| HP Goes After Business Users with Zbook 14 and 15u Workstation UItrabooks Posted: 05 Jan 2015 05:45 PM PST  Thin and light workstations for the mobile road warrior
HP is awfully proud of its reputation for delivering thin and light business-class laptops, and to ensure its name keeps coming up when the discussion turns to such systems, HP today introduced what it claims are the industry's thinnest and lightest workstation Ultrabooks to date, the Zbook 14 and Zbook 15u. If these model names look familiar, it's because they're second generation products. Both models are similar in features and options, albeit the Zbook 14 G2 sports a 14-inch display with and the Zbook 15u features a 15.6-inch panel, each of which come with optional 10-point touch support. Resolutions range in size from 1366x768 to Full HD 1080p (1920x1080). A 5th Generation Intel Core i5 5200U dual-core processor (14nm Broadwell) comes standard on each model, though users can upgrade to faster Core i7 CPUs. Other specs include 4GB of RAM upgradeable to 16GB, optional AMD FirePro M4150 graphics (the larger model can be configured with AMD FirePro M4170 graphics), 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, four USB 4.0 ports, SSD and HDD options up to 1.25TB, optional 4G connectivity, and of course Windows 8.1. HP will beginning shipping the Zbook 14 G2 this month starting at $1,249 and the Zbook 15u G2 at $1,199. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Asus ROG Unloads Expansive Lineup of New Gaming Gear at CES Posted: 05 Jan 2015 05:22 PM PST  Uh, where's the kitchen sink?
Day 1 of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is quickly wrapping up, though not before Asus Republic of Gamers (ROG) could blitz gamers with a bevy of hardware, including its new Spatha and Sica Gaming Mice, Strix Tactic Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, and a few other products. While not all of what Asus ROG brought to the convention was brand spanking new, the company certainly showed that it has PC gaming on the brain. The ROG Spatha is being billed as Asus ROG's new flagship gaming mouse. Details are a bit light, though the company says the rodent is custom-engineered to give gamers an advantage in MMO and RPGs. It has half a dozen customizable macro buttons postitioned for thumb operation, is wireless, and comes with a charging dock. Also on the topic of mice is the ROG Sica. This one sports a wired design and is intended mostly for MOBA gamers with a high-precision 5,000 DPI optical sensor. Lefties will be pleased to know it's an ambidextrous mouse suitable for both left- and right-handed play. 
The other major mentionable is the Strix Tactic Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. Gamers can choose between Cherry MX black, blue, brown, or red key switches. All versions come with backlighting, N-Key Rollover technology over USB, 13 dedicated macro keys, and the ability to reassign the F1 through F8 keys as macros, giving gamers a total of 21 one-touch commands. It also features on-the-fly macro recording. Asus also brought to the show its Swift PG27AQ 4K IPS gaming monitor, ROG Enthusiast SLI Bridge (it has an illuminated ROG logo and a "sleek aluminum luster"), and Whetstone mouse pad, the latter of which is the first ROG hybrid silicone-fabric mouse pad to date. It uses Mayan-inspired texturing and incorporates both solid-bonding and heat-sealing techniques for what's supposed to be a durable finish. The hype is high and we look forward to putting some of these products through their paces in the coming weeks and months. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Samsung Announces T1 Line of External SSDs Posted: 05 Jan 2015 05:05 PM PST 
Bigger Isn't Always Better Samsung announced the Portable SSD T1 line of external solid-state drive today, the first of its kind for this company. The drive uses a standard USB 3.0 cable to connect to your PC and is backwards compatible with USB 2.0. But you'll definitely want the faster connection -- Samsung claims that the drive can acheive sequential read and write speeds of up to 450MB/s if your motherboard has a UASP mode available. It also comes with 256-bit AES encryption and Dynamic Thermal Guard, the latter of which helps to prevent the drive from overheating. The drives, available in 250GB, 500GB and 1TB sizes, come with a three-year warranty and have MSRPs of $180, $300, and $600, respectively. Also, rather than being a standard 2.5-inch SSD inside an enclosure, the T1 uses a fully integrated design, which explains its compact dimensions (about 25% shorter than a regular internal SSD). You can expect these drives to show up at retail within the next few weeks.
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| Intel's 5th Generation Core Processors Finally Arrive Posted: 05 Jan 2015 09:54 AM PST  Hello Broadwell, nice to finally meet you
Intel waited until CES to formally introduce its 5th Generation Intel Core processor family, essentially a die shrink of Haswell built on a 14nm manufacturing process. These are the Broadwell parts you've been waiting for -- yes, we've already seen the Broadwell architecture manifest in Intel's Core M processors released last year, but those CPUs were mostly intended for fanless 2-in-1 hybrid tablet devices. These latest Broadwell parts will mostly come in Core i3, i5, and i7 varieties (along with Pentium and Celeron CPUs), first in dual-core form for laptops and later with quad-core models coming out. And if you're following Intel's "tick-tock" schedule, these would be a "tick," meaning Intel took last generation's architecture (Haswell) and shrunk it, as opposed to rolling out a brand new architecture. That said, these chips boasts 35 percent more transistors (1.3 billion) than Haswell. That doesn't mean they'll blow Haswell out of the water, though you can expect improved performance, especially in graphics -- Intel is claiming a 22 percent bump in graphics rendering performance, with a 50 percent jump in video encoding. Among the new chips, 10 are 15W processors with Intel HD Graphics and four are 28W products with Intel Iris Graphics. In addition, Intel said it also started shipping its next generation 14nm processor for tablets codenamed "Cherry Trail" to device manufacturers. It's an SoC (System-on-Chip) design offering 64-bit computing, improved graphics, and better battery life. You can find out more details on Intel's Fact Sheet (PDF). Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| HP Downsizes the Desktop with Pavilion Mini and Stream Mini PCs Posted: 05 Jan 2015 09:01 AM PST  Honey, HP shrunk the desktop!
Go back in time a few years ago and we might have scoffed at the idea of palm sized desktops PCs. And if you would have tried telling us they're as powerful as some desktop tower PCs, you would have elicited a hearty chuckle from us. Ah, but times are changing, and these little units are no laughing matter. Following in the footsteps of systems like Intel's NUC, HP today announced the Pavilion Mini Desktop and Stream Mini Desktop, a pair of pint-sized systems with hardly any footprints to speak of. Measuring a scant 2.06 inches high and weighing only 1.6 pounds, the HP Pavilion Mini Desktop can rest easily in the palm of your hand. Despite its small size, there's some respectable hardware and features to cover, such as up to Intel Core i3 processor options, up to 8GB of expandable memory, up to 1TB of storage, dual-display support with DisplayPort and HDMI outputs, built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, four USB ports, and a few other odds and ends. The HP Stream Mini Desktop comes in the same small package but includes "value added services" and features like 32GB of SSD storage, 200GB of Microsoft OneDrive storage for two years, a $25 gift card for the Windows Store, and a Cobalt Blue color scheme. When these systems hit retailers on February 8, 2015, pricing will start at $320 for the HP Pavilion Mini Desktop (Intel Pentium 3558U processor, 4GB of RAM, 500GB HDD) and $180 for the Stream Mini (Intel Celeron 2957U processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB SSD). Both will come with a keyboard and mouse bundle. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| SanDisk Rolls Out SSD Plus and Ultra II mSATA SSD Storage Lines Posted: 05 Jan 2015 08:43 AM PST  SanDisk targets tablet and laptop users with new SSD options
We've already seen solid state drive pricing drop to around 50 cents per gigabyte and below for high performance models, and here's hoping even lower prices are bound for 2015. In the meantime, SanDisk just unveiled a couple of new SSD lines at CES -- the SSD Plus and Ultra II mSATA SSD. The former is a 2.5-inch entry-level drive targeting laptop and desktop users, while the latter is for laptop and tablet users. Starting with the former, SanDisk says the SSD Plus in 128GB capacity is capable of up to 550MB/s sequential read and up to 180MB/s sequential write performance, while the 240GB model boasts up to 550MB/s and up to 350MB/s sequential reads and writes, respectively. Unfortunately, there's no word on which controller or NAND flash memory SanDisk is using. The SSD Plus line sports a 2.5-inch form factor and will ship to customers in the first quarter of this year for $70 (120GB) and $110 (240GB). As for the Ultra II mSATA line, SanDisk rates them as follows: - 128GB: 550MB/s read, 500MB/s write, 74K IOPS read, 39K IOPS write
- 256GB: 550MB/s read, 500MB/s write, 92K IOPS read, 54K IOPS write
- 512GB: 550MB/s read, 500MB/s write, 97K IOPS read, 67K IOPS write
These drives will also ship in the first quarter with MSRPs set at $74 (128GB), $116 (256GB), and $221 (512GB). In somewhat related news, SanDisk also unveiled its Ultra Dual USB Drive 3.0, a USB flash drive featuring both a micro-USB and USB 3.0 connector for file transfers between On The Go (OTG) enabled Android devices, PCs, and Macs. It sports a retractable design along with a longer micro-USB connector to accomodate device cases or port covers, and is rated for up to 130MB/s. The SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive 3.0 should be be available now (or soon) in 16GB to 64GB capacities ranging in price from $23 to $65 (MSRP). Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Lenovo Unveils 3rd GenThinkPad X1 Carbon, Touts 100 Million ThinkPad Sales Milestone Posted: 05 Jan 2015 08:14 AM PST  Lenovo kicks off 2015 by crossing a big time milestone
If you thought Lenovo would slow its roll in 2015, think again. The world's top PC supplier is currently celebrating over 100 million ThinkPad unit sales to date, which is enough to equip every man, woman, and child in Canada almost three times over (in case a bit of perspective is needed). And to keep the good times going, Lenovo is showcasing a number of new products at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, including its third generation ThinkPad X1 Carbon. Lenovo describes its latest ThinkPad Carbon X1 as the lightest 14-inch performance Ultrabook around. It features a new super bright display with a spacious 2560x1440 resolution and 10-point multitouch support. Other specs include 5th Generation Intel Core i7 processor options, Intel HD GT2 graphics, up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, up to a 512GB PCIe solid state drive, 720p webcam, Dolby Advanced Audio V4, HDMI and mini DisplayPort output, USB connectivity, and few other odds and ends. Look for the ThinkPad Carbon X1 to ship this month starting at $1,249. Also on tap from Lenovo is the ThinkVision X24, an ultra-slim monitor with a narrow bezel. Lenovo says it's the first monitor to use pre-coated metal (PCM) surface technology for a non-traditional rear cover to enhance workspace appearances, for those who care about such a thing. The ThinkVision X24 uses a Neo-Blade IPS pane with a 1920x1080 display, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 7ms response time, 250 nits brightness, and 178-degrees (horizontal and vertical) viewing angles. It will be available in April for $249 MSRP. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Acer First to Offer a 15.6-Inch Chromebook Model Posted: 05 Jan 2015 07:48 AM PST  Meet the world's first 15.6-inch Chromebook
The primary appeal of Chromebooks is the price of entry -- without a low price tag, these modern day cloud-based netbooks probably wouldn't find much of an audience. This begs the question, is there a market for slightly more expensive Chromebook models with bigger size displays? Acer intends to find out by launching its Chromebook 15, the industry's first Chromebook device with a 15.6-inch display. The Acer Chromebook 15 measures 15.4 (W) x 10.08 (D) 0.95 (H) inches and weighs 4.85 pounds. On the outside is what Acer describes as a white fabric-like surface intended to add a touch of sophistication to the laptop. It was also constructed with every day hazards in mind -- the case can withstand up to 60kg of force, while the corners can absorb drops up to 45cm without damange. Powering the Full HD 1080p 15.6-inch display are 5th Generation Intel Core i3 and and next-generation Intel Celeron processors based on Intel's 5th Generation Core micro-architecture. Other features include 2GB or 4GB of RAM, 16GB or 32GB of SSD storage, 802.11ac (MIMO 2x2) Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports (one each), HDMI output, SD card reader, and an HD webcam. "The Acer Chromebook 15 is a true powerhouse – it provides fast mobile performance and a large display to help customers accomplish more every day," said Jerry Kao, president of Acer Notebook Business Group. "Acer has been a leader in the Chromebook market, from providing the latest in technology and trailblazing battery life to designing new form factors. We're driving the category forward again with the world's first 15.6-inch display Chromebook, the Acer Chromebook 15." Look for the Acer Chromebook 15 line to start shipping soon with prices beginning at $250 MSRP. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Nvidia Announces X1 SoC Posted: 05 Jan 2015 12:15 AM PST Will help drive auto-piloted cars You can't buy driverless cars just yet, but Nvidia is hoping to change that over time with its new Tegra X1 system-on-a-chip. The SoC is an offshoot of Nvidia's K1 chip and is based on the company's Maxwell GPU architecture, which is currently implemented in its GeForce GTX 980 and 970 graphics cards. While consumer-grade self-driving cars are still a ways off, the X1 is being designed to help with auto-assisted driving. While consumer-grade self-driving cars are still a ways off, the X1 is being designed to help chip away at that (no pun intended). 
A look at Nvidia's new Drive CX interface The chip features 256 CUDA cores and eight CPU cores. Nvidia is saying the X1 offers nearly twice the performance improvement over its K1 SoC, which Nvidia used in its Shield tablet, while being nearly 2x more energy efficient. Nvidia equated the power of the X1 to Microsoft's Xbox One, but requiring roughly one-tenth the power draw. The green team touted the X1 as "the world's first teraflops mobile processor." While the first computer to hit one teraflop came out all the way back in 2001, it consumed a massive one million watts, which is magnitudes more than the X1's roughly 10-watt TDP equivalent. Nvidia's Drive CX is the company's new digital cockpit computer Nvidia is banking a lot on the future of cars, and company CEO Jen-hsun Huang was on stage to say that he believes they will offer the "most advanced computers in the world." To drive some of this home (again, no pun intended), the company created its Drive CX cockpit computer, which uses the X1. The computer will be able to power the displays in the car, such as the front RPM HUD, and will be able to generate over 16 million pixels. This cockpit computer will also support surround view cameras on the outside of the car, so that the car is well aware of its surroundings. 
Nvidia's Drive PX is the company's newly announced auto-pilot car computer. While the road to automated-driving cars is a difficult one, the company deduced that there are four major obstacles to overcome: these cars must be able to model out the environment, have a sense of situational awareness, be able to path-find, and also be able to learn. To combat these issues, Nvidia is working with car manufacturers to integrate its new Nvidia Drive PX system, which uses two X1 SoCs. With this system, these smart cars will offer 12 camera inputs, CUDA programmability, and what the company is referring to as a "deep neural network," which will pull data together using a cloud-based system. With these tools, the car will be able to detect people, signs, different car types (e.g., ambulances and police cars), and will also be able to tell if a civilian is stepping outside of his/her car. According to Nvidia, this setup will be able to classify up to 150 objects at once. On stage, Nvidia revealed that it is working with car manufacturer Audi to implement these systems. While a lot of these tools are currently focused on assisting drivers, according to Audi's Executive VP of Electronics Development Ricky Hudi, self-driving cars from the company are coming in the not-too-distant future. How do you feel about self driving cars? Think they'll happen? Let us know in the comments below. |
| Seagate Intros World’s Thinnest 500GB Portable Hard Drive Posted: 04 Jan 2015 11:54 PM PST 
The Seagate Seven is a celebration of company's 35 years in the industry Seagate earlier today announced what it says is the slimmest portable drive the world has ever seen. The Seagate Seven — called thus because of its 7mm depth — is as minimalistic as it is slim. Its unembellished steel enclosure, according the storage vendor, gives it a premium feel and "highlights the essence of a bare hard drive, Seagate's core competency for over 35 years." You can carry as much as 500GB of data with you on this diminutive USB 3.0 external drive that tips the scales at around 5.3 ounces. Priced at $99.99, the Seagate Seven is available for pre-order from the company's website, with the first units set to reach consumers later this month. "The Seagate Seven enclosure is made entirely of steel, not only to achieve the thinnest external drive, but also for a premium appearance inspired by a bare drive, the very essence of storage. Seagate leveraged the latest of the company's drive technologies and manufacturing processes to create the world's thinnest external hard drive," the company said in a press release Sunday. "The deep draw process allows for the all steel enclosure to be shaped in a method that the material could not be any thinner and still hold the structural integrity needed to perform as an external portable storage device. The steel encasing also provides a rigidity, which allows for the incredibly thin design to be functional. The low profile motor technologies used in the bare drive are designed to include extreme Gyro handling capabilities with tablets and thin computing in mind. This is a true benefit when considering that Seagate Seven is a storage device that people will carry with them in their bags or pockets." Follow Pulkit on Google+ |
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