ASUS U series gets the SSD treatment

The ASUS U1f was a classy number which combined a stainless steel frame and leather on the palm rest to offer a luxurious design. The latest upgrade, the ASUS U2, goes a step further by boosting performance in two key areas.

Though the 11.1-inch notebook still does not include an integrated optical drive, the new Core 2 Duo ULV processor will likely give the U2 a much faster computing experience than the older U1f. Another factor to consider is the replacement of the standard harddisk with a 32GB SSD, which has no moving parts and offers a speedier read/write access than the former. Other features such as a fingerprint scanner, integrated Webcam and an LED-backlit display are passed down to the U2 as well. No news on the price and availability of this unit--though with its 32GB SSD, we expect the price to be significantly higher than the S$3,988 (US$2,623.68) one has to fork out for the U1f.

XPS M1530 gets hi-res screens

We do not give out Editors' Choice awards easily, but the the XPS M1530's combination of good looks and pure brawn gave it this distinction. Barring the insanely-fast XPS M1730 with its dual Nvidia GeForce 8700M GT graphics card, the M1530 could possibly be the fastest 15.4-inch gaming machine to hit Asian shores.

Due to popular demand, Dell is now offering higher-resolution screens for the US market. The standard 1,280 x 800 display can now be upgraded to 1,440 x 900 pixels or 1,680 x 1,050 for US$50 and US$150, respectively. This is great if you intend to watch high-definition movies on the display, though for that purpose we would rather hook up the XPS M1530 to an LCD TV. Unfortunately, there is no news yet on whether this option will be making its way across the Pacific.

New generation of Lithium-ion batteries

Japanese manufacturer Toshiba has launched what it calls the Super Charge ion Battery (SCiB), a Lithium-ion battery that it claims has a life cycle of over 10 years and recharges to 90 percent of full capacity in just 5 minutes.

In a press release, the company also touts it as having "excellent safety" because of the new technology and that the "possibility of rupture or combustion is very low". That would be a very important factor considering the first uses for these cells will be in vehicles. The SCiB will start shipping in March 2008 and will go into electric bikes, motorcycles, forklifts and maybe even hybrid cars.

We personally can't wait for the technology to trickle down to notebooks and mobile phones. Imagine, forgetting to charge your device before leaving home will only cost you a 5-minute delay. Not bad.

Toshiba's latest slim tablet

Convertible tablet PCs always get a lot of attention, even if we don't know anyone who actually uses one. It's not surprising--in a world of commodity products, where one gray laptop looks much like the next, having a swiveling touch screen is at least something a bit different, even if you're not one of the handful of media professionals, note-taking students, or graphic artists who actually need the dual tablet and laptop modes of one of these systems.

Toshiba unveiled a new tablet this Monday, the company's first Tablet PC to incorporate a touch-screen LED-backlit display. The Portege M700 offers a 12.1-inch screen, both fingertip and active stylus control, and an LED backlit display (which are generally thinner and lighter than traditional laptop screens) with an anti-glare coating, suitable for outdoor use.

We were very fond of Toshiba's R400 tablet, released in January of 2007, and unlike that model, this new tablet offers a swappable drive bay, which can be used for an optical drive, extra hard drive, or nothing at all, to cut down on weight.

Toshiba's default configuration includes an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7500 CPU, 2GB of RAM, and a 160GB hard drive for US$1,799 (or US$1,699 for a 1GB version with Windows XP). If you're itching to buy a new convertible tablet, online rumors say Dell's new tablet will also debut this week, so stay tuned.

Via CNET Crave

Asus Eee PC warranty still valid even if seal breaks

Update (December 12): We've just been informed that the warranty policy applies to all countries selling the Eee PC. Of course, the company will not be liable for any compatibility issues that arise from upgrading the RAM or if the SODIMM slot was broken by force. Moving on, Asus will also be replacing the warranty sticker with a new label.

Noticed that ugly and irritating slip of yellow sticker that reads "Warranty Void If Seal Broken Or Removed" covering the access to the single SODIMM slot on your Eee PC? Well, it turns out that you can ignore that label, tear it apart or remove it and Asus will still honor the limited warranty of your new baby, at least in the US. Go ahead, buy that additional RAM module to juice your Eee. Of course, Asus' disclaimer is that it "will not be responsible for the damage caused by improper hardware change." But who cares, really? The problem is, we're still waiting for Asus to revert if this announcement is applicable to Asia as well, so you might just want to hold back while we try to get more information.

More details here.

Via Engadget

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