Alienware releases new laptops

Alienware, known for its computers styled with an extraterrestrial theme, has released two new laptop computers and begun a renewed effort to move into the federal market.

The new laptops are based on Intel's Centrino processor. The Area-51 m5700 features a

17-inch widescreen display, while the Area-51 m5500 has the company's Graphics Control Technology to permit switching between the NVIDIA GeForce Go 6600 graphics card and the Intel Media Graphics Accelerator as needed.

Alienware has set low prices for the computers -- $1,049 for the 5500 and $1,399 for the 5700 -- in an effort to appeal to business and government customers.

The company has also opened a new federal office. Alienware products were first listed on the General Services Administration schedule in 2004.