Monday, January 03, 2011

ThinkPad Edge E220s and E420s: Hot New Guts and Accents To Match [Notebooks]

ThinkPad Edge E220s and E420s: Hot New Guts and Accents To Match [Notebooks]

ThinkPad Edge E220s and E420s: Hot New Guts and Accents To MatchWhat started as an unsure experiment has blossomed into a solid lineup of tweener PCs. There are four ThinkPad Edges now, each packing second-generation Intel Core processors. And the E220s and E420s might actually make you forget they're business machines.

The aesthetic improvements on the 12.50-inch E220s and 14-inch E420s are small but important touches: a soft-matte exterior to do away with all that smudging. Metal accents that add a smidge of splash without being overbearing. And most welcome for business travelers, bodies that are both one-inch thick or less and 3.5 and 4 pounds, respectively. And on the E420s, that's including an optical drive.

The two notebooks come in Core i3, i5, and i7 Sandy Bridge flavors, and offer optional 4G/WiMAX connectivity. Both support up to 320GB hard drives or 128GB SSD, and the smaller model maxes out at 4GB RAM versus the 14-incher's 8GB. Both feature the same high-definition LED display, and the spill-proof Edge keyboard that was such a pleasant innovation on the original model.

The E220s starts at $900, while the base E420s will cost you $750, and you can get your hands on both starting this April.

Lenovo Adds Curves, Style and Attitude to Next-Gen ThinkPad Edge Small Business Laptops

Marries Urban Attitude and Performance-Driven Technologies with ThinkPad Quality and Reliability

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – January 3, 2011: Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) today announced two new laptops that elevate small-to-medium (SMB) business computing with luxurious and sophisticated design, cutting-edge technologies and extra features to go beyond business computing. The ThinkPad Edge E220s and E420s laptops catch attention with their jaw-dropping, premium design. Small details make a big difference: the stunning infinity screen, a matte finish that's soft to the touch and real metal accents project a cosmopolitan image. The laptops are also business performance powerhouses, featuring increased performance and integrated graphics in the upcoming second generation Intel® CoreTM processor technology, Lenovo's Enhanced Experience 2.0 for rapid boot up and a range of wireless connectivity technologies. They also crossover for serious play with Dolby Home Theatre® audio and high definition video conferencing.

"How we think about PC design and the entire computing experience is changing," said Peter Hortensius, senior vice president, Think Product Group, Lenovo. "The new ThinkPad Edge premium laptops give users technology that's extremely personal, beautiful and powerful so they can accomplish their business goals and keep up with their personal lives."

Eye-Catching, Intriguing Design
With a chic, modern and clean appearance, Lenovo designed the 12.5-inch E220s and 14-inch E420s to turn heads. Strikingly thin and light, the E220s measures less than one inch thick and weighs less than 3.5 pounds1 for excellent portability, while the slightly larger E420s starts at just one-inch and four pounds2. They both feature metal accents that frame the black, soft-matte exterior.

Inside they display an infinity screen for a TV-like appearance. The contemporary ThinkPad keyboard, recognized for providing the same comfortable typing experience as ThinkPad classic laptops, and an extra large clickpad fill the inside. The keyboard is spill-resistant too for peace of mind against accidental spills. For SMBs who need a physical device to play media, the E420s has a hidden, slim, slot-loading DVD player/burner.

Work Hard: Hard-Core Performance Under the Hood
Just as much attention went into the technology inside of the PCs as the elegant exteriors. To power both data-crunching, multitasking business activities and fun, personal entertainment, the E220s and E420s offer choices of upcoming Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors.

Since every second counts, especially for busy SMBs, Lenovo created the Lenovo Enhanced Experience 2.0 for Windows 7 to speed up boot time by 30 percent on select models with Rapid Drive technology3. Rapid Drive takes advantage of an SSD for faster boot speed. Lenovo also optimized the preload, drivers and BIOS for speedy start up.

Additionally, the laptops feature all of the latest wireless connectivity technologies: WiFi and optional mobile broadband and 4G/WiMAX4.

Play Hard: Beyond Business Features
When it comes to play, the E220s and E420s offer a premium experience starting with Dolby Home Theatre® audio. Clear, crisp Dolby certified audio makes music and videos rock. The laptops come equipped with Lenovo's enhanced video conferencing technologies including a high-definition web camera, noise-cancelling keyboard software and high performance microphones and speakers. They also feature an HDMI port to show presentations to clients or to relax and watch on a PC monitor or flat-screen TV.

More Choices for a Perfect Business Edge
Lenovo also announced the ThinkPad Edge E420 and E520 laptops for SMBs who need an attractive business-class laptop at an attractive price. They pack greater productivity technologies in a thinner design with upcoming Intel® CoreTM technology and the Lenovo Enhanced Experience 2.0 with Rapid Drive on select models.
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Pricing and Availability5
The ThinkPad Edge E220s and E420s will be available beginning in April through www.lenovo.com and business partners. Models begin at approximately $899 and $749, respectively. The ThinkPad Edge E420 and E520 will be available beginning in April with models starting from approximately $599.

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Lightest 3D Glasses in the World is Samsung's Newest Claim [3D Glasses]

Lightest 3D Glasses in the World is Samsung's Newest Claim [3D Glasses]

Lightest 3D Glasses in the World is Samsung's Newest ClaimI will begrudgingly admit that Samsung's ultra-lightweight 3D glasses don't look as bad as generic active shutter specs, but that's not saying much. Noses and ears, breathe a sigh of relief: they weigh just 28 grams. [Samsung Tomorrow
via OLED-Display]

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This Is the New York No One Ever Sees [Video]

This Is the New York No One Ever Sees [Video]

Armed with gloves, a backpack, and a healthy appreciation for the deadliness of the third rail, urban historian Steven Duncan and videographer Andrew Wonder explore the Undercity. This is the hidden New York. And it's beautiful.

Wonder shot the compilation of urban explorations—appropriately titled Undercity—on a Canon 5d Mark II. The journeys range from sewer to subway to Williamsburg Bridge, and give a look at the world that's happening underneath our feet, unbeknown to us, every single day. Duncan's made a mission out of these journeys, collecting his photographs and videos at Undercity.org.

What's exciting is that every city has its own secret history, sealed underground, untapped and waiting to be explored. Let's hope Wonder and Duncan decide to take their show on (and below) the road. [NPR via io9]

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How This Guy Discovered Four New Planets Without a Telescope [Astronomy]

How This Guy Discovered Four New Planets Without a Telescope [Astronomy]

How This Guy Discovered Four New Planets Without a TelescopePeter Jalowiczor is a gas worker from South Yorkshire, England. He's also the discoverer of four giant exoplanets, according to the University of California's Lick-Carnegie Planet Search Team. But he's not an astronomer and he doesn't even have a telescope.

He worked for three years on the discovery, analyzing data made public by the university using his two home computers, spending hundreds of hours of his spare time in the task. Jalowiczor, who has two science degrees but no formal astronomy training, used a process called doppler spectroscopy or radial velocity measurement. As he explains it:

I look for faint changes in stars' behaviors that can only be caused by a planet or planets orbiting about them. Stars are incredibly far away and no telescope yet built can directly see their discs, let alone any planets going around them.

Astronomers therefore have to devise other indirect techniques of detection. If a planet orbits a star it causes a tiny wobble in the star's motion and this wobble reveals itself in the star's light. Special software works out the properties about the planet's orbit and precise measurements of the star taken over many years enable scientists to build up profiles of systems as planets are gradually revealed.

According to the Lick-Carnegie Planet Search Team, the gas worker is the co-discoverer of gas planets HD31253b, HD218566b, HD177830c and HD99492c, which is the closest of the four, 58 light years away. [The Star via Mail Online]

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Intel to launch Insider movie service with 1080p content, WiDi 2.0 will let you stream it to your TV

Intel to launch Insider movie service with 1080p content, WiDi 2.0 will let you stream it to your TV

We knew it was Intel's plan to launch its Sandy Bridge or Core 2011 processors at CES, but leave it to Chipzilla to throw in some total surprises ahead of the show. Yes, you read the headline right -- Intel's planning to launch its very own movie and video service in the first quarter of 2011. Unlike iTunes or really anything else out there, Intel's Insider will allow those with Core 2011-powered laptops or desktops to purchase or rent the latest movies in full HD -- yes, good ol' 1080p. But, why exactly is Intel teaming up with studios, content owners, and video distributors when so many others out there are trying to do the same thing? In essence, the company sits in a good place to combat a lot of the issues movie studios have had with HD video distribution -- Insider is tied to the new 2nd generation Core processors, and thus provides hardware protection, rather than software protection of the content. According to Intel's Erik Reid, the company has already struck deals with CinemaNow and Warner Brothers, and the plan is for all content to be made available at the same time as the DVD or Blu-ray release. It is unclear whether there will be an Insider portal for all this content or if other services will just be certified to work on the hardware platform, but we will be finding out much more once the show starts.

Naturally, Intel doesn't only want you to watch those brand spankin' new 1080p movies on your laptop screen -- it is pushing WiDi in a big way, and the second generation, which will be baked into new Core 2011 systems, will support 1080p streaming and will eventually enable streaming of protected content, including DVDs and Blu-ray discs. WiDi 2.0, as they are calling it, will work a lot like the original version we like so much and allows you to extend your desktop to an HD monitor, but unfortunately, it will require a new HDTV receiver to enable the full HD capability and it still has that two second lag. No word yet on who is making those boxes or how much they'll cost, but we're hoping to learn a few more details about Intel's big push to tie video content to its new processors at its CES press conference in just a few days.

Continue reading Intel to launch Insider movie service with 1080p content, WiDi 2.0 will let you stream it to your TV

Intel to launch Insider movie service with 1080p content, WiDi 2.0 will let you stream it to your TV originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel's 2nd Generation Core processor family announced, includes 29 new CPUs and enhanced graphics

Intel's 2nd Generation Core processor family announced, includes 29 new CPUs and enhanced graphics

They're here! That is, Intel's Sandy Bridge mobile and desktop processors herein known as the 2nd Generation Core processor family or more simply as Intel Core 2011 processors to us. After months of teasing and on-stage demos, Chipzilla is finally unleashing the details of its new Core i3, i5, and i7 processors, and considering there are 29 new CPUs in total as well as new integrated graphics options (now known as processor graphics) there's quite a bit to digest. Hit the break for our rundown of the new platform and a look at some of Intel's newest performance and graphics-focused features.

Continue reading Intel's 2nd Generation Core processor family announced, includes 29 new CPUs and enhanced graphics

Intel's 2nd Generation Core processor family announced, includes 29 new CPUs and enhanced graphics originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung crafts 'world's lightest' 3D glasses in partnership with Silhouette

Samsung crafts 'world's lightest' 3D glasses in partnership with Silhouette

You had to know that once LG sought a designer's inspiration for improving its 3D eyewear, Samsung too would be recruiting outside help with its three-dee goggles. Sure enough, Sammy has partnered up with Austrian design firm Silhouette to deliver what it claims are the world's lightest 3D glasses, weighing a measly 28g. The design is such that all the electronics are housed in two compartments at the rear of the specs, permitting for a perfect weight balance between the front and back. They'll supposedly fit on adults and children alike, will recharge wirelessly, and will also detect when 3D content is being beamed at them and automatically switch on and off. Their ability to deliver compelling content to make 3D TVs worth it, however, remains a mystery. We should be seeing plenty more of these active shutter lightweights at CES this week.

Continue reading Samsung crafts 'world's lightest' 3D glasses in partnership with Silhouette

Samsung crafts 'world's lightest' 3D glasses in partnership with Silhouette originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 01:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba announces unnamed Tegra 2-powered Android tablet, waits only for Honeycomb

Toshiba announces unnamed Tegra 2-powered Android tablet, waits only for Honeycomb

Let the Tegra 2-powered, Android Honeycomb tablet announcements begin! Apparently (and understandably) staying away from a Folio 2 moniker, Toshiba is kicking off CES with its new unnamed 10.1-inch Android tablet, and we have to say from our brief look at a non-working unit a few weeks ago, it may just have what it takes to stick out from the rest.. at least on the spec and manufacturing quality front. The tablet has a capacitive, high 1280 x 800-resolution display along with an accelerometer and ambient light sensor (or what Toshiba has dubbed as Adaptive Display technology). It also has a 5 megapixel rear camera as well as a 2 megapixel front-facing one. Yep, this one is well stocked and just a quick look at the pictures below will show that the slab has got full sized USB and HDMI jacks, a single mini-USB socket, and an SD card slot.

While we couldn't turn on the dual-core Tegra 2-powered tablet, which will eventually run "the next version of Android designed for tablets" aka Honeycomb, we have to say the EasyGrip, spill-resistant, rubberized back felt really solid in hand and the 1.7-pound, .6-inch thick tablet felt comparable to the iPad in terms of portability. Oh, and did we mention that the aforementioned rear cover is swappable, so not only can you change its color but you can replace the battery? We told you it had some of the ingredients to make it go far, but we're obviously lacking quite a bit of information here to make any further decisions. Toshiba's maintaining that the tablet will be released in the first half of 2011 (it obviously has to wait until Honeycomb has been made official) and the pricing will be competitive, but we'll be digging for more when we get to Vegas and hopefully reporting back with some impressions of a working unit.

Toshiba announces unnamed Tegra 2-powered Android tablet, waits only for Honeycomb originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 03:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nexus S overclocked to 1.2GHz, runs too damn fast for its Bluetooth to work

Nexus S overclocked to 1.2GHz, runs too damn fast for its Bluetooth to work

Even at its default 1GHz speed, Samsung's Hummingbird is one of the finest mobile processor around, but are you really going to complain about getting the option to crank an extra 200 milion clock cycles out of it? Morfic over on the xda-developers forums has delivered a kernel permitting Nexus S owners to achieve just that, although he still has to fix an issue that disables the phone's Bluetooth capabilities.Still, if you value ludicrous speed over wireless peripherals, the source link is your friend.

Nexus S overclocked to 1.2GHz, runs too damn fast for its Bluetooth to work originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 06:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vizio details specs on VIA Tablet and VIA Phone, reveals VIA Plus is Google TV

Vizio details specs on VIA Tablet and VIA Phone, reveals VIA Plus is Google TV

Vizio has unveiled more about its plans for the new year which seem to consist largely of a huge push on Android, from the 4-inch phone and 8-inch tablet running a (still unspecified) flavor on their 1 GHz processors, to new VIA Plus HDTVs and Blu-ray players with Google TV built in. The VIA Tablet and VIA Phone (not necessarily final names, judging from the PR) have a few other details mentioned -- though we don't know if the phone is GSM or CDMA, it does have a 4-inch screen, WiFi N, GPS, MicroSD slot, dual cameras and HDMI output, while the 8-inch tablet brings similar chops minus any sort of 3G connectivity. With the new Vizio Internet Apps Plus, it aims to provide a seamless experience from the handheld to the big screen, including the ability to pause and resume content across devices. Judging by the screenshot, it looks like the company may be wrapping its own Yahoo! Widgets-like skin around the Google TV experience in a way we haven't seen from Sony or Logitech yet. Another pic and the full press releases await after the break, the rest will have to wait until we get our hands on the devices in Las Vegas.

Continue reading Vizio details specs on VIA Tablet and VIA Phone, reveals VIA Plus is Google TV

Vizio details specs on VIA Tablet and VIA Phone, reveals VIA Plus is Google TV originally appeared on! Engadget on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 08:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A.C. Ryan FLUXX media player capacitates full HD streaming with its Atom CE4150 processor

A.C. Ryan FLUXX media player capacitates full HD streaming with its Atom CE4150 processor

A.C. Ryan FLUXX media player capacitates full HD streaming with its Atom CE4150 processor
It's been about a year since A.C. Ryan Shrinky Dink'd its Playon!HD to make the Mini media player, and now another generation is upon us. Relying on the Intel Atom CE4150 processor, the same little beauty humming away in Google TV devices, along with 1GB of DDR3 memory, it's capable of connecting via gigabit Ethernet or (optional) 802.11n wireless to stream 1080p media over the network, or pull it from an internal SATAII drive bay. Video output options include component, composite, and HDMI 1.3a, while there's also an optical audio port if you're still into that sort of thing. What it sadly doesn't have is Google TV itself, nor an MSRP, nor a release date, but perhaps that info can be gleaned at a little media event happening this week.

[Thanks, Nash]

A.C. Ryan FLUXX media player capacitates full HD streaming with its Atom CE4150 processor originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 08:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AOC's 8-inch Breeze Android 2.1 tablet goes for broke, sells for $200

AOC's 8-inch Breeze Android 2.1 tablet goes for broke, sells for $200

No money? No problem! The world of craptablets has grown significantly over the past dozen months, and you won't find us encouraging anyone to add another to the pile. But AOC has actually managed to make a fairly decent name for itself over the years, albeit one in the LCD industry. In fact, this here company claims to be the world's largest manufacturer of LED / LCD monitors, but it's tough to say how that type of expertise will translate in the tablet arena. The newly launched Breeze bucks two screen size trends and splits the difference -- there's an 8-inch touchpanel here, complete with an 800 x 600 screen resolution and a row of physical keys along the right edge. You'll also find a Rockchip processor, an outdated copy of Android 2.1, not to mention a USB 2.0 port, 3.5mm headphone, inbuilt speaker, 802.11b/g WiFi, 4GB of internal storage space, a microSD card slot and a battery that's supposedly good for up to 12 hours of audio playback or (six hours of video). We're still waiting to hear back on what type of CPU is under the shell, but for under $200, we're going to hazard a guess that it's not the quickest silicon in the shed. Anywho, it'll be splashing down at "major retail chains" later this month, likely going toe-to-toe with Augen for your bargain-bin bucks.

Continue reading AOC's 8-inch Breeze Android 2.1 tablet goes for broke, sells for $200

AOC's 8-inch Breeze Android 2.1 tablet goes for broke, sells for $200 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vizio unveils Theater 3D HDTVs with passive glasses tech in 22- to 71-inch sizes

Vizio unveils Theater 3D HDTVs with passive glasses tech in 22- to 71-inch sizes

We doubt we've seen all of Vizio's 2011 product lineup yet, but the latest information is that it's expanding upon the one Theater 3D TV model currently available with an entire line -- promising to offer 3D with passive glasses in sizes from 22- all the up to 71-inches. There are 21 models detailed in the press release after the break including LED edge lit LCDs, direct LED backlit models, ones with the Yahoo! Widgets VIA package and a couple of the new Google TV-powered models. No word on price or ship date yet, but the company is quick to point out that putting the 3D processing into the screen means cheaper movie theater-style 3D glasses with ostensible greater brightness and less flicker, plus compatibility with Oakley's "optically correct" specs. Check out all the details in the press release after the break.

Continue reading Vizio unveils Theater 3D HDTVs with passive glasses tech in 22- to 71-inch sizes

Vizio unveils Theater 3D HDTVs with passive glasses tech in 22- to 71-inch sizes originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 09:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OCOSMOS returns at CES 2011 with Windows 7-based gaming handheld

OCOSMOS returns at CES 2011 with Windows 7-based gaming handheld

OCOSMOS. Sound familiar? If you were with us for last year's wild ride through the autumn, it most definitely will. For whatever reason, this South Korean company only comes out to play when the world's eyes are watching, and while we've yet to hear a peep about the products it wowed us with just a few months back, the outfit's making a last-second play for attention at this year's gala. All we have to go on so far are the images above and these two details: this unnamed gaming handheld will boast a dual-core Intel processor and run some version of Windows 7. In other words, you can finish up an Excel file right after you plow through a bona fide Windows game. We're hoping to learn more on this guy in due time, and you can bet we'll be grappling for hands-on time once we hit the floor.

OCOSMOS returns at CES 2011 with Windows 7-based gaming handheld originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 09:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lexar Media reveals 64GB and 128GB Class 10 SDXC cards

Lexar Media reveals 64GB and 128GB Class 10 SDXC cards

Man, it feels like yesterday that we first heard of SDXC and its mythical promise of providing 2TB of storage along with 300MBps transfers. Truth be told, that was at CES two years ago, and here we are 24 months later oohing and ahhing over 128GB. Ah, the pains of (sluggish) progress. Griping aside, we're fairly sure that professional video junkies will be more than elated to hear of Lexar Media's two newest cards. The 64GB and 128GB Class 10 SDXC cards "offer minimum guaranteed speeds of 133x (20MB per second)," and ship with a limited lifetime warranty. If all goes well, they'll be splashing down into retailers later this quarter, with price tags set for $399.99 (64GB) and $699.99 (128GB). Just to put that into perspective, SanDisk shipped a Class 4 (15MB/sec) 64GB SDXC card right around this time last year for $350, and it's now going for half of that on the street. Yeah, ouch.

Continue reading Lexar Media reveals 64GB and 128GB Class 10 SDXC cards

Lexar Media reveals 64GB and 128GB Class 10 SDXC cards originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 10:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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