Centrino 2

Not content to add more Thinkpads to its stable of powerful portables, Lenovo today announced the introduction of new IdeaPad consumer notebooks based on Centrino 2. Building on the success of its Y510 budget notebook and U110 ultraportable, the company promises additional Y and U series notebooks in time for the holiday buying season.

Another U

The U330, like its U110 sibling, promises performance and style in a compact package. The 0.9-inch thin, sub 4-pound chassis will be available in “glossy Indigo” or “Bold black” colors and feature facial recognition technology and touch-sensitive multimedia buttons.

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While not as comprehensive as other notebook manufacturers, Toshiba also announced two new Centrino 2-based systems today, the Tecra M10 and the Tecra A10. Both will feature EasyGuard technology, which includes a spill-resistant keyboard, TPM, a SmartCard reader, and a fingerprint reader.

Although both notebooks will be based on the same motherboard design, and have a 2.26-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 processor. However, the Tecra A10 will be the more configurable (including different CPUs and hard drive options) and be the larger of the two models, with a 15.4-inch screen as compared to the M10’s 14.1-inch screen. More specs after the break.

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Acer is all about the work and the play with its Centrino 2 announcements today. The company released four new consumer oriented Aspire machines, but also let loose five new TravelMates for the business minded. The Acer TravelMate 6293, 5730, 7730, 6593, and 6493 may all have the target of mobile professional but they each carry some key differences to set them apart.

The 12.1-inch TravelMate 6293 is one of the more portable systems offered by the third largest PC vendor. Its Core 2 Duo processor coupled with up to 4GB of RAM should provide the performance punch for road warriors and its 802.11 a/b/g/n the connectivity they need. We are also happy to see the smaller system has got an optical drive and up to a 320 GB hard drive.

This TravelMate has also got mobile broadband capablities, with GSM/GPRS/EDGE options. It sports an embedded webcam and select 6293 models will come bundled with a VoIP Bluetooth phone.

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We have seen our fair share of Centrino 2 multimedia notebooks, but Fujitsu is spiking the Centrino 2 punch with two lightweight LifeBook T Series convertibles, two ultraportables, and two desktop replacements.

The LifeBook T5010 convertible, which will replace the LifeBook T4220, is equipped with a 13.3-inch display and weighs just 4.4 pounds. Making sacrifices for its weight and size, the notebook offers a modular bay, which allows for swapping in an optical drive or a second battery. Priced at $1,769 for the base configuration, the system offers strong business security with Intel Centrino 2 vPro technology, which provides security and remote manageability on the chip itself.

The black convertible features a bi-directional display hinge that turns the screen in both directions. An active digitizer–enabled backlit display and a stylus should provide a smooth digital writing experience.

Starting at $1,299, the LifeBook T1010 is the T5010’s more budget-friendly brother. Instead it sports a silver glossy cover, offers a fixed dual-layer, multi-format DVD drive and lacks the additional high-end security features. Both tablets are equipped with plenty of slots, jacks, and ports, including an SD/Memory Stick slot, three USB 2.0 ports, FireWire, and a PC Card (Type II) slot. They come preinstalled with 2GB of RAM and Windows Vista Business but can be downgraded to Windows XP. Make sure to catch our hands-on with the T1010 here.

Fujitsu is dipping its toes in the water only with the T Series convertibles; there is plenty more Centrino 2 goodness in the LifeBook A6210, E8420, S6520, and S7220. See below for a breakdown of the key specs.

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Acer has been busy gearing up for the Centrino 2 launch, and today announced four new notebooks that will be added to their Aspire line. All equipped with Intel’s latest processor technology and WiMax functionality, the notebooks range from a 12.1-inch ultraportable to a 17-inch multimedia entertainment powerhouse.

Built on Acer’s shiny blue Gemstone design, the 12.1-inch Aspire 2930 sports integrated 3D graphics with a wide aspect screen for extra viewing pleasure. Its compact size and WiMax functionality make it perfect for the multimedia maven on the go.

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As the first convertible with a 13.3-inch display, the new Fujitsu LifeBook T1010 is a sleek tablet that offers a decent-size screen without too much bulk, making it a good choice for students. This system also has Centrino 2 technology under the hood, so it should offer zippy productivity performance. Read on for our first impressions, and stay tuned for a full review.

Sleek Design
Thanks to its optical drive, the 5.2-pound T1010 is heavier than other tablets we’ve tested, including Fujitu’s own LifeBook T2010. That said, we like its matte silver design and the glossy lid, which has a geometric pattern that reminds us buildings in a skyline. The white, full-size keyboard is comfortable to type on, and felt sturdy even as we pounded away at documents. The touch pad, in addition to being on the small side, gets kind of hot, even after idle use.

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About a month ago we reported on HP’s deluge of new notebooks, including the consumer-friendly dv series and the business-focused Compaq line. The dv4, dv5, dv7, and EliteBook 6930p, and the Compaq 6830s, 6730b, 6730s, 6530b, and 6530s are all available with the Intel Centrino 2 platform. Here’s how the individual models break down, including starting price (where available).

Consumer Notebooks

HP Pavillion dv4t (Starting at $999)

• 2.0-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P7350
• Up to 4GB of RAM
• 120GB to 320GB HDD
• 8X SuperMulti DVD+/-R/RW DL, 8X SuperMulti DVD+/-R/RW DL with Lightscribe, or Blu-ray
• 14.1-inch, 1280 x 800 display with HP BrightView, 14.1-inch, 1280 x 800 display with HP BrightView and Infinity, or 14.1-inch, 1280 x 800 LED
• Intel GMA X4500 or Nvidia GeForce Go graphics/ATI Radeon HD graphics
• 802.11b/g, 802.11b/g with Bluetooth, Intel WiFi Link a/g/n, or Intel WiFi Link a/g/n with Bluetooth
• Altec Lansing speakers
• 3 USB, eSata, VGA, HDMI, IR, Ethernet, modem, 2 headphone, mic, webcam, optional fingerprint reader
• 6-cell battery or high-capacity 6-cell battery
• 5.4 pounds

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Boy, did we miss you, Sony notebooks. It’s been awhile since a Sony VAIO laptop hit our offices, so we were all open-arms when Sony’s VAIO FW Series arrived last week. Sporting Intel’s new Centrino 2 or Montevina platform, we spent the week putting the FW Series through the paces. Check out our full review of the system here.

But we also suggest you click the play button below to see a video of the FW Series in action. The system is the first to sport a 16.4-inch display (between the more-standard 15.4-inch 17-inch displays) and it has a 16:9 aspect ratio, rather than the 16:10 ratio on most other systems. The result is a sweet viewing experience, especially with our unit’s built-in Blu-ray player. Read the rest of this entry »

Earlier tonight, at the Highbar on the roof of the Hilton in midtown Manhattan, we got our hands on one of the svelter models in Sony’s new lineup, the VAIO Z series. Sporting a 13-inch widescreen display and weighing 3.3 pounds, this is a very attractive ultraportable, and part of a number of new models of Centrino 2 notebooks that Sony is releasing. After the jump, take a look at our video and initial impressions of this stylish ultraportable. And stay tuned for our full review.

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Today is all about Centrino 2, and Sony gets in on the processor party with several new VAIO lines built around Intel’s new platform: the Sony VAIO BZ, FW, SR, and Z series.

Business users will appreciate the Sony VAIO BZ series (approximately $900, pictured right), which is powered, naturally, by Intel’s Centrino 2 chipset. The notebooks in this series are equipped with plenty of slots, jacks, and ports including an SD/Memory Stick slot, three USB 2.0 ports, FireWire, and a PC Card (Type II) slot. Security is also taken into account with the inclusion of TPM and a biometric fingerprint reader. The BZ line comes preinstalled with Windows Vista Business but can be downgraded to Windows XP.

But the BZ series is just the tip of the iceberg. Join us after the jump for the other members of Sony’s Centrino 2 family.

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