It took two reports of batteries causing flames for Hewlett Packard to recall the batteries. The company is taking back 70,000 batteries on its laptops. The laptop models that were affected were in both the HP and the Compaq laptop lines. There’s a total of 18 models that were affected with 9 being HP and 9 begin Compaq models.
So what happened? There were two different cases where the batteries overheated and ruptured. Now overheating just came from normal use of the laptop and battery so there’s no reason that it should have happened if it had been manufactured properly.
The fires caused some minor property damage but no one was injured luckily. Which is surprising because you would think someone would possibly have the laptop on their lap when the overheating occurred. If they didn’t have it on their laps then the real question is where was the laptop? Is it possible that they put the laptop on a blanket or something that contained heat that lead to the overheating? I guess we may never know however you would think that they would have any battery problems solved after all this time. We’ve been using batteries for several years now and laptops have been around for over a decade. So why are we still having such basic problems with things that have been around?
In any case this isn’t the first time HP has been in a battery recall and it probably won’t be the last. While HP sold 32,000 laptops containing the batteries that’s a small number compared to when Sony had their massive battery recall back in 2006. If you’re worried that you may have one of these batteries or laptops you can get a full list of model numbers at the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website.
Source: CNET

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At first glance it appears that the Netbook craze may take over the laptop market. Many consumers are getting involved with Netbooks because of the portability and the cost efficiency of them.

In the economic downturn that exists, many products are losing sales as people tighten up their budgets. Laptop sales for example, are expect to fall by approximately 12 percent in 2009. In the meantime, Netbooks are actually experiencing a dramatic increase of sales. There are supposed to be nearly 21 million Netbooks that ship this year alone. To put that in perspective in terms of growth, that’s nearly double the number of Netbooks that was shipped last year.

Why the explosive growth you may ask? The biggest factor is the price point. Many companies are offering Netbooks at an extremely low cost. One example that you may have heard of is the 2 year plan through AT&T where you can get a Netbook for about $50.

While Netbooks seem to be the product everyone’s turning to, it’s unlikely that we’ll see laptops disappear. A Netbook may seem like a great investment at the time however after hours of use you’ll start to notice the downsides of a Netbook. Since the device is much smaller that means everything that you’re used to is going to be much smaller including the keyboard and screen. This can cause problems if you plan to use your Netbook for business or for extended periods of time as you may start to feel the anti-ergonomic effect of a Netbook.

The bottom line is that Netbooks are here to stay because of their inexpensiveness and their portability. However it’s unlikely that they’ll be the main use of portable devices by consumers that use laptops for work. If you are thinking about a Netbook you will want to weigh the cost effectiveness to the ergonomic disadvantage before you buy one.

Source: PC World

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Panasonic revealed what it considers as the most durable business notebook in the market. The ToughBook 8 is Panasonic’s latest series of tough mobile computers and it also happens to be the lightest 3G-ready computers to date.

The ToughBook 8 Series features 802.11a/b/g/draft-n and Bluetooth 2.0. These computers allow fast connection to broadband stations thru a use of an advanced embedded device. All the units in the series W8, T8 and F8 are powered by Intel’s Core2 Duo processor. They all carry a 4GB RAM and a 160GB shock resistant hard drive.

Good news for the klutziest mobile workers among us: Panasonic Friday unveiled its latest ToughBook model, one Panasonic claims is not only the most durable business notebook available, but also the lightest 3G-ready one.

Panasonic boasted that the ToughBook 8 Series survived the gruesome “Mil-spec” testing. That test is done to ensure that the notebooks are tough enough to survive an accidental fall from a table or a chair. The notebooks were dropped 12 inches and its hard drive 30 inches above the ground.

The new ToughBooks have clear 14.1 inch LCD display. The notebooks sport spill-resistant keyboard. They also have internal optical drive so if you think that this laptop is all work, you are wrong.

Panasonic is yet to announce the price of this product.

Source: CRN

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HP makes its small laptop even smaller. The company overhauled its HDX 18 to make it HDX 16, equivalent to a transformation of its 18-inch display in a 16-inch LCD.

The smaller screen perhaps made it cuter and yet the metallic finish and classy chrome interior still makes this laptop gorgeous. The laptop now weighs 7.4 pounds with a 6-cell battery. Buyers have the option to upgrade its power source into either a 12 or a 16-cell battery.

The laptop suffered a slight loss in resolution quality. From 1080p it now has a 1,366-by-768 screen resolution.

The HDX 16 however packs a powerful machine inside. It is powered by Intel’s Centrino 2. It has a 2.26-GHz Core 2 Duo P8400 processor that is backed by 4GB DRR2 RAM. Its nVidia GeForce 9600M GT engine should be enough for small graphic rendering.

The HDX1 is available with 320GB storage, an optional TV tuner and a fast eSATA port.

One amazing thing about this laptop is the number keypad. HP placed a whole functional num pad on the left side of the keyboard to give you that perfect PC experience.

On related news, HP will also be releasing HP Pavilion dv6929wm-b, a special laptop that will be available exclusively in Wal-Mart. This laptop is part of HP and Wal-Mart’s green drive.

HP Pavilion dv6929wm-b runs on a 2-GHz AMD Turion X2 TL-60 processor. It has a 250GB hard drive and is bundled with a Windows Vista Home Premium OS. It is also packed with a savvy nVidia GeForce Go 7150 integrated graphics chipset inside. It is tagged at $1,049.

HP is yet to announce the price of HDX 16.

Source: PCMag

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Mobile gamers will have a new gadget of interest. This is the Asus G50V, the company’s latest gaming laptop.

G50V is a high-powered machine that wields a 15-inch screen that showcases a 1680×1050 default resolution. The gaming laptop boasts a processor of 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9400. Its memory of 4GB running at 800MHz undoubtedly makes it fast. It carries one of the best Nvidia graphics engine, the GeForce 9700M GT with 512 MB of DDR3 memory. It has a hard drive of 500GB.

Asus’ new laptop is not an ordinary laptop. It has an automatic overclocking function that turns the CPU into a Turbo mode. Players only need to push a button to activate this feature. Gamers can also hold onto the headset to activate Turbo Extreme mode.

G50V also carries a 2.0 MP built in webcam. It is decorated with LEDs along side the screen.

But this laptop is not just all about gaming. G50V also sports other mobile computer functions like Express Gate button, facial recognition system, HDMI-out and an eSATA port.

G50V is out now and can be bought with a DVD burner for $1,699. A version boasting Blu-ray system with 200BG storage is sold for $1,899.

Source: News CNET

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Commodore now joins the bandwagon of Netbook manufacturers. And why not, since they came up with a competitive Commodore UMMD 8010/F, Netbook buyers will now have another great option in their list.

The company announced their new mini laptop at the IFA consumer show in Berlin. Reports indicated that the UMMD will be powered by a C7-M processor, running at 1.6GHz. The internal storage boasts 80GB capacity. It has a 1GB RAM. Connectivity will not be a problem with an 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, and optional Bluetooth. The netbook sports a 10-inch display LCD and 1.3-megapixel built-in camera.

The Commodore UMMD 8010/F is the latest addition to the Netbook market that is initiated by Asus’ Eee PC.

Netbooks sport low-power processors, small screens and keyboards. But their efficiency and low price ticks the heart of many computer and gadget enthusiasts.

The Commodore UMMD 8010/F sports a nostalgic appeal. A perfect irony since the brand Commodore is best related to the iconic 1980s computers like the C64 and the Amiga. Yeahronimo Media Ventures, a Dutch company purchased the rights to the name with a goal of resurrecting an old glory.

Commodore UMMD 8010/F will be sold for $610.

Source: Crave CNet

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Lenovo improved its ultraportable Thinkpad X300 thru the introduction of X301. Thinkpad X301 boasts more advanced features compared to its predecessor.

The new Thinkpad sports a lightweight design, tipping the scale at less than three pounds. At one-inch thickness, X301 is sleek and stylish. Users can go for the basic 64B solid state drive storage or they can purchase the upgraded version with 128GB. Study revealed that the X301 is 20% more efficient in terms of speed and power consumption compared to the earlier X300. X301 is equipped with the latest DDR3 memory and IntelCore 2 Duo processor.

Thinkpad X301 is also packed with productivity tools from ThinkVantage Technologies. It has Lenovo’s improved Access Connections tools that give the mobile computer a friendly interface. It also has a more controllable and customizable laptop functions that allow superior power management.

The laptop is Wi-Fi enabled and has Bluetooth connection. The Thinkpad X301 is at par with the best when it comes to wireless connectivity. Future Thinkpad X301 versions will also come with WiMAX feature.

The laptop also carries features to support mobile entertainment. It has DisplayPort, a feature that makes viewing of high definition movie and images easier. The DisplayPort, combined with standard VGA enables the user to select different display options.

ThinkPad X301 will hit stores on August 26. It will be tagged at $2,599.

Source: CRN

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Many predict that 2008 will be the year when laptops would finally succeed in their bid to dethrone desktops as the PC of choice. I agree.

For two decades, the desktop has lorded over almost all conceivable machines which could read and process electronic data. It was supposed to be the “future” of data processing. Everybody thought that the size and shape of the PC would not change significantly for generations to come.

Small Enough?

It’s not difficult to see why many didn’t dismiss the desktop as something that’s only transitional. Back when hard disks were still as big as cupboards, many wished for a computer that could easily fit one’s bedroom without having to throw out everything in it, including the bed. It took several decades before that prayer was answered. When IBM came out with a design that perfectly fitted study and office tables, many fostered the conviction that this was what a computer should look like and that any alteration of its structure would considerably diminish its appeal and even functionality.

Of course, being the only constant thing in this world aside from politics, change redefined the looks and functions of the PC. The world shrunk, and time became a very expensive commodity. Everything has to be done fast. While the term “multitasking” was already popular even during the days of Windows 3.1, the word took on a whole new different meaning a decade after the IT industry had started to blabber it as if it was a cuss word.

Run Run Run

As we all know, recent operating systems allow the juggling of different tasks, functions, or programs. Depending on the amount of memory and the type of processor that your computer have, large applications like CAD or multimedia programs could run side by side with other software. Nobody now asks if one could perform several things at the same time on a computer. The question has already been answered a long time ago.

Now that programs could already be ran simultaneously in a single computer, the question that was next asked is if one could still run all of them while he is actually running. As I have intimated a while back, everybody seems to be running after time and running out of it. Eight hours seem to be just eight minutes. It’s not surprising then when people started to wish that they could bring and do their tasks even when they’re out of the office.

Personal Accessory

To inaccurately borrow the words of the HP slogan, laptops made personal computers personal again. While mainframes exponentially shrunk to desktop size, it still isn’t exactly personal and portable as your watch or mobile phone. You simply can’t bring it anywhere, well at least not conveniently.

Everybody is maximizing the use of his or her time. It’s not surprising then if people treat travel time as an extension of their office hours. Laptops are not just becoming more affordable, but more importantly, they are also making time an affordable commodity. Don’t be surprised, then, if laptop sales exceed desktop purchases this year.

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A decade ago, accessing the Internet was a task that not everybody could do. Not all PCs were equipped with a modem jack, and even if they were, there weren’t many Internet Service Providers at that time which could make that PC slot useful.

Things have definitely changed since then. Before the century turned, the demand for Internet connectivity went up astronomically. ISPs sprouted like mushrooms on a rainy day, even on areas where providing the service was deemed unprofitable or a missionary’s undertaking.

Going Mobile

One of the things or developments in the IT industry which revolutionized Internet connectivity was the emergence of mobile PCs, such as notebooks, PDAs, or palm tops. Office tasks and business transactions are gradually being taken out of the offices or the conference rooms. Many have realized that time is too precious to be spent inside the workplace.

PC manufacturers immediately took note of this need and trend. Whole design teams were given tasks to come up with notebooks or portable PCs which could rival or even outmatch desktops. After just a few years working on the drawing board, many computer companies have succeeded in threatening the very existence of bulky PCs which adored many desks since the computer became personal.

The notebook’s portability is not the main feature which makes it very popular among students and office slaves today, though. While desktops could bring the user into cyberspace through any of the mode available at present, still it cannot give the user that degree of mobility or freedom that only laptops or PDAs could give.

Wi-Fi

Before the advent of wireless Internet, the only means of connecting to the Internet was either through dial up, cable, or DSL. All these require that the PC be leashed to that yellow cable or phone wire that transports the user to cyberspace. This is one of the reasons why notebooks were not yet very popular 4-5 years ago. Laptops were not exactly portable during those years as far as connecting to the Internet is concerned.

High-speed Internet access made another revolutionary turn when wireless access increasingly became available. Many were enticed by the thought that they could be at their workplace even if they’re blocks away sipping a delicious brew at their favorite coffee shop. Many local governments realized the benefits that municipal-wide wireless Internet access could do to their economy. Hence, cities started to install Wi-Fi transmitters all over their area or jurisdiction.

Potent Advertisement

Local governments and business establishments saw the limitless potential of wireless Internet as far as enticing people or customers is concerned. Hence, efforts were made to make Wi-Fi free. Many cities and establishments around the United States, and even in the other parts of the globe, are already offering free wireless Internet access for their citizens or patrons. The race towards blanketing whole towns or cities with Wi-Fi signals peaked during the last two years when bills calling for the installation of wireless Internet access transmitters swamped various legislative bodies, including the national congress.

To be continued…

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The world is getting smaller, and so are the things that virtually make it go around. No, I’m not talking about the value of our money. Money doesn’t make the world go round, but I’m certain that you won’t be able to go around the world without your mobile phone, laptop, or pocket PC.

It seems that every electronic gadget gets a centimeter smaller every year, and that goes double for the PC. A few decades ago, you would need a large room just to be able to set up a computer in your own home. Today, you won’t need the services of a carpenter to make room for your PC. Your tailor could do that now for you.

While notebooks have already made waves around the world, pocket PCs are also trying to establish themselves as viable alternatives to the desktop. Not everybody’s too crazy about them though. Well, at least not yet.

I haven’t tried using one to surf the net. However, I’ve heard that it can easily browse through Web sites like a typical notebook. I’m not that ready or excited to go that tiny yet. I’m already happy with my 14.1-inch laptop. Even though it needs occasional maintenance and optimization, it still meets my everyday demands.

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