The HP Mini-Note 2133 has arrived, exciting the UMPC world with its healthy mix of features and style. What the HP Mini manages to pull off is impressive, but not entirely surprising. With new UMPC’s entering the market at such a steady pace, it’s only a matter of time before manufacturers cover more price points, performance levels, and feature sets to better satisfy consumer needs. But how long will it take for UMPC’s to go mainstream? HP thinks that time is now. With their first UMPC attempt, HP has boldly gone all in, and judging by first reports, their gamble just might be the smartest thing they’ve done in ages. Read the rest of this entry »

Peddling movies and TV shows on optical media is making less and less sense. Video discs are cumbersome, costly, inflexible, and fragile, to list just a few of their shortcomings. In consequence, physical formats have had their days numbered since the popularization of file-sharing. Despite great advances in file compression, content distribution and broadband Internet, consumers are being sold yet another optical disc format. Blu-ray may have won over HD-DVD, but consumers are the ones who ultimately lose by being fed this new spin on old technology. Read the rest of this entry »