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The Asus UL50VT is, in many ways, a full-fledged laptop with a large 15.6-inch screen, a DVD/CD burner, and a dedicated gaming graphics chip from Nvidia. At the same time, this Asus has an ultralow-voltage Core 2 Duo processor running the show, a CPU normally dedicated to smaller laptops with long battery life.

Back in our last retail round-up, we reviewed a previous iteration of the UL50, theUL50AG-RBBBK05. Back then, we said that we appreciated how thin the laptop was for its size–1 inch–while still accommodating a DVD burner We also said that the one thing missing was dedicated graphics. To the credit of the UL50VT, that’s exactly what was added in this model, and for a similar price. However, now Intel’s newer Core i3 and i5 processors are included in many affordable laptops in the same price range and offer better performance for the money, thus raising our expectations on what a $700 laptop should offer. Asus has a new Core i3 laptop that’s similar in design, the U50F-RBBAG05, lacking only dedicated graphics–and it only costs $649.

While the UL50VT can turn its dedicated gaming graphics chip off via a software switch to conserve battery power, newer, potentially better, auto-switching dedicated-graphics technology from Nvidia is right around the corner if you’re willing to wait. You’ll have to decide for yourself whether a slightly thinner chassis, added battery life, and the graphics chip are worth the lower-powered CPU, but we say it isn’t.

Price as reviewed $729 Processor 1.3 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 ULV Memory 4GB, 1066 MHz DDR3 Hard drive 500GB 5,400rpm Chipset Mobile Intel GM45 Express Graphics Nvidia GeForce G210M Operating System Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) Dimensions (WD) 15.2×10.2 inches Height 1 inches Screen size (diagonal) 15.6 inches System weight / Weight with AC adapter 5.1 / 5.9 pounds Category Mainstream

At first glance, the UL50VT doesn’t look particularly special. Clad in black with a brushed-metal finish on the lid, it resembles any number of sleek-looking and generic midrange laptops. However, what distinguishes the UL50VT is its thinness. In both its compact base and its razor-thin lid, it’s a close cousin to thin designs we’ve seen in the Acer Timeline series. There are many similarities in the UL50VT to its smaller-screened cousin, the Asus UL30A-A1, which we loved when we reviewed it last year. However, therein is the problem. The UL30A has the same exact processor this larger UL50VT model has, as well as the same hard drive and RAM, for $799 back in September.

The Asus UL50VT has an optical drive, something not many systems so thin manage. The tray-loading DVD/CD burner is so quietly and successfully tucked into the side, it makes us wonder why more slim laptops–or, perhaps, all of them–can’t manage a similar feat. Opened up, the UL50VT reveals a full, very MacBook-like raised Chiclet-like keyboard, except a number pad has also been squeezed onto the right side. While that’s appreciated, a few keys seem shrunk to accommodate the pad.

It has a matte surface with an almost rubberized texture that surrounds the keyboard and touch pad, lending a soft feel that’s slightly prone to oily smudges and stains. The multitouch touch pad is responsive and comfortable, although the chromed button-bar beneath is a rocker-type, which we always like less than two discrete buttons.

Despite being thin, the UL50VT manages to avoid any real battery bulge by integrating the battery into part of the middle hinge. The UL50VT feels a bit plasticy and delicate when opening it up, but when closed the laptop feels sturdy and backpack-safe.

Confusingly, the UL50VT seems to have two power buttons, both chrome, on the above-left and right of the keyboard. In fact, one boots Windows 7, while the other launches an Express Gate Splashtop environment, a quicker-booting mini operating system with a pared-down Web browser, e-mail, and other essential programs. The idea of Express Gate is to offer a faster start-up for quick tasks without booting Windows 7. However, we usually keep our laptop in sleep/hibernate mode, which resumes quickly, so we don’t use this feature too often around the office. Many casual users have the quick-launch OS on their laptops don’t even know they have them. The ExpressGate button activates the switching of power-saving modes when the UL50VT is already booted in Windows 7, and although switching between dedicated and integrated graphics involves a few-second software change-over with some screen flicker, it doesn’t require you to log\ out of Windows.

The 15.6-inch glossy 16:9 LED screen on the Asus UL50VT is bright and good-looking, but its 1,366×768-pixel resolution, while standard for most laptops, is a bit on the low end for 16 inch laptops and larger. Nevertheless, the screen was perfectly good for most uses, although its colors weren’t quite as vivid as on other large-screen notebooks we’ve reviewed recently. On the other hand, the stereo speakers on the UL50VT–embedded on the bottom of the laptop, facing the front–gave off louder than expected, crisp sound for such a thin chassis–a nice plus.

Asus UL50VT-RBBBK05 Average for category [Mainstream] Video VGA-out, HDMI VGA and HDMI or DisplayPort Audio Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks Data 3 USB 2.0, multiformat memory card reader 4 USB 2.0, SD card reader Expansion None ExpressCard/54 Networking Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, optional WWAN Optical drive DVD/CD burner DVD burner

With USB ports, HDMI and VGA ports, and its CD/DVD burning drive, the UL50VT is generally capable of handling any mainstream computing needs. While Bluetooth is not included–it’s a common omission in budget laptops–the UL50VT-RBBBK05 has 802.11n Wi-Fi, as well as a generous 500GB hard drive and 4GB of RAM.

Our biggest issue with this compact Asus laptop is its processor, the SU7300, is technically a Core 2 Duo processor but it’s an ultralow-voltage model running at roughly half the speed of some mainstream Core 2 Duos. This performance hit is reflected in its benchmark scores: it’s slower than most Core 2 Duo laptops. While that would have been more acceptable as a fair trade for improved battery performance a year ago, Intel’s newly released Core i3 processor offers a leap forward in multitasking and improved speeds compared with the Core 2 Duo series, widening the gap between the SU7300 and mainstream laptops in 2010. For instance, the Asus U50F-RBBAG05 offers a Core i3 processor for only $649, and outperforms the UL50VT on all fronts except gaming and battery life. It’s worth noting that the UL50VT performed near the bottom of our mainstream retail comparative benchmark charts.

A pleasant surprise on the UL50VT, and one of its chief advantages, is its switchable graphics capability. The included Nvidia GeForce G210M offers 512MB of dedicated graphics for gaming, and the UL50VT can switch between the Nvidia processor and energy-conserving integrated Intel graphics with a press of a chrome button on the upper-left side of the keyboard. Being able to pick whether you need the GPU helps extend the battery life on the UL50VT, and makes it a great hybrid laptop to consider. However, be forewarned: Nvidia has recently announced Optimus technology that enables auto-switching of graphics, making the process even smoother. You might want to wait for Optimus models to arrive before buying a laptop; however, even if you don’t, the UL50VT still offers more graphics customization that most laptops. The UL50VT also offers Asus’ “Turbo 33″ overclocking on its CPU, but the results of such additional performance tweaks still couldn’t begin to match going with a Core i3 CPU instead.

With GeForce graphics turned on, Unreal Tournament III ran at 33.5 frames per second in native resolution, which is an acceptable but not screaming score. While the UL50VT is hardly a “gaming laptop,” it certainly can play many mainstream games.
Laptop batteries for ASUS

Listed below are compatible ASUS Laptop batteries replacements. The ASUS Laptop batteries come with 12 Months warranty and 100% compatibility guarantee. In addition, replacement Laptop batteries for ASUS supplied by ebattery.com.au meet or exceed OEM specifications.

Alienware Laptops are one of the costliest gaming laptops available in the market. If it is difficult for you to get a brand new Alienware gaming laptop you can check out for other options. Alienware Refurbished Laptops come at affordable rates. You may be biased about buying a second – hand laptop. A refurbished laptop is different from a “second-hand laptop.”

Buying an Alienware refurbished laptop for a much lower price is no different than purchasing a new laptop. There are few things to look at before you go for a refurbished Alienware laptop.

•    Alienware refurbished laptops run several hundred dollars less than the exact same model being sold as new.
•    Alienware refurbished laptops are fully inspected and tested by the third party sellers.
•    In most cases, warranty is provided with every purchase of Alienware refurbished laptop.
•    Before you buy an Alienware refurbished laptop, check the date of purchase so that you could determine when it was sent to the vendor for revamping and when it was marked refurbished and sent again to the market for resale.
•    Hardware usually becomes obsolete in a span of 5 years. Never go for a refurbished laptop older than 2 years.
•    Remember, there is a difference between a used laptop and refurbished laptop. Used laptops can be found anywhere at very low prices but there is no warranty of the product unlike Alienware refurbished laptops, which are certified and fully inspected for resale.
•    When a laptop is refurbished, it is likely that the model has been upgraded. So, check out the new upgraded features of the Alienware refurbished laptop before you take it home.
•    Warranty period for a brand new Alienware laptop and refurbished Alienware laptop may vary. Instead of a 1 year warranty for a new laptop, most companies offer a 3-4 month warranty on refurbished laptops.
•    Compare the price of the Alienware refurbished laptop with any laptop having same features. You will still find Alienware refurbished laptop better.
•    Transact with reputable vendors or credible sources only or you may end up wasting your hard earned money.

Getting an Alienware refurbished laptop is no more a struggle. A huge range of top end Alienware refurbished laptops is available in the market including Alienware M5500i R3, Alienware Area 51 series  including 5620p, m9750, m3450, m 766 etc. to name a few. The premium Alienware refurbished laptops are not just for the gamers and enthusiasts but to cater the needs of all who are eager to use its highly specialized technology.

You can check out for detail at – Service.Ztronics.com to get one of the masterpieces you have always dreamt of.

Cambridge researchers have uncovered a way to “see” inside lithium batteries to help prevent them from catching fire.

Compaq Presario R3000AP laptop battery, Compaq Presario C500 laptop battery

Lithium-ion batteries are frequently used in gadgets including laptops, but are known to sometimes overheat and catch fire. Packard Bell last year recalled laptops over battery problems, as have Acer, Lenovo and others.

This is because tiny fibres – called dendrites – form in the batteries when they’re charged to quickly or frequently, causing short circuits, overheating and even fires.

Professor Clare Grey of the Cambridge Department of Chemistry said: “These dead lithium fibres have been a significant impediment to the commercialisation of new generations of higher capacity batteries that use lithium metal as the anode instead of the carbons used today.”

Until now, it’s been difficult to study the phenomenon. But Grey and her fellow researchers at the University of Cambridge have started using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance to look inside the batteries and watch the “chemistry in action.”

“Now that we can monitor dendrite formation inside intact batteries, we can identify when they are formed and under what conditions,” Grey said in a statement. “Our new method should allow researchers to identify which conditions lead to dendrite formation and to rapidly screen potential fixes to prevent the problem.”

That could lead to such batteries being used in battery powered cars, she noted. “Fire safety is a major problem that must be solved before we can get to the next generation of lithium-ion batteries and before we can safely use these batteries in a wider range of transportation applications.”

I took a leap of faith and sold my laptop, using the money to order an iPad unseen from the US. A mad decision? I had my doubts.

‘It’s either a notebook with no keyboard or a massive iPhone without the phone,’ said a friend of mine. Fair point – and when I first held it in my paws I realised they were right. It plays music, calls up e-mails, keeps my calendar, surfs the internet and has countless apps that do everything from providing a Tube map to offering thousands of free books – just like every smart phone. There’s also the risk of paying for two mobile phone contracts, because you’ll need a 3G network when not in range of a wi-fi connection and your existing phone SIM card won’t work. (I had ordered the WiFi version, which I could use with my existing broadband connection.)

But the big difference is the large screen. It might not have the same clear definition of dedicated readers such as Amazon’s Kindle or Sony’s eReader but it is in glorious colour – and oh, how glorious. Everyone who has seen it has instantly fallen for its charms. Whip it out in public and you’re besieged by drooling onlookers.

APPLE A1080 Laptop Battery

Apart from its brightness and tactile qualities, the size is perfect. My iPhone looks microscopic and I struggle to use most apps. Reading Metro for example, is a pleasure. It comes alive and is a real alternative to the print edition.

APPLE A1078 Laptop Battery

Add on those extra features and interactive ads (film previews, for example, or restaurant walk-arounds) and you have to ask how long it will be before the sight of someone reading a newspaper or magazine disappears from the morning commute. Until that happens, Apple has hit the right size, whether by design, accident or production cost.

APPLE A1185 Laptop Battery

Unlike a laptop, which really needs a desktop to use properly, I can lounge on the sofa, or in bed, and have access to everything I need: music, video, books, the internet. You can input text to the iPad via touch-screen handwriting recognition but it’s not yet a replacement for those who need to do work – I confess I’ve been using a Bluetooth keyboard to write this.

When travelling though, it is so nice to have something the size of the in-flight magazine and offers so much. It frees me from reliance on the tiny in-flight entertainment screen, the poor sound and poorer choice of movies.

I can even type a blog post or look through my photos without worrying too much about how long the battery will last; Apple’s ten-hour claim is spot-on and, with one million iPads sold in a month, I suspect Steve Jobs has another hit in his hands.

Question from a reader: “How many cells are in the APPLE A1080 Laptop Battery? The battery is for a APPLE A1080 and its technical ratings are Li-ion, 4400.00mAh, 14.40V.”

The question from the reader is a great question for it gets to the heart of battery manufacturing and begins to unravel the power of a battery. The answer is simply: 8 cells. But what does the answer mean and how does the number of cells relate to the overall value of a battery? Let’s find out…

18650 is a 3.6V cylindrical Li-Ion cell. 18650 has no memory effect (distinguish between digital memory effect) and longer storage life than NiMH battery cells. 18650 is light weight and has a high energy density. It is in effect perfect for building batteries for laptop and other portable power devices.

The additional technical specifications for the 18650 battery cell include:

Nominal Voltage Average 3.7 V – the concept of nominal voltage is that voltage range exists depending on the number of cells in the battery.
Nominal Capacity – 2200 mAh (above 2200 the stability of lithium based cells is called into question)
Max. Charging Current – 2.4 Amps Max.
Max. Discharging Current – 4.6 Amps max.
Dimensions (DxH)  18.3 mm (Max 18.4) x 64.9 mm (Max 65.1)
Weight   46.5 g (1.64 oz)
Internal Impedance: less or equal to 90 ohms
Cycle Performance is 80% of initial capacity at 300 cycles

Now as stated above the reader asked how many cells were in the APPLE A1080 Laptop Battery? The battery is rated at 14.4 volts and a capacity of 4400 mAh.

As I mentioned above the nominal voltage average is 3.7V. Some manufacturers may use 3.6V and some may use 3.7V. In the case of a laptop battery with 14.4V the nominal voltage rating used is 3.6V. Thus if we divide 14.4V by 3.6V we get 4. Thus 4 cells in a series. We also know that the batteries capacity is 4400 mAh. We know the nominal capacity is 2200 mAh. Therefore if we divide 4400 mAh by 2200 mAh then we get 2 in parallel.

Therefore we have 4 cells in series X 2 cells in parallel equals 8 cells in total.

We strive to make you Laptop Battery purchases easy. Since we understand that finding the right batteries for your needs can be overwhelming and confusing at times we developed a Laptop Battery finder tool to help find the right size for the make and model of your equipment. We also offer educational articles and tips to help you conserve your batteries and understand common problems. By us providing education you are able to make the right purchasing decisions as well as provide proper care for all of your electronics.