Hardware

As the number of tablet computers on the market steadily increases, consumers are being faced with tough decisions -- do they buy a traditional laptop, a netbook, or one of the new slate options from Apple or a slew of PC makers? According to a new ... study, it's expected more consumers will opt for tablets rather than netbooks or laptops in the coming year. The study, which was completed by analysts at Goldman Sachs, finds that tablet computer sales will steer consumers away from traditional PC laptops at a rate of 33 to 35 per cent. Thus, it's not expected the PC market will grow much in 2011 ... (view more)

Looking for the ultimate netbook / tablet just in time for the Holidays? One might consider the new Inspiron Duo from Dell -- the Optimus Prime of netbooks. It literally transforms between a standard semi-lightweight word processor / web browser to ... an even more portable tablet PC, heavily inspired by Apple's iPad. But is it a real winner deserving of a place on Santa's list? Engadget, which recently reviewed the product, isn't so sure. The $550 Inspiron Duo at first looks like a slightly more stylish 10.1-inch netbook (using 2GB RAM, dual-core Intel Atom Processor and Windows 7), with its ... (view more)

All potential Dads out there be warned: a new study has found that using a laptop as it was intended to be used -- on your lap -- can hurt your mojo. Worse yet, not even laptop pads drastically reduce, or even reverse the effect. The study comes ... courtesy of urologist Yelim Sheynkin of State University of New York at Stony Brook. His subsequent report has been published in a recent medical journal. Sheynkin and his researchers used thermometers to measure twenty-nine male participants, each of whom was tasked with balancing a notebook PC on their laps. Sheynkin and his team found that it didn' ... (view more)

When it launched a few weeks ago, the CTL 2goPAD -- a Windows 7-powered tablet PC -- received an incredible response, with anxious buyers grabbing up all available stock in less than a week. For those who couldn't get their hands on the 2goPAD, take ... note: the first prime-time PC maker is ready to release its own Win7 tablet, and will do so later this week. HP Slate 500 to be Released Tomorrow Hewlett-Packard, or HP, is the world's largest PC maker and will on Friday, October 29th release its Tablet PC Slate 500, arguably the most-anticipated tablet computer since the Apple iPad was first ... (view more)

Last week Microsoft promised several new Windows 7 tablet computers would be available to home and business consumers prior to Christmas. For those of you who simply can't wait, take note: there's a Windows 7 tablet PC available right now, so long ... as you don't mind a relatively short battery life. CTL 2goPAD: Hardware Specifications Tech company CTL recently released their 2goPAD, a device featuring a 10.1-inch display with 1,024 x 600 pixels, 1.66 GHz Intel Atom N450 (single core, 2 threads) processor and 2GB of RAM. Internal storage of the 2goPAD is listed at 250GB, while boasting a 1.3 ... (view more)

Acer has confirmed it will include both Windows and Google Android operating systems on all its future dual-core netbooks. While the idea of a twin-system machine isn't new, this represents the biggest commitment yet by a manufacturer to the ... concept. While many end users employ Linux and Windows together, relatively few manufacturers offer both on a machine fresh out of the box. That's understandable: the logic goes that most people who'd be happy to use Linux install it themselves or opt for a Linux-only machine rather than pay for a more expensive Windows model. Acer has offered a range of ... (view more)

With the rise of Apple's thin n' flashy iPad and a slew of Windows 7-powered rivals , one might think the common laptop's day had passed. Not so says the CEO of big box electronics retailer Best Buy, who notes that such ideas are "grossly ... exaggerated." In a statement on Best Buy's site late last week, company CEO Brian Dunn offered his opinion of reports that the Apple iPad's impressive sales were taking their toll on the growth of notebook computers. "The reports of the demise of these devices are grossly exaggerated," Dunn said, adding that predictions that laptop sales will continue to ... (view more)

A week after Canadian firm ExoPC revealed what should be the first Windows 7 tablet on the market , hardware maker ViewSonic has unveiled a 10-inch rival that will use either Windows 7 Home Premium or Google's Android 1.6 operating system (OS). The ... device in question is the ViewSonic ViewPad 100. The dual boot option will cost consumers roughly $850 USD -- almost double the cost of an Apple iPad. Viewsonic Tablet: a Netbook With a Twist? Beyond the dual operating systems, the ViewSonic tablet also boasts several other useful features, including wireless Internet (WiFi), Bluetooth capability, ... (view more)

We've talked a lot about Windows 7 tablets since the Apple iPad launched earlier this year. Most of the time, the companies rumored to be developing a slate using the new and very popular Windows 7 operating system (OS) are the usual suspects: ... popular PC makers like Toshiba or HP. But out of nowhere comes a new challenger, Canadian company ExoPC, which says it has a Windows 7 tablet in development right now -- and it may be ready sooner than you'd think. Earlier this year, it looked like several PC companies were going to release iPad-killers. One of the first was Hewlett-Packard (HP) , but ... (view more)

In many parts of the country, kids are just getting ready for another year back at school. And although this usually means a lengthy spike in sales for electronics retailers, industry analysts Gartner predict PC shipments will slow considerably over ... the rest of 2010. Although Gartner Research has predicted a 19 per cent increase in PC shipments this year, it believes most of that hike will have come during the year's first half. In a recent report, Gartner said it expects second-half PC sales to drop 2 per cent from its original forecast, down to 15.3 per cent. Uncertain Economic Forecast ... (view more)