News Bits: LG XNote, AMD Turion X2, Intel Processor Sales Dip

LG's XNOTE Ultraportable

LG has unveiled its latest XNOTE, the TX. Weighing only 2.4 pounds, it incorporates a suprising array of components:

• 12.1" WXGA
• 60GB Hard Drive
• Up to 2GB RAM
• Nvidia GeForce Go7300
• 1.3GHz Pentium M
• 802.11ABG WLAN, Bluetooth
• Three USB 2.0
• 5-in-1 Card Reader

It doesn't have a Core Duo, but what more can you ask for in a 12", 2.4 lb notebook?

Read More . . .

Turion X2 Dual-Cores to Arrive in May

According to the The Inquirer, the long-anticipated Turion X2 dual-core processor will arive in May, with four initial models:

• 1.6GHz, 256kb L2 x2
• 1.6GHz, 512kb L2 x2
• 1.8GHz, 512kb L2 x2
• 2.0GHz, 512kb L2 x2

Power usage should be very low, as the voltage is only 1.075V. However, low voltage may not allow them to beat Intel in terms of battery life. Unlike the Core Duo, each execution core is not independently clocked nor powered, so if one core is doing all the work, that means that the other one is running at maximum speed and voltage the entire time. With the Core Duo, each core can adjust itself, depending on the application.

Read More . . .

Acer TravelMate C200 Tablet PC Review

Over at TabletPCReviewSpot, a review of the Acer TravelMate C200 Tablet PC has been submitted by Barry.

"The Acer TravelMate C200 is a medium-sized convertible Tablet PC featuring a unique "sliding display" mechanism. Available in two distinct configurations, Acer offers extremes on both ends of the power spectrum. The C204TMi is a fully-loaded model with dedicated graphics, a Bluetooth radio and a 2GHz Pentium M processor. The C203ETCi base model makes for a great value for general tablet computing - with enough muscle to handle business applications and all common computing tasks. The C203ETCi will save consumers about $500 and features a 1.5GHz Intel Celeron M processor."

Link to Review

Gateway and HP Settle Patent Dispute

[TABLE=cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0] [TR] [TD][img]http://www.notebookreview.com/assets/9864.jpg[/img][/TD] [TD][img]http://www.notebookreview.com/assets/9863.gif[/img][/TD][/TR][/TABLE]

HP had accused Gateway of using some of its patents for notebook computers. On March 1<SUP>st</SUP>, 2006, both companies announced that they will be cross-licensing each other's for seven years. Gateway will be paying HP $47 million dollars, with an astounding $25 million being paid in the first seven days! That's a check I would like to see.

Due to the agreement, Gateway will revise its previously announced net income for 2005 from 49.5 million to 32.8 million.

[URL=http://www.tgdaily.com/2006/03/01/gateway_hp_settlement/]Read More . . . [/URL] [p] [p][B]Processor Sales Dive in January, Intel Slashes Revenue Forecasts[/B] [p]Global sales of computer microprocessors fell an eye-opening 28 percent in January, compared to one year ago. The firm Handelsbanken Capital Markets reported to its clients that the average selling prices fell below $80, which suggests that the inventory build-up is composed of notebook processors. Also, at the closing bell on Wall Street today Intel reported poor sales and slashed revenue forecasts for the quarters, shares of Intel are falling after the bell. [p][URL=http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=30013]Read More . . .[/URL] [p][URL=http://news.com.com/Strike+three+for+Intel/2100-1014_3-6045843.html]Intel Slashes RevenueForecasts[/URL] [p] [p][B]Gaming on Three Displays with Matrox TripleHead2Go[/B] [p][img]http://www.notebookreview.com/assets/9865.jpg[/img][/p] [p]Last November, Matrox announced the DualHead2Go. The unit, while small, had several limitations, including only VGA connectors, worked only with certain GPU's, and didn't have anything to offer for ATI or Nvidia owners using dual-displays already. [/p] [p]The new TripleHead2Go has the same small form factor and basic casing of the DualHead2Go, it adds a third VGA output. It works basically by plugging the device into their graphics card's VGA/DVI-D port, and then connecting three monitors to each output port. The unit remains as an Analog-only device unfortunately. [/p] [p]To use the three displays, Matrox software needs to be installed (Windows), and the computer detects a new new triple-wide monitor. It appears to the computer as a single monitor. Official support is for Windows only. [/p] [p]How about gaming? Well, most games support a 4:3 aspect ratio, and when running games in full-screen mode, the image is simply duplicated on all of the displays. Matrox has a fix to this problem - a software utility that automatically customizes a game's configuration files so they support the widescreen graphics modes. 150 games are currently supported. [/p] [p]Suggested retail price for the TripleHead2Go is $299. It is scheduled to ship sometime in April. [/p] [p][URL=http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060302-6303.html]Read More . . .[/URL] [p] [p][B]Toshiba to Launch HD-DVD Players this Month[/B] [p][img]http://www.notebookreview.com/assets/9866.jpg[/img] [p]The HD-DVD camp has announced that they will beat Sony's Blu-Ray introduction date by almost two months. Sony is slated to intro Blu-Ray at the end of May. Toshiba has said that there will be two players avaliable by the end of March, however it is unclear what movies will be avaliable upon release. [p][URL=http://www.tgdaily.com/2006/03/02/toshiba_hddvd_launch/]Read More . . . [/URL] [p] [p][B]PC to PDA Virus Could be For Real[/B] [p]Quoted from our sister site, BargainPDA: [p][I]A virus dubbed "Crossover" might soon be in the wild. Crossover makes its way onto the host computer, then infects Microsoft-based PDAs when they are synced. The virus then destroys all data in the My Documents folder of the PDA. The code file that does all this damage has been submitted to the Mobile Anti virus Researchers Association. MARA hasn't shared the code with anti-virus software makers though, so it's not known if the code is real or some sort of ruse. MARA said the virus came with a text file that read, in part: "This is proof-of-concept code for educational purposes only. This virus closes the gap between handhelds and desktops, now it's one big world open to all." The odd thing though is that it's standard operating procedure to share code such as this with anti-virus companies over a secure protocol within hours. MARA hasn't shared with anyone yet, claiming they'll only share it with qualified members of MARA, which is free. Details of membership aren't posted on the MARA site, adding to the confusion. MARA was just started in 2005 and has little history to rely on. Whether or not the virus is real, this story highlights a security issue that will impact mobile devices in the future. There have been several viruses designed to mess with PDAs in the past, but none have been malicious in nature. It's only a matter of time though, and while investing in anti-virus software for your PDA today is probably a waste, AV software will become a requirement.[/I] [p][URL=http://www.bargainpda.com/default.asp?newsID=5762]Link to Article[/URL][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p]

 

Wow! 2.4lbs for 12" notebook. I think it is really tough feat to do. It is really like a small notebook.

 

Another great news bit from Chazster. ^^;

Wow that Xnote is one adorable little notebook, Here comes AMD to the rescue or something like that, I didn't know Gateway still had that kind of money I though they were on the verge of Chapter 11, and I hope both Blue-ray and DHDVD flop.

 

Not to mention that it has a dedicated GPU. That's a rarity in a 12", and one that weighs 2.4lbs . . unheard of!

Travelers dream machine.

 

I believe this is the maximum voltage. leaked screen shots a couple of weeks ago showed them running at as low as 0.9V.
But the no individual core control is a problem.
And IF the entire cache is powered all the time, something that I have yet to find an answer to, could be another problem with these cores.

I hope that AMD didn't goof up on this release just trying to put their dual core on the market as soon as possible ... fingers crossed ... AMD HAS to get it right this time! No excusses!

 

Wow.. any eta or price estimate on the Xnote? I think I'm in love....

Actually, the more I think about it the less I believe this is actually suited to my needs, but I'm still impressed with it.

 

How much video memory did they manage to cram into that thing? The article doesn't say. Ofcourse assuming its 32. More importantly, will they offer it in pink? ;

I'm sorry, I have to comment on this one image. Who want to take it for a hike?

 

hey niki, have you seen the pink moto v3?

 

Yes, to bad I have nextel and to bad every other girl in my area has it now. It's lost its appeal to me.

 

The design of the XNote looks like a V6va

I mean, the hinge, keyboard area, and even parts of the screen lid!

 

o rly?
do they have this pinkish pink? their's magenta pink


Drool
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/im...60-6663321?_encoding=UTF8&n=301185&s=wireless

 

COPYCAT?
Asus must sue back

 

Asus is probably the ODM right?

 

wow, a 7300 in a 12" wxga form factor... that is very very impressive. the 7300 should be as good as an x600.

 

if you go to lg's site for it ( http://www.lge.com/prodmodeldetail....ity_spec_id=&quality_spec_value=&pagePerNum=6 ) it says core duo...

And, Niki, it comes in burgundy, which is much hotter than pink (imo, anyhow)

I'd really love to see the price for this (with the extended battery and external optical drives, of course)

 

Burgundy is like diet pink. Stiil very cool.

 

diet pink?? lol. burgundy's one of my favorite colors. pink's too overtly girly for me.

 

Not knocking Burgundy. I'm not terribly girly except pinks my favorite color.

 

The closest thing about me to 'girly' right now is that my hair is shoulder-length, which is only as a result of a promise to my last boyfriend. I prefer it much shorter.

 

We should probably carry this on in OT, I don't want this thread to get completely high-jacked.

 

being able to fit a 7300 on such a small machine is amazing, although i have always believed that it has been completly possible to put a dedicated GPU on any laptop in production. as die sizes shrink power usage and heat will be less of a problem so we should see more dedicated GPU's incorporated into ultaportables like this LG.

 

A 7300 on an ultraportable? Wow, people have been asking for that for a long time now. I hope this sells well and more ODM's start putting dedicated graphics in their laptops. That is one impressive machine.

And AMD just can't seem to get it together in the mobile market. They rule in desktops, but not in laptops unfortunately.

Blue Ray and HD-DVD both seem like just another money cow to me.

 

So this is it? The design is all done and when it release the turion x2 will have this handicap of power management? I guess from now to may there's no time for change.

 

After lugging around a big 17" notebook for about a year now, I'm beginning to see the merits of an ultraportable. The only thing that I can't give up is a dedicated graphics card which is what makes that TX look particularly interesting.

The only puzzling thing is why, if LG is introducing this model now(almost Q2 2006), would they be using a Sonoma Pentium M? Low voltage single core Yonahs should be available shortly (if not already for manufacturers).

I guess they might be saving some money by going with an older platform but if the price is anywhere close to what I'm hearing, then they really didn't do a very good job.

 

What material will the TX case be made of? Plastic? Magnesium alloy? Carbon fibre?

thanks.

 

All LG's have been made of Plastic, I don't see a reason why it would be anything else, usually if it was, they would market that

 

See many detailed pictures of LG Xote TX including the interior on this Chinese site (make sure to check also pages 2-4 of pics!).

http://nb.zol.com.cn/25/259882.html

It is really beautiful!!