Amazon Kindle PC Application Available For Download

Posted: 10 Nov 2009 07:41 AM PST

You can now download Amazon’s Kindle PC application free of charge that allows you to read Amazon Kindle books on your PC. The Mac version will be available very soon. The Amazon Kindle PC application works well with Microsoft Windows 7, Windows XP and Windows Vista. This application is now available at Amazon. [Amazon]

Latest 1.8-Inch Portable Hard Drive From Verbatim

Posted: 02 Dec 2009 01:51 AM PST

Here’s the latest addition to Verbatim’s 1.8-inch portable hard drive line-up, the Pocket Drive. Measuring only 90mm x 64mm x 14mm and weighing just 85 grams, this compact and stylish HDD has a 250GB of storage space, a USB 2.0 interface and is bundled with Dmailer Backup Software and Verbatim Sync Software. The drive is also compatible with Windows 7, Vista and XP operating systems. The Verbatim Pocket Drive is now available in Europe for 125 Euro (about $189).

[TCMagazine]

Ultra Slim External Blu-ray Burner By I-O Data

Posted: 02 Dec 2009 01:22 AM PST

I-O Data today unveiled their latest external Blu-ray burner, the BRP-US6, that connects to a notebook through a USB 2.0 interface. Basic specifications include 6x burning for BD-R SL, 2x for BD-R DL/BD-RE and 6x reading with BD-ROM discs. The drive can also burn on DVD-R/+R at 8x, 6x on DVD-RW/+RW and 5x on DVD-RAM discs. Measuring 137mm x 154mm x 20mm and weighing 330grams, the BRP-US6 will be available in Japan later this month for around 29,600 Yen or approx. $343. [CDR Info]

Gboard Keyboard For Gmail Users

Posted: 05 Dec 2009 12:34 AM PST

The Gboard is a 19-key keyboard that will let you navigate through your Gmail account like a pro. The device features the most commonly used shortcuts to include search, stars, reply all, forward, archive, trash, next and so on. FYI, Gboard is not an official Google product. The Gboard retails for $19.99 a pop. [Product Page]

PhotoFast MicroSD Card JBOD USB Reader

Posted: 04 Dec 2009 08:05 PM PST

The PhotoFast CR-5500 is not your ordinary microSD card reader hidden in USB thumbkey, but it is in fact a 4-slot microSDHC card reader that will turn all your cards into a single USB Drive using JBOD (Just A Bunch Of Disks) setting. If you want one, you can pre-order the PhotoFast CR-5500 for 5,600 Yen ($61) at Geek Stuff 4 U. The gadget will be released in January 2010. [Product Page]

ECOFan Bamboo Laptop Cooling Stand

Posted: 03 Dec 2009 09:41 AM PST

You can combine the ECOFan Bamboo cooling stand with Brando’s USB Bamboo keyboard and mouse. This cooling stand comes equipped with a pair of super-quiet, USB powered cooling fans and can hold up to a 17-inch laptop. $35.99 is all you need to bring home the ECOFan Bamboo cooling stand. [Product Page]

Rokland’s Affordable Long Range Wi-Fi Adaptor For Macs

Posted: 03 Dec 2009 11:21 PM PST

Rokland Technologies has recently rolled out the BearExtender n3, a long-range 802.11n high-powered wireless adapter for Macs that offers up to four times the range of standard Apple-branded AirPort wireless cards. The Wi-Fi adaptor combines 802.11n compatibility with a powerful 700mW Wi-Fi radio that enables the device to pick up 802.11g and 802.11b signals from long distances. In addition, the device is also compatible with Apple Mac’s running Mac OS X Panther, Tiger, Leopard and Snow Leopard. If you are interested, you can purchase the BearExtender n3 for $44.97 a pop.

[Press Release]

Limited Edition Astro Boy Netbook Hands-on Video

Posted: 04 Dec 2009 01:01 AM PST

Still remember the Limited Edition Astro Boy netbook that we mentioned in October 2009? Netbooknews.com provides us with a hands-on video of the netbook during the IT Month event in Taipei, Taiwan. The Astro Boy Collector’s Edition netbook comes with a metal container box, an external HDD, a USB/card reader hub, a speakers with remote control, a 4G flash drive and certificate of authenticity. This set retails for $900 or around €600. Video after the jump.

[Netbooknews via Laptop and Netbook News]

Great little Netbooks

Toshiba Mini NB205-N230 10.1-Inch Black Onyx Netbook - 9 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Starter)

Well, it looks like I'm first. I have this dream of having a laptop in every room that I use a lot in the house. Mainly my living room and bedroom. I already had two work laptops in my home office and call me lazy but I was tired of carrying the one I use out of the office, up and down the stairs, running out of battery and having to go get the power cord. I decided a netbook might be a good choice for my minor chatting and surfing.




I couldn't decided between this model and the HP Mini 311. I ended up ordering the HP and buying this one at my local store. This model is very slick looking. I got the Blue one and its very elegant. You wouldn't mind being seen out with this laptop.

When I got it home I took it out of the box. The battery was already in the netbook but had 0 power so I needed to charge it. I haven't yet tested how long the battery lasts, I'll come back to update that.

Out of the box the laptop had me name my netbook then it found my wireless router right away. That was really nice not to have to configure anything. I just put in my routers password and I was on. No work, no hassle no headache.

My unit is running Windows 7 starter edition. I see the Win7 has moved the programs you are running to the bottom of the screen, similar to Mac's Dock. Microsoft could have made them look a little better but that has nothing to do with this netbook.

I had a few concerns owning a netbook. My husband has one of the original eee Asus Netbooks and I can't type on those to save my life. Not to mention they get hot enough to cook on. So going in I knew I did not want these two issues.

I have on a pair of thermal (like long johns) material PJ's and this netbook has been surfed on and chatted with on Aim for the last 7 hours straight. I played a 7 minute youtube video about 10 times trying to get the bottom of the netbook hot. The netbook is a little warm but it never got so uncomfortable I needed to put a book under it. I can't tell you how happy I am about that.

The trackpad is nice and wide but I have on accident hit it a few times. I think once i'm use to typing on it, this will improve. If not, hopefully I can disable it.

The keyboard is the chicklet style I believe they call it. Similar to those on the MacBook. They are really pretty silver finish but they are also smooth and a little slippery. I think my biggest gripe with this is that they are evenly smooth across the keys. I think a dip in the keys would have given these a better feel. Still for a netbook the spacing on them is quite usable.

I really like the blue and silver color scheme of this netbook. Its small and light weight and I think I can fit it in my purse. And with 9 hours of battery life, I can see why netbooks are really taking off.

So far I've only ran into one issue. I had about 12 IE tab windows in total open and I was in chat and I hit a slow down where IE barely responded. At the time my memory was nearly 800MB. I think once I take this up to 2 gigs then it will be fine. I've since installed Google Chrome and its been even more snappy.

This unit has a generous amount of USB connectors. At 3 it has more then my MacBook has which is great in this tiny package. It also has a ethernet port, Mic and Headset jack, and of course a SD/SDHC card slot.

With its long batter life, like weight, great style, I think I am going to enjoy carrying this around and not minding it.

My youtube video up until I had to much running actually played quite well. I didn't notice any slow downs until I over taxed the system.

This notebook is almost perfect. The biggest gripe of all I have is the sound. Its nearly non-existent on this netbook. I think the biggest issue is the placement of the speaker. Its underneath the netbook and gets covered by your lap. Nothing a headset can't solve but I thought I would point it out.

**Update** I wrote this at 3am and in my rush to get to bed, I forgot to mention two important things.

1. The screen. The screen is just gorgeous for a netbook. Its bright, and colorful and even when you pull it off of AC power to go to the battery it dims a little but not so much that it becomes uncomfortable.

Keep in mind it does have a terrible 1024 x600 which only affects how much scrolling you'll do. As far as text goes, its very sharp and readable.

2. The Battery. I'm currently using the Netbook on battery and I find that it remains cool. It hasn't heated up on me after about an hour of use.

The next part about the battery is that it juts out the back about an inch so that its not flush against the netbook. This will probably mean you may have to get a bigger case besides the 10.1 inch size. Even though the battery sticks out the back, it does sit flat on a flat surface. The battery doesn't raise the back end up at all.
** End of Update One**

**Update Two**
As promised I said I'd be back after testing the battery. I unplugged the AC power at exactly 12 Noon. Between 12 noon and 12 midnight, I've had a 2 hour nap, and 1 hour watching my favorite TV show. The netbook set idle and went into sleep mode during those times. Before I went to sleep I stuck my iPhone on it so it could charge it. This took my battery down to about 94% by the time I awaken again. It is now 11:55PM or five til midnight. That's 12 hours being off AC power. I am at 13% battery life.

Subtracting time for my nap and TV watching, I had roughly 9 hours of battery life. This was only using it to surf and chat. I haven't run youtube videos or anything like that. I didn't do any energy savings to try and get more life from it. I used whatever it defaults to and I'm really happy with it. Before when I tried to conserve battery the screen would be so dark I could barely see it. This has been a pleasure to use.

I've used it on my lap all day. No heat issues. The palm rest stays cool and the bottom is barely warm. I've yet to install any ''real'' programs on here besides Aim. I will attempt Microsoft Office 2007 once I have that 2GB stick and i'll let you all know how that goes.

I have a 2GB stick coming tomorrow. I will update more later.

Also, I'm completely use to the keys now. My one point off is for the sound. Its REALLY low. It is a netbook, but if sounds important to you without using a headset, this isn't the netbook for you.

**End of Update 2**
**Update three**
I plugged the net book in last night a little after midnight at 10% remaining charge. I find while the battery last a long time, it takes a long time to charge. I took about 3 hour and 40 minutes give or take a few minutes to go back to 100% charge. Still, for the battery life you get I think thats small, however it may stop you from wanting to buy a second battery.

Another side note, I'm finding a few of my XP/Vista programs won't install. Microsoft messenger and Aim installed fine. My 3m Post-it-notes (XP and Vista compatible)won't. This isn't because of the netbook but because of windows starter. Apparently if you upgrade to one of the the other Windows 7 offerings, their is compatibility with XP and Vista. Windows 7 Starter is crippled because of this. They've even taken away your ability to change your desktop background, you have to pay the 80 dollar premium if you want these features. I thought I would point this out, while 80 for an Upgraded OS is not bad, it is expensive when its nearly 1/4 the cost of the netbook. XP while old was still a full OS and I myself never had a problem with it getting the job done. If you wait until there is a Windows 7 Version you'll be fine but it could mean buying software over you already own, making Microsoft's upgrade cheaper in the end.

I just popped in 2GB of memory. I can confirm the one spot that gets warm on the netbook is the memory. I'm very surprised I feel no heat from the hard drive.

This review has turned into a book. I may comeback if I find anything worth while to inform you about.
**End of update Three**
**Update 4**
Per request, I've started testing video playback. I played a couple of YouTube videos and the playback was pretty smooth. I didn't notice any jerkiness and it was actually better then I thought it would be. I also watched a few clips on Hulu and as long as it wasn't in full screen mode, playback was pretty smooth. In full screen model I notice some very subtle frame drops or skips. I say subtle because I was studying it to see if I noticed anything. If I hadn't been looking for it I'm not sure if it would have hampered by experience or not.

I finally tested a pair of headphones and Music playback was smooth and nice and loud, so a headset won't be an issue with this Netbook.

I noticed when I'm installing programs that the memory does heat up. Thats the only time I noticed it heating up beyond its normal temps. I wish I had a temp monitor so I could see what idle temps are. If I find one I'll post it.

If you want better Video playback, go with the HP 311. The Nvidia ION 9400 is going to be a lot better for video and output in HD.

**end of update.**

I think that about covers it. Feel free to comment and leave questions and I will answer them if you need help deciding if you want to buy it.

I will be real curious to see how this stacks up against the HP Mini 311 when it comes in.

Technical Details

• 1.66GHz Intel N280 Atom Processor
• 1GB DDR2 533MHz Memory
• 250GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive, Integrated Wi-Fi
• 10.1" LED Backlit Display, 1024x600 native resolution (WSVGA)
• Microsoft Windows 7 Starter (32 bit), *9 Hours of Battery Life

Intel Atom Processor: Your PC's Perfect Internet Companion

Take the Internet to more places with the long battery life and flexibility of a compact, lightweight netbook powered by the incredibly small, amazingly smart Intel Atom processor. It features a design structure that packs in 47 million transistors into a single chip sized at just 22mm (0.87 inches), and it uses just 2.5 watts of power--less than 1/10 of the 35 watts used by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor--for excellent battery management. This 1.66 GHz Atom N280 processor also includes a power-optimized front side bus of 533 MHz for faster data transfer on demanding mobile applications and a 512 KB L2 cache (which temporarily stores data).

---

Hard Drive Protection

While the highly portable nature of mini-notebooks exposes them to the knocks and bumps that are an inevitable feature of life on the move, the Toshiba mini NB205 features a 3D-accelerometer monitoring system that detects freefalls, shocks and vibrations and protects the integrated HDD to secure against the loss of any personal data.

Product Description

Our affordable, super-compact 10.1-inch diagonal Toshiba mini NB205 is a stylish companion PC that raises the bar when it comes to portability. It’s also the first mini notebook that lets you enjoy all the benefits of today’s fast-moving digital world, putting you in touch with your favorite people, sites, networks and digital media in ways and places you never imagined. Though small enough to throw in a purse or bag, it’s designed with smart features like a full-sized keyboard and touchpad, long battery life, USB Sleep-and-Charge ports and a hard drive impact sensor that protects your data. So it picks up where smart phones leave off and makes many of today’s netbooks seem like a waste of time. What’s more, to take the worry out of taking it along, the Toshiba mini NB205 also comes with international limited warranty coverage, plus our award-winning service and support. NOTE: All Toshiba Netbooks (no matter the model) are packaged with the "NB200" series model# on the outside of box.

Toshiba Mini NB205-N230 10.1-Inch Black Onyx Netbook - 9 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Starter)

Micron Unveils Super-Fast SSDs

Posted: 02 Dec 2009 08:53 PM PST

Micron Technology has recently unveiled their latest super-fast solid state drive series, the RealSSD C300. Designed specifically for notebook and desktop PCs, this new drive features Micron’s 34nm MLC NAND Flash memory chips, a SATA 6.0 Gbps interface and is able to provide read and write speeds of up to 355MB/s and 215MB/s, respectively. The RealSSD C300 will become available in the first quarter of 2010 in 1.8-inch and 2.5-inch form factors, with both drives supporting 128GB and 256GB capacities. Pricing info is still unknown at the moment. [Press Release]

MiFi 2372 Hotspot Hits Bell Canada

Posted: 01 Dec 2009 12:59 AM PST

Bell Canada has started selling the MiFi 2372 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot from Novatel Wireless. This battery powered device uses Bell’s new HSPA network and provides simultaneously WiFi connectivity for up to five devices/users located within 30 feet. The device is also compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems, and offers download speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps. The Novatel Wireless MiFi 2372 sells for $99.95 with a 3-year contract or for $249.95 without any contract. [Press Release]

C-motech’s Dual-Mode USB Modem Headed To Sprint

Posted: 01 Dec 2009 02:31 AM PST

The U-301 is the latest dual-mode USB modem from C-motech that supports both 3G technology CDMA and 4G technology WiMax 2.0. This lightweight modem uses a 65nm Qualcomm QSC6085 chipset for CDMA and a 65nm Beceem BCSM250 chipset for WiMax. The U-301 provides maximum download/upload speeds of up to 10/4 MB/s from WiMax or 3.1/1.8 MB/s from CDMA. The device also supports Windows 7, Vista and XP operating systems. The U-301 will become available starting in December via Sprint.

[AVING]