Computer Rental
January 3, 2008
When organising large events such as gaming conventions, it can be expensive buying in equipment for the large screen as well as other screens and equipment you need. Rentacomputer.com have you covered for this and offer a wide variety of computer equipment and audio/visual equipment for rental short or long term. For Computer Rental you can expect to pick up a variety of systems such as a P4 dual or single core running XP or Vista, or macs too as well as Macbook Pro’s. If you require specific models then rentacomputer have you covered still with pages of Dell’s, Apple, NEC, Sony and other models.
Pricing is not available directly on the site due to the many factors that need to be taken in to consideration such as delivery location, shipping type, length of contract and type of equipment. However, the simple form can be filled in over here which will get you a quote for your needs right away. When getting a quote you will be working with a rep much like you do when booking a holiday. They will be assigned to pick the right product for you, arrange delivery and collection. They can also arrange any number of deliveries across the US and help manage where everything is, when it is needed and making sure equipment gets to it’s destination on time so you do not need to worry.
I must admit that I had not thought of a need for a service like this, but the more I read the more I can see practical every day uses for such a service. From what I see on the rentacomputer website, they have been around a long time doing this and you will be in good hands.
Note: This is a paid review.
Dell Tablet PC to be Launched
December 11, 2007
Dell have released information today on their first Tablet PC. It is named the Latitude XT and has some great specs too. The feature that stands out most is the touch screen display. The touch screen is very sensitive and does not require pressure from a finger or pen. What you do is just gently glide your finger across the screen. The touch screen is also multi-touch ready which will be made use of at a later date. The pen has an erase and the ability to right click, but does not require batteries to function. These features are what steps it up a notch in my opinion. The Latitude XT weighs just 3.5 pounds and the screen is 12.1 inches which can be viewed outdoors.
On the insides it has 1Gb of memory, a 1.06Ghz Intel Core 2 Solo ULV processor and a 40Gb hard drive. Of course wi-fi is standard too. Battery life is an impressive 9 hours which I assume is with wi-fi switched off. Unfortunately the price tag adds weight to this tablet PC as it will sell for $2499. Ouch.
Via: SlipperyBrick
Star Wars Case Mod
December 4, 2007
I have seen many case mods dotted around the internet which are inspired by many movies and games. The latest and greatest is the StarWars case mod which is modelled around the Millennium falcon of Star Wars.
Now, let’s have a look at the components used for this custom base star war toy. A multi-colored cycling power light, dual hard drive activity headlights, blue EL-string engine bay, 6 exhaust fans for cooling, dual hard drives including one with window, Power, reset, and engine light switches in cockpit.
Impressed I imagine. It does not stop with just the case though. The Modder has also made an X-Wing in to a mouse. This modded case is truly one of the great ones to have been created. More pictures can be found after the jump.
Lego Computer running Kubuntu Linux
August 5, 2007
The Lego computer was made from an old Dell Dimension 2400 which was laying around Jeremy Duenas’ house. He decided to strip it down and build it back up in a case made of Lego. The Lego PC runs Kubuntu Linux (due to him not wanting the XP Pro overheating the plastic Lego bricks). The idea is excellent and very unique. I like how there is a bridge in there and a Lego man sitting in a control centre. Top marks for effort there!!
28 more images of the Lego PC can be found over at Jeremys Blog.
Dell Ultra-thin LCD Concept
May 21, 2007
This LCD created by Dell is ultra thin at half an inch thick. It has 4 times the current HDTV resolution, allows integrated peripherals around the display, allows you to daisy chain multiple screens and all goes through a single bidirectional cable. A lot of parts have been removed from the screen to cut its size and weight down although I am unsure how much of that is packed in to a box that could be stored under the desk. Either way, the screen is nice to look at especially with the surround that appears to be glass.
Dell Laptops with SSD
April 24, 2007
Solid State Drives have moved forwards over the last year and we are now seeing SSDs which are actually worth looking at for storage solutions. What sets these drives apart from the regular spinning platter is that there are no moving parts, they give out less heat and use less power. All 3 of these are perfect for users on the go as battery power needs to be cut back as much as possible to squeeze the most amount of usage out of one charge.
Dell is one company who have latched on to the idea of using SSDs in laptops and will be introducing it in to the Ultramobile Latitude D420 and also the semi-rugged D620 ATG laptops. The SSDs in these will be 32GB versions which are just 1.8 inches in size. The drives are from SanDisk. To select this option when buying the laptop, it will set you back around $549. This is a little higher then the off the shelf price of $350, but cheaper then other vendors who are commanding $700 for the same device.
SSD is the way forward at the moment, and with the increasing capacity constantly hitting us it wont be long before a 64GB and a 128GB SSD is made as an option at an affordable price.
Via: Crave
20 Inch Laptops - Too Big or Just right
April 11, 2007
20 Inch Laptop screens seem to be mentioned more these days with Clevo launching their 20.1 inch laptop and Malibal releasing their Veda series with a 20.1 inch screen. How practical are these laptops though? cnet sent a reporter out with the Dell XPS M2010 across London last year and as you can see in the video on their site, the laptop is huge. Luckily the newer 20+ inch laptops seem to have lost some of the bulk and are more respectable, but it does make you wonder if a 20 inch laptop is worth the effort. Personally I prefer smaller laptops as they are a lot easier to carry around and although you do loose some nice screen size, you do not sacrifice portability which is what laptops are all about.
What are the benefits then?
A larger screen has always allowed for better productivity. Better productivity is achieved in that you can open several documents on a screen and view them side by side, rather then having to minimise and maximise. When entering data in a spreadsheet from a report it is far quicker to glance at the data while typing it in to the spreadsheet rather then the process of switching windows. 20 Inch Laptops do have their plus side and if they are kept very slim they might be more user friendly.
Choosing the right Screen Size
Choosing which laptop screen size to go for is based on a number of factors. You need to ask yourself what exactly will you be using a laptop for, where it will be taken regularly, what resolution you want and how good are your eyes. If you want portability and small, then a 20 inch laptop if out of the question. You will need to look for the sub 15 inch notebooks for smaller sizes. If you want ultra high resolution then you need to start looking in the 17 - 20 inch range. If you travel daily, use your laptop is allsorts of places then a large laptop might not be for you either.
When buying a laptop it is important to be realistic and look at each laptops pros and cons. If you seriously want that huge screen then are you ok carrying it around everywhere? or will you get fed up. If not then go for it. A 20 inch screen is a nice solution overall if you are willing to carry it around.
Do your research first and make sure that when you choose the ideal laptop you are happy with the screen and resolution.
