MSI have a neatly priced gaming notebook out there at the moment, the GX640-098US. The unit sports an Intel® Core™ i5-430M Processor and a ATI Radeon™ HD5850 3D graphics card with GDDR5 1GB VRAM to help repell those nasty aliens. Here are some more features and specs on the MSI GX640-098US

* The GX640 uses the most advanced Intel Core i5 processor, and is the world’s performance leader among gaming laptops, giving users the ultimate experience in speed.
* MSI’s exclusive ECO Engine power management system
* Sleek brushed-metal design
* Contoured touch-style hotkeys
* Prepare to experience a riveting high-definition gaming experience with ATI Radeon™ HD 5850 graphics processors.
* Intel® Core™ i5-430M Processor 2.26GHz 3MB Cache
* Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium
* 15.4″ WSVGA+ (1680 x 1050) display
* ATI Radeon™ HD5850 Broadway Pro 1GB DDR5
* Internal Speaker x 2
* 4GB (2GBx2) DDR3
* 500GB / 7200RPM
* Super Multi DVD Drive
* Gigabit Ethernet LAN
* Built-in 802.11a/g/n
* Bluetooth
* 4 in 1 Card Reader (SD/MMC/MS/XD)
* 2.0 MP Webcam
* USB 2.0 X 2
* Graphics Card Output (15-pin, D-Sub) X 1, HDMI X 1
* Mic-in X 1, Headphone X 1
* 14.1” (L) x 10.24” (W) x 1.22” (H)
* 6.3 lbs with (9-cell battery)
* 3-Year Limited Warranty (include 1-Year Global Warranty)

That’s a pretty impressive set of specs and features and it’s all wrappd up in a $1200 price tag. Nice! We tried to track down some reviews for you and all we could find was this one at PCMag where the GX640 gets 3.5 stars out of 5. Downsides for them are the lack of battery life, excess heat output and sticky mouse pad buttons. Of course the price tag, processor, and graphics card are most definitely pluses. Given the negatives we still think the MSI GX640-098US is very good value for a gaming laptop.

Update: The MSI GX640 is available at Amazon for $1106.

Featured Tags laptop, msi


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If you’re looking for an encrypted and shock-proof external HDD then LaCie’s ‘Rugged Safe’ may be just what you’re looking for. The marketing blurb reckons its encryption is ‘unbreakable’

The LaCie Rugged Safe is the most complete mobile storage solution available. It offers multiple levels of data protection, from its unbreakable hardware encryption and the safest biometric authentication technology, to its shock–proof enclosure.

While we’re not qualified to disagree with the ‘unbreakable’ tag we bet there are a few people out there keen to give it a test! Anyway here are the specs on the LaCie Rugged Safe 500 GB

* Capacity 500 GB
* USB 2.0 (USB 1.1 compatible), FireWire 800, FireWire 400 ports
* Transfer Rates FireWire 800: up to 800Mbits/s; Hi-Speed USB 2.0: up to 480Mbits/s
* Requirements – Computer with a USB 2.0, FireWire 800 or 400 port, Windows® XP, Windows Vista®, Windows 7 / Mac OS X 10.5, 10.6
* 600MB free disk space
* 90 x 28 x 145 mm
* 298 g

Other features include biometric authentication allowing access for to up to ten users, fully plug and play and bus powered. The 500GB unit will set you back $190 and its larger brother the 1TB unit has a price tag of $300.

Featured Tags external-hdd, lacie


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Netgear have a funky looking network storage device called the Stora which can be used to store up to 1TB of your movies, pictures and music. The unit is a square black number sharing any data comprimising of zeroes and ones across your home network. Here are a few more highlights of the netwrok storage device

* Automate backup from PCs and Macs
* Fast, stylish, easy to use browser based interface with embedded media player
* Swap or add a hard drive in minutes without using any tools
* Connect from the Internet to view, share and play files when you are away from home
* Spare 2nd bay
* Two (2) Serial ATA channels
* Compatible with SATA and SATA II HDD
* 10/100/1000 Ethernet
* USB 2.0 port
* Supports JPG, GIF, PNG, MP3, MPEG-4 (H.264), MOV, FLV formats
* Dimensions 175.25 x 150 x 146 mm
* Weight: 1.36 kg

The two bay model with a 1TB HDD already installed will set you back $180 at Amazon. We’re not sure whether network storage will catch on for home users but we do like the internet access that the Netgear Stora provides.

Featured Tags netgear, network-storage


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We are quite impressed by ViewSonic’s Mini PC, the VOT125. Not only is it small enough to fit behind your mega HDTV or monitor but the top end version packs its own grunt in the form of a Core 2 Duo processor. It also has a sleek look and have ULV as standard – that’s Ultra-Low Voltage to those of you scratching your heads as we were. So there’s a hidden streak of green inside the VOT125′s sleek black box. Here’s a fuller list of bits and pieces on ViewSonic’s VOT125

* Single Core SU743 Celeron®, Dual Core SU2300 Celeron, Pentium SU4100 or Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor options
* Windows 7 Home Premium
* 2 GB memory
* 250 GB HDD
* 4 x USB 2.0 ports
* DVI-I output
* HDMI output
* 3 in 1 card reader
* 4.5 x 1.5 x 5.1 inches
* 3.9 pounds
* 10/100/1000 Ethernet
* Integrated 802.11b/g/n

So if you’re after a small form factor PC then the ViewSonic VOT125 may be just what you’re after. As mentioned there are four options and of course four different price tags, here are the processor options again with the current Amazon price tags.

Single Core SU743 Celeron – $466
Dual Core SU2300 Celeron – $490
Pentium SU4100 – $584
Core 2 Duo SU7300 – $639

Featured Tags pc, viewsonic


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We gave you a heads up on Panasonic’s 3D HDTV a while back, and today we’re showing off LG’s 3D Blu-Ray player the BX580. A mere $400 will get you a sleek looking, Wi-Fi connected, full 1080p, three dimensional Blu-Ray player, impressed? We are! $400 seems a small amount to pay to be able to enjoy the latest 3D flicks on your home entertainment system and whilst the 3D HDTVs may not be ‘cheap as chips’ keenly priced 3D players will certainly enable market take-up in the 3D arena. Here’s the full details on this bargain of a player from LG, the BX580

* Blu-ray 3D™ Disc Playback
* Integrated WiFi Connectivity
* Blu-ray and DVD Disc Playback
* Express Reaction Startup
* NetCast™ Entertainment Access – stream instant, and virtually endless, entertainment from Netflix, Vudu CinemaNow, Pandora, Picasa, AccuWeather and YouTube
* Standard DVD Up-Scaling
* HDMI™ 1.4 with 3D Output
* Full HD 1080p Blu-Ray playback
* 7.1 channel surround sound with Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Advanced Digital Out
* USB 2.0 connectivity
* Disc Playback Capability – Blu-ray™ 3D, Blu-ray™, BD-R/RE, DVD, DVD±R/RW, Audio CD, CD-R/RW
* Video Content Format – DivX®/DivX HD, MPEG4 AVC, HP@L4.1, MPEG2, HP@ML, SMPTE VC1, AP@L3, MPEG2, HP@ML, AVCHD, MKV
* Composite Output 480i
* Component Output Up to 1080i
* HDMI™ Output Up to 1080p (24 & 60Hz)
* WiFi® Certified 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz band only)
* Composite Video Out, Component Video Out, HDMI™ Out, Analog Audio Out (L/R), Digital Out (Coaxial), Digital Out (Optical), LAN Port (RJ-45), USB 2.0 In

Plenty of features on the BX580 with of course the main one being the Blu-Ray 3D playback and all of this for only $400 over at Amazon too. So have you still got an excuse for not getting into 3D? We thought not.

Reviews

We couldn’t find any reviews that were prepared to give the BX580 marks out of ten but we did find a couple of articles that go into depth a wee bit more than we have. So check out Blu-Ray Players write up and CNet’s hands-on if you need to know more, otherwise browse on over to Amazon to check the latest price on the LG BX580 3D Blu-Ray player.

Featured Tags 3D, blu_ray_player, lg


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Today we are taking a look at Gateway’s NV52 laptop, an Athlon powered 15 inch range of models. The base unit, NV5207u, sports the following bells and whistles for the minimalist price tag of $500.

* AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 QL-65 Dual-Core Processor (2.1GHz, 667MHz FSB, 1MB L2 Cache)
* Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
* 4GB Dual-Channel DDR2 667MHz sDRAM Support
* 320GB SATA hard drive
* ATI Radeon® HD 3200 Graphics
* 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi
* 8x DVD-Super Multi Double-Layer Drive
* 6-Cell Lithium Ion (4400 mAh)
* 26-37mm (H) x 372mm (W) x 250mm (D)
* 15.6″ HD Widescreen LED-backlit Display (1366 x 768 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio)
* 4 x USB 2.0, VGA Port, HDMI™ Port
* Media Card Reader
* 56K ITU V.92 ready Fax/Modem (RJ-11 port)
* Gigabit Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 port)
* Integrated Webcam
* 2.65 kg

With a price tag of $499 we must admit that the Gateway NV5207u seems to offer some good features for a reasonable price. Unfortunately CNet don’t share our view and give the NV5207u a three stars out of five, citing a weak processor and poor battery performance as the downsides. ZDNet also complain about the processor, comparing it to our canine friends, when giving it a 7.4 rating.

If anyone out there has used one of these suckers or even owns a Gateway NV5207u laptop please let us know what you think in the comment box below.

Featured Tags gateway, laptop


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Today we’re going to take a quick look at Dell’s small form factor desktop range, the Inspiron 580. As well as a starting price tag of $529, the Inspiron 580 sports a 4.4 out of 5 average customer rating on the Dell website. All this gets you a i3 processor with 7.1 integrated audio. For all the bells and whistles on the minimal Inspiron 580 read on

* Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit
* Microsoft® Works 9
* Intel® Core™ i3-530 processor(4MB Cache, 2.93GHz)
* 4GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1066MHz – 4 DIMMs
* Integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator HD
* 320GB – 7200RPM, SATA 3.0Gb/s, 16MB Cache
* Dell 19 in 1 Media Card Reader
* 16X DVD+/-RW Drive
* Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio
* Integrated 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet

Intriguingly there’s no Wi-Fi connectivity in the base unit, but an extra $44 gets you a Linksys Wireless G Compact USB Adapter. As mentioned the base unit will set you back a mere $529 which seems like a decent price for a small desktop. We managed to track down a four star review of the Inspiron 580 over at DesktopReview. Their only downside is that the 580 is a bit on the large size for a small form factor unit, something that could be easily ignored if desired. So all in all we reckon that the Dell Inpsiron 580 is pretty good value for a SMFF desktop.

Featured Tags dell, desktop


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