Taiwanese computer maker MSI has introduced a new all-in-one computer with a 20-inch touchscreen, the Wind Top AE2070. The base model is equipped with a 1600x900 multi-touch screen, a Pentium G620 CPU, 2GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 500GB SATA II hard drive. An onboard Intel HD Graphics 2000 processor handles graphics. The computer runs Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit.
The Nokia C7 flagship smartphone has, once again, been spotted thanks to TMoNews in T-Mobile documents, though this time in the electronic inventory. A Frosty Metal version of the handset will be available at T-Mobile. The Symbian^3-powered phone has also received a ship date at Canada's Wind Mobile, the carrier announced on Tuesday.
Page four of the latest online flyer reveals that the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet will soon be sold at The Source. What this also means is that Bell will carry the tablet, as the chain is owned by the Canadian carrier and only advertises and carries devices for Bell, Virgin and Solo Mobile. Exactly when the RIM tablet will arrive or what it will cost isn't being revealed, however.
MSI has released an updated version of its Wind U230 ultraportable notebook in the form of the Wind U230 Light. Despite the name, the 11.6-inch notebook weighs 3.3lbs and is just 1.2 inches thick, which is about 0.4lbs heavier and just as thick as the original namesake. The U230 Light earns its name through an 11.6-inch display smaller than that of its 12.1-inch predecessor but with the same resolution.
Taiwanese PC maker MSI announced a partnership with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday. Aside from outfitting the Dodgers' team management office with the all-in-one Wind Top AE2220 PCs, MSI will also make limited-edition versions of the all-in-one and the Wind U135DX netbook to the public. Each will sport LA Dodgers logos and a special color scheme.
MSI in a low-key move has posted an update for its devices that gives most of them support for charging the iPad. The i-Charger fix gives many of its mainboards, along with its all-in-one desktops and notebooks, the 1.2 amps of current needed to charge Apple's tablet from their USB ports. It can automatically recognize when Apple's hardware is attached and step up from the usual 0.5 amps when needed.
MSI's turn at Computex saw it join the tablet fray with two distinct models. The Wind Pad 100 and 110 both have 10-inch multi-touch displays but very different processors and operating systems. Conventional users get the Wind Pad 100, a full Windows 7 tablet with a 1.66GHz Atom Z530, 2GB of RAM and a 32GB solid-state drive; the Wind Pad 110 switches to a dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 250 with Android.
The FCC has recently tested an unnamed Nokia handset for approval in the US, though very little information about the device is known. The handset, codenamed QTKRM-658 by the FCC, will support T-Mobile's 1,700 and 2,100MHz 3G bands and confirms it as the only possible carrier.
The existence of the second dual-core AMD Athlon Neo X2-powered notebook from MSI has been all but confirmed thanks to a product page on the Energy Star website. The Wind U250 joins the Wind U230, though how the two differ exactly is not clear. Apart from the 1.3GHz dual-core AMD Neo chip, the low-power notebook comes with Windows 7, a 320GB hard drive and 4GB of RAM.
MSI on Tuesday continued a string of netbook launches by formally launching the Wind U230 in the US. The 12-inch system overrides the U210 and, in one model, includes MSI's first use of AMD's dual-core, 1.6GHz Athlon Neo X2 to give it better-than-usual performance for the size and price. Windows 7 is also new and comes in full Home Premium guise rather than the Starter edition often associated with netbooks.
MSI today officially brought its chief designer netbook, the Wind U160, to US shores through Buy.com and Newegg. The system is the same as its international counterpart and revolves around a gold-and-bronze look with chiclet keys. It runs on Intel's newer Pine Trail platform and, with a 1.66GHz Atom, potentially breaks records with a maximum 14-hour battery life.
MSI this afternoon said it has begun shipping the Wind U135 inside the US. Shown as far back as December, the netbook is MSI's first to use Intel's Pine Trail platform and uses the newer 1.66GHz Atom to draw out its battery life to as much as 7.5 hours. Ergonomically, it also gets a new 'chiclet' keyboard, an updated trackpad and a more smudge-resistant shell.
MSI wrapped up the holiday week with word that it would use CES to launch new versions of its Atom-based desktops that use Intel's Pine Trail platform. The 18.5-inch Wind Top AP1920 (not yet shown) should be the Taiwan designer's thinnest ever all-in-one at just under 1.4 inches deep and will come in versions with the new single-core or dual-core 1.66GHz Atom processors; the change gives it a slight speed boost but should drop power consumption even lower.
MSI today provided early details of its first Wind netbooks running on Intel's Pine Trail platform. The U130 and U135 both update to the 1.66GHz Atom and should get about 15 percent more battery life than previous Winds. They also get a minor aesthetic boost with touches such as a new trackpad.
The newcomer to the Canadian cellular business, WIND, today revealed that its first phone will be the BlackBerry Bold 9700. Besides giving the carrier a 3G smartphone for its debut, the WIND version of the Bold will be rare in its prepaid option: while a subscription option remains, the move will let users get voice, e-mail and other services as they need it. Either choice won't have a minimum monthly voice plan for those who rarely need voice service.
The Canadian government today cleared Globalive to run what should be the country's fourth national carrier. After initially letting the CRTC reject Globalive's WIND service due to concerns about foreign ownership, Industry Minister Tony Clement now says the results have been overturned as it's been decided that the foreign investment in the company doesn't constitute "in fact" control that would violate Canadian ownership laws. The decision takes effect immediately and clears WIND to run as soon as it's ready.
MSI this afternoon grew its American roster of Wind netbooks by importing the U110 Eco. The new model is the only one based on Intel's newer Z500-series Atom chips and uses a 1.6GHz example that gives it a much longer claimed runtime of up to about 15 hours with its standard nine-cell battery pack. Unlike the version announced earlier in the year, though, the US version uses the GMA 500 graphics inherent to the Z500 line than a much faster dedicated chipset.
MSI this afternoon gave its US audience the Wind Top AE2200, the most advanced version of its all-in-one desktop. It gets a 21.6-inch touchscreen with MSI's own interface for apps, editing and games, but it's also treated as a media center with its own TV tuner and HDMI input. Helping the goal along are parts that put it above nettops and let it decode HD, such as a 2.7GHz Pentium dual-core and GMA 4500 video.
MSI today added a larger, faster version of its WindTop all-in-one desktop to its American lineup. In addition to a larger 20-inch touchscreen with a higher 1600x900 resolution, the easel-like PC is also the first for the US to use a processor faster than an Atom and uses a low-power, 1.5GHz AMD Athlon X2 that gives it enough power to run Windows Vista and eventually Windows 7. Switching to the new platform also gives MSI a much faster Radeon HD 3200 integrated graphics chipset for better 3D and HD processing.
MSI has confirmed the introduction of mobile Core i7 processors with several of its upcoming Windows 7-based notebooks . The company is set to ship 15.4- and 17-inch notebooks based on the Core i7 7200M, Core i7 8200M, and Core i7 920XM CPUs. Along with the high-end notebooks, MSI is also set to release a Wind U150 netbook featuring a touchscreen and Intel's next-generation Pine Trail platform.
Taiwan-based computer maker MSI has officially announced the 12.1-inch, CULV-based Wind12 U200 ultraportable. Labeled as the first 12.1-inch notebook powered by Intel's Consumer Ultra Low Voltage (CULV) line, it comes with a 1.4GHz Core 2 Solo that gives it much more performance than a netbook but without as much of a jump in price or power use as a full-size system. Accordingly, it weighs less than 3.1lbs with its stock 3-cell battery.
Complementing the US launch of the U123, MSI today started supplying the Wind U115 Hybrid to UK shops. The netbook is the company's first system to use Intel's Atom Z500 line and uses a 1.6GHz example of the lower-powered chip along with a unique hard drive and solid-state drive combo to extend battery life. Unofficial tests show the system lasting as long as 13 hours on its standard 6-cell battery and 25 hours on a 9-cell pack.
MSI on Friday started shipping its Wind U123 netbook to the US. The 10-inch system we tried at CTIA is MSI's first with the slightly faster 1.66GHz Atom N280 and centers on battery life; a relatively large 6-cell pack is stock, and an optional 9-cell unit extends its battery life to over 8 hours. Lid colors are less conservative with blue and red as options.
MSI's first true ultraportable to use Intel's CULV (Consumer Ultra Low Voltage) platform has likely been leaked a day ahead of its actual launch. Put into the Wind netbook family, the U200 as found by Engadget will be closer to a notebook with a CULV processor (presumed to be the 1.2GHz Celeron M 723) and a 12-inch, 1366x768 LED-backlit display. It will also have much more in base specifications than netbooks with 2GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive and GMA 4500 video that can drive HD video playback.
MSI today unveiled a last real update to its starter netbooks in the Wind U100 Plus. The new version trades up to the 1.66GHz Atom N280 and its faster, 533MHz system bus. It also brings two new colors, midnight blue and rose champagne (light pink) alongside the existing black, red and white. MSI claims 7 hours of battery life for the system on a 6-cell pack.
Electronista had the opportunity to try MSI's new X-Slim and Wind U123 notebooks at a press event last evening and came away impressed. The X340 is the centerpiece, as it's one of the first to use Intel's new CULV processors; that lets it run Vista Home Premium reasonably quickly without having to balloon the form factor. The system is disconcertingly thin: at about 0.7 inches deep and 2.8 pounds heavy, it's visibly almost as thin as a Dell Adamo and certainly feels much lighter. It should also cost half as much at about $1,000 while running about as quickly.
At the CTIA show in Vegas that kicked off today, MSI is showing off its new Wind U123 netbook along with a pair of new X-series Ultra-Slim notebooks and has released the specs and pricing information for its portable PCs. The new 10.2-inch Wind model is powered by Intel's 1.66GHz Atom N280 CPU and is the first Wind netbook to offer a 3G data network module and a TV Tuner. For security, the netbook will have MSI's EasyFace software that will read a user's facial features via its 1.3-megapixel camera before granting access. Another first in the Wind range is the U123's availability in a range of colors, adding blue and red in addition to white and gray.
MSI today gave the Wind series yet another update through the U110 Eco. The new netbook is MSI's first to use the Poulsbo-era 1.6GHz Atom Z530 and uses the more power-efficient chipset to extend battery life to a full 9 hours in peak conditions. Despite the Intel core, the model also unusually depends on AMD's ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3200 integrated chipset to give it faster graphics than Intel's current chipsets can offer.
MSI on Thursday afternoon brought the Wind Nettop CS120 to the US. The mini desktop is slightly slower than the CS100, opting for a single-core 1.6GHz Atom 230 instead of the dual-core Atom 330, but is a complete system with 1GB of built-in memory, a 160GB hard drive and 802.11g Wi-Fi. It's also one of the few nettops to have a built-in DVD burner instead of relying on USB storage or the network.
MSI has formally announced the Wind NetOn AP1900, the company's first all-in-one to hit the market following the unveiling of the lineup at CES in January. The device features an 18.5-inch WXGA display with a 16:9 aspect ratio, with all components contained in a housing that measures just 35 mm thick. Users can adjust the viewing angle or mount the computer to a wall. The design features a gloss-black bezel around the display along with polished silver trim and accents.
Taiwan-area computer maker MSI has shown off a dual-core version of its small Wind Wind Nettop desktop PC, the D130. The new PC is powered by Intel's 1.6GHz Atom 330 dual-core CPU and 2GB of RAM. The desktop uses a power-saving design that uses up to 35W at its peak, which MSI estimates is 90 percent more efficient than the power consumption of a traditional ATX desktop that uses between 250W and 300W.
ViewSonic today ventured into relatively unknown territory for itself by launching its first, full-fledged computers. The VieBook (content to come soon) is its take on the netbook and carries specs similar to most other models using a 10-inch display, with a 1.6GHz Atom, 1GB of memory, a 160GB hard drive, a 1.3 megapixel webcam and Bluetooth rounding out its feature set. The system will ship in February for $429 and comes preloaded with Windows XP.
MSI today outlined its plans for CES and confirmed the presence of the company's first all-in-one nettop. The Wind NetOn (shown) competes against ASUS' Eee Top and also described as one of the fastest; in the US-specific AE1901 model, the 19-inch system will come with a dual-core 1.6GHz Atom that should significantly improve performance while keeping power use down to just 50W. IT and the other 16- and 22-inch systems have yet to receive full details but should come with 16:9 ratio, 1366x768 touchscreens (1920x1080 in the 22-inch version) that simplify their respective interfaces.
MSI will be demonstrating new touchscreen-enabled notebooks during January's Consumer Electronics Show, says the company's US sales director. Andy Tung notes that 10- and 16-inch touchscreen portables will be on display, the former of which should be a Wind netbook. It is uncertain if it will become a commercial product, says Tung, as a 10-inch screen may be considered too small for tablet functionality; it is confirmed however that MSI's touch-based Wind desktops will be coming to the US in 17-, 19- and 22-inch sizes.
At a press conference recently held in France, Taiwanese computer maker MSI introduced new versions of its Wind netbook, the MSI Wind U115, U110 and U120H. The U120H will ship with a 3G data network module from Ericsson that will enable it to access the high-speed network with a SIM card. Other specs of the new netbook include an Atom CPU, 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard disk with Windows XP on it. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi modules will also be accounted for, with the computer powered by a six-cell battery. MSI recently announced a stock U120 with similar specs and the availability of a Wi-Fi module.
MSI is planning to join ASUS in the nettop field by taking a different approach, the company has confirmed through a French unveiling covered by Journal du Geek. The Windbox is deliberately given a slim, subtle black enclosure that MSI says is meant to be used for home theater PC duty; a VESA mount on one side lets it attach directly to the back of most HDTVs. The company also renders it noise-free by using passive heatsinks to cool the inside instead of fans.
MSI in a late weekday announcement announced its long-promised US version of the Wind U120. The update to has the same features of higher-spec U100 models with a 1.6GHz Atom, 1GB of memory, a six-cell battery and a 160GB hard drive but brings in a sleeker design and the option of either 3G cellular Internet access over HSPA or WiMAX for 4G-grade access over networks from Clearwire or Sprint.
Desktop and notebook computer maker MSI recently unveiled a new range of small-footprint all-in-one PCs, called the Wind Neton, in China. The Wind Neton range should compete against the ASUS Eee Top as well as the iMac and comprises the 22-inch M22, 18.5-inch M19 and 15.6-inch M16. Processing power will come from Intel's Atom CPU, with a dual-core 1.6GHz Atom 330 in some models. Any of the three nettops will be available with touchscreen functionality for the M16 and M19's 1366x768 screen or the M22's 1920x1080 display. In a rare move for Atom-based systems, the M22 also has an optional Blu-ray drive.
An online Best Buy listing has been spotted on Wednesday and is offering a version of the 10-inch MSI Wind netbook for just short of $350, which is the least expensive Wind ever by about $50. The specific model is U100-420US, which is powered by Intel's 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU coupled to 1GB of RAM, and includes an 802.11b/g Wi-Fi module to stay true to its Wind name, which, according to MSI, was taken from Wi-Fi Network Device.
There are new specs to report regarding the MSI Wind U120, introduced earlier this month. The netbook will include a built-in 3G module and sport a 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU coupled to 1GB of memory and a 120GB hard drive with Windows XP. The newest report, published on Monday, maintains the netbook will be available in November and not, as previously believed, December. MSI has teamed up with Vibo Telecom in its home market of Taiwan for supplying its 8.9-inch Wind U90 netbook with wireless data services, and the computer maker is in talks with European providers for similar deals.
MSI today said that its Wind netbook is shipping to Best Buy, marking one of the first times the portable has been available in a major US retail chain. The netbook ships in just one configuration for the store and comes with Windows XP pre-loaded as well as the necessary 1GB of RAM and a 120GB hard drive; MSI keeps pricing under check by using the stock three-cell battery rather than the larger six-cell pack.
Lenovo this morning contributed its share to the rapidly growing netbook field with a new IdeaPad model. The S10 shares the same 10-inch screen and 1.6GHz Atom processor as larger rivals like the MSI Wind but promises a unique design with a multi-touch trackpad, front-mounted speakers, and a keyboard at 85 percent of full size and thus comfortable enough to type on for long periods. A 1.3-megapixel camera is built into the lid. Bluetooth and an ExpressCard slot are also rare additions for connections to wireless keyboards, 3G modems, and similar peripherals.
MSI today confirmed to LAPTOP that it would raise the official price of its Wind mini notebook by an average of $50. A base model with a three-cell battery pack now costs $499 while a longer-lasting six-cell version costs $549. The company has had "no choice" but to increase the price as the raw manufacturing costs for the battery and other notebook materials have increased significantly, according to an MSI official. Retailers such as Buy.com are being asked to cancel orders at the original prices to avoid facing sanctions from the PC builder.
MSI this afternoon confirmed that it has finally begun shipping the Wind, its first mini notebook. Stores such as Amazon, Buy.com, Fry's, and Newegg are all receiving the 10-inch portables first and will initially receive basic versions with a three-cell battery and Windows XP Home. Versions with the longer-lived six-cell battery as well as those preloaded with Linux are due in September, the company says. The larger battery itself will be available separately at the same time.
MSI has again delayed getting its Wind UMPC into the hands of buyers. In a letter sent to customers recently, apologetic MSI says the delay stems from an industry-wide notebook battery shortage that took place in March. In an attempt to make up for the delay, MSI will give buyers free overnight shipping when the Wind does arrive on July 7. The last promised ship date for the long-awaited UMPC was June 16th, but US customers are still to receive their mini notebooks.
Apple may be refusing to negotiate with all players in the Italian cellphone market, one telecom executive suggests. Vincenzo Novari, the CEO of phone carrier 3 Italia, says that while his company is "super-interested about the iPhone," he has not heard any response in regard to inquiries at Apple, whether positive or negative. Novari in fact claims to have sent two e-mail messages directly to Apple CEO Steve Jobs, without receiving any sort of acknowledgement.
Acer this morning made its launch into micro notebooks official with the Aspire one. Following closely in the style of systems from ASUS and MSI, the 8.9-inch portable is based on an Intel Atom processor that Acer claims should last for about 6 hours on an optional battery, or slightly longer than the MSI Wind's 5.5 hours. This is helped by the switch to flash storage on the base model: simpler configurations include an 8GB module in place of the hard drive used in some other mini portables.
MSI this morning finalized the US specs and details for the Wind, its entry into micro notebooks. The 10-inch, LED-backlit system is available in Linux and Windows versions that share virtually identical features: at the center is a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor that MSI claims will net each Wind as much as 5.5 hours of battery life, or much more than systems based on older Celeron processors. Each also comes with an 80GB hard drive rather than flash memory.
ASUS is bumping up the launch of the 10-inch Eee PC in an attempt to head off rivals, PC builder insiders claim. The company is reportedly concerned about the launch of the same-size MSI Wind and now plans to introduce its largest Eee PC at the Computex show next week alongside the Atom-based Eee PC 901 in an attempt to garner more publicity for its own system.
MSI today has firmed up specs for its Wind mini-notebook, including its launch timeframe. The 10-inch system will closely follow ASUS' practices with the Eee PC and ship in both a low-cost Linux version (based on Novell's distribution) as well as a more expensive Windows XP edition. The basic Wind will ship with just 512MB of RAM and a three-cell battery good for 2.5 hours of battery life; in exchange for the higher price and demands of the Windows portable, the premium model will come with 1GB of RAM, Bluetooth, and a six-cell battery that runs for 5.5 hours.
