Origin PC announces new thin laptop

Origin PC is bringing Nvidia’s latest GTX 1060 GPU to its new EVO15-S laptop.
Earlier this year, when Nvidia announced that the GTX 1000 series would be coming to laptops, one of the touted advantages was that the new GPUs would allow for thinner and lighter gaming laptops.
The EVO15-S makes good on this promise, measuring in at only 0.69 inches thick, and joins the even thinner 0.66-inch thick Razer Blade in offering Nvidia’s new "VR Ready" GPUs in an extremely portable form factor. (For comparison, Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Pro is 0.71 inches thick.)
Unfortunately, EVO15-S also follows the Blade in sticking with the earlier sixth-generation of Intel processors with a Intel Core i7 6700HQ Skylake chip, instead of using the latest Kaby Lake processors released earlier this year.
The rest of the specs are good for a modern gaming laptop, with a 256GB SSD, an additional 2TB hard drive for extra storage, 16GB of RAM, and the obligatory multicolor light-up keyboard so that it’s clear to everyone in the vicinity that you’re using this for gaming. Origin PC also offers custom designs and laser etching for the laptop’s lid, should you be so inclined.

Apple to use E-ink in its keyboards

Apple is rumored to be holding a press event before the end of this month where it will show off its newline of MacBook Pros. The refreshed laptops will reportedly feature an OLED touch display above the keyboard that changes depending on which application the user has open. Now, it’s been revealed that a similar system could be implemented into an entire Apple keyboard.
Reddit user Foxconninsider, who works at Tsinghua University (“like the Chinese MIT”), said such a keyboard was on show at a recent closed-doors event on campus, hosted by Apple supplier Foxconn.
Australian startup Sonder was present at the event, showing off a prototype next generation Apple Magic Keyboard that features an E-Ink display on every key. These can change depending on a user’s needs, bringing up different languages, images, and shortcuts. The device could also have many applications when if comes to gaming, especially with titles that use a lot of keys, such as Elite: Dangerous.
Sonder revealed its backlit, e-display keyboard last year. The company confirmed to trusted Reviews that it is closing procurement contracts with three third-party laptop companies “to integrate our technology into their products.” The Redditor claims a Foxconn executive said Apple’s Procurement Board “was closing an acquisition” for Sonder. Foxconninsider said he also saw the MacBook Pro’s OLED panel at the show, described as the “new Macbook keyboard module.
”Red dit mods have verified Foxconninsider’s identity, but the keyboard is an early prototype designed for testing, so it’s not guaranteed to appear in any future Apple laptops or as a standalone product.An Apple spokesperson said: “Sonder has been in discussions with Apple’s procurement board regarding Sonder’s laptop module.
Foxconn International Holdings andE Ink Holdings – both strategic partners of Sonder Design Pty. Ltd. are assisting with the above discussions."

You can now buy an Acer Swift 7, the thinnest laptop ever made

Acer's Swift 7, which is the thinnest laptop in the world - managing to dip under the magic 1cm barrier - is now available to buy over in the US where it will set you back$1,100 (around £900, AU$1,440). Acer's 13.3-inch ultra portable is certainly swift enough thanks to a Kaby Lake Core i5-7Y54 processor (a dual-core effort clocked at 1.2GHz but with Turbo up to 3.2GHz for when the going gets tougher), teamed up with a 256GB SSD and 8GB of system memory. And it's most definitely slim - the most svelte notebook ever, as we mentioned - with a thickness of 9.98mm (at the back), weighing in at 1.1kg. And if you're thinking that means a small and underwhelming battery, Acer reckons poor longevity isn't on the cards, with a claimed battery life of up to nine hours.
This is a premium Ultrabook featuring a very smart gold and black color scheme with an aluminum chassis, and a spacious precision touchpad (these were just updated for Windows 10).
Screen smarts
The 13.3-inch IPS screen is a beauty as well, or so we found in our hands-on with the laptop, in which we complimented the impressive viewing angles, along with bold and vibrant colors. It's fashioned from Gorilla Glass, as well, to protect it from knocks and bashes which notebooks can inevitably suffer from time to time. Ports include a pair of USB 3.1 Type-C connectors, which can be used for power (charging the laptop, or indeed using it to juice up other devices like your phone) and hooking up an external monitor. On the wireless front, you get Bluetooth 4.0 and 2x2 802.11ac Wi-Fi with MU-MIMO.
As mentioned, it will set you back $1,100 (around £900, AU$1,440), with the Swift 7 now on sale at the US Acer store, with the notebook soon to arrive at Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg, Adorama, Costco.com and Micro Center.
Other models in the ultra portable Swift range will be emerging over the next few weeks, and for more info on the Swift 1, 3, and 5.

HP make updates to its Spectre x360 and Envy 13

HP is announcing updates to its premium consumer laptops today, including the popular Spectre x360 and the powerful Envy 13. Both laptops gain larger batteries and design updates, while the x360 gets an overhaul that includes a smaller footprint and a new edge-to-edge display. In addition, HP is updating its Envy all-in-one with a refreshed design and Intel’s latest processors.
The new Spectre x360 maintains the outgoing version’s ability to rotate the display behind the keyboard, but it has a narrower design thanks to its edge-to-edge display. The new model is a full 11.8mm narrower than before and now has a quad speaker array. HP says the Spectre x360 can now last for up to 15 hours between charges, a 25 percent improvement, thanks to its larger battery and better efficiencies throughout the system. It also has the ability to recharge its battery up to 90 percent in 90 minutes. The Spectre x360 can be outfitted with a seventh-generation Core i5 or Core i7 processor, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to a 1TB SSD. It will be available starting this month for $1,159 and up.
HP Envy 13HP
The new Envy 13 isn’t as svelte as the Spectre, but it’s not as expensive either. It is made of aluminum and magnesium and can be outfitted with a full-HD or quad-HD display, with the latter also available as a touchscreen. HP says it fitted a 28 percent larger battery in the new Envy, which gives it up to 14 hours of battery life. (It also has the ability to charge up to 90 percent in 90 minutes.) The Envy 13 will also be available with seventh-generation Core i5 and i7 processors, up to 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. It will start at $849 when it is available later this month.