Showing posts with label leather notebook holder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leather notebook holder. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Discount Acer TravelMate TMB113-E-967B4G32ikk 11.6 LED Notebook - Intel
A very handy size for travelling around with and comes preloaded so you can chose your programmes. Battery life reasonable.would get another one this computer is replacing one I hvae had for several years and the old computer took a great beating I would expect nothing less from this one
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Buy Inspiron 15R Notebook 5520
I purchased this laptop during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. I paid $498.94 after tax.
I have the model with 8GB of DDR3 memory and the Intel Core i5-3210 @ 2.5Ghz CPU.
Everything on this laptop works great with the exception of the slow hard drive @ 5400rpm. It's a great amount of space, but I want my operating system and applications to load faster, so I'll be throwing in a Solid State Drive in this thing.
Through some research I've found that this particular model typically does not have support for mSATA devices, but there is a part # from Dell that you can order for around $15 that will allow you to install a SSD without removing the primary hard disk or the CDROM drive. The part number is N7JHH (Daughterboard w/ mSATA port) from Dell. Once you've installed this part, you can install an mSATA drive to the board to host your operating system, and leave the 1TB 5400RPM drive to host your data.
If you don't like the idea of buying the daughterboard from DELL and installing it, you can also buy a "2nd HDD Caddy" or a new "Disk Bay Adapter" for the laptop, which just replaces the CD-ROM drive with a SATA drive (its okay, you can use an external cdrom drive or just use USB drives for everything). A good place to look is newmodeus.com
I love how all of the USB ports are now 3.0 and it has the 3rd Gen Intel Chip w/ graphics.
I dislike how the power port and RJ45 now on the sides instead of the back like in the older models, but its a minor flaw.
Pros:
Good for students
relatively small
not windows 8 ;)
Cons:
a bit slow
pretty bad display
low battery life
loaded with useless dell media drivers that slow it down further
I'd recommend it if your on a budget, other than that... no.
DON'T BUY A DELL. THEIR CUSTOMERS SERVICE WILL SHAVE YEARS OFF IN YOUR LIFE IN TERMS OF STRESS.
I have the model with 8GB of DDR3 memory and the Intel Core i5-3210 @ 2.5Ghz CPU.
Everything on this laptop works great with the exception of the slow hard drive @ 5400rpm. It's a great amount of space, but I want my operating system and applications to load faster, so I'll be throwing in a Solid State Drive in this thing.
Through some research I've found that this particular model typically does not have support for mSATA devices, but there is a part # from Dell that you can order for around $15 that will allow you to install a SSD without removing the primary hard disk or the CDROM drive. The part number is N7JHH (Daughterboard w/ mSATA port) from Dell. Once you've installed this part, you can install an mSATA drive to the board to host your operating system, and leave the 1TB 5400RPM drive to host your data.
If you don't like the idea of buying the daughterboard from DELL and installing it, you can also buy a "2nd HDD Caddy" or a new "Disk Bay Adapter" for the laptop, which just replaces the CD-ROM drive with a SATA drive (its okay, you can use an external cdrom drive or just use USB drives for everything). A good place to look is newmodeus.com
I love how all of the USB ports are now 3.0 and it has the 3rd Gen Intel Chip w/ graphics.
I dislike how the power port and RJ45 now on the sides instead of the back like in the older models, but its a minor flaw.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I've had this laptop since Christmas of last year, and I really like it, but, it can be a bit slow at times, plus it takes me about about 10 minutes to get it into a useable state after already logging on, that may be just me, but I think it has something to do with the laptop.Pros:
Good for students
relatively small
not windows 8 ;)
Cons:
a bit slow
pretty bad display
low battery life
loaded with useless dell media drivers that slow it down further
I'd recommend it if your on a budget, other than that... no.
Best Deals for Inspiron 15R Notebook 5520
I started having touchpad issues shortly after purchasing this and should have just gotten a refund but the dell service people said they could fix it. They reset something and it didn't help the problem. When I called back they kept saying they had resolved it and kept transferring me to three people in india to tell my story again and again and they only they had the same reply again and again. They had resolved it last time yet they wanted to charge me to do the same procedure again that didn't work the first time. They kept me on the phone for 45 mintues without even addressing the touchpad issue just that I had called before on the issue and it had been "resolved" which it hadn't. So essentially they offered no help and insinuated I was a liar and ultimately they hung up on me or got disconnected and never called me back despite taking my phone number down in case we got disconnected. I will never buy a Dell again, what a horrible company. I miss my acer laptop.DON'T BUY A DELL. THEIR CUSTOMERS SERVICE WILL SHAVE YEARS OFF IN YOUR LIFE IN TERMS OF STRESS.
Saturday, November 8, 2014
HP 2000-2b20NR 15.6-Inch Laptop Reviews
List Price: $439.99
Sale Price: $399.48
Today's Bonus: 9% Off
As usual, Amazon comes through with flying colors. I ordered this a week before Christmas, was expecting delivery on Monday, the 24th, received it on Friday, the 21st. Daughter was ecstatic about early delivery and LOVES it!!!! Charged it up and she's been on it non-stop for the last three days. Took her a bit to get the hang of Windows 8, but says it works 1000 times better then the Windows Vista that was on her last laptop. Fast Processing and outstanding color, picture nice and big for watching movies. More than enough storage space for all her music files. Very happy with purchase.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
Loved that I have the windows 8! It was pretty annoying at first but once you get the hang of it you start having so much fun setting it up just the way you like it. It works great and its fast and is lightweight and is easy ti carry around to work and everywhere I want to go.Best Deals for HP 2000-2b20NR 15.6-Inch Laptop
Really love this laptop. Arrived on time and was nicely packaged. Everything I was looking for in a laptop and also had windows 8...which I'm still getting the hang of. Love this HP!!! Amazon did it again!! ThanksHonest reviews on HP 2000-2b20NR 15.6-Inch Laptop
I am a Big fan of hp and they didn't let me down with this laptop, I use it everyday for at least 3 hours a day and haven't had any problems...I'll put my hp against any other brand...Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for HP 2000-2b20NR 15.6-Inch Laptop
I think this laptop is great! I have not had any problems with it yet. It has a great look and it comes with windows 8 and Norton Security's virus system. This laptop was definitely worth it's priceSunday, October 19, 2014
Super Google Chromebook Pixel (4G LTE) Touch Screen 12.85" Reviews
OK, let's be clear. The Pixel is something special. It is a work of art, an engineering triumph, and a game changer. You really have to experience it to fully understand it. I have been using Chromebooks for a couple of years, the first Acer model, then the Samsung 5 550 model. Both decent for what they cost, but with limitations as far as quality and performance. Samsung performed better, Acer actually had the nicer display. So I use them and I understand ChromeOS and the experience it delivers. I also understand the virtues it brings and the trade-offs you make in exchange. I have some excellent Windows Notebooks accumulated over the years, a tablet and other similar devices. So I know the gear, the OS, and what to expect.
I read probably every review of the Google Pixel online and all the comments. Thankfully, there were some good reviews in all the chaff. But...you really have to see, touch, and use the Pixel to know. That said, I ordered mine sight unseen...a man of faith. ;)
I have always felt the physical limits of the low cost devices were a mixed blessing. Yes, cheap is good and has it's attractions. But if you spend untold hours online as I do, you begin to long for a nice keyboard and, especially, a nice display for tired eyes. Also, as someone who enjoys art, photography and videography as hobbies, a good display is something I require. I appreciate the value of having a good one and am willing to pay for it. Life is too short to endure the crappy displays so prevalent these last many years. Thankfully, that's now changing.
So...to me, the Google Pixel, while expensive, was something of which I could understand the value proposition on offer. The minute I got mine, I knew. This was what I had been looking for, not just in a Chromebook, but as my primary computing device. Yes, damn expensive (even though I got a very good deal on mine), but worth every penny to me.
Incredible display, gloriously clear text and beautiful colors and images. Excellent keyboard, one of the best I have used on a notebook. And absolutely the best trackpad/touchpad I have ever used in my life. What a joy! I feel no need for an external mouse at all and that's exceptional, because I feel that way about no other notebook. Perfect right out of the box. No false taps or errors. It simply works. (For those who have experienced the truly abysmal touchpads on many recent highend notebooks, this will catch your attention and I hear your sigh of relief!)
An "intelligent" back-lit keyboard...best I've used (in a thin ultra-portable size device). Fabulous tactile feel and response. And the perfect size and shape! The Pixel is exactly the right size. That is no small thing. And the screen is exactly the right size and the perfect ratio (3:2), same as my photographic images. At working distance, the width is correct for your eyes and the height as well. I can live with wide displays and even prefer them for certain things. But the 16:10 and 3:2 ratios have always seemed the best to me for general use.
The quality of the display and the appearance of text reminds me of the very expensive typesetting machines I used many years back when I worked in publishing. They had very expensive high resolution monitors for displaying fonts with precision...just as the Pixel. My eyes are loving this.
The build quality. The elegance of the design. If you have to work long hours online and then you are crazy enough to also want to play longs hours online...well, then you might rejoice at using such a finely crafted rig, one where you enjoy it every time you open the lid, or feel the solid mass and quality as you pick it up. I value good gear highly, so this is a natural pleasure for me.
The speakers are also outstanding. The stereo separation is excellent. The tonal qualities are very good for a small unit such as this. Music is very pleasant. Good clarity, plenty of volume. The tonal range seems very good, bass is meager, of course, but overall the sound is very good and you can get by without headphones or speakers (though, of course, either will improve the sound). Sound while watching videos/movies/Netflix/Amazon Instant Video and so on is also fine. Never did I feel I had to go looking for my bluetooth speakers. Perfectly acceptable sound for a portable device.
It is nice to use something where everything feels right, works well, and you never think...oh, I wish it had a better screen, or keyboard, or whatever. That is worth a little extra in my book. Watching movies is fantastic. Great contrast, black levels, detail, color...and it was weird at first. I am so used to having to adjust the screen for the best image...here the image quality is constant...no need to adjust the display angle...move left or right, stand up, sit down...the image still looks great. Amazing. Good image quality and a good video/movie experience are a hard requirement for me and the Pixel delivers.
The free terabyte of cloud storage is nothing to sneeze at, either. It's free for three years. At the end of three years, you get to keep everything you have stored there indefinitely, but must pay if you wish to add more. Google Drive as it's called is well integrated with the File Manager and is very easy to use and quite convenient. It's worth $1800 if you bought it outright, so a nice bonus. (If you are a small business, this is something to consider. A terabyte of Google managed storage at your disposal and an excellent high-end notebook...hmmmm.)
The Pixel comes in a nice box with a magnetic latch (mirroring that of the Pixel display). There is no manual, per se, but there are extensive 'getting started' items in an included app of that name and plenty of info online and on the unit itself. And, of course, if you've already used a Chromebook, as I have, then you're all set. There are a bunch of useful apps preloaded, such as the main offline apps you might want (Gmail offline is very nice), and it automatically syncs up with your apps, bookmarks, and other content as ChromeOS is designed to do. So, whichever of my chromebooks I use, I can access everything and it will always be up to date. Sweet!
At about 8.75 x 11.75 inches (slightly larger than a sheet of paper) it's very portable and easy to handle. And the solid feel and heft are a pleasure in use. This rig is about as close to perfect as you can get as far as design and build. It really is that good. Really.
The ChromeOS which elicits so much comment and sometimes scorn is, in my view, an equally great asset. I have been in IT nearly all my life and have been living and breathing computers and tech since I was a child. I have owned and used an incredible variety of units, from the Commodore, Apple, Amiga days til now, and worked with Linux in the late 80's and 90's, back when only a few hundred people had ever heard of it. I have spent countless hours installing and maintaining both hardware and software. I know the nitty, gritty details quite well. I have power-user rigs at hand. Maybe that's why I understand and value what Chromebooks are all about. First of all, the security. For daily use, nothing beats a Chromebook for security. Reliability. Synchronization across all of your chrome devices. Ability to easily wipe the unit clean and start fresh -without losing anything, without having to constantly backup and manage disk, without having endless updates, viruses, and other annoying problems popping up. The Chromebook is the most stable, reliable, secure computing environment I have ever used. The hardware and OS are designed for security from the ground up. Back in my UNIX Sys V days I championed thin clients and I still appreciate their virtues.
Chromebooks are the perfect notebook for 80% of the people who just want to do the common things like read email, surf the web, post their photos, watch streaming video, listen to music, and so on. Very few people actually edit video or photos at any level that requires Sony Vegas or Photoshop. Having spent many hours helping friends and colleagues with computer and software issues, I know how happy they'd be with a Chromebook if they made the switch. But, though it's popularity is growing fast, it's still a small part of the overall market. That may well change. The Pixel stands as a beacon as to what is possible.
I just use it. It works. I enjoy what I'm doing and can focus on what I am doing and not the tool I am using to do it. Though, as a techie, I do stop now and then to admire the elegance of the Pixel. For me, it is well worth the price I paid.
Pros:
Very fast web surfing, faster than any of my windows notebooks. Web pages look great, easy to scroll and zoom.
Gorgeous 2560x1700 Display has beautiful colors, contrast, and detail. Everything looks good.
Solid aluminum body looks great, feels great. Top quality build.
Keyboard is one the best I've seen. Intelligent back-lighting works very well. Use Alt-BackSpace for DELETE. ;)
Touchpad/Trackpad might be the best in existence. Works exceptionally well.
Elegant design means a pleasure to use, everything just works and well. Ultra-portable.
Chromebooks are very secure, data syncs automatically across devices, very stable and reliable.
Includes a Terabyte of Google managed online storage (an $1800 value) probably the best quality cloud storage on offer.
Has a touch screen that works well.
Cons:
Expensive. (But you get what you pay for.)
ChromeOS wifi connect can be flaky sometimes (a known software issue which hopefully will be fixed by an update).
Keyboard missing keys like Delete, Home, End, Page Up/Down, etc. (There are equivalents, like Alt-BackSpace for DELETE)
Display is glossy so some reflections now and then. But it's very bright, so a minor issue.
ChromeOS still maturing. An occasional minor quirk here and there.
Battery life is only 5 hours or so, could be better. Mitigated a bit by the nearly instant on/off cycle of the Pixel.
"So good, I kept it!"
I bought my Chromebook Pixel direct from Google, fully expecting to return it within the 15-day return period once I had taken it for a spin. But, you know what? It was so good... I kept it! Despite the hefty price tag.
Having used other Chromebooks such as the "cheep and cheerful" Samsung Chromebook (Wi-Fi, 11.6-Inch), and being more concerned with their function rather than their form, I surprised myself by falling in love with the potentially gimmicky and indulgent features that set the Chromebook Pixel apart from other Chromebooks:
1. The display really is awesome, even when simply browsing the web and noticing the sheer sharpness of the on-screen characters.
2. The sound is really awesome, nice and loud despite the fact that you can't see the speakers (which are hidden under the keyboard).
3. The touch screen is surprisingly useful for scrolling up and down through web pages and documents, and I seem to be able to hit the right buttons on screen with less hit-and-miss than I have experienced (for example) when operating the Microsoft Surface (32GB) web browser in desktop mode.
4. I love the solid feel and square simplicity of the aluminium casing on the Chromebook Pixel.
As explained in The Chrome Book (Fourth Edition): The Essential Guide to Cloud Computing with Google Chrome and the Chromebook, all Chromebooks are born equal in the sense that you should be able to do pretty much the same things on all of them. But it's so much more pleasurable to do those things on this beautiful machine. And I didn't expect to say this!
Why four stars rather than five? Only the price. But I guess that if you want quality... you have to pay for it.
So who is it for? For people who live in the cloud, Google cloud in particular. Without knowing it, I realized I pretty much only use gmail, browser, youtube and Office. 50% of time I actually use google docs instead of the desktop office suite. Given that MS office is now freely available in the brower at skydrive, I figured, I will try to live in the cloud completely and see how it goes. I do not play games, I do not edit photos or videos. I am not planning to, and if I am tempted, it would be a good thing to not be able to do these time sinks. Unless you are a real pro, but then you are probably not editing your stuff or playing your games on an ultrabook anyways.
For me, it is rather a step up from my ipad 3 than a step down from my regular laptop. I paid something like 1k for ipad 3 64gb LTE model + extra keyboard from Logitech. This notebook has a better and bigger screen, free LTE for two years, free keyboard, free cloud storage, and it's not Apple. What's there more to wish for?
So what is important for those who live in the cloud?
1. Connectivity, built-in LTE in particular. Oops, that is the only ultrabook that has it. And 12 GoGo passes for in-flight WiFi. I'll need them.
2. Cloud storage. 1tb for free for 3 years? Unparalleled.
3. Great screen. Apart from MBPr, this is the only choice with hi-res screen.
4. Speed. Lightness. Keyboard. Check. Check. Check.
My conclusion? This notebook is incredibly useful, actually. It will never have the popularity of mainstream notebooks and tablets, but it was made for specific audience in mind. If you live in the cloud, or wonder what it feels like, you can give it a try. You'll be surprised how little you actually need apart from what you have here.
The only drawbacks here would be the unimpressive battery life, and the slight heat issue (upper left side gets slightly warm).
P.S.: Oh, and the 3:2 screen ratio makes my heart melt :)
The best part is the screen. Absolutely beautiful. I can pull up my stock charts and they are easier to read than those on my desktop with screens 4x bigger.
Second best part is the weight. It is light and easy to carry around and I don't get tired using it.
Third best part is the touch screen which surprised me. Not having had a touch screen before I didn't think I would use it much. But to my surprise it is very useful. Even though the screen is smaller and the spots that you want to touch are correspondingly smaller it is easy to hit the sweet spot that you want to touch. I tend to use my pinky to do the touching and even if I'm off the mark a bit it is rare that I have to correct my touch.
Fourth best part is the touch pad. It is sensitive and it is the best touch pad I have ever used. The keypad is also very nice.
I use the machine mostly on the internet. My charts are from Stockcharts.com. The programs and apps have to be in Googles domain but they have a lot to choose from including a word processor, spreadsheets, calendars etc etc. I'm on my computers 8 or more hours a day so I don't mind spending more to get better quality.
Bottom line: I think I got more than my money's worth.
I read probably every review of the Google Pixel online and all the comments. Thankfully, there were some good reviews in all the chaff. But...you really have to see, touch, and use the Pixel to know. That said, I ordered mine sight unseen...a man of faith. ;)
I have always felt the physical limits of the low cost devices were a mixed blessing. Yes, cheap is good and has it's attractions. But if you spend untold hours online as I do, you begin to long for a nice keyboard and, especially, a nice display for tired eyes. Also, as someone who enjoys art, photography and videography as hobbies, a good display is something I require. I appreciate the value of having a good one and am willing to pay for it. Life is too short to endure the crappy displays so prevalent these last many years. Thankfully, that's now changing.
So...to me, the Google Pixel, while expensive, was something of which I could understand the value proposition on offer. The minute I got mine, I knew. This was what I had been looking for, not just in a Chromebook, but as my primary computing device. Yes, damn expensive (even though I got a very good deal on mine), but worth every penny to me.
Incredible display, gloriously clear text and beautiful colors and images. Excellent keyboard, one of the best I have used on a notebook. And absolutely the best trackpad/touchpad I have ever used in my life. What a joy! I feel no need for an external mouse at all and that's exceptional, because I feel that way about no other notebook. Perfect right out of the box. No false taps or errors. It simply works. (For those who have experienced the truly abysmal touchpads on many recent highend notebooks, this will catch your attention and I hear your sigh of relief!)
An "intelligent" back-lit keyboard...best I've used (in a thin ultra-portable size device). Fabulous tactile feel and response. And the perfect size and shape! The Pixel is exactly the right size. That is no small thing. And the screen is exactly the right size and the perfect ratio (3:2), same as my photographic images. At working distance, the width is correct for your eyes and the height as well. I can live with wide displays and even prefer them for certain things. But the 16:10 and 3:2 ratios have always seemed the best to me for general use.
The quality of the display and the appearance of text reminds me of the very expensive typesetting machines I used many years back when I worked in publishing. They had very expensive high resolution monitors for displaying fonts with precision...just as the Pixel. My eyes are loving this.
The build quality. The elegance of the design. If you have to work long hours online and then you are crazy enough to also want to play longs hours online...well, then you might rejoice at using such a finely crafted rig, one where you enjoy it every time you open the lid, or feel the solid mass and quality as you pick it up. I value good gear highly, so this is a natural pleasure for me.
The speakers are also outstanding. The stereo separation is excellent. The tonal qualities are very good for a small unit such as this. Music is very pleasant. Good clarity, plenty of volume. The tonal range seems very good, bass is meager, of course, but overall the sound is very good and you can get by without headphones or speakers (though, of course, either will improve the sound). Sound while watching videos/movies/Netflix/Amazon Instant Video and so on is also fine. Never did I feel I had to go looking for my bluetooth speakers. Perfectly acceptable sound for a portable device.
It is nice to use something where everything feels right, works well, and you never think...oh, I wish it had a better screen, or keyboard, or whatever. That is worth a little extra in my book. Watching movies is fantastic. Great contrast, black levels, detail, color...and it was weird at first. I am so used to having to adjust the screen for the best image...here the image quality is constant...no need to adjust the display angle...move left or right, stand up, sit down...the image still looks great. Amazing. Good image quality and a good video/movie experience are a hard requirement for me and the Pixel delivers.
The free terabyte of cloud storage is nothing to sneeze at, either. It's free for three years. At the end of three years, you get to keep everything you have stored there indefinitely, but must pay if you wish to add more. Google Drive as it's called is well integrated with the File Manager and is very easy to use and quite convenient. It's worth $1800 if you bought it outright, so a nice bonus. (If you are a small business, this is something to consider. A terabyte of Google managed storage at your disposal and an excellent high-end notebook...hmmmm.)
The Pixel comes in a nice box with a magnetic latch (mirroring that of the Pixel display). There is no manual, per se, but there are extensive 'getting started' items in an included app of that name and plenty of info online and on the unit itself. And, of course, if you've already used a Chromebook, as I have, then you're all set. There are a bunch of useful apps preloaded, such as the main offline apps you might want (Gmail offline is very nice), and it automatically syncs up with your apps, bookmarks, and other content as ChromeOS is designed to do. So, whichever of my chromebooks I use, I can access everything and it will always be up to date. Sweet!
At about 8.75 x 11.75 inches (slightly larger than a sheet of paper) it's very portable and easy to handle. And the solid feel and heft are a pleasure in use. This rig is about as close to perfect as you can get as far as design and build. It really is that good. Really.
The ChromeOS which elicits so much comment and sometimes scorn is, in my view, an equally great asset. I have been in IT nearly all my life and have been living and breathing computers and tech since I was a child. I have owned and used an incredible variety of units, from the Commodore, Apple, Amiga days til now, and worked with Linux in the late 80's and 90's, back when only a few hundred people had ever heard of it. I have spent countless hours installing and maintaining both hardware and software. I know the nitty, gritty details quite well. I have power-user rigs at hand. Maybe that's why I understand and value what Chromebooks are all about. First of all, the security. For daily use, nothing beats a Chromebook for security. Reliability. Synchronization across all of your chrome devices. Ability to easily wipe the unit clean and start fresh -without losing anything, without having to constantly backup and manage disk, without having endless updates, viruses, and other annoying problems popping up. The Chromebook is the most stable, reliable, secure computing environment I have ever used. The hardware and OS are designed for security from the ground up. Back in my UNIX Sys V days I championed thin clients and I still appreciate their virtues.
Chromebooks are the perfect notebook for 80% of the people who just want to do the common things like read email, surf the web, post their photos, watch streaming video, listen to music, and so on. Very few people actually edit video or photos at any level that requires Sony Vegas or Photoshop. Having spent many hours helping friends and colleagues with computer and software issues, I know how happy they'd be with a Chromebook if they made the switch. But, though it's popularity is growing fast, it's still a small part of the overall market. That may well change. The Pixel stands as a beacon as to what is possible.
I just use it. It works. I enjoy what I'm doing and can focus on what I am doing and not the tool I am using to do it. Though, as a techie, I do stop now and then to admire the elegance of the Pixel. For me, it is well worth the price I paid.
Pros:
Very fast web surfing, faster than any of my windows notebooks. Web pages look great, easy to scroll and zoom.
Gorgeous 2560x1700 Display has beautiful colors, contrast, and detail. Everything looks good.
Solid aluminum body looks great, feels great. Top quality build.
Keyboard is one the best I've seen. Intelligent back-lighting works very well. Use Alt-BackSpace for DELETE. ;)
Touchpad/Trackpad might be the best in existence. Works exceptionally well.
Elegant design means a pleasure to use, everything just works and well. Ultra-portable.
Chromebooks are very secure, data syncs automatically across devices, very stable and reliable.
Includes a Terabyte of Google managed online storage (an $1800 value) probably the best quality cloud storage on offer.
Has a touch screen that works well.
Cons:
Expensive. (But you get what you pay for.)
ChromeOS wifi connect can be flaky sometimes (a known software issue which hopefully will be fixed by an update).
Keyboard missing keys like Delete, Home, End, Page Up/Down, etc. (There are equivalents, like Alt-BackSpace for DELETE)
Display is glossy so some reflections now and then. But it's very bright, so a minor issue.
ChromeOS still maturing. An occasional minor quirk here and there.
Battery life is only 5 hours or so, could be better. Mitigated a bit by the nearly instant on/off cycle of the Pixel.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
While I can't review the 4G LTE version of the Chromebook Pixel specifically, I can repeat what I said about the Super Google Chromebook Pixel (WIFI) Touch Screen 12.85" 2560x1700 3:2 LCD i5-3427U 4GB DDR3 32GB SSD 3.4lbs Ultraportable, which was..."So good, I kept it!"
I bought my Chromebook Pixel direct from Google, fully expecting to return it within the 15-day return period once I had taken it for a spin. But, you know what? It was so good... I kept it! Despite the hefty price tag.
Having used other Chromebooks such as the "cheep and cheerful" Samsung Chromebook (Wi-Fi, 11.6-Inch), and being more concerned with their function rather than their form, I surprised myself by falling in love with the potentially gimmicky and indulgent features that set the Chromebook Pixel apart from other Chromebooks:
1. The display really is awesome, even when simply browsing the web and noticing the sheer sharpness of the on-screen characters.
2. The sound is really awesome, nice and loud despite the fact that you can't see the speakers (which are hidden under the keyboard).
3. The touch screen is surprisingly useful for scrolling up and down through web pages and documents, and I seem to be able to hit the right buttons on screen with less hit-and-miss than I have experienced (for example) when operating the Microsoft Surface (32GB) web browser in desktop mode.
4. I love the solid feel and square simplicity of the aluminium casing on the Chromebook Pixel.
As explained in The Chrome Book (Fourth Edition): The Essential Guide to Cloud Computing with Google Chrome and the Chromebook, all Chromebooks are born equal in the sense that you should be able to do pretty much the same things on all of them. But it's so much more pleasurable to do those things on this beautiful machine. And I didn't expect to say this!
Why four stars rather than five? Only the price. But I guess that if you want quality... you have to pay for it.
Best Deals for Super Google Chromebook Pixel (4G LTE) Touch Screen 12.85"
The professional reviews for this product all go the same way: it is a great ultrabook, but you should not buy one. And they are right: you should not. Unless you actually understand what it provides, and find it useful. I certainly do.So who is it for? For people who live in the cloud, Google cloud in particular. Without knowing it, I realized I pretty much only use gmail, browser, youtube and Office. 50% of time I actually use google docs instead of the desktop office suite. Given that MS office is now freely available in the brower at skydrive, I figured, I will try to live in the cloud completely and see how it goes. I do not play games, I do not edit photos or videos. I am not planning to, and if I am tempted, it would be a good thing to not be able to do these time sinks. Unless you are a real pro, but then you are probably not editing your stuff or playing your games on an ultrabook anyways.
For me, it is rather a step up from my ipad 3 than a step down from my regular laptop. I paid something like 1k for ipad 3 64gb LTE model + extra keyboard from Logitech. This notebook has a better and bigger screen, free LTE for two years, free keyboard, free cloud storage, and it's not Apple. What's there more to wish for?
So what is important for those who live in the cloud?
1. Connectivity, built-in LTE in particular. Oops, that is the only ultrabook that has it. And 12 GoGo passes for in-flight WiFi. I'll need them.
2. Cloud storage. 1tb for free for 3 years? Unparalleled.
3. Great screen. Apart from MBPr, this is the only choice with hi-res screen.
4. Speed. Lightness. Keyboard. Check. Check. Check.
My conclusion? This notebook is incredibly useful, actually. It will never have the popularity of mainstream notebooks and tablets, but it was made for specific audience in mind. If you live in the cloud, or wonder what it feels like, you can give it a try. You'll be surprised how little you actually need apart from what you have here.
The only drawbacks here would be the unimpressive battery life, and the slight heat issue (upper left side gets slightly warm).
P.S.: Oh, and the 3:2 screen ratio makes my heart melt :)
Honest reviews on Super Google Chromebook Pixel (4G LTE) Touch Screen 12.85"
My business is trading the stock markets so we have several desktop computers with dual 27" screens. I bought a Samsung Chromebook (the $250+one) for use when I sit outside and I liked it. Nice & light & reasonably fast. So much better than a 15" laptop I have been using. Then I saw the Pixel, liked the specs and even though I could have bought an Apple for only a little more I decided to take a chance. For me it is a winner.The best part is the screen. Absolutely beautiful. I can pull up my stock charts and they are easier to read than those on my desktop with screens 4x bigger.
Second best part is the weight. It is light and easy to carry around and I don't get tired using it.
Third best part is the touch screen which surprised me. Not having had a touch screen before I didn't think I would use it much. But to my surprise it is very useful. Even though the screen is smaller and the spots that you want to touch are correspondingly smaller it is easy to hit the sweet spot that you want to touch. I tend to use my pinky to do the touching and even if I'm off the mark a bit it is rare that I have to correct my touch.
Fourth best part is the touch pad. It is sensitive and it is the best touch pad I have ever used. The keypad is also very nice.
I use the machine mostly on the internet. My charts are from Stockcharts.com. The programs and apps have to be in Googles domain but they have a lot to choose from including a word processor, spreadsheets, calendars etc etc. I'm on my computers 8 or more hours a day so I don't mind spending more to get better quality.
Bottom line: I think I got more than my money's worth.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Cheap HP Pavilion dv6-7020 us 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)
This computer is fine...except for the audio. Yes, you read that correctly. Despite the fact that one of this computer's big features is Beats Audio, the volume on songs and videos has a mind of its own and fluctuates all the time. HP recently released a driver to fix the problem, which temporarily worked, but the volume fluctuation began to creep back into the audio about a week ago and is once again in full swing. According to the HP Support Forum, the company continues to work on finding a solution. Regardless of whether the problem gets permanently fixed, I find it totally unacceptable that a computer containing a feature geared towards audio went onto the market with such an awful audio flaw. It's downright irresponsible on HP's part and I am severely disappointed.
A lot of my favorite features are still there. I like being able to turn off the touchpad (it's a double-tap in the upper left corner) when I'm using a trackball, and I like being able to cut the wi-fi off with a button press when I'm watching movies or listen to music (this is, after all, an entertainment laptop) and save some battery life. An improvement is no ports on the back of the laptop. That's a serious plus in a tight space like a library or on a plane when you can't have stuff sticking out of the back of the laptop and have it up against anything like a wall or seat.
Some features I liked are gone. Instant Play is history, no more turning on the laptop to just use as DVD player hardware and double the battery life like my old laptop could do. However, the battery life is improved enough that it's about a wash. I really liked the actual latch to keep the lid shut too, but that's gone on the DV6-7020.
Some features I like are added, for example the HDMI output for a projector or HDTV, the fingerprint scanner for security and the built in webcam, none of which the old entertainment laptop had.
The laptop feels a bit big after the 14" notebook I've been used to, and the difference seems like a lot more than 1.6" going from a 14-inch notebook to a 15.6-inch laptop. I didn't think the added size would make much difference, but it's definitely noticed. It's okay, but this is as big as I'd go with a laptop. Anything bigger is overkill and sort of ruins the goal of portable devices (which is to be portable, of course).
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I was still using an HP dv1170us (vintage 2005) which is still working fine, but it's dated. I wanted a replacement, so I bought its cousin, the HP dv6-7020 figuring it's close enough of a cousin to my old workhorse that I'd just settle into it like a favorite shirt.A lot of my favorite features are still there. I like being able to turn off the touchpad (it's a double-tap in the upper left corner) when I'm using a trackball, and I like being able to cut the wi-fi off with a button press when I'm watching movies or listen to music (this is, after all, an entertainment laptop) and save some battery life. An improvement is no ports on the back of the laptop. That's a serious plus in a tight space like a library or on a plane when you can't have stuff sticking out of the back of the laptop and have it up against anything like a wall or seat.
Some features I liked are gone. Instant Play is history, no more turning on the laptop to just use as DVD player hardware and double the battery life like my old laptop could do. However, the battery life is improved enough that it's about a wash. I really liked the actual latch to keep the lid shut too, but that's gone on the DV6-7020.
Some features I like are added, for example the HDMI output for a projector or HDTV, the fingerprint scanner for security and the built in webcam, none of which the old entertainment laptop had.
The laptop feels a bit big after the 14" notebook I've been used to, and the difference seems like a lot more than 1.6" going from a 14-inch notebook to a 15.6-inch laptop. I didn't think the added size would make much difference, but it's definitely noticed. It's okay, but this is as big as I'd go with a laptop. Anything bigger is overkill and sort of ruins the goal of portable devices (which is to be portable, of course).
Best Deals for HP Pavilion dv6-7020 us 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)
My new laptop arrived today via UPS. I opened the box and had it set up in 5-10 minutes. It is awesome!!! Setting up all my user preferences now. Got on-line in 5 minutes. Got my hotmail & gmail up and running in 10 minutes. Sounds great, looks great. Really happy with it so far. If I run into any problems, I will adjust my rating, otherwise it is perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I love it!!!!!!!!! Screen is really big 15" and the keyboard is just right. Love the separate number key pad. Typing is a breeze and keys are all logical and feels great. I would highly recommend this model and brand to anyone! Really love it!Honest reviews on HP Pavilion dv6-7020 us 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)
I recieved this item yesterday and i found nothing is working even the processor. Its completely dead. i just wasted my time calling the HP support team. I just returned this item to amazon. I didnt expect this kind of item from Amazon. They didnt even tested the basic things for the laptop. Beaware of HP laptops, dont expect that everything from HP will work. The customer service can help you only when your machine UP.Unlike Dell, HP will not be giving any door service and you have to ship the new item back to HP for service which is even more horrible.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for HP Pavilion dv6-7020 us 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)
Purchased HP DV6 7020 US new in the winter of 2012. Barely used it. By June, 2013,the screen would go black and stay black, and the laptop suffered from repeated "unexpected shutdowns". Went round and round with HP tech support in India for hours on end as they tried and failed to resolve the problems remotely. Sent it to the HP repair center in Texas to be fixed. They did the same thing that phone support had done return to factory setting, update bios, reinstall OS. Same problems within hours of getting it back from HP. Finally, I got approval from the HP repair center to send it back to HP to repair but then, they never sent me the mailing label and did not return repeat phone messages (to the HP repair facility in Texas). So, I wrote a letter to HP corporate consumer affairs in Palo Alto. This must have gotten someone's attention, because I got a phone call and an e-mail from a case manager with their Escalation Team. The case manager was quite helpful and orchestrated the repair that I had been promised. So, I shipped it back to HP in Texas yet again for another go at repair. This time, they replaced the MOBO. Got it back and...the battery would not charge but there was no indication from the monitoring system that there was a charging fault. Output of charger tests as good with a VOM, so the battery is just not charging. I suspect it has something to do with the new mother board that HP installed. Upshot: back to HP for another fix. The laptop has spent more time in transit and in the hands of HP than with me for a couple of months. When it works, it is actually a fine computer with good specifications and some helpful HP user interface software. But, it has proven to be quite unreliable. I have owned computers for over 20 years and have never seen a product with so many reliability issues. But, I'm stuck with it now.Friday, September 12, 2014
Buy acer aspire V5-571p-6499 i5 4GB 500gb HDD Win 8
List Price: $699.00
Sale Price: $538.95
Today's Bonus: 23% Off
This is an awesome acer laptop. I'm still in the process of getting used to Windows 8 and so far so good. Its a great option to have a touch screen and actual keyboard combined with lots of ram (4GB) and ample HD (500GB). There are so many models and configurations to choose from for my price range such as 4GB to 6GB in combination with 400GB to 750GB of HDD. Personally, I only needed this computer for basic internet, videos and music, some office work. This computer has more speed than I need in my daily use. I have the option to upgrade the ram to 8GB by just adding another 4GB on the available slot. Needless to say, I don't need the extra ram for now. Let me break down my review on features....
-Performance: more than enough power and speed for my needs. 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD. RAM is upgradable up to 8GB
-Screen: The resolution is average. But I can still watch with a good quality HD. Its a budget laptop so this is expected. If you want more than you have to pay more. I'm satisfied with the video quality it has.
-Touch Screen and Keyboard: The touch screen feature is awesome. It works really great with the Windows8 platform. The keyboard is backlit which is a very good option to have when computering in dark places. You also have the option to toggle off the keyboard light if you don't need it. But its just a very useful feature to have specially on a budget laptop. The keyboard also has a number pad on the right of the board. This comes very useful when you need to type in a bunch of numbers. The keys feel just right when typing. Its not too clicky as it depresses with a little cushion. I can type really well on this keyboard.
-Price: $399.00 Refurbished. I looked at refurbished laptops with the same specs and nothing compares to the price I paid for this acer V5. I'm very happy with the price I paid. I had a Compaq Presario which was getting too old for me hence, the upgrade but paid much less than the old computer (1GB RAM, 256GB HD). Now I'm technologically updated with the great features and benefits this laptop has to offer Touchscreen, Windows 8, Blu tooth, etc.
-Fit and Finish/ Design: Nice, thin, sleek design. The silky silver is a great color. Yes, its plastic but it still looks great. Mine actually had some scratches on the cover but this can be expected when getting a refurbished unit. Everything else looks new and flawless. This is my first acer computer so I can only base the quality from other reviews from people who owned acer before. But looks like this is a great quality, well built laptop. I've only had this for a week. It looks much more expensive than what its really worth.
Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase.
That's all folks. Hope this helps.
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Acer was able to back up its products worth. Refurbished and with excellence. I was glad to purchase my first touchscreen laptop with Acer. I was accustomed to Dell computers, but it can not compare to the Aspire. I look forward to purchasing other products from them. I have had it for a month now. And its working great!Thank you for this great laptop magical experience !
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Reviews of Dell Inspiron i14RN-1227BK 14-Inch Laptop (Diamond Black)
At this price, this machine is a steal. It has the capability of a full-fledged computer and the convenience of an extremely portable laptop. At just over 5 lbs. it's certainly heavier than a tablet, a Macbook Air or an ultrabook, but then again it has all the advantages of a "real" computer. Responsiveness is outstanding since Windows 7 is a great OS, certainly when compared to Vista. Even compared to Apple's OS X, Windows 7 performs quite well, although it is of course much more "labor intensive", which is another way of saying that it's not quite as user friendly. On the plus side, it provides what is possibly the most widely used software platform in the world. All in all you can't go wrong with this device if you are looking for something that provides heavy lifting computing power as compared to a tablet or even an ultrabook.
A few things to note on it's favor:
Did not come dead on arrival (DOA).
Windows Installation was fast.
Can run entertainment apps / casual and social gaming perfectly.
I love the idea of being able to use different covers (I have not tried it yet).
The trackpad's surface is one of the best I have used so far.
The battery holds it's charge as described and intended.
The internal speakers have great power, enough to watch a video in a medium-size living room without plugging other speakers.
Wireless adapter is pretty strong, it can list-down wireless points that my desktop adapter can't.
Some downsides:
Comes with the already-known Bloatware, simply uninstall all those pesky useless programs/games/antivirus.
After modifying the mouse / trackpad settings I got a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) STOP Error: 0x000009f DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE (This problem occurs because of a race condition between two bus resets.). However, after I updated Windows 7 everything seems to be in order now.
It's glossy, expect a lot of fingerprints on it.
Multi-gesture trackpad feature doesn't work 100%, it seems not to be so accurate.
The Trackpad can get warm when running process-extensive software or features but not to a point it is uncomfortable.
I have yet to find anything that ruins my experience, reason why I scored the laptop a 5. I will update this review in case it's necessary and let you know.
For the price you can't beat it. The Intel core i3 2.30GHz processor with 6G ram make it fast enough for just about everything you would possibly need it to do. The 446GB hard drive is large enough for most folks, just don't try to store your entire movie collection on there.
The reviews that I did read questioned a few things. One was over the graphic quality of the monitor. I found no issue with it. I'm sure for someone involved in editing photos or animation this laptop wouldn't do it, but for less than $500 your not going to get those sort of capabilities.
There are some bad reviews out there over the battery. Battery performance is based on how long the computer will hold power under the most ideal of circumstances. Heavy use, such as movie watching and gaming, and the use of outside peripherals will reduce your battery life. Even using the built in wi-fi antenna will reduce your battery life. This holds true for all laptops I have used over the years. Sony, Avertec, Toshiba, and HP were no exception. This is my first Dell computer.
There are only two issues that I have with the computer and they are minor. The first one is its lack of software. It does come with ms-office starter. Word on it has a lot of the functionality of it removed so for a student you will need to get another word processing program or update your starter edition. (openoffice.org has one downloadable for free. It also doesn't come with copies of the software so you will need 3 recordable dvds in order to make your backups.
The other issue is the cover. This laptop is party of the Dell Inspiron series with the switchable covers. While I like the black and won't get another cover for it I have no idea how to remove it and the documentation in the box gave no explanation on this.
I am extremely satisfied with this machine and have no regrets in purchasing it
Pros: The PC is fast and reliable. Boot time and wake up time is *much* faster than my old Compaq Vista. Win7 is a much faster and user-friendly OS than Vista or XP. 6 Gig of memory on this laptop ensures the applications run smoothly and seamlessly with many windows open at once. The laptop is relatively small and light yet has pretty much all the features of a powerful desktop. Keypad feels very nicely when you are typing. The trackpad has some neat new features and is very adjustable. Machine automatically shuts off the trackpad when you plug in a mouse.
Cons: Battery only lasts 3 hrs if you are using the machine. It says 6 hrs when you mouse over the battery icon when fully charged. Also the ports are not labeled on the edges of the typing surface of the machine so you have to crane your neck to find the locations of the USB ports or the power jack if you are trying to connect something.
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Before choosing this laptop I researched the other options in amazon and other websites and I believe this one has the best value for the price.A few things to note on it's favor:
Did not come dead on arrival (DOA).
Windows Installation was fast.
Can run entertainment apps / casual and social gaming perfectly.
I love the idea of being able to use different covers (I have not tried it yet).
The trackpad's surface is one of the best I have used so far.
The battery holds it's charge as described and intended.
The internal speakers have great power, enough to watch a video in a medium-size living room without plugging other speakers.
Wireless adapter is pretty strong, it can list-down wireless points that my desktop adapter can't.
Some downsides:
Comes with the already-known Bloatware, simply uninstall all those pesky useless programs/games/antivirus.
After modifying the mouse / trackpad settings I got a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) STOP Error: 0x000009f DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE (This problem occurs because of a race condition between two bus resets.). However, after I updated Windows 7 everything seems to be in order now.
It's glossy, expect a lot of fingerprints on it.
Multi-gesture trackpad feature doesn't work 100%, it seems not to be so accurate.
The Trackpad can get warm when running process-extensive software or features but not to a point it is uncomfortable.
I have yet to find anything that ruins my experience, reason why I scored the laptop a 5. I will update this review in case it's necessary and let you know.
Best Deals for Dell Inspiron i14RN-1227BK 14-Inch Laptop (Diamond Black)
I was in the market for a small laptop for school. Because the computer would be traveling as much as I do I didn't want to spent a lot nor did I want a overly large machine. I was contemplating on a net book before I came across this.For the price you can't beat it. The Intel core i3 2.30GHz processor with 6G ram make it fast enough for just about everything you would possibly need it to do. The 446GB hard drive is large enough for most folks, just don't try to store your entire movie collection on there.
The reviews that I did read questioned a few things. One was over the graphic quality of the monitor. I found no issue with it. I'm sure for someone involved in editing photos or animation this laptop wouldn't do it, but for less than $500 your not going to get those sort of capabilities.
There are some bad reviews out there over the battery. Battery performance is based on how long the computer will hold power under the most ideal of circumstances. Heavy use, such as movie watching and gaming, and the use of outside peripherals will reduce your battery life. Even using the built in wi-fi antenna will reduce your battery life. This holds true for all laptops I have used over the years. Sony, Avertec, Toshiba, and HP were no exception. This is my first Dell computer.
There are only two issues that I have with the computer and they are minor. The first one is its lack of software. It does come with ms-office starter. Word on it has a lot of the functionality of it removed so for a student you will need to get another word processing program or update your starter edition. (openoffice.org has one downloadable for free. It also doesn't come with copies of the software so you will need 3 recordable dvds in order to make your backups.
The other issue is the cover. This laptop is party of the Dell Inspiron series with the switchable covers. While I like the black and won't get another cover for it I have no idea how to remove it and the documentation in the box gave no explanation on this.
I am extremely satisfied with this machine and have no regrets in purchasing it
Honest reviews on Dell Inspiron i14RN-1227BK 14-Inch Laptop (Diamond Black)
Bought one of these a few weeks ago to use for a sports club I administer. Needed a simple machine to do basic taskse-mail, web browsing, word processor....and to run a sports meet software. Great machine for these basis tasks. Price point is super, cheaper than many tablets or even in some cases a cell phone, and much more capable. Tested WiFi in an area where most cell phones and computers have trouble with weak signal, and this works great. Runs cool, battery life even with the basic battery is good, and weight is light enough to make it easily used on a...laptop. HDMI output is great, I hooked this up to my projector with no issues. Connectivity options for USB, HDMI, eSATA great for this price range. Overall this is a great price on a premium brand laptop with super solid features.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Dell Inspiron i14RN-1227BK 14-Inch Laptop (Diamond Black)
I am delighted with this purchase. I use it for business about 12 hours every day of the week. Staples had these on sale for $449 and was giving a $100 Visa card rebate with every purchase, so I could not resist the sub $400 price.Pros: The PC is fast and reliable. Boot time and wake up time is *much* faster than my old Compaq Vista. Win7 is a much faster and user-friendly OS than Vista or XP. 6 Gig of memory on this laptop ensures the applications run smoothly and seamlessly with many windows open at once. The laptop is relatively small and light yet has pretty much all the features of a powerful desktop. Keypad feels very nicely when you are typing. The trackpad has some neat new features and is very adjustable. Machine automatically shuts off the trackpad when you plug in a mouse.
Cons: Battery only lasts 3 hrs if you are using the machine. It says 6 hrs when you mouse over the battery icon when fully charged. Also the ports are not labeled on the edges of the typing surface of the machine so you have to crane your neck to find the locations of the USB ports or the power jack if you are trying to connect something.
Monday, July 28, 2014
Toshiba Portege M780-S7241 12.1-Inch Laptop (Titanium Silver) Reviews
I am a student that has had my Toshiba M780 for about four years. I you are at all capable in correctly setting your power consumption, which is very versatile, the battery can last for 3 to 4 hours. I have sat through many long lectures with the ability to take handwritten notes in tablet mode. I am able to utilize AutoCAD 2006/2010/2011 & Revit in both PC and tablet modes. With current battery technology any laptop is going to require AC to run for extended periods. The tablet note taking has been invaluable as a student. I would only ever buy a tablet that has a stylus for writing on. Whats the point of having a tablet you have to type on, it's a waste in my opinion. You might as well buy a regular laptop, because your just substituting a hard keypad for a soft one that is a drain on resources, which in my opinion completely defeats the whole purpose. Having the ability to hand write notes on downloadable lectures and textbooks not only completes the lectures but allows me to stay organized and carry a lot less. I have a soft notebook for different classes so all I have in my backpack is my tablet PC and the textbook(if it's not available for download). If I ever have to go back to last semester notes I can at any time and know exactly where they are without looking on my shelf for an old notebook. My Toshiba M780 was expensive, but worth every penny and I would do it all over again. When I made my purchase Tablet PC choice was limited. If your a student, shop around and when you buy familiarize yourself with the configuration options ESPECIALLY the POWER MANAGEMENT, because little tweaks can make a big difference on how long the life of the battery will last. Overall I have not been disappointed in my M780, yes I would like it to run a little faster, but I could also clean up what's in the startup a little more and Everyone has to be careful when we load ANY software, because generally almost any program you install puts itself in the startup BY DEFAULT and WILL bog your system down. So whenever you purchase ANY new computer you MUST remove ALL software you won't be using and trim down what you do use in your startup. If more people realized these simple facts they would have much more satisfying systems. Simple configuration can go a long way, it's unfortunate many people overlook the little things that end up stacking over time, which bogs EVERY system. Sadly, Common sense escapes many of us. If we utilize the tools available to us and choose those tools carefully for the particular job, there is a point to which the tool should not be blamed. The Toshiba M780 has been a great tool for my uses.
OS: Windows 7 is confusing and slow compared to Windows XP on my Acer DuoCore 6593.
Display: The screen is fuzzy and out-of-focus.
Battery life: nowhere near the stated 4.8 hours. With less than 2 hours battery life this device is useless for the intended purpose...electronic health records which are accessed in the examination rooms. Okay I suppose I could just settle for a 2 hour work day :) but come on Toshiba....be honest!
Core 7 processer: I was prepared to be thrilled by the increase in speed. Instead I found it not as fast as my old Acer laptop even with it's slower-speed hard drive and smaller number of cores.
Tablet rotating screen: I never even used the tablet feature because of the low battery life. The stylus was an extra-cost feature ($35) which I found expensive.
Conclusion: A total waste of money which also damaged my business:
I never was able to use the electronic health record system because of the poor battery life in the examination room.
So....I spent $12,000 for the software and $2,000 for the computer; both of which are useless to me.
Paul in Napa
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This laptop is great giving user both laptop and tablet experience. Can be converted into tablet. Stylish and eligant. Love using it.Best Deals for Toshiba Portege M780-S7241 12.1-Inch Laptop (Titanium Silver)
Recommended by a software company it disapoints in numerous important ways.OS: Windows 7 is confusing and slow compared to Windows XP on my Acer DuoCore 6593.
Display: The screen is fuzzy and out-of-focus.
Battery life: nowhere near the stated 4.8 hours. With less than 2 hours battery life this device is useless for the intended purpose...electronic health records which are accessed in the examination rooms. Okay I suppose I could just settle for a 2 hour work day :) but come on Toshiba....be honest!
Core 7 processer: I was prepared to be thrilled by the increase in speed. Instead I found it not as fast as my old Acer laptop even with it's slower-speed hard drive and smaller number of cores.
Tablet rotating screen: I never even used the tablet feature because of the low battery life. The stylus was an extra-cost feature ($35) which I found expensive.
Conclusion: A total waste of money which also damaged my business:
I never was able to use the electronic health record system because of the poor battery life in the examination room.
So....I spent $12,000 for the software and $2,000 for the computer; both of which are useless to me.
Paul in Napa
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Cheap HEWLETT PACKARD - HP - TM2T TABLET PC - Genuine Windows 7 Home
I've had this for over a month now, and it's more than I expected. The keyboard is the best I've ever used. Usually, when I have my laptop plugged in at my desk monitor, I use an independent keyboard and mouse and set the laptop to the side. But with this keyboard I've put the old independent in the drawer and flip the tablet screen all the way forward and under the monitor. This keyboard has great spacing, is very solid and responsive. As someone else noted, there is no Home or End key (which I use a lot) but the FN+Left Arrow and FN+Right Arrow do the same things.
When away from the desk I use the touchpad and even though the "button" areas are stiff, you can use multigestures on the pad to trigger button actions so I hardly ever use the "button" areas. When at the desk I use a mouse.
I run Win7, and on a Virtual Box partition, a Linux server. Both OSes run concurrently (I develop Win browser based controls for Linux servers). I run two monitors, one plugged into the laptop's VGA port and the other is being run by the CPU using a Plugable USB (165) Display Adapter. The 1.33GHz processor has no problem keeping up with the two OSes and CPU ran display.
Although I bought it primarily to use the the tablet concept, this jewel has replaced any need for a desktop. But, I do use the tablet 3 times a week for meetings with other designers on the team. I thought the note taking with the stylus would be the best feature, and while it is great, being able to sketch layout concepts on screen instead of scratch paper, and then email them to the participants, has been an extremely useful feature. But, not the BEST, that happened when one of the team members brought his iPad once, and was so humiliated he's never brought his toy a second time.
The only Con, the screen is glossy to the max and really is a fingerprint magnet. An anti-glare film took care of it though. If you plan on working out on the patio in the sun, which I do a lot, plan on getting an anti-glare screen.
Would I buy it again? My daughter's going to get one for her birthday ..... Will I buy it through Amazon? Of course.
Pros
Windows 7, i5 core, 1.33 GHz up to 1.73 GHz, 6Gb RAM, 500Gb SATA HD,TrueVision Webcam and Fingerprint Reader,Touchscreen, Wireless N...
Smoothly turns On and Off
Fast and Easy access
Up to 6-7 hrs of battery life
Lightweight (Goes in my handbag!)
Cons
Absence of DVD burner/player
No bluetooth
This PC is just awesome! I've had it for about 6 months and I've been more than satisfied. It works just like a charm. I bought an external DVD plyer/ burner whose brand is HP also and it works with my PC just fine. The Touchsmart software is accessible and lauches easily, making it possible to listen to music, view pictures, create magnets, funny notes and taking goofy pictures and videos. The summum is the touchscreen that makes it possible to write notes quickly and insert genuine signatures on all types of documents (doc, pdf, rtf ...). I don't have enough word to describe this tablet PC but I'll make sure to post a video review as soon as possible.
It came pre-installed with Windows 7 64-bit Home Premium and I'd never used win 7 (what a refreshing change from Vista!). I really like the change and the speed. I've tested some of my 32-bit programs (RealDrawPro5 for one) and they work great. Everything runs lots faster than on the Vista, too.
The fingerprint reader is a real plus... no passwords to remember. However, you do have to swipe it 'just right' to get it to work on the first try, but usually now I get logged in on the 2nd or 3rd swipe, so it's not a big deal to me.
I might add that I'm 65 years old and a "techie grandma" who does know her computers pretty well. This little HP gem is outstanding and it was super easy to catch onto Win 7 for the most part. My grandkids loved the touch screen, the built-in video fun, the art program, being able to draw with their fingers, etc, almost as much as I do.
I invested in it because my 17" Acer laptop (with stinky Vista OS) was just too big to travel with and I do look forward to taking my tm2 the next time I have to fly somewhere.
I feel that it is a bit heavy for a 12.1" sized computer but the 6-cell battery and the mechanics for the flipping top might account for the extra weight (around 4 lbs). It isn't a deal-breaker though... it has so many amazing features that far outweigh the small stuff. The battery lasts a long time, too.
I agree about the super glossy screen that someone else mentioned... it's definitely distracting in bright light and is a fingerprint magnet, but it wipes clean with a soft cloth lightly dampened with just a little water. I plan to look for a glare-reducing screen cover for it, soon.
Personally, I have had no complaints except for the high price, but then it does SO much more than any of my prior computers that it's been worth it. I do suggest looking for discount coupons, since I found one AFTER I had bought it that would've saved me $300 off the over $900.00 price tag at the time I purchased it.
When away from the desk I use the touchpad and even though the "button" areas are stiff, you can use multigestures on the pad to trigger button actions so I hardly ever use the "button" areas. When at the desk I use a mouse.
I run Win7, and on a Virtual Box partition, a Linux server. Both OSes run concurrently (I develop Win browser based controls for Linux servers). I run two monitors, one plugged into the laptop's VGA port and the other is being run by the CPU using a Plugable USB (165) Display Adapter. The 1.33GHz processor has no problem keeping up with the two OSes and CPU ran display.
Although I bought it primarily to use the the tablet concept, this jewel has replaced any need for a desktop. But, I do use the tablet 3 times a week for meetings with other designers on the team. I thought the note taking with the stylus would be the best feature, and while it is great, being able to sketch layout concepts on screen instead of scratch paper, and then email them to the participants, has been an extremely useful feature. But, not the BEST, that happened when one of the team members brought his iPad once, and was so humiliated he's never brought his toy a second time.
The only Con, the screen is glossy to the max and really is a fingerprint magnet. An anti-glare film took care of it though. If you plan on working out on the patio in the sun, which I do a lot, plan on getting an anti-glare screen.
Would I buy it again? My daughter's going to get one for her birthday ..... Will I buy it through Amazon? Of course.
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Okay, I've only had this thing a few days, but having worked in IT for MS and Xerox for nearly 20 years, I know a thing or two about PCs, laptops, Mac's and hardware along with various software packages. Right before Christmas 2010 I started thinking about getting an iPad2, and noticed the range of various iPad wanna-be's. I was amazed at the offerings and their claims, yet many didn't have any reviews and most were coming out of China. I cringed at the thought of buying some unheard of device that most likely come with worthless warrantees and dubious at best hardware configurations. I even looked at Dell's offering along with EEE pc's little touch netbook's. I very nearly bought one of them thinking... okay... the processor is about the same as the iPad's, the only big differences being Windows instead of iOS and more drive space. I'd come to hate Windows and defected to Mac O S when Vista was released. My big problem was that neither the iPad or my iPhone had enough storage space (I needed much more than 64gb). So a touch netbook it was going to be. I originally saw the HP TM2T and fell in love... but not with the price. HP Direct was offering its tablet for about $1200 as configured, which is very generous with an Intel i5 -470UM processor, 4 gb RAM, 500 gb drive, ATI 5450 graphics card, wifi and Windows 7 Home Premium. Ouch! Pretty pricey for whatis really a netbook. I thought I might as well just buy the iPad and live with the space limitations. Even on Amazonthese were selling for as high as $1900! For that kind of moneyI could just buy a MacbookPro. I really then hesitated when I started reading some of the Amazonreviews of the TM2, TX2 and theTM2T.There are alot of unhappy folks out there. They complained about how it overheatedall the time, about how bad thetouchpad was and the keyboard, the design on the cover.. and any smallinsignificant thing they could think of. Because of all the bad reviews I had felt the iPad was my only choice. After 4 months I looked at the TM2T again as I saw a seller offering a refurbished unit at half the cost of a new one. I put itin my cart 2 or 3 times and each time I would stop to reread oldreviews and that made me secondguess completing the purchase. Each timeone sold, the seller listed another one. Then I read a magazine reviewof their top 5 tablet PC picks andthe TM2T was second overal, but first when it came to graphics.You don't expect to see a tablet PC or netbook capable of DirectX11... but this one does. I have been putting this system thru thepaces and throwing everything I canthink of at it. I've installedAutoCAD, Photoshop CS5, video editing software, Visual Studio suite, evenOffice and I have only praises forthis little tablet and its seller.I won't lie in that there are afew minor things I don't really care for... such as the touchpadmouse and the etched cover. But they are both minor things to besure. If you can buy a new one, I highly recommend its. Otherwisekeep your eyes open for a factorsrefurbished one for $645. Eitherway, its worth it (despite the nah sayers)!Best Deals for HEWLETT PACKARD - HP - TM2T TABLET PC - Genuine Windows 7 Home
My story with this product starts quite ackwardly... I saw this product for the first time on the HP website on December 2010. It wasn't available yet with all the features I wanted on amazon. I could have bought it then but I was unemployed and I had other priorities. When I was absolutely ready for it, HP didn't have the customizing options I wanted, but the good thing is: AMAZON HAD IT! So I went online on January 20th and I finally purchased it!Pros
Windows 7, i5 core, 1.33 GHz up to 1.73 GHz, 6Gb RAM, 500Gb SATA HD,TrueVision Webcam and Fingerprint Reader,Touchscreen, Wireless N...
Smoothly turns On and Off
Fast and Easy access
Up to 6-7 hrs of battery life
Lightweight (Goes in my handbag!)
Cons
Absence of DVD burner/player
No bluetooth
This PC is just awesome! I've had it for about 6 months and I've been more than satisfied. It works just like a charm. I bought an external DVD plyer/ burner whose brand is HP also and it works with my PC just fine. The Touchsmart software is accessible and lauches easily, making it possible to listen to music, view pictures, create magnets, funny notes and taking goofy pictures and videos. The summum is the touchscreen that makes it possible to write notes quickly and insert genuine signatures on all types of documents (doc, pdf, rtf ...). I don't have enough word to describe this tablet PC but I'll make sure to post a video review as soon as possible.
Honest reviews on HEWLETT PACKARD - HP - TM2T TABLET PC - Genuine Windows 7 Home
After a couple of days researching this little gem, reading hundreds of reviews of it and looking at similar products to compare, I took the plunge and bought it in May. I'm a graphic artist so I wanted LOTS of RAM and took advantage of their free upgrade (bought at the HP site) to 6 GB of RAM and the 500GB SATA hard drive.It came pre-installed with Windows 7 64-bit Home Premium and I'd never used win 7 (what a refreshing change from Vista!). I really like the change and the speed. I've tested some of my 32-bit programs (RealDrawPro5 for one) and they work great. Everything runs lots faster than on the Vista, too.
The fingerprint reader is a real plus... no passwords to remember. However, you do have to swipe it 'just right' to get it to work on the first try, but usually now I get logged in on the 2nd or 3rd swipe, so it's not a big deal to me.
I might add that I'm 65 years old and a "techie grandma" who does know her computers pretty well. This little HP gem is outstanding and it was super easy to catch onto Win 7 for the most part. My grandkids loved the touch screen, the built-in video fun, the art program, being able to draw with their fingers, etc, almost as much as I do.
I invested in it because my 17" Acer laptop (with stinky Vista OS) was just too big to travel with and I do look forward to taking my tm2 the next time I have to fly somewhere.
I feel that it is a bit heavy for a 12.1" sized computer but the 6-cell battery and the mechanics for the flipping top might account for the extra weight (around 4 lbs). It isn't a deal-breaker though... it has so many amazing features that far outweigh the small stuff. The battery lasts a long time, too.
I agree about the super glossy screen that someone else mentioned... it's definitely distracting in bright light and is a fingerprint magnet, but it wipes clean with a soft cloth lightly dampened with just a little water. I plan to look for a glare-reducing screen cover for it, soon.
Personally, I have had no complaints except for the high price, but then it does SO much more than any of my prior computers that it's been worth it. I do suggest looking for discount coupons, since I found one AFTER I had bought it that would've saved me $300 off the over $900.00 price tag at the time I purchased it.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for HEWLETT PACKARD - HP - TM2T TABLET PC - Genuine Windows 7 Home
laptop performance is good. Good keyboard layout and screen is nicely presentable. The touch pad is quiet poor very hard to click and highlight and select, have to use a mouse most the time with it. Touchscreen it good but not great, can be a bit unresponsive and slow.Sunday, June 29, 2014
HP 15.6" Athlon II P340 2.2GHz Notebook | G62-347NR Review
This laptop tends to be one of the least expensive ones available, but seems to have all the capacity of many much more expensive computers.
It's main fault is its touch pad. The touch pad is not defined and so made for an unsatisfactory experience from the beginning. The control bar was also difficult to depress left/right. It was very unresponsive. Then, about a week after I bought the unit, the touch pad failed altogether. I was unable to use it to move the cursor. I was glad I had taken the vendor's advice and bought a wireless mouse which I immediately switched over to using. I suggest you automatically get a separate mouse with this unit.
This is a bit of an annoyance because the laptop only has three USB ports. With my printer in one and the add-on wireless mouse in another, I'm left with only one available port. But that's OK. You can always buy expansion ports if you have more devices you want to plug in.
The standard KWERTY keyboard keys are themselves responsive though, and it's generally a pleasure to type and compose on this machine. My only criticism the shift key and the "enter" key are juxtaposed so that it's easy to hit one when you want the other. The keyboard layout could have been designed a little better.
This Hewlett-Packard comes with a fair amount of bundled software in it, including a very serviceable version of Microsoft Word. The vendor tried to convince me that I would need to buy an extra, up-dated version of Microsoft Word for this computer, but that is not the case. I was also told that no software published prior to 2000 would work on this computer. Well, some will. So before you go to the expense of buying any new software for this Windows 7 unit, I suggest you thoroughly explore what is already included with it and what you can run on it from your old collection. You might be pleasantly surprised to find most of your favorite old programs from Windows '98 through Windows XP WILL run on this laptop.
The unit gets me onto the Internet speedily, without any need for upgrades to my equipment. It is also fairly quick and intuitive when it comes to setting it up and transferring files to. I was able to unpack it and get going with it on-line in less than an hour.
So overall, this model laptop seems to be an excellent value.
-Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit runs flawlessly on the dual core processor.
-Graphics card is excellent and watching YouTube/DVD videos on full screen is smoothe, even with high definition.
-It's 3GB RAM is more than enough for normal use. The usage is usually in the 40% range with normal use, definitely a good thing.
-Has a stylish cover to it. (mine is blue, I'm not sure if that's standard or not).
CONS:
-THE KEYBOARD LAYOUT IS HORRIBLE! I repeat, HORRIBLE. I type at an average rate of 70-80WPM and this is by far the worst keyboard layout.
-Does not have a numeric keypad as on the side as most notebooks do.
-The shortcut keys available on the keyboard aren't significant and really should not have been placed there to begin with (i.e., quick launch to calculator, email, internet, etc.)
-Because of the keyboard, it's comfort rating is "pathetic" on my scale.
OVERALL:
Excellent choice, given the price and performance. The keyboard will take a LOT of getting used to, but eventually it won't be an issue. I'd highly recommend this product (G62-347NR).
NEVER BUY ANY COMPUTER EQUIPMENT FROM HP, and since Amazon apparently knew they were pushing junk, I would also avoid that merchant as well.
Any hope for a g62-340us fix? HP Support ForumNew HP G62 freezing!!! HP Support Forumg62-340us crashing repeatedly HP Support ForumBrand New G62-B12SA Keeps freezing!!!!! HP Support ForumG62 not responding Page 3 HP Support Forum
It's main fault is its touch pad. The touch pad is not defined and so made for an unsatisfactory experience from the beginning. The control bar was also difficult to depress left/right. It was very unresponsive. Then, about a week after I bought the unit, the touch pad failed altogether. I was unable to use it to move the cursor. I was glad I had taken the vendor's advice and bought a wireless mouse which I immediately switched over to using. I suggest you automatically get a separate mouse with this unit.
This is a bit of an annoyance because the laptop only has three USB ports. With my printer in one and the add-on wireless mouse in another, I'm left with only one available port. But that's OK. You can always buy expansion ports if you have more devices you want to plug in.
The standard KWERTY keyboard keys are themselves responsive though, and it's generally a pleasure to type and compose on this machine. My only criticism the shift key and the "enter" key are juxtaposed so that it's easy to hit one when you want the other. The keyboard layout could have been designed a little better.
This Hewlett-Packard comes with a fair amount of bundled software in it, including a very serviceable version of Microsoft Word. The vendor tried to convince me that I would need to buy an extra, up-dated version of Microsoft Word for this computer, but that is not the case. I was also told that no software published prior to 2000 would work on this computer. Well, some will. So before you go to the expense of buying any new software for this Windows 7 unit, I suggest you thoroughly explore what is already included with it and what you can run on it from your old collection. You might be pleasantly surprised to find most of your favorite old programs from Windows '98 through Windows XP WILL run on this laptop.
The unit gets me onto the Internet speedily, without any need for upgrades to my equipment. It is also fairly quick and intuitive when it comes to setting it up and transferring files to. I was able to unpack it and get going with it on-line in less than an hour.
So overall, this model laptop seems to be an excellent value.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
PROS:-Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit runs flawlessly on the dual core processor.
-Graphics card is excellent and watching YouTube/DVD videos on full screen is smoothe, even with high definition.
-It's 3GB RAM is more than enough for normal use. The usage is usually in the 40% range with normal use, definitely a good thing.
-Has a stylish cover to it. (mine is blue, I'm not sure if that's standard or not).
CONS:
-THE KEYBOARD LAYOUT IS HORRIBLE! I repeat, HORRIBLE. I type at an average rate of 70-80WPM and this is by far the worst keyboard layout.
-Does not have a numeric keypad as on the side as most notebooks do.
-The shortcut keys available on the keyboard aren't significant and really should not have been placed there to begin with (i.e., quick launch to calculator, email, internet, etc.)
-Because of the keyboard, it's comfort rating is "pathetic" on my scale.
OVERALL:
Excellent choice, given the price and performance. The keyboard will take a LOT of getting used to, but eventually it won't be an issue. I'd highly recommend this product (G62-347NR).
Best Deals for HP 15.6" Athlon II P340 2.2GHz Notebook | G62-347NR
I got this from Amazon under a clearance sale where it was apparently known that this PC was defective. It freezes up constantly as many other unhappy customers will testify. Took me too long to figure out it wasn't my software, so now I'm stuck with this piece of junk.NEVER BUY ANY COMPUTER EQUIPMENT FROM HP, and since Amazon apparently knew they were pushing junk, I would also avoid that merchant as well.
Honest reviews on HP 15.6" Athlon II P340 2.2GHz Notebook | G62-347NR
it wasn't good, it was cracked, and it didn't worked, hard drive was not working so I fix it with my self, because I could not shipped it back... and it is not working so good for now...Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for HP 15.6" Athlon II P340 2.2GHz Notebook | G62-347NR
I highly recommend you do NOT, I repeat DO NOT buy this laptop. If you look around at forums and such, you will find many issues with it being a low quality laptop. Ahead are just a few examples of customers complaining about freezing problems and crashing problems. Other customers complain about blue screens and mouse pad freezes. I have one myself, and I am extremely frustrated as this is my only computer to work with. Every minute or so, the computer will freeze for about 30 seconds and then come back. I have tried many things to fix it, all of them you may find in the following forum posts, but none have worked. Do NOT buy.Any hope for a g62-340us fix? HP Support ForumNew HP G62 freezing!!! HP Support Forumg62-340us crashing repeatedly HP Support ForumBrand New G62-B12SA Keeps freezing!!!!! HP Support ForumG62 not responding Page 3 HP Support Forum
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Reviews of HP G42-475DX Laptop / AMD Phenom II Processor / 14" LED HD Display
Bought this laptop a couple weeks ago. I love it, was in need of a new computer due to. My other one being so outdated it wouldn't download new software so I couldn't do school work much less anything else. My hubby bought himself one also. I don't know much about computers but this one is great! Fast, durable, small , and has a webcam so I can talk to the fam :) I am completely satisfied!
When I got it first thing I did was format the drive and reinstall windows 7 minus all the pre-installed bloatware that would otherwise slow it down. I've added an OCZ Vertex 3 SSD drive to make it faster and more reliable for DJing and live audio/video performances, working out some kinks with random crashes on the SSD, pretty sure I can solve it.
The display is starting to flicker red when tilted to certain angles, needs a gentle tap or adjustment to go back to normal... so I take that as an example of flimsy build quality combined with my heavy use of it on the road. Take better care of it and be mindful of never covering the fan exhaust vent and it should last you a while. HP has had over heating issues in the past but I think most of those issues have been solved with newer post 2010 models.
Performance wise I'm able to do basic media related tasks like video editing with Adobe Premiere, Photoshop, audio editing, and some video compositing with After Effects. With the SSD it handles DJing and VJing apps like Resolume and VirtualDJ like a breeze thanks to the AMD/ATi graphics chip, which is way better than standard "Intel graphics" which often will not let you run any video jockeying software.
Tesfaye
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Got this laptop just over a year ago while visiting my uncle in the States. It was a steal for $350, but laptop prices are always falling. The list price on this page seems whack tho... It's 14" so it's very mobile, battery life is pretty good, and everything else is above what you'd expect for $350. The dual-core processor and 4GB ram make it a snappy little machine.When I got it first thing I did was format the drive and reinstall windows 7 minus all the pre-installed bloatware that would otherwise slow it down. I've added an OCZ Vertex 3 SSD drive to make it faster and more reliable for DJing and live audio/video performances, working out some kinks with random crashes on the SSD, pretty sure I can solve it.
The display is starting to flicker red when tilted to certain angles, needs a gentle tap or adjustment to go back to normal... so I take that as an example of flimsy build quality combined with my heavy use of it on the road. Take better care of it and be mindful of never covering the fan exhaust vent and it should last you a while. HP has had over heating issues in the past but I think most of those issues have been solved with newer post 2010 models.
Performance wise I'm able to do basic media related tasks like video editing with Adobe Premiere, Photoshop, audio editing, and some video compositing with After Effects. With the SSD it handles DJing and VJing apps like Resolume and VirtualDJ like a breeze thanks to the AMD/ATi graphics chip, which is way better than standard "Intel graphics" which often will not let you run any video jockeying software.
Best Deals for HP G42-475DX Laptop / AMD Phenom II Processor / 14" LED HD Display
Hi,these is Tesfaye i ordered laptop through amazon AND GET IN GOOD WORKING CONDITION WHEN i was comparing the price with new one i save certain amount of money the service is the same for me do i need to pay more money for an item serving me the same? ,i don't think so i like it every thing, i get it the same way it was expressed on the web thank you very much for your business amazon is always the best.Tesfaye
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Review of Toshiba Satellite C655D-S5043 TruBrite 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)
Was looking for a laptop with ATI Radeon graphics and this laptop was a steal for the price of 449! Got it within 2 days through Amazon and was amazed at the size of the screen. The screen is very bright since it has the Tru Bright technology and it is also a wide screen which makes it nice for videos and movies. Sound is really good for a laptop and even plays 780 HD youtube videos without trouble!
Only had this since about 4 hours ago so am getting used to everything now. Windows 7 is very different and will take time to adjust to if you have been on XP for years. One thing though this model 655D S5043 DOES NOT have a webcam, facial recognition software or the microphone in the LCD bezel like it says on this website. I checked through Toshiba website before I bought it and noticed that it did not come with it which was okay for me, but for people who see that in the description IT DOES NOT come with the cam or facial recognition software!
Here is the link to the study I talk about:Was looking for a laptop to replace my 7 year old Acer *which Acer is one of the WORST brands to buy according to a recent study*** And yes, the Acer died. It has been going out for the past 3 years with multiple hardware failures and system restores. So this worked out well since Toshiba had one of the highest ratings and least hardware malfunctions. Overall the laptop is fairly sturdy and feels solid, weighing in a little more than my other IBM Thinkpad laptop which is okay with me also. The feel and design of the outer shell is really cool and I love the keypad on the right side. The keys are kind of shifted to the left and so is the touchpad which might be hard to get used to at first. The keys are not as raised up as other computers and sit a little flatter so it might take a while to adjust. Looking at the screen is like looking at the sun it is just amazing how bright it really is! So far very happy and for this price you can NOT go wrong. The wireless connection wizard located the wireless the first time I turned it on and was setup within 1 minute. Downloading FireFox and Chrome are fast and simple. Another good thing is that there is NOTHING on the desktop except for Recycle Bin when you get the computer! Really great! This computer plays the video games I play very well without using too much CPU or slowing other programs down.
First the Pro's:
(This could be difficult)
-The HD is very nice and I did play a movie on it and it had great picture quality.
-Having a standard version of a regular desktop keyboard was nice and a treat.
-It comes with only two USB ports, which may be enough for some.
-It comes with a port for a wired mouse, printer and the like.
Cons:
-It did not come with the advertised webcam or microphone. (I knew this in advance due to another posting the same about it, so I have no complaints about that...but if it is important to you, buyer beware)
-The sound quality leaves a LOT to be desired. I remedied that with my headset which will amplify sound, still a pain to have to do, when I shouldn't have to. I do not use my laptop plugged into speakers, so if I wanted to watch a movie, I had to grab the wireless headset to do so.
-If there is a way to shut off the touch pad, I never found it. But then again I was having other issues from the first few days. I use a wireless mouse and do not like the touch pad. It's location being where your palms are inevitably going to hit send you to places you really do not wish to go to while typing. That was extremely annoying to me as I'm a rapid typist and to have to continualy go find a way back to what I was doing, didn't exactly please me. The touch pad is extremely sensitive, one brush and you never can tell where you will land next.
-The computer itself is extremely sluggish. I thought I'd do okay with 2Gig's...apparently not with the work and other things I enjoy doing. If you game on sites such as Pogo or the like, you'll need more than 2 Gigs, I have no idea if this product has a way of upgrading it as other issues cropped up.
-One extremely annoying side affect was that since I use Yahoo to communicate with others and the touch pad is very sensitive I'd be calling people without meaning to on there. They would answer and say hello and I could not respond UNLESS I ran to grab my microphone headset. That irked me to no end.
-Lastly (and the reason I say I probably got a lemon) is that the computer started blacking out on me for no reason what-so-ever. First time I thought it somehow became unplugged and the battery died, but it hadn't. Rinse repeat about a dozen times in a two day period. That was enough for me to throw in the towel after less than 10 days of grief.
I gave this a two star for it's value in price...just remember you get what you pay for. If you are not one that likes to communicate via vocal or visual chat, do not use headsets, could care less about sound quality, love to use a touch pad and don't get a lemon like I did...then this computer would likely fill the bill, for the price.
Updated to add:
Major Pro's on working with Amazon. Earlier today I conversed with a representative in less than one minute via live chat, expressed my concerns (in specific) recieved an email with a return UPS label less than a minute later, and they have since updated this product to remove the fact it does not have a webcam or microphone. Now that is service at it's finest! They also got a new order from us today for a different computer!
I looked and reviewed Acers, Asus, Compaqs, Lenovo, and HP laptops before getting this one and I can tell you that Acer has quality issues, the Asus was nice and has good ratings but is much more expensive, and the Compaq just felt cheap and poorly designed. HP has nice laptops for double the cost but nothing can touch this laptop at this price. The screen is gorgeous!!! And I love the matte finish. Even the touch screen is nice (at work I use two desktops exclusively) but at home I have ditched my Dell dual core 2 in favor of this laptop.
It comes with very little bloatware. The OS--Win 7-64--works great. Performance wise, it runs very smoothly for everyday activities, from web surfing to word processing. It has a bright glossy screen. Personally, I like the matte finish on the case and keyboard, which gives it a better tactile feel compared to the glossy ones out there.
One con might be that it doesn't have 4 GB of RAM, but for the price I really cannot complaint.
Hope this helps.
Only had this since about 4 hours ago so am getting used to everything now. Windows 7 is very different and will take time to adjust to if you have been on XP for years. One thing though this model 655D S5043 DOES NOT have a webcam, facial recognition software or the microphone in the LCD bezel like it says on this website. I checked through Toshiba website before I bought it and noticed that it did not come with it which was okay for me, but for people who see that in the description IT DOES NOT come with the cam or facial recognition software!
Here is the link to the study I talk about:Was looking for a laptop to replace my 7 year old Acer *which Acer is one of the WORST brands to buy according to a recent study*** And yes, the Acer died. It has been going out for the past 3 years with multiple hardware failures and system restores. So this worked out well since Toshiba had one of the highest ratings and least hardware malfunctions. Overall the laptop is fairly sturdy and feels solid, weighing in a little more than my other IBM Thinkpad laptop which is okay with me also. The feel and design of the outer shell is really cool and I love the keypad on the right side. The keys are kind of shifted to the left and so is the touchpad which might be hard to get used to at first. The keys are not as raised up as other computers and sit a little flatter so it might take a while to adjust. Looking at the screen is like looking at the sun it is just amazing how bright it really is! So far very happy and for this price you can NOT go wrong. The wireless connection wizard located the wireless the first time I turned it on and was setup within 1 minute. Downloading FireFox and Chrome are fast and simple. Another good thing is that there is NOTHING on the desktop except for Recycle Bin when you get the computer! Really great! This computer plays the video games I play very well without using too much CPU or slowing other programs down.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I am returning this laptop tomorrow for many reasons. I recieved this computer on September 13, 2010First the Pro's:
(This could be difficult)
-The HD is very nice and I did play a movie on it and it had great picture quality.
-Having a standard version of a regular desktop keyboard was nice and a treat.
-It comes with only two USB ports, which may be enough for some.
-It comes with a port for a wired mouse, printer and the like.
Cons:
-It did not come with the advertised webcam or microphone. (I knew this in advance due to another posting the same about it, so I have no complaints about that...but if it is important to you, buyer beware)
-The sound quality leaves a LOT to be desired. I remedied that with my headset which will amplify sound, still a pain to have to do, when I shouldn't have to. I do not use my laptop plugged into speakers, so if I wanted to watch a movie, I had to grab the wireless headset to do so.
-If there is a way to shut off the touch pad, I never found it. But then again I was having other issues from the first few days. I use a wireless mouse and do not like the touch pad. It's location being where your palms are inevitably going to hit send you to places you really do not wish to go to while typing. That was extremely annoying to me as I'm a rapid typist and to have to continualy go find a way back to what I was doing, didn't exactly please me. The touch pad is extremely sensitive, one brush and you never can tell where you will land next.
-The computer itself is extremely sluggish. I thought I'd do okay with 2Gig's...apparently not with the work and other things I enjoy doing. If you game on sites such as Pogo or the like, you'll need more than 2 Gigs, I have no idea if this product has a way of upgrading it as other issues cropped up.
-One extremely annoying side affect was that since I use Yahoo to communicate with others and the touch pad is very sensitive I'd be calling people without meaning to on there. They would answer and say hello and I could not respond UNLESS I ran to grab my microphone headset. That irked me to no end.
-Lastly (and the reason I say I probably got a lemon) is that the computer started blacking out on me for no reason what-so-ever. First time I thought it somehow became unplugged and the battery died, but it hadn't. Rinse repeat about a dozen times in a two day period. That was enough for me to throw in the towel after less than 10 days of grief.
I gave this a two star for it's value in price...just remember you get what you pay for. If you are not one that likes to communicate via vocal or visual chat, do not use headsets, could care less about sound quality, love to use a touch pad and don't get a lemon like I did...then this computer would likely fill the bill, for the price.
Updated to add:
Major Pro's on working with Amazon. Earlier today I conversed with a representative in less than one minute via live chat, expressed my concerns (in specific) recieved an email with a return UPS label less than a minute later, and they have since updated this product to remove the fact it does not have a webcam or microphone. Now that is service at it's finest! They also got a new order from us today for a different computer!
Best Deals for Toshiba Satellite C655D-S5043 TruBrite 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)
As a purchasing agent for a computer reseller I see a lot of laptops come and go and for the money this Toshiba is a knock-out! Yes it's only a single core with 2gig, but very fast and windows 7 64 bit works very well on it. The only thing I would change would be the SPEAKERS they are not very loud and are the weakest part of the laptop. But the rest of it is built with quality and I am very happy with it. I use it for music, watch Hulu, Netflixs on my big screen LCD without problems.I looked and reviewed Acers, Asus, Compaqs, Lenovo, and HP laptops before getting this one and I can tell you that Acer has quality issues, the Asus was nice and has good ratings but is much more expensive, and the Compaq just felt cheap and poorly designed. HP has nice laptops for double the cost but nothing can touch this laptop at this price. The screen is gorgeous!!! And I love the matte finish. Even the touch screen is nice (at work I use two desktops exclusively) but at home I have ditched my Dell dual core 2 in favor of this laptop.
Honest reviews on Toshiba Satellite C655D-S5043 TruBrite 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)
The Toshiba Satelite 640 has been extremely unreliabile. Purchased new an 3 months later failed hard drive, mouse and screen. Sent in for repair and internal mouse was backordered with no delivery date after 30 days. Toshiba supplied refurburished computer and had screen failure in 1 month. Received repair and on start up fan drive failed. I would not recommend Toshiba to any user due to no resolution of issues.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Toshiba Satellite C655D-S5043 TruBrite 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)
This is an excellent laptop for the price.It comes with very little bloatware. The OS--Win 7-64--works great. Performance wise, it runs very smoothly for everyday activities, from web surfing to word processing. It has a bright glossy screen. Personally, I like the matte finish on the case and keyboard, which gives it a better tactile feel compared to the glossy ones out there.
One con might be that it doesn't have 4 GB of RAM, but for the price I really cannot complaint.
Hope this helps.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Best Samsung Series 3 NP300E5C-A02US 15.6-Inch Laptop (Blue Silver) Deals
I give the Series 3 four stars, minus 1 for the crappy touchpad sensitivity. See Con comment below.
Pros:
Xlnt display resolution
Aesthetically appealing to the eye; cover is brushed 'ribbed' aluminum with 2" black band at rear.
Wide keys, short pressure, positive feel
Full numbers keypad on right
Single screw holds cover to memory and HDD, makes for easy swap out
No dumb WiFi on/off switch front panel, prevents accidentally switching off connection
A full pound lighter than Dell
Strong solid looking hinges
i5-3210M Ivy Bridge, HD4000 controller works as designed
3MB L3 cache
CON: The super sensitive touchpad.
**First thing first; Use the touchpad to set screen size, then go to ctrl panel, Synaptics Touchpad to disable BOTH one-finger and multi-finger gestures. If you don;t this is what you can expect:
1. Sensitivity -horizontal AND vertical scrolling is at the next to last slowest speed.
2. If the left palm is within 1/8-1/4" proximity of the touchpad, the touchpad shrinks or enlarges your screen on its own. Tapping an resetting screen size constantly is annoying. Mostly dues to far left placement of the pad, not centered.
3. Email composes start @ 14+ font then shrinks to 10 and back and forth and back and forth all over the place. When composing the font size appears normal. When the display size changes the fonts do to but they never reset to the last display. Major bug.
More CONS:
1. Annoying bloatware
2. Power cord on left, I prefer right
3. No keyboard backlite
4. OK Samsung memory, 1x4GB & 1x2GB, latency 11-11-11-28. This was swapped for new 2x4Gb sticks
5. Big hunky/clunky 750GB SATA HDD. This was swapped for an SSD. Boot time is now 9 seconds. HDD being used as an external drive
6. Weak/low L1 & L2 cache [256kb]
7. Samsung online Chat Support is h-o-r-r-i-b-l-e. They're absolutely brainless and will waste your time. With a rating of 1 to 10, I generously give them a -10 [minus ten]. Do your own troubleshooting.
8. Battery life claim is up to 6.3 hrs. Even at the lowest setting the best I can get is 4.5 hrs, as indicted in the notification bar.
Don't forget to check the update page. The i5-3210M is fast for a tier 2 CPU, better than other i5's as it does turbo from 2.6 to 3.1GHZ.
I have always hated using touchpads on laptops until I started using the touchpad on this one. The pad is large and the so are the buttons, the pad also lets you do multi finger gestures. You can pinch to zoom, two fingers lets you scroll up and down, and three fingers lets you navigate forward and backward. You also have the ability to turn off the touchpad altogether by holding down the Fn key and hitting F5. There are many other features to this laptop that it makes it great like the sleep function when you close the laptop. The laptop is sturdy and is of good design, esthetically it looks great and the sound from the speakers is loud and clear. The boot time is under a minute, I have never timed it but it is significantly faster than my old computer. It also runs cool so no need for a cool pad.
Aside from all the positive things that I have to say about the laptop there is a few negative. I have experienced some malfunction when browsing with Facebook. Sometimes when I try to navigate to Facebook the browser throws up an error and I cannot logon. This could be a problem with Facebook or the browser that I am using, either way the problem is only intermittent and is not too much of an inconvenience. I have also on occasion heard when opening a file or a link that plays audio the speakers will make small pop before playing. These are all problems that I have yet to address but I think are very fixable. All in all this is an excellent laptop for the price and is very versatile and sturdy enough to last for several years. I give it 4.5 out of 5!
Manual:Recommended RAM upgrade:
Crucial CT2CP51264BC1067 8GB 204-PIN PC3-8500 SODIMM DDR3 (4GBx2)
Or:
Samsung Electronics Extreme Low Voltage 30nm SODIMM 8 Dual Channel Kit DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM MV-3T4G3D/US
Recommended hard drive upgrade:
SAMSUNG 830 Series 2.5-Inch 64GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) MZ-7PC064B/WW
http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_201077750_RRlandingCantReturn?nodeId=201077750
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3210M CPU @ 2.50GHz 7.1
Memory (RAM) 6.00 GB 7.5
Graphics Intel(R) HD Graphics 4000 5.1
Gaming graphics 1696 MB Total available graphics memory 6.5
Primary hard disk 618GB Free (675GB Total) 5.9
Determined by lowest subscore 5.1
somebody help! :)
Pros:
Xlnt display resolution
Aesthetically appealing to the eye; cover is brushed 'ribbed' aluminum with 2" black band at rear.
Wide keys, short pressure, positive feel
Full numbers keypad on right
Single screw holds cover to memory and HDD, makes for easy swap out
No dumb WiFi on/off switch front panel, prevents accidentally switching off connection
A full pound lighter than Dell
Strong solid looking hinges
i5-3210M Ivy Bridge, HD4000 controller works as designed
3MB L3 cache
CON: The super sensitive touchpad.
**First thing first; Use the touchpad to set screen size, then go to ctrl panel, Synaptics Touchpad to disable BOTH one-finger and multi-finger gestures. If you don;t this is what you can expect:
1. Sensitivity -horizontal AND vertical scrolling is at the next to last slowest speed.
2. If the left palm is within 1/8-1/4" proximity of the touchpad, the touchpad shrinks or enlarges your screen on its own. Tapping an resetting screen size constantly is annoying. Mostly dues to far left placement of the pad, not centered.
3. Email composes start @ 14+ font then shrinks to 10 and back and forth and back and forth all over the place. When composing the font size appears normal. When the display size changes the fonts do to but they never reset to the last display. Major bug.
More CONS:
1. Annoying bloatware
2. Power cord on left, I prefer right
3. No keyboard backlite
4. OK Samsung memory, 1x4GB & 1x2GB, latency 11-11-11-28. This was swapped for new 2x4Gb sticks
5. Big hunky/clunky 750GB SATA HDD. This was swapped for an SSD. Boot time is now 9 seconds. HDD being used as an external drive
6. Weak/low L1 & L2 cache [256kb]
7. Samsung online Chat Support is h-o-r-r-i-b-l-e. They're absolutely brainless and will waste your time. With a rating of 1 to 10, I generously give them a -10 [minus ten]. Do your own troubleshooting.
8. Battery life claim is up to 6.3 hrs. Even at the lowest setting the best I can get is 4.5 hrs, as indicted in the notification bar.
Don't forget to check the update page. The i5-3210M is fast for a tier 2 CPU, better than other i5's as it does turbo from 2.6 to 3.1GHZ.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
The Atheros wireless card that came installed in this laptop was defective and wouldn't hold a connection no matter what network it was connected to. I contacted Samsung and they confirmed that it seemed to be a hardware issue. I returned it and got a replacement laptop. Same issue. I did some research and these cards are just bad. It's a shame because otherwise, the computer is great, but trying to deal with the all the internet issues and hardware problems were beyond frustrating. Terrible experience.Best Deals for Samsung Series 3 NP300E5C-A02US 15.6-Inch Laptop (Blue Silver)
This laptop is awesome!!! I am a full time student and use it primarily for school, not gaming. It does have an integrated HD graphics card which gives an excellent graphic performance for watching videos or just browsing the web. The i5 processor accompanied with 6GB of RAM makes this laptop super-fast. Out of the box the Windows Experience Index rates this laptop at a 5.7. You can check you WEI by going into the Computer>System Properties> Windows Experience Index. It rates a 5.7 because of the Graphics card, the processor and RAM rate at 7.1 and 7.4 respectfully and the hard drive rates at 5.9. This computer has room for improvements if you want make some upgrades, upgrading the RAM to 8GB and swapping out the hard drive for a solid state will make this thing ridiculous and raise the index on it considerably, especially if you are using for the same thing that I am which is mostly school work and emails.I have always hated using touchpads on laptops until I started using the touchpad on this one. The pad is large and the so are the buttons, the pad also lets you do multi finger gestures. You can pinch to zoom, two fingers lets you scroll up and down, and three fingers lets you navigate forward and backward. You also have the ability to turn off the touchpad altogether by holding down the Fn key and hitting F5. There are many other features to this laptop that it makes it great like the sleep function when you close the laptop. The laptop is sturdy and is of good design, esthetically it looks great and the sound from the speakers is loud and clear. The boot time is under a minute, I have never timed it but it is significantly faster than my old computer. It also runs cool so no need for a cool pad.
Aside from all the positive things that I have to say about the laptop there is a few negative. I have experienced some malfunction when browsing with Facebook. Sometimes when I try to navigate to Facebook the browser throws up an error and I cannot logon. This could be a problem with Facebook or the browser that I am using, either way the problem is only intermittent and is not too much of an inconvenience. I have also on occasion heard when opening a file or a link that plays audio the speakers will make small pop before playing. These are all problems that I have yet to address but I think are very fixable. All in all this is an excellent laptop for the price and is very versatile and sturdy enough to last for several years. I give it 4.5 out of 5!
Manual:Recommended RAM upgrade:
Crucial CT2CP51264BC1067 8GB 204-PIN PC3-8500 SODIMM DDR3 (4GBx2)
Or:
Samsung Electronics Extreme Low Voltage 30nm SODIMM 8 Dual Channel Kit DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM MV-3T4G3D/US
Recommended hard drive upgrade:
SAMSUNG 830 Series 2.5-Inch 64GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) MZ-7PC064B/WW
Honest reviews on Samsung Series 3 NP300E5C-A02US 15.6-Inch Laptop (Blue Silver)
Purchased this Samsung Laptop (NEW) as a Christmas gift from "City Electronic" thru Amazon.com. AVOID BUYING FROM THE THIS SELLER.... Here is why. When this laptop arrived, it started to BLUESCREEN from the beginning..having some knowledge of Windows machines..I ran a hardware check and found that the Ram or memory was defective. I immediately contacted the seller and ask for a refund or exchange...the seller told me to contact Samsung and refuse to take it back...called Amazon and filed a complaint...because third party sellers must have a 30 day return or exchange policy ...but that did not matter, because the seller was still allowed to sell the same new Laptop thru Amazon.com...Called Samsung and was told mail it to them at my expense and it wound take 3-4 weeks for it to be repaired...later I purchased ram for $42.18 and asked the seller to pay for that ( he did) later after seeing the claim...I swapped out the ram and the laptop worked perfectly (note) the door to the ram and hard drive...is made of very cheap plastic, has to be bent into place for it to fit...I did buy a 3 year SquareTrade warranty for this laptop...did not think that that I should be having to use it 7 days after a new purchased that comes with factory warranty... the seller and Amazon.com let me down....Samsung just has slow and bad customer service...LIKE MOST BIG COMPANIES...bigger is not better. look closely at the seller's return policy before buying from them....good customer service is not important most companies...their bottom line seems to be more profit.http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_201077750_RRlandingCantReturn?nodeId=201077750
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Samsung Series 3 NP300E5C-A02US 15.6-Inch Laptop (Blue Silver)
I bought this item recently and am wondering why , when i open up experience index, my cpu is reading at 2.5 ghzProcessor Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3210M CPU @ 2.50GHz 7.1
Memory (RAM) 6.00 GB 7.5
Graphics Intel(R) HD Graphics 4000 5.1
Gaming graphics 1696 MB Total available graphics memory 6.5
Primary hard disk 618GB Free (675GB Total) 5.9
Determined by lowest subscore 5.1
somebody help! :)
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