Category: Gear | Computers

Starting at $699, the Mac Mini is fairly expensive for what it offers. But, if you're an Apple fanboy, that's exactly how you want it. That shiny apple on the top of the newly-designed, unibody, aluminum enclosure isn't the only thing driving up the price. They have also jacked up the graphics processing power, severely cut down the amount of power it sucks from the wall and, most importantly, added a much-needed HDMI port. That means it's a perfectly-cabpable home theater PC right out of its pretty box. They have also added an SD card slot, all while managing to keep it one of the sexiest computers we have ever seen. Sure, you could get a lot more for a lot less money, but that's not the point. The point, of course, is to get a killer little machine and piss off your PC fanboy friends.

You can fit a computer just about anywhere these days. Chances are, you have at least one in your pocket right now. But, the keyboard is definitely one of the most logical places to stuff all those robotic computer guts. The Eee keyboard has been a myth in the tech world for literally years now, but it's finally ready to hit the streets. Inside you'll find a full-blown computing machine with an Atom processor, 1 GB RAM and XP, as well as Wireless Internet and Bluetooth. Next to the keys you'll find a 5-inch 800x480 touch screen you can use for navigation. Having seen it in person, we can say that it's very slick. It's available for pre-order on Amazon for $599.

Just in case your iPad hasn't totally replaced your need for a computer, Apple has done some renovating in the guts of their unibody MacBook Pro laptops. All three sizes got the make-over treatment, including the 13", 15" and 17" models. The 13" gets improved graphics and a faster Core 2 Duo processor, as well as the ability to crank out up to 10 hours of battery life on a single charge. The big brothers get even swankier new processors in the form of Intel's Core i5 and i7s, which should churn out Oregon Trail like you've never seen it. Plus, the 15" and 17" with something they call Automatic graphics twitching. Basically, it only relies on the power-huntry GPU when you're using greedy programs like Photoshop. That means insane battery life and extra bonus points with the environmental conservation nerds. Also, if you're thinking about buying us one as an earth day present, spring for the $1,300 512 GB solid state hard drive option. We promise to send a really nice thank you note...eventually.

Buying a hard drive isn't very exciting. They're expensive and all they do is hold the crap that you already have. It's the digital equivalent to a trip to the Container Store. But, Seagate has spiced up the whole process buy pre-loading their 500 GB FreeAgent Go drives with 20 movies from Paramount. You only get to watch one for free, the 2009 version of Star Trek, but the rest can be unlocked by paying between $10 and $15 for the license. Besides the included movies, the drives are pretty much the same as any others, with 500 GB of storage ready to hold all (or a tiny portion) of your adult movie collection or whatever else it is people are using computers for these days.

Hey, have you guys heard about this iPad thing? Apparently it's like a computer, only with no keyboard and old people understand it even less than normal machine. But, Apple isn't the only game in town when it comes to computers that like to be poked, prodded and swiped. HP has been slowly leaking out information about their upcoming Slate and it looks like it could have some real legs. Unlike the iPad, it has an SD card slot, a USB port and it's built on Windows 7, so you can look at websites with Flash. It'll be out later this summer, at which point dorks can have heated arguments about whether or not it's better than the iPad.

Look at your mouse pad right now. Chances are you got it from the bank when you signed up for a checking account and haven't thought about it since. These solid metal mousepads on the other hand, won't let you forget about them. The Ravenholm is shaped like a saw blade, which means you'll have to be on your game when you're trying to get your game on or else you're going to end up in the hospital. The other pads, like the Teardrop and the Cirque du Pwnage are equally as awesome and a lot less dangerous. They weigh between 1.5 and 4 pounds, which means they could also probably double as a weapon if someone was to come at you right in the middle of a game of <em>MW2</em>.

You probably don't think about your wireless router until it breaks and you go all Godzilla on it, but Belkin wants to change that by making a router that's actually interesting. It comes with a series of apps to help you perform all of the normal internet tasks that make your life that much better. It will do stuff like backing up your files, managing your torrents and even fix your connection when it gets borked. Plus, it offers killer speed using Gigabit ports and Dual-band 802.11n connections to make heavy data like high-dev video fly across your house like your drunk buddy who has watched too much X-Games. The top of the line version is $129, but if you're willing to give up a few of the bells and whistles, you can get it all the way down to $50.

If you're ready to take doodline to a whole new level (or you're one of those professional artist types), you'll find it easy to fall in love with Wacom's new displays. This 21-inch panel comes with a special pen that recognizes up to 2048 different levels of pressure against the screen. That means you can get all kinds of crazy accurate with your art work or photo retouching. Of course, it's geared toward professionals so it comes with a hefty price tag of $2,000, but that seems like a steal when you think of the places this thing could take your MS Paint skills. So long lumpy smiley face. Hello round smiley face. It will be available in April.

Alienware is known for their huge, gawdy laptops that chew through video games like that guy on <em>Man Vs. Food</em> does to giant novelty foods. But, their newest machine is almost a netbook, sporting a sub-12-inch screen and coming in at just $800 to start. Of course, that base price will only get you the bare essentials when it comes to gaming, like a 1.3 GHz process, a 160 GB hdd and one measly gig of RAM. Of course you can upgrade, but it's going to cost you. Still, if you have been looking for a smaller laptop that can satisfy all of your unending nerd lust, this might just be the box for you.