Energetic Titles

• Use Sure Target preset to achieve advanced 3d moves
• Learn advanced tips and create “3d-looking” titles

Unblock your creativity

Ever designer gets a block. Whether its the last minute deadline or the beginning of a project, we hate it when we are only staring at a blank canvas and don’t know what to create next. DesignMa.ag is a great website that has hundreds of resources to inspire designers when they need that extra push to get going. Check it out.

New Computer – Alienware M11x

Two weeks ago I finally got a new computer.  It was something I have dreaded purchasing but needed too.  My last laptop was a HP TX2500.  It was a nice computer for I originally intended it to use for when I bought it a few years ago.  The Wacom Tablet drivers were a nice feature for the amount of Photoshop work I used to do.  However, now I primarily work in the video world, so while I do open Photoshop on a regular basis, it is usually just to make a quick title or a quick edit on a photograph.  However, a few months ago, the HP crashed on me.  The RAM failed and I was too lazy to replace it.  Mainly because the computer wasn’t used very much any more because my work’s computers are much faster and candle video rendering.  So I was left with using my old Apple Macbook with a G3 processor in it.  The thing was dog slow.  I would even go as far to say that browsing the web was much faster on my iPhone than the old Mac.  However, it worked and I used it.

Going through the process of buying a new computer was a much dreaded process.  I hate deciding on what to purchase, with all the options that are available.  I usually like editing on the go because I travel a lot.  So laptops make more sense.  However, I didn’t want to put out the massive amount more for a laptop than what a desktop would cost me.  And so the search and debate began.  Should I buy a desktop with all the high end computer processing power or get a laptop that would be used more, could go on the road with me but have less computing processing power at a higher price.  Do I buy an off the shelf computer, such as a Mac or a Dell, or make my own.  Much cheaper, but more hassle and no warranty.  The debate lasted a few weeks and I gave up, deciding that the computers I use with the military are pretty decent (iMac with i5 core and 16gb of ram and Dell Toughbooks with all the trimmings.)

Then I stumbled across a deal on Slickdeals.  It was for an Alienware M11x.  Now I have never really been a big fan of Alienwares for a few reasons.  Once, I like simple designed computers.  So the flashy lights that come with them have always been a turn off.  Plus, I’ved used Alienwares in the past for work and never had a good experience with them.  Sure the model I used to use had a nice graphics cards, dual drive bays, 17″ high resolution monitor, but the thing did not hold up very well.  Probably because as a combat photograher, gaming laptops are more meant to be desktop replacements and not taken to the dirty field.

So what was it that attracted me to the laptop.  For one was the specs for the size.  I have  never liked large laptop computers.  If I wanted a computer that would sit on a desk and never move, then I’d buy a desktop for cheaper with better specs.  Plus, I spend a lot of time at coffee shops and bars working on my projects. So having a smaller platform allows me to have ample amount of room for a coffee, book or notes on the table as well.  The M11x is only an 11 inch laptop.  So the size attracted me a lot.  With a laptop this small (11.9×9.1×1.2) I would be able to take it anywhere with me and know that it would not be cumbersome to use.  However, small laptops have always known to be underpowered and not capable of handling video editing, so that was a concern that I had.

Besides the size, the specs seemed pretty good too.  The thing is a beast when it comes to performance for how small it is. It has an Intel i5 processor in it, 1gb Nvidea graphics card and 8gb of ram.  So with specs like that, I got a little excited.  Now, the processor and graphics card are mobile versions, so they are a little underpowered for HD video editing.  But I was still interested.

The last and final thing that got me hooked was the price.  As mentioned earlier, Slickdeal posted a link for deals to Dell.  They do this quite regularly and whenever I’m looking for a new computer its the first place I check out.  After taxes and shipping I bought the computer for $700.  That, in my mind, is super cheap.  It was pretty much $500 off what it would normally go for. So at that price I figured, if it couldn’t handle HD video editing, then at least I would have a killer laptop with high end performance at the cost and size of a net book.

So yesterday the computer finally arrived after almost two weeks being built.  My initials impressions are very good.  It starts up extremely fast for not having a SSD hard drive.  I would say as soon as Windows 7 loads, I can open a program.  So far I have installed CS5 Master Collection on it but have only used Photoshop and Premiere.  Premiere works nice so far.  However, the project I’m working on is only SD so we will see later about HD.  Photoshop runs smoothly too.  A little slow with the 3d tools, but that was also the case with other computers I have used.

So far there really isn’t anything that I don’t like.  I was interested with facial recognition that it has, but it takes slower then typing in a password so I turned it off.  The keyboard is super nice and types well for being a 92% size.  The screen is nice too even though its only 11″.  So far, because of the resolution, its a nice fit.

All in all I am pretty excited about this new computer.  Later on, I will have a more indepth review about it actually handles video editing once I have been able to use it more.