Designed by Blizzard® and SteelSeries specifically for World of Warcraft®, The World of Warcraft® MMO Gaming Mouse provides remarkable benefit to all World of Warcraft® gamers, regardless of level or play style. The mouse can be customized to fit the users personal preferences; the illumination feature allows for up to 16 million colors, programmability of all 15 buttons via an intuitive and easy to use drag and drop interface. The fluid integration of software with hardware will provide the user with an amazing in-game experience featuring superior performance, comfort and control. The World of Warcraft® MMO Gaming Mouse is fully scalable to meet and exceed the requirements of even the most discerning World of Warcraft® gamer.

* 16 million illumination choices * A total of 15 programmable buttons
* Several predefined macros and posibility to create your own
* World’s first gaming mouse designed exclusively for World of Warcraft®

• Cable (braided): 2 m / 6,6 ft.
• 15 buttons
• 800 - 3000 CPI
• 3,6 mm lift distance

November 2008

[SteelSeries]

In speed tests around Baltimore, the netbook was able to hit 6.7Mbps down and 2.8Mbps up. The New York Times started loading in 7 seconds, taking 15 seconds to fully display. And Hulu video streamed solidly after buffering for 20 seconds.

But I don't think anyone is questioning whether or not WiMax works, even on low-powered netbooks. The question is whether or not people will pay $30-$40 a month to connect to the internet on what's basically a secondary computer—especially if they already pay for 3G access on a smartphone or high speed at home. Would you spend the money?

To see the speed tests with your own eyes, hit the link for video of the testing. [LaptopMag]

Toshiba's offering is a nicely spec'd 13-inch Satellite, which seems to be the sweet spot of the bunch. And finally, Lenovo is hitting us with a brigade right off the bat—Thinkpad X301, T400, SL300 and SL500, though eventually all of its laptops will have WiMax options. Dell, Sony and Panasonic will be bringing theirs out sometime next year, so unless you're looking for the fruit, basically any maker you're a fan of will have something for you (and don't forget Nokia's N810). [CW, Electronista]

I don't know about you, but I'm gonna go do some push ups. [Modders Inc]

Also, NZXT's Avatar pulled some similar side button trickery as the Silverstone, which resulted in you accidentally mashing the side button every time you picked up the mouse. The Raven's side buttons don't look quite as haphazardly placed, so it might not be the case. When we get one in our hands maybe our doubts will be blown by away by this 3200dpi monster, but hold on to that $85 in the meantime. [Silverstone via Crunchygear]

The Lycosa Mirror edition swaps out of the rubber coating I had a love/hate relationship with for an all-glossy, super-shiny approach, though everything else is the same, so it's still $80. If you like laptop-style keyboards and want one spec'd for gaming, the Lycosa breed is a pretty solid choice. [Razer]

"We're basically plugging into the larger businesses," he says. "Notebooks will be manufactured and handled in Asia where there's much broader distribution. I can't just snap my fingers and have [the Envy and Omen] in Russia, Dubai and other places where people are begging for them. To scale the business and stay true to the brand, we have to structure it accordingly." Regarding layoffs, he did acknowledge: "There are definitely going to be people impacted. With any change, we have to take that impact in stride and keep pressing forward."

Rahul also addressed the concerns that some gamers had that Voodoo had abandoned its core audience. He surprised us with an interesting statistic: 25% of the Voodoo customer base are gamers, he says. The other 75% are "fortunate people who love the style and the fact that our products are so different." On the matter of the sleek new Envy not being a gaming PC at all, he mentions that it's not the first time, and that the hot-selling 12-inch Envy had integrated graphics too.

He stresses that the crazy Omen desktop and the Blackbird are both solid gaming platform. He also says that he's interested in the new directions that DIY enthusiast gamers will soon be taking. "The DIY enthusiast market will change," he says. "They're going to focus on more efficient computing rather than speeds and feeds, to bring more value to the end than just framerates. The DIY market will evolve—that's an opportunity for us to look into."

We have no idea what that might mean. Could it be a line of Voodoo-branded accessories? Or simply designing systems themselves with more DIY tweakbility in mind, like the Blackbird? Your guess is as good, or actually probably better, than mine, so go ahead and guess.

VGN-JS1E/S
- Processor: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor E7200
- OS: Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium
- Memory: 3072MB (2048MB+1024MB)
- HDD: 500GB
- Others: WLAN 802.11b/g/Draft n & Camera
- Screen: 20.1” X-black LCD with multiple lamp technology, WSXGA+ (1680x1050)
- Optical: DVD±RW/±R DL/RAM
- Graphics: Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X4500HD

VAIO JS1-Series

The VAIO JS1-Series all-in-one PC seems to offer buyers the impossible: it has a large, high-resolution screen, yet it takes up less desk space than most notebooks. It achieves this apparent contradiction by virtue of its sleek and stylish design. The compact keyboard can be slotted underneath the main unit when not in use, leaving only a modest footprint on the desk. Even when the keyboard is out, the JS1-Series takes up remarkably little room.

Despite its modest space requirements, the JS1’s main unit incorporates a generously sized 20.1-inch screen complete with multiple lamp technology for exceptional brightness. The display runs at 1680 x 1050 resolution, delivering a huge Windows workspace as well as an imposing widescreen presence when a movie is playing.

All this makes the VAIO JS1 an excellent choice for anyone wanting a rather special home PC. It looks good in almost any room, takes up surprisingly little space and offers an adventurous design a long way away from the standard desktop box. Internally there’s raw power for audio-visual applications thanks to the Intel Core™ 2 Duo processor, plus a performance-enhancing 3GB of memory and a roomy 500GB hard disk providing plenty of space for music, pictures and video.

While the large screen is ideal for photo editing, the JS1 also scores well when it comes to the audio side of things. Movie soundtracks are enhanced by Dolby Home Theatre® technology which creates an impressive virtual surround sound effect, and audiophiles can take advantage of the special features offered by Sony’s Sound Reality signal processor chip built into the system.

This can handle Super Audio CD (SA-CD), allowing the JS1 to record, edit and play music at SA-CD quality, and even upgrade older recordings to the new standard.

Sound Reality can up-convert conventional CD-quality music into uncompressed Direct Stream Digital (DSD) format. Using the pre-installed SonicStage Mastering Studio software, the DSD signal can be re-mastered into 5.1 Super Audio CD, revitalising the original.

As with the VAIO NS1-Series, JS1 comes with VAIO Movie Story and VAIO Music box for easy, largely automated slideshow and playlist creation. The software package also includes the popular and highly regarded Adobe® Photoshop® Elements 6 for powerful but easy to use photo editing tools plus Adobe Premiere® Elements 4 for video editing.

To round things off the VAIO JS1 has an integrated Motion Eye webcam, making it perfect for video chat or blogging. With its versatility, eye-catching design and big screen, the JS1-Series is the perfect blend of form and function.

“Sony” is a registered trademark of Sony Corporation. All other trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

ChiralRotate is similar to the previously released ChiralMotion, but where ChiralMotion just controlled scroll functions inside a window, applications can take advantage of ChiralRotate in more specific ways, like a full screen photo viewer app where the ability to scroll is not present. These gestures must be supported by applications specifically (and not just Windows in general), but there are currently 100 applications that will work with the older gestures and Synaptics expects many more apps will work with the new ones in the near future.

Tons of computers now feature compatible Synaptics trackpads, including the Voodoo Envy 133. These gestures are available now and can be enabled with a quick update to the OEM-included software. [Synaptics]

Synaptics Adds Two Innovative Advanced Gestures to its Growing Library of TouchPad™ Gesture Recognition
Synaptics TouchPads Enabled With ChiralRotate™ and Two-Finger Flick Make Notebooks and Peripheral Keyboards More Intuitive and Easier to Use

TOKYO, Japan –Sept. 30, 2008 – Synaptics Inc. (NASDAQ: SYNA), a leading developer of human interface solutions for mobile computing, communications and entertainment devices, today announced the availability of two new advanced gestures— ChiralRotate and Two-Finger Flick. These gestures join the company’s expanding portfolio of gesture recognition capabilities for Synaptics TouchPads used in popular notebooks and peripheral keyboards.

• ChiralRotate lets users move one finger in a circular motion to rotate images and graphics within applications, quickly and easily.

• Two-Finger Flick enables users, depending on the application, to either use two fingers to flick horizontally to navigate back-and-forth through images, documents and objects, or to flick vertically to minimize and maximize an application.

Consistent with previous Synaptics gestures (ChiralMotion™, Pinch and Momentum) announced earlier this year, ChiralRotate and Two-Finger Flick are compatible with hundreds of Microsoft Windows applications and offer tremendous value and productivity to any notebook or peripheral keyboard that integrates Synaptics’ industry-leading TouchPad™ touch-sensitive interfaces. The ChiralMotion gesture has gone through multiple usability tests, which have consistently demonstrated that continuous circular movement of the finger on the TouchPad is the most desirable, natural gesture for users to perform.

“The addition of ChiralRotate and Two-Finger Flick are the most recent examples of Synaptics’ ongoing commitment to driving innovation and improved usability to all types of PC applications,” said Mark Vena, vice president of Synaptics’ PC Business Unit. “Consumer and business users alike are always looking for ways to do things faster and more intuitively on their notebook systems and PC peripherals, and these new Synaptics gestures are aimed at delivering just that.”

Working with photos and graphics becomes much more efficient when using a TouchPad enhanced with ChiralRotate or Two-Finger Flick. Users can review images quickly with Two-Finger Flick and rotate them within popular Windows applications with ChiralRotate, all without taking their fingers off the TouchPad. These gestures join other gesture options, such as Synaptics ChiralMotion™ technology - an advanced gesture that provides an innovative alternative to conventional scrolling. As an added convenience, all Synaptics TouchPad settings, including gesture functionality, can be turned on or off with the highly intuitive Synaptics Control Panel that is incorporated into most OEM notebook systems.

Availability: These new enhanced gesture options are available now on Synaptics TouchPads for PC notebook and keyboard devices. For more information on Synaptics’ ChiralRotate and Two-Finger Flick, visit www.synaptics.com/technology/chiral.cfm.

The Price: $70.

Verdict: I'm on record as being less than fond of ambidextrous mice since I don't use a "claw" grip for gaming. Avatar tries to let you have it both ways, with a deeply grooved thumb grip, and fails more spectacularly as a result.

Its most glaring problem, and what ultimately renders it less than usable, is that it has a thumb button placed on either side—part of the whole ambidextrous thing—so it's far too easy to hit the one opposite your thumb with your ring finger whenever you pick the mouse up (something you do a lot, actually). You can try tucking your finger underneath it, but that requires you to recess your grip, so that clicking the button your thumb actually uses requires more effort, and therefore more time. Not to mention it cramps your hand, thanks to its extremely thin profile. They could partially solve this by making the ass of the mouse a bit fatter, giving the back of your palm more surface to grip so you could actually use it in a claw style. Even then, that errant side button would still be in the way.

So, while the customization software and everything worked well enough, the ergonomics of the mouse really just make it less than usable. If you're looking for an ambidextrous gaming mouse, I'd recommend one of Razer's instead. [NZXT]

I guess with as much as we spend on computers, we might as well treat them as art. It sure beats the hell out of a Kinkade. [Dvice]

It should be noted, of course, that just because these systems rule Amazon, it doesn't mean they are outselling the entire industry. There's a good chance buyers are more apt to buy an Aspire One through a third party while they'll customize their more expensive laptop through Dell or HP. Still, a good showing from the little guy. [Amazon via MacRumors and Engadget]

Send the results to contests@gizmodo.com with "I'm a PC" in the subject line. Name your file FirstnameLastname.jpg so you can be properly credited for your genius, and send it in to me by next Tuesday. I'll pick the top three winners and show off the rest of the best in our Gallery of Champions. Get to it, friends!

Thickness: 1.3-inch base, .59-inch LCD
Built-In Webcam & MIC
Piano Black Design
Weight approx 4 lbs.
Microsoft Windows XP ULCPC
Intel ATOM CPU: N270 (1.6GHz / 533MHz FSB / 512K)
18.4″ Widescreen LCD (1680 x 945)
1GB DDR2 System Memory
160GB SATA HDD
Super Multi Dual Layer DVD Burner
802.11 b/g wireless LAN integrated
Integrated webcam (1.3M) and 5 USB 2.0 ports
4-in-1 Memory Card Reader
15 pin D-Sub Video out port

This Averatec All In One should be available in the US by the holiday season in black only. [Gadgetress]

But as an FBI document reports, Pani wasn't going to a hedge fund. He was actually hired to work at AMD. And he spent the next two weeks with his Intel-networked laptop collecting confidential designs.

Pani worked quickly and managed to assemble 13 different "top secret" company files relating to future Intel chips, spanning 100 pages of information along with 19 CAD images of the architecture. When an Intel employee learned that Pani was really heading to AMD, the company called in the FBI to investigate.

Pani claims that the files were collected to aid his wife in her new position at the Hudson facility. He has since been let go by AMD and AMD has been fully cooperative with authorities. There is no evidence that AMD requested or acquired the designs. [Boston]

The NS has a built-in A-V mode which pops up a shortcut menu to nine selected programs, which could be media players, music players, browsers, and includes media control functions. It's got a 2GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of RAM, 250GB HDD, 1.3-megapixel webcam, and all the usual connections except for Bluetooth. There's Vaio Movie Story software aboard, for "professional-looking" video editing, but the lack of a Blu-ray burning drive might frustrate your HD film-making desires. It's also got a textured exterior, which may tickle your pickle, and comes in nightfall blue, silk white and granite silver. Out in the Fall, $650 to $1,000 if you want Blu-ray. [SonyStyle]

Sony's also announced that the CS range of Vaios, that we mentioned before for the Japanese market, are also coming to the US. These are similarly entertainment-focused machines, also with a Blu-ray ROM drive option and A-V mode, but just a 14.1-inch screen. It's also got a "uniquely configured" keyboard with extra inter-key spacing and, surprisingly and strangely, and in-built "12-tone music analyzer" visualizer system which produces an LED light-show beneath the wrist rest. Weird. The CS will cost between $920 and $1,070 depending on whether you choose BD.

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 12, 2008 –- Sony today introduced two notebooks with Blu-ray Disc™ technology— the VAIO® NS and CS models.
“With these new units, Sony is now offering consumers a host of multi-media PC options to choose from,” said Mike Abary, senior vice president of VAIO product marketing at Sony Electronics. “And with a starting price of around $1,000 for the NS model, we’re expecting a new audience to experience HD entertainment on their computers.”

HD Entertainment Attractively Priced

The VAIO NS notebook features an optional Blu-ray Disc-ROM drive that is ideal for viewing HD content. It also has the added convenience of DVD and CD read/write functionalities.
The PC is equipped with a 15.4-inch (measured diagonally) widescreen display, and Sony’s own XBRITE-ECO™ LCD technology for sharp details and vivid colors.
The NS model easily accesses your music, movies and the Internet. Its integrated A/V mode features a dedicated menu, putting entertainment within easy reach by letting you select up to nine programs, such as a favorite web site, from one location.

Packing an Intel® CoreTM 2 Duo processor, significant RAM and ample storage, the NS notebook is equipped with the tools required for everyday computing.
Available in three colors— nightfall blue, silk white and granite silver— the VAIO NS notebook will start at around $650, while the Blu-ray Disc model will go for about $1,000.

High Fashion Meets High-Def

The VAIO CS notebook is available in four glossy colors— sangria, cosmopolitan, dove and black. A standard black matte finish is also available.
The unit is equipped with a 14.1-inch widescreen display and XBRITE-ECO™ LCD technology for sharp images. Matched with an optional Blu-ray Disc-ROM drive, the CS model is ideal for watching HD entertainment on-the-go.
Its instant A/V mode lets you kick off your entertainment with ease. Go straight to watching a movie, playing music, or viewing photos with the touch of a button. A built-in A/V slide control also lets you control all functions (play, pause, rewind, fast-forward, stop, eject, etc.) all with one-touch ease.

The PC has a uniquely configured keyboard, designed with spacing between the keys, for a comfortable typing experience. A specialized keyboard font adds a fun touch. The unit also has a12-tone music analyzer that translates your music into a colorful LED light show that plays out beneath the palm rest of the PC.

It is backed by optional Intel® Centrino® 2 processor technology with plenty of power for high-speed performance and an energy-efficient design for remote computing.
The CS model will start at about $920, while the BD model will go for around $1,070.

The VAIO NS and CS notebooks will be available online at www.sonystyle.com. They will also be sold at Sony Style® stores and select retailers around the country starting this fall.

No extra media keys here, just the basic meat and potatoes spacious QWERTY that you need. [whatlaptop and pocketables via engadget]

Fearing that the system came as a bag of components, they were relieved to hear that it was actually a fully built and tested system. Fearing a white-box scenario where you have to add on your own OS, they again were happy to hear it comes with Windows XP Pro installed with the latest service pack—though it doesn't appear the game comes in the bundle. Ultra claims that the Optimized PC will run Crysis Warhead at the highest DX9 setting, at 30 frames per second, and that the game was actually "fine tuned" to work with Nvidia 9800 GT video card.

Pre-orders at TigerDirect.com start next week. Sounds like a sweet deal to me—even if you still have to buy the game and a monitor and speakers—but give me your thoughts... You buyin' this? [GameCyte]

Happily, they're (probably) not exaggerating the battery life, touting 30 hours of "active gaming" on a single charge. While the G7 gives you two hot-swap batteries in case you run out mid-genocide, the X8 has a play-and-charge cable that you unwrap from the small hockey puck. You've also got the usual gaming mouse standards—on-the-fly DPI switching, macro recording, and a total of seven buttons, plus the scroll wheel now tilts left and right.

Ergonomically, this looks better than the previous two SideWinder mice. The sharp "bump" at the top has been smoothed out and should be more comfortable, and it's less angular overall. Most importantly, they're halfway to admitting defeat on the thumb buttons. Though still vertically aligned (damn it), the uncomfortable, hard-to-hit circles have been replaced by sloping rectangles that make them easier to distinguish and press instinctively. While I love that they're doing things differently, I think they just need to concede that horizontal thumb buttons are the standard for a reason—it's better.

It'll be out in February for $100, though you should be able to pre-order it any minute now on Amazon.

Update: Right now, actually.

Experience Untethered, Uninterrupted Gameplay With Microsoft’s New SideWinder X8 Mouse

First wireless SideWinder mouse features Microsoft BlueTrack Technology for the best speeds and feeds available.
REDMOND, Wash.  Sept. 10, 2008  Microsoft Corp. today unleashed the SideWinder X8 Mouse, offering wireless freedom with wired performance with a 2.4GHz wireless connection that is built for lag-free play. The latest SideWinder mouse features an innovative play-and-charge system to ensure a nonstop gaming experience — up to 30 hours of active gaming on a single charge — with no need to stop the game to change batteries. The SideWinder X8 Mouse is a top performer thanks to Microsoft’s new, proprietary BlueTrack Technology that gives this mouse the best frame rate, speed and acceleration on the market and a tracking range from 250 to 4,000 dots per inch (dpi).

“When conducting our research, we found room for improving on the wireless experience for gamers, especially as it related to perceived delay or lag time of response. The SideWinder X8 Mouse will put those wireless gaming mouse fears to rest,” said Bill Jukes, product marketing manager for Microsoft Hardware. “We designed this mouse to perform to the highest gaming standards — with near-zero latency, uninterrupted gameplay and the world’s most advanced tracking with BlueTrack Technology.”

Innovation for Gaming Performance
The SideWinder X8 Mouse is a top-performing wireless gaming mouse, with a combination of BlueTrack Technology tracking that provides the best speeds and feeds available, 2.4GHz wireless technology built for lag-free play, and an easy recharging system that keeps gamers in action.
• BlueTrack Technology. The world’s most advanced tracking offers next-generation tracking technology for gaming with image processing of 13,000 frames per second, 75g maximum acceleration and 120 inches per second maximum speed.
• 2.4GHz wireless. The device is built for lag-free play with virtually no latency.
• Play and charge. Get up to 30 hours of active gaming on a single charge, or use the play-and-charge cable for nonstop action. The winding cord management system offers easy charging — simply unwrap the cord from around the storage box and snap it onto the underside of the mouse.

Designed for Gaming
Comfort continues to be one of the main needs of PC gamers, and the SideWinder X8 Mouse features a unique, comfortable design that gamers will appreciate for extended sessions of play. Features include the following:
• Scroll wheel with tilt. The mouse has better feel and response with detents for precise control.
• Engineered for speed. The shape was designed for quick, balanced and precise gaming actions.
• Vertical side buttons. The top and bottom design makes locating side buttons easier and reduces unintentional activation. The X8 also offers smart features to enhance the gaming experience, including an LCD screen on the mouse to quickly view dpi settings and macro-recording icons, and a Quick Launch button that provides one-touch access to Microsoft’s PC gaming features.

Custom Tuning
Gamers also like to customize their gaming mouse to fit their needs, which is why the SideWinder X8 Mouse offers the following adjustable features:
• DPI switching. Instantly switch sensitivity among high, medium and low with one click, ranging from 250 to 4,000 dpi.
• Replaceable mouse feet. Choose from three materials for glide preference.
• Seven programmable buttons. Customize five programmable main buttons, plus left and right tilt.
• Macro record button. Easily record macros while in game with the dedicated button.

Pricing and Availability
The SideWinder X8 Mouse will be widely available in February 2009 for an estimated retail price of $99.95 (U.S.).2 The mouse is available now for pre-sale on Amazon.com and will ship in February when it is released. The SideWinder X8 Mouse will be backed by a worldwide three-year limited hardware warranty from Microsoft Corp. More information about this and other Microsoft Hardware products can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/hardware.

About Microsoft Hardware
For more than 25 years, the Hardware Group has employed innovative engineering, cutting-edge industrial design and extensive usability testing to create products of exceptional quality and durability that enhance the software experience and strengthen the connection between consumers and their PC. Microsoft Hardware leads the industry in ergonomic engineering, industrial design and hardware/software compatibility, offering consumers an easier, more convenient and more enjoyable computing experience. Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer, which launched in 1999, earned a place on PCWorld.com’s December 2005 list of “The 50 Greatest Gadgets of the Past 50 Years” as the first mainstream optical mouse that “brought gunk-free pointing devices” to a broad consumer base. More information about the Hardware Group is available at http://www.mshardwareguide.com.

About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

[Microsoft]

The AW50 and AW70 have what Sony's calling the largest LCD laptop screens in the world, and its mated to pretty serious machines. Like the new R-series desktops, these new A-series machines are aimed at video and photography professionals, so the screen meets Adobe's RGB standard 100%, both come with extra pro-level software and have a Core 2 Duo T9400 purring inside at 2.53GHz. 500GB hard drives and GeForce 9600M GT graphics complete the package, but mean the machines weigh in at around 8.6 pounds.

Prices for these machines go from $1,500 for the C-series to the A-series at around $3,000, and though there's no official word, we can probably expect these upgrades to arrive in the rest of the world soon. Updated
[PCWatch and PCWatch and SonyInsider]

Video-Editing Powerhouse
The VAIO RT High Definition Studio is a one-stop-shop handling all your high-definition video-editing needs on a single machine.
Its 25.5-inch (diagonal) LCD display, featuring XBRITE-FullHD LCD technology, and Blu-ray optical drive enables you to play, record and edit HD video in 1080p resolution.
In addition to the built-in digital TV tuners, an HDMI In port lets you connect compatible HD cable and satellite boxes to enrich your HDTV viewing experience. An HDMI output has also been included, letting you connect to an external LCD display or HDTV to expand your workspace (HDMI cable, LCD, and HDTV sold separately).
The RT series incorporates Intel® Core™2 Quad processors, up to 8GB of RAM and a terabyte hard drive. It is equipped with a high-speed eSATA port, for extra storage, and a CompactFlash® slot.
The unit comes pre-installed with Windows Vista Ultimate operating system. A wireless keyboard with integrated touchpad and mouse are included. It is also equipped with a built-in power supply enabling you to cleanly mount it to the wall.
The VAIO LV High-Definition PC/TV will start at around $1,600 while the VAIO RT High-Definition Studio PC will go for about $3,300. All three series will be available online at www.sonystyle.com/pr/aio. They will also be sold at Sony Style® stores and select retailers around the country starting this fall.

Netbooks are torture.

The poor fool. Like the midlife crisis guy sold a car too small for his rump and too young for his hairline, Asus or MSI or someone had convinced this slovenly coffee drinker that hunchbacks were in this year.

And this scene—one I've witnessed on more than one occasion—confirmed my suspicions. The small laptop was a failure, a marketing ploy manufacturers were not incapable of implementing before, but simply too kind to do so.

For one, these computers aren’t cheap. Sure, the price may start at $350 or $400, but you’ll need to upgrade to 2GB of RAM if you'd like to run XP in the fashion you’ve become accustomed to. And you may want to buy the larger battery too (every manufacturer lies about their mini laptop’s battery life to conspiracy levels worthy of their own Oliver Stone tribute).

Now, with that snazzy $500 to $600 machine, let’s do some browsing! Surely, this will be way better than on my phone! Unfortunately, such is not the case. While mini-notebooks have bigger screens than smartphones do, smartphone browsers and news applications are often designed around their limitations. Yet architects of XP and Firefox simply never took 5" to 8.9" tiny screens into account. If one's choice is tiny text on a premium OLED phone screen or a bottom-dollar LCD, there’s no comparison. I’d rather read the headlines through the New York Times app on my iPhone than the browser on my Eee any day.

Oh, and then there's the typing situation. Don't even get me started.

The end result of using any mini-notebook is a complete loss of comfort coupled with the guilt of not enjoying the experience more. Plus, while you might not be bringing your full-sized laptop to the coffee shop, you’ll still need your briefcase to lug a mini-notebook, no matter how small.

Netbooks are like feral cats. They look cute at first, but put one in your lap for a bit and you’ll learn real quickly why you stayed away in the first place.

Netbooks are wonderful.

When the Asus Eee PC arrived, it subverted every laptop tradition that had come before it. It was the first cheap drool-worthy laptop (not counting the judgmental hippie Kumbaya circles of the OLPC), and its mentality was different, too. Not there to replace your PC, but not there for the business traveler either, the Eee was simply a fun machine, a computer just made for dudes who like computers. Seriously, how many laptop ads have you seen that feature a model relaxing on the beach? There's a reason for that.

And maybe the most innovative paradigm shift—oh, I went there—was that this amazing laptop wasn’t even built out of laptop parts! There was a freaking digital camera memory stick in the thing in place of a real hard drive. Had we been lied to? Could digital cameras double as computers for all this time??

You see, my MacBook Pro, that’s for work. My phone, that’s for outside. My mini note? Perfect, it won’t even distract me from the television.

Take the iPhone. It's great, but it’s streamlined for productivity. It’s so good at what it does, filtering news headlines from air and emails from inboxes, playing music on command and calling web numbers with just a tap, that I’m trapped in productivity.

Sometimes I don’t know where I want to go online, just that I want to go online. And it’s this digital improvisation that begs for a mouse, a keyboard and speakers to play any stupid songs off any stupid web advertisements. I want the full effect, only smaller.

Just as an HDTV can bring a movie theater home, so too can one of these put a full computer back in your actual lap. Have you ever Skyped on a mini-notebook? Yeah, it’s like one of those telephone conversations from the future as told by an '80s sci-fi movie. It’s fantastic.

For those who crave more power, don’t worry, as processors shrink this platform will become synonymous with the laptop. And for those who crave more comfort, get over it. You’ll learn to type on a new keyboard or stay away from the second helpings.

I’m just saying, there’s a reason James Bond carries a Walther PPK.

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

EPSON AMERICA INTRODUCES “ARTISAN” – NEW FLAGSHIP LINE OF PREMIUM INK JET ALL-IN-ONES THAT COMBINE POWER AND PERFORMANCE WITH SLEEK AND CHIC STYLING
The Artisan 800 and Artisan 700 are Advanced Yet Easy to Use All-in-Ones That Enable Users to Express Their Creativity in Virtually all of Their Printing Tasks

Epson America Inc. today introduced the Artisan 800 and Artisan 700, two new all-in-ones that are likely to become the envy of the industry based on their superb performance, highly sought-after features and stylish piano black finish. The Artisan series is perfect for the modern household where many users can share a single product and fits well in a living room or home office environment.
“The Artisan series basically gives users everything but the kitchen sink in terms of features
and performance,” said Steve Semos, product manager, consumer ink jets, Epson America Inc.
“More importantly, these benefits enable users to express their creative side in ways never before
imagined. At Epson we’ve built our reputation on giving our customers the industry’s best image
quality, and this flagship line is a key milestone in that tradition.”Beyond its creative applications, the premium Artisan 800 features Wi-Fi, Fax, an Automatic Document Feeder (ADF), and Ultra Hi-Definition photos. Its elegant 7.8” smart touch panel and 3.5” LCD lights up only the buttons necessary that brings essential controls to users’ fingertips for easy selecting, copying, enlarging, rotating, cropping, and printing photos all without a computer. The Artisan 800 also has the exclusive ability to turn photos or drawings into
personalized coloring book pages and make personal notepaper with a photo as a background.

Epson provides additional value to Artisan customers with its new Epson Preferred
SM program, which includes a two-year limited warranty, toll-free telephone support, access to the
exclusive MyEpson.com Web site that features a series of online tutorial videos, and more Registered Artisan owners also receive, free lifetime phone support with no additional charges, even
beyond the warranty. Both the Artisan 800 and 700 feature six-color Ultra Hi-Definition Claria ink to create
vivid, true-to-life photos with smudge, scratch and water resistance, as well as fade resistance up to
four times longer than photo lab prints

Working in tandem with Claria ink, the “smart nozzles” in Epson’s exclusive MicroPiezo print head with DX5 technology deliver up to five ink droplet sizes, as small as 1.5 picoliters, producing smooth gradations, accurate skin tones and sharp, grain-free prints.
Both models feature Epson’s auto photo correction technology. This intuitive feature allows
users to preview corrections on the built-in LCD to ensure the very best prints, rescuing photos that
they might have otherwise passed over or discarded. Users can also remove red eye from their
photos automatically.
Other useful features on the Artisan 800 and 700 include turning plain paper into college-
ruled, wide-ruled and graph school paper, and creating photo layouts with various size photos on a
single sheet of paper. Users can even print and copy images directly onto ink jet printable CDs and
DVDs.
Both Artisan models complete printing tasks faster than competitive printers in their class,
producing prints and copies in black and color in up to 38 pages per minute (ppm), 4” x 6” photos in
as fast as 10 seconds,and an 8” x 10” in as fast as 50 seconds

The Artisan 800 adds full-featured, high-speed fax with a 30-page Automatic Document Feeder for copying, scanning and faxing stacks of documents effortlessly. Standing a mere 5.9” tall in a sleek, compact design with an easy-to-view tilt 2.5” LCD, the Artisan 700 offers outstanding features and functionality inherent in the series for everyday printing, copying and scanning, making it the ideal solution for a range of personal and creative needs that don’t require faxing. Additional features and performance in the Artisan series include:
• Full-Featured Scanning and Copying: The Artisan 800 features 4800 dpi resolution (48-bit
color) and the Artisan 700 features 2400 dpi resolution (48-bit color), for high quality scanning
of images and documents with brilliant clarity and accuracy. Both all-in-ones also offer
standalone, one-touch color and black and white copying with a wide range of easy-to-use

Epson Announces New Artisan Series options such as the ability to scan to a computer, memory card or USB flash drive, easy photo reprints and enlargements up to 400 percent, and a convenient fit-to-page printing feature. They even offer background removal for crisp, clean copies of text documents. Both models include
OCR software for converting documents into text users can edit.

• Standalone Photo Capabilities: Both Artisan models have card slots that are compatible with
all popular memory card types for printing photos without a computer or transferring files to or
from a computer. Plus, users can print directly from a digital camera or mobile phone with the PictBridge connection. Additional photo printing options include print-by-date, custom picture
packages, photo index sheets, and passport and photo IDs.
• Restore Faded Photos: Both Artisan all-in-ones can easily restore color to old, faded photos
with or without using a computer.
• Creativity Made Simple: Included software allows users to create and print personalized
CDs/DVDs, greeting cards, elegant invitations, beautiful photo calendars, photo books, and
more.
• Shared Use at Home: Wi-Fi and Ethernet networking are built in for sharing with all users in
the home. An optional Bluetooth photo print adapter is also available for printing from cell
phones and other mobile devices.
• Flexible Paper Handling: Both models print borderless photos in popular sizes, including
4” x 6”, 5” x 7”, 8” x 10”, and letter. They also feature a paper cassette with two paper trays
that eliminate the need to switch between plain and photo paper. In addition, two-sided printing
is built-in and can be automated with an optional duplexer
• Smart Ink System: The Artisan series feature convenient individual ink cartridges that can be
changed in as little as five seconds and replace only the color needed. In addition, innovative
technology conveniently combines color inks to produce black when black ink is low to extend
printing. Cartridges are available in two sizes to match users’ printing needs.

Artisan Series Pricing and Availability
With an estimated street price of $299.99 (Artisan 800) and $199.99 (Artisan 700), these
products offer an array of features, benefits and services that consumers have never before
experienced.

If you're willing to stretch your browser and translators to the ends of the Earth, you might be interested in something like the Sungjut TangoX, a mini-notebook with a touchscreen, modular Skype phone and DVI out. Or maybe you'd prefer the Raon Digital Everun Notebook, which is only 1.6lbs and packs an AMD Turion dual core processor instead of an Atom or Via.

Either way, it's a convenient chart to keep your head straight. Hit the link to check it out in full. [Liliputing]

Overall, a pretty impressive showing of gaming hardware, especially the keyboard—the dials for volume and lighting add to the whole Death Star control panel quality. I'm definitely planning on getting my hands on it. The X6 and X5 will hit next month for $80 and $60 respectively, and will be up for pre-order on Amazon shortly.

Tip: You can buy the original Sidewinder mouse now for just $38, and it has adjustable weights and an LCD that the X5 doesn't.

Transform With Microsoft’s New SideWinder X6 Keyboard; Industry’s First Switchable Key Pad Moves From Work to Play

SideWinder line expands with first-ever keyboard and new SideWinder X5 Mouse.

LEIPZIG, Germany ─ Aug. 20, 2008 ─ Today at the Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany, Microsoft Hardware debuted the SideWinder X6 Keyboard — the most versatile gaming keyboard on the market with the first-ever switchable key pad that can be attached to the left or right side of the keyboard for ultimate flexibility. To round out the SideWinder line, the Hardware team is also announcing the SideWinder X5 Mouse, a fast, powerful gaming mouse designed to give mainstream gamers a competitive edge.

The switchable key pad makes the SideWinder X6 Keyboard ideal for gaming as well as productivity, as the key pad functions as a standard num pad in normal keyboard mode, but becomes a programmable macro pad in game mode. Complementing the unique versatility of the keyboard are features specifically designed for gaming, including the capacity to store up to 90 macros per game and backlighting that helps users get immersed in the game.

“We know that consumers don’t want to pull out and set up a second keyboard for a gaming session, so we created a device that was perfect for both gaming and regular computer use,” said Kevin Flick, user researcher for Microsoft Hardware. “With the switchable key pad, gamers will have a fantastic, customizable experience whether they’re playing their favorite game or creating Microsoft Office PowerPoint presentations.”

Powerful Versatility

The SideWinder X6 Keyboard’s switchable key pad allows gamers to program up to 90 macros per game with the help of a set of dedicated macro keys as well as a fully programmable key pad. With mode switching, gamers can instantly go from Microsoft Office Excel to their favorite game — and place the macro pad on whichever side they prefer for gaming. The X6 also offers the following features to take advantage of its adaptability:

o Mode switching lets gamers manually toggle the keyboard from standard mode to either of two gaming modes. LEDs show the selected mode.
o Automatic profile switching detects the application that is running and applies the custom profile.

Designed for Gaming

The SideWinder X6 Keyboard is more than a standard keyboard with a few extra bells and whistles — it was built from the ground up with gamers in mind, to give them an edge up on their competition. To complement its versatility, the keyboard has the following additional features to produce the ultimate gaming package:

o New Cruise Control feature continues an action without having to hold down the key or keys assigned to the action. Gamers can use Cruise Control with up to four keys at a time.1
o In-game macro record button lets gamers record any sequence of keystrokes — even standard chat messages. Macros are stored on the PC hard drive and can be easily shared.
o WASD gaming keys, the most commonly used keys for gamers, have front-face lighting for enhanced visibility.
o Quick-Launch key gives one-touch access to Windows Vista Games Explorer, allowing gamers to quickly see the games in their PC’s game library.2

Get Immersed

Gamers enjoy a heightened experience when adsorbed in the gaming world. Research shows many gamers like to dim the lights, and the X6’s two-color adjustable backlighting helps set the mood to achieve total immersion. The red backlighting indicates standard keys that are not programmable, while the amber color indicates custom-programmable macro keys in game mode that can be tuned to the gamers’ preference. The X6 also includes full media keys and volume and backlighting control dials to fine-tune the gaming experience.

SideWinder X5 Mouse

Today, Microsoft also announced the SideWinder X5 Mouse, a fast, powerful gaming mouse designed to give mainstream gamers a competitive edge. The nine-button gaming mouse is designed for handling with vertical side buttons, adjustable sensitivity switching up to 2,000 DPI, five customizable buttons, and a Quick-Launch button that instantly launches the Windows Vista Games Explorer.

SideWinder: It’s Only the Beginning

The SideWinder X6 Keyboard is the first keyboard to join the popular SideWinder family of gaming products. Established in 1995 and revived in 2007, the SideWinder line is known for its top-notch PC gaming peripherals, including mice, game pads, joysticks and steering wheels.

Pricing and Availability

The SideWinder X6 Keyboard and SideWinder X5 Mouse will be widely available in September 2008 for an estimated retail price of $79.95 (U.S.) and $59.95 (U.S.), respectively.3 The products are available now for pre-sale on Amazon.com and will ship in September when they are widely released. The SideWinder X6 Keyboard and SideWinder X5 Mouse will be backed by a worldwide three-year limited hardware warranty from Microsoft Corp. More information about these and other Microsoft Hardware products can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/hardware.

[Microsoft]