GearCrave » Computers

The Future of Laptop Designs

William Barnes — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 20:54:58 +0000

Laptops used to be bulky, slow, and just plain inconvenient. These days, the laptop is a fashionable powerhouse, which play’s a leading role in one’s lifestyle and business. Thanks to the exponential rate at which innovative technological products are being churned out, the average consumer will soon be spoiled for choice as the laptop will continue to evolve into more unusual, creative, and attractive designs.

The launch of the latest Apple MacBook Air very promptly reminded the laptop design industry that Apple is still the leading player pushing consumers to redefine their needs and wants through innovative design. Rumor has it that the Apple team is also hard at work studying the feasibility of the MacBook 0801. Designed by Isamu Sanada, the MacBook 0801 features an ultra-thin, transparent keyboard.

Similarly, Sony has also released a new Vaio Zoom notebook concept featuring a laptop that comes with a completely transparent screen. Thanks to holographic technology, the translucent screen will turn opaque when the laptop is in use. It is said that even the mouse buttons are holographic, and the laptop is encased in thin glass.

While these designs are extremely cutting-edge, the future of laptop design includes all of the practical excellence that we’re used to. The Dell Latitude Z600 exemplifies the more down-to-business approach to high-end laptops. The Z600 is the world’s thinnest and lightest 16″ laptop, making it extremely portable but also large enough to work comfortably on. But it does have a few tricks up its sleeve. With business card scanning and wireless battery charging, Dell’s new show pony can impress as well as the rest.

Transparent technology aside, a more niche-market laptop would be the Siafu concept notebook, which does not come with any display screen. The Siafu is meant to be utilized by the blind, who will read the data from applications and web sites by interpreting the 3-dimensional shapes that will appear on the surface of the laptop.

With the growing awareness of environmental issues, most laptop designers have been inspired to create more energy-efficient laptops. The e-Book by LF is an eco-friendly laptop in the sense that it utilizes fuel cell batteries and light-emitting diode (OLED) display technology.

The Compenion concept notebook designed by Felix Schmidberger is similar to a tablet and also comes with an OLED touch screen. The exciting thing about the Compenion is that a second OLED touch screen can be slid away from underneath the first touch screen, meaning that the user will be able to work on a setup with two monitors. It is one of the rare laptop designs that replaces the familiar clam shell approach with two sliding LED panels. The design makes the Compenion super thin at 0.75 inches in width.

The most futuristic laptop would have to be the Nextep Computer, which is designed to be worn as a bracelet and also features OLED touch screen. Similar to the Vaio Zoom, the Nextep Computer will feature a holographic screen, and the bracelet will also come with extra pull-out keyboard panels. The bracelet-cum-laptop is said to make its debut in 2020.

BlackBerry Playbook Coming April 19th

danseitz — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:30:02 +0000

Pretty much everybody is getting into the tablet game these days in the wake of the iPad actually making it a viable market. Samsung has the Galaxy Tab, Motorola is putting out the Xoom, and we’re sure there are a bunch of cheesy Chinese knockoffs coming as well. But one competitor people have been awaiting is Research In Motion and how they were going to respond to the tablet craze. Back in September, we found out it was going to be with the PlayBook, but we didn’t know when it was coming out.

Well, guess no more; it’s coming April 19th.

You can preorder through, ick, Best Buy or Futureshop if you happen to be in Canada. Or you can wait for day of release and buy it from some place that won’t try to upsell you with a useless protection plan.

Most notable is that RIM is at $500, the same price that the iPad starts at, and without having to get a cell-phone carrier to subsidize it either. In fact, RIM is sticking exclusively with Wi-Fi on this one, an interesting choice. $499 gets you 16GB of storage, but you can double that to 32GB for $599 or 64GB for $699. We’ll be curious to see how RIM does in this suddenly crowded market.

Dell Putting Out a Wi-Fi Only Tablet?

danseitz — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:30:47 +0000

The Dell Streak has been fairly popular among people who want to pay cell phone companies for the Internet, but don’t want or can’t get an iPad. While it’s not the delicious Apple product that actually turned tablet PCs into something people actually cared about, it’s absolutely serviceable and at $200 with a service contract, it’s a decent price. But what if you don’t want to pay Verizon, T-Mobile, et. al. exorbitant sums for the Internet?

It looks like Dell has that base covered, too. This is less than surprising; even Apple launched a Wi-Fi only version of the iPad, a trend that it’s sticking to as most people buying an iPad can generally find a Starbucks nearby.

Most tablet makers are following suit; the Galaxy Tab from Samsung is rumored to have a Wi-Fi version on the way, and Motorola’s Xoom will also have a Wi-Fi version only, although it’ll probably continue to have an obscene price.

What’s a bit more surprising is that Dell, unlike the other manufacturers, has actually been able to crack Apple $500 price barrier and will, if an Amazon leak is any guide, offer the Streak for $400 or so. Depending on how it sells, the iPad might be just that much cheaper come the third version.

Wireless VS Traditional Internet Access

William Barnes — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 18:55:41 +0000

The issue of wireless versus traditional Internet access today hinges on questions of reliability and mobility. The “traditional” or hard-wired Internet services are, right now at least, the more reliable of the two types of service. However, if you really want to experience the true freedom of the Internet, not only the freedom of information but the freedom to access that information from anywhere, then wireless Internet service is more than worth the occassional hiccup.

Imagine being able to work from your laptop on the beach or at the mall – this is the freedom that wireless Internet offers. It is the freedom to escape being chained to a desk or an office (now you will only be chained to your laptop!). However, as the smartphone and tablet get more and more powerful, the more savvy among us may only have to carry around one piece of professional equipment, and we will truly enter the Mobile Age.

However, today we are just in the Information Age. And in this epoch, all of the kinks have not yet been worked out of wireless Internet. So for the most reliable service, it is best to go with cable or DSL. But some wireless solutions are on the horizon. The power of Mifi solution Clear 4G shows us that flawless satellite internet is approaching very quickly.

Though the cell phone networks are notoriously unreliable when compared to a hard-wired Internet connection, you would have to be blind not to see where this is going. As the appropriate networks are built in the right places, and as they become consolidated so as not to step on each other (another inevitable step – the consolidation of the networks), mobile Internet will eventually become just as ubiquitous as hard-wired Internet solutions, and the market will definitely sway in that direction.

Not a Moment Too Soon: Windows 7 Ship Date Announced

Carl Weiss — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:00:59 +0000

Windows 7 Ship Date – I think we’ve all been waiting for Windows 7 since that first fateful moment we clicked Enter after typing in the password on a new Vista set-up. The whole “Mojave” diversion was like bleach in the wounds. Thankfully, we won’t have to wait much longer. Microsoft has announced that Windows 7 will be shipping to customers on Oct. 22. I’ll be anticipating it like prom-night virginity loss. Indications are that all versions of the new OS will run on PCs, notebooks and netbooks. The release candidate has received relatively positive reviews, but I guess we won’t really know for sure until we power it up. For those that can’t make the full leap, Microsoft will also be issuing Windows Upgrade Option for current users. Like said prom night, there’s a real mix of hair-tingling excitement and petrifying, palm-drenching fear. And similarly, it will all be over soon, for better or worse. [via PC World]

Bing Jumps Into Action Several Days Early

Carl Weiss — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:00:51 +0000

Bing Search Engine by Microsoft – Ahead of schedule appears to be the theme of this beautiful, bright 1st of June. Microsoft’s anticipated new search engine Bing was originally scheduled to launch on Wednesday, but is already available today. Though it will take more than a couple of hours to decipher just how much of a “Google killer” it is, it does offer some new features that set it apart. When searching travel destinations, for instance, you’ll be provided with real time pricing and availability to make booking fast and seamless. Similarly, online shoppers and those looking for health-related and local information are provided with more customized tools.

Not wasting any time, searchers have been busy shutting off the “safe search” and searching terms like “porn”. Because what good is a new search engine if it can’t help you weed through the limitless spanker stash that is the Internet? You won’t have to go to far, either; click on Bing’s image search and you’ll be treated to some pictures of phallic-shaped rock formations that are part of Bing’s inexplicable desert and hot air balloon theme (a little too loud if you ask me, I’d opt for Google’s no-frills home page any day).

So far, reviews have been mixed with some really taking to the new search engine and others stating that there’s nothing so compelling as to make them leave their default search engine. In my limited use, I found the results were largely similar to those I get with Google. For the time, I’m in category 2. Take some time to try it out for yourself and decide: will Bing be the revolution needed to lift Microsoft out of its downward spiral or will it be just another substandard MS product that sits in the shadow of something better? [via PC Magazine ]

Dell Sees 63% Income Drop

Jared Newman — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:00:11 +0000

Dude, you’re gettin’ a downturn. Dell’s income fell 63 percent in Q1, from $784 million to $290 million. Stocks are slightly above analyst expectations, but revenue is slightly below. Chairman and CEO Michael Dell speaks of a “powerful replacement cycle, with virtualization and managed services playing larger roles in what customers want and Dell provides.” That’s corporate jargon for “people are doing everything on the Internet and no longer want to pay for products they don’t need.” Revenue even dropped in the “mobile products” category, which includes laptops, even as laptop shipments rose 32 percent. That’s the netbook craze you’re seeing right there. The plan is to improve profit margins over time — though it’s not clear how — and get into more retail stores. [via ComputerWorld]

DealCrave: Dell Studio 17″ Entertainment Notebook

Jared Newman — Thu, 28 May 2009 17:40:31 +0000

Trying to stay under a $600 PC budget but can’t wait for the affordable ultrathins or ultrapowerful netbooks? Woot’s got a way out with a $549 Dell 17-inch Studio notebook. Built for entertainment, the refurbished Dell Studio 1737 includes a 2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4 GB of RAM, a 320 GB hard drive, a DVD player and burner, a webcam and Vista Home Premium installed. There’s also an HDMI output and a 1-year warranty if you’re a worry wart. I know, PCs don’t make the greatest impulse buys, but normally a 17-inch Studio with these specs will set you back $759, so consider pulling the trigger if you were already shopping. [via Woot]

HP Goes Low With New Netbooks

Jared Newman — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:00:02 +0000

With HP losing profits, it certainly makes sense to focus on the segment of the tech industry that’s actually doing well. Two new variants of HP’s Mini series are on the way, including one model breaks the $300 barrier. The new Mini 110s are a lot like their predecessors, but you can add a widescreen display and optional Broadcom Crystal HD Enhanced Video Accelerator for watching high-definition video. The Mini 110 starts at $330 with Windows XP, but you can save $50 by fitting it with Linux instead (it goes great with the Pink Swirl model). For the business set, HP’s Mini 1101 has optional mobile broadband and a six-cell battery, and can be equipped with Windows XP Home, XP Pro or even Vista, though we’re not sure why you’d want the last option. The price begins at $329. Look for the Mini 110 on June 10 and the Mini 1101 on June 1. [via InformationWeek]

Lenovo’s New IdeaPads and IdeaCentre Won’t Break the Bank

Jared Newman — Tue, 26 May 2009 15:00:55 +0000

Lenovo IdeaPad U350 and G550 – Marking its territory in the upcoming battle over the ultra-thin, ultra-cheap, better-than-netbook PCs, Lenovo announced the IdeaPad U350 and G550. The former (pictured) has a 13.3-inch display with ambient light sensing, a 1.4 GHz Core 2 Solo or two less powerful options, a 500 GB hard drive, up to 8 GB of DDR3 RAM, a GMA 4500M or 4500 MHD graphics set and an optional 8-cell battery for 10 hours of life. The G550 has a 15.6-inch display with a Core 2 Duo processor, up to 4 GB of DDR3 RAM, a hard drive of up to 320 GB, a DVD burner and either a GMA X4500 or GeForce G105M graphics card. The U350 will sell in July starting at $649, while the G550 goes on sale in June starting at $599.

Lenovo also announced the IdeaCentre C300 all-in-one, featuring a meager Atom 230 processor but a 20-inch display with up to 2 GB of DDR2 RAM and up to a 640 GB hard drive. You’ll find it in July starting at $449. [via Engadget]

HP Loses 17% of Profits, Job Cuts Next

Jared Newman — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:00:04 +0000

Stories of tech layoffs were a dime a dozen earlier this year, but there’s been some hope lately that it’ll all turn around soon. If HP is any indication, that’s not the case. The company’s profits fell 17 percent in the second quarter, and now it will slash 2 percent of the workforce, or roughly 6,420 people. As the New York Times notes, HP makes a pretty wide variety of products, so its performance can be viewed as a barometer for the entire tech industry. Out of its major divisions, notebooks saw the least decline, with sales falling by 13 percent compared to 28 percent for servers and storage, 23 percent for printers and related technology and 15 percent for software. I imagine HP’s netbooks are buoying the notebook category, but they only account for a small (but growing) share of the market. There’s always next quarter. [via NYTimes]

MECO: It’s Your Tech In a Box

Jared Newman — Tue, 19 May 2009 15:00:01 +0000

Chances are your computer and your home entertainment center have irreconcilable differences. The latter wants to be out there, the life of the party. The former is an ugly mass of plastic or aluminum, but it can do so much with the Internet and digital content. If you’ve got $4,350 to $4,950 in liquidity, the MECO (short for Media Core) might be your answer. On the outside, it’s an inconspicuous side table, but it packs a full PC with an Intel i7 processor and a 6 TB hard drive. A slick user interface ties it all together, letting you record up to four live television shows at a time and stream media to all corners of your house. Thee MECO can control your home’s lighting and other comforts. Your living room probably needs a redesign anyway. [via Pearing Systems]

GearCrave » Computers

The Future of Laptop Designs

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