Oh! Gizmo

By Luke Anderson

When I take my laptop somewhere, I usually just toss it in my backpack (it’s meant to tote around laptops). It isn’t particularly stylish, but it gets the job done. If you’re looking for something that stands out a little more than the average laptop case, this one might be for you.

I can bet that if you walk around with one of these, you aren’t going to run into many people with the same one. Of course you’re probably going to get a lot of strange looks, since it is rather strange. I can’t say it is something I’d ever be caught dead using, but I’m sure that someone out there will just love it. There’s not much to tell about it that a picture can’t say. We do know that it’s made from vinyl and will be available at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair this weekend. No word on pricing.

[ 25togo ] VIA [ Doobybrain ]

By Evan Ackerman

As much as I’ve admired the Asus EEE PC, and as much as I’ve been looking forward to the bigger and better Asus EEE PC 900, I’m starting to think that I might be better off with an MSI Wind, which looks like it does just about everything the EEE does plus a whole bunch more. Here are the specs of the $550 Windows XP Home version of the MSI Wind:

Dimensions: 10.23in x 7.08in x 0.748in, 2.8 lbs
CPU/Memory:1.6GHz Intel Atom, 1GB DDR2 RAM @ 667MHz
Display: 10-inch, 1024×600 LED backlit
Hard Disk Drive: 80GB / 2.5” SATA
Card Reader: 4-in-1 (SD,MMC,MS, MS Pro)
Ports: 3x USB 2.0, Mic-in/Headphone, VGA Out
Webcam: 1.3 MP
Wireless: 802.11b/g, Bluetooth
Battery: Six Cells / 5.5 hrs

MSI will also be selling a version of the Wind running Novel SUSE Linux OS with 512 MB of RAM and no Bluetooth for $400. After the jump, I’ll take a look at the the MSI Wind up against the Asus EEE 900. Read the rest of this entry »

By Luke Anderson

When I take my laptop out somewhere, I have a backpack which it slips into. The backpack also conveniently carries a variety of other gadgets including my camera and extra lenses, which can be rather bulky and heavy. Most of the time I like to have all of these things on me, however, sometimes I just need my laptop, and something smaller to carry it would be nice.

If you’re really worried about the extra bulk, and need only the bare essentials, this neoprene laptop backpack from BUILT might be a perfect fit. There’s really only room for your notebook, the power cord and a couple of accessories. You can find them in two sizes and three different colors for $80 each.

[ BuiltNY ] VIA [ CrunchGear ]

By Andrew Liszewski

If you’re in the business where you have to record the occasional interview, why spend your money on a dedicated digital audio recorder when there’s a good chance you’ll already have a laptop computer with you. The Narae Recorder Mini is a compact microphone that simply connects to the mic-in jack on your notebook, and is capable of recording sounds up to 32 feet away. To be honest though, the only thing this really has going for it is its compact size. You can connect any microphone (non-phantom powered) to your laptop with the right cabling, but thanks to its small size this one could easily be mistaken for a Bluetooth or wifi dongle. So it might be handy if the person you’re talking to doesn’t actually want to be recorded and you need to keep it on the down-low that you are. No word on pricing or availability, but you can probably assume it isn’t going to break the bank.

[ Narae Inter to roll out its high-performance microphone ‘Recorder mini’ for notebook pc ] VIA [ Ubergizmo ]

By Luke Anderson

I’ve seen and used a variety of  different laptop cases in the past, however, this has to be the most simplistic style that I’ve ever seen. The LapStrap is exactly what it sounds like. It’s simply a strap for your laptop. No bulky canvas coverings here, just a strap that rests along the inside of the hinge.

I don’t think I would really want to risk damage to my laptop with something like this, however, I’m sure that there are those who would enjoy something this simple. You can pick one up for just $25. Or you can probably make one yourself for next to nothing.

[ LapStrap ] VIA [ Crave ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Today, WaterField Designs announced a new version of their SleeveCase laptop bag designed for the new HP 2133 Mini-Note PC. The sleeve features a ballistic nylon outer shell with a neoprene padded interior, and are designed to provide an added level of protection for your new toy, while still allowing it to be easily carried in a larger bag. If you’d like to know more, I recommend checking out my review of the larger SleeveCase designed for full size laptops. While this version is a bit smaller, the design and construction will be quite similar.

The Mini-Note SleeveCase will actually ship later this month, but it’s currrently available for pre-order on the WaterField Designs website. The sleeve itself will set you back $38, but there’s optional accessories like a front flap or carrying strap that will add to the cost.

[ WaterField Designs HP Mini-Note SleeveCase ]

By Evan Ackerman

I decided a few months ago that the first incarnation of Asus’ EEE laptop was not quite enough machine for me. I loved the small form factor and the fact that it has everything necessary to be totally usable (and not much more), but I wanted just a little bit extra, like a bigger screen and a little bit more storage space. Asus has announced the new EEE 900, which looks like it’s going to be pretty much the perfect laptop for my needs. Overall it’s the same size and weight as its predecessor (the speakers have been moved from the sides to the bottom), with an 8.9″ 1024 x 600 LCD, 1gb of ram and an 8gb SSD with Windows XP in the base configuration, and it should offer a battery life of 2.5 - 3 hours. It also may be using Intel’s Atom platform (900mhz Celeron M), which is supposed to be adopted in Q2 of this year.

Supposedly, the EEE 900 will also include a resistive touchscreen (!). However, based on the FCC filing, Gizmodo says no, while DigiTimes quotes Asus’ VP of Sales as saying that the “second-generation Eee PC lineup will include touchscreen panels and possible GPS support.” What it will definitely include is a multi-gesture touchpad like the one on Macbooks (except less fancy), allowing you to use two fingers to zoom in and out on pictures and stuff.

On release (May or June), the 8gb/XP model should retail for $499 in the US.

VIA [ Engadget ]

By Evan Ackerman

Some blurry shots of a rumored Intel budget laptop showed up around teh internets last week, but yesterday CTL Notebooks confirmed that they’ll be producing the 2go PC, a durable 9″ laptop target at the education market. Retailing for somewhere around $400, the 2go PC will have a 9″ 800×640 LED backlit display, a 1 ghz Intel Celeron M processor, 512 mb of ram (upgradeable to 1 gb), and a 40 gb 4200 rpm 1.8″ HD. It’ll also feature integrated wireless G, an SD/MMC card reader, a webcam, 2 USB 2.0 ports, a 3 hour battery, a carrying handle (?) and will ship with Windows XP (but will also support Linux). The 3 pound 2go PC should be available “within 60 days;” full spec sheet after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

By Andrew Liszewski

I’ve seen these types of crystal clear plastic cases available for everything from iPods to phones to PSPs before, but this is definitely the first one I’ve seen made for an actual laptop. Of course given the fact that the Asus EEE is pretty much the smallest model on the market, it makes a bit more sense. Made from scratch resistant and shatterproof polycarbonate plastic (the same material used to make protective eyewear) the EEE Crystal Case will protect it from the bumps, scratches and dings of day-to-day use.

The case is completely clear and has cutouts for all of the EEE’s ports, buttons and controls. It even adds a latch to keep the laptop securely closed, which is something it lacks by default. (Though it’s never accidentally popped open for me.) There’s also a double hinge on the case which allows the screen on the EEE to be opened as wide as it’s designed to. It might be a tad overkill, but if you’re tired of using the included neoprene sleeve this will allow you to just slip the EEE in your bag without having to worry about it.

You can get it directly from Proporta for just $19.95.

[ Proporta Asus EEE Crystal Case ]

By Evan Ackerman

Andrew has an Asus EEE PC laptop. I’m totally jealous. And why shouldn’t I be, it’s an awesome little machine. So awesome, in fact, that it’s spawned some new competition in the cheap UMPC market… The latest serious contender looks to be the the MSI Wind, which (as you’d expect) boasts more features than the EEE at a higher price. It’s supposed to have a 10″ display, an Intel chipset with 1.0 or 1.6 ghz processors, a 2.5″ drive (either a standard drive or an SSD), a gig of ram, and (here’s where the money’s at) a 7 hour (!) battery life. At $450 - $1.1k, it’s almost, but not quite, out of the super cheap mobile category. We’ll be getting more details soon I hope, ’cause that 7 hour battery looks oh so juicy. In the meantime, just to complicate things, Asus will be coming out with a 9″ version of the EEE PC with bigger HDs and XP preinstalled, in May or June.

VIA [ Gizmodo ]