Everybody knows Apple laptops are pricey. You know it, Crave knows it, Steve Jobs knows it. We also have a fair idea that its PC-selling counterpart, Dell, is relatively cheap. But have you ever stopped to examine just how much more you pay for Apple upgrades than you do for Dell? We have.

Having trawled the online configurator tools of both laptop makers, we've detailed just how much Apple takes the biscuit with its pricing. Base configurations look pretty similar on the surface, but when you start upgrading with faster internal components, Apple charges through the nose. » Read the rest of the entry..

In addition to an expected increase in sales to the U.S. military, iRobot says it will see growth in its unmanned robot platforms from foreign buyers.



The "Unmanned Systems Roadmap 2007-2032," a report put out by the Department of Defense last year, outlined a strategy to increase spending in unmanned technology for the air, sea, and ground.

iRobot, which has already been supplying the U.S. military with unmanned robots for use in ground reconnaissance and combat, has repeatedly said it will benefit from the military's increased need. » Read the rest of the entry..

There's not much good to say about a satellite dish sticking out from the side of your house. Depending on your part of town, it might either be stolen or the source of endless carping from aesthetically offended neighbors.

To deal with such urban complications, a few blokes who run a U.K.-based company called Sqish have come up with a solution that's either ridiculous or innovative--or ridiculously innovative, depending on your point of view. For about $300, they'll stick your satellite antenna in a compact box camouflaged with a custom sticker designed to blend into the wall behind it, according to Technabob. » Read the rest of the entry..

Hi everyone. Starting this week, I will be answering reader questions about all things GPS right here on Miss Direction and Crave. If you need product recommendations, have questions about the technology, or ever wondered if a GPS can actually tell you to drive into water, this is the place to be. I'll be posting these Ask the Editor blogs every other week so don't be shy, send in those questions, and I'll do my best to answer them all. So without further ado, on with the show.

Q: Can you help me? I am looking for a GPS that also has hands-free functionality. I live in California and as of July 2008, you cannot use a cell phone that is not hands free. Is there a GPS that has voice function? --Allen, via e-mail A: Hi Allen. You're in luck. There are quite a few portable navigation devices (PNDs) with integrated Bluetooth, which allows you to wirelessly connect a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone or smartphone to the GPS and use it as a hands-free speaker system. Some Bluetooth-equipped PNDs include the TomTom GO 930, Garmin Nuvi 660, and the Mio C520. Having reviewed a number of these devices, I'd have to say that Garmin and TomTom offer the easiest setup and best user interface for this, but you can also find more options in our roundup here. » Read the rest of the entry..

Of the growing number of smartphones with integrated GPS, you can now add the Motorola Ming to the list. Yes, you can now wheel and deal with the new Motorola Ming A1600 and the Motorola Ming A1800, which were just announced this week. The next-gen models of the Motorola Ming A1200 both feature a 2.4-inch QVGA touch screen, Bluetooth (with support for the A2DP profile), a microSD expansion slot that accepts up to 4GB cards, and a 3-megapixel camera. » Read the rest of the entry..

Sanyo made headlines last week with a waterproof 52-inch LCD in full HD (note: we resisted saying it made a splash), but there are actually larger versions already on the market. Earlier this year, for example, we saw a water-resistant 57-inch HDTV from Aquavision, and now there's a model that dwarfs its competitors. » Read the rest of the entry..

Updated 6/23/08 with information about the sensors. In an interesting turn, JVC's newest hard-disk-based HD camcorders--the Everio GZ-HD40, GZ-HD30, and GZ-HD10--will support AVCHD in addition to its traditional MPEG-2 formats. This is a great idea, at least for the interim, since it theoretically provides you with more flexibility in your video-editing options--especially if its AVCHD files aren't supported right out of the gate--and allows it to deliver high bit rate video beyond the 24Mbps maximum for AVCHD. Plus, the camcorders include FireWire (i.Link) interfaces, which many of today's models have dropped, for dealing with MPEG-2's HDV-compatible datastream. » Read the rest of the entry..

While everyone and his dog is releasing tiny laptops, Samsung is still pouring its heart into mid-sized machines. One such device is the R410, which we first had a look at back in May at Samsung's Korean headquarters.

Back then, we said it was an "absolute steal", thanks to its £499 price tag and generous specification. Today, little's changed apart from a slight design tweak. It still packs a 14.1-inch screen, a 1.83GHz CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, a DVD rewriter, a 1.3-megapixel webcam and Vista Home Premium. » Read the rest of the entry..

f you ever dreamed as a child (or as an adult) of owning a car like KITT of Knight Rider fame, you're dream is about to come true...sort of. Unless you're rolling in money, you can't have the actual Trans Am or David Hasselhoff, but you can have the next big thing. Word on the street is Mio Technology is prepping to release a Knight Rider-themed portable navigation system that uses the actual voice of William Daniels (the actor who provided the voice of KITT) to present you with audible directions. » Read the rest of the entry..

The Acer Aspire One arrives fashionably late to the mini laptop party, but it sashays in with flair. Available in either Linux or Windows XP versions, the One is attractive, lightweight and offers great performance for a low price. Does it spoil the netbook night for the Eee PC?

Acer says the Aspire One is not a laptop. It might look and smell like one, but the company has gone to great lengths to promote the message that the One is an 'Internet device'. Others, such as Intel, refer to it as a netbook -- a new category of device spawned by the Asus Eee PC 701. You, friends, can call it what you want. We'll stick with mini laptop.

Despite its lateness to the party, the One has pretty much everything it takes to be a market leader. It's attractive and lightweight. It offers solid performance and it's easy to use. Most importantly, however, is its price: the entry-level One costs a very pocket-friendly £220. » Read the rest of the entry..