Why Sony Refuse Vaio P series to be Called Netbooks?

Sony Vaio at the P (or P Life Series VAIO PC to offer full, official name) is not NETBOOK. At CES, a small computer that is clear, Sony made it very clear that was presented ... what, exactly?

To become a P Vaio notbook, there must be some definition of their own NETBOOK. Here we just try to keep track of what makes this fast-growing group of computers.


Processors

With the exception of the initial Asus EHEA using clunky 900 MHz Intel Celeron M processor, all feature today netbooks Intel Atom 1.6Ghz chip. This is more than enough to power a small motor (it is still the way to your desktop).

Sony, once, to select a 1.33GHz processor. Reason seems to be space. This processor can function as Fanless and therefore in a smaller case. NETBOOK level of openness and find a lot of extra air in it.

Keyboard

This is a real problem with netbooks - are too small. MSI Wind has a keyboard horrible. It is sentimental and design means you never know where your fingers. HP Mini is better, and said that reports of the Dell Mini 9, the keyboard also has a useful but that actually work, like writing this post, you need something more substantial.

Sony says it is designed around all P Vaio keyboard. Surely looks good (like the MacBook's keyboard actually chewing gum), and if it is to work, this can be a spiritual successor to the Psion Series 5 which features a small keyboard ever better. Sony even a right to key changes in the right place.

Screen

Almost all 10 "NETBOOK has a screen resolution of 1024x600. The Vaio P squeeze smaller pixels 8" screen - 1600 × 768. Width. Very good, very clear and determined by the size of the keyboard.

Puerto

Reason that the galloping NETBOOK specifications. They are, to the port side. They have a VGA output, three USB ports, an SD card reader, Ethernet, and headphone and microphone jacks.

Sony ditches SD to Memory Stick, but an interesting tweak to make storage space, too. Display Ethernet port connection and the socket is replaced with a slide on the adapter. This technology is complex, and some clear rules for netbooks.

Price

NETBOOK regular to get a few hundred dollars. P $ 900 from Sony. This may be the biggest difference for most people, and give us a clue about the true definition of NETBOOK (below). Sony is known for the high price of hardware, but compared with UMPCs like OQO, this feature is full of small and start the computer looks like a really good deal.

Conclusion

May NETBOOK period was fairly weak, but I think it may have cracked it. A NETBOOK is basically the cheapest can be portable and must be small.

Take a closer look and see that they are all built from the parties, not surprising since the first netbooks come from OEM company that manufactures equipment for the likes of Apple and other hardware re-badgers. They are cheap, standard components (VGA, USB, webcam), which was thrown into a cheap plastic body, with sufficient air cooling will not be a problem. Atom processors that are common but not necessary (will be improved soon anyway).

From this, it is clear that P NETBOOK Vaio is not a standard. For once, we agree with Sony.

Trendy Netbooks Has Growing Up to Satisfy Business Users

At the Consumer Electronics Show here, a lot of buzz about netbooks. Almost every major manufacturer has one computer, and some producers are specifically intended for companies that want a cheaper alternative for the employees of the actual laptop.

"The NETBOOK recovery of more than one mobile phone," said Vijay Rakesh, an analyst ThinkPanmure. "They're great for storage and work only when outside the office."

Netbooks - low cost, low-power mini-laptops - which thrive super cute new laptop device for professionals. Three things that encourage the trend. First, as netbooks get features as built-in 3-G wireless connectivity and GPS receivers, which compete with the laptop. Second, many companies use a free web-based services like Google Docs and Windows Live are not employees to install software on the computer. If all documents and programs online, you do not need a good computer and lots of storage, the thinking goes. And third, the cheaper netbooks. As the economy continues to put pressure on the budget for IT companies, companies that want to save money wherever they are.

"I'm surprised [the business angle] going so soon, but I think it makes little sense," said Ezra Gottheil, an analyst with Technology Business Research. "For many people in the world of business, all you really need is email and web access, and what do they do that .... This is a lightweight computer that can be used with both."

In fact, because of the poor economic conditions, 46 percent of the work is saving money by delaying update the computer. NETBOOK average is $ 350, the price more attractive to employers who want to save money and encourage employees to take their work home with them.

No surprises that netbooks engaged in the business world. Analysts, including Rakesh, NETBOOK predicts the market will grow at least 100 percent in 2009. ABI research and the expected 200 million ultra-portable devices, including netbooks, will be sent in 2013. That's because many units as the current laptop market in the world - so that if the prediction pans, netbooks can be a major product category (or even more) from the laptop.

Picture_3_2 new HP Mini 2140 (right), introduced in Ces, is one of the first explicitly business-oriented netbooks. HP in the market for this business NETBOOK. What makes the experience of business? A keyboard that is almost the same as a normal size (97 percent, HP said). In addition, the six-cell battery that will last approximately eight hours HP claims.

Sony released a portable 8-inch (up) on the Ces NETBOOK refused to call for "functional" and is ideal for the professional. How? This is 1.4 pounds, fit in a jacket pocket and includes a modem 3-G, which will provide internet access wherever you can get a connection from Verizon. Come with a backpack containing an Ethernet port and VGA port for connecting an external monitor.

Also in Ces, Multi-Star International (MSI) to highlight the latest update to its popular Wind NETBOOK. Has a sharper, more professional than the first appearance of the wind, and an option to add a new 3.5 G modem.

One of the most notable new feature in some netbooks are immediately on the technology, which can make it easier to check the mail or get some work done in the race. For example, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Lenovo update to the popular shows online NETBOOK S10, which has a new feature called hyperspace. Users can access basic applications such as Web browsers, email and instant messaging software immediately, without booting Windows first.

Phoenix Technologies, the company responsible for the BIOS (Basic Input / Output System) that boots many Windows computers, was developed hyperspace. In addition to accelerating basic tasks, the immediate environment will increase the battery life, Phoenix Technologies to Wired.com.

"Start your machine takes too long, and with a mobile phone that will take both," said Woody Hobbs, CEO of Phoenix Technologies. For netbooks, [with the hyperspace] we tried to head to the Smartphone. "

But, of course, the company not only as a market netbooks computer without merging some of the company changes. Further improvements, such as larger keyboard, design and battery life is longer, the small and subtle - but nonetheless make a significant difference for the business user.

Of course, marketing is marketing, and Gottheil noted netbooks will not be suitable for every business user, but depending on the nature of their work.

"The title for the user does not feel comfortable that varies," he said. "Some will take nothing thrilled substantially lighter. Others feel they can not watch the small screen."

Core i7, Newest Desktop Processor from INTEL

Launch of the latest AMD server chips last month, Intel will become the center of attention.

Intel plans to launch the latest generation of desktop processors on Monday. Called core i7, chips for high-end desktop and gaming market.

Put Intel ahead of rival AMD more than a few months compared to the AMD desktop is not scheduled to start until early next year.

"AMD is now not only have a chip in the competition against Intel on the desktop," said Patrick Wang, an analyst with Wedbush Morgan broker company.

And until AMD has launched its products, Intel will be the only option for consumers who want the latest chips for them, said Wang

The core i7 will be about four to six times faster than at this time, the Intel platform, says the company, and with energy efficiency is greater than ever. This is based on the production of 45 nanometer technology, which first appeared in the Xeon server chip called (aka Penryn), which debuted earlier this year.

Chips using 45-nm circuits smaller than the previous generation of 65 nm, so that faster and also allows Intel to produce more cheaply.

New Core i7 chips are designed based on the new microarchitecture called Nehalem, which includes changes in the design of large areas such as power management and memory control.

First of three quad-core Core i7 chips from Intel reintroduce "Hyperthreading" technology, the chips provide the capability of running 8 threads simultaneously in the 4 processing cores, increasing the processing power. Hyperthreading is seen in the previous Pentium 4 chip and some of the Intel Xeon processor.

I7 processor is also different from its predecessors in that it "QuickPath, a new micro-controller integrated in the memory of each microprocessor. QuickPath replace the Front Side Bus used in Xeon and Itanium platforms.

The move will increase the available bandwidth directly to the processor, reducing the time delay before the CPU can start the next instruction.

Core i7 will be one of the chips from Intel to integrate the memory controller, "said Shane Rau, PC analyst at research firm IDC," but it is something that AMD has for a while. "

Intel does not have a chance with the core i7. The company has spent millions to try and ensure defects in the chips that do not have, said the New York Times.

In the past, both Intel and AMD has to pay a high price for an error in the chips. In 1994, the Intel Pentium chip sports a small error in the calculation of floating-point, resulting in product recall.

More recently, a variety of AMD Barcelona chip, launched last year has been delayed for months after the discovery of such a defect that caused the system to lock and crash.

AMD fight for New Chip Against INTEL

AMD hit a new high achievement, but that is not enough to get smoked by a faster opponent.

Company set to launch its long-awaited 45-nanometer quad-core server processor, on Thursday, but the news comes days after rival Intel launched a comparable product. Shanghai key, this is the first AMD processor to use a smaller, faster, not the technology of 45 nm 65 nm technology.

Meanwhile, Intel plans to release the latest 45-nm chips for desktop on Monday, codename Nehalem that will be officially known as the core i7. AMD says it will not have compared to desktop chip until next year.

Carefully orchestrated plan of work used by the semiconductor chip for servers is usually preceded in the desktop and laptop processors for several months.

"I think of Shanghai as the last dance of the company," said Patrick Wang, an analyst with the broker and research firm Wedbush Morgan. "Shanghai is very important because AMD needs to get back into the game."

For now, all eyes are on the launch of AMD Shanghai chips. AMD chips debut mark of 45-nanometer process technology. They were seen as efforts to move forward after the disaster of the previous chips Barcelona (65-nm quad-core).

Barcelona has been blamed on a technical issue that caused some delay in the launch and the price is high. Combination, some say, helped win the market from Intel to AMD expenditure.

Latest 45 nm Quad-Core Opteron processors has improved energy efficiency, with easy to fit in the socket of Barcelona that allows "do not disturb the" upgrade and the price competitive, "said Brent Kerby, product marketing manager level servers and workstations for AMD.

"Shanghai looks very good and gave us three days before our schedule," he said.

New AMD chip seems impressive, analysts say, is a pioneer and except the fact that Intel has similar chips on the market for months. Intel quad-core 45 nm processor server named Harpertown (officially known as the Xeon) has been available around the same time AMD launched its 65-nm processor Barcelona.

"Barcelona have failed entirely in terms of performance and it was a failure on many fronts - technology, and market prices," Wang said "The reason that AMD is in a situation such as financial due from Barcelona."

Now AMD Shanghai hopes that all will change.

"In Barcelona we have a completely new redesign," said Kerby AMD. "We have taken in the study and the ability to increase to Barcelona and Shanghai."

AMD also Amd_roadmap_2_2 at least six months behind Intel in terms of six core PC analyst Shane Rau said research firm IDC. AMD plans to introduce six-core processor called Istanbul in mid-2009.

But the chip called the Intel Dunnington six-core is already available in some sunday. AMD still has room to breathe. Only about 5 percent of Intel's shipments in the third quarter is Dunnington, AMD has time to catch up.

Shanghai in May has helped close to AMD in terms of technology compared to Intel processors for the server. But on the desktop side, the company still has uphill ride.

AMD 45 nm chips for desktop, Deneb is likely to start early next year. This means that the Intel Core i7 processors will have a comfortable lead over the competition.

"Intel will be the only game in town for a while for the last processor in the desktop," said Wang

With AMD and Intel are locked in a fierce battle the other, here is the details of the release of the last two companies stack.

AMD Shanghai to learn lessons

AMD says it is the "heavy lifting" of the Barcelona process and has made it to a new generation of faster processors.

His latest 45-nm quad-core CPU is relatively high clock frequency with the same energy consumption as the previous generation.

"What do these specifications will be the performance of processors in a higher price and offer better performance per watt," said Rau.

Shanghai is compatible with sockets designed for OEM Barcelona means you can buy and put them in the design for servers and motherboards. Help reduce costs and make it easier to upgrade, "said Rau.

Chip also increase the size of L3 cache 200 percent, which is 6 MB, the memory that helps speed the virtualization of applications, databases and Java applications, AMD says.

Processor that also produces 35 percent less energy at idle than the previous generation, while providing up to 35 percent more performance, the company said.

"AMD will be successful in the memory-intensive applications and floating point, which means that the database and scientific applications," said Wang

Intel on the desktop front

The first three Core i7 chips will be quad-core and clock speed of 2.66 GHz, 2.93 GHz and 3.20 GHz, and the memory controller.

Bloomfield official name of the key and core i7, Intel 45-nm desktop processors that most of the focus on PC gaming, but Intel plans to have a version ready for business users in the coming months.

The 65-nm versus 45-nm difference in important macro-level, is one of the factors that affect prices, according to analysts.

"If Intel can manufacture 45 nm before AMD, which can have a cost advantage, which can be sent to the user," said Rau. "A 65-nm die is more expensive than the cast of 45 nm one."

For Intel, this means that more than one generation ahead of AMD: Intel, which means that they enjoy fatter margins at this time AMD is still struggling to catch up. In the end, which can be translated into the market enough to stop AMD forever.

Flexible Displays is about to become Reality by US Army

Imagine a screen so thin, light and flexible that can be rolled up and carried in the pocket, while consuming almost zero power.

Technology that could become reality in two or three years, thanks to the U. S. Army-supported research conducted at Arizona State University Flexible Display Center. According to Army investigators, which can be displayed in field trials with soldiers as early as 2010 or 2011.

"The motivation is to make the best soldiers of change", said David Morton, U. S. Army research laboratory manager for the center. "Flexible display technology will allow us to provide information in ways that can not be soldiers."

Flexible displays has been the dream of science fiction authors, wearable-computer and the display industry nearly a decade. LG Philips, Sony and Fujitsu have shown off-screen prototypes of flexible systems, while creating a company like Plastic Logic E-Ink and spoke of the possibility of putting ink flexible digital media. But until now still has more ideas in Minority Report of the real world.

Flexible_display_cover11_3

Research Center, created through a partnership between the Army Research Laboratory and the university has been working to develop flexible screens from 2004. So far, the U.S. Army has invested nearly $ 44 million for research.

"We are now at the point where we make high quality tech demonstrative panels," says Gregory Raupp, director of the center.

Army is interested in small displays that can be folded up, have little weight and will not be damaged. Allowing the military to send greater information to replace the army and many more devices that are at this time.

For example, a soldier in the field can learn about the environment, the position of the enemy or building a model that may be planning to enter. Other applications may include the use of flexible displays as maps.

Flexible - upon arrival - will be a big leap from today's liquid crystal display (LCD) and organic light-emitting diode-based displays (OLED).

Consider the difference between energy consumption. Flexible displays that consume 100 times less energy than LCD. Furthermore, OLED, which is two to three times more efficient than the LCD can not match the type of efficiency.

Center focuses on electrophoretic ink displays are based on very low power and flexbile, Raupp said.

There is a thin-film display transistor array and a special polymer in the thin stainless steel substrates using electrophoretic ink (E Ink), among other technologies, to create characters.

E Ink, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology derived, is composed of small microcapsules, each of whom has been charged white particles of positive and negative charged black particles suspended in a clear liquid.

After polarization of the electric field is applied, the particles move to the top or the bottom of the microcapsules, depending on the polarity of the costs. Alternating between black and white helps make the particles of the characters and images on the screen.

To form a display, e-ink is printed on the plastic sheet that is laminated to control circuitry.

The first prototype has a soldier holding a flexible PDA weighs just 13 ounces and with an E Ink frontplane and low temperature amorphous silicon TFT backplane.Stainless_steel_foil_display

Currently, the center saw two types of flexible displays a screen of reflection (which depends on ambient light) known as "zero energy", since that version is almost ignored, and the energy consumption of a low emissions energy that emits its own light. In comparison, an LCD depends on the background.

A more promising of the screen, since you only need to activate the power transistors in the pixel array to update the images and do not have, so that the power to view the image remains very low.

"We have to see that technology is far enough along the road to commercialization," said Morton.

This is also evaluating additional materials and manufacturing issues for the sample in the devices, says Morton. He hoped that in their limited field trials in two or three years, and working with companies such as LG to commercialize the technology.

"Our goal is to accelerate the development of the sample and make them available for commercial manufacturing soon," he said.

Canon 5D Mark II,Impressive Sports HD Video with 21 Mp

Once in a great while, and then out of a very extraordinary, not only blows the original out of the water, he stood alone as an example of excellence. Cases in point: The Empire Strikes Back, Terminator 2: Day of Resurrection, and Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan.

Adding Canon 5D Mark II that list. For almost a year, rumors abound about the upgrade to Canon's prosumer full-frame camera, the 5D, but no one expected the awesome Canon finally the bomb fell on us. Not only to upgrade, the Canon 5D Mark II is a milestone in many ways, and one of the camera, but we've tested. Mass-produce a 21 megapixel sensor, full high definition video, a giant screen and much more, setting a new high-water mark for digital single-lens reflex camera.

For starters, Canon is almost twice the resolution of 12 megapixel 5D. Like the predecessor, full-frame sensor on the 5D Mark II with the same size 35 mm negative film, so much larger than the sensors used in most consumer and prosumer cameras. Size provides two benefits: It gives the camera low light sensitivity perplexing, because for each sensor pixel is larger, allowing them to collect more photons. And allows you to use all of Canon's EF lenses on the line to their full potential, without enlargement - an especially useful benefit for the various angles. By contrast, smaller sensor effectively multiply the focal length of standard lenses, for example, to convert a 28mm lens with a 56mm lens.

Canon is also filled with full HD video recording in 5D2, so that only the second SLR to record in HD (after the impressive Nikon's D90) and the only one to record full 1080p glory. You can notify the Canon did not think this feature will get a lot of play by how deeply they are buried in the menu system. Fortunately the 5D2 is also equipped with the special view of life, the pre-weapons film camera to record.

Indie film photographer and 5D2 have been drooling over since the video quality from Vincent Laforet's film press demo net in September. Most provide a video camera to see the film-is not clear because of the poor depth of field produced by their smaller sensor and lens. Thanks to the full frame sensor and Canon's high-quality lenses, a video from 5D2 look more like film shot in the film.

5D2 is only slightly bigger than the 5D and stay around the same line and see its predecessor. Notable changes, including weather-resistant construction and difficult-looking "parkerized" finish usually found on military firearms. New 3-inch, 640x480 pixel screen looks great even in bright light and is ideal to zoom in close on your check.

Great image quality, even at ISO 1600 and 3200, but in 6400, 12,800 and 25,600 images of the results is quite noisy. ISO 100 in the resolution of pictures is quite stunning.

There are some problems with 5D2, particularly the mysterious appearance of black dots that appear when a noise-reduction, the highlight-tone priority and optimization, all enabled. Disabling this setting repair problems. Since all these features can then reset your computer during the process, which is not a big loss.

Video mode is limited to 4GB per shot, which equate to 20-30 minutes of recording time. And unless you plan to make a silent film, in the investment plans in some external microphone: built in microphone and low-quality monophonic, and can take the lens' autofocus noise, messing up the audio track. Thankfully 5D2 has stereo input mic for recording high-quality audio.

The 5D Mark II is a game changing 21 megapixel 1080p photographers dream. Its Flaws some very extraordinary outweighed by the new features and sensor size.

But good luck getting one. Requested at the beginning of the teaser displays stunning video quality that 5D Mark II is capable of producing, pro photographers and shutterbugs alike pistol up as soon as the camera becomes available in early December. Unless you pre-ordered a long time ago, you're out of luck until later in the year 2009.

Wired Kick ass 21-megapixel, full-frame sensor. Full HD 1080p video. Weatherproof enclosure. VGA-resolution LCD screen. Sexy parkerized finish.

Good luck getting a stale if you do not pre-order. Annoying black spots with certain settings. Super noisy at high ISO range. Movies 4GB size limit.

* Style: DSLR
* Resolution: 10 megapixels and up
* Media Format: Compact Flash
* Manufacturer: Canon
* Price: $ 2,700

Nikon Coolpix S60, looks good, but it is too touchy

Metal and glossy with a giant 3.5-inch touchscreen like iPhone, the Nikon Coolpix S60 only leads us to be touched. However, he knows the spirit of disgust for this camera's internal characteristics. In this case, beauty is only skin deep.

It is clear that the S60's touchpad is separate from the other point-and-shoot camera. In addition to power and the shutter button, the camera controls are all accessible with the touch command. You can provide a camera with a finger or using a guitar-pick-like stylus.

Tapping the icons, menus and submenus that will take you through the various camera settings and picture mode. While easy to interpret some of the icons, some other man must be 170-by hand. Scene mode alone has 19 icons to choose, including the shooting mode is optimized for the food and art museums in the night / dawn and fireworks portrait. You can even use images with the stylus. Although this design can be fun (search! Aunt Sally has a mustache!), Tend to see when tempted to transfer to a computer screen or printed.

As with the iPhone, a simple film of his fingers on the display of the S60 allows you to navigate through the images on the camera insignificant 20MB internal memory or optional SD card. And with a gyroscopic sensor, simply rotate the camera will change the picture for both horizontal and vertical orientation. But unlike the iPhone, wide screen (which is extended to The Edge of the camera) to give a little space to hold the camera without touching the settings enable or inadvertently wide-angle or zoom function. Unfortunately, there is lag of several seconds to a few adjustments, adding more frustration in the interface.

Camera optical image stabilization is a practical - and necessary - features, along with distortion and control of white-balance control. However, the picture quality is different from the strong to the well-lit image to the outside-not-very strong, soft focus image involuntary. 30 fps. Avi video that is very good to vote, but the pictures are gross. And you may need from the backup battery that can poop after only about 70 pictures, especially if you use the touch screen often.

Periodically to the user, the Nikon Coolpix S60 is a fun camera to use, especially with the built-in for specific shots. Is exactly the same - but if you do with your home, you may be disappointed to end.

Sleek and sexy wired. Quite easy to use: with a touch screen like iPhone is interesting. Dear 10 megapixels. Compact and lightweight (only 5.7 ounces).

Tired picture is not so clear, except that they just lit up outside. Short battery life. Too wide touch screen leaves no room for the fingers so that the camera without changing settings inadvertently.

* Style: Compact / Ultrazoom
* Resolution: 10 megapixels and up
* Zoom range: 4x to 7x
* Media Format: Flash, SD card
* Manufacturer: Nikon
* Rate: $ 350

Real 3-D Camera from Fujifilm

In pole-camera decision to 3-D cinema has been for 20 years from laughing after the Foreign City and ends as Michael Jackson's Sidekick eo in captain.

Cameras are jumping into the 3-D photo market more than 20 years after the format was laughed out of town and ends as a co-captain Michael Jackson in the eo.

Recently, Fujifilm announced a two-lensed camera that takes pictures and movies in 3-D image and capture a wide-angle scenes simultaneously. As a result, we hear the sound in some other cable that came with the camera manufacturer's own version in the next year or more.

Because the lens is 6-7 cm from each (or about the same distance between the eyes most people), Royal 3-D camera image processing in real time to produce a stereoscopic 'trick "that makes them see if they float in the air. This is the place to update processing Fujitsu Real Photo Processor 3D 'chip comes in

Chip combines two images and all the important parameters (focus, zoom and exposure) at once and pushes the LCD, which is also in 3-D visualization. When the camera is released next year, the company aims to be able to shoot HD video on it too.

Of course, there are some 3-D custom rigs out there that produce 3-D, but in general is very expensive. Some even have made two 3-D digital camera donjon. For 3-D Advantage, Casio, a company that has provided tri-delta beam splitter to a point and shoot camera that creates 3-D image with a shutter. However, the preparation for a professional camera ready to shoot pictures in 3-D platform is better than usual, a clear reason for the ease of use.

3dadvfSo while most of the renewed enthusiasm of 3-D images on the screen and comes from part of the film industry recently, Fujifilm is not expected to be the only one that came with 3-D cam consumers.

Several years ago, Olympus created a 3-D camera system for the da Vinci Surgical robot system that works in real time and reliable enough to be used during the operation open. Only take the form of transfer of technology more affordable, consumer-friendly and chassis that will be in 3-D games. Do not be surprised if you learn how to do it.

Sony VAIO P-Series

Sony has extended looked fallen its nose at the netbook mania, dismissing it as 'a move to the bottom' while busying itself with its turn, premium Vaios.

But it couldn't ignore the vast popularity of the small-screened web warriors forever - thus the achievement of the P-series.

Mini powerhouse
Spell the 8in model looks suchlike a netbook, Sony has cragfast to its principles and prefabricated a high-end laptop that it lawfully claims is author of an ultra-portable. Some you order it, the P Programme is unbelievably powerful for its filler.

Supercharged by an Intel Material Z530 Processor, it comes with Windows Vista Business, 2GB RAM and a 60GB unkind locomote, which goes both way to explaining the (reflex) £850 soprano tag. A version at £1360 comes with a faster processor and 128GB of photoflash faculty. If you've got the currency both leave be out in Feb.

Stunning strainer
The occlude should also be a cut above its rivals, with Sony cramming in 1600x768 pixels into the widescreen representation, and concealment it with an X-Black radiancy that should help prove lucent sunlight.

It's also packed with the golden accepted of connectivity - Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 7.2Mbps built-in HSDPA, making it many than a contestant for the similarly favored LG X110.

Abstinence starter
We're big fans of Sony's 'XrossMediaBar' (XMB) menu scheme from the PS3 and Bravia range, so it's extraordinary to see it happen in the P-Series' 'quick-start' have.

But as beautifully crafted and well-specced as it is, module the P-Series be designer the outgo of near trinity Asus Eee PC 901s? We'll let you hump in a complete canvas soon, but in the meantime mar out our CES whippy blog for many substance and our Netbooks Top 10 to stop out the rivalry.

Meccano Spike ( Robots )

Johnny 5 is liveborn! Tho' he's shrunk substantially, and gained several new guarantee features. A contestant to Toy's Mindstorms orbit, formerly built Spyke trundles along on cat tracks and can be regulated some with your computer - Mac or PC - using Wi-Fi.

'Hello, Mr Burglar…'
The disc? You can handbook him around your refuge from the another endorse of the reality, using his webcam to ensure you haven't been the someone of a Skins-style MySpace rave. If you human, then we suggest you use the VoIP sound to relay a courteous content to them.

He comes in pieces, but snaps unitedly in a few proceedings - unlike his Lego robo-rival. On dwell is a digital penalization player but don't judge audiophile-quality playback.

The software is a joy to use, and completely idiot-proof. On the leftist you see your listing of tunes, in the displace the see from Spyke's on-board cam, and on the honorable valid personalty and the Skype sound usefulness. Your golem testament act with Jeeves-like efficiency to your every overlook.

Self-starter
This adroit mechanoid is battery-powered, and returns to his charging dockage rightful before his humor runs low. All in all, the Spyke is splendid continuance for money and far refrigerator than a Dalek. He can climbing stairs, for a start…

Onkyo CS-515DAB

Hi-fi active can get alarmingly complex in the specifics of music systems – the audio boards, the ability supply, the actinic composition of the casework – but those in the bazaar for micro systems appetite to apperceive two things. Is it alert and sexy, and does it complete good?

The Onkyo CS-515 has accurate full-blooded in both of these fields, accepting been our favourite micro-system from aftermost year forth with the Yamaha M170. You can shop for it after speakers for £230, but our assemblage came with Onkyo’s rather adorable pair, which calmly sit on bookshelves and alloy in with any ambience well.

Class-leading sound

So, the looks box has been checked, but how about the sound? Again, a abundant big beat can be chalked abutting to the CS-515’s name, because it doesn’t bisected complete the business.

It ability be appetizing to add your own added big-ticket speakers to the capital assemblage but we’re not abiding it’s account it: the supplied speakers are an articulate, befuddled little pair, and accepting the accomplished arrangement for £300 puts it durably in arrangement territory.

Keeping things simple

Despite a abiding beck of fresh competition, annihilation we’ve activated this year has alike appear abutting to assault this system. Okay, some similarly-priced fresh kids on the block – the Sony CMT-U1BT and Panasonic SC-PMX2, for archetype – accept rocked up to the affair packing appearance abounding like revellers with beer crates, but the one affair they’ve all clearly bootless to do is complete added good than this Onkyo. Try as they might, they aloof can’t do it.

Separates rival

The actuality is, you could absorb a little added money – and ruin the architecture arrangement of your lounge – by advance in a account set of hi-fi separates, but the CS-515DAB would still accord your bulky fresh accompany a run for their sonic money.

It has depth, amplitude and an almighty solid and absolute way with choir that you commonly don’t apprehend at this price. There’s additionally a DAB, FM and MW radio and MP3 compatibility. Add some actively bound and befuddled bass into the mix, and you’ve got a hi-fi that does appealing abundant aggregate you’ll anytime ask of it – and all after abashing your accomplice or coffer manager.

Canon EOS 1000D

While compacts are by no agency the Billy-no-mates of the camera world, it’s account DSLRs that are the resurgent market. This is mainly acknowledgment to outrageously bargain offerings such as Sony’s DSLR-A200K, Nikon’s D60 and, of course, Canon’s 450D.

While the closing has ensured that Canon charcoal baron of the DSLR pool, it’s not comatose on its acclaim – appropriately the accession of alike added acceptable amount model, the 1000D.

Stripped bottomward 450D

Essentially the 1000D feels like a stripped-down 450D rather than a pumped up 400D. What you lose over the 450D is a brace of megapixels, atom metering, some connected cutting speed, and bisected an inch of the LCD size.

What you still accept is alarming angel quality, with accomplished tonal range, astute colours and actual low babble levels at aerial ISO.

The beam shots are the best in class, autofocus is fast and accurate, and Live View is a advantageous addition. The alone fly in them balm is the hardly capricious auto white balance, which doesn’t like domiciliary bulbs.

Body double

The anatomy is abundant the aforementioned as the 450D’s, which agency that, while it doesn’t feel rugged, it’s ablaze and adequate to hold. It additionally takes the aforementioned alternative vertical anchor as the 450D, which is capital if you’re austere about portraiture, but adds some bulk.

If you’re dispatch up from a high-end compact, you’ll be abashed to see the bald 2.5in LCD, but DSLRs are about framing with the optical viewfinder. Nevertheless, it’s ablaze and bright, and the advice affectation is superb – abashment it doesn’t circle for account shots like the one on the Nikon D60, though.

The controls accept been aimed deeply at the enthusiast, so you shouldn’t outgrow them. Having committed buttons for white balance, acknowledgment advantage and ISO makes it accessible to be creative. The ISO ambience is now apparent in the viewfinder, which is a footfall up from the 400D too.

Going Live

In fact, the better change from the 400D is the Live View mode, which lets you use the LCD for framing, as you would on a compact. Like the 450D, it defaults to chiral focus, and it’s best adored for still activity shots. If you absolutely charge accept autofocus with your Live View, booty a attending at an Olympus.

Finally, the kit lens is the aforementioned 18-55mm IS archetypal supplied with the 450D. It’s angel stabilised, with a fast, quiet motor. It’s additionally ablaze and compact, added so than the VR lens kit with the Nikon D60.

So what you accept in the 1000D is an awfully acceptable amount DSLR that has no absolute weakness. Despite annealed antagonism from the brand of the Nikon D60 and Olympus E-420, it puts Canon appropriate aback at the top of the account pile.

Archos 5

So, you’re in the bazaar for a carriageable media amateur – why shouldn’t you shop for an iPod Touch? Well, this ‘Internet Media Tablet’ is one reason. Sure, the Touch is dinkier, but the Archos 5’s 120GB of accumulator (there’s additionally a 250Gb adaptation available) makes the Touch’s 32GB max allowance attending a little, well, embarrassing.

Okay, but why not shop for a 120GB-equipped iPod Classic, extenuative over £100 into the bargain? Ah, yes, you apperceive your gadgets. Well, the Classic may win out on complete quality, but the Archos 5 houses a beauteous 4.8in screen, murdering the Classic’s 2.5in effort. That’s got to be account a few quid.

Video in a flash

Now add the 5’s all-encompassing blueprint list, which includes the adeptness to comedy Flash video and – crucially – BBC iPlayer. So, you don’t get iTunes, but you do get appetizing TV such as Mock the Week, and radio including The Flight of the Conchords. Cheers Auntie.

Where this Windows Media Player-happy assemblage fails to exhausted its Apple rivals, though, is in the portability stakes: barometer about 2cm abysmal and belief 300g, this is a ‘full fat’ player, and – for safe carrying – needs added than your shirt pocket.

But, admitting it’s chunky, the Archos 5 is beautifully congenital and feels reassuringly solid. It additionally looks slick, and the bland touch-screen UI, featuring simple menus, is impressively responsive.

Stream apparatus

Powered-up and wirelessly absorbed into your network, this carriageable is a joy. You can beck music and videos from your agenda libraries, while email admission is, acknowledgment to pre-set shortcuts, actual speedy.

Internet browsing additionally actively rocks. The 800x480 resolution awning looks sharp, and you can ‘drag’ your feel about beyond pages. Response times are fast and the Opera browsing arrangement offers automatic shortcuts. Example? To add a ‘Favourite’ page, artlessly authority your feel bottomward and you’re done.

So far, so candied tablet. Here, though, is the absinthian pill. While this apparatus does lots, if you appetite it to do lots more, it costs you extra.

Pricey extras

The DVR Station, which lets you almanac programmes anon from your TV on to the Archos 5, costs £80. This accurate arrangement saves lots of PC-based ‘conversion’ kafuffle, but it does beggarly allotment for an added eighty quid.

Another add-on, the GPS arrangement complete with car holder, costs a added £80. And, if you appetite to about-face your 5 into a (truly) carriageable telly, acquiesce addition block of (yet to be confirmed) banknote for the October-due ‘TV Snap-On’.

That closing affection enables time-shifting, so while watching telly on the bus, you can calmly abeyance a programme while a assemblage of accouchement tries to prise the amateur from your agitation mitts.

You can additionally bet the accessible High Def (720p capable) constituent won’t be free, while the declared max of 12hrs music epitomize seems abnormally wheezy.

It’s difficult to resent this machine, though: video achievement is so acceptable and, as continued as you advancement the debris earbuds, audio epitomize is bass-laden and well-detailed. Up adjoin Apple’s miniature pedigrees, this is a bit of a chunky mongrel, but Archos’s agenda dog still offers lots of fun.

Nintendo DS Lite

When the Nintendo DS aboriginal appeared, we were a little disappointed. Next to its anew built-in rival, the Sony Playstation Portable, or PSP, it looked like a toy and we were afraid at how a aggregation amenable for the absolutely iconic Bold Boy could be so wayward. Fortunately, we didn't accept to delay continued for our fears to be allayed. Nintendo absent no time in absolution the DS Lite. Much smaller, and now in agleam atramentous and white finishes, the DS Lite is a arise handheld.

At the actual amount of the DS Lite are the bifold screens, now brightened and acicular compared to the aboriginal DS. The lower of the two is a touchscreen, paving the way for avant-garde gameplay application a feel or the DS stylus. Many amateur additionally accomplish abundant use of the microphone, and it has been confused to a added axial position.

The DS Lite is not as able as the Sony PSP, but it makes up for it with able games. Dr Kawashima's Brain Training, for example, has created an absolutely fresh brand of bold in which you claiming your brainy commonsense with problems and puzzles. Then there are Nintendo stalwarts like Mario, Mario Kart and Metroid Prime. Multiplayer gaming over Wi-Fi adds to the fun, although it can be frustratingly doltish at times, abnormally with online games. Amateur appear on baby catridges, but there is a Bold Boy Advance aperture too, for admission to a massive aback archive of alarming games.

Sony HDR-SR12E

The compound for Sony’s fresh SR12 camcorder is simple: booty aftermost year's chart-topping SR8, add added megapixels, added gigabytes, a beyond awning and a best zoom, again top it all off with an bigger sensor and added good processor. The result? The SR8 on heat.

With a 120GB adamantine drive on lath it can shoot abounding 1920x1080i HD video at top affection for an absurd 15 hours. You'd charge thirty MiniDV tapes or 15 8GB anamnesis cards to bout it. If your home cine memories are of the band acid out aloof as it came to alarming out the candles, this is the camcorder for you.

Spoilt for choice

The baby downside is accepting to adapt bottomward 15 hours of apparent boner into article watchable. Thankfully AVCHD isn't the monster architecture it already was and bestcomputer application bales will cope, but you'll still charge a adequately hardcore PC to crisis all those frames. Already it's on your machine, Sony makes it a pain-free acquaintance to bake up to an hour's AVCHD to plain-old DVD for watching august hi-def on a PS3 or committed Blu-ray spinner.

The SR12 looks abundant and is a champ in activity too. From the solid body to the well-concealed doors that adumbrate the headphone, mic, USB, HDMI and component-out ports, it oozes quality. You additionally get a hot-shoe for adhering Sony mics and video lights and a lens cilia for blame on lens adaptors.

Intuitive controls

The controls are able-bodied laid out. Sony's touchscreen airheaded and cam ascendancy punch still booty accepting acclimated to but, already mastered, you can absolutely alpha to see the benefits. The awning is now an envy-inducing 3.2in with a additional res to match, authoritative it one of the best camcorders about for reviewing footage on the fly.

The SR12 isn't the aboriginal 'corder money can shop for but it sits able-bodied in the hand. In activity we appropriately lined up shots on the behemothic awning while acquainted with cooing acknowledgment anniversary time the face ascertain spotted a mug in attempt and drew a box annular it. Good camcorder.

Stay focussed

It may be the fresh 12x zoom or it may aloof be our poor luck, but the SR12 seems to attempt a tad added in the auto focus administration than antecedent Sony camcorders. It's not the affliction we've seen, aloof not absolutely what we've appear to apprehend from Sony.

That aside, the footage it pulls is annihilation abbreviate of fantastic. Sony’s alone in a fresh CMOS sensor and included the aforementioned Exmor and Bionz babble abridgement tech it uses on its top-line DSLRs. Video is aciculate and the colours fantastic. Ugly agenda babble is all but abandoned and alike in low-light the Sony now comes out fighting. Still photos don't absolutely alive up to the 10.2MP announcement but again stills aren't absolutely what this cam is about.

We'll accession a baby banderole too about the 5.1 beleaguer audio, which incidentally alone comes beyond as stereo if you playback anon from the camera to your TV. It doesn't absolutely bout the beleaguer we've heard from Panasonic and tends to aces up a tad too abundant of the accomplishments back the lens is at its widest, but you can consistently about-face the 5.1 off.

But these are accessory issues – the SR12 is a thoroughly able effort. To say that the account affection is acutely added good than aftermost year's SR8 is austere attestation to the assignment Sony's done. Is it the best customer camcorder of 2008? Let's aloof say it'll booty an abominable lot to exhausted it.

Sony DSC-T300

You can’t advice but be afflicted by Sony’s T-Series. It’s consistently arranged the best recent camera tech and abundant angel affection into the sexiest, pocket-friendly bodies for about bisected a decade. The DSC-T200, with its avant-garde touchscreen, class-leading 5x optical zoom and accomplished pictures, has been a close favourite with Stuff.

So we’re chuffed that its successor, the T300, retains the aforementioned reassuringly beefy aluminium carapace of its predecessors, right? Well, yes and no – it’s still a adorable acquaintance to bulky that lens awning down, but the architecture hasn’t absolutely afflicted at all. A accessory re-design wouldn’t go amiss.

T-t-t-touch me

The best recent T-Series figure additionally has the T200’s 3.5in touchscreen, which makes accessing functions easy, already you apperceive absolutely area aggregate is. It’s additionally adored with one of the coolest appearance on any camera – you can blow the awning to set area in the anatomy you appetite to focus, so if your accountable is massively off-centre and you don’t assurance the autofocus to apprehend your mind, aloof crowd the accountable on the screen.

What’s additionally absorbing is how Sony has awash that 5x optical zoom angular into the almost bunched body. Many premium-priced compacts are now boasting focal ranges starting at an agnate 28mm (or more) wide-angle, but the T300’s widest, 33mm, will be abundant for most.

Creative Zen X-Fi 16GB with Excellent Sounds Quality

Creative's been at this MP3 bold for some time now. Longer than its vaguely acknowledged competitor, Apple, even. It's had hits and misses, but mostly hits, and its most recent iPod Nano rival, the Zen X-Fi, looks like it could be the best yet.

The Zen X-Fi is the aforementioned anatomy agency as the Zen of aftermost year – small, flash-based, with a almost big screen. But this one is far smarter. The big account from Creative's angle is the admittance of X-Fi complete accessory technology, the aforementioned acclimated in Creative's high-end PC soundcards. With the 16GB (tested here) and 32GB models there's additionally Wi-Fi media streaming.

Pleasantly rotund

Out-of-box impressions are good. The glass-like artificial advanced is belted by metal and alternate by four hardly aloft buttons and nine spun brownish bendable keys to the appropriate of the 2.5in screen. Round the (all plastic) abandon there’s headphone, accepted USB, SD agenda slot, microphone aperture and congenital speaker. It's ample compared to the iPod Nano and a bit lightweight, but able-bodied finished.

That different key blueprint makes added faculty aback you accede the Zen X-Fi’s added functionality. Congenital Wi-Fi allows the Zen X-Fi to affix to your home adjustment and beck the music and video stored thereon.

Presumably as article of an afterthought, it additionally provides admission to burning messaging via Windows Live! Messenger and Yahoo! Accounts, as able-bodied as its own client. In these modes the nine-key adjustment allows you to cross an on-screen buzz keypad blueprint for abrupt chat input.

It works, but it's far from an ergonomic amusement – why not add addition band of keys, some T9computer application and about-face it into a able texter? That said, it's a accurate abstraction and achieves absolutely what it sets out to, so if it's functionality you anticipate you may use in accessible hotspots, it could be a deal-maker.

Centrale station

Loading media on to the Zen X-Fi is ably handled by Creative Centrale, which doubles as a appropriate media organiser and deals with media alive duties. Windows Media Amateur additionally works, admitting we adopt Centrale for its adeptness to transcode video files to formats acceptable for the Zen X-Fi on the fly. It’s a actual accurate solution, but acutely Macs aren’t supported.

The supplied headphones are a joy. They're weighty, abundant and accept accomplished complete abreast characteristics. This makes a hell of a aberration as it renders the X-Fi a value-for-money hypothesis – it's not as beautiful as the iPod Nano 8GB but for £20 added it gives you alert the storage, added awning absolute acreage and you don't charge to absorb addition £30 on advancement cans.

The congenital apostle is boilerplate abreast as bad as you ability expect, either. It's added able than one you'd acquisition in a buzz and is acutely aural in the quiet of an office. There are few situations area it's activity to be useful, but for occasionally administration cine clips with mates it’s aloof fine.

Die, X-Fi , die

Unfortunately the X-Fi complete awakening technology is a disappointment. The Crystalizer, which promises to put the activity aback into aeroembolism music files, makes annihilation active complete constipated with a bright but acute top-end. With sparser acoustic-based being it adds accuracy to vocals, but it's generally at the amount of article abroad in the mix.

As for X-Fi Expand, sure, it alters the complete date so that the articulation is asleep central, but it sounds like the apparition speakers it generates accept been plunged into water. Avoid.

Thankfully, with X-Fi off the Zen X-Fi sounds ace anyway. Attached to a brace of Sennheiser CX 95s it's spacious, rich, abundant and articulate. It possibly edges the iPod Classic in dynamics and comes abutting with detail, and isn't acutely outdone in any field. It’s absolutely one of the best-sounding players available.

Big-screen brilliance

Video achievement is analogously impressive. The awning is bigger than that of either iPod Nano or Classic with the aforementioned resolution, and as a aftereffect it's not absolutely so crisp, but colours are active and playback is bland as balmy margarine.

Media alive is a accurate but somewhat ambagious feature. Watching your PC’s movies in the kitchen on a 2.5in awning is fun but a bit pointless. Creative promises added is to appear with approaching firmware updates, however.

The FM radio is addition accomplished feature. It grabs a arresting and keeps authority of it, and sounds superb. There's additionally a articulation recorder. If you appetite one, you'll like that.

Sadly the SD agenda aperture doesn’t absolutely bear its promise. It’s advantageous if you appetite to archetype afresh taken photos to the amateur but doesn’t accommodate with congenital memory, so it’s a bit of a affliction to cross any music or cine files you may accept stored.

But that’s a niggle. Alike after the Wi-Fi, X-Fi and SD agenda tech, the Zen X-Fi 16GB would be superb amount for money and a best performer.

Apple iPhone with 3G Feature

It’s fair to say that the accession of the additional iPhone has acquired a bit of a fuss. Interestingly, the fresh appearance it has – 3G, GPS, the adeptness to run third-party applications – alone aloof accompany it up to the akin at which best adaptable manufacturers accept been active for some years.

But we’re not activity to get bogged bottomward in industry implications of the iPhone 3G, aloof get on with reviewing the hardware, and the fresh appearance of iPhonecomputer appliance 2.0.

Familiar face

From the front, the iPhone is abundantly unchanged. It still uses solid-state anamnesis in 8GB or 16GB capacities. It gets a fresh arced aback console that comes in agleam atramentous artificial or, with the 16GB version, the best of a white finish.

Don’t be abashed by the chat ‘plastic’: about for an Apple product, it feels solid and classy, and about all the bodies we polled adopted it to the old matt argent metal finish. On paper, the fresh iPhone is not thinner than its predecessor, but the arced aback makes it feel so nonetheless.

The recessed headphone atrium is gone so you can use any headphones, after an adaptor. Great news, alike if a little of the jack is apparent due to the arced back.

Impressive GPS

As you’d expect, the admittance of GPS doesn’t beggarly any cruddy alien aerial. It bound assimilate satellites quickly, demography amid 30-45 abnormal from ‘cold’ (when started up in an absolutely fresh location).

A dejected brand shows your position on the accustomed Google Maps application, and it will do beheld and argument – but not announced – admonition to a location. It uses A-GPS, which agency that it gets (A)ssistance from the arrangement provider to advance a acceptable fix alike in built-up areas. It alone out in a brace of London’s alleyways, but bound recovered already you got aback to added streets.

Supercharged web browsing

So, to the headline: 3G, or, added accurately, 3.5G, as there’s abutment for O2’s HSDPA arrangement too. Unsurprisingly, it’s all good. Clearly, download speeds over are abundantly bigger over its EDGE-only predecessor.

But there’s added acceptable news. We raced it adjoin a Nokia N-series adaptable active on Vodafone’s HSDPA network, and the iPhone was aboriginal about every time. Whether this is bottomward to the network, or Safari’s above rendering, is unclear, but the account is: your webpages and downloads, faster.

There’s more. Wi-Fi accession seems to be bigger over the antecedent iPhone. In one allotment of our office, the fresh iPhone showed abounding wireless signal; the old iPhone alone one bar.

Music and video playback are excellent. You still charge a Wi-Fi arrangement to affix to the iTunes Store, so you can’t abuse the abstracts acceptance activity by downloading videos.

Well juiced

Battery activity seems to be abutting to Apple’s claims: bristles hours of buzz action, seven hours of video, and 24 hours of audio. All abstracts aside, it anesthetized the real-life analysis – we haven’t been able to accumulate our easily off the thing, and it still had array larboard at the end of the day.

Other iPhone 3G highlights appear address of the fresh 2.0 software. Microsoft Exchange abutment we’ll be administration as allotment of our analysis of the fresh third-party apps. The adeptness to annul and move assorted letters is a benefaction – although archetype and adhesive is still absent. Abutment for PowerPoint and Appointment abstracts is welcome, and the fresh accurate calculator is a nice touch.

The downsides

Drawbacks? The camera charcoal aloof 2megapixel, with no beam or auto-focus. Thankfully, the cameracomputer appliance works able-bodied to affected these failings, adjusting for low ablaze admirably. Some bodies still acquisition the on-screen keyboard catchy – yes, it auto-corrects in anatomy copy, but web addresses and map searches can be a pain.

Time for the big question. Should you buy, or advancement to, an iPhone 3G? Yes. It’s a faster, cleverer adaptation of an already arresting phone, and one that’s about to be buoyed by the accession of a amount of retail apps.

But we’ve adored the best for last: the price. At the actual most, you’ll pay £160 for a 16GB iPhone with the cheapest contract. Added than best high-end mobiles, yes, but account it for the entertainment, connectivity and abundance the iPhone gives you.

Alienware Area-51 m15x, Best Gaming Laptops

Alienware’s big, bright computers and aflame case lights accept tended to bisect the gaming community. While some like clutching a apparatus that takes up bisected the allowance and aloof about its innards, others adopt article a little added demure.

The fresh m15x won’t accelerate anybody into a agitation of envy lust, but it does accept abundant broader address than its predecessors. In fact, for Alienware, it’s about understated.

Look at the admeasurement of that thing

The m15x has a far added bourgeois attending than we’re acclimatized to from Alienware, and we rather like it. The artificial case is still shiny, but it’s additionally chaste with blatant trim or industrialised elastic edges.

With the lid bottomward the alone arresting lighting is abaft the Alien logo. Indeed, look a bit, and from a ambit this silver-sheened apparatus could be an aboriginal MacBook.

That this is, in fact, an Alienware laptop is anon obvious. It’s congenital like a tank, feels around indestructible, and is the better 15.4in awning anthology we’ve anytime seen. In fact, it’s beneath carriageable than best 17 inchers – this isn’t a anthology you can aloof bung in your haversack and balloon about.

Raw power

Underneath the abnormally aerial affection and backlit keyboard is the best recent – and best able – GeForce 8800M GTX cartoon card, forth with the best recent – and best able – Intel Core 2 Extreme CPU.

Eee PC 901, Newest Netbooks from Asus

Ten months old is adolescent to address an autobiography, but if the Asus Eee PC were to pen its memoirs it’d abide of three chapters. The aboriginal would be all about introducing a advocate fresh artefact (the Eee PC 701), the additional about rapidly adorning it (the Eee PC 900) and the aftermost would detail how, in the face of several me-too look-alikes, it was reinvented afresh in the guise of the Eee PC 901.

The 901 is, in abounding ways, so abundant more good than its aeon it’s laughable, but if you accept an Eee PC 900 don’t anguish about upgrading. The basal anatomy appearance and admeasurement is identical, save for a few millimetres actuality and there in the 900’s favour. The screen, too, is the ablaze 1024x600 console that we apperceive and love.

The aforementioned but different

Both notebooks additionally use the aforementioned Linux Xandros operating arrangement and accept a 20GB solid-state adamantine drive (an XP archetypal will accept 12GB storage). And while the Intel Atom processor that pulses abroad beneath the diminutive keyboard of the 901 is above to that of the 900, you’ll be adamantine apprenticed to acquaint the difference.

There was some abashing about the 900’s battery: at the time of launch, Asus UK believed that it would address with a 5800mAh battery. Abounding accustomed with a 4400mAh affair, which fizzled out afterwards aloof two hours.

Better battery

Such was the clamor that Asus is planning to action Eee 900 owners a bigger array for aloof £10. The assignment has been learnt. The 901 comes with an astronomic 6600mAh array – alike with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth switched on it lasts for able-bodied over bristles hours.

PS3 - 40 GB from Sony

Even afterwards about a year in the UK and a diffuse spell at cardinal one in Stuff’s gaming Top 10, the PS3 is acutely activity unloved. Its big amount tag and abridgement of blockbuster amateur accept apparent abounding beefy for the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii, so it’s taken activity and appear the Great PS3 Amount Drop.

The aboriginal 60GB archetypal has had its amount bargain to £350, and there’s now a 40GB archetypal which you can breeze up for £300 – the aforementioned as an Xbox 360 Elite. This makes it by far the cheapest Blu-ray amateur in boondocks – but is it additionally the best console?

Sleeker and sexier

Let’s alpha by comparing it back-to-back with the Xbox 360 Elite. The fresh adaptation of Microsoft’s animate has added a much-needed HDMI affiliation and a bigger hard-drive but you’d still charge to band a £130 HD-DVD drive and Wi-Fi adaptor to the top to accompany it in band with the PS3. It’s a abundant beneath streamlined, not to acknowledgment noisier, allotment of kit than the glassy Sony.

The fresh 40GB PS3 has, though, absent a few appearance to accomplish its amount drop. There are now alone two USB ports, its media agenda aperture for anamnesis cards has abolished and, added importantly, so has backwards compatibility. But unless you artlessly can’t get abundant of the aboriginal Ridge Racer, these appearance won’t be a big miss, decidedly with fresh next-gen titles on the horizon.