First look: four new Packard Bell laptops

Monday, June 1st, 2009

While Packard Bell is making plenty of fuss about its AMD-powered netbooks, the firm’s new line-up of full-size laptops has plenty of potential, too.

The most exciting of the new models is the EasyNote TR series, which takes a leaf out of Apple and Sony’s books by concentrating on design just as much as hardware. And it’s not just any old in-house designers who are putting together these latest laptops, either – Packard Bell has enlisted the help of Italian design house Pininfarina to make sure that the TR can match up to the best in the business.

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First look: HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition

Saturday, January 10th, 2009

HP’s latest consumer netbook is the 1000 Mini Vivienne Tam Edition, and once you see it in the flesh it’s clear that this is a very different netbook – at least in terms of design. Striking is an understatement: a bright red finish that stretches to the inside is only outshone by the oriental, floral pattern on the back. “Inspired” by a Vivienne Tam design, this is the reason for its name.

It’s clearly aimed at the more female of the world’s population, so I gauged the reaction of two ladies who happened to be passing the HP stand. And very positive it was too. “It’s gorgeous,” one replied, and when I asked whether she could see herself with one the answer was again a definite yes. (more…)

Gay marriage and the Y2Gay bug

Monday, December 1st, 2008

Unsurprisingly, Holland was the first country to legalise gay marriage, all the way back in 2001. Since then, another six countries have taken the plunge, and there are plenty more sitting on the fence (but at least facing the right way) by allowing “civil partnerships”, or some other stupidly-named approximation of holy matrimony.

Sure, there have been some backward steps, too – such as the outrageous display of bigotry that was California’s Proposition 8 – but on the whole, things are getting better. Personally, the prospect of marriage in any form is terrifying, but if it’s available at all, then it should be available to all.

Besides narrow-minded folk, there is another group of people that may have a problem with the whole thing: database designers. I don’t mean to imply that they’re homophobic (although I can’t guarantee that some aren’t), but only that gay marriage is going to cause them a lot of headaches. (more…)