GoBook MR-1 - Tougher Than RoxSilverbane?
Posted by Ian Bandy
- Comments
- 1
- Likes
- 0
- Dislikes
- 0
Tough and tiny, the new Gobook MR-1 from Itronix as an IP54 certification, which means it has passed rigorous dust and water testing. Laptopical's Ian Bandy shares his thoughts on this rugged ultraportable laptop.
OK, I admitit, I had a misspent youth. While other people were partyinguntil the first light of dawn, my pursuits were more sedate. Agroup of true friends would gather around a table top and whiskourselves away into the mystical world of the Dungeons andDragons role playing game. These were truly golden days, we wereyoung, creative (girlfriendless geeks), and life hadn't crushedus yet beneath subtle size 15 boots and/or 6 inch highheels.What hasall this got to do with the world of laptops I'm guessing you arethinking. Well when I saw the new GoBook MR-1 from GeneralDynamics Itronix, it cast my mind back to one of my manycharacters in that Role Playing game, rugged, witha penchant for reckless lich slaying and magic item collectingthat put his party in daily mortal danger - Enter Rox Silverbane.A fearless Dwarf with ratcheted up constitution and strengthscores that struck fear into the hearts of ne'r do wells, andCharisma, Intelligence and Wisdom attributes lower than a limbobar at a jockey disco.
Now for the uninitiated (and you really don't know what you'remissing) a Dwarf in the context of D and D, obviously inspired byJ.R.R Tolkien's seminal work "The Hobbit", is a short, stocky,powerhouse and tougher than a quadratic equation after a fewbrewskis.
As is the GoBook MR-1, weighing in at 2 pounds with a minisculefootprint of 4.3 by 6 inches. This Windows XP pro powerednotebook is small enough to be carried anywhere you need to be.Onboard power is in the form of an adequate 1.2Ghz Intel CoreSolo U1400 Processor ("Napa" chipset) with 533 MHz front sidebus, up to 1 GB of RAM and a 16 gb solid state hard drive.
It's tiny, it's durable, and will stand up to most reasonablepressures of the modern world. Indeed, it has been awarded anIP-54 rating for dust and humidity, making it suitable for use inharsh and unpredictable environments. The precious componentsinside are housed in a magnesium alloy clamshell case with impactabsorbing bumpers, as tough as Rox's +5 dragon scale armour.
Factor in the innovation of a 5.6-inch SVGA-W screen which can beclearly read in bright sunlight, with new DynaVue touchscreen tech thrown in, you have a package whichshould secure orders from government depts and humble members ofJoe Soap public.
It's worth pointing out that with 3D Intel Extreme Graphics withup to 128MB of graphics memory this is not a gaming machine. Also the MR-1 may be small but the price isn't, expect to dig deep into your money belt for more than a few copper pieces. However, if you need a tough, tiny and reliable notebook, you probably won't go far wrong with the GoBook MR-1, just likedependable old Rox defending Waterdeep all those yearsago.
Rate this article
Most Popular Laptops at Pricegrabber.com
| Model | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. 13.3" MacBook Pro Notebook | [+] Best Offers | |
| 2. Vostro A90 Netbook - Customizable | [+] Best Offers | |
| 3. G60-530us Notebook | [+] Best Offers |
Newsletter Sign-Up
Most Popular Laptops & Gear
-
1. 13.3" MacBook Pro Notebook
-
2. Vostro A90 Netbook - Customizable
-
3. Inspiron Mini 10v Netbook - Customizable
-
1. D3000 SLR Digital Camera Kit w/ 18-55mm Lens
-
2. PowerShot G11 Black Digital Camera
-
3. EOS Rebel T1i Black SLR Digital Camera Kit w/...
-
1. iPod Touch 32GB Black MP3 Player
-
2. iPod Touch 64GB Black MP3 Player
-
3. iPod Touch 16GB MP3 Player - Black
-
1. Flounce Sleeve Little Black Cocktail Dress
-
2. EOS Rebel T1i Black SLR Digital Camera Kit w/...
-
3. Windows 7 Home Premium
Powered by 
Latest Updates
-
ASUS Eee PC 1000HE
The Eee PC has a slightly faster Atom processor and a faster FSB compared to the previous models. While this is not enough for anyone to upgrade, it could certainly attract first-time netbook buyers. Read More
-
Dell Vostro A860
When price and performance must share in compromise, few laptops on the market readily answer the call of duty. When it comes to getting high quality at an affordable price, the Dell Vostro A860... Read More
-
Dell Mini 9
By now Dell has a full range of netbooks in sizes 9", 10", and oddly a 12" model, of which we’re looking at the smallest 9-incher here. Read More
-
Weird, Extraordinary and Record-Breaking Laptops
Here are the laptops that break one record or another, be it oldest, ugliest, cheapest or just very out of the ordinary. Read More
-
Netshelter Last Gadget Standing CES 2009
As we wound up the show on it's official last day, we attended a micro-awards ceremony. In its 8th annual performance, the Last Gadget Standing hands you off with the top 10 "user" voted gadgets of... Read More
-
Top 10 Useless Gadgets of CES 2009
Thousands of new products are unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas each year. Some of them change our lives forever, and some of them are... interesting in other ways. Read More
-
Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2009
Yet again, Apple's professional geeks will offer up sessions and hands-on code probing and testing at Moscone West in San Francisco. The dates for 2009 are June 8-12. Read More
-
E3 Expo
The E3 Expo - also known as the Electronic Entertainment Expo - is the one trade show to visit to get the latest news from the computer and video games industry. Read More
-
CeBIT - Hannover 3-8 March
Unlike CES, CeBIT is open to the public, so there's no need to be a press or industry affiliate to have a look at this massive trade show, which is the largest in the world. Read More
-
International CES 2009
Find out all you need to know about the 2009 International CES. It features 2,700 exhibitors, including companies who manufacture products or provide services for the audio, digital imaging, home... Read More
-
Mac World Conference
Make sure to make a note about the Macworld Expo at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, January 5-9. If you're a Mac user and wish to meet equivalent people in the industry this is the place for you. Read More
-
Take A Look Inside - MacBook Pro 13"
Come along with us and peer into the guts of the new MacBook Pro 13" as only the boys at ifixit can do. Read More
-
Fake Apples, Anyone?
Today has seen advancements in fake Apple laptops, desktops, and netbooks. The choices have never been wider for someone who wants to pretend they actually have a Mac. Read More
-
Dell Inspiron Mini 9 Display More Accurate Than Macbook Pro
Well, this came as a surprise. Whether you liked Macs or you didn't, for a long time it has been hard not to concede that Macbook displays have been superior to standard notebook displays, much to... Read More
-
March on Tux Penguins! - 7000 Linux Guides
TuxMobil isthe World Wide Web's biggest resource when it comes toLinux-based operating systems and laptop computers. Read More
-
Linux Deal in Full Gallop: The GazelleValue
Laptopicalis always on the hunt for a good value. Sure, we review our fairshare of more expensive gaming and business notebooks, but mostof all, we relish our role as the everyman's laptop blog... Read More
-
Linux Certified - Preloaded PC
In the past we'vetalked about ways to transform your laptop from a Windows-basedversion to a cutting-edge Linux version, Read More
-
Windows 7 Lauches Today, 10/22!
Just a memo in case anybody has been living on Mars for the past decade. Under a rock in a cave. With their eyes shut and their fingers in their ears. Read More
-
Amazon: Windows 7 Pre-orders Breaks Former UK Record. No Comment From the Dethroned Potters
Windows 7, which just launched today, managed to garner more pre-orders in the UK than anything ever had previously. Yes, you read that headline right - Windows 7 got more buzz in the UK than... Read More
-
Windows XP Mode Finalized, Ready For Your Windows 7
The code for a Windows XP Mode which is built into the new Windows 7 was recently finalized. We've had our share of issues trying to run old software with Microsoft's patented "compatibility mode"... Read More
Best & Worst as Voted by Readers
| The Best | Votes |
|---|---|
| Top 10 Technologies of 2008 | 17 |
| Top 10 Netbooks | 13 |
| Top 10 Useless Gadgets of CES 2009 | 10 |
| The Worst | Votes |
|---|---|
| Top 10 Netbooks | 5 |
| Top 10 Technologies of 2008 | 3 |
| Top 10 Useless Gadgets of CES 2009 | 2 |
| The Best | Votes |
|---|---|
| Mac World Conference | 10 |
| International CES 2009 | 5 |
| E3 Expo | 1 |
| The Worst | Votes |
|---|---|
| International CES 2009 | 2 |
| The Best | Votes |
|---|---|
| Axiotron Revamps ModBook - Now Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger | 5 |
| More Trouble For New MacBooks - Now It's RAM, GPU | 3 |
| Apple Unveils New MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air | 1 |
| The Worst | Votes |
|---|---|
| More Trouble For New MacBooks - Now It's RAM, GPU | 2 |
| Apple Waiving License Fees For Mini DisplayPort Spec | 1 |
| Axiotron Revamps ModBook - Now Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger | 1 |
| The Best | Votes |
|---|---|
| Linux Certified - Preloaded PC | 4 |
| March on Tux Penguins! - 7000 Linux Guides | 2 |
Editor's Choice
-
Weird, Extraordinary and Record-Breaking Laptops
Here are the laptops that break one record or another, be it oldest, ugliest, cheapest or just very out of the ordinary. Read More
-
Top 10 Technologies of 2008
Laptopical's T.J. Aaron summarizes the breakthroughs in technology of 2008. As we are nearing the end of 2008 - find out what made his Top 10 of the most successful and talked about technologies of... Read More
-
Top 10 Netbooks
The netbook world has gotten increasingly crowded, and until the massive popularity of the form factor wanes this trend will only increase. Beyond Asus and Acer, major corporations like Dell, HP... Read More
-
Axiotron Revamps ModBook - Now Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
Axiotron has taken a good look at their tablet ModBook and improved it in a number of ways. Read More
-
Apple Considering Liquid Cooling For MacBooks
Apple is considering using liquid coolant to keep the temperature down on future MacBooks and other devices. Read More
-
Apple Waiving License Fees For Mini DisplayPort Spec
Apple's is attempting to drive up adoption of the Mini DisplayPort specification by offering free licensing for it. Read More
-
Better Late Than Never Says Linuxtards as Lenny Arrives
After 22 months of development, Debian version 5 (codenamed "Lenny") is finally available. Debian is a big Linux distribution in itself, and also important because it constitutes the foundation of... Read More
-
Linux and SSD Options Confirmed For 10-inch Aspire One
Acer has come clean and announced their SSD and Linux options for the new 10" Acer Aspire One. Read More
-
Quanta Demonstrates 'Touchless' Touching
Windows 7 is known for its multi-touch capabilities, and many are excited to develop implementations of this which will be effective and easy to use. Quanta has devised their Optical Touch... Read More
-
New Microsoft Surface Has Grand Plans For Hospitals
Microsoft has developed a new Surface which is dynamic and multi-touch. Doctors are hopeful that it can be used to make sharing information amongst professionals and also with patients... Read More
-
Windows 7 Software Features Multi-touch Media Transfer
With new software developed for Windows 7, you can transfer music and other media to your iPod, iPhone, Android phone and various cameras using just your fingers. Simply place the device on the... Read More
Latest Laptopical.com tweets
Event Calendar
Find the latest expos and events related to laptops and
mobile technology with our Event Calendar.
Go to Calendar
Funny Computer Links
A collection of hilarious links, updated weekly or sometimes daily.
Check em' out!
All of our links
Write for Laptopical.com
Do you have any tips on news or cool new laptops/gadgets you would like
to see at Laptopical.com?
Let us know about it!
Tip us on news!
Contact us
We are always on the lookout for new, interesting ideas and content. Do
you have anything to share?
Contact us
Comments
By: Joe Jul 03, 2008 9:33 PM
I am a corporate customer of go book... they have too many hardware issues and are not as rugged as they claim. I have gone through 3 of these in 4 months. THEY ARE JUNK!