News Bits: Mac Tablet at MacWorld, Acer does HD-DVD and Blu-Ray, Toshiba Qosmio gets HD-DVD Burner

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Mac Tablet to be unveiled at Macworld

Solution hardware manufacturer Axitron, Inc. and technology solutions provider Other World Computing (OWC) have announced that they will be unveiling a Mac Tablet computer on January 9, the ModBook, at the Macworld Conference &amp; Expo.

A slate-style Tablet, the ModBook will feature WACOM Penabled hardware for true pen input, and is fully compatible with Apple's Inkwell. Inkwell provides gesture recognition and system level handwriting in all Mac applications. A GPS option will also be included in the ModBook. An anonymous tipster says that it will be covered under Apple's standard warranty.

There is currently no word on pricing or availability.

Read More at TabletPCReview

Toshiba Qosmio G35 gets HD-DVD Burner Added

Toshiba announced an update to the Qosmio G35 lineup of laptop in the form of an HD-DVD Burner. This means that users that buy a Qosmio G35 with this option will be able to burn content to an HD-DVD R disc. HD-DVD is the competing new media format to Blu-Ray. Sony introduced a Blu-Ray burning capability laptop a while back so this update from Toshiba was long overdue.

The HD DVD-R can burn 15GB and 30GB HD DVD discs. The HD DVD blank discs will be made by Mitsubishi, Maxell and Verbatim.

S-XGen folding UMPC debuts at CES, now available

The Seamless S-XGen made its official debut at CES; it features a 10-finger keyboard and an eight hour battery life.

Because of its unique keyboard design, no longer do users have to type with their thumbs. The keyboard folds out and can be typed on like a regular keyboard. The S-XGen was designed for serious business users who need all day access to powerful computing capabilities.

The S-XGen comes standard with WiFi, Bluetooth, tri-band cellular technology and Ethernet connectivity. Specifications include a 520MHz processor, 256MB of RAM, and a 20GB hard drive in the base unit. The operating system is Microsoft Windows CE 5.0, and Microsoft Office Mobile Suite is included. The display is a 4-inch touch-screen TFT, with a 470x280 resolution. The S-XGen also features an integrated camera. Despite the hefty feature set, the S-XGen wighs a mere 14 oz. It is available now for $1,400.

Read More at TabletPCReview

CES 2007: Acer offers notebooks with next-gen HD DVD, Blu-ray formats

Acer America will offer both HD DVD and Blu-ray next-generation digital formats in its notebook PCs. Blu-ray will be available in the TravelMate 8210, and HD DVD in the Aspire 9810 notebook.

Acer TravelMate 8210

The TravelMate 8210 is a 15.4&quot; desktop replacement notebook, featuring a Core 2 Duo 64-bit dual-core processor, up to 4GB of dual-channel RAM, and hard drives up to 160GB in capacity. The 8210 offers numerous connectivity options, including WLAN, Bluetooth, an Ethernet connection, and a modem port. Other features of the 8210 include an integrated webcam, and DASP+ (Disk Anti-Shock Protection) technology. Pricing starts at $1,999 in North America.

Aspire 9810

The Aspire 9810 is a large desktop replacement, featuring an Intel Core 2 Duo processor like the TravelMate 8210. It has a huge 20.1&quot; widescreen LCD, and is designed to be an all-in-one multimedia center. It features Intel Matrix RAID ready SATA hard drives (240GB total capacity), up to 4GB of RAM, and Nvidia GeForce Go7600 graphics. An integrated analog and digital TV tuner is included. The Aspire 9810 is available in North America for prices starting at $2,899.

Read More (Business Wire)

CES 2007: Toshiba shows first notebook with HD DVD-R drive

Toshiba is demonstrating its new Qosmio multimedia notebook computer with an integrated HD DVD-R drive; it is the first computer with the ability to burn HD DVDs. Users can burn up to 30GB of data on a single HD DVD recordable disc.

A prototype of the new Qosmio will be on display at CES. Pricing, availability, and specific model number and configuration for the Qosmio with the integrated HD DVD-R drive will be announced in Q1 2007.

Read More (Business Wire)

AMD introduces new AMD LIVE! notebook PC

January 8th - AMD today introduced the AMD LIVE! notebook PC, a mobile multimedia center. It is powered by an AMD Turion 64 X2 dual-core 64-bit processor. Users have the ability to manage content or schedule TV program recordings remotely with the AMD LIVE! Entertainment Suite.

Herbert Schönebeck, vice president for the Consumer Business at Fujitsu Siemens Computers, said in a statement, &quot;Over the past months, Fujitsu Siemens Computers has launched a number of extremely stylish and popular Digital Home PCs and notebooks, featuring enjoyment and ease-of-use. Now we are happy to bring a new era in the design of high-performance consumer notebooks with the AMILO Xa 1526, a fantastic multimedia powerhouse, based on the AMD LIVE! technology. Consumers can expect an unrivaled multimedia experience virtually anywhere they go thanks to the marriage of our stylish notebook PC design with innovative AMD technology.&quot;

Read More (Business Wire)

CES 2007: Belkin delivers Draft N wireless for notebooks via new N1 Wireless ExpressCard

January 8th - Belkin introduced the first N1 Wireless ExpressCard for notebooks at CES 2007. The N1 is based on the 802.11n draft specification, using MIMO (Multiple In Multiple Out) technology to increase speed, coverage, and reliability. Link speeds are up to 300Mbps. The N1 is currently available for $99.99; it will launch in Asia, Europe, and Austraila to follow.

Read More (Belkin press release)

Costco return policy on tech products unchanged

The Consumerist wrote an article in late December, claiming that Costco would be limiting the return policy on its products to 30 days after purchase due to abuse of the system. However, despite rumors, Costco's unlimited-time return policy on consumer electronics remains unchanged. Costco offers an unbeatable return policy on nearly all of what it sells. The exception to the rule is computers, for which returns are restricted to six months after purchase. Six months is still far longer than the average electronics store.

A Costco representative whom DailyTech talked to said “Sometimes we’ll get the odd return of a product that we haven’t carried for years. Customers are usually returning defective products and want a replacement. It’s not often that we get someone trying to get their money back for something that’s really old.”

Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Costco, Richard Galanti, stated “For every customer that abuses that privilege, there are 99 other customers that go, 'Wow.'”

Read More at DailyTech

 

That S-XGen looks kind of interesting. The keyboard is in more of a "grid pattern" than the standard layout though. Might take some getting used to.

I also think it's awesome that Costco is so liberal with their return policy. Way to go!

 

Didnt I hear about that mac tablet thing a while ago, back when the company used to modify the older iBooks?

Next up, Lenovo partners with Apple to make a WHITE thinkpad. hahahahaha

 

Wait...a Mac tablet that has the features of a Wacom tablet? If that's so, then I could easily become a Mac user next time I purchase a computer. I've been considering a tablet PC that could do the same things as a drawing tablet. I don't know if I'd actually buy one, but it would be nice.

The S-XGen looks very interesting until I saw the pricetag. But if you're a business professional then that's probably not a big deal at all.