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HP isn’t pulling any punches with EliteBook 2740p.  Targeted at wealthy businessmen and high-end loving executives, it is designed to meet the highest workspace standards.

Those whose hearts are weak to gadget envy, stop reading.  The specs are outlined as follows:

• Intel Core i5/i7 CPU
• Up to 8 GB DDR3
• Intel HD Onboard IGP
• 320 GB HDD or 160 GB SSD
• 12.1” Screen w/ 1280×800 Resolution
• Multitouch capacitive and pen input
• 802.11 a/b/g/n
• Bluetooth 2.1
• 3 USB 2.0 Ports
• 2 MP Webcam
• 5 Hour Claimed Battery Life
• Windows 7

It is indeed a very nice convertible tablet/ultrathin.  And to make up for that, it comes at a $1599 starting price.  It is worth a look, and surely if you can afford it I must imagine it will serve you quite well.  The rest of us will have to survive without it.

Via Slashgear.

HP’s Compaq Airlife 100, the company’s first smartbook that was announced on Friday, combines the portability and design of a netbook with the hardware and software often seen in smartphones. The Airlife has a battery life of up to 12 hours, longer than what most netbooks can offer. While the Airlife and iPad are very different in terms of design, they share many similar features such as simplified software interfaces, touch-screens, and ARM processors (most netbooks use Intel processors). The two devices also both make it easy to quickly access the Internet and browse online content.

Here is a quick comparison of the differences between the smartbook and tablet:

Airlife:
10.1 in touch screen
Wi-fi b/g (optional 3G wireless broadband connectivity)
2.2 lbs
Qualcomm Snapdragon processor (1 GHz)
16 GB internal storage
512 MB flash storage
Android OS
Supports Flash
Folded design

iPad:
9.7 in touch screen
802.11n Wi-fi (optional 3G/Bluetooth)
1.5 lbs
Apple A4 chip (1 GHz)
16, 32, or 64 GB of storage
No Flash support
720p HD video support
On-screen keyboard only

HP is not distributing the Airlife in the US just yet, while the iPad is roughly 50 days away from becoming available worldwide. The company also has not yet released pricing information for the new device.

Via PCWorld image via CNET

Renditions of potential Microsoft and Apple Tablets

Microsoft may be introducing a tablet to compete with Apple’s as of yet unannounced but much anticipated tablet. Microsoft has released tablets in the past, though they were not very successful.

HP is allegedly working with Microsoft on their tablet. There have been rumors that it will be called Courier and use two adjacent seven-inch touchscreens -   quite a departure from the traditional single touchscreen. Though some are interpreting Microsoft’s tablet as a competitor to Apple’s tablet, the reality may be that they are two completely different products. Of course, with neither product released, it is impossible to do a proper comparison. But Apple’s tablet may be much more App Store oriented, and Microsoft’s could have a completely different interface, especially if it has the dual screens.

Also, even though Microsoft is expected to announce its tablet before Apple, both products are expected to ship at the same time: by March or mid-year.

Via PC World, image via Gizmodo.

A few new exciting netbook models have been announced in anticipation of CES 2010, this time from Compaq and HP.

The first is the Compaq Mini CQ10 netbook. This new machine will run the 1.66 GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, 1 GB of DDR2 RAM, a HDD up to 250 GB, Wi-Fi, GMA 3150 graphics and a 6-cell battery. You should be able to get this thing for around $260 within weeks.

Next is the HD Edition of the HP Mini 210 netbook. We’ve already seen a preliminary leak of the new HP netbook’s specs, and our latest info corroborates those findings. You can expect a 1.66 GHz Atom N450, GMA 3150 graphics, and the new Broadcom Crystal HD chip for media acceleration. The HP Mini 210 HD will cost around $330.

Both netbooks will ship on or around January 7th, according to the latest available information.

Via Engadget.

This HP 18.5 inch all-in-one PC packs quite a punch for a compact computer. The PC offers more than the standard all-in-ones currently in the market.

For starters, it is one of the few all-in-one PC’s that have opted to use a 1.5GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 CPU rather than the Intel Atom processor. Another improvement is the computer’s super-sized memory and storage capacity. The MS214 comes equipped with 2 gigabytes of DDR2, twice the average amount. The PC’s storage capacity is just as high, with 300 GB of storage.

The HP MS214 also includes integrated wireless-n and gigabit LAN connectivity. Both of these greatly facilitate the transferring of files. Lastly, the PC is complete with the addition of a DVD burner.

The only pitfalls of this all-in-one PC are that it doesn’t offer any kind of touch screen capabilities and has a meager six USB ports, two of which will likely be hogged by a keyboard and mouse. Overall, HP’s all-in-one PC offers a lot of bang for $600 bucks.

Via WashingtonPost

Image Via AutoDigital

The insanely low prices that HP and Dell constantly churn out for their regularly sized laptops may be to blame for the slow growth of the ultra-thin laptop segment. According to Acer chairman J.T. Wang, this has caused consumers to steer clear from the thinner varieties in favor of lower prices. It has also lowered sales on Intel’s CULV processors, giving Intel less of an incentive to manufacture parts for the ultra-thin laptop market.

Ultra-thin laptops offer many advantages. These laptops are more powerful than netbooks, while being similarly portable and offering an incredibly long battery life. Consumers have showed interest in the ultra-thin segment, so now it’s up to manufacturers to market the product and offer deals to get the public to purchase these laptops.

Via PCWorld

Image via DotKam

HP revealed its Pro MS200 PC this Monday in hopes of reaching out to small business owners in need of more compact desktop computers. This all-in-one PC is perfect for the growing number of small businesses who are tight on space but still need the capability of a bulky desktop.

The PC is packaged as an 18.5 inch screen that houses a DVD player and webcam. The device is also appropriate for the environmentally conscious business, as it satisfies Energy Star 5.0 standards.

This isn’t HP’s only product aimed at the small business market. It has long created PCs, laptops, printers, scanners, fax machines and more for consumers in this market. Each of these business-oriented laptops and PC’s has been manufactured to be a perfect pairing for Microsoft Windows 7 Professional.

The features of the HP Pro MS200 are as follows:

• DVD Burner
• Webcam
• Athlon dual-core processor
• ATI Radeon 3200 graphics card
• 250 GB hard drive
• Built-in Wi-Fi
• Microsoft Windows 7 Professional.

The all-in-one PC will be priced from $699.

Via InformationWeek

The Hewlett-Packard Envy 13 laptop is the sleekest netbook killer ever — not considering its price. This HP powerhouse has a aluminum and magnesium frame, sculpted to perfection. It’s also only 0.8 inches thick and weighs a mere 3.74 pounds, which gives a new meaning to thin and light, especially for a notebook.

Some other tech specs of the 13.1″ HP Envy laptop include 1600×900 resolution, a 2.13GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SL9600 processor, and special “Beats” circuitry for superb audio performance. Furthermore, the HP Envy 13’s screen display quality/contrast is particularly awesome and is one of the best OLED panel options out there (for laptops, at least). And to top everything off, this laptop comes with a battery that’s rumored to last up to 16.25 hours. Wow.

Curious about the price for all this amazingness? Brace yourself… $1,699.99 straight from HP. Ouchie.

Via DVice.

If you think the gloriously thoughtless spending is done now that Black Friday has passed, you obviously haven’t heard the news – tomorrow is Cyber Monday, where you can reap the benefits of gutted price tags online even if you didn’t make it to the Black Friday doorbusters a few days back.

Huliq has already discovered some of these deals, which are as follows:

Dell

• Inspiron Mini 9 netbook for $299, a 50 dollar cut. Shipping is free for all Dell orders over $129.
• Dell Insprion Mini 10v for only $250.
• Inspiron 1525 laptop for $519. Specs are a 15.4-inch widescreen display, Intel Pentium Dual Core CPU T3200, 3 GB of RAM, a 250 GB SATA Hard Drive and DVD+/-RW Drive, and Windows Vista Home Basic SP1.

Best Buy

• Acer AL2216Wbd flat-panel Widescreen 22-inch LCD HD monitor for only $169.99 with free shipping, a $50 price cut compared to most retailers
• Free shipping on laptops $699.99 and up and desktops $499.99 and up.

Walmart

• Compaq CQ50-139QM notebook for $498, which comes with an 8 GB flash drive, carrying case, and HP printer. If you just want a printer instead, hit Staples.com for a $149 Xerox Phaser 6125 Color Laser Printer, a price drop made available by their $200 instant coupon.

Sony

• Drop promo code CYBERMONDAYVAIOCS at Sony.com for a $200 subsidy of their CS Vaio notebook.

Apple

• Apple offers free shipping on orders over 50 bucks. You can also get free gift advice at 1-800-MY-APPLE if you’re completely weird.

HP

• Free shipping on overs over 60 dollars at HP.com.

I hope your appetite has been whetted, ladies and gentlemen. Check back for more info as Cyber Monday draws closer.

LightInTheBox.com has recently put up a webpage with a selection of 38 recommended netbooks that woud lmake great gifts this holiday season. Some netbooks on the site cater more to students while other cater more to professionals, but all of them are no doubt adequate for doing the most common of tasks, which include but are not limited to e-mailing, surfing the Internet, and editing documents.

The netbooks on this site range from $129.99 to $1,270.00 and many of them even have free (international) shipping. There are the big name brands like ASUS, HP, and Samsung and a few of the lesser known brands such as Kohjinsha and Viliv, among others. Check them out!

Via SearchSysCon.

SquareTrade, an independent warranty provider, has done research on the failure rates for 30,000+ netbooks and laptops covered by warranty plans. They’ve found out that roughly a third of laptops will fail within three years and that the failure rate for netbooks is 20% higher than that for laptops.

Further breakdown of the results indicate that 20.4% of laptop failures were due to hardware malfunctions and 10.4% were due to accidential damage. Here’s a graph showing some empirical evidence:

5.8% of netbooks malfunction within the first 12 months of ownership, which is 20% higher than the malfunction rate for entry-level laptops and 40% higher than the malfunction rate for premium laptops. The projected malfunction rate for netbooks over a three year period is 25.1%. Compare this to 20.6% for regular laptops and 18.1% for premium laptops.

ASUS Eee PC and Toshiba netbooks and laptops tend to be more reliable. Fewer than 16% of Eee PC and Toshiba owners reported a hardware malfunction over a period of three years. Acer, Gateway, and HP machines had relatively higher malfunction rates.

Here’s another graph to show the 3-year laptop malfunction rates for different laptop manufacturers:

Via Gizmodo.

Computing technology is generally on people’s holiday shopping list in some form or other, and even though the economy may not be so great this year, the situation is no different. That’s why we’re giving you a sneak peak of some of the the offers that Office Depot are promoting for Black Friday. Office Depot will open at 6:00 a.m. on Friday, November 27th, and deals on netbooks, laptops and desktops start as low as $229. Take a look.

Netbooks:

• Acer:  10.1″ screen display with 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor – $199.99

Notebooks:

• HP: G60-508US with Intel Celeron 900 processor – $299.99
• Acer: Aspire, 15.6″ widescreen display with AMD Athlon X2 Dual-Core L310processor, 4GB RAM, 320GB hard drive – $379.99
• HP:  G71-343US with Intel Core 2 Duo processor T6600 – $449.99
• Toshiba: 15.6″ widescreen display with AMD Turion II Dual-Core processor M500, 3GB RAM, 320GB hard drive – $469.99
• Toshiba: 17″ screen display with AMD Turion II M500, 3GB RAM, 250GB Hard Drive – $499.99

Desktops:

• Compaq: CQ4010F with AMD Sempron LE-1300 Processor, 2GB RAM, 250GB hard drive- $229.99
• Compaq: Presario AMD LE-1300 with 18.5″ Monitor – $329.99
• HP: Pavillion Slimline s5220f with Intel Pentium processor E5300, 4GB RAM, 640GB hard drive – $369.99

There’s also a rumor that there will be a two page bonus ad in the Office Depot’s Black Friday ad, so be sure to be on the lookout for that!

Via Huliq.

Image via Blogspot.

Walmart has a super cheap Windows 7 laptop that you will be able to buy on Black Friday.  Customized for Walmart by HP, this notebook will not have you playing World of Warcraft at mind-numbing resolutions everywhere you go, but it should suffice for your daily email, internet, and word processing needs.

Specs include a 15.6” Brightview display at 1366×768 resolution, integrated graphics, 250 GB of hard drive space, 3 GB of RAM, and a 2.2 GHz Intel Celeron processor.  The real shining point of the system is the $298 price tag.  With these kinds of prices for laptops, competition continues to intensify between the netbook and laptop industry.

Via I4U News.

Japan has recently released their version of the the HP Pavillion DM1 laptop, which apparently is an HP Mini 311 netbook with an integrated Intel GS45 Express chipset or GMA 4500MHD graphics chipset instead of the Nvidia Ion chipset, and a more powerful processor. The netbook includes an 11.6″ screen display with 1366×768 resolution and a 1.2GHz Intel Celeron SU2300 dual-core processor.

Here are some other tech specs for this notebook/netbook:

• 2GB – 5GB RAM
• 250GB HDD (SATA 2.5” 5400 RPM)
• 802.11b/g Wi-Fi
• 5-in-1 Card Reader, HDMI, VGA, LAN, 2x USB, one audio jack
• Webcam (resolution unknown)
• Windows 7 Home Premium OS

The HP Pavillion DM1 comes with a 6-celled lithium-ion battery that can last up to 8 hours and is 1.5kg in weight. It will go on sale in mid-November of this year with a price tag of roughly $700.

If you’re like me, you occasionally feel the need to compulsively check your email. Ok, that’s an understatement. You always feel the compulsion to check your email. Lucky for the both of us, HP has plotted to make our ability to do just a little bit faster.

HP’s new Probook 6445b and 6545b business laptops come with Pre-Boot email, which, as the name implies, helps people access their email just that much faster by taking the load up time out of the equation. Of course, this is just a perk to some already admirable laptops.

The ProBooks 6445b and 6545b both have a magnesium alloy chassis , a spill-resistant keyboard with a drain, and a 2-megapixel webcam with optional business-card reader software. Both of them can be configured with either an AMD Turion II or AMD Sempron CPU. Hard drive options are either a spinning drive with 160-500 GB or a 128 SSD.

Both come with DDR2 memory and an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4200 discrete graphics. Aside from the Expresscard/54 slot, both systems have a multicard reader. There is 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and an option for Broadband via EV-DO/HSPA. Either of the laptops can be configured with with either a 6-cell or 9-cell battery or an optional 52-Whr extended Life Battery.

The ProBook 6445b is 9.76 x 14.62 x 1.37 inches and weighs about 5.9 pounds with a 14-inch screen. The ProBook 6545b is 9.76 x 14.62 x 1.37 inches and weights about 5.9 pounds with a 15.6-inch screen. The starting price for both of them is $799, and both come with Microsoft’s Windows 7 OS due October 22nd.

Via PCMag.com

The HP EliteBook 6930P is a business model, which means that this baby can really bring the power home, CPU-wise anyway. However, it’s a bit slow on the graphics processing.

The stats: 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duro  P8600, 2 GB of DDR2 RAM, 160 GB 5400rpm drive, Graphics-Intel GM45 90MB, 14.1 inch screen, and weight w/ battery: 2.35 kg/ 5.2 lb.

There is an ambient light sensor to match the brightness to suit the environment as a battery life extender, a hidden LED to illuminate the keyboard, and a port for anything you could possibly need. Overall, not a bad model.

Via PCWorld

Joining Sony in efforts to promote breast cancer awareness, Hewlett-Packard has introduced its own pink netbook and accessory bundle.

The HP Pink Chic netbook and accesory bundle includes a 10.1″ netbook with 1 GB of RAM and a 160 GB hard drive, an HP Mini Pink Chic sleeve, and an HP Mini retractable pink mouse.  The netbook runs on Windows XP and weighs roughly 2.57 pounds, which is pretty decent.

You can get this entire bundle at Best Buy for $379.99 ($10 more than the price for only an HP Mini Pink Chic netbook) and HP will be donating $1 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure for each Pink Chic sleeve or Pink Mouse sold between 9/20/2009 and 12/31/2009. Pick up yours today and join the fight against breast cancer!

Via Chipchick.

For all those ladies out there who are bored of the plain old, solid-colored netbook designs, here’s something for you.

Hewlett-Packard and Vivienne Tam are teaming up again to bring another designer digital clutch netbook to the market. The new device is rumored to arrive in Spring 2010, but no further information is yet known about its tech specs.

The digital clutch will debut during New York Fashion Week at Tam’s fashion show and be based on Tam’s Spring 2010 collection. The design is inspired by the famous Chinese love story, Butterfly Lovers.

Via Slashgear.

Competition is feverish in the netbook arena, with budget buyers and college kids opting for the cheaper PCs more than ever before. ASUS, whose woes we wrote about just days ago, seems to have taken the hit harder than initially imagined.

Once occupying the top spot for netbook sales, ASUS now holds second place. Acer has taken the lead, MSI is in third, HP in 4th and Lenovo in 5th place. Strong growth from MSI made Dell drop down to sixth. Here’s market researcher Eileen He from Gartner’s explanation:

“Acer is ranked number one because of their marketing campaign and their channel strategies… The result is similar across Asia-Pacific. After advertising and product design changes, Acer has bounced to number one.”

In total PC sales, ASUS is being beaten as well, with HP in first and Dell, Acer, Toshiba and Apple filling up the remaining top positions.

Netbooks as a whole, however, showed a 398.4% year on year leap by Q2 2009.

Via ARNNet.