iBuyPower Battalion 101 Core i7 Notebook

Posted in iBuyPower by Conner Flynn on November 12th, 2009

iBuyPower Battalion 101 Core i7 NotebookiBuyPower just launched its first Core i7 Notebook, the iBuyPower Battalion 101W870CU. The iBuyPower Battalion 101 comes with your choice of Intel Core i7 processor: the 1.6GHz 720QM, the 1.73GHz 820QM and the 2.0GHz 920XM.

Memory is 2GB of DDR3 RAM standard with the option to increase it to 8GB. It also boasts a GeForce GTX 280M card, along with a 17.3 inch widescreen full HD LCD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080. Hard drives range from 250GB up to 500GB or SSDs which from 64GB up to 256GB. There’s also an optional Blu-ray drive, 7-in-1 card reader, 3D surround sound, 802.11 a/g/n WiFi and LAN.

MacBook Pro battery explosion reported

Posted in Apple by Shane McGlaun on November 11th, 2009

mbp-battery-explosion_1All of the battery issues that we have seen over the last few years have forced me to reconsider using a laptop actually in my lap. I don’t mind the heat from the computer nearly as much as I would mind a battery exploding on my gonads. Typically, these battery explosions have been mostly limited to Windows computers, but today a new report of a MacBook Pro battery blowing its top has come in.

Engadget reports that the MacBook Pro is a 17-inch non-unibody machine that was being used on a desktop at the time the incident occurred. According to the user, a strange noise began and then got louder.

Sony Vaio Nebula FW Series

Posted in Notebooks by Conner Flynn on November 2nd, 2009

Sony Vaio Nebula FW SeriesLooks like Sony has some new additions to their Signature Collection of notebooks. The standout model is the Nebula FW Series. The Nebula FW Series perfectly blends science and technology. All it’s missing is a NASA ship against that cosmic backdrop.

The Sony Vaio Nebula FW is a limited edition series starting at a base price of $809.99 but can be customized if you like. Some specs include a Blu-ray player, Dolby Surround Sound, 16.4″ display, Windows 7, and 3.06 Intel Core 2 Duo processor.

Dell unveils new rugged XT2 XFR convertible tablet computer

Posted in Dell by Shane McGlaun on October 28th, 2009

dellxt2xfr-sgSome users need a computer for use on the go that is very rugged. Users who are outdoors a lot in rough environments like police, first responders, military, and field service reps can’t use any old computer without it having a short life span.

Dell has unveiled what it claims to the smallest 12.1-inch rugged convertible tablet PC with multi-touch technology. The machine is called the Latitude XT2 XFR and is 1.5-inches thick and designed to meet MIL-801G requirements. The convertible tablet has compression sealed and rugged I/O doors.

GPU market grows over 21% in Q3 2009

Posted in Computers by Shane McGlaun on October 27th, 2009

jpr-logoOne of the things that the computer industry is measured by is how many GPUs ship. The more GPUs that ship, the more computers ship. All computers have a GPU of some sort inside them today. The latest figures from Jon Peddie Research for Q3 2009 have been released.

The GPU market grew an impressive 21.2% compared to Q2 2009. AMD was the biggest gainer for the quarter with growth of 30% followed by Intel who grew 21% for the quarter. NVIDIA grew only 3.3% during Q3.

Dell Inspiron 13z launched down under

Posted in Dell by Shane McGlaun on October 22nd, 2009

dell13z-sgIf you have been holding out for a new ultraportable notebook running Windows 7, today is your day. Windows 7 launched officially today and hoards of new notebooks are hitting the market with the new OS installed. Among the new notebooks is the Dell Inspiron 13z.

The machine is now available in Australia and we expect the machine to be unveiled soon here in the US. The notebook has a 13.3-inch 1366 x 768 HD resolution LED backlit screen. Processor options range from Pentium dual-core parts to Intel Core 2 Duo Su9400 on the high-end. Available RAM is up to 4GB with 2GB standard and storage ranges from 160GB to 500GB.

Acer goes official with Aspire 5738-6165 3D notebook

Posted in Acer by Shane McGlaun on October 21st, 2009

acer3dnotebook-sgWe spied the Acer Aspire 5738DG online a few days back and today the notebook has gone official. The special thing about the new machine is that it is the first notebook from Acer to support 3D content. The machine turns normal 2D content into 3D.

The special notebook has a TriDef 3D screen measuring 15.6-inch wide. The resolution is 1366 x 768 and the panel has 220nit brightness. Graphics for the machine are via ATI HD 4570 with 512MB of VRAM. Acer uses Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit for the OS.

Cooler Master unveils new universal notebook power adapters

Posted in Computer Components by Shane McGlaun on October 21st, 2009

cmnbpsuAt one point four different friends called me up all hoping that I had an extra power adapter for a notebook when theirs went out. It’s not all that uncommon a thing to happen it seems, despite the fact that it has never happened to me personally. If your notebook power adapter is on the fritz, Cooler Master has a pair of new adapters just for you.

Cooler Master may be better known for its line of computer cases, but these power supplies seem pretty cool. The devices are the NA 65 and NA 90 high-efficiency power adapters. They each come with nine different tips to allow them to work with most notebooks on the market.

HP unveils dv8 and updated dv6 and dv7 notebooks

Posted in HP by Shane McGlaun on October 14th, 2009

hpdv8-sgHP makes all sorts of notebook and desktop computers that it ships all around the globe. That makes sense considering that HP is the top PC maker in the world. HP today unveiled the dv8 and updated dv6 and dv7 multimedia notebooks.

The dv8 is the high-end machine of the trio with an 18.4-inch screen with full HD resolution. The notebook also has a Blu-ray player and integrated TV tuner along with a built-in subwoofer for good sound quality. The machine also sports an Intel Core i7 CPU and graphics via NVIDIA GT 230.

Acer Aspire Timeline AS1810TZ 11.6″ Notebook

Posted in Acer by Conner Flynn on October 14th, 2009

Acer Aspire Timeline AS1810TZ 11.6" NotebookAcer has announced the Acer Aspire Timeline AS1810TZ notebook which sports an 11.6″ screen with an HD resolution and is LED backlit. This one has a full sized keyboard and delivers up to 8 hours of battery life on a single charge.

This notebook is just one of several announced by Acer, but this model is the thinnest and lightest, weighing just 3.08 pounds. This notebook will launch on October 22 with Windows 7 installed for $599.

Logitech Notebook Kit MK605 turns your laptop into a desktop, sort of

Posted in Logitech by Conner Flynn on October 14th, 2009

Logitech Notebook Kit MK605 turns your laptop into a desktop, sort ofIf you like to use a laptop for portability, but still prefer to use a mouse at your desk, this one is for you. Logitech’s new Notebook Kit MK605 may be your new best friend. The kit includes a pivoting laptop stand, wireless keyboard and a wireless M505 laser mouse that uses a small USB Receiver that communicates with those peripherals.

So what’s the big deal right? You can buy those on their own. You can, but buying them separately would cost you about $30 more than if you buy this bundle, which will run you $100.

Acer Aspire 5738DG 3D notebook launched

Posted in Acer by Conner Flynn on October 14th, 2009

Acer Aspire 5738DG 3D notebook launchedOh goodness, the silly 3D craze continues. Now Acer has an official 3D notebook. Acer didn’t go the hardware route, instead this relies on a software solution called Acer 3D CineReal, a special 3D coating on the screen, and polarizing glasses. Oh boy.

It comes with the TriDef suite of software containing the TriDef Media Player which will play your movies back in 3D, while TriDef Ignition converts games from 2D to 3D and applications supporting DirectX 9 and above.

Dell Adamo XPS laptop continues to tease

Posted in Dell by Conner Flynn on October 13th, 2009

Adamo XPSJust look at that sexy laptop. You can practically floss with that thing. Dell’s latest tease of its amazingly thin Adamo XPS notebook has us all drooling. It shows the unusual way in which the laptop unfolds and we have to admit, we like it. A lot.

The Adamo XPS is just 9.99mm-thick and you really can’t get any thinner. Not using today’s technology. It really looks well engineered with that offset hinge, which unfolds the keyboard from the back of the screen, apparently allowing it to stand on its own. We can’t wait to see more.

Transparent Sony VAIO X spotted

Posted in Sony by Conner Flynn on October 13th, 2009

Transparent Sony VAIO X spottedCheck out Sony’s new thin-and-light VAIO X, but this is no ordinary VAIO X, it’s practically invisible. This guy made its debut at a press event in China today. A surprisingly transparent edition of the laptop. And before you ask, no you will likely never see this on store shelves.

So if you wanted to see it’s inner workings, this is your best chance. You certainly wouldn’t want to spend upwards of $1,300 for this thing only to take it apart. Of course, that is half the fun.

Emerge ReTrak Retractable Universal Notebook Charger

Posted in Chargers by Conner Flynn on October 11th, 2009

Emerge ReTrak Retractable Universal Notebook ChargerEmerge Technologies just dropped its latest retractable universal notebook charger dubbed the ReTrak. If you carry a lot of devices with you, this will come in very handy. It’s designed specifically for those on the go and aims to make your life easier.

The small and lightweight 90W charger features fully retractable cords that can extend nearly three meters, two USB ports for charging multiple devices (iPods, Blackberrys, MP3 etc) and it works with over 7000 different notebook models. The ReTrak Universal Charger will cost you $99.99.





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