New MSI Wind Ships with TV-Tuner

MSI’s new Wind U123 distinguishes itself with not none, but one, stand-out feature: a TV tuner. In addition to the usual array of holes around the rim of the machine (USB, mic in and line out, RJ45 jack, D-sub video-out and a multi-card reader) there is a TV antenna connector. It might not sound like much, but it’s pretty smart on a few levels. First, even if you have no internet you have access to free TV pretty much anywhere in the world. And if you hook the Wind up to a bigger screen at home, you now have one extra extra quill in your home entertainment quiver (sorry, again).

The U123 also has the new 1.66GHz N280 Atom processor, which performs only a little faster than its ubiquitous predecessor but uses a lot less power. And as for power, the U123 doesn’t even bother with those lowlife 3-cell batteries. Instead you get a choice of a sic-cell or the huge nine-cell, which is enough to watch a whole day of Pop-Idol re-runs. $380, available now.

Pee Wee PC Pivot Tablet Laptop

This week PeeWee PC announced the availability of the PeeWee Pivot Tablet Laptop.  Targeted at children ages 3 to 10, it’s spill and drop resistant, has a built-in handle, and weighs in at 3 pounds.  From a hardware perspective, it features netbook-level hardware (1.6 GHz Atom processor, 1 GB memory, and 60 GB HDD) and a 9-inch, rotating touch screen. Software features include a Walt Disney Windows XP theme, educational software, games, and a security suite that provides parental control options.

The PeeWee PC retails for $599, and includes a six-cell battery (so it should have decent battery life) and 3-year warranty.

UMID M1 mbook

According to the latest updates, a Korean manufacturer has launched a UMID named, Mbook. The UMID M1 mbook jumps aboard the netbook bandwagon, where the device ships in a relatively neat package that offers out-of-the-box Internet connectivity, as long as you have a decent Wi-Fi connection nearby.

This tiny device shouldn’t really be able to function as a decent workstation but meant for casual surfing, since the 4.8″ display is really too small to be of practical use, while the keyboard will introduce your fingers to cramps much faster. The Korean manufacturer for this UMID also claims that for connectivity, it is compatible with HSDPA, Bluetooth 2.0 and WiBro – a WiMax-like wireless broadband internet technology. Among other specifications, UMID sports four-in-one memory card slot, a mini USB 2.0 port, a QWERTY keyboard and has a battery life of around six hours.

Packard Bell EasyNote Butterfly Notebook

Packard Bell announced today that they will soon be releasing the Acer supplied EasyNote Butterfly. This notebook is a tad too large to be a netbook, measuring in at 13.4-inches and features a LED-backlit display.

Other specs include an Intel Ultra Low Voltage processor, a multitouch trackpad and ATI Mobility Radeon HD4330 graphics. Optional features include 3G and a choice between a standard hard drive or a solid-state drive.

With eight-hours of battery life, this notebook is set to be quite a useful little portable. No idea about its release or pricing, but Europe will likely be the only market for the Packard Bell EasyNote Butterfly.

IOGEAR USB Laptop KVM Switch

IOGear introduces its USB Laptop KVM Switch that allows users to access another computer with their laptop. IOGear’s USB Laptop KVM Switch is the first KVM switch that enables a laptop to replace the traditional keyboard, mouse and monitor on a second computer. The switch also offers file transfers and convenient switching between a desktop or a secondary laptop.

The switch has also an USB 2.0 connector for connecting other devices such as camera, external hard drives that users can access directly from the laptop. The USB Laptop KVM Switch works with Windows XP, 2000 and Vista. It is priced at $99.95 MSRP.

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