Notebook/Laptop Match-Ups, Which one Hits the Mark for You?

I want to kick this comparison of with what i think is the clear winner for me. Very little information is known about this machine, as it was just announced at IFA 2013- Consumer Electronics Unlimited show held in Berlin, from September 6-11. We don't know when it is going to hit store shelves,  nor do we have word on price either. Oh and the pictures on each side here are of the same device.

However this wouldn't be a good comparison if I started with the best right off the bat. I really should start with the others and save the best for last, yet I will go ahead and tease you with the pictures.

     My current laptop is a Toshiba Satellite 17.3-Inch. So it would stand to reason that I would start my comparison with the company I know and trust.

     The first machine up is the Toshiba Satellite S75D-A7272 17.3-Inch Laptop. Like my current machine it has a 17.3 inch screen, 1 TB SATA hard drive, 8 GB of DDR3 SDRAM, and three USB ports, one 2.0, and two 3.0. However the similarities stop there. Resolution, CPU. GPU, are all different. My current machine has an Intel Core i7 CPU while the new one has just an 3.5 GHz AMD A Series. Nothing wrong with it I have just fallen in love with Intel's Core i7. The Graphics or GPU card is a boost over mine, I have a AMD Radeon HD 7560 (I'm guessing on the model number, I can't ever remember it) the new machine is an 8650G. For a better look at the specs you can checkout this link. The big decision for me is the OS. Windows 8 SCREAMS run away to me! Others may love it and it may turn around and become the greatest OS Microsoft has ever produced. (Very unlikely but stranger things have happened)

I am a big Toshiba fan when it comes to Laptops. I've had two with them and two with HP, and I would choose Toshiba any day of the week over HP in the future. The only problem for Toshiba is I didn't review any HP Laptops/Notebooks.

I have put it up against  ASUS. Which isn't really fair. Next on the list is the ASUS G750JX-DB71 17.3-Inch Laptop. This beast clocks in with am Intel Core i7-4700HQ clocked at 2.4GHz. It has 16GB of DDR3 RAM, 1 TB 5400 rpm Hard Drive and a 256 GB Solid-State Drive. They didn't skimp on the GPU either. The 17.3 inch screen is powered by the Nvidia GTX770M 3G graphics card. There is only a few games that will max out this beast and it should have no problem with any application you would need to run. Like the last one the OS does make me cringe but the hardware helps me look past Windows 8. However I am a broke college student who already works two jobs to make ends meet can't really afford the $1,800+ price tag that comes with the machine. If I had the money laying around this would be the machine for me. It has all the hardware needs I want and need to be a developer. 

                            

OK now that we got those out of the way we can talk about the real champ.  I'm sure there is a better choice out there for everyone, and my choice is not for everyone. 

     My choice is the new ASUS Transformer Book which is a duel boot machine. Running both Windows 8 and Android 4.2 Ice Cream Sandwich. It is a tablet and laptop all in one. As I mentioned in the beginning, the device was just announced at IFA and there is no word on when it will be available or how much it will cost.You're probably asking yourself how could I pick something not knowing the price of it yet. The answer is easy and is as follows; 

• PC Station: 304.9 x 193.8 x 13.4mm, 1kg; Tablet: 304.9 x 193.8 x 9.7mm, 700g
• 11.6-inch 1080p LCD
• 5MP rear, 720P front cameras
• Intel ATOM CPU in tablet, base station up to Core i7
• Android 4.2 / Windows 8
• 2GB RAM tablet; 4GB base station
• 16/32/64GB storage on the tablet; up to 1TB on the base station
• 19Wh battery on tablet; 33Wh on base station
• GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, 802.11 n Wifi

      As you can see from the specs this machine is fully equipped to handle any need you may have. Android is the new OS to program for. Having it as one of my OS' is great. Android alone can't fully meet my needs though. Thankfully this machine also comes with Windows 8. No not the lame tablet Windows 8/RT OS but the real deal. Let's break it down for the not so tech savvy people.

The tablet by itself runs Android 4.2 Ice Cream Sandwich, on the Intel ATOM CPU. If it is the same one as is in ASUS' Fonepad Tablet, then we can expect it to be clocked somewhere around 1.2GHz. It also has 2GB of RAM to help with the memory side of things. It will come in three variations, a 16GB, 32GB, & 64GB of storage. All of this is packed nicely behind the 11.6-inch 1080p LCD display. The battery will keep you going for about 19 hours depending on your use of the device. Heavy media applications will reduce your battery experience.

Now I know this is supposed to be an evaluation of laptops and I just did a tablet, but I'm not done. This is no ordinary tablet. If you chose to get the docking station (basically the keyboard) with it. The device can now duel boot into Windows 8. This is the same Windows 8 you would install on your desktop or laptop. The only difference now is that it incorporated into a hybrid laptop/tablet. 

Once the tablet is inserted into the dock you can still use the Android OS, with everything the dock has to offer except for the CPU. How ever Windows 8 can and does require the dock to work. The docking station houses the CPU for Windows 8, which can be up Intel's new Core i7 CPU which has 4 different generations and range from 1.70 GHz to 2.60 GHz. RAM on the dock is at 4GB and we don't have any word on whether it can be upgraded or not. One TB of storage is exactly what I look for when buying a new machine, and this bad boy has it. The battery will last you 33 hours or so, but add that to the tablet's 19 and you shouldn't run out unexpectedly.

Both Operating Systems can use the battery of the other, both can use the two built in cameras, 5MP rear and a 720p front facing camera. The device also includes GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, and 802.11 n WiFi.

I love duel boot machines and this one is right up my ally. Price is still a big point for me, and I would expect this to come in anywhere from $500 to over a $1000 depending on which variation you got.

Fortune 500's Top 20

Every year, Fortune Magazine does a comprehensive list of the top 500 companies in the world. Fortune has the staff for such a publication. Being the college student that I am this is a one man show and 20 is a tall order to review in it's own right. So not to waste anymore time lets get started.

1. Wal-Mart Stores 

Wal-Mart is a retail store chain. It is most known for it's low price ad campaigns, as well as it's stigma of low pay for employees. It's illustrious spot at the top this year is jump from the number 2 spot last year beating out former champ Exxon Mobil.

2. Exxon Mobil

Exxon Mobile is an oil production company, and is probably most famous for the Exxon Valdez disaster. This year it takes place in the number two spot being bumped by Wal-Mart Stores.

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3. Chevron

Chevron retains it's title of number 3 this year. Like Exxon it is an oil production company, without the nasty disaster. 

4. Phillips 66

Phillips 66 rounds out the top 5 for the oil industry. 

5. Berkshire Hathaway

Berkshire Hathaway is a holdings company owning many different companies. It's main company invetment is in insurance.

6. Apple

Everyone knows Apple. MacBook, iPod, & the iPhone have made this company a power-house in the tech world. It's only been in the last few years losing ground in the global market share for smartphones and tablets. This doesn't seem to have slowed them down though. Last year Apple was #17 on the list. This year it's #6. The only other company to do better is the very same one chipping away at it market share.

7. General Motors

General Motors is graces the number 7 spot having fallen two spots from last years number 5 status. It is an auto manufacture and currently holds a 15% share in the Chinese market.

8. General Electric

General Electric or GE as they are more commonly known has fallen this year from the number 6 spot down to 8th. GE is known for it wide range of electronics and appliances. 

9. Valero Energy

Valero is not just any oil production company, it remains the largest oil refinement company in the world. Last year it held it's own in the number 12 spot this year it has jumped to 9th. 

10. Ford Motor

Ford Motor is another addition to our list of automakers. Having fallen one spot from last year it seems Ford is having a hard time with the current auto market.

11. AT&T

AT&T joins our list of tech companies. AT&T has remain solid at the number 11 spot. This is a good/bad relationship for AT&T. It may have a nice lofty spot it hasn't moved in the last year nor has it made any big moves in acquiring new customers. Maybe next AT&T!

12. Fannie Mae

Fannie Mae was one the banks that received a government bail-out. As of this year it is expected to make a profit for the foreseeable future. On a bright note Fannie Mae has also paid back $36.5 million of the $116 million from the bail-out.

13. CVS Caremark

CVS is a competitor of Walgreens. It is in the medical/retail industry. It may sell everyday household goods, but the truth is it makes most of its money from the pharmacy and the new minute clinic located in most of its stores.

14. McKesson

Drug distribution is good for McKesson not to mention their CEO's pockets. Like AT&T it holds it place from last year and is still making money in the process.

15. Hewlett Packard

HP can't seem to catch a break. Falling from 10th to 15th the computer giant isn't so giant anymore. Bad PC and printer sales have really hurt the company as well as a failed endeavor at the tablet market.

16. Verizon Communications

If you live in the U.S. then you can hear me now, when I say Verizon needs know major introduction. With its major push to cover the nation in its new 4G wireless technology. Profits are good with almost 90% covered.

17. United Health Group

One of only two health insurers in the top 20, United Health Group is the largest. It is expected to continue its gains in the future,as it moves further into the South American market.

18. J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.

J.P. Morgan is an investment bank. It is one of the few that is still turning a profit here in the U.S. It recenlty had troubles with the government but that has since been taken care of.

19. Cardinal Health

Cardinal Health is the other health insurer in the top 20. It recently lost it's biggest contract with Walgreens but the future still looks good for the company.

20. International Business Machines

International Business Machines is probably better known as IBM. Grandfathers of the PC revolution IBM has been able to stay relevent with their consintration on the business model and software related ventures.

As impressive as this list is it still makes me sad that the company I want to work for isn't on it. Coming at number 58 sounds like they aren't much, however if you consider that last year they were in 73, you might realize they are a company to watch closely. Who is it you ask?

Even though Fortune says Apple made a big jump compared to last year. Sure Apple jumped 11 spots over last year, Google soared 18 spots from 73 to 58. That should speak volumes to what Google is doing with its business model. Android is the new king in mobile OS. According to a recent report, Android controls 72% of the world market in smartphone sales.

For me I see a clear future with Google and beyond. Space is my ultimate goal, Google will be my launch pad.

Source: CNN Money

Who is Scar107

My name is Spencer McClendon. I go by Scar107 on most online game communities like Steam, as well as XDA, Google Play and anything else that needs a username. I have an overwhelming passion for anything computer related and more specifically mobile technology, and even more specifically Google. I used to write for a news publication called TalkAndroid.com. I have since went on too start to my own blogs. Theme Your Droid, and What Scar Know's. With my hectic life I haven't been able to update them as much as I want.

I also help moderate a beta test community for an Android app called Floating Notifications on Google+, as well as being an owner for a community for the themeing of Floating Notifications.

Hopefully everyone can tell what my interests are at this point.