61! 12! 10! 5!

Linux and "MacBook Air killers":

• Sony Vaio Z-series and Linux -- 61
  
• Lenovo ThinkPad X301 and Linux -- 12
  
• Dell Latitude E4200/E4300 and Linux -- 10
  
• Samsung X360 and Linux -- 5
  
• Dell Adamo and Linux (soon)
  
• HP Vodoo Envy 133 and Linux (soon)
• MSI X-Slim Series X320 and Linux (soon)
• Toshiba Portégé R600 and Linux (soon)
  

More on MSI X-Slim X320

MSI’s X-Slim X320 price revealed by PC Corner: $850 USD at Electronic Pulp

We’ve seen its brothers, the MSI X340 and MSI X600, but we still don’t have a lot of information about the forthcoming Atom-powered MSI X320. Though we know that it will only measure 1.98cm thin, and will have a glossy widescreen 13.4-inch display, the most important feature of all — its price — still remains a mystery. Well, no more. Local computer retailer PC Corner has just put a price on this svelte-looking MacBook Air killer: $850 USD. That, of course, could still change depending on the exchange rate, among other things when the product finally ships. But for now, you can look to that as a number to meet in saving up for this sexy little upcoming ‘puter.

Dell Latitude E4200/E4300 reaches double digits! Keep signing!

Linux and "MacBook Air killers":

• Sony Vaio Z-series and Linux -- 60
  
• Lenovo ThinkPad X301 and Linux -- 12
  
• Dell Latitude E4200/E4300 and Linux -- 10
  
• Samsung X360 and Linux -- 5
  
• Dell Adamo and Linux (soon)
  
• HP Vodoo Envy 133 and Linux (soon)
• MSI X-Slim Series X320 and Linux (soon)
• Toshiba Portégé R600 and Linux (soon)
  

MSI X-Slim with an Air-like form... but a lot cheaper

MSI unveils new X-Slim models ahead of CeBIT - Engadget

We certainly aren't tired of the X-Slim 320 laptop from MSI, with its Air-like form-factor in less expensive and slightly more practical packaging -- it's still many moons away from release, after all. Despite that, MSI felt the need to announce two new models to round out the still unreleased lineup: the 13.4-inch X340 and 15.6-inch X600. We don't know much about these two yet except that the X340 is slated be priced somewhere in the (wide) range of $699-$999 in the US, that both offer HDMI in addition to VGA output, both are Centrino 2-based, and that the X600 even has an eSATA port on top of its two USBs. We'll surely be seeing a lot more of this pair (plus the X320 as well) at CeBIT in just a few weeks, and are hoping that MSI will go ahead and maybe release one before introducing any more.

More buzz on the Dell Adamo laptop

Is Dell Adamo a MacBook Air Killer? | TechzTalk

On Wednesday, Dell updated its Adamo website that now states, “Prepare to fall in love. Introducing a love story from Dell.” And the whole blogosphere went crazy calling Adamo the MacBook Air killer. Before Adamo, the blogosphere has called Lenovo ThinkPad X301 and Voodoo Envy 133 a MacBook Air killer. But both of them turned out to be just another ultra thin and light notebook, nowhere as revolutionary as the MacBook Air. So is the Dell Adamo a MacBook Air killer or just another thin and light notebook?

Well, the answer depends on two factors exterior design and internal hardware. First lets consider external design, we can see from the image above that Adamo is not as thin and sleek as the Air. The front of MacBook Air measures just 0.16-inch, Dell Adamo is not even close to that. The back of Dell Adamo has an Ethernet port that means the back is thicker than 0.7-inch the height of the Ethernet port, which would make it thicker than the thickest part of the MacBook Air. Actually, if you consider the Ethernet port it looks like the Adamo is nearly as thick as the new Unibody MacBook that Apple released last October. Even though like the MacBook Air, Adamo uses aircraft grade aluminum casing, it will weigh 3.9 pounds, which is almost a pound more than MacBook Air. So design-wise the Adamo is nowhere near MacBook Air.

Now lets consider the internal hardware, Dell hasn’t released any information about the hardware yet, but our sources say that Dell will mostly use the 1.2GHz and 1.4GHz ULV processors from Intel and integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD. The result of this processor and graphics card selection will be that Dell Adamo won’t match the performance offered by 1.6GHz SL9300 Core 2 Duo processor and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor used by lower-end MacBook Air. Hardware-wise also Adamo is no match for MacBook Air, even though it will be released almost 6 months after MacBook Air was updated last year.

To compensate for lack of revolutionary design and hardware performance Dell will advertise that Adamo has more ports or more configurable options. Review websites will also talk about number of ports rather than actually comparing performance of the two laptops. But the truth is, like ThinkPad X301 and Voodoo Envy 133 before it, the new Dell Adamo will be just another thin and light laptop, not a game changing one.

60 and counting for Sony Vaio Z-series and Linux

The Sony Vaio Z-series and Linux website reaches 60 members. There is now a linux image with the latest sony-laptop module with extra-extra-improved battery life and scripts to smoothly suspend to ram and wake-up your laptop under Linux.

Linux and "MacBook Air killers":

• Sony Vaio Z-series and Linux -- 60
  
• Lenovo ThinkPad X301 and Linux -- 12
  
• Dell Latitude E4200/E4300 and Linux -- 9
  
• Samsung X360 and Linux -- 5
  
• Dell Adamo and Linux (soon)
  
• HP Vodoo Envy 133 and Linux (soon)
• MSI X-Slim Series X320 and Linux (soon)
• Toshiba Portégé R600 and Linux (soon)
  

Rounding up the week with 85 subscriptions and more information on Sony Vaio Z-series and Linux!

85 subscriptions in total! Keep signing!

The Sony Vaio Z-series and Linux website has been updated with the lastest information on how to turn off the nvidia card without the need of MS Windows, and there are now linux images ready to install the newest version of the sony-laptop module.

Linux and "MacBook Air killers":

• Sony Vaio Z-series and Linux -- 59
  
• Lenovo ThinkPad X301 and Linux -- 12
  
• Dell Latitude E4200/E4300 and Linux -- 9
  
• Samsung X360 and Linux -- 5
  
• Dell Adamo and Linux (soon)
  
• HP Vodoo Envy 133 and Linux (soon)
• MSI X-Slim Series X320 and Linux (soon)
• Toshiba Portégé R600 and Linux (soon)
  

One more for Samsung X360 and Linux! Keep signing!

83 subscriptions in total! Keep signing!

Linux and "MacBook Air killers":

• Sony Vaio Z-series and Linux -- 57
  
• Lenovo ThinkPad X301 and Linux -- 12
  
• Dell Latitude E4200/E4300 and Linux -- 9
  
• Samsung X360 and Linux -- 5
  
• Dell Adamo and Linux (soon)
  
• HP Vodoo Envy 133 and Linux (soon)
• MSI X-Slim Series X320 and Linux (soon)
• Toshiba Portégé R600 and Linux (soon)
  

One more for Lenovo ThinkPad X301 and Linux! Keep signing!

82 subscriptions in total! Keep signing!

Linux and "MacBook Air killers":

• Sony Vaio Z-series and Linux -- 57
  
• Lenovo ThinkPad X301 and Linux -- 12
  
• Dell Latitude E4200/E4300 and Linux -- 9
  
• Samsung X360 and Linux -- 4
  
• Dell Adamo and Linux (soon)
  
• HP Vodoo Envy 133 and Linux (soon)
• MSI X-Slim Series X320 and Linux (soon)
• Toshiba Portégé R600 and Linux (soon)
  

More members in launchpad teams for Linux on Macbook Air Killers

81 subscriptions in total! Keep signing!

Linux and "MacBook Air killers":

• Sony Vaio Z-series and Linux -- 57
  
• Lenovo ThinkPad X301 and Linux -- 11
  
• Dell Latitude E4200/E4300 and Linux -- 9
  
• Samsung X360 and Linux -- 4
  
• Dell Adamo and Linux (soon)
  
• HP Vodoo Envy 133 and Linux (soon)
• MSI X-Slim Series X320 and Linux (soon)
• Toshiba Portégé R600 and Linux (soon)
  

Switching off the nvidia card now possible via sony-laptop.c in Vaio Z-series! Keep signing!

The sony-laptop module can now switch off the nvidia card in the Sony Vaio Z-series laptop series under Linux. Installation instructions here:

http://www.basyskom.org/~eva/log_installation_vaio_z21vnx.html

Keep signing to the Linux and "MacBook Air killers" list:

• Sony Vaio Z-series and Linux -- 57
  
• Lenovo ThinkPad X301 and Linux -- 11
  
• Dell Latitude E4200/E4300 and Linux -- 9
  
• Samsung X360 and Linux -- 3
  
• Dell Adamo and Linux (soon)
  
• HP Vodoo Envy 133 and Linux (soon)
• MSI X-Slim Series X320 and Linux (soon)
• Toshiba Portégé R600 and Linux (soon)
  

Toshiba Protégé R600 review... Keep signing!

Linux and "MacBook Air killers":

• Sony Vaio Z-series and Linux -- 56
  
• Lenovo ThinkPad X301 and Linux -- 11
  
• Dell Latitude E4200/E4300 and Linux -- 9
  
• Samsung X360 and Linux -- 3
  
• Dell Adamo and Linux (soon)
  
• HP Vodoo Envy 133 and Linux (soon)
• MSI X-Slim Series X320 and Linux (soon)
• Toshiba Portégé R600 and Linux (soon)
  

MacBook Air Killer | a Netbook - Netbooks, Notebooks, Laptops, Reviews, Mobile, PC

The Portégé R600 is the latest notebook PC from Toshiba. The ultra light laptop measures 283mm x 215.8mm x 19.5-25.5mm and weights at only 2.4lbs. The R600 comes with a powerful specs including a fast 1.4Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo Ultra Low Voltage processor SU9400 with Mobile Intel GS45 Chipset, 2GB RAM, up to 5GB of upper memory ceiling, Mobile Intel GMA X4500 with up to 256MB of shared video memory, 128GB SATA SSD, USB ports, VGA port and Windows Vista Business OS. The Toshiba Portégé R600 retails for $3,299 upwards, depending on the specs.

To double your success, triple your failures! Keep signing!

Linux and "MacBook Air killers":

• Sony Vaio Z-series and Linux -- 55
  
• Lenovo ThinkPad X301 and Linux -- 11
  
• Dell Latitude E4200/E4300 and Linux -- 8
  
• Samsung X360 and Linux -- 3
  
• Dell Adamo and Linux (soon)
  
• HP Vodoo Envy 133 and Linux (soon)
• MSI X-Slim Series X320 and Linux (soon)
• Toshiba Portégé R500-11J and Linux (soon)
  

Sony Vaio Z-series and Linux scores again! Keep signing!

Linux and "MacBook Air killers":

• Sony Vaio Z-series and Linux -- 54
  
• Lenovo ThinkPad X301 and Linux -- 11
  
• Dell Latitude E4200/E4300 and Linux -- 8
  
• Samsung X360 and Linux -- 3
  
• Dell Adamo and Linux (soon)
  
• HP Vodoo Envy 133 and Linux (soon)
• MSI X-Slim Series X320 and Linux (soon)
• Toshiba Portégé R500-11J and Linux (soon)
  

There may be very good news for the owners of Sony Vaio Z-series laptops under Linux soon. Keep signing to the launchpad team of you are one of them, as this gives us visibility when having to talk to Sony and nVidia. A snippet here:

        // Manage GFX cards?
        // Arg0: unused?
        // Arg1: 0x10 - target is chipset graphics card (OVGA)
        //       else - target is external graphics card (PEGP.DGPU)
        // Arg2: combined function name and arguments
        //       [0]  - function name, ASCII representation of ACPI method name
        //         everything else is function dependent
            Method (WMMX, 3, NotSerialized)
            {
                CreateDWordField (Arg2, Zero, FUNC) // FUNC: Function name, DWORD copied from byte 0 of Arg2
                If (LEqual (FUNC, 0x444F445F))
                {
                    If (LEqual (Arg1, 0x10))
                    {
                        Return (^^OVGA._DOD ())
                    }
                    Else
                    {
                        Return (^^PEGP.DGPU._DOD ())
                    }
                }

Another day, another Sony Vaio Z-series with Linux

Linux and "MacBook Air killers":

• Sony Vaio Z-series and Linux -- 54
  
• Lenovo ThinkPad X301 and Linux -- 10
  
• Dell Latitude E4200/E4300 and Linux -- 8
  
• Samsung X360 and Linux -- 3
  
• Dell Adamo and Linux (soon)
  
• HP Vodoo Envy 133 and Linux (soon)
• MSI X-Slim Series X320 and Linux (soon)
• Toshiba Portégé R500-11J and Linux (soon)
  

Keep on subscribing to Linux MacBook Air Killer teams!

Linux and "MacBook Air killers":

• Sony Vaio Z-series and Linux -- 53
  
• Lenovo ThinkPad X301 and Linux -- 10
  
• Dell Latitude E4200/E4300 and Linux -- 8
  
• Samsung X360 and Linux -- 3
  
• Dell Adamo and Linux (soon)
  
• HP Vodoo Envy 133 and Linux (soon)
• MSI X-Slim Series X320 and Linux (soon)
• Toshiba Portégé R500-11J and Linux (soon)
  

You can buy your Lenovo Thinkpad X301 with Linux preinstalled

ThinkPad by Lenovo - X series: X200, X301, X61 Tablet with Linux pre-installed.

Manufacturer Info EmperorLinux Raven X301 (ThinkPad X301 by Lenovo)
Pre-installed Linux Fedora LogoUbuntu LogoRed Hat Enterprise Linux LogoCentOS LogoDebian LogoSuSE LogoSlackware Logo
Processor and RAM 1400 Mhz Core 2 Duo Intel SU9400 w/ 3072 KB cache (800 MHz FSB)
2 GB (slot 1,max) + 2 GB (slot 2,max)
4 GB max supported RAM, 1067 MHz clock speed
Graphics Full Linux support: 13.3"WXGA+ at 1440x900
Full Linux support: Intel GMA 4500MHD
Full Linux support: External VGA (Tri-state, Dual Head)
Disks 128 GB Hard Disk (Solid State)
Full Linux support: DVD+/-RW Drive (Internal Fixed)
Networking Full Linux support: 10/100/1000 Mbps ethernet
Full Linux support: 56 Kbps Modem
Full Linux support: 802.11a/g/n (100Mbps) WiFi
Full Linux support: Bluetooth (2 Mbps)
Sound Full Linux support: Internal 44.1kHz stereo sound chip
Battery 6-cell, 4 Amp Hours
Estimated Life: 6 hours
Power Management ACPI compliant BIOS
Full Linux support: Hibernate to Disk
Ports Full Linux support: 3 USB
Full Linux support: 1 RJ45 (ethernet)
Full Linux support: 1 VGA
Size 2.93 pounds
12.5in (w) x 9.09in (d) x 0.92in (t)
Keyboard 19.1 mm pitch, 2.5 mm stroke (full size)
89 key U.S. layout
No Linux support: Biometric Fingerprint Scanner
Dual Boot Options Manufacturer OS: Vista Bus.
"Blue Keys" Full Linux support: Volume Up: [Volume Up]
Full Linux support: Volume Down: [Volume Down]
Full Linux support: Volume Off: [Mute]
Full Linux support: LCD Brightness Up: [Fn][Home]
Full Linux support: LCD Brightness Down: [Fn][End]
Full Linux support: Toggle External VGA: [Fn][F7]
Full Linux support: Hibernate to Disk: [Fn][F12]
Warranties System: 36 months (full Lenovo factory warranty)
Battery: 12 months
Included Accessories AC Adapter
Price $4150

Full Linux support: = Full Linux support Partial Linux support: = Partial Linux support No Linux support: = No Linux support

Lenovo Thinkpad X301 by redmonk

tecosystems » Meet Apone: The X301 Review (Linux and Vista)

For the first time in nearly four years, I have a new laptop. It’s the one with the stickers on it. Feel free to send more of those, incidentally.

After being patient and not purchasing an X61s last summer to replace my aging and beat up X40 (only a 40 GB hard drive, if you can believe that), as was originally planned, I’ve got a brand new machine with everything I could want. 128 GB SSD, 13.3″ 1440×900 LED backlit screen, dual batteries and so on in a package that weighs slightly more than three pounds (with the extra battery, otherwise ~3).

To be honest, it’s probably not in my self-interest to review this machine. The folks from Lenovo have historically been very generous with loaner machines in return for detailed reviews and feedback; what if they were to discover that I’d do these reviews anyway? But several of you have asked about the machine, and I live but to serve. So this one’s for you; let’s just keep it on the down low.
The Hardware

* Battery Life:
There are two problems with me estimating this for you: 1.) I’ve only had the laptop for 24 hours or so, and 2.) I actually have two batteries, complicating the assessment.

Windows Vista, which did a better job of handling the two batteries seamlessly (Linux sees both, but will not calculate aggregated life expectation), guessed anywhere between 5 and 8 hours on two fully charged batteries. Other reviews I’ve seen indicate it’s closer to the former than the latter, but we’ll see.
* DisplayPort:
It’s got one, in addition to the standard VGA. I’m told I’ll care more about that in a year or two; for now, it doesn’t mean much to me.
* DVD Player/Burner:
Didn’t get one this time around. As mentioned on Twitter, I only used the DVD player on the X300 two or three times in five plus months, so replacing it with a second battery that I could use daily was an easy call.
* Finish/Frame/Etc:
It’s nearly identical to the X300. On the plus side, the frame is exceptionally stiff, while on the minus the matte finish is like glue for skin oils. Overall, the fit and finish is just what you’d expect from a Thinkpad; exceptional. They may not be aren’t sexy, but they are well made.
* GPS:
Haven’t tested this on Linux; on Windows, it failed to track because I was inside and had no line of sight to the satellites that power it.
* Memory:
I’ve got 3 GB on board, and I believe there’s room for one more - though that was the maximum available at order time. Could be wrong on that, though.
* Processor:
The machine is, frankly, a bit underpowered thanks to the Ultra Low Voltage processor they’ve crammed into the narrow casing. Its two cores run at a clock speed of 1.4 Ghz, which is almost a full stop down from even the X200. But the performance hasn’t been impacted in my brief usage; compiles took what they should, applications run with no perceptible impact, and so on. I’ll be interested to see what happens when I set up VMWare, but for now the processor is adequate.
* Slots:
What I miss most relative to other Thinkpads I’ve owned is a card reader. If you own a digital camera, as I do, the ability to pull a card and insert it directly in the machine is big. Also, the machine has no PCMCIA slot, so what’s on board is what you’ve got.
* Screen:
Maybe the laptop’s best feature. Although the same size as the MacBook Air’s, the X301’s LCD owns the higher resolution. The result is more screen real estate in the same footprint, one that in no way shape or form is an eyechart. The resolution provides enough space to run Firefox and have a third of the screen left for Twhirl, Pidgin, or whatever.
* Speakers:
They’re tremendous. Maybe not compared to a desktop replacement, but against any other ultralight or borderline ultralight, they’re exceptional. Which, given my music habits, is a good thing.
* Trackpoint/Touchpad:
I hate touchpads with the white hot intensity of a thousand suns, which is why Michael Dolan’s reminder that it can be toggled off in the BIOS is worth a beer the next time I see him. Alex and some of the other Mac people I know might be right that I could adjust to the touchpad given time and better software, but it’s academic for now.
* Weight/Size:
The machine, as mentioned, weighs in between 3 and 4 pounds with the second battery (near as I can determine, anyway), and the dimensions are likely nearer the 14″ T series models than its 12″ X brethren, thanks to the sizable bezel. Which I’m fine with, personally, but if you’re used to a 12 inch model it’s an adjustment. And if you’re looking for a netbook, I recommend buying a netbook, not this.
* WWAN:
Lenovo offers both AT&T and Verizon cards for the machine; I chose the former because AT&T gets five bars of reception here in Maine, while Verizon gets one - if you walk up on the hill behind the house. Also, because I have one AT&T data account and zero Verizon data accounts. Under Vista, the signup process was painful because a.) it has to be done over the phone, and b.) I wanted to connect the on board card with an existing account, rather than create a new one. Making that happen took two calls to AT&T and another two to Lenovo. All of the support people were friendly, if ill equipped to handle my request.

If you’re trying to convert from an existing card rather than sign up fresh, here’s what you need to do: get the IMEI and SIM numbers for the new card from the Lenovo Broadband Connectivity application, then call AT&T at 866.246.4852. Tell them the phone # associated with your data card to look up the account, then request they add the new hardware to the account using that data.

That done, reboot the machine and fire up the Broadband Connectivity application or whatever Lenovo calls it, and see if it says the card is “Activated.” If yes, ignore the fact that it will tell you that you still have to sign up (don’t ask me, I don’t know). Instead go to “Access Connections,” and use that (seriously convoluted) UI to attempt a connection using HSPA. It worked here, and no, before you ask, I am not a fan of the ThinkVantage applications.

As for the card on Linux, well, I’ll get to that in a moment.

Windows

I don’t have much feedback on Windows as I ran it for less than 24 hours all told, but Vista seemed to run without much effort. At no point, did it drag or hang, except when coming back from suspend. Boot time, however, was slow, even with the SSD.
Linux

Ok, this is what a high percentage of you people probably came here for. Herewith, then, the Linux on X301 report. One very important note before I get there, however.

For my distribution, I chose Ubuntu Hardy. Many of you will be doubtless be tempted to run Intrepid, or OpenSuSE 11.1, or something similarly new and cutting edge. I highly recommend that you not do this. Should you ignore that advice, you may risk damaging your ethernet card permanently, which - seeing as it’s integrated into the motherboard - is suboptimal. This bug describes the problem; basically, a rogue driver may overwrite the firmware of the device, rendering it inoperable. Worse, the tools that Intel provides to repair it (IABUTIL.EXE), will only worsen the problem by making the device invisible to the PCI bus. In case it’s not obvious, the fix for this is sending your laptop to Lenovo for a motherboard replacement. Seriously.

If you decide to proceed with Intrepid knowing this, I would follow the advice Chris Jones gave me, which is to hide your LAN chip from the OS by deactivating it in the BIOS.

But until that bug is fixed, I recommend you do what I did and stick with Hardy. Everything will work, with three exceptions - two important and one trivial - which I’ll get to.

On to the breakdown:
What Works

Pretty much everything. Unlike the X300, sound works out of the box (if you experience any problems, go to System:Preferences:Sound and turn off autodetect, picking ALSA instead). The display is picked up correctly, ethernet works, suspend works, as does Bluetooth and the Thinkpad keys (volume up/down/mute and the keyboard light).
What Mostly Works

As mentioned above, GNOME Power sees both batteries, and drains them serially with no issues (like a loss of power) whatsoever. It cannot, however, provide an estimated runtime based on the capacity of both batteries as could (if very imperfectly) Vista. As nearly as I can determine, it will estimate the runtime for each battery individually. This may be less of an issue once I’ve had the laptop longer and know better what to expect, but for now this is less than ideal.
What Doesn’t Work

* Camera:
This may be a transient issue, as I experienced no issues whatsoever with the camera on the X300, but attempting to take a picture using the on board camera using Cheese locked up the entire UI. Haven’t looked at fixing this at all; mostly because I don’t really care that much about the camera.
* Wifi:
As of kernel 2.6.27 - the standard kernel issued for Intrepid (which again, I recommend you AVOID for now) - the Intel 5100 drivers are in mainline. Hardy, however, is still on 2.6.24 and the 5100 drivers are not available out of the box. As a result, the wireless will not work on install. The good news is that there’s an easy fix.

I followed theburningor’s simple, excellent instructions here and had wifi up and running first try. For the link averse, the build process is as follows:
1. sudo apt-get install build-essential
2. wget http://intellinuxwireless.org/iwlwifi/downloads/iwlwifi-5000-ucode-5.4.A.11.tar.gz
3. tar -xzvf iwlwifi*
4. sudo cp iwlwifi-5000-ucode-5.4.A.11/iwlwifi-5000-1.ucode /lib/firmware
5. wget http://wireless.kernel.org/download/compat-wireless-2.6/compat-wireless-old.tar.bz2
6. bunzip2 compat-wireless-old.tar.bz2
7. tar xf compat-wireless-old.tar
8. cd compat-wireless-2.6-old/


You need to make sure at that point that the CONFIG_IWL5000 switch in config.mk is marked y - mine was. Once that’s done, just do the following:
1. make
2. sudo make install
3. sudo make unload
4. sudo make load

Reboot, and you’re good to go. Wireless works.
* WWAN:
Update: This one’s been solved: see the instructions here.

This one, unfortunately, may be a significant problem. Because I’m stupid and didn’t check, I assumed that Lenovo would be continuing to use the Sierra based WWAN cards that were present in the X300. These are popular amongst open source types because they are relatively easy to get running under Ubuntu (I’ve done it a few times) and the drivers are already in kernel.

As you might have deduced, Lenovo’s made a change. I wish Lenovo had stuck with Sierra, and I wish they published the Linux compatibility of the various hardware components, but ultimately it’s my fault for not checking. In my defense, I have been waiting for a new machine for nearly four years; you can understand if I got a bit carried away at order time.

The card in the X301 is an Ericsson F3507g, which appears to not only have no in kernel driver - but to have never been successfully activated under Linux (please correct if I’m wrong. seriously.). This datasheet (PDF warning) says there is a Linux driver, but I’ll be damned if I can find it. Lenovo’s support site lists nothing but the Windows bits.

This leaves me with two potential options longer term; 1.) attempt to run the Windows driver under something like ndiswrapper, 2.) reinstall a Windows partition just for the purposes of running the WWAN card. I’m fired up about neither option, to be honest.

But maybe someone who runs across this has a solution for me. That’s the hope, anyway.

Also not working under either Linux or Windows is the BIOS setting to power USB devices while the machine is in low power states; a minor trifle, perhaps, but it would be nice to be able to charge my iPhone while the machine was suspended.

One other item of interest: while I don’t recall it being mentioned at purchase time, the BIOS mentions a WIMAX radio. Whether or not it’s on board is undetermined as yet, but it’s something to watch for.

Samsung X360 on dvice

Here is the Launchpad link again for the Samsung X360 Laptop on Linux team:

http://launchpad.net/~samsung-x360

DVICE: Samsung X360 laptop touted as 'lighter than Air,' makes MacBook Air look like an airhead

If you’ve fallen in love with the MacBook Air but just can’t stand the thought of muddling through OS X, becoming a snooty Mac user, or suffering through Apple’s skin-deep quality and often-shoddy workmanship, Samsung is aiming its .66-inch-thin X360 laptop directly at you.

This 13.3-inch laptop weighs a mere 2.8 pounds and shines where the MacBook Air skimps: It’s the inputs, stupid. How’s three USB ports (compared to the Air’s 1), a 7-in-1 card reader (compared to the Air’s none), HDMI and Ethernet ports (no such thing on the Air), VGA port, and of course, Wi-Fi, 1.3-megapixel camera, LED-backlit display, and a 128GB solid-state hard drive sound?

Best yet, a couple of our buddies have laid their hands on this beauty and tell us it’s solid as a rock. Now if Samsung can just beat that MacBook Air price — which should be easy to do — it’ll make the MacBook Air look like it’s for AirHeads. For all the details, see the Samsung press release after the jump, or just peek at the gallery below to see the luxo finishes, colors and beauty of this fine machine. We want.

Samsung's Press Release:

Berlin, Germany, August 29, 2008 - Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a market leader in consumer electronics and world leader in IT technology, today lifted the lid on the most innovative addition to its ever expanding notebook range – the ultra-lightweight Samsung X360. Capable of meeting the extreme performance and connectivity needs of the new aristocrats of the mobile world, the X360 sets a completely new standard in mobile computing – offering a comprehensive set of features unlike anything of its kind on the market.

Even though it is the lightest notebook in its 13.3 inch class, weighing a miniscule 1.27 kg*, the Samsung X360 incorporates all of the extensive functionality demanded by ultra mobile and results-driven professionals. Unlike the claims of some other "light" notebooks, the X360 is fully featured without compromise, including 3 USB ports, a built-in HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) connection, a 34mm express card slot and VGA output. For fast and easy transfer of documents, images, video or music it incorporates a highly flexible 7 in 1 memory card reader, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR* (Enhanced Data Rate) and super-fast 802.11n wireless technology. It also boasts an integrated digital motion camera, so it's easy to stay in touch with colleagues or friends using video-conferencing or live messaging. But there is more, for business and home office users the X360 incorporates a 10/100/1000 Ethernet LAN connection and support for Samsung P-Dock, docking station – which simplifies cabling and provides a 'single click' connection and easy access to a wide variety of ports..

"The X360 pushes back the boundaries of form and function to deliver real style with substance," said HS Kim, Executive Vice President of Samsung Computer Systems Division. "It offers a tremendous reduction in size and weight but without compromising on functionality, so users have everything they need for life on the move," Mr. Kim added.

The X360 will be available from September this year in European countries including UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy, and also in Russia, China and Hong Kong.

For non stop productivity on the move, the X360 incorporates a removable 6 cell battery that enables up to 10 hours continuous use – making all day mobile computing a practical reality. Its efficient power consumption is supported by the use of Intel(R) Centrino(R) 2 Ultra Low Voltage processor technology and an innovative 13.3" WXGA (1280x800) LED screen, whose backlight technology consumes significantly less power but delivers around 33 percent improved brightness over a traditional LCD screen, so it is easier to work in a range of conditions. And with security at a premium, it even has a secure biometric fingerprint and trusted platform module authentication system to ensure that your data is always fully protected.

With its captivating craftsmanship, the X360's Protect-O-Edge casing is built using durable magnesium alloy to provide amazing strength and superior reliability coupled with enhanced ergonomics and premium styling. And, wherever possible, Samsung uses its own components from memory, batteries and screens. This focus on manufacturing excellence means Samsung mobile computers have one of the best reliability records in the industry, lowering the total cost ownership.

The X360 also features the option of an ultra-fast and reliable 128GB Solid State Drive (SSD)*, which significantly enhances performance compared to a typical hard disk drive (HDD), with a boot time that is 25-50 percent faster and data access times that are 300 percent faster (53 MB/s) for reading and 150 percent faster (28 MB/s) for writing. With no moving parts SSDs also weigh less, uses significantly less power and are less prone to errors and damage - in fact, the X360 is equipped to withstand twice the impact of the hard-drive-enabled model. So, the notebook will perform faster and last even longer.

Finally, the X360 features an amazing Samsung innovation - Silver Nano Technology. By sprinkling incredibly small, nano-sized silver ion powder on the keyboard your system will remain "bacteria free" for even longer.

FEATURES: World class mobile performance

Featuring state of the art Intel(R) Centrino(R) 2 Ultra Low Voltage processor technology, which delivers unrivalled performance, energy efficiency and connectivity too keep you working longer. The X360 comes with the all new 45 nano-meter sized Intel(R) Core™2 Duo mobile processor, which literally puts the power of two processors into one, so you can open up all of your favourite applications with no compromise on performance.

Sharper display Its 13.3" wide display provides up to 30% more viewing area than traditional screens and allows you to enjoy photo-like image quality, greater viewing angles and better text legibility, reducing eye strain and therefore increasing productivity. Using LED technology also means that the screen is thinner, up to 33% brightness, and uses much less power than traditional LCD screen. Even the durability of the system is better, because there are fewer breakable parts.

Light Weight and Durable Despite being ultra lightweight and slim at just 1.27kg, the X360 is built to last. It's durable Protect-o-Edge(c) casing provides amazing strength and superior reliability. As a result, the X360 is more than capable of withstanding the inevitable hardships of life on the move, which all translates into a measurably lower Total Cost of Ownership.

Simple data sharing Incorporating a 7 in 1 memory card reader (MS, MS Pro, SD, SDHC, MMC, MMC plus, xD) and 3 x USB ports, it lets you to seamlessly move data from your digital camera, camcorder, MP3 player or PDA straight to the notebook. Alternatively you can use the Bluetooth 2.0+EDR* (Enhanced Data Rate) capability to quickly connect to other Bluetooth devices at speeds that are 3x faster than previous generations.

Wireless World Featuring the super fast 802.11a/b/g/n wireless, delivering up to five times the performance and up to twice the range of previous-generation technologies.*

*Based on Factory specification

Your connection to the Digital World For the ultimate in viewing experiences simply connect it to your HD monitor, Television (HDTV) or home theatre system using the X360's built-in HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) connection, which allows 100% transmission of visual and audio digital signals, and experience richer colours, beautiful rendering and perfect image and sound reproduction.

Smile, you are on camera* Featuring an integrated 1.3 mega pixel digital motion camera, it offers a simple way to keep in touch with friends or family, using video-conferencing or live messaging.

Optimised graphics, premium experience Featuring the new Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator X4500 graphics core, which dynamically allocates system memory to provide incredible visual quality, faster graphics performance and flexible display options.

Revolutionary Battery Life The battery life is vastly improved. It can deliver battery powered performance of up to 6-10 hours based on usage scenario. The longer battery life is guaranteed by the LED display and the flash-based SSD which require less power to run.

Huge 128GB Solid State drive Its Solid State Drive (SSD) has a boot time that is 25-50 percent faster than systems that employ a traditional, rotational hard disk drive (HDD). Overall system performance is also significantly enhanced, as the SSD is capable of reading 300 times faster (53 MB/s) and writes 150 percent faster (28 MB/s) than typical HDDs, and the seek time (the amount of time required to find information in the system memory) is also greatly reduced. Having no moving parts means that power consumption is reduced dramatically, extending battery life, and it is capable of withstanding much greater impacts, so there is no loss of data.

Bacteria free By sprinkling incredibly small, nano-sized silver ion powder on the keyboard your system will remain "bacteria free" – for even longer.

Total security For complete peace of mind, the X360 incorporates a secure biometric fingerprint authentication system and a trusted platform module, so your valuable information will always remain safe from prying eyes - and you may never need to remember another password!

Fast docking Is compatible with Samsung's P-Dock docking station, which simplifies cabling and provides a 'single click' connection and easy access to a wide variety of ports, including Serial, 5 x USB, LAN, HDMI, SIO, e-SATA and DVI (Digital Video Interface) to deliver outstanding digital image quality on large displays and projectors.

ECO friendly Samsung's own certification mark (ECO), which guarantees ECO-friendly features, including removal of hazardous substances and material, optimised energy efficiency and effective material usage for a more environmentally friendly product.

Warranty, On Time, On Us All this is backed up with the peace of mind that your notebook is protected by Samsung's class leading warranty service. In the unlikely event that something goes wrong with your notebook, the Samsung International warranty infrastructure will provide you with a fast track collection repair and return service for your notebook in order to minimise disruption and get you back working as quickly as possible.

X360 Specifications
* based on factory specification, Subject to change. Errors and
omissions accepted. Battery life based on mobile Mark test scores that
will vary based on configuration

Processor
Intel(R) Centrino(R) 2 ULV Processor Technology (FSB 800MHz)

Operating System
- Genuine Microsoft Windows(R) Vista(R) Home Basic
- Genuine Microsoft Windows(R) Vista(R) Home Premium
- Genuine Microsoft Windows(R) Vista(R) Business

Memory
- DDR3 1066MHz 1GB ~ 4GB

LCD
- 13.3" WXGA (1280 x 800) SuperBright(c) LED backlit

HDD
- 64/ 128 GB Solid State Drive
- 120 GB (5400 rpm S-ATA)

Optical Drive
- External DVD Super Multi Dual Layer Writer

Graphics Processor
- Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator X4500 graphics core

Wireless LAN
- Intel 802.11 a/b/g/n
- Bluetooth 2.0 + Enhanced Data Rate*

LAN
10/100/1000 Ethernet

I / O Ports
- 7-in-1 Card Reader (MS, MS Pro, SD, SDHC, MMC, MMC plus, xD)
- 3 x USB 2.0
- 1 x PCI Express Card Slot (34 mm)
- 1 x HDMI
- 1 x Headphone-out
- 1 x Mic in
- 1 x Integrated Mic
- 1 x VGA Port
- 1 x RJ45 (LAN)
- 1 x Docking Port

Multimedia
1.3 Mega Pixel Web Camera*

Battery Life
Up to 10 hours

Via Engadget and Gizmodo

By Are u kidding me? at 9:15 PM ON 08/29/08

"but just can’t stand the thought of muddling through OS X, becoming a snooty Mac user, or suffering through Apple’s skin-deep quality and often-shoddy workmanship"

WOW... lost me on that first paragraph! are u kidding me? Is this a personal blog or a respected network? Before people start flaming me as a mac fan boy, I have used Linux, OS X and Windows for a couple of years now (I even worked with Microsoft), so my opinion its completely unbiased unlike this writer who simply stated HIS (looks like not experienced enough) opinion as a fact.

The machine looks great (I personally liked the Lenovo X300 a bit more than the Air) but like the Lenovo X300, this one its not completely aiming at the same user base than the Air is...

Samsung X360 on Tom's Hardware

This is the lastest laptop to join the Linux MacBook Air Killers list.
See the newly created Launchpad team for Linux on Samsung X360 laptop at:

https://launchpad.net/~samsung-x360

Samsung Unveils Ultra-Light X360 - Tom's Hardware

Samsung Unveils Ultra-Light X360
4:50 PM - August 29, 2008 by Steve Seguin
Source: Tom's Hardware – Category : Notebooks
4 comments

Samsung is joining the club of ultra-light laptops, alongside Lenovo’s X300 and Apple’s MacBook Air, with the introduction of their X360 laptop.

ZoomNorth Americans may not be very familiar with Samsung laptops, but the X360 is definitely an eye-catcher with a bright 13.3-inch LED display and sleek look. Thanks to Intel’s Centrino 2 ULV processor, Samsung was able to slim down the laptop’s thickness and reduce the weight to 2.8-pounds. Samsung did end up sacrificing the optical drive, but that free space left room for a 7-in-1 memory card reader, three USB ports, VGA port, HDMI port and docking station connector. Samsung didn’t skimp on the battery luckily, providing up to 10 hours of battery life, which should be enough for most people’s needs.

The X360 features a 64 GB or 128 GB solid-state drive, which are becoming the norm on high-end laptops, though a typical hard disk drive option is still available. The rated speeds for the SSD in the press release seem a bit on the low end, with a 53 MB/s read speed and 28 MB/s write speed, whereas Samsung’s own high-performance SSDs can double those speeds with sequential data.

Detailed system specifications include 1 GB of DDR3 memory expandable to 4 GB, 1280 x 800 LED backlit display with 300 nits brightness, Intel 802.11a/n, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, Gigabit Ethernet, PCI Express Card slot and a 1.3 MP web camera. The graphics is powered by Intel’s new GMA X4500 graphics core, a solution many gamers will not be satisfied with, but should be fine for most other users.

The main attraction with this laptop is likely going to be its size and weight, not performance as much, so how does it stack up against the competition in that regard?

Apple MacBook Air VoodooPC Envy 133 Lenovo X300 Samsung X360
Thickness 4 mm to 19.4 mm 17.9 mm 18.5 mm 16.7 mm to 30.9 mm
Weight 3.0 lbs 3.37 lbs 3.3 lbs* 2.79 lbs
Screen Size 13.3-inch 13.3-inch 13.3-inch 13.3-inch

*With optical drive. Lenovo X300 is approx. 2.9 without optical drive, like its competition.

As we see, although the new Samsung X360 is quite a bit thicker than other laptops in its class, it is a tad lighter too. With the competition priced starting at about $1,800, Samsung could have a winner on their hands if the price is right.

Samsung X360 [Linux Laptop Wiki]

Introduction

The X360 is a business notebook with high battery runtime and almost completly designed with Intel components.


This guide is intended to provide you details on how well this laptop works with Linux and which modules you need to configure. For details on how to actually install and configure the required modules have a look at our guides section for distribution specific instructions.
Editing This Page

If you would like to edit this page please first view our Editing Guidelines.
Specifications

For full specifications see the Samsung X360 specifications page.
Name Samsung X360
Processor Intel Core 2 Duo ULV SU9300 1.2 GHz
Screen 13.3” (1280×800)
RAM 4096 MB
HDD 120 GB
Graphics Intel GMA X4500
Network 100/1000 MBit Ethernet,Intel WiFi Link 5100 - 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth v2.0 + EDR
Linux Compatibility
Device Compatibility Comments
Processor Yes
Screen Partial No acpi interface to change the backlight. But xrandr can. Please read the notes.
HDD Yes
Graphics Yes At least xf86-video-intel-2.5.1 needed
Sound Yes
Ethernet Yes
Wireless Yes Please read the notes
Bluetooth Yes
USB Yes
Card Reader No I've tested it, but didn't get it to work. Hints?
ExpressCard Slot Not Tested
Camera Yes
Fingerprint Reader Yes Is supported by: http://www.reactivated.net/fprint/wiki/Libfprint
Notes


I had troubles to boot a 64 bit system on this laptop, so i stick to a 32 bit system. Will try a 64 bit kernel an report back.

The keys for switching wlan on/off, brightness control, volume control, etc. send just partially unknown keycodes that have to be bound with setkeycode. If you wanna use them as hotkeys for those actions, you've got to tell your window manager to do it (since this are mostly things just root is allowed to do sudo is your friend).

Wlan: Works with a newer kernel (i use 2.6.28-rc6 right now), but you have to set in the bios settings “Wireless always on” or there'll be a problem with rfkill, which wont let you activate the card. (This is a known bug, I'll report back when its fixed)
But then you can switch the card on and off by setting the state of rfkill.

HDMI output: Not yet tested, no device for testing here.

Sleep modes: Suspend to Ram works fine, Suspend to disk not tested due to missing swap partition (Who needs a swap partition with 4 GB of Ram?)

There is a bug in the agp drivers that causes crashes of Xorg, if you use CONFIG_HIGHMEM64G.
There's a bugreport about it that contains two patches that fix this issue:
http://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=17993
This issue is fixed in kernel 2.6.28.


Battery runtime: Around 7 hours, idle, without wlan on.
Backlight Control


In kernel versions >= 2.6.27 the acpi interface to control the backlight has been removed, but it is still possible to change the backlight.

First set the backlight control to legacy mode:

xrandr -output LVDS --set BACKLIGHT_CONTROL legacy

After this you can set the backlight with:

xrandr -output LVDS --set BACKLIGHT $VALUE

Allowed VALUEs are between 0 (off) and 255 (burns your retina).

(Thanks, Martin, for the comment and link)
Improving Battery Runtime


1. Remove the bluetooth support, if you dont need bluetooth always. You can add hci_usb to the blacklist file of modprobe so the driver doesn't get loaded in the boot process.
2. Because of the glossy display its not possible to work with the laptop at daylight in on of the lower brightness states without getting reflections from everywhere. The limit how much power to save and how many reflections to accept is a personal choice. Maybe its best to work with a very bright ui style.
3. Try powertop to find out what keeps the kernel from sleeping.
Summary

Because most of the parts inside are made by Intel the linux support is pretty good.

(And if i had known those little things like the 64 bit or the rfkill problem, it wouldn't have taken me so long to get this far)
Open Bugs

*
Missing Backlight control: http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=12174
*
rfkill behaviour: http://www.intellinuxwireless.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=1847
*
wlan status led: http://www.intellinuxwireless.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=1846

Have you installed Linux on this laptop? If so how about leaving a comment about your success in the discussion section below.

If you are looking to purchase a laptop with Linux pre-installed you can visit Dell UK's Ubuntu website.

Dell Latitude E4300: Reviews - Hardware - Laptops - ZDNet Australia

Design
It's not every day you see a blue business laptop, but that's exactly what Dell delivered to us with the Latitude E4300. Dell seem to have broken from the rule that all business products must suit the decor of the Death Star. While we like the blue, and also the optional red, Dell will charge you an extra AU$83 for the privilege of that extra bit of attitude in the board room.

Funny metaphors aside, the Latitude series are nicely designed laptops. We are particularly fond of the backlit keyboard, which is comfortable to type on. As is common in many laptops, the Latitude series feature both a 'nipple' mouse and a trackpad. Dell's Latitude trackpads are worth commenting on, as they feature a range of different options, including circular scrolling. The trackpad features can be customised from a central interface.

The 13.3 inch display on the E4300 has a 1,280x800 native resolution, and comes with a matte finish. At the base of the display is the ambient light sensor, which is a handy feature for conserving battery life. If you prefer your display bright, you can simply disable it via keyboard shortcut. Like every laptop we have seen in recent history, there is a webcam at the top of the display.

On the far right below the keyboard is a fingerprint reader, which is thankfully placed far enough away that you don't brush it when you're typing. There are no external speakers on the E4300, unlike its larger sibling the E6500. This means tinny sound from an internal speaker, but that's a small price to pay for a comfortable keyboard on a laptop only slightly bigger than a netbook.

Performance and Features
The E4300 features the same strange, graphical BIOS we saw in the E6500, which we assume to be Linux-powered. It also features "Latitude On", which is accessed by a small button next to the power button on the top right-hand side. Latitude On allows you to quickly access your Microsoft Outlook contacts, calendar and email, as an alternative to having to wait for Windows to boot. Our test of the system took less than ten seconds. However, by moving to an SSD hard drive, you may find the boot time on this laptop so zippy that you won't use it much.

Port options on the E4300 are a mixed bag, with a number of ports lost compared to the larger E6500, such as Display Port. There's no dial-up modem, but we're not sure if anyone will miss it. You also only get one USB port, which could be a real pain. Dell compromises by offering a dual eSATA/USB port on top of this, which allows you to plug in external devices as if they were an internal SATA II device.

This means that external storage finally sees good speeds, not only reducing the amount of time you need to spend transferring files, but also makes running applications off external drives a pleasure, whether installed normally or using software such as VMWare's ThinApp. Other port options include a FireWire (IEEE 1394) port and 3.5mm audio in/out jacks.

There's also an optical drive, a positive as these start to disappear when laptops approach this size. On the front of the device there is a MicroSD card reader, while on the left hand side there is an SC card slot, along with a contactless SC reader next to the mouse pad.

Dell's Latitude series adheres to Intel's Centrino 2 platform, meaning you can expect wireless N as standard, along with better power management, performance, and graphics capabilities. Our system came configured with an Intel Core 2 Duo SP9400 at 2.5GHz (a grunty 45nm Penryn generation CPU), and 2GB of 1066MHz DDR3 RAM. This makes it quite a performer for its size, delivering a PCMark05 score of 4,513.

Those seeking more performance can upgrade to 4GB of RAM for AU$235, but sadly there is no 64-bit Windows option on the Dell site to take full advantage of this. Those seeking a 64-bit OS will need to upgrade and re-install.

An unfortunate side effect of the power of this laptop is the considerable amount of heat it puts out. After using this laptop for the best part of a day, you will find it uncomfortably hot on your lap. Left-handers might also find it uncomfortable, as the placement of the air vent means it will jet very hot air onto your hand if you use an external mouse.

There are three different batteries available on the E4300, a 4-cell standard battery, a 6-cell which sticks out the back, and an additional 6-cell "battery slice" which adds more thickness to base of the laptop. You can combine the battery slice with either of the other two for extra battery power. Our system came with a single 56 Whr, 6-cell battery.

In order to test battery life, we set screen brightness to 50 per cent and then played a DVD. This is a taxing test, and the E4300 gave an above average result of 200 minutes. One might extrapolate from this that the dual 6-cell configuration would give up to 400 minutes of battery life, which is an absurdly massive amount. However bear in mind that the addition of a the battery slice would increase the weight of the laptop considerably.

One unfortunate feature of the E4300 is the 160GB HDD which came with our review model, which is on the small side. Hard drive upgrade options max out at a 250GB 7500 RPM SATA II drive for an additional AU$263. If your surname happens to be Soros, Buffett or Branson, you might want to also consider the 64GB SSD for an additional AU$1,511.

Our system came with a Windows Vista Business license with Windows XP (SP3) pre-installed as a "downgrade". Ultimate is available for an additional sum of AU$216. Pre-installed software includes the Google Desktop and Toolbar (which seems to be ubiquitous on Dell's PCs), Roxio DVD burning software and a few other small inclusions. Dell gets points for not installing any trial software on the system.

Graphics on the system are provided by Intel's GS45 chipset, which forms part of the Centrino 2 platform. While the new chip is much improved from previous generations, this is still no gaming or graphics machine. If you want strong graphics performance consider a different, and likely larger system.

Verdict
The Latitude family from Dell is a big family of laptops, and those looking for a travelling laptop might want to consider the 12.1-inch E4200. Its specs are more limited, but it comes with an SSD as standard and it's cheaper. Those looking to go for a premium machine should look to the E6500, which contains a plethora of bells and whistles and a 15.4-inch display. As it stands, the E4300 is a good compromise between portable and fully featured. However even with the dual eSATA/USB port, you might still run out of ports fast.

While the Latitude family is flashy, it's also pricy. Our close to base model came in at AU$3,366 — this is a premium laptop. Dell's covers the E4300 with a basic three year, next business day, on site warranty. Which is great, but again reflects the absolutely premium price of the Latitude line. Those looking to save money by culling features should probably considers Lenovo's latest ThinkPad line, which is also high quality. Dell also offers a cheaper line for SMBs, the Vostro range.

Up close with Dell's Latitude E4300 and E4200 ultra-portables with DisplayPort - Engadget

Up close with Dell's Latitude E4300 and E4200 ultra-portables with DisplayPort

by Thomas Ricker, posted Mar 21st 2008 at 7:19AM

Ultra-portables are by the far the sexiest class of laptops. Especially when they start at just 2.2-pounds (1kg) like Dell's upcoming 12.1-inch E4200 or 3-pounds for the 13.3-inch E4300. Both pack LED backlit displays; Centrino 2 chipsets; Firewire, eSATA, 2x audio, ExpressCard 34, and at least 2x USB ports; integrated UMA graphics; DDR3 800MHz with Intel Turbo Memory 2.0; DisplayPort; and a host of security features to keep corporate IT types happy. The E4300 differs with a higher WXGA+ resolution, modular optical bay, peppier CPU options, and a choice of beefier hard disk drives instead of the 32GB or 64GB SSD restriction of the E4200. Plenty more in the gallery including a head-to-head comparison's of each new model with the D430 they'll replace. Stay tuned as our exclusive Week o' Dell Scoops continues.

Perpetual Nettop Comparison Thread... - Topic Powered by Eve For Enterprise

Dell Latitude E4300. Though it's fairly removed from netbook-class (at least price-wise, being that Latitude's are Dell's business-class line). Dell also has a 13 inch XPS model, IIRC.

I would also consider ripping the DVDs to .iso for raod travel, less you plan on using the DVD drive to load software or burn discs on the road.

Dell Latitude and Precision Laptops | Gear Live

Dell has announced 2 new Precision laptops and 6 new Latitudes aimed at the business crowd.The Precisions start at $1,449.00 and their M2400 weighs a mere 4.77 lbs. The Latitudes are available in five different colors and the company claims better battery life. They start at a price of $869.00. The E4300 weighs about 3.3 lbs., making it their lightest, and the E6400 ATG meets military standards for dust, humidity, and vibration. All but two of the Latitudes are available now.

Dell's Latitude E4300 and E4200 Available Starting Tomorrow - The new Latitude notebooks come with fresh style and ultra-portable features - Softpedia

Enlarge picture
It seems that Dell's new Latitude E4300 and E4200 notebooks will finally become available starting with September 16th. The mobile machines were first spotted about a month ago, yet those willing to put their hands on one of them had to wait some time to do so. Although the news says that the 13.3-inch and 12.1-inch machines will come to the market on Tuesday, no details on the price tag have been disclosed yet.

The Latitude E4300 combines portability and style. It features a premium magnesium alloy construction, longer-lasting paint finishes and robust metal hinges, ensuring more durability while traveling. The mobile machine features the Dell Latitude ON exclusive on-the-go innovation, Dell ControlPoint software and Dell slim-line AC/Auto/Air adapter designed to maximise productivity on the road.

Dell Latitude E4300 is thin and light, suitable for long time travelers. It combines sleek looks, durability and advanced wireless connectivity. This notebook is full featured, ultra-portable and also comes with advanced end-point security applications. It includes an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, an Intel GS45 Express chipset, up to 8GB of 1066Mhz DDR3 memory, an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD and a wide range of connectivity options.

Dell's Latitude E4200 is ultra-portable
Enlarge picture
The 12.1-inch Latitude E4200 also features Dell's latest developments, including the Latitude ON Reader communication module, Dell ControlPoint software and Dell ExpressCharge. The security and data protection options have been enhanced to offer maximum reliability and comfort to users. The E4200 notebook packs an Intel Core 2 Duo ULV processor, a GS45 chipset, up to 5GB of combined memory, up to 128GB SSD storage, an Intel Graphics Accelerator and a Widescreen WXGA (1280 x 800) Backlit LED Display.

The connectivity options of Latitude E4200 include Wireless 5530 WWAN card, Intel WiFi Link 5100 [802.11a/g/n (1x2)] and Intel WiFi Link 5300 [802.11a/g/n (3x3)], a 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet network interface adapter, Bluetooth 2.1, as well as a wide range of ports, including IEEE - 1394, docking connector, USB 2.0 PowerShare, VGA, Display Port, eSATA, RJ-45, eSATA/USB Combo (x1).

Dell ON Technology

Fancy checking your e-mail on the laptop without having to boot up Windows? Well, that's now possible with the Dell Latitude ON technology which will be made available on the upcoming Latitude E4200 and E4300 models, enabling those to access email, calendar, attachments, contacts and even the Web without having to wait for the operating system to boot up. This is pretty much similar in vein with the HP QuickPlay idea that allows one to watch DVDs on-the-fly minus starting the operating system. I guess I prefer to check my email and contacts on a smartphone instead.

Colin DiPonio Computer Consultant (Cheshire, UK) » Blog Archive » How to choose between the Dell Latitude E4200 and E4300

Now that these new business laptops are available to order from Dell’s Web site choosing between these two models isn’t as easy as it would appear.

Form Factor:

The E4200 comes with a 12.1 inch screen running at 1280×800.

The E4300 comes with a 13.3 inch screen running at 1280×800.

So the only difference is the actual size of the form factor as the screen runs at the same resolution.

CPU:

The E4200 comes with the latest ultra low voltage SU9300 1.2Ghz or SU9400 1.4Ghz running on a 800mhz bus with 3mb of cache

The E4300 comes with the SP9300 2.26Ghz or SP9400 2.40Ghz running on a 1066mhz bus with 6mb of cache.

It would appear that the E4300 wins hands down in this category with Faster CPU, Bus Speed and bigger Cache.

Hard Disk:

The E4200 is only configurable with an SSD hard disk at 32gb, 64gb and 128gb.

The E4300 is only configurable with traditional ATA/SATA hard disks with capacities of 80gb to 250gb

So if you want SSD you have to go E4200 if you want larger capacity then E4300.

Cost:

The entry level cost of the E4200 is £899 ex VAT and shipping

The entry level cost of the E4300 is £699 ex VAT and shipping.

The killer problem for the E4200 is the inclusion of SSD technology as this instantly adds £346 to go from 32gb to 128gb.

ssd

As you can see on the picture above it is cheaper to go for the 128gb SSD drive than the 64gb version. It appears the 64gb model may be a higher performance model than the 128gb which may explain the price difference.

I configured my ideal specification for each machine:-

The E4200 the cost was £1317 + VAT and Shipping.

The E4300 the cost was £888 + VAT and Shipping.

A difference of £429. The majority of which is the SSD hard disk in the E4200.

It is somewhat annoying at not being able to configure the E4200 with anything other than SSD.

I shall have a good hard think about this before deciding.

E4200 Link: Dell Latitude E4200

E4300 Link: Dell Latitude E4300

'All nVidia GeForce 8600 Chips Bad', Subcompact MacBook in 2009?, Instant On Notebooks, and More

The technology, called Dell Latitude ON, will feature on the Latitude E4200 and E4300 in the next few months. It will allow users to have near-instant access to a Linux-based environment that offers email, calendar, attachments, contacts . . . and a web browser, all without ever needing to boot into the main operating system. An added advantage of Dell Latitude ON its that it extends the battery life from hours to days. Sweet....

"Instant on technologies have a number of potential upsides for the end user. Speed of boot-up (near instant) and increased battery life are two obvious benefits, but there are others....

Toshiba Launches MacBook Air Killer - Specs, reviews and prices.

Toshiba’s growth in the notebook manufacturing market has been tremendous. Credit this to its Portégé laptop range. Now, Toshiba is planning to release its own super-thin notebook that could possibly rival Apple’s MacBook Air. This new model claims to be the world’s thinnest and lightest fully featured machine to date.

The Toshiba R600 weighs in at 1.1kg (2.4lb) and measures 283 x 215.8 x 19.5-25.5mm. The R600 is a bit similar to its older brother, the R500, which weighs exactly the same and has identical dimensions. The new model comes in two flavors: a 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU9400 model with 1GB of 800MHz DDR 2 memory and a 128GB solid-state drive, or a cheaper 1.2GHz Core 2 Duo SU9300 version with 2GB of 800MHz DDR 2 memory and a 160GB SATA HDD.

The R600 still has the same dangerously bendy 12.1in, 1280 x 800 screen found on the R500. However, Toshiba’s swapped out the R500’s Intel 945GMS chipset and GMA 3000 integrated graphics in favour of a G45 chipset with a GMA X4500 graphics core.

Nonetheless, the R600 supports 802.11n Wi-Fi and Toshiba’s even found room to slot in a 0.3-megapixel webcam and a microphone into the R600’s lid. Both versions of the R600 support Bluetooth version 2.1.

On the R600 you’ll also find a fingerprint reader, four USB ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port and a SD memory card slot.

Shiny Shiny: Dell to launch MacBook Air killer?

Are they? Aren't they? Can they? Can't they? The internet is blazing with wild and crazy speculation as to just what Dell have up their sleeve. Well, slightly buzzing. And sort of wild. And a touch crazy. OK, fine. There are a couple of people who have read an article in the New York Times claiming Dell is going to launch a MacBook Air rival called the Adamo, in February.

Dell don't *do* commenting on rumours (spoilsports) but rather brilliantly, the journalist has translated the facial expression of the Dell spokesperson when he mentioned his speculations into actual dimensions of the product. To quote "If looks could reveal product dimensions, then I'd guess that Dell's going even thinner and lighter than Apple", which, the internet being the internet, has in turn been translated into 'Dell are bringing out a laptop thinner and lighter than Apple. Fact'.

HP Voodoo Envy 133 - MacBook Air killer? - VANTAN.ORG: The Daily Weblog

As the world’s press (at least, those not covering WWDC!) starts filing stories, I think one great angle to cover is how HP’s new superslim laptop, the Voodoo Envy 133, compares with Apple’s MacBook Pro for form factor.

Is it a MacBook Air killer, or just a pretender to the throne? Or do they simply rule different kingdoms? Here’s my 2 cents’ worth.

Betting on black

The Envy133’s shiny black exterior and interior should appeal to the design-conscious. The only downside is that fingerprints show up more obviously on this than on a MacBook Air/Pro or other laptops with a metal finishing. We have yet to scratch an Envy 133.

Slimmer than Air

While the Envy133 has an all-round rectangular design, it is evenly thin at 0.7 inches. The MacBook Air is still indisputably the thinnest at the sides, but at its thickest is 0.76 inches. So who’s the slimmest of them all?

Different tracks

Perhaps we can say that the two notebooks are on different tracks, at least for finger-pointing devices. The Envy 133 has an unusual trackpad. It isn’t a flat surface but a rectangular patch of dots, almost making me wonder if it was some kind of inverse Braille. However it did work like a normal trackpad, as you can see in this video.

Same, same but different

For hard drives, both the Envy and MacBook Air have 64GB (solid state drive) and 80GB (hard disk drive).

For processors, the MacBook Air uses 1.6GHz and 1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processors. The Envy uses 1.6GHz and 1.8GHz Intel Centrino processors.

In terms of price, the Envy 133’s US$2,099 price tag is more expensive than the basic MacBook Air which uses a hard drive (not solid state).

Both have 13.3” widescreen displays and backlit keyboards with ambient light sensors.

Keeping you up all night

On paper, the MacBook Air gives 5 hours of battery life while the Envy 133 gives 3h 45min, “depending on usage”.

Getting connected

Along with power and processing, another challenge for ultra portable laptops is the number of ports that can be fit into them. HP moved the ethernet port to the power adapter, which makes sense to me - if you’re at your desk you’d use the power cable + adapter, which becomes more like a mobile dock. If you’re on the go you’d use wireless internet connection anyway (which is become more ubiquitous). The MacBook Air does away with this.

I would like to see: A side-by-side comparison of the MacBook Air and the Envy 133. Apparently a journalist here is walking about with one. Someone please grab him and do a story on this. [Update: Found him, he’s a blogger and he’s already posted a comparison between the two, in French]

I am not too clear on the market positioning for this, as I thought Voodoo series was meant for gaming (as a rival to Dell’s Alienware) but we’ve been told this model is more for mobile users.

So in the end, which is better, Envy or Air? If you’re a personal PC user who wants a mobile laptop, you’d want to give the Envy a second look. If you’re a hardcore Machead, you’d never get a PC anyway. For those of us who are comfortable with both PCs and Macs, like myself, I would look beyond the form factor, since both machines are lovely to behold, and see which runs faster and whose battery lasts longer. Benchmark tests should do the trick.

Updates CNN Money/Fortune Mag also discusses whether this can be a MacBook Air killer. Their answer: Not really.

Here’s the link to the infamous pic of a guy cutting his birthday cake with a friend’s MacBook Air. Gives a whole new meaning to ‘cutting edge’ technologies. To add more spice to the story, this guy is Rahul Sood who’s the founder of VoodooPC (under HP).

Here come the "MacBook Air killers" - Computerworld Blogs

Leaked info on a new Thinkpad from Lenovo has started the inevitable "MacBook Air killers" category of ultra-thin notebooks. As you might expect, the Thinkpad is more functional for business, but fuglier than the Air.

There are two kinds of people: those who care how thin their laptop is, and those who don't. Personally I tend to care, not only because thin-notebook technology is neato, but also because I like to carry more than one laptop in a single bag, or take trips where packing light is a must.

And because I'm one of those people, I think the upcoming Thinkpad X300 looks pretty compelling so far, if leaked specs are accurate.

The X300 is three-quarters of an inch thick, sports a 13.3-inch LED backlit 1440X900 screen and weighs just 2.5 lbs. It's powered by an Intel Merom Santa Rosa Dual Core Hybrid LV CPU (2.0 Ghz / 880 Mhz ), a 64 GB SSD, up to 4GB of DDR2 PC2-5300 memory. Lenovo will claim 4 hours of battery life, according to the leak. It has three USB 2.0 ports, Firewire (why?), three internal PCI-E slots, DisplayPort, an ExpressCard slot and other goodies.

The emergence of "MacBook Air killers" is no surprise. The biggest news here is the X300's "Dual Core Hybrid LV," which, to the best of my knowledge, nobody's ever heard of. Some are speculating online that it sponges off of the Intel/Apple development effort for the MacBook Air.

No pricing or availability yet (stay tuned).

Meanwhile, it's time to brace yourself for a year of banal "MacBook Air killer" headlines and a heated public war between the Apple fanboy aesthetes and the who-cares-what-it-looks-like-I-need-three-USB-ports business/practical crowd.

Another "MacBook Air killer" emerges - Computerworld Blogs

I announced Saturday the arrival of a new category of laptop -- the "MacBook Air killers" -- with the leaked specs of the Lenovo Thinkpad X300. Today I'm back to tell you about the second new system to land in this category: The Portege R500 11J and cheaper R500 11I, the details for which showed up this morning on Akihabara News.

The Portege R500 line, of course, has been around for a while, but the 11J will be "tweaked," presumably to compete more directly with the Air. The best thing about it is HSDPA baked right in. It's also lighter: 1.72 lbs. (compared with 3 lbs for the Air).

Interestingly, both Toshiba and Apple claim their own laptop is thinnest in the world. Who is right? Well, that depends on your religious affiliation. The Toshiba is thinner at the thickest point, but the Apple is thinner at the thinnest point. The Air tapers more radically, all the way down to .16 -- and is probably thinner "on average." However, laptop thickness is conventionally measured at maximum thickness, so if you accept this measure then the whole R500 line is thinner than Air.

The bottom line on relative thickness between the two lines is: Who cares? They're both really, really thin, and that's not going to be a factor if you're considering one or the other.

In fact, when you're comparing specifications between MacBook Air and other slim laptops, the Air doesn't stand out at all. Mobile Magazine published a nice table comparing specs on the Air and a smattering of other thin notebooks, which includes the old Portege R500 line but does not include the new Lenovo Thinkpad X300.

The first decision, of course, is Mac OS X or Windows (yeah, I know, you can run Windows on a Mac -- most people won't). The second decision is: elegant or functional? Third is price. And way down on the list is going to be thickness and weight for most buyers.

Here are the specs on the The Portege R500 11J, courtesy of Akihabara News:

Portégé R500-11J

-Price: $3,620

-Intel® Centrino® Duo with Intel® CoreTM2 Duo Ultra Low Voltage U7600 (2 Mb Cache, 1.20 GHz, 533 MHz FSB), Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG network connection and Intel® 945GMS Express chipset

-Windows Vista® Pro

-12.1" WXGA Transflective LED (1,280 x 800)

-64 Go SSD (Solid State Disk)

-2 Gb (2x1Gb) DDR2 (667 MHz), up to 2gb, one slot available

-No optical drive

-Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950, up to 256MB shared

-TouchPad

-Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000)

-Wi-FiTM (802.11 a/g/n), Bluetooth, 3G+

-283 x 215.8 x 19.5/ 25.5 mm, 779 grams

-1 year international warranty



Portégé R500-11I

Price: $2,970

-Intel® Centrino® Duo with Intel® CoreTM2 Duo Ultra Low Voltage U7600 (2 Mb Cache, 1.20 GHz, 533 MHz FSB), Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG network connection and Intel® 945GMS Express chipset

-Windows® XP Pro

-12.1" WXGA Transflective LED (1,280 x 800) monitor

-120 Gb (5400 rpm) S-ATA

-2 GB (2x1Go) DDR2 (667 MHz) RAM, up to 2GB, one slot available

-DVD Super Multi Ultra-slim

-Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950, up to 256 MB shared

-TouchPad

-Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000)

-Wi-FiTM (802.11 a/g/n), Bluetooth, 3G+

-283 x 215.8 x 19.5/ 25.5 mm, 999 grams

-1 year international warranty

Dell launches 10 inch netbook, reveals ‘MacBook Air killer’

Dell launches 10 inch netbook, reveals ‘MacBook Air killer’
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David Flynn12 January 2009, 2:00 PM (20 days ago.)
High-spec Inspiron Mini 10 netbook boasts multitouch, inbuilt GPS, 3G and even a digital TV tuner, while the slim stylish Adamo takes on the MacBook Air.

Times might be tough and budgets tight, but nobody’s told Dell – or perhaps the direct PC vendor simply believes that if you build it, they will come.

Apple proved that with the MacBook Air, and just about everyone else did the same with the netbook. So Dell has chosen to kick off the new year with a daring new entry in each of those categories.



We don't have any shots of the Mini 10 to show you, so instead we'll tease you with a profile pic
of the super-slim Adamo ultraportable (photo: Brian Solis, www.briansolis.com)

Inspiron Mini 10: not just another netbook?
The Inspiron Mini 10 slots into the 10 inch form factor which many consider to be the sweet spot for netbooks: squint-free screens, usable keyboards with minimal compromises, yet still several leagues smaller and lighter than conventional notebooks (especially the budget 15.4 inch clunkers sold at near-netbook prices).

But rather than muddy its own waters, where customers can already choose between the Mini 9 and Mini 12 with their respective 9 inch and 12 inch screens, Dell has engineered the Mini 10 as a deliberately high-spec netbook.

The screen is an edge-to-edge panel clocked for 16:9 resolution for 720p HD content – a bit of an oddball choice for a device without an optical drive, but which makes more sense when you consider the Mini 10 also packs an inbuilt TV tuner. Also on the ‘comes with’ roster: GPS, 3G HSDPA and 802.11n.

The keyboard stretches almost all the way to the edge of the chassis, so that it can be as close to full size as possible – a design choice that’s paid off for HP in the Mini 1000 and Mini 2140, both of which have been praised for their keyboards.

The slightly oversized trackpad with multitouch capabilities which Dell software will support with gestures for going to the ‘home screen’ (which sounds like some kind of uber-friendly UI, similar perhaps to the tabbed home screen of many Linux netbooks), your list of favourite Web sites and automatic scrolling.

The design of the Inspiron Mini 10’s chassis looks to have been modelled on the sleek slim lines of the Mini 12, so it shouldn’t surprise us that the powerplant is the same – Intel’s 1.6GHz Atom Z530. However. Dell hasn’t spilled the beans on the rest of the spec set so we don’t know if this will have 1GB or 2GB of RAM, solid state or hard disk drives or even if it’ll be loaded with Vista or XP.

Adamo: Dell’s MacBook Air killer
The other bullet in Dell’s double-barrel assault on the mobile market is the Adamo – an ultrathin luxury laptop which clearly has the MacBook Air in its sights. Dell briefly trotted out the much-rumoured Adamo during a press conference at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas (an event perhaps telling held at the Fantasy Suites of the Palms Hotel!), but has yet to dive into details on almost anything but the philosophy behind it. “Precision craftsmanship and design is the name of the game”, according to the company.

There’s little doubt that Dell can deliver on either of those fronts, as the company has invested heavily on its research & design team in the past two years in an effort to move beyond box-builder status and sell more into the high-margin PC segment.



Is this the best-looking Windows laptop ever? (photo: Brian Solis, www.briansolis.com)

The Adamo is also expected to be very much a design statement by Dell - a flagship product which fulfils much the same role as the MacBook Air does for Apple. It doesn’t need to sell by the millions in order to put Dell front of mind for design and then let this flow down to more mainstream products such as the Studio laptop and desktop line.

Indeed, the very address of the adamobydell.com teaser Web sire clearly shows the desire to establish the product’s name as a premium brand and then link this directly to Dell.

Models on show where clad in a brushed metal finish of silver and black. The design is strikingly elegant yet subtly restrained. From first glance, this writer would have to say it’s perhaps the most stunningly beautiful Windows laptop he’s ever seen, and certainly on par with Apple’s best efforts over the years (up until the latest unibody MacBooks, which are on the cutting edge of notebook design and belong more to 2010 than their 2008 debut).



The Adamo was showcased in silver and black, although black remains the more
smudge-friendly of the two (photo: Brian Solis, www.briansolis.com)



Adamo (which is pronounced “A-dahm-o” rather than “Adamo-o” – fans of Battlestar Galacita already have a head start here) means “to fall in love with” in Latin, said Michael Tatelman, Dell’s veep of consumer sales and marketing. “It started off as a project code name and then we fell in love with it too”.



Dell is already experimenting with designer touches: shown above and below are different finishes on
both the main chassis and an eye-catching inset panel on the lid (photo: Brian Solis, www.briansolis.com)



One of the big questions is if the Adamo will rely on Intel’s small package variants of the Core 2, which already power a half-dozen other slim notebooks including the MacBook Air, or if it will sport AMD’s new Neo processor. Given that the Neo is designed expressly for this ‘ultra-portable laptop luxe’ market, and that the company will want to showcase some truly stunning products as early wins, we’re tipping the Neo has not been ruled out.

Intel knows this too – so we’d expect both Intel and AMD will make pilgrimages to Dell HQ with a price list in one hand and a red pen in the other, in order to add the Adamo as a notch in their belt by discounting CPU prices. Dell, ever prudent with its pennies, is no doubt looking forward to a bit of competition as these silicon suitors vie for Adamo’s heart.

The MacBook Air Is Cool, But I'll Take an Eee PC | Maxim Stuff, Apple, Iphone, Ipod, Mac, Mac world, MacBook Air

he MacBook Air Is Cool, But I'll Take an Eee PC

Posted 01/15/2008 10:45 AM by Stan

Filed under: Apple, Iphone, Ipod, Mac, Mac world, MacBook Air

Macbook_Air.jpg



If the MacBook Air was a human baby, the doctor would still be wiping amniotic slime off of it, but that hasn’t stopped just about everyone from passing judgment on it. I hate feeling left out, so I’m going to get in on this action by making this statement: The MacBook Air is not as cool as the Eee PC.



Now, I’m sure many design enthusiasts and Apple, ahem, fanboys are eager to disagree with me, but hear me out...

It’s too expensive for a machine that can’t be your only computer

I understand the point of having a tiny machine you can carry with you. I would’ve loved to have one in college so I could take notes without lugging a giant laptop with me to class. Hell, it would’ve been great out at CES, but for $1,800 I could buy an Eee PC and a really solid desktop, or even another laptop to keep back in the dorm. Then I could even play games or, gasp, watch DVDs and listen to CDs!


Go solid state or go home

With the upgrade to SSD costing a butthole-puckering $1,000 on the Air, the 4 GB and 8 GB drives in the Asus machines seem pretty appealing. They don’t have as much storage as the 80 GB HDD in the air, but they’re tougher and faster.



Hackability

OSX is great, but open source is where it’s at. If there are more die-hard tech fanboys out there than the Apple contingent, then it’s the cult of Linux (don’t be offended Linux people, I mean that as a compliment). The idea of paying extra money for OS upgrades for my ultra portable is less than appealing. And since we’ve established that it’s not going to be anyone’s main PC, all of the stuff built into the Eee should be sufficient for a carry around. Plus, the Air’s specs aren’t exactly blazingly fast, which means it might not be able to take full advantage of all the beautiful elements everyone is getting a boner about in Leopard.


Portability

The Air is definitely thin and light, but so is the Eee. The chubbier form factor of the Eee seems like it would fare better jangling around in my messenger bag, too. After all, it only takes one bad interaction with the door of the subway to turn the world’s thinnest laptop into the world’s most smashed laptop.


Douche factor

It’s only a matter of weeks before every Starbucks in the country is littered with the slick MacBook Airs. If you pay that much for a computer that pretty, you don’t just sit at home typing on it. You take it out and wave in front of people until some idiot gets impressed by it. I’ve used the Eee in public and no one bothered to ask me about it, which left me to actually get some friggin’ work done.


No SD card slot

When traveling, the ability to upload digital photos is key and for a computer that’s supposed to eliminate wires, it kind of sucks to have to carry around a card reader with you.


It’s total mugger bait

Around here, smaller just means easier to steal and the cooler something looks, the better the chance it’s going to get swiped. It’s one of the reasons I don’t park my BMW on my street. The other reason is because I don’t have a BMW.

Samsung SENS X360: MacBook Air Killer? | DisplayBlog

Samsung X360 Specifications

Display: 13.3″ Wide TFT LCD with LED Backlight
Aspect Ratio: 16:10
Pixel Format: 1280 x 800
Webcam: 1.3MP
GPU: Intel X4500
CPU: Centrino 2 ULV
RAM: 1GB up to 4GB
Storage: 64GB or 128GB SSD, 120GB 5400RPM HDD
Connectivity: 7-in-1 Card Reader, USB (3), ExpressCard/34, HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
Battery: 6-10 hours
Dimensions: Thickness 0.66″-1.2″
Weight: 2.8lbs

Samsung X360: MacBook Air Killer?

Let’s just get the answer out of the way: Not really. Apple’s MacBook Air is the ultra-modern minimalist art piece. Samsung’s X360 does have some nice design elements such as the brushed aluminum cover and piano black finish all around. But design wise, it is a bit of a complicated one with different materials and resulting textures. The 13.3″ TFT LCD sports a 1280 x 800 pixel format and is lit by a LED backlight. As you can see from the picture, everything is glossy and results in quite a bit of reflection. Of course, if you’re sitting right in front of it, reflections are minimized.

Samsung X360: MacBook Air Killer?

The keyboard design is ho-hum and not even as sexy as Sony’s Z or FW series let alone the MacBook Air. From the pictures, the X360 looks like it was designed with the best of intentions but maybe there were too many intentions as it does not look quite in the realm of sexy. So in terms of design the X360 is no match for the MacBook Air. In terms of utility, which is a complete different story, almost any other 13.3″-class notebook PC will be better than the MacBook Air.

Samsung X360: MacBook Air Killer?

There is an abundance of ports for the X360 including HDMI out, in addition to VGA. The X360 beats out the Air in storage category with the option of a bigger 128GB SSD or a faster and larger 5400RPM 120GB HD. Like the Air, there is no integrated optical drive, but there is a docking port where I would assume an optical drive is present. An Ethernet port is right there for you to connect to the Net if there are no WiFi hotspots around and you’re not toting a 3G card. The X360 will keep you running at full speed for up to 10 hours, even more if you carry an extra battery, an option that isn’t on the Air.

Samsung’s X360 is a decently designed 13.3″ notebook PC but does not come close to meeting the sexiness of the MacBook Air. In terms of utility, the X360 can run circles around the Air. If you live in the US, don’t hold your breath since Samsung doesn’t export its notebook PCs to the US. I wish they did.

Source: engadget (1, 2)

Technorati Tags: Samsung, Samsung SENS, Samsung SENS X360, Samsung X360, 13.3″, 13.3″ Notebook PC, 13.3″ Laptop, 1280 x 800, LED Backlight

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