Xavier Lanier
Review: OtterBox iPhone 3G Defender Case
The iPhone 3G is a stylish little device, but it's glass display is prone to breaking and unfortunately AT&T doesn't offer insurance on it. Drop it, and you'll be on the hook for $499 to replace a 16GB iPhone 3G and $399 for an 8GB iPhone 3G. Enter the OtterBox iPhone 3G Defender, a case that offers up serious protection and that feels nearly indestructible. "Blue Label Laptops" at Best Buy
. Best Buy's kicked off its Blue Label Laptops program to offer premium consumer notebooks in-store and online. To qualify for the Blue Label Laptops program, models must be thin and light, be optimized for long battery life and have a 13.3-inch to 14.1-inch display. The first two Blue Label Laptops are the Toshiba Satellite E105 and the HP dv3510nr. HP dv4 and dv5 Pavilion Special Edition Notebooks Released
HP's introduced two new special edition series that feature new imprint designs. The dv4 Special edition and dv5 Special edition notebooks look great and if worth a look if you want something beyond basic black. Dell Inspiron 14, Inspiron 15: New Names, Same Notebooks
I just received an email from a confused notebook shopper and Notebooks.com reader. He's in the market for a sub-$800 mainstream notebook and wrote:
"I was on Dell.com and noticed the Dell Inspiron 15 (1525). When I click on it I don't see that computer, I get taken to a Dell Inspiron 1525 page. Is there a new model and is the Inspiron 15 any better than the Inspiron 1525?"
HP Pavilion dv3500t: HP's First 13.3-inch Notebook
HP's introduced the Pavilion dv3500t, the company's first 13.3-inch notebook. HP was nice enough to give me an early preview of the dv3500t about a month ago and I liked what I saw. The Pavilion dv3500t is very similar to its bigger brothers, the dv4 and dv5, but it has a couple of features that I really like. Sony Mission for a Million, James Bond VAIO TT Special Edition Notebook
Sony's offering James Bond fans a chance to win a million dollars with it's Mission for a Million promotion, running up to next month's release of Quantum of Solace. To earn entries to the contest, you just have to answer James Bond and gadget trivia questions. Dell Latitude e6400 Gets Software Privacy Filter
Dell announced that the Dell Latitude E6400 is now available with an optional electronic privacy filter. The optional software creates a pattern to reduce the side viewing angles, making it more difficult for those around the user to read the notebook's display.
According to Dell, the software filter has a miinimal impact on display brightness and can be activated with a single touch key combination.
The solution is a $139 option on the Latitude E6400, which is a little expensive for my taste, but cheap to those that have super-secret data that needs to be kept from prying eyes. HP Fashion Netbook Spotted
HP introduced the Mini-note 2133 a few months ago, but has yet to introduce a consumer friendly netbook. James from jkOnTheRun spotted what may be HP's answer to the Dell Inspiron N, Lenovo S10 and the smattering of other netbooks that seem to be hitting the market on a daily basis. Get a MacBook Pro for $1,399 from MacMall
MacMall is having a closeout on MacBook Pros, with prices as low as $1,399. You won't get the latest version of the MacBook Pro at that price, but it's a viable option if you're on a budget. Dell M109S Pocket Projector
Dell's released the M109S Projector (m109s), a pocket projector that weighs just over three-quarters of a pound. This M109S projector is built for road warriors, but I think this could make a cool accessory for anyone that wants to occasionally share their notebook screen with a small crowd. Sony VAIO TT Series, Smallest Blu-ray Disc Notebook
Sony announced the VAIO TT, which is the lightest notebook to include a Blu-ray Disc drive. The VAIO TT features a carbon-fiber chassis, weighing in at 2.87 pounds and measuring less than an inch thick. Adobe Photoshop CS4 Announced
Adobe's set to roll out Photoshop CS4, an upgrade to the industry-standard image editing suite. Professionals and serious amateur photographers will appreciate many of the new features in CS3, customizable tool panes and a more robust editing in Camera RAW. T-Mobile G1, Android Phone Announced
T-Mobile's the first to introduce a phone powered by Google's open-source Android operating system. The T-Mobile G1, which has a touchscreen display and a full QWERTY keyboard, features several Google applications included Google Maps with Street View and YouTube. 