replace

Apple has begun a new replacement program for some of its first-generation iPod Nano units, which, the company says, contain batteries that can overheat.

In an e-mail sent yesterday to owners of first-generation Nanos, Apple said the batteries in Nanos sold between September 2005 and December 2006 could "overheat and pose a safety risk."

In its note, Apple said the issue can be tracked back to a particular battery supplier, and that the potential for such overheating behavior "increases as the battery ages."

The new program offers a free replacement unit to customers whose device carries … Read more

It seems like just last week that I was writing about desktop-replacement laptops, like that loaded quad-core Toshiba model for $479.90. Oh, right, it was last week.

If you like the idea of a big ol' laptop that's best suited to desk duty, but your budget is extremely limited, try this: Today only, and while supplies last, Sellout.woot has the refurbished HP Pavilion G72-C55DX 17.3-inch laptop for $359.99, plus $5 for shipping. That's just a crazy-low price.

So low, in fact, that I was reluctant to post this today for fear that it'll … Read more

I've heard a lot of really bad-sounding audio products over the years, but most of them were so awful they suffered a natural and well-deserved "death." Take for example the $499 Gateway KAS-103 home theater in a box system that debuted in 2003. I had the "pleasure" of reviewing this attractive system, but it sounded so bad I was duty bound to try another sample, which was equally dreadful. There was absolutely no blend between the sound of the subwoofer and the tiny satellite speakers, the high levels of background static were impossible to ignore, … Read more

Yesterday I mentioned that I use a desktop replacement (or "big honkin' laptop") as my primary PC. Machines like these used to cost a small fortune--or, if they were more affordable, come with weak hardware. No more.

Staples has the Toshiba Satellite L775D-S7222 17.3-inch laptop for $479.90 shipped, plus sales tax in some states. That may not seem like such a big deal--I've featured similarly priced desktop replacements in the past--until you see the specs.

The Satellite is a quad-core (!) PC powered by AMD's A6-3400M processor, which features an onboard Radeon HD 6250M graphics … Read more

All the excitement these days may be centered around supersmall laptops, from ultraportable to ultrathin to ultrabook, but there's still a place for PCs on the opposite end of the spectrum. There are few things more fun for a laptop reviewer than unpacking and setting up a massive 17- or 18-inch desktop replacement laptop. To be fair, many of these systems hardly qualify to be called laptops at all; some are so massive, and have such poor battery life, that you'll essentially set them up once and never move them again.

We've had a bit of a … Read more

In stark counterpoint to small, fast systems like the MacBook Air, big-screened, heavy, packed-to-the-gills desktop-alternative laptops are still alive and well, although sometimes a little hard to justify. Toshiba's Qosmio line of laptops has been a well-known example of that type of massive machine for years, and 2011's update to the Qosmio largely continues the trend with a new design. The $1,899 Toshiba Qosmio X775-3DV78 is bulky, heavy (8 pounds), and expensive, but it's also got top-of-the-line features. A quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, powerful Nvidia GeForce GTX 560 graphics, and dual hard drives with a … Read more

Apparently a batch of the 1TB Seagate hard drives that shipped with iMac systems between May and July of 2011 may fail under certain conditions, and as a precaution Apple has started up a replacement program for the affected iMac systems. The Macs will be either the 21.5-inch or 27-inch models, provided they have been configured with the 1TB drives; other drive configurations such as the 2TB or SSD options are not affected.

If you have purchased one of these iMac configurations, Apple will likely contact you regarding the drive replacement, provided you gave a valid e-mail address when … Read more

Apple has started replacing the bottom case of MacBooks sold over the last year and a half.

According to the company, some MacBooks have a problem in which the rubber surface on the bottom of MacBooks separates from the underside of the computer. The issue affects MacBooks shipped between October 2009 and April 2011.

Apple is offering three free ways to fix the problem.

Apple said that it will replace the bottom case on affected MacBooks at the Genius Bar at any of its retail stores. In addition, consumers can choose to work with an Apple authorized service provider to … Read more

Sometimes I wonder just how much cheaper laptops can get. I mean, I can recall a time when if you wanted a desktop replacement, a system with a big screen and keyboard, you could plan on spending at least $1,000.

Today, Radio Shack is offering a refurbished HP G72-B63NR 17.3-inch laptop for $349.97, plus sales tax in most states and $6 for shipping.

That is just plain unreal, people. (It's also just plain online: this deal isn't available in stores--though you can save the six bucks on shipping by opting for free ship-to-store.)

The G72 … Read more