News Bits: New Alienware Notebooks, Core Duo 2.33GHz Coming, Toshiba Tecra A8 Released

New Alienware Core Duo notebooks

June 28<SUP>th</SUP> - Alienware today added three new Core Duo notebooks to its lineup, with screen sizes from 14" to 17". The new models are the Sentia m3450, Area-51 m5550, and Area-51 m5750.

Sentia m3450

The Sentia m3450 is Alienware's smallest and most portable Core Duo notebook, weighing in at 4.5lb with a 14.1" display, and processor options from the base T2300 to the high-end T2600. Although Alienware machines are normally associated with gaming, the m3450 is an exception to that, with the integrated Intel GMA950 for graphics. The screen's maximum resolution is 1280x768 (WXGA).

The m3450 has a CDRW/DVD combo drive and a 40GB hard disk standard, upgradeable to an 8X DVD+/-RW DL drive and 120GB of storage. It features three USB 2.0 ports, one firewire port, an ExpressCard slot, 4-in-1 media reader and integrated webcam.

Area-51 m5550

The Area-51 m5550 is Alienware's 6lb mid-range notebook. It features a dedicated graphics card - a 128MB ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 is standard, while a 256MB Nvidia GeForce Go7600 is optional. Screen resolutions range from the base WXGA (1280x768) to WUXGA (1920x1200). The m5550 features the same ports as the Sentia m3450 with the exception of the integrated webcam.

Area-51 m5750

(view large image)

Alienware's newest high-end notebook is the 8lb, 17" Area-51 m5750. Obviously targeted for the high-end gamer, it features dedicated graphics - a 128MB ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 is standard, with a more powerful Mobility Radeon X1800 256MB optional. The m5750 has up to two internal hard drives, configurable in a RAID array. Screen resolutions range from the standard WXGA+ (1440x900) to WUXGA (1920x1200). Both screens are glossy.

The m5750 has 4 USB 2.0 ports, firewire, and a 4-in-1 media reader.

The Sentia m3450 will begin shipping on July 10th, with the m5550 and m5750 following on July 24th. The m3450 starts at $1,099, m5550 at $1,399, and m5750 at $1,499.

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Intel ships two new Core Duo CPUs

Intel is expected to start shipping two new Core Duo models this week - the top-end 2.33GHz T2700 and ultra low-voltage U2500.

The T2700 replaces the T2600 (2.16GHz) as the new top-end CPU in the Core Duo lineup, targeted for high-end notebooks and DTRs (desktop replacements). It will sell for $637 in quantities of 1,000.

The ultra low-voltage Core Duo U2500 is the second model added to the lineup, consuming only nine watts of power. It has a 1.2GHz clock speed with a 533MHz FSB (front-side bus). It will be the only ultra low-voltage dual-core CPU Intel has until the launching of the Merom U7500 with the Santa Rosa platform in Q2 2007. The U2500 consumes less than 1W of power during idle operation, and will sell for $289 per chip in quantities of 1,000.

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Sony to fit UX ultraportable with flash disk

June 27<SUP>th</SUP> - Sony announced it will use flash memory when it launches a new model of its Vaio U next week. It will be the first on the market that uses a flash drive in place of the traditional hard drive. Flash disks run silently, offer faster data access, and use less power; price is the limiting factor.

The Vaio UX90 will come with a 16GB flash disk in place of the 30GB hard drive on the original UX. It will go on sale in Japan on July 3rd, with a price tag of $1,805.

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Lenovo to end partnership with Quanta for ThinkPad production

After taking its final delivery of ThinkPad Z60 notebooks, Lenovo will end its partnership with Quanta Computer next year.

Lenovo has decided to end the partnership because of poor market acceptance for the Z series, the sources said. Wistron will become the only Taiwan notebook maker for Lenovo's ThinkPad line. Wistron has been making the ThinkPad R and X series.

The Z series widescreen ThinkPad was launched after Lenovo acquired IBM's PC division. Wistron will become the only notebook maker for Lenovo's Thinkpad line; it is currently manufacturing the R and X series.

Compal Electronics and Wistron will continue to manufacture Lenovo-branded notebooks.

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Apple adjusts 17" MacBook Pro fans

[img]http://www.notebookreview.com/assets/13547.jpg[/img]

Apple has posted a firmware update for its 17" MacBook Pro. It adjusts the notebook's System Management Controller (SMC), a device that 'monitors and manages Intel-based Macs' power-related functions.'

The device oversees the battery, sleep light, monitors the hard drive's sudden motion sensor, and runs the machine's fans. Apple says the update 'adjusts fan behavior'.

Apple has yet to address many irritating issues with the MacBook pro, such as the high-pitched noise some MacBooks emit while running on batteries.

[URL=http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/06/28/apple_updates_macbook_pro_firmware/]Read More[/URL] [p] [p][B]Acer unveils 'MacBook-like' laptop[/B] [p][img]http://www.notebookreview.com/assets/13548.jpg[/img][/p] [p]Acer unveiled its MacBook-like TravelMate 3020, sporting a 'pure, clean' design. According to Acer, the color scheme represents "images of pureness, cleanliness and maximum lightness". [/p] [p]The TravelMate 3020 features a 12.1" widescreen WXGA (1280x800) display with Intel's integrated GMA950 providing the graphics solution. It uses the latest Core Duo processors and Intel's 802.11a/b/g WiFi chip. Bluetooth 2.0 is standard. Topping off the feature list is a 1.3 megapixel webcam, hard drive motion sensor, Windows XP Pro, and a three-cell battery. Weight is only 1.5kg, with the optical drive being external. Acer has not provided any pricing information at this time.[/p] [p][URL=http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/06/28/acer_white_travelmate/]Read More[/URL] [p][B]Toshiba Releases Tecra A8[/B] [p][img]http://www.notebookreview.com/assets/13550.jpg[/img][br][/br]([URL=http://www.notebookreview.com/assets/13549.jpg]view large image[/URL]) [p]Toshiba this week released the Tecra A8, they're dubbing it as their most durable notebook to date -- a point supported by Toshiba including a free year of SystemGuard coverage to guard against any accidental damage. The Tecra A8 is a business machine with a 15.4" widescreen display and Intel Core Duo processor. [p]The Tecra A8 is available from [URL=http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/cmod.to?seg=SMB&amp;coid=-31400]ToshibaDirect.com[/URL] now for a starting price of $699. [p] [p][B]Interesting Links[/B] [p][URL=http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060627-7141.html]Microsoft launches online Office 2007 Preview[/URL] [p][URL=http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1982044,00.asp]The people behind DirectX 10 - Part One[/URL] [p][URL=http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=1449282#post1449282]T3 holds the key to total laptop security[/URL][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p][/p]

 

Great, now we know the ODM for Lenovo.

Thinkpad Z line - Quanta
Thinkpad R and X - Wistron
which means the T is probably Compal

 

Oh come one Toshiba... no GPU on the A8? I'd call the Acer W5F like really...

I really like the Clevo N540n. It's very attractive notebook in every garb I've seen it in so far. Love it or hate it, leave the stuff in the AW forum aside for a moment and just look at it. That AW looks like a pretty hot thin and light.

 

... and that Acer 3020 looks alot like the M1210 but in white with the speakers in front as opposed to under the screen...

 

Is it just me or do the alienwares look a lot like dells. =P
Tim

 

thats a good question because they dont look like clevos.

what is the odm of the new alienwares?

are they e 1405 e 1505 and e1705?

pictures purposefully obscure the buttons and the leds but I feel pretty certain...

edit ok nm it seems these are arima notebooks only alienware atm.

someone can correct me if Im wrong.

 

that Alienware Area-51 m5750 looks very cool indeed. An appealing alternative to an XPS M1710...

 

OMG only 1W on idle!!! Core Duo RULES!

 

Does this mean we can soon expect a Dell Latitude D420 equipped with this processor, in addition to the recently released Core Solo model?

 

The Sentia N3450 is a clevo, it is the M540n. Not sure about the other one AWs.

Here's the M540n (Here is is on Istnc's webbie, http://istnc.com/store/categories.php?cat=143)

Sager calls it the NP 5460. (Here it is on Sager's webbie http://www.sagernotebook.com/pages/notebooks/product.cfm?ProductType=5460) One of my favorite 14.1"s currently.

 

Yes, I would expect it to be available soon. Right now, only the ultra low-voltage Core Solo is offered.

 

no, e1405-e1705 are Dell laptops, not Alienware or any of its ODMs.

The 12" is a clevo, and the other two are Uniwills.. they are using the same chassis as the last two Uniwill Sonoma models.

 

I see core duo chips with model numbers 2050 and 2250. What are the specs and the reasons for releasing them. After all T2300E are priced at $209. Plus once merom releases in august yonah variants should be priced even less.

 

If I recall correctly, the A7 has a X1400 GPU. It'll be kind of redundant in Toshiba's part to release the A8 with dedicated graphics now wouldn't it?

 

Does this mean that there will be no more widescreen thinkpads, at least until one of the other sources retools? (I'm guessing not, if the reason is "disappointing sales").

****, I was just about to get one. Now I'm worried (should I be?)

-MG.

 

I looked it up, and it turns out they have a 533Mhz front side bus, as against the T2300/2400 667Mhz. Rather pointless IMO. But yet another way for Dell etc to fatten their razor thin profit margins.

 

I'm not sure if this is an error or not but the sentia 3450 shouldn't be 4.5 lbs, but rather 5.5 lbs, I got kind of excited when I saw that weight, or is it not the clevo m540n?

 

Just ordered an Alienware M3450 last week (wednesday). I customized it on the processor, RAM and HD. Also I did the financing through alienware credit card. Last friday my order status was halfway complete with an estimated shipping date of tuesday 08-08-2006.
I called alienware today (monday 08-07-2006) to verify new progress in my order and was told that the best case scenario for my order's shipping date is FRIDAY AUGUST 11.
Whoa, what is wrong with the EXPECTED SHIPPING DATE SYSTEM on Alienware website ??? If there is a date posted, shouldn't the company ABIDE to the date posted ??? If there is not enough time to customize, build and test the system ordered why not simply EXTEND THE EXPECTED SHIPPING DATE AT THE TIME THE ORDER IS PLACED ???
I work with tight schedules, planning and so forth. I believe that 1-2 days delay on shipping an order is fine under situations like customization.
Excuses are raining from alienware now, about the parts not being available, delays, and such. Their website says IN CASE OF UNAVAILABILITY OF PARTS, ORDERS MAY BE DELAYED AND WE WILL NOTIFY YOU VIA EMAIL.
I did not receive an email saying my order was going to be late, I have no clue as to when I will receive my order. I am at the mercy of alienware now. I wish customer services did not have a double personality. Friday everything was fine and on schedule. Today (monday) the DARK AGES OF UNCERTAINTY HAVE SHROUDED MY ORDER and no one can tell me anything precise or convincing.
Just be careful when ordering ANYTHING on ALIENWARE.COM.
KICK IN AN EXTRA 4 WEEKS IN ADVANCE JUST IN CASE THERE ARE SOME MORE UNFORESEEN, UNEXPLAINABLE DELAYS THAT CANNOT BE FIXED BY THE SCHEDULING SYSTEM FROM ALIENWARE.