Dell’s Studio XPS 1340 and Studio XPS 1640 sneak onto the scene

In all-too-familiar fashion, Dell’s new Studio XPS laptops have snuck onto the company’s store with nary a press release to keep them company. The 1340 is obviously the Studio XPS 13 we saw last month, while the 1640 is naturally the 16-inch version of the leather accented system. Both machines are (oddly) hitting at the same $1,199 pricepoint, with Core 2 Duo processors and the typical smorgasbord of options. The base model of the 1340 includes a P8400 processor, Vista Home Premium, a 13.3-inch WXGA LCD, 2 megapixel webcam, 4GB of DDR3 SDRAM, 320GB 7200rpm SATA drive, slot-loading DVD burner and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M G graphics, while the 1640 is similar, but with ATI Mobility RADEON M86XT graphics.
Via NotebookReview.com
Read – Dell Studio XPS 1340
Read – Dell Studio XPS 1640
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Asus S121: comes with 512GB SSD!

Pfff, forget those itty bitty Eee PC SSDs. ASUS’ 12.2-inch mini laptop weighs less than 3-pounds and offers 8-hours of unplugged freedom with some help from Intel’s Atom Z520 processor and ASUS’ own Super Hybrid Engine tech. Most notable is that massive (price too we expect) 512GB SSD, a world’s first in a laptop according to ASUS. No price or dates yet, expect those along side the official press release later today.
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HP releases 13.3-inch Pavilion dv3 entertainment laptop
While you and HP can argue the rest of the night away about the most accurate moniker for its Pavilion dv2, the dv3 is definitely an ultraportable. The AMD-powered machine comes in a plethora of configurations with CPUs ranging from 2GHz (Athlon X2 QL-62) to 2.4GHz (Turion X2 Ultra ZM-86), ATI’s Radeon HD 3200 graphics, up to 8GB of DDR2 RAM, 160/250/320/400GB hard drive choices, WiFi / Bluetooth, a dual-layer DVD burner, gigabit Ethernet, an ExpressCard slot and a satisfactory array of ports including three USB 2.0 sockets, VGA, HDMI, eSATA combo (with a third USB port) and audio in / out. Users can select from a six or nine-cell battery, and there’s even an optional fingerprint reader if you’re unashamedly paranoid. Interested? It’s available today, junior, for $799 and up. Read
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HP’s 12.1-inch Pavilion dv2 with Blu-ray

Here we’ve got the fruits of AMD’s new Neo platform: the Pavilion dv2 series of entertainment laptops. Starting at 3.8-pounds with a keyboard 8% short of full-sized, this 12.1-inch (1,280 x 800 pixels) ultra-portable features a 1.6GHz Athlon Neo MV-40 processor, up to 4GB of memory and 500GB of disk, optional 802.11n WiFi, and WWAN (Gobi) support. Now what if we told you that this 64-bit Vista Home Premium laptop (no need for the XP fallback here kids) measures less than an inch thick and can be configured with ATI Mobility Radeon HD3410 discrete graphics and an external Blu-ray player for $899 when it ships in March? More you say? Ok, there’s also Bluetooth, HDMI-out, an integrated webcam, and 3.5 to 4-hours of battery with prices set to start at $699. Isn’t CES wonderful?
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MSI at CES: Wind U115/U120, NetOn PC, entertainment & gaming laptops

If you thought that MSI would allow CES to pass it by without unleashing a veritable smorgasbord of new kit upon us, you’re dead wrong. For starters, the company will be showcasing its Wind U115 and U120 netbooks for the first time in the public eye at CES, and those oh-so-intriguing NetOn all-in-one machines we spotted overseas will also be making their US debut. Said rigs will arrive in 16-, 19- and 22-inch flavors, and it’s expected that Intel’s dual-core Atom will be powering the trio. Carrying on, we’ve got the EX625 and EX623 entertainment lappies joining the EX family with inbuilt subwoofers and Blu-ray drives, and the GT725, GT727, GT627 and GX420 will all be sliding into the gamer-centric GX line. Finally, MSI will be demonstrating its first “eco-friendly carbon fiber concept gaming notebook,” so we’ll definitely be sashaying over to wrap our paws around that. Head past the break for the full release.
MSI US Announces 2009 Product Lineup
MSI at CES – South Hall 4 # 35638 and at
CES Unveiled in the Venetian Ballroom at the Sands EXPO
Tuesday 1/6 4PM
CITY OF INDUSTRY, CA – January 5, 2009 – MSI Computer, a leading manufacturer of computer hardware products and solutions, is excited to announce it CES 2009 Product Lineup. MSI will be displaying its newest additions to the Wind Netbook U-Series, the MSI “NetOn” All-in-One line, new G-Series Gaming Notebooks, and the latest versions of E-Series Entertainment Notebooks.
U-Series – Following the highly successful launch of the Wind U100 Netbook in 2008, MSI will be displaying the much anticipated Wind U115 and U120 Netbooks of the first time at CES 2009. The U115, is the world’s first netbook capable of simultaneously running SSD and HDD. By implementing the latest in hybrid storage technology, the U115 provides users with a reliable, shock-absorbent, speedy operating environment and boasts a 6-cell 12-hour battery when operating in Eco mode.
Weighing in at just under 3 pounds, the U120 is designed for portability without sacrificing performance. The Wind U120 features Intel® WiMAX Technology or a 3.5G Solution (optional), offering users the ability to connect in more places and work online at faster speeds. The U120′s stylish new case is white with black accents, giving it a sleek look that will be appealing to both business travelers and students alike.
Wind NetOn – MSI will display 16″, 19″ and 22″ versions of the new All-In-One Wind NetOn line at CES. The AE1901 model is the world’s first All-In-One to be equipped with the Intel® dual-core Atom processor, which improves operational performance and conserves energy. The AE1901′s power consumption is only 20% of that of a normal PC (250W). Its super thin appearance, wall-hung design, 16:9 HD display, touch screen and optional wireless connection will make it one of the most talked about products at CES.
G-Series – MSI will also be exhibiting the newest additions to its G-Series Gaming Notebook line at CES. This includes the GT725, GT727, GT627 and GX420 – MSI’ first 14″ model which features a 16:9 screen. MSI is especially excited to demonstrate GT725 and GT727, the first two models to break the 10,000 point 3Dmark barrier. MSI will also introduce the world to its first eco-friendly Carbon-Fiber Concept Gaming Notebook.
E-Series – MSI will also be launching two new versions of the advanced E-series Notebooks – EX625 and EX623. These new models feature ATI Radeon HD4670 video cards, a subwoofer, Dolby Surround II capabilities, 16:9 cinema-level displays, and Blue-ray optical drives.
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Dell introduces 15.6-inch Inspiron 15 laptop: starts at $600

So, how’s about some news not originating from Las Vegas? Dell has chosen today to take the wraps off of its cleanly styled Inspiron 15 notebook, and while there’s nothing here to write home about, the price accurately reflects the low-key nature of the machine. Prospective buyers will notice a 15.6-inch widescreen panel, up to 4GB of RAM / 320GB of hard drive space, an optional Blu-ray drive, integrated webcam, Intel’s Core 2 Duo powering the ship and optional Bluetooth / facial recognition software. The rig is expected to be available online later this month starting at $600, though impatient souls can find non-configurable versions right now at Best Buy (USA) and Curry’s (UK). Read
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MSI unveils ultra-thin X-Slim 320
MSI has unveiled the 13.4-inch X-Slim 320 (is that you, U300?), which at 1.98cm and about 2.87 pounds puts it just a teensy bit lighter and thicker than its Cupertino-born doppelganger, and comes with either a 4 or 8 cell battery that lasts up to 10 hours. The company provides no specs in its presser, but our cohorts at Engadget Chinese were at an MSI pre-CES event and report that we’re looking at a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530 processor, 1366 x 768 resolution, up to 2GB DDR2 RAM, 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth, 3.5G network card, three USB ports, an Ethernet port, VGA output, and an all-in-one card reader, and according to Crave it might be using the NVIDIA Ion platform. It’s coming second quarter of 2009 for about $800 — we’ll see it for ourselves later this week.
Read – MSI press release
Read – Crave report
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Lenovo ThinkPad W700ds now official: starts at $3,663
It’s sort of tough to say that Lenovo’s ThinkPad W700ds is not yet official, but if you’ve been scouring the intarwebz for a legitimate press release from the outfit, here’s your sign. The dual screen beast is at long last being confirmed by Lenovo, offering up workstation performance along with a 17-inch primary display and a 10-inch secondary slide-out panel. Details about exact configurations are scant, but we are told that prospective buyers will be able to equip theirs with high-end Intel CPUs, optional RAID HDD / SSD setups, NVIDIA Quadro FX graphics, up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, dual-link DVI / Display Port / VGA support, a 7-in-1 card reader, five USB ports, WiFi, optional WiMAX, a smartcard reader and a dual thermal solution to keep it from melting your legs and / or desk. Reportedly, the machine will be available today starting at $3,663, but as of now, it’s still nowhere to be found on the firm’s US website.
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Lenovo debuts 3 new Y Series midrange laptops

Marks One Year Anniversary with New Collection of Trend-Setting Entertainment-Focused PCs
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – January 5, 2009: Lenovo today announced the latest additions to its Idea brand of personal computers for consumers. The new PCs push the envelope in the pursuit of thinner and more stylish designs, and combine these attributes with unique features like facial recognition and high-definition entertainment technologies to give consumers a computing experience like no other. There are four new IdeaPad laptops – the IdeaPad Y650, the thinnest and lightest 16-inch laptop in its class1, the Y550 and Y430 laptops with a similar family design to the Y650, and the thinnest all-in-one desktop PC, the IdeaCentre A600. With the explosive growth of social networking, Lenovo also continues to enhance its IdeaPad S10 netbook with new instant on capability, facial recognition and easy access to Lenovo’s social networking community.
“With the launch of our global consumer Idea brand a year ago, we’ve shown the world that PC technology can be powerful and beautiful,” said Liu Jun, senior vice president and president, Consumer Business Group, Lenovo. “This year, we will keep pushing the limits of good design, balancing form and function, as you’ll see exhibited in our super-thin, 16-inch laptop and all-in-one desktop. This unique blend of design and engineering sets us apart from competitors and gives consumers a new kind of entertainment and computing experience.”
IdeaPad Y650, Y550, Y450 Laptops
Lenovo’s latest IdeaPad Y Series laptops deliver powerful Hi-Definition entertainment in new sizes that are smaller, thinner and lighter than the previous generation to give more choices to consumers. The three Y Series laptops – the Y650, Y550, and Y450 – share the same modern soft black design featuring an interlocked hexagon pattern on the top cover along with a discrete copper accent around the perimeter of the laptop.
Lenovo delivers its first 16-inch widescreen laptop, the IdeaPad Y650, to the distinction of being the thinnest and lightest laptop in its class1. In fact, the laptop weighs even lighter than many 15-inch laptops, providing users with an additional inch of screen space without compromising on mobility. Making use of special materials like carbon fiber, as used in the aerospace and automotive industries, Lenovo has engineered the laptop down to a slender one-inch at its thinnest point with a weight of just 5.6 pounds.
The expanded Y Series add three new 16:9 screen sizes: the 16-inch Y650, the 15.6-inch Y550, and the 14-inch Y450 laptops. The new Y Series laptops are configurable with up to 500GB of hard drive storage space and up to 4GB of DDR3 memory.
Designed for HD and Multimedia
To provide an exceptional Hi-Definition entertainment and multimedia experience, the Y Series laptops are equipped with 16:9 format glossy widescreen panels, optional latest generation NVIDIA GFX graphics for gaming and smooth HD video playback and Dolby® Home Theater™ surround sound. The IdeaPad Y650 laptop also features JBL speakers for a rich, resonate sound.
The Y Series includes the new Lenovo OneKey™ Theater software to enhance the audio and visual experience. By pressing a button, OneKey Theater gives users an easy way to adjust the PC’s display and sound effect settings. Users can switch from normal mode to movie mode on the fly to optimize the picture when watching movies or playing games. The Y Series also includes Lenovo Desktop Navigator so users can toggle between shortcuts, files and other frequently used programs just by placing their finger along the touch-sensitive slide bar. For extra convenience, users can simply use the multi-touch touchpad below the keyboard and use their fingertips to enlarge or reduce image size. Additionally, an ambient light sensor on the IdeaPad Y650 laptop automatically adjusts screen brightness based on surrounding light conditions, helping to reduce eye strain.
Lenovo has added new levels of performance to its Y Series by equipping them with the latest Intel processors as well as DDR3 memory to help applications respond more quickly under multi-tasking conditions. Now users can burn DVDs in less time, compress and open large documents more easily and enjoy smoother, more realistic gaming. Y Series laptops have several wireless connectivity options including WiFi and optional Bluetooth.
For added convenience, Lenovo’s latest VeriFace™ facial recognition technology combines Windows log-in and file encryption for logging onto the PC and for password-protecting individual files.
The new Y Series also features Lenovo’s OneKey™ Rescue System to help users to recover their data and restore critical system files after system failures, viruses and other mishaps.
Pricing and Availability4
The new IdeaPad Y650, Y550, Y450 laptops and S10 netbook will be available beginning in March. Manufacturer suggested retail pricing (MSRP) for models starts at $1,199 for the IdeaPad Y650, $829 for the IdeaPad Y550 and Y450, and $349 for the IdeaPad S10 netbook. The IdeaCentre A600 all-in-one desktop will be available beginning in April with MSRP for models starting at $999.
About Lenovo
Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is dedicated to building exceptionally engineered personal computers. Lenovo’s business model is built on innovation, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction as well as a focus on investment in emerging markets. Formed by Lenovo Group’s acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company develops, manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure and easy-to-use technology products and services worldwide. Lenovo has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information see www.lenovo.com.
1Thinnest and lightest in the 16-inch laptop screen class, including offerings from Acer, Sony, HP and Lenovo.
2Compared with competitor existing all-in-ones from Apple, HP, Dell and Sony.
3VOIP functionality requires VOIP software which is freely available for download from a wide range of 3rd party vendors
4Prices do not include tax or shipping and are subject to change without notice. Reseller prices may vary. Price does not include all advertised features. All offers subject to availability. Lenovo reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice.
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Rumor: New HP laptops coming soon

With CES just around the corner, it’s no surprise to hear whispers of a new lot of laptops from HP (or anyone else, for that matter). A smattering of from reports around the web have it that Hewlett-Packard is looking to debut a few new machines here in the near future, starting with the AMD-powered 13.3-inch Pavilion dv3z ($799.99), the 16-inch dv6t entertainment notebook ($679.99) and the 17-inch Pavilion G70 ($799.99). We’re also clued in on a Compaq Presario CQ60, which will tout a 15.4-inch panel, AMD CPU and not much else considering the $469.99 price tag. Finally, it looks as if the company could introduce a new “Mi” (for Mobile Internet, duh) Mini 1000 edition, which could ship as early as next week with a Linux-based OS and a $379.99 starting tag. Check the links below for all the details, and keep it locked right here for any updates from HP.
Read – HP Pavilion dv3z
Read – HP Pavilion dv6t
Read – HP Pavilion G70
Read – HP Mini 1000 Mi
Read – Compaq Presario CQ60
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