Archivi Blog
Lenovo’s 14-inch IdeaPad Y470p launches with Radeon HD 7690M GPU
Who knew a “p” packed so much punch? Just weeks after Lenovo cut loose with a boatload of new machines, the outfit has quietly slipped out an even newer model tailored for gamers. The 14-inch IdeaPad Y470p looks just about like the existing Y470, but swaps out the middling NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M for a far more potent Radeon HD 7690M. (For those wondering — yep, that’s the same chip in HP’s new Envy 15.) There’s also a 2.2GHz quad-core Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM, an optional 1TB HDD, JBL speakers and a native 1,366 x 768 screen resolution. The unit tips the scales at 4.85 pounds with a six-cell battery, which is supposedly good for up to four hours of usage (in presumably ideal conditions). Other specs include a Blu-ray Disc drive, a two-megapixel webcam, HDMI out and USB 3.0. For now, at least, it looks as if eager beavers can get one headed their way for as low as $799, but the more specced-out models are reaching well over $1,200.
LaCie ships Little Big Disk Thunderbolt, promises 240GB SSD variant in mid-October (Video)
It’s taken its sweet time, but folks who weren’t exactly keen on the Promise Pegasus finally have a compact option for putting their Thunderbolt port to good use. LaCie has just announced that it’s Little Big Disk Thunderbolt external drive — a first for the outfit — is available to purchase. For those keeping count, it’s only the second overall T-bolt drive to hit the scene, with this 1.4-pounder boasting a pair of 2.5-inch drives, support for JBOD / RAID 1 / RAID 0 and a typically metallic chassis that measures 1.6- x 5.5- x 3.3-inches. We’re promised speeds as high as 480MB/sec (for SSD arrangements) and 190MB/sec (for HDD models), and users can daisy chain several of ‘em to hit transfer rates of around 800MB/sec. These guys should be available starting today (though Apple’s online shop currently has a “one to two week” wait), with the 1TB 7200RPM edition retailing for $399, and the 2TB 5400RPM model listing for $499. We’re still awaiting word on the specifics surrounding the October-bound 240GB SSD variant, but those who’d rather press their luck for a free one can enter the ongoing contest in the More Coverage link below.
Tokyoflash reveals Kisai Night Vision wristwatch, makes telling time fun again
Tokyoflash is on the loose once more, and this time it’s introducing a concept that has been in the works for months on end. The Kisai Night Vision — which was made official moments ago, first appeared on the company’s blog as a mockup in August of 2010 — and as they say, “what a difference a year makes.” As of today, the LED wristwatch is up for grabs, constructed with black stainless steel, sub-surface LEDs, a hexagonal form factor and support for USB recharging. Despite your initial assumptions, it’s actually capable of displaying both time and date, and there’s even a built-in alarm with a “light-up animation.” Fancy! It’s available in black with blue, green or red LEDs, and if you order soon, you’ll be able to snag one for $129 / £79 / €89; procrastinators will face a sticker of $149 / £91 / €103. Take a shufti in the gallery below.
Motorola's Photon 4G ships to Sprint on July 31st: $200 on contract
Too often, “expected summer launches” translate into “the very last day possible,” so we were happy to learn that Sprint’s latest collaboration with Motorola, the Photon 4G, will be available July 31st for the usual $200 on contract. To say the upcoming Android device will come loaded is an understatement: it’ll ship with Gingerbread, a Tegra 2 dual-core 1GHz CPU, one full GB of RAM, a 4.3-inch qHD display, dual cameras (8 megapixel rear, VGA front) and 16GB of internal memory. Not surprisingly, Sprint’s also integrating its signature Sprint ID feature into the user interface. While the device will be available to the general public on July 31st, Premier Customers will have the golden opportunity to get it online three days earlier. If you were perched on the fence about the HTC EVO 3D, this may be the only Sprint phone that’s ready to push you in either direction. Full PR following the break.
Dell XPS 15z available in Australia and Asia, fits Sandy Bridge in under an inch of thickness
The XPS 15z, true to Michael Dell’s word, is now with us. Provided “now” is May the 24th in whatever part of the world you happen to live in. Laptop shoppers in Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan — a group of nations already enjoying the glories of Tuesday — can now buy the 0.97 inches-thick 15z for prices starting at just under A$1,400. That buys you a Core i5-2410M from Intel (2.3GHz default speed, 2.9GHz with Turbo Boost), a generous 6GB of DDR3 RAM, backlit keyboard, GeForce GT 525M graphics with 2GB of dedicated memory, a 750GB hard drive, and a 64WHr battery. The screen spans 15.6 inches diagonally and offers 1920 x 1080 resolution. Stepping up to A$1,700 gets you a Core i7-2620M (2.7GHz default, 3.4GHz TB) and 8GB of RAM. Juicy specs, we must admit. Now when’s midnight coming?
Dell's 17-inch Precision M6600 workstation laptop goes on sale early in the UK
We were promised we’d get Dell’s latest Precision powerhouses on May 10th, and that may still be the case for the US, but the company’s UK outlet is ready to let you customize and buy an M6600 today. The 17.3-inch laptop offers options for a multitouch display with stylus functionality, a 2.5GHz quad-core Core i7-2920XM CPU, 16GB of DDR3 RAM, up to half a terabyte (2x 256GB) in solid state storage, and NVIDIA Quadro 4000M graphics. Prices start at £1,549 ($2,590) excluding VAT and shipping, though the spec we’ve listed above would set you back a neat £4,714 ($7,880). Still, a pretty sweet rig if you can afford it.
HP's 3105m is the Pavilion dm1z, rebadged for the business set
We already knew HP had a home run on its hands with the Pavilion dm1z, the first notebook to hit the market with AMD’s long-awaited Fusion platform. Well, it looks like consumers agreed, and the company’s chomping at the bit to duplicate that winning formula for the business crowd. HP’s quietly taken the veil off the 3105m, another 11.6-inch laptop packing AMD’s dual-core 1.6GHz E-350 Zacate CPU and Radeon HD 6310 graphics. The difference is, this little guy runs Windows 7 Professional and offers support for Computrace LoJack for laptops. Otherwise, the $449 starting price is identical, as are the specs, including a standard 320GB 7,200RPM hard drive, 2GB of RAM, and a six-cell battery that promises to last up to nine and a half hours on a charge. Hit the source link to peruse a complete list of specs and, if you’re so inclined, snap one up.
BlackBerry PlayBook now on sale in the US and Canada, starting at $500 with 16GB of storage
Today is the day in BlackBerry land. The wait for a dual-core device with an up-to-date operating system and that stylized BB logo is now over, and a vast array of stores in the US and Canada are now ready to sell you your PlayBook. Whether you’ll actually want to buy one is less clear-cut, however, as basic productivity apps like native email and calendar aren’t yet available, Android app compatibility hasn’t yet been rolled out, and the PlayBook has an unfavorable dependency on having a BlackBerry smartphone nearby in order to be the best tablet it can be. Still, if you believe in RIM’s ability to overcome those early software hurdles, the PlayBook’s ready for ownership in exchange for $500 for the 16GB model, $600 for the 32GB version, or $700 for the 64GB-equipped top option (prices are the same in both US and Canadian dollars).
Logitech ratchets up the competition with M325 wireless mouse
You know that pseudo-tactile feeling you get when you fondle your mouse’s clicky scroll wheel, the one that satisfies your obsessive need to touch everything? Logitech wants to give you more clicks, and smoother scrolling to boot. This M325 wireless mouse’s new “micro-precise” scroll wheel features 72 tiny ratchets, making our self-counted 22-ratchet mouse wheel seem downright barbaric by comparison — not that we ever really considered the number of teeth our mice had before now. The rodent’s 18-month battery life won’t quite live up to your 2-year Couch Mouse, but at least they can share a Logitech Unifying Receiver. Your scroll wheel of tomorrow can be had for $40 later this month, or £30 right now for lucky folks in the UK.
HTC Thunderbolt now available to buy: $250 from Verizon, $180 at Amazon
Another saga put to rest. The question of just when Verizon will release its first 4G LTE handset was answered yesterday with the word “tomorrow,” which makes today that day! Verizon Wireless is now taking online orders for HTC’s 4.3-inch Thunderbolt, pricing the LTE lubber at $250 on a two-year contract. It comes with Android 2.2 as the OS underlying the HTC Sense 2.0 UI, an 8 megapixel camera with HD video recording, 768MB of RAM, and a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 chip that will have to do its best to keep up with those crazy 4G download speeds. If Verizon’s own pricing feels a bit rich to you, shop around — we’ve found the Thunderbolt as low as $180 at Amazon, although the online retailer has it on back order for the moment.
'Soul by Ludacris' headphone series priced from $69 to $299, shipping in May
You know what they say — if you can’t Beat ‘em, undercut ‘em. Signeo’s Soul by Ludacris headphone series — which made its debut a couple of months ago at CES — has just been priced, and sure enough, each pair is cheaper than what Dr. Dre and co. are charging for the HP Beats assortment. The top-end SL300 is set to sell for $299, while the similarly styled SL150 goes for $199. The more conventional SL100 will list for $149, and if it’s earbuds you’re craving, the SL99 will sport an MSRP of $99 while the low-end SL49 offers itself for just $69. Specifics on each one are hosted up after the break, and Americans can expect to see the whole crew this May. As for everyone else? There’s no time table yet, but we’ve been assured by the company that international distribution is being worked on as we speak. Word.
