Alienware has put out their first small form factor gaming PC, which squeezes in a desktop performance spec into a chassis that’s about as large as a console system. Called the Alienware X51, the compact PC’s frame measures only 3.7 inches wide, but has enough interior space to pack in a spec that includes 2nd Gen Intel Core i processors, and a GeForce (up to GTX 555) graphics card.
Apple’s Mac mini desktop systems won’t ever impress power-users that much, since it has to make do with parts that fit into a really small space. But if you’re not really into power, or high-end gaming? This is simply impressive. Apple just introduced the 2011 Mac mini, freshly upgraded to run on Intel’s Core i5 or i7 processors, and either Intel HD Graphics 3000 or an AMD Radeon HD 6630 GPU.
No big media event for this one, so in case you might have missed it, Apple just updated their website to show the new 2011 iMacs. They still basically look the same, but all the major updates happen on the inside, with changes on four areas. All iMac models now feature quad core Intel Core i5 processors, faster AMD Radeon HD graphics, high-speed 10Gbps Thunderbolt ports, and FaceTime HD cams.
Following up on the earlier post about the original Apple-1 computer put up for auction in the UK: the thing was just bought for $213,600 by Marco Boglione, a private collector . What does he get for spending all that cash? Simply put, it’s a piece of tech history, but if you want the longer answer, it’s one of the first real “personal computers” anyone could buy back in 1976, during a time when real computer enthusiasts had to weld their own motherboards together. Hand-built by Jobs and Wozniak out of a garage, this particular piece is only one of 200 Apple-1 computers ever built and is probably one of the most well-preserved of the lot. The Apple-1 came with the original box stamped with Apple’s original logo, as well as a pair of letters from Jobs and Wozniak.
Despite the looks, this here is not a fancy new external optical drive. It’s actually a full PC—a “Mini PC,” actually—made by Shuttle, who specializes in making compact desktop PCs. Dubbed the XS35 series, this new line is listed as Shuttle’s smallest ever, with dimensions of 25.2 x 3.85 x 16.2cm, but can hold in everything you’d need to run a full desktop setup.
