Gigabyte caused a bit of a stir with its Booktop M1022 netbook as it was the first and so far the only netbook available with a docking station.

The company has now followed this up with the CULV-based Booktop M1305 and added yet another twist, a desktop graphics card in the dock. This makes the Booktop M1305 a good alternative for those that want a thin and light notebook, yet crave some extra performance when using it at a desk.

The overall specifications of the M1305 places it in the middle of the CULV notebook market with a Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor at 1.3GHz, up to 4GB of DDR3 memory, a 500GB hard drive and integrated Intel graphics.

The M1305 also features a 13.3-inch display with 1366 x 768 resolution, a built-in optical drive, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, a finger print reader, an eSATA/USB 2.0 combo port, an HDMI connector, two USB 2.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, a D-sub connector, a 1.3 Megapixel webcam, a memory card reader and a pair of audio jacks.

The battery isn't going to wildly impress anyone as the 6-cell 3800mAh unit will at best manage 5 to 6 hours of untethered usage, but Gigabyte is also offering a secondary battery that occupies the optical drive bay instead of the drive and this 4-cell unit should add another 3 to 4 hours of usage.

The real selling point of the M1305 is the docking station, and, as we've mentioned, what makes it special is the inclusion of a desktop Nvidia GeForce GT220 graphics card with 1GB of DDR3 graphics memory. This is the first time we've heard about such a solution in a consumer notebook, although AMD has offered an external graphics solution in co-operation with Fujitsu-Siemens, but that never really took off. The advantage here is that you get vastly increased graphics performance when you place the notebook in the dock, although currently you're limited to using an external display.

The dock offers DVI, HDMI and D-sub connectivity and it also sports six USB 2.0 ports, an Ethernet port and a pair of audio jacks. The dock must be powered to function, although it will also power the notebook, so only one power adapter is required. Gigabyte is
considering offering docks with various graphics configurations in the future if this proves to be a successful product.

The exact hardware configurations will differ from market to market, but the initial model with the specifications listed above, including the dock, will cost in the region of ?745 with Windows 7 Home Premium.

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Tags: Hardware Gigabyte Laptops Intel

Gigabyte unveils the Booktop M1305 with graphics card-equipped dock originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:44:50 +0000

Thanks to its Intel Atom 330 dual core processor and Nvidia ION dedicated graphics with full HD media support, Asus is claiming unprecedented netbook performance for its new Eee PC 1201N multimedia netbook.

Said to be "breaking the boundaries of what is possible on the netbook platform", other features for the new Windows 7, 12.1-inch device include a LED-backlit, 1366 x768 WXGA display, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, webcam, HDMI port and a memory card reader.

Asus is claiming up to 5 hours battery life for the 120IN and it offers a 250GB hard drive plus 500GB online Eee storage, 2GB RAM, measures in at 296 x 208 x 27.3-33.3mm and weighs 1.46kg.

The Eee PC 1201N will be available in black or silver in the UK around mid January for ?399.

Tags: Hardware Netbooks Laptops Asus Eee Nvidia Intel Windows 7

Asus Eee PC 1201N multimedia netbook announced originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:21:39 +0000

Intel has unveiled an ebook reader with a difference, a device "designed to increase independence for people who have learning disabilities such as dyslexia, or have visual-impairment such as partial sightedness, blindness or for anyone who struggles with reading standard print".

As well as reading digital books aloud, the Intel Reader offers OCR-like abilities, capturing text with its built-in camera and reading the words aloud at varying speeds, as well as playing MP3 files.

Powered by the Intel Atom processor and boasting 2GB flash memory storage said to be good for 500,000 pages of text, it runs Linux and some third-party software. Battery life for reading aloud is said to be 4 hours.

The Intel Reader is not cheap - it launches at $1499 in the States. The UK launch of the new device is scheduled for 17 November, so we will bring you more UK-relevant info then, meanwhile, hit play on the video above for a walkthrough.

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Tags: Gadgets eBook readers ebooks Intel Video Intel Reader

VIDEO: Intel Reader for the visually impaired revealed originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:34:50 +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

The USB 3.0 standard has been agreed upon and approved by its Promoter Group, we got the first driver for the platform, and now we're starting to see devices finally roll out that can cope with the new technology that's ten times faster than USB 2.0.

The first is a USB 3.0 thumb drive called the SuperSpeed USB 3.0 RAIDDRive, which will come in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB capacities. ?It's being produced by a company called Super Talent, which also makes USB 2.0 flash memory devices.

It's claimed that it can deliver speeds of up to 4.8Gbps (as opposed to 480Mbps theoretically possible with USB 2.0) but in the real world you're more likely to see speeds of more like 30MBps with 2.0, and around 200MBps in USB 3.0 mode. Still, that's a significant improvement.

The device measures 95 x 37 x 13.5mm and should be arriving at some point in December. Remember, though, that you'll need a driver for your OS, and a port that supports 3.0 to plug it into, before you'll get the blistering speeds you want. Intel chipsets won't be supporting USB 3.0 until 2011, so you'll need a discrete 3.0 controller to get things going.

In other words, we're still several years off 3.0 being as ubiquitous as 2.0 currently is.

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Tags: Hardware USB drives USB 3 Intel Super Talent Flash drives

First USB 3.0 thumb drive coming soon originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:21:28 +0000

Apple appears to be removing support for Intel Atom processors in the forthcoming 10.6.2 patch for Snow Leopard. OS X Daily is reporting that the update kills support for the processor, which is primarily found in netbook and nettop computers.

Apple doesn't sell any machines that have Atom-based processors, and the licensing agreement explicitly says that OS X is not permitted on hardware that's not sold by Apple. Despite that, there's a large and growing community of modders that build "hackintoshes" that run the OS.

The tech company has a reputation for heavy-handed comedowns on these groups, including a whole pile of legal threats to Psystar - a company that sells custom-made Apple machines. This move is regarded by many to be an attempt to shut down the hackintosh community in the same way.

However, groups of modders invariably move faster than big tech companies, so it's unlikely that it'll be long before a version of the 10.6.2 patch that works absolutely fine on Atom processors is found in the wild.

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Tags: Software Operating Systems Apple Snow Leopard Hacking Netbooks Intel

Snow Leopard update removes Intel Atom support originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:37:45 +0000

Intel is to launch its Moorestown Atom platform for MIDs (Mobile Internet Devices) sometime early next year and we got a sneak peak at an upcoming device from Taiwanese OEM Wistron.

The un-named device was on display at the Ericsson booth at the Taiwan Broadband show and the reason for this is simple, Intel is co-operating with Ericsson to bring HSDPA data modules to Moorestown based MIDs.

Although the device on display was only a mock-up, it filled us with a lot more confidence in Atom-based MIDs as a whole, as so far most of them have been anything but impressive. It offers a very large widescreen display and the overall design is very similar to the recently launched BL40 Chocolate from LG.

With the beefed up hardware comparable to most smartphones, the Wistron MID should appeal to those that want a pocketable computer, as it’s slim enough to fit in most jacket pockets at least. It offers a USB port, a microSD card slot and interestingly a micro HDMI port which allows it to be connected to external displays.

It also has a 5-megapixel camera, a top mounted headset jack, Bluetooth, presumably Wi-Fi and of course HSDPA data connectivity. Judging by the design, Wistron has added phone functionality, as there’s what appears to be an earpiece at the top of the device and at the bottom are a pair of buttons for initiating and ending calls.

It’s too early to draw any conclusions, but it looks like next year might very well bring some very interesting MIDs for those that are looking for something a bit more powerful than a smartphone, but don’t want the bulk of carrying around a netbook.

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Tags: Hardware MIDs Wistron Intel Moorestown Phones Ericsson

Moorestown-based MID from Wistron shown off originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:21:45 +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

Some enterprising sleuths on the Applesana message boards have spotted that in the latest build of OS X there's a reference to a version 6 of the Macbook Pro. Current Pros are version 5.5. It's being suggested that these machines will feature the same Core i5 and Core i7 processors that are in the current generation of iMacs.

9to5Mac points out that in the past, "Apple has traditionally used the same processors in iMacs and high end MacBook/Powerbooks". The site claims that it's heard that there will be deliveries of new Macbook Pros to Apple stores that'll coincide with the deliveries of the new iMacs.

There's also a whole set of new dual core Intel chips that are due soon and support hyper-threading (making each core act like two). They'll also have the ability to power down one core while overclocking the other - if you're running a single, particularly intense, application for example. It's entirely possible that Apple may get early access to these chips. When we have something firmer and can report on the subject, we'll let you know.

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Tags: Hardware Macbook pro Intel Rumours Apple

Macbook Pros going quad-core? originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:58:51 +0000

Having the pants sued off it by Apple has not stopped Psystar rolling out products that challenge the Mac maker's End User License Agreement

New to the market is Psystar's Rebel EFI software hack that allows certain Intel-powered PCs to run Snow Leopard, Apple's latest operating system.

The $50 software will allow any PC with an Intel Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Quad, i7 or Xeon Nehalem processor installed to run Mac OS X 10.6.

Psystar and Apple have been involved in an ongoing legal battle over Psystar's computers that come with the Mac OS pre-installed since July 2008.

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Tags: Software Apple Mac software Psystar Snow Leopard Intel

Psystar offers $50 solution to run Mac OS X 10.6 on PCs originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:36:26 +0100

The Acer Aspire Revo is a nettop boasting advanced graphic capabilities for "full enjoyment of multimedia contents in high definition".

Acer announced the Aspire Revo back in April, of note perhaps because it was the first small form factor PC to offer the Nvidia ION platform, apparently offering 10x faster graphic performance than comparable PCs.

Ebuyer now has the Aspire Revo on sale for ?239.99 which is ?40 off from its previous price of ?280. ?

Acer claims the diminutive desktop has "graphic capability worthy of a true multimedia PC", and is angled as an entertainment centre for the family. Due to its Nvidia GeForce 9400 chipset can also be used as as a gaming console.

Specs include 802.11b/g/draft-n Wi-Fi, Ethernet, HDMI, six USB ports, DirectX 10, 2GB RAM expandable up to 4GB, Mini PCI Express slot and Windows Vista.

On the Ebuyer website, link below, you'll also find a link of how to go about upgrading to Windows 7.

Related links:

• Shop - Ebuyer.com

Tags: Hardware Nettops Acer Acer Aspire Revo Nvidia Intel Ebuyer Daily Tech Deal

Daily Tech Deal: Acer Aspire Revo under £240 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0100

Everybody likes a bit of fun for a Friday.

Even those wacky dudes over at Intel it would seem.

Corporate self-deprecation is all the rage and this still makes us chuckle.

If you've seen a video online that you want to tell us about email us via the feedback form.

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Tags: Video Websites Software Online Intel Advertising

VIDEO OF THE DAY ? Intel jokes originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:00:00 +0100

HP confirmed today rumours first started at the end of last month, announcing the launch of the HP Pavilion dv8 Entertainment Notebook PC.

The 18.4-inch, full high-definition, ultra-widescreen, ultra BrightView display with built-in TV tuner, Blu-ray disk reader and subwoofer monster, which is sure to be described as the SUV of the laptop world, will be available in a scratch-proof liquid metallic surface in the chic HP Espresso Imprint pattern.

Inside the machine will offer an Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia GeForce GT 230M graphics card with 1GB DDR3 SDRAM, as well as the DDR3 memory.

Furthermore, HP is saying that the new laptop will come with a new HP Long-Life battery that offers up to a 1000 recharges and is "an improvement of three to five times over conventional lithium-ion batteries".

The HP Pavilion dv8 Entertainment Notebook PC will be available from 22 October and cost ?1299.99 inc. VAT.

In addition to the new dv8, HP also announced several technology updates to its current HP Pavilion dv6 and dv7 Entertainment Notebook PCs. Both the mid-size 15.6-inch dv6 and the larger 17.3-inch dv7 will offer users the choice of either the new Intel Core i7 processor or the latest AMD Turion II ultra Dual Core processor. Nvidia graphics and DDR3 SDRAM will be available on select dv6 and dv7 models.

The HP Pavilion dv7 Entertainment Notebook PC will cost ?599.99 inc. VAT and the dv6 ?449.99 inc. VAT. Both will launch on 22 October in time for the Windows 7 launch.

Tags: Hardware Laptops HP Intel Nvidia HP Pavilion dv8 HP Pavilion dv6 HP Pavilion dv7

HP Pavilion dv8 laptop confirmed originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 05:39:36 +0100

American laptop maker BFG Technologies has rolled out a new 18.4-inch laptop for those who feel a 17-inch just isn't big enough.

The Deimos X-10 SLI Gaming Notebook, as it will be known will pack enough firepower to run the latest PC games with ease according to it makers and comes with dual Nvidia GeForce GTX 280M 1GB (SLI) graphics cards, an Intel Core 2 Duo, Quad or Extreme processors, support for up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, and has three drive bays for up to 1.5 terabytes of storage space (SSD/HDD).?

If that wasn't enough you get a full 16:9 HD (1920 x 1080) LCD screen, Super Multi Blu-ray reader, 5 speakers with a built-in sub-woofer, support for Dolby surround, 4 USB 2.0 ports and both HDMI and DVI output ports.?

Due to the sheer size of the device you do get a Case Logic notebook backpack in the box to help you get from A to B.

Demios X-10 starts at $1859 and is available for pre-order now at www.bfgsystems.com.?

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Tags: Gaming Hardware Laptops BFG Technologies Demios X-10 Intel Nvidia

Demios X-10 gaming laptop isn't for the weak originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:54:44 +0100

Medion has announced a 13-inch notebook that comes packed with a ultra-low voltage processor, 16:9 HD display, and an integrated optical drive - something which is relatively rare on 13-inch machines.

Insides, along with the optical drive, there's a 1.3GHz Intel Pentium SU2700 ULV processor, an Intel 4500M graphics card, 4GB of memory, a 320GB hard disk, a 1.3-megapixel webcam and runs Windows Vista - but ships with a free upgrade to Windows 7.

There's also a memory card reader, b/g/n Wi-Fi, 3 USB ports, an expresscard slot, and all the audio ports you'd expect. It weighs 1.7kg including the battery, and that battery should hold out for 4 hours, if you believe Medion's claims.

It's available now from medionship.co.uk and costs ?500, including VAT.

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Related links:

• News - Medion Akoya E7330 D PC headed for Aldi
• Buy - Medionshop.co.uk

Tags: Hardware Medion Netbooks Laptops Intel

Medion launches AKOYA E3211 laptop originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:04:49 +0100

There's nothing wildly spectacular about the looks of the refresh to the Samsung N-series netbooks but then there isn't supposed to be. The tech giant has affordability in mind with the N130 and N140 which are designed to take over from the popular NC10.

On first look, the keyboards are typically small for 10-inch machines but well spaced given what there is to work with but the hinge doesn't allow you to push the screen back very far which could be a problem for taller people. With 1.60GHz Atom CPUs, 1GB RAM and 160GB HDDs, the difference in prices - N130 at ?279 and N140 at ?329 - is purely down to a bigger battery and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR.

If you'd rather a little more finger space and a proper WVGA resolution, then the N510 offers something more comfortable and luxurious with the major additions of an 11.6-inch screen and the backing of the NVIDIA Ion platform for HD playback and even some gaming. It will cost you ?429 but still only runs XP, the same as the others.

The big netbooks push comes at what Samsung believes is the peak time for these devices. Phil Brown, Samsung UK general manager for mobile devices, said:

"We were always led to believe that Q4 of 2009 will be the best time for netbook sales."

It was also confirmed that Samsung will be sticking with Intel for the foreseeable future, despite the AMD Vision launch, and that touchscreen netbooks would "certainly be on the radar" for 2010. It seemed very much a case that the company could quite easily make OLED, 3D, 3G and other such netbooks right now but it's a question of the devices being cheap and marketable enough while the technologies are still relatively young.

Related links:

• News - Samsung N510, N130 N140 netbooks debut at IFA

Tags: Hardware Laptops Netbooks Samsung Samsung N130 Samsung N140 Samsung N510 Nvidia Intel Ion IFA2009

PHOTOS: Samsung N130, N140 and N510 netbooks originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:03:28 +0100