Acer Aspire One AOA150-1505 8.9-Inch Seashell White Netbook - 6.5 Hour Battery Life Review

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(More customer reviews)Recently there has been a small revolution in computing of sorts... the "netbook" or 'mini laptop'. What is a netbook? Well, they are tiny laptops that are in a new class of their own. Up until recently, the smallest class of laptops were defined as the "ultra-light" or "super ultra-light". These laptops usually had 12 inch screens and weighed around 3 pounds. Many of these ultra-lights did not have DVD or CD drives, but relied on "media docks" for these capabilities.
The new kids on the block "netbooks" are even smaller... having screens roughly 9 to 10 inches and weighing around 2 pounds. Many have hard drives that are flash based... also called solid state hard drives. So what has brought about this tiny revolution? Well, today's technology has finally made it possible to have tiny laptops that are powerful enough, light weight, and energy efficient enough to be practical. Also, the Intel Atom chip (which is a minuscule marvel that offers 1.6 Ghz of computing power while sipping electricity) is a big reason why these netbooks are even made possible. So as you read this review, keep in mind that these computers are not mere toys... but are in reality tiny little work horses :)Review: The Acer Aspire One
This review is for the Acer Aspire One with 160GB hard drive, 6-cell battery, 1.6 Ghz Atom processor with 1GB of RAM, and Windows XP pre-installed. Please note that there are several different versions of this Mini-laptop. Some of them come with different hard drives (some with solid state hard drives), and some with different battery options (like a 3-cell instead of 6-cell), and different Operation Systems too (Linux lite). I picked this one because the 6-cell battery lasts 5 hours or more, it has XP included, and it comes with a 160GB hard drive. It also makes this version the most expensive... if you're wondering why there's so many different prices floating around for the same model laptop.
Well, I've had this laptop for few days now and I'm very impressed and happy with what it can do. It runs Windows XP very well and you can have several programs open at the same time... meaning that it can multi-task pretty well. It seems to have a very solid build, strong screen hinge, and a beautiful (glossy) high contrast screen. The colors are very vibrant and the black level looks great. I am surprised at how quickly it can load web pages and video from youtube... there is very little lag time. For example, if you're watching a video on youtube and you switch to full screen mode, it doesn't slow it down and switches quickly. And although one of the drawbacks of this netbook (or any netbook for that matter) is that there is no DVD or CD drive, it played DVD videos off the hard drive great and (oddly enough) comes with Win-DVD software pre-installed. One of my worries before buying this was that I thought that the screen resolution might look pixelated since the resolution is only 1024 x 600, but it actually looks very sharp. The only thing is that you do have to scroll down more often while viewing web pages than normal due to the smaller screen size. Another thing that surprised me about this laptop was that even when you use all of the USB ports (it comes with 3 total) at the same time, it doesn't slow this laptop down. I found this out when I plugged in a USB Mouse, external hard drive, and external DVD burner ... and burned a DVD using data off the external hard drive. It passed the test with flying colors and didn't skip a beat. The only major negative thing about this laptop is the design of it's mouse. Not only are the mouse buttons positioned badly on the sides of the touch sensor... but the size of the buttons are super thin and tiny. I think they could have easily improved this by at least making the mouse buttons larger. The bright side is that you can always use an external usb mouse if this is a major annoyance for you. Other than that, this laptop has surpassed all of my expectations. Here's a quick list of pros and cons:
Pros:
-Beautiful Screen with vibrant colors, high contrast ratio, and bright!
-6-cell battery is amazing (offering 5 hours or more of use)
-160GB HD, Runs XP great, good multi-tasking capabilities.
-3 USB ports, and the Multi-card reader can read new SDHC cards
-Built in mic and web camera (video from camera looks good)
-Built-in Wifi worked well for me and web pages loaded quickly.
-So portable and light... about the size of a small textbook.
-Runs quiet and doesn't get hot while running.
Cons:
-Badly placed and designed mouse buttons
-No DVD or CD drive (but no netbooks available offer one)
-Screen could be larger (an extra inch could go a long way)
Conclusion:
If you're looking for an affordable and portable laptop that has enough processing power to run most applications, this mini-laptop might do the trick for you. It is perfect for the student that is always on the go... especially considering the long battery life. It's probably not the right one for you if you run processing intensive software though... such as video editing or gaming software. Overall, the Acer Aspire is an amazing little laptop that is a wonder (even for us tech geeks) to see in action.

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A great choice for students as well as business travelers who like to travel light, this affordable ultra-lightweight Acer Aspire One (AOA150-1505) weighs just over 2 pounds and is packed with a 160 GB hard drive and Windows XP operating system. It has a vibrant 8.9-inch CrystalBrite WSVGA LED backlit display, integrated webcam for easy video chatting, and Intel's latest mobile processor--the Atom. Offering a cool seashell white chassis, the netbook's smooth surface is comfortable to touch, and it's accented with distinctive details, such as the attractive orange hinge ring.

Designed especially for mobile devices, the 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor uses a brand new design structure new hafnium-infused circuitry, which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors to conserve energy and gives you more time away from the wall outlet--up to 5.5 hours with the included 6-cell battery. Other features include 1 GB of installed RAM (1.5 GB maximum), 54g Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g), multi-format memory card reader, multiple USB ports, and built-in email, web browsing, and digital media applications.
It comes preinstalled with the Microsoft Windows XP Home operating system, which offers more experienced users an enhanced and innovative experience that incorporates Windows Live features like Windows Live Messenger for instant messaging and Windows Live Mail for consolidated email accounts on your desktop.
Processor The Intel Atom processor uses a brand new design structure that packs in 47 million transistors into a single chip sized at just 22mm (0.87 inches), and it uses just 2.5 watts of power--less than 1/10 of the 35 watts used by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor--for excellent battery management. This 1.6 GHz Atom N270 processor also includes a power-optimized front side bus of 533 MHz for faster data transfer on demanding mobile applications and a 512 KB L2 cache (which temporarily stores data).
Storage This version of the Aspire One comes with a 160 GB hard disk drive (5400 RPM), which offers enough to room to hold a an extra-large digital audio library of and still have room left over for movies, games, and a large collection of software. This Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to Firewire and USB 2.0.
Memory The 1 GB of installed RAM (512 MB onboard memory and one 512 MB DIMM, 533 MHz)can be expanded to a maximum of 1.5 GB of RAM,
DVD/CD Drive Because of its size, the Aspire One does not come with an integrated optical drive, but optional CD/DVD read/write drives can be connected to the laptop via one of the three USB ports, enabling you to create your music mixes, burn movies to DVD, and more.
Connectivity This Acer Aspire One notebook has an integrated 54g wireless LAN (Acer InviLink) that's compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g networks and offers Acer's SignalUp technology for enhanced antenna efficiency. It has has one dedicated SD memory card slot as well as a second multi-in-one card reader that's compatible with five different types of memory cards--Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO and xD-Picture Card--for maximum flexibility. The ability to have both a multi-in-1 card reader and a SD card reader at the same time allows you to download photos from the multi-in-1 to share with others and store to the SD card as an internal storage device simultaneously. Here's the full list of ports and external connections:
3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
Secure Digital (SD) card reader, also compatible with MultiMedia cards (MMCs)
Multi-in-one card reader supports SD, MMC, Memory Stick/Memory Stick PRO, and XD Picture Cards
1 VGA monitor port
1 headphone jack and 1 microphone jack
RJ-45 port for 10/100 Fast Ethernet connection
56K modem port (V.90)

Screen, Video and Audio The 8.9-inch screen has a WSVGA resolution (1024 x 600) and support for up a 262K color depth. Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, which uses shared video memory with the main memory. Acer's CrystalBrite display technology guarantees the best possible visual experience by preventing the diffusion of surrounding light and internal ray. Compared to normal TFT LCDs, Acer CrystalBrite technology is able to read color coordinates more accurately, thus minimizing distortion and creating high-fidelity colors in all environments.
This notebook includes an integrated audio card with Microsoft DirectSound compatibility, and it includes two stereo speakers.
What's in the Box This package contains the Acer Aspire One notebook PC (AOA150-1505; LU.S040B.235), rechargeable 6-cell lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. It is backed by a limited warranty for parts and labor for one year from date of purchase.

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Mitsubishi HC1600 720p DLP Home Theater Projector Review

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(More customer reviews)Purchased this projector to be the focal point of my 13Ft x 20Ft "man-cave" in my basement-which has now turned into our favorite family room. Paid retail at a big box store to later have it price matched within 30 days for $760 to one of the Amazon sellers price that has a store in the area. With what i saved on the price match on the projector and an Onkyo HTS-5100B, i basically got a killer Bluray player for free. Its incredible what a serious beginner HD Home Theater/Projector rig you can put together under $1500 with products like the Mitsubishi HC1600 on the market.
It is projecting ~12ft onto a floor standing 80" 16:9 silver screen. System consists of an Xbox 360 w/ HD DVD player, a Panasonic DMP-BD55K Bluray player and HD Cable box(Optimum/Cablevision). The Xbox 360 and Bluray player both feed the picture via a 25Ft HDMI cable from an Onkyo HTR576 Receiver. Cable through Component.
Pros: The HC1600 delivered with its excellent brightness and superb image contrast. The picture is quite outstanding regardless of media, fast paced Xbox 360 games like Gears of War2 and NBA2k9 have great colors, sharp and solid contrast, and play without a hickup visually. No scaling lag notable, courtesy of DLP's superior response time. I am very happy with this projector's performance for gaming!
The same can be said of watching HD film Bluray or HD DVD's, the picture really pops for a 720p projector and i found the black levels to be surprisingly good(Go DarkChip2!). The picture puts up a fight against my Samsung 1080p 120hz 61" DLP. When the wife notices, it further cements ones judgement. When you take price/value into consideration, this Mitsubishi has made me a projector convert. Theres no better way to watch film on a large screen. HD Cable looks equally as vibrant via component, however cant say I've tested the VGA port as of yet.
HD cable sports look impressive, just like being at the game. This projector achieves a very bright picture in LOW LAMP mode, achieving a very close to Normal Lamp mode brightness by engaging the Sports Gamma Mode setting, of which sitting directly under the Projector the fan noise is super quiet. I cant say even in normal lamp mode the fan noise has become an issue either, never caught my attention and thats a good thing. I found color good out of the box, but it was not very far from the current sweet spot after a little tinkering with color and contrast settings. I found plenty of flexibility in framing the picture with its shutter functions,digital keystone, and vertical location options. It is currently custom shelf mounted. I have a dimmer switch and we can watch this thing with plenty of ambient light and be very satisfied with the picture. Remote is straight forward, nothing fancy but effective and is backlit.
Cons: If you are one who 'looks' for rainbows you may find'm on occasion.
For me its when I blink my eyes terribly fast or quickly pull your sight away from a moving image and back, its not some sort of 'ghost' that will haunt your viewing experience..lol. I dont suffer from eye fatigue/headaches watching this projector, nor have I had any of the dozen or so people that have auditioned or sat though a whole movie mention it or point it out. So i think the whole rainbows/DLP thing can be grossly taken out of context as most critical things one reads on the internet. I play lots of fast film content and video games through this thing and its not an issue for me.
My only other quirk is the lack of additional HDMI connections, but for a product in this price range I havent found another option that offers multiple HDMI.
Conclusion: I gave it 5 Stars because for the price it is not a pretender- it packs exceptional value and performance for an entry level rig, that is bright enough to use in non light controlled/ambient light filled environments and also serve well as a business projector. The color balance, solid contrast and brightness truly make the HC1600 a viable HDTV solution in the era of LCD and Plasma displays...only ala carte BIGGER picture!;-)


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Hc1600 Home Theater DLP Projector

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Kodak Scan Station 500 Duplex Scanner (8738056) Review

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(More customer reviews)We have used a Scan Station 100 Plus for a few years, and when we wanted an additional unit ordered the Scan Station 500 (ss500) instead. A very preliminary review, but what you are buying here is a world class paper feeder, attached to a pc with a touch screen, that does OCR and outputs ready to use, searchable PDF files.Another reviewer mentioned that directories cannot be browsed, this is not an oversight. The design goal (for better or worse) is something that an administrator can deploy on a corporate network without compromising network security. What's cool is that 10 people can walk up and drop scans directly into 10 different directories, and that the confidential/protected directories for the CEO are available on walk up, but not compromised to other users. The strength and limitation of this unit is that it is designed for enterprise use, with a high priority on security, HIPPA, PCI DSS, etc.
Set up has a little bit of the "IT Sys Admin" feel, and absolutely requires a PC. Once configured, the basic interface is an ethernet connection to shared storage, and/or a USB key.The ss500 office-user fast at OCR (not industrial speed). Image quality is very good (for a sheet fed scanner). The latest upgrade to the software rotates documents so that they are saved as PDFs with the top at the top even if fed up-side-down.

RAM: I'd love to be able to upgrade its 1gb RAM to 3gb. (Uses XP.) I'm using the attached flatbed, which is a nice extra and produces much higher resolution scans.
EXTERNAL KEYBOARD: Kodak doesn't say this for some reason, but you can attach a USB keyboard to this. The touch screen is fine, but being able to type a file name with a real keyboard is *much* faster. If all goes well, I may come back an give this a 5, but for now 4 stars.
COMPARISION WITH SCAN SNAP: I Have also used/own a ScanSnap S510. The Scan Snap a great unit, but because it is directly attached via USB to a single workstation, and requires drivers and special software be loaded onto that workstation, a USB-direct-attached scanner really becomes essentially tethered to a single workstation. (And for the Scan Snap) Adobe Acrobat gets activated to *that* workstation, and over-writes any existing acrobat installation -- it overwrote my Acrobat Professional with the less expensive, less powerful Acrobat Standard. The paper feed on the Kodak is also much better, bigger, heavier, and more serviceable. Jams are such a annoyance that they justify a large part of the price difference - sheet feeding on the Scan Snap is very good; sheet feeding on the Kodak is really great.
MACINTOSH: If you have more than one user, or need scans for both Mac and PC, then getting your scan output as a PDF file on a network drive and/or USB key means that scans can very quickly get used by any computer.
COST: The cost of a network scanner is 5 times the cost of a USB attached scanner. If you are a one-person operation or office, then the business case is harder to make. On the other hand, if what ends up happening is that you dedicate a workstation to the scanner anyhow, the Kodak makes huge sense. It a refined, flexible, and secure approach to a shared scanning.

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Kodak Scan Station 500 Network Scanner 8738056 Sheetfed Scanners

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ASUS 7" Eee 8GB PC Netbook Computer with Windows XP - Galaxy Black Review

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(More customer reviews)This little 'netbook' is very small. I liken it too a poor man's OQO but it does its intended job: To get on the Internet. One cannot play WoW on it and expect it to mimic their home PC. Also it having a Celeron is something to hamper the expected performance of it. However, it comes underclocked! A good thing and a bad one too. That's to save energy and extend the life of the machine. I was blessed to get a version w/ Windows XP on it for a reasonable price. The first thing I did was to bump up the SO-DIMM RAM to 2GB and that seemed to help. The auto update (which I disabled) stuck me with XP Service Pack 3, so that ate up the already small HD. Getting rid of the swapfiles freed up over 5% of the HD, which is a lot for just an 8GB hard drive. The 701 SD possesses a SD card reader (hence its name) so one can save the solid-state drive some room. It seems to run a little hot when it's used for a while. The battery charges relatively quick compared to my Compaq V6444US.
Again, this thing is tiny and borders on being a novelty, but, its saving grace is access to the world-wide-web by 802.11 B/G wireless or the RJ-45 port. I'm going to learn to overclock this 'netbook' to speed it up to run the mandatory applications I installed like a firewall, spyware detector, Real-Player, Adobe Reader and Power Point viewer for the person on the go to take better advantage of the 'Net. This little computer is good for children, folks who are new to computers and for those who are out and about that want the reassurance of not losing data if hey drop the thing because of its solid-state drive. Keep in mind that this Asus Eee 701 SD can outdo the ENIAC (duh..) and it amazes me that a computer for a reasonable price can bee gotten by almost anyone and how far things have come and will go. A good buy that's built well but S-L-O-W compared to all modern home PCs. It's like 1995 all over again! Again, keep this in mind also: It's for the Internet. Knowing and reminding yourself of that you'll do fine and it will serve you well.
Have fun & God Bless!

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Gateway SX2802-03 Black Desktop PC (Windows 7 Home Premium) Review

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(More customer reviews)Pros:
-Quiet
-Fast boot up into Win7
-Plenty of RAM for OS Requirements
-Plenty Big Hard Drive for anything
-Does not include a ton of worthless software
Cons:
-On board integrated graphics
-Button to eject DVD tray must be pressed HARD
-Does not include hard copies of OS or system recovery disks (these must be burned at your $$)
It is a nice quiet compact system. Boot time is noticeably faster (about a minute) over my previous Vista computers. Moreover, there is not a lot of preinstalled worthless junk ware. Although, the optional software (MS Office, Norton, etc) that is there are trail versions only. There is not any good tactile feel to the DVD eject button and must be pressed rather hard. I was very surprised to find no hard copies of Windows 7 or any recovery disks. For these, the system prompted me to insert my own DVDs and burn copies on my own (something EVERYONE SHOULD DO). The on-board integrated video is the weakest link in performance.Windows performance score is 3.6 due to graphics. There is a PCI-expresssx16 slot open. I ordered a video card (which MUST be a LOW PROFILE card) and will update this review on how it affects performance. Over all so far it seems to be a solid computer and a good experience. Time will tell more!
Edit:
I received, installed and tested HIS H435F512HDLP Radeon HD 4350 HDMI Dual Link DVI (HDCP) 512MB (64 bit) DDR2 PCIe 16x 2.0 Low Profile Video Card Retail (RoHS)
It brought up my gaming graphics score from a 3.4 to a 5.8! You may have to fiddle around with Aero and tone down some of the bells and whistles to gain improvements within windows 7 environment. Also this card has a fan. The fan adds a little more air flow within the case but also adds noticeable fan noise. So to maintain the stealthy quiet of the original system...get a card with no fan.

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Gateway SX2802-03 Desktop PC comes with these specs: Intel Core2 Quad Processor Q8300, Windows 7 Home Premium, Intel G43 Express Chipset, 6144MB DDR2 Memory, Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500 Graphics, 1TB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive, Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader, High-Definition Audio Support with 5.1-channel Audio Support, 9 - USB 2.0, Keyboard and Mouse, 12.0 lbs. | 5.4 kg (system unit only), 1 Year Parts and Labor Limited Warranty with Toll-Free Tech Support, Registration/ Limited Warranty Card, Norton Internet Security Suite 2009 Trial

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Epson PowerLite 1735W Multimedia Projector (V11H270020) Review

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(More customer reviews)The PowerLite 1735W is terrific portable presentation tool. I researched comparable DLP-based projectors before buying this one. The PowerLite's picture quality is excellent for such a small projector, and the "3LCD" technology works very well for playing videos (comparable DLP projectors have trouble with rapid light/dark changes).
Tired of mediocre - and loud - projectors at conference & hotel venues, I have been pleased with the very low fan noise when set to "low" brightness - and the output is still a bright ~2000 lumens.
Pros:
* Bright, even when set to "low"
* Quiet when set to "low" brightness
* Compact & light weight
* Very easy to set-up with VGA input
* Works well for projecting flash videos (or DVDs)
* Very long lamp life (4000 hours on "low" brightness)
* Can set-up for custom logo (professional look)
* Can set-up for password lock-out (inhibit theft)
* High-resolution native WXGA (1280 x 800) projection
* S-Video input
Cons:
* Pricey
* Noticeable fan noise when set to maximum brightness
* XGA (1024 x 768) projection is not native (dithered)
* Only works with PowerPoint "presenter mode" (notes on laptop screen) when using VGA. Presenter mode does *NOT* work when connected via WiFi or USB (will only project the same output as the main laptop screen).
* No component, HDMI or DisplayPort inputs (but nothing in this class does)
* Security lock-out requires the remote control. If you lose the remote, you're toast until you get a replacement.
* Speaker output is no better than typical laptop. Only suitable for a small conference table.
The DLP-based projectors are slightly smaller, but for me the combined features of the PowerLite 1735W make it a superior tool for professional use. If you don't need the WiFi or USB input (and I don't), consider the PowerLite 1730W Epson PowerLite 1730W 3000 Lumens WXGA Projector and save ~$100. If size and weight aren't important, there are lots of far less expensive alternatives.

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The ultimate mobile projector. Stunning widescreen performance. Wireless and networking connectivity. Innovative easy-to-use features for ultra-quick setup and smooth transitions between presenters. No need for bulky VGA cable.

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HP Firebird with VoodooDNA 802 Desktop PC Review

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(More customer reviews)If your the kind of person who would prefer a hybrid Prius to a Corolla, then this machine may be for you. HP has basically crafted a "hybrid" PC that incorporates new liquid-colling technology and the energy-saving technology of a laptop with the power and versatility of a desktop. Many users will find the payback in electricity savings will makes the purchase price a lot more attractive (more on that later).
The Firebird is as close to "plug and play" as any Windows machine has ever been. It's very simple to set up set-up and is immediately compatible with the vast majority of devices out there. I purchased the 803, which is basically the 802 with a blue-ray burner. Here's what it took to set it up:
I plugged the HDMI output into a 42" LCD HDTV, connected the fiber optic audio cable to a surround receiver, plugged the power supply in, pulled the plastic film tabs out of the back of the keyboard and the mouse and connected it to the network. Then I booted it up and it was ready to go. The Bluetooth mouse and keyboard worked immediately. It took a couple of minutes to "set itself up" and after a few tweaks to the desktop it was ready to go.
In terms of performance, the machine more than adequately powers current games running at 1080 wide-screen mode and it does it efficiently. How efficient? Well the answer is: "Amazingly!"
Next, I plugged the computer into my Kill-a-Watt Meter ($25 from Amazon) and was amazed at how low the power consumption was. At idle the Firbird uses 67-72 watts. To test it at load, I loaded two instances of Stanford's "Folding at Home" (FaH) applications, both the CPU and GPU versions, and ran them simultaneously at "Average" process priority. At load the Firebird uses only 124-133 watts. The power drops by about 7-9 watts when the HDMI feed to the monitor goes into standby. I noted a similar draw rate when playing games. This amounts to about half the electricity cost of a typical desktop with similar performance benchmarks.
So, what's that amount to in electricity costs? Well, the average price of electricity in the US in November of 2008, according to the US Dept. of Energy was 11.5 cents per KW-Hr. If you're a hardcore geek like me, you leave your computer on all the time and it's probably doing something while it's sitting there.
At idle, the Firbird will cost the average consumer $70.33 in electricity over a year. If you run distributed apps, like I do, Firbird will raise your bill only by $130. A comparable desktop will consume more than twice that amount.
So, over two years, the Firbird can provide a payback of over $260 in energy costs. The liquid cooled system keeps the processors running at consistent temperatures and does it quietly.
The machine is also spouse-friendly. It is quiet and attractive enough to put in the living room right where everyone can see it and doesn't require all sorts of cables. The Firebird's internal LEDs can even be color-coordinated to match the decor. I can finally can sit in my lay-z-boy chair and check my e-mail and WoW auctions while the significant other knits or reads and doesn't mind. How much is that worth? Answer: Priceless.
Alas, the machine is not perfect. I'd sure like a front USB slot. It's hard to cram some of these new keychain card readers into the back of this computer when the outputs are all so close. The machine does have a front card reader slot, which is handy for reading cards from cameras and phones.


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Built for speed, stealth, and style, the aggressively styled HP's Firebird 802 desktop PC combines HP innovation with VoodooPC's award-winning expertise in PC design and architecture, resulting in a desktop that delivers the look, versatility and performance gamers and high-end PC enthusiasts crave--from massive computing power to quiet performance and power efficiency. A clean, striking aluminum enclosure delivers compelling visual presence, whil slot load drives and connector ports flush with the rear panel keep the exterior uncluttered.
The Firebird's distinctive aluminum foot echoes the unique construction of its predecessor--the HP Blackbird--including its trademark hover effect, allowing for optimized airflow. On top of all this, the recyclable all-aluminum chassis and 90-percent power supply highlight HP's and Voodoo's attention to the importance of energy efficiency and environmentally sensitive design solutions.
The Firebird's interior space is no less remarkable. It features patented, full system liquid-cooling to keep itself running cool in even the most heated head-to-head gaming scenarios. The external 350-watt power supply keeps a primary heat source outside the chassis. And the system's removable side panel, completely open BIOS, and interior and back panel LED lighting make it convenient for gamers to get inside the machine for performance tuning. Tool-free entry makes it upgrade-friendly.
Hardware features include a 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400 processor, 500 GB of hard drive space (from dual 250 GB hard drives), 4 GB of RAM, multi-format and dual-layer DVD±R drive, dual NVIDIA GeForce 9800S SLI graphics with support for Microsoft DirectX 10 and a total of 1 GB of dedicated graphics memory, 7.1-channel onboard HD audio, full complement of USB/FireWire/eSATA connectivity to your peripherals, and included wireless mouse and keyboard.
Keeping Things Cool The HP Firebird's thermal management was created to take advantage of natural convection to move cool air through the machine, as well as incorporating liquid cooling elements to keep core temps down. The addition of Voodoo's signature factory-sealed liquid cooling system delivers no-maintenance operation, quiet running and solid reliability.
The 350-watt external power supply delivers a performance level equivalent to a machine with double the energy consumption, and keeping it external optimizes thermal performance, reduces chassis size, and delivers 90 percent efficiency. The Voodoo factory-sealed liquid cooling and Nvidia HybridPower management keep the Firebird's noise low, while delivering reliable high performance.
The Basics
Processor: With four execution cores, the 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400 processor blows through processor-intensive tasks in demanding multitasking environments and makes the most of highly threaded applications. Part of Intel's "Penryn" line of 45nm processors, it features new hafnium-infused circuitry to reduce electrical current leakage in transistors and help this desktop run cooler. It also features Intel Trusted Execution Technology, which provides hardware-based mechanisms that help protect against software-based attacks and protects the confidentiality and integrity of data stored or created on the client PC.
Whether you're creating multimedia, annihilating your gaming enemies, or running compute-intensive applications at one time, new quad-core processing will change the way you do everything. The Q9400 has a top-of-the-line 1333 MHz front-side bus (FSB), an extra-large 6 MB shared L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)
With four complete execution cores in a single processor, you get four dedicated, physical threads help operating systems and applications deliver additional performance that enhance multi-tasking and multi-threaded performance across many types of applications and work loads. The Smart Memory Access feature improves system performance by hiding memory latency, thus optimizing the use of available computer data bandwidth to provide data to the processor when and where it is needed. The Advanced Digital Media Boost feature effectively doubles the execution speed for instructions used widely in multimedia and graphics applications. And with the Intel 64 Architecture, the processor can access larger amounts of memory. With appropriate 64-bit hardware and software, platforms based on an Intel processor supporting Intel 64 Architecture can allow the use of extended virtual and physical memory.

Hard Drive: The Firebird 802 comes with dual 250 GB SATA hard drives for a 500 GB capacity.

Memory: The 4 GB of installed RAM (PC2-6400, 2 x 2 GB) offers a fast 800 MHz speed, and RAM can be expanded to 8 GB.

Optical Drive: The Firebird 802 includes a slim, slot-loading optical drive on the front of the chassis that can burn single- and dual-layer DVDs as well as CDs. It offers the following write speeds: 6x DVD±R DL, 8x single-layer DVD±R, 8x DVD+RW, 6x DVD-RW, 24x CD-R/RW.

Keyboard & Mouse: This PC comes with an HP wireless optical mouse and HP low-profile wireless keyboard.

Video & Audio Go beyond HD video and redefine HD gaming with the dual NVIDIA GeForce 9800S SLI graphics cards, each of which provide 512 MB of dedicated GDDR3 graphics memory. (GDDR3, short for Graphics Double Data Rate, version 3, is a graphics card-specific memory technology that's better able to deliver fluid frame rates for even the most advanced games and applications.) NVIDIA HybridPower technology is a key feature of Hybrid SLI, allowing you to unleash graphics performance when you need it, or instantly switch gears to a lower power mode from the motherboard GPU. Integrated with the leading HD movie software players, PureVideo HD does the video decoding, instead of the power-hungry CPU, reducing fan noise and freeing the CPU for multitasking, so you never miss a scene. You can spread your work across two displays with NVIDIA nView display technology so that you can easily compare information or multi-task with everything in sight. The Firebird also provides support for 7.1 channel surround sound
Networking, Connectivity & Expansion This gaming desktop has two PCI x1 Express slots (one available), one PCI x16 Express slot (occupied), two 5.25-inch bays (one available), one internal ODD slot drive (available), and the following external ports:
6 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
2 eSATA
ExpressCard 54/34
Video out: DVI and HDMI
Headphone and microphone jacks
Audio: Optical audio output, headphone and microphone
15-in-1 media card reader on the front, compatible with CompactFlash (Type I and II), MicroDrive, SmartMedia, Memory Stick/Pro/Duo/Pro Duo, MultiMedia Card, Secure Digital, XD Picture Card, RSMMC, MMC Mobile, MMC+
10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet

Operating System Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit version) is the operating system for users with advanced computer needs, and it includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center for watching DVD movies and accessing your digital audio library. You can also use Windows Media Center to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) and to access new kinds of online entertainment content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium and an auxiliary Windows SideShow display will also allow you to access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever to share files between other PCs in your household and to manage your laptop computer settings to more securely connect via Wi-Fi.
Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools and technologies to help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting to a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you to manage and monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other activities.
Preloaded Software Cyberlink DVD Suite Deluxe with CyberLink Power2Go and CyberLink DVD Play; Grisoft AVG Professional anti-virus software (1-year subscription)
What's in the Box This package contains the HP Firebird 802 gaming PC, power cord, keyboard, mouse, and printed operating instructions. It's backed by dedicated HP Blackbird toll-free phone support and a one-year HP Limited Warranty.

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