Posts in Notebooks
Pirated Centrino notebooks?
Darius Chang | Apr 27, 2007
If you think that only software can be forged, think again. It seems there could be a run of fake Centrino systems floating around in the second-hand market, thanks to a "budding entrepreneur".
According to local reports, an online auctioneer using the nick " woofeoinke" has been selling Intel Centrino and Centrino Duo logo stickers for the past four months. The Centrino branding requires that three essential components--processor, wireless card and mainboard--must come from Intel. Notebooks with this badge of approval may fetch a higher price on the open market.
For the unsuspecting, this may translate to paying hundreds more for a fake Centrino notebook, though it may still function similarly if it has a wireless card installed. Things get iffy if a single-core laptop gets slapped with a Centrino Duo sticker, as the latter is supposed to be proof of a dual-core chip inside.
All auctions by the user have since been closed. However, for those in the market for a used notebook, they should take 3 minutes and check the authenticity of the Centrino badge with the following steps.
1. Right-click Computer in the start menu and select Properties
2. Check to see if the processor is an Intel chip
3. Select the Hardware tab
4. Click Device Manager
5. Expand System Devices and make sure it's an Intel mainboard
6. Choose Network Adapters and ensure that the wireless module is from Intel
Images:
Centrino logo | Centrino Duo logo
Lenovos with Centrino Pro
Michelle Thatcher | Apr 25, 2007
| Editors' note: Lenovo Singapore declined to comment on this report. We will have more details and confirmation come May 15 when the Santa Rosa platform is officially launched. |
NotebookReview pointed us to spec lists for the refreshed ThinkPad T61 and ThinkPad R61, both of which will be built on the platform formerly known as Santa Rosa. The announcement is limited to new configurations for the Asia-Pacific region, but we don't think it much of a stretch to assume we'll see similar Centrino Pro ThinkPads in the US.
One of the most intriguing features listed on the Lenovo page is the "Intel Turbo Memory 1GB hard drive for faster performance". We assume this is the official name for the Robson caching technology Intel demoed in 2005. Essentially a quantity of NAND flash memory that's incorporated into the motherboard, Robson stores a cache of commonly accessed information, such as the operating system and software, so you can boot the computer or launch applications without spinning the hard drive. Some of the other specs on the list include:
The release lists May 2007 as the availability date, which falls nicely in the middle of Intel's window for releasing its new platform.
Dell tablet rumors heat up again
Michelle Thatcher | Apr 24, 2007
| Editors' note: Dell Singapore declined to comment if rumors of a Dell tablet PC are true. |
Oh, rumor mill. We've been burned by you before, and yet we always fly back, like moths to a flame. The spark this time: James Kendrick at gadget blog jkOnTheRun has posted details of a possible Dell tablet PC to be released this fall. The source? A reader who claims to have talked to Dell reps at two different events. According to this reader, the tablet will be based on the existing Latitude D420 laptop and will not include a touchscreen (you'll have to use a stylus, not your finger, to navigate menus). As Kendrick pointed out, a D series tablet might appeal to business customers who have already invested heavily in Dell's Latitude line, because the new tablets would be able to share docks and accessories with other D series systems.
But is this rumor credible? Some commenters on Kendrick's site claimed they've gotten similar information from Dell, but we're starting to think of the Dell Tablet Rumor as a seasonal blaze. And this time around we're not entirely sure it even makes sense for the US manufacturer to enter what's always been a niche market, given that the push for UMPCs seems to stealing some of the traditional tablet's fire. But you tell us: What are we missing? Could this rumor finally be coming true?
LG R400 comes in three flavors
Darius Chang | Apr 20, 2007
Common to all three bundles is the inclusion of Bluetooth V2.0, Core 2 Duo chips and a 1.3-megapixel Webcam. All three models will ship with Windows Vista. It must be noted that while the R400 uses an Intel processor and mainboard, it does not receive the Centrino logo as the wireless card is from Azurewave. But unless you require 802.11a connectivity, this is really a non-issue.
The model, which is currently available in stores at S$1,699 (US$1,117.76), is the midrange machine. Running a 1.73GHz processor, it uses Intel's integrated graphics solution and 120GB of harddisk space. A slightly cheaper R400 will have similar specifications, save for a lower processor clockspeed of 1.66GHz.
For those who need just a bit more power, the most expensive range will hold a 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo chip and contain a better-performing ATI Mobility Radeon X1450 video card. It will also have 40GB more storage space than its cheaper siblings. The latter two configurations will be available at the end of April.
Read more
Centrino Pro: vPro on your notebook
Darius Chang | Apr 05, 2007
Editors' note  :Based on the latest information, Intel has dropped the 3G SIM slot in favor of a WiMax radio. The article below has been updated. |
A faster wireless standard and virtualization are only a few of the new tricks which Intel's Centrino Pro is bringing to your business portable.
An extension of the desktop vPro branding, the Centrino Pro platform includes the fastest Wi-Fi radio to date, the Draft-N standard. The 965 series chipset is compatible with the latest Core 2 Duo processors, with options for an integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 video card and WiMax radio. Other push factors for Centrino Pro systems include support for Intel Active Management Technology (Intel AMT) and Intel Virtualization Technology (Intel VT).
Another interesting feature is the optional Intel Turbo Memory, which is supposed to decrease system startup time as well as increase performance twofold for frequently used applications. This actually based on the Robson technology previously covered, which uses a flash memory supplement to the hard drive for faster data access.
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