Laptop and Notebook Computers

Google's getting more than the usual amount of attention this week for sponsoring free airport Wi-Fi during the holiday season. And rightfully so: During a long layover, no one wants to fire up their laptop and Web browser only to see a Web page demanding money for Internet access.

T-Mobile USA doubled down on 3G (third-generation) data Wednesday, introducing a second USB dongle for laptops and lowering prices for the end-of-year holiday season.

Ever wish your laptop could stand up? The NX Stand from Macessity lets you prop up your closed laptop in a cushioned slot, freeing up more real estate on your actual desktop.

NEW YORK - Best Buy Co. wants to get your pulse racing over more than the hottest new laptops and TVs. Starting Wednesday the electronics chain will sell health and fitness equipment in 40 stores across the U.S.

When Apple released its updated laptop line in the fall of 2008, there were oohs and ahhs at the shiny new unibody enclosure and buttonless trackpad, but there were also groans and eye-rolling over what appeared to be yet another new display connector, Mini DisplayPort, which replaced the Mini-DVI and Mini-VGA connectors formerly found on Apple's computers.

Hoping to build on the success of netbooks like Acer's AspireOne, Intel wants to prove that its Pine Trail chip package can do for desktops what the first Atom processors did for laptops.

Laptop-toting road warriors who don't want to commit to a long-term mobile broadband data plan might be interested in a new offering from Verizon Wireless. On Thursday, the wireless carrier rolled out three new mobile data plans as part of the company's prepaid portfolio.

Dell painted a picture in broad strokes Thursday of the company's forthcoming Adamo XPS laptop, which is slated to hit the market in time for the holidays. The new machine -- which is housed in a finely machined aluminum case and comes in the user's choice of pearl or onyx -- is even thinner than the inaugural Adamo laptop that Dell began shipping last March.

PHOENIX - Phoenix police found medicines, passports, stereo and video equipment, video games, laptop computers and even adoption paperwork in a house holding hundreds of pieces of stolen luggage.

Following in Virgin Mobile's footsteps, Verizon is offering a prepaid laptop broadband wireless service.

Win7 Weekend Sale at dell.com! Laptops starting at $499 after Instant Savings

HTC has unleashed a new smartphone with a spacious 4.3-inch touch-sensitive screen and a five-megapixel camera. Even better, the new HD2 can even function as a 3G wireless router for other devices such as a laptop, the company said.

WASHINGTON - Lawmakers are moving to ban the use of computer laptops and other personal electronic devices in airline cockpits to prevent another incident like the Northwest Airlines plane that overshot Minneapolis by 150 miles.

Acer executives have grumbled about the performance of Intel's processors for thin and light laptops but suggested that faster chips are coming early next year.

SEATTLE - Personal computers are changing — and not just because of the recent launch of Windows 7. Visit an electronics store and you might also find laptops are missing a familiar component. You could experiment with new ways of controlling some computers. And you'll see portable PCs slimming down.

Sony issued a recall for some AC adapters used with all-in-one Vaio PCs and docking stations as they pose the risk of causing electric shock, the company said.

Sony has recalled about 69,000 AC adapters sold with its Vaio notebook products, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Lenovo has taken the wraps off its latest IdeaPad laptop and IdeaCentre desktop offerings, which are built around Intel's ultra-low-power Core processor family and ship with Windows 7 aboard. All the new products are slated to go on sale at U.S. retail outlets and online resellers between now and December.

Dell on Tuesday started shipping its first rugged laptop with a multitouch display, which can operate in extreme environments and withstand drops, dust and spills.

WASHINGTON - The Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday revoked the licenses of the two Northwest Airlines pilots who overshot their Minneapolis destination by 150 miles.

Mac accessory maker Macessity on Monday announced the TrayStation Cooler/Riser, a combination laptop stand and cooling tray.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Two distracted US pilots were using laptop computers against company rules last week when they overshot their destination by some 150 miles (240 kilometers), federal investigators said.

WASHINGTON - NTSB: Pilots going over scheduling on laptop computers while plane overflew Minneapolis.. .

Hope you didn't put away those Windows 7 party hats because, apparently, Lenovo waited a couple days longer to share its news:

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Electronics chain RadioShack Corp posted quarterly revenue that topped Wall Street expectations, helped by its push in mobile phones and calling plans, sending its shares up 16 percent to a year high.

We deemed Wednesday our "get ahead morning." I'd set my alarm an hour early, shuffle downstairs, brew coffee, and meet my roommate at the kitchen table for a weekly "What are we going to do with our professional futures?" talk. Through these morning conversations, which involved a back-and-forth idea rally over steaming mugs and open laptops in a house seven blocks east of the U.S. Capitol, I began to synthesize my education, life, and professional experience to build my "What next?" vision.

Lenovo announced two new additions to the business-oriented ThinkPad family, the 14-inch ThinkPad SL410 and 15.6-inch SL510, both of which come with Windows 7.

PC makers will ship new laptops on Thursday to coincide with the release of Microsoft's Windows 7 in an effort to drum up excitement around the new OS.

NEW YORK - With the launch of Windows 7 this week, PC makers are trying some new things, including laptops with touch screens. Acer Inc. is going further — introducing a laptop with a 3-D screen.