Laptops

For all its hype, Microsoft's Zune obviously faces a daunting challenge against the wildfire popularity of the iPod. So what magic arrow does Microsoft have in its quiver? The closest thing might lie in the wireless realm, as indicated by CEO Steve Ballmer in a video interview with CNET News.com. Ballmer suggested that a wireless network connecting all Microsoft media properties to Zune--such as its Xbox and Media Center, as well as phones and other products--could go a long way toward helping the device catch up.

When leaving the house without a copy of every scrap of data you own, do you feel any of the following symptoms: nausea, dizziness, tremors, fatigue, or shortness of breath? If so, Alienware, maker of high-end (and high-priced) gaming systems, can provide some relief. Today the company announced that it will be offering up to 400GB of drive space on two desktop replacement models: the massive 19-inch Aurora mALX and the 17-inch Aurora m9700. With that much space, you can carry all your music, photos, videos, and games with you wherever you go. Of course, that kind of peace of … Read more

Remember when you were a kid and the coolest birthday present you could get was a Fisher-Price or Little Tikes "playset" packed full of kiddie versions of grown-up tools? Depending on the contents of the colorful plastic briefcase, you could pretend to be a doctor, a construction worker, a detective, a cop, or what-have-you. Yes, I suppose they make those for grown-ups, too, but here at Crave we like to keep things clean.

Anyway, Sony is definitely capitalizing on kiddie nostalgia with its new "Limited Edition Spy Gear Set," a promotion for the latest Bond flick, &… Read more

As if the kids in developing nations didn't have to work hard enough to survive, they now have to keep up with all the name changes of the so-called $100 laptop.

MIT's Nicholas Negroponte is now calling the device the "XO," according to Fortune. For a while, it was called the 2B1 (the name that still appears on its official Web site) and before that it was the $100 laptop from the One Laptop Per Child organization.

The name, of course, isn't the only thing that's changed--it will probably cost $130 initially and only … Read more

Robert Vamosi just posted a full review of the stellar Firefox 2, which was officially released moments ago. We've added the full review (complete with video and a slide show) to the CNET home page, but Internet Explorer 7 did everything it could to crash the party.

Usually, the well-oiled CNET editorial machine posts big stories on our home page within seconds of them publishing. Our content-management system runs a bit better on IE, so that's the browser we normally use when updating the site.

But when I added the Firefox 2 review, IE 7 decided it wasn'… Read more

This is one of those tech developments that just plain makes us feel old. We remember--not that long ago--when a 1GB hard drive on a desktop computer was enormous. Now, according to Electronista, US Modular is preparing to release a 12GB version of its Monstor USB pocket drive. That's storage for enough media to choke a horse, as far as we're concerned. Besides, we like the shiny case.

(Photo: US Modular)

If you don't have kids, this might seem like a waste of money. But many of us at Crave are the bearers of rug rats who, like most others of their ilk, would like nothing better than to watch TV or play video games until their eyeballs melt.

So we'll be giving serious consideration to purchasing the Bob, a time management device designed to help keep your offspring from contributing to the swelling ranks of childhood obesity. Many TV sets already have a sleep timer that will shut it off at a designated hour, but it's usually … Read more

For days, the Internet's rumor mill has been screaming about Apple's new MacBook laptops. Of course, everyone's been screaming "next week" when, in fact, Apple just officially dropped the new MacBook Pro models today at about 8:30 EDT.

What's so special about these new MacBooks? They've got the latest and greatest Intel processor: the Core 2 Duo (in 2.16GHz and 2.33GHz flavors, if you're curious). Both 15- and 17-inch screens are available, and there are all the usual Apple goodies, like a built-in iSight camera and an Apple Front … Read more

This VGA device is designed to make your life simpler--that is, if your definition of simplicity involves playing console games, using your computer, and watching TV or DVDs all at the same time. The Logic 3 Super VGA Box allows you to do all of the above on your computer screen, complete with a remote control, without changing any plugs. We assume that the manufacturer takes no responsibility for any afflictions resulting from prolonged use of the device.

(Photo: SpectraVideo)