envy

When HP introduced its first three ePrint-enabled printers several months ago, we were anxious to test its "print anywhere" capabilities after the touch-screen app store featured on last year's HP Photosmart Premium TouchSmart Web failed to deliver enough content.

HP's latest Web-ready printer is the HP Envy 100, a product that demonstrates innovative hardware and software design--a look that may soon dominate HP's line of imaging devices.

Although you'll notice the back of the printer only has a single USB port and no Ethernet connectivity, HP actually recommends using the 802.11b/g/n … Read more

Neither Dell nor Hewlett-Packard nor Sony have laptops that compete directly with the 2.3-pound, 11.6-inch MacBook Air. Is this a new market segment that those three laptop leaders and others will have to address?

Apple has a knack for creating new markets, the iPad being the most recent example. Though not as groundbreaking or broadly market-defining as the iPad, the smaller Air is clearly unique: wrapped in aluminum, while considerably lighter than a typical 3-pound 11.6-inch laptop. And it packs higher-end silicon--and better performance--than Netbooks. (I spent some time in three different Apple stores in the Los Angeles area right after the new Airs were announced, and from what I saw, the 11.6-inch MBA elicited the most oohs and aahs--hands down.)

I would submit that the Air has wedged itself (pun intended) into an elite sub-2.5-pound laptop segment where little direct competition currently exists. There are hordes of 10-inch class Netbooks out there. But, again, a $350 Windows 7-based Netbook is a very different class of laptop. Then there are products like Dell's 11.6-inch Inspiron M101z. But that is a low-end plastic Netbook-class product.

Lenovo--though not listed up top--warrants an honorable mention with its IdeaPad U160 11.6-inch laptop, which has the screen measurements to match the 11.6-inch Air but is about a pound heavier and for all intents and purposes is a fairly conventional Intel Core i series-based laptop that's been squeezed into a tight form factor. And Acer has the 11.6-inch TimeLineX series, but this is 3 pounds and really not in the same class as the Air.

As pointed out in a previous post, Sony has its Vaio X, Y, and Z series, but the former is a Netbook, and the latter two are 13-inch designs, which are not nearly as sleek and small (at 4 pounds and 3 pounds, respectively) as the 11.6-inch Air, albeit the Vaio is competitively priced and offers faster Core i series processors and higher-end Nvidia GeForce GT 330M graphics. But, again, size is the key metric for comparison. … Read more

Not too many years ago, any laptop $999 or less was considered a budget machine, and spending between $1,000 and $2,000 was the standard buy-in for constructive computing. Starting around the same time as low-cost Netbooks came onto the scene, laptop prices across the board took a dive, and today's mainstream user can easily get away with spending less than $700 for a fully functional midsize laptop, or just a few dollars more to add high-end extras like Blu-ray or discrete graphics.

What this means is that one of the hardest things to find right now is … Read more

Following last week's Apple AirPrint announcement, today HP introduces three new printers featuring HP's ePrint technology that lets you print any document or picture from the Web using the unique e-mail address assigned to it.

Each printer takes drastic leaps away from previous consumer models inside and out, but each has the capability to connect to the Web through one-touch print apps for maps, movies, tickets, coupons, coloring books, and so on--as we first saw on last year's HP Photosmart Premium TouchSmart Web. The new line of printers thankfully have shorter names as well, so let's take a look at the offering:

The HP Envy 100 e-All-in-One appears to be the simplest of the three in terms of aesthetics, but the in-person briefing blew us away with the subtle design that hides it in a simple black rectangle when not in use. You'll notice it lacks that ugly paper tray marring most printers today because both the input and output trays extend and retract mechanically, like a CD tray on a desktop computer.

The eAll-in-One can print, scan, copy, and connect to the Web (hence the e-prefix) with print speeds rated by HP at 30 pages per minute for black ink, and 25ppm for color, and distributed by two ink cartridges (one black, one tricolor cyan, magenta, and yellow) hidden inside. The Envy 100 is a boon for the environment, as well, with zero PVC used to build the printer for easy recycling and reduced waste. Finally, you get a 3.45-inch touch-screen display with HP's TouchSmart integrated control panel for browsing and installing Web apps. The Envy will sell for $249 when it comes out on October 4.

Next up is the HP OfficeJet Pro 8500A Plus, a juiced-up version of the OfficeJet Pro 8500 Wireless that earned our Editors' Choice award last year for excellent performance speeds, a functional touch screen, and several networking options. This time around, the 8500A Plus gets a whole new look with eFeatures to back it up.

Instead of the small 3.45-inch screen on the old model, the A-Plus version upgrades to a 4.3-inch color graphics touch screen for flicking through the latest apps on the HP ePrintCenter app store, which now has partnerships with sites like Google Docs, Google Maps, Yahoo, PBS, Kraft.com, and more.

The all-in-one inkjet also gifts you the usual array of connectivity options including USB 2.0, an Ethernet port, PictBridge USB support, and 802.11 b/g/n wireless support. Techy details include 4,800ppi scan resolution, a 250-sheet input tray with a 50-sheet auto-document feeder, and a wider scanner bay for legal-size sheets of paper. The OfficeJet Pro 8500A comes out on September 13 for prices ranging from $299 to $499, depending on your choice of add-ons.… Read more

Market-leading PC maker Hewlett-Packard has been making headlines this summer, but not necessarily for its hardware. That's about to change with this collection of new laptop hardware and related accessories, ranging from 10-inch Netbooks to massive 17-inch desktop replacements that play 3D content.

Mini 210 and Mini 5103 NetbooksThe Netbook scene hasn't seen a lot of upgraded hardware since the start of the 2010, but new Intel dual-core Atom N550 processors are a potential bright spot (we've already seen Netbooks such as the Asus Eee PC 1215N with the current D525 dual-core version). The Atom N550 will be available on the new HP Mini 210 as an upgrade option. Otherwise, the new HP Mini 210 remains similar to what we've seen previously.

Starting at $329, the 10-inch-screened Mini 210 comes in Atom N455, N475 or N550 versions, with optional HD-resolution screens, Broadcom Crystal HD Enhanced Video Accelerators, and GPS. New colors include charcoal, crimson red, lavender frost, luminous rose, and ocean drive. The new HP Mini 210s are immediately.

The higher-end HP Mini 5103 is the successor to the 5102, and shares its ProBook-like looks (both are technically part of HP's business laptop line, but still very popular with consumers). An Intel Atom N550 dual-core processor is the default, along with support for faster DDR3 RAM and 7,200 rpm hard drives.

A spill resistant, more durable keyboard, Espresso-color metal chassis, and optional Gobi broadband and GPS round out the features on this slightly more upscale 10.1-inch Netbook, which also starts a bit higher at $399. The Mini 5103 is available starting September 17.… Read more

OnStar to show up in retail stores, Chrysler backs away from hybrids and electric cars, can technology end crashes in intersections, and we drive the new 2011 Ford Fiesta--was it worth the wait?

? Porsche 918 hybrid gets the green light--bring $500 grand.

? Chrysler scales back on electric cars for now

? OnStar soon coming to retail stores?

? CNET review of the 2011 Ford Fiesta

? CNET drives the production-ready Nissan Leaf

Apple MacBooks, more than any other single brand, populate the rankings of the priciest laptops at Best Buy, affirming Apple's reputation as a purveyor of elite computers.

The fact that Apple dominates the upper-price tier at Best Buy is no great surprise, but the MacBook pricing takes on a new meaning when you look at the numbers. Out of roughly 200 models--Windows and Apple--listed on Best Buy's site, there are 12 MacBooks--used generically here to refer to the MacBook and aluminum-clad MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.

Half of those 12 MacBooks are in the highest price category.

Altogether, about a dozen elite Windows and Apple models cost more than $1,699, a cutoff that I'm using. Once again, about half are MacBooks.

Here's a quick look at what you get when you shell out that much money for a laptop:

$1,799 Sony Vaio (13-inch): Model VPCZ12LGX includes a 2.26GHz Core i5 processor, Nvidia GeForce GT 330M graphics chip switchable with Intel HD graphics, a 13.1-inch LED display, 4GB of memory, a 128GB solid-state drive, DVD-RW/CD-RW drive, Webcam, and Windows 7 Home Premium Edition 64-bit OS. This Sony crams a lot of horsepower into a 3-pound design, thus the price. You won't find many 3-pound-class laptops with a Turbo Boost-enabled Core i5, Nvidia graphics, and built-in optical drive.

$1,799 Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch): Model MC371LL/A includes a 2.4GHz Core i5 Processor, Nvidia GeForce GT 330M chip switchable with Intel HD graphics, a 15.4-inch display, 4GB of memory, a 320GB hard disk drive, slot-loading DVD-RW/CD-RW drive, Webcam, and Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. Needless to say, this is a solid aluminum design and, like the Sony model above, features switchable Nvidia-Intel graphics, toggling between performance and power efficiency, respectively.

$1,799 HP Envy (13-inch): Model ENVY 13-1030NR includes a 1.86GHz Intel SL9400 Core 2 Duo processor, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 graphics, 13.1-inch LED display (1366 x 768), 250GB hard disk drive, external DL DVD-RW/CD-RW drive, two batteries (4-cell and 6-cell), webcam, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. This 13-inch Envy is HP's attempt at a… Read more

Sharp-eyed readers and bloggers have noted several leaks and online references to new Intel CPUs, adding to the current Core i3, i5, and i7 lineups. These include new ultralow-voltage (or ULV) chips with the "Core i" name, as well as new versions of the Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs found in mainstream and desktop replacement laptops.

The new ULV CPUs will be part of the Core i3 and Core i5 lines, and be intended for what some call ultrathin laptops--typically 12- to 14-inch systems that need power-efficient parts to keep their slim profiles. According to a report at PCWorld.com, &… Read more

One of the few new premium laptop brands we've seen recently is HP's Envy line, launched late last year with the HP Envy 13 and HP Envy 15. We liked both for their snappy designs, high-powered components, and big touch pads--but at $1,500-$2,000, depending on configuration, they were ridiculously expensive.

The second generation of Envy laptops is here, and the two new models are the Envy 14 and Envy 17. The new machines have some subtle tweaks, but the most important one is the new starting prices. The 14-inch model starts at $999, and the 17-inch model starts at $1,399. Breaking the $1,000 barrier is a big deal, at least psychologically, and makes these seem like a good choice in the premium-but-affordable department.

The Envy 14 is 1.1 inches thick, weighs 5.25 pounds, and offers Intel Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 processors. The 14.5-inch 16:9 display runs at 1,600x900 pixels, and the system supports switchable graphics, pairing integrated Intel graphics with an ATI Mobility Radeon 5650. The Envy 14 also adds a backlit keyboard, one of the key upscale features missing from the more-expensive Envy 13. At $999, the magnesium/aluminum alloy Envy compares very favorably with the current $999 MacBook, which has a polycarbonate body and an older Core 2 Duo CPU.

The Envy 17 is about 1.5 inches thick and weighs 7.5 pounds--making it thin but heavy for a desktop replacement. In it, you've got a choice of Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors, along with ATI Mobility Radeon 5850 graphics. Two 17.3-inch 16:9 display options are available: basic 1,600x900-pixel resolution (but for a 17-inch laptop that costs more than $1,000, why bother?) and full HD 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution. Like the 14-inch model, it also includes a backlit keyboard, and both have Beats-Audio-branded audio subsystems.

The HP Envy 17 will be available starting May 19, and the HP Envy 14 will be available starting June 27. Check out some more shots of the Envy 14 and Envy 17 in the gallery after the jump. … Read more