The Hard Drive Journal

Focalprice

2012-01-09T01:23:00.001-08:00

FocalPrice is one of China's leading B2C e-Commerce export sites, with over 70,000 items across almost 100 categories. Buy from FocalPrice, you pay 10-70% less than the price on other sites and the orders will be shipped to your door for free. And if you have any questions we promise we will have your answer within six hours.

AppleHour

2012-01-05T21:23:00.000-08:00

Samsung Notebook Deal

2011-09-30T04:58:00.000-07:00

Get a Samsung SF310-S01 13.3" Notebook w/ Intel Core i5-480M for $549.99 at Buy.com, a $249.01 Savings! Valid through 10/03/2011

The Top 10 Best Laptops

2011-06-02T13:04:00.000-07:00

March 30, 2011
61 Comments

Do you want to buy a laptop, but are daunted by the sheer number of choices out there? We winnow down your options to the top 10 best laptops available today.

Shopping for a laptop these days is a pretty daunting task. The sheer number of laptops available online or in a store's electronics section is enough to make your mind spin. Most people have a general idea of what their laptop should look like and what they want in terms of features, but are often intimidated by the choices available. That's where we come in.

The editors of PCMag.com test hundreds of systems each year to help you find the best laptop. There are a lot of laptops out there, from the large-screen desktop replacements to the lightweight ultraportables, and even netbooks, but all share common features. In this story, we help you narrow your choices by collecting the top 10 laptops on the market today.

HP Pavilion dv6-6013cl

In terms of looks, features, and cost, the HP Pavilion dv6-6013cl was already a great laptop, but the addition of a second generation Intel processor and dramatically improved graphics and gaming capability make it a winner.

Dell XPS 15 (Sandy Bridge)

With a Sandy Bridge quad-core processor and excellent battery life, the Dell XPS 15 (Sandy Bridge) is arguably the most complete desktop replacement laptop, even if it isn't the fastest or the prettiest.

Lenovo ThinkPad X220

The Lenovo ThinkPad X220 business ultraportable is an amazing piece of engineering when you factor in all the features it squeezed into a 12-inch frame, including best-in-class battery life and the new Intel Core i5 i5-2520M CPU.

Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Thunderbolt)

The Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Thunderbolt) is the fastest, most technologically advanced laptop to grace our Labs benches, thanks to new Intel architecture, a renewed romance with AMD graphics chips, and a connection technology called Thunderbolt.

Asus U41JF-A1

The Asus U41JF-A1 is the most well-balanced mainstream laptop, combining excellent power with all-day battery life.

HP Pavilion dm1z

The HP Pavilion dm1z and its AMD Fusion APU offer the best of both worlds: faster-than-Atom speeds and great battery life.

Sony VAIO VPC-Z1390X

The Sony VAIO VPC-Z1390X is, hands down, the lightest and most powerful ultraportable money can buy.

Toshiba Portege R705-P35

The Toshiba Portege R705-P35 is a more practical alternative to the Sony VAIO Z, bundling a 13-inch widescreen, optical drive, and a standard volt processor.

Acer Aspire AS5745-7247

The Acer Aspire AS5745-7247 is one sweet laptop deal, putting in parts and features you don't normally get at these prices.

Asus U45Jc-A1

The U45Jc-A1 is powerful and battery efficient enough to work through an entire day and look good while doing it.

Office Depot Sale on Laptops

2011-05-31T12:48:00.001-07:00

Image via WikipediaSome great savings on office supplies, laptops, desktops, notebooks and related accessories.

DataVision

2011-05-19T23:09:00.000-07:00

www.datavis.com is the online division of Datavision Computer Video, Inc. New York's largest independent computer / video retailer. Datavision's flagship SuperStore is located in Midtown Manhattan, at 445 Fifth avenue @ 39th street adjacent to the New York Public Library.
Datavision SuperStores are the most advanced computer retail environments in the country and are often used as showcases for major manufacturer product releases like the recent launch of the Apple iMac and Intel's Pentium M and Duo Core processors.

Because of Datavision's excellent relationships with all major manufacturers we are able to offer a broader selection of products than even the largest online retailer.

Datavision is also an Authorized Service Center for all major manufacturers including Apple, IBM, Toshiba, Compaq , Sony, Canon & many more. Datavision can also provide Custom Configuration of computer systems and Custom Networking Solutions.

Specials From New Egg

2011-05-17T16:19:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaFree McAfee Internet Security 2011 for 3 User (after $60 MIR) at Newegg.com, expires 5/23

XFX 1GB 256-bit DDR3 CrossFireX Support Video Card - $49.99 (after $40 promo code "XFXVC517" and $30 MIR) at Newegg.com, expires 5/23

LG (2x1TB) Network Storage - $219.99 at Newegg.com, expires 5/23

Klipsch HD 300 Compact 5.1 High Definition Theater system - $199.99 (after $200 promo code "KLIPSCH5X7") at Newegg.com, expires 5/19

Free Shipping From Toshiba Direst

2011-05-05T05:57:00.001-07:00

Laptopz.com

2011-05-05T03:09:00.000-07:00

LaptopZ.com offers a broad selection of brand name Laptop Accessory products directly from manufacturers, such as HP, Toshiba, Apple, etc. Products including Laptop LCD Screen, Laptop AC Adapter, Laptop Battery, Keyboard, Inverter, Mini Netbooks, Tablet PC Laptops and other Laptop Accessories. Developing and managing comprehensive, custom accessory programs for our clients, we become the leader in this industry, which can be attributed to our unwavering commitment to quality, our readiness to adapt to client needs, and our ongoing policy of continuous improvement.

Free Laptop Upgrades From Toshiba

2010-12-09T15:17:00.000-08:00

CompUSA

2010-11-22T06:57:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the new and improved CompUSA.com - a division of Systemax, Inc. The new CompUSA.com is the web's ultimate destination for computers, high-definition televisions, and electronics. We now have lower prices. A much wider selection of products and accessories. And faster shipping. You buy it today - it ships today! Plus, we're totally committed to customer service. We're here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Do you need any help with your social media marketing, blogging or backlinks?

2010-11-21T18:14:00.001-08:00

Do you need any help with your social media marketing, blogging or backlinks?

Answer here

formspring.me

2010-11-21T17:13:00.001-08:00

Ask me anything http://formspring.me/SGBmedia

TechLoops

2010-11-20T16:17:00.000-08:00

ToshibaDirect

2010-11-19T15:50:00.000-08:00

ToshibaDirect.com is your one stop for Toshiba laptops, tablet PCs, netbooks and laptop accessories, including Toshiba-brand accessories. ToshibaDirect also sells electronics such as cameras, printers, GPS systems and more.

Weekly Offers From HP Small Business

2008-03-07T18:22:00.000-08:00

Notebooks:

$150 savings on business notebooks
Get a $150 rebate on HP Compaq 6510b and 6710b business notebooks. (valid until 4/30/08)
Clickthru: http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000024000460&pubid=21000000000112095

Get $200 off select notebooks & service
Save $200 instantly when you purchase an HP Business notebook with built-in broadband wireless and sign up for service. (valid until 7/30/08)
Clickthru: http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000024000466&pubid=21000000000112095

Hot Deal, while supplies last, get a notebook with 15.4" display for just $569
Get a commercial grade notebook that has been tested over 95,000 hours for as low as $569. (valid until 4/30/08)
Clickthru: http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000024000474&pubid=21000000000112095

Software:

Microsoft Office rebate
Save up to $40 on Microsoft Office 2007 via mail-in rebate. (valid until 4/30/08)
Clickthru: http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000024000464&pubid=21000000000112095

Lights-Out software sale
Purchase HP Lights-Out 100i Software and get up to $75 instant savings. (valid until 4/30/08)
Clickthru: http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000024000471&pubid=21000000000112095

Desktops:

Business desktops starting at just $299
Purchase select HP Compaq dx2250 business desktops at the low starting price of $299. (valid until 3/21/08)
Clickthru: http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000024000476&pubid=21000000000112095

Printing and Imaging:

March 2 Week promotion
Save up to $100 instantly when you purchase select HP printing and imaging products including the Officejet L7000. (valid until 3/28/08)
Clickthru: http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000024000478&pubid=21000000000112095

Miscellaneous Promotions:

Get the iPAQ 510 for just $249
Get $70 instant savings on our powerful, easy-to-use Smartphone-the iPAQ 510 Voice Messenger. (valid until 4/30/08)
Clickthru: http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000024000462&pubid=21000000000112095

HPC Cluster Platform Bundle
Buy an HPC Cluster Platform solution and get five licenses of Microsoft Windows® Compute Cluster Server. (valid until 6/30/08)
Clickthru: http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000024000468&pubid=21000000000112095

Save up to $700
Get instant savings up to $700 on options including Racks & KVM switches. (valid until 4/30/08)
Clickthru: http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000024000470&pubid=21000000000112095

Pay as you grow with HP
Stock up on HP products at a pace and price you can afford. (valid until 4/30/08)
Clickthru: http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000024000473&pubid=21000000000112095

Trendmicro's Threat Resource Center Widget

2008-02-28T13:36:00.001-08:00

Sony VAIO SZ2 Review

2007-11-28T16:27:00.000-08:00

Submitted by swisstoni

Background

The VAIO SZ is Sony's latest thin and light range of notebooks, available in a range of specifications all with dual Intel / nVidia graphics and Intel dual core processors.

Sony VAIO SZ2 (view large image)

I opted for the flagship SZ2VP model with the following specifications:

Intel Core Duo T2600 -- @ 2.16Ghz per core
1GB DDR2 RAM
120Gb 54000RPM hard drive
13.3" LCD with LED backlight, running at 1280 x 800 resolution
Dual Layer DVD +/- RW optical drive
Switchable Intel GMA 950/nVidia GeForce 7400 graphics

Being the limited edition prestige' model, this was only available to purchase through Sony Centres or Sony Style online. After a visit to my local Sony Centre and being told a very vague "we might be able to get one for mid September" I decided to pursue the online method!

Build and Design

Sony VAIO SZ2 setup (view large image)

My first thoughts on unpacking the SZ were "wow...it's small!" This is my first laptop, yet with the top level VP' only weighing in at 1.69 kilos (3.7 lbs) I was very pleased with the size and weight of the unit.

(view large image)

The VP features a carbon fibre top casing, yet there is much discussion as to how much carbon fibre is actually present in the laptop! The casing does not feature the weave' you would expect from this material, yet it still provides an interesting effect and also contains blue metallic particles visible in certain light conditions.

The palm rest and keypad area have a brushed aluminium finish which makes a great change from the plastic of many other machines and gives great aesthetic appeal.

There are a total of 5 switches located above the keyboard; two shortcut switches, a wireless on/off switch, power button and the graphics switch. It's a shame you can't turn off wifi/Bluetooth independently with hardware switches but it is easily done from the software utility.

VAIO SZ2 right side view (view large image)
VAIO SZ2 left side view (view large image)
VAIO SZ2 front side view (view large image)
VAIO SZ2 back side view (view large image)
Screen
The LCD features LED backlight technology, which gives a very thin screen and lid -- only around 5/6mm thick. Whilst helping to reduce weight and giving a great look to the product, it does make the LCD seem slightly fragile with a little amount of twist (though probably not as much as you'd expect from something this thin).
The 1280 x 800 resolution works excellently on the 13.3" screen. Not having perfect eyesight, I was concerned about a high resolution on a smaller screen but I find it a pleasure to use with absolutely no problems.
It features Sony's X-Black technology, which gives the typical glossy effect to the screen. Not having a massive range of experience with various manufacturers, I can't really compare it to others, yet suffice to say it also seems to feature some kind of anti glare coating which is hard to describe but it seems to reduce the visible reflections from objects behind you. I am also impressed with the very large viewing angle on the screen, far more so than any other LCD's I've used.
The brightness on the screen is excellent and I find myself turning it down from the highest setting when indoors and only using the brightest setting when outside, which still gives a decent picture.
Features and Performance
I'm not a gamer yet I tend to run multiple applications at the same time, particularly resource hogs like Photoshop. The Core Duo seems to live up to the task very well though I can't say it's any faster compared to my desktop running an Athlon XP at 2.17Ghz with the same 1GB of RAM and a lowly graphics card.
The dual graphics are a fantastic feature and allow you to switch between the integrated Intel GMA 950 chipset, or the dedicated nVidia GeForce 7400 with 128mb dedicated memory. Use the Intel while running office applications to conserve battery life, or the nVidia for more extreme use. A restart is required to flick between the two chips, which is a bit of an annoyance yet it is still an excellent innovation and something I haven't come across in any other laptops.
The fingerprint reader is located between the two touchpad buttons and although I considered it a toy in the pre-purchase stage, I now consider it a godsend! It can be used for logging onto Windows, launching applications (assign an app. to each finger) or entering passwords into web windows. It does the job very well and recognises my fingers first go around 95% of the time. To check security I asked a co-worker to try and logon to my system but they were denied access even after 5 minutes of trying! While I'm sure it's not that secure, it is certainly a viable alternative to entering hundreds of passwords.
The optical drive provides pretty much every kind of functionality I could ever dream of with dual layer DVD +/- rewrite ability. My only gripe would be that the disc tray seems a little fragile, yet for the amount I use the drive this is only a minor concern. I suspect this is due to the thin form factor of the laptop.
Expresscard 34 and a PCMCIA slots both feature on the laptop, yet the Expresscard is filled with Sony's included card reader which seems to cope with all the main formats such as SD and MMC. A built-in Sony memory stick duo reader takes care of their own format, but it's a shame they shun the popular SD format to a separate reader in favour of their own cards.
Included media card reader in the ExpressCard slot (view large image)
It also seems Sony were a bit tight on room by only including two USB 2 ports, which although is adequate for myself, I'd have preferred to have seen more.
There's VGA out but no composite video for outputting to a TV, which I consider a major downside on a laptop costing £1800 ($3,000)! Also, my VGA to TV converter doesn't work on this laptop like it did on my Mac Mini meaning it will be difficult to output the image to a standard TV screen.
Heat and Noise
The laptop seems exceptionally quiet, and the fan noise is almost inaudible in anything other than total silence. I've yet to hear the fans totally shut down, but this may be because I primarily use the nVidia graphics. Shortcut button 2 is pre-set to drop fan noise and CPU clock, yet whenever I've used it the difference has been minimal.
The optical drive is far from quiet when in use and during start-up, yet again as I use it so little this is not a problem for myself.
It seems to produce a fair amount of heat when using the nVidia graphics, though no more than I'd expect from a performance orientated machine with dedicated graphics and it never gets annoyingly hot, just quite warm. Again this is something I can live with. Using the Intel graphics allows the laptop to run very cool and quiet.
Keyboard and Touchpad
(view large image)
After reading various forum reports of problems with the spacebar and keyboard in general on the SZ I was very sceptical. However after using it for a few weeks it seems to have none of these problems. I neither greatly like or dislike the keypad and assume it's something I'll grow to like over time but at the moment I'm still adjusting from my full sized Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard.
The key travel seems about right and it seems relatively quiet in operation. Being a touch typist, I still occasionally hit the wrong key but again, I'm sure this is something I will adjust to over time.
The touchpad has a slightly rough texture to it which works well, and it is easily configurable from within windows for scrolling and tapping speed, etc. Another neat feature is the ability to use the top left corner to maximise, minimise or close windows. Perhaps this is common to other laptops too, but I was still impressed by this simple feature. I later discovered, however, that I kept inadvertently tapping the top left corner while typing and this led to me closing the window I was working in! So this corner functionality has now been disabled; a shame really.
Speakers
I was all set to purchase a cheap pair of speakers to supplement my laptop, yet I think I'll leave this for a while now given the quality of the built in speakers. Peering through the grille results in what looks like a pair of tiny (half-inch) diameter drivers which result in an exceptionally clear and loud sound. Of course, there's no bass but I really wouldn't have been disappointed had the speakers had JBL or similar logos on!
External audio is provided through a 3.5mm line out socket, though the output seems very quiet when using this into my amplified external speakers. There is also a massive amount of hiss/feedback that appears only when the AC power cord is plugged in. If someone uses the external audio a lot then this will prove annoying and the Sony representative I spoke to did not have any idea what it could be. SPDIF optical output would have been nice, especially as this one of the most expensive laptops on the market today!
Battery
Doing everyday tasks as I have been for the past weeks, using the nVidia graphics and wireless and Bluetooth on I reliably get just under three hours battery life. This is using a high/mid LCD brightness setting. I expect 4+ hours easily using the Intel graphics with wireless switched off. Sony offer an extended life battery, but it is far too expensive at around £240 and increases the size and weight of the laptop considerably (see the notebook review forums).
Bundled Software
This is by far and away the laptops worst feature. The amount of bundled useless software was unbelievable and performance out of the box was far below my expectations. Sony make it reasonably difficult to do a clean install, by not providing a separate windows CD (or any CD's... for that matter) in the box. They include a hidden recovery partition on the hard drive and there is an option to create your own recovery discs. The problem with recovery is that it would reinstall all the bundled nonsense!
I have a separate standalone copy of XP pro so I installed this on the laptop with no problems, using the drivers available to download from Sony's website. Though there are many forum posts relating to this issue, I had a problem free clean install and everything works perfectly.
Benchmarks:
Super Pi calculated to 2 million:
Notebook
Time
Sony VAIO SZ2 (2.16GHz Core Duo)
1m 14s
Asus W3H760DD (2.0 GHz Pentium M)
1m 33s
Dell Inspiron e1505 (2.0GHz Core Duo)
1m 16s
Lenovo ThinkPad T60 (2.0GHz Core Duo)
1m 18s
Toshiba Satellite M100 (2.00GHz Core Duo)
1m 18s
Samsung X60 (1.66GHz Core Duo)
1m 29s
Dell XPS M140 (1.86 GHz Pentium M)
1m 41s
Sony VAIO FS680 (1.86 GHz Pentium M)
1m 53s
IBM ThinkPad T43 (1.86 GHz Pentium M)
1m 45s

3DMark05:
Notebook Comparison
3DMark05 Score
Sony VAIO SZ2 (2.16GHz Core Duo, nVidia GeForce 7400)
1,851
ASUS W3V (2.0 GHz Pentium M, ATI X600
1,263
Lenovo ThinkPad Z60m (2.0GHz Pentium M, ATI X600 128MB)
1,659
ThinkPad T43 (1.86GHz, ATI X300 64MB graphics)
727
Asus V6Va (2.13 GHz Pentium M, ATI Radeon Mobility x700 128 MB)
2,530
HP dv4000 (1.86GHz Pentium M, ATI X700 128MB)
2,536
Toshiba Satellite M100 (2.0GHz Core Duo, ATI X1400 128MB)
1,660

HD Tune:
(view large image)
Conclusion
I am very pleased with the SZ2VP. Is it a performance machine...is it a thin and light...is it a desktop replacement? It combines extreme performance in an exceptionally lightweight package. I was after a super-fast notebook to take to university and the weight saving is a fantastic plus.
Spending an afternoon reformatting isn't much work for the machine you have at the end, but it shouldn't be a required step.
Pros:
High speed -- T2600 dual core runs at 2.16 GHz
Battery life -- Expected around 4 hours with no wireless and Intel graphics
Lightweight -- only 1.69kg (3.7lbs)
Overall design -- the use of aluminium and carbon fibre make it stand out as something a bit special.
Cons
Terrible pre-installed software -- It shouldn't be there!
Lack of independent wireless switches
No TV out -- For £1800 ($3,000), it really needs this basic feature!
Lack of SPDIF -- Again, for £1800 it would be nice.
Shortage of USB ports

Canon Powershot A650 IS Review

2007-10-16T11:37:00.000-07:00

Submitted by J. Keenan on DigitalCameraReview.com

Canon’s newly-introduced Powershot A650 IS becomes their self-described "new top-of-the line" A-series camera offering, and anyone who follows Canon knows they view the A-series as providing a lot of performance at a value price. For someone who wants/needs to shoot at 12+ MP with a camera by Canon, there are only five choices in the current lineup: 1Ds-Mk. III, 5D, G9, SD950 IS or the A650 IS. Opt for any of the Canons other than the A650 IS and you can expect to pay anywhere from $90 to $7,635 more for the privilege. The value part of the equation is looking pretty good so far.

The A650 IS features Digic III processing, Face Detection focus/exposure technology, a 6X optical zoom with optical image stabilization that provides a 35 to 210mm focal length range (35mm film equivalent), a 2.5 inch variable angle LCD monitor to go along with that 12MP sensor, ISO to 1600 with a 3200 setting on tap as a "special scene" mode (albeit at reduced resolution), and a full set of manual controls to complement the typical point-and-shoot automatic modes. Canon packages this all into a nicely-appointed titanium-colored metal and composite body with bright chrome accents.

CAMERA FEATURES AND LAYOUT

Canon provides 4 AA alkaline batteries, a 32MB memory card, wrist strap, CD-ROM software, AV and USB cables and an owner’s manual with each camera.

Camera dimensions are about 4.41 x 2.67 x 2.21 inches with the lens retracted, and a shooting weight (4 AA batteries and memory card installed) of 13.25 ounces. The camera accepts SD, SDHC, and MMC memory cards.

The A650 IS will capture JPEG still images in seven pixel sizes: 4000 x 3000 (L), 3264 x 2448 (M1), 2592 x 1944 (M2), 1600 x 1200 (M3), 640 x 480 (S), 1600 x 1200 (postcard) and 4000 x 2248 (widescreen).

Movies may be captured in AVI format at 640 x 480 pixels and 30 frames per second (fps) or 30 fps LP (selecting LP results in file sizes of 960KB/second versus 1920KB/second) ; 320 x 240 (30 fps) for up to 4GB or 60 minutes and 160 x 120 for 3 minutes at 15 fps.

Canon A720 IS on left, Canon Powershot A650 IS on right

SHOOTING WITH THE POWERSHOT A 650 IS

With an integral handgrip-style body (like most of the A-series cameras), the 650 IS proved a pleasure to hold and shoot one-handed. With the power on/off, shutter button, zoom control and mode dial all arranged in close proximity on the camera top, it’s an easy task to start up, select a mode, zoom and shoot one-handed if need be.

Auto Mode

The default settings for the A650 IS include the "L" (4000 x 3000) pixel setting at "Fine" quality compression. Except where noted, images produced by the A650 IS to illustrate this review were shot at Large/Superfine quality settings and in "auto" or "P" (programmed auto) mode. As a practical matter, I noticed little apparent difference in image quality between the "superfine" and "fine" settings, particularly with snapshot-sized enlargements.

Specific Scene Modes / Special Scene Modes

Portrait, landscape, night snapshot, kids & pets, stitch assist and "SCN" modes may be selected directly from the camera’s mode dial. A "SCN" selection leads to additional choices of night scene, indoor, foliage, snow, beach, fireworks, aquarium, underwater, and ISO 3200. The camera automatically adjusts settings for what it considers optimal shooting in any of these conditions, allowing for little more than image size, quality and exposure compensation inputs from the user.

Manual Controls

In addition to the suite of automatic settings, the A650 IS also provides for traditional programmed auto (P), aperture priority (Av), shutter priority (Tv) and manual (M) exposure modes. A "custom" (C) setting is also available that allows the user to save frequently used shooting modes or settings to the "C" setting and return to them by simply selecting "C".

In-Camera Editing Tools

The A650 IS permits manual red eye correction, image resizing and attaching sound memos to images.

Exposure Compensation

Exposure compensation of +/- 2 stops in 1/3 EV increments is available except in auto, movie and manual (M) exposure modes.

Light Metering

Evaluative metering is the default method, with center-weighted and spot metering options available. Spot metering can be further refined to meter the center of the monitor or to correspond to the AF frame. Evaluative metering was used for the images captured by the A650 IS. In general, it did a good job across a broad range of lighting conditions/subjects, but as with most cameras, it would on occasion lose highlights in high contrast shots.

Focus/Macro Focus

Normal focus range extends from 1.6 feet to infinity; macro is .4 inches to 1.6 feet; manual is .4 inches to infinity and kids & pets mode is 3.3 feet to infinity.

Monitor/Viewfinder

The 2.5 inch LCD monitor on the A650 IS boasts a 173,000 dot composition, in the middle of a pack where typical compositions range from 115,000 to 230,000 dots. The monitor is difficult to use for image composition in bright sunlight, particularly with subjects of uniform contrast, but is fine for composition or editing in good light. There is no brightness adjustment possible.

The camera also comes with a viewfinder, but it is quite inaccurate. Canon doesn’t quote a figure, but it seems to offer something in the 70 to 80% range of accuracy – there will be a lot of extra material in any frame composed via viewfinder compared to what is seen through the viewfinder. Still, the viewfinder is much preferable to trying to work with the monitor on bright days.

Flash

Canon quotes a flash range of 1.6 feet to 11 feet at wide angle, and 1.6 feet to 6.6 feet at telephoto, both with auto ISO. These ranges seemed accurate in my use. The flash did a good job with color rendition and exposure.

Color

Default color with the A650 IS seemed typical based on recent Canon P&Ss I’ve reviewed, which is to say pleasing and accurate. Color may be adjusted to "Vivid" via the "my colors" mode in the P, Tv, Av, M, movie and stitch-assist modes.

ISO

Auto ISO is the default setting for the A650 IS, but high ISO auto may also be selected; auto ISO ranges up to 200, high auto ISO to 800. Manual settings of 80, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600 may be selected, and ISO 3200 may be accessed via the "SCN" mode. ISO 3200 shots are limited in size to M3 (1600 x 1200 pixels).

ISO performance was typical for recent Canon P&Ss I’ve reviewed – 80, 100 and 200 were quite good and relatively hard to differentiate in the blue sky shots. 400 and up got progressively noisier, with the biggest jump appearing to be between 800 and 1600.

White Balance

Auto white balance is the default setting, and works well for most situations. Daylight, cloudy, tungsten, fluorescent, fluorescent H, underwater and custom settings are also available in the C, Av, Tv, P and M modes.

Battery Performance

Canon reports a 300 shot capability with AA alkaline batteries, and my experience mirrored this result.

Shutter Performance

The A650 IS powers up in about a second, acquires focus quickly in good light and fires the shutter with minimal lag. Shutter performance with flash is also good – the camera uses the red eye reduction lamp rather than pre-flashes in red eye reduction mode. Shutter speeds may vary from 15 seconds to 1/2000th second. With the AF assist beam on, focus acquisition times were quite good in low light conditions.

There is a continuous shooting mode available in most auto and manual modes that can "shoot continuously……until the memory card is full". I got 5 shots in 4 seconds and 10 shots in 8.5 seconds – there was a slow down after five shots, but the A650 IS will shoot a bunch if you need it to. The monitor is not the way to go about shooting sequences, since it blanks out for a short period after the first shot, then lags about a shot behind if you’re panning. The viewfinder maintains a constant picture and makes it much easier to track moving subjects.

Lens Performance

The 6X Canon zoom lens was quite uniformly sharp across the frame at both wide and telephoto ends, with some slight softness in the corners. There was some barrel distortion (straight lines bow out from center of image) at the wide end which could impact images with prominent straight lines for sharp-eyed viewers. Some purple fringing was present in high contrast boundary areas, but only when greatly enlarged. Overall, very good lens performance.

A 4X digital zoom capability also exists, as well as a "safety zoom" feature that provides some additional zoom factor above the 6X optical capability when shooting at reduced resolutions without the image deterioration generally associated with digital zooms.

MISCELLANEOUS

The A650 IS PictBridge compliant, and there are wide and tele converters available that allow the camera to shoot as wide as 26mm or as long as 420mm.

CONCLUSION

The Canon A650 IS packs a lot of features into a reasonably priced, relatively compact digital point and shoot that Canon hails as the leader of its value-intensive A-series line. But that reasonable price has to be matched by performance, and the A650 IS delivers the goods. Good image quality and color; good shutter and flash performance; optical image stabilization; a lens focal range that goes from modestly wide to modest telephoto and the ability to add options to the camera that broaden the focal range are only a few of the nice details in Canon’s latest offering. The camera features auto functions that can have a novice taking great shots right out of the box, but also provides a full complement of manual controls for folks who wish to get more involved. It’s the lowest-priced 12MP camera in Canon’s current fleet.

When I reviewed my last A-series camera, the A570 IS, my gripes with it were that Canon had basic and advanced camera guides instead of a single guide, and the battery cover was difficult to close and felt a little flimsy. The A650 IS has a single guide, and while the battery cover is still a little difficult to close, it feels more substantial. There’s not much to dislike with the A650 IS.

PROS

Good image quality and color
Optical image stabilization
Good shutter response
CONS

Battery cover awkward to close

Review: ViewSonic VP930b LCD Monitor

2007-10-12T18:51:00.000-07:00

Size (inches): 19 • Resolution (pixels): 1280 by 1024 • Adjustments: Multiple adjustments • Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 • Interfaces: Analog and digital • Weight (pounds): 15 • Price When Reviewed: $329

The VP930b looks like much like a standard two-footed ViewSonic model--but wearing different shoes. Two new, small projections extend backwards from the original feet, giving the entire stand an uneven X shape. You feel the added stability when you give the physical adjustments--tilt, height, swivel, and pivot--a whirl. This thin-bezeled model adjusts easily, and changes stay put nicely.

At default screen settings, the VP930b threw a pinkish or orangey cast onto most screens. This, and the slightly spidery text, led to respectable but average image quality ratings from our jury. In a subsequent hands-on evaluation, I discovered several color presets in the on-screen display; simply choosing a cooler screen mode solved the problems.

Better yet, the VP930b includes a CD with PerfectSuite, ViewSonic's branded version of Portrait Displays's Display Tune screen adjustment software. With PerfectSuite's tests and wizard, you painlessly calibrate the monitor to your tastes and environment. PerfectSuite includes some of the more unusual Display Tune settings, such as automatic screen pivot, which saves time and fuss for anyone who frequently pivots a monitor from landscape to portrait.

The theft deterrence plug-in, which arrives on CD, renders the monitor nonfunctional if someone disconnects it from the original PC and fails to enter the user-selected password. This may be better for preventing migration of LCDs between offices than for deterring burglars. (And it's odd that the software starts this process when you check a box labeled "enable theft.") If this function interests you, but the VP930b's $500 price tag seems high for your office, look for it on recent Hyundai ImageQuest models as well, such as the $390 Q90U.

Upshot: With a full range of physical adjustments and excellent screen adjustment software, it's a simple matter to get the ViewSonic VP 930b exactly the way you need it.-- Laura Blackwell

Review: Kodak EasyShare 5300 All-in-one Price: $299

2007-10-12T18:38:00.000-07:00

Kodak's Brownie camera, introduced early last century, helped to put photography into the hands of the masses. A hundred years later, the imaging company is hoping to transform the market once again.

Considering its unique standing in the history of photography, Kodak has been slow to enter the inkjet printer market. The Kodak EasyShare 5300 all-in-one printer is its first inkjet and a belated acknowledgement from the company that photographic development is indeed moving out of the lab.

The EasyShare 5300 is not the cheapest printer in a market littered with sub $100 machines. But because low cost printers are often subsidised by exorbitantly priced replacement ink, buyers are now being urged by the likes of Choice magazine to seriously consider the full life-time costs of a printer.

The first thing you notice with the EasyShare 5300 is the ink pricing information stuck on the lid of the machine where it can't possibly be overlooked. Black ink costs $14.99 and colour costs $24.99, bringing a refreshing level of transparency to a market littered with costly replacements that you only encounter once you run out of ink.

Kodak's 5300 uses a two cartridge ink system - one colour and one black and white, a bonus for those tired of having to dash out for individual cartridges of magenta and cyan, but a loss for those who prefer to replace colours as they run out.

The jury is still out on which ink cartridge model works out as most cost effective and comparative price-per-page data for the full range of printers on the market is hard to come by. However Kodak says tests conducted by an independent company reveal it has managed to lop about 50 per cent off the cost of printing documents and photos from its closest competitors (based on its ink and paper costs), without compromising crucial print quality.

The EasyShare 5300 itself has a large, rectangular footprint and a quick once over with the tape measure reveals it to have dimensions of roughly 48cm wide x 30cm deep x 22 cm tall.

Perhaps accounting for its size is the fact that it is a printer, scanner and copier all in one box - but it is the manufacturer's promise of cost-effective and lab quality photo printing that is likely to turn the most heads.

The printer is designed to be very easy to use, and it comes with a single set-up sheet which you can ignore at your own peril. Following the reasonably simple instructions, we had the hardware and software all up and running in just over an hour.

The features that most impressed us were the ability to print pictures straight from the camera's memory card - which proved a fairly straightforward process using the large, clear LCD screen attached to the unit which let us scroll through the images we wanted to print. However we were unable to crop our images or remove red-eye in this mode.

Printing pictures from the computer proved more rewarding, with a range of editing and cropping functions and some special effects such as sepia tones and spotlights thrown in.

A USB drive and a separate PictBridge port for connecting a compatible digital camera extend the range of connectivity options for getting the printer hooked up to different devices, and the dedicated photo tray for 4x6 paper also saved a lot of messing about and failed attempts at matching up paper sizes.

The printer can also cleverly detect the type of paper being used (from a choice of regular and premium gloss and matte finishes) and will adapt photo print modes accordingly, again good for those of us who like to point, click and print with a minimum of fuss.

In terms of print speed, Kodak says 4x6 prints can take as little as 28 seconds to print, but our experience was more like a minute for a portrait type photo.

But features aside, in light of Kodak's claim that the printer can produce long-lasting lab quality prints, what we really wanted to see were some beautiful photographs.

Most of our snaps currently languish away on our computer hard drive with only a special chosen few ever being printed off for our albums. After a disappointing encounter with a dedicated photo printer bought at great expense some six years ago, we usually print out our snaps at a local Kmart photo kiosk for 29 cents apiece.

To put the EasyShare 5300 through its paces, we printed off fifteen of our very best digital photographs in 4x6 size on premium gloss paper using a variety of subject matter (babies, cats, boats, sunsets etc) in both indoor and outdoor settings.

Although some of our indoor shots displayed a slight graininess on the skin tones, our outdoor photos were full of rich colour and sharp detail - and all that we printed was certainly comparable to the print quality of the picture kiosk we frequent.

So is the Kodak EasyShare 5300 likely to transform the printer market in the manner of the Brownie camera in the 1900s?

Given that many of the product features do not stand out substantially from those of competitors, success will rest on ink price, picture quality, and historical goodwill attached to the Kodak brand. But while its ink does seem cheaper than that of its peers, and it does produce lovely, vibrant pictures, this model does not seem likely to become the disruptive force that Kodak was hoping for.

Deals in from eCost

2007-10-08T13:18:00.000-07:00

Product Categories:

Sony VaioeCost.com: Incredible Sony Deals, Starting at $769 Dates: 10/1 – 10/15 Click Thru: http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000022749959&pubid=21000000000112095

GPS BlowouteCost.com: Tom-Tom, Garmin, Holux and More! Dates: 10/1 – 10/15 Click Thru: http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000022749960&pubid=21000000000112095

Digital Media & StorageeCost.com: Digital Media and Storage Deals of the Week Dates: Ongoing Promotion Click Thru: http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000022749961&pubid=21000000000112095

Electronics ProductseCost.com: Electronics Superstore: Audio/Video and Accessories Dates: Ongoing Promotion Click Thru: http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000022749962&pubid=21000000000112095

Digital Cameras & CamcorderseCost.com: Cameras, Camcorders & Memory Dates: Ongoing Promotion Click Thru: http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000022749963&pubid=21000000000112095

TV’s/Monitors/ProjectorseCost.com: LCD/Plasma TVs, Monitors & Projectors Dates: Ongoing Promotion Click Thru:http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000022509221&pubid=21000000000112095

Home and Outdoor ProductseCost.com: Home and Outdoor Products Dates: Ongoing Promotion Click Thru: http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000022509222&pubid=21000000000112095

Rebates:

Rebate CentereCost.com: Search Hundreds of Rebates by Manufacturer Name or Product Category. Dates: October – December Offers Click Thru: http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000022749964&pubid=21000000000112095

Examples:

$100 Mail in Rebate with the purchase of select HP Notebookshttp://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000022749965&pubid=21000000000112095

$50 Mail-In Rebate with purchase of Dlink Media PlayerDSM-320 MediaLounge Wireless 802.11g 54Mbps Media Player – Only $109.99 after rebatehttp://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000022749966&pubid=21000000000112095

$50 Mail-In Rebate with purchase of select Garmin GPS Handheldshttp://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000022749972&pubid=21000000000112095

Programs:

Free Shipping eCost.com: Free Shipping and Exclusive Offers with Platinum Premium Membership Dates: Ongoing Promotion Click Thru: http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000022509218&pubid=21000000000112095

No Payments for 6 Months (No Change from 9/27)eCost.com: Preferred Credit Account - No Payments for 6 Months Dates: Ongoing Promotion Click Thru: http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000022509280&pubid=21000000000112095

From PC Connection

2007-10-04T01:13:00.000-07:00

PC Connection/MacConnection would like you to take advantage of their new weekly offer plus Free Shipping. Below are brief descriptions of the current exciting offers. Please note I will be posting new promotions on a weekly basis.

Canon ZR800 Digital Camcorder - Only $279 - Around the world, the name Canon means optical excellence, advanced image processing and superb performance. And Canon digital video camcorders are no exception.

Whether you're shopping for your first camcorder, or would like to upgrade from analog to digital, the new ZR camcorders are a perfect balance of style, performance and affordability. The ZR digital camcorders give you a brilliant Genuine Canon 35x Optical Zoom lens, Canon's advanced image stabilization system, Widescreen HR recording , DIGIC DV image processing, Joystick controller, and Level and Grid Markers .The results are brilliant video and digital photos that you can easily share with family and friends.

The ZR800 has everything you need to enter the world of digital video camcorders including some features that are traditionally found on more expensive models. It provides the user with the perfect combination of style and ease-of-operation that makes it easy to capture life's precious memories.

Sony Vaio VGN-CR115E Notebook only $1199! - Get power and style. Give love, hope, and support. Sony has pledged to donate $100,000 from the proceeds of this special-edition VAIO CR notebook bundle to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Bundled with a matching carrying case and mouse, the powerful and incredibly beautiful CR notebook features a stunning cosmopolitan outer shell.

Step out and be seen with the with the portable, powerful and incredibly beautiful VAIO CR notebook. Featuring a stunning 14.1" widescreen LCD with XBRITE-ECO LCD technology, this thin-and-light fashion statement is an astonishing sight to behold. Backed by the Windows Vista Home Premium operating system and Intel Centrino Duo processor technology with Intel Core 2 Duo processor, this lightning-fast, super-powerful mobile notebook is slim, lightweight, and packed with entertainment and design extras.

From a built-in web cam and AV controls to its unique paint colors and comfortable, easy-to-clean keyboard, the remarkable VAIO CR notebook delivers entertainment, power, and pizzazz. Hurry - while supplies last!

Free Shipping on Orders of $249 or More - PC Connection is offering Free Shipping on orders of $249 or more. Expires 10/31/07.

Other special offers HERE!

Exclusive offers from Tiger Direct

2007-09-10T13:31:00.000-07:00

AFFILIATE EXCLUSIVE DEAL - (New Price syncs at 1PM EST) - 72 Hours ONLY

SAVE $40 - Lexmark X4550 All-In-One Wireless Color Inkjet Printer Up To
26ppm $89.99 (US)

US:
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=z3sXlP8Lqvs&offerid=101304.3169540&type=2&subid=0

TIGER'S TOP DEALS

RCA DVD Player Progressive Scan DivX Playback TV Guardian $9.99* (US)
Price after $30 MIR, rebate expires 9/30/07

US:
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=z3sXlP8Lqvs&offerid=101304.3018389&type=2&subid=0

Linksys WRT54GX2 Wireless Recertified Router 54Mbps 802.11g 4-Port SRX
200 Technology $24.99 (US)

US:
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=z3sXlP8Lqvs&offerid=101304.3176989&type=2&subid=0

Acer AL2216WBD 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor Ultra-fast 5ms WSXGA+
$179.99* (US) Price after $50 MIR, rebate expires 09/30/07

US:
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=z3sXlP8Lqvs&offerid=101304.2430647&type=2&subid=0

Sceptre DCL20A 20.1" Widescreen LCD Monitor 5ms 1000:1 WSXGA+ $144.99*
(US) Price after $50 MIR, rebate expires 09/30/07

US:
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=z3sXlP8Lqvs&offerid=101304.3169545&type=2&subid=0

Sharp DVD Home Theater Audio System 5.1 Dolby Digital Slot loading Disc
Wall mountable $189.99 (US)

US:
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=z3sXlP8Lqvs&offerid=101304.1650422&type=2&subid=0

HP Intel Desktop PC P4 2.6GHz WinXP Pro (Off-Lease) $229.99 (US)

US:
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=z3sXlP8Lqvs&offerid=101304.2541471&type=2&subid=0

eMachines Intel Desktop PC P4 3.2GHz WinVista Home Basic $249.99 (US)

US:
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=z3sXlP8Lqvs&offerid=101304.3169440&type=2&subid=0

Compaq Presario Intel Desktop PC P4 3.0GHz 1GB DDR2 160GB SATA DL
DVDÂ±RW w/LightScribe WinVista Home Basic $319.97 (US)

US:
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=z3sXlP8Lqvs&offerid=101304.3192344&type=2&subid=0

Gateway Intel Desktop PC Core 2 Duo E4300 2GB DDR2 320GB SATA II HDD
DVDÂ±RW DL Flash Media Reader WinVista Home Premium $449.99 (US)

US:
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=z3sXlP8Lqvs&offerid=101304.3169464&type=2&subid=0

Gateway Notebook PC Intel Pentium Dual-Core 1.60GHz Wireless 1GB DDR2
160GB HDD DL DVDRW 15.4" WXGA WinVista Home Premium $549.99 (US)

US:
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=z3sXlP8Lqvs&offerid=101304.3135628&type=2&subid=0

2007-09-10T08:12:00.001-07:00

Apple: 1 million iPhones sold

2007-09-10T08:08:00.000-07:00

It seems like only yesterday that Apple had sold its first 270,000 iPhones--not a bad tally for just a little bit more than the first day on the market.

Monday morning, a little more than two months after the the much-lusted-after gadget went on sale, Apple said in a brief press release that it had sold its 1 millionth iPhone.

"One million iPhones in 74 days," Apple CEO Steve Jobs exulted in a press release. "It took almost two years to achieve this milestone with iPod."

Last week, Jobs unveiled the new iPod Touch, which mimics the look and behavior of the iPhone. He also ran into a buzzsaw of criticism by cutting the price of the iPhone by $200 so soon after long lines of early adopters plopped down a big chunk of change to be the first on the block with the gadget.

The price cut--the 8GB model now costs $399--is intended to boost sales of the iPhone during the upcoming holiday sales season. Two days after announcing the new pricing, Jobs offered an apology to the first wave of buyers, along with a $100 store credit.

"We can't wait to get this revolutionary product into the hands of even more customers this holiday season," Jobs said in Monday's press release.

Just how many hands the iPhone actually is in at this point is a little unclear, Apple's ballyhooing of 1 million sold notwithstanding. If Apple sold 270,000 or so in the waning hours of June, as it claimed, and then 220,000 in July, as market research iSuppli reported last week, that's 490,000 units. Which means the company would have needed a sales surge of more than a half-million iPhones in the six weeks or so since August 1.

Apple Price Cut On New iPhone Shakes Investors

2007-09-06T22:30:00.000-07:00

SAN FRANCISCO -- Apple Inc.'s move to lop $200 off the price of the iPhone, unveiled as part of a revamp of the features, design and pricing of its family of portable gadgets, spooked investors and sent shares tumbling.

The top price of the iPhone, a device introduced with much fanfare in June, will fall to $399 from $599, Apple said. Chief Executive Steve Jobs, at a company event here yesterday, said Apple remained "on track" to meet its previous goal of shipping one million iPhones by the end of this month.

Apple updated its line of iPods with new models, including the iPod Touch (left), which borrows many of the features of the iPhone.

Still, Apple's shares shed $7.40 on the news, falling to $136.76 in 4 p.m. trading Wednesday on the Nasdaq Stock Market, and shares continued lower Thursday.

The price cut was unexpected. Toni Sacconaghi, an analyst at Sanford Bernstein, said he wasn't aware of Apple previously cutting prices so quickly after the introduction of one of its new products, and questioned whether Apple could meet its goal in the absence of a price cut. "It can't be a bullish signal about iPhone volumes," he said.

In an interview, Mr. Jobs said Apple "absolutely" could meet its iPhone shipment goal this month without cutting prices. He said the cut in part reflects Apple's ability to reduce production costs, as well as a desire to price the product attractively during the holiday season. "It's time to be as aggressive as we can be," Mr. Jobs said. "If we're not, then we have to wait another year for the next holiday season."

Apple previously said it sold 270,000 iPhones during the product's first 30 hours on sale, but it hasn't provided more specific sales figures since then.

As part of its changes, Apple said it will stop selling a $499 low-end model of the iPhone that came with 4 gigabytes of storage because most of its customers were buying the higher-end model with twice the capacity.

A spokesman for AT&T, Apple's exclusive wireless partner for the iPhone in the U.S., said the company has been happy with the product's sales thus far and welcomed Apple's decision to lower the price. "With the new pricing, we think even more people will adopt it," said AT&T's Michael Coe.

For Apple, the iPhone stakes are potentially huge. Partly on investor enthusiasm about the prospects for the product, Apple's shares are up 61% on the year. The phone gives Apple a shot at tapping into an enormous, multibillion-dollar market that dwarfs the market for just digital music players.

At the same time, however, Apple faces an onslaught of cellphones from other handset makers featuring steadily improving iPod-like entertainment functions -- often at a cheaper price per unit. Apple has said it hopes to sell 10 million iPhones by the end of next year, giving it a 1% share of the global cellular handset market.

Gene Munster, an analyst with Piper Jaffray, believes Apple cut the iPhone's price because it wants to step up its ambitions in the cellular market. "The bottom line: Apple is investing iPhone profit dollars over the next few quarters in order to be a legitimate player in the phone market," Mr. Munster wrote in a report. "We think this is the right strategy."

Also yesterday, Apple introduced a new iPod that will let users for the first time directly purchase songs wirelessly over the Internet, making a computer unnecessary. The product builds on iPhone technology to make the music player more closely resemble a computer.
New products are part of an Apple ritual in recent years to introduce a wave of new gadgets in time for the holiday shopping season. The company dominates the market for portable digital music and movie players, and analysts say the new products should set Apple up to outsell its competition again at the holidays.

The most eagerly anticipated of Apple's new products is the iPod touch. In appearance, it resembles the sleek, wide-screen design and features of the iPhone, minus the calling and email functions of the Apple cellphone. The product has the same touch-sensing screen technology, which allows users to scroll through song, photo and movie libraries.

The product also can connect to the Internet over Wi-Fi wireless technology. The iPod touch isn't the first to include Wi-Fi capabilities in a portable music player, but Apple has a long history of taking technologies that others invented and bringing them to a mass market.
Mr. Jobs said a key reason other wireless music players haven't done well is that they often are unable to connect to Wi-Fi networks outside the home. Many public "hotspots," as public areas such as hotels and airports with Wi-Fi are called, require users to log in through a Web browser, which most portable music players lack. The iPod touch, on the other hand, has a full-blown Web browser, just like the iPhone.

"Some others have done this, and it has failed," Mr. Jobs said. "We took a long look at this, and we think we understand why it's failed and what we can do to make it successful."
The iPod touch will start at $299 for a model with 8 gigabytes of storage capacity and rise to $399 for one with 16 gigabytes when it goes on sale later this month.

Some analysts said the iPod touch could damp iPhone sales by providing an alternative for consumers who want the iPhone's multimedia features without a two-year commitment to cellphone service through AT&T. AT&T's Mr. Coe said the new device's release won't affect what the company expects to be strong demand for the price-reduced iPhone.

In tandem with the new product, Apple said it agreed with Starbucks Corp. to let users buy music from the iTunes Store on free wireless connections in Starbucks cafes. Users won't have to pay a wireless connection fee to shop in the iTunes store, which they currently must do when accessing iTunes from a Starbucks. The deal also applies to Mac, iPhone and personal-computer users.

When customers log on to the Apple music site inside a Starbucks, iTunes automatically will tell them the name of the music currently playing at the cafe they are in. The companies declined to discuss the financial terms of their deal. "I've said for years that an unexploited asset was this wireless network," Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz said in an interview. "The big payoff is the sense of discovery that will exist."

Starbucks plans to begin the service in October at 600 cafes in New York and Seattle, adding service gradually in other locations throughout next year.
The relationship with Starbucks exploits what Apple is calling the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store, a variant of its popular service that also lets iPhone and iPod touch users browse and buy music from their home wireless networks without a computer. Once they connect those devices to a Mac or PC, the downloaded music is added to their iTunes library.
Apple also shook up its existing iPod family, adding video playback capabilities to its most popular music product, the iPod nano. The redesigned iPod nano has a larger screen and costs $149 for a four-gigabyte model or $199 for an eight-gigabyte model -- $50 less each than prior models with the same amount of storage.

Apple expanded the storage capacity of the high-end iPod classic -- a model previously known simply as the iPod -- to a whopping 160 gigabytes, enough room for 40,000 songs or as much as 200 hours of video. Sales of the iPod brought in about a third of Apple's $5.41 billion in revenue during its most recent quarter.

Apple has a history of pricing new, redesigned versions of its iPods at about the same price as their predecessors, or a bit less. In early 2005, for example, Apple introduced a lighter-size $99 version of the iPod shuffle with 512 megabytes of storage. Last fall, it introduced a much smaller, redesigned shuffle with 1 gigabyte of storage for $79. That strategy exploits the tendency of component costs for storage to decline steadily over time.

Apple Unveils Wi-Fi iPod, Wi-Fi iTunes, Wi-Fi Starbucks Collaboration

2007-09-06T21:32:00.000-07:00

...but does it make phone calls?
Owners of the new wi-fi-enabled iPod touch will be able to buy songs on the spin at Starbucks - while the songs are playing.

Both products — the wi-fi iPod touch, and the Starbucks liaison — were unveiled yesterday in an anticipated news event.
The new iPod boasts touch-screen capabilities, wireless functionalities and a Safari browser. Many Apple fans were able to predict its iPhone-esque appearance and functionalities in advance of the announcement.
The Starbucks relationship enables users to access — and instantly purchase — music played in Starbucks stores, as well as the last 10 tracks, and special Starbucks music collections. This capability will be available in participating stores as soon as October, and across the States by the end of 2008.
Users with a wi-fi-ready iPod, an iPhone, or a computer with the most current version of iTunes will also receive free wi-fi access to iTunes, including Starbucks' Now Playing content, within Starbucks stores.
The cost of the iPhone was also dropped. An eight-gigabyte is now US$ 399, while the four-gigabyte will be phased out. This should encourage still stronger adoption of the unit, which notably competes with both smart phones and feature phones.

The iPod is growing up

2007-09-04T09:35:00.000-07:00

If the rumors are true, and Apple releases an iPod with Mac OS, it will have developed an interesting little computer--not just a video player.
By Tom Krazit Staff Writer, CNET News.com

If Apple really is putting a version of Mac OS X in a new iPod, presumably it has more in mind than showing high-quality reruns of The Hills.

Any talk these days of Apple and the future of mobile computing quickly turns to the iPhone. The company is on its way to selling a million iPhones in the first three months of what Apple says is a multiyear strategy to enter the mobile phone market.

But Apple makes another mobile device. It's called the iPod. And if the persistent rumors are fulfilled Wednesday during the latest episode of The Steve Jobs Show (a product presentation at San Francisco's Moscone Center), the iPod is about to get a whole lot more powerful.
A wide-screen iPod that looks an awful lot like an iPhone seems like the most likely bet for the sixth generation of Apple's ubiquitous music and video player line. It also seems very likely that those new iPods will run the same stripped-down version of Mac OS X found on the iPhone, something even Jobs himself hinted at during a meeting with Apple employees on the eve of the iPhone launch.

You don't need a sophisticated operating system to play songs and TV shows, so at that point, the iPod stops being just a gadget. So, then, what exactly is it? Like the iPhone, it becomes something in between a gadget and a PC, which has been treacherous ground for the PC industry.

The tech industry appears to be at another one of those pesky crossroads. The PC is, well, dated. We all need one, and we all use one, but we just don't get excited about buying a new one anymore.

As a result, the PC industry has been scrambling to find the next big thing. Tablet PCs? Nope. Home media centers? Maybe, but not yet. Digital televisions? Still the domain of the consumer electronics industry.

An iPod with a more powerful operating system and a touch screen could suddenly become an intriguing little device for those who like the iPhone, but don't want to spend 600 bucks or hook up with AT&T.

Apple found its next big thing six years ago when it released the iPod. It wasn't the first company to figure out that people wanted to carry all those Napsterized songs in their pocket, but it has certainly made the most of it. More than 70 percent of people in the U.S. who want a portable digital music player buy an iPod.

But the iPod really does just one thing. It does it well--and yes, you can also store contacts, appointments and play games that would have looked lame 10 years ago--but nobody buys an iPod to make sure they remember that doctor's appointment.

After Wednesday, that might be different. An iPod with a more powerful operating system and a touch screen could suddenly become an intriguing little device for those who like the iPhone, but don't want to spend 600 bucks or hook up with AT&T.

It wouldn't be hard to imagine some of those people put off by the iPhone's price and wireless carrier would shell out $349--the current price for the 80GB iPod--for an iPod that can do far more than just play videos or music.

That is, assuming Apple doesn't overlook what's really needed in a mobile computer. There's no point in putting a sophisticated operating system in an iPod if you wall that device off from the Internet. Apple has resisted adding Wi-Fi to the iPod thus far, but it broke that barrier with the iPhone and perhaps it has figured out a way to add Wi-Fi without killing battery life.

And it would really need to be a phone-less iPhone, with applications like Safari, YouTube and Google Maps. Ideally, it needs third-party applications, such as games or GPS navigation. But it might take Apple awhile to admit that, given that its approach to application development on the iPhone was to limit developers to Web-based applications.

The entire combination could make the $349 iPod more attractive. Apple's revenue growth from iPods has stalled, even though the unit growth is still above 20 percent year over year. That implies that iPod buyers are opting for the less expensive $199 4GB Nano or the $249 30GB iPod.

It would also finally give Apple the real wide-screen video player that iPod fans have been clamoring for since just before last year's "showtime" event. And, after all, that's still the iPod's sweet spot: mobile entertainment.

It's quite possible that Apple doesn't want to make that dramatic a leap just yet. Jobs prizes simplicity and aesthetics, and a large part of the iPod's appeal has been that it does one thing (or a couple), and does it (or them) well.

But a Mac OS X-based iPod could be a compelling device as the industry and its customers try to figure out how mobile computers should evolve. It would avoid the early mistakes of the UMPC, which runs a battery-sapping PC operating system, doesn't fit in a pocket, and at around $1,000, has been met with lukewarm--at best--interest from consumers.

There are other devices out there, like Sony's PSP and video players from Archos, that are trying to do the same thing. But with sales of more than 10 million iPods a quarter--and a whopping 21 million last holiday season--Apple has established the iPod as one of the most widely used handheld gadgets on the planet.

What if it was a computer, too?

OQO model 02 Review

2007-08-30T14:20:00.000-07:00

OQO model 02
With integrated mobile broadband, better performance, and longer battery life, OQO's model 02 is a UMPC worth owning.
Price: $2,298
By Jamie Bsales and Mark Spoonauer Date Posted: 01/07/2007

When the original OQO appeared a couple of years ago, some saw it as the solution to a problem no one had. But now, the model 01 looks like it was ahead of its time. Like its predecessor, the model 02 Ultra-Mobile PC is a handheld device that runs Windows, but the 02's addition of fast EV-DO connectivity for hundreds of metro areas around the country means the difference between a handy tool and an expensive novelty.

Other refinements, such as an improved keyboard, faster processor, and more elegant docking solution, sweeten the deal. Users who need more than a smart phone but who wouldn't otherwise tote a laptop with them everywhere will find a lot to like in this sequel.

Weighing just over a pound and measuring 5.6 x 3.3 x 1 inches, the model 02 is a UMPC that is compact enough to carry with you in a jacket pocket, briefcase, or purse. The five-inch widescreen LCD slides up to reveal a new, ergonomic, backlit QWERTY keyboard. You won't be able to type as fast as you would on a BlackBerry, but the layout provided better tactile feedback than the model 01.

The cursor is controlled via a small pointing stick for your right thumb and mouse buttons for your left. Or if you prefer, you can use the included stylus and tap the screen. It's too bad OQO didn't include a stylus holster on the device, though. The model 02 does get warm after some use, but not uncomfortably so, and it was quiet.
The 800 x 480-pixel screen is six times brighter than the model 01's display. Text and icons look fairly tiny, but OQO includes a handy zoom button, although you'll need to scroll around to see various parts of the screen. This configuration includes a 60GB hard drive that's shock-mounted and equipped with drop detect technology in case of falls. The main unit has a USB and auto-sensing audio-out/line-in/line-out headphone jack on the bottom. The only notable omission is a memory card slot.

What makes the OQO model 02 more compelling than the hot-selling Sony VAIO UX Mini PC is its embedded EV-DO Rev. O modem (with service on Sprint's network). It blows away the poky Cingular EDGE connection inside Sony's device. In locations with four or five bars of signal strength, download speeds were as high as 997.3 Kbps, and upload speeds averaged 120 Kbps. Surfing the Web was quick (25 seconds to load CNN.com, 11 seconds to load our Gmail Inbox). Even video clips over the WWAN connection loaded quickly and played smoothly. Just plan on using headphones; the built-in speaker's sound was thin and tinny.

This UMPC didn't deliver the best mobile broadband performance in areas with weaker coverage. In a location where signal strength dropped to two or three bars, the model 02's throughput dropped to as low as 23.3 Kbps; other notebooks we've been testing with Sprint Rev. O capability have maintained over 100 Kbps in the same conditions.

Although the 1.5-GHz Via C7M processor is certainly faster than the Transmeta CPU that crippled the OQO model 01, you shouldn't expect to do more than run productivity apps on this device. The model 02's performance numbers were low; its 69 score on MobileMark 2005 is less than half than what Sony UX delivered. On the other hand, the model 02 booted up faster than its predecessor, and it opened and closed apps faster.

We were quite pleased with the model 02's four hours of battery life. To get that endurance, however, you'll need the double-capacity battery ($199 and included in this configuration). Those who work in short spurts can get by with the standard battery, which lasted for 1 hour and 54 minutes in our tests.

If you want to use the model 02 as your primary PC, OQO sells a sleek black docking station that includes a slot-loading optical drive and a metal arm attached to hold the main unit, which is a lot more elegant than the snaking cable littered with ports on the model 01. The $299 version of the dock includes a DVD/CD-RW drive, and the $399 version comes with a DVD burner (or $349 as an add-on at the time of purchase). The docking base has three USB ports, an auto-sensing headphone jack (since the main unit's jack is blocked when docked), a LAN port, and an HDMI and VGA port to attach a full-sized monitor. OQO charges $19 for an HDMI-DVI adapter (and one is included with the docking station) and $29 each for HDMI-to-HDMI, HDMI-to-DVI cables.

Bundled software is limited to the Microsoft Origami Experience, a collection of utilities designed to show off what a UMPC can do, and OQO's own Manager and Wireless Dashboard programs. The OQO we tested included Microsoft Office Small Business Edition ($300) and ran Windows XP, but a Vista version will be available soon.

Clearly, the OQO model 02 isn't right for everyone. Those who need more power and creature comforts and don't mind carrying a larger machine should spend the two grand for an ultraportable. But if you want a constant PC companion without the anchor of a laptop bag, the model 02 might be just what you're looking for. It doesn't have the Sony UX' bells and whistles-such as two cameras and a fingerprint reader-but having the ability to connect at high speeds virtually anywhere makes this the best UMPC yet.

Compact Digital Camera or Digital SLR - Which Is Best For You?

2007-08-30T08:09:00.000-07:00

With so many people buying digital cameras these days, it's obvious that the switch from film photography to digital photography is well underway. But which kind of digital camera will work best for you?For most people interested in just getting great looking snapshots and family photos, a compact digital camera will probably do the job nicely, but if you like to have more creative control over your photos, perhaps even enlarging them beyond 8 X 10 or so, then maybe you should consider the flexibility that a high quality digital SLR(single lens reflex) camera can provide instead.One advantage of most digital SLRs is their speed. All digital cameras have some lag between the time when you press the shutter button and the time that the photo is actually taken, and in some compact digital cameras this lag can take almost a full second or so. But most digital SLRs reduce that lag time considerably to the point that it almost rivals the instant response of a film SLR. If you like to shoot fast action shots, this can important to getting the action quickly and easily without missing anything.Flexibility is another great feature of digital SLRs. If you want to set the camera on full automatic mode and let it make all the exposure settings for you, it can certainly do that just like most compact digital cameras, but if you want to set it to manual mode and decide for yourself what exposure settings will be used depending on the photo effect that you wish to achieve, that can be done too. This wide latitude in camera control can be very useful if you have more than one person who will be using the camera with differing skill levels.Another major difference between compact digital cameras and digital SLR cameras is that compact cameras usually let you view and set up the shot through a LCD screen on the back of the camera, whereas the SLR will require you to look through the viewfinder instead to compose your shots. Digital SLRs do come with LCD screens, but they are mainly just used for viewing images after they are taken rather than setting them up beforehand. Which works best for you is mainly just a matter of personal preference though.Before you make your decision between buying a compact digital camera and a digital SLR, think about how you plan on using the camera beforehand and then review the tips and suggestions mentioned above to help you choose the camera type that will fit you best.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
About the Author:You can find digital slr camera reviews and digital cameras comparison by visiting our Digital Photography website.

Cameras That Satisfy Consumers

2007-08-30T03:27:00.000-07:00

Premium Point and Shoot

Canon PowerShot SD Series 829*
Panasonic DMC-FZ Series 785
Kodak Z Series 783
Fujifilm Finepix S Series 782
Sony DSC-H Series 780
Segment Average 779
Canon PowerShot A Series 776
Canon PowerShot G Series 773
Canon PowerShot S Series 770
Panasonic DMC-TZ Series 764
Olympus SP Series 754
Nikon Coolpix L Series 749
Nikon Coolpix P Series 721

Ultra Slim

Casio Exilim Zoom Series 802
Canon PowerShot SD Series 796
Kodak V Series 787
Sony DSC-T Series 782
Olympus Stylus Series 781
Panasonic DMC-FX Series 780
HP Photosmart R Series 774
Segment Average 772
Nikon Coolpix S Series 770
Olympus FE Series 769
Sony DSC-W Series 767
Casio Exilim Card Series 761
Samsung S Series 728
Nikon Coolpix L Series 725

Point and Shoot

Fujifilm Finepix F Series 749
Kodak Z Series 744
Canon PowerShot A Series 739
Kodak C Series 738
Samsung A Series 734
Segment Average 727
HP Photosmart M Series 726
Sony DSC-P Series 725
Sony DSC-S Series 718
Pentax OPTIO Series 716
Nikon Coolpix Series 714
Panasonic DMC-LZ Series 713
Olympus FE Series 703
Fujifilm Finepix A Series 698
HP Photosmart E Series 654

Digital Single Lens Reflex

Nikon D Series 822
Segment Average 801
Sony A (Alpha) Digital SLR Series 793
Canon Digital EOS 788
Pentax K Digital Series 787
Olympus EVOLT E Series 783

* Based on a 1,000-point scale

Source: J.D. Power and Associates' "2007 Digital Camera Usage and Satisfaction Study"

How to compare and buy the right notebook?

2007-08-30T03:07:00.000-07:00

It’s not tricky to be intimidated by all the notebook computers models on the market these days. You can most often get a dozens of price range and models.In order to find the right notebook for you, a little consideration will be needed. Before go on shopping you should make a decision what actually you need. When you distinct your need, no doubt buying the right notebook is very effortless.Here we point out 5 basic factors to consider:

1. Dimension - Size is definitely a matter in the mobile computing world. A notebook computer can be affected by two element sizes: portability and display size.If you are intending that you will be used your computer for just a short time, an ultra light will save you some shoulder strain.In the other hand, a large display will definitely play a big role while using the computer for a long period in a unique day. Comparing the displays size of other desktop computers, some notebook computers displays exceed 17 inches these days. The down face is that these monsters can simply weigh three times as much as an ultra light.

2. Hard Drive - The element here sounds the size of the hard drive. What size of hard drive you have to buy? Simply query the following question from yourself. Will the notebook be my alternative system or a primary? If a primary then you should buy a bigger hard drive – 60 GB or more. If an alternative, you may probably buy a 20 GB.Also you should know how much data you will be kept in or how much data you have in the present. So simply you should buy a hard drive according to your need.

3. Memory - Determining the right memory or RAM for your notebook need to know the way of for what you will be used the notebook? If you feel that you will be face up to somewhat mundane - email, spreadsheets, word processing, etc- 256 MB will be suitable. Most often many of notebooks have such configuration, so don’t spend a lot for more RAM. But if you are aspiring mobile digital photographer always stuff your notebook with as much RAM as it can hold.

4. Network Connections - Internet is the most important part of the modern computing, computing in the 21st century rely heavily on being connected: It should be connected to a corporate network, connected to an online service, connected to the Internet, connected to a home network, connected to a wireless network.You should buy a notebook computer that will be able to access them all.

5. The Price - Price of notebook depends mostly on your budget, how much you can pay for a notebook. A few years ago, $2.000 were not sufficient for buying a notebook, but today, there are a huge rang of notebooks allow you to pay $1,000 or less for a notebook. However purchasing a notebook computer is still considered a major purchase for most of buyers. You should compare different prices before confirming a deal. We would recommend you http://computersnext.com for comparing and buying a notebook computer.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
About the Author:Harris Adam is an expert writer of quality content, he wrote these articles, “How to compare and buy the right notebook" for such notebooks: computersnext.com/notebook_computers-sc2.aspx that allow comparing etc. He can be reached at computersnext.com

Do You Need Bluetooth?

2007-08-30T03:04:00.000-07:00

Do You Need Bluetooth? When buying any digital electronic device, whether a cellphone, PDA, or notebook computer, it is important to check the specifications to ensure that it will serve your purposes. Bluetooth is becoming an increasingly popular offering in personal electronics, but do you need it?What Is Bluetooth?Bluetooth is a wireless PAN (Personal Area Network) transmission protocol standard. In layman’s terms, Bluetooth is a technology that enables a device to communicate and share data with other Bluetooth capable devices – cellphones, headsets, PDAs, notebook computers, desktop PCs, computer peripherals, printers, cameras, and others – through radio wave transmission (so there is no need for wires) at a range of around 1, 10, or 100 meters, depending on the class of your Bluetooth device (Class 1 has the longest range and Class 3 the shortest).If a device has a Bluetooth chip, it can communicate with other devices that have a Bluetooth chip. Users can share pictures, movies, datasheets, documents, and all sorts of information among them as long as their devices are in range (they do not need to be in direct line of sight). For instance, a Bluetooth-capable digital camera can communicate with a Bluetooth-capable printer for direct printing. Likewise, a Bluetooth-capable cellphone can be connected to a Bluetooth-equipped headset so that a person can take and make hands-free telephone calls.Bluetooth can be used for internet connectivity as long as a Bluetooth-enabled computer is in range of a Bluetooth modem. Bluetooth devices can also form a small wireless network (called a piconet) of up to 8 devices. For security, devices can be paired and transmissions encrypted. So that it causes only minimal interference, Bluetooth periodically changes frequency channels.Bluetooth uses the same radio frequency that 802.11 Wireless Networking does, but it is much simpler than 802.11 technology, negating the need for complex network configurations. Bluetooth also has lower power consumption, making it more economical, though its range is shorter. You Need BluetoothIf you wish to have an extremely basic home network, Bluetooth is for you. There are no wires to trip you and there are no complex configurations like network permissions or addresses to deal with. Piconets are temporary, so a new device can immediately join or leave a Bluetooth network with nothing more than a simple device discovery. It is important to note, however, that piconets are no substitution for a traditional home network (whether through Ethernet or 802.11 Wireless), which are much more reliable and offer much more full-bodied security options.If you have a notebook computer, there is a good chance you will want to have Bluetooth connectivity so that you can take advantage of the many Bluetooth-equipped peripherals, thereby eliminating the need for bulky wires. You can also easily synchronize data between your handheld devices and your notebook computer. Moreover, if you are fond of sharing data with other handheld device users, you definitely need to have Bluetooth for easy and convenient data sharing.You Don’t Need BluetoothIt is important to note that Bluetooth can present a security risk if you store sensitive information on your Bluetooth-enabled device. If you are traveling with sensitive information on your computer, cell-phone, or PDA, it is wise to disable Bluetooth temporarily to prevent data theft or exploitation. Please also note that some corporations and government entities disapprove of Bluetooth and similar convenience-based additions, so please check with your employer if you intend to use your Bluetooth-enabled notebook for business.Please, check out these recommendations for the best notebook computers.

This article may be republished freely as long as this copyright notice and box of resource links are included at the bottom.Copyright © 2007 MALIBAL, lLc
Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
About the Author:MALIBAL is the Home of the World's Fastest Laptop! Headquartered in Las Vegas, this groundbreaking company has transmuted the world of mobile computing with its nonpareil laptops and unrivaled 24-hour USA-based support.

Buying Guide to Graphics Cards

2007-08-30T02:58:00.000-07:00

The graphics card is a vital performance component of your computer, particularly if you play 3D games, or work with graphics and video content. The graphics card sits in an expansion card slot in your PC and it is specifically designed to process image data and output it to your monitor, enabling you to see it.

A graphics card works by calculating how images appear, particularly 3D images, and renders them to the screen. 3D images and video images take a lot of processing capacity, and many graphics processors are complex, require fans to cool them and need direct power supply. The graphics card consists of a graphics processor, a memory chip for graphics operations, and a RAMDAC for display output. It may also include video capture, TV output and SLI and other functions.

You can find the graphics card that suits you by comparing specification between brands and vendors on Myshopping.com.au At Myshopping.com.au you can compare a great range of appliances, and assess them according to their specifications, brands, prices and vendors.Graphics CardsWhat are your needs?

The first decision you need to make is whether you need a graphics card for handling 3D images or whether you are simply requiring 2D image rendering. For 2D requirements, you need only a low-cost solution. In many cases, an integrated graphics solution will suffice for 2D applications.However with 3D graphics, the performance of the graphics card will impact directly on the frame rate and image quality of 3D programs and games. The differences between the low and high-end cards can be substantial, both in cost and performance.Rendering 3D graphics is like lighting a stage, both the geometry of the shapes in question and the lighting of it need to be taken into account. The geometry of an image calculates the parts of an object that can and can't be seen, the position of the eye and its perspective.

The lighting is a calculation of the direction of the light sources, their intensities and the respective shadows that occur. The second part to presenting a 3D image is the rendering of colours and textures to the surfaces of the objects, and modifying them according to light and other factors.Most modern graphics cards include a small microchip called the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), which are provide the algorithms and memory to process complex images. They reduce the workload of the main CPU, and provide faster processing. Different graphics cards have different capabilities in terms of processing power. They can render and refresh images up to 60 or more times per second, calculate shadows quickly, create image depth by rendering distant objects at low resolution, modify surface textures fluidly and eliminate pixelation.

What Specifications to ConsiderProcessor clock speedThis impacts on the rendering capability of the GRU. The clock speed itself is not the critical factor. Rather it is the per-clock performance of the graphics processor, which is indicated by the number of pixels it can process per clock cycle.Memory sizeThis is the memory capacity that is used exclusively for graphics operations, and can be as much as 512MB. The more demanding your graphics applications are, the better you will be served with more memory on your graphics card. 16-M64M128M256M512M640M and moreMemory bandwidth

One thing that can slow down 3D graphics performance is the speed at which the computer delivers information to the graphics processor. A higher bandwidth means a faster data transfer, resulting in faster rendering speeds.Shader modelDirectX Shader Models allows developers control over the appearance of an image as it is rendered on screen, introducing visual effects like multi-layered shadows, reflection and fog.Fill rateThis is the speed at an image can be rendered or "painted". This rate is specified in texels per second, the number of 3D pixels that can be painted per second. A texel is a pixel with depth (3D). The fill rate comes from the combined performance of the clock speed of the processor and the number of pixels it can process per clock cycle, and will tell you how quickly an image can be fully rendered on screen.Vertices/trianglesGraphics chips don't work on curves, rather they process flat surfaces. A curve is created by multiple flat planes arranged to look like a curve. 3D objects are created with multiple triangular surfaces, sometimes hundreds or even thousands, tessellated to represent the curves and angles of the real world.

3D artists are concerned with the number of polygons required to form a shape. There are two different types of specification: vertices per second (I.e., angles the triangles), and triangles per second. To compare one measure with the other, you have to take into account the fact that adjacent triangles share vertices.Anti-aliasingA technique used to smooth images by reducing the jagged stepping effect caused by diagonal lines and square pixels. Different levels of anti-aliasing have different effects on performance.RAMDACThe Random Access Memory Digital to Analogue Converter takes the image data and converts it to a format that your screen can use. A faster RAMDAC means that the graphics card can support higher output resolutions. Some cards have multiple RAMDACs allowing that card to support multiple displays.TV-outSome graphics cards provide the option to connect a television via either a composite (RCA) or S-Video connector. TV OutS-video OutS-video In and S-video Out (VIVO)YPbPr Connection for HDTVDVISome graphics cards include a connector for DVI monitors, handy because a lot of LCD screens support DVI. DVI offers better image quality than the standard VGA connector.Dual-headDual-head is a term used when two monitors are used side by side, stretching your desktop across both.SLI (Scalable Link Interface.)With SLI you can couple two graphics cards in your computer, enabling each card to take half the rendering thereby doubling the performance.When considering your graphics card, it pays to think about how much you need your computer to process your graphics output. Using a high end graphics card with a high pixels per clock rating, large memory, fast processor and other features means that you can run the latest games efficiently, or work in intensive graphics development.Different ModelsWhile there are many vendors of graphics cards, there are actually only two major manufacturers of chips for graphics cards. Nearly every graphics card on the market features a chip manufactured by either ATI or Nvidia. Cards using the same graphics chip will perform roughly the same as each other. However, even though they use the same chip, some feature slightly higher clock speeds, as well as manufacturer guaranteed overclocking-an even higher clock speed than that specified. Other factors that will influence your decision should include the amount of memory a card has (128MB, 256MB, 512MB) and its additional features, such as TV-Out and dual-screen support.Use the search facilities at Myshopping.com.au to compare the features, prices and vendors of graphics cards.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
About the Author:Andrew Gates is a writer for comparison online shopping service MyShopping.com.au . MyShopping.com.au helps you compare video cards and buy online from top-rated online stores. You can also read graphics cards reviews and specifications.

Broadband And The Way It Works

2007-08-30T02:55:00.000-07:00

Most people are not aware of what the term broadband really means. Even if this is a word we keep hearing every day, we may not have a clear understanding of how broadband works. This is not at all a shameful thing, as even the technology industry has trouble trying to define it clearly. The definition the online dictionaries provide us with is that broadband is a class of communication channel capable of supporting a wide range of frequencies, typically from audio up to video frequencies. A broadband channel can carry multiple signals by dividing the total capacity into multiple, independent bandwidth channels, where each channel operates only on a specific range of frequencies. Got it yet?

Well, these definitions can be rather confusing sometimes, but once we have analyzed every part of it, you will surely make a good picture of how broadband really works.Broadband is not like the normal class of communication channel that we usually use, that is our regular phone lines. A regular, base band phone line can carry up to 56kbps of data with the help of a high-speed modem, but without additional technology, that is its maximum capacity. However, with the increasing popularity of the internet, people began to demand faster data transmission.If the base band line has one channel to send information, you can imagine a broadband line as having multiple channels that you can use at the same time. Furthermore, a broadband connection is capable of carrying a wider range and type of frequencies, meaning different types of data. It can also do it faster!

If you can imagine your connection to the internet as being a tunnel, that links your computer to the internet, you will clearly see that a broadband is a wider tunnel. It will allow a larger amount of information to go through your connection at the same time. The breadth of this tunnel is called bandwidth. With this broadband service, you can also download files such as audio and video files.Another advantage of the broadband services is the fact that they can also compress and transmit data.You will get more out of the bandwidth that you have. Broadband makes your internet experience faster. Therefore, broadband technology can widen the existing channels, not to speak about using them more efficiently! Isn�t this what each and every one of us is looking for in any internet connection?

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
About the Author:Skyriver Communications - A new breed of connectivity services provider - T1 San Diego - Broadband San Diego - Trusted. Reliable. Qualified.

About Laser Printers

2007-08-30T02:53:00.000-07:00

Like with many other things in the world of printing, laser printers have come a long way in the past few years. They have gone from being found almost exclusively in offices to being offered at $100 for a home user. Although they are better for a lot of people, some have a hard time imagining themselves buying a laser printer for their home. A lot of people have the idea that laser printers are just the big clunky machines in their offices where the toner cartridges cost a fortune. However, if you are someone who prints out a large amount of documents and is tired of always having to buy new black inkjet cartridges, laser printers can be the solution. Once you get past the initial sticker shock of buying laser toner cartridges, you will realize the numbers for an entry level laser printer versus an inkjet printer look something like this:Typical toner cartridge - $50-$60Page yield - 2,000-3,000 pagesAverage cost per page - 2-2.5 cents per pageTypical inkjet cartridge - $20-$30Page yield - 400-500 pagesAverage cost per page - 4-6 cents per pageAlthough these are just averages and may not seem all that different, in general if you are printing documents, it will probably cost you twice as much to run an inkjet printer than a laser printer. It is better to think of things in the long term when it comes to laser printers, because only then will you truly appreciate their value. If you buy a laser printer and then a backup toner cartridge at the same time, by the time you will have finished that second cartridge, you would have gone through roughly 10 inkjet cartridges.So if you aren't into printing color, then you are probably better off going with a laser printer over a standard inkjet printer. You will appreciate the speed and low maintenance of a laser printer, while also saving money on printer ink in the long run.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
About the Author:Karl Smith devotes all his time to ink, so therefore he is probably the world's foremost authority on the world of printing. He writes a blog at www.pacificink.com/blog.

A Guide to LCD Monitors

2007-08-30T02:48:00.000-07:00

Liquid Crystal Displays, or LCDs, are not a new innovation in themselves. In fact, portable computers, and handheld games have long used LCDs as their display. However, they are now becoming far more affordable for use with desktop computers.

The basic premise behind LCDs is that electricity is being applied to crystals to reveal the necessary colours. There is also a backlight to enable the display to be seen clearly under al lighting conditions that the LCD is being viewed in.LCDs have a number of benefits over traditional CRT, or Cathode Ray Tube, displays. The first of these is their size and weight. The thickness of LCDs is only a couple of inches so that it can be used in places where space is at a premium. The CRT displays are often over 20 inches deep, and take up far more space on a desk or computer table. Of course, the smaller the size of a monitor, the lighter it is. LCDs are considerably lighter than their CRT counterparts.

In fact, LCDs can even be mounted on a wall, whilst the bulky CRT cannot so easily.LCDs do not have the same light intensity of CRTs, and do not use the same scanning process to produce images. These are both extremely important from a Health and Safety point of view as LCDs do not cause the same levels of eye strain for the user that CRTs can do.One of the environmental considerations that any people are becoming interested in is energy efficiency. LCDs require a minimal amount of energy to light the crystals, and the amount used for the backlight is also considerable less than that used by the CRTs constant scanning process.Of course, nothing is perfect, and LCDs do have one major drawback, their cost. It is true that the price of an LCD monitor is dropping all the time, but they are still significantly more expensive when compared to a CRT monitor of the same screen size.

This means that it will take some time before the cost of LCDs is less than CRT displays, but if you can afford to buy one now you won’t regret it as the benefits justify the extra cost.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
About the Author:S. Stammberger is editor of LCD Monitors. Get details on manufacturers, distributors, vendors, and suppliers of LCD Monitors.

3 Tips to Remember When Doing a Memory Upgrade on your Desktop

2007-08-30T02:45:00.000-07:00

A desktop computer might be the best investment you make for your business and for your family. By providing you with the ability to create professional looking documents, access to the internet, and general gaming and music functions, you can not only broaden your world, but you can also keep up with the fast pace of information. If you've had your computer for a while, you may begin to wonder what else it can do for you and for your life. And that's where many people start when they think about adding memory.Why You Need More MemoryJust as we all wish that we had a more efficient memory system in our brains some days, our computers wish for more memory to improve their function. RAM, or random access memory, is essential for storing programs and information when we are working on the computer, making it easier for us to access this information when we need it. The more programs we need to access, the more memory we need. As the rest of the computer is bogged down with stored programs and documents, the computer needs to rely on the RAM more and more to perform basic functions.

As this RAM depletion occurs, you might notice that your computer is running slower or having troubles with basic programs. Your computer might crash more often than it ever has or it may freeze in the middle of a task. If you didn't have a lot of memory to begin with when you bought the computer, chances are good that you still don't have a lot of memory to work with – and you need to correct this.The good news is that you can actually do your own memory upgrade on your computer to make things move more smoothly for you. Here are three tips to help you with your first memory upgrade.

Tip #1: Always Check on How Much Memory is too MuchJust like you can't screw two light bulbs into one socket, you can't always put a lot of memory into a desktop computer. Some models simply aren't equipped to handle higher amounts of memory. But they can often be built up to about 1GB average, which is a fair amount of total memory for a basic desktop computer.To find out how much memory your computer can handle, you can refer to your user's manual to see where the computer lists the memory capability. If you can not find it here, you might want to go to your computer manufacturer's website to see if they can give you directions from here. The help desk for your brand can also help guide you.For a PC, you can find the maximum memory slots and capability by finding System Information through your Control Panel and finding the memory allotted. For example, if you see that the memory allotted is 1.87GB, you will know that you can only upgrade to that amount. You will then want to check to see how much memory you are using at the current time and then whatever the difference is, that's what you can add.Adding too much memory will not work in your computer and can often cause troubles in terms of making your computer work too hard or even not work at all.And while this seems like it would be a limiting factor in terms of your computer's performance, knowing about the memory capability will help you begin to look at computers differently when you go to buy a new one – you might want to find one that can be easily upgraded.

Tip #2: Always Buy from a Certified Memory Seller It's very tempting to buy memory from someone that is selling it for a low price. When you want to add memory to your computer, you should expect to pay a few hundred dollars per GB that you purchase. And while this sounds like a lot of money, you will be getting a lot of performance in return.To find certified memory sellers, you will want to go to your brand's website to see who they recommend or to simply buy the memory from the manufacturer directly. This will ensure that the memory is made for your computer and that it will work with the software and hardware you already have.Buying from a cheaper seller can often result in malfunctioning equipment as well as a loss of the money you paid for it.

Tip#3: Always Read the DirectionsInstalling memory into a hard drive is actually quite simple, if you read the directions. These will come with the memory sticks themselves. Here are the basic tips:

Buy a pair of memory sticks for maximum performance
Turn off and unplug your desktop
Remove all cords that supply power to your desktop
Press in the power button to discharge any electrical charge
Touch a metal part of the tower to discharge electricity
Open up the tower, remove the old memory
Push in new memory until it 'clicks'
Put tower back together and turn on

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
About the Author:About Author :Grant Eckert is a writer for UpgradeComputerMemory.com. UpgradeComputerMemory.com is a leading provider of Ram Memory Upgrade Memory Computer Memory

10 Buying Tips to get the Best Printer

2007-08-30T02:37:00.000-07:00

When it comes down to buying a printer for yourself, the real key is finding the best printer for your needs. And how do you find the best printer? Ask questions! Here are 10 great questions to ask yourself in order to find the absolute best printer for all of your printing needs.

1. Is the printer going to be the only printer in the home or office? If yes, then you need the printer to be able to do multiple functions like print pictures, print text fast, and do it all effectively. But very few offices have one printer, and even some homes have more than one with the price of printers on the market. So it might not be a bad idea to buy two printers for your home with one for photo printing, and one for everything else.

2. Do you need a multifunction (all-in-one) printer or not? Nowadays you can buy printers that scan, copy and fax. Will you need your printer to perform any of those things? If you don’t necessarily need the printer do any of those things, then it will not be a factor you need to consider. If not, your buying decision will be much more speedy.

3. What are you going to use the printer for?If you have a need for one particular function in a printer, look for just that at first. For instance, if you want scanning capability, look for that first and then go for the printing part. This means what are you going to use the printer mainly for? Here are some common printer uses, usage levels and the type of printer that may be best suited for this usage:

• Light everyday home use: occasional printing , mainly text, maps for directions, a few photos here and there. (Basic entry level inkjet printer).

• Heavy home use (Or home office, light office): High number of pages, still mainly text or no photo images (no color needed then b/w laser printer, if color is needed a good fast inkjet printer, and if budget available than an entry level color laser).

• Home photo printing: Uses a few mainstream paper sizes, print family photos, cards, scrapbooking, but nothing in high volume (entry to medium level photo printer depending on the budget).

• Professional photo printing: High quality photo printing (high end photo printers).

• Printing marketing materials. Small businesses, real estate agents, etc. (color laser printers small-to-high end).

• Heavy office use for mainly text: if black/white is enough (b/w fast laser printer).

• Heavy office use with also a lot of images and color: a lot of text with graphics, company newsletters, brochures, graphs and presentations. (a good high end color laser printer)

4. What is your budget for buying that printer? You can start by coming up with a budget and then try to get the best printer that fits your needs in that budget. This can work several ways. Most likely, however, you will think of a number that looks great on paper. After a bit of research, you may find that you overestimated or underestimated the cost of a printer that fulfills all of your needs. Then, you’ll come up with a more accurate budget and go from there. Be sure to consider the cost of printer ink cartridges in your budget as well, as they will be a recurring expense.

5. What is the true cost of printer ownership?Find the supply cost of the printer before you buy it. Calculate the cost per page estimation—if the cartridge yield is 300 and the price of cartridge set is $30, then you will average 0.10 per page--and if you print about 200 pages a month you are looking at $20/month cost or more. Things to keep in mind:- Laser printers are less expensive per page (always) especially just black/white lasers as they are great for heavy printing. - Off Brand Printer Cartridges. Not all of them are good. Some stores sell not-so-great quality off-brand or after market products but if the seller is reputable and has a guarantee then why not try it?- Laser Printer Cartridges. Most of the time, if the model is popular enough, you can find good remanufactured cartridges. If you do this, buy remanufactured cartridges that have a new drum, as this will make a big difference. For less popular printer brands and models you may not be able to find cheaper cartridges so check before you buy. - For inkjet printers, most HP, All Lexmark, Xerox and some Canon do not have compatible new generic brands but do have cheaper--but not by much--remanufactured cartridges. Most Epson, Brother, Some Canon, Oki and Xerox have good compatible affordable cartridges. You can forget Dell. And Lexmark has old technology and inferior printers with expensive supplies that you can buy only from Dell.com directly but some cheaper remanufactured cartridges do exist.

6. Have you heard of the printer brand before? Usually, very few printers have breakthrough technology and designs that can last. Try something that has been tested by the market--you can read reviews for it and supplies are and will be available.

7. What do professionals and customers think about it?In this day and age, we spend a lot of time and money on our printers so it really is worth it to spend ample time on research. Some good printer review sources you can use include: Amazon , PC Magazine website, PCWorld Magazine Website and CNET reviews

8. What do your friends think about it?Ask friends and family about their printers if you think they use one similar to yours. There’s nothing like a good review from a close personal friend or relative to encourage you to make that purchase—if you trust their opinion, that is.

9. Have you thought about non-traditional brands?Consider other brands besides the usual suspects like HP, Lexmark, Epson, Canon or Dell. A lot of new good printers are out there like Brother and Samsung. Even Kodak is coming out with new printers these days. Doing your research means digger deeper than the label.

10. Where will you buy the printer from?Many people opt to buy products online these days, which is great. But a major purchase like a printer gets tricky. Buy the printer from a local store and if you are going to use it a lot, and the printer is expensive it might worth it to get their store warranty. Don’t try to save a few bucks ordering online. Printers are still delicate equipment and can get broken during shipment. Also, you might want to return the printer after you try it out and it’s much easier to walk into the store to do so.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
About the Author:This article is written by Brenda Stokes. A longer version of this article is at 10 Buying Tips to select the best printer. She writes more on Discount Epson Printer Ink and provides tips Printer Ink Refill Instructions.

The Brief History of Apple Laptops

2007-08-30T02:33:00.000-07:00

The release of the Apple laptop was the product that helped put Apple back on top in the computing world. For years, Apple had been appreciated by graphic designers, artists, and other visually minded people who appreciated the plethora of graphics programs on Apple’s computers. And for this reason, Apple became entrenched in a niche market and struggled gain footing as a serious competitor in the computing world.

But with the launch of the Apple laptop, Apple was able to finally break free from this restrictive mold. Apple was able to separate itself from the crowd with a visually appealing product that catered to the customer’s needs and wants – a powerful computing machine that was easy to use.

Apple laptops, such as the iBook and PowerBook models, were visually unique also. They stood apart from other laptop designs with their trademark sleek white or shimmering silver color and a curvy design that lacked edges. These laptops appealed to both the upper echelon as well as the common dweller.

The Apple laptop also incorporated accessibility into its design. This Apple product was different in that it could be used with PC and Windows products, which is one of the attributes that helped propel Apple beyond its constrictive refines. Apple users were no longer restricted. Another plus is that the Apple laptop tended to outperform comparable laptop PCs.

The novel design of Apple laptop even included a built in trackball which served to set it even further apart from its competition. No other laptop manufacturers included such a feature that was integrated as well. With the Apple laptop, the trackball was placed in front of the keyboard making it easier to use and much more comfortable will.

Apple even managed to package its laptop into a smaller space than other PC manufacturers. The Apple laptop was less than 2.5 inches thick and only covered an area slightly larger than a letter-size sheet of paper. And in addition to that, it weighed in at only 6.8 pounds, while its PC counterparts averaged well over 8 pounds and lacked many of the features found in even the cheapest desktop system, such as hard drives and mice.

By incorporating features that other laptop PCs did not include, the Apple laptop managed to gain footing in the IT world and propel itself to the top of the ranks. And by remaining on the cutting edge of technology, Apple shows no signs of slipping yet.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
Brenda Moore is a frequent user of the apple laptop but also uses the dell laptop. She's gotten her last apple laptop for free, via the free laptop website.

Guide For Buying Your Rack Mount Computer On The Internet

2007-08-30T01:58:00.000-07:00

If you desire to get a rack mounted computer for your use, you can begin your search on the Internet. You can simply visit any of the major search engines, like Google.com or Ask.com and search for "buy rack mount computer", "rack mounted computer for sale online", etc.

This will give you many websites that you can buy the rack mount computer of your choice.

But before you hurry up and make payment, ensure that the online sellers are genuine. You don't want to spend the money paying for your rack mount computer only to realize at the end of the day that you have been defrauded of your hard earned money.

Below are some guides for safely buying your rack mount computer on the Internet:

Don't buy from any online store that has a price that is too good to be true. You can find some online stores that offer too cheap price for rack mount computer. Be wary of such companies. Don't just rush and make payment, but first confirm to see if the company is genuine or not.

In other words, do your own investigations before making your order. Too bad these days there are still many fraudulent sellers on the Internet. They just set up websites claiming to sell items like rack mount computers, only to take your money and disappear into thin air.

You can visit any top computer related forums on the Internet and ask the members there about their opinion on the best places to buy your rack mount computer. Watch for the similar advice given by most of the members. This will give you a good indication if it’s worth following their advice.

When you take these few tips into consideration it will help you make the best rack mount computer buying decision.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
By Bill Johnson Rack Mount Rack Mount Computer

Gateway: From PC powerhouse to buyout bargain

2007-08-28T08:10:00.000-07:00

Suitors once offered $7 billion for Gateway, but after a decade of missteps and bad luck, the company is snapped up for a modest $710 million.

Taiwan is a long way from Iowa.

But not as long as the distance that Gateway--the farm-raised, direct-sales PC company that grew into a major force in the U.S. computer industry--has traveled over the past two decades.
When Acer agreed Monday to purchase the American PC maker, it wasn't shocking, since more than a few pundits would say Gateway's acquisition has been several years overdue. But at a $710 million purchase price, it's a comedown for a company that in 1997 was offered $7 billion to become part of Compaq (which was eventually acquired by Hewlett-Packard).

A string of bad quarters, a revolving door into the chief executive's office and a schizophrenic business strategy have all led to Gateway's end as an independent company after 22 years in business. The economic downturn that began in 2000 hit Gateway particularly hard, and it never quite recovered. Its identity as a company was constantly in flux after that, expanding through retail stores, delving in the world of consumer electronics, and acquiring low-end PC maker eMachines. But none of the new strategies quite worked.

"Gateway's basically been up on eBay for the last couple years."
--Samir Bhavnani,analyst, Current Analysis West

Now it will be up to Acer, a Taiwanese company, to resuscitate Gateway's heartland image and compete with the PC industry's dueling giants, HP and Dell. To people who've watched Gateway's aimless adventures of the last few years, the new and focused management that will be at the helm is probably a good thing, and a long time coming. "Gateway's basically been up on eBay for the last couple years," said Samir Bhavnani, analyst at Current Analysis West.

Founded in 1985, the company was built on a direct-sales model--a la Dell--which was initially very successful. Gateway grew 20 percent to 30 percent from quarter to quarter at its peak in the '90s, making it the Acer of its day--the fastest-growing PC maker at the time.
In 1997, founder and CEO Ted Waitt rejected a proposed merger with Compaq, a deal that would have made Gateway the consumer arm of the world's largest PC operation at the time. After turning Compaq down, Gateway moved into software and services, financing and Internet connections.

But it wasn't as adept selling its PCs in cow-print boxes directly to business. In 1999, Waitt resigned and Jeff Weitzen took over as CEO. Then in 2000 a steep decline in demand hit the PC industry. Gateway's shipments dropped off quickly. The company went from moving 4.2 million units that year to 3.2 million in 2001, 2.7 million in 2002, finally bottoming out at 1.9 million in 2003, according to data compiled by IDC.

Then an economic recession hit. Things got worse. In 2002, Gateway began stocking its Gateway Country Stores--which were formerly just places for customers to place orders--with a variety of consumer electronics, such as cameras, video recorders, and most notably, plasma televisions. The company made a huge splash in the nascent plasma business by undercutting other vendors by hundreds of dollars. The strategy was applauded at the time, but it was a bust.
"At one time it was really focused on selling televisions and made a pretty big bet on the digital home...HP and Dell placed similarly large bets, but they also kept the focus on their PC business," said John Spooner, analyst with TBR.

Then, switching gears, the company scooped up eMachines, a low-end PC maker, in 2004. By then, Gateway had lost much of its shine, and much of the leadership from the much-smaller eMachines was brought in to run the company. "In reality, it seemed like eMachines was taking over Gateway, with its management structure, the way they marketed themselves, and priced themselves," Bhavnani said. eMachines Chief Executive Wayne Inouye moved over to run Gateway, and seven of 13 of the senior vice presidents appointed after the merger also hailed from eMachines.

Later that same year, the newly combined company announced it would begin closing its retail stores, which also meant cutting more than a third of Gateway's workforce. It was then that Gateway began cropping up on retail shelves, and TVs and other consumer electronics were cut out of the picture to focus better on its core business—PCs.

Inouye left in 2006 and company chairman Rick Snyder stepped in as interim CEO. Later that year J. Edward Coleman became the company's fifth chief executive in six years.

Finally, the company got back to doing what it does best -- building PCs. By then, it was worth one-tenth of its value at its peak. But there's still that brand, the biggest reason Acer wants the company. Acer will need it to compete in the U.S. market with Dell and HP.

"Who doesn't like the spotted dots, the cows, what they stood for, seeing (founder) Ted Waitt in the commercials with the pick-up trucks?" said Bhavnani. "It's a company that people rooted for."

The Hard Drive Journal

Focalprice

AppleHour

Samsung Notebook Deal

The Top 10 Best Laptops

Do you want to buy a laptop, but are daunted by the sheer number of choices out there? We winnow down your options to the top 10 best laptops available today.

Related articles

Office Depot Sale on Laptops

Related articles

DataVision

Specials From New Egg

Free Shipping From Toshiba Direst

Laptopz.com

Free Laptop Upgrades From Toshiba

CompUSA

Do you need any help with your social media marketing, blogging or backlinks?

formspring.me

TechLoops

ToshibaDirect

Weekly Offers From HP Small Business

Trendmicro's Threat Resource Center Widget

Sony VAIO SZ2 Review

Canon Powershot A650 IS Review

Review: ViewSonic VP930b LCD Monitor

Review: Kodak EasyShare 5300 All-in-one Price: $299

Deals in from eCost

From PC Connection

Exclusive offers from Tiger Direct

Apple: 1 million iPhones sold

Apple Price Cut On New iPhone Shakes Investors

Apple Unveils Wi-Fi iPod, Wi-Fi iTunes, Wi-Fi Starbucks Collaboration

The iPod is growing up

OQO model 02 Review

Compact Digital Camera or Digital SLR - Which Is Best For You?

Cameras That Satisfy Consumers

How to compare and buy the right notebook?

Do You Need Bluetooth?

Buying Guide to Graphics Cards

Broadband And The Way It Works

About Laser Printers

A Guide to LCD Monitors

3 Tips to Remember When Doing a Memory Upgrade on your Desktop

10 Buying Tips to get the Best Printer

The Brief History of Apple Laptops

Guide For Buying Your Rack Mount Computer On The Internet

Gateway: From PC powerhouse to buyout bargain