Seems odd, doesn't it, that a magazine about laptops would admit they hate some things about them. But when you spend as much time testing and reviewing notebooks as we do, you not only discover what's great about them, you also see all the things that need fixing.
It’s one thing to complain about a notebook’s short endurance, wimpy speakers, or finicky touchpad during the course of a review. But it’s a whole different ball game when you need to live with that issue (or issues) after you’ve purchased a laptop.
Click the link to find out how to deal with the biggest pet peeves we have with portable PCs, both through quick fixes and affordable upgrades. Or, if your laptop is just too annoying to bother, we've included the shopping advice you need to get a machine that works the way you want it to right out of the box.
Giving children computers of their own and teaching them how to use and take care of them has many benefits. When you're ready to give a kid that responsibility, netbooks make a good first computer because they’re small and inexpensive. Some are even made for pre-teen and educational markets.
Which should you choose? That depends on the age of the kid or teen in question, your level of tech savvy, and how much you want to monitor. We've found 6 great netbooks for both younger and older kids. Many are durable -- spill-resistant keyboards and solid state drives to limit damage from bumps and drops -- and some come with parental control software. There are also some software suggestions for the laptops that don't come with it.
Talking to your child about technology is like having the sex talk. Except kids are helping to write the rules.
What limits can a parent set on texting, social networking, etc? And how do you go about enforcing them? To get some answers, we asked a handful of parenting experts to weigh in on age-appropriate guidelines for everything from Web surfing to cell phones to parental controls. Spoiler alert: They don’t always agree.
In the end, parental controls and technology that lets you set limits on cell phone usage are only minor tools in a parent’s arsenal. More important, parents should seize upon the opportunity to share their childrens’ experiences with technology. According to the CCT’s Pasnik, an ongoing dialog is a must, even if it’s not directly related to what kids should avoid online.
AT&T Wireless recently announced yet another new addition to their lineup of 3G-enabled netbooks last week: the HP Mini 110. It will join the Samsung Go and the Acer Aspire One as one of the carrier’s new slew of Windows 7 netbooks. With so many mini-laptops now available from three of the four major wireless carriers, we thought you could use some handy charts to compare them all.
These netbooks will end up costing you $1,500 to over $1,700 when coupled with the data plan. Click through to see the current lowest price on each system. It may be $100 – $200 more than what the carriers are offering, but you won’t have the 2 year lock in to mobile broadband that only applies to one device.AT&T Wireless recently announced yet another new addition to their lineup of... more
The $1,499 ASUS G51J-A1 gaming rig is a powerful machine packing an Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 260M graphics. And, just as we expect from such specs, the performance benchmark scores blew away the averages and even showed up the Toshiba Qosmio X505, one of our favorite notebooks of the year. The system doesn’t quite catch up to Alienware rigs, but at this price point and with these scores, you won’t find much better.
The G51J-A1 is also a very good-looking machine. The premium quality is evident in the lid design, keyboard, touchpad, and gamer-centric aesthetic touches. Check the whole gallery and see if you don’t fall in love.
Jim Barry from the Consumer Electronics Association shares the results of the CEA’s 16th annual holiday study and what electronics will be on the top of this year’s holiday wish list. Video from CEA.Jim Barry from the Consumer Electronics Association shares the results of the CEA’s... more
Laptop Magazine tested 3 netbooks that were first released with Windows XP then re-released with Windows 7. The result is an average loss of 47 minutes of longevity which isn't a huge deal for long-lasting netbooks but seriously bad news for those that end up with less than 5 hours of life. Laptop's editors aren't the only ones who've noticed this. Other reviewers (who use separate tests) also noticed a significant drop. Check the test results here: http://blog.laptopmag.com/stick-with-xp-windows-7-battery-life-worse-on-netbooksLaptop Magazine tested 3 netbooks that were first released with Windows XP then... more
These featherweight marvels weigh less than 4 pounds and are easy to stash in a bag. They’re not as fast mainstream notebooks, but they offer more power and bigger displays than the typical netbook. In this video, Laptop Magazine will show you what kind of performance to expect and how much it'll cost to get your hands on one of these lightweight wonders.These featherweight marvels weigh less than 4 pounds and are easy to stash in a bag.... more
Symantec isn’t the only company to forecast improved enterprise IT spending based on quarterly results in the past few weeks; executives at EMC, IBM, and Intel all spoke positively about IT budgets rebounding in the coming months.
The Dell Adamo XPS is the world's thinnest laptop which is just under one centimetre thin.
Dell's senior vice president of consumer products said "Our engineers and designers are breaking new ground and throwing away the old rules with the introduction of Adamo XPS. We think the Adamo XPS will inspire an emotional connection with anyone who sees it.”
Adamo, is derived from the Latin word meaning “to fall in love,”. Wonder if they're hoping that fans of the Mac Book Air will also fall in love with it
It does look amazingly thin and the review in Pocket Lint asks whether corners have been cut to get it so thin. It's actually thinner than a CD jewel case.
MSI is preparing to launch a 12-inch Windows 7 netbook that will sit atop its U200 series. The U230 will be very much like the previously released U210, which ran Vista. The only notable differences are the new operating system, and...MSI is preparing to launch a 12-inch Windows 7 netbook that will sit atop its U200... more
Forget about vampires, ghouls and zombies. You were much more likely to receive a fright this year from something lurking in your e-mail. There were the usual crop of Trojan horses and phishing expeditions, and as the surprising list points out, some of the scares go all the way up to White House and the FBI.
So we now have proof that apparently notebook computers do NOT interfere with the instruments of a commercial jet but they DO seem to interfere with the pilots who are supposed to monitor those instruments.So we now have proof that apparently notebook computers do NOT interfere with the... more
An intruder could eavesdrop on sensitive data sent across the Internet, manipulate the DNS address that redirects traffic from trusted sites to malicious ones, and possibly even infect other routers automatically. Chen says he informed Time Warner’s security department of the hole; they responded that they were aware of the problem but couldn’t do anything about it.An intruder could eavesdrop on sensitive data sent across the Internet, manipulate the... more
Pushed to cut costs and attract new audiences, some experiment with laptops.
“Orchestras are floundering,” says Greg Bowers, a composer who teaches music theory and composition at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va. “They want to fill seats desperately. A lot of them are cowering, they’re afraid to do anything that may challenge the audience. Their patrons are older and less amenable to new things. So you have this incredible, aesthetic bind.”
Because it’s so difficult to have new symphonic works performed, composers increasingly turn to technology, where software can replicate acoustic instruments and perform an entire score without the need of a single, live musician. In the past, digital technology was used only to help the composer develop a work before it was submitted to a conductor for consideration. However, as concert seasons provide less room for new work and soloists yearn to perform works with an entire orchestra, computers are filling the void.
Now, new works under the classical banner are being performed onstage by combinations of computers and live musicians. Traditional orchestras are flirting with social media – for example, providing Twitter feeds during operas – or playing new roles, such as performing live scores to accompany the screenings of popular films. Even the concept of the orchestra is expanding with the advent of chamber groups that perform new works through live groupings of laptops and even mobile phones.
Paul Henry Smith, a composer and developer of the Fauxharmonic Orchestra, says the development of cheap disc space and affordable processors has allowed sampling libraries to grow more refined, both in the number of instruments allowed and the shades of tonal quality available. Laptop orchestras have garnered legitimacy, entering the curriculums at music schools throughout the United States and with concerts held in prestigious venues including New York’s Carnegie Hall.Pushed to cut costs and attract new audiences, some experiment with laptops.... more
For years, tech journalists and users alike have complained about the so-called “Apple Tax,” or the premium you pay for a Mac over a similarly-configured Windows notebook. However, when comparing the just-announced $999 MacBook with similarly-speced PCS, such as the Dell Studio XPS 13, Samsung Q320, and Acer Aspire 3935, we found that that the Windows camp no longer really has an edge.
If you've been holding off on purchasing a new notebook until the arrival of the much-heralded Windows 7, your wait is over. Laptop Magazine already gave this sleeker, more user-friendly OS the stamp of approval in their full review ( http://www.laptopmag.com/review/software/windows.aspx ), and now there are a slew of laptops available pre-loaded with lucky number 7.
Laptop tested and reviewed several Windows 7 machines over the past few weeks, and there are already strong contenders in all budget categories, from $400 netbooks to $2500 extreme gaming rigs. Check out their picks for the seven best notebooks debuting with Windows 7: http://www.laptopmag.com/review/laptops/best-new-windows-7-notebooks.aspxIf you've been holding off on purchasing a new notebook until the arrival of the... more
Acer introduced its first laptop with a multitouch display, which the company said is an intuitive way to make computing fun and easy.Acer introduced its first laptop with a multitouch display, which the company said is... more
Acer unveiled the 3D-capable laptop during a press conference on Tuesday. The lappy uses a combination of in-house software, a special screen coating, and polarized glasses to achieve the 3D effect...Acer unveiled the 3D-capable laptop during a press conference on Tuesday. The lappy... more
Nokia has announced that its upcoming netbook, the Booklet 3G, will make its U.S. debut in November. AT&T and Best Buy will serve as the Finnish mobile phone giant’s launch partners. The netbook will be available for $299 with a two-year AT&T service contract...Nokia has announced that its upcoming netbook, the Booklet 3G, will make its U.S.... more
