Apple's black MacBook: A lips-on report
LaptopsThere are two things you can bring into an office that will induce the weaker-minded to stand around, coo, and stroke. One is a new-born child and the other is anything Apple has released in the last five years.
What's more remarkable than Apple's recent spate of great design is that no other manufacturer seems to have caught on. Apple's closest rival, Sony, still lags behind with its attractive, though clearly derivative, efforts. The rest of the laptop makers are either going for the gauche, boy-racer market, or churning out ugly grey slabs. It's enough to break a girl's soul.
Sure enough, the new black MacBook inspired the obligatory crowd around the Crave pit. Some dribbled into polystyrene cups, others took turns at trying out the magnetic power cable -- which detaches should someone trip over the lead. The office gimp licked the built-in webcam while making little snaffling noises -- rather like a baby lamb suckling on its mother's teat. The MacBook yielded no milk, of course, other than the metaphorical milk that is the human emotion of pure joy. Continue reading...
rock Xtreme SL Pro: 20 inches in your lap
Laptopsrock has joined the ranks of Dell and Acer and announced its very own 20-inch laptop. Dubbed the Xtreme SL Pro, this deformed monstrosity of a laptop uses a WSXGA+ display capable of pumping out 1,680x1,050 pixels.
Unlike its two biggest (geddit?) rivals, the Xtreme SL Pro is aimed primarily at gamers. rock has chucked in a pair of Nvidia GeForce Go 7950 GTX graphics card in a serial link interface (SLI) interface configuration, so this thing can give the Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles a real run for their money. Continue reading...
Sony shows off Casino Royale goodies
LaptopsBond. James Bond. The immortal words that conjure up images of everybody's favourite life-endangering, licence-to-kill-toting, womanising, prophylactic-avoiding, sexist, misogynistic dinosaur of a man. Love him or hate him, you've really got to admire the man.
Sony certainly does. The forthcoming movie features a good selection of Sony gizmos to help Bond through the rigours of the day. When he's not quaffing Martinis or shooting people in the face, Bond is surrounding himself with such Sony delights as the Esprit L1 home cinema system (2,989), the Bravia X-46 Full HD set (3,495) and the Vaio SZ3XWP ultraportable laptop (1,799). Continue reading...
Essential tech for the modern restaurateur
GadgetsThis week we met up with Henry Dimbleby, co-owner of the super-healthy fast-food restaurant chain Leon, for our Three I Can't Live Without feature.
After a lifetime of chasing the tech dragon, Henry has developed an aversion to complexity. His three critical gadgets reflect this. He takes his trusty Nokia 6310 ("The s*** phone", as he calls it) with him everywhere. "I used to have one, and the battery lasted for three days of constant use. Then I got an upgrade, then another, and I got more and more games and ridiculous Internet s*** and the battery life went down and down. When it got below a day, I thought, 'This is ridiculous'."Â He tracked down the 6310 on eBay. "I'd recommend it to anyone who cares more about talking to their friends than downloading porn." Continue reading...
New MacBooks: Worth buying despite the gloss?
LaptopsNo Zune, no PS3, no Vista. This Christmas sucks. Don't asphixiate yourself in the plush seats of your garaged Lexus just yet though, there are some new treats still available. Apple launched two new MacBooks yesterday. The basic 13-inch chassis is the same as with the previous models, but the processors have been upgraded to Core 2 Duos.
This means the MacBooks aren't too far off matching the entry-level MacBook Pro for raw power -- although with the MacBooks you have to contend with the glossy screen. It seems to us that these screens have been introduced to pander to consumers' magpie instinct rather than actually improving the clarity of the picture.
It's a common impulse to head towards the shiniest-looking laptop in the shop and then rue the decision at leisure. Although glossy screens do provide a superior picture when watching DVDs in a dark room, in most practical situations they infuriate us. Opinions vary though, and some people may love the glossy displays. Personally we find it distracting to see our haggard, trampish faces reflected in the middle of the document we're working on. Continue reading...
Acer TravelMate 8215WLMi: Blu-ray laptop
LaptopsThe Blu-ray juggernaut continues to roll along, and so far is leaving HD DVD eating its smoke. We've already seen the Sony Vaio VGN-AR11S, and now this: the Acer TravelMate 8215WLMi -- part of the 8200 series and a descendant of the venerable TravelMate 8204WLMi.
Unlike its predecessor's DVD multidrive, this baby comes with a Matshita BD-MLT UJ-210-S Blu-ray offering shoved into its left-hand side. We didn't waste much time in chucking a couple of Blu-ray movies at it, but it didn't all go as smoothly as expected. The laptop froze on our first attempt to watch Tears of the Sun, perhaps baulking at the rubbishness of the film.
The movie played on our second attempt, but only just -- it was juddering all over the place, a problem we attributed to lack of power. Taking the hint, we connected the laptop to the mains and the situation improved, but we still saw a few dropped frames here and there. This came as a surprise given the fact that the 8215WLMi uses a 2GHz Intel T7200 processor and 2 almighty GB of DDR2 667MHz memory. Continue reading...
How do I connect my laptop to my television?
I have DivX movies on my laptop that I want to play through my television. They're karaoke movies, so I really want to get them running through the big television so the whole family can join in. Is there an easy way of connecting the two? Continue reading...
Crave TV: 20-inch Laptop on the London Underground 
How practical is owning a 20-inch laptop? We lug Dell's massive XPS M2010 from one side of London to the other using the tube and bus. Our PC editor braves the stares of strangers, and the constant risk of mugging. Some of his fellow Tube travellers seem quite shocked by the experience. Check out the video by clicking above and read our full review of this obscenely huge Dell laptop here. Continue reading...
FlyBook V33i HSDPA: Frustration at your fingertips
LaptopsDialogue isn't the biggest name in the laptop world, but tech-heads absolutely love the Taiwanese company's FlyBook series. We've just been sent the FlyBook V33i HSDPA, which as the name suggests comes with a high-speed downlink packet access module and SIM card that gives you broadband (1.8Mbps) Internet access wherever there's a 3G mobile signal.
Physically, it's nearly identical to the standard V33i, which means it's gorgeous to look at but damn-near unusable in many respects. We love the almost dirty-looking matte-red finish, and its ultra-petite dimensions (it's a couple of inches longer than a standard paperback book), plus the funky 8.9-inch 1,024x600-pixel display, but what on Earth was Dialogue thinking with that keyboard? Continue reading...
Asus W5Fe: Welcome to the dual-screen Vista laptop era
LaptopsWhen former Intel CEO Craig Barret told us laptops of the future would come with two screens, we mocked him. Attendees of the 2003 Intel Developer Forum had to physically restrain themselves from throwing rotten tomatoes, such was the ludicrousness of the proposal. Seriously, does anyone even use the second screen on their mobile phone?
The series of laptops, codenamed Newport, were said to have a main screen and an additional external display built into the top of the lid. These could be used to scan emails, access a calendar, check network connections and monitor downloads without having to fire up the laptop. Continue reading...
Sony Vaio C1: Colourful laptops
LaptopsHats off to Sony's design team -- they've just cooked up what could be the sexiest laptops of the year. Derivative black and silver designs will now take a back seat to the Vaio C1 series, which comes in a range of colours: black, green, silver, pink and grey.
The jury's still out on the radioactive phlegm-green version, but the rest of them look pretty enough. Check out the colour highlights around the mouse touchpad -- tres nice indeed.
The C1 series comes with a 13.3-inch widescreen display and weighs a manageable 2.3kg, so it's perfect for posing on the train. It uses a nippy 1.66GHz Core 2 Duo processor and 1GB of RAM, plus you get 100GB or 120GB of hard-disk space to store your junk. There's even an Nvidia GeForce Go 7400 graphics card, which won't shy away from games. Continue reading...
HP Pavilion dv6000: Lubed up laptop
LaptopsFans of glossy-looking consumer technology should check out the shiny new HP Pavilion dv6000 series. To say these laptops are shiny is an understatement -- they have the kind of sheen that could put Patrick Stewart's head to shame.
As well as looking like they've been greased up for a triathlon, the laptops use HP's new 'imprint finish', so the black lid and silver keyboard sections have an intricate fingerprint-style pattern running throughout. This fits in with HP's "the computer is personal again" marketing campaign. Fingerprints? Personal? Geddit? Ironically it also collects your own fingerprint smudges like there's no tomorrow.
The new look won't be to everyone's taste but it's an improvement on HP's staid designs of old. We think it looks pretty good, but one thing we didn't like was the keyboard and mouse. The keys have a tendency to wobble about, and there's too much travel in the mouse buttons. Continue reading...
Webaroo: Wikipedia on your mobile phone
Mobile PhonesThe Web can be a dangerously addictive thing. Many of us spend all day surfing at work then go home and surf some more. Here we surf, there we surf, everywhere we surf, surf. We'd surf more, but we occasionally have to venture into the outside world where Web access is limited.
Now, thanks to Webaroo, we never have to be separated from the digital need that is the Internet. This software stores entire Websites (including multimedia links) which you can browse later on your laptop without a connection. You can even transfer the data to your PDA or smart phone for a quick fix when you're on the move. Continue reading...
rock Cannonball 8000: Laptop for Porsche drivers
LaptopsAs you read this, 121 of the world's fastest road cars are hurtling from London to Budapest in the legendary Cannonball 8000 road rally -- an event based on the 1980 movie The Cannonball Run. Among them is Nick Boardman, CEO of rockdirect, and his co-driver Paul Shenton of Intel. Nutters.
Seemingly oblivious to the possibility of being arrested for speeding, having their car permanently 'confiscated' or suffering serious injury, Team Rock have just set off in a souped-up Porche Carrera GT3 (pictured). Before they left, they launched the special edition rock Pegasus 665 Cannonball laptop (also pictured).
We got the pleasure of fondling the Pegasus at the Canonball 8000 launch party in a swanky London nightclub last night. After attending this event, we can report with authority that where there are fast cars, there will be beer-gutted men surrounded by nubile women wearing very little clothing. Continue reading...
Acer Ferrari 5000: High-speed laptop
LaptopsLife sucks if you're a tech-head. You can't afford a fast car because you're spending all your money on gadgets, and you probably aren't as successful with the opposite sex as you'd like. We say: take a leaf out of Crave's book and get yourself the new Ferrari 5000 laptop from Acer.
After taking delivery of this go-faster striped bad boy, our lives have definitely changed for the better. Now we can barely walk down the streets without people chatting us up. We've been unable to keep up with our romantic successes, so we've started using the online service myblackbook.org and considered joining a monastery. Continue reading...
Core 2 Duo Vs. Core Duo: Merom and Yonah square off
LaptopsIntel has consistently impressed with its mobile CPUs. The ageing Pentium M processor continues to be a solid foundation for laptops or desktop PCs (like the one in our ultimate quiet PC feature). The successor to the M processor -- the Core Duo (codenamed Yonah), is a marvel of engineering that helped push the Centrino brand to new heights.
But what of the recently released Core 2 Duo range of processors, known in tech circles as 'Merom'? Intel says they are up to 20 per cent faster than the current crop of mobile chips, but are they really as good as it makes out? Bored, disillusioned with the world and with a complete lack of anything better to do, we thought we'd break it down for you Crave readers. Continue reading...
Which laptop bag should I get?
I need to get a bag for my 14-inch laptop, so I can take it with me on trips and on holiday. I'd like one that keeps my laptop safe, but it would be great if it looked good too. Can you help me? Continue reading...
IFA 2006: HDTV, Blu-ray vs HD DVD and all the new gadgets
TelevisionsCrave has just come back from IFA 2006, the Internationale Funkausstellung in Berlin, Germany. 'Funkausstellung' means 'radio show', but IFA has moved on since the first event in 1924, when 180,000 visitors examined the first valve radio receivers. Today IFA is a consumer electronics show covering six main areas: television and entertainment, personal computer and games, sound and car media, digital imaging and digital music, personal communication, and satellite, networks and cable. It claims to be the world's largest consumer electronics trade show, although the International CES in Las Vegas might dispute that claim (CES wins on exhibitors, hosting 2,700 to IFA's 1,200, but IFA gets 245,000 visitors to CES's 150,000).
The biggest story at this year's IFA was the continuing evolution of hi-def television (HDTV). With 70 per cent of LCD televisions sold in Europe now carrying the HD Ready logo, and the total number of HD Ready sets in Europe expected to reach 9 million by the end of 2006, manufacturers are now promoting bigger screens, televisions capable of 'Full HD' (ie, with a panel resolution of 1,920x1,080 pixels) and sets that support 1080p. Competition between Blu-ray and HD DVD has also moved to the next phase, with players for both formats due to go on sale in Europe before Christmas.
Samsung launches disk-free Q1/Q30 portables
LaptopsIt's official -- Samsung has gone off hard disk drives. Not only has the company announced two new portables that use solid state disk (SSD, aka flash) technology, but it recently told Crave that it'll no longer make MP3 players with traditional hard disks, a la iPod.
True to this new philosophy, it's just announced the NT-Q30-SSD 12.1-inch laptop and the NT-Q1-SSD -- a new version of its ill-received Q1 ultra-mobile PC. Unlike the original Q1, the new device features absolutely no moving parts -- the hard drive has been removed in favour of a 32GB SSD. Continue reading...
Crave Talk: Pin-stripe rebel -- the PC at 25
DesktopsEven when it was new, it was middle-aged. The IBM PC (pictured) came to life in 1981, but its DNA was already four years old. Legend has it that IBM first decided to get into personal computing when a senior manager visited a company research lab, saw Apple IIs everywhere and asked, "What the hell are all these?" As a result, almost every idea in the PC was a version of something Apple had done in 1977, but without the pizazz.
Throughout the 80s, the 'official' PC never shook off that dull, worthy, derivative air. The poor thing got stuck with the early versions of Windows, while the Amiga and the ST ran their own, superior, operating system. On the living room floor, the Spectrum begat the Sega Megadrive, which begat the PlayStation -- gaming was fast, colourful, easy and reasonably cheap. Everything the PC wasn't.
Then something odd happened. The PC had always done well for textual, Adventure-style games, which it had also inherited from the Apple II and the other eight-bit micros. They started to sprout graphics, crude at first but with increasing sophistication, and a sense of style that often eluded the arcade-flavour pixelfests on the more unbuttoned platforms. Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards and the Leather Goddesses of Phobos were two fine products that brought an attractive anarchy to the PC, at the same time as IBM clones became cheap enough to hit millions of homes. Continue reading...
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