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Showing posts from May 21, 2011

HP intros the ProBook 5330m, EliteBook 2560p, and EliteBook 2760p tablet

After announcing a trio of consumer laptops, you didn't think HP had forgotten about its business line, did you? The company also trotted out three lightweight models for the corporate set, including the 12.1-inch EliteBook 2760p convertible tablet, which has been rearing its head around the FCC as of late. Although it's an update to the current-generation 2740p, it sticks with its tried-and-true metal design. But -- surprise, surprise -- it steps up to Sandy Bridge Core i5 and Core i7 CPU options, promises 5.5 hours of battery life with the standard six-cell, and will be one of several models compatible with HP's newly minted (optional) prepaid data service, DataPass. Is this the Windows 7 tablet you've been looking for? It's on sale now starting at $1,500 -- stylus included. Next up is the EliteBook 2560p laptop, an update to the 12.1-inch 2540p. This one, too, has a tough aluminum-and-magnesium-alloy build, but it gets the good ol' Sandy Bridge treatment a

HP unveils the Pavilion dv4, Envy 14 with Sandy Bridge, and a redesigned Mini 210

With a Sandy Bridge refresh, a new 14-inch mainstream laptop, and a redesigned netbook, HP's latest crop of consumer systems offers a little something for everyone. First up, there's the 14-inch Pavilion dv4 (not to be confused with the metal-clad dm4), which bears the same Imprint finish and CoolSensetechnology as its siblings and ushers in a striking cobalt blue color option, as you can see in the photo above. Look for it on May 18 with a starting price of $600. Then there's the revamped Mini 210, which swaps last year's not-too-glossy plastic lid for candy-colored lids, and adds a seamless touchpad, edge-to-edge 10.1-inch display, and a flush six-cell battery promising up to 8.8 hours of battery life -- an upgrade over last year's standard four-cell. Spec-wise, nothing has changed from the current 210, except for the addition of Beats Audio, something you'll find across HP's notebook lineup. It'll be available on June 15 and cost $300 for the charc

HP Mini 210 hands-on (video)

Truth be told, we liked the Mini 210's not-too-glossy design when we reviewed it last year, but compared to the latest generation, it manages to look frumpy. The made-over version (starting at $299) has a shimmering paint job that's almost metallic, but since the 210 is still made of plastic, it feels light in the hands -- as a netbook should. And oh, the colors! We'd be lying if we said the palette didn't help sell us on the design. (It's just too bad that all but the charcoal gray model will set you back an extra $30). Even more than our sweet spot for turquoise, what makes these color options appealing is that HP  committed to them. Lift the lid, and you'll see the color extending onto the palm rest, above the keyboard, and even between the keys. The 210 also has a flat bottom with a larger, six-cell battery inside, and it's because of this flush battery that HP was able to paint the area near the hinge, as opposed to letting the battery stick out. Throw

HP launches DataPass to sell prepaid 3G data plans, service piggybacks on Sprint's network

It looks like HP is getting into the prepaid data game. The company just announced DataPass, a solution that lets you purchase 3G service from your laptop. The service is HP-branded, and that isn't just marketing hype -- the company bought wholesale  spectrum  data from Sprint and is setting its own prices, effectively turning the PC maker into an MVNO. The no-contract plans start at $5 for a modest 75MB, which HP says is enough for about five hours of use, and stretch up to $30 for 1GB. Look for it as an option across the company's lineup of business notebooks with the Qualcomm Gobi un2400 radio module. HP DataPass

Samsung's 75-inch D9500 3D TV announced for Korea, doubles as wind shield (updated)

3D is best served on a large plate, which is why Samsung's latest HDTV got us all dribbling over our TV munchies. This 75-inch platter, dubbed D9500, has stolen the short-lived crown off LG's 72-inch LZ9700 to become the world's largest LED-backlit 3D LCD HDTV, and obviously Samsung's still staying faithful to its active shutter 3D technology following its recent price drop on its glasses. The 240Hz display will also come with the usual Smart TV features, garnished by a QWERTY flip remote for your web-browsing and SNS needs on that large screen. Oddly enough, only an ex-factory price of a hefty ₩19,000,000 ($17,600) is quoted here, so customers will have to pay a bit more than that during the pre-sales at the end of the month. Alternatively, you can hold off your shopping spree until Samsung pushes out its 70-inch "Ultra Definition" 3DTV. Update:  A little birdie told us that this 3DTV will be making its way to the US in August, and will retail at around $1

Brammo delays flagship Empulse electric motorbike to 2012, teases new transmission tech

Bad news for Brammo's electric bikers: according to  Asphalt and Rubber , word has it that the company's flagship Empulse motorbike will now be delayed to 2012, citing CEO Craig Bramscher's decision to integrate a certain new technology before launch. What could this be? Well, the site speculates that this has something to do with the six-speed Integrated Electric Transmission (IET) that Brammo recently licensed from Italian firm S.M.R.E., and this technology's already featured on the company's Engage and Encite dirt bikes announced last week. That said, there's also a rumor that Brammo didn't reach its pre-order goal of 1,000 units, which would certainly make sense for the company to delay the launch to pimp up its 100mph ride. We asked the Stig for a comment, and he wasn't impressed. Asphalt and Rubber

Apple brand valued at $153 billion, scoots ahead of Google for first place

What is the world's most valuable consumer-facing brand? If you'd asked the guys behind the BrandZ survey at any point over the last four years, they'd have told you "Google," but in 2011 their answer has changed. Apple is now the hottest property in terms of consumer goodwill, earning an estimated valuation of $153.3 billion and leading a pack that includes the likes of Coca-Cola, BMW, HSBC, and Disney. The tech sector had a very strong year as a whole, with Facebook's brand improving in value by a staggering 246 percent (to $19.1b) and Amazon becoming the world's most valuable retailer (at $37.6b) in spite of having no actual stores. Sadly, there were some downers too, as Nintendo lost 37 percent of its brand worth over the past year, Nokia dropped by 28 percent, and the BlackBerry marque was considered 20 percent less awesome than before. Punch the source link to learn more.   Bloomberg BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands [PDF]