News Bits: Apple iBook Widescreen, Dell Indirect, No Pentium M Desktop, MSN 7.0

Apple to Sella Widescreen iBook by Christmas and 15.4-inch iBook by 2006

As the widescreen format for laptops becomes more and more popular we knew it would beonly a matter of time before we'd see a widescreen iBook. According to reports from Taiwan where Apple iBook's are manufactured, Apple placed an order with Quanta computer, a major Taiwanese notebook manufacturer, to make a 14.1-inch widescreen version iBook. It is expected this widescreen iBook will beannounced and inthe stores by the end of 2005, ready for Christmas.

Apple will take theiBook widescreen with it's 14-inch model this Christmas (non-widescreen 14-inch model displayed)

In addition to this it looks like Apple will be producing a 15.4-inch screen iBook, to be manufactured by Asustek of Taiwan. Asustek also markets its own notebooks under the Asus brand worldwide. The 15.4-inch iBook should be out in 2006.

More: http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20050408A1001.html

Apple iBook Reviews: iBook Review 1 / iBook Review 2

Dell Indirect?

Many people have a hard time spending $1,000 or more on a laptop when they can't see it in person. If you're buying a Dell laptop, unless you know somebody that already owns a laptop you're interested in buying, then you're stuck just looking at pictures online or reading reviews at sites such as our own. For whatever reason, this doesn't bother too many Americans and Dell leads the USA in sales of laptop computers. However, in countries such as China and India where Dell is trying to expand, people are very reluctant to buy online or spend large amounts on things they have not seen and felt. So when Dell reported revenues this week and analysts found sales were levelling off, Dell was asked if they'd look at selling through retail stores to boost sales. The answer? No. Dell refuses to move to selling in retail stores like HP and Toshiba do. Dell insists its direct sales model over the web allows it to keep costs down, and customers like that.

Will you be seeing the Inspiron 9300 in your local retail stores? Dell says no. Analysts say, why not?

But analysts argue that sooner or later Dell might have to cave in and come up with some solution to allow more people to buy Dell laptops in stores. Especially in markets outside of the U.S. Dell says no way. We'll see if that changes over time as they try and keep growing!

More: http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/apr2005/tc2005046_6483_tc119.htm

Pentium M will not be put indesktop PCs

There has been some speculation of late that the highly successful Pentium M processor would be marketed by Intel as being used in desktop PCs and that they would design a chipset for such a machine. After all, the Pentium M is a cool running processor that has proven it can keep pace with some Pentium 4 processors and serve well in notebooks made for gaming. Intel also demo'd a digital home concept PC that had a Pentium M, leading some to believe the next step for the Pentium M was into a full-fledged desktop PC. But Intel denies this. In an interview with DigiTimes.com Sunil Kumar, director of Intel chipset marketing, the question was asked:

"The Pentium M processor is a part of the "digital home" concept now. Does this mean Intel will develop desktop chipsets for the Pentium M? Or will mobile chipsets be used for digital home applications based on the Pentium M?"

to which Sunil replied:

"Currently we aren't designing desktop chipsets for the Pentium M platform. The announced inclusion of the Pentium M in the digital home concept is an attempt to target a very specific application, small-form-factor entertainment PCs. As users want them to be quiet, miniature and "cool-looking," we have decided to bring the Pentium M into this arena."

So there you have it, no Pentium M processors for desktop PCs. For now at least.

More: http://www.digitimes.com/mobos/a20050408PR200.html

MSN Messenger 7.0 Released

Microsoft has released MSN Messenger 7.0 with offerings such as free voice calls, PC to mobile text messaging,and PC-to-PC video calls for users with a webcam. I'd be happier if they could just fix the issues that cause the messenger serviceto gooffline every month or so for at least a day.

More: http://imagine-msn.com/messenger/en-us/

 

"Many people have a hard time spending $1,000 or more on a laptop when they can't see it in person."

What about the Dell Direct kiosks and stores? You can't buy from them, but all the products ARE there for trying out.

Digital Camera Reviews
The sister site of NotebookReview.com

 

If there's a mall that's close to you that has one. I'm in the biggest city in the U.S. and don't think there's anywhere close to me with a Dell "Cart" but I can walk one block and see every HP, Toshiba and Sony that's available in a BestBuy.

So you do have a good point, but the Dell cart's aren't as ubiquitous as being in major retailers. Maybe Dell should push those carts more, so to speak [ ]

DigitalCameraReview.com | BargainPDA.com | TabletPCReviewSpot.com

 

My guess is that since they are calling the desktop Pentium the Pentium-D that future revs will be based on the P-M but they will just try to keep this fact quiet.

laptops: Toshiba Portege M200-86E, Toshiba Portege 4000, Latitude C600, Toshiba 7010CT, Thinkpad A30, Toshiba R100, iBook 800, PowerBook G4 400, iBook 600, Compaq 2811CA, Sony VAIO Z505JS, NEC Versa SXi, Compaq Presario 1685, Thinkpad 1411

 

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