Well I don’t really think that defense contractor General Dynamics-Itronix was thinking of klutzes when they designed their newest laptop, but the end result will serve klutzes very well. General GD-Itronix recently unveiled the GD8200, which is supposed to be only the first of a line of rugged laptops. To all the other “rugged laptop” makers, it seems GD-Itronix is saying “move over!”

Being a defense contractor, GD-Itronix obviously had law enforcement people in mind when the idea for the laptop was conceived. Think of the military types. Think of the jumping out of planes kind of people. Think police officers who need a laptop on the field. Naturally, the last thing these people would worry about in the face of an emergency is making sure not to drop or jar the laptop. And that’s where the GD8200 comes into the picture.

This laptop has undergone so many tests that the average human being would not be able to withstand. It is meant to function under extreme conditions and can even be used after repeated “falls” on concrete floors. I can’t seem to find information on exactly what kind of material they used for the casing, but whatever it is, I sure wish that Apple would start making laptops using the same material! ;)

Specs-wise, the GD8200 is not unimpressive. It has a second generation Intel Core i7-2655LE dual-core processor which runs at 2.0GHz. This can go as high as 2.9GHz, though, thanks for Intel’s Turbo Boost 2.0 technology. The base model comes with 2GB of RAM, upgradable up to 8GB.

As for the data storage, the GD8200 has all the possible options – from the usual hard disk drives (500GB or 750 GB) to solid state drives (120GB or 256GB) to hybrid drives (500GB). And it doesn’t stop there. This laptop is not only rugged, but it has a touchscreen as well! The screen will work whether you use your finger (with or without gloves! Of course, spies have to use gloves!) or a stylus.

Next month, the GD8200 will be available for only $4,460 – base model. Now if only it weren’t such an eyesore!

Via

With so many new laptops coming out every time you turn around, it is to be expected that manufacturers are upping the game each time they announce a new release. It’s either that or sink. To be honest though, just how many times can one come up with something new and revolutionary – something that actually does make sense and benefit users?

I do not have the answer to that, but Acer’s new line of laptops will make you do a double take. At first glance, there’s really not much to say – Acer does make pretty sleek laptops and they make some of the better looking laptops out there. Dubbed the Acer Aspire Ethos, this new line of laptops does have something that I don’t believe I have seen before. A touchpad that is detachable. Now why would anyone want to have a detachable touchpad? To use as a remote, of course!

Now I haven’t the slightest idea why you would want a touchpad cum remote but if you go one step further and think “laptop and HDTV”…see where I am going here? So if you place your laptop by the TV (unless you have one of those WiDi devices), you simply have to remove the touchpad (which is impractical to use anyway in this situation) and use it as a remote. Here’s a closer look.

In the US, two models are now available – the 15-inch AS5951G and the 18.4-inch AS8951G. The smaller laptop goes for $1,399, while the larger one goes for $1,599. Pricey, no question about that but here is what you get:

• Quad-core second-gen 2.0 GHz Intel Core i7-2630QM CPU
• Nvidia GeForce GT 555M graphics with 2GB of memory
• Edge-to-edge Gorilla Glass-covered displays
• 750GB, 5,400rpm hard drive
• 4x Blu-ray drive
• Dolby-tuned stereo speakers and a bottom subwoofer

The difference is in the display and the RAM. The smaller laptop has a 1,366 x 768-pixel display and 6GB of RAM, while the larger one has a 1,920 x 1,080-pixel display and 8GB of RAM.

Now those specs are not something you can disregard – even if the removable touchpad seems silly to me!

Via CNET Asia

Sony has consistently delivered high quality products, especially when it comes to their Vaio line. Users of these laptops will attest to their performance, and no one can deny that they score a lot of points in aesthetics as well. Of course, there is the price factor, but people are willing to pay for quality anyway.

If you are a fan of Sony products, then you might want to know that the newest in the Vaio line is now available on a pre-order basis on the Sony web site. Here’s the dish on the F series laptops.

Inside, you’ll find Intel Core i7 quad core processors to make sure that you have the computing power that you want and need. Sony recommends that you run Windows 7 on the laptop, although you can always use your preferred operating system. You can choose between the 16-inch 3D display and the 16.4-inch 2D display. And yes, you read that right – the laptops are 3D compatible, allowing you the luxury of watching the latest 3D movies on Blu-ray. The selection may not be that brilliant at the moment, but 3D capability might come in handy in the future. Personally, I would opt out of the 3D functionality for now.

Moving along, other key points about the F series include NVIDIA® GeForce® graphics and S-Force™ Front Surround 3D audio. As for the battery life, the 2D models can last for 2.5 hours on default settings and only 1.5 hours on DVD playback. This is rather poor, don’t you think?

As for connectivity, it has the usual Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, plus it also has two USB 3.0 ports.

The laptops are available in four colors – glossy black, matte black, premium white, and silver.

Of course, you can configure the laptop to your heart’s content, but that probably means you will be paying more than the base price of $799.

It seems that technology can do just about anything. From directing your every move, to what you’re going to eat for dinner, to using a reverse phone lookup. Even though their presence has increased in our lives, some companies are doing better than others. The PC hasn’t been doing to well for years now. Apple has been hitting the market, like clockwork, with increasingly newer and fresher innovations that, coupled with an aggressive marketing campaign, has made them a consumer favorite. Most Apple products are far more expensive than their PC counterpart but people are still driven to purchase these high-end machines. Some say that their increased reliability and brand recognition are just a few of the reasons for this success but PC’s aren’t out of the game. Some PC manufactures hope to revitalize their candidacy for supremacy in the computing market with newer sleeker laptops.

Read more…

Earlier this month, computer manufacturer Dell released a video designed to keep users wanting for more. The video featured what is already being labeled as Dell’s reply to Apple’s MacBook Air: the XPS 15z.

This laptop is supposed to be a continuation of Dell’s Adamo line, which has already been discontinued. This continuation, however, just might hold a lot of promise. Details are rather sparse – in keeping with the theme of doling out bits of information, I suppose – but we know that the laptop will be 15.6 inches and that the whole idea is to go for a streamlined and sleek look. As for the thickness (or thinness, maybe) of the laptop, no concrete numbers have been mentioned, although statements such as the XPS 15z will be “the thinnest laptop in its class” are being thrown around. Since we know that the Adamo was 0.65 inches thick, it is perhaps safe to assume that the XPS 15z will be thinner than that?

Also, rumor has it that the XPS 15z is built around Intel’s Sandy Bridge Core i5 and Core i7 processors. That ought to address concerns that Dell’s new offering might prove to be a disappointment in terms of performance, which was the case with the now dead Adamo.

Oh, the price? Somewhere below the $1,000 mark.

Aside from this information, Dell is being rather tight-lipped about the whole thing. You can’t really blame them, what with the extremely rough competition these days. Anyhow, see the video for yourself below.

Having seen the video and having read all the available details, would you say that Dell is successful in trying to build up hype for its ultra-thin laptop? I have to be honest and say that I found the video to be underwhelming. Sure, I’d love to see what they come up with, but only because I want to know if there is finally a worthy Windows-based laptop to compare the Mac to.