You won’t bump into this wall while doing basic office tasks, but if you want to edit video the system will show signs of weakness.

During CES 2012 I used my MacBook Air to edit tons of 720P and 1080P HD video content. While the machine was able to handle the work, it was hot, it was loud and it didn’t like to do much else.

So imagine my surprise when I saw that Adobe’s Dave Helmly was going to try to edit 4K video on the MacBook Air. 4K video is about 4,000 pixels, compared to HD which tops out at 1,080 pixels.

In order to do this Helmly relies on the ThunderBolt connection that is built into the MacBook Air, and is making its way to a number fo PCs. This high speed connection allows users who need more power to connect powerful peripherals and accessories to the MacBook Air for more power. This will curt down the mobility of the notebook, but it allows users to keep their work on a single notebook.

Editing 4K video on the MacBook Air with Thunderbolt Accessories

Dave Helmly started out with a MacBook Air rocking a 1.8Ghz Intel Core i7 processor and 4GB of RAM. This system is running Windows 7 64 in Boot Camp. To this he added,

• a Red Rocket Card
• Sonnet ThunderBolt Chassis
• UltraStudio 3D playback peripheral

As you can see in the demonstration video, the MacBook Air can hardly render the video at the start, but once he enables the ThunderBolt accessories the Macbook Air is able to function as a mobile video editing station.

This $5,000 add on makes 4K editing possible on a MacBook Air.

Sure, you need a desk or a car to keep the Thunderbolt peripherals in, but if you want mobility during the day and processing power in your hotel room while on location this shows a promising look at the future.

Did I mention you’ll need to spend upwards of $6,000 on top of your MacBook Air purchase price to do this?

Via 9to5Mac

ThunderBolt Peripherals Turn MacBook Air into Video Editing Beast is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The Professional Sleeve covers your MacBook with a black nylon fabric. The zippered sleeve closes to hold your computer and a pocket on the side holds all of your accessories. This sleeve will fit best for people who carry their computer around by itself on occasion but also throw it into another backpack or larger computer bag for protection.

The Vintage Sleeve goes retro with a khaki heavy-weight waxed canvas material accented in brown leather. The case closes with a snap down flap to cover the computer. The pull-tab makes it easy to retrieve from a backpack or bag. You can also carry it around from the looped tab. You’re not going to put a lot of extra accessories inside, so this fits best for this who just carry their computer around by itself.

The Sport Sleeve fits snugly with a slim zippered case offering extreme protection. The interior foam lining keeps your computer safe from short drops and dings or from jostling about as you move around. The black case with textured orange accents looks pretty cool. Like the Vintage Sleeve, it doesn’t have room for extras.

You could carry your MacBook Air or Pro in one of these cases by itself or as added protection in a regular backpack or brief case.

You will be able to get these three new sleeve cases for your MacBook sometime during the Spring of 2012. XtremeMac hasn’t named the price yet.

XtremeMac makes some nice Apple product accessories for the iPad and iPhone too.

XtremeMac Introduces 3 New Cases for MacBook Air and Pro is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

Maybe your laptop is too heavy to carry around or too slow to deal with a huge novel file or all the tabs you keep open in Firefox. Is that netbook screen proving too tiny for comfortable editing? That keyboard too shitty for words?

I feel your pain. Trying to find the right computer for writing has consumed much of my writing life. Ever since I started reviewing laptops I’ve become aware of the vast choices available and been exposed to some of the best and most heinous machines in existence.

There is a good laptop for every need. Below are some of my recent favorites. If you don’t see one that fits your needs, let me know what you’re looking for in the comments. You should also check out our Notebook Gift Guide for more favorites.

Ultraportables

These very thin and light laptops fall into two basic categories: affordable ultraportables that don’t cost much and make good companion laptops and traditional ultraportables that are powerful enough to be your only computer and have hefty price tags.

Having a laptop dedicated to just writing is nice, and for that I look to the affordable models. However, if you need a new notebook and have the budget, why not go for one you can carry around everywhere on top of everything else?

HP Pavilion dm1

My top affordable ultraportable right now is the dm1. It has an AMD Fusion processor inside, which means that it performs better than a netbook but won’t be happy with too many heavy duty tasks.

The 11.6 inch display is big enough to fit a good amount of text on screen so both writing and editing will be comfortable. It weighs 3.3 pounds, which is just light enough to carry around all day if you pack light. It’ll last you that long as well.

One nice bonus is the inclusion of Beats Audio, so when you fire up the playlist your music will sound rich, full, and motivating.

Starts at $399 at HP.com.

Ultrabooks

Recently the Windows PC world has decided to join Apple in making super slim and light laptops called Ultrabooks. Right now we’re really liking the Toshiba Portege z835 and the Lenovo IdeaPad U300s. Both are very light and thin, weighing a little more or a little less than a netbook, depending on the configuration, but both bearing 13.3-inch displays.

The Portege has an ultra low voltage Intel Core i5 processor inside, which can handle mainstream tasks easily. If you do something very resource-intensive like edit videos or rock Photoshop for more than just cropping and minor adjustments, then you may be more comfortable with the IdeaPad and the Core i7 CPU inside. But for normal use, the Portege should be plenty of oomph.

Another hallmark of ultrabooks is long battery life. The Toshiba claims 9 hours, the Lenovo 8. We’re still testing them, but it’s been my experience that you can shave about 2 hours off the claimed battery life to calculate what you’d get under normal usage.

Both have comfortable keyboards, but the Portege has an extra that may appeal to those who don’t touch type: backlit keys.

The Toshiba Portege z835 is available for $799 at Best Buy, which is a good price for something this thin and speedy. The Lenovo IdeaPad U300s is hovering around $1,000 – $1,200 right now, but will likely come down as the holiday season gets in full swing.

Samsung Series 9

If a 13.3 inch screen is too big for you, check out this sleek little guy from Samsung. The 11.6-inch Series 9 comes with a Core i3 processor and either a 64GB or 128GB SSD. This ensures you’ll get speedy performance, though if you’re a heavy multitasker it may not be quite powerful enough for your needs.

The Series 9 is made from a strong metal called duralumin that is sturdy but light. The keyboard offers decent tactile feedback and the touchpad won’t get in your way. Due to the size you won’t get a lot of ports. You will get a nice 5 hours of battery life.

This sweet number costs quite a bit of money. However, it comes with a 3 year warranty out of the box, so it’ll be with you that long, at least. If you like the look but need more power, there’s a 13-inch version with better specs.

$1,049 and up at Samsung.com.

Business Notebooks

Don’t skip over this section just because you’re not a corporate type. So-called business laptops are often better for consumers than the stuff you’ll find on the shelf at Best Buy. They’re sturdy, have good keyboards and touchpads, come with a ton of ports, give you robust security options out of the box, and often have useful pre-loaded software.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1

If there’s one thing writers should know about Lenovo’s business laptops it’s that they have the best keyboards around. Even though it looks different from the Lenovo keyboards of old, the new style found on the ThinkPad X1 is just as easy and comfortable to type on as it is attractive. It offers strong tactile feedback, good travel, and just enough dip in the center to keep fingers on the right keys.

The X1 isn’t quite an ultraportable as it weighs 3.8 pounds. Not too heavy, but not super light. It’s also pretty thin, measuring just 0.8 inches thick.

Performance-wise, this is a workhorse machine that can handle Scrivener, MS Office, Firefox, iTunes, and way more without breaking a sweat. Well, not heavy duty games, but you’re here to write, not play WOW.

The only downside to this notebook is a short battery life: around 4 hours of real life usage. You can get an optional battery slice for $150 that will make it last twice as long. However, it adds weight and thickness.

Configurable at Lenovo.com, the ThinkPad X1 starts at $1,199.

HP Probook 5330m

HP has produced some really worthwhile business laptops lately. The ProBook 5330m looks pretty slick for a corporate type thanks to the brushed aluminum casing.

The backlit keyboard is really comfortable to type on and even has a trackpoint, so you can manipulate the mouse without having to move your hands from the keyboard. Inside you’ve got guts powerful enough for mainstream tasks and even some heavy duty stuff.

If you’re concerned about security, this laptop has some heavy-duty options for you. You can register your face for facial login, any of your fingers for one-swipe login, plus add a password. On top of that, you can set it so that not only do you need one or more of these logins, but also a registered Bluetooth device nearby, such as a phone.

It starts at $799 at HP.com.

Mainstream Notebook

Sony VAIO SE

This is another laptop that isn’t an ultraportable, but is designed with portability in mind. It has a 15-inch screen but doesn’t have a 15-inch bulk. For a laptop with this size screen it’s very thin and light, measuring just under an inch thick and weighing 4.4 pounds, making it reasonably mobile.

The screen is not only big, it also has a full HD resolution (1920 x 1080), so you can fit a lot of text on one screen or keep all the different little windows and panels in Scrivener open and still have enough room for your text. It’s also useful for looking at two different windows side by side.

The keyboard is comfortable, though doesn’t have the really strong tactile feedback of a Lenovo. Inside there’s a processor powerful to handle everything up to light video and photo editing and heavy multitasking.

Since it’s such a big system, it probably won’t last more than 5 hours on a charge. However, you can pick up a battery slice that covers and integrates with the bottom of the notebook. This adds some thickness and raises the entire notebook to 5.8 pounds. It’ll get you to 9 hours, though.

It starts at $999 at the Sony store.

MacBooks

You may have noticed a distinct lack of MacBook in any of the categories above. That’s because they deserve their own section.

Many writers swear by their MacBooks and say they can’t write without them. If you’re contemplating a new one or making the switch over from the PC, which should you pick?

MacBook Pro

Don’t be fooled by the “Pro” in the name. The 13-inch model is a pretty basic mainstream laptop at this point, though it is plenty powerful enough for most people.

Thanks to the aluminum casing it’s heavy enough that you will notice it if you carry it around a lot. But it’s not so heavy as to be prohibitive.

The flat keys are well-spaced but don’t dip enough for my tastes. Still, they have a snappy return. And the touchpad is one of the best I’ve ever used, hands-down.

If portability isn’t a concern and you just want a solid, powerful laptop, consider the 15-inch model. Again, because it’s all aluminum it’s going to be on the heavy side. But you’ll get a good keyboard, and nice big screen for editing and writing, and good performance for all your other tasks.

Starts at $1,199 at Apple.com.

MacBook Air

If portability is your main concern then you’re probably eying the MacBook Air. It is wonderfully thin and light and has the same good keyboard and excellent touchpad as the Pro line. You won’t get very many ports, but you will get most of the important ones.

The 11.6-inch model makes a good, but expensive, companion computer. It’s not going to deliver stunning performance, but it’s more powerful than a netbook or even an affordable ultraportable.

The 13.3-inch model is good enough to be a primary computer as it has a good processor and at least a 128GB SSD inside.

You’re going to pay for that power, though. It’s a Mac, so you knew that.

Starts at $999 at Apple.com.

These suggestions represent some of my favorite computers, but I’d love to hear what computers my fellow NaNoWriMo writers are using to get their daily wordcount. Tell us what you love or hate about your computer. What’s your ideal writing machine?

Looking for more tech suggestions for writers? Check out the NaNoWriMo tag over on GottaBeMobile.

NaNoWriMo: Best Notebooks For Writers is a post by K. T. Bradford from Notebooks.com.

This year’s gift guide includes the best notebooks, netbooks and ultrabooks we reviewed in 2011 to simplify your holiday shopping and gift giving.

Because everyone has different needs and budgets, we’ve included everything from mainstream and entertainment notebooks to business and ultraportable models, aplusnd the ultimate gaming notebook. Prices start at $269 and go up over $1,000.

You can be sure that any of these notebooks will make an amazing gift this holiday season.

Mainstream Notebooks

Mainstream notebooks will meet most of your needs, and do so with some style. They’re great gifts for users who need solid performance and a decent multimedia experience but don’t need something ultra slim or ultra powerful. With these picks you can get a better experience than the typical budget notebook without spending significantly more.

Sony VAIO SE

Big screen without the bulk.

Looking for a laptop with a decent-sized display that is still reasonably portable? Sony’s got you covered with the VAIO SE. This notebook has a beautiful 15.5-inch display yet the case is only 0.9 inches thick and weighs just 4.4 pounds.

Even though it has a slim profile, this machine still has room for a Blu-ray drive and plenty of ports, including HDMI, memory card, and USB 3.0.

The 15-inch display features a full HD resolution, rich colors, and deep blacks. Add in a full-size keyboard and number pad plus a generous touchpad and you have a great laptop for both work and entertainment.

The base price includes a powerful Intel Core i5 processor and AMD Radeon graphics. Configure it on Sony’s website for more options, including a Core i7 CPU and solid state drives with storage up to 1TB (yes, terabyte).

Pertinent Specs: 15.5-inch display, 1920 x 1080 resolution, 2.4-GHz 2nd gen Intel Core i5-2430M processor, 4GB RAM, AMD Radeon HD 6470M graphics, 512MB VRAM, 500GB hard drive, CD/DVD drive

$999 and up @ SonyStyle.com

Gateway ID Series

Looks and power in an affordable, portable package.

The Gateway ID 47 packs a 14″ display in the frame of a 13″ notebook, giving you bigger display without filling up a backpack. While the notebook is smaller, it still includes a DVD Super Multi Drive and full complement of ports, which means you won’t need to add a stocking of adapters to your gift bag.

The Gateway ID 47 is attractively priced for students and home users who need the power to do basic student tasks as well as come video editing and photo touch ups. The battery lasts long enough to get you through a day of classes, and with a small package, you can carry the charger if you need to do some power intensive work.

Gateway sets the ID 47 apart from the rest of the Gateway fare with nice looks and good build quality, pictures don’t do this notebook justice. For $679 you get a very good looking notebook.

This notebook is a top pick for students and mobile users who care about style, but are budget conscious.

Pertinent Specs: 14-inch display, 1366 x 768 resolution, 2.4GHz Intel Core i5 2nd gen processor, 500GB hard drive, webcam, Super Multi DVD drive, 4GB RAM, Intel HD 3000 graphics

Read our Gateway ID47 Hands On Review

$679 @ Amazon

Multimedia Notebooks

These laptops prioritize entertainment features such as HD displays, Blu-ray players, or amazing speaker quality. Multimedia notebooks tend to have powerful processors and graphics cards, so they can handle almost anything else users throw at them as well.

Sony VAIO E series

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.

Give a notebook with an extra dash of flair this holiday. The VAIO E series features a distinctive diamond texture and comes in four colors — black, white, blue, and pink — that extend over the whole case, not just the lid. Available in 14, 15.5, and 17.3-inch sizes, there’s an E Series for every need.

Featuring bright, LED-backlit displays with colors that pop, island-style keyboards with great travel and tactile feedback, and multi-touch touchpads, the VAIO E doesn’t forgo the practical considerations for the sake of good looks. It will also last you all day on a charge — the 14-inch version promises over 8 hours, and the 17-incher has an impressive 5+ hour rating.

Inside you can choose from Intel Core i3 (for a basic user) or Core i5 (for a mainstream user) processors. If the giftee plays games or does light to medium video editing, add on Nvidia’s GeForce dedicated graphics. If they like watching movies, you can upgrade to a Blu-ray drive.

Since these aren’t the most portable laptops, they’re a good gift for people who don’t need to carry it everywhere they go. It’s great for media lovers, especially if they’ve cut the cable cord.

Pertinent Specs: 14, 15.5, or 17.3-inch displays, Intel Core i3-2330M and Core i5-2430M processors, 1366 x 768 resolution, 4-8GB of RAM, 320-750Gb hard drive,  Blu-ray drive, Intel HD Graphics 3000 or NVIDIA GeForce 410M graphics

$469 and up @ Sony.com

Dell XPS 15

The ultimate multimedia machine.

The XPS 15 is the perfect notebook for the serious multimedia lover on your list. It’s not a thin, light, or particularly good-looking machine. But the audio quality will blow you away and it’s performance chops make it a great choice for watching HD videos and playing games. And if they have a 3D TV in the house, the XPS 15 will output 3D content via HDMI.

The 6.1 pound weight and wide 15.0 x 10.4 x 1.5 inch footprint means that this laptop will likely spend most of it’s time on a desk. That’s fine, as it can serve as the media center for a small room such as a studio apartment or dorm. The JBL speakers and Waves MaxxAudio 3 sound enhancement software deliver audio quality far above anything you’ll hear on most laptops. Not only do you get good volume, but a round, layered sound whether you’re listening to R&B, rock, classical, or watching Blu-ray movies.

The only drawback on the media side is that the 15.6-inch display only has a 1366 x 768 resolution at the base price and not a full HD one. You can upgrade to a 1920×1080 panel if you really love the person…

I’d recommend this for students who’ll do most of their work in the dorm room. The keyboard is sturdy and offers good feedback, and the large touchpad makes pulling off multi-touch gestures easy. You’ll get great performance with an Intel Core i5 processor, 6GB of RAM, and dedicated Nvidia graphics, but if you’re shopping for a power user who’ll need a laptop that can handle video editing, heavy-duty calculations, or resource-intensive programs, upgrade to a quad-core Core i7 CPU.

Pertinent Specs: 15.6-inch display, 1366 x 768 or 1920 x 1080 resolution, 2nd gen Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors, 500GB hard drive or 256GB SSD, webcam, Blu-ray drive, 4-8GB RAM, Nvidia GeFore GT graphics

$799 and up @ Dell.com

Ultraportables and Ultrabooks

When portability and long battery life matter, ultraportables or ultrabooks are good machines to consider. While these notebooks often carry a price premium, you get long battery life and sub 3 pound weight without giving up power. Our top picks are light enough you might have to make sure you put it in the box after you’ve wrapped it up.

Samsung Series 9

A MacBook Air challenger with flair.

Months before ultrabooks came on the scene, Samsung created an ultrathin ultraportable that is both powerful and beautiful. The Series 9 is made from black duralumin — a metal previously only used in aircraft construction — with a sweet curve at the edges to give the notebook some welcome flair.

The 13.3-inch display is super bright and offers popping colors and deep blacks, equally suited to surfing on the web, writing documents, or watching HD video. A large touchpad and comfortable island-style keyboard round out the look.

This laptop isn’t just about aesthetics, though. Inside you can choose from Intel’s powerful Core i5 or i7 processors plus speedy 128GB or 256GB solid state drives. The integrated battery should last you around 6 hours at least.

With the level of performance these configurations offer, the Series 9 is powerful enough to be your only notebook. It’s a great gift for road warriors and frequent travelers, people who need to carry their laptop everywhere, and grad students who need something light that can handle everything they throw at it.

Pertinent Specs: 13.3-inch display 1366 x 768 resolution, 2.4GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 128GB SSD, webcam, 4GB RAM, Intel HD 3000 Graphics

$1,649 @ Samsung.com

MacBook Air

Still setting the standard for portable power and looks.

Apple’s MacBook Air notebooks start at $999 and bring the same solid design and great industrial looks that we expect. The 11 inch Macbook Air has a full size keyboard, but a smaller mouse pad than the 13″ Macbook Air.

Unlike most of the other notebooks in this gift guide, the MacBook Air notebooks bring high resolution displays. This means that the notebook can show more on the screen at once. The 11-inch model has the same screen resolution as many 14-inch and 15-inch notebooks, and the 13-inch MacBook Air has a 1440 x 900 resolution that makes side by side work easy, and even enjoyable.

One primary concern here is storage space. The entry level MacBook Air only offers 64GB of storage, so there’s not a lot of room for pictures and video. You can get up to a 256GB of storage, but it comes at a price and may only be available online.

If you are purchasing the gift for a student, don’t forget that Apple offers student discount pricing, and there will be some Black Friday Deals.

The Macbook Air is a good gift for travelers, students who need power and portability and fans of OS X.

Pertinent Specs: 11-inch or 13-inch display, 1366 x 768 and 1440 x 900 resolution, 1.6Ghz to 1.8Ghz Intel Core i5 2nd gen processor, 2-4GB RAM, 64Gb to 256GB storage, Intel HD 3000 graphics.

Read our MacBook Air 11-Inch Review

$999 and up @ Apple

Toshiba Portege z835

An ultra-light Windows Ultrabook with looks and power.

Toshiba delivers big time on this hot new notebook. Not only do you get an incredibly thin and light notebook (lighter than the MacBook Air), but you also spend $400 less than the entry level MacBook Air 13-inch.

The Toshiba z835-p330 is a Best Buy exclusive this holiday shopping season, and has all the features a a student or light traveler could want. The internals offer enough power for web and office work, but can also handle the occasional video editing and photo touchups. From an entertainment aspect, you can play some casual games and enjoy some movies and TV shows on the super thin, but quality display.

This is one of the lightest full powered notebooks you can buy for under $900, making it a great gift. As an added bonus, your recipient will never expect a computer when they unwrap the package thanks to the thin  box and light weight.

This model is aimed at consumers, so creative professionals and those doing lots of video work will enjoy the MacBook Air as a gift much more.

One concern is the robustness of the screen, which has a lot of flex in it. You can go hands on at you local Best Buy to see this yourself.

Pertinent Specs: 13-inch display, 1366 x 768 resolution, 1.4GHz Intel Core i3 2nd gen processor, 4GB RAM and a 128GB SSD, Intel HD 3000 graphics

Read our Toshiba Portege Z835-P330 Review

$899 @ BestBuy this November

Netbooks and Affordable Ultraportables

Consumers looking for a lightweight laptop that offered decent performance have traditionally had to spend a large chunk of change for the privilege. Not so with netbooks and their cousins, the affordable ultraportables. Netbooks keep is small with 10-inch screens, mostly, and inexpensive processors for basic tasks. Affordable ultraportables go bigger, usually sporting 11.6-inch displays and more processor power for not much more money.

Samsung NC110

A budget netbook that’s just right for basic tasks.

Netbooks make great gifts for people who don’t need high-level performance but do need to be productive with their small, portable machine. The Samsung NC110 has a single-core Intel Atom processor inside, so it’s not going to serve well as a main computer. It can handle basic tasks, making it a great companion for writers, young students, and non-business travelers.

To go with it’s low price, the NC110 is basic, yet functional. The design is attractive though it lacks flair, the keyboard and touchpad are comfortable, and it comes with the standard array of ports. The 10-inch matte display actually works out in the sun. And audio quality is decent for a netbook.

It will last over 7 hours on a charge with normal usage, which should translate to all day for most people.

Pertinent Specs: 10.1-inch display, 1024 x 600 resolution, 1.6GHz Intel Atom N455 single-core processor, 250GB hard drive, webcam, 1GB RAM , and Intel GMA 3150 graphics

$269 @ B&H

HP Pavilion dm1

Affordable, meet ultraportable.

The HP Pavilion dm1 sports an AMD Fusion APU and a generous 4GB of RAM, making it an excellent choice for someone who puts a medium workload on their laptop. If you want anything more than basic image editing and want to play games more intense than Bejeweled Blitz, this isn’t the laptop for you. But if you need multitasking power as you switch between a browser with multiple tabs, an office program and your music player, the dm1 is the way to go.

At 3.3 pounds this notebook won’t weigh you down much. The 11.6-inch HD display is large enough to view windows side by side. The wide viewing angles and bright colors make it great for watching video.

This notebook is a great gift for students (high school or college), frequent travelers, writers, independent mobile workers, and anyone looking for a machine that won’t choke at the sight of 6 open tabs in Firefox.

Available on HP.com with multiple configuration options, I suggest you pay the extra $30 and upgrade to the AMD E-450 APU as well as springing for the 4GB RAM option. Both hard drives and speedy solid state drives are available.

Pertinent Specs: 11.6-inch display, 1366 x 768 resolution, AMD dual-core E-300 or E-450 APU processor, 500-640GB hard drive or 160GB SSD, webcam, 2-8GB RAM, AMD Radeon HD (integrated) graphics

Read Our Hands-On With The New HP Pavilion dm1

$399 and up @ HP.com

Business Notebooks

If you are buying for a small business owner, euntrepanuer, or a user that needs a laptop that can handle a busy on-the-go life, check out these business notebooks. Built to last longer than consumer notebooks, they tend to have better construction and better built in warranties that make up for the higher cost.  These notebooks bring consumer features like backlit keys and premium audio to the mix as well.

Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E420s

This isn’t The Man’s old ThinkPad.

The ThinkPad Edge notebook isn’t your average business notebook. Designed with small businesses and entrepreneurs in mind, the Edge e420S brings the style and features typically found in a consumer notebook together with the durability of the ThinkPad brand, and does so without a huge price premium.

This is an important distinction, because many small business owners will use this notebook for work and play. For work, there is a webcam and fingerprint reader as well as security software. For play, the notebook has Dolby Home Theater v4 audio that delivers an amazing sound for music and dialogue enhancement for movies and an improved graphics chip that will handle casual games and editing a promo video for the company website.

Unfortunately there is no matte screen option to help with outdoor viewing.

Pertinent Specs: 14-inch display with 1366 x 768 resolution, 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5 2nd gen processor (capable of 2.9GHz in TurboBoost), 4GB RAM, 320GB hard drive, Intel HD 3000 graphics.

Read our Thinkpad Edge E420s Review

$739 @ Lenovo

HP ProBook 5330m

Great looks and Beats Audio. Are you sure this is a business notebook?

The HP Probook 5330m changes what you think about a business notebook, and represents a best of both world’s approach.

Starting on the outside, this notebook has great looks thanks to a brushed aluminum style cover that carries over to the palmrest. The bottom of the notebook is covered in a soft touch rubber material that adds to the look and feel of the notebook.

Inside you’ll find an easy to type on backlit keyboard with an island style layout. The included fingerprint reader adds to security, but we’re sure the ability to lock and unlock with your Bluetooth phone will add a futuristic feel to securing your personal and business notebooks.

One more reason to consider the Probook 5330m is the inclusion of Beats Audio. Beats delivers a premium audio solution that takes the typical notebook sound experience and cranks it up to 11. Wether you listen on headphones or over the built in speakers you’ll get good sounding audio.

Pertinent Specs: 13.3-inch display, 1366 x 768 resolution, up to an Intel Core i5 2nd gen processor, up to 8GB RAM, 320GB hard drive, Intel HD 3000 graphics

$799 @ HP

Desktop Replacement

When it comes to power, you can’t beat a desktop replacement. These notebooks have a modicum of portability (you can carry them from room to room if you want to) but offer robust processing power, full-size keyboards, and all the ports you could ask for. They make great gaming rigs and multimedia editing stations.

Alienware M17x

No compromise power and gaming performance, for those who can afford it.

The Alienware M17x has a powerfully bold look, that houses an equally powerful set of components. This is a gaming notebook, for gamers. When your gamer opens up this notebook, be prepared for some screams of excitement, and that’s before he or she turns the settings all the way up in their favorite game.

The Alienware notebook is slimmed down for 2011, but is still quite heavy, so set this one on a desk. All of the colors you see above, from the vents to the keyboard are customizable. Gamers can even light up separate zones in different colors and set the lights to pulse.

The large 17″ display can be purchase with a 1080P HD resolution, delivering eye pleasing HD visuals and a large playing surface. This is also nice for watching movies, and comes in handy if work is needed. You can put two windows side by side to write a paper while referencing source material. When the notebook is on battery power, it can switch to integrated graphics, which deliver up to 4 hours of battery life while browsing Facebook and other sites.

If you can splurge, add the Wireless HD option when customizing the notebook. This allows you to stream HD games and movies to the big screen without any lag. Perfect for playing the latest game in the living room or media room without running wires all over.

Pertinent Specs: 17-inch display with up to 1280 x 1080 resolution, Intel Core i7 2nd gen processor, 8GB RAM and up to 1.5 TB hard drive, high end AMD and Nvidia graphics options

Read our Alienware M17x Review 

$1,499 and up @ Alienware

additional contributions by K. T. Bradford

Read All Of Our Gift Guides Over At GottaBeMobile

Notebook Gift Guide: The Best Notebooks, Netbooks and Ultrabooks to Give in 2011 is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

I was fortunate, but what if the finder decided to be a keeper? What if she also found a way to crack my system password, access my email, bank site, and other personal details that I have on the system? I’d be screwed because I did not do some very simple things. I did a few things right, but should have done more.

Make sure you learn from my failure and don’t fall prey to the dishonest people out there. I got lucky, but you might not.

Here are a few ways you can keep your MacBook, or Windows notebook, protected, and even track it down if it goes missing. Best of all, you don’t have to spend a dime to do this.

Prey Tacking Software

This summer our editor Josh Smith posted about his use of LoJack for Laptops, a laptop tracking application that helps you recover your laptop if stolen or lost. That solution will secure your computer for a price. A free alternative he mentioned comes from the folks at the Prey Project. I chose it because I’m cheap, but it also will let me add features for a decent price.

Like LoJack, Prey keeps you protected from unscrupulous people who get access to your system. Sign up for an account and install the software on your Mac, Windows, Unbuntu or other Linux system and it runs quietly in the background. In fact, you won’t even know its running. That’s a good thing since the bad guys won’t know it either. On my Mac it doesn’t have a menu bar icon or an app icon in the Applications folder.

You can watch the company’s video demo for the Pro plans which do cost anywhere from $5/month for a personal account up to $399/month for enterprise users with a slew of PCs to protect. You can use the service for free if all you want is very basic tracking. Added features include installation on more computers, an active mode that keeps track of your computer all the time, not just what you report it, and a few more features which you can see on their plans page. They also have apps that work for iPhone (in beta and will be released soon) and Android.

Prey Project introduction from Carlos Yaconi on Vimeo.

iCloud Find My Mac

For Mac users, the forthcoming iCloud will offer a new service very much like the Find My Phone for iOS. It will track your computer and let you know where it was last used based on where the bad guys log onto the Internet. The feature will be ready to go for all users on October 12 when iCloud launches and offers a free version with up to 5GB of file storage and other paid versions with added storage. Use the storage to backup and sync files between Macs and iOS devices.

The key security feature finds your Mac on a map (see image above). It will also let you send a message to the computer so that you can tell the person who “found” your computer that you want it back and how they can do the right thing and turn it into you. If you need to you can lock the system down and remote wipe the user data in your Home folder.

These solutions may work great, but what if you lose it and no one finds it or what if it you, someone else or mother nature destroys it? What if the bad guys know what she’s doing and wipes the system before any of these security apps can kick in? You need to do a few things to protect your data. You should be following these best practices anyway.

Back Up Your Data

Have a regular backup plan. If I hadn’t recovered my MacBook, at least I’d still have all of my documents and files. That’s because I use SugarSync to synchronize my important files between my three computers and their cloud storage service. I also regularly keep a backup copy of all of my music, videos, and pictures. I backup the media files manually since they take up too much space for SugarSync to handle (over 200GB). Every time I download new music, create a new video or load new photos onto my computer, I back them up to my 2TB Firewire drive hooked up to my other computer.

iCloud will come in handy for Mac users because it also handles file backup/syncing. Windows users can take advantage of SugarSync, DropBox, or Windows Live Skydrive, just to name a few. Whatever you choose to use, use it! For unlimited data backup in real time, get a Carbonite account.

Password Protection

Passwords protect you only if you do the following:

• Make good passwords including random numbers, letters (both caps and lowercase) and if possible punctuation marks
• Don’t use common words, names, well known personal data like birthdays
• Use different passwords for all of your sites – don’t have one password to rule them all
• Use a password database application like Lastpass

The last suggestion can really help if you password protect your Lastpass account with a really good password. Then, you only have to remember one password. Lastpass stores your password database online in encrypted form so that not even they know what the passwords are. They also don’t know your password, so you make sure you make a good one but also remember it. View the Lastpass instruction video below:

Finally, don’t keep your passwords written down near your computer. If you have little notebook with all of your passwords in your computer bag, then you are just asking to have your bank account emptied by a criminal.

Lock It Down

Finally, remember that your computer can be taken even if you just go across the room for a refill or to the restroom for a pitstop. A good lock can help, like a Kensington lock or Griffin’s TechSafe Calbe Lock that I recently reviewed.This system doesn’t work with the MacBook Air, but if you don’t have a Kensington lock slot on your computer, this is a good solution.

With these you lock your computer to the table or some heavy object and the grab-and-go criminal will be thwarted from stealing your computer.

How to Protect Your Notebook in Case You Lose It is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

You can get the firmware update by following a link that Apple posted in their discussion forums. The direct link offers a DMG file to download and run on your Thunderbolt equipped MacBook.

After applying the file you will likely have to power down your computer and monitor. After a reboot all should be fixed.

Here’s the description from Apple:

The 24-inch LED Cinema Display Firmware Update addresses an issue that may cause intermittent display flickering. This firmware will only install on the Apple 24-inch LED Cinema Display when it is connected to a Thunderbolt-enabled Mac.

IMPORTANT:
This firmware update may not resolve the flickering issue if a Mini DisplayPort extender cable is used.

NOTE:
Some USB and FireWire devices may prevent firmware updates from installing correctly; disconnect non-essential devices and use only an Apple keyboard and mouse to apply the update.

Strangely, this fix won’t show up in Software Update yet. We are not sure why. Maybe it is a beta driver and Apple released it for those really bothered by it enough to post in a forum.

This problem now aside, I’d love one of these. It serves two purposes – not just an external display but also a Thunderbolt hub with USB ports as well. Plug one thing in and you get your external hard drive and any other peripherals. At a grand, they seem a bit out of reach for most average consumers, though.

(Via MacRumors : Mac News and Rumors)

Apple Releases Fix for Flickering Thunderbolt Displays in Forums is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

If you are interested in adding PCIe cards to your laptop, the device makes it possible with a silver box housing a 220 watt power supply and three PCIe 2.0 slots. Two of the slots will hold the faster x8 cards and the third only works with x4 cards. You can “daisy chain” up to six Thunderbolt devices through the box.

Magma markets this solution to video and broadcast professionals, audio professionals and other enterprise users who need to work with specialized PCI cards but also want to use a laptop with a Thunderbolt port. You can add SSD drives on PCI cards. You could also have a high powered video card for gaming and more memory. Whether any of these will be compatible with your MacBook is uncertain.

The box, ridiculously enough, comes with a carrying case. Not many people will actually bring these boxes with them except in specialized circumstances, like video professionals who need their powerful 17″ MacBook Pro on the set while they shoot video and add it to their computer through some special PCI video controller. But most people will likely use these at home or the office and only plug it into the Thunderbolt port when at the desk.

We don’t have a price or ETA, but you can learn more at the company’s web site. You can also sign up to be notified when it is going to ship. Based on the prices of other Thunderbolt accessories, don’t expect this to be cheap, though.

Magma ExpressBox 3T adds 3 PCIe Expansion Slots to MacBook via Thunderbolt is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

I’m going to share the first 10 apps I install when getting a new Mac. Some of these items will be obvious, but others will be new to you. These Mac Apps represent the most essential tools I use on my computer, and I wouldn’t begin to imagine using a Mac without them.

You can find many of these apps in the Mac App Store, and can often find a free trial direct from the app’s website.

First 10 Apps to Install On Your Mac

Chrome – Free

Chrome is a better browser.

When you get your new computer Safari is an OK option for your browser, but if you use multiple computers, Chrome is your best friend. Chrome is a browser from Google that offers a better user experience. IN addition to syncing your bookmarks and history between computers, Chrome has a collection of handy features. My favorite feature is the ability to type searches and web addresses in the same box. This sounds small, but if you’ve wasted time typing a search in the address bar of Safari, you’ll appreciate this. Chrome doesn’t yet support the full screen features in Lion, but we expect it soon.

Evernote – Free

Evernote remembers so you don't have to.

Evernote is my digital file cabinet. If I even think I need to see this webpage, photo, document, serial number or anything else again, I put it in Evernote. If i had adopted this practice 2 years ago I could have saved myself 4 hours just yesterday that I spent looking for my Microsoft Office key and an old document. Evernote can perform text recognition on your scanned notes, the pictures you take with your smartphone and inside pdfs you upload. The app and the service are free, with a premium option available for power users.

Pixelmator – $30

Pixelmator makes photo editing user friendly.

If you need to do basic photo editing, but want more power than you get in iPhoto, Pixelmator is a great option. I have access to Photoshop and Pixelmator, but I found that Pixelmator is more accessible to the average user. Tasks are easier to find and actions make more sense to me in this app than in Photoshop. I still turn to Photoshop when I need a lot of power, but for touching up some photos of Vacation, Pixelmator is my go to app.

SizeUp – $13

SizeUp lets you move windows with your keyboard.

I cannot live without this app. SizeUp lets you snap your windows to the side or jump them to another monitor using keyboard shortcuts. Windows 7 users will recognize this as Aero Snap, but Mac users should just recognize it as awesome. You can customize your keyboard shortcuts so that it’s easy to snap windows to one side fo the screen and to jump them from one monitor to the next. The app also supports keyboard shortcuts to maximize your window or to push the window to another Space.

Dropbox and SugarSync – Free

Both Dropbox and SugarSync deliver a similar service — syncing your files to the web and to other computers. Dropbox gives you 2GB of free storage and SugarSync gives you 5GB of free storage. SugarSync offers more options and control, while Dropbox is a simpler implementation. I use both of these tools to keep files in sync and to share. If I need to share a large file, I use SugarSync to send a link to another SugarSync user or to anyone with an email address.

Skitch – Free

Skitch lets you take screenshots and more for free.

Skitch is a free app that lets you take screenshots of anything on your computer and capture images from your Mac’s webcam. When you take a screenshot, you can choose the specific area, or take a snapshot of a specific window. The tool goes a step further by allowing you to edit and sketch on your pictures and screenshots. I use it to take notes and annotations for how to guides, but it works for adding funny doodles to family portraits too. Skitch is now free, which rocks.

Sonos - Free

Sonos Desktop Controller

To use this app, you’ll need a Sonos player, but once you get one, you’ll wonder how you did without. I am reviewing the new Sonos Play:3 speakers right now and this Mac App allows me to play radio, Pandora, Rhapsody and my local music over speakers anywhere in my house. I can start playing music from the Sonos Mac App, and use the app on my Android phone or on my iPad to change the station while in the other room. The speaker will run you $300 and the Wireless bridge another $50, but if you want portable, wireless music that’s easy to control, Sonos is it.

LaunchPad-Control - Free

Launchpad-Control hides program icons from Lion’s Launchpad

If you have OS X Lion, you have the new LaunchPad, which gives you fast iPad-like access to your apps, but unfortunately there is a bunch of junk in the LaunchPad by default. For instance, when I pull up the LaunchPad, I see 30 un-installer icons, which I will never want to click in LaunchPad. With this free app, you can control which apps show up in LaunchPad and which are hidden.  Here’s a closer look at LaunchPad-Control.

Nag - 99 cents

Nag makes reminders easy.

If you ever lose time while working or playing on your Mac, Nag is the app for you. This app lets you create quick reminders that nag you when time is up. I use this to remind myself to cut out for a meeting or when I know I need to take a break from what I am working on. The click for time setup makes it simpler than pulling out my phone and it is way faster than trying to create a calendar reminder to tell you to stop looking at puppies fighting themselves in mirrors on YouTube and get to work.

Caffeine – Free

Keep your mac awake with Caffeine.

If you have a MacBook, Macbook Air or MacBook Pro, then I highly recommend Caffeine. This free app sits in your menu bar, and allows you to click once to keep your screen from going dim. Perfect for sharing an iPhoto slideshow, attending a web conference or just keeping your Mac awake while you read a boring document.

What’s your must have Mac App?

The Essential 10 Apps For Your New Mac is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Already earlier this year, we listed ten great cases for the Air. But with the release of some new cases, it’s worth coming back to the subject. Here are four new cases or bags that we think are worth your attention, and one repeat recommendation that we still love that survives from the previous list.

In David Letterman fashion let me count them down, starting with a nice sleeve and ending with my favorite.

5. Zagg Invisible Shield Sleeve for MacBook Air – $54.99

Zagg is mostly known for protecting screens with their thin film that stands up to the punishment you can get from keys in a pocket. Or even rocks, if you drop your phone. They also make a shield for the MacBook Air that will protect your aluminum case. The company promises that the Invisible Shield keeps finger prints off your computer, although I’ve not had too much problems with fingerprints on mine. I hate any accessory in my bag that rubs against, and then scratches, the soft aluminum Apple uses. Zagg’s shield will protect the computer and make it look like you don’t even have anything around it.

Zagg offers a guarantee: they will replace the shield if you ever damage it. That way you don’t need to worry about messing up the shield.

4. Incase Perforated Hardshell Case – $59.95

The Incase Perforated Hardshell Case for the 11″ and 13″ MacBook Air should meet your standards for a quality case that will protect the MacBook Air without adding a lot of weight. The hardshell case offers great protection. The case feels nice, with a smooth coated plastic. The cutouts give access to all the ports and connectors. The bottom of the case raises the Air slightly, giving it plenty of ventilation since the Air’s aluminum can get a little warm when running under a strain.

I like the look of this case. Incase offers similar cases for all of Apple’s products. This one costs $59.95. You can choose between black, white and purple.

3. Knomo MacBook Air Envelope – $75.95

The Knomo Envelope will appeal to business users or others who just like things that have a high quality look and feel. Designed only for the 11″ MacBook Air, the case protects your computer with a soft genuine leather and soft black velvet lining. The Flap snaps closed. Each case has a unique ID number to help you find your computer if stolen.

The case comes in black for $75.95 direct from the company or from your Apple Store. They also sell cases for other sizes and even other manufacturers. The lady’s bags look really nice, but I wanted to keep this unisex.

2. The Cartella for MacBook Air by Pad & Quill – $79.99 or $89.99

If you want your MacBook Air to look like a book instead of a MacBook, The Cartella does the job. Made for both the 11″ and 13″ MacBook Air and iPad, on the outside the case looks like a book. An elastic band around the case holds it closed to keep your computer in the case. Layers of Baltic Birch wood hug your computer on the inside. Pad & Quill trimmed the case in three colors – red, green and blue on the inside flap and under the computer. On the inside of the cover a pocket holds a few papers.

Here is my video review.

Pad & Quill calls this a bookbindery case. It reminds me of a huge ledger that you might see in a 19th century London accountant’s office. I can imagine Bob Cratchet using books like this. If you want a somewhat unique case, The Cartella will grab attention while protecting your case from scratches and dings.

The company updated the design since my review with rounded corners and a tougher quality interior cloth. Pad & Quill discounted the cases $10 bringing the price for he 11″ to $79.99 and the 13″ to $89.99.

1. MacBook Air Travel Express Case from Waterfield Designs – $79 or $89

Waterfield Designs cases have a special feel and look to them. The rugged ballistic nylon used to make them not only keeps your precious MacBook Air safe, but also looks nice. They remind me of cases that an incredibly talented seamstress might make for your computer if you commissioned her.

Waterfield Designs released the MacBook Air Travel Express Case when the new Air came out. Inside the soft lining keeps your Air and accessories from scratches. The case can be used with just the Air, or it can house accessories in a number of pockets. You have room for a phone, a thin mouse like the Apple Magic Mouse, your charger and other items. Apple’s external Super Drive will fit as well. The zipper opens along both the long and short edge to open very wide.

The model they sent me for testing had rings and a strap to use the case as a shoulder bag. You can get it without the strap, but I like to carry around my Air hands free over my shoulder. My iPad 2 fits in the the case with my Air, but it is a tight fit and would not work if I had a lot of accessories.

The case comes in a black nylon with a colorful accent stripe. They offer black, copper, flame, green, pearl and pine. The 11″ starts at $79 and add $10 for the 13″. If you have your own shoulder strap but need rings sewn into the case add $5. Add $12 for a simple strap and $22 for a cushioned strap.

Five Awesome MacBook Air Cases is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

Here are some recommendations for tools that might make going off to college, high school or any educational experience, more productive and fun.

Verbatim Tuff N Tiny USB Flash Drive – $9.75 for 2GB

This tough little USB flash drive made our Father’s Day gift guide too. I like it that much. I personally tried to destroy one of these for a review that ran earlier this year. The drive takes a beating and holds your files intact. This rugged drive will help you back up or transfer papers (or other content) safely. The drive starts at under $10, and a large 16GB drive only costs about $40 direct from Verbatim.

iTunes or Amazon Gift Cards

You might think I’m just getting lazy with this pick. Gift cards? Really?

Yes! Gift cards supply both future and present needs. Your college student can get that useful note taking iPad app for class or some music or videos for entertainment. If you look at a local Sam’s Club you will often find iTunes Gift Cards for a few bucks less than the face value. For example, I recently bought four $25 gift cards in a single pack for only $96. You can get iTunes Gift Cards on discount at Sam’s Club or almost anywhere you buy electronics.

Amazon sells everything, and students get free access to Amazon Prime which provides free shipping or low-cost next day shipping. They can save some money using Amazon compared to getting books at the campus store. You can buy Amazon gift cards in any amount from their site.

ZooGue Binder Pad iPad 2 Case – $29.99

If your student will be carrying an iPad 2 to class, the ZooGue BinderPad iPad 2 Case can help them store it in their big three-ring binder notebook for just $30. I’ve tested it out and can assure you that it protects your iPad 2 well while in a three-ring binder. The case doesn’t add much weight to the iPad. It has three holes for the binder and you slide the iPad 2 into the top of the case. A flap with velcro holds the iPad in place. ZooGue makes it from a rugged polyester material. In the past I’ve been impressed with their iPad cases.

YooBao Slim Leather Snap On Case – $29.99

Speaking of cases, the makers of my favorite iPad 2 case have a snap-on iPhone 4 case made with the same nice leather used in that iPad 2 case. The iPhone case has a nice grip and protects your iPhone without adding much bulk or weight. The YooBao Slim Leather Snap On Case is inexpensive and looks nice too. The high-grade leather comes in three colors – white, brown and black.

Booqpad iPad 2 Case and Notepad – $49.99

Booq makes great laptop and tablet cases, but one favorite is the Bookpad iPad 2 case. It protects your iPad while adding a notepad that you can use for your note taking in class. When finished marking up a sheet of paper on the tablet side, just take the iPad out of the case and shoot an image to “scan” it into your favorite note app like Note Taker HD or Evernote. Our review linked above recommended this combination for people who take a lot of notes but haven’t become acclimated to digital note taking yet. Students often fit this category since your professors and teachers won’t wait for you to finish. Many people can keep up on a tablet screen, but many, like me, cannot if the speaker talks fast.

Booq offers a number of styles and colors to choose from including a high-end brown leather that costs $99.95 or the basic model for $49.95. We just wish that they would make a hole for the iPad 2 camera to make the capture process of the notes easier.

Also check out their other cases and bags for notebooks and tablets. You won’t be disappointed with a Booq Bag.

Livescribe 2GB Echo Smartpen – $99.95

A couple of our contributors here at Notebooks.com and GottaBeMobile.com swear by this tool. Livescribe pens will do more than just put ink on paper. They record the audio of lectures or meetings. They also record the motion of your pen, which is then transcribed into editable text. On top of that, they also offer storage for your audio. Our own Adam Mills told me, “If I was still in college, I’d definitely be using one for lectures.” With the pen you get a free year of Evernote Premium, which gives you extra storage and transfer space.

The 2GB Echo is one of the lower cost options, although they have higher capacity pens. The pen connects to a computer via Micro-USB to transfer files on and off. The ink is replaceable and the pen writes on special tablets, which you buy from the company.

Our own K.T. Bradford recommends getting the headphones with the pen. She said that they have a mic in them like you get with your smartphone. The mic picks up the sound better than the built-in mic on the pen.

iHome iA17 App-Enhanced Color Changing FM Radio Alarm Clock – $99.99

I’m a big fan of iHome’s products and the new iHome iA17 dock for your iPod Touch or iPhone should be as good as the past products I’ve tested. The radio changes colors based on your chosen settings. The base of the dock is translucent so the colored lighting shines through and will fade between colors as it changes or pulse to the beat of the music. You can turn it off completely.

The base of the dock changes colors with the music

The color feature might just be a fun attention-getting gimmick, but coming from iHome you can be assured that the sound quality will be top-notch for a product in this price range.

The dock fits anywhere in your dorm room, or on a bedroom nightstand, and helps keep you on time for those early morning classes or school days. It adds an FM stereo radio to your iOS device while it is docked, so you can both play your iPod files through the speakers and listen to the radio.

Install an iHome app on your device to get more features like sleeping stats, weather, alarm clock, wake to your favorite iPod tunes and more.

Sony Xperia Play Android Powered Phone – Verizon – $99

Our reviewers at GottaBeMobile see a lot of different Android phones, but for Verizon customers there is one that stands out if you like to play games. The Xperia Play from Sony will help you waste plenty of time. Our own Josh Smith reviewed the phone for our sister site GottaBeMobile and liked it. If you hate using a touch screen to control Madden NFL or your favorite first person shooter, then the Xperia play will satisfy you. Josh said the following:

The Xperia Play is not going to blow your mind with graphics, even if they are pretty good, but it is able to deliver a fun mobile gaming experience. Thanks to the off-screen controls, you can use your whole display for viewing the game — which even touchscreen junkies will appreciate.

Watch his hands on video for more info.

Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1TB USB Hard Drive – $109.99

You can quickly share files with an external hard drive hooked up via USB. I wish everyone would adopt the fast Thunderbolt port on the new Macs, but at present few have other than Apple and some high end accessory makers. USB 3.0 is the next fastest hard drive interface and it works with older USB 2.0 ports as well.

This WD My Passport Essential SE 1TB USB Hard Drive, on sale right now for less than their 750GB model, will store a ton of music, movie, picture and personal files. The size means it won’t take up too much space in your backpack. The drive can be powered via USB on the majority of modern computers.

Microsoft Office Home and Student – $149.99 from Microsoft

Microsoft Office is the de facto office suite for the known world. Sure you can get other cheaper and free alternatives like OpenOffice.org or iWork’s apps on OS X, but Microsoft’s suite doesn’t cost all that much. Since the vast majority of computer users have Office, why put up with the hassle of converting your documents if you don’t have to? The suite has Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote. More expensive versions add Outlook, Access or Publisher.

Office retails for $150, but never pay that much. You can find it online for as little as $100-$120. You might even find it in your college bookstore for as low as $20.

Computer majors might want to consider going with a TechNet subscription which allows downloading of full versions of Office and Windows for just a little more than the retail cost of Office Home and Student.

If you use a Mac, you can get Office for Mac 2011 for the same retail price or cheaper online. Microsoft offers it through TechNet as well. The Mac version is not a clone of the Windows version, but instead incorporates some of the OS X interface to make it more Mac-like. I’ve used the iWork apps like Pages, Keynote and Numbers. I prefer Word by far to Pages because it just has more to offer, while being more compatible in the dual-OS environments you find in most schools and universities. Keynote may be a little better than PowerPoint due to more attractive themes and transitions, but not enough to choose iWork and Pages over Office with Word if you have a lot of Office users around.

SuperTooth Disco Battery Powered Bluetooth Stereo Speakers – $149

I called this set of speakers the “21st century boom box” at GottaBeMobile.com. The SuperTooth Disco has bluetooth connectivity so you can hook them up to your smart phone or laptop to blast those beats. The sound quality beats most mobile speakers we’ve tested, and the long battery life means the music keeps pumping for hours out in the campus quad after classes, or just in your room.

I’ve used the system to show an outdoor movie to a few dozen people in my backyard and to play music at the beach on vacation this summer. They worked great. I also play music in my office with them.

The speaker system comes in a nice carrying case and has an auxiliary line input to connect a non-bluetooth enabled audio device. The speakers cost $149 directly from SuperTooth.

Canon Powershot SD1400IS Point and Shoot Camera – $199.99

Why would we include a camera when so many smart phones have great cameras these days? Not everyone owns one of those great smart phones with a nice camera. A lot of people still have a cheap feature phone or an early smartphone, and many are still locked into a 2-year contract. Also, a dedicated camera is still the best option for taking a lot of snap shots of special events, or when you are traveling. I’ve missed a lot of great moments because my smart phone camera took three or four taps to get started when a pocket camera would have been ready after the push of one button.

I love my Canon SD 1300IS. The only camera I would rather shoot with is my DSLR, or if I could justify it, the Canon SD1400IS. The optics on these inexpensive little cameras are surprisingly good for still shots or bright outdoor photographs. They are simple to use and just work! Many of the product shots I take for my reviews are taken with the older brother of this camera. Below is a sample of a shot my wife took at Ft. Myers Beach, FL this summer of some palm trees early in the morning outside our hotel room.

Muzetto Laptop Case from Waterfield Designs – $259

A traditional gift for a recent college graduate heading off to graduate schools is a high-quality briefcase. While I would appreciate the thought, I’d much rather have a premium laptop case. Based on our experience with Waterfield Designs cases a great option is their Muzetto line of cases that fit anything from a 10″ tablet for $199 up to a 15″ laptop for $259. The vertical orientation bag has a leather flap to cover the computer.

The leather case has colored accents and a nice strap to carry over your shoulder. Inside are compartments for you computer, a phone, sunglasses and more. A computer in a protective sleeve or pouch would fit, giving you double the protection and the versatility of just pulling out the computer and taking it alone down the hall to a friend’s dorm for a study session.

I love Waterfield Designs products and think you will be pleased with one of these bags. You might want to look at the Racer-X if you want to go with a mid-range price. At the lower end is their Sleeve Case for the MacBook Air, which I reviewed and still love.

Slingbox and Mobile Apps – $299 + $29.99

A Slingbox hooks up to your TV and video source, like a cable box or Satellite, and streams the video from those sources to other TVs or the mobile app. This setup rocks for a student going off to college. Have the box connected to your home cable system, or satellite dish, and then you can load the iPad or another mobile app and watch content anywhere your mobile device has Internet access. It also supports watching through an Internet browser on a Mac of PC as well.

I live in North Carolina, grew up in Wisconsin and went to college in Kentucky. Before the days of DirecTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket I only watched my beloved Green Bay Packers when the national game of the week featured them. I can afford the NFL Sunday Ticket, but a lot of college kids never could. And even if they could they would not be able to instal it in most dorm rooms because you need a DirecTV satellite dish. Slingbox and the mobile app gives them access to their home team, local news broadcasts and any other TV content without paying the cable or satellite man for a feed in the dorm or their apartment.

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer – $399

Everyone knows about the iPad, so recommending it is too easy. Not many people know about the excellent ASUS Eee Pad Transformer, which I really like. It is cheaper than the iPad by about $100 and can do a little more. First, the optional keyboard dock connects to the tablet and turns it into a fully functional Android netbook and doubles the battery life thanks to the keyboard dock’s battery. I’ve used it to type for long periods of time and, while I would not give up my MacBook Air or Pro, the keyboard was good enough to use without getting frustrated or feeling cramped.

The tablet comes with Honeycomb. A 3.2 update makes it one of the earlier 3.2 tablets. The update is not earth–shattering, but it is nice to have. I love the bright crisp display, the responsive interface and the feel and weight. A forthcoming review will give more details, but for now I recommend this as the best Android tablet available because of the screen and the added functionality the keyboard dock with extended battery gives you. Take notes by day with the tablet in all of your classes and then use it as a netbook all evening long to write papers.

Now if only Android had as great a choice for tablet apps as the iPad we’d be set.

Just know this. ASUS will be probably release the Transformer 2 sometime this fall with a faster Tegra 3 processor, so you might want to hold off until then. If that doesn’t matter, the Eee Pad Transformer’s versatility makes it a great choice right now. Below is my first look:

Mili Pico Projector 2 HP-A10 – $449.95

Our friends at XenGadget sent one of these units over for review and it is cool. I’m testing the Mili Pico Projector (HP-A1) V2 out now, but based on limited experience I wanted to include this in our roundup for those Friday night movie nights in the dorm, or for an overnight at a friend’s house. The little projector is about the size of two stacked iPhones and has a dock port for an iPhone. Plug it in and the video will be projected through the tiny lens. The projector works best in dark rooms, but isn’t that how you want to watch a movie? The LED light projects the image. You won’t get HD, but remember, you are carrying your projector in your pocket.

The device has a battery so you don’t need to plug it into the wall outlet while watching your movies. You could do presentations from your phone, iPod touch, iPad or computer if needed. The latter can be done through a VGA input. The projector casts up to 70″ from corner to corner, although 40-50″ will look the best.

As you can see from the image, the device has a kickstand that folds out of the back. Connect it to external speakers or use the ones built into the projector. They might disappoint, so I’d suggest external speakers.

The device comes in either black or white for about $450. There is a nice carrying case and remote in the package too.

Gateway ID47H02u 14″ Laptop – $699

We look at a lot of notebooks, but the Gateway ID7Ho2u made our editor Josh Smith “do a double take” when he opened the box the first time. The screen offers an edge-to-edge display, meaning you get a nice width without a lot of bulk. The ID series of notebooks from Gateway have a little more style and performance than others from the budget manufacturers. Josh said it was “worth a closer look” for buyers who want something with some power at an affordable price.

Here are some of the basic specs:

• Intel Core i5 2nd Gen Processor
• 4GB of RAM
• 500GB Hard Drive
• Intel HD 3000 Graphics
• DVD Super Multi-Drive
• USB 3.0 that will charge while it sleeps
• VGA, HDMI out
• SD card reader
• Dolby Home Theater v.4 Audio
• Full size keyboard but no number pad
• Over sized mousepad

Apple MacBook Air – $999 for 11″

If money is no object, the one computer I would recommend to all students is the Apple MacBook Air. It is fast, light and looks cool. You can perform any basic educational task with it. It is under-powered for intense uses like gaming or creative content creation, but you can do limited video and photo editing with the included iPhoto and iMovie. I’ve played a few of the games available in the Mac App Store on my 2010 version. The 2011 MacBook Air has a faster processor and faster SSD too.

The 11″ travels perfectly for those taking it to class or for pulling it out on a public transportation commute or carpool. If you need more screen real estate, go with the 13″ model. I would also recommend adding 2GB of RAM and getting at least 128GB of storage, making the cost a few hundred dollars more than the base model. It will be worth it.

Check out our own Xavier Lanier’s posts about the out of the box experience and the battery life of the newer 2011 MacBook Air. You can also read about his first impressions. Below you can watch his unboxing video.

Back to School Gadget Buying Guide: 18 Fun and Productive Suggestions is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.