Notebooks & Accessories
Tip: Packing a Notebook? Think Like a Yogi
Judging from e-mail I've received, some of you pack your notebook in checked baggage when you fly. One reader suggested removing the notebooks' hard drive and taking it on board. Should something happen to the computer, at least you have your data.
Another suggestion: If you feel compelled to pack your notebook in a checked bag, wrap it in a yoga mat. Yoga mats are thick enough to protect the notebook, but not so thick as to add a lot of bulk. A standard mat is about 1/8 inch thick, while an "ultra" mat is 1/4 inch thick. Because yoga mats are typically about 68 inches long, though, you may need to trim it down to size. Or better yet: Keep the mat intact and use it to squeeze in a few downward dogs on your trip.
Yoga.com is a good resource for mats (about $23 to $30).
News: Double-Duty DVD Drive
Iomega's new $250 Super DVD Writer 12x Dual-Format USB 2.0 Drive, an external drive, can store nearly twice as much data on a disc as current 4.7GB DVD drives. One dual-layer DVD disc (about $10) can hold an entire Hollywood movie or up to 12 CDs of data, Iomega claims. The discs will play in DVD drives that support the DVD+R format. One slight problem: Dual-layer discs won't be widely available until the fourth quarter, according to an Iomega product manager.
Review: Basic Features, Great Performance From Gateway
The Gateway M405CS is rather plain looking, says PC World reviewer Carla Thornton. But for $1400, the notebook delivers great performance and is reasonably well equipped, too. Features include a 15-inch screen, fixed DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive, and 802.11g Wi-Fi. Missing in action, however, are a FireWire port and an S-Video-out port.
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