BenQ MID spotted at MWC

When we caught wind of the BenQ Mobile Internet Device, via jkkmobile blog, which was showcased at the Mobile World Congress, we were furious. How did our senior reporter manage to miss such an important announcement? We were just getting ready to give him the carpet beater treatment a la Casino Royale when we remembered that the huge scale of the show would have required him to instant clone himself several times over to cover every booth. Moreover, no one expected a laptop companion to launch at one of the largest mobile exhibitions of the year.

But back to the topic in hand. The 4.8-inch device is based on Intel's Silverthorne processor on the Menlow platform. We like the fact that the touchscreen resolution is 1,024 x 600, which means that almost all Webpages can render fully without side scrolling. However, this also means you may need to squint while reading text on the small screen.

But the highlight of the BenQ MID is really the shake control. It is likely that this feature is based on a built-in accelerometer that detects motion and pegs them to certain shortcuts. Running on Red Flag Linux, the Wi-Fi radio is boosted with HSDPA connectivity and an integrated Webcam.

So while we have kind of forgiven him for missing out on this device, that won't stop us from giving him the blanket party treatment when he returns to office next week.

» Mobile World Congress 2008 show report

Laptops for your Valentine

Red symbolizes passion--which forms one side of the trinity of love. The other is tender, loving care... while the final requirement is the ability to forget past wrongs.

So forget those incredibly overpriced red roses this season. Show her you really care by flaunting your wealth and giving her a laptop bathed in the color of blood.

Is she the kind which will slap you silly for spending a bundle? Then get a Dell XPS M1330 for this special lady. With a 13.3-inch display and one of the slimmest designs out there (barring the MacBook Air, of course), its starting price of just over S$2,200 (US$1,563.06) makes this an attractive yet sensible option. However, if she is the epitome of a penny pincher, the Inspiron 6400 not only comes in a pretty shade of red, it barely breaks the S$1,000 (US$710.48) mark as well.

But what if she is successful and flies more often than taking a bus?
Read more »

Lenovo's Olympic laptops go on the block

As promised last summer, Lenovo has opened its first auction for its special laptops bearing the "Cloud of Promise" theme to commemorate this year's Bejing Olympics.

The eBay auction, the first of a series to be held online, began in the UK with a limited-edition Lenovo 3000 V2000 laptop autographed by Olympic medalist and badminton star Gail Emms, according to Pocket-lint. The proceeds are designated for the Lenovo Hope Fund charity.

Via Crave CNET

Lenovo readying MacBook Air competitor?

If you asked geeks which manufacturer would be the first to take a shot at the MacBook Air, Lenovo probably would not be at the top of the list. Yet, a rumored update to the manufacturer's X series line of ultraportables could do just that.

Gizmodo is thanking Best Buy for spilling the beans on the ThinkPad X300, which will reportedly replace last year's ThinkPad X61s. The ThinkPad X300 is said to feature a 13.3-inch widescreen LED-backlit display, full-size keyboard, and 64GB solid-state drive. (Sound familiar?) Even better, the laptop is expected to include an integrated optical drive, three USB ports, and an ExpressCard slot--plus Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, WWAN, and possibly GPS, and WiMax connections--in a case that weighs as little as 2.5 pounds. (Though its thickness supposedly tapers from 0.9 inch to 0.73 inch, which if you want to split hairs--literally--would make it thicker than the MacBook Air.)

Of course, all that awesomeness would cost some dough: Best Buy lists a price of US$2,744.

Frankly, this report doesn't seem all that unbelievable, given the recent news that Lenovo and Fujitsu are readying systems that take advantage of the small-form-factor CPU developed by Intel for the MacBook Air. It is about time for the X series to get a refresh, if only to switch to a wide-aspect display. It's just that, while I heart ThinkPads, I wouldn't have expected to be throwing the solid black box into the arena with a fetish-inducing Apple product.

Sadly, Best Buy didn't blab about the ThinkPad X300's release date, so this is all mere speculation. While we wait for the official announcement to come down (or not), tell me: Could this rumored ThinkPad X300 beat the MacBook Air in hand-to-hand combat?

Via Crave CNET

HP tries to mold new image with "Clay"

If we didn't know better, we might suspect that HP has undergone a makeover on TLC's What Not to Wear. The historically stodgey computer maker flashed a little bit of skin recently with its fashion-conscious Bluetooth mouse, and now it's making an even louder statement with its "Clay" laptop.

No, you can't make pottery out of it, but the special-edition computer goes beyond just new colors. In addition to its bronze-hued shell, according to Chip Chick, the laptop sports a textured interior surface that resembles brushed molding clay.

The innards are nothing to write home about, with a 15.4-inch display, 1.67GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 3GB of memory, and 250GB hard drive. But that's not the point--in this case, it's all about looks. Perhaps HP's designers are now answering to a higher authority.

Via Crave CNET

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