Friday, March 23, 2007

Ask The Laptop Advisor

This is a column that features questions that I get often from visitors of this website or from friends, family and acquaintances who ask for my opinion and advice on laptop computers shopping and maintenance matters.

If you have a question please feel free to send it over and I will reply to it on this site. I receive quite a flood of emails from laptop shoppers so I can only answer a few a day depending on my availability (I have a very busy life!).

Enjoy these articles and all the best in your laptop hunting or ownership.

Sincerely,

Guru, The Laptop Advisor


Sony Vaio Laptops guides and shopping directory

In 2005, the year of notebooks, Sony laptops are in our humble opinion the best looking portable computers on the PC platform. If you’re an avid Sony fan, you obviously would like to know what current Vaio laptops are available for purchase, where to get them and which ones from the many styles to choose from. This is what this guide will try to cover in a pretty concise and hopefully clear way.

Sony Vaio Laptops – A series

Now that wireless Internet is not novelty anymore, computer manufacturers have adapted accordingly. The Sony Vaio laptops A series are equipped with the Centrino processor that’s the current standard in “wireless freedom”. The A series Sony notebooks are ideal for those needing desktop replacements. They are not compact, hence not made for mobility or portability but are powerful enough to handle more than average computing tasks such as heavy gaming or multi media playing.

For example, we would recommend Sony A series computers such as the VGN-A270- 17" Wide display to those users who want to capture every visual detail and who do not need to move their machines a lot.

Sony Vaio Laptops – B series

The Sony Vaio B series are name accordingly as they are made with the business user in mind. What does the average business computer user need? Yes, you guessed it: a light and portable laptop that can perform average tasks in a timely manner and of course one that will be able to access networks without the need of wires and complex configurations

The 14” display Sony Business laptops have the standard Centrino processor on board, have a battery life of up to 3 and half hours which is not that great if you do many cross Atlantic flights for instance but their hard drive capacity will amaze you as you will be able to save all your important files and everything else that you can think of to fill the 100GB hard drive! Remember the days when a 5 GB hard drive was the talk of town?

Sony Vaio Laptops – FS series

For those who care about the looks of a notebook, you will certainly enjoy the Sony laptops FS series if you can handle their price tag. These Vaio notebooks feature the Centrino processor (obviously…), 15” displays screens, DVD writers, pretty good design as we mentioned and steep pricing.

We like it certainly and if anyone is feeling generous enough, we’ll gladly take one. No, make it two please :).

Sony Vaio Laptops – K series

If you want processing power, the K series Sony laptops are your bet. We will not even go into the implication of powerful processors and average screen sizes on the battery life of any given K series notebook. But if you are a heavy gamer, graphic or other kind of multi media artist who does not need to be mobile 24 hours a day, get yourself one of these babies, you will not regret it.

In the K series laptops’ hood, you will find up to 3.20 Ghz Pentium 4 processing power, integrated 802.11b/g wireless LAN, up to 1 GB of RAM and up to a 100 GB hard drive. Now if that’s not power, please let us know what is.

Sony Vaio Laptops – S series

Do you move around a lot? Are the following features synonymous to a perfect mobile computing life? Access to wireless Internet, a long battery life to help you make the cross Atlantic life on one battery, a light and portable laptop that you can check on board in your briefcase or other type of bag you carry manually…

OK, you get the point, the Vaio Sony laptops S series have all these features and above all they’re pretty affordable which does not make sense given the amazing features but who’s complaining?

Sony Vaio Laptops – T series

Sony laptops’ “ultimate ultra light portable and mobile” series. Yes, that’s a long list of attribute. Moments ago, I was raving about the S series but, if you really need to spare space, the T series are what you are looking for.

Just so that you do not think that I am crazy, see the following specs and be your own judge: Centrino processor, ultra-light 3.1 pounds, 10.6" widescreen display and up to 8.5 hours of battery life! However, I will keep the price on the hush-hush as I don’t want to freak anyone out. But if you demand excellence, it shouldn’t be a bother.

How do Sony laptops fare against the competition? You know… Sony is involved in so many products that you wonder if they have enough time to assure us perfection. I will vouch for Vaio because ever since I was a kid I have always been surrounded with Sony products and have never seen anything go wrong.

Strange New Products

Velcro Snake to clear Clogged Drains

by Steve, Wednesday, December 27, 2006

FlexisnakeThe Flexisnake is like a plumbing snake, except it has a piece of Velcro at the end to pull hair out of a sink drain. Hair is leading cause of clogged drains in bathroom sinks, so it stands to reason that Velcro can be used to clear out clogged drains. You feed the Velcro end down a sink drain, and spin it around, and then pull it out. Since the hair clog is often entangled, the entire clog can be pulled out at once. Cost is $2.95 each. Buy it online here: http://www.flexisnake.com

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Sniff Your Wrist to get Horny

by Steve, Friday, December 15, 2006

Scentuelle Libido PatchScentuelle Libido Patch is about what you probably guessed, a patch you wear on your skin that makes you horny. But it doesn't contain any medicine. Instead, each patch is infused with floral aromas designed to put your mind into a state of arousal. You're supposed to hold your wrist (where you stick the patch) up to your nose for a whiff, whenever you need a shot of happiness. I can see people creating a dependency on these things and taking a whiff anytime they experience anxiety, like a job interview, spousal argument, speeding ticket, etc. Scentuelle is made for women, but they offer another version for men. A 30-day supply costs $34.95. Visit Scentuelle online: http://www.scentuellepatch.com

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Birth Control Breath Mints

by Steve, Thursday, December 07, 2006

Warner Chicott Femcon FeA pharmaceutical company, Warner Chilcott, announced today the availability of a new chewable birth control pill with a refreshing spearmint flavor. The product, called "Femcon Fe", is billed as the first and only FDA-approved chewable birth control pill. The company says that one of the leading causes of oral contraceptive failure is not consistently taking these pills everyday. By making it chewable, and tasty, it'll allow women to have more fun. On a serious note, the Warner Chilcott also says that a chewable form will provide an alternative to women who experience "breakthough bleeding" with traditional birth control pills. Learn more about Femcon Fe at: http://www.wcrx.com.

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Water Bottle Nipple Adapter

by Steve, Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Water Bottle Nipple AdapterWhat's strange about this product is that no one has thought of it yet. At least, that's what the inventor of the product says anyways. The nipple adapts to just about any plastic water bottle and turns it into a baby-bottle. From the looks of it, it'll probably attach to plastic soda bottles too. It's now selling at 7-Eleven and Circle-K stores for $1.95 each. The idea is that you could stop the car at a convenience store, buy a bottle of water, along with a nipple adapter, and silence a crying baby on the spot. The nipple adapter was created by Tommy Habeeb, former host of the reality-TV show "CHEATERS", and who is now hosting, "STAG: Last Night of Freedom". Tommy says...
"I was surprised that this product did not exist already. All of the retailers that I have met tell me it's a no-brainer that this product will sell."
Read Press Release.

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Scented Bus Stops

by Steve, Monday, December 04, 2006

scented bus stopsArcade Marketing Inc., in tandem with the California Milk Processor Board, is putting up a new type of advertisement at bus stops that emit the smell of chocolate chip cookies. The ad, which will be placed at five bus stops in downtown San Francisco, utilizes the company's technology called MagniScent®, which disseminates smell via scent-infused adhesives affixed to the inside of the bus shelters and undersides of the benches. It costs about $30.00 to "ad-scent" a bus stop, and the smell is expected to last a week. While scent-based advertisements have been used in magazines, it's supposedly a first for outdoor advertising. Though, I swear some fast-food burger joints deliberately pump burger smoke outside just to get me to walk in! Interesting that the Milk Board would use cookie smell to attract attention to milk. Via Yahoo News

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Principal - Curve Ended Watch Band

by Steve, Monday, December 04, 2006

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Dry Air Lice Killer

by Steve, Monday, November 06, 2006

LouseBusterA guy named Dale Clayton invented a new product that kills head lice much more effectively and quickly than medicinal shampoo products. The machine called the "LouseBuster" blows out dry air, about twice as much air as a typical hair dryer. The dry air sucks the life out of lice causing them to release their grasp of hair strands and fall out. It also kills the eggs too.
The study, involving 169 children in the Salt Lake area, showed the LouseBuster killed 80 percent of hatched lice and 98 percent of eggs on infested children. Enough bugs were killed to prevent remaining lice from breeding ...
Clayton had been researching the effects of lice on birds in England. When he moved to Salt Lake City, his research became difficult because the dry air killed the lice. That's when the idea finally dawned on him. Instead of schools sending infected kids home for quarantine, a kid can go to the front office and get cured in 30 minutes. Via CNN Health

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Meat Seasoning Inside Shotgun Shells

by Steve, Saturday, November 04, 2006

Season ShotSeason Shot is the name of a new type of live ammunition containing buckshot loaded with meat seasonings. When you shoot a bird (with a real shotgun) the buckshot disintegrates inside the flesh and releases its flavorings. The idea came about with two guys who wanted to find a solution towards people breaking their teeth on buckshot when eating pheasant or turkey. Season Shot comes in varieties of Cajun, Lemon Pepper, Garlic, Teriyaki, and Honey Mustard. Supposedly, they won't be available on the market until 2007. So, is this for real? I did a search on Google to find out some more. Other bloggers had already picked it up, and apparently at least one reporter was convinced enough to mention it in print in The Birmingham News. I found another newspaper article that someone posted on a forum. I tried calling the company's phone number, which was listed on their website, and I left them a message, and haven't heard back from them. What do you think? Visit Season Shot at: http://www.seasonshot.com

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Poop Soap

by Steve, Friday, November 03, 2006

dog poop soapWhat the world needs now is some soap that looks like poop. "Nope It's Soap" claims to have a coffee scent, and can be used as an exfoliator. Got a kid with a dirty mouth? Tell him you're gonna wash his mouth out with this! The manufacturer claims that each bar pile of soap is hand made, and unique, no molds, no mass production. Just like the real thing. Visit: http://www.nopeitssoap.com/ Update: SNP reader Ellen writes that Sweet Soaps sells a variety of poop soaps, including reindeer, Santa, elf, and snowman.

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Doggie Cages for Car Doors

by Steve, Friday, November 03, 2006

The "BreezeGuard" is effectively a protective cage that mounts into a car door allowing dog passengers to enjoy the breeze in safety.
BreezeGuard
Sue Stipanovich, who started the business of making BreezeGuards, says the inspiration came when she witnessed a truck in front of her with a dog perched out the window. She was so shocked by this that she couldn't stop thiking about it all day long, but managed to turn her anxiety into productivity by inventing the BreezeGuard. She writes that she tested a prototype of the BreezeGuard with her own dog Uli, who has always been so frightened to ride in a car. But with the BreezeGuard, she's now a happy little puppy. For $250.00 you can get one for your car, truck, or SUV. The online order form seems to accept orders for any make and model. Via PetGadgets.com

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