laptop News - Page 16 of 33 - CNX Software

July 8, 2019July 7, 2019 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

Testing Ubuntu 18.04 on XIDU PhilPad 2-in-1 Hybrid with Touchscreen

So I’ve recently completed the review of XIDU Philpad 2-in-1 hybrid with Windows 10. The laptop features a 13.3″ touchscreen and support stylus, and I was intrigued whether those would work in Ubuntu 18.04. So I flash the Ubuntu 18.04.2 Desktop ISO to a flash drive and installed Ubuntu to another USB flash drive to give it a try with persistent storage. Note that while it’s OK for testing, running Ubuntu 18.04 from a USB flash drive is very slow, so it’s not recommended. The good news is that you can enter the BIOS by pressing either Esc or Del at boot time, an option is available to select Linux in the BIOS. I could then select Partition 1 in my bootable flash drive, and install Ubuntu 18.04 on the other drive with some patience, and everything works smoothly, albeit slowly due to using a cheap USB flash drive during […]

July 5, 2019July 6, 2019 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 6 Comments

XIDU PhilPad 2-in-1 Hybrid 2K Laptop Review

I had never heard about XIDU laptops and tablets, and it’s apparently the brand name of “Shenzhen Baohuazhong Co Limited” that was founded in 2014 and specializes in the design, development, manufacturing, distributions, and support for computer systems. I came to know about the company as they approached me to review one of their laptops, namely XIDU PhilPad XT133A model with an Intel Celeron N3350 dual-core Apollo Lake processor coupled with 6GB RAM and 64GB storage, and equipped with a 13.3″ touchscreen display with 2K (2560×1440) resolution. XIDU PhilPad Specifications SoC – Intel Celeron N3350 dual core Apollo Lake processor @ 1.10 GHz / 2.40 GHz (Turbo) with 12EU Intel HD graphics 500 GPU; 6W TDP System Memory – 6GB DDR3 Storage – 64GB eMMC flash, microSD card slot Display – 13.3″ touchscreen IPS display with 2560 x 1440 resolution Audio – 3.5mm headphone jack, built-in microphone and speaker Camera […]

June 26, 2019 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments

GPD P2 Max 8.9″ Ultrabook Launched on Indiegogo for $530 and Up

The previously unveiled GPD Pocket 2 Max has now launched on Indiegogo under the name GPD P2 Max. The mini laptop, which the company refers to as an Ultrabook, is powered by an Intel Core m3-8100Y Amber Lake processor coupled with up to 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage and features an 8.9″ high-resolution touchscreen display. Beside the Amber Lake processor, the company is also offering a lower cost model with an Intel Celeron 3965Y Kaby Lake-Y processor going for $530 in Indiegogo, against the $705 asked for the Intel Core m3-8100Y Ultrabook. GPD P2 Max Ultrabook specifications: SoC (one or the other) Intel Celeron 3965Y dual-core Kaby Lake processor @ 1.50 GHz with Intel HD graphics 615; 6W TDP Intel Core m3-8100Y dual-core/quad-thread Amber Lake processor @ 1.1 / 3.4 (Turbo) GHz with 24EU Intel UHD Graphics 615; 5W TDP, but configured with TDP-up @ 8W System Memory & […]

June 13, 2019June 13, 2019 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 12 Comments

CHUWI Minibook Amber Lake mini Laptop to sell for $499 and Up (Crowdfunding)

We’ve already covered several Intel Amber Lake mini laptops with the likes of One Netbook One Mix 3 Yoga or GPD Pocket 2 Max both powered by Intel Core m3-8100Y and equipped with respectively 8.4″ and 8.9″ displays with 2560×1600 resolution. Those are ultra-compact yet powerful machines, which come at a relatively high cost, with for instance the Mix 3 Yoga going for about $760. But there’s another model coming up with CHUWI minibook with similar specifications and an 8″ display that will be offered for as low as $499. The trick is that only 300 pieces part of the “Super Early Birds Perk” will be available at that price when the product launches on Indiegogo on June 19. The retail price should be around $669 since the discount is said to be around 25%. There will also be a cheaper Intel Celeron N4100 Gemini Lake model, but price has […]

May 31, 2019May 31, 2019 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

Intel NUC Compute Element Merges Compute Card and Computer-on-Module Benefits

Intel unveils the Compute Card at CES 2017. The business-card-sized module was supposed to allow for easy upgrades or repairs of modular computers by inserting the Computer Card in a proprietary socket without having to open the computer or device. Linuxium posted a review of the Compute Card and dock back in 2018, and noted that while performance was good, the price was really excessive for most applications. The Intel Compute Card was eventually discontinued, and an article on PCMag does confirm one of the reasons was price: According to the Intel rep we spoke with, that sealed design and extra durability added nominally to the card cost but about $50 to each unit on the OEM side to incorporate the module, which stunted its adoption. The Compute Card was easy to insert and replace, but OEM’s have long had another option for upgrades: Computer-on-Modules. In x86’s world, this often […]

May 28, 2019May 29, 2019 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 13 Comments

9W Intel Ice Lake Y-Series Processors Coming with Gen11 Graphics, 10nm Process

Intel has provided a few more details about their upcoming Intel Ice Lake Y-Series processor that will succeed their Amber Lake Y-Series family comprised of Core m, and Core i5/i7 processors with 5W to 7W TDP. Ice Lake Y-Series processor will come with the latest Intel Gen11 graphics with up to 64 EU (Execution Units), have a higher 9W TDP, configurable up to 12 Watts, and be manufactured with Intel’s 10nm process. Highlights of Intel Ice Lake Y-Series processors: CPU – 10nm+ quad-core processor, 14nm Platform Controller Hub (PCH ) GPU – Gen 11 Intel Graphics Engine, up to 64 EUs; Open GL 4.5, DirectX 12, and OpenCL 2.2 API support AI – Intel GNA (Gaussian Network Accelerator) Memory I/F – LPDDR4/x-3733 Camera – IPU4p: 16MP, 4K30, 4x cameras, RGB+IR camera Video Output eDP 1.4b up to 4K120/5K60 (10-bit) resolution DisplayPort 1.4 up to 4K120/5K60 (10-bit) resolution HDMI 2.0b up […]

May 28, 2019May 28, 2019 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 6 Comments

Project Athena Specification 1.0 – Fast Response Times and Long Battery Life

Project Athena innovation program aims to provide a set of guidelines for Windows or Chrome OS always-on always-connected laptop powered by Intel processor. At the time of the first announcement at CES 2019 few details were provided, but Intel has now released Project Athena 1.0 target specification which gives clearer details of what such laptops will have to offer. Intel also introduced new “key experience indicators” (KEI) aligned with real-world conditions in order to provide to best experience to end-users. Project Athena 1.0 target specification defines six key areas of innovation: Instant Action – Modern Connected Standby and Lucid Sleep (feature of Chrome OS) features implement fast wake with a simple lid-lift, push of a button or quick fingerprint recognition. System wake from sleep must occur in less than 1 second Performance and Responsiveness – Systems based on Intel Core i5 or i7 processors with Intel Dynamic Tuning Technology, a […]

May 17, 2019 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

Raspberry Pi based Hyper Keyboard Pi & hgTerm Handheld PCs, and RasPi Arcade Stick

hgterm DIY Raspberry Pi Handheld Computer

There are so many products and projects based on Raspberry Pi that it’s difficult to keep track, and many are often not that interesting, not because they are not useful, but instead because it just feels we’ve seen those before. But this week I’ve come accross three projects that looks to be newsworthy including two handheld computers with a 4″ display, and one retro-gaming console with standard arcade buttons and controls similar to what is found in Pandora’s Box/Key 5S. hgTerm DIY Raspberry Pi Handheld Computer hgterm is a portable computer based on a stripped down Raspberry Pi 3 where the Ethernet port, HDMI port, and most of the USB ports have been removed. It features a 4″ touchscreen display, a Bluetooth keyboard all housed in a 3D printed case. It’s not actually a product that you can buy (yet), but a project made by Igor Brkić which you can […]