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.

Google to offer $20-a-month 'student package' for a Chrome laptop?

Just as we're wrapping up day one of Google I/O 2011, Forbes received an interesting piece of information regarding Chrome OS. According to an unnamed senior Google executive, tomorrow's keynote will see the launch of a Chrome laptop sold as an attractive $20-per-month "student package." If true, this will make a compelling option for laptop-seeking students bounded by a limited budget (booze before books, right?), and Forbes speculates that a similar enterprise offering will follow soon -- makes sense considering Google's already cosying up to businesses with its $50-a-year Google Apps suite. Anyhow, all will be unveiled soon enough -- keep an eye out for our Google I/O day 2 liveblog tomorrow for the full monty.

HP unveils the Pavilion dv4, Envy 14 with Sandy Bridge, and a redesigned Mini 210

With a Sandy Bridge refresh, a new 14-inch mainstream laptop, and a redesigned netbook, HP's latest crop of consumer systems offers a little something for everyone. First up, there's the 14-inch Pavilion dv4 (not to be confused with the metal-clad dm4), which bears the same Imprint finish and CoolSense technology as its siblings and ushers in a striking cobalt blue color option, as you can see in the photo above. Look for it on May 18 with a starting price of $600.

Then there's the revamped Mini 210, which swaps last year's not-too-glossy plastic lid for candy-colored lids, and adds a seamless touchpad, edge-to-edge 10.1-inch display, and a flush six-cell battery promising up to 8.8 hours of battery life -- an upgrade over last year's standard four-cell. Spec-wise, nothing has changed from the current 210, except for the addition of Beats Audio, something you'll find across HP's notebook lineup. It'll be available on June 15 and cost $300 for the charcoal version -- alas, you'll have to pony up $330 for one of the punchier colors. For now, be sure to check out our video hands-on.

Lastly, HP did the predictable and refreshed the high-end Envy 14 with Sandy Bridge CPU options and USB 3.0. It also promises an improved touch experience -- something we bemoaned in our review last year -- with a trackpad that uses optical sensors to analyze your multitouch gestures. That will go on sale June 15 for $1,000 and up.

HP intros the ProBook 5330m, EliteBook 2560p, and EliteBook 2760p tablet

After announcing a trio of consumer laptops, you didn't think HP had forgotten about its business line, did you? The company also trotted out three lightweight models for the corporate set, including the 12.1-inch EliteBook 2760p convertible tablet, which has been rearing its head around the FCC as of late. Although it's an update to the current-generation 2740p, it sticks with its tried-and-true metal design. But -- surprise, surprise -- it steps up to Sandy Bridge Core i5 and Core i7 CPU options, promises 5.5 hours of battery life with the standard six-cell, and will be one of several models compatible with HP's newly minted (optional) prepaid data service, DataPass. Is this the Windows 7 tablet you've been looking for? It's on sale now starting at $1,500 -- stylus included.

Next up is the EliteBook 2560p laptop, an update to the 12.1-inch 2540p. This one, too, has a tough aluminum-and-magnesium-alloy build, but it gets the good ol' Sandy Bridge treatment and also shifts to a 12.5-inch display -- a screen size that's rarely stretched to 16:9 proportions. And, HP claims it's the only laptop of its size with a built-in optical drive, if sacrificing optical discs isn't a compromise you're willing to make. Look for it on May 23 with a starting price of $1,100.

Lastly, there's the ProBook 5330m, a 13.3-incher that's trying hard to win over Generation Y-types just dipping their toes into the workforce... and who will call in sick if their work machines aren't trendy, or something. In addition to a dual-tone aluminum chassis, it plays cool with a backlit keyboard, Sandy Bridge Core i3 and i5 CPU options, and Beats Audio -- a first for an HP business system. On the inside, meanwhile, it offers TPM circuitry and optional Intel vPro processors -- perks for the IT managers likely to buy these in bulk. These are on sale now, starting at $800.

Fujitsu's Stylistic Q550 business slate up for US pre-orders, starting at $729

We're still not sure what's stylistic about Smart Card readers, fingerprint scanners and TPM modules, but you won't find them in many slates, so if you've been considering the Fujitsu Q550 -- which has one of each -- today's your lucky day. The Oak Trail-powered Windows 7 tablet with a 10.1-inch, 1280 x 800 IPS screen is ready for US pre-orders today, with $729 bringing you the base model with a 30GB solid state drive and a two-cell rechargeable battery. $849 upgrades the slate to 62GB of storage and four cells worth of swappable Lithium-ion joy, while both sport front and rear cameras, HDMI out, a bootable USB 2.0 port, a full-size SD slot and dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi. Let's just hope the UI is a tad more optimized than last time.

Acer Aspire One 722 caught in the wild (video)

If that offbeat Acer Aspire One 722 we told you about last month caught your fancy, well, we still don't know when you'll be able to buy it or how many pretty pennies it'll cost. In the meantime, the folks at NewGadgets, at least, got to spend some time with one and gave it the full hands-on treatment, including a video (embedded below for your viewing pleasure) and gallery of close-up shots. So if you like your netbooks blue, dented, and loaded with AMD innards, head on past the break to get your eyeful. Now if only this had a release dateto go with it...