But now back to the actual reason I’ve started this post: presenting my first impressions about my Nokia N97 Mini after the first 10 days of (intense) use. I have to mention that I’ve looked over on the Internet quite a bit before making my decision on a touchscreen smartphone with full QWERTY keyboard and a somewhat slim profile. I’m not a big fan of virtual keyboards so the right choice for me definitely is the hardware QWERTY.

This is the Garnet N97 Mini

After much reading, comparing and deals checking I come to the conclusion that the N97 Mini is the one to get, especially because I was already familiar with it.

First impressions

Now, once I got it I can say that it’s exactly what I expected: a solid built sliding QWERTY smartphone with two problems mentioned all over the web, awful sunlight screen readability and short battery life. I’m not quite the ‘outside camper’ type of guy so I can live with the first problem and regarding battery life I can proudly say that it gets me through a day with really heavy use.

In time I expect battery life to increase to 1.5 days or even 2 with moderate use, but then again why buy a fully packed device if you don’t intend to use all its features, right?

The keyboard

Having covered the battery life point let’s now move on other matters like the hardware keyboard. Comparing it to the one found on the E71 I have mixed feelings, mainly because the keys are larger ensuring better accuracy but are harder to press, so I think I’m averaging about the same speed on both keyboard. On the fingers fatigue issue I can tell you that I find harder to press the keys on the middle of each row as my fingers are stretched almost to maximum while on the E71 I press harder the keys on the bottom row(s).

Overall performance

Strangely enough, Nokia has chosen for N97 Mini a CPU that is slower than the one found in recent E-series devices like the E72, E52 and E55 who have smaller screens so less pixels to move around. In those conditions is no wonder that apps start slower and some programs like Nokia Maps tend to kneel down the CPU during intensive tasks. Even so I wouldn’t call the Nokia N97 Mini a slow smartphone and all the merit goes to the very efficient Symbian OS.

The OS

Here’s where I have mixed feelings, not like the first time I’ve played with the 5800 XpressMusic, as the OS has evolved a lot since then, but there are still a lot of inconsistencies while navigating through menus and you are required to tap once or double tap the screen.

In a few days you’ll get used to this behavior but you’ll be a little frustrated at first. Also worth mentioning that the Ovi Store is quite unpopulated with apps, but you’ll still find some interesting free pieces of software like Opera Mini, Fring, Sports Tracker, Qik and other titles that are also found in the built in ROM of the device.

All in all I quite like the Nokia N97 Mini even after 10 days of use and recommend it as a true smartphone that will get thing like updating your status on your favorite social site, reading emails and browsing the web quite nice while listening to your favorite tunes with the excellent wired headset included  in the package by Nokia.

Tip: You can buy the Nokia N97 Mini from Amazon for 446$, unlocked

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All those lead to tablet PCs unsuccessful debut but starting last year there’s raising interest in bringing back tablets from the dead as hardware evolved, software too and starting prices seem to fall to ‘normal’ values. If you don’t believe in the touchscreen tablet growing trend just take a look at new releases from CES and you’ll see I’m true.

Now everything is OK once problems are solved, right? I believe not as one of the biggest issue, never addressed before is ‘why would I need one and what should I do with it once I get it?’.

That’s the biggest problem touch screen tablets have to solve: getting an answer to this question thus answering consumer’s need for a problem to be solved, if there’s such  a problem to begin with.

A touchscreen tablet

Where are tablets needed?

A good post rising a question wouldn’t be complete without trying to get an answer so I’ll tell you what my solution to the touch tablet/slate dilemma is.

Long gone is the time when computers were not personal as in more than one person used one and user accounts (boundaries) had to be set. When was the last time when you’ve lend your computer/laptop more than a few minutes to a friend? I bet you don’t recall or never did it.

Now back to tablets, they don’t have to be marketed as another personal device as users already have a desktop, laptop, netbook and netbook. Why on Earth would they need another ‘fully functional’ computer (well, not quite ‘full’ as you’ll need a port replicator to have all connections on a touch tablet). Manufacturers should present them as an alternate means to have fun with friends or family by sharing pictures, watch movies together, order stuff online, share an agenda and such. The models with mobile laptop stands included are especially suitable for family use as all you need is to lay it down on the table in the middle of the living room and start the fun.

Television sets were never ‘personal’, nor should touch tablets. They should be something a bunch of people share. What do you think, am I right?

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I’ll try and present the pros and cons of each one of those keyboards, leaving you to decide which one is right for you depending on budget, brand and features.

Logitech G19 gaming keyboard

Logitech G19 – 160$

This is the most expensive of the bunch, and it’s easy to understand why: Logitech G19 features an LCD screen panel that shows game stats, system information, VOIP communication data, video playback, without leaving the game plus it can display RSS feeds, Youtube videos while using the computer for office work.

All keys have illuminated backlight, which can be adjusted in intensity and color (yeap, you head that right). The Logitech G19 comes with twelve programmable buttons using the delivered software and can be set to perform up to 36 commands or macros. G19 acts also like an USB hub with two ports, so it’s convenient to use for MP3 files transfer to/from your music player or transfer images from your digital camera.

The nice Razer Tarantula

Razer Tarantula – 77$

Gaming keyboards design usually appeals to just a few people, people that like flashy designs, this being a reason why some prefer a more ‘standard’ keyboard instead of a gaming one. That’s not the case with Razer Tarantula, which features a pretty stylish design and very comfortable keys (something gaming keyboads usually lack). There are only 10 dedicated macro key, which are illuminated (the rest of the keys aren’t).

On the gaming features, the Razer Tarantula keyboard prouds itself with 1000Hz ultrapolling / 1ms response time and Anti-ghosting capability for up to 10 keys, meaning you’ll make the best of the multi key Mortal Combat combo moves.

Microsoft Sidewinder X6

Microsoft Sidewinder X6 – 58$

What strikes you first when looking at the Microsoft Sidewinder X6 gaming keyboard is the detachable keypad that can be placed on the left or right side of the main keyboard. The number of programmable keys is very high: 30, leaving room for a lot of macros and combos. Also there’s two color backlighting for late night game raids.

I personally love the design Microsoft did for Sidewinder X6, making for a perfect companion of the Sidewinder X5 gaming mouse, which resembles cyberpunk fictional era. Price is also very competitive compared with the other gaming keyboards on the market.

Ideazon Merc Stealth

Ideazon Merc Stealth – 75$

This is keyboard in the category much more gaming that office, as it’s not the most comfortable to use in a work environment, but that’s not the purpose of Ideazon’s Merc Stealth, a keyboard with a dedicated left side programmable 34 gaming keys WASD pad with an ergonomic layout. 125 predefined mapping layouts can be used in popular games, but you can add/edit those profiles later.

All keys are backlit, with three colors to choose from: red, blue, purple. The dedicated gaming keys are rubberized, adding for more comfort during prolonged play hours. If you decide to puchase the Ideazon Merc Stealth make sure you have enough desktop space, as the gaming keyboard is pretty wide, thanks to the added gaming keypad.

Saitek Cyborg

Saitek Cyborg – 77$

This keyboard has a cyberpunk design with multiple straight angles, multi color backlighting and 12 programmable keys on the left side. Cyborg mode disables Windows keys during gaming, and with one push switches back to “normal” mode. The SST software is responsible for keys programming.

All surfaces are coated with special hard wearing substances which ensure the Saitek Cyborg outlasts you to maturity, when you’ll probably ditch late night gaming sessions.

Logitech G15

Logitech G15 – 69$

The Logitech G15 has almost all the advantages of the G19 except the price, and to be fair the LCD screen is monochrome, so no fancy Linux running a color screen you’re not using all the time, but this will shave off about 100$ so I think is worth it.

You also don’t get the multi colored keys backlight: you’re stuck with orange all the time. The rest is unchanged, from the multi macro keys, to Windows keys inhibitor (so you don’t launch the start menu during intense gamemplay) to multimedia control keys for your favorite media player. The Logitech G15 is one of the most balanced options when it comes to gaming keyboards.

Razer Lycosa Mirror

Razer Lycosa Mirror – 67$

Razer Lycosa’s Mirror name comes from the high gloss mirror finished Hyperesponse keys with slim cap structure. Like a respectable gaming keyboard the Razer Lycosa Mirror features also backlight illumination for keys, plus a set of fully customizable keys via included software and up to 10 switchable software profiles.

If you’re out of USB ports for your peripherals don’t sweat and use the included USB extension port. For in game communications the two microphone and headphones jack surely will help a lot. Those annoying Windows Keys can also be deactivated while in a game. So here you have it: nothing missing and a great price for a modern looking gaming keyboard.

Microsoft Reclusa

Microsoft Reclusa – 55$

I have to admit that the Microsoft Reclusa gaming keyboard is one of the most oddly shaped keyboard I’ve come upon, but that’s not the point. All that matters is what it can do, given the very affordable price.

So let’s start with the features of the Microsoft Reclusa: 12 fully programmable keys, including two 360 degrees jog-dials (just like a console controller) and two bumper buttons. The Wrist pad is here, but can be removed if you please. Two USB ports make sure you don’t run out of ports for your peripherals. Let’s face it, besides the shape Microsoft Reclusa has it all.

Other gaming keyboards

Those I think are the most important gaming keyboards on the market, which will help you get better during multiplayer combat, but I wish to mention other keyboard too, in case you’re taste and needs are a little different from what I’ve shown you above.

• Logitech Gaming Keyboard G110
• Razer Arctosa
• Wolfking Timberwolf
• Saitek PK24 Eclipse III Wired Keyboard

If you have any other models that you think should be included in this article please feel free to tell me and I’ll update the article as soon as possible.

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Impressions of the Nokia N900 and new Maemo platform

Design wise, the N900 is a pretty minimalistic “brick” with few hardware buttons to press and a lot of virtual ones to use. Unfortunately I miss hardware buttons for things like Answer and Hang up.  The interface might seem completely screwed up for people who are used to Symbian S60, but in an hour or two you’ll be already acquainted with it as it’s pretty intuitive.

What you’ll find after a few hours of playing with it is there’s not a lot of software to mess with. The Maemo 5 OS is pretty new and you can’t find too much applications for it, and the ones you do find have few settings so probably they won’t do what they were supposed to. Maemo Ovi Store says “it’s coming” and Nokia PC Suite can only copy files on in. The new Ovi Suite can’t even see the N900.

Maemo is like an immature funny child

I wonder why Nokia launched the N900 without a few hundred applications and after making some cleaning in its own backyard (the PC suite support comes into my mind now). Thankfully the hardware construction is great, nothing to complain here: the sliding screen mechanism is great, keyboard is nice, even if it only has 3 rows.

The best part: web browser

This is maybe why you should buy the N900: it has a Mozilla based browser that shows even flash content and complex websites without a glitch (only the resolution is the real problem as you’ll never see on a mobile device desktop like pixels). I could even post from the WordPress admin interface with pictures uploads and such but only the low screen resolution (for a computer) kept me from trying again as you really have to be patient.

What’s not to like about the Nokia N900

Price: it’s now 800 $ on Amazon (Update: price just went down to 499$), without subsidy. Screen interface only works in landscape mode, so you’ll only use it with two hands, with the keyboard slide open. There’s no office documents suite editor (just a trial reader version) and that’s childish on a 800 $ device. There’s no multi touch, so not really a tablet PC and MID competitor. WiFi connections stay open till you shut them down or go out of range, so it’s worse than Symbian and affects battery life  a lot.

And the biggest issue I have with the N900 is battery life, or the lack of it to be fair. Doing everything you would normally do on a Internet Tablet might get you from dusk till dawn, but I haven’t managed that. It’s ridiculous. Plus the body of the N900 is on the massive side, so why on earth Nokia didn’t put a larger battery it’s beyond my understanding.

Conclusion

I would wait for next year’s Nokia Maemo 6 high end device (N910 or whatever it will be called). It might solve the software problems of the N900 and I hope it will get cheaper, but there’s no telling if this will happen in 2010. I surely hope it does as the N900 is a pretty interesting device, which I wouldn’t mind getting as a present.

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Pros and Cons of Nokia E72

So, I’ve got to play with it for a few hours plus gathered some input from my friend and now can make a list of the things I like about it and what not. Here it is:

• it’s speedier than the E71 thanks to the 60% increase in CPU frequency and that shows especially when loading Ovi maps and Opera Mini
• digital camera is better but still not great
• S60 v3.2 with Feature Pack 2 adds some nice menu animations but no core functionality changes here
• body seems to be worse build than the E71, especially the back cover and shortcut keys (you can see some LEDs lit between them because they’re too spaced one from another)
• battery life is a smaller than the E71, but the CPU speed increase is worth it
• the plastic parts of the keyboard seem cheap, but it might be a matter of taste

Nokia E72, black-silver model

Per total I can say I’m cured as I don’t intend to upgrade from my E71 anymore. For me the E72 looses where it predecessor won many fights: build quality and I don’t understand why, as the starting price was similar o the previous model when it arrived. I just hope Nokia does something about this and this problem doesn’t affect my favorite, the N900 Internet tablet.

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I like them both but I can’t stop and think that sometimes I like the way my desktop feels, even if I can’t move it with me or use it from my bed, it consumes more power plus it has a worse keyboard than a notebook.

There are a lot of advantages of using a laptop. Sales figures seem to confirm this, but there are a lot of things that would make me choose my desktop over a laptop if I had to make this choice. Fortunately I don’t but that doesn’t means some people don’t have to.

This is a 20 pounds 20 inch desktop replacement

There is of course a compromise that can be made and that is to buy a desktop replacement, a device somewhere in between a laptop and a desktop. In this post I’ll try and make a list of reasons someone would be better of choosing a desktop replacement laptop over a regular laptop.

Why would you choose a desktop replacement laptop?

Before judging the people walking around with a 10 pounds brick you should consider the reasons they got to make this choice, and I’m not including here motives like “the company gave me no choice, what’s what I got the first day I showed up for work”. So, let’s see the list:

• you need to move and thus can’t rely on a desktop
• you need a lot of horsepower for let’s say CAM/CAD, Photoshop, audio/video conversion
• a high resolution screen is a must for you
• you need a powerful discrete graphics card (I’m not thinking games, but hat will do too)
• you don’t care about battery life too much
• carrying around 10-12 pounds of gear doesn’t bother you

Now I would like to hear your take on this matter. Are you for or against desktop replacement laptops? Leave a comment below about how you feel.

PS. My current favorite desktop replacement is the ASUS G51J with a Core i7 CPU. It’s pretty cheap at 1500 $.

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Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 in white

Starting today I believe things will return to normal for Sony Ericsson as they’ve released the XPERIA X10 Android powered headset, a very hot touchscreen phone. I believe is their first model to come with Android, and the first with a large 4 inch 854 x 480 pixels touchscreen. That’s impressive even by today’s standards and means you’ll have a lot of real estate to do all kind of things on your smartphone. So let’s break down the features of the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 on a bullett list:

• 4 inch 854 x 480 pixels screen (FWVGA resolution)
• 13 mm thick body
• 1 GHz Snapdraggon CPU
• quad band GSM
• 8 megapixel camera with LED flash and face detection
• 3.5 mm audio jack and microUSB charger
• Android 1.6 OS
• WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth
• 1 GB internal memory, 256 MB RAM, 8 GB microSD card in retail box
• Sony Ericsson custom social networking and media UI, built-in accelerometer

You'll listen to good music on Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10

As you can see specs are top notch, the only question that remains is why didn’t they use Android 2.0 and when will it really be available as the problem with the XPERIA X1 was late arrival to market (over 1 year after official announcement). Sony Ericsson says we’ll see the XPERIA X10 on shelves in Q1 2010 and I’m surely very interested to get my hands on it. Hope it lives up to expectations.

Here’s a small video presentation (marketing shot of the phone):

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SSD is the future, not the present

I have no doubt that in a few years SSD technology will mature and prices will follow, but for now you can’t deny the fact that you pay for a 64 GB SSD more than you do on a 2000 GB hard drive. So performance is 2-3 times better but price per gigabyte is 32 time worse. So, the question is: should we stay away from SSDs?

SSD, HDD or combo?

As the answer doesn’t have to be black or white there’s always a gray area and that means there’s a middle way to handle things, and my answer now is using an SSD drive for your system disk, where you install Windows and all your programs and use another ‘classic’ HDD for storing multimedia files, install games and save your work. You come up with a cheaper solution than buying one big 256 GB SSD (prices for 512 GB models are really prohibitive) and you solve the storage problem with a big storage disk.

Remember that you should plan carefully what you’ll install and see how big the SSD must be. I recommend you don’t go lower than 40 or 64 GB. You could do with 32 GB but you’ll be very limited (I know friends that use 32 GB models and there’s always the problem with space).

The only catch I see is that you can’t use this solution on laptops, as it means carrying around an external drive each time you travel, and that’s not a true option. Do you agree or you’re hoping 6Gb/s S-ATA interface will revive HDDs in terms of performance?

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I'm a PC guy

Mac OS X from a Windows user point of view

There’s a saying, ‘old habits die hard’, that applies perfectly in this situation. Once you’ve used Windows for 10 or more years, there’s hard to switch to something completely different. You’re used to the problems Windows has, and you already know how to solve them. Once you get on an issue with Mac OS X, like the Radeon 4850 video card not working (or working only in safe mode) you don’t know how to solve it and the few guides on forums that address your problem don’t help much.

I’m sure Mac OS X works flawlessly on Apple hardware (or at least 99%, as there are problems on dedicated hardware too), but using it on a PC which doesn’t have the same configuration as a Mac is a mistake, as OS X isn’t that supported by manufacturers from drivers point of view and you won’t get it to work as it was meant to. Let’s face it: Mac OS X isn’t too flexible when it comes to hardware configurations, that’s the truth. Here’s where Microsoft shines.

Why I love Windows more than other OSes?

1. I’m used to it and I accept its flows
2. I know how to do things fast in Windows, which greatly helps productivity (but I admit you can get used to any OS after a period of time)
3. It’s flexible enough to accept any new hardware you throw at it
4. Want to do something? There’s an app for that (and is probably free or has free alternatives)
5. Windows it’s free in my country (or at least that’s implied in a country where home user piracy is over 90%)
6. Hardware is cheaper and there’s tons of components to choose from, more of them way too powerful compared to Apple hardware
7. Games are great on a PC, not so much on a Mac
8. A lot of guides on Internet help you when something goes wrong or doesn’t work from the first time

Those are the things that will make me stick to Windows for a long time. If none of them changes on the long term I don’t believe I’ll switch to Mac OS X, but you never know. So, how about you, what’s your take on this matter?

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From hardware point of view the Nokia N900 is an up to date device, featuring all the bells and whistles a mobile gadget has in 2009, but what sets it apart is the Maemo, a Linux derived operating system that runs everything on the N900. Maemo is Nokia’s bet on the future of their high end smartphones. They’ll stick to Symbian for their entry-level and mainstream devices, but the cherry top gets Maemo, an OS that puts special care on multitasking, connectivity, integration and multimedia.

Nokia N900 can be alredy pre-ordered from Amazon

A conversation on Nokia N900

Nokia N900 main hardware specs

• ARM Cortex A8 superscalar CPU running at 600 MHz
• 1 GB applications memory (256 MB RAM + 768 virtual memory)
• 3D graphics accelerator chip with OpenGL ES 2.0 support
• 32 GB internal storage, expandable to up to 48 GB with an external microSD card
• 3.5 inch WVGA touchscreen display (resistive, with 800 x 480 pixels resolution)
• Quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, 3.5G HSDPA (10 Mbps download/2MBps upload maximum), WLAN, Bluetooth, GPS
• 5 megapixel digital camera with Carl Zeiss lens, dual LED flash and 800 x 480 video recording
• Full screen browsing (Mozilla based browser) and Flash 9.4 support

Maemo 5 OS

As I said before, Maemo is the big change that makes the N900 a special device. It’s a Linux based OS that offers 4 virtual panels which can be easily accessed with a swipe of a finger. All 4 screens can be customized with widgets. The Dashboard is the place where you see what’s currently running on your device. You can focus on any running up from the dashboard.

The Mozilla based browser is said to function like a desktop browser so you’ll be able to visit the same websites with no difference whatsoever (well, minus lower the resolution). Contacts is one of the best applications on Maemo, as it integrates all of the contacting options for a friend in the same place. You just decide how you want to communicate with them. Search in contacts is very easy: slide open the keyboard and start typing the name of the person you’re looking for.

There’s also a possibility to share your status in various social networks like Ovi, Gtalk, Facebook, Twitter, all in one place. That’s a super powerful integration feature that I would love to use on Nokia N900. Images taken with the 5 megapixel camera can be tagged, edited, organized and shared online, so another plus here. The multimedia player is excelent, integrating music, video and Internet radio in one place. Everything can be of course synchronized with your computer.

Email support is great, like we are used to on a Nokia smartphone. There’s support for multiple mailboxes and Exchange servers. HTML email is ok couse on board. The Calendar application can be kept synchronized with your computer of work server, so we see unification once again. OVI maps come preinstalled on the Nokia N900 and benefit a lot from the high resolution screen

Video presentations of the Nokia N900

N900 presented during a show by a Nokia employee

Nokia N900 first impressions

Nokia N900 walkthrough

Nokia N900 photo gallery

Nokia N900 can be alredy pre-ordered from Amazon

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Amazon Kindle International version

I hope there are also plans to bring the bigger, Kindle DX into International space as it features a much bigger 9.7 ” e-Ink screen. The Amazon Kindle for International users is available for preorder starting today at 279 $ price point, not much more expensive than the US only version (20$ more). The main specs remain the same: 1500 books storage capacity (this is for medium size books), text to speech, books are delivered in under 60$, whispersync. The Kindle Store has the same titles, over 350.000 to choose from. Warranty remains the same: 1 year from manufacturer.

The International version practically offers 3G compatible network cards for other continents and allows non US (over 100 countries are supported. See more info about the Kindle International version here) users to set up an account for the Kindle Store.

Kindle comparison table

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Hard disks contain many superposed discs which are burned and then read with a metallic read head, with a very thin needle. In other words, it’s similar with the pick-up you used to play with, as a child. When copying something on the hard disk, data is arranged beautifully in order, on the respective discs, so they can be quickly accessed when needed by the hard disk. When deleting data, empty space is left on the hard disk, instead of the deleted data.

Disk Defragmentation as a visual representation

When ulterior information is copied, the hard disk refills its free space, but cannot do it as efficient as in the beginning, because for example, the files copied afterward are bigger than the previous ones you’ve deleted. This is where fragmentation intervenes. Data is scattered on the hard disk, so when the hard disk tries to read it, it has to make a bigger effort to find it. So the data processing speed decreases in time. If you have a very big capacity hard disk, or a high speed hard disk, (over 7200 rpm) and a bigger cache memory, the fragmentation effect isn’t that obvious. First of all, it remains a pretty big free space, and the read head “knows” where he has put the data, and second of all, obviously, a higher speed makes you forget about the little deficiency of searching the data.

What’s the use of defragmentation? Well, obviously, increasing the speed of the hard disk, which will easily find the data you want to access. Supposing your PC slows down, defragmentation is probably the first thing you should do before or after deleting applications you never use or use so rarely that you could just keep the installation kit. Even though defragmentation is a benefic process, I wouldn’t recommend doing it too often. Writing and deletion of data on a hard disk ages it, and defragmentation is a pretty intense process of data fast moving that can affect your hard disk for a long period of time. But a defragmentation once every 3 or 4 weeks it’s more than recommended.

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The reasons you need a router for gaming

• You need a wireless router that can maintain multiple simultaneous connections without dropping them. Imagine you’re fragging at a LAN party and you don’t want to miss a head shot because you’ve been disconnected
• You need a fast connection, with very low latency that can support sending multiple small packages (typical scenario for a multiplayer games)
• You want easy connectivity and some visual indicators on the router that help you see in a second what’s going on in your network
• You want special configuration software that will ease up things, not complicate them

Want the best gaming router? Models you should choose from

D-Link DGL-4500 Xtreme N Gaming router -150$ on Amazon

DLink DGL-4500 Xtreme N Gaming Router

This is one of the most expensive but rewarding at the same time wireless gaming router on market today. Dlink DGL-4500 Xtreme N Gaming Router  makes no compromises on features and performance: IEEE 802.11 n(draft 2.0, 2.4GHz or 5GHz networks) for a maximum 300 Mbps transfer speed, 4 x Gigabit LAN ports, 3 x external antennas.

Security protocols include 64/128-bit WEP and WPA & WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access) and advanced integrated firewall:Network Address Translation (NAT), Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) and VPN Pass-through / Multi-sessions PPTP / L2TP / IPSec. Administration and configuration of the DLink Xtreme N is done via a web interface that works with Internet Explorer, Firefox and other Java based browsers.

Special features of the DLink Xtreme N router wireless router include an LCD screen called Network Activity Display that gives users vital information about your router and current network settings plus SharePort technology for sharing USB devices like printers and storage over your network.

DLink DGL-4300 Wireless 108G Gaming Router – 130 $ on Amazon

DLink DGL-4300 108G Gaming Router

This is a less expensive gaming router that makes little compromise when it comes with speed and that’s the most important thing after all. The DGL-4300 108G Gaming router comes with GameFuel Technology that allows users to prioritize gaming traffic so that lag is a thing of the past as when this option is enabled and configured it gives maximum priority to network packets from your games application so that they won’t interfere with your torrents or software updates that run in background.

Plus the router has High-Performance CPU to support thousands of concurrent connections which is ideal for P2P applications and multiplayer interactivity.

Event if it’s a IEEE 802.11g compatible router  (54 Mbps maximum transfer speed) when it’s coupled with compatible DLink 108G devices the speed can increase to a maxim 108 Mbps. Up to 4 wired links get full 1000 Mbps transfer speed. D-Link DGL-4300 108G Gaming Router is small enough to be taken to a LAN Party, has a detachable antenna and vertical mount stand so it won’t take too much space, an ideal solution for crowded desks.

Linksys WGA600N Wireless-N Gaming Adapter – 71 $ on Amazon

Linksys WGA600N Wireless-N Gaming Adapter

WGA600N is one of the more affordable gaming routers on market today but that doesn’t mean it’s not a very good option as it’s 802.11n compatible (2.4 and 5 GHz networks), gaming optimized, compatible with all network-ready game consoles, including Xbox, Xbox 360, Playstation 3 (GameCube and Playstation 2 can be connected by using special adapters purchased separately).

The Linksys WGA600N can also convert wired-Ethernet-ready game consoles to Wireless-N network connectivity and utilizes high encryption protocols: up to 256-bit Wireless Protected Access (WPA/WPA2) and secure Wireless LAN party gaming mode: one gaming adapter acts as a wireless AP, any further gaming adapter connects automatically using WPS – no computer required to setup the adapters.

If you don’t see any antennas on the Linksys WGA600N Wireless-N Gaming Adapter don’t worry: it has 2 internal antennas.

Belkin N1 Vision – 115$ from Amazon

Belkin N1 Vision

The Belkin N1 Vision is not necessary a special designed gaming router but after I’ve tested it at work with a few colleagues playing multiplayer FPS games I’m pretty sure it’s worth the money plus is one of the best looking models on market. It has three antennas to ensure good signal quality at medium and high distance (range is rated at up to 1600 ft). All networkin info is easily accessible via the interactive network display LCD located on front of the router.

The N1 Vision is a 802.11n draft router with 4 Gigabit LAN ports and all the usual security protocols: Wi-Fi Protected Setup; WPA, WPA2-Personal, 64-bit/128-bit encryption, Multiple SSID. Maximum simultaneous supported users are as follows: 253 (LAN)/16 (WLAN).

Before end

I want to emphasize one important idea: a wireless gaming router costs more, but can also be used in scenarios that don’t include games, as they’re optimized for traffic with multiple simultaneous connections sending large amounts of small packages sent every second.

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Nowadays there aren’t many gadgets featuring projector functions but given the interest of users about them I think things will change in a few years. I myself thought at first that this is another marketing story to sell products but now I begin to believe there’s a real use for small portable projectors, that’s why I’ve scratched my head to find a list of possible usage scenarios for a small portable projector.

How could you use the Nikon Coolpix S1000pj digital camera with projector

The Nikon Coolpix S1000pj

The first comercial digital camera with integrated projector is the Nikon Coolpix S1000pj, which currently sells for 429 $ on Amazon. It’s not that cheap for a compact digital camera but given the included small portable projector I believe it’s a good bang for the buck producst.

So, what’s it for:

• after you take some pictures and videos you can show them to friends without having to hook up an LCD TV
• you can preview pictures and analyze them (even edit them a little through the camera’s functions) as a 20-30 inch projecter screen is always better than a 2-3 inch digital camera LCD

Now a little demo of the Nikon Coolpix S1000pj digital camera with integrated portable projector.

What could you do with the Samsung W7900 projector phone?

The first cellphone with integrated projector is the Samsung W7900, which hasn’t hit stores yet but was presented during CES 2009 and which uses a Texas Instruments pico projector.

What’s it for:

• as with a digital camera you can display pictures you took or other media files found on the phone
• you can watch youtube clips with it
• you can display bigger screens of websites you browse
• you can make presentations at meetings without resorting to big/dedicated equipment

Samsung W7900

Samsung W7900 video presentation

Dedicated small portable projectors

Optoma Pico projector

This are stand alone small projectors which function exactly as a ‘normal’ video projector but have small footprint. The Optoma Pico Projector is the first small portable projector to hit the market and can be bought from Amazon for around 230$. It cam project images up to 60 inch in diagonal and has a LED light source that can last over 20.000 hours of use, way longer than your regular video projector that has a lifespan of around a few thousand hours before you have to change the lamp.

The Optoma Pico Projector can be hooked up to almost any phone, use stand alone thanks to its 4GB of internal memory where you can store files or can be linked to your laptop’s VGA port and used as a secondary display. It even has a small 0.5 Watt speaker to head sound, but it won’t do fine in a noisy environment. There’s even an upgraded version of Optoma Pico Projector for 292$ that doubles contrast to 2000:1.

Let’s see the Optoma Pico Projector at work

As you can see there are a few uses of pico portable projectors but we still have to wait for them to become mainstream as at this point they don’t offer solid performance and come at a price, but hey, this is not something new as it happens with every new technology.

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Usually, its name looks like: Adventureland.2009.iTALiAN.MD.DVDSCR.XviD-SiLENT.avi. In this article, I want to explain exactly what each abbreviation that appears in the name of such file means, so you don’t have to refer to forums or other ways of information. This code the movie has also been recorded on, determines also its quality, so it is maybe the most important of all characteristics that are shown in the file name.

CAM

Usually, this code appears in movies that have just been released. If CAM appears on the file name, this means the movie has been recorded with a video camera right at the cinema. It has the lowest quality you can see on a movie. Colors are pale, contrast almost doesn’t exist, and the audio quality is also very low. You can actually hear the echo, way worse than you could hear with your own ears at the cinema.

From time to time you’ll even be surprised to see the image moving or a silhouette passing right in front of the screen, probably a person who had an emergency or got bored and leaves the cinema. The recording also depends on the type of the video camera, but that doesn’t change much.

TS

TS or Telesync is actually a copy, a bit more decent, because it uses the sound directly from the cinema source. The recording is made with a professional video camera, directly from the projection booth. It is an “elevated” way of piracy, but no way it will even give you the satisfaction you can see at the cinema or even on a DVD movie on your PC.

SCR

SCR or screener is an unprocessed copy of the original movie that’s made for cinema-goers, film critics, the jury of a film festival, so they can have an opinion on the producer’s creation. Usually, the SCR version contains all kinds of marking messages (such as watermarks for pictures) and a timer on the lower side, so those persons that the movie was addressed to can criticize using these marks. Video quality is usually good, but contains a few “surprises”, not being processed to the final version. At some point you can be left with no sound or with a black and white image etc.

WP

WP or Workprint represents the first stage in the existence of a movie. It is the stage where all scenes/ frames of the movie has been welded and are being previewed by a hole team of producers and directors of the movie so they can give their “B.T.” or to extract/add frames. It’s a rough copy, that can miss special effects, failed scenes etc. Such versions aren’t frequently found very often, but if they show up before the release date of the movie, it means that the security to production servers was zero. Sometimes, studios also release these versions (a little bit more processed regarding graphics, as a bonus to cinema-goers).

R5

R5 Line is the final version of the movie, sold in region 5, meaning East Europe, part of India, Africa, North Korea and Mongolia. The only difference from the original DVD after which this copy has been made, is that the sound isn’t probably the same.

TC

TC or Telecine is a copy of the movie from its analogical form (the movie roll) to a digital one using a special equipment. The quality of the copy is good. Actually, the same technology is used in making DVD movies. The only problem is that the piracy version is usually made after a worse copy of the original movie roll.

DVD-Rip

This is the final version of the movie, a copy from an original DVD. DVD-Rips are made because a DVD movie isn’t always released in all regions. This way, pirates take care of simultaneous circulation of the movie, in all areas.

BD-Rip

It’s exactly the same thing as a DVD-Rip, just that it refers to Blu-ray disc.

TV-Rip, STV and DSR

Unlike direct copies, TV-Rip, STV and DSR are copies made after an analogical TV signal or after a satellite signal. The TV-Rip is a copy made after an analogical device using a capturing board with coaxial outputs, composite or S-Video. STV (subscription TV) refers to a copy made after the signal from a paid cable television, and the DSR (digital stream rip) is a copy made after a digital source like the satellite one.

HDTV and PDTV

The HDTV and PDTV copies come from televisions that transmit through waves, but with digital signal. These copies can often excel DVD quality, considering the high definition resolutions.

Besides the afore-mentioned codes, if the file name contains the acronym WS, you must know this is the image format widescreen. Widescreen image can be 16:9 and even 16:10, format used by new plasma or led LCD TVs.

*My blog does not encourage in any way piracy or any other forms of breach of copyright law. This is just an informative post which tries to explain the types of movie files found on Internet.

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Keypad input

So, the E52, classic input method, has the biggest keys of them all and it’s the best choice for people that have always used regular keypads and don’t have extravagant needs for text messaging or writing blog posts from their phone. That’s what keypads are for. Plus the form factor of the phone is not affected at all, the Nokia E52 currently being one of the thinnest phones on market today. Also in keypad case fewer keys means fewer things that can break and that’s always a good thing.

QWERTY keyboards on mobile phones

QWERTY makes no compromise

It’s the best choice if you write a lot of emails, do instant messaging or write blog posts/documents from your mobile phone. It a no compromise solution when it comes to input, but it has negative impact on the size of the mobile phone. My Nokia E71 is certainly the thinnest QWERTY phone to date but is wider than most candy bars like Nokia E52. I always prefer function over form, but not everyone is like me.

Half QWERTY shows that middle ways don’t always work

The Nokia E55 I’ve played with today is one of the worst choices if you want more keys and a small phone. It’s so bad that you type faster on a keypad phone like the Nokia E52 because you already know where the keys are. I’m not saying that a half QWERTY keyboard can’t be learned, but I couldn’t improve my speed in 10 minutes so I gave up annoyed by it: I hated it the first time Sony Ericsson introduced half QWERTY and I have it now when Nokia joined the club.

So, how do you feel about keyboards on mobile phones, what’s your pick?

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iPod equals MP3 player for many years

I think there are quite a few cheaper and fully featured MP3 players that can take upon the all mighty iPod, even if they’re not so popular. This post will try to answer the above question by making a short list of MP3 players that sell well and offer a good bang for the buck.

Samsung P3

Samsung P3 8GB – 230$

Samsung P3 is all about style, as if features a very clean design, helped by a brushed aluminum case. Controlling the Samsung P4 is done through the all touchscreen interface with haptic feedback, so that you won’t miss any menu option you press. The P3 features a 3 inch 480 x 272 pixels screen, FM tuner and recorder, built in speakers if you want to share tunes with friends, Bluetooth and audio recording features.

All is hosted in the aforementioned aluminium case which is only 1 cm deep. Storage capacity is a little low the these times, at only 8 GB, but that should be enough for most users. The Samsung P3 knows a lot of audio and video codecs, not only MP3, but also WMA, OGG, WAV, AAC, FLAC, JPEG, Bitmap, PNG, SWF, WMV, H.264, MPEG. One interesting additional feature is the JPEG photo playback and a few built in games which should be great during commuting. P3′s internal batter can support up to 30 hours music playback and 5 hours of video.

Sansa Fuze comes in 5 colors

SanDisk Sansa Fuze 8GB silver – 70$

The SanDisk Sansa Fuze is three times cheaper than the Samsung P3, but it does music very well: 24 hours continuous playback, almost enough to listen to the 2000 tracks that can fit inside the 8GB internal memory (there are also 2 and 4 GB versions), which can be extended through a microSD card slot (that’s a very nice feature).

If you’re radio fan, there is FM tuner function with 40 channels presets plus voice recording via a built in microphone, if you like the karaoke style or you’re a journalist like me and don’t carry around a paper notebook with you. The 1.9 inch screen of the Sansa Fuze is a little too small, but you can use it to watch occasional video clips if you’re in the mood for that, as the Fuze knows the following formats: MP3, OGG, FLAC, WMA, secure WMA, WAV, Audible, MPEG4.

Creative Zen PMP

Creative Zen 32 GB Portable Media Player (Black) – 180$

Creative is one of the oldest names in the music for PC industy, but lately come to a halt in growth, but this doesn’t means it doesn’t know how to make MP3/PMP players. Zen is one of the best MP3 players Creative has to offer and is advertised like a Portable Media Player, and looking at specs I can see why.

The Creative Labs Zen feature 32 GB of internal memory (expandable with an SD card slot), a big 2.5 inch QVGA screen (320 x 240 pixels), 30 hours continuous audio playback, FM tuner and multiple file format compatibility: MP3, WMA, non-protected AAC, WAV and Audible 2,3 and 4, JPEG and (with transcoding–GIF, TIFF, PNG and BMP), MJPEG, WMV9 and (with transcoding–MPEG1 and 2, MPEG4-SP, DivX 4 and 5 and XviD), which is impressive when you add functions like Album art, voice recorder, clock and alarm, 8 EQ settings.

Zune HD really looks good

Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum) – 290$

This is the third iteration of Zune, Microsoft’s MP3 player which is getting better and better every time, and plans to beat Apple’s iPod someday (that remains to be seen). If offers a gigantic 32 GB of internal memory, enough to store 8000 songs, 48 hours of standard defition video or 10 hour of high definition video.

The HD in the name comes from the 3.3 inch 480 x 272 pixels screen which Microsoft says it’s almost HD compared to other MP3/PMP players, but the truth is that the Zune HD is far from HD standards, but unlike other MP3 players knows how to handle WMV and MPEG-4 files. That doesn’t mean that we’re told lies, as HD is supported as output on a HDTV via a Zune HD AV Dock dock, sold separately.

Sony Walkman

Sony Walkman 8 GB black – 93$

Sony still does good MP3 players, but that’s pretty much it: no really serious PMP, high screen size or capacity, as this 8 GB Walkman shows us. It’s still capable of 45 hours of music playback and 8 hours of video on a single charge, and that’s I think a record (at least that’s what Sony states).

The 2 inch screen is medium size and resolution (320 x 240) but it’s LED backlit. The Sony Walkman supports the following audio/video formats: MP3, WMA, AAC-LC, and Linear PCM; supported video formats: AVC(H.264/AVC), MPEG-4, Windows Media Video 9 and can store up to 1850 songs or 30 hours of video, before you need a bigger player.

The gorgeous Cowon S9

Cowon S9 32 GB touchscreen – 263$

This is the best newcomer, as Cowon is not a big name in the audio PC industy, but after I’ve seen the S9 at work I’m pretty sure they mean business. The S9 is by far the only MP3 player that gets close to Apple in terms of design, all comming from the flush 3.3 AMOLED touchscreen that’s on the same level with the external case.

The AMOLED screen with a 480 x 272 pixel count is responible for the lower power consumption that helps achieve an astonishing 55 hours of continuous music playback and 11 hours video playback. Cowon S9 both supports audio/video/still images formats: MP3, WMA, OGG, FLAC, WAV, and APE audio formats; AVI and WMV video formats; JPEG image formats. The 32 GB internal memory can store up to 8000 songs, almost double my current music colection, so keep this in mind.

Archos 5 Internet Media Tablet

Archos S5 250 GB Internet Media Tablet – 265$

Even if Archos says it’s an Internet Media Tablet, at root is an PMP player with very good MP3 playback capabilities: 145.000 songs can be stored (I don’t even know it there is so much music on this planet). Alternatively you could store 300 movies or 2.5 million photos on the Archos 5.

The screen is really impressive: 4.8-inch TFT LCD touchscreen, 800 x 480 pixel resolution and 16 million colors. Video support in this case is a must, and Archos took care of this, adding compatibility with MPEG-4, WMV, and M-JPEG plus audio support: MP3, WMA, Protected WMA, WMA pro 5.1, WAV formats.

One other thing that makes the Archos 5 special is the WiFi connection that allow the Media Tablet to connect to Internet using Opera Web browser with Adobe Flash 9 video support plus you can view files with a PDF viewer, and even check your messages with an Email client.

I think this concludes my list of iPod alternatives, but if you have another alternative in mind feel free to leave a comment at the end of the post and I’ll try and update this article.

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Touch screen might be the future

The thing is that I’m not a touch screen fan, even if I’ve loved some of my Windows Mobile devices. As I see it touchscreen technology has big disadvantages, but I think this has a lot to do with my mobile habbits and may not apply to many of you, so let’s see them.

Disadvantages of touch screen

• screen has to be really big not to miss things when pressing them with your finger: I only like HTC Touch HD, screen size wise, and big screen means increased size of the device
• big screen leads to low battery life
• touchscreen means screen can’t be read too well in direct sunlight as it applies an additional not 100% transparent
• touchscreen devices usually has no additional keys (see the iPhone) and this means when an app crashes, without crashing the OS, you can’t get to the main menu as the whole screen becomes unresponsive
• touchscreens usually have low precision, virtual QWERTY keyboards being one of the most annoying things
• most user interfaces are not optimized for thumb operation, so a stylus in necessary, and this means using two hands
• screens get very dirty
• these devices require massive computing power which leads to slow devices and low battery life

Advantages of touch screen devices

• big screen is ideal for web browsing, picture and movies
• touchscreen gadgets usually have simple user interfaces, which are more intuitive (iPhone once again is a good example)
• touchscreen devices have fewer buttons that might break after a few months/years of operation

For me, as I use to work sometimes on my Nokia E71 smartphone, I need something fast, that can multitask (copy paste between applications) and a QWERTY keyboard for typing long messages or documents. Size is also important and newer touchscreen gadgets are anything but small.

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Nokia Booklet 3G specifications

• 10 inch HD ready screen (1366 x 768 pixels), more than other 10 inch netbook models
• Atom CPU
• 12 hours battery life (manufacturer claim)
• 1.25 kilograms (2.75 lbs)
• 20 mm thickness
• aluminum body
• 3G/HSDPA/WiFi, Bluetooth connectivity
• HDMI video out port
• SD card reader
• front facing Webcam
• 3 x USB 2.0 ports
• A-GPS, that’s a first. Comes with Ovi Maps preinstalled
• Windows operating system (maybe Windows 7 Starter as in the video above, but nothing sure)

Nokia Booklet 3G looks rather nice

The reason behind Nokia’s first netbook? Well, Nokia executives say it’s the smart move: people need computing power inaccessible to smartphones and more connectivity options. I kind of agree with them, as possibility to work on the move is one of my strongest concerns lately, and you can’t do that using a phone, even a top notch mode.

First video with Nokia Booklet 3G Netbook

I know nothing about the price, but more information about Booklet 3G will be available September 2nd during Nokia World 09. Till then you can watch the first press pictures with the Nokia Booklet 3G, a pretty nice spec netbook with lines reminding us of Nokia’s N-Series phones.

Till then watch this video of the Nokia Booklet 3G, or buy the bigger ASUS EEE PC 1101HA netbook, which boasts the same specs, minus the 3G modem.

Update: We also have the first live image with the Nokia Booklet 3G

Nokia Netbook live image

I’ve found a short hands-on preview of the Nokia Booklet 3G from Gizmodo. They’re afraid the price will be too high, even for a high spec netbook like this one: 600 $ in US, not subsidized. Here it is:

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Essence of Virtualization

Are you confused? I was too at first, so let’s see what Virtualization really is by explaining what you can do with it. So, you have your computer, with Windows installed (it can be pretty much any other OS). Windows in this case is called host OS. You need to download a Virtual Machine software that will make the hardware available to other operating systems. I chose VirtualBox from SUN, a free Virtual Machine available for Windows (NT 4.0, 2000, XP, Server 2003, Vista, Windows 7), DOS/Windows 3.x, Linux (2.4 and 2.6), Solaris and OpenSolaris and OpenBSD.

Installing Ubuntu on VirtualBox

Next you have to choose one or more host OS-es that will be installed on top of your host Windows installation. I gave a try on Ubuntu. Made a Virtual Machine in VirtualBox (it’s an easy to follow wizard). Pun the CD in drive, and told VirtualBox to boot from it, then went on to install Ubuntu on the previously created Virtual Machine.

Ubuntu runs just fine in windowed mode

After install you open VirtualBox and boot up the guest OS, Ubuntu in this case, and use it like a normal OS install (minus the fact that you have a combination of keys to switch the mouse focus from one OS to another). You can run it in windowed mode, or full screen if that’s what you want). That’s it, it can’t gen any easier that that, so let’s see what’s the use of virtualization.

Uses of Virtualization

• You can install as many guest OS-es as you like without having to worry about the host OS being damaged
• You can test any software, if you’re a software developer, using just one computer
• You can limit the resources of a Virtual Machine to see how it performs in various scenarios, or just for security reasons
• Virtualization helps also when older software have to run on newer OS-es which are not compatible with them

Have you tried virtualization? Or you’re afraid of it. Anyway, feel free to ask me questions. I’m happy to help if you have issues or got stuck at one point.

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Nokia E52, a worthy successor of the E5x series

Today I got a hold on the Nokia E52 and got time to make a few remarks and get a general idea about what you should expect from it, so here’s what I think about the Nokia E52 after a few hours of playing with it:

• it’s about the same size as the Nokia E51
• construction is less impressive than the E51, who had a stronger metal body
• the general design seems more refined than it’s precursor
• the 2.4 inch is easier on the eyes than the previous 2 inch one
• keypad letter keys are really big and easy to acces
• dedicated function keys which are placed two on the same button are strange to press (menu + calendar and email + back)
• the navigational pad seems to have a lower than usual profile which makes its tactile feedback awkward
• the 3.2 digital camera is almost useless, just like the E71′s one I got in my pocket
• faster 600 MHz CPU seems to get things done quickly as the OS never hangs during programs loading and web browsing
• the battery has 50% more capacity and should last 3-4 days of medium to heavy usage but it has to be confirmed

Nokia E52 is new on the market, that’s why it costs 399 $ on Amazon, but expect the price to go down during the next few months. I say it’s worth the money, but I’m still in love with my E71, which is currently 120 $ cheaper and has a QWERTY keyboard. So, did you get to test the E52? What impression did it make to you?

And here’s a short video presentation of Nokia’s E52 main features.

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My first Logitech Gaming Combo

Even if for 10-15 years, peripherals like mouses and keyboard haven’t changed a lot in terms of basic functionality, but producers have added numerous new functions to make their products stand in front of the competition. Unfortunately none of those functions have really become standard (except maybe the scroll wheel). That’s why I think people stick to a special brand of peripherals, as they get an affinity towards certain functions. For me Logitech is the best computer peripheral brand but that doesn’t mean it’s the best or offers the best price/performance ratio.

That’s why I’ve made some research to find the best gaming mouse on the market today. As I can’t test them all I’ve made a top of the best computer mouses in 2009. All are wired mices, because wired technology still offers the best response time and accurate precision. Even if wireless technologies evolved a lot lately, for gaming mices wired is the only choice.The final decision is yours, like always.

A4-Tech 3xFire XL-750F

5 – A4Tech 3xFire XL-750F – 30$

This is the first and the least expensive gaming mouse. You normally wouldn’t expect too much from A4Tech (the name comes from Affordable Technology), but they’ve recently entered the gaming peripherals world with some innovative designs, like this 3xFire XL-750F gaming mouse which features a special mode that fires three times in games when you once press the fire button.

The A4Tech 3xFire XL-750F features 6 DPI switch button with Color Indication 600-800-1200-1600-2000-2500DPI all hardware integrated, without the need for a special driver or software. The design is nice, lines are clean and fits in hand rather nice (you can see why, as the general shape is inspired by Logitech MX series mices).

SteelSeries Special Edition

4 – SteelSeries Special-Edition World of Warcraft Mouse – 75$

The SteelSeries Special-Edition ain’t a bargain, that’s for sure, as it costs now around 75$, but that surely has something to do with the “World of Warcraft” brand name.

As its name says, the SteelSeries Special Edition was specially designed for World of Warcraft, but don’t worry, it can play other games just as good. It comes with a special customization software that allows the user to edit and add macros to side buttons, besides the already loaded 130 profiles. The colored LEDs can be adjusted to over 16 milion combinations with 3 intensity levels. The total number of programmable buttons is 15, some of which are cleverly hidden.

Other performance numbers that might interest you are the 3200 DPI sensor, 20 g acceleration detection and 65 inches per second movements maximum speed. With those numbers you’ll never catch the SteelSeries Special Edition unprepared.

Razer Lachesis

3 – Razer LachesisLaser Gaming Mouse – 60$

I’ve owned a Razer gaming mouse and tested several. I don’t know why, but I don’t really like Razer. For me it’s like they put all the effort in making the best sensor but forget to make better side buttons, which are really hard to press, software is glitchy and the plastic body doesn’t seem very reliable.

But you forget all that after you take one for a spin in your favorite game: the 4000 DPI sensor and 1000 Hz USB refresh rate will make sure you don’t miss a pixel on the screen. We also have sensitivity adjustment plus 9 programmable buttons. 32 KB of internal memory allow you to store more profiles that are then accessible without the need of running Razer’s own software.

Razer Lachesis is also one of the few gaming mouses with an ambidextrous design.

Microsoft Sidewinder X5

2 – Microsoft Sidewinder X5 – 50 $

I haven’t owned one but I’ve tested it for a few days at the office. Microsoft never really made cool looking peripherals, but this one is different. The Sidewinder X5 looks like it come from Doom 3 and survived a BFG direct hit. It has all the functions you’d expect from a top gaming mouse: adjustable sensitivity on the fly, weight can be modified, laser sensor (2000 DPI), customizable buttons and user defined macros by using the delivered Microsoft software.

What I don’t like about the Microsoft Sidewinder X5 gaming mouse is the shape, a little big too big for my taste, but by no means it’s uncomfortable to use after a few hours of intense gaming. I had no problem with precision but that’s something you get with a Laser sensor.

1 – Logitech G9 Laser Mouse – 55.5$ on Amazon

Logitech G9 Laser

Its price has fallen from 100 $ recently so it’s definitely a best buy, besides being the best gaming mouse. I have it at home and I have nothing bad to say about it. It’s small enough for my girlfriend’s hand. You can adjust its weight to your needs. Has various coves for sweaty hands, for grip, for smoothness and you can purchase other covers besides the two included in the package.

Sensitivity can be changed of the fly, you don’t need drivers for that but if you install them you’ll be able to tweak the mouse to your needs, create profiles for applications that are detected automatically, change the color of the status LEDs which indicate current sensitivity level. The side buttons (for back and forward in browser) are one of the best placed I’ve seen and easy to press also.

The LASER sensor is very precise as you might expect, so I don’t have any real excuse for loosing in CounterStrike.

If you have other favorites I would like to know which ones and why. As I said the above top 3 best gaming mouses has my favorites, it’s not an ‘official’ chart.

Looks cool, just like Batman

The newcomer – Logitech Performance Mouse MX “Darkfield” – 95$ on Amazon

Logitech anounced the new “Darkfield” laser senzor for its mices after I’ve made this top gaming mouse article but it’s worth mentioning as it is the only mouse in the world that works on glass surfaces. Wow, that’s a first, plus it works on pretty much any surface you put it on. The best of the Darkfield series is the Performance Mouse MX, which currently retails for under 100$. That’s much for a mouse, even a gaming one, but it’s worth every penny.

The new sensor is not the only new thing but also the Unifying receiver and yes, the Performance Mouse MX is wireless. The mouse can be charged even when in use, has hyper fast scrolling wheel and sculpted right-handed shape with stealth thumb controls for rapid-fire web browsing, application switching, zooming and more. If you want the best get the Logitech Performance Mouse MX!

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ASUS 1101HA specs

• 11.6 inch screen with 1366 x 768 resolution
• Atom Z520 processor running at 1.33 GHz
• GMA 500 integrated graphics (not good enough for HD playback)
• 1GB RAM and 160 GB hard drive
• three USB 2.0 ports
• WiFi, Bluetooth, Ethernet 10/100 Mbps
• 1.3 megapixel webcam
• 6 cell 5600 mAh battery 62 Wh

1101HA already appeared on BestBuy.com and NewEgg.com and probably soon will be available on Amazon as well (UPDATE: It’s available now on Amazon). Price is OK, at 429.99$ for the Black version. I’m curious about battery life, as the 1005HA was very good at 10.5 hours, but it had a smaller screen.

Screen size has changed for ASUS 1101HA

Someone even made a hands on preview and unboxing of the EEE PC Shell 1101HA, which surely looks like the best mini notebook:

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That's what I call nice styling

There are many variations out here but none of them is really perfect for my taste, everyone of them has something missing that I really need. Usually I don’t do that but now I think it’s time to make up a sketch of what would be the perfect netbook computer in my opinion. So let’s see what I come up with:

• screen size: the difference from 10 to 12 inch is not that big in dimension but the screen area can accommodate more pixels with easy without causing eye strain, so the perfect diagonal is 12 inches for me. And not to forget it has to be a LED illuminated screen for better colors and consumption
• resolution: 1366 x 786. Raising it to 1440 x 900 would not be suitable for my eyes at that dot pitch
• weight: if it’s around 1.5 kilograms (3.3 pounds) I wouldn’t mind, but only if the charger is smallish, like in current ASUS EEE PC models
• battery life: the more the merrier, so I would go for something like 8 hours of real life
• CPU power: current Atom lineups are not enough for what I do, I prefer some Intel CULV dual core (like the one in the higher spec Acer Timeline) with at least 1.6 GHz running speed
• RAM: 3 GB. More is a waste on current 32 bits operating systems, which best support current software
• Hard drive: I would love  a speedy 7200 RPM drive or an 128 SSD HDD but I would trade capacity for speed
• touchpad: large, with multitouch support
• keyboard:  like the ASUS EEE Shell models, maybe with illuminated keys
• connectivity:  WiFi, Bluetooh and 3G card
• extras: more than 2 USB ports, VGA Out, webcam (or a wireless webcam you can place anywhere), SD card reader, microphone, metallic casing
• no stupid things like Swarovski crystals which just increase the price without any real benefits

That should be it. What about you? What’s your dream netbook?

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So let’s see what I’m packing every day and carry with me without making big compromises for functionality:

HP 6530b business laptop

1 – The Laptop: HP 6530b

I’ve bought mine for around 1200 $ in January but now you’ll find it on Amazon for around 700 – 800 $, but be careful about the hardware specs as mine comes with a very speedy Core 2 Duo P8600 CPU running at 2.4 GHz. I’ve added 2 GB of RAM on top of the already existing 2. The 14.1 inch screen is amazing compared to other HP laptops I’ve owned plus it has a higher than usual screen resolution: 1440 x 900 pixels. I’m running now Windows 7 RC1 on it, which runs speedy enough for my taste (I can’t stand sluggish computers). Battery lasts for approximately 3 hours with WiFi on and medium brightness so that’s very acceptable.

Panasonic DMC-LS80 pocket camera

2 – The digital camera: Panasonic DMC-LS80

It’s a small pocketable camera, with 8 megapixels and 3X optical zoom plus image stabilization. It was a bargain for 100 $ plus a 2 GB card and a carrying case. For power I user 4 x AA rechargeable batteries (two sets as the DMS-LS80 only needs 2 batteries) and a fast charger for them. Picture quality is not great, at least indoors, but the small weight is a very important factor plus batteries last above average. It’s also pretty resistant as I’ve dropped it a few times.

Lacie external disk

3 – External storage: Lacie 250 GB 2.5 inch drive

That’s one piece of industrial design marvel with a metallic case, I like the design very much, plus being a notebook drive you don’t need a separate charger, as the power is sent trough the USB cable. Now 250 GB is considered too low, but 18 months ago was pretty big. If you want an enternal drive I recommend Lacie (Check out Amazon’s Lacie external hard drives offers). I use mine for storage of multimedia files and backup of my work. It’s not my only backup.

Nokia E71 business smartphone

4 – The smartphone: Nokia E71

This is my latest aquisition (besides the BenQ 22 inch Full HD desktop montor). It’s by far the best QWERTY Nokia business phone sold today and for good reasons: it’s small, fast, has many multimedia and business features, it’s stable plus you can find any piece of software you can imagine for Symbian. And I don’t have to mention the battery that lasts 4 days of intensive use (I’ve write some blog articles on it) or 6-7 days with lighter use. You’ll have to pay around 500 $ unlocked, but I’ll bet it’s cheaper with a monthly plan. All I can say is I love it.

5 – Other small things

There are also some small stuff I carry arround with me every time like:

• pens and paper
• screwdriver
• chargers for mobile phone, bluetooth stereo headset
• microUSB and miniUSB cable
• USB sticks
• bussiness cards

How about you, what’s your road warrior ‘standard box’?

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