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The Orlando Sentinel, Fla., Chris Cobbs column: Gateway desktop offers a great deal, so you can afford to put a little Chocolate on your hip
(Orlando Sentinel, The (FL) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Aug. 19--Learning is all about audio and video these days, with an emphasis on Internet resources for homework, presentations and classroom participation.
In Part 2 of our back-to-school roundup, a fully loaded, multimedia desktop computer shares the spotlight with a do-it-all cell phone called Chocolate.
Gateway breaks the $1,000 barrier with a high-performance PC that includes a spiffy, spacious 19-inch monitor. This package would look good in any student's dorm room, apartment or bedroom.
The system also comes with Microsoft Office Basic Edition software, an extra-cost option on many competing systems.
For mobile communication and entertainment, the Chocolate Phone by LG from Verizon Wireless combines a cell phone with high-speed Web access and an MP3 player that borrows liberally from the design of the iPod.
The Chocolate, shaped and sized like a candy bar, just might be this fall's "gotta-have" item.
CHOCOLATE PHONE BY LG FROM VERIZON WIRELESS
Its name suggests the color brown, but the Chocolate actually is a glossy black. It is sleek and lightweight at just 3.5 ounces, with killer sound and mobile broadband Web access. But its touch-sensitive navigation ring, reminiscent of the iPod's click wheel, can be tricky, especially if the user is outside on a humid day. (The manual suggests keeping hands and fingers dry.) And it costs an extra $50 to add a case, car charger, USB cable and headset. Price: $149.99.
LIGHTSCRIBE CD DISKS
Bypassing paper labels or marking pens, LightScribe Direct Discs burn labels on CDs and DVDs. The discs, which work with a variety of desktop and notebook computers, have a special coating. They can produce a silkscreen-quality image of art, text or graphics. Price: $5.99 for a CD 5-pack.
GATEWAY DESKTOP
The DX310 is powered by an Intel Pentium D Processor with two processing cores, providing extra oomph for multitaskers. A speedy 250-GB hard disk, DVD burner and two speakers are included, along with a 19-inch monitor. There are six USB ports, plus old-fashioned serial and parallel connectors, which have nearly disappeared from the market, but are handy for printers that predate the USB era. Its two-button mouse has a flimsy feel, but the keyboard has a crisp touch. Price: $999 (including 19-inch monitor).
PARALLELS SOFTWARE
Running Windows on a Mac has been possible for years -- albeit in slow motion -- with Microsoft's Virtual PC software. Windows is no longer a drag on 2006-vintage Macs with Intel chips and Parallels Desktop software. Parallels enables the use of Windows applications alongside standard Mac programs, and the speed of Parallels is a real eye-opener. Highly recommended for users who need Windows compatibility but want to stick with the Mac's OS X as their primary environment. Price: $79.99.
Compiled by Sentinel technology writer Chris Cobbs. He can be reached at ccobbs@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5447.
Copyright (c) 2006, The Orlando Sentinel, Fla.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
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