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.

The HP Mini 110

The price of netbooks just continues to go further and further down. Each year they offer better parts and lower price tags. The new HP Mini 110 definitely carries on this pattern. It resembles HP’s Mini 1000, but has many improvements and a much lower price point.

On the surface, the HP Mini 110 looks almost identical to the Mini 1000 and the Mini 1000 Mi. It features a glossy black top embellished with chic gray swirls. As you examine the netbook closer though, you are able to distinguish a few external differences. The HP Mini 110 is thicker than its predecessors, measuring more than one inch thick. This added thickness, to make room for the larger feature set and new battery set up, barely adds any extra weight to the netbook though. It manages to weigh in at a very reasonable 2.6 pounds.

The 10.1-inch widescreen is now LED-backlit and comes with 1,204 x 576 resolution. It features speakers that have been built below the screen into the frame in order to keep them hidden behind the hinge. Other important aspects to consider include the Mini’s 92 percent keyboard and mouse buttons. It also has a VGA port, an Ethernet port, a multi card reader, a headphone jack, three USB ports, and a built-in webcam. The Mini has upgraded with a 160GB, 5,400-rpm spinning drive, with the option to upgrade for something even more powerful.

Another interesting fact is that the Mini now includes a third-party software application called Syncables. Syncables allows you to connect different machines on your local network and effortlessly share photos, documents, video, and music. You can even sync e-mail accounts from Windows, Mac, and Linux systems.

HP has definitely made some huge improvements with the Mini 110. It now includes a faster hard drive and a variety of new features. No its not the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 or the Acer Aspire One, but for the reasonable starting price of $329.00 it seems like a pretty good deal to me.

Gateway NV Series 5214u

Gateway has just released their latest new line called the NV series. The line offers what I feel is the best performance at a more than reasonable price. The first in the line is the 5214u. Starting at the low cost of only $479 at bestbuy right now. The Gateway NV5214u is a Normal sized 15.6' notebook with a resolution of 1366x769 and weighs a resonable 6.82 pounds.

The best part about this laptop is it comes with every main feature that I am looking for in a budget laptop. It has an 2.1GHz AMD dual-core processor, it comes with 4GB of RAM, and it comes with the ATI Radeon HD 3200 Video Card which is on par with the more well known 8400GS. The reason these three things are so crucial because these are the three things that guarantee you a fast laptop that will run for a long time. Also the included bonus of a video card makes this laptop capable of playing games.

Some added bonuses on this laptop is the 320GB Hard Drive, 6 cell Lithion Ion Battery, an HDMI Port, Media Card Reader, and a webcam. This laptop is the perfect multimedia laptop, 320GB is more than enough to store all your music, photos, and video. The HDMI Port allows you to hook your laptop up to your giant plasma screen and the Media Card Reader is perfect for putting stuff on your phone. For a complete spec sheet see gateways website here.

If you are in need of a back to school laptop or just want a decent laptop that won't break the bank then this is the perfect laptop. It comes with all the needed hardware and ports for a great price of under $500.