HP India unveils new business line of computing products

HP India has expanded their commercial product portfolio by unveiling a new line of Business notebooks, Business PCs, Workstations, Thin Clients, Retail solutions and Accessories for the Indian market. Starting with notebooks, we have ultra-portable notebooks like HP ProBook 5330m and 4230s, HP EliteBook 2560p and 2760p, and docking solutions that are designed to give business users a reliable computing platform. HP also launched the Compaq 4000 Pro Series, Compaq 6200 Pro series and 8200 Elite series which are desktop PCs designed for rugged day-to-day use.

The EliteBook 2560p

HP Workstations are targeted at industries like oil and gas, mechanical engineering and design, film and video editing, animation and more. The new Z210 Workstation and EliteBook W-series for professionals are designed for these tasks in mind. HP Thin Client combines a powerful rich PC experience with an affordable and reliable productivity tool. The t5740e, HP’s thin client computing solution meets both IT and user needs with the most comprehensive range of hardware, software and services. In the accessories segment, the HP docking station provides a more ergonomic and productive desktop computing experience. The HP Integrated Work Center stand offers a combination of computing performance and flexibility for small workspaces and public areas. It’s designed to help maximize the use of limited desk space. The HP notebook projection companion is a compact and lightweight mini projector which is ideal for impromptu meetings, project work in education and the mobile sales force.

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Lenovo wins bid to supply affordable laptops to Tamil Nadu students

An attempt by the Tamil Nadu government to give away low-cost laptops to the students in state-aided colleges and high schools has found its lowest bidder in Lenovo. According to a report in the Live Mint, Lenovo, like HCL was among several others in the race who quoted their bid of the costs for manufacturing the low-cost laptops. However, a Rs. 13,939 price quoted by Lenovo as the manufacturing cost of each unit of the laptop sweetened the deal for them.

Now, will manufacture affordable laptops

Elections in this south Indian state are fast approaching, and for the current pre-election stage, Chief Minister, J. Jayalalitha had pledged to give out as many as 9,06,000 units of these affordable laptops to the students, all within the current fiscal year. The price quoted by Lenovo for manufacturing these low-cost laptops, according to reports is cheaper by almost Rs. 10,000 than the retail version of these laptops, currently available in the market. HCL Infosystems it is learnt turned out to be the second lowest bidder in the race, with a price tag of Rs. 14,452.

The Tamil Nadu government plans to dole out as many as 6.8 million such laptops among students in the state. If the plan materializes, then needless to add, both technology accessibilty at low costs and education will see a huge jump.

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HCL launches high definition Ra.One series of laptops

HCL have recently announced the launch of their exclusive Ra.One series of notebooks. This exclusive range includes HCL ME ICON 1034, XITE 2025 and XITE 2035 and the company claims that these notebooks promise to bring ultimate cinematic entertainment to its customers on the go. The Ra.One high definition laptop series are power packed to give consumers an exhilarating experience this festive season, the company states.

Exclusive Ra.One HD laptop series from HCL

The latest range of Ra.One laptops from HCL are equipped with features such as an additional graphics card and an HD ready display that helps in enhancing the video output. HCL affirms that with a unique stereo speaker system, HD ready bright LED backlit screen and a slim panel, the HCL Ra.One range is an all-in-one device to enjoy the festive season. These notebooks have a lightweight aluminium casing that makes it easy to carry around.  


Speaking about the tie-up, Princy Bhatnagar, Vice President, Head-Consumer Computing,  HCL Infosystems said, “At HCL Infosystems we pride ourselves in understanding the pulse of consumers and our Ra.One series of laptops will cater to the increasing demand for a fine cinema viewing experience on laptops. Indeed as an eagerly awaited release this festive season Ra.One will be best watched in High Definition formats. I am sure our customers will not only be bowled over by the various features of this new series but also find our special offer quite attractive.”



In the Ra.One offer, HCL is also offering customers an additional of two years “Return to Bench” warranty along with a three years McAfee antivirus software and license. The buyers of this exclusive series can also avail an additional graphics card and Philips sound bar to give users an above par sound quality. Consumers can also get specially designed Ra.One laptop skins made. These laptops are available at HCL ME stores, multi brand partner outlets as well as their online store. For more information on these Ra.One series of notebooks, click  here

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Review of ASUS Eee PC X101H Netbook

ASUS have traditionally released their Eee PC series of netbooks targetted at consumers who want their laptop solely for net usage, along with a slight amount of word processing features. The company have usually launched these netbooks with Windows or Linux operating systems. Now, with their latest Eee PC, ASUS have released the X101H netbook that runs on a relatively new OS - Meego. Without the need to elaborate, Meego is the main feature on this netbook. Read on to know if the Eee PC X101H can match upto other netbooks available in the market. 
Design and Build Quality 
The ASUS Eee PC X101H has an all white design with hints of silver. The size of this laptop is merely the size of a large exercise book. It is extremely lightweight making it easy to carry around. ASUS have traditionally kept their Eee PCs light and this one is no different weighing just over a kilo. The chicklet-style keyboard is finished in white, as well. This makes it a good looking netbook for both genders. The laptop has a glossy finish, so one can expect a lot of finger prints all over the X101H. Connectivity options available for it lie on either sides of the laptop. There are two USB ports, an Ethernet port, a VGA port, as well as a 3.5mm audio-cum-mic jack. The trackpad blends with the region below the keyboard and the only way to make out the difference is the single button for the left and right click. The hinges of this laptop are made of plastic and do not feel very sturdy. The webcam is located on the upper region of the bezel above the display. Overall, the X101H is a stylish and fancy looking netbook, but as far as build quality is concerned, it just does not cut it. The keyboard feels a bit flimsy, as does the area where the indicators are located. This area looks like it has been separated from the lower part of the laptop, giving it a very cheap feel. The bezel surrounding the screen, however feels rather sturdy. Because of its stylish looks and flimsy feel, we have mixed reactions regarding this segment of the review.

Features 
The ASUS Eee PC X101H is a netbook with a 10.1-inch display that sports a resolution of 1024 x 600. The laptop runs on an Intel Atom N455 processor and an Intel NM10 Express chipset. The laptop features a memory of 1 GB DDR3, this is rather less as most netbooks these days feature 2GB memory. This is a typical configuration found on netbooks, nowadays. 

The main feature of this netbook comes in the form of its operating sytem. ASUS have traditionally used Windows with their netbooks and notebooks, but this time around they have used the new OS - Meego. Meego is an operating system that was started between Intel and Nokia. This is an ideal OS for a netbook with its mobile-like interface. Everything can be found on the screen itself, making it easy to find different functions. The bar at the top acts as a tool for navigating through the different pages. Overall, this is a totally new OS and has yet to become a full-fledged one. As of now, it is certainly work in progress. Meego has an app store as well where one can buy apps to use on this netbook. The browser used here is Chromium, which is basically the open source version of Google’s Chrome browser. One can find a lot of similarities between the two browsers. The interface feels like you're navigating through the menus of a tablet. This can be appealing to some people with its straightforward approach. The features of this laptop are intermingled with the OS, though Meego is the default OS on this netbook, Windows too can be set up on it. Overall, by using Meego as their OS, ASUS have added a nice distinguishing factor to the populated netbook market.

Performance
The achievement allotment of the analysis was done by blockage media playback, examination angles, abundance ability, heating and added netbook activities like application the tabs for amusing networking, etc. Aboriginal lets alpha off by adage that the X101H was appealing slow. While traveling through the altered menus, we noticed that it would yield added than a brace of abnormal to load. A atramentous awning with a alarm would appear, which put us off to an extent. It's arbitrary to analyze this OS to a Windows, as it is still a beginning OS. Hopefully with added updates, the achievement and acceleration would improve.

Another affair we noticed was that abutting to Wi-Fi was a bit of a task, as it would not complete the request. Once affiliated it formed well. We absorbed up an NTFS alien harder drive to the laptop and played videos through the congenital media player. Standard video formats such as AVI formed able-bodied and there were no playback issues noticed. However, if we chock-full the video, the audio connected to run and did not stop till we physically accessible the drive. We begin this to be absolutely strange. While arena audio or video files, we approved application the adjustment keys to reduce, accession or aphasiac the volume, but the acknowledgment time was absolutely slow. Examination angles on this netbook like a lot of others was not an issue, whatsoever.

Social networking through the pre-loaded tabs on the homescreen was absolutely acceptable as all cachet updates arise on the tabs. For tasks such as web browsing and amusing networking, the Meego OS in the ASUS X101H netbook serves the purpose well. However, if one has to use it for media playback like watching videos, there are analytical issues. The netbook does not get actual heated, which is consistently a acceptable affair with any laptop. It's rather quiet, but a connected bustling babble can be heard from it if it is active in a bashful room. The array of this anthology is appealing acceptable and active Meego helps in convalescent the array life. Under ample usage, which cover watching videos, browsing the web via Wi-Fi and alert to music, the netbook lasted over 5 hours.

Verdict
The ASUS Eee PC X101H is accessible in India at a bulk of Rs. 12,499. As of now, Meego is in its apprentice accompaniment and may apparently be the aforementioned way for some added time. Rumours are accomplishing the circuit that Meego is traveling to be replaced, in adjustment to accomplish way for a new operating arrangement alleged Tizen, which is addition Linux-based accessible antecedent operating system. So, this could apparently one of the few netbooks to anytime run this accessible antecedent operating system.

This netbook has some accurate appearance for amusing networking, as able-bodied as quick Internet browsing, but the all-embracing achievement of the netbook and the OS is not that abundant as compared to added netbooks accessible in the market. One can get addition ASUS Eee PC for about the aforementioned bulk that comes pre-loaded with Windows. If one is searching out for a netbook for alone amusing networking purposes, Internet usage, as able-bodied as is accommodating to acquaintance application a new OS, again this would be an option.

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Review of Dell XPS 15z

Dell XPS alternation laptops accept consistently begin themselves to be a part of the top-of-the-line models with an A++ brand in aggregate from architecture to performance. Keeping that in mind, the amount of all the XPS series, so far been high. Dell has afresh launched the new XPS 15z Notebook. But, does this backpack it all for a aces purchase? Read on to acquisition out.

Brilliantly designed

Design and Build Quality
The 15z comes in a dual-tone accomplishment of Silver on the exoteric and Gray on the autogenous of the laptop. An all-silver accent absolutely adds a lot as far as appearance and classiness is concerned. A baby and agleam chrome plating runs throughout the edges of the laptop, abacus to its admirable looks. The 15.6-inch awning is placed central a Black anatomy with Silver hinges underneath. While the accomplished architecture looks acutely classy, the slight check is that the architecture of the hinges don’t absolutely bout with the blow of the laptop.

Speakers are located on either side of the keyboard

The connectivity options cover an HDMI slot, affectation port, eSATA cum USB 2.0 port, two USB 3.0 port, a anamnesis agenda clairvoyant slot, the microphone and headphone jack aperture and the slot-in DVD writer. There’s aswell a button at the ancillary of the laptop, which displays the accepted array level. The array that comes with the laptop is not user-replaceable. The awning is cool thin, but accepting said that it doesn’t accommodation on the sturdiness. The hinges are able and there’s no arresting weakness, as far as the body of the laptop is concerned. The accomplished anatomy is fabricated out of anodized aluminium and the Dell XPS absolutely gives an abstraction of above designing and construction.

Features
The Dell XPS 15z is powered by Intel’s Core i7 CPU active at a acceleration of 2.7 GHz. There’s 8GB of RAM with a 750GB harder deejay and an NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M clear card. The XPS has a ample 15.6-inch awning and comes with an eight-cell Lithium-ion battery. As allotment of the features, it comes with a 1.3 megapixel camera and Bluetooth 3.0.

Sleek, thin and stylish

Thankfully, Dell hasn’t pre-installed a lot of applications and software. There’s alone the Dell DataSafe Backup software and Dell Stage software that appear pre-loaded. The Dell Stage provides users with quick admission to music, photos, videos, amateur and offers synchronization for any accessories affiliated to the laptop which is a accurate little feature.

Performance
The keyboard is chiclet-styled, but has an acutely bendable feedback, which makes it a joy during continued accounting hours. The clue pad is acknowledging too. We did apprehension some heating on the larboard of the laptop and the affliction is that it’s not minimalistic. The laptop generated absolutely a bit of calefaction all-embracing if active a lot of applications at the aforementioned time and this ability not be abundant account for those absent to use it for continued hours on their lap. The speakers complete brittle and bright and watching high-definition videos on the awning is absolutely absorbing with acceptable colour accuracies. Tilt and examination angles are appealing accepted like a lot of added laptops and the awning accuracy is able enough.

Brilliant keyboard feedback

We’ve compared the Toshiba Qosmio to the Dell XPS 15z and beneath is a allegory blueprint for the same.

Performance Chart

Battery Backup
Battery Eater Pro gave a absolute array run time of 1 hour and 22 account in top achievement approach with abounding brightness. On an average, we were able to get about 2 hours and 40 minutes, which is accepted out of an boilerplate laptop battery.

The Dell XPS 15z

Verdict
The Dell XPS 15z is priced at Rs. 81,800 and comes pre-loaded with Windows 7 Home Premium. If you’re alone traveling by the specs, the Dell Vostro is a cheaper purchase, but as with XPS laptops, you’re paying exceptional bucks for the looks, body and the all-embracing feel of the laptop. So, if these things do amount to you, again the Dell XPS 15z is absolutely account the buy.

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