Posts in Notebooks
HP recalls notebook batteries
Darius Chang | Apr 21, 2006
A batch of faulty batteries manufactured
between January 1 and January 10 last year, according to HP,
were
the cause of 20 incidents that resulted in 11 cases of minor property
damage and one occurrence of injury. As a result, the
California-based
manufacturer is offering a free replacement battery to affected users.
Which batteries are
affected?
Eight-cell
batteries from the following notebook series with barcode labels
beginning with L3 require replacement.
- HP Pavilion dv1000
- Compaq Presario V2000
- Compaq M2000
- HP Pavilion xe2000
- HP Compaq nx4800
Stop using the battery immediately, though you may still continue to operate the notebook with the AC adapter. Contact HP using either the HP Mobile Battery Pack Replacement Program Web site or your region's respective HP Customer telephone support.
It will take seven to 10 business days for the replacement battery to arrive. Place your faulty cell into the provided prepaid return package which will be sent to HP for proper disposal.
Please note that while the HP Web site requests for the faulty cell be discharged before returning to the company, we do not recommend using the battery at all.
What if I suspect my notebook is damaged due to the battery?
As these notebook models are relatively new, you can send the unit back to HP for diagnosis. However, HP Asia-Pacific has assured that the fault is isolated to the battery and should not affect other component in the unit.
An Emperor among laptops
Darius Chang | Apr 20, 2006
With a monster of an LCD, the Eurocom M590K Emperor is truly
royalty when it comes to displaying its performance. The first thing
you'll notice is the larger-than-life 19-inch widescreen, which dwarfs
almost every notebook there is except for the Dell
XPS Mobile Concept and Samsung
M70. However, it is what's under the hood which should arouse
the senses of gamers everywhere.
Following the idea
that if one is good and two is better, the M590K has dual top-of-the
line Nvidia GeForce Go 7800 GTX cards linked by SLI (Scalable Link
Interface). Combined with the speedy 2.21GHz AMD Turion 64 processor,
2GB RAM and 100GB SATA harddisk, this portable (and I am using this
term very loosely) breaks the speed limit for games. Initial tests show
a marked increase over its nearest competitor, the Dell XPS M1710, for Doom 3
and FEAR.
The SysMark 2004
performance results, however, are slightly below par for a high-end
system as the benchmark does not rely on the graphics processor. But as
a gaming machine, the Eurocom M590K Emperor is highly recommended not
only for its raw video-rendering power--but carrying it constantly may
even give gamers the physique to dispel their nerdy image. 
Click for larger image
Intel-based iBooks in June?
Darius Chang | Apr 05, 2006
Since the launch of MacBook Pro in January, Mac aficionados have been given a Fordist choice: They can have any screen size--as long as it's 15.4-inch. And with only two configurations to choose from, the MacBook Pro is Apple's first baby steps into the realm of Intel-based Mac portables, doesn't offer the options of its previous PowerPC laptops.
But there's hope yet. According to a report from financial news network AFX News, Asustek Computer, a PC manufacturer which has its own Windows-based notebook line, has been contracted by Apple to produce Intel-based iBooks. The same report also mentioned that the new laptops will have 13.3-inch displays and are due for retail shelves worldwide this June. Apple has declined to comment on this matter.
Dell US ups warranty for Inspiron notebooks
Darius Chang | Apr 04, 2006
From three months to a year, that is how much more warranty all Dell US Inspiron notebooks will get from today. A quick check of its online stores in the US confirmed that the one-year service period has been implemented across the board. According to the PC manufacturer's press release, this move "brings consistency to warranty service offerings across all categories of Dimension and Inspiron computers".
In Asia Pacific, only the entry-level notebook and desktop have less than a year's service and support. The budget-level Inspiron 1300 laptop and Dimension 1100 desktop are still bundled with 90 days of service and support. On Dell Singapore's online store, the former offers a one-year service package for S$69.30 (US$46.38), while the desktop provides only a direct upgrade to a three-year warranty for S$113.40 (US$75.89). According to Dell Asia Pacific, the shorter coverage is a reflection of consumer demand for low cost PCs. As such, the company currently has no plans to upgrade the warranty period for budget systems in this region.
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