Laptop Review: HP ZBook 17.3" - Core i7 4700MQ - 24GB Ram - 1TB Solid State

Let's just say my work laptop is a beast. Okay. It's more than a beast. It's brutal. This computer is by far the best setup I've ever used and I'm wondering if it can get any better than this. The i7-4700MQ is simply great. 24GB of ram? DUH. 1TB SSD? Completely necessary. Unfortunately I don't game on this computer but it's wonderful for say... word docs? internet? youtube? Being a computer I keep at work I mostly do work on it so it's being highly unutilized but the stability of this computer is unmatched. In my line of work I don't have time for hangs and lagging so this may be a bit overpowered yet I'm not complaining. You can pick up a ZBook fairly similar to this for under $2,500 but upgrading the ram and to a ssd with cost you. Those upgrades are not really necessary though. Unless you're insane then they're completely necessary. So do it. Now.

2012 Chevy Volt Review

This last week I've had the opportunity to drive and get fairly comfortable with a 2012 Chevy Volt and all I can say is this is a sweet car. My normal commute is around 100 miles round trip. This car can almost make the trip to work completely on a charge and when its plugged in all day at work will be pretty much completely charged for the ride home. It's very rare for this car to burn more than a half gallon round trip. One thing I've noticed is that traffic becomes your friend. Normally I would avoid any and all traffic no matter what but now it's saving me money. Getting past the obvious electric advantages, the interior of this vehicle is beautiful. Very stylish and comfortable. Technology wise it's making an attempt to be state of the art but isn't anything amazing. My father has had some difficulty getting used to the controls but that's a generational difference. Aside from the technology, interior and fuel economy, this car handles like a professional go cart, very tight suspension and entertaining drive style. In the end this car can be purchased used for around $20,000 if you wait for a good opportunity, patience is key. Overall, fantastic cheap electric vehicle. Go check one out for yourself.

Nokia Lumia 920: Full Review

Well, I've been using the Nokia Lumia 920 for a few months now and here are some features that I find extremely impressive and others that make me wonder why Nokia went the way they did.

The Good: 
Battery life - The battery life on this phone is quite good. Many of the initial reviews said they were having problems with consistent charge but i listen to music roughly 1-3 hours a day through my Bluetooth headphones and am pretty heavy on messaging and data. This phone can hold a solid 2 day charge on moderate usage days and 3 days on light usage. Very good battery performance 9/10

Reception/Data Speed - 4G LTE is the way to go.... It's blistering fast.... I've been doing a few speed tests throughout the month in different locations around the city of Chicago and this phone/At&t's network are giving me fantastic speeds consistently. 10/10

External Speakers - This thing is loud, it's loud but it's also very clear. I have never heard a phone that can get as loud as the 920 and still sound good. 10/10

Processor/Screen/Design - I think that this phone is very well designed, it can easily handle being dropped, and its all that you could ask hardware-wise but I'll get to the camera a little later... 7/10

The Bad:
Disclaimer: When I say bad I just mean that I've had some slight issue I'm not saying these things are a deal breaker.
Camera - I have noticed that the camera is very picky when it comes to taking close ups, as well as, when there is movement. Taking pictures of playful kittens running around is almost impossible. In order to take a picture of something a few inches away you MUST change the camera settings to close up mode and even then its a crapshoot. That being said, this camera is very capable of taking beautiful pictures and I think its worth the hassle of taking a couple more pictures to getting that perfect shot. 6/10

Outer casing - The feel of this phone is very nice and comfortable, but i have noticed that if your hand become fairly dry the phone has the tendency to slide right out if you're not careful. Also, don't ever plan on setting it on a non grip surface that's on an angle, IT WILL SLIDE. 6/10

OVERALL
This is a great phone, the best I've ever had. If you're looking for a nice device that can do anything you would want a smartphone to do this is the way to go.

Microsoft Surface / Windows 8 RT

This last week I was able to get my hands on the new Microsoft Surface for a bit and boy was I impressed. Being a Microsoft fan I had pretty high expectations for their new tablet and I wasn't disappointed. Their design is quite economical and gives a feel of productivity. The RT version of windows 8 was complete and function quite smoothly, but I will say that I'm disappointed that it cannot run typical programs, though I completely understand there direction for a simple, smooth, responsive, workhorse tablet. If you want the tablet that will have the entire Windows 8 features you'll unfortunately have to wait for the Surface Pro that will have an Intel i5, which should provide enough speed for any user. The only thing holding me back from purchasing a Surface right this moment is that Microsoft will most likely drop the price once the Pro model is released so just wait a couple months you impatient bastards! Anyway, this tablet has a strong productivity vibe so if you're looking for a tablet that can edit documents, play games, and get work done with might just be the device for you. Check it out!

This picture shows the Surface with its attachable keyboard, it uses magnets for a secure connection, no plugs. Also notice the back stand which is built into the tablet. Check out the commercial and an official review courtesy of Engadget.