Laptop bags could shorten airport wait

Hey, we're ready to cheer anything that can move travelers through an airport security queue faster--and a new line of "checkpoint-friendly" laptop cases by Anaheim, Calif.-based Mobile Edge falls under that rubric. Owners of the ScanFast bags don't have to dig their computers out of their cases. Airport screeners can X-ray the machine while it's still inside.

The bags come in briefcase, backpack, and messenger-bag styles; all are compliant with Transportation Security Administration guidelines. The collection is set to launch in late summer, with a tentative price range of US$79.99 to US$99.99.

The ScanFast bags, of course, aren't the first entry to the speed-security-lines genre. Among other offerings, there's the LapStrap, a laptop case that's essentially all strap and no bag.

Via CNET Crave

Centrino 2 hits tablet PCs

HP's business tablet PC, the 2710p, was anything but cheap. In fact, while its consumer HP Pavilion tx2000 Tablet PC is one of the most affordable touchscreen models in the market, its corporate sibling went with style, features and long battery life instead.



So it's no surprise that the next-generation HP tablet PC is getting some Centrino 2 love. First broken by AVING News, the actual report was quickly taken down (most likely due to embargo issues). Fortunately, Engadget managed to grab some details and even an image. According to the report, the 12.1-inch convertible tablet HP Compaq 2730p will hold a 1.86GHz low-voltage Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB RAM, 120GB harddisk and an integrated graphics chipset. No news on availability or price yet, though.

LG joins the Centrino 2 gang

They might be a little slow out the gate, but it's no surprise that LG will soon be joining the Centrino 2 crowd. Though details are almost non-existent, Akihabara News managed to score a couple of pictures of the Korean company's new offerings.



There are three models mentioned, the high-end S510, entertainment-focused R410 and R510 laptops. All that is known about the S510 is that it holds a 2.53GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 3GB RAM, 15.4-inch display and an Nvidia GeForce 9600M GT graphics card. Nothing has been mentioned for the other two models, though it doesn't take a stretch of imagination to figure out that the R410 is a 14.1-inch machine, while the R510 sports a 15.4-inch display.

We're still awaiting confirmation on these new laptops for Asia. So if you love LG's design, keep a close eye on this space.

E3 2008: Toshiba is a lonely hardware vendor

As one of the only PC hardware vendors at this year's stripped-down E3 video game tradeshow, Toshiba at least hasn't had to compete with bigger names such as Alienware and Voodoo for attention.

The company is here at the Los Angeles Convention Center to show off some of its latest laptops, including the just-announced gamer-friendly Qosmio X305-Q701--a 17-inch Best Buy exclusive. (Matt Elliott has previously blogged about Toshiba's direct-sale version of the redesigned X305).

It's not exactly cutting-edge, with an Nvidia GeForce 9700M graphics card and an Intel Core 2 Duo P7350 CPU, but at around US$1,500, it's a decent deal on a dual-purpose gaming and multimedia rig. Gateway has had a lot of success recently with similar midrange gaming systems designed for retail shoppers.

We've always liked the Qosmio line for its attractive designs and excellent build quality, and Toshiba has recently expanded the line to include its gaming laptops (now decked out in a fiery red chassis), which previously were part of the more pedestrian Satellite line. Stay tuned for a full review of this new X305, which we expect in the CNET Labs shortly.

Via CNET Crave

Centrino 2 laptops in Asia to get WiMAX from 2009

It looks like notebook users in Asia will have to wait a little longer before they can get their hands on the new WiMAX-enabled Centrino 2 laptops.

While Centrino 2 machines (from ASUS and Acer) are expected to go on sale tomorrow in selected Asian markets such as Singapore, these laptops will feature the Intel Wi-Fi Link 5000 series chipset with wireless-N support. The WiMAX/Wi-Fi Link 5050 series chipset, which offers WiMAX connectivity, will be launched later this year in Centrino 2 laptops sold only in the US. WiMAX-compatible Centrinos are slated to reach Asian shores in the first half of 2009. A company representative estimates that machines equipped with the WiMAX option will cost an average of 10 to 15 percent more than those with just the regular 802.11a/b/g/n chipset.
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