Dell Inspiron Mini 910 Intel Atom - 1.6 8GB 1GB 8.9" 1000 Intel GMA 950 8Cell NONE CAM Review

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(More customer reviews)When I saw the Eee PC's, I knew I would eventually get one, or some other kind of netbook. This Dell is a dream, and it does the basic stuff I want-- email, web, video playback, iTunes, and word processing. This is not a gaming PC, something for graphics or modeling software, not for any kind of software that takes up a lot of RAM and processing power, and it's probably not suitable as a main PC for most people. It's a glorified PDA for people who want something more than a PDA, but love the portability. That said, if this is making your mouth water and doesn't sound like a step backward in technology, you've come to the right place.
I looked into the Dell Mini 12s, but decided against one because they're simply not as portable. The Mini 12 has a bigger screen, keyboard and hard drive space, but that also makes the PC bigger and less portable. The Mini 9's smaller keyboard will require a bit of adjustment, epecially if you use the F keys very much since they're integrated with the second row of letter keys. I don't have a problem with the size of the screen, but I can see how some might. Try to look at one of these in person before you buy if you think it might be an issue.
The Mini 9 will handle 2GB of RAM, but it can only be shipped with up to 1GB because of the software license with Windows XP. Thank you Miscrosoft for another slap in the face! I mean, anything's better than getting a machine with Vista on it, but REALLY. Dell also put the RAM cap on the Mini9s with Ubuntu, which really makes no sense... Anyway, it's nothing to pop open the cover, put in your extra GB of RAM, close it, and have the zippiest little netbook around. (I think it will handle a 4GB stick, but then you're looking at power and heat issues.) When you turn it on, it's ready to go in no time, even without a memory upgrade! Also, decompress the drive. Compression doesn't save that much space and it runs better. If hard drive space is an issue, add an external drive, thumb drive or SD card.
It doesn't come with a DVD drive, but how often do you really use one? I only use mine to install software and to rip my CDs to iTunes. I don't do either of those things when I'm out and about, and remember, it's all about that portability! Eventually you will need to buy a DVD drive, but you might not need one right away. Also plan on investing in an external mouse if you don't like touchpads. This one is particularly irritating because it's so small. I can't really comment on how this or anything else affects battery life, since I rarely run on the battery. The speakers are really small, so have some headphones on hand if sound is a problem for you.
I got it and immediately covered it with one of those sticker skins later to keep it from getting scratched. It's a glossy finish that you just know is going to get sandpapered if you carry other stuff in your bag. (And who doesn't?) I also got the webcam and bluetooth options, even though I have no use for either of them. That was because hubby will eventually inherit this when I buy something else, so I wanted him to be able to expand this however he would need.
My only other gripe is that when you use this in public, you get a lot of people coming up to interrupt you to talk about it. It's not Dell's fault, but if you need to get something done, don't do it in Starbucks where you'll be interrupted about every 30 seconds. Come on, it's the 21st century! It's difficult to accomplish anything in an environment like that. I had the same problem with my PDA and folding keyboard, and when it started to happen again, I wanted to cry... but my Mini won't let me.
Overall, this is 4 1/2 stars, but the drawbacks are nothing when I can put this in my purse, go to Borders, do my thing, and get out without the achy shoulder. I always wanted a small laptop like this, light enough to carry around, small, with PC power and feel. Now that I have one, the sky is clear, birds are singing and velvet ropes have parted-- well, not really, but this is about as close as I can get.

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Intel WiFi Link 5350 with WiMax - Network adapter - PCI Express Full-Height Mini Card - 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11g, 802.11n (draft) Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this product in early 2009 when it was still in "Engineering" test mode from an overseas seller for my Dell Latitude. It replaced the standard Intel mini-PCI card. I have loved the card ever since I got it. Dell even had a 3rd antenna connector inside my Latitude for the card even though my laptop is from mid 2006 (they must have been anticipating something like this).
While it has taken some time for Intel's drivers to come-out (that are stable) and improve them, it will pickup 802.11n signals from far away with the laptops built in antenna's. The speed is incredibly fast.
I have not been able to get the WiMax capability of the card working yet, as I understand that it only works in the 2.5GHz range, but it would be nice to see it when it is finally working or I can scan the freq range for signals. I don't know if there will be special setting needed for each WiMax installation or not. TDS does have an Alvarion 2.5-2.6GHz WiMax 802.16e network running around my area in Madison, WI currently, but I never pickup anything. After speaking with TDS, they told me that they did not support the "mobile" capabilities in the city yet. As I believe that encryption they are using is restricting the card any ability to recognize their network anywhere in the city.
Overall, I would recommend the card. I did not pay the ~$75 that is being asked for here, as I found it for around $35. Mine came with 3 extra antenna's for the laptop, in case it didn't have them already installed. But it will most likely become a standard card on new laptops in 2010.

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Dell Mini-9 PDA Win XP 1GB Memory 16GB Solid State Drive w/Webcam, WiFi and Bluetooth Obsidian Black Case Review

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(More customer reviews)This is one of many laptops in the house. (Currently five laptops and a sixth on life support for the kids.) Both my wife and I have a Dell mini 9. This computer fills the void of portability perfectly. As was mentioned by another reviewer, buy a cheap version and do aftermarket upgrades for the best deal. I upgraded to 2G of RAM and put in a 64GB solid state hard drive. Because of limitations (I believe placed by Windows not Dell the optimal configuration cannot be purchased directly from Dell - unless you buy the Linux version and install your own version of Windows -assuming you have an extra version lying around.)
Depending what you do with your laptop this is a wonderful laptop for the price. The limited SSD (solid state drive) size does present some problems if you are dealing with large files such as images and videos; however to be used for internet access, e-mail, and word processing this is just fine. I wish I had something this compact when I went to college. Keep in mind that too many programs will quickly eat up the space of the smaller hard drives.
The small size also comes with a small screen. This may be obvious, but apparently I have a lot of crap (ahem, useful tool bars) that I place on my word processor program and browser program. This does limit "useful" space on the screen.
I have found the battery life to be in line with most laptops. It handles being carried around in a bag every day well enough. Having owned many Dells, they can be finicky. I usually buy the support plan (Although, I didn't on my mini 9) I have gotten my money's worth on some computers and never used it on others.
This laptop has limitations and would not be my choice as an only/first laptop unless it was a real on the go application or for college use.


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Asus A626 3.5-inch PDA Windows Mobile 5.0, Wi-fi (802.11 B+g), Bluetooth 2.0 (edr), Review

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(More customer reviews)Introduction
This is my review on the Asus MyPal A626 Pocket PC PDA. It is a pure PDA, not a phone, though does have WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities.
The basic specs are as follows:
-Intel/Marvell XScale PXA270 312Mhz
-64MB RAM
-256MB Flash
-Windows Mobile Edition 6 with mobile office
-3.5" 320x240 16k color touch screen
-802.11g and bluetooth
-3.7V 1200mAh L-ion Battery
-3.5mm headphone jack, SDIO slot, speaker, microphone, IrBuild and first impression
First off, the build quality appears and feels quite good. The front Is a brushed steel or chrome with shiny chrome on the edges. The backside of the PDA is a soft gray plastic. The buttons are solid and have a nice feel, but the 4 task buttons are positioned to high to really make good controls if you plan on using emulators or some games on it. Also, the PDA is designed to be held either portrait or landscape, but assume I am holding it portrait when I am referring to it.
The top of the PDA has the centered power button and and offset SD slot. The right side has the 3.5mm headphone jack, hold slider, and stylus. The left side has the USB port. The bottom side has the Ir and reset button. The microphone is above the screen on the front, and the speaker and indicator lights are below the buttons.
Everything is well placed and convenient. My only complaint here is the bright LED indicator lights being right under the buttons, as they are bright and blink instead of staying on steady. I would have preferred them be on top or something less intrusive to the eye.Basic Usage
Well, coming originally from Pocket PC 2002, I was interested in seeing what was added/changed in Windows Mobile Edition 6. (WME6)
For one thing, it's more Vista like in it's loading bars and in it's resource management. On initial boot, it is already using half of the available RAM, leaving only about 34MB for your programs to run in. Conversely, my PPC2002 device had 64MB, and the left about 42-48MB for program storage and usage. Also, with this device, Windows and your programs are actually stored in the built in flash, Although it has 256MB (probably 248MB or so once converted), only 174MB is available to the user. However, it does come with a lot more, which justifies the OS becoming much larger.
My PCC2002 was a light version to save on memory, so word didn't even have spell check. Well that is there now, excel now does graphics, and there is a power point viewer. Additionally, there are built in drivers and settings for WiFi, Bluetooth, etc. They have also added Transcriber, a new way to write, which I'll give more detail on later.
Other notable new features for people comming from older PPCs are the CPU management, which is adjustable, portrait and landscape rotation, and quick tasks in the bottom right of the "Today" screen. The device is pretty responsive under default settings, but if you put the CPU to "Maximum", it is very responsive, though you sacrifice battery life. I keep it on "auto" most of the time, which is sufficient for most tasks.
The device is comfortable to hold, thought the telescoping stylus is overly light and short, primarily because it comes out of the short side of the device. However, the stylus and screen work well together and are pretty accurate and easy to use. The screen requires just the right amount of effort IMHO.Audio
Many people like the idea of the iPhone because it is a phone, PDA, and Music player all in one. However, a PPC device can play audio as well, and some do quite a good job of it. The sound of the ASUS through it's headphone jack is just above average. If anything, it's a little flat at it's default settings, so I go to the audio settings, where you get a bass and treble slider, each from -2 to +2, starting at 0. I found +2 for treble and +1 for bass works well for my music and headphones, but I'm sure this varies between headphones used. It also has a 3D setting for sound, which is a slider with about 18 stops, with 0 as the default. I liked it on about 5. With these settings on my headphones, most of my music sounded quite good, with good detail and minimal distortion. However, on songs with heavy deep bass, it didn't distort or quiet, but it could be a little sloppy with some of those notes. Nothing major. Volume levels will go high enough for most, and unless you have the bass on +2 and max the volume with some heavy bass music, you won't get distortion. I used the included Windows Mobile 10 for music, as well as TCPMP for music and AV.
Overall, sound quality is on a similar level to an iPod, but there are some portable music devices out there with better sound. Definitely usable!Video Playback
With TCPMP, this device is excellent at playing AV. I actually found a patch for TCPMP that allows the device to play flash videos, so I can get on youtube or a similar service and watch the videos full screen on my PDA. They are as smooth as a regular PC is with the high compression video. I have also done a quick test with Divx files on an SD card, but it was a lower bit rate one, which played fine. I have yet to try a higher bitrate Divx video yet, but I don't think it will have trouble. I update this once I give that a go.
The screen is a pleasure to watch video on. While it won't be that bright in direct sunlight, the backlight is even and color seems fairly accurate an pleasing. I give this device props over video iPods because of it's larger screen and ability to play more formats, though will have less space unless you stock up on SD cards.Battey Life
This is actually a strong point of this PDA. Even with it's modest 1200mAh battery, it's usage life is about 4-24 hours. If you set your playist up, and just let it play at moderate volume with the device on hold so the screen is off, you should easily get over 20 hours. Playing a high bit rate video with the backlight turned up should yield about 4-6 hours. Internet usage with the WiFi on isn't a whole lot better than palying video, but all things considering, I think this is excellent battery life. My HP iPaq 1910 only got 3-6 hours for all tasks, even in it's prime, and had difficulty playing anything but video tailored to it, and that was overclocked.Software Issues
My only real complaint about this PDA is that Windows Mobile Edition 6, and reported 5 as well, have problems running older PPC software properly. The emulators made for ARM processors and PPC2000-2003 run significantly slower on this device thant hey did on my older, slower PPC2002 iPaq 1910. I am having a hard time finding newer emulators that were made for the newer OS, so I am kind of stuck for now. So if you have specific older software you want to run on it, try the software on a WME5 or 6 device first to see if it has any issues.[b]Included Accessories[/b]
I was very happy to find the ASUS to come with an extra stylus and a simple soft case for the device. It also came with a USB cable, a wall charger, 3 CDs. and the booklets. The package was very good, and made me feel that ASUS really cares what their customer think. [b]Conclusion and Who it's for[/b]
The ASUS MyPal A626 is an excellent PDA overall. It has no significant weaknesses, it comes well equipped for the price, and if you know what you are getting, you should be very happy with it.
So who is the Asus A626 for? It is for someone who wants a PDA that can do more than schedule, but you don't need it as a GPS or Cell Phone. The built in flash is ALOT of space for a PPC, as most programs are only 500KB to a few MB, so you can fill it up with programs, and still have the SD slot available. Personally, I don't want my PDA and phone to be the same device, because I don't want to have to not use my PDA so my phone doesn't die, or vice versa. I like having the two devices separately, though you can communicate the two with bluetooth. I would like to see the ability to bluetooth your contacts to your phone, too.
This device has a huge list of things it can do. Scheduling, Music, Video, Voice Recording, Notes, Typing, Games, Internet, and much more with appropriate software or addons. No, it's not also a cell phone, but it doesn't claim to be, so if you're not expecting it, it is a great device, all for about $300.


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A great productivity companion that will keep you connected to email and the Internet, the ultra-slim, palm-sized ASUS A626 PDA stands out from other PDAs on the market. Weighing just over 5.5 ounces, it features a brightly colorful 3.5-inch anti-glare touchscreen LCDand durable, fashionable stainless steel case. In situations where utilizing a notebook is more hassle than convenience, the A626 will help you stay productive and connected with its Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system and 54g Wi-Fi LAN (802.11b/g) for downloading email and surfing the Web in both corporate and coffeehouse environments.
With ASUS's user-friendly Remote Presenter application, the A626 can also be easily utilized to remotely link and control presentations on a computer via Bluetooth. And since all data is stored in flash memory (128 MB ROM with 64 MB SDRAM), your most important data remains saved even if all battery power in the handheld has drained away. You can expand the A626's memory vie optional Secure Digital (SD) memory cards.
The Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC operating system includes the Microsoft Office Mobile suite, which features Word Mobile, Excel Mobile, and PowerPoint Mobile. Meanwhile, the File Explorer application makes it easy to browse the files. It also supports Windows Media playback right out of the box. With Windows Media Player, you can play streaming and downloaded video and audio content in a variety of formats. You can also keep favorite tunes loaded on a memory card and listen to your music wherever you roam. With its front-mounted speakers, it plays a variety of popular video and audio formats (MP3, WMA).
With the integrated Bluetooth technology, you can connect wirelessly to peripherals such as your cell phone and make cable clutter a thing of the past. Bluetooth 2.0+EDR is up to three times faster than its predecessors, offering a maximum data rate of 3Mbps, and is also backwards-compatible with Bluetooth 1.x devices.
Specifications
312 MHz Marvell XScale processor
3.5-inch TFT LCD touchscreen with 65k colors, 240 x 320-pixel resolution (QVGA)
128 MB Flash ROM and 64 MB SDRAM
3.5mm earphone jack
Integrated microphone and speakers
Full duplex recording and playback
1200 mAh removable/rechargeable battery
Dimensions: 2.8 x 0.6 x 4.6 inches
Weight: 5.57 ounces

What's in the Box ASUS A626, rechargeable battery, AC adapter/charger, carrying case, mini-USB cable, CD with software and drivers, printed user guide

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Dell Inspiron Zino HD 2GB 250GB Piano Black Desktop Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought the bare bones ($229) version of this shortly after it was released to use as an HTPC. I didn't bother with Blu-ray or an upgraded video card because I knew a stand alone player would be better for the actual discs.
Once I had the box I plugged in a bluetooth adapter and an external HD to make up for the small stock HD. Initially I was frustrated because the video playback jumped, Hulu didn't work well, and so forth. However, once I went through the process of turning off the useless processes in Windows 7, updating the Catalyst drivers, using the Flash 10.1 and Silverlight betas, and putting Shark007 codecs on the machine it's worked wonderfully. Netflix in Windows Media Center plays flawlessly, Hulu works great, Youtube has no problems, Boxee runs nicely, and I can watch 720p and 1080p just fine (I use WMP with the Shark007 codecs). I really couldn't ask for more, especially because I paid such a good price for it. It does freeze up on occasion if I'm very impatient with it, but that's acceptable to me.

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Dell Inspiron Mini IM10-2863 10.1-Inch Obsidian Black Netbook Review

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(More customer reviews)So far I'm very impressed with this system. The keyboard is just awesome for a netbook, and with Windows XP Home, it's really not all that slow. I've had several heavier applications open at the same time and didn't really have any problems. Aptana Studio (My web development IDE of choice), FireFox 3, TrueCrypt, XAMPP (Apache & MYSql) just to name a few. I've only got a few real complaints about this computer. One, the touchpad is horrible. It really shouldn't have had the two buttons integrated into the bottom of it, it's not possible to have your index finger navigating and thumb clicking at the same time. It's quite annoying (I bought a cheap travel mouse). The other complaint I have is the video playback quality. It's really just not that good. It's actually quite choppy for the most part if you try watching videos in fullscreen. I have however found a workaround for this, and it makes the video quality look awesome (see notes at the bottom).
Pros:
Awesome 10" display
Great almost full-size keyboard
3 USB ports (one of the left, two on the right)
2.6lbs, it's super light
Decent speed for a 1.3Ghz system.Cons:
Cruddy video playback (mostly full screen problems)
Horrible Linux video driver support (Intel GMA 500, google it)
Battery life is a little bit lacking compared to other netbooks.
Touchpad needs to be redesigned.
Video Playback Notes/Quality tweak:
As far as the cruddy video playback is concerned, the one thing that I have found to help with this is the usage of a third party media player. A friend of mine turned me on to a player called KMPlayer [...] which comes bundled with just about every video codec ever made, and not to mention that it's portable (it runs off of a thumb drive). Anyway, you can customize the video rendering to allow for a much smoother playback of videos even on this slower model. Here's what I do:
Right-Click in the main KMPlayer window
Click on "Video (Advanced)"
Click "Video Renderer" up near the top.
Down near the bottom select "Enhanced Video Renderer".
Be amazed at how much better your videos look.
The playback quality that I received from doing this rivaled my full-size desktop with a real graphics card in it. This is definitely the most redeeming quality about this netbook because it really unlocks the ability for this to be a good portable media player. Cheers.


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A larger sibling to Dell's Inspiron Mini 9, the Inspiron Mini 10 in obsidian black adds keyboard comfort and even more entertainment-friendly dimensions to the Inspiron Mini family. Like the Inspiron Mini 9 and Mini 12, the Mini 10 is a compact, easy-to-carry Internet companion that's ideal for teens, tweens, travelers and "Tweeters" to surf the Web, chat with friends (both via text and using the integrated 1.3-megapixel webcam), stream video and audiocontent, and upload on-the-go photos to blogs or social networking sites. Standard built-in Wi-Fi means quick and easy wireless internet access to hotspots in the home, on campus, in a local coffee shop, in the office or at a conference.
The Inspiron Mini 10 features an intuitive Dell-developed custom home screen interface that is designed to make it easy to find what you're looking for. Intuitive icons link directly to groups of similar applications, like games, Web and entertainment, and favorite web links for quick access. Plus, the home screen can be personalized, putting your favorites front and center.

A bright 10.1-inch display is designed to be able to present web sites without a lot of left-right scrolling, and the 92-percent full-size keyboard is large and easy to navigate. An HDMI port also allows you to connect the Mini 10 to your HDTV for large-screen, high-def viewing. Other features include a 160 GB hard drive, 1 GB of RAM (533 MHz; maximum capacity), integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, three USB ports, 3-in-1 memory card reader, and up to 3 hours of battery life.

It comes preinstalled with the Microsoft Windows XP Home operating system, which offers more experienced users an enhanced and innovative experience that incorporates Windows Live features like Windows Live Messenger for instant messaging and Windows Live Mail for consolidated email accounts on your desktop.

A Better Keyboard You won't lose any flexibility with the Mini 10's keyboard. At 92 percent the size of a standard laptop, it's almost as if the Mini 10's keyboard is at full range. And with a multi-touch track pad, your fingers will have an easy time navigating. Plus, it's spill resistant, so you can rest assured if accidents happen.

Display and Audio The Inspiron Mini 10 has a 10.1-inch LCD screen (1024 x 576; WSVGA) with TrueLife high-gloss/anti-reflective technology, which features a sharp contrast finish that's well suited to immersive 3D games and watching videos. Its widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio is designed to present websites without lots of left-right scrolling, as well as with a smoother line of sight. Expand your screen by connecting to an external monitor or TV using the HDMI port. This notebook has two speakers for stereo sound.

Power-Sipping Processor Newly designed from the ground up, the Intel Atom Z520 uses a 45nm (nanometer) design structure with new hafnium-infused circuitry--which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors--to conserve even more energy and give you more time away from the wall outlet. The Intel Atom Z520 provides a 1.3 GHz CPU speed with a 533 MHz front-side bus (FSB) and 512 KB L2 cache--which uses just 2 watts of power. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.) It supports Intel's 64-bit computing architecture, which can allow the use of extended virtual and physical memory with compatible 64-bit software, as well as Intel's Hyper-Threading technology for speedier multitasking.

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion This notebook has an integrated 54g wireless LAN that's fully compatible with 802.11b/g wireless networks. With the integrated Bluetooth connectivity, you can communicate and synchronize with Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as PDAs and cell phones as well as use Bluetooth-enabled headsets for handsfree video chats. It comes with the following external connectors:

3 USB 2.0 ports (1 powered) for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
1 HDMI output (for connecting to a compatible HDTV or home theater receiver for uncompressed digital audio and video via a single cable)
Analog video output: None
10/100 Fast Ethernet networking
1 headphone (line-out) and 1 microphone (line-in)
3-in-1 memory card reader compatible with Secure Digital (SD), Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC), Multimedia Card (MMC), and Memory Stick

Dimensions This laptop measures 10.28 x 7.2 x 1.1 inches and weighs 2.6 pounds.

What's in the Box This package includes the Dell Inspiron Mini IM10-2863 (obsidian black), 3-cell rechargeable battery, AC adapter, and printed documentation. It's backed by a 1-year limited warranty with mail-in service. Dell provides a variety of service offerings and add-on options to help ensure devices are easy to use and maintain optimal performance, including:

Dell Support Center: Quickly access Dell service and support from an icon on your desktop that provides automated fixes, software upgrades and tools to help keep your system up-to-date and running efficiently.
DellConnectRemote Assistance: Dell experts help diagnose and solve PC problems via an Internet connection (available only on Windows-based systems).

Even More Storage and Access to Your Files Dell has teamed up with Box.net to offer exclusive web-based file storage, access and sharing to Inspiron Mini users, including a free Basic plan with 2 GB of remote storage space that's expandable to 25 GB. The Inspiron Mini 12 includes a direct link to a Dell-exclusive home page on Box.net (www.box.net/dell), providing you with an easy way to add incremental online storage space to easily manage your digital lives. Individuals can safely and securely upload files of any type to their Box, including photos, videos, music, documents and presentations, and then access those files from almost anywhere on any device.

Box.net's world-class service requires no software to download. With its OpenBox platform, Box.net enables people to edit documents and photos directly from their web-browser and post media to their blog or social networks, further enhancing the mobility and user experience on the Inspiron Mini.

Additionally, with Dell Remote Access you can find, use and share your digital world, even while away from home. Whether you use a mobile phone with a web browser, a computer outside your home, or share files and folders with a friend; you will have the ability to access files and devices in your home from anywhere with Internet access. Here are some examples on how you could use Dell Remote Access:

Remotely control any PC running Windows XP or Vista on your home network as if you were sitting in front of it.
If you have a smart phone with document viewers, you can open presentations, spreadsheets, and documents.
Take a picture on your phone and upload it to a folder on your computer... and then share the folder with a friend.
While on a vacation, transfer pictures from your camera (using an Internet connected PC) to a folder on your home computer, so your friends and family can see your vacation in real time.

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HP Pavilion DV2-1039WM 12.1-inch Entertainment Laptop (AMD Athlon Neo Processor MV-40 1.6 GHz, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard Drive, LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD Drive, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3410, Webcam, Vista Premium) Review

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(More customer reviews)I've used this laptop for about 3 months now running the version of Windows Vista that came installed as well as a 64bit version of Ubuntu.
First off, it is a fantastic size and is easy to carry around. The primary reason I purchased it was for its small size. For my uses (web browsing some programming and some casual media usage) the size is ideal.
The display is crisp and very bright. Colors look good, if a bit over saturated and contrasty, but it's glossy and reflects badly in a bright room. You can't use it with a window at your back it reflects too much to see.
The keyboard is slightly smaller than normal but I found it relatively easy to type on although the keys don't give great feedback and make fast touch typing difficult.
It came loaded with 64bit Vista Home Premium which took many hours of downloading and installing updates before it was fully up to spec. It also comes with a lot of annoying bundled software that had to be removed. It has a 500mb drive (465mb usable) that allowed plenty of space to also install Linux (Ubuntu). Ubuntu ran acceptably well. The main advantage of running Ubuntu on this machine is that the laptop boots to a usable state in around one minute with Ubuntu instead of the 3.5 minutes it takes to boot Vista and get it to a point where it will allow you to start a program.
The are two primary problems with this laptop. The AMD Neo processor is just slow. 64bit doesn't help it. It's simply a wimp. It feels barely faster than a netbook. The CPU winds up to 100% usage when running most programs and runs its fan speed up with it which is quite loud. The fan never really dies down and makes quite a bit of noise even when the CPU is running under 15% (which is rare). Unless your viewing a web page with no flash the processor is working at over 50% all the time. This results in the second problem which is very poor battery life. I average about 2 hours of battery life which in an ultra-portable laptop is unacceptable to me. I've been looking for an extended battery but the only one available is some non-HP import from China on *bay.
This is supposed to be a media laptop but it can't display media full screen in Vista (either movies displayed from iTunes or NBC, Hulu etc.) without jerky video. Completely unacceptable for a "wm" windows media laptop. Full screen media runs slightly better on this under Linux. Also the speakers are pathetic. Full volume requires a quiet room to hear clearly and they are both located on the left half of the front of the laptop so there is no stereo field. At first I thought the right speaker was dead then I realized the right speaker is located right next to the left speaker... sad.
More little "nits" are they shiny black plastic of the case and palm area is a fingerprint magnet and if you the least bit of a clean freak it will drive you nuts. It also has some little stupid designs silkscreened into the palm area that are embarrassing if your a hetero-male. The trackpad offers a "scrolling" region but it's very flaky and doesn't offer smooth scrolling in either Windows or Linux so it's related to the hardware. Also the trackpad is flush with the top of the laptop and you can't feel when you're moving your finger off the track area. The trackpad buttons are difficult to press and are flush with the top making pressing them with your thumb awkward.
The external CD/DVD drive is a bit kludgy and the cable is so short that it is difficult to orient sometimes if your not seated at a clear desk. I haven't tried using the Lightscribe capability of the drive yet so no comment on that however it's been very picky about the type of DVD's it will successfully write to.
Overall a very poor implementation. I wish I'd bought a netbook. A netbook would have been hundreds cheaper and offered nearly the same computing experience.


Click Here to see more reviews about: HP Pavilion DV2-1039WM 12.1-inch Entertainment Laptop (AMD Athlon Neo Processor MV-40 1.6 GHz, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard Drive, LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD Drive, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3410, Webcam, Vista Premium)

Click here for more information about HP Pavilion DV2-1039WM 12.1-inch Entertainment Laptop (AMD Athlon Neo Processor MV-40 1.6 GHz, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard Drive, LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD Drive, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3410, Webcam, Vista Premium)

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Dell Inspiron Mini IM10-2864 10.1-Inch Red Netbook Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)So far I'm very impressed with this system. The keyboard is just awesome for a netbook, and with Windows XP Home, it's really not all that slow. I've had several heavier applications open at the same time and didn't really have any problems. Aptana Studio (My web development IDE of choice), FireFox 3, TrueCrypt, XAMPP (Apache & MYSql) just to name a few. I've only got a few real complaints about this computer. One, the touchpad is horrible. It really shouldn't have had the two buttons integrated into the bottom of it, it's not possible to have your index finger navigating and thumb clicking at the same time. It's quite annoying (I bought a cheap travel mouse). The other complaint I have is the video playback quality. It's really just not that good. It's actually quite choppy for the most part if you try watching videos in fullscreen. I have however found a workaround for this, and it makes the video quality look awesome (see notes at the bottom).
Pros:
Awesome 10" display
Great almost full-size keyboard
3 USB ports (one of the left, two on the right)
2.6lbs, it's super light
Decent speed for a 1.3Ghz system.Cons:
Cruddy video playback (mostly full screen problems)
Horrible Linux video driver support (Intel GMA 500, google it)
Battery life is a little bit lacking compared to other netbooks.
Touchpad needs to be redesigned.
Video Playback Notes/Quality tweak:
As far as the cruddy video playback is concerned, the one thing that I have found to help with this is the usage of a third party media player. A friend of mine turned me on to a player called KMPlayer [...] which comes bundled with just about every video codec ever made, and not to mention that it's portable (it runs off of a thumb drive). Anyway, you can customize the video rendering to allow for a much smoother playback of videos even on this slower model. Here's what I do:
Right-Click in the main KMPlayer window
Click on "Video (Advanced)"
Click "Video Renderer" up near the top.
Down near the bottom select "Enhanced Video Renderer".
Be amazed at how much better your videos look.
The playback quality that I received from doing this rivaled my full-size desktop with a real graphics card in it. This is definitely the most redeeming quality about this netbook because it really unlocks the ability for this to be a good portable media player. Cheers.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Dell Inspiron Mini IM10-2864 10.1-Inch Red Netbook

A larger sibling to Dell's Inspiron Mini 9, the Inspiron Mini 10 in cherry red adds keyboard comfort and even more entertainment-friendly dimensions to the Inspiron Mini family. Like the Inspiron Mini 9 and Mini 12, the Mini 10 is a compact, easy-to-carry Internet companion that's ideal for teens, tweens, travelers and "Tweeters" to surf the Web, chat with friends (both via text and using the integrated 1.3-megapixel webcam), stream video and audiocontent, and upload on-the-go photos to blogs or social networking sites. Standard built-in Wi-Fi means quick and easy wireless internet access to hotspots in the home, on campus, in a local coffee shop, in the office or at a conference.
The Inspiron Mini 10 features an intuitive Dell-developed custom home screen interface that is designed to make it easy to find what you're looking for. Intuitive icons link directly to groups of similar applications, like games, Web and entertainment, and favorite web links for quick access. Plus, the home screen can be personalized, putting your favorites front and center.
A bright 10.1-inch display is designed to be able to present web sites without a lot of left-right scrolling, and the 92-percent full-size keyboard is large and easy to navigate. An HDMI port also allows you to connect the Mini 10 to your HDTV for large-screen, high-def viewing. Other features include a 160 GB hard drive, 1 GB of RAM (533 MHz; maximum capacity), integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, three USB ports, 3-in-1 memory card reader, and up to 3 hours of battery life.
It comes preinstalled with the Microsoft Windows XP Home operating system, which offers more experienced users an enhanced and innovative experience that incorporates Windows Live features like Windows Live Messenger for instant messaging and Windows Live Mail for consolidated email accounts on your desktop.
A Better Keyboard You won't lose any flexibility with the Mini 10's keyboard. At 92 percent the size of a standard laptop, it's almost as if the Mini 10's keyboard is at full range. And with a multi-touch track pad, your fingers will have an easy time navigating. Plus, it's spill resistant, so you can rest assured if accidents happen.
Display and Audio The Inspiron Mini 10 has a 10.1-inch LCD screen (1024 x 576; WSVGA) with TrueLife high-gloss/anti-reflective technology, which features a sharp contrast finish that's well suited to immersive 3D games and watching videos. Its widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio is designed to present websites without lots of left-right scrolling, as well as with a smoother line of sight. Expand your screen by connecting to an external monitor or TV using the HDMI port. This notebook has two speakers for stereo sound.
Power-Sipping Processor Newly designed from the ground up, the Intel Atom Z520 uses a 45nm (nanometer) design structure with new hafnium-infused circuitry--which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors--to conserve even more energy and give you more time away from the wall outlet. The Intel Atom Z520 provides a 1.3 GHz CPU speed with a 533 MHz front-side bus (FSB) and 512 KB L2 cache--which uses just 2 watts of power. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.) It supports Intel's 64-bit computing architecture, which can allow the use of extended virtual and physical memory with compatible 64-bit software, as well as Intel's Hyper-Threading technology for speedier multitasking.
Networking, Connectivity & Expansion This notebook has an integrated 54g wireless LAN that's fully compatible with 802.11b/g wireless networks. With the integrated Bluetooth connectivity, you can communicate and synchronize with Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as PDAs and cell phones as well as use Bluetooth-enabled headsets for handsfree video chats. It comes with the following external connectors:
3 USB 2.0 ports (1 powered) for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
1 HDMI output (for connecting to a compatible HDTV or home theater receiver for uncompressed digital audio and video via a single cable)
Analog video output: None
10/100 Fast Ethernet networking
1 headphone (line-out) and 1 microphone (line-in)
3-in-1 memory card reader compatible with Secure Digital (SD), Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC), Multimedia Card (MMC), and Memory Stick

Dimensions This laptop measures 10.28 x 7.2 x 1.1 inches and weighs 2.6 pounds.
What's in the Box This package includes the Dell Inspiron Mini IM10-2864 (cherry red), 3-cell rechargeable battery, AC adapter, and printed documentation. It's backed by a 1-year limited warranty with mail-in service. Dell provides a variety of service offerings and add-on options to help ensure devices are easy to use and maintain optimal performance, including:
Dell Support Center: Quickly access Dell service and support from an icon on your desktop that provides automated fixes, software upgrades and tools to help keep your system up-to-date and running efficiently.
DellConnectRemote Assistance: Dell experts help diagnose and solve PC problems via an Internet connection (available only on Windows-based systems).

Even More Storage and Access to Your Files Dell has teamed up with Box.net to offer exclusive web-based file storage, access and sharing to Inspiron Mini users, including a free Basic plan with 2 GB of remote storage space that's expandable to 25 GB. The Inspiron Mini 12 includes a direct link to a Dell-exclusive home page on Box.net (www.box.net/dell), providing you with an easy way to add incremental online storage space to easily manage your digital lives. Individuals can safely and securely upload files of any type to their Box, including photos, videos, music, documents and presentations, and then access those files from almost anywhere on any device.
Box.net's world-class service requires no software to download. With its OpenBox platform, Box.net enables people to edit documents and photos directly from their web-browser and post media to their blog or social networks, further enhancing the mobility and user experience on the Inspiron Mini.
Additionally, with Dell Remote Access you can find, use and share your digital world, even while away from home. Whether you use a mobile phone with a web browser, a computer outside your home, or share files and folders with a friend; you will have the ability to access files and devices in your home from anywhere with Internet access. Here are some examples on how you could use Dell Remote Access:
Remotely control any PC running Windows XP or Vista on your home network as if you were sitting in front of it.
If you have a smart phone with document viewers, you can open presentations, spreadsheets, and documents.
Take a picture on your phone and upload it to a folder on your computer... and then share the folder with a friend.
While on a vacation, transfer pictures from your camera (using an Internet connected PC) to a folder on your home computer, so your friends and family can see your vacation in real time.

Click here for more information about Dell Inspiron Mini IM10-2864 10.1-Inch Red Netbook

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Dell XPS M1530 15.4-Inch Widescreen Laptop (Tuxedo Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'm a pretty seasoned computer user. I've been at it since about 1985 and have owned, built, configured and used dozens of computers over that period of time. Now, our office that runs several small businesses has four computers, and my Dell XPS M1530 is the replacement for a 6 year old Dell desktop that served flawlessly but was aging in performance. I did a lot of research before buying this one. My goal was to get a state-of-the-art laptop that would drive its own display alongside a 24" main display. We have a lot of power glitches here in Hawaii, so the laptop's built-in UPS capability was a big plus.
This computer did not disappoint. It has the 9300 CPU and is lightning fast for our memory-hog applications. OK, it had a flaw. About a week before the end of the warranty, the HD died. I called tech support, told them the error codes and they immediately confirmed that it was a bad HD and sent a replacement. I asked for some other brand of HD since this one had a known issue and that's why Dell was so quick to acknowledge the need for a replacement. Unfortunately, all they could provide was another one of the same drive. So I ordered an upgrade online (hard drives are so cheap, why not?), and use their replacement in an external-drive enclosure for office backups and large transfers, and I installed the new drive in the XPS. I installed the image I had (of course) saved on our office backup drive, and was up and running in an hour. BTW, it takes about five minutes to replace a drive in this well-designed laptop. And that includes the time to find the screwdriver.
Since then, no problems, and the computer performs as it was intended to in the first place. For the occasional use in which I actually use it as a laptop, I love the keyboard feel and overall build quality. This may sound a bit weird from a guy who considers himself totally outside the realm of what is cool and what is not, but this laptop is the best looking rig there is. No doubt about it, the designers had it together on this one!
The slot-loading cd/dvd is terrific, the keypad is slick, the display is crisp and clear, and most importantly, the performance is the best of any computer we have ever had in our office. Even working it's proverbial computer-butt off, it never runs anything but warm to the touch. This is in sharp contrast to many reviews that state hot-running as an issue. I understand the 9300 CPU has resolved much of this problem.
I gave it five stars only because Dell shipped it with a known HD defect and then refused to replace the drive with a different brand/model/whatever. The logic of that escapes me. For the last fifteen years or so, I have never had a complaint with Dell Tech Support. A caveat here, though, our support has always been from the business direction. I hear that the general consumer support isn't that great. Next time you buy a Dell, try buying it as a business purchase.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Dell XPS M1530 15.4-Inch Widescreen Laptop (Tuxedo Black)

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Dell Studio XPS 16 (1640) Business and Gaming Laptop with Facial recognition security software - Obsidian Black, Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 (3MB cache/2.4GHz/1066Mhz FSB) , 4 GB DDR3 , 320GB Sata Hard Drive, 8X DVD +/- RW w/dbl layer write capability, Edge-to-Edge HD Widescreen 16.0 inch WLED LCD (1366x768) W/2.0 MP Webcam, ATI Mobility RADEON HD 3670 With 512MB, Wireless A/B/G/N Mini Card, Wireless Bluetooth, Genuine Windows Vista Ultimate Edition 64-bit Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this laptop in march of 2010 and haven't had any problems playing any games i want on it. I can play Sims 3 Fallout3, Elderscrolls Oblivion, etc. with no problems.
Only the cg demos in Supreme Commander 2 have a slight slowdown.
The price at the time was only $866 with windows 7 Home Premium. Dell has great deals compared to HP.
Anywho.... It's a great gaming computer for any hardcore gamer.
Now I am having trouble getting the bluetooth function to work for me, but with the usb, hdmi, sata, SD, and Eithernet plug-ins, I don't need another computer for work or gaming.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Dell Studio XPS 16 (1640) Business and Gaming Laptop with Facial recognition security software - Obsidian Black, Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 (3MB cache/2.4GHz/1066Mhz FSB) , 4 GB DDR3 , 320GB Sata Hard Drive, 8X DVD +/- RW w/dbl layer write capability, Edge-to-Edge HD Widescreen 16.0 inch WLED LCD (1366x768) W/2.0 MP Webcam, ATI Mobility RADEON HD 3670 With 512MB, Wireless A/B/G/N Mini Card, Wireless Bluetooth, Genuine Windows Vista Ultimate Edition 64-bit

Click here for more information about Dell Studio XPS 16 (1640) Business and Gaming Laptop with Facial recognition security software - Obsidian Black, Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 (3MB cache/2.4GHz/1066Mhz FSB) , 4 GB DDR3 , 320GB Sata Hard Drive, 8X DVD +/- RW w/dbl layer write capability, Edge-to-Edge HD Widescreen 16.0 inch WLED LCD (1366x768) W/2.0 MP Webcam, ATI Mobility RADEON HD 3670 With 512MB, Wireless A/B/G/N Mini Card, Wireless Bluetooth, Genuine Windows Vista Ultimate Edition 64-bit

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Dell Studio 1737 (Ruby Red) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Bought this refurbished on Woot! and have to say couldn't be happier for the $450 i spent. It zips along when i am running lightroom as well as sometimes four office apps at the same time. Onne drawback though is, that because i upgraded to 7, and it didn't ship with 7, that dell won't help any issue i have in regards to drivers etc.
The comptuer shipped with some pretty weak speakers, so i talk to dell and in a week i had new speakers installed and they do the job admirably. HDMI out is nice so is the card reader. Haven't had a single issue with performance, as it should be more than enough for almost everyone.

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Dell Inspiron Mini 10 10.1-Inch Obsidian Black Netbook with Integrated TV Tuner - Up to 6 Hours 20 Minutes of Battery Life (Windows 7 Starter) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Note: I use computers for my work but don't pay much attention to details about them. I'm sometimes willfully ignorant of the details of my work computers, so this review (for better or worse) will not be a super technical one focusing on specifications and related details. I wanted a simple computer to use outside of work, and that's what I got here. I received this Dell Netbook a few days ago and wanted to share my initial impressions of it.
I do a great deal of writing for my job and need to have frequent email access. I have a Dell Notebook but find that it's a bit of a hassle hauling it around anywhere, so it ends up staying at home most of the time. When I saw this Dell's Netbook on sale, I thought it might be ideal for my needs. In particular, I wanted something very lightweight that would allow me to access the web, answer email, access PDF documents, and edit documents. This Dell does all that and much more.
My job buys all my computers (the last computer I purchased myself was a Commodore 64 when I was a kid!), so I was a bit nervous purchasing it. I checked out reviews here and elsewhere and they seemed to indicate that the Dell Netbook would work well for my needs. However, I was concerned by some accounts of netbooks being slower than laptops and having many of other deficits. Fortunately, my concerns were unfounded (it isn`t slow and I have low needs for extensive computer memory anyway). I've never had to unpack a computer before (the IT people at my job have that honor), but it couldn't have been easier. I was literally using my new Netbook within minutes. Everything was preloaded and ready for use.
I was hoping that it would come with Microsoft Word, but it instead includes Microsoft Works Word Processor, which I`d never used before. When I tried to open a Word document from my email, I was prompted to download Word Viewer. The two programs are compatible, but it is a bit of a hassle converting documents back and forth. Otherwise, I'm extremely pleased with my purchase. The Netbook is not slow in accessing the net even with numerous programs open at the same time. It is super lightweight -- not much bigger or heavier than a large hardback book. The battery in the back does stick out a bit, although that actually helps make it more stable on a flat surface. Even straight out of the box, the battery lasted well over 5 hours. Other features include a webcam, adobe, media player, explorer -- all the standard items you'd expect. As I mentioned, I don't pay much attention to computer specifications and whether it has this feature or not. I simply don't use my computers for anything too complicated. However, for what I need, this Dell Netbook more than exceeds my expectations. The Netbook's portability make it ideal for carrying it around and travel. I think it would also be a great starter computer for kids and teens.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Dell Inspiron Mini 10 10.1-Inch Obsidian Black Netbook with Integrated TV Tuner - Up to 6 Hours 20 Minutes of Battery Life (Windows 7 Starter)


Dell Inspiron Mini 10: On-The-Go TV with Integrated Tuner The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 (model iM10-3324OBK) is a compact, easy-to-carry Internet companion that's ideal for helping keep kids, teens, bloggers and travelers connected from just about any location at any time--whether on the couch or on the road. You'll also be able to watch your favorite TV shows wherever you roam thanks to the internal digital TV tuner.
The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 in Obsidian Black.

Click here for more information about Dell Inspiron Mini 10 10.1-Inch Obsidian Black Netbook with Integrated TV Tuner - Up to 6 Hours 20 Minutes of Battery Life (Windows 7 Starter)

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Dell Latitude ATG D630 Notebbok Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've been using a Dell T630 for the past 3 days, 8 hours a day while undertaking some intensive training class. I am not going to enumerate the published specs for this machine but, instead I will run the specs against what I perceive as its usability and how that correlates to the price.
It's probably fair to state that there is little remarkable about this machine. So, here they are, my observations:
- Most of the basic featuresc found on cheaper models are found in the T630 as well.
- Some features found in cheaper models, such as biometric (fingerprint) authentication are not supported.
- Max resolution is 1440x900
- Small 60-80GB hard drive - I can't see how equipping a $2000 laptop with a $50 hard drive can be possibly justified (for our class purposes, an installation that included Windows XP, Firefox and some VMWare filled up the disk, leaving only 1GB free).
- Keybord is below average, "molasses" feel, need to strike the keys hard for a keystroke to register.
- Same as above for the mouse button emulators, only worse.
- 4 USB ports (that's a good thing), 2 in the back and to on the right.
- Heavy.
I award this machine 3 stars only because I am ignoring the outrageous posted price because prices can and do change. So, price not considered, it's an average, unremarkable machine. I can tolerate it for another day or 2 of training but, if this was my office laptop, the size of the hard drive and the subpar keyboard would proably have me petition my IT department for a replacement.
Of course, using it with a docking station (and it DOES have docking capabilities) would take care of the keyboard issue but the minuscule hard drive would still be a concern.

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Dell XPS M1330 13.3-Inch Widescreen Laptop (Tuxedo Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)[See end of my review for an update after nearly 1 year of ownership]
After reading lots of good reviews for the Dell XPS M1330 (e.g., cnet and pcmag websites among others), I purchased two of them, one for my wife, one for me. The configuration of our laptops is a bit different than the one on this page, and I urge you to custom-configure yours at dell's website rather than buying a pre-configured one (unless you're in too much of a hurry to wait an extra week to get it custom-built to your specs).
We both love the laptops. First, I'll list all the good things, then a few negatives about the laptop, then some negatives about dealing with Dell.
We both got the optional LED display (extra $150). Compared to the standard LCD display, the LED display is brighter, more energy efficient (meaning longer battery life), and makes the computer a couple tenths of an inch thinner and a couple ounces lighter. The LED display is noticeably nicer than the LCD display (which isn't bad, but is certainly not better than the average glossy laptop display). The only negative about the display is that the viewing angle isn't as wide as I had expected, and isn't as wide as the viewing angle on some other laptops with glossy displays.
We both got large hard drives, hers at 5400rpm and mine at 7200rpm. The 5400rpm one should be fine for 90% of users. I got the faster one because I do a lot of number crunching.
Hers has the integrated graphics, mine has the optional 128mb dedicated graphic card - neither of us have really pushed the graphics to the edge, but for everyday applications the (less-expensive) integrated graphics seems every bit as good as the extra-cost dedicated graphics card.
We both got core 2 duo intel processors - hers is 2.0 ghz, mine is 2.4 ghz. I consider a core 2 duo running at 2.0 ghz or better a necessity for anyone buying a laptop these days. I also suggest getting a large hard drive. It's better to pay extra for these things now, than to find out next year that your needs have outgrown your processor and hard drive. (RAM, however, is something you can upgrade later at relatively low cost as your needs grow.)
The keyboard has an excellent feel; typing on it is very pleasant, and the keys are not especially noisy. I've had 8 laptops from various companies (gateway, dell, toshiba, and 4 thinkpads from ibm or lenovo). Everyone says that thinkpads have the best keyboards. I think that USED to be true. But the keyboard on my most recent thinkpad - built after lenovo bought thinkpad from ibm - isn't quite as good as the keyboards on the three ibm-branded thinkpads I owned. Compared to most laptops, I like the keyboard on the Dell xps m1330 very much. This is subjective, though, and you should visit your local Best Buy (most locations stock Dell XPS laptops) and try the keyboard yourself.
We also like the slot-loading CD/DVD reader/burner better than the more common tray-loading ones. It is noisier than the tray when accepting or ejecting a disc, but the noise is only for a second or two and it is very tolerable, not annoying at all.
The bottom of the laptop does not get as hot as most other laptops I've used. However, some folks who bought this laptop say that theirs run pretty hot. A good thing to do is make sure you get the option to return your unit for a full refund, in case this (or anything else) turns out to be a problem.
We both get excellent battery life from the standard 6-cell battery. When running on battery power on a cross-country flight, I turned down the brightness of the display two notches from maximum, and got a bit over 3 hours of battery life. (This wasn't watching a DVD, though, which would use up the battery a bit faster.)
The build quality of these things seems very good. I fully expect them to hold up well over the long haul.
I realize this is subjective, but we both really like the looks of the XPS laptops. They are sleek and attractive. I encourage you to visit your local best buy and see one in person and judge for yourself. (This will also give you a chance to type on its keyboard to see whether you like the feel of it).
The Dell XPS laptops come with some nice extras, including:
a) all of the drivers, software, and operating system files on backup CDs or DVDs. This is unusual: most other laptops have these on their hard drives, and the buyer is required to create his or her own backup discs - most people don't bother doing this, which is bad news if a disaster happens and you have to reinstall everything from scratch.
b) a nice leatherette folder that holds all of these discs and the manual (yes, it comes with a printed manual, too!)
c) a soft sleeve to protect the laptop in case you put it in a briefcase, large handbag or backpack not specifically designed for laptops.
d) a small, thin wireless IR remote, which you can use when watching DVDs or listening to music or enjoying other media. This is a very cool but not incredibly useful extra, because you probably won't be sitting very far from the 13.3" display when watching your movies.
Now for the negatives.
There are only 2 USB ports. You can get around this with a USB hub, but some devices need to be plugged directly into a USB port in the computer. You can also get around this to a limited extent by opting for built-in bluetooth, then using wireless bluetooth devices instead of USB devices where possible. Still, it's inconvenient having only 2 usb ports.
That's really the only negative about the laptop, itself. The laptop doesn't have a few other luxuries that some other laptops now have - such as a little light built in to the top of the monitor that you can turn on when you're typing in a dark environment (red-eye flight) and it dimly lights up your keyboard. But just about everything else you'd need is here.
The big negative was dealing with Dell.
After configuring and pricing my systems online at dell's site, I ordered over the phone, because I'd read that you can bargain a bit with the phone sales reps. In fact, I did save about $200 on each of the laptops this way. However, the sales rep entered the order incorrectly for one of the laptops, never sent me a confirmation email, and gave me an incorrect customer number. Then, he took 5 or 6 days off, and it was very hard for me to get any information about my orders from anyone else at dell. When I finally did, I saw that one of the computers was not configured the way I ordered it, and it was quite a lot of trouble to get that changed back to how I originally wanted it.
After that was all straightened out, the laptops were built and shipped to me a few days before the estimated ship and delivery dates, which was a nice bonus.
But one of the laptops came with a nice, small 65-watt power supply adapter, while the other came with a big bulky and heavy 90-watt adapter. I thought there must be a mistake, they are both the same laptop, after all. It took me a while (and several calls) to learn that either adapter could be used safely with either laptop, but that the the 90-watt adapter would be better for the laptop with the faster processor.
I've made a couple calls to Dell technical support. Each time, I got through to a real human in only about 5-10 minutes. (These days, that's really quite good.) I believe this is because XPS laptops get access to "express" customer service/support, while regular Dell laptops (e.g. inspiron) have the regular (i.e. slow) tech support with long wait times.
The tech support person was located in the Philippines. He was very patient and helpful.
One other negative about Dell: they shipped both laptops with Windows Vista, the original edition NOT service pack 1 - even though SP1 was available to Dell for 2 months before I placed my order!!! That meant I had to install SP1 on both laptops. This installation did not go as smoothly as it should have (e.g., after installation, computer froze once, and later didn't wake from sleep correctly, or woke up but didn't recognize attached usb devices, etc).
In fact, I have a few issues with Vista, but I'm reviewing the laptop, not Vista, and you unfortunately will likely be forced to get Vista with almost any new laptop you are considering buying.
But it was incredibly disappointing that Dell put the old Vista on these machines when SP1 was already available. Perhaps they hadn't yet gotten around to testing SP1 on their laptops.
** *
Would I do it all over again? Yes, even if I had to go through the same hassles dealing with Dell, because I really love these XPS laptops.
** *
UPDATE - MARCH 2008 - AFTER NEARLY 1 YEAR OF OWNERSHIP
We have now owned and used both M1330s for nearly a year.
Mine started making a funny noise, which turned out to be a defective fan. Called Dell tech support, got to a human almost immediately, they overnighted some parts to a local technician, who came to my house 2 days after the call and installed the new parts. All of this was covered by my basic 2-year included warranty.
My wife's had a problem with the display. I called Dell tech support, got a human almost immediately, they told me how to figure out whether the problem was the actual display or the video card. Once we determined it was the display, they overnighted a new display to a local technician, who came to our house and installed it. Unfortunately, the new display is slightly grainy looking, so we will call Dell and request a replacement...Read more›

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Dell XPS Desktop Review

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(More customer reviews)The following is concerning my ordeal with ordering a Dell Studio XPS 8000 Desktop from Dell's website.
A few months before Christmas, I decided it was time to finally replace my old trustworthy desktop. It is about ten years old at this point, and while it still functioned to do what I needed, it had slowed to the point that pretty soon it would no longer be operational. Every time you update Windows or update virus protection software, these updates go onto a computer's C drive. While I had plenty of drive space on D, E,F and so on, the C drive of my computer is only fourteen gigs... huge for its day, but now is insufficient for properly running Windows. The more updates, the more in-stable the computer becomes.
Anyway, I eagerly explored my options for a replacement computer. I had been doing everything possible to keep my old desktop running hoping it would make it until Window's 7 was released. I had heard so many horror stories on Vista that I did not want to replace my puter with anything running Vista. Naturally, my old desktop started really waning about a month before Window's 7 was to be released.
There is something about a sale that makes one loose the caution one normally has in regards to expensive purchases. I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted in my new computer. It is a big purchase, and I wanted something that could survive another ten years and perhaps another malformed Window's release. Black Friday, a one day sale appeared on the Dell website for a computer I thought was sure to do the trick.
Nervous about making such a large order spontaneously, I first contacted a sales rep on one of those instant chat thingies that websites now have. The sale was on only until Midnight and it was already eleven o'clock. After waiting for nearly a half hour, I asked the sales rep if the computer had a specific feature I really wanted. "Yes" was the reply. Seemed a bit too simple an answer, but time was running out, and so I placed the order.
The next day I began to worry that perhaps this item was not really a part of the system. It is a pretty standard thing on computers nowadays for computers of a certain price range, but I decided it was better to be safe than sorry. I called the Dell support center to ask them if this feature was available on the computer I ordered. If it wasn't, the computer order had not yet been sent and could be can canceled. Four hours of musak version of "Lollipop Lollipop". Five transfers. I finally get a sales rep.
So, I asked if the feature was a part of this computer. Waited for person to check. "Yes, that is a feature of that computer" said the sales rep. I felt much better. My order was due two weeks before Christmas. Would be nice to have shiny new puter Christmas day. Week before Christmas I get an email. Delivery has been delayed until after Christmas. No appologies or special discounts, just the offer of a free Christmas card saying that computer would arrive eventually. No big deal, it wasn't a gift. I contemplated mailing myself one of these free Christmas cards and decided not to.
Being in a wheelchair, I can not setup a computer myself. I know how to setup a computer, mostly what wires go where... but can't crawl on the floor to actually hook them up. I thought about having a service person do this, but at two hundred an hour, the cost was ridiculous. My old computer is a monster. My friend laughed at me when he saw it. Over ten years, the computer had become an octopus of tangled wires, usb gizmos of technology now and past. The first job would be to dismantle this monster that I had relied upon for many many years.
Two days of dismantling I kid you not. I had wires hooked into this puter that led to nowhere... things plugged in I still have no idea what they are for. Each Christmas and birthday it seemed, someone gave me another usb device to plug in. USB hub after usb hub over ten years had turned my once sweet little computer into a monstrous malformed creature which wanted to grasp at anything approaching it.
Anyway, I finally unhooked the beast ... or rather my parents did. Tempers can raise when one is tossing computer equipment about and loosing wires to things that may or may not be critically important to the new computer. Lets just say, having my dad disconnect a computer is a bit like sending a bull into a china shop to pick out your glass pattern. My room is now an absolute disaster area... wires splayed from one room to the next. Well... least it will be worth it to have a nice new computer that actually works.
Setting up a new computer is like the dismantling, but in reverse but without knowing where things are suppose to go. It would seem that computer manufacturers some time ago had this clever idea to not include instructions with computers so as the average person, confronted with hundreds of unlabeled wires, would simply give up and hire their company to install it. All day long we unpacked the computer and struggled to find the connection ports. This would of perhaps been even harder except for the fact, there seemed to be a strange absence of connections on the back of the computer. I think at the time i was thinking more about how little things like a mouse pad hadn't been included, no speakers, and other little things one expects to be included with a relatively expensive computer.
It was around the time we got down to the last few connections when we realized something was missing other than a mousepad. Yes... that very connection I contacted Dell about not once but twice. There were no video ports, no AVI ports, nothing for video input. It was missing the component I was assured it had.
Today. On this dinky lil netbook I finally got Dell support. "So sorry sir, your computer does not have that component. I understand if you want to return it. You will have to call our customer support number." I knew I was in trouble as soon as they told me had to call customer support. Customer support is the modern equivalent of hell.
From twelve thirty until four I was on the phone. As "Lollipop Lollipop" droned on for the first hour, my temper grew. Now, mind you, I generally am not a person who gets angry. And when I do get angry, I am very very easy to console and make un-angry. But something about this musak is like slowly twisting a tourniquet around my brain until steam comes out. Hour and a half..."We must transfer you to our service department, please hold." Then the familiar tone of a phone being disconnected. "SON OF A BITCH!" I shout outload before family members unaccustomed to hearing me curse.
This time I ignore the automated messager asking me to tell it which department I wish to contact... which of course does not include the return department. Finally after the computer repeats the message a hundred times stating it can't hear my response, I get to some poor operator whom I yell at. "One moment please... I'll transfer you to the service department... please hold." Before I could protest, more musak of "Lollipop Lollipop" which is apparently Dell's new trademark song.
Time seems to stand still on hold. I was transferred maybe four of five times and back on hold again before at last, after several hours on hold, an actual person in the service returns department.
"Yes Sir, I understand why your upset. Would a thirty-five dollar credit to your account make up for this instead of return?" I think I actually laughed. The missing component alone without installation cost over a hundred. After she went back and forth to her supervisor she offered a usb plug in version of what was suppose to be an installed component. At first I was going to accept this, but my parent's had already re-boxed the computer for return. "Well Sir, you can return the computer, but there is a fifteen-percent restocking fee." OMG... I was furious. They mis-represented what the computer could do, than they had the nerve to want to charge me for their mistake. I asked to speak to the supervisor. On hold again.
"Ok Sir, I've been authorized to drop the restocking fee." At this point, I was too exhausted to fight over the fact that I also paid for shipping and handling for a computer that was not what I ordered. Too tired to bring up the fact that I spent three entire days to dismantle an old computer I would now need again and setting up then unsetting up a computer that I could not use. My only revenge is to post this here, and hope that it may in some way affect their future sales.


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Dell Inspiron i14R-1708MRB 14-Inch Laptop (Mars Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)
I'm not a fan of Dell's because of bad reviews and bad customer support. My first three choices would be toshiba, sony vaio and hp. I had returned 2 toshiba M series because of the noisy fan issue, and a sony vaio due to irratic touchpad and lid issue. Later, This one came up here in amazon with a good price deal and packed with the features that I need. All I can say is, I am happy with my purchase.
Pros: fast, quiet, style, comfy keyboards (best if you have small hands), dedicatd playback keys, good speakers( way better than sony vaios but not greater than toshiba M series harman kardon's), bluetooth, 1.3 pixel webcam, good battery life, intel i3 processor, fairly light, good touchpad.
Cons: Very nice finish but.. (fingerprints and smudges welcome), so-so graphics (comparable to hp dm4, but better. If your doing some photo editing the results can be slightly unprecise or unaccurate.. well it's a laptop), no blu-ray, unlighted keyboard.


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Wrapped in curvy edges and smooth lines, the Dell Inspiron 14R in mars black (model i14R-1708MRB) seamlessly travels by your side without getting in your way. It features a 14-inch high-definition display and it weighs less than 5 pounds--perfect for taking along on your commute. The full-size, ergonomically designed keyboard gives your fingers plenty of space to stretch out and get comfortable, and you'll also appreciate the brushed metal appearance of the smudge-proof palm rest.
The Dell Inspiron 14R in black (see larger image).

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HP Pavilion DV4-2161NR 14.1-Inch Laptop (Digital Plaid) Review

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(More customer reviews)I had have this computer for a month now, so here goes nothing:
Pros:
- Excellent design
- 4GB Ram, enough for most tasks
- 500GB hard drive, for me that's enough for now
- Small size and little weight (even lighter when DVD is removed, which is an excellent feature in itself)
- Windows 7 (better than Vista, we'll see about XP)
- EXCELLENT PRICE
Cons:
- Battery life is about 2 hours, bound to decrease within 6 months, not on par with most other laptops this size.
- Touchpad really has a mind of its own on ocassion.
- Glossy design is beautiful, but it's also a fingerprint magnet
- Opening it is a cumbersome task, not really bad, but a little.
- Windows 7 "64bit" - Some old programs I use refuse to work in such environment.
All in all a solid laptop, with excellent features (and minor inconveniences), but please, HP, this is my third HP laptop and the batteries have never been your forte. (yet I keep buying HP) DO SOMETHING!
UPDATE: The battery won't last for more than an hour and a half, so I took two stars off my review for this major inconvenience. Sorry to say this, but I no longer recommend this purchase.

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