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Hands on with HP's new 18-inch and 16-inch laptops

Every time we turn around, it seems like a new laptop screen size is vying for our attention. Netbooks have turned us on to 9 and 10-inch displays, and PC makers have been buzzing since CES about new 16 and 18-inch screens. That's because those two new larger sizes are 16:9 aspect ratio displays, which match HDTV screens and work perfectly with HD content, such as Blu-ray movies.

So far, we've only seen 16:9 displays in real life from Acer and Sony (including the just-announced Sony Vaio AW 18-inch laptop), but now HP has just unveiled the HDX16 and HDX18, two systems we had a chance to see and play around with in person last week.

These two new laptops have little in common design-wise with the massive 20-inch original HDX laptop (which hasn't had anything other than internal component upgrades since its introduction). That model is tremendously fun, but impractical. These two new systems are more traditional multimedia systems, designed for the den or dorm room. … Read more

Toshiba 1.8-inch hard drive hits the 240GB mark

Toshiba announced on Tuesday two new 1.8-inch hard drives, including the single-platter 120GB (MKxx31GAL series) and the world's first dual-platter 240GB (MK2431GAH) internal hard drives. The single-platter version also includes an 80GB offering.

Generally speaking, 1.8-inch hard drives are small form factor portable hard drives, where the regular size is 2.5-inch--and used mostly in portable media players, camcorders and compact ultramobile PCs.

These two new hard drives use the Parallel ATA interface and feature the industry's highest area density at 344 gigabits per square inch. They incorporate the fourth-generation perpendicular magnetic recording technology, which Toshiba … Read more

Intel releases pricing, details on solid-state drives

Less than a month ago, Intel announced its line of solid-state hard drives. We didn't have much information at the time, other than a model number and a few benchmarks provided by Intel, but we're pleased to officially announce the X25-M, or the Intel Mainstream SATA Solid-State Drive.

The drive uses NAND flash technology specifically built for computing with 10 parallel channels and optimized firmware. As stated previously, the drive will come in both 2.5 inch (X25-M) and 1.8 inch (X18-M) sizes that will fit in both desktops and laptops with the same performance specifications.

The … Read more

New Canon lens goes for versatility

If you're a Canon shooter and always wished Canon made a do-everything 18-200mm lens like others make, well, it finally arrived.

Canon on Tuesday announced its latest EF-S lens, the 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 IS. It offers an incredibly wide focal length range, with a 35mm equivalent range of 29-320mm. The lens features Canon's built-in optical image stabilization system, with a claimed 4-stop effect. With a minimum focusing distance of 18 inches, you will get pretty close for a big lens. Its focal-length versatility makes it ideal for traveling, and for anytime you don't want to carry … Read more

Canon rolls out 6 printers for every occasion

Tuesday, Canon announced six new printers that are sure to appeal to a variety of users including small- to mid-size business professionals, photography enthusiasts, students, and creative hobbyists. This new release includes four new Pixma printers and two new Selphy compact photo printers. Let's take a closer look at the offerings:

Pixma iP3600 $80 9600x2400 color dpi resolution Dual paper trays for plain and photo paper Five color individual ink cartridge bay Bundled with one ChromaLife100+ ink set and Easy-PhotoPrint EX software Pixma iP4600 $100 9600x2400 color dpi resolution Reported print speeds of up to 26 pages per minute for black, and up to 21 ppm for color Auto-duplexer with two separate paper trays Easy-PhotoPrint EX software includes Auto-Photo Fix for easy edits… Read more

Intel thinks big with solid-state drives

SAN FRANCISCO--Intel will finally enter the high-capacity solid-state drive business with the goal of replacing hard-disk drives in both consumer and corporate markets.

This comes 20 years after Intel introduced its first flash memory--a 256KB flash chip in 1988. The world's largest chipmaker is announcing the line of solid-state drives at the Intel Developer Forum here.

The presence of Intel will intensify an already intensely competitive market. "Intel's entry into the SSD market has been expected for a while and although a bit delayed, represents the start of what we expect to be a very competitive market,&… Read more

Nikon 18-200mm DX VR lens reviewed

One of the blessings of an SLR can also be a curse: having to choose which lenses to carry, which means finding the right balance between weight and bulk, and having the focal lengths you need.

The Nikon AF-S DX VR 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 G IF ED lens offers Nikon shooters a satisfying single-lens solution. It is compatible with all Nikon DX digital SLRs including the D300, D60, and D40.

Read the full review here.

MacBook Air Shield protects, uglifies your laptop

Ever take a good look at your MacBook Air and say, "Man, this thing is just too thin and attractive?" Accessory maker Agent 18 would like you to cover up with its new MacBook Air Shield, lest all the unattractive laptops in the coffee shop become jealous.

We'll just say this isn't the kind of look we'd want to rock on our super fancy laptop, but Agent 18 does point out, "Unlike other MacBook Air cases, the MacBook Air Shield provides accessibility to all connectors and features an opening for the notebook's vents … Read more

Acer's ships new Gemstone Blue laptops

Your desktop replacement options expanded today, with Acer announcing its 16- and 18-inch Aspire Gemstone Blue notebooks are now available. The 16-inch Aspire 6920 starts at $849, and the 18.4-inch Aspire 8920 starts at $1,299. Both models have an Intel Core 2 Duo chip, Nvidia GeForce graphics, and a display with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a 1920x1080-pixel screen resolution for full HD goodness. The 18-inch model finds room for 5.1 speakers; the 16-inch model serves up 2.1 sound. Blu-ray is an option on higher-end configurations.

The Gemstone Blue design is a new look, which … Read more

What's up with 18-inch laptops?

You may (or may not) have heard some buzz lately about new laptop sizes, as models with 16- and 18-inch screens join the traditional 12-, 13-, 14-, 15-, and 17-inch party (plus all those 7- and 9-inch mininotebooks).

That may seem a little like overkill, but there is at least some method to the madness when it comes to the new 18-inch screen size (and these new sizes may eventually replace more traditional 15- and 17-inch displays). Take, for example, the very first 18-inch laptop we've gotten our hands on, the 18.4-inch Acer Aspire 8920.

The new screen … Read more