Photo: HighTechDad / Flickr

We always turn our nose to technology companies who turn to celebrities to rejuvenate their brand, or to make their brand cool with the kids. We were bemused when Kodak hired Lady Gaga as their creative director, but that yielded some interesting, if not completely functional results. Intel is making a similar bet, hiring Black Eyed Peas front man will.i.am as Director of Creative Innovation.

Umm, that job title?

If we may just take a moment: ‘Director of Creative Innovation’? Seriously? Is innovation ever uncreative? What does that even mean? Is this what the post-celebrity endorsements world has come down to? Strange job titles?

Anyhow, Intel says that his unique roll means he will ‘collaborate with Intel on many creative and technology endeavors across the “compute continuum” that may include such devices as laptops, smart phones and tablets’. Does that mean he’ll actually give functional input, or merely his wacky multi-coloured, paint-myself-black-for-no-apparent-reason aesthetic input?

I got a feeling that we’re about to make more money!

Deserved sarcasm aside, Will says that: ‘Nearly everything I do involves processors and computers, and when I see an Intel chip I think of all the creative minds involved that help to amplify my own creativity.’

Wow, that’s a nice back rub. Give us more, Will: ‘Teaming up with the scientists, researchers and computer programmers at Intel to collaborate and co-develop new ways to communicate, create, inform and entertain is going to be amazing.’ There you have it from the man himself.

I’ll sing to you on the bridge, Sandy

On a more serious, real work, and not totally weird-celebrity-endorsements-as-employments world, Intel has worked its way back into the hearts of high-end computer lovers everywhere. The company’s second-generation Intel Core processors – widely known as Sandy Bridge – are, true to their promise, stupid fast, significantly boosting one’s computer’s capabilities. We’re still amazed at how big a difference they make, when compared to everything that preceded them.

Back to the focus, celebrity endorsements are nothing new, but this new age celebrity collaboration trend worries us.

Photo: Sony

The Sony Vaio laptop range is notable for its once trail-blazing aesthetic sensibilities, early adoption of new technology, impressive performance and equally impressive price tag. Much like Macs – but maybe not to the same extent – they sell well because you either love them or hate them. Below are some of the more notable entries in the Sony Vaio laptop range, ranging from the unbelievably powerfully priced combination to the moderately capable (by Vaio standards) entries, after which we’ll recommend whether they’re for you or not.

The Vaio F Series

When price isn’t a concern, go big or go home right? Well, you can go absolutely colossal with the latest Sony Vaio F series laptop: the Sony Vaio VPCF12MOE/B. Tread lightly: it will cost you more than a £1,000, but every cent is well spent. You get an Intel Core i7 740QM processor with a clock speed of 2,930MHz. Add to that 4GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive out the box, a 16.4-inch Full HD (1920×1080) screen, and you soon notice that Sony really didn’t spare any expenses when they made this – and they’re gladly passing over the costs to you, friend.

The Vaio E Series

At a slightly more agreeable price tag is the Sony Vaio E series. The current range generally ships with Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i3 processors, with clock speeds at 2,130MHz. For most people this is plenty performance, while shaving off the price premium for the top of the range Sony Vaio F series.

Worth the plunge?

Even with these recommendations, it’s worth thinking carefully about whether these laptops are worth the plunge. And to be fair, we’re undecided. In terms of build quality and aesthetics, these laptops are undoubtedly top notch. Without question. There have been one or two occasions Sony has missed a beat slightly with its reflective glossy displays, but this is an extreme rarity.

This leaves two key considerations for laptop buyers – aesthetics and pricing. While the Sony Vaio laptop range still looks good, for the most part it’s almost as if the zany industrial designers they had in the early days have left the nest. The design is much much safer without being boring, and they’re still among the best looking laptops in the world, bested only by the Macs, perhaps.

The last thing to consider is price. And the truth is you should always pay for valuable product. These laptops certainly fit the billing, particularly the Sony Vaio F series, however, the Vaio E series are no joke, either.

So, in short, if you can afford the Sony Vaio laptop range go for it! Just remember, there was once a time Sony’s laptops were even more awesome looking than they are now.

Photo: Acer

Acer’s flagship range – the Acer Aspire laptop range – runs the gamut from netbooks right up to Acer’s high end laptops. It’s a good move for brand identity but it can make life a little difficult for a newcomer who doesn’t understand the product differentiation.

Product differentiation explained

‘Aspire’ is a general name Acer use for some of its laptops, much like Apple’s ‘Macbook’ monicker. Now, ‘Aspire One’ represents the company’s notebook range, Timeline represents a specific line of highly efficient laptops Acer makes, while the numbered range (ala Acer Aspire 7745G) represents the general laptops Acer ships. Confusion averted? Good, so now let’s look at what they offer.

The Acer Aspire products

The Acer Aspire One are among the most popular netbooks on the market today, and for good reason. With their Intel Atom N450, N45 and N75 processor configurations, they’re easily the most capable netbooks on the market. Each shipping with a 1GB of RAM and 250GB of storage space, Acer doesn’t skim on capability – something that can’t be said for most netbooks on the market.

Acer Timeline and numbered range

Photo: Acer

One thing we have found with the Acer Aspire laptop range, in general, is that while they’re priced well and are very capable relative to what you pay, Acer doesn’t always work hard enough on ensuring great build quality. An example of this is the Acer Aspire 7745G, which we reviewed recently – fantastic laptop with questionable design build.
And this theme holds through to the award winning, ultra-thin, long battery life Acer Timeline series of laptops. They work great, are priced great, and have admirable features, but on the rare occasion miss a beat with how the physical product is engineered.

Verdict

Acer has long made very good laptops, trading off the need to be a premium brand by moving massive volumes of product at an attractive price. The Acer Aspire One netbooks are easily my favourites of their device category, matched only by the Asus Eee PC. The Timelines are great pieces of kit if efficiency is your game, while the numbered laptops are a mixed bag, wherein you should review each one in isolation.

Photo: Apple

There was once a point Apple ran its Macbook and Macbook Pro lines concurrently. The Macbooks were available in 13-inch varieties – in white and black – and the Macbook Pro was avaialble in 15- and 17-inch varieties. Apple changed that, and restructured their line, giving a greater focus to the Macbook Pro. But they left some love for the Macbook, while making the jump to Macbook Pro that little bit more attractive.

The stand-alone Macbook

The current stand-alone Macbook ships for $999 in the US, and, if you search carefully, you can get that a cheap Apple Macbook in the UK for under £800. The current Macbook ships with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive. Apple has traded in the old Macbook’s body, and given it a slick plastic unibody, not dissimilar to how the Macbook Pro has an aluminium unibody.

The Macbook Pro range

The Macbook Pro range is available in 13-inch, 15-inch, and 17-inch varieties. In terms of computing configuration, the 13-inch version, which is the cheap Apple Macbook Pro, is available with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, with speeds of 2.4GHz to 2.66GHz.

Photo: Apple

The 15-inch model comes with an Intel Core i5 in a 2.4GHz or 2.53GHz variety with 3MB of L3 cache. For those looking to supercharge their 15-inch Macbook Pro, you can get a 2.66GHz Intel Core i7 processor with 4MB of shared L3 cache.

The 17-inch Macbook Pro shares the processor setup found on the 15-inch model, but it abandons the entry-level 2.4GHz. At the top end of the 17-inch Macbook Pro range, you’re paying $2,299 (£1,490).

The truth is, for Apple you always pay a premium, so you’re unlikely to find a cheap Apple Macbook. Those who love Apple products swear by them, and it’s easy to see why – they’re fantastic pieces of kit.

Photo: Asus

While most consumers know Asus really well for its work in the netbook space and one or two other mobile computing products, hardcore computer enthusiasts still know Asus as the motherboard guys. Asus motherboards have long been among the best in the industry, with often-trailblazing features and notable reliability at an attractive price. They span various socket types, supporting Intel processors and AMD processors alike, with key features, too.

For AMD processors

The Asus M4A88TD-M EVO/USB 3.0 motherboard is one of the current best sellers in the Asus motherboard range. This Socket AM3 Motherboard – which supports a slew of AMD processor types including the AMD Athlon II X2 through to the Sempron 100 and AMD Phenom II X4 – is both dual core and quad core ready. It has a built-in HDMI slot on it, a USB 3.0 port and a fairly decent onboard graphics card in the form of the ATI Radeon HD4250.

Some Intel love

The Asus P7P55D-E Pro Socket 1156 motherboard is a noteworthy companion to the Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processor range. Released towards the end of last year, it has recently seen its suggested retail price drop rapidly even though there still aren’t many better options at that price point. This nets you 4 x DDR3 RAM slots, 2 x USB 3.0 slots, hybrid SLI support and a high volume of other port standards.

The formula for success

What Asus does so well that other motherboard manufacturers may be slightly slower or slightly behind on is its ability to integrate new technology as it arrives. Before HDMI slots on computers became ubiquitous and somewhat expected at the top-end, Asus began integrating them, as they began doing last year already with the nascent USB 3.0 technology. The build quality and reliability is phenomenal, so much so that my very old 1GHz AMD Duron Asus motherboard still works to this day, all the while other components have begun failing. (No, I don’t use it anymore.)

You would do well to look over the Asus motherboard range the next time you’re shopping for the framework that connects all your computers parts to each other. They may not be the cheapest option, necessarily, but they score high points on the reliability stakes.

Photo: Stock.Xchng

The long rumoured Apple iMac update has come to fruition with the folks at Cupertino adding Intel Core i3, Intel Core i5, and Intel Core i7 processors in lieu of the Core 2 Duo, as well as introducing ATI Radeon HD graphics processors and IPS panels.

21-inch options

The entry-level iMac is priced at $1,199. It comes with a 21.5-inch 1080p display, a 3.06GHz Intel Core i3 CPU, an ATI Radeon HD 4670 256MB GPU, 4GB DDR3 RAM, and a 500GB hard drive.

The iMac a level up is priced at $1,499 and also shares the aforementioned 21.5-inch 1080p screen. RAM remains at 4GB as well. Where there is a difference is in the processing speed, with Apple opting for the 3.2GHz Intel Core i3. The GPU is also slightly different, with the ATI Radeon HD 5670 coming with 512MB onboard memory.

27-inch options

The next iMac, priced at $1,699 is the first of the 27-inch iMacs, with the generous LED-backlit display packing a resolution of 2560×1440. Fret not, cinema fans, that’s still the classic 16:9 aspect ratio. Processing here is done by the 3.2GHz Intel Core i3 as well, the usual 4GB of DDR3 RAM is packed in, and the graphics are also handled by the 512MB ATI Radeon HD 5670. At this level, however, Apple builds to order, with the option of including a 3.6GHz Intel Core i5 instead, 256GB SSD, a 2TB hard drive and up to 16GB of DDR3 RAM. It will cost you, of course.

Photo: Apple

The top-of-the-line Apple iMac, priced at $1,999 sports the aforementioned 27-inch display. Behind that jarringly large display is a quad-core 2.8GHz Intel Core i5, which has 8MB of L3 cache. The usual 4GB of DDR3 RAM reappears, as do the 1TB hard drive and the ATI Radeon HD 5670. Built to order units see the ability to add a 2.93GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 256GB SSD, a 2TB hard drive, and up to 16GB DDR3 RAM.

Naturally Apple bundles these with a wireless keyboard and a magic mouse, too.

The updated iMacs are available from Apple’s store and resellers in the US, with the rest of the world likely to get a slow roll out of these computers over the coming weeks. Sometimes retailers try sell the older iMac versions at discounted prices to make space for the newer models, so this is could be a pretty good time to snap up an iMac at a discounted price.

Photo: Microsoft

During the warm afterglow of a fantastic earnings report, Microsoft has announced a key partnership with ARM that could have significant bearings for the entire mobile computing landscape.

What MS is paying for

Essentially, Microsoft has signed a licensing agreement that will give it access to ARM architecture. Though Microsoft and ARM have been working together for north of 13 years, this formal deal will give the Redmond giant access to ARM’s working architecture, information it has not had up until now.
Why this is huge for Microsoft

For Microsoft this is huge, considering the company will now get unfettered access to ARM’s working knowledge of the processing technology powering a massive portion of smartphones on the market. To give some perspective on the technological bearings of this deal, one needs to consider that Apple’s very own A4 chip powering the iPhone 4 and the iPad are built on ARM architecture. (Speaking of which, remember that ridiculous rumour that Apple wanted to buy ARM?)

This doesn’t necessarily mean Microsoft would build its own chip and we doubt they will, but it will give the company key insight into the hardware structure of the ARM architecture processors powering the vast majority of its incoming Windows Phone 7 Series hardware, as well as Windows Compact 7 for tablets. This is invaluable information.

Why this is huge for ARM

Photo: ARM

ARM shareholders have shown their approval by helping surge the share price up an impressive 11 per cent since Friday’s announcement. Within ARM itself, though the company has hundreds of licensing agreements, this is one of only four it has made public, indicating how big a deal signing Microsoft as a client is, even today.

Intel wept

Long-time Microsoft partner (or is that codependent?) Intel cried a tear, too. It’s well documented that the historical leader in microprocessing, Intel, in contrast to its fantastic Core i3, i5, and i7 ranges, has been slow off the mark with its mobile offerings. In fact, its only really big bet is MeeGo, and considering partner Nokia’s recent prospects, it isn’t enough to be comfortable with. Some commentators have already stated Intel will lose in mobile. They sure could have used some support from their Redmond friends, huh?

Photo: Intel

Intel introduced a new Intel Core i7 desktop processor that has six cores to go with the previously released Intel i7 Extreme Edition with six cores. In the process, the company also cut the price on some of its older chipsets.

Say hi to the Intel Core i7-970

The new six-core Intel Core i7-970 runs at an impressive 3.2GHz, with 12MB of L3 cache to boot. That much power doesn’t come cheap, though, with the i7-970 carrying a suggested retail price of $885 (about £582).

This, however, is not the first six-core Intel processor available on the market. The Intel Core i7-970 follows in the footsteps of the incredibly powerful (but unbelievably expensive) Intel Core i7-980X Extreme Edition that was released back in March this year.

Two tiers of performance

Intel has deliberately divided its Intel Core i7 series of chips into two tiers, with the standard edition for high-end desktops while the Intel i7 Extreme Edition chips are intended specifically for power users – most prominently gamers and 3D artists – looking for that extra bit of performance. The Intel Core i7-790 is meant to bridge the gap between the extreme chips and the desktop chips by bringing Intel Extreme Edition power to desktop users.

Cheaper chips with that fish

The one benefit of the constant release of improved processing chips is the downward pressure they have on the pricing of older chips. Intel took the liberty of slashing the prices of its chips – both desktop and server chips – by nearly 50 per cent in some instances. The Intel Core i7-870 processor is now priced at $294 (about £193), representing a 48 per cent cut on its old price. The company also cut the price of some of its Xeon server processors, too. It may take time for the pricing effects to come into play in the UK, so if you were planning on picking up an Intel Core i7-870, you may want to hold off for a month or so. For a more detailed report on how prices have been adjusted at Intel, you may want to look at their price list (PDF File).

Does the new Intel Core i7-970 interest you, particularly at that price point? Relative to the Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition, do you think it is value for money?

Photo: Asus

Tread lightly. The Asus G73JH is not cheap. Not by a long mile. But it is an extremely well engineered laptop that can appease the desires of most hardcore PC gamers. Still here? Alright then, dive right in with us.

Specs

Considering the amount of money you’re paying, you definitely want the specs to justify the shillings. Asus works hard at doing this for you. The Asus G73JH has an Intel Core i7-720QM processor. It ships with 8GB RAM right out the box and a beefy 1,000 GB hard drive (yes, that’s right, a terabyte in the case). What of that promise for gamers? No need to fret, how does an ATI Mobility Radeon HD5870 sound? Thought so. Add to that a Blu-ray ROM built in (still something of a rarity on laptops) and HDMI, VGA output with Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, you start to see how the costs of this Asus G73JH just escalated and escalated.

Display

The display is a generous 17-inches in full HD (1920×1080p) with an aspect ratio of 16:9. You’re not going to want to take it outside, since the reflections from the glossy screen are unbearable. Viewing angle is surprisingly forgiving, allowing for slight movement vertically and horizontally relative to the screen’s positioning, but dodging the reflections is the big problem. And this bright, generous display also adds to the battery life problems.

Input

There’s little to say about the input. Both the keyboard and trackpad are above standard fare, presenting a pleasant user input experience. The keyboard is backlit, too – which always excites us more than it should – which is another major plus.

Performance

Photo: Asus

Which brings us to the big one – performance. With a battery that hits three hours at the beginning of its life cycle and continually depletes thereafter, one may feel the pinch with the Asus G73JH. The truth is, this considered, perhaps performance is not as good as the price might suggest. Let me reiterate, the Intel Core i7 and ATI Mobility Radeon HD5870 ensure it works like a charm, but the misgivings start to stack. We tested the machine with the most popular first-person shooter on PCs at the moment, Modern Warfare 2, and at a full 1920×1080 p resolution with 4x anti aliasing turned on and textures extra turned on, it averaged a very respectable 48fps. It’s not quite the COD optimum 60fps, but this is a notebook, after all.

Naturally with applications, this theme carried through as well. It runs really well. Really, really well, actually. And you’ll be hard pressed to find many desktops with equivalent specs or graphics capabilities. But it costs over £1,600, which makes us take a pause. Is the ATI Mobility Radeon HD5870 really worth that? What of the Intel Core i7 processor? It’s just, you sort of feel like it’s overpriced by £200. Sure, we realise at 8GB worth of RAM, with a fantastic processor and a remarkable graphics card, add to that a full HD display and Blu-ray drive, how much did we expect to pay, right? Still, though, it hangs in our minds.

So, in effect, if you’re looking for a superb gaming laptop and price is not a sticky point for you, get the Asus G73JH now. If price is a sticky point, you may dance around the issue a little bit, as we have been.

Photo: Samsung

When choosing a laptop, there are many factors to consider, including memory, hard drive space, operating systems, and extra features. Perhaps one of the most important things to consider, though, is size.

Laptop sizes are determined by screen size, measured diagonally. With the introduction of netbooks, screen sizes range anywhere from seven inches to 17 inches. To aid selection between various sizes, shoppers should consider where the laptop will be used most often. For users who are frequently mobile, purchasing a laptop with a very large screen is not convenient or practical, and makes travelling cumbersome. Similarly, for those who remain in one location the majority of the time, a small laptop screen simply doesn’t make sense.

The bigger the better?

Historically, there’s been a direct ratio between size and features: the larger the laptop, the greater the specifications. That relationship has changed recently, however, as users’ need for mobility continues to eclipse other needs. Manufacturers now produce high-performance laptops in a variety of sizes. For those who want an ultraportable yet fully-featured machine, a 13-inch laptop may prove the best solution. These laptops make no compromises when it comes to performance, and offer similar specifications to their larger, usually more powerful cousins – but do so in much smaller, truly transportable packages.

Small and powerful

Photo: HP

Striking the perfect balance between power and mobility, laptops of this size offer brilliant battery life, and combined with their easy-to-carry, lightweight designs, allow for hours of comfortable productivity. With available hard drive capacity up to 500 GB, up to 8 GB RAM, and the latest Intel Core 2 Duo and Core i3, i5, and i7 processors, 13-inch laptops are more than capable of handling any task thrown their way.

Despite their small size, many 13-inch laptops offer vivid, high-definition screens that are more than capable of suiting the needs of photo or video editors. Powerful video cards, widescreen formats and resolutions that mirror those of HDTVs create an environment ideal for enjoying DVDs on the go.

And of course, 13-inch laptops are equipped with features now considered standard on any mobile PC: powerful optical drives that record to CD, DVD, and even Blu-ray discs in some cases; integrated webcams and microphones for easy video conferencing; wi-fi and Bluetooth for easy networking; and a host of available ports to connect all peripherals and other mobile devices.