September 13, 2005, 9:03 PM PDT
ThinkPad goes wide-screen
Posted by: Michelle Thatcher

Looks like those rumors about a wide-screen ThinkPad were true: Lenovo has revealed the ThinkPad Z series, with two wide-screen models. The Z60t has a 14-inch WXGA display, measures 1.1 inches thick, and weighs 4.5 pounds. The 15.4-inch Z60m offers a choice of screen resolutions (WXGA or WSXGA+), measures 1.4 inches thick, and weighs 6.6 pounds. Those who loved ThinkPad's boxy, matte-black case will be disappointed: the Z series models have rounded edges, and for an extra $25, you can buy a scratch-resistant titanium cover.

As with other ThinkPads, the Z series will be highly configurable, with processor options ranging from 1.4GHz Celeron to 2.13GHz Pentium M, up to 2GB RAM, and 5,400rpm hard drives in 40GB to 100GB capacities. The larger Z60m also offers a choice of Intel or ATI graphics processors. The most notable option, though, is the integrated wireless antenna that lets Z-series laptops connect to the Verizon EV-DO network--which means ThinkPads promise the fastest integrated cellular we've seen. (Sony laptops, such as the VAIO T350P, use Cingular's slower EDGE network.)

In case any of these major changes failed to shock you, the pricing surely will: the Z60m will start at $799, while the smaller Z60t starts at $1,099.

Update: For the curious, the Z60t will ship September 20, while the Z60m is set to ship October 11.

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September 13, 2005, 5:45 PM PDT
Will eBay and Skype mind your business?
Posted by: Elsa Wenzel

We're excited to welcome Dorian Benkoil, whose face and words will soon grace the CNET Business Buzz each day. Dorian writes: "The big news about eBay buying Internet telephony company Skype has implications for businesses large and small. Is there a company that has done more for small business in the United States than eBay, that is more attuned to small-business needs, from storefronts to sole proprietorships?" Notes News.com's Jennifer Guevin in a blog roundup: "Bringing Skype's communications technology to eBay creates the potential for new services and could fundamentally change the way people use the auction site." (Watch our At Work page for coverage in upcoming weeks on using eBay effectively and for a host of other small-business solutions.) Meanwhile, Skype has become a de facto standard for many small businesses, especially those whose staff work internationally but want to communicate at low (or no) cost using VoIP. Small businesses, take note."

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September 13, 2005, 1:11 PM PDT
$80 proves you're not a terrorist
Posted by: Molly Wood

Responding to the annoying habit of federal security officers continually making people go through security at airports, a company is offering a get-through-the-line-fast card for $79.95 per year. This will help maintain the dignity of business professionals. Apparently you can put a price on security.

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September 13, 2005, 1:03 PM PDT
Spyware? IT will protect me
Posted by: Molly Wood

According to a Trend Micro survey, users engage in riskier behavior on work computers because they think they're protected from viruses, spyware, and such. That's exactly what your IT department is afraid of. Stop it, people! Only you can prevent worms.

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September 13, 2005, 12:58 PM PDT
Microsoft takes Heinz-like strategy
Posted by: Molly Wood

Ever been confused about whether you should get Windows XP Home or Windows XP Pro? Windows Vista will clear that up by giving you seven versions of the software. From Windows Vista Starter Edition to Windows Vista Ultimate Edition, you can choose the best option for you. Presumably they all will come with their own unique security flaws.

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September 13, 2005, 12:10 PM PDT
Two Nokia phones now with carriers
Posted by: Kent German

Just as we expected, Cingular is now selling the Nokia 6682. That's good new for anyone who wants to buy the stylish, feature-rich smart phone, as service rebates will lower the sky-high price of $550 to a more affordable $299. For the time being, the 6682 will be Cingular's only Symbian-powered mobile and the carrier's sole Nokia smart phone.

In other carrier news, T-Mobile is now offering the Nokia 6101. A flip phone furnished in black, the 6101 offers a middle-of-the-road features set, including a VGA camera with video recording and playback; a speakerphone; an infrared port; instant messaging; basic PIM applications; text and multimedia messaging; voice commands and dialing; Java (J2ME) support; a wireless Web browser; and support for SMTP, POP3, and IMAP4 e-mail. The 6101 is priced at $149.

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September 13, 2005, 9:54 AM PDT
The great response-time hype
Posted by: Lara Luepke

This morning ViewSonic sent out a press release announcing that it had changed its mind about its VX924 monitor. The LCD now has an official response time of 3 milliseconds (ms) instead of the afore-announced 4ms response time. Why does this matter? Because in the LCD monitor game, the race for the fastest response rate is on, and ViewSonic just pushed itself into the lead by lowering the official response time on the VX924.

Response time refers to the time required for an LCD pixel to change from fully off (black) to fully on (white), then fully off again, and it serves as a rough indicator of how quickly the screen can refresh a video image. However, in most real-life games and videos, pixels are rarely completely on or off. Instead, they mostly cycle between so-called gray states--that is, colors. Generally, switching between gray states is far slower than switching between black and white, so the true refresh time may be a lot slower than the spec indicates. Monitors with very slow response time--somewhere around 30ms--will most likely show ghosting when showing videos and fast-paced video game backgrounds. The problem with this spec, however, is that there's no standard for testing and reporting, so the numbers we hear are usually "gray-to-gray" response time, which is basically half of the monitor's actual response time. But, still, this number usually indicates the monitor's fastest response time, which is probably not what you'll see with daily use.

So, our advice is that you take manufacturers specs, especially response time, with a grain of salt and don't buy into the hype around fastest response times. Your best bet to see how a monitor will actually perform is to test it out. Play fast-moving games and DVDs on your screen and look for trails or ghosting in the images.

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September 13, 2005, 8:31 AM PDT
Dish Network: Pocket satellite and MPEG-4 coming soon
Posted by: David Katzmaier

Today, Dish Network announced a trio of portable video players (PVPs) that work with its latest satellite DVRs. Dubbed PocketDish, they're devices codeveloped with Archos that, in addition to recording video in real time and offering all the other features of Archos PVPs such as the AV700, can interface with the Dish Player-DVR 942 and other receivers via USB 2.0. At the demo I saw at CEDIA, Dish's reps plugged the PocketDish into the USB port on the front of the 942, and a dialog appeared asking whether we'd like to transfer content. It was then a simple matter of selecting one or more shows and pressing the button; in minutes, the programs were available to watch on the PocketDish. Transferring an HD show is not possible, however. All three units, including the AV700E ($599 list) with a 7-inch screen, the 4-inch AV500E ($499), and the 2.2-inch AV402E ($329), will be available in October.

Starting in mid-September, a new version of the 942 software is being rolled out to allow PocketDish compatibility. Soon after, Dish hopes to debut a similar upgrade to its 522 and 625 boxes, enabling them to work with the PocketDish as well (the earlier DVR-921 is not compatible). The software also lets you upload photos to the DVR's hard drive for slide-show playback on your TV. Although it's designed primarily to work with USB thumbdrives, one Dish product manager plugged his Canon digital camera into the prototype 942, and it worked fine. The box detected and downloaded the images, and I was treated to a picture of myself looking appropriately dorky as I enthusiastically absorbed the PocketDish demo. I distinctly remember wondering, "If they can do this with USB, how about hooking up a 500GB hard drive?"

I also saw the new 411 high-def receiver with MPEG-4 decoding capability. MPEG-4/AVC allows Dish--and rival DirecTV--to squeeze more channels into less bandwidth, primarily to deliver more HD channels including high-def local stations via satellite; with current satellite receivers, you need to use an antenna to receive local HD stations. Dish will roll out the 411 and associated MPEG-4 satellite broadcasts to select markets by the end of the year. DirecTV has announced a similar plan and, unlike Dish, even named the first markets on the list. Neither company has specifics about MPEG-4-capable, high-def DVRs--the successors to the DirecTV HD TiVo and the Dish 942--but we expect to hear all about them at CES in January, if not sooner. Pricing is not yet available on the 411. I also asked whether Dish would offer some sort of trade-in to existing HD satellite receiver owners whose boxes are incompatible with MPEG-4 transmissions or a leasing program for new boxes such as the programs employed by most cable companies, but the company isn't ready to make any official announcements yet. DirecTV, for its part, will reportedly provide a free upgrade for existing HDTV owners, but details are still sketchy.

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