Unlimited Mobile

Picking a gaming laptop is a difficult task these days: machines can be found in all shapes and sizes, from pricey thin-and-lights to oversized behemoths. That wide selection is a good thing, allowing buyers to pick and choose the best machine from dozens of manufacturers, possibly even finding a deal on a lower-cost ODM system. Still, there needs to be some sort of benchmark buyers can look to, and for many, Alienware serves that purpose. The brand, now owned by Dell, is known for offering powerful, high-quality machines at the market’s going rate; that is, not too cheap, not too expensive, but reasonably priced with just a hint of prestige. Considering Alienware’s 2013 hardware refresh, it seemed about time we took a closer look at Dell’s updated family of gaming portables. We picked out two: the Alienware 14 ($1,199+) and the larger Alienware 17 ($1,499+). Let’s see how they stack up.

Filed under: Gaming, Laptops, Dell

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The case for an incoming Kindle Fire update seems to be getting stronger every day — not only have we seen benchmarks and alleged photos of the device, but now @evleaks seems to have come across an official render. The purported press image matches previous leaks in bezel size and design, but lacks the front-facing camera Amazon introduced with the Kindle Fire HD. This leads us to suspect that the render is of a non-HD model of Bezos’ latest tablet. The flagship model is rumored to have a 2,560 x 1,600 resolution, the aforementioned camera upfront and an OS based on Android 4.2.2. We’re still waiting for Amazon to give the official word of course, but for Kindle users waiting for an upgrade, it’s something to salivate over.

Filed under: Tablets, Amazon

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Source: @evleaks (Twitter)

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week’s most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us — it’s the Week in Green.

When it comes to public transportation, taking the bus is the least sexy option. Buses are slow; they make frequent stops; and because they share the road with cars, they get stuck in traffic. But a new proposal for a giant lane-straddling bus would eliminate traffic congestion by letting cars pass right through the middle of it. The futuristic bus is just one of several stories about innovations in green transportation on Inhabitat this week. Mercedes-Benz just completed the first cross-country trip for a self-driving car with its S500 Intelligent Drive research vehicle, and BMW unveiled the official production model of its 2015 i8 plug-in hybrid sports car at the Frankfurt Motor Show. In other green car news, Nissan announced that it is in the final stages of developing its second electric vehicle — the e-NV200 compact van. In an effort to make flat tires a thing of the past, Korean manufacturer Hankook has produced a puncture-proof, airless tire that is made from 95 percent recyclable materials. And in more good news for green cars, August was the best month ever for US sales of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and conventional hybrids.

Filed under: Misc, Science

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The words red and October together might conjure up thoughts of Tom Clancy or Kanye West, but now you can also associate them with Bowers & Wilkins. Starting next month, the company will offer up its compact P3 headphones in the vibrant hue. The latest color option for the iPhone-compatible on-ear cans joins the likes of the blue, black and white variants for the same $200 price tag. If you like your headphones to look as loud as they sound, you’ll find more details in the press release after the break. Here’s to hoping the P5 gets a similarly rosey treatment soon.

Filed under: Portable Audio/Video, Wearables

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