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January Jones Goes Mad For Macs at LAX

GeekSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:06:09 -0800

I'm so used to seeing the cast of Mad Men interact with such awesome vintage tech that I almost didn't recognize January Jones in her natural state (you know, not as Betty Draper), and toting a laptop as she went through LAX security on Sunday. The amazing season finale of Mad Men was packed with lots of retro typewriters, phones, and office tech, but January takes it to the 21st-century off set with her shiny new MacBook Pro - a powerful alternative to the MacBook Air I'd wire her with.

Unfortunately, we have to wait until next year to see what's next on the Mad Men tech horizon, but in real life, a girl's gotta stay connected - even if her day job is to play a woman who doesn't know what a cell phone is . . . yet!

Geek Out: Where Won't You Whip Out Your Laptop?

GeekSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:05:09 -0700

In the movie Motherhood, which opens today, Uma Thurman plays a multitasking stay-at-home mom trying to raise two kiddos and keep up her passion for writing. Her busy schedule of feedings, cleaning, meal making, and party planning means she has to sneak short moments of computer time in wherever she can. She blogs in 10-minute increments at her desk while baby plays, at the playground, and even in the stairwell of her building.

I'm not a mom, but I can relate to whipping out my laptop in usual places (you know, the car, the laundromat, the camping ground) in order to get work finished and stay connected. Where won't I blog or log on? The bathroom. Unlike Brooke Shields' character on Lipstick Jungle, the idea of bringing my Mac to the powder room makes me cringe. Where is your no-tech zone?

Retro Modern Briefcase Fills My Heart, Empties My Wallet

GeekSugar — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 07:04:00 -0700

There's nothing more depressing than finding an item you love but finding the price to be so far outside your budget that there's no hope in sight. I mean, I totally cannot afford the $745 asking price on this luscious leather bag, but it surely is pretty!

Made from top quality leather, this funky retro modern Leather Briefcase I found on SuperMarket (another Etsy-like site that is a go-to site for finding unique and hand made items from independent designers) not only boasts a soothing brown outside, but a sweet and complementary turquoise and blue inside. You can never go wrong with brown and blue, so this bag could carry you all the way through Fall and Winter, and right into next year's Spring and Summer wardrobe change.

HP's Envy 15 Beats LE Comes Bundled With Dre's Headphones

GeekSugar — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 07:02:00 -0700

I'm already in love with the sound quality of Dr. Dre's Beats headphones I tested out last year, so getting a free pair with an HP computer bundle would be pretty sweet. But not just any computer of course, one that also comes with a copy of Traktor LE DJing software so I can get my scratch on at the clubs. Who am I kidding, I'm no DJ - but I'll pretend to be one once DJ Hero hits the shelves this month!

HP has announced the HP Envy 15 Beats Limited Edition (which comes stocked with the same hardware as the original Envy 15, but with a pumped up graphics card), which is perfect for DJs and producers with all of its bundled beat-loving goodies. It's pretty sleek with a glossy black finish and red logo (which you'll also find on the matching headphones), but brace yourself for the price: the Envy 15 LE will start at $2,299. . . wowzas.

Do You Have Old-School Habits You Won't Let Tech Replace?

GeekSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:35:47 -0700

I use my iPhone for most things - scheduling, phone calls, photos, email - but one old-school goody I won't give up is my Moleskine day planner. No matter how many calendar entries I keep in my iPhone, I like to have an on-paper record of my schedule, too. Then this happened:

I was running late for a connecting flight and grabbed a bottle of water at an airport newsstand before racing to the gate. As I stood in the aisle waiting to take my seat, I felt the dreaded drip-drip-drip that could only be one thing: an open bottle of water in my messenger bag. The same bag carrying my iPhone, laptop computer, camera, planner, and various chargers.

As soon as I got to my seat I pulled all of the gadgets out of my bag and frantically dried them with napkins, paper towels, my scarf, anything I could get my hands on. Luckily there was only one casualty - my treasured daily planner was full of water. The ink was smudged, pages stuck together. Even after drying out, it turned into a mess of warped pages and smudges.

You've shared stories of saving water-damaged phones, and I'm thankful my gadgets made it out alive. But I can't help but lament that the one essential non-tech item in my bag was the first to go.

Do you use gadgets in most of your day-to-day life, or do you have any old-school habits you won't let tech replace? What are they?

Daily Tech: Dell Polishes Laptops in Bold OPI Colors

GeekSugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:54:54 -0700

Dell has partnered with OPI to offer exclusive OPI nail polish colors for laptops through the Dell Design Studio - Engadget
Google is launching Street View in 11 Canadian cities - Mashable
A new design product is said to block 96 percent of cell radiation emitted from every cell phone - Gizmodo
Eric Schmidt and Sergey Brin talked to journalists this morning about Google Chrome, Google Books, and the Android platform - TechCrunch
Firefox version 3.6 is said to be coming next Tuesday - Download Squad
Check out a list of all of the Blu-ray DVD releases this week - Switched
It's giveaway and game time on GeekSugar! Be sure to log in and play our Best Video Game Ever bracket! - GeekSugar

HP Keeps the Netbook Train Moving With Two New Minis

GeekSugar — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 07:33:12 -0700

Computers are totally fashionable, folks. Vivienne Tam impressed us all with her chic new HP digital clutch design at this year's Fashion Week, but HP couldn't get enough and debuted two more sleek and stylish Minis this week for you to drool over.

The HP Mini 110 (due out Sept. 23) has had a makeover by artist and designer Tord Boontje, and comes with 15 custom wallpapers, screensavers, and desktop themes all designed by Tord himself, while the Mini 311 ($329) has the classic swirls from the 10-inch Mini 1000 we all know and love, but in crisp, snowy white. The 311 got a screen and graphics boost as well, coming in with a HD 11.6 inch display and an upgraded NVIDIA ION graphics card.

7 Chic Handmade Laptop Sleeves

GeekSugar — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 05:47:45 -0700

The handmade movement has arrived, and I've given you ideas on how to cover your iPhones, Blackberrys and now, your laptops. You don't have to settle for a mass-made sleeve that everyone and their mother is using - at least if you slap on a handmade item, you know it's going to be unique. Check out some of my favorite handmade laptop sleeves in this slideshow!

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5 Products For Using Your Laptop at Home Comfortably

GeekSugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:05:12 -0700

Sure, laptops are popular because they're portable and don't take up a lot of space, but when you're using one, you still need the proper accouterments to use them at home. Whether it's a small desk or laptop cushion, I have a list of favorites that are both petite and affordable.

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Maximize Your Dorm Room Space With a Laptop Shelf

GeekSugar — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 05:47:55 -0700

There's no fighting it - back to school time is here. I've already shown you ways to stylishly carry your laptop, ways to make your studying environment more ergonomic, and which gadgets to toss in your new Fall bag, so here's a simple and cheap way to keep your dorm nice and neat.

From Ikea (one of my favorite places to shop, by the way), this PS Laptop Workstation ($60) allows you to get your term paper written without having to use your bed as a work station, and keeps all your desk essentials in one compact space. Plus, you can keep prying eyes away with the included lock, and since it's off the ground (attaching securely to your wall), you'll free up more floor space for that ever-important mini fridge.