Desktop Computer

ViewSonic just announced they have added two new PC Minis to their lineup, the VOT530 and VOT550 . These small-format PCs are great for creating your own media and entertainment hub. They come standard with Windows Home 7 Premium, Intel Core 2 Duo 2.2GHz processors and 802.11b/g/n wireless. Also, they use up to 45% less energy and up to 50% less plastic than a tower PC.

The VOT530 PC Mini comes with 2GB of memory and a built-in DVD drive. It is available now for $749 MSRP.

A step up, the new VOT550 features 4GB of memory and also includes a built-in Blu-ray/DVD combo drive. It sells for $949.Read more

Dell just introduced the new mini-sized Inspiron Zino HD desktop computer. Measuring only 7.75 inches square and 3.5 inches tall, and with a starting price of just $229, the Inspiron Zino HD is a good economical choice for those short on space.

Available in 10 colors, the Inspiron Zino HD includes a choice of AMD processors or dual core Athlon Neo X2 6850e, up to 8GB dual channel DDR 2 memory, up to 1TB internal hard disk storage, a DVD/CD RW drive with optional Blu-ray Disc combo, Itegrated 10/100/1000 networking with wireless option, and optional wireless keyboard and mouse.

Built in 2.1 high-definition audio and 4-in-1 media card reader is also included as well as an integrated ATI graphics adapter with standard HDMI and VGA video connections, and optional 512MB discrete graphics adapter. It has four USB ports (2 front/2 rear); two eSATA ports (rear).

The Inspiron Zino HD is available now at www.dell.com with a choice of operating systems from Windows Vista Home Basic through Windows 7 Professional.

MAINGEAR just announced the Shift, what they call "the everyday supercomputer." This supercomputer can speed up everyday tasks like photo and video editing, transcoding videos for portable media devices, and upscaling standard definition video, the company said.

Shift's aluminum housing design includes expansion slots, full eATX motherboard support, full sized 5.25" optical drives, multiple SATA hard drive configurations, and up to 2 2.5" HDD in each 3.5" HDD Drive bay. And it takes a different approach to cooling with bottom to top airflow, aggressive liquid cooling, and a 90 degree rotation of the motherboard.

Another quality that sets MAINGEAR apart is their customer support. If you have any problems with your Shift computer, you are able to talk directly to the builder that assembled your system. You can also get support through an internal remote-desktop setup, as well as on-site support should the situation need it.Read more

The release of Windows 7 is on everyone's minds this week. Because of this, Best Buy and HP have teamed up to offer a new "PC Home Makeover" package.

Quite a deal, the package consists of a HP Slimline desktop, an LCD monitor, an HP laptop, HP mini netbook, and a Netgear Wireless-G router. In-home setup by Geek Squad is included as well…all for just $1199.

The HP Slimline s5212y features a dual-core 2.5GHz Intel Pentium E5200 CPU, GMA 3100 graphics, 3GB DDR2 800MHz RAM, 320GB 7200RPM HDD, DVD burner, six-in-one card reader, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. A keyboard and mouse, as well as an 18.5" 1366x768 display with integrated 2W speakers are also included. Read more

Apple on Tuesday announced that they have updated their iMac desktop computer line, MacBooks, as well as introducing the new multi-touch Magic Mouse. They also boosted the speed, doubled the memory and introduced a new server configuration of the Mac mini. Just in time for the holiday season (of course).

The new iMacs have larger screens, 21.5 inches and 27 inches, up from 20 and 24 inches. Featuring a new edge-to-edge glass design and aluminum enclosure, the new iMac line starts at $1,199. Other features include Intel Core 2 Duo processors (quad-core processors are also available), 4GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 memory and capacity up to 16GB across four SO-DIMM slots. They also include choice of NVIDIA GeForce or ATI Radeon HD graphics, built-in iSight video camera, mic and stereo speakers, built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi networking, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, Gigabit Ethernet, four USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port and a new built-in SD card slot.Read more

Acer has been full of announcements this week. Not only have they added a new multi-touch notebook and expanded their Timeline Series, they also just introduced the Aspire Z5610 All-in-One PC.

This all-in-one desktop PC features multi-touch technology, Windows 7 Home Premium, a 23-inch HD display, 4GB DDR3 SDRAM (upgradeable to 8GB), 320GB SATA hard drive, ATI Mobility Radeon graphics, Intel Pentium Dual Core processors, built-in webcam and much more.

It will be available in time for the holiday season for $899.99. Read more

Sony just unveiled the new touch-enabled, multimedia VAIO L Series Touch HD PC/TV.

The PC has a 24-inch WUXGA (1920x1080) Full HD widescreen display, Intel Core 2 Quad processor (select models), 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, tons of RAM, dedicated NVIDIA GeForce series graphics, and it comes with Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional 64-bit operating system. A wireless keyboard, mouse and remote control (select models) are included. Select models have a Blu-ray Disc optical drive. A rewritable BD drive is also available.

Also, some models feature a built-in tuner so you can connect to your digital cable TV service and Over-The-Air (ATSC) HD TV signals (antenna required) to watch TV on your PC. An optional HDMI input is available. It has built-in DVR capabilities and up to a terabyte of storage. Read more

Gateway just introduced the Gateway One ZX Series, all-in-one desktop PCs with multi-touch displays.

The new One ZX6800 Series was made with gamers in mind. Included in the line is the high-performance model One ZX6810-01 featuring a 23-inch widescreen display, Intel Core 2 Quad processor and ATI HD4670 graphics, 1TB hard drive and 64GB solid state drive (SSD), HD webcam, wireless keyboard and mouse, Hybrid TV Tuner with remote control and high-def audio with 5.1-channel surround sound support. The One ZX6810-01 runs on Windows 7 Home, Premium Edition, 64-bit. The MSRP is $1399.99.

The less expensive (yet still powerful) One ZX4800 Series is perfect for smaller places like a dorm room, kitchen, or home office. Models include a 20-inch widescreen display, an Intel Pentium Dual Core Processor T4300, 4GB DDR2 dual channel memory (800MHz), 750GB SATA hard drive, Intel GMA X4500HD graphics, HD webcam, high-def audio with 5.1 channel audio support, Multi-in-one digital media card reader, and more. It runs on Windows 7 Home, Premium Edition, 64-bit as well and is priced at just $749.99.Read more

Dell's new Vostro 430 desktop, aimed at small businesses, is available now with prices starting at $699. The desktop is optimized for Microsoft's upcoming Windows 7 OS, and comes with pre-installed video conferencing software. It also supports dual display and multi-touch technology (an optional touch screen monitor and webcam is required).

The Vostro 430 includes the Intel Core i5 or optional Intel Core i7 processors, and your choice of graphics options from NVIDIA and ATI. The Vostro 430 can accommodate up to 16GB of DDR3 SDRAM and up to 1TB of internal storage. Read more