As more and more of our daily functions and lives are lived through the web, we’re expanding the services and capabilities of the things that we can do. The demand is most obviously there and people have found the vast benefit of getting online degrees at times outweighs the route of the traditional brick-and-mortar institutions. These entrenched educational establishments have long been the benchmark of higher education, but very infrequently do they offer the kind of diversity of education and training that one can receive through many online programs. From an RN to BSN to a Bachelor’s Degree, you can enroll in an accredited institutions from the comfort of your laptop.

For starters, you can get one of these degrees and the online colleges go through the same accreditation process as traditional colleges. Read more…

It’s a well known fact that if you are really into gaming, you just have to live with the fact that you will need to keep on upgrading your machine as new models and new games come out. Gaming laptops are perhaps one of the flashiest and most expensive devices in the market, but here is something that might come as a surprise – MSI’s new quad-core gaming laptop.

The new gaming laptop is labeled MSI GE620DX, and it really does not look like your run-of-the-mill gaming laptops.

MSI GE620DX

As you can see, the machine is designed very simply. One really wouldn’t think of it as a gaming laptop from the get go! I do like the metal brush finish of the case – who wouldn’t? And even closed, the MSI GE620DX does not look too bad at all.

MSI GE620DX Closed

So aside from the subdued design, is there anything else remarkable about the MSI GE620DX? Definitely! It hasn’t been labeled a gaming laptop for nothing.

The processor – i7-2630QM quad core processor (core speeds of 2.00GHz) – combined with the graphics card – nVidia GeForce GT 555M discrete graphics card – will certainly contribute to a great gaming experience. As for the sound, the laptop comes with MSI’s Premium Sound and THX TruStudio Pro, ensuring only the best sound experience while playing.

There’s another plus – the MSI GE620DX has support for MSI GPU Boost technology. This technology allows switching between the discrete graphics card and the graphics chip, depending on what the laptop is doing. This gives you performance when needed and helps save power at the same time.

Other important details…the MSI GE620DX has a 720p camera (which might not be a necessity for gaming, but is always handy to have), an HDMI port (perfect for when you feel like playing on the big screen), and USB 3.0 ports. The laptop comes with Windows 7 Home Premium, supports up to 8GB of RAM, and has a 15.6-inch (1366 x 768) LED backlit screen.

If it is about time that you get a new gaming laptop, the MSI GE620DX just might be what you are looking for.

Via

Free Laptop!

Who wouldn’t want a laptop for free? Even those who already have a laptop or two at home will certainly appreciate acquiring a new one without paying a single cent!

Recently, AtCheap.com announced a contest offering the opportunity to win a free HP laptop, and it’s still open. AtCheap.com is a site which offers comparison services. It does what it says on the tin – you basically search for a product that are looking to purchase. The site then does the tedious task of comparing product prices from more than 60,000 stores. All that is left for you to do is to look at the cheapest prices shown in the search results.

AtCheap.com covers not only laptops but other gadgets such as digital cameras, televisions, mobile phones, mp3 players, and watches. You can also search for and compare products such as clothing, make up, sunglasses, and so on.

The contest is simple. You just need to go the AtCheap web site and sign up. The thing that I am not too sure about is that you need to log in using Facebook. I am a stickler for privacy so when it comes to logging in on other sites, I prefer not to link my Facebook account. Also, you need to invite 25 friends to qualify for the contest. I am not sure, but that sounds a little spammy. Still, if you want that chance to win the laptop, then you might as well go for it.

Based on a press release published by the company¹, there are 1,000 laptops up for grabs, and only 500 have been given away so far. After signing up and inviting friends, you simply have to wait for the guys at AtCheap to get in touch with you via e-mail. They will ask for your shipping address, and you just have to wait for that freebie.

It sounds too good to be true, to be honest, but it just might give you that extra laptop to play around with. Or if you really need a laptop, then joining the contest is a no-brainer. Unfortunately, this seems to be a US-only promo, so those of us in other parts of the world will have to sit this one out.

1. Press Release [↩]

G-Slate

Have you gotten yourself an iPad 2 yet? I am not going anywhere near one as I think the iPad is more than enough to suit my needs. That is, playing my silly games and occasionally surfing the Web. There is also the even rarer occasions when I use the iPad to blog or create documents. My point is, I am the kind of user who does not need a faster tablet.

If, however, you have a need for speed, then you will be excited to know that T-Mobile is touting their new tablet, the LG G-Slate. Their claims are rather bold, designed to make one’s blood quicken upon reading. A whopping 200 percent faster than Apple’s newest tablet (iPad2). An even more impressive 300 percent faster than Motorola’s XOOM. How can that not fail to impress?

But they do not stop there. They highlight what may be the deciding factor for a whole lot of people – the price. The LG G-Slate is cheaper than both the iPad2 and the XOOM. Consumers have to shell out $729 for the iPad 2 and $599.99 (on contract) for the Motorola XOOM. For the LG G-Slate, one only has to put aside $399.99 for a 2-year contract. And if you hate being tied down by contracts, then you can get the G-Slate for $599.99 – still considerably than the other options!

Given the attractiveness of the package due to the speed and pricing, the question is whether the LG G-Slate will become as popular as the current tablets in the market. In a review published by BGR¹ a couple of months ago, it seems that the LG G-Slate still has a lot of catching up to do. Catching up in terms of the user interface and apps. But these are issues that have always plagued Android devices (mainly because of people who compare them to Apple devices), and still the Android camp has a strong following. On the other hand, the G-Slate is said to be very solidly built, having a high end feel – not like some cheap plastic device.

Bottomline: the LG G-Slate will be an attractive option for consumers who are not Apple fanboys. And there are more of them out there than some might think.

1. Review [↩]

ARM Laptop Chart

Love it or hate it, but Windows is still the most used operating system around the world. Reasons range from convenience to price to habit to loyalty, but if rumors are to be believed, there is another reason for people to continue patronizing Bill Gates’s major software product. In the foreseeable future, we are going to see the launch of Windows 8. And while countless people are too focused on the launch of Apple’s Lion (and the MacBook Airs!) today, there is no doubt that when the time comes, Windows 8 will get its fair share of coverage.

More than the operating system, though, the rumors are also highlighting a probable consequence – the boom of a new breed of low cost laptops. No matter how you look at it, price is always a prime consideration for many buyers. We may all want the best specs, but sometimes, the price is a big hindrance.

So what is the link between the upcoming Windows 8 operating system and laptops that won’t break the bank? According to Matthew Wilkins, an analyst at t IHS-iSuppli, the reason is the ARM processors. By the year 2015, Wilkins says that around 25 percent of laptops will have the ARM processors. And guess what? Windows 8 is ARM-enabled.

Wilkins goes further and predicts that laptop manufacturers will jump into the bandwagon by making budget laptops using the new processors. By “budget” he means laptops priced below $700 – with a lot going as low as $500. While we do have these budget laptops today (at least based on the price alone), the major difference is in the processor. If – or maybe when – laptop manufacturers start using ARM processors instead of the current AMD and Intel ones, then we might just have more options for laptops that will free up more cash for other expenses.

I am not too sure about the cause and effect situation as described by Wilkins¹. Is the predicted rise of new low cost laptops (running on ARM processors) because of Windows 8, or is Windows 8 going to be more popular because of the ARM processors? Maybe it works both ways, or maybe I am missing something. In any case, the most important thing is that more budget laptops are in our future.

1. Source [↩]