HGL30 with 1440X900 +1394 Avail @ ABS Mayhem?

So I've been looking for a VBI HGL30 for a under $500 for a while now, so I know a HGL30 when I see one .. I stumbled across this on Engadget and noticed it was a non VBI HGL30.

http://www.abs.com/app/blackhawk_specs.asp

It is a Compal HGL30 but with a higer res screen and firewire and a 6cell battery. Does anyone here know where they would be getting this thing from? That is the perfect setup for me, I'm just not willing to drop 1500 for the base config they are selling...

 

It looks pretty sweet, 14", under 4lbs, with a 7600 Go GPU and WXGA+.

For under $1500, Core 2 Duo 2.0, 1gb RAM, 80/5400 HD, looks pretty sweet.

Physically, its a Compal HGL30 it seems but there is quite a bit of difference...

http://www.abs.com/app/blackhawk_specs.asp

 

Yeap, I noticed that too, but they also mention that its under 4lbs, which is a huge 2lbs off the HGL30, which is listed at 5.5lbs with the 9 cell. ABS lists 3.8lbs with the 6 cell. The screen I could understand they could switch in a new one, but weight and an extra output is new...

 

Those tech specs are all over the place the more I look at them.

Only Yonah is mentioned as compatible no Merom
130 Watt Adapter .. YIKES!

Maybe I'll get bored and call them ..

 

I read on Engadget that it weighed 3.8 lbs, but on ABS website it says:

Weight: 3.28lbs/ 2.4Kg


2.4kg = 5.29 lbs.


I wonder which one it is? 3.28, 3.8 or 5.29?

 

Mmmm, never thought of that(Don't usually use Kg here, but 1kg = 2.25lbs IIRC), so that makes sense...

 

Ah, now that would explain the difference. It says 5.2lbs on the specs page. Now it stops being extraordinary and goes back to being a technically excellent but horribly ugly notebook.

 

Well it seems as though the blackhawk is a Mediawave NGL30
http://www.mediawavepc.com/notebook_NGL30.html

ABS provided the info, however I still can't see a 1394 port in any of the pictures on the mediawave site. It also looks a heck of a lot like a CBB HGL30 to me. *shrug*

 

I emailed ABS and they wrote back:


Thank you for contacting ABS.
============================================
There is some discrepancies between the real specification of the Mayhem Blackhawk and the specification on our website. Here is the correct information:

The barebook of the Mayhem Blackhawk is Compal GL-30. And the screen resolution of the laptop is WXGA 1280X800. And the whole computer weighs about 2.5kg.

We greatly apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us at 800-685-3471 during our business hours below or email us via [email protected] (you may simply reply to this email) for further assistance, and one of our agents will be more than happy to serve you accordingly. Thank you for your understanding.
============================================

 

Thats horrible, so it doesnt have any extra features, and its not lighter either. Its just a regular Comal HGL30.

 

YES, but wonderfully more expensive then going to xotic/power/rjtech

Oh, and it has a cool name ...

 

Hmm, whats in a name, and would it be worth that much money? Besides, once you bought it from xoticpc/powernb/rjtech could you not rechristen your notebook 'Mayhem Blackhawk"?

 

That kind of reminds me of the WidowPC Sting 517D. Beautiful black lid with the spider logo on it--but underneath that and the WidowPC nameplate you have a Clevo M570U that is about $1000-1500 less for the exact same notebook.

Look at the other rebranded HEL80's around and you'll see the same thing. WidowPC, Sager, VooDooPC, Zepto, and Velocity all sell it under their own brand names.

 

so, is buying a compal branded notebook generally cheaper then? since theres no middleman?

 

I don't believe that Compal sells them under its own brand. It's just a good thing to know that you can sometimes get the exact same laptop, sans a nice paintjob, from somewhere other than a botique shop for considerably less money. Maybe with a better warranty.