When it comes to ultrabooks, it’s hard to argue with the benefits they bring to the table. You get a PC that is guaranteed to be thin-and-light with respectable battery life and smooth performance. The technology requirements set in place by Intel for a PC to be called an ultrabook help ensure a strong overall experience for the user, something sorely needed in the PC space.
Initially this also meant a higher price tag, as ultrabooks were more desirable, more rare, and more costly than a standard PC. The combination of dropping component prices, especially the pricier pieces like low voltage processors and flash storage, and huge competition are offering us all-time low prices on ultrabooks. These days we only qualify an ultrabook deal as smoking hot when it is roughly the same price as a comparably equipped “regular” laptop.
And that’s what we’ve got as our top deal today: a Dell Inspiron 14z Core i5 ultrabook marked down to $ 519.99 with free shipping. This 0.81-inch thin machine packs a larger than average 14-inch screen and even manages to still keep its DVD burner. Today’s deal includes 6GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive, and a 32GB mSATA SSD.
The BRIX from Gigabyte is an ultra-compact (29.9 x 107.6 x 114.4 mm) and versatile DIY PC kit available with a broad choice of processors covering a range of performance points. The BRIX redefines the desktop PC in terms of miniaturization with a form factor that sits in the palm of your hand. Ideal for compact HTPC builds or as a standard desktop in the home or office, the BRIX doesn’t hold back in terms of display and peripheral connectivity, or raw performance.
With a broad choice of processors covering the entire performance spectrum, the BRIX sets a new standard for desktop miniaturization that makes it perfect as a discreet HTPC/multimedia hub, an ultra-low power PC for the family, an office PC or as a digital signage unit. GIGABYTE designed the BRIX to be smaller and lighter than currently available products, with a stylish glass surface mounted on an anthracite aluminum frame. The BRIX comes complete with a Gigabyte compact form factor motherboard, Wi-Fi module, VESA mounting bracket and power adapter, requiring only an mSATA SSD, SO-DIMM memory and OS. Requiring only SO-DIMM system memory and mSATA SSD, the BRIX gives users the flexibility to independently choose integrated storage and system memory sizes, without the trouble of sourcing components that are not widely available on the retail market. With support for HDMI and DisplayPort, the BRIX can power two displays simultaneously, making a perfect choice as a high productivity PC in professional and home environments, or in any number of industrial and commercial multi-display application. Bundled with a VESA bracket, the BRIX can easily be mounted behind a monitor or HDTV making it discreetly hidden from view. This offers a simple and elegant way to turn any VESA-compliant display or TV into a full-featured PC or digital signage unit.
Often when we include a USB hub on GeekAlerts, it’s because of the really unique style, such as the ones that look like a Chocolate Bar, Darth Vader, or a Toaster (awesomely complete with toast thumb drives). While the J-Tech Digital SuperSpeed USB 3.0 4-Port Hub has a clean, modern, minimalist style, what is under the hood is much more important than its external appearance. That’s because this USB hub supports USB 3.0, which is 10 times faster than USB 2.0 and 400 times faster than USB 1.0, so you can transfer data at lightning speeds.
These days with high mega-pixel digital cameras and 1080p digital video, high transfer speeds are more important than ever. Yet if your flash drive, camera, or other USB devices don’t support USB 3.0, it is no problem as this 4 port hub is backwards compatible with USB 2.0/1.0. It won’t take up much desk space either. At just over 1/2 inch thick, this super speed USB hub is actually quite small, which may not be obvious in the above picture.
Today LaCie announced availability of the RuggedKey, the perfect solution to protect data from life’s stumbles. Designed by Neil Poulton, the drive protects data from daily wear and tear as well as unauthorized access. As one can seein the picture, the drive sports a orange bumper to protect it from heat, cold, and 100-meter drops. LaCie further reports that the drive is IP-54 certified to resist damage from dust and water making it the best device for on-the-go data protection. Read more…
Speed with USB connections have been on the rise. The all new HighPoint RocketStor 5122B Dual Bay USB 3.0 Drive Dock brags about speeds touching 800Mbps. This pretty much hogs up the bandwidth of the technology at its full potential. It connects to PCs through dual USB-to-SATA controller chips. On pairing the dock with a HighPoint 1144A multi-host USB 3.0 card, you can enjoy speeds of up to 10Gbps by making the most of the 6GB drive bays. This is incredible transfer speed and one that can pay off manifold. Everything USB
Patriot Memory has introduced a new USB 3.0 drive in the form of Patriot Supersonic Rage XT. Built with an ultra-portable form factor and the enhanced speed of USB 3.0, the Patriot Memory Supersonic Rage XT is the perfect solution for those looking for a compact design that doesn’t compromise performance. Read more…
Today LaCie announced availability of the RuggedKey, the perfect solution to protect data from life’s stumbles. Designed by Neil Poulton, the drive protects data from daily wear and tear as well as unauthorized access. As one can seein the picture, the drive sports a orange bumper to protect it from heat, cold, and 100-meter drops. LaCie further reports that the drive is IP-54 certified to resist damage from dust and water making it the best device for on-the-go data protection. 
Patriot Memory has introduced a new USB 3.0 drive in the form of Patriot Supersonic Rage XT. Built with an ultra-portable form factor and the enhanced speed of USB 3.0, the Patriot Memory Supersonic Rage XT is the perfect solution for those looking for a compact design that doesn’t compromise performance.