APPLE MacBooks & Ultrabooks

Apple is expected to incorporate the MacBook Air design theme into more models, including a 15-incher sans optical drive. And since Apple popularized the really-thin aesthetic with the January 2008 introduction of the MacBook Air, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the company will continue to be a trendsetter.

Trendsetting may include a rumored 2,880-by-1,800-pixel display. That would be a remarkable feat as workstation-class 15-inch Windows laptops, such as the HP EliteBook 8560p, typically top out at 1,600-by-900, while Apple's current 15-inch MacBook Pro offers a maximum of 1,680-by-1050.

Whether that screen would be part of a superskinny 15-inch MacBook or a more standard design is anyone's guess (not to mention the fact that the 2,880-by-1,800 resolution is an unconfirmed rumor).

And what kind of engine will be purring beneath that rumored screen? Ultimately, Intel's Ivy Bridge processor--sporting USB 3.0--and possibly Nvidia's newest graphics chips.

But it gets even more interesting after Ivy Bridge. Will Apple adopt Intel's first mainstream system-on-a-chip (due in 2013), dubbed Haswell, or opt for an internally designed Apple A series chip? My guess is that the two aren't necessarily mutually exclusive.

In 2013, we could see some newfangled 1.3-pound Apple laptop with an A6 or A7 chip as well as more powerful models packing the higher-performance Haswell.

Windows 8 will be the catalyst for making ultrabooks mainstream (if Windows 8 appears early enough in 2012). Expect models standard with touchscreens as well as hybrids, not unlike the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime.

Of course, the biggest difference between the Transformer Prime and a 2012 ultrabook will be that the latter will run Windows--still one the most prolific development platforms for apps with well over 4 million Windows applications out there--a number Steve Ballmer cited back in 2010. (The Transformer Prime runs Android 3.2.)

Ultrabooks will of course get Intel's Ivy Bridge, which will stay well ahead of ARM-based hybrids in performance. Even with a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, a tablet is still no match for an Intel Core i7 processor.

But price may be the single most important metric for ultrabooks. Toshiba has been leading the way this year, going as low as $699 on its Portege Z835. Expect more of this in 2012. HP, for example, doesn't shy away from price competition. Its Folio 13 offers a lot for $899, including a Core i5 processor, a 128GB solid-state drive, USB 3.0, and great battery life.

Don't expect all ultrabook-like laptops to be cheap, though. Sony's Vaio Z series VPCZ216GX/L offers a taste of what an ultra-expensive ultrabook can be like. That brushed aluminum 0.66-inch thick lappy comes standard with a 13.1-inch 1,920-by-1,080-pixel display, a 256GB solid-state drive, a Core i7 processor, and an option for a dock packing an AMD Radeon HD 6650M graphics chip.

So, which will catch the fancy of consumers in 2012? A competitively priced ultrabook or a pricier MacBook Air? My best guess is that ultrabooks will need Windows 8 to take on the MacBook Air in earnest.

DMX GETS PULLED OVER,.....DOESN'T GO TO JAIL

For the first time in who knows how long, DMX had a run-in with police that didn't result in another mug shot -- but it'll still cost him ...

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, X was pulled over in Hollywood last week for not wearing a seat belt. Cops ticketed him and his assistant ... and the two were let go.

In case that wasn't clear, DMX WAS LET GO. No handcuffs, no jail, no nothing. Just a small slap on the wrist ... followed by sweet, sweet freedom.

X tells us, "Just a minor ticket no biggie. A quick learning lesson about not wearing a seat belt. I will handle and pay for it." The rapper adds, "This would be the only reason I come in contact with the police because I am a changed man."

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FIRST EVER NINTENDO COMERCIAL THE DARK KNIGHT RISES Marvel's The Avengers- Trailer (OFFICIAL)/b>

BAD ASS LIGHTSABER BATTLE

Im not into this Star Wars Crap but you gotta admit this is kinda bad ass!!

Tiana-May Carter: Beyonce Gives Birth? Jay-Z, Beyonce Baby Rumors Fly

Beyonce has given birth to a baby daughter that she and husband Jay-Z have named Tiana-May Carter... according to Twitter.

Rumors began flying earlier this week that the pop star had checked in to St. Luke's Hospital in New York City, and overnight, word spread that she had delivered a daughter. Multiple outlets picked up the story, but all cited the growing buzz on Twitter as the source of the story.

In any case, this final countdown is the culmination of the biggest celebrity baby story in years, and one that started with trademark dramatic flair at the MTV Video Music Awards in August.

Katy Perry, Russell Brand Divorce: Comedian, Singer Split

Russell Brand has filed for divorce from popstar wife, Katy Perry. TMZ reports that the comedian filed the divorce papers in Los Angeles, citing irreconcilable differences for the dissolution of their marriage. The pair tied the knot in October of 2010 at an intimate ceremony in India.

Rumors that the couple's relationship was on the rocks have been catching wind for some time and were further fueled after the pair spent the holidays apart. Perry jetted off to Hawaii with friends for the Christmas holiday while Brand stayed in London's West End. On Thursday, Brand was even spotted without his wedding ring and Perry was similarly seen on the beach in Hawaii sans one very important piece of jewelry.

"Sadly, Katy and I are ending our marriage," Brand said, according to AP wires. "I'll always adore her and I know we'll remain friends."

Brand told Ellen Degenres just weeks ago that his marriage to Perry was going strong. "I am really happily married," Brand explained on the show.

TMZ also conjectures that Brand's filing of the divorce papers could have been a complete shock to Perry based on the legal documents obtained.

The "The One That Got Away" singer and the comedian have both had a tremendously busy 2011. Perry was on the road with her "California Dreams" tour while Brand has been busy breaking into the American film world. It's no wonder the pair had a less than ideal amount of time to work on their marriage.

The pair, who became a trending Twitter topic almost immediately after news of their split broke, have fallen silent via the social networking site.

Lebron Gettin Hitched

When LeBron James first entered the NBA straight out of St. Vincent-St. Mary high school, he wore No. 23 in honor of Michael Jordan. This week he seems to have taken another cue from his Airness -- proposing to a longtime girlfriend. On New Year's Eve, James proposed to Savannah Brinson, his high school sweetheart and the mother of his two children, just days after MJ got engaged to model Yvette Prieto.

In the early hours of 2012, Miami Heat owner Mickey Arison tweeted his congratulations to the couple, who was ringing in 2012 at a bash at the SL Nightclub in South Beach.

According to the Miami Herald, the New Year's Eve bash also doubled as a birthday for party for James, who turned 27 on Friday. Among the glitterati in attendance the along with members of the Miami Heat were Queen Latifah and Lauren Hill.

Shortly after James infamously announced that he would be taking his prodigious talents from the couple's home state to South Beach during "The Decision" in July 2010, Brinson admitted that Miami wasn't her first-choice destination and even discussed her hopes for marriage with Harper's Bazaar.

"I've definitely not put a fire under his ass. I would never rush him to do something like that. We're really comfortable with the way things are now. And it's not up to me. When it happens, it happens."Brinson told Lola Ogunnaike of Harper's in 2010. "We talk about it. If we do it, I want it to be forever."

Although an NBA championship ring continues to elude him, James is now on his way to wearing one that he will hopefully consider even more important -- a wedding ring.