Samsung NC215S solar netbook will see the light of day in Russia

Anyone who's ever attempted to use a laptop on a sunny summer day can surely tell you that direct sunlight is not your friend -- that's why we like to ride out the season in our dark basement apartments. If only there were a way to harness the sun's rays for good, instead of evil -- like powering your PC while you're off doing whatever it is that normal people do when it's sunny outside. First introduced for the African market, Samsung's NC215S will be hitting Russia in early August for 13,999 rubles ($479). The netbook sports a lid almost entirely monopolized by a solar panel, which contributes to an overall estimated battery life of 14.5 hours. The NC215S packs a 1.6GHz N570 Intel Atom dual-core processor, 250GB of storage, and 1GB of RAM into a 2.9 pound frame. It's almost enough to make us want to venture out into the sunlight. Almost.

Update: The folks at Liliputing have been told the NC215S is heading stateside on July 3rd, with a suggested retail price of $399, so it looks like you'll need to stay planted in your patience for just a few days more.

Toshiba's quad-core Satellite L750D goes on sale for $699 as one of the first available Llano laptops

When AMD came clean with its Fusion A-Series platform, the outfit was quick to admit that some manufacturers have already started slipping these hybrid CPU / GPU chips into their spankin' new PCs. Still, at this early stage we still haven't spotted many of 'em -- if anything, we have a better idea what's on tap for later this summer. But here we have the Toshiba Satellite L750D-ST4N01, the first available Llano-packing notebook we've seen since the A-Series' launch. At $699, this 15.6-incher might seem like a forgettable system with its 4GB of RAM, 640GB 5400RPM hard drive, 1366 x 768 panel, and three USB 2.0 ports. Heck, Toshiba barely even gave the L series lip service when it announced a slew of laptops last week. But, what makes this seemingly ho-hum machine special is that it packs AMD's mid-range quad-core A6-3400M chip and an AMD Radeon HD 6520G graphics core -- a combination that adds just $10 to the cost over a similarly configured Satellite L755-S5258 with a dual-core Core i5-2410M processor and integrated Intel graphics. The L750D isn't for you? The deluge of A-Series systems hasn't even begun yet, friends. And while the jury's still out on real-world battery performance, this should make it crystal clear that if nothing else, AMD is taking no prisoners when it comes to pricing.

LG P220 ultraportable hands-on at Computex 2011 (video)

What would happen if you took a 13.3-inch MacBook Pro and shrunk it down a notch into a 12.1 or 11.6-inch ultraportable but decided to keep the box shape instead of using a MacBook Air-like wedge design? We're pretty sure you'd end up with something like this sexy LG P220. We saw this light and thin laptop at the Intel booth at Computex and came away rather impressed. While the materials used (plastics) don't live up to the lofty standards set by Apple's popular notebooks, the innards appear to pack a serious punch. We don't have any specs, but the unit we handled was equipped with an Intel Core i7 processor, and LG's gorgeous super slim bezel-hating Shuriken display. We'll keep you posted with more info as soon as we dig it up -- in the meantime, why not take a look at this hot little number in our gallery and hands-on video after the break?

Kogan Agora is world's first Google Chromium OS laptop, ships next week

Kogan, the Aussie company behind such gadgets as the fist-sized Bluetooth GPS watch and gesture-controlled IPTV, is adding a Chromium OS laptop to its family of Google-powered Agora products. The 11.6-inch computer has a spec list rivaling the midrange notebooks of 2006, including a 1.3 GHz Celeron processor, 1GB of RAM, and a 30GB SSD. That's not a lot of oomph, but with cloud-based storage and Google's open source Chromium running the show, this thin client laptop should be in decent shape. There's also a 3.5-hour battery, SD card reader, webcam, Bluetooth, and an HDMI output. Like all Kogan products, the Agora is only available in Australia (AUD 349, about $372) and the UK (£269, about $440), so if you live down under or across the pond and don't want to install the open-source (free) OS yourself, look for the laptop to hit Kogan's online stores tomorrow.

Crux Loaded case almost turns your iPad into a laptop for $250

Plenty of people are happy using the iPad as Apple intended -- as a tablet -- but some of you have been searching for a way to add a sleek keyboard and trackpad to the device since day one. The Crux Loaded clamshell case brings both input devices to the mix, and even packs an external battery within its base, adding 7.5 hours of juice. Sound good? Unfortunately, you'll need to wait until fall to shell out a whopping $249 for the case, assuming Apple opens the Bluetooth iGate to the Loaded's trackpad. You'll also need to hand over $30 for a remote desktop app if you plan to use the combo to control your computer (no, Crux hasn't found a way to run OS X natively on the iPad, as the image above might imply). With its netbook-like price, however, we'd rather keep our wallets Loaded than pay $249 for a case -- but if you've been dying for a way to make your tablet slightly more functional, you may be in luck later this year.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 with Touchwiz

Finding that perfect size for tablets will require a bit of trial and error. I’ve been playing with a few 10.1″ tablets that, I think, are a bit too big. Even the iPad with it’s 9.7″ screen is on the bigger size. On the other hand, the 7″ ones like the PlayBook are awesome for portability but feel a bit small at time. So, in the middle, is the 8.9″ form factor that we have seen the LG tablet in as well as the upcoming Samsung Galaxy. I’m really looking forward to the Galaxy Tab 8.9- seems to have everything I would want from a tablet. They were on display in Russia and the following video shows the awesomeness.



I do hope that the Touchwiz interface could be turned off as I prefer a stock experience. Expect to see the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 to appear some time towards the end of summer

HP rolls out budget-minded Pavilion g6s laptop with Sandy Bridge

HP has already rolled out a few new Sandy Bridge laptops this month, but it's now back with yet another: the Pavilion g6s. Like the still-available g6t and g6x, this one packs a 15.6-inch display with a rather lowly 1,366 x 768 resolution, but you can now get that paired with your choice of Core i3, i5 or i7 Sandy Bridge processors. Otherwise, you'll get some fairly respectable specs across the board, including up 6GB of RAM, up to a 750GB hard drive, and optional Radeon HD 6470M graphics -- not to mention your choice of four different color options. Of course, cost is still the main concern with the g6 series, and this one keeps things in check with a starting price of $550.

HP gives TouchSmart 610 a second crack, this time with Sandy Bridge CPU options

HP may have announced its TouchSmart 610 all-in-one just a shade too soon for it to ship with Core 2011 processors, but that doesn't mean the company was above pushing out a refresh just a few months later. Now, this 23-inch beast is on sale with a variety of quad-core Core i5 and Core i7 Sandy Bridge CPUs. To recap, what makes the 610 special is its rigid hinge, which allows the 1080p display to slide down so that it's face-up, and nearly flat at a 60-degree angle -- a more ergonomic position for poking 'round the TouchSmart software while standing.

Like pretty much every other HP computer on the market, it comes standard with Beats Audio and, depending on how much money you're willing to shell out, you can trick it out with up to 16GB of RAM, 2TB of storage, and your choice of NVIDIA or ATI graphics with up to 2GB of video memory. Those Sandy Bridge models are available now starting at $1,100, though as always, you can get an entry-level configuration with quad-core AMD innards for $900 and up.

Fujitsu Bay Projector makes laptops presentation-ready within seconds

Fujitsu today unveils the latest ‘must-have’ device for the business professional: the world’s first projector built in to a modular notebook bay. The fold-out Fujitsu Bay Projector is ready to use in seconds and means no external beamer or external cables are required to share slides, spreadsheets or viral YouTube videos with colleagues or friends.

Available from July as an option for the Fujitsu LIFEBOOK P771 and LIFEBOOK S761 notebooks, the patented Fujitsu Bay Projector adds convenience and mobility. Set-up is simple: the built-in beamer is immediately ready to use once the lens and bulb are folded out of the DVD-size modular bay and clicked into place.

The Bay Projector works on almost any surface. Brightness and keystone correction are adjusted directly via built-in buttons, and laser beam technology provides high contrast and color depth to guarantee crisp, clear images. In addition to its portability, the Bay Projector is quieter and more robust than a traditional beamer, whose lens bulbs are easily damaged.

At the end of a long day for business travellers, the Bay Projector can also double-up as a hotel room personal cinema, where it can be used for playing back movies on a bigger screen, providing more comfortable viewing.

The Bay Beamer extends the flexibility of modular bays in LIFEBOOK notebooks. When not in use, the Bay Projector can be easily removed and replaced with a modular second battery, a DVD Super Multi drive, or simply a weight saver

Dieter Heiss, Head of Workplace Systems at Fujitsu Technology Solutions says: “Every business notebook user knows the scenario of arriving at an important meeting ready to give a presentation, only to discover that the projector is broken, missing or just won’t work with their notebook. The Bay Projector solves that – and underlines how LIFEBOOK models are truly a fully-mobile office. What’s more is that projecting images directly from a notebook’s modular bay is not only a world first but also very convenient – so we expect the Bay Projector to quickly become a ‘must have’ executive accessory.”

The Bay Projector module is available to order beginning July 1, 2011 across the CEMEA&I, United Kingdom, Ireland and Nordics regions – initially in LIFEBOOK P771 and LIFEBOOK S761 models. Pricing is around EUR 499 but varies according to region.