Posts in Notebooks
Acer Ferrari ramps it up
Darius Chang | Sep 29, 2006
Continuing with the popular franchise, a new notebook has joined the Acer Ferrari lineup--the Acer Ferrari 1000.
Unlike its predesessors, which were 15-inch midsized systems, the Acer Ferrari 1000 is a petite 12.1-inch performer. However, don't mistake its size as a measure of its performance. Incorporating the dual-core AMD Turion 64 X2 processor, it may be using an integrated ATI Radeon Xpress 1150 chipset, but it also has 256MB of dedicated video RAM which can be ramped up to 512MB by pulling from the system memory. It also adds on a Web cam for video conferencing needs.
Weighing only 1.75kg with a six-cell battery, we expect this model to be a hit with racing fans who appreciate the trademark-checkered carbon-fiber pattern. But expect to pay a premium for this tiny powerhouse, as it will be retailing for S$2,998 (US$2,035.30).
Lenovo recalls ThinkPad batteries
Darius Chang | Sep 29, 2006
After the dance of the flaming laptop in the City of Angels, Lenovo is not taking any chances and recalling 526,000 notebook batteries worldwide.
According to a joint statement by IBM and Lenovo: "Although no make or model of battery is immune from some overheating or failure, Lenovo has confirmed that these batteries can be subject to overheating, posing a potential fire hazard, and Lenovo is advising customers to check if they are using one of the affected batteries."
Affected models include:
In the three to four weeks before the replacement batteries arrive, users are advised to remove the battery and run the unit on mains. To check if your power cell is eligible for the recall, you can go to Lenovo's battery recall program.
Fujitsu launches A-line
Darius Chang | Sep 28, 2006
The new LifeBook A series from Fujitsu targets budget-level consumers with a choice of Intel or AMD dual-core processors.
According to the Japanese manufacturer, the A series is "designed to cater to the requirements of corporate, home office and value-conscious consumers". However, there are few bells and whistles included in this lineup, making this budget offering more suitable for simple computing tasks.
Both the LifeBook A6010 and A3110 are 15.4-inch midsized notebooks, with the former sporting an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and the latter with either an AMD Turion 64 X2 or Mobile Sempron chip.
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Toshiba Satellite goes Core 2 Duo
Darius Chang | Sep 27, 2006
Hopping on the Core 2 Duo bandwagon are two models of Toshiba's popular Satellite series which will be refreshed on the new Intel platform.
The Satellite M100 will have the 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo processor in a sleek sunlight copper chassis. It is a little hefty at 2.26kg for a 14.1-inch notebook, but in return holds a dedicated ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 with 512MB of HyperMemory and integrated DVD writer. This is a significant upgrade from its predecessor which had a much smaller harddisk and integrated graphics processor. The refreshed Satellite M100 will be retailing at S$3,299 (US$2,239.65).
News that the Satellite A100 will also be going on the Core 2 Duo chip was announced by enthusiast blogs in the US (though the US model number is Satellite A105). Based on a 1.66GHz dual-core processor, the rumored configuration is supposed to hold a massive 200GB harddisk, 2GB memory and a DVD writer drive. It can also function well in a corporate role with its fingerprint sensor and TPM security chip to protect your data. Toshiba has not confirmed if this model will be sold in the Asia-Pacific market, but considering the popularity of the Satellite A100 among the Japanese giant's lineup, we can educate a guess that it will.
BenQ eyes young professionals
Darius Chang | Sep 27, 2006
Executives who have just entered the workforce may have little income to burn on a portable, which is why they might appreciate the budget-level JoyBook R41E.
In a time when most vendors are rushing to hop onto the Core 2 Duo platform, BenQ has taken a slightly different route with this 14.1-inch portable. Based on the value-for-money Celeron processor, this is no Centrino as it goes with a VIA UniChrome Pro IGP chipset instead of the Intel mainboard. Without any of the fancy fluff of more expensive models, the R41E is the average Joe of the notebook world and meant primarily for word processing and simple computing task. With a starting price of US$750 (S$1,191.94) , it will be available this year in the fourth quarter.
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