Photo: W1N9Zr0 / Flickr

Samsung’s big bet on 3D continues unabated, with the South Korean giant soon about to rollout an uber sexy line of 3D LED monitors. Though word on them first surfaced prior to CES 2011, it is little surprise we overlooked them due to 3D-fatigue near the end of the expo. Nevertheless, they’re worth taking a look at, with their specs finally surfacing.

So, what’s in the box?

Engadget has uncovered the specs behind the Samsung 3D LED monitors range. There are two series of monitors, namely the 750 series and the 950 series. Both series have two monitors, sized at 23 inches and 27 inches. Resolution across all the monitors is 1080p, with two-millisecond response times, 1000:1 contrast ratios, with available inputs being HDMI, D-sub, DVI-DualLink connectivity and DisplayPort.

Furthermore, for those who would like to use the 3D-enabled monitors as televisions, it’s possible to order them with an optional extra in the form of a TV tuner.

Good grief, these are sexy

Samsung’s biggest success in recent years has been its ability to build top quality products at very competitive prices. What the company does not get enough credit for is how much their industrial designers have stepped up to the plate. These monitors, with their unusual neck carved into the base and slim bezel look like something fresh out of a very sexy future.

These beauties can function as all-purpose 3D LED monitors for gaming, TV viewing, movie watching and so on. They’re as much a television, or just a monitor, as you’re prepared to spend on them.
The problem

The problem is we don’t know how much these Samsung 3D LED monitors will cost. This scares us. This scares us a lot, in fact, given how expensive 3D displays – let alone LED-enabled ones – have been up to this point.

Having owned several different Samsung monitors over the years, and finding them almost universally brilliant, the prospect is exciting. It’s all about delivering at a good price now, Sammy.

Photo: tompagenet / Flickr

It’s true that the fiercest competitors can sometimes put their differences aside to pursue common goals. Well, in the world of computing, there are no fiercer rivalries than Intel and AMD’s long-standing battle for the processor market, but the two nemeses have put their differences aside in the interest of killing the VGA port and instead adopting HDMI and DisplayPort. In addition to these chip giants, computer manufacturers Lenovo, Dell, LG and Samsung have vowed to do away with the technology, too.

This technology is so old!

In a joint press release (via Ars Technica), Intel and AMD said that: ‘DisplayPort and HDMI allow for slimmer laptop designs, and support higher resolutions with deeper color than VGA—a technology which is more than 20 years old.’ The rivals-turned-friends-for-a-minute continued, saying: ‘Additionally, as laptops get smaller and their embedded flat panel resolutions increase for more immersive experiences, the power advantages, bidirectional communications and design efficiency benefits of DisplayPort make it a superior choice over LVDS, the previous standard for LCD panel inputs.’

Timeframe

Intel have committed to doing away with LVDS come 2013, while the VGA port will go the way of the Dodo in 2015. AMD has indicated it plans to follow similar timelines for its product, spelling the death of the VGA port.

It’s a good thing ultimately

Ultimately, it’s a good thing to see the industry collectively move to phase out inferior technology for newer standards. DisplayPort and HDMI are both superior to VGA, so to see this type of collective action from the notoriously competitive PC sector is encouraging.

Signs that the VGA port is beginning to fizzle are already evident, with increasingly more top end laptops shipping with HDMI and displays not supporting VGA at all. It’s just a simple case of moving with the times, folks.

Photo: Apple

NetTops are taking the technology world by storm as various manufacturers release their latest entrants into the market.

Net-what?

A blend of the terms ‘internet’ and ‘desktop’, NetTops are small, inexpensive desktop computers that consume very little power. Similar to its netbook cousin, the NetTop is designed for milder computing tasks such as word processing, Internet browsing, and media playback.

NetTops house all central components in one small unit that’s about 25 per cent of the size of a traditional desktop computer. A NetTop is sold without a keyboard, video monitor, or mouse (KVM), allowing manufactures to offer these computers at very economical price points, and allowing consumers to use their own existing KVM setups. Because of their low power consumption, NetTop computers are currently the most energy efficient machines on the market.

Despite their small footprints, NetTops are perfectly capable of handling everyday computer tasks and often come preinstalled with Windows, Linux, or Mac OS X operating systems. Most are offered in numerous configurations to cater to all users. Since they use similar hardware to laptop computers, most NetTops are easily upgradeable should the need arise.

Uses

A NetTop can be the perfect solution for a family looking for an inexpensive general-use computer, or small businesses or retail outlets interested in light-duty computers to handle inventory and point-of-sale operations. NetTops’ small form factor means that they can easily be concealed, making them ideal in locations where space is at a premium or theft is a risk.

As more and more entertainment media becomes digital, many consumers are turning to NetTops to serve as media hubs – so much so that NetTops used in personal media setups are sometimes referred to by tech gurus as home theatre PCs (HTPCs). Perfectly suited to housing and managing digital music libraries, NetTops can also be easily connected to HDTVs and home theatre systems – and their onboard storage can easily be expanded by the use of external hard drives. Easy networking and Internet connectivity means that online movie services can be accessed directly from one’s NetTop and relayed to a TV via HDMI or high-quality composite video ports. With the right adapters and audio cables, NetTops can also serve as receivers for home audio systems.

More expensieve NetTop PCs are sometimes equipped with touch screens, and in the future these machines may have several household applications – such as digital recipe books or online family calendars.

Ever since Packard Bell was established in 1926 it has been churning out variety of impressive gadgets that have made a huge mark in the market. It entered the PC market in mid 1980s and has been successfully catering to the needs of homes and offices through its range of PCs and laptops. EasyNote LJ61-RB-010 belongs to the same group of impressive products offered by Packard Bell.

Packard Bell EasyNote LJ61-RB-010 on a whole is a great package. If you are an AMD fan then you are definitely going to like this laptop because it runs on the AMD Athlon 64X2 RM-72, a power house of a processor. And that is not all either. To make it capable enough of beating the best Packard Bell has loaded the system with remarkable features. It has a 4 GB RAM which makes sure that even though the system uses Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium it would still function without any hiccups.

When most of the companies are making big claims about ‘huge’ storage spaces by offering 250 to 350 GB capacities Packard Bell is offering 500 GB of storage space in Packard Bell EasyNote LJ61-RB010 to beat the rest by miles. In case you are a fan of movies and music then you should not even think before buying it. Your movie watching experience would be enhanced many folds due to the 17.3 inch screen, which again is a feature ahead of others in the market.

Packard Bell EasyNote LJ61-RB-010 also has a DVD writer and wireless LAN connectivity options making it worth every penny spent on it.

Featuring a compact and slim design, Acer Aspire 3810T has a long battery life. Smaller than its sibling, Aspire 3810T is smaller and more compact. It has a 13.3 inch screen which draws a good balance between size and usability. Offering sharp image quality, it has a bright screen. It uses LED backlighting with a good effect and displays good colours and contrast and conserves power at the same time. Energy-efficient, the 3810T uses an integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics card. Though slightly compromised on 3D capabilities, the laptop runs all office applications smoothly and simultaneously. It play backs movies and allows the user browse the Internet smoothly, though gaming is not such a good option. Powered by 1.4GHz ULV (Ultra Low Voltage) Intel Core 2 Duo processor that reduces power consumption to a great extent, the laptop tries to save on power.

Unlike many other super-thin laptops, the 3810T remains cool to touch as it has ventilation aided by the Laminar Wall Jet cooling system. So, it is comfortable to work with on your knees and remains very quiet during use. The chassis is stylish and has a quality feel that lacks in many of Acer’s other products. It has an aluminium lid, which helps keep the laptop light. Weighing a mere 1.7kg, the laptop is ultra portable and easy to carry to all places. The keyboard has been designed with high quality material though it takes time to get used to the raised keys. A quiet and comfortable notebook, the Acer Aspire 3810T’s touchpad supports gesture control. However, this thin and light laptop does not have an optical drive. It has 3 USB ports and Bluetooth that lets you connect peripherals wirelessly. For external displays, there is either VGA or HDMI ports. Moreover, the Acer laptop has a 5-in-1 memory card reader that makes it easy to transfer files and 802.11n Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet that offer the fastest connections to wireless and fixed networks.

The MSI X-Slim X340 is quite a proficient notebook PC which has a luxurious aluminum packaging. The 13.4 inch monitor helps the viewer see the best of images and videos and the visuals produced are very energetic and bright. The backlit logo keeps sparkling all the time. As far as connectivity goes, provisions are in place in the form of a couple of USB ports, a line in and a line out, Ethernet and HDMI ports a piece, a VGA port and finally a memory card reader. The basics are taken care of and with the X-Slim X340 from Micro-Star INT’L at the helm of affairs simplicity will be at its best. All the facilities that are required by a commoner will be met and all this comes at a cost that is negligible.

The battery that has been used in the MSI X-Slim X340 is very sturdy and is fixed at the back of the notebook PC. It can be switched, moved and easily replaced. The four cell battery with 2,150 mAh units will be enough to keep it going for hours at a stretch. The MSI X-Slim X340 laptop with its modest configurations and meagre pricing is good for those who need one for small purposes like presentations and college projects. You can install a lot of software and can also add extendable memory. It will benefit the user in the sense that maintenance costs are almost zilch and the longevity is commendable. Buy the MSI notebook and use it for as long as you want.

Tags for this article: laptop, notebook, battery

There is good news for pro mobile gamers. MSI has recently launched its new gaming monster called the MSI GT627. It’s a new laptop that is optimised for gaming on the go. The company had unveiled this one at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) 2009. It is powered by MSI’s Turbo Drive engine Technology that offers CPU overclocking at the touch of a button.

The MSI GT627 has got everything a professional gamer thinks of. From high definition graphics to extraordinary processing speed to Dolby Digital sound, the MSI has incorporated everything in this ‘tiny monster’. This specimen is far more powerful than your MSI Megabook GX600 or MSI Wind. However due to high performance hardware and loads of options included in the machine the overall weight increases. So if you are not ready to put some extra pressure on your shoulders and lap then it will certainly disappoint you but if you are more focused on high-tech gaming then the MSI GT627 is one of the best gaming laptops on the planet as of now.

This gaming oriented laptop features:

• 15.4” LCD monitor
• NVIDIA Geforce 9800M GS 3D graphic card with 1GB DDR3 VRAM
• 7.1 channel output
• Intel Core2 Duo processor on Intel PM45 Express Chipset
• High definition video scaling
• Built in 2.0 mega pixels web cam
• Wide range of connectivity options including USB, HDMI and Wi-Fi

Tags for this article: mobile, laptop, best gaming laptop 2009

Remember the LaCinema multimedia hard disk launched by LaCie last year with audio and video outputs? That was a spectacular product as it offered the users the ability to connect the hard disk directly to their TV sets and enjoy all the multimedia stuff stored within. It was the only one of its kind and was adored by many users. Now the same company has launched an upgraded version of the LaCinema multimedia hard disk, called the LaCinema Rugged, that is targeted to fulfill the needs of modern day consumer.

The LaCinema Rugged interfaces have been improved a lot and some additional goodies are also incorporated to make the hard drive compatible with the latest technology. The device has now got audio, composite video and HDMI outputs. It can handle most of the popular audio/video codecs (excluding H.264 and MPEG4). Like its predecessor, you can connect this one also directly to any normal TV set or a High Definition flat panel to access the videos. The user interface is very simple and easy to operate. The LaCie LaCinema Rugged 500GB hard disk comes with a fully functional remote that can be used to control all the operations whilst relaxing. This cinematic device is blessed with the HD up-scaling capabilities. It can improve the video playback by taking up the resolution up to 720p. That’s not the full HD but far better than the normal vision.

The LaCinema Rugged is far better in terms of portability and endurance as compared to the previous version.

Get ready to welcome a stunning new jewel into your lives. No, I am seriously not talking about gold, silver, or for that matter diamond jewellery; I’m talking about a laptop with an appearance to die for. The product in question, the Sony VAIO FW-270j, is also an awesomely powerful multimedia device with an adorable 16.4” display, and is equipped with an aspect ratio of 16:9. The device is delightfully competent when it comes to handling a number of popular formats, with its standard Blu-ray player and HDMI port, which are a part of the entire package.

One of the major strategies adopted by the company is to keep the price of the product considerably so that it manages to create a niche for itself in the competitive multimedia market. And if recent indications are anything to go by, then the policy has done wonders for the product’s reception. The notebook is essentially an improvement over the Sony Vaio VGN-FW21E. Given the FW-270j’s inexpensive nature, the specifications, which include an Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 2.26GHz processor, as well as a solid 4GB RAM and 320GB HDD, become all the more impressive.

Despite being 1600×900, the Sony laptop is HD-friendly, although the display quality of the unit is a bit of a letdown as the resolution stands at a toned down 720p. Nevertheless, you will love the intensity of the back lighting when set on maximum levels, as it effectively eliminates glare from the glossy screen. Moreover, you can benefit from the flexibility provided by the large display screen as it can be manipulated to suit various viewing angles, whether vertical or horizontal.

The connectivity of the unit is not something to drool for, but it does have sufficient features to fulfill your primary requirements. Prominent connections include- an HDMI port, but 802.11a/b/g/n and Bluetooth, making for a convenient operation.

Tags for this article: mobile, laptop, sony vaio

The Asus G71V is a gaming laptop powered by the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9300 quad-core mobile CPU. Each of the four cores run at an extreme speed of 2.53GHz and have 12MB of L2 cache with a 1066 MHz Front Side Bus. Apart from these specs, the rest of the configuration on the gaming laptop is very catchy as well. The Asus G71V includes 4GB of DDR2 RAM running at 800MHz and the storage option is incredible as it offers two 500GB Hitachi HDDs. That means you will get a huge 1TB of accommodation for your digital media.

The Asus G71V is also available with an integrated 2x Blu-ray rewritable drive which gives you the opportunity to create your own high definition library. For extensive graphics production one Nvidia GeForce 9700M GT is also installed with 512MB of dedicated VRAM. This makes the visuals appear amazingly crisp and in high definition on the Asus G71V’s 17-inch 1,920×1,200-pixel screen. You can also use the built-in HDMI port for redirecting the display on to a bigger external screen. Additional goodies include a 2 megapixel integrated webcam, four USB 2.0 ports, Dolby Home Theater surround sound, 802.11n Wi-Fi, 2GB of Intel Turbo Memory, Windows Vista Ultimate edition and Express Gate. The design of the laptop is very good as well and matches the current modern style trend.