Announced: ASUS U3

Information and pictures about the ASUS U3 came out this past friday, posted on NotebookReview.com. It’s expected to launch in September of this year, and it’s specifications are very similar to the 11″ ASUS U1F / U1 series as well as the 13.3″ Dell XPS M1330. It’ll probably be powered by one of Intel’s Core 2 Duo L7xxx series (Low Voltage/Ultra Low Voltage).

Like the M1330, the ASUS U3 will probably weigh around four pounds, and possibly less - from the photos, it doesn’t appear to have an internal optical drive, and it does have an LED-backlit display like the ASUS U1 series, which helps keep it thin and lightweight while helping with battery life. As well, it has a dedicated graphics chipset - NVIDIA 8400m (probably the same as in the M1330) and it can be switched on or off using a hardware switch.

One thing that really sets it apart from other laptops in the 12.1″ and 13.3″ range is that it has an internal GPS unit (with the ability to hook up an external antenna if needed).

Some of the other features:
- “Piano Black” finish with leather palmrests (similar to the ASUS U1F)
- eSata Port (External Serial ATA - SATA)
- HDMI Port
- Hardware switch for Wi-Fi and for power savings (performance vs battery life)

Photo/Source: - NotebookReview.com

Announced: MSI-1221

MSI has started to release information on the MSI MSI-1221 (m-Book PR200X) 12.1-inch widescreen ultraportable based on Intel’s Santa Rosa platform. It looks like it’s related to the MSI PR200

Not much is known at this point other than what’s been released, and when (if) it will be available outside of Japan remains to be seen. Pricing is around - $1216 - $1622 USD.

Some specifications:
- Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 or T7700
- Uses Intel’s Turbo Memory
- 1.3MP Web Camera
- HDMI Output

Akihabara News has more photos.

Press Release (MSI Japan - Japanese PDF)

Dell XPS M1330: Now Shipping, Starts at $1299

The Dell XPS M1330 is finally available and shipping. The XPS M1330 has a 13.3-inch display, including an optional LED-backlit display which can produce a better picture as well as increased battery life. Speaking of battery life, it also has the option for a 32GB Solid State Driver (SSD). It’s based on Intel’s Santa Rosa platform, and they start at $1299 at Dell.com

The optional LED-backlit display costs $150 extra.

Dell claims it’s “The world’s thinnest 13.3-inch notebook” and considering the height is 0.87 - 1.33 inches (depending on options), it’s easy to see why. It weighs just under four pounds (again depending on options) and has a 4-cell or an extended 6-cell battery. No word on battery life.

CPUs: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T5250 (1.5GHz, 2MB cache), Core 2 Duo T7500 (2.2GHz, 4MB L2 Cache), Core 2 Duo T7300 (2.0GHz, 4MB L2 Cache), Core 2 Duo T7100 (1.80GHz, 2MB L2 Cache)

Features:
- Optional LED-backlit Display
- Solid State Drive (SSD) option (Flash-memory hard drive)
- Mobile Broadband Options
- Built-in Webcam (0.3MP on LED display, 2MP on standard)
- Colors: Tuxedo Black, Crimson Red or Pearl White
- 0ptional NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS dedicated graphics chipset with dedicated DDR3 Memory
- HDMI Out
- “Mini Express Card Remote” for media control.
- Magnesium Alloy shell
- “Media Direct” - Do not need to be booting into Windows to view certain multimedia types.

Announced: MSI PR200

MSI has announced the MSI PR200, their latest ultraportable laptop at Computex 2007. Unfortunately not too many details were released, including pricing and availability. Some information was leaked several months ago.

What we know:
- Intel Centrino Duo chipset
- 12.1-inch widescreen display
- HDMI Outputs
- 1.3MP Webcam
- Magnesium/Aluminum Alloy casing
- Internal DVD Dual-Layer Writer

Source: MobileWhack
Photos: AVING USA