Archives for June 2007
Toshiba R500: How did they fit it all in?
Darius Chang | Jun 06, 2007
When we first had a glimpse of the then-embargoed Portege R500, the first thought which came to mind was how Toshiba managed to cram an optical drive into such a slim chassis.
Like the Sony VAIO G series, the Toshiba Portege R500 is an enterprise-classed 12.1-inch ultraportable that does not sacrifice features for weight savings. At 1.09kg with a footprint of 283 x 215 x 19.5mm, only those who consider lifting a beer mug as exercise will find the R500 a chore to carry around. The R500 has a strong set of data security and the physical protection expected of a business machine. However, it is not based on the Santa Rosa chipset and thus does not offer the features of the Centrino Pro platform like the Intel Turbo Memory or IT management applications.
So how did Toshiba do it? According to the company: "To achieve this ultracompact footprint, Toshiba utilized its proprietary High Density Mounting Technology process to create a miniature motherboard with dual-sided component mounting." The optical drive was also miniaturized to a slim 7mm.
In July, users can opt for a solid-state harddisk on the R500 for even greater weight savings, though be prepared to pay a pretty penny for the flash-based machine.
Apple unveils upgraded MacBook Pro laptops
Caroline McCarthy | Jun 06, 2007
The laptops are still available in three models: Two 15.4-inch versions that retail for S$3,388 (US$2,491.18) and S$4,188 (US$3,079.41) and a larger 17-inch edition that costs S$4,688 (US$3,447.06). But with the update, the lower-end 15-inch model is now equipped with 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processors (previously, it had a 2.16GHz chip); the higher-end 15-incher and the 17-incher now come with 2.4GHz processors, up from 2.33GHz. These new processors are indeed Intel's latest Centrino (or Santa Rosa) chips, which were introduced in early May.
All three MacBook Pros additionally can now be upgraded from 2GB to 4GB of RAM at an extra cost, and have faster Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT graphics cards designed for media-intensive animation and gaming.
The 15-inch models also have an energy-efficiency boost, with LED-backlit displays; Apple has touted these not only as power-saving but also mercury-free.
The announcement follows another Apple laptop upgrade in May, when the company released new versions of its lower-priced MacBook machines. Those laptops received processor and memory upgrades in addition to a hard drive space boost (which was not part of the MacBook Pro boost), but did not come with Santa Rosa processors or LED-backlit screens as had been rumored.
The last major update to the MacBook Pro laptops was in October, when they were first manufactured with Intel Core 2 Duo processors.
It's shaping up to be a hot summer for Apple. The company is expected to make more product announcements--though no one's really sure what they will be--at its Worldwide Developers Conference next week. And then the iPhone will hit US stores on June 29.
Re-nano Titanium iPod nano case
Juniper Foo | Jun 06, 2007
Quite simply, third-party iPod vendors are going bananas. Kiwami Studio has unleashed a US$818 case for a US$149 nano on Apple worshippers. For that kind of serious money, you don't even get to sniff any bling. However, the casing is solid Titanium, which ought to go prettily with Nokia's 8910 Titanium handset. Then again, who'd have thought people would fork out US$4,240 for the humble keyboard, in Japanese lacquer no less.
See bigger image here
Price: US$818
Availability: At Kiwami Studios
Device: iPod nano casing
Specs: N.A.
A peek at what a PSP phone might look like
Mike Yamamoto | Jun 06, 2007
Sony's PSP has long been a favorite topic among rumor mongers, the latest nugget coming from the BBC about a British Telecom version that will function as a phone among other new features.
Nothing has been confirmed, but reports are circulating about some patent filings by Sony for just such a device.
According to the schematic diagrams in its proposal, at least one version of a PSP phone would have a rotating screen not unlike other handsets now on the market. Depending on how the display is positioned, MobileWhack says the device can be used as a PSP, phone or possibly a TV.
What we still want to know, however, is where does the pyramid fit in?
Via CNET Crave
Image credit: MobileWhack
Samsung i620: From candy bar to slider
Damian Koh | Jun 05, 2007
There's no official announcement from the Korean chaebol yet, but Unwired View reports about an i620 QWERTY slider smart phone, presumably the successor to the current i600.
Some of the specs on the article point to a triband (GSM 900/1800/1900MHz) i620 with 3G and HSDPA connectivity. There's also Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a microSD card slot, 2-megapixel main camera and front-facing shooter above the QVGA screen.
According to Samsung Asia, the i620 will probably be available regionally only in Singapore, though it wasn't clear to us exactly when.
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