Alienware m15x Gaming Notebook Now Available for Order

Alienware blasted out an email tonight inviting newsletter subscribers to have an early chance at ordering the m15x. People in our forums have been placing orders and have quoted shipping dates of February 1, 2008.
The only problem with this early launch is that only specific configurations are available and certain options are not up yet. For instance, only the silver case color and the Ripley design are currently available. The popular black color option is not available. According to reps that customers spoke with more options will show up in a couple of weeks time.

The good news is that the pricing actually seems pretty reasonable. For $2,099 you get the following configuration of the m15x:

• 15.4" WXGA+ display
• Intel® Core™2 Extreme Processors (4MB Cache, 800MHz FSB)
• 512MB NVIDIA® GeForce™ 8800M GTX
• 2GB RAM
• 320GB 7200RPM drive
• Ripley case design
• 8x dual layer cd burner / dvd burner optical drive
• Intel 4965 a/b/g wireless

Considering you get a good graphics card, fast processor, 7200RPM speedy hard drive and of course the amazing notebook design that is the m15x, this price is very much in line with competing gaming notebooks.
No word is out on when the larger m17x 17" screen gaming laptop will be available. Let's just be happy there's something to chew on for now with these new Alienware gaming laptop releases. A lot of people have been anxious to hit the order button for some time.
Visit our Alienware forum to discuss the m15x more.

Energizer Energi To Go

Power sources while traveling can and will always be a pain in the butt to find. Airports have outlets few and far between, and trade shows are usually worse still. For the mobile device user who relies on battery power, this will frequently be the cause of much stress on the road. One option is bulking up on spare batteries, but for every device that might not be an option. The other option is a universal power source, providing both AC power and DC power from its own internal battery. Energizer's solution to this problem is the Energi To Go Portable Power Outlet.

Energizer Energi to Go Portable Outlet Specifications

• Output Continuous Power 480 watts
• Output voltage 120 volts
• Output Waveform Modified Sine Wave
• Input voltage 13.2 to 15V
• Internal Battery 4000mAh
• Average Charging Time 4 hours
• Weight: 1lb 4.5oz

Setup

Setup for the Portable Power Outlet is plugging it into a wall to charge, and nothing more. When the red charging indicator on the power switch turns off the outlet is ready to power your devices. Users also have the option of charging the device inside an automobile with the included 12v power jack.

In Use

To use the Portable Power Outlet for AC powered devices, the instructions tell you to turn the device on for 5-10 seconds, and then plug in your device. This method does not work for me, and it will only turn on the AC output if I have the device plugged in while the outlet is off, then I turn it on.
When the outlet was functioning properly, it worked great for a wide range of devices. Some of the estimated runtime claims were on the high side, but it was better than nothing. Powering my Lenovo T60 notebook, it managed to operate for 50 minutes. With a Dell 1525, the runtime was better coming in at 70 minutes. With a living room lamp drawing 50w of power, it worked for just under 45 minutes.

OLPC XO Review and Teardown

A new initiative called One Laptop Per Child has the goal of getting a low-cost, entry-level notebook into the hands of children in developing countries. This notebook is the OLPC-XO which is an extremely basic version of what we might consider a portable computer, but comes in a durable, affordable, and easy-to-use package. In this review I will cover both the internal hardware aspect of this notebook, along with a comparison of it against more common consumer notebooks.

Specs

• Processor: 433MHz AMD Geode
• Display: 7.5" LCD 1200x900 (black and white)/800x600 (color)
• RAM: 256MB DDR333
• HD/Storage: 1GB Flash w/ SD Expansion slot
• Wireless: 802.11b/g and 802.11s Mesh
• Ports: 3 USB, Headphone, Microphone
• Battery: 3.1Ah 6.5v
• AC Adapter: 12v @1.42A, 100-240v switching
• Dimensions: 9.52 x 8.97 x 1.26"
• Weight: 3lbs 2.2oz
• Price $400 with the "Give One, Get One" program ($200 per laptop)
  

Build and Design

The OLPC is targeted towards children and built for areas with less than perfect operating conditions. It is ruggedized and very sturdy even when compared to a high-end business notebook like a ThinkPad. Almost every inch of this notebook is designed to hold up against being dropped, thrown around, or carried by itself without any case.
The design of the OLPC is very simple, yet incredibly well thought out. The notebook is shaped like a thin lunchbox, with a carrying handle on top. All edges are rounded off, and the flat surfaces of the notebook are textured for easy gripping. Screen latches are nothing like what you would find on a standard notebook, with the WiFi antennas themselves acting as the latch mechanisms.
OLPC engineers even went one step further, making the notebook very easy to repair almost anywhere. With a single small Phillips screwdriver you can tear the entire thing apart to bare components in probably five minutes. The first time I cracked my OLPC open I had it apart in about 10 minutes including the time to take pictures for each step of the process. Another interesting design feature was the inclusion of spare parts. Housed inside the handle section are a number of spare screws for the entire notebook.
Screen
The screen on the OLPC is unique in that it works in both bright and dark environments. You can view the screen in black and white in bright sunlight, and then switch back into color by turning the backlight back on. Another interesting trait of this screen is the resolution changes between modes. In sunlight mode (black and white) it has a resolution of 1200x900, and in color has 800x600.
The reason for the change in resolution is rather technical, so if you want to know more about the screen resolution I'll direct you to the display section of the OLPC Wiki article.
Compared to even the most basic budget notebook, the OLPC's screen really falls short in terms of color, viewing angles, and brightness. Just moving a hair off of a direct viewing angle, the screen looks black and white. Colors when in optimal viewing range still don't compare to any

standard notebook, with a very grainy and washed out feel.

Toshiba M700 Tablet PC and Concept UMPCs at CES

A few weeks back Toshiba announced the release of their newest Tablet PC, the Portege M700. This time I am bringing you some real pictures and hands-on information from the CES show floor.

Toshiba Portege M700 Tablet PC specs:

• Core 2 Duo 2.2GHz T7500 processor
• 160GB hard drive
• 1GB or 2GB RAM options
• 12.1" WXGA (1280x800) LED backlit LCD display with both touchscreen and digital pen/ink capabilities
• 802.11a/g/n, Gigabit Ethernet
• PC Card Slot
• IEEE 1394
• Integrated webcam
• Fingerprint reader
• 6-cell Lithium-Ion battery

The M700 definitely has a solid design and chassis. The LED backlight screen was amazing, it really looked more like a notebook then a tablet, by which I mean no graininess. The hinge has a unique design as well that locks into place making the tablet feel more like a notebook, there was no signs of flex, just like the R400.


The touchscreen was responsive and the pen was accurate. The extended battery slice gives the M700 all day computing power and adds a little height to the machine, which also puts the tablet on a little slant when typing. The Toshiba reps even told us that the starting price is going to be a little cheaper then planned, now around $1,500.

Overall, I think Toshiba has a winner on their hands. I can't wait to get my hands on this review unit and run some benchmarks. Don't worry, the team over at TabletPCReview.com hopes this will be very soon.

Apple MacBook Air Announced at MacWorld '08

As the rumors suggested, Apple today announced the ultraportable MacBook Air notebook. The MacBook Air is being dubbed the "world's thinnest notebook", and at 0.16" to 0.76" they aren't kidding!

The Apple MacBook Air has the following specs:

• 13.3" Widescreen LED Backlit (1280 x 800)
• Intel Core 2 Duo 1.6GHz and 1.8GHz (4MB L2 cache, 800MHz frontside bus)
• 1.8" 80GB HD (same type in iPod) or 64GB SSD option
• Multi-touch trackpad
• 2GB RAM (667MHz DDR2 SDRAM)
• Intel X3100 graphics
• Magnetic latch
• 1 USB 2.0 port, Micro-DVI, Audio out (analog)
• 802.11n wireless
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
• iSight camera built-in
• 37 watt-hour lithium-polymer battery
• No optical drive built-in, but SuperDrive accessory available for $99
• Dimensions: 12.8" wide, 8.94" deep, and 0.16" to 0.76" thin
• Weight: 3.0 lbs (1.36 kg)
• $1,799 price point

With only one USB port you're limited on what you can attach, but Apple obviously was space challenged with the notebook being so thin. At least you can use BlueTooth for wireless devices since that is built-in. The claimed battery life is 5 hours, no indication under what usage you get that though. The availability will be within the next couple of weeks, you can pre-order from Apple for $1,799 starting price.

More information can be found on the MacBook Air product page at Apple.com.

NoteBook SAGER NP9262

Extreme NVIDIA GeForce 8800M GTX Graphics

The world’s fastest notebook GPUs, power the ultimate DX10 notebook gaming platform. The unified architecture of the GeForce 8800M GTX GPUs provides unparalleled performance and the most realistic 3D graphics effects available on a PC. And, with NVIDIA PureVideo HD technology, you’ll experience unsurpassed High-Definition video in vivid color and superb picture clarity.





Powered By Intel® Core™ 2 Extreme Processor


Revolutionary performance for users looking for the most intense, high performance gaming experience. The Intel Core 2 Extreme processor provides exceptional performance for ultra realistic games and advanced multi-threaded digital media creation applications. This is the processor for users who want their hardware to take them to the top of their game.

NVIDIA SLI Technology Capable

A revolutionary platform innovation that allows you to intelligently scale graphics performance by combining multiple NVIDIA graphics solutions in a single system for ultra-high performance for games and other graphics-intensive applications.

Three Hard Drives with Hardware RAID 0, 1, 5 Support

Industry-leading 750GB or 500GB fault tolerance storage capacities for the ultimate mobile data storage solution providing performance, utility, and security without compromising an internal optical drive.

The unit includes an Unique Dual Programable Gaming Buttons - Two completely user definable buttons to allow ultimate control over your gaming experience.

Dual Tone High Gloss Exterior Finish - Sleek exterior design makes sure your unit looks great even when it's off.

Lenovo ThinkPad T61 14.1-inch

Standard aspect ratio business notebooks are becoming more difficult to purchase these days from different manufacturers, but Lenovo has pulled through for another generation with the ThinkPad T61. The 14" 4:3 T61 is one of the last models of its kind on the market, and it is still every bit as durable and refined as the models before it.



The Lenovo T61 4:3 14.1" notebook is offered with a wide array of options, with processors spanning from the Intel T7100 to the T7800, ram up to 4GB, hard drive up to 200GB, Intel turbo memory, Intel Wireless-N, and either the 128MB nVidia NVS 140M or Intel X3100 graphics cards.

The following are the features of the 14" T61 being reviewed:

• Screen: 14.1-inch SXGA+ (1400 x 1050) TFT Display,150 NIT, 200:1 Contrast
• Processor: 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 (4MB L2 Cache,800MHz FSB)
• Hard Drive: 100GB hard drive (Hitatchi 7k100 7200RPM)
• Memory: 1GB x2 2GB Total (PC5300, 667 MHz, DDR2 SDRAM) 4GB max memory
• Optical Drive: DVD+-R Double layer / DVD+-RW Drive
• External Ports and Slots: Three USB 2.0, one ExpressCard slot, VGA, headphone / line-out, microphone-in, modem, 1Gb Ethernet
• Wireless: WiFi (Intel 4965AGN 802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 2.0 w/ EDR
• Graphics: nVidia NVS 140M (256MB)
• Operating System: Windows Vista Ultimate
• 9-cell Li-Ion battery (10.8V, 7.8AH)
• Dimensions: (WxDxH): 12.3" x 10.0/10.9" w/battery x 1.2-1.4"
• Weight: 4lbs 11.1oz, 5lbs 11.6oz w/9 cell battery (6lbs 10.3oz travel weight)

Performance and Benchmarks

The T61 was an excellent all around performer, without any lag or delay opening programs or switching between programs. Much of this can be attributed to the amount of ram and the 7200rm hard drive which was configured with this model. Even tasks such as light gaming were possible with its business grade nVidia NVS 140M, comparable to the consumer nVdia 8400 GT.


Listed below are the standard benchmarks we run on our laptops to make it easier to compare models head to head.


wPrime is a program that forces the processor to do recursive mathematical calculations, the advantage of this program is that it is multi-threaded and can use both processor cores at once, thereby giving more accurate benchmarking measurements than Super Pi.

Asus R1F Notebook to Tablet PC Convertible

The Asus R1F is a convertible notebook to Tablet PC machine that's powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor. It has a 13.3" widescreen display and comes it at a reasonably priced $1,500. The portability and Tablet PC functionality makes it an interesting option for students.

Processor and System Performance Benchmarks

The R1F model I reviewed had the Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 (1.66GHz) processor. The R1F provides enhanced responsiveness to enjoy audio and video playback and recording, instant messaging and web-browsing simultaneously on your Tablet. In other words, the dual-core performance helps in general types of multi-tasking you'll do on a PC.

Display

The screen itself is nice and scratch resistant, as much as it can be. It is slightly grainy, but that is due to the extra layer on the screen and you'll get that with any other tablet. Don't expect the R1F to produce crisp flawless images, but like I said earlier, it is not made to be an entertainment center. However, the Asus Splendid technology that allows you to adjust screen colorization is great and really brings out the color, especially when watching movies. I set the brightness and color saturation as high and balanced as possible to offset the graininess and it works well. The graininess is more noticeable against white backgrounds compared to colored ones. Though a white screen does not appear as pure white (there's a slight greyishness), other colors do shine and the screen is backlit very well. Black colors on the screen appear sharp and if you stand away from the screen a little bit you won't even notice the graininess. My eyes are used to the screens display and I don't notice the graininess anymore, just the bright colors.

Dell Vostro 1500

Dell's new Vostro line of computers developed to meet the needs of small businesses has become very popular among working professionals and consumers alike. The Vostro 1500 is the "twin sister" to the Dell Inspiron 1520, and while this business notebook with a 15.4" display doesn't come in a variety of colors, the Vostro is packed with enough performance and optional extras to keep anyone happy. But is this "black beauty" a thoroughbred, or is it destined for the pastures?



The Dell Vostro 1500 is available with a range of Intel processors (from the 1.86GHz Celeron M M540 up to the T7500 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo). There are two 15.4" screen offerings, a 1280x800 WXGA and 1440x900 WXGA+ display. The notebook can take up to 4GB of RAM but Dell only offers 32-bit versions of Microsoft Windows Vista or XP ... so don't expect to be able to use all 4GB. Built-in wireless is standard and the system is priced starting at $549 with integrated Intel X3100 graphics at the time of this writing.





Our review unit of the 1500 has the following specifications:

• Screen: 15.4-inch Wide Screen XGA (1280 x 800) LCD with TrueLife (glossy finish)
• Processor: 1.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5470 (2MB L2 Cache,800MHz FSB)
• Hard Drive: 120GB SATA hard drive (5400RPM)
• Memory: 1GB RAM (PC5300, 667 MHz, DDR2 SDRAM) -- 4GB max memory
• Optical Drive: DVD+-R Double layer / DVD+-RW Drive (Blu-ray drive optional)
• Ports and Slots: Four USB 2.0, one FireWire 400 port, one ExpressCard slot, one S-Video, one VGA, one 8-in-1 card reader, headphone / line-out, microphone-in, modem, 10/100 Ethernet
• Wireless: WiFi (802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 2.0
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS (128MB)
• Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition
• 6-cell 56WHr Li-Ion battery
• Dimensions: 14.12" x 10.59" x 1.65" (Width x Depth x Height)
• Weight: 6 ibs and 11.6 oz with 6-cell battery

Apple MacBook Pro 15" with Intel Santa Rosa

Overview & Introduction


We'll be taking a look at Apple's MacBook Pro, to be specific the most recently updated model as of June 5th, 2007. The MacBook Pro line is aimed at the professional market, including those who do heavy amounts of video and photo editing. The MacBook Pro is best described as a mid-size desktop replacement, or performance laptop.

Before I go to far I should say this is not only my first laptop review, but also my first Mac computer. Thus, this review will be geared more toward people considering the MacBook Pro as an alternative option to a Windows based laptop, including some things that would seem trivial to the veteran Mac owner.

MacBook Pro machine specs as purchased

• Screen: 15.4" LED Backlit Screen @ 1440 x 900 Native Resolution
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 CPU at 2.2ghz (4MB Shared L2 Cache)
• Memory: 2GB DDR2 PC2-5300 667mhz RAM
• Hard Drive: 120GB HDD @ 5400RPM (Fujitsu)
• Graphics: Nvidia 8600M GT with 128MB VRAM GPU
• Optical Drive: Slot-loading 8x SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVDRW/CD-RW)
• Wireless: Apple Airport Extreme Wireless B/G/N
• Built-in Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR
• Mac OS X 10.4.9 (Tiger)
• Dimensions & Weight:
  14.1" x 9.6" x 1.0" (35.7cm x 24.3cm 2.59cm)
  5.4lbs (2.45kg)
• Cost: $1,999 USD ($1,799 with Education Discount
  

Toshiba Satellite Pro A210

Toshiba just released the Satellite Pro series notebook line, which is a toned down business version of their popular Satellite models. Some of the key changes include the loss of the glossy cover, black instead of silver keyboard, and the loss of some quick access media keys. Overall the notebook is basically the same as its fancier brothers, but with a smaller pricetag for small businesses.


Our Satellite Pro A210 had the following configuration:

• 15.4-inch WXGA (1280 x 800) CCFL glossy screen
• AMD M690V chipset
• AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual-Core Mobile Technology TL-60
• 2GB DDR2-667 SDRAM (supports up to 4GB DDR2 SDRAM)
• 120GB 5400 RPM SATA HDD
• DVD SuperMulti (+/-R double layer) drive
• ATI X1200 Integrated Graphics
• Ethernet, Atheros 802.11b/g
• VGA, S-Video, four USB 2.0 ports, integrated media reader (MS, SD, xD)
• Windows XP Pro
• Battery: 4000mAh 4-cell, 75w AC Adapter
• Dimensions: (WxDxH): 14.3” x 10.5” x 1.32-1.55” (without feet)
• Weight starts at 5.9 pounds with 6-cell battery (5lbs 15.9oz actual)

Build and Design

The Satellite Pro A210 has a nice sleek design with very soft rounded edges, sloped palm rests, and even a glossy screen that you don’t usually find on business notebooks. The top cover features a matte semi-gloss texture instead of having the gloss finish found out the Satellite models. The benefit of the new texture is that it's more resistant to handprints and smudges. Opening the top cover we find more changes from the consumer line, with the multimedia access keys missing, high-end speakers gone, and the keyboard color being black instead of silver. Once you get past those changes the notebook is practically identical to the consumer Satellite line.

Toshiba Portege R400 Tablet PC

The Toshiba Portege R400 has been getting a lot of attention recently. The only problem is all the attention it is attracting isn't always positive. The R400 has an innovative design, but lacks some key features. Many users don't see why the Tablet is so expensive when it does not have an internal optical drive and only has two USB ports. Thankfully it does have some unique features though like the Windows SideShow display, Windows Vista Ultimate, an LED backlit screen and its unique and secure hinge, which make it stand out above lower priced Tablets.

The Toshiba Portege R400 specs as reviewed (tested price $3,079)

Display

The 12.1" screen on the R400 is LED backlit, so it looks more like a notebook screen instead of a grainy Tablet screen. The only problem with the screen is that it's glossy and therefore means you get a lot of reflection in bright light, especially when the screen is displaying dark colors. On the other hand, having the glossy screen ensures that the colors presented are bright and bold. Watching DVDs on the widescreen are great. I almost thought I was watching movies on my Toshiba television.

Processor and System Performance

Performance is lacking for such an expensive machine with base prices starting at $2,599. The 1.2GHz Intel Core Duo processor and 4200RPM 80GB hard drive don't do justice to the killer fast looks of this machine. While the Ultra Low Voltage 1.2GHz processor and integrated Intel GMA 950 graphics do ensure the system runs cool, it struggles to run Vista well. The 2GB of RAM certainly helps out with performance, but multi-tasking using several applications at once can really bog things down. It may have been wise to offer a regular clock speed processor, such as the HP tx1000 tablet offers, and not gone with something that seems more fit for a UMPC device in terms of speed. Simply a low voltage processor such as the Lenovo X60 Tablet uses would have been better than an Ultra Low Voltage processor.

HP Compaq nw9440

Overview and Introduction
Recently my office purchased for me a HP Compaq nw9440 mobile workstation. I was charged with the task of researching what notebook computers would be acceptable by me, so the decision of what to acquire fell squarely on my shoulders. I’m an attorney, working mainly with office and internet research applications, but I’m also a computer enthusiast and gamer in my private time. Therefore, I needed something that looked all business, but had a core that could satisfy my off-time personal uses.


The specs of the nw9440 purchased are as follows:

• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 (2.0 GHz, 4 MB L2 cache, 667 MHz FSB)
• Screen: 17" WSXGA Matte Widescreen (1680 x 1050) wide viewing angle
• Graphics: NVIDIA Quadro FX 1500M, 256 MB
• RAM: 1 GB (667 MHz) DDR2 SDRAM (1 x 1 GB, expandable to 4 GB)
• Hard Drive: 80 GB (7200 rpm) SATA
• Optical Drive: LightScribe DVD+/-RW SuperMulti with Double Layer
• Audio: ADI High Definition CODEC, Integrated 16-bit Sound Blaster Pro compatible audio,
• Integrated stereo speakers, Integrated directional microphone, External volume up and down,and mute buttons, Stereo headphone/line out, Stereo microphone in
• OS: Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2
• Battery: 8-cell lithium ion
• Weight: 7.5 lbs.
• Integrated Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection
• Dimensions: 1.3” (H) x 15.5” (W) x 10.8” (L)
• Ports: 4 USB 2.0, IEEE 1394(a), RJ-45, RJ-11, VGA, S-video, docking connector, battery connector, AC power Power Connector, Type I/II PC Card slot, Integrated Smart Card Reader, 7-in-1 Media Reader, Biometric Fingerprint Scanner
  

Reasons for Buying

When starting my research on a laptop that fit my bill of particulars, I first looked for the internal components. After a little research on current notebook components (my last laptop was purchased back in the Spring of 2002), I decided that I did not want to get something that would be left in the dust in a few months. My former Sony Vaio FX Series had been purchased with all top-of-the-line-at-the-time components, and worked fine for over four years. In fact, it’s still working fine as a college computer for my sister-in-law now. Therefore, I started looking for the best components available within a reasonable price range of less than $2,500.

My search first led me to Alienware computers, which I later found out were rebranded Clevo shells. I looked hard at the AW m7700 mobile workstation (also, Hypersonic Aviator EX7) before deciding that I wanted a notebook processor and not a desktop processor. Staying with a new Core 2 Duo in mind, I also looked at an AW m5750, a Dell XPS, and a Hypersonic Aviator CX7. I hadn’t considered HP at all. I have had bad dealings with the consumer line Pavilions, but was pressured into trying out a business class notebook by my office’s computer hardware & service provider, a local tech shop. The sales guy had a 17” nx series notebook in his office that he offered to let me play with so I could see for myself the difference in design, stability and structure. I took him up on his offer, and was amazed at the difference in the business class notebooks. A little more research and configuring, and I ended up selecting the nw9440 because I could get a high end Core 2 Duo, a very capable nVidia Quadro FX 1500M (7900 GS core), a dual-layer DVD-RW super multi drive and 1 GB of system memory all in a sleek, 17” widescreen businesslike appearance package. The icing on the cake was that this notebook features a full numeric keypad, which is very helpful for entering loads of numeric information during the tax return season.