The Dell Inspiron Mini 9

The Dell Inspiron Mini 9 is the latest in a series of Netbooks that have been hitting the market recently. A Netbook is actually a Notebook that is optimized for Internet Access and basic functions. Going forward with the trend of moving all applications onto the Internet, there is a new breed of computing geeks that are relying more and more on the browser and the cloud to do their work.


To this end, the mantra now is that you don't need local resources to perform your tasks. If you use the Internet to it's full potential, you get web based applications and storage space that do all the work for you, without draining your PC resources. The only thing that is needed, is a great Internet connection.

The Dell Inspiron Mini 9 certainly provides a lot of options for this. Going by the founding principles of Dell, it is almost completely customizable, and you can get it in a wide variety of ranges starting from just $349!

Dell has also innovated on the keyboard for the Dell Inspiron Mini 9. The challenge with a small laptop is how to make the keys comfortable enough for typing. What they've done is remove the function keys and reduce the size of the other non-typing keys like the Caps lock and the scroll lock key. But don't worry. The function keys aren't gone. They've just been reassigned to others via the Fn key. This is ok, since most people don't use the function keys all that much anyway.

The CPU is the usual Intel Atom which is the standard CPU used for Ultra-Mobile PC's. Intel claims that it's made from the smallest processors in the world. The idea is to save on battery life and enable compact designs. The difference is noticable in the fact that the battery lasts for around 3-4 hours and there is enough computing power for the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 to boot up in 45 seconds!

As you can see in the picture, it's got an 8.9 inch screen diagonally. It also comes with a Gigabyte of RAM, and astonishingly Windows XP! I thought that microsoft had stopped computer vendors from bundling XP anymore. But that's a good thing. I firmly believe that there's lots of juice left in XP, and it's only fair that people can enjoy it for longer.

Find the best prices for the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 at www.pricealerter.com

Sony VAIO VGN-NR498E

The first thing you notice about this laptop is the texture. While most laptops have either a Matte, or a Glossy finish, the Sony VAIO VGN-NR498E features an interesting fabric texture, having a criss cross pattern on the surface. It looks very distinctive, and it's primarily the looks that make the VAIO qualify as an irresistible goodie.

The screen is a generous 15.4 inches across the diagonal, and while keeping a glossy surface, it manages to completely avoid any sort of glare. While mainly targeted at the hep college crowd, the Sony VAIO VGN-NR498E performs admirably as a business unit.

It has a whole lot of power. Two 2.0 Ghz processors are enough to handle anything that is thrown at it with ease. Along with that, if you take the amazing 3 GB of RAM, you are left gasping at it's speed, and versatility. It has plenty of space as well. With a 250 GB hardrive, you're not going to be left wanting for a place to store your pictures. Of course, personally I prefer to store all my movies on an external media.

The keys on the Sony VAIO VGN-NR498E are a nice touch as well. Literally. They remind one of the keys on the MAC. They kind of feel the same too. Very easy and convinient to type on, and I barely noticed any difference in speed compared to my regular keyboard. Of course, laptop typing takes a little getting used to no matter what the layout is.

Coming to the little accessories on the side, I really like the 4 USB ports. Two on each side. There's no danger of running out of ports on this baby. Also included, are an SD card reader and a memory card slot. In addition, there is an on/off switch for the Wifi. Nice to have when you're on battery and aren't using it. Really saves a lot of power.

It comes with the standard Windows Vista Home Premium. No Microsoft Office, though you can use it for a trial period of 60 days, after which you have to buy it.

All in all, a fantastic piece of hardware that lots of people are going to go gaga over. Find the best prices for the Sony VAIO VGN-NR498E at www.pricealerter.com

The Lenovo ThinkPad X300 Laptop

The latest category in the laptop segment, is the ultraportable laptop. You've already seen one earlier in this blog - namely the Macbook Air. You would also remember that the Macbook Air's main feature, namely it's thickness called for certain compensations in it's design, such as only one USB port, no ethernet slot, and most importantly no CD/DVD player/recorder.


The Lenovo ThinkPad X300 is another major contender for the top spot in the ultraportable segment. Like the Macbook air, it has a full 13.3 inch monitor, and a solid state hard drive. However, it also incorporates features that any business user will expect in a laptop such as three USB ports, and Ethernet slots. It also comes with built in Wi-fi. However, the main differentiating factor of the the Lenovo ThinkPad X300 is the built in DVD burner. With the addition of this, it fills a major need in the top ultraportable laptops.

Looks wise, the the Lenovo ThinkPad X300 is nothing to sneeze at. With a thickness of less than one inch, and a full sized keyboard layout, the The Lenovo ThinkPad X300 provides full functionality while maintaining it's cool factor. It's because of this that I've included it as an "Irresistible Goodie".

The Lenovo ThinkPad X300 incorporates some futuristic technolgies like a fingerprint reader. Imagine how cool it is opening up your laptop, and instead of typing in a username and password, you get to press your finger on the scanner. Feels like something out of the Matrix. Now they need to put in a Retina scan and I'm moving baby!

Communication is now fully built into the laptop with a noice cancelling digital microphone and a webcam built right into it! You're ready to talk and be seen anytime, anywhere.

Lenovo ThinkPad X300 comes bundled with all the ThinkVantage applications. You press a blue button on the top left of the keyboard to bring up the suite that manages various facets of your computer including hard drive maintenance, and the "Shock Protection" feature that can save your hard drive if it's in free fall. You get a cool page telling you that the hard disk has shut down since it's in danger, and will resume if the laptop is stable again. Very intelligent.

Find the The Lenovo ThinkPad X300 at www.pricealerter.com

The Apple MacBook Air

A month ago, I walked into the brand new Apple store that had opened close to where I was staying, and thought, "Let's go inside and peep around". I'm a Windows user, but let's face it - We often go green with envy (though we don't show it), when we see someone using a Mac, or Mac accessories.

Of course, as a writer, I can't afford to lose compatibility with any client who might be using Windows, but that's another story.

So I walk into the Apple store (For the first time in my life), along with my wife, and it's all themed white, with colorful gadgets displayed in rows. But what first caught my attention (as it was no doubt designed to), was this amazingly thin laptop! I didn't even believe that it was a working model. I thought it was a dead piece of plastic, until the screen lighted up, and the attendant introduced the two of us to each other. "Bhagwad, this is the MacBook air. MacBook air, this is Bhagwad".

I leaned closer, and examined it all around. It really was as thin as I first thought. It reminded me of a wafer, and I realized that laptops would never be the same again. At least not for me.

So how does the MacBook air get to be this thin? Well, Apple has removed certain portions like a removable media slot (can be purchased separately though). It also incorporates a solid state hard drive, that has no moving parts! For me, this is a major breakthrough. Hard disks are one of the few remaining moving components in a computer, and are therefore more susceptible to failure compared to stationary electrical parts. This latest technology means one less thing to go wrong.

The MacBook Air has a low Carbon Footprint, with a Mercury and Arsenic free LCD glass, and internal cables that are not made of PVC. From what I remember, Greenpeace had earlier objected to Apple's ecological practices, and the MacBook air addresses these concerns.

All in all, the MacBook Air has broken new grounds in Laptop technology. It's sleek design, and ecological footprint, definitely give it the status of an "Irresistable Goodie".

Find the MacBook Air on Pricealerter.com, with the best prices.