Toshiba Satellite L505-S5993 TruBrite 15.6-Inch Grey/Black Laptop - 2 Hours 25 Minutes of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is my first laptop. I was shopping on black Friday, have heard great things about Toshiba laptops, and they had this one for 499.00 so I said what the heck and got it! I also ordered a wireless router. A few days later the box came and I could not be happier. The best thing about is the the display. It is very sharp, bright, and clear. The keyboard is nice as well. I can't stand the touchpad, but I think that's a common problem with all laptops. I immediately went out and bought a wireless mouse to use with it. The sound is not great either, but again, I think that's common with laptops. It seems pretty sturdy, and runs cool. It does not get hot, and the fan doesn't even run when the ambient temp is around 65 degrees. Setting up the wireless network was a breeze, and when I started up the laptop, it found the signal immediately, and never loses it. The computer is very fast and I have not had one problem. Very satisfied..and wow what a great price I got--this is a well equipped laptop.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba Satellite L505-S5993 TruBrite 15.6-Inch Grey/Black Laptop - 2 Hours 25 Minutes of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)

Offering solid performance and impressive affordability, the Toshiba Satellite L505-S5993 laptop is 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. This all-purpose, eco-smart machine features a stunning 15.6-inch display with 720p native high-definition resolution. And 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. To top it off, the L505 features a brilliant high-gloss Fusion Finish design with a Breeze pattern in Graphite Gray that's sure to turn heads.
It comes pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system (64-bit version), supporting office applications and all the software programs routinely found in full-size notebooks. 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.)

You'll enjoy dual-core productivity from its 2.1 GHz Intel Pentium T4300 processor for excellent multitasking. Other features include a 500 GB hard drive, 4 GB of installed RAM (upgradeable to 8 GB), 5-in-1 memory card reader, Draft-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g/n), full-size keyboard and 10-key pad, and dual-layer DVD±RW drive that burns CDs.

This Toshiba notebook is Energy Star 5.0 certified, and has received a Gold EPEAT designation for meeting standards to help reduce its environmental impact. Additionally, it is RoHS-compliant, effectively reducing the environmental impact by restricting the use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances.



Key Features
15.6-inch high-definition TruBrite display for amazing color depth and clarity (Learn more)
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.
2.1 GHz Intel Pentium T4300 dual-core processor with 1 MB L2 cache and 800 MHz front side bus (FSB) (Learn more)
500 GB Serial ATA hard drive
4 GB of RAM (800 MHz; upgradeable to 8 GB)
Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD with up to 1750 MB of dynamically shared memory allocated by the system (Learn more)
8x SuperMulti DVD drive with double layer support (See speeds)
1.3 megapixel with Face Recognition capabilities for added security (Learn more)
104-key keyboard with 10-key pad
Enjoy proactive PC health--without the worry. For your peace mind, this laptop comes with an innovative PC Health Monitor that constantly keeps tabs on things like your machine's power usage, temperature and hard drive--so you won't have to.
Draft-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g/n) for greater speed and range
Fast Ethernet (10/100)
Built-in stereo speakers
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.
6-cell (4000 mAh) battery for up to 2 hours, 45 minutes of continuous use
Dimensions: 15.1 x 10.2 x 1.55 inches (WxDxH)
Weight: 6 pounds
Warranty: One-year limited hardware warranty

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion With its integrated Draft-N Wi-Fi networking capabilities, this laptop provides up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range using 802.11n-compatible routers as you would with 802.11g networks. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found at Wi-Fi hotspots and in older home routers). 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
Includes 1 eSATA/USB combo port

Analog video output: 1 VGA
5-in-1 memory card reader compatible with Secure Digital, Secure Digital High Capacity, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Multi Media Card, xD Picture Card
1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack
RJ-45 port for 10/100 Fast Ethernet

What's in the box This package contains the Toshiba Satellite L505-S5993 notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions.

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

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15.6-Inch High-Definition Display This notebook has a 15.6-inch TFT display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels (native 720p for high-definition viewing). It also provides TruBrite technology, which makes images brighter and more vivid thanks to its anti-glare feature. Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD, which uses shared video memory (up to 1759 MB allocated from the system memory). This graphics card is built with Intel Clear Video technology, which delivers clearer, more detailed images by eliminating many of the jagged edges and video artifacts seen when viewing interlaced content and features powerful color control to ensure videos are not too dark, overly bright, or washed out. It's compatible with external monitor resolutions up to 1920 x 1200.


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.



Dual-Core Pentium PowerReady to move up to a dual-core? This Intel Pentium processor-based PC is a good place to start. The Intel Pentium processor is the fast dual-core that lets you surf the web and run multiple applications simultaneously. So you can browse, IM, download music or transfer photos all at once. And use office applications, too.
With the 2.1 GHz Intel Pentium T4300 dual-core processor, you'll be able to perform multiple tasks such as digital rendering and gaming all while running virus scan or other background tasks seamlessly. And its Intel 64 architecture is also ready for tomorrow's 64-bit applications, and offers enhanced performance through improved virtual memory. It has a 1 MB L2 cache and an 800 MHz front-side bus (FSB). (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.)



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



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

Click here for more information about Toshiba Satellite L505-S5993 TruBrite 15.6-Inch Grey/Black Laptop - 2 Hours 25 Minutes of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)

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Sony VAIO VPC-Z112GX/S 13.1-Inch Laptop (Silver) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am more of a Mac user usually, but I need a windows machine occasionally, and this is far and away the best piece of hardware I have ever had (in case you wonder, I also have a thinkpad X200 and macbook pros of all sizes). The hardware spec is very similar to the last generation of macbook pro (same graphics card, similar CPU), but this is a 3lb machine, vs a 6lb mbp). The SSD is blazingly fast, the machine never gets even slightly warm (despite the fact that I usually run a number of CPU hogs on it), the keyboard is amazingly comfortable (It has a similar chicklet layout to the MBP keyboard), the screen is phenomenal (by contrast, the Thinkpad screen is much too dim). I am sure there is a bit of bloatware, but I don't notice it (256GB is a lot of bits), and the default browser is Chrome. Windows 7 is the most usable Windows release yet, which may or may not be saying much.
To comment on another review: I am very much a unix person, but if you want to run unix on a laptop, just get a mac, and certainly DO NOT get a sony. Sony has always made slightly incompatible hardware (I got my first Sony ultraportable in the late 1990s -- same problems). That said, I have NEVER had a linux laptop which ran properly (Thinkpads, Dells, Acer, you name it). Power management is always goofy, the display drivers are always a little off, etc, etc. Run linux at home/work, and use a vnc client to connect, if linux is that important to you. Every single old unix hack I know carries a mac (that includes some of the fathers of the open source movement) -- essentially every useful piece of linux software runs (sometimes better) under OSX.
Anyway, giving two stars to the Vaio because it is not a unix box is like giving two stars to your ferrari because it won't go offroad (or conversely, to your landrover because it can't keep up with a mustang GT from a light). Use the right tool for the job.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony VAIO VPC-Z112GX/S 13.1-Inch Laptop (Silver)

Built tough for business, the VAIO Z notebook offers the portability of a 3 lbs (with standard capacity battery) form factor with the functionality and performance of a larger computer.

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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*

Learn More
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.

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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.

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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.

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HP Pavilion dm4-1060us 14.1-Inch Laptop Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I just got this notebook to send off to college with my daughter. I've been in the computer business for over 35 years, and this is one of the best PC notebooks I've ever had (I'd give it 5 stars, but it is not a Mac Book - my daughter prefers Windows).
But I have owned a bunch of PC notebooks over the years, including several other HPs, and this is the best PC notebook I've ever owned - a really excellent mix of size, performance, and style. Aside from its technical specs, it really is attractive for a notebook - way to go HP design team!
My daughter is very fussy about keyboards and trackpads, and to win her approval is a huge endorsement. I've been watching the ads for PC notebooks knowing college starts this fall, and this HP dm4 really caught my eye. I'd been considering the 8 hour ASUS machines, but this 6 hour HP was enough better in other specs to seal the deal. For a PC, the claimed 6+ hours (over 4 in reality) is way better than almost any other PC notebook (although Mac Books are much better).
Compared to most other PC notebooks, this one wins because: very light (other reviews say it is one of the very lightest 14" notebooks), fast (Intel i5 mobile, not just an i3), 4Gigs RAM, 500Gig hard drive (and 7200rpm, not 5400!), fingerprint scanner (and it really works well and seamlessly - encourages good security), bluetooth, WiFi N, HDMI + VGA, eSATA, Windows 7 64-bit, great battery life, great size and weight. Just right mix. (Just a note - it uses shared graphics, just fine for anyone except hard core gamers - probably improves battery life.)
SUMMARY: A great balance of price, performance, and style. Should easily last four years of college.
PROS: Size, weight, style, CPU performance, fingerprint scanner, memory
CONS: screen size (beautiful LED display, but at 768 pixels high, a bit low - wish it were 900), really loaded with crapware (but that is typical of almost any PC notebook today, especially HP - check out pc decrapifier)

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP Pavilion dm4-1060us 14.1-Inch Laptop

Count on a thin, lightweight laptop that has everything you need and want. The HP Pavilion dm4-1060us Notebook PC delivers exceptional performance from the inside out. Manage your passwords, access online accounts and secure files easily using the integrated fingerprint reader and exclusive HP SimplePass software. With a battery that lasts up to 6.5 hours per charge, you can forget about plugging in your HP laptop all the time. This stylish notebook PC also has a durable metal chassis finished in brushed aluminum with the stream design in argento.Have fun wherever you go, whether it\'s around the house, across town or on the road. The HP Pavilion dm4-1060us Notebook PC is designed for how you live. Watch DVDs using the built-in optical drive and 14-inch diagonal High-Definition LED display. Integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth help you connect and sync your HP laptop to a printer, MP3 player or smartphone without using cables. Video chat in low-light environments using the HP webcam, plus transfer photos from a digital camera to your notebook PC using the digital media reader.

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Acer Aspire AS1551-5448 11.6-Inch Laptop (Mesh Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This review applies to both the 721 and the 1551 (I own the 1551, but the cons mentioned are common to both)
Vertical Viewing Angle
----------------------
One MAJOR shortcoming of these Acers (AO721/AO1551) is the vertical viewing angle. In fact if you look at a black, but still backlit screen, at the optimal viewing height/angle, you will see that the only part that is actually black is a horizontal stripe which is about 1/3rd of the vertical height of the screen. Above and below this stripe (i.e., the upper and lower thirds of the screen) are basically a dark gray. As you move your head up and down and/or tilt the screen, the image changes brightness dramatically in the vertical direction. Fortunatelly, the horizontal viewing angle is pretty good, but you almost have to tilt the thing perfectly to maximize vertical viewing and brightness falloff. I can see this happening with a 24-27" LCD screen at small viewing distances, but with a tiny laptop screen that measures approx. 5 5/8" vertically, this is plain embarassing for a 2010 run of LCD panels. In my opinion, one star should be taken off for Acer taking the cheap route with something as important as the screen. Fortunatelly, at 200 nits the screen is relatively bright at its maximum brightness, giving one some consolation to the non-uniforum vertical brightness issue.
Cheap Plastic Hinge Arms that Hold the LCD Panel
------------------------------------------------
Not much to say here. The arms are hollow molded plastic and do not seem sturdy at all. As you open and close the panel, there is some give, and one constantly fears that these things will break in a year. A friend of mine has an older model Acer netbook whose swivel arms and mechanism feels much more sturdy. I'm going to take off a half-star here, for Acer saving a whopping $2 on something this important, and not using aluminum hinge arms, opting for hollow molded plastic instead.
Bloatware
---------
Seriously Acer, how much bloatware needs to be installed on an Ultra-Portable? Couldn't you just supply all the crap on a cheap 4GB MiniSD memory card or something (since these things do not contain optical disc readers) and let the user choose whether or not they were interested in all the apps most users won't even use. I won't go into too many details here about each installed app, but let me just say that it took at least a good 45 mins to an hour to uninstall all the junk (involving at least a good handful of required restarts for good measure). Some of the device drivers were as much as nine months old, as well. I realize that nearly all laptops and netbooks come with some bloatware, but I think that the amount included on these is way over the top. Half a star off for the trouble of uninstalling the junk and replacing very outdated drivers.
Inability to Adjust Brightness after Putting Laptop to Sleep
------------------------------------------------------------
The title says it all. Put the laptop to sleep, wake it up and you will no longer be able to adjust screen brightness until the next reboot. I won't subtract any more stars here, because this may be fixed with a future BIOS, but it is a royal pain in the neck for now.
Update: Thanks to some workaround tips from on the MS forums along with some of my own experimentation with this particular model, I now have a workaround. The workaround is to set your "Choose what closing the lid does" action in the Control Panel / Power Options to "Do nothing." Unfortunately, that means that you will now have to manually put the display to sleep prior to closing the lid. This is a pain, but in my opinion it's a good idea in any case, because you will cause less vibration while the hard drive is still active (i.e., still spinning), putting the laptop to sleep prior to closing the lid. What this whole two step (Step 1. Press Fn-F4 to enter Sleep Mode and wait for completion / Step 2. Close the lid) process buys you is this:
- Putting the laptop to sleep will still cause the "inability to adjust brightness" issue
- However, you can get your brightness controls back, without a reboot, by following this procedure:
"WITHOUT putting the laptop to sleep, close the lid and reopen it several seconds later."
Since closing the lid is set to "Do Nothing" this seems to be a no-op (i.e., a pointless non-operation). However, this seems to re-enable the keyboard brightness control, although the cool pop-up that tells you the current brightness level will no longer pop-up until the next reboot. The keyboard brightness adjustment controls will once again be functional, though.
I realize that this whole process is a royal pain in the rectum, so you may not want to go through the trouble unless you actually have a need to adjust screen brightness frequently after putting the laptop to sleep.
Laptop Cannot be Used Comfortably on Lap Without a Lap Mat
----------------------------------------------------------
If you try to use it on your lap (e.g., on a plane, train, bus, toilet seat, whereveer you would normally use a laptop on your lap) it will rock back and forth when you use the lower portion of the laptop (i.e., the Acer Pad and the mouse buttons). I am talking about a significant amount of rock (picture a rocking chair) which basically makes it unusable, or perhaps usable if you want to be uncomfortable and destroy the hard drive in short order. I won't subtract stars, because I am uncertain if other similarly sized laptops share this problem. I would recommend a lap mat if you need to use your laptop on your lap. Targus make a good one (Lap Chill Mat).
Laptop Takes a Long Time to Charge
----------------------------------
I am talking hours while in a sleep state here. No stars off, but it is a pain.
UPDATE: Many more technical details are available in the comments section below this review.
UPDATE 2: In retrospect, after upgrading the HD on the unit and looking at the crap other manufactures have put out in recent weeks, I have decided that I may have been a little harsh in giving this product three stars, so I've bumped my rating up to four stars.


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Acer Aspire 1551: Ultraportable Performance
Weighing just over 3 pounds, the ultra-mobile 11.6-inch Acer Aspire AS1551 notebook PC (model AS1551-5448) offers great performance features in a netbook-sized chassis and weight that lets you travel light. Premium usability features include a full-sized keyboard for more accurate typing and a multi-gesture touchpad that is perfect for scrolling, rotating images, zooming and browsing--all with fingertip convenience. And with up to 5-hours of battery life, you can mobile longer when not connected to an AC outlet.

With the AMD Athlon II Neo dual-core mobile processor and 4 GB of memory, you'll enjoy the benefits of multi-core processing that does more in less time. And the impressive ATI Radeon HD 4225 Graphics delivers the performance you need to take your high-definition experience to the next level by combining the power of desktop graphics with mobility so you can experience smooth viewing of rich content built from popular sites like Hulu.com or YouTube.

Enjoy the next generation of video playback with the HDMI output, which allows a single cable to transmit uncompressed high-definition video and audio to your digital TV or capable external monitor. Immerse yourself into your entertainment with Dolby Sound Room, delivering spectacular surround sound from any pair of speakers or headphones. Other features include ultra-fast Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking, and an integrated webcam for video chats.

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

Note that, because of its size, the Aspire AS1551 doesn't include a DVD drive, but you can connect an optional optical drive to the laptop via a USB port.

Key Features
11.6-inch CineCrystal LED-backlit widescreen display with 1366 x 768-pixel resolution (native 720p for high-definition viewing), support for a 16.7 million color depth, and high brightness rating (200-nit).
1.5 GHz AMD Athlon II Neo dual-core processor K625 (2 MB L2 cache) provides a full-featured PC experience, exceptional HD entertainment and long battery life rating so you can do more on the go.
320 GB SATA hard drive (5400 RPM)
4 GB of installed DDR3 RAM (1066 MHz; maximum capacity)
ATI Radeon HD 4225 graphics card provides exceptional features, performance and power-efficiencies that enrich what you see and do (256 MB - 1405 MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory).
Multi-Gesture Touchpad allows 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 such as Google Earth. It also enables you to scroll, zoom in and out and flip through web pages, photos, spreadsheets and more. (Learn more)
Built-in webcam and microphone delivers solid communication to all your family and friends.
Built-in stereo speakers with Dolby Sound Room, which combines a suite of technologies to deliver truly stunning virtual surround listening from your two laptop speakers, or on headphones for a more immersive private performance.
Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking capability 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 laptop uses Acer InviLink Nplify technology that enables multi-stream input or output for faster and more reliable bandwidth, and it also offers Acer SignalUp technology for enhanced antenna efficiency.
Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000)
Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader compatible with Secure Digital (SD), MultiMediaCard (MMC), Memory Stick (MS), Memory Stick PRO (MS PRO), xD-Picture Card (xD)
Three USB 2.0 ports
HDMI high-definition audio/video output allows a single cable to transmit uncompressed high-definition video to your digital TV or LCD. It also includes a standard 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.(Learn more)
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.
Up to 5 hours of battery life (6-cell battery)
Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.0 x 1.1 inches (WxDxH)
Weight: 3.1 pounds
Warranty: One-year parts and labor limited warranty with concurrent International Traveler's Warranty
Energy Star certified

What's in the Box This package contains the Acer Aspire AS1551-5448 notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions
It also comes with the following software: McAfee Internet Security Suite (trial version); Google Toolbar; Acer Recovery Management; Acer GridVista; Microsoft Works; Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 Trial (60 days); Norton Online Backup

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The Acer Multi-Gesture Touchpad
A Multi-Gesture Touchpad allows 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 enables you to scroll, zoom in and out and flip through Web pages, photos, spreadsheets and more.

The TouchPad can also be disabled with a one-touch button, eliminating accidental cursor movement with palms and wrists when using an external mouse.

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
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

Click here for more information about Acer Aspire AS1551-5448 11.6-Inch Laptop (Mesh Black)

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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

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS U35JC-XA1 Thin and Light 13.3-Inch Laptop (Black)

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

Average Reviews:

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

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

The thin and light ASUS UL50Vt is a harmonious blend of form and function.Powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo ultra-low voltage processor, it boasts an impressive 11-hour battery life for all-day computing.It also sports user-centric features such as a multi-gesture touchpad and provides an impressive multimedia entertainment experience with Altec Lansing speakers and an NVidia G210M graphics engine (users can turn the graphics card off if longer battery life is needed).All of these features and more are shrouded in a robust brushed aluminum lid that not only looks magnificent, but also helps in maintaining the notebook’s stylish exterior day after day. ASUS notebooks come with ASUS’ 360 service program that includes a 2 year global warranty, one month zero bright dot guaranty, free two-way shipping and twenty-four hour tech support seven days a week.Plus it comes with a FREE One Year Accidental Damage Warranty protecting your notebook from drops, fire, spills and surges.

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

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Acer Aspire AS1410-8414 11.6-Inch Sapphire Blue Laptop - 6 Hour Battery Life Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I keep checking out the Netbooks that come into the hardware lab where I work, looking for something to replace a cheap one I bought for my kids to play with, but they all just seem too small. As a result I've been poking around the high-end of the Netbook spectrum / low end of the Ultra-portable spectrum for something more usable. The Acer Aspire 1410 series does a great job of bridging the gap between small low cost "Netbooks" and more expensive "Ultra-portables" (which is what Acer classes this as). It manages to overcome many of the short comings of Netbooks without getting anywhere near the $1000+ price range of most ultra-portables. It has a few drawbacks, notably material quality: like a lot of Acer products the plastic molding is attractive and the tolerances are tight. However the quality of the plastic is more in line with what you would expect with a Netbook (which is to say it is lower density plastic and more likely to scratch or break). To me it's reasonable that the overall component quality is lower than what I would get if I spent $1000 (display not as nice, finish not as refined, buttons not as responsive, etc...). Still, overall this is a well put together computer with good build quality considering the price. While I didn't end up buying one myself if might be the right fit for you: if you are on a budget and you need a small laptop that can do more than browse web pages this would be a very good choice.
Let's go over the specs:
CPU: The Core 2 ULV SU3500 is a great CPU choice and far more powerful than the Atom CPU found in most Netbooks. This is a single core (as opposed to the two core "Core2 Duo") Ultra Low Voltage cpu running at 1.4GHz. Depending on the exact application this CPU is about 3-6x more powerful than the typical Atom Processor. It also has 3 MB of cache (cache is a form of on-chip high speed memory) vs the Atom's 512 KB. With 6x the cache of the Atom this CPU is going to spend a lot more time running instructions and a lot less time waiting on the memory sub-system. It also helps that the Core 2 ULV SU3500 memory bus is about 25% faster than what you will find on an Atom. The Core2 is technically more power hungry than the Atom but when running applications the difference isn't significant (5 watts for the Core2 vs 1.5 watts for Atom). The main difference happens when in standby or sleep mode where the Atom will use much less power than the Core2 (because the kind of transistors on the Atom "leak" less power than those used on the Core2 when in those modes). So if you need long battery life while carrying your computer around in standby with brief periods of activity you might prefer the Atom based Netbooks (say for sales calls on the road). I think most users will probably prefer the Core2 - I know that I do. Update: there may be a dual core version of this coming out soon. It's on the list to arrive where I work but that doesn't mean it will be sold in the US.
MEMORY: 2GB of DDR2 RAM is plenty and the 667Mhz memory speed is good enough (faster notebooks go up to 1066Mhz). This system runs Vista which is more memory hungry than the Windows XP or Linux found on most Netbooks so 2GB, while enough, doesn't go as far as you might think. Still, as long as your aren't planning on doing any really serious gaming 2GB will handle the typical office application with no troubles.
HDD: The 250GB HDD has plenty of storage given that most users don't use more than 50GB. Serious gamers and video encoders will need a lot more space than this.
DISPLAY: The 11.6" 1366x768 screen looks good and is a lot more useable than the 8-10" screens found on most Netbooks. The resolution is much better than what you will find on most Netbooks and it is reasonably bright (200 nits vs 300+ nits on higher end laptop). I passed on this model because the viewing angle is limited (the manufacturer list the viewing angles as 60vert/90horiz compared to 120v/140h on a high end display) and my sons like to sit with me and watch YouTube videos. The limited viewing angles might be a selling point for somebody traveling who would prefer not to share what's on their screen with others. So while Acer clearly saved some money here it's still a good display: unless you need a really high quality LCD I think most people will be pretty happy with this screen (again it's far better than what you'll find in most Netbooks). For those few who care it's made by AU Optronics and I think it's model B116XW01.
GRAPHICS: The Intel Mobile GMA X4500HD graphics won't impress any gamers but if you're running business applications it will do just fine. Update: they loaded Autocad on this thing at work and it wasn't pretty. It might have been a driver issue but the render times were terrible. It's not really a surprise but don't buy this to run your CAD software. Of course for most users this won't be an issue.
AUDIO: notebooks are not known for great speaker sound and this notebook doesn't break from that trend. Again it's better than most Netbooks but not by a lot. Update: With headphones on I found the sound to be fine.
DRIVES: Like most Netbooks and Ultra-portables this has no CD or DVD drive. I recommend buying an external CD Drive. The software industry may start to switch over to USB drives soon (Windows 7 will be sold on USB drives) so this may not be a big deal for much longer. Today it's a pain to not have a CDROM.
BATTERY: The 6 cell battery is perfect for this notebook (thanks to the low power components). This notebook is probably too small for an 8 cell to fit cleanly but the 4 cell found in most Netbooks just isn't adequate, even for an Atom CPU. This 6 cell battery will provide about 3-5 hours of real use though with aggressive power saving modes you can get over six hours. Update: we have two of these in our hardware lab and it was just pointed it out to me that one (which came pre-release) had a higher capacity battery than the release version (5600mAH vs. 4400mAH). I've adjusted my battery life numbers down to reflect the release version. Interestingly the non-US version of this laptop has the higher capacity battery. I can only assume Acer was trying to bring the price down to compete in the tight US netbook market.
WEIGHT: Coming in a 3.1 lbs this is tiny bit heavier than the typical Netbook but not by much (Netbooks will range from 2-3lbs). Most regular notebooks are 6-8 lbs.
WIRELESS: The usual Intel 5100 A/G/N supports the most common standards ("A" and "G") along with the new "N" standard. You should have no trouble connecting to wireless networks. This is pretty standard though a few laptops will support 3G out of the box.
In short: while this notebook isn't perfect it is well built and unlike most Netbooks, actually has a decent CPU. It's small and light but big enough that you can actually use it. If you've got 1K-2K to spend you can get a better Ultra-Portable notebook (I'm partial to Sony's and Apple's offerings in that segment) but in this price range there isn't much competition.
Oh I should note that while this model is dark blue, Acer makes this in two other colors you can buy:
Acer Aspire AS1410-8913 11.6-Inch Ruby Red
Acer Aspire AS1410-8804 11.6-Inch Black
Also if you're outside the US this might be sold as the "Acer Timeline 1810T" locally and may have slightly different specs (such as a better battery).


Click Here to see more reviews about: Acer Aspire AS1410-8414 11.6-Inch Sapphire Blue Laptop - 6 Hour Battery Life

Weighing just over 3 pounds and measures 1.2 inches slim, the Acer Aspire AS1410-8414 makes it easy to roam the globe with a powerful PC. It includes a 6-cell battery that provides up to 6 hours of continuous use and a vividly colorful 11.6-inch LCD screen as well as an HDMI port for connecting it to an external monitor or HDTV for viewing presentations and movies. Presented in a stylish sapphire blue case, the thin and light Aspire 1410 also features a full-size keyboard and Acer's Comfy Touch technology, which uses an innovative Laminar Wall Jet Engine design to air-cool the processor and notebook case.
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 webcam delivers smooth video streaming and high quality images for online chats and business video conferences, even in low-light situations.

Other features include a 1.4 GHz Ultra Low Voltage (ULV) Intel Core 2 Solo SU3500 processor, 250 GB hard drive, 2 GB of installed RAM, Draft-N Wi-Fi networking, and a multi-format memory card reader.



Key Features
11.6-inch LED-backlight widescreen display with 1366 x 768-pixel resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio and 200-nit high brightness (Learn more)
Energy efficient 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Solo SU3500 processor with ultra-low voltage uses only 5.5 watts of energy--less than 1/10 that of a normal desktop processor--for extended battery life (Learn more)
250 GB SATA hard drive (5400 RPM)
2 GB of installed DDR3 RAM (667 MHz; 2 x SODIMM slots; 4 GB maximum capacity)
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD with up to 1700 MB of shared video memory and support for DirectX 10 games (Learn more)
Multi-gesture touchpad supporting circular-motion scrolling, pinch-action zoom, page flip (Learn more)
Thermal-efficient cooling innovation ensures the notebook achieves comfortable skin temperature during use. (Learn more)
Crystal Eye 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.
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
HDMI (with HDCP) and VGA video output
Stereo speakers with Dolby Sound Room audio enhancement transforms the experience of movies, music, and games.
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit) operating system (Learn more)
Up to 6 hours of battery life with included 6-cell battery
Dimensions: 11.2 x 8 x 1.2 inches (WxDxH)
Weight: 3.1 pounds
Warranty: One-year parts and labor limited warranty with concurrent International Traveler's Warranty

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

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 card reader compatible with MultiMediaCard, Secure Digital card, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO and xD-Picture Card
1 headphone/line-out jack (with SPDIF digital audio support), 1 microphone jack
10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet

What's in the box This package contains the Acer Aspire AS1410-8414 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 Desktop; Acer Backup Manager; Acer GridVista

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11.6-Inch Widescreen Display with True 16:9 Aspect Ratio The 11.6-inch LED-backlit display (1366 x 768 pixels) presents true 16:9 aspect ratio with high-def resolution and fast 8ms (millisecond) response time for high-quality media playback as well as increased readability in low-light conditions. And the LED backlight technology is 33 percent more energy efficient than standard CCFL LCD screens.
Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD, which uses shared video memory (providing up to 1700 MB of video memory as allocated by the system memory). This graphics card is built with Intel Clear Video technology, which delivers clearer, more detailed images by eliminating many of the jagged edges and video artifacts seen when viewing interlaced content and features powerful color control to ensure videos are not too dark, overly bright, or washed out.



Energy Efficient Intel Core 2 Solo Processor Offering the latest in ultra-low voltage processing power, the single-core Intel Core 2 Solo SU3500 processor has a has a power consumption rating of just 5.5 watts and a 1.4 GHz speed that's paired with a fast 800 MHz front-side bus (FSB) and extra-large 3 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.) The Core 2 Solo processor delivers enhanced performance for today's demanding applications such as CAD tools, 3D and 2D modeling, video editing, digital music, digital photography and gaming. And Intel's Smart Cache technology enables smarter, more efficient cache and bus design for enhanced performance, responsiveness and power savings.


The Multi-Gestured Aspire 1410
Cool to the Touch The Acer Aspire 1410 notebook includes Acer's ComfyTouch technology, which uses an innovative Laminar Wall Jet Engine design to air-cool the processor and notebook case. Even when running for a full day the notebook remains cool in your hands or on your lap.




Windows Vista Home Premium Operating System Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit version) is the operating system for users with advanced computer needs, and it includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center for watching DVD movies and accessing your digital audio library. You can also use Windows Media Center to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) and to access new kinds of online entertainment content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium and an auxiliary Windows SideShow display will also allow you to access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever to share files between other PCs in your household and to manage your laptop computer settings to more securely connect via Wi-Fi.
Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools and technologies to help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting to a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you to manage and monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other activities.

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