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Photos: Packard Bell's new line-up
Here are some images of the new PCs on show by Packard Bell at its big re-launch event today. These were snapped by camera phone, so apologies for the blurry quality of some of the images.
First up are the new netbooks, with two examples of the dot s model with a 10.6in display nearest to the camera, while the third is the dot m with a larger 11.6in screen.
The dot s is available in both black and red colour schemes, the latter shown in the second shot.
White is also a colour that Packard Bell is keen on, with a nod to Apple's influential MacBook models. This shot shows one of the new EasyNote models, while the shot alongside shows three more on display at the event.
This rather indistinct shot of a desktop shows Packard Bell's compact iMedia chassis design, which brings out many of the ports users will need to access to the top front of the case. There is also a recess on top to hold external drives, as you can see.
The final image is of Packard Bell's iPower system aimed at gamers.
These systems will be available from June in retail outlets only.
Intel: Netbooks not for business
Intel executives started a lively debate on netbooks during a briefing for press and analysts this week.
Firstly, EMEA vice president Gordon Graylish stated that netbooks - the mini laptops popularised by Asus with its Eee PC range - have not dented sales of other types of laptops, and are in fact additional sales making up a new sector of the market.
This might come as a surprise to readers who have seen various headlines recently proclaiming that netbooks are "cannibalising" or "gouging" sales of more traditional laptop designs.
In Intel's view, netbooks are a new category of device used for simple tasks such as web browsing and messaging, rather than running any serious applications. This was despite the fact that several of the journalists covering the event were in fact using netbooks.
The subject of netbooks caused an esteemed colleague of mine to treat one of the Intel executives to a rant. The sudden rise of netbooks took the chipmaker by surprise, he opined, because Intel spends too much time listening to executives in large corporations and so it had been blind to the demand elsewhere for low-cost, lightweight laptops.
Rob Sheppard, Intel's Business Client marketing manager, said that netbooks are not suitable for business use because they have no support for Intel's vPro technology, are not validated for operating systems used in business, and are not part of Intel's Stable Image Platform Programme.
These, however, are largely marketing issues. I put it to Sheppard that Intel could build vPro into netbooks if it chose to. His response is too lengthy to be repeated in full, but seemed to boil down to the fact that netbooks do not have vPro because Intel does not regard them as a business platform.
Likewise, netbooks typically have at least 1GB memory and can easily run Windows XP Professional rather than the Home edition of the platform they almost all ship with.
Of course, many business professionals are likely to prefer a laptop with a larger display than the 10in screen of a typical netbook for everyday use, but given the choice between embarking on a business trip with a bulky corporate laptop or a netbook, which would you choose?
ThinkGrid's desktop-as-a-service
ThinkGrid is a company offering IT-as-a-service to business customers, including hosted Windows desktops accessed via an internet connection.
The idea behind this service is that companies can outsource the provision and management of a Windows desktop environment for their workers, complete with applications, to ThinkGrid. It could prove especially useful for smaller companies that do not have a dedicated IT staff.
I tried the service using a sample account provided by ThinkGrid, and found it pretty much like using a thin client session, except you have your own desktop that can be customised (within limits) to appear how you want it.
Access is via a login from ThinkGrid's web site, which requires you to enter a username and password. All being well, you gain entry to a full-screen session on your own virtual PC running in ThinkGrid's datacentre.
The virtual desktop looks and feels exactly as if it was running on the computer in front of you. I perceived no lag in either mouse movements or keystrokes when accessing the desktop, but for this hands-on I was using the corporate network in our central London office.
Each user has their own 5GB of disk space with their remote desktop, and it automatically maps to the local drives on the computer you are using so you can easily transfer files if necessary.
ThinkGrid costs £49 per user per month, or £490 for an annual contract. Applications are an extra charge, with Microsoft Office Pro costing £17 per user per month.
A full review of the ThinkGrid service will be posted to our web site at a later date.
Portability vs battery life
How short can the battery life be on a laptop before it negates the whole point of having a mobile computer?
I was pondering this while trying out Toshiba's Portege R600 (see image), which is a fantastically light system weighing in at just 773g, but preliminary tests suggest it will give users less than ninety minutes work from its standard battery pack.
Of course, the good point of having such a lightweight laptop is that you hardly notice you are carrying it. If your job involves giving presentations at customer sites, then battery life presumably doesn't matter too much - but then you would probably want a larger screen than the Portege's 12.1in display.
It seems to me that such ultra-slim models are in a way self-defeating; if you really need to work while away from a mains connection, then you are probably going to have to carry several fully-charged spare battery packs around with you - or else take a heavier laptop that boasts a longer battery life in the first place.
Perhaps better battery technology might improve the situation, but then again, perhaps not - modern laptops are stuffed full of drivers and background services that keep the system busy and using up more power than it needs to, even when the user isn't doing anything other than reading the screen.
The dream of an all-day laptop that doesn't require a course in body building before you can carry it around seems as far away as it ever has been.
A full review of the Toshiba Portege R600 will feature on VNUnet.com in the near future.
Is there any point benchmarking netbooks?
Mini laptops, or netbooks as they have become known, are a phenomenon of the last eighteen months or so, ever since Asus unveiled its first Eee PC aimed at the education market.
VNUnet, along with other technology sites, has covered many of these models, which are characterised by a relatively small size and low purchase price when compared to traditional ultraportable laptop machines.
Since Intel introduced its Atom processor last year, netbooks have standardised on this platform to such an extent that there is very little difference in specifications between any of the models. Almost all have a 1.6GHz processor, 1GB of memory, and are based on the same Intel motherboard components.
Apart from the screen and keyboard, which are often subject to the personal taste of the buyer, it seems that just about the only differentiator is the choice of storage device, with some models using Flash memory solid state disks (SSDs) while others stick with laptop-style hard drives.
With this in mind, is there any point at all in benchmarking the performance of these models?
We have found that there are can be some differences in overall system performance, depending on the technology used. Many Flash SSDs deliver performance equivalent to that of a hard drive, although they are more costly, so buyers tend to get less storage for the same price. Netbooks with SSDs tend to have about 20GB, while similar models with a hard drive offer up to 160GB, for example.
However, some types of Flash memory deliver less impressive performance. To quote Wikipedia; "Lower priced drives usually use Multi-level cell (MLC) flash memory, which is slower and less reliable than Single-level cell (SLC) flash memory."
While this difference shows up in benchmark tests, the average user probably would not notice, especially if they are just using the device for browsing the web, accessing email, or typing up the occasional document.
It seems that potential buyers would be best advised not to worry too much about performance, but about other aspects of the system, such as the keyboard, screen and other facilities provided.
Photo: ThinkPad versus IdeaPad
This photo shows Lenovo's compact IdeaPad S10e netbook against another Lenovo model, the ThinkPad X300.
The X300 itself is a thin-and-light model, but the picture clearly shows how small the IdeaPad is. It shares some of the styling of the ThinkPad, and seems to have quite a decent keyboard compared with other netbooks.
The S10e has a 10.2in display, Intel Atom processor, 1GB RAM, 160GB hard drive runs WIndows XP.
A full review of the IdeaPad S10e will appear on VNUnet in the near future.
First Look: Sony Vaio P-Series netbook
Sony launched its ultra-lightweight P-Series netbook at the Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas last week and we were able to get our hands on one for a bit at a recent London launch event. With the top of the range model costing £1,368.99 when bought directly from Sony it certainly isn't cheap, but it is undoubtedly an impressive bit of kit and takes the concept of portability to a whole new level.
The standard model weighs a paltry 638g
making it feel almost like an empty shell when you pick it up. This figure is
with a three-cell battery and while it won't be a massive burden, the six-cell
version will add on a few extra grams, some of which can be shaved off by going
for the version with the SSD drive.
Similarly, we weren't able to weigh the power adaptor, but it is small and light, so it won't tack on too much extra weight to the total.
Unlike Sony's recently released TT-series laptops which are encased in carbon fibre, the P-Series is made from plastic and because it's so thin we would be worried that it might be dangerously flimsy. None of the demo units we saw had any signs of damage, but we wouldn't suggest flinging this about too much.
Until someone perfects a flexible display that can be rolled up the device is about as small as it can be while still being functional.
The eight inch 16:9 widescreen is amazingly clear and runs at a resolution of 1600x768, which although an impressive technical feat does mean many users will end up squinting at the screen. There is a zoom function to help combat this or users can just turn down the resolution a notch or two, and given that most sites and applications are happy at lower resolutions so this shouldn't have a negative impact on usability.
In keeping the P-Series as small as possible Sony has had to ditch the trackpad, leaving just a nub nestled in the middle of the keyboard for cursor control. Personally I had no problems getting used to using the little joystick type control, but many customers may want to invest in a small external mouse to keep with them.
The brushed aluminium keyboard is a good size and the isolated keys are a nice touch. I found it easy to type on, even at speed except occasionally we kept brushing the mouse nub which it would treat as a mouse click (an option that can be disabled) and move the cursor to wherever the mouse pointer was located at the time.
The P-series sports two USB ports, one on each side and a combination HDMI/port extender. A small extender is provided adding video and wired Ethernet ports is included in the box.
Connectivity can be done via Bluetooth, draft-n Wi-Fi and there is a SIM-free 3G HSDPA modem and GPS built-in as well. Because there is not enough space above the screen, the webcam is situated off to the right, but it isn't angled at all meaning you're left tilting your head at odd angles if you want your face in the centre of the display when on a video conference.
It also features a hardware Wi-Fi on/off switch, something I always like to see in a netbook as it makes it very easy to turn the Wi-Fi on and off as needed which can noticeably extend battery life.
Below the keyboard are the left, right and middle mouse buttons, a shortcut button and the CrossMediaBar (XMB) launch button. The XMB allows users to boot straight into a menu system that PS3 and PSP owners will be familiar with and gives easy access to media such as photos, video and music as well as a web browser, Skype, Pidgin for instant messaging.
Sony mentioned that booting into the XMB took around 25 seconds
and booting into It runs Windows Vista Premium or Business edition, which runs happily, but given our first impressions of the upcoming Windows 7, we would probably recommend upgrading to that as soon as possible.
Ultimately, the price tag is going make the P-Series an exclusive device and for a lot less money you can get something not much heavier or slower, but for those with the money to spare who need a fully functional notebook that can slip into a handbag or a large coat pocket this could be a winner, and we can guarantee if you pull this out at a meeting it will turn some heads.
Hands on with MSI's Wind mini laptop
Mini laptops have been a surprise hit over the last year or so, following the launch of the original Asus Eee PC. Other vendors have since brought out numerous models to try and emulate its success.
The latest to become available is the oddly named Wind from Micro Star International (MSI), a firm best known for its motherboards and 'bare bones' PC and server systems.
Despite the dubious name, it seems to be rather a well designed mini laptop, just slightly larger than the Asus Eee PC 900 and 901, thus making room for a keyboard that users can live with and a decent 10in screen.
It is based on Intel's 1.6GHz Atom processor and has 1GB RAM, and unlike the Eee PC it has an 80GB hard drive instead of Flash SSD storage. It also ships with Windows XP, although this is the Home edition rather than XP Professional.
While screens smaller than 12in are considered too small for business use by some experts, I found the Wind's 10in display with its 1024 x 600 resolution quite comfortable for productivity applications, and the system's keyboard is large enough for typing at a reasonable speed.
The evaluation unit I saw had Microsoft Office 2007 installed, and the Wind seemed to handle applications such as Word and Excel with little difficulty. It would thus seem to make a good mobile system for workers needing to access documents and their email while on the road.
However, the downside on all small systems like this is usually battery life. I didn't have enough time using the Wind to test this, but MSI rates it at up to three hours with the three-cell standard battery pack, and this is likely to be an optimistic figure. An optional six-cell unit will provide longer life, but this bumps up the weight from just over a kilogram to about 1.2kg.
The Wind has three USB ports, a slot for SD Card and Memory Stick Flash disks, VGA and Ethernet ports, and includes 802.11b/g Wi-Fi. It costs £329.
Xerox's print tool helps roaming workers
Xerox's Mobile Express Driver is a free download that helps laptop users connect and print to a variety of printers without having to install specific drivers.
If you are a travelling executive, or anyone who has taken a laptop on a business trip, the chances are that at sometime you've wanted to print a document but been unable to because you didn't have network access rights, or the correct drivers.
I tried out the Mobile Express Driver on both a Windows Vista laptop and on a Windows XP desktop, neither of which were joined to the corporate Windows domain in IT Week's offices.
Once installed, the tool looks like any other print driver on your computer, and you simply select it as you would any standard printer when sending a document for output from an application.
The Mobile Express Driver then scans the network subnet your PC is connected to, and lists any printers it finds. If it does not find any, you can instead specify an IP address range to search through.
In my tests, the Mobile Express Driver quickly found about a dozen printers, allowing me to select one that I knew was close by and hit 'print'.
There are some limitations users should be aware of; the Mobile Express Driver only works with printers that support PostScript, although this should include pretty much any network or departmental printer that ships these days.
If you are using a laptop and have jumped on the Wi-Fi guest access at a site you are visiting, then the chances are that you won't find any printers. Guest access often provides users with a connection only to the internet, for obvious security reasons.
However, if you can find a live Ethernet port and plug into it, the chances are that you will be able to find a printer and use it, making the Mobile Express Driver a handy tool to have if you want to print out and leave some documents with a customer, for example.
The Xerox Mobile Express Driver can be downloaded here. The full version is about 48MB in size.
Hands-on: Asus Eee PC 901 and Acer Aspire One
Following IT Week's full review of the Eee PC 900 and HP Mini-Note a couple of weeks back, I grabbed the chance to have a quick look at two new mini laptops that are currently being evaluated by colleagues on other publications at our offices.
The Asus Eee PC 901 is, as you might expect, very similar to its predecessor, but has a more polished feel and slightly more rounded styling. It actually costs less, at about £272 + VAT, but has the same 8.9in screen and is pretty much the same size and shape.
In fact, the most significant differences are that the 901 is based on a 1.6GHz version of Intel's new Atom processor and has a larger 6-cell battery. The older model had a 900MHz ULV Celeron and a 3-cell battery.
Sadly, the larger battery bumps up the weight from just under 1kg to 1.15kg - nearly a 20 percent increase. However, one of my colleagues reports that the battery life is much improved because of this, going from just over an hour and a half to several hours.
The same Intel Atom processor powers Acer's Aspire One. This is very similar in size to the Eee PC and also has an 8.9in screen, but is just a couple of centimetres wider. This extra width allows for a keyboard with slightly bigger keys that I found much easier to type on.
Like the Eee PC, the Aspire One ships in Linux or Windows versions. The Linux model has 512MB memory, a 3-cell battery and an 8GB Flash SSD for storage and costs £199 +VAT, while the Windows version has 1GB, a 6-cell battery and an 80GB hard drive and costs £299 + VAT.
The Linux-based Aspire One is lighter at just under a kilogram, while the Windows-based unit weighs about 1.26kg. With Linux, the Aspire has a battery life of just over two hours, according to another colleague who has used it at length.
Both of the models I looked at here were Linux models, and the two had quite similar user interfaces that separated the built-in functions and applications into categories such as 'work' and 'play'. Both have a built-in office suite - StarOffice 8 on the Eee PC and OpenOffice.org 2.3 on the Aspire One.
For users who just need a light, low-cost device for word processing or surfing the Web, both of these machines would seem to fit the bill, although I found the larger keyboard of the Aspire One preferable. Both are also capable of running Windows, but are only available with Windows XP Home edition.
One of my colleagues hopes to have a Windows version of the Eee PC soon, so that we can compare benchmark scores between the 901 and the 900. However, we will not be able to do the same for the Aspire, as Acer has said it wants to push the Linux version and so will not be making any Windows models available for testing.
