News Bits: PortableONE WX Released, New Alienware SLI Notebooks, Intel Profit Drops

PortableONE launches 17-inch WX series notebook released

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The PortableONE WX series is a high-end desktop replacement notebook featuring a 17" UVA (Ultra Viewing Angle) display. A powerful Nvidia GeForce Go 7 series GPU allows today's most cutting edge and advanced games to be played with ease, and offers unmatched HD video performance.

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Standard specifications:

• Intel Core 2 Duo T7200
• 17" UVA WSXGA+ LCD
• 1GB DDR2 dual-channel RAM (4GB max.)
• 512MB Nvidia GeForce Go7600
• 100GB 7200RPM SATA hard drive
• Super Multi DVD burner

At the end of next month, PortableONE will offer upgrades to a 512MB Nvidia GeForce Go7950GTX graphics card and slot-load Blu-ray drive.

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Other highlights:

• 2.0 megapixel digital webcam with microphone
• Tri-band WLAN
• Bluetooth 2.0+EDR PAN
• Gigabit LAN
• eSATA port
• 4x USB 2.0
• VGA, S-Video, High Definition HDMI output ports
• Dolby Certified 5 channel SRS sound system w/WOW technology
• 7-in-1 card reader
• Weight: 8 lbs.

Link to Product (PortableONE.com)

Alienware prepares m9750, m5790 gaming notebooks

Alienware will be launching two new 17" gaming notebooks based on the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors. There has been no set date for release, although it is probable that they will be released around the end of January.

Area-51 m9750

The Alienware Area-51 M9750 is the first 17" notebook to feature Nvidia SLI technology and an Intel Core 2 Duo processor. Alienware calls it "the most powerful 17" system in the world." It comes with dual Nvidia graphics cards and dual SATA hard drives.

Additional features of the m9750 include an integrated TV tuner, full-size keyboard with numeric keypad, and exclusive Alienware design.

Specifications:

• Intel Core 2 Duo processors
• Up to 2GB DDR2-667 dual-channel RAM
• Dual Nvidia GeForce Go7950GTX 512MB graphics cards
• Blu-ray, DVD Burner optical drive options
• Up to 400GB hard drive space (2x 200GB drives)
• Microsoft Windows Vista operating system
• 17" WUXGA (1920x1200) widescreen display with Clearview Technology

Area-51 m5790 Special Edition

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The Alienware m5790 is an ideal notebook for high-end gaming and multimedia functionality. It features the ultra-powerful ATI Mobility Radeon X1900 graphics card, and up to two SATA hard drives. It is available with an overclocked Intel Core 2 Duo processor.

Specifications:

• Intel Core 2 Duo (overclocked available)
• Up to 2GB DDR2-667 dual-channel RAM
• ATI Mobility Radeon X1900 256MB
• Blu-ray, DVD burner optical drive options
• Up to 400GB hard drive space (2x 200GB drives)
• Microsoft Windows XP (Vista Ready)
• 17" WUXGA (1920x1200) widescreen display with Clearview Technology

Intel posts $9.7 billion revenue for Q4, but earnings drop 39%

January 16^th - Intel today posted its Q4 revenue of $9.7 billion. Q4 saw new records set for total microprocessor unit sales, along with server, mobile, and flash unit sales. Intel shipped over 70 million 65nm processors during 2006, and dual-core technology represented over 50 percent of Q4 shipments. Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini said, “Intel’s product and technology leadership yielded a strong fourth quarter with higher selling prices and record unit shipments in the fastest growing segments of the market.”

Despite that large number and some bullish talk by Paul Otellini, the fact is that the fourth quarter earnings plunged 39% year over year. Because of this shares of Intel fell $1.26, or 5.65 percent today to close at $21.04.

Intel chalked up the profit decline to write-downs in its flash memory division, startup charges for its new NAND flash unit which makes the memory chips used in portable electronic gadgets such as MP3 players and cell phones and costs associated with its transition to a more advanced manufacturing technology. Stiff competition with AMD and price wars also brought down revenues.

Intel expects their Q1 2007 revenue to be between $8.7 and $9.3 billion.

Read More (Business Wire)

Seagate releases 2.5" 15,000RPM hard drive for servers

Seagate announced a new, faster class of 2.5" hard drives for servers, the Savvio 15K, which spins at 15,000RPM. Seagate is making an effort to get the industry to replace the 3.5" drives that currently dominate the server market. HP is a large proponent of the smaller 2.5" drives, as the company uses them in their ProLiant x86 servers.

In addition to taking up less room, the 2.5" 15,000RPM drives also consume around 30% less power than current 3.5" 15,000RPM drives. The Savvio 15K is only being shipped to computer manufacturers right now; it will announce a price later in Q1 when they will be sold to a larger market.

Those these drives are designed for servers and not notebooks, it is conceivable that this technology will filter down, especially given the fact the drive is 2.5" diameter.

Read More (CNet News)

OLED manufacturers from Vista SideShow supporting notebooks

Digitimes reports that OLED makers will benefit from notebooks featuring a new side panel design on Vista-supporting notebooks equipped with them. The feature is called SideShow, and can be seen on the Toshiba Portege R400. Toshiba is likely to place orders for the OLED panel.

OLED makers are currently sending samples.

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