PS4 production to begin later this year?

We're still waiting on that globe-like PS9 (aren't you?), but seeing as how wireless head-to-console gaming isn't yet available or ethical, we'll make do with PS4 rumors. Based on nothing more than a game of component-maker telephone, sources out of Taiwan are telling Digitimes to expect a brand new PlayStation 4 for launch sometime in early 2012. Reportedly on board for this latest iteration are baked-in motion controls à la Kinect and a holographic David Lynch virtual pet. We kid, but we do hope he helms those new ads. According to these anonymous insiders, Sony has a planned production run of 20 million consoles for launch -- all headed straight to eBay, we imagine. It should go without saying that news of this kind should be taken with a mouthful of salt, but with the PS3 turning five this November, it's a safe bet that there's a successor to the "It Only Does Everything" throne on the way.

Read rest of entry

Toshiba reveals the Qosmio F750 glasses-free 3D laptop, we go hands on (video)

Toshiba just unveiled what it claims is the world's first glasses-free 3D laptop, the Qosmio F750. It's a heavy-set beast dedicated to gaming and movies, with a 15.6-inch Full HD lenticular screen that can display 2D and 3D simultaneously in separate windows. It also rocks an HD webcam that follows your movements and adjusts the 3D effect accordingly, so you can peek at the that lovely third dimension from almost any angle you like. Innovative stuff indeed, but we were underwhelmed when we caught a glimpse of Toshiba's concept model back in January. So, has the technology improved since then? Check out our hands-on impressions and video after the break.

Toshiba Qosimo F750 3D laptop hands-on

The laptop we played with was still technically pre-release, but the official release is in early August so the hardware must be pretty final. This includes some powerful innards, befitting the £1300 ($2100) price tag: an Intel Core i7 processor, Nvidia Geforce GT540M graphics, "distortion-free" Harmon Kardon speakers, a BDXL drive, plus a USB 3.0 port and two of the USB 2.0 variety. HDMI and VGA outputs were also in attendance, along with an input for a co-axial aerial, which we were told would be "capped off" in the final European model. You'll find complete specs in the PR below.

The software was less production-ready, and we were only able to watch a few 3D video clips that Toshiba had loaded on there. It would have been great to see how an off-the-shelf 3D Blu-ray disc performed, and try our hand at a few 3D games, but alas that will have to wait until we do a full review. Also, we were unable to the see the simultaneous 2D/3D in action, for example by running a 3D movie in one window while browsing 2D content in another window. Nevertheless, the videos we saw were pretty mouthwatering -- at least once our eyes and brain adjusted to the 3D effect.

The eye-tracking system was remarkably quick and refused to be fooled by the sharp movements and embarrassing head-bops we threw at it. However, the adjustment of the 3D effect was slower to catch up. Even a relatively small head movement caused the 3D effect to falter momentarily before settling again. However, we think the system could cope with normal movements while watching a movie, and gaming tends to have the user transfixed in a single spot anyway -- and it was infinitely better than what we saw in the concept model. It's important to note that the system can only cater for one viewer at a time -- this is the major downside of the glasses-free tech employed here. You won't be able to watch a 3D movie with your buddy on a flight, for example, but that's the price you pay for not having to wear funny specs.

Show full PR text

Toshiba UK today announces the launch of the Qosmio F750 3D – a revolutionary new laptop with the ability to display mesmerizing 3D images without the need for 3D glasses. The Qosmio F750 3D can also display a combination of 2D and 3D images on screen at the same time, while a range of powerful, high-performance multimedia features ensures the laptop is perfect for even the most demanding tasks.

3D unplugged

The Qosmio F750 3D is designed for those looking for the ultimate 3D experience. Like the world's first glasses-free 3D television – the Toshiba REGZA GL1 – the Qosmio F750 3D uses a special lenticular 3D screen to give users the freedom to experience all the benefits of 3D entertainment, without the restrictions of having to wear 3D glasses. Glasses-free 3D technology adds a truly immersive element, perfect for experiencing 3D in a more natural and comfortable way, particularly for those that may already require prescription glasses. The 39.6cm (15.6") screen also offers Full HD resolution for clear, vivid images, while a 120Hz refresh rate eliminates blur or ghosting with the fast moving images seen in action films and games.

Glasses-free 3D – how it works

To create a 3D effect without 3D glasses, the left eye needs to see a slightly different perspective to the right eye. The Qosmio F750 3D's state-of-the-art lenticular screen sends
Qosmio F750 3D displays 3D images without the need for glasses Eye-tracking technology ensures 3D effect works regardless of position 39.6cm (15.6") screen allows 2D and 3D images to be viewed simultaneouslytwo images of slightly differing perspectives individually to the left and right eye, which creates the 3D effect. An integrated webcam also intelligently tracks the user's eye movements, allowing the Qosmio F750 3D to adjust the 3D effect to match the eye position. The Qosmio F750 3D can also display 2D and 3D content simultaneously – allowing users to browse the internet, for example, in one window and have 3D content playing in another window.
The glasses-free Qosmio F750 3D offers a unique way for businesses, professionals and designers to present 3D content. New product concepts, architecture plans, medical information or educational tools can be viewed with unparalleled realism and greater depth.

The ultimate multimedia machine

Premium features including second generation Intel® CoreTM i processors and the latest 3D graphics from NVIDIA® ensure the Qosmio F750 3D handles demanding programs and the latest video games with ease. Integrated stereo speakers designed by audio-specialists Harman Kardon® produce distortion-free, punchy sounds, working with Dolby® Advanced Audio optimisation technology to provide truly a cinematic experience.

3D conversion, 3D connectivity

In addition to integrated Blu-rayTM XL support, the Qosmio F750 3D also features Toshiba's 2D-to-3D technology – a complex algorithm that takes ordinary 2D DVD content and instantly converts it into 3D. For those wanting to enjoy 3D Blu-rayTM content on a bigger screen with family and friends, the Qosmio F750 3D easily connects to any 3D-ready HDTV via HDMI.
Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n) provides users with a fast and reliable wireless internet connection, while USB 3.0 and Bluetooth 3.0 with High Speed support offers incredible transfer speeds between the laptop and peripheral devices.

Premium design

The Qosmio F750 3D is available in a Shiny Red finish, and features a distinctive wavelet pattern across the chassis lid, while a carbon pattern on the inside palm rest gives the laptop a premium finish. Additionally, the EasyControl bar includes seven dedicated buttons, sat above the matt black keyboard, providing users with feather-touch control over multimedia and 3D features.

Qosmio F750 specifications

39.6cm (15.6") Full HD (1920 x 1080) glasses-free 3D display (120Hz) HD web camera with eye tracking technology Intel® CoreTM i7 processor (2.00/2.90GHz Turbo) 1.333MHz NVIDIA® GeForce GT 540M graphics (up to 2GB)
640GB (5400rpm) SATA hard disk drive 6GB DDR3 (1333MHz) RAM Blu-rayTM XL re-recordable drive Windows 7 64bit Home Premium NVIDIA® N12P-GS 2GB(DDR3) Harman Kardon® stereo speakers, Dolby® Advanced Audio HDMI-CEC, Multi-Card Reader
Wi-Fi 802.11(b/g/n), Bluetooth® 3.0 + HS 3x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.0 with USB Sleep-and-Charge, Sleep-and-Music 380.5mm x 254mm x 30mm (front) / 37.6mm (rear)

Read rest of entry

HP TouchSmart 610 review

Is it just us or do all-in-ones seem to be having a moment? Over the past two months, we've seen Toshiba make a belated jump into the market, while Lenovo went and added one to its family of Think-branded laptops and desktops. And that's not even counting models by old-timers like Apple, Dell, and MSI. And then there's HP, which has been making touchscreen all-in-ones for three years -- long before they were a thing. The company's had plenty of time to fine-tune its finger-friendly TouchSmart software, and now, its newest model, the TouchSmart 610 ($899 and up), ushers in a fresh design, highlighted by a hinge that allows the display to slide down and lie nearly flat. Although it's been shipping since this spring, it's only been available with Sandy Bridge for about a month now. We took one of these tricked-out beasts into our living room and got reacquainted with the comforts of not-so-mobile computing. At the risk of spoiling everything, we think this should be on your shortlist if you're considering an all-in-one, especially one with a big 'ol touchscreen. Read on to find out why.

HP TouchSmart 610

Look and feel

The slimmest all-in-one this is not. Compared to the 2.5-inch-thin Lenovo ThinkCentre 91z, which actually makes that claim, it's 4.1-inch thick shell is chunky, though no more so than a small television. It's also thicker than the 27-inch iMac, which also measures 2.5 inches thick at its widest point. But the 610 redeems itself with a profile that's more shell-shaped than boxy, and a fine speaker grille discreetly lining the bottom of the bezel. Like a TV, it'll blend in well in your living room, which -- let's face it -- is where you're likely to stick this thing anyway. All told, it's not-too-modern design could be a good thing: the 610's design might be safe, but it will also call less attention to itself than the 91z, whose anorexic panel borders on avant-garde. And for what it's worth, the 610 hardly took over our modest urban apartment, which has a combined eating-living room area. Those of you lucky enough not to live in a studio should have no trouble finding room for it.

Fortunately, HP didn't take too much inspiration from the other consumer electronics populating your den. The company's design team blessedly kept the bezel and front surfaces matte and fingerprint-free. The sides are lined in plastic, but this bothered us a lot less than we would have guessed -- partly because of the subdued gunmetal color, and partly because the paneling isn't even that reflective. Alas, the pedestal and hinge 'round the back have a glossy piano black finish that will demand dusting. Although HP comes dangerously close to using too much shiny stuff, it keeps these materials low-key enough that the overall design looks handsome, even if it's not exactly premium.

And, to be fair, part of why the 610 takes up so much more space is that it needs a formidable hinge to allow it to tilt the way it does. The 610 has a mechanism that allows you to slide it down so that the display is lying almost face-up and at an almost-flat 60-degree angle, a position HP is dubbing Recline Mode. When you think that this is as likely to be a central media hub as a primary computer, it's convenient to be able to walk by it and tap the screen without having to sit down in front of it. And, as an HP rep noted, children might find it easier to interact with the screen this way, though admittedly, we don't have any little ones around who could have tested this claim.

As for build quality, the hinge is durable enough to withstand all that maneuvering. The PC doesn't make any noise as you slide it up and and down, and the the rig is rigid enough that you can push the display down using one hand. Lifting it back up, of course, requires two.

HP stuffed a lot of ports into the 610's 23.0 x 17.7 x 4.1-inch body and clearly had to set some priorities in terms of which ones would be easy to reach. On one side, you'll find a large volume rocker, mute button, 6-in-1 memory card slot, two USB 2.0 ports, and headphone and mic jacks. On the opposite side, there's a Blu-ray drive (also with a large button), and a power button that glows blue.

We're not done yet. The 610's also home to two more USB 2.0 ports, dual USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI-in socket, an Ethernet jack, a PCIe slot, and two MiniCard sockets. But these are all tucked in the back of the machine, and are covered by a drop-down latch door. Happily, even if you've got a cable plugged in, you can snap the flap shut, so that it won't hang open awkwardly. As a final flourish, on the back of the chassis, right behind the megapixel webcam, you'll find a wheel that you can use to adjust the angle of the camera.

Keyboard and mouse

In conversations with HP, the company said it envisions the 610 as a repository for digital content, particularly in mature markets like the US where people tend to enter and leave the home with mobile devices in tow. In other words, your main computer might not be an all-in-one, but a laptop. If the perfunctory keyboard is any indication, HP is assuming that's the case.

Everything about the keyboard is flat: the panel, save for a slight wedge, and even the tops of the keys themselves. We were able to type comfortably enough in short bursts, but we can see where this wouldn't be ergonomically sound enough for us to pound out news posts for eight hours straight. In that respect, we really admire what Lenovo's done with the 91z. Granted, we've only got a few minutes' hands-on time, but we were struck by how similar the sculpted chiclet keys felt to the ones you'd find on an Edge laptop or the ThinkPad X1. (And if you've ever typed on a ThinkPad, you know that's a wonderful thing.) With the 610, the keyboard feels like more of an afterthought.

On the flip side, the bundled mouse is a delight -- amply sized with a clickable scroll wheel and contoured shape that's easy to grip. And we were able to use it every surface around us, including a glass tabletop, wooden desk, granite counters, a rug, and our fabric couch. It would seem to be a big improvement over the mouse Lenovo is throwing in with the 91z -- a travel-sized number that felt too small for even our hands. In short, if we could combine the 610's mouse with the 91z's keyboard, we'd be happy campers.

Oh, and remember how we said this all-in-one reminded us of a small TV? Well, lest you needed more evidence, the system comes with a full-sized remote control, replete with dedicated buttons for photos, music, videos, radio, and even visualization. It also has a full number pad, and various guide keys, all of which makes it virtually indistinguishable from the remote that came with your cable box. We found that navigating through TouchSmart menus using the arrow buttons was a no-brainer, though we were disappointed to find that when we pressed "Pictures" and other launch keys, the computer opened Windows Media Center instead of HP's TouchSmart software.

Display

It's gorgeous, friends. The 23-inch (1920 x 1080) panel offers a bright, vibrant smorgasboard of colors. Despite its glossy finish, the viewing angles from the side are pretty good -- when the display is sitting upright, anyway. After sliding the screen down, we had a harder time watching from the side (see the gallery above to see what we're talking about). If you look at the screen head-on with the panel pushed down, you'll notice the colors will look a touch washed-out, but you won't actually have a problem keeping up with what's happening onscreen.

Sound

As you'd expect, the TouchSmart also comes equipped with Beats Audio, which HP and Dr. Dre have been promoting up and down the company's line of netbooks, laptops, and desktops. As promised, the sound is rich, with deep low notes. Really, though, we need to tell you about the volume. We actually cringed when we cranked it to the max -- the speakers are just that loud. And while we're usually content to leave a computer's volume at about the median setting, in this case we pushed it down lower, to about a third of its capacity.

Performance and graphics

Our $1,459.99 test unit came stocked with a desktop-grade, quad-core 3.4GHz Core i7-2600 CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 1.5TB 5400RPM hard drive, Blu-ray drive, TV tuner, and NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M graphics with 2GB of video memory. All of that juice was enough to help us juggle our usual array of tasks with aplomb. We were able to jump among various tabs in Chrome, perform triage on our Gmail inbox, stream music through Grooveshark, download the very benchmarks you see listed below, and work on stories in Engadget's content management system. The system booted in one minute and seven seconds, which isn't exactly stellar for a Windows machine, especially one as generously spec'd as this. Still, it's far from pitiful. We also attempted to slow the system down by batch editing two dozen photos, sending them through three filters while running a first-time full system scan in Norton Internet Security, but to no avail: the 610 spat out the touched-up photos in seconds.

Whether or not you'll be sated with gaming on the 610 depends on how low of a resolution you're willing to settle for. NVIDIA will be the first to admit that the 425M is a mid-range card for multimedia machines, and not hard-core gamers. Playing Call of Duty 4 at the default 1024 x 768 resolution, we saw frame rates range from 59 to 146 frames per second (as measured by Fraps), with the numbers skyrocketing when we pointed our character's gun toward an empty sky and fired away. Crank the resolution to 1080p, though, and you'll find that the frame rates hover around 39 fps, occasionally sinking as low as 19 fps. Just to see how high we could get those numbers, we once again pointed our gun at the sky and opened fire. Even then, we maxed out at 67 fps.

As for benchmarks, we'll be the first to admit that our database of scores for desktops isn't nearly as fleshed-out as the one we keep for laptops. Still, if Geekbench can give you at least the basic gist, you'll see that this $1,460 TouchSmart 610 bested the $2,000 21.5-inch iMac's score by about 500 points, even though they pack similar processors. Also remember that though this high-end 610 configuration costs more than $500 less, it still crams in twice the RAM, which likely made a difference in this test. That particular iMac had AMD Radeon 6970M graphics with 1GB of video memory, not two, and a faster 7200RPM hard drive.

	PCMark Vantage	Geekbench	3DMark06	3DMark11
HP TouchSmart 610 (3.4GHz Core-7-2600)	9,977	8,982	7,168	X264
iMac (spring 2011) (3.4GHz Core i7-2600K)	N/A	8,465	N/A	N/A
MSI Wind Top AE2420 3D all-in-one (2.53GHz Core i7-860S)	7,318	N/A	7,714	X347
Notes: the higher the score the better.

Software

TouchSmart 4.0

And now, the moment you've been waiting for. The part where we talk about just what you can do with that expansive touchscreen. This is the fourth generation of HP's TouchSmart software, and it's been shipping on other products since last fall. By now, HP's beefed up its offering so that it includes Facebook and Twitter apps, Netflix, a browser, a recipe manager and note -taking / shopping list app, Hulu, live television (via Windows Media Center), eBay, weather, and, of course, dedicated apps for photos, music, and videos, among others. There's also the Apps Center, where you can download a handful of additional ones, including an app by Marvel Comics. Conveniently, you'll find all of these apps dumped in an intuitive carousel lining the bottom of the screen, leaving plenty of empty space above for post-it notes and open windows for the browser and those apps.

These so-called apps are, for all intents and purposes, widgets. Note that to use TouchSmart, you have to open it as you would any other program, and when you do, it runs in a full-screen window that you can't resize. Having more space for touch apps is nice, though it also means you can't drift between these apps and keyboard-and-mouse ones as spontaneously as you might like. Still, if you are, indeed, planning on leaving this parked in the kitchen, you might end up using the touch apps most of the time anyway, since it won't be in a location where people can conveniently use it as their primary computer.

This is a good time to confirm that the touchscreen is responsive, reacting speedily and precisely to taps, swipes, and other gestures. And though we particularly appreciated some of the apps, such as the Tweetdeck-esque Twitter one, a few of the others felt half-baked. Take the recipe manager -- it's not nearly obvious enough how you can go about adding your own to the handful that come pre-loaded. The calendar app also has lots of promise, but we wish it could pull in appointments from our Google Cal. Additionally, the touch-enabled browser lacks a scroll bar, meaning the only way to move through webpages is to swipe the screen with your fingers. We know, we know -- the software is called TouchSmart for a reason. But you can already use your physical keyboard to type URLs, sticky notes, and other text, so it feels unntuive that you can't still reach for a mouse to scroll in the browser.

All told, HP has come a long way with its TouchSmart software, though there is undoubtledly still room for it to beef up the selection -- not to mention, make the quality and usefulness of the apps uniformly good. It just so happens, though , that the TouchSmart 610 is an excellent Windows computer, so even if you don't plan on using this feature 24 / 7, you might still think of it as a pleasant add-on separating it from the pack.

On the multimedia front, HP also included its own LinkUp softawre, which allows you to wirelesslsy share media with other PCs running on the same WiFi network. Since these computers all have to have LinkUp installed, you'd better be prepared for a one-time chore. Other than that, as far as bloatware goes, you won't find much extra software other than the (admittedly large) array of HP-branded utilities. These additional apps include Bing Bar, LabelPrint, Power2Go, Microsoft 2010, and Norton Internet Security.

Configuration Options

The 610z starts at $900 with 2.5-GHz quad-core AMD Athlon X4 615e processor, while the Intel-based 610t starts at $950 for a dual-core 3.06Hz Core i3-540 CPU. Either way, they come with 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB hard drive, though as of this writing, at least, HP was offering promotional upgrades to 6GB of RAM. Both models also get promotional hard drive upgrades, though the AMD-based one gets a boost to a 1TB 7200RPM drive, while the Intel-based model gets a 750GB 7200RPM number.

But wait, there's more. If you want a quad-core processor and a two-year warranty, you can choose from either the 610xt ($1,050 and up) or the 610 Quad Edition (starting at $1,370). Starting with the base-model 610xt, you'll get a Core i5-2300 CPU, integrated Intel HD graphics, a promotional 6GB of RAM (up from 4GB), and a 1.5TB 5,400RPM drive (another "free upgrade" over 750GB). The Quad Edition, meanwhile, starts with a Core i7-2600 CPU, AMD Radeon HD 6450A graphics with 1GB of video memory, a TV tuner, and promotional upgrades to 8GB of RAM and a 1.5TB 5,400RPM drive, up from 6GB of RAM and 750GB of storage space.

Whichever model you choose, you can add a TV tuner and a 7200RPM hard drive toping out at 2TB of storage, or opt for graphics cards that include an AMD Radeon HD 5570 or 6550A (1GB or 2GB of video memory) and NVIDIA's GeForce 425M (1GB or 2GB).

The competition

We don't have to tell you you'll pay more for either a 21.5- or 27-inch iMac, which start at $1,199 and $1,699, respectively. We can see where the iMac's sexier aluminum design would help boost the price, but it's harder to forgive the gap in specs you get for the money, particularly since the TouchSmart 610 is, too, a solidly built machine. Even if you opted for the entry-level 21.5-inch iMac, you'd get a 500GB hard drive (albeit, a 7200RPM one), 4GB of RAM, 512MB graphics memory, just four USB 2.0 ports, and -- surprise, surprise -- no USB 3.0 or HDMI output. (You would get a Thunderbolt part -- two if you chose the 27-incher.)

The 610 also holds its own at the low end. It's true, this is hardly the only Windows-based all-in-one that starts at a reasonable price. Gateway's 23-inch ZX series starts at $1,000 with either a a Core i3-550 or Core i5-650 CPU, while a 21-inch version starts at $599 -- albeit with a Pentium E5800 processor inside. Toshiba's 21.5-inch DX1215 starts at $930 with Core i5. Some -- including the DX1215, to name one example -- match the 610 in the storage and ports department. Others, such as Gateway's HDMI- and USB 3.0-less ZX series, do not.

We could go on, but you get the idea. The TouchSmart 610's starting price is fair, but not extraordinary. But even if you opted for a lower-end configuration, you'd still be getting something most others can't offer: a slick package of touch apps -- albeit, one that still leaves plenty of room for growth. And while some of you might prefer the slimmer stylings of, say, Lenovo's 91z, we think the 610's design is innovative, practical, and mostly well-executed.

Wrap-up

There's a lot to like about the HP TouchSmart 610: it's fast, has a fresh, useful design, a gorgeous 1080p panel, and it offers more bang-for-your-buck than many of its competitors -- even the skinnier, sexier ones. And we stand by that even if you don't end up making much use of all those touch apps. It just so happens that we set it up in our living room / home office, where we're inclined to get real work done. But some of you might default to the touch UI -- if you place this thing in, say, the kitchen, where it would be less convenient to use as a primary computer.

All in all, if you're inclined to stick to a budget, think you'd actually use the touchscreen, or are just a Windows kind of person, you'd be hard-pressed to find something with a better value proposition -- unless it's a slimmer, more modern profile you're after. And yes, we suspect you can get an excellent user experience even if you don't spring for the tricked-out configuration we tested. That said, we also still highly recommend the iMac, which has a more striking aesthetic. But as we said in our review, we particularly suggest it for power users, creative professionals, and people who just prefer Macs. If that's not you, we'd more than empathize if you went with the less expensive, comparbly powerful, extra port-packing 610.

Read rest of entry

Nokia E6 and Nokia X7 smartphone with Symbian^3

Nokia E6 and Nokia X7 are two new Symbian^3 smartphone from the Finnish company, addressed respectively to the business and entertainment.

It was thought that Symbian was almost over and that the Finnish company, recently landed a completely different with the agreement with Microsoft, no longer points to the little known but now listed on the Symbian operating system, meanwhile arrived at the Symbian^3 release (code-named Anna ). Here we have, in recent days, get the official announcement of two new smartphones, both equipped with the Symbian^3 operating system version.
The first, called Nokia E6 is targeted to professional users and looks nice, with quality materials for the body, such as glass and steel. It has a QWERTY keyboard and a 2.46 inch touchscreen full display with a 640 x 480 pixels resolution. The 8-megapixel camera will be with dual LED flash. Even Nokia X7 , voted instead to the more multimedia, will have a glass and steel chassis and the unusual design, but will have a much larger screen, 4-inch AMOLED type with a 640 x 480 pixels resolution, 350 MB of memory expandable with microSD cards up to 32 GB and camera similar to Nokia E6, 8-megapixel camera with dual LED flash.

The other details released so far only about the battery , which would be 1200 mAh . As we said then both terminals will use the Symbian^3 operating system which is in a completely new look, featuring new icons, a faster browser, the presence of the OVI Maps service updated and generally has a higher usability than introduction of other the management of email security improvements on both. Nokia has not announced yet when the new smartphone will reach the market, nor is the price. Nokia E6 and Nokia X7 smartphone with Symbian^3.

Read rest of entry

Lenovo Essential B470 with Intel Huron River mobile platform

The new Lenovo Essential B470 notebook is suitable for a tighter afforded the purchase laptop with Intel Huron River mobile platform. The Lenovo Essential B470 model has cost of $599, even although other the Lenovo Essential B470 types price is $649.


Lenovo Essential B470 a 14-inch display with resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, HDMI output, Ethernet LAN, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, a 6-in-1 media card reader, a 0.3MP webcam, 2×1.5W speakers, a fingerprint reader, and optional Bluetooth.
The Lenovo Essential B470 notebook is powered by selection of a 2.1GHz Core i3-2310M or 2.3GHz Core i5-2410M processor, either Intel HD 3000 integrated or Nvidia GeForce 410M 1GB discrete graphics, up to 8GB of DDR3 SDRAM, and up to the 1TB hard drive (5400rpm or 7200rpm).
Lenovo Essential B470 6-cell Lithium-Ion battery is allowing works as much as Three hours. This laptop is pre-loaded with Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional (64bit) OS.
In accordance with its configurations, the newest Lenovo Essential B470 business laptop is available in two models of Lenovo Essential B470. This start up business orientated notebook would work to get a tighter budget to purchase laptop with Intel Huron River mobile platform.

Lenovo Essential B470 Specifications

Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium/Professional 64-bit
Processor: 2.1GHz Core i3-2310M or 2.3GHz Core i5-2410M
Graphics Card: Intel HD 3000 Graphics or NVIDIA GeForce 410M Graphics with 1GB memory
Memory: Up to 8GB DDR RAM and Up to 1TB Hard Drive
Display : 14 inch display screen with 1366 x 768 pixels resolution
Other: 0.3 Mega Pixels Web Cam, HDMI port, 3 USB 2.0, Optional Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, eSATA and VGA port, Microphone and Headphone port, 6 in 1 Card Reader, 6 Cell Li-Ion battery provides up to 3 hrs useful life, 2 Speakers, Fingerprint Reader, Wi-Fi, Ethernet LAN.
Lenovo Essential B470 with Intel Huron River mobile platform.

Read rest of entry

top 5 smartphones available today

Some very exciting smartphones have been announced, but many of these have vague shipping dates. There are still some excellent choices available today and here is my take on what I like.
 This current top 5 list below only has phones that are available now and ones that I honestly do think are worthy of consideration.

Number 1: HTC ThunderBolt

You may have read that I purchased the HTC ThunderBolt on launch day. This is a device that is similar to the HTC EVO 4G and other large 4.3 inch display devices that HTC makes. However, it has LTE and once you experience the speeds of this network technology you really can’t go back to much less.
Others have confirmed some of my ThunderBolt experiences too and agree that the device is very fast and responsive, even though it just has a second generation single-core Snapdragon processor. The display is also excellent and I watched a couple of movies last week with the rock solid kickstand propping it up. The battery life is not very good on 4G, but easily goes more than a day on 3G.
I am making a major commitment and keeping the HTC ThunderBolt on a Verizon line while I have a T-Mobile family plan for my standard needs. The ThunderBolt is one of the most capable devices today and if you have a need for speed there is currently nothing else like it.

Number 2: Dell Venue Pro

There are Microsoft haters out there who won’t even think of giving a Windows Phone 7 device a chance, but I can honestly say that my T-Mobile SIM has been spending most of its time in my Dell Venue Pro ever since I bought it and put in my 32GB microSD card. The operating system is a breath of fresh air with an amazing collection of Xbox LIVE games and a fast-growing list of applications, now past the 12,000 level and growing. It may not have everything that iOS and Android currently have, but it gets the job done and in a way that is seriously enjoyable.

Number 3: Nokia N8

I have an orange Nokia N8 and even though it is a Symbian device that was released last October there are still several features of the device that no other smartphone manufacturer has yet matched. One of the best is the penta-band 3G so this device could serve as a bridge device for AT&T and T-Mobile customers who want 3G no matter what the new company decides to do with the two competing wireless frequencies.
If photos are important to you then you will not find a better camera phone available. The aluminum body comes in five cool colors and unlike many smartphones today, you will actually experience top notch phone calls and RF reception. You also cannot overlook the amazing FREE Ovi Maps support that gives you free offline navigation around the world.

Number 4: Apple iPhone 4

The iPhone 4 is now available on both AT&T and Verizon. The iPhone 4 is one of the only smartphones available that you can trust will get you through the day on a single charge, the Nokia N8 is another, and this may be vitally important to some people while others are fine with carrying a second battery to pop in their Android device. Apple does a great job with industrial design and the iPhone 4 feels great in your hand. The display has amazing clarity with the 3.5 inch 960×640 pixel resolution. If apps are important to you then the iPhone 4 also rules in that department.

Number 5: Motorola Atrix 4G

The Motorola Atrix 4G is one of the first dual-core smartphones available and as Kevin Tofel posted in his review it really is a great phone. In addition to the dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, the Atrix 4G has a 4 inch 960×540 pixel resolution display, 1GB RAM, 16GB internal storage and microSD card slot, HDMI port, 5 megapixel camera and 1.3 megapixel front facing camera.
There is also unique docking accessories for the Atrix 4G so you could turn it into a netbook device if you wanted to try to work on a bigger display on the go. If AT&T had a network that provided faster speeds then this would be rated higher, but their current network is almost laughable when comparing with Verizon or T-Mobile.

Final thoughts on these top 5

So, there’s my current list of favorites that are available now. I would add other Windows Phone 7 devices like the Samsung Focus (AT&T) and HTC Arrive (Sprint) if you are on those carriers and want a Windows Phone 7 device too. The HTC EVO 4G on Sprint is also still a great device that closely matches what we see in the ThunderBolt.

Read rest of entry