Asus – Factory-Refurbished Laptop / Intel Core i5 Processor / 14″ Display/ 4GB Memory / 640GB Hard Drive

•Intel® Core™ i5-450M processor
Features a 3MB L2 cache and 2.26GHz processor speed with Turbo Boost up to 2.66GHz.

•Intel® Core™ i5 processor

•Intel® Turbo Boost Technology

•4GB DDR3 memory

•Multiformat DVD±RW/CD-RW drive with double-layer support
Records up to 8.5GB of data or 4 hours of video using compatible DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL media.

•14″ LED-backlit high-definition widescreen display

•640GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 rpm)

•Built-in facial recognition

•Intel® UMA graphics
For lush images. HDMI output for connection to an HDTV.

•Built-in 0.3MP webcam

•5-in-1 media reader
Supports Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard, MultiMediaCard Plus, Memory Stick and xD-Picture Card formats.

•3 high-speed USB 2.0 ports

•Built-in high-speed wireless LAN (802.11b/g/n)

•Built-in 10/100/1000 Mbps Fast Ethernet LAN
with RJ-45 connector for a quick and easy wired Web connection.

•Weighs 5 lbs. and measures just 1.25″ thin

I am also looking for other suggestions so please feel free to let me know what you think a good computer would be for me. I have a budget around $700 thanks!

Contrary to what many would assume, it isn’t the beloved animated children’s films that seem to be more prevalent than ever at multiplexes around the nation or even the Frank Miller inspired films of Zack Snyder and Robert Rodriguez that best capitalizes on cutting edge technology. While films are certainly popular and, when well produced, profitable, they are eclipsed by the sales of video game titles. Video game sales have exceeded the film industry’s annual box office over the last several years and are directly responsible for rapid developments in computer related products, from sound and video cards to central processing units.

With the release of titles such as Halo 2 and Doom 3 in late 2004 and early 2005, the video game industry seemed poised to compete for bigger, better, faster and far more intensive graphics arrays through the perfection of gaming engines designed to make life-like realism available for the length of an entire game. It hasn’t dissappointed since. In an industry fueled by competition over graphic design quality, the race for the next big thing is always being run. There was a time in the recent past when the opening, ending and cut scenes used to propel the storyline of most gaming titles were a far cry from what was experienced during actual game play. Today, the contrast is far less evident.

Additionally, video games developers and publishers are going beyond graphic design to stay competitive, with many utilizing well recognized voice over talent from the film industry and background music from popular recording artists. Subject matter has also become more “Hollywood”, with the most popular titles aimed at a decidedly adult audience.

What the future holds for video game design and development remains to be seen, though one thing is certain. As the popularity of the gaming industry grows, expect future efforts to offer more elaborate design elements that will blur the line between what appears real and what genuinely is real.

Step 1: Think yourself in a better place and low and behold it will happen

This is your first step towards financial freedom. Imagine if you will yourself sat upon a huge pile of money, flinging it in the air with gay abandon and why not? Congratulations you’ve just made the first step towards making this a reality. Forget the graphic designer career you had mapped out. Let’s join the idle rich instead.

Step 2: Tell the boss what you think of him and burn those bridges!

Now its time to get some payback. Remember the time your design studio manager had you stay late and manually key in that 1oo page farming brochure text by hand and then laughed at you in your face? Right, we’ll show him who’s boss. A good way to be forcibly removed from the office and earn some extra kudos from your fellow graphic design employees is to take a dump and leave it festering away in a drawer in the bosses desk.Just wait for his reaction when he smells that sick stunt. You’re history.

Step 3: When you hit rock bottom the only way is up, up and away

No job = No money right? Wrong you putz. How do you think the tramps and beggars fill there days outside sainsburys? That’s right – drinking and robbing. It isn’t absolutely necessary to pick up a drink and drug habit at this stage but it isn’t going to harm your chances of success. Now would also be a good opportunity to get rid of the other half if you happen to have one. A spot of domestic violence after hitting the bottle is usually enough encouragement. Hey Presto, one more tiresome burdon off your back!

Step 4: Remember keep your vision and your dreams will come true

At every stage in this degenerate journey, never lose sight of that image we visuallised in step one of yourself sitting astride a huge pile of banknotes. They can take away your dignity but not your dreams. After several years of eeking out a living as a street bum its time to get this show on the road. Think hard about your previous day to day life, was there someone in your remote family or circle of friends who had a large stash of cash readily disposable? It’s time to pay them a visit with cap in hand.

Step 5: Invest wisely and you can say hello to a life of wanton abandon

Now after securing your large sum of cash from your chosen aquaintence, its prudent not to blow it all in one go on 200ft gold statues of yourself or buying an amusement park complete with zoo. No, you don’t want to be going back to the nine to five graphic design day job do you? There are a thousand ways to invest your cash so that it will sit pretty and continue giving you a steady stream or revenue for a long time. Property for example is ‘as safe as houses’ or maybe put it all in a high interest savings account. It’s taken a long time to reach your goal and hopefully the pain, ill health and loneliness have been worth it.