Apple is top manufacturer but Android is top os

According to June data from Nielsen, Google’s Android operating system (OS) now claims the largest share of the U.S. consumer smartphone market with 39 percent. Apple’s iOS is in second place with 28 percent, while RIM Blackberry is down to 20 percent.

HP TouchPad goes on sale in the UK, starts at £399 for 16GB WiFi model

Here's an interesting titbit: HP's TouchPad has already begun to ship to speciality shops in the land of untamed energy usage and a holier-than-thou attitude, but for the pernickety among us, you may know that the company's first webOS slate hasn't actually hit the streets of Londontown. Until now, ole chap. The 16GB WiFi model is going for £399, while a doubling of capacity will tack on a few extra quid. It's available now directly from HP's webstore, but if mum always criticised your rampant online shopping sprees, we hear aeroplanes and coupés are colourful alternatives for acquisition.

What WebOS Means To HP, Linux, And You

In John’s review of the new HP TouchPad, he claimed that “WebOS is the real star of this show. The OS offers true multi-tasking and uses a system of “cards” and “stacks” to display active applications.” I think it’s worthwhile to remind everyone that WebOS is built atop the Linux kernel, and that has several interesting ramifications. HP has continued Palm’s dedication to user experience, and WebOS should make it abundantly clear that “Linux” need not be synonymous with “complex and arcane”. But there’s a lot more than just superficial window dressing to consider.

HP unveils Elite L2201x: super slim 22-inch monitor

During our Monday morning HP deluge, we managed to overlook this rather slender 22-inch monitor. Buried beneath a slew of other announcements in the outfit's latest press release is the Elite L2201x: an LED-backlit display, measuring just 0.4-inches thick. It offers a 1920 x 1080 display, 5000:1 contrast ratio, and a DisplayPort for hooking up. It may not be the slimmest screen we've ever come across, but we'd say it's a mighty fine looking monitor, and for $250, it's a relatively cheap date to boot. The Elite L2201x lands stateside June 1st.

HP Elite L2201x

Techland HP

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The dual-core Sandy Bridge laptops have arrived! Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Sony start shipping systemsThe dual-core Sandy Bridge laptops have arrived! Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Sony start shipping systems

If your eyes have been glued to Engadget this week, you've noticed that there have been quite a few new laptops unveiled. Sure, Samsung's rail-thin Series 9 stole a lot of the glory, but Dell and ASUS also rolled out a few new Intel Sandy Bridge systems. But something else big happened this week in the portable computer world -- a good number of the dual-core Sandy Bridge systems finally started shipping to you laptop-loving people. Wait, but didn't that happen back at CES? Not quite: while Intel announced the availability of Sandy Bridge back in January, it only started to ship its quad-core chips -- now all the dual-core Core i3, i5, and i7s are ready and so are the systems that house 'em. We've gathered a list of the rigs that are now up for order or hitting retailers. Hit that read more link for a breakdown, and start deciding if you need some fresh dual-core power in your life.

Dell

Dell launched two new systems this week -- the Inspiron R and Vostro -- but its new Latitudes are up for order as well.

• Inspirons Rs (14R, 15R, 17R) - Beyond the new chiclet keyboards and swappable lids, the new 14-, 15.6-, and 17.3-inch Inspiron Rs are available with a smattering of new Core i3, i5, and i7 processors. The 14 and 15 get AMD 6400M graphics options and the 17R has a NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M option. (Order pages: 14R, 15R)

• Latitude E5000 and E6000 - If you've been eyeing Dell's new Latitude E series ever since we got a closer look at the new business rugged machines last month, now is your chance. And it looks like there are plenty of deals to be had -- for instance, the E6420 starts at $699 and includes a Core i3-2310M processor, 2GB of RAM, and a 250GB hard drive. (Order page: E5000 and E6000)

HP

Remember the two consumer systems HP announced in February? You can grab 'em now.

• Pavilion dv6, d7 - HP's totally retooled its mainstream dv series with aluminum exteriors and chiclet keyboards without jacking up the price too much. For $799 you can get a 15.6-inch dv6 with a Core i5-2410M processor, 6GB of RAM, and a 640GB hard drive. Oh, and adding a AMD Radeon 6490M graphics card will only add $100 to the price. (Order pages: dv6, dv7)

• G-Series - For the most part HP's new budget mainstream systems don't actually use Intel's latest processors, but we figured we'd include the new G-series here since they did just become available. These come in a whole new rainbow of colors and $499 can buy you a 15.6-inch rig with a Core i3 processor and 320GB of storage. (Order pages: g4, g6, g7)

HP, we have one question left: where the heck is the refreshed Envy 14?!

Lenovo

• ThinkPad T420, T520 - Sure, Lenovo hasn't done all that much to the exteriors of its T Series, but there's lots of new tech inside the 14- and 15.6-inch business machines. The T420 has Core i3 and i5 options, while the T520 adds an i7 into the mix. Both are supposed to have NVIDIA graphics options, but unfortunately we're not seeing that choice at the moment. (Order pages: T420, T520)

Samsung

• Series 9 - We knew this one was coming, but now you can finally order up the Core i5-2537M-powered, duralumin laptop that weighs just 2.89 pounds. We'd suggest waiting on our review that's coming this week before you pull out the plastic! (Order pages: Series 9)

Sony

• VAIO C Series - Yes, we are aware those neon colored VAIO CA and CB series laptops can make your eyes bleed, but good news: it also comes in black! Both the 14.4- and 15.6-inch laptops are ready now with new Sandy Bridge Core i5 processors and AMD Radeon 6470M graphics. The $899 starting configuration doesn't include Blu-ray, but it only costs $70 to add the drive. (Order pages: VAIO C Series)

source: engadget

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iPad 2 vs. Motorola Xoom vs. HP TouchPad vs. BlackBerry PlayBook: the tale of the tape

You might recall we ran this comparison about a month back when HP's TouchPad was announced, but now we're back with a full set of 2011 devices as Apple's brand new iPad 2 has joined the fray. There's no need for excessive introductions, really, just leap past the break to get swalloped up by an avalanche of next-generation tablet specs.

Apple iPad 2

Motorola Xoom

HP TouchPad

BlackBerry PlayBook

Platform	iOS 4.3	Android 3.0	webOS 3.0	BB Tablet OS (QNX)
Display	9.7-inch LED-backlit IPS LCD	10.1-inch	9.7-inch	7-inch LCD
Resolution	1024 x 768	1280 x 800	1024 x 768	1024 x 600
Processor	1GHz dual-core Apple A5	1GHz dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2	1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon	1GHz dual-core TI OMAP4430
Memory	?	1GB RAM	1GB RAM	1GB RAM
Storage	16GB / 32GB / 64GB	32GB	16GB / 32GB	16GB / 32GB / 64GB
Front camera	VGA	2 megapixel	1.3 megapixel	3 megapixel
Rear camera	720 / 30p video	5 megapixel AF with dual-LED flash, 720 / 30p video	none	5 megapixel, 1080p video
Cellular radio	Quadband HSPA or CDMA / EV-DO Rev. A	3G with free upgrade to 4G LTE	3G and 4G	3G and 4G
WiFi	802.11a/b/g/n	802.11a/b/g/n	802.11b/g/n	802.11a/b/g/n
Bluetooth	2.1 + EDR	2.1 + EDR	2.1 + EDR	2.1 + EDR
Accelerometer	3-axis	3-axis	Yes	Yes
Gyroscope	Yes	Yes	Yes	--
Battery	25Wh	6,500mAh	6,300 mAh	5,300 mAh
Thickness	8.8mm	12.7mm	13.7mm	10mm
Weight	601g (WiFi), 607g (Verizon), 613g (AT&T)	725g	740g	425g

3446

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HP gets down to business with redesigned and refreshed EliteBook and ProBook laptops (hands-on)

Two weeks ago "consumers" got totally redesigned HP Pavilion dv and g-series laptops, leaving those poor guys in the conference room with nothing but their "old" Calpella-based machines and sad Excel spreadsheets. Well, it's their turn now alright -- HP's been stirring up brand new EliteBook and ProBooks for the guys and gals in suits (though, we're really of the mind that these laptops are for anyone looking for some tough and powerful hardware). All ten of the new machines (yep, 10!) have been given new metal designs, Intel's latest Sandy Bridge processors, facial recognition software, and an easy-access latch to get to the hard drive and RAM. And there's more -- hit the jump for a break down and impressions of each of the models, and don't forget to check those galleries below for some shots of these rigs in the flesh.

HP EliteBook p-series hands-on

HP ProBook b-series, s-series hands-on

HP EliteBook p-series

The 14-inch EliteBook 8460p and 15.6-inch EliteBook 8560p still look like they belong in the office, but the new bead-blasted magnesium-aluminum lid, edges, and palmrest, which are resistant to smudges, make the machines tough enough to take a serious beating on-the-go. They've even met the MIL-STD 810G military standards making them "business-rugged." And that's not the whole durable story -- both models have a double-shot display frames and aluminum-alloy hinges (picture of that here).

Overall, we have to say we were really impressed with the tough feel of the chassis, although it makes them a bit heavy (the 8460p weighs 4.56 pounds and the 8560p 6.1 pounds). However, our favorite two features are more focused on actual usability. The first is the chemically strengthen glass touchpad. It feels great under a finger -- a lot like the one on the Lenovo U260 actually -- and it has two dedicated right and left mouse buttons. In fact, HP's decided to exterminate the ClickPads altogether on these new business models. Still alive, however, are the pointing sticks. The second is the easy access panel on the bottom of the systems -- snap off the rear cover and you've got full access to the hard drive, RAM, etc. Seriously, it looks insanely easy to pull out the hard drive and put in, oh say, one of those new OCZ Vertex 3 Pro SSDs.

So, what are you getting exactly on the inside of these rigs? Both will be configurable with Sandy Bridge Core i3, i5, and i7 processors, up to 8GB of RAM, a USB 3.0 port, and AMD Radeon HD 6470M graphics. There will also be three-, six-, and nine-cell battery options, and HP's claiming that the SSD, nine-cell battery, and "ultra-capacity" extended battery configurations will keep these bad boys running for 32 hours. Obviously, that setup will cost quite a bit more than the $999 starting price.

HP ProBook b-series

As always, HP's ProBooks are for the more mainstream business users, which basically means, they're cheaper. The new 13.3-inch 6360b, 14-inch 6460b, and 15.6-inch 6560b, are similarly made out of aluminum, although they don't have the same finish as the EliteBooks and are a darker tungsten color. They also don't get the higher quality glass touchpad, but the pad is roomy and the rubbery right and left buttons have a nice texture to them.

Spec-wise, the ProBooks are very similar to the EliteBooks -- they're available with Intel Celeron, Core i3, i5, and i7 processors, up to 8GB of RAM, and AMD Radeon 6470 graphics. Oh, and did we mention they'll have an HD webcam option? Both the ProBooks and the EliteBooks have HP's new facial recognition software and the usual HP QuickWeb pre-boot environment. The b-series will start at $799.

HP ProBook s-series

This series is definitely the middle child of the bunch -- it just doesn't get the same kind of love as the others, but then again it's the cheapest. It may have a brushed-aluminum finish, but it's pretty plain in design. All the versions -- there's the 14-inch 4430s, 15.6-inch 4530s, and 17-inch 4730s -- will have Intel Celeron, Core i3, i5, and i7 processor options. (Note: there are 12- and 13-inchers as well, but they won't be coming to the US). While there will be AMD GPU options, the models offered will primarily have integrated graphics, which makes sense for the $579 starting price.

HP EliteBook and ProBook press shots

  

PRESS RELEASE

   

HP Unveils Business Notebooks Designed with Precision Engineering

PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 23, 2011 – HP today revamped its corporate and enterprise (C&E) and small and medium business (SMB) notebook PC lineup with new technology aimed at boosting performance and productivity, while offering an enriched and sophisticated industrial design that improves notebook quality and reliability.

The company's new FORGE design framework ensures HP business notebooks embody a timeless construction, with precision-engineered durability features that are designed for maximum reliability and with the environment in mind. Precision aluminum-alloy hinges, cast titanium-alloy display latches and the HP DisplaySafe frame are a few of the design highlights behind the FORGE approach.

New products and services include:
- HP EliteBook 8460p and 8560p notebook PCs feature an aerospace- inspired HP DuraCase that meets the MIL-STD 810G military-standard testing specifications, (1) enabling it to withstand wear and tear while still sporting an attractive, professional-looking platinum color tone finish. The EliteBook 8460p also provides industry-leading battery life up to 32 hours.(2)
- HP ProBook 6360b, 6460b and 6560b notebook PCs offer configuration flexibility in areas such as processor, graphics and battery technology. Boasting an all-new 13.3-inch diagonal display option, the ProBook b-series also features a new smudge-resistant and wear-resistant tungsten-colored design.
- HP ProBook s-series 4230s, 4330s, 4430s, 4530s and 4730s notebook PCs are available in an array of sizes – from ultra-light to desktop replacement – making them an excellent, affordable choice for SMBs.

"HP is the market leader in business notebooks and we have raised the bar with a completely revamped line of business-grade notebooks‖ said Dan Forlenza, vice president, Business Notebooks, Personal Systems Group, HP. "Our all-metal EliteBooks meet military standards and will surpass customer expectations in durability"

Rugged, optimized design for premium business performance
Bold, confident and modern, the HP EliteBook 8460p and HP EliteBook 8560p are the culmination of creative design and precision engineering. Starting at only 4.56 pounds and 6.10 pounds, respectively, the HP EliteBook 8460p and 8560p offer 14- and 15.6-inch diagonal high- definition (HD) LED-backlit displays(3) that deliver incredible portability without sacrificing screen legibility.

The EliteBook p-series delivers optimum business performance with second-generation Intel® CoreTM i7 quad-core processors and Core i7, i5 and i3 dual-core processors,(4) while offering flexible choices of UMA or high-performance AMD Radeon HD 6470M discrete graphics with responsive performance and rich media capabilities. The notebooks also feature new USB 3.0 ports and a USB 2.0 charging port, in addition to a range of wireless connectivity options, choice of multiple operating systems, and either hard disk drive or solid-state disk drive options.

The HP EliteBook p-series also offers 3-, 6- and 9-cell options for lightweight and extended battery run time, and an HP Long Life Battery option(5) for the highest-achieving notebook battery lifespan on the market. The notebooks also are compatible with the new HP Extended Life Notebook Battery and HP Ultra-Capacity Notebook Battery. With the new HP Ultra-Capacity Notebook battery, the HP EliteBook 8460p can achieve up to 32 hours of battery life.(2)

The new HP EliteBook p-series easily connects to the HP 90W Docking Station or the HP 120W Advanced Docking Station(5) for use with peripherals like a monitor and keyboard, enabling users to have a desktop experience without needing to plug and unplug accessories. In addition, the HP EliteBook p-series offers SRS Premium Sound, which delivers optimized audio settings for voice and multimedia applications.

Smartly designed, productivity-enhancing notebook series
The new HP ProBook 6360b, HP ProBook 6460b and HP ProBook 6560b are ideal choices when smart design, ultimate configurability and business-critical attributes are top priorities.
The HP ProBook b-series sports bead-blast aluminum display enclosures, a magnesium-reinforced ABS chassis and a bottom-case drain that helps protect against accidental minor spills on the keyboard. Other new features include an HP DisplaySafe frame for added panel protection, precision display latches for a more secure fit and a spill-resistant keyboard set in a full aluminum deck for a better look and feel.

Available with 13.3-inch (6360b), 14-inch (6460b) and 15.6-inch (6560b) diagonal HD LED backlit displays,(3) the HP ProBook b-series offers a range of processing options, including second-generation Intel Core i7, i5 and i3 dual-core processors or an Intel Celeron® processor.(4) For businesses looking for simple multimedia functionality, the ProBook b- series offers an optional HD webcam(3, 5) and features a standard Media Card Reader, SRS Premium Sound, discrete launch buttons and a touchpad on/off button.

Stylish with affordable enhanced security for small businesses
The HP ProBook s-series balances business functionality with style and affordability. Designed with small business needs in mind, the HP ProBook 4230s (12.1-inch diagonal), ProBook 4330s (13.3-inch diagonal), ProBook 4430s (14-inch diagonal), ProBook 4530s (15.6-inch diagonal) and ProBook 4730s (17.3-inch diagonal) are available in a stylish yet durable brushed-aluminum finish in metallic gray color. The HP ProBook s-series offers second-generation Intel Core i7, i5 and i3 processors for high performance and advanced processing speed or an Intel Celeron processor.(4)

Additionally, HP ProBook s-series notebooks are optimized for business and home multimedia usage. The ProBook s-series includes a spill- resistant keyboard set in a full aluminum deck, touchpad with gestures supported, integrated HD webcam(3) with optional dual-array microphones(5) and SRS Premium Sound. The series also includes a choice between Power Express Switchable Graphics (6) and Integrated Graphics, and offers a productivity suite including USB 3.0, standard media card reader and a fingerprint reader.

HP Professional Innovations
HP is focused on innovations that enhance productivity and simplify how people use technology.

The latest version of HP QuickWeb(7) builds on the premise that users have a need to get online fast – without waiting for long boot times – whether they are browsing the web or using applications such as email and conferencing. The newest version of HP QuickWeb now includes web browser, offline email, video conferencing via Skype and multiple widgets such as weather, stocks and social media apps.

The updated is a single software application that manages integrated mobile broadband connections, as well as reports the status of Ethernet and Wi-Fi connections. It now supports 3G/4G,(8 )Wi-Fi(9) and Ethernet for most networks across Windows® 7, Vista® and XP and has been redesigned to integrate with IT managers can now centrally manage and view mobile broadband usage for client machines with HP mobile broadband modules on their networks. Bluetooth® wireless on a user's mobile phone, paired with face recognition authentication, delivers robust user access to Windows and websites.(10)

HP Power Assistant(11) software extends battery run time while reducing energy consumption through a simple, new user interface. It is an integrated solution that measures and logs reported energy usage by the PC and up to four HP connected monitors (for a total of five screens).(12) Users can now create custom power plans and track energy consumption to meet specific computing needs around the clock.

Pricing and availability(13, 14)
- The HP EliteBook 8460p and 8560p start at $999 and $1099, respectively, and are expected to be available in the United States on March 15.
- The HP ProBook b-series starts at $799 and is expected to be available in the United States on March 15.
- The HP ProBook s-series starts at $579 and is expected to be available in the United States on March 15.

More information about the products, including product specifications and images, is available at www.hp.com/personal.

HP TouchPad on sale in April?

The official TouchPad launch date isn't even a date per se, but a season: summer. So we're surprised to see DigiTimes reporting that HP will take delivery of shipments in March with the TouchPad going on sale in April with plans to ship 4 - 5 million units from the TouchPad "series" in 2011. Based on what we know, both from using the software-incomplete pre-production tablet and from our detailed discussions with Jon Rubinstein, an April retail date would be extremely aggressive to say the least. And DigiTimes' accuracy with regard to rumors for companies located outside of its home country of Taiwan is spotty at best. Nevertheless, HP's new CEO Leo Apotheker did say originally, that products announced at the February 9th event would be on sale just a few weeks later. Unfortunately, only the wee Veer handset got an early spring promise with the Pre 3 joining the TouchPad for a summer launch. Perhaps this will be a case of HP under promising and over delivering? We can't say for sure. But with any luck, HP could bring some clarity to the matter on March 14th -- a day Apotheker had promised a big reveal regarding a "secret answer" and "vision of what HP is capable of in the future... the starting point." Why so mysterious, Leo?

DigiTimes

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HP Veer shows its cute little face in FCC

It's not exactly full disclosure -- you won't get to see a user's manual, for instance, or those gritty FCC lab external photos that we always love -- but a new device passed by Palm through the feds' systems in the past 24 hours is pretty clearly the Veer judging by the mentions of a sliding mechanism, the lack of CDMA, and the fact that we know the Veer is the next webOS phone to hit the market. Now, here's where it gets a little interesting: this filing was definitely made by Palm, not HP, which leads you to wonder just how far into the process the company got on its next-gen handsets before HP decided to effectively kill off the Palm brand altogether. In case you're wondering, the filing refers to an internal model number is P160UNA, indicating a model P160 in the North American UMTS configuration (for the record, the North American unlocked Pre 2 is the P102UNA). If you ever see a P160EWW in the system, that'd likely mean that a CDMA Veer were in the works -- but seriously, we wouldn't get our hopes up.

FCC