TTL – The Tech Link Blog

USB

Superspeed USB (or USB 3.0) is currently in the last stages of its development and should start being integrated into computers and peripherals within the next 12 months.

This new technology promises speeds that are up to 10 times faster than current USB 2.0 we all know and love. Superspeed USB will be a welcomed upgrade for consumers that own high definition camcorders and are transferring huge files to portable hard drives using USB.

As an example, the developpers of the technology were able to transfer a 6GB video file at 320MB/s in less than 30 seconds! With current USB 2.0 technology, the same file would transfer in about 4 or 5 minutes.

APCMag via WinBeta.org

Dell Inspiron Mini12

Dell has just announced that the new Inspiron Mini 12 laptop will be available globally sometime in the month of November for around $600.

Dell refers to this product as being a laptop (not a netbook). This sounds rather unusual, as this product runs on an Intel Atom-type CPU which, so far, has been used only by UMPCs and netbooks. Morover, this specific model will run on a “Z” series Atom CPU which was developed for handheld internet tablets, not notebooks.

Here are some specifications:

• 12-inch display (1280×800)
• Atom CPU (1.3GHz Z520 or 1.6GHz Z530)
• 1GB RAM
• 40, 60, or 80GB hard drive
• Bluetooth and 802.11b/g
• Built-in webcam
• 3G wireless option available in 2009
• 3 or 6-cell battery (respectively 3h and 6h operating time)
• 3 USB ports and a 3-in-1 card reader
• Windows Vista Home Edition (Linux Ubuntu available later)
• Starting weight of 2.72 and 0.92in at its thinnest point

ZDNet

NEC LaVie Light

By releasing their new LaVie Light Netbook, NEC seems to think so.

NEC’s new netbook will be available in Japan on November 6th. No dates or prices for America as of now, but I’m sure we can all continue living our lives without another netbook.

Here are the main specifications for this new product:

• Intel Atom N270 CPU
• 1GB of RAM
• 160GB hard drive
• XP Home
• weighs 2.6 pounds
• 8.9-inch screen (1024×600)
• 802.11b/g Wi-Fi
• SD card slot
• 1.3-megapixel camera

CNET

IMOVIO iKIT

I don’t really see the point in this product but here it is: The iKIT by IMOVIO. It’s a super small portable “laptop” that has a small 2.8 inch screen and a full QWERTY keyboard.

This “computer” is to be used as a mobile messaging device. Features and specifications are not very impressive compared to the iPhone or current mobile devices such as some HTC phones and BlackBerry devices.

It will run a proprietary Linux version using a 312MHz Marvell CPU, 64MB of RAM, and 128MB of ROM (storage, applications, etc.). Expansion will be available through a MicroSD card slot.

Connectivity include Bluetooth, WiFi, USB (via optional cable). It measures only 95mm (L) x 65mm (W) x 15.5mm (H) and weighs in at 113g with the battery.

webitpr

EeePC 901 3G+

It’s hard to believe, but it has only been one year that the netbook “trend” started, with the arrival of the first Asus EeePC in mid-October of 2007.

Since then, Asus has sold as much as 4 million units of the EeePC line. It wasn’t long before other companies hopped on the netbook train with their own sub-compact notebooks. Acer, Dell, Packard Bell, Lenovo, HP, MSI, and many more companies have all released variants of their own.

One can bet that with the financial crisis, these budget netbooks will be on the top of many Christmas shopping lists in the U.S. this year.

LAPTOP Magazine

Apple iMac

After the notebook event of October 14th, one might be wondering what’s next for Apple.

Consumers thinking of buying an iMac should reconsider and wait as speculations of a new iMac lineup are surfacing around the web. This should happen before the end of the year and most probably before Christmas season.

The iMac is a great product and should not see many asthetic changes but will surely benefit from new and more performant Intel chips along with better graphics processors.

AppleInsider

Hewlett Packard

HP already has an all-in-one touchscreen PC they call the HP TouchSmart. I’ve tested it quickly the other day at the store, and frankly, I wasn’t impressed.

Sure, it’s fun for the first few minutes, but then you just don’t see the point.

Anyhow, we are hearing rumors of a TouchSmart laptop coming along from HP before the end of 2008. Stay tuned for more!

TechRadar UK

Apple

How much rumors can you handle? Well, with Apple, there will never be anything sure until they announce it themselves.

According to The Inquisitr, some Apple retailers have received new price lists for a new laptop line that could sell as low as $800. These new laptops could be in the ultra-portable range (or not) and could possibly use the new “Brick” manufacturing process we’ve been hearing about.

All of this is speculation of course…

The Inquisitr

Sony Vaio JS

Sony’s new all-in-one PC, the Vaio JS, now has a price (or two in fact).

In direct competition with the iMac 20″, the new Sony PC will retail for $1099.99 for the basic version and $1499.99 for the more powerful version.

The basic version (model JS130) features a 2.5GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU and the more advanced version (model JS190) features a 3.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, a Blue-Ray Disc Reader, and integrated stereo A2DP Bluetooth® Technology.

The rest of the specs are the same:

• 20.1″ Screen
• 4GB Ram
• 500GB Hard Drive
• 1.3MP built-in camera
• Mobile Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500HD
• Windows Vista Home Premium

Model JS130 is available in black, silver and pink. Model JS190 is only available in black.

The Boy Genius Report

Asus

Asus announced that they would be offering a new Slim version (model S101) of the Eee PC line starting at $699. The top of the line model will run you into the $799+ price range.

Closed down, this netbook will be only 1.8cm (or 0.7in) thick, making it one of the thinnest portable computers available. It will also be one of the lightest at only 1Kg or (or 2.2lbs).

The new models will come with WindowsXP and solid state hard drive capacity will range between 16GB and 64GB.

HardwareZone via TechSpot

Dell

After Nokia’s “Comes with music” phones, Dell is introducing something similar with their computers.

Shoppers will now be able to add movies to their computer purchases right on the Dell website during checkout. The movies will be pre-loaded on the hard drive with all the extras that would normally come with the DVD version of the same movie.

For now, only “Iron Man” is available but more titles are to come. Count $20 per movie.

TechCrunch

TiVo

Coming Soon! Nero LiquidTV™ | TiVo® PC will allow you to have all the great features of a TiVo box (live recording, pausing, scheduling, etc. but minus the streaming over the Internet) on your Windows PC.

Some say it’s a little too late and that there are many options available already to consumers but nothing’s like the familiar TiVo interface. In fact, the interface and navigation will be the same as on TiVo boxes so it should be easy for people to learn how to work it out.

You can get a complete package including a Tuner card, software, remote control, and 1-year TiVo services subscription for $199.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Nero

Fit-PC Slim

CompuLab presented what could be the smallest PC that can run WindowsXP in the world: The Fit-PC Slim.

This PC measures only 10cm x 11cm x 3cm and yet still has almost all the standard features of a normal sized PC. It comes equiped with an AMD Geode LX800 running at 500MHz (CPU and GPU in one), 512 Mb RAM, a 60Gb hard drive, standard ethernet and WiFi (b/g), 3 USB ports, VGA port and in/out audio.

cNet UK

HP TouchSmart

What do you get when you mix the iPhone / iPod Touch interface along with a Windows Vista computer ? You get the HP TouchSmart! It’s an all-in-one concept like the Apple iMac. It has a 22 inch screen but has less speedy processor speeds than available on the iMac.

This computer will use a custom ‘’skin” along with Windows Vista and enable users do many operations only with the use of their fingers… looks promising.

HP TouchSmart Details
HP TouchSmart Demo