It’s not your momma’s laptop — unless your mother’s a secret gaming fiend. The MSI GT660 from MSI Computer is the first notebook to combine surround sound from Dynaudio, with three DDR3 memory slots, dual hard disk and USB 3.0 for fast 3D gaming. The GT660 runs on an Intel Core i7 Processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285M top end discrete graphics. The MSI GT660 is also the world’s first notebook to come with dual overclocking for processor and display performance. One touch of the Turbo hotkey kicks in MSI’s exclusive Turbo Drive Engine + technology, so the notebook remains highly responsive whether using high-load applications or gaming. Additionally, with one touch MSI’s Cooler Boost technology keeps the system’s temperature down in even the hottest conditions. The 16” cinema-class LED display offers amazing visuals. A Blu-ray optical drive and 720p HD webcam completes the package. Retail price $1850.

It can be a lot of fun to have hundreds of Facebook friends, but truth be told, some are definitely more important than others. Wowd’s Social Discovery Client for Facebook ensures that users will never again miss a post from the people they care about most. It delivers an “at a glance” view of what’s trending among friends, as well as customized news feeds focusing on people and/or topics. The Wowd client even allows users to block annoying game spam. The tool is available via a free download from . It works on Mac, Windows and Linux operating systems.

Smartphones are versatile but they can’t work without power. When traveling, it’s an extra worry to keep a phone charged. The solution to this problem is the Jump Start Slim rechargeable external battery pack from Digipower. The battery pack is just a quarter inch thick, weighs 2-ounces and is priced at $29.95. Jump Start Slim is designed to provide consumers with three extra hours of 3G talk time. The battery pack has optimized circuitry that allows for faster charging times from a computer or standard USB charger. It also features a 3-step LED charge status display, a single button for On/Off and battery status, and comes with USB Micro, USB Mini, and DC barrel to USB A female connecting cables.

Electronic commerce is catching on in a big way in the Kingdom and now it’s even possible to buy diamonds online. has launched an online jewelry store offering Middle Eastern designs, handcrafted by Lebanese artisans. At Jawharty (my jewel), consumers can purchase competitively priced 18-carat jewelry from engagement rings to tennis bracelets. Many types of precious gems are also available. The company provides free shipping worldwide and has a 7-day money back policy. To avoid disappointment, consumers should be careful to note the quality of the stones being purchased. Diamond certificates cost an extra $150 per stone.

Wipe is a new technology for Toshiba’s Self-Encrypting Drive (SED) models which allows the data held on the hard disk drive (HDD) to be erased or the drive’s encryption key to be invalidated — which makes the data held in the drive unusable. Wipe technology is particularly handy when a computer, printer or copier is turned over to a new user or when a company or individual wants to return leased equipment or to sell used equipment. The technology is a nice addition to ensure the safety of sensitive data, but may create new challenges for law enforcement.