Sandy Bridge is basically a codename within Intel, but what it boils down to is architecture. Sandy Bridge takes the 32 nm manufacturing process from previous processor models (which were codenamed Westmere, or Nehalem-C) and applies it to new architecture, combining the memory controller and the graphics processor into one enclosure.

This accomplishes a few things for these next generation processors. First, they will be able to natively play Blu-Ray movies, allowing for a more high-definition experience to a wider array of users. By combining these two components of the processor, they are able to decode more efficiently, and a wider range of video file types, which is how they will be able to handle Blu-Ray decoding.

These processors will also be easier on battery life. By combining the memory controller and the graphics processor into a 32 nm enclosure, versus the previous 45 nm enclosure that once separately housed the graphics processor, the two can be powered together, reducing the strain on your laptop’s battery.

One other thing of note about these processors is that they facilitate a switch becoming more and more popular in notebooks today, and that is having discrete graphics cards. Similar to how your laptop dims itself when placed on battery power, to conserve energy and make your battery last longer, this processor will be able to run graphics at a low level on your machine. When you’re plugged in, you can use software on your laptop to tell your computer to switch to the discrete graphics card for the better quality, but when you’re just working on a document for school, you can switch over the Intel Sandy Bridge chip, and cut off the full graphics card, thus saving you even more battery life.

This new processor is expected to ship at the end of 2010, and it definitely looks to shake things up for Intel.

The X264dn printer boasts a nice and crisp 1,200 dpi resolution and prints monochrome documents at a speed of about 30 pages per minute. Pages printing from the copier will take slightly longer, but that is typical of any other printer on the market as well. To offset the speed at which you will likely rip through paper, you can add a second tray of 550 page capacity to the standard 250 page capacity that comes standard on the machine, for a total capacity of 800 pages.

One of the really great things about this machine is its price tag. Many other office level printers can go for over $1,000, but this particular machine is going for under $400 at some retailers, making it a viable option if you print a lot at home, or in a small business. Beware however, that this printer only prints black and white, it cannot print in color.

If you are considering this machine for office use, expect a cost of 2.6 cents per printed page for toner. If you opt into Lexmark’s return program cartridge however, this bumps down the cost of supplies to 2.1 cents per page, making this an incredibly economic device.

Overall, the Lexmark X264dn multifunctional laser printer is a great, cheap machine for home offices and small businesses, as long as you don’t do heavy scanning and don’t need color prints. Outside of those two scenarios however, this machine offers everything you could need at a pretty incredible value.

1. Check all cables

Even though a wireless network is all about working without wires and cables, there are still a few cables involved. Check any cable connected to the router, especially the cable going from the cable modem or DSL modem. If this cable is loose, it could be causing problems.

2. Cycle power on all devices

Sometimes simply cycling the power or unplugging and reconnecting all devices can solve minor connection problems. You may also try resetting your modem, router to factory defaults to see if that alleviates the issue.

3. Reconnect devices

If you are having trouble getting a specific computer to connect to the router, try disconnecting it from the wireless network and reconnecting. You can also try deleting the network’s information and reconnecting. You will need to re-enter the network password and some settings, but this can alleviate some issues.

4. Reinstall software or update

If there was a software disc included with the router or network card which you installed on each computer on the network, try reinstalling this software. Also, check the program or the manufacturer’s website for updates to the software and install them.

5. Update router firmware

Many routers have the ability to update their firmware, which can provide bug fixes and extra features. Consult the router’s manual for detailed instructions on updating the router’s firmware.

These steps should help you resolve most minor issues. If you have exhausted all of the steps above and are still experiencing problems with your wireless network, it may be time to call customer service for more detailed troubleshooting.

The 12.1 inch screen can be opened and collapsed in the traditional laptop orientation when using the keyboard and trackpad, or it can flip over when using the touch-screen or a stylus pen for more compact use. In many ways, this allows it to be both a traditional laptop and a compact tablet computer, depending on the user’s need at the moment.

The HP EliteBook 2740p doesn’t skimp on power or features, either. It has a Core i5 processor for fast performance. It includes 4GB of RAM which is upgradeable to 8GB for power users. It’s Intel integrated graphics are great for multimedia applications, though not recommended for gaming or high-end applications.

The machine includes a webcam and microphone which work in both orientations and a stylus pen slides into the back of the machine when not in use. It also includes VGA, ethernet, USB, Firewire ports for flexible connectivity and ExpressCard/34 card slot. There are memory card slots for connecting most popular formats of digital camera memory cards.

The only downsides of the HP EliteBook 2740p are battery life and price. Battery life is below average compared to similar units, though there is an option for a larger battery. Though the price of the model is in line with other tablet PCs, it is still quite a premium over most traditional laptops. Buyers will have to decide if the touch-screen and tablet features are worth the extra cost.

Overall, the HP EliteBook 2740p provides an excellent computing experience that provides some of the best features of a tablet but still keeps the Windows operating system, keyboard, and mouse that users are familiar with. If its price and limited battery life are not deterrents, buyers should be very happy with it.

The machine comes pre-loaded with Windows 7 Home Premium, which is most recommended for home users and even some small office users for getting the most out of a home machine. The machine is also highly-customizable, with a number of upgrade options available for buyers. The DDR3 memory provides great performance with less power consumption, and can be configured to a capacity that meets your needs the best. It is also very easy to upgrade the memory later.

There are a number of multimedia features and options available. Buyers can choose to have a dedicated graphics card or to use the integrated video chipset. There is even an option for a TV tuner and a PVR for recording live TV on your computer. The integrated audio processor provides high-definition 7.1 surround sound, perfect for watching movies and listening to music. Other multimedia options include a standard DVD drive and an optional Blu-ray drive for watching movies in high-definition. Those with a wireless network can add a wireless LAN card for an easy network connection without wires.

The HP Pavilion Slim-line s5580t truly is an impressive machine. Its processing power and RAM configuration options allow buyers to tailor it to their needs. Its multitude of connection options make it easy to get data in and out and the highly-customizable nature lets buyers add the features they want without paying for features they don’t. Its low price makes it a great value and provides a lot of bang for the buck.

Many desktop users use their SSD drive for the operating system and other frequently used files, and an HDD for storing large files or those less frequently used. The Momentus XT emulates this setup within a single drive. It has solid-state memory for storing frequently-used files, and platters for storing less-used and larger files. This really provides the advantages of both drives. You get the speed of SSD and the cheaper, larger storage of HDD.

Some users might be disappointed to find that you can’t control what gets written to the flash memory and what gets written to the platters. This is by design, however. Essentially, the drive learns what data is accessed most often, and manages the data for you appropriately. While this does potentially provide less control for the user, it also makes it easier to use for those who want the speed benefits without the need to spend a lot of time tweaking.

Speed tests have shown the Momentus XT’s performance to be faster than even the fastest platter-based drives, while being just a bit slower than dedicated SSDs. In some tests, the Momentus XT was able to boot Windows 7 in around 15 seconds, compared to 49 seconds on a slow HDD.

Overall, the Seagate Momentus XT is one of the first hybrid drives on the market, and we are likely to see even more in the future. Combining the two technologies offers great benefits while still keeping prices much lower, which is a definite win for consumers.

1. Run from AC power only

Most laptops will run fine from the AC adapter with a defective battery. If your laptop will not boot or will not run on battery power only, but runs fine on AC power, you could possibly have a bad battery which needs to be replaced.

2. Charge battery overnight with laptop off

Sometimes a weak battery can have trouble charging while the laptop is running. Try shutting down the laptop, connecting the AC adapter, and charging the battery overnight with the laptop off. If the battery still won’t charge, it probably needs to be replaced.

3. Use a battery diagnostic tool

An internet search for Battery Health will yield many results for tools that can assess the health of your laptop battery. In most cases, it can tell you the initial capacity of the batter as well as the current capacity. If the current capacity is less than half of the original, the battery likely needs to be replaced.

4. If possible, try another battery

This step may be more difficult, but if a friend or a repair shop has a battery that is compatible with your laptop, try installing this battery and see if the issues are still present. If installing the new battery makes the problem or problems go away, the battery needs to be replaced.

Batteries are one of the most likely parts to fail in any laptop, as they only have a limited life. When shopping for a replacement laptop battery, use a parts locator tool to find a battery that is compatible with your specific laptop model to ensure the best performance.

With the majority of ultra-portable laptops, it seems as if major compromises were made to achieve portability. With the T235-S1350RD, this does not seem to be the case. Sure, its Pentium processor has less power than some machines on the market, but the lower power consumption helps deliver better battery life, and its performance is still excellent.

The 13.3″ display sports a resolution of 1366 x 768, at an aspect ratio of 16:9, which is perfect for watching television shows and movies. The display is a TruBrite TFT LED backlit display for better battery life and a brighter screen. The integrated graphics engine is capable of outputting HD video with smooth playback performance. The machine includes 4GB of DDR3 memory, which is surprising for its low price, but a welcome addition.

Also surprising is the inclusion of Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit edition. The 64-bit edition can make the best use of the 4GB of memory included in the laptop, but it is still somewhat surprising to see it included in an ultra-portable machine.

There are a few nice extras included as well. Wireless 802.11n networking is supported out of the box, as well as a webcam and microphone, perfect for Skype calls and video chat. An HDMI port is included for connecting directly to an HDTV. One aspect that may be disappointing to some users is the lack of any optical drive. The unit does not include a CD or DVD drive of any kind. This is largely to reduce unnecessary weight and power consumption, but some users will have to add an external drive.

Overall, the Toshiba T235-S1350RD makes an excellent choice for an ultra-portable laptop. Its bright display is wonderful to look at, and it has more power under the hood than one would expect for its size and price.

How is this accomplished? First, the notebook runs on an Nvidia Tegra 250 chip, which uses very little power, and uses 8 GB of flash memory instead of a hard drive. While this might seem like a very small amount of storage, there is a SD/MMC card reader for additional storage on flash cards. With the lack of a hard drive and the use of memory cards for storage, the Toshiba AC100 requires somewhat of a re-thinking of what a laptop or notebook can be. Users wanting to use it as a full-fledged laptop may be disappointed, but those willing to think of it as more of a large-screen portable device should be quite happy with it. The machine weighs an impressively light 870 grams.

What is perhaps most notable about the AC100 is that it does not run Windows or Linux, but in fact, runs Android 2.1. Android is an operating system designed by Google, which was originally intended for smartphones. The stream-lined and light-weight operating system could be just what users need for such a compact machine, but only time will tell how well the Android operating system adapts from smartphones to notebooks.

The 10.1 inch screen has LED backlighting and a 1024×600 resolution. The machine is capable of HD video playback, and even has an HDMI port for connecting to an HDTV.

With so many untested features such as the inclusion of the Android operating system and the lack of a hard drive, it is difficult to judge how the Toshiba AC100 will be received by users. It requires a re-thinking of the notebook concept, and only time will tell if its innovations with strike a chord with buyers.

The HP M1522 can print, scan, fax, and copy, making it a full-featured multifunction machine. Print speeds are rated up to 24 pages per minute, with an impressive first page out time of less than 9.5 seconds. The Instant-On Technology ensures less time spent waiting for the machine to warm up. Copies can be reduced or enlarged from 25% to 400%, and up to 99 copies can be made at once.

Scanning resolution is up to 1200 dpi for very sharp scans and copies, with a maximum scan size of 8.5 by 14 inches. There is a flatbed scanning surface as well as an automatic document feeder, allowing more flexibility for larger media types. The ADF can hold up to 50 sheets at a time for efficient scanning. The fax function has a 300 page fax memory, which can store incoming faxes for later retrieval. There are also up to 120 speed dial numbers for fast dialing.

With an input paper capacity of 250 sheets, users will not need to replace paper as often as with smaller machines. There is also a 10-sheet priority tray, which can hold an alternate media type without the hassle of unloading the main tray. A built-in 10/100 Ethernet port makes it easy to connect the machine to a network for sharing among multiple users, and the 8,000 page monthly duty cycle ensures it can handle the load.

Overall, the HP LaserJet M1522 features fast printing speeds and the full complement of essential office features for a very low price. Buyers who want an affordable and compact office machine should be very impressed.