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News & Opinion
Tech Trends
Products & Services
News & Opinion
MacBook Air: The Sweet Spot Between Laptop Power
and iPad Portability?
In his latest 'Book Mystique column on MacPrices, Charles Moore
says:
"For me, a computer is primarily a writing and communications tool,
and when I bought my iPad 2 last June I
had hoped that it would be a usable substitute for a laptop, at least
for relatively light-duty computing tasks. I was more curious than
under any illusion. The dominant school of thought was that the iPad is
an excellent content consumption device, but a content creation tool
not so much. However, I wanted to find out for myself.
"Now, with more than half a year's iPadding under my belt, I have,
and the preponderance of critical opinion was right. The Pad is great
for Web surfing, music listening and so forth, tolerable for email, but
mediocre to miserable for the sort of work I mostly do with computers.
Definitely not a comprehensive laptop substitute answer for me, but I
have been seduced by the easy tote-ability enabling me to do stuff
virtually anywhere in the house, or for that matter out of it where
there's WiFi access. I would find that tough to give up. The iPad has
roped me in at least that far.
"Consequently, I was interested to read in a review of the MacBook Air by BusinessInsider's
Dylan Love last week, relating his impressions after using his Core i
MacBook Air for about four and a half months, noting that he carries it
around all day as he used to do with the iPad but doesn't any more,
preferring to sacrifice a little more room in his carry bag in order to
have a fully capable computer available wherever he happens to be, with
a more comfortable and tactile keyboard, a larger screen, full access
to parts of the Internet that aren't immediately there for the iPad,
and so forth."
Link: Does MacBook Air
Hit the Sweet Spot Between Laptop Power and iPad Portability?
Notebook Shipments Shrink in Q4 2011, but Apple
Grows
DigiTimes Research's Joanne Chen reports that notebook shipments
from Taiwan makers declined 5.7% on the quarter and 4.4% year-over-year
in the fourth quarter of 2011, volumes impacted a slumping global
economy and shortage in the supply of hard disc drives, according to
researchers' latest findings.
However, the Taiwan OEM fared better than some competitors
elsewhere, with global notebook shipments showing an apparent 8.7%
decline sequentially to 48.59 million units in the fourth quarter.
Ms. Chen also notes that Apple was the only notebook vendor whose
fourth-quarter notebook shipments sustained the pace recorded in the
third quarter, and even saw its shipments of MacBook Air models
increase to 1.2 million units in Q4 '11 from one million in the
previous quarter. The MacBook Air's market buoyancy in the face of a
sinking market generally was partly due to its exclusive use of solid
state storage media, production of which was not seriously disrupted by
the flooding in Thailand.
Link: Non-Apple Notebook
Shipments Shrink 5.7% in Fourth Quarter 2011 (subscription
required)
Emergence of Ultrabooks Driving BYOD Trend in the
Enterprise
PR: "I believe that within the next couple of years
ultrabooks will drive the current 'BYOD' (Bring Your Own Device) trends
that are currently pervasive in smartphones which will result in
another push towards the end of company-provided PCs," says David
Danto, Principal Consultant for Dimension Data. "This category, plus
virtualization and the Cloud, will get the Fortune 1000 companies out
of the PC buying business, which will likely have an effect on the
large PC manufacturers, as one could easily anticipate."
"I think its questionable whether the new content and features being
shown at CES will be enough to spur the huge growth in consumer sales
and the economy that most manufacturers are hoping for," Mr. Danto,
continues. "This could result in the failure of some of the big
consumer box houses and a complete change in the paradigm of consumer
electronics buying. Anyone not buying their gear and components on the
Internet may be spending too much, since superior service at the big
box houses are thing of the past. We seem to be at an inflection point
where Internet sales could potentially overtake them within the next
18-24 months."
Link: Dimension Data
Intel Ignores Steve Jobs, Adds Touchscreen to
Ultrabook Spec
The Register's Rik Myslewski reports that Intel's research
department has defied the Steve Jobs dictum and added touchscreens to
the chipmaker's next generation Ultrabook specification.
"Touch skipped the notebook, skipped the Ultrabook. It was dedicated
to phones, it was dedicated to tablets," Myslewski cites Intel's PC
Client Group general manager Mooly Eden commenting to an audience on
Monday morning at the Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas. "It's not
going to skip the Ultrabook any more."
In October 2010, the late Mr. Jobs said Apple's research department
had determined that touchscreens weren't appropriate for vertical
displays such as are found on PCs and notebooks. "We've done tons of
user testing on this, and it turns out it doesn't work," Jobs said.
"Touch surfaces want to be horizontal."
Your editor agreed with him at the time and still does, and
Myslewski reports that Mr. Eden conceded that a lot of folks at Intel
agreed with Jobs as well, noting that "There was a lot of dispute about
this." On the other hand, he said that some at Intel "have been almost
religious, believing that an Ultrabook with touch would be an ultimate
solution," affirming that he himself himself is firmly in the
touchscreen camp, with he and his his pro-touchscreen like-minded not
wanting want to replace the keyboard with a touchscreen, but rather to
have the two modes coexisting in harmonious synergy, enjoying both
worlds - "the real keyboard and the screen." He further observed that
in Intel market research testing touchscreen-enabled Ultrabooks with
users in Europe and the US, "The reaction was unbelievable. People
loved it."
Of course anyone who's been paying close attention will draw a
parallel between the development of touchscreen capable Ultrabooks and
forthcoming Windows 8, which will incorporate both a touch-based UI
called Metro and a traditional mouse and keyboard driven desktop mode
in the same OS, with users able to switch back and forth as they
prefer.
As long as full legacy input support remains available for those of
us who prefer it, there seems no harm in adding touchscreen capability.
More choices and flexibility are usually positives.
Link: Intel Ignores
Steve Jobs, Adds Touchscreen to Ultrabook
Mobile PC Outlook Shows Growing Influence of Tablet
PCs
PR: The tablet PC category expanded its role in the mobile PC
market, with shipments of 72.7 million units, accounting for 25.5% of
mobile PC shipments in 2011, according to the latest NPD DisplaySearch
Quarterly Mobile PC Shipment and Forecast Report. The Y/Y shipment
growth rate for tablets in 2011 is expected to reach 256%, as strong
tablet shipments in Q311 appeared to be a prelude to equally vigorous
demand in Q411. Introductions of significantly competitive new devices
in Q411, strong demand for incumbents, and additional distribution
channels have been catalysts for accelerated tablet PC shipment
growth.
Tablet PC shipment growth is happening as NPD DisplaySearch has
slightly lowered its notebook PC shipment forecast. Notebook PC
shipments in 2011 are now expected to reach 187.5 million units, up 12%
Y/Y, but slightly less than the previous forecast of 188 million.
Mini-note PC shipments are expected to reach 25.2 million units, up 20%
Y/Y. Overall mobile PC shipments in 2011 are projected to reach 285.4
million units, up 31% Y/Y.
In the short term, tablet PCs will be the growth accelerant in the
overall mobile PC market, as macroeconomic factors and hard drive motor
supply issues impact the market for notebook PCs, said Richard Shim,
Senior Analyst at NPD DisplaySearch. In the longer term, notebook PC
shipments will bounce back as ASPs continue to decline, Windows 8
launches, and new form factors, such as ultrabooks, continue to
emerge.
By 2017, notebook PC shipments are forecast to reach 432 million
units, and tablet PC shipments are projected to reach 383.3 million
units. Ultrabooks are an emerging form factor that is expected to
contribute to demand in later years of the forecast. Demand for
ultrabooks will be driven by consumer interest in sleek design and
convenience like instant-on and long battery life. For the next two
years, the premium price points of Ultrabooks will temper demand, and
there may be some supply limitations in production of displays thin
enough for Ultrabooks.
Tablet PC shipments will be driven by increasingly powerful
multicore processors, mature operating systems, growing application
libraries, and higher resolution panels. NPD DisplaySearch forecasts
that tablet PCs with 250 to 300 pixel per inch panels will make up
nearly 25% of shipments in 2012.
The updated forecast also points to the following:
- Mobile PC shipments into emerging regions are growing, with 2011
shipments projected to be 138 million units, up 48% Y/Y, and increasing
to 452.8 million by 2017. Mobile PC shipments into mature regions are
estimated to reach 147.5 million units in 2011 and grow to 371.6
million units by 2017.
- Mobile PC shipments will be up in late 2012 and 2013 with the
introduction of Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system and new mobile
processors from Intel.
The NPD DisplaySearch Quarterly Mobile PC Shipment and Forecast
Report covers the entire range of mobile PC products shipped worldwide
and regionally. With analysis of global and regional brands, the
Quarterly Mobile PC Shipment and Forecast Report provides an objective,
expert view of the market with insight into historical shipments,
revenues, forecasts and more.
Link: Mobile PC Outlook
Shows Growing Influence of Tablet PCs
Tech Trends
Combining Ultrabooks and Tablets?
DisplaySearch's Stephanie Ethier notes that CES 2011 was all about
tablets, as computer OEMs rushed to announce models to compete with the
successful Apple iPad, but CES 2012 is shaping up to be all about
ultrabooks, which she observes are all shaping up to be Apple MacBook
Air clones in terms of design and usage.
Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga
And as computer OEMs continue to struggle to put out products as
streamlined as the MacBook Air and as game-changing as the iPad, a
hybrid solution has been introduced, Ms. Ethier reports. Lenovo's
IdeaPad Yoga combines the Ultrabook and touchscreen tablet form factors
to create a market crossover with a 13.1" display and a 360°
flip-and-fold design, allowing the user to convert the ultrabook into a
touchscreen tablet using a hinged case.
However, she predicts that this ultrabook plus tablet strategy is
not likely to slow Apple's iPad momentum, and that with consumers just
wrapping their brains around how to use tablets. throwing a new product
category into the mix just creates confusion, and the iPad will
continue to be the true game-changer.
Link: Combining
Ultrabooks and Tablets?
Lenovo Unveils First ThinkPad Hybrid Laptop
PR: Lenovo has announced the ThinkPad X1 Hybrid laptop,
combining the thin, light, and performance benefits of its predecessor
- the X1 - claiming double the battery life, up to 10 hours, via the
hybrid's Instant Media Mode, powered by a second processor and
operating system. Lenovo also announced the ThinkPad T430u Ultrabook,
the company's first business ultrabook giving professionals
exceptionally thin and light design without sacrificing performance and
productivity.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Hybrid
"The ThinkPad X1 Hybrid and T430u ultrabook represent the next
generation in thin and light computing," says Dilip Bhatia, vice
president, ThinkPad Business Unit, Lenovo. "From small businesses that
literally live their business on the road to corporate professionals
working in a managed environment, these new crossover laptops
fundamentally change the way people think about mobile computing
technology."
Instant Media Mode - Double Battery Life, Instantly
The hybrid doubles as a second PC thanks to its battery-stretching
Instant Media Mode (IMM). IMM includes a Qualcomm dual core processor,
up to 16 GB of memory, and a custom Linux-based operating system. To
switch to IMM from Windows, users simply click on an icon on the
laptop's home screen. With IMM, the laptop operates much like a smart
phone, remaining turned on and requiring fewer charging sessions.
Via IMM, users can watch videos, view photos, listen to music, and
browse the web while preserving precious battery life. Pioneered by
ThinkPad, the ThinkPad X1 Hybrid laptop also includes Rapid Charge2,
technology that charges the battery up to 80% in just 30 minutes.
The Best of ThinkPad X1
Measuring less than 0.6" and weighing less than four pounds, the
13.3" ThinkPad X1 Hybrid goes heavy on performance by doubling the CPU
performance and quadrupling the graphics performance of previous Lenovo
13" laptops. The hybrid comes equipped with choices of the latest Intel
Core i3, i5, and i7 processors and the Windows 7 operating system.
A great crossover PC, the ThinkPad X1 Hybrid also remains a
business-class laptop first with features like optional mobile
broadband, a high definition display that includes Corning Gorilla
Glass and a high definition web camera and microphones for video and
voice calling. It also has robust security layered with Intel vPro3
technology, encrypted hard drives with remote management support and a
fingerprint reader. Content on the ThinkPad X1 Hybrid looks good and
sounds good in both Windows and IMM. The laptop features Dolby Home
Theater v4 sound, an HDMI port and Intel Wireless Display technology to
connect and stream 1080p video wirelessly to a TV or projector.
Ultrabook That's All Business
Lenovo's first business ultrabook, the ThinkPad T430u, equips
business users with the same thin and light designs found in consumer
ultrabooks without sacrificing business-class performance, and it comes
at a mainstream price starting at $849.
The stylish ThinkPad T430u ultrabook borrows some of the elements
typically found on premium laptops, such as a matte finish that's soft
to the touch and an aluminum top cover that complement its small frame
- less than 0.8" and less than four pounds. It also sports ThinkPad's
new modern and minimalist island-style keyboard.
The 14" laptop has business-primed features including:
- Choices of the latest Intel Core processors and Intel integrated or
NVIDIA graphics
- Choice of SSD storage or up to 1 TB of HD storage
- Up to six hours of battery life
- Quick resume and fast boot up
- Lenovo Solution Center powered by Intel Small Business Advantage, a
set of productivity and security tools helping to enable overnight
energy savings and automatic patch updates
The ThinkPad X1 Hybrid laptop and ThinkPad T430u ultrabook will be
available starting in Q2 2012 and Q3 2012, respectively, through
business partners and online. Pricing for models starts at
approximately $1,599 and $849, respectively.
Samsung Next Generation Series 9 Laptop Features
Ultraslim, Aluminum Single Shell Body
PR: Samsung Electronics America Inc., a subsidiary of Samsung
Electronics Co. Ltd., has announced the second generation Samsung
Series 9 notebook at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES)
in Las Vegas. Following the former models premiere at the CES 2011, the
new Series 9 represents Samsung's best-in-class innovation and
craftsmanship in the premium notebook segment.
"When designing the new Series 9, we focused on improving key
elements that our customers loved in the original award winning Series
9, including the sophisticated, lightweight design," says Todd Bouman,
vice president of product marketing at Samsung Enterprise Business
Division. "Our engineers worked very hard to develop the amazingly thin
form factor and one of the most compact chassis in the world, which
allowed us to house a 15" display in a 14" chassis. We also made
changes to the new model based on customer feedback, such as the
inclusion of a 1600 x 900 high resolution screen, to truly make this a
top-of-the line, irresistible laptop that represents the ultimate in
Samsung precision engineering and premium design."
Weighing as little as 2.5 pounds and measuring just a half inch
thick, the second generation Samsung Series 9 was crafted by Samsung's
team with over 33,000 hours in research, design and development. The
end result is a laptop that is 37% thinner and 0.4 pounds lighter than
the original Series 9, as well as more visually striking. The build is
nearly seamless, using an aluminum single shell body and featuring a
more pronounced Series 9 hallmark polished edge. Key components such as
the LCD panel, keyboard, motherboard, cables, fans and battery have
been customized with precision to fit into the Series 9s extra flat
single shell body. Additionally, the Series 9 has been sandblasted for
fingerprint resistance, keeping the Mineral Ash Black colored body and
natural matte aluminum sides pristine at all times.
The second generation Series 9 display is astonishingly thin thanks
to Samsung's engineers, who carefully thinned the layers of the LCD
screen without sacrificing quality. Featuring 1600 x 900 resolution and
Samsung's SuperBright Plus technology (400 nit), the 13.3" or 15"
screen is ideal for viewing everything from photos and movies to work
documents. The display is housed in one of the thinnest and most
compact chassis ever, enabling Samsung to fit a 15" screen in a 14"
chassis, reducing the products overall size. The wide viewing angle and
matte nature of the display makes for easy use both inside and out,
while the backlit keyboard lets you remain productive even in low
lighting.
A Larger Screen Size Option
For
the first time, the new Samsung Series 9 will offer the worlds thinnest
and most compact 15" premium notebook. The Series 9 15" features a
vivid SuperBright Plus display that fits into a compact 14" chassis.
With a stunningly slim profile measuring just 0.58 inches and weighing
just 3.5 lb., makes this 15" Series 9 almost 50% more compact than any
existing 15" thin & light notebooks.
Performance and Signature Samsung Technology
For powerful performance on-the-go, the second generation Samsung
Series 9 will include a 128 GB SSD and Intel Core i5-2467M processor at
launch. Accessible connectivity was also highlights major improvements,
moving everything to the corners without any impedance; users can
easily access video, audio and data connectivity including USB 3.0 and
a multi-card reader.
Thanks to Samsung's Fast Solutions technology, the new Series 9
boots in as little as 9.8 seconds and wakes up in 1.4 seconds and
offers web browsing speeds that are up to twice as fast.
For road warriors, Samsung's Easy Settings make it effortless to
connect the Series 9 to wireless networks, projectors and more by
providing easy access to commonly used PC settings, resulting in
stress-free business travel and presentations. With Samsung Easy
Migration, users can seamlessly transfer existing files to the new
laptop by connecting their old PC to the new one and simply launching
and starting Easy Migration.
For optimum mobility, the Series 9 offers up to ten hours of
real-time battery life for the 15" and up to seven hours on the 13.3",
keeping users connected to both their professional and personal lives
all day. Additionally, the inclusion of Samsung Battery Life Plus
technology means that the battery will retain 80% of its original
capacity for up to 1,500 charges giving users a battery that can last
up to five times longer than other notebooks and works whenever and
wherever they need it, even after three years of use.
The second generation Samsung Series 9 will be available starting
February 27, 2012. It will retail for $1,399.99 for the 13.3" and
$1,499.99 for the 15". All Samsung mobile PC products are available
through Samsung resellers and distribution channels.
Link: Samsung
Series 9
LG Announces Super Ultrabook Series
PR: LG Electronics (LG) will showcase four new notebook
models and an all-in-one PC at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2012
in Las Vegas.
Marquee products are LG's brand new Super Ultrabook Series, the Z330
and the Z430, and the 3D P535 notebook models. The V300 is a 23"
all-in-one desktop PC for entertainment with an immersive 3D display
and In-Plane Switching (IPS)-enabled wide viewing angle.
"At this year's CES, LG will showcase products that are not only
new, but also establish categories defining new standards for personal
computing devices," says J.J. Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of
LG Electronics IT Business Unit., "Our new products feature a range of
breakthrough technologies from LG, such as IPS display, glasses-free 3D
and Super Speed Boot, that will noticeably elevate the personal
computing experience. These technologies reflect our goal of satisfying
various consumer demands, as well as our aggressive strategy for
2012."
Z330: Super Ultrabook
LG Super Ultrabook Z330
The Z330 is the most compact model in LG's Super Ultrabook Series,
with several features above and beyond Intel's Ultrabook boilerplate
category requirements, including LG's proprietary Super Speed Boot
technology that LG says enables rapid booting roughly three times
faster than other 13" notebooks in the market. Powered by the second
generation (Sandy Bridge) Intel Core i7 processor, the Z330 is claimed
to require less than 10 seconds to boot up, and a mere two seconds to
recover from standby mode. The Z330 is also equipped with a SATA3 Solid
State Drive (SSD), touted to be more than 11 times faster than an
ordinary hard drive, and offering data access performance in the same
ballpark as Apple's MacBook Air.
LG Z330 specifications
The Z330 features what LG calls its Super Compact Clutch design
which reduces the width of the display bezel to minimal levels,
allowing the notebook to cram a 13.3" HD display into a chassis of a
size roughly equivalent to that of 12" notebooks. Unlike the
wedge-shaped MacBook Air and many Ultrabook models, the Z330 is
uniformly slim at 14.7mm throughout, not just at its thinnest edge. The
Z330 is also extremely light, weighing a mere 1.21 kg, making it
lighter than most competing Ultrabooks in this class. The enclosure has
a metallic cover with a gyro-brush line finish.
Z430: 14" Display in a 13" Size Ultrabook
LG Z430 specifications
LG's Z430 is the 14" notebook of LG's Super Ultrabook Series,
powered by Intel's Core i7 processor and equipped with both SSD and HDD
the Z430 offers Super Speed Boot with a claimed 12 seconds boot time
and storage capacity of up to 500 GB packed into a svelte 19.9 mm thick
chassis. LG touts the Z430 as the most compact 14" notebook available,
with its slim display bezel enabling the notebook to employ a 14"
display panel in chassis dimensions more typical of 13" notebooks. This
1.50 kg Super Ultrabook features a metallic cover with a gyro-brush
line finish.
P535: 3D Capabilities in a Lightweight, Slim Notebook
A CINEMA 3D notebook, the P535 builds on the slim design philosophy
of LG's P-Series notebooks. The 15.6" super-slim LED backlight display
contributes to the thinness of the P535's 24.1mm chassis and its weight
of 2.2 kg, making the P535 up to 24% slimmer and 27% lighter than the
closest competing 15" 3D notebooks. The slim body allows the P535's
15.6" display to be placed in a chassis normally reserved for 14"
notebooks.
The P535 is powered by the second generation Intel Core i7 processor
and Nvidia's latest GeForce GT 630M graphics card, with a widescreen
display panel to showcase its CINEMA 3D capabilities.
A540: Glasses-Free 3D Entertainment with Enhanced 4.1 Channel
Sounds
Also powered by an Intel Core quad-core i7 processor LG's A540
offers consumers a full package of 3D entertainment through its
glasses-free 3D display panel, the SRS premium sound effect and the 4.1
channel 3D sound. Thanks to its CINEMA 3D display technology, movie
fans can enjoy immersive 3D content on the A540's 15.6" Full HD LED
backlight display without eye fatigue according to LG. The NVIDIA.
GT555M graphics card adds significant horsepower when watching HD
movies, playing games or editing videos. The A540 comes with a 3D
editing program that allows users to personalize their 3D images and
videos.
LG V300: LG's First All-in-One PC with Top-Line Display
Technology
Initially unveiled in 2011 with a Intel Core i7 processor, the V300
is LG's first-ever all-in-one PC featuring Film Patterned Retarder
(FPR) 3D technology and an IPS display. FPR technology enables the V300
to offer the most vivid, immersive full HD 3D viewing experience on a
23" Full HD display without any eye fatigue. Meanwhile, the employment
of an IPS display significantly widens the viewing angle to 178 degrees
and also allows users to enjoy multimedia content with superior picture
quality. Unlike some competing all-in-one PCs with a dual camera touch
sensor, the V300 is equipped with a triple camera system that offers a
superior multitouch experience.
LG will be launching its Super Ultrabook Series and the new 3D
notebook models worldwide during the first quarter of 2012.
Products & Services
Elgato Thunderbolt SSD Portable Drive
PR: Elgato started working on what became the most
advanced TV and video solutions for the Mac, they were part of the
revolution of innovative storage technology. The vast majority of
FireWire drives contained Elgato software, and even early flash-based
products were powered by Elgato.
Over a decade later, Elgato's developers were thrilled when
Thunderbolt was introduced. So they decided to go back to their roots
and create what they had always been longing for: a truly portable,
ultra-fast external drive.
The Elgato Thunderbolt SSD is claimed to be the fastest
single-drive storage solution for your Mac. Using a Solid State Drive
(SSD), it dramatically outperforms state-of-the-art portable FireWire
or USB drives.
Truly portable
While you're on the go, less is more. That's why the Elgato
Thunderbolt SSD is engineered to draw power directly through the
Thunderbolt port, without needing a separate power supply. This way,
your data is always there with you, even when you're not near a power
source.
Due to the absence of moving, mechanical parts, solid state drives
are far less prone to accidental damage than traditional hard drives.
The Elgato Thunderbolt SSD also uses a rock-solid metal enclosure,
guaranteeing not only good looks, but also added protection for your
valuable data.
Quieter Than a Whisper
The Elgato Thunderbolt SSD is designed to work without
the need for a noisy fan. With its advanced enclosure and the inaudible
Solid State Drive, that means you'll never hear a sound, despite its
constantly screaming performance.
Slated for release in February, The Elgato Thunderbolt SSD will be
available in 128 GB and 256 GB versions with prices starting at
$429.95.
Link: Elgato Thunderbolt
SSD Portable Drive
j5create Wormhole Products Enable Easy
Device-to-Device Data Transfer via USB
PR: j5create, a manufacturer of computer usability and
interface peripherals, offers several products featuring the company's
exclusive Wormhole technology, a cool solution for multiple platform,
or multicomputer businesses and families, as a means to copy and share
large data, photo and video files. With a simple USB to USB interface,
the Wormhole products allow for easy drag-and-drop and copy/paste
transfers for files of any size at speeds of up to USB's theoretical
(but seldom achieved in real-world use) 480 Mbps. The Wormhole products
also allow users to connect a laptop or tablet to desktop computers and
share keyboard and mouse inputs as well as drag-and-drop file
transfers.
j5create products are sold by major retailers including Fry's
Electronics, Buy.com, Sears.com, Walmart.com, and Micro Center.
Wormhole Keyboard/Mouse Switch JUC 400
j5create's Wormhole products include:
- Wormhole Keyboard/Mouse Switch JUC 200 - The JUC 200 allows two
computers to share a keyboard and mouse, while supporting drag-and-drop
file transfer between two PCs as well as Android devices, in a simple
USB-to-USB cable. (MSRP $29.99)
- Wormhole Keyboard/Mouse Switch JUC 400 - The JUC 400 expands upon
the JUC 100 by supporting PC-to-Mac as well as PC-to-iPad sharing and
file transfer capabilities. With this device you can connect your PC to
a Mac since it supports Mac compatibility, or even connect your PC to
an iPad for sharing and data transfer purposes.(MSRP: $39.99)
- Wormhole Station V.2 JUH 320v2 - As an official CES 2012
Innovations Award Honoree, The Wormhole Station V.2 adds PC-to-Mac
compatibility to j5create's USB 3.0 Wormhole Station, a docking
extension for laptops featuring Ethernet connections, audio connections
and USB 3.0 support. With two USB 3.0 ports and a flash memory card
reader, the sleek design of the Wormhole Station V.2 also lifts a
laptop off the ground enough to provide better air flow without
interrupting comfort. (MSRP: $129.99)
Wormhole Station V.2
"j5create provides customers with easy-to-use tools that are
functional and essential to everyday computing," says Fred Schweer,
director of North American sales, j5create. "We pride ourselves on
creating unique products in design, capability and simplicity of
operation. We're taking our one-of-kind, high speed transfer,
keyboard/mouse sharing Wormhole products to the next level by giving
them cross-platform compatibility between PC and Apple computers."
The plug-and-play feature will allow even technologically un-savvy
customers to easily use the products. The exclusive j5create platform
will allow the Wormhole Keyboard/Mouse Switches to transfer files at
speeds up to 480 Mbps or 15 songs per second, while the Wormhole
Station will support USB 3.0 speeds, up to 5 Gbps or 160 songs per
second.
Link: Wormhole Keyboard/Mouse Switch JUC
400
Link: Wormhole Station
Belkin Previews Thunderbolt Express Dock at 2012
CES
PR: Belkin has unveiled new details about its upcoming
Thunderbolt Express Dock. The latest version of Belkin's Thunderbolt
Express Dock is currently on display in Belkin's booth, LVCC South Hall
#30651, at the 2012 International CES.
The Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock enables MacBook and
Ultrabook users to instantly access multiple desktop peripherals with
one cable. The dock allows users to simultaneously connect to multiple
USB devices, watch movies in Full HD 1080p, transfer volumes of data in
seconds, and view online content at gigabit Ethernet speeds. The dock
provides an easy transition from a desktop workstation to unrestricted
mobile productivity.
"People purchase MacBook Airs and Ultrabooks for ultimate
portability, but constantly plugging-in and unplugging numerous
cable-connected peripherals is an annoying and time consuming ordeal,"
says Martin Avilla, general manager of Belkin's Core Business Unit. The
Thunderbolt Express Dock provides a much-needed solution that creates a
cleaner, faster, more productive workspace and reliable connectivity to
desktop devices and the Internet.
Features:
- Quickly connects into a desktop workstation and instantly accesses
multiple devices with a single cable
- Adds reliable, gigabit Ethernet connectivity to your laptop
- Includes three USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port, one HDMI port,
one 3.5mm Audio port, one gigabit Ethernet port and two Thunderbolt
ports (one upstream and one downstream) for daisy-chaining to another
Thunderbolt compatible device.
- Utilizes Thunderbolt Technology for data transfer rates of up to 10
Gbps bidirectionally
The Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock will be available in September
2012 for $299 at select retailers worldwide and on Belkin.com.
Link:
Belkin Previews New Thunderbolt Express Dock at 2012 International
CES
Bargain 'Books
For deals on current and discontinued 'Books, see our 13" MacBook and MacBook Pro,
MacBook Air, 13" MacBook Pro, 15" MacBook Pro, 17" MacBook Pro, 12" PowerBook G4, 15" PowerBook G4, 17" PowerBook G4, titanium PowerBook G4,
iBook G4, PowerBook G3, and iBook G3 deals.
We also track iPad,
iPhone, iPod touch, iPod classic, iPod nano, and iPod shuffle deals.
