Does Core i7 Mobile bring us closer to the final destination for desktops?
Intel hit up the market with an (expected) bombshell on Thursday, bringing the Core i7 platform to notebooks.
If you’re thinking this is just another development in desktop chip design shoehorned into laptops then think again. Core i7 is sick in desktops and super-sick in laptops.
Why the fuss? Like its desktop sibling the mobile version has four cores capable of running eight threads (a thread is a stream of execution instructions sent to a core). Both also ship with large amounts of level two cache, starting at 6MB, and can support mega-performance memory on the motherboard.
Kicker number one for the mobile version thought is a sort of ultra-speedstep technology called Turbo Mode which massively varies clock speed based upon processor demand. This allows the cores to function at anywhere between around 1.6GHz and around 3.2GHZ depending upon the model.
Kicker number two is that the mobile version can idle unused cores at almost zero power usage, which should mean great shakes for battery life if you’re performing simple tasks.
How much difference does Core i7 make compared to previous generations of mobile processors? It appears to be simply staggering from the benchmarks taken by various reviews published this week. The price? Not quite as heart-stopping as you might think; Dell announced it would sell a Studio 15 model fitted with a Core i7 for $999.
So are we going to be seeing Final Destination: Desktop Massacre? Core i7 Mobile should give us desktop replacement power without the weak battery life of some previous mobile powerhouses. Consequently more people might feel they no longer need a desktop.
In permanent installations however, such as corporate or home media center environments, desktops will probably continue to have a place for a while to come. But even in those scenarios the votes are increasingly going towards notebooks. After all, why choose a desktop when similar power is available at a similar price but with more flexibility?
Neil Berman
Laptop prices falling hard
Today’s MacBook price cuts were both welcome and not unique in the current laptop market. Ultraportables and desktop replacements alike have been suffering from netbooks and Intel CULV powered thin ‘n lights pulling down the whole sector.
It’s pretty cool that you can finally get a decently powered 3-4lb laptop with a 13 inch screen for well under $1,000; MSI’s X340 and Acer’s Timeline are good examples. Both are HD video capable and provide enough power for day-to-day computing.
These machines pull down the premium end of the ultraportable market like the Dell Adamo and MacBook Air, which don’t really offer much more hardware than the MSI or Acer. In fact the Dell is probably slower than both. So now we have a $1,499-$1,799 MacBook Air, which is great news for consumers and effectively sets a glass ceiling for ultraportable prices.
At the heavier end of the market 17 inch laptops are under strain from all-in-ones like the Asus EEE Top which are semi-mobile and keenly priced. I found a new Toshiba dual-core T3400 17 inch laptop on Amazon this evening for $529. This thing was fully loaded, you really wouldn’t need much more for a day-to-day desktop replacement…and of course you can install Windows 7 RC and get almost a year of usage before you need to buy a license.
Neil Berman
Are Windows 7 pre-Beta success stories responsible for Atom notebook rumors?
Today’s rumors that HP is discussing the possibility of using Atom CPUs for notebooks as well as existing netbooks is interesting for two reasons. Firstly we have not seen the Atom in any laptops with >12″ screens, but secondly and more importantly I think this could be an indicator of confidence in early Windows 7 tests.
We have already seen Windows 7 running on an Asus EEE PC, and early impressions of the next-gen OS have been extremely positive for a stage so early in the pre-release phase.
So what does it mean if HP really is talking to Intel about supplying the Atom for notebooks?
- Performance for netbook -style tasks should be fine on Windows 7, given initial performance tests against Vista and XP, which means browsing, non-HD video viewing, basic office/productivity tasks are all in scope.
- Battery life should skyrocket, if the netbook crowd can be used as a benchmark. My Wind gets over five hours in real-life usage and the only significant additional power drain on a notebook is a larger screen…but they also offer more real-estate for housing a larger battery. Could full working-day battery operation from a large-screen laptop become a mainstream reality?
- The concept is good news for organizations with a mobile/flexible-working workforce and a thin-client infrastructure.
- Many consumers may only need low processing power as we move towards a web-based services computing model (eg. web-mail/photo/music/productivity apps). They might trade notebook HD movie editing capabilities for longer battery life in real life usage…however this would require a sea change in marketing tecniques where high power specs aim to sell a life-changing experience. It is probably a ‘Greener’ sell though, which could lead to Atom-based notebooks being more fashionable that more energy-hungry models.
Time will tell if anything comes of this, but when I put together the early Windows 7 success stories with rumors of HP talking to Intel about the Atom then it does all start to come together…in my hopeful mind!
Neil Berman
CES Digital Downtown 2008
Digital Downtown opened today at the World Financial Center in Manhattan. This micro CES hopes to get end consumers to fondle cool tech today and their credit cards on the weekend. There were also some product previews of toys not yet available on J&R’s shelves a few blocks away.
The long awaited Gigabyte M528 came up for air on Intel’s stand along with a handful of other MIDs (Mobile Internet Devices).
This 800MHz Centrino Atom powered MID is super-light with a full slide out keyboard. The design is similar to the Nokia N810 and keeps the Linux theme alive with a customized OS loaded with OpenOffice and Skype. The keyboard feels good with a rubberized texture and the light weight (spec is 340g) means you can hold it for a long time without feeling like it’s a brick in your hands.
Whilst the M528 would be an awesomely useful device with Windows XP installed, its limited 4GB SSD means that this will be a challenge. Unlike the EEE 4G which packs XP and leaves room on the side for a 32GB SDHC, Gigabyte’s beauty only provides Micro SD expansion and current capacities are unfortunately small. On the plus side there’s a 3 megapixel camera
on the back, a very low res webcam on the front and an 800×480 pixel screen which is a high enough resolution for decent web browsing. An unnamed source suggested that the M528 would ship in the US this summer for around $500.
LG showed off an LED-backlit LCD screen, due out for before the end of the year. It was noticeably more vivid than it’s sister screen and boasts a crazy contrast range of 1,000,000:1 (yes, you read all those zeros right). This gives really black shades of black and a heck of lot more of everything in the middle until you get all the way across the spectrum. 
(LED model on left in photo, current model on the right.) Pricing is expected to be at a fair premium to the existing model, but we’re not talking OLED megabucks. In fact although the image didn’t give me the wow I got from Sony’s OLED screen at CES, it’s a worthy contender at a fraction of the cost per screen inch. Better still it’s actually a real big screen product in 2008, whilst we’ll probably wait at least a year for large OLED screens to reach production.
They still look great, but don’t hold a candle to Sony’s recent efforts.
With the obligatory customized Scion acting as gatekeeper, 
Pioneer were the party animals of the show. They brought their country-touring-dome-complete-with-DJ to bang out some tunes, with a funked-out trippy kaleidoscope ceiling.
Inside was a homage to all things ICE, but as cool as Smart cars look on European streets they just don’t cut it with a sub in the back.
The show is being held across from Ground Zero, which was the site of the World Trade Center until Sept 11, 2001. For those of you who have not seen Ground Zero, it is now a scene of energetic building activity 
and will be the future location of the Freedom Tower. The first building to be rebuilt at Ground Zero was 7 World Trade Center, which opened its fifty-two stories in 2006. This is the top of it at 28x zoom (shot with steady hands and without a tripod, I used to be a surgeon – not). 
Neil Berman
www.neilberman.com
HP TX1000z Tablet PC Review
For the past decade consumers have been on the verge of adopting tablet PCs of one form or another. Apart from some early fledgling attempts which gathered little steam, the main thrust came from expensive laptop tablets based upon Windows XP Tablet Edition. Since then Vista has come about with its tablet extensions and new UMPC formats have sprung up such as Samsung’s Q1 to take advantage of them. So is there still a need for full size laptop tablets?
When newer is cheaper
Cue HP’s TX1000z range and recently released TX2000z. This 12.1 inch laptop has an ultraportable tablet format without the price tag associated with the genre. Powered by AMD’s Turion range it should have the horsepower it needs to ease through daily tasks and it’s swivelling screen gives it the all important ‘wow’ factor. 
It also has handy chassis mounted buttons for quick access to multimedia functions. The Vista Premium TX1000z unit I tested was fitted with a DVD rewriter and 2 GB of RAM, in place of the standard 1 GB.
Groping around
Looking around the laptop everything feels pretty solid, if a little heavy. The battery sticks out at the back, which is a tad ugly, but overall the design is slick. 
At 4.2 pounds the HP weighs in a fair amount more than my Everex 12 inch laptop. It’s not unbearable but not exactly in keeping with the spirit of the term ultraportable either.
Open the lid and the TX1000z’s keyboard and trackpad layout echo current HP silver and black smart simplicity. The trackpad looks great and has both horizontal and vertical scrolling. The keyboard feels OK; it’s no IBM but it’s perfectly usable.
The screen joint feels very strong, holding the screen happily at some very bizarre angles.
In use
In use there weren’t too many surprises, with the exception that performance from the 1.9 GHz AMD TL-58 was a little below expectations. 
My 1.6 GHz Core Duo laptop kept up with it pretty well in general use and surpassed it in almost all Passmark tests…and it only has 1 GB RAM. Most disappointing was the 3D graphics performance, which let’s just say is a good way to make sure you stay productive. The webcam too was average, under-performing against my MacBook in low light.
The Altec Lansing speakers on the other hand were nice and loud, if lacking in bass, and the bright screen is readable even with sun coming onto it through a window.
Is the writing on the wall for the traditional laptop?
Whilst the HP is certainly good value, I’m not sure how the average consumer would really take advantage of the tablet functions. The aspiration of note taking or sharing ideas across a meeting table have long been the promise of tablets, but something like a Samsung Q1 might be the modern day prince-in-waiting to this eventual throne due to its weight. If you have a use in mind for the tablet features then the TX1000z is a good buy. If not then look past the glamor of the swivelling screen and see how it stacks up against more traditional designs.
At the time of writing, the starting price for the HP TX1000z was $899.99 on www.hp.com
Also worth considering (prices correct at time of writing):
- Apple MacBook, Intel Core 2 Duo 2 GHz, 1GB RAM, 80GB HD (refurbished), $949.00 at www.apple.com
- Gateway T-1625, AMD TL-60, 2GB RAM, 250GB HD, $749.99 at www.bestbuy.com
- Toshiba Satellite U305-S2808, Intel Core 2 Duo 1.67 GHz, 2GB RAM, 160GB HD, $949 at www.bestbuy.com
CES 2008 News: Laptops & UMPCs Part 2
The Aigo’s implementation of screen, keyboard and power make it one of the most promising UMPC designs out there currently.
The beautifully patterned red lid is striking and Lenovo had made a great effort to make the keyboard user friendly with large keys. The U110 will be available with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, choice of 64 or 32 GB SSD or regular 160 GB HD and a 11.1 inch screen. 
Communication features include bluetooth, WiFi and a 1.3MP camera. The ultra-thin design ranges from 0.7 to 0.9 inches at the thickest point. This dream machine will be available in April priced at around $1,800.
The keyboard to the right of the screen sports a mixed key use arrangement. This is currently a prototype with no production details available.
Samsung also expanded its Q1 range with the launch of the Q1 Ultra Premium. The Q1’s thumboard, which I have generally found difficult to use, has been supplemented with a large software keyboard. Dial keys is gone. The Q1 Ultra Premium will be available with a 64 GB SSD and has a range of Intel processor options from 1.06 to 1.33 GHz. A Samsung representative said the current Q1 Ultra range would continue to be sold for the time being.
The Amtec U650 has again a different form factor, where the screen slides up to reveal a well designed thumboard.
In the face of competitors from Aigo and LG, the unit feels pretty chunky for something with a 5.6 inch screen. 
Sony has updated its Mylo communicator, which comes with Skype preloaded.
has a range of available accessories, including a snap-on keyboard. It also uses Intel’s new Silverthorne / Menlow CPU range which goes up to 1.6 GHz.
Finally Toshiba’s eMotion Feel UMPC is yet another different form factor proposition. 
Currently a working concept, the eMotion Feel looks expensive and heavy but amazingly weighs under one pound. The front panel’s pointer and buttons seem limiting as the main controls, along with a stylus. Its unique feature is tilt scrolling, 
which is activated by pressing a button on the left side and then holding the unit at an angle to scroll through a page. An interesting and intuitive design feature.
Read part 1 of the CES 2008 Laptops & UMPCs News here
Neil Berman
CES 2008 News: Laptops & UMPCs
For Part 2, click here.
In alphabetical order:
Asus came to CES with the R50A, which is a UMPC with a 5.6 inch screen due for release around the middle of 2008.
The R50A features a 1.33 GHz processor, 32 GB solid state drive (SSD), 1024 x 600 pixel widescreen, WiMax option and built-in GPS. It weighs only 520 grams but will face stiff competition from LG’s new UMPC entrant below. The Asus R2H will continue to be available and will be replaced by the R7 later this year. The R7 will retain the 7 inch screen form factor of the current R2.
Asus confirmed that 8 and 8.9 inch versions of the EEE PC are being developed. The current EEE PC was present in all its colors, with no confirmed release dates for either the successor models or Windows XP preloaded versions. 
Dell had an XPS M1730 World of Warcraft Edition on display with both an onboard Physics Accelerator and Logitech Game Control. 
The accelerator, previously only seen on their desktop range, enhances gameplay graphics whilst the Game Control gives the player live reporting of key in-game stats at all times. The M1730’s keyboard is backlit for gameplay in dark environments. The Dell XPS M1330 was also on show and continues to be a great looking design.
HTC’s Shift was on display and is due to ship in Q1 in the US or CDMA networks (Sprint and Verizon). 
The Shift uses an 800 MHz processor complemented by 1 GB RAM, a 7 inch screen and a 40 GB hard drive. The initial cost of the Shift should be around $1400, plus the cost of any subscriber services from the wireless carriers.
Intel said that laptops with embedded Wimax technology will be released in mid-2008.
LG were showing off a prototype UMPC with a 4.8 inch screen and a built in slide out keyboard with trackpad. Powered by a 1.6 GHz Intel Menlow processor, the UMPC was running Vista Home Premium. 
Also onboard are 1 GB of RAM, a 40 GB hard drive and it all weighs in at just 590 grams. There’s no pricing yet but an LG representative said that production is likely in 2008. In an interesting design cue, the pointer is stored in a tiny lipstick style hard case which dangles off the side of the computer.
New entrant LimePC showed off three pre-production UMPCs of various screen sizes ranging from mid-size down to very small (approx 3 inches or so). 
All had a Linux distro with a Web 2.0 interface driven by a Power PC triple-core architecture from Freescale. The CPU has a miniscule 2w power consumption. Q2 production was being suggested and sales channels are being worked out as we speak, although no details or pricing are currently available. There were also desktop and living room versions on display.
Microsoft’s ‘Spotlight on Fashion’ show highlighted some Vista laptops at the cutting edge of design. Featured models included Lenovo’s new U110 and the wafer thin Sony Vaio TZ (see top).
Sandisk demonstrated a few proof of concept laptops with solid state drives (SSD) installed. One was an Apple Macbook, which had a 64 GB SSD onboard and booted up in seventeen seconds. 
The Sandisk representative I spoke to said that he was not aware of any plans to start supplying SSD drives into MacBooks in a production capacity; the prototype on display was solely a concept machine.
Tablet Kiosk had an EO 7300 concept on display, which is a prototype UMPC with modular add-ons. These modules include USB ports and additional batteries. The 7300 concept can accommodate one module on either side of the screen, so two batteries can be fitted simultaneously. The company is currently seeking feedback from the community and hopes to release a production version sometime in Q3 2008. Meanwhile the current EO will shortly be updated to offer a 1.2 GHz VIA processor.
Read more in part 2
See photos and read CES news about: Laptops & UMPCs, Home Entertainment, Media Players, Cellphones, Gaming and Trick Technologies.
To read all the CES 2008 articles, click here.
Neil Berman
theONbutton
Turning the world on, one gadget at a time.
