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Microsoft Sent An Acer Ferrari Laptop With Windows Vista

2010-06-30T08:31:00.000-07:00

*** I’ve decided to auction off the laptop on eBay and donate the proceeds to EFF. ***
Ok, so yeah, I’ve been blogging about Microsoft quite a bit lately. I guess their marketing people are doing their job well, since the launch of Windows Vista is next month. Speaking of which, on December 20th I received an email from Edelman, the PR firm that is handling the launch of Windows Vista, letting me know that Microsoft is sending me a “present” in the form of a laptop with Windows Vista installed on it, “no strings attached”.
I’m not sure how I was selected to be one of the people receiving this (I’m assuming there are others, but I haven’t come across any yet). It could be that they are reaching out to bloggers who are Mac users (I switched to a Mac back when OS X came out) or it might just be that people I know who work for Microsoft or other influential bloggers who recommended me.

So, today the laptop arrived (here are some photos) and it wasn’t just some generic laptop, but a really cool, supercompact Acer Ferrari 1000 12.1” notebook, with an 1.80GHz AMD Turion 64×2 with 1GB of DDR2 RAM and a SATA 160GB hard drive. I assumed that they would send a fairly decent machine, since they wouldn’t want cheap hardware to make their OS look bad, but this was a nice surprise. Also, they just didn’t install the basic Windows Vista, but Windows Vista Ultimate, the top-end edition of Vista for business and entertainment users.
Inside the laptop was another note from Loki, identical to the one that came with Vanishing Point Game puzzle box, so that seems to confirm that it was also related to the Windows Vista launch.

One of the things I wanted to check out regarding Windows Vista is how well it would run under Parallels Desktop for Mac (my preferred way of running Windows) or Boot Camp, but it looks like I’ll have to wait for that, since Windows Vista came pre-installed on this laptop, without a separate install disk.
Ok, I’ll report back later on once I’ve had a chance to setup the laptop, configure Windows Vista and play around with a it a bit. Hey, maybe Apple will send me a MacBook with Leopard for a side-by-side comparison. Yeah, right.
UPDATE 1: Long Zheng is reporting about other bloggers who have been receiving the Windows Vista laptops.
UPDATE 2: Just to clear up a few points that are being discussed on various websites and forums, I did not request that this laptop be sent to me or sign-up in advance for it. I fact, I had no idea how or why I was chosen to receive it. I wasn’t even aware that I was going to be sent one until Edelman contacted me on December 20th. The email from Edelman said that it was a “present” and that it was being sent with “no strings attached”. I did not sign any kind of agreement to blog about it or if I blogged about it, to only write positive things. The laptop was shipped to me without any additional instructions or paperwork, except for the note from Loki regarding the Vanishing Point Game.
UPDATE 3: Ah, finally a word from Microsoft. It appears that this was a joint program between Windows Vista and AMD. Aaron Coldiron from the Windows Vista team left the following comment on Long Zheng’s blog:

All,
Let me take a minute to respond to some of these comments. Yes, Windows Vista and AMD sent out review computers to bloggers. Why? Because we believe in the power of community, we believe in our product, and we are partnering with AMD to give bloggers the best hardware experience we can.
I understand the concerns on ethics, and I share them. We have been up front that these are review pcs, and we encourage bloggers to disclose that. Hereâ€™s the language we used in the review outreach:
â€œFull disclosure – while I hope you will blog about your experience with the pc, you donâ€™t have to. Also, you are welcome to send the machine back to us after you are done playing with it, or you can give it away on your site, or you can keep it. My recommendation is that you give it away on your site.â€
I hope this information helps. We want to be fully transparent about what we are doing here.
Aaron Coldiron, Windows Vista

What’s strange about this is that he refers to the “language we used in the review outreach”. I was never sent the second part of this information where he says “Also, you are welcome to send the machine back to us after you are done playing with it, or you can give it away on your site, or you can keep it. My recommendation is that you give it away on your site.” It would have been really helpful to have had this information in advance since all along I had been planning on giving it away/donating the laptop after I was done testing it. The original email from Edelman made it seem more like a gift, which is why it think there was this big uproar about ethics and integrity. Positioning it as a review copy that can then be sent back or given away makes much more sense to me.
UPDATE 4: Well if Microsoft, AMD and Edelman wanted people to write about this, they sure got their wish:
Techmeme
Tailrank
Digg
Slashdot
All of this and it hasn’t even hit mainstream media yet. There seems to be quite a mixed reaction to this PR campaign. Stay tuned…
UPDATE 5: Michael Arrington received a slightly different email about the campaign. His was sent from a Microsoft employee, not Edelman. I wonder why there was so much inconsistency regarding how the distribution of these laptops was communicated?
A different approach was used with Darren Rowse of Pro Blogger, he was asked in advance if he wanted a “review machine”. I think that would have been the best approach by Microsoft for all the bloggers involved, not just Darren.
UPDATE 6: See my most recent post for for the latest updates.
UPDATE 7: I’ve decided to auction off the laptop on eBay and donate the proceeds to EFF.
UPDATE 8: The Windows Vista laptop posts, specifically the one about the laptop auction on eBay, generated the most traffic we have ever received at laughingsquid.com. Here’s some traffic analysis I did regarding the laptop auction post.
UPDATE 9: I did a follow-up post about the low Windows Experience Index score for Acer Ferrari 1000.
UPDATE 10: Sheyenne York has won the laptop auction on eBay and over $3450 will be donated to EFF.
UPDATE 11: For those of you who have decided not to read this blog post and are instead just asking us for a free laptop, if you actually read through this post you’ll see that Microsoft and Edelman send us the laptop. We do not have free laptops to give out. Any comment asking for a free laptop will be deleted. Please people, read before you write.
UPDATE 12: Ok, it looks most people are not really reading this post, but instead just seeing “free laptop”, so I’ve closed the comments. The daily requests for a free laptop were not adding an value to the conversation.

Review of Dell Vostro A860

2010-05-29T22:55:00.000-07:00

Full review of Dell Vostro A860

An affordable option that will fit into any budget, the Dell Vostro A860 Laptop offers great mobility and connectivity for the individual who needs a little more versatility from a work computer. Recently offered at $399 through Dell as part of a late 2008 push, there's arguably no better computer for your buck.
The Vostro A860 offers three upgrade packages for more user customization. However, no unnecessary trial software is in the mix to clutter the hard drive or the desktop. The amply spaced 15.6-inch widescreen LCD display offers enough room to view multiple tasks and projects, with the ability to stream media or DVDs on the standard drive.

Dell Vostro A860 Tech Specs

The Vostro A860 comes with a lower-end Intel Celeron M processor at 2.16GHz and Vista Home Basic Service Pack 1. The optical drive offers a 24x CD Burner/DVD combo, with the option to upgrade to an 8x DVD+/-RW drive. The basic package offers users 1GB of memory, a 160GB SATA hard drive and the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100. Out of the box, the laptop is wireless capable, and includes the standard one-year basic limited warranty.

Features

Ultimately, the Vostro A860 is perfect for transitioning from a desktop to a capable laptop, catering to those in need of the technological mobility. Aesthetically, the computer offers a low-profile look, without the overly glossy finish found on many black laptops. The full keyboard allows for maximized user efficiency and comfort, and with the four-cell battery, the weight is just over 5 lbs.
The only real drawback, when considering the unbeatable price, is the size and the power-pull of a four-cell Li-Ion battery. Yet, when reviewing the pros and cons, an under $400 price tag far outweighs the drawbacks to this entry-level laptop.

Dell Vostro A860 Technical Specifications

Processor Celeron M 2.16GHz
Memory 1GB DDR2
Harddrive 160GB
OS Vista Basic
Weight 5.4lbs
Screen 15.4 inches
Screen resolution 1366x768
Graphic Card Intel GMA X3100
Battery Life 2.5 hours

Redesigning the New MacBook Air

2010-05-20T08:09:00.000-07:00

No one knows exactly how Apple will redesign the new MacBook Air, but there are many speculations. The best way to decide what may be different about the new MacBook is to look at the laptops competition and see where it might be able to improve.

Now the design is something that is going to be difficult to improve. The first design was so good that Apple didn’t change it for its second generation. The aluminum enclosure of the Air set a trend that all MacBook Pros and many other PC makers soon followed.

The razor-thin Air does provide very little room for ports and connectors, so this is definitely an aspect that could be improved upon. Apple came up with the solution to have a flip-out set of USB ports, MiniDisplayPort, and audio ports that retract back into the body of the laptop. The Dell Adamo features a design modification that places all the ports at the back of the laptop behind the screen, allowing a much fuller array of connection ports. Hewlett-Packard went a different direction with their Envy 13. They made it slightly thicker (0.8 inches) than the Air which allows for a couple more connectors. This gives Apple several different options to allow for more connectors on the newly developed Air.

It is also rumored that Apple is going to try to make the new MacBook Air even lighter than the previous model while maintaining its famed sturdiness. To accomplish this, Apple could use something like a combination of aluminum and carbon fiber. HP utilized magnesium as the base of the Envy to make it lighter, so this could also be a consideration for the Air.

It also possible that Apple could make a bigger, smaller, or tablet version of the Air. The tablet version could potentially mean a new enclosure and new silicon.

Great graphic chips are something that are difficult to squeeze into an ultrathin design like the Air. The Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD sets the MacBook Air from many of the other slimmer designed laptops. Apple introduced Nvidia 9400M graphics silicon to the world with the second generation Air. This offered acceptable graphics, certainly much better than the original MacBook Air. Nvidia is getting ready to release their Ion 2 graphics, but no one is sure how clear they may be. If this is a successful venture for Nvidia, I am sure that the new MacBook Air designers will be very interested.

There is also the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 graphics chip which Advanced Micro Devices boasts as being a “thin and light mobile graphics processor…delivering unprecedented performance-per-watt…while watching Blu-ray movies. This is a chip that has found its way into an HP ultrathin laptop, so this could quite possibly be a consideration for the Air as well.

All of these are merely speculations of what Apple might possibly improve in the new MacBook Air that they are currently developing. Although the Air defined what many laptops are today, there is plenty of room for improvement. It will be quite interesting to see what Apple will do with the newest version of their MacBook Air.

SONY VAIO W Series Eco Friendly Laptop

2010-05-20T08:06:00.000-07:00

Sony a very popular name in electronic industry that invents new concept every movement. CES 2010 is shows all concept of laptop from different companies, a new invention of Sony in CES 2010 that is Sony VAIO W series laptop.

Sony is a multinational corporation that produce worlds best electronic products in all around the world. Company has it's headquarter in Tokyo, Japan. Sony Corporation is the electronics business company that is the parent company of the Sony Group. VAIO is the series of mini laptop technology of Sony computer products, it is originally an acronym for Video Audio Integrated Operation.

Sony VAIO W features -

Sony VAIO W Series laptop is an Eco friendly addition of Sony that would make the green-minded happy, this laptop will comes with a plastic case that is 23-percent made from recycled CDs that is recycled PET bottles and it replaces the paper manual with a digital version.

Sony VAIO W Series Eco edition has a 10.1 inch 1366 x768 pixel LED Back lit display, that is run on 1.66 Ghz Intel atom N450 processor , Sony VAIO W also has 1 Gb RAM and 25oGB of hard disk. It comes with windows 7 operating system, which support all Microsoft software.

Sony VAIO W has a WIFI device which access networks very easily and a 2.1 EDR Bluetooth connectivity device. It has a card reader that is able to read different kind of card. Sony VAIO W has a excellent battery back up about uo to 7 hours

Toshiba T135 Review

2010-05-09T04:16:00.000-07:00

Ultra-Low Voltage notebooks are popping up everywhere. They're thin, light, inexpensive, and getting stronger by the day. Does the powerful range of processor options, high RAM capacity, and sleek design of the Toshiba T135 help it stand out from the rest? Read on and we'll answer those questions for you.

Look and Feel

At first glance, the ‘Nova Red Fusion Finish’ is pleasing to the eye. The T135 is also shaped well, and is lightweight. On a show-room floor, this would certainly stand out, and in the ULV category, this can be important as performance isn’t expected to vary too much from one make to the next. There was next to no keyboard flex observed during usage, which seems a bit surprising considered how thin the T135 is. The high gloss cover for the lid isn’t as difficult to keep clean with the deep coloring. The largest disappointment would probably be the single mouse key for the track pad. Given, it’s wide enough to easily distinguish left from fight clicking, but it still doesn’t seem like a feature that helps the design.

The T135 also lacks secondary touch pad options, reserving any brightness, volume, and peripheral control through function keys. While this may not be a design flaw, there is some extra space above the keyboard that could've filled that function.

Performance

With a good processor and ample RAM for a notebook of its class, the T135 can perform very well for the price tag. When used for word processing and browsing with its robust Wi-Fi setup, the mobility offered with its size and weight prove to be excellent factors when considering its bargain potential. However, lacking an optical drive is certainly a weakness that can’t be overlooked. Other notebooks in this class have DVD drives, and while the main medium used will probably be digital, it doesn’t hurt to have a simple DVD writer.

The vibration detector for the hard drive, while useful, activates frequently. Simply repositioning the notebook has a very good chance of setting off the warning window, and even an accidental kick on the table the notebook is sitting on could set it off. This seems excessive, but simply turning it off defeats the purpose.

The audio is also disturbingly low in volume. The quality of something as sound may not be the most important feature of a notebook, but you shouldn't have to strain your ears while browsing and watching video. Were the volume not so dismally low for the entire system, it wouldn’t worth mentioning.

Conclusion

Possessing the power that the system does, the T135 is a good value if you're in the market for a light, mobile platform for word processing, e-mail, and browsing. The wireless functions are far reaching and strong, and the notebook’s design is slim with a long battery life. Lacking an optical drive is a disappointment, and the low output speakers diminishes some of the T135’s uses. The exterior design is pleasing, and with Windows 7 64-bit as the stock OS, the entire laptop is built for looks, it seems. As one of their first entries into the smaller ULV category, Toshiba delivers a mostly qualified choice at an affordable price.

ACER ASPIRE 1825PTZ NOW SHIPPING IN GERMANY

2010-04-30T06:59:00.000-07:00

The Acer Aspire 1825PTZ is an 11.6 inch tablet PC with a low power Intel CULV processor. This machine is not yet widely available for purchase, but Amazon.de has started shipping the tablet in Germany for 599 Euros or about $808 US. For that price you will get a 1.3GHz dual core Pentium SU4100 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive and Windows 7 Home Premium.

The 11.6 inch multitouch capacitive display can be folded down over the keyboard for using the device in the tablet mode. Other specifications include a 6-cell battery rated at 5600mAh, Bluetooth 2.1 and WiFi 802.11b/g/n.

The Acer Aspire 1825PTZ is available in blue, red or black

Sony VAIO FW Review - VAIO FW 270j

2010-04-23T06:57:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our fu

ll review on the Sony VAIO FW-270j. This multimedia powerhouse sports a glossy and HD-ready 16.4” display, complete with 16:9 aspect ratio. It easily handles HD input/output via the standard Blu-ray player and HDMI port. It also features an Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 2.26GHz to go along with an ample 4GB RAM and 320GB HDD. Though a little heavy and short on battery life, the FW-270j is reasonably priced for its capabilities and will meet most (if not all) your multimedia needs with style.
Design
Case look and feel
Sony is known for putting a little emphasis on style, and the FW-270j is no exception. The minimalist design features a sleek silver chassis. The webcam peers out at you from its reflective gray housing, but that is virtually the only thing marring the fluid silver. Below the display on either side there are large hinges, the rightmost hinge sporting a glowing green band which lights up when the computer is on. In between the hinges lies the large speaker bay and some small media control buttons, colored silver of course. The keyboard is given a generous border, and aside from a small VAIO logo and a few unsightly stickers there is nothing but a well camouflaged trackpad on the large palmrest. One stylistic choice that disagreed with us however was the lid. It’s black with a large silver VAIO logo in the middle, which is fine, but we can’t understand why Sony chose to abandon the sleek look by giving it a grainy matte finish which was uncomfortable to the touch.
Size & Weight
For a 16.4” laptop the Fw-270j is actually fairly compact, measuring just 1.1” thick at the tip and 1.5” at the hinge. The overall dimensions of 15.1 x 10.3 x 1.1-1.5” are reasonable for the form factor. The weight is 6.4lbs, which is respectable for a laptop of that size. However, while it wasn’t overly cumbersome in the end, we still thought twice about carrying the laptop with us when we first decided to carry it outside the house. We imagine this is a laptop you won’t mind moving when you need to, but that you won’t bother moving very far when you don’t.
Keyboard and Mouse
After typing on the keyboard for an extended period of time, we would rate it as excellent on looks and decent on performance. The black pebble design reminds us of Macs, and is certainly a stylistic plus that fits in well with the minimalist decor. The keyboard lacked a numeric pad despite ample real estate, but compensated slightly by spacing out the keys so much. The stroke of 2mm isn’t bad, but it falls short of some of the nicer keyboards we’ve tested lately like those on the ThinkPad series. The keys were quiet under our fingers. We also liked the trackpad, with a smooth touch that remained comfortable during continued usage.
Display Quality
Despite feeling slightly miffed by the “Full HD 1080p” sticker on the front, the glossy 1600x900 LCD was bright and clear. Just to clarify, 1600x900 is HD-friendly but it’s only 720p (Sony explains that it’s only 1080p “when connected to a compatible HDTV”, which basically means you can use it as a Blu-ray player). The back lighting was very bright on maximum settings, which helped fight off the glare of the glossy screen. The large display has excellent horizontal viewing angles, making it possible for multiple people to easily watch a video at the same time. The vertical angles aren’t quite as good, but are still decent.
Connectivity
The FW270j isn’t overloaded with ports, but it’ll do everything most laptops do and thanks to an HDMI port, a few things most can’t. As for connectivity options, nothing like a WWAN here but 802.11a/b/g/n and Bluetooth make connecting a breeze.
The back of the laptop is empty of ports, as it’s reserved for the display sliding back on its hinge.
The left side contains the power jack and an exhaust fan, followed by the Ethernet and modem ports. Next comes your high end connectivity, with VGA followed by HDMI followed by i.LINK S400 (aka mini FireWire). Last of all, there’s an ExpressCard/34 slot.
The right side is pretty simple, with your inconspicuous unlabeled Blu-ray player followed by all 3 USB ports.
The front features a battery light and a system activity light, followed by a wireless switch, multi-card reader, and eventually by audio in/out as well.
Upgrading
The FW270j already comes with the max 4GB RAM (all usable on 64bit Vista) and a 320GB HDD, although you can upgrade as high as 400GB. One thing that you might want to upgrade if you plan on doing some heavy HD work is the processor, which can range as high as a 2.80Ghz T9600 Core 2 Duo. But there isn’t much of a point in going too crazy, since there’s no option to get a dedicated GPU in there (at least on this model).
Features
The FW270j is a laptop that is clearly designed for multimedia enjoyment, and to that end the Blu-ray drive, HDMI port and high end display prove a valuable tandem. Next to the set of media control buttons, there is also a button labeled “AV Mode” which calls up Sony’s built in media playing software.
There is also a programmable shortcut button on the other side of the media control buttons, and an integrated webcam. Sony packs this laptop with software that will help you take your pictures and turn them into a movie or any other sort of presentation. You can even use it as a security camera of sorts which will only film when the camera detects motion.
One thing we didn’t like that much was the internal speaker. The volume got pretty loud, but the quality of sound failed to impress. For a computer designed to play media, we were expecting more.
Performance and Conclusion
As an HD video friendly laptop we expected this computer to be able to handle our tests, but to be hurt by the lack of a dedicated GPU. For a detailed explanation of our testing method, see here
Windows Vista Experience Score

Processor	5.2
Memory	5.9
Graphics	4.1
Gaming Graphics	3.8
Primary Hard Disk	5.4

An overall score of 3.8 seems fairly low, until you realize this computer actually got very high marks on everything but graphics/gaming graphics. That’s to be expected without a dedicated GPU, but as long as you aren’t a gamer you probably won’t notice that much.
PCMark Vantage Pro

Asus G50-X1	3935
Alienware M15x	3767
HP HDX16	3320
ThinkPad X301	3308
VAIO FW270j	3235

The FW270j trails gaming laptops such as the G50 and M15x in this test, but compares fairly well with ultraportables like the X301 and other multimedia notebooks like the HDX16

3DmarkVantage: NA

We were unable to run 3DmarkVantage on this laptop. Although it can run a 1600x900 resolution, it could not generate the 1280x1024 resolution the benchmark required.
Worldbench 6

Alienware M15x	104
ThinkPad T400	91
Toshiba Satellite E-105	83
HP HDX 16	80
VAIO FW270j	74

Although the processor could be faster, with 4GB of RAM we expected this score to be a little higher. Still, it only just trails the aforementioned multimedia notebook, the HDX16.
Battery Life
DVD Playback

Toshiba Satellite E-105	210
Lenovo X301	117
VAIO FW270j	101
HP HDX 16	80
Asus G50	80

The FW270j only lasted an hour and forty-one minutes when viewing a Blu-ray disc. While this isn’t as long as we might like, it’s at least long enough to watch most movies in their entirety on a single charge. It should be noted that we viewed this Blu-ray disc on the VAIO’s default battery settings, which does not reduce the brightness, so it’s likely possible to squeeze a few extra minutes out of that time.
Regular Use Battery Life

ThinkPad T400 (Integrated)	334
Toshiba Satellite E-105	260
ThinkPad X301	235
VAIO FW270j	181
HP HDX 16	156

In regular usage the VAIO just edged past the three hour mark before running out of gas. It’s a little low, but it again is roughly comparable to the HDX.
Recharge time was 175 minutes, which is almost as long as it took to discharge it in the first place on casual use.
Real life usage (heat and noise)
The VAIO FW270j was generally easy and comfortable to use. The keyboard is spacious and the trackpad is smooth. The size and weight of the laptop felt comfortable resting on our lap. The FW270j ran cool and produced virtually no noise, even when actively playing a Blu-ray disc. Overall performance during casual use was generally snappy too. We generally had no complaints arising from our regular usage, and the coolness/quietness is actually downright impressive.
Conclusion
With an HDMI port, a Blu-ray player and a beautiful and brightly lit 16.4” 16:9 1600x900 HD display, the Sony VAIO FW270j is a laptop designed for multimedia and designed for it well. As good as media looks when played on it, the FW270j itself is no slouch. With a minimalist design featuring an all silver chassis and black pebble keyboard, this laptop is easy on the eyes. It packs an Intel Core 2 Due P8400 2.26GHz along with 4GB RAM and a 320GB HDD too, so it’s hardly limited to multimedia use. Although the weight is not excessive for the form factor it’s still a bit heavy to carry around, and the relatively low battery life will further incline you to keep this notebook close to home. Overall, the laptop was comfortable and easy to use, scoring slightly lower than expected in performance tests but scoring highly in style points to make up for it. Combine that with high end multimedia capabilities and a reasonable price, and you’ve got a laptop worth looking into.

NEXT GEN ION LAPTOPS COMING SOON

2010-04-19T07:34:00.000-07:00

The first few notebooks to get NVIDIA's next-generation ION graphics will be the Asus Eee PC 1201PN and Acer Aspire One 532g netbook. Neither of them are available for purchase in the US yet, but French retailer Fnac has uploaded their product listings. While Aspire One 532g is expected to start shipping on May 14th, the Eee PC 1201PN should be available in France by May 1st.

The Eee PC 1201PN is a 12.1 inch notebook with an Intel Atom N450 processor and NVIDIA's ION graphics. Other specifications include 2GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 and an HDMI port. The notebook will ship with a 6-cell battery rated at 5600mAh. The laptop runs Windows 7 Home Premium. It will sell for about 499 Euros or about $676 in France.

The Aspire One 532g has a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor. This model also features NVIDIA ION albeit in a less capable form. That said, the Aspire One 532g will still be able to handle HD video playback and 3D graphics. But by using a less capable version of ION Acer will be able to reduce the prices.

Other specifications include a 10.1 inch display with 1024 x 600 pixels, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, WiFi 802.11b/g/n and Windows 7 Starter Edition. No Bluetooth or HDMI. The netbook will ship with a 6-cell battery rated at 4400mAh. It will sell for 369 Euros or about $500.

Sony’s Green Laptop (Literally)

2010-04-14T06:22:00.000-07:00

VAIO W Series.

At the Consumer Electronics Show, Stan Glasgow, the head of Sony Electronics in the United States, alluded to the arrival, in a not-too-distant future, of a laptop capable of rendering three-dimensional video. As it was, though, he settled for four new Vaio notebooks, each with its own personality. Here’s a brief look at each of them:

W series “eco-friendly” Mini. We won’t call it a netbook, though that’s pretty much what it is. The angle is that the green-tinted (we get the hint) plastic enclosure is made of 23 percent recycled CDs (from overstocked Sony artists?), and that the carrying case is made of recycled plastic bottles. The 10-inch screen is LED-lit, and it runs Windows 7 Starter edition.
Z series lightweight. Called an ultra-portable by Sony, the aluminum-encased Z is about three pounds and ships exclusively with solid-state drives, up to a 512-gigabyte model. It starts at $1,900 and can go way up (a Blu-ray player is optional, as are Intel Core i7 and i5 processors ) from there.

F series. The latest entry in the multimedia entertainment portable space, the F has a just-right-for-movies 16.4-inch screen and likes to stay at home on a desk.
Y series. This is the semi-lightweight (four pounds) MacBook fighter that delivers up to seven hours of battery life and incorporates a 13-inch screen. Starts at about $800.

Sony showed off a slew of other new products beyond the new Vaios, including new Cyber-shot digital cameras and camcorders, home theater audio systems, and an intriguing touchscreen Internet viewer for the desk called the Dash.
Mr. Glasgow also said that Sony would now market SD (secure digital) memory cards, even though it has long been pushing its propriety flash storage technology, the Memory Stick. Mr. Glasgow said the decision was prompted by the need to “give consumers a choice.”

Dell Inspiron 1545.

2010-04-03T10:08:00.000-07:00

The Dell 1545 is a great budget laptop computer with a starting price of just $379. The 1545 is a great laptop if your intended purpose is just to do basic things like going on the internet. The 1545 we looked at costs $650 it had more stuff like upgraded processor, memory and hard drive too mention a few.

The laptop is meant for basic use with only a dual core laptop as the maximum processor you can get. Even with the processor not being that fast with the configuration we looked at you can still do things with alright speed.

Here are the specs for the Dell Inspiron 1545 and my final rating at the bottom.

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit
Intel Pentium T4200 2GHz (dual core)
4 GB DDR2 RAM
320 GB
802.11a/g
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
15.6 inch WUXG+ widescreen display
8X CD / DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
Soundblaster X-Fi Hi Def Audio - Software Enabled
6-cell battery
Comes in 11 different colors and designs

More pictures of the Dell Inspiron 1545 and my rating after them.

My Rating

The 1545 is a laptop meant for basic use that means no trying too use this for video editing for photoshop. The processor you get for the base price just can't do things that are too demanding. However if you buy through the Dell website you can upgrade to a Core 2 Duo for $85 dollars and you can upgrade almost everything in this laptop for extra money though.

I give this laptop 3 out of 5 stars as a laptop but as a budget laptop I give it 4 out of 5. If you only need a laptop for doing homework or just internet browsing this laptop would be great for you. If you want something for gaming or more entertainment you'd have to upgrade everything or just get the Dell Studio 17

ACER ASPIRE ONE 532 NOW AVAILABLE WITH MATTE DISPLAY IN GERMANY

2010-04-01T06:40:00.000-07:00

The Acer Aspire One 532 is now available in Germany with a matte display. The netbook with the matte display option has showed up on Amazon Germany.It sells for 298 Euros, or about $400 in Germany.

Most netbooks have glossy displays which look great under normal lighting conditions. But take the netbook outdoors and the display will turn into a mirror due to reflections. Matte displays, on the other hand, are readable in bright surroundings simply because they do not reflect the light. But sadly few netbooks on the market sport a matte display. Now it looks like at least one version of the Acer Aspire One 532 will be available with a matte display.

The Acer Aspire One 532 is a 10.1 inch netbook with a 1024 x 600 pixels display. It is powered by a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, 1GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive. Other specifications include Windows 7 Starter Edition and a 6-cell battery rated at 4400mAh.

Acer hasn't specified when this model will be available in other parts of the world.

ASUS INTRODUCES 12 INCH UL20AT THIN AND LIGHT NOTEBOOK

2010-04-01T06:37:00.000-07:00

The specsheets for a number of new and existing Asus notebooks have been unearthed by a forum member at Notebook Review. One of the new models, the UL20AT, seems to be an update to the UL20A-A1 already available on the market.

There isn't much difference between the UL20AT and the current UL20A-A1 models. Both new and existing models appear to be of the same size and weight and sport 12.1 inch displays with 1366 x 768 pixels. But while the UL20A has DDR2 memory, the UL20AT seems to have up to 4GB of DDR3 memory.

The Asus UL20AT will be available with a choice of processors including a 1.2GHz Intel Celeron 743, a dual core SU2300 processor or a 1.4GHz Core 2 Solo SU3500 processor. The hard drive comes in 250GB, 320GB and 500GB capacities. All models in the series ship with integrated GMA 4500MHD graphics.

Besides the UL20AT, Asus has also introduced a 13.3 inch notebook called UL30JT. This model will be available with Core i5 or Core i7 processors.

IBUYPOWER BATTALION TOUCH CZ-11 NOTEBOOK GETS CORE I7

2010-04-01T06:35:00.000-07:00

iBuyPower has updated its 15 inch touchscreen gaming notebook. The new model dubbed Battalion Touch CZ-11 is an update to the previous Battalion Touch CZ-10.

The Battalion Touch CZ-11 is powered by an Intel Core i7 processor, DirectX 11 capable ATI Radeon HD 5650 discrete graphics, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive. Other specifications include WiFi b/g/n and optional Blu-ray. The 15.6 inch multi-touch display has 1920 x 1080 pixels. A gaming-ready configuration starts at $1,299, but iBuyPower says that buyers can customize the notebook for as little as $1,100.

The iBuyPower Battalion Touch notebooks are the only multi-touch gaming notebooks currently available.

SAMSUNG N210 NETBOOK REVIEW

2010-04-01T06:33:00.000-07:00

The Samsung N210 probably isn’t the thinnest or lightest netbook on the market. It’s specs aren’t particularly impressive either. Still, the N210 has a few features that set it apart from other netbooks. For example, it has great looks, a gorgeous display and a decent keyboard. It also sports a finger print resistant case. So if you are in the market for an affordable netbook with decent features, the N210 is definitely worth considering.

Samsung N210 specs
Processor: 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor
Memory: 1GB of RAM
Storage: 250GB hard drive
Display: 10.1 inch display with 1024 x 600 pixels
Operating system: Windows 7 Starter
Battery: 6-cell, 48Whr battery

Price as configured: $379.99

Keyboard and TouchPad
The Samsung N210 has a chiclet-style keyboard with flat keys. There is a decent amount of space between each key. The keyboard is quite usable but you may take a little longer to get used to it because the keys appear to be a little too small and the distance between them a little too large. The touchpad supports multi-touch gestures such as pinching to zoom. It has a single button below the touch surface with a rocker in the middle. The touchpad offers decent sensitivity, but it could have been a bit wider.

Display
The display is simply great. Unlike most netbooks on the market, the Samsung N210 has a matte, non-glossy display which is quite viewable in bright settings. Viewing angles are also great. Glossy displays look better than matte displays, but you can’t use them outdoors or in well-lit office surroundings because reflections will turn the displays into mirrors. A matte display, on the other hand, doesn’t cause reflections and is quite usable in all surroundings.

Performance
The Samsung N210 has regular netbook parts. It is snappy for a netbook and has no problem handling most day to day tasks. You can even watch some low-resolution Flash videos. You may also perform some light image editing. But gaming is out of question. You won’t be able to watch 720p or higher resolution Flash videos either.

The Samsung N210 comes pre-loaded with the Phoenix HyperSpace quick boot software. HyperSpace boots in about 10 seconds allowing you to get online and perform a handful of other tasks without having to wait for Windows to boot.

Battery
The Samsung N210 gets around 7 hours of runtime during normal usage. Watching videos or playing games will easily reduce the battery life. While 7 hours isn’t very bad, many netbooks with similar price points and specs offer nearly twice as long.

Verdict
Netbooks have never really been performance machines and the Samsung N210 is no different. It has enough power to handle day to day tasks, but if gaming is your priority, you need to look elsewhere.

Another problem is the $379 price tag. At that price, the N210 is costlier than competing netbooks from Asus, Acer and MSI. But if Samsung can reduce the price a bit, you have no reason not to consider this netbook.

Pros
Great display
Attractive looks
Nice keyboard
Snappy for a netbook

Cons
Pricey
Average battery life

SONY ADDS 14 INCH AND 17 INCH NOTEBOOKS TO THE VAIO E SERIES

2010-03-27T18:25:00.000-07:00

Sony has refreshed its VAIO E series. The new additions feature 14 inch and 17 inch displays, and much like the other notebooks in the VAIO E series, these machines are also available in a range of colors.

The 14 inch Sony VAIO VPCEA1S1E has a 2.13GHz Intel Core i3-330M processor, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, 500GB hard drive and ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5145 graphics. The display has 1600 x 900 pixels.

The 17 inch model has a 1920 x 1080 pixels display and sports better specs including a Core i5-430M processor, 1TB of storage and ATI Radeon HD 5650 graphics. While the 14 incher has a DVD drive, the 17 inch model sports a Blu-ray drive. Other specifications that are common to both models include Bluetooth, WiFi 802.11b/g/n and HDMI output.
No word on pricing or availability at the moment.

PANASONIC TOUGHBOOK Y7 REVIEW

2010-03-26T05:42:00.000-07:00

The much awaited update to Y5, the Panasonic Toughbook Y7 is a on-the-move notebook which lets executives accomplish tasks easily while on the go.

Design
Widely known for being light weight, this notebook from Panasonic weighed only 3.7 pounds, much lighter than it actually looked. The design is trademark Panasonic rough-and-tumble one, which provides it with a sturdy base. The screen is a 14.1 inch with a maximum resolution of 1440x1050 which is decent enough for most of your productivity tasks. The anti-glare feature has been added to the screen which makes it an excellent view even in bright light. However, the effective anti-glare reduced the color vibrancy and richness. The connectivity includes 2 USB ports, SD memory card reader, Ethernet, headphone/MIC, VGA and Modem. The keyboard has been effectively designed to support quick touch typing and the spacious design would definitely make it a favorite amongst many.

Performance
Powered by the 1.6Ghz Intel Core-2-Duo L7500, 2GB RAM, 80 GB hard drive, the specifications of the notebook failed to make a mark, especially after the high price of $2,500+ . The overall performance was good, with the laptop able to multi-task with ease amongst various applications like media player, Document editor, Browser etc. The low 3DMark score of 1,040 is a clear indication of the systems incapability of giving good gaming or graphical performance. As per an ultraportable, the results were decent, but not something which should be given out for $2,000+.

Overall
The Panasonic Toughbook Y7 is a decent notebook with exceptional endurance and strength. The battery life is also great at nearly 6 hours at power saver, another example of its endurance. But apart from the positives, there is nothing which should justify the high price tag, not even the good portability.

Pros
+ Super portable and light weight
+ Long battery life

Cons
- High price
- Poor graphics

PANASONIC RELEASES TOUGHBOOK C1 RUGGED TABLET

2010-03-26T05:40:00.000-07:00

Panasonic has released a 12.1 inch rugged convertible notebook called ToughBook C1. The laptop is lightweight and can withstand drops from up to 30 inches high.

The ToughBook C1 is probably the lightest 12.1 inch tablet on the market. The notebook weighs just 3.2 pounds with the single battery. The weight goes up to 3.7 pounds with 2 batteries. Together the batteries are expected to power the laptop for up to 10 hours. The batteries are hot swappable and can be easily changed while on the go.

The Panasonic ToughBook C1 is powered by an Intel Core i5 processor. Other specifications include up to 8GB of RAM and a 250GB shock mounted hard drive. Optional features include a Gobi 2000 mobile broadband module.

Pricing and availability
Premium features come at a premium price. The Panasonic ToughBook C1 starts at $2,499. It is expected to be available in June.

SONY ADDS 14 INCH AND 17 INCH NOTEBOOKS TO THE VAIO E SERIES

2010-03-24T10:08:00.000-07:00

HP ELITEBOOK 2540P OVERVIEW

2010-03-24T10:06:00.000-07:00

HP’s recently unveiled EliteBook 2540p is probably the smallest and lightest EliteBook ever. It weighs just 3.38lbs and measures 1.1 inches in thickness.
The HP EliteBook 2540p has a 12.1 inch LED-backlit LCD display. The notebook offers two configuration options. If speed and performance is what you seek, you can configure the notebook with a standard Core i5 or i7 processor and a 7200 rpm hard drive. This model does not have an optical drive. If endurance is what you are after you may opt for a low voltage processor and a 5400 rpm hard drive. This model may be slightly slower, but it will get decent battery life. It has also got an optical drive.

Other specifications that are common to both models include up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, integrated Intel graphics, and Display port. The HP EliteBook 2540p runs Windows 7. An optional degrade to Windows XP is also available. The notebook ships with multiple battery options that include 3-cell (4 hours), 6-cell (8.5 hours) and 9-cell (12.5 hours).

The EliteBook 2540p is rugged, too and has a spill resistant keyboard. It also meets the military standards for vibration, dust, humidity, altitude and high temperature.

Intel® Turbo Boost Technology

2010-03-20T02:17:00.000-07:00

Performance on demand

Intel® Turbo Boost Technology¹ is one of the many exciting new features that Intel has built into latest-generation Intel® microarchitecture codename Nehalem. It automatically allows processor cores to run faster than the base operating frequency if it's operating below power, current, and temperature specification limits.

Dynamically increasing performance

As an independent and complimentary feature, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology) along with Intel Turbo Boost Technology increases performance of both multi-threaded and single threaded workloads. Intel Turbo Boost Technology is activated when the Operating System (OS) requests the highest processor performance state (P0).
The maximum frequency of Intel® Turbo Boost Technology is dependent on the number of active cores. The amount of time the processor spends in the Intel Turbo Boost Technology state depends on the workload and operating environment, providing the performance you need, when and where you need it.
Any of the following can set the upper limit of Intel Turbo Boost Technology on a given workload:

Number of active cores
Estimated current consumption
Estimated power consumption
Processor temperature

When the processor is operating below these limits and the user's workload demands additional performance, the processor frequency will dynamically increase by 133 MHz on short and regular intervals until the upper limit is met or the maximum possible upside for the number of active cores is reached.

Replace Dell Laptop Keys and Dell Laptop Keyboard Repair

2010-03-13T22:28:00.000-08:00

Do you have missing keys on your Dell laptop keyboard?

Can I replace missing keys on my Dell laptop keyboard?

Where can I buy replacement keys for my Dell laptop keyboard?

How hard is it to repair a Dell laptop keyboard?

Where can I buy a replacement keyboard for my Dell laptop?

These all good questions, but answers are not that simple, and here is why.

Dell makes laptop keyboards for over 90 different models of laptops. These keyboards are manufactured in any 5 countries and could be based off of any number of designs. This makes getting a single replacement key that is designed and compatible to fix your dell laptop keyboard very difficult.

Example: Dell Latitude D620 Keyboard - Dell Part Number UC172
-Also compatible with Dell Latitude D630, D631, D820, D830, and Precision M65, M4300
-Also has an alternate Dell Part Number of DR160

Lets examine the Latitude D620 Keyboard - UC172
Here are three keyboards with the DPN of UC172. They all have the same connections, same buttons, and go to the same Dell laptops, but they are all still very different.

If you look at the back of each keyboard you will notice that the metal on the back is made differently, this is the easiest way to identify which keyboard you have. Each one of those has a different way it attaches the keys to the Dell keyboard. Here are some pictures of the different key mechanisms on these Dell laptop keyboards. Keep in mind that there are many more than these 3 type.

Conclusion
Instead of trying to find replacement Dell Keyboard key, the easiest thing to do is purchase an entirely new keyboard. They are very cheap and can be installed in less than 10 minutes. It does not require any special computer knowledge or technical abilities.

Where to purchase Replacement Dell Laptop Keyboards
You can purchase New and Refurbished Dell Laptop Keyboards from Parts-People.com
-Includes 90 Day warranty
-Same Day Shipping
-Free shipping for orders over $50

Installation Instructions
You get installation instructions for installing Dell laptop keyboards and many other parts from Parts-People.com

Dell Laptop Repair Services
Parts-People.com also specializes exclusively in Dell Laptop Repair
-Laptop Repair for a flat $100
-90 Day warranty on parts and labor
-Standard 5 Day turn around time

Toshiba

2010-03-12T09:25:00.000-08:00

Toshiba Dynabook EX/2515 LAN Driver

If you looking for Toshiba Dynabook EX/2515 Driver you can download in this link below :

- Dynabook EX/2515 Wireless LAN Driver
- Dynabook EX/2515 LAN Driver
- Dynabook EX/2515 Bluetooth Driver

Toshiba Dynabook V5 Driver

If you Looking for Toshiba Dynabook V5 Driver, you can find it in this link below.

- Dynabook V5 VGA Driver
- Dynabook V5 Sound Audio Driver

Toshiba Dynabook J10 Driver

Dynabook J10 is japan laptop that use Mobile Intel Pentium 4 Processor 2.50 GHHz. Work good in operating system Windows XP.
If you searching Dynabook J10 Driver you can follow this link

- Dynabook J10 VGA Driver part1, part2, part3
- Dynabook J10 Sound Driver part1, part2, part3
- Dynabook J10 Modem Driver
- Dynabook J10 LAN Driver
- Dynabook J10 Wireless Driver

SONY TO LAUNCH BUDGET-MINDED VAIO M SERIES NETBOOKS

2010-03-08T08:43:00.000-08:00

Sony’s netbooks have always been unusual. The company’s entry into the mini-laptop space was with an 8.9 inch machine featuring an unusually high 1600 x 768 pixels resolution. Worse still, this machine had a high price tag of $1000. The next in the line was the Sony Vaio W which started at $500. This machine had an HD display. But it was not the specs but the Sony brand name that made this machine attractive. Now Sony is planning to launch a budget model called Vaio M.

The Vaio M has more or less the same looks as the Vaio W netbook. This model will sport a lower resolution display with 1024 x 600 pixels. It will have an Intel Atom N450 Pine Trail processor, 1GB of RAM and a 250GB of hard drive. Other specifications include WiFi 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth. No word on pricing or availability

PANASONIC RELEASES TOUGHBOOK C1 RUGGED TABLET

2010-03-08T08:38:00.000-08:00

The most powerful Mac. With an OS to match.

2010-03-02T06:38:00.000-08:00

Mac OS X is engineered to get the most out of the advanced architecture in the new Mac Pro. Built on a rock-solid UNIX foundation, Mac OS X delivers true 64-bit performance and incorporates industry-leading developer tools.

UNIX compliant.

What makes Mac OS X a powerful operating system is the technology behind it: a fully certified UNIX foundation. With a rock-solid UNIX infrastructure, it’s one of the most secure and stable operating systems on any platform. As a developer, you’ll appreciate Mac OS X even more because it’s fully UNIX compliant. That means it compiles and runs all your existing UNIX code, so you can deploy it in environments that demand full conformance. The result: Software performs exactly as it’s meant to. And because the powerful tools built into Mac OS X improve application performance on multicore processors, the new Mac Pro is the ideal workstation.

64-bit power.

Mac OS X is to the new Mac Pro what a skilled driver is to a car with a powerful engine — a perfect match. Since the entire operating system is 64-bit ready, you can take full advantage of the 64-bit architecture of the Quad-Core Intel Xeon “Nehalem” processors inside the new Mac Pro. Add to that the 32GB of memory available for the Mac Pro, and the performance of Mac OS X is even better than before. Mac OS X also enables developers to build complete 64-bit applications using the Cocoa, Quartz, OpenGL, and X11 GUI frameworks. And because Mac OS X supports 64-bit and 32-bit applications, you don’t need a new set of devices or drivers.

Multicore. Multitask.

At the heart of the new Mac Pro are one or two Quad-Core Intel Xeon “Nehalem” processors with an incredible amount of processing power. Optimized for multicore technology, Mac OS X provides powerful tools that make it easy to reap the benefits of the Mac Pro. The scheduler in Mac OS X, for instance, is very efficient at allocating tasks across multiple cores and processors. So Mac OS X spends less time managing tasks and more time performing computations. As a developer, you can build applications that execute the same efficiency, thanks to NSOperation, a breakthrough API that optimizes applications for multicore processing.

Core Animation.

From the cascading windows of Time Machine to the smooth animation of the reflective 3D Dock, stunning visual effects truly set Mac OS X apart. Behind all that beauty is a technology built into Mac OS X called Core Animation. The performance of Core Animation benefits from the multicore processors and advanced graphics hardware in the new Mac Pro. For developers, Core Animation easily opens up the power of Apple’s graphics technologies. You can create animated user interfaces and visualizations that simultaneously layer different media types, such as text, 2D graphics, OpenGL rendering, and QuickTime video, all in real time.

Xcode developer tools.

Xcode is the graphical development environment that comes with every Mac. It's the same software used by Apple to produce Mac OS X, and it's packed with tools and features, including a powerful graphical debugger, a code editor supporting dozens of languages, and the amazing Instruments tool to visualize your application's performance. Xcode is optimized to take advantage of the multicore Intel Xeon “Nehalem” processors and system memory in the Mac Pro. It performs 20 percent faster than before, supports multiple languages (both computer and human), and offers programmers everything they need to make stunning Mac OS X applications.*

Voilà. Instant server.

The multitalented Mac Pro can also act as a powerful small-workgroup server. Just add Mac OS X Server. The resulting solution combines Mac ease of use with flexible configuration options and server-class hardware. With 8-core Intel Xeon “Nehalem” processing power, up to 32GB of ECC memory, a new optional RAID card, and dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, a Mac Pro workgroup server has everything you need — and then some.

* Testing conducted by Apple in February 2009 using preproduction Mac Pro 8-core 2.93GHz units and shipping Mac Pro 8-core 3.2GHz units. Systems were configured with 6GB of RAM for Mac Pro 8-core 2.93GHz and 8GB of RAM for Mac Pro 8-core 3.2GHz. Xcode results based on build and clean time of Adium 1.3.2 . Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of Mac Pro.