COMPUTER&TECHNOLOGY

With a complete top-to-bottom revamp of Dell's entire laptop line in mid-2007, why the need for a new mainstream model so soon? While the current 14-inch Inspiron 1420 hits the size/features/performance sweet spot, and the high-end XPS M1330 and the XPS M1530 are slick, thin 13- and 15-inch models, respectively, the middle-of-the-road Inspiron 1520 was always a little too big and clunky for its own good. When compared with the 14-inch version, Dell's basic 15-inch Inspiron--long the bread and butter of the company's consumer laptop line--got lost in the shuffle, offering a small increase in screen size but at the expense of a larger, more unwieldy chassis.

Dell's taken these points to heart, and the company has reworked the 1520 in the form of the Inspiron 1525. It's a smaller, lighter version of the previous 15-inch Inspiron 1520. However, after getting used to the brushed metal of the XPS M1530 (which itself starts at only $999), the new Inspiron 1525 has a somewhat cheap plastic feel, and we're not sure how much abuse it would stand up to on the road. But for a laptop that starts at only $499, it offers a lot of bang for your buck, including an HDMI output and touch-sensitive media controls, which are solid extras for a budget laptop. Our review unit bumps the spec up and includes a T7000-series Intel Core 2 Duo CPU and 2GB of RAM, for about a still reasonable $1,024--but within Dell's crowded laptop lineup, you may still prefer the smaller 14-inch 1420 model, or the slightly more expensive (but much nicer-looking) XPS M1530.

With the upgraded Inspiron 1525 (hey, nobody ever accused these guys of being too creative in the naming department), Dell has managed to shave a little bulk off of the system--it's about 30 percent thinner and a half-pound lighter than the 1520 model it replaces--and the smaller chassis leaves less dead space on the keyboard tray.

The keyboard is the same full-size model found on Dell's other Inspiron and XPS laptops. While the keyboard is not our favorite, because of its tapered keys that may not offer enough surface area for chubby fingers, its feels solid and responsive. Above the keyboard sits a row of media control buttons. These are of the touch-sensitive variety we're partial to, and the Inspiron 1525 is the cheapest laptop we've seen those on yet. An additional quick-launch button is also above the keyboard for starting Dell's proprietary multimedia management software, but chances are you'll stick with more established programs such as Windows Media Center or iTunes. Our review unit also had a 2-megapixel Webcam built into the display, which is a $25 add-on.

The 15.4-inch wide-screen LCD display offers a 1280x800 native resolution, which is standard for a screen this size. Our screen was glossy, as is common on consumer laptops (they make for a better video-viewing experience), but an antiglare option is available at no extra charge. We typically see matte screens on business systems, and generally prefer them rather than trying to fight the glare from our desk lamp or sunlit window.

The Inspiron 1525 offers all of the ports and connections you'll probably need, but in typical Dell fashion, almost everything is an extra-cost add-on. Bluetooth is $20, 802.11n Wi-Fi is $50, and a DVD burner is $30 (as opposed to a plain CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive). In a move that our friends at Apple should take note of, mobile broadband antennas from both Sprint and Verizon are offered. Each antenna costs $150, but signing up for service will get you a $100 rebate from either carrier.

While our $1,000-plus review unit was a perfectly capable dual-core system, what exactly do you get for the $499 base price? We would steer far clear of the lowest-end components, which include a 1.8GHz Intel Celeron 540 CPU, Vista Basic, an 80GB hard drive (same size as the MacBook Air), and only 512MB of RAM. Upgrading to 1GB of RAM is only $50, and adding an Intel Core 2 Duo T5450 is $100--we would call that the bare minimum for a usable laptop.

With 2GB of RAM and a 2.0GHz T7250 CPU, the Dell Inspiron 1525 offered no surprises on the performance front. Dell's upscale XPS version--the XPS M1530--was faster, sporting a better processor and video card (the 1525 is stuck with basic Intel integrated graphics), but similarly configured versions of both systems would offer nearly identical performance, with the XPS premium going for better design and construction.

The Inspiron 1525 ran for 2 hours and 41 minutes on our DVD battery drain test, using the included six-cell battery, a decent score for budget 15-inch laptop. A nine-cell battery is also available, but it's large enough to stick out conspicuously from the back of the system. Our DVD battery drain test is especially grueling, so you can expect longer life from casual Web surfing and office use.

Dell includes an industry-standard one-year parts-and-labor warranty with the system. Upgrading to a three-year plan will cost an extra $260, which includes on-site service. Support is accessible through a 24-7 toll-free phone line, and Dell's robust online knowledge base and driver downloads, although XPS customers get access to a different, better-quality, tech support line. Dell will also send you a free recycling kit for your old laptop on request (basically a prepaid postage label to ship old products back to a recycling facility).

Find out more about how we test laptops.

System configurations:

Dell Inspiron 1525
Windows Vista Home Premium Edition; 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7250; 2,048MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 128MB Mobile Intel 965GM Express; 120GB Saegate Momentus 5,400rpm

Dell XPS M1530
Windows Vista Home Premium Edition; 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7700; 2048MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 256MB Nvidia Geforce 8600M GT; 160GB Hitachi 5,400rpm

Gateway M150
Windows Vista Home Premium Edition; 1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7100; 2048MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 128MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2400XT; 120GB Western Digital 5,400rpm

Apple MacBook Core 2 Duo - 2.2GHz / 13.3 inch
OS X 10.5.1 Leopard; Intel Core 2 Duo 2.2GHz; 2,048GB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 144MB Intel GMA X3100; 160GB Fujitsu 5,400rpm

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Clearly, there's no shortage of iPod speaker docks saturating the market at the moment, which means it's all the more important to stand out from the crowd in this area. Digital audio connoisseurs at mSation do this by focusing on one thing--iPod speakers--and making sure their design is nothing short of eye-catching, as is the case with the $130 2.1 Stereo Orb.

The style of the mStation Stereo Orb is definitely a matter of preference--it truly is an orb. We happen to dig the soccer-ball-size speaker and the fact that it comes in seven colors (white, black, silver, blue, green, red, and pink) to match pretty much any iPod you can throw at it. The exception is the third-generation Nano, for which the shades don't quite match up because of the fact that the Orb came out around the time of the second-generation version. Still, when you have an accessory with such a fun design, it's nice the see that it comes in a good array of color options.

Curving around the front of the Stereo Orb are three speakers concealed by a cloth grille colored to match the plastic casing of the device. The mStation features two, 2-inch midrange drivers and a 3-inch subwoofer that fires through the front and back of the unit. The back of the Orb also features an array of ports lined along the bottom for power input, pass-through syncing, and auxiliary line-input for connecting non-iPod MP3 players and other audio sources. It's a nice touch that mStation includes all the necessary cables (AC power, USB, and stereo patch) for using these features.

Each Stereo Orb comes with a remote that is color coordinated to match the scheme of the speaker.

The top dome of the Orb houses the remainder of the physical features. Top dead center is the built-in iPod dock for connecting and charging the player. It's not a universal dock because of the curve of the speaker, so mStation includes six adapters for the various iPods that were available in 2006 or earlier, but since the width and depth dimensions for the latest generation of players aren't far off from the corresponding previous generations', owners of new models shouldn't have a problem. That being said, even with the adapters, the iPod doesn't feel completely secure and wiggles easily.

Lining the front of the iPod cradle, you'll find the Stereo Orb's controls. Six buttons controll power, volume, track shuttle, and play/pause. Just down from this key strip is the IR port for the included remote, which offers the same controls as are found on the unit with two important additions: bass and treble adjustment. Unfortunately, there are no visual levels on the Orb or the iPod, so finding your preferred sound balance can take some trial and error.

One thing is for certain: You're going to want to turn the treble up immediately. If you leave it on the default setting, your music will sound like it's coming from underwater. The muffling can be easily remedied by adjusting the treble up several notches, but it's odd that the middle setting offers poor results. The bass can be up quite high and still sound good--the Orb definitely has a lot to offer in this department. Still, if the bass is set super high on certain tracks that are heavy on the low-end, the muffling will rear its ugly head again. The key is tinkering and finding a good balance. Once you do, the Orb offers solid sound quality--music sounds rich and enveloping, and the lows thump. High-end detail is pretty good for the most part, though clarity suffers sometimes

Price range: $129.95 - $157.95

General

Product Type

Speaker system with digital player dock

Width

7.9 in

Height

7.4 in

Weight

4 lbs

Product type

Speakers

Enclosure Color

Pink

Speaker System

Speaker Type

Active

Nominal Output Power (Total)

30 Watt

Response Bandwidth

50 - 20000 Hz

Signal-To-Noise Ratio

70 dB

Total Harmonic Distortion

0.5%

Audio Amplifier

Integrated

Speaker system nominal (RMS) output power

7.5 Watt, 15 Watt

Speaker system response bandwidth

200 - 20000 Hz, 50 - 200 Hz

Connectivity Technology

Wired

Speaker system input impedance

6 Ohm, 3 Ohm

Controls

Bass, Treble, Volume

Speaker System Details

Speakers Included

2 x Right/left channel speaker - 7.5 Watt - 200 - 20000 Hz - 6 Ohm, 1 x Subwoofer - 15 Watt - 50 - 200 Hz - 3 Ohm

Driver Details

Right/left channel speaker : 2 x Midrange driver - 2 in, Speaker : 1 x Subwoofer driver - 3 in

Connections

Connector Type

1 x Audio line-in ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm ), 1 x USB, 1 x IEEE 1394 (FireWire/i.LINK), 1 x DC power input

Miscellaneous

MP3 Player Compatibility

IPod (3G), IPod (4G), IPod mini, IPod nano, IPod photo, IPod with video (5G)

Cables Included

USB cable, Audio cable

Remote Control

Remote control - Infrared

Power

Power Device

Power adapter - External

Manufacturer Warranty

Service & Support

1 year warranty

Service & Support Details

Limited warranty, Limited warranty - Parts - 1 year, Limited warranty - Labor - 90 days

Battery / Power

Power device type

Power adapter

For more than a couple months (an eternity in the gadget world) the Nokia N95 enjoyed the distinction of being one of the only 5-megapixel camera phones on the market, at least outside of Korea. But considering that change is the only constant in cell phones, it wasn't surprising when Samsung made a high-resolution camera handset of its own. Besides its powerful shooter, the Samsung SGH-G800 has a lot in common with its Nokia rival. Inside a relatively boxy design is a media-centric feature set that includes a music and video player, an FM radio, stereo Bluetooth, expandable memory and support for 3.5G HSDPA networks. On the whole it lived up to our expectations, but the disappointing Web browser, dim camera flash, and lack of Wi-Fi ultimately put it behind the N95. The GSM SGH-G800 isn't available with a U.S carrier, but you can buy it unlocked in the United States and Canada from third-party retailers like Dynamism.com. Much like the Nokia N95, however, it will cost you. You should expect to pay around $549. To find accessories for this phone, see our cell phone ringtones and accessories guide.

Design
It would be difficult to squash a 5-megapixel camera into a svelte design, so we don't mind that the SGH-G800 is on the hefty side. At 3.97 inches by 2 inches by 0.74 inch, it rivals a standalone camera in size, but it's still small enough to slip into a pocket. And even though it weighs in at 4.90 ounces, it has a comfortable feeling in the hand. On the whole, it has a sturdier feel than the N95, but we noticed the slider mechanism felt a tad loose. It could just be our review model, but it didn't exactly click into place. The silver finish is attractive, but the phone is rather boxy.

The 2.4-inch display supports 262,000 colors (240x320 pixels). It's quite vibrant, and it displays graphics and photos well. You can change the backlighting time, the brightness, and the dialing font type, size, and color. The simple and intuitive menu interface (available in two styles) is classic Samsung; we continue to love the nifty pop-up menus.

The navigation array left us a bit divided. Though it's a bit stylish (if you can call buttons "stylish") it could be more user-friendly. The rectangular toggle is quite large but it's flush and pretty slippery. Also, though the OK button is tactile, we'd prefer it opened the main menu when the phone is in standby mode. The soft keys on either side of the toggle are long and thin, but they're raised above the surface of the phone. Below the toggle, on the bottom of the front face, are the Talk and End/power keys and a clear button. Unfortunately, they're also slick, and only the Talk and End buttons are backlit. And one final complaint before we move on: we'd prefer having dedicated music controls.

Hidden behind the sliding face is the numeric keypad. Much like the navigation array, it was a mixed bag. The keys are large and brightly backlit there's no definition between the individual buttons. Dialing by feel wasn't easy and quick texters may want to give it a test drive before buying.

Like many camera phones of its caliber, the SGH-G800 is designed to look like a camera but also offer cameralike ergonomics. A sliding cover protects the camera lens and xenon flash. Opening the cover starts the camera automatically, and sliding it closed turns the camera off. There's no self-portrait mirror, but it's not needed, as the SGH-G800 has a second VGA camera just above its display. This second lens is so inconspicuous that we didn't even know it was there until we saw an option for it while scrolling through the camera menus. When you're taking a photo with either lens, and you're holding the phone horizontally, you'll find that the left spine volume rocker and camera shutter are now on the top of the device. It feels just like a real camera, and you can use the volume rocker to control the zoom.

Features
The SGH-G800's phone book holds 1,000 contacts with room in each entry for seven phone numbers, five phone numbers, two e-mail addresses, two URLS, a nickname, a birthday, a company name and job title, two street addresses and notes (the SIM card holds an additional 250 names). You can save callers to groups and you can pair them with a photo and one of 21 polyphonic ringtones. Other basics include a vibrate mode, text and multimedia messaging, a calendar, a world clock, a calculator, a currency and unit converter, a timer, a stopwatch, a notepad, a task list and an alarm clock. Higher-maintenance users can take advantage of the speakerphone, Stereo Bluetooth, e-mail, PC syncing, USB 2.0 mass storage, and a voice recorder.

The SGH-G800 looks like a camera when viewed from behind.

With a 5-megapixel camera, there's no arguing that the SGH-G800's emphasis is squarely on taking photos. As you'd expect, the phone offers a long list of camera options so we'll just fill you in on the highlights. You can take photos in five resolutions, from a full five megapixels down to standard VGA (630x480 pixels), and you can adjust a variety of settings including the image saturation and sharpness. Other features include three quality settings, exposure metering and ISO, a macro mode, five color effects, an adjustable exposure value, a self-timer, four white balance settings and a 4x zoom (even at the highest resolution). That's an impressive assortment already, and one that's certainly on par with the standalone camera, but the SGH-G800 offers even more for options for your photo pleasure. You'll find 20 fun frames and separate modes for taking panoramic, mosaic and multishots. Auto-focus and antishake and face-recognition settings will help steady your hand, and the Xenon flash even has a red-eye reduction setting. The simple camera menus are similar to other high-end Samsungs, and we like that the toggle ********s as a shortcut to the menus for the flash, the self-timer, and the macro setting.

The SGH-G800's camera offers a flash, but unfortunately, it wasn't very bright.

The camcorder shoots clips in a 176x144 resolution with sound. Editing options are similar to the still camera, if slightly less extensive. Clips meant for multimedia messages are capped at about 25 seconds; otherwise you can shoot for as long the available memory permits. The front camera shoots standard VGA (640x480) still photos and 320x240 pixel videos. Editing options for either mode are decent.

The SGH-G800 had very nice photo quality.

Photo quality was quite good with bright, natural colors and distinct lines. Some objects weren't quite as sharp as they could be--white hues in particular looked a little fuzzy--but we were quite pleased for the most part. We'd give a slight edge to the Nokia N95, mostly due to the SGH-G800's relatively weak flash. On the other hand, we appreciated the antishake ********ality. Videos remained pretty grainy, but the camcorder was quite efficient at capturing quick movements.

Despite our camera quibbles, we enjoyed the SGH-G800's image and video editors. The former lets you alter your shots with a variety of tools while the latter lets you hack together video clips and photos. What's more, you can even overlay your work with music. Though neither application can match what you'd find on a computer, they certainly can match the best we've seen on a camera phone. The SGH-G800 offers an acceptable 155MB of internal memory, but we recommend using a memory card just the same.

The music player looks no different form other comparable Samsung phones. The interface is pretty generic, but the player is user-friendly and serviceable. You can organize playlists and use the shuffle and repeat modes. What's more, you can send the music player to the background if you'd like to use other phone ********s while listening to your tunes. When a track is playing you'll see its name, artist album and rating, the latter of which you can set on the SGH-G800. The handset supports album art as well but we would have enjoyed a choice of visualizations. Also, it's disappointing that on such a media-centric phone, Samsung didn't install a standard 3.5-millimeter headset jack; you'll have to use the SGH-G800's propriety connection instead. The FM radio is a nice addition, particularly on such a high-end device.

While the Nokia N95's wireless Web browser and integrated Wi-Fi were two of its better features, unfortunately we can't say the same about the SGH-G800. Though you can take advantage of 3G networks, it has a clunky interface and doesn't render pages well. It's passable if you keep surfing to a minimum, but it's just not on par with competing devices. The omission of Wi-Fi is yet another disadvantage. Still, not all is lost in the Internet department. The RSS reader is a nice feature, and the SGH-G800 works well as a modem. It also comes with integrated access to Gmail and Google's mobile search.

You can personalize the SGH-G800 with a variety of wallpaper, clock styles, and background colors. Alternatively, you can type your own personalized greeting as well. No games are included, but you can download them (for a fee) along with additional wallpapers and ringtones with the Web browser.

Features
We tested the quad-band (GSM 850/900/1800/1900) Samsung SGH-G800 world phone in San Francisco with AT&T service. Call quality was reliable on the whole. The volume level was solid, and we enjoyed decent voice clarity even when we were in noisy environments. At times we noticed that the audio became a little muffled for a few seconds, but it didn't detract from our overall experience. Speakerphone calls, on the other hand, weren't quite as satisfactory. The sound level on our end was scratchy, and we had to sit close to the phone in order to be heard. On their end, callers said we sounded fine, but a few people reported a slight echo. We didn't have any issues with automated answering systems, but it is best if you place your call from a quiet location.

Music quality was decent, but not spectacular. The audio was a bit tinny, and the external speakers have rather low output. As with most music phones, you'll have the best experience if you use a headset. As an HSDPA phone, the SGH-G800 will support 3.5G networks, but our test model supported only the 2100 band, which is not used in North America. As such, we couldn't test that feature.

The SGH-G800 has a rated battery life of 3.5 hours talk time and 10.4 days standby time. According to FCC radiation tests the SGH-G800 has a digital SAR rating of 0.23 watt per kilogram.

Portable Speakers with Alarm Clock for iPod®

On the Go? Then this portable iPod alarm clock speaker system is for you. Sleep or wake to your favorite iPod tunes or buzzer. This unit has a lock feature to maintain settings and includes a protective carrying case, remote control and even charges your iPod. Perfect for the busy traveler.

• Wake and sleep to your music by docking your iPod in our portable alarm clock station.
  
• Built-in docks let you charge both the iPod and iPod Shuffle at the same time
  
• Portable low-profile design that can go anywhere you go: the back roads, office, or bedroom
  
• Sleep to any iPod or Auxilary Audio device with Programmable Sleep
  
• Sure Alarm battery backup guards against power failures
  
• Aux/MP3 line-in jack with patch cord for other MP3 players and audio devices
  
• Includes protective carrying case with handle and full ******** remote control
  
  
  Free UPS Ground shipping within Continental USA on orders of $35 or more
  
  Price: 79.99

new sony photo machine.

Sony announced its forthcoming "flagship" Alpha-branded SLR on Thursday at the Photo Marketing Association trade show in Las Vegas.

Its chief defining feature so far is its use of a 24.8-megapixel sensor that's unusually large--the size of a full frame of 35mm film. That move makes Sony only the third digital SLR (single-lens reflex) maker, along with Canon and more recently Nikon, to aim for that part of the market. Sony's flagship is geared toward advanced amateurs, but Sony hopes professional photographers will like it, too. The camera is scheduled to go on sale later this year.

The back of the SLR features a large LCD and controls on the attached, but optional, vertical grip.

This is a prototype showing the flagship model with a transparent housing. This shows the camera size without the vertical grip.

The 24.8-megapixel CMOS sensor is shown here mounted in Sony's Super SteadyShot housing, which moves the sensor to compensate for camera shake.

The right-front view of the Sony flagship SLR.

Sony showed six lens prototypes. Shown here is a super telephoto zoom.

Shown here are a super telephoto and a telephoto, both with fixed focal length. Much of the bigger lens is actually a lens hood to shade and protect the outermost lens element.

A trio of wide-angle lenses: a large-aperture wide-angle zoom, a wide-angle fixed-focal-length lens, and a large-aperture wide-angle lens with a fixed focal length. Wide apertures mean a lens works better in low light or at freezing action, but it also makes a lens larger, heavier, and more expensive.

The unveiling of the flagship SLR was accompanied by a prototype of a new external flash unit.

The left side of the transparent version of the flagship model is pictured here.

The left side of the flagship SLR, shown here with a Carl Zeiss lens.

Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET News.com