Not a great way to start 2009 folks, if your XPS M1330 conks out on you, failing to boot-up, showing vertical rainbow lines instead.

Looks like such a problem is commonplace, and the consensus is that it’s related to the laptop’s GPU or motherboard. Less clear in the conversation if it’s a real hardware problem, or simply a niggling cooling system design flaw.

Updates on how well the warranty-claiming process goes will be available shortly.

Tags: design flaw, flaw, XPS M1330

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The pictured WiFi and Bluetooth USB Adapter, available via chinavasion.com, provides everything while taking no more than one USB slot—at less than $20 at that.

The only question remaining is just how trustworthy chinavasion.com is. Comments on the online retailer’s legitimacy are welcome.

Tags: Bluetooth, Chinavasion, chinavasion.com, USB adapters, WiFi

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Asus is obviously happy with the performance of its upmarket Eee PC model, the S101, as it has now seen fit to grant it a successor.

The S121 comes with many familiar netbook specs  - the Intel Atom CPU, 1GB RAM and choice of OS. However, it steps outside the norm with the inclusion of a WiFi-N connectivity. It is also offers a couple of marginal improvements over its predecessor – the screen is now 12.1” and it is expected to come with hybrid SSD/HDD storage and a full sized keyboard.

It has retained the trademark “exquisite” brown stylings, which this time looks to be a little deeper than those found on the S101 chassis and will surely go nicely with your autumn apparel. We’re still waiting for price and availability details, but we’d be expecting something around the £500 mark. More info as we get it.

Link: Asus (via New Launches)

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Launching at the forthcoming CES, the as-yet unnamed models will focus on both Blu-ray playback and on-demand entertainment, with deals in place with US movie retailers CinemaNow and Netflix, should you get an urge to view something new when the stores are closed. And if the bank balance is looking bleak (perhaps because you’ve upgraded your Blu-ray player for the third time in a year), YouTube will be available for clips of comic pets, wannabes and bootlegged gig footage.

Ok, we’re talking US services right now, but the technology is universal. We could still pull down YouTube clips in the UK and we have movie download firms in the UK who’ll be queuing up to jump on these players. So don’t be surprised to see these new players in the UK not long after the US launches, which are currently pencilled in for the first half of the new year.

Link: LG (via Engadget)

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Professor Christopher Bishop of Microsoft Research Cambridge reckons that unless Brits boost their bandwidth it could could have disastrous implications for the education and healthcare systems.

The prof also reckons that unless a major re-building of the nation’s online infrastructure takes place then Britain will be less equipped to tackle global warming. Crikey.

He says: "If we are looking for a government project that would stimulate the economy in the short term and help combat the impact of the credit crunch, while also bringing long-lasting improvements to the nation’s infrastructure, then we could do no better than rewire the nation with fibre optics."

It’s all down to the copper, y’see. Britain’s failure to replace their copper phonelines with road-runner like fibre-optic cables years ago has seen our little island fall way behind the Fear East and other regions when it comes to shifting our online data around the place. 

The Prof adds: "We can now shift huge amounts of data speedily around the country but cannot move it for the last mile into people’s houses because there is not enough bandwidth in our domestic telephone cables, the only effective route we have for taking broadband signals into homes and small businesses. This is beginning to have serious consequences."

So come on Gordon, what are you waiting for? The future of Britain depends on your instant action to enable us a better Xbox Live connection, more HD movies. Oh and perhaps improve the economy, education system and environment, but first things first. 

Link: The Guardian

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Yes, we’re in the land of rumour and hearsay once more, although TechCrunch claims ‘three independent sources close to Apple’ have confirmed details of a prototype device to them. And from what they’re saying, it’s likely to be a large-sized iPod touch with 7-inch or 9-inch screen, mixing access to the iTunes app store with iTunes and a Safari web browser. They also add that prototypes have been ‘handled’ by those sources, with Apple now in discussions in Asia about mass production.

We’ll file this under ‘believe it when we see it’ for now, but it could make commercial sense, especially with a proposed launch in time for Christmas 2009.

Link: Apple (via TechCrunch)

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An update to the operating system, codenamed ‘Cupcake’ is ready to go. According to reports, the new software will boost the camera (adding video recording), improve the browser, add an on-screen touch keyboard and generally fine-tune the phone, kicking out any early bugs.

Speaking to Engadget, handset maker HTC has confirmed the updated software will be offered as an over-the-air download, but has yet to divulge a date. Perhaps because that bit is down to T-Mobile. But who knows, you might be starting the new year with a new phone. Well, a much-improved one anyway.

Link: Android (via Engadget)

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Long before the netbook craze started sweeping across the world, OQO was creating some downright impressive ultra-portable systems. For a while though, OQO was in danger of being left behind by the these fashionable low cost devices, but it has caught our eyes once more, coming back with a brand new Model 2+, set to be unveiled at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show.

We’ll have to wait for the grand unveil at the CES Digital Experience for the full details, but for the moment we do know what the basic specs are going to be. The OQO Model 2+ packs a 1.86GHz Intel Atom processor, along with 2GB of RAM. The display is a touchscreen OLED, which has the potential to be a real beauty and give the battery life a decent boost. It’ll also include integrated 3G connectivity.

These new specs are a big step up from the Model 2’s Via CPU and single gig of RAM. OQO promises "performance up to twice as fast as its predecessor". Hopefully that’ll show a marked improvement on its running speed, which has previously struggled with Vista’s intensive system demands. No word on prices yet, but like its predecessors, we’d be expecting something fairly premium. For the chance to run a full blown Vista computer in a pocket-sized chassis, we expect it’ll be well worth the extra outlay.

Link: OQO (via GottaBeMobile)

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