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Tech NewsGadgetsDell Mini 9 Netbook Gets 32GB Solid State Drive Option For a Measly $100
Dell’s Mini 9 may be going for a pretty good price already (and an irritating disk error) but check out this deal sweetener: Dell’s added a 32GB SSD option for just $100. The base model with that larger solid state drive is thus $449—and to me, that’s pretty bonkers good value. [Dell via Engadget via … Continued
By Kit Eaton -
Tech News
MacBook and MacBook Pro Take a Performance Dive While On AC Power Alone
Laptop batteries aren’t the exactly the tortoises of the gadget world: they start out strong, then get weaker and weaker until eventually you can’t even make it through an episode of 30 Rock on a full charge. So some users have taken up the practice of popping out their batteries while on AC power to … Continued
By Dan Nosowitz -
Tech News
Contest: Design The Gaming Laptop of the Future and Win a Toshiba X305
You know what is better than getting a brand new Toshiba Qosmio X305 gaming laptop this holiday? How about getting one for free? Yes, that definitely would be the way to go—but there is one small catch. You have to earn it by designing your vision of the ultimate gaming laptop of the future. Just … Continued
By Sean Fallon -
Tech News
Study Reveals Students Blame Gadgets For Their Missing Homework
A recent survey of British teachers has revealed that students are relying more and more on tech-related excuses to explain their failure to hand in homework. Traditional excuses like “the dog ate it” have given way to gems like “the computer crashed”, “the internet was down”, “a printer failed to work” and “work was deleted … Continued
By Sean Fallon -
Tech News
HP Touchsmart TX2 is a 12-inch Multitouch Wonder
HP’s Touchsmart tx2 is the first consumer-oriented convertible notebook to feature a multitouch technology built into the display. The 12.1-inch screen uses a capacitive touchpanel that can track two points simultaneously, operates with fingers or a stylus, and comes with the Mediasmart 2.0 interface customized for the notebook. While Dell’s oft-mentioned Latitude XT came out … Continued
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Tech NewsPrivacy & Security
Mobile Edge Scanfast For Her: Checkpoint-Friendly Laptop Bags For the Ladies
Mobile Edge is expanding on their checkpoint-friendly Scanfast laptop case lineup with products that are designed specifically for women. The “Scanfast for Her” line consists of three product styles: the Onyx ScanFast Briefcase, the Onyx ScanFast Backpack and a redesigned Element Briefcase. The changes are aesthetic, so you will still be getting a TSA compliant … Continued
By Sean Fallon -
Tech News
The 10-Hour Asus Eee: Big, Bad and Fugly
I’d thought that the 7800mAh battery for the MSI Wind was absurd, but one netbook fan got his hands on a $62 12000mAh battery for his Asus Eee. The result, pictured here, adds over half a pound to the machine’s weight and an uncomfortable incline to typing on the system. But it should offer 8-10 … Continued
By Mark Wilson -
Tech News
Apple Releases Firmware Fix for MacBook Trackpad Seizures
Hot off of software update is a firmware fix for those glitchy trackpads in the new MacBooks that would completely stop responding after a certain number of clicks. We never had problems with our trackpad, so it’s hard to tell if it makes everything better, but the dead plant left outside my window did magically … Continued
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Tech News
Dealzmodo: New MacBook $200 Off at Fry’s (Update: Too Good to Be True)
Apple might get a bit crazier than usual with their typically staid Black Friday deals, but Fry’s is offering a pretty great deal right now: $200 off the new MacBook, making it only $1099. You probably won’t see a better MacBook deal than that. Quantities are limited, so get crackin’. Update: Laaaaame. Fry’s says they … Continued
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Tech News
Dell Inspiron Mini 12 Starts at $549
The Dell Inspiron Mini 12, Dell’s upcoming 12-inch netbook, has been priced for the US. The 1.33GHz Atom version with 1GB RAM, 40GB storage, and Vista Home will start at $549. The 1.6GHz version with 60GB storage and 6-cell battery will debut at $599 (or $654 after promo). And if you’re interested in the high … Continued
By Mark Wilson -
Tech News
Belkin Switch-to-Mac Cable: How Hodgman Becomes Long
Switching to a new computer can be difficult, and the process is only exacerbated cross-platform when you need to migrate your data from XP or Vista to OS X. Belkin has responded to the hassle with their Switch-to-Mac Cable, a USB to USB dongle that comes with software tools to automate the transition. After plugging … Continued
By Mark Wilson -
Tech News
MacBook Air Might Go Carbon Fiber to Shed Weight
The MacBook Air weighs a little over three pounds. Airy, but there’s lighter. Not surprisingly, Apple wants to weigh that little—under three pounds. The easiest way to cut the fat is to use a material less heavy than aluminum that won’t compromise the body’s integrity. Enter carbon fiber, which AppleInsider says might replace the Air’s … Continued
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Tech News
New Laptop Batteries to Last 8 Times Longer Than Current Crop
Researchers at Hanyang University in South Korea have developed new Lithium batteries that can last a whopping eight times longer than today’s models. They’ve achieved this by using cathode materials in the batteries, replacing less-efficient graphite with more-efficient silicon. It’s all very scientific, I’m sure, but it all boils down to this: you’ll be able … Continued
By Adam Frucci -
Tech NewsGadgets
Samsung X460 Packs Big Power, 14-Inch Screen Into Super Skinny Body
The folks at Laptop Mag have gotten their hands on Samsung’s slightly bigger brother to its ultra-thin Macbook Air contender, the X360, and they’re absolutely loving it. The X460 is one of the thinnest and lightest notebooks on the planet with a 14.1-inch screen—it has all the style of the X360, but with a built-in … Continued
By Elaine Chow -
Tech News
Don’t Fear the Cheap Third-Party Laptop Battery
We’ve been giving you tons of ways to salvage your well-used gadgets as we weather the financiapocalypse, but one thing you can’t hack your way out of is needing a new battery for your laptop. Eventually, your battery will wear out to the point it won’t even chug through a single YouPorn clip, and by … Continued
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Tech News
Windows 7 Will Only Have One ‘Ready’ Sticker, Down From Vista’s Four
After receiving endless flak for their silly tiered Vista Compatibility scheme, Microsoft has decided to issue a single “Windows 7 Capable” sticker for hardware that works with the new OS. That means no more “Windows Home Basic”, “Windows Ready”, “Certified for Windows” and “Windows Ready When You Are, Asshole” labels slapped on every piece of … Continued
By John Herrman -
Tech News
Shipments on New, Entry-Level MacBook Airs Delayed
Appleinsider is reporting that the early ship dates for new Nvidia-powered MacBook Airs will be pushed back until November 24th for anyone who purchased a 1.6GHz model with a 128GB HDD. Supply chain issues related to the hard drive seem to be behind the delay. [Appleinsider]
By Sean Fallon -
Tech NewsGadgets
Panasonic’s Toughbook H1: Ultimate Doctors and Nurses Gizmo
We mentioned it before, and were initially upset it wasn’t a revised Speak&Spell…but now Panasonic’s H1 Toughbook for clinical use is out, and its specs list is impressive. It’s water-, dust- and drop-proof from 3-feet, has a smooth-surface and with sealed buttons for hygiene, and is fanless. It’s got a six-hour battery life, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth … Continued
By Kit Eaton -
Tech NewsPrivacy & Security
Belkin FlyThru Laptop Bags Save Notebooks From TSA Butterfingers
The concept of “checkpoint friendly” laptop bags have been around for a couple months—with Solo and Mobile Edge leading the charge—but Belkin’s now getting in the action with their own FluThru Laptop Case. Their version will run you $59, complete with “minimal metal zippers”, 15.4-inch laptop capacity and notebook isolation for easier screening. Not having … Continued
By Jason Chen -
Tech News
Why You Should Buy a Refurbished Laptop
Yes, there is a stigma associated with buying refurbished laptops. I understand it to a degree—I mean, there is nothing like liberating a fresh, shiny gadget from its plastic packaging prison. What I don’t understand is how this stigma exists in a society where buying a used car is so widely accepted. As many others … Continued
By Sean Fallon