Posted by Kara Manon on September 13, 2013
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
This super lightweight 14-inch ultrabook seems to be perfect for the on-the-go businessperson. CNET raves about its keyboard, screen, glass surface trackpad, and overall lightness of the laptop. The screen can actually lay completely flat which is neat but I’m not entirely sure what sort of situation would require such a thing. It has the traditional ThinkPad design and carbon fiber casing. For all of you Windows junkies out there, this ultrabook looks pretty good but comes with a hefty price tag. It starts at $1,299 but soon, with all the add-ons you might want, you could be looking upwards of $1,800.
Cons include a lack of HDMI port, optical drive, and only two USB ports (one 3.0 and one 2.0). The battery life is mediocre and the battery itself is sealed-in. I find only the battery life and HDMI aspects surprising with the ultrabook, the rest seem to come with the territory of these ultra slim laptops. From some of the comments on reviews, I’d say Lenovo has pretty terrible customer service, which might be something to seriously consider before purchasing a ThinkPad.
Courtesy of CNET
The Specs:
- i5-3427U Intel Core Processor
- 4GB RAM
- 128GB SSD
- Intel HM77 Chip
- Intel HD4000 Graphics Card
- 64-bit Windows 7 or 8
- 3 lbs in Weight, .74-inch Height
- Display Port Video Input (no HDMI)
- 1 USB 3.0, 1 USB 2.0 and SD Card Reader
- Ethernet through USB dongle, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Mobile Broadband
Engadget poses the question, “How would you change Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Carbon?”
Kwikset Kevo
I keep seeing this on Amazon (I’m sort of a shopping addict and love to browse) and I’m completely intrigued by home automation. As much as I’ve locked myself out of the house, I may just need something like this. Basically, Kevo let’s you unlock your door with your smartphone or with a key fob. When the device is within four feet of the lock, you just touch the lock and it opens. It’s safe to assume that many will think this is incredibly cool and many will think this is a terrible idea. I fall on both sides of the fence. While I’d love an easy way to unlock my doors, the security of such a thing is always a worry. Not to mention the price, $199 – $250 plus $2 per eKey (that you can send to others, allowing them to have a key to your house). It comes with two eKeys and one fob and currently only has an iOS app. Essentially, you’d pay $2 for every key you send – your children with smartphones, parents, dogwalker, cleaning service, contractors, neighbors, friends, close family, babysitters, and whomever else you’d consider giving a key. I’m wondering if you could send temporary eKeys or revoke ones that have been sent previously.
What do you think? Here’s a TechCrunch review. For more information on how to get started with home automation, check out this Lifehacker article.
Intel Laser Chip
The Intel Laser Chip fit four lasers and other optical components onto silicon chips that will replace copper cables with faster optical links. It can transmit data at 100 gigabits per second on five-millimeter cable. According to Justin Rattner (former Intel CTO), “more bandwidth at much lower cost, and what looks like a big win on the energy-efficiency side. The data center guys love all this capacity but with cables that are teeny-tiny. Right now most data centers are running at 10 gigabits per second; a few people have deployed 40 gigabits per second.”
It looks like these little chips could cut down data center costs and increase efficiency. We look forward to hearing more information about this one!
Samsung Galaxy Gear
Available in the US in early October, the Galaxy Gear is far more than a watch. It’s part of the new generation of technology gadgets known as smartwatches. The Galaxy Gear uses your Bluetooth connection to your Samsung Galaxy device to stream notifications and even make calls. You can use it to find your device, track your steps, take photos (though not secretly), and includes 4GB of onboard storage. According to The Verge, the device has a somewhat small battery and lags significantly. It comes in six different shades and has a 1.63-inch Super AMOLED display with 320 x 320 resolution. The asking price is $299.
Feel free to tell us your thoughts on these technologies or let us know what gadgets you’d like to see in future blogs!
