A Laptop Blog

A Netbook for Under $1

2009-07-07T23:52:00.002-04:00

I was obviously intrigued and skeptical when I heard that a netbook was being sold for under a dollar, so I felt the urge to investigate further. Here’s what I was able to uncover. Sprint Nextel has teamed up with Best Buy to offer the Compaq Mini 110c-1040DX Netbook for 99 cents. As incomprehensible as that seems, its true, but the required two-year service contract is where the money is being made.

The Compaq Mini offers a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor and 160GB hard drive. It also features a 10.1-inch anti-glare widescreen display, 5-in-1integrated digital media reader, 92 percent keyboard, built-in-webcam, and a variety of eye-catching features.

The 3G wireless service that you are required to purchase through Sprint will cost you $60 a month for 5GB of data per month. This adds up to costing you around $1,440 once you have purchased the wireless service over the two years.

Verizon Wireless and AT&T plan to also sell the Compaq Mini with a two-year service plan for $199.99 through Best Buy. Verizon currently offers two different wireless service packages. You can select the $40 a month plan which offers 250MB of data monthly or the $60 a month plan that allows for up to 5GB of data per month.

AT&T offers very similar pricing. For up to 5GB of data it will cost you $60 a month, and for 200MB of data it will cost $40 a month. The advantage to AT&T’s deal through Best Buy is that it doesn’t just offer the Compaq Mini but gives you the option to choose between it, the Acer Aspire One, Dell Inspiron Mini 9 and Mini 12, or the LG Xenia all for a base price ranging from $50 to $250.

Although this is an offer that could easily draw in a crowd, if customers do the math they will realize that with the two-year service plan these netbooks will end up costing them way over $1,000 in the end. Hopefully people will realize that this isn’t such a hot offer and will search for a better, cheaper mini-laptop deal.

The HP Mini 110

2009-07-02T13:14:00.002-04:00

The price of netbooks just continues to go further and further down. Each year they offer better parts and lower price tags. The new HP Mini 110 definitely carries on this pattern. It resembles HP’s Mini 1000, but has many improvements and a much lower price point.

On the surface, the HP Mini 110 looks almost identical to the Mini 1000 and the Mini 1000 Mi. It features a glossy black top embellished with chic gray swirls. As you examine the netbook closer though, you are able to distinguish a few external differences. The HP Mini 110 is thicker than its predecessors, measuring more than one inch thick. This added thickness, to make room for the larger feature set and new battery set up, barely adds any extra weight to the netbook though. It manages to weigh in at a very reasonable 2.6 pounds.

The 10.1-inch widescreen is now LED-backlit and comes with 1,204 x 576 resolution. It features speakers that have been built below the screen into the frame in order to keep them hidden behind the hinge. Other important aspects to consider include the Mini’s 92 percent keyboard and mouse buttons. It also has a VGA port, an Ethernet port, a multi card reader, a headphone jack, three USB ports, and a built-in webcam. The Mini has upgraded with a 160GB, 5,400-rpm spinning drive, with the option to upgrade for something even more powerful.

Another interesting fact is that the Mini now includes a third-party software application called Syncables. Syncables allows you to connect different machines on your local network and effortlessly share photos, documents, video, and music. You can even sync e-mail accounts from Windows, Mac, and Linux systems.

HP has definitely made some huge improvements with the Mini 110. It now includes a faster hard drive and a variety of new features. No its not the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 or the Acer Aspire One, but for the reasonable starting price of $329.00 it seems like a pretty good deal to me.

Gateway NV Series 5214u

2009-07-01T16:05:00.003-04:00

Gateway has just released their latest new line called the NV series. The line offers what I feel is the best performance at a more than reasonable price. The first in the line is the 5214u. Starting at the low cost of only $479 at bestbuy right now. The Gateway NV5214u is a Normal sized 15.6' notebook with a resolution of 1366x769 and weighs a resonable 6.82 pounds.

The best part about this laptop is it comes with every main feature that I am looking for in a budget laptop. It has an 2.1GHz AMD dual-core processor, it comes with 4GB of RAM, and it comes with the ATI Radeon HD 3200 Video Card which is on par with the more well known 8400GS. The reason these three things are so crucial because these are the three things that guarantee you a fast laptop that will run for a long time. Also the included bonus of a video card makes this laptop capable of playing games.

Some added bonuses on this laptop is the 320GB Hard Drive, 6 cell Lithion Ion Battery, an HDMI Port, Media Card Reader, and a webcam. This laptop is the perfect multimedia laptop, 320GB is more than enough to store all your music, photos, and video. The HDMI Port allows you to hook your laptop up to your giant plasma screen and the Media Card Reader is perfect for putting stuff on your phone. For a complete spec sheet see gateways website here.

If you are in need of a back to school laptop or just want a decent laptop that won't break the bank then this is the perfect laptop. It comes with all the needed hardware and ports for a great price of under $500.

The IdeaPad Y450

2009-06-26T18:18:00.003-04:00

Did you think it was impossible to find an reasonably inexpensive, big screened laptop with a full size keyboard and loads of multimedia features? Well, Lenovo has changed that train of thought with their IdeaPad Y450.

The IdeaPad Y450 has a different look than any previous laptop. It sports a black cover like many other laptops on the market, except for the fact that the cover is not the traditional glossed-over top but instead a textured honeycomb pattern that gives the lid a coarse, grainy feel. This will certainly assist in promoting less fingerprints and smudges on the laptop’s cover. The edges of the lid are trimmed in a copper tone, while the inside is a stark white. This all unites to produce a stylish, modern looking laptop.

The Y450 measures 13.4 x 9.2 x1.4 inches (HWD) and weighs about 5 pounds. It features a 14-inch widescreen with 1,366 x 768 resolution. It also includes three USB ports, FireWire, Ethernet, a built-in webcam, and excellent speakers. Added bonuses not normally included in laptops in the Y450’s price range are the DVD burner, eSATA, and HDMI-out ports. Another important fact to consider is the Y450’s 2-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T6400 processor.

This impressive, budget-friendly laptop can be purchased in retail stores for around $599. Yes, there are plenty of other thinner and lighter laptops on the market, but they will dig a lot deeper into your pocket. The IdeaPad Y450 has excellent features, a slick design, and a heart-warming price tag. I think this is certainly a laptop that can satisfy most average people laptop needs.

The New Acer Aspire One

2009-06-21T18:49:00.002-04:00

The new Acer Aspire One is now thinner and lighter than any previous Acer netbook. Acer managed to eliminate a sizeable amount of plastic within their best-selling netbook design to allow for these qualities, while still maintaining their reasonable price point.

Netbook design is not really one of Acer’s strengths. Although the plastic-topped Aspire One does not win any beauty pageants, there are many qualities that make up for the netbook’s lack of style. The Aspire One beats most comparable netbooks with its mere 0.8-inch thickness. This makes it thinner than the Samsung N120, the ASUS EeePC 1000HE, the ASUS EeePC 1008HA (Seashell), and the HP Mini 1000. The new Acer netbook is now also lighter. With the three-cell battery, it only weighs 2.4 pounds.

Considering other aspects, the Aspire One retains the standard 10-inch screen, 1,024 x 600 resolution, and customary keyboard. The 89 percent keyboard is certainly a feature that Acer needs to attend to. Acer was able to include mutitouch capabilities into the Aspire One, but with the limited space you have to work with performing such actions can be difficult at times.

The Aspire One features three USB ports, VGA-out, an Ethernet port, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, 802.11 g WiFi, and a 4-in-1 card reader. It also has a 160GB hard drive, which is the same or better than all other netbooks currently on the market. The Aspire One contains a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, 1 GB of memory, and Intel integrated graphics.

Even with the new updates found in the Acer Aspire One, Acer has managed to retain its affordable price. The Aspire One is the most reasonably priced netbook to be found at about $300, which is the reason why the previous Acer model was the best-selling netbook available. The Aspire One is lighter, thinner, and cheaper than most other netbooks out there. If you’re looking for an inexpensive netbook, this is definitely one to check out.

MSI X-Slim X320 13-inch Notebook

2009-06-08T16:20:00.004-04:00

The MSI X-Slim X320 is the worlds thinnest and lightest 13-inch notebook on the market right now. The X320 should not be mistaken for a low quality netbook. The latest X320 model comes with a 250GB Hard Drive and 2GB DDR2 RAM. Some low notes though is it comes with a Intel Atom 1.6GHz Processor that will be sure to bottle neck the notebooks performance. It also only comes with a 4 cell battery, but with such a barebones laptop you could probably expect the battery to be more than suitable.

The real selling point for the MSI X-Slim X320 is its size, weight and low cost. The laptop is 6mm at its thinnest and 20mm at its thickest. Also with the low weight of 2.8 pounds you should never have to worry about the hassle of carrying around your laptop. The price really makes it a great buy. Coming in at only $599 right now on sites like newegg.com you can expect this to be a hot seller.

The 13″ 16:9 glare type display has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels and uses LED backlight.

The MSI X320 also comes with a 1.3MP web camera, speakers, wifi, Bluetooth, an ethernet port, thre USB ports, card reader, and a VGA port. One feature that is a real disappointment is the MSI X320 lacks an optical drive to read cd’s and dvd’s. This is no doubt due to its extremely thin design, but it seems like an almost necessity to have in a laptop for watching movies, installing programs, and ripping music. Overall a great ultra thin and light notebook that lacks some features, but makes up for it with the price point of only $599.

The New Revolutionized MacBook

2009-05-31T15:57:00.005-04:00

The new and improved MacBook is certainly one of the sleekest most well designed notebooks I have ever seen. It has revolutionized the way notebooks are designed with its seamless covering made from a single sheet of aluminum. This allows for a remarkably noticeable difference in the weight and size of the laptop. The whole enclosure is lighter and thinner than the previous MacBook and just seems to have a more sophisticated air about it.

The MacBook embodies many other incredible qualities. The keyboard is crisp and wonderfully responsive, and comes with the now standard feature of illuminated keys. The trackpad on the MacBook has currently been engineered not only to assist in navigation, but also to double as a button. By pressing down on the trackpad you can easily click on anything you need to select. Also, the MacBook now features Multi-Touch gestures. Use two fingers to scroll up and down the page, a pinch to zoom in and out, three fingers to flip through photo libraries, a four finger swipe to switch between open applications, or a variety of other gestures to assist in your computing experience.

The MacBook also features built in wireless capabilities, ultrathin 13.3-inch LED backlit screen, Intel Core 2 Duo processor, tons of memory, and up to 5 hours of wireless productivity. I believe that this notebook is obviously a huge advancement in the field of laptops, but the draw back is the price. Starting at $1299, these notebooks are on the pricey side. Of course you pay for what you get. This is a technological masterpiece and contains many incredible features. You will not be disappointed with the quality or let down by the advancements of the new MacBook. I guess you just need to decide whether the amazing new features of the MacBook are worth the price tag to you.

ASUS Eee 1008HA Seashell Review

2009-05-26T11:58:00.004-04:00

ASUS seems to be getting a lot of stories on our humble little blog. Maybe its because every time we turn around there is something new from ASUS coming out. You'd think they'd get tired by now but ASUS is still pumping out the goods.

Well now we have a review of the ASUS Seashell. One of the main things you will notice first about the Seashell is it's style. ASUS has definitley taken a step forward with their design. The Seashell somewhat resembles the style of the MacBook Air. It has a thin, curved chassis that measures only an inch thick at the largest point. It comes with a glossy finish which means your going to get a lot of smudges on it, but it will still look really slick. But the slimmed down design isn't all just for looks. The design has some practical value to it as well. The slimmer design makes the Seashell very comfortable to hold and is easily carried one handed and only weighs 2.4 pounds. The 1008HA is not as top heavy as some of the other netbooks on the market. This just means it wont capsize over backwards off your lap while you are using it. ASUS has taken great lengths to make the Seashell look good. All of the ports on the laptop are hidden behind little doors so you have a smooth uninterrupted look.

The interior of the Seashell is also very nice. The keyboard is around 92% of a full size keyboard which makes it very comfortable to use. If you are highly into the details of things, then you will be very pleased to know that the Seashell is the very first Eee PC to offer a full size right shift key. The touch pad works fairly well. It has dimples and a two finger zoom in and out function but lacks two fingered scrolling. The chrome rocker is nice with its clicky responsiveness and the whole mouse package overall is way better than most netbooks on the market.

The specs on the Seashell are pretty standard for most netbooks. It comes with 1GB of DDR2 RAM, Intel GMA 950 graphics, and a 160GB hard drive. It has a better processor than most netbooks on the market with its 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280 as opposed to the N270 put in most of the other netbooks. The Seashell only has two USB 2.0 ports, a min VGA port, and a headphone jack, all of which are behind those little doors mentioned earlier. There is a mini VGA to VGA adapter that comes in the box to make up for the lack of an actual VGA port. Located on the bottom of the chassis is a magnetic slot designed to hold the adapter which is a good solution to the annoying situation that could arise from the adapter. One potential problem with those little flaps on the port, however, is that larger USB keys will not fit requiring you to get an adapter. Yet the Seashell still has 802.11 B/G/N Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, 10/100Mbps Ethernet, and a non-removable, high-density, lithium polymer battery with a supposed life span of 6 hours.

The Seashell's performance is about the same as some of the other netbooks on the market. It can still do all the mundane, everyday tasks like browsing the internet, editing documents, or streaming video but is in no way more special than other netbooks. It does boot up a little faster and opens things like Word faster but isn't anything special. The high-gloss screen has quite a glare if you are out in the sun which can become an inconvenience for many users. The battery, advertised as lasting for 6 hours, actually lasts around 4.25 to 4.50 hours. However, if you turn off the Wi-Fi, disable the camera, take it down to 40% LCD brightness, and turn on power saving mode, you can squeeze out 5.75 hours, which is pretty close to the listed battery life.

The Seashell's skinny form makes for a really enjoyable user experience. Then if you add to it the awesome keyboard, the nice touchpad, and the boosted you come up with a pretty awesome netbook. The Seashell is more expensive than most netbooks coming in at a price tag of $430. But if you think about it, you can get the HP Mini 100 for around $414 or the Dell Mini 10 for around $349, not to mention the huge line of ASUS netbooks already on the market. The Seashell is definitley geared towards people seeking a higher-end netbook and has bumped the netbook category up a notch. The Seashell isn't your run-of-the-mill netbook, even though it does have some of the average specs about it. Definitely one of the best netbooks on the market and definitely one worth looking at.

Dell Latitude 2100

2009-05-20T14:56:00.005-04:00

Never before has a laptop been more designed with a student in mind. The new Dell Latitude 2100 is a netbook that is designed specifically for the education market, especially students from kindergarten to eighth grade. The Latitude’s durable design and kid-centered features make this laptop ideal for the rapidly developing minds of children.

The fundamental components of the Latitude are very comparable to those of most other netbooks. It features Intel Atom CPU, Windows XP, and 1 GB of RAM, but the major difference with the Latitude is its covering. The outside is rubberized, thicker, and heavier than most typical netbooks. This casing protects the laptop from the rough patches it is sure to go through in the hands of a child. Another interesting child-friendly note is the anti-microbial keyboard that is offered when purchasing the Latitude. This feature helps prevent the spread of germs between laptop users.

This laptop has many other aspects to consider. One which is definitely worth noting is the network activity light that is centered on the back of the lid. This light glows when the Latitude is connected to the internet. Dell designed this feature to alert teachers when a student is drifting away from their school work and instead surfing the Web. Dell also says that educational software designers will be able to incorporate this light into their programs to allow for teachers to see when a student has completed their assigned tasks in class.

The Latitude is larger and heavier than most 10-inch netbooks. It weighs 2.9 pounds with its three-cell battery and measures 10.4 x 7.3 x 5.7 inches. To solve any problems with the weight, Dell has designed a custom computer carrying cart that can be used in classrooms to store up to 24 netbooks. The Latitude comes in five fun colors: School Bus Gold, Chalkboard Black, Ball Field Green, Blue Ribbon, and School House Red, and its starting price is $369.

I think that Dell has done a fantastic job developing this idea of a student netbook. A kid-friendly laptop with a durable design, an anti-microbial keyboard, and a light that indicates Web surfing is something that schools have been waiting for. Laptops are necessary within schools for projects, activities, research, and a variety of other instances, so having a laptop that can take a few scratches and bruises will save them from expensive computer repairs. The network activity light will aid teachers in keeping students on track and eventually allow for notice of a students completion of an activity. All these features, plus the reasonable starting price, make the Dell Latitude 2100 a wonderful new technological development for many schools and students.

ASUS Eee PC 1005HA-M and 1005HA-H

2009-05-15T10:04:00.005-04:00

The Eee PC 1008HA "Seashell" has basically just started to get recognized and, instead of letting the machine soak up the press, ASUS has decided to announce new variations of the 1008HA, and only a day after. But these new netbooks are not the 1005HAB that was tipped off on ASUS' support site. They are, however, the ASUS Eee PC 1005HA-M and the 1005HA-H.

The 1005HA-M and 1005HA-H have the same slim styling as the "Seashell" but with a few added upgrades. Both computers have removable batteries, both 6-cell for each computer good for up to 8 hours of battery life.

The 1005HA-M takes a lower end approach coming in with a 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor, 160GB hard drive, and 1GB of RAM and Wi-Fi and a 1.3 megapixel webcam but does not support Bluetooth.

The 1005HA-H is mostly the same as the "Seashell" as far as integral gears go with a few differences. The 1005HA-H has two USB 2.0 ports, keeps the 1.66GHz Atom Processor, supports Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, 1 GB of RAM, 160GB hard drive. Both the 1005HA-H and 1005HA-M have 10-inch WSVGA 1024 x 600 displays with the 1005HA-H adding a glossy coating.

Connectivity wise, both computers contain 3 USB 2.0 ports, audio in/out, ethernet, and a 2-in-1 card reader. The measure about 10mm thicker than the Eee PC 1008HA and also weigh about 0.3kg more.

The ASUS Eee PC 1005HA-H comes with a price tag of $473 and the ASUS Eee PC 1005HA-M comes in at $405. Both machines come in either black or white colors and should go on sale in France by the end of July with a release in the U.S. sometime after that.

HP ProBook 4510s

2009-05-06T10:24:00.006-04:00

A laptop is one of the most important pieces of equipment a person needs, especially if you are always on the road traveling for business reasons. But finding an affordable laptop that has all the features you need for your business is no easy task.

well HP's new laptop, the ProBook 4510s, is perfect for any traveling businessman by offering substance as well as style at a reasonable cost. The ProBook is HP's entry-level computer for business users. The laptop has a black, glossy lid which is prone to fingerprints, a glossy keyboard, a speaker strip lining the top of the laptop as well as a satin palm rest. The ProBook has a thin bezel which is easy to focus. An interesting design feature is the turquoise blue glow that emanates from the QuickLook 2 buttons, the power button, and LED lights on the system and if black isn't your style and you are looking for a hotter look, the ProBook also comes in red, or Merlot, as HP calls it.

The ProBook also has a good size to it. It measures 15.6 inches and weighs about 5.6 pounds. It has a 16:9 display with a wide footprint of 14.6 x 9.8 inches and 1.2 to 1.5 inch thickness. The ProBook is also the first laptop from HP to have island-style keys which makes for a more refined look. The slight texture to the keys, which are also scratch resistant, have a nice finish and are spaced apart comfortably. The touchpad, which measures 3.3 x 1.7 inches, has a rubber-like surface which gives the perfect amount of friction but the buttons on the touchpad are different from traditional ones. The touchpad buttons on the ProBook only depress at the end closest to the user. It kind of gives the feeling of pressing a piano key, which some people may like or dislike.

The 15.6 inch display is bright with an LED backlight and has a matte finish that provides really good viewing angles. The sound system varies depending on what you are listening to. Video clips and movies sound good whereas music was faint, even at max volume.

Considering this is a business computer, the ProBook 4510s has a plethora of ports for all of your needs. It comes with Ethernet and modem jacks, a Kensington Lock slot, headphone and mic ports, one VGA output, one HDMI output, and four USB 2.0 slots. For low-profile broadband cards, the ProBook comes with an Expresscard/34 slot and also has a 5-in-1 memory card reader. Another interesting design feature is that none of these ports are located on the back of the laptop, aside from the memory card reader, mic ports, and headphone ports which are located on the front, all the ports are located on the sides. The ProBook also comes with a good battery life. The six0cell battery lasts you around four and a half hours which is longer lasting than the average laptop by about 70 mins. There is also an optional eight-cell battery upgrade which claims to add 34% more battery life at a $10 fee.

All in all this computer is perfect for anybody on the road constantly for business trips, meetings, or one who is just in the habit of traveling. A definite recommendation for anyone looking for an affordable business laptop.

New Mebius Netbook with a 4" LCD Touchpad

2009-04-27T10:19:00.005-04:00

On paper the Mebius NJ70A from Sharp looks just like any other Netbook on the market. Its basically your average 10.1" Netbook with an Atom N270 CPU, Intel 945GSE Express Chipset, 1024x600 display, 160GB Harddrive, and a web cam. However, Sharp is adding something that you wouldn't normally expect on a traditional netbook, a 4 inch optical sensor LCD with LED backlight and a 854x480 resolution.

While the Netbook itself is pretty standard, its LCD multitouch trackpad has caused quite a buzz in the mobile world. The new screen works just like any regular track pad in that it allows you to control cursor but is much more interactive. You use either your finger or a stylus to write memos, e-mails, and short messages with handwriting recognition, play piano, zoom in and out of documents, watch video, and much more. As of now this Netbook is expected to ship during the month of June and will be available for purchase in Japan.

Wireless Now Standard With Laptop Rentals

2009-04-07T16:09:00.006-04:00

In order to keep up with the times people need technology that's able to keep up with them. This general need for mobile technology coupled with the fact that Technology Rentals are widely available for everyone has caused the popularity of Laptop Rentals to sky rocket. Whether you need a Laptop for an important business meeting, the ability to work from home, or simply to stay connected while on vacation then you should consider a Wireless Laptop Rental.

When ordering from the Tech Army you can always expect a great price. Right now you can get a wireless laptop rental from the Tech Army PX for only $89! This is probably the least expensive laptop rental you will find on the net.

Click here for detains on a $89 Wireless Laptop Rental from the Tech Army PX.

If you are a specialist in the IT Industry and are looking to be a part of something better, then you should check out our international community of installers, engineers, and technicians at the Tech Army.

Dell introduces new Vostro laptops

2009-04-02T16:57:00.006-04:00

Starting April 2nd, Dell will make available its new Vostro laptop model. Redesigned Vostro laptops include the 13.3-inch Vostro 1320, the 15.4-inch Vostro 1520, and the 17-inch Vostro 1720.

The new Vostro models are aimed at business users looking to take advantage of the built in videoconferencing software and webcam, which may be more attractive in today's economic climate where traveling is kept to a minimum.

Click here if you are interested in a Dell Laptop Rental

Dell XPS M1530 Laptop

2009-03-23T23:36:00.003-04:00

Dell has another laptop on the market, and this one is a definite step up from the previous one.

The XPS M1530 is Dell's newest laptop. While you may not be in the market, you should definitely look in to this computer. There are different upgraded versions of this computer that you can buy, or you can customize it to your exact specifications. The base model of the M1530 comes with the Intel Core 2 Duo T6600(2.2GHz/800Mhz FSB/2MB cache). The M1530 also comes with Windows Vista Home Premium, the newest installment in the Windows Operating System.

If you're worried about how this computer will run, then stop it. The M1530 comes 4GB shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz and a 320GB 5400rpm SATA Hard Drive. If you want to play games or videos, then you will be happy to know that the M1530 comes with a 128MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS video card. While this is not the greatest card out there, it will do a pretty good job. If this doesn't satisfy you, you can always upgrade to the 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT. The M1530 comes with a slot load DVD+/-RW(DVD/CD read/write.) and comes with Dell wireless1395 802.11g Mini card.

The XPS M1350 has nice visuals. It has a glossy LCD widescreen 15.4inch(1280x800) display and comes equipped with a 2.0 megapixel camera. With the display you can view stunning visuals on the M1530. It is definitely great to look at. The XPS M1530 also has a 56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery for extended use.

Needless to say this laptop is definitely the type of machine you would expect from Dell. Dell has long since been a quality computer manufacturer. With all the features that come with the M1530, added to the upgraded versions and the multiple customization options, you can be sure the Dell XPS M1530 is a computer well worth your time and money. The base model described here will run you around $999. If you want to to go with the up graded version, you better be prepared to cough up another $200 as the price goes up to $1,199. Check it out if you are in the market for a new computer, it is well worth it.

Worlds Cheapest Laptop.

2009-03-19T10:40:00.004-04:00

In the world of cheap laptops the TNX-9500 is the newest thing on the market. The Windows XP- powered unit isn't as cheap as say the Del Mini 9 on sale. But $199 is pretty cheap.

As reports surface. It seems that the new laptop is rumored to have some issues; it beeps continuously for several minutes when it is first turned on, the 1GHz no-name processor seems very unwilling to run Internet Explorer. Rumors also say that there is a howling sound being produced by the always-on microphone feeding back through the speakers.

No date has been set for Production. But rumor has it that it will be ramping up soon and the price is said to be dropping even more. Is that even possible? Hopefully when the Impulse TNX-9500 enters full production, all the flaws will be ironed out. And it will be cheaper than the price stated to make it worth a purchase.

Dell Adamo

2009-03-18T16:13:00.004-04:00

Dell has just opened up the pre orders for the new Adamo Laptop. Dell’s new Adamo laptop was built from the ground up to look amazing. The laptop comes in two colors so far silver and black. It looks really great it reminds me a lot of the Macbook Air. Dell sacrificed a lot of performance to make this laptop slim and light. The starting price for a Dell Adamo is $2000 and with that you really do not get anything more impressive than your budget notebook.

The stock $2000 build comes with a 1.2GHz Core 2 Duo Processor, 2GB DDR3 RAM, 128GB Solid State Drive, The more expensive $2700 build comes with 1.4GHz Processor, 4GB RAM, and mobile broadband. The display resolution is 1366x768 and the laptop comes with integrated graphics, go figure. Also the notebook is 13.4 inches wide so this is pretty much just a luxury netbook.

If anyone is considering a purchase of the Dell Adamo, I hope they have more money than they know what to do with; as the only thing I see going for this laptop are its good looks.

Durabook Puts the D in Durability

2009-03-15T18:54:00.002-04:00

If you are looking for power in your mobility the the Durabook D15RP is a prime choice. Even though it’s packaging looks like you are receiving sneakers from Nike or KSwiss power, performance and security is included in the Durabook’s rugged design. Durabooks mean durable as in “Tonka Tuff,” but this isn’t just any toy. The D15RP comes designed with a magnesium case for top and bottom protection from drops, pings and dents and offers protection to the vital system components inside because the anti-shock mounting design that protects the LCD and Hard Drive from damage and data loss. What more could you ask for? How about spill resistance? That’s right! When I say the Durabook is “Tonka Tuff,” I’m not playing.

The Durabook D15RP features include: a 15.4” wide screen WXGA LCD with graphic resolution up to 1280X800on-screen graphics driven by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator GMA X3100 which supports up to 384MB of shared memory. The D15RP is also powered by the latest Intel Centrino Duo mobile technology maximum performance and power management.

If you are looking for something that is durable and powerful then the Durabook D15RP is your laptop. It is perfect for the on the go rough and tumble traveler who wants a laptop that can keep up.

Kingston releases HyperX memory targeted at Netbooks

2009-03-04T10:55:00.004-05:00

Kingston technologies unveiled their new Hyper-X 2GB memory module for netbooks using the Intel Atom processor. Part number KHX4200S2LL/2G is a 2 gigabyte memory module with latencies of 3-3-3-8. The module is based on sixteen 128M x 8-bit DDR2 FBGA components.

Kingston created the KHX4200S2LL/2G module with Asus Eee, MSI Wind and Gigabyte UMPC netbook models.

"A netbook or mobile internet device will automatically recognize the preset low latency value of the HyperX memory module and properly boot the mobile device to provide higher performance than standard memory," said Mark Tekunoff, senior technology manager, Kingston. "Netbooks are growing in popularity and Kingston is pleased to present a HyperX module that makes these small mobile devices run faster."

Clock Cycle Time (tCK) CL=3 3.7ns (min.) / 8ns (max.)
Row Cycle Time (tRC) 55ns (min.)
Refresh to Active/Refresh Command Time (tRFC) 127.5ns
Row Active Time (tRAS) 40ns (min.) / 70,000ns (max.)
Single Power Supply of +1.8V (+/- .1V)
Power 1.396 W (operating per module)
UL Rating 94 V - 0
Operating Temperature 0o C to 55o C
Storage Temperature -55o C to +125o C

MacBook Pro Goes Green

2009-03-03T20:18:00.006-05:00

Everybody wants to be green these days in everything they do. They need all of their tools, clothes, food, and other things to be enviornmentally safe. Well thanks to Apple, now their laptops can be green as well.

Apple's MacBook Pro is designed with the enviornment in mind. First of all, the MackBook Pro is built with mercury-free LED technology and arsenic-free glass. The circuit boards, internal cables, connectors, insulators, shock mounts, adhesives, and other parts are all free of brominated flame retardents and polyvinyl chloride.

Th MacBook Pro is also highly recyclable. It uses a precision unibody enclosure that is formed from a single piece of recyclable aluminum. The display, as forementioned, is also recyclable. Since most batteries are designed to be replaced every couple of years, most of them are discarded. The battery in the MacBook Pro, however, lasts up to 5years or an amazing 1,000 charges!

EPEAT is the Electronic Product Enviornmental Assessment Tool. It evaluates the enviornmental impact of a product based on how recyclable it is, how much energy it uses, and how it is designed and manufactured. Every MacBook Pro has earned the EPEAT Gold rating, which is the highest. Few products recieve this rating and barely any are notebooks.

The MacBook Pro is also ENERGY STAR certified. The hard drive on the Pro spins down automatically when inactive and also decides whih processor, either CPU or GPU, to use that will work the best for a task which reduces energy. Other systems that reduce energy is the LCD screen, which dims when you enter a drakened room, a processor that throttles down between keystrokes, and it uses about one-third the power of a single lightbulb.

Needless to say the MacBook Pro is green to the extreme. Its so green even its packaging is enviormentally friendly. The boxes are made smaller. This may seem like a little detail but because the box is smaller it means that more can be put on a single shipping pallet which lets more pallets fit on a plane or boat which means less planes and boats have to go out resulting in less C02 emissions which makes the Earth just that much greener.

If your an enviornmentalist, a "green freak", or just want to make a difference then you should definatley check out Apple's MacBook Pro, the greenest notebook on the market.

New tablet pc/netbook with a detachable screen

2009-03-02T15:47:00.004-05:00

The company Always Innovating has just released a new netbook that has a fully detachable screen that transforms the netbook into a stand-alone tablet.

The Touch Book truly looks amazing and innovative. It will come preloaded with a linux OS, and it will be the first netbook based on an ARM CPU, have an average battery life of 10-15 hours and $299 without keyboard, $399 with.

The NetBook/TouchBook or what ever else you want to call it will also feature a magnetic back so that you can mount it on a fridge. It also feautures a hinge that not only allows you to detach the screen, but also to swivel I completely around so that you can mount it up when you are for say on a plain and you can also swivel the keyboard all the way around so that it is hidden behind the screen.

Also make sure to watch the video to hear more about Always Innovating’s latest Touch Book, also there is a wonderful accent that is o so enjoyable to listen too!

MacBook Air Hinge Defects: Warranty Covered?

2009-02-27T15:26:00.007-05:00

Now everybody knows that nothing in this world is perfect, but when you buy a computer, and pay good money for on, then you excpect it to be pretty close. You also expect for its little imperfections to at least be covered by a humble warranty.

The MacBook Air is no stranger to problems. Upon its realease, the MacBook Air was experiencing overheating problems which was not covered under the warranty. But now, the MacBook has an all new problem, one that is causing alot of people some severe frustration.

On each and every laptop there is a thing called a hinge. The hinge is the main piece of equipment that allows you to raise and lower your screen and holds the screen in place when you adjust it to where you want it. Now, if this hinge becomes damaged, our screen won't stay in place, rendering your computer basically useless to you considering it we don't have enough arms to type, use the mouse, and hold up a screen at the same time.

Reports have confirmed that with first-generation MacBook Airs, the hinges become loose over time and eventually catch and crack under normal use, meaning there was no repressed rage forcing the omputer screen around. Now while this is a mojor problem, you would think that Apple would have your back and help you out by covering this with its warranty. Nope! While looking at Apple reports about this problem, Apple claimed the broken hinge as an "accidental" occurence and would not support it under its warranty. If you call Apple and report this you will find out that Apple will fix it for you.......at a cost of around $800 - $900! For that much you're better off buying a new laptop. Apple is refusing to accept this as a manufacturing error and insists that the damages are caused by the individual owner. Needless to say if problems keep arising with the MacBook Air, Apple could suffer in profits.

Check out these videos to see exactly what I'm talking about.

Dell’s Inspiron Mini 9 now only $199

2009-02-27T14:54:00.003-05:00

$199 for a netbook, is Dell crazy? It is not too often you see a deal like this pop up, but it is true. Dell is now offering an Inspiron Mini 9 for only $199. This is an amazing deal even on a netbook. The specs are nothing to be bragging about, but for $200 all I would expect for my netbook to do was play music, movies, surf the web, email, and type up documents on.

Heres a quick Spec Sheet:
Black 8.9-inch netbook
1.6GHz Atom CPU
Wifi
4-cell battery
512MB RAM
4GB SSD memory
Ubuntu Linux Operating System

Also if you are looking for a little bit more out of your netbook Dell is now offering the Inspiron Mini 10 for $399.

Acer Aspire 6930G Laptop Review

2009-02-11T15:44:00.002-05:00

The Aspire 6930G is Acer’s Second Generation of the new 16:9 aspect ratio laptops. The Laptop comes with a long list of very impressive features and all at a reasonable price of around $900-$1000.

For starters let’s talk about the new innovative 16:9 aspect ratio. The new aspect ratio allows users to watch their favorite movies in full 1080p without adding any bars or cutting of any of the picture. The only downfall of this right now is some older games do not support the laptops native resolution and the 16:9 aspect ratio tends to bring up the price a little bit because it’s a newer item. Overall though you should really look to get the new display ratio because it makes watching movies and tv shows on Hulu a lot better experience.

The Aspire 6930G is also one of the better performing laptops you can find in today’s laptops. Depending on the model you can usually expect anywhere from a 2.0-2.4GHz Core 2 Duo CPU, 4GB of DDR2 Ram, and the best part is the 9600M GS Video Card. If you are looking for a laptop with a good dedicated Video Card you should really think about getting this one. The 9600M GS is not the greatest video card, but at this price you will be hard pressed to find a laptop with better graphics capabilities. The CPU and the RAM is nothing really new or impressive, but the fact is 4GB of RAM and a Dual Core CPU will be more than enough to run anything on your laptop.

The overall laptop design itself is very basic, but nice. Expect the normal fingerprints on the black glossy lid, also there have been complaints that the keyboard has to much flexing in it. Another really disappointing feature is the battery life on the Aspire 6930G with an average life of less than 2 hours. Overall this is a good laptop if you want to play any games on your laptop and it makes a good desktop replacement, but the short battery life will make you have to stay close to a power outlet.

Interested in an Acer laptop? Then visit our Acer Laptop Rental page.

New Asus G50Vt-X5

2009-02-09T13:48:00.011-05:00

I just recently bought my first laptop yesterday. I didn't have a big budget and I wanted to keep it under $700. To get to the point I ended up with an Asus. Probably not one of the best known brands out there Asus still delivers good quality for an affordable price.

While browsing the internet and Best Buy displays I came across a new Asus Laptop whose look captured my attention first. The Asus G50Vt-X5 comes with a wide range of features at a price that doesn't burn a huge whole in your wallet.

The G50Vt-X5 comes with Intel Centrino 2 processor technology with interrelated Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P7450 Intel PM45 chipset, 802.11a/b/g/n network connection and extended battery life capability to let you work better, faster, and longer. If you need to multi-task then the G50Vt-X5 is perfect for you. It comes with 4GB PC2-6400 DDR2 memory with a 1066MHz frontside bus, a 3MB L2 cache and 2.13 GHz processor speed giving you blazing fast speed to handel multiple projetcs simultaneously, the Asus also comes with a 320MB SATA hardrive(7200 rpm) for more than enough storage with faster read/write times.

If you like recording movies and what not then you will be pleased to know that the Asus G50Vt-X5 comes with a Multiformat DVD RW /CD-RW drive with double layer support that records up to 8.5GB of data or 4 hours of video using compatible media, it also supports LightScribe direct disc labels using compatible LightScribe media. All that is made even better by the 15.6" WXGA widescreen display with a 1366x768 resolution that brings your games and movies to life! It also features a secondary OLED display that gives you notifications of instant messages or e-mails while playing a game.

Speaking of games, the Asus is definatley equipped for some gaming. Now while it isn't an Alienware, the G50Vt-X5 comes with the NVIDIA GeForce 9800M GS graphics card with 512MB of dedicated GDDR 3 graphics memory for a powerful graphics performance and an Azalia audio chip with built-in Altec Lansing stereo speakers and an HDMI output for an intense gaming experience.

Some other features include a built-in 1.3 megapixle webcam, facial recognition software, an 8-in-1 media reader, 1 IEEE 1394 port and 4 high-speed USB 2.0 ports, built-in 10Base-T/100Base-TX Ethernet LAN with RJ-45 connector, built-in gaming sidelights with color-coded keys for gaming, and Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Edition 64-bit operating system.

You get all this and more for the modest price of $999. Overall this computer is great for basically anything you would need. Coming from someone who now has an Asus and loves it, this laptop is definatley worth looking into.

Special thanks to our sponsor for supporting this laptop blog and making it possible. Please support them by visiting their Laptop Rental website.