Bored of small gifts? Fancy unwrapping a real present that truly means business? Want to escape your relatives for a few hours and immerse yourself in your favourite PC video game? Alienware has a range of gaming systems that give you more oomph than a glass of bucks fizz!

How about the extremely affordable and mega powerful Area-51® m15x notebook, already a favourite of gamers and entertainment enthusiasts. Armed with a range of Intel® Core TM 2 Duo or Core 2 Extreme mobile processors including the new 45nm Intel® Core TM 2 Extreme X9000 and the world’s fastest notebook GPU, the NVIDIA® GeForce® 8800M GTX all fully primed for the new wave of DirectX® 10-fuelled games. Blow your friends and relatives away with the amazing AlienFX® lighting and the AlienFusion power management system. Completely customise the look and feel of your laptop lighting, change the keyboard lighting at the touch of a button - very TRON!

www.alienware.co.uk/m15x

For those that want the absolute in ultimate Christmas platters then the range of Area-51 desktops will fatten up any thin and spindly Christmas tree and give Santa a headache when it comes to pushing it down the chimney. Alienware’s award-winning advanced line of desktops including the Alienware Area-51® , Area-51 ALX and Aurora now feature the ATI Radeon^TM HD 4870 X2 graphics card. It’s the world’s most powerful graphics card and offers the ultimate in HD gaming and multimedia entertainment. The ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 features 2.4 teraflops of graphics power, 1,600 stream processing units, 2GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory and more for uncanny performance in PC gaming and high definition video playback.

www.alienware.co.uk/Intro_pages/ati_4800.aspx

Visit www.alienware.co.uk and start building your Christmas list, and they also have AlienFinance which gives you the opportunity to spread the cost of the products you want now, over a time-frame that suits you. http://www.alienware.co.uk/sub_pages/financing_options.aspx

Pass this on! Bookmark Or Share!

Movea’s MotionSense technology provides precise in-air motion tracking, so users can control the mouse cursor intuitively and with ease, whether delivering a PowerPoint^TM presentation or watching online videos. Precision motion sensors guarantee faithful responses to natural hand movements whether in the boardroom, the living room or a cramped space, such as a seat on an airplane or train. A simple flick of the wrist will command presentations, enhanced with Movea’s GyroTools^TM presentation effects, or control multimedia entertainment on a laptop, allowing users to change the volume or skip a song on iTunes^TM, or flip a TV channel on Slingbox^TM.

Weighing less than four ounces, the Air Mouse is compact enough to fit in a messenger bag, briefcase or purse, and versatile enough to be integrated with a PC or laptop from wherever a user wants to work or enjoy digital entertainment. With a sleek, ergonomic design, the Air Mouse works very comfortably for left- or right-handed consumers.

“The market for notebooks is transforming, as more people are buying them equipped with wide screens and media features, and using them not only for traditional business applications but also for entertainment access,” said Greg Smith, Vice President for Marketing at Movea Inc. “The Air-Mouse was designed with such people in mind, providing mobile workers and entertainment buffs the freedom to control their PCs whether they’re at home or on the road.”

Using a proprietary radio frequency (RF) technology, the in-air controls are effective up to 100 feet and work through walls. The Air Mouse includes a laser sensor for precise desktop tracking, making it ideal for working at a desk or other flat surface. The RF USB dongle stores conveniently inside the mouse, which comes with an elegant travel case and, due to its small size, easily packs into the smallest of handbags.

The device will be available for purchase in the UK from October 2008 with a recommended retail price of £69.99. For more information on this and the family of Gyration motion-sensing products, visit www.gyration.com

Pass this on! Bookmark Or Share!

Comprising of four models, the N Series smart technology caters to, and meets the tech-conscious user needs, with each notebook representing the pinnacle of mobile computing within its category.

The ASUS N Series Range

N10: Designed for optimized mobility, the ASUS N10 is perfect for individuals constantly on the move. Sporting a 10.2″ screen, the N10 delivers a multi-sensory experience with an NVIDIA GeForce 9300M graphics card and an Intel Atom processor.

N20: Built for heavy usage, the ASUS N20 comes with a 12.1″ screen and up to 12 hours* of battery life. Equipped with an Altec Lansing sound system that provides excellent sound clarity, plus a highly efficient eSATA hard disk drive housed in a dust and moisture-resistant enclosure, the N20 is a versatile road performer for business and personal entertainment.

N80: Designed with business executives and professionals in mind, the ASUS N80 comes with a 14.1″ display powered by a standalone NVIDIA GeForce 9 Series graphics card, and up to 1 GB of VRAM, complemented by Dolby Surround decoding to deliver impressive sound quality that is sure to impress in any business or personal situation.

N50: The ASUS N50 is truly the pinnacle of mobile computing, designed for intuitive control and user-friendliness. A row of backlit touch-sensitive buttons located at the top of the keyboard serve as a natural and convenient point of control for instant multimedia enjoyment. Another unique feature of the N50 is its built-in Air Ionizer that not only helps clean the air around the user of allergens and germs, but also promotes air-flow and circulation.

Smart Looks - Cutting-edge Style

During the design of the N Series notebook range, ASUS utilized cutting-edge technologies, particularly in the use of In-Mold Roller Technology which creates a scratch-resistant panel capable of retaining its high quality sheen even after prolonged use. Inspired by modernist art-deco the streamline N Series notebooks exterior delivers performance with style.

Smart Technology - Super Hybrid Engine

ASUS understands that one of the primary concerns of notebook computing has always been battery life. In response to the need for greater energy efficiency, the ASUS N Series notebooks feature the Super Hybrid Engine (SHE) which consists of the Power4 Gear Hybrid application and the Energy Processing Unit (EPU). Power4 Gear Hybrid facilitates the deployment and usage of power according to the users’ preferences in relation to the specific tasks that they need to perform, while the
EPU accurately detects the users’ power requirements and makes the necessary power adjustments. The combined energy saving effects of the SHE results in an extension of battery life of up to 35%*.

Smart Technology - Smart Bootups in 8 Seconds and Fast Internet Connectivity with Express Gate

N Series notebooks also reduce bootup times significantly with ASUS Express Gate. Express Gate allows users to boot up in 8 seconds*, granting them instantaneous access to a built-in operating system that runs commonly-used applications such as Skype^TM, a music player, an email client and an Internet browser.

Smart Technology - Quick Logons through Facial Recognition

Continuing with the tradition of breaking computer norms, ASUS introduces a whole new way for users to logon to their computers: facial recognition. The SmartLogon system detects the user’s face and logs on without any intervention from the user. This system is designed to learn the variations of the user’s facial features, and is capable of performing in different lighting conditions.

Pass this on! Bookmark Or Share!

Microvision is all set to unveil a pocket-sized projector at the Consumer Electronic Show. There has been much pre-hype surrounding the little device, dubbed as SHOW. It is basically a PDA sized projector that is powered by Microvision’s PicoP display engine that is capable of projecting an image anywhere from 12 to 100 inches in size. The device can squeeze 2.5 hrs on a single charge, which should be sufficient to watch a full length movie. SHOW is approximately 7mm thick and projects a widescreen WVGA resolution image from any mobile media playing devices. The unit is capable of directly connecting to laptops, digital cameras, portable media players and mobile phones. Imagine in the future, you’ll be able to carry your movies everywhere and watch it in full resolution 100 inches anywhere you want.

This also opens up new frontiers for mobile gaming, and dates at the park. The SHOW is a battery powered ‘plug and play’ device that is based on the micro-mirror laser scanning technology. Microvision has crafted a sleek 7mm model which is capable of displaying DVD matching 848 x 848 resolutions at up to 100 inches. Quite interestingly Microvision has embedded the SHOW directly into the mobile market, a path which was followed by rival systems 3M’s 1.3cm projector and TI’s pico-projector. However, unlike its competitors the Show is compact, offers a higher resolution and projects a much larger image. The mobile multi-media subscription services are no doubt on the rise, but handset manufacturers, content provides and service providers tend to view the tiny screen of the cellphone as a barrier to consumer adoption of their products.

SHOW lets you view and share YouTube videos, MSN newscasts, power presentations, photos in larger full color resolution instead of the normal 2-inch QVGA display. Microvision has already made the device available to OEM and carrier partners and it is expected to be integrated in commercial products by the end of next year. The SHOW is expected to be sold through an OEM partner by the end of next year. The device doesn’t make a sense for laptops; a laptop’s display would definitely be superior, though smaller than a PicoP image could be.

The best point about this device would be to waltz into a discussion rooms empty handed, fish out two gadgets from the pouch and use them to deliver a power point. It would make a perfect gadget for those meetings where you would like to present an idea without walking in with a massive suitcase full of equipment. What would be interesting is how it’s going to work with video-conferencing which is much more prevalent in Asia and Europe these days. Imagine how it would be to make a call, turn on the projector and camera and talk with the life sized image of the other person. There are some pretty jarring drawbacks, the relatively short runtime and the added bulk of carrying it around but other than that the SHOW is expected to be a nice little addition to your gadget collection.

Pass this on! Bookmark Or Share!

The unique device has quite a distinct design to it. As the name suggests, “The Cubite” is a cube shaped device and has a glossy black finish to it. The Cubite might look like a contemporary speaker, but it is a speaker that has been integrated with USB hubs so as to provide for modern way of connectivity. The Cubite looks quite trendy especially when it is switched on. When you switch it on, the device radiates an orange light that is pretty subtle. This orange light highlights the button of the key and the 4 USB ports that the device features.

Cubite is basically a stereo speaker for the PC. It delivers clear sound quality with an impressive RMS of 3 Watts. The speaker also features a treble control and a bass control. Both these are separately featured on the Cubite. With the Cubite, you would not really have to worry about any interference as such from the computer or any other electrical device. This is because the speakers and the hubs are both shielded magnetically.

The Cubite basically features two separate leads. Here the USB lead provides power to both the hub and the speaker. While, the stereo jack of 3.5 mm provides the sound. The fact that the device features two separate and distinct leads means there is more flexibility. This is a simple mechanism and works in a way that is something like this – imagine your computer provides power for your mp3 player and this player in turn produces the sound. “Cool and practical!”

The best part is that all this comes in one system – in the sense that it is all integrated and put into one box. Thus, the Cubite is pretty compact and quite functional at the same time. Although the device has been made for all sorts of computer, it might look a little odd when used in combination with your PC. Nevertheless, the device is an excellent option for laptops.

The device is really simple to use and you would not really need any kind of special software to be able to use the device. Besides, since the device is a USB powered one, you do not really need an AC adaptor to use it. The treble and bass controls that are featured on the device allow you to tune the output sound in the appropriate manner. The on / off button or switch is present right in the center of the device.

The device is simple to use as all you have to do is plug it in and play your favorite music. The device has been priced at approximately US $ 44.

Pass this on! Bookmark Or Share!

In addition to other functions, the screen on the notebook also twists. Thus, in cramped or congested spaces you could easily turn the screen around to view movies, or documents for that matter. The screen can be opened the usual standard way, but you could also twist it in almost any direction for a better viewing experience. The screen could also be folded flat so that it appears like a slate. With the digitizer that captures anything written on the screen, you can not only write but also draw and sketch. Besides, this function is also great if you are the one who takes down notes very often or even makes use of graphs a lot. You could navigate sites on the web, play music and games and view images, movies and TV shows on your notebook with the help of your fingers.

The tx 2000z series of Pavilion notebooks features Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium. The home premium includes an instantaneous search function, Windows media center and Windows Aero. You could also choose Windows Vista Ultimate, for enhanced productivity and play.

The tx 2000z comes with the Dual Core processor that is equipped with the HyperTransport technology. The notebook features a 2.1 GHz AMD Turion with a RAM of 2 GB. This technology helps improve the performance of your notebook when you might be running several applications at the same time. The processor also provides for better protection against viruses and an improved battery life.

Apart from this, the notebook also features a fingerprint reader. The integrated optional reader is featured on the side of the notebook panel. Other than this, the tx 2000z also allows you to protect your documents and web sites with the help passwords. The Pavilion notebook features a hard drive with a memory space of about 250 GB. The notebook also features a Verizon Express Card 3G.

The tx 2000z looks quite sleek and trendy and has a detailed finishing touch to it. The case of the notebook is a glossy black one and features an echo pattern that is inlaid into the notebook. This pattern gives the notebook a good amount of aesthetic appeal to the notebook. The notebook would be available for $ 1,299. This is not a bad deal, as there is a lot that the notebook has other than just some really trendy looks.

Pass this on! Bookmark Or Share!

These will be business laptops, so don’t expect a great speaker sound or video. The 14 and 15” versions are expected to have a low end quadro mobile, something similar to a low end graphics card you get with the Inspiron. So, they won’t be good for heavy gaming and multimedia, but will be fine for everything else. The E series looks stunning, unlike its counterparts in the Latitude series. The looks are something one would expect from a XPS line and not the Latitude. Hopefully, it is expected to have a docking station just like the D-series. It presents a way better alternative than overpriced 17/19/20” laptops that weighs 10-15 lbs and has an inferior screen, compared to a LCD monitor. The Latitude line is traditionally well built and is extremely sturdy. The 13.3” model is expected to have an optical drive while the 12” will probably be a lightweight ultra-portable one without any optical drive. The E series comes with a brushed aluminum casing and the initial looks promises to be a killer. With the E series, Dell might just have created a MacBook Air killer, the VAIO is too expensive and the Lenovo just doesn’t do anything to the hip urban crowd.

Dell has no doubt great strides in the last year with its Inspiron and XPS series. However, their business line, Latitude has remained pretty insipid. The Latitude on the other hand seems to be a classy blend of stylish looks and business specs. Design wise, the E series looks stunning, sporting a sleek brushed aluminum like coating, though it is suspected to increase the cost by at least a few hundred dollars. Rumors have it that the E series is expected to come in 12-13-14 and 15 inch models, all of which feature a backlit display. Other purported features include eSATA and DisplayPort connections. The 14.1 inch is expected to weigh 4.25 pound and the 15 inch weighs 5 pounds. Both the 14 and 15 inch models come with a WXGA and WXGA + LED backlit display. The laptop is expected to come with plenty of USB ports and PC to ExpressCard Slots in the larger models. The laptop also features a solid state drive and built-in camera. Dell has crafted the perfect blend of business and leisure, a nice cross between a Mac and a HP business unit. The system is expected to replace the DVI or VGA output which the previous Latitudes feature with the new output technology that is used in Dell’s 3006WFP and the Crystal LCD’s. An external serial ATA is also expected to make its appearance on the Dell system alongside mainstays such as ExpressCard.

Pass this on! Bookmark Or Share!

The ThinkPad X300 is meant to make you think twice before you plunk that $2,000 on the MacBook Air. The info leaked suggests that the X300 is as light as the MacBook Air but comes with more useful features such as removable battery, three USB drives and even a built-in optical drive. The information leak certainly looks to be real, replete with pictures coming from a Lenovo internal PowerPoint document. The X300 comes with a WXGA+ (1440 x 900) display that is LED backlit, the processor Chipset as expected will be a Intel Santa Rosa 2.0GHz LV, storage capacity is expected to be 64GB SSD, wireless capability includes Bluetooth,802.11 a/b/g/n , Wireless USB,WWAN, GPs and WiMax, the optical drive is an ultra thin DVD burner (7mm), Memory expandability is up to 4GB, the X300’s dimension are slightly bulkier compared to the MAcBook Air with 12.5” width, 9” depth and 0.73-0.92” thickness, the notebook features three USB ports , Mic in headphone, VGA adapter, built-in web camera and stereo speakers. The input is via the ThinkPad keyboard with Track Point and also the touchpad, the notebook is powered by 3-cell Lithium-Polymer batteries.

The MacBook on the other hand pales in comparison with a paltry single USB port, a fully sealed non-replaceable battery (which can be vital for those who tend to go on long flights), no optical drive and no WWAN options. TheX300 comes loaded with every wireless option possible at a starting weight of 2.5lbs. You can even bring down that weight if you remove the specs for the X300 which look impressive, on paper at least and easily trump that of the MacBook Air. Besides the X300 comes with SSD as a standard option and no slow 4200RPM which is the base option on the MacBook Air. The X300’s screen resolution of 1440 x 900 makes mockery of the MacBook Air’s 1280 x 800. However, the MacBook scores heavily on one department, the looks. MacBook Air is probably the coolest looking laptop out there while the X300 is available only in rubbery black. Besides the MacBook is thinner and features an innovative multi-touch touchpad.

The specs make it quite obvious that Lenovo will be planning to push the X300 as a cutting edge business tool and you can’t really expect a cheap price. Adding up the component cost alone spikes the cost to around $2,000 or more. The ThinkPad has to its advantage the best pointing devices (a track pad and a nub) and best reliability. The only thing missing is stupid fashion sense and flashy plastic bits. Lenovo makes notebooks for business professionals and thus needs to keep it simple, monolithic and black. The ThinkPad is also very sturdy and built like a tank; the laptop has even survived being kicked out of SUV’s, dropped on carpets and thrown into garbage cans, accidentally of course. The release date and price for the X300 are unclear at the moment.

Pass this on! Bookmark Or Share!

Dell and Blizzard have teamed up to form an unholy alliance to unleash this monster of a laptop. The stunning XPS M1730 features over-clockable Intel Extreme Edition Core 2 Duo processors, a built in camera, a microphone and a backlit touchpad .The XPS M1730 comes in two flavors, Horde and Alliance. The premium gaming notebook replaces the XPS M170 as the most brutal gaming laptop in the market. The World of Warcraft claims over 9 million players, of these the hardcore players although few in number, are a dedicated lot. There are players who are involved in everything from fishing contests to large scale guild raids. The massive success of the game and the ever increasing fan base has led to Dell to release the laptop.

These are not your slim and thin notebooks; they are a beefy 12 lbs. The XPS M1730 is priced at a not so cheap $4,499 UDS, though you get a lot more than just a laptop for the nearly five large price tag. The package includes a branded World of Warcraft backpack, a “golden ticket” and numerous other WoW merchandise including novels, trading cards, soundtrack CD’s and behind the scenes DVD’s. Any serious fan will already have these but there’s more, you also get a “Quest Envelope”. This is basically a Blizzard beta Key with five keys that can be used on the upcoming WoW betas. Plus you also get an upgrade certificate that upgrades your account to “Collector’s Edition’s” level and allows the player a special in-game pet. The coolest accessory of all has to be the Golden Ticket. Players can use the ticket to order a special action figure that can be customized to look like your character. Though it sounds a bit geeky, actually very geeky, the point is you don’t have to be online to show off your character.

The laptop features a wide 17” screen with backlit keyboards and illuminated speaker grills. There is also a cool built-in LCD screen that displays the in-game stats. The tiny LCD display above the keyboard is based on Logitech’s G15 gaming technology and can be customized to show data in the same way as on a G15. This simply means that you can track your stats by comparing it with thousands of players across the globe. The notebook comes preloaded with World of Warcraft and also the Burning Crusade expansion.

The rear of the laptop is themed according to the faction you choose while buying. The packaging is really neat and well-deigned; featuring an awesome snap of the main character in the game .Dell has also thrown in some really awesome desktop background screens. A unique aspect of the XPS M1730 is a full keyboard which includes a separate numeric keyboard, a feature that a few laptops offer. You also get a cool WoW and the Burning Crusade Collector’s Edition Account Upgrade Certificate. The XPS M1730 features a SLI graphics card and an AGEIA PhysX technology accelerator which renders some amazing visuals and the technology is being implemented in a laptop for the first time. The other features include a RAID and solid state storage.

Pass this on! Bookmark Or Share!