The Intel Core i7 processor is the cream of the crop when it comes to speed, reliability, and best-in-class execution of demanding programs by providing 8-way multitasking capability and an additional L3 cache.  The Core i7 processor is among the second generation units manufactured by Intel which increase the IQ of your PC tenfold with brand new Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 and Intel’s signature Hyper Threading technology.

Intel Core i7-2600K Technology

The Intel Core i7 processor is packed with next generation technology while offering exceptional performance and unmatched speed that easily handles today’s most innovative programs.

• Processor: The Core i7 processor works at lightning fast speed and runs at 3.40 GHz with quad core processing units.  Each processor core (Quad Core) features an 8MB L3 cache which can be shared with each processing core to evenly distribute the workload for demanding applications.  The result is unparalleled performance which eliminates latency frustrations.

Latency refers to the time it takes for one packet of information to get from one destination to the next. If the transmission is slow then this is called latency which makes running programs very frustrating and time consuming.

• Unlocked Core: If you are a die hard gamer or you use a lot of demanding multimedia applications, the Core i7 processor is completely unlocked so you can overclock it for faster performance and without affecting other components in the operating system.

• Turbo Boost Technology: The Core i7-2600K processor works at lightning speed thanks to the Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 which automatically delivers a burst of speed running at 3.8 GHz whenever it is needed.  Clock speeds can be raised independently by working with the BIOS in the operating system.  The Turbo Boost technology is capable of increasing the frequency in the processor by utilizing the thermal and power headroom.  This also makes the processor extremely energy efficient.

• Intel HD Graphics 3000: The Intel Core i7-2600K does not require a graphics card due to the built-in visuals and Intel HD Graphics 3000 that allow you to view sharp images and rich media with Clear Video Technology.  The implementation of Clear Video Technology is combined with Intel Tru3D which offers 3D stereoscopic Blu-ray playback with complete 1080p resolution.

• Partitioning: The Intel Virtualization Technology provides partitioning which allows you to run multiple applications by separating different computing tasks into partitions to improve productivity while reducing downtime.

• Hyper Threading: The Intel Core i7-2600K processor is equipped with hyper threading which significantly improves multi-tasking by allowing each individual processor to perform two tasks simultaneously. Hyper threading is Intel’s technology and is designed to multi-task each processor which results in 8-way multi-tasking technology. For hyper threading to work the operating system must be capable of supporting multiple processors.

The Core i7-2600K processor is also extremely energy efficient and is designed to make optimal use of every watt.  The result is a system that runs cooler and is more energy and cost efficient to run.  When you unpack the box the Core i7 also includes a Central Processing Unit cooler that you can use with the unit or you can opt to choose your own CPU cooling system.

Get More Done in Less Time

Thanks to the 8-way multi-tasking technology by Intel you can get a lot more done in less time by speeding up workflow.  The i7 processor speeds up the response of your PC so the frustrating hour glass icon becomes a thing of the past.

You can also make video editing super easy with the Advanced Vector Extensions included with the Core i7-2600K processor.  This feature offers a collection of instructions that will improve labor-intensive software applications such as image and video editing applications, audio processing, audio codecs, and other demanding applications.

Overall, you will find the Intel Core i7-2600K processor to be extremely fast and reliable with outstanding performance and great value.  It also overclocks extremely fast and easy and runs at low voltage.  When you overclock the operating system still remains stable and only runs at approximately 2° more than the standard room temperature when running at full speed. It is also reasonably priced for all the features that are packed into the Core i7.  You can view more details on the Core i7-2600K and read the customer feedback by clicking here.

Intel invested a lot of time before releasing the Intel Core i5-2500K on the market and when it was finally rolled out it exceeded all expectations from PC enthusiasts.  The faster speed allows you to easily accomplish video uploading and editing, work with HD video, and perform Blu-ray media playback.  If you are looking for speed, reliability and smooth performance the i5 may be just what you are looking for.

Intel Core i5-2500K Technology

The Intel Core i5 processor is packed with next generation technology while offering extra performance and flexibility for users that work with a lot of different applications.

• Processor: The i5 processor is super fast since it runs at 3.30 GHz with four processing cores.  Each processor core (Quad Core) features a 6MB L3 shared cache that is evenly distributed to each processor core.  The result is unmatched performance and the end of latency frustrations.  Latency refers to the time it takes for one packet of information to get from one destination to the next in your PC’s operating system.

• Unlocked Core: If you are a die hard gamer or you use a lot of demanding multimedia applications the Core i5 processor is completely unlocked so you can overclock it without affecting other components in the operating system.  Additionally, the processor works at lightning speed thanks to the Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 which automatically delivers a burst of speed when you are using applications which are demanding such as games and multimedia.

• No Need for Graphics Card: With the Intel Core i5-2500K there is no need to use a graphics card due to the built-in visuals that allow you to view sharp images and rich media with Clear Video Technology.  The implementation of Clear Video Technology provides improvements that enable you to view vivid rich color high definition videos and Blu-ray playback.

• Partitioning: The Intel Virtualization Technology provides partitioning which allows you to run multiple applications by separating different computing tasks into partitions to improve productivity while reducing downtime.

• Chipset: As far as the chipset is concerned, it rocks.  The chipset is ideal if you use a lot of the advanced Adobe software or you are an avid gaming fan.  When you overclock the voltage is low and the unit stays cool and runs with lots of stability.

• No Hyper Threading: There is no hyper threading on the Core i5 processor so you have to go with the Core i7 for this type of capability.  Hyper threading is Intel’s technology which is used to address two processors for the purpose of sharing workloads between the processors whenever it is possible.  For hyper threading to work the operating system must be capable of supporting multiple processors.

When you unpack the box the Intel Core i5-2500K Processor has a Central Processing Unit cooling system included with the processor or you can opt to use a CPU cooler of your choice.  You can overclock the processor to 4.5Ghz without overheating with a basic air cooler and the system continues to run with a lot of stability.

Cut Computing Tasks in Half

The Intel Core i5-2500K can handle tasks such as video encoding in just a few minutes where it would otherwise take more than an hour to complete without this type of processor.  When you are playing games you will appreciate the smooth framerates that operate at 60fps.

If you do a lot of video editing with the Core i5-2500K you will find that the processor does not delay like it would with a dual-core processor when performing different aspects of video editing.  This can cut your time off of this type of task by more than 300 percent if you have a decent motherboard to go with the Core i5-2500K processor.

Overall, the Intel Core i5-2500K packs in a lot of bang for the buck and has been rated a fantastic value by the majority of customers who purchased this lighting fast unit.  The Intel K editions are unlocked which provides flexibility and it is very easy to overclock while the processor runs cool as snow.  If you would like to see for yourself what others are saying about the Core i5-2500K you can click here to read the customer reviews and view more information about this unit.

In an effort to provide a quality device and affordable service the Roku XDS offers support for 1080p, USB capability so you can use local media, WiFi, and optical outputs.  It is a step up from the Roku HD and offers a host of other features that surpass what Apple TV is offering.

Roku XDS Construction

The Roku XDS is constructed in a sturdy plastic shell with a compact design that is much slimmer than its predecessors.  The device is very small and compact with product dimensions of 4.9 x 4.9 x 1.2 inches and weighing in at only 7.2 ounces.  The back of the Roku XDS has a simple design with ports that are easily accessible to enjoy a wide variety of entertainment.

Roku XDS Flexibility

The Roku XDS offers more flexibility than the HD and XD models.  Although the HD and XD have streaming-only capability, HDMI output, and composite outputs, the XDS offers more with an HDMI output, composite and component video outputs, optical audio port, Ethernet, and a USB port located on the side for using local media.

Roku also revamped the remote control to upgrade it from the HD model.  The remote control on the XDS has a nifty instant replay feature, additional information buttons, and a new clicker feature.  The remote has a high tech finish with a Roku button which is covered in purple fabric that helps with pulling open the battery cover.

When it comes to flexibility the software on the Roku XDS is versatile and easy to use. The XDS provides support for 1080 playback which provides 1080 viewing on channels with 1080p however some of the channels such as Amazon Video on Demand are 720p.  If you view a channel with 1080p then the support for 1080p will kick into high gear.  This is an advantage over Apple TV which is still 720 playback.

Roku XDS1080p Support

With the Roku XDS you can view videos in 1080p from the USB drive as opposed to streaming it from a selected service provider.  The local playback from the USB port currently accommodates MPEG-4 video and MP3 audio.  The XDS also works with any television up to 1080p for a high quality video streaming experience.

Although there are still fewer channels that offer 1080p as opposed to the number that offer 720p, the XDS is 1080p ready as the video streaming capabilities for channels and high resolution content continues to grow.  At any rate, 1080p support has been very popular with consumers who use the HD or XDS streaming player.

Roku Channel Store

When you use the Roku XDS you have access to more than 80 channels from online services such as social networking sites like Facebook and services such as Pandora, Internet TV channels such as MLB.tv, and access to more than 100,000 movies on demand and TV shows that you can watch from Netflix, Hulu Plus, and 99 cent shows from Amazon.  It is important to note that with some of the channels from services such as Facebook and others it is necessary to install each channel by signing into the service on your PC and then linking your Roku XDS to your account.  There is also many other selections such as the primary network news stations and the ability to engage in photo and video sharing.

Conclusion

The Roku XDS is quite similar to the XD and HD versions except in a smaller case with upgraded capabilities.  You can begin to watch programs on your TV within minutes of setting up the unit using your high speed Internet connection.  You pay a one time purchase of around $100 for the unit without the hassle and expense of monthly bills.  The only added expense is your Netflix or Hulu subscriptions that you use to get content on-demand.

The main updated features are dual-band wireless technology, component video and optical audio outputs, and the USB port for playing stored photos, music, and videos.  So if you are looking for a top-of-the-line unit that will help you to reduce your cable or satellite TV bill the Roku XDS is worth taking a second look.  You can find additional information and customer reviews by clicking here.

Boxee Box Construction

Boxee Box has a cool looking futuristic look to its construction which is a cube shape with a portion sliced out across the bottom of the unit giving it a unique appearance.  The bottom of this asymmetrical unit contains bright green rubber with a bright green logo on the front which provides a sharp high tech appearance.

On the back of the Boxee Box is an HDMI port, Ethernet connectivity, dual USB ports, power port, and optical and composite audio ports.  The hardware and ports in the back of the unit are uniquely situated at an angle to accommodate the asymmetrical shape of the unit.  If you have room to spare on your AV center the Boxee Box will fit in nicely however you may find it a hindrance if you are tight on space.  Regardless, it is a well made and unique looking device that makes it stand out from Apple or Google TV devices.  The internal hardware in Boxee Box utilizes an Intel CE4110 chip and 1 gigabyte each of flash memory and Random Access Memory (RAM).

Boxee Box Remote

The Boxee Box remote is one of the most popular parts of the unit due to its innovative construction and flexibility.  The remote has function on both sides instead of one.  The front side of the remote holds the function buttons which include a 4-way pad with a menu button, play and pause buttons, and a button for making selections.  On the back of the remote is a nifty QWERTY keyboard for conducting searches and entering passwords.  One of the drawbacks of this feature is you have to be careful when you grab the remote since it is easy to accidentally touch the buttons.

If you are wondering how to control the mouse, the Boxee Box remote mouse is controlled through the D-pad on the front of the remote which allows you to move the mouse arrow around the screen.  There is no trackpad present on the remote and some Boxee Box users have opted to use the Boxee iPhone app to compensate for the absent trackpad.

Boxee Box Software

The interface on Boxee Box changed quite significantly from the beta version which was released one year ago.  For some reason, the current interface requires more clicks to get to where you are going with some of the filtering features absent in the new version.  Overall, the interface is fairly easy to use and is capable of delivering content from many Internet sources without being overwhelming.  On the bottom of the interface screen you will find access to a wide variety of apps and videos with the source list located at the top of the interface screen.

On the left hand side of the screen there is a Friends tab which is a cool feature that allows you to view a list of videos that your friends want to share with you from a variety of Internet services.  For example, if you have configured Boxee to Facebook or Twitter you can see all of the videos that your friends post under the Friends tab on the interface screen for Boxee.  This feed is updated each time you open the Friends tab.

Boxee Box provides you with a number of options for obtaining content on the Internet including media from its partnership with Vudu, Netflix, and Hulu Plus not to mention the entire Internet.  There are also a number of features on the Boxee interface that allow you to store movies, save shows to watch later, and for storing Internet TV shows.

The apps that are offered by Boxee are mostly to provide you with a custom interface for different websites as opposed to offering interactivity.  These are apps like Showtime Podcasts, Vevo, and Auto-Tune The News to name a few.  There are also hundreds of other apps that you can use to customize your viewing experience.

Local Media Playback

The local media playback is worth mentioning since it surpasses other devices on the market due to its ability to play back almost any file regardless if it is over an SMB network share or it is from an SD card.  The local media playback supports any file format with a 3-letter file extension and even files in an unknown format.  Additionally, there are impressive sorting options that allow you to access local files faster and easier.

Conclusion

Between the advanced streaming of content and the robust local playback capability the Boxee Box is worth taking the time to learn more about the other features it offers.  Additionally, there is a Webkit browser equipped with Flash that provides something to fall back on if you face any issues with PC to TV alignment.  Overall, for what you are getting the price is quite comparable to other units on the market with tons of free stuff that places the icing on the cake.  If anything it is worth learning more by clicking here to see if Boxee Box is a good fit for you.

In our travels we came across the HP Pavilion dv6 1030us notebook PC which came pretty close to my nephew’s expectations with some of the features he described. The HP Pavilion dv6 1030us specs aligned with what my nephew described at a great price and here is what we found:

Impressive HP Pavilion dv6 1030us Media Center

My nephew wanted something that was entertainment focused and we found it in this great laptop with an impressive 16” widescreen equipped with BrightView display.  When we inserted media we were treated to a crystal clear high definition viewing experience.  There was a sunlit corner of the room and when we moved the computer into the sunlight it did not affect the viewing experience.

The multimedia experience is powered by a great 2.0GHz Intel dual-core processor and an HP Pavilion dv6 1030us Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD graphics which provides the perfect specs for an entertainment focused PC.  On the side of the PC is a nifty little slot that holds the remote which can control the audio and video playback settings within ten feet of the PC.  There is no need to worry about connecting media peripherals with the HP Pavilion dv6 1030us ExpressCard 54 slot.

As if we were not already impressed when we test drove multimedia elements such as photo viewing, movies, games, and general computing tasks, there is also the capability through Windows Vista Home Premium which allows you to record your favorite television shows through a few easy steps and the LightScribe enabled DVD/RW which allows you to laser-etch artwork onto your multimedia discs.

HP Pavilion dv6 1030us Notebook PC Performance

If you are worried about storing all of your multimedia and having it affect the PC’s performance, the HP Pavilion dv6 1030us comes with 4GB DDR2 RAM which is more than enough to provide excellent multimedia capability and you can raise your expectations because this model is upgradeable to a whopping 8GB which is unusual for a laptop PC.  If you bought one with 8 GB it is highly likely it would cost you a lot more than the affordable price of the HP Pavilion dv6 1030us.

Other Cool Features

As we investigated further the HP Pavilion dv6 1030us notebook PC has a lot of other cool features that provide additional value for the money.  For one thing the dv6 1030us has a very solid shell with lots of substantial metal so if you tend to be rough on your PC this is ideal.  The unit runs very quietly with a fan that is activated through the BIOS on default.

The keyboard is extremely comfortable and is true to the size of a full-sized keyboard with separate numeric keypad.  We also liked the quality of the webcam which provides high quality videos and imaging and the Bluetooth capability works efficiently and right out of the box.

There are four convenient USB ports with one equipped with eSATA capability, one HDMI port, and one VGA port.  The weight is a little hefty at 6.8 pounds however all of the features you get for the money still make the HP Pavilion dv6 1030us notebook PC a worthwhile purchase.

We would also recommend that you uninstall some of the bloatware that is included in the software package to further enhance the performance of the HP Pavilion dv6 1030us as there tends to be a lot of junk software integrated with the useful software.

When we checked, computer experts rate the HP Pavilion dv6 1030us 79 to 100 with a user rate of 84 to100.  When computer experts compared this laptop PC to other similar laptops on the market they rated it with an overall score of 95 to 100 which equals excellent quality.

We shopped around quite extensively and spent a lot of time looking at and test driving PCs and although the HP Pavilion dv6 1030us notebook PC is not top of the line you sure do get a lot of bang for your buck when it comes to style, features, specs, and exceptional performance.  It is difficult to find a laptop that offers all of this functionality for the price and it is a great all-around PC that will meet all of your computing needs.

It is a pleasure to review the HP Pavilion dv6 1030us and recommend it without reservation to others.  If you would like to see it for yourself you can get plenty of additional information and a great price by clicking here.

Recently, I was on one of my usual expeditions to an electronics and gadget store and I was playing around and test driving some PCs when a woman came along looking for a general all purpose laptop that she could use for routine computer tasks and then some.  She commented to me how confused she was as a result of the sea of offerings which were available.  Based on what she described, I decided to help her since I am also into finding out more about different PCs on the market.

She wanted something durable and affordable so that’s what pointed me in the direction of HP laptops which are extremely durable, and that’s when I discovered the HP g60 530us notebook computer.  I spent time going through it and test driving it and the woman appreciated my help so I decided to put my HP g60 530us laptop review into writing so I could help others.

Great Value for Entry Level to Intermediate Laptop

When the lady expressed to me that she wanted the computer so she could email, do general computing tasks, shop online, enjoy a few movies, and network with friends on Facebook and Skype, I found the HP g60 530us had all of the features and ports she needed with the compatible Windows 7 operating system and great technical support from Hewlett-Packard in the event of any questions.  The unit lacked Bluetooth capability due to the Wireless N interface however, you can easily get around this by connecting a Bluetooth adapter to one of the USB ports and it works great with the Windows 7 operating system.

Multimedia and Entertainment

I found the multimedia capability to be quite decent for a laptop for this grade with a 15.6-inch diagonal display with the new 16:9 aspect ratio and HP BrightView 1266 x 768 for exceptional viewing of full-screen HDTV and movies.  There is also an HDMI port for enjoying entertainment on your flat screen HDTV in your living area.  I looked around the accessories though and found the cable is sold separately.  The high definition screen also does not have the HP TouchSmart capability which is present on other HP laptops however the exceptional quality is still great for the price.

The multimedia is supported by a decent 2.1GHz T4300 Intel Pentium Processor with 3GB of DDR2 RAM which is upgradeable to 4GB and an HP g60 530us Intel Graphics Media Accelerator.  The hard drive has plenty of storage space at 320GB SATA so you do not have to worry about multimedia storage slowing down the performance of the HP g60 530us and there is a nifty LightScribe SuperMulti 8x DVD+R/RW with Double Layer Support.  The LightScribe feature allows you to laser-etch your CDs as opposed to using a stick-on label.

One of the nifty features about the HDMI is that both the video and audio capabilities work immediately after you establish a connection through the HDMI port and you can quickly access the display preferences at startup.  This provides you with an additional monitor and then you can change the sound preferences to convert the default output to the HDMI output and create sound over HDMI.

The webcam produces decent quality video and imaging and integrates very well with Skype and other IM programs.  It is very easy to produce a video for upload to your favorite social networking site and you can take still shots at different points of the video with a click of your mouse.

Keyboard and Numeric Keypad

The lady I was helping was also looking for a PC with comfortable keyboard that was not cramped since she would be using the computer as her main unit.  The HP g60 530us has a very comfortable keyboard that is true to a full-sized keyboard and contains a separate numeric keypad which makes it extremely convenient and faster to use when you are conducting numeric calculations.  The key action is also very quiet with each keystroke and makes typing easy and quick.

Additional Software

There is an additional software package which is included with the HP g60 530us some of which is useful and other parts that are junkware you will want to uninstall to improve the performance of the operating system.  However, even with the junkware loaded the PC performance is still very good.

The Verdict

If you are looking for a general purpose laptop that has everything you need plus a little more, then the HP g60 530us is a very worthwhile purchase.  When I checked other feedback I found that experts rate the HP g60 530us notebook computer 56 to 100 with users rating it at 81 to 100.  When the HP g60 530us was compared to other similar laptops on the market experts gave it an 81 to 100 which rates as very good.

If you think this may be the laptop you have been looking for you can obtain further information and a great price by clicking here.

When I returned from my outing, I set out on the market in search of my own Acer Aspire and came across the Acer Aspire Timeline as1810tz-4013 notebook PC when I was searching the Acer inventory of PCs.  Although it was a newer model than my friend’s 10-inch and offered a slightly larger 11.6 inch screen, it still had all of the great specs and features plus more.  Here are some of things I found:

Lots of Muscle in a Little PC

When you look at the Acer Aspire Timeline as1810tz-4013 with its ultra-thin and lightweight portability you would never think there was pure power and muscle underneath the hood.  This little portable PC is equipped with an Intel Pentium SU4100 Processor with an impressive 320GB hard drive and 3GB DDR2 RAM that runs the system at full capacity.  And let’s not forget about the Acer Aspire Timeline as1810tz 4013 Intel Graphics Media Accelerator which completes the exceptional performance of this extremely portable device.

I was also quite impressed with the Acer Aspire Timeline as1810tz 4013 802.11 a b g n 802.11b/g/Draft-N WiFi network support which allows you to soar through web pages on the Internet with lightning fast speed and helps to provide a user-friendly experience by reducing interrupted connections.

acer aspire timeline as1810tz-4013

Step Up Your Digital Entertainment

When I looked at the size of the Acer Aspire Timeline as1810tz 4013 notebook PC I thought to myself, “How could anyone possibly get state-of-the-art multimedia from a PC of this size?”  I figured the multimedia must be compromised in some way to accommodate the lightweight portability of this PC.  Well, not really when I discovered that it has an HDMI with HDCP and VGA video output, XD picture card slot, and an Acer Aspire Timeline as1810tz 4013 Crystal Eye webcam which supports Acer PrimaLite technology which offers a premium sensor, firmware, and lens to achieve superior quality video and imaging.

The HDMI with HDCP is an exceptional feature and stands for High Bandwidth Digital Content Protection.  It was designed by Intel to reduce the possibility of interception of digital data midstream between the source to the end display.  This means that your HDTV must be compatible with this feature when you use the HDMI output.

You can also enjoy multimedia entertainment for up to 8 hours on the Included Windows 7 operating system without having to recharge the battery.  Multimedia can be enjoyed on the high definition 11.6 CineCrystal LED backlit widescreen display with the new trendy 16:9 ratio which offers over 30 percent more energy savings than other PC notebook screens.  Plus there is a multi-gesture touchpad that provides versatility when viewing your multimedia applications.

Other Cool Features

One aspect I especially liked about the Acer Aspire Timeline as1810tz-4013 is the fact that it comes with Windows 7 Home Premium installed which makes it really easy to establish a home network for sharing multimedia and you can watch your favorite TV shows anywhere you wish with the nifty Internet TV feature.  It also has the Windows Anytime Upgrade which allows you to add upgrades within a matter of minutes with the easy walk through upgrade process.

The 1.3 GHz Intel Pentium SU4100 Single-Core Processor is designed to be energy efficient with ultra-low voltage which means you get more out of the already awesome battery life.  There are also other low-power components that help you to get the most out of battery usage.

The Acer Aspire Timeline as1810tz-4013 is also equipped with pre-installed software which is useful and is free of junkware that just takes up space on the hard drive.  The useful software includes Microsoft Works SE 9.0 for all of your word processing and spreadsheet requirements, McAfee Internet Security trial version, CyberLink PowerDVD, Acer Recovery Management, and Acer GridVista.

The connectivity features are awesome with three USB 2.0 ports to accommodate all of your peripherals, one HDMI for connecting to an HDTV or home theater receiver so you can enjoy uncompressed digital audio and video via a single cable, one headphone jack, and one microphone jack.  These features are quite impressive considering the size of the Acer Aspire Timeline as1810tz 4013 notebook PC.

So if you are truly looking for a feature-packed notebook that offers lightweight portability and extended battery life, you seriously should consider the Acer Aspire Timeline as1810tz-4013 and you can get a fantastic price on it by clicking here.

I decided to help him in his quest for a laptop which would serve his needs and alleviate his frustrations and so away we went researching laptop computers. We spent a great deal of time looking and that is when we discovered the HP Pavilion dv6 1350us with a huge battery that was beyond anything we expected.  This is when we decided to delve a little deeper into some of the other features and here is what we found:

Battery Life

It goes without saying that we must mention this first because we were completely blown away by this feature of the HP Pavilion dv6 1350us.  Although it can make using the laptop a little uncomfortable the massive 12-cell battery which is included with this laptop boasts a battery life that is in excess of 7 hours. This is very impressive when compared to other laptop PCs on the market.

HP Pavilion dv6 1350us Intel Core2 Duo

We found the performance of this HP laptop to be outstanding with an Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 with a 2.2GHz Dual-Core Central Processing Unit with 800MHz front side bus and 2 MB of LEVEL 2 cache which provided exceptional speed.  As we investigated further we found 4GB of DDR3 RAM system memory which was more than enough for what my friend needed to accomplish what he does in a shorter amount of time.  The DDR3 is new and is a lot more efficient than the DDR2.

Intel Graphics Media Accelerator

The HP Pavilion dv6 1350us Intel Graphics Media Accelerator contains 4500MHD with up to 1695MB of total available graphic memory.  Although this will not provide die hard gamers with the 3D gaming performance they crave, it will provide moderate 3D performance for the newest 3D games.  Since my friend is not an avid gamer this was more than sufficient.

HP Pavilion dv6 1350us Numeric Keypad

My friend is in corporate business so a handy calculator is a must and most laptops he looked at were not equipped with a numeric keypad so this was the perfect answer to his dilemma.  The numeric keypad is about four fifths the width of a standard numeric keypad and contains a Number Lock key with the directive functions located within the numbers 1 through 9 which eliminates the need to use the Home, PgUp, and PgDn functions.

HP MediaSmart

We were impressed with the HP MediaSmart software that comes with the HP Pavilion dv6 1350us Espresso which turns the laptop into a high end mobile entertainment center. HP MediaSmart provides a nifty one-click menu which allows you to access movies, music, TV shows, home media, and much more within seconds.  HP MediaSmart is also part of a great software bundle that has less garbage software and more useful software such as Microsoft Office trials and Norton Internet Security.

Backlit Display

The 15.6 diagonal HD screen with LED backlit display on the HP Pavilion dv6 1350us is in step with the current trends with a 16:9 aspect ratio for great high definition viewing.  Also, with HP’s patented BrightView high gloss finish, you get exceptional contrasting of images. It also allows the screen to double as a mirror when you are working under less than desirable lighting.

Operating System and Hard Drive

The HP Pavilion dv6 1350us is equipped with the Windows 7 operating system which provides exceptional versatility and compatibility with other programs and applications.   The hard drive is also quite exceptional with a speedy 7200 RPM 320GB SATA that provides all of the space you need for data storage without sacrificing performance.

Performance Advantages

Other performance advantages we found included overall fast performance when opening up applications and performing other computing tasks including DVD burning.  In addition to the impressive battery life which allows you to count on holding a meeting all day or sitting through classes without recharging, we also found fast start up from hibernation and booting up from scratch.  We also found a nifty little mini remote which was perfect for my friend’s presentations.

Last but not least, we liked the smooth sleek design of the HP Pavilion dv6 1350us and the sturdy build and were quite impressed with how quiet it runs.  If you are looking for a full-featured laptop which has fast performance and exceptional specs and features without the price tag, we recommend the HP Pavilion dv6 1350us. If you can deal with a little extra weight due to the battery, it is the perfect solution for people who are on the go and cannot always plug into an AC outlet.

You will find varied pricing on the HP Pavilion dv6 1350us when you shop around however to save you time and homework you can find an exceptional deal right here.

Luckily I was able to locate some fantastic resources to help find Citrix evaluation software and licenses.

There are two steps to get Citrix Evaluation Products:

1 – Download the software and,

2 – Get a license.

Download Citrix Evaluation Software

You can click here to access the Citrix software download page.  Once at that page you need to select the relevant software that you’re looking for.  NOTE:  If you’re looking for Presentation Server 4.5 you’re out of luck as this product is now known as XenApp 5.0.

Now…..

Download a Citrix Evaluation License

Next you’re going to need to download a license.  To do that click here and you’ll find an excellent step by step guide on how to go about getting an evaluation or developer license for your Citrix Products. NOTE: Within that guide Vishal mentions 2 licensing options:

1 – An evaluation license – You’ll have to contact a reseller to get a 99-user, 90-day eval license.

2 – A XenApp Developer license – This gives you a 2CCU license to evaluate XenApp for 12 months.

If you’re setting up a small test lab environment to play around with or for certification purposes I suggest going with the XenApp Developer license, if you’re looking for a more robust set-up you’ll need to go with the evaluation license.

So to get the best of both worlds I’ve decided to download and install Microsoft Virtual PC and install Windows XP on it.  Sounds easy enough and completed it in a flash but I discovered that I couldn’t connect to the Internet within the VPC.

If you’re like me and have problems connecting your Virtual PC to the Internet you might have been searching around for a useful guide for getting this done.  After spending quite a while searching for this myself I found this Virtual PC Internet Configuration Guide from CJ to be the easiest to follow.  It’s structured in a step-by-step fashion and has a lot of pictures.

Make sure that after you follow the instructions on CJ’s guide that you perform the following to renew your ip address:

1 – Within your Windows XP virtual PC click on Start then Run

2 – Type cmd in the Run dialog box

3 – At the command prompt type ipconfig/release and press enter on the keyboard

4 – At the command prompt type ipconfig/renew and press enter on the keyboard

If you followed CJ’s Virtual PC Internet configuration guide and followed the tip above you should have the internet up and running on your virtual pc in a few minutes.