On first glance, the keyboard on the new Dell Vostro 1310 looks perfectly fine. But stare closer, and compare it to your own keyboard. Notice any difference?

Hint: The ‘Z’ key.

The ‘Z’ key should be below ‘A’ and ‘S’, not below ‘S’ and ‘D’! This is going to make typing absolutely frustrating for most.

This seems to be a problem only for UK customers. But if the Vostro 1310 is on your list of purchases, please check the keys before whipping out your credit card, James Bond style. Or at least, make sure you are perfectly comfortable with this key layout.

Now’s the perfect time to get a Mac desktop. Apple has updated its iMac line of desktop computers today, giving it more power than ever.

The US$1,199 20-inch model now sports:

• 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Penryn processor
• 128MB ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT graphics
• 1GB of memory
• 250GB 7200RPM hard drive

The US$1,499 20-inch model sports:

• 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Penryn processor
• 256MB ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO graphics
• 2GB of memory
• 320GB 7200RPM hard drive

The US$1,799 24-inch model sports:

• 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Penryn processor
• 256MB ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO graphics
• 2GB of memory
• 320GB 7200RPM hard drive

Finally, the top-of-the-range US$2,199 24-inch model sports:

• 3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Penryn processor
• 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS graphics
• 2GB of memory
• 500GB 7200RPM hard drive

Available immediately from Apple Online Store.

hField Technologies’ Wi-Fire is a compact high-performance USB Wi-Fi Adapter for Mac and PC that extends the Wi-Fi range upwards of 1,000 feet. Being a college student, I am blessed with a blanketed campus, offering a strong Wi-Fi signal wherever I go, right? …. Well, wrong. Dreaded dead spots exist and, to my dismay, my dorm room seems to be the epicenter of a dead spot, a barren wasteland of former Wi-Fi signal.

My solutions included hardwiring—too easy. Setting up a router? Forbidden. And as this epic conundrum reached a head, an epiphany hit me like a ton of bricks (as they tend to do). However, this epiphany came in the form of a small device called the Wi-Fire from a startup company that I had never heard of. The device triples the power of the internal receptor, making it virtually impossible not to get a signal, regardless of where you are.

On my current winter break, my internet cut out on me and, although I am not condoning it, I continued surfing without a problem off of an unsecured network down the street. The device uses a directional antenna with an arrow to ensure a strong signal. According to hField’s site, “the Wi-Fire provides interoperability with any 802.11 b/g access point and multiplies the effectiveness of wireless networks allowing users to connect to a WiFi network from up to 1,000 feet, more than three times the range of Airport cards and other 802.11 adapters, at significantly higher speeds, and even in locations where no wireless signal could be detected previously.”

If you’re looking to improve your internet connectivity and thereby improve your efficiency in any setting whether it’s the airport, park or even dorm room, look no further than this valuable gizmo from hField Technologies, Inc.

The device is 3 x 4 x 3/8 inches in size. It folds up for transportation and connects to the Mac and PC using USB. The device retails for $79 in the U.S.

My current 24-inch iMac is now officially “second-latest.” It’s no pity though, as the new iMac is awfully seductive!

The Pretty

The most obvious cosmetic changes are the inclusion of black and the change from plastic to aluminum and glass. Following the style of the iPhone, the new iMac sports a black bezel and a black Apple logo on its silver aluminum exterior.

The new keyboard is equally sweet! With a super-low profile compared to the previous model, it provides a more laptop-like typing experience. It comes in wired and wireless versions, with the wired offering two USB ports and the wireless having a sleek power button at the side.

The tech specs are just as amazing. 2.8GHz Core 2 Extreme processor, ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro graphics, support for up to 1TB of storage, 802.11n, Bluetooth 2.0, 8x SuperDrives, and 1GB of RAM.

And after watching BBC’s Planet Earth, I’m now truly appreciative of environmental friendly products. I’m glad that Apple is now emphasizing on this aspect, and the new iMacs are made out of highly recyclable materials.

The Ugly

My first disappointment is that there isn’t a new 30-inch model. I thought it would be fitting. It would’ve made me really think of upgrading!

And no Blu-ray or HD-DVD? It’s not even available as an upgrade. This could turn away some people who are ready to jump onto the HD bandwagon. But then again, this can be easily solved with an external drive.

Price

20-inch: US$1,199
20-inch with processor, HDD and graphics upgrade: US$1,499
24-inch: US$1,799
24-inch with processor and HDD upgrade: US$2,299

That’s a $300 price drop for the entry 20-inch model! As for the 24-inch model, Apple was quoted saying it’s a $200 price drop. But, if you look at the price comparison pictured here, you’ll know that feature-by-feature the new iMacs is much more desirable. If you upgrade the previous range to similar specs, you’ll come up with a price drop of more than $600!

There is no better time than now to get yourself an iMac.

Unboxing Video

Here’s one by Unboxing.com, enjoy!

For just $13, you can get a Mouse Trap with your choice of color: jet with cabernet, dove with tarragon, or chocolate with tourmaline.

Look likes Intel has set its eyes on the laptop arena! And who said only Apple produces stylish laptops.

Codenamed the Intel Mobile Metro Notebook, this prototype laptop is co-designed by Intel and Ziba Design. With a mere 0.7-inch thickness, it is crowned the thinnest laptop ever. Weighing in at just 2.25 pounds and sporting Intel speediest processor, it is not just a looker.

This champagne-colored beauty will also come with a magnetically attached colored folder, which has a detachable strap for slinging the Intel like a Gucci.

Availability: End of this year.

Sexy black glossy finish. The same kind that made many go gaga over the LG Chocolate cellphone. The LG Z1Pro is the latest addition to its laptop arsenal, made with the Vista’s Windows Sideshow in mind. The 2.5-inch LCD on the top cover allows you to fetch your MP3, photos, e-mails, stock quotes, RSS feed, etc without draining the laptop’s battery.

Features:

• Processor Intel® Core 2 Duo Processor T5600 (1.83GHz, 2MB L2 Cache)
• Display 12.1″ WXGA(1280×800),Fine Bright Technology
• Graphics ATI® Mobility TM Radeon® X1350 (up to 512MB)
• HDD 120GB
• Wireless Intel® Pro/Wireless 3945ABG(802.11a/b/g)
• Bluetooth Yes (BlueCoreâ„¢4)
• Multimedia Card Slot 5-in-1 (XD/SD/MMC/MS/MS Pro)
• Audio SRS WOW HD, SRS TruSurround XT, 5.1CH Dolby Digital, 24bit High Definition

Price: US$1,970
Availability: Now

Looks like Apple has got a little surprise for you mid-year shoppers. The Apple MacBook has gotten a little specification bump while retaining its original sleek look.

The US$1,099 2.0GHz White MacBook:

• 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
• 80GB 5,400rpm SATA hard drive
• 24x slot-loading Combo drive (DVD/CD-RW)

The US$1,299 2.16GHz White MacBook:

• 2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
• 120GB 5,400rpm SATA hard drive
• 8x slot-loading double-layer SuperDrive

The US$1,499 2.16GHz Black MacBook:

• 2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
• 160GB 5,400rpm SATA hard drive
• 8x slot-loading double-layer SuperDrive

All models also features:

• 1GB of 667MHz DDR2 memory
• 13.3-inch glossy widescreen display (native resolution of 1280 x 800)
• 64MB Intel GMA 950 graphics processor (shared memory)
• iSight
• Airport Extreme Wi-Fi (802.11n draft)
• Bluetooth 2.0
• MagSafe power adapter
• One FireWire 400 port, Two USB 2.0 ports
• Dimensions: 1.08(H) x 12.78(W) x 8.92(D) inch (2.75 x 32.5 x 22.7 cm)
• Weight: 5.1 pounds (2.31kg)

So basically, you are looking at a processor speed bump, extra memory and bigger L2 cache for the basic model, a larger hard drive capacity, and a better 802.11n AirPort. All at the exact same price as before. Definitely a welcomed update!

Fujitsu has announced the development of its new MHW2 BJ series of 2.5-inch SATA hard disk drives. With a record-breaking storage space of 160GB and transfer rate of 300MB/s, this is the drive that will offer a new level of high-performance laptop computing.

Fujitsu also claims ultra-quiet performance with a noise level of only 2.5 bels at idle. Combine that with its low-power consumption of 2.3 watts or less when reading or writing data.

Starting this May, we can expect to see these drives slipping into high-performance laptops.

Combining a 30-inch monster with four other 20-inchers, the Zenview Powerscape Ultra HD is perhaps the biggest consumer-purchasable multi-monitor setup yet.

12,000,000 pixels. How does that sound? It is even HDCP compliant.

• Five LG.Philips LCD panels on dual desk stands
• Central panel input: digital DVI (HDCP ready)
• Secondary panel inputs: Digital DVI and Analog D-sub connections (each panel)
• Width: 73.2″ (bezel); 76.2″ (bow); 70.0″ (base)
• Depth: 25″ (total); 9″ (at center)
• Height: 21.7″ (on standard poles)

A must-have. That is if US$4,999 means nothing to you.