BenQ Ultra-thin Joybook S35 and Joybook S43 Announced

BenQ, the world leading innovator of digital products, has expanded its luxury style distinctive Joybook series notebooks. Introducing 2 new Joybooks to the family, the Joybook S35 and Joybook S43 are targeted for the Internet enthusiast and mobile businessman. The all new BenQ Joybook S35 is outfitted with a bright 13.3-inch LED backlit display with 1366x768 pixels resolution, a 500GB hard drive, DVD burner, Intel GMA4500M Graphics, built-in webcam, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet, 4-in-1 card reader, Bluetooth v2.1 EDR, HDMI 3 USB 2.0 ports, and lastly a 2-channel TruSurround HD sound system with SRS Headphone 360.

The BenQ Joybook S43 is outfitted with a beautiful 14-inch LCD display with 1366x768 pixels resolution. This Joybook has an integrated ATI Mobility Radeon HD4330 dGPU, an 8x Super-Multi DVD burner, 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet, 500GB HDD, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v2.1+ EDR, 3 USB 2.0 ports, RJ-45, HDMI, a 4-in-1 card reader, and a 2-channel TruSurround HD sound system.

Both of these baby’s will available with energy efficient ULV Intel processors, which also includes Intel’s ULV processors (Celeron 723/743, Core 2 Duo SU7300 or Core 2 Solo SU3500). The S35 Joybook comes with a 4-cell battery that can last up to 5.5 hours running time, while the Joybook S43 notebook comes with a 6-cell battery that can last up to 5 hours of operation time.

The S35 weighs in at about 1.6 kg, while the S43 weighs about 2kg. Both of these Joybooks are currently available in Taiwan, China, and the Asia Pacific through selected leading retailers and BenQ’s website.

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Asus dual-screen replaces the keyboard for a touchscreen

Asus showed this baby off at the CeBit 2009 show in Germany. It is another design of a dual-screen laptop concept, but instead has the keyboard removed and has a touchscreen instead. It will act like a virtual keyboard just like the iPhone. A device having two touchscreens is absolute gold in the company’s eyes; since it will give it extended functionality like you’d have with a tablet but without having to bulk up the laptop to have room for the second screen.

The company calls it “a revolutionary dual-panel concept notebook,” and also says the design was enthused by "ideas contributed from users from around the world." By using the Website called WePc.com, users can submit and discuss ideas for innovative laptops. The design of this new innovative laptop is from the advice from the users on the website. But Asus warns that "the concept is still a work-in-progress which requires continued feedback.”

Here is how Asus describes this system:

“The dual panel offers a flexible working space in which users can adapt to suit their prevailing usage scenarios, for example adjusting the size of the virtual touchpad and keyboard.

Through hand gestures, handwriting recognition, and multitouch, users are presented with a control surface that is both flexible and intuitive. Users can use the dual-panel concept in a myriad of usage scenarios, for example as a conventional notebook with multitouch screens, a virtual keyboard and touchpad; a multimedia hub, in which both dual panels could combine to form a larger display for widescreen entertainment; or an E-book mode in which users can hold the dual panel concept notebook just like they would a conventional book while flipping pages through intuitive gestures or by touch.

These concepts aim to bring convenience to the user through technological innovations and user-centric design. “


Cross your fingers everybody, let’s hope Asus does eventually release this concept as a final product. Who wouldn’t want a laptop with 2 screens?

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Anyone need a Dual-Screen laptop?

The day has finally come where all the multi-taskers can do what they do best, and this time they can multi task with programs on-the-go using a laptop. Many users out there in the world have dual monitors and a desktop PC. But to have dual monitors on a laptop would have been laughed at, a few years ago. Nowadays it is reality; the dual-screen laptop seems to have come to life.

gScreen, an Alaska-based laptop designed, wishes to bring this reality to the public with a price tag of around $3,000.

The specifications of the laptop are listed below:

-2 LED backlit displays
-Windows Vista/Windows XP Pro (Optional)
-4GB RAM (2GB DDR2 SO-DIMM x2)
-320GB 7200-RPM Hard Drive
-Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 2.26GHz
-NVIDIA® GeForce® 9800M GT with 512MB dedicated memory (or)
-NVIDIA® Quadro FX 1700M Graphics with 512MB dedicated memory
-9-cell battery
-IEEE 1394 1 Graphics Card Output (15-pin, D-Sub) X 1, HDMI X 1 Mic-in X 1, Line-in x 1, Headphone X 1 PCI Express Card X 1 AC Power Adaptor Output: 19V DC, 90W Input: 100~240V AC, 50/60Hz universal Battery Pack Li-ion 9 cells

Being the first dual-screen laptop ever created it is mainly targeted for professional designers, programmers, filmmakers and the other few who all need two monitors to get their work done quicker and more efficiently, that is the main advantage of this two headed animal. But advantages don’t come without disadvantages either, since 2 screens will suck a lot more juice then 1 screen, and also being estimated at around 12+ pounds, it is much heavier than most laptops out there. The price tag might be the part that is going to bite the most which is estimated at around $3000 as mentioned above.

But you have to admit; with this baby in your hands you could probably increase your efficiency by twice as much. The good news is there won’t be such a long wait to grab your hands on one, hopefully being available on the market by Christmas.

So, does anyone think they will need a dual-screen laptop?

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Find out How Long Your Computer Was On

Ever wondered how long your computer was on for? Or has your mum told you to get off the computer because she thinks you have been on for the whole day and want to prove her wrong? The really simple guide below will show you how to do just that!

Below is outlined how it is done using the Windows Vista OS. If you have Windows XP refer to the steps after this.

Firstly open up Windows Task Manager by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC. Then click the ‘Performance’ tab. Have a look where it says ‘System’. Then below that you will see it say ‘Up Time’ you will see the amount of time your computer has been on, in the order of Hours:Minutes:Seconds.

For the Windows XP users, it is just a tad more complicated.
Hit the Start menu, then click on ‘Run’ and then type in ‘cmd’ which will open up Command Prompt.


Then simply type in ‘systeminfo’ without quotation marks as always. It will show the amount of time your computer has been on under ‘System Up Time’.


Last but not least for all you Mac Lovers out there that still don’t know how to go about doing this, navigate to Applications>Utilities>Terminal then type in ‘uptime’ and hit the enter key.

Now when your parents tell you to get off your computer because you have been on for the whole day, you can retaliate by showing them pure proof of how long you really have been on for!

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ASUS’ Eee keyboard expected this October

Introduced in January 2009, the EEE keyboard is a fully fledged keyboard, including a built in PC that comes with a 5 inch interactive touch screen display, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, microphone and speaker. With the ability to connect to existing displays and weighing less than 2 pounds, it sure looks like it will please most people.

Seeing that it had been announced in January, most are starting to get tired of the long and tiresome wait. But never fear, ASUS has finally made an announcement that will see the new ASUS Eee keyboards later this October. Expect the price to be anywhere from about the $400-$500 mark. A little costly, but hey this ain’t no ordinary keyboard!

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