Alienware unleashes world's most powerful laptop... so far

The Beast Unleashed - AlienwareBy Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla If you've $5k kicking around, has Dell got a deal for you: The Alienware M15x high-performance game system for your lap. Dell division Alienware recently updated its M15x line of high-performance gaming laptops, now with three flavors packing Intel's fierce Core i7 mobile processor in 1.6Ghz (2.8GHz turbo mode), 1.73GHz (3.06GHz turbo mode) and 2.0GHz (3.2GHz turbo mode) configurations. These monsters offer high-end, desktop class performance but in a 15. 6-inch notebook form factor, making them the most powerful laptops on the market today - or, the performance PC market being what it is, "at the moment" would be more precise. Interestingly, while common laptops usually try for smaller and lighter, M15x is in a class of its own, evident in every aspect of its design, which is heck-bent on gaming and processor intensive tasks. Its large, vented case is designed for optimum air ventilation to facilitate the cooling requirements of central and graphics processors. The "Anti-Netbook," as it were. The first laptop to offer Intel's high end mobile processors, the M15x starts at $1700 and offers a range of pre-built and customization options, including up to 8GB RAM, 250GB SSD drive, a 9 cell extended battery, 2.0 megapixel webcam, Blu-Ray optical drive and a 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX video card. A fully configured, all options in, maxed-out M15x tallies up to well over $5,000.00 - before taxes. The price tag isn't the only that's heavy about the Alienware M15x; the laptop itself weighs 9 lbs. Certainly a heavyweight in more ways than one, but for hardcore gamers, the M15x is the most uncompromising yet portable piece of hardware that money can buy... at the moment.

Click to read more ...

Countdown to Palm Pre in Canada

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla Bell's big play in the smartphone space, the Palm Pre is days away from shipping in Canada and it will be very interesting to see how this will play out. For Palm, its their major move to reclaim space in the smartphone arena they defined and at one point ruled with their Treo series which ended up running Windows Mobile as an OS because Palm's own OS was sadly lacking. Now with the new WebOS, its possible that Palm will rise from the ashes and once more dominate the smartphone market. Bell's a Ringing For Bell, the Palm Pre, represents its first major non-BlackBerry smartphone OS and direct competitor to Apple's iPhone and Google's Android handsets which have been visible since their respective launches from rival Rogers. We are awaiting the arrival of our Palm Pre and will put it through its paces. We look forward to reviewing WebOS, the Pre apps and and how the device works the day to day environment.

Click to read more ...

Twitter Trends

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla The micro-blogging and social networking phenomenon that is Twitter has picked up a lot of steam globally. Trending on Twitter has become an instant way to feel the pulse and undercurrent of events and issues. Like other social networking services, you build your list of people you would like to follow and likewise, anyone who may be interested in what you might have to share, will ask to follow you. When you “Tweet” you can share information about anything provided you limit the length of your messages to 140 characters. You can link to articles, photos and more importantly you can “Retweet” postings from other people. Because weblinks are sometimes long and you don’t want them to take up you 140 characters you can use services like TinyURL.com that shortens long URLs into shorter links ideal for linking on twitter posts. For photos there is Twitpic (http://www.twitpic.com/) allows you to share photos on Twitter. Twitter is useful More than announcing to the world what you had for lunch or what song is playing on the radio, Twitter can be really useful. Want to get feedback on a product or service, search the Tweets. Want to know which patio is worth checking out, simply ask- there' a good chance someone will Tweet you back. A lot of companies, like Starbucks, CNN the New York Times use it to interact directly with their customers and receive instant feedback as well as run promotions. Celebrities and high profile personalities like Shaquille O’Neal, Lance Armstrong, John Mayer and many others use Twitter to keep in touch with their fans as well as get feedback. The recent NBA trades, negotiations and rumours were lighting up the Twittervese and guess what, the players themselves were Twittering away and interacting with the fans. One thing about Twitter is that it so levels the playing field, it cuts out the middleman and enables real interaction between the big names and their following. To see who is on Twitter and what their rankings are you can got to wefollow.com, the self-proclaimed User Powered Twitter Directory breaks down twitterers based on genre and also offers up the most discussed topics posted on Twitter by tags. Trends and Locations Twitter has certain advantages when you search Tweets for a specific topic. On the Twitter homepage, the hottest trends are updated so you can click on them and bring up what people are saying or thinking about a specific subject. Mobile users who access Twitter on the smartphones have the advantage of using their phone’s GSM location or GPS function to gather Tweets from your vicinity. This is helpful if you are attending an event, say a concert or a bazaar you can actually “listen-in” in on what people in the area have to say. Similarly, while travelling, you can post questions like, “what’s the best Pizza in the city,” and you are likely going to get a few responses. Clients Galore Twitter on the go really makes sense and there are some good applications for the iPhone, such as Tweetie, Twinkle and Twitterific. You can also get full-featured Twitter applications for other smartphones such as BlackBerry, Symbian, Windows Mobile and for those who use standard celfones, it is possible to Tweet via SMS. For the desktop, a number of outstanding Twitter clients are available for free. Sure, you can just use the web-based pages on Twitter.com but to really extend the functionality of the service. Tweetdeck Beta and popular favorite Twhirl both make use of Adobe Air technology and add some profound levels of usability to the Twitter interface. Tweetdeck works on Macs, PCs and Linux machines while Twhirl is strictly for XP, Vista and OS X. We’ve used both and prefer the way Twhirl works in the background and the fact that it can handle multiple Twitter accounts at the same time. Other clients worth checking out are Tweetie (Mac and iPhone), Snitter for Mac and PC and Spaz for Mac, Windows and Linux. Twitter may not be for everyone, I mean with email and instant messaging and text messages most of us already have a lot on our plates. Add your Facebook habit and there's little time for anything else. The beauty of social networking is that you, the user, can control it. You decide how to effectively use the tools to improve your communications and enhance your business and social life.

Click to read more ...

Micro Four Thirds Photography and the Lumix G1

Pick a color: The Panasonic Lumix G1 Micro Four Thirds Camera By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla The DSLR phenomenon has really caught up with prices coming down and consumers having more options than ever in terms of affordable semi-pro or prosumer cameras with interchangeable lenses. Camera processor and lens technology has become so advanced that, in the right hands, a cheaper DSLR can capture great looking photos that are comparable to expensive, higher end cameras. The question of whether there is something beyond DSLR, has been answered; it seems, by Panasonic with their Micro Four Thirds Lumix G1 and their HD Video shooting GH1. These cameras are a hybrid of high-tech point-and shoot, ultra-zoom and a DSLR-type form-factor with interchangeable lenses. Ditching the pentaprism and mirror of a DSLR while allowing for smaller lenses has enabled them to create a stunning new product that give the versatility of a multi-lens camera with the ease of use of a point-and-shoot. We will focus on the G1 since it is widely available and retails in places like Henry’s Camera and Canada Computers for around $699-$799. Tiny Revolutionary The most impressive aspect of the G1 is its diminutive size. Even the larger lenses, which already integrate the stabilization feature, are remarkably tiny compared to what you are used to with DSLRs. The G1 also has an electronic viewfinder as opposed to an optical only one that is a mixed bag. The viewfinder is super-clear and accurate but fails to deliver the instantaneous performance of a glass viewfinder. This is most evident when shooting multiple frames per second; they just don’t register quickly enough. So, if you are into action and sports photography, then consider any DSLR over the Lumix G1. The G1 also comes with a foldable rear screen, not unlike what one would see in a camcorder and this, coupled with the live-view feature, makes composing photos a bit easier. This lightweight camera fits well in the hand and is a joy to use, especially in situations where a larger DSLR may catch attention. Panasonic’s automated controls are so good that you really don’t need to mess with the settings, more seasoned photographers may be put off with this as it seems that manual features, while available, don’t feel as accessible as they would on a regular DSLR. The intelligent auto feature on the G1 is pretty darn good and can figure out, more or less, what kind of lighting and focusing is needed by each situation. Micro Four Thirds at the forefront The Panasonic G1 is the world’s first Micro Four Thirds Camera in the market, it uses a smaller sensor (similar to that on the Olympus E3 Four Thirds DSLR) but one that is still far larger than any point-and-shoot or ultra-zoom compact camera can offer. Ditching the mirror that makes a DSLR has allowed the creation of smaller bodies, smaller lenses and more technology and less mechanical functionality. So you can theoretically shoot thousands of photos on a Micro Four Thirds camera without worrying about the shutter giving way or mirror wear - a big concern for traditional DLSRs that tend to crap out after a lot of use. Some would say that the 12 Megapixel Panasonic G1 is really the future of the replaceable-lens camera at least in terms of technology. The biggest problem with this platform is that it is so new that there are only half a dozen lenses available for the system (you can expand this with adapters and connectors which allow you to use anything from Four Thirds lenses to Nikon, Canon and even Leica mounts). Aside from the G1 and the GH1, Olympus released the Digital Pen P1, which is more similar to a rangefinder in shape and size and comes without any optical viewfinder and built-in flash. Only time will tell if a proper evolution for this standard will take place but right now the G1 is a hot little camera whose price has gone down in the past few months and has even won prestigious awards for its innovation and performance, most notably Popular Photography’s Camera of the Year for 2008. Which is impressive considering it went up against the likes of the Nikon D90 and the newer Canon Rebels. Real World Usage The G1 performed admirably in clear and well lit situations but seemed to struggle while photographing musicians in a dark bar – a situation that a true DSLR would have been able to handle given the right settings. The electronic viewfinder in low light is just plain awful and without it you will need to guesstimate what is ahead of you – something that professional photographers will never do. Higher ISO performance is okay but not amazing; attribute this limitation to the sensor size. The stabilized lenses work well and are fatastic in terms of size and performance but they aren’t Leica lenses which is unfortunate since the G1 has a gold L, for Leica, badge on its body yet there is nothing remotely Leica-ish about it, You would think that for the steep price ($US 800.00) Panasonic would spring for some higher end glass to go with its landmark camera. The G1 performs excellently in daylight conditions manitaining bright colors. We enjoyed the auto mode on this camera which gave consistent, pro-looking quality photos but realized that it could be a good camera to fiddle with. Casual photographers who want the state of the art and the option to change lenses but who are daunted by jumping into the DSLR world would benefit from the G1. Pluses: o Micro Four Thirds realized in a small and powerful package. o Lenses are compact and stabilized o With adapters, can use a gamut of other lenses including vintage Leica rangefinder lenses as well as full size Four Thirds Lenses o Amazing auto functions, good AI and clear, crisp photos in well-lit conditions. o Well built body, rubberized texture and grip make it easy to hold even If it is incredibly lightweight. o Pop-out 3-inch LCD screen is great for composing awkward or challenging shots. Minuses: o Lenses aren’t Leica glass o Expensive for a glorified point-and-shoot. o Electronic viewfinder is among the best but fails in low-light conditions and when firing multiple shots. o Only two lenses available in the system. Conclusion: While we embrace the innovation and boldness that the Panasonic Lumix G1 embodies, we’re a bit tentative on its practicality. With the addition of more Micro Four Thirds models, we should hopefully see more lenses and accessories round out this exciting new system. Photo courtesy of Firepixel.ca

Click to read more ...