Intel WiDi Compatibility in the ASUS U30Jc-B1

More and more people are creating more and more digital content, and editing and storing that content on their notebook computers. With all the HD camcorders and digital cameras in use, there’s just so much content to share. Instead of viewing it on a small notebook computer screen, Intel’s new Wireless Display Technology, or WiDi, lets you display contents from your hard disk, home network or Web browser on your big-screen TV.

There’s no longer any reason to have your friends and family gather around your notebook computer just to show them your favorite videos, photos and music. Intel Widi technology lets you transmit the contents wirelessly from your hard disk, home network or browser to your big-screen TV.

Family and friends can now take in videos, photos and music from the most comfortable seating in the house. All you need is a WiDi-compatible notebook, a special TV adapter and a TV with HDMI or composite A/V input. More specifically, you need a notebook computer containing an Intel Core i7-620M, Intel Core i5-540M, Intel Core i5-520M, Intel Core i5-430M, Intel Core i3-350M or Intel Core i3-330M processor.

Intel WiDi compatibility also requires Intel HD Graphics and one of the following chip sets: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200, Intel Centrino Advanced-N + WiMAX 6250 or Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300. Intel My WiFi Technology and Intel Wireless Display must be pre-installed and enabled, and you need Windows 7 64-bit, Home Premium, Ultimate or Professional as the installed operating system.

The specific list of WiDi-compatible hardware keeps growing, so it might be easier just to look for notebooks featuring the Intel Wireless Display icon. But to make your selection even easier, you could just purchase the ASUS U30Jc-B1 notebook computer, which is WiDi-compatible.

The ASUS U30Jc-B1 is powered by a 2.4GHz Intel Core i3-370M processor and 4GB of memory. It also features a 320GB, 5400-rpm SATA hard drive and a tray-loading SuperMulti DVD burner. Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) is the installed operating system.

The U30Jc-B1 also features an LED-backlit 13.3-inch widescreen display with a glossy finish and native resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. The display is driven by an nVIDIA/Intel hybrid graphics system. A dedicated nVIDIA GeForce 310M GPU with 512MB of DDR3 VRAM is used when maximum graphics performance is required. But for times when extended battery life is more important, the notebook switches to an integrated Intel GMA HD GPU.

Connectivity features of the U30Jc-B1 include gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, three USB 2.0 ports, one VGA port and one HDMI port. Integrated Altec Lansing stereo speakers belt out the sound. A built-in card reader that supports SD, MMC, Memory Stick and Memory Stick PRO media is also included. An eight-cell battery will provide power for up to nine hours between charges.

Lightweight aluminum alloy construction prevents the U30Jc-B1 from bogging you down. The system weighs 4.8 pounds and measures 13.12 inches wide by 1.2 inches high by 9.52 inches deep—and it's backed by a 2-year warranty.

The final piece of the puzzle to making WiDi work is Netgear’s Push2TV adapter. The Push2TV adapter works with any notebook computer that features Intel WiDi technology. In a nutshell, the notebook transmits its video output wirelessly to the Push2TV adapter, which then feeds the signal through HDMI and composite outputs to a high-definition TV.

The Push2TV adapter works with any notebook that features a 2010 Intel Core processor with WiDi support. You also need Windows 7 64-bit, Home Premium, Ultimate or Professional and a TV with an HDMI or composite input. The Push2TV adapter measures only 5.4 x 1.25 x 4.2 inches, so it can easily be hidden amongst all your other video gear or behind the TV set itself.

The specific list of WiDi-compatible hardware, including processor, graphics, chip set, and WiFi components keeps growing, and more and more notebooks are being developed that are WiDi-compatible. At this time the list includes the Hewlett-Packard Pavilion dv5-2070us and a group of Sony VAIOs: the EA VPCEA22FX, EB VPCEB23FX, EB VPCEB25FX and EB VPCEB26FX. If you need help selecting a WiDi-compatible notebook, just call B&H and an expert member of the sales team can help you out. After all, that’s what they’re here for.

If you happen to be in the market for a new printer, you can get a nice rebate on an HP printer when you buy any of these notebook computers or any PC, for that matter. You get a $40 mail-in rebate with the combined purchase on the same day of any PC, desktop or notebook and an HP printer or HP All-In-One priced from $69 to $119, or a $60 mail-in rebate with the combined purchase on the same day of any PC and HP printer or HP All-In-One costing more than $119. These rebates can effectively chop the price of a printer in half, so you might want to take a look at some of the HP printers and All-In-Ones even if you weren’t in the market for one. The mail-in rebate offer expires on 9/25/10.