The following is a review of the black and orange Lenovo U260 IdeaPad Windows 7 notebook – a super-comfortable little businessman made for ultra-stylish checkings of online business and perhaps even the playing of some games. The very first thing you’ll notice about this laptop is that it is a fantastic shade of orange – this is one of two colors it can be, (the other being Mocha,) but that’s not the reason you’ll stick around. Nor is the most comfortable experience I’ve had with a notebook since I first started using MacBooks – use this factoid in your judgement of MY judgement, because it makes me a hard customer to sell when it comes to notebooks outside of the industrial designer brilliance employed by Apple. Note first and foremost that I think Apple’s people should talk to Lenovo’s people here if they ever plan on moving away from hard plastic and flat metal surfaces.

Hardware

This tiny notebook has a 12.5 inch LCD digital display with 1366 x 768 resolution and a matte finish. It weighs approximately 3 pounds and is 0.7 inches thick. The outer casing is a lovely shade of orange (Clementine Orange, if you’d like to get specific,) one of two colors, the other being Mocha Brown. These colors instantly say a lot about what the notebook is meant for – comfortable computing in a semi-professional environment. That is, if you’re in an environment that hates color. If you’re working somewhere that appreciates a tiny splash, then yes, this is the notebook for you. This outer casing has an almost-rubbery feel to it, a very similar feel to the inside below the keyboard. The combination of these two makes the notebook seem to already be inside a case, one you would have purchased to make your whole experience nice and, again, comfortable to the touch.

The keyboard is a sort of Chicklet shaped key experience, with a little extra swoop below each key where normally it’d be squared off. It took your humble narrator just a couple minutes to get a completely natural feel for the board before he was tapping away like crazy. The one complaint I have about the keyboard portion of this computer is the far right row. Where I’m used to being able to find backspace, enter, shift, and etc, there’s an extra row of keys crammed up the side, the arrow keys down below, part of this row. This might be a big problem for those whose jobs depend on them typing a billion words a minute, but for everyone else, it’ll just take a couple days to get used to (if you’re used to a standard qwerty keyboard, that is.)

The trackpad is refreshing. Where I found the tappability of the gigantic HP ENVY 17 3D‘s trackpad to be unbelievably sensitive, this one appears to be right on. What I mean here is that you can both track around with your finger or single/double-click on items with the same pad, there’s no need to access the buttons below unless you’d like to drag items around the screen. The buttons are oddly refreshing too, both of them relying on more of a push than a click, if you know what I mean.

Inside the machine you’ll find a Intel Core i5 processor with 3.8 GB RAM and a 320 GB 5400 rpm hard drive. Graphics are handled by a “Intel HD graphics” graphics card powering a 12.5 inch LCD digital display at 1366 X 768 pixels. Viewing angles are basically perfect left to right, turn a bit darker at approximately 30 degrees up or down. Glare is taken care of by the lovely matte finish on the screen, but you wouldn’t have to be worrying about glare on such a small computer anyway, so it’s a bit of a moot point. On the other hand, if you live in a one bedroom apartment, maybe you WILL have to worry about glare because you’ll use this as your TV. No worries then though, because there isn’t any.

Connectivity includes Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth v2.1, the left side containing headphone jack and USB jack as well as a lock port if you plan on bringing this to a convention or something like that.

Along the right you’ll find an ethernet jack, HDMI, VGA, and USB. There’s a lovely integrated web camera up and center above the screen with not quite as good quality as you’d want to be having a meeting in a professional setting, but just fine for a casual user.

For a video of a hands-on experience with this machine, head back to the Lenovo IdeaPad U260 Hands-On and Unboxing post, also done by yours truly.

Software

The Lenovo IdeaPad U260 runs Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium (64bit) and includes a surprisingly small amount of bloatware. This list includes Internet Explorer, Internet Explorer (64 bit), Microsoft Office 2010, Windows Anytime Upgrade, WIndows DVD Maker, WIndows Fax and Scan, WIndows Media Center, WIndows Media Player, (honestly do they really have to title all of these “Windows?”,) WIndows Update, McAfee virus scan, ooVoo, and a few other things that won’t jam up your day too badly. Oh, and Smile Dock! As always, we instantly installed Google Chrome and Firefox, both of which have been working just fine for internet browsing and downloading.

Performance

This machine is made to bring with you on a short trip – definitely not coming with the computing power you’d like to have on an everyday basis, especially if you’re in a computer-centric job, this is definitely the one you’ll want to bring with when you take that trip to Mobile World Congress 2011. Unless you want to watch a DVD or insert CDs of course. Let’s take a peek at the numbers: The Lenovo U260 IdeaPad ended up grabbing a 2147 on Geekbench (a synthetic test of memory and processor performance.) This places it right around the MacBook Air (3.1) which received a 2261, and the Acer Aspire 3810T (which we reviewed in June of 2009) at 2281. Thusly, you wont find this machine winning any computing power contests, but if you’re looking for a competitor for the MacBook air, here it is, not quite as bigtime.

This machine received Cinebench (v. 11.5) rating of .94fps with 1.25pts on the CPU, so again, not exactly a gigantically majestic gaming and entertainment machine. On the other hand, it works just fine with speed for everyday activities, clicking, tapping, playing videos on online streaming sites, audio’s just fine, everything’s good enough for a part-time usage machine.

Battery

The battery is not fantastic. It’ll last you right around 3 hours doing BASIC tasks – if you’re bringing this on a long flight, hope that you get a plugin by your seat. On the other hand, there’s basically no heat coming from the machine at any time. Intel’s advanced cooling technology really shines clearly here.

Wrap-Up

If you’re a Windows sort of person, and want a tiny computer to bring with you on a trip – this is the one. This is exactly what you’re going to want. If you plan on being in the field without portable power or a wall plug for hours on end, maybe consider something else. This computer takes into account the fact that Apple is attempting to rock the ultraportable market with their MacBook Air and slams directly into it with a completely reasonably sized (small, but not tiny) notebook with a completely unique feel on the outside and the in. Starting at $899 it appears to me to be right in the correct range for cost. Uniqueness, lack of bloatware, relatively decent experience for how small a computer it is, comfortable physically. Well played, Lenovo.

Welcome to a review of the biggest fattest HP 3D desktop replacement notebook you’ll ever come across. Not that it’s the biggest that’ll ever be made, but when you’ve got this thing sitting on your desk, you’ll wonder how you ever got along without such an abundance of screen real-estate on what the world, up until recently, was calling a laptop computer. This is the HP ENVY 17 3D, and not only does it have full 3D capabilities and a width bigger than your humble narrator’s torso, it’s got a screen so bright it makes the real world seem yellow.

Hardware

This gigantic HP ENVY 17 3D review unit is a fabulously large at 16.38″(W) x 10.83″ (D) x1.25″ (min height) / 1.52″ (max height). It weighs in at 7.37 lbs – more than you’ll want to be carrying around in your packpack, if you know what I’m talking about (unless of course you’d like to bring it to a LAN and impress your comrades of course, then weight is never an issue.) I wouldn’t expect a 17.3″ notebook to be any less heavy than this, but hey, we’re in an age where a MacBook Air can be so small and thing that it gets thrown away with the mail on accident, so what do I know?

The casing on this machine is nothing but lovely and beautiful brushed aluminum in carbon relic. Aesthetically it’s totally lovely with a random dot pattern across the wrist area below the keyboard as well as across the top of the case, with a light-up HP in a circle in the lower left (when it’s stood up open.) There’s a generous amount of space (about an inch) of smooth depressed space around the keyboard inside with a full-sized keyboard plus number pad in black with white printing keys that are all back-lit. There’s a singular metal power button in the upper left above the keyboard, and a gigantic 4.2 x 2.5″ trackpad with some questionable clickability.

The trackpad on this machine isn’t questionable in the way that’s difficult to work, but in the way that, if you’ve never used this kind of extremely sensitive pad before, will take some getting used to. Even after a week of working with the pad (being used to a more traditional sensitivity pad) I found it much more natural to take out the ol’ mouse and connect it via USB. The pad can be clicked (right and left) and can be tapped in a way similar to a button. Because both of these can happen at the same time, lots of mistaken clicks were made. I can imagine that once you’re extremely used to this system, however, you might find it super helpful to be able to click without the extra physical depression of the pad – hello easy gaming click? Lots of mistakes made but neat after learning.

Inside you’ll find a 1.60GHz Intel Core i7-720QM processor with 5.94 GB RAM and a 640GB 7200RPM Hard Drive. Graphics are handled by a 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon(TM) HD 5850 graphics card. This card powers the massive 17.3″ diagonal Full HD HP 3D Ultra BrightView Infinity LED Display (1920×1080). Viewing angles are basically perfect at all angles except starting at about 20% below the screen. But heck, unless you’ve got the thing sitting at the top of a staircase and you plan on sitting at the bottom, you probably wont need to worry about this. The screen doesn’t do much for reducing glare, so that’s an issue if you’re using this machine as your television (which I hear a lot of people do these days [like my wife and I,]) but keep it away from windows and bright lights and you’ll be fine.

Connectivity includes Wifi b/g/n, external 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN RJ-45 connect, 3 USB (3rd shared with eSATA port), HDMI, RJ-45, Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner, two headphone jacks, 120 W power adapter, mini-Display Port, 1 extra SuperSpeed USB 3.0 port, internal slot-load optical drive, HP TrueVision HD webcam with built-in mic, 5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader, and a partridge in a pear tree. If that’s not enough ways for you to get connected to other devices and the outside world, I don’t know what’ll satisfy you ol’ stick in the mud. Every little thing you could possibly need, right?

In the box you’ll also find a pair of super hot gigantic ugly pair of HP 3D Active Shutter Glasses that employ the use of the, again, Full HD HP 3D Ultra BrightView Infinity LED Display. These come in a whole separate box and drawstring storage pouch so you know they’re trying (with success) to make you feel like they’ve put some effort into this 3D experience. There are several nosepads included and the glasses themselves are substantial to be sure.

For a video of a hands-on with this machine as well as LOTS of pics of everything that’s in the box, head over to the HP ENVY 17 3D Laptop Hands-On and Unboxing post from when we first received the package.

Software

The HP ENVY 17 3D runs Windows 7 Home Premium which of course includes an unacceptably vast amount of pre-installed applications which we’ll more than likely never use including, but not limited to: Acrobat.com, Adobe Photoshop Elements 8.0, Adobe Premiere Elements 8.0, Adobe Reader 9 Desktop Gadget Gallery, Hulu Desktop, Internet Explorer (64-bit), Internet Explorer (yes, two separate applications,) Microsoft Office 2010, Microsoft Security Essentials, Stardock MyColors, Windows Anytime Upgrade, and more. We of course immediately downloaded Google Chrome to use for internet, with Firefox as a backup – both of which work just excellently.

Performance

This computer is made for business and entertainment. It’s classified as a business machine, but with big pushes on both the Beats audio and the 3D capability, we know better – this machine is made to bring you the visuals and the audio. Does this mean it’s going to deliver the sweetness to gamers as well as everyday 3D Blu-Ray disk watchers? Lets let the numbers speak for themselves. First we’ll have a look at benchmarking with Geekbench, a synthetic test of memory and processor performance. The ENVY 17 3D totaled up a score of 4450, surprising considering the scores of similar machines: Acer Aspire 5745DG-3855 at 4814, Gateway ID49C at 5042, and even the smaller HP ENVY 14 at 4830.

The ENVY 17 3D scored 26.94fps in OpenGL and 2.78pts in CPU. Unfortunately Cinebench was unable to complete the task, so no results there. As far as performance goes with everyday functions like opening tabs, playing video with audio, playing video and audio at the same time (on accident,) opening new games and old (Diablo 2 Lord of Destruction, just for fun,) everything went super smooth. No delays basically anywhere.

With the test package we’re working with here, we received a test copy of the 3D Blu-Ray disk Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. It looks, plays, and feels fantastic. While I personally am still not convinced that 3D is the way of the future as far as personal computers goes, having 3D capability in my home, right here in front of me, is fun and impressive. As far as how the 3D looks compared to say… the movie theater? It’s better here. While the movie theater for me ends up going to the back of my mind basically right away (or giving me a headache because I don’t know what to focus on at any given point,) the 3D setup this ENVY 17 3D machine uses is top-notch. When I move my head from left to right to left, the objects on the screen move with me. They don’t react in exactly the same way they would if I were actually looking at objects in real life, but it’s close, and it’s awesome.

Games that work with 3D via the ENVY 17 3D’s ATI active shutter technology (Call of Duty 4, Call of Duty: World at War, Fear 2, Left 4 Dead 2, Mirror’s Edge, Resident Evil 5, World of Warcraft,) do not just instantly pop on. To enable the 3D tech for games, you’ve got to use the TriDef ignition application. You have to do this each time to open a 3D game. Once you’ve got your games open, however, it’s smooth sailing. Obviously playing games in 3D is going to put more pressure on your GPU than 2D games since two frames are needed where before there was only one, but it doesn’t seem to matter all that much here. NOTE that I’m always hesitant to say how well games play on computers I personally am reviewing since it’s almost certain that you, being a person who plays games on your computer in addition to doing other things during the day, wont be working with a fresh out of the box version of this machine, and should therefor take the word on performance with a grain of rice since everyone’s experience is unique. Trust the numbers!

Battery

Keep your power cord handy. This machine lasts right around 2 hours without it, and that’s only playing movies. If you plan on bringing this gigantic honker to a friends house to play some games or watch some 3D / HD action movies, bring the cord, just to be safe. Two hours isn’t long, but I really REALLY don’t think HP meant to sell this machine with battery life as a point of sale. It’s a desktop replacement after all, and how many desktops do you know that sit around without the power cord plugged?

Wrap-Up

The display is bright, the display is sharp, and the display is HUGE. This is a desktop replacement without a doubt, and you’ll never go back to a tower again if this monster is slid under your nose (that’s a bit presumptuous, I know you love building your own machines and enclosures and all that, but this is a really really tasty alternative to DIY.) You will NOT be let down by the display – in fact, as mentioned earlier on, you’ll be more let down by the colors you see in the rest of the world when you look away from the screen as they’ll appear yellowed before your eyes re-adjust.

The mousepad. It’s really difficult to get used to. If you plan on using this machine without a mouse, consider testing a pad like this out, because I’ve never experienced one like it and it can get very annoying very fast. If you HAVE tested one before and have taken a liking to it, I imagine it can become quite handy in many places. Every time I switched back to another CPU after using this, I found myself tapping my pad expecting folders and icons to open. Imagine that.

Performance seemed great all around, nothing seemed to lag or chop. Trust the numbers first, trust me second: this machine flies fast, this machine works well. As with any machine, if you bog it down with crap-ware and rip it apart with a million trillion tasks, it’ll fail like any other – if you’re smart, this machine can work wonders for you.

The machine can get hot, especially along the left side of the keyboard where the fan blows out hot air. If you’re understanding of machine heat, it doesn’t seem like it will be a giant problem. If you’re used to your machine staying cool all the time, no matter what, think twice before expecting this one to do the same. It gets hot. It does.

The HP ENVY 17 3D is built for entertainment. If you plan on needing a cpu for business only, get a smaller machine, and one without 3D capabilities. If you want to watch spectacular graphics flash before your eyes on a titanic notebook, this is the monster for you. I’m not entirely convinced that the world is ready for 3D games, but it’s sure ready for movies, and when (if ever) the 3D gaming world catches up with reality, this ENVY will be ready. Bottom line is that if you’ve got entertainment in mind and you’d like it in a desktop-replacement notebook package, this is the one for you.

Gorgeousness inside and out.

Heavy metal.

The old saying, “Go big or go home,” may have applied to LG’s recently unveiled 72-inch LED-backlit 3D TV the company plans on showing off at CES 2011, but for the brand new LG Xnote P210 notebook, it certainly doesn’t. The new notebook, which features a ridiculously small form factor, manages to pack plenty of tech inside the body, even if it manages to slim down its figure. Rumros have it that the device will be shown off at CES 2011, but details are scarce on that bit.

As for the notebook itself, it features a 12.5-inch display, which LG is proud to say features the thinnest bezel out there. The entire package measures in at only 299 x 192 x 20.9mm, and it weighs in at only 1.3kg. On the inside, you’ll find an Intel core i5-470UM processor, Windows 7 Home Premium x64, a 320GB hard drive, and 4GB of RAM. Pricing and a release date are still missing, but we’re hoping that LG is a bit more forthcoming on their information regarding the little Xnote when they show it off at CES 2011.

[via Pocket-Lint]

As if the fact that they’ve considered more than one operating system weren’t enough, this fantastic device is for sale on Etsy. For just $1,099 you too can own a Victorian era PC with Athlon 64 Dual Core 4400+ CPU, 160GB Hitachi SATA Hard Drive, upgradeable Gigabyte AM3 motherboard, LG 22X “Super-Multi” DVD +- RW, and 2GB of DDR2 RAM. Skeleton clock and Power/HDD LED lights behind the port glass window for your pure enjoyment.

You can have this sassy lady constructed, tested, and shipped to your door in less than a week if you’d like, and I imagine any smooth player from the streets would definitely like. I’m obligated to say by my Apple-loving self that a similar device running OSX would sell off the shelves in an instant. Think about the price comparisons! Cheep!

[Via ChipChick]

MSI is getting ready to unleash a bevy of “fashionable” notebooks onto the world, and they’ve decided to start it all off with their FX600. The new line-up of notebooks is ready to set up a nice lineage of F-Series of notebooks. They will be built around Intel’s Core i3/i5 processors, and they meant not so much for the portability of a notebook, but the entertainment value while they’re sitting on your desk.

The FX600 features a 15.6-inch display, and MSI says that it’s all set up within a “durable” frame, which features a jet-black sheen. The base model will feature Intel’s Core i5 330M processor, which reached a clocked speed of 2.13GHz. It will also come with a 500GB SATA hard drive, 4GB of DDR3 memory, 1GB of onboard RAM, and a GeForce GT 325M graphics card.

Above the display, you’ll find a 1.3MP HD webcam, and it comes with a DVD burner, too. (But, you can upgrade to a Blu-ray reader, too.) It will feature WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, a 4-in-1 card reader, 3 USB ports, HDMI port, 4 speakers with THX TrueStudio PC sound, eSATA/USB combo port. And finally, it will also have Windows 7 Home Premium, in the 64-bit variety. Also worth mentioning, is MSI’s CinemaPro Technology, which is designed specifically to bring you the best in visual and audio quality while you’re watching movies. Together with the speakers, that should mean you’ll be totally engrossed in any film you’re watching on that large 15-inch display.

It may be officially announced, but MSI isn’t coming forward on when it will ship out to customers, or how much it will cost. But, considering the features therein, we can imagine that it’ll have a price tag worth remembering.

Press Release

MSI launches the all new seriously stylish F Series of notebooks; aimed at those who demand style, functionality and power from a notebook! Wrapped in a chic yet durable jet black chassis, the FX600 proves it have beauty as well as brains with an enviable list of features including THX surround sound for awesome sound, Cinema Pro technology for creating the optimum movie environment, discrete graphics card for gaming, 1.3mp web cam and lots more under its well-designed hood.

Ideal for work and play on the go the FX600 is powered by Intel’s latest Core i3 and i5 processors offering supreme performance whilst consuming less power, making them the ultimate portable powerhouse! What’s more the Intel Turbo Boost and Intel® Hyper-Threading technology dynamically adjust performance to perfectly balance power and battery economy.

Enjoy watching movies in all their glory with MSI’s Cinema Pro technology for optimal sound and video setupwith just a touch of the Cinema Pro hotkey, the machine instantly kicks into film mode delivering richer colors to maximize your cinematic experience. MSI have partnered with world leaders in sound design technology to bring professional theater-grade THX smart TruStudio PC sound to the F series. With four top-end internal speakers for undistorted sound, regardless of music type or frequency band. The Smart Volume and Surround technology ensure clear, clean sound and crisp vocals not to mention an awesome movie experience from your notebook!

Ensuring you’re in the fast lane the FX600 features MSI’s own Turbo Drive Engine technology for instantly throttling up performance with one touch of the P1 hotkey above the keyboard. This enables your notebook to process high load applications without slowing down, ideal for using lots of different applications at one time.

Share your experiences as both models are equipped with high definition webcam enabling you to capture clear, bright and crisp 720p widescreen video and to share with your friends and family at home or online.

Incorporating fashion and technology the MSI FX600 is coated in a unique jet black, durable design to prevent scratching and resist everyday wear and tear. MSI’s attention to detail is clear to see with MSI’s unique chiclet keyboard and raised multi-point touchpad for comfort and functionality every day.

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

• Vaja unveil leather catsuits for your MacBook
• MSI EX460 Notebook revealed
• ASUS Eee PC 1008HA “Shell” pricing announced
• Creative Live! Cam Notebook Ultra
• Acer rolling out new revolutionary notebook tomorrow – ooh, I like surprises!

Gateway doesn’t want to be left in the wind when it comes to news today, and they’ve managed to work up quite a good bit of press about their ZX Series of All-in-One PCs. This time around, the series is getting a bit of a refreshing addition, in the fact that two new models are being introduced. Please welcome the Gateway ZX4300-01e and ZX6900-01e. The names have a ring to them, don’t they?

Just roll right off the tongue. The first of the batch, the ZX4300-01e, features an AMD Athlon II X2 235e processor, ATI Radeon HD 4270 graphics, and a 640GB SATA 7200 RPM hard drive. The first thing you’ll notice is the large, 20-inch touchscreen UltraBright LCD with 1600×900 resolution. It’s offered with Windows 7 Home Premium Edition, 64-bit, and it has 4GB of DDR3 dual-channel memory at 133MHz. It has a wireless mouse and keyboard, and has integrated WiFi 802.11b/g/n. The ZX4300-01e will be available at a major electronics retailer starting the first week of June, and will start at $749.99. Additional models, with faster AMD processors and TV Tuners will be available starting in July.

As for the ZX6900-01e, here’s what you get in the all-in-one package: an Intel Core i3 530 processor, a slot-loaded Blu-Ray/DVD drive, and high-definition audio with 5.1-channel surround sound support. It also comes with Windows 7 Home Premium Edition, 64-bit, but you can enjoy it a little bit more on your 23-inch touchscreen, UltraBright LCD, with full HD quality. It also has Intel Graphics Media Accelerator to take advantage of those HD graphics. You’re looking at 4GB of DDR3 dual channel memory (133MHz), a 640GB 7200 RPM SATA hard drive, and wireless keyboard and mouse. It’s also featuring built-in 802.11b/g/n WiFi, and it also has 6 USB ports. The ZX6900-01e is available right now in major electronic retailers nationwide, and you can pick it up starting at $1,019.99. There will be another model available in June, and will include the faster Intel Core i5 650 processor and a TV Tuner.

Press Release:

GATEWAY REFRESHES ITS STYLISH ALL-IN-ONE TOUCH-SCREEN ZX SERIES PCs, BRINGING MORE VALUE THAN EVER TO STUDENTS, SENIORS AND FAMILIES

ZX4300 Series features high-performance desktop components;
ZX6900 Series adds powerful Intel Core i3 and i5 processors and a Blu-ray drive

IRVINE, Calif., May 19, 2009 – Today Gateway introduced new models in its line of sleek, modern touch-screen all-in-one ZX Series desktop computers. The ZX4300 line sees the addition of AMD Athlon II X2 processors and other powerful desktop components, making it one of the best performing all-in-ones in its price range. The larger and higher-performing ZX6900 Series also gets a boost from Intel’s powerful Core i3 and i5 processors and the addition of a Blu-ray drive, making it ideal for home entertainment.

The ideal solution for cost-conscious consumers, Gateway’s all-in-one PCs easily double as a TV and/or home entertainment center, making them perfect for small rooms, such as a dorm, home office or kitchen. High-definition widescreen LCDs, powerful components and integrated wireless capabilities make it easy to play online content from a Hulu or Netflix account or connect to other online entertainment portals.

“Because all-in-ones integrate a desktop tower into the back of a flat-panel display, they typically use smaller, less powerful notebook components that don’t require a lot of space,” said Steve Smith, senior business manager of consumer desktops, Acer America. “However, Gateway was able to leverage the latest desktop components to give consumers the best of both worlds – powerful performance and lower cost, all in a stylish, space-saving design.”

The stunning Gateway One ZX Series resembles a sleek, glossy flat-panel TV with its ultra modern luxurious industrial design, and enhances the look of any room in the home. Ideally suited for a kitchen, den, bedroom or a home office, its touch screen display, wireless keyboard and mouse, webcam and integrated high-definition stereo speaker system eliminates extra components and clutter, for a clean and streamlined look.

With its snazzy touch screen capabilities, the One ZX Series delivers a fun, exciting way to interact with music, videos, photos, social media networks and more. By simply touching icons on the PC’s screen, consumers can launch applications, movies, music, zoom in and out on photos and websites, resize windows and handwrite notes.

Gateway One ZX4300 Series
The new ZX4300 Series now includes powerful desktop components, bringing increased performance and no-compromise computing to this elegant design. Students and families will find it ideal for movies, games and general computing.

The ZX4300-01e includes an AMD Athlon II X2 235e processor, 640GB 7200 RPM SATA hard drive and ATI Radeon HD 4270 graphics, and possesses enough horsepower to rival most mainstream desktops, and look better while doing it.

The Gateway One ZX4300-01e will be available the first week of June at a leading retailer nationwide. Additional models will be available in July and will include TV tuners and faster AMD processors.

Gateway One ZX4300-01e
• MSRP: $749.99
• Windows® 7 Home, Premium Edition, 64-bit
• Touch screen / 20-inch HD widescreen Ultrabright™ LCD / 1600 x 900 resolution
o Resolution: 1600 x 900 resolution
o Brightness: 250 cd/m2
o Response time: 5 ms
o Contrast ratio: 1000:1
• AMD Athlon™ II X2 Dual-Core Processor 235e (2.7GHz, 2MB L2 cache)
• Integrated ATI Radeon™ HD 4270 graphics
• 4GB DDR3 dual channel memory (1333MHz)
• 640GB 7200 RPM SATA hard drive (1)
• 8x DVD+/-R/RW SuperMulti optical drive (slot load)
• Multi-in-one digital media card reader
• Wireless keyboard and mouse
• Integrated 802.11 b/g/n WiFi CERTIFIED®
• 10/100/1000 (Gigabit) LAN
• 6 USB 2.0 ports (2 side / 4 rear)
• Embedded high-definition audio with 2.1 channel support
• Built-in 5W stereo speakers

Gateway One ZX6900 Series
Featuring a large 23-inch touch screen with high-definition widescreen capabilities, the high-performance ZX6900 Series is ideal for enhanced entertainment and other productivity applications.

The ZX6900-01e comes loaded with an Intel Core i3 530 processor, a slot load Blu-ray/DVD drive and high-def audio with 5.1-channel surround sound support, so consumers can immerse themselves in online and high-def entertainment.

The Gateway One ZX6900-01e is available now at leading retailers nationwide. An additional model will be available in June and will include a TV tuner and the faster Intel Core i5 650 processor.

Gateway One ZX6900-01e
• MSRP: $1,019.99
• Windows® 7 Home, Premium Edition, 64-bit
• Touch screen / 23-inch full HD widescreen Ultrabright™ LCD
o Resolution: 1920 x 1080 resolution
o Brightness: 300 cd/m2
o Response time: 5 ms
o Contrast ratio: 1000:1
• Intel® Core™ i3 530 Processor (2.93GHz, 4MB cache)
• Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator HD Graphics
• 4GB DDR3 dual channel memory (133MHz)
• 640GB 7200 RPM SATA hard drive (1)
• Slot-load 4X Blu-ray player & Blu-ray Combo DVD burner
• Multi-in-one digital media card reader
• Wireless keyboard and mouse
• Integrated 802.11 b/g/n WiFi CERTIFIED®
• 10/100/1000 (Gigabit) LAN
• 6 USB 2.0 ports (2 side / 4 rear)
• 1 eSATA port
• 1 HDMI port
• Embedded high-definition audio with 5.1 channel audio support
• Built-in 5W stereo speakers

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• Gateway unveils holiday PC lineup

It seems that Acer likes to sneak some of their netbooks under the radar. Of course, we don’t necessarily think they should try and hide these. After all, an 11.6-inch capacitive touchscreen netbook seems pretty great to us. And sure, these models seem to be upgrades to two Acer model netbooks that still haven’t been released, we’re still plenty excited.

The two previous version of the PT line-up, the 1820PT and 1820PTZ were announced at the end of last year, but as was aforementioned, they have yet to make it to the market. Nevertheless, that doesn’t seem to be stopping Acer from trucking on ahead, and manufacturing netbooks that might make you not want to necessarily buy the previous versions. Specs wise, the 1825PT is packed with a 1.3GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor, has 4GB of RAM, and a 250GB hard drive. The 1825PTZ features a 1.3GHz Intel Pentium SU4100 processor, 250GB hard drive, and 3GB of RAM. That should obviously make it a bit cheaper than the PT as well.

The details tell us that both netbooks will come with Windows 7 Home Premium Edition, which means more customization than the Windows 7 Starter Edition that makes an appearance on most netbooks. Pricing about the netbooks is currently debatable, but apparently it’s shown up in Italy for €693.15, which is about $942. Hopefully, if this device does indeed make it to the States, the pricing will drop significantly. Of course, it’s a capacitive touchscreen, so we might be hoping a bit too hard for the impossible.

[via Netbook Reviews]

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