Archivi giornalieri: 04/06/2012
Sony’s multimedia-centric VAIO F gets folded into new 15-inch VAIO S 15
Sony is using its latest product announcement to trim the fat off of its line-up, and one of the casualties will be its multimedia-centric VAIO F Series. Of course, the company won’t be ditching entertainment laptops altogether — it’s just consolidating the VAIO F line into the VAIO S Series, specifically the VAIO S 15. To further confuse the switch-up, the VAIO SE (that’s E for entertainment) is also being folded into the new S 15. Identity confusion aside, what you get here is a 15.5-inch, 1080p IPS display, NVIDIA graphics with up to 2GB of VRAM and various Ivy Bridge processor options (up to a quad-core Core i7 CPU). The 15-inch S Series will start at $1,000 and will be available in black and silver. Sony says it’s good for light gaming, and especially media streaming and programs like AutoCAD. Like the other new VAIO systems, the S 15 will be available this month. Check out the gallery and press info below.
Sony announces new VAIO L all-in-one with Ivy Bridge, thinner design
Along with refreshing its various VAIO laptop lines, Sony is updating its L Series all-in-one. The new L24 has — surprise! — a 24-inch display with the same X-Reality chip used in Sony’s Bravia televisions. This time around, the company went with an edge-to-edge design for the multitouch display, and picture-in-picture for juggling TV watching and actual work. As you can imagine, that multitouch screen will come in handy once Windows 8 gets the green light from Microsoft. Other changes include a slot DVD rather than a tray-loading one, and thinner dimensions for the PC, mouse and keyboard. The base $1,299 configuration comes with a Core i5 Ivy Bridge processor, and a glasses-free 3D version will be available for $1,999 later this summer. For storage, you get a 1, 2 or 3TB drive, and Sony says there will also be NVIDIA graphics options. Intrigued? We’ve got photos and the full PR below.
Sony unveils VAIO S13 and S13p laptops with Ivy Bridge, prices start at $900
In addition to all the other new laptops it announced today, Sony refreshed its mid-range S Series with a new look, and consolidated its two 13-inch models, the SA and SB lines, into one model, now called the VAIO S13. (There’s also a more business-oriented version called the S13p, which we’ll tell you about in just a moment). Thanks to a magnesium, aluminum and carbon fiber construction, it’s fairly lightweight, at 3.8 pounds. Spec-wise, Sony went with Core i5 and i7 Ivy Bridge processors, though this time around, it’s missing switchable graphics — at least on the S13. That machine now has integrated graphics only, though the business-centric S13p will be offered with an NVIDIA GPU with up to 2GB of VRAM. The S13p also sets itself apart with features the IT guy might appreciate, including TPM, a fingerprint reader and a hard drive accelerometer.
Across the board, the S13 should last up to about seven hours on a charge, or 14 if you add an optional sheet battery. Also, the company will sell an external docking station with a built-in 500GB hard drive and built-in battery — a first for Sony. We’re told the dock will cost $189, and that you can use it even with the sheet battery attached to the laptop. The S13 and S13p will go on sale this month, starting at $900 and $1,200, respectively. Though the more consumer-friendly S13 will be available in black, silver white and pink, the buttoned-up S13p comes in a more staid palette: black, gold and “Gun Metal.”
Sony refreshes VAIO Z series with Ivy Bridge, price now starts at $1,600 without the docking station
In case you didn’t notice, Sony completely revamped its laptop lineup this morning. Unlike some of the other models on offer, the high-end Z series didn’t get a redesign, but Sony at least took the opportunity to refresh it with new Ivy Bridge processors. Oh, and lower the starting price. The Z will no longer be bundled with the Power Media Dock, that external hub housing both a discrete GPU and optical drive. As such, the laptop will now start at $1,600, down from $2,000, while the dock will retail for an additional $400. Spec-wise, the Z still weighs a scant 2.6 pounds, but it’s now constructed from carbon fiber and will be offered with a glossy finish. It will also be available with quad-core Ivy Bridge CPUs, though the starting model’s processor is dual-core. Otherwise, it offers nearly the same specs as the model we reviewed last year, including a 1080p display and solid-state RAID drives. Look for the refresh sometime this month, and in the meantime we’ve included pics below to jog your memory on what this guy looks like.
Dell XPS One 27 review roundup: an all-in-one PC worth owning
Let’s be honest here: there hasn’t been an overly compelling option in the all-in-one PC space in a really, really long time. Not to say there weren’t decent options, but that “blow you away” factor has been missing for a good while. No more. Dell’s wildly handsome XPS One 27 has hit the ground running, and it’s garnering near-universal praise across the web. While it boasts a somewhat steep price point ($1,399 and up), packs a touchpanel option and is landing just months before Windows 8′s debut, critics at large seem to have fallen back in love with the AIO form factor thanks to this one machine.
Hot Hardware lauded the Core i7 CPU and NVIDIA Kepler graphics, and they had a tough time controlling their adoration for the Samsung PLS panel that stole the show. PCMag struggled to find cons, noting that the rig managed to put “almost every technology and feature we’re looking for in a compact stylish chassis.” AnandTech, however, rightfully points out that the lack of a touchpanel is no big deal in the land of Windows 7, but not providing the option for those looking forward to a Metro-fied Windows 8 experience may end up hurting the value proposition in the long run. Hovering over that buy button? Restrain yourself a bit longer while you dive into the source links below.
OCZ Agility 4 SSD With Everest 2 Controllers Now Available
OCZ Technology has launched a new solid state drive range this month in the form of their new Agility 4 SSD series. Which have been equipped with Everest 2 controller and designed to provide a balance of 6Gbps SATA III interface speed, together with exceptional input-output operations per second.
The OCZ Technology Agility 4 SSD combined with the Everest 2 controller provides transfer rates up to 400MB/s, and up to 85,000 random write IOPS. The new Agility 4 solid state drives are available in either 64GB, 128GB for $150, 256GB for $250, and 512GB for $561 capacities. Ryan Petersen, CEO of OCZ Technology explains:
“For mainstream storage applications, there is no product better suited in the industry than our Agility 4 SSDs, providing the ultimate in access speed, application performance, endurance and reliability, at price points that most cost-conscious users will find appealing,”-”As mobile users and applications continue to grow, adding to the deluge of data being generated on a daily basis, our Agility 4 SSD series provide great IOPS performance at a reasonable price enabling the user experience to be heightened especially for video streaming, music, photos, gaming, and online transaction processing (OLTP).”
Source: Hot Hardware
GAEMS G155 Sentry Xbox 360 Suitcase And New Project Vanguard Announced
GAEMS has partnered with Microsoft to create a new G155 Sentry Xbox 360 suitcase, which they will be showcasing at the E3 gaming exhibition later this week. The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles, run from June 5th to 7th.
The GAEMS G155 Sentry Xbox 360 suitcase has been created to allow gamers to carry and enjoy their Xbox 360 console whilst on the move, and is a “self-contained personal gaming and entertainment environment” says GAEMS.
“GAEMS recently partnered with Microsoft and will unveil the new G155 Sentry, a Microsoft-licensed device that provides individuals and families with a completely customizable personal entertainment solution to enjoy games, DVDs or even stream media like Netflix*, HULU* or YouTube* anytime and just about anywhere.”
At E3 this week GAEMS will also unveil three new accessories enabling users to transport their consoles. The Sentry Sling, the PGE Battle Bag and the PGE B.O.T. As well as announcing their latest creation, code named Project Vanguard.
Source: Engadget
Sony Pulse Elite Edition PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset Unveiled (video)
Sony has unveiled a sneak preview of its new Sony Pulse Elite Edition PS3 wireless stereo headphones, that will be making an appearance at E3 later this week. The new Sony PS3 Pluse Elite Edition headset is equipped with Sony’s “BassImpact” technology providing gamers with enhanced audio whilst in-game. Watch the video after the jump for a run dan of its features.
The Sony PS3 Pulse Elite Edition is fitted with 7.1 sound, and preset modes to optimise audio. Sony says its “BassImpact technology translates bass sounds into ‘pulses’ around the earpads of the headset.” to provide immersive gaming. The Sony Pulse Elite Edition is supported by PS3 and PS Vita consoles, and is equipped with a 3.5mm audio jack to connect to other devices if required.
Unfortunately no information on pricing or worldwide availability has been released as yet for the Sony PS3 Pluse Elite Edition headset, but as soon as information comes to light we will keep you updated as always.
Source: Hot Hardware
ASUS reveals TAICHI convertible notebook / tablet with dual 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch displays
Two displays in one tablet? Yes you can. ASUS’ new TAICHI series packs displays on both the front and the rear, letting you use the device in a variety of configurations. In ‘notebook’ mode, you can use TAICHI with a backlit QWERTY keyboard and trackpad. Once you close the lid, however, it’s stylus time. TAICHI includes Intel Ivy Bridge Core i7 processors, 4 gigs of RAM, SSD storage, dual-band 802.11n WiFi, FHD/Super IPS+ displays and, naturally, dual cameras. Despite the display duo, both the 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch configurations are reportedly as thin and light as the Zenbook line. Both variants will offer 1900 x 1280 pixels on each side, and displays can be used independently, so you can even share the device with a friend — with completely different content on either LCDs.
ASUS outs Tablet 600, a Transformer-like Slate running Windows RT
How many times have we posted a review of an ASUS Transformer tablet only to read comments that say, “Put Win8 on it and I’ll buy it.” Well, folks, it’s time to put your money where your mouth is. ASUS just announced the Tablet 600, a Transformer-like slate running Windows RT. Like any Android-powered Transformer, this one packs a quad-core Tegra 3 chip, except it has twice the RAM (2GB). At the center of it all is a 10.1-inch (1366 x 768) IPS+ display with viewing angles similar to what you’ll find on current Transformer tablets. Around back, it has an auto-focusing 8-megapixel camera with an LED flash, complemented by a 2-megapixel shooter up front. Other specs include WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 and your usual array of sensors, including GPS, a gyroscope, e-compass and, last but not least, NFC. And guess what? We’ve already got hands-on. Bear with us as we upload photos and video — connectivity is slow here!
Roccat Lua Three-Button Mouse Unveiled
Roccat has unveiled a new addition to their range of mouse peripherals in the form of the Roccat Lua three-button mouse. Which is be showcased at the upcoming Computex and E3 exhibitions this week.
Rather than adding a multitude of buttons to their new mouse, Roccat has taken the traditional mouse and added their design skills and gaming engineering.To create a new Lua mouse that is equipped with seven DPI settings – 250, 500, 1000, 1250, 1500, 1750 and 2000.
The Roccat Lua a Pro Optic R2 sensor, that can be controller via a dedicated programmable DPI button. Allowing gamers to change the speed of their mouse on the fly. René Korte, ROCCAT Founder and CEO explains:
“We took the beloved three-button mouse design and injected it with our innovative gaming engineering – and created a killer tool that gives props to the past while heading boldly into the future,””The Lua delivers everything gamers need for control, comfort and style – all in a sleek and slim design that offers perfect comfort for every hand.”
Source: Press Release
Samsung Galaxy S III With Snapdragon S4 Lands In US This Month
Samsung has officially announced that the US version of the Samsung Galaxy S III will come with the dual core Snapdragon S4 processor clocked at 1..5GHz.
The Samsung Galaxy S III will be available with five mobile carriers in the US which include AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint and US Cellular this month.
All five carriers will be offering the Samsung Galaxy S III for $199.99 when you sign up to a new contract, Samsung has not given a specific release date for each carrier all we know is this month, although we suspect the rumored 20th of June could be the launch date.
Source Cnet
HP takes EliteBook W-series on a trip to Ivy Bridge, throws in Z220 Xeon workstation for good measure
HP has been rolling out a steady stream of Ivy Bridge-based upgrades over the past few weeks, and now it’s the turn of the pro-oriented EliteBook W-series to get the long-awaited upgrade. The 8470W, 8570W and 8770W draw on Intel’s faster dual Core i5 and quad Core i7 chips with respective choices of 14-, 15.6- and 17.3-inch screens. All of them pack AMD’s FirePro for video duties, although big spenders at the larger two sizes can opt for one of NVIDIA’s Quadro K-series graphics chips as well as an IPS-based display for color-sensitive work. Options will get you niceties such as a 24GB SSD cache, 3G and up to 16GB of RAM, although the EliteBooks’ signature military-spec resistances to dust, shock and temperature are thankfully par for the course. The range costs $1,329, $1,449 and $1,699 as you move up the screen size ladder, and all three will be available before June is over.
If you prefer your workstations to be more powerful but slightly more stationary, you’re still welcome in HP’s world: the equally fresh Z220 desktop carries Intel’s new quad-core Xeon E3 processor or, if that’s a bit too rich for your blood, a Pentium or quad Core i7. AMD FirePro and NVIDIA Quadro video cards are both made-to-order upgrades, and the modern underpinnings add both USB 3.0 as well as headroom for up to 32GB of RAM, if the fear of paging to disk keeps you awake at night. HP has both tower and small form factor versions of the Z220 starting off at $699, and they too will be ready to stretch IT budgets later this month.
Acer introduces Windows 8 all-in-one U Series at Computex 2012 (update: hands-on video)
Acer just introduced two Windows 8-equipped U Series all-in-one desktops here at Computer 2012 in Taipei — the 27-inch Aspire 7600U and 23-inch Aspire 5600U. The 7600U features a 64-point capacitive multitouch tilt and swivel display and is only 3.5cm (1.38 inches) thick, while the 5600U is billed as “the thinnest AIO available” (no numbers specified). Both system feature HD visuals and Dolby Home Theater Surround sound, but the company isn’t ready to share any other details on specs.
We spent a brief minute with the larger 7600U and witnessed its ability to tilt 90 degrees from vertical to horizontal and then swivel from landscape to portrait mode — turning it into the world’s biggest e-book reader. There are two USB ports and a DC power connector in the back, two USB ports, audio in / out and an SD-card slot on the left side plus a slot-load Blu-Ray drive on the right edge. Check out the gallery below, then hit the break for our hands-on video and the obligatory PR.
Acer unveils 11.6-inch Iconia W700, 10.1-inch W510 Windows 8 tablets (update: hands-on pictures and video)
And the flood of Windows tablets begins! With only four months or so to go before Microsoft finalizes the OS, we had a feeling Computex 2012 would bring lots of Win8 devices, and it looks like we won’t be disappointed. Acer just used its press conference here in Taipei to launch its long-awaited first Windows 8 slates, the Iconia W700 and Iconia W510.
That first flavor packs a relatively massive 11.6-inch full HD (1920 x 1080) display with touch support for up to 10 fingers, and ships with a cradle that positions the device at 70 degrees for landscape viewing or 20 degrees for touch use. It offers more than 8 hours of battery life and also includes a trio of USB 3.0 ports, along with Dolby Home Theater for enhanced audio. Acer appears to be marketing the W700 as a “desktop replacement” when paired with a cradle and keyboard. Unlike the W510, the dock is only used to hold and position the device — you’ll need to use Bluetooth to add an external keyboard. The tablet includes a bevy of connectivity options, including Thunderbolt, micro HDMI, USB 3.0 and a power jack on the left side, a pair of red-grilled speakers on the bottom, and a power button, headphone jack and volume rocker on the right. There’s also a five-megapixel autofocus camera and microphone on the rear, and a Windows key and front-facing camera flanking the large, high-res display.
Acer announces Aspire S7 Ultrabook series with 11.6- and 13.3-inch touchscreens (update: hands-on!)
Intel already gave us a heads up that several touch-enabled Ultrabooks were in store for 2012, and here they are, becoming real before our eyes. Here at Computex 2012, Acer just announced the Aspire S7 series, which includes a 13.3-inch model and an 11.6-incher, the first in the company’s Ultrabook lineup. The S7 series will no doubt be the first of many touch-enabled Ultrabooks we see in Taipei this week, and these in particular have screens that fold back 180 degrees, allowing the system to lie flat. Unlike the original S3, which caught flack for its chintzy design, these two are made of 12.5mm-thick unibody aluminum and sport backlit keyboards and “full HD” displays, making these the most premium Ultrabooks Acer has attempted so far. In the case of the 13-inch version, too, you’ll get a glass lid — something previously seen only on the HP Envy 14 Spectre.
