The Asus B23E is part of the B series of business notebooks from Asus which are built from magnesium alloy. This allows the notebook to stay strong and light. Unlike some notebooks, this magnesium alloy buildincludes the keyboard tray, which should improve the typing experience.

The B23E also has reinforced metal display hinges, a shock protected hard drive and a spill proof keyboard. You can see a collection of durability tests performed by Asus on the B23E product page.

The Asus B23E comes with a collection of configuration options including an INtel Core i3 up to a Core 7 processor, up to 8GB RAM, up to a 750GB 7200 RPM hard drive and the full complement of ports. There is one USB 2.0 port and one USB 3.0 port. There is no optical drive on this notebook, but that is to be expected for a small device like this. The 12.5 inch display is anti-glare, which is great for outdoors, and sports a 1366 x 768 resolution, which is decent for a screen of this size.

Asus provides the following video to show the build of the Asus B series notebooks.

The Asus B23E has a collection of business friendly security features like a fingerprint reader and optional TPM for added security. The 2MP webcam has a hardware on/off switch for users who want a physical camera control.

One lowpoint is the 3-cell battery that won’t do much to keep you going all day, but this notebook has Asus Xpress Charge to charge the battery to 90% in 90 minutes.

You can find the Intel Core i7 powered Asus B32E on Amazon for $1,000, and you should be able to find lower priced models up for sale soon.

Via PCWorld

Asus B23E 12.5 inch Business Ultraportable Brings Anti-Glare, But Small Battery is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The notebook itself is over 4 pounds instead of sticking close to 3, plus the chassis is thicker than the ultrabook spec by a few millimeters. Plus, the model they showed off — available now in China and soon in the U.S. — used more plastic than the ultrabooks we’ve seen. All of this account for the low price, which will be around $500.

It looks like AMD’s goal with their Ultrathin notebooks is to beat Intel-based machines on price and battery life. That’s how AMD usually rolls. Where the chip maker can’t quite compete is performance, and that may be the biggest and most important difference between ultrathins and ultrabooks.

Image from TECHLAND

The chip inside the ASUS notebook we saw was an A Series APU which combines processing power and graphics on one chip. The A  Series notebooks we’ve seen do have impressive graphics for systems with an integrated chip. However, Intel’s integrated graphics are now good enough for watching HD video and playing casual games, which is all that many mainstream users need. Where they need power is in productivity and Intel delivers that.

According to this Digitimes report, 20 AMD-based Ultrathin notebooks will hit the market in 2012. While they may not be as innovative as Ultrabooks, they will be a lot less expensive. Which is going to matter more to consumers?

For those who care most about portability, the wave of ultrabooks coming our way is great news. The only downside right now is the price, which isn’t always under $1,000 as Intel wished. Once the third generation of Intel Core i chips come to market ultrabook prices are supposed to drop, and there are even rumblings that they could reach netbook prices by 2014. What if AMD’s lower prices make that happen sooner? Will consumers give a little on portability to have a relatively thin and light notebook for under $700?

We may not have to wait long to find out. Digitimes reports that AMD originally planned to launch Ultrathins in June of this year when their next generation chip was ready, but now they’re going to launch them sooner with their Trinity APUs and focus on the price aspect.

I predict that the end result of all this wrangling will be that AMD’s machines, be they ultrathins or low-cost ultraportables like the HP Pavilion dm1, will settle in the space netbooks occupy now since that category is rapidly disappearing, while ultrabooks become increasingly mainstream and make 13-inch screens more popular than 15-inch ones are now. Give it two years and we’ll see i I’m right.

AMD’s Ultrathin Notebooks Competing With Intel’s Ultrabooks On Price is a post by K. T. Bradford from Notebooks.com.

The Asus Zenbook was one of the first Ultrabooks to hit the market, and the recent refresh keeps much of the things we like, such as the 2.4 pound aluminum alloy body and metal keyboard. Aus has introduced a new trackpad, but we didn’t have enough time to see if it fixed many of the complaints from the previous generation.

One of my favorite things about this model was how nice the display looked. While the 1366 x 768 resolution is common, it shines on the 12.1″ display, giving me plenty of room to get work done.

Asus Zenbook UX21 Hands On Video

Inside, you’ll find a Core i5 processor, 4GB RAM, a 128GB SSD and  Bluetooth 4.0. Asus has also packed in Bang and Olufsen ICEpower speaker technology to deliver better sound in the small package.

You can buy the Asus Zenbook now, with a starting price of $999. This is an important pricepoint to hit, but with increased competition from Ultrabooks in the $850 price range, like the Toshiba Portege z835, it will be interesting to see how the Zenbook fairs on store shelves.

Asus Zenbook UX21 Hands-On Video is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Not just older models, but many that have come out in the past 18 months. When possible and polite, I always ask netbook owners why they bought their computer, if they’re still happy with them, and if they’d buy them again. What they tell me matches with my own experience.

They bought one because they wanted a small, light, and portable computer to carry everywhere that didn’t cost a lot of money. Most are happy with them and about half tell me they’d buy another while the other half wonder if a tablet is a suitable replacement. (I tell them no.)

But talk to analysts and tech bloggers and they’ll decry that the netbook is over, done with, and no one ever wanted them to begin with! Meanwhile, I’m more likely to see one in the wild than I am a tablet. As much as I like tablets, I would not replace my netbook with one, if only to save myself from hours of endless frustration.

Imagine my non-surprise when I read today that ASUS expects to ship 4.8 million netbooks this year and only 1.8 million tablets. Granted, the company only has one tablet currently available and one on the way. And I’m sure that in years to come they’ll grow, though it remains to be seen if the company can surpass Samsung, as they aim to.

Though netbook sales are down, I don’t expect that they’ll ever go away or that they were a stop-gap, as TechCrunch seems to. Because for many people the 10-inch form factor is the perfect size. Sure, ultraportables and ultrabooks are coming along to win our hearts with light weights and very skinny chassis. In a couple of years they could reach netbook prices, and I’m glad for that. However, this also means that netbooks themselves could possibly cost even less.

The netbook craze started because someone wanted to create a small laptop that could sell for $100. If ultrabooks get down to $350 – $450, netbooks should settle in around $100, finally realizing that dream. That benefits everyone. Even those in hard economic circumstances could afford a decent, if small laptop, thus shortening the digital divide.

The only way I see netbooks going away is if tablets become less difficult to use for productivity-related tasks. And even then, they’ll have to come down in price.

I don’t know what it will take for certain segments of the Technorati to see the netbook as a valid product that’s worthy of its place in the laptop hierarchy. But people who actually use technology and have to buy it themselves and stick with it for longer than the few days in between the next product arriving in the mail are going to be the ones to determine the netbook’s viability. And so far they’re still saying they want them.

The Netbook Is Still Relevant is a post by K. T. Bradford from Notebooks.com.

Here are some recommendations for tools that might make going off to college, high school or any educational experience, more productive and fun.

Verbatim Tuff N Tiny USB Flash Drive – $9.75 for 2GB

This tough little USB flash drive made our Father’s Day gift guide too. I like it that much. I personally tried to destroy one of these for a review that ran earlier this year. The drive takes a beating and holds your files intact. This rugged drive will help you back up or transfer papers (or other content) safely. The drive starts at under $10, and a large 16GB drive only costs about $40 direct from Verbatim.

iTunes or Amazon Gift Cards

You might think I’m just getting lazy with this pick. Gift cards? Really?

Yes! Gift cards supply both future and present needs. Your college student can get that useful note taking iPad app for class or some music or videos for entertainment. If you look at a local Sam’s Club you will often find iTunes Gift Cards for a few bucks less than the face value. For example, I recently bought four $25 gift cards in a single pack for only $96. You can get iTunes Gift Cards on discount at Sam’s Club or almost anywhere you buy electronics.

Amazon sells everything, and students get free access to Amazon Prime which provides free shipping or low-cost next day shipping. They can save some money using Amazon compared to getting books at the campus store. You can buy Amazon gift cards in any amount from their site.

ZooGue Binder Pad iPad 2 Case – $29.99

If your student will be carrying an iPad 2 to class, the ZooGue BinderPad iPad 2 Case can help them store it in their big three-ring binder notebook for just $30. I’ve tested it out and can assure you that it protects your iPad 2 well while in a three-ring binder. The case doesn’t add much weight to the iPad. It has three holes for the binder and you slide the iPad 2 into the top of the case. A flap with velcro holds the iPad in place. ZooGue makes it from a rugged polyester material. In the past I’ve been impressed with their iPad cases.

YooBao Slim Leather Snap On Case – $29.99

Speaking of cases, the makers of my favorite iPad 2 case have a snap-on iPhone 4 case made with the same nice leather used in that iPad 2 case. The iPhone case has a nice grip and protects your iPhone without adding much bulk or weight. The YooBao Slim Leather Snap On Case is inexpensive and looks nice too. The high-grade leather comes in three colors – white, brown and black.

Booqpad iPad 2 Case and Notepad – $49.99

Booq makes great laptop and tablet cases, but one favorite is the Bookpad iPad 2 case. It protects your iPad while adding a notepad that you can use for your note taking in class. When finished marking up a sheet of paper on the tablet side, just take the iPad out of the case and shoot an image to “scan” it into your favorite note app like Note Taker HD or Evernote. Our review linked above recommended this combination for people who take a lot of notes but haven’t become acclimated to digital note taking yet. Students often fit this category since your professors and teachers won’t wait for you to finish. Many people can keep up on a tablet screen, but many, like me, cannot if the speaker talks fast.

Booq offers a number of styles and colors to choose from including a high-end brown leather that costs $99.95 or the basic model for $49.95. We just wish that they would make a hole for the iPad 2 camera to make the capture process of the notes easier.

Also check out their other cases and bags for notebooks and tablets. You won’t be disappointed with a Booq Bag.

Livescribe 2GB Echo Smartpen – $99.95

A couple of our contributors here at Notebooks.com and GottaBeMobile.com swear by this tool. Livescribe pens will do more than just put ink on paper. They record the audio of lectures or meetings. They also record the motion of your pen, which is then transcribed into editable text. On top of that, they also offer storage for your audio. Our own Adam Mills told me, “If I was still in college, I’d definitely be using one for lectures.” With the pen you get a free year of Evernote Premium, which gives you extra storage and transfer space.

The 2GB Echo is one of the lower cost options, although they have higher capacity pens. The pen connects to a computer via Micro-USB to transfer files on and off. The ink is replaceable and the pen writes on special tablets, which you buy from the company.

Our own K.T. Bradford recommends getting the headphones with the pen. She said that they have a mic in them like you get with your smartphone. The mic picks up the sound better than the built-in mic on the pen.

iHome iA17 App-Enhanced Color Changing FM Radio Alarm Clock – $99.99

I’m a big fan of iHome’s products and the new iHome iA17 dock for your iPod Touch or iPhone should be as good as the past products I’ve tested. The radio changes colors based on your chosen settings. The base of the dock is translucent so the colored lighting shines through and will fade between colors as it changes or pulse to the beat of the music. You can turn it off completely.

The base of the dock changes colors with the music

The color feature might just be a fun attention-getting gimmick, but coming from iHome you can be assured that the sound quality will be top-notch for a product in this price range.

The dock fits anywhere in your dorm room, or on a bedroom nightstand, and helps keep you on time for those early morning classes or school days. It adds an FM stereo radio to your iOS device while it is docked, so you can both play your iPod files through the speakers and listen to the radio.

Install an iHome app on your device to get more features like sleeping stats, weather, alarm clock, wake to your favorite iPod tunes and more.

Sony Xperia Play Android Powered Phone – Verizon – $99

Our reviewers at GottaBeMobile see a lot of different Android phones, but for Verizon customers there is one that stands out if you like to play games. The Xperia Play from Sony will help you waste plenty of time. Our own Josh Smith reviewed the phone for our sister site GottaBeMobile and liked it. If you hate using a touch screen to control Madden NFL or your favorite first person shooter, then the Xperia play will satisfy you. Josh said the following:

The Xperia Play is not going to blow your mind with graphics, even if they are pretty good, but it is able to deliver a fun mobile gaming experience. Thanks to the off-screen controls, you can use your whole display for viewing the game — which even touchscreen junkies will appreciate.

Watch his hands on video for more info.

Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1TB USB Hard Drive – $109.99

You can quickly share files with an external hard drive hooked up via USB. I wish everyone would adopt the fast Thunderbolt port on the new Macs, but at present few have other than Apple and some high end accessory makers. USB 3.0 is the next fastest hard drive interface and it works with older USB 2.0 ports as well.

This WD My Passport Essential SE 1TB USB Hard Drive, on sale right now for less than their 750GB model, will store a ton of music, movie, picture and personal files. The size means it won’t take up too much space in your backpack. The drive can be powered via USB on the majority of modern computers.

Microsoft Office Home and Student – $149.99 from Microsoft

Microsoft Office is the de facto office suite for the known world. Sure you can get other cheaper and free alternatives like OpenOffice.org or iWork’s apps on OS X, but Microsoft’s suite doesn’t cost all that much. Since the vast majority of computer users have Office, why put up with the hassle of converting your documents if you don’t have to? The suite has Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote. More expensive versions add Outlook, Access or Publisher.

Office retails for $150, but never pay that much. You can find it online for as little as $100-$120. You might even find it in your college bookstore for as low as $20.

Computer majors might want to consider going with a TechNet subscription which allows downloading of full versions of Office and Windows for just a little more than the retail cost of Office Home and Student.

If you use a Mac, you can get Office for Mac 2011 for the same retail price or cheaper online. Microsoft offers it through TechNet as well. The Mac version is not a clone of the Windows version, but instead incorporates some of the OS X interface to make it more Mac-like. I’ve used the iWork apps like Pages, Keynote and Numbers. I prefer Word by far to Pages because it just has more to offer, while being more compatible in the dual-OS environments you find in most schools and universities. Keynote may be a little better than PowerPoint due to more attractive themes and transitions, but not enough to choose iWork and Pages over Office with Word if you have a lot of Office users around.

SuperTooth Disco Battery Powered Bluetooth Stereo Speakers – $149

I called this set of speakers the “21st century boom box” at GottaBeMobile.com. The SuperTooth Disco has bluetooth connectivity so you can hook them up to your smart phone or laptop to blast those beats. The sound quality beats most mobile speakers we’ve tested, and the long battery life means the music keeps pumping for hours out in the campus quad after classes, or just in your room.

I’ve used the system to show an outdoor movie to a few dozen people in my backyard and to play music at the beach on vacation this summer. They worked great. I also play music in my office with them.

The speaker system comes in a nice carrying case and has an auxiliary line input to connect a non-bluetooth enabled audio device. The speakers cost $149 directly from SuperTooth.

Canon Powershot SD1400IS Point and Shoot Camera – $199.99

Why would we include a camera when so many smart phones have great cameras these days? Not everyone owns one of those great smart phones with a nice camera. A lot of people still have a cheap feature phone or an early smartphone, and many are still locked into a 2-year contract. Also, a dedicated camera is still the best option for taking a lot of snap shots of special events, or when you are traveling. I’ve missed a lot of great moments because my smart phone camera took three or four taps to get started when a pocket camera would have been ready after the push of one button.

I love my Canon SD 1300IS. The only camera I would rather shoot with is my DSLR, or if I could justify it, the Canon SD1400IS. The optics on these inexpensive little cameras are surprisingly good for still shots or bright outdoor photographs. They are simple to use and just work! Many of the product shots I take for my reviews are taken with the older brother of this camera. Below is a sample of a shot my wife took at Ft. Myers Beach, FL this summer of some palm trees early in the morning outside our hotel room.

Muzetto Laptop Case from Waterfield Designs – $259

A traditional gift for a recent college graduate heading off to graduate schools is a high-quality briefcase. While I would appreciate the thought, I’d much rather have a premium laptop case. Based on our experience with Waterfield Designs cases a great option is their Muzetto line of cases that fit anything from a 10″ tablet for $199 up to a 15″ laptop for $259. The vertical orientation bag has a leather flap to cover the computer.

The leather case has colored accents and a nice strap to carry over your shoulder. Inside are compartments for you computer, a phone, sunglasses and more. A computer in a protective sleeve or pouch would fit, giving you double the protection and the versatility of just pulling out the computer and taking it alone down the hall to a friend’s dorm for a study session.

I love Waterfield Designs products and think you will be pleased with one of these bags. You might want to look at the Racer-X if you want to go with a mid-range price. At the lower end is their Sleeve Case for the MacBook Air, which I reviewed and still love.

Slingbox and Mobile Apps – $299 + $29.99

A Slingbox hooks up to your TV and video source, like a cable box or Satellite, and streams the video from those sources to other TVs or the mobile app. This setup rocks for a student going off to college. Have the box connected to your home cable system, or satellite dish, and then you can load the iPad or another mobile app and watch content anywhere your mobile device has Internet access. It also supports watching through an Internet browser on a Mac of PC as well.

I live in North Carolina, grew up in Wisconsin and went to college in Kentucky. Before the days of DirecTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket I only watched my beloved Green Bay Packers when the national game of the week featured them. I can afford the NFL Sunday Ticket, but a lot of college kids never could. And even if they could they would not be able to instal it in most dorm rooms because you need a DirecTV satellite dish. Slingbox and the mobile app gives them access to their home team, local news broadcasts and any other TV content without paying the cable or satellite man for a feed in the dorm or their apartment.

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer – $399

Everyone knows about the iPad, so recommending it is too easy. Not many people know about the excellent ASUS Eee Pad Transformer, which I really like. It is cheaper than the iPad by about $100 and can do a little more. First, the optional keyboard dock connects to the tablet and turns it into a fully functional Android netbook and doubles the battery life thanks to the keyboard dock’s battery. I’ve used it to type for long periods of time and, while I would not give up my MacBook Air or Pro, the keyboard was good enough to use without getting frustrated or feeling cramped.

The tablet comes with Honeycomb. A 3.2 update makes it one of the earlier 3.2 tablets. The update is not earth–shattering, but it is nice to have. I love the bright crisp display, the responsive interface and the feel and weight. A forthcoming review will give more details, but for now I recommend this as the best Android tablet available because of the screen and the added functionality the keyboard dock with extended battery gives you. Take notes by day with the tablet in all of your classes and then use it as a netbook all evening long to write papers.

Now if only Android had as great a choice for tablet apps as the iPad we’d be set.

Just know this. ASUS will be probably release the Transformer 2 sometime this fall with a faster Tegra 3 processor, so you might want to hold off until then. If that doesn’t matter, the Eee Pad Transformer’s versatility makes it a great choice right now. Below is my first look:

Mili Pico Projector 2 HP-A10 – $449.95

Our friends at XenGadget sent one of these units over for review and it is cool. I’m testing the Mili Pico Projector (HP-A1) V2 out now, but based on limited experience I wanted to include this in our roundup for those Friday night movie nights in the dorm, or for an overnight at a friend’s house. The little projector is about the size of two stacked iPhones and has a dock port for an iPhone. Plug it in and the video will be projected through the tiny lens. The projector works best in dark rooms, but isn’t that how you want to watch a movie? The LED light projects the image. You won’t get HD, but remember, you are carrying your projector in your pocket.

The device has a battery so you don’t need to plug it into the wall outlet while watching your movies. You could do presentations from your phone, iPod touch, iPad or computer if needed. The latter can be done through a VGA input. The projector casts up to 70″ from corner to corner, although 40-50″ will look the best.

As you can see from the image, the device has a kickstand that folds out of the back. Connect it to external speakers or use the ones built into the projector. They might disappoint, so I’d suggest external speakers.

The device comes in either black or white for about $450. There is a nice carrying case and remote in the package too.

Gateway ID47H02u 14″ Laptop – $699

We look at a lot of notebooks, but the Gateway ID7Ho2u made our editor Josh Smith “do a double take” when he opened the box the first time. The screen offers an edge-to-edge display, meaning you get a nice width without a lot of bulk. The ID series of notebooks from Gateway have a little more style and performance than others from the budget manufacturers. Josh said it was “worth a closer look” for buyers who want something with some power at an affordable price.

Here are some of the basic specs:

• Intel Core i5 2nd Gen Processor
• 4GB of RAM
• 500GB Hard Drive
• Intel HD 3000 Graphics
• DVD Super Multi-Drive
• USB 3.0 that will charge while it sleeps
• VGA, HDMI out
• SD card reader
• Dolby Home Theater v.4 Audio
• Full size keyboard but no number pad
• Over sized mousepad

Apple MacBook Air – $999 for 11″

If money is no object, the one computer I would recommend to all students is the Apple MacBook Air. It is fast, light and looks cool. You can perform any basic educational task with it. It is under-powered for intense uses like gaming or creative content creation, but you can do limited video and photo editing with the included iPhoto and iMovie. I’ve played a few of the games available in the Mac App Store on my 2010 version. The 2011 MacBook Air has a faster processor and faster SSD too.

The 11″ travels perfectly for those taking it to class or for pulling it out on a public transportation commute or carpool. If you need more screen real estate, go with the 13″ model. I would also recommend adding 2GB of RAM and getting at least 128GB of storage, making the cost a few hundred dollars more than the base model. It will be worth it.

Check out our own Xavier Lanier’s posts about the out of the box experience and the battery life of the newer 2011 MacBook Air. You can also read about his first impressions. Below you can watch his unboxing video.

Back to School Gadget Buying Guide: 18 Fun and Productive Suggestions is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

The two different models available - the G74SX-3DE for $1,979 and the G74SX-A1 for $1,745 both have an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M GPU with 3GB of DDR5 video RAM. The primary difference in these models is that the 3DE model offers 3D video playback on the 17″ display with included 3D glasses.

Gaming Cooling System

These new gaming notebooks also have a special cooling system that enables the system to stay cool even under processor intensive gaming sessions. The new ROG notebooks pull the air in from a front vent and fan, blowing it over the hot CPU and GPU, drawing the heat off of these components as the air is sucked out the rear fan. Most notebooks do not have this type of front to back fan system in place.

Blu-ray and 3D

In addition to very high-end gaming prowess, these notebooks include Blu-ray drives and in the case of the G74SX-3DE a 3D screen and glasses which can be used to watch 3D Blu-Ray movies and play 3D games.

ASUS ROG G74SX Specs

• 12GB of DDR3 RAM (up to 16GB)
• 2x 750GB 7200RPM hard drives for 1.5TB total
• 2MP Webcam
• 8-in-1 card reader
• Windows 7 64-bit with a free recovery DVD
• 802.11 B/G/N Wi-Fi
• Gigabit Ethernet
• Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
• Mic and Headphone jacks
• VGA and HDMI out
• 1 USB 3.0 and 3 USB 2.0
• Illuminated full-size keyboard with dedicated number pad
• 8 Cell battery
• 9.4lbs

ASUS ASUS ROG G74SX Video

Gallery

ASUS ROG G74SX Now Available for Purchase and Fragging is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

New Notebooks for the Week of June 3rd

• ASUS Shows Off Republic of Gamers G53SX Naked Eye 3D Notebook
  ASUS is showing of some new 3D gaming notebooks at Computex, including their new Republic of Gamers G53SX Naked Eye 3D. They call it the “world’s first naked-eye 3D laptop meaning you can have 3D gaming or video without the need for those annoying 3D glasses.
• MSI F Series Gains FX620DX and FX420 with Quad Core Options, GPUs from AMD and NVIDIA
  MSI showed off a wide array of new notebooks at Computex this week including updates to the premium F series line of notebooks. The new MSI F620DX notebook and the FX420 are what MSI calls the “supercar of laptops,” due to a collection of performance, looks and multimedia options.
• ASUS Announces ROG G74Sx 3D Gaming Notebook
  ASUS announced a new 3D gaming notebook for the hard-core gamer called the ASUS G74Sx. It is part of the Republic of Gamers (ROG) line which is designed for serious gamers who want the power to run any game they choose anywhere they please.
• MSI CX640, CX670 and CX480 C Series Notebooks Arrive w/ Latest Intel and AMD Processors
  MSI announced a trio of new notebooks in the C Series lineup at Computex 2011 this week. The new C Series notebooks include the MSI CX640 as well as the MSI CX670 and CX480 which have 15.6″ displays.
• MSI X460 Arrives with Slim Design, Sandy Bridge & GeForce GT540M
  MSI announced a collection of new notebooks at Computex 2011 including the MSI X460, the latest addition to the MSI X Series of notebooks. This new X series notebook packs a decent amount of power into a size that looks like a perfect fit for students.
• Lenovo Unveils IdeaPad U300s UltraBook at Computex
  Intel is doing all it can to push the new UltraBook platform and it appears that they have convinced Lenovo to get on board with the IdeaPad U300s/U3s Ultrabook at Computex 2011.
• Dell Latitude E6420 XFR and ATG Bring Rugged Power to Police and Professionals
  Dell has just announced the Dell Latitude E6420 XFR fully rugged notebook and the Dell Latitude E6420 ATG semi-rugged notebook with the latest Intel Sandy Bridge processors and discrete graphics. These rugged and semi-rugged notebooks aren’t just designed to be standalone tools, but rather full solutions for users that need to meet specific needs.
• MSI GT683 Gaming Notebook Arrives with NVIDIA GTX 560M GPU and $1,599 Price
  MSI has unveiled the MSI GT683, first notebook to ship with the NVIDIA GTX 560M GPU, both of which were announced at Computex 2011 this week.
• ASUS UX21 UltraPortable Tries to Out-Air the MacBook Air (Video)
  ASUS introduced a the new UX Series notebooks at Computex 2011 today, showing off the ASUS UX Series ultraportable notebook which measures 17mm at the thickest point and 3mm at the thinnest and weighs 2.4 pounds. One look at the ASUS UX and it will be clear to you which notebook the company is going after.

Notebook News for the Week of June 3rd

• Apple Handling Early Malware Threats More Aggressively Than Microsoft
  Apple released an update yesterday that deals with the MacDefender problem and also will help you avoid future infections. It adds a new tool to the security features of OS X that daily updates a list of known malware.
• Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper Cleans Viruses and Malware
  Microsoft has released the Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper, a new tool that works alongside Microsoft Security Essentials, as an advanced system cleaner. If you have a difficult to remove malware or virus problem, this new tool from Microsoft may be able to detect and remove the problem.
• Apple Offers MacBook Bottom Case Replacement Program
  Due to an issue affecting the white plastic MacBook model where the bottom plastic cover would separate from the rubber, Apple is offering a case replacement program.
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M Notebooks Arrive Today with Optimus at Gaming SweetSpot
  NVIDIA just announced the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M mobile notebook GPU which is the latest gaming GPU to roll off the lines at NVIDIA with support for Direct X11, NVIDIA PhysX, NVIDIA 3D Vision, 3DTV Play and for the first time NVIDIA Optimus.
• Steve Jobs To Unveil OS X Lion, iOS 5 & iCloud at WWDC
  Steve Jobs will be on hand at WWDC to unveil OS X Lion, iOS 5 and iCloud next week on June 6, 2011 at 10:00 am PDT. OS X Lion and iOS 5 are the next versions of Apple’s operating systems for the computer and mobile devices.
• Intel Attempts to Define Computing Future with Thin “Ultraboooks” Starting under $1,000
  At Computex 2011 Intel announced a new plan to help usher in a new class of thin ultraportable notebooks that cost less than $1,000. Intel is calling these new notebooks “Ultrabooks” and wants to move at least 40% of the consumer notebooks to this thin form factor by the end of 2012.

Smartphone and Tablet News for the week of June 3rd

• Ahead of WWDC, iPhone 6 Rumors Abound
  Ahead of Apple’s annual congregation of developers at WWDC 2011 in San Francisco, California, a destination where the company is expected to showcase the latest features of iOS 5 and Mac OS X Lion, rumors of the next-generation iPhone hardware are picking up momentum.
• Crux Loaded Case Turns iPad 2 Into Asus Transformer, But Is It Worth the Price?
  For iPad 2 owners looking on at the Asus Eee Pad Transformer‘s clever laptop dock in envy, Crux is bringing its Crux Loaded case to the second-generation iOS tablet to enable the same functionality.
• 5 Features iOS 5 Needs to Make Me Switch from Android [WWDC]
  What iOS 5 neeeds to stay in competition with Android and convert one of our editors.
• Asus PadFone Details, First Impression & Hands On Video Roundup
  Asus has unveiled a new tablet concept at Computex 2011 called the Asus PadFone, which has an opening in the back that allows you to dock your smartphone to power the tablet, similar to how the Motorola Atrix 4G powers a laptop dock.
• Windows 8 Touch Interface Impresses But Is It Enough?
  Well, Microsoft took the wraps off their touch tablet strategy yesterday and if I had to describe the effort in one word, it would be “impressive”.
• Ever Wanted An HTC Smartphone Running WebOS? Well, You Might Just Get It
  HP’s CEO Leo Apotheker is open to licensing his company’s mobile software, webOS, to companies like HTC.
• Verizon Announces 4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Pre-Orders Start June 8th
  Verizon has made the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 official which means that Big Red is finally going to have a 4G LTE capable tablet within its stable of devices.
• High on Apple’s iCloud: Top 5 Reasons to Care Even If You’re Not a Music Lover
  We’ve been talking about iTunes streaming, cloud storage, music streaming, and a digital locker for some time now at GottaBeMobile, and here are the top five things that may shape iCloud, though some of these items may take time to happen.

Weekly Wrapup: Notebook, Tablet and Smartphone News & Reviews (June 3rd) is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Naked-Eye 3D Display

How does ASUS do this magical trick of displaying 3D images without need of glasses? Here is what they are saying:

By combining 3D lenticular lens technology with the AUO ‘naked eye’ eye-tracking system, the G53 screen renders full 3D images that can be viewed from any angle for a more comfortable viewing experience. Both 2D and 3D modes can operate on the screen at the same time too, so on-screen text remains clear at all times.

As Tom’s Hardware says, it looks like it is a software thing. Because of this, it can convert 2D images into 3D making it compatible with a lot of games already on the market. Also, the display can render portions of the screen in 3D while keeping other parts in 2D. The benefit is images will be 3D while text, which looks better in 2D, will stay that way making it readable. They are not giving away the technology specifics. As long as it works, the average consumer won’t much care about the tech details.

Powerful Specs

The new G53SX is a 15″ notebook with a full-HD 1920×1080 resolution. It has a quad-core Intel Core i7 Sandy Bridge processor, which is a top of the line CPU and should handle the strain of the latest and greatest games as well as hard-core processor intensive tasks like video encoding and playing system-taxing games.

To go along with these specs it has one of the new NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M graphics processors with 2GB of GDDR5 video RAM and Optimus technology. The new GTX  560M provides powerful video capability and integrated wireless output as well as 3D video over HDMI 1.4.

Throwing in more high-end equipment, ASUS put a hybrid hard drive that adds solid state storage to a traditional optical drive. The SSD portion of the drive will smartly cache the most used files speeding up the system over traditional spinning optical drives. It learns which files you use and places them on this portion of the drive to speed things up. The spinning part of this hybrid drive is no slouch, with a 10,000 RPM rating. That is the fastest available optical drive performance.

Like the other notebooks ASUS is announcing, this one has the dual fan cooling system which sucks in air from the front vents on the notebook and blows it over the hot bits inside exhausting the now hot air out the back.

There is no word on pricing and availability yet, but expect to pay a premium for glasses free 3D.

ASUS Shows Off Republic of Gamers G53SX Naked Eye 3D Notebook is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

Some of our top notebook picks include the Editor’s Choice Winning ThinkPad X1 and the Toshiba Satellite E305 Blue Label Notebook available at Best Buy. Each of these reviews will give you everything you need to know about your next notebook purchase including a video review and performance details.

Notebook Reviews – Video Reviews – May 2011

Samsung RV511 Review – $500

The Samsung RV511 is a $500 mid range notebook which has a nice look and feel as well as a good collection of features for a $500 notebook. The retail price for the model we reviewed, the Samsung RV51 A01 is $549 at Best Buy, which may seem pricey given the use of last year’s Intel processor, but the overall package comes together nicely to provide a good value for the price

Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Review – $669

The Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 is one of those systems that will impress the average computer buyer even if more advanced users will be disappointed with it. It has a big 17.3″ display and a full size keyboard making it really a good desktop replacement. You won’t be satisfied if you want a lightweight, portable system or want a world-class keyboard. But for people who just want a decent computer to put on a desk and then occasionally take with you, the 7552G is a good option.

ASUS Eee PC 1215B Hands On – $430

The ASUS Eee PC 1215B is a new AMD Fusion powered ultraportable that delivers an impressive performance in a small package, and delivers great battery life at the same time. The Eee PC 1215B is available from Amazon.com for around $430, which is in line with many other AMD Fusion mini notebooks. Unlike the other notebooks, the Eee PC 1215B has a 12.1″ display that gives you a bit more room to work.

Toshiba Satellite E305-S1990 Review – Editor’s Choice – $900

The Toshiba Satellite E305 Blue Label notebook delivers in all areas and is one of the few notebooks you can purchase that includes Wireless Display and the Adapter, WiMax, a metal case, solid design, a standard 2 year warranty, 3 years of anti-theft protection, a backlit keyboard, long battery life and the ability to play games like Portal 2 for around $900.

HP ProBook 6560 Review – $899

The HP ProBook 6560b is a welcome upgrade to the ProBook line and includes hardware and software improvements that end users will notice. The processor is more than capable and notebook has a great case that looks nice and provides durability. Inside, you will find one of the best keyboards we have used and a number pad which will come in handy more than you imagine. Combine the superb hardware with the software and it is clear that the ProBook 6560b is a notebook that IT managers need to consider before deploying notebooks to mobile professionals

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Review – Editor’s Choice – $1,305

The ThinkPad X1 is a surprising business notebook that brings many consumer features, like incredible sound and a backlit keyboard, to the enterprise. While other business notebooks come with similar features, the execution and typical high end keyboard from Lenovo continues to set the standard in how a notebook keyboard should look and feel. Dolby Home Theater v4 is impressively packed into this rugged enterprise notebook and quite literally will blow you away the first time you hear it.

The X1 comes in nearly a pound lighter than the ThinkPad T420, yet doesn’t need to sacrifice on power or ports with USB 3.0, HDMI and DisplayPort standard. Topping off the X1 is the notebook’s amazing RapidCharge battery technology that takes you from zero to 80 percent in 30 minutes. We were surprised just how fast the X1 charged, even while we used it. The feature set on the ThinkPad X1 comes together to deliver a business notebook you’ll actually want to use at home, even if you have a MacBook Pro nearby.

Dell Latitude E5420 Review – $1,228

The Dell Latitude E5420 may not have the same sleek lines and rugged features as the E6320 or E6420, but an incredibly solid build quality, good traditional keyboard, antiglare screen and low starting prices combine to offer a reliable business notebook that won’t break the bank. The ability to work with other Latitude E Family docks and batteries is a big plus, and hopefully your IT guy will spring for a dock and a set of external speakers for your desk.

Hot Notebooks and Laptops From May 2011 [Notebook Reviews] is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Hardcore Specs

This new notebooks will have some serious chops. The ASUS G74Sx is powered by Quad Core 2nd Gen Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors and includes WiMAX technology. For graphics the G74SX uses the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M which will drive the latest games available including titles like Duke Nukem Forever and Crysis. You will also be able to plug the notebook into an external 3D HDTV to get full 3D video and gaming output on a large screen via HDMI 1.4 compatible displays.

The built-in 17.3″ display will be 3D capable as well having a full HD resolution of 1920×1080. The G74Sx will not only be a good gaming system but also a nice entertainment notebook.

Cool Runnings

Because this is a powerful system it needs powerful cooling. The G74Sx will have what ASUS calls “a unique thermal management system”. The chassis has a pair of fans that will cool the CPU and the GPU. It draws the cool air into the front of the system through vents and blows the hot air out the back through another set of vents.

The system will need this extra cooling since it is designed with gamers in mind who like to squeeze every last ounce of power out of a system by over-clocking. The system will have special overclocking features, but ASUS didn’t share particulars.

Pricing and Availability

There is no pricing or available date as of yet.

ASUS Announces ROG G74Sx 3D Gaming Notebook is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.