Another Day With My PC

Panasonic revealed what it considers as the most durable business notebook in the market. The ToughBook 8 is Panasonic’s latest series of tough mobile computers and it also happens to be the lightest 3G-ready computers to date.

The ToughBook 8 Series features 802.11a/b/g/draft-n and Bluetooth 2.0. These computers allow fast connection to broadband stations thru a use of an advanced embedded device. All the units in the series W8, T8 and F8 are powered by Intel’s Core2 Duo processor. They all carry a 4GB RAM and a 160GB shock resistant hard drive.

Good news for the klutziest mobile workers among us: Panasonic Friday unveiled its latest ToughBook model, one Panasonic claims is not only the most durable business notebook available, but also the lightest 3G-ready one.

Panasonic boasted that the ToughBook 8 Series survived the gruesome “Mil-spec” testing. That test is done to ensure that the notebooks are tough enough to survive an accidental fall from a table or a chair. The notebooks were dropped 12 inches and its hard drive 30 inches above the ground.

The new ToughBooks have clear 14.1 inch LCD display. The notebooks sport spill-resistant keyboard. They also have internal optical drive so if you think that this laptop is all work, you are wrong.

Panasonic is yet to announce the price of this product.

Source: CRN

HP makes its small laptop even smaller. The company overhauled its HDX 18 to make it HDX 16, equivalent to a transformation of its 18-inch display in a 16-inch LCD.

The smaller screen perhaps made it cuter and yet the metallic finish and classy chrome interior still makes this laptop gorgeous. The laptop now weighs 7.4 pounds with a 6-cell battery. Buyers have the option to upgrade its power source into either a 12 or a 16-cell battery.

The laptop suffered a slight loss in resolution quality. From 1080p it now has a 1,366-by-768 screen resolution.

The HDX 16 however packs a powerful machine inside. It is powered by Intel’s Centrino 2. It has a 2.26-GHz Core 2 Duo P8400 processor that is backed by 4GB DRR2 RAM. Its nVidia GeForce 9600M GT engine should be enough for small graphic rendering.

The HDX1 is available with 320GB storage, an optional TV tuner and a fast eSATA port.

One amazing thing about this laptop is the number keypad. HP placed a whole functional num pad on the left side of the keyboard to give you that perfect PC experience.

On related news, HP will also be releasing HP Pavilion dv6929wm-b, a special laptop that will be available exclusively in Wal-Mart. This laptop is part of HP and Wal-Mart’s green drive.

HP Pavilion dv6929wm-b runs on a 2-GHz AMD Turion X2 TL-60 processor. It has a 250GB hard drive and is bundled with a Windows Vista Home Premium OS. It is also packed with a savvy nVidia GeForce Go 7150 integrated graphics chipset inside. It is tagged at $1,049.

HP is yet to announce the price of HDX 16.

Source: PCMag

Mobile gamers will have a new gadget of interest. This is the Asus G50V, the company’s latest gaming laptop.

G50V is a high-powered machine that wields a 15-inch screen that showcases a 1680×1050 default resolution. The gaming laptop boasts a processor of 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9400. Its memory of 4GB running at 800MHz undoubtedly makes it fast. It carries one of the best Nvidia graphics engine, the GeForce 9700M GT with 512 MB of DDR3 memory. It has a hard drive of 500GB.

Asus’ new laptop is not an ordinary laptop. It has an automatic overclocking function that turns the CPU into a Turbo mode. Players only need to push a button to activate this feature. Gamers can also hold onto the headset to activate Turbo Extreme mode.

G50V also carries a 2.0 MP built in webcam. It is decorated with LEDs along side the screen.

But this laptop is not just all about gaming. G50V also sports other mobile computer functions like Express Gate button, facial recognition system, HDMI-out and an eSATA port.

G50V is out now and can be bought with a DVD burner for $1,699. A version boasting Blu-ray system with 200BG storage is sold for $1,899.

Source: News CNET

Commodore now joins the bandwagon of Netbook manufacturers. And why not, since they came up with a competitive Commodore UMMD 8010/F, Netbook buyers will now have another great option in their list.

The company announced their new mini laptop at the IFA consumer show in Berlin. Reports indicated that the UMMD will be powered by a C7-M processor, running at 1.6GHz. The internal storage boasts 80GB capacity. It has a 1GB RAM. Connectivity will not be a problem with an 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, and optional Bluetooth. The netbook sports a 10-inch display LCD and 1.3-megapixel built-in camera.

The Commodore UMMD 8010/F is the latest addition to the Netbook market that is initiated by Asus’ Eee PC.

Netbooks sport low-power processors, small screens and keyboards. But their efficiency and low price ticks the heart of many computer and gadget enthusiasts.

The Commodore UMMD 8010/F sports a nostalgic appeal. A perfect irony since the brand Commodore is best related to the iconic 1980s computers like the C64 and the Amiga. Yeahronimo Media Ventures, a Dutch company purchased the rights to the name with a goal of resurrecting an old glory.

Commodore UMMD 8010/F will be sold for $610.

Source: Crave CNet

Lenovo improved its ultraportable Thinkpad X300 thru the introduction of X301. Thinkpad X301 boasts more advanced features compared to its predecessor.

The new Thinkpad sports a lightweight design, tipping the scale at less than three pounds. At one-inch thickness, X301 is sleek and stylish. Users can go for the basic 64B solid state drive storage or they can purchase the upgraded version with 128GB. Study revealed that the X301 is 20% more efficient in terms of speed and power consumption compared to the earlier X300. X301 is equipped with the latest DDR3 memory and IntelCore 2 Duo processor.

Thinkpad X301 is also packed with productivity tools from ThinkVantage Technologies. It has Lenovo’s improved Access Connections tools that give the mobile computer a friendly interface. It also has a more controllable and customizable laptop functions that allow superior power management.

The laptop is Wi-Fi enabled and has Bluetooth connection. The Thinkpad X301 is at par with the best when it comes to wireless connectivity. Future Thinkpad X301 versions will also come with WiMAX feature.

The laptop also carries features to support mobile entertainment. It has DisplayPort, a feature that makes viewing of high definition movie and images easier. The DisplayPort, combined with standard VGA enables the user to select different display options.

ThinkPad X301 will hit stores on August 26. It will be tagged at $2,599.

Source: CRN

Many predict that 2008 will be the year when laptops would finally succeed in their bid to dethrone desktops as the PC of choice. I agree.

For two decades, the desktop has lorded over almost all conceivable machines which could read and process electronic data. It was supposed to be the “future” of data processing. Everybody thought that the size and shape of the PC would not change significantly for generations to come.

Small Enough?

It’s not difficult to see why many didn’t dismiss the desktop as something that’s only transitional. Back when hard disks were still as big as cupboards, many wished for a computer that could easily fit one’s bedroom without having to throw out everything in it, including the bed. It took several decades before that prayer was answered. When IBM came out with a design that perfectly fitted study and office tables, many fostered the conviction that this was what a computer should look like and that any alteration of its structure would considerably diminish its appeal and even functionality.

Of course, being the only constant thing in this world aside from politics, change redefined the looks and functions of the PC. The world shrunk, and time became a very expensive commodity. Everything has to be done fast. While the term “multitasking” was already popular even during the days of Windows 3.1, the word took on a whole new different meaning a decade after the IT industry had started to blabber it as if it was a cuss word.

Run Run Run

As we all know, recent operating systems allow the juggling of different tasks, functions, or programs. Depending on the amount of memory and the type of processor that your computer have, large applications like CAD or multimedia programs could run side by side with other software. Nobody now asks if one could perform several things at the same time on a computer. The question has already been answered a long time ago.

Now that programs could already be ran simultaneously in a single computer, the question that was next asked is if one could still run all of them while he is actually running. As I have intimated a while back, everybody seems to be running after time and running out of it. Eight hours seem to be just eight minutes. It’s not surprising then when people started to wish that they could bring and do their tasks even when they’re out of the office.

Personal Accessory

To inaccurately borrow the words of the HP slogan, laptops made personal computers personal again. While mainframes exponentially shrunk to desktop size, it still isn’t exactly personal and portable as your watch or mobile phone. You simply can’t bring it anywhere, well at least not conveniently.

Everybody is maximizing the use of his or her time. It’s not surprising then if people treat travel time as an extension of their office hours. Laptops are not just becoming more affordable, but more importantly, they are also making time an affordable commodity. Don’t be surprised, then, if laptop sales exceed desktop purchases this year.

The world is getting smaller, and so are the things that virtually make it go around. No, I’m not talking about the value of our money. Money doesn’t make the world go round, but I’m certain that you won’t be able to go around the world without your mobile phone, laptop, or pocket PC.

It seems that every electronic gadget gets a centimeter smaller every year, and that goes double for the PC. A few decades ago, you would need a large room just to be able to set up a computer in your own home. Today, you won’t need the services of a carpenter to make room for your PC. Your tailor could do that now for you.

While notebooks have already made waves around the world, pocket PCs are also trying to establish themselves as viable alternatives to the desktop. Not everybody’s too crazy about them though. Well, at least not yet.

I haven’t tried using one to surf the net. However, I’ve heard that it can easily browse through Web sites like a typical notebook. I’m not that ready or excited to go that tiny yet. I’m already happy with my 14.1-inch laptop. Even though it needs occasional maintenance and optimization, it still meets my everyday demands.

I know this prediction is quite bold, but I think the continuous development of the laptop will eventually cause the demise of the desktop.

Many are already contemplating on shelving their old desktop PC for a brand new notebook. This was quite unthinkable a few years ago. The resolution of many laptop LCDs back then was mediocre compared to their larger cousins. The portable PC also opens up and runs applications at a laggard pace.

Things have greatly changed since then. Current notebook LCDs can already put to shame some desktop monitors. Core Duo processors have also found their way in almost all notebook brands.

The only thing that’s keeping some people from retiring their desktops for a new laptop is the latter’s inflexibility when it comes to upgrading components. It’s undeniable that upgrading or changing desktop peripherals is much easier compared to doing the same on laptops. It is also more expensive.

I’m still keeping my old Pentium 4 laptop precisely due to that reason. I’m happy with the performance of my Acer notebook, but I know there will come a time when I’ll have to change some of its components to keep up with the growing number of applications that demand much from the processors.

I don’t have the money yet to buy additional or more powerful components, but that doesn’t mean that I won’t be able to improve my notebooks performance until then. Most of the time, one can give his PC’s stamina and capacity a boost by simply cleaning up its registry and other system files. It’s cheaper and definitely simpler.

I know it’s already quite late to be talking about Christmas presents, but I can’t help telling everybody that I got an Acer laptop from my mom

It’s not the latest model though, but it’s not a Celeron either. It’s a Pentium M Centrino. It doesn’t boast much in terms of graphics, but the screen resolution is something to brag about.

There are many things to like about the Acer Aspire 3620. For one thing, it’s pleasing to the eyes. It doesn’t look like a brick like some laptops do. You won’t feel like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders either when you put it in your backpack.

Don’t get carried away by my review. It’s not the perfect notebook. It has no dedicated video memory. To make matters worse, it only comes with 256MB of RAM. It could be upgraded to 1GB, but for those who don’t have the extra bucks, you’re virtually stuck with a unit that constantly has amnesia.

I got my laptop to run faster without having to burn my savings for memory. It turned out that my system registry has been cluttered and modified by certain applications. They are not exactly viruses or malwares. However, these programs usually complicate the registry which, in turn, makes the overall system performance slow.

The screen still freezes sometimes even if I got some errors fixed. However, it now performs much better than it did before I got my system registry checked and fixed.