What PC Makers Really Think About Windows 7 [Windows 7]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/ls08ftgq5zY/what-pc-makers-really-think-about-windows-7

You love Windows 7, we love Windows 7, everybody loves Windows 7. Or do they? The top PC makers, Dell and HP, actually have very different opinions about Windows 7.

In yesterday's earnings call (which was pretty miserable for Dell), Michael Dell said, "We're starting to get pretty excited about Windows 7 and believe it's going to be an important catalyst for growth." And Dell could definitely use some of that.

HP's CFO, on the other hand, just doesn't just sound like a sourpuss, but downright bitter—though for good reason, given how badly Microsoft burned them with Vista:

We didn't think there was going to be a Vista moment. We don't think there's going to be a Windows 7 moment either… We are not expecting that there's going to be this huge hockey stick effect when Windows 7 comes out. The good news is we're hearing positive things about Windows 7.

Ouch.

So who do you think's going to be right? Dell, who's clearly hoping for nice Windows 7 wave to surf, or HP, who says—with disdain you can almost feel—that Windows 7 isn't going to do any better than Vista? [Reuters via Silicon Alley Insider]

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High Performance, Small Size [Advertisement]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/5yGGPqWYQr4/high-performance-small-size

Even though it's the world's lightest 8" notebook, the Sony^® VAIO^® Lifestyle PC packs a mean punch. With an available 60 GB or 128 GB SSD hard drive, the Sony^® VAIO^® Lifestyle PC will go toe to toe with traditional notebooks more than twice it's size. Learn more here.

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LG Versa First Impressions [Lg Versa]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/DiDNPxUB-3g/lg-versa-first-impressions

The most surprising thing about the LG Versa so far isn't that the detachable keyboard isn't the flimsy craptacular dongle I thought it'd be. It's the OS. It's really, really fast.

It's markedly faster than the OS that was on the Dare, LG's last major touch phone for Verizon. The 3D UI, which lets you rotate between four home screens, though gratuitous, is quick and smooth, with no stuttering. Menus pop up instantly, as do most apps (except the browser). The speed feels nice. I also really like the "Smart Menu" version of the main menu—it's a flickable list that's sorta Zune-y and gives you quick access to everything, even though it's not quite as pretty as the standard main menu.

What screws everything up is the hardware. It's got the worst LG touchscreen I've used. It's really imprecise, even after calibration, and sometimes you have to click stuff a few times before it works. In the browser (which is surprisingly decent and full-featured, with tabs and Flash), it's pretty maddening, since the cluttered UI with lots of tiny elements requires laser accuracy. I think this partially because the screen is small—it makes the keyboard cramped and crappy, even though typically I like LG's touch keyboards.

The keyboard attachment is surprisingly sturdy, but it's still plenty awkard, which the weight of the phone resting up when you grip it by the relatively thin keyboard flap. It's also fantastically ugly—cheap, faux brown plastic with an awkward bulge caused by the hinge. It replaces the entire backplate, so you can't just pull it every time you change your mind unless you've got the backplate as well. The keyboard itself is good, with a solid! layout and just enough roundness to the keys to make it easy to touch type.

In other words, so far it's a mixed bag, but not for the reasons I thought.

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Toradex's Robin stuffs Atom-based computer on credit card-sized module

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/27/toradexs-robin-stuffs-atom-based-computer-on-credit-card-sized/

You may scoff at netbooks for their perceived lack of horsepower, but what if that not-quite phenomenal cosmic power was itty-bitty enough to fit in your (necessarily oversized) wallet? Toradex has unveiled the credit card-sized Robin Z510 and Z530 computer modules, which manages to fit quite a bit in fairly small space. The two mainboards feature a 1.1GHz Intel Atom Z510 and 1.6GHz Atom Z530 (the same processor found in the Vaio P), respectively, as well as integrated GMA500 graphics card with HD capabilities, support for up to seven USB 2.0 ports, and on board microSD slot (pictured, bottom left), 512MB DDR2 RAM, and 2GB solid state flash disk. Enthusiasts can order it now for 129 € / 179€ ($164 / $227), but there's about a $20 discount if you're willing to buy in bulks of 10,000 or more.

[Via Slash Gear]

Filed under: Laptops

Toradex's Robin stuffs Atom-based computer on credit card-sized module originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Neolux's NUUT2 trumps the Kindle 2 with PDF support, loses in most other regards

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/27/neoluxs-nuut2-trumps-the-kindle-2-with-pdf-support-loses-in-mo/

Back in 2007 the NUUT beat the Kindle to retail by a few months, but its plain styling and lack of features meant it couldn't compete -- especially for the same $300 price point. Now the successors must battle for supremacy and this time it's Neolux running a bit late, just now announcing the NUUT2. It's a complete redesign that, oddly enough, makes it look more like the original Kindle, complete with an odd little auxiliary strip display. The NUUT2 has a 6-inch, 600 x 800 display offering eight shades of gray (twice that of the original but half that of the Kindle 2), 1GB of storage, SD card expansion, and WiFi as well. The biggest news is native support for PDF along with a bevy of other file types, but given this isn't likely to appear outside of South Korea it, like its predecessor, probably won't make much of a splash.

[Via MobileRead, thanks Emil]

Filed under: Handhelds

Neolux's NUUT2 trumps the Kindle 2 with PDF support, loses in most other regards originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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