On Monday, Toshiba celebrated the release of Centrino 2 by announcing three new business laptops built on the new platform: the Tecra M10, Tecra A10 and Satellite Pro S300.

Designed for large businesses, the 14-inch Tecra M10 and 15-inch Tecra A10 incorporate Centrino 2 components and vPro technology for remote management, plus a common motherboard and image that the company claims will make service and support easier for IT departments.

Both Tecra systems also offer the option of a 64GB or 128GB solid-state drive, and they incorporate Toshiba's EasyGuard technologies, which include hard drive protection, spill-resistant keyboards, fingerprint readers and Trusted Platform Modules. » Read the rest of the entry..

In addition to freshening up its ThinkPad offerings, Lenovo used Monday's Centrino 2 launch to add four colourful models to its consumer IdeaPad line. Two of the new systems -- the 13.3-inch IdeaPad U330 and the 14.1-inch IdeaPad Y430 -- are all-new form factors; the remaining two -- the 15.4-inch IdeaPad Y530 and 17.1-inch IdeaPad Y730 -- are new iterations of previous IdeaPad models.

Building on the success of the gorgeous IdeaPad U110, the new IdeaPad U330 offers a slightly larger screen in a package that still weighs a reasonable 1.8kg and measures around 13mm thick. Unlike its smaller sibling, the IdeaPad U330 can accommodate an optional built-in DVD burner and comes equipped with HDMI. It also includes switchable graphics, which lets you switch between integrated graphics to conserve battery life or discrete graphics for more powerful performance. It's available in two new case colours: indigo blue or black. » Read the rest of the entry..

As Intel officially launched its long-awaited Centrino 2 platform, Lenovo was announcing a boatload of laptops, all of which will feature Centrino 2 components. The wave of new systems includes nine ThinkPad models: three in a brand-new SL series targeted at small and medium businesses; a new X series ultraportable; updates to the existing R series and T series; and a portable workstation in the newly minted W series.

Arguably the biggest of Lenovo's launch news, the SL series occupies the middle ground between more corporate ThinkPads and the ultra-small, business-oriented Lenovo 3000 line. ThinkPad SL series laptops will now feature a glossy black cover with the otherwise familiar design. The famed ThinkPad keyboard and TrackPoint are there, as are webcam and Bluetooth options you'd expect on a business-oriented laptop. The SL series has a GPS option -- which we saw with the ThinkPad X300 -- plus an HDMI port and optional Blu-ray recordable drive. » Read the rest of the entry..

To coincide with Monday night's launch of Centrino 2, Fujitsu Siemens announced six new laptops, all of which incorporate the new platform. Highlights from the announcement include two convertible tablets with 13.3-inch displays -- a first -- and a media-oriented midsize system with a handful of unique features.

First up, the tablets: the LifeBook T5010 and LifeBook T1010 are the first convertible tablets to incorporate a 13.3-inch backlit-LED display. Aimed at business users with its black lid and conservative design, the LifeBook T5010 is more than just demure looks. It includes corporate-friendly features such as a Trusted Platform Module, modular drive bay, optional WiMax, optional indoor/outdoor display and support for Intel's vPro technology. The LifeBook T5010 will be available in the US in 30 days with prices starting at $1,769 (£880). » Read the rest of the entry..

Despite a minor blip that held up the launch by three weeks, Intel officially introduced its new Centrino 2 platform at a press event in San Francisco last night.

Apparently, the delay was due to a US certification issue with the 802.11n Wi-Fi standard used in the platform and problems with the integrated graphics feature. Happily, Mooly Eden, Intel's vice president and general manager of the mobile platforms group, said the company was 'good to go' on the platform codenamed 'Montevina'.

The Centrino 2 platform comes in two flavours, one for consumers and one with Intel's vPro technology for business customers.

Intel is touting Centrino 2's high-definition media capability, set up to enhance Blu-ray playback. The company says it will help a laptop's battery last 2 hours, which for many films means you can see the entire HD movie without having to stick to the mains. » Read the rest of the entry..

You can't go a day without seeing another Eee. This time, the 10.2-inch Eee PC 1000 appears on the mini laptop scene and it's a fabulous machine. It precariously straddles the line between netbook and ultraportable, but it's well equipped, well designed and great for those who need a laptop on the move

The wait is finally over for the Eee PC 1000, a laptop that promises to slay all that enters into the netbook arena. It's the most well-equipped -- and largest -- in the Eee series and has cast aside the usability shackles of its diminutive predecessors.

It's available in two flavours: a Windows XP model for £369 and a Linux model for £349, each of which have a slightly different specification. Could this be the perfect balance between portability and function? Or has Asus lost its way on the path to netbook nirvana?

Design The Eee PC 1000 has much in common with the Eee PC 901. It's got the same shiny, metallic hinges and a curvy-edged lid. Currently, it's only available in one colour -- glossy black -- but we'd be surprised if Asus doesn't release a white version and other subsequent hues in the near future. » Read the rest of the entry..

The Advent 4211 is a less-expensive, re-badged alternative to the MSI Wind. It has the same core specification, so any differences between the two are merely cosmetic. If you want to jump on the netbook bandwagon, this is a fantastic starting point

The Advent 4211 is a re-badged alternative to the MSI Wind. Its differences are mostly cosmetic -- whereas the Wind is available in a number of colours, the 4211 is available with a black lid and silver interior only. You only get one choice of operating system, too -- Windows XP -- but there is other useful software. » Read the rest of the entry..

Hardly a day goes by where Crave doesn't see a new Eee PC. We've already heard of the Eee PC 905 -- which appears to be nothing more than a rumour -- but Asus has confirmed the existence of the 904: a mash-up of the 900, 901 and 1000 series.

It uses the same chassis as the 1000 -- but instead of a 10.2-inch screen, it gets an 8.9-inch display with the same 1,024x600-pixel resolution. It also gets the 1000's large-ish keyboard, which aids user input. Inside, it'll ditch the new Intel Atom CPU in favour of the old 900MHz Pentium M that featured in the Eee PC 900. » Read the rest of the entry..

Want an MSI Wind but can't afford the £320 asking price? You have two options: start selling the Big Issue or run down to PC World and cop yourself an Advent 4211 -- a virtually identical, but far cheaper alternative to the Wind.

It uses the same chassis, has the same specification, but it costs just £279.99 -- at least £40 less than some online vendors are selling the Wind for. How? It's quite simple: MSI is an ODM (original design manufacturer), which means it makes barebones chassis for its own use and to sell to other companies, known as SIs (system integrators). » Read the rest of the entry..

Remember back in the day when we went nuts and compared a Samsung Q1 Ultra to an Apple Newton? We've been eating the crazy pills again. Today, we woke up and decided we'd do another mental comparison -- the MSI Wind versus the similarly gusty MacBook Air.

Okay, so one costs £1,300 and the other costs £320, but to hell with it. They're both laptops, they're both ultraportable, they both have keyboards and screens, and they're both so gorgeous they cause random strangers to accost you in the street, demanding to know where you got them from. And you can make fart gags about their names -- that's all the reason we need.

So which is best? The great silver hope from Apple, or the dirt-cheap Eee rip-off? Over the next few pages, we'll take a look at their design, usability, specification, and any special powers that'll help us decide which one blows the most. » Read the rest of the entry..