT) today. Rumours that the iPad 2 will be unveiled today were confirmed by Amazon Germany, who featured the iPad 2 in several listings for a search for 'iPad 2'. A number of anticipated specifications of the new iPad 2 have been quashed. However, the specifications that were visible indicate the Apple iPad 2 will have a 9.7-inch display, 1.2GHz processor, WiFi, 3G, camera, Bluetooth and Thunderbolt port. The Amazon Germany site taking the iPad 2 listing off within hours of YourDailyApple spotting the premature listing.

iPad 2 on sale from March 25 for GBP499 with iOS 4.3

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The iPad 2 was unveiled as expected yesterday by Steve Jobs in London. Steve Jobs called the iPad 2 a post-PC device, suggesting that Apple believe PCs have their days numbered. The iPad 2 is 33% thinner than the iPad first generation. Coming in at 16GB, 32GB and 64GB editions, the Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi and 3G devices both have a 9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS technology, 1024x768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch (ppi), fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating (that means your grubby fingers won't make too much of a mess) and support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously.

iPad 2 preorders not being taken until Friday as Apple iPad 3 rumours surface

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

iPad 2 pre-orders are still not available in the UK from Apple, Amazon or any other major UK retailers. It currently appears that orders will start at 5pm on Friday 25th March, when the iPad 2 is released - without the pre-order phase. However, Apple did send UK customers who had been asked to be notified about the release of the iPad 2 . The email states that the user is invited to the iPad 2 event at their local Apple store . With most stores closing at 5.30pm on a typical weekday, many consumers are asking whether Apple will open later than the scheduled 5.30pm closing time.

iPad 2 Sells Out In First Weekend

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Apple’s stock of iPad 2 tablets in the UK has run out just days after the device went on sale. Supplies of the eagerly awaited device in Apple stores around the country reportedly came to an end within 24 hours of its official UK launch on Friday (March 25).

iPad 2 To Cost GBP30 Less Than Original

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Apple has announced that the iPad 2 will launch in the UK at 5pm on Friday (March 25) with prices starting from £399 for the 16GB version. A press release sent out on Tuesday revealed that the basic iPad 2 will go sale with a retail price of £399, including VAT - £30 less than the launch price of the original iPad - while the 32GB model will cost £479 and the 64GB version will come with a price tag of £559.

Laptop with eye-control technology unveiled

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Laptop technology has been taken to another level following the unveiling of the world’s first eye-controlled machine. Tobii, a Swedish company that develops eye tracking and control technology, has partnered mobile maker Lenovo to create a prototype laptop computer that responds to the user’s eye movements like they were mouse clicks.

No UK Delays For iPad 2, Says Apple

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Apple has confirmed that the iPad 2 is still set to launch this coming Friday (March 25) in the UK, despite growing rumours of delays. There has been much speculation online that the release of Apple’s second-generation tablet PC could be pushed back due to heavy demand in the US, something which affected the launch of the first iPad last year.

Samsung Galaxy Tab price slashed to GBP299 at Asda

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Fans of Samsung’s iPad-rival, the Galaxy Tab, will be pleased to hear that Asda is offering the Android device at a cut price of just £299. The seven-inch version of the Galaxy Tab launched with a price tag of over £500, but was available through Asda Direct for £437. However, the supermarket chain has now slashed its own price by a further £138.

TalkTalk and Tiscali pay compensation to customers

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Two of the countries biggest telecoms firms have refunded customers a total of £2.5million. Ofcom received more than 1,000 complaints but estimated that up to 62,000 people had been affected. The complaints were normally about aggressive demands for the payment of bills that customers simply did not owe.

Toshiba Takes Covers Off Latest Satellite Laptops

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba has unveiled its latest entry level laptops – the Satellite C670 and Satellite C670D. Both are basically no-frills laptops that come with 17.3-inch displays with HD 1600x900 resolutions and Toshiba's TruBrite technology, up to 320GB storage and up to 4GB of RAM (expandable to 8GB).

Featured packed iPhone 5 to launch in September

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Apple seem set to launch the iPhone 5 this coming falling along with an update iPad 2 and a new and improved operating system iOS5. There have been numerous rumours flying around about the iPhone 5, particularly when it comes to design. Rumours suggesting that the new iPhone could be as flexible and as small as a postcard to the rather absurd idea of Apple reverting to the older curved design of the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS.

Find your way around Britain with iPhone app

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

A new iPhone app promises to keep Brits on the right track wherever they go in the UK. The TomTom v1.8 application now offers drivers the ability to programme multiple stops on a single journey, allowing them complete flexibility when organising their schedule.

HP Recalls More Faulty Laptop Batteries

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

More than 160,000 laptop batteries in the US have been recalled by Hewlett-Packard due to safety concerns. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), HP has voluntarily recalled 162,600 lithium ion batteries used in some HP and Compaq notebooks, sold between July 2007 and July 2008, that have the potential to overheat and rupture, "posing fire and burn hazards".

Intel Announces Ultrabook Plans

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Intel has unveiled a new category of super-thin and lightweight laptops, called Ultrabooks, which combine the best of laptops and tablet PCs . The portable computers, the first of which was shown off at the Computex trade show, are less than 0.8 inches thick, feature "thin, light, beautiful designs", and boast faster responses and boot times.

iOS5 to integrate Twitter and not Facebook onto the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Interestingly Apple has picked Twitter over Facebook as the social utility to include as standard in there latest iOS, iOS5. The latest iOS will be the latest operating system update for a range of iDevices, including the iPhone 4 and iPad 2. However, here at laptops.co.uk we were confused as to why Apple would not include the largest social networking platform on the planet? Apple must have already reaped huge benefits from Facebook’s iOS app, so why not integrate it?

New Apple iPhone App sees Paypal and Pizza Express join forces

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

There’s an app for this and app for that. Well now there is an app to settle your bill. Unfortunately, it is not applicable to every restaurant you will visit but you have to start somewhere. Many of us have found ourselves in a hurry to eat and settle the bill and nine times out of ten settling the bill takes a mighty long time. Well thankfully, Pizza Express and PayPal have teamed up to give you an app for settling the bill quickly. Hopefully, this will be the first of many apps and could very well do away, completely, with settling the bill.

The BlackBerry PlayBook in trouble

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Only recently did the BlackBerry Playbook hit our shops and only the other week did our team at laptops.co.uk review the much anticipated tablet from BlackBerry . If you are after the review just click here. Just take a look at your tv screens you would have probably seen the numerous adverts for the tablet machine from BlackBerry, particularly the advert labelling the PlayBook, the tablet with flash. This is obviously a direct stab at the iPad and iPad 2, and pretty much all iDevices, lack of a flash player .

The BlackBerry Playbook: Is it the iPad killer?

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Let us just keep it short and sweet Research in Motion's tablet machine could very well be the iPad killer that the industry has been waiting for. Unsuitably dubbed the Playbook the new tablet from Research in Motion certainly packs a rather large punch in a nifty and small 7inch screen and weighs just under 500g. This a complete 2.7inches smaller and 100g lighter than the iPad 2.

Why iPad blows competitors away

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

With the Galaxy Tab 10.1 set for its UK launch on August 4th, ITproPortal.com has been looking at why so many of the challengers to Apple's iPad fall short of the tablet's genius. With 20 million sales clocked up since its release, the iPad has blown its competitors out of the water in terms of units shifted.

Amazon set to release an Apple iPad rival

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Amazon recently released the Amazon Kindle an e-Book reader device that was huge competition and certainly gave the iPad a run for its money considering the iPad's e-book reading abilities are certainly not great. However, news has now started to surface that Amazon are going to release a tablet computer. Yet, why should Amazon even contemplate trying to take on the giant that Apple is. Just look at the previous competition, the Archos 9 PC Tablet, the Dell Streak and the HP Slate availed to perhaps putting a slight dent into iPad sales but honestly did not really rock the Apple boat that much.

Apple and HTC go head to head over a patent infringement

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Apple have recently been headlining due to the rumours surrounding the iPhone 5 and even the iPhone 6. Furthermore, Apple's iDevice software, iOS5, has been helping to keep Apple in the headlines for all the right reasons. However, Apple are now making news not due to any revolutionary piece of technology but in a bid to protect its current technology and the future of any Apple gadgetry.

Apple record soaring profits and sales

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

No matter where our allegiances lie, with Microsoft or Apple, the truth of the matter is Apple is the world's largest tech company and has been since May 2010. As expected, or unexpected considering the global economic situation, Apple's latest profits soared past expectations as a result of the sales of the iPhone and iPad more than doubling.

Bad spelling costs online businesses millions of pounds per year

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The economy is bleak and dull. Finding a job no matter how simply is rather difficult and for graduatestrying to find a job once leaving university is even harder, regardless of what you achieved. However, recent research has illustrated that spelling mistakes costs the UK millions, upon millions of pounds in lost online revenue. In addition, knowing how to simply spell and have a decent standard of written English could almost double your ability to land yourself in a job.

BBC to offer episodes of Doctor Who via Facebook

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

BBC are reported to begin selling access to episodes of Doctor Who to viewers outside England via Facebook. This is said to be the start of the beginning for BBC, in a step to sell episodes of its other programmes through Facebook . At the same time it is also just one of many steps taken by Facebook. Alongside offering episodes of Doctor Who, they now provide one-2-one video chat via Skype and are also rumoured to soon be launching their own music service, dubbed 'vibes. '

Facebook now to include Skype video call feature

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The world's largest social networking site, Facebook, has teamed with the Skype to bring video chat to all 750 million Facebook users. Furthermore, Skype is at the present moment in the process of being bought by computing giants Microsoft which already has a major sharehold in Facebook.

Facebook to launch a Spotify like music service called vibes

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Facebook have been undergoing numerous recent additions to their social network site that now boasts some 750million users. These additions include the ability to purchase episodes of Doctor Who for little more than 15 Facebook credits equivalent to £1 thanks to a partnership between BBC and Facebook.

Forget your passwords and let your browser remember all your details

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The people behind the Firefox browser, the Mozilla Foundation, released an experimental tool last week that could very well change the way people use the internet. Instead of having to remember all of your log-in details, username and passwords, Mozilla's BrowserID tool stores your multiply identities inside your browser. This in itself ensures that no third party software has access to all of your details.

Google plus 1 a new contender in the social network battle against Facebook

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

First came the likes of Hi5, Bebo and Myspace now comes along Google+ the latest contender against Facebook, which boasts over 500m users. Facebook, the most popular social network site in the world, available on multiple platforms including your computer, laptop, iPhone and even Android, now has a new contender.

iPad a favourite among Android users

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The Apple iPad is becoming a firm favourite among users of Android smartphones, it has been claimed. FoxBusiness.com reported on Canaccord Genuity figures, which show that even those who prefer the rivals to the iPhone are opting for its tablet cousin ahead of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Motorola XOOM and other devices.

iPhone 5 release date sometime in September 2011

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The iPhone 5 rumours have been flying thick and fast. Rumours related to everything from the design to new innovations have been circulating the World Wide Web. However, laptops.co.uk can suggest that the release date of the much anticipated iPhone 5 will be at the end of September of this year. Yet, it is rather difficult to be so confident with Apple products considering just how long it took Apple to release the white iPhone 4in the UK.

iPhone 6 already in the pipeline

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The world has not even been introduced to the iPhone 5 yet and already rumours are circulating that Apple has started work on the iPhone 6 . According to the Wall Street Journal, the firm behind the iPod and iPad is considering releasing a new generation of smartphones in 2012.

iPhones could be used for NFC services

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Users of iPhones and other smartphones are likely to see the widespread introduction of Near Field Communication (NFC) services over the next few years, it has been claimed. According to Juniper Research, there is to be a lot of investment into contactless functionality, with at least one in five smartphones around the world featuring the technology .

It is getting cheaper to remodel our worlds thanks to cheaper 3D printers

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

3D printing was once a far off fantasy now however it is a real life reality and is getting cheaper and cheaper by the year. The technology is still longer than you would like, sometimes taking an entire night to print out a 3D model but it is certainly a lot faster and efficient then older methods. Instead of having to re-tool a machine or start an entire project again all you have to do is simply tweak a computer model and print it off once more.

LG to adopt Retina Display

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Retina Display is at the moment an iPhone 4 exclusive. However, this will not be the case for much longer. Kwon Young-soo, LG's display chief executive, suggests that LG could very soon adopt the iPhone 4's super crisp Retina Display.

Microsoft revenues hit a record as Xbox and Office sales rocket

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Microsoft has recorded annual revenue of £43.4 billion. Microsoft owe these record profits to the Xbox 360 videogame console alongside its Office software . These figures beat numerous expectations and showed the quarterly revenue profits reaching a record high of £3.6 billion.

Mobile Phone hacking raises numerous security questions

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

We all now know that after 168 years the newspaper News of the World shut down its operation. Why? Well cutting a long story short – News of the World shut due to phone hacking. Now as the news keeps rolling out about the scandal, allegations are being made that paid police offices tracked

Mobile Phone Roaming Fees Set To Drop

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The average cost of using a smartphone in the EU is to be slashed in half under new EU plans to crackdown on high mobile roaming charges. The EU is looking to abolish premium charges for data roaming services, and is set to extend caps on mobile phone call roaming charges for a further four years to 2016.

Samsung drops iPad legal case

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Korean technology manufacturer Samsung has dropped a legal case against iPad and iPhone manufacturer Apple . The hardware maker had been demanding access to Apple's prototype devices and wanted early access to information what was being put into the company's gadgets .

Slender iPhone 5 release date could be delayed

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The release of the iPhone 5 could be delayed thanks to Apple's plans to make it more streamlined. Rumours have been circulating that the new smartphone could be even slimmer than its predecessor, but this could cause the shipping date to be deferred.

Spotify launches in the US

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The Swedish based music streaming service has finally launched further afield than Europe after almost two years of negotiations with differing record companies. Spotify may be particularly popular with those of us residing in Europe. However, after intense negotiations with record companies, which created much speculation about the future of the Spotify business model. Now, though the music service has finally announced that it will launch in the US on Thursday.

Virgin reveals the worlds fastest cable broadband

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Virgin have recently revealed cable broadband with speeds that are 250 times that of the average British household. The average British household normally receives internet speeds of about 6mpbs where as Virgin are offering speeds of 1.5gbps. Ed Vaizey, the Communications Minister, welcomed Virgin's trial, and declared that, 'the Prime Minister set out our ambition for London's East End to become a world-leading technology city to rival the likes of Silicon Valley. Developments like Virgin Media's will help to make this ambition a reality'

Will the iRiver Story HD kill off the Kindle

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The Amazon Kindle has for a very long time been the top dog of the e-book world. It has managed to stay on top of the competition. Apple even tried taking a slice of the cake but failed, they released their iBooks store but the Kindle reigned supreme. However, there now seems to be a new kid on the block. One that features a HD screen, an enhanced processor (for an e-Reader that is) and a massive e-Book store provided by none other than Google .

10 Billion Apple Apps Downloaded And Counting

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The popularity of Apple’s mobile applications has been underlined by news that the 10 billionth app was downloaded from Apple's App Store over the weekend. Apple, the world's largest technology firm, said the milestone was reached on Saturday night, meaning the 10 billion apps have been downloaded by Apple users in just two and a half years, with seven billion coming in the last year alone.

Apple iPhone Alarm Clock Glitch

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Many iPhone users may have realised that their alarm clocks have not been working once the New Year began. A glitch stopped the built-in alarm app going off which left many of us oversleeping, even costing some of us our jobs. Apple is declaring that the glitch that has caused the alarm app not to work properly for the first two days of the New Year was down to a bug in the system. However, the alarm system is said to be up and running for the third day of the New Year.

Facebook Deals Discount Service Hits The UK

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Facebook has today launched its popular ‘Deals’ service in the UK, giving its mobile users access to special offers, rewards and discount coupons from a number of high street retailers. The service, which originally launched in the US in November, is linked to the location-based app Facebook Places, which allows mobile users to share their location with their friends by ‘checking in’ to bars, restaurants and shops and to see which friends are nearby.

Facebook set for a GBP320 million investment

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Facebook has apparently raised funds from a duo of investors in a deal that values the social networking site at £32.3 billion. Even though Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg has denied allegations that there are plans for a flotation it is said that the terms of the investment deal value Facebook at just over £32billion.

Facebook set for a GBP320million investment

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Hackers cash in on stolen cards from cosmetics firm Lush

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The cosmetics firm Lush has been attacked by cyber thieves allowing them to cash in after stealing numerous credit card details. On the 21st January the online shop was shutdown and the home page was replaced with a message revealing the attack.

Kinect for PCs in development

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Microsoft's Xbox Kinect was a revolution. It created, yet again, a whole new area of gaming . However, now Kinect type products are being designed for PCs . The identical chips that are used in the motion-capture system are now being placed in a gadget that will be PC compatible.

PC Market Growth Driven By Tablet Boom

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

We all know that tablet computers are extremely popular right now, but new research has shown that sales of the Apple iPad and other tablet devices helped boost the global PC market by 19 per cent during the fourth quarter of 2010. Research firm Canalys has revealed that Apple has overtaken Dell to become the world’s third largest supplier of PCs, behind Hewlett-Packard and Acer, thanks largely to strong sales of the iPad in the run-up to the festive season.

Samsung N145 Netbook Added To 3 Laptop And Mobile Broadband Bundles

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Good news for those searching for deals on the Samsung N145 netbook . Mobile operator 3 has added it to its range of mobile broadband and laptop deals . The N145 is now available with the 3 mobile broadband 1GB data plan for £18.08 a month, plus a one-off upfront charge of £9.99.

Skype Crash due to a combination of problems

Sun, 02 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The Skype crash that we reported last week has been suggested to be due to a software bug and overloaded servers. The details for what caused the service for almost 10million users were posted on Skype's blog. Accordingly the two events, a bug and overloaded servers, combined to create numerous problems that some how managed to leave 10million users without Skype. Skype are now trying to identify how their network is created and sustained.

Tesco Cuts Samsung Galaxy Tab Price To GBP359

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Fans of the Samsung Galaxy Tab will be very pleased to know that Tesco has slashed the price of the iPad rival by 20 per cent. The 16GB version of the tablet PC is now available at Tesco for £359.20, some £89.80 lower than its initial launch price tag of £449.

The iPad 2

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

CES 2011 in Vegas has unveiled a plethora of devices to the world. Included in this wide range of new products ranging from cameras to phones to tablet devices is the iPad 2. We have learnt that a prototype iPad 2 has been created and shipped off to Chinese suppliers to help build the normal range of iPad accessories that accompany any Apple device. Therefore, it is a pretty good indication of what the iPad 2 will look like.

The iPad 2 and iPhone 5

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

We all know in the field of technology, like in the world at large, rumours can get the most attention but eventually mean nothing. The latest in up to date rumours has it that Steve Jobs is set to replace the iconic Apple home button with a new iOS that brings to the world five-finger gestures. Honestly, where will it stop? In the past week we have discovered that the iPad 2 and the iPhone 5 could very well not feature the iconic home button that is on almost all of Apple's devices. Instead, it is said users will employ the new iOS 4.3 five-fingered fesutre. However, no one is completely sure what the next batch of devices from Apple will entail.

Apple To Unveil iPad 2 Next Week

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The official launch of the Apple iPad 2 is getting close, with reports revealing that the much anticipated device will be unveiled in London on March 2. An Apple press event has been confirmed for that day at 6pm, which many industry analysts expect will be used by the company to showcase the successor to the fastest selling gadget of all time.

Asus Unveils Stylish Lamborghini Hard Drive

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Laptop and netbook manufacturer Asus has launched a new eye-catching hard disk drive (HDD) in the US that comes with ultra-cool Lamborghini branding and styling. The new Asus Lamborghini external hard drive is the latest development between the two companies and follows on from last year’s sexy Lambo-branded Asus laptop .

Dell Unveils Windows-based Tablet And New Laptop Range

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Computing giant Dell has announced it will add a 10-inch, Windows 7-based 7 tablet PC to its portfolio later this year. The new tablet device will be designed with Dell’s business users in mind, with the company claiming that businesses will prefer Microsoft's newest operating system to Google's Android OS.

Google and Facebook battle it out

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Google carry on its battle with Facebook with the next update for its phones operating system removing users' Facebook contacts. Google said it took the action because it was no longer willing to exempt Facebook from its data-sharing rules.

HTC Unveils First Tablet Device

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

HTC has become the latest electronics manufacturer to announce the addition of a tablet PC to its product line. The Taiwanese company has shown off the HTC Flyer, a 7-inch device that features a 1,024 x 600 WSVGA capacitive touchscreen that can even be used with a pen.

Intel Issues Recall Of All Sandy Bridge Computers

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Bad news for Intel; the company has been forced to recall all laptops and desktops that feature its latest Sandy Bridge processors because of a potential serious fault. The company said there are fears that the SATA ports within its Series 6 chipsets, which are used in the new Sandy Bridge processors, "may degrade over time, potentially impacting the performance or functionality of SATA-linked devices such as hard disk drives and DVD -drives".

iPad 2 Production To Start This Month, iPhone 5 To Follow In May

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Reports in China suggest that Apple will begin production of the second-generation iPad and fifth-generation iPhone in March and May 2011 respectively. The country’s Commerical Times expects the iPad 2 to launch in March or April, possibly April 3 – the same date that saw the official release of the first Apple tablet in 2010.

LG To Enter Tablet Market With 3D Android Device

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The Apple iPad is set to face fresh competition this spring from South Korean electronics firm LG, who have officially announced its 3D tablet the Optimus Pad . According to reports, the tablet PC will be one of the first to feature a 3D screen and 3D capable camera, allowing users to take pictures in 3D and view them on an 8.9-inch HD display.

Motorola Xoom Tab Available For Pre-Order Online

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Motorola’s sleek 10.1-inch Xoom tablet is now available for pre-order in the UK. Gadget website KingofGadgets.co.uk has started taking orders for the Android-powered iPad rival, which is expected to be launched in Britain in the second quarter of the year.

New MacBook Pros On The Way

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Fans of the MacBook Pro will be pleased to hear that Apple is planning on releasing a refreshed lineup of its popular top-end laptops this week. Rumors of revamped MacBook Pros have been growing for weeks, with some bloggers predicting an early-March ship date for Apple's latest portable machines.

Rumoured Plans For iPhone Nano Squashed

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Speculation regarding the release of a smaller, less expensive iPhone has died down following reports in the US, which claim that Apple is too busy working on the iPhone 5 to develop a mini version of the iconic handset. A report in the New York Times poured cold water on the iPhone Nano rumours, citing a source who said that making the phone smaller would not necessarily make it less expensive to develop.

Second Generation iPad Enters Production

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

According to latest reports, Apple has begun manufacturing the much-hyped and eagerly awaited iPad 2 . The iPad 2 is expected to be lighter and thinner than the current model, and is almost certain to come with the same 10-inch frame as its predecessor, although there are rumours that Apple is still working on a smaller, 7-inch version of the hugely popular tablet PC .

Sony Take Covers Off New Vaio Laptops

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Sony has unveiled a number of new Vaio laptop ranges based on Intel's new Sandy Bridge processors. The new lines range from an updated ultra-portable Vaio S series, which features a 13.3-inch Vaio Display Plus screen, to the all-in-one L Series laptops that come with a huge 24-inch touchscreen.

TalkTalk and Tiscali pay compensation to customers

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba Unveils Stylish, Slimline Laptops

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Fans of Toshiba laptops will be pleased to know that the Japanese company has unveiled its latest range of ultra-portable laptops . In a press release, Toshiba said its two new laptops – the Satellite R830 and Satellite R850 – "have been carefully engineered to offer slim, light and stylish designs without compromising on essential features".

Untethered iOS 4.2.1 Jailbreak Released For Windows

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

A new untethered jailbreak is now available for Apple’s iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices. Chronic Dev Team has released a new Windows version of its greenpois0n untethered jailbreak, which allows Apple devices running iOS 4.2.1. to break out of Apple's walled garden and install applications not available through the company’s App store .

Asus Transformer Prime Breaks Pre-sales Record For An Android Tablet

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The Asus Transformer Prime tablet computer has become the most pre-ordered Android tablet in history. Figures released by Dixons Retail show that demand for the multi-part device has soared in the run-up to Christmas, with pre-order levels to date seven times greater than expected.

Dual-Screen Sony Tablet P Arrives In The UK

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Sony’s ultra-portable Tablet P device is now available in the UK, with electronics retailer Dixons listing it for sale at a steep price of £499.99. The Tablet P has a unique clamshell design, featuring dual 5.5 inch touchscreen LCD displays which are designed to male it easier for users to read ebooks.

Samsung Unveils Series 7 GAMER Notebook

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Samsung has extended its notebook range with the launch of a powerful new machine designed specifically for gaming . The Samsung Series 7 GAMER is powered by the quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, combined with a specialist gaming AMD Radeon HD graphics card, to deliver impressive gaming speeds.

Are we to see future laptops without keyboards

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The main difference between a laptop and a tablet is the existence of a physical keyboard. However, it seems now that future laptops could very well come without a physical laptop. keywordApple already have the patent of a virtual keyboard that works with haptics portends a future in which physical keys lose their advantage and presence.

BBC iPlayer app goes global

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The BBC have officially launched the global version of their iPlayer app on the iPad which offers users who are outside of the UK access to BBC programmes at a third of the price of a annual TV license fee, £44. The app that is only accessibly via an iPad, sorry iPhonelovers, offers a range of archived and new programmes, has been released across 11 European countries and will be launched in the US and Canada by the end of this year.

Google and Facebook get personal

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The new social network service from Google, Google+, is getting personal with Facebook . It has been just over a month since the release of the social network service from Google that is playing catch-up with Facebook. Yet, Facebook is on its way to a public offering next year that could value itself at almost $100billion and to be honest has placed itself in a very, very strong position with over 750million users.

iPhone 5 release date in October or September

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The blogosphere, twitterosphere, you name it-sphere is bursting with information that the release of the iPhone 5 could very well be released in October of this year, instead of September as previously thought. However, our team at Laptops.co.uk thinks to the contrary. This is especially interesting considering that is just not how Apple operates and mobile phone carriers are showing signs that it could very well be out in September.

Mortorola is bought for USD12.5 Billion by Google

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Google have officially bought Motorola for $12.5billion, the deal will see Google pay around $40 per share, in a bid to back up the search-engine giants Android OS with high-end hardware. The buyout is a step forward for the search-engine giant to cement itself in the mobile market and to try to compete with the likes of Apple, who have recently been officially named the wealthiest company in the world. Apple are in fact so wealthy they have more money than the USA.

Onlive the new cloud based gaming console

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The cloud based gaming service will be launched here in the UK on the 22nd Septemeber, 2011. This system has been available in the United States for more than a year and the service allows users to play games without a physical console. As a result you can play Onlive games on a plethora of devices including tablets.

Sony delays the release of their handheld console the Sony Vita

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The worldwide release of the next generation in Sony handheld gaming is to be delayed. Sony has insisted that the console will not be in the shops in time for Christmas but it will be in Japan by the end of the year. Sony had initially promised a phased global role out of their new handheld console but this now will not occur.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play price slashed online

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The handset created by Sony Ericsson has recently been slashed by online electronics retailers . The gaming mobile phone has been slashed by almost half by online retailer Expansys. The price was cut from £499 to £289 whilst other online retailers such as Play and Amazon are selling the device for an extra £10 at, £299.

The phone app that looks after your car

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Intel is now testing technology that could help keep your car protected. The app could potentially capture video footage if a thief made off with it or could alert you if your parked car was hit by another driver. The car sends updates to your phone every time anything hits or shakes your parked car. More importantly live video is streamed to the app on your phone.

Alienware Rolls Out New Gaming laptops

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Alienware, the Dell-owned gaming PC maker, has unveiled its latest batch of high performance gaming laptops . Adding to the company’s portfolio are the Sandy Bridge -powered M14x and M18x laptops, as well as a revamped version of its successful M11x gaming netbook .

Asus Eee Pad Transformer Tab Delayed Until June

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Those waiting to get their hands on the new Eee Pad Transformer tablet from Asus will have to wait a couple of months longer following the news that the device’s UK release date has been pushed back to the start of June. Asus previously announced the Eee Pad Transformer would arrive in the UK on April 6, but the release date was put back last week to April 18 (today).

Currys misleading customers over iPad 2 stock

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

We've heard from several sources that customer service representatives at online UK retailer Currys has been falsely claiming that iPad 2 deliveries are on time. Hot off the press (or phone?) is the plight we've heard of one disgruntled customer who ordered an iPad 2 White 32GB 3G and Wi-Fi online - where it said that Currys had stock. Having ordered it on Thursday, the customer chose date of delivery as Tuesday (April 5th). The checkout process was completed and the payment accepted.

Dell Launches Streak 7 Tablet In The UK

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The Dell Streak 7 tablet has gone on sale in the UK with a competitive price tag of £299. The succesor to the original 5-inch Dell Streak features an improved 1GHz Tegra 2 dual-core processor and a larger 7-inch WVGA (800 x 480) touchscreen display with Gorilla Glass. It also packs front and rear cameras, Adobe Flash 10.1 support and 16GB of internal storage.

Elonex Announces Range Of Android Tablets

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

A new range of budget tablet computers has been launched by IT firm Elonex. Unveiled at the Gadget Show in Birmingham on Tuesday, the range consists of two 7-inch Android tablets – the Etouch 760ET and the Etouch 702ET – and four 10-inch devices - the Etouch Blade 1000ET, 1044ET, 1040ET and 1043ET.

HTC Flyer To Hit UK Market On May 9

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The HTC Flyer tablet is now available for pre-order, with online and high street retailer Carphone Warehouse offering the SIM-free 3G model for £599.99. The Flyer – HTC’s first tablet PC device – is listed as ‘in stock’ on the company’s website, although orders won’t ship until early May when the tab officially goes on sale in the UK.

iPhone 5 May Feature An 8MP Camera

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The upcoming iPhone 5 could come equipped with an 8 megapixel camera courtesy of Sony, according to reports in the US. Howard Stringer, president and CEO of Sony, is said to have leaked plans of the company supplying an 8 megapixel camera to Apple for use in its fifth-generation iPhone .

Over 2.4 Million iPad 2s Already Sold, Report Claims

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Reports in Taiwan suggest that sales of the Apple iPad 2 have already exceeded 2.4 million, despite ongoing problems with stock shortages. Taiwanese newspaper DigiTimes reports that "Apple took delivery of 2.4-2.6 million units in March", according to sources at the Cupertino company’s key component suppliers.

Sony to launch two Android tablets later this year

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Electronics giant Sony has finally announced plans to take on its rivals for a slice of the ever-growing tablet computer market. On Tuesday the Japanese company unveiled two Android 3.0 tablets in Tokyo - a "magazine-style" 9.4-inch screen device codenamed the S1, which can be used as a remote control for devices such as Sony's Bravia TV sets, and a folding dual-screen tablet called the S2.

Sonys Playstation Network PSN now offline for 6 consecutive days

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

As every PlayStation user will know, the PSN (Sony Playstation Network) has been down for 6 days. A database security expert had said that the PSN was expected to be back up and running on Wednesday, 27 April 2011. However, Sony have not denied or commented on this statement. The PSN was confirmed on the 20th April 2011 as having been hacked and any visitor to the PSN was shown an "under maintenance" screen. The group reported to be responsible for the PSN hack are the Anonymous Hacking Group who want to 'retaliate against the government'. The group of hackers have been known for 8 years and their reasoning for hacking Sony's PSN is still unknown.

Tablet Owners Warned Over Extortionate Roaming Charges

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Tablet users beware…using your iPad or Android tablet abroad this summer could cost you 1,000 times more than standard data roaming rates in the UK. According to new research by consumer watchdog Which? data charges in the UK for tablet computers start from as low as £7.50 a month for 1GB of data. However, many UK wireless carriers charge £1 for every 1MB of data used abroad, meaning the same level of usage while roaming overseas would cost a staggering £1,000.

Toshiba Unveils 3D Satellite Laptops

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba has taken the covers off its new range of 3D-enabled laptops, the Toshiba P770 and P775, and its Satellite L-Series notebooks . Both Satellite P-Series laptops come equipped with 3D webcams and large 17.3-inch screens, as well as a host of other great features.

Dell Pushing Tablet PCs Instead of Mini Laptops

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Dell continues to exhibit a degree of disdain for the mini laptop market, and is instead prompting tablet PCs to its Asian customers. President of consumer, small and medium business at Dell, Steve Felice, conceded that netbook sales remain high, but voiced his expectation that sales of netbooks will begin to drop compared with the past two years. Dell are confident that tablet PC sales will rise considerably in the next couple of years, and the US giant is expected to launch its 5-inch Streak tablet PC in Asian countries including China and India in early 2011. The tablet computer has already been on sale for nearly three months in the UK, and went on sale in the US this month, though Dell have yet to release sales figures.

Intel Craves Games for Small Laptops

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Chip manufacturer Intel has teamed up with The Game Creators to encourage game developers to launch products intended for use on netbook PCs. Despite many netbooks being relatively limited in function, with users predominantly surfing the internet, checking emails and word processing on the mini laptops, Intel and The Game Creators are offering a $5,000 vacation to the developers who produce the best netbook game, and a further $1,000 to those who produce the games with the best standout element, the best graphics and the best game play, with the runners up in these categories ironically receiving an Intel-based netbook. Owing to the limited nature of netbook PCs, there are a number of restrictions with which developers must contend. The top compressed file size, for example, must not exceed 250MB, while the games must be created using either Dark GDK or DarkBASIC Professional software.

iPad Sales Propel Apple to Third Largest Laptop Manufacturer

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Apple have been ranked as the third biggest laptop manufacturer in the world in an analysis by Deutsche Bank . Analyst Chris Whitemore included iPad sales as part of the figures, believing that consumers were now considering iPads and tablet PCs alongside netbooks and laptops . During the last quarter, Apple sold 3.27 million laptops, but when iPad sales are added to those of Macbooks and Macbook Pros, Apple shipments reached more than 5.74 million. Having traditionally held a relatively small slice of the notebook market, the figures confirm that Apple are becoming a major player in the laptop market. Furthermore, whereas year on year growth for other PC manufacturers slowed, Apple experienced improved sales of Macbooks.

Laptops Preferred to iPads Despite Reading Appeal

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A new survey has found that the Apple iPad is proving a popular way of reading books, in a finding which reinvigorates the debate about whether the iPad will replace of compliment more conventional notebook PCs . UK copywriting firm Cooper Murphy Webb found that 41 per cent of iPad owners see the device as the best way of reading a book, compared with 36 per cent who preferred to pick up a book. While Apple fanatics may try to laud this finding as evidence that the broad appeal of the iPad could see the sleek device replace notebooks, the survey is being interpreted by most as evidence that the iPad constitutes a good addition to a traditional laptop . Indeed, the survey of 1,000 UK iPad owners found that just 24 per cent of respondents use the iPad as their primary entertainment device, compared with 33 per cent who use their laptop.

One Laptop Per Child Foundation Offers Olive Branch to Indian Government

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Despite having fairly difficult relations with the Indian government in the past, Nicholas Negroponte has sent an open letter to Indian officials expressing his desire to help produce the proposed $35 touch screen laptop . Negroponte, the founder of the One Laptop Per Child foundation, was previously shunned by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) in his efforts to see XO laptops distributed to Indian schoolchildren. It remains to see whether the Indian government take up Negroponte on his broad offer, though it at least provides the MHRD with a potential means of having the ambitious Sakshat notebook produced. The MHRD has previously failed to deliver on proposals for low cost computers, such as the Simputer PC, while plans for a $10 laptop were rubbished once details of the impotent computer were revealed.

Students Prefer Apple Laptops, Survey Finds

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A new survey from Student Monitor has found that Apple is the most popular laptop manufacturer among students . Dell had previously held top spot among students, though the success of Apple’s Macbook and Macbook Pro notebooks has seen Apple surpass Dell with a 27 per cent share of notebook sales on university campuses compared to Dell’s 24 per cent. Hewlett Packard, Toshiba and Sony occupy third, fourth and fifth places respectively. The survey, which quizzed 1,200 students across 100 university campuses, also found that the increasing popularity of Apple laptops among students shows no signs of abating, with 47 per cent of students planning on buying a new computer showing a preference for Macbooks . This figure represents a huge increase on the 14 per cent who said they planned to buy an Apple PC five years ago.

Survey Finds Increase in Netbook Ownership

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Consumer website Which? has found a significant increase in netbook ownership in Britain over the past year. In a survey of more than 10,000 of its online panel members, nearly twice as many respondents own a netbook than did at the same time last year. 12 per cent of the members now own one of the mini laptops, compared with just 7 per cent 12 months before. Favoured by consumers for their affordability and portability, the Which? survey also revealed that the amount people are spending on netbooks is increasing. The average netbook owner is now spending £294 on their mini notebooks, an increase of £13 on the 2009 survey. The average spend on laptop or desktop computers meanwhile has fallen.

Acer Plans Chrome OS Netbook

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The world’s third-largest PC makers are raising the chances for Google’s Anroid operating system of becoming a widely used alternative to Windows on mobiles and computers . Acer’s relationship with Google means we could be in store for an Acer netbook running the Chrome operating system in Q3 2010. Acer’s Senior Corporate Vice President and President of IT Product Business Group at Acer, Jim Wong announced that the company was looking to shift over one million netbooks running the new operating system in 2010. Google’s operating system is freely distributed by Google and netbooks running the software would cost much less. However, Wong would not give a specific figure but did praise Android’s fast boot-up time.

AMD Target Laptop Processor Market

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) are trying to make their processors more power-efficient in an effort to improve laptop battery life, according to technology analysts. AMD have made significant gains in terms of market share in recent quarters, making 12.1 per cent of global microprocessor shipments in the fourth quarter of 2009, an increase of 1.6 per cent on the same quarter of 2008. However, that figure remains hugely behind Intel, who hold an 80.6 per cent share of the global microprocessor market. Having successfully eroded a degree of Intel’s dominance with netbook PCs, AMD now appears to be targeting laptops and notebooks, and currently enjoys a ‘high 20s’ market share of desktop processors, according to Dirk Meyer, the CEO of AMD.

Asus Launches Laptop with Switchable Graphics

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Asus has launched its first laptop to incorporate Nvidia’s Optimus technology – a new graphics system aimed at balancing performance and battery life. The technology automatically switches between integrated and discrete graphics functions whenever necessary, meaning that the Nvidia graphics only become active when the user launches software that is graphics-intensive. When not in use, however, the laptop instead uses the integrated graphics, enabling a longer battery life. The Asus N61JV is being marketed as a multimedia entertainment system, featuring a 16 inch high definition screen, Altec Lansing speakers and SRS Premium Sound. The notebook PC has several features which would not be out of place in a desktop computer, including an Intel 2.27GHz Core i5-430M processor. Among the laptops other features are a Blu-ray combo drive, a 500GB hard drive and 4GB DDR3 memory.

Google Announce Likely Mini Laptop Price Point

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Google chief executive Eric Schmidt has revealed that netbooks operating using Google Chrome OS should cost between $300 and $400 when they are released later this year. Acer, Asus, Lenovo, Hewlett Packard and Toshiba have all signed agreements to manufacture netbooks running the Google operating system, and Mr Schmidt expects the netbooks to have a price advantage in the market as the free provision of Google Chrome OS and Google Android avoids incurring software tax . Acer is expecting to be the first laptop manufacturer to release the much anticipated Google Chrome netbook later this year, though not everyone is buying into the furore surrounding netbooks. Chief Operating Officer at Apple, Tim Cook, commented that he couldn’t think of a single thing that netbook PCs do well, while Steve Jobs recently insisted that netbooks are just cheap laptops . Analysts are divided as to whether the Apple iPad should be considered in conjunction with the netbook, though Mr Cook described it as a ‘no brainer’ to compare the iPad with the mini notebooks .

Intel Shortage Raises Chances of Laptop Waiting Lists

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Consumers could be facing a wait to purchase new notebooks due to a shortage in Intel PC microprocessors. PC manufacturers using Intel’s Arrandale laptop microprocessors such as the Core i3 and Core i5 chips have been struggling to get hold of the chips since March, prompting some computer manufacturers to pay 20 per cent above contract prices in order to obtain the required chips. The chips are typically used in the latest sleek laptops – those which are most likely to incur a waiting list for consumers. US chip distributor Converge said it was unusual to see such a chip shortage, while experts have commented that it could give Intel’s main rival, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), a chance to gain market share. Leading notebook manufacturers such as Dell and Hewlett Packard are not expected to be affected as they receive priority from component markets at times of shortages, though smaller vendors are likely to turn to other microprocessor manufacturers.

Laptop Chip Manufacturer Posts Hefty Profit

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

American chip manufacturer Intel has reported a 388 per cent increase in first quarter profits. The £1.59 billion net income was a first quarter record for the company, and represented a huge increase on the same quarter of 2009 which saw a net income of £410 million. The increase in profit can be largely attributed to the improved sales performance as the PC market continued to recover from the recession-prompted slump. Overall, sales rose by 44 per cent to £6.7 billion, causing Chief Executive Paul Otellini to voice his optimism about the company’s prospects for the year ahead. Intel, which is the first major technology company to post its results in 2010, expects similar sales of £6.6 billion in the second quarter. The results are good news not just for Intel, but for the personal computer and laptop industry – the performance of which is typically reflected in Intel’s results.

Laptop Users Unhappy with Internet Speeds

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Almost half of broadband users are not happy with the speeds they are receiving from their internet service providers, a new survey has revealed. The survey was conducted by ISPreview and found that 44 per cent of the 957 internet users questioned are not happy with the broadband speeds they receive. The finding follows a number of media reports in recent months and years highlighting the disparity between advertised internet speeds and the real speeds enjoyed by desktop and laptop PC users. A recent investigation by Ofcom, in which fake consumers tested broadband providers for their compliance with the Code of Practice, revealed that 74 per cent of customers were not told that their internet speed was likely to be lower than the speed advertised, while 42 per cent had to prompt the provider late in the phone call for their internet speed.

Mini Laptop Market Strong Despite Slowdown and iPad Launch

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Apple has enjoyed a relatively successful launch of its stylish iPad, with the company announcing it sold more than 300,000 of the devices on its first day. First day figures included pre-orders, though it remains to be seen whether the iPad reaches the 525,000 iPhones sold over the course of the mobile phones launch weekend. Since unveiling the supposedly revolutionary device, experts have been divided as to the worth of the iPad, though Apple fanatics have firmly supported the device, parting with between $499 and $829 for an iPad in America. Suggestions that the iPad will herald the end to the netbooks rapid rise have been given credence by figures from IDC, which revealed a considerable slowdown in the growth in sales of the mini laptops . Growth fell to 33.6 per cent as 4.8 million units were sold, compared with a growth of 872 per cent in the first quarter of 2009. Suggestions that netbook PCs will no longer sell in the same volumes are likely to be proved wrong, with IDC forecasting that 47 million netbooks will sell in 2010 compared with 15 million iPads.

Toshiba Launch World Cup Laptop Promotion

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Computer manufacturer Toshiba has launched a new offer aimed at boosting laptop and television sales ahead of this summer’s football World Cup . The PC maker has pledged to give money back on selected products if England are victorious at this summer’s South Africa showpiece. The England Expects promotion covers any notebook PCs with Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processors, as well as Toshiba’s range of HD TVs, providing the model is 32 inches or larger. Should England prove victorious, customers who have registered on the Toshiba website within seven days of purchasing their new computer can claim back every penny within 21 days of the final. The products must be purchased between April 12th and June 10th to be eligible for the promotion, which is being fronted by fans’ favourite Chris Kamara of Sky Sports.

Trend Launch Mini Laptop Anti-Virus Software

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A new anti-virus product has been launched specifically aimed at netbook computers . Many anti-virus programmes place considerable demands on the processing capabilities of laptops, and indeed desktops, meaning the mini notebooks may not be able to cope with the simultaneous running of these programmes with other functions such as email and internet . The new Titanium product therefore protects netbooks against viruses while minimising the demands place on the PCs processor. Titanium is available for £25 and is said to be suitable for home consumers as well as small businesses. Vice President for Europe at Trend Micro, Anthony O’Mara, described the software as easy to install and use powerful protection. The ‘widget like interface’ allows consumers to customise the software to their needs, claim Trend. By working in the background and frequently ensuring it is up to date with protection against the latest viruses, Trend claim Titanium gives users peace of mind.

UN Distributes Laptops in Gaza

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The United Nations has begun distributing XO laptops to thousands of children in the Gaza Strip. The UN says that humanitarian conditions have worsened in the Gaza Strip in recent years, prompting efforts to improve education with the distribution of these laptops. The rugged notebooks have been manufactured by the One Laptop Per Child organization, with 2,100 circulated in the town of Rafah to the south of the Gaza Strip on Thursday. It is hoped that the computers can improve education in developing countries by giving children access to educational tools and even the internet . Nicholas Negroponte, the founder of the scheme, encountered a number of problems as he attempted to manufacture and distribute the computers as part of the aims of his non-profit organization. Original cost estimates proved unviable, while critics questioned whether portable PCs were necessary in developing countries where more essential resources are still lacking. The scheme has been successful, however, and aims to provide children in Gaza with 500,000 laptops by 2012.

ARM Announce New Mini Laptop Processor

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Chip designer ARM has revealed it is to launch a pair of dual core processors which will power netbook PCs . The Cortex A9 MPCore will see ARM compete with Intel’s Atom line of processors, with Eric Shorn, the Vice President of Marketing at ARM, claiming that the Cortex processor will offer five times the performance of the equivalent Intel processor. ARM’s chips will be much smaller than the Atom processor, saving on manufacturing costs. Whereas Intel place restrictions on the type of hardware that is compatible with the processor, such as screen size, ARM’s processor has no such limitations, meaning more creative laptops could prefer to opt for ARM.

Auctioned Laptop Found to Contain Confidential Government Disk

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A laptop sold on eBay has been found to contain a highly confidential disk belonging to the Home Office . A Lancashire based customer bought the laptop in good faith, but having taken the machine to the nearby computer technicians Leapfrog Computers, discovered a highly confidential CD belonging to the Home Office between the keyboard and the circuit board of the laptop. Anti-terrorist officers were sent to confiscate the machine, and have now concluded their investigation as to how the CD ended up in the laptop. Both the laptop and the disk were encrypted, ensuring the confidential information was safeguarded.

Charity Laptop Designer Wins Award

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The design of the laptop sold by the One Laptop Per Child organization has won the first Brit Insurance Design Award. 40 year old Yves Behar spent three years developing the laptop, facilitating the education of children in Third World countries . The laptop was designed for the organization formed by Nicholas Negroponte, although the scheme has had to overcome a long line of setbacks. The rising cost of the laptop has been one of the major problems, retailing at $188 rather than the initially advertised $100, resulting in widespread cynicism in the media. Such negativity has been furthered by the attitudes of education ministers in the relevant countries, who have questioned the need for laptops when other basic facilities are lacking. However, with an estimated 700,000 sales to date, the organization must be doing something right.

Dell Unveil New Rugged Laptop

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Dell has unveiled the new Latitude XFR D630 laptop signifying the companies’ entry into the rugged laptop market. The rugged category refers to a laptop’s ability to cope with shock, vibration, extreme temperatures and being dropped, amongst other things. The laptop meets Department of Defence military standards and sees Dell enter into competition with the likes of Panasonic . Dell claims that their new laptop offers 23% better performance than the Panasonic CF-30, stating that it is the best rugged laptop on the market. With a 14.1 inch widescreen LCD display and an optional screen, users are able to make the most of the Intel Core 2 Duo 2.2Ghz processor and 4GB of thermally enhanced DDR2 RAM.

Fujitsu to Offer 320GB Hard Drives

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Fujitsu are to begin retailing their new high performance hard drives this summer, offering more storage space and faster performance. The MHZ2 BJ series will offer drives with a spin rate of 7,200rpm, providing an extra 25 per cent performance on top of that offered by its rivals. Whilst the capacity of the hard drive will vary depending on the precise model purchased, Fujitsu have revealed capacities of up to 320GB will be available. The new range represents an improvements on Fujitsu‘s current 7,200rpm drives, with the existing 2.5-inch drives only offering capacities of up to 120GB. The drive’s 2.3 watt consumption for read/write operations is similar to other hard drives. Fujitsu are hoping to sell 2 million of the hard drive range globally by this time next year.

Intel to Launch Low Cost Laptop in America

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Intel is in talks with several computer manufacturers over the possibility of launching a cheap laptop aimed at U.S. schoolchildren. Having enjoyed great success with its Classmate PC laptop which was sold amongst schoolchildren in other countries, the chip making giants appear to have turned their attention to the USA . The updated model is expected to cost around $500. Intel have refused to name the manufacturers with whom they are in talks. Taiwanese company Elitegroup Computer Systems manufactured the low cost PC Intel retail in other countries, though it is unknown if they will be involved in this project. Intel did, however, reveal that testing of the first generation Classmate PC laptop is underway in California, Oregon and Texas as a form of trial prior to the introduction of a new low cost laptop .

Laptop Manufacturers Integrating Blu-Ray Drives

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Following the withdrawal of HD-DVDs from the market, laptop manufacturers are franticly attempting to incorporate Blu-Ray drives into their newest laptops . Dell will soon introduce a laptop with a Blu-Ray drive, though at $1,000 for an apparently ‘budget’ laptop, it is clear that Blu-Ray will prove to be an expensive feature for consumers. One of the major concerns regarding the integration of Blu-Ray drives into laptops is the effect it will have on battery life. Given that Blu-Ray players use a very high powered laser to read the disc, battery life will be severely eroded. Furthermore, with software needed to decode the required data, both processing capability and battery life with be further reduced.

Report Finds Preference for Portable Laptops

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A new report has shown that nearly nine out of ten laptop buyers would consider buying a portable laptop . A portable style laptop is defined as a laptop with a screen smaller than 15 inches and as lighter than six pounds, though the number of people who actually own such a laptop is less at around 6 out of ten. The findings suggest that people have different motives for buying laptops, having previously demonstrated a preference for larger screens. The report is based on responses from around 2,000 Pricegrabber.com customers. The responses also indicated that the Asus Eee PC 4G Surf has been the most popular laptop so far this year. Respondents also indicated a preference for lower and mid-priced laptops, which accounted for 90 per cent of the participants’ laptops. Just 10 per cent of those consulted had a laptop costing over £1,000.

Samsung Ship 500GB Laptop Hard Drive

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Samsung has begun shipping its 500GB 2.5 inch hard drive, becoming the first manufacturer to do so. The Spinpoint M6 drive allows a huge 1TB of storage on notebooks which support dual hard drive configurations. The drive will cost £150, though it is not yet known which PC and laptop makers will be using the hard drive. Samsung have beaten rivals Hitachi and Fujitsu in the race to dispatch the hard drive. All three have announced they are producing 500GB hard drives, though Samsung have done so fastest despite Hitachi being the first to announce it. The hard drives offered by Hitachi and Fujitsu are different to Samsung’s, in that they are fitting in 500GB by expanding the height of the drive from 9.5mm to 12.5mm, meaning it may not fit in all notebooks. Whilst both the Samsung and Hitachi hard drives spin at 5,400rpm, Fujitsu’s is slower at 4,200rpm.

SatNav Launch Laptop Application

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

SatNav Technologies have launched a new programme offering satellite navigation on laptops . SatGuide is to be released in India and is the first navigation software for laptops and desktops . The IT company has led the way in introducing GPS in India and is now set to offer customers navigation coverage of all of India’s major cities through the application’s ‘One India’ map. SatNav Technologies claim that there has been significant demand for such a product in India, especially from visiting foreign businessmen who aren’t familiar with the environment . However, with the navigation facility offered by numerous websites across the internet, including Google Maps, it remains to be seen if SatGuide will take off.

Toshiba to Update Laptop Range

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba has announced it is to release a series of new laptops as they update their consumer Satellite and business Satellite Pro ranges. Both categories have proved a success for Toshiba to date, though the laptops’ specific details are yet to be clarified, with an announcement on that expected in the second quarter of 2008. The new laptops to be released in the consumer Satellite category are the 17 inch Satellite P300, the 15.4 inch Satellite A300 and the 13.3 inch Satellite U400. Meanwhile, a 17 inch Pro P300, a 15 inch Satellite Pro A300 and a 13 inch Pro U400 will be released into the Satellite Pro category.

Vology to Release Gaming Laptop

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Vology Corporation has announced it is to release a limited edition gaming laptop . The Limited Edition Predator X-2 is designed to be the fastest and move powerful gaming laptop in the world, as Vology attempt to create a portable machine capable of offering similar levels of performance to that of a desktop . Vology are known for their groundbreaking and ambitious experiments, with head scientist James Stubbs eager to make new discoveries. The news follows the launch of the Vology Dealership Program in February, in what has been a busy 2008 for Vology so far.

Acer Unveil Low Cost Laptop

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Acer have unveiled their new low cost laptop, the Aspire One. Priced at $399, Acer’s chairman JT Wang has revealed he hopes to reach 5 million sales by the end of the company’s current financial year. The laptop has an 8.9 inch screen, 512 megabytes of RAM, built in WiFi connection, an expandable memory of 4 GB and operates on either Linux or Windows . Furthermore, at 2.2 pounds, it weighs less than a kilogram. Acer do, however, face strong competition in the low cost laptop market, which has become increasingly populated in recent years. By 2012, it is expected that low cost laptop sales will reach $3 billion, with over 9 million units sold. The fact that there were less than half a million sales in 2007, this indicates the considerable pace at which the market is expanding.

Asus launch mini notebook

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The latest mini-notebook from Asus has been unveiled at a trade show in Taiwan . According to Mobile Magazine the firm showed of the forthcoming Eee PC 1000, along with its current products. Writing for the news provider Michael Kwan, who was present at the launch event, states the new model is larger than its predecessors.

Carphone Warehouse Offering Free Laptops

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Carphone Warehouse is offering a free laptop with its latest broadband package. The communications retailer is offering customers a choice of six laptops when they buy a broadband package from one of sever providers, such as the Carphone Warehouse’s own TalkTalk subsidiary, as well as T-Mobile, Orange and 3. The deal is on offer at 100 stores nationwide initially, and will be extended to over 800 stores this summer. Whereas last year’s promotion with AOL Broadband only offered one laptop, customers will now be able to pay to upgrade their laptop.

Cizmo Enter Gaming Laptop Market

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Cizmo have become the latest computer manufacturer to enter the gaming laptop market with the introduction of the CX1730M laptop. The notebook will incorporate the new Intel Centrino 2 Montevina Extreme X9100 processor, which is the first Penryn class mobile processor to exceed the 3.0 GHz barrier. Intel have also released four other processors, each of which are due to be released on July 14th. The laptop comes with a 17 inch screen and will have an Nvidia GeForce 8800M GTX graphics chip, demonstrating the focus on visual performance. In order to ensure a sharp picture, the laptop’s DDr3 standard memory can be linked to Intel’s 1066 MHz front side bus, as opposed to Intel’s typical 800 MHz front side bus.

Colombia Buys 65,000 XO Laptops

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Colombia has become the latest country to buy into the One Laptop Per Child scheme by purchasing laptops for 65,000 children. School children in the Caldas region of the country will soon receive an XO laptop, with first 15,000 XO laptops to go to children in small towns and rural areas, with the remaining 50,000 to be distributed over the next 18 months to the country’s larger towns. The Colombian government is also in the process of negotiating a deal with the One Laptop Per Child foundation to purchase XO laptops for school children in the region of Manizales. It is the latest sign that the One Laptop Per Child organisation could yet prove a success despite its early hindrances. Initially, the scheme was faced with a number of problems including the rising cost of the XO laptop, with its initially advertised cost of $100 rocketing to $188, as well as questions from government ministers of developing countries as to whether laptops were really required. However, having recently agreed a deal with Microsoft to run Windows XP on the machines, the OLPC scheme could yet prove to be a success.

Dell Launch Colourful Laptop Series

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Dell has unveiled its new Studio laptop line which is designed to spruce up the range it offers. The laptops are available in seven colours, breaking the mould of Dell’s typically functional and industrial appearance. With prices starting at £400, the notebooks are positioned between the Inspiron series and the more expensive XPS series in terms of price. The Studio 15 laptop is the most basic notebook of the series and comes with a 15.4 inch screen, compared to the 17 inch screen of the £500 Studio 17 laptop. Both laptops have dual core Intel Core 2 Duo processors, hard drives of up to 320GB and support for up to 4GB memory . Both laptops run Microsoft Windows Vista, though the Studio 15 laptop is compatible with Advanced Micro Devices chips. Both laptops also have wireless networking and an integrated webcam . The Studio 15 is the lighter of the two laptops at 2.77 kilograms, compared to the 3.57 kilogram weight of the Studio 17.

Hewlett Packard Remain Largest Laptop Seller

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett Packard has retained its position as the leading vendor of laptops worldwide, whilst Dell and Acer continue to jostle for second place. Having fallen behind Acer last year, Dell recover its position as the second largest laptop seller, edging out Acer whose market share was 0.5 per cent less than its American rival. Hewlett Packard shipped 6.46 million laptops during the first quarter of 2008, compared with Dell’s 4.68 million and Acer’s 4.53 million. The global laptop market has grown in recent years, as evidenced by the rapid growth of the last 12 months. Hewlett Packard have experienced a 29 per cent growth in the last year, Dell have seen a growth of 31 per cent whilst Acer’s laptop sales have increased by 24 per cent. Sales are expected to increase further with Dell looking to increase its retail presence and Acer benefitting from its takeover of Gateway and Packard Bell .

MacBook Air Faces Competition From Envy Laptop

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The MacBook Air is facing even more competition in the ultra thin laptop market following the news that Voodoo PC are to release their new Envy 133 laptop . The new lightweight carbon fibre computer has been produced by the Hewlett Packard owned Voodoo PC, and measures 1.78cm at its thickest point, 1.52mm less than its illustrious Apple-produced rival. Despite the Envy’s thickness advantage, the MacBook Air is 0.13kg lighter than its rival, at 1.36kg compared to 1.49kg, and has a longer battery life of 5 hours, compared to the Envy’s 3.5 hours. Whilst neither of the two have an internal optical drive for reading CDs or DVDs, The HP laptop comes in a bundle with an external drive to overcome the problem.

Micro Star to Launch Low Cost Laptop

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Micro Star International have announced plans to launch an ultra low cost laptop in America by June. The company’s Wind laptop will retail from $399 (£200), though another version will be offered at a price of $549 (£225). Both versions of the laptop have an 8.9 inch screen, a 1.6GHz Atom microprocessor and an 80GB hard drive . However, the cheaper version will run on Novell Inc’s SUSE Linux operating system whereas the more expensive laptop will run on Windows XP . The $399 laptop doesn’t have wireless data transfer using Bluetooth and comes with less dynamic RAM and 512MB rather than the 1GB of the XP laptop. The Wind laptop therefore has the advantage of a larger screen size than its competitors and an 80GB hard drive rather than a flash memory based drive. The $549 version of the laptop also comes with a six-cell battery, rather than the cheaper laptop’s three-cell battery, giving it a longer battery life than many competing laptops .

New Ultra Mobile Laptop Launched

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

American custom computer manufacturers have launched a new ultra mobile PC as the market becomes increasingly competitive. The RazorBook 400 Mini Notebook Ultra Mobile PC will retail at $299 (£150) and is aimed at professionals and students wanting web access, flash games and instant messaging on the move. The machine weighs less than 2 pounds and has a 7 inch LCD display and a full size keyboard. The mini notebook runs on a Linux based operating system and is its 4GB solid state hard drive is shock resistant. The device boots up in less than 8 seconds, and with a PDF reader, Mozilla Firefox internet browser, an email client and Office Suite which opens most Microsoft files, mobile computer is ideal for professionals needing to work on the move. However, the machine is not intended to be a competitor for PCs or notebooks, but is instead offers a less powerful but more easily accessible performance.

PC Shipments Fuelled by Laptop Sales

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The International Data Corporation has announced forecasts that worldwide PC shipments will grow significantly in 2008. Having revealed predictions in March that growth would reach 12.8 per cent in 2008, that figure has now increased to 15.2 per cent as the market continues to thrive. By the end of 2008, PC shipments are expected to reach 310 million units, with the increase largely fuelled by the popularity of notebooks . Laptop shipments are expected to grow by 34.5 per cent by the end of 2008, exceeding the impressive growth of 22.9 per cent experienced in 2007. However, IDC predict that the surge in demand for the portable PCs will peak next year, with the increase in shipments falling to around 10 per cent. Those predictions have failed to deter manufacturers, however, who are instead attracted by the fact that laptops are set to comprise nearly half of global PC shipments this year. Consequently, manufacturers continue to release large numbers of laptops. Hewlett Packard, for example, released 17 new models this week, most of which are targeting the home and small business market.

New iPad Arrives In The UK

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Apple hit back at its rivals in the ever-growing tablet market last week with the global release of the new iPad. Hundreds of iPad fans lined up outside Apple stores around the world to get their hands on the third-generation iPad, with many queuing all week to be among the first to purchase the new device.

Laptops.co.uk Preview Goes Live

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 10:10:03 GMT

Laptops.co.uk Preview Goes Live at 10am on the 21st March 2012. After six month of work, a huge investment, the first shoots of our efforts are now visible for all to see. Come in take a look and please give your feedback.

Windows 8 Consumer Preview

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 15:17:36 GMT

We look at the Consumer Preview of Windows 8 and let you know what we think

Tube Wi-Fi Olympic Contract for Virgin Media

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 15:22:57 GMT

Virgin Media ahs won the contract for suppying Tube platforms with Wi-Fi, beginning with connection to 70 stations by July

New iPad owners complain of WiFi and overheating Issues

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:45:37 GMT

Hundreds of Apple users have taken to the company’s support pages to voice their concerns about Wi-Fi related problems with the new iPad, which was only released last week.

Retina Ready MacBooks?

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:16:27 GMT

Apple may be looking at adding its beautifully clear retina display to future MacBooks and other OS X devices according to rumours.

Lenovo may have First Windows 8 Tablet

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:48:37 GMT

Lenovo looks like it may cut Dell and Nokia to the chase and release the world’s first Windows 8 tablet, according to reports.

Laptop Ownership Surpasses that of TVs

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:58:51 GMT

Laptops have surpassed TVs in the ownership stakes in the UK

Sony to Release Chromebook

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 11:28:57 GMT

Electronics giant Sony looks set to release a laptop that will run Google's Chrome operating system, according to documents filed with the US Federal Communications Commission.

Gadget Show Live 2012

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:29:11 GMT

If you can't get to Gadget Show Live, which is sold out for many of the days, don't worry .. If its laptops or tablets your interested in we will be there keeping a eye out for the latest annoucemnets and new product releases.

Qualcomm to Produce Laptop Processors

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:21:54 GMT

It looks like Qualcomm is set to move out of the mainly mobile and tablet market and will produce processors for the new Windows 8 laptops.

Former Apple CEO sees Samsung as Sole Threat

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:49:46 GMT

Former CEO of Apple, John Sculley has said that Samsung is the only company that can be a serious competitor to Apple's iPad.

Intel Turns-up Ultrabook Campaign

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:05:59 GMT

Intel has really turned up the heat on its Ultrabook campaign with the introduction of a range of well publicised adverts.

Get on to IBMs Docking Station

Fri, 02 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

IBM ThinkPad, like any other laptop and mini notebook, accelerate your efficiency and performance. The outstanding ThinkPad has the ability to lock into a docking station that helps to integrate work between the laptop and the office . A docking station also helps to recharge your laptop batteries when it is running off from the main power . It also enables the user to plug a full-size keyboard, monitors and other computer peripherals into the docking station.

Helpful tips when buying a laptop

Thu, 15 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Nowadays the choice and range of laptops is huge with different manufacturers offering a variety of laptops with similar technical specifications and prices. To help you choose the right one, several factors must be considered before buying a laptop for yourself. Some of the important areas that you need to focus on while buying a laptop are as follows:

Intels Laptop Cooler

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Intel has launched new a technology that makes use of a thermochromic material which lowers the temperature of laptops and notebooks, solving the problem of laptops overheating. The company is looking to patent the material which uses light to sense when the computer starts to overheat and automatically pulls back on the power to bring the temperature down.

Is it right to buy a refurbished laptop

Mon, 05 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Buying a refurbished laptop is quite a good deal as they are just like new. These laptops are usually top-quality, brand name machines that are refurbished and fully checked by experts. Refurbished laptops are also referred as 'reconditioned' or 'recertified' machines.

Itronix Hummer Laptop

Fri, 09 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Itronix Hummer is a laptop designed to withstand knocks, jolts and other rough environments. Like the Hummer vehicle, this laptop comes in a strong metal chassis-like case with the Hummer logo emblazoned across the top. It has a wide selection of connectivity options including a built-in GPS and is ideal for those who regularly work outdoors.

Next Series of Panasonic ToughBook

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Panasonic is about to launch the next generation of armour-plated laptops that can withstand tough outdoor environments and constant vehicle motion. This is the fifth version of the Toughbook after it was initially developed for the US military.

Reasonable Dell Inspiron 1501

Tue, 20 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Dell has launched its new ‘bargain’ machine. Offering first AMD processor notebook - the Inspiron 1501, the company has designed this machine specifically for the budget sector. The built-in-quality of the machine is not outstanding. However, the laptop does well, but there is a ‘flex’ in the chassis when you push it. The machine is not physically very robust.

The Toshiba Qosmio Q30

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba have launched its first HD DVD-R drive featured laptop. The laptop, Qosmio Q30 was launched in Japan last week. The new HD DVD-R is a read-only version of the HD DVD format. The single side of disc can hold up to 15GB of data. It is believed that this format has been released by Toshiba to compete with Sony’s Blu Ray Disc.

Tips on laptop maintenance

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Laptops don’t usually require any extra cleaning, but to ensure the longevity of your laptop you must keep it in the best possible condition. Apart from dusting the keyboard and cleaning the screen you should consider the following steps that may prevent your laptop failing in the future.

Track Your Lost Notebook

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

PC king, Dell, has announced a partnership with Absolute Software to offer CompuTrace LoJack for notebooks as a theft recovery service. The service is available with the purchase of CompleteCare Accidental Damage on selected models of Dell’s Inspiron notebooks that has up to four years warranty. The price of the service will range from $99 to $139.

Travelling with your laptop

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

If you are a businessperson or professional who wishes to travel with their laptop, here are some tips that can help you while you are on board. There are few gadgets that you need to carry while travelling with your laptop or business notebook .

UltraLight Notebooks

Fri, 23 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

New trendy laptops are made of carbon fibre making them ultra-lightweight . Acer has launched its Ferrari 4000 Carbon Fibre notebook and now the trend has been joined by MPC Computers who have also launched a high power notebook with a carbon fibre lid. The well-designed notebook provides an ultra-sleek appearance with exceptional performance in a lightweight form. The so-called Transport U1000 ultra-portable notebook weighs less than four pounds. The Intel Mobile processor forms the heart of the system.

Ultrapowerful Dell XPS M1210

Tue, 06 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Dell ’s new ultraportable XPS M1210 notebook brings desktop-class performance into a mobile form factor. The XPS M1210 notebook belongs to Dell’s XPS notebook series. Unlike its predecessors, XPS M1210 notebook gives true experience of ultraportable factor, combined with 4.37lbs featherweight light class of laptops . The machine has 12.1-inch wide display with 1280 x 800 resolution that has TrueLife (transreflective) Costing.

Upgrading your Laptop

Wed, 07 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

If you are thinking of upgrading your laptop, then you need to be aware of certain differences between PCs and laptops . For example laptops are not easily upgradeable compared to PCs and there can be problems with compatibility. It is easy to integrate an external mouse, keyboard, and other peripherals on a laptop, but if you are planning to upgrade your CPU, video card, and hard drive then it is hard to do and in some cases almost impossible. However, now days it has become easy to upgrade some internal parts like RAM Memory .

What to look for in a second hand laptop

Mon, 26 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

When buying a used laptop you will either get a good deal or it can end up being a bad deal. It all depends on your choice and the condition of the machine. If you are lucky and know what to look for a bargain deal can last you for years. Other factors to consider are what you intend to use the laptop for. The following tips may help with your decision on what to buy.

Which type of laptop suites you

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

As laptops are more portable there is more choice for users when it comes to size and configurations. As a result there is a ‘tradeoff’ between the level of portability and functionality. Depending on your choice and requirements, you can buy a light laptop, but the display screen will be small or it may not have an internal CD drive.

Crackdown on Lithium Laptop Batteries

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

New rules have come into effect as of New Year’s Day regarding spare lithium batteries when travelling on planes . The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has voiced concerns due to the volatile nature of the batteries, with the batteries’ uncovered electrical exterior vulnerable to exploding if touched by other metal objects. Significantly, passengers are still allowed to travel with devices containing such batteries, it is simply spare batteries that concern the TSA presently. Such devices typically include laptops, MP3 players and similar electrical objects. Furthermore, most batteries will remain eligible to be carried onto planes in your hand luggage, though you will no longer be able to pack spare lithium batteries in your checked luggage.

Dell Unveil World of Warcraft Laptop

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Dell has unveiled its new XPS M1730 World of Warcraft Edition laptop, designed to appeal to the game’s fanatics. Dell have teamed up with the game designers Blizzard to produce the new laptop, which will cost over £2,200. Although the laptop is exactly the same as the XPS M1730 technologically, the package includes numerous World of Warcraft related benefits. Those who purchase the laptop will receive a dvd, soundtrack, backpack, novels, the game itself and an expansion pack, as well as access to future World of Warcraft games as well as to a special pet in the game. The machine itself is a powerful one, offering an overclockable Extreme Edition Core 2 Duo processor, integrated mobile broadband, Logitech’s GamePanel, a built-in camera and dual RAID 7,200 RPM hard drives .

Dual Laptop Displays to be Unveiled

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Dual display tablet PCs are to be unveiled at some point before the end of 2007 in what is the latest development in commercial computing technology . The tablet PCs will be made by South Korean manufacturers e-Detail, with each machine comprised of two back-to-back screens, one of which will be 14 inches and the other 7 inches. The device will be ideal for one-on-one presentations, with the presence of both a ‘MultiWeb pad’ and ‘Prezenter’ screen allowing two people to use the device simultaneously. The MultiWeb pad is the more sophisticated of the two screens, though both screens will run on Windows XP and have the conventional use of a PC .

Hewlett Packard Laptops Potentially Vulnerable

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Users of Hewlett Packard laptops may be particularly vulnerable to hacking attacks, a security researcher has suggested. The researcher, who goes by the name ‘porkythepig’, revealed to BugTraq that the HPInfoDLL.dll file, one of the ActiveX controls in the HP Info Centre, leaves some models of Hewlett Packard laptops particularly vulnerable to remote attacks. The researcher suggested that laptop users may be conned into accessing a specially created website, which would then allow the attacker to harm the relevant Active X control. By compromising this file, the attacker may then alter registry information, access sensitive data or install malware.

Lagos Suing One Laptop Per Child for Patent Infringement

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child scheme has been faced with yet another stumbling block after it emerged that Nigerian-owned firm Lagos Analysis Corporation are to sue the scheme for patent infringement. The US-based company claim the US based company are infringing Nigeria patent (RD8489) which relates to its Shift2 keyboard driver source codes. Following the news that Nigeria had agreed to buy a million of the OLPC laptops, Lagos claims that the non-profit organization is using the technology that appears in Lagos’ Konyin Multilingual Keyboards. Although the OLPC and Konyin keyboards are different, Lagos is claiming OLPC have ripped off the technology they developed to enable a multi-lingual keyboard including accents and symbols.

Laptop Market Booming in India

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

As laptop sales boom across the globe, that trend has been particularly evident in India where the laptop market grew by 84.8 per cent in the third quarter of 2007. Sales across India have now roughly doubled in the past year, with Hewlett Packard (PC) firmly in command of the Indian laptop market. Hewlett Packard lead the way in India with 37.8 per cent of the market, following by Lenovo and Acer . Of sales in the Small Office and Home Office segment, laptops made up 43 per cent of the overall sales, as sales grew by 166 per cent. Overall, the third quarter saw growth of 25.1 per cent in the PC market in India, with desktop shipments also on the rise, though at 10.9 per cent they have been eclipsed by the success of laptops.

Male Laptop Users Risking Infertility

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Researchers in the United States have found that men may be risking infertility by using laptops . Researchers at the State University of New York found that the heat generated by laptops may be enough to cause infertility when males use laptops placed on their lap. The study involved 29 healthy men ages between 21 and 35, all of whom were dressed in normal clothes in a climate controlled room. Some of the men kept the laptops in place on their lap throughout the session, whereas others merely sat in the same position without a laptop. Of the men using the laptops, there was a 2.7°C average increase in their scrotal temperature – enough to cause infertility.

Microsoft Request Charity Laptop Redesign to Enable XP

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Microsoft has called for a redesign of the One Laptop Per Child laptops so that Windows XP can be used as the machine’s operating system . Given Microsoft’s domination of the operating systems market, using XP, as opposed to the current Red Had Linux operating system, would enable access to thousands of Microsoft’s educational applications for Windows . Microsoft are requesting that an additional port should be added to the XO laptop in order to improve its storage capacity, which currently stands at 1 GB. However, the proposed reduced version of Windows XP that would be used still needs 2 GBs of memory to operate.

ZTE Light II Android Tablet Hits UK Market

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Chinese handset maker ZTE has unveiled plans to enter the UK tablet market with its 7-inch Light Tab II device. The Android 2.3 Gingerbread tablet comes with a 7-inch 1024x600 capacitive touchscreen display and is powered by a 1.4GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 SnapDragon processor with 512MB of memory and a microSD slot for storage expansion.

iPad Sales Dented By iPhone 4S

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

New figures from analyst firm IHS have revealed that sales of iPad tablets in the fourth quarter of 2011 were affected by its smaller cousin - the iPhone 4S smartphone . A total of 15.4 million iPads were sold by Apple in Q4 - up 39 per cent from the 11.1 million sold the previous quarter. However, its share of the tablet PC market dipped from 64 per cent to 57 per cent over the same period, due to strong demand for the company’s latest iPhone and to a smaller extent, the release of Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablet .

New Samsung Series 9 Premium Notebook To Launch This Weekend

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Fans of Samsung laptops will be pleased to hear that the company’s new Series 9 laptop will be available to buy in the UK this Saturday (March 3) through John Lewis. The 13-inch notebook catches the eye with its sleek aluminium finish and boasts an alarmingly thin (just 12.9mm) and light chassis. In fact, Samsung has claimed that the Series 9 is the world’s thinnest and most compact premium notebook, with the new slick and sophisticated look a "result of 33,000 hours of craftsmanship."

iPad 3 Set For March 7 Launch

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The much-hyped iPad 3 will make its debut at a special launch event next week, Apple has suggested. The Cupertino-based manufacturer has sent out invites to US press sites, confirming that a new product will be launched at an event in San Francisco on March 7.

Mini iPad Could Launch Later This Year

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Apple could launch TWO iPad tablets this year, according to rumours from the Far East which suggest the company is secretly planning the release of a smaller device, in addition the iPad 3. Taiwanese news outlet, Digitimes, claims that production of a smaller 7.85-inch iPad has already begun, and that Apple partners in the supply chain have been delivering samples of the mini tablet for verification

Apple iPad 3 Unveiled

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The third generation iPad - the most anticipated tablet of 2012 - was officially launched this week at a special Apple event in California, and it certainly lived up to the hype. Journalists and analysts from around the globe were presented with an array of new features, including the much-rumoured retina touchscreen display, which Apple claims makes the iPad 3, officlly called 'The new iPad' the most ‘pixel packed’ tablet on the market.

Laptops The Number One Device For Brits

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Laptops are ranked higher than TVs by British consumers, according to a new study by Deloitte. The professional services firm polled more than 2,200 consumers on what their favourite piece of technology was.

Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook Hits UK Market

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Fans of Dell laptops will be pleased to hear that the company's new XPS 13 Ultrabook has gone on sale in the UK. Unveiled at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, the award-winning machine is the latest to join the ever-growing Ultrabook market and comes with a range of impressive and attractive features, including an aluminium lid, carbonfibre base and a 13.3-inch Gorilla Glass display with 1366 x 768 resolution.

Apple iPhone 5 Set For Autumn Release

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The 6th generation iPhone will launch in "either September or October" this year, according to the latest reports from Japan. Japanese blog Macotakara, citing "reliable Asian sources" in the supply chain, claims the iPhone 5 will be unveiled one year after the current range-topping model, in October, or at earliest September 0212.

Alienware's Ivy Bridge Refresh

Wed, 02 May 2012 11:42:24 GMT

Alienware has given the M-Series a refresh with Intel's new Ivy Bridge processors.

20 per cent of iPhone 3GS users have not upgraded to iOS 4

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

When the Apple iPhone 4 was announced everyone knew that it was going to sell well especially considering that Apple's initial 600,000 phones that were available for pre-order were sold out in just a single day. Furthermore, it is estimated that somewhere near 77% of buyers of the iPhone 4 were upgrading from an older iPhone and overall 1.5million units have said to have been sold. Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean there has not been rivalry for the top smartphone throne. Samsung released the Galaxy S recently and there are numerous smartphones under the HTC brand, and others, that boast the Android operating system, even the recently released Dell Streak runs an Android operating system, the biggest rival to Apple's iOS.

Adobe Illustator receives a free HTML5 update

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Adobe has recently made it easier for its graphics editing software, Illustrator users to export designs into HTML5 and CSS3 complaint content. However, Adobe claim that this update only offers initial support for HTML5 and CSS3 to Illustrator users which in a way is understandable as neither HTML5 nor CSS3 standards have been finalised.

Apple iPad to be sold in China

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Apple are said to have sold 2million iPads in its first two months of release, which were used to download 35million apps and read 5 million e-books. However, now it is set to be released in China to purchase on Friday 19th September 2010. Apple has confirmed this release at a time when competition is heating up thanks to the likes of the Dell Streak and the Samsung Galaxy Tab. The device is apparently going to be sold through Apple retail stores and Apple authorised resellers but for some reason not through the Apple website in China. The cost of the iPad, in yuan, wil be 3988 yuan for the 16GB version, 4788 yuan for the 32GB version and the 64GB version will cost 5588 yuan.

Apple TV now shipping

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Apple TV has lately been in the news due to an apparent and potential jail break. However, unlike the problems that plagued the iPhone 4 with issues of shipping dates and orders taking weeks to be delivered. There has been much speculation over when the Apple TV would be released and when the first delivery date would be. Thanks to numerous sources we've discovered that pre-order payments were being taken last Thursday onwards.

Apple unveil Ping - social networking for music

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The iPod Nano, iPod Shuffle and iPod Touch have all been given a brand new make over and the iTunes software integrates a social network for music called Ping. Apple has released a new version of iTunes software that incorporates their very own social network solely for music that allows users to create a network of friends, professional musicians and in many ways is similar to Twitter .

Blackberry launches Playbook iPad rival with 7 inch screen

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Blackerry's parent company RIM has launched the Blackberry Playbook to rival the iPad in time for Christmas . Only weeks after the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy Tab, the Blackberry Playbook was unveiled at Devcon, Blackberry's developer conference in San Francisco today. The Blackberry Playbook is the first business-orientated tablet to hit the market. Although rumours on the Internet suggested the Playbook would be called the BlackPad, the Playbook was met with great anticipation.

Epic Games to release Unreal Engine games on iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The new range of Apple iPods was released earlier this month including a new iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano and iPod Touch and we saw some great enhancements in an already great range of portable multimedia players. Now things are getting even better for iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad users thanks to Epic Games.

iPod Shuffle Review

Google TV set to launch this year

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Apple TV has been released recently but it seems now that Google are in on the act just as they are with their reported cloud-based music service that is to rival iTunes . Google TV is boasted to be a new experience made for television that is to combine the TV we all love and cherish with the internet. Apparently Google TV will add a search bar to the top of the TV screen and will allow users to surf the internet, live TV listings and watch TV.

Googles Music Service to launch before Christmas

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Google have certainly been in the headlines for numerous reasons but now it seems they're finally entering the digital music market which was first hinted way back in June. Now with Sony launching an iTunes rival Qriocity, Google are reportedly set to release an iTunes killer. It is said that Andy Rubin, Google's VP of engineering, is in talks with numerous record labels trying to get various major labels on-board and debating about how to best present a cloud-based service. As a result further rumours have it that the service will be tailor made to fit with Android 3.0 which will be installed on mobiles in time for the Christmas break.

HP to Unveil 3D Laptop

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett-Packard is set to unveil its first 3D laptop as part of an announcement revealing its latest range of laptops and netbooks . Much of the hype surrounding the new PCs has surrounded the Envy 17 3D, which HP claim offers a cinema-style entertainment experience. The notebook boasts a 3D display, speakers and a subwoofer, while it also has the capability to play Blu-ray 3D movies as well as high definition video. The high-definition and 3D content will consume large amounts of disk space, prompting HP to pack the laptop with 2TB of storage. The 3D functionality is fuelled by AMD's ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 graphics card, while the laptop runs on quad-core Intel i7 processors. 3D active shutter glasses are provided with the laptop, which can be switched to 2D when users wish to watch normal videos. HP claim the laptop is sufficiently powerful to replace a desktop PC, and has a battery life of two and a half hours.

HP Updates Laptop and Netbook Ranges

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett Packard has released an updated range of laptops and netbooks, and claims the new PCs will offer a better experience to business users in particular. The new portable PCs boast longer lasting batteries and have more powerful processors – functions which HP believe will be particularly useful for its business customers. The HP Mini 5103 business netbook is one of the leading products of the new range, offering touch screen technology and an Intel Atom N550 dual-core processor. The PC has a Broadcom HD video decoder card, and can play high definition 720x1080p video content on its 10.1 inch LED backlit wide screen display. HP claim the use of touch screen technology improves navigation of applications for users of the mini laptop, while business users will benefit from the 95 per cent spill resistant Qwerty keyboard.

Mac OS X includes BaseApp utilizing easy Basecamp Alerts

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Basecamp is a web-based tool that allows you to manage and control projects or ideas and quality create a client and project relationship. However, now Basecamp users who are running Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard may just love the new menu bar application dubbed BaseApp. The BaseApp is a utility that is situated in your menu bar and simply monitors the activity from your Basecamp accounts and alerts you of updates or changes to your Basecamp and gives you the ability to access these new changes by just a click.

New iPod range from Apple

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Apple iPhone 4 was a much loved edition to the Apple range of devices. It caused buyers to queue for days and even caused shipments to be delayed due to the huge amount of demand. In the first three days alone 1.7million iPhone 4's were sold. Now the turn has come for the iPod range to be given a make over and the release of a fourth generation, £39, 2GB iPod Shuffle and a fourth generation, £189, FaceTime boasting iPod Touch as well as the release of a 6th generation iPod Nano that features multitouch technology in an all new Apple iPod line-up. However, even though they have not been released pre-orders can be made ahead of shipping that should start next week sometime.

Nexus One trounces iPhone 4 when it comes to HTML5

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

In a benchmark test, the Nexus One outperfomed the iPhone 4 in rendering HTML5. What's more, HTML5 rendering on the iPhone 4 running iOS 4.1 was even worse than Flash 10.1. The benchmark test was run by Chris Black who ran Android 2.2 on a Nexus One and iOS on the iPhone 4.1. He found that the reliability of the rendering of an animation of a bouncing ball was far better with the Nexus One than the iPhone 4. The iPhone 4, through Safari was choppy and the animation came to a halt when zooming in and out.

One app for all devices initiative gets cash start

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The 'One App for All' program known as Webinos has begun with the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems in Germany leading the initiative. The idea is simple. Any given app will work on your laptop, mobile phone, fridge, car or television. Many insiders have slated the idea however Deutsche Telekom and Telecom Italia, manufacturers such as Sony Ericsson and Samsung, and standards body the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) are part of the 22 organisations committed to the cause.

Pamela Anderson to star in Nokia N8 smartphone promotion

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Nokia is one of the biggest phone manufactures in the world and in order to spice up the release of Nokias smartphone the N8 calling in ex-Baywatch star Pamela Anderson to pose in her underwear alongside some less known man Ed Westwick. Pamela Anderson may not be a stranger to stripping down to her underwear but today she starred in her outfits for a very different reason, the release of Nokia's smartphone the N8.

Personal details of 5,300 Sky broadband customers leaked after ACS Law breach

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The personal details of 5,300 Sky broadband customers has been leaked, alongside the adult films they have been accused of sharing after the ACS:Law website was breached. ACS:Law send out thousands of letters to alleged Internet downloaders, asking 'illegal' file-sharers to pay compensation of £500 per infringement or face court action. ACS:Law uses third-party software to look for potential music, film and game copyright infringements. ACS:Law then use the IP address of the potential file-sharer to intimidate the recipient into paying up or face court action.

Philips Activa to compete with iPod Nano

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Philips have revealed their fitness geared MP3 player that will be in direct competition with the recently released iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano and iPod Touch . The IFA conference in Berlin has revealed numerous gadgets to the wider world. Samsung official unveiled their competitor to the iPad, the Samsung Galaxy Tab and now Philips have unveiled their fitness MP3 player that always keeps you company when you're on your toes. The benefit of the Philips Activa is that it's not just a MP3 player it is also a gadget that keeps track of your fitness progress and keeps you motivated with vocal feedback and picks songs with a tempo that match your workout. This really is the solution to Nike+ and an iPod, Apple have got another front to defend.

Samsung Galaxy Tab officially unveiled as iPad competitor

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The iPad competition has officially heated up with the introduction of the Samsung Galaxy Tab. Samsung officially unveiled the Galaxy Tab at the IFA conference in Berlin. The Tab is a tablet computer that could very well do away with Apple's beloved iPad. The Galaxy Tab in terms of specification alone outstrips the iPad. The Samsung Galaxy Tab weighs almost half of the weight of the iPad at a mere 380g - yet still incorporates a 7-inch screen. The word ultra-portable springs to life and the problems of portability that the iPad was faced with are removed thanks to the Galaxy Tab.

Samsung Galaxy Tab priced at GBP 679.99

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Samsung's Galaxy Tab was unveiled officially earlier this week at the IFA conference in Berlin is now available for pre-order from Expansys at an enormous price tag of £679.99 outstripping the iPad by £250. However, Samsung are yet to officially confirm the price but Expansys are confident in the price of the product and guarantee shipment within 35 days. Nonetheless, rumours have spread that a Samsung representative has declared that the gadget may actually end up costing between $200 and $300. Furthermore, the Korea Times report that the cost of the iPad alternative will be between $300 and $400.

Sony e-reader debut at IFA conference

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Sony revealed their snazzy new touch screen e-readers at the IFA conference raising the stakes in the e-readers market. The company's lineup of e-readers, as well as its inclusion of new touch screen technology could very well overtake other rivals such as Amazon's Kindle and even the iPad in terms of e-reading capability. Sony have really moved up and taken their e-reader line forward dropping its previous Reader Touch Edition which was the reason for numerous faults found with the previous unit such as its unresponsive navigation, terrible glare, fuzzy text and poor contrast.

Sony launches an anti-kinect attack website

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Sony has recently been in the news for releasing a competitor to iTunes . However, if you look a little bit harder you'll remember that they're typical to poke the fun at everything and everyone including the Nintendo Wii and the Apple iPhone . Now Sony have launced a campaign that is aimed at the Microsoft motion-sensing peripheral and if you head over to yaybuttons.com you can interact with a PlayStation Move, even if it is in 2D, which will help you to see in amongst the explaining from Kevin Butler about how Sony’s motion sensing device is far better than Microsoft's Kinect .

Sony launches rival to iTunes

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Apple may have launched a new brand of iPods, including the iPod Nano, iPod Shuffle and iPod Touch but lately Apple's iPad has and will be coming under a lot of pressure due to numerous companies launching tablet PC's. However, now Sony has revealed they will launch a new music and video download service, Qriocity, which will compete with Apple's iTunes. However, a slight difference in software is that Sony's cloud-based technology will only be available on PlayStation 3s, Bravia TVs, Blu-Ray players and Sony manufactured computers. This is drastically different to iTunes which is free to download on any computer and now accessible on Apple TV .

Sony Walkman sales higher than Apple iPod in August

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Apple have recently released a 6th generation Apple along with a 4th generation iPod Touch and iPod Shuffle to keep up with competition from Sony's Walkman range. The portable media device market has largely been dominated by Apple and in particular Apple's iPod range since the first generation releases way back in 2001 which didn't just leave Sony's Walkman brand in the dark but just about every other media player device manufacturer in the dark.

Students urged to take out insurance for their laptops

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Students will be taking expensive valuables such as laptops and cameras to university in the coming weeks. Although these products are likely to be included on parents' home insurance policy, many insurance policies will have fine print that must be adhered to. Many insurance policies will have a total value limit of £1,500 per item. Those with a netbook, tablet, iPhone 4 or iPad will be covered. However, students with more expensive laptops such as the Alienware M11x or Apple Macbook Air will only be covered on the first £1,500 of their machine. Some insurance providers may have even lower single item upper limits of £1,000.

The Viewpad, Dell Streak, BlackPad, HP Slate and Samsung Tab are they really iPad competitors

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The iPad rivalry is constantly being made worse. Numerous companies have released or are going to release tablet pcs before Christmas in order to compete with Apple's iPad. The Dell Streak was launched recently and BlackBerry is soon to release their BlackPad, with Samsung and HP behind waiting to release the Samsung Tab and HP Slate . Now things have got even more difficult thanks to ViewSonic's Viewpad .

Apple iPad Review

UK government declares it will help rights-holders tackle copyright infringers

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The credit crunch has affected many of us and the music industry are keen to declare that file sharing, also known as illegal downloading, is killing the industry. It makes sense though doesn't it? Instead of spending anywhere from £10 to £25 to buy a CD with two tracks worth listening to it certainly seems plausible to download them instead. Well not really, why? The music industry can show us why not. In 2008 alone more than 40 billion songs were illegal downloaded which equates to 95% of all music downloads in that one year. 2009 was not any better with at least 7 billion people in Britain alone using illegal download methods all of which costs the economy and specifically the music industry billions of pounds.

Apples white iPhone 4 set to release next Spring

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

When the iPhone 4 was released there was a great rush to get your hands on one but the more elusive white iPhone 4 was sought after a whole lot more. Unfortunately, Apple have delayed the white iPhone 4, again. Apple are said to have confirmed that the white iPhone 4 will not be due until next spring and some critics are arguing that the iPhone 5 may even beat it to market.

iOS 4.1 jailbreak released for iPhone 4, 3GS and iPod Touch

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

An iOS 4.1 jailbreak has been released by the Chronic Dev Team which will jailbreak and unlock devices running Apple's iOS 4.1 operating system . Apple's iOS 4.1 is currently available on iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad and iPod Touch 4. The jailbreak, released by pod2g from the Chronic Dev Team claims to exploit holes in the bootROM of iOS 4.1 - a hardware component of any Apple iPhone 4, 3GS, iPad or Touch device.

iPhone 4 FaceTime video chat to work with Android Slide

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

iPhone 4 owners will soon be able to FaceTime (or video chat) with owners of the HTC Slide through Yahoo! Messenger, according to Yahoo!. At present, iPhone 4 users can only FaceTime with other iPhone 4 users. However, Yahoo! have reportedly said that their IM service, Yahoo Messenger, will run on both Android and Apple phones, bridging the gap.

iPhone 4 sent into space

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Apple iPhone is a rather revolutionary piece of gadgetry but not many of us would have expected it to be able to be sent into space and record rather incredible video footage, well think again. A father and son duo from Brooklyn, New York managed to send an iPhone 4 off into the stratosphere where it was able to record the curvature of the earth.

Laptop users beware of toasted skin syndrome

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

An article published in American journal Paediatrics reports that individuals who rest their laptop on their knees can develop toasted skin syndrome. Toasted skin syndrome is a skin condition caused by long-term heat exposure, according to Paediatrics. An example of toasted skin syndrome was seen in the case of a 12 year old child who had developed a spongy skin discolouration on his left thigh after resting his laptop on his thighs whilst playing games on his laptop for several hours a day, daily. Similarly, an American law student studying at Virginia received treatment for a similar discolouration on her leg 4 years ago.

New iPhone text message tones and iPad wallpapers with Apples iOS 4.2

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Apple has released iOS 4.2 beta 3 to developers today. Due to be released to the public in November, iOS 4.2 will be applicable to owners of the Apple iPad, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4. One of the key features in iOS 4.2 is the ability to change your text message ringtone, finally. This is the third build of iOS 4.2. AirPlay, the functionality that allows your iPad or iPhone to stream music to compatible devices has been disabled. So to, has YouTube . Rumours have circulated that the YouTube app may not be mandatory. Only the official public release will answer the rumours.

New jailbreak for iPhone 4, iPod Touch and iPad surfaces

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Greepois0n jailbreak will be released on Sunday October 10, 2010 according to the Chronic Dev Team. According to the news, direct from Chronic Dev, any device using Apple's A4 processor will be able to be jailbroken by Greepois0n. This means that only the iPhone 4, iPad and iPod Touch 4G will be able to be jailbroken. iPhone 3G and 3GS users will have to wait a little longer.

Smallest Macbook Air ever packs FaceTime but no optical drive

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Apple unveiled the Macbook Air 11-inch and 13-inch laptops last week. With a SSD hard drive of up to 256GB, a maximum RAM capability of 4GB and use of the old Core 2 Duo processors from Intel it seems Apple may have released a sub-standard laptop . The 11 inch Macbook Air is an entry-level Macbook which, alongside it's bigger 13-inch brother pack a 16:9 aspect ratio screen, FaceTime as seen in the iPhone 4 and instant-on which boots the laptop itself up in a matter of seconds. However, with no optical drive and no Ethernet port present, it appears that Apple have released a souped-up version of the iPad .

Sony set to release Playstation phone

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Sony is set to release a PlayStation Phone . It may sound as though this is a joke but we can assure you it really isn’t. The device is set to be released very soon and will most likely use Android 3.0 along with a custom built Sony Marketplace, as seen on the PS3, which will allow the user to purchase, download and play games designed for this new and rather intriguing platform.

Swearch a stylish iPhone web surfer

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Not many people have heard of Swearch but it's a new web app that if we're honest here at laptops.co.uk headquarters is so darn beautiful its difficult to distinguish from any natively run web surfing app. This is all thanks to a certain Steve Streza. Swearch is quite simple, it allows you to search Google, Twitter, Wikipedia, Flickr and other rather important websites quickly, easily and without any hassle, at all. Sporting an interface like that used when searching through photos, you can flick from one search engine to another with a simple swipe of your finger.

The new Instagram iPhone app

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

With the release of the new Apple iPhone 4 some months back gaming enthusiasts knew that gaming on the iPhone was going to get even better. However, the advantages of the iPhone 4 weren't just felt by gamers. Apps of all shapes, sizes and descriptions were soon released and some more addicting than others. The Instagram app has not just earnt the respect of the techno nerds but has also managed to bank nearly 100,000 users.

Web searchers leave laptops for mobile devices

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Web searches taking place on a desktop or laptop fell 15% year on year in the UK with mobile search engine traffic rising 247% during the same period. According to The Mobile 2010 White Paper from Tamar, the number of users accessing websites directly from their mobile devices which includes tablet computers such as the iPad doubled since 2009. However, the amount of traffic from mobile devices remains quite small at 3%.

White iPhone 4 seen at T3 Gadget Awards as HTC Desire wins Phone of the Year

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Stephen Fry inadvertently showed the world he owned a white iPhone 4 by mistakenly getting his white iPhone 4 out at the T3 Gadget Awards 2010 on Monday night. Stephen Fry popped into the T3 Gadget Awards to talk about his time at the Windows 7 Phone launch earlier in the day. However, when he reached into his pocket to take his Windows mobile out, Fry pulled out a white iPhone 4 .

BMW to use Apple iPads for specification panels during American car shows

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Laptops.co.uk might think that the Apple iPad is simply an over-rated and over-sized Apple iPod but it does have its benefits, of which are being used by German car maker BMW. It was just this week at the South Florida International Auto Show in Miami that BMW showed off some of its new interactive technology that will obviously be reoccurring over the past few weeks.

iOS 4.2 Redsn0w jailbreak released for iPhone 4, iPad and iPod Touch

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

An iOS 4.2.1 jailbreak has been released today in the form of Redsn0w 0.9.6b4. iOS 4.2.1, officially announched by Apple on Tuesday, November 22 as iOS 4.2 sees several bug fixes including fixes to intermittent Wi-Fi issues from the unreleased iOS 4.2 update and VoIP issues finally fixed. iPhone 4 owners will be pleased to know that the application Find My iPhone has now become free for iPhone 4, iPad and 4th Gen iPod Touch owners. iOS has also brought multitasking to iPad users as well as folder support, that has been very popular with iPhone 4 users since it's launch.

iPhone 4 gets Flash on mobiles with SkyFire

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

iPhone users can finally get Flash on their mobile devices with SkyFire. SkyFire, available in the App Store doesn't actually display Flash itself. Instead, it re-routes the visited web page through its own servers and modifies the Flash into HTML5 compliant streams which can run on Apple's iOS platform on iPod Touch, iPhone 3G and iPhone 4 mobile phones.

iTunes 10.1 and OS X 10.6.5 and iOS 4.2 released by Friday 10am PST

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A special source has informed us that Apple are planning to release iOS 4.2 for their range of iPods, iPhones and iPads on Friday 12th November 2010 at 10AM PST. In addition, we have also learnt that iTunes and Mac OS X will be released sometime on Thursday 11th November 2010. Many users maybe expecting iOS 4.2 to be available today as many UK participants are also hoping. Nonetheless, we shall keep you up to date with the latest and if there are any changes to the schedule.

Microsofts Kin One and Two to return to Verizon

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We all know that one of the biggest failures in the mobile industry this year was Microsoft's Kin. This is clearly illustrated by being pulled after just three months on the market, quite appalling for a multi-billion pound company. However, what is more surprising is seeing both the Kin One and Kin Two come back to Verizon’s inventory, according to a source of ours.

Photo powered energy

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Ecomagination have launched a rather unusual and innovative idea on their photoproject website . The idea is simply via a Flickr account you upload a photo and submit it to GE ecomagination's public photo portfolio. You give the photo a name, description and tag it with keywords allowing GE ecomagination to display the photo in the right category either wind, water or light.

Samsung Android phone to be released in early 2011

Thu, 11 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Many individuals may not like the Samsung Nexus S, even though it runs the latest Android Gingerbread OS. However, this certainly doesn't make up for its rather bulky and large appearance. Nonetheless, we've heard that in February 2011, Samsung will be releasing what they’ve dubbed their ‘flagship android device.’

Acer Unveils Netbook-Tablet Hybrid Laptop

Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Acer has launched its new Timeline 1825PT PC – a hybrid between two of the most popular types of laptops at present. The new Timeline notebook merges a netbook and a tablet PC, featuring an 11.6 inch multi touch swivel screen. Fully rotatable, the screen allows users to perform a full range of multi touch functions, including two finger scrolling and pinching to zoom, flip and rotate. Though not as sleek as the navigation on recent Apple devices such as the iPhone and the iPad, the Timeline’s functionality does make it easier to navigate. It is the relatively low end specifications of the PC which gives it netbook characteristics, featuring a 1.3GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive . The computer is larger than many netbooks, but weighs just 1.72kg, and has a screen resolution of 1366x768. The Timeline PC also has 3G support, inbuilt Bluetooth and WiFi, and a 5 in 1 card reader.

Be Broadband Not Chasing Mobile Laptop Users

Wed, 12 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Internet service provider Be Broadband has dismissed suggestions that it is looking to move into the mobile broadband industry, instead affirming its commitment to improving home broadband services. The majority of internet service providers have diversified into the mobile broadband market, as have all of the major mobile phone operators, though Be Broadband officials say the company is instead looking to improve its share of the home broadband market while improving the speed of its services. This year has seen Be try to attract more customers, while nine month contracts have been advertised in student-populated areas. Thus, while desktop and laptop users can enjoy Be’s services at home, it may be some time before these services are offered on the move, in spite of the proliferation of netbook users, and the greater portability craved by many PC users.

Broadband Providers Change Laptop Bundles

Wed, 05 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

O2 is aiming to entice more customers onto its broadband deals by offering a home phone and broadband bundle . The mobile phone operator turned broadband provider is offering new customers three months of free broadband, while O2 Mobile customers are also entitled to special rates. The Standard 8mb broadband is available for £17 a month to O2 Mobile customers, including free unlimited evening and weekend calls and three months free broadband. Meanwhile, existing O2 broadband customers can add line rental and unlimited evening and weekend calls to their package for £9.50 a month. Laptop broadband bundles have become increasingly popular in recent years, with companies offering free notebooks and netbooks as an incentive to take out a mobile broadband policy. However, with increased competition both in terms of other broadband providers and new attractions such as the iPad, broadband providers are having to conjure new offers to entice customers.

BT Investment to Boost Laptop Internet Speeds

Mon, 17 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Competition in the fibre-optic broadband market already appears to be intensifying, with BT announcing that it is to invest a further £1 billion in developing its fibre-optic broadband network. Virgin Media and BSkyB have already committed themselves to developing faster broadband using the fibre-optic technology, while BT boss Ian Livingston has said that BT aims to extend its fibre-optic internet to two-thirds of the UK population within five years – higher than the initial target of 40 per cent. The announcement is good news for PC users across the country, whether working on desktop PCs at home or in an office, or using laptops and netbooks on the move. The investment has been made possible by BT’s financial performance over the past year. Having recorded a loss of £244 last year, the telecommunications giant posted a profit of £1 billion in the year ending 31st March.

Consumer Laptop Demands Fuels Growth in PC Shipments

Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

IT research company Gartner has revealed an 18 per cent increase in global PC sales. The new figures revealed that 376.7 million sales of PCs were made last year, compared with 308.2 million during the previous year. The growth was driven largely by an increase in sales in the consumer segment, which, according to Gartner’s principal research analyst Ranjit Atwal, continues to grow despite the global economic difficulties. The increased sales translated to a 12 per cent increase in revenue to $245.4 billion. The large business segment is expected to contribute to further growth, with Atwal revealing expectations that PC replacement programmes and the migration to Windows 7 at big companies would begin in the second half of 2010 and continue until 2012.

Intel CEO Forecasts Strong Netbook Sales

Fri, 14 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Chief Operating Officer of Intel, Paul Otellini, has predicted a continued growth in demand for netbooks . During a speech at Intel’s investor meeting in Santa Clara, California, Otellini predicted that netbook shipments would increase by at least 20 per cent this year, as PC shipments continue to rise. Having initially been viewed as an auxiliary PC by most consumers, netbooks are increasingly being thought of as a computer in their own right, capable of replacing laptops and notebooks as a primary PC. Intel’s Atom processor is specifically manufactured for netbooks, and accounted for 20 per cent of Intel’s mobile PC processor shipments in the first three months of 2010 according to new figures from IDC .

Laptop Users Affected by Virgin Media Broadband Error

Fri, 07 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Some Virgin Media broadband users have been left without internet for over a week after the broadband provider accidently removed the cable modems of active subscribers. The internet service provider embarked on a clear out of unregistered cable modems, but accidentally removed those of a number of active subscribers, leaving hundreds of broadband and WiFi customers without access to the internet. The ‘system purge’ had been underway since February, and despite encountering very few problems in the first couple of months, last week’s faux-pas caused users with modems issued by NTL to be left without access to the internet. The error has affected desktop and laptop PC users, though a Virgin Media spokesman insisted that most of the modems affected were no longer in use owing to their age. The spokesman blamed the error on an inability to determine whether any of the modems were active. The company, which has been trying to pioneer quicker broadband services using fibre optic cables in some areas, has urged affected customers to call their customer services centre to have their modem manually reconnected.

Virgin Media Unveil New Fibre Optic Laptop Concept

Mon, 10 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Internet service provider Virgin Media has unveiled a new concept for a laptop with inbuilt fibre optic broadband technology. British designer Alice Davies is believed to have created the new notebook for Virgin Media, who have invested heavily in pioneering faster forms of broadband. The Virgin Media laptop is intended to be used as a teaching tool, and reportedly includes capabilities such as Bluetooth connectivity and, of course, WiFi connectivity. Rather than having to connect to the internet via temperamental USB dongles, the Virgin Media laptop concept includes a built in Virgin Media mobile broadband dongle, and also features an integrated webcam. The laptops launch follows the unveiling of Virgin Media’s on demand digital TV service, which has a number of American dramas available, and is expected to form part of future laptop broadband bundle sales from Virgin Media. The portable computer can also be recharged wirelessly using a mounting deck.

Vodafone Changes Foreign Laptop Broadband Price Plan

Fri, 21 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Vodafone has announced changes to its mobile broadband price plans which are likely to affect laptop and netbook users who access the internet abroad. The broadband provider and mobile phone operator is set to change its data roaming price plans, and while the company is quick to point out that it will benefit infrequent users of mobile internet, it appears that frequent mobile broadband users may be penalised whilst abroad. At present, Vodafone customers are charged £5 per day for using up to 25MB of data in Europe and £10 for up to 50MB of data, and £15 for up to 25MB or £30 for up to 50MB anywhere else in the world. However, Vodafone have announced that this pricing strategy is to be changed, with users set to be charged £1 per megabyte for the first 5MB, and £5 for every 5MB thereafter under the new plan. Charges are also higher outside of Europe under the new plan, with the first 5MB costing users £3, and £15 per 5MB thereafter.

Acer Launch 3D Laptop in UK

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Computer manufacturer Acer has begun selling its first 3D laptop in the UK. The Aspire 5738DZG is being sold on Amazon for £546 including delivery. The laptop PC has a CineCrystal 1366x768 TFT display which integrates TriDef 3D technology, with Acer claiming the PC has a special 3D layer which allows the LCD technology to deliver 3D capabilities. The viewing content does not need to be 3D to be visible in 3D, as the laptop can convert 2D content into 3D. The laptop is accompanied by 3D polarized glasses, described by Acer as ‘sporty and stylish’. There is also a clip-on version for those who already wear glasses. No information is offered about the cost of extra glasses for other users.

Government Unveils Plans to Widen Laptop Broadband Bundles

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The UK government has unveiled plans to reduce the number of people without internet access by 2014. As part of a new government target to cut the 12.5 million people in Britain without broadband access by 60 per cent, Digital Britain minister Stephen Timms has outlined plans to attract more than seven million new broadband bundle subscribers in the next four years. The scheme will target low income households and the elderly, and has the backing of 60 public and private organisations. In a sign of the changing nature of British society, Mr Timms said that internet access was ‘crucial for participation in the 21st Century society’. The benefits are more than simply social, insist the Institution of Practitioners in Advertising. The marketing industry body claim that the advent of universal broadband access in the UK would boost online retail sales.

Hewlett Packard Apologises to Chinese Laptop Owners

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Computer manufacturing giant Hewlett Packard has issued an apology and extended some laptop warranties after Chinese officials began an investigation into complaints of faulty products. More than 500 Chinese consumers have contacted lawyers claiming their laptops were flawed, some of whom were requesting a recall. The complaints date back to 2007, with most relating to display screen problems or overheated graphic chips. Only 60 complaints have been successful so far, revealed Jiang Suhua, a lawyer representing some of the unhappy consumers. The American PC manufacturer apologised for the inconvenience, and said it was in the process of launching a customer care programme for owners of Hewlett Packard PCs in China. However, the vice president and general manager of the Personal Systems Group for HP China and Hong Kong, Isaiah Cheung, intimated that the programme would not apply to owners of HP desktop computers, and would instead only apply to customers with certain HP Pavilion and Compaq Presario notebook PCs.

Hewlett Packard Launch Touch Laptop for Businesses

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Computer manufacturer Hewlett Packard has launched its first laptop PC targeting businesses which includes a touchscreen. The EliteBook 2740p can be converted to become a tablet PC using it’s rotatable 12.1 inch screen, though the analysts are sceptical about the need for such technology in the business world, while Hewlett Packard have themselves said they do not plan to bring touch technology to existing business notebook lines. Spokesman for Hewlett Packard, Mike Hockey, said that touch technology is more popular among consumers, while touch technology is not one of the features which businesses have requested the manufacturer adds to their PCs . Despite this, Hockey said Hewlett Packard wanted to test the success of touch technology in business computers.

MSI Launch Long Life Mini Laptop

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

MSI has launched a new netbook with long lasting battery life. The new Wind U160 mini laptop has a battery that offers up to 15 hours of usage on a single charge. The long battery life is made possible by a six cell battery and a low power Intel CPU platform, featuring the Intel Atom N450 processor, 1GB DDR2 memory and a 160GB HDD. The mini notebook also has a 10 inch backlit LED display with 1024x600 resolution, and comes with Microsoft Windows 7 Starter edition. The portable computer has a couple of innovative features, including an illuminated logo on the outside of its shell, and a new cylindrical hinge, on which the power button is found. The new netbook is the latest offering by MSI, who has invested heavily in producing a wide selection of the mini laptops . Despite their keen involvement in the netbook PC market, MSI remain less well known than Acer, Asus, Dell, and other netbook manufacturers.

Pixel Qi to Launch Sunlight Friendly Laptop Screens

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Pixel Qi is set to release new replaceable laptop screens for notebook users in the coming months. The sun friendly laptop PC specialist revealed on its blog that it will be launching DIY kits for owners of laptops who want to replace their screen with a sunlight friendly Pixel Qi screen. Spokeswoman for the company, Mary Lou Jepsen, commented that the process of changing the screen was very simple, describing it as a 5 minute operation only slightly more difficult than changing a lightbulb. Pixel Qi first tested the products with the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) foundation – an experience which has inspired Jepsen and encouraged Pixel Qi to make their computer screens more widely available. Girls in poor parts of Nigeria who received notebooks or netbooks as part of the OLPC scheme helped Pixel Qi to test the early products.

Samsung Tablet PC to Rival Mini Laptops

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Computer manufacturer Samsung has announced it will enter the tablet PC market later this year. The tablet PC market has gained considerable media attention since Apple unveiled its iPad device, and Samsung’s Philip Newton has confirmed the company intends to launch a product to rival the iPad. While the iPad has been criticised for lacking much of the functionality offered by laptops and even netbooks, Newton hinted that any Samsung tablet PC will have the power of a netbook PC. Newton also intimated that any Samsung tablet would focus on connectivity, offering users more inputs and outputs than competitors products. It is not the first time Samsung has ventured into the tablet PC market. The Q1 tablet computer was largely unsuccessful, however, failing to appeal to consumers.

Sony to Launch New E Series Laptops

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Sony is to follow up its launch of its M series netbook with two new E series laptops . The two new notebook PCs are expected to be available over the next few weeks, with a 14-inch and 17-inch model available. The smaller of the two models has a 2.13GHz Core i3-330M processor, and a resolution of 1600x900, while the larger of the two notebooks has full HD 1920x1080 resolution, a 17.3 inch screen and an i5-430M processor with Turboboost. Unlike the smaller model, the 17 inch PC has a Blu-Ray player. Both computers will feature Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, boast 500GB hard disk drives and have 4GB RAM. ATI Radeon video modules, WiFi and Bluetooth capability, webcams and HDMI and eSATA Ports will also be common to both models. A fairly innovative feature which both computers will feature is a boot option, allowing users to access the internet without launching the main operating system .

Sony to Launch New Mini Laptop via Tesco

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Sony is set to sell its new Vaio M series netbook through Tesco, claim internet sources. The mini laptop PC is set to go on sale at the end of March, retailing at around £299. The VPC-M11M1E/B mini notebook is said to be powered by the new 1.66 GHz Intel Atom N450 Pine Trial processor, while Intel’s GMA3150 graphics card is also believed to be incorporated into the portable computer . The netbook has a sizeable 250GB 5,400rpm hard disk drive, as well as 1GB RAM. The 10.1 inch LED backlit screen offers a 1,024x600 pixel resolution, while there is also an inbuilt webcam, a card reader, a D-sub port and an Ethernet port. WiFi connectivity allows users to connect to the internet, though analysts are likely to be critical of the inclusion of the basic Starter version of Microsoft Windows 7 which is included. The PCs battery life is unconfirmed, but is expected to last around six hours, and consumers will have a choice of black and white models.

Toshiba Release High Capacity Laptop HDDs

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Electronics manufacturer Toshiba has unveiled two new high capacity hard disk drives, both of which will fit into a laptop . The new 2.5 inch hard disk drives have capacities of 750GB and 1TB, and are the first mobile HDD platforms produced by Toshiba since its acquisition of Fujitsu’s HDD unit. The hard disk drives have functionality beyond laptops, targeting televisions and set top boxes as well as desktop computers and notebook PCs . The new products follow Toshiba’s forecast of revenue growth from its HDD business. Figures supplied by market researcher iSuppli suggest that global revenue will hit $27.7 billion this year, representing an 18.4 per cent increase on the $23.4 billion revenue made last year. The migration from 3.5 inch HDDs to 2.5 inch equivalents has helped drive this growth, and is also expected to lead to cost reductions.

Vodafone Unveils New Laptop Broadband Bundles

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Mobile phone operator Vodafone has announced two new laptops available as part of its mobile broadband bundle deals. The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 netbook and the Samsung N130 netbook are now available with Vodafone’s mobile internet deals, with speeds of up to 7.2Mbps available depending on the package selected. The netbooks are available on plans starting from £25 a month, giving users a 1GB download usage allowance per month, with a 3GB data allowance is available for £30 a month. The Dell Mini 10 netbook typically retails at £349, and has inbuilt Vodafone mobile broadband meaning there is no need for a dongle or separate USB modem sticks. The mini notebook PC has a 160GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM and a 10.1 inch widescreen LED display. The netbook comes with Windows HP Home Ediction, has WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity and weights just 1.33kg.

Writhlington School to Give All Students Free Laptops

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Writhlington School in Radstock is to become the first school in the UK to provide all of its pupils with laptops . The initiative is the result of the E-Learning@Writhlington scheme, and will see the school fund the cost of most of the computers, though parents will be invited to make voluntary contributions to help ensure the scheme is sustainable. Extensive trials were conducted by staff and pupils to determine the most suitable notebook PC, with consensus found on a Dell netbook . The laptop PCs will give students access to a broad selection of educational programmes, and allow them to access the internet . Teachers will be able to upload any resources used in lessons, and students will be able to submit their homework online. The scheme will be introduced after Easter and it is hoped it will encourage children to learn independently, both at home and at school.

Acer Expect to be Leading Laptop Seller in 2010

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Taiwanese computer manufacturer Acer has announced forecasts that the company will surpass Hewlett Packard to become the world’s largest laptop seller by the end of 2010. Hewlett Packard has long since led global PC sales, though figures from 2010 so far suggest that Acer’s predictions may not be too far wide of the mark. Already the world’s second largest PC company, Acer enjoyed a very successful first quarter, selling 9.49 million laptops globally – 20,000 more than its closest rival Hewlett Packard. Acer chairman JT Wang cited the company’s quick response to increased market demand as the main reason for Acer’s success, adding that the company was ready for the anticipated rise in demand for notebooks and netbooks when pupils return to school and college after the summer. Wang also revealed that the company has increased the price of its products for the first time in five years, but insisted that the price increases won’t harm demand.

Asus Making New Mini Laptop with Mobile Phone Dongle

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Laptop manufacturer Asus is reported to be developing a new netbook which uses a mobile phone as a 3G and WiFi dongle . The surge in popularity of the mini laptops has seen a concomitant rise in the popularity of mobile broadband deals which rely on dongles to connect to the internet . Despite the advent of smartphones, and the broadening functionality of these mobile phones, however, no netbooks have been created as yet that allow connection via a mobile phone. There have been instances where iPhone and Blackberry users have used their phones as a tethering device to access the internet, though the manufacturers of these devices have sought to block people from doing this under their existing tariffs.

Fujitsu Unveils Gesture Control Laptops

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Japanese computer manufacturer Fujitsu has revealed its Lifebook AH laptop series. The laptops boast the gesture control feature which enables users to enact a set of movements which trigger a small number of simple controls. The laptops have an embedded camera which can detect hand movements, giving users the power to control such functions as playback in Windows media centre using only hand movements. The AH series notebooks have a 15.6 inch screen with 1366x768 resolution, though the notebook maker is yet to announce how much the PCs will cost or when they will be available in the UK. PC analysts have voiced cynicism at the need for the gesture control featuring, suggesting the laptops represent an expression of engineering capability from Fujitsu. Gesture control is, however, being developed by manufacturers for smartphones, suggesting that such cynicism of the need for this technology may underestimate the demand for it.

Hewlett Packard Launches Educational Laptop

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett Packard has become the latest PC manufacturer to launch a laptop specifically designed for school children. The new durable HP Mini 100e primarily targets primary school children, following the lead of the One Laptop Per Child foundation, whose XO laptop inspired the likes of Dell and Intel to enter the educational laptops market. The HP Mini 100e is roughly what you’d expect from a netbook of this kind. It features an Intel N455 Atom processor, a 160GB hard drive, 1GB of DDR3 RAM and a 10 inch screen. Users can choose to have either Windows XP, Windows 7 Starter or SUSE Linux Enterprise 11 as their operating system, while the mini notebook also has an Ethernet port and the option for WiFi connectivity.

Increase in Laptop Broadband Users in MENA Region Expected

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A new report from Onda Analytics has suggested that the mobile broadband market in the Middle East and North Africa is set to expand rapidly in the coming years. The report forecasts that revenues of the mobile internet market will quadruple for this region by 2014, driven largely by growth in Egypt, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates . These countries are expected to account for more than 60 per cent of the mobile broadband revenue, despite representing just 40 per cent of the region’s population. Report author Tom Harden cited a desire by some operators to showcase advanced services in the region, as well as poor competition from fixed services, as the main reasons for the increase in these countries. The region is expected to provide 20 million mobile broadband subscribers by 2014, largely owing to the increased prominence of laptops and netbooks in the region. As notebooks become more affordable, computers have become more common in households in the region, though the growth in handset based revenues is not expected to be as fast over the next four years. In recent years, there has been an annual increase of 30 per cent in the number of mobile broadband subscribers, up to 304 million.

Laptop Users Suffering Slower Internet Speeds at Peak Times

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A new study has revealed that broadband speeds can be significantly slower at peak times. Broadbandchoices.co.uk show that internet speeds can be as much as a third slower at peak times, with 8pm the likeliest time to suffer a dip in broadband performance. The study, which conducted 250,000 broadband speed tests over months, found that 8pm was the time when most desktop and laptop users were online, with speeds vulnerable to dipping by as much as a third to 4.7 megabytes, as compared with 7 megabytes at 2am, which was found to be the quickest time to go online. The study assessed the average speed of all of major broadband providers at each hour of the day, and found the volume of broadband users to be the greatest cause of slow internet speeds. Traffic management policies, which seek to prevent heavy downloaders from harming the speeds of other users at peak times, may also be to blame for slow internet speeds, and may inhibit the performance of those trying to watch TV online or play games over the internet.

Study Reveals Potential Means of Extending Laptop Battery Life

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology believe they may have found a way to dramatically increase the longevity of laptop and mobile phone batteries. The scientists believe that by replacing the electrodes used in normal batteries with electrodes plated with carbon nanotubes, it may be possible to significantly improve the power to weight ratio of the battery. The result could be dramatic, with the potential to enhance the longevity of batteries in mobile phones, netbooks and notebooks by as much as ten times. The batteries can last longer as a result of the carbon nanotube batteries being able to store more oxygen groups and being more porous, meaning the battery can contain a larger number of lithium ions. At present, carbon nanotube production remains limited to niche suppliers, but several companies are believed to be preparing for mass production of the material.

Survey Suggests Laptop Users May Turn to iPads

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A new survey by price comparison website Kelkoo has found that British consumers could be ready to ditch their laptops in favour of the new Apple iPad . There have been a spat of surveys recently examining the threat posed by the iPad to the laptop and netbook markets. Kelkoo’s survey questioned 965 self-confessed gadget lovers, asking whether they would be willing to replace their existing laptop with an iPad. 40 per cent of respondents indicated that they would be willing to swap, suggesting that iPads could indeed make inroads into the mini laptops market. Not all of respondents were convinced by the hype surrounding iPads, however, with 18 per cent of the opinion that iPads will fail to be a success. 32 per cent of these critics could not see the point of the device, while 23 per cent said it was too limited, and 20 per cent said they are waiting for the second generation iPad.

Toshiba Launches First Android Laptop

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba has launched its first laptop to feature the Google Android mobile operating system . In addition to the Android 2.1 OS, the AC100 notebook also features a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 250 processor, a 10.1 inch 1024x600 resolution display, 8GB of in-built storage, 512MB RAM, an SD reader and a 1.3 megapixel camera. The computer also has WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, while 3G connectivity is also available. The PC is extremely sleek, measuring just 262x190x14mm, and weighing just 870 grams. One of the main features of the AC100 is the speedy access it offers to emails and the internet . With a boot time of under a second, and the option to keep the device on standby for up to seven days, the notebook is ideal for those requiring quick access to documents, emails and the web while on the move.

Toshiba to Launch 3D Capable Laptop

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba has announced that it is to launch a 3D capable laptop, becoming the first PC manufacturer to launch such a product. The Dynabook TX/98MBL will go on sale in Japan this summer, featuring a Blu-ray disc that has 3D capability. The ‘3D system’ is manufactured by graphics chip-maker Nvidia, and offers 3D graphics by combining a pair of active-shutter glasses and its GeForce graphics card using a plug-in transmitter which sends sync signals between the two pieces of hardware. The glasses flicker 60 times a second, while the screen shows 120 images a second which alternative between the right and the left eye. The sophisticated glasses help to separate these images to the correct lens, giving views the illusion of depth in the picture.

XO Laptops Revamped for Secondary School Pupils

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child foundation has revamped its XO laptop to make it more suitable for secondary school children. The original XO laptop was designed for primary school children in developing regions, and has been successfully distributed globally. The new laptops feature improved software and a larger keyboard, and will be available in a variety of colours. The notebooks are compatible with either Linux or Microsoft Windows, though the project has opted to use Linux . Uruguay has already ordered 90,000 of the new XO-HS notebooks, having previously taken receipt of almost 400,000 XO laptops for primary school children. The Uruguayan government is clearly eager to distribute computers among the young generation, and has also ordered 10,000 of the Intel Classmate PC laptops. With 230,000 high school students in total in Uruguay, there is scope for further orders, with delivery of the new PCs scheduled to begin in September this year.

ABI Forecast Strong Netbook Sales

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Market researchers ABI Research have released strong predictions forecasting a 100 per cent increase in the number of annual netbook shipments over the next three years. ABI Research estimate that a total of 120 million netbooks will be sold in 2013 – twice the 60 million expected to be shipped this year, as the mini laptop market continues to expand at a considerable rate. The 2008 launch of the netbook PC category could not have been better timed, as the economic downturn saw consumers adopt a preference for the smaller and more affordable notebook equivalents. The recent launch of the Apple iPad has seen some analysts predict a considerable erosion into the success of netbook computers, though this latest forecast from ABI indicate that not all experts share this view.

Acer and Asus Back Plans for Universal Laptop Power Supplies

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Two of the biggest laptop manufacturers in the world have given their support to plans to introduce universal power supply units for notebooks . Acer and Asus, both of which are based in Taiwan, have given their backing to a scheme for standardised power units for laptops – an idea put forward by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). A working group was recently set up by the standards body to come up with a design for a universal power brick and connector. If the proposals receive the backing of the world’s major PC manufacturers, they will signal an end to the practice of manufacturers charging over £100 for the power leads. The decisions of Acer and Asus, ranked second and fifth in terms of global laptop shipments respectively, to back the proposal represent a significant boost to the IEEE’s plans, which will become credible with the support of a few more major manufacturers.

Contract Laptop Maker Enjoys Best Ever Month

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The world biggest contract laptop manufacturer has posted record high levels of shipments and revenue for a single month. Taiwan based Quanta Computer set the record numbers in June, suggesting that demand for laptops is not waning despite concerns about the impact of the economic downturn on the PC industry. Quanta Computer, whose clients include the likes of Dell, Hewlett-Packard and Sony, shipped 4.8 million notebooks in June, taking in more than £2 billion in revenue. It is the latest in a series of strong months for Quanta, who set their previous monthly record in June, shipping 4.5 billion notebook PCs, bringing in more than £1.9 billion in revenue.

India Announces Ambitious Touch Screen Laptop Plans

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The world’s cheapest touch screen laptop has been devised in India, with an anticipated cost of less than £20. The Sakshat PC has been developed by students at the Indian Institute of Science and the Indian Institute of Technology, though there remains one sizeable stumbling block to the touch screen computer being available to buy – a manufacturer must first be found. The notebooks functionality is more similar to the Apple iPad than to other laptops, allowing users to access the internet, view PDFs and perform video conference calls. Though it is hardly believable that a touch screen PC could be produced so cheaply, India’s Human Resource Development Manager, Kapil Sibal, insists that the project is feasible. The Indian government is at the stage of inviting entrepreneurs and manufacturers to come up with proposals, and Sibal hopes that the prices of producing the PCs may be reduced to as little as £7 once economies of scale as factored in.

Laptop Figures Give Apple Timely Boost

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Amidst problems surrounding the launch of the iPhone 4, Apple have been dealt a boost with the news that they have increased their share of the US laptop market. The innovative PC maker enjoyed a 0.7 per cent increase in their market share, which rose from 9.1 per cent in the second quarter of 2009, to 9.8 per cent in the second quarter of this year. The figures are made all the more impressive by the fact that technology research firm Gartner, who compiled the numbers, did not include Apple’s iPad in the study. Sales of the tablet PC have exceeded the forecasts of many analysts, prompting new predictions that the iPad could be about to revolutionise the PC market, eroding notebook sales and bridging the gap between mobile phones and laptops .

Sony Forced to Make Laptop Recall

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Sony has been ordered to ‘recall’ hundreds of thousands of its Vaio laptops amid concerns that the computers may overheat and burn users. The American Consumer Product Safety Commission ordered the recall after a series of overheating problems were reported, and though there are no reports of any users suffering burns, the move has been made as a precaution. Sony has agreed that there is a problem, but denies that a recall has been ordered, instead insisting that the problem can be fixed with a software update. Sony announced that the problem affects more than half a million of its F and C series laptops sold since the start of the year. Of these notebooks, 260,000 are in the US, 120,000 are in South East Asia, 103,000 are in Europe and 52,000 are in Japan.

Tablet PC Popularity to Erode Laptop and Netbook Sales

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The growing popularity of tablet PCs is set to erode sales of conventional PCs according to a new report from Barclays Capital . The report estimates that consumers will buy 15 million tablet computers this year, and predicts that the figure will almost double to 28 million next year. Ben Reitzes, an analyst at Barclays Capital, predicts that the rapid growth in the popularity of tablet PCs will ‘canibalize’ sales of netbooks and low end netbooks, prompting Barclays to cut its PC sales forecasts by 2 per cent.

Travellers Carrying Sensitive Data on Laptops

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A hostel chain has revealed that more than half of its guests carry laptops containing sensitive data and work documents. A survey from Generator Hostels has revealed that 54 per cent of travellers carry notebooks with sensitive information on them, citing a number of different reasons for taking their PCs with them. Half of those who carry their computers with them do so because they are worried about their laptop being stolen if they leave it at home, while a third believe having their notebook PC with them is a useful travel tool as it allows them to keep in touch with family and friends.

UK Failure to Enter Top 100 Broadband Cities Frustrates Laptop Users

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

None of the UK’s cities have made it into a list of the 100 cities with the fastest high speed broadband access in the world. The list was compiled by web technology firm Akamai, finding the South Korean city of Masan to boast the best broadband infrastructure of any city in the world. Indeed, a number of South Korean cities performed well in the study, a trend which Akamai’s director of market intelligence, David Belson, suggested was the result of population density and the presence of a proactive government who have provided funding for broadband deployment. In light of that explanation, the British government can expect some strong criticism for failing to support the roll out of high speed broadband. Laptop and PC users in rural areas have particularly struggled to access high speed broadband, while business groups have criticised the government for hindering their growth by failing to facilitate online development. Targets for the deployment of high speed internet continue to be delayed by government ministers.

XO 1.75 Laptop to Feature Touchscreen Technology

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The next laptop made by the One Laptop Per Child foundation will feature multitouch technology, according to the scheme’s lead software engineer Chris Bell. The XO 1.75 is due to be launched next year and the new developments such as multitouch technology are expected to be a feature of future generations of the low cost computer as well. The XO 1.75 will be based on Fedora Linux, featuring either a normal 8.9 inch LCD display or a touchscreen interface. The laptop will also be powered by an ARM processor, despite the open source Fedora operating system not yet capable of working with ARM processors.

Apple Mini Laptop Could Spell Danger for Netbooks

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The impending launch of the Apple iSlate has provoked anticipation and excitement amongst retailers and experts, as they speculate about the impact of the iSlate on the booming netbook market. The mini laptops have been a huge success in the past two years, offering mobile internet users the portability and affordability they crave. Indeed, during the past 12 months, netbooks have accounted for nearly one in three notebook sales, though experts have suggested that the iSlate could erode the netbook’s grip of the market. The iSlate will have similar capabilities to netbooks, offering mobile broadband access, as well as video, music and media playback. Such are the similarities between the two, experts have said the pricing of the iSlate will be vital to determining its success. Others have pointed to the importance of the reaction among mobile broadband providers, with the potential inroads likely to be huge if broadband providers subsidise the Apple devices.

Consumer Laptop Complaints Rise in 2009

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A new report has revealed that the number consumer complaints about laptop PCs have risen by 42 per cent during the past twelve months. The report from the Consumer Direct division of the UK Office of Fair Trading said that overall complaints dropped in 2009, but those relating to laptops and TVs increased significantly. With 12,395 complaints made about notebooks alone, not including desktop PCs, director of Consumer Direct, David Fisher, considered the possibility that the increase in the number of complaints could simply correlate to the significant jump in laptop sales in recent years. PC World recently reported that nearly one in three consumers has suffered significant problems with their notebook computer, citing Dell and Hewlett-Packard products as the most likely to encounter difficulties. By contract, Apple and Toshiba were named as the most reliable.

Desktop Sales Rise But Laptops Continue to Drive Market Growth

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

New figures from market analysts IDC have revealed an unexpected rise in desktop PC sales. The improved desktop sales helped drive a 15.2 per cent increase in global PC shipments in the fourth quarter of 2009 as compared with the same quarter in 2008. IDC research manager David Daoud said there were a number of reasons for the increase, while IDC suggested the increase may signify that the PC industry has emerged from the economic downturn. There were a total of 85.8 million units shipped during the fourth quarter of 2009, and while desktops were more popular, most of the shipments derived from laptop and netbook sales. Low cost notebooks were particularly popular once again, with IDC forecasting portable PC shipments will reach 126.2 million in 2009. The launch of Microsoft Windows 7 was said to be a significant factor in the growth, which was common across the world.

Intel Launches Application Centre for Mini Laptops

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Mini laptop users will now be able to download applications to their netbooks after Intel launched their Intel AppUp Centre. Although only the beta version has been released so far, users will be able to log on to a website and download a number of free applications, including Boxee, Newsy and Yoono Desktop . The applications are reminiscent of those available to download on portable handheld devices and mobile phones such a Blackberry or an iPhone . Netbooks have soared in popularity over the past 24 months, and Renee James, corporate vice president and general manager of the Intel software and services group, said that the new Intel AppUp centre will further enhance the mobile lifestyle of netbook users. The application centre is expected to prove a success, as consumers have already demonstrated a preference for affordability and portability, with many neglecting notebooks and desktop PCs in favour of a smaller netbook PC .

Laptop Manufacturers Opting for 3G Cards

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Laptop manufacturers have given another show of confidence in the mobile broadband market with the installation of 3G connectivity in many new laptops . Mobile broadband providers have invested in pushing laptop and broadband bundles whereby consumers receive a ‘free’ laptop if they sign up for a mobile broadband contract. The standard 802 megahertz WiFi built into all notebooks will still be available, but the 3G cards in new laptops will mean that users won’t need a USB dongle to access the internet . The popularity of netbooks has signalled the importance of portability and affordability to the consumer, and the installation of 3G cards will help users to access the internet on the move.

Lenovo Launch Smartbook Laptop Alternative

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Lenovo has unveiled its new Skylight Smartbook – one of eleven PCs launched at the Consumer Electronics Show. The new PC is an all-in-one netbook using the Snapdragon version of the ARM chip – the processor used in a number of mobile phones . Lenovo have promised a new and exciting user interface, as well as WiFi integration and 3G WAN connectivity. While marketed as a Smartbook, the device appears to be more of an advanced phone gadget. As well as offering a proper keyboard and screen, the new Smartbook conceals a Linux operating system, with movie playback offered though there is no DVD or Blu-Ray drive. Instead, you will need to transfer a movie onto the integrated 16GB USB stick.

Market Research Firm Claims Apple Tablet Damaging Laptop Sales

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A new survey from ChangeWave has suggested that consumer excitement about the new Apple tablet PC may be harming existing laptop sales, including those of Apple. The market research firm questioned 3,314 consumers about their technological purchases and potential purchases. 14 per cent said they were likely to buy the Apple tablet computer when it is released, while 4 per cent said they were very likely to purchase it. 37 per cent said they would spend over $700 on such a purchase, while three quarters of respondents said they’d spend more than $500. However, the number of respondents who had bought a new desktop, notebook or netbook computer in the past 90 days fell considerably, while amongst those who had, the Apple MacBook accounted for just 17 per cent, compared to 25 per cent in September.

OLPC Unveil XO-3 Laptop

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) foundation has revealed its latest computer – the XO-3. The new laptop PC is a touchscreen tablet PC and is the OLPC’s sleekest model yet. Despite the addition of touchscreen technology, OLPC are adamant it will cost ‘well below $100’ when it becomes available in 2012. The non-profit organisation will be hoping the XO-3 is more successful than the XO-2 model it launched in 2008, which has since been scrapped. So the actual predecessor will be the initial XO model, which has been distributed to 1.4 million children across 35 countries, including every child at a Uruguayan school. ARM will provide the chips for the new laptops, which have simple functions such as word processing and simple internet access.

Sony Unveils Most Powerful Ultra Portable Laptop

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Sony has launched the world’s most powerful ultra portable laptop to date as part of its new VAIO Z range. There’s plenty of technical jargon to back up that claim too! The VAIO VPCZ11Z9E and the VAIO VPCZ11X9E both come with Intel Core processors, 13.1 inch LCD backlit monitors, 1GB Nvidia Geforce GT330M graphics cards, built in optical Blu-ray drives and HDMI outputs, while both are fitted with carbon fibre and aluminium chassis. It is the Z9E that is the most powerful of the laptops, boasting a 2.66GHz i7-620M chip, 6GB of DDR SDRAM, four 64GB SSDs and a screen resolution of 1920x1080. That X9E is not quite as powerful, with a 2.4GHz Core i5 processor, 4GB DDR3 SDRA, four 32GB SSDs and a screen resolution of 1600x900. The portable PCs could rival many of the desktop computers on the market!

Big Response to Home Access Laptop Scheme

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The government’s Home Access scheme has been hugely popular, according to new figures. The UK government has released figures showing that more than 130,000 families have applied for the scheme in the three weeks since it was launched, with 5,309 applications approved to date. The scheme aims to provide children with free laptops and broadband by issuing each approved family with a Barclaycard which can be used at approved retailers for purchases worth £528. Families with children aged 7 to 14 who are entitled to free school meals may apply to the scheme, which schools secretary Ed Balls has labeled a ‘ground-breaking offer’. Balls also claims that there are educational, economic and social benefits of having broadband access on your PC at home.

BT Announces One Millionth Laptop Wi Fi Hotspot

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

BT has declared that it now has one million Wi-Fi hotspots in the UK and Ireland. Most of the hotspots can be found in independent businesses and chains, such as McDonalds and Starbucks, though a portion of hotspots are the result of the BT Home Hub Fon scheme, where customers with BT broadband at home can open up a section of their Wi-Fi for others to use. The telecommunications operator has also said that its customers are on course to spend one billion minutes surfing the internet this year, an increase largely attributable to the advent of devices such as Blackberrys and iPhones .

Consumers Dubious of Netbooks as a Laptop Replacement

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A new survey of American consumers has revealed that many people do not see netbooks as a replacement for their laptop, but as an additional device instead. 63 per cent of consumers questioned by Pricegrabber.com felt that the limited capabilities of a netbook PC render it an inadequate alternative to notebooks, though 15 per cent of those surveyed did own a netbook, while 11 per cent said they planned to buy one this year. The findings are consistent with the pricing structure that computer manufacturers have adopted for the sale of netbook PCs, which are typically much cheaper than laptops . As a result, some consumers who may not consider a netbook a feasible alternative may still purchase a mini notebook as an auxiliary device given its portability and affordability. The low priced PCs, which offer internet connectivity, have also put pressure on laptop manufacturers, with Pricegrabber reporting a 20 per cent decrease in the average laptop PC on their website last year.

Dell Launches Powerful Mini Laptop

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Dell has launched a new netbook under its Alienware brand, though the new mini notebook doesn’t conform to the price and specifications of other netbooks . The M11x netbook is being marketed as a gaming PC, boasting an impressive range of features. The mini laptop has an 1.3GHz Intel ultra low voltage Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor, a Geforce GT 335M graphics card, 1GB of dedicated GDDR3 memory, up to 8GB of DDR3 memory at 1066MHz, as well as a choice between a 245GB SSD and a 500GB 7,200 rpm hard drive . The netbook, which has eight and a half hours of battery life, comes with 64-bit Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate edition, an 11 inch screen, three USB ports, a card reader and 802.11n Wifi to ensure internet connectivity. Weighing around 2 kilograms, it is one of the heavier netbooks on the market, though all of these features come at a cost. Whereas most netbooks cost just a few hundred pounds, this ‘mini beast’ will set you back at least £749, prompting many analysts to doubt whether the M11x will be a success.

Laptop Maker Reveals Income Decline

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Computer manufacturing giant Dell has revealed a decline in its fourth quarter net income, despite posting an increase in revenue. The laptop PC manufacturer saw its net income fall by 4.84 per cent in its fourth quarter, from $351 million to $334 million. This decline coincided with a fall in gross profit, which fell from 17.2 per cent to 16.6 per cent from the same quarter of the last fiscal year. There was some more positive news for Dell, whose total revenues increased to $14.9 billion, up by 11 per cent on the same quarter 12 months ago. The increase was largely driven by growth in developing countries, with a 72 per cent increase in revenue in Brazil, Russia, India and China .

Laptop Manufacturers Divided Over Google Operating Systems

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

PC manufacturers are set to adopt Google’s portable operating systems in their new computers this year, though many manufacturers are unsure whether to opt for Android or Chrome. The operating systems are set to appear in larger devices such as netbooks and laptops this year, though many manufacturers are undecided on which Google system to use, while others are clearly split. Samsung appears likely to choose Google Chrome OS, and an Australian news website recently suggested that Samsung is putting the final touches to a netbook . According to reports, the netbook has yet to be named, but will boast a 10.1 inch LED backlit display, 64GB of storage and 2GB of RAM. The PC will have a battery life of up to 12 hours, and will store its documents on Google’s cloud servers. Reports suggest Samsung are inclined to use ARM processors rather than the Intel equivalent.

Laptop Users to Benefit From Virgin Media Broadband

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Virgin Media has announced it will begin offering broadband speeds of up to 100 megabits per second by the end of the year. The service will be offered to consumers and will be ‘very close to advertised headline speeds’. Able to achieve even faster speeds of up to 200Mbps in some areas, Virgin cite the use of its cable, rather than the more widespread ADSL technology which competitors use, as the reason for being able to offer such high speeds. With most services currently ranging from 10Mbps to 50Mbps, laptop and desktop PC users can download a music album in as little as 75 seconds. However, Virgin Media claim their service will allow users to download an album in just 5 seconds as a result of the faster internet .

Microsoft Investing WIndows 7 Laptop Battery Problems

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Microsoft is investigating reports that Windows 7 is having an adverse affect on the battery life of some laptops and netbooks . Users of both Windows 7 beta and the final product have complained of receiving warnings to replace the battery, as well as premature warnings that the battery needs recharging. Although Microsoft claim Windows 7 improves battery endurance, some of the first reviewers of the operating system did suggest that Windows 7 cuts laptop battery life by upto a third. The thread first appeared on Microsoft’s support site at the start of June 2009, and continues to receive considerable attention. Users are divided as to whether the warnings are false, or whether Windows 7 has damaged the battery of their laptop or notebook PC. Some users have claimed that their battery life remains considerably shorter, despite ditching Windows 7 and returning to earlier versions of Windows, or even switching to Linux .

Mobile Broadband a Hit with US Laptop Owners

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Two new reports have indicated that mobile broadband is becoming an increasingly popular option in America. A survey from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has revealed that 15 per cent of Americans use mobile broadband on their laptops, and the proportion of computer owners using mobile internet deals is expected to increase as 4G networks become more widespread. Given the relatively recent advent of mobile broadband deals, the 15 per cent figure is hugely impressive. Meanwhile, one report which has gained a great deal of media attention is the finding that 35 per cent of American’s don’t have access to high speed internet at home. This figure, which equates to 93 million Americans, has prompted the new FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski to pledge more affordable high speed broadband access. However, with mobile broadband bundle deals often accompanied by a free laptop or netbook, there could be scope for mobile broadband providers to target those without internet access or a PC at present.

Simplified Laptop Launched For Technology Novices

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A new computer has been made which is tailored to the needs of technology novices. The Broadband Computer Company has designed the Alex laptop for people who are frustrated and confused by PCs . More than £2.5 million has been invested in the project, which allows users to receive a laptop for £39.95 a month, with no up front fee. The monthly fee includes telephone support, broadband access, software updates, anti-virus software and a 10GB storage allowance on the Broadband Computer Company’s servers. The Alex notebook PC has been designed to be very simple to use. Based on Linux, the laptop has simplified internet browsing, email, image editing and office software. Access can also be remote, with subscribers receiving a USB which includes user-encrypted data, allowing them to log on to any Alex laptop and access their desktop . The company also plans to build an application store for Alex subscribers, allowing them to add more features and functions to their computer as they wish.

Windows 7 Laptop Sales Boosts Microsoft Profits

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Record breaking sales of Microsoft Windows 7 has helped the software giant to post profits of £4.2 billion in just three months. Consumer response to the new operating system has been particularly strong, helping Microsoft to sell 60 million licenses, making Windows 7 the fastest selling operating system in history. Unsurprisingly, therefore, much of the profit was made in Microsoft’s operating systems division, which saw profits nearly double to £3.4 billion. The success of Windows 7, which has been sold alongside new netbooks, laptops and desktops since its launch in October, illustrates Microsoft’s continued dominance on operating system software. Net Intelligence has released figures estimating that Microsoft holds a 92 per cent share of the market, with Apple and Linux holding a meagre 5 per cent and 1 per cent respectively.

A self playing music player

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The iPod Touch, the iPod Nano, and the iPod Shuffle music players simply get smaller and smaller. However, we could soon be seeing a music player in the shape and size of a small badge. The times of vinyls, CDs, mini-disks and tape cassettes is long gone. The Playbutton is a digital music album in the form of a badge. It essential provides album artwork that you can literally wear. The Playbutton is the gadget of a small company with a mixture of workers in Tokyo, New York, Barcelona and London.

Call of Duty Black Ops surpasses 1 billion dollar bench mark

Tue, 21 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Call of Duty has become an iconic game of 2010 just like the iPhone 4 . Furthermore, and more interestingly, Call of Duty: Black Ops, the latest instalment in the Call of Duty line, has broken the $1 billion (£647 million) record. Acitvision Blizzard released the sales figures which illustrate that in just six weeks Call of Duty broke the record sales barrier and now joins the elite of a number of entertainment release that have ever managed to break the billion dollar barrier. Michael Jackson’s Thriller album broke the record barrier. Even Thriller did not break the barrier in such a short space of time as Call of Duty: Black Ops. The only other quick contender was the smash hit film, Avatar.

Facebook has a brief shut down

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

There are more than 500 million active users on Facebook and per month people spend over 700 billion minutes on Facebook. However, this huge website that on average shares more than 30 billion pieces of content each month suffered a brief shut down as a result of a staff member accidently leaking internal prototypes. However, the site was online offline for a mere 20-30 minutes yet even this is a huge blow for such a huge website. The leak occurred as Facebook rolled out their new revamped site with redesigned brand pages, photos section and a new page management feature.

iPhone 5 rumours speculate Spring 2011

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The iPhone 5 rumours are growing stronger as the predicted date of release, Spring 2011, nears. The iPhone 5 has been said to be released at the same time as the awaited iPhone 4 White. The rumoured specifications sound possible. Supposedly, the iPhone 5 will have an upgraded processor of 1.2GHz opposed to the iPhone 4's A4 1GHz processor. The iPhone 5 is also allegedly going to have a larger screen, exceeding the already bulky iPhone 4 size. The iPhone 4 may be "the world's slimmest smartphone ", the 3.5 inch screen is too big for some pockets. The iPhone 5 is supposed to have a colossal 3.7 inch screen, additional memory and larger storage capacity.

Microsoft releases a warning about an Internet Explorer vulnerability

Wed, 29 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Microsoft is probably installed on just about every laptop and computer in the world – besides Macs of course. However, Microsoft have issued a warning not about their operating system but their Internet Explorer browser every single version to date to be precise. In short this means your computer could be taken under the control of an external machine without you knowing it due to a gap that can be exploited by booby-trap webpages.

Skype loses 10 million calls

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Skype was until now known as a cheap way of ringing anyone anywhere around the world, as long as they had Skype on a smartphone or on a computer . However, today millions of people around the world were hit by a huge and unidentified problem.

Three offers a real unlimited data plan on One Plan

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

UK phone operator Three (3) is now offering an unlimited data as part of it's One Plan. Unlimited data means that iPhone, iPad and mobile phone users on Three's One Plan won't suffer from a bandwidth cap or data throttling. The One Plan offers 5,000 texts, 5,000 Three to Three minutes, 2,000 anytime minutes and unlimited data. Before this, the data cap was at 1GB .

WikiLeaks app removed from the Apple App Store

Fri, 24 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Paypal, Amazon and the Bank of America have distanced themselves from the notorious website WikiLeaks over the past few weeks. Now, Apple have followed suit banning and removing the Wikileaks App from the App Store found on a number of their products such as the iPhone, iPod and iPad . The WikiLeaks App was a paid for download that instantly gave users access to the WikiLeaks Twitter feed, website and documents held on the website. The WikiLeaks App was removed a mere 3 days after its release.

Dell Pushing Tablet PCs Instead of Mini Laptops

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Gadget Show Awaits Windows 8

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:41:06 GMT

Gadgets are the game and also in its name, and the Show of the same title didn't fail to offer its fair share of toys for boys and for that matter girls. However, for those looking for news, views and entertainment on the laptops front, it seems The Gadget Show 2012 was short on thrills and spills.

Samsung Tab 2 Mid May UK Release

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:36:19 GMT

According to reports from The Gadget Show from Samsung, their new 10.1 and 8.9inch tabs will be released mid May in the UK - meaning they are set to be pushed further back than originally expected.

Samsung Tab 2 Release for UK is May

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:42:20 GMT

According to reports from The Gadget Show from Samsung, their new 10.1 and 8.9inch tabs will be released mid May in the UK - meaning they are set to be pushed further back than originally expected.

ASUS Ivy Bridge Refresh

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:17:15 GMT

ASUS has followed in line with other manufacturers and is refreshing its laptop line to coincide with Intel's new Ivy Bridge release.

Google Drive Released Next Week

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:13:56 GMT

Google Drive, which will allow cloud storage in Macs and iOS, as well as Windows devices will launch next week according to a leaked press release.

Windows 8 Ultrabook/ Tablets for Late 2012

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:47:24 GMT

Intel showed off its Intel Cove Pont Windows 8 ultrabook tablet hybrid at the Intel Developers Forum in Beijing.

Apple MacBook Pro 17" may be Discontinued

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:06:47 GMT

According to MacRumors now might be the best time to purchase a 17in MacBook Pro as it looks like it may be discontinued due to weak sales.

AMD 28nm Graphics to Arrive in HD7000m Series

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 11:23:18 GMT

AMD's new graphics series, named after London areas, has been announced and is set for over 200 laptops according to the company

No Tablet Hybrid for Apple

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:31:40 GMT

Tim Cook has dismissed any idea of Apple combining laptops and tablets and claiming such an action would 'end up compromising both'.

Dell Unveil Inductive Charging Feature on Latitude Z600 Laptop

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Dell has unveiled its latest ultra thin computer, the Latitude Z600. The new notebook incorporates the much anticipated inductive charging feature, using a stand rather than a cable to charge the laptop . The recharging process is similar to that of an electric toothbrush, whilst the optional custom docking station has a number of other benefits. The custom docking station allows the Latitude Z to wirelessly access audio jacks, a DVI video link and USB ports, as long as the PC is located within 9 feet of the docking station. The Latitude Z600 will face stiff competition, however. Weighing 4.5 pounds and at just 0.55 inches thick, the laptop will be competing with the Apple MacBook Air . The laptop has a 1600x900 widscreen resolution, and has two central processing unit options from Intel . Users may choose from the ultra low voltage Core 2 Duo SU9400 processor providing 1.4GHz, or the ULV SU9600 processor offering 1.6GHz. The laptop comes with Windows Vista already installed.

HP Vivienne Tam Laptop Announced

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett Packard has launched a new chic netbook . The Vivienne Tam netbook PC debuted on the catwalk of Vivienne Tam’s Spring 2010 fashion show at New York Fashion Week, and offers a rare link between computers and fashion . The mini laptop has a unique butterfly design, which it is claimed symbolizes the inspiration for Tam’s whole spring collection, which illustrates a Chinese love story revolving around Butterfly Lovers. It is the second time Hewlett Packard has teamed up with Vivienne Tam, following the launch of the original red Floral HP digital clutch.

Intel Unveils Fatest Laptop Processor

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Intel has unveiled its fastest laptop processor to date which will power its next generation of mainstream laptops . The Core i7 processors are based on Nehalem microarchitecture and offer a number of improvements which will allow future notebook, netbook and desktop PCs to outperform the current Core 2 laptop processors. The Nehalem microarchitecture cuts bottlenecks to improve performance per watt and overall system speed. The new processors will also direct excess processing power to active cores rather than to dormant ones, with Turbo Boost technology enhancing chip speeds by up to 3.33GHz on high performance laptops.

Laptops Overlooked in Favour of Cheaper Netbooks

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The growing popularity of netbook PCs shows no signs of slowing after another hugely successful quarter for the small laptops . Netbooks have nearly quadrupled their market share in the past twelve months, up from 5.6 per cent in the second quarter of 2008 to 22.2 per cent in the same quarter of 2009. The figures from market research firm DisplaySearch also revealed that the success of the portable computers has seen an erosion of the market share enjoyed by traditional laptops. Normal sized notebooks have seen their market share fall from 94.4 per cent in the second quarter of 2008 to 77.8 per cent of the market in the most recent quarter. The popularity of netbooks in emerging markets has been a major factor behind the rapid growth. With many customers in areas such as Latin America and China buying a laptop for the first time, the cheaper netbook models are able to satisfy the needs of these consumers, DisplaySearch claim. Meanwhile, the subsidized deals offered by telecommunication providers in Western Europe have helped netbooks to penetrate the market successfully. Of course, a major factor that cannot be ignored in their success is the clamour for good value products in the midst of an economic downturn.

Lenovo Announce SimpleTap Laptop Technology

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Lenovo has announced it is to add SimpleTap technology to its Thinkpad X200 tablet PC and T400s laptop . The SimpleTap application makes it easier to use the touchscreen technology on the computers . By tapping the screen twice, users can bring up a selection of hardware options, which can be customised to suit the user. Lenovo’s introduction of multitouch screen tools has made Lenovo’s notebooks fully interactive, with Lenovo claiming users can navigate around their applications using four fingers to flick, pinch and zoom through documents. Hardware options include digital cameras, microphones and wireless radios . The tools will be most useful to those with design or engineering needs. SimpleTap will be released at the end of October as a download.

New Intel Processor to Pave the Way for Thinner Laptops

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Intel’s new ultra-low voltage processors will pave the way for even thinner laptops, Intel’s vice president has claimed. Mooly Eden, who is also the general manager of Intel’s Mobile Platforms Group, spoke of a slim, sleek package that would contain a new balance between performance and power consumption. Consumers and business professionals will soon be able to run several intense applications on the new ultra-low voltage based laptops at the same time. In addition, owners of the sleek notebooks will be able to use the Mobile Intel GS40 Express Chipset offering HD playback, integrated HDMI and Windows Vista Premium support. Battery life will also benefit as a result of the new processors, whilst users will be able to choose between embedded broadband WiMAx and Intel My WiFi Technology, providing internet capability when on the move.

Nokia Enter Mini Laptop Market

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Nokia is to enter the laptop PC market with the launch of its Booklet 3G netbook . The portable computer will be powered by the new Windows 7 operating system, but fears have been raised at the pricing of the netbook. Nokia have priced the Booklet 3G at around £500, despite some rival netbooks retailing at around half that price. With consumers able to purchase notebooks for less, analysts have said they expect the market to be very small for the Booklet 3G. Equipped with HD functionality via an HDMI port, the Booklet 3G is a high end netbook, boasting a 1280x780 resolution on its 10 inch screen. The netbook has a battery life of up to 12 hours, and comes equipped with Nokia services such as Nokia Music for PC, Ovi Suite 2.0, Ovi Maps and GPS capability, whilst Internet Explorer 8 is the default internet browser. The in-built accelerometer is able to detect the orientation of the device, whilst the netbook has a 120GB hard drive and 1GB DDR2 RAM.

Orange Win Laptop Broadband Award

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Orange has been awarded best broadband and laptop deal in the Top 10 Broadband awards. The awards are based on 1.5 million customer feedback ratings as well as 400,000 broadband speed tests. Virgin Media were the major winners in the awards, picking up two awards – one for providing the UK’s fastest home broadband and another for Broadband Innovation for its 50Mbps product. Sky picked up the best broadband and TV package, O2 were top of the pile for home broadband, Plusnet’s was the best value home broadband while BT offer the best wireless broadband according to the awards.

Sony Enter Netbook PC Market with Mini Vaio Laptop

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Sony has revealed it is to enter the netbook PC market with a slimmed down version of its Vaio laptop. The netbook will be sold in Japan for around 60,000 yen, equating to just over £400. The announcement means that all major PC manufacturers have now entered the netbook market, which has swelled in popularity in the past two years as consumers opt for a smaller and cheaper option on which they can surf the internet and access email. The mini notebook PC will come equipped with an Intel Atom processor, as well as Microsoft Windows XP. Whereas most netbooks have a 1,024x600 pixel display, Sony’s high end netbook will boast a sharper 1,366x768 resolution.

Vodafone Launch Mobile Broadband Hotspot for Laptop Users

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Vodafone has launched its new Mobile Broadband Hotspot, allowing laptop users to share their mobile broadband connection with up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices. The device will allow users to connect games consoles, digital cameras and MP3 players to the internet, provided they are within a 10 metre radius of a connected laptop PC . The portable gismo is the size of a credit card, containing an internal battery that provides up to 4 hours of usage. With optimum coverage, downloading speeds of up to 7.2Mbps are available, with speeds of 5.7Mbps on the uplink. Memory can be increased to 16GB via microSD. Vodafone Mobile Broadband Hotspot will initially only be available in Germany, Romania and Spain.

Windows 7 to Feature on Laptops Next Month

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Microsoft is to release its new operating system in three weeks time, with Windows 7 set to become the biggest selling operating system ever. All new PCs will come with Windows 7 pre-installed within weeks of its release, with the aim of making using a computer easier and faster to use. In order to be a success, Windows 7 will have to avoid the complications and frustrations of Windows Vista, which was seen by many as overly invasive on your PC for no great benefits. Users of netbooks, laptops and desktops have all complained of similar problems, with restricted wireless internet capabilities upon installation.

3 Add New Laptop Broadband Bundles

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Mobile phone operator 3 has unveiled its newest mobile broadband deals, just weeks after rival operator T-mobile decided to ditch the mobile broadband offers in favour of Christmas gift bundles. 3 is now offering consumers a free Samsung N130 laptop when they sign up to a two year broadband deal worth £20 per month. With a download limit of 1GB per month, the deal is suited to light internet users. A contract option is also available for heavier internet users, givers users a 15GB download limit for £15 per month over 24 months. 3 are also offering consumers a chance to get a free Samsung R720, which has been given high praise by the technology media. The notebook doesn’t come cheap, however, with a monthly fee of £40 a month charged with a 15GB download limit.

418 Million Laptop Users Forecast to Use Mobile Broadband in 2017

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

New figures have been released forecasting that 418 million people worldwide will use mobile broadband services in 2017. The forecast has been made by Coda Research Consultancy, who expect that the mobile internet market will have a revenue of $48 billion in the same year. The greatest level of growth will be in the Asia Pacific region, which will account for 162 million users by 2017. 58 million North American laptop and netbook PC users will use mobile broadband services in 2017 according to the projection, while Europe will provide a further 94 million customers.

Acer Launched 3D Laptop

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Acer has launched a new laptop with 3D multimedia viewing capabilities. The high tech new notebook is the latest model in Acer’s Aspire series, and comes equipped with a special high definition screen and software enabling users to watch 3D multimedia. Users must wear special glasses which come with the PC to view 3D material. The Acer Aspire 5738DG laptop has a 15.6 inch screen with a 1366x768 resolution that is coated with a layer of film making it possible to enhance 2D viewing and offer users a 3D image. More functional operations such as documents, emails and spreadsheets can still be performed in a standard viewing mode.

Acer Launches Multitouch Laptop

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Acer has become the latest PC manufacturer to launch a multitouch display laptop . The Acer Aspire 5738PB notebook will compete with similar products from Dell, Hewlett Packard and Lenovo, all of which feature multitouch technology. The technology allow users to manipulate images, write notes and zoom into maps using two fingers. Lenovo’s Thinkpad T400 laptop may have the edge, however, boasting four finger multitouch capability. Acer is coinciding the US launch of its new laptop with the release of the latest Microsoft operating system – Windows 7. The new Aspire laptop will feature the new operating system, which has native touchscreen support.

Asus Launch New Netbooks to Challenge Windows 7 Laptops

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Asus has announced it is to launch two netbooks which will run on the new Microsoft Windows 7 operating system . The Eee PC 1005HR and the Eee PC 1005HE will both be powered by an Intel Atom 1.66GHz N280 processor, have three megapixel webcams, WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities and have either a 160GB or 250GB hard drive . The mini laptops will also both have 10.1 inch displays and significantly, the HR netbook will boast 1366x768 resolution, becoming the first Asus netbook to exceed 1024x600. The new netbooks are the latest updates to the Asus Seashell range, and come at a time when many computer manufacturers are holding fire on releasing new netbook PCs as they wait for the next generation Pineview Atom processors from Intel, which are expected to be available from January.

Consumers Unconvinced by Free Laptop Deals

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A new online poll has revealed that consumers do not feel that ‘free’ laptop deals offer good value for money. Among respondents to the poll, conducted by Broadband Genie, just 15 per cent felt that the deals represented good value, compared to more than 60 per cent who felt the deals do not offer enough for the money paid over the course of the contract. The mobile broadband market has swelled hugely in recent months and years, with mobile phone operators turning their attention to internet products. In a bid to attract new customers, broadband providers such as 3, Orange, O2 and Vodafone are offering customers free laptops or netbooks if they take out an 18 or 24 month mobile broadband deal . The notebook PCs on offer are increasingly powerful as competitors vie to attract new customers.

Every Child in Uruguay Now Has an OLPC Laptop

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Uruguay has become the latest nation to provide a laptop to every child in state primary school education as part of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) scheme. 362,000 pupils and 18,000 teachers in Uruguay have been issued laptops in the past two years under the Plan Ceibal (Education Connect). Although Nicholas Negroponte, the founder of the OLPC, had hoped to sell the small notebooks for £61 each, the programme has ended up costing the Uruguayan government £159 per child inclusive of internet connection, equipment repairs, teacher training and maintenance costs. The final batch of XO laptops were delivered to a school in Montevideo on October 13th, meaning a vast number of families now have access to computers and internet for the first time. An estimated 70 per cent of pupils receiving the laptops did not have a computer at home.

iPhones Allowing Laptop Users to Leave PC at Home

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Portable handheld device users are changing the way we use laptops according to a recent survey by LogMeIn. With iPhones and blackberries increasingly popular, consumers are opting to access the internet on smaller devices on the move and leave their notebooks at home. The survey revealed that 57 per cent of LogMeIn users now opt to leave their laptops at home at least half of the time, and use their iPhone to access the internet, with the LogMeIn Ignition application allowing them to access files on their notebook PC when on the move. The survey results are revealed in a new e-book from LogMeIn and reveal how users now access both the internet, and files on their PC using LogMeIn, from virtually anywhere. The survey of 400 users revaled that two thirds of iPhone users use the Ignition application to access a home or work computer, with email the most cited reason for needing to access their PCs . Nearly two in five users use the iPhone application for IT support, while over a quarter use the application to assist families and friends. The e-book contained stories of iPhone usage in a wide range of locations including mountain tops, court rooms and emergency rooms.

Laptop Users Advised to Check Coverage Before Taking Out Mobile Broadband Deals

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Consumers are being warned to ensure they have good coverage before taking out mobile broadband contracts. Laptop and notebook users opting to take out mobile internet contracts should check online maps or a 3G mobile handset to check that there is good coverage in their area before agreeing to potentially lengthy and costly contracts. Free connection is available in a number of high street chains such as McDonald’s and Starbucks, but without good general coverage, promises of generous data allowances and fast download speeds will be irrelevant.

Lenovo Launch New Laptops and Desktops

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Lenovo have launched three new desktop PCs and three new laptops featuring Windows 7 and Lenovo’s Enhanced Experience software . The Enhanced Experience software was first announced in September and claims to provide start up and shut down speeds that are 56 per cent faster than the boot times of Windows XP and Vista on Lenovo’s PCs . The technology was developed in collaboration with Microsoft and also includes multimedia tools which improve graphics, and better maintenance tools which improve data recovery and virus protection . Among Lenovo’s new notebooks, the IdeaPad Y550P laptop is the highest performing model and is being marketed the most powerful of any of Lenovo’s consumer products. With prices starting at $1,149, the PC has an Intel Core i7 processor, a 15.6 inch screen and Nvidia discrete graphics.

Manufacturers Cut Prices on Windows 7 Laptops

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Leading computer manufacturers Hewlett Packard and Toshiba have cut laptop and desktop prices on new machines featuring Windows 7 . Despite the improved technology both in terms of software and hardware, consumers buying new PCs from the end of October will benefit from price cuts. Experts are citing rising competition and market insecurities as the major reasons for the price drops, while the popularity of the smaller and cheaper netbooks has forced laptop and desktop manufacturers to reconsider their pricing. In the US, laptop sales have been weak for any PC priced above $800, forcing manufacturers to offer more affordable solutions with the best performance possible for the price. Apple’s decision to cut the price of its MacBook to $999 offered an indication of this, and reports suggest prices will be cut further.

Netbook Popularity Sees Laptop Market Revenue Decline

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The portable PC market enjoyed a 10 per cent increase in revenue in the second quarter of 2009 compared to the first three months of the year. The $26.4 billion figure was, however, down by 5 per cent on the same period of 2008, according to new figures from market researchers DisplaySearch. The decrease is being attributed to the rising popularity of netbook PCs . A cheaper and smaller notebook equivalent, netbooks have experienced a 264 per cent growth in revenue in the past twelve months, acquiring an 11.7 per cent of the mobile PC market in the process. With more consumers buying netbooks than laptops, there has been a drop in revenue with netbooks typically priced under £300.

AMD Doubt Longevity of Mini Laptops

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Vice President of Product Marketing at Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) has labelled netbooks as inadequate. Leslie Sobon believes AMD made the right decision when opting to back ultrathin laptops as netbook PCs are only sufficient for browsing the internet and email according to Sobon. Indeed, AMD’s executives believe that consumers are buying netbooks for all the wrong reasons. AMD forecast that consumers will become disillusioned with the limited functionality of netbooks having bought the mini notebooks simply for their portability and appearance. AMD’s Senior Manager of Product Market was more diplomatic on the issue, saying that a netbook was simply ‘what you define it as’. His comments are convenient as the Ferrari One has been the subject of mixed product descriptions by manufacturer Acer and AMD. Acer is marketing the PC as a netbook, while AMD are calling it an ultrathin.

Asus Unveil Powerful New Mini Laptop

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Asus has unveiled its latest addition to its Eee PC netbook range, though this netbook has a difference. The Eee PC 1201N includes a dual-core Atom processor that would usually be used to power a desktop computer . The netbook also features the Nvidia Ion graphics card, meaning the mini laptop can support a 1366 x 768 display on its 12.1 inch screen. The inclusion of an HDMI port adds to the playback possibilities on the mini laptop . It is undoubtedly one of the best equipped netbooks on the market, and will use the new Microsoft Windows 7 operating system . In addition, the mini notebook has 3GB of memory, a 250GB hard drive, and can access the internet through Wifi .

Chinese Manufacturer Launches Worlds Cheapest Laptop

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Chinese PC manufacturers Meng have unveiled the world’s cheapest laptop . The EasyPC will cost just $80 and uses an ARM-based processor from Samsung. The laptop has WiFi capability, an Ethernet LAN port, two USB ports and a 2,000mAh battery. The netbook also has 128MB of RAM, 2GB solid state drive storage, and an SD card slot which can boost flash storage by up to 32GB. The mini notebook also supports YouTube and Skype. The EasyPC is expected to operate using Microsoft Windows CE, though it is rumoured to be compatible with Android, making it a versatile laptop that could be considered an ultra-mini PC, a smartbook, a laptop or a netbook.

Graphics Chip Shipments Boosted by Netbook and Laptop Sales

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Graphics chip manufacturers enjoyed an excellent third quarter as shipments of the processors rose by more than 20 per cent. A record high of almost 120 million units were shipped in the third quarter, representing a 21.2 per cent increase on the previous quarter. The figure also exceeded the 111 million unit shipment record set in the same quarter of 2008. It proved an excellent quarter for Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Intel, who both extended their market share. Intel now enjoy a 52.7 per cent market share, up from 51.1 per cent, while AMD’s market share rose from 18.4 per cent in the second quarter to 19.8 per cent. Nvidia didn’t enjoy such a good quarter, seeing their market share fall from 29.2 per cent to 24.9 per cent, but remain ahead of AMD.

HP Launches Laptop Backup Software

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett Packard has launched the HP Data Protector Notebook Extension offering continuous backup and restore protection for data help on mobile devices. The Data Protector software had previously not covered mobile workers using laptops, but will now minimise the harm caused by a hard drive failure, theft, or any other cause of data loss. The software can be used on a number of mobile devices, including netbooks, and works by sending any changes to documents back to a central data vault. Laptops do not have to be online for the software to work, as the software will save any changes made on a PC without a network connection in a local repository until it has internet access.

HP Named as Least Reliable Laptop Manufacturer

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Laptop warranty providers SquareTrade have announced that Asus and Toshiba are the most reliable laptop manufacturers. The findings have been revealed as the insurance company today posted figures of the failure rates of each major laptop manufacturer which they offer cover for. Netbooks were found to be the least reliable form of portable PC, with the netbook failure rate 20 per cent higher than for notebooks . Even high end laptops succumbed to reliability issues, with one in five premium notebook PCs likely to break down inside of three years. On average, one in three portable PCs needed replacing within three years. Two thirds of these were caused by manufacturer faults, while the other third was attributed to accidental damage.

Laptop Sales with Home Premium Windows 7 Dent Microsoft Revenue

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

New figures from NPD Group have revealed that the new Microsoft operating system Windows 7 is selling considerably faster than its predecessor, Windows Vista . Microsoft has sold 234 per cent more boxed editions of the highly rated Windows 7 compared to the poorly received Windows Vista during the initial release stage of both products. However, in terms of revenue, the release of Windows 7 perhaps hasn’t provided Microsoft with the financial boost they may have hoped for. Much of Microsoft’s marketing ahead of the launch surrounded the affordable Home Premium version of Windows 7, which now comes preinstalled on a number of laptop and desktop PCs . Consequently, revenues resulting from the launch of Windows 7 are 82 per cent higher than from the launch of Vista, despite the high volume of sales.

Laptop Users Warned of Impact of Windows 7 on Battery Life

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Laptop users are being warned of the impact that new operating systems may have on their PCs battery life. Laptop Mag have conducted a series of battery tests comparing notebooks which use Microsoft Windows 7 to those using the older XP version of Windows. The findings confirmed that those using Windows 7 would have a shorter battery life than older models – a perhaps unsurprising given the additional capabilities of Microsoft’s new operating system. The investigation tested an Asus Eee PC 1008HA netbook, an ION-powered HP Mini 311 and a Toshiba NB205. Battery life was measured while the netbooks were continuously using wireless internet, and all three small laptops had a longer battery life when using XP. The smallest difference was found on the Toshiba, which gained an extra 33 minutes by using XP, whereas the HP enjoyed an extra 51 minutes and the Asus a hefty 57 minutes. The Toshiba netbook was found to have a much longer battery life, lasting for 9 minutes and 24 seconds on XP – nearly four hours longer than either of its rivals.

Lenovo Hit Out at Laptop Reliability Study

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Lenovo has hit out at a recent study from SquareTrade suggesting its laptops are not as reliable as rival PCs . The laptop warranty providers published the findings of a study last week suggesting that Asus and Toshiba produce the most reliable notebooks on the market at present. Lenovo didn’t perform favourably in the study, and have criticised the methodology used in the study. Executive director of external communications at Lenovo, Ray Gorman, claims that the study did not use a statistically significant sample and criticised the study for failing to control a number of key variables which would affect repair rates, such as the applications used, machine types and the user of the PC. Lenovo suggested that there would be a ten fold difference in repair rates of a notebook used by secondary school students and adults using a PC in their home office .

Netbooks to Converge With Laptops, says Market Watcher

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

New research has suggested that the trend of netbooks becoming bigger will continue next year. Market watcher Canalys has claimed that the average netbook saw an increase in screen size to 10 inches during 2009, and predicts that manufacturers such as Acer and Asus will upgrade to 12 inch screens next, though they will face competition from the thin’n’light laptop market. The number of ARM based netbooks with integrated always on 3G network capability has increased, and the Taiwanese manufacturers are keen to elevate their netbooks above these smartbooks . 10 inch netbooks will therefore have their prices cut, further squeezing the profit margins. However, profit margins will be greater on the 12 inch models, which are expected to feature greater capabilities.

Toshiba Launch Laptop Trade-In Scheme

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba has devised a new scheme aimed at encouraging consumers to buy a new laptop . The computer manufacturer has launched a recycling scheme whereby customers buying a new Toshiba notebook with Microsoft Windows 7 may trade in an old laptop and receive up to £150. Customers thinking of purchasing a new PC as part of the scheme can fill out a form online providing details of the spec and condition of their old laptop. They will then be given an offer for their old PC, and if they accept they will get a discount on a new laptop purchase. The old laptop will be collected Toshiba’s partner company Tier 1 Asset within 10 days of purchase, who will then safely wipe all of the data and recycle the parts of the old laptop. The laptop will be reused if its condition allows, though laptops in poor condition will be disposed of without any parts ending up in a land-fill.

UK Letting Down Global PC Sales Despite Laptop Popularity

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

New figures from technology research analysts Gartner have indicated PC sales in the UK compare poorly to global levels. Sales of PCs in the UK are constraining a revival of the global computer manufacturing sector according to Gartner, which predicts a return to growth for worldwide PC shipments in 2010. However, the forecast relies on the UK improving its sales, having experienced a prolonged decline in sales. Computer sales in the UK totalled 3.3 million during the third quarter, down by 2.4 per cent on the same quarter in 2008. 2008 was also a poor year – the first in six years that the sector experienced a decline.

Vodafone Adds New Laptop to Mobile Broadband Range

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Vodafone has added a new netbook to its range of mobile broadband deals . The Compaq Presario CQ60-404SA is the latest ‘mini’ laptop offered ‘free’ when customers take out one of Vodafone’s mobile broadband contracts. With a 15.6 inch display, the laptop cannot truly be said to have the portability of a typical netbook. Indeed, it weighs 2.96kg. As a result, the laptop has a wide range of capabilities. The notebook has a DVD drive, 2GB of RAM, an HD display and a 250GB hard drive, as well as a fully sized keyboard with integrated number pad. It doesn’t not have mobile broadband built-in, but comes with a Vodafone mobile broadband dongle giving users access to the internet from any PC they wish to use. The laptop comes with Windows Vista Home Premium pre-installed, which will not help boost Microsoft sales figures for its new operating system Windows 7 .

3 Add New Laptop to Broadband Bundle

Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Mobile phone operator 3 has added the Hewlett Packard Compaq CQ60 notebook to the company’s mobile broadband and laptop packages. The laptop PC will replace the HP550 laptop previously offered when customers took out a broadband deal, with 3 claiming the new computer ‘offers more in the way of features’ than its predecessor. Amongst the features offered by the 3D Sound Blaster Pro-compatible laptop are an AMD SI-42, with 2.1GHz processing power, a 5 in 1 card reader, a full size keypad and integrated webcam, as well as Windows Vista Home Basic, MS Works and a 60 day Microsoft Office trial. 3 are advertising the laptop as free when they sign up to an 18 or 24 month contract costing £35 and £30 a month respectively. The laptop typically retails at around £315, whilst customers will receive a 15GB monthly download allowance on the 24 month contract or a 5GB allowance on the shorter deal. Customers can top up their download allowance for just 10p per download. Both internet packages offer broadband speeds of up to 3.6Mb and a free 3 dongle.

Acer Targets Japanese Laptop Market

Wed, 27 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Acer has declared its intention to increase its presence in the Japanese market with a new slim, lightweight laptop . Traditionally, the Japanese market has been dominated by native PC makers, with outsiders struggling to gain a foothold in either the laptop or desktop computer markets. However, with Japanese consumers increasingly eager to find bargains given the economic downturn. Thus, in contrast to their traditional preference for expensive luxury and quality brands, Japanese consumers are now more open to alternatives. Acer is currently the sixth biggest notebook manufacturer in Japan, but hopes to move up in the rankings with the release of its Aspire Timeline series in Japan. At present, NEC Corp, Fujitsu, Dell, Toshiba and Hewlett Packard are ahead of Acer in Japan. Priced at 90,000 yen, around $960, the laptops cost around half as much as its rivals, whilst boasting an eight hour battery life. It weighs just 1.6 kilograms and is less than an inch thick.

Carphone Warehouse Signify Laptop Broadband Intentions with Tiscali Takeover

Fri, 08 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Carphone Warehouse looks set to expand its range of broadband offers for laptop PCs following its purchase of the UK assets of Italian internet service provider Tiscali for £236m. The Carphone Warehouse currently offers broadband products under its TalkTalk brand, whilst it also owns AOL UK. The brands will eventually be merged into a single brand, whilst the company has already separated its mobile phone business from its TalkTalk fixed line and broadband operations. The completion of the deal will give TalkTalk more than 25 per cent of the home broadband market, whilst Carphone Warehouse predict its earnings will increase by 10 per cent in the next year as a result of the deal. Chief Executive of Tiscali, Mario Rosso, said, ‘The transaction should be considered in light of the strong consolidating trend in the highly competitive UK market, evaluating Tiscali UK activities as a whole, thus preserving the value of its industrial assets and know-how within the Carphone Warehouse Group.’

Dell Target Students with New Laptop

Fri, 29 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Dell has launched their new Studio 14z laptop, mainly targeting students . The laptop it is set to be upscale but affordable, incorporating elements of Dell’s high end XPS laptops . The Studio 14z notebook is thin, ranging from 0.76 inches thick to 1.2 inches, and weighs as little as 4.5 pounds. Dell claims it offers the perfect combination of work and entertainment, with the notebooks LED display and Nvidia GeForce 9400 GPU graphics card enabling 1080p HD video playback on the PC . The absence of an optical drive ensures the laptop can remain thin, whilst Dell claims it is the perfect laptop to carry around. A Dell press release said the laptop was good for consumers who ‘want a slim, easy-to-carry laptop and like the choice of a larger hard drive over an optical drive’.

Hewlett Packard Announces Wi-Fi Laptop Partnership

Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett Packard has announced it has teamed up with Wi-Fi providers The Cloud to offer customers free wireless internet on selected laptops . Hewlett Packard’s B-range and P-range notebooks, as well as its mobile workstations, will now be accompanied by a year’s free Wi-Fi access on The Cloud’s UK network, a package the company claims is worth over £100. The computer manufacturer believes the deal will prove popular with small and medium sizes businesses who employ 500 or fewer employees. The cheapest eligible laptop PC is the Compaq 6735b, costing £529. Once purchased, the service can be activated by registering online and downloading the client software which automatically connects the notebook or mobile workstation to the internet when in range of one of The Cloud’s hotspots.

Hewlett Packard to Recall Laptop Batteries

Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett Packard is recalling thousands of laptops after two machines caught fire after their batteries overheated. 70,000 batteries are subject to the voluntary recall, with the computer manufacturer promising free replacements for all those affected. The lithium ion batteries affected were contained in HP or Compaq notebooks sold between August 2007 and March 2008. Amongst the models said to be affected are the Compaq Evo, HP, HP Pavilion, Compaq Presario and HP Compaq . Hewlett Packard is advising users to remove the battery immediately, and to only use their laptop if using the plug. In order to ensure all 70,000 potentially faulty batteries are replaced, a Hewlett Packard spokeswoman revealed that 203,000 laptops would be affected worldwide. 86,000 of these are in Europe, 82,000 in the Americas and 35,000 in Asia Pacific.

Hewlett Packard Unveil New Laptops

Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett Packard has revealed its new ProBook notebook series. There are five laptops within the series, each of which offers a high-definition display. The portable computers are being marketed as well designed and multimedia orientated. The PCs are said to be inspired by minimalism in an attempt to provide a stylish look. The notebooks are available with three screen sizes: 14 inch, 15.6 inch and 17.3 inch. There are a number of options at each screen size level, with a choice between an AMD or an Intel processor. The laptops come with HDMI ports and Wi-Fi connectivity, though Bluetooth is an optional extra. The laptops have integrated optional drives, and the choice of either ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 or Intel GMAZ4500 HD integrated graphics controller, whilst Blu-ray is an optional extra. The top of the range 17.3 inch model is fitted with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 graphics controller with up to 512MB of GDDR 2 video memory .

Netbooks to Account for 25 per cent of Laptop Sales by 2010

Tue, 05 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Acer has revealed predictions that netbook sales will account for 25 per cent of the laptop PC market by 2010. Acer’s chairman J. T. Wang claimed that sales of netbooks would reach 50 million in 2010, representing a much faster growth than many analysts had forecast. Gartner had predicted that netbook computer sales would total 21 million this year, though Acer believe that figure to be an extremely modest prediction, instead believing that global shipments will reach between 25 and 30 million this year. Either way, the prediction of 50 million netbook sales in 2010 assumes a massive growth in the next 12 months, a growth with J. T. Wang believes will be sparked by consumers desire for cheaper PCs . Although Gartner’s forecast suggests that it will take until 2012 for netbook sales to reach 50 million, Acer believes netbook sales will account for 1 in 4 notebooks by next year. That prediction suggests that many features of powerful laptops and desktops, such as an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, large Ram size, a large screen and numerous ports, are superfluous to laptop users’ needs.

Rwanda to Receive 120,000 OLPC Laptops

Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) foundation is to distribute 120,000 laptops to children in Rwanda by the end of 2009. OLPC team leader, Juliano Bittencourt, stated his hope that the notebook PCs would help to develop children’s critical thinking and research skills, as well as their maths and their language. The organisation’s core four person organisation team is in Rwanda at present to monitor the progress being made after the project’s launch in mid-2008. The project was launched by President Paul Kagame as a long term project with the aim of equipping every child in primary school education with a laptop. By educating a computer proficient generation, the Rwandan government hope to use these technological developments to kickstart a number of sectors. The portable computers have been designed for ease of use and minimum maintenance as the foundation looks to assist educational development in Rwanda. The notebooks operate on Linux software which isn’t susceptible to viruses, whilst the keyboard and other key features have been made of rubber to reduce the risk of damage. The laptop is also waterproof and easy to carry around.

Slump in Laptop Demand Leads to Sony Losses

Mon, 18 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Sony has revealed that it made a $1 billion dollar loss in 2008, its first loss for 14 years. The news was revealed by chief executive Howard Stringer, who also declared that the company expects even worse results for 2009, with an anticipated loss of $1.25 billion for the financial year ending March. Stringer attributed the poor performance to a slump in demand for the company’s leading electronic products, such as its VAIO laptops and Bravia televisions . The laptop PC market has traditionally been a strong point for Sony, who recorded profits of $3.8 billion in 2007, yet notebook sales have fallen victim to the reduced consumer spending emanating from the credit crunch .

Vodafone Adds Laptop to Broadband Bundle Range

Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Vodafone added another laptop to its range of models available when customers take out a broadband bundle. The mobile phone operator has added the Acer Aspire 5535 notebook to its range of portable PCs customers receive for ‘free’ when they take out a mobile broadband dongle deal. The Acer computer is available on Vodafone’s £40 a month 24 month contract, which comes with a free dongle and a monthly data allowance of 3 gigabytes. The laptop has an AMD Athlon X2 QL-60 processor as well as 3 gigabytes of RAM, a 250 gigabyte hard drive, 15.6 inch screen and Windows Vista Home Basic. Vodafone is offering three months of free internet access for customers who sign up to their 3 gigabyte monthly allowance mobile broadband plan on a 24 month contract without opting for the laptop bundle. Following the initial three month period, customers will be charged £15 a month. For those only requiring an 18-month contract, a discount of £5 a month is available on the normal price of £15 a month.

Asus Unveil Worlds Most Powerful Laptop

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Better known for their low cost netbooks, Asus have unveiled what is being dubbed as the most powerful laptop in the world. The powerful Asus W90 will be driven by a 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9600, possess 6GB of RAM and boast two 320GB hard disk drives . The PC will also deliver excellent visual performance, with its 18.4 inch screen featuring a full HD 1,920x1,080 LED display. The high resolution picture will be required to take advantage of the BluRay drive which Asus promise will be featured in the production models, replacing the DVD writer embedded in the pre-production model. Picture quality will certainly be a strong point of the laptop, which boasts an average of 35 frames a second, which drops to a respectable 26 frames per second upon being switched to its highest definition. As a result, this laptop will be excellent for gaming as well.

Dell Launch Adamo Laptop

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Dell has launched its new Adamo laptop, which it is marketing as the world’s thinnest laptop. The laptop is just 1.64cm thick – thinner than the rival MacBook Air, and weighs a meagre 1.8 kg. The laptop is Dell’s first luxury laptop, boasting a 1.2GHz Intel Core2D processor. Priced at £1,649, it goes against the trend of making cheaper netbooks in the current economic climate. Dell’s Marketing Director, David Clifton, said, ‘This wasn't a play against one particular brand. This was about making a stylish product that's high in design and craftsmanship. The primary purpose of this launch is to broaden people's perception of Dell. There's still a luxury market out there and not many products in that market. We're really proud of our product.’

Hewlett Packard to Sell Three Year Batteries in Laptops

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett Packard has reached an agreement with Boston Power for its three year Sonata lithium-ion batteries. The batteries are set to be used in 70 per cent of Hewlett Packard’s consumer notebook line. The laptops, which will be sold for $149.99 a piece, will fit into 18 of the manufacturer’s notebooks, and will be sold either as part of a notebook, as an upgrade or as a retrofit. The agreement follows Hewlett Packard’s announcement in December that it would sell the Sonata technology as the ‘HP Enviro Series’, pricing the batteries at $20 to $30 over its other batteries. The batteries are guaranteed to last for three years.

Indian PC Market Contracts After Dismal Laptop and Desktop Sales

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Indian PC market suffered a torrid final quarter of 2008, despite enjoying consecutive quarters of significant growth. The PC market as a whole still saw a growth of 7 per cent in 2008 on the previous year, shipping a total of 9.3 million units, though that growth appears meagre given the huge success of the first three quarters. Indeed, up until the end of the third quarter, the Indian PC market was seeing a 15 per cent growth, year on year. Notebook PCs contributed to that growth, with sales up by almost 100 per cent. However, notebook sales slumped by 14 per cent in the final quarter, whilst desktop shipments were down by 14 per cent year on year in the final quarter. These dismal laptop and desktop results contributed to a fall of 3 per cent in final quarter PC sales in India. The poor laptop sales during the final quarter were slightly offset by the emergence of the mini-notebook, however. With sub Rs30,000 laptops performing best, the smaller, cheaper machines proved a popular choice as the economic recessions hits hard. Despite Asus, HCL and Lenovo performing strongly in this category, their final quarter sales fell by almost 50 per cent. They weren’t the only lenders to suffer, however, with Acer and Hewlett Packard also performing badly.

Laptop and PC Market to Struggle, Say IDC

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

IDC has updated its PC shipment in reaction to the worsening economic recession . IDC’s latest forecast predicts PC shipments, including laptops, desktops and netbooks, to fall further in 2009 before recovering in 2010. A 4.5 per cent decline is now forecast for 2009, compared to the previous prediction of 3.8 per cent made in December, suggesting that perhaps the industry is struggling to cope with the effects of the economic crisis. The first half of 2009 is expected to suffer the brunt of the fall, with an 8 per cent decline expected. According to IDC, there will be a total of 282 million in 2009, falling from 295.2 million in 2008. IDC cite the decline in consumer spending and rise in unemployment as the major reasons for the fall. 2010, however, may benefit from these very same reasons, as consumers currently considering buying or upgrading PCs defer for an extra year. As a result, IDC predict that worldwide PC shipments will rise to over 300 million in 2010.

Laptops to Overtake Desktops in Korea

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

New figures from the Korean branch of International Data Corporation have indicated that laptop sales will overtake desktop sales for the first time this year in Korea. Sales of desktops exceeded 2.05 trillion won in 2008, though that figure is forecast to decline by 5.3 per cent to 1.95 trillion won in 2009. That will pave the way for laptops to become the leading PC format in Korea, with total sales expected to grow by 3.3 per cent to 2.2 trillion won in 2009. Kwon Sang-jun, manager of the PC research division at IDC Korea, said, ‘In Japan, laptop sales already top desktop sales by around seven to three. As far as laptop sales in households go, Korea is not far behind, with laptop-desktop usage ratios at around six to four. However, because Korea’s PC rooms, offices and military mostly use desktops, the rate is lower than in other countries.’ Mr Sang-jun added that he expected laptops to continue to surpass desktops on a global scale, forecasting a seven to three ratio in favour of notebooks .

OLPC Launch Summer Grant Scheme to Distribute Laptops

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Cambridge based One Laptop Per Child foundation has announced that it is to launch a summer grant program that will see thousands of African children receive XO laptops . The scheme involves 100 teams of university students distributing the laptops to African children, in a bid to revive the fortunes of the non-profit organization which has at times struggled to distribute its PCs . The latest blow to the organization arrives in January, when the foundation revealed that it was being forced to lay-off some of its staff. However, the organization, founded by Nicholas Negroponte, last month promised to launch a cheaper laptop in the near future. A press release from the One Laptop Per Child organization announced, ‘Partnering with schools and non-governmental organizations in Africa, undergraduate and graduate students from around the world will assist in providing educational opportunities to children in the world's poorest countries. One Laptop Per Child will provide each student team with 100 XO laptops, related hardware, and up to $10,000 for operating costs. The teams will attend an orientation workshop in Kigali, Rwanda, from June 8-17. Afterwards, they will spend nine weeks in an African nation, working directly with local community partners to integrate the XO laptop into primary education.’

One Laptop Per Child Targets India

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) organisation is to step up efforts to sell its XO laptops to the Indian market. The foundation is hoping to introduce the laptops in Indian schools before the end of 2009, principally targeting the 6-13 age group. The laptops will be sold for Rs15,000 – roughly £210. It is hoped that the increased efforts in India will see an increase on the 1,000 XO laptops already circulating across six schools within India. The laptops will not feature in the retail market in India. They come equipped with a 1GB hard disk drive, 512MB of RAM, three USB drives and an in-built camera. Satish Jha, president and chief executive officer of One Laptop Per Child, said, ‘We are presently talking to many schools, mainly in Delhi and Pune, and expect more than 50,000 schools to be working with the principle of one laptop per child within the next couple of years. Companies like Bajaj Auto are evaluating investing into this initiative. Some companies have asked us for proposals up to 1,000 laptops and there are some states that have asked for 150,000 laptops. We are reaching out to each state and union territory government as well as the central ministry of school education, top 100 corporations in India as well as some high net-worth individuals, foundations and NGOs.’

Orange May Offer Apple Laptops with Broadband Package

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Mobile network operator Orange is allegedly set to begin selling Apple laptops with its broadband packages as of this summer. The Mobile Today magazine claims that the mobile phone, mobile broadband, and home broadband provider, will become the first company to offer Apple laptops with its laptop broadband bundles. The Apple notebooks, however, won’t be free, but will reportedly be heavily discounted by the firm. The magazine alleges that Apple’s £719 MacBook – the cheapest laptop offered by the American outfit – is the most likely candidate to be subsidised as part of the deal. The white 2.0GHz 13 inch notebook PC will almost certainly be subsidised if an agreement can be reached, unless Apple release a cheaper, ultra portable laptop by this summer.

Acer Respond to Sony Laptop Launch

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Acer has responded to Sony’s new affordable entertainment laptops with a new range of Aspire notebooks . Priced even more reasonably than Sony’s NW laptops, Acer’s Aspire laptop PCs start from $479, and $749 for a notebook with a Blu-ray drive. The starting model is the 15.6 inch Aspire AS5536 computer, which features a 16:9 aspect ratio, LED backlit technology, a multi-gesture touchpad, as well as Acer’s PowerSave function, and the Acer Backup Manager. An equivalent model is also available with a 17.3 inch screen, though will cost $120 more, though that price difference also accounts for a bigger hard drive, improved graphics and an Intel processor rather than an AMD one. Both computers have a built-in Webcam.

AMD Chip Used in Netbooks as Well as Laptops

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Chip manufacturer Advanced Micro Devices is seeking to expand its share of the netbook computer market with its single core Athlon 64 L110 processor . Gateway, the Acer owned PC manufacturer, are currently using the chip in its LT3103u netbook, which they unveiled earlier this week. It is AMD’s first chip to be used in netbooks – the smaller alternative to laptops designed primarily for tasks such as using the internet and word processing. The low voltage processor is a variant of the company’s Neo chips which are primarily designed for thin and light notebooks . The Athlon 64 L110 chip operates at a speed of 1.2GHz, has 512KB of cache, using roughly 13 watts of power.

Asustek Targets Third Place in Laptop Manufacturing Ranks

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Netbook PC manufacturer Asustek has revealed intentions to become the world’s third largest laptop vendor by 2011. Asustek is currently the fifth largest computer vendor in the world, having pioneered the hugely popular low cost netbook PC in 2007. With rival brands entering into the low cost laptop market, Asustek has begun to lose market share. Despite making a fourth quarter loss last year, Asustek has announced plans to launch five new laptops based on Intel’s consumer ultra-low voltage chip (CULV) this year, as part of its strategy to increase market share. Asustek’s Chief Executive Jerry Shen revealed the company hopes to be able to expand its current market share of 5 per cent to as much as 10 per cent in the next couple of years.

Dell Launches Design Studio Service

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Dell has unveiled an online service allowing consumers to customise and personalise their notebook computers . Design Studio is being launched in the UK and offers buyers the choice of up to 200 exclusive designs. Traditionally, customers have been able to specify the level of memory and type of processor they wish their computer to have, though this has been elaborated on in recent times. Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Dell’s global consumer business, Michael Tatelman, spoke of this trend. Mr Tatelman said, ‘It used to be processors and software that people specified when buying a laptop . Now they can pick from over 200 designs commissioned by Dell .’

Hewlett Packard Buck the Netbook Trend with New Laptop

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett Packard has unveiled its pavilion DV2Z laptop, which it claims offering full PC functionality at a competitive price. The notebook is an upgrade on the Pavilion DV2, launched only five months ago. One notable area of improvement is its processing power, with Advanced Micro Devices’ new dual-core Neo chip replacing the single-core Neo chip in the previous model. Users will be able to take advantage of the 12.1 inch screen with the new and improved Radeon 3200 integrated graphics card from AMD . It is claimed that the chip will enable faster decoding of HD content, making for an improved multimedia experience. The portable computer will boast 500GB of storage, weighing 3.81 pounds and just an inch thick at its thinnest point. Several optional extras are also available, such as a Blu-ray drive, though the battery life is as yet unknown. Priced from $599, the laptop goes against the trend of cheap netbooks, though given the relatively small price difference for the improved functionality, Hewlett Packard are confident the laptop will be a success.

HP Expand Mini Laptop Range

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett Packard has expanded its Mini series of notebooks with three new lightweight companion PCs . The Mini 110XP and Mini 1101 Mobile Internet (Mi) laptops target those who use their computers mainly for internet related activities, whilst the Mini 110 is designed with small and medium size business customers in mind, especially those travelling frequently. Both models have a 10.1 inch diagonal standard widescreen display, though there is an optional high-definition LED display. Each laptop has a built in webcam and microphone, whilst the keyboard is only slightly smaller on those of a standard notebook, yet the PC is still small enough to be portable.

Laptop Manufacturers Reveal Android PCs

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Two computer manufacturers have unveiled new PCs which will operate on Google’s Android operating system. Acer and Asus this week have both launched models featuring the Google platform. Acer, the world’s third largest laptop and desktop PC manufacturer, is to launch their netbook by the end of the year, aiming to take advantage of festive expenditure. Asus, meanwhile, revealed an Eee PC netbook operating Android on a Qualcomm-based hardware platform rather than the more customary Intel . An Acer company statement read declared its belief ‘that the Android operating system will contribute significantly to the worldwide netbook market growth’. The company also announced it would be joining the Open Handset Alliance, which regroups hardware manufacturers with an interest in Google Android.

Lenovo Launch New Laptop

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Lenovo has unveiled its ThinkPad T400s laptop – a cheaper alternative to the ThinkPad X301 notebook. The ThinkPad T400s is about a pound heavier than its more expensive alternative, weighing it at just under 4 pounds. The T400s laptop PC is also thicker than the X301, at 0.83 of an inch compared to roughly 0.75. Prices for the T400s are expected to start at $1,599, a full $1,000 cheaper than the initial starting price of the X301. Prices for the X301, intended to offer a rival for the Apple MacBook Air, have since fallen, with the X301 priced from $1,939 on Lenovo’s website last week, in response to the reduced price of a MacBook Air – down to a starting price of $1,499.

Netbook Laptops Surge in Popularity in Australia

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Netbook laptops now account for more than one in ten laptop and desktop PC sales in Australia . Despite only being commercially available for just over a year, the economic downturn has seen parents turn to the low cost PCs in the search for a computer for their children. This decision has been encouraged by the Rudd Government’s Education Tax Refund scheme, which allows parents to claim up to $375 in education expenses for each primary school child and $750 for every secondary school child. With netbooks ranging in cost from $300 to $800 typically, the scheme virtually covers the cost for a parent of buying their child a netbook . Intel, which produce the chips that power the netbooks, claim that the low-cost, low-powered netbooks now account for 21 per cent of the consumer laptop market, up from 10 per cent six months ago.

Samsung Unveil Blu Ray Laptop

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Samsung have unveiled their latest laptop which they claim to be perfect for film lovers. The R620 notebook has a 16 inch high definition display with widescreen and a 16:9 aspect ratio to ensure that the whole film is displayed on the screen of the PC with no black strips down the side. Perhaps the laptops most important feature is the build in Blu-ray drive, whilst the portable PC also has an HDMI port to enable users to connect their laptop to a TV to watch Blu-ray films on a larger screen. The laptop also has built in Bluetooth 2.1, enabling users to send data to other notebooks with similar capabilities without a need for wires. Wireless internet access is also provide by the integrated 802.11n Wi-Fi connectivity.

Sony Unveil New NW Laptops

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Sony has announced a new range of VAIO laptops, marketed as low end but stylish. The NW series will replace the NS series, and features a number of improvements. The notebooks will include an HDMI output, newer Intel Core 2 Duo processor architecture, as well as an optional ATI Mobility Radeon HD4570 graphics chipset. The HDMI output enables users to link their laptop up to a larger screen, whilst the NW series notebook PCs also include a button to turn of the display when it isn’t in use, whilst keeping the machine running. This feature is expected to prove useful for power saving while listening to music or when the PC is hooked up to a bigger screen. The NW series computers do possess a number of similar features to its NS predecessors, including a Blu-ray drive for watching HD content. The laptops will also boast the VAIO’s customary sleek styling, with a choice of finish colours including brown, white and silver. The notebooks will also feature the isolated keyboard first seem in Sony’s laptops in 2004.

Tesco to Offer Laptop Broadband Bundles

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Supermarket giant Tesco is to begin offering consumers mobile broadband packages for the first time, announcing it will launch a ‘build your own’ broadband offer. The retailer will also offer free laptops with some of its mobile broadband packages as part of its plans to expand into the mobile internet market. The deal will allow customers to choose between a selection of more than 30 laptops, coupled with mobile broadband deals from a variety of network providers. At present, Orange and 3 are the only operators to be shortlisted but others could be added in due course. It remains unclear as to whether Tesco’s deals will be better value than going directly to the mobile broadband suppliers, despite the retailer claiming that the £29.36 a month, 24 month contract on 3 mobile broadband which provides a free Dell Studio XPS notebook would be £464 cheaper than the retail price.

3 Adds Laptops to Broadband Bundle Deals

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Mobile phone network 3 has today added three more laptops to its selection of ‘free’ laptops when customers take out a broadband bundle deal. The three notebooks are the Samsung NC10 netbook, the Acer 751 notebook and the Samsung R519 laptop. The laptop PCs are free when customers take out the 3 mobile broadband and laptop plan, costing £30 a month over an 18 month contract. The package gives customers access to 3’s UK mobile broadband, with broadband speeds of up to 3.6MB. The monthly data allowance of 5GB gives customers the capacity to send up to 5,000 emails a month, 50 hours of web usage, and additional download capacities. The package also includes a free ZTE MF627 USB modem stick, with a 14 day money back guarantee.

AMD Maintain Laptop Commitment Amid Further Netbook Presence

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) continues to increase its market share of netbook processors, despite repeated assertions that it has no interest in netbooks . The company’s processors debuted in the low cost PCs two weeks ago after the Acer owned Gateway released an AMD-based netbook. Another PC manufacturer, Medion, has now followed suit, and introduced the Akoya Mini E1312 netbook, powered by a low-power Sempron 210U processor. AMD had previously maintained it would focus on the laptop and notebook PC market, suggesting netbooks were too small, and didn’t offer the full functionality of normal PCs. Whilst the company has maintained this stance, its position has weakened, admitting its low-end processors may be appropriate for netbooks, even though they are designed with larger PCs in mind. An AMD spokesman also revealed that AMD’s chips could be used into other devices, such as all-in-one PCs.

Carphone Warehouse Giving Staff Free Laptops

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Carphone Warehouse is to give a free laptop to each of its sales staff who complete a wireless training camp. The offer applies to its estimated 5,000 retail staff, 1,000 support stuff and 400 online sales staff. With each notebook worth £360, the market value of the overall promotion is £2.3 million. The aim is to ensure their staff are well informed about wireless devices with a view to securing a high volume of sales. Staff will be paid a normal day’s wage for the training days, which began at the start of this week and will be conducted over the course of the next six weeks with 60 events in total.

Google to Launch Laptop Operating System

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Google is to launch its own operating system which it claims will go ‘back to basics’. Google Chrome OS is currently being developed with a view to going on sale by the summer of 2010, and aims to offer ‘speed, simplicity and security’. The Google Chrome internet browser has already impressed many of its users, and is lauded by experts as the safest of the browsers, and the internet is expected to be at the crux of Google’s operating system. Google’s Engineering Director, Linus Upson, said the operating system is designed to be fast and lightweight, and would enable users to get online within seconds of starting up. It is Google’s belief that rival operating systems are outdated, having been designed before the broadband era. The Google Chrome OS, therefore, provides an ‘attempt to rethink what operating systems should be’.

Laptop complaints rise sharply

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

New figures out show that one of the biggest areas of consumer complaints was about laptop computers while complaints about internet service providers fell. According to Consumer Direct the advice organisation overseen by the Office of Fair Trading, many more people had problems with laptops in the first half of 2009 compared to the same period of 2008. There was a 39 per cent increase in consumers unhappy with their laptops, notebooks and tablet PCs .

Maine Buys 64,000 Apple Laptops

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Maine’s Department of Education has revealed that it has ordered 64,000 Apple laptops as part of its decision to expand the Maine Learning Technology Initiative into all public high schools. An additional 7,000 MacBook notebooks will be ordered over the coming weeks, as Maine becomes the first American state to provide every public school student with a laptop . Prior to the deal, an estimated 2,000 public high school students in Maine attend schools with laptops. This latest contract is expected to see that figure rise to an estimated 25,000 by August. The state has provided middle school students and faculty members with Apple MacBooks under the initiative since 2002. It is not known how much the Maine Department of Education has paid Apple for the laptop PCs, though the deal does include Apple’s iLife and iWork applications. Apple will also provide educational software, training, repair and replacement and technical support.

Malaysian Government Behind Laptop PC Target

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Malaysian government is failing to meet its computer distribution target, according to the Association of the Computer and Multimedia Industry of Malaysia (PIKOM). The government had set a target of achieving 50 per cent broadband penetration rate by the end of 2010, though with this figure currently standing at 26 per cent, the target is looking an unlikely prospect. 35 per cent of Malaysian homes have laptop or desktop PCs, but PIKOM warned this figure would need to double in order to meet the 50 per cent internet availability target. The 50 per cent target would allegedly add 135,000 new jobs to the Malaysian economy, and another percentage point to their GDP.

Mobile Broadband Laptop Users Expected to Rocket

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Technology and media experts are forecasting the number of mobile broadband users to reach 418 million globally by 2017. The prediction was contained in Coda Research Consultancy’s 3G+ and Long Term Evolution (LTE) forecasts. The number of traffic among mobile broadband users is expected to be grow by forty times in the next eight years to 1.8 exabytes per month, with laptop and netbook users generating $48 billion in revenue from mobile broadband alone by 2017. The majority of this growth is expected to occur in the Asia-Pacific region, which will account for 162 million of these users according to the forecasts. Europe will be the second largest number of mobile internet users, despite having the lowest growth of all the regions at a remarkably high 135 per cent. North America will grow to 58 million users, whilst the Middle East and Africa will provide 48 million mobile broadband users on PCs.

OLPC Laptop Software Broadens Target

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The founder of Sugar Labs, the company who made the software for the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) laptops, has declared the software compatible with any old PC . The ‘Sugar on a Stick’ software can operate from a USB drive, providing laptops or desktop PCs with a new interface, whilst giving the user access to collaborative educational software. The free software has been mostly distributed with the OLPC’s XO laptop, though it is hoped that Walter Bender’s announcement will result in a vast increase in the use of the software. The software has already been shown in use on an Intel Classmate PC and Mr Bender has said the software will run on Asus, Dell, HP or any manufacturers PCs. More than 1 million children have used the software to date.

3G Broadband Embedded Laptops Proving Popular

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Laptops with built in 3G broadband are proving hugely popular, defying claims that reported demand for the notebooks had been exaggerated. A study from Disruptive Research had forecast that 3G embedded laptops would account for just 30 per cent of mobile broadband subscribers in three years time, compared with 58 per cent who would be using a dongle or an external USB modem to access the internet . However, following PC sales of over 1,000 in November, the embedded 3G broadband deals from Orange and Vodafone offering a ‘free’ laptop proved more popular than free laptop and dongle bundles by a ratio of nearly 3:2. Indeed, in November, the deals were the fifth and third most popular mobile broadband offers respectively.

Apple Laptops Voted Most Reliable

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A recent survey has suggested that Apple make the most reliable laptops of any notebook manufacturer. Although the company performed less well in ratings for reliability and service compared to last year, the MacBook was voted better than average in six out of nine categories in a PC World survey – much better than any other notebooks . There was, however, a higher than average incidence of problems with failed components for the MacBooks . Despite this, Apple still fared better than any other laptop maker. Acer, Dell and Sony laptops also received a positive appraisal, with Acer and Sony notebooks said to be reliable, and Dell offering an improved customer service than in 2007. Respondents to the survey were less impressed with Dell’s service in replacing failed parts, however. Lenovo’s performance was said to have slumped from 2007, receiving only one better than average mark for reliability, compared to last year’s five. Hewlett Packard once again finished last in the survey. The world’s largest PC vendor was given six below-par scores, but has promised to try to shorten telephone support hold times.

Laptops Becoming Increasingly Affordable

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Industry experts have confirmed the trend of laptops becoming more affordable, with even the best specifications now available at lower prices. Major retailers such as PC World have reduced notebook prices by hundreds of pounds in some cases, giving people a wider range of notebooks to choose from. One official from Which? recently said, ‘Portability does come at a price, but it’s possible to get a good-value, big-brand laptop for less than £800. Size and weight vary considerably, so consider what you need it for and whether weight, power, speed, features or price are important. It’s worth future-proofing your laptop by choosing one with as much memory as you can afford. Some manufacturers will let you customise your laptop to get the spec you want – upgrading the RAM and the processor might help you to get a bit more life out of it.’

New Intel Classmate to be Sold in UK

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A new generation of Intel’s Classmate laptop is to be sold in the UK. The newly designed notebook will be available in the UK from February, retailing at £349. The Classmate can be converted from a traditional laptop into a tablet PC to enable children to write and draw more naturally. The PCs will mainly be sold directly to stores, but will also be available online via Amazon, and on the high street in Argos. The new laptops are considerably more costly than its predecessor, with Intel’s first Classmate PC priced at between £137 and £275 depending on the specifications. To date, nearly one million units have been sold in developing nations according to Intel, though their focus has shifted to more developed nations.

One Laptop Per Child Slashes Workforce Following Dire Results

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child Foundation (OLPC) has been dealt a huge blow following a severe decline in laptop sales. The organisation released figures last week revealing that just 12,600 laptops were shipped over the festive period, generating a meagre $2.5 million. That figure is down by 93 per cent on the same period 12 months ago, with many citing restricted consumer spending as a major factor in the company’s dire PC sales. As a result of the downturn in revenue, the foundation has axed half of its work force, whilst the remaining 32 have been forced to take payments. Similarly, the company have slashed their budget by more than 50 per cent.

Sony Unveil Envelope Size Laptop

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Sony have unveiled their Mini Me notebook which is set to become the latest addition to the expanding netbook market. The ultra portable device is only slightly larger than a standard office envelope, weighing just 638g and boasting an eight inch screen. The notebook is the latest member of Sony’s Vaio P-series, and comes with built in high speed broadband meaning users of the laptop can access the internet on the move with no need for a USB modem dongle . The PC operates on Windows Vista, rather than the Windows XP system used by its competitors. Another useful feature is the machines fast access buttons, allowing the user to gain access to their most used functions. Offering up to 2 gigabytes of memory, and 128 gigabytes of storage space on a solid state drive, the machine rivals many desktop and laptop PCs in its specifications. With an integrated webcam and microphone, as well as GPS, the machine can also be used as a sat nav.

T-Mobile Launch Laptop Broadband Bundle

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

T-Mobile has become the latest mobile network operator to offer a free laptop and broadband bundle . For £25 a month, customers can take out the mobile broadband package and receive a ‘free’ Asus Eee PC 904HD netbook . Whilst there are a number of operators offering similar deals, the bundle will compete directly with the deal available through Orange, who offer a ‘free’ Asus Eee 901 PC netbook with its £25 a month mobile internet package. The laptop offered by T-Mobile operates on Windows XP, has an 8.9 inch TFT screen and 1 gigabyte of RAM – exactly the same specifications offered by Orange’s Asus netbook. It also has integrated WiFi and Webcam, but unlike the PC offered by Orange, it has an 80 gigabyte hard drive, compared to the 901PC’s 16 gigabyte hard drive.

Technology Industry Anxious as Netbooks Replacing Laptops

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The rise of netbooks could be potentially damaging to the technology industry, according to new research from IDC. Whilst the PC market grew by 11.9 per cent in western Europe last year, the growth was largely driven by portables machines and netbooks, whereas desktop sales slumped. Outide Europe, however, the growth of the PC market has slowed down in other areas. Once the Middle East and Africa are accounted for, along with Europe, PC sales grew by just 1.8 per cent in the last quarter of 2008, as the impact of the economic downturn became apparent. Consequently, the PC market contracted by 23.8 per cent for the first time ever. Analysts have said that chip makers such as Intel could be among the hardest hit, as they would have to sell three times as many processors for the netbook market to make the same profit as they do for a single sale of a laptop processor.

Toshiba Unveil Latest Laptop Series

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba has unveiled its first laptop series to feature a 16 inch display. The Satellite A350 series are designed for optimum movie watching experience, boasting a 16:9 widescreen display. Toshiba claim that the custom built multimedia models are increasingly popular among buyers. To improve the cinematic experience, the A350 models also have integrated Harmon Kardon speakers and Dolby Sound Room technology, which Toshiba claims delivers a true surround sound experience. The latest range have a high gloss black finish, complimented by silver strips. Prices start at £529 including VAT, and go up to £649 for the AMD based A350D model. The laptops have Intel Core 2 Duo processors, offering speeds of up to 2.13 gigahertz, whilst one of the notebooks on offer has a 2.1 gigahertz AMD Turion Ultra dual-core chip.

Face Recognition May Not be a Secure Laptop Log In Method

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A security researcher at the Black Hat security conference has warned that the face recognition security technology offered by some laptop vendors may not be safe. Nguyen Minh Duc, a researcher at Hanoi-based Bach Khoa Internetwork Security Centre, demonstrated how hackers could break into Asus, Lenovo and Toshiba laptops with face recognition technology by simply using digitized images of the actual user of the machines in each case. The trio of PC manufacturers are among the handful of vendors currently advocating the use of face authentication as a secure log-in method. Instead of a password, users simply sit in front of a built-in camera on the system which captures an image of their face, comparing selected features of the image with those previously registered by the user. The technology has been touted as safer and easier to use than usernames and passwords, though the recent findings may suggest otherwise.

Gateway Unveil TC Laptops

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Gateway have unveiled their new TC Series of notebooks . The reasonably priced laptops will retail from $649.99 and possess similar features and the same design as their MC and MD Series. The lightweight laptops weigh as little as 5.3 pounds, despite boasting an integrated 1.3 megapixel webcam, three USB 2.0 ports and 802.11b/g Draft-N wireless internet . The laptops are available either in burgundy or black. The TC notebook series is designed to be one of Gateway’s mainstream consumer products, offering plenty of entertainment features. The laptops come with a 14 inch ‘Ultrabright HD’ 1366x768 widescreen display offering an entertainment ready 16:9 aspect ratio. Additionally, the notebooks come equipped with a 5 in 1 media card reader, supporting SD, MMC, MS, MS Pro and xD. There is a one touch access feature to digital media content, as well as to frequently used entertainment programs with the notebook’s Illuminated Multimedia Touch Controls.

Hewlett Packard Not Offering Linux on New Laptops

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett Packard has announced that its new UK range of netbook laptops will not offer the Linux operating system . The HP mini 1000 laptop and the HP Compaq Mini 700 will only be available on Microsoft’s Windows XP operating system, whilst the HP Mini 2140 will run on either Windows XP or Windows Vista. Following the announcement, the only HP laptop operating on a Linux system in the UK is the one year old HP mini 2133, though that has since been superseded by the Intel Atom powered HP mini 1000. The news has come as a surprise to industry experts, following a period of increasing netbook popularity. Their popularity has been largely based on their ultra-portability and low price – a factor contributed to by the fact they run versions of the free, open source Linux operating system, as opposed to the expensive Microsoft alternative. Indeed, the UK’s most popular netbook laptop is the Acer Inspire One, which runs a version of the Linux operating system.

IDC Forecast Slowdown in Laptop Sales

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

IDC has predicted that the surge of laptop sales will come to a halt this year. The research and market data providing company believes that the economic downturn will impact on the popularity of the portable PCs, with sales expected to dry up by the end of this year. During 2009, IDC predict that laptop sales will fall by five per cent, despite the forecast of decreasing average selling prices. Indeed, the netbook market is predicted to continue expanding, with the dramatic rise in their popularity forecast to drive a 7.5 per cent growth in the sales of portable computers this year. However, that figure is significantly less than the growth seen in the portable market last year, which stood at 40 per cent year on year.

Indian Government Developing GBP7 Laptop

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Indian government are working alongside scientists from its Institute of Technology in Bangalore and Madras to develop a laptop that will retail for £7. A prototype of the new notebook is set to be unveiled in Tirupati this week, in the hope that the portable PC can bring 20,000 colleges onto the internet to be able to connect to the country’s e-learning initiative, which aims to spread the urban educational advantages to rural India . Although the machine costs £14 to produce, the government hope to be able to slash that price in half for retailing purposes with the support of distributors and major developers. The laptop will run on low power, and can be charged with a 2 watt power input. The machine will also have low memory, boasting just 2 gigabytes, though that can be enhanced. The computer does, however, have the capacity to connect to wireless internet networks, and the option to project from the monitor to assist classroom learning.

Intel to Release New Desktop and Laptop Chips

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Intel have announced they are to accelerate plans to release two dualcore laptop and desktop processors . The company is to begin shipments of dual core processors for mainstream desktop and laptops using the 32-nanometer process plans in the fourth quarter of 2009, updating the current chips which use the 45-nanometer process. The new chips will work faster, draw less power and be cheaper to produce, benefitting all parties, confirmed Jack Gold, principal analyst at J. Gold Associates. The new dual core laptop chips – dubbed Arrandale – will offer an improved graphics performance, as well as being more energy efficient . Mr Gold added that the updated technology would give laptop users a reason to upgrade their PCs, as for essentially the same cost, they will receive an improved performance.

Netbooks Account for Three in Ten Laptop Sales

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

New figures from International Data Corporation (IDC) have revealed that the netbook market is continuing to expand at a considerable rate. The mini laptops now account for 30 per cent of laptop sales in Europe according to the new figures, with 3.6 million netbooks sold in Europe in the last quarter of 2008. The Christmas period and back to school demand have been cited as two major factors in the netbooks surge in popularity. IDC also suggested that netbooks are particularly popular in the UK, with Western Europe accounting for over 80 per cent of all European sales. Acer were the leading netbook vendor in the last quarter, taking nearly one third of the market. Asus were only a couple of per cent behind, with 28 per cent of the netbook market. Those two dominate netbook sales, with third placed Hewlett Packard obtaining 7 per cent of the market. Most PC manufacturers have now entered the market, though there are still some notable absentees, including Apple and Sony.

Nokia May Enter Laptop Market

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Nokia Chief Executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo has said the company are ‘looking very actively’ at entering the laptop market. In an interview with Finnish television station YLE, he revealed that the company are looking to take advantage of the increasing convergence between the mobile phone and PC industries. The convergence between the two industries was illustrated at Mobile World Congress earlier this month, when PC manufacturer Acer revealed that it is entering the smartphone market with a range of new Tempo models. Mr Kallasvuo said, ‘We do not have to look even for five years from now to see that what we know as a mobile phone and what we know as a PC are in many ways converging. Today we have hundreds of millions of people who are having their first internet experience on the phone. This is a good indication.’

O2 Join Broadband Laptop Bundle Market

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

O2 has finally launched a broadband package offering a free laptop, becoming the last mobile phone operator to enter the market. The basic package offered by O2 costs £29.38 a month, providing customers with unlimited wireless access, though there is a 3GB download limit. Customers can increase this download limit to 10GB for an extra £10 a month. ADSL broadband is also available for £5, with unlimited downloads, 100 free texts, a wireless router and a free security package. The Samsung NC10 netbook, worth £300, comes as part of the deal, offering 1GB of memory and a 160GB hard disk drive . The Samsung R510 is available for an extra one off fee of £79.29, offering bigger memory, a bigger hard disk drive and a dual core Intel processor.

Orange Add New Laptops to Broadband Bundle Selection

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Mobile network operator Orange has announced that it is to add two new laptops to its mobile broadband range. Orange currently offers the Asus 901 Eee PC for ‘free’ when customers take out their mobile broadband package, costing £25 per month; though they are currently out of stock of this model. However, the telecommunications company have now added the Hewlett Packard Compaq Mini 700 and the Toshiba L300 to its selection of laptops. The HP Compaq Mini 700 is available for £30 a month, whereas the Toshiba L300 will set you back £35 a month over the duration of the contract. Both notebooks are accompanied by 3 gigabytes of data allowance per month over the 24 month deal.

Students in Northern Ireland to Have Laptop Tracking Devices Fitted

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Police in Northern Ireland have announced an initiative whereby students will have a tracker device installed in their laptops for free. The Holylands area of Belfast, which is densely populated by students, has experienced a spat of burglaries in which notebook PCs have been stolen in recent weeks. Police officers are hoping that if a computer is stolen, the tracker will enable them to track its movements remotely. A spokeswoman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland said that the ‘greenlight to purchase the relevant software had been given’. She added that the installation of devices would begin ‘sometime in the near future’, but a start date for the scheme is yet to be decided on. The spokeswoman added that it is unclear at present how much the initiative would cost, but that it should dramatically reduce the numbers of notebooks being stolen.

3 Cut Mobile Broadband Price for Laptop Users

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

3 has cut the price of its 1GB mobile broadband tariff to £7.50 a month in a bid to appeal to mobile internet users who do not need large download usage limits. The tariff has been reduced from £10 a month, offers download speeds of up to 3.6Mbps and comes with a free USB modem stick. While 1GB of data per month is not enough for regular mobile internet users, it is enough ot browse the internet for 10 hours and to send 1,000 emails. Alternatively, users could download 5 four minute videos and 32 four minute music tracks with 1GB. If a 1GB download limit is not enough for your liking, 3 are offering a wide variety of deals this Christmas . Customers can choose between 18 and 24 month contracts, while 3 has also launched pay as you mobile broadband tariffs ahead of the Christmas period.

Adamo Laptop to be Exclusively Sold in John Lewis

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

PC manufacturer Dell has revealed that retailer John Lewis will have exclusive rights to selling its latest luxury laptop – the Adamo XPS. Dell have traditionally only sold their computers direct to consumers, though the top end department store will now stock the ultra portable laptop in the build up to Christmas . Dell believe that the audience they are appealing to with the Adamo XPS are more likely to buy a laptop that they can interact with prior to purchase, and feel that John Lewis attracts the right type of customer. The Adamo XPS costs £1,750, so is firmly located in the luxury laptop category. Powered by a 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo ULV processor, the Adamo stole the crown of the world’s thinnest notebook from its illustrious rival, the Apple Macbook Air. The Adamo XPS comes bundled with Windows 7 Home, has 4GB of RAM, 128GB of solid state drive storage, a 133 inch high definition WLED screen, a 2 megapixel webcam and Bluetooth.

Chinese People Benefit from Laptop Training Scheme

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

An estimated 50,000 Chinese people have benefited from a scheme by Asus and Intel over the past six months giving them computer training. The companies sponsored an estimated 1,500 students to teach basic computer skills to villagers in their hometowns, allowing members of Chinese villages to receive free training rather than paying for the service. The training helped school children to use PCs to do their homework, enabled elderly people to get in touch with distant family members over the internet and taught farmers how to use spreadsheets. 159 students, teachers and government officials were recently presented with awards as a sign of appreciation for their efforts. The project follows the Chinese government’s announcement 3 years ago that it intended to help rural areas to gain access to the internet as they bid to close the urban-rural divide. In May of this year, the Chinese government offered subsidies to rural families buying home appliances, including computers .

Free Laptop Broadband Deals Proving Popular This Christmas

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Broadband bundle deals are more popular than ever this Christmas according to new figures from Broadband Expert. Deals which include a free laptop are up by 115 per cent during the first week of December compared to the first week of November, and accounted for 70 per cent of the company’s total mobile broadband sales during this week. Network providers such as 3 and T-Mobile are offering large numbers of mobile broadband deals with ‘free’ notebooks and netbooks this Christmas, though Vodafone has reduced the number of products it is offering. Although popular with consumers, the deals are more risky for providers than other products as there is a greater risk of fraud or of customers defaulting on payments.

Laptop Sales Up For First Time in Nine Months

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Market analysts IDC have revealed that personal computer sales have increased for the first time in nearby a year. The third quarter of 2009 saw PC sales increase by 2.3 per cent, following three consecutive quarters of decline. Citing the return of students to school as a factor in helping to increase sales, mobile computers played a crucial role in driving up sales. Sales of portable machines including laptops and netbooks increased by 33.5 per cent on the same quarter of 2008, with the release of Windows 7 also believed to have contributed to the volume of sales. Netbooks alone rose even more sharply – by 37 per cent over the previous quarter. The mini notebooks are now believed to account for 28 per cent of the consumer market, doubling the level of the previous year. Desktop computers were, however, less popular.

New Intel Processor for Netbooks and Laptops Nears Launch

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Intel’s new Pineview processors are scheduled to start shipping soon and are expected to improve performance and battery life of netbooks . The chips are the second generation of Atom processors, and will be able to deliver faster performance while using less power. The chips are able to use less power by integrating the graphics and memory controller into the CPU. The Atom processors were launched in 2008 aimed at small laptops and netbooks with small screens and keyboards. Most netbooks on the market today have Atom processors, which fulfil basic functions such as internet access and word processing . They are part of the Pine Trail platform aimed at improving netbook PCs and low cost desktops . The chips are currently being manufactured, samples have been given to PC manufacturers and shipping is expected to begin in early January. As part of the improved performance, graphics will receive a boost, after Intel was criticised for the graphics capabilities of its processors compared to Nvidia’s Ion platform.

Orange Releases New Laptops and Dongles

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Orange has expanded its mobile broadband deals to appeal to small to medium sized enterprises as well as individual consumers. The mobile phone network operator has continued its spread into the mobile internet market with the launch of two new 3G laptops and dongles . The two new notebooks are the Asus 1005HGO and the Compaq CQ61, both of which feature the new Microsoft operating system – Windows 7 . The 10 inch Asus 1005HGO has an exclusive Orange embedded SIM Card, a 10.1 inch screen, webcam, a 250GB hard drive and a 6.5 hour battery life.

Apple Offers Anti Glare Display Upgrades On MacBook Pros

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Apple has reintroduced matte displays to its line of 15-inch MacBook Pro laptops . The matte "antiglare" screen was only previously available on the 17-inch MacBook Pro, but the electronics giant is now offering 15-inch MacBook Pro customers the chance to opt for the non-glossy display.

Dell Drops Mini 12 From Its Netbook Offering

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Dell has axed the Mini 12 from its netbook line-up, just a few months after it was made available. The Mini 12 was pulled over the weekend and the company will now focus on promoting smaller-screened products, including the Dell Inspiron Mini 10 and the Mini 9 models.

Dell Launches Inspiron 17 HD Ready Laptop

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

PC manufacturer Dell has announced the UK release of the Inspiron 17 laptop, which it claims blurs the lines between desktop and laptop functionality. The entry-level Inspiron notebook comes with a 17.3-inch WLED display with a superb 1600x900 pixel resolution, and a full-size keyboard with number pad.

Latest Medion laptop has an impressive spec

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The latest Medion Akoya laptop has been unveiled. The P6620 costs only £499 but comes with an impressive specification. The Medion will be available from Aldi stores on 9 August and comes with a three year warranty . The laptop has a 16in widescreen with a 16:9 aspect ratio and HD capable resolution of 1,366x768. It has a 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T6500 processor, a fast chip, 4 GB of RAM and a 320GB hard disk .

Acer Launch New Laptops

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Acer took the unusual step of releasing more than twenty new products on Tuesday night at an event in New Jersey. Amongst the new releases is the new Acer Aspire Timeline notebook series, two netbooks and several updates to its media centre series. The new Acer Aspire Timeline computer series is being marketed as offering laptops with longer battery life, without using heavier batteries . The notebooks, which have aluminium tops and are only an inch thick, run on an Intel Ultra Low Voltage processor, and feature an LED widescreen and a solid state drive as standard. Despite the improvements, the laptops remain under $1,000, offering either a 13.1 inch screen, or a 15.6 inch screen. Acer also claims that the laptops use new air flow technology, directing cool air to the bottom side of the laptops to help the cooling process.

Acer Releases Laptop to Rival Adamo and MacBook

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Acer has unveiled its rival to the Apple MacBook Air and Dell Adamo, but at half the price. The Timeline notebook starts at £500 and weighs just 1.6kg, though the higher spec laptops will weigh more, costing up to £650. The notebooks are less than 25mm thick, have an Intel Ultra low voltage Core 2 Duo processor with a choice or a 13.3 inch, 14 inch or a 15.6 inch LED backlit widescreen, each of which is capable of displaying up to 1366x768 pixels. Acer describes the timeline models as having reached a delicate equilibrium between computer lightness and battery life. The laptop has a 4 gigabyte DDR3 memory and boasts either a 500 gigabyte traditional hard disk drive or a 64 gigabyte solid state drive. Timeline PCs also come with a HDMI and D-Sub connector, a webcam, three USB ports, a multitouch trackpad, SPDIF, a card reacher and 802.11n wireless internet connectivity. The computers will operate on Windows Vista Home Premium OS.

Acer Reveal Slump in Profit from Laptop Sales

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Acer has revealed a significant decline in their first quarter profits as the economic downturn harms sales. The company’s income fell by nearly £20 million in the past year, from £60 million in the first quarter of 2008 to £40 million in the most recent quarter. The figures fell short of predictions that Acer would post a profit of £43.6 million for the first quarter. The slump in profits can be attributed to the trend towards cheaper models in the laptop PC industry. The massive increase in the popularity of netbooks has reduced the average prices of a manufacturer’s notebooks and has harmed profit margins.

Carphone Warehouse Looks to Broaden Laptop Range

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Carphone Warehouse has revealed that it is in talks with several leading laptop manufacturers as it seeks to increase its share of the laptop market . With the laptop market forecast to grow by 35 per cent to sales of five million this year, up from 3.7 million last year, the Carphone Warehouse is eager to take advantage of this growth. At present, the Carphone Warehouse only sells Dell laptops alongside its own AOL broadband deals, with the notebook coming free as part of the package. A Dell laptop is also available through the vender with USB dongles from mobile phone networks 3 or T-Mobile . However, the Carphone Warehouse is understood to have held talks with the likes of Apple, Sony and Toshiba in recent weeks as it seeks to broaden its product range.

Dell Launches Latest Vostro Series

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Dell has unveiled its new Vostrio notebook series, updating the range it unsuccessfully released two years ago. The laptops are designed to appeal to small to medium sized businesses, claiming to offer performance, security and storage. The laptops come with Intel Core 2 Duo or Celeron processors, operating on Microsoft Windows Vista OS, though it is possible for users to change to Windows XP if they wish. Unlike the 2007 Vostro range, Dell have only preloaded essential software onto the latest notebooks, after frequent criticisms from customers that the inclusion of excessive trial software consumes valuable storage, as well as slowing down the performance of the laptop PCs . There are three options within the series – the 13.3 inch Vostro 1320, the 15.4 inch Vostro 1520 and the 17 inch Vostro 1720. Each computer has solid state drive storage, and a number of security features. Such security devices include fingerprint readers and hard drive encryption. The 1320, which starts at $569 in the US, weighs 4 lbs but has no optical drive. Both the 1520 and the 1720 feature optical drives, weighing 5.38 lbs and 6.8 lbs respectively. UK prices are yet to be released, but the 1520 starts at £422 and the 1720 at £435.

Microsoft to Offer Windows Downgrade Option for Laptops and Desktops

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Microsoft has confirmed that anyone buying a desktop or laptop PC with Windows 7 pre-installed will be able to downgrade. Following mixed reviews of Windows Vista, such problems have been anticipated with Windows 7, as the licence conditions under which the software is sold safeguards people’s right to downgrade to either Windows XP or Vista. Microsoft is still to set a specific date for the release of Windows 7, though the option to downgrade will apply to both consumers and businesses. Microsoft rejects claims that Vista has been a failure, pointing to figures which allegedly show it has outsold XP over a similar time period. Whether that provides a show of support for Vista, or a reflection of the increased computer sales is up for debate, though the fact that Microsoft has been forced to expand and extend their licensing terms and conditions for Windows XP points to a user preference for the older operating system .

One Laptop Per Child Announces Upgrades

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop per Child foundation has announced that its next generation XO laptops will operate using a Via processor . The XO Generation 1.5 laptops will look the same as their predecessors, but will use a Via C7-M processor. The organisation’s vice president of hardware development, John Watlington, revealed the decision had been taken after AMD discontinued its low-power processor. The laptop PCs will boast an increased memory of 1 gigabyte, up from 256 megabytes, as well as improved flash storage of 4 gigabytes, up from 1 gigabyte, with a further option for 8 gigabytes. The new Via processor will have a clock range of 400 megahertz to 1 gigahertz, causing an improvement in power consumption from 1.5 watts to 5 watts. The notebooks will also offer improved audio and video performance as a result of the Via’s new VX855 chipset. The organisation are also working with screen designer PixelQi to improve the display quality.

Samsung Announce New Laptop Sales Target

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Electronics manufacturer Samsung has revealed their targets for notebook computer sales this year. Having sold 2 million notebooks later year, the company is aiming to more than double that, with a target of 5 million laptop PC sales. The company forecasts also revealed ambitions to improve their market share in the global sale of laptops to 15 per cent, which would see their position in the sales rankings increase from 10th to 7th by the end of 2009. Netbook sales account for a huge 4 million of the total sales target, with Samsung’s strategy reflecting the view of the industry that the ultra-portable and cheap netbooks will prove extremely popular, yet still provide internet capability. Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Uhm Kyu-ho, commented that despite the uncertainty in the global economy, he was confident of the general outlook in the small to medium size global notebook market.

Asus Laptop Wins Gadget of the Year Award

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Asus Eee PC has been named as the gadget of the year by Stuff magazine. The 2008 Stuff magazine Gadget Awards ceremony was held at London’s Dorchester Hotel and saw the Eee PC fight off competition from the iPhone and several games consoles to take the award. Stuff suggested that the low cost laptop could herald ‘the beginning of a laptop for everyone era’, claiming that ‘no other gadget had the impact the Eee PC did this year. Now, for less than £300, you can get a fully functional laptop with enough power to do pretty much any tasks you ask it to do’. The award was one of the fourteen voted for by Stuff’s panel of executive judges, though there were an additional six decided by consumers and readers. The iPhone secured the Reader’s Gadget of the Year Award, whilst the new Sony Reader took the Reader’s Innovation of the Year Award. The Apple MacBook Air won the Design of the Year Award, and in an eco-friendly era, the Ego Electric Street Scoota won the Green Gadget of the Year Award.

Dell Enters Low Cost Laptop Market

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Dell has launched their first low cost notebook in the form of the Inspiron Mini 9. The laptop will rival the Asus Eee PC, the Hewlett Packard Mini-Note and the Lenovo IdeaPad S10, as well as the One Laptop Per Child’s XO laptop. The laptop was officially launched on September 4th, bringing months of discussions about Dell’s entry into the low cost laptop market to a conclusion. The low cost notebook market has been expanding at a rapid rate in recent years, with, a recent study from Gartner suggesting that there will be 5.2 million units shipped by the end of 2008. That figure is forecast to grow to 8 million in 2009 and by 2012, Gartner predict shipments will reach 50 million.

Hewlett Packard Unveils Laptop with 24 Hour Battery Life

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett Packard has unveiled its latest generation of laptops boasting 'all-day computing'. Hewlett Packard claim the laptops can be configured with an ultra capacity battery, which it says allow customers to take more than 10 Eurostar trips before needing to recharge their laptops. Hewlett Packard is describing the HP EliteBook 6930p as an ‘unprecedented milestone in mobile computing ’. It should be noted that the standard EliteBook, which is due to be released in October, will not provide a 24 hour battery life, but instead customers will need to buy the ultra capacity battery and upgrade the laptop to include an Illumi-Lite display and an 80 gigabyte Intel solid state hard drive .

One Laptop Per Child Announce Partnership with Amazon

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child organisation has announced it has agreed a deal with Amazon to sell its low cost laptops . It is a significant breakthrough for the foundation ahead of their next Give 1 Get 1 scheme due to begin in late November. Amazon will help to make the scheme more widespread, allowing people to buy an XO laptop for themselves and donate the other one to a school pupil in a developing country. It is the second time the OLPC foundation has run such a scheme, having previously started the Give 1 Get 1 programme in November last year. That scheme gave Americans the option to buy two machines for $398, one of which would be sent to a developing nation. The new scheme will again only be available to US residents, but the option to purchase the XO laptops online may result in an increase in sales. It is hoped that the OLPC’s partnership with Amazon will help to eradicate the production and delivery problems it suffered last time around, as orders were cancelled due to delays in production and errors with deliveries.

Orange Laptop Sales Exceeding Expectations

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Orange has announced that sales of its ‘connected’ laptops have exceeded expectations. Orange are currently offering customers a laptop bundle deal for the first time, which includes a free Asus Eee PC with a £25 per month two year broadband deal including 3GB of UK data allowance and 100 texts from the laptop each month. The laptops have USB modems enabling them to connect to Orange’s Internet Everywhere tariffs. The offer is the first of Orange’s new ‘connected’ product range. At present, laptop demos are available at 85 Orange stores nationwide, with Orange hoping to expand the deal to include Hewlett Packard laptops as well as business tariffs. Orange eventually intends to develop the range into a landline product, available with a greater range of laptops.

Panasonic Launches Toughbook Laptops

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Panasonic have launched a new range of rugged laptops with its Toughbook series. The range includes a light-weight rugged laptop, a tablet PC and an ultraportable computer, with Panasonic claim target the business person on the move. The three laptops are known as the F8, T8 and W8 respectively. The series is expected to be available from November as Panasonic attempt to combine durability with the growing portable trend amongst computers . The Toughboox F8 weighs 3.7 pounds and has an Intel Core 2 Duo processor . The laptop has a 14.1 inch wide display and comes with 4GB of RAM. The F8 also has a 160GB shock mounted hard drive, as well as an integrated handle for easier portability.

Peru to Trial Windows Operated XO Laptop

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child foundation and Microsoft have announced that Peru is to become the first country to try out XO laptops running Microsoft Windows . The trial is part of a nine month pilot program, though the companies are still deliberating over the exact size of the trial. OLPC had previously operated only on Linux, but a number of countries stated that they would only be interested in the XO laptop if it ran on Windows. Peru’s Education Minister, Jose Antonio Chang Escobedo, said, ‘We are extremely excited to take part in this historic educational pilot that will benefit school children throughout Peru. Integrating technology into our school curriculum will help to advance our knowledge economy, improve access to information and will generate opportunities for our students, which, through governmental policies, aims to improve the learning process we are offering our children, as well as closing the digital divide which currently exists between schools in rural and urban areas’.

Samsung Unveil Mini Laptop

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Samsung have unveiled a new mini laptop which they claim offers longer battery life and a better user experience than its rivals. The Samsung NC10 is based on Intel’s 1.6GHz Atom mobile processor, offering 1 gigabyte of memory and a choice of hard drives ranging from 80 gigabytes to 160 gigabytes. The laptop has a 10.2 inch screen and an ergonomic normal sized keyboard. Samsung claims that its SuperBright LED backlit screen uses less power than those in rival mini laptops, offering a 33 per cent brighter display. The laptop comes with Windows XP Home edition, has three USB ports, is Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled and claims to offer up to eight hours of battery use. It is available from October for £329. Samsung’s UK product manager for laptops, Dinesh Chand, revealed that the company had been biding its time before entering the market, as it wanted to gather a number of consumer complaints about mini laptops so as to iron out any difficulties prior to release. He said, ‘Through our extensive R&D network, we have gained a true insight into consumers' frustrations with these products, such as small keyboards and short battery life, which has been very valuable and has allowed us to develop a product we feel fits our customers' needs’.

Sony and Toshiba Laptops Most Reliable, Survey Says

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Sony and Toshiba are the most reliable laptop manufacturers, according to the new Which? computing annual survey. Across the board, laptops scored 87 per cent for reliability, but only Sony and Toshiba laptops scored higher than the average. Both brands scored 93 per cent for reliability, significantly higher than the most reliable desktop manufacturers – Apple, Compaq and Dell, each of which scored 86 per cent. Indeed, laptops scored 13 per cent higher on average than desktops. The survey also revealed that the computers have fallen in price in recent years. The survey, which consulted nearly 8,000 Which? members, found that the average cost of a new computer now stands at £750, compared to £800 in 2007 and £900 in 2006. Meanwhile, brand was shown to be one of the most important factors in the minds of laptop buyers, with 28 per cent wanting a trusted make. 26 per cent said that value for money was their main consideration, whilst 23 per cent examine the computer’s specifications.

Sony Unveil Worlds Lightest Blu Ray Laptop

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Sony have unveiled the world’s lightest Blu-Ray laptop weighing under 3 lbs. The laptop has an 11 inch LED LCD display, two 128 gigabyte solid state drives and an HDMI output port enabling full 1080p HD playback. The Vaio TT is made of a carbon fibre chassis and weighs just 2.87 lbs and is less than an inch thick. The laptop comes with an 11 inch 16:9 XBRITE-DuraView LED backed LCD display offering 100 per cent colour saturation. The HDMI port also offers users the chance to connect the laptop to a larger screen if the 11 inch display is deemed too small. The laptop is powered by an Intel Centrino 2 processor and its two 128 gigabyte solid state drives comes with RAID, WAN and EVDO for Sprint users. The basic models run on Windows XP though the majority of the series operate on Windows Vista . Although the starting price is £1,000, the cheapest Blu-Ray model is available at around £1,350 and is available in four colours – black, carbon black, champagne gold and crimson red.

Ultramobile Shipments to Match Laptops by 2013

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

New research has suggested that mobile internet devices and netbooks will be as popular as notebooks in five years time. By 2013, demand will equalise for the two devices with both notebooks and ultramobile devices expected to reach around 200 unit shipments, according to ABI Research. That would make the ultramobile device market worth almost £15 billion – a massive increase on its present value. Just 10 million netbooks and mobile internet devices are expected to be sold this year, meaning the ultramobile market is forecast to grow by an astonishing average of 38 million shipments per year. At present, netbooks are the most popular type of ultramobile device, accounting for 90 per cent of shipments, but the increasing popularity of mobile internet devices is one of the reasons for the ambitious forecasts. Mobile internet devices are expected to become the dominant ultramobile device within 5 years, contribute to roughly 68 per cent of shipments.

Apple Set to Unveil New Laptop Line

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Apple has confirmed it is to hold a special event on Tuesday October 14th, with the media speculating that the event will see the unveiling of Apple’s new laptop line updates. Speculation has been rife for some time that Apple would release their new ranges on the specified date, though Apple’s failure to send out media invitations until now had caused doubt about whether such an event would be held. An Apple spokesman declined to provide any further information, though new versions of the MacBook and MacBook Pro are expected to be unveiled, with many analysts forecasting a price cut. The laptops currently start at $1,099, and whilst a price drop to below $1,000 may be a fairly safe bet, some analysts expect the laptops to begin from as little as $800, as Apple look to take advantage of the trend for more affordable laptops .

Apple Unveil New Laptops

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Apple have unveiled their new Mac notebooks, though the anticipated price drop was not as drastic as expected. Rumours had been abound that an entry level Apple notebook would drop by $300 to $800, the decrease was just $100 with the cheapest Apple available now costing $999. Whilst that basic model retains its white plastic case, the most notable update to the Mac series was the introduction of all-aluminium cases for both the MacBook and MacBook Pro . The new cases, according to Apple CEO Steve Jobs, are lighter, stronger and more environmentally friendly than ever before. Another notable improvement to the notebooks is the improved Nvidia graphics processors, with Jobs claiming that the GeForce 9400M in the MacBooks provides five times the performance of the previous graphics chip . The most basic option currently available is the 13.3 inch MacBook which has 1GB of memory, a 120GB hard drive and a 2.1GHz Core 2 Duo processor . The cheapest aluminium-cased model starts at $1,299, boasting a 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of memory and a 160GB hard drive. MacBook Pros, meanwhile, begin at $1,999 and rise to $2,799. Processors of up to 2.8GHz are available, whilst all revamped Macs will have an expanded glass trackpad featuring a multi-touch surface that allows for gestures.

Intel Unveil New Laptop Platform

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Intel has offered an insight into its next generation laptop platform at the Intel Developer’s Forum in Taiwan this week. Mooly Eden, corporate vice president and Intel’s Mobile Platforms group General Manager, said that the new platform, called Calpella, was designed to be more energy efficient and would have a longer battery life. The new platform will be based on Intel’s new Nehalem architecture, which makes it easier to switch from two to eight Intel Core chips. The first Nehalem chips are expected to be shipped this autumn, with the quad-core sever chips expected to be ready first. The desktop chips, dual-core, more quad-core and eight-core chips are scheduled to be shipped over the course of 2009.

Laptop Theft Exposes Details of 600,000 People

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that it has lost the personal details of 600,000 people following the theft of a laptop last week. The laptop was stolen from the Edgbaston area of Birmingham last week, and contained confidential personal data of people who had expressed an interest in joining the Royal Air Force, the Royal Marines or the Royal Navy. Amongst the details were family details, medical records, National Insurance numbers and passport details. The laptop also held the bank records of at least 3,500 people. A MoD spokesperson said, ‘The Ministry of Defence is treating the loss of this data with the utmost seriousness. We are writing to some 3,500 people whose bank details were included on the database. Action has already been taken with the assistance of the Association for Payment Clearing Services to inform the relevant banks so that the relevant accounts can be flagged for scrutiny against unauthorised access’.

Microsoft Attack New Apple Laptops

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Microsoft have sent an email to its customers dissuading them from buying an Apple, as Microsoft begin to adopt negative tactics to keep its surging rival at bay. The email was circulated on Monday evening and was titled, ‘Why You’ll Find Better Value in Windows PCs than Macs ’. The email preceded Apple’s conference at which they unveiled their new range of laptops, as they sought to tempt more of the market with their combination of price cuts and attractive design. Microsoft’s email centred around their assurance that Windows PCs provide greater power and features for a lower price, whilst also suggesting that Macs come with a hidden ‘Apple tax’. The tax, Microsoft claim, arises due to the need for new Apple customers to spend an alleged extra $1,000 on new software for their Macs.

New Software to Help Fight Laptop Thieves

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

New software has been unveiled that could help to track down stolen laptops . The software is called Adeona – inspired by the Roman goddess of safe returns – and regularly reports the laptop’s IP address to a web vault visible only to the laptop’s owner. The open source service is free to download and can help users to track the location of their laptop, though unlike other device tracking applications, the service doesn’t need a proprietary ensuring that user’s IP logs aren’t viewed by a third party. Even if the portal was hacked, the laptop’s IP log would remain confidential as the data is coded and can only be accessed using the password set by the owner of the laptop. The software is particularly useful for owners of Apple Macs, as the software allows a head shot to be taken of the user via the built in camera, giving police an immediate suspect. Adeona’s co-author, Tadavoshi Kohno, said, ‘We wanted to build a tool that allows you to track the location of your laptop but at the same time doesn't allow someone else to track you. Typically when you create a forensics trail, you leave breadcrumbs that you can see, but so can everyone else. We've created a private forensics trail where only you can see those breadcrumbs."

OLPC Dealt Blow Venezuelan Government Order a Million Rival Laptops

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child foundation has been dealt a blow with the news that the Venezuelan government has placed an order for a million laptops with one of the foundation’s biggest rivals. Hugo Chavez’s government has ordered a million Magellan laptops, a version of the Intel Classmate computer . Having resigned from the OLPC in January citing disagreements with founder Nicholas Negroponte, Intel have since released the laptop which has been specifically designed for use in schools. The laptop, which operates a specially developed version of Linux, comes with inbuilt broadband connectivity and a digital camera . The order is part of a $3 billion bilateral trade agreement with Portugal, who have already bought half a million of the Magellan machines. The deal will see laptops manufactured in Lisbon under license from Intel, who will provide low power Intel Atom chipsets .

Republic Party Laptop Stolen

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A spokesperson for the Republican Party has revealed that a laptop containing ‘strategic information’ was stolen from the GOP headquarters in Kansas City last week. Tina Hervey, Missouri Republic Party spokeswoman, also revealed that the laptop lacked any security safeguards beyond password protection as the organization hadn’t considered measures such as encryption to guard against unauthorized access of sensitive data. The thieves broke into the building during the night of September 30th and stole the party’s regional coordinator’s Dell laptop, which contained ‘the type of stuff we wouldn’t want another campaign to have’, revealed Hervey, who also confirmed the sensitive data referred to the entire Republic Party ticket. Hervey also speculated that the laptops were motivated by the machine’s sensitive data rather than money, as ‘if you were stealing money, you would take 23 computers’, but ‘if you were stealing for underhand reasons, you take on computer ’.

Samsung Launch Laptop Series to Rival Apple

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Samsung has announced it is to re-enter the American computer market with a new series of laptops . Samsung unveiled its new ultralight notebooks on the same day that Apple unveiled its latest line up, as the diversified electronics maker ambitiously looks to re-enter a hugely crowded market. In addition to the stiff competition they face from Apple, Samsung must also oust fellow Asian competitors such as Lenovo, Sony and Toshiba . Samsung’s US Computer Division Senior Product Manager, Bret Berg, ambitiously declared, ‘These products really go after Apple and Sony. This is the MacBook Air killer’. Samsung have already unveiled their X360 laptop, which weighs 0.09kg less than the MacBook Air. The price has now been revealed at $2,499 – the same as the MacBook Air – and comes with a 128 gigabyte solid state drive – the same as the MacBook Air. Samsung also unveiled their X460, which again rivals a MacBook Air model, whilst the NC10 premium netbook was also revealed, costing just $499.

Sony Laptop Battery Problems Strike Again

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Dell, Hewlett-Packard and Toshiba have recalled around 100,000 batteries at risk of catching fire due to a dodgy battery . The recall once again involved Sony batteries, after 9.6 million units had to be recalled in 2006. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has warned that ‘consumers should stop using recalled products immediately’ following 40 reports globally of the batteries overheating. Sony claim the problems are due to manufacturing line adjustments made between October 2004 and June 2005 when the batteries were made. Some of the problems may also have been caused by raw material flaws. Of the 100,000 batteries needing to be recalled, 35,000 were used in laptops shipped in the US, of which 32,000 were shipped with Hewlett Packard laptops .

Sony Launch Netbook Range of Vaio Laptops

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Sony have unveiled their latest netbook range with the TT range of Vaio laptops . The new series is designed to replace the TZ series which proved popular despite its high price. The new TT series has an 11 inch screen, a carbon fibre chassis, weighs just 1.3 kilograms and claims to offer 8 hours of battery life. With 4GB of memory, the laptop comes with an impressive 1366x768 pixel display, just ten per cent less than the typical resolution of a 19 inch desktop screen. Both British and American versions have a Core 2 Duo processor, whilst the American version comes with a built in Blu-ray player. British users shouldn’t worry, however, as Sony have launched a new ‘Vaio for you’ customising service for TT purchasers, allowing users to take advantage of 6000 possible options offered by Sony, of which a Blu-ray drive is just one.

US Laptop Sales Exceed Desktop Sales for First Time

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Laptop sales have surpassed desktop sales in the US for the first time ever, according to new figures from the International Data Corporation . IDC’s US Quarterly PC Tracker revealed that third quarter laptop sales accounted for 55.2 per cent of all PC sales in America, as predictions of laptop supremacy were finally proven right. All of the major vendors experienced a similar trend, as notebook shipments surpassed those of their desktop equivalents, with the portable machine most dominant at Acer, Lenovo and Sony, where laptops accounted for more than 65 per cent of shipments. The figures also revealed an 18 per cent year on year growth in overall sales, representing an extra 9.5 million units. IDC’s US Quarterly PC Tracker and Personal System research manager, David Daoud, said, ‘The consumer market continued to be the top driving factor in the notebook offensive but the commercial sector played a critical role too. The consumer market has long favoured notebooks, with mobile ratios exceeding the 70 per cent mark. So it is clear that the small and mid-markets, as well as the enterprise and public sector buyers, are seeing good value in mobility’.

Carphone Warehouse Claims to Account for 10pc of UK Laptop Sales

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Just six months after entering the laptop retailing market, the Carphone Warehouse now claims to account for ten per cent of all laptops sales in the UK. The claim is surprising to say the least given the short period of time the retailer has been involved in the PC market, though the company have spoken of their determination to continue growth in this area of sales. The firm made the claims upon announcing that it is to extent the range of laptops it has in stock to include Apple MacBooks and a selection of Sony Vaio notebooks . The new products will add to the Acer, Asus, Fujitsu Siemens, Hewlett Packard and Toshiba it already stocks.

Consumers Expect Too Much From Netbooks, Carphone Warehouse Says

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Despite claiming to account for ten per cent of UK laptop sales, the Carphone Warehouse is to stop selling one of their Linux netbooks after 20 per cent of purchasers returned the machines. The company have asserted that the Elonex Webbooks have not, however, been recalled. The Carphone Warehouse are citing high expectations as the main reason for the returns, as people are expecting a netbook to function as well as a normal laptop and are unhappy when it doesn’t. Andy Tung, Director of US Sales for MSI, said, ‘Our internal research has shown that the return of netbooks is higher than regular notebooks, but the main cause of that is Linux . People would love to pay $299 or $399 but they don't know what they get until they open the box. They start playing around with Linux and start realising that it's not what they are used to. They don't want to spend time to learn it so they bring it back to the store. The return rate is at least four times higher for Linux netbooks than Windows XP netbooks.’

Free Laptop Broadband Bundle Sales Rocket

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Sales of free laptop bundle deals have rocketed as the credit crunch sees customers attempt to save funds ahead of Christmas . Free laptops are available to consumers who take out broadband deals from the likes of 3 Broadband, AOL Broadband, Phones 4 U or the Carphone Warehouse . These free laptop deals accounted for just four per cent of sales in July, though that figure has escalated to 27 per cent in the last month, and are on course to exceed standalone broadband deals by the end of the year. A Phones 4U spokesperson said: "Since launching laptop-broadband deals on Phones4u.co.uk, we have seen significant sales growth month-on-month and predict that laptop-broadband deals will be top-sellers this Christmas."

Fujitsu Siemens Offering a Free Laptop Every Three Years For Life

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Fujitsu Siemens is offering consumers who buy its latest LifeBook laptops a free replacement laptop every three years for the rest of their lives. Meanwhile, anyone who purchases an Esprimo notebook or desktop is eligible for free repairs and a full refund if their machine fails during the standard warranty period. Head of Fujitsu Siemen’s UK product marketing, Paul Hoey, announced the deal on Wednesday. He said, ‘LifeBook4Life is quite simply our way of showing customers that we value their business and their loyalty, and ensuring that, providing they have been happy with what their LifeBook has delivered over those first three years, they have no reason to switch to any other vendor.’

Hewlett Packard Results Boosted by Laptop Sales

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett Packard has defied the economic gloom to record impressive figures in the last quarter. The company are performing cost cutting measures in a bid to further improve results, while the continued demand for laptops helped them maintain a positive performance in the last quarter. The three months up to October 31st saw Hewlett Packard sell $6.3 billion worth of notebooks, representing a 21 per cent increase on the same period in 2007. Despite these strong sales, revenue in two server categories fell and printer sales slumped. Consequently, profit slipped by 2 per cent, though impressively, revenue increased by 19 per cent. The increase can be attributed to the $13.9 billion acquisition of Electronic Data Systems Corp., providing an added $3.9 billion in revenue.

Hewlett Packard Unveil Multi Touch Laptop

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett-Packard have unveiled their TouchSmart tx2 laptop – the first HP consumer laptop to feature multi-touch technology. The laptop is being dubbed as a more sophisticated and consumer friendly tablet PC, offering users a dynamic interaction experience as they can use the laptop on the move, swivelling the 12.1 inch screen as they wish and using a variety of gestures to activate the laptop’s functions. The Mediasmart technology features Internet TV content from MTV Networks, with clips from a variety of channels. The Mediasmart technology updates the content regularly, typifying the software edge the TouchSmart has over its rival Latitude XT from Dell .

Intel and Asus Combine to Launch Website to Gather Laptop Ideas

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Intel and Asus have combined to launch a social networking site offering users the chance to design their ideal laptop . Both companies have stated that the best ideas could well be put into production, whilst ‘select participants’ will receive prizes. Visitors to the website are able to design their ideal netbook, notebook or gaming machine, with each design subsequently rated by other website users. An Intel statement said, ‘Visitors to the site can share ideas, vote on submitted concepts and engage in discussions with other community members about the qualities of the ‘dream’ PC’. The majority of suggestions to date are fairly unoriginal, with users calling for lighter, faster machines with a longer battery life. However, there have been some innovative ideas including a PC with four legs so it can be used in bed, as well as a PC with three fold out displays to improve its ease of use for graphic designers . Perhaps the best idea posted on the website to date is a mouse that generates power as it is used, thus helping to reduce energy consumption .

Laptop Developed to Assist Brain Injury Patients

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A new laptop has been specially developed to help people who are unable to speak as a result of traumatic brain injuries . The notebook uses brainwaves to enable communication, and has been devised by Paul Gnanayutham, a computer researcher at the University of Portsmouth. The system uses a combination of the patient’s brainwaves and eve and muscular movements to control a cursor on a computer screen . The cursor can activate target points which can be converted into responses such as ‘yes’ or ‘no’, can turn on electrical appliances and can even open a link to an internet page. The specific functions of the target points can be customised for the individual. The prototype is said to be working well, though more funding is needed to turn the system into a retail product. Mr Gnanayutham said, ‘This technology has been around, but very few people have used it for anything worthwhile. I worked with traumatic brain injured participants who were paraplegics, non-verbal and tube fed to give them a voice and the ability to say 'yes' or 'no' on a computer screen by using their brainwaves. Learning how to navigate using their facial muscles or brainwaves isn't easy and can take months.’

Laptop sparks fire at north wales home

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A laptop has sparked a fire at a North Wales home, just days after Sony announced they are to recall 100,000 faulty batteries. The laptop burst into flames on the couple’s couch causing severe smoke damage to the entire house and the near destruction of the front room. Firefighters cited an electrical fault in the laptop as the cause of the fire, which left one of the occupants needing treatment for smoke inhalation. Sony’s laptop battery recall has been prompted by fears that the batteries may overheat or catch fire, which appears to have been the source of this particular fire. The fire is believed to be the first in North Wales to have been caused by a laptop, but is the 40th reported instance of overheating – four of which have caused minor burns.

XO Laptop to be Sold on Amazon

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child foundation has announced it has reached an agreement with Amazon.com to sell the XO laptop online . At present, only the Linux based XO laptops will be available on Amazon, rather than the newer Windows version. The laptop will be sold on Amazon in a similar manner to the Give 1 Get 1 programme, under which a consumer buys an XO laptop for $400, purchasing one for himself and sending one to a child in a developing nation. The XO laptop comes with 1G of internal flash storage, 256 megabytes of RAM, a 7.5 inch liquid crystal display screen and Wi fi capabilities. OLPC claim that, depending on usage, the XO laptop’s lithium-ferro phosphate battery is more efficient than the batteries of commercial laptops . It is also possible for the laptops to run on solar power, a foot pedal or pull-string. The OLPC have already announced the XO-2 laptop, due for shipment in 2010, but are also working on an XO-1 Gen 1.5 to be shipped in the first quarter of 2009 as an update to the original XO laptop.

ASUS Unveils Lamborghini Laptop

Tue, 27 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

ASUS has launched its new Lamborghini notebook and PDA phone . The Taiwan based company has unveiled the products in India in an attempt to gain a segment of India’s premium market. The Asus Lamborghini VX3 comes with a 12.1 inch wide screen and a next generation Intel Core 2 Duo processor . The laptop is 8.66 inches wide, 1.22 inches thick and weights just 3.6 pounds. The notebook contains also materials such as sapphire crystal, titanium alloy and genuine leather. The laptops are available in either black or yellow. The laptop has a high resolution built in camera above the screen which is surrounded by a titanium alloy hinge backbone. The leather bound palm rest is one of the products incorporated into the laptop that has a Lamborghini patent.

Dell Retail Blu Ray Laptop

Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Dell has announced it is to begin retailing a new series of laptops with high definition Blu-ray disc drives. The Inspiron 1525 laptop has a 15.4 inch high definition wide aspect display with 720p resolution, as well as an HDMI port, making it one of the leading laptops on the market in terms of its visual performance. The Broadcom Media PC technology integrated into the laptop provides high definition performance on integrated graphics. Having recently won the battle against HD DVDs, the Blu-ray player disc drive plays and burns CDs, and is fully backwards compatible. The burner drive is an extra option available to consumers. Dell also offer a slender travel power adapter to enhance the potential for film watching on the move, and an array of accessories designed to emphasize its capacity for visual performance. One touch access to media files is also available through the Dell MediaDirect technology incorporated into the laptop.

Dell Ship Faulty Laptops

Fri, 09 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Dell’s venture into the lucrative laptop business has begun badly with a number of their Vostro laptop series shipped with misconfigured keyboards . Having begun shipping the new Vostro laptops on April 15, it has since been revealed that some of the Vostro 1310 and 1510 laptops’ keyboards have an extra key on the keyboard – a forward slash between the left hand shift key and the Z key. A company spokesperson refused to comment on how many laptops had been shipped with estimated keyboards, but did confirm some shipments could be delayed as laptops with misconfigured keyboards are corrected.

Lenovo to Sell IdeaPad Laptop in India

Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Lenovo have announced that they are to introduce their new IdeaPad computer series into the Indian market. The U110 laptop model seems likely to be the first of Lenovo’s IdeaPad products to be released into the Indian market, and comes with a 120GB hard drive, 3GB memory, an Intel Centrino processor, a built in camera, Ethernet, Bluetooth and an 11 inch frameless display. The IdeaPad models also come with Dolby Home Theatre and a MultiMedia Control centre, as well as a VeriFace recognition system which enables an easy log in process. The IdeaPad series have enjoyed great success in the US market and Lenovo are hoping to replicate this in India .

Microsoft to Offer Discounts for Windows XP on Low Cost Laptops

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In a bid to beat off competition from Linux, Microsoft is to offer low cost laptop manufacturers heavy discounts on the price of Windows XP. Linux has typically proved to be a popular operating system for manufacturers looking to keep the cost of production as low as possible. However, with the low cost laptop market growing rapidly, Microsoft have begun to divert their attention to striking deals with low cost laptop makers, and have successfully agreed to sell Windows XP to Eee PC maker Asus and the XO laptop producing One Laptop Per Child foundation. Microsoft have now revealed plans to charge PC manufacturers just £13 to have Windows XP preloaded onto low cost laptops being sold in emerging countries, and just £16 for laptops being sold in developed countries. The discount is, however, limited to machines with hard disks no bigger than 80GB and screens no bigger than 10.2 inches. A further £5 discount may be available to manufacturers who are eligible for Microsoft’s market development scheme.

One Laptop Per Child to Focus on Australia

Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child foundation, which has typically distributed low cost laptops to children in developing countries, has begun to focus its efforts on Australia . After the Northern Territory Government conducted a trial of the XO laptops, the One Laptop Per Child’s five man Australian board is to meet government representatives to discuss distributing XO laptops on a larger scale around Australia. The recently elected Australian President Kevin Rudd revealed his desire to give every high school student a computer in the recent election, a promise which has given the OLPC scope for success. One of the proposals for the distribution of laptops would be for the Australian government to purchase an initial 5,000 prior to any further purchases.

One Laptop Per Child Unveil New Prototype

Thu, 22 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child foundation have unveiled a prototype of their new XO 2.0 laptop . The new model was unveiled by the organisation’s chairman Nicholas Negroponte at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston. It is the charity’s second generation laptop and continues to be aimed at poor students in developing countries. Following the controversy surrounding the escalating price tag of the initial XO laptop – its initial advertised cost of $100 rocketed to $188 – the foundation are hoping to avoid a similar controversy and claim the laptops could sell for as little as $75 each. The new laptop is a slimmed down version of its predecessor, and features a touch screen keyboard that also functions as a second display when the device is placed on its side, enabling two students to use the laptop. The XO 2.0 laptop is lighter and smaller than the original XO laptop, and is forecast to be ready for production in 2010.

Quanta Ups Laptop Shipment Target

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Quanta Computer has increased its 2008 shipment target to over 40 million laptop PCs . The world’s largest contract laptop PC maker shipped 32 million notebooks last year, and initially forecast a 12.5 per cent increase for 2008. The global PC market has grown in strength in recent years, largely due to the surge in demand for laptops . The shipment target doesn’t include the low-cost laptop section of the market. As well as manufacturing PCs for the likes of Dell and Hewlett Packard, Quanta also makes laptops for the One Laptop Per Child foundation, and with the emergence of a greater number of low cost laptop makers, it could prove to be a particularly successful sector for Quanta.

Toshiba to Release New Laptop Ranges to Boost Sales

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Japanese computer giant Toshiba has targeted growth in the Philippines as they look to increase their share of the laptop market. Toshiba have announced they aim to double its share of the Philippine laptop market as they look to broaden their global audience. With their current share of the market standing at 8 per cent, the computer manufacturer are to launch a series of stylish notebooks in a bid to entice more customers. The Satellite and Portégé notebook ranges will target young professionals and students, boasting feather touch multimedia buttons, a flushed touch pad and a white LED lighted notebook logo, as well as a high gloss Fusion finish on some models. The higher end models also come with the latest Intel Core 2 Duo Processor . The notebooks also have SmartFace technology enabling users to take a snapshot of their face to create a unique password.

2008 Laptop Sales to Boost PC Market

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

International Data Corporation (IDC) have released predictions of further growth in the European, Middle Eastern and African (EMEA) PC market in 2008. The analyst company have forecast a growth of 14.4 per cent in the PC market, largely influenced by expansion in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. That growth would see PC sales surpass 100 million, though the desktop market is expected to shrink by 2.6 per cent this year. That contraction is largely due to the increased popularity of notebooks, which are expected to see an increase in sales by over 20 per cent.

Apple Surpass Dell in US Higher Education Laptop Sales

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

American consumer electronics manufacturer Apple appears to have taken a stronghold of the US higher education market, having surpassed Dell in terms of laptop sales. Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Technology Investment Symposium earlier this week, Apple’s chief operating officer Tim Cook revealed further evidence of a successful 2007 for Apple as he revealed the company have outdone rival Dell in terms of sales of portable machines to US higher education. It isn’t just the American higher education market that Apple have performed strongly in, having obtained a 19.6 per cent share of the European education market in the third quarter of 2007. While the success can be largely attributed to Apple’s innovative design and all round resurgence, Dell has suffered from a series of problems, including volatile batteries and failure to meet delivery dates.

Asus Offers Refunds To Dissatisfied Transformer Prime Tablet Owners

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Asus customers who have found a GPS fault with their Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime tablet are to be offered a refund or an extension of the standard warranty from 12 months to 18 months, the company has confirmed. The announcement highlights what has been a turbulent few months for the hybrid laptop / tablet, with users complaining about the device’s Wi-Fi and GPS functionality, leading to rumours that its UK launch would be delayed.

Lenovo Updates ThinkPad Laptop Range

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Lenovo has announced it is refreshing its ThinkPad brand of laptop computers with new products in a bid to expand beyond its traditional enterprise market and gain more individual and small business and users. The Chinese PC maker said the updated range will include three individual lines based on the need for "essential, mainstream and premium" laptops : ThinkPad Edge S Series (premium) ThinkPad Edge E Series (mainstream) Lenovo B Series (essential). All three lines include various sizes, configurations and options.

Orange Rolls Out First Android Tablet

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Orange has announced the launch of its first own-brand Android tablet device - the budget-friendly Tahiti. The 10.5mm thick tablet features a 7in capacitive multitouch display and runs Android 3.2 (Honeycomb) on a Qualcomm 8260 Dual Core 1.2GHz processor.

iPad 3 To Arrive In March

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The much anticipated Apple iPad 3 could be set for a March release date if rumours coming out of Japan are to be believed. A recent report by Japanese Apple blog Macotakara claimed that the third-generation iPad tablet will be launched sometime next in March and not later this month to coincide with Apple founder Steve Jobs' February 24 birthday, as earlier reports had suggested.

Laptops To Become Obsolete, Study Reveals

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

More than half of Britons believe laptops will be replaced by tablet computers in the near future, according to new research. A survey of over 1,900 internet users by MyVoucherCodes.co.uk revealed that 58 per cent think laptops will soon be out of fashion, with 44 per cent of those saying they will become obsolete within five years, 21 per cent within the next ten years and 16 per cent claiming it will take 20 years.

A Third Of Primary School Kids Own A Mobile

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

One in three children aged 10 or under in the UK already owns a mobile phone, according to a new survey. The research, carried out by cloud security service Westcoastcloud, found that a third of primary school children have a mobile phone - significantly higher than previously thought - and one in ten already own smartphone devices such as the iPhone .

Apples Majority Share Of Tablet Market Set To Drop

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Apple's dominance of the tablet PC market in the UK will fall in the next year, according to new research by Kantar Worldpanel ComTech. A survey by the company found that a total of 3.62 million Britons own tablet devices, with Apple accounting for nearly three quarters (73 per cent) of the market.

MSI Launches Top-End GT780DX Laptop

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Hardcore PC gamers will be pleased to hear that MSI has unleashed a new, ultra-powerful Full HD gaming laptop . Its latest machine – the GT780DXR – is powered by a 2GHz Intel Core i7 processor and a Nvidia GeForce GTX 570M graphics card with an impressive 1.5GB of dedicate high-speed GDDR5 graphics memory.

Stolen Laptop Contained Personal Information

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A laptop belonging to Stanford University has been stolen jeopardising the personal information of up to 72,000 current and former employees. The laptop had bank the home addresses, salaries and Social Security numbers of employees hired before 28th September 2007. The university refused to comment on the theft, and did not disclose any information about how the laptop was stolen. More details may emerge as the investigation progresses, though the employees concerned will be hoping that the thieves simply wipe the hard drive and sell it on. One piece of consolation for the employees is that the laptop contained no information relating to bank accounts or credit cards .

Toshiba Unveils Its Most Powerful Laptops

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba has unveiled its latest additions to its Qosmio laptop range which it claims to be the most powerful laptops they have made to date. The manufacturer has unveiled the Qosmio F50, G50 and X300, which should be available to buy by the third quarter of 2008. A specific price remains unknown, with Toshiba instead commenting that pricing will depend on the laptop’s specifications. The F50 and G50 laptops run on Toshiba’s Quad Core HD Processor, which is based on cell architecture enabling improved video editing and high definition upscaling of DVDs . The F50 will have a 15.4 inch screen, compared with the G50’s 18.4 inch screen, whilst both models have hard drives of up to 640GB and memory expandable to 8GB. Both laptops have an integrated webcam which uses Toshiba’s new Gesture Control technology allowing users to make commands through the use of hand movements.

Belkin Unveil Trio of Laptop Accessories

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Belkin Asia Pacific has unveiled a trio of new laptop accessories designed to enhance the comfort and safety of laptop users. The electronics manufacturer has launched its new Laptop Cooling Hub, Laptop Cooling Lounge and Laptop Coolstrip, aimed at keeping both the laptop and its user cool. The Laptop Cooling Lounge prevents the laptop from overheating by using natural convection to enhance fan cooling, whilst also directing the heat away from the user’s legs. The accessory, which is to retail for around £20, has no power adaptor and is compatible with laptops with screens of 17 inches or less. Belkin’s other new accessory is the Laptop Cooling Hub, which has four USB ports and elevates the hot rear of the laptop above the user’s knee to improve comfort. Retailing at around £25, it is the more expensive version of the Laptop CoolStrip, which is a simple strip of material laptop users can place on their knee to ensure they are not subjected to the laptop’s heat, though its price of £10 reflects the absence of any features such as USB ports.

Carphone Warehouse Expands Into Laptop Market

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Carphone Warehouse has set a target of 1 million laptop sales this year as the company broadens its revenue base. The company are to invest £3 million in a six week training scheme for its 7,000 UK employees on the shop floor. The training period will culminate in a test which the employees must pass if they are to qualify to sell the products, and will be rewarded with an Acer laptop worth £360 if they pass the test. Laptops represent an obvious area of expansion for the Carphone Warehouse, following a surge in the portable machine’s popularity. It is estimated that 7.6 million laptops will be sold this year, with 75 per cent of those sales coming from retail channels. Whilst the Carphone Warehouse have previously given away laptops with some broadband contracts, their expansion into the portable PC area is expected to see them take a double digit share of the laptop market this year.

Dell Offering Lost Laptop Protection Service

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Dell has launched a service helping to protect against the effects of the loss or theft of a laptop . The Dell ProSupport Mobility Service has been available to business customers since Monday and enables Dell to track missing or stolen laptops, whilst they can also remotely erase data from any registered laptop’s hard drive. The service reflects the increasing popularity of laptops amongst business users, whilst also showing an awareness of the increasing number of missing or stolen laptops in recent times. Dell recently sponsored a study carried out at the Ponemon Institute which looked at the number of laptops which are lost each week. The findings revealed that 12,000 laptops are lost at US airports alone each week, of which only a third are ever recovered. Furthermore, of those 12,000 laptops, 50 per cent contain confidential company data, 65 per cent of which is unsecured.

Heathrow is named as hotspot for lost laptops

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

New figures show that airports in Europe and the US are world hotspots for laptops to go missing, approx 800,000 a year. The Dell sponsored research carried out by the Ponemon Institute, found that 175,000 laptops go missing every year in major airports across Europe, which is about 4,000 a week.

Intels Record Results Driven by Laptop Sales

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Intel has announced a significant rise in profits for the three months to the end of June. The world’s largest microchip manufacturer enjoyed record sales as net income rose to £798 million, a 25 per cent increase on the £638 million net income in the same quarter the previous year. The impressive figures were driven by the continued demand for laptop PCs, despite a fear that the turbulent economic climate may have afflicted the global PC market. Intel President and Chief Executive, Paul Otellini, asserted that demand remains strong for Intel’s products. Otellini declared, ‘As we enter the second half, demand remains strong for our microprocessor and chipset products in all segments and parts of the globe.’ With Intel the first major technology firm to announce its second quarter earnings figures, a streak of optimism has hit expectations ahead of Microsoft, IBM and Google’s announcements this week.

Phone Operator Bans Overseas Laptop Data Downloads

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Mobile phone operator 3 has made the unusual step of banning customers from downloading data from their phones to their laptops when abroad. The move is designed to save customers from facing large bills on their return from travelling, though will lift the ban for customers who request to be able to download data when abroad. However, 3 will still recommend a £50 credit limit on their accounts. The decision follows speculation that the EU telecoms commissioner, Viviane Reding, will impose legislation in the coming weeks forcing mobile phone operators to cut the amount they charge to users engaging in data roaming overseas. 3 currently offers its customers ‘dongles’, which connect laptops to the internet on the move, but doesn’t cover sending text messages . By acting before the main holiday season, it is hoped consumers can be saved from some scary phone bills .

Telstra Extend Free Laptop Offer

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Telstra have announced that they are to extend their free laptop offer following its initial success. The telecommunications company have offered a free laptop worth up to £350 to customers who sign up for a three year Next G mobile data contract since the beginning of June. The offer had been scheduled to expire at the end of June, though customers must have an Australian Business Number to qualify for the offer. Following significant interest in the offer, Telstra have decided to extend the promotion until the end of September. The plan costs £50 a month which includes a 1GB data download allowance. However, there are heavy excess charges for those who exceed the download limit, with Telstra charging roughly £125 per extra gigabyte.

American Children to Receive Laptops from Non-Profit Organization

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child organization is to broaden its recipients, with some of the USA’s poorest children set to receive laptops from the non-profit organization. So far, the organization has focused on less developed countries, with the recent Give One Get One promotion resulting in over 100,000 laptops being sent to children in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Haiti, Mongolia and Rwanda . Peru, Mexico and Uruguay are other examples of countries participating in the scheme. The organization has now begun discussions with state governments about broadening the recipients of the XO laptops to include some of America’s poorest children. Initially, America had been left out of the One Laptop Per Child agenda as even the poorest parts of the US are considerably wealthier than some developing countries.

Apple Unveil Thinnest Ever Laptop

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Apple has just unveiled its thinner ever laptop – the MacBook Air. Weighing just 3 lbs, the laptop is just 0.16 inches at its slimmest point, and 0.76 inches typically. The laptop’s remarkable slenderness is made possible by its lack of a CD or DVD drive, with the CD drive’s functions to be instead carried out wirelessly by the laptop or other Apple devices. The laptop will retail at £1,199 in the UK, though is available significantly cheaper in the US at just shy of £900. The laptop comes with a standard 80GB hard drive and 2GB of memory, a 13.3 inch back-lit screen, a full size back-lit keyboard and a tracking pad offering similar functions to those offered by an iPhone .

Asus Unveil Low Cost Laptop

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Asus has unveiled its new mini low cost laptop . The $200 Eee PC is designed to appeal to those in developing countries, with its features not rivaling those of a top of the range laptop . Although no charitable scheme is attached the laptop as yet, at just $12 more than One Laptop Per Child’s XO laptop, the two will undoubtedly become rivals. The Eee PC laptop has a 7 inch screen, a 3 hour battery life, internet capability, 512MB of memory and Windows XP compatibility. There are also built in speakers and the laptop weighs 0.89 kilograms.

Duo Announced 500GB Laptop Drives

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Samsung and Hitachi look set to go head to head with both of the Asian conglomerates unveiling 500 gigabyte laptop drives. Hitachi were the first to unveil their capacious hard drive, with the device on sale from February. Samsung’s announcement followed days later, with their Spinpoint M6 500 gigabyte hard drive to go on sale in March. Both of the devices dwarf the largest laptop drive currently available – Western Digital Corporation’s 320 gigabyte drive. Where Samsung have the edge is in the size of their drive, meaning it is compatible with many more laptop models. Whereas Hitachi’s drive is 12.5mm in height, meaning it cannot fit into many laptops, Samsung’s 500 gigabyte drive needs just 9.5mm.

Duo to Donate Money from Laptop Sales to AIDS Medication

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Dell and Microsoft have pledged to donate as much as $80 of every sale of each of their three new computer models towards AIDS medication in Africa . The duo have launched a new program called Product RED, with Dell set to sell two laptops and one desktop running Microsoft Windows Vista . For each laptop sold, the two companies will donate $50 to the Global Fund, which finances health programs in Africa, whilst an $80 donation will be made for each desktop sold. Project RED is an ongoing program run by U2 singer Bono, and has so far raised $53 million for the Global Fund since its foundation in 2006. However, with Microsoft reportedly expecting to sell ‘several hundred thousand’ models in 2008, those behind Project RED hope to see that figure more than doubled in 2008. Bono also hit out at press reports questioning the effectiveness of the program, claiming it had saved lives, as evidenced by the fact that for $80, six months’ worth of AIDS-fighting medication can be purchased.

Intel to Launch Vietnam Laptop Project

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Intel is to launch a laptop scheme in Vietnam allowing teachers to buy laptops on a hire-purchase basis. Intel Vietnam are to set up a partnership with the Da Nang University of Technology allowing their teachers to take advantage of the scheme, which is designed to help them improve their information technology skills. At present, there is a vast gulf between graduates and experienced staff in terms of their knowledge of information technology . As well as aiming to reduce this gap using the hire-purchase scheme, Intel has also unveiled an information technology laboratory at the university. The laboratory includes a server, a wireless network system and twenty PCs .

Intel Withdraws from One Laptop Per Child Partnership

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Intel has withdrawn from its partnership with the One Laptop Per Child project following ‘philosophical’ differences with the organization. The reality is that the dispute centres around a request from the organizers of the One Laptop Per Child scheme for Intel to cease advertising its own cheap computer which also targets developing countries. The world’s largest chipmaker offers the ClassMate PC for $285, retailing for nearly $100 more than the $188 price tag attached to OLPC’s XO laptop. Since deciding to assist the One Laptop Per Child scheme, Intel have offered their advice and funding to the non-profit project, though the initial decision to partner the organization was surprising given Intel’s volatile relationship with OLPC founder Nicholas Negroponte .

One Laptop Per Child's Promotion Proves Successful

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child organization’s Give One Get One promotion proved to be a success, figures released by the non-profit outfit have shown. The offer ran from November 12th to December 31st, offering people in the United States and Canada the chance to buy a laptop and have another sent to a developing country. The offer raised $35 million (£18 million) with the sale of over 100,000 XO laptops which will make their way to developing countries across the world. Recipient countries include Afghanistan, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Haiti, Mongolia and Rwanda . In addition to the money raised from the offer, it also helped to raise awareness of the project and increase participation amongst ordinary people.

One Laptop Per Child Offer Ends

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child’s ‘Give One Get One’ promotion has ended after the organization decided to extend the offer after signs of success. Whilst some customers had decided to participate in the offer, One Laptop Per Child founder Nicholas Negroponte claimed many others had asked for the offer to be extended, either so that either themselves or groups to which they belonged could partake in the promotion. Mr Negroponte also intimated that there may be a similar offer available during 2008, though it is not yet confirmed what the offer will be. It seems likely that the scheme will create a function whereby people are able to donate $200 and send a laptop to the relevant country.

One Laptop Per Child Receives Biggest Order to Date

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

With the One Laptop Per Child organization hoping for a better year, the signs are promising following the project’s biggest order to date. Peru has placed the biggest order of any developing country, requesting 272,000 notebooks to aid its primary education system. Some of the laptops have already been used in classrooms in Peru, with the benefits already there to be seen. The laptops have enabled children in each country to chat online, whilst the wealth of information brought by a laptop has reportedly given children a wider range of ambitions. Peru’s order of 272,000 dwarfs the previous biggest order by a developing country which had stood at 100,000 from Uruguay. However, the laptops have continued to be the subject of controversy, with their $188 price tag belying the $100 initially advertised.

One Laptop Per Child Sued for USD20 Million

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Having already announced its intention to sue the One Laptop Per Child organization, Lagos Analysis Corporation have attempted to claim $20 million in damages from the scheme, as well as an injunction blocking the project from distributing in Nigeria . The claims are based on alleged infringement of intellectual property rights, with OLPC’s chairman Nicholas Negroponte accused of stealing technology from a Lagos product without permission. OLPC’s lawyers have declined to pay out the $20 million claim, instead requesting the Nigerian company clarify which technology OLPC has allegedly infringed. It is alleged that Mr Negroponte purchased two LANCOR keyboards in August 2006, using their technology to assist the building of the keyboards used in the XO laptop being sold by the organization. The LANCOR keyboard in question has a special system enabling the use of symbols and special characters.

Researchers Developing 40 Hour Laptop Batteries

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Researchers at Stanford Tech are developing technology that will supposedly enable laptop batteries to last for as long as 40 hours. Although the technology is unlikely to be available for a few years, with current laptops rarely able to last 6 hours without a charge, the innovation would be a welcome advancement. Professor Yi Cui and his team has revamped discarded technology whereby silicon anodes in the form of nanowires are used for charging. The technology has previously been abandoned as silicon expands up to 400 times during charging, which would cause the battery to explode. However, it is hoped that using silicon in the form of nanowires will eradicate this danger.

Toshiba Unveil MacBook Air Laptop Rival

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Just a week after Apple unveiled the MacBook Air, Toshiba have launched a rival product with the Portégé R500 notebook . At 1kg, the Toshiba notebook is lighter than the 1.35kg MacBook Air, and is thinner as well, though the MacBook Air’s 13.3 inch screen is bigger than the R500’s 12 inch screen. Whilst neither laptop has a DVD-drive in the machine itself, Toshiba offers a greater number of ports and drives. The MacBook Air has just one USB port, compared with the R500’s three, whilst the Toshiba comes with an optical drive as well as Ethernet connection, offering users a greater choice than the Apple notebook .

Users Reporting Slower Computer Since Christmas

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

There has been a significant increase in the number of owners reporting slow performance on their computers and laptops following the festive period, according to TechGuys. The digital technology helpline, offering advice on a range of electronic devices ranging from computers to televisions, have said that over 70 per cent of callers this month have registered complaints of slow computer performance – a problem that TechGuys are blaming on excessive downloads over Christmas. Users risk slower performance by downloading images, movies, songs and new software, for example. Users are being advised to either cut back on downloads, especially on computers with smaller hard drives, or to regularly defragment their hard drives.

Elonex to Release Cheap Laptop

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Elonex have announced they are to release The One notebook aimed at the education sector. The laptop will retail at £99 – a similar cost to the XO Laptop sold by the One Laptop Per Child foundation. Although Elonex have not disclosed how much RAM or what processor the laptop will have, The One notebook does contain a series of impressive features. The laptop will have WiFi capability, 1GB of inbuilt memory, a 7-inch screen, inbuilt speakers, 2 USB sockets and word processing and spreadsheet applications. The laptop will run on a Linux operating system, whilst the keyboard is detachable meaning it can be used as a non-touch-screen tablet device . The laptop will be officially launched at the Education Show 2008 at Birmingham’s NEC Centre.

Haiti to Receive XO Laptops

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child Foundation and the Inter-American Development Bank have announced a deal to send thousands of laptops to Haiti . The agreement will see XO laptops sent to 13,200 students and 500 teachers in 600 Haitian primary schools. IDC are contributing $3 million towards the project, with OLPC contributing another $2 million. By giving laptops to Haiti – the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country – this agreement will offer a stern test of Nicholas Negroponte’s belief that education can be enhanced in poor areas with the use of laptops. The XO laptop can be powered by car batteries, solar power or manual devices such as pedals, so powering the machines shouldn’t be a problem despite Haiti’s poor infrastructure.

Laptop Maker Withdraws from HD DVD Market

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba has revealed it is to pull out of the high definition DVD market, ending its rivalry with the Blu-ray format which has proved extremely popular in recent times. With major US film studies backing the Blu-ray format, and leading brands such as Sony displaying a clear preference for Blu-ray, Toshiba has become the last manufacturer to stop producing HD DVDs leaving Blu-ray as the industry standard format. With Toshiba reluctantly accepting they must focus on other products, the Japanese outfit revealed the decision was catalysed by Warner Bros decision to only release its movies in the Blu-ray format. Warner Bros aren’t the only company to display a preference for Blu-ray, with 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney and MGM following a similar path, whilst Wal-Mart recently announced it would only sell HD discs in Blu-ray.

Laptop Sales Rife as Hewlett Packard Takes Top Spot for 2007

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

New figures released by International Data Corporation (IDC) show that Hewlett Packard remains the leading force in the global PC market. HP enjoyed a total of 50.5 million unit sales, giving them 18.8 per cent of the market, comfortably beating Dell to top spot. Dell’s 40 million sales gave them 14.9 per cent of the market. As predicted, Acer moved into third place with more than 21 million shipments and 7.9 per cent of the market, edging out Lenovo who sit fourth with 20.2 million units sold and 7.5 per cent of the market. Toshiba came in fifth with 10.9 million shipments and 4.1 per cent of the market. 2007 saw global PC shipments increased by 14.3 per cent, with a particularly steep growth in the fourth quarter. Acer enjoyed the biggest growth of any vender, with shipments up by a remarkable 60 per cent, largely due to their purchase of Gateway . HP continued to display a trend of expansion with a growth of 23.3 per cent, though Dell still managed a growth of 17.1 per cent.

Lenovo Denies Plans to Move its Laptop Production

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Lenovo has moved to refute reports that it is moving sections of its business to Taiwan . There had been media reports that Lenovo was to move its production unit of ThinkPad notebooks to Taiwan – reports which seemed strange given the typically cheaper cost of labour in mainland China compared with Taiwan. Whilst Lenovo have denied that they are to move their ThinkPad production unit to Taiwan, a representative of the company was reported to have said that the denial "doesn’t necessarily mean they [we] won’t be doing something in Taiwan". Quite what is unclear, though Lenovo will be eager to regain third place in the global PC shipment rankings, having been edged out by Acer .

LG Confident Laptop Battery Incident Won't Reoccur

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

LG Electronics have denied accusations that their laptop batteries are unsafe following an incident involving a South Korean journalist’s laptop . The laptop in question burst into flames having been fitted with a battery by LG Electronics affiliate LG Chem Ltd. Both the manufacturer and the journalist’s employers subsequently decided to launch investigations into the cause of the explosion. However, LG Chem have since said they will not be recalling batteries used in LG’s notebook computers as an independent test conducted by the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute said that the explosion was caused by an external shock under an extremely high temperature. The company stated they did not know what caused the high temperature, but under normal usage conditions, battery combustion would not be a concern.

One Laptop Per Child Fails to Meet Delivery Dates

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child organization has come in for further criticism after struggling to deliver its low cost laptops to buyers in America. The scheme had originally targeted children in developing countries, though recently took the chance to expand its audience and sold some of the $188 machines to American school children. A OLPC spokesperson attributed the problems to the unexpected success of their Give One Get One promotion. The offer allowed people to purchase and pay for two computers, one of which they would receive and the other would be sent to a deserving child. It is estimated that 84,000 people participated in the offer, resulting in a shortage of laptops and long waiting times as the purchased machines had to be built. Despite a delivery date of January 15th, roughly 20% of the orders made under the Give One Get One offer are yet to be delivered.

Retailers Offering Laptop Deal in Association with 3

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Both Carphone Warehouse and PC World has announced a new offer as part of a link up with phone network provider 3. Customers who sign up to an 18 month Mobile Broadband subscription from 3 will receive either a free or discounted laptop immediately. Those signing up to a tariff through PC World have a choice of more than ten laptops, some of which are free, others of which are heavily discounted. Carphone Warehouse customers, however, are entitled to a free Dell Inspiron 1520 laptop when signing up to the tariff. The tariff in question costs £35 a month, whilst the discount that comes with the offer is valued at £350. The tariff entitles customers to a 3 gigabyte download allowance each month, with a 10p charge per megabyte thereafter. Additionally, customers have 200 texts as part of the deal each month that can be sent from their laptop.

RM Reveal Laptops are Changing Education

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

IT education experts RM have released the results of a survey showing the way that technology is changing children’s attitudes to work and education. The IT education reseller recently conducted the School Gate Survey questioning 11-16 year olds about the way new technology is changing the way they learn. The replies revealed that 97 per cent of pupils across the country now use a computer at some point in their school week. 78 per cent of students declared a preference for using computers whilst doing their homework, as opposed to pen and paper, with 62 per cent saying the electronic method aided their learning. Regional differences transpired in the survey, with students in the south most likely to have regular access to a laptop or computer at school.

Toshiba Growth Fuelled by Laptop Sales

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

UK PC market figures show that Toshiba enjoyed the best end to 2007 relative to their rivals. The Japanese outfit saw their market share increase from 6 to 9 per cent, ending the year as the fifth largest PC vendor. HP enjoyed the second biggest growth in the fourth quarter of 2007, increasing its market share by 2 points to 22 per cent, though their closest rivals Dell struggled to add to the growth enjoyed in previous quarters as their market share remained at 18 per cent. The UK PC market was up 7.6 per cent on the fourth quarter of 2006, largely fuelled by notebook sales. Suggestions that notebooks are edging out desktops were given credence as desktop sales fell 13 per cent whilst notebook sales were up by nearly a third.

Toshiba Unveil New Laptop

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba has unveiled its new laptop featuring the new Intel Core 2 Duo processor T8100. The Toshiba Satellite U305-S2816 retails from around $1,350, weighing just 4.6 pounds with a 13.3 inch widescreen display. It comes with a 250GB hard drive and 2048MB of memory . Toshiba have also lauded its Bluetooth 2.0 and Enhanced Data Rate, as well as its use of the latest draft 802.11n wireless standard. The release of the new laptop comes after Toshiba enjoyed an excellent end to 2007. Although they ended the year as the fifth largest PC vendor – a ranking they will look to improve – the final quarter of 2007 saw Toshiba’s UK market share increase from 6% to 9%.

Woman Sueing Best Buy Over Lost Laptop

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Best Buy is being sued for $54 million over an alleged lost laptop . A woman who sent her laptop in to be repaired claims the company lost it and tried to lie about its disappearance. Raelyn Campbell, a 37 year old Washington D.C. resident, also claims that she wasn’t notified of the possibility of identity theft . Despite the fact the company have already given Mrs Campbell $1,110.35 for the cost of the laptop and warranty, as well as a $500 gift card for her trouble, Mrs Campbell has proceeded to make the self-admitted ‘ridiculous’ claim in an attempt to get the company to change their practices and ensure customer privacy protection in future.

Hewlett Packard to Offer Enviro Laptop Batteries

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett Packard is to team up with Boston Power in a deal that will offer customers the chance to upgrade to a new range of ‘Enviro’ batteries . The batteries will be available from early 2009 and are said to last longer as well as being more sustainably designed. The Sonata lithium-ion batteries have been undergoing testing for three years and have been specifically designed for laptop use. Hewlett Packard have said that the Sonata notebook batteries will cost roughly $20-30 more than normal batteries and will come with a three year warranty. They did, however, concede that the laptops battery life drops significantly after an estimated 150 charges, despite claims from Boston Power that the batteries can be charged 1,000 times and sustain ‘like new’ performance. Hewlett Packard, however, has said that the batteries will retain 80 per cent of their initial charge after 3 years.

Intel and Lenovo Unveil Anti-Theft Laptop Technology

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Chip maker Intel and computer manufacturer Lenovo have announced a joint venture with security software publisher Absolute Software, which will see selected Lenovo laptops equipped with anti-theft technology. By subscribing to Absolute’s Computrace security-software service, Intel’s Anti-Theft PC Protection hardware, which is part of the vPro Technology component of the Centrino 2 platform, will enable suitably equipped Lenovo notebooks to be protected from thieves. The security capabilities will be built into the T400 Lenovo laptops, though their activation will remain optional. Even without a subscription, owners of certain Lenovo laptops will find their machines can be locked following a set number of failed password attempts. Once returned to its owner, an administrator will then be able to unlock the machine.

Lenovo to Launch Dual Screen Laptop

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Lenovo is to launch a dual screen laptop which will become the first of its kind. The Mobile Workstation ThinkPad W700ds has a 17 inch primary screen as well as a slide out 10.6 inch secondary screen. The notebook comes with a choice of Intel’s Core 2 Quad processors, as well as a Nvidia Quadro FX 3700M GPU that enhances the laptops power. There is up to 8 gigabytes of RAM and its HDD and SSD bays can offer as much as 960 gigabytes of storage space. Another feature worth a mention is the built in WACOM digitizer – an electronic drawing pad incorporated into the PC . The laptop is also brighter than any other laptop, with a brightness rating of 400 nits. Meanwhile, the secondary 10.6 inch screen can tilt by as much as 30 degrees and will display content vertically.

More than Half of Applicants Ineligible for Free Laptop Deals

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A study by website Broadband Experts has found that more than 50 per cent of customers are being refused access to free laptop deals as a result of failing credit checks . The study looked at applicants during October and November, whilst one network was found to have rejected three quarters of all applicants. The study found that there had been a major surge in interest in the deals in the build up to the Christmas period, but with the global credit crunch tightening credit standards, an increasing number of people found themselves to be ineligible for the deal. Rob Webber, Commercial Director at Broadband Expert, said, ‘Companies are spending huge amounts on advertising campaigns promoting these offers yet when the consumer comes to sign up, there is a strong chance they will be refused based on a credit check.’ Mr Webber stated his belief that the rejection rates are made worse by the fact that low earners and students tend to be those applying for the deals – exactly the demographic who can’t afford the cost of a notebook .

Orange Planning Laptop Market Surge

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The network provider Orange has revealed its aim to expand its share of the netbook market during the festive period. The mobile phone operator has announced it is to launch a range of new products designed to make it easier to access the internet . Orange recently set up a new deal offering customers an Eee PC 901 with inbuilt 3G connectivity for £25 a month. The company hope that the offer of low cost WiFi access on the move will appeal to customers and help the firm to boost its netbook market share. An Orange spokesperson said, ‘It is Orange’s aim to be at the forefront of serving today's 21st century customers, who are looking to improve connectivity at home and work and require high-speed internet access when they want it. Orange is committed to making this a reality and has created a connected laptop product line to help meet this need. Following the popularity of our initial offering, we have upgraded our consumer offer to incorporate embedded connectivity. This offer is only available through Orange shops, via Orange telesales and the Orange website at Orange.co.uk/shop, and we believe this device will be really popular this Christmas .’

Toshiba to Launch HD-DVD-R Laptop

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba are to launch the world’s first laptop with a write-once HD DVD-R optical disc format. The notebook will go on sale in Japan in late February and is an upgrade of Toshiba’s Qosmio G30 entertainment laptop. Whilst some laptops already have an HD DVD reader, the G30/97A will be the first to offer a rewritable HD DVD capacity. The laptop is powered by an Intel Corp. 2 GHz Core 2 Duo processor and has a 17 inch widescreen with 1,920 by 1,280 pixel resolution. The PC will operate on Windows Vista Home Premium and also has a 320GB hard drive, a high definition multimedia interface output, a digital TV tuner, and weighs just 10.6 lbs. Toshiba have yet to reveal the cost of the laptop, nor have they announced its international launch plans. As part of the launch of the laptop, Hitachi Maxell Ltd. Will begin selling DVD-R media, with a single sided 15GB disc available for just $12 from late January.

Virgin Media Offering Free Laptop with Broadband Deal

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Virgin Media has become the latest communications firm to launch a deal offering a free laptop and broadband bundle deal. With the credit crunch impacting on consumer spending, the deals are proving popular given the absence of a large upfront cost. A number of mobile phone network providers have entered into the market, and have now been joined by Virgin Media . The Virgin Media deal offers broadband of up to 20Mbps, unlimited anytime voice calls to UK landlines, as well as a HP 550 Notebook PC, which would usually cost £329. The deal costs £28.95 per month for the first six months, after which the monthly cost increases by roughly £10. Customers may also opt to add a digital television service for an extra £11 a month.

Banks Facing Investigation Over Data Found on Laptop

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A number of banks and credit card lenders are set to be investigated following the discovery of one million customers’ bank details on a laptop . IT manager, Andrew Chapman, was shocked to discover that a laptop he had purchased for £35 on eBay contained the bank account numbers, sort codes, credit card numbers, names, addresses, mobile phone numbers and the signatures of around a million customers. The laptop was purchased from a former employee of Graphic Data – a company who are responsible for archiving records for some of the UK’s biggest financial institutions. American Express, Natwest and the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) are amongst the major financial organisations to be investigated, with RBS and its subsidiary, Natwest, claiming to be investigating matters urgently. The investigation is set to be conducted by the Information Commissioner’s Office, at a time when confidential data has been discovered in the public domain on a worryingly frequent basis.

Dell Update Laptop Ranges

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Dell has unveiled its new series of Latitude and Precision laptops, citing the laptops’ long battery lives as one of their best new features. Dell claim the laptops each have a battery life of up to 19 hours, with Dell’s senior vice president, Jeff Clarke, claiming that long battery life is one of the four criteria consumers look for in a laptop . Mr Clarke claims the other three criteria are better security, good design and ease of use. The Latitude E5400 is the entry model to the range, priced at $839, though the Latitude E6400 will stretch the budget considerably more, setting you back $2,399. Mid-range options are also available, with screen sized varying from 12.1 inches to 15.4 inches.

Intel Unveil Touchscreen Classmate 3 Laptop

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Intel have unveiled its new look Classmate PC – the Classmate 3 – which now features a touch screen interface and a display that can be swivelled. The new features were revealed at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco on Wednesday, with the new design similar to that of a tablet PC . Although the design isn’t yet finished, the Classmate 3 will be lighter than its predecessor, a 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor, an 8.9 inch screen and an integrated camera that can rotate up to 180 degrees. Intel also claims that the new version will have a longer battery life than the initial Classmate PC. Having originally designed the Classmate PC for an educational audience, the release of the Classmate 2 broadened the target market, with Intel expanding its availability to the general market. Although the laptop only designed for basic operations, the inclusion of a touch screen interface has seen the price rise to £239 for the Classmate 3, though Lila Ibrahim, Intel’s general manager of emerging markets, commented that the price may come down in due course. The Classmate 3 set to be in production by the end of the year.

Laptop sales to exceed desktop sales in 2009, expert says

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A leading regional executive at Intel Corporation has revealed her expectation that laptop sales will exceed desktop sales by the end of 2009. Debjani Ghosh, the Sales and Marketing Director of Intel South East Asia, announced that she expects notebook sales to comprise 48 per cent of total computer sales this year, and predicts that figure will rise to 53 per cent during 2009. By 2011, Mrs Ghosh expects to see notebooks accounting for 59 per cent of total computer sales . Mrs Ghosh spoke of the significance of technological advancements during 2003, which accelerated the notebook’s increasing popularity. Notebook sales accounted for 21 per cent of total computer sales in 2001, and grew by just 1 per cent during the following year. However, during the technological developments in 2003, particularly the improvement of microprocessors, laptops increased their share of total computer sales from 25 per cent in 2003 to 41 per cent in 2007.

Lenovo Growth Driven by Laptop Sales

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Computer manufacturer Lenovo has announced significant increases in sales and income for its first financial quarter of the year. Lenovo’s income for the quarter ending June 30th was $110 million – a 65 per cent increase on the previous year’s first quarter income of $67 million. The increase in income was driven by the company’s excellent sales performance, with sales up by more than 10 per cent on the previous year at $4.2 billion. Laptop sales have been cited as the driving force behind the company’s performance, with sales of the portable units reaching $2.4 billion – up by 17 per cent on the same quarter in 2007. More impressively, laptop shipments increased by 33 per cent on the previous year. With desktop sales also up by 3 per cent, Lenovo’s PC shipments increased by 15 per cent – in keeping with the average growth in the PC industry.

Niue Issues Laptops to All Schoolchildren

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child foundation has reached a significant milestone following the decision by the Niue government to issue a laptop to all of its schoolchildren. The miniature South Pacific nation, which has a total population of less than 1,500, will receive 500 XO laptops, enabling the OLPC scheme to get closer to its target of distributing 5,000 laptops in the Pacific region. Although the laptops are usually distributed to children aged between 6 and 12, every primary and secondary school pupil will receive a laptop in Niue. The laptops will give all children in Niue access to the internet, whilst also enabling pupils to access study information and chat to each other within a radius of a kilometre through mesh networking. The director general of the regional development agency, Jimmie Rodgers, welcomed the news, claiming that laptops ‘have the potential to revolutionise education in ways that are difficult to imagine’. With an order for a further 200,000 laptops expected in 2009, the OLPC are recovering from a shaky start which saw the price of the XO laptop nearly double, whilst software giants Microsoft and computer chip maker Intel refused to partake in the project.

OLPC Trial Laptop Distribution in India

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child foundation is closing in on a deal to provide laptops to children in India, despite the country previously displaying caution towards the organisation. In 2001, India’s Information Minister at the time, Arun Shourie, labelled the scheme ‘pedagogically suspect’, calling for greater accountability. Attempts by Nicholas Negroponte to implement the project in India failed once more in 2006, as the Education Secretary at the time, Sundeep Banerjee, dismissed Negroponte’s advances. However, the OLPC has now had a breakthrough with trial projects on the horizon at schools in Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Nashik and Palghar. A pilot scheme is already underway in Khairat, with the OLPC’s overall aim to convince the Indian government to purchase one million laptops in time for the 2011 census.

Orange Launches Free Laptop Promotion

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Orange has launched a promotion offering a free laptop to new mobile broadband customers. The offer commenced on Saturday and entitles customers to a free laptop if they sign up to Orange’s Internet Everywhere mobile broadband package. Customers who sign up to the package will receive the ultra portable Asus Eee PC, which weighs less than one kilogram and has an 8.9 inch screen. Orange are the latest Internet Service Provider to offer such a deal, with the likes of the Carphone Warehouse previously offering customers a free laptop with certain packages. However, customers are being warned against accepting such a package, as they may end up paying more in the long run. The free laptop package from Orange costs £10 more a month than its standalone mobile broadband deal, whilst the contract runs for a further six months. As the contract runs for over two years, at a cost of £25 per month, customers will pay in excess of £600 over the course of the contract, whilst the Asus Eee PC is available from just £179. Should customers save up for a laptop and opt for the standalone Orange broadband package – which costs £270 over 28 months – they could save £150.

Samsung Unveil X360 Laptop

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Samsung have revealed that they are to release a new ultra-thin laptop to rival the Apple MacBook Air and Hewlett Packard’s Voodoo Envy. Samsung are marketing the laptop as ‘lighter than air’, with the X360 laptop weighing 0.09kg less than the MacBook Air, which weighs in at 1.36 kilograms. However, despite its lightness, the laptop still sports 3 USB ports, a VGA output, an Ethernet socket, a 7 in 1 memory card reader, a 34 mm express card slot and a built in HDMI connection. Meanwhile, other features incorporated into the laptop include a 1.3 megapixel camera, a Bluetooth port, wireless connectivity capability, a 128GB Solid State Drive and an Intel Centrino 2 processor. However, the notebook’s multitude of features means it is thicker than the MacBook Air, measuring 0.66 inches at one end and 1.2 inches at the other, compared with the Air’s 0.16 inches and 0.71 inches. The X360 comes with a 13.3 inch screen, but does not include an optical drive.

Toshiba Unveil World's Lightest Laptop

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba have unveiled the world’s lightest laptop weighing just 1.08 kilograms. The Portege R500-S5007V is 0.25 kilograms lighter than Lenovo’s Thinkpad X300, and 0.28 kilograms lighter than Apple’s MacBook Air. At just 1.96 centimetres at its thinnest point, Toshiba are lauding their latest product as truly ultraportable . Toshiba claim that the laptop’s battery can last for up to eight hours, as the absence of any moving parts helps the laptop to consume less power. The laptop is accompanied by a 7mm DVD SuperMulti Drive and a 128 gigabyte solid state drive. It has an inbuilt 1.33 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Chip as well as a transreflective backlit LED screen, but is expected to cost around £1,500.

Acer Declares Intention to Become World's Leading Laptop Seller

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Acer has announced its target to overtake Hewlett Packard as the leading laptop seller by 2011. Acer’s purchase of Gateway saw it overtake Dell as the number two in terms of laptop sales for 2007. Lenovo’s president Gianfranco Lanci has forecast a growth of 40-50 per cent in terms of sales, culminating in an increase of revenue. Having made $14 billion in revenue last year, a growth is predicted this year with $18-$20 billion of revenue forecast. The world’s third biggest PC maker denied reports that they would be selling low cost laptops as early as the first quarter or start of the second quarter. Acer stated that they are still working on the plan and would not be giving an exact time scale.

Asustek Laptop Sales Hit By Battery Shortage

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Asustek has revealed their sales have been hit by a shortage of laptop PC batteries . Following a fire at South Korea’s LG Chem has put supplies of lithium-ion batteries at a premium, and with production halted for at least a few more months, PC manufacturers have been hit hard. Asustek estimate they would have reached their target of 5 million unit sales early had it not been for the shortage, and although they feel they are still on course to meet their target, they would have otherwise been able to improve forecasts. Asustek has shipped an estimated million units of its Eee PCs since the start of the year, with the low-cost laptop designed for children in developing countries. Asustek have begun to focus its sales attempts in Europe, with 40 per cent of global sales now in Europe, and that figure is expected to rise to 50 per cent by the end of the year.

Bender Leaves One Laptop Per Child Organization

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The former president of software and content for the One Laptop Per Child foundation, Walter Bender, has revealed the reasons for leaving his post last week. Bender disagreed with Nicholas Negroponte’s vision for the future of the scheme, and having been reassigned roles by the founder of the organization, Bender decided it was time to resign. Negroponte believes that the foundation needs to run ‘more like Microsoft ’, and recently altered Bender’s role. Bender had previously been in charge of developing the XO’s innovative graphical interface, though has since been moved to oversee the deployment of the organization’s XO laptops to children in developing countries.

Dell Announce New Easy to Use Laptop

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Dell have launched a new laptop targeting customers in emerging countries such as China and India . The Dell 500 is an easy to use laptop retailing from Rs 24,500 (just over £300) and is part of Dell’s strategy to concentrate on global sales growth. The project has cost Dell $30 million, though with one million units expected to be shipped, Dell expect the scheme to be a profitable one. The laptop comes with either Microsoft Windows XP or Ubuntu-Linux full application suite, and is accompanied by a next business day warranty in over 600 cities. It also features an eight in one card reader and direct multi media playback buttons.

Hewlett Packard to Release Mini Note Laptop

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett Packard have become the latest major technology firm to enter into the small laptop market. With Intel and Asustek recently investing in the specialist sector, Hewlett Packard are to begin retailing their ‘Mini-Note’ which is designed to expand their market share in schools. The Mini-Note has an 8.9 inch screen and weighs less than 3 pounds, with a Via Technologies microprocessor of up to 1.6 gigahertz. The notebook doesn’t include an optical drive for CD-ROMs and DVDs, though HP claim this was requested by some schools who believed it would allow students to play unauthorized games.

Intel to Create Anti-Theft Laptop Technology

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Intel have combined with several notebook manufacturers to produce anti-theft technology designed to protect information on stolen laptops . Companies including McAfee, Lenovo and Fujitsu are involved in developing the technology. Based on Intel’s Manageability System, the secure processing system ensures both the processor and the laptop’s content is inaccessible to unauthorized users, thus locking the system and protecting data. Intel have so far been cautious in releasing details about the technology, though the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) have said it will be released in the fourth quarter of 2008.

Lost laptops exceed 1,000

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

According to recent reports in the laptop news, the government has lost over 1,000 laptop computers since the year 2000. The computers have been lost from all sorts of departments, with some performing worse than others. The true picture of lost machines has become clear in recent months, as different Whitehall departments have admitted that they have misplaced computers, some of which held valuable or secure data .

Microsoft and HCL to Release World's Cheapest Laptop

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Microsoft Corp India and HCL Infosystems Ltd are to release the world’s cheapest Windows enabled laptop as part of a new set of joint ventures. The new laptop will be released as part of HCL’s MiLeap series at a price of 16,990 Rupees (£216) and is part of an agreement between the two companies to promote the use of IT in India for the next two decades. The agreement will see 500 software professionals working for Microsoft in India, and will benefit an estimated 50,000 students over three years. In addition to helping India’s IT industry retain its competitive edge, the news is particularly pleasing for the Indian government given the need for skilled computer workers as a result of the country’s new found status as a leading outsourcing destination.

New anti-theft technology for laptops from Intel

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Intel have sparked a new initiative that could make it less desirable for criminals to nick laptop computers . The new technology could allow owners to lock down the contents of a machine, and even the processor, if it is stolen. The technology, known as Intel Anti-Theft Technology, isn’t quite ready to bring to market yet. However, data protection is becoming more and more important, as criminals move into cyberspace. Intel have found that data protection is ranked very highly in terms of preference for computer features.

Nokia Rule Out Entry to Laptop Market

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Nokia has defined industry expectations by declaring they will not be moving into the laptop market citing a lack of money as the reason. Long term suspicions of Nokia’s intention to enter the laptop market were recently fuelled by Nokia’s partners’ decision to sell fixed-line and mobile broadband services. Industry insiders have voiced their surprise at the decision given the lack of extra development costs that would be incurred by the development of a laptop given that Nokia already manufacture large flip phones . Mobile broadband is proving to be a particularly profitable area for communications companies, with 3, T-Mobile and Vodafone all stating it will be a major area of growth for their businesses this year. Nokia, meanwhile, are focusing their attention on the digital music and navigation markets.

One Laptop Per Child Appoint New Director

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop per Child organization has appointed Jorge G. Castañeda to its Board of Directors. Following a 2007 which saw over 100,000 XO laptops delivered worldwide, despite a series of problems, OLPC appear to be widening their target by including children in America as recipients of laptops, as well as those in developing countries. The appointment of Castañeda, the former Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, is designed to aid the organization’s development in Mexico and Latin America. The respected writer’s credentials are evidenced by his numerous honorary degrees and position as a Senior Associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace during the 1980s as well as being a Member of the Board of Human Rights Watch since 2003.

Acer Presents New Ferrari 1100

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Acer presents Ferrari 1100, a stylish-portable notebook, with Dolby certified technology.

Dell Sell PCs and Laptops to China

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Dell Inc. yesterday stated that it would commence selling laptops and desktop computers via China’s biggest electronics retailer. Dell, Round Rock, Texas, is going to sell computers throughout 50 shops run by Gome Electrical Appliances Holding in the main Chinese cities, commencing in early October. The company is to expand to other cities early 2008, Dell said yesterday from Beijng.

Laptop Scheme for Third World

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

A non-profit organisation has launched a scheme that enables adults based in North America to donate laptops to developing countries, should they purchase a computer for four times the price. The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) scheme is aiming at providing $100 (£49) laptops for children at schools in the developing world.

UK businesses complacent about internet security

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

With more and more businesses adopting wireless technology, a new report reveals how a great many of these businesses have not secured their wireless networks, VoIP services and USB Flash drives . The National Computing Centre (NCC) who commissioned the report state that 40 per cent of those who took part in the survey either had not secured their wireless networks or had partially done so. Whereas 15 per cent of businesses had no VoIP security . The majority of companies understand that USB storage devices carry a security risk, but only 11 per cent had any security protocols in place governing their use on the corporate network.

Acer Acquires Fellow Laptop Makers

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Acer’s growth is set to accelerate further following its purchases of Gateway and Packard Bell . The last quarter showed a 58% increase in profits, largely thanks to a huge rise in demand for laptops, both in Europe and in developing countries. Having ended the third quarter in fourth place in the worldwide PC market with 8.1% of the market, Acer will finish third next time around following its recent acquisitions, overtaking Lenovo who finished the third quarter with 8.2% of the worldwide PC market. Acer now has its eyes firmly on the leading duo of Hewlett-Packard and Dell . Hewlett-Packard dominate the world market with 19.6%, compared to Dell’s 15.2%, though Dell have the largest chunk of the US market with 28%. Recently merged into Acer, Gateway and Packard Bell themselves have significant chunks of the market. Gateway were the fourth-biggest PC maker in the US – just one of the reason’s for Acer splashing out £346 million for the firm. However, despite significant sales, Gateway had struggled outside Europe and the sale comes as welcome news for the firm.

Acer Sales Up as Dell Recover

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The laptop market continues to be as fierce as ever, though there have been significant changes in the hierarchy of laptop makers. Acer is now established as the world’s third best selling laptop maker, having overtaken Toshiba in the final quarter of last year. Acer has continued to grow with aggressive pricing securing the company’s entry into the European market. Following a poor end to 2006, Toshiba have continued to falter, as just one of several laptop manufacturers falling victim to Sony’s volatile battery problems. Meanwhile, Dell have recovered from their poor end to 2006 recording operating income of £439m for the quarter ended August 3rd. Dell had been the main casualty of Sony’s battery problems with the American giants forced to recall more than 4 million units due to concerns over flammable batteries . However, Dell has been forced to shell out £79m as a result of expired stock options, its accounting investigation as well as paying off departed CEO Kevin Rollins. What’s more, problems have persisted, as the manufacturers have had to delay delivery dates on the new XPS M1710 as they struggle to produce enough units in the necessary time.

Cows to Power Bargain Laptops

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project has thought of a novel electric power source in its bid to provide computers accessible to everyone. With many of the places the project is hoping to reach yet to have electric power installed, cows are being thought of as an alternative power source. There are plans afoot to ‘drive a dynamo through a system of belts and pulleys using cows’, according to Arjun Sarwal who is working on behalf of the project. The dynamo will be taken from a Fiat car, of which there are plenty in nearby Mumbai . The idea was ventured after research into potential power sources showed that neither the sunlight, wind or water flow in the relevant areas were strong enough to provide sufficient electrical power.

Dell Suffer Yet Another Blunder

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Dell have made yet another production error, just a month after delaying shipments of its colourful selection of Inspiron laptops due to the paint being contaminated by dust. This time, Dell have been forced to delay delivery dates of the XPS M1710 laptop, as the American computer-hardware company have been unable to produce enough units in time. Dell have cited a shortage of LCD displays used in laptops and monitors as the main reason. Dell insist the problem is not specific to them, but instead there is a worldwide laptop components shortage. However, with blunders such as this becoming less of an exception than the rule in recent times, customers will be extremely frustrated by these delays. Dell suffered a poor end to 2006 following problems with Sony’s inflammatory batteries, necessitating the recall of over 4 million units. A third quarter operating income of £439m this year suggested their problems were behind them, though the latest setback will do their reputation no good whatsoever.

European Laptop Sales Up

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

PC sales grew significantly worldwide in the third quarter of 2007 according to data from both Gartner and International Data Corporation (IDC). Gartner figures revealed a 14.4% growth in the sale of units worldwide whereas IDC data suggests a 15.5% growth. The third quarter saw 68.5 million units sold globally. Both market researchers concur that the growth has been driven by greater demand for laptops, particularly across Europe. Laptop prices have tumbled in recent months and years, with free laptops being offered to customers signing up for broadband deals, whilst laptops are becoming available in their own right for around £100 in some instances.

Free Laptops Offered With Broadband

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Free laptops are being offered by broadband providers in a bid to attract more customers to buy their broadband packages. AOL, who have teamed up with the Carphone Warehouse, are offering a free Dell laptop when you sign a 2-year broadband contract costing £19.99 a month, which works out at £479.76 over the two years. The broadband has a 40GB download limit and offers speeds of up to 8MB. The laptop, which is said to be worth £500, comes with Windows Vista Home Basic, an Intel Celeron processor, an 80GB hard-drive, 1GB of RAM as well as Wi-Fi. Orange, meanwhile, have teamed up with PC World to offer a free Ei Systems laptop when you sign a 2-year broadband contract costing £14.99 a month. However, the lesser price is reflected in the package, with slower broadband and a lower spec laptop. The broadband offers speeds of up to 2MB, whilst the download limit is just 2GB.The laptop, meanwhile, is said to be worth £300, and comes with Windows XP Home, a 40GB hard-drive, 256MB of RAM and no Wi-Fi. With a reduced price for the first free months, the total package works out at £337.26 over the two years.

Heavyweights Investigate Cheap Laptops

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The cheap laptop craze appears to be catching on, with manufacturers Asustek and Quanta looking into the concept, as well as chipmakers AMD and Intel. Asustek estimate cheap laptop sales will account for 20% of the laptop market by 2010 – a claim which seems ambitious to say the least. Nicholas Negroponte got the ball rolling when he revealed his audacious aim to produce millions of laptops for $100 each. Granted these machines are nowhere near as powerful as the higher spec markets now available for similar prices to desktops, but they will enable laptops to be accessible to a far wider range of people, such as schoolchildren in developing countries – a hope outlined by Negroponte. These machines will still be able to word process, browse the internet and send emails, so are likely to have a market, though are unlikely to prove a significant rival to existing higher spec laptops.

Laptop Sales Surpass Desktop Sales

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Laptop sales have surpassed desktop sales in Europe, following widespread reductions in prices. Such is the appeal of the affordable laptops, information from the International Data Corporation (IDC) shows the lesser prices led to a 31% increase in sales between 2006 and 2007, whereas desktop sales grew by just 12%. There are instances of new laptops retailing at just £100, though broadband providers recently went one step further, offering a free laptop to any customer signing up to a two-year broadband deal. Another of the reasons for the vast surge in laptop sales is the changing business world. As businesses become more mobile and multi-national, laptops are an increasingly useful tool allowing businessmen to work on the move and take their computer with them to meetings. Dell remains the leading laptop producer, though Acer are making significant progress, displacing Toshiba as the third best selling laptop maker.

Optiarc Unveil Blu-Ray Drive

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Optiarc have unveiled the first Blu-ray disc playback drive for laptops – a step which is likely to result in advanced technology becoming available on a far wider range of laptops. At a cost of roughly £165, the drive will make the cutting edge picture available to far more people. Optiarc, or Sony NEC Optiarc Inc as it is formally registered, is a joint venture between Sony and NEC Corporation, with 55% owned by Sony and 45% owned by NEC. Established in April 2006, the company specialises in designing and manufacturing optical disk drives, primarily for notebooks . The company have also unveiled its first Blu-ray burner, enabling DVDs to be burned at 8x speed and CDs at up to 32x speed, with a storage capacity of 50GB. An exact price is yet to be clarified, but it is expected to retail at between £300 and £400.

Student Laptop Users Risk Injury

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Students may be risking long term injuries by using laptops so regularly, recent surveys have revealed. A team of ergonomists at University College London’s Interaction Centre conducted a survey involving students, with 57% of participants claiming they experienced pain as a result of their laptop use, whilst 7% reported persistent pain. Wrist, shoulder, neck and back pain are the most likely side-effects of the ill-use of laptops, with ergonomic guidance regarding laptop use a rarity. The findings suggest that you are least likely to suffer pain as a result of laptop use if the machine is placed on a desk and is connected to a keyboard and mouse . However, this is a posture rarely assumed by students it seems, with 21% of participants in the survey using their laptops on their knees, 19% in bed, 13% whilst lying on their fronts and 9% whilst kneeling.

Toshiba Unveils New Notebook

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba has unveiled its latest notebook – the Satellite A205 notebook. Most notable of the new features is the option of High Definition DVD playback functionality. The HD DVD optical drive enables users to watch movies on the laptop’s 15.4 inch screen with an image resolution up to six times sharper than other laptops. Whereas other laptops typically offer a maximum playback resolution of 480p, the Satellite A205 notebook offers up to 720p. The high definition capability adds to Toshiba’s patented TruBrite technology offering an already enhanced picture quality.

Birmingham Mayor Buys 15,000 OLPC Laptops

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child organization has received a massive boost with the news that the city of Birmingham, Alabama, is to purchase 15,000 laptops. Former Birmingham city councillor John Katopodis revealed that Mayor Larry Langford had agreed for 15,000 laptops to be purchased, with students at the city’s schools the intended recipients of the machines. Given the rising cost of the laptops – originally forecast to cost $100, the price is now a lot closer to $200 – such a large order will be particularly pleasing for the non-profit One Laptop Per Child organization, who will hope to cut costs given the city of Birmingham’s commitment to purchasing the machines.

Fujitsu's LifeBook Laptop Struggling for a Long Lifetime

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

This week saw Fujitsu release its new LifeBook computers, designed to appeal to travelling professionals. There are two new versions of the notebook, a LifeBook S6510 and a LifeBook S7210, adding to the range already offered by Fujitsu. The LifeBook S6510 is thinner than two inches at its thickest, weighs just four pounds yet still has a 14-inch screen . It is designed to be more robust and resistant to spillages, making it very appealing to professionals on the move. Meanwhile, the LifeBook S7210 is similarly designed, but weighs in slightly heavier at 5.2 pounds. Each laptop contains an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, though both are lacking significantly in an important department.

Gateway to Launch Gaming Computer Along with New Laptops

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Gateway has announced plans to release its first PC aimed specifically at gamers. Recently acquired by Acer, Gateway is set to take on a new direction, and has taken note of the significant growth in the gaming category in recent years. Acer, the third-biggest PC maker in the world, also recently acquired Packard Bell, and is set to review Gateway’s range of products in the coming months.

Greenpeace Tests Laptops

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Greenpeace is currently testing laptops as part of an investigation looking into the presence of toxic materials in technological devices. Following a recent attack on the Apple iPhone for containing chlorinated plastic polyvinyl chloride and brominated flame retardants, Greenpeace bought 18 laptops from major worldwide brands including HP, Dell Sony, Acer, Apple and Toshiba . PVC was found in 44% of all plastic coating internal wires and external cables, whilst bromine was also present in over 40% of components, with Dell computers the worst offenders. Overall, Sony laptops were found to be the greenest, though HP, Dell and Acer fared less than impressively with the materials found across their products.

High Prices Holding Back 3G Laptops

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

A study conducted by Microsoft and the mobile industry association has suggested that laptops with 3G or WiMax technology are failing to sell as well as they could due to their high price. The study suggested that notebooks with this built-in connectivity would appeal to a 70 million person audience, but prices must first tumble. The study came as a response to a competition led by the GSM Association designed to find new broadband enabled laptops that will appeal to the mass market. The GSMA claim that several of the world’s leading laptop manufacturers have shown an interest in developing the laptops. Such manufacturers are reported to include Dell , Lenovo and Fujitsu Siemens . The Association is hoping the price for any such laptop will be between £240 and £480.

Increased Demand for Laptops Drives Chip Sales

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The worldwide chip market enjoyed a hugely successful third quarter, with microprocessor shipments hitting record levels. These record levels in microprocessor shipments reached a 14.3 per cent growth, whilst PC chip revenues increased even more, by 14.8 per cent to £3.86 billion. Both AMD and Intel, the leading chip makers, enjoyed successful quarters with Intel controlling 76.3 per cent of the market, though AMD’s share increased by 0.4 per cent.

Intel Profits Surge Due to Laptop Demand

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Intel have announced net profits of £935 million for the third quarter of 2007, a 43 per cent rise on the previous year. The increase in profit can be attributed to the surge in demand for its laptop microprocessors , triggering a sharp upturn in revenue, up 15 per cent at nearly £5 billion for the third quarter. Intel, the world’s largest computer chipmaker, have unveiled optimistic projections for the next quarter, declaring they expect to see a further increase in profits for the next quarter. Intel President and Chief Executive Paul Otellini has reportedly gone on record as saying "We are very pleased with the results and optimistic about our business".

Laptop and Ink Sales Boost Hewlett Packard

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Computer and printer manufacturer Hewlett Packard enjoyed a hugely successful fourth quarter, as profits increased by 28 per cent to exceed expectations. The California based firm saw its profits rise to $2.63 billion, with the increase largely due to increased laptop sales and vast demand for its printer ink . The world’s biggest PC seller saw a surge in computer sales, with laptop sales up by 49 per cent to $5.16 billion, and desktop sales up 15 per cent to $4.21 billion. Overall sales were up by 15 per cent to $28.29 billion, though HP made most of its profits from the sales of printer ink, with 42 per cent of profits derived from this category.

Laptop Chip Maker Release Smaller Processors

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Intel has today released new Penryn processors that have been reduced in size. The new processors will be able to fit more transistors into each processor as a result of their small size, having reduced them from 64 nanometres to 45 nanometres. The processors will be used in both desktops and servers under Intel’s Core 2 and Xeon brands. The California based chip giant has also attempted to guard itself from environmentalists by claiming the changes in size will not affect power consumption.

Lenovo Sales Increase as Laptop Market Grows

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Lenovo are the latest computer manufacturers to benefit from the surge in global laptop demand, recording a net profit of £50 million, up 177% from the year before. Furthermore, revenue was up 20 per cent to £2.1 billion. The improved financial results are largely down to an increase in sales, with the 16.1 million units sold a 24 per cent increase on the previous year. The results were all the more pleasing in comparison to forecasts, with profits 20 per cent higher than had been predicted.

London Business Travellers Losing 400 Laptops a Year

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

UK business travellers are guilty of losing 8,500 mobile devices at airports each year, according to a new survey by SafeNet. The information security company revealed items such as laptops, mobile phones and USB pens are those most commonly left behind by the UK’s business travellers. In London alone, 400 laptops are left behind at airports each year, whilst a further 2,500 mobile devices are reported forgotten or found at London’s airports every year. Travellers using North West based airports were the next worst set of offenders, leaving behind 100 laptops and 800 mobile devices every year.

Mixed News for One Laptop Per Child Project

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The One-Laptop-Per-Child project has received mixed news, with Rwanda making positive noises about the project though the Nigerian government have declined to take part. Nortel Networks’ John Visser revealed that the Rwandan government has pledged to buy a second laptop for every laptop brought to Rwanda. The news is a considerably positive move, with Nicholas Negroponte’s Give 1 and Get 1 promotion meaning that customers in developed countries have the option to buy a laptop for around £200, which will see themselves get a laptop as well as a child in a developing country. The promise from the Rwandan government means for every one laptop purchased in a developing country, two children will each receive a laptop in a developing country. Negroponte’s offer begins on November 12th.

Production of 100 USD Laptops Begins

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Production of the ‘$100 laptops’ has begun, with the founder of the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) scheme, Nicholas Negroponte, lauding it as ‘an important milestone’. Mass production has begun at a factory in Changshu, China, by computer manufacturer Quanta. Negroponte also said that children would begin to receive the laptops this month, with the Uruguayan government the first to make an official order, having ordered 100,000 machines, though it has the option to purchase another 300,000 by 2009.

Acer launch an impressive new laptop

Tue, 15 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Acer is releasing a wide range of notebook PCs to keep ahead in the PC market. The new 17-inch Aspire 9303WLMi notebook is designed to replace the desktop and weighs nearly 3.6kg. It is an impressive machine and is technically sound. The build quality is good and the casing is solid and robust with the screen firmly held in place by two large hinges. The machine has a Super-TFT panel screen that displays a clear and crisp image.

Apple increase their MacBooks range

Wed, 16 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The laptop and notebook market is expanding day by day as consumer demand increases. MacBook manufacturer, Apple, has launched a new series of MacBook laptops with faster processors, more memory and a large hard drive .

Battery issues for Apple Macs

Wed, 02 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Battery complaints regarding Apple’s MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops have raised "performance issues" on the machines. Apple has offered to replace the battery for the MacBook and MacBook Pro laptop and has released software to fix the related issues caused by the defective batteries.

Budget laptops are value for money

Wed, 23 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The price of laptops has come down so much that nowadays laptop PCs can be purchased for a mere $400 to $3,000. Laptops are not the luxury electronic devices that they used to be, they are now considered a necessity for most consumers and professionals. Picking the right budget laptop has become harder as there is an abundance of laptop manufactures each offering several competitive models. Below is a list of some of the most popular budget laptops available:

Choosing UltraLight Laptops

Wed, 30 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Laptop have evolved so much over a short period of time that they are available in three distinct sizes - desktop replacement machines, Ultraportable and Ultralight laptop PCs. Weight is a critical design factor when it comes to laptops and notebook PCs . Carrying a laptop weighing six pounds for a whole day feels more like a suitcase weighing 60 pounds.

High spec laptops are in demand

Fri, 11 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Recent research by GfK a market research company revealed that domestic demand for laptops is increasingly. Statistics show that PC makers such as IBM, Dell, Acer, Toshiba and HP hold more than 90 per cent of the laptop market share . Moreover, Intel the world's largest chipmaker showed that the Vietnamese demand laptops and notebooks with higher specifications as they are used for work and entertainment purposes.

Know about your laptop battery and its care

Fri, 18 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Most laptop and notebook batteries are Lithium Ion based. However there are two major drawbacks of lithium ion batteries : 1. They wear down with usage of the laptop; and 2. They wear down quickly with the age.

New business laptops from HP

Wed, 09 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

PC maker Hewlett Packard (HP) has announced a series of four new business notebooks that will soon be launched in Shanghai . The company disclosed that Intel's new super processor, the "Santa Rosa" will power the new notebook PCs. But outside China, the Santa Rosa has lost its code name but it has picked up Intel's Centrino moniker as either Centrino Pro or Centrino Duo.

New range of Dell Laptops

Thu, 10 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Dell has been consistent in launching desktops and laptop PCs that meet consumer expectations. The company has developed three new models that have brighter displays 802.11n Wi-Fi and an optional solid-state internal drives from SanDisk.

New Tablet PC Laptop From BT

Tue, 01 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Researchers at BT Research labs at Ipswich are working on a technology to develop a Tablet PC Laptop that responds to the user when moved up or down, forwards and backwards, and side to side. According to the company, the BT Balance system would help the disabled and the elderly who cannot use a mouse or keyboard to use a computer .

New ultraportable laptops from Sony

Thu, 31 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Sony has recently launched two new laptop series. The TZ Series is an upgrade of the TX Series and the SZ5 Series is an upgrade of the SZ Series. The TZ laptops are a blend of portability and performance with minimal casing and keyboard design. The material used for the base and lid of the laptop is carbon fibre, making it durable and light in weight, weighing just 1.19 kg.

Protecting your laptop while abroad

Thu, 24 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

If you are a business person, journalist or a student, then you may have been using a laptop on your travels. As your laptop contains important data, what would happen if it gets dropped by accident or it crashes? Many people use a soft case that offers adequate protection. However, if you are a frequent traveller then it would be wise to invest in a sturdier case that will offer better protection to your laptop should it get knocked or dropped.

Sony impress with new range of laptops

Mon, 14 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Sony Vaio has launched its latest range of laptop PCs . The company has made their laptops and notebook PCs more impressive, portable and equipped with better entertainment features. Sony state that the new generation Sony Vaio has X-black LCD screen that achieves 90 per cent colour fidelity.

SSD based laptops from Dell

Fri, 04 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

PC maker Dell, has recently announced that the company will be offering a 1.8-inch 32GB Solid State Drive (SSD) from SanDisk with its Latitude D420 ultra-mobile and D620 ATG semi-rugged notebooks . Dell has replaced the hard disk drive (HDD) with the SSD as an alternative to corporate notebooks.

The best ultraportable laptops for your money

Mon, 21 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The increasing popularity of laptops and notebooks has meant a huge demand for ultraportable laptops . Travellers and businessmen prefer ultraportables laptops to conventional ones as they are lighter with a better battery life and are easily portable.

What to consider when choosing your laptop

Tue, 22 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The most important reason people buy laptops is for portability. For frequent travellers, journalists and students, laptops are a must. Because laptops are now just as powerful as desktops why have laptops that take up so much space?

Why Dells are a good buy

Fri, 25 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Dell laptops have become the first choice of many laptop users. The company provides everything that the customer demands, especially low prices. The laptops can fulfil your needs whether you are looking for bundled productivity suites or wireless networking features. The standard Dell PC comes with pre-installed Microsoft Windows XP Home or Professional, mobile Intel Centrino processors and high quality TFT displays.

Apple Flash Memory Laptops

Thu, 08 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

American Technology Research revealed that Apple Inc may launch a new laptop that will save data on Flash Memory chips replacing traditional hard drives . Shaw Wu, a San Francisco-based analyst at American Technology Research, said in a report, "Our sources indicate that Apple would like to introduce the product in the second half to further capitalize on its strong MacBook growth."

Asusteks LED display screeen

Fri, 02 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Asustek Computer has come up with a notebook that has one of the best display screens out of all the laptops and notebooks on the market. Asustek, sells its products under the brand name ASUS, has planned to launch the U1 Business notebook with a LED backlight behind the display screen, in Taipei, Taiwan by mid-March.

Cleaning your laptop touchpad

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Each year computer manufacturers launch different laptop and notebook models. When it comes to buying new laptops, customers often rely on big brands like Dell, Acer, Sony and HP and the fact that they are supplied with a one year guarantee. Problems often arise after the first year. So three or four years down the line problems may occur with keys on the keyboard not working properly or the touchpad loosing its sensitivity.

Dell and Lenovos Linux laptops

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Dell and Lenovo are selling laptops and notebooks to Linux customers without Microsoft Windows Operating system installed on them. Instead the laptops are installed with the Linux operating system. Lincoln Durey, CEO of EmperorLinux explained that mostly all the Dell Latitude series are available without the Windows operating system. Emperor Linux is now selling Dell’s - D420, D520, D620, D820, D620ATG, and M90 models with Linux installed on them.

Dell introduces Linux machines

Fri, 30 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

As Dell’s Windows based laptops and notebooks have sold well the company is about to release a Linux based laptop and notebook . Dell said that due to increased customer demand, the company has started the production of Linux based laptops. The company announced that it will provide specific models and details about the configurations of the Linux versions in the next few weeks.

Desktops popular no more

Fri, 23 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

A recent report by International Data Corporation (IDC) disclosed the fact that laptops and notebooks will overtake the desktop computer by the year 2011. The report highlighted that every year until 2011 the laptop market will grow by 16.1 per cent compared to the desktop market that will grow by 3.8 per cent.

Lenovo issues a battery recall

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Lenovo has announced a recall of around 100,000 laptop batteries, the second made by the company in the last six months. The company claims that even a small drop or jolt can cause heating problems in your laptop and they have urged customers to stop using these batteries

Motorola goes rugged with their laptops

Thu, 22 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Motorola Inc. has announced a new range of ‘Rugged and Tough’ notebooks. Motorola’s ML910 Rugged Notebook and MW810 Mobile Workstation are the latest wireless-enabled mobile notebook introduced by the company. The company claims that the new laptops offer users a safe and secure access to their information.

New FlipStart Notebooks

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

FlipStart is the latest range of small laptops where the size is between a smartphone and an ultraportable laptop. The laptop weighs just over 680 grams and is pre-installed with Windows Vista or XP. The machine is powered by a 1.1GHz Pentium M processor and has 512 MB of memory . Paul Allen, founder Vulcan Portals, came up with the idea for the new laptop.

New Laptop Anti Theft Device

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

A Coventry businessman left his £38k investment bank job to devote more time to his dream project. Mr Chao, 23 from Tile Hill came up with the notion of developing an anti-theft device for laptops and notebooks while studying for his engineering degree at Warwick University . Even though he was working at the bank he continued to research his idea.

New laptops from ECS

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Computer manufacturer ECS has launched new series of notebooks in Hanover. The new laptop models are the S, L, H and G series and each one focuses on the needs of the user. The S-series targets the mobile and fashion conscious user. They come in variety of screen sizes, from 12.1 inch to 14.1 inch and is powered by Intel Core 2 Duo processor and is pre-installed withWindows Vista. The laptop also Bluetooth active and has a 1.3 megapixel camera.

New tech laptops from Fujitsu Siemens

Fri, 16 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Fujitsu Siemens claim that all their new laptops and notebooks will have built-in 3G radios. Chief executive, Bernd Bischoff claims that such models will cost an extra $80. They also claim that in the near future all of their laptops will feature a 3G radio as standard.

Secure your laptop

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Laptops and notebooks are on the top of most thieves and criminals list of items to steal. Incidents of laptop thefts last year that contained confidential information highlight the problem. Recently a laptop containing information of around 11,000 young children was stolen from a UK National Health Service (NHS) hospital.

The best laptops for bright screens

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Now days all laptop manufacturers offer models with bright, high-gloss screens. These laptops attract business users, multimedia users, and by those that watch DVDs and VCDs on their PCs. Such laptops are gaining popularity and are highly rated by their users. The laptop and notebook models that come with such screens are Dell Inspiron E1505, Fujitsu LifeBook P7120, HP Pavillion DV2000t and Toshiba Qosmio G 35-AV660. These machines have been given a best buy rating by PC World (US).

The First Million Dollar Laptop

Mon, 26 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

UK bespoke luxury goods creator, Luvaglio has developed the world’s first Million Dollar Laptop . The 17 inch widescreen on this ‘luxury laptop’ has a LED lit screen with a specially designed anti-reflective glare coating for a clearer and brighter image. The PC has a 128 GB hard drive disk and a slot loading Blue-Ray drive.

The New Acer Aspire

Mon, 19 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Acer laptops are stylish and technically sound that provides value for money . The Acer Aspire 9423WSMi weighs 3.5kg, has a 17-inch super-TFT display and it comes pre-installed with Windows Media Centre. The machine is ldeal for sitting down to watch DVDs. Above all the PC comes with a standard DVD rewriter.

Top Laptops

Fri, 09 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Every year new notebooks and laptops are launched by different manufacturers. Since February many laptops have been launched on the PC market. The following are some of the best sellers: 1. HP Pavillion dv6000t

Ultra low cost laptops from Intel

Tue, 27 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Intel has developed ultra-low-cost laptops for school children in developing countries. The so called "ClassMatePC" is available in Linux or Windows XP versions. According to the company these laptops are part of a project where the company has planned to spend $1 billion in the next 5 years.

Zoom into the Zoomstorm laptop

Tue, 06 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Zoomstorm 53- 7701 is a 17 inch widescreen laptop that is designed to replace desktop, with added benefit of portability. Technically, Intel’s Core 2 Duo T7200 with 2GHz forms the heart of the system. The machine has 2 GB DDR2 667 RAM and can handle several programs running simultaneously.

200 Dollar laptops from Intel and Austek

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The world’s largest chip maker company, Intel, has partnered up with Asustek, a leading motherboard making company, to launch $200 laptop computers . Production is to start soon. Intel says that the $200 dollar laptops will be distributed in developing countries to help the underprivileged with their education needs.

AMD laptops from Toshiba

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba has decided to power their new laptops with powerful AMD processors . The company claim it will soon launch three new Satellite notebooks that will incorporate the AMD Turion 64 X2 dual-core processor . Henri Richard, AMD’s Executive Vice President and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer said, "With AMD and our industry-leading technology partners, Toshiba is bringing customers around the world a new level of choice in notebook PCs."

Dell brings colour to its laptops

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Two days ago Dell launched a new range of colourful laptops aimed at the consumer market. The range is being added to with two new Dell Inspiron models. These are available in a choice of eight colours from shocking pink, a bright yellow and of course black with widescreen displays of 15.4 and 17 inches. The company introduced the new laptops at a fashion event in Marbella, Spain.

Dell reaching new heights

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Dell, the second largest PC maker, has a new strategy to attract more consumers by going pink. Their consumer sales only account for 15 per cent of overall US sales, their primary customers being businesses.

Desktop Replacement laptop from Asus

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Asus has launched a powerful desktop replacement laptop the Asus G2P-7R009C. Cased in black and silver the Asus G2P-7R009C has brushed chrome and red highlights. Situated between the mouse buttons is a menacing looking eye that glows red when the unit is running, and when DirectX 9.0 is activated in game mode red side panels start flashing.

Eco friendly laptops

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Dell have launched the Latitude D630, the world’s first laptop to win the highest gold rating from the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), which measures energy-efficiency and green design elements in electronics. The Green Electronics Council is a non-profit organisation that runs the EPEAT ratings. The rating assesses what low-toxic materials are released by the device, the energy conservation and ease of recycling of computers, printers, monitors and other computer peripherals.

Flash drive based HP laptops

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett Packard (HP is planning to introduce laptops that use chips instead of hard drives to store data. The company is following Dell and Sony who have already started using chips instead of traditional hard drives. The new HP models are aimed at business professionals, and will be available in the fourth quarter of the year, at a cost of nearly $3,000.

Keeping your laptop safe

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Rising laptop theft is now a global issue. Laptops are top of a criminal’s hit list of items to steal. Victims of such thefts are not always private individuals. There have been many incidences where laptops have been stolen from high profile business people.

Laptops may run Wireless

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Recently a research team at MIT claimed that a day will come when laptop PCs and other electronic devices like mobile phones will be running without a battery or electrical cord. Last week, a research team from MIT declared that they have powered up a 60W light bulb using ‘WiTricity’- the name given to wireless electricity source that is developing electricity.

Lenovo announces three new models

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Lenovo has announced that their latest laptop models, T61 and R61 will soon be on market as well as its 3000 N200 model. The ThinkPad T61 and ThinkPad R61 have a widescreen display of 14.1 inch and take advantage of Lenovo's latest innovations that include a new Top Cover Roll Cage making it more durable. There is a better cooling system, enhanced wireless connectivity with Ultra Connect II and longer battery life through its Battery Stretch control option.

New look by Acer

Thu, 07 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Acer has developed a new series of laptops that have a cool and unique finish. The laptop case lid is black on the outer edges and the centre has a sparkly carbon fiber-esque look to it. Moreover Acer has removed the logo from the centre of the lid.

New Upgrades from Apple

Wed, 06 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Apple has released three new upgraded versions of their Mac laptops, two 15.4 inches MacBook, and 17 inches MacBook. The 15 inch model now has a 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processors, which previously had a 2.16GHz chip. The 17 inch model now has a 2.4GHz processor that has been upgraded from 2.33GHz. The new MacBooks come with Intel’s Centrino (Santa Rosa) chips.

Next generation Centrino laptops from LG

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

LG Electronics is a global leader in consumer electronics, home appliances and mobile communications . LG Electronics Digital Media Company provides digitally integrated products such as audio video systems, optical storage and PCs. The company is now focusing on the international laptop industry. The company has announced the launch of their new Santa Rosa range of notebooks in line with the launch of Intel’s next-generation Centrino mobile Santa Rosa platform.

Popular laptops on the market

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

During May 2007, Intel released a new processor for laptops and notebooks, the Centrino Duo (Santa Rosa). The laptops are ranked below after their popularity and their demand in the market. 1. Lenovo ThinkPad T61 – Released last month, the ThinkPad is powered by the Intel’s new Santa Rosa processor.

Selecting a laptop

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Today there are dozens of laptops available on the market, with different price quotes and technical specifications. If you are looking for a laptop to suits your requirements, then you must focus on specific things. The basic factors that you must look for when selecting a laptop are:

Sony introduces colour with the Vaio CR series

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Sony has launched a new range of notebooks, the CR series, aimed at the fashion conscious. The colour range includes a "Blazing Red", "Indigo Blue", "Pure White" and "Luxury Pink". The laptops are powered by Intel’s 1.8GHz Core 2 Duo 7100 processor and has the latest ATI Mobility Radeon HD graphics card to support high quality images and videos .

Toshiba laptops with in built HD DVD drives

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba Corp. announced that all their new laptops to be launched in 2008 will have in built HD DVD Drives. The aim is to have the edge over sales of Blu-ray laptops and increase the sales of Toshiba notebooks . The three new models are the Satellite P205, the Satellite X205 and the Qosmio F45.

Advanced Laptops by Asus and MSI

Fri, 06 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Two Taiwanese companies, Asustek and Micro-Star International Co. Ltd (MSI) have announced the launch of laptops with Blu-ray Disc or HD DVD drives and HDMI connections. This will let laptop users connect their high definition (HD) TVs making use of the laptop's internal high definition optical drives. At the Computex Taipei 2007 trade show in Taiwan, MSI is displaying laptops that have High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) outputs.

D900C Phantom-X Choice of Gamers and graphic lovers

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Eurocom’s quad-core D900C Phantom-X is an "ultimate Mobile Workstation" laptop. It is a dream for gamers, CAD/3D wizards, video content creators and Graphics lovers. The D900C Phantom-X monster now comes with an upgradeable heavy duty processor - Intel Core 2 Quad option (Q6700, 2.66 GHz, FSB1066) packing 8MBof L2 cache.

Fujitsu's budget desktop replacement laptop

Mon, 09 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Fujitsu Everex XT5000T is a good laptop to consider if you are looking for a desktop replacement laptop and you are on a budget. The laptop was first launched in the European market as Amilo XA 1526 but was adapted for the US market.

Lenovo announce energy efficient laptop

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Lenovo has planned to market its X-, T- and R laptop series with Santa Rosa platforms to meet the Energy Star 4.0 rating that will be in force on July 20. For the first time in over a decade, the Energy Star program has revised its Voluntary Set of Energy Efficient Standards for computers . One of the required standards to achieve the Energy Star 4.0 sticker is decreased power consumption while a computer is idle.

Review of Apples new 2.16 GHz MacBook

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Apple has released a new cheaper and faster MacBook. It has a 2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 1GB memory and a bigger capacity hard drive that is all inside a great looking chassis. The three new models of this Apple MacBook on the market are: White chassis 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo processor machine with 80GB hard drive; White chassis 2.16GHz Core 2 Duo processor machine with 120GB hard drive and finally 2.16GHz processor machine with 160GB hard drive and black chassis.

Review of the Asus Lamborghini VX2

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The VX2 is an attractive "all-purpose" machine and is a hybrid of the Asus and Lamborghini. The VX2 comes in two attractive colours - black carbon fibre premium edition and the standard yellow version.

Samsung launches its Q1 Ultra PC

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Samsung has developed an Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC), the Samsung Q1 Ultra. The first generation of UMPCs released last year by Samsung and a handful of other vendors were not well received. The main area of complaint was display quality and price.

Slim but powerful laptops from Dell and Toshiba

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Toshiba Portege R500 laptop and the Dell XPS M1330 are powerful but slim laptops that are available. The Toshiba Portege R500 laptop is only three-quarters of an inch thick at its thinnest point. The 12.1 inches widescreen display machine weighs only 2.4 pounds. The wonderful thing is that the screen is lit by several LEDs instead of by traditional lamps making it brighter which also helps to save power.

The Evesham Quest A235 Laptop

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The 2.6 kg Evesham Quest A235 is a budget machine with a decent range of features. Costing around £500, the A235 comes loaded with 512 MB RAM and Windows Vista Basic edition. On the exterior, the A235 is not the greatest looking machine but the build is top quality and gives a solid long lasting feeling to its users.

The Sony Vaio FZ Laptop

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Sony is amongst the best multimedia-laptop making companies. The latest creation from Sony’s engineers is the new FZ series. The Sony Vaio FZ is a small digital entertainment laptop ideal to use at a desk.

Top 10 laptops for June

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Today there are dozens of laptops available in the market, with different price quotes and technical specifications. Listed below are the top 10 laptops for June 2007: 1. Lenovo Thinkpad T61:

Toshiba A200 180 laptop review

Thu, 05 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Toshiba A200-180 laptop is a desktop replacement PC rather than a portable laptop machine due to its bulkiness. It doesn’t have a great battery life, just 78 minutes, but it has other features that compensate for this.

AMD Fusion processor for Laptops

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

AMD’s new ‘Fusion’ processor is expected to come out on the market in next two years. The company revealed the fact that the chip will target laptops and mobile machines. The company said that the new AMD processor had a superior performance-per-Watt that will improve a laptops performance, speed and output.

Apple jumps into the notebook market

Thu, 25 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Apple Computers are famous for their Mac laptops and the old Apple IIe. These models helped the company to gain recognition in the notebook market. Quite amazingly, Apple has not launched any new products in the laptop market for a long time.

ASUSTek SideShow Laptop

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Many businessmen and laptop users who forget to print out addresses, meeting room numbers or appointment times normally have to wait for their laptops to boot up before they can check the information. ASUSTek Computer Inc has come up with a laptop that has a 2.5 inch thick secondary liquid crystal display (LCD). This LCD screen uses Microsoft Vista Operating System’s special feature called ‘SideShow’ which allows the user to check recent e-mails, photos, videos and calendar items.

Belkin cools hot laptops

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Belkin have introduced their new uniquely designed laptop cooling stand to keep portable computers cooler and raise the keyboard to a more comfortable typing position. It's powered by a connection to a USB port on the notebook so it doesn’t require an electrical outlet, and its wave design creates a channel between the laptop and the stand to assist in natural airflow. The fan, which is located directly under the laptop when the computer is placed on the stand, blows air across the bottom of the portable; the hot air exits through large openings on either side of the stand.

Dells Tough and Rugged Laptop

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

After Panasonic launched their Toughbook, Dell has announced its new ‘rugged’ laptop . The new laptop, Latitude ATG D620 is part of Dell’s Latitude series and is the first semi-rugged laptop launched by the company. The laptop is meant for those that work in tough and wild environments hence it meets military standards for vibration, humidity and altitude.

Fast Hollywood Gold Laptop

Mon, 29 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The new Hollywood Pro Gold Xpress is a 17-inch widescreen laptop, with an ultra high contrast at 1920x1200 and is being hailed by many computer experts as one of the fastest widescreen laptops . The Hollywood Gold is equipped with powerful Dual 53xx series quad core processors. The laptop has NVIDIA PCI Express Pro Mobility Graphics plus full HDTV for more clear, crisper and shaper pictures.

First Laptop External Graphics Card

Mon, 15 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Asus has jumped into the market with the first external graphics card for laptops . The external graphics card known as the ‘XG Station’ comes with a powerful component called Asus EN7900GS which is the heart of the system.

First Mini Laptop from Sony

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

In a highly competitive market, Sony has launched the world’s first Vista based Ultra mobile PC laptop . The company claims that the machine is better for business users and professionals who are looking for mini laptops as it supports a fingerprint recognition system, and Trusted Platform Module (TPM). The matt-black Viao VGN-UX1XN, or simply VX1, is the smallest laptop measuring just 95 x 50.2 x 32.2mm and can do everything that A4 size laptops can do. The machine runs the business edition of Vista and weighs less than half a kilogram.

Get your hands on a 100 dollar Laptop

Fri, 12 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Michalis Bletsas, chief connectivity officer of the OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) project has come up with another commercial idea by which laptops will be launched in the ‘western’ market for the public use. Customers have to buy two laptops at a time, and the second one goes to a country in the developing world. This way, people from the developed world can donate a machine to a child in the developing world.

Griffin announces Elevator laptop stand

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

IPods aren't the only tech gear for which Griffin Technology designs accessories . Griffin is starting off the New Year with a product to ease your neck ache, the Elevator desktop stand for laptops . The Elevator "uses a 1/2-inch-thick crossbar to hold two 1/4-inch-thick aluminium standards, positioning your laptop for a better viewing angle".

New Area-51 from Alienware

Fri, 19 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Alienware has revealed its new laptop, called the m 5790 Area-51 Special Edition. The new 17 inch high performance laptop is ideal for both PC-game players and professionals. The Alienware Area-51 laptop is powered with an Overclocked Intel Core 2 Duo Processor; with dual hard drives that gives an extra storage capacity of up to 400GB. The system has a fairly good LCD screen with 1080 pixels quality. It is equipped with mobile graphics technology from AMD that makes the system the best for gaming and playing.

New SlideShow Laptops from ASUS and LG

Tue, 16 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

ASUS and LG have announced they have created a laptop that integrates an external screen for ‘slideshow’ support. Both machines will run Microsoft’s Vista Operating System. The slideshow feature will help users to view important information whether the unit is on/off or in sleep mode. The users can view information such as meeting schedules, phone numbers, addresses and even recent emails while saving time and battery life or even when the machine is turned off.

New Toshiba Satellite U205-S5057 Notebook

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba has launched a new 12.1 inches Notebook PC which promises that it as a great fix for advance users and business persons. The notebook comes with the latest Microsoft operating system called Windows Vista and also incorporates a bundle of application software. The new PC, called the Toshiba Satellite U205-S5057 notebook has a bright 12.1 inch TFT display with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, and an inbuilt TruBrite technology that helps in enhancing the imagery resolution.

New Vaio range from Sony

Thu, 18 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Sony, also known as ‘Vaio’ has come up with a new range of notebooks . All the new models have a different configuration that matches the user and their needs. The new colourful Vaio Type C is an attractive and fancy looking notebook . It is available in six different colours - black, pink, white, light blue, grey and light green. The laptop comes with a Core 2 Duo T7400, T7200, T5500, or a Celeron M430 CPU that powers the notebook. You can get 512 MB to 2 GB of RAM. The storage disk size is 60 to 120GB. It has a NVIDIA GeForce Go 7400 GPU graphics card.

NVDC Charger for Notebook Batteries

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Intersil designed the first Narrow Voltage Direct Current (NVDC) charger controller for Li-ion/Li-polymer batteries. The new Intersil ISL6257 is said to meet the NVDC-I requirements and is designed for thermal management, longer battery life and better efficiency . The new Intersil ISL6257 is meant for notebooks, sub-notebook PC s, and laptops . It can also be used for PDA’s.

Pavilion dv2000t from HP

Fri, 26 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The 14.1 inch wide-screen HP Pavilion dv2000t is a portable multimedia notebook rather than a bulky business machine. It weighs 6.3 pounds and has a sharp resolution (1280 x 800 pixels). The good thing is the sound quality that the PC delivers, with HPs multimedia playback controls. Music CDs and DVDs can be played without booting up the operating system. Specially designed buttons let you adjust the volume and skip through CD tracks or DVD chapters without using any software utility .

Rising Laptop prices

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Laptop prices widely range from 599 USD to 2500 USD depending on the technical specification, style and the manufacturer. Every year new versions and models are coming in the market making the previous models outdated. Many consumers feel that despite the old models being replaced by the new ones, the prices of the old models are still high. They are still waiting for the prices to fall.

Samsung Develops Fuel Cell for Notebooks

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Samsung has reached a new milestone in fuel cell technology. The company has developed a docking station that has a fuel cell that can power a laptop for a month. Endpoint Technologies Associates Principal Analyst Roger Kay says, "The first year or two ... they will still be largely vanity items and experimental."

Toshiba Brings HD DVD Burner To Desktop PCs

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba has launched an internal desktop drive which aims to give users full HD DVD quality on their PC’s . Toshiba claims the new drive, SD-H903A will provide users with the high resolution, contrasts and colours needed to bring the benefits of high definition broadcasting to the home computer .

Unsecure Acer Laptops

Wed, 10 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Tan Chew Keong, a security blogger, discovered that Acer Laptops are prone to attacks from an Active X flaw. Mr Keong said that Acer laptops come with an Active X control that can allow a web page to execute a malicious program.

Dual Screen Laptops

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Estari, a US based company has launched a new ‘briefcase-style’ laptop with two 15 inch XGA touch screens. The laptop is powered by the latest dual core technology from Intel. Technically, the Estari DC15 is equipped with 1.83GHz Intel Dual Core Processor, 2 GB RAM (max), 60-100GB hard drive, WIFI and USB 2.0. It has built in Intel’s 945GM Chipset with up to 128MB shared Graphic Memory.

Finally USD100 laptops on their way

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The OLPC (One Laptop per Child) project is ready to deliver the first batch of 2,500 $150 laptops to eight nations this month. The light-green and white coloured laptop is equipped with a keyboard that can be switched between different languages. Fitted with a hand crank to charge the battery, a digital video camera, wireless connectivity and runs a Linux operating system that is tailored for remote regions.

Five reasons to buy a Dell laptop

Thu, 01 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Dell laptops fulfil the needs of every consumer as they have all the essential elements users need. Dell’s standard features include high quality TFT displays, mobile Intel Centrino processors, and Microsoft Windows XP Home or Professional. Dell also gives the flexibility to choose software suites like Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003, Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2003, Microsoft Office Basic Edition 2003, or the Precision M60 productivity suite that suites your requirements.

Future Vista Laptops

Thu, 22 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

An outstanding feature of Windows Vista is the Aero interface, while the most dynamic feature is Windows SideShow. Upcoming new laptops and notebooks are equipped to run these features. The Asus W5Fe has the SideShow feature with its Windows Vista operating system. The approximate price of the machine is £1,399. The W5Fe is significant because it's the first Vista-specific laptop as opposed to a laptop that can run Vista.

OLPC Accuses Politicians of Stifling Laptop Scheme

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop per Child scheme has accused politicians of lessening the impact of the programme and harming the scheme. Walter Bender, OLPC spokesman, claimed that politicians were afraid of the risk incurred by committing to the scheme. Bender also is reported to have claimed that there has been a "concerted misinformation campaign" designed to undermine the scheme, though his comments that the laptops are required to improve the standard of education in the relevant developing countries have not found favour amongst ministers in the respective countries. The Indian Education Secretary, Sudeep Banerjee, has states that the country is in more urgent need of teachers and classrooms rather than laptops, whilst Nigeria’s Education Minister, Dr Igwe Aja-Nwachuku, has spoken along similar lines, questioning the donation of laptops when the basic facilities available to the children are so poor.

Peru and Mexico Make Laptop Orders

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The One Laptop Per Child scheme has enjoyed a rare piece of good news after Peru and Mexico announced they would purchase a combined 310,000 laptops . The Peruvian government have agreed to buy 260,000 laptops, whilst Mexico’s entry into the scheme has been funded by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim – friend of OLPC founder Nicholas Negroponte – who has agreed to buy 50,000 for his country. The non-profit organization has suffered a range of setbacks recently. In addition to the price hike of the laptops and the poor sales, a Nigerian-owned US-based company Lagos is suing the organization for patent infringement. However, Negroponte claims that since November 12th, OLPC has received almost £1 million in orders every day, which equates to around 190,000 laptops. Negroponte has previously states that 3 million laptops must be sold for the project to be viable.

Toshiba Offering Green Scheme to Laptop Buyers

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Last week saw Toshiba launch its new carbon emissions scheme, offering laptop purchasing customers the chance to offset the carbon emissions incurred by the use and manufacture of the laptop. Customers wishing to subscribe to the scheme can take up the option offered by Toshiba to donate £1.18 at the point of purchase, which will go towards a tree planting scheme in Cumbria. It is latest in a long line of green schemes announced by IT firms, with leading PC manufacturers Hewlett Packard and Dell already offering similarly environmentally friendly schemes. Dell’s Plant a Tree For Me is almost identical to the scheme offered by Toshiba, whilst HP’s various green schemes include the use of solar power, wind power and renewable energy .

Toshiba Unveil World's First HD DVD-RW Laptop

Mon, 24 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba have unveiled the world’s first laptop to include a high definition DVD rewritable drive. The new version of the Qosmio G40 laptop is to be released in Japan at a cost equivalent to £1,750, allowing users to re-write HD DVDs and view them in high definition. The latest model of the laptop has several other slight tweaks, distinguishing it from the tester laptop which was unveiled in May. Other new features include a second terrestrial digital TV tuner, a 400GB drive and a high definition recordable function, allowing users to record high definition shows on standard DVDs. The laptop weighs 4.8kg and has a 17 inch 1920x1200 pixel screen.

Worldwide PC Sales Once Again Driven By Laptop Demand

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

PC shipments are forecast to grow by 16.7 per cent in the final quarter of this year, according to IDC. IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker report again demonstrated the importance of laptop sales to the computer market, with the strong demand for laptops across the globe driving the increase in PC shipments. IDC’s predictions are undoubtedly influenced by the vast laptop sales during the third quarter, with worldwide shipments up by 37 per cent during the third quarter. If fourth quarter sales follow the pattern predicted, 2007’s overall growth rate will stand at 14.6 per cent, up on the 10.1 per cent growth rate seen in 2006.

Fastest laptop machine

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

MainGear is a North America based company that provides high quality gaming, home office, mobile, multimedia, small business and 3D workstation solutions. The company has recently launched a new series of Gaming and Business Laptops - the XS, RS-X, DB-R and the VEX.

Samsung Unveil Fuel Cell Powered Laptop

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Electronics giant Samsung has unveiled a new longer-lasting laptop that runs on fuel cells, allowing it to last for up to a month. Called The Sense Q35, it comes equipped with a high-capacity fuel cell storage system that, the manufacturers claim, allows it to operate for eight hours a day and five days a week for a month without recharging.

ASUS to launch budget laptops

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

PC manufacturer Asus is planning to launch a range of budget notebooks in the second half of this year. According to the company five new budget laptop models will soon be available and will cost between USD 199 and 549.

Brits like peeking at strangers laptops

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

There are large numbers of the British population who have no qualms about glancing at other people’s laptops, reveals a new report. The survey conducted by 3M showed that 80 per cent of the people surveyed admitted looking at a stranger’s book or newspaper . However, over half of those surveyed had a tendency to read another person’s laptop .

Budget laptops from HP

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett Packard (HP) has released a series of 15.4 inch widescreen ‘budget’ notebooks . The HP 510 laptops are available with different configurations starting from just $565. The HP 510 laptops come with 2 processors, a Celeron 1.4GHz and Pentium 2.13GHz. The specification includes a 512 MB DDR2 memory, and a 60 GB (5400rpm) hard drive . It also has a built in Intel 915GM chipset.

Connect your Mac Laptop using Devicescape Software

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Devicescape Software has offered support to Mac Operating system laptop-users to connect to wireless networks and Wi Fi’s automatically. According to the company notebook users would be able to connect to any Wi-Fi hotspots and municipal networks without feeding the user name and password again and again. Therefore users will not re-enter their passwords again and again to connect to the network

Fujitsu Provides Protection for Dropped Laptops

Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Fujitsu Europe has started to provide protection for any dropped laptops bought from the electronics manufacturer. The electronics giant is now offering the optional fitting of a free fall sensor (FFS) to all of its laptops in order to protect hard drives in case of a fall.

HP Maybach Laptop

Tue, 03 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

After the genius partnership of Ferrari and Acer came the pairing of ASUS and Lamborghini . The latest partnership is with Hewlett Packard Maybach . Hewlett Packard (HP), one of the biggest computer manufacturers, has teamed up with Maybach, DaimlerChrysler's brand of cars to release a new series of laptops, to be called the HP Maybach laptop.

Intel Offers VPro Technology For Laptops

Wed, 04 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Intel, the world’s leading computer chip manufacturer, announced it will begin offering the management and security features found in its vPro platform with the company’s new Centrino Pro microprocessor technology. The company released a statement, which stated the vPro platform would be part of its next-generation Centrino technology - now called ‘Santa Rosa’, which will include a combination of the 64-bit Core 2 Duo processor, an 800MHz front-side bus, 4MB of L2 cache, and a new graphics chip .

Laptops get new Intel chips

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Intel, the computer chip maker, has demonstrated Wireless Management Capabilities and Turbo Memory Technology for the next generation of laptops and notebooks . According to the company, Turbo Memory Technology has halved the reboot time in some PCs.

Low Cost and Energy Saver Laptops from ViaTechnologies

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Via Technologies, the leading PC solution providing and silicon chip developing company, and Everex, the world leader in designing and producing personal computers has come up with a new StepNote NC1501 notebook currently available in the US . The notebook has a 15.4 inch widescreen display with DiamondBrite Technology and costs just 499 US Dollars . The machine uses the Windows Vista Home Basic operating system and is also equipped with wireless LAN and a DVD burner.

Sony Introduces New Lighter & Smaller Vaio Laptop

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Sony has released the brand new Sony Vaio G1, the latest in the remarkable Vaio range, and also the world’s lightest laptop, according to claims made by the electronics company . Its great news for all laptop enthusiasts who have been waiting to get hold of smaller and lighter laptops, as the new Vaio measures at a mere 12.1 inches and weighing just 1.89 pounds.

Toshiba launch wireless n ready laptops

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

A new range of laptops has been launched by Toshiba in the US called wireless n ready laptops . Toshiba’s Satellite A205 is equipped with a Wireless Wi-Fi Link 4965AGN technology from Intel and comes with a pre-installed webcam .

Unbeatable Laptops

Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Testers and technicians at Sveriges Tekniska Forskningsinstitut (The Swedish Technical Research Institute) have tested several laptops and notebooks for independent test and research company, Testfakta. The institute rated nine popular laptops that cost less than 10,000 Swedish Kronor (US $1,450) on the basis of durability, battery life and screen quality.

Acer goes to Ferrari Laptop

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT

The Acer Ferrari Line Up is very soon going to welcome a brand new member, which is sleeker than its predecessor. The new Ferrari 1005WTMi is an ultra mobile notebook and is equipped with a 12 inch TFT WXGA display . The first thing that stands out is the notebook’s sleek ergonomics and its ultra compact size. This one too has a glossy exterior and sports the trademark Ferrari colour combo. Boasting a small but vibrant 12.1-inch TFT WXGA (widescreen) display, the 1005WTMi is powered by a dual core processor, but not the one from Intel. Instead, they took the AMD route with the Turion 64 X2 TL-60 and paired it up with an ATI XPress 11560 chipset.

Asus Launches R2H Ultra Mobile PC with GPS

Fri, 08 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Asus has announced R2H, an Ultra Mobile PC on Thursday. The R2H Ultra-Mobile PC features webcam, global positioning system ( GPS ) and biometric fingerprint with 7-inch widescreen . The Asus R2H 7-inch WXGA (1280 x 800) LCD touch screen with handwritten input support provides tablet PC-like features in a very compact size.

Lenovo unveils N100 notebook

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Computer maker Lenovo today announced its first Lenovo-branded Core 2 Duo-equipped notebook computers in the form of the Lenovo N100, targeting the small business market with a combination of functionality, processing power, and price-consciousness the company hopes will win them more fans. "The new Lenovo N100 offers small business customers better, faster connectivity and performance while delivering the reliability, ease of use and value our customers expect," said Marc Godin, Lenovo's VP of worldwide notebook marketing, in a statement.

Matsushita recalls notebook batteries

Tue, 05 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT

The curse of the faulty batteries has struck another notebook maker, this time Matsushita . Matsushita is recalling 6,000 lithium-ion batteries used in its Panasonic computers in the latest in a series of scares about over-heating.

Nokia and Intel develop cellular laptops

Fri, 29 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Two giants in their own right have got together to develop a long-range wireless connectivity in laptops . The HSDPA (high-speed downlink packet access) connectivity module has been developed by Nokia for notebooks . Intel intend to sell this to notebook manufacturers as part of the next generation Intel Centrino Duo mobile technology platform.

Panasonic Announces New Lightweight Toughbooks

Wed, 13 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Panasonic Computer Solutions introduced three new business-rugged Panasonic Toughbook notebook computers. The ultraportable CF-W5, tablet alternative CF-T5, and the thin-and-light desktop replacement CF-Y5. "Mobility has become a mainstream requirement and our business-rugged notebooks are designed with the mobile professional in mind, offering seamless connectivity in a lightweight and durable form factor and very long battery life," said a statement issued by Rance Poehler, president of Panasonic Computer Solutions Company .

Sony VAIO VGN SZ72B/B With 3.2MP Webcam

Mon, 04 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT

The VGN-SZ72B/B is Sony’s latest addition to its sleek VAIO notebook line, featuring an Intel Core 2 Duo T5600 (1.83-GHz) CPU, 1GB of DDR2-533 memory, 100GB HDD, and NVIDIA GeForce Go 7400 graphics . The vibrant 13.3-inch WXGA display is perfect for watching all your favourite movies through its integrated DVD Super-Multi drive. External interfaces include two USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire port, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, a biometric fingerprint sensor, 802.11 a/b/g Wi-Fi, a TPM security chip, and a Memory Stick reader.

Toshiba puts big storage in a small package

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba has launched a range of USB drives under the TransMemory label, all featuring U3 technology and with capacities up to 16GB. The TransMemory line of flash memory sticks ranges from 512MB up to 4GB, but includes a special limited-edition 16GB version, presumably just for showing off.

Toshiba to Recall Sony Laptop Batteries

Tue, 19 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba said on Tuesday it will replace about 340,000 laptop computer batteries made by Sony, the latest in a string of Sony battery woes. The batteries, used in Dynabook and Dynabook Satellite laptops manufactured between March and May this year, could fail on the road because of problems with storing and transmitting power, according to a Toshiba spokesman.

Virgin Atlantic bans use of some laptops

Thu, 21 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Virgin Atlantic became the latest airline to impose restrictions on Apple and Dell laptops following battery problems, which may cause the laptops to explode. The airline has put the ban in place in response to the recall of millions of batteries manufactured by Sony Corporation for the two computer firms. The batteries in question were manufactured between 2003 and 2006 and the recall relates only to certain Apple and Dell laptops .

Everex Systems reveal energy efficient laptops

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

A new laptop being described as “the world’s most energy efficient notebook ” has been launched by Everex Systems. The laptop was only possible because of the collaboration with Taiwanese chipmaker, VIA Technologies. The laptop called StepNote NC1500 will be available in Wal-Mart stores for $498. Epan Wu, Deputy Director of CPU Product Marketing at VIA Technologies said, “The latest notebook from Everex embodies the ‘Simply Mobile’ spirit of the Via C7-M processor in enabling truly portable computing. With the best performance-per-watt operation in the industry and innovative features such as Enhanced Power-Saver technology and Pad-Lock Security Engine, we’re confident that the NC1500 will be a front runner in a market yearning for robust mobile solutions.”

Flash Drives a Threat to Hard Drives

Fri, 13 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Over the last 50 years, Hard Disks Drives (HDD) has evolved from a 5MB storage device with 24 inch disk platters about the size of a household refrigerator to a 3.5 inch having capacities of 750GB. Now 50 years on HDDs are competing with flash storage disks. Samsung has already come up with 32GB flash memory and is planning to release 64GB solid-state flash memory disks. But the main question is will these solid-state flash memory disks be able to beat the price and the storage capacity of HDD.

Gaming Laptops Better than X Box

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

If you don’t want to give up your favourite games while you travel, or want to test your skills against other games at LAN, the best match for you is a Gaming Laptop . Gaming Laptops are the laptop PCs with fastest processors and powerful video and graphics card to deliver excellent 3D gaming performance. What really you get in a Gaming Laptops are Fastest Processors, Speedy Hard Drives, Big Screens and obviously Hot designs.

Graphire4 Classic White is a new edition Interactive Pen

Mon, 30 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

In the UK, Wacom is a leading manufacturer of graphics/pen tablets and interactive pen displays . Wacom has decided to launch a special edition of its pen tablet, the Graphire4 Classic White Edition which will be aimed at design-oriented users. Wacom claims that this special edition tablet will be available in A6 or A5 sizes and will be launched in November 2006.

High Quality Television Broadcast on Laptops

Wed, 18 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

High-Definition Television (HDTV) is a new format for broadcasting television programs on laptops and computers . The present format governed by the National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) is analog in nature whereas, HDTV is digital resulting in a clear, noise-free picture with high quality sound. Some HDTV programs also include a Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound facility.

Hitachi Laptops Join The Sony Battery Recall

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Japan’s industrial corporation Hitachi Ltd joined the bandwagon in recalling faulty batteries made by Sony Corp. used in its production of laptop computers . The company, which ranges its production from laptop computers to flat-panel TVs to nuclear power stations, said on Friday it will recall in total 16,000-Sony made batteries . Hitachi Ltd is in talks with Sony regarding the extent of the recall. It is reported that the lithium-ion batteries are prone to heating and causing fire and need to be replaced as soon as possible. A spokesperson for the company said the number of batteries is miniscule and will not have any impact of the company's earnings, and that the batteries in question were in laptops sold only in Japan .

Jet Engine powering Laptops

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

MIT professor Alan Epstein and his aeronautics engineering lab have been working on ways to miniaturize gas -powered turbines (aka jet engines) to use them as a power source in digital gadgets like laptops . According to Epstein, Jet Engines, powered butane, can produce a huge amount of power and at a reasonable price. A tiny jet engine running on butane could power a laptop for 10-15 hours. The advantage of butane is that it is odour free so there will be no nasty smells.

Libya the First eDemocratic country

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Libya could become the first country to jump into the e-revolution era. It has come up with new scheme where every young child will be provided with a laptop and an internet connection . The United Nations Development Programme has given its support to this scheme. It is possible that Libya will become the first country in the world where all school-age children will have laptops and an Internet connection. One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) is a US based non-profit group, whose aim is to provide laptops for children in developing countries. The laptops are specially designed for young children. They have sealed rubber keyboards and a robust case. These computers will run free software like Linux rather than Windows . In an effort to make the laptops more robust, parts that are likely to go wrong have been dispensed with, eg conventional hard disks with flash drives . The estimated cost for each laptop is $100. Libya will order about 1.2 million laptops with Internet connectivity that will cost approximately $248 million.

Microsoft plans to launch a pay-as-you-go package

Thu, 26 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Global Software giant, Microsoft, announced that it would launch a ‘Flex Go’ package. This package will include a personal computer or laptop and a bundle of software with a pay-as-you-go scheme. It is similar to the pay-as-you-go scheme for mobile phones, where customers pay as they use. Mustek, a computer and technology hardware company, has partnered up with Microsoft, to distribute and service hardware components of the package.

Quanta Computers Joins OLPC Scheme

Fri, 20 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Taiwan based, Quanta Computer Inc is the world’s biggest personal computer manufacturer. Company officials announced that they would start producing US $100 laptops by next year at their site in Changshu, Jiangsu.

Refurbished Laptops are better value for money

Wed, 25 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

In UK, every year companies discard hundreds and thousands of working PCs to upgrade to the latest technologies. Each year companies like IBM, Dell, HP and Compaq discard millions of laptop computers to other companies so they can upgrade their computers to improve their sales. Other businesses and professionals will sell their laptop computers simply to get the latest one.

Save your laptop from catching fire

Thu, 19 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Recent research by experts shows that batteries designed to generate power two to three times more than rechargeable batteries are unsafe to use. Billions of such batteries power electronic items like cameras, mobile phones and laptops . These batteries generate and push more power into a small space thus heating up devices and at worst case causing damage. Among these electronic devices, laptops are of big concern, because not only are they expensive but they store invaluable, important, and even expensive data .

Sharp and Fujitsu Say No to Sony Batteries

Mon, 16 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Japanese electronics makers Sharp and Fujitsu has announced recall of the laptop batteries made by Sony, adding to an already massive global recall of the batteries that are at the risk of overheating and catching fire. In Japan, Hiroshi Takenami, spokesman for Sharp Corp, claimed that they are recalling 28,000 Sony-made battery packs for several laptop models from all over the country. They are also recalling separately sold battery packs.

Toshiba to show laptop HD DVD writer drive

Tue, 03 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba has announced the world's first slim HD DVD drive for notebook PCs that can read and write to HD DVD, standard DVD and CD discs . The SD-L902A drive integrates a blue-violet laser diode that can read and write to HD DVD-R discs, as well as offering support for high-density HD DVD-ROM discs, including high definition movie and video images. And to make life easy, it's got all the functionality of a super multi-drive, with high-speed read and write to all standard DVD and CD format discs. At only 12.7mm in height, it meets the space specifications for slim drives integrated into notebook PCs (helped by HD DVD discs being of similar size to standard DVDs) .

Toughbook Laptops from Panasonic

Tue, 17 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Panasonic Computer Solutions is a leading provider of reliable and robust wireless mobile PCs. Panasonic has introduced a robust, durable and wear-tear resistant laptops called Panasonic Toughbook computers.

UK IT Charity donates Computers for AIDS Education

Mon, 23 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

A UK charity, Computer Aid has joined forces with Berkshire based CfBT Education Trust to donate computers and laptops to schools and community organisations in the developing world. The donated PCs and laptops will help to educate pupils about the spread and prevention of HIV and AIDS.

US Immigration can cease your Laptops

Tue, 24 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Until recently, the biggest concern for laptops owners was that someone could steal their laptops. Recently it has been revealed that another concern for laptop owners is that their laptops could be seized and their contents scrutinised at US customs and immigration checkpoints when entering the US from another country.

Apple dragged Dell down in PC market for Education

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Apple has become the second biggest supplier of computers for the education market, pushing Dell into third place. Apple has now acquired 14.7 per cent of the education market share. According to analysts at Gartner, Research Machines has maintained their position of first place with a 34.9 per cent share of the market. HP is in fourth place with 7.7 per cent of the market following Dell, which is in third place with 14.1 per cent.

Choose the best laptop for yourself

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Laptop prices are going down as laptop and computer users throughout the world increases. One can find a basic, budget laptop for as little as $500. However prices may be much higher if you want to buy a powerful new model that comes with latest the pecification and designs. Many new laptops come with Intel's Core Duo processor, which gives the machines a better ability to multitask, along with other features such as built-in web cams for video conferencing.

Companies face laptop and computer thefts

Mon, 06 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT

In the US, companies faced a crisis when it came to keeping confidential company and employee information safe and secure . However, another major problem that companies and computer-suppliers are facing is the theft of laptops and computers .

Dell is ready to capture AMD processor PC market

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Dell, the biggest PC makers, has been successful in gaining market share from Intel based on price and performance in server computers . Dell limited itself among Intel-based PC manufacturers only. Dell was the only PC manufacturer that did not offer machines with AMD processors until recently when it has released its first AMD processor based desktop called Dimension desktops .

Dropping prices of Laptops and Notebooks

Tue, 14 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT

PC prices are going down as laptop and computer usage increases throughout the world. The cost of computer parts have dropped to such an extent that the key components like the Central Processing Unit (CPU), Motherboard and monitor costs as little as $25, $15 and $25, respectively, keeping the cost of a whole unit under $100.

Find all types of laptops under one roof

Thu, 23 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT

This Christmas you can find any type of laptop at PC World and Currys store. PC World and Currys will have almost every make and type of laptop for sale this Christmas. John Clare, chief executive of DSG International, a company that owns both PC World and Currys, claims that during Christmas the company will sell a laptop every 3 seconds.

Flash memory takes over hard disk drives

Wed, 15 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Flash memories are fast and easy information storage devices used in digital cameras, home video games consoles and other electronic gadgets. It is used more as a hard drive rather than using RAM to store data . Nowadays, computer giants like Sony and Samsung are planning to replace traditional Hard Disk Drives with a flash memory in their PCs and laptops .

Fuel cells may replace laptop batteries

Tue, 21 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Scientists and chemists at Arizona State University have been successful in developing a tiny hydrogen-gas generator (fuel cell) to generate power for electronic devices like laptops and cameras . These fuel cells last three to five times longer than conventional batteries of the same size and weight .

Laptop and PC prices coming down

Mon, 20 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT

The cost of personal computers and laptops are coming down. Even in the US, prices are lower than ever before, and major computer vendors like Dell, are producing really cheap models. The models are well suited for basic needs like e-mail, word processing and Internet browsing. Companies like Dell and Hewlett-Packard have released PCs and laptops that cost less than $600 and $700 respectively. Moreover, Apple’s Mac Mini costs $599, although the company's high-end monitors are double the price.

Lenovo Y Series will rock the PC market

Fri, 17 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Lenovo is making a splash in the laptop market with its new Y Series Desktops and Notebooks . The Y300, 13 inch wide screen is powered with Intel Core 2 Duo and uses NVIDIA GeForce Go 7300 graphics. The built in web camera helps in face recognition feature of the notebook. This special feature works by calculating the distances between the several points on the face and thus recognising the user and help let them login to the machine. The notebook will also feature a slot-load optical drive and a subwoofer . Weighing only 2.2Kg, it is quite light for a 13-inch laptop machine.

New Apple MacBook by takes over laptop market

Thu, 16 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT

The new MacBook range launched by Apple is even better value that it’s predecessor the MacBook PRO. The new models are faster due to the new Core 2 Duo processor, larger RAM and a higher capacity hard drive .

New DVD formats for laptops

Wed, 29 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Buying a new laptop is now becoming a challenge. Manufacturers and retailers are coming up with good-looking laptops and new technologies. Laptops and PCs are coming up with new formats of Standard DVDs . These new hi-definition formats are called Blu-Ray and HD-DVD .

New laptop jargon explained

Mon, 27 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Buying a new computer or laptop is becoming more challenging. Manufacturers and retailers are coming up with sleek designs and new technologies to attract consumers. Consumers often get confused with technical jargon so making it harder for them to make an informed choice of which product to buy. Techno babble unfortunately is getting worse.

Quad-Core Apple Mac Pro is the UKs fastest Computer

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT

The quad-core Apple Mac Pro has set new milestone in the UK's first independent speed test of the latest Intel-based Mac. A test performed by The PC Pro magazine showed these amazing results. In the intensive test, Apple’s pre-installed Mac OS X was replaced with Windows XP Professional using Apple’s Boot Camp Beta. During the test a demanding task was run in Microsoft Office, Photoshop and a music decoder. All the applications were kept busy and used the machines resources.

Real professional notebooks

Thu, 30 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Several PC manufacturers have been referring to laptops as notebooks . Laptops have finally become small enough to really deserve that designation. Many laptops run Microsoft’s Windows as their operating system whereas others run Apple’s Mac operating system.

Theft of laptops containing payroll details of Metropolitan police

Wed, 22 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Scotland Yard revealed that burglars have stolen three laptops that contained payroll details of Metropolitan police officers (MPS). The laptops were stolen last Thursday from business premises used by the Met's pay and pension services. A man was arrested next day on suspicion of burglary.

Cheap Toshiba laptops if England wins World Cup

Fri, 05 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba is getting into the spirit of the World Cup by offering 66 per cent price discounts on a range of notebooks, if England wins the World Cup. The significance of 66, of course, when England previously managed to win the tournament. Toshiba has included most models from its various laptop ranges including the models from its Satellite range as well as the Qosimo G30 and the Portege M400.

Dell Delivers a Downer

Tue, 09 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Dell, the world's largest computer manufacturer, has warned that its first quarter results will be worse than expected because of big price cuts. The US-based computer giant said in a statement that it now expects profits for the first three months of 2006 to be around 33 cents per share, down from its forecast of 36 to 38 cents per share in February.

Dell Inspiron 6400

Tue, 02 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Dell has announced the launch of the Inspiron 6400 a notebook delivering powerful multimedia and performance features suitable for small businesses as well as consumers in Europe, Middle East and Africa . The Inspiron 6400 laptop features an Intel Core Duo (dual-core) processor that runs at a 667 MHz bus speed, 512Mbytes of RAM and a 5-in-1 flash card reader . The notebook can be configured with up to 2Gbytes of RAM.

Growing threat of ransomware

Wed, 31 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT

A new type of ransomware is making the rounds. According to security firm Sophos, the Trojan - dubbed Troj/Ransom-A - threatens to delete one file from an infected computer every 30 minutes until the payment is paid via the Western Union money transfer service. Police are investigating the emerging threat after a Rochdale nurse had her personal computer "webjacked" by the online criminals.

Hackers Target Microsoft word

Tue, 23 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT

A new computer worm is attacking PCs by exploiting a flaw found in Microsoft Word according to computer experts. The Trojan horse program is spread by sending e-mail with an MS Word attachment infected with the Trojan to the user. The flaw is present in Microsoft Word XP and Word 2003 but is not present in Word Viewer according to published reports.

Intel Announces New Brand Name for Chips

Mon, 08 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Intel plans to unveil on Monday its next-generation dual-core processor series and also a new brand. The mobile version of the dual-core processor, previously known as Merom and the next-generation desktop processor, code-named Conroe will be known from Monday as Core 2 Duo. The new brand Core 2 Duo will phase out the Pentium 4 for desktop processors and the Core Duo for notebooks processors. The older brands were based on two different designs .

Microsoft pitched pay-as-you-go PCs

Mon, 22 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Chinese PC maker Lenovo and Microsoft Corp said they will launch market trials for pay-as-you-go purchases of computers in China and India . Will Poole, senior vice president of the Market Expansion Group at Microsoft said, "Today there are already more than 1 billion prepaid mobile phones used around the world, so we know FlexGo enables a familiar and comfortable pay-as-you-go model that works for people with variable or unpredictable income ."

Old computers make unhappy workers

Fri, 12 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Giving employees old computers damages company morale and makes them likely to claim sick leave. A poll conducted by Tickbox.net of more than 2, 700 European office workers from the United Kingdom, France and Germany found that workplace dissatisfaction increased significantly with the age of computer equipment .

Samsung Unveils Flash-Based Laptops

Fri, 26 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Samsung Electronics will release the world's first PCs embedded with a 32-Gigabyte (GB) NAND flash-based Solid State Disk (SSD); the Q1 and the Q30. This marks the beginning of NAND flash moving into a commercial mobile-computing application. Samsung believes this is a breakthrough that would pave the way for replacing hard disk drives (HDD) with NAND flash-based memory disks.

Sony launched new Vaio FJ3, FE20 and SZ2-Series laptops

Thu, 04 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Sony has upgraded its Vaio notebook range for the summer, boosting the spec of three models FJ3, FE20 and SZ2 with increased memory; larger storage and new DVD drive . The FJ3 Series of notebooks, with widescreen 14.1-inch display, now features X-black LCD screen enhancement for stronger colours and reflection reduction. And there's the addition of Sony's Motion Eye video cam and pre-installed Skype 2.0. All models will also feature the Super Multi Double Layer DVD±RW drives, 1GB of 533MHz DDR2 SDRAM and a 100GB hard disk .

Sony to intro Blu-ray notebook in July

Mon, 15 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT

It looks like Sony is going to be releasing a new notebook soon, the VAIO AR series laptop has shown up on a Canadian website for pre-order. The VAIO AR190 has a Blu-Ray optical drive, Core Duo processor, 17" wide screen, nVidia Go 7600 card, built-in TV tuner and 200GB of storage . Sony is using this media centre geared laptop to further push its Blu-Ray media technology. Toshiba last week released a Qosmio G35 machine with a HD-DVD optical drive, the competing next generation optical disk format to the Sony backed Blu-Ray technology.

Toshiba launches mini Satellite notebook

Thu, 18 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT

While Apple and Sony have busied themselves with new Macbooks and Blu-Ray laptops, Toshiba has stealthily produced this straight-laced but powerful little bundle of computing joy. The Satellite Pro U200, a new 12-inch wide-screen form-factor to its Satellite Pro notebook series.

Toshiba launches new notebook PC

Thu, 11 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba has introduced the first laptop capable of playing next-generation, high-definition DVDs . The Qosmio G35-AV650 supports the HD DVD format, which Toshiba helped develop, and also plays standard DVDs. Its dual drive can write data onto both standard DVDs and dual-layer discs .

Antig confident of fuel cell success

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Soon you could be running your laptop computer all day without the need to recharge as commercial versions of fuel cells go on sale. Taiwanese manufacturer Antig has claimed that its fuel cell product will be commercially deployed in notebook PCs in 2007.

China to produce 98 million computers

Mon, 20 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

China expects to produce 98 million desktop and laptop computers in 2006, mostly for overseas markets, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday. Of the output forecast for this year, China aims to export 58 million computers, or 59% of the total, the Xinhua news agency said, citing the Ministry of Information Industry.

Dell Buys Alienware

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

The world's largest computer maker Dell is buying gaming-computer firm Alienware whose PCs are famous for their "Alien" UFO style look. Dell said, Alienware will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary following completion of the transaction and will maintain its own product development, product marketing, sales, technical support and other operations as well as brand. The management and founders of Alienware will continue to operate the company as a standalone unit of Dell.

Fujitsu set for 200GB laptop drive this year

Mon, 27 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Fujitsu Ltd expects to launch a 200G-byte hard-disk drive suitable for use in laptop computers in the third quarter of this year. The current highest capacity 2.5-inch drive from Fujitsu can accommodate up to 160G-bytes of data so the new drive will represent an increase in storage capacity of 25 per cent. The new model drive will have a Serial ATA interface and is primarily aimed at entertainment and multimedia laptops, which often need a large storage area for video files.

HP unveils wireless high-speed laptop

Thu, 02 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett Packard (HP) has shown a prototype HP notebook PC using a UMTS/HSDPA network at the 3GSM shows. High-speed UMTS/HSDPA one of the most powerful cellular-data technologies ever developed provides users with secure wireless access to email, the Internet and critical business data while "on the go".

Lenovo 3000 N100 unveiled

Wed, 22 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Lenovo has unveiled its first branded dual-core notebook, the 3000 N100, featuring a svelte 5.6 pound weight, strong multimedia and connectivity capabilities, and other features designed to make the system easy for both end users and IT departments to maintain. The N100 is big on memory, capable of having up to 2GB using DDR2 667MHz modules.

Microsoft to unveil Origami, the portable PC

Tue, 07 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Microsoft is about to unveil the world’s first "handtop computer" that will allow consumers to make free voice and data calls while on the move. For years, IT giants such as Intel have dreamed about developing a device that could fill the gap between a high-end mobile phone and a laptop computer.

MIT laptop gets thumbs down from Gates

Mon, 20 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

A laptop developed by MIT which will cost $100 and specially developed for third world countries has been rubbished by Bill Gates. Gates said, "The last thing you want to do for a shared-use computer is have it be something without a disk ... and with a tiny little screen," at the Microsoft Government Leaders forum in Washington.

More time spent online than in front of TV

Thu, 09 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Surfing the Internet is Britain’s favourite pastime with users spending an average of more than two and a half hours online each day, research has revealed. A survey by search engine giant Google has found that Britons with Internet access now spends more time on the web than watching the box.

New Flybook ultraportable laptops

Wed, 29 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Holbe Dialogue UK has unveiled two new Flybook ultraportable laptops, the V23i and the V33i. As well as featuring the new Intel processors, both V Series Flybooks include a fast EDGE Internet connection that can run at the equivalent of 3G data speeds on many GSM networks. They’re still very small, but the internal working has been improved for 2006. The new Flybooks feature Intel’s 1.1GHz Pentium M Processor and Celeron 600MHz M Processor on the V33i and V23i models respectively. Replacing the old Transmeta Crusoe processor of the 2005 A33i model. The 8.9 inch wide-view TFT touchscreen uses a 64MB ATI Radeon graphics interface, and rotates to provide tablet PC functionality.

Samsung's new ultra small laptop

Fri, 24 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Samsung has just launched what it claims to be the world's smallest dual-core notebook, a machine it describes as "ultra-mobile" that weighs just 4.16 pounds and sports a 12.1in, 1280 × 800 wide screen display. The Q35 is based on an Intel Core Duo T2700 processor, which is connected to an Intel 945GM chipset across a 667MHz front side bus. The notebook also comes with an 80 GB hard drive for storing things like movies, video clips and photos.

Samsung shows flash-based laptop

Mon, 13 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

That long dreamed of product, the solid-state laptop (SSD), is one step closer to reality, as Samsung is showing off a new prototype laptop at CeBIT in Germany that could revolutionise the notebook market. The new device features a 32GB flash drive that replaces the model's hard disk saving battery and improving performance.

T-Mobile offers broadband

Fri, 17 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

T-Mobile International will start offering a converged Wi-Fi and cellular service this summer, using network equipment from Nortel Networks. "The service will first become available in Germany," said T-Mobile spokesman, Husam Azrak.

Taiwan PC maker Acer partners with Vodafone on 3G

Thu, 16 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Acer Inc. has built two new notebook computers for Vodafone Group PLC’s 3G services that can connect to the Internet and download data using third generation (3G) mobile networks. According to Marion Stolzenwald, a Vodafone spokeswoman, "The Acer Aspire 5650, for consumers, and the Acer Travelmate 4260, for business users, use the same type of SIM (subscriber identity module) card used for mobile phones, in a 3G card slot in the laptop battery bay. Acer resellers will be able to offer Vodafone contracts and 3G cards in the second half of the year."

The world's most desirable notebook

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Fujitsu Siemens (FS) today unveiled the Lifebook Q2010 which it claims is "the world's most desirable laptop." It is claimed to be so desirable, that FS are limiting the number being produced. Among its appealing features: it's 2cm thick the entire machine is finished in a "black piano lacquer."

Toshiba Launches HD-DVD Laptops

Wed, 08 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Japanese technology firm Toshiba announced the first high definition laptop computer with a built in HD DVD optical drive for the new generation of DVD disks and a high-resolution display. The computer will retail for 2,500 to 3,500 euros and will be available in all countries within a few weeks, said Oscar Koenders, European computer marketing manager at Toshiba.

Toshiba P105-S921 notebook

Thu, 30 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba is set to launch its first gaming laptop, the Satellite P105-S921 notebook, powered by an Intel Core Duo T2400 (1.83GHz) processor. The P105-S921 will be the "deluxe" model of the Satellite P105 line that will have two other less tricked-out configurations. Besides the GeForce Go 7900 GS. Sporting a 17-inch TruBrite screen and tipping the scales at 7.2 lbs, it's clearly a desktop-replacement system. Like the Toshiba Qosmio G35-AV600, the P105-S921 will also employ a funky Dual Mode Touchpad that embeds illuminated icons, which will certainly draw a glance or two. Other highlights include a 160GB hard drive, a DVI-D output port, and a full gig of RAM.

UK Businesses at risk of IT security threats

Fri, 03 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

New research reveals, small businesses in the UK need to be more aware of the risks they face from IT security breaches. A survey by businesslink.gov.uk, the government’s website for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), found that over the next year, almost half 47 per cent of the 500 firms questioned expect to suffer an IT security breach.

Alienware Announces Superman PCs

Thu, 08 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Alienware has issued two special edition Superman PCs : the Area-51 Superman Edition Desktop and the Area-51 Superman Returns Edition Notebook . The Notebook is limited to just 350, while 250 of the Desktops are up for grabs.

Computers That Can Read Minds

Wed, 28 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Be careful, if you look up 'he' would know you don't know the answer, if you look down, `he' would know you are lying and if you frown 'he' would know you are unhappy. 'He' is not some psychologist; it's a computer being developed by scientists at the University of Cambridge, England, and MIT, USA . Scientists of the two institutions are working on training computers to read facial expressions to guess the mental states of an individual. The research depends much on the study on body language .

Dell notebook explodes in Japan

Thu, 22 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT

According to a report on a UK-based website, An Inquirer reader attending a conference in Japan was sat just feet away from a laptop computer that suddenly exploded into flames and produced several explosions for more than five minutes, in what could have been a deadly accident . "Guilhem, [the] astonished reader reports, 'The damn thing was on fire and produced several explosions for more than five minutes. For the record, this is [was] a Dell machine. It is only a matter of time until such an incident breaks out on a plane,' he suggests," the Inquirer reports.

LG Lets Rip With LW20 EXPRESS Laptop

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT

LG introduces the LW25 EXPRESS DUAL, the successor to LG’s 2005 hit product--its 12-inch notebook PC, LW20 EXPRESS, dubbed a ‘portable multimedia powerhouse’. The LW25’s enhanced performance is now derived from a powerful dual-core processor . Moreover, LW25 EXPRESS DUAL also comes with the latest BlueCore4 technology, which allows for snappier wireless connections between other devices as well as support for the extra-nippy Gigabit Ethernet .

PCs get more reliable

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Computers have become more reliable in recent years as manufacturers have improved designs, but one in every six new notebooks still needs to be repaired within a year after purchase, a survey found on Tuesday. Currently, the main problems with notebooks are motherboards and hard drive, which together make up nearly 50 per cent of all failures.

Skype Arrives On Dell Laptops

Fri, 02 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT

The popular Internet phone-calling software, will come pre-installed on two of Dell's newest laptop computers, the companies announced Wednesday. Skype will be supplied with both the XPS M1210 and the XPS M2010 laptops, which both sport an integrated webcam and microphone . As far as Skype is concerned, the inclusion of its software on the machines finishes off the functionality needed to make VoIP calls and also complements the machine's hardware .

Toshiba New Ultra Portable Laptops

Thu, 29 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba has launched two new Ultra Portable Laptops 1.34-inches thick and featuring built in fingerprint security . The U205 is an ultra-portable model with a 12.1-inch screen and a weight of only 4.1 pounds. It comes in two versions, the S5002 with Intel Core Duo T2300E and a 100GB hard drive, or the S5022, with a T2400 and a 120GB hard drive. Both versions run on 1GB of 533MHZ DDR2 RAM, and sport WXGA TruBrite TFT screen, dual-layer DVD burners, and LifeSmart Technology that includes a fingerprint reader for security.

A computer you wear on your wrist

Tue, 04 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT

An Italian company has developed a wrist computer that it believes could help emergency workers save lives today and bring about a radical change in lifestyles tomorrow. In one of the scenarios conjured up by Eurotech, a firm specialised in miniature computers, a doctor at the scene of an accident could access the medical records of an unconscious patient through the internet and give urgent treatment sooner.

Apple 13 inch white MacBook designed

Wed, 26 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Apple's newly designed MacBook series features the Intel Core Duo processor and a new 13-inch glossy widescreen display . Together with the 15-and 17-inch MacBook Pros, the new MacBook completes Apple's Intel-based portables lineup and replaces both the iBook and the 12-inch PowerBook .

Apple makes cheaper iMac for education

Thu, 13 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Apple Computer Inc. on Wednesday said it will begin selling a version of its iMac personal computer for $899 (£490) for the education market as it bolsters its business aimed at students and teachers . Featuring a 17-inch widescreen LCD display, the iMac for education includes a Combo drive for burning CDs and reading DVDs, 512MB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory expandable up to 2GB and hard drive storage capacity up to 160GB. Every iMac also includes a built-in iSight video camera, built-in 10/100/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed networking, built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11g WiFi for up to 54Mbps wireless networking, a total of five USB ports (three USB 2.0) and two FireWire 400 ports.

Asus Unveils W3J H026P Gaming Monitor

Mon, 24 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Asus added a new portable notebook to its W3 series of high-performance mobility machines, the W3J-H026P. It's a gaming notebook which is powered by high-end Intel Core Duo "Yonah' T2500 2.0GHz processor running on Microsoft Windows XP Professional. Powered by an Intel Core Duo "Yonah" T2500 2.0GHz processor, this notebook comes loaded with a full two gigs of DDR2 667MHz RAM, a 5400rpm 100GB hard drive, and a 14-inch WXGA LCD with a native 1280 x 768 resolution. The ATI Mobility x1600 graphics card has 256MB of dedicated memory, but when the HyperMemory kicks in, that number jumps to 512.

Lamborghini VX1 notebook launched

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT

ASUSTEk Computer has launched a new and most luxurious notebook Lamborghini VX1 equipped with cutting edge technology for the high–end market. The VX1 is available with a yellow or black finish on the display lid both colours are a metallic paint finish that Asus maintains is the same enamel used on the supercars.

LoJack security comes to Apple laptops

Thu, 20 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Absolute Software Corporation, the leading provider of patented Computer Theft Recovery and Secure Asset Tracking solutions, today announced the release of its Apple Macintosh version of Computrace LoJack for Laptops, a laptop security tracking solution that locates and recovers lost or stolen computers . Lojack, which has long been available for Windows-based portables, surreptitiously contacts Absolute's monitoring centre when the computer connects to the Internet . If the notebook is reported stolen or lost, Lojack sends back the portable's current IP address and other networking information to Absolute. The company then works with local law enforcement to pinpoint the laptop's physical location and recover the system.

MacBook Pro Rechargeable Batteries

Mon, 31 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Apple has initiated a worldwide battery exchange program for certain rechargeable batteries that were sold for use with 15-inch MacBook Pro computer systems from February 2006 through May 2006. A technical support document reveals that Apple "recently discovered that some 15-inch MacBook Pro batteries supplied to Apple do not meet our high standards for battery performance. To give our users the best experience possible, we will replace these batteries for customers free of charge."

MSI first with Turion 64 X2 laptop

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT

MSI is claiming it is the first manufacturer in the world to use AMD’s Turion 64X2 chip in S271 laptop . The MSI S271 comes with a 80GB 5400RPM hard drive, an MSI 802.11b/g + Bluetooth module and 1x512MB DDR2 667. All this is compacted into a notebook weighing less than 4.5lbs.

Parents warned over computer use

Mon, 17 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT

A third of children in the UK use blogs and social network websites but two thirds of parents do not even know what they are, a survey suggests. The children's charity NCH said there was "an alarming gap" in technological knowledge between generations.

Sony VAIO TX3 Ultra portable Laptop

Tue, 11 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Sony has turned to Formula One technology for its latest Vaio laptop computer, the TX3. It is using carbon fibre laminate for the TX3's case, more usually found in F1 cars, to make the case tough yet extrememly lightweight.

Vodafone first to offer HSDPA service in UK

Mon, 10 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT

The company has become the fourth notebook manufacturer to integrate Vodafone's 3G Broadband technology. HP has joined Acer, Lenovo and Dell in offering laptops with embedded Vodafone super-3G technology.

Apple unveils new iMacs and software

Thu, 12 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Computer giant Apple last night unveiled a "revolutionary" new laptop computer, which it says is four to five times faster than its predecessor plus a significant upgrade to the iLife software suite. It also uses a third less battery power. The new iMacs will be available in two versions, one with a 17-inch display and 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo processor and the other with a 20-inch widescreen display and 2.0 GHz Intel Core Duo processor. Both will include built-in iSight video cameras and AirPort Extreme wireless networking plus Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, along with built-in stereo speakers and microphone. They will be supplied with the infrared Apple Remote, Mighty Mouse and Apple Keyboard.

Average laptop contents actually worth half a million

Tue, 31 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

The average laptop is stuffed full of data worth more than £500,000. In the survey, carried out by Symantec, 78 per cent of laptop users across Europe, Middle East and Africa stated that the data on their device is of "substantial value" in terms of "intellectual property or commercially sensitive information", with users slapping an average estimate being in the region of £550,000 mark.

Bookshelf Computer Wins Design Contest

Wed, 18 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

At an international competition co-sponsored by Microsoft Corp two students from Purdue University won a prize for a new personal computer design that may change the way people watch movies, listen to music, play games and read magazines. Named "Bookshelf" the new concept computer seeks to address some of the existing flaws in PC design including the issue of digital copyright and the standardisation of hardware, said graduate student Sungho "Oho" Son.

Cellular Broadband Catching On With Laptop Manufacturers

Tue, 17 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

In the past few months, several major laptop computer manufacturers have announced that they will be embedding cellular modems in future models, to increase the mobility of consumer computing. The trend began in September when Lenovo (IBM) began selling the ThinkPad Z60t, the first laptop computer with built-in cellular technology to access the internet via Sprint’s EV-DO wireless network. Since then, HP has announced a competing model of their own, while Dell Inc is gearing up to make a host of announcements surrounding new laptops and notebooks that feature chipsets enabling them to connect directly to cellular rather than Wi-Fi networks.

Curing a computer virus costs you dear

Tue, 24 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

According to new research, the average cost of curing a computer virus is £260, significantly more than remedying a common cold. According to the study commissioned by cable company Telewest, one-in-four PC owners succumb to "virus rage" and admit to ditching their machine rather than calling someone in to fix it.

Fujitsu-Siemens launches new laptops

Mon, 30 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Computer maker Fujitsu-Siemens has announced several upcoming models from its various laptop lines. The Amilo Pi 1536, stated to come on to the market in February, is the newest model in the Amilo line and works with Centrino mobile technology and a Core-Duo processor.

Google denies Google PC report

Wed, 04 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Ever since Google took on the internet, there have always been rumors about a possible Google PC that would be free of Microsoft software applications. And after a long time, rumors are resurfacing in the news on the iternet. Interestingly, this time it just might happen as an investment house Bear Stearns has claimed that the search engine giant has been busy preparing a box.

Intel drops 37 year old logo

Tue, 03 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Intel is rebranding for the New Year, ditching the famous "Intel Inside" campaign for a new logo and a "Leap ahead" catchphrase. According to Intel, 2006 is a leap year. Even though it's not, 2008 is the next leap year. The original Intel Corp logo featuring a lowered "e" will be replaced with one showing an oval swirl surrounding the company's name.

Jobs lost as computer plant closes

Wed, 11 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

More than 300 jobs are to be lost with the closure of a computer manufacturing plant in Glasgow. Inventec Scotland Servers, based in Hillington, announced that it will shed about 370 full and part-time posts when the plant shuts later in the year.

PC World misled laptop lovers

Thu, 05 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

PC World has been ticked off for not having enough stock to meet a promotion for a cut-price laptop. The computer retailer, part of DSG International, which includes Dixons and Currys ran a national press advertisement that told punters they could, "SAVE UP TO £140 ON LAPTOPS ... Packard Bell ... MODEL: R4650 ... USUAL IN-STORE PRICE £639.99 ... TAKE HOME TODAY! VOUCHER PRICE* TAKE THIS INTO STORE INC VAT £499.99."

Seagate claims 160GB laptop drive

Mon, 16 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Seagate technology has produced a 160GB hard drive for laptops. The drive which is the highest capacity 2.5-inch drive on the market according to the company, was promised last year and is Seagate’s first laptop hard drive to use perpendicular data recording. Perpendicular data recording involves standing the magnetic fields that represent data bits upright. In most current drives these fields lay flat on the disk surface. Standing them upright means they take less space, enabling more to be packed on the disk and the storage capacity to be increased.

Software for iTunes changed by Apple

Fri, 20 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

People who regularly use Apple’s iTune online music store have raise concerns over privacy issues. The concerns were raised after Apple recently introduced a song-recommendation feature in the music jukebox program. As users play songs from the libraries they have created, a MiniStore window pane appears that gives suggestions for other music or video that the user may like.

Sony F TV and SZ Duo Core Laptops Announced

Thu, 26 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Sony has announced the Japanese release of 2 new laptop PC’s based on the Intel Duo Core processor. First up is the new ultra portable SZ series notebook, an attractive looking notebook that follows Sony's tradition of stylish design and portability. Using the latest mobile technology from Intel.

The Lamborghini laptop series

Mon, 09 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Asus today announced a partnership with Italian automobile maker Lamborghini that will result in a specially branded series of laptops with the car company’s logo. The Lamborghini laptop line-up will include glossy black and yellow machines, which, Asus claims, "With the look alone, exude power, speed, strength and beauty."

Windows error could leave drives open to hackers

Thu, 19 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

According to a security researcher, users of Windows laptops with Wi-Fi capabilities may be opening their hard drives up to hackers. Exploiting a design flaw in Windows XP and Windows 2003 systems with built-in wireless capabilities, hackers could lure Wi-Fi users into connecting to malicious wireless networks, according to Microsoft, which recently completed an investigation of the issue.

Asus goes hell for leather

Fri, 24 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Asus has got a new range of laptops that it's been showing off to the world. There are a couple of flagship models being released in the very near future. First out is the Lamborghini notebook, named the VX1, designed to compete with the Ferrari laptop from Acer.

Buy a pink laptop and help charity

Tue, 07 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Ergo Computing have launched a limited edition pink laptop, the Ensis S, which is aimed at raising funds for breast cancer prevention. The Genesis Appeal is the charity that will benefit from the sales of the pink laptops. Genesis is the only charity in the UK committed to breast cancer prevention. Statistics show that one in ten women is likely to develop breast cancer during their lives.

Intel-based MacBook Pro laptops upgraded by Apple

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT

The latest Intel-based MacBook Pro laptops by Apple have been upgraded with a faster processor than was originally advertised. According to the Apple Store in the UK the notebooks come with a 1.67GHz or 1.83GHz Core Duo chip. But in the US, the Apple Store specifies 1.83GHz in the slower model and 2.0GHz in the faster model.

Lawyers warn of wi-fi legal risks

Mon, 13 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT

A warning was sent out by a leading law firm that companies who do not protect their employees and businesses, could face high legal costs from the threats encountered when using public wi-fi networks. So far there has not been any cases in the UK in connection with such problems but law firm Charles Russell it is only a matter of time.

Lenovo to offer its own branded PCs and laptops

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Lenovo is finally coming out with its own Lenovo-branded PCs, named the Lenovo 3000. Lenovo has previously been known more for producing IBM branded PCs and laptops, especially since IBM sold off its PC business to Lenovo in December 2004.

New ThinkPads bundled with Vodafone

Thu, 02 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT

The Lenovo Group is set to release laptops with integrated high-speed mobile data. The computer maker, which completed its acquisition of IBM's PC business last year announced that it had signed a deal with Vodafone to allow Lenovo laptops to carry connectivity for its third-generation (3G) and GPRS wireless technologies into upcoming models of ThinkPad notebooks, including the T60 and the X60.

Possible Dell and Google collaboration

Thu, 09 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Search engine leader Google and personal computer maker Dell are in negotiations to broker a deal that will see Google’s software being pre-installed on each new Dell computer sold. If successful, this new collaboration could be a huge blow to Microsoft’s domination of software for the PC market as users would install programmes from Google on setting up a new computer.

Power to your desktop PC

Tue, 21 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT

If you are fed up explaining to the other half the barrage of cables are a necessity to having a desktop computer at home, perhaps you need to invest in a Powerdesk. The company has launched two designs to choose from, the Barcelona and Tokyo, which have been created for use in the home or in the office.

Sony goes slim

Fri, 03 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Sony, are set to launch a new range of laptops that are reportedly thinner than the size of a men’s monthly magazine. The laptop is made of carbon fibre and measures just over 30cm in length, 22cm in width and is less than 2.5cm thick.

Acer unleashed new small desktop PC

Fri, 29 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Acer unleashed its latest Small-Form-Factor (SSF) desktop PC range - the AcerPower 1000 and 2000 series. Measuring 60 x 250 x 200mm in size, the desktops are 10 times smaller than standard tower PC casings, the company claimed. Plus, the desktops use standard PC-based components and not parts meant for notebooks, which is what some of the other companies have resorted to, claimed Acer.

Essential accessories for your laptop

Mon, 04 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Sudden shocks, heat, cold, moisture or even a malicious virus or spyware program can harm your laptop . One good jolt can destroy the hard drive, crack the LCD, or permanently damage the motherboard .

Further urge for $100 OLPC project

Fri, 08 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Professor Nicholas Negroponte, at MIT Institute, conceptualised the OLPC program that aims to provide children in third world countries with laptops, so as to educate them. Recently a conference at ITU Telecom World, he said that OLPC is in discussions with Finland, United Arab and France that can help by placing laptop orders for countries like Namibia, Pakistan and French-speaking African countries respectively.

High Security oriented SafeBook Laptop

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT

The SafeBook™ is a new thin, mobile client laptop that is specially designed to reinforce data security . Endorsed by leading industry leaders like Citrix and IBM, the SafeBook is designed for the global enterprise including the mobile executives, travelling employees, healthcare and other vertical markets where mobile workers need information at their fingertips without the fear of virus infection or critical data loss .

High speed Gaming Laptops

Thu, 07 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT

It is a common misconception that laptops are not good for playing games on. In reality finding a laptop that is suitable for playing games is not a difficult task, but there are some key things to look at while buying a laptop.

Laptops affect male fertility

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Recent research conducted by the State University of New York revealed the effect of heat from laptop computers on male fertility. The research claims that high temperatures from laptops can affect the functioning of scrotal sacs which produce sperm damaging them thus causing problems with fertility.

Panasonic develops battery that won't overheat

Tue, 19 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Japanese electronics maker Matsushita Electric Industrial Co announced mass production of a new lithium-ion laptop battery that will not overheat unlike other batteries that prompted a massive recall of Sony batteries earlier this year. The announcement comes in a year when battery market leaders Sony and Sanyo Electric have been hit by recalls of high-power batteries for PCs and mobile phones, including a 4.1 million battery recall initiated by Dell, Round Rock and Texas .

The Refurbished Gateway 9300 laptop

Tue, 05 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT

The Gateway 9300 laptop computer is one of the fastest, impressive and business-oriented. One can easily be impressed by its speed, functionality, size and looks. You can tell a person is a hardcore computer user if they have a Gateway 9300 laptop computer . Despite having so many advantages, the biggest disadvantage of the Gateway 9300 is its high price. Lower models are also available on the market, but they are not powerful models. This is the major reason why many homeowners and many small business people go for refurbished Gateway 9300 laptop computers .

Acer 9800 laptop features huge 20 inch display

Wed, 02 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Acers have unveiled a new notebook computer, the Acer Aspire 9800 with a 20.1-inch widescreen display and in-built HD DVD drive . It features Intel's 945PM Express chip and fast DDR2 667MHz memory (up to 4GB), NVidia GeForce Go 7600 graphics chip, and up to 240GB hard drive storage (2x 120GB drives).

Acer Ferrari 5000 dual-core AMD laptop

Fri, 11 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Acer’s relationship with Ferrari has obviously proved good for both as a new range of exclusive notebooks prepares to repeat the formula. The Acer Ferrari 5000 is a powerful and pricey notebook intended to replace a much bulkier desktop computer .

AMD Powers New Lenovo Desktops

Wed, 09 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT

China based PC manufacturer Lenovo Group Ltd is launching a new line of desktop PCs using processors made by Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), a clear indication that the chipmaker has enhanced its relationship with Lenovo. Earlier this year, Lenovo said it would be using AMD processors in notebooks and systems aimed at consumers and small businesses . The planned Tuesday announcement appears to be the first AMD-based desktop aimed at larger customers.

Apple laptop catches fire in Japan

Wed, 30 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Japanese authorities are reporting the first case of an Apple laptop catching fire in Japan. Apple spokeswoman Michiko Matsumoto says a laptop made by Apple Computer Inc. overheated and caught fire in April, causing the user to sustain minor burns.

Apple to recall 1.8 million notebook batteries

Fri, 25 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Apple has become the latest victim of overheating batteries, it emerged yesterday as the computer giant said it was recalling nearly 2m devices. The company said it was recalling 1.8m lithium-ion notebook computer batteries, supplied by Sony, after nine of them overheated, causing minor burns to two users.

Dell in laptop refund

Mon, 14 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Dell Inc, the world's largest personal computer maker, is offering refunds to customers in China who sued the company saying their laptops had different microprocessors than advertised. Dell, the No. 2 PC maker in China after Lenovo Group Ltd was sued by 19 people in Xiamen in the eastern province of Fujian, China Daily reported on its Web site on Friday. In July, a case was brought in Shanghai .

Intel brings Core 2 Duo technology to laptops

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Laptop manufacturers have started selling the first notebooks powered by Intel’s new Core 2 Duo processors formerly known by their 'Merom' codename. The company announced that nearly 200 laptop models worldwide would incorporate the new chip into their designs. The processor is a mobile version of the "Conroe" desktop based Core 2 Duo.

Toshiba Dynabook Satellite P10 160C/5 Unveiled

Mon, 07 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba in Japan has unveiled a new notebook that targets the business community. The Dynabook Satellite P10 160C/5 is powered by an Intel Celeron M 380 1.63GHz processor, 256MB RAM and Radeon Xpress 200M graphics for a maximum XGA resolution (1024x768 pixels) on a 15" LCD . Bundled with Windows XP Home Edition and wireless LAN, the Dynabook Satellite P10 is equipped with a 40GB hard drive and DVD/CD-RW combo. Integrated LAN and V.90 modem apart, the laptop features four USB 2.0 ports, a Type II PC card slot and S-video out.

Toshiba launched range of external hard drive

Wed, 23 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba has launched a new range of external USB hard drives, with software that encrypts all stored data to deter unauthorised access. Toshiba’s latest external hard drive range connects to a notebook or PC via a simple USB connection and will be available in three storage sizes, 160GB, 250GB and 320GB. From October 2006 there will be 400GB and 500GB models also available for those looking for more than the average storage needs.

Vodafone Offers 3G to Apple MacBooks

Fri, 04 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Vodafone UK will be launching the Vodafone Mobile Connect USB Modem, a new version of its 3G broadband data card designed especially for users of the latest generation of laptops, desktops and Apple MacBooks, later this year. These new products would be available in the retail market by this autumn and it would allow the users of Apple MacBook products to access Vodafone’s high-speed 3G broadband services by simply plugging it into the USB slot on their computer .

Acer Aspire 9800 Laptop

Mon, 10 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Acer took its place in line behind Toshiba to say it will release an HD DVD-packing laptop, the Aspire 9800. This is going to be one unusual notebook, with a massive 20.1-inch. Although it has such a large screen, the maximum resolution is "only" 1680 x 1050 the same as 20.1" desktop displays like the Dell 2007WFP. It would have been nice to see a WUXGA (1920x1200) display offered as an option. Powering the 20.1" display is a GeForce Go 7600 GPU backed up with 256MB of dedicated graphics memory. The Aspire 9800 is able to support dual SATA hard drives up to 240GB in a RAID 0 configuration. It’s naturally got Intel’s Dual Core processing and backs it up with a 240GB hard-drive, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.0. The thing is loaded for video of all types, including a 1.3-megapixel webcam, and both analog and digital TV tuners feeding that big display.

Apple to recycle old computers for free

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Apple Computer Inc. will soon adopt an environmentally friendly twist for buyers of new Macintosh computers by offering to recycle their old computers for free. The beginning of the new eco-friendly campaign said to be scheduled in June. Thus, any customer who purchases a new Mac computer through Apple online shops or retail stores will also receive free recycling possibilities for their older computer.

Asus Finally Specs Lamborghini Laptop

Tue, 18 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

ASUSTeK Computer Inc. has unveiled the final specifications of the ASUS-Lamborghini VX1 notebook . The VX1, priced at 2799 EUR (VAT included), is expected to be available in the market at the end of April. The slim and light ASUS-Lamborghini VX1 is based on the latest Intel Centrino Duo mobile technology with Intel Core Duo processor T2500. The dual-core capability of the VX1 enables multitasking computing and provides fast processing performance that exceeds desktop level. The notebook works with short response time and carry out tasks without delays.

Asus unveils Dolby driven laptops

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Asus today unveiled two new W2J &A7J Intel Core Duo-powered notebooks,both of which reach the required audio criteria to wear dolby badges on their electronics lapels. The W2J which is able to provide a true Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound system, which you can play back through headphones, the laptop’s two speakers or, for a full-on but less portable experience, 5.1 speakers and enable you to burn DVD movies with proper 2-channel Dolby Digital audio .

Dell laptops aim to game

Wed, 19 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

The massive international computer company Dell have launched their most powerful laptop to date. The new XPS M1710 is there first dual core laptop mainly aimed at high end users and gamers . The XPS M1710 is powered by Intel Core Duo processors and an NVIDIA 512 MB GeForce graphics processor, massive RAM support of up to 2048 MB and is robust enough to allow users to play 3-D games while simultaneously performing other demanding tasks such as recording music or running a virus scan .

Evesham launch Quest 620 and voyager C720 laptops

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Evesham has announced updates for two of its flagship notebooks - the Quest A620 and the Voyager C720. The two notebooks, the Quest A620 and the Voyager C720, will now be selling with the new NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900 GTX graphics-processing unit and the Voyager C720 is now also available with Intel’s new Dual-Core technology.

HP recalls overheating PC batteries

Fri, 21 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Hewlett-Packard is recalling about 15,700 HP and Compaq laptop computer batteries worldwide because of a burn and fire hazard, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission said today. The recall covers lithium ion batteries manufactured in January 2005, with barcodes starting with L3. The affected units were made in China and sold in the USA through December 2005. The batteries are used in several HP Pavilion and Compaq Presario notebook models.

Medion laptop born on cheapside

Fri, 07 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Medion's reputation is definitely growing. Once known only for the desktop PCs it sold through Aldi, it's now forging a name for solid products at budget prices. We recently featured their Sat Nav system for under £300 and now they've unveiled the MAM 2080 notebook, which retails for less than £400. Students and those looking for a laptop for basic word processing and internet surfing might do well to check out Medion computer's latest budget offering.

New Direction For Intel

Mon, 24 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Intel Corp. is expected on Monday to announce plans to introduce a new brand for a line of business products designed to make it easier for companies to manage and maintain fleets of personal computers, the New York Times said. Intel spokesperson, Scott McLaughlin, says the enterprise announcement will include a number of industry partners including security vendor, Symantec. He declined to comment further.

New Laptop Is Waterproof

Wed, 26 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

The new laptop computer from Matsushita Electric, maker of the Panasonic brand, is unlikely to stop working even if water is spilled over it, the Japanese electronics maker said Tuesday. Matsushita Electric Industrial (Panasonic) plans to launch its new Let’s Note CF-Y5 laptop with a waterproof protective sheet and drainage system to protect the hard drive and other internal circuitry from mild water damage.

Nvidia GeForce Go 7900 series available in notebooks

Thu, 20 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

NVIDIA Corp unveiled the new NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900 Series of graphics processing units (GPUs), which enable gamers to experience vivid, extreme high-definition (XHD) games on notebook PCs . The new GeForce Go 7900-series GPUs for desktop replacement laptops consists of two chips, the model Go 7900 GS and the model Go 7900 GTX, the former can boast with relatively low power consumption, whereas the latter delivers world’s highest performance among the mobile GPUs released to date. Both new chips are produced on the 90nm process technology and are based on the GeForce 7900 micro-architecture with some additional power-saving capabilities.

Pretty Girl virus hits computers across Vietnam

Wed, 12 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

More than 20 000 computers in Vietnam have been infected by a sophisticated new computer virus, unleashed by a Vietnamese programmer, in one day. The "Gai Xinh" (Pretty Girl) virus uses Yahoo Messenger to infect computers when users click on a link ostensibly from an instant-messenger contact. Clicking on the link sends an instant message with the same link to all Yahoo contacts, but it was limited to certain Vietnamese-language websites .

Service deletes files on stolen laptops

Thu, 13 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Lose your laptop; lose your identity, right? Not quite. If you contract with Everdream, you can have that data wiped even after the laptop has gone missing. Everdream, the leading provider of on-demand desktop management services, today announced the launch of its Theft Recovery Managed Service, which enables companies to retain control over misplaced or stolen PCs and laptops by encrypting or deleting data contained on the computer .

Spyware Warning

Wed, 05 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Security experts yesterday warned that a growing number of maliciously coded web pages are downloading spyware programs onto computers without the consent of the sites visitors. One of these programs is particularly dangerous due to its enticing bait, a sudoku puzzle. The application in fact operates perfectly, allowing users to play the game. However, without users knowing, every time the application is opened, it downloads YazzleSudoku, a type of spyware, onto the computer.

The World Cup Laptop

Tue, 25 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Toshiba has launched the ultimate laptop for World Cup fans in the guise of the Dynabook 2006 FIFA WORLD CUP EDITION laptop that sports a gold-painted cover with the World Cup design and all kinds of other fun footie features, including the names and years won of previous champions and host countries. It's a fully loaded Dynabook TX laptop, with a limited run of just 600 units, the gold painted 15.4-inch dynabook TX laptop comes with a 1.6Ghz Core Duo processor, 512MB of RAM, a 80GB SATA HDD with a set of built-in Harman &Kardon speakers.

UKs supercomputer speeds into action

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Britain's most powerful supercomputer has received a £52m boost from the government. The computer is planned to be ready by 2007, and should be faster than any other in Europe and six times faster than any machine like it in the UK.

Intel delays new itanium chip release

Tue, 25 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Intel Corp, the world's largest maker of computer chips, has delayed the release of its Itanium processor because of quality problems, the first postponement since a series of hold-ups in 2004. The chip, referred to by the company as Montecito, was scheduled for introduction in ''early 2006" but will now be mass-produced in ''mid-2006 pushing it back from its initial plans by almost three months, said Scott McLaughlin, a spokesman for the Santa Clara, Calif. company.

Lenovo Launches Industry's Thinnest and Lightest 14-inch Widescreen ThinkPad laptop

Tue, 18 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT

China's Lenovo Group announced a new series of 14 and 15 inch wide-screen laptops that will come with either the classic black ThinkPad cover or a new special edition champagne-coloured titanium casing. Titanium offers a sleek new look, durability, and scratch resistance for one of the world's most well known notebook brands. The so called Z series is designed for mobile and small business users who rely on one notebook computer for both work and life demands. The ThinkPad Z Series features the 14 inch Z60t and the 15.4 inch Z60m. The Z60t is the industry's thinnest and lightest widescreen notebook in its class. It is 1.1 inch thick and weighs just 4.2 pounds. It features 25 per cent more data space than a 14 inch XGA screen. The Z60m, on the other hand, features 30 per cent more data space than a 15 inch XGA and provides users better viewing angles for use while in flight.

Intel adds colour to the laptop

Fri, 02 Dec 2005 00:00:00 GMT

The world's largest computer chip manufacturer has set its cap at the fashion business with a new design"ultra-fashionable" concept laptop, it looks like laptops might just have arrived on the fashion-scene. According to a recent Intel/Ultrasuede laptop style study, 73 per cent of adult computer users in USA want to buy technology products that reflect their personal style.

NEC launches laptop without hard disk

Mon, 05 Dec 2005 00:00:00 GMT

NEC announced that it has developed a laptop minus the hard disk or HDD for corporate users. The "PC Parafield" has been developed as a replacement for existing thin-client systems and combines both high data-security with the ability to be used anywhere, said Hitoshi Onodera, a spokesman for the Tokyo Company.

PC World rapped for laptop ad

Thu, 01 Dec 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Sixty-five viewers complained after seeing PC World's new television ad campaign selling the joys of wireless internet access, resulting in the ad getting banned for being misleading. The ad, created by M&C Saatchi, is set in a PC World store where an assistant is demonstrating a laptop to a female customer.