It is powered by the Intel Atom N270 processor providing operating speeds of up to 1.60GHz, with 512KB L2 cache and 533 MHz FSB, while running on the Genuine Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition operating system, which comes pre-installed on the laptop with SP3/OEM version.
It supports Windows Vista but it won’t run it as it should because of the 1GB DDR2 RAM memory, which is not enough, and here is 80GB HDD storage capacity for your files. In addition, Medion provides also advanced software like Corel, WordPerfect, Office X3 and BullGuard Internet Security.

Other features include USB 2.0 ports, multi-card reader, the Graphics Media Accelerator 950, and 3 years warranty.

I’ll start with the Aristo Pico 640 available in Poland, a laptop measuring 243.1 × 171.9 × 28.5-42.5 mm at just 1.09 kg, featuring a durable construction and being powered by the VIA C7-M Ultra Low Voltage processor with a speed of 1GHz. The chipset is a VIA VX800 and this small laptop has a 7-inch display with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels, integrating 1GB DDR2 RAM memory expandable up to 2GB, 40GB GDD storage, a 4-in-1 card reader, Wireless LAN, stereo speakers, and built-in web camera for video conferences.

A bit higher processing speed is encountered at the other Aristo mini laptop computers, Pico 740, which operate at 1.2GHz processing speeds with a VIA CPU and a VX700 chipset, integrating 1GB DDR2 RAM, up to 80GB HDD, optional webcam, sporting a 7-inch display, all weighting 0.97Kg. Optionally you can add Bluetooth, TV tuner and the GPS module for navigation.

Kira 100/200/300/400 series laptops are available in Spain at Airis in a few rich colors and with a 1GHz VIA CPU, VIA VX800 chipset, a 7-inch display, up to 1GB DDR2 RAM, up to 4GB flash SLC storage or 40GB HDD, a 3-in-1 card reader, Wireless LAN, web camera, and a 6-hour battery, all encased in a 1.1-Kg-casing.

One Mini Notebook A110/A115/A120/A140/A150 mini laptop computers run at 1GHz with the VIA VX800, 512MB DDR2, up to 4GB flash or 60GB HDD, WLAN, web camera, and feature a 7-inch display on which you can play different applications brought by the Windows XP operating system that comes pre-installed on the system or Linux. These models are available in Germany.

If you have the chance to visit Australia or you live there, you might be interested in the Pioneer DreamBook Light CE26 7-inch mini laptop computers with touch-sensitive screen, a 1.2GHz processor, VIA VX700 chipset, up to 1GB DDR2 RAM, up to 100GB HDD, a 4-in-1 card reader, WLAN, web camera, Bluetooth, TV tuner, GPS, all weighting 0.97Kg. Another option would be the Pioneer DreamBook Light IL1 (I’d Love 1) system available at $440 Australian Dollars, coming with the same main features.

Ufotek Datron Mobee can be found in Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria, with the 1GHz processor, VX800 chipset, up to 2GB DDR2 RAM, 4GB flash or 120GB HDD, a 3-in-1 card reader, WLAN, web camera, a 6-hour battery, all weighting 1.1Kg.

Elonex Webbook has a price of £249 and is available in the United Kingdom with the VIA C7-M 1.6 GHz CPU, the VX700 chipset, a larger display of 10.2 inches and resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. Other features include 512MB RAM, 80GB HDD, WLAN and the Windows XP operating system pre-installed.

Envision Smart I mini laptop computers from China run at 1.6GHz with the VIA VX700 chipset, 2GB memory, a 3-in1 card reader, WLAN, and sport a 10.2-inch display.

TongFang Mini S1 is also a model from China, and sports an elegant design integrating a 1.6GHz processor, a 10.2-inch display, 2GB memory, a 4-in-1 card reader, Dual OS selection, WLAN and web camera.

VIA mini laptop computers start a new trend in China:

Dell mini notebook weighs just 2.28 lbs sporting an 8.9-inch LED display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels, and a sealed keyboard, all integrated in a durable material. In addition there is Wi-Fi connectivity for hotspots, Solid State Drive storage, Bluetooth wireless for short-range transfers between compatible devices, built-in web camera with Dell Video Chat software and 4-way calling, as well as remote storage of 2GB expandable up to 25GB via the Box.net service, which is secure and supports your uploaded images, videos, music, and documents including presentations. This way you’ll be able to access your media from anywhere in the world and on the Dell mini notebook.
With Dell Support Center you can use the special icon on the desktop to access the Dell service for getting fixes, upgrades and different tools, while the DellConnect Remote Assistance can diagnose and solve your laptop issues online.

Dell mini notebook with dynamic and customizable user interface integrates by default an Intel Atom N270 processor with 1.6GHz, 512MB DDR2 memory, 4GB Solid State Drive capacity for your files, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, Base LCD Assembly sound, a 4-cell battery, and you can upgrade to the $449 configuration which has 1GB DDR2 memory, and 16GB Solid State Drive.

The HP notebook PC’s design is innovative, reducing packaging with 97% and, in the same time, reducing carbon dioxide emissions and conserving fuel. How does it do that? -By eliminating the need for 1 out of 4 trucks required for transporting the systems to the stores. How did HP manage to design it like that? –Well, according to the company’s latest press release, the packaging was redesigned and it replaced the protective shipping materials and boxes with the new HP bag, which is made of 100% recycled materials.

HP Pavilion dv6929wm is a system equipped for mobile entertainment with a 15.4-inch display, an AMD Turion X2 TL-60 Dual-Core processor of 2GHz speeds, 4GB RAM memory, and 250GB hard drive capacity. The user can play games, watch movies on the go and perform different tasks meant to increase productivity.

“This effort is an extension of our ongoing commitment to provide our shoppers with the best eco-friendly product offerings,” said Alex Cook, merchandise manager for Walmart Home Entertainment. “We received many strong ideas from different suppliers, but the innovative packaging with this HP laptop really stood out, and we are thrilled to make this great product available to shoppers in Walmart stores and Sam’s Club locations.”

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission independent federal agency in charge with public protection in America, against risks from thousands of customer electronics, has announced that Sony is recalling 73,000 notebook computers, after receiving 15 reports of overheating. The cause of this problem starts inside the computer, where some wires have been placed in the wrong position close to the hinge, and a dislodged screw inside the hinge.
It sounds like a minor issue but with the risk of burning, like some of the customers have complained.

The laptop models recalled are: VAIO VGN-TZ100 series, VGN-TZ200 series, VGN-TZ300 series and VGN-TZ2000 series, all with 11.1-inch screens and all manufactured in Japan and US.
The federal agency said that not all of these notebooks are effected and so customers have to contact Sony’s Customer Support to find out if they need a repair or replacement.

As a matter of precaution, if you own one of these laptops you should stop using it until the damage level is determined.
Sony published on its website the following:

“You will be prompted to input your product code and serial number located on the bottom of the notebook. It will be checked automatically against the range of affected units. If you find that your PC is one of the affected models, follow the instructions on the website and make arrangements for an inspection. You may also call our VAIO TZ customer hotline at 1-888-526-6219 to determine whether your notebook computer is affected by this issue and whether service is required.”

To refresh your memory I will mention the essential elements characterizing this innovative laptop computer. XO measures 242 x 228 x 32 mm at 1.58 Kg with the NiMH battery, and features a 7.5-inch dual mode TFT convertible display with 1200 x 900 resolution, as well as moisture-proof enclosure. It doesn’t use a fan, but it integrates an AMD processor clocked at 433MHz, integrated graphics controller with the Geode CPU, 256MB DRAM memory, 1024 flash ROM, and 1024 MB NAND flash. The sound is provided via AC97-compatible audio audio subsystem, stereo speakers, amplifier and microphone.

To connect to the Internet wirelessly, XO uses an 802.11b/g interface, while it integrates a color camera of 640 x 480 pixels and 30 frames per second.
Connectivity elements include headphone out, mic out, 3 USBs and flash expansion.
It powers from a NiMH battery or LiFePO4 and has open firmware to load the operating system.

News regarding the OLPC involves Dailymotion, world’s largest independent video sharing site, which announced its partnership with the non-profit organization to deliver educational content to the children using the laptop. Also, the XO users will be able to create and send videos using the video camera integrated in the laptop. Here is an example of a fun way of learning the vocabulary.

“We at Dailymotion truly believe in OLPC’s mission to empower the populations of developing nations with access to educational and technological tools that many of us take for granted,” stated Mark Zaleski, chairman and CEO of Dailymotion. “We are proud to lend our support to this noble and worthwhile project, and look forward to contributing to the brighter future of millions of children around the world.”

“We are delighted to have Dailymotion join the OLPC project,” stated Samuel Klein, director of community content at OLPC. “We are confident that the additional video capabilities that Dailymotion will bring to the XO laptop will serve to further the educational opportunities we can offer to enhance the lives of children around the world.”

In the mean time we can’t wait to see the next XO laptop with touchscreen.

The GX400 uses an exclusive ECO Engine Power Management System: the extension of the battery running time is made while performing other tasks through the unique power saving function by MSI Notebook and the power management function. There is and ECO quick launch touch sensor which has the role of switching among 5 different modes – Gaming mode, Movie mode, Presentation mode, Office mode and Turbo Battery mode. Just touch the button repeatedly and you will be performing game applications, playing multimedia applications, performing presentation application, dealing with office documentation tasks or minimizing the battery power consumption. If you want to return to the original setting you must touch lightly on the “ECO OFF” button.

You might like to play your favorite game or watching a DVD. This isn’t really the issue, because no matter what you choose to do, you will be feeling the excitement of the real thing, as if you were in the midst of the action. And that is all because of the enormous 14.1 inch LCD monitor which will bring the viewing experience to the ultimate level. The monitor has a 1280×800 high resolution and a perfect length and width ration of 16:10 for the screen.

The GX400 has the best nVIDIA Geforce 9600M GT 3D Graphic Card with DDR3 256 MB VRAM and the exclusive MSI vivid image enhancement technology, which reproduces to a great extent the audio and video reality. Therefore, a more detailed, dynamic and realistic 3D high-definition is to be experienced while playing a game or watching a movie.
In addition, the GX400 is equipped with Dolby® Surround Sound which improves the experience of watching movies, TV or listening to music.

Concerning the performance, the latest Intel® Centrino® 2 Processor Technology, based on the Intel® Core™2 Duo processor and Intel® PM45 Express Chipset, makes possible the most unbelievable mobile solutions, remarkable new HD capabilities, great wireless connectivity and a long duration of the battery life for full blu-ray movie playback.

There are some other multimedia applications which must be remembered, such as the latest E-SATA support, high-definition multimedia interface, 1.3 mega pixels web cam for better internet chatting, the optional DTV receiver which allows you to watch television shows. The Color Film Print Technology was chosen for the surface, in order to achieve more texture and brightness, not only for the elegant note, but also to fight against the touch and the scratch and fingerprint proof. To help players to quickly find the direction controls, the GX400 features the colorful W, A, S, D buttons on the keyboard.

The GX400 uses a High-Definition Multimedia Interface. Via a single cable, its output connector enables 5Gbps data transfers and provides pristine transmission of high-definition digital video and digital audio up to 1080p resolution. This way, it allows an easy connection of HD enabled equipment such as HD monitor, HD TV or HD projector for the best multimedia experience.

The next-generation hard drives based on the Serial ATA (SATA) 3Gb/s storage specification is another feature of the GX400, which enhance scalability and doubles the bus bandwidth for high-speed data retrieval and saves.

The 1.3 Mega Pixel Webcam wakes up your creative spirit and helps you create videos, shoot still photos or add live videos to your instant messages while you chat.
Corresponding to the 802.11 b/g/n wireless networking standards, the GX400 allows you the access to wireless Internet whenever you like.

The MSI GX400 measures 303mm in length, 231-255mm in width and 24-30mm in height and weights 2,2kg (battery included), and therefore is extremely portable.

The contest terms are the simplest. All you have to do is post a concise comment here, in which to highlight the most important criteria you use to follow when buying a laptop computer. To give you a suggestion, let’s say I take into consideration aspects such as price, brand, weight, display size, the processor speed, the hard drive storage capacity, and I prefer colored laptop computers, not necessarily in this order.
What about you? Do you know some key elements that we all should base our final decision on? Speak and win!

As you’ve probably already heard, there’s a new website in town that will help you take the best decision before buying, but for that, you first have to know exactly what you plan to use the laptop for. After that, the same people on the website will be there to assist you in keeping your new acquisition in best shape.

Powered by no other than Toshiba, one of the top leading manufacturers of notebook computers, the laptop experts is a place where you can ask any question you need regarding your computer issues, and receive a helpful answer from people who really know what they are talking about.
If you are too lazy to enter the website and check for the answer, you can simply use the desktop widget and watch all the action as it happens.
Don’t forget to use the Tips & Tricks section before taking your final decision of what to buy.
And now let’s see what you will win!

The first of you who will come up on the list will get the Trio MP3 Player with the maximum capacity available, of 1GB. This MP3 player model measures 1.25 x 2.75 x 0.67 inches and uses 1 AAA Alkaline battery to operate for up to 10 hours. You can use it for playing music on the go, record voice, and organize the media in up to 9 folders containing 99 music files each.
Specifications include Backlit LCD for a clear display in dark conditions, USB 2.0 for high-speed PC connectivity, 85Db, 9mW 2@32Ohm headphone output, 20Hz-20KHz frequency range, 8KHz sample recording frequency, MP3/WMA supported file formats, and AG8/35 hrs (128MB) voice recording length.

The second subscriber who gets on the list will receive Belkin’s USB 2.0 4-Port Ultra Mini Hub that connects 3 devices to a single USB slot from your computer, for transfer speeds of up to 480Mbps. It powers via the USB connectivity and is plug-and-play, meaning you won’t have to install special driver to make it work.
Coming with a lifetime warranty, the mini hub was designed for travel and fits any pocket of a laptop bag.

If you don’t get neither the MP3 player nor the Belkin mini hub, you could have the luck to receive a $10 iTunes Gift Card. With it you could purchase songs at $0.99, audio books at $0.95, video clips, movies at $3 and $4, and other media from the iTunes.
For the winners’ list generation we chose RANDOM.ORG because it is a true list randomizer that works based on the atmospheric noise.

Winners will be announced on both websites, TechPin.com and LaptopsArena.com by the end of September, and they’ll also receive an alert via email, based on the personal information entered in the newsletter subscription. Only our readers have the right to participate at the giveaways, excluding members of the two websites’ teams.
We are anxious to read your comments and we wish you good luck!

In addition to the fingerprint reader, the vPro technology enables quarantine of infected laptops on the network, Execute Disable Bit hardware-based anti-virus protection, and hardware-based inbound and outbound filtering.

The system has the Windows Vista Business operating system pre-installed, up to 4GB memory, the GMA X4500 graphics chipset, 2 built-in speakers, optional Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, wireless LAN module, a 4-in-1 card reader, PCI Express card, a 1.3MP web camera for video conferences, 6 cell battery power, optional 9-cell battery, and an unknown street price which we’ll find out soon after the availability in stores.

MSI PR621 brings with a port replicator for saving workspace by providing extension ports and a design that facilitates cable management.

The business notebook will be available later this year and the price is unknown yet.

“We have set trends in the consumer electronics industry worldwide by creating products with the most advanced technology and most insightful designs,” said James Kim, President & CEO of LG Electronics Europe. “We are working to appeal to the sophisticated tastes of consumers in Europe more than anywhere else, to help them enjoy smart and stylish living.”

The 3G HSDPA technology enables download speeds of up to 7.2Mbps, while the 10/100 Ethernet connectivity allows you to connect the netbook to other computers to chare things over a single network. LG added the Wireless Local Area Network 802.11 b/g also.

The UMPC’s design is characterized by a glossy finish and a white keyboard, wide 10-inch display and a small and slim form factor which allows you to carry it in one hand.

Other elements of the mini laptop include an Intel Atom low power consuming processor with 1600MHz speeds, the Intel GMA 950 graphics chipset, 1024MB memory, 80GB hard drive storage capacity, 3 USB ports, optional GPS and no Bluetooth unfortunately.
The price is unknown yet but we can assume it will be low, just like all the other subnotebooks on the market. It is expected in stores later this year.