MSI SketchBook laptop flips keyboard to reveal graphics tablet

If you are someone who uses your laptop for producing artwork then there’s probably a graphics tablet sitting in your bag. But that may not be the case for much longer if MSI’s SketchBook concept makes it to market.




The SketchBook looks just like a normal laptop, but it has a hidden feature. Flip the keyboard over and there’s a large graphics tablet driven by pen input. Check out the video above to see how the mechanism works.



In order to make the concept work MSI have moved the trackpad to directly under the screen on the right hand side of the laptop, and made it circular. That’s not great news if you are left handed or prefer the standard positioning of the trackpad below a keyboard.



There is no news on whether this will make it past concept stage, how much it would cost, or when it could become available. Engadget Spain’s initial reaction was it looked a bit retro and was fairly chunky.


Any artists reading this who use a graphics tablet can correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought the keyboard was an integral part of the creation process when using a package like Photoshop. You use the tablet to draw and the keyboard for shortcuts. Am I right?


If so, MSI’s idea is flawed from the outset and would mean you need to carry a separate keyboard around to plug-in and use. For quick sketches the keyboard flip may be a good way to cut down on the gadgets you need to carry around, but I doubt any serious artist would swap their separate tablet for one of these.



A better idea would be a slide out tablet surface so the keyboard remained accessible and the trackpad could remain below the keyboard.

Stealth launches paperback novel-size mini PC

Stealth has this month introduced its smallest, and what must be one of the tiniest you can currently buy.


It’s called the and measures just 102 x 155 x 37mm. Here’s the spec breakdown:

• Up to Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 @ 2.5GHz

• Up to 4GB RAM in 2 SO-DIMM slots

• Onboard Intel 4500MHD graphics chip (128MB shared memory)

• Up to 500GB SATA drive or SSD option available

• Windows 7, Vista, XP options available as well as Ubuntu

• Integrated Gigabit Ethernet and Realtek HD audio

• 2x USB 2.0 ports, 2x COM ports, Mic and headphone ports

The components are housed in an aluminium chassi that weighs 1.2lbs and around 4lbs when all hardware is installed. Power is through DC meaning there’s a separate power supply to plug in the back.

For such a small unit the price is not cheap and starts at $955 without an OS. Select the fastest chip, 4GB memory, and a 500GB hard drive and the price goes up to $1,420.

Read more at the

This is a tiny machine, but I don’t think many people are going to pay nearly $1,000 for one. The base model ships with a Celeron chip, so there’s clearly a big premium being applied for having such a small unit.


I don’t think that much power is required when constructing a very small unit. I still use my and it’s by no means as small as the LPC-100, but it only cost $350 to build and is perfect as a machine for surfing and office duties.

Stealth.com is marketing the LPC-100 as “more processing power per square inch than any of the small form factor computers.” That’s fine, and it may find a niche market, but I don’t think most consumers will be interested in this. Now, switch out the Celeron for an Atom chip and lower the price $500, and you’d have a desirable machine.

Blogger Buzz: Blogger integrates with Amazon Associates

Blogger Buzz: Blogger integrates with Amazon Associates

Dell Mini 10

The Mini 10 is scheduled to debut for advance orders February 19.  A full Mini 10 overview is available at Dell company, and the system will be available for purchase directly from Dell .

This dell’s new 10 inches laptop will be available in five different beautiful colors; you can choose your favorite color from White, Green, Black, Grey and Pink. You can get your piece with your favorite color directly from dell.com from 26th of February for $399 at start, you can also preorder your notebook right away, For more details check the dell website for full review. There are some features and specification below:



Inspiron Features and Specification:

(1). Weight: 2.86 pounds

(2). Full Size Spacey Keyboard

(3). Easy Navigational Touchpad to move scroll and zoom

(4). Size: 10.1 inches

(5). Built-in Wi-Fi

(6). Preinstalled Windows XP

(7). HDMI output connectivity for enhanced entertainment

(8). Built-in Web Camera

(9). RAM: 1GB

(10). Hard Drive: 160GB

(11). Different colors to choose the best piece from White, Black, Blue, Pink, Green and Red

(12). 16:9 wide-screen Display

This mini netbook will be available to dell from 26th of Feb and also to other countries on the same date. You might feel that something is missing from the device and simply this gadget will not fully complete your satisfaction, so for this Dell is going to add something to this but later this year which might includes:

(1). Internal digital TV tuner

(2). DVD player

(3). Ubuntu and Vista Operating systems

(4). Bluetooth

(5). WWAN

(6). 2GB RAM

(7). Hard Drives will extend to 250GB

Dell Streak

The Dell Streak offers an unprecedented combination of processor power, screen size, and design quality. Support for 3G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth hit all the wireless sweet spots, while photo, camcorder, and calling capabilities blur the boundaries between tablet and phone.


Pros:

Incredible large screen, feature-rich phone, long battery life, instinctive and intuitive to use.
The keyboard magically appears on screen whenever needed and is superbly designed with a numeric keypad included..


Cons:

No drawbacks that I can find apart from slow synchronisation with Microsoft Outlook. No doubt this will be fixed with the forthcoming free Android version update.

Dell Computer for gammers

Dell Computer will unveil a new PC geared toward gamers in an effort to scope out the relatively small, but often lucrative, enthusiast market.


The Dimension XPS sports Intel's latest 3GHz processor and the new 875P chipset. The 875P, formerly known as Canterwood, features an 800MHz bus for connecting the processor to memory--faster than the 533MHz or 400MHz bus found on other Pentium 4 PCs. The chipset also comes with Serial ATA, a fast link between the hard drive and the processor that speeds up data flow.

So far, most competitors are using the new processor and chipset only in corporate workstations.
High performance and an unconventional chassis are two of the signature hallmarks of PCs in the gaming enthusiast market. Small companies such as Alienware and retailers such as Best Buy have seen sales grow with their house brands by specializing in PCs with the newest technology, latest peripherals and distinctive looks.

The line between the multinational manufacturers and specialists has begun to blur a bit, with mainstream manufacturers increasingly emphasizing aesthetics and specialty manufacturers making wider distribution and retailing deals to reach a broader audience.

The market is small--specialty manufacturers probably sell only 100,000 PCs in total annually, said Roger Kay, an analyst at IDC. But the profit margins and average selling prices of PCs can be fairly high, he added. A number of trends are emerging in this market as well.

Still, it's not an easy market to crack. "Most major manufacturers have left them alone because the customer base is kind of finicky," Kay said.
Dell is not just targeting hard-core gamers, but instead is seeking to attract regular consumers as well. The desire to seek broader appeal in part can be seen in the chassis colors. Alienware's PCs come in colors like Martian Red and Cyborg Green. Dell's color is named after a place that Mom might want to go on vacation.
The Dimension XPS has three bays for optical drives, eight USB 2.0 ports, a choice of game controllers, a 128MB Radeon 9800 or 9800 Pro graphics card and up to 200GB of hard drive space. Prices start near at $2,199.