smartech

Though It’s Monday (and not super Tuesday), new things are coming from Cupertino’s direction, as Apple has updated its online store, coming up with a more powerful iMac lineup, including a 20-inch model, equipped with a mighty Penryn CPU, ranged from 2.4GHz up to 2.66GHz with 250GB or 320GB storage capacities, 1GB of RAM, and ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT graphics. The 24-inch model sports the same mighty Penryn proccessor ranged from 2.8GHz up to 3.06GHz with 320GB – 500GB storage capacities, 2GB of RAM, and strong NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS graphics. Both versions feature a built-in iSight cam, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, WiFi 802.11n connectivity and more. The rest pretty much stay the same, including the starting price that stands on $1,199 and soars up to $2,199, respectively.

[via Apple]

I really like the new Art Nouveau cases from Korean company 3Rsystem, it is chic, stylish and very high-end designed. This new “R240 GRACE” lineup features mirrored black or white faceplates, adorned with nice illustrations and made of high glossy bezel. In addition, it has an impressive reddish LCD screen at the bottom and a built-in iMON, to control your multimedia wirelessly. No word on availability, but if you want to get one of these, it will cost you between $70 – $80.

[3rsys via aving]

More pictures after the break.

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Asus intros a new HDTV box, providing a TV tuner and some nifty inputs like s-video, component, and HDMI for your computer’s monitor. The Asus box is capable of upscaling any signal source up to 1080p, for maximum picture quality. It is also equipped with DVI or VGA outputs and sports PIP functionality. The device supports both NTSC and Pal tuner so you can use it around the globe. Price and availability details are missing.

[via slashgear]

If color was your reason not to purchase a new flat MacBook Air, then your excuses are over, thanks to the creative people in colorware. The company customizes a wide range of laptops, based on clients demand, giving them vivid flavors and artifacts appearance. You can choose your style out of 35 aluminum colors and create your favorite design by adding your own logo. The only problem is the price that stands on 500$ for base system color and 50$ per add-on, which makes your MacBook Air adventure very expensive.

[via slashgear]

Onkyo unveils new PC lineup, designed as Hi-Fi stereo systems. The new APX-2 HD PC sports an advanced digital audio amplifier and Pure Direct Audio Path, allowing you to play high-quality HD Audio tunes, without any audio lost, caused by vista filtering drivers. Other features include:

• Processor: Intel 1.66GHz Core 2 Duo T5500.
• Memory: 1GB RAM.
• Storage Size: 500GB stored in a Super Floating HDD Unit with noise cancellation box.
• Price: Not Available

Unfortunately, the new PCs are not available outside Japan, so if you get a chance to drop by, pick one and bring it to us for a first impression.

[via akihabaranews]

Pioneer Computers Australia wants to be part of the ultra-portable banquet, ignited by the Asus Eee PC. The company introduced the DreamBook Light IL1, a compact laptop features 7″ LCD display (800 x 480), 1GHz Via C7-M processor, 1GB of RAM, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB flash storage or a 40GB HDD, Vista, XP or Ubuntu compatibility and more. WiFi connectivity is not included and the price is soaring to $446. More models are expected to be released in the future, equipped with stronger processors, bigger screen displays  and touchscreen functions.

[via gizmodo]

If you have visited Dell’s website recently, trying to build your next dreamlike laptop, you could have seen some new extended components added to the XPS M1330 “Build Your Computer” section. One of these add-ons is the Build-in Wireless USB capability with Belkin 4 port hub, offered for extra 150$. Sounds exciting to me.

Update: also available in XPS M1530, XPS M1730, M2010, Inspiron 1525 and Inspiron 1720 models.

[via engadget]

Macbook users tend to complain about those ugly marks and dark smudges, decorating their surface as a result of palm contact or dust accruement. To solve the problem and get back to the original shiny white color, Lifehacker posted an interesting solution: All you have to do is spread on some white toothpaste on the given area, let it dry, clean it with a damp clout and…voila ! back to the first days when the white was bright glowing.

[via Lifehacker]

Following the tremendous success of the Asus Eee PC, we are getting more and more ultra-portable twin PCs, heading our way. One of those is the Everex Cloudbook, making its first steps toward the US market and expected to land across Walmart soon. The Cloudbook features VIA C7-M 1.2GHz processor, 7-inch LCD TFT screen, Linux OS, 512MB RAM (MAX 1GB), 30GB hard drive storage, WiFi connectivity, card reader, 1.3 MP built-in camera and scanty weight of 900gm. Price is set for 399$.

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[via jkkmobile]

The guys in iFixit have been digging inside the new MacBook Air, revealing us its bowels. The slim Air features notable notes like the 1.8″ 80 GB 4200 RPM Parallel ATA hard disk drive, similar to the iPod Classic one and a Broadcom BCM5974 touch screen controller chip, similar to the one in the iPhone and iPod Touch. Check out the other parts in the attached link.

[iFixit via engadget]

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If you got 6 figures spare money in your bank account, you can afford those bling PCs, designed for the very rich and famous by a Japanese company, named PC Zeus. The company offers 2 lavish computers encrusted with a golden case or a diamond studded platinum case. Prices are $562,800 or $750,400 respectively. Do me a favor, if you consider buying one of those, email me first.

[via gizmodo]

Sony produced slim laptops long before Apple introduced the MacBook Air. One of those Sony’s impressive models is the Vaio T Type. The notebook featured 11.1″ panoramic screen (1,366 x 768), Core 2 Duo U7500 1.06GHz CPU, 1GB memory, 80GB hard drive, DVD-R drive, memory card reader, Bluetooth 2.0, fingerprint sensor, built in camera, 802.11a/b/g WiFi support and more. Now, after the Vaio T had lost its slimmest premier to the MacBook Air, Sony has decided to revive the line, adding a stronger Core 2 Duo U7600 1.2GHz CPU and a new stylish cover skin. No further details on pricing and availability.

Update: The new T series skins are selling for $1583 in Japan.

[via akihabaranews]

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Following the enormous success of the Eee PC, Asus announced a new line, including 8/9/10 inch display. The most interesting model, should be the one with the 9 inch screen, as we hear it might be released with a touchscreen. Price is not going to be much higher than regular models, since adding a touch panel, is a matter of 15$ in the manufacturing cost.

Update: ASUS will not be offering a touchscreen panel, their market research shows limited demand.

[via gmp3]

Miniaturization, is not an easy job. When Apple introduced the slim MacBook Air, last week, we noticed a slenderized design from the outside, but inside hardware had some major modifications as well. One of this interesting changes, came from the ultra mini Core 2 Duo processor figure. It is a combination of Intel 65 nanometer Merom architecture with an 800MHz bus, molded into a new, smaller chip package.

[via gizmodo]

It’s here, rise and shine, the new MacBook Air, world’s thinnest laptop ever made. We all been waiting for this one, and Apple delivered big time. With a super light, super thin and super glowing look, the MacBook Air features:

• Display: 13.3″ LED backlit, TFT glossy widescreen.
• Built-in iSight camera.
  
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo Processor at 1.6 or 1.8GHz.
• Memory: 2GB RAM 667MHz DDR2.
• Storage: 1.8″ 80 GB 4200 rpm hard drive, or SSD 64 GB optional (for extra 1300$).
• Micro-DVI adapter.
• WiFi integrated AirPort Extreme.
• Trackpad with a multi-touch support (like the iPhone).
• Intel GMA X3100 Graphics processor, 144MB RAM.
• Height: 0.4-1.94 cm
• Width: 32.5 cm
• Depth: 22.7 cm
• Weight: 1.36 kg
• Battery life: 5 hours.

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Macworld’s opening day answered all our anticipations, with 5 major announcements from El Stivo. The keynote introduced us as follows:

• iTunes Movie Rentals Service.
• iPhone & iPod Touch Firmware Updates.
• Time Capsule.
• Apple TV Take Two.
• MacBook Air.

It’s not that we were strangers to most of the new announcements, on the contrary, most of them already leaked weeks before, and you could read about it in this blog. Lets view some of them in a nutshell:

iTunes Movie Rentals Service

As we already posted, a week ago, Apple teamed up with all major film studios, such as Paramount, Lions Gate Entertainment, Walt Disney, Miramax, Warner Bros, 20th Century Fox and more, to bring the top movie titles into iTunes, and to enable users renting a film directly from their iPhones or their iPod touch devices, for 3.99$ per 24h.

iPhone & iPod Touch Firmware Updates.

iPhone – As we reported several weeks ago, Apple officially announced on Firmware update 1.1.3 which includes:

• GoogleMaps application is able to pinpoint your location.
• SMS can be send to multiple people, at once.
• Bookmark add-on for web sites.
• Re-arrangement of home screen icons.
• Video chaptering.
• Music lyrics display.

iPod Touch - This one wasn’t known to us up till yesterday. Apple released some new add-ons to the Touch players. The new update features Mail program, Maps, web clips, stocks, weather and notes. BUT, this is not a free update, this one will cost you 20$.

Time Capsule

To make it simple, this is a wireless backup server. To make it complicated, it is a full Airport Extreme base station with 802.11n wireless and a server grade hard drives that enables to backup all Leopard OS Macs in your network. The Time Capsule comes in 2 configurations:

• 500GB for $300.
• 1TB for $500.

Apple TV Take Two

The major improvements in Take Two TV is that it requires no computer, renting movies is much easier and you can have them in HD Dolby 5.1 format. The Take Two edition supports audio, video and photo browsing via Flickr. To upgrade your Apple TV to a Take Two version, you will have to update the software. It is free of charge and will be available in 2 weeks.

MacBook Air

This is the big one, that everyone was expecting to hear about. MackBook Air goes live with the title of the thinnest notebook on earth, just 4mm (!). It features:

• 13.3″ screen display with ambient light sensor.
• A black keyboard with a LED backlit.
• A multi-touch pad (like the iPhone).

Further details will be available in the next posts.

With the growth of information movability, we all need a portable hard drive to carry with us on the go. The new Seagate D.A.V.E portable hard drives are distinguished from other similar products, by enabling wireless connection from any laptop or cell phone, through WiFi or Blootooth technologies. Despite the limited 60GB storage capacity, this is definitely a cables saver. Price and availability are unknown for the moment.

[via slashgear]

So far, a large number of MID/UMPC devices have been introduced at the CES 2008. This time, it is Asus turn to unveil its latest, the R50A. This device is another advanced UMPC machine, equipped with the top-notch technology. Check out some of the features:

• Display: 5.6″ TFT LCD touchscreen (1024 x 600).
• Processor: Intel Silverthorne 1.3GHz, with Intel Menlow platform.
• Memory: 1GB
  
• Features: Webcam, Microphone, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, external speaker, global positioning system, 3G/3.5G connectivity, fingerprint reader.
• Dimension: 200 x 85 x 20 mm 520g.

[via gmp3]

LG joined the UMPC celebration at the CES, by announcing on a new MID/UMPC machine. The new LG device features the new ultra mobile Menlow platform from Intel, along side the new 1.33GHz 45nm Silverthorne processor. Price is expected to be around 1000 Euros.

Specifications:

• Display: 4.8″ WVGA TouchScreen (1024 x 600).
• Memory: 1GB RAM.
• Storage size: 40GB HDD (1.5″).
• OS: Windows Vista
• Processor: Silverthorne 45nm, 1.33GHz on Ultra Mobile Intel Menlow platform.
  
• Features:  HSDPA, BlueTooth 2.0, WiFi, sliding keyboard,
• Size:148 x 92 x 29 mm 590g.
  

 [via gmp3]

Is the new iRiver Wing UMPC reminding you something? Well…If you thought about the Asus Eee PC, you guessed right. As we mentioned, the huge impression (and sales) of the Eee ultra mini PC, made other companies reconsider their line of products. The iRiver WING is a WiFi enabled portable device with a 4″ touchscreen and 4GB of flash storage. It runs Windows CE Pro and equipped with a full QUERTY keyboard. Other features include web browsing, emails, FM radio, VOIP support and SD expansion.

[via gizmodo]