Asus announce Eee PC Seashell 1008HA

ASUS have today announced the UK launch of the new Eee PC™ Seashell netbook which presents a user-centric blend of timeless design and effortless mobility.

My quick take is that this little netbook oozes style. All those sleek lines, USB and video ports hidden away under neat little covers. It really does look stunning. A little pricier at £379 than the current crop, but you have to pay a little more for quality like this. We have a review model winging its way to the Geekanoids office, so check out the video review sometime in May.

Back to the official press release...
Nature has a way of creating elegance of out simplicity and ASUS has followed the same philosophy for its latest Eee PC™. Inspired by the sleek shape of the humble seashell, the Eee PC 1008HA Seashell combines a striking slimline design with the latest mobile technology.

The Seashell’s slender case is less than 1in at its thickest point and artfully curves to a razor-thin edge. This stunning low profile is made possible by a new ASUS motherboard that takes up very little space, and the integral lithium-polymer cell removes the need for an unsightly, bulbous battery. The incredibly small, amazingly smart Intel® Atom™ N280 processor provides an unmatched combination of performance and power-efficiency. Furthermore, despite weighing just 1.1kg, the Seashell lasts for up to six* hours away from a plug socket.

ASUS is also giving one away per week during the launch period; please visit www.asus.co.uk/seashell for further details of the competition.

For further information about the product, please visit www.asus.co.uk/eeepc/1008HA

Key Features
* 1” thickness and 1.1kg weight
* 10” LED-backlit WSVGA glare-type display (1024x600)
* Fast Intel Atom N280 processor
* Polymer battery offers up to 6 hours of battery life*
* SRS Surround Sound audio
* Ergonomically designed keyboard with Multi-touch touchpad
* 170GB Hybrid Storage (160GB Internal plus Eee Storage)
* 802.11 b/g/n wireless and Bluetooth 2.1
* Super Hybrid Engine for intelligent energy management

RM Launches the RM Asus MiniBook for £169

RM has launched a PC that weighs less than 1kg, is about the same size as a box of tissues and costs less than £200. It is the ideal computer for learners. Not only is it light, small and truly portable it is affordable too.

"We like the look of this small form factor laptop, and anything that encourages students to embrace technology is a good thing. The styling looks very nice, right down to the diddy touchpad. We will bring you a review of this product as soon as we can." [Dave, Geekanoids]

Students will be able to use the RM Asus miniBook to send and receive email, create and edit documents, view photographs, play videos and MP3 files, browse the Internet, listen to online radio and participate in instant messaging. The screen is just over 7 inches in size and the device takes less than 15 seconds to boot up and has a one click intuitive interface.

The RM Asus miniBook combines the portability and quick start of a PDA with the capabilities of a notebook. It has a solid-state hard drive, for fast boot-up and shut down, which is more robust than a mechanical drive. It features an integrated web cam, microphone and speakers – which make video conferencing quick and easy. It also has internal wireless g and an optional 3G module for easy mobile connection. There is an integrated card reader for easy transfer of photographs and other files, 3 USB 2.0 ports and a VGA out port.

Other key features of the RM Asus miniBook are that it is safe for pupils to take home and it is very portable. Being small and compact makes the miniBook unobtrusive and, therefore, safer for pupils to transport to and from school. And weighing less that 1kg means that the problems associated with carrying heavy school bags are a thing of the past too.

This innovative computer has been jointly developed by RM and its hardware partner, Asustek, the company that also worked with RM on the development of the RM Mobile One notebook.

Commenting on the launch, Tim Pearson, CEO of RM said;
“There has never been such an exciting time for teaching and learning with ICT. Learners these days need to have access to technology at home and outside the classroom. The school gate is now a virtual one. And that is a good thing. What is not so good is if some learners can’t be part of that new world. That is why we are working with our technology partners Asustek to bring affordable, mobile computing to schools. We have a responsibility to ensure that all our children have access to the very best learning and the very best technology that is available. By developing a student device that is in the same price range as an iPod I believe we are getting there.”

Video of the Intel Metro Laptop

Friends at AeroXperience got this great video of Intel's ultra-ultra-ultra thin concept laptop, the Metro, with lots of footage of the e-ink lid display in action. My opinion "Nice looking laptop, shame about the Vista, shame about the external e-ink display."

via gizmodo.com read more | digg story

Commodore to return with Gaming PC's

I grew up with Commodore computers, some 25 years ago I had a Commodore 64, simply awesome in its day. Yes, I admit I was torn between Atari and Commodore, but the Amiga then led the way to my Desktop Publishing exposure, owning both an A1200 and A1500, before switching over to the Mac…
Well, Commodore are back, launching with an interesting array of custom painted gaming PC's with a pretty good spec. Quad core processors, 4GB RAM, dual NVidia GeForce 8800 graphic cards, and a custom C-kin paint job, things look really promising. Check out the website here.

UKsnapshot Site Launched - Apple Event Photos

UKsnapshot, a new site, has launched with a very interesting site and service. It is run by Wiki Design, the same company behind Geekanoids and offers visitors the opportunity to view and purchase photo quality prints from various galleries.

The Event Galleries will cover various events around the UK, such as charity runs, the upcoming Tour De France, the 2007 Merida Mountain Bike race, and many other events throughout the UK. There is one gallery up already of the Apple Store Bentall Centre opening, with many more to follow. The idea behind the Event Galleries is to give you the chance to get a picture either of yourself, or that interests you. Many people attend or take part in events and don't even think of capturing the moment, so this is where UKsnapshot do it for you.

When an event is covered, UKsnapshot will hand out cards to spread the word that they are there. Within 48 hours of the event, the gallery will go up online, ready for viewing and ordering prints. The photo quality prints start at just £5.95 delivered.

There are also sections currently being worked on for Landmarks, and Specialized Artwork which includes music, skate and Apple sections. The UKsnapshot website is well worth checking and bookmarking for future reference.

Rocketboom to launch Digg clone

News comes from SXSW that the popular video podcast, Rocketboom, will later today launch its own Digg-like social news site. Built using the open-source content management system, Pligg, the new site will allow viewers to create a profile, submit and vote on stories for possible inclusion in the show, as well as leave threaded comments.

via ZDNet read more | digg story

Floola - an iPod alternative

Floola is an alternative management software for iTunes. Basically you can use Floola to manage your iPod related content, including music, movies and even podcasts without touching iTunes. Floola even has Growl support for Mac OSX and allows you to manage applications that can then be launch right from your iPod. It is donationware and available to download for Mac OS X, Windows and Linux.

Skype Pro Launched in Europe

Skype have just launched Skype Pro, a new subscription based service that tags onto your existing (or new) Skype account. The initial 5 month subscription will cost £9.20 which includes approximately £3.40 of calling credit, after the 5 months introductory period is over £1.50 per month is deducted from your balance.
What Pro offers is that you pay a 3p connection fee per call to UK landlines, but nothing for the minutes you use. You also get free voicemail, plus a discount on a SkypeIn number. The regular Skype-to-Skype computer based calls remain free.
The new Pro service will roll out to the rest of the world late 2007.