The character Darth Vader from the Star Wars Jedi episodes have influenced a lot of people and a lot of companies as well. He is the master of dark side of the Force. Well, now you can let your children explore the dark side of the Force while they try to learn something from the Darth Vader laptop. I know it sounds a little weird talking about this. But, if you want to blame anyone, you can blame it on Oregon Scientific – the company that released the Darth Vader laptop. This way your kid can pick up the learning path with the cool new laptop. The computer lets your kid choose 50 different games. Your child will develop typing ability, coordination, and musical abilities. Also, children using this laptop will have better reflexes. A headphone jack has already been provided for silent play. All you need to do is buy two AA batteries for your kids. Interestingly enough, the user can learn as a Jedi although, Vader still is the professor conducting the classes. The light sabre that extends with the push of a button sort of acts like a mouse. Irrespective of all these info, pricing information and release dates are nowhere to be found, not even on the Oregon scientific site. Well, if you trust the Darth Vader with kids, keep an eye out for more information on this. This can be your child’s next birthday gift. Image Credits: Freedesktopwallpapers, Gizmodo
I would call this a convenient retrogression. There is hardly any doubt that Blu-ray and HD-DVD drives are still low on the priority lists of buyers. Perhaps, due to the limited knowledge they have about these drives. And, in such a scenario, Sony doesn’t want to take chances. It reflects in the latest release of its conventional CD/DVD burners – the S70 and the 840 series. The multi-format disc drives feature a distinct variety of slim, external drives and internal models that offer the best of both worlds. The DRX-S70U is slim and sleek and offers burn speeds as follows: – 8X DVD+/-R – 4X DVD+/-R DL – 8X DVD+RW – 6X DVD-RW – 24X CD-R/RW The 840 series – DRU-840A and DRX-840U offer the same burn speeds as shown below: – 20X DVD+/-R – 12X DVD+/-R DL – 12X DVD+RW – 6X DVD-RW – 48X CD-R – 32X CD-RW However, the difference between the two is that the former is internal while the latter is external. Additionally, the DRU-840A is an ATAPI (EIDE) drive. On the other hand, the DRX-840U can be connected via USB 2.0 (or USB 1.1, with slower write speeds) to offer the ultimate portability. The drives are incorporated with Nero 7 Express. With the variety, Sony looks to cater to the laptop market and the PC market at the same time. The drives will be available from September. The pricing of DRX-840U & DRX-S70U is $110 and $130 respectively, while the DRU-840A is currently on the stands for $70. Via: cnet
For some, ‘sky is the limit’. Imagine a notebook that is less than 2 cm thick. Add 64 GB of SSD and you get an unimaginable product from Toshiba – the Dynabook SS RX1 . This one’s got it all – looks, performance, and reliability (I say this because it is Toshiba). This state-of-the-art notebook runs on a Core 2 Duo processor and boasts of 11 hrs of autonomy (Now that’s a treat). The 12.1 inch display is not something to cheer about, though. And, like every other device, you need to strike a balance and this one is no different. The versions that are listed on the website come equipped with a HDD and not SSD. Seems like we would have to wait a while! The price is neither going to disappoint you nor would you get ecstatic about it. The notebook costs 1.677€, for the1GB RAM version with a 1.2GHz Core 2 Duo and 120GB HDD, and around 2.000€ for the 2GB RAM and Office 2007 version. However, I would still maintain that this is a small price to pay for such a beauty! Via: akihabaranews
Mouse Computer Japan has just unveiled its plans to release their 17-inch gaming notebook pc ‘NEXTGEAR-NOTE M700 Series’ , with a resolution of 1920×1200. Powered by Intel Core 2 Duo processor and Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN the ‘NEXTGEAR-NOTE M700WXV1′ runs on Windows Vista Ultimate OS and supports Intel Core 2 Extreme processor X7800 CPU and 160GB SATA hard disk. It also comes loaded with 2GB DDR II RAM and NVIDIA GeForce 7950GTX graphics card. Weighing just 4-Kg, the machine would attract quite a few gamers who’re looking forward to a perfect replacement for their gaming desktops. Carrying a price tag of around 364,980 (JPY, VAT included) or $3077, it would certainly give some heat to its western counterparts, however, its quality is yet to be tested, but it seems a good bet especially with cutting edge features mentioned above. Via: Aving
Normally manufacturer designs notebooks with some unique class stuff to give smooth and silky looks to their products but now to offer some conventional looks the S-series notebook concept is designed via wood. This new concept that appears interesting to me, sports ultra-thin 4mm thick LCD screens, at 17″ wide, and runs Windows Vista whereas the back of the screen comes dished in black acrylic with a wood base and targets business users. Designed by Simon Enever this funky laptop designing with glossy looks will really make my office look cool and arresting, because I think that I am big wood-hugger. Via: Yankodesign
One of the cardinal principles: sign on a cheque and write ‘only’ in the amount column, no matter how big the amount actually is. Unfortunately, I can never do that without a lingering feeling of irony. So once in a while I write a cheque where I write only really meaning it. Here’s my chance and i believe yours too. ‘Cause, if you are looking ahead to hunt some inexpensive laptop, Medison a Swedish consulting company can light your way with their newly unveiled economical notebook called Medison Celebrity laptop for merely $150. This Medison Celebrity laptop features standard hardware: a 14-inch WXGA screen, an optimized Fedora Linux install, a 1.5GHz Celeron processor, 256MB of RAM, 40GB of storage, a CD / DVD combo drive, 802.11g WiFi, built-in webcam and VIA PN800 integrated graphics. The best part is that you can also purchase a license from Microsoft for Windows XP, if you are not comfortable with Linux. This cost-effective notebook is not yet available but it will hit US and European shelves sometimes in 4-6 weeks and everything for just $150 only. Via: Expertlancer
Another entrant in Samsung Electronic’s famly, Desknote Sens G25 notebook. This latest model measures 19 inches and comes in a glossy black color to tout its 320GB SATA hard drive and seven USB 2.0 ports. Its display offers contrast ratio of 1,000 to 1 and a brightness level of 300cd/m2 especially for your eyes to feel relaxed and also offers a regular desktop PC keyboard-like whopping numeric keyboard. The device will hit Korean shelves sometimes later this month for $1,090 approximately. Image Via: Mydigitallife
Sony’s laptop batteries are again becoming a problem. Last year, Toshiba recalled 830,000 notebook batteries and now, they have made a recall for another 10,000 Sony laptop batteries. Three of the machines were reported to go up in smoke between September 2006 and June 2007. No injuries have been reported, but the recall has once again raised the concerns with the Sony notebook batteries. The new recall caters to two models, the Satellite A100/A105 and the Tecra A7. The details of the part numbers and instructions for the battery exchange have been put up on the Toshiba web site. Sony in problem: Last year, nearly 10 million Sony manufactured hazardous batteries were recalled and that reportedly cost Sony approximately $418 million. The new recall by Toshiba is small but the situation might get worse. Moreover, customers will think ten times before opting for a laptop integrating Sony manufactured battery. It’s the high time Sony should come out with a solution to the burning problem.
Via: ink
Notebook technology, today, offers better performance benchmarks, and new platforms. There was a time when people would laugh at the idea of using a laptop for gaming. As far as upgrading is concerned, gaming computers have an edge over laptops. However, for most other factors, such as convenience, style and technology, gaming laptops win hands down. Even hardcore PC gamers can switch to gaming laptops, and satiate their gaming needs. Are you planning to buy a gaming laptop? The Graphics Processing Unit or GPU is the most important component of a gaming laptop. A high-end GPU with dedicated RAM should be preferred over integrated graphics. Modern 3D games may not work on a laptop that has an integrated graphics card. The second important thing that you should look in a laptop is the ‘processor’. Never settle for anything less than a dual-core central processing unit. If you have some extra bucks to spend, you can opt for quad-core processors. Remember, faster the processor-speed, better the gaming experience. In addition to the processor, the RAM also affects the operation-speed of your laptop. Most gaming laptops, these days, contain at least two gigabytes of RAM. High-end games would not work on a 1GB RAM. The speed of hard drive is associated with performance of the laptop. Having a 7200 RPM hard disk is important if you want to play multi-player games online. According to WSOP, online games such as ‘Need for Speed’ have amazing graphics and audio. This is reason why the screen size and resolution of a gaming laptop are important. Companies such as Toshiba, Dell and Sony make wonderful gaming laptops. However, in my opinion, the ‘Alienware’ range from Dell is one of the best gaming laptops available in the world. Gaming is all about having fun. With an advanced gaming laptop, you can unleash your wild imagination. Isn’t it?you can buy laptop accessories online.
Wide screen notebooks are the latest trend. In line with this, Gigabyte has launched its 12.1 inch widescreen W251 G5 in Korea. The notebook pc is almost flawless in the design aspect and rightly so, it has won the ’2006 G-Mark Award’ for its stunning sleek black design. The notebook runs on Intel Core 2 Duo T5300 to ensure lightning fast processing speeds. It features a WXGA LCD and 2 GB RAM with a SATA 120 GB hard-disk memory. At 1.85 kg, it is easy on your shoulders if you are a frequent traveler. Additionally, the notebook has a DVD Super Multi optical drive and 1.3M webcam. It supports Bluetooth and WLAN connectivity for your web needs. The notebook is priced at a decent 900,000 KRW. This laptop would certainly appeal to people of fine tastes. And the rest, duh! Via: Aving
