Day 4 of our Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 nominees round-up gives us a chance to look at what many of us are using right now - laptops. So, before you head over to the voting page to mark your choices, here's a little run down of our pick of the crop for the year.

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Apple MacBook Pro

Type

13-inch portable/multimedia

Release date

08/06/09

Price

?899/?1149

PL review rating

9/10

It was more or less inevitable that one of the year's Macs would make it into the shortlist and it was the dubbing of the "Pro" title to the smaller end of the MacBook range that did it for us in 2009. What it means is a high performance spec set and typically beautiful Apple design on something nice and portable. At 13 inches it's an excellent size for both home or on your knees and the seamless aluminium deck and neat cut-outs for the various ports and connectors give a premium finish that other manufacturers just don't achieve.

Under the hood, you get the choice of the cheaper 2.26GHz/2GB RAM/160GB model or the 2.53GHz/4GB/250GB for a few pennies more. Both come with a bright and glossy 1280 x 800px? LED backlit screen and an Nvidia GeForce 9400M GPU for high quality HD playback. The non-removable battery is a bit of a grind - particularly as that 7 hours of reported battery life is only with the screen at 50% but you can't have everything. The whole thing is topped off by the welcome addition of an SD card and backlit keyboard for easier use on flights etc. A very solid, attractive and usable contender for this year's award. Simply put, it oozes quality.

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Sony Vaio Z

Type

13.1-inch ultra-portable

Price

?2159

PL review rating

9/10

Fighting in a similar space as the 13-inch Pro is the same sized Sony Vaio Z. Strangely though it makes the Apple computer look cheap at around double the cost. What you're paying for though is a fantastically light 1.5kg carbon fibre and magnesium body built for mobile use. It has an isolated keyboard, much like the MacBook, but a superior 1600 x 900 pixels LED backlit screen that's simply one of the best around with its curious matte/gloss hybrid finish.

Lurking within is a powerful combo of an Intel 2.53GHz Core 2 Duo processor, an Nvidia GeForce 9300M GS and 4096MB of high speed DDR3 memory all backed up with a luxury 128GB SSD. As with the Pro, there's also a DVD/CD drive plus an SD slot and also a direct HDMI port rather than the adaptor needed for the Apple machine. Yes, this thing is more expensive and actually doesn't even offer much in the way of battery life but it's sexy as hell and light as a feather. Very hard to walk past in the shops without an oooh and an ahhhh.

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Dell Adamo XPS

Type

13.4-inch ultra-portable

Release date

Any time now

Price

?1799

PL review rating

9/10

The real head turner for 2009 has to be the Dell Adamo XPS. Not content with throwing us one version of the new luxury sub-brand, Dell went and invented the thinnest computer known to man with this 9.9mm curiously folding PC. That's thinner than a CD case.

Frankly, the rest of the specs are a footnote but, if you're interested, what you get for whatever portion of the money is left is an Intel Core 2 Duo ULV (1.4GHz) processor, 4GB DDR3-800MHz and a Solid State 128GB. There's only integrated graphics to play with plus a non-Full HD 1366 x 768 LED screen and a thoroughly disappointing 2.5 hours battery life. But if you can cope with the last parts, you can still feel safe that you're buying an incredible work of design.

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Toshiba NB200

Type

10.1-inch netbook

Release date

23/4/09

Price

?250

PL review rating

8/10

At the other end of the price range and the only netbook to have made the grade for Pocket-lint in 2009 is the Toshiba NB200. Simply enough, it's an upgrade to the NB100 but what you get now is a larger, nearly full size and well-designed, isolated keyboard plus an LED backlit display with a reasonable resolution of 1024 x 600px. That lot aside, there's nothing wildly exciting about the machine apart from its robust build and excellent 8-hour life and that's before you've upgraded to the 9-cell battery.

For just ?250 you get all this plus 1GB RAM, an Intel Atom N280 processor and a 160GB HDD all running Windows XP. There's a 1.3-megapixel webcam and it handles all the normal connectivity you'd expect. Like we said, not astounding but definitely good value.

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HP Envy 15

Type

15.6-inch multimedia PC

Release date

22/10/09

Price

?1199

PL review rating

8/10

The Envy 15 is very much a Windows take on the MacBook Pro. It has similar levels of high design input minus that Apple touch, but what it's missing in class it more than makes up for in raw grunt. It's the only machine on our list to feature the new Intel Core i7 CPU and it comes with 4GB RAM that's expandable up to a whopping 16GB. It runs Windows 7 on a nice, bright, Full HD 1366 x 768px LED screen - as is the mode - with a whole 1GB ATI GPU helping you render just about anything you can think of.

The Envy measures 38 x 24.4 x 2.65cm and weighs 2.35kg putting it firmly in the multimedia category and, just in case you needed to be sure, it has all the HDMI ports, eSATAs and USBs that you'd need. Sorry to see a lack of Blu-ray though. The real drawback is the miniscule 1.5 hours battery life, but then this thing wasn't meant to be taken on the move. So, now you know what they are, how are you going to vote?

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Related links:

• Feature - The low down: Best Digital Camera 2009
• Feature - The low down: Best Car Gadget 2009

Tags: Hardware Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 Pocket-lint Awards Features HP Envy 15 Apple Sony Vaio Laptops Netbooks Dell Dell Adamo XPS Macbook pro Toshiba NB200-11H Toshiba

The low down: Best Laptop 2009 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:17:54 +0000

American computer manufacturer Dell has announced the launch of its new Android-based smartphone, the Dell Mini 3i, on China Mobile.

The global debut of the phone in China sees the new handset available in "red passion" or the slightly dubious sounding "oiled bronze".

More specs for the device have now been revealed and we can report the quadband GSM/EDGE 3i offers a 3.5-inch, 640 x 360 widescreen display, built-in GPS, a 3-megapixel camera with video capture, flash and auto-focus, Bluetooth and a microSD card slot supporting cards up to 32GB.

In China, the Mini 3i will support China Mobile's "Mobile Market" app store, while Dell says the phone's features may well change as it launches across other operators around the world - "feature sets may vary depending on the needs of mobile operators".

Brazil's Claro network is due to offer the handset by the end of the year, but considering this warning Brazilians should hang on for confirmation of specs.

Read

Tags: Phones Mobile phones Dell Android China Mobile Dell Mini 3i

Dell Mini 3i smartphone launches on China Mobile originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:48:44 +0000

Dell has sneakily rolled out a new notebook in the States. The Studio 17 Touch, as it's called, has appeared on the company's US website and features a whopping great big 17-inch multitouch touchscreen.

It ships with a suite of touch-enabled applications, including a Dell photo browser, but other than that the design is pretty much the same as the regular Studio 17. It has a 2.1 speaker setup, along with a HDMI-out, and starts with a 2.1GHz dual-core Intel processor, 3GB of RAM, 250GB of hard disk space and integrated graphics.

That can be pumped up to a 2.8GHz Core 2 Duo, 1TB of disk storage, an ATI Mobility Radeon HD graphics card and a Blu-ray optical drive. That'll push the price up considerably from the basic $900 starting point, but if you want the best then it'll cost you.

Dell reckons that orders placed now should ship in early December. Just in time for Christmas.

Read

Tags: Hardware Laptops Dell Touchscreen Dell Studio 17 Touch

Dell quietly introduces Studio 17 Touch originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:09:02 +0000

Dell's super model thin Adamo XPS has gone on pre-order in the States, with a super slim chance of delivery in time for Christmas.

Santa might struggle to get the machines distributed on time with the "preliminary" ship date of 23 December sounding like it's only one for under the tree if you're the type that likes to fly by the seat of your pants.

The $1799 price tag converts directly to around a grand, and for that you'll get 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo ULV processor, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD and Windows 7 Home Premium.

The Adamo XPS boasts a 13.4-inch HD display, 2MP webcam, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, weighs in at 1.44kg and measures just 9.99mm at its skinniest point.

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Tags: Hardware Laptops Dell Dell Adamo XPS

Dell Adamo XPS up for pre-order in the States originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:39:05 +0000

Here are the nominations for Best Laptop or Netbook in The Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009.

The following products were chosen because we feel they represent the best laptop and netbooks on sale in the last 12 months that are available in the UK.

The nominations are:

Apple MacBook Pro

Sony VAIO VGN-Z21ZN/X

Dell Adamo XPS

HP Envy

Toshiba NB200

Now in its 6th year, the Pocket-lint Gadget Awards, thought to be the longest running in the UK, pick the best gadgets and gizmos from the last year released in the UK.

Pocket-lint's vigorous vetting process means that all the gadgets up for nomination have to have been seen by a member of the Pocket-lint team (so far over 600) and have to have been available in the UK between December 2008 and December 2009.

The awards, voted by a panel of leading gadget journalists from around the world, including the staff from the Pocket-lint team, will decide the real must-have gadgets of the year, rather than those simply deemed cool or anticipated, being the definitive guide for consumers looking to buy gadgets.

Winners will be announced at an Awards evening in London on Monday 7 December.

If you would like to order tickets to the event please visit our awards event page.

Public voting will start on Wednesday 18 November.

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Related links:

• link - Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009

Tags: Hardware Laptops Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 Pocket-lint Awards Apple Sony Dell HP Toshiba

Best Laptops 2009 nominations originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:59:54 +0000

After what seems like decades of speculation, Dell has finally confirmed that the company has a mobile phone ready for launch. The Dell Mini 3i Android-based smartphone will be hitting the shelves on China Mobile later this month, while Brazil's Claro network will have it by the end of the year.

Both networks represent a serious numbers game with 42 million users across the Americas on Claro and China Mobile being the largest in the world, and together they provide a vast platform for the Texas computer manufacturer to enter the mobile market.

Details on the handset itself seem to be as speculated, with a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen on a 360 x 640 pixel display. No word as to when or where else in the world it might arrive next but implications in the Dell press release are that the 3i will be part of a larger Dell Mini 3 smartphone series.

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Read

Related links:

• News - PHOTOS: Hands-on with the tiny Dell Inspiron Zino HD
• News - PHOTOS: LG GW620 Android phone

Tags: Phones Mobile phones Dell Android

Dell confirms Android smartphone launch originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:11:14 +0000

Dell's teeny Inspiron Zino HD is about as much of a Mac Mini rival as a Windows-based machine could be - even offering customisable looks for some extra youth market appeal - and we grabbed some hands-on time with it at the Dell CES Unveiled event in New York.?

Measuring just 7.8 x 7.8 x 3.4 inches the diminutive desktop is a space saving solution for the bedroom, lounge or heck, even the kitchen, it's cute with journalists from the glossies clambering over each other to grab a look.

If you like what you see, the Zino can be ordered now. Prices range from ?299 for a bare bones model with no graphics, to a ?744 option that gets 1TB of storage and tons of RAM.

Why opt for this over the Mac Mini? It's got a Blu-ray option if that's your thing, and with the Windows 7 element, a not too shabby media centre interface built in too.?

Tags: Hardware Dell Photos Dell Zino HD Desktop PCs Nettops

PHOTOS: Hands-on with the tiny Dell Inspiron Zino HD originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:42:00 +0000

Dell has announced a cute'n'colourful small form factor PC, or full-featured nettop, or mini desktop (whichever you'd rather) the Inspiron Zino HD.

A Mac Mini rival from the world of Windows, if you will, the Zino HD offers space-saving measurements of 7.8-inches by 7.8-inches by 3.4-inches.

It's personalisable with 10 optional interchangeable colours and designs and offers a range of AMD Athlon processors, ATI Mobility Radeon graphics, up to 1TB hard disk and up to 8GB RAM.

Features include four USB ports, a headphone connector, a four-in-one-memory card reader, Wi-Fi, VGA, eSATA and HDMI connectors - the latter of which in conjunction with the optional Blu-ray drive will turn the little device into a teeny HD home cinema kit.

Offered with Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Ubuntu Linux 9.04 Dell is offering three options from the get go - a basic ?299 model (the cheapest Mac Mini is ?499), a ?531 effort that comes with a monitor and a ?744 option with bells and whistles.

Read

Tags: Hardware Dell Desktop PCs Small form factor PCs Mac mini Dell Zino HD Nettops Blu-ray AMD

Dell Zino HD mini desktop PC launches in the UK originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:42:25 +0000

After weeks of teaser campaigns, leaked photos and specs, Dell has gone official with its slimline laptop offering that it hopes will offer an alternative to the Sony X Series, Apple MacBook Air, and Samsung's X series as well.

The new model, which averages at 9.9mm thick will feature a new innovative hinge design that sees the keyboard fit into the screen area so save space.

Specs include a 13.4-inch HD WLED screen, Intel Core 2 Duo ULV 1.4GHz processor, 4GB memory, 128GB SSD, wireless n and Bluetooth connectivity and DisplayPort, 2 USB ports and a headphone jack. The laptop will not feature an Ethernet port, or optical disk drive.

The new model will cost $1799 and should be here in time for Christmas.

Check out our first look review of the Dell Adamo XPS laptop.?

Related links:

• Photos - Hands on gallery
• Reviewed - Dell Adamo XPS First look review

Tags: Hardware Laptops Dell Dell Adamo XPS Intel

Dell Adamo XPS is thin, CD case thin originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Thinner than a regular CD case (9.9mm)?Dell?has just announced the Dell Adamo XPS?after much tooing and throwing in a teaser campaign and Pocket-lint was hands on to snap some photos.?

Yes it is thin, yes the keyboard tucks into the casing and yes you really do have to slide your finger to open it up.

Of course the tech specs are equally impressive, if you don't mind dumping the need for an Ethernet socket, CD drive or small powerpack (we are told it might get smaller before launch).?

Specs include a 13.4-inch HD WLED screen, Intel Core 2 Duo ULV 1.4GHz processor, 4GB memory, 128GB SSD, wireless n and Bluetooth connectivity and DisplayPort, 2 USB ports and a headphone jack.

The payoff for that size? The battery will only last you 2 hours 36 minutes according to Dell.

As for the random "nine" on the back next to the name. It won't be there when it launches. We shot a production sample and Dell says it was testing something out, but watch as the rumour mill goes into overdrive suggesting a "nine" inch model is inbound.

The new model will cost $1799 and should be here in time for Christmas.

Check out our first look review of the Dell Adamo XPS laptop.?

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Tags: Hardware Laptops Dell Intel Photos Dell Adamo XPS

PHOTOS: Dell Adamo XPS hands on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Pocket-lint has teamed up with Dell Outlet to bring you the opportunity to win one of their high end XPS Laptops. A great pre-Christmas gift, whether you are into gaming, films, photography or general PC usage this Laptop is a fantastic prize for any PC Lover. To check out what Dell Outlet has to offer visit www.dell.co.uk/outlet/plxmascomp.

The laptop itself will sport 2GB RAM and 320GB hard drive, all wrapped up in a smart design. Connections wise you'll get 2 USB ports, HDMI and VGA-out, five in one memory card reader, ExpressCard slot and eSATA port.

To enter into this competition all you have to do is answer a simple question. In addition you have the opportunity to opt-in to receiving Dell Outlet's weekly enewsletter which is packed with updates on system availability and occasional special offers. Don’t worry, you can opt-out of this at any time.

So for a chance to win simply click through on the link below, which will take you through to the competition page, where you'll also find full terms and conditions.

Related links:

• Competition - Dell Studio 16 XPS laptop

Tags: Hardware Laptops Dell Dell XPS Competitions

Win a brand new Dell Studio 16 XPS laptop originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:01:19 +0000

With laptop innovation moving faster than just about any other area of consumer technology, it seems rather unfair to do a best laptop of the year category. Anything released back in January is comparatively obsolete next to anything from the last few months. The arrival of both Windows 7 and CULV technology in the latter half of the year has distorted matters even more. That said, 2009 started with some memorable moments at CES and a definite clutch of landmark releases that have managed to stay in contention for the Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Award for Best Laptop. Here's a little reminder of some of the highlights for you, and don't forget to tell us just which would get your vote.

Multimedia & Games

The laptop industry has moved into three clear areas of machines over the last 2 years although more recently it's threatened to fragment even further. One of the sectors beginning to divide in 2009 is the multimedia notebooks which, since the rise of the netbook and the slimline PC, now consists of just about anything over 2kg in weight with a 15-inch or more screen size. The point is that whereas once they might have been considered portable, the only moving anyone would do with them now would be short distances within the home. And, as for them being lap-tops, well there's now a select few of them that would crush your thigh bones even if you thought about it.

As a consequence of being housebound, these have predominately become entertainment units fit with powerful graphics cards, Blu-ray players, quad core processors, HDMI ports and, of course, HD quality widescreens. Some of the better examples of the year include the Samsung R720, the Asus F70, the Acer Aspire 7540 & 5542, MSI GX723, HP Pavillion DV8, Packard Bell EasyNote DT85 and the Sony Vaio NW series. That's been pretty much the middle bench of this category.

However, beyond these entertainment machines are the slightly lower spec and more portable professional type traditional laptops in the same vein as the MacBook Pro range which was itself refreshed right from the beginning of the 2009. The addition of a 17-inch model and later the 15-inch and 13-inch upgrades helped to remind us that although their specs may be lower, these are still machines to be reckoned with. Toshiba very much has its own take on the market with the Satellite series as re-released throughout the year, Dell has its Studios with an impressive update to the Studio 15 seen in 2009 and the one that got most tongues wagging was the HP Envy laptops with their Core i7 processors and enormous wedges of RAM available up to a slightly insane 16GB.

At the very other extreme of this category is a growing number of monster machines for gamers. It's a tricky area given that most self-respecting VG-heads will build their own PCs, but there is an ever-growing PC gaming market once more and plenty of consumers who want to buy something tailor made. What 2009 has continued to show here is that even this end of computing is moving away from desktops, which were normally classed as the only machines to offer the necessary power and screen size.

The minimum you'd expect to pay for these mostly 17-inch beasts would be a cool ?1000 like we saw in the Packard Bell iPower GX at the beginning of the awards year and the budget but effective Advent 6555 which has arrived since. However, Dell's Alienware, the Demios X-10 and the Asus G60 were also there in case you really wanted to start splashing the cash on dual GPUs and more lights, bells, whistles and sub-woofered sound hot-rods. Hard to tell how big this niche will get in the future but it's certainly been a feature this year.

Finally, and just to be typically awkward Apple finally brought us a new version of their ?799 entry level machine - the 13-inch unibody white MacBook. 2006 was the last time the company refreshed that model and we were beginning to think they would leave it at that.

Ultra Slim

By far the biggest growth area in laptops has been the thin, slim, ultra-portable, ultra-stylish machines. Consumers have been crying out for something with the portability of a netbook but with the battery and processing capabilities nearer the multimedia muthas as well as larger screen sizes to match - typically between 13 and 15 inches. We'd already seen the beginnings of this with the MacBook Air and the Toshiba Porteges but it was at CES 2009 when the fashion really hit home as MSI released their X-Series of laptops with the X320, which has now matured through the X400 and X600 too. Dell managed to eke out the tease on the style-conscious Adamo for nearly 6 months before more recently blowing us all away with even thinner and more unique Adamo XPS and it's the launch of the Intel CULV platform that's really produced the gold rush we're seeing right now.

Asus were quick to move from the already good looking brushed aluminium UX series to the new low voltage, longer lasting system take on the same design with the near enough Asus UL series. There must have been a secret meeting in a darkened smoky room between the marketing chiefs a few months back because it seems X-series has become synonymous with this laptop form. Samsung's X-series arrived with typical gusto in October after the announcement at IFA and once Sony had decided that the trend was here to stay, they produced an Vaio X-series of the company's very own too. And, just to prove they're not all about stacking them high and selling them cheap, Dell produced a slightly less premium take on the trend with both the Inspiron and Lattitude Z-series. Presumably, there were no Xs left. Finally both Toshiba and Acer, with the Timeline range, went about more portable solutions although in a slightly more sedate and less thin-crazed way.

Interestingly, because of the focus on efficiency and form, what we haven't seen, and perhaps for the first time, is any significant increase in RAM and processor cores - typical signs of raw power. Instead 2009 has given the consumer laptops with a definite purpose. We have more battery power, a lighter load, more power-friendly LED screens, often with SSD internal storage solutions as well. Throw Windows 7 into the mix and there's never been a better time to buy a laptop.

Netbooks

If 2008 was the arrival of the netbook, then 2009 has most certainly represented its peak. According to Samsung, Q4 of 2009, now, is when we should expect to see the largest sale in netbooks worldwide. Simply everyone makes them including Orange, LG, Nokia, BlackBerry and even Hello Kitty. There is some suspicion that the wave will roll back once more with the ultra-slims taking a lot of that market share away, with a solution that most people were probably after in the first place, but it seems there will always be a place for devices like these that simply need to be carried in a smaller space.

That said, there have been one or two standout innovations in the netbook field starting at the very beginning of the year in Las Vegas with the arrival of three very important machines. The first was from the inventor of the netbook, as Asus held aloft the touch and swivel screen Eee PC tablet, the T91. The second was the HP Mini 2140 and its near full size keyboard and, perhaps most famously, was Sony's half admission that netbooks were here to stay with the release of the Vaio P not-netbook. The company has since gone the whole hog with the Vaio W.

It's almost seemed that the manufactures themselves have sensed that the traditional netbook might have been a fad. Most have ditched the early 8.9-inch models with 10-inch machines being the baseline these days, the best of the current crop are the Dell Mini 10v, the Toshiba NB200, the Medion E1312, HP Mini 5101, Asus Eee PC 1008HA, Samsung N510 and the Acer Aspire One D250, many of which now come with 2GB of RAM, near full QWERTYs and better graphics than ever before. There's been a recognition that it's hard to get much done on such small machines so we've seen the addition of the Nvidia ION platform to allow gaming and HD video playback to help bolster the trade too. The other way to go has been the blurring of the very definition of the category by creating a series of 11-inch not-netbooks, which straddle the gap in machine class, and often come with non-Atom processors like the HP Pavillion DM1 and the Packard Bell dot m/u.

Aside these small boosts and the touchscreen capabilities, perhaps the only real innovation has come from Acer who has brought out a version of the D250 that comes with both Android and Windows operating systems installed as well as, of course, the offering of a 3D laptop too. It'll be interesting to see how Google's desktop OS takes off and who'll choose to run netbooks on Windows 7. But, most of all, it'll be interesting to see what's come of the netbook in 2 year's time.

What do you think?

But these are just some of the fantastic choices our readers have had in 2009. What would you like to see held aloft as the winner of Pocket-lint Best Laptop 2009? Who have we missed out? Which are your unsung heroes and of those we've already mentioned, which would get your vote? Let us know in the comments below and you can help our panel decide which make the shortlist of nominees to be announced here on Pocket-lint on 16 November. We'll have all out coverage of the Vodafone Pocket-lint awards 2009 right here. Don't miss a minute of it.

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Related links:

• Feature - Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 - digital cameras
• Feature - Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 - car gadgets
• Feature - Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 - music gadgets

Tags: Hardware Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 Pocket-lint Awards Features Asus Acer Samsung Laptops Netbooks Dell Dell Adamo XPS

Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 - laptops originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:10:45 +0000

This Dell infomercial would make a great drinking game if you had to down a shandy every time voice-over man says "XT2 XFR", but for those of you of a more sober frame of mind, it gives you a quick overview of Dell's new rugged tablet PC.

The Dell Latitude XT2 XFR (hic!) is the industry's smallest 12.1-inch rugged convertible tablet PC and is the first with a multi-touch display.

Aimed at those that work In The Field, it's independently tested to all kinds of official standards so users know they can drop it, dunk it, freeze it, coat it in dust and just know it's still gonna work.

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Tags: Hardware Dell Tablet PCs Laptops Waterproof Video Biz

VIDEO: Dell Latitude XT2 XFR rugged tablet PC launches originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:40:37 +0000

While here in the UK, Dell's not-a-netbook the Inspiron 11z has gone on sale direct recently, in the States the company launched the 14z and 15z in September.

For reasons best known to Dell's execs, in the UK it's just been announced that the range is to be expanded with the 15.6-inch 15z, and instead of the 14z, the 13.3-inch 13z.

Measuring in at 26.4mm thin for the 13z and 29.2mm for the 15z, both laptops feature the new Intel CULV ultra-low-voltage processor and come with Windows 7 pre-loaded.

With an HD display as standard both offer Wi-Fi, HDMI, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, hard drive of up to 320GB, up to 6GB RAM and the boast of battery life of over 10 hours. ?

The Inspiron 13z and 15z are available in "Obisidan Black" and "Cherry Red" with the Inspiron 13z priced from ?479 and the 15z available from ?499.

Tags: Hardware Laptops Dell Dell Inspiron 13z Dell Inspiron 15z Intel Windows 7

Dell Inspiron 13z and 15z announced for UK originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:33:31 +0000

Dell's eagerly-awaited Adamo XPS, which many are calling its rival to Apple's Macbook Air, has a rather novel opening system. There's a heat-sensitive strip across the front of the device that you swipe a (warm) finger across to unlock the mechanism and allow you access.

It's clear that this is just a novelty - has anyone ever had any issues with laptops accidentally opening in their bag? - but it's a pretty nifty novelty nonetheless, in keeping with the "luxury" design of the series that Dell's trying to convey.

The super-slim machine hasn't been issued with a release date or price yet, but we're pretty sure it's not going to be cheap.

Read

Tags: Hardware Laptops Dell Dell Adamo XPS Video

VIDEO: Dell Adamo XPS originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:49:46 +0000

Video footage of the Dell Streak - a 5-inch, touchscreen, Android-based mobile internet device, or MID - has hit the net.

Tinhte has gotten hold of one of the mythical machines and it looks like a pretty nifty internet tablet-type offering, although being much larger than a phone and much smaller than a netbook means it won't appeal to everyone.

With a 800 x 480 resolution screen, it's thought to run Android 2.0 and offer Bluetooth, 3G, a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, a microSD card slot and Wi-Fi.

Hit play now to see a good 3 minutes of Streak action and we'll keep you posted with more news on this new device as we have it.

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Tags: Hardware Tablet PCs Dell MIDs Rumours Android Internet tablets Video

VIDEO: Dell Streak Android-based MID leaked on film originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:58:49 +0100

The launch of Microsoft Windows 7 sees the first raft of touchscreen PCs come to market and the place they're coming fastest of all is in the all-in-one desktop space. It's easy to spend a lot on what are sometimes items of design and luxury rather than machines of multi-touch multimedia, so to help sort the sheep from the goats, here's five Windows 7-toting winners to look out for.

HP Touch Smart

Price

?900

Screen size

20"

CPU

AMD processor

RAM

4GB

Graphics

ATI Radeon

Storage

500GB

HP has announced two new models of its HP TouchSmart all-in-one PC but while the higher end 600 comes with a 23-inch screen, it's the more modest 300 unit where you'll find the value. Both variants run version 3.0 of HP's TouchSmart software. Its highlights include the TouchSmart Canvas, which will let you organise and edit photos by touch, and TouchSmart Live TV which gives you the sort of functions you'd expect from a PVR, with the ability to pause live TV and record from the EPG. There's no Blu-ray drive with the 300 but there's still Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a wireless keyboard and mouse. Naturally, it's HDMI port happy for all the Xboxes, PS3s and whatever other kinds of AV devices you want to add in. At ?900 it's well within the range of a normal person having a bit of a splurge.

Asus Eee Top ET2203

Price

?820

Screen size

21.6"

CPU

2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo

RAM

4GB

Graphics

ATI Radeon 4570

Storage

500GB

The ET2203 is not the first time Asus has gone touchscreen with plenty of experience already in the stylish Eee Top range. This time, the company has launched a unit to go with Windows 7 and while cheaper than the HP model, it still manages to have a bigger screen and BD player to boot. It has HDMI-in ports, b/g/n wireless and an SRS sound card with two 3W speakers. There's also a webcam and wireless keyboard and mouse. What's missing here is the TV tuner functionality which might well be central to the positioning of machines like this but, if that's not a function you're after, then the Asus is a very good choice.

Dell Studio One 19

Price

?799

Screen size

19"

CPU

2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo

RAM

3GB

Graphics

NVIDIA GeForce 9400

Storage

500GB

Aimed at the family's living room, or even kitchen, the Studio One 19 is made of aluminium, glass and fabric and comes in white, blue and grey. It's the cheapest of the lot, but only just, and it's actually been on the scene for a little while now. It does well in the graphics department and has a pacey CPU but there's no optional extras at that price in the shape of a Blu-ray drive and webcam. It also has the smallest screen and someone seems to have run off with a gig of memory too. It's hard to see why someone would opt for it ahead of either the HP or the Asus but expect to see a more competitive price to make you think a little longer in the weeks to come.

Sony Touch Vaio L Series PC/TV

?

Price

?1,399

Screen size

24-inch

CPU

2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Quad

RAM

4GB

Graphics

GeForce G210M 512MB

Storage

1TB

So, that's the affordable ones out of the way. If you really want to treat yourself, then the recently announced 24-inch Sony Vaio L all-in-one would certainly be a most enjoyable way to go. It has a Full HD, WUXGA 1920 x 1080 widescreen panel with a built-in TV tuner a huge bank of storage and, of course, Sony's Blu-ray support as well. The quad core processor is a very welcome step up in performance and power and, being a Vaio, it also looks damn good too. It comes with Sony's media gallery software and despite all the luxury features, is still relatively good value.

Medion Touch

Price

?2,000

Screen size

24"

CPU

Intel CoreTM2 Quad Q9000

RAM

4GB

Graphics

NVIDIA GeForce GT240M graphics card

Storage

1TB

Surprisingly, it's Medion that has taken a slight leave of its senses by coming up with the most expensive of these Windows 7 all-in-ones. The 24-inch Touch X9613 is designed as a wall mounted unit to be used as an always connected secondary screen for the family home. On the surface it has a similar spec to the Vaio but it's packed with features including twin DVB-T/DVB-S tuners, a full Dolby Surround sound bar and HDMI-in and outputs. It's a technological statement from the company normally associated with budget PCs but it'd certainly be a fun statement to be a part of. It? features voice control, has a wireless mouse and keyboard and an RF remote. It also happens to look pretty swish too.

?

Related links:

• News - HP TouchSmart PC
• PHOTOS - Getting the touch on the Medion X9613 all-in-one
• News - Dell Studio One 19 launches in UK
• News - PHOTOS: Asus Eee Top ET2203

Tags: Hardware All-in-one PCs HP HP TouchSmart PC Sony Vaio Windows 7 Dell Studio One 19 Dell Sony Asus Asus Eee Top ET2203 Medion Medion Touch X9613 Features

Five touchscreen Windows 7 PCs to look out for originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:40:18 +0100

Michael Dell has slammed the netbook saying that while it's on everyone's wish list the excitement soon fades once they get it home.

"If you take a user who's used to a 14- or 15-inch notebook and you say 'Here's a 10-inch netbook,' they're gonna say 'Hey, this is so fantastic. It's so cute. It's so light. I love it'", Dell told Silicon Valley's tech-obsessed Churchill Club on Tuesday night according to El Reg. "But about 36 hours later, they're saying 'The screen's gonna have to go. Give me my 15-inch screen back'".

Dell of course offers a number of different netbook options including the popular Dell mini 10, a favourite with hackintosh fans.

The news comes as Dell and AT&T?have announced that the Dell Vostro 1520, one of the company's low-end laptops, will be available as a "connected" option through AT&T.

Coming with 3G built in, the new laptop will come with a 2-year AT&T DataConnect 5GB monthly service plan for $633.?

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Tags: Hardware Netbooks Dell Dell Mini 10 Dell Vostro 1520 Michael Dell AT and T

Michael Dell: Netbook novelty wears off fast originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:34:14 +0100

Dell continues its sneak peek approach to its Dell Adamo XPS laptop, and yep, we keep falling for it.

This time it's two pictures of the new model showing an interesting hinge design and just how thin it really is, 9.9mm if you haven't been keeping track.

That's as good as it gets, no word on a release date or specs, however judging by the pictures the laptop will feature a USB and display port socket. It doesn't look to feature a CD player, although you never know.

More details when we have them.

Tags: Hardware Laptops Dell Dell Adamo XPS

More Dell Adamo XPS pictures surface originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:43:49 +0100

Already available at the Carphone Warehouse, Dell has announced the wider availability of its 11.6-inch Inspiron 11z.

Claiming to combine the mobility of a netbook with the capability of a laptop, it's another size zero effort weighing in at 1.4kg and measuring 25.8mm thin.

With a new Intel "CULV" ultra-low-voltage processor, the Inspiron 11z offers up to 4GB memory, a 1366 x 768 resolution display, integrated Wi-Fi, a 1.3MP webcam, hard drive of up to 500GB and a six-cell battery for around 6 hours of battery life.

Direct from Dell, the Windows Vista laptop is now available in seven colours, with pricing from ?349.

Related links:

• Feature - Five ultra thin, ultra light and ultra portable notebooks

Tags: Hardware Laptops Netbooks Dell Dell Inspiron 11z

Dell Inspiron 11z available now originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:45:04 +0100

So, Sony is the latest to be breaking records today with the official launch of what the company considers is the world's lightest notebook. Naturally, that all rather depends on whatever woolly boundaries there are between net and notebooks but the fact remains that an 11.1-inch screen, 0.72kg and 13.9mm is pretty damn ultra portable. Naturally, not everyone's going fancy the Vaio side of the equation, so here are five other options for computing on the go.

MacBook Air (19.4mm, 1.36kg, ?1349)

Yes, it's an obvious one so let's get it out of the way now. The Air was one of the first laptops to tell optical media that it just didn't care any more and whatever you say about the machine and the annoying envelope ads, it does have a lovely form factor. Unlike the Vaio X, it comes with a proper processor - an Intel Duo Core 2 - at either 1.86 or 2.1GHz, integrated 256MB Nvidia GeForce 9400M graphics, 2GB of DDR3 and a 120GB SDD if you want to go for the top end model. The full dimensions are 227 ? 325  ? 19.4mm and even though it's still a squeeze of a little backpack, you do get the benefit of an LED backlit screen with 1280 x 800 pixel resolution.

Dell Adamo (16.5mm, 1.81kg, ?1899)

Until the Adamo came on the scene, it was Apple who held the crown for the thinnest. The luxury branded Dell has now set the bar at 16.5mm thick. Again, there's an Intel Core 2 Duo at the heart with a 1.6GHz clock speed and up to 4GB RAM to back it up. Keeping toe-to-toe with the Air, it has a 256GB SSD and a larger 13.4-inch LED backlit screen with 1366 x 768 resolution. Dell has obviously had complaints about the Adamo just not being thin enough, damn it, so, the company has being showing off the next generation in the saga. It's the truly size zero, 9.9mm Dell Adamo XPS. There's very little else known about it either because the Texas company can't work out how to fit anything inside it yet or because there's a long campaign of photos with it next to pencils planned. Again.

MSI X340 (19.8mm, 1.3kg, ?720)

For those who aren't made of cash, one good option of a similar size is the MSI X340 - the current best combination of power and size that the company does. It houses a 1.4GHz Intel CULV processor, just the 2GB RAM and rather than an SSD, gives you 320GB of the old spinning disk kind of storage. It's no frills on the screen with a straight forward 13.4-inch LCD but the real weakness is probably the battery pack, which only offers 2-3 hours away from the wall. There's always the option of an 8-cell battery that's obviously going to add to its vital statistics.

Asus UX30 (19.6mm, 1.45kg, ?999)

Asus has come up with a very similar proposition to the X340 with another CULV machine using the same Intel chip. It's a 13.3-inch machine - this time LED backlit and with a full 4GB RAM compliment to keep it running. Still, no optical drive but it does have a very decent array of ports on offer and up to 500GB of HDD which probably accounts for the added weight. Lovely simple form factor going on with a brushed aluminium finish. The only downside is that it's quite expensive given the lack of power on the graphics side. Just an integrated Intel GMA 4500M to play with.

Toshiba Portege R500 S5007V (19.6mm, 1.08kg, ?950)

Not the world's snappiest name and perhaps not quite as stunning as some of these other models but for size and weight, it's up there with the Adamo and Air. That said, it is a smaller screen device and at a more comfortable 12.1-inches with an LED backlit screen. As a slightly older computer it comes with just 2GB of RAM and a 1.33GHz Intel Core 2 Duo U7700 processor. However, the real bonus here is that you also get the benefit of optical drive that'll re-write DVDs and anything easier.

If that lot doesn't tickle your fancy, then you,re probably after a netbook. That or a desktop PC.

Related links:

• News - Sony Vaio X Series announced

Tags: Hardware Sony Vaio Laptops Laptops Dell Dell Adamo XPS Adamo MSI MSI X400 Apple MacBook Air Toshiba Toshiba Portege Asus Asus UX30 Features

Five ultra thin, ultra light and ultra portable notebooks originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:11:22 +0100

Dell is to launch a smartphone in the US on AT&T early next year according to the WSJ.

Citing "People briefed on the plans" the newspaper is claiming that the new handset will be powered by Google's Android handset, come with a touchscreen display and sport a "tiny camera".

"The phone, like Apple Inc.'s iPhone, has a touch screen instead of a keypad as well as a tiny camera, these people said. Dell's AT&T phone is similar to a device Dell showed in China in August, but has some different features, they said".

If true it would be Dell's first foray into the smartphone market in the US, however not its first foray into a portable PDA device.

Up until 2005, Dell offered a range of touchscreen organisers under the "x" moniker although later shut down the product line over lack of sales.?

The news follows rumours in August of a?Pre-like Dell smartphone running Android which turned up on a Chinese PDA?site.

Earlier on Wednesday?Dell teased with a brief showing of the new Adamo XPS in the flesh.

Read

Tags: Phones Mobile phones Dell AT and T Android Rumours

Dell AT and T powered Android smartphone heading to US? originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:24:55 +0100

Dell is following the same marketing strategy it used to launch the Dell Adamo, with its new Dell Adamo XPS, by teasing the media with snippets of information but nothing concrete in terms of specs.

The latest tease, which followed the first tease back in September, is a quick unveiling of the new model to Gizmodo.

Quicker than everyone else in the room (we know they don't hang around from our CES photo shoot) the new laptop appears to be thin, like USB thin (9.9mm).

That's it. That's all the information that is currently available. ?

We will keep you posted.?

Read

Tags: Hardware Laptops Dell Dell Adamo XPS

Dell teases with Adamo XPS in the flesh originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:08:29 +0100

Napster has entered into a partnership with Dell that'll see the latter's laptops coming with a free year of Napster Unlimited. That subscription entitles the user to a year's worth of unlimited on-demand listening from one of the better catalogues in digital music, as well as 60 free un-DRMed MP3s.

Certain laptops in the Studio and Inspiron ranges will be sold with a Napster icon on the desktop and a bit of bloatware called Dell Dock that'll let you redeem your subscription. The idea behind the move is that consumers get their 12 months free and then don't feel the need to install a rival service like Spotify.

Napster's president, Brad Duea, said: "Napster is pleased to be working with Dell to deliver a valuable and easy music experience for customers", and Rachna Bhasin, GM Strategic Partnerships, Dell consumer, said: "People want the ability to personalize their PCs, and music is a great way for them to do that".

The deal begins later this month, so if you've been eyeing up a Napster subscription and need a laptop too, then you might want to hold on just a little longer.

Related links:

• News - Napster confirms no streaming music iPhone app

Tags: Audio Hardware Laptops Dell Online Napster Media streaming

Napster announces Dell partnership originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:03:25 +0100

Dell's new Latitude Z offers some innovative tech, not limited to a wireless charging stand and wire-free docking.

In this official Dell vid, a company exec talks us through some of the new features of the Latitude "Zee".

Hit play now to hear all about the side of the screen's "EdgeTouch" controls, the document copying webcam and Dell's "FaceAware LockOut" functions.

Related links:

• PHOTOS - Dell Latitude Z

Tags: Hardware Laptops Dell Dell Latitude Z Video

VIDEO: Dell Latitude Z originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:02:17 +0100

We saw the Dell Latitude Z leaked earlier this year, but Dell has now made it official.

The Latitude Z model is Dell's latest stab at the ultraslim notebook category, pitching up against the MacBook Air, and Sony and Samsung's X series models.

A 16-inch 16:9 display with a resolution of 1600 x 900 (although a higher resolution option will be available), sits on the slim frame which has been lovingly designed.

The pre-production model that we got our hands on was powered by and Intel Core 2 Duo U9400 1.4GHz processor, with 4GB RAM and a 60GB SSD, although a 128GB SSD version will also be available.

Dell has paid attention to detail here, with nice touches like an external battery indicator, backlit keyboard and embedded in the bezel are touch-enabled controls for things like volume and media playback.

Despite the relatively large chassis, there is no optical drive built-in. The battery (sitting between the hinges at the back) will come in 4- and 8-cell options, with Dell estimating 4 or 8 hours respectively.

But is it a little too late with HP's Envy recently stealing the crown as one of the prettiest high-end notebooks around?

Related links:

• News - Dell Latitude Z revealed

Tags: Hardware Laptops Dell Laptops Dell Latitude Z Photos

PHOTOS: Dell Latitude Z originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:16:43 +0100

Dell has revealed the new Latitude Z, apparently the world's thinnest and lightest 16-inch laptop.

With no internal optical drive, the laptop starts at just over half an inch thin and weighs in at 2kgs.

Specs include Intel Core 2 Duo, Windows Vista, up to 4GB RAM, up to 256GB SSD, optional mobile broadband and Bluetooth and up to an 8-cell battery.

The "premium" Latitude Z offers a soft-touch finish and a "silky-touch backlit keyboard" while the 16-inch display is widescreen and backlit with HD capabilities.

It also launches as the world's first laptop with a wireless inductive charging stand and wireless docking. Pricing is from ?1319 - a figure that does not include VAT and shipping.

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Related links:

• Photos - Dell Latitude Z

Tags: Hardware Dell Laptops Dell Latitude Z

Dell Latitude Z revealed originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:50:43 +0100