ASUS K Series K40IN-A1 laptop hits the US

We got a chance to check out ASUS' K Series laptops way back at CeBIT in March, but it looks like the understated line has just now finally made its way over here, and seen a few changes in the process. The biggest of those is that this particular model, the K40IN-A1, now packs some NVIDIA GeForce G102M graphics (with 512MB of RAM) in place of the previous ATI option, although we assume that'll still be available on some models if and when they join this one. Otherwise, you can expect a 1366 x 768 resolution on that 14-inch LED-backlit screen, along with a Core 2 Duo T6400 processor, 4GB of RAM standard, a 320GB hard drive, and ASUS' trademark Super Hybrid Engine technology, which promises to let you get the most out of the laptop's six-cell battery.

iriver P7 ships in South Korea, Americans look longingly across the sea

Sadly, we're still no closer to understanding when iriver will allow its striking P7 to escape the chains of "pre-order status" here in North America, but geeks in South Korea can now feel free to indulge. 4.3-inches of luscious screen real estate slapped onto an 8GB PMP will set you back just under ₩200,000 ($160), and we're guessing the more capacious 16GB variant will cost just a wee bit more. So yeah, we're going out on a limb here and assuming that a homeland launch foreshadows a splashdown on US soil -- don't let us down, iriver.

Canon's EOS-1D / EOS-1Ds Mark III leaking oil all over your precious images

As if the Canon EOS-1D Mark III autofocus issues weren't enough, the company has issued yet another service notice for it and its sibling, the EOS-1Ds Mark III. It looks like the cameras' mirror box has the potential to leak lubricant -- causing the excess oil to end up on the surface of the low pass filter, whereupon your award-winning pictures exhibit large, ring-shaped spots. So there you have it -- it wasn't your lousy photographic skills after all! The company has offered to repair the affected models for free, so make sure you notify customer support to get the ball rolling.

Fit-PC 2 nettop stays slim, gets an Atom upgrade

The original Fit-PC slim may have been able to proclaim itself the "world's smallest," but with an 500MHz AMD Geode processor and no more than 512MB of RAM, it had a bit of difficulty with the "PC" side of the equation. Fit-PC looks to have gone some way towards improving that with its new Fit-PC 2, however, which matches the current nettop ranks by adding your choice of an Atom Z530 or Z510 processor. Otherwise, you can expect the usual 1GB of RAM, your choice of 2.5-inch SATA hard drive, built-in WiFi, a generous six USB ports, HDMI out, XP or Ubuntu for an OS, and support for full 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. From the looks of it, this one is just starting to roll out now, and will set you back between $245 and $400 depending on the configuration.

Sony Alpha 230, 330, and 380 DSLRs out on May 19?

This next item is for all of you DSLR fiends who are champing at the bit in nervous anticipation of the revamped Sony Alpha 230, 330, and 380 DSLRs that were subject to some leakage a week or so ago. It looks like the cameras in question will be the raison d'être of a press event that the company has scheduled for the 19th of May, so you may just be getting your hands on the video-less wonders in short order -- y'know, if that's what you're into. With prices starting at €549.99 (around $738) and going up from there, these bad boys feature a revised UI, HDMI out, and Memory Stick Duo support. And if you think that's exciting.

Cube H200D PMP adds an HDMI output, a few color options

Cube already caught us off guard last month with a 1080i-capable PMP, and this month it's outdoing itself once more. The H200D has yet to be fully detailed, but we do know that it'll rock an expansive touchscreen, an HDMI output, RMVB support and arrive in red, blue or grey. Too bad it'll take a flight to China to ever find one, but here's hoping someone over on US soil takes a hint.

Verizon's HP Mini 1151NR netbook hits stores May 17th

Turns out the rumors were true. Verizon's getting into the netbook business starting May 17th with the release of the HP Mini 1151 NR. Specs for this 10.1-inch, 3G-capable portable are exactly what we heard via leaked documents, but for those just joining us: 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270, 1GB RAM, 80GB HDD, two USB 2.0 ports, 802.11b/g, SD slot, and Windows XP Home with Service Pack 3. As for the pricing, it's not quite as bad as previously suggested -- $200 after $50 mail-in rebate and a two-year commitment.

HTC Snap snapped with larger battery, Sprint insignia, June 7th launch date?

Looks like HTC's giving Sprint its own version of the Snap, albeit with some slight modifications compared to the T-Mobile variant. According to the snapshots from PPCGeeks, all specs are pretty much identical except for a 1500mAH battery in place of the 800mAH, a revived Inner Circle, and a potentially nonexistent WiFi component. It also looks like the middle unit has been changed to a more traditional d-pad configuration.

HifiMAN HM-801 PMP promises to make audiophiles happy, wallets hurt

Audiophiles can be a particular bunch when it comes to portable media players and, at the very least, can often be found carrying a not-so-discreet portable amp around with their PMP. This new HifiMAN HM-801 device aims to make their lives a tad easier, however, with it combining a Burr-Brown PCM1704 DAC and a OPA627 op-amp in a single modular unit that'll also let folks swap in their own amp of choice if they so desire. As you might expect, however, while it doesn't cut any corners when it comes to sound quality (including full support for FLAC and lossless WMA), it's pretty no frills otherwise, with no video support or other media-related features to speak of, and no internal storage of its own (you'll have to rely on SDHC cards).

DisplayLink sells a million USB graphics chips

It wasn't all that long ago that DisplayLink was still courting manufacturers and showing off its then newfangled USB graphics adapter technology, but the company is now celebrating a fairly significant milestone, with it announcing that it has sold more than a million of its USB graphics chips. Those have found their way into more than thirty different products from a number of manufacturers, including both wired and wireless USB adapters, projectors, USB docking stations, and a whole range of USB-connected monitors. Of course, DisplayLink isn't about to rest on its laurels now, and it says it expects to see an even greater range of products using its chips as wireless USB and USB 3.0 become the norm.

HP Mini 1000 six-cell battery gets examined, frightens other batteries

It's been a long time coming, but the six-cell battery for HP's Mini 1000 netbook is now finally making its way into the hands of some eager users, and jkOnTheRun has taken a minute to give folks an idea of what's in store. As you can see above (and from another angle at the link below), the battery is amazingly even more unsightly than suggested in earlier shots, although it does expectedly deliver the goods when it comes to battery life, with jkOnTheRun managing about six hours on a charge. Of course, you'll have to decide for yourself if that's worth the $100+ price tag, not to mention the cost to your Mini 1000's self-esteem.

Dell seemingly cans sassy Crimson Red XPS 16 option

The dreamy, high gloss Crimson Red option for Dell's XPS 16 -- which appeared just a few short days ago to shock and beguile us -- has seemingly disappeared into thin air already, leaving us to wonder... was it all just a dream? Will it return once again? Please let this be some sort of cruel, unfortunate mistake.

HTC Magic Up For pre-order From Vodafone: Due Out May 5th, Free With Monthly Plan

While the jury’s still out on its US name or release date, the HTC Magic is gearing up for its European debut by way of Vodafone. The pre-order page is now live with an irresistible price of zilch, provided you agree to a monthly plan of £30 or more. The company says it plans to ship out the Cupcake-powered phone by May 5th.