Available in 120GB, 250GB, and 500GB and 1TB capacities, the Colossus marks the first time that SSD drives have reached the storage sizes that users have come to expect these days. The bad news is you can expect to spend a small fortune for these drives. The 1TB sells for $3397, the 500GB for $1530, the 250GB is $820, and the 120GB will set you back $438. Ouch!

Dynamism claims the computer is the world’s smallest PC and, well, it very well might be. It sure is tiny at only .69 lbs and 6.3 x 3.7 x 0.7 inches. An Atom CPU powers the device and a microSD card slot provides backup to the 8GB SSD hard drive. The screen is only 4.8-inches but that’s probably large enough to update Facebook and read email anyway. Plus it’s pink. Everyone loves pink. Except for dudes.

The Thecus N0204 will use either HDD or SSD drives, with a maximum capacity of 1TB. Due to the fact that the NAS only has two bays, you are of course restricted to RAID 0, 1, or JBOD. The best part? The price. The Thecus N0204 retails for just $150; you’ll have to provide your own drives, though.

The Thecus also functions as a print server, which could be handy. It’s compatible with both Mac and PC networks and will work with Wi-Fi orGigabit LAN via the ethernet connection on the back of the unit.

[via Legit Reviews]

The W870CU fun starts out at $2,114 and comes equipped with a 17.3-inch, 1080p LCD three different Core i7 CPU options, up to 8GB of memory, a Blu-ray combo drive option, up to a 500GB HDD or 256 GB SSD options, and a 1GB Nvidia GTX280 GPU. But if you must have the biggest LCD option, the M980NU has the same hardware options but packs a 18.4-inch 1080p LCD instead. This boy has a starting price of $2,505. Both are available now.

The industry is all a buzz with the latest entry in the “I’m the thinnest laptop” competition. The latest Dell Adamo is definitely a strong contender, at 9.99 mm at some points. Of course, that’s just the official figure. I would have tested it myself but I forgot my calipers.

The Adamo definately does the sleek, simplistic look well.  About two inches bigger in both directions than a sheet of paper and only 3.2 lbs, you could almost forget you were carrying this thing around. Although forgetting you have $1800 in your arms might not be the most desirable…

Dell replaced the usual manual cover latch with a heat-sensitive capacitor. Just swipe your finger across the front edge and the lock disengages. When you open the Adamo, the screen doesn’t so much fold up as the keyboard folds down. It rests in the crazy position you see below. And it’s not just for looks, kids. The open space under the unit allows for more effective airflow, meaning no more burning laps while you work. The keyboard has full sized, metal keys, and the angle didn’t interfere with my typing at all. The touchpad on the other hand, is a little on the small size. This thing has multitouch support, but even my small hands found trouble getting multiple fingers on there. Another thing I didn’t like was that when you adjust the angle of the screen, it moves the angle of the keyboard as well.

Now I’m sure the question you’re all wondering is how in the world does this thing sit on your lap? Its actually pretty comfortable, and you can type without fear of knocking it off your lap with each keystroke. However, it does only have two points of contact so its not as secure against people bumping into you as other laptops.

As for the device’s internals, nothing jumps out at the eye. The screen is 13.4″. Powered by a 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with integrated graphics and 4 GB of DDR3 RAM. You get 128 GB of SSD, no word on whether that is upgradable yet. Wireless comes in two flavors, 802.11n and Bluetooth 2.1. The only ports on the laptop are 2 USB 2.0 jacks, audio, and a DisplayPort out. Ethernet, HDMI, and the like can connect through the use of an external dongle.

Another cool feature is the replaceable battery. But you’ll have to be replacing it every 2 and a half hours. Not very long for a laptop that is designed for maximum mobility, but at that size? Can’t beat it.

You can expect the Adamo sometime this holiday season. Windows 7 comes standard as well as the diamond-etched logo on the cover. If you’re into that sort of thing.

Remember when the first VAIO P came out and everyone was like, “I can’t believe it has Vista! That angers me! I am currently outraged!” – something along those lines? Well now it has Windows 7 and comes in four different models ranging in price from $850 to $1900.

The base model features a 1.33GHz Atom CPU, Windows 7 Home Premium, 2GB of RAM, and an 80GB 4200RPM hard drive for $850. Then there’s a model for $1000 that features a 1.6GHz CPU and 64GB SSD, followed by a $1500 model with a 1.86GHz CPU and 128GB SSD. The top of the line offering features Windows 7 Professional, a 2GHz CPU, and 256GB SSD for $1900.

VAIO P Series Lifestyle Notebooks [Sony via Electronista]

Just in September this year, Toshiba proudly announced a 1.8-inch HDD with 160GB capacity, which was pretty impressive already (their new SSDs aren’t too shabby either). But today, not even two months later, Toshiba unveiled another 1.8-inch HDD with 320GB capacity [press release in English].

The MK3233GSG features a 3Gbps SATA interface and 16MB buffer memory, produces just 19dB of seek noise and spins at 5,400 rpm. Needless to say it’s the only 1.8-inch HDD with 320GB capacity out there.

Toshiba says mass production will start in December this year. In the past few months, the company has announced one high-capacity HDD after the other.

Here is the revised spec list. Of note are the internal motion sensor (good for recording metadata for adding effects later), GPS sensor, and a touchscreen electronic viewfinder (good for adjusting settings, but it also supports… touch focus tracking? -that’s not what I think it is, is it?):

New MYSTERIUM-X 5K sensor
5K (2:1) at 1-100fps
4K (2:1) at 1-125fps
Quad HD at 1-120fps
3K (2:1) at 1-160fps
2K (2:1) at 1-250fps
1080P (scaled from full frame) at 1-60fps
Increased Dynamic Range, reduced noise
Time Lapse, Frame Ramping
REDCODE 250
ISO 200-8000
New FLUT Color Science

Completely Modular System, each Module individually upgradeable
Independent Stills and Motion Modes (both record full resolution REDCODE RAW)
5 Axis Adjustable Sensor Plate
Multiple Recording Media Options (Compact Flash, 1.8” SSD, RED Drives, RED RAM)
Wireless REDMOTE control
Touchscreen LCD control option
Bomb-EVF, RED-EVF and RED-LCD compatible
Multiple User Control Buttons
Interchangeable Lens mounts including focus and iris control of electronic RED, Canon and Nikon lenses (along with Zoom data)
“Touch Focus Tracking” with electronic lens mounts and RED Touchscreen LCDs
LDS and /i Data enabled PL Mount
Rollover Battery Power
Independent LUTs on Monitor Outputs
Independent Frame Guides and Menu overlays on Monitor Outputs
Monitor Ports support both LCD and EVF
True Shutter Sync In/Out and Strobe Sync Out
720P, 1080P and 2K monitoring support
Gigagbit Network interface and 802.11 Wireless interface
3 Axis internal motion sensor, built in GPS receiver
Enhanced Metadata
Full size connectors on Pro I/O Module. AES Digital Audio input, single and dual link HD-SDI
Support for RED, most Arri 19mm, Studio 15mm, 15mm Lite, Panavision and NATO accessories

Dimensions- Approx. 4”x4”x5.5”
Weight (Brain only)- Approx. 6 lbs (2.72kg)

Jim also posted an actual picture of a brain with grips attached still-camera-style, with a Canon EF mount. Whether they’ll actually be able to take a bite out of established still camera makers is questionable, but we’ll see.

The Scarlet also gets an update, a response to serious encroachments by cameras like the 7D. Much better audio capability, increased bitrates and color accuracy, 1080p at 60FPS, and a touchscreen LCD among other things. No word on pricing or how these changes might affect it, but it’s still going to be a professional camera, not a consumer or even prosumer one, so expect it to be at least $3000.

Read the whole thread here; they’re still updating and adding pictures (they’ve added two since I started this post).

So here’s what we know. The XPS will be running either a 1.4 or 1.9GHz dual core Intel CPU, integrated X4500MHD graphics, and 4GB of DDR3. You’ll be able to choose from either a 128 or 180GB SSD, and the screen only comes in a 13.4 inch size. There is some bad news (which might be why Dell is holding back currently), the machine apparently comes back with a Windows 7 Experience test rating of 3.3, which is not a good thing.

Additionally, that fancy flip screen thing won’t work if the batteries are dead. Not a huge issue, since I’m not sure why you’d need to open your notebook if it’s got no power, but still a little odd.

[via Engadget]

[Dell via Engadget]

Samsung has a tiny solid state drive that might make its way into future notebooks and netbooks. Based on the mSATA (mini-SATA) interface, the drive would require no external housing and “would plug directly into an internal PCI Express (PCIe) slot in a desktop, laptop or netbook,” according to Computerworld.

The main hurdle is that the PCIe slot isn’t integrated into most current motherboard designs, so it’d have to become a standard present in future products. As for the drive itself, capacities reach 64GB and it uses the serial ATA interface to transfer data.

For use in netbooks or notebooks, 64GB may be enough storage for everyday use but in desktops and more fully-featured portable computers, the mSATA drives could house the operating system and programs while a standard high-capacity hard drive would be used in tandem to store other files like photos, videos, and music.

It’s unknown how much additional cost the mSATA drives would add to a computer’s bottom line but the draw would be that we’d theoretically see much thinner and lighter systems since the drive itself is about a third of the size of a business card.

[via Computerworld]

There’s a detailed guide here where an individual, angry at the prices of new MP3 players, decides to make his own frankenplayer. One used Zune and one refurbished SSD later (okay, and some serious modification) and he’s got a Zune 32.

[via Anything but iPod]

The X-series ultra-thin laptops are something we’ve been hearing about for a while. At 1.6lb and half an inch in thickness, they’re some of the sveltest out there, although the new Adamo has them beat by a bit. Unfortunately, they are rocking Atom processors, though they’re at least the new ones. Plus SSD, GPS, and a 3G connection from Verizon come standard. We’d have to see how that Atom performs, but $1300 is really not a bad asking price for such a sexy and capable little machine.

The L-series is meant as a media hub, and optionally will have a TV card, HDMI-in, and DVR capabilities. It’s got a 24-inch 1920×1080 screen and the design looks chunky and solid. The configurations start at $1300, but the specs are a joke if you want to do HD media on it. A Core2 Duo E5400? Come on. You’ll have to upgrade to the $1800 model if you want HDMI and a quad-core processor.

The less said about the CW series, the better. The specs are nothing to write home about, although the inclusion of Blu-ray (in the most expensive model only) is nice. The best thing about them is the price: $800 to start, $920 at maximum. Decent all-purpose machines, but they’re not particularly sleek or portable, nor will they excel at HD or gaming. Still, the price is right.

Sony is showing a good deal of value in these offerings; Vaio has traditionally been a rather expensive brand, but bringing it down essentially to ultrathin territory with this Atom-based X-series is probably a good move. People buying Vaio aren’t buying for the bits, but for the whole package. We’ll see how this touchscreen PC works out; that picture doesn’t really make it look comfortable and I think people will find desktop PCs aren’t the best thing to mix with touchscreens. Tablets, I tells ya! You can be sure that Sony will have a Vaio tablet by this time next year. In the mean time, these aren’t bad buys.

Read the full press releases here if you’re into that kind of thing.

My gut reaction to seeing these all-in-one computers is that they might make a nice addition to a dorm room or an aging couple’s den. But then Gateway goes and says something like this:

“The powerful One ZC6800 Series is a no-compromise, high-performance configuration entirely suitable for serious gaming.” I roll my eyes and then look for the actual specs, to find…

• Windows 7 Home Premium
• 23-inch touchscreen LCD at 1920×1080 resolution
• Intel Core 2 Quad CPU at 2.33GHz
• Intel GM45 Express Chipset (ah ha! – that’s not for gaming!)
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4670 with 1GB DDR3 memory (whoa, curve ball – that’s for gaming)
• 8GB of DDR3 RAM – eight!
• 1TB SATA hard drive for data storage
• 64GB solid state drive for OS and programs
• DVD burner, card reader, 6 USB ports, eSATA port, HD webcam, Wi-Fi, Ethernet
• Hybrid TV tuner with remote control, wireless mouse and keyboard
• MSRP of $1400

That’s actually a pretty impressive list of features for $1400. Sure, it’s not exactly “no-compromise” and those of you interested in “serious gaming” would probably never be caught dead with an all-in-one computer but for anyone who likes the idea of an all-in-one but has to this point been underwhelmed, this configuration may be worth a closer look.

There will also be a more budget-friendly option in the One ZX4800, priced at $749. That one includes Windows 7 Home Premium, a 20-inch 1600×900 touchscreen, 2.1GHz dual-core Pentium CPU, Intel GMA X4500HD graphics, 4GB of DDR2 RAM, and a 750GB SATA hard drive. So no SSD, TV tuner, or ATI graphics, but a much more manageable price tag.

Various configurations will be available in late October/early November, with the loaded-up configuration referenced in the beginning of this post due out “later in Q4.”

Gateway Introduces New Gateway One ZX Series All-in-One PCs [Press Release]

It normally sells for $1500 but use coupon code VAIO500P at checkout to get $500 off. The deal’s good until October 13th – available in black or red.

Still too expensive even after $500 off?

VAIO P Series Lifestyle PC [SonyStyle.com via Pocketables]

The resultant discs, the same size as CDs and DVDs, would be able to hold 500GB at current densities, going up to 1.6GBTB in densities achievable in a year or two. What does this mean for you? Probably nothing, but it’s good to know they’re all hard at work, right?

Maybe in 2011 you’ll be able to buy a modified Blu-ray drive (assuming the format is still around) that will have a mode for reading these holographic discs. You might even be able to get a special drive to write on ‘em. Seems a bit weird talking about “next-generation” optical technologies when almost all media is going online, but there’s always a use for discs like these. Assuming the discs aren’t too volatile, this kind of storage capacity would be great for backups.

Aaanyway, don’t worry your little head about it. When something happens, you’ll know (because we’ll tell you). In the meantime, get your holographic storage shirt here.

As you can see in the video embedded on LAPTOP’s post (skip ahead to about the one minute mark) the whole BIOS song and dance doesn’t even appear. The power button is pressed, and a second or two later we see the Windows 7 startup screen.

Then, we’re greeted with the desktop – all in less time than it takes to pour a non-foamy beer. This is all possible thanks to Phoenix’s new “Instant Boot Bios,” which is currently being offered to OEMs for use in future notebooks (it might be available as an upgrade, too).

According to LAPTOP:

“Enter Phoenix’s new Instant Boot BIOS. It cuts down the post time to roughly one second. Phoenix’s Chief Scientist Steve Jones explained that the new BIOS uses UEFI technology (a new kind of BIOS platform) to power on several system devices simultaneously and to run only those processes which are absolutely necessary to hand control over to the OS.

We had a chance to view Instant Boot in action on a Lenovo T400s, which was equipped with a high-speed SSD. About one second after hitting the power button, we saw the hard drive light flickering and noticed that Windows had already started loading. Because this system had a high-speed SSD and the Windows install didn’t have a lot of extra drivers or crapware, Windows 7 itself took only 10 seconds to get us to a desktop.”

The total time for the BIOS to do its thing was 1.37 seconds – that oughta shave precious moments off of just about any computer whether it’s got a highfalutin solid state drive or not.

Phoenix’s 1-Second Instant Boot Bios Really Works [LAPTOP]

Well don’t I feel like a chump. Here I am, chilling with what I thought was the latest and greatest Viliv on the market when somewhere in the world, there is the S10! And it has Windows 7! Damn.

The pictures floating around the Interweb show a similarly designed bezel. The trackpad seems to be located in front of the keyboard now, and it looks thinner if that’s at all possiable. Plus, the resistive touchscreen has been enlarged to 10-inches from the S7’s 7-incher. The CPU will range from 1.33GHz to 2.0GHz depending on the configuration and a 64GB SSD will be an option along with a 3G modem. Best of all, Viliv is stating that this guy will get a 10 hour battery life.

According to the report, the S10 will start out at $500 which will put it in the S7 range. However, don’t hold back your purchase of the S7 if you like it. (I do)  It might be months before Viliv imports the S10 to the States. The Korean market generally gets first dibs at Viliv products for a while before we get ‘em here.

Toshiba today announced it has developed mini SSDs (pictured on the right hand side) that are just a seventh of the size of existing 2.5-inch drives. The Toshiba drives will features a mini-SATA (aka mSATA) interface connector, as specified by the Serial ATA International Organization (SATA-IO) just yesterday. The new specification is designed for notebooks and similar portable devices.

Toshiba initially plans to roll out two models, an SSD with 30GB and another with 62GB on board. Sized at just 30×4.75mmx50.95mm, these drives weigh 9g. They will features 70MB/s writing speed and 180MB/s reading speed.

Toshiba says mass production of both models will begin as early as next month. The 62GB drive will cost $220, while the 30GB version will be priced at $110 (these are sample prices). Both SSDs will be entirely “made in Japan”.

So I have been using the Viliv S7 regularly for about a week now and I have concluded that it is the best netbook I have ever used. But yes, it’s a netbook. The S7 might have a touchscreen, convertible design, super long battery life, and a modest size SSD, but at the end of the day, it’s a luxury netbook.

I guess that a lot of people might have concluded that just after looking at the pictures, but somehow I guess I was expecting more after spending some time with the fantastic Viliv X70 tablet UMPC. It’s not that the S7 isn’t a quality kit with built-in 3G and a touchscreen, but it lacks a lot of the sex appeal of the X70 – and some key components like GPS.

The good news is that I have finally gotten use to the tiny keyboard and trackpad. Although I haven’t tested this, I believe I should be able to pound-out 25-30 WPM. The trackpad is just fine now after I turned up the sensitivity, and it’s location is rather handy as you can even use your thumb if you’re gripping the computer by the sides.

But I have found that I don’t really use the touchscreen all that much. I’ve never swiveled the screen out of necessity, and the lack of built-in on-screen keyboard kind of limits the touchscreen’s usefulness a bit. It’s not that the touchscreen isn’t quality. It’s just fine.

In fact, the screen is bright, crisp, and just fine even though Gizmodo’s Mark Wilson thinks differently. The screen is coated in something that’s somewhat of a cross between a matte and glossy layer so glare isn’t really a factor any more than most LCD screens. The touchscreen is accurate enough too. I can’t find one thing wrong with the screen and originally stated that I thought it was one of the best features.

Don’t think this is my final review, but I think it’s going to conclude something like this: The Viliv S7 is the best, and most expensive at $799, netbook I have ever used.