However with a price tag of £1644.97 from Laptops Direct (link) this level of technology should be entirely expected.

With Windows 7 Professional 64bit edition pre installed this PC is ready to go at a moments notice with business features like offline file synchronisation and network backup.

One of the most interesting features of this 13.1” notebook PC has to be the hybrid graphics; designed to help you extend your battery life when not running graphically intensive programs (aka games) this switch on the keyboard allows you to change instantly between energy saving Intel graphics and high performance (and energy consuming) dedicated nVidia graphics.

As well as having a lighting fast graphics card this PC also comes with a high speed Intel i5 processor which has been coupled with 4GB of the latest DDR3 RAM and 128GB of solid state storage (which is significantly faster than a conventional hard disk) for instantaneous application loading.

As you might guess this PC also comes with all the ports and features that you’d find on a lower priced notebook including HDMI, 3 USB ports, integrated webcam + microphone, memory card reader, N class Wi-Fi and Bluetooth all contained in its 1.41kg carbon fibre case.

For more information visit the official Sony website at this link here.
Or to buy online now from Laptops Direct visit this link here.

Before today most netbooks came with either Windows XP or a derivative of Linux simply because Windows Vista wasn’t suited to low power PCs; with Windows 7 Starter that’s all changed.

With all the performance enhancements and features of Windows 7 the HP Mini 110 lets you work anywhere and there’s even a choice of colours (Black, White and Pink) all costing £299.99 from PC World (link).

Inside is the usual ‘Netbook’ specification with a 1.6ghz Intel Atom Processor, 1GB of RAM (believe it or not that’s enough for Windows 7) and 160GB hard drive.

The 10.1” screen is big enough to have two windows side by side and also allows this PC to have (what HP are calling) a 92% of normal sized keyboard. Additionally there’s Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 5 in 1 memory card reader, webcam + microphone, 3 USB ports and a external monitor port.

Even with all these great features this 6 hour endurance netbook still just weights 1.17kg.

For more information and to buy online visit the PC World website at this link here.
Additionally if your looking for a deal that includes Mobile Internet click here.

So what’s the 64bit advantage? Essentially it gives you the option to have more RAM and thus allowing you to have even more applications open at the same time (more on 64bit).

So for some suggestions on which VAIO with 64bit would be best for you keep reading!

Fast Desktop Replacement Notebook – VAIO FW
The VAIO FW is designed as a desktop replacement notebook and so includes high performance ATI graphics. £1,049 will get you a 2.8ghz Intel Dual Core, 320GB Hard Drive, Blu Ray reader, 4GB RAM and the ATI HD4650 graphics card making it perfect for gaming and Blu Ray playback. A step back to £748 will replace the processor with the 2ghz model and leave you with a standard DVD drive.

Ultralight with Blu Ray – VAIO Z
The VAIO Z series incorporates ultra high speed DDR3 RAM allowing applications to load faster than ever before, couple that with a SSD drive and program load wait times will become a thing of the past. A integrated HSDPA modem also helps you connect to the internet wherever you are while a fingerprint reader keeps your data secure. Be warned that such a well equipped laptop will cost around £3,150 with all these fancy extras (Blu Ray, HSDPA and SSD). All the same at 1.5kg this notebook lets you work/play easily away from home.

Something to watch out for-
Sony maybe selling PCs with 6GB/8GB of RAM however I have never seen a notebook need so much RAM (even under gaming uses). If you seriously think you need that much RAM then you would be better off buying a Desktop PC and a lower specification notebook (after all going from 4GB to 8GB costs the price of a small PC anyway!).

So for more information visit the Sony Style website.

Panasonic are world renowned for their ‘Toughbooks’, designed to operate in the harshest of environments these notebooks come second to none when it comes to indestructibility.

While water, fire, sledgehammers and bullets may completely wreck any normal notebook its all part of a normal day for a Toughbook.

But what about price and performance? Well shall we say starting price is around £1,900 with cclonline.com.

You might think that for £1,900 you would get your moneys worth as far as performance goes however that’s not the case with nothing faster than a Intel 1.6ghz processor. However lets understand that these notebooks aren’t designed for speed they are designed to work wherever you take them.

So who might be looking at this kind of notebook?
Most business who already need a notebook like this will already be using them and the average person on the street will have no use for one. However if you are into extreme sports or will be taking part in a Land Rover G4 challenge and need to take a go anywhere notebook with you on your travels this is certainly one of the better (indestructible) options.

For prices take a look at cclonline.com and for more information take a look at the official Panasonic Toughbook website.

So to help make the right choice and for more information on on your options keep reading!

Understanding your Broadband Options
Broadband is well and truly here, for the first time providing super fast internet connectivity at an affordable price and from a variety of sources to ensure a competitive market that’s great for the consumer. Over the years leading up to the 2012 Olympics in the UK the government has outlined its plan to provide at least a 2Mbps broadband internet connection for every person in the UK to access. The great news for consumers is that industry experts predict that this is somewhat of an underestimation, and broadband speeds will continue to rise as costs fall. Because there are so many different ways for PC users to get broadband it will help if we identify all of the different types and run through some of the top providers to help make the process of choosing one easier.

Types of Broadband and Providers

• ADSL Broadband – ADSL is the most common form of broadband connection as it operates thanks to the existing telephone line that many people already have connected to their properties. ADSL also has the largest choice when it comes to broadband Internet Service Providers with large companies like BT and Tiscali offering home phone, digital TV and internet packages to users nation wide. If you want a more specific type of broadband for online gaming or heavy downloading then you might consider smaller ISPs like Plustnet or Pulse Gaming. There are loads of ADSL deals with different prices and speeds, though a majority of providers will offer an `up to` 8Mbps service. ADSL speeds vary by location because the digital broadband signal will loose integrity if you live a long way from your local telephone exchange.
• Cable Broadband – The second fixed line option is Cable offered in the UK by Virgin Media. Their underground network of cables uses fibre optic technology meaning there’s no speed drop out over long distances and speeds of up to 50Mbps are possible if you’re willing to pay for the increased bandwidth. There are more modestly priced and powered packages available, though you’ll need to live in a cabled area and take a Virgin Media phone line in order to receive the services.
• Mobile Broadband – Mobile broadband has none of the restrictions on movement suffered by the other types as it uses 3G mobile telecommunications networks to connect you to the internet rather than a land line. This means that you can access mobile broadband anywhere within the UK that is covered by your ISPs 3G networks. Speeds, costs and monthly download allowances vary by provider. For example, 3 Mobile currently offer mobile broadband with 15GB of data allowance each month, but their networks are only capable of a maximum of 3.6Mbps download speed. On the other hand, Vodafone don’t have as generous data allowances for so cheap but their networks max out at 7.2Mbps.

There are so many options that it can be hard to choose the right broadband service for you. The easiest way to make a decision is to head online and compare broadband providers and price plans on a price comparison website.

All you need in addition is a data contract with a mobile phone company (click here for some options) many of which has fallen in price in the recent months as the leading companies battle for customers.

Internal specifications include the standard Intel Atom processor, 1GB of RAM, 160GB hard drive and 10.2” screen. Extras include a integrated webcam, memory card reader, 3 USB ports and Windows XP Home edition all in a package weighing just 1.33kg.

To take a look at this mobile web wonder for £428.95 on Amazon click this link here.
Or if you would like to know more take a look at the Samsung website at this link here.

Models used:
In this particular comparison I won’t be looking at a particular model as there are 3 variations on the dv2 and even a custom build option for the TT series. Therefore I shall be looking at the possible options that you can have in each model (e.g. there is a 4GB version of the dv2 and you can custom choose a Blu Ray disk drive for your TT).

Design/Size/Weight:
The HP dv2 and Sony TT are two stunning notebooks, they have a fantastic finish to the cases and you even get the option to have a carbon fibre case on the top of the range VAIO TT. While HP are only giving the option to have a ‘Chocolate’ colour Sony give a Red, Gold, ‘Intense Noir’ and Carbon case colours.
As anyone would expect the VAIO TT is lighter than the dv2 due to its smaller screen (11.1” on the Sony and 12.1” on the HP) with the Sony weighing 1.3kg while the HP weighs 1.7kg; either way both notebooks fit in the ‘ultraportable’ class of design.
At its thinnest point the HP dv2 is just 2.37cm while the VAIO TT is measures in at 2.35cm so overall there is not much difference in case thickness.

Processor:
Intel have been producing ultra low voltage processors for some time now and in the VAIO TT you get the choice of a 1.2ghz or 1.4ghz Intel Core2Duo (dual core) processor, while certainly not the fastest processors out there they can handle HD video playback and provide excellent battery life.
The dv2 series on the other hand uses the all new AMD Athlon Neo processor, its only a single core (so isn’t ideal for multiple application loads at the same time) but is clocked at 1.6ghz. This extra clock speed could very well give the dv2 an advantage however any application which can make full use of a dual core processor will run better on the VAIO TT.

RAM/Hard Drive:
Both notebooks give the option to go all the way up to 4GB of RAM. The VAIO TT uses the latest DDR3 RAM with a clock speed of 800mhz while the dv2 is using DDR2 clocked at 667mhz therefore giving the TT a distinct advantage.
If you are looking for a massive amount of storage space the HP dv2 is your best bet with a 500GB hard drive in the top of the range model and a 320GB hard drive in the mid range. At the same time the VAIO TT only gives you a maximum storage space of 160GB however if you can put in some extra cash you can upgrade to the ultra high speed flash based hard drive giving you another performance boost on Windows and application load times.
Bottom line is for performance the VAIO TT wins and for capacity the HP dv2 wins.

Graphics/Display:
In great wisdom Sony and HP have made both models capable of HD video playback, while the dv2 includes no internal optical disk drive you can easily utilise a USB Blu Ray drive and watch 720p video on the 12.1” screen. The VAIO TT on the other hand can have a integrated Blu Ray disk drive (again if you have the cash for the upgrade) and a 11.1” 720p screen. Furthermore both notebooks include a HDMI output and the HP dv2 certainly is capable of full 1080p HD playback with its ATI Mobility Radeon HD3410 graphics core.
Bottom line in this case is that the HP dv2 has the best graphics ability with a ATI HD3410 graphics core in the mid range+ model.

Wireless:
Here its simple, the HP dv2 comes with standard b/g Wi-Fi while the VAIO TT gets a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and the option to upgrade to 3G mobile internet access.

Frosting on the top (extras):
The HP dv2 comes with a integrated webcam, microphone, 5 in 1 memory card reader, 3 USB ports and dedicated media controls; while the VAIO TT gets a integrated webcam, microphone, 2 in 1 memory card reader, 2 USB ports and fingerprint reader.
While you maybe loosing out on a USB port the VAIO TT is certainly one up with a fingerprint reader on all models mid range+ models.

Final Word:

• If you have lots of money get a VAIO TT
• If you want a stylish latest generation notebook get a HP dv2

So you may ask why is this your preferred netbook? The answer is simple, the keyboard is fantastic. The main problem most people have with such small netbooks is typing at a normal speed; having small fiddly keys doesn’t help the matter. However the keyboard on the Mini 702 stretches from one side of the case to the other and so gives you the biggest possible keyboard with HP claiming 92% the size of a normal notebook key space.

For a full review of the HP/Compaq Mini 702 take a look at this post here.
Or if you want to take advantage of the new low price from Amazon click here.
Alternatively if you are looking for a full 2 year warranty John Lewis (link) is your place with the same PC for £299.

The site is UK specific and includes information from 3, O2, Orange, T-Mobile, Virgin and Vodafone. Also included are the options available when looking at coupling your mobile broadband with a Netbook PC such as the HP/Compaq Mini 702.

For a link to the Recommend me a PC tool click this link here.
Or to see what your options are when looking for mobile internet take a look at this link here.

However with this Orange contract over the 24months you could be paying a little over £700, so if this isn’t to your tastes 3 have the same netbook for £20/month with just 1GB of browse/download. At this rate from Three/3 you would pay £480 over the 24 months.

So the choice is yours, but do check out the links below for more information.
Recommend me a PC post on the HP Mini 702
Orange
Three/3

Additionally you get a integrated webcam, microphone and memory card reader. Also the touch pad allows for ‘multi touch’ allowing for greater mouse and user interface control.

If you would like to know more take a look at the Lenovo UK website here.
Or if your interested in buying take a look at the Dabs website where the Lenovo S10 in black is going for £248.99 at this link here.

If your wondering how good a netbook this is just take a look at the specifications on the HP website and while this model doesn’t include the integrated wireless modem you have 2 USB ports, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity as options for access to other forms of the wireless internet.

Additional specifications include a Intel Atom 1.6ghz single core processor, 1GB or RAM and Windows XP Home (with Service Pack 3). Furthermore John Lewis were kind enough to include Microsoft Works as standard providing a cheaper option to upgrade to Office 2007.

In conclusion until I can find a retailer for the version with a HSDPA modem this is my most highly recommended netbook on the market. So if you want it for £299 with a 2 year warranty head on down to the John Lewis website at this link here and order yours now, or alternatively pop into your local John Lewis and try it out first.