Following up this morning's Crave post about Apple's new Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro, we've got some more detailed spec information for the nuts-and-bolts types out there.

The features are largely the same as the previous Core Duo models' and include built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth, FireWire 800 and 400 ports, an ExpressCard expansion card slot, and a DVI video output. Also standard are the illuminated keyboard and the motion-sensing technology that stops the hard drive if the system is dropped. Apple claims that the new models, which have 2.16GHz and 2.33GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPUs, are up to 39 percent faster than the older 2.16GHz Core Duo MacBook.

Also released today is a new version of Apple's MagSafe detachable power qdapter. Called the MagSafe Airline Power Adapter, this $59 accessory connects to power ports in airline seats.

Here are the basic specs on the new MacBook Pro models:

15-inch model

Universal power for your laptop
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Compatible with most Dell, HP, Lenovo, Sony, and Toshiba laptops, the NP100 includes a series of interchangeable connectors and a switch to control output voltage for different laptop models. Of course, it would be great if laptop manufacturers would agree to a standard power cable (like desktop PCs), but we suppose they'll have to get in line behind the digital camera and MP3 player camps.

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Nvidia's GeForce Go 7950 GTX for laptops
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This week's DigitalLife show was Nvidia's choice to unveil its latest mobile GPU, the GeForce Go 7950 GTX, which the company claims is the fastest laptop graphics chip on the market. It's immediately available in select systems, including the newest revision of Dell's high-end XPS M1710.

Besides gamers, hi-def movie fans will be interested, because along with the rest of Nvidia's GeForce 7 series, the 7950 offers GPU acceleration of HD video formats such as H.264--a must-have for the next generation of laptops with built-in HD-DVD or Blu-ray dives.

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The Dell M1710 offers an overclockable CPU
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Digital Life, conveniently scheduled right before the big holiday shopping season, is a hotbed of new product announcements. Dell is hoping to get on some wish lists with its latest gaming laptop, which keeps the same model number as its predecessor but adds enough new bells and whistles to warrant a second look.

The new XPS M1710 offers high-end parts such as Intel's overclocker-friendly Core 2 Duo T7600G and the new Nvidia GeForce Go 7950 GTX GPU. Dell won't overclock the processor for you in the factory, but just the fact that the company is encouraging it is a bold step (although not as bold as its overclocked XPS 700 desktop).

There are strobe lights built into the wrist rests that, according to Dell literature, "strobe, pulse, or fade the system's 16-color lights to the beat of a song or whenever a game character fires a weapon, moves, or gets fragged." It works with mainstream music apps, such as Windows Media Player and iTunes, but the compatible game list is still up in the air. The flashing lights are either massively cool or entirely lame, depending on your personal aesthetic sense. We'll leave it up to you to judge for yourself.

The revised XPS M1710 is available now. The tricked-out version with the components referenced above will set you back $3,498.

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Belkin's new laptop dock uses your ExpressCard slot
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Belkin aims to make the laptop dock useful again, with its universal ExpressCard Notebook Expansion Dock. With a router-like form factor, the dock uses your laptop's ExpressCard slot (which, honestly, probably wasn't being used anyway) to connect, providing much more bandwidth than a standard USB 2.0 connection, particularly useful for playing back high-res video.

Key features include:

Lenovo's rumored new tablet offers a nice bump in CPU options
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GottaBeMobile.com claims someone anonymously hooked them up with full specs for the upcoming ThinkPad X60s tablet, a new entry in Lenovo's ThinkPad X series. Notable because these are among the thinnest and lightest convertible tablet PCs out there (that means their screens spin around and they can function as either a traditional laptop or a tablet), the new version seems to offer a nice bump from Pentium M processors to Intel Core Solo and Core Duo CPUs.

If this is for real, expect pricing and availability details sometime later in October.

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Toshiba, Fujitsu, and Dell add to battery recalls
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If you're keeping count, that's about 7 million Sony batteries worldwide that have been recalled.

Toshiba is adding 840,000 batteries, on top of the 340,000 from a few weeks ago, while Fujitsu hasn't said yet how many problem batteries are out there, only that 19 laptop models are affected. Keep an eye on vendor Web sites for updated information on specific model numbers to see if you're affected.

Dell is adding another 100,000 to its recall of Sony batteries, for a grand total of 4.2 million, making it the largest electronics recall in U.S. history. In addition, Sony has announced that it is going to work with PC makers on a global replacement program for affected batteries.

Meanwhile, the government agency known as the Consumer Product Safety Commission says, "The CPSC is aware of at least 47 incidents involving smoke or fire associated with notebook computers, from January 2001 through August 2006." The agency has issued its own "Tips on Notebook Computer Use," which include the following:

• Do not use incompatible computer batteries and chargers.
• Computer batteries can get hot during normal use. Do not use your computer on your lap.
• Avoid dropping or bumping the computer.
• Do not get your computer or battery wet.

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Lenovo joins the battery recall brigade
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This follows major battery recalls from Dell and Apple, as well as a smaller recall by Toshiba. In all these cases, the batteries in question were manufactured by Sony.

Here's a list of affected systems, taken from the Lenovo press release. Full details on how to replace a bad battery are available at the company's Web site.

IBM and Lenovo sold these Sony batteries in systems listed below between February 2005 and September 2006. Customers who bought one of the following systems may have a battery subject to this recall:

ThinkPad R Series (R51e, R52, R60, R60e)

ThinkPad T Series (T43, T43p, T60)

ThinkPad X Series (X60, X60s)

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Sony's colorful new C series of VAIO laptops
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Weighing in at roughly 5 pounds, the VAIO C laptops will have Core 2 Duo processors and Sony Xbrite LCD screens, along with standard fare such as integrated 802.11a/b/g wireless LAN and a DVD burner. Look for these fashion-forward notebooks in October, starting at around $1,350.

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Sony adds to the VAIO ultraportable line
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The 2.8-pound VAIO TXN10 is about an inch thick, with an 11.1-inch Xbrite screen, and it will have ultra-low-voltage Intel Core Solo processors. Sony says that the laptop should get between 5 and 11 hours of battery life. It will be available in late September for about $2,300 in several snazzy shades, such as charcoal, platinum, sienna, and slate blue.

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