Mac rumors, you vex us so. Pretty much every other hardware vendor is powerless against the almighty leak, as evidenced by the flood of laptop information that showed up online prior to the launch of Intel's Santa Rosa platform. But Apple always manages to keep us guessing up until the very last moment.
The current buzz around the Interwebs is that we should see some kind of update to the hugely popular MacBook line of laptops sometime in June. The Apple WorldWide Developers conference, or WWDC, starts June 11, an obvious marker, but Web site MacRumors.com is putting its money on June 5, based on some information found on a French Mac enthusiast site and the timing of Apple's Back to School promotional program, which starts next week.
The always interesting Apple Insider Web site doesn't weigh in on the great date debate, but offers that some MacBook Pro orders are purportedly delayed and quotes an unverified e-mail from Apple to distributors with the subject line, "Setup info for new SKUs."
Another possible clue comes from the launch of Apple's new Outlet Store section on its Web site, offering discounts on clearance items.
What can Mac fans actually expect from new MacBooks? The smart money so far is on an update to Intel's Santa Rosa platform and LED backlit displays for the 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros. Less likely are long-rumored devices such as a new ultraportable laptop or tablet. The 13-inch MacBook got a fairly inconsequential update a few weeks ago.
Last but not least, a MacBook we were expecting from Apple a couple of weeks ago has mysteriously been delayed. We didn't give it much thought at the time, but now...
Just how big is HP's new Pavilion HDX laptop? If Dan Ackerman's video doesn't give you a sense of scale (who knows, Dan could be 3 feet tall, making the HDX appear much larger than it really is), then perhaps this slide show will help. Let there be no doubt, this is one massive mobile PC. The HDX so big, in fact, we don't know of a laptop bag that could contain it. More details here.
Intel has announced two new flavors of Centrino.
Today's platform announcement from Intel may have left you scratching your head, and rightly so. After all, the company is replacing its Centrino Duo platform with a whole new platform called...Centrino Duo. And then there's Centrino Pro. Both of which, up until this morning, were called Santa Rosa (and will probably still be referred to by that moniker for the next few months). Confused yet?
Fortunately, we've had some time to wade through the marketing buzz and technical specs to figure out the whole story. Boiled down, it's this: the new Centrino Duo platform includes a handful of new Core 2 Duo processors; a new chipset with a faster front-side bus and an optional dedicated memory cache; a new graphics solution with a larger allocation of memory; and a new wireless card with support for Draft-N wireless.
Centrino Pro, meanwhile, has all those new features, plus additional remote management technologies designed for businesses. Essentially a mobile version of the vPro technology found on desktops, the Centrino Pro enhancements let IT managers upload configuration changes to a PC over a network. Centrino Pro also allows for asset management and remote diagnostics independent of the laptop's operating system, meaning the machine doesn't have to be on for IT workers to access it.
As with every iteration of notebook technology, all this is supposed to add up to better performance and longer battery life (which, thus far, it more or less has--see our first few reviews of Santa Rosa systems). While the changes aren't revolutionary, we do think they're worth seeking out if you're already in the market for a new laptop. After the page break you'll find our rundown of all the new Centrino features and what they mean to you. ... Read more
Every major PC manufacturer is announcing a lineup of new laptops this morning. These systems are all part of Intel's new Santa Rosa platform, which to the laptop-buying public means they'll have either a Centrino Pro or Centrino Duo sticker on them somewhere.
Our colleague Michelle Thatcher will go into further detail on the Santa Rosa specs later today, but for the most part, it involves having one of several new mobile Intel CPUs (From the T7000-series), support for Wireless N networking, Intel's new 965 chipset, and some additional onboard memory--Intel calls it Turbo Memory--for faster booting.
We've compiled a handy list of the biggest system announcements being made today, in case you're looking to be the first on the block with a Santa Rosa laptop (of course, most of this info already leaked last week). Note that while some of these are available immediately, others may not ship until as late as July.
Dell
Latitude D630
This new system, bordering on the thin-and-light category, has a 14.1-inch screen, integrated wireless N, and a smart card reader. Options to be added in the near future include Nvidia Quadro 135M graphics, and solid state hard drives.
Latitude D830
Similar to the D630, but with a more familiar 15.4-inch screen. This is a successor to the Latitude D820, just as the new D630 replaces the, you guessed it, D620.
Latitude D531
Not technically a Santa Rosa system, but we can't let Intel have all the fun today. Dell clearly agrees, and is also launching this budget-minded AMD system, which will also include wireless N as an option.
Gateway
E-475M
This 15-inch business system has a sleek design that'll work for home users as well, plus a cool optional docking station that'll charge a spare battery. Starts at $1,399. Read our full review here.
E-265M
A slightly more portable 14-inch version of the E-475M. Starts at $1,399.Read our full review here.
Lenovo
R61
New addition to the mainstream R-series. Besides the new Santa Rosa CPU and chipset, it also has a new internal roll cage behind the LCD display. Starts at $1,299. Read our full review here.
T61
The Santa Rosa version of Lenovo's high-end T series is thinner and lighter than the R61, and adds Intel's Active Management Technology, which lets IT guys update a system remotely, even if its in a suspended state. Starts at $1,399.
HP
HP Pavilion HDX
What's 15.5 pounds, got a 20-inch screen and is a laptop in name only? HP's hot new Pavilion HDX, that's what. This mobile home theater has a huge screen, a dockable remote control, and should come with a weight belt. Prices start at $2,999, and it should ship around July. Read more about this beast here.
HP Pavilion dv9500t
HP updates its time-tested dv9000 series desktops replacements with the latest Centrino CPUs. Read our full review here.
Sony
VAIO SZ
A Santa Rosa version of the popular 13.3-inch SZ series, a stylish PC alternative to the 13-inch MacBook.
VAIO AR
This is Sony's 17-inch desktop replacement series, so adding the latest T7000-series Intel CPUs, plus an optional Blu-ray drive should make it a mobile home theater that's a little easier on the back than the HP HDX.
VAIO FZ
This 15-inch "entertainment laptop" offers all the new Intel mobile CPUs, plus an optional Blu-ray drive. Starts at $1,400, or $2,000 with Blu-ray--if you think you can really tell the difference between a DVD and a Blu-ray movie on a 15-inch screen.
Toshiba
Tecra A9
Successor to the business-friendly A8 includes options for daft 802.11n and Nvidia's Quadro NVS 130M GPU, plus a spill-resistant keyboard.
Tecra M9
Superseding the existing thin-and-light M series, this new model features the higher-end Centrino Pro sticker for added IT oomph, and the all-important spill-resistant keyboard.
Fujitsu
LifeBook T4220
The thin-and light is a sequel to the T4215 convertible tablet, which we liked very much, thanks to its indoor/outdoor screen and tablet screen that swivels both ways. Adding the new Centrino Duo specs should boost both performance and battery life.
E8410
A 15-inch business laptop that goes for the more IT-friendly Centrino Pro sticker, the E8410 (and the Centrino Duo E9430) features Intel's top-of-the-line 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo T7700 processor and high-resolution screen options, but skips the 802.11n.
LifeBook A6030
A consumer version of the 15-inch E8410 (and a notch up from the LifeBook A6020), with the same high-end CPU, but with only a 1,280x800 screen resolution, and, so far, no 802.11n.
There should be even more laptop launches announced today, so stay tuned and we'll update this list with the most interesting ones.
(Credit:
CNET)
Exactly which new laptops will debut with Intel's Santa Rosa platform may be the worst-kept secret in the tech world. Which is why it brings us some relief to report that at least one of the systems to be built on Santa Rosa has officially been announced.
At a morning event in Shanghai (that's evening here, thanks to the curvature of the Earth), HP revealed the Pavilion dv9500t, a follow-up to the desktop replacement dv9000 series. Aside from the new components, the dv9500t is very similar to its predecessor, with only a few small tweaks to the feature set, such as adding a fingerprint reader and integrating a more video-friendly Webcam. Unfortunately, some of the options that are currently available on the dv9000, such as discrete graphics and an HD DVD drive, won't come to the dv9500t for another month or so. Still, it's a solid entertainment laptop, especially considering its affordable starting price of $1,199.
We've had a Pavilion dv9500t review unit in our Labs for a few days now and were able to run it through our suite of benchmark tests. When it came to performance, the laptop kept pace with other yet-to-be-announced Santa Rosa systems. We're most excited, though, about the Pavilion dv9500t's battery life: it lasted 2 hours, 42 minutes in our taxing DVD battery-drain tests. That's amazing for a laptop with a 17-inch screen.
We'll be posting the full review Wednesday morning, so stay tuned for the complete results.
Update: Follow the link to our review of the HP Pavilion dv9500t.
Weighing an amazing 15.5 pounds and sporting a desktop-sized 20-inch LCD, the HP Pavilion HDX is truly a laptop in name only. This semi-portable home theater system has a Media Center remote that docks right next to the full-size keyboard, an HDMI output, and an optional HD DVD drive.
We first got a glimpse of the massive HP Pavilion HDX system back at CES 2007 and have been eagerly waiting for a review unit ever since. Some system highlights include:
The HDX meets the specs for Intel's revamped Santa Rosa platform, so it has a Centrino Duo sticker. Our preproduction unit also had a top-of-the-line T7700 Core 2 Duo CPU, 3GB of RAM, and dual 100GB hard drives.
(Credit:
Hewlett-Packard)
Taking the HDX for a test drive, we loved the removable remote control and the touch-sensitive capacitive media controls. The trickiest part was the giant hinge connecting the screen to the rest of the system. The hinge is attached to the middle of the lid, allowing you to angle the display slightly. When closing the lid, you have to make sure the rear of the screen is pushed all the way back against the hinge, or it'll hit up against the body of the system and potentially crack something. Opening the screen is equally tricky--if you lift from the top of the lid, as is common with laptops, the bottom of the screen will suddenly swing out when it has enough clearance, whacking against the bottom of the chassis. A little practice had us opening and closing the lid with ease, but those first few times were white-knuckle experiences.
(Credit:
Hewlett-Packard)
The HDX probably won't ship until at least July, and it starts at $2,999. Fully loaded, it'll run closer to $4,500. If this oversized design looks slightly familiar, that's because you're probably thinking of the lap-busting Dell M2010, released around this time last year.
Details on pretty much every high-profile laptop featuring Intel's equally high-profile new Santa Rosa platform (otherwise known as Centrino Pro or Centrino Duo) are now freely available somewhere or other on this virtual playground we call the Internet.
Originally, dozens of new systems were going to be announced the morning of May 9. While those announcements, and their requisite press releases, will still happen, just about every last cat is already out of the bag.
We previously clued you into leaks about systems from HP, Sony, and Lenovo, and over the last few days a new flood of information has been seen online about Santa Rosa systems from Dell, Fujitsu, and Asus, as well as another HP offering, the massive 20-inch Pavilion HDX.
Dell's got the Latitude D830 and D630 on deck for the company's Santa Rosa launch lineup, reportedly available with SSD hard drive options. These should look familiar to anyone who's seen the current D820 and D620 models.
Fujitsu is said to be prepping the LifeBook E8410/8490 and the LifeBook A6030, at least according to these handy documents found on the FCC Web site.
The 20-inch HP HDX
(Credit: Notebookitalia.it)While full specs and availability dates won't be officially revealed until May 9, most of these systems seem like fairly incremental upgrades to existing models. Bucking that trend, the most interesting leak involves a brand-new product from HP.
Weighing in at a purported 12 pounds and sporting a massive 20-inch LCD, the Pavilion HDX is a laptop in name only. This massive system has a Media Center remote that docks right next to the full-size keyboard, an HDMI output, and an optional HD-DVD drive, according to leaked photos and spec sheets found online. Release dates and details are sketchy, but this guy certainly reminds us of the lap-busting Dell M2010, released around this time last year.
(Credit:
Crave UK)
Good news, laptop fans: Crave UK has gotten a Santa Rosa laptop, and we've been putting it through its paces for the last few days. What is it? Why should you care? Read on to find out!
Santa Rosa is the code name for the latest iteration of Intel's Centrino platform. It's been in development for several years now under the codename Santa Rosa, but will be known as Centrino Duo in consumer laptops, or as Centrino Pro for business machines.
Nerdy as it may sound, this is a pretty big deal. The original Centrino platform very much revolutionised the laptop market in 2003 by promoting the message of long battery life and ubiquitous wireless connectivity. It's arguably the reason millions of you can sit in a Starbucks sipping macchiatos and catching up on emails. Without it, you'd probably be running around boasting about how wonderful your desk-bound 5.2GHz Pentium 9 is, not caring about Wi-Fi or battery life. Click here for more.
(Source: Crave UK)
It's hard to keep a tech secret these days. Some would say impossible, thanks to the army of blogs on the Internet looking to grab eyeballs with any bit of leaked information or speculation they can find.
While the average consumer may not be as excited about the May 9 release of the first wave of laptops with Intel's Santa Rosa platform as one would be about, say, a new video game console, the torrent of leaked specs and models appearing online are interesting, even if just because it's information you're not supposed to know.
Otherwise known as Centrino Pro and Centrino Duo, we've seen leaked info online about Santa Rosa systems from Sony, HP, and Lenovo in the last few days. Sometimes the manufacturers themselves are at fault, such as when the tech blog Laptoping found info on HP's Santa Rosa lineup--including the HP Pavilion DV2500, DV6500, and DV9500, and the Compaq Presario V3000 and V6000--buried on the HP Web site.
Our colleague Michelle Thatcher has already recounted leaks from Sony, including its new TZ, SZ, and FZ Santa Rosa laptops, gleaned from a document on Sony's European Web site, as well as a comprehensive lineup from Lenovo, originally posted on NotebookReview.com.
On the plus side, not all the good stuff has leaked yet, so there may still be plenty of surprises come May 9 and the introduction (if not immediate availability) of a boatload of new systems.
Sony Vaio FZ
(Credit: NotebookReview.com)As Lenovo can attest, it's tough to keep a secret in the Internet age. Today Sony joined the club of PC makers with leaked product plans, as forum posters at NotebookReview uncovered details of new Vaio laptops buried deep on Sony's European site.
The new models, reportedly due in July, will include the 11.1-inch ultraportable TZ11 (a follow-up to the existing TX series), the 13.3-inch SZ5, and two new models in the 15.4-inch FZ series. In addition to refreshing the systems with Intel's new Santa Rosa chipset and X3100 graphics, Sony will also be giving the laptops a more subdued design, as shown on the FZ here. According to one forum poster, the TZ series will see more than a component refresh, with a completely new chassis design that incorporates a built-in Webcam and a redesigned keyboard. The latter revision will be particularly welcome, as keyboard comfort has long been one of our key complaints (pun intended) with tiny ultraportables.
Also in the rumor mill for a July release are the 13.3-inch CZ and the 14.1-inch CR series notebooks, though no more information on these models is available.
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