When the Centrino 2-equipped ThinkPad X200 waltzed into our Labs and demonstrated not only impressive performance but also jaw-dropping battery life, we wondered when our other favorite ThinkPad, the X300, would be spruced up with Intel’s latest components.
Turns out we won’t be waiting long: today Lenovo announced the ThinkPad X301, a component refresh to its popular 13.3-inch laptop. The new version will incorporate an ultra-low-voltage Core 2 Duo processor that’s expected to be unveiled at the Intel Developer Forum this week. The ThinkPad X301 will also come equipped with …

Toshiba on Monday introduced technology that enhances the picture quality of DVDs, Toshiba this year lost the high-definition format war with Sony,
XDE, or extended detail enhancement, will be in Toshiba’s new XD-E500 DVD player, which will ship this month. The player will be priced at $150, about twice as much as regular “up-converting” players.
Toshiba claims the higher price is justified because XDE takes DVD picture quality to a higher level, but not quite as high as Sony’s Blu-ray high-definition format.
Toshiba had tried to rally the industry around …

AP – When DaimlerChrysler announced in 2006 that it planned to bring the Smart Fortwo micro car to the United States after nearly a decade in Europe, gas prices had reached about $2.80 a gallon. Now, Americans are paying more than $4 a gallon at the pump, SUV sales are plummeting and consumers are hungry for smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles.
The little Smart has been riding a wave of consumer interest, attracting thousands of shoppers willing to put down $99 and wait about nine months for the two-seater. So when I …

When the hot weather sets in, you’ll see all those transplants from the northern regions pining away for their summer cooler — a chilly cup of Italian water ice.
If the concept is foreign, drop by Rita’s Water Ice on Marietta’s west side today and see what it’s all about with a free regular-sized treat. Owners Leroy and Kimberly Breitsprecher are handing out freebies today only to introduce locals to the product that’s made with real fruit. Pick from more than 30 flavors, including lemon, mango, green apple, kiwi strawberry and …

The sunny view here amid the palm trees and rag tops has the Dodgers coming to understand Joe Torre and Torre getting them, the only explanation for a July that has seen six wins and 36 runs in seven games, because it couldn’t possibly be about back-to-back series against the Houston Astros and San Francisco Giants.
From eye level, however, the Dodgers are just another National League West team, no matter who’s getting to know each other in the clubhouse, no matter who can now differentiate between a professional at-bat and …

The 1960s brought us baby names such as April and Sunshine, and naming new Americans has never been the same.
So when Sunday Rose Kidman Urban was born this week, the baby of an actress and a country western singer, news of her distinctive name created only a small stir. While many parents still hew to traditional names, U.S. babies now are tagged with an ever-increasing diversity of names for which the inspirations range from the calendar to languages from afar.
The top 10 baby names from 1950 look nothing …

the Rogers Communications Inc. is hoping more Canadians cut the cord from its land line phones and pick up a cell phone with the push of a new service released on Wednesday.
The company’s cell phone business, Rogers Wireless, announced that it will begin to roll out a so-called “unlicensed mobile access” (UMA) which will allow users to access unlimited calling in their homes through a connection to the Internet.
While a high-speed connection is required, it does not have to be through Rogers, and the company will cover the initial cost …