MSI Launches New Gaming Laptops - GX400, GX630, GT735

MSI has unveiled three new gaming notebooks - the GX400, GX630, and GT735.

The 14.1-inch GX400 and 15.4-inch GX630 are based on Intel’s Centrino 2 mobile platform and feature Core 2 Duo processors and the Nvidia GeForce 9600M GT video cards. On the other side, the 17-inch GT735 is powered by AMD “Puma” technology, Turion X2 Ultra CPUs, and the ATi Mobility Radeon HD3850 dedicated graphics card.

The notebooks come with up to 4GB of DDR2 memory, up to 500GB of hard drive space, a DVD burner or Blu-Ray drive, built-in web camera, and HDMI output.

The GX400, GX630, and GT735 feature Turbo Drive Engine Technology, which enables users to increase the speed of the CPU when the laptop is in AC mode by pushing the turbo button.

There is also ECO Engine power management function that enables switching among 5 different operation modes – Gaming mode, Movie mode, Presentation mode, Office mode, and power saving Turbo Battery mode.

There is no information on pricing and availability of the new MSI gaming notebooks.

Sony VAIO Type A 18.4″ Multimedia Laptop Unveiled

Sony has unveiled the VAIO type A laptop for photographers and video editors.

The VAIO type A features a 18.4-inch display with LED backlit and a resolution of 1,920×1,080 pixels (full HD), the Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 processor at 2.53GHz, a Blu-ray burner, up to 4GB of RAM, and dual 250GB hard drives.

In addition, it has eSATA and Firewire ports, three USB 2.0 ports, and a “high-speed UDMA-enabled CF slot for quick image transfers off your DSLR’s CompactFlash card”.

“As Sony’s newest media flagship, we’re also looking at HDMI-out, 802.11n WiFi, GeForce 9600M GT graphics, and a full suite of included image and video editing software from Adobe. All this in a relatively hefty 3.9-kg (8.6-pounds) rig. Although, with just 2-hours of battery you’ll want to spring for the optional 3-hour add-on,” Engadget reports.

The new VAIO is priced at around ¥320,000 (around $3,000) and will be available in Japan at the end of September. There is no information on US availability.

Google fixes up Chrome flaws, launches Chrome blog

Today Google announced their progress and mission plan for taking care of the current and future security issues with their new Chrome browser. In particular, they revealed some details about the two biggest known flaws. Those have been fixed, along with some other minor issues.

Google also has opened a Chrome Releases blog, which they are using to openly document their progress on the browser. Unlike the often easily-readable release notes you normally expect from a browser like Firefox, Google wasn't all that revealing on what exactly it was they are doing with updates. With this, that seems to have changed.

The browser is facing criticism due to lack of site compatibility and other issues, but I think it is far too early after release to really judge what sort of browser it will be.

Asus Eee 901 reaches $500

Asus has faced a lot of criticism with their Eee line related to how they have become increasingly expensive. What was originally envisioned, sold and received as a very cheap solution with low powered hardware has turned into “netbooks” that are nearly as expensive as midrange laptops – and more expensive than bottom of the barrel laptops.

It seems they are realizing how out of touch they have become with that original focus and are talking a step backwards. The 901 has reached a $500 price point, coupled with the 1.6GHz Atom and a gig of ram. That's still a leap from the around $300 tag Asus was originally known for, one that made them look quite good at the time.

It's obvious the Eee line has grown far beyond the simple “cheap laptop” market that they started off in, but I hope Asus will dedicate at least a portion of their hardware lineup to ultra-cheap hardware.