Panasonic plans new Toughbook laptops
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(InfoWorld) - Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. (Panasonic) is refreshing itsÂ Toughbook rugged laptop PC lineÂ and aiming for a big jump in international sales of the computers over the next three years. The company, already a leader in the rugged PC market, aims to ship 7.5 times more rugged PCs outside Japan by 2010 than it did in 2006, said Toshiyuki Takagi, director of the IT product division and Panasonic's AVC Networks division, at a Tokyo news conference. In Europe it is aiming for a ten-fold increase in shipments. The new 7-series machines, aimed at corporate users, are beefier than the current 5-series machines and can survive a fall from a greater height. The new models can be dropped from 76 centimeters -- the height of an average desk -- while switched on and still work, according to Panasonic. Its current Toughbook models for the corporate PC market are rated for a 30 cm drop but only when switched off. The 76-cm claim was backed up at the news conference as the laptops were dropped numerous times without any problem. Panasonic also demonstrated a new irrigation system in the keyboard that can funnel water through the machine and out of a drain hole in the base. It can handle up to 200 milliliters of water -- about the amount in a medium-sized glass -- without the PC experiencing any problems. The four new laptops -- one of which will be available in Japan only -- are based on Intel's Santa Rosa platform, which combines a processor, chip set, and wireless adapter. They have double the memory of their predecessors, at 1GB, and the hard-disk capacity is one-third larger, at 80GB, than in the previous models. They all include 802.11 a/b/g wireless LAN but the new 802.11n variant is not supported. The Japan-only CF-R7 has a 10.4-inch screen with 1,024 pixels by 768 pixels (XGA) resolution but no optical drive. It will be launched on Oct. 19 and will cost about Â¥205,000 ($1,780). The CF-T7 has a 12.1-inch XGA screen and will be launched in Japan on Oct. 19. It will cost Â¥220,000. The CF-W7 adds a DVD Super-multi drive to the mix and will go on sale in Japan on Nov. 16 for around Â¥250,000. Finally, the high-end CF-Y7 has a 14.1-inch screen with 1,400 pixels by 1,050 pixels (SXGA) resolution and the DVD Super-multi drive. It will launch on Oct. 19 and will cost about Â¥270,000. The CF-T7, CF-W7 and CF-Y7 will be launched in Europe on Nov. 27. The CF-W7 will cost â¬1,950 ($2,760), the CF-T7 will have a â¬2,100 price tag and the CF-Y7 will be â¬2,170. North American and Asian prices are yet to be announced. Launch dates will be around the same time as those in Europe.
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(InfoWorld) - Via TechnologiesÂ has developed an ultraportable notebook reference design that will soon hit European markets. The Via NanoBook, which will be unveiled Wednesday at the Computex exhibition, uses the company's 1.2GHz C-7M processor and has a 7-inch LCD (liquid crystal display) touchscreen and Wi-Fi. The small notebook PC is intended to ship with either a 30GB or 60GB hard disk, and can run either Windows XP or Windows Vista. The notebook weighs less than 2 pounds, or 900 grams, and has a battery life of up to five hours. The NanoBook is aimed at the same market as theÂ Ultramobile PCÂ (UMPC) reference design developed by Microsoft and Intel, but has different specifications. For instance, the UMPC is designed around an Intel microprocessor and does not include a full keyboard. Via trails far behind Intel and Advanced Micro DevicesÂ in the microprocessor market and is counting on reference designs like the NanoBook to win more business from hardware vendors, said Richard Brown, the company's vice president of corporate marketing. The strategy appears to be working. On Sunday, Taiwanese contract manufacturer First International Computer (FIC) leaked details of a NanoBook produced by the company. That device is being made under contract for Packard Bell, which will put the device on sale in Europe during the third quarter, according to a source familiar with the deal. A similar device will be made for sale in the U.S. but will not be sold under the Packard Bell brand, the source said. Via's NanoBook reference design includes at least one feature that will not appear in the device sold by Packard Bell. Because the screen is smaller than the notebook's lid, there is space for a removable module that sits next to the display. Via has developed three modules that can be changed by users to suit their needs. These modules include a world clock, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, a VOIP (voice over Internet Protocol) phone, a DVB television receiver, and a 3G (third-generation) cellular module. Â
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While Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) introduction of the Mac Mini just weeks ago indicates a push toward the low end of personal computers, the company has just introduced new models in its high-end series of PowerBook notebook computers. The line is characterized by more memory, faster processors, and some nifty bells and whistles -- as each generation of the PowerBooks has been.
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A backlog of Apple notebooks at Best Buy could be yet another sign that new MacBooks with Intel's latest chips are around the corner.
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IBM (NYSE: IBM) has announced a new ThinkPad notebook line that will use biometrics for added security. Due for release on October 19th, certain models of the ThinkPad T42 will have embedded fingerprint readers that will allow users to sign on using fingerprints rather than passwords.
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Vaio N10's inspiration is clear Sony has rolled out its latest Core Duo-based consumer-friendly notebook, a compact unit with a footprint the size of an A4 sheet of paper, a 15.4in widescreen display and more than a hint of the Apple MacBook about it.â¦
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The so-called $100 laptop that's being designed
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The devices, which will be available soon, will offer better picture quality than earlier models.
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Panasonic is recalling several thousand laptop computer battery packs shipped last year because of concerns that the pack's latch that could lead to overheating.
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Aimed at the education sector, the laptop will feature, among other things, a flash-based hard drive and a "wireless music server." But, the company says, it's "not really about the specs."
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Updated OS, new consumer products expected to be introduced next month.
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SAN FRANCISCO - Toshiba Corp.'s new desktop-replacement multimedia notebooks, introduced on Tuesday, are further evidence that U.S. consumers still have yet to embrace the mobility offered by Intel Corp.'s newer mobile processors.
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There's something in the air -- a new ultrathin laptop from Lenovo that some observers think could become the first major competitor to Apple's MacBook Air.
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IBM (IBM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , Sony Corp. (6758.T: Quote, Profile, Research) and Toshiba Corp. (6502.T: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday unveilled plans for a powerful new &quot;Cell
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Blog: new laptops are upgraded versions of Dell's existing workhorse models
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InfoWorld - TaiwaneseÂ laptop maker Micro-Star International (MSI)Â plans to add Turbo-battery mode to a laptop PC aimed at computer gamers later this year in a bid to increase battery life and put out a more environmentally friendly product.
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Panasonic is expanding its line of ruggedized notebooks and is aiming to dramatically increase sales of the devices worldwide.