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Dell's XPS 730 H2C gets benchmarked, overclocked and rated
A general review is fine and dandy when you're lookin' at Hello Kitty laptops, but this is Dell's XPS 730 H2C we're talking about. A rig this big demands to be benchmarked, and the mad scientists over at Hot Hardware did that and a whole lot more after it arrived in their lab. Here's the highlights: reviewers were able to hit 4.25GHz (though not for long), the unit itself walked all over its rivals and it was deemed "an absolute monster in any productivity and multimedia task." Sadly, gaming performance was seen as "less decisive but still extremely impressive," but it nevertheless managed to "blaze" through every title tossed at it. Grab your cup of joe and head on down, as you'll be reading for quite some time before seeing that coveted Editor's Choice award there at the end.
Mac 101: The desktop in dialog windows
You want to open a file on the desktop from within a given application. Let's say Microsoft Word (it could happen). So, you select "Open" from the File menu. However, it selects the directory you last accessed with this method - the Documents folder. Don't reach for that mouse! A simpler solution is to hit Command-D to jump to the Desktop's files. Note that this works in Save dialog windows, too. "How long does it take for me to move to and from the mouse?" you ask. The answer is just a second or two. But those seconds add up over the course of a day, a week, a year. Now, what will you do with all the extra time?
Dell makes Core 2 Quad Q9300, Q9450 available in XPS 420
So, we hear you're edging ever closer to pulling the trigger on a shiny new XPS 420, huh? Lucky you, as it looks like Dell just opened up your options. While the only processor choices on the XPS 630 are the E8500 and the absurdly expensive QX6850 (it's an $850 addition), the XPS 420 now has a half dozen CPUs to pick from. Most notably, users can now get their rig equipped with a Core 2 Quad Q9300 / Q9450, both of which provide much more oomph than the baseline chips while not forcing you to refinance your home and pick the QX9650. So, when can the aforesaid 630 expect similar selections?[Thanks, Evan]
HP Compaq announces dc5850 and dx2450 Business Desktops
Remember those AMD Business Class desktops we told you about, oh, just hours ago? Looks like the first of the family are starting to roll out, beginning with the HP Compaq dc5850 and dx2450 Business Desktop PCs. Both rigs support "next-generation AMD Business Class processors" (that's the Athlon X2, Phenom X3 and Phenom X4) along with the usual complement of slots / ports, and while the former gets integrated ATI Radeon 3100 graphics, AMD's Cool'n'Quiet 2.0 technology, up to 8GB of RAM, an optional dual-drive RAID setup and a dual-layer DVD writer, the latter boasts NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE graphics, room for 4GB of RAM and up to 500GB of SATA HDD space. Best of all, both machines come in pretty easy on the wallet, with the dc5850 hitting in early May for $599 and the dx2450 available now for $369.
NextComputing's rugged Vigor Evo HD flextop has an LCD on its side
Under most circumstances, we too would take one glance at the monolith pictured above and scream in horror. But of course, we're entirely sure you're familiar with the wacky machines emerging from NextComputing. The ultra-tough Vigor Evo HD is hailed as the company's "highest performance rugged workstation," and besides offering up a floating chassis which absorbs all sorts of bumps and shocks, it also comes with a 17-inch LCD plastered right on the side. Said panel is covered with a hard-coated protective screen, and sitting just beneath that is your choice of AMD / Intel processors, up to four PCIe or PCI-X 64-bit slots, a dual-layer DVD writer, up to 3TB of internal HDD space and most everything else you'd find in a pre-fab desktop. Of course, it loses the vast majority of its intimidation factor when equipped with the optional wheels / telescoping handle package, but we won't tell anyone if you're not man / woman enough to lug it over your shoulder.
Desktoptopia goes free and PC for version 1.5
My personal favorite desktop wallpaper app, the echo-named Desktoptopia, sent us a tip with a great announcement today: not only have they released version 1.5, and not only have they released a PC version (for your work computer to use, I guess), but Desktoptopia is now a completely free app.Now, I don't know if this is new or not, but their FAQ page says that the reason they're now free is that some of the wallpapers that will show up on your desktop (the app periodically changes your wallpaper for you, as often as you'd like) are "beautiful desktops that reflect a brand." I haven't yet seen any obvious ones pop up in the old version, and I haven't started using the new version yet, but I guess there's a chance that you could have, say, a Wal-mart desktop show up. That would probably give me reason to uninstall the software right there, but of course that's up to you -- if you don't like it, you could always try Desktopia, or just do it yourself with Automator.I haven't had that problem yet, though -- in my experience, Desktoptopia has provided some great wallpapers (with no brands I could notice) as regularly as I'd like with no fuss at all. If you want some change to come regularly to your desktop wallpaper, but don't want to go hunting around for the right pics, Desktoptopia is a great solution that is now completely free. Great to hear.
To buy AppleCare or not?
Most people are split on the decision to buy an extended warranty on their electronic devices. Some think it's the best "accessory" that you can buy for your gear, while others think it's a total waste of money. Speaking from my personal experience with AppleCare support -- it has been a worthwhile investment.While I have never experienced a major problem with any of my Macs, iPod, or iPhone, AppleCare has definitely been there to solve those minor glitches. Case in point: this weekend my Mighty Mouse's scroll wheel stopped working (this is the 3rd Mighty Mouse in less than one year). I simply called Apple's support and told them what was going on. "My Mighty Mouse stopped scrolling," I said. The Apple representative gave me some simple troubleshooting tips to make sure that my computer wasn't doing anything strange. I was asked to check the scroll speed and then they asked me to reset the PRAM (I don't really understand that one, but OK). After that, the representative said that my mouse was, in fact, defective (no duh), took my address and said they would have a new one out to me in "5 to 7 business days." That was on Saturday. On Monday I got a knock on the door from a DHL delivery guy with a box in his hand -- you guessed it, Apple overnighted me a wireless Mighty Mouse! The cost to overnight the package: $70. This is just one example of AppleCare's good service.
24 Hours of Leopard: Stacks
Feature: Stacks, which are what Apple is calling clickable icons on the Dock that fold out to show other clickable icons.How it works: It's actually an updated implementation of the old "Piles" idea, in that you can have one icon that gives you access to lots of different things. But Apple's Stacks fill another role-- they get icons off of the Desktop for good, and down into the Dock without looking cluttered. For years and years, almost every Desktop on every computer ever has had icons all over it, from apps to various downloads to whatever ended up there. But Leopard is different-- all of its icons aren't spread on the Desktop, they're piled into the Dock. Click them, and they span across the Desktop (or line up in a grid, if you're boring), click them again and they disappear. That's the real innovation here-- now, finally, you can work your way down to a completely empty, icon-free desktop.Oh, and I should also mention that Stacks aren't just static. Leopard comes with two stacks-- Documents and Downloads, and the Downloads stack will automatically fill out with anything you download from Safari, Mail, or iChat. No more downloading random files to the Desktop and using Expose to let you go find it. Now, just click open the Stack, and get access to everything you need without ever leaving the window you're working in.Who will use it: Everybody! And Windows users in 2010, too, since it's almost guaranteed that Microsoft is already working on a way to get this into Windows 7.
24 hours of Leopard: Spaces
Feature: SpacesHow it works: Enable Spaces by clicking its icon in the Dock, then create as many different desktops as you want and fill them with the apps you need to have open-- one for work, another for personal stuff, a third for miscellaneous. Or maybe one workspace for communication where you'll park Mail.app, Twitter, Facebook, and Adium; and another space to hold the things you need for the Keynote presentation you're working on: iPhoto, Text Edit, and Skitch.Switch easily from one workspace to another with the arrow keys, drag and drop apps from one workspace to another, add more Spaces, and assign apps to always open in a specific Space. There are tons of ways to make Spaces work for you and make your desktop, er, desktops look and behave just the way you want.Who will use it: Multi-taskers and people who like to have dozens of apps open at once.You can check out all our 24 Hours of Leopard posts here.
Dell's XPS One leaked: watch out, Gateway
You all laugh at us for religiously trawling the FCC site during our rare free moments, and yet every once in awhile those countless hours of tedium pay off big time: meet Dell's unannounced all-in-one XPS One. What we're seeing here is a likely 22-inch WSXGA (1,680 x 1,050) display flanked by stereo speakers (with media buttons running up one side), topped off by a webcam, and featuring a slot-loading Blu-ray burner along the right bezel. On the inside we've got a number of processor options from Intel (the FCC test unit had a 2.66GHz E6750 Core 2 Duo), integrated or ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2400 graphics, up to 4GB of RAM, four-flavor WiFi plus Bluetooth, and the usual slew of connectors including S/PDIF and a proprietary port for an optional breakout TV dongle. Input comes via the included wireless mouse and keyboard, and Dell's also loaded up a memory card reader, making for quite the capable multimedia PC. We'd expect this desktop to be priced well above the recent Gateway model with which it shares a moniker -- which isn't such a big deal, really, as $2,000+ price tags have never really stopped XPS customers before. For all the angles, make sure to hit up the gallery below... %Gallery-9018%
eMachines announces new low-cost desktops for the holidays
eMachines looks to be trying to make its already budget-priced desktops even more attractive to consumers this holiday season, with it today introducing a pair of models that it says strike just the right balance between performance and value. The most affordable of the pair is the company's T3626 desktop (a slight variation on the T3616), which starts at just $350 after a $50 mail-in rebate. For that price you'll get a 2.2GHz AMD Sempron 3800+ processor, along with NVIDIA GeForce 6100 graphics, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and a DVD burner, among other standard specs. Taking things up a notch, the $435 (again, after a $50 rebate) T5234 model packs a AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+ processor, along with slightly beefer NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE graphics, 1GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, and that same DVD burner. According to eMachines, both should be available at all the usual locations immediately.
TUAW's new background for your computer
Eagle-eyed readers have noticed that TUAW's look has changed a little as of late. We've 'Leoparded up' the site just a bit, taking some design cues from Apple's soon to be released OS.As with any redesign the comments have run the gamut from "It is horrible!" to "Where can I download that Desktop?" We'll be refining the design over the coming months, so keep the comments coming. That being said, for those of you who want to decorate your Mac with a TUAW desktop head on over here and download it for yourself. It isn't the highest resolution, but it still looks good on my 24 inch iMac.
Gateway rolls out P-series laptops, GT-series desktop
While it likely won't do much to appease those who missed out on the ever-so-shortly-available $300 Gateway laptop, the company has just announced a couple of new entries in its slightly higher-end P-series laptop line, which each manage to stay under the $1,000 mark. Those include the $800 P-6801 model, which sports a 1.46GHz Pentium dual-core processor and a 160GB hard drive, and the $950 P-6822, which ups things to a 1.5GHz Core 2 Duo processor, a 250GB hard drive, and a built-in 1.3 megapixel webcam. Both models also pack the same 17-inch 1440 x 900 display, along with the usual Intel X3100 graphics. On the desktop front, Gateway has let loose its new GT5628 model, which is based around Intel's G33 chipset and packs a speedy 2.4GHz Core 2 Quad processor, along with GeForce 8500 GT graphics, 3GB of RAM, and a spacious 500GB hard drive. Look for it to set you back $950 when it lands October 14th, which is the same day the laptops are set to be released.
HP offers up HD DVD / Blu-ray drives on select Pavilion desktops
Just last month, we heard rumblings that HP may begin offering up two-faced optical drives in its desktops, and sure enough, a variety of select Pavilions are now being served up with HD DVD and / or Blu-ray compatibility. The d4995t, m9000t and m9000z all give users the option of purchasing a vanilla dual-layer DVD burner, an HD DVD / Blu-ray combo player (that also burns DVDs), or a drive that burns Blu-ray / DVD and reads HD DVD. Additionally, a number of lesser-spec'd rigs also provide users the option of picking up an HD combo drive of some sort, and you can even snap up ATI's TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner on the d4995t and m9000t (among others).[Thanks, Ryan]
Gateway busting out artsy all-in-one PC next week?
Gateway is passing around an invite to New York's Digital Life attendees, promising the grand unveiling of... something. The invite is tagged with a cute little "Gateway One" logo, or maybe it's "One Gateway," and all signs are pointing towards a new all-in-one PC with decent aesthetics. Also, breakfast will be served, so you know we're all over it. The press conference will be at 9AM EDT on September 27th.
LG intros LX97WH desktop with Blu-ray / HD DVD combo drive
It looks like LG is putting its own Blu-ray / HD DVD combo drives to good use, with one finding its way into the company's new LX97WH desktop recently unveiled in Korea. While other specs unfortunately seem to be a bit hard to come by, the system will apparently boast a Core 2 Duo processor of some sort, along with an NVIDIA GeForce 8-Series graphics card and, as you can see, a fairly eye-catching paint job. No word on pricing just yet either, although you can probably guess where you'll have to go if you want to get one.
CNET Labs benchmarks Parallels and Fusion virtualization products
Whenever two options are presented, it is often a smart move to weight the pros and cons of each and make a decision based on your needs. If you need to push Windows in a virtualization environment, Daniel A. Begun at CNET Labs has benchmarked Windows Vista running in both Parallels Desktop and VMware Fusion. The short of the long? If you really need to push Windows, do it in Boot Camp if at all possible. If Boot Camp is out of the question, VMware Fusion was the winner in heavy duty, multimedia tasks by a landslide, due largely in part to its support of multiple core processors (Parallels, as of this writing, only supports one core per CPU). On the flip side, however, Parallels Desktop is the only virtualization product that supports 3D gaming right now, but as a Parallels owner, I'll still vouch for running your games in Windows via Boot Camp.At the end of the CNET Labs day, both apps still have their pros and cons. Begun hails Parallels Desktop for being the more usable and intuitive of the two (and during my initial tests of both before deciding to buy, I agreed), though I had a much easier time getting non-Windows OSes installed in VMware Fusion (to this day, Parallels Desktop still won't install Ubuntu, and I have received no response as to why). Still, the moral of this particular story is that if performance is at the very top of your virtualization shopping list, VMware Fusion is, at least for now, the reigning champion. Check Begun's full article for more details on the tests and how they were performed.
A Kinkless Desktop
Ethan Schoonover is the creator of Kinkless GTD, the series of AppleScripts for OmniOutliner that was one of the first serious GTD implementations on the Mac. He has since contributed to the development of the forthcoming OmniFocus. Ethan's productivity tips go beyind kGTD, however, and he has a five-part series of articles and screencasts called Kinkless Desktop, which explain his methods for keeping your Desktop orderly and productive. He has a number of nice tips including aesthetic customization and using TUAW favorite Hazel for automated filing. Check out the series at Kinkless.com.[via MacDevCenter]
Wired snags Leopard Preview
Wired got their hands on an OS X 10.5 preview disk. Even after receiving a cease and desist, they're boldly still hosting screenshots of the Leopard Desktop and Safari (they dropped shots of the screen saver and iCal). Wired's Michael Calore found the new OS sleek and glossy, and tested out new features like Stacks, Spaces and Cover Flow. Firefox 2 and Photoshop CS3 both worked well according to his write-up. He promises to post more details as the testing continues.
Hello Tomorrow: The 300+ new features of Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard
While Steve Jobs introduced ten major features coming in Mac OS X Leopard at last year's WWDC, the entire list of new features has finally been unveiled. We already knew about some of the enhancements coming in apps like Mail and the all-new Spaces and Time Machine, but Jobs today highlighted some significant new features such as an interesting new approach to the Desktop and a (finally!) updated Finder. This isn't all that's coming in Leopard, however; not by a long shot. In fact, along with a redesigned Apple.com, the company has unveiled the full Leopard features site, elaborating a lot more on most (but likely not all) the new features we'll get to play with in October. The list this time around actually tops over 300+ new features - the most significant upgrade in Mac OS X's history. Included in the list are apps we haven't seen featured on stage, including iCal, Parental Controls, DVD Player, Automator and more. There's a lot to look through here (and likely much more to discover that Apple hasn't detailed), so we're going to take some time to digest this all. As always, feel free to send us tips as we publish more info on new features as quickly as possible.
