News Bits: Intel Montevina, New Tom Bihn Bags, Asus C90S Nears Release

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Intel 'Montevina' next-gen mobile platform details emerge

Intel plans to introduce their Montevina next-gen mobile platform in 2008, an entirely new platform featuring the upcoming 45-nm quad-core Penryn processor as well as a new chipset. There will be two versions of the platform - Montevina Fundamental and Montevina Professional. Some specifications are listed below

Montevina Professional:

• Processor: Penryn
• Chipset: Cantiga, with GM/PM variants and ICH9M-Enhanced
• Intel AMT 4.0
• Intel VT-x and VT-d
• Intel Turbo Memory 2.0
• Gigabit Ethernet

Montevina Fundamental - same as Professional, with these differences:

• Cantiga chipset with ICH9M
• No Gigabit Ethernet
• No Intel Virtualization technology
• No Intel Turbo Memory 2.0

The main differences between the platforms are that the Fundamental lacks Gigabit Ethernet, Intel Virtualization technology, and also &quot;Intel Turbo Memory 2.0,&quot; formerly known as Robson solid state memory. The first version of Turbo Memory, version 1.0, will come with the Santa Rosa Centrino Pro platform this spring, in early May according to Intel documents.

The Montevina platform is expected to debut in Q2 2008.

Read More (DailyTech)

Asus ASMobile C90S nears release

Asus C90S (view large image)

Asus will soon be releasing the ASmobile C90S barebone notebook featuring world’s first D-Door design, allowing quick and easy upgrading of the key components like the CPU, graphics card, memory, hard drive, optical drive and wireless components.

Yes, you can upgrade the graphics card!

The C90s is a desktop replacement style barebone laptop that will support up to an Intel Core 2 Duo E6800 Conroe desktop-use processor. The real cherry on top is the fact the graphics card will be upgradeable due to the use of MXM technology. That's right, you'll never have to worry about your notebook going out of date (so long as you're willing to pay for component upgrades).

The quick specs for the ASMobile C90S are as follows:

• Supports up to Intel Core 2 Duo CPU E6800
• 15.4-inch WXGA, WXGA+, WSXGA+
• Standard MXM graphic card
• Support Dual Channel DDRII 533/667 SDRAM, up to 2048MB
• SATA HDD
• 2.0 mega pixel rotation camera
• 802.11a/b/g, 802.11n
• e-SATA, HDMI, 3xUSB 2.0, IEEE 1394, TV-out, D-sub VGA port, 8-in-1 card reader, MCX connector for TV-RF
• Bluetooth V2.0+EDR, Finger Print, TPM 1.2, Hybrid TV Tuner for factory options
• 367 x 268 x 36 mm, 3.1 kg (6.8 pounds)

There's no word on exact pricing yet for the C90S but we expect to find that out soon.

Discuss the ASMobile C90S in the forums

WaterField Designs ships custom-fitting sleeves for new PC Laptops

WaterField Designs is now shipping custom-fitting sleeves for several new PC laptops. WaterField Designs is one of the few companies that custom-fits sleeves for PC notebooks and not just Apple notebooks. Several models are listed below - custom sizes for different battery options are also available:

• IBM/Lenovo X60 tablet (sizes for 4- and 8-cell batteries)
• Dell Latitude D420 (sizes for 4-, 6-, and 9-cell batteries)
• Fujitsu P1610 (sizes for 3- and 6-cell batteries)
• Sony TX (sizes for large and standard batteries)
• Toshiba A135
• HP dv9000z, HP TC4400
• Alienware Superman Returns

...and more are available.

The WaterField SleeveCase is slim and has a durable covering made of ballistic nylon and shock-absorbing neoprene. The company currently offers over 40 different sized sleeves, and there are many customization options available.

WaterField Designs has their design and manufacturing done in San Francisco. For more information on the SleeveCase, see the Product Page.

Link to NotebookReview.com review of WaterField Bags and Sleeves.

Wistron shipments to be boosted by Dell orders

Wistron has unexpectedly received orders from Dell for two consumer-based notebooks in 2007; however the orders will not significantly affect Wistron's revenue because of the low per-unit price. Dell transferred 1.8 million units of 14.1&quot; notebooks to Wistron from Quanta in Q4 2006; the notebook is scheduled to launch in Q2 2007.

The second order for 2 million 15.4&quot; notebooks was not confirmed until this February. The 15.4&quot; model is based on the older Napa platform, so the per-unit price is low and therefore it will not do much for Wistron's revenue either.

With the help of Dell, Wistron will ship over 12 million notebooks in 2007.

Read More (DigiTimes)

TOM BIHN introduces new Ego Laptop Messenger Bag

TOM BIHN has introduced its latest laptop bag, the Ego. The Ego is a new mid-size messenger bag designed to fit the 13.3&quot; MacBook and 15.4&quot; MacBook Pro, and has an optional Brain Cell hard-sided laptop case. The Ego has a front stripe that is available in over 24 different colors and fabrics.

Different fabrics and colors

The main compartment of the Ego features removable Annex clips designed to securely connect the Brain Cell hard-sided laptop case inside the bag. The Brain Cell is available in 9 different sizes. The Brain Cell features think foam padding, corrugated plastic walls, and a suspension system.

The Brain Cell

The TOM BIHN Ego messenger bag is $130, and the Brain Cell is $50.

TOM BIHN Ego Link

Brain Cell Link

 

Wow, what a treat, PC laptops are getting customized treatment and not just Apple now. Way to go WaterField.

Tom Bihn makes great bags, I reviewed the Super Ego a couple of years back and liked it very much.

 

2008? Perfect time for me

That Waterfield sleeve looks sweet. UK shop or will I have to get the Mastercard out?

 

Well, they're based in San Francisco, so I'm going to say credit card purchase and expensive shipping costs. Bummer.

 

Tom Bihn also offers a lot of different sizing options for things like the Brain Cell. Tom Bihn and Waterfield both are at the top of my list of great case manufacturers.

 

I'm really liking the specs of that Asus C90S - 15.4", desktop Core 2 Duo, MXM. That's my kind of laptop.

 

2008 sounds pretty exciting to me in way of all the new advances slated for release.
And hopefully the Asus C90S will cause a dominoe effect in laptop makers. It would be so nice to be able to give your laptop the desktop upgrade treatment.

 

Indeed. It seems like a very good notebook. Have you got any details of which MXM type it will support, as I suspect that will have an impact on the upgrade options available to most people.

 

Something that often gets overlooked about Tom Bihn is the customer service. They have some of the nicest people I have ever encountered and they seem genuinely nice not just because they want to sell you something.

Dealing with them feels sort of like it used to feel running down to the old corner hardware store. You know the one that had parts for anything and everything ever made? All you needed to do was ask for some help and the people there knew exactly what it was, how to use it and where it was in the store. It's not easy to find such service in the RW let alone an online business.

I too have a Super Ego, a Horizontal Brain Cell and we also have one of the cool Buzz bags...every one is just the best bag and well thought out.

But just wanted to mention their customer service. Very personal, considerate and helpful.

 

Are stores actually going to sell those MXM cards?

 

If the demand for the cards is high enough, then they might. At the moment, it is quite difficult to get hold of MXM cards. The onely person that i can think that sells them is Ice-Tea, through his mxm-upgrade.com website. At the moment, cards are sold directly to the manufacturer, as the number of people with MXM notebooks and who want to upgrade is so low, they don't bother selling them to users.

 

Since the C90s is a barebone, dealers probably will have them.

 

I'm with Chaz. That Asus C90s is indeed very tempting. Although I have to think that I would still want to buy a brand-spanking-new system by the time upgrading would enter my mind...but it's always nice to have the option . And it looks to have a lot of power potential with desktop CPU-compatibility.

 

I agree on buying a new system, but its perfect for those who can't afford a full fledged system to start with. Once you save up some more money though, just pop in that new GPU and voila! double the gaming performance, or more whatever the case.

 

I hope the price will be below $2300USD so a few months later I can get one... Upgradable GPU means a lot to me since I usually don't have enough money to buy another notebook with new GPU...

 

I wonder how much the GPU's are going to cost... You say it uses a desktop Core 2 Duo's? Did you mean the X6800, because there is no E6800, just the E6700 etc.

 

If it wasn't so heavy (Because of my backache I can hardly drag the W3J around).My post have been : "same here "
Anyway, if there are no major heat issue/build quality problem with it I will try to go with it anyway.

 

I think the E6800 may just be a normal X6800, without the unlocked multiplier. I'm not sure, but maybe Intel hasn't released the processor just yet.