Dell Launches the XPS 13 13.3-inch Ultrabook

Dell today unveiled its ultraportable XPS 13 laptop, the most compact 13.3-inch Ultrabook featuring an edge-to-edge glass, near "frameless" display, all-day battery life, and the latest innovative technology for a superb overall user experience.

HP Starts Listing Notebooks with Radeon HD 7600M Graphics

PC major HP made a slight slip, disclosing AMD's upcoming Radeon HD 7000M series GPUs as options available for some of its notebooks. These are the first public disclosures of a 28 nm GPU. The new options that had been made available were Radeon HD 7670M, and Radeon HD 7690M, both based on the "Thames-XT" GPU. The Thames-XT GPU is built on the 28 nm process, and features current-generation VLIW4 stream processors, a 128-bit wide GDDR5 memory interface, and is DirectX 11 compliant. AMD unveiled this GPU at a press event in London on the 5th.

source: http://www.techpowerup.com/

MSI Announces GE620DX Performance Notebook

MSI has introduced its new GE620DX gaming laptop, featuring the Intel second generation Core i7-2630QM quad core processor (core speeds of 2.00GHz) and nVidia's top-end GeForce GT 555M discrete graphics card. Not only does the GE620DX offer more powerful graphics performance and enhanced resolution, it supports nVidia's PhysX and Microsoft's DirectX 11 for great graphics with more detailed and convincing details, like cooler explosions and more realistic flowing water, to maximize your gaming pleasure.

Mac OS X Lion Available Today From the Mac App Store

Apple today announced that Mac OS X Lion, the eighth major release of the world’s most advanced operating system with more than 250 new features, is available today as a download from the Mac App Store for $29.99. Some of the amazing

Toshiba Announces Qosmio F750 Glasses-Free 3D Laptop

Toshiba UK today announces the launch of the Qosmio F750 3D – a revolutionary new laptop with the ability to display mesmerizing 3D images without the need for 3D glasses. The Qosmio F750 3D can also display a combination of 2D and 3D images on screen at the same time, while a range of powerful, high-performance multimedia features ensures the laptop is perfect for even the most demanding tasks.

Samsung Expands 9-Series Laptop Line with Five New Models for Back to School Season

Samsung Electronics America Inc., a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Corporation, today announced an expanded Series 9 laptop line that is scheduled to arrive on store shelves in time for the back-to-school shopping season. The expanded line of sophisticated, ultra-thin and lightweight models includes five different configurations designed to meet the needs and budgets of a variety of users.

Latest Dell Inspiron M501R Notebook with AMD Phenom Quad Core

Dell has released a new notebook Dell Inspiron M501R with AMD Phenom quad-core II N930. It also offers other types of Dell Inspiron M5030 with an AMD Phenom triple-core II P320.

15.6-inch notebook is built with the AMD 880G chipset integrated graphics sertt ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250 on Dell Inspiron M5030 type. While the Dell Inspiron M501R more advanced where there is an option for ATI Mobility Radeon HD 550v 1GB for graphics. They both come pre-installed with Windows Home Premium 64-bit and can be fitted with up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, although both come with 4GB of memory as standard.

Audio quality is enhanced by SRS Premium sound, and both come with 1.3 megapixel webcam. that included the eSATA port, HDMI, and 7-in-1 card reader. Dell Inspiron M501R is equipped with a 500GB hard drive and the M5030 has a 320GB hard drive. Another standard feature is the DVD burner and six-cell battery.

Both models come in four different color choices include Obsidian Black, Peacock Blue, Pink Lotus or Red Tomato. The base configuration starts at $ 750.

New Dell Inspiron N4110 Modis Laptops Replaceable Cover

New Dell Inspiron N4110 / New Inspiron laptop 4R is present to accompany your life to be more confident and dynamic. This laptop is available in a choice of 25 stunning cover, Dell also pinned 13-hour battery life and USB 3.0 technology that can speed up the process of transfer of photos, videos, music and other files. To have this notebook, Dell Inspiron 14R New set prices ranging from USD690 to USD760, and cover SWITCH by Design Studio, with prices starting from USD 50 / pcs

Ultrabook, Intel’s New Mobile Computer Generation

Intel will launch Ultrabook, a new high performance laptop with improved security features all in „thin and elegant design”, informed Sean Maloney, Intel’s Vice-President at Computex 2011.
Maloney added that the new laptop series will incorporate the best features from tablets and predicted that Ultrabooks will hold 40% of the consumer laptop market by 2012.

He also revealed that Intel is going to step up the innovation process for the Intel Atom processors which are based on SoCs chipsets and are used in netbooks, smartphones, tablet-PCs and other mobile devices. Maloney added that Intel would launch new product series every year, which would create multiple solutions for diverse market segments.
The new laptop class will combine laptops’ performance and capabilities with the tablets’ features: Ultrabook will have a faster response time and better security features all hosted in a thin, light and elegant design.

Intel's Thin and Light Ultrabooks News

Intel executive Sean Maloney is touting a new class of mobile consumer computers called Ultrabooks in a speech in Taiwan today. The company says that 40 percent of consumer laptops will be based on Ultrabook designs by the end of 2012.

As we reported on Friday, Sean Maloney, Intel’s newly appointed president of Intel China, is announcing a big shift toward low-power chips in a keynote speech at the Computex trade show in Taiwan today, where he is unveiling a heavy-duty effort to steer Intel into the production of low-power microprocessors.

Maloney is expected to say that Intel will accelerate its efforts to make chips that are more appropriate for tablet computers, smartphones, laptops, and low-power desktops. Intel has been doing that for some time. But Maloney, a well-respected executive who has now recovered from a stroke that kept him sidelined last year, iwill take that message even further, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Samsung Chromebook bill of materials costs $322

If you’ve wondered about the profit that Samsung makes for selling each one of their Chromebooks, you have to wonder no more. According to the folks over at iSuppli, who gave the Samsung 3G Chromebook a tear down, it costs $322 to obtain the parts to make one of these Chrome OS-powered notebooks, while it retails for only $499. That’s not a very large profit margin for Samsung, when compared to the XOOM or iPad that costs only $278 and $235 respectively that sell for more than the Chromebook. And we haven’t even included the costs involved used to pay for other factors such as workmanship and marketing of the device.

The Chromebook is made from a $86.37 motherboard, a $58 display, a $48.20 battery, and a wireless $42.85 chip. All the parts are soldered onto the board as well, which means this won’t be a notebook that you’ll be updating on your own.

Do you think that knowing how much it costs to build the Chromebook and how much Samsung makes will help convince consumers to pick up the device? I guess we’ll have to see how many units of Chromebooks are shifted in order to see how much Samsung will make.

source:ubergizmo.com

Toshiba Unveils Qosmio X770 and X770 3D Gaming Laptops

Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced U.S. retail pricing and availability for the Qosmio X770 and Qosmio X770 3D series of high-performance laptops. Most ideal for demanding visual tasks like gaming and media creation, these laptops feature a high-performance blend of processor technologies from Intel and NVIDIA, while delivering ultra-fast components, entertainment-focused features and 3D technology for consumers looking for maximum mobile performance. Starting at $1,199 MSRP , the Qosmio X770 and Qosmio X770 3D Series are available at participating retailers later this month.

"Qosmio represents Toshiba's ability to make cutting-edge mobile computing technologies more accessible to the mass market," said Carl Pinto, vice president of product development, Toshiba America Information Systems, Digital Products Division. "With the Qosmio X770 and Qosmio X770 3D laptops, gamers, content creators and multimedia enthusiasts will be able to enjoy the latest HD content with amazing audio, even in vivid stereoscopic 3D."

Qosmio X770 – Serious Power for Serious Gaming and HD Media
Qosmio X770 laptops are equipped with powerful processors, ultra-fast components and latest-generation technologies to meet the needs of consumers demanding more performance from their portable PC. One of the first laptops to feature the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M graphics processor with 1.5GB of discrete graphics memory plus battery-saving Optimus technology, the Qosmio X770 is able to handle demanding DirectX 11 games with ease while delivering plenty of performance for media creation apps. Offering a choice of 2nd Generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors , configurations are available with up to 8GB RAM3, plenty of ports, including a USB 3.0 port , plus hard drive storage options scaling up to 1 terabyte.

Featuring a 17.3-inch diagonal HD+ TruBrite LED backlit display , the Qosmio X770 features built-in premium harman/kardon speakers and subwoofer tuned with sound enhancement technologies from Dolby and MaxxAudio 3 by Waves Audio. Dressed in a premium Fusion X2 finish and a raised-tile keyboard enhanced with red LED backlighting, the Qosmio X770 delivers distinctive and durable styling that is sure to turn heads. The laptop features a full range of Toshiba "Smart" features, including USB Sleep & Charge and Toshiba Sleep & Music , enhancing the laptop's capabilities to power up smartphones and sound to MP3 players while powered down. Additional configuration options include a Blu-ray Disc player and Bluetooth v3.0.


Qosmio X770 3D - Gaming in the Third Dimension
The Qosmio X770 3D, featuring NVIDIA 3D Vision technology , offers full stereoscopic 3D entertainment for gaming, movies, photos and more. Featuring a 17.3-inch diagonal 120Hz 3D-ready, 1080p HD TruBrite LED backlit display7, this laptop includes a pair of wireless active shutter glasses for out-of-the-box 3D enjoyment, plus essential components for Blu-ray 3D playback, 2D-to-3D movie conversion , plus output to a 3DTV, the Qosmio X770 3D delivers a full suite of 3D enjoyment.

Offering the same high-end processors, components and styling featured in the Qosmio X770, the Qosmio X770 3D maxes out the platform even further with a 1.25 terabyte hard drive6 with Hybrid Drive technology, plus a Blu-ray Disc Rewriteable drive9. The Qosmio X775 3D carries as MSRP of $1,899.99 MSRP.

source: www.techpowerup.com

MacBook Pro review

Apple might say we're in the post-PC era, but hey -- turns out they still make Macs in Cupertino, and the new MacBook Pro is actually one of the more aggressive refreshes in the machine's history. Not only has it been less than a year since the last MacBook Pro spec bump, but our 15-inch review unit is actually the first Sandy Bridge system we've received from any manufacturer. And it's not just the CPU that's new: Apple's also launching the new Thunderbolt high-speed interconnect, and there's been a big switch to an AMD Radeon HD 6750M GPU paired with Intel's integrated HD Graphics 3000, an arrangement that should offer both solid graphics performance and great battery life. That's a lot of new parts in a familiar case -- but do they add up to something more than just a speed bump? Read on for our full review!
  
Look and feel

It's been nearly three years since the MacBook Pro last had a significant design change, so you'll need some eagle eyes to tell these new models apart from its predecessors. Seriously, Thunderbolt even uses the Mini DisplayPort connector, so the only distinguishing characteristics are the lightning-strike Thunderbolt icon on the port row and a subtle new texture to the aluminum lid. Oh, and the SD slot is now SDXC. Almost everything else is exactly the same: the still-best-in-class keyboard and glass multitouch trackpad, the standard glossy display, the ports, the sealed-in battery, you name it.

That's both good and bad, of course: Apple's competitors have only recently gained any ground on the MacBook Pro's unibody build quality and stiffness, but would it really kill anyone to throw in a couple extra USB ports? And maybe space them out enough to allow for both a thumb drive or wireless card and another device without an extension cable? That would be cool. And while we're at it, we'd also love that optional higher-res 1680 x 1050 display to come standard -- in matte, if possible. We will not even begin to lament the lack of a Blu-ray option; down that road lies only the aching pain of desire forever unfulfilled.

To sum this up: it looks and feels exactly like a MacBook Pro. It's still the industry standard in terms of design and quality, but after three years competitors like the HP Envy 14 have started knocking on the door, and we'd like to see the best get even better the next time around.

Performance, graphics, and battery life

No two ways about this: the new MacBook Pro is the fastest laptop we've ever tested, hands-down. We were sent the stock $2,199 15-inch MacBook Pro, and its 2.2GHz quad-core Core i7-2720QM, 4GB of RAM, and AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics with 1GB of dedicated GDDR5 RAM turned in numbers exceeding any Mac we've ever had in the labs. In fact, the raw CPU score is so high you'd have to step to a Mac Pro and Xeon processors to get anything faster, as far as we can tell. (That'll obviously change when Apple bumps the iMac line to Sandy Bridge.)

OS X Benchmarks	Geekbench	Xbench OpenGL	Battery Life
MacBook Pro (early 2011) (2.2GHz Core i7-2720QM, Radeon HD 6750M / Intel Graphics 3000)	9647	340.1 (Radeon) / 157.78 (Intel)	7:27
MacBook Pro (early 2010) (2.66GHz Core i7-620M, GeForce GT 330M)	5395	228.22	5:18
iMac (mid 2010) (3.06GHz Core i3-540, Radeon HD 4670)	5789	unavailable	n/a
iMac (late 2009) (2.8GHz Core i7-860, Radeon HD 4850)	8312	191.08	n/a
MacBook Air (late 2010) (1.83GHz Core 2 Duo, GeForce 320M)	2717	117.38	~7:30
Notes: battery life on all machines but the Air calculated using our standard video rundown test; Air was a usage test

Let's talk about those graphics scores for a moment. While the Radeon HD 6750M performed admirably when active, it also seemed to run a little hot -- yes, we got between 80 and 130fps running around in Half-Life 2: Episode 2 at native res, but the fan kicked in as soon as we launched the game, and it stayed on loudly the entire time, even as the case got noticeably warm around the hinge. It's obviously a capable GPU, but it's a good thing the system automatically switches to the integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 when it's not needed -- there's a serious decrease in heat and power usage.

Unfortunately, reduced heat and power usage comes at the expense of raw capability. Intel's integrated graphics have never been much to write home about, and while HD Graphics 3000 is an improvement, it's still pretty slow. Apple told us Intel integrated graphics performance should equal or exceed the previous Pro's integrated NVIDIA GeForce 320M, but we found it to be slightly slower at every turn, although not enough so to be dramatically noticeable. It's not a huge problem on the 15- and 17-inch Pros, since you can fall back on that Radeon, but we wouldn't try to do more than average HD media playback or casual gaming on the entirely-Intel 13-inch model.

On a happier note, we set up Boot Camp and ran benchmarks in Windows 7 to provide some more context to our numbers, and the MacBook Pro crushed those tests as well -- the VAIO Z only got a better PCMarkVantage score because of its fast SSD, and the Envy 17 just barely pulled out better graphics performance. (You can configure the MBP with a 128GB SSD for $100 extra, which should probably be standard over the pokey 5,400RPM hard drive.) Playing a little Batman: Arkham Asylum while booted in Windows netted a smooth 60fps at native resolution while meandering about, with a dip to 55fps during fights.

Windows Benchmarks	PCMarkVantage	3DMark06
MacBook Pro (early 2011) (2.2GHz Core i7-2720QM, Radeon HD 6750M, under Windows 7)	8041	10,262
HP Envy 14 (Core i5-450M, Radeon HD 5650)	6038	1928 / 6899
Toshiba Portege R705 (Core i3-350M)	5024	1739 / 3686
Sony VAIO Z (Core i5-450M, NVIDIA 330M)	9949	6,193
HP Envy 17 (Core i7-740QM, Radeon HD 5850)	6153	10,787
Dell XPS 14 (Core i5-460M, NVIDIA 420M)	5796	1955 / 6827
Notes: For 3DMark06, the first number reflects score with the discrete GPU off (if possible), the second with it on.

Needless to say, we had no problems getting through a workday on the new MBP -- we generally juggle Firefox, Chrome, email, a couple chat clients, and various image and video editing tasks on and off throughout a day, and things never felt sluggish or laggy at all. Used this way, we also managed to get around seven hours of battery life, which is pretty impressive -- we imagine things would have dipped had we fired up the Radeon more often, but in day-to-day usage the Intel graphics did just fine.

And fair kudos to Apple: with the MacBook Air, the company switched to a new battery test that automates browsing popular sites over WiFi at standard brightness, which generates a more accurate number, but also means the new MBP actually is rated lower than the outgoing model using the same battery. That's a solidly consumer-friendly move, and one we definitely wish more PC manufacturers would make as well.

FaceTime HD

Apple's been chugging along with VGA webcams on their machines for so long we were actually shocked when we found out the new MacBook Pro has an upgraded 720p FaceTime HD camera in the lid. Image quality is obviously improved from the previous generation, and we noticed a slightly cooler cast. We'd love some fine-grained image controls at the system level for this camera -- even just white balance and exposure sliders would go a long, long way.

Although FaceTime now supports HD calling, Photo Booth weirdly hasn't been updated and still takes VGA shots. Same with Skype, which only supports sending VGA video on OS X right now -- we'd imagine an HD-ready update is a much higher priority now, though.

Thunderbolt

There's just not much to say about Thunderbolt right now -- yes, the port is there, but there aren't any peripherals that use the new 10Gbps dual-channel interconnect just yet. LaCie's announced a dual-SSD Little Big Disk and Promise has announced a Pegasus RAID, but neither of those are shipping yet. Of course, Thunderbolt also carries Mini DisplayPort video, and we were able to drive an external 24-inch monitor without any issues, using an existing Mini DisplayPort-to-DVI adapter. We'll note once again that this marks the first time we can remember Apple switching standards without switching connectors -- a watershed moment in the history of dongle purchasing.

In any event, we're marking Thunderbolt as an incomplete right now -- until there are peripherals to support it, it might as well just be a Mini DisplayPort. That'll change soon, though, and we'll revisit the subject when that happens.

Wrap-up

Apple's forging headlong into its next era with the iPad and iPhone, and it almost seems like the company's forgotten about its Macs at times -- note that this MacBook Pro arrived in somewhat unheralded fashion just few days before the iPad 2. But the new Pro is something of a wolf in sheep's clothing: although it's perfectly disguised as the previous MacBook Pro, there's no mistaking its raw, visceral speed once you start using it. It's twice as fast as the outgoing model, 2.5 times as fast as the model before that, and almost five times faster than the 11.6-inch MacBook Air... all while getting the same seven-hour battery life in the real world. It's hard to say anything bad about that.

Of course, there's no getting around the fact that the MacBook Pro is still incredibly expensive and omits what should be no-brainer features -- $2,199 for two USB ports and no Blu-ray drive? -- but those are tradeoffs and prices professional Mac users have long become used to, just like this particular MacBook Pro design itself. Something tells us the next revision of the MacBook Pro will offer a more radical external redesign to go along with Lion, but that's a long ways off -- until then, this MacBook Pro represents the best blend of power, portability, and battery life we've come across to date. We'll see how the PC world responds with its Sandy Bridge systems soon enough.

source: www.engadget.com

MSI X-Slim X370 Fusion Powered Ultraportable Review

There was a period of time last year where it seemed like every other ultraportable was based on Intel's CULV platform. At the time, we figured that was just the way it was going to be for a while with ultralight notebooks. But then, AMD finally got around to shipping some Fusion based APUs. And since then, the mobile space has been hopping with new activity. Consumers have never had such a wealth of notebook options to choose from, and with Fusion, prices are remaining reasonable and battery life is improving too.

 
MSI's X-Slim lineup garnered industry-wide praise when launched a couple of years ago, and now the line-up is stepping up to Fusion. The X-Slim X370 is the company's newest ultraslim machine, and while it doesn't look too different than X-Slim machines of the past, the internals are definitely deserving of a closer look. The X370 is powered by a dual-core E-350 Accelerated Processing Unit, and it's joined by a very nice list of extras. We'll break those down below. 

Specifications and Features (as tested)

• AMD E-350 Zacate @ 1.6GHz, dual-core Fusion
• 4GB of DDR3 RAM
• 13.4" LCD (1366x768); LED backlight, matte
• AMD Radeon HD 6310M graphics
• 500GB (7200RPM)  Hard Drive
• 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi
• No Optical Drive
• 1.3 megapixel webcam
• VGA output
• USB 2.0 x 2
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
• RJ-45 (Ethernet 10/100/1000)
• Headphone / Mic Input Jacks
• SD / MMC / SDHC Multimedia Card Reader
• VGA and HDMI Output
• Stereo Speakers
• 3.11 Pounds (with 6-cell battery installed)
• Removable 8-Cell Li-ion Battery
• 13.0" x 8.82" x 0.24-0.9" (Dimensions)
• Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
• Price (as tested): $599.99
• Price (starting): $599.99
• 1-Year Warranty 

$599.99 doesn't make this a "bargain" machine, but look at what you get. A highly mobile, 13.4" machine with AMD's latest HD-crunching Fusion platform, a robust 4GB of RAM, a spacious 500GB HDD and an 8-cell battery. For $600, that's a pretty decent value, particularly when you consider than some of the higher end netbooks were going for $499 not too long ago.
 source:hothardware.com

 

Intel Gives a Sneak Peak onto Next-Generation "Cedar Trail" Netbooks.

For several years Intel Corp. considered Atom-based netbooks as very basic personal computers that should be used for basic productivity applications and Internet browsing and which are not supposed to support rich multimedia capabilities. But the times are changing and Intel's next-generation platform for netbooks will enable leading-edge multimedia functionality on inexpensive PCs.

The next-generation netbooks powered by Intel Atom "Cedarview" central processing units (CPUs) will feature a number of capabilities currently not available even on notebooks. The mobile computers based on Cedar Trail platform will include such technologies as Intel Rapid Start technology which provides fast resume, Intel Smart Connect technology which enables an always updated experience even during standby, Intel Wireless Display and PC Synch, which let users wirelessly update and synchronize documents, content and media across multiple devices.

Along with the new netbook platform, Intel also intends to roll-out its new "Keeley Lake" reference design for convertible netbooks. The reference design features Intel's new advanced cooling technology and will enable netbooks that are 17mm - 20mm thin and which can easily be converted into tablets. The Keeley Lake/Cedar Trail will support numerous operating systems, including Chrome OS, MeeGo and Windows. At this point it is unclear which PC makers will adopt the new reference design.

Intel Cedarview system-on-chip with a new Atom core will feature DirectX 10.1-capable graphics engine that will have integrated high-definition video decoder (in order to enable Blu-ray disc playback on all Atom-based systems), will support higher clock-speeds, will have improved DDR3 memory controller and will feature digital interfaces for displays. The SoCwill be made using 32nm fabrication process.

The new Cedarview processor will continue to utilize the NM10 input/output controller, which should make it easier for manufacturers to transit to the new Cedar Trail platform.

Thanks to integration of high-definition video decoder into the new Atom SoC, all systems powered by the new chip will be able to playback Blu-ray video. Unfortunately, since the new Atom SoC has outdated DirectX 10.1-class graphics core, it will be unable to use it for general purpose computing. As a result, even the forthcoming platform for inexpensive PCs from Intel will not be able to match AMD's Brazos in terms of multimedia functionality in many terms.

The new Cedar Trail platform is expected to enable more than 10 hours of battery life and weeks of standby, according to Intel.
Intel plans to start shipments of the new chips sometimes in the fourth quarter of this year or even earlier.
source:www.xbitlabs.com

MSI GX780 Gaming Notebook

Are you still messing around with one of those old-style keyboards? In the heat of battle, do you sometimes find that you left the game, because you accidently hit the Windows "Start" key and by the time you get back, your character is already dead? If so, MSI has heard your cry. It got together with leader in professional gaming equipment manufacturing SteelSeries to forge a keyboard for the serious gamer. Not only is the new keyboard much more durable, the Windows key has been moved to the right side of the keyboard where you're less likely to strike it when the adrenaline's pumping. The GX780 also comes with a 30-color LED backlit keyboard with five modes to throttle up your visual experience.

Eric Kuo, associate vice president for global sales, MSI Notebook, notes that the GX780 not only sports Intel's second generation Core i7-2630QM quad core CPU and nVidia's DirectX 11-supporting GeForce GT 555M discrete graphics card, it also has four DDR3 slots and accelerated dual hard disk architecture endowing it with impressive computing powers, making it equally suited for the digital content creator as it is for the serious gamer. The GX780 also comes with smart wrap around sound courtesy of Dynaudio and THX TruStudio Pro and a 17.3” full HD high resolution display to guarantee the ultimate multimedia experience.

Serious gamer keyboard

Windows function key relocated: Responding to cries from gamers, MSI got together with gaming equipment manufacturer SteelSeries to create a keyboard for the GX780. Not only is the keyboard more rugged, it has a more solid feel and the Windows function key has been repositioned to the right side to reduce the possibility of accidently striking it when you're hip-pocket deep in ogre blood. Larger Ctrl and Alt keys: Fans of FPS games need to use the Ctrl and Alt keys a lot for such commands as "crouch," "jump," and "pause," but these keys are smaller on most keyboards, making it easier to punch a nearby key by accident when you're going for one of them. With this in mind, the Ctrl and Alt keys were enlarged on the GX780.

Executes 10 commands at once: RTS gamers sometimes need to simultaneously gather resources, build up their areas, develop technologies, and control scouting units as they scour the land for the locations of more resources and the enemy. Due to the large variety of tasks that need to be executed, the player needs to key in one command after another. Many traditional keyboards aren't designed specifically for gamers and don't respond readily to key combinations, adversely impacting your combat capabilities. This doesn't happen on the GX780, because its gaming keyboard allows you to execute 10 commands simultaneously, enabling you to rapidly accomplish several missions concurrently.

Backlighting for the task at hand: The GX780 Key LED Manager lets the user choose from among several keyboard background lighting scenarios, including Normal, Gaming, Wave, Breathing, and Dual Color. Gamers will also appreciate the fact that the frequently used keys W, A, S, D, and Ctrl are all backlit on the GX780, using the latest keyboard backlighting technology. Simply depress the Gaming Mode hotkey at the top of the keyboard to light up the LED backlighting at the bottom left side of the keyboard. The rest of the keyboard remains dark, so you can find the keys you need quickly even in the middle of a white-hot battle.

Dominating the opposition
Intel 2nd Generation Core i7 quad core processor: MSI's GX780 features Intel's most advanced Intel's 2nd Generation Core i7-2630QM quad core processor giving each core clock speeds of 2.00GHz. New generation Intel Core i7 processors support Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 which automatically allocates processor resources to boost core clock speeds and overall computer performance. They also support Quick Sync Video to enhance multimedia file computing performance during conversion, synchronization, and compilation.

Top end nVidia GeForce GT 555M discrete graphics card: The GX780 packs nVidia's new generation high-end GeForce GT 555M with 1GB of GDDR5. nVidia's PhysX® offers gamers a true-to-life visual experience. What's more, it supports DirectX 11 to enhance game resolution, so that even lines in far-off buildings are now visible, making games more realistic.

16GB of memory: The new generation top end GX780 gaming laptop features four DDR3 memory slots for up to 16GB of memory. It also comes with RAID-0 dual hard disk architecture which not only doubles hard drive memory capacity, it enhances read-write speeds by some 70%.

TDE technology: The GX780 uses MSI's own Turbo Drive Engine (TDE) technology, so just one touch of the luminescent Turbo hotkey located above the keyboard instantly revs up performance. It also has MSI's own powerful Cooler Boost technology, so again, just one touch of the luminescent hotkey above the keyboard kicks in the powerful cooling function to rapidly reduce system temp to enhance system stability.

Sporty look, superior multimedia
Supercar-inspired exterior: In the creation of the GX780, MSI was inspired by design concepts found in classy high-end automobiles. The elements incorporated into the overall design and every detail of this machine serves to give these high-performance gaming machines a feeling of professionalism and style. The glowing white letters "MSI" in the center of the cover accentuate the aluminum manganese alloy body's brush metal finish, placing this NB in a class all its own. What you get is a chic high tech texture that exudes awesome power and envelope-pushing style.

Top theater sound technology: To enhance sound performance, MSI joined forces with world renowned sound designers at Dynaudio to study the GX780 meticulously. Even speaker locations and sound field design were calculated with precision. The two firms worked side by side to carry out vast amounts of study and countless calculations to determine ideal locations to install speakers to obtain obstruction-free sound transmission. MSI also worked closely with sound design specialists at Creative to incorporate cinema-grade THX TruStudio Pro wrap around sound which reproduces crystal-clear sound regardless of source.

Full HD display: The MSI GX780 sports a 17.3-inch full HD screen and comes with Cinema Pro technology for a crisper picture and richer colors. It also has an HD720p webcam, so you can engage in clear, hiccup-free video conferences with friends and family anywhere in the world.

Latest USB3.0 ports: The GX780 comes with USB3.0 which boasts transfer speeds of 4.8Gbps—10 times faster than USB2.0, so a 25GB HD film transfers in just 70 seconds. It also provides 80% more power for vastly faster charging speeds for external hard drives, flash drives, and other handheld electronic devices.

source:www.techpowerup.com

HP Unveils Mobile Workstation Portfolio for Ultimate Performance, Design, Durability

HP today announced a new lineup of powerful mobile workstations, ideal for engineering, power-computing and content-creation customers who need the performance of a workstation with the portability and convenience of a notebook. HP also unveiled the HP Z210 Workstation, demonstrating its continued investment in the desktop and mobile workstations market, where it holds leading market share.


Building on HP's "FORGE"#8221; design framework, the HP EliteBook w-series embodies a timeless construction, with precision-engineered durability features that are designed for maximum reliability and with the environment in mind. The new products showcase HP's first-ever industrial design specific to mobile workstations, with distinctive features including a radial-brushed gunmetal finish, backlit jewel logo and orange-colored accents.

The mobile workstations also are certified by independent software vendors to run the most demanding professional applications, helping ensure reliable performance for mobile power users.

• HP's most powerful mobile workstation, the HP EliteBook 8760w offers a 17.3-inch diagonal, high-definition (HD) screen, a choice of high-performing AMD FirePro or NVIDIA Quadro professional graphics and up to 4 gigabytes (GB) of video memory. The EliteBook 8760w also can be configured with three hard drives and RAID 5 support – a first for HP mobile workstations.
• The HP EliteBook 8560w features a15.6-inch diagonal HD display and supports AMD FirePro graphics for 1 GB of video memory or NVIDIA Quadro graphics for 2 GB of video memory. The optional HP DreamColor display on the EliteBook 8560w and 8760w also allows for more than 1 billion active color possibilities.
• HP's smallest and lightest mobile workstation, the HP EliteBook 8460w, starts at only 4.9 pounds and includes a 14.0-inch diagonal HD panel, in addition to an AMD FirePro 1 GB video memory professional graphics card for true on-the-road video performance.

"As the fastest growing segment of the workstation market, mobile workstations continue to provide value to our most demanding design, animation and engineering customers," said Efrain Rovira, director, Mobile Workstations, Notebook Business Unit, HP. "The new EliteBook mobile workstations announced today combine innovative design with trusted, workstation-class technology to fuel creativity."

Durable design and color-critical display
The HP EliteBook 8760w, 8560w and 8460w include precision aluminum-alloy hinges and cast titanium-alloy display latches for enhanced durability. Sporting a radial-brushed display cover in a new gunmetal color, the portfolio boasts an aerospace design inspired HP DuraCase and is MIL STD 810G tested for drop, vibration, dust and altitude that might arise during on-the-go computing. The HP EliteBook 8760w and 8560w also feature a backlit keyboard for workstation-caliber productivity, day or night.

Additionally, the HP DreamColor display option on the HP EliteBook 8760w and 8560w allows for more than 1 billion active color combinations – 64 times the capabilities of a traditional display – and uses a 30-bit notebook LCD panel to provide a level of color control exclusive to the EliteBook w-series for consistent color appearance from concept, to design, to production. The HP Mobile Display Assistant and optional HP Advanced Profiling Solution enable more precise control, adjustment and alignment of the DreamColor notebook display to ensure predictable color.

On-the-go workstation-caliber computing
Built to deliver optimized workstation-class processing and support migration to 3-D professional applications, the HP EliteBook 8760w, 8560w and 8460w feature second-generation Intel® Core™ i7 and i5 dual- and quad-core processors, offer premium performance and responsiveness with vPro compatibility, and support up to 32 GB of RAM.

With video memory options from 1 GB to 4 GB, the new w-series delivers superior, ISV-certified professional graphics solutions from NVIDIA and AMD for the 8760w and 8560w and from AMD for the 8460w. When equipped with an AMD discrete graphics solution and an optional HP Advanced Docking Station, the HP mobile workstations support AMD Eyefinity Technology for simultaneous support for up to five independent displays.

HP EliteBook mobile workstations also offer a variety of storage capacity options, including SMART SATA, Self Encrypting or Solid State Drives, with up to RAID 5 capability. The mobile workstations are also equipped with a variety of ports, including USB 3.0, eSATA and USB 2.0 charging ports.

Now available on HP mobile workstations, HP Performance Advisor, an intuitive user interface, helps keep applications running smoothly, while optimizing configuration and graphics performance.

The HP EliteBook 8760w and 8560w offer an 8-cell primary battery, while the HP EliteBook 8460w offers 6- and 9-cell options for extended battery run time. All models include an HP Long Life Battery option. The mobile workstations also are compatible with the new HP Extended Life Notebook Battery and HP Ultra-Capacity Notebook Battery, which offer external battery supplies for additional run time.

Productivity tools and components
The new mobile workstations offer HP Professional Innovations, including HP QuickWeb 3, HP Power Assistant, HP Connection Manager and HP ProtectTools, which includes standard drive encryption for data protection. SRS Premium Sound also provides optimized audio settings for voice and multimedia applications and delivers an audio experience for digital content creators or users listening to media-rich content and presenting multimedia-heavy presentations.

Pricing and availability
The HP EliteBook 8760w, 8560w and 8460w start at $1,899, $1,349 and $1,299 respectively, and are expected to be available in the United States in May.

source: www.techpowerup.com

Alienware Redefines Mobile Gaming with Three New Gaming Laptops

Alienware is redefining mobile gaming – again – with three new, all-powerful laptops, including the soon to be released M18x, which lays claim to the title of "most powerful 18-inch gaming laptop in the universe;" the M14x, which delivers unprecedented performance and portability; and an enhanced M11x, already a favorite among gaming enthusiasts, and the most-powerful sub-14-inch notebook in the universe.

The two new faces in the Alienware laptop family, the upcoming M18x and the M14x, along with the new M11x, deliver unprecedented power to the gamer on the go. All three platforms offer the latest in gaming technology, and feature second-generation Intel Core i processors to deliver the most immersive high-performance gaming experience imaginable.

In particular:

• The M18x will offer dual-graphics technology and an the industry's only Intel Core i7 Extreme CPU option factory overclocked to 4GHz;
• The M18x and the M14x offer optional wireless HD audio and video for latency-free streaming to larger screens; and
• All three laptops also offer HDMI 1.4 for connection to 3D-capable HDTVs for incredible, lifelike 3D gaming and SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports for up to 10x the speed of USB 2.0 connections for a new level in data transfer.

Alienware has a rich history of innovation and delivering solutions that delight gamers and performance enthusiasts around the world. These laptops, along with the m17x announced and launched in January, represent the most-significant expansion in Alienware's portfolio in several years and arrive as the company celebrates its five-year anniversary as part of the Dell family. Since its acquisition by Dell, Alienware has expanded to provide award-winning gaming systems to a global fan base. The brand is also available at major retailers worldwide and has spawned a community site, Alienware Arena (www.alienwarearena.com), where gamers everywhere can interact socially and compete with one another.

"If you're a gamer, you're going to love our new family of laptops, which deliver on the features gamers care most about – uncompromised graphics performance, latency-free wireless HD streaming to HDTVs, and lifelike 3D gaming," said Arthur Lewis, general manager of Alienware. "We are committed to delivering the best gaming systems for enthusiasts everywhere and we take great pride in helping them 'pwn', no matter where they are in the world."

As Alienware's flagship laptop, the M18x – which is also dubbed the "Most Powerful 18-inch Gaming Laptop in the Universe" – will be a true desktop replacement. It is perfect for gamers who want to compromise nothing for blistering frame rates and full immersion in the gaming experience. With Wireless HD and 3D options, as well as HDMI-in, the M18x allows gamers a no-holds-barred gaming machine capable of meeting even the most grueling demands of today's gamer, delivering gaming content when and where gamers need it.

For gamers seeking a mobile HD gaming experience who want a balance of performance and mobility, the new 14-inch M14x offers the best of both worlds. Weighing in at less than 6.5lbs, the M14x features full-voltage Second-generation four- and two-core Intel Core i CPUs, discrete graphics and an optical disk drive. For the gaming enthusiast or anyone who needs mobile computing performance, the M14x is a mobile yet powerful option. The M14x offers updated graphics featuring the NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M with up to 3GB of graphics memory, and for the gamer on the go, optional Intel WiMAX technology to enable internet connectivity virtually anywhere.

For the truly mobile gamer, the M11x has long been a favorite, but now it's even better! New improvements to the popular M11x include second-generation Intel Core i processors with Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, updated graphics featuring the NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M, and like the larger M14x, optional Intel WiMAX technology. The latest M11x also features a soft touch finish with a new Nebula Red option.

Blistering Performance
The M18x, M14x and M11x each offer blistering performance on the go. Highlights of the new M18x include:

• An 18.4-inch FHD WLED 1080p display for the best visuals possible
• Powerful Dual GPU options with the fastest graphics memory (GDDR5) on all graphics options
• Both AMD and NVIDIA graphics options, in Crossfire X and SLI, respectively
• New Intel "Huron River" Architecture with a new factoryoverclocked Intel Core i7 Extreme Quad Core processor up to 4GHz
• Upgradeable to up to 32GB 1333MHz memory
• HDMI/Display Port output & HDMI-in
• Wireless HD & 3D output options, delivering low-latency high-def content wirelessly or output to 3D displays

Highlights of the new M14x include:

• 14-inch WLED HD (720p) display standard (1366x768) or optional 14-inch WLED HD+ (900p) display (1600x900)
• Second-generation Overclockable Intel Core i CPUs with Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0
• Updated graphics featuring the NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M with up to 3GB of VRAM
• NVIDIA Optimus technology to extend battery life
• Up to 8GB of 1600MHz Extreme-Performance system memory
• HDMI 1.4 to support connectivity on HDTVs and 7.1 digital audio
• Audio powered by Klipsch (onboard speakers)
• Optional Intel WiMAX technology

And the refreshed M11x includes:

• An 11.6-inch WLED HD (720p) display (WXGA 1366x768)
• Second-generation Overclockable Intel Core i CPUs with Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0
• Updated graphics featuring the NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M
• Up to 16GB of 1333MHz high-performance system memory
• HDMI 1.4 to support connectivity on HDTVs and 7.1 digital audio
• Audio powered by Klipsch (onboard speakers)
• Optional Intel WiMAX technology 

source: www.techpowerup.com

Acer Unveils Aspire One 722 Netbook

PC giant Acer is ready with a new uppish netbook, the Aspire One 722. This 11.6-inch nebook runs on AMD's Fusion C-50 accelerated processing unit (APU) clocked at 1.00 GHz, and embedding an AMD Radeon HD 6250 DirectX 11 compliant  graphics processor. The 11.6-inch screen packs a decent resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. Most other features are identical to those of the Aspire One 522. The 722 feature an aquamarine color tone, with "drop ripple" design on its lid. Battery life is improved by an hour, now up to 7 hours on a full charge. Windows 7 Home Basic is the OS of choice. Price and availability details are not known.

source: www.techpowerup.com

Maintain Netbook Battery

To maintain your netbook battery, don't do anything as follows:

1. Using high performance powerplant. It can causes damage on your battery cell. Except you plugged it in.

2. Charge it too long. Because it can cause battery leaks.

3. Charge it when it still have 20% or more energy. It can reduce your battery capacity.

That's all for now, hope usefull.