cNET
Thin-and-light laptops were a major trend in 2009, but is that still the case in 2010? A recently circulating series of photos from Vietnamese tech Web site vozExpress show what looks like a soon-to-be-announced Toshiba laptop, one that promises to be both the thinnest and lightest 13-incher on the market. Based on the corner we can see, it certainly looks attractive. As to whether it's truly useful remains to be seen.
We've gone down this road before with the Dell Adamo, MacBook Air, MSI X340, and the Dell Adamo XPS. Being extremely thin and light can be attractive qualities in a notebook, but they're usually also expensive ones, and tend to happen at the expense of performance and/or battery life.
That might be where this Toshiba could have an edge: the report claims the computer will run off a standard-voltage Intel Core i3/i5 CPU and have a second, specialized Super Charged Ion laptop computer battery, a new technology that can charge to 90 percent capacity in 10 minutes. SCiB batteries haven't been used yet in laptops; Toshiba's Web site mentions applications ranging from lawnmowers and electric bicycles to forklifts and solar power generators. It's unclear whether a laptop version would offer a long battery life, or just be able to charge-and-rally quickly.
Based on the news of a specialized laptop battery and the bit of design we see peeking out of this photograph, it doesn't sound like it will be cheap. But it does sound intriguing, especially if the battery reports turn out to be true.
We've gone down this road before with the Dell Adamo, MacBook Air, MSI X340, and the Dell Adamo XPS. Being extremely thin and light can be attractive qualities in a notebook, but they're usually also expensive ones, and tend to happen at the expense of performance and/or battery life.
That might be where this Toshiba could have an edge: the report claims the computer will run off a standard-voltage Intel Core i3/i5 CPU and have a second, specialized Super Charged Ion laptop computer battery, a new technology that can charge to 90 percent capacity in 10 minutes. SCiB batteries haven't been used yet in laptops; Toshiba's Web site mentions applications ranging from lawnmowers and electric bicycles to forklifts and solar power generators. It's unclear whether a laptop version would offer a long battery life, or just be able to charge-and-rally quickly.
Based on the news of a specialized laptop battery and the bit of design we see peeking out of this photograph, it doesn't sound like it will be cheap. But it does sound intriguing, especially if the battery reports turn out to be true.
