New Eye-Tracking Laptop Out of Lab

Electronic News Article
By Associated Press


New Eye-Tracking Laptop Out of Lab




NEW YORK (AP) - Ever wish your eyes were lasers? A laptop prototype brings that wish closer to reality.

It tracks your gaze and figures out where you're looking on the screen. That means, among other things, that you can play a game where you burn up incoming asteroids with a laser that hits where you look.

In another demonstration this week, the computer scrolled a text on the screen in response to eye movements, sensing when the reader reached the end of the visible text.

In the future, a laptop like this could make the mouse cursor appear where you're looking, or make a game character maintain eye contact with you, according to Tobii Technology Inc., the Swedish firm that's behind the tracking technology. Many small firms including an IT consulting Frederick company have been watching developments very closely.

The eye tracker works by shining two invisible infrared lights at you. Two hidden cameras then look for the "glints" off your eyeballs and reflections from each retina. It needs to be calibrated for each person. It works for people with or without eyeglasses. Laptops with eye-tracking technology are among many recent workplace management tools that are close to hitting the market.

Rather than a replacement for the traditional mouse and keyboard or the newer touch screen, the eye-tracking could be a complement, making a computer faster and more efficient to use.

Tobii has been making eye-tracking devices for researchers and the disabled for nearly a decade. The laptop is its way of showing that eye-tracking could expand beyond those niches.
The laptop is made by Lenovo Corp., and incorporates Tobii's eye-tracking cameras in a "hump" on the cover, making the entire laptop computer package about twice as thick as a regular laptop. But future, commercial versions can be slimmer and are reported to be years away.

One of Lenovo's biggest computers with eye-track and laptops is Dell. Dell is running tests on eye-tracking technology on some of it's used dell laptops.

Lenovo and Tobii made 20 of the laptops and planned to demonstrate them at the CeBIT technology trade show in Hanover, Germany.

Tobii's current, standalone eye-trackers cost tens of thousands of dollars, but Barclay said the cost of adding consumer-level eye-tracking to a commercial laptop or refurbished desktops for workplace applications could be much less.

New ways to use computers have been proliferating in recent years. Touch screens are becoming popular on smart phones and tablet computers such as the iPad. Nintendo Corp.'s Wii game console brought motion-sensing technology to the masses. Microsoft Corp. released an accessory for its Xbox games console that incorporates used Cisco switches that tie into an infrared camera to sense the movement of bodies in three dimensions.

Laptop Sales Sapped by Tablet Frenzy

The Wall Street Journal

The boom in laptop computer sales is losing some steam, and not only because of a still-sluggish economy. Some shoppers are spending their money on Apple Inc.'s iPad tablet rather than the low-priced laptops that have fueled sales in recent years.

One is Vanessa Cole, a 31-year-old sales representative in Detroit, whose husband bought her an iPad as a gift in April. She had considered getting a low-priced laptop but said she prefers the iPad "for the bigger screen and apps" even though the tablet cost more at $499.

Analysts expect Apple to sell 11 million to 12 million iPads this year, more than double many initial estimates, and reach 20 million next year. Samsung Electronics Inc., Dell Inc. and other companies are racing to introduce their own tablets.

The tablet frenzy contrasts with some indicators for laptops. NPD Group estimates that laptop unit sales in U.S. retail channels rose 12.3% in the first eight months of the year—well below 30% growth of the year-earlier-period—and were down 1% in July and August, the peak of the important back-to-school shopping season.

Big computer chip suppliers, Intel Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc., have recently warned of weak consumer demand and lowered their revenue forecasts for the third quarter.

Market researcher Gartner has trimmed its global forecasts for laptop shipments, but still expects a 26% increase to 214 million units this year. The firm says the average selling price of portable PCs has fallen 6% to $668 from $710 a year ago.

"Laptops are not the blazing growth category they were five years ago, but they're not going away either," Staples Inc. Chief Executive Ronald Sargent said in an interview. "For business use, you are still going to need a laptop."

IPad sales remain just a fraction of total portable computer sales, but industry executives expect the competition for consumer dollars to become more important next year, as more tablet options emerge.

The biggest impact so far appears to be on "netbook" computers, which run the same software as conventional laptops but have smaller displays and typically cost less than $400. Asustek Computer Inc. helped establish the category in 2007, but most major manufacturers offer models now.

Intel Chief Executive Paul Otellini said in a recent interview that netbook growth is now "sloping off." The Consumer Electronics Association predicts U.S. retail sales of netbooks, which more than doubled last year, will decline 12% this year.

A shift in consumer preferences is evident in actions by retailers such as Best Buy Co., the nation's largest retail chain by revenue. The company has begun showcasing e-readers, tablets and mobile devices in its most prominent store displays.

Brian Dunn, Best Buy's chief executive, said in an interview following its second-quarter earnings that the iPad was cannibalizing sales of "portable and netbook" computers by as much as 50%. The company later said Mr. Dunn intended to refer only to netbooks, not laptop computers generally, stressing that he was citing a rough internal estimate.

People in the PC camp, such as Mr. Otellini, argue tablets are a new category that will complement rather than substitute laptops.

"It's way too early to say" whether tablets will eat into sales of other products, said Steven McArthur, a senior vice president at Hewlett-Packard Co. "Clearly there will be some overlap," he said, but H-P's "data show it won't be huge."

Both netbooks and tablets have been promoted with a similar pitch: that many consumers only need a simple device for surfing the Web and enjoying Internet content. Apple's device pushes the notion the furthest, dispensing with Microsoft Corp.'s Windows operating system and a keyboard.

But some customers say they don't mind. Meghan Allen, a 31-year old New York resident said she has been using her iPad as her primary computing device since she received it as gift in June.

"I carry it around everywhere," Ms. Allen said, adding that she has stopped using her MacBook laptop. She liked her iPad so much she persuaded her husband to buy another one for himself.

Jeff Woelker, a 30-year old Chicago resident said he is trying to decide between a netbook and an iPad for his wife. Mr. Woelker is currently leaning toward a more affordable netbook, because "with how obsolete technology gets, why invest a ton of money? Why not invest the cheapest you can get because you're probably going to invest in another one in six months" Mr. Woelker wants a tablet computer for himself, but is planning to wait until Samsung's Galaxy Tab comes out.

Tablets are far from the only factor weighing on laptop sales. Some consumers view used laptops as a commoditized necessity, rather than sexy or stylish.

"Unless you are a gamer or have some special need for horsepower, you may not see a reason to upgrade what you have," said Stephen Baker, NPD's chief electronics analyst.

Mr. Baker, who recently conducted a survey examining the impact of the iPad, said the research suggests a substantial but far less sizable impact from Apple's device: roughly 13% of iPad buyers would otherwise have purchased a new PC.

"It's not a number to sneeze at, but it's obviously not the only reason the PC market went south," he said.

Consumers will have even more tablet choices to consider next year, which Mr. Baker and others expect to add pressure on laptop sales. Research in Motion Ltd., Samsung, Acer Inc., Toshiba Corp. and Dell have all announced tablets.

Meanwhile, some retailers and manufacturers trying to spur demand by creating specialized discount laptops. For example, Best Buy and Toshiba recently unveiled a laptop—dubbed the Kids PC—that is designed for children ages five to 10.

The computer, which will sell for around $500, features a rubberized spill-resistant keyboard with large letters and comes pre-loaded with the Lego Batman videogame as well as digital copies of the movies "Toy Story 2" and "The Princess and the Frog."

But the creators acknowleged the shape of such offerings may be changing; among the future collaborations being considered, said Toshiba executive Jeff Barney, is a kids' tablet computer.

World's Biggest Laptop Maker Breaks Shipment Record in June

Bloomberg / Business Week

Quanta Computer, the world's largest contract laptop computer maker, set record highs for shipments and revenue in the month of June, a sign demand for technology products hasn't stumbled despite fears of debt problems in some parts of Europe.

The Taiwanese company, which counts Sony, Dell and Hewlett-Packard among its customers, attributed the records to a few factors, including the easing of some component shortages and because some customers placed orders early in June that might normally have been placed in July.

"We expect July to slow down a little bit from June, but [shipments] should come back in August," a Quanta representative said.

Quanta shipped 4.8 million laptops in June and took in NT$100.2 billion (US$3.1 billion) in revenue, the company said. Its previous record for a single month was in April, when Quanta shipped 4.5 million notebook computers and posted revenue of NT$97.0 billion.

The company's comments also indicated some component shortages may have eased, including a shortfall in some Intel Arrandale laptop microprocessors, such as its Core i3 and Core i5.

Intel, the world's largest chip maker, had been ramping up production with a goal to catch up with demand by the end of the second quarter, which was June 30.

The Arrandale processors are designed so vendor PCs can create slimmer laptops. They come in a two-chip package that includes an Arrandale processing core made using 32-nanometer production technology and a graphics processor made using 45-nm technology.

Shortages for a range of components, from LCD monitors to DRAM memory chips, have been an issue for the PC industry this year.

Dell Tries on T-Shirt Site for new Laptop Art

Associated Press

ROUND ROCK, Texas — PC maker Dell Inc. has tried to set its consumer laptops apart from the competition with lids buyers can customize from a library of patterns, colors and art.

For its latest set of designs, which add $85 to the cost of a laptop, Dell turned to an online T-shirt design community. On Threadless.com, anyone can submit a T-shirt design idea. Visitors to the site vote on favorite designs, and ones that get top marks are printed and sold online.

Dell's Threadless collection is starting with 11 designs from the site, including a deer with cherry blossoms on its horns, a bright yellow daisy and an intricate line drawing of London street sights. The company said it would add new ones in the future.

For people who worry their Dell laptops might not go with their outfit, fear not: Threadless is printing new batches of matching shirts.

Dell Unveils Colorful Inspiron Laptops

PC World

Dell today announced U.S. availability of the sleek new Inspiron R laptops first launched a few months ago in parts of the world such as Australia and India.

Like Dell's existing 14-, 15- and 17-inch Inspirons, the new R models are geared to carrying out multiple roles, ranging from replacing desktop PCs, to serving up multimedia home entertainment, to acting as take-along workstations on visits to Starbuck's. Yet the Inspirson Rs bring a cooler look and a smoother feel.

Yes, the covers for the Rs come in four different brushed metal finishes with chrome accents, as I saw at a recent press preview event. So maybe you'll be happier to show off your PC to friends. But a lot more significantly, Dell has conjured up some nice usability improvements based on results of consumer tests.

For ease of use -- especially among those who spend a lot of time in front of computer screens -- Dell has replaced the earlier keypad to a new one with raised keys, Jonathan Guttell, a Dell product marketing manager, told me at the event. A dedicated 10-key number pad -- available on the 15R and 17R only -- offers gamers more keys for shortcuts.

To make it handier to plug in drives and other outside peripherals, Dell has moved one of the USB ports to the back, leaving the other US ports on the right-hand side of the PC.

To keep kids from wrecking the machine, the new frame is more solid, and the touchpad is now easily wipeable and "smudgeproof," Guttell said. The new touchpad also comes with integrated scrolling and gestures.

A Webcam, once available for Inspirons only as an option, is built into the R models. Also built-in are SRS Premium Sound and multiple media card readers and types of wireless connectivity.

Bundled software includes Dell SafeLocal, for backing up the factory image of the software the comes with the PC; DataSafeOnline, for backing up data to (and recovering it from) the cloud; and DellDock, for organizing music, photos, and other media and putting the most commonly used apps on top.

Dell is offering high definition (HD) resolution on all systems. In addition, Intel Wireless Display -- for cable-free connection to HDTVs -- is an option on the R models.

I haven't had much hands-on time with these laptops, so I can't speak to their performance. With that said, the specs include a range of Intel Core i3 and i5 mobile processors; up to 1GB ATI graphics; and hard disk drive (HDD) capacity of up to 640GB on some models.

Also in the Inspiron Rs, Dell has replaced the DDR2 memory of previous models with DDR3, supposedly for faster task performance. Up to 8GB of DDR3 is available.

Pricing starts at $449. The R series will be available to U.S. customers through Dell's Direct and FastTrack programs, and starting on June 25 at retail partners such as Fry's Electronics.

The U.S. lineup of Inspiron Rs doesn't include the 13-inch model being sold in some other countries, but it adds a 17-inch model, said Anne Camden, a Dell spokesperson.

Also in some other parts in the world, Dell is selling an AMD-powered R model called the M501R. Camden told me that Dell also expects to sell the AMD version in the U.S., but only at retail.

The proverbial bottom line? If you already own an Inspiron laptop -- or a comparably outfitted notebook PC from some other vendor -- maybe the enhancements in the Inspiron R models won't add up to the need to rush out a buy a new PC. But if you've been shopping around for a new Windows 7 laptop, anyway, these new Dell Inspirons models seem to offer a lot of power, features, and usability for the price.

Oh, and one last thing. If you're not into metallic covers, colors like Mars Black, Peacock Plue, Lotus Pink, and Tomato Red are optionally available in the US on some models.

What is the Best Student Laptop?

Houma Today

“What’s the best laptop?” I get this question a lot. Unfortunately, the answer isn’t simple.

Much depends who’s using it and for what purpose. This time of year, laptops are being scooped up by grads. Many schools and majors list general computing requirements. This is a great place to start for the right machine specifications. In addition, that alone might help you settle the whole Windows vs. Mac dilemma.

Here’s some of what’s available this year.

Macs

Mac users have things fairly easy. Any current Apple notebooks should meet general use requirements. The entry-level MacBook ($1,000) has an Intel Core 2 Duo processor. It also has 2 gigabytes of memory and a 250GB hard drive. A 13-inch LED-backlit screen, built-in webcam and DVD burner round things out. Wireless networking is standard.

Go with a MacBook Pro, if you can afford it. The base model ($1,200) has many of the same features. However, memory is doubled to 4GB. There’s also a backlit keyboard and a slot for SD cards. And the aluminum body is more durable.

Windows

Things are more complicated with Windows computers. Many manufacturers make Windows laptops in a variety of form factors. Specifications vary widely. There are also a few different versions of Windows.

First off, watch out for netbooks. These small, inexpensive laptops often use Intel’s Atom processor. They have small monitors and keyboards. They’re also less powerful than a standard laptop. Students need a full-fledged laptop.

I recommend Windows 7 Home Premium or Ultimate. Go for a machine running the 64-bit version. It will be able to support more memory for faster performance. It will also handle multiple open programs better.

Select a dual-core processor like Intel’s Core 2 Duo or AMD’s Turion II. Newer processors may have more than two cores. These top-of-the-line processors are often a waste of money. Most students won’t need anything that powerful.

For 64-bit Windows, go with 4GB of memory. With 32-bit Windows, don’t pay for more than 3GB of memory; it won’t be supported above that level. I recommend a roomy hard drive; 250GB is probably good for most.

A DVD burner can also be helpful. Wi-Fi and an Ethernet port are mandatory. They should come standard. Look for plenty of USB ports and a large keyboard. Small keyboards can make typing uncomfortable.

A large screen is nice. That’s particularly true if you want to add a TV tuner card for watching TV. But if you’re carrying this around, balance size and weight with screen size. A six-pound computer can be a real back-breaker.

Expect to pay at least $600 for a machine meeting these specifications.

Claim educational discounts

Your student should qualify for educational discounts. You can save $100 or more on the price of a laptop. But, it still pays to comparison shop. Start with the school’s bookstore. Manufacturers like HP and Apple also offer discounts directly. You can also try sites like JourneyEd, AcademicSuperstore and Gradware.

Educational discounts also apply to software, printers, discount laptops and other extras. For example, students can get Adobe’s Photoshop CS5 Extended for $199. That’s a savings of $700 off Adobe’s regular price. Check with the computing department before buying software. Some schools have licensing agreements with software companies. You may be able to get software for $10 or so.

Be prepared to show proof of enrollment to get the discounts.

Bluetooth 3.0, WirelessHD Show up in Laptops

PC World

 

Laptops packed with Bluetooth 3.0 and WirelessHD are being shown at the Computex trade show in Taiwan and will be on the market this year, offering faster wireless data transfer speeds between PCs and TVs or mobile phones, for instance.

Laptops shown by Acer and Asus with the latest technologies could help wirelessly transfer larger files and high-definition images at faster speeds. The technologies have been under development, but are now slowly making their way into PCs.

Asus announced the G73JW and the G53 gaming laptops with WirelessHD, which allows the transmission of high-definition video from laptops to larger TV screens. That could let users turn their PCs into game consoles or Blu-ray players.

The laptops integrate Sibeam's WirelessHD technology and use the 60GHz frequency band to transfer data. The data transfers will not interfere with wireless communication through Wi-Fi or cordless phones, which use separate frequency bands, SiBeam said in a statement.

The discount laptops will be available with 3D screens, Asus said. The G53 will come with a 15.6-inch screen and the G73JW laptop with a 17.3-inch screen. Laptop prices were not announced, and they will become available later this year.

Acer at the show said it would bring Bluetooth 3.0 technology to its laptops, though it didn't announce specific models. However, an Acer Aspire 533 on display included a Bluetooth 3.0 port, according to enthusiast Web site Netbooked, which did a hands-on review of the device.

Acer has also indicated it would implement Bluetooth 3.0 in its Timeline laptops on a BIOS support page.

Bluetooth is commonly used in mobile phones with wireless headsets for hands-free talking. Bluetooth is also used in laptops to transfer multimedia files or sync data without using wires.

The new Bluetooth 3.0 standard boosts wireless data transfers between devices to 25M bps (bits per second) from 3M bps, according to the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, a group developing the standard. The Bluetooth 3.0 specification, which is based on Wi-Fi, is an update from the Bluetooth 2.1 protocol, which was adopted in 2007.

Bluetooth 3.0 piggybacks Wi-Fi connections to transfer short bursts of data at fast speeds from devices like mobile phones to PCs. Bluetooth 3.0 will transfer images or movies at faster data transfers while using less power, said Michael Foley, executive director of the Bluetooth SIG.

The Wi-Fi backbone helps shut down the Bluetooth radio a lot quicker as data transfers are completed faster, Foley said. The new standard also increases the range and stabilizes connections between devices. In earlier standards, connections easily broke when devices went out of range, Foley said.

Foley hopes the adoption of Bluetooth 3.0 in PCs will spur other device makers to adopt the standard. The technology has already appeared in smartphones, but Foley said it will ultimately make its way to cameras, camcorders, projectors and TVs.

Asus also included a Bluetooth 3.0 port in its EeeTop PC ET 24, all-in-one 3D desktop designed to replace home theater systems. The refurbished desktop was announced at Computex.

Semiconductor companies are also developing chips that include Bluetooth 3.0 radios. Ralink Communications showed the RT3592BC8 chip that combined Wi-Fi/802.11n and Bluetooth 3.0 technologies. The Taiwanese company said the chip could be used in laptops, and could enable applications like peer-to-peer gaming.

Broadcom announced that its InConcert communications module, which combines 802.11n and Bluetooth 3.0, had been selected by PC makers like Asus and Samsung for implementation in laptops and netbooks.

World's Thinnest Laptop May be in the Works from Toshiba

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.

Lenovo ThinkPad X100e: Powerful, High-Resolution Netbook with Anemic Battery Life

The Washington Post

 

Is the Lenovo ThinkPad X100e a netbook or an ultraportable? The answer seems to be: a little of both. It's faster than most netbooks, with a larger, higher-resolution screen; a spacious keyboard; and a bigger hard drive than you'll usually find in lilliputian laptops. You pay for those extras, though. It's a little heavier than run-of-the-mill netbooks and has limited battery life. The price is nearly in ultraportable territory, too: The machines start at $499, and the configuration we reviewed costs $599. That's a lot for a netbook.

Here's the first thing that'll strike you about this ThinkPad, though--it's red! (If you find that color shocking, you can also order the standard ThinkPad black.) If you associate red with speedy sports cars, the X100e won't disappoint. With its Athlon Neo MV-40 processor and 2GB of RAM, this ThinkPad scored a 52 on WorldBench 6, a screaming speed for netbooks. I didn't notice any drag in opening and switching between applications, fiddling with Windows controls, or browsing the Web.

Don't expect powerful video performance, though. The X100e turned high-def, full-screen video into something more like a slideshow. And even at 480p, video stuttered and jerked. Lenovo is mostly marketing the X100e to corporate types and must think that they should be working instead of watching YouTube.

And this laptop is indeed useful for getting work done. The 11.6-inch display has a native resolution of 1366 by 768, significantly more than the typical 10.1-inch, 1024-by-600-resolution netbook screen. And the display is relatively easy to read even from an angle. But I found the on-screen colors a little washed out.

The keyboard is full-size, with large Shift and Tab keys. The keys give the kind of solid feedback touch typists need. Lenovo gives you two options for pointing devices--and that's probably one too many. ThinkPad traditionalists can use the company's signature eraserhead pointing stick, which has its own mouse and scroll buttons. That system works well for those who are comfortable with it. But Lenovo also jammed in a touchpad for all the people who aren't accustomed to the eraserhead. And there just isn't enough room for the touchpad--the surface is small, and the buttons are tiny. They're about a quarter-inch deep and right at the edge of the laptop. If you miss the buttons (not hard to do), your thumb slips off the laptop entirely. The trackpad does feature multitouch, but the response is inconsistent--sometimes a two-fingered scroll works just fine, sometimes the trackpad doesn't notice it at all.

The X100e comes nicely equipped, and you can add more features. Our test model had a 320GB hard drive (you can also save some money with a 250GB disk). The laptop comes standard with gigabit ethernet and 802.11n wireless networking. A built-in 3G wireless broadband card is available at an extra cost. Beyond that, the features are pretty standard--two USB ports on the left, one on the right, plus a multicard reader on the right and a VGA port in the back.

For a small machine, the X100e's sound is impressive. Lenovo has nestled the speakers on the underside of the wrist rest, which slopes up off the surface of the table the laptop's resting on. That design seems to let more of the sound escape, giving the laptop decent volume. And for small speakers, the sound was relatively clean and precise, though understandably light on bass.

At 3.3 pounds (3.9 pounds with the power brick), the X100e is a little heavier than other netbooks, but I hardly noticed the extra weight. With the standard batteries the X100e lasted for only 5 hours and 28 minutes. That's anemic for netbooks, but not unexpected given the X100e's more powerful processor.

Our test unit came with Windows 7 Professional, a nice upgrade from the Windows 7 Starter Edition on many netbooks. Don't look for much else in the Programs folder, though. Adobe Reader is the only piece of third-party software. Lenovo has also loaded its proprietary utilities, including a password manager and power management app. I find Lenovo's utilities more useful than the bloatware that comes on many machines, but that doesn't make them exciting.

At 600 bucks, the X100e we tested isn't the kind of disposable computer that many netbooks amount to. For the price, you'll get sprightly performance, a larger display, and a comfortable keyboard. But if you're looking for great video performance or all-day laptop battery life, look elsewhere.

Fujitsu Laptop provides 18-hour Battery Life

Software Downloads Guide

Here comes the Fujitsu laptop which provides you a battery life of 18 hours. The Fujitsu laptop named E780 which is a 15.6 inch laptop contains the energy saving feature. The laptop contains the features such as the Power management and the power optimized processors.

It also contains the ENERGY STAR 5.0 certification. Fujitsu earlier came with the edition of pink netbook which were also one of the most awaited product from Fujitsu. The Fujitsu products always surprise you with the features included.

The features included in this laptop are good, specially the energy efficient feature which is going to give a laptop battery life of 18 hours. Stay tuned while we get back with some interesting updates.

HP’s Latest Business Laptops Come with Day Starter Fast-Start Software

Venture Beat

Hewlett-Packard’s newest business laptops come with a cool application that shows your daily calendar within five seconds, even before Windows boots.

All you do is start the computer and then press the F4 key. The screen will show your calendar items for the day in multiple colors. You can also see your laptop’s remaining battery life. The application is aimed at people who are in a rush in the morning and need to find out within seconds where they have to go.

The software comes on all new HP ProBooks and EliteBook P series laptops for businesspeople. HP is launching a bunch of these new laptops today. The application works alongside other HP QuickWeb and QuickLook software that lets you check out your email or visit a web site before Windows boots.

Among the new models are four new versions of the HP ProBook Standard Series business laptops. These versions range from the HP ProBook 4320 with a 13.3 inch screen for $719 to the HP ProBook 4720 with a 17.3-inch screen that sells for at least $925. They carry Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 processors that debuted in January, and they include options such as Intel HD graphics or ATI Mobility Radeon graphics chips. They have a durable brushed-aluminum finish and come in caviar (black) or bordeaux (red wine color).

The Standard series laptops come with business-class security, including a webcam that can recognize your face and log you into your account. The cheap laptops are bundled with Arcsoft Total Media software suite for applications such as DVD playback. Battery life ranges from five hours to 10 hours, depending on whether you have the  6-cell or the 9-cell laptop battery. The latter costs extra. The new laptops will be available later in March.

HP is also launching a new generation of its high-end business notebooks, the HP EliteBook laptops. These computers meet durability standards set by the military and come with metal hinges with steel pin axels and a reinforced display latch. The models have spill-resistant keyboards that drain spilled liquid through the bottom of the laptops.

The HP EliteBook 2740p laptop has a touchscreen and can be converted into a tablet by twisting the screen on its swivel and laying it flat over the keyboard. It has a 12.1-inch LED display, runs for 5 hours on a six-cell battery or 11 hours when attached to an optional ultraslim battery. It will be available in April starting at $1,599. An optional $299 docking station provides a DVD drive as well as a variety of connectors such as DisplayPort and hard drive attachments. The docking station is available April 12.

The 3.3-pound HP EliteBook 2540p has fewer bells and whistles and sells for $1,099. Its battery life ranges from four hours on a 3-cell battery to eight hours on a six-cell and 10.5 hours on a 9-cell battery. It will be available in April.

Lenovo Says Business will Focus on Mobile Internet

BEIJING (AP) - Lenovo Group expects wireless Internet products to account for up to 80 percent of its sales within five years as it pursues expansion in faster-growing emerging markets, CEO Yang Yuanqing said Friday.

Lenovo, the world's fourth-largest personal computer maker, jumped into the mobile Internet market in January with the unveiling of a smart phone and two Web-linked portable computers.

"Mobile Internet is very important," Yang said in an interview. "Even today, cheap notebooks sales already are higher than desktops. Mobile Internet products are going to be 70 to 80 percent of our sales ... within three to five years."

Yang said Lenovo plans this year to focus on promoting mobile Internet and sales in emerging economies in Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe.

Lenovo, based in Beijing and Morrisville, North Carolina, was hit hard by the global crisis, which prompted its core corporate customers to slash spending and go for refurbished cheap laptops. It suffered three losing quarters before rebounding to a profit in the second half of last year.

Yang said Lenovo's longer-term strategy, dubbed "protect and attack," calls for building up its dominant presence in China. The country accounts for nearly half of Lenovo's global sales but it faces competition from industry leaders Hewlett-Packard Co. and Dell Inc., which are creating products tailored to Chinese customers.

In the latest quarter, Lenovo said cheap computers sales in India and other emerging markets rose 52 percent over a year earlier, far ahead of the 13 percent sales growth reported for the United States and Western Europe.

Lenovo, which acquired IBM Corp.'s PC unit in 2005, says its global market share last year rose to 9 percent, its highest level to date.

Yang said Lenovo has no plans for foreign acquisitions but is ready to look at any deals that fit its strategic plans for mobile SEO.

Corporate spending on computers has yet to rebound but companies are expected to step up purchasing in the second half of this year, Yang said. He said he could not foresee when global discount PCs sales might recover to pre-crisis levels.

"I'm not an economist," he said. "Even for economists, it's difficult to forecast."

A Snazzier Look for Business Laptops

Market Watch

H-P, Dell work to improve design for corporate users; Apple sets standard

Hewlett-Packard's business computers looked so drab and dull about five years ago that Todd Bradley, then newly-named head of the company's PC group, compared them to Soviet tanks.

Things have changed since then, as H-P, Dell Inc. and other manufacturers have worked to give laptops targeted to business users a cooler, snazzier look.

That's because, much like the Montblanc pen, the business notebook has become an expression of style in the corporate world, says Stacy Wolff, H-P's director of notebook design.

"You go into a conference room and people used to set these gorgeous pens on the table," he said. "Not unlike the smart phone, the PC has become that."

To be sure, laptop makers have continued to focus on staple issues such as computing power, lighter weight and longer battery life and energy-efficiency. But cosmetic design elements typically found in consumer devices have also become critical, such as offering more color options other than black, grey or silver, and the use of metal casings to exude a classier feel.

Gartner analyst Leslie Fiering said the trend began about four years ago, adding, "In the last year, it's really breaking loose and something that all the vendors are participating in."

Just this week, H-P rolled out a new line of notebooks and tablets for business customers that come in such color options as "caviar" and "bordeaux."

"Sort of brown and maroon," analyst Roger Kay of Endpoint Technologies Associates said of the new HP machines. "They're clearly aiming at a classy corporate image."

Last September, Dell introduced new versions of its Latitude laptops targeted at so-called "impression makers" such as entrepreneurs, creative professionals and salespeople. These touted such elements as "lean tapered design," "soft-touch black cherry finish" and a "silky-touch backlit keyboard."

"Users, given the choice, between that big, really, ugly battleship and something that is slim and light and modern-looking, they are going to pick the latter," Fiering said.

That's because, unlike desktops, Kay said, notebooks are "more personal". "You carry it with you," he said. "People see it since it's on your desk instead of under it."
 

Generational differences

Wolff of H-P attributed the trend to the rise of a younger, more tech-savvy workforce who grew up using refurbished laptops with more pizazz. "They've been a companion from high school, to college, to MBA," he said. "It's been part of them."

Ken Musgrave, director of experience design at Dell, echoed this view, pointing to the rise of the Generation Y professionals, who "have always lived around digital technology, maybe had a cell phone when they were 12 and grew up with the Internet."

"They're saying, 'Why do we have to be stuck with drab, boring refurbished notebooks in my work life, while in my home life I have the technology I want,"" he said.

For PC makers, cooler designs are also a way for them to stand out at a time when the insides of the machines have become, more or less, standardized. "What's under the hood in enterprise PCs is becoming less and less differentiated," Fiering said.

She also pointed to the Apple factor, she said. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company is not a major player in the corporate PC market, but Fiering said Apple's "design language is just so compelling at a gut level."

However, Kay noted that Apple also is in a position to charge more for the cost of producing better-designed discount laptops because "part of its brand image is being in the higher price range."

That's not true for most notebook makers that compete in a highly price-sensitive, and steadily growing market. Worldwide professional mobile PC shipments have jumped roughly 20% from about 60.8 million in 2007, to 73.1 million in 2009, according to Gartner. H-P controlled about 20% of that market last year, followed by Acer and then Dell.

"If they add another hundred bucks to make it cooler, they may not be able to recover that money from their buyers," Kay said. Then again, he added, "If, by better design, you can win on that basis, it never hurts to have a better-looking box."

Still, there are lines that PC makers will probably not cross when it comes to business customers.

"The business world is not ready for pink used notebooks," Dell's Musgrave said. "I'm not sure they ever will be."

Taiwan Laptop Maker Warns of China Labor Shortages

AP

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) - A leading Taiwanese laptop maker has warned labor shortages in China's booming coastal cities could affect the supply of computers amid an expected surge in world demand.

Ray Chen, president of Compal Electronics Inc., said the labor situation could also lead to shortages of components ranging from memory chips to hard drives to computer cases, the Economic Daily News quoted him as saying Thursday.

He said the labor shortfall could worsen following this week's Lunar New Year holiday because many factory workers visiting their home towns might not return to the major coastal manufacturing zones where Compal and other electronics companies produce personal computers.

A year ago when the global financial crisis was battering China's exporters, millions of migrants were told to stay home because there wouldn't be much work in Guangzhou and other southern cities. Then, as business started picking up during the middle of last year, factories were caught short-handed.

Many businesses now say they expect labor shortages this year to be worse than previous episodes. Migrants are finding jobs closer to home as the poor interior provinces become more prosperous and the supply of young laborers is decreasing as an effect of China's one-child policy. Fewer, meanwhile, are willing to work for sweatshop wages as their parents did.

The Economic Daily newspaper said many factory operators fear their worker numbers will not return to pre-financial meltdown levels despite offering pay raises.

But an official with Taiwan-based Hon Hai Group, the world's largest contract electronics maker, said it would not be affected by the labor shortages. It started building several factories three years ago in China's interior to comply with Beijing's policy of developing the southwest.

With manufacturing being shifted elsewhere, Hon Hai's base in Shenzhen in Guangdong province now deals mainly with research and development and logistics, according to the official, who requested anonymity because of company policy.

Compal and Taiwan-based Quanta Inc. are the world's top two contract laptop makers.

Compal's 2009 sales amounted to $19.8 billion, up nearly 50 percent from 2008, with the launch of Microsoft Windows 7 operating system and cheap laptops known as netbooks propping up sales amid the global economic recovery.

Taiwanese makers account for more than 80 percent of the world's laptops output by setting up assembly lines in China to take advantage of the mainland's cheaper labor.

Several Taiwanese makers, including Quanta Inc. and Inventec Corp., are building factories in Chongqing in southwest China, where labor costs are estimated to be 20-40 percent lower than the coastal cities.

PC Sales Are Up. Will Prices Follow?

PC World

Rising sales hide what may be a profitless tech recession recovery for PC makers, as customers dive for low-end, low-margin "good enough" PCs.

Still, rising component prices could make now the best time to buy hardware this year.

Researchers IDC and Gartner are out today with PC sales estimates for the final quarter of 2009. The numbers look good, supporting the idea, floated earlier this week that the tech recession is "unofficially over."

Worldwide PC sales, which IDC said grew by 15.2 percent and Gartner by 22.1 percent during the fourth quarter of 2009. For the U.S., the numbers were even rosier, with year-over-year sales up 26.5 percent (Gartner) or 24 percent (IDC). (Here is a story that explains the numbers in more detail than I will here).

But, just as every silver lining must hide a cloud, one lurks behind these numbers, too.

Manufacturers of PCs slashed margins to offer powerful computers at low prices. While the tactic made sense for holding onto market share and encouraged the opening of wallets; it also set a higher expectation of value by customers. That is good news if you're buying, but could put sellers into a jam.

Another complication is the rising cost of PC components, which could sometime this year lead to higher prices, once manufacturers have absorbed all the added costs they are willing or able to.

That could make right now a good time to invest in new hardware, as prices may inch up later in the year.

"Good enough" computers may become the new norm for business purchases.

"Without an effective strategy to convey a clear usage model and feature set tied to each segment, the market will inevitably continue down the slippery slope of good-enough computing sold to the lowest bidder," said IDC analyst Jay Chou in a statement.

I have no research to prove it, but my bet is the Q4 sales surge was driven by consumer spending. Business purchases may lag a bit, but the idea of purchasing "good enough" computers is here to stay.

Many companies purchase more powerful computers than employees really need. If they take a close look at what users do all day, those high-end Dells, HPs, and Lenovos, likely don't justify the added cost.

Today's low-cost consumer PCs and laptops often work well as business computers while "real" business computers, which don't need the multimedia whiz-bang popular with consumers, should cost even less. Enterprise IT departments, of course, have different needs, but even they benefit from the tough economy.

It is a buyer's market for PC hardware, which coupled with the introduction of Windows 7 and forthcoming release of Office 2010, makes this is excellent time for businesses to invest in upgraded PC hardware, especially if their users are still on machines purchased with Windows XP.

I've been replacing my PCs; maybe it's time for your company to do so, too.

2010 Could Be The Year Of 3-D

BBC News

If 2009 was dominated by touch technology then 2010 looks set to be the year of 3D.

3D has been one of the biggest hits of the cinemas this year and it is likely to continue its stride into other mediums during 2010, experts agree.

TV manufacturer LG wants to sell nearly half a million 3D-ready TV sets next year as the World Cup kicks off in the format.

Meanwhile laptops and games consoles are also getting a 3D makeover.

Acer has already released what it is claiming is the world's first 3D-capable laptop, and most agree it will be the first of many.

One critic likened the screen of the Acer Inspire 5738DZG to that of a 1960's cinema "but in laptop form". Others have dismissed the 3D capability as a gimmick, but most agree that it will be the start of a glut of similar machines.

Acer has created its 3D effect by putting a polarising filter over the screen which splits images into separate streams.

When combined with a pair of polarising glasses (and the laptops come with a free pair) it allows users to view content in 3D.

Some movie trailers come preloaded on the laptop, while software called TriDef 3D can add a third dimension to PC games, DVDs and video footage with varying degrees of success.

Microsoft is watching developments in the field with interest. Julie Larson-Green, Microsoft's vice president of user experience believes the technology will play a major role over the next decade.

"A 3D spatial camera inside a computer will offer a new way to interact with content. It will allow people to spatially organise things with older things farther away," she said.

Trendy glasses

Gaming is the most obvious first stop for 3D and Sony committed in November to making all its PS3 consoles "upgradeable to 3D", suggesting games are on their way.

Meanwhile Microsoft continue to work on its own alternative to a gaming remote control called Project Natal, which uses an optical camera and 3D sensors to read body movements and facial expressions.

In order to view content, some form of eyewear is going to be essential although it is unlikely to have much in common with the cardboard spectacles of the 1970s.

Jeremy Fennell, head of marketing for Dixon Store Group, is betting on visitors to January's high-tech CES show spending a lot of their time on the conference floor wearing 3D glasses.

"An awful lot of money has been invested in 3D and there is a world of difference between cardboard glasses from the 1970s to designer 3D RayBans and aviators," he said.

He expects to have a range in store towards the end of next year.

In the world of TVs, HD-ready is rapidly being replaced by 3D-ready.

LG Electronics aims to sell 400,000 3D TVs in 2010 and 3.4 million in 2011.

One of the drivers for such sets will be the World Cup which Fifa has confirmed will be the first soccer event shot in 3D.

But 3D isn't the only thing changing TV. More sets will be available with built-in net access, making the viewing of content such as the iPlayer a whole lot simpler.

And Microsoft's UK managing director Ashley Highfield envisages an even more interactive future for the humble box in the corner.

"If TVs have some form of 2-way functionality, the TV recognises you and you can flick through too find a programme you want to watch," he said at a recent conference, although he did not offer a timeframe for such smart sets.

Headset patent

Apple has recently filed a patent suggesting that it is looking into create its own 3D display, possibly as an alternative to the mouse and keyboard.

The patent refers to "an electronic device for providing a display that changes based on the user's perspective".

MacRumours speculated that the maker of the Mac is planning to offer greater interactivity for users via an established technology known as head-tracking.

Using a camera, such a system would be able to detect a user's position and adjust a 3D display to create the illusion that an on-screen object is physically present, it said.

Such patents are not unusual though. In December 2008 Apple filed one seemingly aimed at created 3D desktops.

And back in 2007 university student Johnny Chung created his own head tracking device using a Nintendo Wii remote controller which became one of YouTube's most popular videos.

Interest in 3D is likely to continue unabated as 2010 begins to make it a reality for consumers.

The Year In Laptops: 2009

cNet

2009 was a bumper year in the laptop arena. Instead of the usual and expected platform refreshes, we saw some pretty interesting designs and changes in the competitive notebook market. For one, well-known Alienware gaming machines have started appearing in Asia, years after being bought over by Dell. Other surprises include the appearance of CULV thin-and-lights that brought together the portability of a MacBook Air with the affordability of a budget machine. Without further ado, here's are a list of laptops that deserve special mention for changing, if not breaking, the frontiers of portable computing.

Alienware enters Asia
Alienware has been around a long time as a US-only premium gaming brand. Despite being bought over by Dell in 2006, it took three years before Asia had a taste of its notebooks which almost rival the performance of a gaming desktop. The first model to grace our shores was the Alienware M17x, which offered some of the most powerful Intel processors along with its dual graphics card setup. A smaller sibling, the Alienware M15x made an appearance recently and surprised us with an affordable price tag for the basic configuration.

But, in this case, great computing power requires an equally impressive shoulder strength, as both Alienware laptops make a mockery of the term portable. Still, it beats having to lug a desktop CPU and monitor to a LAN party any day.

Samsung returns to Asia
Despite an initial rollout that included the ground-breaking Q30 model, the Korean chaebol's premium laptops simply could not compete with the low-cost machines churned out by the likes of Dell and Acer and had to bow out of the Asia market in 2007. After licking its chops for two years, Samsung returned with a vengeance in 2009 with a small but impressive range. Not only are the price now within mortal reach, the company even upped the ante by using LED-backlit screens on the affordable R series models. The Samsung N310 Netbook was also different from its competitors, with a design that grabs attention without looking too toy like.

Dell launches Adamo series

We should have seen the writing on the wall. When Dell started to add more premium machines such as the Studio, Studio XPS and XPS series, we should have suspected that the Round Rock company has its sights on the premium market. Its first high-end fashion portable, the Adamo, created a stir with its unibody design and sky-high S$4,499 (US$3,312.40) price tag, making it more expensive than the MacBook Air. These are definitely NOT low cost Dell laptops. The timing was also rather unfortunate, as it was launched in the middle of the economic recession.

The following model, the Dell Adamo XPS, entered the world during the financial recovery phase and was helped along by a more realistic S$3,299 (US$2,428.90) price tag. The heat-sensing switch to open the laptop, exceptional thinness and unique design makes a bold statement as well. Though it's still not a laptop for the rank-and-file, the Adamo series has certainly elevated Dell's design team to the level of premium brands such as Apple and Sony.

Sony gets ridiculously thin with Vaio P and X series
Choosing a Vaio laptop is not just about specifications. The Japanese maker has a reputation of producing beautiful machines that stand out from the crowd and, almost every year, create laptops that push the boundaries of notebook design. 2009 was an exceptional year for low cost Sony laptops as it produced not one, but two models that redefined the term sleek.

Despite its Atom internals, the Sony Vaio VGN-P15G was emphatically not a Netbook. Even though it had an unusually wide screen, the chassis was formulated to fit a keyboard which was actually usable. But what captured the public's eye was its unbelievably slim profile, which was carried over to the Sony Vaio X series. The latter has a larger 11-inch display with a more conventional footprint. The Vaio X was so slim that the company had to redesign the Ethernet port to fit the chassis.

Though both notebooks are certainly more expensive than your average Atom-based machine, they pushed the frontiers of portability and made impossibly thin, possible.

Apple laptops wave goodbye to replaceable batteries
It all started with the MacBook Air. Possibly the first laptop to sport a unibody body, the manufacturing process allows for a slim yet strong shell which was not possible with traditional methods. Apple then continued the trend by switching its MacBook Pro series to the unibody bandwagon and, with the latest version of the Apple MacBook White that sports a unibody plastic chassis, the transition was completed.

But there was one trade-off. The unibody design precludes user-replaceable batteries, which means consumers will have to send the machine to the service center if the power cells require replacement. This also means no more carrying extra cells when traveling on long-haul flights or remote locations. On the plus side, the internal batteries have significantly longer uptimes and no doubt consumers will continue to seek out low cost Apple MacBooks. So are unibody designs the way of the future, or a fad like the FireWire standard? Only time will tell.

ThinkPad goes dual-screen
There are some who feel that a 12-inch display is all they need, while others who think that even a 18.6-inch desktop replacement is still not big enough. Lenovo ThinkPads are legendary when it comes to toughness and reliability, but one rarely sees cutting-edge design for this range. When the Chinese maker showed off the ThinkPad W700ds, it broke new ground as the first to supplement its main 17.1-inch LCD with a slide-out 10.6-inch panel. The secondary display can be used for easy access to emails and IM chat windows while doing real work on the larger screen. Though this is unlikely to start a trend, this ThinkPad is one which we will not forget anytime soon.

CULV laptops breaks through price barriers
Netbooks were hot in 2008, but consumers soon found that the underpowered Atom processor was simply too limited even for Web surfing, especially when visiting Flash heavy sites. To bridge the gap between low-cost minilaptops and full-fledged notebooks, the Intel Consumer Ultra-Low Voltage (CULV) processor was born.

Priced lower than Intel's full-powered chips, the first CULV machines like the Acer Aspire Timeline 3810T and MSI X-Slim X340 were certainly costlier than Netbooks, but were several hundred dollars cheaper than traditional ultraportables. This new range of machines were not only sleek and sexy, the low power consumption of the platform and LED-backlit screens allowed for impressive battery lives. It's a pity that the optical drive was sacrificed in the process, but some vendors have overcome that obstacle by bundling external optical drives.

Later in the year, a new line of ultrathins came into the picture. While the first wave of CULV laptops sit squarely in the thin-and-light and midsized categories, the Acer Aspire AS1410, Dell Inspiron 11z and Gateway EC series sport 11.6-inch displays and are about as portable as similarly-size Netbooks. Though the battery life is significantly shorter, these new ultrathins give minilaptops a run for their money as they cost only a little more but offer much faster performance.

Will 2010 see even more upheavals in the laptop market considering this was a bumper year for the mobile computing industry? We'll leave that thought for another article.

Computer Shopping Guide

The Pointer Online

As the digital divide continues to shrink in America, the need for a reliable computer is becoming impossible to ignore.  Heading full throttle into the busiest shopping time of the year, low computer prices and expanding technology promise to make this the most convenient, and confusing, holiday season yet.  

A new electronic device called the netbook has joined the computer market and is adding yet another option to the laptop industry.  However, when choosing between these three options the most important thing to remember is not what Justin Long said on TV, but what the laptop will be used for in the future.  

With an appealing price point ranging from $180 to $500, a netbook is a small laptop-type device that is designed specifically to search the web and do other small tasks.  A netbook weighs around three to five pounds, and has a small LCD screen between 10.1 to 13 inches.  

Although similar in appearance and basic functions, netbooks lack the raw computing power of a fully functioning computer.  At their slimmed down size, netbooks lack a disc drive, utilize a single core processor and come equipped with a slimmed down operating system.  

“It is important that we say that netbooks are a supplement to a fully working computer; they’re not a replacement.  People think they’re a small computer when they are not, they are a netbook,” said Donovan Lozo, Supervisor at the Stevens Point Best Buy.

Although a netbook will surf the web and create office documents as well as their larger counterparts, more advanced tasks such as video and photo editing are going to require more computing power. 

A recent survey conducted by Square Trade Inc., analyzing failure rates of 30,000 laptops, found that netbooks fail 20% more often than laptops, and that contrary to media advertisements, Toshiba and Asus make the market’s most reliable laptops.

“I don’t think [the] failure rate is different across brands because it’s not really HP or Toshiba - they don’t make the components that they put into their computers.  They choose them put them in a plastic case and put their name on it. I tell consumers that if you’ve heard of the name brand you’re fine.  I just wouldn’t recommend a brand that you’ve never heard of,” said Lozo.  

From the commercials, consumers would be led to believe that the Mac is more powerful and reliable than a PC.  When analyzing technical specifications alone, Mac’s entry level MacBook, starting at $999, is closely comparable to a Toshiba Satellite which sells for $329 at Best Buy.

What truly separates a Mac from PCs isn’t the internal specifications.  The real difference in a Mac is their efficient operating system, said Jeremy Spriggs, deputy of Counter Intelligence (Geek Squad supervisor) at the Stevens Point Best Buy.

“The Mac OS [X Snow Leopard] is a solider operating system,” said Spriggs.

Riding on the negative reviews of Windows Vista, Apple’s stable operating system has been the theme of their current campaign against Microsoft.  In retaliation to this campaign, Microsoft rushed to release their answer to this problem with Windows 7.  New Windows 7 users are optimistic.  

“Windows Vista was a pretty hefty operating system.  Windows 7 is much lighter.  This will influence the load time for different applications.  But, no matter how reliable the software is, you have to remember that these things are mass produced,” said Spriggs.

According to Spriggs, the majority of computers they service are because of user error.  These are computers that are infected with viruses that have been downloaded onto the system by using LimeWire, BearShare and downloading emails, free wallpaper and screen savers.   

Viruses are yet another reason the Mac OS is considered superior to Microsoft.  But it isn’t the reliability of the program that makes Windows so susceptible to online predators.

“Macs are only about 7% of the market.  A virus would have to be specifically built to harm a Mac.  If their market share explodes, I guarantee you’ll see more viruses,” said Spriggs.

Depending on how it is used, a Windows based computer can be just as secure as a Mac with the addition of good anti-virus software.

Netbooks are a decent, cost- efficient option for entry-level users who just want to use the Internet.  When purchasing a netbook, remember that there are full size models around the same price.  Also keep in mind that a major benefit of a netbook over a laptop is portability.  If a computer is going to spend the majority of time sitting on a desk then maybe a full-size upgradeable laptop is the better option.  

PC’s offer a large and technologically diverse group of cheap laptops with something for everyone.  These laptops can range in price from as little as $299 to well over $11,000.  The key to picking the right model is understanding what you want the machine to do.   

Mac computers are still considered to be the ‘best.’  And OS X is a less problematic operating system than Windows Vista.  For professional grade photo and video editing, potential buyers should end their shopping adventure at the Apple Store.

But for users who aren’t media moguls, a standard PC is still a reliable and cost-efficient option.  And with the introduction of Windows 7, PC users can hopefully look forward to an easier and faster computing experience.

Notebooks That Are Easier On The Eye

Wall Street Journal

Like clockwork, retailers were ready for Microsoft Corp.'s Windows 7 release last week with new desktops, laptops and netbooks, those inexpensive, smaller laptops that have become popular in the past year. Included in this selection of netbooks are some that improved the poor screen resolutions that have plagued these tiny PCs.

Screen resolution isn't the same as the size of the screen itself. Rather, it is related to the number of pixels—or distinct dots—on a display, and an indication of how much material can be seen on the screen without scrolling. A higher-resolution screen allows you to see more of a Web page, spreadsheet or list of emails than a lower-resolution screen, even if both are the same physical size.

Because higher-resolution screens cost more, most netbooks come with low-resolution screens to keep prices down. But poor resolution combined with a small netbook screen results in frustrating visuals, like Web pages that display just a small portion of their contents, forcing you to scroll down or horizontally to see the rest of the page.

This week, I tested two Windows 7 discount notebooks with unusually high-res screens: Hewlett-Packard Co.'s HP Mini 311 with an 11.6-inch screen and a resolution of 1,366-by-768 pixels, and Nokia Corp.'s Booklet 3G with a 10.1-inch screen and a resolution of 1,280-by-720-pixels. Both these small computers display the bulk of most Web pages without any scrolling necessary—a big relief on a netbook.

Though high-resolution screens make these netbooks easier on the eyes than others, I still had trouble adjusting to their shrunken features. I liked typing on the HP Mini's generous keyboard, which H-P says is 92% of full size. But its touchpad buttons felt stiff and uncomfortably located at the edge of the computer. The Nokia Booklet had the opposite problem: Its touchpad and buttons worked fine, but its tiny keys made me feel like I was typing on a kiddie computer.

Nokia is a bit more of a newsmaker here, because when the Booklet 3G (nokiausa.com) comes out in mid-November, it will be the first foray by the Finnish mobile-device company into the discount laptops. Best Buy began taking advance orders for them this week. It costs $300 if purchased with AT&T Inc.'s two-year Data Connect plan, which costs $60 a month for five gigabytes of data and allows users to toggle back and forth between two kinds of wireless connections, cellular 3G and Wi-Fi. If purchased without the AT&T plan, the Booklet 3G costs $600—a lot for a netbook—including only Windows 7 Starter, the low-end version of the new OS, and one gigabyte of memory.

The thing most people will notice right away about Nokia's netbook is that it seems to take its design cues directly from Apple Inc. Like the MacBook Pro, the Nokia Booklet 3G is made from a single piece of aluminum, and its keyboard is made of black Chiclet-style keys. Its edges are rounded and smooth. I used one with a glossy black lid, but it will also come in shades of ice white or azure blue.

Nokia boasts that this netbook's battery will last for 12 hours; after running it through a harsh test with its screen cranked up to the brightest setting, Wi-Fi on, music playing on a continuous loop and all power-saving features turned off, it ran for almost eight hours straight. This means that under normal circumstances, the battery might last for a remarkable 10 hours.

The Booklet 3G that I used differs from Nokia's final release version in a few ways: Mine wasn't loaded with AT&T's Connection Manager software, which enables switching between Wi-Fi and 3G; it lacked the Nokia Social Hub software, which the company says allows users to track social-media feeds and text messages; and the GPS wasn't yet connected to the U.S. map data server. My Booklet 3G included Ovi Suite, a Nokia-designed software program to bridge the connection between some Nokia smartphones and the Booklet 3G, like iTunes for the iPhone or BlackBerry's Desktop Manager. But the software I had wasn't the final version.

Unlike Nokia, H-P is no stranger to netbooks, having released nine of its Mini models of discount computers in the past year. The HP Mini 311 (hp.com/go/mini) costs $400 when purchased with Windows XP and costs an additional $50 when loaded with Windows 7 Home Premium. The Mini that I tested costs $474 because it also had two gigabytes of memory rather than one gigabyte.

The H-P model is a little bigger all around compared with the Nokia, with an inch-larger screen; it weighs 3.22 pounds compared with 2.76 pounds for the Nokia. Both felt relatively thin and light, and I carried them home together from my office with ease. The HP Mini 311 had H-P's subtle Black Swirl pattern on its lid—a faint pattern of silver swirls noticeable only at certain angles. It also comes in White Swirl.

I ran the same battery test on the HP as I did with the Nokia, and it lasted four hours and 15 minutes, giving it roughly six hours of juice under normal circumstances. H-P estimates that the Mini 311's battery will last for six hours and 25 minutes.

I didn't run into any problems while installing and using several programs on each of these netbooks or discount workstations, including Windows Live Essentials, Mozilla's Firefox browser, Picasa 3, TweetDeck, Adobe Reader and iTunes. The HP Mini felt more responsive and, in fact, loaded some programs a little faster, but it had twice the memory.

Both netbooks have slots for memory cards, HDMI ports for connecting to HD screens and three USB ports. And they come with built-in Web cams, a common feature on netbooks.

A cold start on both the Mini 311 and Booklet 3G required roughly the same amount of time: one minute and eight seconds for the H-P, and a minute and 12 seconds for the Nokia. But restarting was a different story. While playing a song in iTunes, running three Web pages in Firefox and using TweetDeck, I selected Restart. The HP Mini 311 took a minute and 20 seconds while the Nokia took nearly two minutes.

Even without the AT&T discount, the Nokia Booklet 3G's extra-long battery life and sleek design will be worth the extra money for some people—just beware its tiny keyboard. The HP Mini 311 is a good all-around netbook with a comfortable keyboard for typing. No one will be disappointed by the terrific screen resolutions.

Most products mentioned are available from DFS Direct Sales.

Getting More Personal With Netbooks

From Government Technology

What's the optimal size of a personal computer? That's a question PC makers wrestle with all the time in designing new models, and it's a question every PC buyer should consider as well.

The trend is clear: Small. For the most part, stationary desktops as well as portable PCs have gotten smaller over time, one exception being monitors, which have increased in size.

When taken to an extreme today, you wind up with a handheld computer, also called a palmtop computer. Taken to an extreme in the future, we'll likely have fully functional, voice-activated, talking computers embedded in our wristwatches, clothing, and eyeglasses.

For now, the more mundane and more practical issue is how small should you go when buying new computers device for work, play, or both.

Netbooks

A relatively new category of computer devices, netbooks, adds a new option. Also called mininotebooks or sub notebooks, these are the smallest laptops today that have keyboards that you can type into with both hands for quick data entry. Unlike notebook PCs, they don't typically include a CD-ROM/DVD drive.

The name "netbook" came into use because these devices are ideally suited for using Web applications. Instead of running programs that reside on your computer's own hard drive, you run programs over the Internet that reside on server computers elsewhere. Google Docs (docs.google.com) is the best known.

Netbooks as a product category are only about two years old, emerging in late 2007, though some contend that netbooks first came into existence in 1999 with the Psion netBook, a device that never caught on. Today's netbooks have caught on, comprising nearly one-fourth of all portable PCs sold, according the latest report by the market research firm DisplaySearch. Compared with a year ago, netbook sales revenue grew a whopping 264 percent.

The attraction of netbooks is clear. Compared with other laptop computers, they're lighter, run longer on batter power, and cost less. The main negatives are the flip side of the positives. The smaller keyboards are more difficult to type on and the smaller screens are more difficult to read.

Some analysts have speculated that the netbook boom will end when the economy recovers, removing some of the attraction of their low price, which ranges from about $250 to $500. But market research firm iSuppli Corp. predicts that their popularity will continue to rise, with netbook shipments projected to quadruple over the next four years.

Top netbook brands, according to the latest testing by Consumer Reports, PC World magazine, and the online sites CNET and NetbookReviews.com, include those by Acer, Asus, Gateway, HP, and Toshiba.

I tested out netbooks by Acer and Gateway. The Gateway LT3103u is typical of larger netbooks, while the Acer Aspire One AOD250-1042 is typical of smaller ones. The Gateway has an 11.6-inch screen, 2 gigabytes of memory, and a 250-gigabyte hard drive, the Acer a 10.1-inch screen, 1 gigabyte of memory, and a 160-gigabyte hard drive.

I liked the Gateway better, but I'm a dyed-in-the-wool desktop PC aficionado, preferring faster typing and easier viewing over the convenience of smaller size. The Gateway is available from Gateway's site for about $400, the Acer from retailers such as Wal-Mart for about $250.

Most netbooks come with Windows XP as their operating system, though you can find them with Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Linux. The MacBook Air is Apple's answer to the netbook trend, but it's considerably pricier than Windows or Linux netbooks.

Here are some observations from regular users of netbooks, picked up from perusing various online discussion groups: Netbooks are good for just about anything except video editing. Typing speed increases with keyboard size, and typing error rate decreases. You're more likely to take a netbook with you when out casually than a notebook. A netbook is convenient even if you rarely or never take it out of the house, in moving it from room to room.

According to what I've observed, younger people take to netbooks more easily than bifocal folks. If you're used to texting on an iPod or cell phone, a netbook will seem positively roomy. But if you want to optimize ergonomic comfort as well as speed and efficiency when working, nothing beats a full-size stationary desktop computer.