Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Samsung PMA roundup: hands on HMX-U20, eyes on AQ100 and SL605

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/22/samsung-pma-roundup-hands-on-hmx-u20-eyes-on-aq100-and-sl605/

Samsung's curvaceous HMX-U20 was on display at PMA, but unfortunately one of its key selling points -- the optical 3x zoom -- was not working on the floor model.The picture itself was hard to see from the small LCD, so for now we're just gonna comment on the shape, which though unique and purported to be more ergonomic, to us seems like it'd be a pain in the pockets (of course, they didn't let us pocket it to find out, but we digress...). Also at the show were the waterproof AQ100 and scratch-resistant SL605, but unlike Sony's frosty setup, these weren't touchable. Don't let that stop you from enjoying the pictures below -- and don't forget our earlier hands-on impressions of the TL350 and TL500!

Samsung PMA roundup: hands on HMX-U20, eyes on AQ100 and SL605 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Feb 2010 19:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sigma trio espied at PMA, COO expresses interest in supporting 'mirrorless camera systems'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/22/sigma-trio-espied-at-pma-coo-expresses-interest-in-supporting/

Still no word on price, but Sigma's recently-announced DP2s, DP1x, and SD15 cameras were on hand at PMA, just out of reach of our greasy hands. A shame, really, but at least we managed to at least stand in the trinity's presence, right? Perhaps more interesting comes from the mouth of Chief Operating Officer Kazuto Yamaki, who in an interview with Digital Photography Review predicts that zoom lenses are in the future for mirrorless camera systems -- which, for those not hip to his jive, apparently include Olympus' and Panasonic's Micro Four Thirds shooters, Samsung's "hybrid DSLR" NX10, and quite possibly Sony's new Alpha compact concept. Color us intrigued, but as Yamaki noted, it's all a matter of whether or not the market picks up. Let's hope -- those cameras featured above? Closer shots below.

Sigma trio espied at PMA, COO expresses interest in supporting 'mirrorless camera systems' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo ThinkPad bumps bring X201, X201s, X201t, W701, and W701ds into the Core i7 fold

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/23/lenovo-thinkpad-bumps-bring-x201-x201s-x201t-w701-and-w701ds/

Lenovo's giving some of its ThinkPad flagships a nice little spec overhaul, specifically the X200 series of ultraportables and the spectrum-leaping W700 hardlyportable dual screen laptop. The new X201 and X201s start things off with a new option for touchpads on the 12.1-inch form factor, options for Core i7 and Core i5 processors, and sub-three pound weigh-ins on at least the 4-cell configuration. The X201s is slightly lighter and slightly thinner, and is limited to Core i7 procs, though neither version gets much under an inch thick. The X201t (pictured) is the well-leaked tablet version, adding on a bit more thickness in exchange for a highly configurable screen, which includes options for outdoor viewing, capacitive touch and of course pen input. All three laptops rely on Intel HD graphics and are rather extensively configurable, with batteries ranging up into the 12 hour ballpark with the 9 cell battery option on the X201 and X201s. Unfortunately you'll still have to look to Lenovo's consumer line for HDMI output -- none of these machines are packing anything other than VGA.

Meanwhile, on the other end of town, the 17-inch, Wacom-equipped W701 and W701ds (dual screen) are making the leap to Core i7 as well, though the Core i7-920 Extreme and Core i7-820 QM Quad Core on display here is fairly desktop class. There's also NVIDIA Quadro FX 3800M / 2800M graphics, and an option for a dual SSD drive configuration to really break the bank.

All of these laptops should be available in the beginning of March, with starting prices of $1,199 (X201), $1,599 (X201s), $1,549 (X201t), $2,199 (W701), and $3,799 (W701ds). Can't wait to find out more? We've got a review of the X201t all warm and ready for you.

Lenovo ThinkPad bumps bring X201, X201s, X201t, W701, and W701ds into the Core i7 fold originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ViewSonic's new VNB131 ViewBook Pro puts an attractive spin on the 13.3-inch ULV laptop

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/23/viewsonics-new-vnb131-viewbook-pro-puts-an-attractive-spin-on-t/

Viewsonic isn't quite our go-to for excellent PC design just yet, but its new VNB131 ViewBook Pro is a surprisingly decently attractive alternative to the usual ULV fare from the likes of Acer and ASUS. Maybe it's just that touch of "1999" in the aluminum curves and accents that we're finding ourselves suddenly drawn to. Outside of the looks, the VNB131 is mostly pretty stock ULV: there's an Intel ULV SU7300 Core 2 Duo processor, 320GB HDD, 2GB of RAM, a DVD burner, HDMI, VGA, 802.11n and a 7-in-1 card reader. Interestingly, however, you can swap out the DVD drive for an extra 3 cell battery, which in conjunction with the stock 6 cell should offer up to 12 hours of battery life. We're sure you sacrifice a bit on weight and thickness for that luxury, and the price isn't best-in-class either at $949. Still, it's not bad for a company that's still thinks it's pulling one over on people by trying to rip the "MacBook Pro" below-screen lettering. It's available now, wherever ViewBooks are sold. Check out another shot of the laptop after the break, along with some fancy PR.

Continue reading ViewSonic's new VNB131 ViewBook Pro puts an attractive spin on the 13.3-inch ULV laptop

ViewSonic's new VNB131 ViewBook Pro puts an attractive spin on the 13.3-inch ULV laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 04:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG's in-cell multitouch laptop displays get unveiled, certified with Windows 7 Touch Logo (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/23/lgs-in-cell-multitouch-laptop-displays-get-unveiled-certified/

Want evidence for the old saying that there's always something next to wait around for with technology? We've only just reviewed the most bodacious X200 Tablet from Lenovo, yet already there's a capacitive multitouch display that promises to be that little bit better. LG's in-cell multitouch technology places the touchy-feely parts inside -- rather than as a film on top of -- the LCD panel, which we're told eliminates the loss of picture quality and brightness that regular multitouch results in. It only works with two fingers so far, but LG is still pretty pleased with itself for being the first to gain the Windows 7 Touch Logo sticker with this technology, which was previously limited to cellphone-sized displays. Mass production is set for the second half of this year, and we'll go ahead and assume that local nemesis Samsung will be using every moment until then to offer its own competing models. Bring on the marginally better touchscreens! We've now got a video for you as well, you know where to find it.

Continue reading LG's in-cell multitouch laptop displays get unveiled, certified with Windows 7 Touch Logo (video)

LG's in-cell multitouch laptop displays get unveiled, certified with Windows 7 Touch Logo (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 03:24:00 EST. Please se! e our terms for use of feeds.

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