The latest Hexxeh Flow build of Google’s open source ChromiumOS has nVidia Ion graphics support. Google’s netbook, which is supposed to be out in the winter, will ship with its own version of Chrome OS. Let the speculation begin as to whether or not the machine will have advanced features like nVidia’s Tegra chipset. More »

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enTourage has had to make a minor price increase of its versatile, duo-screen eDGe e-reader/tablet: new pre-orders, which will ship in March, are now $9 more than before at $499. The price bump is due to Documents To Go software. Unlike Apple’s iPad, the eDGe has two LCDs and is truly unique in that it is a genuine e-reader and a netbook in one. More »

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Smartphones are not the only commodities being demoed at Mobile World Congress. Along with tablets, manufacturers like Acer are showing off netbooks: the 532G uses nVidia’s Ion 2 graphics, which is optimized for full 1080p HD video. More »

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Acer is the second largest PC manufacturer in the world, so its sponsorship of the second biggest global sporting event is apropos. The Aspire Timeline 1810T Special Edition is too powerful and pricey to be considered a true “netbook,” but its compact size, in addition to the etched Olympics logo, make it enticing for consumers, especially the millions who will be attending the Games in Vancouver. More »

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It just seems as if more tablets are springing up after the iPad’s unveiling, but ExoPC’s Windows 7 Slate has been in development for awhile and unlike the iPad, it is a real computer. More »

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As we near Apple’s Wednesday event, I have been thinking more about what I would do with the Apple Tablet. If the speculations are correct, and the device will be a family sharing bulletin board, casual gaming handheld, multimedia player, and on-line journal reader, then it could be useful for some middle-class households, but personally, I have no practical application for it, and I doubt that many Westerners under the age of 35 do either. More »

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These days, there are just so many devices for people to carry around: a cell phone, an MP3 player, a laptop, and e-reader, etc. This is the price folks pay to stay connected. Whenever something comes along and combines multiple uses into one, I always take notice. To me, the current crop of e-readers are not alluring because they are so limited and cost nearly the price of a decent netbook. enTourage eDGe is introducing a promising product that is hard to define because it does so much. The company calls it the world’s first “Interactive Dualbook.” More »

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Nowadays, it seems like more and more people are beginning to step away from their desktops and venture into the world of laptops. People are beginning to realize that technology can truly be “on the go” and are taking advantage of the portability that some of these devices can offer them. One such device, recently revealed by Sony at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, is the Sony VAIO W series notebook. More »

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I commend One Laptop Per Child for its vision, but there are quite a few design and concepts about its program and laptop that I would change. Here is my idea: an advanced e-reader/simplified notebook device at $299 shared by two children. More »

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OLPC is a non-profit organization whose mission is to supply hundreds of millions of ultra affordable laptops to impoverished children all over the world. While its XO laptop has not made a tremendous impact (many claim that the XO is vaporware), the group has already outlined a roadmap for its upcoming three releases, including two tablets. OLPC claims that “The XO has been distributed to more than 1.4 million children in 35 countries and in 25 languages.” More »

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A sobering number for consumer electronics companies is 7.8, which is how many percentage points revenue dropped in 2009 from the previous year: from $179 billion to $165 billion. However, tech analysts are hopeful for some key products to emerge and bring sales back up. More »

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Low on Price, High on Design Continued from part 1. Using the increasingly more popular 16:9 aspect ratio for its screen, the NV53 is quite portable for a fully-loaded laptop. At under 6 pounds, I find it light enough to carry around just about anywhere. The measurements of 25cm depth, 37.2cm width, and 3.7cm thickness are comparable with other low-end offerings. I do like the style and sturdiness of the Gateway’s hinge, which is similar to Sony’s FW and Z series, with the power button on the side of the right hinge. More »

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Based on specs alone, this is the best laptop that $450 CDN can buy right now. There is the $400 USD Toshiba Satellite with the same CPU but slower Radeon 4100 graphics, no HDMI, no webcam, and no digital audio output. Best Buy also sells a Dell Inspiron with similar specs for $450, and although it has the more desirable Intel T4300 Dual Core CPU, its 4500M graphics and lack of HDMI, webcam, and digital audio output makes it (on paper) worse than the Gateway. Numbers and features aside, whether the Gateway NV is actually any good will be judged by its performance, design implementation, and overall usability. More »

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According to the BBC, netbooks, which have been so successful during a year when the recession has slowed down much of the technology market, are on their way to being replaced by full-sized, budget notebooks and smartphones. Stuart Miles (Pocket Lint) believes that, ‘”Technology has advanced so much that it’s outmanoeuvred itself…You wouldn’t go for something so basic anymore.”‘ More »

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Pretty much everyone expects Apple to announce its long awaited tablet sometime in the first quarter of 2010, yet most of the device’s details are still shrouded in secrecy. Optimists expect advanced technologies like OLED, a solid-state flash drive, and an affordable price tag; others think that the tablet will be overpriced and barely more capable than an iPhone. Here is my realistic wish list for the Apple tablet: More »

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