Photo: Lenovo

It’s definitely going to be a face-palm moment for lots of laptop makers out the when they finally catch wind of Lenovo’s latest and innovative Lenovo laptop charger called the Power Hub. Most people will know the frustration of having to charge a USB-capable device through their laptop and how slow that can be. With the new Lenovo Power Hub, that about to change as Lenovo has developed a laptop charger which comes with 4 extra USB hubs for charging USB capable devices.

Simple and capable

The new Lenovo Power Hub is so simple and yet so capable and if only it didn’t have to be plugged into a USB port in addition to a power point we would be playing the sounds of angels in harmony as we announced the cool new charger. The new Lenovo laptop charger is perfect for people who have lots of USB devices which are used regularly and hence require constant recharging. Obviously, users who didn’t have the charger in the past would’ve been faced with the problem of running out of hubs to run USB devices on and charge at the same, but know with the new Lenovo Power Hub, users will only be losing one USB hub and gaining another four.

What non-Lenovo users should do

However, for non-Lenovo users struggling to get their numerous USB devices powered, there are always alternative USB hubs available which increase the amount of USB ports available to users and almost replicate what the Lenovo laptop charger is capable of, but not quite to a tee.

In terms of price, it seems that Lenovo bumped their head when they priced the Power Hub and want consumers to pay a pricey $74.99(about £63) – yes, for a laptop charger. This makes the innovative charger perfect for Lenovo laptop owners with money to burn and lots of USB devices, but hopefully other laptop makers also catch on soon.

Photo: Panasonic

A DVD burner makes for an excellent addition to anyone’s workstation making it easy to transfer massive loads of data onto a DVD disc. Most PCs and laptops come with built-in DVD writers these days, however if you have a PC and laptop from the stone age and are looking to burn lots of data quickly, then you should look at getting either an internal or external DVD writer.

The expensive external

The Panasonic VW-BN1E-S is a sleek external DVD writer come with a USB connection for fast and easy installation. It’s small and light making it easy to write DVDs on the go and also provides a more than reliable and quick performance. The Panasonic VW-BN1E-S is compatible with a large range of DVD formats and with quick CD and DVD read and write speeds, makes for a good tool for those who demand speed and efficiency. The Panasonic VW-BN1E-S is a little on the pricier side when compared to other makes available and goes for just under £108.

The cheaper and reliable internal

Photo: Samsung

Those not in the market for an external DVD writer, but rather looking for an internal DVD burner should look at getting the Samsung SH-222A. Installation is obviously slightly more complicated when dealing with internal DVD writers and it would be best, if not totally clued up with the inner workings of a PC, to get a professional to have it installed. The Samsung SH-222A is a 22x DVD writer and coming with writeMaster™ technology promises a quick and efficient burning process time after time. The Samsung DVD writer is also super quiet and with low noise and low vibration it’s able to write DVD and CDs even faster that lesser spec models. The Samsung SH-222A currently goes for about £12, which is big cut off the price tag when compared to the external Panasonic writer.

In a nutshell, when it comes to DVD burners you can either pay for versatility and portability with an external DVD writer or go for a good old traditional internal DVD writer which provides the same performance and will save a lot more quid.

Photo: Samsung

As the lines between traditional consumer electronics manufacturers and specialist PC hardware manufacturers get more and more blurred, we’re seeing companies like Samsung encroaching in territory previously dominated by the likes of Lacie and Western Digital. We took the Samsung G2 500GB USB external hard drive for a spin to see how it compares, and you can read our thoughts below.

Stats attack

The Samsung G2 500GB USB external hard drive, as its name suggests, has a 500GB capacity. It runs at an okay 5400rpm and is whisper quiet. The disk is 2.5-inches in size, meaning it doesn’t need an external power source, so all you need is a sole USB cable for transferring data and plugging it in. Even when we tried very hard to listen out for it, we couldn’t hear so much as a fizz. To this effect, Samsung has included a clever blue LED light that remains solid when the drive is plugged in but inactive, and flashes on and off when data is being read off or written to it.

Aesthetics

The drives come in four colour varieties, namely cobalt black, silver white, cobalt blue and olive green. The top of the drive is studded – think almost of how lego blocks have those little connectors – that makes the drive shimmer when light bounces off of it. Sure, it makes no difference to performance, but it’s a pretty effect (and Twilight fans will certainly appreciate it).

Added features

Photo: Samsung

The hard drive comes with Windows only (sorry Mac fans) password protection and backup features. While Time Machine should suffice for backing up a Mac, the file hiding and password protection of sensitive files would have been nice to have. Samsung also has faith in its manufacturing quality, selling the external hard drive with a healthy three-year warranty, which is always a good sign.

Performance

These drives are aimed squarely at consumers, and perform competently when held to that mantle. Professional users who need high 7200rpm disk speeds, or Firewire 800 or USB 3.0, which bring significantly improved transfer speeds, this drive is not for you.

Verdict

The Samsung G2 500GB USB external hard drive has grown on us the more we’ve used in. Its tiny, almost pocket book size makes it great for carrying with you pretty much everywhere you go and with its clever diminutive design, it won’t look out of place with your slightly flashier electronics. The omission of 7200 rpm and USB 3.0 may be a big deal for some, and if that’s the case, look elsewhere. Also the lack of Mac love in this day and age is somewhat bemusing. Nonetheless, if these things don’t deter you and you like smart design, it’s very difficult to say no to a product that comes with a three-year warranty.



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.

Redefining computing experience, the mini Toshiba NB200-11L has a generous 10.1 inch TruBrite display that is contemporary. The netbook from Japanese firm Toshiba offers enhanced protection and a super-build that is befitting for a Toshiba brand. The keyboard is almost full-sized and makes it very easy to type on the NB200’s keyboard. Ideal for use as a secondary laptop and perfect for web browsing, the notebook is an ultra portable laptop ideal for home use. It is equipped with an Atom processor that runs at a clock speed of 1.6 GHz. It has 1 GB RAM (DDR2 SDRAM) and Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition as it operating system. Its 10.1 inch WSVGA TFT Active Matrix display screen offers sharp and vivid images that are realistic. The laptop is equipped with Intel 945GSE Express chipset. Also, it has a hard drive capacity of 160 GB and a hard drive rotation speed of 5,400 RPM. The hard drive offers ample storage space for all your storage needs for files, photos, music, media and other stuff.

The laptop has Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 950 as its graphics processor while it has a installed video memory of 512 MB. The laptop has a host of expansion ports that enhance its connectivity like 3 USB 2.0 ports, one VGA out port and RJ-45 (NIC). Also for enhanced networking, the 2009 netbook has integrated 10/100 network card and integrated Wireless LAN. Running on lithium-ion battery, the notebook has a maximum running time of 9.15 hours. Weighing only 1.3kg, the laptop is lightweight and easy to carry from one office to another. Travel-friendly, it makes a perfect travelling companion. An ultra portable netbook, the Toshiba NB200-11L has keyboard and a touchpad as its input devices. It has many interfaces like Connection Audio – Line In, Line Out, Ethernet – RJ45 and USB – Universal Serial Bus 2.0. It also has slots like MultiMedia Card (MMC), SD Card and SDHC Card slot. With an aspect ratio of 16:10, the netbook’s LCD Display screen is glossy and has an LED backlight.

Offering the latest in mobile computing experience, Toshiba NB200-10G is powered by an Intel Atom processor N270. It has Genuine Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition as its operating system. It has 1GB DDR RAM (800 MHz) and comes in cosmic black colour. A mini laptop with a 10.1 inch TruBrite VGA widescreen display, the netbook has a resolution of 1024×600. Its High Brightness display feature allows images to be sharp and vivid. Great for Internet browsing, the netbook makes an ideal secondary laptop. Its small design make sit easy for use by children and students. Besides being compact, the NB200 also offers multi-purpose functions like 3 Sleep ‘N’ Charge USB ports. A perfect mini laptop, it weighs only 1.33kg. Lightweight and compact, it is extremely travel-friendly and makes a reliable travelling companion. Easy to carry around, it also fits perfectly into a handbag or hand luggage. Ideal for use at home, for education, at work or even on the move, the NB200 also is equipped with nearly full size keyboard that ensures typing is easy and done without missing any keys.

Running on 6 cell battery, it gives up to 9 hours of battery life. It allows the user to connect wherever you are, without having to worry about being able to connect. Ideal for even long journeys, it allows the user work as well as play and is really a perfect travel companion. It has 3 Sleep ‘N’ Charge USB ports so that you can charge your mobile phone, MP3 player and other digital gadgets even when your netbook is switched off. Thus, there is no need to carry multiple charging accessories while travelling. Integrated with WiFi, the netbook uses configfree for automatic detection of available network connections. The Toshiba NB200-10G connects to the Internet at home, in the office, hotel and even at the airport using 802.11 b/g technology. It has an integrated web camera and microphone that allow you to talk to friends and family face to face online.

The Logitech V220 laptop mouse is a notebook mouse that is used on laptops. Using a laptop with the track pad is perfectly fine but having the mouse attached makes things more convenient. The Logitech V220 laptop mouse is a speciality notebook mouse that is very inexpensive and helps in quick navigation. The device is a 1000 dpi optical sensor which houses ergonomic designs and lodges rubber grips that are extremely soft. The mini receiver gets inside the Logitech mouse for easy movement. The package in which the whole apparatus comes features the mouse, an AA battery, a USB receiver and an installation guide. The icing on the cake would be that the device itself has been priced very economically which allows the buyer to spend freely.

Some other striking features in the Logitech V220 laptop mouse include control, comfort, convenience and performance. The rubber grips take care of comfort and the ridged wheel helps in proper handling. The battery life of the Logitech V220 laptop mouse Easily goes up to 6 months and there is a power indicator for the battery which keeps reminding the user at regular intervals. Digital photos can be viewed easily and so can be spreadsheets through the zoom feature. The scroll wheel has been given multiple functions to perform.

The mouse will be a good asset to your laptop and will help in fast and quick navigation. Volume adjustment and zooming into the screen will become very easy. Go and get your piece right away and make things easy for yourself.

Powered by Intel Core 2 Duo P8700 processor, Sony Vaio VGN-FW41ZJ/H is an efficient laptop that allows the user to complete more tasks in less time. The Vaio laptop has a 16.4 inch display screen which allows comfortable views and typing. A big screen, it displays sharp and vivid images and has a resolution of 1920X1080. The X-black LCD with multiple lamp has an aspect ratio of 16:9, which displays true to life images. With a hard disk capacity of 500GB, the laptop has Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium as its operating system. The Serial ATA hard drive runs at 5400rpm. Available in silver colour, the laptop’s processor allows smooth multi-tasking and has a processor speed of 2.53GHz.

Equipped with a built-in Blu-ray Disc optical drive, the laptop can read as well write CDs and DVDs. As for graphics, the laptop has Graphic Card Name ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650. Besides, the laptop has a host of expansion ports like 3 USB ports, 1 SD Card Slot, 1 Microphone Jack (Stereo), 1 RJ-11 Direct Port (Modem), 1 RJ-45 Direct Port (Network) and 1 Memory Stick Slot. The Sony Vaio FW41ZJ/H laptop also has 1 VGA Connector for Monitor, 1 TV out, TV out type HDMI, 1 Audio-out, 1 Audio out Stereo, Headphones/Speakers Jack, 1 Express Card Slot and 34mm Express Card Slot. Equipped with a built-in modem and wireless LAN, the laptop has integrated Bluetooth and Ethernet. The laptop has built-in ‘Motion Eye’ camera and built-in stereo speakers. It is also compatible with Windows Sound System and has a Motion Picture Function with a maximum resolution of 1280×1024 pixels.

The e-book reader from Sony uses an electronic paper display that has 166 dpi resolution, eight levels of greyscale and is viewable in direct sunlight. It allows the user to connect to an e-book store and displays Adobe PDFs, ePub format, personal documents, blogs, RSS news feeds, JPEGs, and Sony’s proprietary BBeB (“BroadBand eBook”) format. The e-book Reader can also play unencrypted MP3 and AAC audio files. The Sony PRS-505S E-Book Reader has a protective cover and has a sleek, muted metallic finish that is pleasing to the eye. Weighing as much as a DVD case-sized unit, it is durability and value for money. The PRS-505 has a standard USB 2.0 connector that can be used for both data transfer as well as charging.

The e-book Reader from Sony also accepts pictures in JPG, GIF, PNG, and BMP formats and it can play back MP3s and unencrypted AAC files, thus you can listen to music as you read. However playing music drains the battery quite a bit. However, the Reader doesn’t have a speaker, but it has a headphone jack and two types of memory card slots. The Sony PRS-505S has 200MB of internal storage space that shows as an externally manageable device in Windows. When a song is popped into the drive, it shows up on the Reader in a single long list. When the user begins to play the song, it plays through the list completely and then over again until the battery has been drained completely. As an e-book reader, reading text on the Reader is pleasant experience. The background is not white like in real books but a light shade of grey. There is a choice of three font sizes that allow the user to scale the text to the most comfortable level. It also has bookmark feature that helps the user continue reading from where he had left off without having to remember the page number.

Ideal for office as well as home use, Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 is equipped with Carl Zeiss optics. These high-quality lenses give more detail and clarity as compared to other lenses. Its premium auto focus feature allows images to stay razor-sharp, even in close-ups. As for videos, it offers a resolution of 960X720 pixels, which make all your video calls look real. Equipped with a two-mega pixel sensor, the webcam offers high mega pixel performance. It also has an integrated microphone with RightSound Technology, which allows the user to have crystal-clear conversations that are free from echo and other background noises. The RightLight Technology produces high-quality images in dimly lit or poorly back lit settings. Beside so many features, the webcam allows an ultra-wide field of view and intelligent face tracking. It records video at a rate of 30 frames per second. Also, the QuickCam Pro 9000 supports 720 pixels high-definition video format and allows recording to disc at a resolution of 960X720 pixels, thus making it simple for users to capture and view extremely sharp video clips.

The webcam also offers Logitech Video Effects, which allow the user to personalise conversations with hundreds of avatars and face and accessories that mirror expressions. Make your videos more fun by adding video effects like fisheye, ’50s movie, neon and much more. The versatile Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 device is easy to use and mounts easily on any type of display or notebook computer. With a flexible universal base, it will rest on any monitor with utmost ease.