Apple has dropped the price on their solid-state hard drive MacBook Air in Australia from AU$4,338 to AU$3,538, a saving of AU$800. Apple has also reduced the price to upgrade the processor from 1.6GHz to 1.8GHz, from AU$430 to AU$270. This discount will be available for both the flash model and the standard hard drive version.

 

With hard-drive failures being one of the more regular problems notebook users experience, the SSD option seems more secure, and with the new discount also makes it more affordable. Flash memory instead of moving parts for data storage is also likely to improve the reliability and stability of the Airbook system.

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Dell computers latest XPS incarnation, the M1530, is a slick piece of ergonomic excellence with enough grunt under the hood to please even the toughest of competitors.

With Dell purchasing the Alienware Company, their latest laptop designs are more creatively based than previous versions. With the silky smooth finish available in Crimson Red, Midnight Blue and Tuxedo Black, even James Bond would be happy with the colour schemes on this model.

Pop the hood on the M1530 and you’ll find an Intel Core 2 Duo T7250 processor with 2GB of memory alongside 160GB hard disk. Graphically, the Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT card certainly covers the bases for serious gamers, though the glossy 15.4in display does settle for a rather modest 1,280 x 800 resolution.

It not often that practicality and fine design merge so smoothly, though with it weighing in at 2.62kg, it’s not as light on its feet as other 15.4in laptops. If portability is key then its little brother, the XPS M1330, is a better choice, but with its fine combination of power and design, the XPS M1530 is an absolute gem.

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Lenovo computers latest ThinkPad, the X300, is bound to be compared to the Apple Mac Air, as both are lightweight, yet offer 13.3in displays and full size keyboards. But whilst Apple chose to make major changes to their tried and tested laptop components, Lenovo appear to have produced a far more well rounded machine.

The X300 is only 22m thick, whilst weighing in at only 1.45Kg. The LED backlit 13.3in widescreen display feature a 1,440 x 900 pixel perfect picture, delivering better contrast and colour with lower power consumption. The keyboard, as with most within the Thinkpad range, is almost full size, which is amazing on a laptop this size. The keyboard itself even features a drainages system design, incase any fluids enter the machine through spillage. The machine features both a trackpad and a trackpoint, whilst a fingerprint reading safety system should tick a few boxes for even the most security conscious consumer.

The X300 is fitted with a Core2Duo L7100 that runs at 1.2GHz. In terms of storage, Lenovo have fitted a 64GB solid state hard disk with 2GB of RAM fitted as standard. Lenovo have added three USB ports on the X300, along with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, plus a built in SIM module which allows 3G connectivity without having to use a dongle.

All in all, the X300’s lightweight slick design and usability is going to go a long way in the head to head challenge with the Macbook Air, but the fact it features a DVD writer may give it the edge.

Let battle commence!

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Apple Mac computers are currently planning to re vamp their laptop design with more environmentally friendly packaging.

Insiders are speculating that the MacBook will be losing plastic casings in favour of more aluminium and steel, two far more recyclable materials. This change of material will follow the trend set by the Apple’s latest offering; the Macbook Air. The current design was unveiled in January 2006 as the first Mac to incorporate the Intel processor chip, which replaced the old Aluminium G4.

Apple is expected to release the new designs this summer, and if previous incarnations are anything to go by, expect them to be super slick.

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Alienware computers latest laptop, the Area-51 M15X, is a serious gamers dream come true. With all hardcore computer battle equipment, it’s all about the spec, and the Area 51 is a big enough monster to satisfy the most power-hungry of users.

Under the hood is an Intel Core Duo X9000 Extreme processor running at 2.8Ghz, with a massive 6MB L2 cache. Not only that, it also features an extra 2 GB of memory, plus an 8800M GTX graphics card, the Leonardo Da Vinci of pixel painting.

The machine itself is also as pretty as a picture. The silver chassis is super slick, with strip lights surrounding the trackpad, whilst and the Alienware logos light up in a selection of completely customisable colour schemes. It’s even possible to have a different coloured flash for when you receive a new email, or for when the battery is charged.

The M15X comes fitted with a matte panel with a 15.4 inch screen, with a native resolution of 1,920 x 1,200.  The Area-51 also comes with a 200GB hard disk, a DVD writer, 1 FireWire and 3 USB ports, plus Bluetooth, a webcam, and Windows Vista Home Premium fitted as standard.

The machine itself is slightly on the heavy side, weighing in at 3.57kg, but when you consider the punch it packs, a little extra weight is to be expected. Alienware would have managed an impressive job fitting all of theses components into a two laptops, let alone one!

> > click here to check out all Alienware hardware

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The latest, lightest PC laptop, the Lenovo ThinkPad X300, is causing quite a stir within the portable computer market. I’m not sure whether the boys at Macintosh will be quaking in their boots, but I’m sure they will have to sit up and take notice to the machine being bandied around as the ‘Apple Air Killer’.(read our Apple Mac Air review here)

The spec of the X300 is very similar to that of the Air book, with a weight difference of only 0.03kg per unit, whilst Apple offer a 13.3inch LED flat screen compared to the Intel 12.1inch. The X300 is also powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, which was specifically designed by the manufacturer for the Apple Air book, though it does run at the marginally faster speed of 1.83GHz.

For me though, the big difference is the X300 ThinkPad featuring an optical drive. I can understand Apple’s logic in using the Remote Disc software to ‘borrow’ another computers drive, but when you’re on the move and you need to burn a disc quickly, having your own DVD burner is vital. Also the Lenovo Thinkpad has a removable battery, meaning a spare can be carried, unlike the Mac Air’s built in power source. Plus, with the X300 having three USB ports to the Airbook’s one, the ThinkPad’s add on capability far outweigh that of the Mac.

Another major difference is the price, with the Apple Air costing $800 more than the X300. As an Apple user myself, I understand that you do expect to pay more for Macintosh hardware. The machines themselves are always amazing feats of innovative design, one of the main reasons Mac customers keep coming back for more. But, for a PC user this machine is one of the lightest on the market, practical, and comes with a reasonable price tag; surely covering all the bases when considering the purchase of a portable workstation.

> > click here to shop online with Lenovo Australia

> > click here to read our review of Lenovo Australia

Apple’s latest portable computer, the Macbook Air certainly lives up to its name. Weighing in at only 1.34kg, the Air is not only the lightest laptop on the market, but also the thinnest. The Macbook Air’s height whilst closed is a mere 1.64mm, yet with dimensions of 12.74in wide and 8.9in deep, the Air is light, but not too small.
 
Due to these dimensions, Apple has been able to fit the Air with a large 13.3inch screen, whilst the keyboard is only slightly smaller than that found on a regular computer. The keypad itself is backlit, with an ambient light sensor that controls the level of illumination required. When closing the Air, the machine instantly goes into standby, whilst the laptop locks by the meeting of two magnetic strips as opposed to the usual clip. As with all Apple products the exterior design is impressive, and so is the inside.

The Air is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, with an 80GB hard drive, running at a speed of 1.6GHz. The machine also comes with 2GBs of RAM fitted as standard, though the machine itself cannot be upgraded with additional memory. The battery on the Air is fixed into the machine, rather like an iPod, and has an energy span of up to 5 hours. The designers have also incorporated the multi-touch trackpad, the same breakthrough technology used on the Iphone. By using the trackpad as opposed to a mouse, it is possible to move through pictures at great speed and even rotate them.

The one major feature Apple has forsaken in their quest for the ultimate in sleekness is the optical drive. To counter this, Apple has come up with a new software programme which allows the Air to ‘borrow’ another computers drive via a wireless connection. An external optical drive is available for the Air Book, but the ‘Remote Disc’ software is great for installing programmes and ripping audio CDs without using any cables. Each machine comes with Bluetooth and wireless connection fitted as standard, though with only one USB port and no Ethernet port, Apple are certainly underlining the ’stand alone’ in this stand alone unit!

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