Asus has beefed up its Eee Box line with the addition of a Celeron-based B203. The Asus Eee Box B203 mini desktop PC might be small in size, but big on possibilities. That’s what the marketing department claims anyway, so only time and tide will tell whether this little box lives up to all the hype or not. One thing’s for sure though – you won’t see your electricity bill spike after bringing home the Eee Box B203 since it consumes a mere 20 watts of power, reducing your carbon footprint by approximately 90% compared to a regular desktop PC. The whole idea of the Eee Box B203 is to fit into cramped spaces without sticking out like a sore thumb, while being environmentally-friendly with an easy-to-use user interface that allows newbies and beginners alike to jump in without having to go through a thick technical manual.

Give your studies, work and entertainment a boost with the Eee Box B203! It’s as small, eco-friendly, easy-to-use, and quick to boot up as the original Eee Box, but has a faster processor for all-around speedier performance. Programs start up faster, applications run more smoothly, and you can perform more tasks simultaneously! Another powerful incentive to add a little Eee to your home. The Eee Box B203 is so easy to use. There’s no technical manual — simply plug it in and you are good to go! For a more interactive and personalized experience, the Eee Box B203 lets you access web based IPTV programs.

The Eee Box B203 also acts as a wireless digital hub for streaming music, pictures, and movies from any media center. Whether it’s a huge widescreen monitor for enhanced viewing or a 15” monitor suitable for tight spaces, in 3 easy steps, simply mount the Eee Box B203 on the back and the monitor becomes an all-in-one computer.
The B203 comes with four USB ports, a flash card reader, a DVI output, and Ethernet and Wi-Fi connectivity. The Nettop runs Windows XP Home, but Asus recommends Windows Vista. 

Asus has not announced its target markets for the Eee Box B203 yet, so you’ll just have to keep your fingers crossed if you want to bring one of these puppies home. Pricing isnt yet available  but the processor change is expected to drop the cost of the Eee Box from $350 to $240, allowing the small form-factor desktop to better compete with similarly low-cost desktops and laptops.

Epson ST120 series is the smallest desktop PC with a size of only 75×185×195mm. Epson has announced an upgrade of their ST120 series with a Core 2 Duo P8400 (2.26GHz), 1GB of RAM, 80 GB hard drive (it can be updated with a hard drive up to 320 GB), GM45 Express chipset, which began in compact Perfect HTPC through a digital TV tuner MonsterTV HDUS and a Blu-Ray burner.

If it is power you want, Epson can also increase your processor with a Core 2 Duo P8600, T9400 and T9600. Regardless, the ST120 with Blu-ray, HDMI and HD TV tuner is sold only in Japan for an equivalent of 1100 €.

HPs Touchsmart all-in-one, launched earlier this summer, was a pretty good all-in-one PC, and now it got a few more features that sweeten the deal. The key updates for the Touchsmart IQ816 are that it now comes with a 25.5-inch LCD, Blu-ray drive and VESA wall mount capability.

Other new features include a drive bay for HP’s Pocket Drive line of portable hard drives, Nvidia GeForce 9600M video card and a multi-color light that illuminates the space under the computer for the keyboard (previously it was just fluorescent white). Other than that, the technical specs and touchscreen technology remain the same, as does the general design. Also available is the IQ804, which lacks the Blu-ray drive and NVIDIA 9600M.

The next-generation, touch-enabled PC combines a 25.5″ diagonal hi-def widescreen with a powerful energy efficient Intel® CoreTM2 Duo processor in a single, integrated design. Includes HP Touchsmart software, webcam, media card reader, and premium speakers for fast, easy access to photos, videos, music and applications. HP recommends Windows Vista® Home Premium.

•Touch-screen technology puts your digital life at your fingertips with fast, easy access to info, entertainment and social networks.
•Next-generation HP TouchSmart software simplifies access to photos, videos, music and applications.
•Quick and easy touch access to your digital world.
•Sleek, next-generation design combines a 25.5″ diagonal hi-def1 widescreen with a powerful energy efficient Intel® CoreTM 2 Duo processor.
•Plug one power cord into the wall and you’re ready to go.
•Wireless keyboard and integrated WLAN30 offer a truly wireless experience.
•Low profile wireless keyboard stows away when not in use, freeing up valuable desk space.
•Colored HP Ambient Light lets you select a color lighting to set a mood, or see your keyboard in the dark.
•Sleek piano black design with elegant espresso side-panel highlights.
•Next generation HP TouchSmart software brings a new
level of fun to your photos, videos and music.
•Watch your favorite shows on the integrated 25.5” diagonal hi-def widescreen–makes for amazing slideshows too!
•Enjoy high quality sound through the integrated premium stereo speakers.
•Watch and burn your personal videos with the built-in DVD burner.
•Add an additional hard drive (HP Pocket Media Drive) easily and without any tools.

HP is committed to reducing our own environmental impact, as well as that of our customers, partners and suppliers. We do this by providing products and services that are environmentally sound throughout their lifecycle and by conducting our operations in an environmentally responsible manner.

Award winning service and support (touchsmart) HP stands behind our products and protects your investment with award-winning service and support available around the clock by phone, e-mail, and online. Every TouchSmart PC comes with special HP Total Care:
- 24/7 service and support for the first year via our North America call center.
- Dedicated toll-free telephone support at 1866.408.5408 in English and Spanish in the United States or English and French in Canada.
- Real-time online chat.
- E-mail, usually answered within one hour.

The Touchsmart IQ816 starts at $2100 while the IQ804 starts at $1900 and currently both are available.

ASUS’ Eee Box was out in America a few months back, and now the company is already pushing out a pair of successors. Both the Eee Box B204 and B206 retain the same overall design and processor (1.6GHz Intel Atom N270), but you will find a 256MB ATI Radeon HD 3400 GPU to complement the 1GB of RAM, 160GB SATA II hard drive, multicard reader, 802.11n WiFi, Windows XP Home, 10GB of online Eee Storage, gigabit Ethernet, four USB 2.0 ports, DVI connector and the freshly added HDMI socket. The B204 trumps the B206 (weird, right?) with the inclusion of Bluetooth and a built-in battery that acts as a UPS in case of power failure. We’ve already seen just how decently the B202 could handle 1080p playback; it’s just that much easier with a dedicated HDMI port. As is par for the course with ASUS, there’s no word regarding price and availability.

Asus Box’s Eee B204/b206 features:

• Operating system : Microsoft Windows XP home
• CPU: 1,6- GHz Intel atom Of n270
• Video : ATI radeon HD 3400, 256 MB. Sound: Realtek ALC662 azalia
• Memory: DDR2 SO-DIMM, 1 GB
• HDD: SATA II, 160 GB + 10 GB eee storage
• Card reader : SD/SDHC/MS/MS pro/MMC
• Support bluetooth: yes/no
• Network: 802.11n + LAN 10/100/1000 Mbit/s
• USB: USB 2.0 x 4
• HDMI x1/DVI- D/S/PDIF
• Energy consumption: 36 W
• Noise Level : 26 DBA

Press Release:

ASUS Introduces World’s Smallest Desktop PCs with HD Capability :
ASUS today unveiled HD versions of its popular Eee Box—a tiny 1L-sized desktop PC—that it launched in June 2008. With the new Eee Box B204 and B206, users will be able to enjoy viewing hardware-accelerated HD content on LCD TVs, monitors and projectors via an HDMI output—making them ideal for families seeking a simple, space-saving home entertainment solution. The Eee Box B204 and B206 are also preinstalled with Eee Cinema, a full-featured media player that enables users to play high definition content easily. Eee Cinema offers superior format compatibility and extensive media library management options. To help users navigate Eee Cinema’s comprehensive features speedily, both the Eee Box B204 and B206 come with a convenient remote control.

Built-in Video Decoder for High Definition Entertainment
The Eee Box B204 and B206 deliver crisp and fluid high definition pictures straight out of the box. They are equipped with a discrete graphics card that features a high definition hardware video decoder, vastly improving the quality of video and freeing the Eee Box’s processor to tackle other tasks. Ensuring quick and hassle-free connectivity to LCD TVs, monitors, projectors and home theater receivers is an easily-accessible HDMI output on the Eee Box B204 and B206’s rear I/O panel.

Exclusive Remote Control for Easy and Convenient Media Playback
The Eee Box B204 and B206 come with an exclusive remote control that enables users to easily browse, manage and play their media from a distance. The remote control works seamlessly with Eee Cinema, a user-friendly, all-in-one media player that supports all popular music, video and photo formats—transforming the Eee Box B204 and B206 into complete digital home entertainment centers.

The Smallest PCs in the World
A mere 1L in size, the Eee Box B204 and B206 are delightfully sleek. They are as slim as paperback novels, allowing users to reclaim the desk space previously lost to bulkier, more intrusive desktop systems. If necessary, the Eee Box B204 and B206 can even be placed in such a way that does not require an inch of desktop space—they can be mounted to any VESA75/VESA100 LCD display. Given how small and light they are, the Eee Box B204 and B206 can be ported around the house effortlessly, allowing users to enjoy high definition entertainment in whichever room they desire.

Annual Savings of US$156* from Reduced Power Consumption
The Eee Box B204 and B206 are designed and manufactured according to stringent Green ASUS guidelines. They are made with earth-friendly materials and fully comply with RoHS and WEEE. The Eee Box B204 and B206 also consume only around 20 watts of power, reducing the user’s carbon footprint by up to 90% as compared to full-sized desktop PCs**. Eee Box B204 and B206 users will benefit on the monetary front as well; those who leave their computers on 24 hours a day stand to save approximately US$156 a year*.

Packed with Uncompromising Features
Belying their small size, the Eee Box B204 and B206 are packed with a wealth of outstanding features. They support the latest Wi-Fi 802.11n wireless standard, providing up to eight times faster speeds than the previous 802.11b/g wireless standard. In addition, the Eee Box B204 features Bluetooth® for quick and hassle-free connectivity to other Bluetooth® devices. Both models also come with 10GB of online Eee Storage, allowing users to access their documents and media no matter where they are. Furthermore, they feature an exclusive Easy Mode within Windows® that provides users with convenient access to commonly-used applications via an incredibly intuitive interface. Adding to their ease of use is Eee Bar, a fully-configurable application bar on the Windows® desktop that allows users to launch programs with a click.

Another innovation present in the Eee Box B204 and B206 is ASUS Tranquiller Technology that integrates an optimized system air flow design, intelligent fan speed control and a unique heat dissipation material in order to allow them to operate coolly at an extremely quiet 26 dB*** for comfortable home computing. Moreover, the Eee Box B204 has a built-in battery that performs an Uninterruptible Power Supply (U.P.S.) function, enabling it to stay running for a period of time when main power is lost.

* According to www.taipower.com.tw. Actual savings will differ from region to region.
** Full-sized desktop PCs consume approximately 200W ~ 300W of power.
*** In idle mode. As a point of reference, the Eee Box B204 and B206 run at 26dB, virtually as quiet as unoccupied broadcast studios (20dB).

Lenovo ThinkCentre A62 is the latest desktop PC from Lenovo.The ThinkCentre A62 is built with an AMD Phenom 9600B, 2.3GHz, 2 GB of RAM (upgradable to 4 GB), with a 500-GB SATA hard drive. Designed for business professionals to maintain the cost effective computing solutions, the A62 has incorporated Dash 1.1 remote management system and Express Repair to swiftly fix many system corruptions.

Additionally, it comes with AMD’s stable and business class CPU, ThinkVantage technologies to maintain the productivity and manageability, and Express Repair that is said to be a TVT component that fixes system corruptions in less than three minutes without disturbing other applications.

The ThinkCentre A62 is built in a tower that runs 17 x 7 x 17 inches and is built with materials to meet Greenguard standards for chemical emissions, giving Lenovo a nice claim that the PC is eco-friendly. From an energy-efficiency standpoint, the system draws 65 watts of power under a typical office workload, but by switching down to power-saving mode in Windows, the system draws about 55 watts. From a thermal standpoint, the A62 gives off 82 degrees of heat from its vent. Considering that it’s a quad-core processor and the system is built with only a CPU fan and a system fan, that’s more than reasonable.

“The Lenovo ThinkCentre A62 desktop is based on AMD Business Class technology to enable the performance needed by organizations to meet real world productivity needs while keeping energy consumption in check,” said Greg White, corporate vice president desktop and embedded division, AMD.

From a maintenance perspective, Lenovo has designed the A62’s case to allow for toolless access  The company has added intrusion-detection capabilities.  Achieving the environmental friendly certifications, the Lenovo ThinkCentre A62 desktop PC is believed to be the GREENGUARD and EPEAT Gold certified, ENERGY STAR 4.0 rated. The other key aspect of this desktop is that it utilizes up to 40 percent less electricity than its ThinkCentre predecessor which the company claims is achieved by using the new AMD 15w CPU – Athlon 2650e.

Coming to the other peripherals of the desktop PC, the A62 has made use of “green” fingerprint keyboard that comes as an option. This keyboard claims to be created by using 35 percent post consumer recycled material. Next is in kitty is the monitor; the 19-inch ThinkVision L197w is low power EPEAT Gold certified. It is also available separately.

“IT departments, especially in the business world, don’t like change. The new ThinkCentre A62 was built to provide business customers with longer PC buying cycles. It combines top-notch performance, manageability and environmental responsibility in a high value machine,” said Dilip Bhatia, executive director, global desktop marketing, Lenovo.

Lenovo has included the DirectX10 Onboard for better graphics performance and an optional support for DisplayPort on selected models. With all these, it can be concluded that the Lenovo ThinkCentre A62 performs well, provides a solid argument for eco-friendliness, and is priced competitively with AMD’s quad-core technology. It’s a peppy system that can provide nice quad-core capabilities without a VAR’s customer having to pay a premium. AMD still has an uphill fight against Intel in quad-core desktop computing, but Lenovo has produced a system that shows AMD’s platform can still compete.

Supported by a warranty period, the Lenovo ThinkCentre A62 desktop PC price starts at $399 and is expected to hit the American market by September 2008. The monitor can be purchased for $239.

The new Studio XPS desktop from DELL gives you the latest and greatest technology for a price within reach. The strength of the Studio XPSTM  desktop is brought to life with advanced design and state-of-the-art features designed to enhance your overall experience. Whether you’re encoding video, recording a TV show or simply writing an email, the Studio XPS desktop can be configured to meet both your current and future needs.

Do even more in less time. Intel®  CoreTM  i7 desktop processors power through intense multitasking by handling multiple applications simultaneously without ever breaking a sweat. Matched with the Studio XPS desktop, you get the power and performance you’ve come to expect from XPS premium systems.

Go farther without leaving your chair. Intel®  Turbo Boost technology delivers an 8-threaded performance capability on 4 cores, so you can multitask with greater efficiency than ever before. So whether you’re surfing the Web, recording television shows with your TV tuner or editing video content, your system will keep running smoothly even if you’re attempting it all at once.

The tri-channel DDR3 memory allows you to work at high speed without ever having to put on the brakes. It comes equipped with 6 DIMM slots for expandability and an integrated memory controller. So as file sizes increase, the greater RAM capacity keeps things moving in the fast lane.

The more important part of the Studio XPS is that all of the configurations include Intel’s Core i7 desktop CPU. The baseline model include the 2.67GHz Intel Core i7 920 chip, with an upgrade option to the 2.93GHz Core i7 940. Enjoy a true power media experience with your Dell Studio XPS with its built-in DVD+/-RW and optional Blu-ray DiscTM  drives. Add Dell HD widescreen monitors for a complete media experience.

Studio XPS comes standard with discrete graphics cards from ATI®  that enables top performance for graphics and movie applications. Excellent service is standard with XPS products. Dell XPS technicians pass rigorous XPS product-specific training, and support calls are normally answered in 2 minutes or less.

The Studio XPS actually starts at $949 in its most basic configuration. Dell is running a deal for a limited time in which you can get this system with 4GB of RAM and with a 20-inch LCD for that price. You can also count on the latest virus and spyware protection, 1 year of 2GB Dell DataSafeTM  Online backup, and 24×7 phone and online support. In short, the ownership experience is just like the machine itself — top of the line.

The Aspire M7720 leads the pack with today’s latest innovations — a pop-up multi-in-one card reader with Smart Copy button, pop-out audio ports, easy-to-reach media bays, a Smart Backup button, and the Media Control Interface. Running on the newest Intel® Core™ i7 processor Extreme Edition and featuring enabled ATI CrossFireX™, this desktop gives you mind-blowing realistic gaming and advanced digital multimedia right at your fingertips.

The Intel Core i7 processor just keeps making an appearance all over the place these days. In fact, Acer just announced today that they will be selling the Aspire M7720 beginning this month, which will feature the latest and greatest in processing. The Acer Aspire M7720, which is the first desktop powered by Intel Core i7 in the Acer arsenal, will be available in Taiwan only starting on November 29th as per the IT Month 2008 event. Specs will include the quad-core 2.66GHz Core i7 920 processor, 3GB of RAM and more. In fact, the RAM is expandable all the way up to 12GB. This computer is also set to feature an ATI Radeon HD 4850 graphics card with 1GB of memory. A 750GB hard drive is also included, rounding out this powerhouse of a package.

The touch-sensitive Media Control Interface provides front-access navigation to media playback controls. The pop-up multi-in-one card reader supports the latest memory card formats; with the Smart Copy button, you can copy files directly to your PC with one click. The Smart Backup button assures effortless retrieval and restoration of important files, for total peace of mind. Two front-access tool-less HDD bays allow effortless storage expansion. You don’t need to open the chassis or deal with cables — just insert Serial ATA drives!
   
The Intel® Core™ i7 processor Extreme Edition1,2 offers the pinnacle of processing technology for the greatest gaming, multitasking, and entertainment experiences. The 2-way ATI CrossFireX™2 utilizes 256-bit GDDR54 RAM and the latest GPUs to present spectacular 3D and high-definition multimedia performance. Microsoft® DirectX® 10 support enhances multimedia application features such as 3D graphics acceleration and sound cards to provide incredible details and a new level of realism to games. Up to 12 GB of three-channel DDR3 1066/1333 MHz memory1 delivers ultra-fast system response speed and multitasking efficiency.

Blu-ray Disc™ technology1 presents 6X greater resolution than DVD for lossless, high-def music and movie effects with true-to-master precision. A digital and analog hybrid TV-tuner supports hardware or software MPEG-2 stream encoding — enjoy watching digital or traditional TV, record TV shows, and capture videos! 
   
The SuperMulti drive with Labelflash™ technology1 enables you to personalize CD/DVD labels with photos, text and graphics. Second-generation PCI Express® doubles the speed, communication and graphics bandwidth for optimized PC performance. A large Serial ATA 3 Gb/s hard disk drive offers plenty of storage space and a marked improvement in data access and retrieval speeds, eliminating performance bottlenecks. Embedded high-definition audio with 7.1-channel surround sound delivers crystal-clear acoustics for theater-like entertainment at home.

10 USB 2.0 ports ease data transfer and let you conveniently connect peripherals to your computer. Acer Arcade™ Live5 provides one convenient interface for the creation, management and enjoyment of home media. Acer Empowering Technology gives you a smart suite of utilities designed to make common tasks and system configuration simple.

The base model of the Acer Aspire M7720 will retail for about $1,200.

Fulfilling the needs of users who require a stylish, low-power computer with a minimal footprint, ASUS, producer of the world renowned Eee PC™, releases the new Eee Box. Replacing today’s bulky and boring PCs, users can refresh their working environment with a compact, elegant solution. With a range of exciting novelties, the Eee Box offers amazing journeys where users learn, work and play – all in line with the Eee PC™’s main tenet of easy use.The ASUS Eee Box Delivers the Ultimate Space-saving, Power Efficient Computing Solution

A Sleek, Stylish Performer
Merely 1L in size, the Eee Box is delightfully sleek. Slim as a paperback novel, users can reclaim the desk space previously lost to bulkier, intrusive desktop systems. The Eee Box even mounts VESA LCD displays for the ultimate space-saving solution. An accessible touch sensor button and vertical placement exudes a seamless and futuristic outlook; while smooth curves further accentuate a refined form that compliments most interior designs.

Just 7 Seconds* from Boot up to Internet
With the exclusive Express Gate – ASUS’ innovative fast boot technology, users can easily access the Internet, manage pictures, or communicate over IM/Skype just 7 seconds* after boot up. The Eee Box also supports the latest WiFi 802.11n wireless standard – providing up to eight times faster connectivity than previous 802.11b/g wireless. Users can download a 30 minute video in only 44 seconds – minimizing the wait and allowing time for twice as many movies.
*Actual boot time subject to hardware configuration and product model.

Love Your Environment
The innovative ASUS thermal solution integrates a unique heat dissipation module with the AI fan – allowing quiet (26db) and comfortable computing. Compared to full-sized desktop solutions, the Eee Box’s energy-efficient performance reduces power consumption by up to 90%. The Eee Box also utilizes Green Design and is made with only earth-friendly materials for reduced CO2 emissions; and conforms to stringent RoHS and WEEE standards. Users can thus be socially responsible while working, learning and playing in style!

Work, Play and WATCH
The Eee Box is the perfect choice for enjoying Internet TV. With an IPTV player, thousands of programs are freely available – allowing users to personalize and watch lists of TV shows with ease.

Specifications:

• OS: Microsoft Windows XP Home
• CPU: Intel Atom N270 (1.6 GHz)
• Chipset: Intel Chipset
• DIMM: DDR2 SO-DIMM 1 GB
• HDD: 80 GB
• Card Reader: SD/SDHC/MS/MS Pro/MMC
• WiFi: 802.11n
• LAN: 10/100/1000