AMD have had a tough time with Intel’s release of their dual- and quad-core processors. But despite this I still have a little soft spot for the underdog of the processor industry.

The HP Pavilion is based on an AMD chipset, offering fast performance from their tried and tested Turion X2 processor. With a direct connection to the memory from the processor, AMD processors get a boost in performance because the memory can operate at the same frequency as the processor.

Here are some of the main features:

• 1.8 GHz AMD Turion X2 processor
• 17 inch monitor
• 7.8 lbs
• Built-in webcam
• 1 GB of memory
• 160 GB hard drive
• USB
• Firewire
• LAN port
• VGA
• ExpressCard slot

Lets have an overview of the different specifications. As mentioned all ready, the processor gives good performance and does well for power savings, meaning longer battery life.

A 17 inch monitor is fine for anyone that intends to use their laptop computer exclusively. For modern computing this is about the least necessary for continuous use of the computer. Widescreen monitors give that little bit extra width, which is more useful that pure size, but this size is still fine.

Built-in features are very necessary for keeping the size of a laptop down. It is easy to have a small laptop, but which requires a handful of USB devices to accomplish very simple tasks like reading from a CD or DVD. The DVD writer is a bonus which allows DVD to burnt without an external device.

System expansion is handled by three external USB ports, a firewire port and an ExpressCard slot.

Video performance is good, thanks to the onboard video chipset. A built-in webcam allows video conferencing on the increasingly popular Skype of other VoIP networks, or just for taking still pictures.

The mouse pad is placed well, being by the center of the spacebar. Often it is placed at the center of the computer, which means it gets knocked by the ball of the right hand when typing.

Overall, a full set of features, with enough power to do any office work and play some games. There is no need for extra bits, which means the laptop bag, although a little heavy, doesn’t need to be weighed down by other goodies.

There’s not too much difference between DVD burners, usually they just work or they don’t. DVD burners have hit the peak of their speeds and 18x or 20x is the most that you find around nowadays.

The Samsung DVD burner offers up to 18x burning speed, which allows full movies to be burnt in a few minutes and offers burning to all the popular DVD formats. Here are some of the features:

• 2 MB of cache
• DVD+R max write speed: 18x
• DVD+RW max write speed: 8x
• DVD-R max write speed: 8x
• DVD-RW max write speed: 6x
• DVD max read speed: 6x
• CD max write speed: 48x
• CD max read speed: 40x

The biggest plus is to the drive is being able to flip the disc over and burning a cover onto the DVD, handy for getting a nice looking image on the front rather than just a permanent marker.

I am always aware of how much new stuff costs, with the rapid drop in prices within a few months of the launch of something new I can always wait. Based on an Intel Core2 Duo processor and with an Intel 945GC + ICH7R chipset, the combination works well, and give a nice overall set of features. They are some of them:

• 2.2GHz Intel Core2 Duo
• 2GB DDR2 RAM
• 500GB SATA II hard drive
• DVD burner

The bits and pieces of this barebones desktop computer look tempting, but lack a little in the up-to-date department. Let’s have a look.

The processor is one of the original, slower Core2 processors, with only a 800MHz FSB, it lacks the speed of the newer 6000 series processors that support 1066/1333MHz FSB. This is not bad in itself, but does mean that any upgrade in processor will mean an upgrade to the motherboard.

The motherboard, based on the Intel 945GC Northbridge chipset is really designed for the older Pentium 4. It only offers up to a 800MHz FSB and will hold back many of the faster chips available today. The other features of the motherboard are quite admirable for a low to mid-range motherboard.

There is a PCIe x16 slot available for a graphics card, good. There are some PCI slots for older cards, good. The SATA ports support RAID, so performance can be increased, or data safety can be increased, both good. The usual array of features are built-in. A network port a few USB ports, and one of the fancy little extras is a panel for memory cards on the front of the box itself.

For the price it does meet some needs. It is great for a computer for right now, but is a little limiting with future upgrade potential, but will remain quite viable for a few years still.

There is not too much to consider with DVD burners and much of the difference between them is in the software that comes packaged with the drive. The Lite-On 20x DVD drive only writes at 20x, here is the full set of read and write features:

• DVD+R write speed: 20x
• DVD+RW rewrite speed: 8x
• DVD-R write speed: 20x
• DVD-RW rewrite speed: 6x

The warning signs are all over this product unfortunately.

I have used a Lite-On CD burner for over 5 years now and it still works great, but companies do have their rough patches.

User reviews of this product are a mixed batch. Many people have had problems installing it and getting it working. One or two bad experiences could be overlooked, but play it safe and don’t buy this one.

Check it out if you like, but rather go for a Sony, and pass up the 20x in favor of a reliable drive.

Sharp have added to their list of great goodies a 3 way directional LCD monitor. Simply put, you can see three different images from 3 different angles.

From straight-on, to the left an to the right you can have 3 different images displayed, allowing the driver to see a map, the passenger to see pictures of their destination and the person in the back to watch a movie.

It does seem like you will need quite a video card to pump out 3 different images at the same time, unless there is some more elegent solution to getting the 3 images.

Sharp already have a dual directional monitor on the market.

Press release at the Sharp website

AM2 was supposed to be the things of the future delivering the ultimate performance where socket 939 left off. With more memory bandwidth and a whole host of other features the new socket has not lived up to it’s much hyped beginnings.

XYZcomputing takes a look at the AMD AM2 to see just how it performs. Or more specifically, just what makes this computer processor that little bit unexciting.

AMD has a hard time keeping up with massive Intel, who have built such a strong market position that even a series of messups have managed to put much of a damper on their market sector. And although AMD were able to make the best of those blunders by Intel, Intel has now come back in force to once again compete with AMD.

XYZcomputing takes you through the overview to see what’s going on.

This is a strange little gadget, but I’m getting used to seeing these kinds of USB things amongst the ever increasing array of computer components.

This particular model is a little monster whose horns light up and mouth move when you get a call over Skype. It connects to your computer using a USB connection.

This is definitely a piece of computer equipment for those who have everything, or really like little gimmicky stuff.

It is kinda cute though.

Report from Everything USB

Sony will soon be offereing the first ultra-portable notebook which has integrated broadband included as standard. Wide area network connectivity for ultra-fast internet access. Sony notebook pc are already great to use and this is just another special extra for those who need it.
Connecting to the Sprint Power Vision Network will allow users to take advantage of broadband speeds for internet access. It is quite possible that other notebook computer manufacturers will follow suite as well.
This kind of wide area network gives huge potential to mobile computing by offering super high speeds without the cables needed for traditional boradband setups.

Press report from Sony website

Fantastic, I love to watch videos online and this one is right up my alley.

FiringSquad had a tour of the Gigabyte factory in Taiwan. They have compiled the whole experience into a video for your viewing pleasure.

Watch the Gigabyte Factory tour at their website or download it and save it for later.

Gigabyte manufacture computer components, mostly motherboards and video cards, but other computer components as well.