Pushing the Eee PC to the limits

Cheap and good rarely come together. When an item is really inexpensive, you'd expect it to be a flimsy product which breaks apart at the slightest touch.

But the Eee PC, touted as the cheapest full-featured laptop in the market, seems to buck this trend. When we first reviewed the product, we were surprised at how sturdy the casing was and impressed by the build quality of this notebook. In fact, one guy was so impressed he gave the third degree treatment to his ultraportable. It's not a pretty sight for the anal retentive, but loads of fun for the rest of us. Check out the video.

Via Engadget

Tests résistance (Chocs, chaleur, froid) de l'Asus Eee
Uploaded by ray2fr

This Samsung notebook is hot... for all the wrong reasons

It may be an old 2002 model, but this particular Samsung laptop is still hot property... literally.

According to Reuters, a Samsung P10 started to smoke after about 3.5 hours of use and cause some minor burns. Not as spectacular as the Dell fireball in the airport, but still a cause of worry. However, it was also mentioned that said user had placed the portable on a pillow, which could have blocked the ventilation vents and caused overheating. Since Samsung portables are no longer being retailed in Asia Pacific, we have contacted the Korean maker regarding support should users in this region experience the same issue.

Via Reuters

HP launches its first Concierge Service in Singapore

When you think about concierge services in technology, one of the first things that come to mind is Vertu's signature Concierge service. While HP's concept of a Concierge Service somewhat differs, the objective is pretty much the same--which is to provide consumers with a more personal and unique aftersales support experience.

Press attending the event in Singapore Thursday were told that the Concierge Service is intended as an extension to consumers of its Total Care program for SMB customers. According to the PC maker, the Concierge Service comes bundled with every purchase of its TouchSmart PC and Pavilion HDX Series entertainment notebook. Support includes free installation of the computer onsite, a 24/7 support hotline, as well as a complimentary one-time maintenance service within the first year of purchase.

Singapore is the first country in the world to enjoy HP's Concierge Service which was first introduced at a soft launch in December last year. While HP did not comment on when this service would be extended to other countries, we believe it is only a matter of time before the more developed markets get a taste of it.

Photos: ThinkPad X300

Lenovo's much-anticipated competitor to the MacBook Air finally arrived in the CNET US office this morning. The skinny ultraportable laptop may look a bit square--it is a ThinkPad, after all--but its 13.3-inch screen, full-size keyboard, and built-in DVD burner earned admiring glances from multiple passersby.

We're busy at work on the review, but in between benchmark runs this afternoon, we took some photos of this, the sleekest ThinkPad yet. Take a spin through our ThinkPad X300 slideshow, and keep an eye on our site for the complete review and CNET Editors Rating.

Via Crave CNET

SpaceStation desktop organizer

As I type this blogpost, I can hardly see my desk because of the mess of cables. My headphone wires are strewn between my speakers and keyboard, a couple of USB cables are found on my left connected to the computer, and more often than not, I'm charging some mobile phone or handheld using a charger that will emerge from the power strip found behind my monitor.

Those who find such an arrangement an eyesore (like the colleague who sits beside me) will like the SpaceStation from Bluelounge. This desk organizer for laptop users cleverly hides cables and has an integrated four-port USB hub. Its raised feet make it hover slightly above the table, so the ends of your cables can peek out from the front or sides when you need to use them. Another added convenience is a paper/cardholder on the right side, good when extracting information from cellulose-based documents.

The SpaceStation isn't cheap at US$79.95 and comes in either black or white. The good news is the US dollar isn't that strong these days, and Bluelouge offers reasonable international shipping rates. Ultimately, you can't really put a price on neatness, can you? For me, I'll stick with my mess. It gives people the impression I'm working hard--even when I'm really only browsing the Internet for gadgets like this one.

Click for more images, including a "before" shot



Via Cool Hunting

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