Toshiba Netbooks Overview

June 20th, 2009

Toshiba also known for having the best netbook keyboard on the market at the moment. The keyboard resembles the Apple MacBook Pro laptops. It gives the user more vertical movement and extra room in between when using the notebook. In addition the keys enter; space and backspace are wide enough. Further more there also dedicated “page down” and “page up” keys. These features are also available on other models of Toshiba laptops. The most unique features of this netbooks is the sleep and charge port feature. The ports allow the user to be able to charge USB devices when the machine is turned off. This is ideal for most users at it will turn your netbook when turned off into a backup battery during traveling. The devices the netbook can charge while in sleep mode include gadgets like cell phones and digital cameras.

The Toshiba netbooks generally sell for $400. They come with an 8 to 10 inch low resolution screen and weighs 2.9 pounds. The measurements of the Toshiba netbook are 10.4 inches wide and 7.9 inches deep. In addition, it’s an inch deep at the thinnest point. The Toshiba netbooks due to their small size have and advanced scrolling feature which can allow a user to zoom in on the screen for better picture quality. The Toshiba screen uses a low power Intel processor (INTC).It comes with a standard 160-gigabyte hard disk. Further more the Toshiba netbook has a webcam built within. The Toshiba like other netbooks on the market runs a windows XP operating system. In addition the netbook comes with one gigabyte of random access memory. This is the standard memory size for most laptops; in that regard this memory is more than enough for a netbook.

The Toshiba netbook has a roomier touch pad and buttons than the other notebooks. The best feature on the Toshiba netbook is its long battery life. The model has a six-cell battery which gives an amazing nine hours of battery life when fully charged. When all the features of the Toshiba netbook are turned on, it can last up to six and a half hours. That is arguably the longest battery life for any netbook on the market. The machine is able to handle latest browser programs with great ease. These programs include tweetdeck, iTunes, picasa, Firefox, and Microsoft Office (MSFT).

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Tips to Prolong Laptop Battery Life

June 17th, 2009

If you use a laptop computer, you probably know that your battery can fail you. It happens to many laptop batteries, especially when you need to work long hours. Here are some tips for prolonging the battery life of your laptop computer.

If your laptop computer is too hot, it will wear out your battery. Make sure you do not exceed the temperature range for your computer. When your laptop gets too hot, turn it off. Let it cool off for a while before you turn it back on. Another way to cool down your computer is by using cooling devices.

Make sure that you charge the battery completely before you use it. Your battery will last a lot longer that way. If you are planning to get a lot of work done on a certain day, be sure to have your battery fully charged and ready for it. Watching movies can drain out the battery, so keep that in mind. Try to use the AC adapter for certain tasks, and when you can, so that you avoid draining the battery out.

Another way to prolong the battery’s life is by de-fragmenting the computer’s hard disk. Your laptop computer will use less power if you do. It will also speed up the computer, which will allow you to browse the internet more easily, and you will get more work done in a short amount of time.

Another trick to extend the battery life is to avoid running multiple programs at one time. Get rid of the programs that you are not using. Many programs start up automatically when you reboot or turn on your computer, so make sure you disable them. In addition, if you play music or videos while you work, your laptop uses more battery power.

Your computer settings can also affect your battery. You will see a huge improvement with your battery’s life, if you adjust the brightness to a lower setting. Keep the computer as dim as you possibly can.

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Toshiba Satellite T135-S1307 13.3-inch Laptop Review

June 17th, 2009

Specifications: The Toshiba Satellite T135-S1307 is Toshiba’s entry into the ultra-slim laptop market. This laptop model is not only very stylish, but also comes with a set of competent specs. It has a 1.3Ghz (Intel Pentium SU4100 processor), 3GB of RAM and a large 500GB hard drive; not bad for a 13.3-inch laptop. The 13.3-inch wide-screen is a HD LED back-lit display (1266 x 768 resolution). Other features include Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity, 802.11b/g/n wi-fi, 2 USB ports, HDMI output and built-in stereo speakers. The USB ports can be used to charge devices even when the netbook is off or on stand-by mode. This model runs on the new Windows 7 OS (Home Premium).

Features & Performance: The HP G60-530US is the perfect example of a versatile laptop. Considering its specs and design, it would serve as a great desktop replacement desktop and would serve well as a business laptop or a student laptop. The batteries on this laptop can last close to 4 hours of use. Currently, the HP G60-530US is price at around $667 each, a great price for a near 16-inch laptop model!

Design: I know this may be a very personal opinion, but I feel that the Toshiba Satellite T135-S1307 is one of Toshiba’s most stylish laptops yet! It has an extremely slim side profile, measuring just 1.35-inch at its thickest point. It is also very portable, weighing in at just 3.9 pounds. It comes in a variety of colors (namely black, white, etc). The black model is black all over (inside and out) with a glossy external casing. This model just looks really chic!

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Gaming Notebook Review – Alienware M17X

June 14th, 2009

Dell Inc. acquired Alienware as a subsidiary in March 2006; however, Alienware was established about 10 years ago. Alienware had specialized in high performance desktops, laptops and workstations. Previously, most major manufacturers, including Dell had failed to see the potential of the high performance gaming market. As the demand for gaming laptops grew, Dell was drawn towards Alienware.

Alienware’s name itself as well as the names of its company products are inspired by the successful TV series, The X-Files. Even the designs of its laptops have extra-terrestrial themes.

Alienware’s absorption into Dell did not result to drastic changes to its products. Alienware actually got a lot of leverage now since it still has autonomy with regards to design and marketing while it benefits from Dell’s supply chain, purchasing power, and production capabilities.

There’s no doubting the fact that the Alienware M17x is a gamer’s machine. The design is not ambiguous at all. LED lights are found everywhere on the M17x and we especially like the option that allows the user to customize the lighting combo.

Like most gaming laptops, the M17x is quite heavy. And it is made heavier due to the metal trimmings, the eccentric design, the chassis, and its internal parts. Even the lid is heavy. Portability is decreased since we doubt that people would enjoy carrying this much weight around.

We like its full-sized keyboard that’s as responsive as any laptop we’ve tried. The M17x is able to do multimedia tasks extremely well. The figures say it all: 17-inch display with a 1920 x 1200 high-definition resolution. In addition, its speakers produce clear and loud sounds.

Alienware does claim that the M17x is the “the most powerful laptop in the universe.” We’re not sure about that but we’ll go along and say that it ranks quite high on that list. The laptop is equipped with two Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 280M graphics cards and a 2.53-GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme Quad QX9300 CPU. With these, no game would be too heavy to play.

Other features of the M17x include HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, four USB 2.0, eSATA, DisplayPort and FireWire ports, plus, a memory card reader, and an ExpressCard/54 slot.

SPECS AVAILABLE OPTIONS (From Dell’s website)

CPU – Intel Core 2 Suo P8600 (3MB Cache, 1066MHz FSB) up to Intel Core 2 Extreme Quad QX9300 (12MB Cache, 1066MHz FSB)

RAM – 4GB, 6GB, 8GB DDR31

Screen Size – 17-inch WideXGA+ 1440 x 900 – (900p) LCD, 17-inch WideUXGA 1920 x 1200 – (1200p) LCD

Operating System – Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate (64-bit)

Battery Life – About 3 hours

Graphics – Single 1GB GDDR3 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M, SLI Dual 1GB GDDR3 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M

Conclusion

We recommend the Alienware M17x to gamers, consumers, and businesspersons alike. It is just that good. If you don’t mind the aching of your shoulder after lugging it around a few times or if it stays on the desk most of the time anyway, then this laptop should definitely be considered a major contender for most people’s attention and money.

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ECS G10IL

June 10th, 2009

The ECS G10IL has an elegant style that we think many users would find appealing. It appears to be sturdy too, lessening our worries that it would be damaged with the slightest bump. It doesn’t have sharp edges and its keyboard allows for comfort in typing. Its three USB ports are on the right side and it also has a reader for Secure Digital Secure Digital High Capacity cards, MMC and MS.

If connectivity is one of the criteria that you most value, then you’d consider the ECS G10IL to be an excellent find. Aside from allowing for broadband connection, the netbook also has Super-3G broadband technologies — a built-in mobile tri-band High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) and High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA). This means that downloads can be achieved at a speed of up to 7.2Mb/s for the HSDPA and 2Mb/s for the HSUPA.

The ECS G10IL also comes with Ethernet networking, a 56 kbps analog modem, WLAN and Bluetooth connection.

Specifications

Central Processing Unit – Intel Atom N270 1.6Ghz (aka “Diamondville”)

Chipset – Intel 945 GSE, ICH7M

Operating System – Windows XP or Linux

Read Access Memory – on slot SODIMM 200-pin DDR2 533/667, up to 2GB

Screen Size – 8.9 inches or 10.2 inches 1024 x 600 pixels

Ports – Three USB 2.0 slots, 4-in-1 Card Reader, VGA out

Web cam – 1.3 mega pixel Charge Couple Device

Storage – Hard disk drive or Solid state drive

Battery – 4 / 6 cell

Dimensions – 259 x 180 x 28.5 (mm)

Pros

We applaud the ECS G10IL for its anticipation of the users’ connectivity requirements. And since it allows for HSDPA and HSUPA connectivity, users are assured of a better browsing experience. How the keyboard is laid out and the size and shape of the keys make touch-typing easy to do. The user has the option of installing the netbook with either the Linpus Lite 9.4 version of Linux or Windows XP operating systems. The ECS G10IL also has a 1.3 mega pixel camera that provides high-resolution graphics. Engaging in videoconferences through messaging systems is enhanced.

Cons

Like other netbooks, the downside is that there’s no optical drive; hence, there’s a need to have an external drive to install certain programs or applications.

Conclusion

The ECS G10IL isn’t the lightest netbook but it has other features that make it worth buying. With its sleek design, keyboard comfort, impressive Internet connectivity, and LCD screen, the average consumer will be satisfied with it. However, it doesn’t have the latest features and it won’t work well for business users.

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Asus Eee PC 701

June 7th, 2009

The Asus Eee PC 701 isn’t new to the market; in fact, it was launched about a couple of years ago. Nonetheless, the Asus Eee PC 701 appears on many top lists because of its combination of features that are impressive on an ultra-mobile netbook. It has a 900-MHz Intel Celeron Processor, Asus Xandros-based Linux operating system, and 512 MB RAM – which are sufficient for most people’s needs. But we find fault with its 4GB storage space.

Specifications

Central Processing Unit – Mobile Celeron-M ULV 900MHz

Read Access Memory – 512 MB

Screen Size – Seven-inch 800×480 pixel

Operating System – Linux

Battery Life – Around 3.5 hours

Graphics – Intel GMA 900

Pros

The Asus Eee PC 701 has a weight that’s approximately two pounds and also has a very light power adapter. It has a built-in WiFi 802.11b/g that detects signals easily and at a farther range than others. Connection is also faster. It’s priced very affordably compared to others in its weight class. It has a user-friendly interface and boasts of having pre-installed plug-ins like Quick Time, Java Runtime Environment, Adobe Flash Player, Real Time Player and Quicktime Player. The user has the option of installing a Linux operating system or Windows XP. Its memory is also upgradeable.

Cons

The Asus Eee PC 701 has a 3.5-hour battery life, which is lower than what other netbooks currently offer. With 4GB of disk space, an external hard drive would be necessary to store your other files. To install certain applications, you may have to invest in a separate optical drive. Its camera is capable of producing 0.3 megapixel images only.

Conclusion

The Asus Eee PC 701 comes in a tiny and sleek package. Its appeal lies in its low pricing and very portable size. We recommend it to those who only expect the barest basics from their computing devices.

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Gaming Laptop Review – Gateway P-7808U FX

June 4th, 2009

Design-wise, the Gateway 7808u FX Edition follows the same pattern used in previous gaming models particularly the P-7811 FX. The orange and black color combo remains ditto the chassis, keyboard, trackpad. Many users point out this design needs to be updated or even replaced.

The 7808u FX Edition’s biggest offering is in its use of the Core 2 Duo Q9000 quad-core processor. That processing capability is combined with 4GB of RAM, a GeForce 98000 graphics chip with 1 GB of VRAM and a 500GB of hard disk space. That combo assures the user that this laptop can take on today’s most demanding games.

The 7808u FX Edition features three USB ports, an HDMI port and an eSATA port. There is also an eSATA external hard drive and other ports that include VGA, Gigabit Ethernet, modem, an ExpressCard/54 slot, and a 5-in-1 memory card reader.

Like the display, we were also disappointed with the quality of the speakers in the 7808u FX Edition.

SPECS AVAILABLE OPTIONS (From Gateway’s website)
CPU – 2.0-GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q9000
RAM – 4GB
Screen Size – 17 inches
Operating System – Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit with SP1)
Battery Life – About 3 hours
Graphics – 1GB Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTS

Pros

The use of the Core 2 Duo Q9000 quad-core processor combined with 4GB of RAM, a GeForce 98000 graphics chip with 1 GB of VRAM and a 500GB of hard disk space is one great combination we would recommend. That combo assures the user that the Gateway 7808u FX Edition can handle today’s most demanding games with ease.

Cons

The Gateway 7808u FX Edition’s 1440×900 display is a disappointment from a gaming perspective. At the price the unit is being offered, we expected a 1920×1200 resolution. We also felt, like many users that the design of the 7808u is getting outdated; time for Gateway to bring in new ideas. The sound system on the 7808u also leaves much to be desired.

Conclusion

Performance-wise, the Gateway 7808u FX Edition passes with flying colors. For the not-so-serious gamer, that criteria alone can be a basis to go out and get himself a unit. However, serious gamers look for the total experience – the processing power along with the audio and visual treat that a gaming device offers. It is in the latter two criteria that we felt the Gateway 7808u FX Edition disappoints.

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Notebook Review – Dell Vostro 1220

June 1st, 2009

Dell has recently introduced the Dell Vostro 1220 and already it is getting raves. The Dell Vostro 1220 boasts features that are superior to what Dell has brought before. Many argue that this laptop is significantly better than what Dell’s rivals have come up with lately and we agree. It’s true that the decision on what laptop to purchase shouldn’t depend entirely on manufacturer’s claims so we’d like to cite the reasons why the Dell Vostro 1220 is a good buy.

First, this laptop has a nine-hour battery life, which is probably more than enough for any typical user’s need. This laptop has at least a three-hour advantage over others in its league. At 1.52 kilograms, this laptop shouldn’t be a bother bringing around. The screen is a good size at 12 inches and a resolution of 1280×800 pixels widescreen is sufficient. Its size, weight, and battery life are already enough to make the Dell Vostro 1220 a very appealing laptop. But if you’re still not convinced either way, here are the particulars.

SPECS AVAILABLE OPTIONS

CPU – Intel Celeron 900 (2.2GHz, 1M L2 Cache, 800Mhz FSB), Intel Core 2 Duo T6670 (2.1GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB)

RAM – 2GB-4GB
Screen Size – 12.1-inch widescreen
Operating System – Microsoft Windows Vista Basic and Ultimate 64-Bit Editions
Battery Life – 9 hours (manufacturer’s estimate)
Graphics – Intel X4500MHD

Pros

Its speed is one of its best features. Starting up the system is done before you know it. No one wants to be kept waiting and this is actually a big deal for some people who can’t stand wasting even a few moments of their time. Viewing images and videos is a pleasant experience due to this laptop’s display capabilities. Even with default settings, the colors are notably brilliant.

Customization is not a problem and can be done easily by adjusting for brightness, contrast, and color balance. As long as there’s no editing involved and only viewing is done, the laptop’s ability to portray graphics and text well is indisputable. Maneuvering without an external mouse can be done comfortably with the use of the touchpad. It’s quite precise and sensitive to every move.

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Blackberry 9500 AKA Backberry Storm – A Touch Screen & Email Device

May 28th, 2009

People busy with work and schedules always go in for a business phone rather than a normal one. Blackberry has well understood the needs of such people and has introduced wide range of phone to meet the specifications of the users. The latest introduction by them is the Blackberry Storm 9500 which is a touch screen phone. The phone is a perfect blend of style and technology.

Offering Perfect Style

The Blackberry Storm is a 3G phone with good looks. The phone is 14 mm deep, 62.2 mm wide and 112.5 mm tall. The weight of the phone is 155gm. The black colored casing of the phone makes it look even more stunning. The display of the phone is quite impressive with 3.25 inches of touch screen. The pixel count of 360 X 480 along with 65 thousand colors gives vibrant look to the screen and helps the user to have clear and bright view. The phone has 2 types of keypads. In the normal position when phone is held upright a Sure Type of keypad is appeared. Whereas if the phone is rotated in landscape position a full QWERTY keyboard appears that facilitates easy and fast writing of mails, SMS and other text. The accelerometer feature of the phone helps in fully automatic rotation of the screen.

Office Features

Being a Blackberry phone 9500 has loads of office features that help in your work. The phone has multiple options of messaging with email, SMS, MMS and instant messenger that facilitates chatting. It has advance options for email with BlackBerry Enterprise Server which works well with Lotus Domino, Microsoft enterprise and Novell GroupWise. The DataViz Documents To Go feature helps in viewing and editing of documents. The calendar and the address book of the phone can be easily synced to the PC using the BlackBerry Desktop Software. So now you will never miss an important meeting and appointment with calendar and organizer available in the phone.

Multimedia Features

Besides having good office features the phone is no where lacking in multimedia features. It has 3.2 MP of the camera which along with auto focus and flash feature gives clear and bright pictures. It can also shoot video besides taking still images. The captured images and video can be uploaded on You Tube and Flickr with a click of a button.

The phone has a decent music player which supports variety of formats like MP3, WMA and AAC. The built in speaker’s gives rich audio quality and the 3.5 mm of jack can also be used to connect your headphones. The applications for social networking site are well integrated in the phone for the people who are fond of it. Movie viewing on the wide screen of 3.25 inches will be an interesting experience. With Blackberry Storm 9500 you can store all your favorite pieces of music, image and video as it has huge memory of 1GB that can be further extended using a Micro SD card.

Connectivity Features

The phone has good connectivity features with 3G HSDPA technology that facilitates high speed internet connections along with multitasking and fast data transfers. The quad band gives the freedom to use the phone globally. The phone also facilitates GPRS and EDGE technology along with Bluetooth and USB connection. The GPS in the phone will always keep track of your locations and directions and you will never get lost.

Thus getting a Blackberry Storm 9500 is a wise decision as the phone has high end features and functions.

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Apple MacBook MB881LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop

May 25th, 2009

With the recent launch of Apple’s new range of aluminum unibody MacBooks a couple of months ago, the Apple MacBook MB881LL/A 13.3-Inch laptop is one of the few remaining laptop models that retains its mono-color body. Don’t get me wrong, I think the new range of MacBooks are great but personally, I don’t think the look as good as some of the older models.

The design of the new range of MacBooks seems to be taking a step backwards when it comes to design. They have a silver casing, with a black frame around the screen and a black colored keyboard. It looks like something from the nineties.

The Apple MacBook MB881LL/A 13.3-Inch laptop remains to be my favorite pick when it comes to good looks. This model sports an all white casing, both on the outsides and inside. Everything including the keyboard and track pad is also white in color. This is the perfect laptop for you if you are into simple and clean designs.

Like most Apple laptops, the Apple MacBook MB881LL/A 13.3-Inch laptop is a powerful little computer. It runs on Intel’s Core 2 Duo processor (2.0Ghz) and comes with 2GB of RAM (upgradeable to 4GB). It also has a 120GB SATA hard drive. One of my favorite features on this model is the powerful NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor that allows me to multitask and run graphic intensive programs (as well as 3D games) without a glitch. All in all, if you are looking for a stylish yet powerful laptop, this model comes with my highest recommendation.

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