Alienware M11x getting Intel Core i3 / i5 / i7 upgrade next month, says Dell rep

Meet Pearce Clune, Dell's Head of Consumer Operations for Middle East, Africa, and Turkey. Clune's gone ahead and a pretty brief demonstration of Alienware's laptop lineup to Shuffle Magazine, include the mighty impressive M11x powerhouse in netbook clothing. It's all pretty standard fare until about 2:20 into the video, where the fine gentleman casually drops that the Core 2 Duo processor is about to get a modern upgrade with Core i3, i5, and i7 options. That's right, a Core i7 processor in a 11-inch form factor. We'll let that sink in for a second. But don't just take our word for it -- video after the break. Now, is Optimus en route, too?


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ASUS Bamboo Collection laptops: now with Taiwanese pricing, more bamboo (update)

ASUS has been attaching bamboo to its laptops for some time now, but it was only ever really for show -- though the wood itself was certainly biodegradable, adding veneer isn't exactly the greenest statement in the world. This year, however, the company's Bamboo Collection will be completely slightly more recyclable. With Core i5-450M processors, they should be reasonably good performers as well, and NVIDIA Optimus switchable graphics technology gives them a factory-estimated (read: unlikely) 11 hours of battery life. The panda fodder cases will be found in Taiwan for around $40,000 NTD (approximately $1,300) next month, though US availability is yet to be announced. Check out the gigantic ASUS PDF for additional specs while you wait, and feel free to blow Ma Earth kisses all the while.

Update: Our friends at Engadget Chinese inform us the new U series laptops aren't 100 percent recyclable after all; they still have a sizable plastic substrate underneath those thicker bamboo panels. It seems ASUS still hasn't managed to shake its wooden façade. Get specs and first-hand pics from the event at our more coverage link.

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Toshiba building world's lightest 13-inch laptop with fast charging SCiB battery?

Toshiba has a long history of making highly desirable ultraportables. Now, if today's rumor pans out, it seem set to bust out another in the form of the world's lightest (less than 1Kg with SSD) 13 incher. Besides sporting a 16:9 aspect ratio, USB 3.0 dock, and standard voltage CPU (a Core i5 is teased), this slim lappie features a 2nd SCiB (Super Charged ion Battery) power source that we've seen charging to 90% in just 10 minutes in prototypes from way back in 2008. No idea what "Blaze Mountain" cooling is... but we want it, assuming this is anything more than a prototype. Ah hell, we want it anyway. Check the illustration after the break.

Update: New details just came in: available in Core i3, i5, or i7-620 configurations with 4GB of memory, 500GB hard disk or optional 512GB SSD. And after talking to vozExpress, we have every reason to believe that Toshiba will be making this official in short order.

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Toshiba Portege M780 highlights business laptop refresh to Core i-series CPUs

For some among us, the VAIO E series is the pinnacle of modern mobile computing design. Then there are other, saner individuals, who prefer the understated aesthetics of what are commonly termed business laptops. For that latter group, we have a whole glut of new Toshiba notebooks to look at, highlighted by the delectable looking Portege M780 above. Much in the vein of HP's 2730p, it's a 12.1-inch convertible tablet PC, with a spill-resistant keyboard and rugged features (tested to withstand drops from up to 1 meter), but its biggest attraction will still likely be the Core i5 heart thumping inside. Also undergoing upgrades are the Tecra A11 (already available in the US), M11 and S11, which will come with up to 8GB of RAM, 802.11n wireless, SSD options, and of course Intel Core i7 CPUs. Check them out after the break, and expect them to arrive in Europe, the Middle East and Africa this quarter, with the M780 close behind them with a Q2 2010 release.

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Panasonic slips Core i5 into 'world's lightest' 12.1-inch Toughbook C1 convertible tablet

We tell ya -- all this tablet talk sure has us feeling like it's 2003. You know, minus all that Y2K hangover stuff. Anywho, Panasonic has today outed what it's calling the planet's lightest 12.1-inch convertible tablet PC, with the Toughbook C1 offering the line's iconic rigidity while boasting 10 hours of battery life, an optional Gobi 2000 mobile broadband module and Intel's decidedly potent 2.4GHz Core i5-520 processor. All told, the device weighs just 3.2 pounds with a single battery (3.7 pounds with twins), and there's full support for digitizers and multitouch. Other specs include a shock-mounted, flex-connect 250GB hard drive, 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, a WXGA (1,280 x 800) LED-backlit panel, a triple hinge design and the ability to survive a 30-inch plummet. It's available to (quite literally) smash iPads starting this June, though that $2,499 starting price may be somewhat off-putting to those without copious amounts of disposable income.

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