COMPUTERS
Laptops: How Thin Can You Get?

With people going gaga over tablets in 2011 into 2012, what has happened with the laptop? For one thing, it’s getting thinner and thinner. With Apple leading the way, look for new laptops to really shed the pounds in coming months. We’ve got some tech reviews and some other cool gadgets you may want to check out with your business’s next laptop purchase.

Apple Leads Thin Revolution

MacBook Pro will be thinner than ever. Get ready for the new 15-inch MacBook Pro leading the way from the company that produced the iPad, arguably the king of the tablets. The new iteration is reported to feature a “jaw-dropping retina display”, super-fast USB3, and is described as being an ultra-thin version of the current MacBook Pro. 9to5Mac

Thinner Apple laptops feature more powerful chips. The new MacBook Pro is likely the first in a new generation of thinner laptops to feature more powerful chips from Intel Corp. Among other features are high-definition screens like those of the iPhone and iPad, flash memory to cut start up times, and extended battery life. Bloomberg

New Chips Help Laptops Slim Down

New processors are the key and more are coming. The key to new laptops are not just consumer fascination with the new slender tablet format, but also the availability of new processors that make the devices possible. Lower cost competitors like AMD are getting into the game as well, guaranteeing that even cheaper machines will be slimmer and more functional than ever. Yahoo! Finance

Lighter Devices, Better Features

HP enters the fray with two kinds of laptops. While the manufacturer has split its laptop offerings into two classes, consumer and enterprise, it’s clear that either one might appeal to small business owners depending on their needs. More to the point, HP’s machines are priced higher than budget machines and may see tablets, including the Apple iPad, as the real competition. CNET News

Thinnest ThinkPad will come with 4G. The so-called “thinnest ThinkPad,” Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Carbon ultrabook, weighing in at just under 1.8 kilograms and only 18.8-mm thick, will feature a little something extra for the emerging mobile work environment. The new laptop is to offer 4G mobile broadband connectivity at $1.99 for 30 minutes. Though the new broadband will be available in the U.S. and a few other countries from the outset, Lenovo is reportedly working with other broadband providers to eventually make it available world wide. IT World

Thinner machines, better display. A so-called retina display, high resolution meant to bring the laptop screen closer to the iPhone or iPad viewing experience, is already in the supply chain and expected to be featured in the new MacBook Pro. But how many other laptop manufacturers are willing to spring for the expensive feature? CNET News

Other Mobile Tools to Watch

As laptops get thinner, iPhone screens get larger. It might not be too surprising that as laptops get thinner in an attempt to mimic the portability and convenience of iPhones and tablets, iPhones are set to increase their screen size in a bid to compete with the viewing experience of larger machines. A new version is said to use a 4-inch diagonal screen, compared with the 3.5 inches of the current iPhone 4S. Wall Street Journal

Devices become an in-store marketing tool. With increased features and sleeker more attractive designs, laptops aren’t the only digital, Internet-ready devices making huge strides in terms of usage. This post, from an organization dedicated to evangelizing the process, looks at how iPad can be turned into an incredible marketing tool for a bricks and mortar business too. OnSpot Social

Anomalies & Accessories

One new laptop is actually thicker and heavier? That’s right. In a year where the watchwords seem to be thinner and lighter, one manufacturer is inexplicably heading in the opposite direction. Sony’s new Vaio T13 series is actually thicker, by about 0.7 inches, and heavier, the 3.5 pounds, than Sony’s existing laptop. It’s not much of a discrepancy and the new model has plenty of features, but the size is a little weird in an industry focused on the thinner and lighter trend. Wired

New chip lets you recharge devices through your shoes. A godsend for mobile entrepreneurs and other workers on the go if the technology can be marketed effectively, Kenyan developer Anthony Mutua says he’s developed a chip that can recharge your mobile devices while you walk. Though the application discussed specifically refers to mobile phones, it’s easy to see how it could apply to all mobile devices, allowing you to generate power while on the go and worry less about outlets and batteries. Digital Trends

[“source-smallbiztrends”]

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