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Panasonic Toughbook C1: a 3.2-pound 'business rugged' convertible tablet

Is there room for a thin "business rugged" laptop that costs more than twice what "regular" laptops do? Walking the liminal plane between touch tablets and ultraportable laptops, the newly announced 12.1-inch Panasonic Toughbook C1 looks like an attempt to capitalize on the tablet meme while still catering to a small business crowd that may not take to boxier and more weatherproof designs. Slimmer than many Toughbooks before it but not exactly as super-durable as them either, the newly announced Toughbook C1 bridges the gap with a look that reminds us of mainstream Panasonic laptops … Read more

New HP EliteBook tablet adds capacitive touch, new Intel processors

Lest anyone be left out of the tablet/slate wave that's currently crashing over the laptop and ultraportable industry, HP has announced a new 12.1-inch EliteBook convertible tablet for the business-minded who feel the need for pens and capacitive multitouch displays at the same time.

Equipped with a stainless steel finish and magnesium casing, the EliteBook 2740p tablet PC will be available with either a Core i5 or Core i7 processor, a reinforced glass screen, and a touch interface that will also work with an included pen. The 2740p (and its non-tablet sibling, the 2540p below) also meet … Read more

MSI throws Blu-ray, Core i3 in a laptop for $699

Introducing Intel Core i3 and i5 processors in a laptop is hardly surprising news anymore, but affordable notebook computing--well, that's another story. MSI tends to be on the bleeding edge of the cheap notebook spectrum, and the company's recent announcement of updated Classic laptops offers a few eye-openers. The entire line of C-Series 15.6-inch Core i3 and i5 laptops starts at $649, and there's even a config that includes Blu-ray and a Core i3 for $699; MSI claims the CR620-033US is $729, but Newegg does that price $30 better.

All MSI CR-620 models include Windows 7 … Read more

Intel Core i3, i5 laptops make inroads at retailers

Laptops based on the new mobile Intel Core i3 and i5 processors from Dell and Acer continue to roll into retailers like Best Buy at sub-$700 prices. But don't expect Apple to offer deals like this on its upcoming MacBook Pro.

The mobile i5 and i3 offer a significant step up in performance. Tech Web site AnandTech said the i5 processor delivers "the single largest performance improvement we've seen from a new mobile processor in years."

And retailers have been quick to haul out systems based on the freshly-minted chips. This week, Best Buy is … Read more

Apple rumor check: The MacBook Air 'delay'

Apple rumors can be stubborn things. Repeated often enough, they become stubborn facts.

It's been more than a year since the last refresh of the MacBook Air. And for consumers waiting impatiently for the update, this AppleInsider report would seem to be a setback.

So, what's going on? The theory goes that the new MacBook Air--which, in the past, has used a special power-frugal version of a standard Intel processor--has been delayed due to an Intel chip shipment snafu.

It's an intriguing rumor--except that power-efficient versions of new Intel processors always ship later than standard models. And … Read more

Staples selling Dell, HP Core i5 laptops for $649

Thought spanking new Intel Core i5 laptops would command a price premium? Not this week at Staples, where fully loaded Core i5 laptops from Dell and Hewlett-Packard are on sale for as little as $649.

Staples is selling a Dell 17-inch system with the Core i5 430M for $649. The Dell system is regularly $799. The $150 discount (which is "instant savings"--not a rebate) ends later this week, according to a sales representative who said prices will go up again at the close of business on Saturday.

Dell Insprion 17.3" Laptop at Staples:

Operating system: … Read more

Intel promo points to new Core i5 MacBook Pro

It's a pretty safe bet Apple will eventually incorporate Intel's latest processors into its MacBook lineup, though when that will happen is still unknown.

But on Wednesday, AppleInsider got its hands on an e-mail promotion sent to participants in the Intel Retail Edge Program (IREP)--a training program for Intel sales representatives--that hints something might be coming soon. The e-mail to participants includes this language: "January Prize Draw: Win a MacBook Pro. Pass this month's trainings for 2 chances to win one of 2 MacBook Pro laptops with the accelerated response of an Intel Core i5 processor."

Reached for comment, an Intel spokesman said, "There was an error on IREP and we are investigating."

It could have been a mistake in the language in the e-mail, or--and this seems more likely--the mistake could have been that it was sent out too early. MacBook Pros with Arrandale architecture, which includes the Core i5 processor, have been anticipated for some time, as my colleague Brooke Crothers wrote on Monday. Check out his post for more about what to expect if Apple does indeed add Intel's latest silicon to its notebook lineup.

After the jump is the full text of the IREP promo e-mail.… Read more

Toshiba Satellite E205 has Core i5 and wireless video output, exclusive to Best Buy

While most Toshiba Satellites have similar design consistencies across the board, a lone and notable exception was the Best Buy-exclusive E105, reviewed in previous retail round-ups at CNET. Many of the design decisions in the E105 were ones we actually preferred over standard Satellites, so the announcement of the E205 was immediately exciting on these terms alone. But the addition of new wireless display technology that can easily stream video to an HDTV without any physical link makes the E205 technologically unique as well.

The Satellite E205, with a Core i5-430M processor and Intel Wireless Display technology, has one of … Read more

Dell's updated laptop lineup adds Core i5, Core i3, and new Mini 10s with better HD video

Dell's presser this morning had its biggest highlights with the Alienware M11x and the secret 5-inch Android tablet, but other products managed to get revealed as well.

Dell being Dell, the variety of configurations in the Inspiron 14, 15 and 17-inch lineup remains massive, but most importantly the laptops are shifting to Core i3 and i5 processors inside. Dell promises better battery life and improved performance in a chassis that more closely resembles a thin-and-light.

Since Intel's announcement, Core i3 and i5 machines have been popping up everywhere, but Dell also promised that future iterations of the Inspiron … Read more