For the first quarter of 2011, here are some laptops that I like.  They all have the follow specs (unless specified differently):

• Intel Core i3
• 4GM RAM
• Integrated video card
• 500 GB HDD
• Resolution: 1366x768

• Apple MacBook Pro MC374LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop
• ASUS U35F-X1 13.3" - 3.7 lbs
• ASUS U35JC-A 13.3" - Nvidia 310M - 3.7 lbs
• ASUS U43JC-X1 i5 - Nvidia G310M - 14" - 4.7 lbs
• ASUS U45JC-A1 Nvidia G310M - 14" - 4.6 lbs
• Acer Aspire TimelineX 320 GB HDD - 13.3" - 3.97 lbs
• Sony VAIO Y 1366x768 - 3.9 lbs
• HP Pavilion dm4 i5 - 14" - 4.4 lbs (I bought a version of this laptop!)
• HP Envy 14 i5 - ATI Radeon HD 565 - 640 GB HDD - 14.5" - 5.2 lbs

The next generation of the Kindle comes with WiFi ($139) or 3G/WiFi ($189). If you travel a lot or don't mind spending a litle more cash for some conveniences, I would opt for the 3G/WiFi version.

Currently the Kindle has almost 5000 reviews with an average rating above 4 star. That's saying a lot! If you like to read, the Kindle is the way to go.

If you're looking a media player but don't want to go with Apple's iPod (either because of price, principle, or other), Microsoft's Zune HD is a good alternative.  Some of the features that you get from the Zune that's not available in an iPod is HD output and HD radio.  But you give up the Apple's AppStore (currently, Zune's apps aren't as plentiful).

If you have a Zune, some of the nice accessories are

• Zune HD
• HD AV Dock
• Silicon Skin
• Screen Protectors

For the first quarter of 2010, here are some laptops, broken into a couple categories:

Ultra Portables

• ASUS Eee PC (1201N)
• ASUS UL (UL30A-X5, UL30A-A2, UL30Vt-X1)

i7

• Dell Studio s1557
• HP DV6-2190US
• Sony VAIO VPC-F111FX/H

i5

• Dell Inspiron i1764
• HP Pavilion DV6-2170US

This time I'm looking at home theater systems. If you didn't receive one for Christmas and are looking for one, check out the list below. All of them include a Blur-ray player.

If you are looking for a nice, full set, the Sony BDVE500W is a good choice. It is a 5.1 system with wireless rear speakers.

For a budget system, take a look at the Panasonic SC-BT300 . It is a 7.1 system. It does not have wireless speakers. But it can read media from SD cards.

LG LHB977 is another popular option. Like the Sony, it is a 5.1 system. The nice extra features include internet connectivity which offers NetFlix, YouTube, Pandora, and Cinema Now.

See my other post on HDTVs.

A little over a year agoo I was in the market for a new HDTV. After doing research and weighing the pros and cons, I came away with the Panasonic TH-42PZ80U (42" 1080p). I chose plasma over LCD because of superior movie watching experience. I use another LCD monitor to play my Xbox 360 on. And I chose Panasonic because they make one of the best plasma HDTVs around, second only to Pioneer. But Pioneers were a lot more expensive.

A few months ago, Grant started looking for an HDTV to go with his new house. I helped him look around and we ended up going with another Panasonic (50" 1080P).

This time around, Alex is looking for one in the 50" range. After talking to me, he's also leaning toward a 50" Panasonic (TC-P50G10). From the previous experiences, I recommend that he should keep an eye out on the TV and watch multiple websites, as the price can fluctuate quite a bit (as high as a few hundred dollars or more). By buying online, you can usually save on taxes and sometimes you can get free shipping, too.

If you're interested in a 50+" LCD, Sharp Aquos LC52D85U is on sale on Amazon for a good price (and good reviews).

If you're interested in video games this season, here are the 3 popular consoles and some high profile games.

PlayStation 3 (Controllers, Remote)

• Modern Warfare 2
• Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
• Assassins Creed II
• God of War: Collection
• LittleBigPlanet

Xbox 360 Arcade / Xbox 360 Elite (Controllers) (Xbox Live )

• Assassins Creed II
• Batman: Arkham Asylum
• DJ Hero
• Forza Motorsport 3
• Halo 3: ODST
• Madden NFL 10
• Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
• Modern Warfare 2

Nintendo Wii (Remote, Nunchuk, MotionPlus)

• Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga
• Mario Kart
• New Super Mario Bros
• Wii Fit Plus
• Wii Sports Resort

Someone I know is interested in getting an Amazon Kindle for their family member.  After doing some search, I found that some of the Kindle's competitors are Barnes & Noble's Nook and Sony's E-Readers. I find the following to be pretty helpful.

• Amazon's user reviews
• Kindle vs Nook vs e-Reader
• Kindle 2 v Kindle DX

If you're interested in a Kindle, don't forget the accessories: Leather Cover and Mighty Bright.

Dell came out with the new Zino HD.  It's a small profile computer made specifically for HTPC.  You can get it as low as $230, or make it as beefy as $600+. Looks wise, it's pretty similar to a Mac Mini .

I would go with the Tech package + 4GB RAM upgrade.  With the Dell's "8 Days of Deals", the price comes out to $562 - $104 = $458.

• Windows 7 Home Premium
• AMD Athlon X2 3250e
• ATI Radeon HD 4330
• 4GB DDR2 RAM
• 250 GB Hard Drive (though I have extra hard drives for more storage)
• 8X DVD+/- RW Drive

One of my friends is looking for a new budget computer (with a little bit of "future proof"). So I did some looking around and came up with the following parts, if you want to build one yourself. This is assuming you already have a monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse.