Cheap Netbooks @ Ramvalley

Laptop battery dying usually happens with cheap laptops and cheap netbooks, when that happens you don’t have to buy a new one just follow the tutorial in this video.

Connect your laptop to your TV with a few cables and turn your computer into a big-screen television. Learn how to connect a netbook to a television or TV with this video

Alienware Area 51 – M7700 – The Dream

Flashback year 2006, everyone in the computer world got stunned as Alienware unveiled their new breed of customizable gaming laptop, the Alienware Area 51. Back then, this gaming laptop was hands down every gamers’ dream for a gaming laptop. If not for its steep price back then, everyone would probably work double jobs just to get their hands on this formerly jaw-dropping gaming notebook – including myself.

What more could a gamer ask for in a cheap gaming laptop? What game or 3d application do you think would not be running without a snag on the Alienware Area 51 M7700’s 3.8 GHz of hyper threading raw processing power provided by Intel’s Pentium 4 processor? Add Nvidia’s GeForce 7800 GTX with 256mb of dedicated memory for stunning visuals. Not to mention its 4 GB of PC5300 DDR 2 of ram. And of course, nobody with a right mind would settle for less than 7200 rpm for a hard drive given you already have all the previously mentioned top performing specs. Definitely not I!

Oh well, those were the days when all I could do is daydream on getting my hands on the world’s best gaming laptop. Luckily for me, the time for daydreaming is over. Even with our present economic challenges, I have managed well enough to be able to finally get myself the gaming laptop that I deserve.

Dilemma to get Alienware Area 51 – M7700

Ok. Now here is the funny part. I finally got enough cash to splurge on my dream gaming laptop right? So shopping I tried to do. And guess what? Alienware does not sell my dream no more! How ironic. How ironic indeed. I guess my dream will have to remain a dream for a little bit longer – Oh yes! I definitely am not giving up on this baby!

After countless hours trying to get quality information from Alienware’s customer support on how I could get my hands on the Alienware Area 51 M7700, I gave up on the Alienware’s horrific customer service and I took a step back to assess what options I got left in getting what I have dreamed of.

Then it hit me. EBay! There, I finally found one Alienware Area 51 M7700! Right then and there, I almost purchased it outright specially with it’s less than $ 1,000 price tag. Lucky for me I did not let my emotions get the better of me. I checked on the details of the unit being sold by this EBay seller. It does look like it’s in excellent condition; I will give the unit that. However, the configured specs are a little low for my taste. And the worst part? No option for a warranty! Oh no! Definitely not going with that one now. Not unless I want to end up going bald for issues that might arise after buying the rig.

The Solution

Just when things seemed too dark, a light shined at service.ztronics.com. They had some of the few Alienware Area 51 M7700 left on the planet. And not just that. There units are configured even better than how I dreamed it should be years back. And the best part? They have a 1 year warranty as an option. Need I say more?

At long last, I’m off gaming with what the critics and gamers alike dubbed as the best gaming laptop for months on end. All thanks to everyone at service.ztronics.com specially their top-notch customer service!

For more details on any variant of Alienware Area 51 you may contact http://service.ztronics.com or call at – 714-979-9877

Just thought id add something funny today. This guy does crazy tricks and catches cheap laptops in his butt.

P.S. for the n00bs, its not real.. its computer generated

• 2.2GHz Intel Core2 Duo T6600 Processor (2MB L2 Cache, 800 MHz FSB)
• 4 GB DDR3 RAM (2 Dimm), Max supported: 8 GB
• 500 GB (5400RPM) SATA Hard Drive, LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD±R/RW with Double Layer Support
• 15.6″ Diagonal High Definition HP LED BrightView Display(1366×768); Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD (shared) with up to 1.6 GB total available graphics memory
• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, *Up to 4 Hours of Battery Life

Product Description
For those who want an all-in-one performance cheap laptops with rich multimedia features, the HP Pavilion dv6 Entertainment series delivers excellent mobile performance that looks as great as it runs. Powered by the latest processor and graphics technologies, it delivers the features you need to support your digital lifestyle. Enjoy full-screen viewing of HD TV and movies with the 16:9 display. Enjoy your photos and videos on HD TVs with the HDMI port (cable sold separately). Chat face to face with the HP Webcam and add fun special effects. Enter data quickly with the separate numeric keypad. Look good on the go with award-winning HP Imprint finish. Create personalized DVD and CD labels with LightScribe…. More >>

HP Pavilion DV6-1354US 15.6-Inch Black Laptop – Up to 4 Hours of Battery Life

The MacBook Wheel lets consumers accomplish everyday tasks like typing with just a few dozen spins and clicks of a wheel.

• Notebook carrying backpack
• Padded shoulder strap

Product Description
15.6-Inch CORE BACK PACK PITCH BLACK/SOFT GRAY… More >>

Belkin 15.6-Inch Core laptop Backpack

• 2.1GHz Intel Pentium T4300 Processor
• 4GB Memory
• 500GB Serial ATA Hard Drive, DVD SuperMulti Drive
• 15.6″ High-def Display
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, 2 Hours 25 Minutes of Battery Life

Product Description
Offering solid performance and impressive affordability, the Satellite L505 laptop is tailor made for handling life’s essentials at home, school or work. Surfing the Net, downloading video, checking email, managing household finances or studying for finals, this easy-to-use, all-purpose, eco-conscious machine makes an excellent first-time or secondary laptop. It gives you ample processing power, memory and storage for getting things done. It also offers convenient connectivity options for staying in touch, along with ports for enjoying and sharing pictures and playlists. A stunning high-def display lends a new visual dimension to whatever you’re doing. While an all-new Fusion Finish design means you’ll be… More >>

Toshiba Satellite L505-S5993 TruBrite 15.6-Inch Grey/Black Laptop – 2 Hours 25 Minutes of Battery Life

What is a Netbook

A Netbook (InterNET and noteBOOK) is a class of Laptop computer designed for wireless communication and access to the Internet. Netbook is primarily designed for web-browsing and emailing. Netbooks are gaining grounds on their compact design, slimmer looks and sleeker appeal.

Cheap netbooks are a Notebook computer with a low-powered x86-compatible processor (compatible with PC standard software), small screen (no larger than 10 inches), small keyboard, equipped with wireless connectivity, lightweight (under three pounds) and generally with no optical disk drive. They sometimes have Solid State Drives (SSDs) instead of Hard Disk Drives, which are lower capacity but have no moving parts and should, in theory, increase battery life and speed. Netbooks can run either Linux or Windows XP.

Why a Netbook

The obvious question is why should anyone buy a device with a smaller screen, slower processor, no optical drive when  you can get a full-featured notebook?

When it comes to a portable computer, the things that matter to most are speed and convenience.A Netbook is more convenient because it is lighter, and it usually has a lightweight operating system. The processor itself isn’t as powerful, but there’s much less processing that needs to be done with Windows XP or Linux in order to be usable.

If we are just looking for a portable computer to take along with us while traveling, to check e-mail, chat on Skype, watch some Youtube videos, take some notes, then a Netbook is what we want. Where as if we’re going to do intensive image editing, multimedia authoring, gaming etc then a Notebook/Laptopi is more suited for our needs.

Don’t confuse these low cost Netbooks with some of the sub-compact full featured Notebooks that are also out there. Sony, Dell and others also offer small lightweight Notebooks that have all the features of a full size computer in a tiny package but at a hefty price of $1400 and up. Some of these have plenty of power and features and up to 9 hours of battery life. These are real computers that are just packed into really small cases.

How does it compares to a regular Notebook

Let’s see the differences between a typical Netbook and a regular Notebook. Features of Dell Mini 9  Netbook  are compared with a regular sized Dell Inspiron Notebook below:

Inspiron Mini 9
Proecessor: Intel Atom Processor N270
Screen: 8.9”
Weight: 5.9lbs.
Battery: 32WHr Battery (4 cell)
Processor speed: 1.6 GHz
Memory: 1GB DDR2, 8GB SSD Memory
OS: Windows XP Home
Options: Camera, Bluetooth
Cost: $299

Inspiron 1525
Processor: Intel Pentium Dual Core T4200
Screen: 15.6” Wide Screen, Optional Hi-Res
Weight: 2.28 lbs.
Battery: 6-cell battery
Processor speed: 2 GHz
Memory: 4GB, Disk 320GB
OS: Windows Vista
Options: Camera, Bluetooth, ext Bat, More mem
Cost: $699

Pros compared to a regular Laptop:
- Excellent portability due to small size and light weight
- Good enough for basic computer tasks
- Relatively low cost

Cons compared to a regular Laptop:
- Small screen/lower resolution, small keyboard due to small size
- Limited processing power
- Hardware upgrades can be more challenging
- Due to lower processing capabilities, size and cost, advanced features are less adopted (FireWire, HDMI, etc…)

Which Netbook to buy?

It seems that Initially Netbook category was lead by Asus, Acer, but today computer giants Dell and HP jumped into the race.

According to the PcWorld.com the TOP 10 Netbooks are:
1. Asus EEE PC 1000HE
2. Acer Aspire ONE AOD150
3. Lenovo IdeaPad S10
4. Acer Aspire One (XP-Based)
5. Asus Eee PC 1000 XP
6. HP Mini 2140
7. Asus N10Jc
8. HP Mini 1000
9. Dell Inspiron Mini 9
10. MSI Wind U100

As with any purchase, you have to decide for yourself on what suits you best.

So go ahead explore the world of Netbooks and see if it’s a better choice compared to a Laptop. While the Laptop market is declining in this economy, interestingly the Netbook sales are predicted to be on the rise.

A couple of useful resources:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/154358/top_10_netbooks.html

http://tech.msn.com/products/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=18573429&imageindex=1

Read the original article and more blog posts about tech gadgets and shopping tips

Have you ever tried of getting your cheap netbooks or Alienware laptops serviced? If not, did it ever occur to you that the time would eventually come for your beloved machines to get its well deserved pampering if not a complete laptop repair? If your situation is the latter, I am pretty sure you are up for a big surprise. For those who are new to this, I bet you are itching to relate.
I wish the surprise I mentioned earlier was a positive one. I really do. Especially given the fact that Alienware laptops are supposed to be aiming for the upper end of the laptop market, nobody would expect to get such horrendous service for such expensive machines. I could write about the nightmares I have gone through their technical support for days on end. Believe me you do not? Then please feel free to Google other customer experiences yourself.

Alienware Service – Freelance Laptop Technicians
Then we got the so-called freelance technicians on eBay. I know. Even I have not imagined that a Alienware Laptop Repair Service could be sold on eBay. Regardless of what you or I think, freelance laptop technicians do exist on the popular site. Many of them might even offer a tempting and affordable package for a laptop overhaul. The catch? Technical skills aside, such freelancers just do not have the resources (human or hardware) to be able to give you a good turn around time. So please feel free to try some of them Alienware service providers on eBay IF you are in no hurry to get your rig back in top shape.
After having had excruciating experiences on getting my Alienware workhorse serviced from the manufacturer and eBay technicians, I almost gave up. Luckily, I decided to try to get this baby fix one last time so I tried searching again for someone that might be able to do a better job. Then I found out that there are indeed some third-party companies that specialize in providing Alienware service.

Solution for Alienware Service
I wish I could say I have tried and tested all of them, luckily I can not since the guys at http://service.ztronics.com/ have done a hell of a good job bringing my rig back to its prime. These guys from Santa Ana, California sure did know their thing. The best part? I did not just have my alienware laptop overhauled inside out, I am also better off with the knowledge that I can still use my Alienware for years to come. And if I will ever need to get a more powerful machine, I need not throw this since I do have a number of upgrade options to make it run at par with any other notebook on the market. So now, all smiles I sure am.