The iPad is a tablet computer announced by Apple on January 27, 2010. It is 0.5-inches thick, weighs 1.5 pounds, and features a 9.7-inch IPS capacitive multitouch display. It is powered by a proprietary 1GHz processor, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, and is available in 16, 32, or 64GB flash storage capacities. Additional specs include an accelerometer, compass, speaker, mic, 30-pin Apple dock connector, and 10-hour built-in battery.

Standard apps that come pre-loaded on the device include a mobile Safari web browser, an e-book reader app called iBooks, a calendar app, two-pane email app, contacts, notes, Google Maps, media player, photo viewer, iTunes store, and App Store to download third-party applications and games. Existing iPhone applications are centered on-screen at their original 480×320 resolution, or can be run in a magnified mode where the app is enlarged to fit the entire screen.

Apple will offer models with built-in unlocked 3G data capabilities. US customers can purchase an AT&T 250MB data plan for $14.99 per month or an unlimited data plan for $29.99 per month.

Wi-Fi only iPad models will be available by the beginning of April 2010:
$499 – 16GB
$599 – 32GB
$699 – 64GB

Wi-Fi + 3G iPad models will be available by the beginning of May 2010:
$629 – 16GB
$729 – 32GB
$829 – 64GB

And here’s Apple’s full press release:

Apple iPad

A Magical & Revolutionary Device at an Unbelievable Price

Apple® today introduced iPad, a revolutionary device for browsing the web, reading and sending email, enjoying photos, watching videos, listening to music, playing games, reading e-books and much more. iPad’s responsive high-resolution Multi-Touch™ display lets users physically interact with applications and content. iPad is just 0.5 inches thick and weighs just 1.5 pounds- thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook. iPad includes 12 new innovative apps designed especially for the iPad, and will run almost all of the over 140,000 apps in the App Store. iPad will be available in late March starting at the breakthrough price of just $499.

“iPad is our most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “iPad creates and defines an entirely new category of devices that will connect users with their apps and content in a much more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before.”

iPad features 12 next-generation Multi-Touch applications. Every app works in both portrait and landscape, automatically animating between views as the user rotates iPad in any direction. The precise Multi-Touch interface makes surfing the web on iPad an entirely new experience, dramatically more interactive and intimate than on a computer. Reading and sending email is fun and easy on iPad’s large screen and almost full-size “soft” keyboard. Import photos from a Mac®, PC or digital camera, see them organized as albums, and enjoy and share them using iPad’s elegant slideshows. Watch movies, TV shows and YouTube, all in HD or flip through pages of an e-book you downloaded from Apple’s new iBookstore while listening to your music collection.

iPad runs almost all of the over 140,000 apps on the App Store, including apps already purchased for your iPhone® or iPod touch®. The iTunes® Store gives you access to the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store with a catalog of over 11 million songs, over 50,000 TV episodes and over 8,000 films including over 2,000 in stunning high definition video. Apple also announced the new iBooks app for iPad, which includes Apple’s new iBookstore, the best way to browse, buy and read books on a mobile device. The iBookstore will feature books from major and independent publishers.

Apple also introduced a new version of iWork® for iPad, the first desktop-class productivity suite designed specifically for Multi-Touch. With Pages®, Keynote® and Numbers® you can create beautifully formatted documents, stunning presentations with animations and transitions, and spreadsheets with charts, functions and formulas. The three apps will be available separately through the App Store for $9.99 each.

iPad syncs with iTunes just like the iPhone and iPod touch, using the standard Apple 30-pin to USB cable, so you can sync all of your contacts, photos, music, movies, TV shows, applications and more from your Mac or PC. All the apps and content you download on iPad from the App Store, iTunes Store and iBookstore will be automatically synced to your iTunes library the next time you connect with your computer.

iPad’s brilliant 9.7-inch, LED-backlit display features IPS technology to deliver crisp, clear images and consistent color with an ultra-wide 178 degree viewing angle. The highly precise, capacitive Multi-Touch display is amazingly accurate and responsive whether scrolling web pages or playing games. The intelligent soft keyboard pioneered on iPhone takes advantage of iPad’s larger display to offer an almost full-size soft keyboard. iPad also connects to the new iPad Keyboard Dock with a full-size traditional keyboard.

iPad is powered by A4, Apple’s next-generation system-on-a-chip. Designed by Apple, the new A4 chip provides exceptional processor and graphics performance along with long battery life of up to 10 hours.* Apple’s advanced chemistry and Adaptive Charging technology deliver up to 1,000 charge cycles without a significant decrease in battery capacity over a typical five year lifespan.**

iPad comes in two versions-one with Wi-Fi and the other with both Wi-Fi and 3G. iPad includes the latest 802.11n Wi-Fi, and the 3G versions support speeds up to 7.2 Mbps on HSDPA networks. Apple and AT&T announced breakthrough 3G pre-paid data plans for iPad with easy, on-device activation and management.

Continuing Apple’s dedication to designing and creating environmentally responsible products, each iPad enclosure is made of highly recyclable aluminum and comes standard with energy-efficient LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. iPad contains no brominated flame retardants and is completely PVC-free.

Apple today released a new Software Development Kit (SDK) for iPad, so developers can create amazing new applications designed to take advantage of iPad’s capabilities. The SDK includes a simulator that lets developers test and debug their iPad apps on a Mac, and also lets developers create Universal Applications that run on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

Pricing & Availability

iPad will be available in late March worldwide for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model, $699 (US) for the 64GB model. The Wi-Fi + 3G models of iPad will be available in April in the US and selected countries for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model. iPad will be sold in the US through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers. International pricing and worldwide availability will be announced at a later date. iBookstore will be available in the US at launch.

NVIDIA has released the GeForce 300M Series Graphics Processors for Notebooks/Laptops.

NVIDIA® GeForce® 300M Series Notebook GPUs are ready for Microsoft® Windows 7®, provide great gaming with NVIDIA® PhysX® technology, able to run award-winning applications with NVIDIA® CUDA® technology.

Optimized for Windows 7 and ready to take advantage of the new GPU-accelerated capabilities and features.

• Experience GPU Powered drag-n-drop transcoding in Windows 7 as you automatically transfer video for viewing on your portable player

• Enjoy new GPU-accelerated video and image processing applications built with Microsoft’s new DirectCompute API

Equipped with the latest technologies including PhysX technology for ultra-realistic game environments and virtual worlds

• Darkest of Days looks and plays realistically, thanks to the inclusion of natural environments, complete with realistic leaves and flowers, wind, ground fog, smoke, volcanic ash, snow, and more

• Dark Void will have the distinction of being the first game ever to use dynamic, accurate smoke effects and smoke trails for the game’s innovative jetpacks, UFOs, and spaceships

CUDA technology accelerates the most demanding GPU-powered applications to run up to 20X faster than the CPU

• Easily edit HD movies with GPU-based applications like PowerDirector7 by CyberLink and Super LoiloScope from Loilo

• Automatically clean-up video from your camcorder or mobile phone with vReveal from MotionDSP

Performance when you need it (up to 2X faster than previous generation GPUs) for those intensive apps and greater battery life with 50% lower power consumption with for your everyday tasks

• Leading edge process technology, coupled with new GPU architecture, enables smaller size chips, lower idle power, and increased performance per watt

The new lineup includes the GeForce GTS 360M and GTS 350M in the “High Performance” category, the “Performance” GeForce GT 335M, GT 330M, and GT 325M, and the GeForce 310M and 305M “Mainstream” GPUs. Currently, there are no 300M Series models in NVIDIA’s “Enthusiast” and “Value” categories.

The 300M GPUs support GPU-accelerated video and image processing applications built with Microsoft’s new DirectCompute API, as well as older technologies such as DirectX 10, CUDA, PhysX, and PureVideo.

The GeForce GTS 360M and GTS 350M additionally support two-way SLI.

According to the GPU specifications, the most of the GeForce 300M chips have the same or similar 3D graphics performance as their 200M Series counterparts.

What makes the all new 2010 Intel® Core™ processors so smart?

SMART TECHNOLOGY

Imagine having a processor smart enough to know when your PC needs a little more juice. Intel® Turbo Boost Technology gives you speed when you need it and delivers energy efficiency when you don’t.

Also available on select models of the all new 2010 Intel® Core™ processor family, Intel® HD Graphics provides superb visual performance for sharper images, richer color, and life-like audio and video.

SMART SPEED

We’re all multitaskers. We edit photos, send email, watch video, sync our iPods*—and we want to do it all at once. Now we can. Intel® Hyper-threading Technology lets your processor work on two tasks at the same time.

SMART INVESTMENT

A new PC today opens more doors tomorrow. The all new Intel® Core™ processors adapt to your needs now and down the road. So you won’t just keep up. You’ll get ahead. 

  
 Intel® Core™ i7 processor Specifications

 Intel® Core™ i5 processor Specifications

 Intel® Core™ i3 processor Specifications

Intel® Core™ Processor Family feature details:

  Processor Number
Processor models vary according to clock frequency, supported memory frequency, cache size, and other supported features. Every year, software developers design programs and applications that demand and utilize more and more of these elements. When you’re shopping for a new computer, we recommend you think about tomorrow’s needs as well as today’s, and choose the best processor you can afford.

Cores/threads
Cores and threads go hand in hand. Multi-core processors are single chips that contain two or more distinct processors or execution cores in the same integrated circuit. Multi-threading allows each core to work on two tasks at once, thereby letting you do more things simultaneously, producing faster, more efficient results. Now your computer can keep up with even your heaviest multitasking.

Clock speed
Just like a stopwatch, clock speed measures how fast a processor performs an activity – which activity depends upon how you plan to use your computer. Clock speed rates are shown in gigahertz (GHz), which means a billion cycles per second.

 Intel® Smart Cache
Cache is a fast storage area where the processor places frequently accessed data. Smart Cache is Intel’s performance-maximized data storage. It allows each processor core to dynamically utilize up to 100% of available cache and obtain data from the cache at higher throughput rates. By keeping more data closer to the processor for fast execution, overall performance is improved. This is of particular benefit when running rich media titles and games, as well as everyday productivity applications.

 Silicon Technology
A nanometer (nm) is one-billionth of a meter. The transistors on Intel’s latest processors are just 32nm wide, while our previous generation processors are built on 45nm and 65nm architectures. This allows transistors to be packed more densely, leak less energy, produce less heat and switch faster, which leads to processors that run faster, use less power, and are more energy-efficient. It also means new features can be squeezed onto processors, so computer makers can focus on things like extending battery life, creating ever-sleeker designs and putting new wireless capabilities into devices. Lastly, it means Intel can keep bringing you better performance at relatively the same or even lower prices over time

Intel® Turbo Boost Technology
Available on select models of the all new 2010 Intel® Core™ processor family, Intel® Turbo Boost Technology dynamically redirects power and accelerates performance to match your workload. Previously, unused portions of the chip would be “turned off,” leaving some cores idle. Intel® Turbo Boost Technology reroutes that unused performance to the cores that are active, boosting their performance without wasting power. As a result, you automatically get extra performance whenever you need it, and increased energy efficiency when you don’t.

Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology
Available on all new 2010 Intel® Core™ processor family, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology delivers more efficient use of processor resources and improved performance on multithreaded software. This allows you to run demanding desktop applications simultaneously while maintaining
system responsiveness. For example, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology helps multimedia enthusiasts create, edit and encode graphically intensive files while running background applications, such as virus protection software, without compromise to performance.

Intel will use CES in Las Vegas this month to launch its First 32-nm Core i3 and Core i5 processors, as well as new Core i7 chips. These desktop and notebook processors will offer a host of features, including Turbo Boost, Hyper-Threading, Integrated Graphics and On-Chip Memory Controllers.

Intel is preparing to launch a number of new Core processors for desktops and notebooks at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show 2010 in January. At small events here and in San Francisco Dec. 17, Intel officials gave reporters a taste of what the chip maker will launch at the CES, which runs Jan. 7-10, 2010, in Las Vegas.

Intel will release new Core i7 chips, and release the first of its i3 and i5 processors, and i7 dual-core processors, built on the company’s 32-nanometer manufacturing process, though the officials at the New York event declined to say how many new chips would be rolled out.

Intel officials at the San Francisco briefing reportedly said there would be 17 new chips released in January.

The “Arrandale” and “Clarkdale” processors are all shipping now and will begin appearing in new computers in early 2010. Intel has invested more than $7 billion in the United States in 2009 on four factories used to build the 32-nm products.

At the journalist events, Intel also had several systems on display that were powered by the new chips. Several systems were running animated movies and video games, showing off the graphics capabilities of the new chips.

Karen Regis, director of consumer client marketing for Intel’s Consumer PC Group, said the new family of processors will come with a host of features, including Hyper Threading, while the i5 chips will offer Turbo Boost, which enables processing cores to run a little faster when the demand arises.

Intel also will introduce a Turbo Boost application that will enable users to see how the technology is working as they run applications. The application puts an indicator showing core power levels appears on the system‘s screen as a workload runs.

“It let’s [the user] see what Turbo Boost is doing for them in real time,” said Zane Ball, director of desktop platform marketing for Intel’s PC Client Group.

The new chips also will come with Intel HD graphics, a 45-nm graphics chip integrated with the CPU. The current quad-core Core processors, rolled out in the fall, offer discrete graphics capabilities.

Ball said improvements in the integrated graphics will enhance the Core chips’ high-definition video and audio capabilities, as well as 3D performance, Ball said.

Regis said demand for high-end graphics is growing, with consumers not only playing video games on their PCs, but also editing photos, voice and music content.

Ball and Regis also touted the on-chip memory controller, another new feature that has come with Intel’s “Nehalem” architecture, as well as per-core power management, which will shut down power to cores that aren’t being used.

However, there was some information they were declining to release, including chip frequencies and prices. Those will come when Intel makes its announcements Jan. 7 at CES, first at an early-morning press briefing and later during CEO Paul Otellini’s keynote address.

Intel sees a PC market that will be driven by the consumer side more than businesses, with Regis saying that after a flat 2009, the PC market is set to start growing again in 2010, thanks in part to Microsoft’s new Windows 7 Operating System.

“Beginning next year, we’ll see the commercial [sector] recovering,” she said.

Intel will use CES in Las Vegas this month to launch its First 32-nm Core i3 and Core i5 processors, as well as new Core i7 chips. These desktop and notebook processors will offer a host of features, including Turbo Boost, Hyper-Threading, Integrated Graphics and On-Chip Memory Controllers.

Intel is preparing to launch a number of new Core processors for desktops and notebooks at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show 2010 in January. At small events here and in San Francisco Dec. 17, Intel officials gave reporters a taste of what the chip maker will launch at the CES, which runs Jan. 7-10, 2010, in Las Vegas.

Intel will release new Core i7 chips, and release the first of its i3 and i5 processors, and i7 dual-core processors, built on the company’s 32-nanometer manufacturing process, though the officials at the New York event declined to say how many new chips would be rolled out.

Intel officials at the San Francisco briefing reportedly said there would be 17 new chips released in January.

The “Arrandale” and “Clarkdale” processors are all shipping now and will begin appearing in new computers in early 2010. Intel has invested more than $7 billion in the United States in 2009 on four factories used to build the 32-nm products.

At the journalist events, Intel also had several systems on display that were powered by the new chips. Several systems were running animated movies and video games, showing off the graphics capabilities of the new chips.

Karen Regis, director of consumer client marketing for Intel’s Consumer PC Group, said the new family of processors will come with a host of features, including Hyper Threading, while the i5 chips will offer Turbo Boost, which enables processing cores to run a little faster when the demand arises.

Intel also will introduce a Turbo Boost application that will enable users to see how the technology is working as they run applications. The application puts an indicator showing core power levels appears on the system‘s screen as a workload runs.

“It let’s [the user] see what Turbo Boost is doing for them in real time,” said Zane Ball, director of desktop platform marketing for Intel’s PC Client Group.

The new chips also will come with Intel HD graphics, a 45-nm graphics chip integrated with the CPU. The current quad-core Core processors, rolled out in the fall, offer discrete graphics capabilities.

Ball said improvements in the integrated graphics will enhance the Core chips’ high-definition video and audio capabilities, as well as 3D performance, Ball said.

Regis said demand for high-end graphics is growing, with consumers not only playing video games on their PCs, but also editing photos, voice and music content.

Ball and Regis also touted the on-chip memory controller, another new feature that has come with Intel’s “Nehalem” architecture, as well as per-core power management, which will shut down power to cores that aren’t being used.

However, there was some information they were declining to release, including chip frequencies and prices. Those will come when Intel makes its announcements Jan. 7 at CES, first at an early-morning press briefing and later during CEO Paul Otellini’s keynote address.

Intel sees a PC market that will be driven by the consumer side more than businesses, with Regis saying that after a flat 2009, the PC market is set to start growing again in 2010, thanks in part to Microsoft’s new Windows 7 Operating System.

“Beginning next year, we’ll see the commercial [sector] recovering,” she said.

MSI‘s currently running a Holiday Giveway 2009 through MSI’s Facebook Fan Page.

Keep visiting the Facebook page for future chances to win.

AMD’s 40th Anniversary

May 1, 2009, marked AMD’s 40th anniversary.

Formed by Jerry Sanders and seven co-founders in 1969, AMD is a company with a rich and colorful history.

AMD’s 40th anniversary is a testimonial to our longevity, our employees, our customers and our unique business approach. AMD takes great pride in our role of igniting next-generation technology solutions, as well as our ability to see where customer and end-user needs are headed next and then collaborate with the industry accordingly. These values are captured in our Fusion business approach: a unique combination of integration, intimacy and impact.

Watch Video on YouTube – AMD’s 40th Anniversary

While Dell was busy working on getting 19 hours of battery life, HP were putting the finishing touches on getting up to 24 hours. The HP EliteBook 6930p with Intel^® Core^™2 Duo processor and Ultra Capacity Battery² outlasts the Dell Latitude E6400 by up to five hours.

Now get up to 24 hours of total battery life – only from HP!

Nobody wants to work all day and all night, but if you need to you can – but only with HP. With no need to access a power outlet. And in these tough economic times, being ultra productive is critical.
Here’s what you need and how you get it

Our new HP EliteBook 6930p notebook PC provides up to 24 hours of combined battery life. This solution will require a specific configuration including an 80 GB Solid State drive, an LED display and our Ultra Capacity Battery. So if you travel across the globe, or spend large chunks of time away from a power source, look to HP to keep you up, running and productive.

HP EliteBook – A tough notebook for tough times

Up to 24 hours of battery life is only available on our HP EliteBook 6930p notebook. This notebook is an excellent choice for mobile professionals needing a business-rugged notebook that will provide years of service and is a great “bang for your buck” in these challenging times.
HP offers choice:

Even if you don’t need up to 24 hours battery life, HP has many other options with impressive battery life, to suit your needs and budget.

Battery Run Times

HP Batteries – safer and more reliable, with the latest technology

When you’re considering batteries, you’re worried about more than just how long they last. You want to be assured that you, your home and your business are all highly secure from battery-related dangers.

HP was the only top notebook manufacturer in 2006 and 2007 to not have a battery recall, when other manufacturers experienced major safety issues and recalls. HP’s emphasis on reliability and innovation results in a much higher degree of safety.

HP Batteries meet the highest safety standards

HP batteries are designed to help prevent problems before they happen. HP notebook PC systems are designed to always be one step ahead of the game so that you don’t have to worry.
Minimize heat: HP notebook PCs are designed to minimize heat within the system. Each HP notebook thermal solution is designed to maintain the entire battery pack at a safe operating temperature and create a consistent temperature gradient across the pack.

Power management: The power load on the system is managed so that, in the unlikely event that battery over-heating was detected, the system would initially be throttled. If the over-heating were to continue, the system would be shut down. In the event of insufficient power to run the system, a controlled shutdown would occur to avoid the risk of data loss.

Diagnostic tools: HP Info Center provides a battery diagnostic utility that can verify battery functionality and health.

Minimize risk: HP battery charging technologies are designed to minimize risk by providing higher performance while meeting applicable battery cell manufacturer recommendations.
Here are a few of the ever-evolving safety measures included in HP batteries:
Flame-retardant plastics (rated V-0 by Underwriters Laboratories) exceed industry requirements.

Flexible circuit interconnects help prevent latent failures by eliminating discrete wires that could be pinched during assembly.

A barrier wall helps prevent short circuits and safety hazards by ensuring that, in the event an aging battery leaks, the battery fluid does not reach the circuit board.

A thin conformal coating on the printed circuit board (PCB) protects key components from contaminants that might be introduced during the assembly process.

Battery designs are continually improved and updated to take advantage of the latest industry developments.

HP Batteries offer enhanced battery life and quick recharge

HP batteries stand out for their long battery life as well as the HP Fast Charge and HP Enhanced Fast Charge^® technologies that efficiently yet safely charge HP notebook PC batteries. These technologies offer:

Charge rates that comply with Lithium-ion battery cell manufacturer recommendations.

Proven, standards-based algorithms to control battery voltage and charging current.

Redundant safety mechanisms in both the battery pack and the notebook PC to help prevent over-charging.

HP Batteries undergo exhaustive testing

HP batteries go through an incredibly rigorous set of testing, including:

Fuel gauge accuracy and functionality testing for voltage, current, temperature, capacity, communications and status.

Protection circuit functionality testing for over-voltage, under-voltage, over-current, over-temperature, short circuit.

Environmental testing for ElectoStatic Discharge (ESD) protection, drops, shock and vibration.

System integration testing for charging functionality, battery thermals, Inrush current tolerance, critical hibernation and non-operational thermal shock.

HP Batteries are designed for compact, comfortable use

HP secondary batteries are designed to not interfere with an optical drive bay. Instead, they connect underneath the system, providing for positive comfort and expanded usability.

Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Core, and Core Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.

Battery life will vary depending on the product model, configuration, loaded applications, features, and power management settings. The maximum capacity of the battery will decrease with time and usage.

Up to 24 hours of battery life requires separately purchased Ultra Capacity Battery and customer download of the latest Intel graphics driver and HP BIOS. Notebook must be configured with optional Intel 80GB SSD drive and HP Illumi-Lite LED Display and requires XP operating system.

Windows Vista Business disk also included for future upgrade if desired. To qualify for this downgrade an end user must be a business (including governmental or educational institutions) and is expected to order at least 25 customer systems with the same custom image.

2533t and 2530p run times are based on 3 cell, 6 cell, and 9 cell batteries; 2530p run time is without the optical drive; 2133 run times are based on 3 cell and 6 cell batteries

This system may require upgraded and/or separately purchased hardware and/or a DVD drive to install the Windows 7 software and take full advantage of Windows 7 functionality. See http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/ for details.

Nokia is entering the personal computer market with a small netbook computer, the Booklet 3G, which has specifications much like a cellphone: 3G, Bluetooth, GPS, and a headphone and microphone combined on one jack. It’s also got a price that gets a lot better if you sign up for a two-year contract for wireless data on AT&T $299. (It costs $599 without the $60-a-month commitment.)

The Booklet, which will be on sale exclusively at Best Buy starting in mid-November, runs Windows 7. And like Apple’s MacBooks, it is cut out of a single piece of aluminum.

The most intriguing feature, however, is not common on laptops or cellphones: 12-hour battery life.

Nokia is trying to carve out a premium segment in the netbook market, which has largely seen a race to the bottom in prices. Best Buy’s current assortment ranges from $250 to $500 for netbooks without a wireless contract and subsidy. AT&T offers three netbook models with a contract for $200 each.

AT&T’s best seller, the Acer Aspire, claims only three hours of battery life.

One way that Nokia was able to extend the battery life was to use the slowest of Intel’s Atom processors. That raises the risk that the Booklet, like other Atom-based devices, will be sluggish to use.

Nokia is clear that you wouldn’t want to use the machine to play intensive video games or to do bridge engineering. But when I played with one at Nokia’s press conference in New York Wednesday, it seemed fast enough rendering complex Web pages and displaying YouTube videos.

At the event, Glenn Lurie, the president of AT&T’s emerging device unit, said he understood that a $60-a-month data plan put the device out of the range of many potential consumers. He said that AT&T would introduce other data plans with lower prices before the end of the year, possibly including prepaid plans and those that charge users only for the days they are actually online.

Source: Nokia, NYTimes

Similarly, netbooks may look like notebooks, but - as we’ve previously pointed out – they’re not the same.

NPD released a survey last week finding that 60% of consumers who purchased a netbook thought it would have the same performance as a notebook. Additionally, out of the 18-24 year old demographic – a major segment for netbooks – an astounding 65% said they bought their netbooks expecting better performance.

It’s no wonder that some netbook resellers saw a 30% return rate, as reported by Brooke Crothers at CNET.

Clearly, there is confusion in the market over the functionality of a netbook. And I don’t blame the consumer.

So what do we do? BusinessWeek’s Olga Kharif wrote a call to action for PC makers and retailers to better explain the difference in netbooks’ and notebooks’ capabilities. Speaking from personal experience, she writes, “I loved using [my netbook] to quickly check Hotmail or to watch a video off of YouTube. But try multitasking, such as downloading a photo or a document while streaming a video off of YouTube, and their performance falls off the cliff. Consumers need to be made aware of this before they make their purchases.”

In some cases, consumers may even encounter problems during normal Web surfing. Many Websites now have video or flash right on their homepage. If you’re a parent buying a netbook for your kid, try loading Disney.com.

As with battery life, we think the PC industry has a role in helping consumers make educated decisions. In fact, Best Buy calls out on their Website that, “Netbooks may look like laptops, but they don’t have the full capabilities of a computer.”

What I also find interesting about the NPD survey is that the percentage of consumers who bought a netbook expecting the performance of a notebook closely parallels the percentage of netbooks that never leave the home (60% according to NPD). To me, this signifies that there is an opportunity in the market for a higher-performance product that is inexpensive and lightweight, satisfying consumers’ desire for a small, powerful machine while not disappointing on performance.

Of course, AMD’s response is the“ultrathin” category. If you’re looking for a lightweight, sleek laptop that is still powerful enough to handle your day to day activities, we recommend you check out the HP Pavilion dv2, powered by the AMD Athlon™ Neo processor for ultrathin notebooks.

Source: Blogs, AMD

I can assure you that no devious plot exists to mislead you. It really comes down to three simple factors.

#1: Measurements are best case: Like a car’s “highway miles per gallon” which gauges the best case (cruising at a sustained speed for an extended period without stop-and-go driving), notebook battery life is typically based on MobileMark® 2007. This benchmark primarily measures battery life while the notebook is doing nothing – not even wirelessly connecting to the Internet. A “city-driving” equivalent of notebook battery life doesn’t exist…yet.

#2: Different strokes for different folks: Notebook users are different; we all use notebooks differently, and therefore will see different battery durations.  Some watch HD web videos on YouTube, some may just do email, and some play more games than others. ALL which will mean varying battery life.  You can see this data from AMD here that shows the phenomenon.  This even shows that battery life under system use can even vary by component manufacturer.

#3: Battery life varies over time: The longer you own your notebook, use it, charge, and recharge, over and over again, the more the battery loses its effectiveness.  So theoretically, your longest battery life will be on the first day you crack open the packaging.  See all the people selling new batteries for old notebooks?  Some even say, battery life is variable with heat.

So what should a consumer like you do?

• Grade battery life on a “curve”, let’s say 60%. If the label says 10 hours, my guess is it’s probably only about 6 hours in real use.  (UPDATE: this isn’t always linear, so be very careful with this.)
• Ask your retailer and systems providers to provide the “city miles per gallon” or using the tried and tested cellphone analogy, “talk-time”. They all have web sites and when all else fails, you can ask them over Twitter.

I may have not added back 40% of your battery life, but hopefully you know why you only get 60% of it!

Sources: AMD, Blogs