Laptop News: gScreen, Samsung, New Choice For PC ...

New Laptop Have You Seeing Double

In some work environments it is not unusual to see workstations with two monitors. This enables improved workflow and increased output and is relatively standard in some settings. Now laptop users can enjoy this type of efficiency with the release of the SpaceBook 17 by gScreen.

The folks at gScreen however have managed to fit two 17 inch displays into the package, giving users the ultimate mobile workstation. One screen closes over the other when the laptop is closed, at which time it looks more like a standard laptop, just bulkier.

The SpaceBook 17 laptop weighs 10 pounds according to reports, which would likely be a turnoff for the average user. This is more than double the weight of some of the sleeker brands on the market today. Even so, for professionals in some industries this is a godsend. Engineers, software developers, video editors are just a few of the folks who might very well find this product indispensible.

The weight aside there is another factor which might be regarded as a negative. It offers only an hour and a half of battery life. Since many users want portability, this is a potential drawback. However, the dual screen display already seems to be garnering lots of interest, so the SpaceBook may turn out to be the next big thing.

A New Midsize Offering From Samsung

Tech giant Samsung is getting ready for the official launch of a new laptop line, the Series 7. The laptops will be available as 13, 14 and 15 inch models, and prices reportedly start at $999. According to Samsung, the design of the Series 7 was influenced by the design of its popular plasma TVs.

The company claims that these laptops will boot up or restart quickly from sleep mode ending the wait for the machine to be usable. The specs include an AMD Radeon 6750M graphic card, quad-core Core i7 CPU, and it is powered by the Intel Core i5. Samsung devotees can expect to see the Series 7 in tech stores by October 2.

A Sharp Product For Gamers

Gaming hardware provider, Razer hopes to cut a bigger slice out of the PC gaming market with its latest product. Aptly called the Razer Blade this is the company’s first foray in the PC end of the industry. Previously they were best known for products like the Boomslang gaming mouse. The new offering has all the makings of a winner among PC gamers.

Its impressive specs include a 17-inch display, and a discrete Nvidia GeForce GT 555M graphics processing unit, it is virtually guaranteed to deliver brilliant visuals. This beauty also has 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 video memory. This gaming workhorse is powered by a 2.8-GHz Intel Core i7 processor and 8 GB 1333MHz DDR3 memory. At almost seven pounds it is slightly heavier than many brands but avid gamers probably won’t care about an extra pound or two.

One of the most notable features of this laptop is what is called the Switchblade User Interface. This has a set of special key which can adapt based on the user’s needs. For one, the keyboard itself has an LCD built in that allows it to double as a touch screen if there is no mouse available. This way the player can still interact with the game environment. When a mouse it plugged in, it reverts to a display mode. This has led one industry expert to suggest that new games may have to be developed to keep up with this technology.

Min-Liang Tan, Razer’s creative director and CEO said of the development, “The Switchblade User Interface on the Razer Blade is a revolutionary innovation that truly defines the new standard for gaming experiences on a laptop.” If this is true, then PC gamers have something special to look forward to. The laptop will be priced at around $2,799.99 and the company expects it to hit American store towards the end of the year.

The PC gaming market has been in a slump in recent years but this move by Razer demonstrates its confidence not only in the Blade abut also in the industry itself. Time will tell whether or not this gamble has paid off.

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Laptop News From HP And Apple

Summer 2011 Laptop News From HP And Apple

HP Downsizes With New Release

If the best things really come in small packages, the tech world really seems to have taken the message to heart. This is evidenced by the endless parade of super portable options that still somehow manage to deliver performance and power. One of the latest examples is the HP Pavilion dm 1-3010nr which was recently launched by Verizon.
The release is part of Verizon’s 4G service, but at a glance, it seems that this offering is a step above typical notebooks. With a 320GB hard drive, users certainly will not be lacking for space. They will get plenty of processing power from the dual-core 1.6 GHz MAD E-350 CPU. Additional features include Wi-Fi, webcam and a multi-card reader. The 11.6” display shows that it is meant to be portable, but its specs show that it meant to be a workhorse.

Users can access Verizon’s network in a number of areas. The company promises download speeds ranging from 5 to 12 Mbps. It is said to be a great tool for web conferencing. Buyers will be glad to know that there is no contract required upon purchase. The dm 1-3010nr is priced at $599.99 and the broadband service is pay as you go.

Mystery Surrounds Upcoming Apple Release

Anything that Apple does seems to get the tech world immediately interested. Currently there is a lot of interest in one of their latest products, a 15-inch laptop. This ultra-thin offering from Apple is believed to be destined to be a part of the company’s Macbook Air line. There are also suggestions that it might actually be a Macbook Pro.

Even the website dedicated to Apple news has so far not managed to unearth anything substantial on the upcoming release. This might bode well for the company that is as famous for its product launches as it is for innovation in the industry. Once it does hit the market the pre-release buzz might translate to big sales. Fans of all things Apple will have to wait for official word from the company on this one.

Dire Warning For Apple Laptop Owners

When laptop owners worry about security, the battery is probably something that wouldn’t even enter into the equation. However, as one researcher warns, the power supply of Apple laptops could be prime targets for hackers. According to reports, a security specialist named Charlie Miller has found a weakness in the system that could be exploited.

For starters, the laptop’s battery could be rendered inoperable but there are even more dangerous implications. By overriding built-in controls, hackers could cause your laptop battery to overheat and explode. As Miller explained, the program that is responsible for monitoring the battery could be hijacked. The outside user then has enough control to make the battery act inefficiently.

It has been pointed out that some batteries have internal safeguards that offer protection even if the battery is hacked. Miller plans to fully outline his findings at the upcoming Black Hat Conference held in Las Vegas from July 30-August 2011. This is a series of special briefings dedicated to the issue of computer security. The event is also staged outside the US in Tokyo and Barcelona. Attendees will also hear about Millers solution to the potential battery hacking problem. He developed ‘Caulkgun’, a patch that blocks access to the battery’s internal host.

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Catch a Flight And Rent A Laptop

It seems that one of the biggest game changers in technology and the Internet, Google, has done it again. Recent reports have outlined the company’s partnership with Virgin America to keep flyers online as they travel. The airline made an announcement on June 30 that flyers could rent Google’s Chromebook on specified routes. In addition, they will be able to surf the net via free Wi-Fi access.

Google has gone a step further by offering a Virgin America Traveler Chrome app. This will incorporate guides for several destinations and travel tips. Virgin is offering its passengers the chance to try out the Chromebooks, which are among the newest entrants to the laptop market. Judging by reports, the process is pretty simple as well.

At airports that have the ChromeZones set up, it is simply a matter of swiping your credit card. The laptop can be dropped off at the end of your journey. For now there is no charge as travellers will be given the chance to see how well the service, and indeed the Chromebooks themselves, operate.

The laptops will heavily utilize cloud computing to perform most functions. Since Google is one of the main proponents of the platform this is a good way to showcase its capabilities. The service will only be available on US domestic routes, with initial runs being between San Francisco to Boston and Chicago to Dallas.

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