Dell Vostro V13

Dell's Vostro V13 Is A Lighter, Thinner Workhorse

Nate Ralph, PC World
Dec 9, 2009 3:14 pm

Dell's Vostro line has traditionally been geared towards small businesses, doling out drab, low-powered notebooks and desktops for organizations that need PCs on a tight budget. But the V13, the latest notebook in the Vostro lineup, hopes to shake things up a bit. Weighing in at 3.5 pounds and a svelte 0.65 inches thick, this brushed-metal bijou promises to turn heads, without emptying your corporate warchest. We recently had a chance to sneak a peek at one, and came away fairly impressed.

The basic model runs for $449, and comes equipped with a 1.2GHz Celeron ULV 743 processor, 2GB of DDR3 SDRAM, a 250GB, 5400 RPM hard drive, and Ubuntu Linux. Connectivity options include 802.11 b/g WiFi, Gigabit ethernet, and Bluetooth 2.1 on every model. The 13.3 inch LED-backlit screen is also standard on every model. Klutzes will appreciate a Free Fall Sensor built into the motherboard, while road warriors can opt for a Mobile Broadband Module.

There aren't too many expandability options to speak of -- you'll find one USB 2.0 port, one USB 2.0 / eSata combo port, and a VGA display port. Ponying up for the $649 model will also net you Windows 7, a larger, faster hard drive, a webcam, and a 1.3GHz Core 2 Duo ULV SU7300 processor.

Now that we've got those pesky numbers out of the way, let's talk design. The V13 takes the ever popular brushed aluminum route, with zinc hinges. The chassis feels solid, despite being just about light enough to tote with one hand. There's a bit of plastic on the lip of the case to house the WiFi antenna, but nothing too egregious. While our typing-time was limited, the keyboard is full sized, and performed amicably. The trackpad also supports gestures, which could be a nice touch for users who opt for Windows 7.

Of special note is the battery: the 6-cell Lithium Ion battery is integrated directly into the case, much like unibody Mac notebooks. While it does allow Dell to shave off considerable girth, it means that should you ever need to replace the battery, you'll have to get your machine serviced. Like all machines in the Vostro line, the V13 comes with a year's worth of access to a plethora of business-friendly services, including 10GB of online backup, automated PC tuneup, and the DellConnect remote-troubleshooting service.

If your inner business mogul is enticed, you can hop on over to Dell's website and order your Vostro V13 today. And stay tuned for mote V13 coverage from PC World in the coming days.

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Touch screen anyway

Imagine turning any flat surface into a touch screen – well, this is now possible with Light Blue Optics’ Light Touch system. It is essentially a mini-projector that projects a virtual 10-inch (25cm) touch screen onto a surface. Using an infra-red touch sensing system, the device is able to detect where the user is “touching” the image. With both WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, it can be used for almost any purpose where a control panel is needed. Turn your coffee table into a TV remote control, anyone?

Astro launches HD programming

Astro launches HD programming
12-Dec-2009 07:03:41

KUALA LUMPUR: Astro has launched its new HD programming, called Astro B.yond, which will go live on Dec 18.

The new high-definition broadcast will initially start with four channels, namely Astro Supersport HD, HBO HD, National Geographic Channel HD and History HD which will be available at launch date, while ESPN HD will start in January, said Astro chief operating officer of Strategy, Content & Marketing for Astro Henry Tan at the launch here yesterday.

Much like the switch from black-and-white television broadcasts to colour, high-definition (HD) television broadcasting is said to be the next big step in television programming.

The technology offers up to 10 times the detail of current standard-definition television broadcasts and HD broadcasts will be in the wide screen aspect ratio of all high-definition televisions (HDTVs).

Tan said that a treat for subscribers of Astro B.yond is that the World Cup 2010 would be broadcast in HD.

Existing subscribers who own HDTVs can upgrade to Astro B.yond for an extra RM20 per month to get the HD channels on top of their current subscription package.

New subscribers will have to pay for the standard installation and subscription fee of the non-HD Astro service before upgrading to the HD service.

The price includes a new decoder, satellite dish and remote control, all of which have to be replaced to get the new HD channels.

According to Astro chief executive office Datuk Rohana Rozhan, the company has spent about RM200mil to upgrade nearly every aspect of the company’s hardware and infrastructure in preparation for high-definition programming.

Subscribers who wish to upgrade to Astro B.yond can call 1-300-82-3838 or log on to www.astro.com.my/byond to apply.

HD programming will only commence on Dec 18.

ASTRO TO GO HD

By TAN KIT HOONG

If you have bought a HDTV and been complaining about the lack of high definition content from Astro, hold on to your horses because the company is set to introduce its HD service by the end of the year.

The company has been quietly upgrading its infrastructure, from cameras to launching the Measat 3A satellite, and is ready to roll out HD programming on its satellite network, said Paul Dale, Astro’s chief technology officer.

The HD channels that are going to be launched will be in 1080i. However, not all channels will be available in HD.

The first phase of the rollout will include popular channels, namely sports, documentaries and movie channels with more to come in the near future.

Details on the particular channels that will go HD will only be available at the launch date but it’s a given that the National Geographic and ESPN channels will be available in HD.

Local programming in HD is currently in the second phase of the plan and Astro is currently in the process of upgrading video cameras and other equipment.

To receive HD broadcast, consumers will be required to upgrade their TVs to HDTVs as well as change the current set-top box and satellite dish.

On top of the HD broadcasts, Astro is also working on a number of new services including a revamped channel guide and other new features.

The new set-top box will have a HDMI connection, composite outputs, Ethernet port, an USB port and even a digital audio output for 5.1-channel surround sound audio.

The Ethernet port on the set-top box even allows for the delivery of the video channels via the wired broadband connection although this, again, is in a future phase.

Perhaps the most exciting part of the new set-top box is that it comes with a high speed USB port so that you can connect any external hard disk to turn receiver into a digital recorder.

You can’t distribute the video on the hard disk though as each programme recorded is protected by DRM, so that it can only be viewed using the set-top box.

However, the video recording feature will not be available in the first stage of the rollout and will be enabled in a future firmware update.

The official consumer launch will be before the year-end.

Link: http://star-techcentral.com/tech/story.asp?file=/2009/12/2/prodit/20091202170727&sec=prodit

Acer Revo: Easy on the eyes

The Acer Revo is a funky looking nettop that will look great in any living room.

By ZAM KARIM

THERE is a cool looking nettop in town and it goes by the name of Acer Revo.

With its slightly angular and glossy black and white design, a small footprint — it’s about the size of a phonebook — you won’t be hard pressed to find the perfect spot to place it anywhere in the house.

It can be next to the HDTV, a TV cabinet or you can even mount the nettop behind an LCD monitor. A plastic stand and a VESA-based mount are included in the box.

But it would be a shame if you choose the latter option as the device is meant to be shown off and not hidden away from view.

The review unit came with a matching wireless keyboard and optical mouse, a pair of cute mini USB speakers and an external webcam — all in white glossy casing.

The nettop was also bundled with an Acer 23in widescreen LCD ­monitor.




TOGETHER:The R3600-A23XA model comes with matching mouse, keyboard, USB speakers and webcam. Also included is a 23in widescreen LCD. Ports ahoy

There is no optical drive but what it does have is plenty of data ­connectivity options, including six USB ports, one eSata port and an Ethernet jack as well as a SD card reader. Also, everything is well laid out to make hooking up external devices more convenient.

It also comes with both VGA and HDMI ports so it’s possible to hook up two displays to the nettop.

Also, with the HDMI port users can pipe the built-in 7.1 channel audio to an external display without the need for extra cables.

Powerful specs

Interestingly, the Revo series of nettops come with the new nVidia ION chipset, which offers a number of advantages over the common Intel D945G chipset.

The platform is supposed to be able to run Windows Vista and 3D games, decode videos and, most importantly, handle high-definition videos with ease... at least in theory.

However during our tests, we were both surprised and ­disappointed with the system performance. For instance, the system took quite a long time to boot up.

At least, once it started up, the Aero Glass and Flip3D interfaces worked smoothly, and we had no problem performing basic ­computing stuff like ­wordprocessing and web ­surfing.

There are times, though — even with nVidia’s GeForce 9400M graphics and 4GB of memory onboard — the system felt sluggish.

It was more prevalent when we ran too many applications ­simultaneously and also when browsed Flash-heavy websites such as YouTube.

We suspect it is due to either the relatively pedestrian Atom 230 processor or the Windows Vista operating system which is a big resource hog.

Also, most Flash web videos don’t support hardware graphics ­acceleration offered by the nVidia chip so the processor needs to handle all the workload all by itself. HD experience

To handle all types of video files, the machine comes preinstalled with Cyberlink’s PowerDVD 9.

Overall, it handled standard movie files, such as the Apple MOV format, effortlessly,

Also, the machine is supposed to be able handle Blu-ray movies but we couldn’t get hold of an external Blu-ray drive so we couldn’t test this.

PowerDVD 9 doesn’t support the popular HD format, MKV. To play HD files we downloaded the free KMplayer.

Unfortunately, the video playback wasn’t as smooth as we expected, and we got inconsistent results.

Some MKV videos played smoothly, while others went out of sync with the audio, and a few simply failed to load.

Again we believe the culprit might be the processor which isn’t a perfect companion for the ION chipset.

The good news is that even when the CPU and GPU are heavily taxed, the Revo remained quiet all the time.

The verdict

The Acer Revo has its share of hits and misses. There is a lot of ­potential for the Revo as it is based on the ION platform.

However, the inclusion of the low-power Atom processor and Windows Vista isn’t the perfect combo for the machine.

Also, the RM2,199 price tag doesn’t quite justify the ­performance that you get from the machine.

The Revo will be a much more attractive machine with a few more updates and a lower price tag.

Pros: Cool design; small ­footprint; handles many video formats; quiet.

Cons: Issues playing HD files; sluggish performance, pricey.

ASPIRE REVO (R3600-A23XA)
(Acer)

Nettop with a 23in LCD monitor

Processors: Intel Atom Processor N230 (1.6GHz /512K L2 Cache/533MHz FSB)

Chipset: nVidia ION

Graphics: nVidia GeForce 9400

Memory: 4GB DDR2 800MHz

Storage: 320GB hard drive

Operating System: Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium

Connectivity: WiFi, Ethernet, 56K V.92 modem

Keyboard and mouse: Wireless keyboard, optical mouse

I/O ports: six USB 2.0 ports, one eSATA port, VGA, HDMI audio out and microphone

Other features: Card reader, VESA mounting kit, 1.3-megapixel USB webcam, USB mini speaker, Kensington lock slot

Measurement (D x H X W): 180 x 180 x 30mm

Price: RM2,199

Website: www.acer.com.my

Review unit courtesy of Acer Sales And Services Sdn Bhd, 1-800-88-1288

Link: http://star-techcentral.com/tech/story.asp?file=/2009/11/12/prodit/20091112160734&sec=prodit

Create your own workspace

Working with a laptop in a compact space can be annoying. But that need not be the case thanks to the Targus Lap Chill Mat ­cooling pad and a foldable Compact Laptop Desk.

These accessories allow users to create their own workspace wherever they go, according to the company.

The Lap Chill Mat is made from a soft neoprene material for better cushioning and it also comes built-in with two fans.

The fans provide a constant airflow and ventilation to efficiently disperse the heat produced by the laptop. Also, four rubber stops on the top surface prevent the laptop from slipping.
Compact Laptop Desk

Meanwhile, the Compact Laptop Desk doesn’t come with any built-in fans and instead has a vented surface for better air flow to keep the laptop cool.

It can be used either in a folded position or completely unfolded flat for extra space to, say, use a mouse.

The Compact Laptop Desk has a very thin profile and because it’s foldable, it will easily fit in a laptop bag so you can lug it along.

The Lap Chill Mat and Compact Laptop Desk retail for RM189.90 and RM129 ­respectively

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http://www.targus.com/

Article link: http://star-techcentral.com/tech/story.asp?file=/2009/11/10/prodit/4966091&sec=prodit

Rent HD movies and PS3 games

RENT IT: Chan's online rental service boasts a variety of

PlayStation3 games and Blu-ray movies.

KUALA LUMPUR: Do you have a long list of Blu-ray movies to watch and PlayStation3 games to play but not keen on spending so much money? Maybe you can rent them to save cost.

Check out Blackmango Games, an online videogame and movie rental service that lets users rent PlayStation3 games and Blu-ray movies.

The rental service is the brainchild of Ben Chan, an avid videogame and movie enthusiasts who started the service in 2007.

“I came up with the idea after not being able to find any local game rental service,” he said.

“There are a lot of hardcore gamers who complete a game in a day or two and move on to the next. Because games cost a lot, it makes more sense for them to rent,” he said.

Chan, who first started his virtual store on Lowyat.net forum, has since expanded the service to a dedicated website (http://www.blackmangogames.com/) where customers can view the list of games and movies they wish to rent.

There are many subscription packages. For instance, the Hardcore Gamer package costs RM50 a month and entitles the subscriber to rent one game or movie at any one time. You can hold on to the title as long as you like or exchange it for another as many times as you wish.

The game will be delivered to you by Chan or dispatched via mail depending on your location.
Chan is planning on upgrading his website to allow subscribers to pick the titles they wish to rent online. — CHONG JINN XIUNG

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http://www.blackmangogames.com/