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The Cheapest Notebooks for Under $XXXXX

admin — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:39:28 +0000

Let’s look at budget notebooks. For most of us, struggling students, workaday writers, web designers and graphic artists just trying to pay the bills, it really is our budget that determines what notebook we’re going to get.

When it comes to general use, depending on how much you can afford to spend, there’s more or less a “top notebook” within that price range. So we’ll list the very best you can hope to get in each one of these price ranges…

Under $100

The Mead 70 page college ruled notebook is probably your best bet if you have less than a hundred bucks to spend. Make sure to set aside two bucks for some bic pens.

Okay but seriously, the hundred dollar laptop we’ve been hearing so much about… well, think “Two hundred dollar laptop” and you’ll be closer to the price they settled on.

Under $300

Five hundred dollars is usually the starting price for any halfway decent laptops, but believe it or not, there are a few available for under three hundred. Don’t waste your time shopping around, though, this is probably the best one: the 500 MHz-600 MHz G3 dual USB iBook.

This is going for around two hundred bucks. It’s not the most powerful system on the market, but let’s look at what it can do. It runs OSX 10.4 Tiger, and it can handle Photoshop Elements 4.0. It’s not what you want if you’re into video editing, hardcore gaming, or serious graphic arts, but the fact remains that it gets the job done for about the price of a month’s worth of groceries.

Under $600

If you’ve got about five hundred dollars to spend, you have a lot more options. What you want to do is focus specifically on what you need a laptop for. If you want a GREAT laptop for editing video, you can definitely have it for under six hundred bucks, but… don’t expect it to do much else.

Probably the best general purpose laptop in the five hundred dollar range is the Acer Aspire 3100. It comes with an AMD 3500 processor, 1gb DDR2 (which isn’t bad for this price range), an 80GB hard drive (hey, that’s better than a lot of home computers), a DVDR drive, and a 15.4 inch display. Basically, it will handle gaming, it will handle video editing, graphic design, etcetera etcetera, all pretty well. It won’t blow you away or anything, but it’s up to par on pretty much all fronts, and you should be able to get it for somewhere between four and five hundred dollars.

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Is This The Best Gaming Laptop Of All Time: Alienware M15x

admin — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:08:21 +0000

Grand Theft Auto 4 is coming to the PC, and not only does it kick the Xbox 360 version’s butt in terms of graphical power, it also comes with this really cool in-game video editor. You can switch camera angles, use slow motion, and even dub your voice over it. So not only do you have a replica of New York to use as a personal playground, you have helicopters and sports cars to put to use making your own personal action movies, the kind that would cost hundreds of millions of dollars, and probably put a few stuntmen in the hospital, if attempted in real life.

The problem is, the computer that this article is being written on sure as heck isn’t going to be able to run that game at anywhere near a suitable speed. Rather than just put that thought out of mind and go back to playing the N64, let’s Google “The Best Gaming Laptop Of All Time” and see what we turn up.

Okay, the first half a dozen results are all from Alienware. No surprise there. Alienware is the one company constantly raising the bar and making laptops specifically for gamers.

In fact, forget Google, let’s not pretend we’re going to get the best gaming laptop of all time from Dell or Apple, let’s just go to Alienware.com and see what’s new.

The Area 51 m15x 15.4. Alienware proudly proclaims right on the website that this is the most powerful notebook ever.

So what makes it so special?

Hm, an Intel Core 2 Extreme Processor. Wow. That means that not only can the m15x run games that haven’t even been announced for release yet, but this machine is as powerful as the super-computers used at a lot of video game design companies. You could edit incredibly hi-def video, and practically make a Pixar movie on this thing, all while running Call of Duty 4.

An NVIDIA GeForce 9800M GT graphics card, with 512MB of dedicated graphics memory. That’s half a gig of space just for graphics alone! Or, you could even upgrade to an NVIDIA Quadro FX 3600M GPU for even more hardcore graphical processing power.

So after listing just two details, this unit already has the very best notebook processor available, and the very best notebooks graphic card in existence.

Okay, we’ve already answered the question in the header: Yes, it’s probably the best gaming laptop of all time. So let’s just list some of the coolest details beyond that…

Facial recognition security features, AlienTouch touchpad controls, Draft-N wireless, a high-def 15.4 inch LCD display, making super HD Blu -Ray possible, and it comes with a free backup battery…

Okay, here’s the kicker: It costs around $1,299, and AlienWare offers a $39 a month payment plan.

For a top class gaming laptop, that’s practically unheard of. So yes, yes, a thousand times yes, this is the laptop of any gamer’s dreams.

Dell Inspiron 1525 Pink

Dave — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:56:25 +0000

I am looking to buy a new laptop for my daughter , this is the one that she has picked out , the Dell Inspiron 1525 I am totally convinced that the only reason she has picked this one is because it is pink !! I would love to tell you that she was being a true uber geek and was comparing all the different specs on the market but that would be a simple lie , lets face it , its pink!!!

* Inspiron 1525 Flamingo Pink Notebook: Intel Core 2 Duo T5450 (1.66GHz/667Mhz FSB/2MB cache), Windows Vista Home Premium

* 1GB DDR2 SDRAM, 120GB Serial ATA hard drive for large video files

* Wireless Internet access 802.11b/g (where available), 4 USB Ports, 1 VGA Out, 1 HDMI Port, 1 iEEE 1394a FireWire Port, S-Video Out, 8 In 1 Media Card Reader

* 8X DVD +/- RW w/dbl layer write capability for DVD RW For DVD and CD Burning

* Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100, Slim and compact design for business user. 15.4″ Widescreen with Truelife for Extansive application use.

Processor, Memory, and Motherboard

* Hardware Platform: PC
* Processor: 1.66 Intel Core 2 Duo
* Number of Processors: 1
* RAM: 1 GB
* RAM Type: DDR2 SDRAM

Hard Drive

* Size: 120 GB
* Type: Serial ATA

Wireless

* Wireless Type: 802.11B

2 Really Cool Tablet Laptops

Dave — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:07:54 +0000

The cool new thing in laptops is the “Tablet PC”. To be completely honest, you could buy any single one on the market and be satisfied with your purchase… At least until the initial “Cool” factor of using a touch screen instead of a keyboard and a mouse wears off!

So here are the coolest of the cool when it comes to tablet laptops…

Rugged Tablet PC

This one is so cool, we cannot even recommend a purchase in good conscience. Sorry, it’s just that cool. It was designed for “Industrial and Military Computing”, and it might just be too much for the average civillian. It’s actually got a dashboard mount on the back so that you can install it to the dashboard of a police cruiser!

The G-NET Rugged Tablet PC looks like a sup erspy’s briefcase, seriously. It has a thick rubber handle on top and rubber corner mounted shock absorbers so the thing can survive being shot at and blown up in a warzone… Okay, it can’t survive an explosion, but you could drop it out of a moving car and not crack the case.

It comes with integrated 802.11b/g WiFi and Bluetooth modules, so you can connect at any hotspot, you can actually see the display even in harsh sunlight, and it’s got a neckstrap so you can lean it up against your waist, so you can compute with one hand and apprehend a suspect with the other.

This is, without a doubt, pretty much the coolest tablet on the market. The only downside is that it’s not incredibly practical! It’s heavy and cumbersome, and designed more for things like driving tanks than doing graphic design. Still, it’s cool as heck.

Compaq TC4400

If you’re not in the military and you just want a really cool tablet, the Compaq TC is probably your best bet. It’s a hybrid Tablet PC, which is cool because it allows you to attach or detach a keyboard (some people just can’t really get the hang of writing with the tablet, while others love it, so this unit satisfies both groups).

It is a fully functional laptop, so you can actually use it for everything you use your current laptop for. In other words, it’s not a crummy unit with a cool interface to take advantage of gullible consumers. It uses an In tel Core Duo, it has integrated Wifi and Bluetooth, and it can handle graphic design, video editing, high speed internet, and just about anything else you want to throw at it.

The series started with the TC1000, which earned plenty of design awards in 2003, and was followed by the TC1100, the TC4200, and the still-available TC4400.

If you’re a millionaire, you can get a custom made Compaq TC for somewhere between three thousand and four thousand bucks. For the rest of us, expect to pay somewhere from one to two thousand for a new TC4400.

Apple Macbook Christmas Sale

Dave — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:23:51 +0000

It looks like Steve Jobs has been feeling particularly festive as of late, and although reports of him strolling around LA decked out in a full Santa costume and handing out Ipods as if they were sweets are unconfirmed, what has been confirmed is that Apple will be having a Christmas sale over the holiday season.

With prices being slashed by as much as 15 per cent on selected hardware, it truly will be a Christmas to remember for fans of the brand, and Christmas lists across the country have just got a lot longer.

The news is already starting to spread, with Apple resellers advertising reductions in their stores of up to $100 (£64) off of a Macbook. This is quite a considerable bonus, with such amounts usually not allowed by Apple.

As well as this, Apple Store managers have been given express orders to make sure they match the Black Friday discounts across the country.

Apple fans are an enthusiastic lot, and you will not be at all surprised to hear that a blog exists that follows in detail the retail operations of the computer giant. I imagine posts are going through the roof on the IFO Apple Store blog this week, and it has already revealed that if a shopper brings in an advert of a better offer from a reseller, the store will drop the price to match it.

But before you get too excited, it seems that Ipods and Iphones are not on this particular Christmas list, and the offer will only apply to selected laptop models.

It is all a bit of a change for Apple, who have never previously provided Black Friday discounts. However, desperate times call for desperate measures, and I’m sure they can tempt a few more shoppers into their stores over the next few weeks with such tantalizing treats.

Lenovo Ideapad S10 Netbook , All Bought Out In The UK

Dave — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:19:07 +0000

2008 has been the year of the netbook, and although there has been a lot of excitement surrounding the ultra-portable devices this year, with new releases seeming to appear on the shelves almost every five minutes, the show is not over yet. With Christmas just around the corner, the latest netbook to wow consumers has just been released in the UK, and is expected to feature prominently in Santa’s Christmas present sack.

The Ideapad S10 has just been released by Lenovo, and has already been completely bought out by Interface Solutions International (ISI), meaning it is now the only distributor of the product in the country (uk)

The netbook is already causing great excitement, and it is thought to be aimed at the education market, although ISI is also trying to push for the SME and consumer markets. And after all, seeing as they have all of them they will want to be selling them wherever they can, with each one picking up £238 plus VAT.

It is all very cleverly timed on behalf of ISI. One reason why they have bought up the entire stock is that other vendors do not have a great availability on their products in the run up to Christmas, and ISI are hoping to cash in on their decision fairly shortly.

Adam Wilcox, the Lenovo business development manager at ISI, said that “we are encouraging resellers to push this product into education establishments, SMEs and out to consumers. With all available stocks of Lenovos IdeaPad S10, arguably the best netbook on the market today, we are uniquely placed to support the reseller community”.

I’m sure we will be hearing a loud “Ho Ho Ho” all the way to the bank.

HP Unveil Fantastic Laptop Sales

Dave — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 11:19:59 +0000

Despite these challenging economic times, there are some companies who simply refuse to feel the pinch. Take HP, for example. The second largest personal computer manufacture in the world has just reported that it has achieved some solid sales figures for laptops in its fourth quarter, which has led to a net profit of $8.3 billion, a figure that is vast in itself, but which is 15 per cent up on the previous year.

This all comes in stark contrast to the huge number of companies out there who are either going to the government to beg for emergency loans or simply going bankrupt.

In other figures released by the company, the $2.1 billion net profit in the fourth quarter was down 2 per cent on the previous year’s fourth quarter, suggesting that things are not all rosy. However, revenue for the full 2008 fiscal year was $118.4 billion, a 3 per cent increase on the previous year. All this has led to earnings per share of $1.03 in the fourth quarter, which is up from the $1 expected by analysts.

Mark Hurd, the chairman and chief executive of HP, said that “These results demonstrate our ability to execute in a challenging market”, and that he was “confident in HP’s ability to gain share, expand earnings, and emerge from the current environment as a stronger force in the marketplace”.

But the real story is with the huge laptop sales. Whereas the revenue from desktop sales actually declined by 2 per cent, the revenue from laptops rocketed by 21 per cent.

This all seems to confirm the pattern that no matter what economic storm clouds are gathering, people simply will not allow a recession to get in the way of them and their laptops. Constant access to a laptop is becoming an increasingly common demand, and my guess is that the directors at HP will be getting in extra large turkeys this Christmas to celebrate.

The New ladies Laptop Bags By Moblie Edge

Dave — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:14:30 +0000

The holiday season is nearly upon us, and to celebrate the build up to Christmas Mobile Edge has released three new laptop carry cases with a difference: they have been designed especially for the ladies.

The new additions form part of the Scanfast™ collection, a series of laptop carry cases which do not require the laptop to be taken out of the case when traveling through airport checkpoints.

However, as well as placing a focus on making the bacs “Checkpoint Friendly”, style is also very much an issue, and the three new bags have all been designed to look the part.

The new collection includes the Onyx ScanFast Briefcase and the Onyx ScanFast Backpack, both of which come with a designer-developed exterior material and polished steel fittings, and the redesigned Element Briefcase, which comes in chocolate brown, forest green, and passion pink, and includes a dark faux-leather trim.

and Mobile Edge emphasize that nothing has been forgotten in the area of using quality materials to

As well as providing the utmost protection for the laptops being carried, these are the first TSA (Transportation Security Administration) “Checkpoint Friendly” bags to be designed exclusively for women, and they have also been designed by women to ensure that they have everything the female business traveler could require.

TSA (Transportation Security Administration) has certain requirements to make carry cases Checkpoint Friendly, and Mobile Edge claims to exceed these in every category.

G. David Cartwright, the President & CEO of Mobile Edge, said that “we are proud to be the first to introduce Checkpoint Friendly ladieslaptop bags designed specifically for women,” adding that “women are tired of traveling with generic, masculine cases and we are pleased to offer a stylish alternative for today’s female road warriors.”

It is a fair point and Mobile Edge have been quick to pick up on the growing demand not just for practicality but for style when it comes to carrying laptops. It is unsure whether the cases can also double up as handbags, but as they are being sold for just $99.99 each they are sure to be a hit.

Thinkpad X301 vs Toshiba R600 vs Samsung X360

Vlad — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:12:35 +0000

Hmmm… delicious. With the Christmas approaching laptop geeks start to wonder which laptop to buy. We have three top-of-the line laptops competing for Geek with laptop official must-buy recommendation.

All three are ultra light (<1.5kg), use Intel’s latest ultra low voltage CPU’s for extra battery life (>5 hours) and are state of the art of laptops available today.

Thinkpad X301

We like: It’s a Thinkpad

We Don’t like: Worst screen of the three

Toshiba R600

We like: Lightest of the bunch (only 0.8 kg !)

We dont like: 12.1″ screen could be to small for day to day work

Samsung X360

We like: Best screen of the bunch

We don’t like: Samsung and laptops?

Stay tuned to see which one wins.

Where Is The Best Place To Find Laptop Help ?

Dave — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:03:13 +0000

Whenever you’re having trouble with your laptop, your best bet is probably to have a knowledgeable friend! Short of that, there’s more than enough laptop help, advice, and how-to on the internet…

If you’re looking for buying guides for help selecting a laptop, you’ve got a few options. You can look at customer reviews on websites that sell laptops, but a lot of that is kind of subjective or specific to an individual’s needs. For example, if you want to use a laptop to edit movies, then the guy who bought the laptop to write a bunch of text files is probably not the best guy to ask. Before buying a laptop, you should do a lot of research on the individual laptops you have your eye on, and to help narrow it down, you could post a question up on yahoo answers or a computer forum like Notebookforums.com and en.forum.laptop.org.

Laptop forums, by the way, are also great places to go for general troubleshooting. Oftentimes, general how to and helpme sites aren’t able to address specific needs and problems.

So far, you may have gotten the idea that your best bet is always going to be simply asking someone who knows. There’s a lot to be said for websites like eHow.com and wikihow.com, but your problem isn’t always going to be specifically addressed on those sites. When you ask a forum full of knowledgeable, experienced laptop users, somebody there is bound to know what you’re talking about, because they’ve been through it themselves. You get instant, customized feedback to your query.

If you’re not too familiar with these forums, some things you’ll want to consider when posting…

Be very specific

“My laptop’s being a jerk!” isn’t going to get you any helpful feedback. “My FireWire port won’t receive any video” is a little better. Other forum users can’t help you unless they know precisely what’s going on.

Mention your make and model

A lot of problems are specific to certain types of laptops and peripherals. Oftentimes, it can be a compatibility issue.

Answer questions when you can

It’s just good form to offer help when you can. If you’ve experienced another user’s malfunction before and you figured out how to fix it, help out!

Check the forums before asking a question

Sometimes, your question might have already been asked and answered a few posts down. Check the first couple pages of threads before starting a new one.