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

Average Reviews:

(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.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Dell Inspiron Mini 910 Intel Atom - 1.6 8GB 1GB 8.9" 1000 Intel GMA 950 8Cell NONE CAM

Click here for more information about Dell Inspiron Mini 910 Intel Atom - 1.6 8GB 1GB 8.9" 1000 Intel GMA 950 8Cell NONE CAM

Read More...

Nokia 10.1-Inch Booklet 3G (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have bought this item couple of days ago. I can only say that with one minor exemption it's a perfect product.
Pros:
battery performance
display quality
3G modem included into main body
silence of work (no internal fan)
design and quality- body shell and keyboard
Cons
expensive
GPS performance ( I cannot come to terms with it- shame!)
basic software only
overall perfomrance not the best in class (not relevant- unless you buy netbok for games)

Click Here to see more reviews about: Nokia 10.1-Inch Booklet 3G (Black)

Get 5% OFF

Click here for more information about Nokia 10.1-Inch Booklet 3G (Black)

Read More...

Dell Latitude D610 Pentium Mobile Laptop Computer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was skeptical to purchase a refurb, but this thing kicks serious butt! My wife needed a fast laptop with XP for her work,.......and this thing was flawless out of the box! Highly reccomend this seller, everything was as described and arrived sooner than promised! Great!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Dell Latitude D610 Pentium Mobile Laptop Computer

Click here for more information about Dell Latitude D610 Pentium Mobile Laptop Computer

Read More...

Acer Aspire One AOD255E-13647 10.1-Inch Netbook (Diamond Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This netbook was a recent purchase I made at a local store. So far, I have really enjoyed using it. I needed an inexpensive portable computer to take with me on mountain climbs and hikes in the wilderness now that I have a data-capable satellite phone. Before this netbook, I did not own any computer that cost less than $800, so I did not want to carry them on somewhat dangerous treks. I do however have a bit of advice for anyone who decides to purchase one of these: First, it runs much quicker with a different antivirus program than the one that comes preloaded on it. I noticed when I first used it that McAfee was using around 90% of the processor power, so it ran pretty slow. Now I have it running pretty quickly without antivirus software, but only because I am an IT professional and plan to restore the computer if it ever gets a virus. Second, if you want to have a netbook with 3G cellular internet access, it's possibly best to do what I have done and purchase a 3G USB device from Virgin Mobile prepaid, which you can buy a $10 plan, good for 10 days with 100mb or a $40 unlimited data month plan. This setup makes it much easier to only pay for 3G when needed, not all the time. Also, if you want more than 3-4 hours of battery life you may want to purchase a larger battery for it. My plan is to eventually just purchase a second battery like the one that came with it because larger netbook batteries usually stick way out of the bottom and ruin the thinness of the computer.
Anyway, I highly recommend this PC to anyone looking for a low-cost netbook. I will definitely be using it for work, school, and hiking since it can fit in just about any bag and works well.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Acer Aspire One AOD255E-13647 10.1-Inch Netbook (Diamond Black)


Get fantastic mobile connectivity with the Acer Aspire One D255E in diamond black (model AOD255E-13647), which features a 10.1-inch LED-backlit display, comfortable typing keyboard, and an ultra-thin design that travels light. You'll also enjoy excellent mobile computing power thanks to the Intel Atom N455 processor as well as up to 4 hours of battery life on a single charge from the included 3-cell battery.
The Acer Aspire One D255E comes in a variety of colors.

Click here for more information about Acer Aspire One AOD255E-13647 10.1-Inch Netbook (Diamond Black)

Read More...

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

Average Reviews:

(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.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Intel WiFi Link 5350 with WiMax - Network adapter - PCI Express Full-Height Mini Card - 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11g, 802.11n (draft)

Click here for more information about Intel WiFi Link 5350 with WiMax - Network adapter - PCI Express Full-Height Mini Card - 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11g, 802.11n (draft)

Read More...

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

Average Reviews:

(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.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Dell Mini-9 PDA Win XP 1GB Memory 16GB Solid State Drive w/Webcam, WiFi and Bluetooth Obsidian Black Case

Click here for more information about Dell Mini-9 PDA Win XP 1GB Memory 16GB Solid State Drive w/Webcam, WiFi and Bluetooth Obsidian Black Case

Read More...

ASUS UL50Vt-A1 Thin and Light 15.6-Inch Black Laptop - 11.5 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I watch the tech market fairly closely. My wife has the 13" Macbook (newer LED aluminium one) and really I love it...the "two finger scrolling" is wonderful, but I need a PC for work.
So, here's what I wanted in a new laptop (not in specific order):
1. 2 finger scrolling or at least dedicated scrolling areas (yes, 1 finger dedicated areas on laptops are nice, but still not quite as nice as 2 finger...plus, w/ the multi-touch pads, you get "right-click" w/ 2 fingers)
2. LONG battery life. And no, I don't mean "3 hours" long...I want 10 hours! (remember, each year a laptop battery will lose 1/3 of its performance, so a new 3 hour battery will only last 2 hours after a year!)
3. Performance
4. LED screen (goes w/ battery life), 15".
5. Quality/Build/Warranty
As odd as it seems, there aren't a "lot" of LED screens out there yet, I was looking at a Lenovo, but only the T400s seemed like what I was looking for, and at the cost and only 14", wasn't a good fit. Dell's have gone LED's on most all models, but not great review's on build quality depending on the model series...plus, compare the price of a similarly equipped Dell to this UL50VT...you'll be spending almost 2x as much.
This UL50VT is a PRO for:
1. Switchable graphics (switch from onboard graphics for long batter life...or when plugged in, switch to the 512mb Nvidia card for performance). Really, the best of BOTH worlds. Want awesome performance when sitting at a desk...but also want long battery life when on the go? Who else can provide this? The dedicated Nvidia obviously helps system performance, allowing graphics to run on the video card, freeing up system RAM etc for other things...or switch to battery mode/onboard graphics and live long & prosper.
2. 8-cell battery quotes 10-12 hours of battery life. I have only had this for 1 week, and still tinkering around with the settings, so haven't confirmed this, but 5-6 hours I've had easy, which is definitely more than you'll get with any other laptop regardless. The "ultra low volt" Intel processor draws less than 10 volts of juice. Its a 1.3ghz Core 2 Duo, but Asus overclocks it by DEFAULT and it arrives to you out of the box running at 1.7ghz. This is key...when you are looking at laptops, you have to remember that the "quad-core" and P9600 Core 2's are high-voltage drains...so you really have to decide "what do I want this laptop for?" If you are very rarely going to be without a power plug, then sure, get some other Asus model with a faster processor & full-time dedicated graphics. For me though, I like to grab the laptop and sit on the couch & not have to move the power cord over to the couch as well...plus I travel quite a bit for business...seriously, after a year or two any standard laptop with 2-3 hours of battery life "new" will only be good for an hour or so before turning off. With this Asus, with the extended 8 cell battery stock, the "ultra low"-volt 1.3ghz overclocked to 1.7ghz, plus the onboard video, you can actually grab this notebook and run to the coffee shop or couch for HOURS without having to worry about the power cord...and isn't that really what a laptop is for? Google "Asus Ul50VT" for other reviews on the processor etc, there are more informative articles if you want more details. The Macbook uses the UL voltage Intel processors as well, albeit a slightly faster one (1.9ghz?). Low volt processor, LED screen are two key ingredients to battery life. If you want a P9600 or quad-core or 3.2ghz processor, don't travel too far w/o your cord:) the 1.7ghz is much faster than my old Toshiba, plus w/ Windows 7 it really is awesome and more than capable of handling the vast majority of any consumer's needs.
3. LED screen looks great...I am apparently not that savvy of a screen consumer as others, so I can't complain about the screen, looks much better than my old LCD Toshiba screen, not that different than the Mac.
4. Windows 7 is AWESOME!!!!! I've long been an apologist for Windows, especially having used the Macbook for awhile, but need not apologize any longer! W7 64bit w/ the 1.7ghz and 4gb DDR3 is simply amazing, by FAR the best Windows product I've ever used...and as other reviews will confirm, this OS is nearly on par w/ Mac. I can LITERALLY go TO sleep, and back FROM sleep to an ACTIVE Outlook or Firefox, in LESS than 5 seconds with this Asus. Remember in the past, you might have wanted to look up something on the computer, but would opt not to, b/c it would take 3-5 minutes for your system to load into a use-able state? Not anymore, W7 is efficient & fast, if you switch the power settings to "sleep" instead of hibernate, it literally turns on & is ready to use in mere seconds, same as Mac's. (plus, drag a window to the left of the screen, it auto-sizes it to the left-half of the screen, drag another window to the right edge of the screen, voila! W7 auto-resizes both windows to share the screen 50/50.)
5. Build & quality: Ask tech's at your local retailer or online retailer, which brand they see back the least for repairs, and you'll hear "Asus" more often than not. Unlike other brands that farm out all the hardware to companies around the world, Asus makes most of the components themselves. Who invented the Netbook? Asus. What brand of motherboard is in many laptops? Asus. Many techies swear by Asus, regardless of the poor review NBR gave the UL80VT.
6. Warranty. Asus is the *ONLY* brand to offer the following standard warranty: 2 year global parts/labor & shipping, PLUS 1 year accidental warranty. Go through the checkout process on any other brand online, and you'll add on $100-200 to your laptop cost to have a similar warranty. Figure that for $800 you are getting 1 year accidental and 2 years parts/labor/shipping, plus Asus' reputation for build, and its close to a no-brainer.
CONS for the UL50VT:
1. NOTE! The UL50VT and the UL50AG ARE NOT THE SAME! This is probably my main pet peeve with the "VT"...when I tried out a UL50AG at Best Buy for $675, I was in love with it! Why? B/c the surface around the keyboard/touch pad is a matte rubber...no finger prints! So I ordered the "VT" for $100 ore and am disappointed...Asus, along w/ Dell, HP, Toshiba, etc figures that 99% of all laptop users must be in high school. I mean, high-school kids like shiny things right? Who doesn't like neat shiny surfaces!? Well Asus (& HP & Toshiba) here's an unknown fact for you...most people that actually "use" a laptop instead of polishing it & placing it on a mantle as a room decoration, *HATE* glossy/shiny surfaces...If the UL50VT came w/ the same matte rubber deck as the "AG" this would be a 5 star notebook, but it is a serious flaw IMO.
2. The mouse left/right buttons are a sure bet to develop repetitive stress injury (RSI). Unlike most right/left buttons, which have two different buttons/pads...this has "one" long button, that has a pivot point in the middle of the button. As such, the button is near impossible to use without pressing on the far edge of either side of the button, and your fingers/thumb will certainly get tired copy & pasting, dragging & scrolling as it requires considerable force to hold the button down.
3. 2 plastic stickers over the screw on the bottom of the screen panel look like they'll come off soon. The DVD tray seems to vibrate against the chassis when in use (loud noise)...I use a CD/DVD like 3 times a year, so this isn't an issue for me, and I'm not sure if this is an issue for all units or just mine.
Solutions:
1. If you can find a skin to put around the keyboard/touchpad, that'll fix the finger-print issue. [...] has one, but they won't sell you the skin unless you buy the Asus from them:( Skinit.com really only sells the "A" surface skin (the back lid)...I might have to buy a generic skin and try & cut it out to fit around the keys/pad, or carry around a lens cleaning cloth!
2. Luckily, the Asus comes with the Elan mouse driver...which supports the multi-touch/multi-touchpad. Asus really just needs to realize PC's are trying to catch up with Macbook's here and not try to re-invent the wheel. The default settings it comes with must be changed for best results. Change the "right-click" to be actioned by "two-finger" tap, instead of three-finger tap by default. Now, you can scroll up & down (& left/right) with two fingers anywhere on the touchpad (not just the right edge as w/ one-finger scrolling). You can left click with one finger tap. You can now right-click with two-finger tap...just like the Macbook glass touchpad. You double tap with one finger then scroll left/right to highlight text, then tap the highlighted selection w/ two fingers to bring up the right-click menu (copy/paste/etc). Once you get used to using the touchpad like a Mac, w/o the left/right button, you'll forget how bad the right/left buttons are (plus its more efficient in the long-run to just use the touchpad I think...two finger scrolling will make you wonder why you wasted years and caused carpel-tunnel on a PC...too bad they wasted space w/ the RSI causing buttons instead of a bigger touchpad).
Summary: If only the UL50VT came in the same material the UL50AG came in and with a right/left mouse button that didn't cause RSI (repetitive stress syndrome), it would be 5 out of 5 stars; a true Macbook killer for 1/2 the cost!!! Long battery life, LED screen, Full size-keyboard (Number Pad), Chicklet keys to keep out dust, ultra-low voltage processor, reliable quality, awesome standard warranty, switchable graphics and DDR3 memory on a 64bit W7 OS. For $823 you can get the UL50VT, or for $100 less (don't forget taxes if buying locally), you can get the UL50AG. Honestly, if you are on a budget, I think the "AG" is a steal of a deal and saves you the glossy/fingerprints. For $100 more w/ the VT, I'll take...Read more›

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS UL50Vt-A1 Thin and Light 15.6-Inch Black Laptop - 11.5 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)

Click here for more information about ASUS UL50Vt-A1 Thin and Light 15.6-Inch Black Laptop - 11.5 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)

Read More...

Toshiba Satellite T115-S1100 11.6-Inch LED TruBrite Black/Grey Laptop - 8 Hours 22 Minutes of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Recently a Sony tx770p given to me had it's hard drive die on me after 2 months of really getting used to using the laptop. I have had my eye out for a long time for a replacement for it that would be comparable: 11.x screen, 1366 x 768 screen res, light weight, excellent battery life, excellent trackpad, and a particular type of keyboard that is similar to "chicklet style" but slightly different. Well, I finally found a replacement in the person of the Toshiba T115-S1100. Essentially it is a more-than-standard powerful netbook style computer.
Pro's:
1. Screen and size - LED backlit and "TruBright" ... lovely, crisp and clear! And 1366 x 768 screen resolution to boot, which is the minimum screen resolution I find actually usable when doing day to day things like browsing the internet and reading docs (both .pdf and word processing). It weighs roughly 3.5 lbs - nice and light on your shoulder as you carry it around!
2. Battery life - with everything turned off I have been able to get a little over 10 hours doing simple word processing or reading docs on this machine.
3. DDR3 RAM - the machine comes with a 2 gb chip in one slot, with another slot available to upgrade the memory. It maxes out at 4 gb. The ddr3 makes a noticeable difference in netbook level machines in my opinion.
4. Windows 7 Home - that is, a full installation of the OS, giving you way more options than Windows 7 Starter. The OS is only the 32 bit version, but it works fine considering the physical specs of the machine proper.
5. Keyboard - I personally really like the keyboard "style" used on this machine - there is spacing in between the keys a 'la "chicklet style", but the part of the keys you actually hit with your fingers are a teeny bit smaller than the bottom part of the keys, providing extra space and in general a sturdy feel when typing.
6. Trackpad - a pleasure to use. Responsive and just plain well made.
7. HDMI port - for those of you interested in such things this is a plus!
8. Web Cam - a 2 mp camera, a bit more for those of you who would use this than can be found on your average note/netbooks.
9. Intel 4500 graphics card - true, not that great, but still enough to use the hdmi port out and provide good battery life. Much more powerful than most offerings on netbooks in general.
10. ULV CPU - yes, it is single core and it is a Celeron (something many might associate with poor performance or "second rate"). However, the fact that it is an ULV means that not only is it good for battery life but it can actually crank out a fair amount of speed. This cpu runs at 1.3 ghz, 800mhz FSB, and has 2 mb of cache on it. Combine that with the ddr3 ram and a sata hard drive and you get quite a nice bit of speed for a machine its size and price.
11. Hard drive size - you get 250gb, whereas most netbook style machines give you a 160gb. Nice!
Cons:
1. Fingerprint Magnet - Argh! This thing (like many of the black colored machines produced today) attracts fingerprints to the outside of the machine and all around the outside of the screen proper. Frustrating.
2. No bluetooth - would have been a nice extra feature to add in. One should note, though, that built-in bluetooth is not an option on any of the Satellite T115 models available out there. It would be easy enough to get an external adapter though if it were really needed.
3. Mouse buttons - the mouse buttons used are "rocker style", that is, one button over the area that goes downwards on either side. I am not a fan of the rocker style buttons myself and find them difficult to use. Fortunately I had an external wireless mouse already.
4. Audio card - I have read accounts of people who have found the audio card far too weak to send noise out through the laptop speakers, although the sound through the headphones is quite fine. For me this is not an issue as I use it only with headphones. A simple "fix" for this is simply to uninstall the specific drivers for the audio card and opt for the microsoft standard drivers instead - they are reported to be a big improvement over sending sounds out of the speakers directly.
Middle-of-the-Road:
1. Heat control - it can get moderately warm when doing somewhat intensive tasks, like watching video files, for example. Nothing bad, but it is noticeable.
2. Wireless card - it is 802.11b/g rank only. This is kind of "for the par" on netbook style machines in general, but why not put in an N rank?
3. "Fusion" finish in Nova Black - the external decorations on the machine proper - it does not really excite me, but on the other hand it did not turn me off to considering to purchase the machine in general.
4. Indicator Lights - there are nine of them, and they are all on the front of the machine. If they were all active your machine would look like a small string of Christmas tree lights! :) Seriously though, it is not so bad, I simply prefer fewer indicator lights on a machine in general.
5. Standard port offerings - 3 usb 2.0 ports, mic/headphones jacks, sd card slot, vga out port, kensington lock, 10/100 ethernet.
6. USB sleep and charge - basically some software by which you can configure a certain device to draw a charge form the laptop while it is asleep. Not really something I can use or am interested in, but perhaps some may find it useful.
7. Overall Build - the machine is fairly sturdy and the screen and keyboard do not flex much at all. Good build in general overall from a "home line" product.
8. No optical drive - either internal or external. Again, I had one of these already, so this was not much of an issue, but to make dvd recovery discs you will need one.
****
Conclusion: Overall I must say that I am very satisfied with this little machine. It is an excellent replacement for me, basically a "super-powered netbook": that is, one that portability, connectivity and battery life of a netbook, yet has more options and "umph" than most offerings out there. For a little more cpu speed and wireless N you can pay $40 more or so and get the T115-S1105. For me, however, this machine more than does everything I would want it to do for its size and price.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba Satellite T115-S1100 11.6-Inch LED TruBrite Black/Grey Laptop - 8 Hours 22 Minutes of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)

Click here for more information about Toshiba Satellite T115-S1100 11.6-Inch LED TruBrite Black/Grey Laptop - 8 Hours 22 Minutes of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)

Read More...

HP Pavilion DV3-2150US 13.3-Inch Entertainment Laptop Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I researched every laptop out there before deciding on this one. I'm starting law school so my requirements were:
lightweight
comfortable to type on for hours
good touchpad
large hard drive--I take a lot of pictures & love me my Itunes
under $800 and not goofy looking
After about a month I can say I really love this laptop, and think I made the perfect choice. The keyboard is perfect, touchpad is the best I've ever seen on a laptop, smooth & just sensitive enough. It's super fast so far, and HUGE hard drive that I will probably never fill up (though I'll try). It doesn't get hot, is super lightweight & easy to carry around, the screen is perfect--I wouldn't want to go any smaller, and don't need to go any bigger. I like the built in webcam, like the touch sensitive volume controls on the keyboard. I don't even mind Vista, though one of these days we will go through and delete some of the other preloaded stuff that comes on it.
Only improvement I would suggest is one more USB port, but if that's the only compromise I have to make, I'm happy!

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP Pavilion DV3-2150US 13.3-Inch Entertainment Laptop

Click here for more information about HP Pavilion DV3-2150US 13.3-Inch Entertainment Laptop

Read More...

ASUS UL50AG-A2 Thin and Light 15.6-Inch Black Laptop - 12 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)At around $800 for a 15 inch, this laptop undercuts the Apple Macbook Pro by about half. It is thin and light and with great decent build quality. The multi touch mouse is a little too sensitive but I believe with the correct collaboration, it can be easily fixed. The screen is bright with the LED backlighting. The battery in real life test lasted me about 8-9 hours while surfing the internet. There are additional features which I have yet to masters like smart login with camera. All in all, very satisfied with the purchase. The only thing I found a bit disappointing is that one of the rubber thingies that hides the screw already came off on day two. It does not impact the performance in anyway but it's a bit disappointing. Also there are alot of screw points around the monitor as well which was a bit of a surprise. The 15.6" widescreen is a bit non standard and cannot fit into my LV messenger bag. Windows 7 64 bit requires a bit of adjustments to work with older apps. But other than that, this is a beautiful, FAST, LIGHT alternative to the MacBook Pro.

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS UL50AG-A2 Thin and Light 15.6-Inch Black Laptop - 12 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)

Free yourself from power cords and start exploring with up to an amazing 12 hours of all-day battery life with the ASUS UL50AG-A2, thanks to its Ultra Low Voltage (ULV) Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor and 15.6-inch LED-backlit display, which combines vibrant visuals with advanced energy efficiency. This stylish, ultra-portable notebook features a brushed aluminum lid that not only looks magnificent, but also helps in maintaining its stylish exterior day after day. The UL50AG also features a multi-gesture touchpad, which enables you to intuitively zoom in or out of pictures via pinching, or navigate up and down pages by sliding your finger.
Pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system (64-bit version), you'll be able to easily create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. Windows 7 is the easiest, fastest, and most engaging version of Windows yet. Better ways to find and manage files, like Jump Lists and improved taskbar previews, help you speed through everyday tasks. Windows 7 is designed for faster and more reliable performance, so your PC just works the way you want it to. (Learn more about Windows 7 Home Premium below.)

Experience FastBoot, the unique performance boost for Windows 7 made possible by ASUS's close partnership with Microsoft. With ASUS exclusive FastBoot technology, this Windows 7-enabled ASUS notebook starts up in a staggering 30 seconds.

Compact and under 1-inch thin, you can fit the UL50AG virtually anywhere--freeing space for books, files, or whatever else you need to enjoy a spacious workspace. The UL50AG includes Altec Lansing speakers plus SRS surround for a virtual home theater experience on the go, as well as an HDMI port for connecting to an HDTV at home. You'll be able to store all of your favorite applications, most important documents, and large video and audio libraries with the generous 320 GB hard drive. Other features include 4 GB of DDR2 RAM (maximum capacity), integrated webcam, Draft-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g/n), Intel GMA 4500MHD integrated video graphics, and multi-format memory card reader.

And where some PC manufacturers only offer 1 year of warranty service, the ASUS UL50AG comes standard with a 2-year global ASUS 360 warranty as well as 1 year of Accidental Damage Warranty (ADW).



Key Features
High-gloss 15.6-inch LED-backlit HD high definition display with 1366 x 768 resolution (16:9 aspect ratio) that uses less energy and still gives you an immersive cinematic experience (Learn more)
Up to 12 hours of battery life from 8-cell battery
Windows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. And you can watch shows for free when and where you want with Internet TV on Windows Media Center. Get the best entertainment experience with Windows 7 Home Premium. (Learn more)
Get more features with Windows Anytime Upgrade. It's the best way to add features to Windows 7, takes as few as ten minutes, requires no software or downloads, and you'll keep your existing programs, files, and settings. Windows will walk you through the simple upgrade process.
Chiclet style keyboard and multi-touch trackpad for comfortable and intuitive use (Learn more)
ASUS IceCool Technology for cool-to-the-touch palm rest
Exclusive Express Gate feature enables ultra-fast boot so you can connect to the web in just 10 seconds
Energy efficient, dual core 1.3 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor with ultra-low voltage for extended battery life (Learn more)
320 GB SATA hard drive (5400 RPM)
4 GB of installed DDR2 RAM (800 MHz; 2 x SODIMM slots; 4 GB maximum capacity)
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD integrated video processing
0.3-megapixel webcam for connecting with friends and family over video chats
ASUS SmartLogon facial recognition system detects your face and logs on automatically
Draft-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g/n)
HDMI high-definition audio/video output allows a single cable to transmit uncompressed high-definition video to your digital TV or LCD
Altec Lansing speakers enhanced with SRS Premium Sound for home theatre quality acoustics (Learn more)
ASUS Super Hybrid Engine for extended battery life
Dimensions: 15.4 x 10.4 x 0.6 inches (WxDxH)
Weight: 5.2 pounds (with battery
Warranty: 2 year global warranty and 1 year accidental damage warranty (Learn more)

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion With its integrated Draft-N Wi-Fi networking capabilities, this laptop provides up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range using 802.11n-compatible routers as you would with 802.11g networks. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found at Wi-Fi hotspots and in older home routers). This notebook also provides Fast (10/100) Ethernet networking.

3 USB 2.0 ports 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: 1 VGA
5-in-1 memory card reader compatible with Secure Digital (SD), MultiMedia Card (MMC), Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, and xD Picture Card
1 headphone jack (S/PDIF digital audio output), 1 microphone jack
10/100 Fast Ethernet

What's in the box This package contains the ASUS UL50AG-A2 notebook PC, AC adapter, rechargeable 8-cell battery, and user manual

Learn More
High Definition That Doesn't Break the Bank The 15.6-inch LED-backlit display offers bright, vibrant visuals and advanced energy efficiency, and it has a high-definition resolution (1366 x 768) and 16:9 ratio display for watching movies and HDTV programming without annoying black bars. It's supported by an integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD integrated graphics processor for cinematic visual quality. Equipped with HDMI connectivity, you can easily stream media whether you're on the move or through an external display at home or in the office.
The UL50AG is complemented with Altec Lansing speakers--30 percent more powerful compared to those found on conventional notebooks--and SRS premium surround sound, providing high-quality audio playback without the need to connect to external speakers. The angle of the speakers also allows audio to be "bounced" upwards from any surface to provide better amplification, delivering a wider frequency range, which in turn produces lower pitches that allow users to hear every reverberation of the drums, as well as every note in pitch perfect quality.



Windows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. You can even watch, pause, rewind, and record TV. Get the best entertainment experience with Windows 7 Home Premium.



Jump Lists New in Windows 7, Jump Lists take you right to the documents, pictures, songs, or websites you turn to each day. To open a Jump List, just right-click a program icon on the Windows 7 taskbar. (You'll also find them on the Start menu.) What you see in a Jump List depends entirely on the program. The Jump List for Internet Explorer 8 shows frequently-viewed websites. Windows Media Player 12 lists commonly-played tunes. Your Jump List missing a favorite? You can "pin" whatever files you like there. Jump Lists don't just show shortcuts to files. Sometimes they also provide quick access to commands for things like composing new e‑mail messages or playing music.

Improved Windows Taskbar In Windows 7 you can "pin" favorite programs anywhere on the taskbar for easy access. Not crazy about the icon lineup? Now you can rearrange them any way you like by clicking and dragging. Finally, there are new ways to preview windows. Point to a taskbar icon to see a thumbnail preview of open files or programs. Then, move your mouse over a thumbnail to preview the window full-screen. You can even close windows from the thumbnail previews--a big time saver.

Snap Ever need to cut through a cluttered desktop and quickly focus on a single window? Just click a pane and give your mouse a shake. Every open window except that one instantly disappears. Jiggle again--and your windows are back.



Energy Efficient Intel Core 2 Duo ULV Processor Offering the latest in ultra-low voltage processing power, the dual-core Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 has a has a power consumption rating of just 10 watts and a 1.3 GHz speed that's paired with a fast 800 MHz front-side bus (FSB) and 3 MB L2 cache. (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.)




Eye-Catching Sophistication Impress onlookers or complement any setting with the UL50AG's brushed aluminum finish and high-class appeal. Simply opening the notebook you notice the interior casing around the display that brings the color to life so that time-after-time the UL50AG shines with a brilliant, high-gloss finish. Plus, the chiclet style keyboard and spacious keys not only allow for a comfortable typing experience but also prevents dust buildup keeping it nice and clean every time you use it. Inspired by the light grace of a butterfly, the UL50AG carries the hallmark contours and slim elegance that separate it from the typical cookie-cutter notebook with a true style of its own.
With ASUS IceCool Technology, you're ensured extended battery life and a cool-to-touch surface, so even after the longest computer sessions there's limited heat for optimized comfort. The palm rest area also makes your experience more enjoyable so you have plenty of space to place your hands while typing on the keyboard.



Industry Leading Customer Warranty Accidents Happen You have extra protection when they happen to your ASUS notebook purchased in the US or Canada. ASUS will fix it or replace it for you at no charge during the first year after purchase in the event of damage from accidental spills, drops, electrical surges, or fire.
Warranty covering accidental drops, spills, power surges, and fire damage
Target 3-business-day turnaround time for repair / replacement; not including receiving and shipping time
One-way shipping (from ASUS to the user) at no additional cost
24-hour toll-free phone support
One incident covered per notebook

Click here for more information about ASUS UL50AG-A2 Thin and Light 15.6-Inch Black Laptop - 12 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)

Read More...

HP 15.6" Pavilion dv6-3122us Turion II Entertainment 4GB Laptop 500GB Notebook PC Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)For a laptop with a 500gb hard drive and 4 gigabytes of RAM and a fast processor(2.4ghz), I would recommend the DV6 to anyone who wants a stylish computer with great specs for the price

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP 15.6" Pavilion dv6-3122us Turion II Entertainment 4GB Laptop 500GB Notebook PC

Click here for more information about HP 15.6" Pavilion dv6-3122us Turion II Entertainment 4GB Laptop 500GB Notebook PC

Read More...

Toshiba Mini NB305-N440BN 10.1-Inch Netbook (Java Brown) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Let's get real here. Netbooks ARE NOT replacements for those of you folks who should be shopping for a NOTEBOOK. Having owned at least 4 Toshiba notebooks in the past and currently on my first Sony notebook, I'd expect those machines to do the heavy lifting... serious Photoshopping, DV editing, CAD modelling, rendering, moderate gaming, etc. It'd be irresponsible to ding netbooks on how inadequate they are at these tasks. With this in mind, the Toshiba NB305-N440 fills a very helpful role for those of you who already have a full-fledged notebook or desktop chugging away in the background.
The Toshiba netbook's 3lb weight and size makes it incredibly portable, handleable, and stowable. Grab it single-handedly at the palmrest, grab it at the hinges, or scoop it up from underneath; it's construction feels sturdy and solid where you don't have to worry about something falling off from this kind of abuse. For you existing notebook users, ever feel like you're devoting 80% of your backpack to carrying around that bohemoth... or how about trying to use a 15" screen on the dining tray in the cattle-section of an economy flight? ESPECIALLY when you're just using it to compose a few paragraphs for a meeting, class, or email rant? The NB305 netbook remedies this exactly. The 10.1" screen can be comfortably angled away from you even when the passenger in front decides to stay reclined throughout the flight. Size and weight. Advantage? Netbook.
Unlike other netbooks, Toshiba's NB305 has a design that accomodates a 6-cell battery as standard. No outrageous goofy protrusion as in HP and Sony's extra-cost offering. With the lid closed, the whole package remains as svelte and stowable as lesser competitors with their 3-cell designs. And BECAUSE the Toshiba NB305 has a 6-cell Li-Ion as standard, real-world usage equates to a 5-7 hour run-time with the brightness set at max while pounding away at tasks that make the hard drive thrash around. Coming from a decade of using 2-hour notebooks, its amazing to be away from an AC outlet for that long.
How about useability for a 1.66ghz machine? With the Microsoft-imposed configuration of 1gig RAM, I had my doubts about Windows 7 Starter edition. It turns out the NB305-N440 boots into the desktop in a reasonable amount of time and simple websurfing, emailing chores are handled without issue. Sites that make use of Flash like Hulu, Youtube, and a myriad of other flash-navigation stuff is very surfable on this netbook. The VGA webcam offers adequate resolution and has a wide enough capture angle to make this netbook suitable for video Skyping. Where it falls short is the speaker volume. This is pandemic of all netbooks. When in the boundaries of your personal space, the dinky speakers are barely audible enough for a conversation in all but the emptiest of coffee shops. Those of you hoping to give one of these to grandma as a dedicated Skype device should hope grandma doesn't mind wearing headphones. No issues with the netbook's mic as the other party will hear you fine. Did this netbook slow down? Eventually. By the time I had Skype fired up, two tabs in IE8 loaded on sizeable pages and a THIRD tab buffering a show on Hulu, the 1gig ram had to swap stuff into the hard drive. Bumping up to 2gigs DDR3 RAM would help, but you'll have to yank out the existing one.
At first unboxing, the Toshiba NB305-N440's brightness is set midway; passable, but not something I'd want to scowl at for more than an hour. Crank up the brightness settings and the Toshiba's efficient LED backlit screen shows itself to be very crisp, very readable, quite bright. The next several hours was spent installing personal stuff, Win7 updates (224megs), and removing the thankfully small amount of Toshiba bloatware. All that time the bright screen was legible and comfy on the eyes. Even after Windows Update did everything it wanted, the netbook still booted up in the same 40-ish second span. That's kinda impressive considering they're still using a non-SSD traditional hard drive. Part of this can be attributed to the reduced amount of OS baggage in Windows 7 Starter edition. On that note, there was hardly anything I missed in this OS-lite. Can't change the wallpaper? No big deal. The only plausible nit here is that Win7 Starter lacks multiple user accounts... so those hoping to lock things down and hand it to their tots might have to upgrade beyond "Starter Edition".
The heat vent on the left side emitted therms about the equivalent of holding your hand up near a fluorescent desklamp. It's there, but in no way bothersome.
While Senor Jobs positions his iPad to be a "consumption" device, there are those of us who wish to stay productive and the reason for a netbook's existence is to sport that keyboard. The Toshiba NB305 netbooks don't disappoint here. Touch-typists will appreciate chicklet keys that feel as nicely spaced as all the other keyboards they've worked on. Toshiba saved space by narrowing the traditionally long caps-lock, shift, and enter keys. The touchpad is nice too... full-size just like most big-boy notebooks. Possibly the biggest of ANY netbook. Dedicated left and right buttons are in the appropriate expected spot.
The last and most prominent nit is that the NB305 lacks built-in Bluetooth. Bluetooth would allow the Toshiba netbook to simultaneously control a mouse, feed a wireless headset, and transfer files between your smartphone. Being internal, it wouldn't eat up a USB slot. Alas, neither the preconfigured units or ToshibaDirect offers internal Bluetooth in their netbooks. (Oddly, the Bluetooth SOFTWARE stack is already installed) The only recourse is their low-profile USB Bluetooth 2.1 dongle. Speaking of USB, one of the three slots on this netbook offers power even when the machine is off. This means only having to carry a USB charge cable for your phone instead of a larger dedicated wallwart when travelling lite.
This leaves the last de rigueur issue, High Definition. It's seems the rage to pair up HD with netbooks nowadays. I'm one of the biggest HD snobs out there, but after using a netbook for several hours, forcing HD into a netbook form factor is just pointless... moreso when it only serves to kill the battery life with its high CPU/GPU requirement and the high-capacity battery requirement itself. Being able to stay productive for a 6-hour stretch on a Toshiba netbook trumps the notion of hunching over a 10" screen squinting at a "high definition" file for two hours. If I'm missing a show, I'm willing to "settle" for a 480P stream from Hulu on a Toshiba NB305-N440 rather than give up two thirds the amount of battery life in some of these HD netbooks. Need a portable high-definition playback machine? Get a full-fledged notebook; full-HD widescreen, larger/louder speakers, blu-ray drive. I suggest this from first-hand experience.
Need to be productive while staying highly mobile? This Toshiba NB305-N440 is appropriate for THAT task. I can't really ding it for lack of internal Bluetooth now that Toshiba offers their low-profile dongle. Yes it takes up a precious USB port, but it'll make up for it by its versatility in handling a (Bluetooth) mouse, headset, smartphone, pen tablet, etc. The streamlined 6-cell battery and other forward-thinking features like LED backlight, USB charging, diminuitive AC adapter, and draft-N WiFi makes this a well-focused netbook. In its pricepoint, the NB305-N440 netbook offers a great degree of functionality out-of-the-box, exudes a good amount of sturdiness, comes with a 3 year warranty, and is born from a company that's been into mobile computing for nearly two decades now.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba Mini NB305-N440BN 10.1-Inch Netbook (Java Brown)


Enjoy the lighter, brighter side of mobility with the affordable, super-compact Toshiba Mini NB305-N440BN, which weighs less than 3 pounds, is small enough to throw in a purse or bag, and has a brightly colorful 10.1-inch LED-backlit screen. Offering a durable textured finish and cover in Java Brown, it features a full-size keyboard for comfortable typing and a larger touchpad with Multi-Touch Control, which enables you to navigate documents, web pages and images more easily.

Combining the power of the latest Intel Atom N455 processor and NM10 Express chipset with a six-cell battery for up to 8.75 hours of battery power, you'll be able to go through an entire day of school, work or errands without worrying about a recharge. The battery pack is neatly hidden under the casing of the netbook to preserve its sleek, ergonomic design.

The 250 GB hard disk drive is protected using an integrated 3D impact sensor which detects freefalls, shocks and vibrations. The Toshiba Mini also features a USB Sleep-and-Charge port, which allows external USB devices such as mobile phones and personal media players to charge from the netbook even when it is turned off. Other features include fast DDR3 RAM, an integrated webcam, and a mono speaker.

This Toshiba Mini comes pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 7 Starter operating system (32-bit version).



Key Features
10.1-inch LED backlit widescreen display (1024 x 600-pixel resolution) provides richer colors and clearer definition--perfect for browsing the Internet.


1.66 GHz Intel Atom N455 processor (512 KB L2 cache, 667 MHz FSB) combines performance and energy efficiency to explore the Internet and stay connected while mobile.


250 GB SATA hard drive (5400 RPM)


1 GB of installed DDR3 RAM (667 MHz; expandable to 2 GB)


Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150 video processor with up to 250 MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory.


Wireless Connectivity
With its integrated Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking capabilities, this laptop provides up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range using 802.11n-compatible routers as you would with 802.11g networks. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found at Wi-Fi hotspots and in older home routers.



Included Toshiba Software:
Toshiba Media Controller offers simplified media sharing. Using an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, it lets you share videos, music and pictures from the media library on your laptop with compatible devices in your home entertainment network, or with other compatible laptops and devices, like an Xbox 360 game console. And you can do it all without moving equipment, burning discs or fumbling with cables.
Toshiba Bulletin Board is an easy-to-use organizational and productivity app that lets you build your own personalized space on your desktop. With Toshiba Bulletin Board, you can quickly and easily manage your to-do lists and calendars, plus create your own custom work area by pinning your favorite photos, documents, links and more.
Toshiba ReelTime helps you cut down the time it takes to search for files. The easy-to-use app takes traditional text-based file structures one step further to help you find what you're looking for more quickly. Accessible from your taskbar, it shows you a visual timeline of your recently accessed files--using graphical thumbnails--so you can easily identify and get to your files faster.



Included Toshiba Utilities:
USB Sleep and Charge offers a great way to keep your portable electronics powered up without requiring your laptop to be on. With this laptop's Sleep and Charge USB port, you'll be able to charge your smart phone, MP3 player, and other portable electronics--all without having to keep your laptop awake.
Hard Drive Impact Sensor takes the worry out of taking your most important files and multimedia on the go. Able to detect sudden movement along three different dimensions, the impact sensor (a complex system of hardware and software) helps safeguard your data by "parking" the hard drive heads in the event of a drop or sudden movement. And it works faster than you can blink to help protect your laptop and all-important data.



Up to 8.3 hours of battery life (6-cell battery; 48 Wh)


Dimensions & Weight: 10.47 x 7.57 x 1.43 inches (WxDxH); 2.6 pounds



Microsoft Windows 7 Starter makes small notebook PCs easier to use because it puts less between you and what you want to do--less waiting, less clicking, less hassle connecting to networks. Windows 7 Starter combines the latest in reliability and responsiveness with the familiarity and compatibility of Windows. Some features include:

Features like Jump Lists, Pin, Snap, and Windows Search all make using a small notebook PC simple and easy
Joining home networks with other PCs running Windows 7 is easy and simple
Connecting to printers and devices is easier than ever
Supports the latest hardware and software
Internet Explorer 8 improves the safety of web browsing

Environmental Specifications
Energy Star 5.0 certified
Gold EPEAT designation for meeting standards to help reduce its environmental impact.
RoHS compliant effectively reducing the environmental impact by restricting the use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances

Learn more about Toshiba's environmental commitment.

Learn More


25th Anniversary of Toshiba Laptops
This year, Toshiba celebrates its 25th anniversary of innovations and quality in the notebook PC business. Beginning with the launch of the Toshiba T1100, the world's first clamshell-type, fully functional laptop PC, Toshiba has led the with such innovations as the first laptop with a color monitor in 1991 and a laptop with integrated CD-ROM drive in 1995 (followed by the addition of a DVD drive in 1998). And in 2009, Toshiba unveiled the world's first ultraportable laptop with 512GB solid state drive.

Today, Toshiba continues to be a leader in eco-friendly manufacturing, with virtually all of its consumer laptops earning EPEAT Gold status for meeting standards that help reduce overall environmental impact.

Click here for more information about Toshiba Mini NB305-N440BN 10.1-Inch Netbook (Java Brown)

Read More...

MSI A6000-029US Laptop Notebook - 16" widescreen / Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 / 4GB Memory / 320GB HD / DVD±RW Drive / 802.11b/g/Draft-N / Built-in webcam / Windows 7 Home Premium Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this laptop shortly after Windows 7 came out. I found a deal on it for $450 or so at Office Depot. I am not an avid Office Depot shopper (and actually used to work there), but I decided to check this out. I got the laptop, had everything setup relatively quickly, and realized that it came with Windows 7 32-bit installed (my lack of homework, but didn't turn out to be a problem). This is the one of only reasons (see next paragraph for other) I give this laptop a 4 star rating. Someone who is even moderately tech savvy can install Windows 7 64-bit with the exact same key, which is on the bottom of the laptop completely free and 100 percent Legal (Windows 7 keys allow for EITHER 32-bit or 64-bit installation). Some of the software for the computer that is on the disc is a bit more challenging to find the 64-bit drivers for, you will have to look for the 64-bit folder. This is worth the extra effort in my opinion. Google it and you will find plenty of forums if you need any help (especially on [...]).
Pros: This laptop for [...] bucks with 4GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, 16 inch wide screen, HDMI output, and 64-bit Processor and 64-bit Windows 7 (with a bit of work as said above), is clearly a steal! A brand that is lesser known in the mainstream market, because of less advertising, means you don't pay for the Dell, Apple, or Sony advertising. This is a well known brand in the motherboard industry.
Cons: The one problem I have noticed is that occasionally when it tries to hibernate it will not be able to come out of it. I just restart and everything is fine. I have avoided most of this problem by forcing my hard drive to stay on in the power settings. I know it has crashed when the power button LED does not flash anymore (which it normally does when its sleeping). This may be a Windows 7 thing, might be specific to Windows 7 64-bit, or may be the laptop. I am not 100 percent sure where this problem is coming from.
In repsonse to the reviewer talking about tech support and such. Obviously MSI support can only do so much when you haven't done all your research. In your review it even sounded like they answered all your questions and waived some of the cost for you. There were things you did not understand from the get go that you should have. This is not a case of poor MSI support, rather lack of customer due diligence. I am tired of customers rating the product poorly because they haven't done their homework. It sounded like this reviewer looked at a few laptops, chatted with a sales person at Office Depot for an hour, and thought he knew everything he needed to purchase a laptop. The Office Depot guy's job is to sell you a freaking laptop, NOT to do all your homework and make the best decision for you. He is going to have basic knowledge of the products for sale, not enough for you to make a great decision.

Click Here to see more reviews about: MSI A6000-029US Laptop Notebook - 16" widescreen / Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 / 4GB Memory / 320GB HD / DVD±RW Drive / 802.11b/g/Draft-N / Built-in webcam / Windows 7 Home Premium

Click here for more information about MSI A6000-029US Laptop Notebook - 16" widescreen / Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 / 4GB Memory / 320GB HD / DVD±RW Drive / 802.11b/g/Draft-N / Built-in webcam / Windows 7 Home Premium

Read More...

ASUS K50IJ-X8 15.6-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)(Re-wrote this review 12/6/09)
This is an excellent budget notebook with a 15.6" screen that's only 5.8 lbs. We just bought two for my wife's parents (don't buy it for 3D games, as it has integrated graphics, but office apps and browsing are fine).
Pros:
- T6600 Core 2 Duo (not the Pentium Dual Core, lower-end C2D, ULVs, or Atoms)
- Relatively quiet and light (5.8 lbs)
- Big hard drive (mine had a Seagate Momentus 5400.6)
- Screen has relatively good viewing angles, horizontal and vertical
- Pretty good fit and finish for a plastic casing (although there's a somewhat flimsy lid that is separate from the battery)
- 4 USB ports
- VGA output is crisp (to 1280x1024, didn't try bigger)
- I haven't noticed the palm rest getting warm at all ... but you're not playing 3D games are you?
- You can select one language during boot up that's set forever, that is, until you restore from the recovery partition. The first time I chose Traditional Chinese. Works great. I restored (press F9 at boot) and selected English. Works great, didn't need to put in DVDs, and all the software reappeared. I even choose the option to use one C:\ drive, instead of the default 60% C:, 40% D:.
- Opening the notebook casing is easy -- find the "electronic - hardware" version (not the "hardware" version) of the manual on Asus's web site (search for K50, then click Download, then Manuals). The hard drive is easily replaceable. Relatively clean layout so I can imagine blowing out dust bunnies will be easy.
- Includes Office Home & Student 2007 (Word/Excel/PowerPoint/OneNote) pre-installed WITHOUT a product key. It asks for that so I assume you just punch one in and everything's great.
- Includes a trial of Trend Micro Internet Security for antivirus protection pre-installed.
- Aside from the Asus utilities, relatively little bloatware
- Turned off all of Win7's eye candy. Don't need that.
- 1-year international warranty. Includes accident protection (register for this within 60 days on the Asus U.S. web site, and it's non-transferrable from the original owner). No paperwork on extending the warranty. We're trying our luck in case the computer breaks down in < 1 year and they give us a hassle about it being a gift and the warranty being valid.
Cons:
- A bit fat
- The screen has a blue tinge, just like with Asus's TN LCD displays. You get used to it though.
- Glossy screen (reflections), not matte
- Two-finger touchpad scrolling is too sensitive out of the box with Firefox (although it might be okay with IE). Turning it all the way down, it's fine.
- The numeric keypad uses smaller keys! Difficult to use for folks with big hands.
- The arrow keys don't have space around them (and actually the right arrow key is bumped into the numeric keypad section), so you need to learn where they are.
- The keyboard and touchpad are on the left side of the computer because of the numeric keypad. You quickly get used to that, though, so no biggie.
- The touchpad buttons require some pressure to click, but you get used to it.
- 4 GB maximum memory. Just 1 user-accessible memory slot which contains 2GB. No biggie.
- No DVI. No port replicator option with that option.
- No Bluetooth, FireWire, eSATA, ExpressCard/PCI Express slot
- Integrated Intel graphics (not for 3D gaming, but great for 2D apps)
- The T6600 doesn't support Windows 7's XP compatibility mode. Most of the Win7 Home Premium notebooks I've seen have a CPU which doesn't support XP mode. Only Win7 Professional and higher supports VT mode anyway. Does XP mode matter at all? I have no idea. Search the Internet for that.
- It doesn't wake up when you open the lid. It does sleep when you close the lid. Yes, I checked the settings. Tip: Change the close-lid behavior to Sleep instead of Hibernate for a faster sleep, but battery will drain faster.
Edit 12/10/09:
A few cons I've noticed:
- The two speakers are on the bottom of the notebook, at the front lip. You really need a hard surface to reflect the sound up to you. Definitely below average compared with other notebooks IMO.
- The Page Up / Down keys are above the numeric keypad -- way out of reach. It's an incredible hassle with Internet browsing.
- Remember how I wrote the graphics are good enough for 2D? If you watch a Yahoo! music video in full screen mode, that sucker will tear during fast motion. It's fine at the normal zoom level and with computers with discrete graphics.
- I'm always accidentally hitting the DVD eject button. Other notebooks I've used recess this button.

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS K50IJ-X8 15.6-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Black)

The ASUS K50IJ-X8 versatile performance notebook - more notebook for your money The powerful, stylish and durable ASUS K50IJ-X8 delivers true multitasking performance at a bargain price. With the new ASUS K50IJ-X8, you get the exclusive ASUS Color Shine 15.6-inch LED HD widescreen, a rich media experience, Intel® Core™2 Duo speed, longer battery life, and an integrated suite of effortless mobile computing technologies. Plus, you are also covered by the most thoughtful notebook warranty package in the industry. The K50IJ-X8 is quintessentially practical and trendy. It is designed with Infusion styling that sets it apart from conventional notebook design, while a suite of innovative technologies provides effortless mobile computing capabilities from day to day. ASUS' 360 notebook warranty and Accidental Damage Warranty is icing on the cake. ASUS K50IJ-X8 notebooks come standard with a 1-Year Global Warranty and more*:
Thirty-days flawless display guarantee
Free two-way standard shipping
24-hour tech support seven days a week Plus ASUS Accidental Damage Protection: ASUS notebooks also come with a One Year Accidental Damage Warranty protecting the notebook from drops, fire, spills, and surge.**


Key Features

Powered by an Intel Core2 Duo Processor T6600 for versatile productivity
Extra bright 15.6-inch HD Color Shine LED-backlit widescreen (16:9) for immersive cinematic experience
ASUS Super Hybrid Engine for extended battery life1
4GB of DDR2 system memory for smooth computing with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit installed
500GB, 5,400rpm hard drive for fast, convenient storage and access to all your documents and multimedia
Built-in 802.11n wireless connectivity that enables 'real-time' video conferencing and Internet browsing
Integrated 1.3 megapixel webcam for connecting with your friends and family
Numeric Keyboard for easy number input of numbers
ASUS IceCool Technology provides a cool-to-the-touch palm rest
ASUS 360: 1 year global warranty and ASUS ADW: 1 year accidental damage warranty*

Learn More
Long Lasting HD Entertainment
Infusion of Beauty and Practicality
Extended Battery Life with ASUS Super Hybrid Engine
Connectivity, Communication, and Storage On The Move
More Multitasking Power with Less Power Consumption
ASUS Exclusive Windows 7 Features
ASUS 360* -- 1 Year Global Warranty
ASUS ADW* -- 1 Year Accidental Damage Warranty**
For PC's running Windows 7 Home Premium
Warranty
ASUS 360* (1 Years Global Warranty) + ASUS ADW* (1 Year Accidental Damage Warranty**) + Flawless Display Guarantee ASUS K50IJ-X8 comes with ASUS 360 (1 years global warranty), ADW (1 Year Accidental Damage Warranty*) and Flawless Display Guarantee. If the purchaser discovers one defective bright dot within 30 days of purchase, ASUS will replace the panel without cost to the purchaser.
What's in the Box
ASUS K50IJ-X8
AC Adapter
6 cell Battery Pack
Warranty Information Cards
Specifications
Operating System: Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Display: 15.6-inch 16:9 Wide Format 1366x768 HD LED backlit Display
Intel Platform: Intel Core2 Duo T6600 Processor (2.2GHz)
Graphics: Embedded Intel GL40
Wireless: 802.11 B/G/N Wireless LAN
LAN: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet
Memory: 4GB DDR2-800
Storage: 500GB HDD (5400rpm drive)
Optical Drive: DVD Super Multi Double Layer
Camera: 1.3M Pixels with Auto-Focus
Audio: Built-in Azalia compliant audio chip, with 3D effect & full duplex
Speakers: Altec Lansing co-brand speakers featuring SRS Premium Sound
Microphone Built-in microphone
Card Reader: 3 in 1 card reader (SD/MMC/MS)
Input/Output: 1 x Microphone-in jack, 1 x Headphone-out jack(S/PDIF) 4 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x RJ45 LAN jack for LAN
Video Output: 1 x VGA port/Mini D-sub 15-pin
Keyboard: 19mm full size 88 Key with MS Windows function keys
Battery Pack: 6 cells (2900mAh)
Power Supply: Output: 16 V DC, 4.7 A, 90W / Input: 100~240 V AC, 50/60 Hz universal
Dimensions: 14.57 (W) x 10.08 (L) x 1.22~1.40 (H) inches
Weight: 5.73 lbs (with 6 cell battery pack) 1Subject to system configuration and user scenario *For notebooks purchased on or after Sept. 10, 2007. The ASUS 360 Notebook Service Program and Accidental Damage Warranty covers "ASUS" brand notebooks only, and does NOT extend to: "Built on ASUS," "ASMobile," "Powered by ASUS," the Eee PC, or some other models. These retailers are currently among the companies that do NOT participate in the ASUS 360 Notebook Service Program and Accidental Damage Warranty: Best Buy, MicroCenter, and The Source by CircuitCity in Canada. Limited of one claim per notebook for Accidental Damage Warranty. ASUS reserves the right to discontinue this program and to modify the terms and conditions thereof at any time. ASUS Accidental Damage Warranty Program starts from the date of your ASUS notebook purchase, when all the requirements are met. **One incident covered per notebook All specifications and terms are subject to change without notice. Please check with your supplier for exact offers on selected models. Products may not be available in all markets. Product may not be exactly as shown in photos. Celeron, Celeron Inside, Centrino, Centrino Inside, Core Inside, Intel, Intel Logo, Intel Atom, Intel Atom Inside, Intel Core, Intel Inside, Intel Inside Logo, Intel Viiv, Intel vPro, Itanium, Itanium Inside, Pentium, Pentium Inside, Viiv Inside, vPro Inside, Xeon, and Xeon Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.

Click here for more information about ASUS K50IJ-X8 15.6-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Black)

Read More...

Toshiba Satellite L305-S5921 - Pentium Dual Core T3400 / 2.16 GHz - RAM 2 GB - HDD 160 GB - DVD?RW (?R DL) / DVD-RAM - GMA 4500MHD - WLAN : 802.11b/g - Vista Home Premium - 15.4" Widescreen TFT 1280 x 800 ( WXGA ) TruBrite - glossy black, onyx blue Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)A great all-around machine at a budget price. Doesn't feel like a budget machine. Pros:
- Plenty fast 2 Ghz core duo, 2 GB RAM
- Intel graphics chipset (GMA 4500) which is 2x the speed of earlier laptop video chips from Intel, DirectX10, 720p native - snappy with Vista Aero
- nice keyboard, good crisp key action, well laid out
- glorious screen, bright (even under battery power) and super crisp
- very useful multimedia controls: stop/start/FF work with Media player & DVDs, front edge volume, headphone & mic ports
- front edge switch for wifi (on/off)
Cons:
- screen resolution tops at 1280x800
- HDD only 160 GB (140 GB usable)
- won't play games well at max res - not a portable gaming computer
- battery life only a couple hours (keeping that screen lit up uses a lot of power)
If you are like me and use an external drive to sync your tunes to a MP3 player, then the HDD should be plenty large. If you demand your tunes with you, it may not be enough. Same if you need hardcore gaming in your laptop.
I fired up Audacity and did some recording, it handled it flawlessly. I'll be doing a lot of recording on this machine. DVDs are smooth, and Vista responds very well on this machine. USed Zune SW to play music & show a slideshow & did some surfing - handled it just fine.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba Satellite L305-S5921 - Pentium Dual Core T3400 / 2.16 GHz - RAM 2 GB - HDD 160 GB - DVDRW (R DL) / DVD-RAM - GMA 4500MHD - WLAN : 802.11b/g - Vista Home Premium - 15.4" Widescreen TFT 1280 x 800 ( WXGA ) TruBrite - glossy black, onyx blue

Click here for more information about Toshiba Satellite L305-S5921 - Pentium Dual Core T3400 / 2.16 GHz - RAM 2 GB - HDD 160 GB - DVDRW (R DL) / DVD-RAM - GMA 4500MHD - WLAN : 802.11b/g - Vista Home Premium - 15.4" Widescreen TFT 1280 x 800 ( WXGA ) TruBrite - glossy black, onyx blue

Read More...

Toshiba Satellite A205-S4617 15.4" Laptop (Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T5500, 2 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, SuperMulti DVD Drive, Vista Premium) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This laptop is great. I only have a few issues. I wish the hard drive was faster than 4500 rpm and I wish it had the capability of connecting to a docking station or port replicator. I also really like the labelflash functionality. The laptop comes with 1 labelflash DVD that you can use. The problem is you cannot find labelflash media anywhere so it's basically useless.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba Satellite A205-S4617 15.4" Laptop (Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T5500, 2 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, SuperMulti DVD Drive, Vista Premium)

Stylishly accented with an onyx blue metallic LCD cover, the Toshiba Satellite A205-S4617 notebook PC is a great blend of multitasking productivity, multimedia prowess, and efficiently powered portability. It features Intel's 4965 AGN wireless LAN, which will connect to draft 802.11n routers and offers compatibility with 802.11a/b/g networks as well. The large, bright 15.4-inch XGA-resolution LCD (1280 x 800) is perfect for viewing multiple application screens or watching widescreen movies on DVD. It's also great for using as a media center, with Toshiba's unique Express Media Player enabling you to bypass the system and access CDs and DVDs with a touch of button. The dual-layer/multi-format DVD drive also burns CDs, and can print labels directly onto discs with the integrated Labelflash functionality.
This notebook is powered by the 1.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 processor (with quicker 667 MHz front-side bus), which offers a 20 percent performance boost over its predecessor while using 28 percent less power--so you get the benefit of a powerful dual-core PC plus all the benefits of mobility. It provides an optimized, multithreaded architecture for improved multitasking performance. It features an extra-large 250 GB hard drive, 2 GB of installed RAM (max capacity), Intel GMA 950 graphics processor with up to 256 MB of shared video memory, an ExpressCard slot, and a 5-in-1 memory card reader. And the integrated WebCam (with built-in microphone) enables easy video conferencing via VoIP and video IM chats.
It comes preinstalled with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, which includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center. In addition to easily playing your DVD movies and managing your digital audio library, you'll be able to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV). Vista also integrates new search tools throughout the operating system, includes new parental control features, and offers new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures.
The Basics
Processor: The Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 processor has a 1.66 GHz processor speed, super-fast 667 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and large 2 MB L2 cache. (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.)
The Intel Core 2 Duo processor has two computational execution cores in a single processor, providing greater system response when running multi-threaded applications simultaneously with no significant increase in power consumption. It's optimized for multitasking and is ready to support the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. It can simultaneously run multiple demanding applications--such as graphics-intensive games or serious number-crunching business productivity applications--while downloading music or running virus-scanning security programs in the background. Some of the advanced Intel innovations of the Core 2 Duo processor include:
Smart Memory Access: Improves system performance by hiding memory latency, thus optimizing the use of available computer data bandwidth to provide data to the processor when and where it is needed.
Advanced Digital Media Boost: Effectively doubles the execution speed for instructions used widely in multimedia and graphics applications.
Dynamic Power Coordination: Coordinates Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology and idle power-management state (C-states) transitions independently per core to help save power.
Deeper Sleep with Dynamic Cache Sizing: Saves power by flushing cache data to system memory during periods of inactivity to lower CPU voltage.


Hard Drive: The extra-large 250 GB Serial ATA hard drive (4500 RPM) provides more than enough capacity for storing documents, digital media files, and productivity software. This SATA hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to FireWire and USB 2.0.

Memory: The 2 GB of built-in memory (PC5300, DDR2 SDRAM, 2 x 1024 MB) offers a top-of-class 667 MHz speed. It can be expanded to a generous 4 GB, which will enable you to handle video editing, graphics-intensive presentations, and multiple open business productivity applications more efficiently--as well as smoothly play immersive 3-D games.

DVD/CD Drive: The dual-layer Labelflash DVD drive is compatible with a wide range of formats, including both DVD+RW and DVD-RW discs, CD-RW discs, and dual-layer (DL) DVD+/-R discs, which can hold up to 8.5 GB of data--great for backing up your MP3 collection or your most important documents. It features the following speeds: 4x DVD+R DL, 4x DVD-R DL, 8x for both single-layer DVD+R/-R, 8x DVD+RW, 6x DVD-RW, 5x DVD-RAM, and 24x/16x for CD-R/RW. It reads DVD-ROM discs at 8x and CD-ROMs at 24x.
With the Labelflash functionality, you can burn high-resolution, high-contrast pictures on the label side of DVD discs using the same laser used for data recording. Enjoy transparency and high-quality not found in traditional printable media. All you need is a Labelflash DVD disc to start labeling without a printer.

Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a standard 85-key keyboard and electro-static two-button touchpad. It also offers a launch button for the Express CD/DVD media player and control buttons (play, stop, next, previous) as well as a volume control dial.
Screen, Video & Audio This notebook has a 15.4-inch TFT display with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels (native 720p for high-definition viewing). It also provides TruBrite technology, which makes images brighter and more vivid thanks to its anti-glare feature. Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, which uses Intel Dynamic Video Memory Technology (DVMT) and provides up to 256 MB of shared video memory. It also features an integrated audio card with headphone and microphone jacks.
Networking, Connectivity & Expansion Be ready for the next platform in wireless connectivity with the integrated Intel Wireless Wi-Fi Link 4965 AGN LAN chip. Based on the draft 802.11n Wi-Fi specification, it offers up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range as existing 802.11g wireless. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found in home routers and Wi-Fi hotspots) as well as 802.11a networks (which has a higher throughput, but more limited range--great for closed office environments).
This notebook also includes a next-generation ExpressCard 54/34 card slot (replacing the PCMCIA slot), which lets you take advantage of thinner, faster, and lighter expansion cards for even more advanced wireless, networking, storage, and security features. Here's the full list of connectivity options:
4 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
1 VGA monitor port
1 S-Video out
1 ExpressCard 54/34
1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack
5-in-1 memory card reader that's compatible with Secure Digital (including SDIO), MMC, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, xD Picture Card memory cards
It also has an integrated 56K modem (V.92) and an RJ-45 LAN network port (for a 10/100 Fast Ethernet connection to networks and DSL/cable modems).
Operating System Windows Vista Home Premium is the operating system for users with advanced computer needs, and it includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center for watching DVD movies and accessing your digital audio library. You can also use Windows Media Center to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) and to access new kinds of online entertainment content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium and an auxiliary Windows SideShow display will also allow you to access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever to share files between other PCs in your household and to manage your laptop computer settings to more securely connect via Wi-Fi.
Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools and technologies to help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting to a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you to manage and monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other activities.
Preloaded Software Toshiba software includes Disc Creator, Recovery Disc Creator, and Speech System. Third-party software titles include Microsoft Works 8.5, InterVideo WinDVD 8 SD, Google Desktop and Toolbar, McAfee Internet Security Suite (with 30-day trial), and Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student Edition (60-day trial).
Dimensions & Weight This notebook measures 14.3 x 10.5 x 1.55 (WxDxH) and weighs 6 pounds.
Power It's powered by a 4000 mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which has a battery life of up to 2.5 hours (depending on usage). It has a 4.5-hour full charging time.
What's in the Box This package contains the A205-S4617 notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. It is backed by a one-year limited hardware warranty.

Click here for more information about Toshiba Satellite A205-S4617 15.4" Laptop (Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T5500, 2 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, SuperMulti DVD Drive, Vista Premium)

Read More...

Toshiba Mobile Satellite M505-S4947 14.0-Inch Laptop - Black/Silver Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Have been shopping for a new laptop for a while and decided to choose this instead of the A500. It costs a couple hundred more but has all the features that I need and want. The big selling point for me is the modern and sleek style. It is beautiful to look at and not chunky like the A500 with the extra number key pad that I do not use. Greater mobility with the 14" backlit led HD screen and a better Intel Core2 duo P7350 processor. The 400 GB hard drive that I can carry everywhere and no need to bring an extra storage device. The build in 3D sensing is a plus so if you drop your labtop the hard drive is protected. The backlit keyboard is really cool and the touchpad also have multi-function. The touchpad looks small but it is the same size as my 14" IBM thinkpad T43 so it works okay with me. The multi-function touchpad is easy to use and you seldom need to use the click bottom. All you need is slightly move your fingers across the touchpad and slightly tab on the touchpad instead of clicking the left button. It also come with the extra 12 cell battery for extended use compare to the standard 6 cell and it does not extend outside the labtop like others. The harman kardon speakers is also a great value and sounds great. All these worth the extra couple of hundred dollars. I tried to customize the same build at toshiba and it cost a lot more than this and Amazon ship free and tax free and no recycling charge so it is a very good buy. The fingerprints and dirt is easy to see and clean with a wipe after each use and it is not that bad to keep your labtop sanitize especially if you have multiple users to spread germs around.
The labtop come with a few bloatware and easy to remove using windows uninstaller. Would recommend to install a good registry cleaner and defragmenter free ware to optimze your labtop after the uninstall. The Window Vista Premium 64 bit is easy to use bur in my opinion still runs slow even with the 4 GB of ram and the newer Intel processors. You definitely need to remove the extra bloatware to lighten the load. I am looking forward to the free upgrade to Window 7 to make this work better. The RAM is expandable to 8GB so it is a plus for upgrade when the RAM gets cheaper in the future. I just upgraded and double the RAM of my 4 year old IBM thinkpad and it runs a lot faster than before with Window XP Pro.
I highly recommend this Toshiba mobile labtop for good looks, mobility and usability in this price range. It does not come with bluetooth but I am planning to get a bluetooth adaptor and it is very inexpensive. Overall, I am very happy with this labtop. I am glad I got this last week because I saw the price increase already.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba Mobile Satellite M505-S4947 14.0-Inch Laptop - Black/Silver

Combining great portability, generous battery life and modern style in a slim, eco-smart package, the Toshiba Satellite M505-S4947 is sized to travel while providing powerful computing resources for all of your needs--work, learning and play. The 14-inch LED-backlit display offers TruBrite technology for optimal image clarity and a 1366 x 768 resolution for extra desktop working space and a widescreen aspect ratio for watching letterboxed DVDs--as well as native 720p high-definition resolution for watching downloaded HD movies and TV shows. This M505 laptop comes with a 12-cell rechargeable battery, which provides up to 8 hours of battery life on the go (twice that of a normal 6-cell battery)--enabling you to go farther and do more on a single charge.
Thanks to the built-in webcam and Toshiba Face Recognition software on this machine, you'll enjoy a more convenient way to communicate, log on or share your laptop among the family. Other high-tech features include a power-saving Eco Button to help reduce power consumption based on your needs, USB Sleep-and-Charge port, a hard drive impact sensor that protects your data, and a dual-layer DVD±RW drive that burns CDs and offers LabelFlash print functionality. And it's sure to stand out in the crowd thanks to the stunning Fusion Finish with Sonic pattern in Black Onyx.

This Toshiba Satellite is powered the 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P7350, which includes a lightning quick 1066 MHz front-side bus and 3 MB of L2 cache for an optimized, multithreaded architecture providing improved multimedia and multitasking performance. It also includes Intel's 5100AGN wireless LAN, which will connect to draft 802.11n routers and offers compatibility with 802.11a/b/g networks as well. Other features include a 400 GB hard drive, 4 GB of installed RAM (upgradeable to 8 GB), 5-in-1 memory card reader, eSATA/USB combo port, HDMI audio/video output, and 64-bit version of the Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium operating system.

This Toshiba notebook is Energy Star 5.0 certified and it is RoHS-compliant, effectively reducing the environmental impact by restricting the use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances.



Key Features
14-inch high-definition, LED-backlit TruBrite display for amazing color depth and clarity (Learn more)
2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P7350 processor with Centrino 2 for excellent multi-tasking (Learn more)
400 GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 RPM) with an impact sensor that helps safeguard your data by "parking" the hard drive heads in the event of a drop or sudden movement. (Learn more)
4 GB of RAM (800 MHz; upgradeable to 8 GB)
Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD with up to 1759 MB of dynamically shared memory allocated by the system (Learn more)
8x SuperMulti DVD drive with double layer support and Labelflash printing (See speeds)
1.3 megapixel with Face Recognition capabilities for added security (Learn more)
Enjoy proactive PC health--without the worry. For your peace mind, this laptop comes with an innovative PC Health Monitor that constantly keeps tabs on things like your machine's power usage, temperature and hard drive--so you won't have to.
Draft-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11a/b/g/n) for greater speed and range
Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000)
HDMI-CEC audio/video output lets you control additional media players with just a single remote.
Harman Kardon stereo speakers bring an added dimension to music, movies and gaming with rich, immersive virtual surround sound
LED-backlit keyboard helps you keep typing in low lighting conditions.
Brilliant Fusion finish with Sonic pattern in Black Onyx (Learn more)
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium operating system (64-bit version) (Learn more)
12-cell (8500 mAh) battery for up to 8 hours of use
Dimensions: 13.5 x 9.14 x 1.55 inches (WxDxH)
Weight: 5.8 pounds
Warranty: One-year limited hardware warranty

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion With its integrated Draft-N Wi-Fi networking capabilities, this laptop provides up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range using 802.11n-compatible routers as you would with 802.11g networks. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found at Wi-Fi hotspots and in older home routers) as well as 802.11a networks (which has a higher throughput, but more limited range--great for closed office environments). This notebook also provides Gigabit (10/100/1000) Ethernet networking.

It also includes a next-generation ExpressCard card slot (replacing the PCMCIA slot), which lets you take advantage of thinner, faster, and lighter expansion cards for even more advanced wireless, networking, storage, and security features. It comes with the following external connectors:

3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
Includes 1 eSATA/USB combo port with USB Sleep and Charge

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: 1 VGA
1 ExpressCard 54/34 slot for adding advanced wireless, networking, storage, and security features
5-in-1 memory card reader compatible with Secure Digital, Secure Digital High Capacity, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Multi Media Card, xD Picture Card
1 headphone jack (with SPDIF digital audio support), 1 microphone jack
RJ-45 port for 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
RJ-11 port for 56K modem

What's in the box This package contains the Toshiba Satellite M505-S4947 notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions.

It also comes with the following software: Norton Internet Security 2009 (30-day trial), Toshiba PC Health Monitor, Microsoft Works, Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 Edition (60-day trial), Windows Media Player, Corel DVD Movie Factory, Google Toolbar, Google Picasa, PowerCinema, WildTangent Orb Game Console

Learn More
14-Inch High-Definition Display This notebook has a 14-inch LED-backlit display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels (native 720p for high-definition viewing). It also provides TruBrite technology, which makes images brighter and more vivid thanks to its anti-glare feature. Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD, which uses shared video memory (up to 1759 MB allocated from the system memory). This graphics card is built with Intel Clear Video technology, which delivers clearer, more detailed images by eliminating many of the jagged edges and video artifacts seen when viewing interlaced content and features powerful color control to ensure videos are not too dark, overly bright, or washed out. It's compatible with external monitor resolutions up to 1920 x 1200.


Hard Drive Protection While the highly portable nature of mini-notebooks exposes them to the knocks and bumps that are an inevitable feature of life on the move, the Toshiba A505 features a 3D-accelerometer monitoring system that detects freefalls, shocks and vibrations and protects the integrated HDD to secure against the loss of any personal data.


Dual-Core Processing Power with Centrino 2Experience improved energy efficiency, expanded wireless connectivity, and amazing battery life with the 45nm Intel Core 2 Duo P7350 processor featuring Intel Centrino 2 technology. This processor has a 2.0 GHz processor speed, super-sized 1066 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and a extra-large 3 MB L2 cache. (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.)
Formerly codenamed Montevina, Intel Centrino 2 processor technology improves upon every facet of a laptop's main features, including performance and battery life via new processors and chipsets, faster draft 802.11n wireless, and new business-class manageability capabilities. The new hafnium-infused circuitry--which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors--conserves even more energy, giving you more time away from the wall outlet.

The Intel Core 2 Duo processor has two computational execution cores in a single processor, providing greater system response when running multi-threaded applications simultaneously with no significant increase in power consumption. It's optimized for multitasking and it can run multiple demanding applications--such as graphics-intensive games or serious number-crunching business productivity applications--while downloading music or running virus-scanning security programs in the background.



8x DVD-SuperMulti Drive This multiformat DVD/CD drive is compatible with writing both DVD+ and DVD- disc formats as well as dual-layer (DL) DVD±R discs, which can store up to 8.5 GB of data. It offers the following read/write speeds:
Write: 24x CD-R, 24x CD-RW, 8x DVD-R, 8x DVD+R, 6x DVD-R DL (double-layer), 6x DVD+R DL (double-layer), 6x DVD-RW, 8x DVD+RW, 5x DVD-RAM

With the Labelflash functionality, you can burn high-resolution, high-contrast pictures on the label side of DVD discs using the same laser used for data recording. Enjoy transparency and high-quality not found in traditional printable media. All you need is a Labelflash DVD disc to start labeling without a printer.



Integrated Webcam with Face Recognition Capabilities A 1.3 megapixel digital web camera built into the LCD's bezel lets you quickly snap photos and participate in live video chats. The integrated webcam does more than just video chats. It includes Toshiba Face Recognition capabilities--the ultimate hands-free, hassle-free way to log onto your laptop. Just show your face to the webcam--no keeping track of hard-to-remember passwords and no unnecessary typing. And if you're using one laptop for several users--say for the whole family or for a small business--Toshiba Face Recognition lets you switch profiles with one simple look.


Brilliant Fusion Finish and Feather-Touch Multimedia Controls This Toshiba Satellite laptop makes a real statement about your personal style the moment you walk in a room, thanks to Fusion finish with finely striped Sonic design pattern. Run your fingertips across the smooth, shiny palm rest of the Satellite laptop and what do you encounter? Nary a bump. That's because the touchpad is recessed to give your notebook a more streamlined look, and to give you more comfort when you're clicking or going crazy with that cursor.
Additionally, separate multimedia buttons let you launch your favorite entertainment right away. But with their unique feather-touch operation these controls do that and more--allowing you to effortlessly start, pause, fast-forward and rewind.



Windows Vista Home Premium Operating SystemWindows Vista Home Premium (64-bit version) is the operating system for users with advanced computer needs, and it includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center for watching DVD movies and accessing your digital audio library. You can also use Windows Media Center to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) and to access new kinds of online entertainment content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium and an auxiliary Windows SideShow display will also allow you to access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever to share files between other PCs in your household and to manage your laptop computer settings to more securely connect via Wi-Fi.
Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools and technologies to help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting to a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you to manage and monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other activities.

Click here for more information about Toshiba Mobile Satellite M505-S4947 14.0-Inch Laptop - Black/Silver

Read More...