laptop

Recently my brother-in-law, Ken Landau, was doing a major spring cleaning when he came across a bit of computing history in his basement: a Colby Walkmac, the first battery-operated Macintosh computer and first portable Mac with a LCD display.

I'd never heard of the Walkmac, which wasn't built by Apple but by electronics pioneer Chuck Colby, who founded Colby Systems in 1982. The Apple-sanctioned model you see here was "modded" around a stock Mac SE motherboard and hit the market in 1987, two years before Apple put out its Macintosh Portable in 1989 for $7,300. … Read more

For those of you who might be new to the Cheapskate blog, allow me to refer you to the Cheapskate FAQ, which answers a lot of common questions -- like "why I sent you an e-mail for a deal that was already sold out." (Spoiler: It wasn't sold out when I sent it.)

I mention that example because today's deal may also sell out quickly. (At this writing, Lenovo shows 498 units still in stock.) For a limited time, and while supplies last, Lenovo has the ThinkPad Twist S230u convertible laptop for $463.50 shipped. (Sales … Read more

If you've been waiting to buy a Windows 8 tablet until the options and prices reached a competitive level, then wait not longer. Windows 8 tablets and hybrid laptops have finally hit a sweet spot, and there are models now that cover everyone from the casual Web jockey to the full-on PC gamer.

So check out the above video and head over to CNET's list of Windows tablets and hybrids for more information.

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Quick housekeeping note: Deals are available at the time I write about them, and I usually have no way of knowing how much inventory a seller has left. Unfortunately, occasionally an item sells out soon after I post it, which is what happened yesterday. Believe me, I share your frustration. The good news is that good deals very often come around again -- and I always try to clue you in when they do.

Back to business. Did you ever stop to think how today's entry-level PC was yesterday's powerhouse? Not so many years ago, you'd have … Read more

Alongside the frankly more interesting Rove 20 tabletop PC, HP has also announced revisions to the rest of its Pavilion and Envy laptop lineups. However, included in this bundle is one product that caught our eye: an update to one of our favorite laptops.

The new HP Pavilion 11 TouchSmart is an 11-inch semi-sequel to the low-cost, AMD-powered HP dm1, a system we loved when it was released in 2011 because it offered decent, portable performance at near-Netbook prices.

The new version, also with an AMD CPU, adds a standard Windows 8 touch screen and will start at $399 (yes, … Read more

I hate cord clutter. But when I travel (like I'm doing right now), I'm stuck with it, what with all the power cords I have to stuff into my carry-on.

My laptop's AC adapter is among the worst offenders (two cords!), which is why I'm thinking very seriously about this: ZipKord has the Retractable Universal Laptop Combo-Charger for $20, plus a very reasonable $3.75 for shipping. Regular price: $79.99.

This travel-friendly kit consists of two retractable cords -- one for AC outlets, one for in-dash cigarette lighters -- and a set of 11 tips. … Read more

Sony is prepping a new 13-inch slider laptop, similar to the Vaio Duo 11, for a Computex reveal, a source tells CNET.

The source familiar with the upcoming device -- supposedly called the Vaio Duo 13 -- confirmed to CNET the authenticity of the video, pictures, and specifications originally revealed Thursday by Notebook Review. Barring any last-minute changes, the source indicated that the Japanese company plans to announce the Windows 8 device during its annual press conference in early June at the Computex expo in Taiwan.… Read more

Don't like Windows 8? Too bad: You're stuck with it, at least if you're shopping for a new PC.

Ah, but if you're willing to go the refurb route, you can still find one running the comfortable old shoe that is Windows 7.

To wit: For a limited time, and while supplies last, Secondipity has the refurbished HP Pavilion dv6-7027NR laptop for $339.99 shipped. And as an added bonus, Secondipity will donate a portion of the purchase to the charity DonorsChoose.org.

This is a 14-inch laptop with an Intel Core-i5 processor, 6GB of RAM, … Read more

The iPhone could one day come with buttons and controls that blend right into the background, effectively making them invisible.

Granted to Apple on Tuesday by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, a patent dubbed "Disappearing button or slider" describes how various controls on the iPhone and other devices would normally stay hidden and fully appear only when needed.

A button would be made of the same material as the housing of the phone, so it would blend in seamlessly. But it could be selectively backlit through small holes to pinpoint its location, or the backlight itself … Read more