Crave

Use the extra display for multitasking, or just look at pretty pictures.

After unveiling the LifeBook A1110 and LifeBook A6220 in October, Fujitsu is keeping the ball rolling with another addition to the LifeBook family. The LifeBook N7010, announced Tuesday, may not have the swappable lid panels of those previous models, but it does have a fresh new feature: a 4-inch touch-screen panel above the keyboard that can be used to control media playback, display quick-launch icons, or scroll through a photo slide show.

The second display can also help you multitask; instead of minimizing an application, you can drag it into the display below (the example from Fujitsu: you can work on a large file in the main screen while chatting on the Webcam below).

We're going to have to spend some time with the system to decide whether that screen is a boon to productivity or just a novelty. But even ignoring the extra LCD, the LifeBook N7010 has some compelling characteristics. Its 16-inch wide-screen display has the 16:9 aspect ratio that's ideal for viewing HD content, yet its case takes up about the same amount of space as a 15.4-inch system. To take advantage of the HD-friendly display, the N7010 includes an integrated Blu-ray drive, and if you want to watch movies on something larger, an HDMI port connects to your HDTV. Also, like so many of the midsize systems we're seeing today, the laptop incorporates an eSATA port for speedy transfer of large movie files.

Component-wise, you'll get a 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 processor, 256MB ATI Radeon HD 3470 graphics, 802.11a/g/n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Like many recent LifeBooks, the N7010 includes a gesture-enabled touchpad, removable dust filter, and spill-resistant keyboard.

Pricing for the Fujitsu LifeBook N7010 starts at $1,499. The system can be ordered today and is expected to start shipping by November 10.

On Tuesday morning, Fujitsu announced updates to two of its LifeBook lines, the UMPC-like U series and the tiny P-series tablet. Designed primarily for use in vertical markets (think health care and manufacturing), the systems are also sure to appeal to buyers who want something as portable as a Netbook but are willing to pay more for a more thorough feature set.

The U820 doubles as a Garmin GPS

The 5.6-inch LifeBook U820 updates the U810 we reviewed last year, adding a GPS receiver, plus integrated Garmin Mobile PC software for driving directions and points of interest.

The U820 is built on a Z-series Intel Atom processor and includes 1GB of RAM, plus your choice of a hard drive up to 120GB or a solid-state drive up to 64GB. There are plenty of features to appeal to mobile workers and their IT departments, including a 1.3-megapixel Webcam, fingerprint reader, and Kensington lock slot; WWAN will be offered as an option in 2009.

Fujitsu lets buyers choose between a two-cell battery, which reportedly lasts 3.5 hours, and a four-cell battery, which lasts 7.5 hours. The battery choice will also make a difference in weight: The laptop weighs 1.3 pounds with the smaller battery and 1.6 pounds with the larger one.

The LifeBook U820 is available immediately at prices starting at $1,049.

LifeBook P1630: A slightly larger tiny tablet

If that 5.6-inch screen seems too small, you could bump up to the 8.9-inch LifeBook P1630. This new 2.2-pound tablet updates the P1620 with Centrino 2 components, including an Intel Core 2 Duo SU9300 Ultra Low Voltage Processor and 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi connectivity. The new model also includes a 1.3-megapixel Webcam, an optional solid-state drive, and optional Bluetooth connectivity; WWAN will be offered as an option in 2009.

The company claims that the LifeBook P1630 can run up to 6.2 hours with the high-capacity battery. Starting at $2,179, the tablet is available immediately.

Fujitsu continued its trend toward colorful laptops this week with the introduction of the tartan-lidded LifeBook A6220. Like the LifeBook A1110 announced earlier this month, the midsize LifeBook A6220 incorporates a swappable exterior panel so you can replace the default indigo lid with a red or gold one to suit your tastes.

All the standard features for a midsize system are here: a 15.4-inch, WXGA screen; integrated Webcam and microphone; fingerprint reader and spill-resistant keyboard; and DVD burner. Around the case, there are the expected four USB ports, expansion and memory card slots, and a mini-FireWire jack, plus such extras as HDMI-out and eSATA connections. In addition to Gigabit Ethernet and Draft N wireless, the LifeBook A6220 offers both Bluetooth and wireless USB connections. In a nice touch, the laptop now includes Fujitsu's gesture-enabled touch pad.

You can configure the LifeBook A6220 to order on Fujitsu's Web site; the $1,299 base configuration includes a 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P8400, 4GB of 1,066MHz RAM (plus 64-bit Vista to take advantage of it), ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3470 graphics, and a 250GB, 5,400rpm hard drive.

This week also saw a Centrino 2 refresh of the company's 12.1-inch P-series ultraportable and T-series tablet. Find more information on the LifeBook P8020 and LifeBook T2020 on Fujitsu's Web site.

In the past few years, as companies like Dell and Sony have been making a big deal about releasing laptops in a rainbow of colors, Fujitsu has seemed content to stick with the traditional black, white, or silver. That all changed on Wednesday, when the company released the LifeBook A1110, a 15.4-inch laptop with a distinct, eye-catching patterned lid.

Even better, the lid incorporates a swappable exterior panel, so if you become bored with the default green pattern, $20 buys you pink butterflies, or an ornate blue pattern, and potentially other colors in the future. Fujitsu has engineered the lid so that it can easily snap on and snap off the LCD cover for countless wardrobe changes. Cool, no?

The LifeBook A1110 includes one other small innovation that's not as obvious as a snazzy changeable lid. A removable dust filter sits in front of the vents; it works like the lint trap on a clothes dryer, catching dust particles before they clog up the vents and computer interior. The removable part can easily be cleaned out every once in a while, which should help keep the laptop's temperature down.

Fujitsu lets you configure the LifeBook A1110 to order with either the Intel Core 2 Duo P7350 or T5800 processors on a Centrino 2 platform, up to 4GB of 800MHz RAM, 32-bit or 64-bit Windows Vista, and either 250GB or 320GB hard drives. The laptop weighs 6.3 pounds with the DVD burner and six-cell battery; the company projects a battery life of 2 hours, 30 minutes.

Pricing starts at $799; the LifeBook A1110 is available at Fujitsu's Web site and various retailers. And depending on the popularity of this model, we could potentially see swappable lids move to other Fujitsu laptops in the future.

A 13.3-inch tablet? That's a first.

(Credit: Fujitsu)

To coincide with Monday night's launch of Centrino 2, Fujitsu announced six new laptops, all of which incorporate the new platform. Highlights from the announcement include two convertible tablets with 13.3-inch displays--a first--and a media-oriented midsize system with a handful of unique features.

First up, the tablets: The LifeBook T5010 and LifeBook T1010 are the first convertible tablets to incorporate a 13.3-inch backlit-LED screen. The LifeBook T5010, aimed at business users, includes such corporate-friendly features as a Trusted Platform Module, modular drive bay, optional WWAN, optional indoor/outdoor display, and support for Intel vPro technology. Likewise, its black lid and conservative design would fit in at any business meeting. The LifeBook T5010 will be available in 30 days with prices starting at $1,769.

The LifeBook T1010 is nearly identical to the T5010, but it's designed for students, consumers, and small businesses that don't need corporate-level security and management features. As such, the T1010 features a touch-screen display, fixed Webcam, and no WWAN option. It also features a glossy, patterned silver lid and a lower starting price ($1,299), and it's available for order immediately.

Aside from the tablets, we're most intrigued by news of the 15.4-inch LifeBook A6210. The new midsize system includes a number of unique features, such as wireless USB, an eSATA port, and a new gesture-enabled touch pad. There's also a choice of integrated or discrete graphics, 802.11n Wi-Fi, and an HDMI port, which nicely complements the optional Blu-ray drive. We're also curious to see the laptop's new high-gloss lid, which reportedly departs from Fujitsu's usual ho-hum look. The LifeBook A6210 is available for order immediately, at a starting price of $1,149.

Other Fujitsu laptops to get the Centrino 2 treatment include the 15.4-inch LifeBook E8420 (starting at $1,359), the 14.1-inch LifeBook S6520 (starting at $1,529), and the 14-inch LifeBook S7220 (starting at $1,229). See the manufacturer's Web site for more details.

(Credit: BornRich)

All laptop makers have joined the fashion bandwagon--some later than others--so it's no surprise that Fujitsu is continuing to experiment with its runway persona. The Japanese company has gone through some interesting evolutionary phases of its designer laptops, from finishes in ubiquitous pink to an odd cedar and now precious metals, at least in name.

The Fujitsu LifeBook P8010E has already gotten a good review from CNET (7.5), but its new "Limited Pink Gold Edition" is trying to sell beauty as well as brain and brawn with such aesthetic features as a high-gloss finish and chrome hinges to go with its unusual color. Like the base model, it has a 12.1-inch widescreen, Intel Dual-Core processor, 250GB hard drive, and 2GB of memory, all under 3 pounds. It does add a few internal specs from the previous version, according to BornRich, including a 3G mobile broadband option.

But let's cut to the chase, as Fujitsu does on its site: This laptop, it claims, will "ensure that you'll always be the center of attention." Isn't that what it's all about?

(Credit: Fujitsu)

Move over Sony Bravia, Fujitsu seems to be breeding sub-$1,000 laptops like rabbits. Just one month after launching the $799 LifeBook V1010 and a few weeks after the $849 LifeBook A6110, the company has announced the LifeBook S7211, which has a starting price of just $899. The 14-inch wide-screen laptop, aimed at small and medium businesses, includes a built-in Webcam, spill-resistant keyboard, and modular bay for an optical drive or an extra battery to extend your computing time beyond the 4 hours promised by the standard battery. With an optical drive, the LifeBook S7211 weighs 5.2 pounds.

Like the LifeBook V1010, the S7211's baseline configuration relies on the Pentium Dual Core processor, which occupies the bottom rung of Intel's dual-core options, and just 1GB of RAM. That should be enough for basic word processing and e-mail, but if you need a little more oomph to power your business apps you might consider the Core 2 Duo-based version of the laptop, which costs $1,099.

On the subject of cheap laptops, we're currently reviewing a handful of systems that cost less than $1,000 (including the LifeBook A6110) and will be posting a roundup next week. Keep an eye on Crave for more details.

(Credit: Fujitsu)

Where does a laptop end and a handheld computer--or even a really, really smart phone--begin? We have no idea, and we're not sure it really matters. But for those who care, Fujitsu is doing its best to blur the lines.

The "U series" addition to its "LifeBook" line of laptops features ultra-portable machines that are barely an inch thick and weigh less than 1.3 pounds. But you wouldn't necessarily know it by the specs: an 800MHz Intel chip, 20GB hard drive, 512 of memory and a built-in fingerprint reader. All of which beats a 2005 PC we bought by a country mile. The only real giveaway is the size of the U's screen, which measures 5.6 inches.

It's this diminutive size, however, that also allows it to be converted easily into a tablet. Similar to a lot of smart phones now on the market, its screen can swivel around and do a gymnastics-style backflip. The price, however, puts it distinctly in the computer camp, starting at $1,250 on the Japanese market. And one more thing that's similar to laptops is its claim to an 8-hour battery life; we'll be dubious of specs like that no matter what category it falls into.