Lenovo TS130 and TS430 server

Posted on June 16th, 2011 | by bea
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lenovo-ts430 (1)

On 14 July Lenovo announced two new additions to its ThinkServer family; they are called the TS130 and TS430 servers which are single-socket and double-socket servers respectively. These servers were built on the design principles of the company’s popular ThinkPad and are created to give small-to-medium businesses and corporate branch offices a performance boost and powerful  AMT® 7.0 remote manageability tools that efficiently manage customers networks, saving the client time and money because of fewer onsite visits by an IT manager and at the same time leave a small footprint.

 

What makes the TS130 and TS430 so great for small businesses is that they feature the latest Intel® Xeon™ processor technology that has remote management tools and offer easy setup, this means that even with little or no IT staff, the small-to-medium business can set up a server.

According to Lenovo ‘s Tom Ribble: “The ThinkServer TS430 changes the game for small business servers with outstanding storage scalability, premium SAS RAID and redundant power choices, the ThinkServer TS430 delivers all these features and world-class quality at unmatched prices.”

 

The  TS130 and TS430 showcases the latest Intel® Xeon™ E3-1200 processors, which gives about  30 percent better performance than previous generations. These servers run quietly and have powerful RAID and storage configurations, so they will be suitable for businesses that are still growing.

 

The TS130 is a new entry level server replacing the TS200V while  the  ThinkServer TS430 is highly scalable and sets a new standard in its class It has an option for a 16TB of hot swap storage capacity as well as SAS RAID data protection and redundant power choices . for customers who demand a powerful, scalable server to meet their growing business needs.  It is perfectly suitable for businesses that require a high performance, dependable server with 24-7 uptime The TS430 also offers front-side drive access and available iKVM.

 

The ThinkServers TS130 and TS430 offer data backup options like LTO and RDX tape storage, UPS for network protection as well as battery backup and are both tested and certified for the ThinkServer from industry leaders TrippLite and Tandberg Data. The ThinkServers TS130 and TS430 also offer access to a variety of popular Microsoft solutions such as Small Business Server 2011 Essentials or Standard.

 

Pricing on the ThinkServer TS130 and TS430 server start at $499, $699 respectively and will be available at the end of June.

Acer Ethos 8943g Review

Posted on June 8th, 2011 | by bea
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Acer-Aspire-Ethos-8943G

The latest laptop released by Acer, called the Acer Ethos 8943g is a dream come true for many a computing enthusiast, and will be Acer’s top of the range desktop replacement when it becomes available in a few weeks. The Acer Ethos 8943g comes with almost every cutting edge technology you can think of that is currently available in the laptop market and is by far one of the best-equipped laptops you can buy.

 

Acer Ethos comes with a removable touchpad that doubles as a remote control it also has an 18.4-inch full HD display and a 1920×1080 resolution and choice of either the Nvidia Geforce GT555M or the GT540M graphics cards. It will be powered by second-generation Intel Sandy Bridge processors, ranging from an i3 to an i7 ( which starts at 1.6GHz but can be ‘turbo clocked’ to up to 2.8GHz depending on how the load is spread), up to 16GB RAM and either one or two hard disk drives. Another extra that you do not find on a lot of laptops is the numeric keypad on the right side of the keyboard, this numeric keyboard also offer the same playback  controls as the touchpad when on second function.

 

With the Acer Ethos you can even do HD video editing as it sports 16 GB of DDR3 RAM. Multi tasking is also not a problem with this laptop as it can run several programs at the same time without breaking a sweat.

 

If what you are interested in is Multimedia, you will be delighted to know that the Acer Ethos can write as well as read Blu-ray discs. The sound quality delivered by the 5.1 Dolby Home Theater v3 speakers will overwhelm you. Add to this that a button beneath the touchpad instantly converts it into a backlit media control pad. The Acer Ethos can unfortunately not deliver 3D viewing.

 

With its 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 graphics card (ATI’s second-fastest mobile offering) the Acer Ethos has good gaming ability. With a 1,280 x 1,024 resolution and medium settings it averaged 57 frames per second and when you change that to 1,600 x 1,200 and High settings it remained just about playable at 25frames per second. That is better than the performance of the Acer Aspire 8942G and just slightly lower than the Alienware M15x that has two high-end graphics cards.

 

When it comes to design, Acer certainly didn’t hold back, the Ethos features a rich and classy design with a brushed metal lid and body and a dark-grey palm rest. The Ethos weighs in at close to 4Kg and is 440 cm wide and has an estimated battery life of nearly six hours. One of these machines will cost you anything starting from  $ 1500.00 , which is quite steep for a laptop, but since the Acer Ethos is really in a class of its own when it comes to performance, you are sure to your money’s worth.

 

Specs:

  • 640GB hard drives (totaling 1.28GB);
  • Wi-Fi, Ethernet and Bluetooth;
  • 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850;
  • TV Tuner, with a remote;
  • Blu-ray player;
  • 120-watt power supply;;
  • 8GB of DDR3 DRAM;
  • AMD Radeon HD Mobility 6850M discrete GPU with 2GB of GDDR5 video RAM;
  • 18.4-inch full HD display;
  • Intel Sandy Bridge processors, ranging from an i3 to an i7

Pros:

  • Excellent performance on a Laptop;
  • Great for gaming;
  • Multimedia performance;
  • Above average battery life.

Cons:

  • Weight and size makes it difficult to travel with;
  • Price;
  • Slow boot up;

ASUS G53SX Notebook Review

Posted on June 3rd, 2011 | by bea
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Asus-ROG-G53SOn 31 May 2011 at Computex, Asus unveiled   the world’s first glasses-free laptop, promising to be a crown jewel in the ROG (Republc of Gamers) range. It will be called the Republic of Gamers G53SX Naked Eye 3D.

According to Asus the G53SX can convert 2D content into 3D, and even show 2D and 3D windows on-screen side-by-side, without a major drop in the frame rate, or compromising color fidelity. This new technology promises to exceed the output of older 3D technology that relies on glasses.

On the design front the Asus G53SX has everything a gamer could ask for, with a sleek ergonomic design, angular lines and the performance power to even the looks (according to the official press release the specs of the Asus G5SX that allows titles such as StarCraft II to run in high resolution with anti-aliasing turned all the way up). The 5-degree inclined keyboard was also  designed to be gamer-friendly and has  backlit keys and a metallic, non-flexing base . It also has rubber-coated palm rests  that prevent sweating and wrist fatigue.

The  chassis of the Asus G53XS  features a thermal design that uses over sized twin fans to draw cool air from the front of the case and twin rear exhausts to expel warm air out the back, keeping the machine cool even when under load  while still  remaining quiet at all times.

ASUS will release  a video demonstrating the G53SX eventually, but is has not been done yet. It is also currently unclear what the pricing on this machine will be when it is released. More details  will be posted here as it becomes available.

Specs:

  • 15-inch Full HD screen;
  • Sandy Bridge quad-core Intel Core i7 CPU;
  • Nvidia’s discrete GeForce GTX 560M GPU (with 2 GB of GDDR5 VRAM);
  • Z68 motherboard,;
  • 10 000rpm hybrid drive with an SSD partition for reduced boot times by up to 52%;
  • 2GB of dedicated video memory;
  • 3DTV Play connectivity;
  • THX and EAX 5.0 3D sound;
  • 7-inch HD display;
  • back lit keyboard.

ASUS UX21 Ultrabook review

Posted on June 1st, 2011 | by bea
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ASUS UX21 ULTRABOOKAt Computex 2011 Asus announced their newest revolutionary product called the Asus UX21 Ultrabook. Ultrabook is a term trademarked by Intel and was also announced at Computex 2011. Even though the Asus Ultrabook was made to compete with the Apple Macbook Air, you can be sure it is not just a Macbook Air clone as it offers some of the latest innovations in laptop computing.

 

The Asus UX21 has an aluminum alloy shell with a unique ’spun’ finish; part of its design features that makes the Asus UX21 unique is its sharp edges, an oversized keyboard and Smartphone-like touchpad. The UX Series has a number of impressive performance features, including 2nd generation Intel Core mobile processors.

 

You may ask how Asus managed to build such a slight machine while still maintaining good performance, well that is thanks use of second-generation Intel Core processor (up to the i7) and SanDisk’s latest mini solid state hard drive that was designed in collaboration with Asus. According to S. Y. Shian, Asus’s corporate vice president, “SanDisk’s U100 drive allows our notebook to achieve the thin size, fast performance and long battery life needed to produce an enjoyable user experience.”

 

According to ASUS the Ultrabook will have a 7-hour battery life and an Instant-On feature where the laptop can resume in 2 seconds from sleep mode. It will also be able to hibernate for up to a week.

 

 At its thickest, the ASUS UX21 is only 17mm and it weighs only 1,1kg (2.4 lb). Further to this the laptop also features a SATA III SSD and USB 3.0 connectivity and a 13” display.

 The ASUS UX21 Ultrabook is will be launched by September 2011 and with its slim design and impressive attributes we are sure it will pose some worthy competition for the MacBook Air. The Asus Ultrabook will sell for under $1000.

Specs:

  • weighs 2.4lb;
  •  13″ display;
  • USB 3.0;
  • no optical drive
  •  no removable battery
  •  a glass touchpad ;
  • metal chiclet keys;
  • SATA III SSD;
  • Intel i7 CPU

The Intel Ultrabook

Posted on June 1st, 2011 | by bea
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ULTRABOOKIntel just announced the arrival of a brand new concept in computing and it is called the Ultrabook. What is an Ultrabook you might ask? Well it is much like a tablet without the keyboard. The Macbook Air is an example of an Ultrabook.

 

Intel has trademarked the term Ultrabook, and Asus will begin selling an Ultrabook in 2011. The Intel  Ultrabooks will differ from  the MacBook Air in that the price will be lower over time, the idea is to get very thin, affortable  en very responsive systems into the mainstream. The Ultrabook will also have days of battery life on standby. According to Intel the reason why ultraportable devices have not sold well until now is because of high prices and chips that didn’t deliver enough performance. Well if what Intel is saying is true, then this is all about to change.

 

The Intel Ultrabook will be under 0.8 inches thick , largely due to the development of its 2nd Generation Core processor, which will enable the thin, light designs.

Intel said that Ultrabooks based on its latest 2nd Generation Intel Core processors will be on shelves later this year.  This family of products will enable thin, light and beautiful designs that are less than 20mm (0.8 inch) thick, according to Intel.

The second series of the Ultrabooks will be based on the next generation Intel processor family , “Ivy Bridge,” and will be released in the first half of 2012.  It promises “improved power efficiency, smart visual performance, increased responsiveness and enhanced security” for the Ultrabooks, the Ivy Bridge is the first high-volume chip based on Intel’s 22 nanometer manufacturing technology.  

The third series of  Ultrabooks will have chips codenamed “Haswell” and are scheduled for release in 2013.  Haswell, , will change the mainstream laptop thermal design point by reducing the microprocessor power to half of today’s design point.

Intel estimates that by the end of 2012, 40% of the consumer laptop market will be converted to the Ultrabook.

 

Specs of the Ultrabook :

  • Weight: Two to three pounds;
  • Design: Ultra-thin,less than  0.8 inches;
  • Instant-on: Like a tablet, turns on instantly from standby mode;
  • Flash storage: Speedy solid-state drives or magnetic disk with ancillary flash storage;
  • Fast chips: Sandy Bridge for now and next-generation  Ivy Bridge will be used later;
  • Updated ports: Either Thunderbolt or USB 3.0;
  • 3G/4G: built-in 3G or 4G connections will likely be offered on most Ultrabooks;
  • Battery: days of battery life on standby;
  • Price: just under $1000 , but prices will come down more next year. 

 

Asus Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 Review

Posted on May 30th, 2011 | by bea
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ASUS-Eee-PC-VX6-Lamborghini-587x329The latest netbook release from Asus, the Asus Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 is indeed something for the eye, with Asus’s signature black coffin, chrome inserts and very dramatic angles. The Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 is available in black and white .The question one might ask is whether this netbook will be only something nice to look at, or can we expect performance to even the impressive design?

The Asus Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 comes with a dual-core CPU, switchable lon graphics, and speedy USB ports. When it comes to screen resolution, the Lamborghini does much better than we expected, it squeezes a 1366 x 768 display into its 12.1-inch form factor, which means you can use   720p HD video, and for most streaming video services. In addition to this the speakers on the Lamborghini is quite good the sound quality is good, with little or no distortion.

 

One of the first things you notice when picking up this machine it that the battery is quite heavy, this will give you plenty of time for working (about 4 hours), but it does give the netbook an unbalanced feel. There are two power buttons, as with most Asus laptops, one on the right for your normal Windows experience and one on the left for Asus’ ExpressGate quick boot Linux environment.

 

Other features of the Lamborghini are the touchpad, which has a dark mirrored surface, it looks nice, but unfortunately it picks up fingerprint smudges easily. It also has a 1.3-PM webcam, which sits against a mirrored background. The Webcam provides smooth and sharp images, even in low light.

 

Keeping in mind that the Asus Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 is a netbook, so you won’t expect Laptop performance on it, it is competitive in its market. with a hyper-threaded dual core Atom with 2GB of RAM and an Nvidia ION graphics accelerator, 250GB of hard disk (and an additional 500GB in Asus’ cloud storage service).

 

The Asus Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 will cost you anything from $ 699.

Specs:

  • Display:12.1-inch ;
  •  D525 Intel Atom processor ;
  • Weight: 3.1 pounds;
  •  NVIDIA graphics Optimus and Bang & Olufsen speakers;
  •  Rubber keyboard.

Pros:

  • Remarkable design;
  • Above-average display.

Cons:

  • Price;
  • only 2GB of RAM;
  • No GPU.

Samsung Central Station C27A750X Review

Posted on May 23rd, 2011 | by bea
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samsung-syncmasterc27a750The Samsung Central Station is a monitor that conveniently doubles as a wireless docking station.  In other words: It is a standalone monitor with a number of inputs, and it connects wirelessly to your Windows 7 or XP laptop.

 

The Central Station can accommodate up to four USB peripherals, including three USB 3.0 devices. Its design is outstanding, with its modern, sleek finish and 23 inch display; it is perfect for workstation or home entertainment system. The Central Station C27A750X measures 21.7 x 17.1 x 9.2 inches, and the monitor’s height and angle can be adjusted.

 

At the base of the Central Station you will find a backlit touch-sensitive buttons for power, menu, and directional keys on its front. The two USB 2.0 ports is found on the right side of the base while the two USB 3.0 ports are at the left together with an HDMI port and an audio out jack. At the rear of the stand you find a USB 3.0 jack (which you can use to create a wired connection to the Central Station), VGA, and Ethernet.

 

The Central Station also comes with a thumbnail-sized USB wireless adapter that gets plugged into your laptop. This communicates with the Central Station over a proprietary Ultra-wideband technology.

 

Setting up the Central station is quite simple and should take no more that 5 minutes.

 

 Taking into account that it costs about $500 to purchase a good 27-inch HD display and wireless USB dock separately, having the two devices in one makes the price quite reasonable.

 

Specs:

  • USB Super Charging;
  • 27-inch, LED-backlit 1920 x 1080 matte display;
  • wireless range: +- five feet;
  • a three-year warranty;
  • matte screen with  antiglare coating

Pros:

  • Excellent display;
  • Simple wireless connection.

Cons:

  • wireless transfer rates leave something to be desired;
  • no built in speakers;

Samsung Chromebook Series 5 Review

Posted on May 12th, 2011 | by bea
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samsung chromebook 5The Samsung Chromebook Series 5 will be available on 15 June 2011 and will be one of only two laptops to showcase Google’s Web-based operating system, Google Chrome, which was already released 2 years ago. Google Chrome is said to be built for speed, simplicity and security.

At first glance the Samsung Chromebook Series 5 looks very much like any other ultralight laptop, except for the Google Chrome logo on the outside cover. It measures 11.6 x 8.6 x 0.8 inches and weighs in at 3.3 pounds, which does not really compete with other laptops out there. At its slimmest point the Samsung Chromebook Series 5 measures .79-inches and can be finished in your choice of Titan Silver or White.

Once you turn on the Samsung Chromebook Series 5, you know what the fuss is about.  This machine boots up in under 10 seconds from a cold boot and when waking from sleep you simply open the lid and you’re ready to start working.  No more wasting time waiting for boot up, this will be especially handy when you have 10 minutes between meetings and you want to check your e-mails or draft a document, but it seems like a waste if you are going to wait 2 minutes for your laptop to boot.

When it comes to the functionality of the Samsung Chromebook Series 5 you won’t be disappointed. The screen resolution is very good although the high-resolution images don’t always automatically resize to fit the screen. Colors are vibrant and accurately rendered. The Samsung Chromebook Series 5  is said to have an 8.5 hour run time  including five hours of video play for all-day use without the need to recharge, on a single charge. The Samsung Chromebook series 5 also has a battery has a lifespan up to 1,000 cycles, three times longer than conventional batteries, which reduces the need for replacements.

If what you are looking for is entertainment, the Samsung Chromebook Series 5 will also tender for your needs perfectly by simplifying browsing, social networking, application usage and multi-media viewing. With an optional VGA you can connect the Chromebook to a second monitor or television, while audio inputs connect to a microphone, headphones or external speakers.

When it comes to security the Samsung Chromebook Series 5, is right up there with the best. The Samsung Chromebook series 5 run the first consumer operating system designed to defend against the ongoing threat of malware and viruses. They employ the principle of “defense in depth” to provide multiple layers of protection, including sandboxing, data encryption, and verified boot. The Chromebook has also reduced concerns about security and data loss by moving everything to a virtual server on the internet. If the Chromebook is ever broken or lost, all of your files are saved online.

The file manager remains limited for now and lacks basic file copy function, but a Google stated that functionality will be in place soon.

The price of the Samsung Chromebook Series 5 is $ 499.99 and $ 429.99 for the Wi-Fi model.

Specs:

  • 1.66GHz dual-core Intel Atom N570 processor;
  • 2GB of RAM;
  • 16GB mSATA SSD (used for caching data locally);
  • 1-megapixel HD Webcam for video chat;
  • SDHC card slot;
  • USB 2.0 port;
  • video-out port;
  • full-size SIM card slot (on the 3G-capable white and titanium models);
  • 12.1-inch, 1280 by 800 pixel display;
  • anti-reflective and anti-glare screen;
  • Screen brightness: 300 cd/m2;
  • 3G connectivity;
  • Wi-Fi;
  • Full size chrome keyboard.

Pros:

  • Super fast boot up;
  • Screen resolution;
  • Choice of colors;
  • Multiple functionality.

Cons:

  • Weight;
  • File manager limitations.

Linutop 4 review

Posted on May 11th, 2011 | by bea
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linutop4_mounting_bracketlThe French manufactures, Linutop has for the last couple of years been producing small low power fan less Linux-based desktop computers. Its fourth generation desktop is called the Linutop 4 and its outstanding feature is that it uses only 14 watts of power.

The linutop is friendly to the environment and has no moving parts. If you are going to be using a PC for only web browsing and perhaps some office tools and e-mailing it is not really necessary to have a big machine running on high watts, when all you need is this quiet, compact and low energy Linutop 4.

For the inexperienced user (read: non-geek user) the fact that the Linutop 4 comes with no printed set-up instructions may pose a problem. The picture instructions may be confusing to the user. Another problem is that the Linutop 4 takes quite long to boot, which would make it tempting to leave it switched on when not in use  to avoid having to wait for the boot up again. It would be quite counterproductive if the aim is to use less energy by opting for this unit.

Linutop 4 is well suited for use in internet cafés, public libraries, Shops, Bars, Point-of-Sale Displays, Schools, Offices and Factories.

A variety of GTK applications that are geared towards web browsing and internet communication are available. Linutop 4 is also multimedia-capable and offers line-out/mic-in for sound. However, there are some problems when you try to change the settings or run more than one or two programs simultaneously, like the system freezing because of an overload on the small processor.

It is also obvious that this PC is not intended for networking, and you will encounter all sorts of difficulties when trying to access data stored on the hard drive of the Linutop 4 through a network or if you try to network boot.

The Linutop 4‘s specs is very similar to that of the Linutop 3, with a few differences. One of them being that the Linutop 4 is much smaller and lighter than the Linutop 3 (2.1 pounds compared to the 4.5 pound weight of Linutop 3).

Specs:

  • 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor;
  • 1GB of DDR2 memory;
  • 2GB of flash storage. But the new model is much smaller and lighter.
  • Weight:  2.1 pounds (1 kg)  and measures just 7.1 ” x 7.9″ x 1.4″( 180mm x 200mm x 36 mm);
  • OS:  customized version of Ubuntu Linux called Linutop 4;
  • Firefox 3.6;
  • OpenOffice.org 3.2;
  • VLC Media Player;
  • VGA and DVI ports ;
  • supports external monitors with resolutions up to 1920 x 1440 pixels;
  • 5 USB 2.0 ports;
  • 2 SATA connectors;
  • a 2.5 inch drive bay;
  • PCIe slot;
  • Gigabit Ethernet.

A definite drawback of the Linutop 4 is its price, at 400 Euros, or about 575 USD per unit, one will have to think twice about buying a Linutop 4. It is possible to buy a Linutop 2with a VIA C7 processor, 512MB of RAM and 1GB of storage for just 280 Euros or 403 USD. That model uses just 8W of power and weighs just 1.3 pounds.

Pros:

  • Energy efficient;
  • Small and light;
  • Pre installed software;
  • Maintenance free

Cons:

  • Price;
  • Limited functionality when it comes to running multiple programs;
  • Difficulty networking.

Lenovo ThinkCentre Edge 91Z Review

Posted on May 10th, 2011 | by bea
1 comment

Edge91z01Lenovo just unveiled its new all-in-one desktop computer, the Lenovo ThinkCentre Edge 91z , to be released in July 2011 with a price tag starting around $699. The Lenovo Edge 91z in the first PC in the ThinkCentre Edge family and is one of the worlds powerful all-in-one PC’s.

The hardware of the  ThinkCentre Edge 91Z has been built into its 6.4cm (2.5 inch) thick black monitor. The screen is 54.6cm (21.5 inch) and offers high-definition imagery.

The Lenovo  Edge 91z is a response to the call of the business worker who is starting to drive the choice around what they will have on their desktop. The choice no longer lies mainly on the will of the IT executives, like in the past. And as many companies turn to AIO desktops to use in limited office space, the Lenovo Edge 91z will become a number one choice also for business execs with its minimalist design, saving up to 70% of space compared to a traditional tower desktop and LCD monitor. To boot, the Lenovo Edge 91z is stylish and, as we already mentioned, powerful beyond expectation.

The Lenovo Edge 91z can do just about everything you would expect from a all-in-one desktop, and more: a great Multimedia experience, multiple active displays for multi tasking and in addition to this , with Lenovo Enhanced Experience 2.0 for Windows 7 it boots 30% faster than non-optimized models , and with RapidDrive on optional solid satte models, you can save 20seconds off boot time.

The Lenovo ThinkCentre Edge 91z is extremely easy to set up, you basically plug in and you are ready to go. It also has a spill resistant wireless keyboard, front-facing control buttons and wall mount capability to multiple-display support.

Specs:

  • Intel i7 Quad Core processor;

  • Input: Optional wireless keyboard with comfortable island-style keyboard;

  • 8 GB of DDR3 memory;

  • 80 GB solid state drive storage or 1 TB hard drive ;

  • optional 1 GB of ATI discrete graphics ;

  • support for HDMI and an optional Blu-ray DVD drive;

  • WiFi capabilities;

  • video chat via the web camera;

  • 1G Ati Discrete Graphics Card (optional);

  • HDMI Video Out (DID) / Video In (use as monitor);

  • Full HD infinity screen.

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