HP Pavilion DM3-1030US 13.3-Inch Silver Laptop - Up to 6 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is a beautiful machine. Check it out -- 4.2 lbs, 1" thick, Magnesium case, 7200 rpm HDD, spectacular HD display, 4 GB memory, 320 GB Hard Drive, Iconic keyboard Windows 7, 4 USB ports, HDMI port, great WiFi,etc. etc. All for under $600! It's astonishing. One begins to wonder what truck they steal these off of. Yes, my title is correct, "Macbook Killer." Look at the two machines side by side -- they are pretty much the same thing. Yes, the Macbook Pro has a backlit keyboard, ok. But the DM3 has an HDMI port, which means I can attach it to my HDTV and play Neflix or Itunes movies, or youtube, etc. in High Definition. Sure, it has no optical drive, but folks, cd's and dvd's are becoming old technology, and being replaced by thumb/jump drives. Even software will be coming on these. Actually, the DM3 weighs almsot a pound less than a Macbook by eliminating the optical drive, and the advantages of using an external drive are many. Keyboards are almost identical, case is a toss up, display's are similar, windows 7 vs. Snow Leopard has its plusses and minuses going both ways. Yes, the Macbook is more powerful for high intensity graphics, but if you are using your computer as most people do, you will not notice the difference. But the knockout comes at checkout: It is less than 1/2 the price of a similarly configured 13" Macbook Pro!
It is so far superior to any netbook that there is no comparison there. Yes, it's not perfect. It does re-charge slowly, and the trackpad takes some getting used to. But it has so many fantastic features, when you factor in the price, it is the best value out there in ultraportable computing.
I have been using portable computers since the mid-eighties when they were 25 pounds with tiny monochrome screens floppy drives and cost $3000. Now for under $600, they are 1/6th the weight, yet 100 times as fast with 3000 times the storage and much more functionality. Think about how amazing this is! You will love this little machine.

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP Pavilion DM3-1030US 13.3-Inch Silver Laptop - Up to 6 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)

For those who want full PC performance optimized for mobility, the HP Pavilion dm3 Entertainment series delivers in a surprisingly affordable, minimalist design. Its top and palm rest covers are made of brushed aluminum in Modern Argento gray, while its bottom casing is a magnesium alloy. The metal casing helps ensure maximum durability at minimal weight. The clean design is accentuated by an iconic keyboard. Powered by the latest ultra-low-voltage processor and mobile graphics technologies, it delivers optimal mobile performance to support your on-the-go lifestyle.Get up to 6 hours of life for extended use with the standard battery.Break free with the performance you need in a design you\'ll love (without the designer price tag).Set yourself apart with an ultra-thin design in colorized brushed aluminum.Get greater durability with lightweight aluminum-magnesium casing. Experience full-screen views of HD TV and movies with the 16:9 13.3-Inch diagonal display.Enjoy your photos and videos on HD TVs with the HDMI port (cable sold separately). Chat face to face with the HP Webcam and add fun special effects. Relax with extra protection from file loss due to drops with HP ProtectSmart. Enjoy easy access to your favorite entertainment with HP MediaSmart.

Click here for more information about HP Pavilion DM3-1030US 13.3-Inch Silver Laptop - Up to 6 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)

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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

This value-priced MSI A6000-029US notebook is ideal for everyday computing!With an Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 2.2 GHz processor and 4 GB DDR2 memory, the A6000-029US can handle your work and play-related commands with ease! Store your music, games, videos, and other critical data on the roomy 320 GB hard drive. Also, the easy-to-use Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system comes pre-installed!Upload, edit, transfer and store your digital files with ease using the built-in 4-in-1 card reader. Access CD and DVD media, backup data, and burn CDs and DVDs using the DVD RW DL drive. Whether you need the Internet for work or play, this MSI A6000-029US has you covered with NVIDIA nForce 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet LAN and 802.11b/g wireless LAN.Stay in touch with family and friends no matter where you are! Chat face-to-face over the Internet via the built-in 1.3 MP webcam! Connect this A6000-029US notebook to a big screen HDTV using the HDMI port! The generous 16-inch widescreen HD TFT display is great for movie watching, playing games, or working on spreadsheets! Order today! By law, California shipments of this product are subject to an $16.00 Electronic Waste Recycling Fee

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

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ASUS UL80Ag-A1 Thin and Light 14-Inch Black Laptop - 12 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is the second Asus in my my family, and i have to recognized this brand rocks, great prices, great battery life, not as at advertised, but using wifi, for email purposes, around 9 hours.
No hassles with the keyboard, mouse or anyuthing, even so i can give you the advice that after you remove the sticker in the mouse, you must clean it with a moistured pad.So it will run more smoodly.
Dont think it twice this is a Best-Buy.
Pros:Really Slim, Amazing battery life, Nice Display, ultrafast booting, 8 sec system to browse, music, skype,etc..!
The only Cons: Its hard to keep it without fingerprints because of their finish.

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Free yourself from power cords and start exploring with up to an amazing 12 hours of all-day battery life with the ASUS UL80AG-A1, 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 UL80AG 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 just over an 1-inch thin, you can fit the UL80AG virtually anywhere--freeing space for books, files, or whatever else you need to enjoy a spacious workspace. The UL80AG 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 14-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: 13.5 x 9.6 x 1.1 inches (WxDxH)
Weight: 4.8 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 UL80AG-A1 notebook PC, AC adapter, rechargeable 8-cell battery, and user manual

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High Definition That Doesn't Break the Bank The 14-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 UL80AG 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 UL80AG'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 UL80AG 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 UL80AG 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

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ASUS UL20A-A1 Thin and Light 12.1-Inch Silver Laptop - 7.5 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I just upgraded to this laptop from an 8.9" Atom-powered netbook (an Asus EeePC 900HA). Here are my thoughts after using the UL20A for a few days:
Pro's:
1. SMALL FOOTPRINT & LIGHT WEIGHT. The footprint of the laptop is similar to an 8.5"x11" sheet of paper (just slightly narrower and slightly longer), and at 3.3lbs, putting it in your briefcase or backpack is no more burdensome than an extra book or binder.
2. EXCELLENT KEYBOARD. The relatively large "chiclet" keyboard makes for an effortless typing experience.
3. PERFECT SCREEN SIZE. With a 12.1" 1366x768 screen, you're getting the resolution of a 13.3" laptop in a smaller package. At 130 pixels per inch, text on the 12" screen is often pretty small, but still acceptable. I would however advise against smaller screens (e.g. 11.6") at this resolution.
4. EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE. Despite the low clock speed, the UL20A's Core 2 Duo is MUCH faster than any Intel Atom. HD YouTube videos play flawlessly at ~67% CPU utilization, and general performance seems much smoother than on my old netbook. I especially notice the difference when scrolling through PDF's, which was often very slow and jerky on my EeePC.
5. EXCELLENT BATTERY LIFE. After 4.5 hours of mixed light web browsing, email, and PDF viewing, I still had 40% charge left. If the battery continued to be depleted at that rate, you'd end up with--that's right--exactly the quoted 7.5 hours! I used Windows 7's "Balanced" power scheme (not any of Asus's Power4Gear modes). After some testing, I can confirm that the processor will ramp up to max frequency during heavy usage with this mode, so there's no reason not to leave it in "Balanced" all the time.
6. VERY QUIET. Even when using it in a quiet room, it's nearly impossible to hear any fan noise.
7. EXTRA WARRANTY. The UL20A comes with 1 year of "accidental damage" coverage.
8. LITTLE THIRD-PARTY BLOATWARE. The only (non-Asus) bloatware was an anti-virus software trial and some silly games. I uninstalled these in minutes (and replaced the A-V trial with Microsoft's free Security Essentials program).
9. WINDOWS 7 HOME PREMIUM. Unlike most netbooks, which ship with either Microsoft's ancient Windows XP or the crippled Windows 7 Starter Edition, this laptop comes with the full "premium" version of Microsoft's brand-new OS.
Con's:
1. ANNOYING TOUCHPAD. The texture of the touchpad causes way too much friction, which irritates your finger. The pointer also periodically freezes, placing a strange gray circle near the cursor (this is probably some stupid Synaptics feature I haven't figured out how to disable yet).
2. GLOSSY SCREEN. This causes annoying reflections, but in fairness most laptops have these nowadays.
3. ABSURD JUMBLE OF ASUS UTILITIES. Asus includes nearly a dozen separate utilities for various functions. Most have weird names, and it's not apparent what they do until you click on them. They also each seem to have their own distinct (amateurish) user interface. At the very least, Asus needs to cut the number of included programs in half (both through consolidation and elimination of pointless and redundant functions).
4. DISAPPOINTING LCD QUALITY. As was the case with my EeePC's screen, the contrast is too high, and there's a significant blue-ish hue by default. I do NOT recommend this laptop for SERIOUS photo editing (i.e. not for professionals). It should be fine for most users though.
Summary:
This notebook seems to hit a sweet spot between netbooks and full-size laptops: You're getting an almost full-size keyboard, adequate screen resolution, snappy performance, and Windows 7 Home Premium, while retaining much of the portability, low-cost, and battery life of a netbook.

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS UL20A-A1 Thin and Light 12.1-Inch Silver Laptop - 7.5 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)

Style and Performance in Perfect Harmony The energy-efficient, slim and stylish ASUS UL20A-A1 notebook redefines ultraportable notebooks. Free yourself from power cords and start exploring with up to an amazing 7.5 hours* of all-day battery life. Powered by the ultra-low-voltage Intel® Core™2 Duo processor SU7300 and optimized with 2GB of DDR2 SDRAM, the UL20A-A1 takes you further than most other notebooks with eye-catching style and a generous 250GB of storage. Its ultra-slim profile makes traveling a breeze and its 12.1-inch HD LED-backlit display offers bright, vibrant visuals and advanced energy efficiency. Effortlessly navigate your e-mails and favorite websites with the enhanced multi-touch trackpad and complete important assignments with ease using the comfortable chiclet keyboard. The UL20A-A1 also features Altec Lansing speakers, plus SRS surround, for a virtual home theater experience on the go. The UL20A-A1 is built from the ground up to give you the best value; it\'s an ultraportable notebook that truly delivers mobility on demand. A complete notebook warranty package is icing on the cake. ASUS UL20A-A1 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 UL20A-A1 are also protected come with a One Year Accidental Damage Warranty protecting the notebook from drops, fire, spills, and surge.**


Key Features

All-day computing with up to 7.5 hours of battery life1
Exceptionally compact and light, just over 1-inch thin, and less than 3.3lbs
Powered by the Intel Core2 Duo Processor SU7300 for energy efficiency
Color Shine 12.1-inch LED-backlit widescreen HD display that uses less energy and gives you an immersive cinematic experience
2GB of DDR2 system memory for smooth performance with Windows 7 Home Premium installed
250GB 5,400rpm hard drive for fast, convenient storage and access to all your documents, music, videos, and photos
Chiclet style keyboard and multi-touch trackpad for comfortable and intuitive use
Built-in 802.11n wireless connectivity that enables \'real-time\' video conferencing and Internet browsing
Integrated webcam for connecting with your friends and family
Altec Lansing speakers enhanced with SRS Premium Sound for home theater quality acoustics
ASUS IceCool Technology provides a cool-to-the-touch palm rest
Express Gate, exclusively from ASUS, enables ultra-fast booting so you can connect to the web in just 10 seconds
ASUS SmartLogon—facial recognition system detects your face and logs on automatically
ASUS 360: 1 year global warranty and ASUS ADW: 1 year accidental damage warranty*

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Takes You Where You Want to Go
Energy Efficient Processing
Comfort Included
Eye-Catching Sophistication
The Ultra Mobile Warrior
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 UL20A-A1 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 UL20A-A1
AC Adapter
6 cell Battery Pack
Warranty Information Cards
Specifications
Operating System: Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Display: 12.1-inch HD LED-backlit Widescreen (1366 x 768)
Intel Platform: Intel Core2 Duo processor SU7300 (1.3GHz)
Graphics: Intel GMA X4500MHD
Wireless: WLAN 802.11b/g/n (draft 2.4GHz n)
LAN: 10/100 Mbps Ethernet
Memory: 2GB DDR2 DRAM 800MHz, (upgradeable to 4GB)
Storage: 250GB 5,400RPM Hard Drive
Camera: 0.3 Megapixel
Speakers: SRS Premium Stereo Speakers by Altec Lansing, Hi-Definition Audio CODEC
Microphone Digital Array Microphones
Card Reader: 1 x 8-in-1 card reader: MMC, SD/SDHC, Mini-SD, MS, MS-Pro, MS-Duo, MS Pro-Duo , XD
Input/Output: 1 x Mic-in, 1 x audio-out (S/PDIF), 3 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x RJ45 LAN
Video Output: 1 x VGA port/Mini D-sub 15-pin
Keyboard: 18.33mm with MS Windows function keys
Battery Pack: 6-cell Lithium Ion Battery, - Up to 7.5 hours1
Power Supply: Input: 100~240 V AC, 50/60 Hz universal
Dimensions: 11.8 (W) x 8.4 (L) x 1.0 (H) inches
Weight: 3.3lbs (with 6-cell battery)
Color: Silver 1Estimated maximum battery life test was done in ASUS Power4Gear battery saving mode with Mobile Mark 2007. Actual battery life may vary based on product settings, usage patterns and environmental conditions. *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 UL20A-A1 Thin and Light 12.1-Inch Silver Laptop - 7.5 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)

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Acer Aspire Timeline AS3810T-8737 13.3-Inch Brushed Aluminum Laptop - Over 8 Hours of Battery Life Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First, I would like to say there is a ~$590 version of this laptop also sold here on Amazon. The differences between that laptop (Product ID: Acer Aspire Timeline AS3810T-4925) and this one (Acer Aspire Timeline AS3810T-8737) is the 4925 has 3GB of ram where the 8737 has 4GB. Also the 4925 has a 320GB HDD while this 8737 has a 500GB HDD. I've noticed some of the specifications on the 8737 page are incorrect most notably the ones mentioned above. There is also another model (6376) that is considerably more money (~$[...]) and without a lot of research I only see that it's processor is 1.40GHz instead of the 1.30GHz that the 8737 has. As I'm typing this this laptop is listed on Amazon for $[...] even though I purchased it this past Friday for $[...]. [...].
So far I'm in love with this laptop. Now it's only been a couple of days but it's great. I was a little worried about the keyboard since the keys were not your normal design but after about 20mins with it I love it. It took just a little while to get used to it. I purchased this laptop because my MSI Wind U100 had a resolution of 1024x600 where the height of the screen wasn't friendly for some applications. This laptop's resolution is not only perfect but the screen size 13.3" instead of 11.1" is great. It's not too big and not too small, just right. The multi-touch pad is also a neat feature, although the only one I've been using frequently is the scrolling which is two fingers up and down on the pad. If you rather use a regular wired/wireless mouse instead of the pad it's easy to do that with the included button just outside the mouse pad. This button will disable the mouse pad so that you don't accidently trigger it while typing. The build of the laptop itself is also very nice. The outside lid is Aluminum while the rest of the laptop appears to be plastic. I've seen some people were unhappy with the lid not going back further. It seems to recline somewhere between 45-60 degree angle. It shouldn't be a problem unless your using a docking station in which the laptop is in a vertical position.
The laptop comes with some unneeded programs pre-installed but it isn't too much trouble to just jump into the Control Panel>Programs and Features and uninstall what isn't wanted. Windows 7 Home Premium is a wonderful OS from my experiences over the last couple of months since release. It's very user friendly and I love the new Taskbar. Acer also has some software for you to create a backup disk for your windows installation. You will need a usb DVDR/W drive for this however and I haven't tried it yet. This isn't necessary however because you have the restore partition on the hard drive but it would be a wise decision if your planning on formatting the whole drive for another installation or if your drive were to go bad.
The battery life is amazing. For a laptop of this size I wouldn't have expected to get 8hrs of battery life but after trying it out it is as advertised. The speakers at times do sound a little buggy where I get sound distortions but this might have been due to some problem with VirtualBox/Ubuntu. The wireless G is great. I used to have problems connecting in some areas with my MSI Wind U100 but those same areas work perfectly with this laptop. I haven't had the opportunity to try it out with wireless N yet.
I really can't find much at fault with this laptop. Very nice quality and at what I thought was a very reasonable price. I hope Amazon brings the price back down to where it should be though. Out of the 3 models I referred to at the beginning of this post I'd vote that this model (8737) gives you the most bang for your buck.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Acer Aspire Timeline AS3810T-8737 13.3-Inch Brushed Aluminum Laptop - Over 8 Hours of Battery Life


Acer Aspire Timeline 3810: All Thin, All Light, All DayAveraging more than 8 hours of battery life, the Acer Aspire Timeline notebook PC series makes "all day computing" a reality. You'll be able to remain productive as you work remotely from 9 to 5 without ever stopping to plug in and recharge, or keep yourself entertained throughout an entire coast–to-coast flight without worrying whether you'll make it to the end of your movie. The thin and light Timeline 3810 (model AS3810T-8737) is made for modern mobile work and play with its 3.5-pound weight and thin measurements--less than one-inch thin at its slimmest point and just over an inch at its thickest.
The high-definition, 13.3-inch CineCrystal LED backlit widescreen display (16:9 ratio) offers 33 percent more energy savings than traditional notebook screens. A Multi-Gesture Touchpad enables you to pinch, flick and swirl your fingers across the touchpad for more natural photo and video viewing as well as intuitive navigation of websites. The Multi-Gesture Touchpad allows you to scroll, zoom in and out and flip through web pages, photos, spreadsheets and more. An integrated Acer Crystal Eye HD webcam delivers smooth video streaming and high quality images for online chats and business video conferences, even in low-light situations.
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.

Key Features
13.3-inch LED-backlit widescreen display with 1366 x 768-pixel resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio and 200-nit high brightness
Energy efficient 1.3 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor with ultra-low voltage for extended battery life. The dual-core SU7300 has a has a power consumption rating of just 10 watts, a fast 800 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and 3 MB L2 cache.
500 GB hard drive
4 GB of installed RAM with 1066 MHz speed, expandable to 8 GB
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD with up to 1700 MB of shared video memory and support for DirectX 10 games.
Multi-gesture touchpad supports circular-motion scrolling, pinch-action zoom, and page flip. (Learn more)
Thermal-efficient cooling innovation ensures the notebook achieves comfortable skin temperature during use.
Crystal Eye HD webcam supports Acer PrimaLite technology, which consists of a premium sensor, firmware and lenses to provide superior video performance under low-light conditions. A built-in digital microphone helps keep background noise levels low and minimizes echoes.
Stereo speakers with 2nd generation Dolby Sound Room audio enhancement transforms the experience of movies, music, and games.
Draft-N Wi-Fi wireless networking (802.11a/b/g/n) with SignalUp technology for enhanced antenna efficiency
Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000)
5-in-1 memory card reader compatible with MultiMediaCard, Secure Digital card, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO and xD-Picture Card
3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players.
HDMI port for connecting to a compatible HDTV or home theater receiver for uncompressed digital audio and video via a single cable. Also includes standard analog VGA video output.
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.
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.
Pre-loaded software includes Microsoft Works SE 9.0 for word processing and spreadsheet work. Enjoy a 60-day trial version of Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007.
Over 8 hours of average battery life with included 6-cell battery (5600 mAh)
Dimensions: 12.7 x 9 x 1.1 inches (WxDxH)
Weight: 3.5 pounds
Warranty: One-year parts and labor limited warranty with concurrent International Traveler's Warranty

What's in the Box This package contains the Acer Aspire Timeline AS3810T-8737 notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions
It also comes with the following software: McAfee Internet Security Suite (trial version); CyberLink PowerDVD; Google Toolbar; Acer Recovery Management; Acer GridVista; Microsoft Works; Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 Trial (60 days)
Learn More
The Multi-Gestured Aspire 1410

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Toshiba Satellite L635-S3020 LED TruBrite 13.3-Inch Laptop (Grey/Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I used to have a much older model Toshiba Satellite (Cannot remember the model number off the top of my head). I later gave it to my nephew and purchased an Acer Apire One, which after about a year of use (gentle use at that) it ceased to function at all. The time then came for me to shop around and with me not being much of a Mac person, I settled on this laptop after looking at other brands all over.
I am very pleased with the construction and performance of this laptop. The battery life I find is adequate (I do web surfing, reports, and photo editing), all which lasts me roughly at least 4.5-5 hours. The Eco-friendly feature is very intuitive since it saves battery life dramatically when you turn this on. Screen is very easy to read, keyboard is good enough to use.
My only slight complaint is the speakers, they aren't the best, however they are not bad by any means, a tad quiet if you will. However if you plug in headphones in (I have headphones that cover over your entire ear), and voila, the Dolby Advanced Audio really kicks in!
I do recommend this laptop, it's not too heavy, and it is very well rounded. I've owned it for about a week thus far and have absolutely no regrets purchasing it.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba Satellite L635-S3020 LED TruBrite 13.3-Inch Laptop (Grey/Black)


Toshiba Satellite L635: Full-Powered Mobile Computing with 13-Inch Screen
Ideal for students, on-the-go small business owners, or the family that needs a laptop that is small enough to travel, the Toshiba Satellite L635 (model L635-S3020) features a 13.3-inch screen and weighs less than 5 pounds. It's a great choice for handling computing essentials at home, school or work--from surfing the web and downloading video to managing household finances or studying for finals. And its high-gloss Fusion Finish in Helios Gray will be sure to raise a few eyebrows.

This all-purpose, eco-smart machine features a stunning LED-backlit display with 720p native high-definition resolution. While light on its feet, the Satellite L635 is packed with powerful computing resources you expect to find in larger-sized laptops, including a SuperMulti drive that can burn a plethora of disc formats and built-in speakers with Dolby audio processing.

You'll also be able to burn through the hottest new digital media, content creation and advanced 3D gaming with the breakthrough performance of the Intel Core i5 processor--with 4-way multitasking processor power to work on four tasks simultaneously.

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 Utility to help reduce power consumption based on your needs and one USB/eSATA combo port.

This Satellite comes pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system (64-bit version).



Key Features
13.3-inch widescreen HD TruBrite LED-Backlit display not only renders stunning visuals, but it's more environmentally friendly as it uses less power (1366 x 768 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio).


2.4 GHz Intel Core i5-450M dual-core processor for smart performance with a speed boost (2.66 GHz with Turbo Boost Technology; 3 MB L3 cache). Intel's Turbo Boost technology maximizes speed for demanding applications, dynamically accelerating performance to match your workload--providing more performance when you need it the most. It also comes equipped with Intel HD Graphics--an advanced video engine that delivers smooth, high-quality HD video playback, and advanced 3D capabilities, providing an ideal graphics solution for everyday computing.


500 GB SATA hard drive (5400 RPM)


4 GB of installed DDR3 RAM (expandable to 8 GB)


Intel HD Graphics with 64 MB - 1696 MB dynamically allocated shared graphic memory.


8x SuperMulti DVD drive with double layer support and Labelflash printing, which enables you to personalize your discs and keep them looking attractive and organized with direct-to-disc laser printing.


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).
With integrated Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity, you can communicate and synchronize wirelessly with Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as printers and cell phones.



Built-in stereo speakers with Dolby Advanced Audio blends a suite of technologies to deliver a stunning audio experience from headphones or your laptop speakers. It analyzes audio signals and restores tones often lost in encoding, mimicking the same optimization techniques that go into tuning movie theaters and mixing rooms, resulting in brighter highs and deep, thumping bass tones. It also expands stereo signals to 6.1- or 7.1-channel playback for a listening experience that will have you talking long after the performance.


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:
Toshiba eco Utility makes it easy to go green as you go mobile. Hit the Eco Button and you'll launch the Toshiba Eco Utility, which puts all sorts of easy-to-read information on your screen, and gives you the ability to adjust the power settings on your laptop. It also activates a light showing you're in the Eco Mode. The Toshiba Eco Utility lets you pick the optimal power plan for your situation. Choose High-Performance when you need every watt you can get, Power Saver for the least energy consumption, or Balanced as a perfect blend of the two.



Up to 3.25 hours of battery life (6-cell battery; 48 Wh)


Dimensions & Weight: 12.95 x 8.7 x 1.45 inches (WxDxH); 4.8 pounds



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.

And with Windows Anytime Upgrade, you'll be able to add new features to your PC in as little as 10 minutes. Windows will walk you through the simple upgrade process, it requires no software or downloads, and you'll keep your existing programs, files, and settings



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.

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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 Satellite L635-S3020 LED TruBrite 13.3-Inch Laptop (Grey/Black)

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Lenovo IdeaPad Y530-7343U 15.4-Inch Laptop (2.13 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P7450 Processor, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium) Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is my second Lenovo notebook. The first one was a ThinkPad R61 which I liked very much. It got stolen out of the back of my car. So, liking the Lenovo product, I bought a new one. The product I am reviewing is similar to the "item being reviewed," the main differences being that I have a 2.0G processor where this one has a 2.13G processor.
Build Quality:
Lenovo is the company which manufactured IBM's laptop computers. IBM's laptops were designed for business users. They were tough enough to be dragged around everywhere. It continues to make laptop computers which are more road friendly than the competition, even in this unit which is "home user" oriented. On most of the competition's laptop computers for school and home use, you can twist the lid/screen and there is a good deal of flex. Not so here. This means the screen is less likely to get damaged or cracked. The rest of the case similarly has little flex which means it is well built. While the keyboard is not up to the quality of the ThinkPad line, it is still very good and does not have much flex or bend when you type on it. It is a bit heavy weighing in at over 6 lbs, but it is worth it to me when I consider that it is less likely to break.
XP Drivers available on-line:
The Y530 comes with Vista Home Premium. Mine has the 64 bit o/s. I hate Vista. It is bloated, slow, overly intrusive, the Start Menu was modified poorly from XP, it is cumbersome to find any administrative tools and it does not work with many pieces of business software. When Microsoft updates their operating systems, it seems that only their software works on the newer o/s. WordPerfect X3 (the better word processor!), Paperport 11.0, older versions of WordPerfect and Legal Solutions Plus and many older game programs simply won't work properly, even when you tell the system to run the program in XP mode. This, I suspect, is the reason about 75% of the business computers still run XP.
Vista Ultimate and Business come with downgrade rights to XP. Here, no such rights exist; HOWEVER, Lenovo provides drivers and software on line so you can load XP!!! (XP is faster than Vista and runs everything I need!) I will be downgrading.
Performance:
I get the following benchmarks with Vista:
Performance Test 6.1: 525.7
PC Wizard (not valid because of 64 bit o/s) = 2047
3DMark 01 = 5193
3DMark 03 = 2269
3DMark 05 = 1199
3DMark 06 = 905
SuperPI calculation of PI to 1M places takes 29.25 seconds.
PLEASE REMEMBER, MINE HAS THE SLOWER PROCESSOR SO THIS SHOULD BE ABOUT 5 - 10% FASTER!
In short, this machine is not as fast as my 2 year old XP based desktop which has a 2.13GHz Core 2 Duo with 2G of memory, an ATI All In Wonder X800XL video card on a Gigabyte 965G-DS3 motherboard running XP. This box is not up to speed for modern gamers. It has good speed as a home entertainment and business/school oriented system. An O/S downgrade to XP would no doubt give you an extra 10% or so of speed.
Appearance and Functionality:
Lenovo still goes with the industrial black look. The outside is plain dull black which is textured so as to make it easier to grip. None of the high gloss colored plastic stuff that is on so many HPs and Dells and Sony Vaios.
Inside, you get a piano black high gloss plastic surrounding the 15.4" screen. The hinge is in the back of the machine, and rather than clamp the screen on the top of the box, the lid is bent and wraps around the computer/keyboard/electronics bottom section. The keyboard is surrounded by a single piece of brushed metal with a black touch sensitive multimedia controls above the keyboard and an orange volume control on the right side of the touch controls.
The box contains five speakers, including an alleged subwoofer which fires downward under the computer. I would look at the Toshibas with the HK speaker systems for a better audio performance.
It comes with a multi-card reader slot, dual layer dvd/CD writer, HDMI output, VGA output, 3 USB ports, modem, ethernet port, built in WIFI, Dolby Digital sound system, microphone and 1.3 megapixel camera in the lid. It includes Veriface software which allows the computer to enter your log-on password using just your image. The Veriface software is very sensitive, and works only from the right distance and at the same angle. It does not seem to be available on XP.
Cons:
Unlike HP, the keyboard has no angle to it, so you are typing on a slightly uncomfortable surface if you have it on a desk or table. There are four small rubber pieces which protect the screen when the lid is closed. Two are right under your wrists and my writs rub against them unless I wear a long sleve shirt. It comes with Vista and a trial version of Norton Anti-virus, which I find ineffective and annoying.
The high gloss screen is a little too high gloss and too reflective under certain circumstances.
Conclusion:
Based on the price to performance ratio, excelent build quality and availability of XP drivers on line, I would not hesitate to purchase this unit again.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Lenovo IdeaPad Y530-7343U 15.4-Inch Laptop (2.13 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P7450 Processor, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium) Black

Lenovo 59-018790 IdeaPad (Black)

Click here for more information about Lenovo IdeaPad Y530-7343U 15.4-Inch Laptop (2.13 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P7450 Processor, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium) Black

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HP Pavilion DM3-1035DX Notebook PC - AMD Athlon Neo X2 Dual-Core L335 / 13.3" LED / 3GB DDR2 / 320GB HD / Webcam / Windows 7 Home Premium Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have this notebook for about 2 months now. Although I only use HP DM-3 for mobile surfing, I have been able to perform heavy jobs from time to time.
This notebook weigh only 4.25lb and it is pretty light to carry around. I put it in my swiss gear bag and I barley notice the weigh. It doesn't have any CDROMS drive but it doesn't bother me a bit because I only needed only once during these two months and I think I can live with it because it is so light without CD-Drive.
The pros of the this Notebook is that
1. Light (as I mention only 4.2 lb)
2. Window 7 (better than linux and window vista)
3. 3 GB of memory in window 64 bit (window uses about 1GB), It is easily accessible in the back for upgrade. (although I never tried it before)
4. Wireless draft N, faster if you could get draft N signal.
5. Storage 340 with HP protect smart, you could get bigger space for this much money but not at this weigh.
6.Built webcam and mic is descent enough to hold video conference.
7. Keyboard and the metal cover is such a charm, many people think I paid a lot more than what I really pay for this.
8.4 USB, typical,one mic port and audio out. Nothing fancy but I am really sold for the one HDMI port. I can instantly hook up with my sharp 46" through HDMI cable and browse the web or watch online movie (I watch more movies and browsing the web).
Now the cons
1. Battery life is no where they claim it to be, they said nearly 6 hours in HP sites, I barely get past 4 with minimum power usage.
2.Track pad is difficult to operate.
3. Over heat quickly when watching movies or doing heavy tasks, otherwise, it is fine.
4. Hibernation does not resume window quickly.
As you can see, there are more pros than cons and I am one of those people who hate Netbook because it is too damn small. This worth the extra money.

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP Pavilion DM3-1035DX Notebook PC - AMD Athlon Neo X2 Dual-Core L335 / 13.3" LED / 3GB DDR2 / 320GB HD / Webcam / Windows 7 Home Premium

This laptop features a 13.3" LED high-definition widescreen display for viewing your favorite photos and video clips in clear, brilliant detail. Enjoy video chatting with friends and family using the built-in webcam with digital microphone.

Click here for more information about HP Pavilion DM3-1035DX Notebook PC - AMD Athlon Neo X2 Dual-Core L335 / 13.3" LED / 3GB DDR2 / 320GB HD / Webcam / Windows 7 Home Premium

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ASUS U30JC-A1 13.3-Inch Laptop (Silver) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)To set the context: I have a two year old Dell desktop, a 4 year old Dell Latitude D400 (12" screen with INtel Pentium M), and a 1 year old Dell Mini 9" (Intel Atom). Like many, I no longer use my desktop, and the D400 was getting a bit long in the tooth. The Mini I found useful for taking on travel but was agonizingly slow for daily use with a very cramped keyboard. Even the D400 choked on multiple websites on occasion and multitasking was a chore. Of course, neither laptop had discrete graphics.
This new laptop has changed everything. To be fair, I would probably be raving about the better experience on any current laptop compared to the older Latitude. However, I really do think the U30JC, even though it's under $1000, is on the cutting edge. It sports Intel's new Core i3, the successor to the Core 2 Duos (still around at good deals), and Nvidia discrete graphics. Critically, Nvidia's Optimus allows for seamless switching to the integrated graphics when power saving is an issue.
I have not really taxed the computer yet and I will update the review down the road with thoughts on more heavy duty performance and battery life issues. But I imagine a number of folks are considering this model and would find initial thoughts helpful.
1) The build quality is very nice. The brushed metallic exterior and lack of plastic except on the screen bezel minimizes fingerprints. Very solid and looks great.
2) I prefer matte screens but the glossy screen in regular indoor conditions is great. I can see this be annoying in very bright light, however. Definition and video quality are leagues better than what I'm used to or have seen before in sub-$1000 laptops.
3) Performance is awesome on my limited trials. Hulu, youtube, multiple websites, quicken, windows media player. Everything pops up so quickly and the platform has no issue with lots and lots of multitasking. No stuttering, no lagging.
4) I really like the programmability and adjustability of everything. For example, maybe this is a Win 7 feature, but I really like the ability to assign "hibernate" to the power button.
5) This is definitely not a thin and light ultraportable. It's a bit heavier than my D400 and bulkier because of the bigger screen. I am still going to travel on work with the Dell Mini. It would be OK for students but I think it's too big (and performance overkill anyway) for most business travelers. I am viewing this as a desktop replacement and because I'm not going to be using this as my primary movie viewer or gaming platform, I really think 13" is where I want to be at.
6) Battery life seems to be excellent. I have not put a video on endless loop to max out the battery (and you can read technical reviews that are now popping up). HOwever, just having the laptop idling and using it periodically throughout the day, it was lasting a looong time.
7) I am not a huge fan of the chiclet keyboard and prefer the regular keyboards with more travel and contours. However, I can see that this would be easier to clean and it's not a bad typing experience. I don't find the layout strange in any way.
8) I really hate touchpads (one reason why I stuck with Dell and its pointing stick). I found this touchpad hard to use and not uniformly sensitive, especially on the left side. This could be a slightly fiddly unit or could be my lack of experience. In any event, I am going to use a mouse. (Lack of integrated bluetooth on this laptop is a demerit).
9) very quiet, didn't run very hot in my limited testing.
I found the whole Asus package to be stripped down and bare bones, which I actually liked. I didn't think there was a ton of bloatware compared to other companies. The box was very small and spartan and there is no manual (it's on the desktop). Some of the built-in Asus utilities are not fully explained. Most of the Intel/Nvidia and random stickers come off easily to provide a very clean, elegant look.
Overall, I believe now (and will update with additional thoughts) that this is a spectacular value. Yes, there are things that I would like changed, but I am very happy with the machine standing alone and then compared to the price point, it's awesome.
Update: After a few weeks of usage, I definitely affirm my initial positive review. This went on a coast to coast business trip. Battery life was phenomenal (I still haven't fully drained but it was lasting for hours off the cord when just doing basic businessy-web stuff). Traveled very well and was not as heavy to lug around as I expected. (although it is slightly heavier than it appears).
One of my keys popped out (my fault) and so I had my first encounter with Asus support. The support was fine and they are shipping me a new keyboard under warranty. So I am satisfied with my limited interaction with Asus US support. Speaking of the keyboard, I still am not in love with it. The chiclets slightly squeak sometimes and the limited travel does take some getting used to. But I can imagine some folks would prefer this kind of layout (very similar to Macbook).
Having the optical drive definitely came in handy for installing some software.
Finally, the glossy screen has turned out to be less annoying than I anticipated. Almost all of my usage has been indoors and not in bright sunlight. I would not recommend writing a novel in a sunny coffee shop, however.
The balance of this (performance, value, battery) is really perfect for me.
Update 2 (May 28 2010):
One slightly disconcerting development that I post so that others can be aware. In general, I almost always hibernate my laptop. On certain occasions, when awakening, the screen does not power on and the cooling fan starts blowing very hard. I press power for several seconds to shut down. When powered back on, most of the time it actually comes back to the hibernation point (in a few times, it did a hard reset).
I have seen this comment from a couple of other people. It does not appear to affect functionality.
The other slightly annoying thing is that sometimes the screen flickers for a second... especially at the beginning of a computing session.
My only slightly educated guess is both of these issues are related to the growing pains of Optimus and switching between the GPUs. Probably needs to be a driver update in the future.

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS U30JC-A1 13.3-Inch Laptop (Silver)

Optimized Performance for up to 9.5 hours of Unplugged Mobility The sleek 13.3-inch U30Jc has incredible features that go far beyond the capabilities of standard entertainment notebooks. Start smart with it\'s all new Intel® Core™ i3 processor thatis smarter and faster with Intel Hyper-Threading Technology for enhanced multitasking.Plus, the U30Jc features NVIDIA® GeForce™ graphics with NVIDIA Optimus™ Technology that seamlessly transitions between powerful NVIDIA graphics and Intel embedded graphics to give you smart visual performance or battery-savings when you need it. At less than 4.5-pounds and only 1.5-inches thin, its unique and lightweight design makes it easy to carry anywhere you go. With full HD playback capability and HDMI connectivity, you can easily enjoy the big screen experience on any HDMI-ready HDTV or home theater setup. Here are a few more reasons why you should be consider the ASUS U30Jc as your next mobile warrior notebook:


Key Features
Up to 9.5 hours of battery life for all-day unplugged freedom1 (Learn more)
The new Intel Core i3-350M dual core processor gives you smarter multitasking performance(Learn more)
Thin and light design only 1.5-inches thin and dressed in brushed aluminum for on-the-go portability (Learn more)
13.3-inch HD LED-backlit widescreen for crisp visuals that don\'t compromise battery life (Learn more)
NVIDIA GeForce 310M Graphics 512MB DDR3 VRAM delivers great HD entertainment performance(Learn more)
NVIDIA Optimus Technology automatically and seamlessly transitions between powerful NVIDIA graphics and energy-efficient Intel onboard HD Graphics to suit the task at hand(Learn more)
4GB DDR3 RAM for increased multitasking speed (Learn more)
High-speed wireless N networking (802.11 b/g/n @ 2.4GHz) (Learn more)
SuperMulti DVD drive to enjoy your favorite movies where you want (Learn more)
HDMI output for easily streaming HD video and audio to a compatible HDTV or external display (Learn more)
Altec Lansing speakers with SRS Premium Sound for resounding acoustics (Learn more)
Multi-touch trackpad lets you intuitively navigate through web pages, documents, and pictures (Learn more)
Chiclet keyboard for increased typing precision and comfort (Learn more)
Express Gate for instant access to internet, music, Skype, and more in seconds
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2 year global warranty and 1 year Accidental Damage Warranty (Learn more)

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ASUS 360 –Comprehensive Care Package Included
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What's in the Box The entire U30Jc-A1 package contains a warranty information card, notebook, AC Adapter, and 8-cell battery pack
U30Jc-A1
AC Adapter
8-cell Battery Pack
Warranty Information Card
Specifications
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
Display: 13.3-inch LED-backlit HD display (1366 x 768)
CPU: Intel Core i3-350M Dual Core Processor (2.26 GHz)
Graphics: NVIDIA Optimus-Enabled: NVIDIA GeForce 310M with 512MB DDR3 VRAM + Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD
Wireless Data Network: 802.11 b/g/n (@ 2.4GHz)
LAN: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet
Memory: 4GB DDR3-1066 DRAM (up to 4GB)
Storage: 320GB 5400RPM hard drive
Optical Disc Drive: DVD Super Multi Double Layer
Camera: 0.3 Megapixel
Speakers: Altec Lansing speakers with SRS premium sound
Microphone: Digital Array Microphone
Card Reader: : 1 x 5-in-1 card reader (SD/MMC/MMC+/MS/XD)
Input/ Output: 1 x HDMI output,1 x Headphone-out jack (S/PDIF support),1 x Microphone-in jack,1 x VGA port/ Mini D-sub 15-pin for external monitor,1 x RJ-45 LAN Jack,3 x USB 2.0 ports
Battery: 8 cell 5600mAh battery (Up to 9.5 Hours)
Dimensions: 13.12 x 9.52 x 0.8 ~ 1.2 –inches (W x D x H)
Weight: 4.8 lbs with 8 cell battery
Color: Silver *GeForce 310M compared to Intel Integrated GM45 1Estimated maximum battery life test was done in ASUS Power4Gear battery saving mode with Mobile Mark 2007. Actual battery life may vary based on product settings, usage patterns and environmental conditions. 2 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. Limit 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. 3 One incident covered per notebook. 4 Rated number 1 PC brand according to SquareTrade, the leading direct-to-consumer warranty company (for more information visit http://www.squaretrade.com/pages/laptop-reliability-1109/ ). 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 images. 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. † Internet access required. Free TV content varies by geography. Some content may require additional fees.

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HP Pavilion DV4-2140US 14.1-Inch Laptop (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I wanted a laptop for cruising the internet and general purpose use. I don't do gaming. This laptop fit the bill in nearly ever respect, but I was quite disappointed by the short battery life. It seems to discharge at a rate of about 1% per minute, so that gives 1.5 hrs of on-battery use. Yeah, you could extend the uptime by dimming your display but that makes it quite difficult to read. I'd say, if you want this laptop, plan on spending from 75 to 150 more for a 12 cell battery - prices vary depending on if you get it from HP or aftermarket.
Lots of people have commented about the metallic touchpad but I don't find it an issue.
I love the touch sensitive volume control and mute button. Very handy, no fumbling around looking for the right key or key combo to adjust volume or mute.
Lightscribe works as advertised, kinda fun to make CD's and label them, but it does take a while (5-10 minutes).
I was tempted to give it just 3 stars (It's OK) vs 4 (I like it) and decided on 4 due to the value delivered.

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For those who want an all-in-one performance notebook with rich multimedia features, the HP Pavilion dv4 Entertainment series delivers mobile performance that looks as great as it runs. Powered by the latest processor and graphics technologies, it delivers optimal mobile performance to support your lifestyle.

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HP Pavilion DM3-1040US 13.3-Inch Silver Laptop (Windows 7 Home Premium) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I don't know if you've noticed, but dunking a product on Amazon usually gets you more "No" votes. That said, I am compelled to write this review as I believe that HP did an "evil thing" when they rolled out this product.
Before I start bitching, here are the GOOD:
***Killer looks (five stars are not enough)
***Great screen (never feels like I am looking at a 13.3" screen)
***one of the best keyboards I had used in a long time
***Powerful processor with plenty of RAM (doesn't struggle even when I keep 10 applications simultaneously open)
***Silent
***Four USB's and an HDMI out (on such a small body)
***Solid build.
Then there are the BAD:
***Buggy touch pad. Some quick fix solutions are being discussed on the forums. The issue seem to be a software bug. If so, it's just a matter of time before HP would fix it (I wonder why HP hadn't done it already; I'll grit my teeth and wait).
***Mirror surface touchpad is "sticky" (I'm not a "touch pad" guy anyway).
***A laptop bag supplied by HP screams "aesthetic murder" (I'll budget may be another $100 for a new bag)
***Having to hold function key to access F2 is real pain when working on spreadsheet (but I think I'll get used to it; I'm already warming up to using FN+Arrow to access HOME and END)
Here is the unforgivable UGLY:
***The battery life is typically 4 hours and not the advertised 10 hours (no gaming or video; only standard office work with WiFi on)!!!
This is absolutely unforgivable because
***This is not a software bug and won't get fixed in the future
***The difference between the claimed battery life and actual one is so large that it can't be explained away with fine prints (I can swallow if I get 80% of advertised battery life; not when I get only 40%)
***When the Asian manufacturers (Acer, ASUS and now Sony) claim 10hr, user actually get 10hr or more.
I think HP is having trouble catching up with the "low battery consumption" technologies. Instead of working their butt off, HP took a short cut and made a false "10hr battery" claim. After all, the world is full of suckers like "yours truly". In my part of the world, such practice is called "cheating". If you are from Google Land, you may want to call it "doing Evil".
I bought this laptop because I was tired of carrying my earlier "kitchen sink of a machine" (HP dv9000; beautifully designed). I had this fancy notion that I would carry the notebook to the office, sans the wires, bag and baggage (I've seen my friends do this with Acer and Asus). That's never going to happen till I upgrade some two years down the line.
When I am in the market the next time around, I should remember not to take HP on its face value.

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For those who want full PC performance optimized for mobility, the HP Pavilion dm3 Entertainment series delivers in a surprisingly affordable, minimalist design. Its top and palm rest covers are made of brushed aluminum in Modern Argento gray, while its bottom casing is a magnesium alloy. The metal casing helps ensure maximum durability at minimal weight. The clean design is accentuated by an iconic keyboard. Powered by the latest ultra-low-voltage processor and mobile graphics technologies, it delivers optimal mobile performance to support your on-the-go lifestyle.Get up to 10 hours of life for extended use with the standard battery.Break free with the performance you need in a design you\'ll love (without the designer price tag).Set yourself apart with an ultra-thin design in colorized brushed aluminum.Get greater durability with lightweight aluminum-magnesium casing.Experience full-screen views of HD TV and movies with the 16:9 13.3-Inch diagonal display.Enjoy your photos and videos on HD TVs with the HDMI port (cable sold separately).Chat face to face with the HP Webcam and add fun special effects.Relax with extra protection from file loss due to drops with HP ProtectSmart. Enjoy easy access to your favorite entertainment with HP MediaSmart.

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HP Pavilion DM3-1130US 13.3-Inch Laptop (Silver) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The HP Pavilion dm3 1130us (AMD CPU & ATI GPU model) is a good compromise between the portability of a netbook and the functionality of a full sized laptop. Technically in the "Ultra-portable/Thin & Light" category, I would say it is a netbook on steroids. I was looking for a portable computing solution but didn't want a small keyboard or a hard-to-read/small screen. It had to have a small form factor, yet have a more powerful processor and graphics than traditional netbooks. I use it mainly for office work, web surfing, video streaming, music listening and light gaming.
Most of the specs are readily available on Amazon, but you can get a more in-depth overview by going to HP's site and looking up the dm3z line in their Ultra-Portable category. The 1130 is essentially a later production run of the 1030, which is still available on Amazon as of this writing.
Back to what I was looking for;
Basically, I wanted a MacBook but only had about five hundred bucks to spend. I'm a Mac user normally but could not see paying so much for a laptop. I searched high & low and weighed several other options. In this laptop segment and at this price point, it is all about compromise and what you want as an end user. In this end, the 1130us was the best fit for me. I was able to find it on sale for under five hundred on the OfficeMax site and then found a [...] dollar rebate. I used that saving to buy a [...] , and so far that is working perfectly too. I was a little leery about getting an HP since they don't have the best reliability reputation, but I would expect more problem reports from a company that sells so many computers. My mother-in-law has a 3 year old Pavilion that still runs like new.
What I like about it:
1. It's fast, faster than I expected. Initial set-up was a snap. The 1.6GHz AMD Athon Neo X2 dual-core processor and ATI Mobility Radeon HD3200 graphics see to that. Perhaps not the best combo for intense Photoshop sessions or cutting edge 3D gaming, but I have several apps and browser windows open at once with no system slowdowns. Online video from various sources streams just fine and I've played a number of games (including Star Wars Battlefront) with no issues. The AMD cpu and ATI gpu combo uses more wattage than the Intel option, but I think you would sacrifice computing power for battery life if you went the Pentium or Core Duo route.
1b. 7200 RPM 320GB Hard Drive. Did I say it was fast? And spacious.
2. The screen. It is glossy, but not as bad as some and it is nice and bright. 13.3" w/ a 1366x768 widescreen resolution means things are a bit smaller than on a standard desktop monitor, but everything is nice and crisp and the colors are good. It seems much bigger. HD content looks great on it and the viewing angle isn't bad. I had a stuck pixel, but it went away. The lid opens about 135 degrees back so you can easily work with it on your lap. It has a nice firm hinge so there are no worries of it falling one way or the other.
3. Wi-Fi draft N. I've only had fast and excellent connectivity so far. Having bluetooth is nice too, but I've yet to use it.
4. Windows 7, not a cobbled Started Edition. Coming from OSX, I have to say I'm growing more and more impressed with the latest Windows OS. It seems to have more intricacies than with OSX, but I'm getting used to it and have to say the user interface is top notch. Before this, I've used XP and am so glad that Microsoft has finally refined their product. Connect a device for the first time and either the drivers are already there or they download automatically. Nice. Lots of eye candy too.
5. Touch pad. Some reviewers pan it, but I find it works well for me after a slight learning curve. Sure, it is the only fingerprint magnet on an otherwise lovely case, but I like the feel of the shiny chrome finish and find the multi-finger gestures useful. The "mouse-buttons" could be a little easier to depress, but that is a small quibble, just tap the pad. It is also very customizable to your specific needs. The 1030us touch pad had some wake-from-sleep issues, but that was fixed in the latest BIOS. I also use a [...] but have no problems adjusting to the touch pad if I leave mouse at the office.
6. 4 USB, 5-in1 card reader, 1 VGA, and 1 HDMI port. Connectivity ahoy!
7. Full sized keyboard. It took a little adjustment, but I like the quiet, island style keys. When in the proper position, I can type just as fast as with my desktop's keyboard. I measured it, and it is slightly LARGER than my G5's primary keyboard area!
8. The case. This is one sturdy feeling case with little or no flex that I can detect. You can hold it by a corner without fear. I love that it isn't a finger print magnet like so many others out there. The brushed aluminum finish is very attractive and gives it a high-end appearance.
9. It came with 4GB DDR2 ram, expandable to 8GB. With the 64bit OS, I could do this, but see no need to at the present time.
10. Cool. Even after all day use the air blowing out of the rear side exhaust vent is only slightly warm. The front wrist rests can get a little warm, but never uncomfortable (at least to me).
11. Quiet. If a completely silent room you can hear the faint breath of the fan, but otherwise it and the spinning hard drive are unnoticeable.
12. Well packaged. There are no disks included, but the manual and documentation are pretty clear.
13. Price. Find this on sale and you've got yourself one heck of a deal!What's not so great about it:
1. It is about 13" wide and weights about nearly 5 pounds with the battery inserted. For me that's no big deal but if you plan to lug your laptop around a lot, you may want to look at something smaller and lighter. It is only one inch thick so it slides easily into most bags.
2. Speakers. You know going in that they won't be that great, but I still couldn't help being a little disappointed. However, I tweaked the sound settings and get decent output now, though not very loud. It does the job though. Use earphones. I connected it to my speakers with a subwoofer and Pandora radio sounds terrific!
3. Battery life. I get about 4 hours of constant general use life out of it. Another reviewer stated he was able to play the entire Fellowship of the Ring movie before it went into hibernation, but I have not tested that. The good news is that 4 hours is still decent, and the power cord isn't too cumbersome. If you need an all-day, cord-free laptop/netbook, look elsewhere.
4. Some bloatware. Being new to Windows I researched what to do when you first get a computer. One of the most common recommendations is to remove the manufacturer installed software. I got rid of the MS Office trial and Norton. I'll still playing around with the suite of HP software. I may keep some, but will probably ditch a good bit of it. However, some users may like the included software. Even with it, the 1130us is a speedy customer.
5. No optical drive, but I knew that and won't need one every day. The Samsung will also be useful for my other computers.
6. No OS restore disk. I know, there is no optical drive and there is a recovery partition, but it still would have been nice.
7. Possible fit and finish issues. I just noticed a very slight gap along the top right front edge where the wrist wrest meets the side paneling. Pressing down on it does reveal a little flex. Not enough to return it, but it is worth keeping an eye on and could be cause for concern. It is too early to tell. (see my product photos)I have not used the Quickweb feature, but Windows 7 boots up (after some re-configuration) in less than a minute so I'm not sure I'd need it. I've also not yet used the HDMI out port or webcam. I plan to test both soon and have heard that the webcam is good in low light. I've only been using the 1130us for a little over a week so I can't speak to its long-term reliability, but so far so good. I'll post an update if I have anything new to add.
So, is the dm3 1130us the right model for you? If you are not a 3D gamer and want a nice looking, sturdy, portable laptop without most of the limitations of a netbook, then the answer could be "yes". Of course, technology is changing rapidly and in a few months the next latest and greatest will be out. But if you need something now, and want a lot of oomph at a great value, then the dm3 1130us could be your best bet. It exceeds my expectations at a price point other laptops couldn't match, so that is why I'm giving it 5 (4 1/2 actually) stars.
UPDATE-March 30, 2011: It is over a year later and I'm still loving this little machine. No major issues. Yes, the left palm rest can get a bit warm, but I've never had it become uncomfortably so. It still does everything I need it to with little fuss.

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For those who want full PC performance optimized for mobility, the HP Pavilion dm3 Entertainment series delivers in a surprisingly affordable, minimalist design.

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ASUS U35JC-XA1 Thin and Light 13.3-Inch Laptop (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've had this notebook for about 6 weeks now and am very happy with the notebook. It fits my needs of being a fairly powerful notebook, light, thin, and great battery life of 7-8 hours with wifi on.
Chassis: I don't have any creaks or squeaks after squeezing and pushing on the notebook. My indicator lights area doesn't squeak or have any openings like some of the other reviews I've read. I did notice some mild keyboard flex at the upper middle portion of the keyboard and the bezel around the keys have some moderate give. I never really cared about chassis flex much before, since my old dell 6000 has help up quite well to my abuse after 6 years. Some more design issues for the people who want to know. The battery is a bit loose, but it's locked in with the dual switches. I definitely love the aluminum lid, and understand the shift from plastics on higher end notebooks. The black bezel is a smudge magnet, but what bothers me more is that when the notebook is closed, a part of the black bezel is still exposed above the battery and keyboard. This black shiny plastic is more prone to scratches, which has happened to me with no drops or accidents. The screen also distorts near the webcam area and bottom of the screen when pressure is applied in the vicinity of those areas..more so in the middle.
Heat: The notebook runs relatively cool when not pushed under quiet office mode. The areas around the keyboard feel cool and underneath the notebook is comfortable on your lap. If one decides to leave it on high performance mode, then the notebook is definitely running much warmer. You can feel the heat on the palm rest, especially on the right side and heat is blowing heavily out of the side vent. But even on quiet office mode, a good amount of heat is blowing out of the left side vent. I do notice the heat a bit on my left leg because of this side vent though. The side vent is angled down and out, which I think kind of directs the heat on my left leg during on the lap use. I think it would be less bothersome if they directed the heat straight outward, instead of being angled downward.
Keyboard and Touchpad: I like the keyboard layout and feel. The keys are quiet to me and have good travel. I like the Power4Gear button on the top left and the Fn number keypad. On my old notebook, I had to hold down Fn, while on the Asus...you can press Fn and number lock to just more easily type numbers for data input. Moving the cursor around with the touchpad is fairly smooth and responsive. I enjoy using the multi gestures, especially the two finger touch. Great to open up new tabs in firefox. Also I'm starting to use the two finger tap for auto scrolling, which is smoother then two finger vertical scrolling. I still use the two finger vertical scroll, but sometimes it can be a bit finicky and jumpy. The 3 finger tap doesn't always register and noticed that if I spread my ring finger out more, it will register. The touchpad isn't massive like the macbook, so I find using the 3 finger tap is going to have a learning curve to properly leave the fingers spread apart and within the touchpad area. I don't use the rocker button much, but it really isn't that bad. It's soft in the middle and edges of the designated left and right buttons. It it stiff in the very middle of the whole rocker button, but I never clicked there in the first place. When i tested the button on the U43jc at best buy...I definitely thought it was too stiff. These buttons have a nice quiet tactile click with little resistance and travel. I honestly like the the buttons (button?, hehe) of this touchpad more so than my old Dell which had loud clicky buttons that had alot of travel. I also don't highlight text using the buttons. I use the double tap lock feature to highlight text. I was use to this feature on my old Dell.
LED screen: Beautiful colors and display to me, but the viewing angles are very narrow. I have my screen almost always tilted back to its maximum because I noticed that the colors don't wash out when viewing below the perpendicular plane of the screen. View angles from above really do stink though. The horizontal angles are good in that they don't affect the colors and image displayed, but the Glare in certain environments make it difficult to view. Trying to share the display with friends for photos and videos is not easily done with this screen. I see the screen is more for private/business use and it's fine for me. I rarely share whats on my screen to others, so I'll enjoy the beautiful image to myself.
CPU Whine: I agree with many other reviews from other sites that it does become less prominent the more you use it. It still comes in once in awhile, but I really don't hear it most of the time I use it at all. Even when I do notice it, as soon as I start typing and browsing the web with my clicks, I can't hear it anymore. I was first using only internet explorer because of what people said about the cpu whine arising with firefox, but I'm now happily using Firefox again with no complaints of the sound. I'm running it right now and hear no whine with 12 tabs open. I honestly hear the fan, but no high pitch whine, which would be more annoying.
Speakers: Sound is good for a notebook and loud, while on a table. These are crotch speakers and get muffled out on soft surfaces and if you're using the notebook on your lap. Carry around those nice headphones if you got some and are into audio quality.
Webcam: Convenient to have but low quality. Make sure you update the webcam driver from asus, because after I did my clean install, windows 7 installed a more recent driver that caused my webcam to record images upside down. The webcam doesn't handle low light conditions well and is not as clear or lag free as my logitech notebook pro cam. It's still a great convenient cam to have on the go though.
Some random head scratchers: On HDMI output to a 1080p tv, the out is actually larger than 1080p, so it causes every edge of the image to be cut off. Does that happen to anyone else? Even my desktop is cut, like the windows taskbar is only showing 1/4 of it. Sometimes my desktop widgets appear on top of my windows and I lose functionality of my power 4 gear button on the top left after waking my computer from sleep/hibernate. Love the button though, since it makes it really easy to switch quickly between different profiles to save battery or for brighter screens for videos.
Conclusion: I still love the notebook and would buy it again. It fits my needs perfectly of moderate gaming, thin, light, great battery life, and I hope reliability. The two year warranty with accidental is great. Plus with my credit card adding 1 more year of warranty, I'm set for 3 years. Also the price of this laptop can't really be beat in its class...I'll add that can be purchased in the United States. This notebook weighs 3.96 pounds with the battery and

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13.3" HD (1366 x768) (LED) / i3-370M / 4G DDR3 / NV 310M 1G DDR3 + Intel GMA HD (Optimus Technology) / 320G 5400 / No ODD / W7HP (64bit) / 802.11BGN / VGA / HDMI / 0.3M Pixel / 8-cell 5600mAh / up to 10 Hours of Battery Life.1YR Global/1YR Accidental Damage/30-Day Zero Bright Dot/2-way FREE shipping/24-7 tech support.

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