laptops

Apple didn't make any big design changes to the 2012 MacBook Air, but the company did upgrade the machine's hardware. In this week's episode of Cracking Open, I take you inside this year's 11-inch Air and show you what's changed.… Read more

During an event at New York's Museum of Modern Art, PC maker Lenovo has announced new details about upcoming laptops, as well as a new ThinkPad-branded Windows 8 tablet.

The event was to mark the ThinkPad brand's 20th anniversary. Originally IBM's PC line, Lenovo bought the brand in 2005. The three new products profiled have all been spotted before, at CES 2012 or later in the year, including the flagship ThinkPad X1 Carbon ultrabook.

ThinkPad X1 Carbon First spotted in May 2012, we've already given this 14-inch ultrabook an extensive hands-on look. It starts at $1,… Read more

Video game publisher/developer Valve created the Steam distribution platform to offer easy downloads and installation for Windows and Mac games. The Steam app and online store work for both Valve's own games, including Half-Life and Portal, and games from other publishers, including both hits such as Skyrim and indie games like Torchlight. Now, the company plans to add nongaming apps, starting in September.

In a brief online statement, the company says: "The Software titles coming to Steam range from creativity to productivity. Many of the launch titles will take advantage of popular Steamworks features, such as easy … Read more

One pleasant surprise from the past couple of months has been the number of good-to-great laptops we've reviewed that can be had for $1,000 or less. That price range is usually Compromise City, with cheap-looking systems that may have decent CPUs, but skimp on a lot of other stuff. And, of course, no one wants to be seen in the coffee shop with a hunk of molded plastic while every other table sports a metal MacBook.

Whether you're gearing up for the fall semester or you're just ready for a pre-Windows 8 upgrade, the systems below all strike a good balance between price, design, and features.… Read more

Consumers eyeing a Retina MacBook Pro now have a choice of CPU, drive storage size, and other options.

Apple has revamped the order page for both flavors of the new MacBook Pro with a build-to-order configuration. So you can now pick your options based on the features you want and how much money you're willing to spend.

Previously, buyers looking for the less-expensive 2.3GHz model were forced to move up to the pricier 2.6GHz version if they needed a beefier CPU or more hard drive storage, noted Apple blogging site MacRumors.… Read more

Earlier today I caught a glimpse of the HP tower that's been sitting, untouched, on my spare desk for the better part of a year. And it got me thinking: does it still make sense to buy a desktop?

As recently as three years ago, I'd never have a considered anything else for my primary PC. Real work required real horsepower, and that meant a desktop. Plus, as an avid gamer, I needed a fast processor and the occasional video-card upgrade to feed my habit.

Needless to say, the times, they are a-changing. I don't game much … Read more

What's a warranty worth to you? And how big a warranty do you need to be comfortable buying a laptop?

While you chew on those questions, check this out: Today only, and while supplies last, Woot Tech has the refurbished HP Pavilion G7-1328DX 17.3-inch laptop for $369.99, plus $5 for shipping.

Because it's a refurb, the Pavilion has a fairly standard 90-day warranty. That's usually enough time to determine if, say, the LCD has a bad pixel or the system has a sudden-reboot problem.

For sake of comparison, Best Buy sells the Pavilion G7-1328DX new for $429.99 shipped (… Read more

While you're waiting for OS X Mountain Lion to download, don't forget to update your other Mac apps, including Safari, Aperture, iPhoto, and iMovie.

The Safari update is more substantial, while the other programs are getting a handful of new features and fixes.

Note that, for now at least, Safari 6 is only available on Macs running the new Mountain Lion operating system update. There is currently no upgrade path if you're using Windows or a previous version of OS X. The product page on Apple's Web site says, "The latest version of Safari is … Read more

Apple buyers looking for a smaller and less expensive Retina MacBook Pro may soon get their wish.

A 13-inch MacBook Pro is expected to join its larger 15-inch cousin this September, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Sharing an investors note with AppleInsider, Kuo said that the new laptop would offer consumers an "attractive" alternative to the non-Retina 13-inch MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air due to the higher-resolution screen.

The analyst believes the unit's appeal will be enhanced by its combination of low power consumption and smaller form factor. And for more budget-conscious buyers, the … Read more