News Bits: New Toshiba Satellite Pro Notebooks, Bamboo-covered Laptops, Dell Turns Pink

Toshiba refreshes Satellite Pro notebooks

Toshiba today announced the addition of five new models to its Satellite Pro line of notebooks. The Satellite Pro is aimed at business users on a budget. The company introduced the 17-inch L350, 15.4-inch L300/L300D, 14.1-inch M300, and 13.3-inch U400. The new Satellite Pro models start at $699.

Full Story/Product Link (ToshibaDirect.com)
Via (Laptoping.com)

ASUS and Dell to introduce bamboo-covered computers

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Image credit: HEXUS.net

ASUS may be planning to launch bamboo-clad notebooks as early as June of this year according to a report in a Chinese newspaper. The notebooks promote environmental friendliness and do it while looking great.

Dell also has bamboo-covered computers in the works. The machine pictured here is not a notebook but is Dell's smallest computer. It is 81% smaller than a standard desktop and uses 70% less power. Dell says the machine should be available later this year for between $500 and $700.

Full Story (HEXUS.net)

Dell introduces Flamingo Pink M1530

Dell has added a Flamingo Pink version of its XPS M1530 notebook. Like the other color options, it carries a $25 price tag.

Product Link (Dell.com)
Via (Engadget.com)

WiMAX-enabled Montevina notebooks from Acer coming in June/July

Acer is planning to launch notebooks based on the upcoming Intel Montevina platform with WiMAX in June/July according to Acer chairman JT Wang.

Full Story (DigiTimes.com)

ASUS fixing Eee PC 900 battery issue

The Internet was flooded yesterday with reports of ASUS shipping lower-capacity batteries in the new Eee PC 900 than they were reviewed with. Today ASUS is fixing their blunder by offering their Hong Kong customers with a free battery upgrade.

Full Story (JKMobile.com)
Via (Gizmodo.com)

OS Performance comparison galore

Forum member trebuin has done a thorough comparison of several different operating systems on his notebook to find which has the best performance. 32- and 64-bit Windows XP, Vista, Vista w/ SP1, and Server 2008 were tested on a Dell XPS M1330 notebook. The results may surprise you, this is well worth the read.

Full Story in the forums

 

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^now it works!thx for news Mr. Chaz

 

I'd definitely be interested in a bamboo laptop. Looks cool and way different from the normal plastic/metal look.

 

The bamboo cased computers are great. Bamboo grows fast so there shouldn't be any concern of depleting natural resources. Plus it's natural so it will decompose unlike all the plastic in computers.

 

Lol, this is just crazy. Bamboo laptops? And as for the M1530, flamingo pink is an odd color to add to the color options and is probably the last color (or one of the last) that should be a color option for the M1530 out of any of the other colors Dell could've added. Why not Spring Green?

 

I discovered the new Satellite Pro models just last night. I was checking out the Satellite U405 pricing before recommending it to a friend of mine (after the glowing review on this site a few days ago).

Considering that the Satellite Pro was only offered in 15.4" previously, it's pretty big news that they're now offering 13.3", 14.1", 15.4" and 17" models. It's a smart move, in my opinion, since they have XP Professional.

 

Are the Asus/Dell units really bamboo, or just composite laminate over plastic?

The "bamboo LCD displays" mentioned in the Hexus article made me do an initial doubletake. They can make LCD screens out of bamboo??

 

That M1530 is pretty hideous.

Bamboo-cased laptops are sort of appealing, except when you think about operating temperatures. I know that bamboo is a pretty robust material, but I can imagine integrity and warping issues in the long run.

I know appearances aren't everything, but why does the Satellite Pro look like one of those shiny consumer laptops? Remember the 90s when Toshiba laptops looked as professional as Thinkpads?

 

I dunno, it says that they are "bamboo covered," which implies to me that it's just a bamboo facade over the normal material. Besides, you guys are thinking short term. Wood scratches and dents very easily. Sure, it looks great NOW but what about in a month when it looks like a park bench? LOL.

 

Yea, that will probably be an issue for some, but I treat my laptops like **** and they all managed to get scratched up eventually so that won't bother me. Gives it some character

 

Will carrying a bamboo laptop make you a target for hungry pandas?

 

I think they only eat the leaves, but maybe the scent will draw their attention, much like how bees used to congregate around one window in my house because the curtains had flowers on then.

 

Seems like bamboo has become pretty chic, along with blueberries and pomegranate.

 

whiles some laptop manufacturers are producing leather-clad laptops, others are making bamboos. What next??

 

Personally, I'm hoping for black velvet laptops with paintings of Elvis, the Virgin Mary, or dogs playing poker.

 

I want an acrylic laptop ,
And the HDD cover should be acrylic also , So you can see the platters spinning and the head moving.

 

Barbie, your M1530 is ready! Maybe Dell could get together with Pepto-Bismol and do some joint marketing?

I agree with you on the Toshiba comments. I still have an old Toshiba Satellite Pro 4060CDT that I bought back in 1999 and it is built like a tank. Although with a 333MHz Pentium II and 192mb of RAM (expanded from the standard, built-in 64mb), it's rarely sees the light of day. But the point is, the quality and look of solidity used to be there.

The problem with the Satellite Pro line (for Toshiba) is that it has to hurt sales of their Tecra models. The Tecras are over-priced compared to their direct competitors (Latitude D630 and ThinkPad T61) and don't really look much different than some older Satellite models.

Perhaps the introduction of new Satellite and now a full range of Satellite Pro models means there are new Tecra models around the corner???

 

Or what if a Panda Bear gets ahold of it????

 

Have you seen the HP dv2800t 'Artist Edition'? It's nauseous-making...and now you've given HP more ideas! Thanks a lot! =)

 

how is June/July considered "soon"? thats 2 months from now

this is about the Acer Montevina laptops

 

Dell should make the XPS in yellow.. then between that and the LED screen I won't be able to resist at least a trial on one *sigh*

 

well than pandas would like to give your notebook a scratch on that bamboo cover,plus..its Termite-Friendly , so....imagine you found potholes on your laptop with lots of termite house inside it

 

Ok, pop quiz. Half of the people in this world are:

a. female
b. marshmallows
c. athsma sufferers

The answer is............. a!

Now I'm not saying all girls will choose the pink option but frankly, the entire industry is starting to wake up to the fact that girls also buy electronics and are marketing accordingly. That's why dell chose to add pink and that's why my xps m1530 will have a pink lid. Luurvely.



On another note, interesting how Toshiba's naming policy has changed. They've brought back the letter L as their main Stallite Pro product instead of A. I'm not sure why they changed it, I thought it was fine as it was...

 

The pink color should automatically come with total accident protection and 24/7 tech support, lolz. ZING!