Lenovo unveils new machines: Z370 and S100

Lenovo has unveiled its first slim tower desktop called the H330, which the company said is around half the size of standard desktop computer. Despite its size, the H330 will meet all your computing needs whether it is for work or home use, Lenovo said.

The machine is powered by an Intel Core i3-2100QM (3.1GHz) processor, 2GB DDR3 SDRAM, 1TB SATA hard drive, an 8-in-1 card reader and a 1GB Radeon HD6450 discrete graphics card. The H330 runs Windows 7 Home Premium and comes with an optional monitor.

The company also unveiled its latest mobile device, the IdeaPad S100 netbook. The S100 is powered by Intel Atom N570 (1.66GHz) processor. It has a 10.1in backlit LED display and an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150 graphics card.

Other features of the netbook include 2GB DDR3 SDRAM and a 320GB SATA hard drive. The S100 runs Windows 7 Starter and comes with the DirectShare application that lets users sync their files with another Lenovo computer without connecting to the Internet.

The S100 weighs less than 1kg and comes with a six-cell lithium-ion battery. Lenovo also unveiled other IdeaPad notebooks, namely the Y470, Z370, and Z470.

The Y470 is optimised for a mobile multimedia experience - it features the OneKey Theatre II feature, which automatically maximises advanced audio-visual settings at a touch of a button, and SRS Premium Sound with JBL-designed speakers to provide users with a richer audio experience.

The Y470 is powered by an Intel Core i7-2630QM processor and comes with 14.1in WLED HD display. Other specifications include 4GB DDR3 SDRAM, 750GB hard drive, three USB ports, one USB/e-SATA combo port and an HDMI port.

On the other hand, the Z370, which is powered by an Intel Core i3-23100M processor, comes with a 13.3in LED display and Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics card. Other features include 2GB DDR3 SDRAM and a 750GB hard drive.

Meanwhile the Z470 is powered by Intel Core i5-2410M processor, comes with 14in WXGA LED display, 4GB DDR3 SDRAM and a 640GB hard drive. All of the three notebooks run on Windows 7 Home Premium.

Lenovo unveils new machines: Z370 and S100

Lenovo has unveiled its first slim tower desktop called the H330, which the company said is around half the size of standard desktop computer. Despite its size, the H330 will meet all your computing needs whether it is for work or home use, Lenovo said.

The machine is powered by an Intel Core i3-2100QM (3.1GHz) processor, 2GB DDR3 SDRAM, 1TB SATA hard drive, an 8-in-1 card reader and a 1GB Radeon HD6450 discrete graphics card. The H330 runs Windows 7 Home Premium and comes with an optional monitor.

The company also unveiled its latest mobile device, the IdeaPad S100 netbook. The S100 is powered by Intel Atom N570 (1.66GHz) processor. It has a 10.1in backlit LED display and an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150 graphics card.

Other features of the netbook include 2GB DDR3 SDRAM and a 320GB SATA hard drive. The S100 runs Windows 7 Starter and comes with the DirectShare application that lets users sync their files with another Lenovo computer without connecting to the Internet.

The S100 weighs less than 1kg and comes with a six-cell lithium-ion battery. Lenovo also unveiled other IdeaPad notebooks, namely the Y470, Z370, and Z470.

The Y470 is optimised for a mobile multimedia experience - it features the OneKey Theatre II feature, which automatically maximises advanced audio-visual settings at a touch of a button, and SRS Premium Sound with JBL-designed speakers to provide users with a richer audio experience.

The Y470 is powered by an Intel Core i7-2630QM processor and comes with 14.1in WLED HD display. Other specifications include 4GB DDR3 SDRAM, 750GB hard drive, three USB ports, one USB/e-SATA combo port and an HDMI port.

On the other hand, the Z370, which is powered by an Intel Core i3-23100M processor, comes with a 13.3in LED display and Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics card. Other features include 2GB DDR3 SDRAM and a 750GB hard drive.

Meanwhile the Z470 is powered by Intel Core i5-2410M processor, comes with 14in WXGA LED display, 4GB DDR3 SDRAM and a 640GB hard drive. All of the three notebooks run on Windows 7 Home Premium.

Lenovo unveils new machines: Z370 and S100

Lenovo has unveiled its first slim tower desktop called the H330, which the company said is around half the size of standard desktop computer. Despite its size, the H330 will meet all your computing needs whether it is for work or home use, Lenovo said.

The machine is powered by an Intel Core i3-2100QM (3.1GHz) processor, 2GB DDR3 SDRAM, 1TB SATA hard drive, an 8-in-1 card reader and a 1GB Radeon HD6450 discrete graphics card. The H330 runs Windows 7 Home Premium and comes with an optional monitor.

The company also unveiled its latest mobile device, the IdeaPad S100 netbook. The S100 is powered by Intel Atom N570 (1.66GHz) processor. It has a 10.1in backlit LED display and an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150 graphics card.

Other features of the netbook include 2GB DDR3 SDRAM and a 320GB SATA hard drive. The S100 runs Windows 7 Starter and comes with the DirectShare application that lets users sync their files with another Lenovo computer without connecting to the Internet.

The S100 weighs less than 1kg and comes with a six-cell lithium-ion battery. Lenovo also unveiled other IdeaPad notebooks, namely the Y470, Z370, and Z470.

The Y470 is optimised for a mobile multimedia experience - it features the OneKey Theatre II feature, which automatically maximises advanced audio-visual settings at a touch of a button, and SRS Premium Sound with JBL-designed speakers to provide users with a richer audio experience.

The Y470 is powered by an Intel Core i7-2630QM processor and comes with 14.1in WLED HD display. Other specifications include 4GB DDR3 SDRAM, 750GB hard drive, three USB ports, one USB/e-SATA combo port and an HDMI port.

On the other hand, the Z370, which is powered by an Intel Core i3-23100M processor, comes with a 13.3in LED display and Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics card. Other features include 2GB DDR3 SDRAM and a 750GB hard drive.

Meanwhile the Z470 is powered by Intel Core i5-2410M processor, comes with 14in WXGA LED display, 4GB DDR3 SDRAM and a 640GB hard drive. All of the three notebooks run on Windows 7 Home Premium.

Quick review of Lenovo LePad

Chinese computer giant Lenovo has warned that supplies of its just-released Tablet computer could be restricted if the earthquake and tsunami in Japan disrupts production of memory chips.

The LePad - powered by Google's Android software - was just launched in China at a Chinese-media only event.

Lenovo is competing for a share of an increasingly crowded market dominated by Apple's iPad.
Lenovo will sell the LePad directly to Chinese consumers through its own retail stores and will put it on sale outside China by June, spokesman Jay Chen told Dow Jones Newswires.

But Lenovo vice-president Chen Xudong said stocks of the devices could be hit if the twin disasters in Japan lead to a supply squeeze.


The quake-tsunami on March 11 led to the closure of hundreds of factories in Japan and the breaking of supply chains crucial to making cars, electronic gadgets and machinery.
Lenovo does not know how long the possible disruption will last.

The news comes after research firm IHS iSuppli reported that Apple could face shortages of components for its new iPad 2 because of the earthquake and tsunami.

Other companies are facing similar problems. ZTE Corp, a Chinese maker of telecoms equipment, said it expects supply problems from Japan to last for the next three to six months.

Lenovo said it is aggressively pursuing the mobile Internet device business and had established a special division - the Mobile Internet and Digital Home Business Group - this year to better compete.

"The LePad is the first major launch since the business group's founding, we are confident in it and will continue to enrich its product line with better performing products and a richer selection of styles," Lenovo said.

In addition to the iPad, Lenovo's new Tablet will compete against gadgets from other major electronics companies such as Dell, Samsung Electronics and BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion.
It faces tough competition. Apple's iPad accounts for 73% of the global Tablet market in the fourth quarter, according to data from IDC while Samsung's Galaxy Tab has a more than 17% market share.

Competitive pricing

LePad - which was first unveiled in January at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas - has a 10.1in colour screen and connects to the Internet using WiFi or 3G telecoms services.

In China, models equipped with WiFi wireless technology will carry a recommended price tag of 3,499 yuan (US$533) for the 16-gigabyte version, the company said.

It did not say when it would go on sale, but pre-orders began on March 16.

Lenovo, which bought IBM's PC business in 2004 for US$1.25bil, had roughly 27% of its home market last year and was ranked fourth globally with a share of about 8%, IDC said.

Research firm Gartner estimates total Tablet shipments will reach 54.8 million units in 2011, draining demand for laptops and notebook computers.

Apple sold 15 million iPads last year, generating US$10bil in revenue and establishing the multitasking device as a "must-have" consumer item for many.

Quick review of Lenovo LePad

Chinese computer giant Lenovo has warned that supplies of its just-released Tablet computer could be restricted if the earthquake and tsunami in Japan disrupts production of memory chips.

The LePad - powered by Google's Android software - was just launched in China at a Chinese-media only event.

Lenovo is competing for a share of an increasingly crowded market dominated by Apple's iPad.
Lenovo will sell the LePad directly to Chinese consumers through its own retail stores and will put it on sale outside China by June, spokesman Jay Chen told Dow Jones Newswires.

But Lenovo vice-president Chen Xudong said stocks of the devices could be hit if the twin disasters in Japan lead to a supply squeeze.


The quake-tsunami on March 11 led to the closure of hundreds of factories in Japan and the breaking of supply chains crucial to making cars, electronic gadgets and machinery.
Lenovo does not know how long the possible disruption will last.

The news comes after research firm IHS iSuppli reported that Apple could face shortages of components for its new iPad 2 because of the earthquake and tsunami.

Other companies are facing similar problems. ZTE Corp, a Chinese maker of telecoms equipment, said it expects supply problems from Japan to last for the next three to six months.

Lenovo said it is aggressively pursuing the mobile Internet device business and had established a special division - the Mobile Internet and Digital Home Business Group - this year to better compete.

"The LePad is the first major launch since the business group's founding, we are confident in it and will continue to enrich its product line with better performing products and a richer selection of styles," Lenovo said.

In addition to the iPad, Lenovo's new Tablet will compete against gadgets from other major electronics companies such as Dell, Samsung Electronics and BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion.
It faces tough competition. Apple's iPad accounts for 73% of the global Tablet market in the fourth quarter, according to data from IDC while Samsung's Galaxy Tab has a more than 17% market share.

Competitive pricing

LePad - which was first unveiled in January at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas - has a 10.1in colour screen and connects to the Internet using WiFi or 3G telecoms services.

In China, models equipped with WiFi wireless technology will carry a recommended price tag of 3,499 yuan (US$533) for the 16-gigabyte version, the company said.

It did not say when it would go on sale, but pre-orders began on March 16.

Lenovo, which bought IBM's PC business in 2004 for US$1.25bil, had roughly 27% of its home market last year and was ranked fourth globally with a share of about 8%, IDC said.

Research firm Gartner estimates total Tablet shipments will reach 54.8 million units in 2011, draining demand for laptops and notebook computers.

Apple sold 15 million iPads last year, generating US$10bil in revenue and establishing the multitasking device as a "must-have" consumer item for many.

Quick review of Lenovo LePad

Chinese computer giant Lenovo has warned that supplies of its just-released Tablet computer could be restricted if the earthquake and tsunami in Japan disrupts production of memory chips.

The LePad - powered by Google's Android software - was just launched in China at a Chinese-media only event.

Lenovo is competing for a share of an increasingly crowded market dominated by Apple's iPad.
Lenovo will sell the LePad directly to Chinese consumers through its own retail stores and will put it on sale outside China by June, spokesman Jay Chen told Dow Jones Newswires.

But Lenovo vice-president Chen Xudong said stocks of the devices could be hit if the twin disasters in Japan lead to a supply squeeze.


The quake-tsunami on March 11 led to the closure of hundreds of factories in Japan and the breaking of supply chains crucial to making cars, electronic gadgets and machinery.
Lenovo does not know how long the possible disruption will last.

The news comes after research firm IHS iSuppli reported that Apple could face shortages of components for its new iPad 2 because of the earthquake and tsunami.

Other companies are facing similar problems. ZTE Corp, a Chinese maker of telecoms equipment, said it expects supply problems from Japan to last for the next three to six months.

Lenovo said it is aggressively pursuing the mobile Internet device business and had established a special division - the Mobile Internet and Digital Home Business Group - this year to better compete.

"The LePad is the first major launch since the business group's founding, we are confident in it and will continue to enrich its product line with better performing products and a richer selection of styles," Lenovo said.

In addition to the iPad, Lenovo's new Tablet will compete against gadgets from other major electronics companies such as Dell, Samsung Electronics and BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion.
It faces tough competition. Apple's iPad accounts for 73% of the global Tablet market in the fourth quarter, according to data from IDC while Samsung's Galaxy Tab has a more than 17% market share.

Competitive pricing

LePad - which was first unveiled in January at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas - has a 10.1in colour screen and connects to the Internet using WiFi or 3G telecoms services.

In China, models equipped with WiFi wireless technology will carry a recommended price tag of 3,499 yuan (US$533) for the 16-gigabyte version, the company said.

It did not say when it would go on sale, but pre-orders began on March 16.

Lenovo, which bought IBM's PC business in 2004 for US$1.25bil, had roughly 27% of its home market last year and was ranked fourth globally with a share of about 8%, IDC said.

Research firm Gartner estimates total Tablet shipments will reach 54.8 million units in 2011, draining demand for laptops and notebook computers.

Apple sold 15 million iPads last year, generating US$10bil in revenue and establishing the multitasking device as a "must-have" consumer item for many.

Quick review of Lenovo's Sandy Bridge notebooks

Y560P

Lenovo says it's the first to introduce notebooks sporting the second-generation Intel Core i7 processors, previously codeanmed Sandy Bridge.

The three models, namely the IdeaPad Y560P, the V470 and the V570, are all powered by the Core i7-2630QM processor which has a 2GHz speed (2.90GHz with TurboBoost) and 6MB of L3 cache.

Apart from the processor, the IdeaPad's Y560P's other notable features are a 15.6in LED-backlit screen, Windows 7 Home Premium, 4GB RAM (expandable up to 8GB). 750GB hard drive, Blu-ray combo drive as well a ATI Radeon HD 6570M 1GB discrete graphics chip.

For the SOHO/SMB market, there's the Lenovo V470 and the V570, both of which feature the Intel Core i7-2630QM processor, 4GB RAM, 750GB hard drive, built-in Intel HD Graphics 3000, DVD burner and Windows 7 Home Premium.

V470

The major difference between the V470 and V570 is that the V470 has a 14.1in LED backlit display while the V570 has a 15.6in LED backlit screen.

The IdeaPad Y560P is in stores right now while the V470/V570 should make an appearance by the time you read this.

Prices for the IdeaPad Y560P start from $999, and the V470 starts from $899. Price for the V570 has yet to be announced.

Quick review of Lenovo's Sandy Bridge notebooks

Y560P

Lenovo says it's the first to introduce notebooks sporting the second-generation Intel Core i7 processors, previously codeanmed Sandy Bridge.

The three models, namely the IdeaPad Y560P, the V470 and the V570, are all powered by the Core i7-2630QM processor which has a 2GHz speed (2.90GHz with TurboBoost) and 6MB of L3 cache.

Apart from the processor, the IdeaPad's Y560P's other notable features are a 15.6in LED-backlit screen, Windows 7 Home Premium, 4GB RAM (expandable up to 8GB). 750GB hard drive, Blu-ray combo drive as well a ATI Radeon HD 6570M 1GB discrete graphics chip.

For the SOHO/SMB market, there's the Lenovo V470 and the V570, both of which feature the Intel Core i7-2630QM processor, 4GB RAM, 750GB hard drive, built-in Intel HD Graphics 3000, DVD burner and Windows 7 Home Premium.

V470

The major difference between the V470 and V570 is that the V470 has a 14.1in LED backlit display while the V570 has a 15.6in LED backlit screen.

The IdeaPad Y560P is in stores right now while the V470/V570 should make an appearance by the time you read this.

Prices for the IdeaPad Y560P start from $999, and the V470 starts from $899. Price for the V570 has yet to be announced.

Quick review of Lenovo's Sandy Bridge notebooks

Y560P

Lenovo says it's the first to introduce notebooks sporting the second-generation Intel Core i7 processors, previously codeanmed Sandy Bridge.

The three models, namely the IdeaPad Y560P, the V470 and the V570, are all powered by the Core i7-2630QM processor which has a 2GHz speed (2.90GHz with TurboBoost) and 6MB of L3 cache.

Apart from the processor, the IdeaPad's Y560P's other notable features are a 15.6in LED-backlit screen, Windows 7 Home Premium, 4GB RAM (expandable up to 8GB). 750GB hard drive, Blu-ray combo drive as well a ATI Radeon HD 6570M 1GB discrete graphics chip.

For the SOHO/SMB market, there's the Lenovo V470 and the V570, both of which feature the Intel Core i7-2630QM processor, 4GB RAM, 750GB hard drive, built-in Intel HD Graphics 3000, DVD burner and Windows 7 Home Premium.

V470

The major difference between the V470 and V570 is that the V470 has a 14.1in LED backlit display while the V570 has a 15.6in LED backlit screen.

The IdeaPad Y560P is in stores right now while the V470/V570 should make an appearance by the time you read this.

Prices for the IdeaPad Y560P start from $999, and the V470 starts from $899. Price for the V570 has yet to be announced.

Quick Review : Lenovo Ideapad Y560

The Lenovo Ideapad Y560 is a feature-packed multimedia laptop with a big price tag.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Y560 has some serious firepower - it has an Intel Core i7-720QM (1.6Ghz ) processor, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730 graphics chip with 1GB RAM, JBL stereo speakers and Bluray combo drive.

It also has numerous ports such as three USB ports, and a VGA and HDMI out as well as a 6-in-1 card reader for easily accessing files from memory cards.

The Y560 is marketed as a multimedia notebook and it does not disappoint. The sound quality of the JBL stereo speakers are a lot better than most laptop speakers.

The speakers were great for listening to songs, watching movies and playing games. When listening to songs, the speakers were able to handle gradual changes in notes. And when watching movies and playing games, the speakers produced enough bass to make it a fun experience.

Design

The Y560 has a slick black body with red linings and decals on top. This multimedia notebook looks really impressive even though the plastic body feels cheap and flexes easily.

For a laptop of its class and price, we expected the Y560 to have a more solid design.

The Y560 weighs 2.7kg which is unusual for a notebook of this size but it's probably because of its plastic exterior.

NEAT: The Y560 has a sliding touch control that gives you quick access to applications.

The interior of the laptop is glossy which is nice but is prone to smudges. It has a large touchpad and touch-sensitive buttons located just below the screen. The buttons allow users to customise shortcuts for the programs of their choice.

To test the graphics chip, we played games like Dawn of War 2 and Far Cry 2 on the Y560.

We ran DoW 2 at the highest setting and even when there were a lot of units and explosions, the notebook didn't falter. It was the same for Far Cry 2 - the frame rate was stable and the game sessions were lag free.

The notebook is also great for watching movies as it comes with a Blu-ray combo drive. We watched movies like BBC World's Earth: The Biography and The Phantom of the Opera.

The Blu-ray movies looked great on screen the 15.6in widescreen and played very smoothly. The resolution of the screen is not full HD (1,080p) as it is only 1,366 x 768pixels. That's slightly higher than 720p and is still great for watching movies.

HIGH DEF: The Y560 also comes equipped with a Blu-ray drive for watching high definition videos on the go.

Surprisingly, even after long sessions of watching and gaming, the surface of the laptop remained cool.

The efficient but noisy cooling fan does a great job at venting out the hot air from the system.

An unfortunate problem with most multimedia notebooks is battery life and the Lenovo Y560 is no different.

Even at the lowest brightness setting, the battery life is just under two hours with normal usage. Running more programs in the background will significantly shorten the battery life.

Conclusion

The Lenovo IdeaPad Y560 is a good multimedia laptop with the proper specs to handle graphics and processor intensive programs.

Watching movies and playing games on it is also great because of the nice and large screen, and powerful JBL stereo speakers.

POWERFUL: The notebook's dual JBL speakers sound better than the average notebook speakers.

Sadly, the notebook's main shortcoming is its build quality. For a notebook of this price, the Y560 doesn't feel solid.

Another shortcoming is the battery life but this is not surprising because most multimedia notebooks don't have long battery life.

Overall, the Lenovo IdeaPad Y560 is a decent multimedia notebook if you don't mind the build quality.

Pros: Good performance; stays cool.

Cons: Cheap build quality; noisy; pricey.

Ideapad Y560
(Lenovo)
Multimedia notebook
Processor: Intel Core i7 (1.6GHz)
Memory: 4GB RAM
Display: 15.6in (1,366 x 768pixels) with LED backlight
Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730 1GB RAM
Storage: 500GB
Connectivity: WiFi, 10/100 Ethernet port, Bluetooth
Optical drive: Blu-ray combo drive
Ports: 3 USB ports, eSATA\USB combo port, VGA out, headphone and microphone jack, 6-in-1 card reader
Battery: 6-cell
Other features: JBL stereo speakers, 1.3-megapixel webcam
Dimensions (W x D x H): 388 x 33 x 255mm
Weight: 2.7kg
Price: RM4,999

Quick Review : Lenovo Ideapad Y560

The Lenovo Ideapad Y560 is a feature-packed multimedia laptop with a big price tag.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Y560 has some serious firepower - it has an Intel Core i7-720QM (1.6Ghz ) processor, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730 graphics chip with 1GB RAM, JBL stereo speakers and Bluray combo drive.

It also has numerous ports such as three USB ports, and a VGA and HDMI out as well as a 6-in-1 card reader for easily accessing files from memory cards.

The Y560 is marketed as a multimedia notebook and it does not disappoint. The sound quality of the JBL stereo speakers are a lot better than most laptop speakers.

The speakers were great for listening to songs, watching movies and playing games. When listening to songs, the speakers were able to handle gradual changes in notes. And when watching movies and playing games, the speakers produced enough bass to make it a fun experience.

Design

The Y560 has a slick black body with red linings and decals on top. This multimedia notebook looks really impressive even though the plastic body feels cheap and flexes easily.

For a laptop of its class and price, we expected the Y560 to have a more solid design.

The Y560 weighs 2.7kg which is unusual for a notebook of this size but it's probably because of its plastic exterior.

NEAT: The Y560 has a sliding touch control that gives you quick access to applications.

The interior of the laptop is glossy which is nice but is prone to smudges. It has a large touchpad and touch-sensitive buttons located just below the screen. The buttons allow users to customise shortcuts for the programs of their choice.

To test the graphics chip, we played games like Dawn of War 2 and Far Cry 2 on the Y560.

We ran DoW 2 at the highest setting and even when there were a lot of units and explosions, the notebook didn't falter. It was the same for Far Cry 2 - the frame rate was stable and the game sessions were lag free.

The notebook is also great for watching movies as it comes with a Blu-ray combo drive. We watched movies like BBC World's Earth: The Biography and The Phantom of the Opera.

The Blu-ray movies looked great on screen the 15.6in widescreen and played very smoothly. The resolution of the screen is not full HD (1,080p) as it is only 1,366 x 768pixels. That's slightly higher than 720p and is still great for watching movies.

HIGH DEF: The Y560 also comes equipped with a Blu-ray drive for watching high definition videos on the go.

Surprisingly, even after long sessions of watching and gaming, the surface of the laptop remained cool.

The efficient but noisy cooling fan does a great job at venting out the hot air from the system.

An unfortunate problem with most multimedia notebooks is battery life and the Lenovo Y560 is no different.

Even at the lowest brightness setting, the battery life is just under two hours with normal usage. Running more programs in the background will significantly shorten the battery life.

Conclusion

The Lenovo IdeaPad Y560 is a good multimedia laptop with the proper specs to handle graphics and processor intensive programs.

Watching movies and playing games on it is also great because of the nice and large screen, and powerful JBL stereo speakers.

POWERFUL: The notebook's dual JBL speakers sound better than the average notebook speakers.

Sadly, the notebook's main shortcoming is its build quality. For a notebook of this price, the Y560 doesn't feel solid.

Another shortcoming is the battery life but this is not surprising because most multimedia notebooks don't have long battery life.

Overall, the Lenovo IdeaPad Y560 is a decent multimedia notebook if you don't mind the build quality.

Pros: Good performance; stays cool.

Cons: Cheap build quality; noisy; pricey.

Ideapad Y560
(Lenovo)
Multimedia notebook
Processor: Intel Core i7 (1.6GHz)
Memory: 4GB RAM
Display: 15.6in (1,366 x 768pixels) with LED backlight
Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730 1GB RAM
Storage: 500GB
Connectivity: WiFi, 10/100 Ethernet port, Bluetooth
Optical drive: Blu-ray combo drive
Ports: 3 USB ports, eSATA\USB combo port, VGA out, headphone and microphone jack, 6-in-1 card reader
Battery: 6-cell
Other features: JBL stereo speakers, 1.3-megapixel webcam
Dimensions (W x D x H): 388 x 33 x 255mm
Weight: 2.7kg
Price: RM4,999

Quick Review : Lenovo Ideapad Y560

The Lenovo Ideapad Y560 is a feature-packed multimedia laptop with a big price tag.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Y560 has some serious firepower - it has an Intel Core i7-720QM (1.6Ghz ) processor, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730 graphics chip with 1GB RAM, JBL stereo speakers and Bluray combo drive.

It also has numerous ports such as three USB ports, and a VGA and HDMI out as well as a 6-in-1 card reader for easily accessing files from memory cards.

The Y560 is marketed as a multimedia notebook and it does not disappoint. The sound quality of the JBL stereo speakers are a lot better than most laptop speakers.

The speakers were great for listening to songs, watching movies and playing games. When listening to songs, the speakers were able to handle gradual changes in notes. And when watching movies and playing games, the speakers produced enough bass to make it a fun experience.

Design

The Y560 has a slick black body with red linings and decals on top. This multimedia notebook looks really impressive even though the plastic body feels cheap and flexes easily.

For a laptop of its class and price, we expected the Y560 to have a more solid design.

The Y560 weighs 2.7kg which is unusual for a notebook of this size but it's probably because of its plastic exterior.

NEAT: The Y560 has a sliding touch control that gives you quick access to applications.

The interior of the laptop is glossy which is nice but is prone to smudges. It has a large touchpad and touch-sensitive buttons located just below the screen. The buttons allow users to customise shortcuts for the programs of their choice.

To test the graphics chip, we played games like Dawn of War 2 and Far Cry 2 on the Y560.

We ran DoW 2 at the highest setting and even when there were a lot of units and explosions, the notebook didn't falter. It was the same for Far Cry 2 - the frame rate was stable and the game sessions were lag free.

The notebook is also great for watching movies as it comes with a Blu-ray combo drive. We watched movies like BBC World's Earth: The Biography and The Phantom of the Opera.

The Blu-ray movies looked great on screen the 15.6in widescreen and played very smoothly. The resolution of the screen is not full HD (1,080p) as it is only 1,366 x 768pixels. That's slightly higher than 720p and is still great for watching movies.

HIGH DEF: The Y560 also comes equipped with a Blu-ray drive for watching high definition videos on the go.

Surprisingly, even after long sessions of watching and gaming, the surface of the laptop remained cool.

The efficient but noisy cooling fan does a great job at venting out the hot air from the system.

An unfortunate problem with most multimedia notebooks is battery life and the Lenovo Y560 is no different.

Even at the lowest brightness setting, the battery life is just under two hours with normal usage. Running more programs in the background will significantly shorten the battery life.

Conclusion

The Lenovo IdeaPad Y560 is a good multimedia laptop with the proper specs to handle graphics and processor intensive programs.

Watching movies and playing games on it is also great because of the nice and large screen, and powerful JBL stereo speakers.

POWERFUL: The notebook's dual JBL speakers sound better than the average notebook speakers.

Sadly, the notebook's main shortcoming is its build quality. For a notebook of this price, the Y560 doesn't feel solid.

Another shortcoming is the battery life but this is not surprising because most multimedia notebooks don't have long battery life.

Overall, the Lenovo IdeaPad Y560 is a decent multimedia notebook if you don't mind the build quality.

Pros: Good performance; stays cool.

Cons: Cheap build quality; noisy; pricey.

Ideapad Y560
(Lenovo)
Multimedia notebook
Processor: Intel Core i7 (1.6GHz)
Memory: 4GB RAM
Display: 15.6in (1,366 x 768pixels) with LED backlight
Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730 1GB RAM
Storage: 500GB
Connectivity: WiFi, 10/100 Ethernet port, Bluetooth
Optical drive: Blu-ray combo drive
Ports: 3 USB ports, eSATA\USB combo port, VGA out, headphone and microphone jack, 6-in-1 card reader
Battery: 6-cell
Other features: JBL stereo speakers, 1.3-megapixel webcam
Dimensions (W x D x H): 388 x 33 x 255mm
Weight: 2.7kg
Price: RM4,999

How ARM will impact Intel market

The hard battle between Intel and AMD seems to be long way to go. While Intel clearly has the upper hand in client processors and AMD is playing catch-up, there is another battle brewing for PC processors, particularly in notebooks. Here, we will discuss about the battle for the “secondary” processor and how this battle will not pit Intel against AMD, but rather, x86 architecture against ARM. And it’s not looking good for x86.

Dell and lenovo have come out with the “instant” laptop, which has capability to instantly access mail, calender, web without full boot up of the machine. They run a version of the Firefox browser for Web surfing and provides direct connection to Exchange, GroupWise or IMAP/POP3 e-mail systems through direct memory access. Also included is a dedicated document viewer for Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF files, dedicated Wi-Fi and a VPN for secure connectivity. In essence, what Dell has done with Latitude ON is provide an embedded “smartphone-lite” device that uses the main screen, keyboard, power and memory systems.

What makes the Dell and Lenovo approach interesting is that first, they utilize low-cost, low-power, ARM-based chips adapted from the smartphone industry. Second, they provide dedicated-function processing. And third, each subsystem is capable of being functionally extended, possibly even by third parties through a future API to include additional convenience and protection capabilities.

It is safe to assume that other manufacturers will follow suit and provide coprocessor subsystem in business and higher-end consumer machines—particularly as prices for ARM chips continue to fall. It is also highly likely that additional functionality will be added over time.

Finally, it is apparent that neither Windows nor x86 will be the preferred platforms utilized by these coprocessor subsystems—at least until x86 can match the low cost and low power of ARM (potentially with future Atom chips).

The bottom line: With the potential of one or more coprocessors per PC, ARM has a lucrative path in which to infiltrate the PC market—a market it has never impacted. While it’s unlikely that ARM will displace x86 for the core processor anytime soon, it nevertheless gives ARM a large potential market of many millions of units—a fact not lost on ARM licensees (for example, Texas Instruments, Freescale, Qualcomm and Samsung).

However, the coprocessing subsystems potentially offer another point of machine failure and/or instability, especially in corporate settings where consistency, security and device management is critical. Companies should be careful when and how to deploy these coprocessor-enabled systems until they prove their worth.

source : www.eweek.com

How ARM will impact Intel market

The hard battle between Intel and AMD seems to be long way to go. While Intel clearly has the upper hand in client processors and AMD is playing catch-up, there is another battle brewing for PC processors, particularly in notebooks. Here, we will discuss about the battle for the “secondary” processor and how this battle will not pit Intel against AMD, but rather, x86 architecture against ARM. And it’s not looking good for x86.

Dell and lenovo have come out with the “instant” laptop, which has capability to instantly access mail, calender, web without full boot up of the machine. They run a version of the Firefox browser for Web surfing and provides direct connection to Exchange, GroupWise or IMAP/POP3 e-mail systems through direct memory access. Also included is a dedicated document viewer for Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF files, dedicated Wi-Fi and a VPN for secure connectivity. In essence, what Dell has done with Latitude ON is provide an embedded “smartphone-lite” device that uses the main screen, keyboard, power and memory systems.

What makes the Dell and Lenovo approach interesting is that first, they utilize low-cost, low-power, ARM-based chips adapted from the smartphone industry. Second, they provide dedicated-function processing. And third, each subsystem is capable of being functionally extended, possibly even by third parties through a future API to include additional convenience and protection capabilities.

It is safe to assume that other manufacturers will follow suit and provide coprocessor subsystem in business and higher-end consumer machines—particularly as prices for ARM chips continue to fall. It is also highly likely that additional functionality will be added over time.

Finally, it is apparent that neither Windows nor x86 will be the preferred platforms utilized by these coprocessor subsystems—at least until x86 can match the low cost and low power of ARM (potentially with future Atom chips).

The bottom line: With the potential of one or more coprocessors per PC, ARM has a lucrative path in which to infiltrate the PC market—a market it has never impacted. While it’s unlikely that ARM will displace x86 for the core processor anytime soon, it nevertheless gives ARM a large potential market of many millions of units—a fact not lost on ARM licensees (for example, Texas Instruments, Freescale, Qualcomm and Samsung).

However, the coprocessing subsystems potentially offer another point of machine failure and/or instability, especially in corporate settings where consistency, security and device management is critical. Companies should be careful when and how to deploy these coprocessor-enabled systems until they prove their worth.

source : www.eweek.com

How ARM will impact Intel market

The hard battle between Intel and AMD seems to be long way to go. While Intel clearly has the upper hand in client processors and AMD is playing catch-up, there is another battle brewing for PC processors, particularly in notebooks. Here, we will discuss about the battle for the “secondary” processor and how this battle will not pit Intel against AMD, but rather, x86 architecture against ARM. And it’s not looking good for x86.

Dell and lenovo have come out with the “instant” laptop, which has capability to instantly access mail, calender, web without full boot up of the machine. They run a version of the Firefox browser for Web surfing and provides direct connection to Exchange, GroupWise or IMAP/POP3 e-mail systems through direct memory access. Also included is a dedicated document viewer for Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF files, dedicated Wi-Fi and a VPN for secure connectivity. In essence, what Dell has done with Latitude ON is provide an embedded “smartphone-lite” device that uses the main screen, keyboard, power and memory systems.

What makes the Dell and Lenovo approach interesting is that first, they utilize low-cost, low-power, ARM-based chips adapted from the smartphone industry. Second, they provide dedicated-function processing. And third, each subsystem is capable of being functionally extended, possibly even by third parties through a future API to include additional convenience and protection capabilities.

It is safe to assume that other manufacturers will follow suit and provide coprocessor subsystem in business and higher-end consumer machines—particularly as prices for ARM chips continue to fall. It is also highly likely that additional functionality will be added over time.

Finally, it is apparent that neither Windows nor x86 will be the preferred platforms utilized by these coprocessor subsystems—at least until x86 can match the low cost and low power of ARM (potentially with future Atom chips).

The bottom line: With the potential of one or more coprocessors per PC, ARM has a lucrative path in which to infiltrate the PC market—a market it has never impacted. While it’s unlikely that ARM will displace x86 for the core processor anytime soon, it nevertheless gives ARM a large potential market of many millions of units—a fact not lost on ARM licensees (for example, Texas Instruments, Freescale, Qualcomm and Samsung).

However, the coprocessing subsystems potentially offer another point of machine failure and/or instability, especially in corporate settings where consistency, security and device management is critical. Companies should be careful when and how to deploy these coprocessor-enabled systems until they prove their worth.

source : www.eweek.com