A report has surfaced alleging that Intel has pushed back the implementation of USB 3.0 in its chipsets a whole year, to early 2011. It’s unconfirmed, and we hope it’s not correct—it’d seriously slow down USB 3.0’s adoption.

Without Intel supporting the standard, motherboard manufacturers and gadget makers alike would probably hold off on using USB 3.0, since it would require a relatively expensive third-party controller (as it does now). An Intel rep said he hadn’t heard of such a delay, but with Intel focused on its next-gen Nehalem chips (and given the company’s neglect of wireless USB), it’s not impossible. We’ll keep you updated if we get confirmation either way. [EE Times via Tech Report]

Intel’s Core i7 processor kicks ass, as we already know. Dell (and its adopted sub-brand, Alienware) is busting out a new line of laptops and desktops to take advantage of the power and capabilities of the i7.

These aren’t major revisions to the Studio 15, Studio 17 or Studio XPS 16, keeping the same styling and most of the same specs—but the Core i7 chip and (in the Studio 17 and Studio XPS 16) improved graphics card means the new laptops are likely to outperform the current line.

First up is the Dell Studio 17, a multimedia-focused 17.3-incher that packs a 2.1 sound system, a 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 and a 9-cell battery. This “desktop replacement” will start at $1100, and features a slightly slimmed-down body compared to the current design. We’ve also been informed by Dell that there will be a multi-touch touchscreen option available on the Studio 17 sometime before the end of the year.

The Studio 15 will also see a bump, featuring the same Intel Core i7 720QM 1.6GHz (1333 FSB/6MB L3 Cache) processor as the Studio 17, though it’s only got a 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570. It’ll start at $1000. Finally is the Studio XPS 16, which has the same specs as the Studio 17 but in a smaller, 15.6-inch package. It starts at $1250. Press release below. [Dell Laptops]

Dell has updated the new Studio 17, and the result is an entertainment powerhouse excelling at both creating and consuming multimedia content. New features a JBL-branded 2.1 audio solution with SRS Premium Sound – two 1.5-watt speakers in the palmrest and a 6-watt subwoofer in the base. The spacious 17.3-inch HD+ 16:9 display is great for watching HD content, and includes a 2.0MP webcam. A few other items of interest: this is the first Studio laptop to feature a 1GB graphic solution, and also supports dual hard drives. To complement the upgraded technology and features, the Studio 17 is actually slightly thinner and lighter than its predecessor. With a starting price of $1,099, the Studio 17 includes

· Intel Core i7 720QM 1.6GHz (1333 FSB/6MB L3 Cache)

· Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit) – eligible for Windows 7 upgrade

· 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650

· 4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 at 1067MHz

· 250GB 7200RPM Hard Drive

· Slot load CD/DVD Writer (DVD+/-RW)

· 17.3-inch HD+ (1600×900) WLED display with built-in 2.0MP webcam

· JBL-branded 2.1 audio solution with subwoofer

· Full-size keyboard with separate keypad

· 9-cell Battery

· Black Chainlink exterior color

While the Studio 17 is primarily a desktop replacement than can be moved from room to room, there are those who need a laptop that balances performance with portability, and so the Studio 15 will also include a Core i7 option, with a starting price of $999 and includes:

· Intel Core i7 720QM 1.6GHz (1333 FSB/6MB L3 Cache)

· Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit) – eligible for Windows 7 upgrade

· 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570

· 4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 800MHz

· 250GB 7200RPM Hard Drive

· Slot load CD/DVD Writer (DVD+/-RW)

· 15.6-inch HD (1366×768) WLED display with built-in 2.0MP webcam

· 6-cell Battery

· Black Chainlink exterior color

Finally, we are also offering a Core i7 option on the award-winning Studio XPS 16, with a starting price of $1,249 including:

· Intel Core i7 720QM 1.6GHz (1333 FSB/6MB L3 Cache)

· Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit) – eligible for Windows 7 upgrade

· 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4670

· 4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 at 1067MHz

· 250GB 7200RPM Hard Drive

· Slot load CD/DVD Writer (DVD+/-RW)

· 15.6-inch HD+ (1600×900) edge-to-edge WLED display

· Built-in 2.0MP webcam and facial recognition security software

· 7W audio solution with subwoofer

· Full-size backlit keyboard

· 9-cell Battery

· Obsidian Black high gloss finish exterior

Laptops got a hell of a lot faster today. We’ve been waiting for Intel to bring out its mobile version of Core i7 and today it did. The benchmarks are in and they say it’s fast. Really freaking fast.

Just like the Core i7 chip for desktops, the mobile version (formerly called Clarksfield) is meant for handling heavy computing tasks — gaming, video editing, and other programs that require faster processing speed.

What makes the chips so fast and oh so capable? The quad-core family of processors use Intel’s Turbo Boost Technology, which can accelerate the processor clock speed up to 75 percent when you need more power. Basically the processor will change the clock speed depending on your power consumption, the processor temperature and the number of cores being used.

But what does it all mean in terms of improvement? LAPTOP Magazine found out that the fastest 2.0 GHz Intel Core i7 920QM CPU (there are two other versions with lower clock speeds) “shredded through every benchmark record” in the books. When tested against other dual core and quad core laptops the Core i7 model tore it up every time. It wrecked the synthetic benchmarks, but also cut down video transcoding times and kicked ass on frame rates while playing Far Cry 2. Hit up the link below for more detailed charts and scores.