Desktop Computer

Commodore Amiga Mini PC

by David Novak on Fri, 2012-03-30 10:57


Commodore Amiga Mini

Commodore is following up its retro throwback, the C64x, with a new small-form-factor PC, the Amiga Mini. Stuffed inside is a 3.5GHz Core i7-2700k CPU, 16GB of DDR3 memory, NVIDIA's GeForce GT 430 (1GB), a WiFi radio and a 1TB HDD that can be swapped out for a 300GB or 600GB solid state drive. There's a slot-loading Blu-ray drive by default and internal space for a pair of 2.5-inch drives

The Commodore Amiga base model starts at $2,495, and includes a copy of its Commodore OS Vision. The company's also revealing the C64x Supreme, the new VIC mini and a more powerful VIC-Slim keyboard computer (which now includes an HDMI output).


Commodore Amiga Mini
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The Rise and Fall of Product Prices in 2012


money

Prices go up and prices go down, but this year they're going every which way. While it's difficult to predict how the economy will impact the cost of products and services, there are several sure bets on both ends of the scale. Here are a few predictions.

GOING UP:

Orange Juice
The FDA discovered "low levels" of a fungicide in the 2011 orange crop imported from Brazil, the world's largest produce of oranges.

Airfare
More people want to fly, but the airlines have trimmed their sales and are putting fewer planes in the air. Expect an increase between 3 percent and 10 percent worldwide.

Parking Rates and Tickets
Cash-strapped cities will try to boost their budgets by increasing city-imposed fees.

Gas
Did you enjoy that recent small reprieve from high gas prices? Well don't get used to it; the U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts regular gas will average $3.45 this year.

Groceries
Rising energy costs, poor weather conditions, commodity prices and the lousy value of the U.S. dollar mean food is expected to increase 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent from 2011, according to the Consumer Price Index. Read more

Maingear Updates Vybe Desktop PC

by David Novak on Thu, 2012-02-09 10:37


Maingear Vybe

MAINGEAR, manufacturer of some pretty blazing PCs, recently announced their upgrade to the Vybe family of desktops. The new Vybe gaming PC sports the latest Intel Core i5 and i7 Overclocked processors with Turbo Boost. MAINGEAR's exterior design is always a head-turner, and the updated Vybe is no different. It's matte-black exterior and case markings are gorgeous, and an all-new chassis design reminds us of MAINGEAR's efforts in refined design aesthetics. It also showcases a soft touch outer coat with a roomy, full-ATX interior capable housing whatever hardware you throw at it.


Maingear Vybe

The Vybe family is also equipped with the latest motherboards from Intel and Gigabyte, supporting USB 3.0, SATA 6G, and available hardware options including NVIDIA GeForce GPUs in single and SLI (multi-GPU) configurations, SSD caching drives, and top of the line second generation Intel Core technology – which is also water-cooled and overclocked.

The updated Vybe starts at $949, a pretty cheap price for specs that mirror a high-end gaming PC. It has a traditional internal-access hard-drive cage, and the application performance is way above average.Read more

VIZIO Getting into the PC Business this Spring

by David Novak on Thu, 2012-01-19 10:11


VIZIO All-in-One PC

VIZIO has officially entered the computer market and will be releasing their all-in-one PCs and laptops this spring. Their all-in-one PCs will come in two sizes—24-and 27-inch versions—and feature a very sleek design (that's sharp and elegant at the same time) with an ultra-thin keyboard, touchpad and a base unit. The screen is said to be thinner than the iMac, only because the computer's guts are sandwiched on the aluminum base. It also features stereo speakers that are located on each side of the base and a subwoofer in the power supply. There's also an HDMI input, which allows users to use the display as a TV, but VIZIO isn't including a TV tuner with this device. VIZIO also hasn't released info on what Intel processor it'll use in its new all-in-one PCs, but more info will probably drop closer to its ship date, which is said to be around May or June.Read more

VIZIO Intros Five PCs at CES


VIZIO PCs

January 9, 2012 - VIZIO announced today an innovative line of five premium personal computers designed to turn the PC market upside down and accommodate the entertainment needs and wants demanded by consumers. Set to launch with Windows 7 in spring 2012, the elegantly designed PCs will provide an entertainment experience only VIZIO can deliver, complete with top notch 2.1 audio and video quality. The personal computing line consists of two all-in-one computers, two thin + light notebooks and one notebook. VIZIO's line was developed to raise the bar in personal and home entertainment while also keeping powerful performance at the forefront.

Much like its entrance into the HDTV category nearly a decade ago, VIZIO believes it has identified a need in the PC world for a device that addresses a recent change in consumer behavior. Growing popularity in video streaming services has resulted in the need for personal computers that can stream content for a family movie night and put together an important business presentation the following day. The VIZIO PCs address this change by meeting both the entertainment and productivity demands.Read more

HP Unveils New Omni 27 All-in-One Desktop PC

by jessica on Wed, 2012-01-04 14:06


HP Omni 27

HP's latest all-in-one computer – the Omni 27 – will change the way you think about desktop PCs. Unveiled a week prior to the largest consumer electronics trade show of the year - 2012 CES - this beauty comes packed with 6 gigs of RAM, up to 2 terabytes of storage, a built-in DVD drive, Beats Audio, and offers a choice of dual or quadcore Intel processors. An optional Blu-Ray disc drive, TV tuner and HDMI-in port is also available.

The Omni's 27-inch diagonal HD display isn't touchscreen like the company's TouchSmart line, but is gorgeous nonetheless with its edge-to-edge glass that tilts up to 25 degrees for comfort. However, just like HP's TouchSmart all-in-one PCs, the Omni 27 includes HP's Magic Canvas software which lets you expand the desktop horizontally to accommodate photos, videos and applications. The Omni 27 is HP's first non-touch PC to include Magic Canvas.Read more

11 Things That Will Be More Expensive in 2012


Rising Prices

It's inevitable that as the New Year creeps closer, we begin to muse about what's to come in the next 12 months.

The editors over at dealnews researched and listed price adjustments that consumers can expect to see in 2012. Some increases seem almost customary, like ever-rising gas prices, while others, like a potential 25% hike on tap water, are more surprising.

1. Domestic and International Airfare
Greater demand and fewer available airline seats will likely lead to higher ticket prices for flights next year. American Express predicts prices within North America will increase up to 5% for economy seating, depending on the length of the flight, and up to 7% in business class. Things look more bleak for European travel. A new "green tax" implemented by the EU is aimed at reducing emissions, and it will levy a fee of roughly $15 per passenger, each way, for flights to the U.S. Fees on shorter flights within the EU will be taxed slightly less.Read more

The Best and Worst Things to Buy in December


shopping online

December is a month when you almost can't avoid shopping. You may have skipped Black Friday — overwhelmed by the hassle, hype and crowds — but the holiday season is a different beast all together.

Keep your holiday cheer level high by shopping wisely. The editors over at dealnews have poured over their extensive archives of sales, coupons and individual products from years past to guide you in your quest for the savviest purchases in December.

Buy a Bike, Use it Later?
For many of our northernmost readers, bike riding in the winter is implausible, but you should consider purchasing a bike this month all the same. While other months might have seen greater volume of bicycle deals, we saw the most Editors' Choice-level bargains during the month of December last year from vendors like REI, Walmart, and Performance Bike. Otherwise, the next time we saw a substantial number of deals and sales came in May.

Get Good Deals on Toys ... by Still Waiting
Finally, it's the best time to buy holiday toys! Almost. As we've mentioned before, many toys will hit their lowest price points of the season as we get closer we get to Christmas. Last year, many of the tops toys of the season hit their lowest points in the week before Christmas. That said, during the week before that, we saw a staggering number of Editors' Choice toy deals on the whole; in fact, it was the best week of the month for top-shelf discounts on toys. Shop during this period, and you'll improve your chances of getting the best deals.Read more

Lenovo IdeaCentre Q180 Touted as World's Smallest Desktop PC

by jessica on Tue, 2011-11-29 10:04


Lenovo IdeaCentre Q180

A desktop PC the size of a paperback book? Yes, that's what you'll find with the latest IdeaCentre PC from Lenovo. Measuring just 22 mm thick, the IdeaCentre Q180 is touted as "the world's smallest production PC" and is powerful enough to turn your HDTV into a multimedia hub for music, games, browsing the web and more.

The Q180 comes packed with an Intel Atom dual core processor, up to 4GB DDR3 memory, 750GB HDD storage or 128GB SSD storage, 802.11bgn Wi-Fi and runs on the Windows 7 OS. It also includes a VESA Mount so you can place it almost anywhere in the home - including the back of most HDTVs and monitors.

Additional features include full HD 1080p output, 7.1 channel surround sound, optional Blu-ray drive, and it offers support for Blu-ray 3D and DirectX11 for a home-theater experience right in the living room. It also features fast USB 3.0 file transfer support, VGA and HDMI out ports, and S/PDIF connectivity for your HDTV and sound system.Read more

PCs Here to Stay as Tablet Sales Drop

by David Novak on Fri, 2011-11-18 10:36


PC vs Tablet

The tablet market, which was cited as the fastest growing sector in technology by every tech publication imaginable a couple of months ago, might be seeing an abrupt shift in this designation. While industry experts saw every manufacturing giant scrambling to come out with their own best-selling slate this year, the emerging consensus today cites a trend that might be leaning back towards PC manufacturing.

A number of recent tablets entering the market may make a quick exit because many PC vendors such as Acer, ASUS, HP and Dell may abandon the tablet market next year. These companies have gained very little traction in the tablet space according to reports, as they lack competitive advantages due to a few key players like Apple and Amazon, which seem to have cornered the market.

Industry experts also state that these same key players are looking to bring cheaper and more compelling tablets to market, making it increasingly difficult for companies like HP and Dell to compete. Additionally, you may have seen tablet hardware prices falling. There's a reason for this. Apple, Amazon and Barnes and Noble are seeing significantly higher margins and profit from their content platforms rather than hardware sales, so they are willing to sell devices at rock bottom prices that traditional PC vendors will be unable to match.Read more

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