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Dealing with warranties is one thing — it’s almost always a crap-shoot, and you’re continually pressing your luck when trying to get something covered without any out-of-pocket expense. But how’s about the tech support that’s so whimsically promised with so many laptops these days? Our pals over at Laptop put in an inordinate amount of work in order to find out, pinging a full dozen manufacturers via phone and chat in order to measure hold time, level of support offered and overall satisfaction. Just about every major laptop maker was included (Acer, Apple, Dell, Lenovo, HP, Toshiba and Fujitsu, just to name a few), and an in-depth report of their findings was posted for each one. In general, though, they found that most companies wouldn’t hang around long enough to answer those nagging questions that typically end up in forums (“How do I remove bloatware?”), oftentimes pointing the caller to a paid alternative that would actually take the time to address their issues. If you’re considering a new machine, and you aren’t exactly one of those nerdy go-getters who can troubleshoot everything yourself, you should certainly give the source links below a look. Just try not to get too depressed, cool?

Laptop’s 2010 tech support showdown reveals ugly truth: you’re (almost) on your own originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 18:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It may not do much to speed up wait times, but Fujitsu is at least doing its part to make the time outpatients spend at hospitals and clinics a bit easier. It’s announced a new wireless outpatient guidance system, which packs an electronic paper display, and accommodates a card that a patient would receive when they arrive for their appointment. When placed in the card reader, the device would automatically register the patient at the hospital or clinic, guide them to their destination, and continually inform them of their wait time and place in line. It’d also, of course, work anywhere there’s a wireless signal, so you’d be able to leave the waiting room without having to worry about missing your appointment. No word on any hospitals that have signed up to use it just yet, but the system will be commercially available in February of next year. Full press release after the break.

Continue reading Fujitsu’s wireless guidance system promises to free patients from the waiting room

Fujitsu’s wireless guidance system promises to free patients from the waiting room originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 18:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading Fujitsu’s FMV PC series of 3D desktops hits Japan this month

Fujitsu’s FMV PC series of 3D desktops hits Japan this month originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’re not sure what Fujitsu is thinking here, but it has to stop. Get a load of its motion control interface running on a 15.6-inch laptop. Yes, a 15-inch laptop. We might be able to understand this if it was plugged into a big flat panel television or projector, but trying to manipulate those itty bitty controls from 10-feet away is, well, silly. The Core i3-350M-powered Fujitsu LifeBook AH700/5A does feature HDMI-out but you still have to place the laptop in front of you (and the TV) with the display popped open so that the camera can see your movements. On a positive note, it looks like a great way to develop your wax-on / wax-off ninja tuna skills.

Continue reading Fujitsu’s motion sensing laptop interface makes no sense (video)

Fujitsu’s motion sensing laptop interface makes no sense (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Jun 2010 06:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We preface this post by saying we don’t know how practical this really is, but PLX’s idea of using a netbook’s keyboard to type on the iPad is definitely an intriguing one. How does it all work? Well, it relies on the company’s USB Duet technology, but the setup isn’t exactly what we’d call streamlined. You’ll need a netbook like the Fujitsu MH380 or NEC LaVie Light with the built-in PLX chipset / mini-USB port, an iPad with the camera connection kit, and of course the applicable USB Duet software. Regardless, the demo we saw today at the Netbook Summit worked fairly well. When all was said and done, we laid the iPad on top of the netbook’s screen and we were able to use the keyboard to type in Safari and in Notes faster than when we were pecking on the virtual keyboard. Additionally, PLX says the same USB feature enables you to use the netbook’s speakers as well as transfer files from the iPad to the laptop without iTunes (we should note here that USB duet also allows you to hook up a netbook to other laptops to transfer files, etc.). Truth is, we could debate the value of this iPad hook-up for quite a few hours, but instead we’ll just direct you to the video and press release after the break, and then let you duke it out for yourselves in the comments.

Continue reading PLX USB Duet: your netbook is now a cumbersome iPad keyboard

PLX USB Duet: your netbook is now a cumbersome iPad keyboard originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 May 2010 23:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujitsu just announced what’s reportedly the world’s first quantum dot laser capable of 25 gigabits per second of data transmission. Go on — there’s no need to hold your applause. Now, we’ve seen lasers beam packets at 1.2 terabits per second over miles of open ground, and up to 15.5Tbps through a fat optical pipe, so why would a measly 25Gbps attract our attention? Only because we hear that the IEEE is hoping to create a 100Gbps ethernet standard by 2010 (that’s now!) and four of Fujitsu’s new nanocrystal lasers bundled together just so happen to fulfill that requirement. It also doesn’t hurt that the company’s quantum dot solution reportedly uses less electricity than the competition, and that Fujitsu has a spin-off firm — QD Laser — champing at the bit to commercialize the technology. All in all, this tech seems like it might actually take off… assuming early adopters are more successful than major corporations at deploying the requisite fiber. Either that, or we’ll just enjoy some seriously speedy displays and external drives, both of which sound downright delightful in their own right.

Fujitsu’s quantum dot laser fires data at 25Gbps, not just for show originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 May 2010 06:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What, your plasma display is flat? How very quaint! Fujitsu would like to make you feel a little less adequate by showing you the wonder that is a curved PDP, seen here stretched around a column for the sake of providing digital signage. Yes, it’s perhaps a somewhat boring duty, and not quite as awe-inspiring as the company’s massively curvaceous installation at Kansai airport. But, if you’re looking for a way to show off orange silhouettes on a field of light blue, baby it doesn’t get much better than this.

Fujitsu’s curved plasma displays make Roman columns look a little dated originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 May 2010 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujitsu shows off 3D-enabled desktop PC, Lenovo prepping 3D laptop? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 May 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujitsu’s been dabbling in the color e-paper market for years, showing off prototype readers during a time when the iPad was simply a twinkle in the eye of Steve-o. Now, the e-reader realm as a whole is having to reevaluate itself with the explosion of multifaceted tablets, but we’re not giving up hope just yet — Qualcomm’s downright stunning color Mirasol display could turn the tables once more later this year, and Fujitsu’s new and improved color e-paper might do the same later this month. Scheduled to debut at the Fujitsu Forum in Japan, this newly developed color electronic paper utilizes a redesigned panel structure and image re-write methods, and there’s also an improved contrast ratio to boot. Unfortunately, there’s no public commercialization plans just yet, but we’re hoping it’ll hit a few products sooner rather than later — time’s a wastin’, Fujitsu!

Fujitsu breathes new life into color e-paper: brighter, faster, lovelier originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 May 2010 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We have a long wait before the world becomes solar powered, so between now and then we need to get a lot smarter about how much of the good stuff our gadgets are sucking down. Fujitsu’s prototype power strip does just that — with a little bit of help from a PC. Unlike other strips we’ve seen in the past, this one has a USB port on the side through which it feeds consumption data about each of its four outlets. From there users can graph the draw of each one and see which of their little vampires has the sharpest teeth. No price or availability was provided for this smart strip, so don’t be too demeaning to your current dumb ones just yet.

Fujitsu’s power strip graphs your electrical gluttony originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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