Mobile Computing: Best Programs for Your Palm
How to track expenses, convert foreign currencies, and more.
James A. Martin
NOTEBOOKS & ACCESSORIES
News: Shrinking Drives From Samsung
Notebook makers keep looking for ways to make thinner, lighter components and peripherals, and I love 'em for it. Case in point: Samsung Electronics recently announced a new optical drive for notebooks that's 25 percent smaller than existing drives as well as 35 percent lighter, and more power efficient. The drive, now available to notebook PC makers, can write to CD-R and CD-RW discs at 8X speed but can't burn DVDs.
News: Smaller, Faster PC Cards
Speaking of shrinkage, the industry group behind PC Cards is developing a new spec for smaller, faster, cheaper cards that'll work in notebooks and desktops. The specification from PCMCIA should be released later this year, with the first products supporting it out by mid 2004. The card, code-named Newcard, should allow computer makers such as Dell and Hewlett-Packard (backers of the specification) to design sleeker notebooks. If the cards are smaller, so will be the card slots, the thinking goes.
News: Panasonic Talks Tough
Looking for a Tablet PC to slam around? Look no further than Panasonic's new Tablet PC. The Toughbook CF18 is based on Intel's new Centrino architecture, which combines a Pentium M processor with a new chip set and wireless networking support. Like other Tablet PCs, you can use the ruggedized Toughbook as a traditional notebook or swivel the display around and fold it down face out to use it tablet style. What makes the Toughbook so tough? A magnesium alloy case, moisture and dust resistant LCD, a shock-mounted hard drive, and more. Pricing begins at $3200.
