• 01Apr

    NVIDIA: Tegra 2 is on track

    There’s a rumor going around today that NIVIDA’s next-generation Tegra chipset has been delayed and won’t be available until late August — which would mean that we wouldn’t see any of the new tablets and smartbooks based on the chipset until August or September at the earliest. That would include the Mobinnova Beam, Notion Ink Adam, and a number of other devices we’ve seen introduced since January.

    I checked in with my contacts at NVIDIA, and they the rumor’s not true and that everything is still on track.

    I’m still waiting to find out what exactly things are on track for… will we start to see Tegra-based products this summer? Sooner? With the Apple iPad eating up a scary portion of the world’s annual hype allotment, the longer it takes for Tegra-based tablets to get to market, the less likely they are to make an impression.

    Update: NVIDIA says next-gen Tegra products are already being shipped to companies who will release them when they’re ready. I’m told we should expect announcements in “the next few months.”

    NVIDIA’s Tegra chipset combines a low power ARM-based processor with NVIDIA graphics. The result is that most of the Tegra-based systems I’ve seen so far can boast battery life of 10 hours or more while handling HD video playback and 3D graphics — you know, a lot like the A4 chip Apple is using in the iPad.

    You can check out a hands-on video of the ICD Ultra tablet with Tegra graphics from CES after the break.

  • 14Sep

    Where’s the Designer Notebook for Dudes?

    HP’s latest Vivienne Tam netbook was revealed at a fashion show in New York over the weekend, sporting a butterfly design that complements Tam’s spring clothing collection.

    Officially dubbed the “HP Vivienne Tam Digital Clutch,” it’s a follow-up to Tam’s red floral-patterned netbook that debuted last year. And it’s obviously not for guys — except those who are totally comfortable carrying the computer equivalent of a man purse.

    Think I’m being stereotypical? Here’s a quote from Tam herself, according to Softpedia: “When women around the globe carry HP’s digital clutch and wear my clothes, I want them to feel independent and free, like butterflies,” she said. This is not a product for men who are insecure in their masculinity.

    So, when do guys get their own designer netbook, and what would it look like? I’ve actually seen a few models around the Web, and none of them are inspiring: Samsung, for instance, sold a version of its NC10 netbook with a gecko running across the top, designed by French fashion brand Agnès b. Another design from Samsung features a deep blue floral pattern that’s just a little more guy-friendly than Tam’s model.

    Then, there’s the Acer laptop adorned with art by Japanese painter UFO-Hayashi. This netbook sold on eBay for more than $3000.

    But seriously, where are the racing stripes and the flame paint jobs? Why can’t we get the guys from American Chopper or Pimp My Ride to reimagine a mini-netbook for the trendy geek?

    Obviously, the HP Vivienne Tam Digital Clutch is popular enough to warrant a second model, even with the first marked up to $699. When it comes to keeping one’s man card from expiring, who’s to say guys wouldn’t pay a similar premium?

  • 09Sep

    Samsung Unveils Netbooks Powered by Windows 7

    Samsung unveiled two netbooks at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin. The N130 and N140 will run the Starter Edition of Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 7 operating system. The two netbooks have identical hardware specifications, including an Intel Atom N270 or N280 processor and a 10.1-inch screen.

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