Just because you haven't gotten up the nerve to build your own laptop doesn't mean that everyone's just running out and buying pre-fabricated lap warmers, now does it? Antec sure hopes not, else its new CBB component initiative will become a serious money loser. Said outfit has just revealed a slew of new interchangeable kit designed to act as "building blocks" for folks looking to piece together their own notebook. It even goes so far as to proclaim that this is the "first time that system builders will be able to build customized, personalized laptops from individual components," and while we're pretty sure that's exaggerating it, there's no doubt the commercialization here makes it easier to digest. The new enclosures, docking station, CBB / RC2-specific keyboards, AC adapters, battery packs, webcams and more are available now for tinkerers who care.

[Via ExtremeTech]

We won't say it got picked dead last in kickball or anything, but Sylvania's G Netbook Meso certainly isn't the class king. The ho hum netbook was recently reviewed over at Laptop Mag, and while critics did applaud the Ubuntu Netbook Remix operating system and relatively great battery life, the 512MB of RAM hindered performance. Additionally, the design was harshed on quite heavily, eventually leading to a perfectly middle-of-the-road 2.5 out of 5 stars. Be honest, though -- did you really expect anything different?

Hey friend, ready for a full Lenovo IdeaPad S10 review? Sorry, this ain't it, but Laptop's initial hands-on with this "sweet 10-incher" might be enough to help with any imminent purchasing decisions requiring $429 in cash. What if we sweetened the deal and told you that Lenovo's netbook also features that very same un-netbooky X4500 integrated graphics found in Intel's Centrino 2 chipset -- no lame GMA950 here, pal. And as oddball as it sounds, one reader discovered that the red-colored S10 also features an external CD-RW/DVD-ROM for the same price as the white S10 (but $10 more than the black model). Check the full hands-on text (laced with adjectives like "spacious," "lovely," and "stylish") and video (where it's dubbed a Wind and Eee PC killer) just beyond the read link and just for you buddy.

Update: A number of would-be buyers are reporting another case of Lenovo's retail ineptitude. The X4500 graphics appears to be just another misprint -- like those free SSDs and $200 14.1-inch laptops seen before. Hell, even the optical drive appears to be the stuff of data entry error. At this point it looks like we've got another GMA950 netbook on our hands which certainly makes more sense. Our advice? If you're ready to purchase then at least get on the horn with sales and confirm that bill of materials.

[Thanks, Peter and and Boning C.]

Generally speaking, HP's Mini-Note 2133 is pretty well loved the world over. Sure, there are a few things that could use tweaking, but what good gadget couldn't use even a small dose of overhaul? Nevertheless, a few reports have been trickling in suggesting that HP's netbook is suddenly going dark and refusing to start back up. Folks are apparently being told that it's a motherboard power failure, though it doesn't seem to have become widespread just yet... or has it? Let us know in comments below.

[Via Chris Rue]

Now that you're well acquainted with the specifications of Lenovo's ThinkPad T500, there are only a couple more hoops to leap through before pulling the trigger or calmly placing the mouse on the ground and walking away. Here to help you inch closer to one option or the other is NotebookReview, which has procured one of these rigs and given it a thorough inspection. Fans of the trademark design (read: plain, simple, boring / beautiful) will find oodles to love, and build quality (overall) was seen as satisfactory. Unfortunately, a good bit of flex was noticed in the keyboard, which could be a serious issue for fans of previous units. There's plenty more discussion where this came from, so head on down and give the full writeup a look if you're remotely interested in bringing the T500 into your loving abode.

First the iPod nano, now Apple's Mag(not so)Safe adapters. That look familiar? If so, Apple is ready to replace the faulty MagSafe adapter from your 13-inch MacBook or 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pro -- in warranty or out. You do live nearby an Apple-Authorized Service Provider right?

Dell's Inspiron 910 can't stay hidden, apparently -- check out these new, higher-res shots of the 8.9-inch netbook in the wild. Nothing spectacularly new here -- and we'd still like to see some locked-down specs on this thing -- but ooh, shiny. Check the power adapter after the break.

Intel appears to be firing on all cylinders at IDF. Besides whatever surprised they have planned for tomorrow, the chip-maker rolled out a prototype of a convertible laptop / tablet / MID / UMPC / netbook / super-gadget called the UrbanMax. There's not much in the way of specs on the device, but as you can see from the photos, it utilizes a combination sliding / tilting screen to transform into any variety of configurations. The display is a resistive touchscreen, though it's not clear what the guts are made up of here. The whole thing reminds us of a giant Tilt, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. One more pic after the break.

[Via jkkmobile]

Apparently Intel is on a bit of a roll already at this year's IDF. After showcasing and talking up a number of new products, including (but not limited to) the lap-destroying mobile Quad Core Extreme CPUs (as featured in Lenovo's vicious W700), new switchable graphics solutions that allow on-the-fly toggling between integrated and discrete graphics, and even more talk about forthcoming WiMAX options. What really got everyone's eye, however, was a slide they teased with at the end of Mobility Group VP / GM Dadi Perlmutter's presentation of a mystery touchscreen tablet with the ominous question "What is this?" and a promise to reveal the goods tomorrow morning. Call us dangerously psychotic, but it looks like a clunky medical accessory to us. Paging Dr. Design to Intel's R&D lab, STAT.

Just days after FCC approval, the IdeaPad S10 netbook just popped on Lenovo's retail site tossing a big Chinese wrench in ASUS' plans for global Eee PC domination. At least we think so -- the S10 wasn't expected to hit the US until October (China September 5th). Availability says "ships within 2-3 weeks" but clicking on the "customize and buy" link results in an "Exception Occurred" error -- pretty much on par with Lenovo's US retail launch routine. Anyway, for $399, er $429 (thanks again dollar) you'll take home 512MB of memory and 80GB worth of hard drive, a 1.6GHz Atom N270 proc, Windows XP, and a paltry 3-cell Lithium-Ion battery. Annoyingly, the progression from the base-model black color to white or red costs an extra $10 without any appreciation in specs. While ASUS' is approaching the netbook market like attrition warfare, it might just be a few, well-placed products with stellar support that wins over the netbook market in the end.

[Thanks, Kevin]

Now that the TSA has doled out the official verbiage about what it considers a checkpoint-friendly laptop bag, expect to see the usual players toss in an option or two for frequent fliers. Thus far, all we've seen are cases that get the job done while throwing style to the wind in the nearest dumpster; now, however, we've a better option to choose from. Tom Bihn's stylish Checkpoint Flyer meets all of the TSA's requirements while still looking like a briefcase we wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen with. The 2.6-pound bag is crafted from US 1050 denier ballistic nylon and 500 denier Cordura and includes a trio of pouches on the outside, splash-proof zippers and ten smaller pockets for stashing those increasingly rare bags of peanuts / pretzels. It's available now in three colors for $220 (yeah, we know, but it's made in the US of A).

[Via Electronista]

Hold your horses, vaquero. Let's not blow this all out of proportion here. While it's no secret that a certain amount of Vista purchasers are utilizing that "downgrade to XP" option to its fullest extent, a small (and let us emphasize "small") collection of data suggests that some 35% of "mainly enterprise-class users" have opted for XP over Vista on their newly-purchased rig. By scouring data from the 3,000 or so members feeding information to the InfoWorld Windows Sentinel tool, the site found that just over 1 in 3 users had defected to Microsoft's previous OS. Granted, the tool cannot take into account Linux users or even the "Hackintosh crowd," though as Randall Kennedy puts it, 35% is "still a huge percentage, and way out of proportion for even the dramatically unpopular Windows Vista."

Details are slim at the moment, but one thing's for sure: Dell customers affected (or not affected... yet) by those wonky NVIDIA GPUs will have their warranties extended by 12-months to compensate. The 1-year "limited warranty enhancement" will add coverage for this issue to everyone who recently purchased one of the 15 NVIDIA-equipped machines listed in the read link, and we're told to expect further details about the whole ordeal in short order. Breathe easy, folks -- you'll be taken care of somehow or another.