Are you the kind of guy that keeps critical data lying around on discs? Do you fret everyday that your hard drive full of office documents porn data is going to be lost in a fire? Well, fear not - your technology can survive the worst safely secured in a Sentry Safe Fire/Waterproof Data Storage Chest.

Like most Sentry safes, it protects the contents from fire and water up to one half hour in 1,550 degree Fahrenheit temperatures (1,116 degrees Kelvin, oh yes - we knew you were wondering) or 24 hours fully submersed in water. Not only that, but it will protect 60 CD’s or DVDs or your, ahem, legally downloaded videos and music. Going even further is the ability for the Sentry safe to hold your external storage device and pass through the data via it’s internal USB 2.0 port. Clever.

When we first picked up the Sentry Chest we were looking for a safe for our back-up CD’s. Then our curiosity got the better of us as we delved deeper into the idea of storing a back up hard drive as well. We came across the Fireproof/Waterproof 160GB Maxtor Hard Drive but the inability to store physical gear and it’s prohibitive price made us look into other options. Well, we’re glad to report the Sentry Data Storage Chest has served quite nicely and for it’s functionality you can’t beat the price.

What this means to you: It’s about time someone realized data isn’t always in manilla envelopes. Keep your digital data safe and secure.

Cost: $150 @ Office Depot

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As predicted, Apple has released the Multi-Touch enabled MacBook Pros with Multitouch. The entire MacBook Pro lineup is now enabled with Penryn-based processors roaring in at 3.6 GHz with 6MB of shared L2 cache, up to 4GB of 667 MHz RAM, 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics card, and 300GB hard drives. The 15″ screen continues at 1440×900 resolution while the 17″ screen can be configured in either 1680×1050 or a ridiculously wall-vision inducing 1920×1200 resolution - all backlit with LED. Anyone follow that?

The MacBook is also available with the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors up to 2.4GHz, 802.11n Wi-Fi, larger hard drives and up to 2GB of memory - standard. They continue start at $1099.

What this means to you: We yawned a bit at the release hoping for a little more than just internal component upgrades, but for you power users every bit counts.

Cost: $1999 - $2799 @ Apple

Who needs a MacBook Air. Give this writer the Lenovo ThinkPad X300, unleashed for paycheck burning today.

If sexy is specifications, then the X300 is the Izabel Goulart of laptops. Dark, sexy, and Brazilian made in China. Perhaps that’s a stretch, but it truly is one incredible machine and a marvel of engineering. If this writer was within his 14 day Apple Store return period he’d already be taking back the very MacBook Air he’s writing this article on. 10% restocking fee withstanding.

Sure, it’s going to cost an extra grand out the door, but it’s lighter than the MacBook Air, has three times as many USB ports as the Air (um, for a total of 3), an internal DVD-RW drive. And despite its tiny profile the X300 is equipped with a 64 GB Solid-State drive standard, removable lithium-polymer battery yielding up to 10 hours on the extended-battery configuarations, up-to 4 GB of memory, 1440×900 13.3″ LED backlit display, built in digital camera, fingerprint recognition, GPS, 802.11n wireless, gigabit ethernet, touchpad and the quintessentially yet useless IBM, er… Lenovo, red trackpoint.

The MacBook Air is undoubtedly sexy. It’s near perfect for those of you looking for a svelte portable option that will garner attention at Starbucks, but if you’re a road warrior or anyone who considers themselves a power laptop user, your money will be far better served with the X300.

What this means to you: The inevitable masses of MacBook Air versus ThinkPad X300 comparisons are already out only to be filled with thousands of guys out there no longer trying to compare who’s bigger, but who’s lighter.

Cost: $2404 - $2488 @ Lenovo

Other Ultraportable Laptops: Macbook Air $1799 | Sony TZ90

Tags:
Technology, Lenovo, Thinkpad, X300, New Release, Ultraportable Laptop

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The Optimus Maximus keyboard. It’s finally available. Beyond sounding like a former Radio Shack product or a new Transformers character you should know that this is something you’re going to want as soon as we tell you more about it.

Look carefully at that picture (or enlarge it). Notice the keys? Look closely and you’ll see that they’re individual screens embedded in each and every key. Better yet the software that powers the Optimus Maximus will allow you to configure each and every key to your liking. Want a set of keys to run macros for Excel? No problem. Want a set of keys for every possible shortcut in your next game of Crysis? No problem. Want a set of key that takes you directly to Gear Patrol? Done and done.

Seemingly something that looks as if it came from the dungeons of Apple, the Optimus Maximums is an expensive peripheral. But let’s rundown what this keyboard has. 113 individiual OLED displays running 48×48 resolution capable of displaying 65,536 colors. It runs on your Mac or PC, will display any number of languages, html code, math functions, basically anything your mind can think of. It has two USB ports in addition to an SD card for layout storage. It will cause envy. It will cause awe. Oh, and it’s a keyboard.

What this means to you: Suddenly the thought of paying $462 for a keyboard - a keyboard - suddenly doesn’t seem all that outrageous. Oh maybe, that’s why we just ordered one.

Cost: $462 @ Art Lebedev Studios

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Got 10 grand burning a hole in your bank account? Looking for a centerpiece to your entertainment computing system? Well, break out the cards because the Qx is some serious computing - wait for it - integration.

Integration what? Well, let’s go down the specs and maybe you’ll see. This computer is a 42″ 1080p LCD monitor built in with 3.0 GHzIntel Core 2 Extrememe processors, XLR8 GeForce 8800 Ultra graphics card with a 768MB of GDDR3 overclocked by PNY tp 621MHz from 575MHz. It has 200 MBPS HotwireWith Lumenlab’sâ„¢ Hotwireâ„¢ networking and utilizes Q’s powerplug which pars down all the connectivity to one single cable. The choice of HD-DVD or BluRay drive, SPDIF 8.1 channel audio, Noctua silent cooling manufactured in Austria only add to the Q’s prowess.

What this means to you: You could probably get two comparable Dell computers for the same price, but then no one would be able to stand stupefied at your crazy ass for having such a thing. That is pretty much the worth the cost.

Cost: $10,000 @ Lumenlab

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“The World’s Thinnest Notebook”

Got your attention yet?

When Apple makes a claim, they tend to not pad them. The MacBook Air is going to slot right between the MacBook and the MacBook Pro, but let us tell you. This laptop, announced just this morning, is compact. 0.16″ at it’s thinnest point and 0.76″ at it’s thickest. It will literally fit inside of an envelope and at it’s thickest point is smaller than the thinnest part of the class leading Sony TZ series.

The MacBook Air has a 13.3″ LED backlit display, 1.6 Ghz or 1.8 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo (60% smaller design specifically made for this laptop - wide as a dime, thick as a nickel), black LED backlit keyboard, built in iSight webcam, ambient light sensor, magnetic latch closing mechanism, multi-touch trackpad (with double tap, pivot and rotate, pinch zoom), 1.8″ hard drive in standard 80 GB form or optional 64 GB solidstate drive (no moving parts), 45 Watt MagSafe power adapter, Micro-DVI video output, 802.11n wireless, Bluetooth 2.1/EDR, 5 hour battery life, optional external SuperDrive, 2 GB memory, and last but not least: environmentally friendly internal components like fully aluminum case, mercury and lead free display, BFR free circuit boards.

What this means to you: Everyone is on the quest to find the perfect combination of features and weight in laptops and lighter is always better. The MacBook Air represents a major leap forward in laptop design. Ready your wallets, pre-orders start today.

Cost: $1800 @ Apple [Availability: Two Weeks]