The previously leaked HP Envy 4 is now available for pre-order in China, with international availability expected to follow soon. The Envy 4 is the lowest-priced option in HP's Envy ultrabook line.
Fujitsu has refreshed two of its Lifebook notebooks with the last wave of Intel Sandy Bridge processors. The 15-inch AH532 and 14-inch LH532 are now powered by a 2.3GHz, dual-core Intel Core i3. It's paired with the onboard Intel 3000 HD for graphics.
A new Samsung Chromebook prototype that looks to be based on the Series 5 we saw at CES but sporting some new changes was spotted at the Intel Developer Forum in Beijing. It runs on the current Sandy Bridge-series of Intel processors, unlike that dual-core Celeron-powered Chromebook from the Las Vegas trade show. It also gets the Linux-based Coreboot BIOS software that allows it to boot up in just five seconds.
Sony will soon refresh its existing VAIO CA and CB notebooks, if the leaked images embedded below are any indication. Shared by NotebookReview forum members, the leaked press images are accompanied by some early specs from sources. The 14-inch (VAIO CA) models will get a choice of Intel's Ivy Bridge processors while the 15-inch (VAIO CB) versions will run on Intel's Sandy Bridge CPUs, at least initially.
ASUS' ultrabook refreshes could include some of the first truly discounted, mainstream ultrabooks. New leaks stemming from the same source for The Verge had two 13.3-inch models, the UX32A and UX32Vd, coming in at under $800. Both would still get Intel's low voltage Ivy Bridge Core i3, i5, and i7 processors, but only sometime after they shipped; initial batches would use the outgoing Sandy Bridge generation, insiders said.
An unofficial, pre-release benchmarking of Intel's upcoming Ivy Bridge architecture has shown an overall speed up, but most of all in graphics. Testing at AnandTech of a 3.5GHz, quad Core i7-3770K desktop chip has shown that the Intel HD 4000 integrated video is about 20 to 40 percent faster than the 3000 video on a roughly comparable earlier Core i7 using the current Sandy Bridge architecture. While still trailing behind AMD's Fusion in an A8 chip, it's enough to make games playable that wouldn't have been practical otherwise, such as running Skyrim smoothly at 1680x1050 and medium detail.
Intel's own claims that its Ivy Bridge platform had been moved back to June might have been unintentionally conservative. New leaks on Saturday to Digitimes had the 22-nanometer processors shipping in late April, setting them back only by a few weeks. As expected, the initial supply would be higher-end Core i5 and i7 processors.
Repeated talk of Intel delayng Ivy Bridge to June was supported by a conversation with executive VP Sean Maloney. HE told the FT that it had been moved back eight to ten weeks, from April to June. Contrary to some claims, though, it wasn't due to low demand but rather out of time getting the 22-nanometer chip manufacturing process up to speed.
A potentially major rumor has asserted that Apple was at one point investingating using AMD's Llano architecture mobile processors in the MacBook Air. The company had the kind of power and performance Apple wanted, Forbes heard, but had trouble producing chips in time for the 2011 update. As its former manufacturing wing and now partner GlobalFoundries was adapting to make the Fusion-based chips, where the graphics core is part of the processor itself, it was having trouble generating useful test yields.
Intel may make up for its Ivy Bridge processor delay by selling at substantially lower prices. New rumors from part suppliers claimed to Digitimes that processor prices would typically be $60 to $70 lower, presumably relative to the current-generation Sandy Bridge-era chips. The move could lead to faster processors at similar prices or, more likely, less expensive systems overall.
Intel's claimed delay of Ivy Bridge processors may have been limited and contextualized in a rumor on Sunday. The company still planned to ship desktop and quad-core mobile processors on time, VR-Zone heard, and was mostly keeping the June delays to dual-core mobile processors. Supporting the earlier rumor, the new tips cast it as a move to clear unsold stock of current-generation Sandy Bridge processors, both for raw chips and for unsold (primarily Windows-based) PCs.
Intel may delay full scale production of its highly anticipated Ivy Bridge processors due to weak PC sales, a result of the slowdown in the global economy. According to Digitimes, Intel is giving PC makers more time to clear their stock, so that Intel in turn can clear its own inventories of Sandy Bridge-based second-generation Core i-series processors. Intel is said to have notified partners that it will delay its production ramp for Ivy Bridge to June, with shipments starting in early April.
Cleveland-based AVADirect is accepting pre-orders for a new gaming portable that integrates one of the refreshed, Sandy Bridge-E Intel Core i7 desktop processors into a laptop form factor. The Clevo P270WM is a 17.3-inch desktop replacement that can come equipped with either a 3.2GHz or 3.3GHz Extreme Edition chip. It can also house dual NVIDIA mobile graphics chips in SLI.
Intel has released seven new processors. All are based on its current Sandy Bridge 32nm architecture. The new CPUs include three desktop quad Core i5 processors as well as dual- and single-core Celeron processors for both the desktop and mobile.
We've had the opportunity to try Acer's Aspire S5, and we've come back pleasantly surprised so far. The magnesium and metal chassis, which is matte, feels good to the touch, is thin and light, and isn't cutting corners like some others. More importantly, the keyboard and trackpad are genuinely nice to use; it doesn't have the full suite of multi-touch gestures, but it's generally responsive, supports two-finger scrolling, and isn't too hard to properly right-click with the invisible buttons.
An Intel Core i7 processor has been paired with a Gigabyte motherboard to set a world record for overclocking multipliers. A six-core i7 3930K, which normally runs at 3.2GHz, was overclocked to 5.6GHz with a record multiplier of 57x. The Motherboard used with the i7-3930k was a Gigabyte GA-X79-UD3 with an Intel X79 chipset and showed the relative headroom the gaming-focused platform has.
Intel's Xeon E5 launch early this year could be matched by a handful of Ivy Bridge-based models soon after based on a tentative roadmap. After releasing 18 E5 chips based on the current Sandy Bridge architecture, Intel would have 11 Xeons arrive in the spring based on the 2012 design, Digitimes heard. Billed as Ivy Bridge-H2, these would include Xeon E3 chips like the E3-1290v2 in bulk costs of $189 to $884 as well as E5s from $192 to $1,440, one of which would be the E5-2470.
The desktop versions of Intel's Ivy Bridge processors have most of their details outlined in full through a roadmap discovered this week. The X-Bit Labs copy shows all the chips falling under the 3000 series in the same Core i3, i5, and i7 tiers, with four cores still the maximum for non-Extreme chips. Clock speeds would have a higher baseline, starting with a 2.7GHz Core i5 (3.2GHz after Turbo Boost) and peaking at a 3.5GHz Core i7 (3.9GHz).
Intel may have moved its Xeon E5 launch for the mainstream due to issues with SAS drives, tipsters claimed Friday. The Romley chipset when combined with current, Sandy Bridge-based processors was said by Digitimes to have problems when using the high speed serial disks. Two of the first wave of Xeon E5 chips, the E5-1600 and E5-2600, had been moved to the first week of March.
First details of Intel's Has well architecture has emerged through presentation slides leaked [reg. required] through ChipHell. The 22-nanometer design will focus most on Intel's promises of more advanced ultrabooks and will lower the peak power of a dual-core, low-voltage chip to 15W, helping battery life in systems like the MacBook Air. It should also support low-power DDR3 memory and get integrated GT3 graphics that, like on Sandy Bridge, are faster than on the desktop.
Verizon's 4G LTE network has taken top place in a PCWorld list of the best products of 2011. LTE allows for much faster speeds than HSPA- or EVDO-based 3G networks, in some cases giving performance on par with wired connections. Second place in the list is occupied by the MacBook Air, Apple's ultraportable notebook. Its design has been copied by computers based on Intel's Ultrabook standard.
Newly uneatherd details from Intel's roadmap suggest that Intel's long-in-waiting mid-range Xeon replacement, the E5, might not ship until 2012. Previously on tap for late 2011, they're now "delayed by one quarter," CPU World claimed. No reason was given as to why, or whether or not it meant going to the same 22 nanometer process as Ivy Bridge.
Intel while discussing its banner summer results revealed that it had just started mass-producing Ivy Bridge processors. The first wave should be qualified for sale late in 2011 and ship to partners in late November or December. Like most Intel launches, it should include both desktop and notebook processors.
CinemaNow is now offering 1080p HD movies for rental and purchase with the help of Intel. CinemaNow has added several hundred HD titles to their catalog. Previously, the division of Best Buy had only offered standard-definition media.
Intel's day two Developer Forum keynote saw it introduce Thunderbolt for Windows systems for the first time. A prototype notebook running Windows 7 was shown using the port for the high-speed storage previously only available to Macs. The company had previously acknowledged that Apple had a year's headstart because of its early co-development of the standard.
Apple may return to its once frequent pattern of updating computers more than once a year with a second 2011 MacBook Pro refresh, historically accurate tipsters suggested Tuesday. Taking advantage of Intel's recently refreshed Core i5 and i7 mobile processors, the refresh would just be a mild speed upgrade to keep the performance up. The revamp could happen before the end of September, AppleInsider heard.
HP put out its second PC revamp in as many days on Thursday with an update to the Pavilion dm1. Its 11.6-inch crossover notebook now has Beats Audio processing to get better sound from the speakers and headphones. Faster processors also back it up with AMD's Fusion-based, 1.65GHz E-350 and unspecified low-voltage Intel chips now making their way into the ultralight.
A newly-discovered web page for an HTPC from ASRock reveals the computer has quietly taken an update to Sandy Bridge-based Intel processors. The Vision 3D 2nd-gen Series computer can be had with Core i3, i5 or i7 CPUs and also sports switchable 1GB GeForce GT 540M graphics, 4GB of RAM and a HDMI 1.4a port, in addition to four USB 3.0 jacks.
Sony on Wednesday introduced a new addition to the Vaio S lineup with a 15.5-inch model. It sports a 1080p display and measures under one-inch thick while weighing in at 4.4lbs. Its magnesium and aluminum alloy case can be had in black or silver.
HP on Monday announced a new all-in-one desktop has joined its lineup. The Compaq 8200 Elite is the first of the company's enterprise desktops to offer Intel's Sandy Bridge-era Core processors with vPro technology for remote IT management. It centers on a 23-inch LED-lit display with an integrated webcam, microphone and speakers.
AMD has added a new desktop processor to its A-Series Fusion processors. The A6-3500 runs three 2.1GHz cores along with a 444MHz Radeon HD 6530D for integrated graphics still fast enough to handle 1080p video and some games. Turbo technology bumps the speed of the main cores up to 2.4 GHz.
Dell has launched a new Vostro notebook, the Vostro V131. The V131 uses second generation Core i3 and i5 CPUs with integrated graphics, and a 13.3-inch anti-glare 1366 x 768 HD LED display. It has a chiclet keyboard with with three programmable quick launch keys and optional backlight. The V131 also has a full HD camera, digital array mics and built-in Skype for teleconferencing. The chassis is 13 inches wide by 9.4 inches deep and inclines slightly, from 0.63in. at the front to 0.83in. at the rear.
The redesigned MacBook Air in October 2010 sparked a minor revolution in notebooks; after years of ultraportables (even Apple's) being relegated to the margins, they were suddenly the future of computing. Intel went so far as to coin a new notebook concept, the "ultrabook," to spur Windows PC builders to do what Apple was doing. But with stiff competition emerging from Samsung, Sony, and even ASUS, Apple has had to step up its game with a much faster processor and Thunderbolt for desktop-level external storage. We'll see in our review of the 2011 13-inch MacBook Air if it's enough to keep the lead -- and possibly to replace traditional notebooks.
We're just receiving our 2011, 13-inch MacBook Air systems and giving them our first dry run ahead of a review expected within the next few days. If you've seen our 2010 Air review, you'll know something of what to expect from the initial unpacking: it's the same extra-slim design, only with a Thunderbolt logo and a much, much appreciated backlit keyboard. Lion on a brand new Mac is as simple as ever to set up; if you're starting from scratch, you can be online in a few minutes.
The upcoming launch of new MacBook Airs should restore one of the more glaring omissions from the current generation, sources explained Tuesday. Backlit keyboards, which were present in the original versions of the Air but were pulled with the redesign, should make their return in the upcoming versions. Despite hopes for a launch this week, AppleInsider heard from its contacts that the release would be sometime next week.
Gateway has launched its new ID- and NV- series notebook computers. The new notebooks all feature USB 3.0, HDMI ports, and WiFi 802.11n. They have Windows 7 preloaded. The ID47 series uses an 14-inch, edge-to-edge panel where one might expect a 13.3-inch screen, and higher-end models also sport NVIDIA Optimus graphics switching. The new ID-series models use Intel Sandy Bridge processors, while the 15.6-inch NV55S05u uses an AMD Fusion processor.
Apple may push the MacBook Air's storage even further with its update by using a relatively new technology from Samsung. A part supplier source says Toggle DDR 2.0 flash is expected to be even faster than the upgraded SSDs used now and would peak at 400MBps. The Macotakara tip had it using brand new 19 nanometer memory to fit more in a given space and might even be built into the mainboard, not just on an add-in mSATA card.
More leaks Wednesday have narrowed down the release schedule for new MacBook Air systems. The ultraportables are now expected to ship in mid-July and possibly on July 14. An extra 9to5 tip emphasized that the systems would be virtually identical in external design outside of the switch from Mini DisplayPort to Thunderbolt.
Best Buy gave one of the clearest signs yet on Sunday of a new MacBook Air about to launch. The retailer's listings for current-generation models now show all of them as "not available for shipping." Physical stores are still carrying the ultraportables, but the move may be just to consolidate supply where it's most needed.
Intel's decision to move its Ivy Bridge platform to March 2012 was supported by a rumor late Monday that suggested the iPad may have played a role. It was to have started production in November this year but moved it to March or later in the wake of not just the 6 series chipset bug but notebook PC sales slumps owing to the iPad and other tablets, Digitimes said. The combination reportedly led Intel to "slow down its pace and re-organize its lineup" with the four-month span.
Intel has quietly begun shipping the faster ultra-low voltage processors in the Sandy Bridge family that may be destined for Apple. The 1.7GHz Core i5 2557M, the similarly clocked Core i7 2637M, and the 1.8GHz Core i7 2677M should all be reaching notebook manufacturers. The lone i5 carries 3MB of cache and will Turbo Boost up to 2.7GHz, while the i7s have 4MB of cache and will turbo to 2.8GHz and 2.9GHz respectively.
An unusual plethora of rumors Monday night provided possible details of the new Mac Pro and other near-term Apple updates. The pro tower will supposedly get a "unique CPU" along with its more rackmountable case. What that would entail wasn't said by MICGadget's purported informants, though it's more likely to involve early access to the Xeon E5 due this fall than a genuinely rare processor.
More follow-ups have surfaced surrounding the upcoming MacBook Air. One anonymous source corroborated most of the earlier details but would have the price cut down to $899. Details weren't narrowed down by 9to5, though SSD costs if so would likely rule out more than the existing 64GB drive at that price.
Various rumors Monday have raised the prospect of the new MacBook Air getting a rare black option. The tips are unconfirmed but would have it as an alternative to the regular silver hue. One MacRumors contact alleged that it might be reserved for the high-end Air, much as the black plastic MacBook was limited to a lone configuration.
Sources told Brian Tong Sunday afternoon that new Mac minis and redesigned Mac Pros should arrive either in late July or early August. The historically accurate CNET staffer was given only a few details but was told they would use both Sandy Bridge-era Intel processors and Thunderbolt ports. August was more likely for the two, he heard, and both would appropriately come preloaded with Lion.
Acer has launched a new desktop targeting gaming enthusiasts in the UK. The Predator G5910 incorporates the Intel P67 chipset and supports Core i5 and i7 Sandy Bridge CPUs in a new design. The PC also supports two hot swap hard drive bays.
Sony on Wednesday morning reworked the VAIO C and E for the summer. The 14-inch EG, 15.5-inch EH, and 17.3-inch EJ are the more radical breaks with new patterns and fingerprint-resistant shells. Buyers still have the pick of more recent Sandy Bridge-era Core i3 and i5 processors but can pick an AMD Fusion-based 1.6GHz E-350 in the EH to keep the price down but still get HD-capable video.
An industry supplier leak on Tuesday narrowed down the launch of the new MacBook Air to late June. Taiwan's Economic Daily News backed up word of there being 380,000 units shipping in the first wave, 90 percent of which would be made by Quanta. Total production for the month would hit 460,000 units.
Acer early this morning brought its 2011 TimelineX redesign to the US. The newer versions keep the minimalist, lightweight designs from other countries as well as their upgrades to Sandy Bridge-era, low-power Core i3 and i5 chips, although the Core i7 is absent. Higher-end and mostly larger systems come with either GeForce GT 520M or 540M dedicated video to push gaming while keeping battery life intact using Optimus switching, at up to eight hours when the faster video is in place.
Four store listings at Italian online shop F2F (one, two, three, four) have slipped out Sony's plans for an upgraded VAIO Z in Europe. All of them will use Sandy Bridge-era Core processors, very fast SSD storage, fingerprint readers, and built-in 3G. The HDMI has been upgraded to put out 3D video, and the webcam has been given a lift to use the low-light Exmor sensor technology from other camera-equipped Sony gear.
