Guys can be tough on their gadgets - mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras, camcorders … they all take a pounding. So invest in a super-macho pressie for Father’s Day. Here’s our pick of the 10 best tech toughies.

1. Sonim XP3 Quest Pro phone  pictured left (around $450) The`extreme’ XP3 can be dunked in a metre of water for 30 mins, hit a concrete floor from 2 metres, still chats in -20C up to +55 C for 18 hours of talk time. Gorilla Glass display, 2mp camera with LED flash, Bluetooth.

2. Kodak PlaySport ZX5 pocket camcorder ($249 RRP) It’s the Terminator of pocket cams, resistant to rain, snow, sand and dirt. It’s OK in the filming stakes too, capturing video at 1080p HD, with on-board editing, 2″ screen, instant Share button and 32GB storage via SDHC card. Find more sports and outdoor gear for dads on Lasoo.

3. Samsung B2700 phone (around$150) Shock-proof case protects from water, dirt, dust and even being run over by a car. Torch, compass, pedometer/altimeter are great for sporty guys - clumsy ones love the unbreakability plus 3G, 2mp camera, FM radio, media player and RSS. Find more sports and outdoor gear for dads on Lasoo.

4. Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT3 camera ($549 RRP) Tough and clever, the DMC-FT3, with its 12mp, 4.6x optical zoom, HD video shooting and 3D mode, can be taken up to 12m down into the drink, dropped in the sand and survive a fall of 2m. Find more sports and outdoor gear for dads on Lasoo.

5. Dell Latitude E6420 laptop (around $1,500) This amoured laptop will take any rough treatment - even the airport scanner. On the hardware front, there’s a quad Core  processor, 4GB DDR SDRAM and shock-mounted 80GB drive. Find more electronics gear for dads on Lasoo.

6. Olympus Tough Quiksilver waterproof camera ($449 RRP) From the barrel of a big wave to a mountain top, all thrills are captured with`limited edition’ Quiksilver. Waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof, dustproof, this 14mp, 5x optical zoom camera captures high-quality photos and HD movies. Find more sports and outdoor gear for dads on Lasoo.

7. Lenovo ThinkPad T Series laptop (from $1,899 RRP) Baked, battered, blistered by the elements, the T Series meets military specs and is built for any rugged computing. ThinkPad tablets are launching soon. Find more electronics gear for dads on Lasoo.

8. Pentax Optio WS80 waterproof camera (around $100) Jump into 1.5m of seawater with this 10mp, 5x optical zoom camera - the 2.7″ LCD screen and HD video make great underwater movies. Find more sports and outdoor gear for dads on Lasoo.

9. LaCie Rugged Triple USB (from $179 RRP) Super-safe storage in a scratch-resist case, anti-shock absorbers mean you can drop from 2m, plus a rubber bumper protects your files. Find more electronics gear for dads on Lasoo.

10.Panasonic Toughbook CF-H1F tablet PC Slate tablet PC made for the harshest conditions. Weighing in at just 1.5 kg, the CF-H1F is light enough to take anywhere and even the most intense environments are no match for this durable Toughbook. But it’s very expensive! Find more electronics gear for dads on Lasoo.

Find more electronics gear for dads on Lasoo.

If  Dad’s passion is Black Ops (or some other heavy-duty game), then these two PCs are better than others at meeting his extreme video game challenge!

Alienware M11X $1799.00 Very impressive laptop for all gaming Dads at a reasonable price. The 11.6″ screen is packed with the enormous grunt of the new Intel Core i7, plus the M11X has a battery life that will let you play Call of Duty Black Ops for around 2 1/2 hours before you run out of power.

This laptop has all of Alienware’s distinctive looks - matte black with strong military-style design values. Virtually eveything lights up, from the  logo to the Alien power button, to the illuminated keyboard. You change the colour through the AlienFX software.

Acer Aspire Ethos 8943G $2428.00  Dad will be the envy of all his friends …a huge, heavy-duty gaming laptop weighing in at 4.6Kg, that’s great fun to use! The Acer Aspire 8943G is so large because it comes with a truly massive 18.4″ 1920 x 1080-pixel display, perfect for gaming enthusiasts! The vibrant, crisp screen is perfect for Blu-ray playback too, and a third button on the trackpad brings up glowing AV controls for music or movie playback.

Find more PCs and laptops on Lasoo.

If you’re unsure what a `media streamer’ is (also called media centre), it’s good to know that the new WD TV Live Hub is now a very advanced `media streamer’. It’s considered (by many tech reviewers) to be the best budget streamer on offer.

Californian company Western Digital is acknowledged as a leader in digital storage solutions - so it’s not surprising that late 2010 they bought out the enhanced WD TV Live Hub. The reason for this launch?

The internet has matured to give us many ways to consume media - from videos and pod-casts to web pages.  All these files arrive on your home computer, but not to your TV - which is the biggest (and most easy-to-watch) screen in your house.  Now most homes have at least two, if not three or four TVs - and the WD TV Live Hub is able to display to each and all of them.

We’re also all making much more of our own media - pocket camcorders, compact digital cameras and now smartphones let us grab shots on the go, upload pics from friends, videos from YouTube etc. What media streamers have done is jump onto the vast home entertainment bandwagon, and give us with an easy way to view online media, plus easy viewing of our own stuff - all in our own living room/bedroom/study/kitchen.

WD’s TV Live Hub is also a media server: HD video, music, photos can be streamed from it to any compatible TV or multimedia device - including Blu-ray disc players, Xbox and PlayStation consoles. You can also stream to your iPhone, iPad or Android smartphone using an app. Live Hub also links to platforms like Facebook, YouTube and Flickr.

While it’s budget-priced, the Live Hub is technically more advanced than other media streamers simply because it supports many more different file types and so is able to provide the broadest range of content. Its user-friendly interface lets you quickly browse your media which is now centralised in one place.

Most people who eventually swap their desktop computer for a laptop do so because - above all else - they want to be mobile.  Until recently, this meant going from the comfort of a `big screen’ experience to all the frustrations of the small screen. But as more people watch TV and movies on their laptops, 17″ big screens (traditionally marketed to small business users) are becoming more popular for home users.

Until recently, the big laptops have been considerably more expensive than most desktop computers, but at around $1,200 the HP Probook 4720s has been designed to be an affordable option. In a recent review, it scored almost as high as the Apple Macbook Pro in performance, but it’s less than half the price of the iconic Apple. The HP Probook also weighs in at just over 3Kg, making it one of the lightest large screen laptops - lighter than similar models from Acer, Toshiba and Dell Studio.

Most large laptops have glossy screens (for a more vivid picture) which can distort at certain angles and give annoying reflections. However this laptop is one of the few with a non-reflective matt screen coating which still gives excellent detail, good colour and great contrast. It also has a mercury-free LCD screen designed for maximum recycling. The full-size keyboard (same as a desktop) has been designed to be spill resistant, and has got good reviews for ease-of-use and layout - plus the HP Probook also has a dedicated numbers pad which is a major plus for small business users who are doing a lot of number crunching and data entry.  ArcSoft TotalMedia Suite is included, allowing you to play, edit and create video and audio files easily.

The only real negative from some reviewers is that the increased real estate the 17″ screen offers, hasn’t been used by HP to house bigger speakers. They’re OK for streaming music and VOIP calls, but you might want to invest in headphones for TV and movie watching. 

The HP Probook is made from bushed aluminium (caviar or champagne colour!), which is an update on previous Probooks made from plastic. The metal casing protects the LCD screen better - although portability always equals susceptibility to damage so invest in a carry case. This laptop has three USB ports, one eSATA/USB combo port, VGA monitor and HDMI, Ethernet and even a legacy modem. Expansion slots include a SDHC-card reader and an Express Card/34 slot. Battery life is excellent - over 3 hours with brightness on full running multiple high-demand apps simultaneously.

Samsung bills the new R590 as a “performance” notebook, and that is a fairly accurate summation for this device.

For the Samsung R590 is indeed an impressive performer, being able to handle pretty much anything you throw at it - whether that be intermediate gaming, word processing or modest multimedia functionality.

This is thanks to the Intel Core i5 M450 processor (2.4GHz) with 4GB of RAM and 640GB hard drive, plus the Nvidia GeForce GT 330M graphics card. Sound is handled fairly competently through the built-in speakers, though if you’re an audiophile you should consider adding some higher-end speakers externally.

It runs on the Windows 7 Home Premium OS, and Samsung has thrown in some nice software extras, including Cyberlink DVD Suite, YouCam, McAfee Security Center, Skype and some decent games demos.

Externally, the R590 is a gorgeous looking machine, boasting a deep blue exterior and blue LED lights at various points on the keyboard if you’re the kind of person who works in the dark. The screen is a non-glossy 15.6-inch LED with 1366×768 resolution.

The Samsung R590 notebook computer is available in Australian stores for $1399.

Buy a cheap Samsung notebook on sale in Australia

They say that when you’re onto a good thing, you should stick to it.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the new MacBook Air takes more than a little inspiration from the phenomenally successful Apple iPhone and iPad.

Not only is the new MacBook Air Apple’s lightest Mac ever (it weighs in at just over 1kg), but it also uses the flash storage last seen on the iPad, rather than a traditional notebook hard drive. The upshot of this is that the device runs much faster than your typical hard drive-based laptop.

The new MacBook Air also incorporates the FaceTime video chat technology, currently seen on the iPhone 4 and the latest iPod Touch. Using the integrated camera, microphone and stereo speakers, you can chat with other users running the software on a compatible device.

Apple has also announced it is introducing an App Store for the Mac, similar to the stores for iPhone and iPad apps. While this is scheduled to launch overseas in the next three months, no firm date has been set for an Australian launch.

The new MacBook Air is available in Australia now. It comes in 11-inch and 13-inch models, with pricing starting from $1199 the model with 2GB of memory and 64GB of storage.

Buy a cheap MacBook on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes

The new MSI Wind U160 is a fairly standard netbook in most respects, with its battery life being one of its few standout features.

The extended battery life is thanks to its six-cell battery, which MSI claims offers up to 15 hours of performance. (Though this quoted figure of course depends on how you’re using the computer - more intensive applications will not give you 15 hours of battery life.) Unfortunately, the battery adds a fair bit of bulk to the back of the unit, which is somewhat of a contradiction when you consider most people buy a netbook for the portability factor.

On the inside, the U160 isn’t vastly different to other netbooks. It features a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor and GMA 3150 graphics card, plus a 250GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM and the Windows 7 Starter Edition operating system. Similarly, there’s nothing too remarkable on the outside either - the screen measures 10.1-inches with 1024×600 pixel resolution and connectivity consisits of a VGA port, three USB connection and an SD card reader.

The MSI Wind U160’s Australian RRP is $549.

Buy a cheap MSI netbook on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes

These days there are so many laptop and notebook options available that it’s hard to make an informed decision when it comes to buying one - but this guide will give you a broad overview of the different types.

Laptops / notebooks fall into five main categories based on size and functionality. In descending order, starting from the largest, these are:

Desktop replacement laptops

The heaviest and most cumbersome of laptops are those that fall into the desktop replacement category (as the name might suggest). They can weigh anywhere up to 6kg and have very large screens, often of 17-inches. Desktop replacement notebooks are not a great option if you travel around a lot due to their sheer size and limited battery life, however if you want a limited amount of portability with power approximate to a desktop PC then this is the laptop for you.

Best desktop replacement laptops include the Apple MacBook Pro, HP EliteBook and Dell Studio.

Mainstream laptops

Mainstream laptops are more portable than their desktop replacement counterparts, but still aren’t ideal if you are on-the-go all day, every day. They tend to have screens on the larger side (say, over 14 inches) and decent-sized keyboards. They are especially suited towards business users who require some portability, say, people who work from home occasionally.

Many people believe the best mainstream laptops are made by Toshiba, particularly those in the Toshiba Satellite range (pictured here is the L550 model).

Thin-and-light laptops

Sitting right in the middle of the notebook spectrum, thin-and-light laptops appeal to a broad range of users (and especially students) because of their balance between portability and features. Screen size is generally between 13- and 15-inches. If you’re on the fence about which type of laptop you require, mainstream is always a fail-safe choice for most uses.

Best thin-and-light laptops include the MacBook Air and the Lenovo ThinkPad.

Ultra-portable laptops

The second smallest class of notebooks - ultra-portable laptops - have much in common with the thin-and-light category, but tend more to the side of portability, thanks to their smaller size (most screens are under 12-inches) and slimmed-down features. Performance isn’t really that great a step up from netbooks (see below), making these laptops suitable for business people who travel a lot.

Best ultra-portable laptops include the Dell Inspiron and the Toshiba Portege.

Netbooks

Netbooks are the smallest category of laptop and are designed for basic web surfing and emailing but can’t really handle any heavy-duty tasks. Our netbook buying guide can help you make a decision on the best netbook if you’re looking to make a purchase in this category.

Buy a cheap laptop on sale

Guide originally published October 15, 2009; updated July 15, 2010.

By Caroline Warnes

Forget laptops and notebooks: today, ultra-portable computing lies in the form of the netbook. Our buying guide will explain what they are and which one is right for you.

Netbooks explained

A netbook is an ultra-compact laptop designed for basic day-to-day functions such as emailing and surfing the web. Because of their basic functionality, netbooks are smaller, more portable and cheaper than full-sized laptops and notebooks. They can even be used for working from home if you use a lot of web-based applications in your daily work. However, if you tend to use a lot of software programs and applications that need to be installed on your actual computer, you will most likely find that a netbook isn’t the right portable computer for you.

Which netbook?

When it comes to purchasing a netbook, there isn’t a whole lot to get your head around - the difference between models aren’t that great. Most run off an Intel Atom processor and integrated graphics, so it’s up to you to decide what screen size you need, what type of storage and battery size.

Netbook storage

When it comes to storage, you can either get a netbook with a hard drive or SSD. Hard drive-based netbooks have much higher storage capacity, so this is desirable if you’re going to be storing a lot of larger files (video and music, for example). These netbooks are also easier to upgrade or replace.

Meanwhile, flash memory-based SSD netbooks offer less on-board storage, but are generally more shock-proof than their hard drive-counterparts and often have a better battery life.

Netbook battery life

Battery life can come into play, depending on how you intend to use the device. Netbooks come with either a 3-cell, 4-cell or 6-cell battery. A 3-cell battery will probably only keep you going for a couple of hours, while you could get up to six hours of use from a 6-cell battery.

Best netbooks

When it comes to netbook manufacturers, you’ll see the same names popping up that you would expect with standard-sized laptops and notebooks. One of the best known is the ASUS netbook - particularly the ASUS Eee PC netbook series (the Eee PC 1000 is pictured here). The HP Mini netbook series is also considered to be fairly reliable, as is the Dell Mini range of netbooks.

Buy a cheap netbook on sale

Guide originally published June 3, 2009; updated July 1, 2010.

By Caroline Warnes

At $699, the new MSI Wind12 U230 is a decently priced ultraportable notebook computer.

Given its ultraportable and compact form factor, you’d be forgiven for mistaking the U230 for a netbook at first glance. However this isn’t the case - the 12.1-inch display gives it away, as does the slightly superior performance to what you’d expect from a netbook. Thankfully, the price is competitive with some higher-end netbooks.

Take a closer look at the hardware specs and once again, you’ll see that the U230 offers more grunt than your typical netbook. MSI has equipped it with an AMD Neo X2 Dual-Core 1.6GHz processor with 2GB of RAM, as well as an ATI Radeon HD3200 card for graphics. Connectivity is also slightly more comprehensive and includes ports for VGA, HDMI, gigabit Ethernet and three USB ports (2.0). It also comes with Windows 7 Home Premium.

Buy a cheap notebook or laptop on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes