Portege R500, now with 128GB solid-state drive

The eye-catching Portege R500, long one of our favorite ultraportable laptops, just got a little better. Tuesday morning, Toshiba announced the US$2,999 Portege R500-S5007V, a new iteration of the remarkably thin laptop and the first portable to incorporate a 128GB solid-state drive.

To put it succinctly, we're psyched. Up to now, the biggest reservation we had about recommending solid-state drives was their relatively puny size, which pretty much required the purchase of an external hard drive to hold most of your media files--a tough expense to swallow after plunking down US$3,000 (or more) on the laptop itself. However, 128GB seems like a workable size, and because the drive represents the second generation of solid-state technology, we have hopes that it will perform a little better as well.

The Portege R500-S5007V also features a built-in DVD burner, making it a little heavier than the DVD-free R500-S5003. (The starting weight for the new model is still less than 2.5 pounds.) Otherwise, the updated Portege R500 is largely the same as its predecessors, with a 12.1-inch LED-backlit display, three USB ports, a fingerprint reader, and an SD card slot. Like its predecessors, the new version doesn't include a WWAN option, and its slim form factor still requires an ultra-low-voltage Core 2 Duo processor that isn't likely to win any speed races.

Nevertheless, the addition of a larger-capacity drive helps Toshiba keep at least one advantage over such lightweight, SSD-based systems as the MacBook Air and Lenovo ThinkPad X300.

Via CNET Crave

Noahpad spotted at CommunicAsia

It's not often that we see an interesting non-mobile phone-related device at CommunicAsia. At the Garmin booth, where the nuvifone was showcased, we spied a unique UMPC.

The Noahpad was used as a device to showcase Garmin's navigation software, but our eyes kept straying to the keyboard. Resembling two large buttons, the touch-sensitive panels allowed typing and doubled as a touchpad as well. However, the lack of tactile feedback made using the keyboard harder than even the smaller keypad on the ASUS Eee PC.
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MSI Wind: Delayed until June 27

Scheduled to start shipping today, the MSI Wind has been delayed--blown off course, if you'll forgive the unavoidable pun. Citing battery shortages due to the fire at LG Chem's Ochang plant this past March, MSI says the Linux version of its mini-notebook will now ship on June 27. It'll cost US$399 and include a three-cell battery. The Windows version, which was originally slated to ship before the Linux model, won't ship until sometime in July. It will be priced at US$479 (down from the previously stated US$499) and include a six-cell battery. Both models will feature an Intel Atom CPU and 10-inch screen.

Via CNET Crave

More leaks on the new Dell Studio line

When will our pals at Dell learn that pretty much every new product of theirs is going to leak? If it's not FCC filings or foreign subsidiary sales materials, then it's CEOs wandering around with prototype products in their hands.

We've got some more details on the new Studio line of laptops from Dell, courtesy of the guys at Engadget. The Studio line is apparently aimed at mid-high-end consumers, sitting between the Inspiron and XPS lines. An internal description says:

"The Studio line is a more feature rich version of the existing Inspiron line. This series of computers features more multimedia functionality, better processor offerings, and more personalization options than the Inspiron series. Dell continues to sell Inspiron systems, but these are now considered our value series computers for customers who prioritize cost above features."

Personalization will also be a big push, with a variety of solid colors and pattern designs available. Called "Pictaflex", you can see a few pattern options in the image here.

Via CNET Crave

Toshiba to revive Qosmio as gaming brand

We were just wondering whatever happened to Toshiba's Qosmio brand, which included a number of high-end, Editors' Choice-winning entertainment laptops. It's been a while since we reviewed the Qosmio G45, and since then the line had almost disappeared from Toshiba's Web site, with just one model listed on the product page.

Looks like we have our answer, thanks to a post on LogicTV.com that details the rumored Toshiba Qosmio X305. The flame-lidded desktop replacement will reportedly incorporate 1GB Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics, a 3GHz dual-core Intel processor (perhaps the next iteration of the Core 2 Extreme?), and dual 200GB, 7,200rpm hard drives.

Also on the features list are HDMI-out (which better be paired with a Blu-ray drive) and S/PDIF audio. And we're happy to see that the new laptop will retain the familiar Harmon Kardon stereo speakers with subwoofer, which was always one of our favorite Qosmio features.

Word on the street is that this baby will be available July 14; we'll let you know as soon as we get confirmation.

Via CNET Crave

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