October 17, 2006, 11:03 AM PDT
Averatec's $849 dual-core ultraportable
Posted by: Michelle Thatcher

No, that's not a typo. In a world where ultraportables regularly hit the $2,000 mark, Averatec has created a niche with its small, inexpensive systems that are loaded with some pretty compelling components for the price. Thus it is with the just-announced Averatec 2300, a 4-pound system with a 1.6GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-50 processor, a 12.1-inch WXGA display, a 100GB hard drive, and a built-in double-layer DVD burner, all for the low, low starting price of $849.

We're eager to see whether the new laptop improves upon its predecessor, the Averatec 2260, which suffered in our battery-drain tests. Stay tuned for results from CNET Labs.

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October 17, 2006, 10:16 AM PDT
Lenovo wants to keep your data safe
Posted by: Michelle Thatcher

You've read the reports: Someone steals a laptop loaded with personal data. Maybe you've even received a letter explaining that your records were on a stolen piece of computer equipment. Attribute it to media hype if you want, but protecting data on ever-more-mobile hardware has to be a concern to businesses and their clients.

And this is why Lenovo announced plans to load select ThinkPads with software that works in conjunction with the laptop's fingerprint reader to encrypt the data on the hard drive. According to the company, the software meets encryption standards for U.S. government systems. (Take note, ING, Deloitte, EDS, Aetna, HP, Fidelity, the State of Florida, and others whose data has been exposed because of hardware theft.)

Meanwhile, Lenovo has also announced plans to update all ThinkPad lines with the option of Intel Core 2 Duo processors; at this point the manufacturer's Web site is showing the new processors only on T-series and R-series models. We're expecting review units in CNET Labs soon and will let you know how they run--if we can get past the security measures.

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October 11, 2006, 4:44 PM PDT
The Flickr MiniCard pickup
Posted by: Michelle Thatcher

Imagine yourself chatting up a stunningly attractive member of the opposite sex at a house party. You're getting along beautifully, until the newfound object of your desire says, "Give me your card and I'll call you." You shrivel in humiliation as you fumble for the proper words to explain that your employer doesn't issue business cards for mail clerks.

Now imagine that scene with the addition of Moo.com's Flickr MiniCards: your voice has a tinge of James Bond as you say "Of course" and hand over a calling card with one of your own Flickr photos printed on the back.

Sure, you could have ordered cards from one of the many online print shops out there, but what other cards would be so personal? And because Moo.com taps into Flickr's API, ordering the little 1.1-inch-by-2.8-inch buggers couldn't be easier. Just log into your Flickr account and start dragging and dropping photos you want to use or have Moo choose images at random. Crop your images just so with the click-and-drag interface (the most time-consuming step, especially if you choose a different image for every card), then add up to six lines of contact information, and you're done. Your options for the text are limited to just three fonts and three color choices; the flip side of that limitation is that it keeps the ordering process relatively quick and painless. It took me about 10 minutes to order up 100 cards ($20).

The process is a bit more encumbered if you aren't already a Flickr user. You'll have to sign up for a Yahoo ID (Yahoo owns Flickr) and upload the photos you want to use on your cards, keeping in mind that free Flickr accounts allow only 20MB of photo uploads per month. The good news is that you can choose any number of images to make up your 100-card set; if you upload only four photos, you'll get 25 cards of each image. Still, the service works best for those who already have a large catalog of photos on Flickr.

In addition to serving as social grease, the Flickr MiniCards could be used to promote club events, photographers, and--oh yeah--as business cards.

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September 25, 2006, 9:10 PM PDT
Toshiba produces a procession of Satellites
Posted by: Michelle Thatcher

I love a parade, especially when it's a parade of laptops with the latest processors. This evening Toshiba announced the availability of Core 2 Duo chips in three of its Satellite models:

• The Satellite P105-S9722 updates the gaming-oriented Satellite P105-S921 with a 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 processor, 2GB of RAM, an Nvidia GeForce Go 7900 graphics card with 256MB of VRAM, and a 200GB SATA hard drive--all for the same $1,999 price.
• The $1,499 Satellite R25-S3513, an enhanced version of the Satellite R25 tablet, includes a 1.6GHz Core 2 Duo T5200 processor and a 100GB hard drive.
• Three new models in the 15.4-inch Satellite A105 series, with processor options ranging from 1.6GHz Celeron to 1.66GHz Core 2 Duo and pricing from $750 to $1,449.

In addition, the company has refreshed the 14.1-inch Satellite M105 series with a range of processors (from Celeron to Core Duo) and rechristened it the Satellite M115 series. Pricing starts at $700.

CNET Labs is on the parade route for these new systems, so stay tuned for the full report.

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September 19, 2006, 10:45 AM PDT
Lenovo's first Core 2 Duos aren't ThinkPads
Posted by: Michelle Thatcher

Lenovo has quietly added two Core 2 Duo laptops to its e-commerce site, and surprisingly, they aren't in the performance- and enterprise-oriented ThinkPad line. Instead, the Lenovo 3000 N100 is getting the goodies; the company's Web site currently lists both the 14.1-inch and the 15.4-inch models with an entry-level 1.6GHz Core 2 Duo T5500 processor. At this point, though, only the 15.4-inch version has pricing: $999 for a fixed configuration with 1GB of RAM; an 80GB, 5,400rpm hard drive; and integrated Intel graphics. That's only $10 more than a Core Duo version of the N100 with almost the same specs (the Core Duo version has Windows XP Pro and a CD burner, while the Core 2 Duo version runs on XP Home and includes a DVD burner).

Of course we now have to wonder: Can ThinkPads be far behind?

(From Laptoping.com).

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August 28, 2006, 9:49 AM PDT
Core 2 Duo laptops hit the streets
Posted by: Michelle Thatcher

Coinciding with Intel's mobile Core 2 Duo announcement today, a number of manufacturers have updated their laptops with the new processor. Here's a sampling of what's on offer.

Built in the same case as the G35-AV600 we reviewed earlier this year, the Toshiba Qosmio G35-AV660's upgrades include a 2GHz Core 2 Duo T7200 processor, two 120GB hard drives, and 2GB of faster 667MHz RAM. Other new features with this refresh: the receiver for the included Media Center remote is now built into the case, and Toshiba is preloading the system with custom DVD software to maximize the laptop's HD-DVD drive. Suggested retail price for the Qosmio G35-AV660 is $3,499.

With the exception of the ultraportable NX100X/E-100M models, Gateway is offering Core 2 Duo processors across its home and business notebook lines, including the M255-E we reviewed.

Dell has included the processors in all three laptops in its XPS line; see our review of the Core 2 Duo XPS M1710.

And finally, Alienware has updated its 15-inch and 17-inch Area 51 laptops as well as its 14-inch Sentia m3450 with the new processors. Look for our review of the Area 51 m5550 this week.

We expect more Core 2 Duo systems from other major vendors to be announced in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for details.

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August 28, 2006, 8:04 AM PDT
Intel releases Core 2 Duo for laptops
Posted by: Michelle Thatcher

Editors' note: The MobileMark performance and battery life scores in this post are currently being reevaluated by CNET Labs. Results will be updated here as needed.

As promised at last month's launch event, this morning saw the release of the laptop versions of Intel's Core 2 Duo processors. The laptop chips boast the same architectural improvements as their desktop brethren; the laptop versions are simply clocked slower and feature a slower frontside bus (667MHz). Intel claims you'll see a 20 percent performance boost over previous-generation Core Duo chips. In addition, the laptop processors feature a few power-saving enhancements, which our early tests show don't do a whole lot to extend battery life. The line comprises five chips at a range of prices:

Intel Core 2 Duo T7600 (2.33GHz): $637

Intel Core 2 Duo T7400 (2.16GHz): $423

Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 (2.00GHz): $294

Intel Core 2 Duo T5600 (1.83GHz): $241

Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 (1.66GHz): $209

We were able to run both a Core Duo and a Core 2 Duo chip through CNET Labs' suite of performance benchmarks to see if the new processors lived up to Intel's claims. To be sure the platforms were identical, we tested both chips in the same Intel-provided whitebook; the comparison isn't strictly apples-to-apples, though, because we tested a top-of-the-line 2.33GHz Core 2 Duo processor against a slightly slower 2.16GHz Core Duo processor. Nevertheless, the Core 2 Duo chip ran 27 percent faster than the Core Duo chip on our iTunes encoding test, which almost exclusively measures a laptop's CPU capabilities. The other subsystems--chipset, memory, hard drive--play a larger role in our new multitasking and Photoshop tests; the Core 2 Duo laptop ran between 13 percent and 14 percent faster on those two tests than the Core Duo reference system, respectively.

Application tests
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)

Multitasking test

iTunes test

Photoshop CS2 test

Intel Core Duo

272

219

387

Intel Core 2 Duo

234

172

336

Note: In seconds

Games tests
(Longer bars indicate better performance)

Quake 4

F.E.A.R.

Intel Core Duo

37

18

Intel Core 2 Duo

36

18

Note: In frames per second

BAPCo MobileMark2005 performance rating
(Longer bars indicate better performance)

Intel Core Duo

268

Intel Core 2 Duo

254

Note: In mobile marks

BAPCo MobileMark2005 battery life minutes
(Longer bars indicate better performance)

Intel Core Duo

132

Intel Core 2 Duo

120

Note: In minutes

System configurations:

Intel Core Duo
Windows XP Media Center; 2.16GHz Intel Core Duo T2600; 1GB DDR2 SDRAM PC5300 666MHz; ATI Mobility Radeon x1600 512MB; Hitachi Travelstar 7K100 100GB 7,200rpm

Intel Core 2 Duo
Windows XP Media Center; 2.33GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7600; 1GB DDR2 SDRAM PC5300 666MHz; ATI Mobility Radeon x1600 512MB; Hitachi Travelstar 7K100 100GB 7,200rpm

In short, initial results from CNET Labs indicate that Core 2 Duo chips are showing some modest improvements over previous-generation Intel processors, but so far it's not looking to be a dominant victory. Battery life remained essentially unchanged, which is more or less what Intel promised one month ago.

We are working to get our hands on the four other members of Intel's Core 2 Duo line of laptop processors, and we'll report back as soon as we've put them through the paces. Meanwhile, CNET is kicking off our mobile Core 2 Duo coverage with reviews of the Dell XPS M1710 and Gateway M255E; reviews of systems from Alienware and bargain manufacturer PC Club, as well as other vendors, will post throughout the week. Keep an eye on our Core 2 Duo page for the latest about the new processor from CNET News and Reviews.

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August 24, 2006, 10:26 AM PDT
Apple the latest to recall laptop batteries
Posted by: Michelle Thatcher

CNET News.com has confirmed Apple Computer is recalling 1.8 million Sony batteries that were in iBooks and PowerBooks sold between October 2003 and August 2006. The company said it had gotten some reports of batteries overheating and causing minor burns or property damage.

If you purchased an Apple laptop during the time period above, you're urged to call 800/275-2273 or visit the Apple battery recall Web site.

Meanwhile, the E-Commerce Times is reporting that Dell and Apple, along with Lenovo and HP, have scheduled a summit next month to establish manufacturing standards for lithium-ion batteries.

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August 14, 2006, 9:11 PM PDT
Lenovo to Linux users: We've got your back
Posted by: Michelle Thatcher

At today's LinuxWorld conference in San Francisco, Lenovo is set to announce full support for Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop Version 10 (SLED 10) on two specific ThinkPad T60p mobile workstations. This is the first time Lenovo will release drivers to guarantee all the ThinkPad hardware works with a particular flavor of Linux. (Previously the company has "certified" three distributions of Linux to ensure basic functionality on ThinkPads, but a few features--such as the wireless card or the ability to hibernate--weren't always functional.) Better yet, users of the Linux-friendly T60p models will be able to call Lenovo tech support for help with hardware or driver issues--something that even users of "certified" Linux distributions haven't been able to do.

Though the move is a tiny step forward for Linux, it's not quite a triumph. While early reports implied that the Lenovo system would come preloaded with Linux, in actuality customers will receive just a blank hard disk from Lenovo. They'll have to obtain the SUSE Linux license and OS from Novell (and install it), then return to Lenovo's site to download the Linux drivers (and install them). Also, Lenovo's Linux support is available only for the two designated T60p workstation models--heavy-duty graphics machines designed for engineers and designers, not for average consumers.

In our briefing last week, a spokesman for Lenovo wouldn't reveal how far the company might go with Linux on ThinkPads, saying only that Lenovo is testing the waters with this release, which came in response to demand from customers in the engineering field.

Would you like to see more support for Linux from hardware manufacturers? Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

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July 31, 2006, 11:01 AM PDT
Apple Newton vs. UMPC
Posted by: Michelle Thatcher

"Two gadgets, 10 years between them, one fight to the death."

That's not a tagline for this summer's latest blockbuster movie, but it is the description of a knock-down, drag-out prizefight between an Apple Newton from 1997 and this year's Samsung Q1 UMPC, courtesy of my colleagues at CNET.co.uk. Rory Reid and Chris Stevens donned boxing gloves for an eight-round bout comparing the devices' design, usability, reliability, and other features, with surprising results. Click here to read the full story, no pay-per-view required.

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