There’s always bound to be good news at one point or another, and it’s time for steampunk enthusiasts to get their hands on Nagy’s handiwork. In his web site, the self-proclaimed “steampunk contraptor, technical artist, and jackass-of-all-trades” has announced that he is taking pre-orders for steampunk laptops.

The image shown above is the original laptop created five years ago. As Nagy says, that laptop was made “using inferior tools, a free laptop, and very little money.” He has gone a long way since then, and for sure, you will be getting a much better laptop if you buy one from him today.

To be honest, I am not really into steampunk, but this laptop does catch one’s attention. Just take a look at the details below.

And if Nagy is going to make more improvements on the new batch of laptops, then they are definitely worth considering. The only thing is that, as one can expect, these steampunk laptops do not come cheap. For the first batch of pre-orders, the price is set at $5500. However, for future batches, the price is predicted to go up to $7500 – even more. So if you’re a serious collector, there is no better time than now to place your order. You can pass up on other thingamajigs to get your hands on this baby! For inquiries, send an e-mail to Richard Nagy at laptops@datamancer.net.

Mattel is not about to give up on its tech campaign, though. Recently, Samsung launched a notebook that screams Barbie all over the place. You can’t miss it. The Samsung X-series Barbie Special Edition has a pink cover with a silhouette of Barbie in the lower right. It has another “flavor” – black cover with a pink silhouette of Barbie.

Physically speaking, the laptop isn’t really much to look at. Sure, it’s pink and it exalts Barbie, but that’s about it. It’s supposed to be sleek and light, but the guys at Engadget say that it’s “one of the least attractive and chubbiest thin-and-light devices” they’ve ever seen. That’s gotta suck for Barbie!

Specs-wise, the Barbie Special Edition laptop is not that bad. The processor is Core 2 Duo and it has 4GB of RAM and 500GB HDD. Definitely not specs for a little girl, I think. And, for Barbie fans, the notebook comes preinstalled with all sorts of Barbie goodies – logos, themes, etc.

Then again, I can’t help but think: “Is that it?”

This may seem to be your regular netbook except for the quick “LG Smart ON” feature. But if you ever get your hands on one unit be sure to check out its sound features.SRS WOW HD and TruSurround XT bring stereo effect sound to music and video. The screen’s LED Backlight delivers a high-resolution picture that is clearer and brighter, which is not only easier on tired eyes but saves energy, too.

The LG X120 Netbook features:

• 10-inch WSVGA screen
• 1.6GHz Atom processor
• 1GB of RAM
• 160GB hard drive
• Windows XP
• Splashtop based “LG Smart ON” feature

The LG X120 will be available in Europe some time in March with the rest of the world to follow some time later.

Ah, this will be the thinnest laptop stand I ever saw. The Latosta Portable Laptop Stand is relatively cheap to at US$10 plus shipping. It’s made of 304 stainless steel grade, definitely serving you for a long long time.

It says it fits any laptops of any width. What I am a little concerned with is how much strain does it apply to the laptop case. As you could see, it does put in a little “pressure”, and while you may adjust it, you can in time, abuse the plastic. At any rate, it seems you are free to try it out for 30 days and if you’re not satisfied with it, return it for a refund. Read the fineprint before you purchase!

Ok… here are the features:

Most portable laptop stand:
- Super lightweight at only 2 oz.
- Small enough to fit into a shirt pocket (4 1/2″ x 2″ x 1/4″)

Improved Laptop Ergonomics:
- Lifts the display screen for reduced neck strain
- Tilts the keyboard for improved wrist position
- Completely stable on the stand
- Increases air circulation to promote laptop cooling
- Passive laptop cooling does not drain your laptop batteries
- Improving Laptop cooling increases battery life
- Minimalist stainless steel design
- 5 year Warrantee against failure in normal use
- 30 day satisfaction guarantee
- Made in USA
- Patent Pending

The Sony VAIO P series

Here’s the official press release:

About the size of a business envelope and roughly as thin as a cell phone, the VAIO Lifestyle PC weighs just 1.4 pounds and is small enough to slip into a jacket pocket or handbag while integrating full-PC features.

The model incorporates a high-resolution, 1600 x 768, LED backlit 8-inch ultra-wide display (diagonal), making it easy to view everything from entire spreadsheets to full web pages— no side-to-side scrolling necessary. It also incorporates Sony’s XBRITE-ECO™ LCD technology, producing images in brilliant detail for razor-sharp viewing on-the-go.

Stylish enough to take anywhere, the unit is available in an array of eye-catching colors, including garnet red, emerald green, onyx black, crystal white and classic black. Matching carrying cases and Bluetooth® color-coordinated mice are available to complete the look.

“The VAIO P Series Lifestyle PC is your portal to the world, delivering entertainment and computing in a head-turning device that’s small enough to put in your pocket,” said Mike Abary, senior vice president of VAIO product marketing at Sony Electronics. “Designed for the fashionista in all of us, it’s the ideal companion.”

Engineered to provide the feel of a larger notebook, the VAIO Lifestyle PC provides a convenient typing experience by extending the keyboard to the perimeters of the chassis maximizing the typing area. The spacing between keys has also been engineered to help reduce typing mistakes making it perfect for long fingernails.

The notebook incorporates built-in wireless WAN 3G Mobile Broadband, 802.11n wi-fi and Bluetooth technologies. Users can toggle among various wireless options for the most efficient connection – wi-fi for working at a coffee shop; Bluetooth for peripherals; and Mobile Broadband service on the Verizon Wireless nationwide network when traveling outside the reach of hotspots (subscription required).

The unit features up to four hours of battery life with the included standard capacity battery and eight hours with the large capacity battery (sold separate). It also incorporates real-time GPS functionality, making it easy to find restaurants, hotels or special sites of interest. Destinations can be found by simply typing in an address or keyword and then following the turn-by-turn directions. The Lifestyle PC even includes estimated drive times to let you know how far you are from a destination. No Internet connection is required in the United States or Canada.

The unit also has an instant-mode option that launches directly into Sony’s Xross Media Bar™ interface, so you can rapidly boot up and access music, video, photos and the Web. A built-in webcam lets you video chat with family, friends and colleagues. A third-party service is required.

The PC comes with the Windows Vista® operating system, supporting office applications and all the software programs routinely found in full-size notebooks. A windows arrangement utility has been added to easily organize all open documents or websites with one touch, positioning them neatly along side each other on a single screen.

The VAIO P Series Lifestyle PC retails for about $900.

I had the privilege of using an Acer Aspire One for about a week when my uncle asked me to initialize it for his office use. At first it was a little too awkward for me to use it because it was too small for my fingers. I’ve been used to larger notebooks from the DELL Inspiron 8600 to the Macbook Pros… but I felt I needed a dip into the “other side” to find out how it feels to operate a netbook.

Good thing I did, at least now I could say it wasn’t bad at all! It was a little weird at first, but after about an hour of using it, I think I could get along with it. The major advantage if ever I would own one netbook as this would be the size factor. It’s so easy to use and bring around! Much lighter than my Dell, and definitely more lighter than my Macbook. I think Apple should invent a netbook product line to compete with this market scope.

Check out the specs as reviewed by PC Magazine right here. I believe my uncle got his from Walmart for about US$298 after a US$40 mail in rebate. Not bad, he got it during the peak of the holiday sale.

It does look like a toy, doesn’t it. But a powerful toy indeed.

I was viewing my podcasts this morning when from CNet’s gadget review shows I saw the HP Mini 1000 review. Quite impressive piece of engineering here, looks like HP has learned a lot from the early netbook developers and well ironed out some of the “flaws” to birth the HP Mini 1000. Heard from Veronica Belmont over Twitter that she’s currently playing with her HP Mini 1000… ohhhh… so jealous she’s got one!

Anyway, the HP Mini 1000 is one of my current faves, I’m putting that in my wishlist! It’s got a wide keyboard that I think fits my big hands, and has got a glossy edge-to-edge screen like my Macbook. It’s made of hard plastic, so that makes it ultra light… and with the work I do, the lighter the load on my backpack… the better.

Here’a a runthrough of it’s basic specifications:

Processor 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270
Memory 1GB, 533MHz DDR2
Hard drive 60GB 4,200rpm
Chipset Mobile Intel 945GM Express
Graphics Intel GMA 950 (integrated)
Operating system Windows XP Home Edition SP2
Dimensions (WDH) 6.6×10.3×0.95 inches
Screen size (diagonal) 10.2 inches
System weight / Weight with AC adapter 2.5/3.1 pounds

The only thing I didn’t like about that is the HD space.. 60GB man, that’s too low! I’ve worked with an Acer One Mini and the base model has about 140GB to start with.

Ah, now this looks like a netbook I’d be happy with, but Sony doesn’t call small laptops a “netbook” though, they call it the Sony VAIO P. “P” standing for “pocket”. Sure does look like it’s pocket-size doesn’t it? I tell you, the main attraction are the colors, Sony seems to perfectly blend it for appreciation.

Ah but wait, it’s not on wide commercial distribution yet… but pre-orders are available over at the Sony website, check it out here.

Price range is from the low of US$899 to a high of US$1,499. The Sony page describes a slight difference between the two models… I see only a change in operating system from the Microsoft Vista Basic and the Microsoft Vista Premium versions.

Basic Model Features: 8″ display with XBRITE-ECO™ LCD technology, 2GB RAM, 128GB SSD, 1.4 lbs., GPS, integrated mobile broadband, glossy Onyx Black, Bluetooth® technology.

Do check it out, as it seems that people are highly anticipating the release. Because it’s the New Year, maybe you can send a “friendly note” to the boss about a “wish gadget”… make sure to drop the Sony VAIO P in it too!

I just did.

After Apple announced new Macbooks and Macbook Pros a few days ago, reports are that the new models are running out of stock in Apple stores all over the world. I think Apple fanatics are immune to the global financial crisis (of which I am a recent victim).

Needless to say, the new Macbooks do look nifty especially with the glass multi-touch trackpad and the seamless glass display. The Nvidia graphics chip is also a welcome addition especially for Mac gamers.

Despite the dim global economy and lack of the $800 netbook that folks were predicting, consumers worldwide still seem pretty keen to get their hands on the latest iteration of Apple’s notebook line.

On an unrelated note, I wonder if the boss will let me out early today. I have an important appointment up at 59th Street…

The three new colors, baby blue, lime green, and light pink, are all very light and bright, which might make them more appellative to women than friends, but overall, they don’t make or break the product’s image.

If you are interested in seeing the other two colors you can do so in the original article.