Fujitsu releases LifeBook T2010

Back when the Japanese maker's first UMPC was launched (the LifeBook U1010), we were given a sneak peek at its upcoming products, the LifeBook T2010 and LifeBook N6460.

It took about three months and the first to show up in Asia stores was the LifeBook T2010. It made the bold claim as the tablet PC with the brightest display and we found that hard to argue with. After all, its 1,280 x 800 screen is rated at 300nits, one of the highest in the business for its class. It also has a full range of security features like fingerprint sensor, while offering an exceptional battery life of up to 11 hours on the extended cell. Though it is just over 1.5kg, it has had to sacrifice an internal optical drive in the process.

So why did we not rush out to buy one? Well, at S$3,988 (US$2,932.35) per pop it was a choice between starving for two months or getting this LifeBook... and unfortunately we like food too much to make this sacrifice.

HP updates business, consumer notebooks

At an evening press event in New York, HP announced a much-needed new look for its business laptop line. With a silver finish, drop-hinge panel and scooped-out keyboard, the new models look more modern than the boxy corporate HPs of yore, though they'll still blend in with traditional business environments. Inside the redesigned cases you'll find all the component options you'd expect from a business laptop: Intel Core 2 Duo processors, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, DVD burners with LightScribe, and HP's ProtectTools support software. The three new models announced today include the 14.1-inch HP Compaq 6520s (price varies by region), the 15.4-inch HP Compaq 6720s (starting at US$649) with a choice of antiglare or BrightView screen finishes and the 17-inch HP Compaq 6820s (starting at US$999) with ATI Mobility Radeon X1350 graphics as well as a full keyboard and 10- key number pad. All three models are currently shipping in the US.

In other business news, HP announced that it will begin offering 64GB solid-state drives on its professional laptops and mobile workstations. Specific models to have this option include the HP Compaq 2710p, 2510p, 6910p, and 8000 series workstations.

It's not all business, though; the consumer-oriented Pavilion line will also see a few updates. Users who want always-on connectivity will have the option of adding built-in 3G/HSDPA to their 14.1-inch Pavilion dv2500. New consumer laptops include the dv2500z, dv6500z, and dv9500z, which are AMD-based versions of existing Pavilion models. And the company announced a new variation on the existing 15.4-inch dv6500 model. The HP Pavilion dx6500 includes only Intel CPU and GPU options, as well as dual hard drives up to 320GB; it also lacks the fingerprint reader, HDMI support, and modem found on the dv6500 model. The Pavilion dx6500 will be available at US retail outlets in October, at a starting price of US$949.

We may be seeing the refreshed consumer models in the coming HP Big Bang launch in Asia next week, though it's unlikely that the new corporate laptops will make it here so soon.

This post orginally appeared in CNET Crave.

Packard Bell rings in a new UMPC

Despite talk of a Lenovo takeover, Packard Bell doesn't seem willing to go quietly into the night. At the IFA 2007 show, the notebook maker showcased its latest UMPC entree, the EasyNote XS.

Sporting a 7-inch screen and running Windows XP Home Edition, the EasyNote XS brings back fond memories of the Kohjinsha SA1F00. But form factor is where the similarities end. The Kohjinsha is a convertible tablet PC while the Packard Bell unit is a conventional clamshell laptop. The latter is based on the VIA C7-M Ultra Mobile Platform which means it has a speedier processor of above 1GHz clock speed alongside a 1GB memory. Other features include Wi-Fi, a Webcam, a memory card reader, two USB ports and 30GB of storage space.

With claims of up to 3 hours of battery life with wireless radio activated, it seems like a suitable companion to the frequent traveler. At press time, Packard Bell was unable to confirm pricing and availability of its pioneering UMPC.

Toshiba Satellite X200: SLI gaming laptop

We've just had a hands-on session at IFA in Berlin with the new Toshiba Satellite X200 gaming laptop, a machine that does for 3D polygons what anabolic steroids does for Olympic sprinters. It makes them run damn fast--so fast in fact, you could be forgiven for thinking Toshiba was in league with Alienware--or the devil.

Two versions are available--one of which has a single Nvidia GeForce 8800M graphics card with 512MB of RAM. The other version packs two of these suckers linked in an SLI configuration, which is simply frightening.

The rest of the specs are impressive, too. The version we looked at includes a 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 CPU, 2GB of DDR2 667MHz RAM, and a whopping 300GB hard drive. It also packs an HD-DVD drive, but don't get too carried away--the 17-inch screen only supports a max resolution of 1,680 x 1,050 pixels. If it's 1080p you're after, you'll need to pump the video signal through a HDMI cable to a suitable big TV.

Our cheeky bouts of Stalker and F.E.A.R were made all the more pleasant thanks to a funky Toshiba gaming keyboard, which connects via USB. This has a circular control pad to the far left, which houses the strafe keys and a set of customisable shortcut buttons. Also pictured is a set of 3D goggles that Toshiba hopes to launch early in 2008. They weren't set up properly, so we'll reserve judgment until we get some time alone with them.

We're digging the X200. The understated styling makes a change from the garish designs seen on many Alienware laptops, and it looks like it won't cost the Earth either. Prices start from £1,494 (S$4,588.98).

Hands-on with OQO model 02 UMPC

We can't even remember where we saw this UMPC at IFA Berlin, but we're sure glad we did. This portable computing unit packs nearly everything under the sun, save for the kitchen sink. A 1.5GHz VIA C7M ULV processor and 1GB of DDR2 SDRAM power a choice of Windows XP or Vista. With a standard-sized cell, you'll get up to 3 hours of battery life, or twice as long if you hit it with a double-capacity pack. Connectivity options include 802.11 a/b/g, Bluetooth with A2DP, 3.5mm audio out, a HDMI digital video port, line in/out jack and not forgetting a USB outlet. We had a short go at it and we must say the 5-inch VGA widescreen looks brilliant. Most importantly, we find the keyboard comfortable to type on. This baby is expected to cost about 2,000 euros when it launches here in Germany next January. No luck for the Asia folks, yet.

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