Shawn Oliver
Opinions and content posted by HotHardware contributors are their own.
Recent posts
For the longest time, we've felt that Sony's baseline $399 price tag on its PlayStation 3 console was simply too high. Nintendo's Wii is just $299, and Microsoft's Xbox 360 can be had easily for $199. Aside from Blu-ray playback, what does the console really offer to persuade gamers to purchase it over the other, cheaper options?Obviously,...
Read more...
Stuck with a notebook that could easily double as a frying pan after an hour or so of use? Unable to use it without heavy duty pants or a suitable pillow on your lap? Never fear, as NZXT is here to save your poor legs from getting scalded. As more and more companies shove higher-end components into smaller enclosures, waste heat buildup is...
Read more...
Maingear may not be on the same level of recognition as Dell, HP or Alienware, but it's definitely making a name for itself in the enthusiast market. Known for crafting unique, high-end machines that serve an increasingly larger niche of power-hungry PC users, the company is branching out just a bit here with a new machine aimed at living...
Read more...
This certainly isn't the first we've heard of Microsoft's BlueTrack technology, and if the pace at which it keeps introducing new BlueTrack wares is any indication, we'd surmise that it's far from the last. With the netbook sector booming (and the outlook being bright), Microsoft has decided to market its latest miniature mouse as one that...
Read more...
For all the parents out there who can't stand to see their kids text during meals, during family reunions and during study sessions, here's a note: that obsession could land them $50,000 and fifteen solid minutes of fame. Just eight months after getting her first cell phone, Iowa's own Kate Moore managed to out-text 20 other finalists from...
Read more...
With Apple's iPhone OS 3.0 hitting the Web today and the new iPhone 3G S landing in stores this Friday, we can't think of a worse possible week to launch a smartphone. That said, T-Mobile USA has defied logic by introducing the newest Dash handset. If you'll recall, the original Dash was launched way back in 2006, making this one seriously...
Read more...
Let's face it -- it's tough to make a name for yourself in today's consumer electronics world. With big names such as Apple and Microsoft spending millions upon millions of dollars on marketing, one must wonder how the little guys even keep up. Obviously, it's by making fantastic products and letting word-of-mouth do the rest. Such is the...
Read more...
Just recently, we were able to sit down with Intel and talk shop about its newest (and most powerful) Core i7 yet, and apparently the company is really fond of that "Core iX" naming convention. So enthused, in fact, that they have just announced plans to phase out some of its brands -- including "Centrino" in order to hone in on fewer top...
Read more...
These days, power savings are just important as frame rates, gigahertz and megabytes. With the whole world going "green," what better way to join the bandwagon than to slap an Energy Star 5.0-compliant motherboard into your main rig? This week, Asus has announced an industry first by bringing that very label to its mainboards. The Energy Star...
Read more...
Just a few months after Glacier Computer unveiled its ultra-rugged E4000 Touch PC, the company is showing its rough and tough side once more with the Ridgeline T100. The Windows CE-powered device offers up a bulky, rugged frame along with plenty of touchpanel real estate and features that industrial users will surely love. Designed specifically...
Read more...
Nokia's been a real roll of late, pumping out more handsets than we can even keep track of. To that end, the company is dishing out two more higher-end units today in the E72 and 5530 XpressMusic. The former isn't drastically different than the recently launched E71 and E71x, packing a slim smartphone enclosure with a full QWERTY keyboard....
Read more...
Hey, Twitter -- you know that business model you've been searching for? Yeah, this may be it. In a new report from NYTimes' 'Bits' blog, Dell has admitted to generating around $3 million in sales that could be directly attributed to Twitter. $3 million! That's the amount that Dell has garnered since it began using Twitter in 2007, using its...
Read more...
Shuttle, the company famous for crafting small, rectangular SFF PCs for gamer on the move, has just stepped it up big time with the introduction of the H7 5800 Core i7 PC. Obviously based around Intel's highly potent Core i7 processor, this SFF kit supports NVIDIA SLI and ATI CrossFireX dual graphics technology along with up to 16GB of DDR3...
Read more...
Intel's pervasive Core i7 CPU has certainly made the rounds at this point, but it has yet to find too many homes within notebooks. Always looking to stay one step ahead of the other guys, CyberPower has introduced the Core i7-equipped Xplorer X7-Xtreme S1, the first laptop from the outfit to sport one of these slabs of silicon. It's also based...
Read more...
For what feels like forever now, Kensington's iconic notebook lock slot has become a staple of the PC universe. Regardless of brand, model, size or price, it seems like this little slit finds its way onto practically each and every portable computer that hits store shelves. Now, at long last, Kensington itself is updating the standard, with...
Read more...
If you thought A-DATA's day was done when Computex closed down, think again. After bringing a slew of new storage solutions to the Taiwan-based show, the company is now pushing out what it's calling "the world's slimmest portable hard disk drive." The NH92 may not be much to look at (literally, we mean), but it's certainly worth taking a peek...
Read more...
Lenovo is a company that offers a wide range of notebooks. From multimedia notebooks, to gaming notebooks, to value notebooks to netbooks, Lenovo has their bases adequately covered. We've spent some time with a few of the company's prior offerings, but we've never quite seen a product like this. The simplistic G530 is a computer that's...
Read more...
We're not quite certain what all has gotten into LaCie these days, but we like it. Just a few waking hours after the storage company known for style introduced two more additions to its LaCinema line, the outfit is now debuting its LaCinema Classic Bridge. Designed to be a stripped-down version of its other LaCinema Media Players, this relatively...
Read more...
While not nearly as sophisticated as its G940 joystick, Logitech's newest critter is completely more suitable for the average computer user. The V220 notebook mouse is engineered for use by jetsetters and road warriors -- folks that are on the go and need a way to escape the grasp of that cramped trackpad. The ambidextrous mouse, which boasts...
Read more...
We have no issues with companies setting high goals, but this one's amongst the tallest of tall orders that we've seen. Currently, Apple is atop its game. Never before has the company been so iconic and influential in society, and it's pretty much a given that Apple's media players are the ones to beat. Heck, even its smartphone is giving...
Read more...
We already knew that mobile broadband demand was on the up and up, and now we're seeing yet another US carrier get into the game. Unlike the Big 4 (Sprint, AT&T, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile USA), Virgin Mobile USA's approach is significantly different. With those other guys, you're forced into a 2-year agreement that only allows you...
Read more...
Yep, this is it, folks -- the planet's very first "portable" Blu-ray Disc player. While the DMP-B15 was initially introduced at CES in January, Panasonic has yet to ship the unit here in the United States. This month, however, the company will begin to move units onto retail shelves, promising eager consumers a portable BD experience that...
Read more...
