Intel’s Ultrabook platform is taking the laptop world by storm, accounting for almost a third of all new laptop sales across North America. It’s not hard to see why: Ultrabooks shy away from the trend of “cheap and cheesy”, opting instead for high quality materials, better industrial design, and serious cutting edge hardware.

Apple made a lot of noise back when the iMac was first introduced by stripping the floppy drive and legacy connections out of the system. Ultrabooks are doing the same today, dropping older ports and ancient optical drive technology. Sure, it means that you’ll need to get creative if you’re installing older software, but companies are adapting. You can buy Microsoft Office license codes directly from Staples.ca or in-store in over 300 locations across Canada, and install them from downloads from Microsoft’s site without ever needing a DVD. As more software moves in this direction we can finally say a fond farewell to optical disks; they’re still handy if you want to back up, but their time has come and gone.

Ultrabooks are also ditching older hard drive technology too. By switching to SSDs or Solid State Drives, they’re getting rid of excess weight (SSDs are lighter), enhancing reliability (there aren’t any moving parts in an SSD), and better on battery (no moving parts means less energy used, which means better battery life)!

These two elements, weight and battery life, are incredibly important for mobility, but Ultrabooks take it even further. They’re thin; every Ultrabook has to be no more than 2cm thick. They have to come out of hibernation fast: Intel has mandated that they have to wake up in under seven seconds. With technology like Instant-On, they can–it gives each Ultrabook that tablet-like fast wake-up speed. And every ultrabook features fast wireless networking–both 802.11N (or better!) Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Many new units are featuring low-power-consumption Bluetooth 4.0 to pair with smartphones, letting them share 3G/4G connections.

Add all of that up, and an Ultrabook is going to be the best option for travelers looking for a portable computer experience.

Presentations can be dry when they’re paper-based, which is why a projector might be exactly what you need to spice up your presence. A projector paints a big picture, gives you a single focal point for your audience to direct their attention to, and can support pictures, video, and sound for a more dynamic experience.

Picking the right projector can be easy, if you keep your needs in mind. Here are the top three things you should look for when you’re getting into a data projector for home or work.

Size and Weight

Weight and size are a two key things to think about when you’re looking at a new projector. Traditional models are a little phonebook-like, square and thick. They great thing is that they tend to have lots of connections, and most of all: they can be less expensive.

Getting into something thinner like the Casio XJ-A235U Portable Projector means you might spend a little more, but it’s easier on your shoulder if you have to carry it around. If you’re installing a projector into a single location, size and weight may not be important, but if you’re carrying it with you, you’ll find that lighter is better!

Noise

All projectors generate heat; it’s a by-product of having hot lamps or LEDs that give you great picture quality and rich colours. Heat means the projector needs some form of active cooling to keep it at a reasonable operating temperature, and that means fans.

Bigger fans are, interestingly enough, quieter than smaller fans. They can rotate slower and move the same amount of air as smaller fans that have to move faster–and the faster a fan is, the noisier it is. Look for the operating sound level, it’ll be measure in dB. The lower that number is the better. Decibels are measured logarithmically, so even a small change can mean a drastic difference in volume!

Some smaller projectors will also use heat sinks to vent hot air; this can be a great way of cooling thinner devices without the use of noisy fans.

Brightness

Projectors are all about light, so the brighter the better. Light is measured in lumens, and this one is easy to understand: the higher the number is, the better. A projector of 2000 lumens or more will give you a usable picture in most conditions, with great results in a darkened room.

LED-based projectors offer brighter picture and more colour depth, so you’ll get more realistic images and crisper text. LED does cost a bit more, but they’re also more energy efficient, cooler, and lighter, making them a great choice for a projection device!

Another week down and we’re heading strong across the country! We’re over 100,000 entries in, giving thousands of Canadians their shot at driving green with a Toyota Prius c, courtesy of Staples and Toyota.

If you haven’t entered already, it’s easy! Just go to Staples.ca/GoEco and Enter to Win! You can score additional entries by selecting the right answer in our weekly Staples GoEco question, and by sharing the contest with friends and family through Twitter and Facebook

Also up for grabs: A Toshiba Z830 Ultrabook! This ultra-slim, ultra-fast, ultra-long-life Ultrabook is perfect for staying productive on-the-go, and it has incredibly low power consumption, making it the perfect choice for making your work just a little green.

Also on the table: our third prize is an Epson WP-4540 All-in-on multifunction. This device has super-fast print speeds, an amazing eco mode for low ink consumption, and features a built-in duplexer, letting it print on both sides of the page easily. It’ll make your projects look good, save you money on ink, and it’s great for the environment too. We think that’s a real win.

Last but not least, we’re giving out thirty six Bamboo USB keys throughout the contest. These handy devices can help you save paper by giving you a space to put your documents on the go so they’re always with you.

Check out Staples.ca/GoEco for more details, and Enter to Win today!