ASUS’ bamboo laptops ditch the Pandas, bring the WiMax as they go production

Filed under: Laptops

Whether counting its 23 Eee PCs or 50 plus models of traditional laptops, ASUS isn’t exactly known for its frugality. So seeing yet another press release touting the launch of its bamboo — a renewable material with immense tensile strength rivaling that of many metal alloys — laptops shouldn’t be a surprise. What’s new here, perhaps, is the detail. Now in mass production, these partially biodegradable laptops come with either 11.1- or 12.1-inch, 1,280 x 768 pixel displays, your choice of 3/6/9-cell batteries, and ASUS’ Super Hybrid Engine allowing you to dial down the power when the wails of the Antarctic penguins become too much to bear. The 12.1-incher is the relative powerhouse of the pair offering Vista a ride atop your choice of Intel T9400/P8600/P8400 Core 2 Duo processors, 256MB of NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS graphics, a 320GB hybrid hard drive sporting 256MB of flash, and Intel’s WiMAX / WiFi Link 5100 chipset. Pricing? Sorry, we’ll likely have to wait for another press release for that detail.

[Via The Inquirer]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Share This

Caption Contest: Big Honking Camera [Capion Contest]

“Acclaimed camera manufacturer Canon is proud to introduce the world’s smallest person.”

Think you can do better? You probably can. Give it your best shot in the comments. [JJJJound via BBGadgets]

Share This

Four-Foot SNES Controller Actually Works (For Shaquille O’Neal) [Modding]

Taking inspiration as well as construction cues from the massive NES controller table built in May, SCAD Inc., which I will charitably call a garage-based novelty enlargement collective, set out to build a giant-sized SNES controller, complete with functioning buttons. A few months later the build is complete, and it looks, well, huge.

The angular, simply-shaped NES controller lent itself well to humongonization, but the rounded sides and shoulder buttons made the SNES a formidable challenge to accurately build at such a large scale. The SCAD guys sure as hell pulled it off though, getting everything from the curvature of the L and R buttons to the fonts used on the control labels almost perfectly right. The body of the controller is cut from wood, and the buttons are connected directly to the guts of a standard SNES controller, preserving the now hilariously small-looking cable and connector. Matt LaBoone, the primary builder of the project, says that videos (hopefully including some gameplay action) are forthcoming. For now check out the full log of the building process at the SCAD Inc. site. [SCAD Inc.]

Share This

Blaupunkt Travel Pilot N700 Overlays Directions on Live Video, Reads Street Signs [Navigation]

In the last few months car navigation systems have seen a variety of enhancements, from aerial photography to 3D city modeling to live traffic data and internet connectivity. None, however, have done live video. The Travel Pilot N700 has a small camera stuck on the back of the windshield-mounted unit that feeds live video on which navigation instructions are superimposed. The unit also features voice control, live traffic info, WLAN and Bluetooth connectivity and the ability to read and warn of traffic signs with the integrated camera. The price is expected to be about $740, but the N700 is exclusive to Europe, for now. Video demo after the jump. [Motor Authority via Navigadget]

Share This

Samsung’s New Cameras Are Cheap Excuse to Show Hot Biker Girl [Ifa 2008]

For some strange and sick reason, Samsung is one of those manufacturers who doesn’t think that girl power is the future of gadgetry, and instead assumes that all digital camera buyers are sex-obsessed men, basement World of Warcraft players with a large hadron collider for all things leather and large female attributes, all of them eager to try their new Fall 2008 camera lineup on a blonde riding a bike.

And they are right. Miss Samsung Biker Girl, we love you (but not more than we love Miss IFA). Too bad the cameras are nothing to write home about, just mid-year updates to their existing models. No amount of hot chicks on a bike will change that, I’m afraid. OK, maybe six of them will do it. [More IFA 2008 coverage]

Share This

Panasonic to Mass Produce 150-Inch TV, Requires Your Own Nuclear Power Plant [Ifa 2008]

Panasonic is saying that they are going to start mass-manufacturing their 150-inch 2,106 x 4,096 display, which obviously is not directed at consumers unless a) they have their own Quad-HD video material to play and b) they have their own nuclear power plant, since this beast eats 1,500 watts, which in the Michael Phelps scale is 243 pizzas, two roasted pigs stuffed with chicken breasts, five chili burritos and two dozen plates of pasta with veal meatballs. Hmmm. Meatballs. [Engadget]

Share This

Zune 120GB and 16GB Box Shots [Zune]

The Zune 120 and 16GB models are on their way, but here are some unconfirmed spy shots of the 120GB and the boxes for both. (There are more images post-jump.) [ZUnited, thanks Jared]

Share This

Keepin’ it real fake, part CXXXVIII: HiVision knows that even netbooks need fake friends

Filed under: Laptops

HiVision (also known as Shenzhen), a Chinese OEM exhibiting at IFA, is completely unabashed about its collection of netbook look-alikes, which range from 400MHz ARM-based computers that could retail for as little $150, to full featured VIA-powered affairs. Everything was as plastic as could be, of course, but the HP Mini-Note rips were almost passable as sexy. Almost.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Share This