Nokia Booklet 3G

Nokia’s recently announced “Booklet 3G” was a big shocker for most of. My first impression of the netbook was that it looks very neat and it almost has the Macbook look to it. It weighs 2.7 lbs, and it is 2cm thick, and the all aluminum case to top it off. The new netbook is going to be running off of a 1.6Hz Intel Atom Z530. The netbooks screen is going to be 10.1’, with an impressive 12 hour battery life. The Booklet has built in HSDPA 3G, so you can expect the 3G connectivity to be very fast. The Booklet is Bluetooth enabled so no more taking wired microphones on the go. The Booklet also comes with Windows 7 Starter Edition pre-installed, which really surprised me because this is one of the first to offer Windows 7 on a netbook. The HDMI output allows you to plug into your TV in HD, and also lets you watch videos in 1080p. The Booklet comes with Assisted GPS and a swappable SIM card.

This netbook will be running at the high price of $799, I say the high price because, the RAM usage will double because it is running Windows 7, instead of Vista or even XP, so in my opinion you will not be getting the best performance from this computer. Which if all you are using the computer for is school work, office work, or browsing the internet, then this computer should be fine for all the basic needs. But I wouldn’t suggest downloading, playing high performance games or storing mass amounts of files, just because of the amount of RAM being used just to run windows 7. I would suggest this netbook for the “average” computer user, or as a gift for going back to school. This is definitely one of the most impressive netbooks I have seen so far. I am still very skeptical about how the overall performance of the computer will be. But it is definitely worth checking out; Nokia just set the standards for netbooks. The future is going to be interesting, seeing if their competitors like Dell can keep up with Nokia.

Specs:

• Intel Z530 1.6Hz
• 1GB RAM
• 120GB Drive
• A-GPS
• Nokia Ovi Maps
• Windows 7
• Bluetooth Enabled
• HSDPA 3G/ Wi-Fi
• Swappable SIM
• 12 Hour battery
• HDMI output

Finding a Laptop for College

As the school year quickly approaches and parents and students begin the crazy time-consuming job of preparing everything to head off to college, a laptop is likely at the top of the shopping list. As a college student, I can definitely say that I don’t know where I would be without my laptop. I literally use it for absolutely everything. Whether I’m taking notes in philosophy class, writing a research paper for rhetoric, or just listening to music back in my dorm room, my laptop is constantly by my side.

The hard part in this situation is finding just the right laptop to suit all your college needs for the next four years or so. You don’t need crazy amounts of memory or hard drive space, but you do want a reliable, quick, easy to use laptop. In this guide to finding the perfect student laptop, I will try to cover all the basics you’ll need to know before heading out to your local Best Buy or Circuit City to begin the hunt.

Ok, so the first aspect we’re going to consider is the design. You’re probably going to be lugging your laptop all over campus with you so you are not going to want it to be super heavy. One easy way to minimize the total weight of the laptop is to get a smaller screen. Yeah its nice to have a big screen, but is it really necessary? I would recommend that you get a laptop with a screen that is no bigger than 14 inches. This way you still have a nice size screen, but you still have plenty of room in your backpack for your books and you won’t be weighed down by a really heavy piece of equipment.

Another important pat of the design of your future laptop is they keyboard. I personally feel that a full size keyboard is necessary. The whole point of having your laptop is to do research papers, essays, reports, and of course chat with your friends, so you’re going to be using the keyboard quite a bit. I feel like any keyboard that isn’t full size is just too cramped to do serious typing on. Having a full size keyboard, in my opinion, is worth even paying a little extra for if necessary.

Next we need to consider features. Recently, features that used to only be included on high-end laptops are now being featured on really cheap laptops too. Things like multiple USB ports, DVD burners, webcams, and media card readers are now coming standard on laptops priced around only $300. Concerning memory and hard dive space, I would say that the minimum would be 1GB of memory and 160GB of hard drive. Those are petty basic and can be found in most laptops.

Battery life is also an important part to consider when choosing your laptop. Having a long battery life is important if you plan on hauling your laptop around to all your classes to take notes. Most laptops will offer a battery option that you can choose from. Although it will add some weight, I would recommend always going with the bigger better battery.

The next step that you will be faced with once you’ve selected your perfect laptop will be concerning warranties. Most laptops are backed by a 1-year complimentary parts and labor warranty. The choice that you will have to make is whether to get an extended warranty past that first year. A standard warranty does not cover things such as spilled drinks or drops on the hard floor. For accidents such as these, you’ll have to take out a separate accident coverage plan. These warranties just keep adding up and can cost over $250 for maybe three years of coverage. I personally did not take out any sort of extended warranty and have been perfectly fine. I bought my laptop completely on my own, and I realize that if I ever endangered it or somehow destroyed it that I would be unable to afford to replace it. This fact makes me think twice before sitting my pop can down or tossing around my laptop.

Buying a laptop is something that you definitely shouldn’t do without first doing the proper amount of research. It’s a lot of money to put on the table, so you should consider all your options before making a commitment. Hopefully these tips and recommendation can give you a hand during your search for that perfect laptop. I wish you the best of luck during your hunt!

Dell Unleashes Vostro Laptops

It was no surprise when Dell put out it's latest entry in it's Vostro line of notebooks. Vostro notebooks are low-cost notebooks that won't empty your wallet while simultaneously not feeling like a typical notebook. There are three new models added by dell which consists of the 14.1 inch 1014 and 1088 and the 15.6 inch 1015. The laptops themselves are pretty similar across the board. All feature Intel Core 2 Processors, 802.11n, 4GB of RAM, optical drives, 2 mega-pixel webcam, and 320GB of storage space.

The notebooks also have an improved battery life due to WLED LCD displays and each laptop also has a 5-in-1 card reader. Along with all of these features there is also draft-n Wi-Fi. But these three laptops are not all exactly the same. The 1088 carries a heavier graphics card than the 1014 and the 1015. The 1088 comes with an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 graphics which is upped from the integrated Intel graphics of the 1014 and 1015.

Dell has yet to slap an official pric tag on these laptops as of right now. The price will differ depending on what all you want or don't want in your laptop. This installment in the Vostro line is already available in Europe with devices becoming available in Asia over the next week. Dell has said that you can grab your Vostro in the U.S. sometime in the next couple of months.

Gateway's New LT2000

Gateway has now introduced their second netbook, the LT2000. This extremely reasonably priced laptop is not only sleek and stylish but has some awesome features for the very low price tag.

The LT2000 is compact and considerably portable. It only measures about one inch thin and weighs a mere 2.62 pounds. The netbook is available in NightSky Black and Cherry Red and is engraved with the Gateway logo and chic sliver trim accents.

The rundown on all the features of the LT2000 are pretty basic but most people wouldn’t really need anymore than what Gateway offers. The netbook has a 10.1-inch TFT LED-backlit display that allows plenty of room for owners to view web pages, e-mails, digital media, documents, and more. Included in the LT2000’s slim frame is three USB ports, an Ethernet port, a VGA port, and a multi-in-one digital card reader. Also, the laptop is powered by an Intel Atom processor, has 1GB of memory, and has 160GB of hard drive space.

Some eye-catching additional features that would normally not be found in a netbook in such a low price category would include the integrated webcam and the awesome Multi-Gesture Touchpad. The Touchpad allows users to move around e-mails, web pages, documents, music playlists, files, and so much more in an incredibly unique way. To flip through pictures, all that you need to do is move two fingers across the touchpad. To scroll through web pages or music playlists, simply use a circular swirling motion on the touchpad. Along with many other unique finger motions that can be utilized on the touchpad, you can pinch inward or outward to zoom in and out of whatever application you might be using. I think its incredible that such a cool feature can be found on such a budget laptop.

With the cool design, standard basics, awesome added features, and low price tag, I don’t know how this netbook could be passed up. Gateway will offer the LT2000 for $299.99. After considering all the facts, this netbook is looking good!

NEC VersaPro VS-7 Changing the Way We Look At Netbooks

Netbook is not one of the most popular choices among laptops because they are heavy and clunky like an old combat boot; but the release of the NEC VersaPro VS-7 Netbook is changing the way we look at Netbooks. It’s sleek body that is only 15.8mm thick and nice sized slightly curved keys are made to hug your fingers and I have to say the traditional mouse is more of a preference for me as opposed to the touch pad.

As sexy and sleek as this laptop is, its not all about the outside, no, the VersaPro VS-7 Netbook has a beautiful inside too! Check out these specs:

• 10.6” 1280x768 Display (Glossy)
• Intel Atom Z540 (1.86GHz)
• Intel GMA500 Graphics
• 64GB SSD
• 15.8mm thick
• 725g (4-Cell Battery)
• Body capable of resisting 150kg pressure

I also want to make mention that even though the NEC VersaPro VS-7 Netbook is integrating an Intel GMA500 Video chipset that has the reputation of not keeping up the pace when it comes to watching high quality video or even HD video file but the VersaPro VS-7 installed with the CCCP Codec, took on whatever file and played them flawlessly even with Vista in a 720/30p DivX HD full screen playback.

Users that are into photography and graphics will be impressed to know that this baby can handle Photoshop CS3 with Bridge and performed as well as a Vaio G2 and is half the cost at just over $1000.

Unfortunately , for the moment the VersaPro VS-7 is currently only available in Japan but it is certainly something to look forward to.

Dell's New Studio 1737

As August quickly approaches and thoughts of school or college come more and more frequently, I’m sure you have begun the sometimes long and frustrating hunt for that perfect back to school laptop. One that will probably catch your eye with the price tag of $749.98 is the Dell Studio 1737. To further your interest even more, you will most likely notice the 17-inch widescreen and 4GB of memory. Has this laptop grabbed your attention yet? It certainly grabbed mine.

The 1737 measures 15.4 x 11.4 x 1.4-inches (HWD) and weighs 7.5 pounds. It has a simple but attractive design, and Dell offers a variety of colors and over 200 designs to choose from to personalize your 1737. As mentioned before, the laptop features a 17-inch widescreen with 1,440 x 900 resolution with the option to upgrade to a higher resolution. The keyboard on the Studio 1737 includes a full-size numeric keypad. It also has soft mouse buttons that are entirely free of any clicking noises.

The Dell Studio 1737 features 5 USB ports with one functioning as a E-SATA combo port. It also includes a FireWire port for use with compatible camcorders and external storage devices, an HDMI port, dual-layer DVD burner, and Wi-Fi capabilities.

The 1737 runs on a 2.1 GHz Intel Core DuoT6500 processor. Dell offers two different battery options for the laptop, a 64Wh battery and a 85Wh battery.

I believe that all your back to school laptop needs can be met in the new Dell Studio 1737. With the impressive 17-inch screen, 4GB of memory, and everything else that a student could need, I don't know what could be a better deal than this feature-filled laptop from Dell.

A Netbook for Under $1

I was obviously intrigued and skeptical when I heard that a netbook was being sold for under a dollar, so I felt the urge to investigate further. Here’s what I was able to uncover. Sprint Nextel has teamed up with Best Buy to offer the Compaq Mini 110c-1040DX Netbook for 99 cents. As incomprehensible as that seems, its true, but the required two-year service contract is where the money is being made.

The Compaq Mini offers a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor and 160GB hard drive. It also features a 10.1-inch anti-glare widescreen display, 5-in-1integrated digital media reader, 92 percent keyboard, built-in-webcam, and a variety of eye-catching features.

The 3G wireless service that you are required to purchase through Sprint will cost you $60 a month for 5GB of data per month. This adds up to costing you around $1,440 once you have purchased the wireless service over the two years.

Verizon Wireless and AT&T plan to also sell the Compaq Mini with a two-year service plan for $199.99 through Best Buy. Verizon currently offers two different wireless service packages. You can select the $40 a month plan which offers 250MB of data monthly or the $60 a month plan that allows for up to 5GB of data per month.

AT&T offers very similar pricing. For up to 5GB of data it will cost you $60 a month, and for 200MB of data it will cost $40 a month. The advantage to AT&T’s deal through Best Buy is that it doesn’t just offer the Compaq Mini but gives you the option to choose between it, the Acer Aspire One, Dell Inspiron Mini 9 and Mini 12, or the LG Xenia all for a base price ranging from $50 to $250.

Although this is an offer that could easily draw in a crowd, if customers do the math they will realize that with the two-year service plan these netbooks will end up costing them way over $1,000 in the end. Hopefully people will realize that this isn’t such a hot offer and will search for a better, cheaper mini-laptop deal.