Sony VGP-BPS9/S Battery,Lenovo thinkpad t500 battery

While the Envy 17 we reviewed in September stayed relatively cool, we noticed much Sony VGP-BPS9/S Battery warmer temperatures on the Envy 17 3D. After playing a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes, the touchpad stayed a chilly Sony VGP-BPS13 battery 84 degrees Fahrenheit, but the space between the G and H keys was a very warm 105 degrees, and the middle of the underside was 100 degrees.

The left side of the Envy 17 3D is the real trouble area. We can accept a fan that blows 120-degree air. But after we played Sony VGP-BPS13A/B Battery Call of Duty for 10 minutes, the left Shift and Caps Lock keys were a blazing 125 degrees. That's sony vgp-bps13s Battery disturbing.

Design

Looks-wise, the 2010 HP Pavilion dm3t is a huge departure from last year's notebook with the same name, but to us that's sony vgp-bps13/s Battery a good thing. Instead of a brushed aluminum lid, the new dm3t's lid and underside are coated in a soft-touch plastic that was comfortable to hold, sony vgp-bps8 battery but isn't curved like the older dm3. Inside, the deck is made of brushed aluminum and matches the island-style keyboard. Above the sony vgp-bps13b/q battery keyboard is the battery and the power button; this area has a dotted pattern, adding a subtle visual punch.

The chassis has a slight wedge shape, which makes the dm3t taper from 1.3 inches in the back to 0.9 in the front when closed. sony vgp-bps13a/q battery While it's equally thin as before, the 4-pound dm3t weighs 3.2 ounces lighter than is predecessor. For us, this weight puts the dm3t on borderline sony vgp-bps13/b battery between an ultraportable and a thin-and-light laptop. We noticed the notebook's weight while carrying it around in a messenger sony vgp-bps13/q battery bag, but not so much that it was uncomfortable. Overall, the design feels solid and thoroughly modern, which is no small feat for a sub-$650 price Sony VGP-BPS10 Battery tag.

CoolSense Technology

HP paid close attention to heat when designing the dm3t, battling warm temperatures with what it calls CoolSense Sony VGP-BPS9/B Battery technology. In fact, HP claims that this is the company's coolest notebook. What does CoolSense mean? For starters, the vents were redesigned; now, Sony VGP-BPS9A/B Battery air is sucked in through a grille that extends across the front of the system, and expelled on the left-hand side, which was made larger Sony VGP-BPS2A Battery than is normal. This is supposed to disperse the air over a wider area. HP also moved the hottest components away from the wrist rest.

If you placed them side by side, you wouldn't realize that the 2009 and 2010 HP Pavilion dm3t shared the same name. That's Sony VGP-BPS2C Battery because HP completely redesigned its 13-inch consumer notebook, making it thinner, lighter, and faster. The company also added in technology Sony VGP-BPS2 Battery designed to keep things cool, including a unique soft-touch cover and bottom. One thing's for sure: The sexiness of this machine dell studio 17 battery belies its $624 price (as configured). A low-power Core i3 CPU provides enough power for most everyday tasks, and while we wish its battery lasted longer, it should see you through most of the day. So how does the new dm3t stack up to dell studio 1737 battery the competition?

Editor's Note: Although our configuration contained a 1.2-GHz Intel Core i3-330UM dell studio 1535 battery processor, the dm3 is now offered with a 1.33-GHz Core i3-380UM CPU for the same price. Users should expect to see slightly improved dell latitude e5500 battery . We will retest the notebook, and update this review after we get an updated model.

Using a built-in accelerometer, HP's Thermal Assistant can detect if the dm3 is being used on a desk or one's lap--the notebook dell latitude e6400 battery gets jostled around more on the latter--and can automatically shift into maximum performance or maximum cooling mode. However, dell latitude e6500 battery we noticed little difference between the two modes; the fan seemed to be blowing constantly, regardless of where the notebook was dell latitude e4300 battery placed, and it did little to mitigate the heat.

After playing a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes, the touchpad and the space between the G and H keys were a comfortable dell vostro 1510 battery 77 and 83 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. Last year's dm3t actually ran warmer in the same two spots, measuring 85 and 87 degrees, dell vostro 1310 battery and the average ultraportable averages 93 and 95 degrees in those two locations.

Editor's Note: Although our configuration contained a 1.2-Dell inspiron 1545 battery GHz Intel Core i3-330UM processor, the dm3 is now offered with a 1.33-GHz Core i3-380UM CPU for the same price. Users should expect to see slightly improved performance. We will retest the notebook, and update this review after Dell inspiron 1525 battery we get an updated model.

Design

Looks-wise, the 2010 HP Pavilion dm3t is a huge departure from last year's notebook with the Dell latitude d630 battery same name, but to us that's a good thing. Instead of a brushed aluminum lid, the new dm3t's lid and underside are coated in a soft-touch plastic that was comfortable Dell studio 15 battery to hold, but isn't curved like the older dm3. Inside, the deck is made of brushed aluminum and matches the island-style keyboard. Above the keyboard Dell latitude d620 battery is the battery and the power button; this area has a dotted pattern, adding a subtle visual punch.

After the same 15-minute Hulu clip, the dm3t's bottom measured 96 degrees--6 degrees less than last year's dm3. The average Dell xps m1330 battery ultraportable notches 99.5 degrees in this location. However, the bottom of the dm3t reached 101 degrees after 30 minutes, and 103 degrees after Dell inspiron 6400 battery an hour, while the other areas of the notebook stayed about the same.

Overall, CoolSense certainly helps, especially on the top Dell inspiron 1501 battery of the notebook, but you may notice your lap warm up after a while.

If you placed them side by side, you wouldn't realize that the 2009 and 2010 HP Pavilion dm3t shared the same name. That's Dell inspiron e1505 battery because HP completely redesigned its 13-inch consumer notebook, making it thinner, lighter, and faster. The company also added in technology Dell vostro 1000 battery designed to keep things cool, including a unique soft-touch cover and bottom. One thing's for sure: The sexiness of this machine Dell gd761 battery belies its $624 price (as configured). A low-power Core i3 CPU provides enough power for most everyday tasks, and while we wish its battery lasted longer, it should see you through most of the day. So how does the new dm3t stack up to the Dell latitude d830 battery competition?

The Envy 17 3D shares the same minimalist-chic design as the smaller Envy 14, including a Dell inspiron 1520 battery rock-solid taupe chassis made of aluminum and magnesium. A few touches, such as a paisley-esque pattern of raised bumps on the Dell vostro 1500 battery lid and palm rest and HP's glowing logo on the lid, mark this as a premium laptop. Between the machine's durable feel and details such as quiet keys (more on that later), the Envy 17 3D feels like a luxury Dell inspiron 1720 battery laptop.

At 7.5 pounds, the Envy 17 3D is a reasonable Dell xps m1530 battery weight for a notebook this size, but you likely won't carry it often (and then, you'll need the AC adapter, as you'll see in the battery section). With a maximum height of 1.5 inches, the Envy 17 3D also feels thick, especially compared to Apple's 17-inch MacBook Dell xps m1730 battery Pro, which is just 0.98 inches.

The Envy 17 3D has a chiclet-style keyboard and number pad that stretch across the 16-inch Dell inspiron 1420 battery chassis. On the Ten Thumbs Typing Test, we typed at a fast rate of 94 words per minute, even with little practice on the keyboard. In Dell vostro 1400 battery addition to the keyboard's backlighting, we like that the keys have a soft finish and make little noise when you type. We also appreciate that you don't have to press the Fn key to access media controls in the function row Dell CF623 battery of keys.

Display and Sound

For the non-3D version of the Envy 17, HP offers a Dell xps m1210 battery BrightView Infinity display, which has a 1600 x 900 resolution, standard viewing angles, and a 60-percent color gamut. However, the 3D comes with a higher-res Ultra BrightView Infinity display, which has 1920 x 1080 full HD resolution, Dell latitude d610 battery wide viewing angles, a 72-percent color gamut, and a refresh rate of 120Hz. The notebook also packs ATI's Eyefinity multi-display technology, Dell KD476 battery which lets users connect up to three external monitors, provided one is attached via mini DisplayPort.

When we watched Blu-rays on the Envy 17 3D, we were Dell 1525 Battery impressed by the level of detail. As promised, the display was bright, too, and the colors were true. We were also able to watch movies comfortably from the sides and even with the lid pushed far forward, but that required us to dim the lights; with Lenovo thinkpad r61 battery the lights on, the display was too reflective to watch at wide angles. We also wish HP included skip buttons on the keyboard; if you want to Lenovo thinkpad t400 battery skip chapters in a DVD or Blu-ray, you have to use the touchpad and touch buttons.

The Envy 17 3D's speakers, which are tucked Lenovo/IBM Thinkpad T410 Battery discreetly onto the front lip of the notebook, are powered by Beats audio technology. When listening to music or playing games, we were impressed with the fidelity and power of the speakers. Not only were sounds crisp and bright, but laptop battery there was plenty of low-end bass, too. We liked that you can also tweak equalizer settings using the Beats audio control Sony Laptop Battery panel.

The Envy 17 3D has a large 4.2 x 2.5-inch touchpad which doubles as a clickable button. Although HP/Compaq Laptop Battery we've given HP's touchpads much flack in the past for being either jumpy or having too much friction, the Envy 17 3D's Dell Laptop Battery was easier to use. Occasionally, the cursor jumped slightly--it's worse for those who use two hands--but for the most part we had little problem moving the cursor to specific spots on the screen. The integrated touch buttons were always Lenovo/IBM Laptop Battery easy to press.

Kensington KeyFolio Bluetooth Keyboard and Case for iPad

This keyboard lets you type much faster than you can with touch-typing VGP-BPS13 while protecting your tablet, but is it worth $99?

When the iPad first came out, there was a lot sony VGP-BPS9/B Battery of speculation as to whether it could replace a full-fledged notebook. However, many came to realize that, without a keyboard, it was difficult to type longer documents. Enter the Kensington KeyFolio, a Bluetooth keyboard built into an iPad case. Will this $99 accessory Sony VGP-BPS9A/B Battery let you leave your laptop behind?

Design

From the outside, the KeyFolio looks like an elegant iPad case--which in fact, it is. It's made sony VGP-BPS9 battery of black faux leather with white stitching. Flip over the cover, and you reveal its second function as a wireless keyboard.

The keyboard is covered in a rubber membrane sony VGP-BPS9/S battery that protects it from spills and prevents the screen from getting scratched. A few ridges above the keyboard let you adjust the angle of the iPad, but in doing so, it covers the Pairing button. There's no way to secure the iPad to the keyboard, so the KeyFolio has to Vostro 1510 Battery be used on a flat surface such as a desk; putting it on our lap caused the iPad to fall backwards.

The case weighs just over one pound, which is light in the grand scheme of things, but, when Inspiron 1545 battery coupled with the 1.5-pound iPad, this combo weighs almost as much as the Asus Eee PC 1015PEM.

Performance

Pairing the KeyFolio with the iPad was easy. Simply Dell Latitude E6400 Battery turn the keyboard on (there's a small switch on the right side above the keys), and press the large Connect button on the top. A message will appear on the screen asking you to type in a code on the keyboard to complete the pairing.

The keyboard on the KeyFolio is about the same size as one you'd find on a netbook. However, it's not nearly as good as, say, the Vostro 1710 Battery Toshiba Mini NB305. The rubber membrane was soft to the touch, and in general, we found the keys responsive. In fact, they Vostro 1720 Battery were a bit too responsive; we found that we would often accidentally type the same letter twice in a row until we figured out just how much pressure to apply.

We found the KeyFolio, like early netbook toshiba PA3534U-1BRS Battery keyboards, to be slightly irregular. For example, in order to make room for arrow keys, there's no right Shift key. (For touch typists, that's a dealbreaker right there.) Also, the quote button is not in its usual place between L and Enter--only the Colon key Sony VGP-BPS13A/B Battery is there. Until we realized this, we found ourselves writing things such as "I;m" instead if "I'm."

However, we like that Kensington reversed the function keys; that is, media controls and volume Dell GD761 Battery can be accessed without having to press the Fn key first. Also, the F5 key can be used to bring up the on-screen keyboard, which is nice when you don't want to use Kensington's

The KeyFolio's battery is rated to last 90 hours; that's a lot of typing. When--or if--it runs low, you can recharge it using the microUSB port on the side.

Verdict

The idea that you can take just a tablet good battery with you on business trips is an intoxicating one, as it would free up weight battery and room in your carry-on. The $99 Kensington KeyFolio makes this dream a reality. However, the keyboard's misplaced keys (and missing right Shift key), the inability to use it securely in one's lap, and oversensitivity are real turn-offs. The KeyFolio is certainly better than nothing, but you may want to wait until something better comes battery along.

Kensington KeyFolio Bluetooth Keyboard and Case for iPad

This keyboard lets you type much faster than you can with touch-typing VGP-BPS13 while protecting your tablet, but is it worth $99?

When the iPad first came out, there was a lot sony VGP-BPS9/B Battery of speculation as to whether it could replace a full-fledged notebook. However, many came to realize that, without a keyboard, it was difficult to type longer documents. Enter the Kensington KeyFolio, a Bluetooth keyboard built into an iPad case. Will this $99 accessory Sony VGP-BPS9A/B Battery let you leave your laptop behind?

Design

From the outside, the KeyFolio looks like an elegant iPad case--which in fact, it is. It's made sony VGP-BPS9 battery of black faux leather with white stitching. Flip over the cover, and you reveal its second function as a wireless keyboard.

The keyboard is covered in a rubber membrane sony VGP-BPS9/S battery that protects it from spills and prevents the screen from getting scratched. A few ridges above the keyboard let you adjust the angle of the iPad, but in doing so, it covers the Pairing button. There's no way to secure the iPad to the keyboard, so the KeyFolio has to Vostro 1510 Battery be used on a flat surface such as a desk; putting it on our lap caused the iPad to fall backwards.

The case weighs just over one pound, which is light in the grand scheme of things, but, when Inspiron 1545 battery coupled with the 1.5-pound iPad, this combo weighs almost as much as the Asus Eee PC 1015PEM.

Performance

Pairing the KeyFolio with the iPad was easy. Simply Dell Latitude E6400 Battery turn the keyboard on (there's a small switch on the right side above the keys), and press the large Connect button on the top. A message will appear on the screen asking you to type in a code on the keyboard to complete the pairing.

The keyboard on the KeyFolio is about the same size as one you'd find on a netbook. However, it's not nearly as good as, say, the Vostro 1710 Battery Toshiba Mini NB305. The rubber membrane was soft to the touch, and in general, we found the keys responsive. In fact, they Vostro 1720 Battery were a bit too responsive; we found that we would often accidentally type the same letter twice in a row until we figured out just how much pressure to apply.

We found the KeyFolio, like early netbook toshiba PA3534U-1BRS Battery keyboards, to be slightly irregular. For example, in order to make room for arrow keys, there's no right Shift key. (For touch typists, that's a dealbreaker right there.) Also, the quote button is not in its usual place between L and Enter--only the Colon key Sony VGP-BPS13A/B Battery is there. Until we realized this, we found ourselves writing things such as "I;m" instead if "I'm."

However, we like that Kensington reversed the function keys; that is, media controls and volume Dell GD761 Battery can be accessed without having to press the Fn key first. Also, the F5 key can be used to bring up the on-screen keyboard, which is nice when you don't want to use Kensington's

The KeyFolio's battery is rated to last 90 hours; that's a lot of typing. When--or if--it runs low, you can recharge it using the microUSB port on the side.

Verdict

The idea that you can take just a tablet good battery with you on business trips is an intoxicating one, as it would free up weight battery and room in your carry-on. The $99 Kensington KeyFolio makes this dream a reality. However, the keyboard's misplaced keys (and missing right Shift key), the inability to use it securely in one's lap, and oversensitivity are real turn-offs. The KeyFolio is certainly better than nothing, but you may want to wait until something better comes battery along.

Listen Up, Carriers: 3G Tablets Need a New Pricing Menu

It’s quite the coup. Last night Samsung announced that all four major U.S. wireless Latitude 131L Battery carriers will be selling the Galaxy Tab, a sleek 7-inch Android tablet. There were just two critical pieces of information missing: the price of the device and the data plan. There’s no question that consumers will be enticed by this and other shiny slates when they walk through the door of the carrier stores. But if the pricing is anything like what carriers offer on today’s 3G netbooks, they’ll probably walk right back out without one. Unless service providers can structure data plans to be affordable and fair, the 3G tablet market will hit the same wall.

Today you can get a 3G netbook (HP Mini 1151NR) from Verizon Wireless for just 19 bucks on a two-year contract. Actually, make that $1,459—the total cost when you add in the $59 monthly fee for 5GB VGP-BPS9/B Battery of data. (It’s $960 when you opt for the 250MB plan, which no one should do.) AT&T’s plans are similar, at $60 for 5GB and $35 for 200MB. T-Mobile charges a more reasonable $39 for 5GB and $24.99 for 200MB, while Sprint doesn’t sell any subsidized netbooks directly. Overall, 3G netbooks haven’t moved in significant volumes because of that steep total cost of ownership. Who wants to pay that much for a secondary PC? Tablets are no different, which is why it’s time to offer a broader menu of pricing options.

AT&T and Apple were wise to go a different route than 3G netbooks for the hot-selling iPad. In exchange for shelling out $629 for the Wi-Fi + 3G device—$130 more than the entry-level Wi-Fi-only iPad—you pay just $25 per month for 2GB of data (or $14.99 for 200 MB). Total cost over VGP-BPS9A/B Battery two years is $1,229, $230 less than that “$19” netbook. Yes, you’re getting fewer bytes than if you opted for a subsidized mini notebook, but we suspect most users won’t go beyond that 2GB ceiling in a given month.

The best part about the iPad Wi-Fi + 3G is that there’s no monthly contract. You just activate (or de-activate) the mobile broadband when you feel like it. iSuppli estimates that as many as a third of iPads sold have 3G connectivity, which is pretty impressive. But that’s VGP-BPS9 battery the iPad. Consumers have consistently shown that they’re willing to pay a premium for Apple’s hardware. In fact, Best Buy’s CEO said this week that he estimates the iPad alone is cannibalizing sales of laptops to the tune of 50 percent.

So where does that leave the rest of the field? Scrambling to offer plans that are affordable and flexible, paired with device pricing that meets or beats the iPad’s. If I were Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile, I would experiment VGP-BPS9/S battery with multiple pricing models, including the following. For each scenario I’ll provide the proposed price of the Galaxy Tab and where applicable a high-end smart phone ($199).

The New 3G Tablet Pricing Menu

Subsidized Tablet with Affordable Data: There’s no way that a Samsung Galaxy Tab shopper is going to pay $59 per month for data Vostro 1510 Battery , especially for something that’s not a full PC. Something like $40 per month sounds more reasonable for those willing to sign a two-year contract. That may still sound steep, but some may find tablets so versatile that they ditch their smart phone in favor of a cheap voice-only phone.

Tablet Price: $299 ($100 more than a smart phone seems reasonable), plus $40 per month for data.

Two-Year Total: $1,259

Shared Data Plans with Smart Phones: For those who prefer to pay less up front, carriers Inspiron 1545 battery should offer an option to buy a smart phone with a data plan and then share that bucket of bytes with a tablet—provided you sign up for a two-year contract. In this case you would have to pay more for the device than you would if went the traditional subsidized route, plus $5 more per month for data than you normally would (kind of like a service charge for an extra cable box/DVR in the home).

Tablet Price: $399, plus $35 per month for data

Two-Year Total: $1,239

Mobile Hotspot Bundles: Now that you can buy smart phones with built-in mobile hotspot apps, you could easily share that data with a tablet. Sprint charges $30 per month for this feature for unlimited data (which includes 4G), while Verizon Wireless’ plan is $20 for 2GB. AT&T and T-Mobile do not yet offer phones with this capability. (Tethering via USB is sometimes an option, but it’s inconvenient.) I think carriers E6400 Battery should sell these smart phones and tablets as a bundle. You would get the slate at a discount but would still need to pay the separate hotspot data fee. Another option could be pairing a dedicated mobile hotspot device like the MiFi or Sprint Overdrive with a tablet, though the higher cost of data ($59 per month) would mean carriers would charge less for the device bundle.

Hotspot Phone + Tablet: $499, plus $30 for data

Two-Year Total: $1,219

Mobile Hotspot Device + Tablet: $349, plus $35 for data

Two-Year Total: $1,189

No-Contract Pricing, Including Session-Priced Data: One of the options should mirror AT&T’s, where the customer can pay more for the device but less for data per month—no contract required. This is something that T-Mobile already does with its battery phones. AT&T’s going rate of $25 per month for 2GB seems fair. And you shouldn’t be limited to signing up for a whole 30 days at a time. Session-based pricing could cost anywhere from $3 to $5 per day.

Price of Tablet: $599, plus $25 per month for data

Two-Year Total: $1,199

Of course, I don’t expect all of the big four carriers to provide every option—it could very well get confusing—but I do hope that consumers are offered at least two of these menu options. Samsung and others will be selling good battery Wi-Fi-only versions of their tablets, but built-in mobile broadband makes these devices a lot more useful on the go, whether it’s for surfing the web, streaming video, or downloading apps. The tablet revolution is here, but unless service providers get more nimble with their plans the vast majority of consumers will stick with Wi-Fi.

HP Mini 210 HD Review

The Mini 210 HD is the latest netbook from HP, Latitude 131L Battery offering a full 720P-compatible 1366x768 resolution on a compact 10.1-inch display. This model includes the 1.66GHz Intel Atom N455 processor standard-with the faster 1.83GHz N475 for $25 more-as well as Intel GMA 3150 integrated graphics. In this review we see how well this netbook holds up against the competition and if you should consider this over a slightly more powerful CULV notebook.

Build and Design

The new design of the HP Mini really helps to enhance its looks and raise the expectation that this netbook isn't a toy but rather a full-fledged designer notebook. The new Mini uses painted panels for the screen cover sony VGP-BPS9/B Battery and bottom cover, adding a touch of color to each model. Compared to normal designs that leave the bottom with bland, unfinished black plastic, this really helps in the looks department. The interior was also given a facelift, featuring a flush-mount Synaptics touchpad with integrated buttons. It also makes use of a redesigned Chiclet keyboard with integrated function-key lights to show when certain features are activated. The new look is nothing short of astonishing.

Build quality is very good even with the bottom panel that snaps into place. When completely closed the HP Mini 210 has a sturdy feel and doesn't show much flex under pressure. The screen cover does a good job of protecting the LCD and the bottom cover doesn't creak or feel loose when properly reinstalled. On the inside the Sony VGP-BPS9A/B Battery keyboard feels solid in its tray with very little flex or movement. The palmrest also holds up well, although if you have adult-sized hands your palms are hanging over the notebook and almost resting on the desk surface. In short, it is a pretty solid netbook with all things considered.

The HP Mini 210 has one of the most DIY-upgrade friendly designs we have ever seen in the NotebookReview offices. You can access all internal components without ever using a screwdriver ... and the same can't be said about other notebooks. HP designed the Mini 210 with sony VGP-BPS9 battery a bottom panel that comes off using old-fashion finger power. With the bottom panel off users have access to the Wi-Fi card, open mini-PCIe slot for a Broadcom HD or WWAN card, system memory and hard drive. Any upgrade can be performed in seconds, and is much less intimidating for even the most basic of users.

Screen and Speakers

The display on the HP Mini 210 HD is unlike most other netbooks. It has a higher WXGA (1366x768) resolution instead of the usual 1024x600 panel found on other models. This is useful in a number of ways, including properly sony VGP-BPS9/S battery displaying menu windows and reducing excessive horizontal or vertical scrolling. Another added benefit is being able to watch 720P video, although it also relies on you having a Broadcom CrystalHD decoder card configured with the system. Without that card the system would be unable to play the content, let alone display it on the higher resolution panel at reasonable framerates.

The panel itself is easy to read--at least with my eyes--and text doesn't appear to be that small compared to other mobile devices. If you can read VGP-BPS13/B small text on a mobile phone, you should be able to view the screen without any problems. Color and contrast are very nice, although at times I felt reflections off the all-glass surface seemed to obscure part of the panel. Backlight levels were great for viewing the screen in bright office conditions, but outdoor viewing was out of the question. Viewing angles were average compared to other notebooks, with colors starting to invert or distort when the screen was tilted about 15 degrees forward or back. Horizontal viewing angles were better, but the reflections seemed to obscure the panel past 45 to 50 degrees.

The small speakers on the HP Mini 210 HD are located on the front edge of the palmrest, PA3534U-1BRS angled downward towards your lap. On a flat desktop they easily filled up a small room with music but once you placed the netbook in your lap they became muffled and easily blocked by clothing. Sound quality was average compared to other similarly sized netbooks, with weak bass and midrange.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The HP Mini 210 HD features a 93% fullsize Chiclet keyboard. For short term use the keyboard is comfortable to type on and feels as strong as typing on a regular notebook. The size though can feel slightly cramped depending on if you Dell GD761 Battery are used to typing on a larger notebook. For short term travel or light usage in the home for web browsing you probably won't have any problem. If you intended to use this as your primary system, you might want to consider moving up to the 11.6" ultraportable form-factor which is closer to standard full-size while still being very portable.

Function keys on the keyboard are direct access, meaning you don't need to press the "Fn" button to adjust the screen brightness Dell Vostro 1510 Battery or enable Wi-Fi. Another feature is built-in indicator lights for the mute and wireless on/off buttons. While there is no performance different between this and side mounted lights, it helps in the aesthetics department.

The touchpad on the Mini 210 HD is a button-less Synaptics ClickPad with multitouch support. Compared to the twitchy variant found on the HP ProBook recently reviewed, we found no such problems on this particular version. Unlike the earlier version, if your finger was resting good battery on a pre-defined left/right button box, any movement on the main touchpad section would activate pinch-zoom. Now those areas are dead zones, preventing a lot of frustration we previously had. The touchpad surface was very smooth and almost glossy in texture. Sensitivity was excellent without any adjustment needed and acceleration on both axes was equal. It's hard to say if the touchpad has reached the same ease of use level of the one found on the MacBooks', but it is getting very close.

Ports and Features

The HP Mini 210 HD features three USB 2.0 ports, VGA-out, one audio headset jack, and Ethernet. The system also includes a SDHC card slot. Optional battery features include GPS, WWAN, and a Broadcom CrystalHD card for HD video decoding.

ASUS K42J Review

The ASUS K42J is the latest in the K series of affordable laptops. This 14-inch notebook Dell Latitude 131L Battery features a high-performance Intel Core i5 processor, discrete graphics with Nvidia Optimus technology, and a starting price below $900. Is this the ideal back-to-school laptop? Read on to find out.

Our review unit of the ASUS K42J (K42JC-A1) features the following specifications:

* 14-inch 720p (1366x768) display with LED backlighting

* Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)

* Intel Core i5 430M (2.27GHz)

* Nvidia GeForce 310M graphics card w/ 1GB dedicated memory (Optimus switchable graphics)

* 4GB DDR3 1066MHz RAM

* 500GB 7200RPM hard drive

* 802.11n wireless

* DVD Super Multi drive

* Two-year warranty w/ one year accidental coverage

* 6-cell Li-ion battery (10.8v, 4400mAh, 47Wh)

* Weight: 5.01 lbs

* Dimensions: 13.7 x 9.4 x 1.5 inches

* MSRP: $899.99 ($880 street price)

Build and Design

The K42J has a traditional notebook design sony VGP-BPS9/B Battery and shape similar to the previous generation ASUS K40IN. In other words, it looks like a fairly boring coffee brown notebook without much flare. The notebook features a mixture of matte black, semi-gloss brown and black and glossy brown and black plastics. All of the corners and edges are rounded to give the laptop a smoother look, and the textured touchpad and palm rests give the K42J a nice feel. The glossy screen lid features a subtle imprinted design that replicates the pattern used on the palm rests, but overall we're talking about a very clean, simple laptop design.

The build quality of the K42JC-A1 is typical of most of the ASUS consumer-grade notebooks we've reviewed. The overall chassis strength Sony VGP-BPS9A/B Battery is good with no specific areas of plastic flex or creaking sounds. The internal chassis frame resists pressure quite well and the screen hinges provide a good balance of resistance (not too firm and not too loose). The back of the screen lid does flex under heavy pressure, but even when significant pressure is applied to the back of the screen there are no obvious ripples or distortions on the screen.

The bottom of the notebook includes two access plates for the RAM and the hard drive. ASUS sony VGP-BPS9 battery engineers obviously understand that most consumers buying a mainstream notebook like this won't upgrade much (if anything) beyond the RAM and hard drive. Yes, we usually like to have more access to the notebook's internals, but the majority of the people who buy this laptop probably won't care.

Screen and Speakers

The K42JC-A1 has a 14-inch diagonal display sony VGP-BPS9/S battery with LED backlighting and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The overall quality of the display is "very good" within the narrow viewing angle sweet spot. Brightness, contrast and color are all quite good. If there is a single obvious issue it has to be the narrow vertical viewing angles. While the horizontal viewing angles (side view) are nearly flawless, the colors become over exposed when viewed from above and significantly inverted and distorted when viewed from below. If you are using this laptop for color-accurate editing you will need to be certain you're viewing the screen from straight ahead. The backlighting also appears slightly uneven with brighter light coming from the bottom of the screen in our review unit.

The display's 1366x768 resolution is a standard resolution for mainstream notebooks. The horizontal resolution is adequate, however only 768 pixels Dell Vostro 1510 Battery of vertical space means a good deal of scrolling while surfing the Internet and only enough space to view about one-half of a page in a Microsoft Word.

The K42J has Altec Lansing speakers located underneath the palm rests facing forward on the front edge Dell Inspiron 1545 battery of the notebook. Despite the Altec Lansing brand name, these speakers didn't deliver exceptional sound quality. Vocals sound muddy and distorted, and the speaker output is weighted heavy toward the highs with no real midtones or bass to talk about. If you want quality audio out of this notebook you'll really have to consider external speakers or headphones. The headphone jack provides a great, static-free connection for alternate speakers.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The full-size keyboard on the K42J full-size keyboard features Dell Latitude E6400 Battery Chiclet-style keys that are responsive and provide a little extra spacing to prevent typos. The keys are large and flat and have a matte texture, which may wear over time. There is no noticeable flex unless you apply significant pressure to the keys in the middle of the board. A individual key presses are quiet with the softest possible "click-clack" noise while typing; making it nice for taking notes in a classroom or office meeting room. The keyboard lacks dedicated multimedia keys, but the arrow keys double as media keys when used with the function key.

The ELAN touchpad is a mixture of good and bad. The textured surface provides excellent traction for your fingertips but the touchpad suffers from obvious lag. This is a multi-touch touchpad with customizable gestures, but the mediocre responsiveness makes using the touchpad less than ideal. The lack of a dedicated scroll zone good battery is also annoying. The touchpad buttons have very shallow feedback with loud clicks when you press the buttons.

Ports and Features

The K42J is a step up from previous K-series notebooks in terms of the port selection. The K42JC-A1 adds the much needed HDMI port, though we'd still like to see the addition of an ExpressCard slot to make this laptop a little more future proof. A simple ExpressCard slot batteries would have made it possible to upgrade the K42J with USB 3.0 ... a potentially important feature since USB 3.0 is starting to show up in more and more notebooks. All picture descriptions are left to right.

Toshiba Satellite T235 (Intel)

For less than 600 bucks, HP Compaq 6715B Battery doesn't get any better than this. With its lightweight chassis, long battery life, comfy keyboard, sony battery and unique style, Toshiba's Satellite T235 is one of the best consumer ultraportables yet. It's great for students or anyone else on the go. Though the T235 series is compelling in both the AMD- and Intel-powered configurations, we give the edge to the $598 Intel-based Satellite T235-S1350 because of its longer endurance and stronger wireless performance. Yes, you can get a more powerful Core i3 notebook instead of this Pentium-powered machine for around the same price, but if you care about Sony VGP-BPS9/S Battery portability it's more than worth the trade-off.

Design

At 12.7 x 8.8 x 1 inches, the Satellite T235 sony vgp-bps13/b is a lot thinner than last year's 1.4-inch thick Satellite T135. With a weight of only 3.8 Sony VGP-BPS9/B Battery pounds, the notebook is so light that we hardly noticed it when we carried both the AMD and Intel versions and their AC adapters in our bag.

Despite its sub-$600 price tag, the Toshiba Satellite

T235 looks like a more expensive notebook. Its shiny lid (available in charcoal, red, or white) Sony VGP-BPS10 has a subtle wave pattern overlaid on top of an even more subtle grid imprint. Though the glossy surface picked up fingerprints, they weren't too prominent. The thin profile, which tapers from under 0.8 inches thick on the front lip to just over an inch thick in the back, makes the system look extra-svelte. We also like that Dell GD761 Battery the keyboard inclines slightly for a more comfortable typing position.

However, the real star of the show is the chrome-colored deck, keyboard, and touchpad. While the keyboard's keys and base are both matte chrome, the palm rest and area above the keyboard have a gorgeous shiny surface with a battery slightly rough texture, which Toshiba calls a Fusion chrome finish. We'll just call it one of the best-looking Toshiba PA3534U-1BRS and most comfortable palm rests we've tested. The touchpad sports a smooth surface that continues the Fusion pattern (which some may find to be a little loud), while the two mouse buttons and front lip are a glossy, pattern-free chrome.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The Satellite T235's keyboard is one of the best we've used on any consumer notebook, even more Acer Aspire One Battery comfortable than that on the Satellite T645. The keys are generously spaced, offer strong tactile feedback, and have no flex at all. Using this keyboard, we were able to achieve a score of 92 words per minute on the Ten Thumbs Typing Test, which matches our all-time high score.

The 3.3 x 1.5-inch touchpad offered just the right amount Acer Aspire 5670 Battery of resistance, allowing us to navigate around the desktop with ease. It also supports multitouch gestures such as pinch-to-zoom. Its two discrete buttons provided good tactile feedback without feeling stiff.

Heat

A notebook of this size is likely to spend much of its life on your lap, so ambient temperature becomes even more important than acer aspire 9800 battery they would on a larger system. Fortunately, the T235 stayed incredibly cool through our testing. Even after we streamed a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes with the notebook on high-performance mode, we measured the touchpad, keyboard, and bottom at only 95 degrees Fahrenheit--well within comfortable good battery temperatures. Even better, we didn't detect any warm spots on the palm rest, bottom, or sides. By contrast, the AMD-powered Satellite T235D got a bit warmer, with a 97-degree touchpad and a warm spot on the left side of the palm rest.

MSI GT660

MSI is out to prove that powerful gaming chops doesn't necessarily mean a large and barely Sony VGP-BPS9/S Battery portable notebook. The flashy GT660 is heavy, yes, but not so big that users won't be able to carry it in a normal laptop bag. Plus, the flashy lights outside and the Core i7 CPU inside means you won't embarrass yourself at a LAN party. You won't get the full HD experience here, but the GT660's excellent display and juiced Nvidia graphics make this $1,849 system worth a serious look.

Design

Aesthetically, there's a lot going on with the GT660. Almost too Dell GD761 Battery much. Unlike the GT725 and GT627, which lacked the audacious flair of most gaming notebooks, it seems like MSI pulled together as many cool-looking elements as they could while still keeping the GT660 below two grand. So it's got some funky cuts along the edges and a Sony VGP-BPS13A/B Battery glossy, beveled lid complete with glowing MSI logo.

Under the hood you start to notice how busy the GT600 looks. There's a mix of matte and glossy--though the Toshiba PA3534U-1BRS latter dominates--and the piano black of the display bezel and top of the deck fades into a glossy slate color, which then turns into a textured honeycomb pattern on the palm rest surrounding the touchpad.

Two speakers ringed in red sit on the left and right of the upper deck, and between them is a control deck outlined in red and chrome with touch-sensitive LEDs. Though MSI claims this element evokes a Knight Rider aesthetic, it reminded us more of Aquaman's underwear. A light tap activates each function, including enabling or disabling Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or the Windows key, and switching between power modes. There's even a button users can program to HP Compaq 6715B Battery launch an oft-used app. A shield-shaped power button sits in the center. Though we found this strip very useful, it picked up fingerprints.

No gaming notebook would be complete without glowing LED accents. The GT660 sports thin bands of orange LEDs as part of the lid design along the lower edges of the Sony VGP-BPS9/B Battery lid, and wrapped around the edge corners at the bottom of the deck. We don't like that the color doesn't quite match the red accents splashed across the keyboard and top edge, but we it was cool that we could turn the LED accents completely on or off by tapping the icon on the far right of the control Sony VGP-BPS10 deck. With the MSI LED Manager utility, you can turn each area off and on individually or all of them completely. Users can also set the LEDs to "breathe," which results in a gentle fade in and out, or to pulse along with the audio coming from your speakers. This latter feature was a lot of fun when we began playing loud, drum-driven music. Overall, it's not as comprehensive as on Alienware systems, but it's a nice touch.

This 16-inch system is portable in theory, but its 7.4-pound weight will likely keep it sitting on your desk most of the time. Still, at 15.6 x 10.6 x 2.2 inches, the system is nearly 3 pounds lighter than the Toshiba Qosmio X505, and unlike that 18-inch system,Sony PCGA-BP2V will still fit in most regular size notebook messengers or backpacks.

Keyboard and Touchpad

A pool of glossy plastic surrounds the matte, chiclet-style keys on the GT660, Sony VGP-BPL9 was a little distracting under bright lights. Since the keys aren't backlit, you won't be able to game as easily with the lights dimmed as, say, the X505. Still, we appreciate the red accents on the keys most games default to for movement--WASD, 8462, and arrows--making them easier to find.

Though the keyboard is full size and the keys Sony VGP-BPS13 are springy, we found ourselves making more typing errors than we normally do. Something about the spacing is slightly off.

MSI made some placement and size choices that we're used to seeing on netbooks, but not full-size laptops. The right Shift key is a little undersized and shifted to the left to accommodate the arrows. Plus, there's an extra backslash key between the Alt key on the left and the space bar. This made executing keyboard shortcuts harder because the Alt key Sony VGP-BPS2B Battery isn't where our fingers expect it, plus it's smaller than

normal. There's plenty of room on the deck, even with the full number pad on the right, as MSI left at least Lenovo/IBM Thinkpad R51E Battery an inch of deck around the keyboard, so we're not sure why the layout has these little issues.

The touchpad is pretty big--3.2 x 1.9 inches--but it could be even larger if the designers good battery had used more of the available space. The slightly rough touch surface and mouse button has a thick chrome outline that flows down into a chevron shape.

Under the single mouse button are status indicators for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Battery, Sleep, and the hard drive are appreciated. Plus, our fingers kept naturally gravitating to the bottom edge of the notebook where the mouse buttons usually sit. On this battery system they're higher, which took some getting used to.

Sony VAIO P Review

This year at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas Sony stunned the world with the introduction of the VAIO P sony vgp-bps13. This ultraportable notebook with an 8-inch screen fits inside your jacket pocket or your purse and packs an amazing amount of technology inside a tiny package. However, potential buyers and the press were also stunned when Sony announced the price would be $900 when slightly larger netbooks with similar specs cost half as much. Is the new Sony VAIO P an overpriced toy or an extraordinary travel laptop that's worth every penny? Let's take a closer look.

Build and Design

Despite the use of an Intel Atom processor, the design of the Sony VAIO Psony vgp-bps2c is quite unlike any netbook we've seen. The exterior is covered in glossy plastics with smooth lines, rounded edges, and a style that looks like it's trying to strike a balance between luxury and utility. The best way to describe the design is that the VAIO P vgp-bps8a looks like it's equal parts computer and fashion accessory. The look is pretty neat; something like a cross between a glossy smart phone and a netbook. Glossy plastic is found on the top of the screen cover as well as around the bottom of the laptop. Matte silver plastic is used around the keyboard and the internal frame uses magnesium alloy for extra support. Overall, the look is quite nice, but the glossy LCD lid is a magnet for fingerprints and makes the new netbook look a little tarnished after just a few minutes of use.

The build quality of the VAIO P is amazingly solid for a subnotebook of this size and weight.vgp-bps2b batteries The construction is mostly plastic but all of the plastics feel strong enough to handle being tossed around inside a backpack or purse. Even the glossy plastic surfaces resist minor scratches. While we certainly don't recommend it over a padded laptop bag, the VAIO P vgp-bps8 is small enough to slide into your back pocket ... something you certainly can't do with any $500 netbook currently on the market.

In terms of upgradeability, the VAIO P vgp-bps9a/b is pretty limited. The chassis isn't designed to be opened and serviced by the owner. A qualified technician can open the VAIO P and repair it, but it won't be easy for you to open the chassis yourself. Honestly, there isn't much need to. The 2GB of system RAM is soldered to the motherboard so you cannot replace or upgrade it. Many of the netbooks we've seen to date require complex disassembly in order for you to get to the storage drive, system RAM, or wireless cards ... so this isn't anything new.

While it would have been nice for Sony engineers to include socketed RAM inside the VAIO P sony vgp-bps9 so you can upgrade it yourself, the reality is that a RAM socket won't fit inside a laptop this thin along with everything else that's packed inside. Bottom line, the Sony VAIO P is a marvel of modern engineering.

Operating System and Software

Our pre-production unit came equipped with Windows Vista Basic (32-bit), but its safe to assume Sony plans to offer the VAIO P sony vgp-bps10 with Windows 7 later this year. The reason Sony decided to use Windows Vista rather than Windows XP is because Microsoft now has very specific hardware requirements for laptops using Windows XP ... and the VAIO has too much RAM and a screen with too much resolution to qualify for a Windows XP license.

Although the VAIO P runs Windows Vista, Sony recognized that many business users and travelers would want to be able to access things like email, the Firefox web browser, a photo gallery, or instant messaging applications as quickly as possible. So, if you need to use your VAIO P sony vgp-bps9/b as quickly as possible you can press a small button located next to the power button and you'll be ready to get online in roughly 20 seconds or less. Unlike most "instant on" operating systems we've seen over the last year, the Linux-based Sony XRoss interface feels genuinely snappy and might be a viable alternative to Windows Vista when you need to get online, share photos, or listen to some music quickly while on the road.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Most low-priced, full-size notebooks currently on the market feature poorly built keyboards that show significant flex/bounce when typing pressure is applied. Thankfully, most netbooks have remarkably firm keyboards due to the fact that the chassis is so small there isn't much empty space inside the notebook for the keyboard to flex or bounce.

The keyboard on the VAIO P sony vgp-bps9/s is less cramped than what we've seen on the 7-inch and 8.9-inch netbooks, but the Sony keyboard is still very compact. Most netbook keyboards are quite frustrating to use because the small footprint and tiny keys require you to use a "hunt and peck" style of typing rather than traditional touch typing methods. This means that passwords get mangled, emails look like gibberish, and playing games that require keyboard commands becomes quite aggravating.

You can still use the "hunt and peck" method of typing with the VAIO P, but since the keys have more spacing in between them it's a little easier to use standard touch typing methods. Bottom line, you can type long emails or reports without too much discomfort ... but you'll probably want to invest in an external keyboard if you plan to use this as your primary office computer.

The touchpad is, well, completely absent on the VAIO P. Rather than a typical touchpad the VAIO P uses a touchpoint or trackpoint pointing stick similar to what you find on many business-grade notebooks. The trackpoint is quite sensitive and easy to use, and even though I usually prefer to use touchpads I found the trackpoint to be very enjoyable. The left and right touchpoint buttons are located in the correct position beneath the space bar and have a shallow feedback and produce a light "click" when pressed.

Display

The glossy LED backlit display on the VAIO P is nice and vibrant with rich colors and excellent contrast. As stated, although the screen is small at just eight inches, it offers the unbelievable 1600 x 768 resolution. This does have the side effect of making small text difficult to read, but Sony was smart enough to design a very functional "magnify" tool that allows you to increase the size of what you're reading without changing the screen's resolution setting. Just press function (FN) and F10 keys and small text instantly becomes readable. The screen is a glossy XBRITE-ECO variety so expect some reflection under strong indoor lighting or direct sunlight.

Horizontal viewing angles are good, so you and a friend won't have trouble watching a movie on the 8-inch screen at the same time. Vertical viewing angles are acceptable, but colors do tend to wash out from above and become inverted when viewed from below.

Sony VAIO VGN-SZ791N

No one does elegant-chic notebooks quite like Sony VGP-BPS8, and the VAIO SZ Series is no exception. This sleek 13.3-inch platform starts at a reasonable $1,499, though our premium model, the, costs $1,000 more. For that you get better-than-average performance and a host of unique features, all wrapped in a lightweight carbon-fiber casing that looks as good as it protects.

VGP-BPS8 Design

At 4 pounds and no thicker than 1.5 inches, the wedge-shaped VGN-SZ791N/X is definitely a head-turner. The carbon black-on-black design comes across as sophisticated, and Sony left the front edge uncluttered. On the left and right sides are the usual ports, plus a PC Card slot, ExpressCard/34 slot, and a Memory Stick card reader. A 5-in-1 adapter is included, but we wish Sony VGP-BPS9 would just build in a 5-in-1 reader to begin with. There’s also no HDMI port, and we’d rather the multi-format DVD burner were a Blu-ray drive for the price. (Then again, this notebook was designed before these features were mainstream.)

13-inch Display Quality

The 13.3-inch XBrite LED-backlit panel is bright and vibrant, and the 1280 x 800 resolution delivers sharp text and excellent color and motion reproduction, although some movie scenes lost detail in shadow areas. Still, it makes a fine DVD player for one or two people, as the battery as lenovo t61 battery delivered 2.5 hours of DVD playback time and viewing angles are fairly wide side to side. Unfortunately, moving even slightly above the screen causes a brightness shift that washes out the image. The stereo speakers are of good quality and offer plenty of volume.

Sony VAIO VGN-SZ791N/X Ergonomics

The full-size letter keys feature nontraditional raised pads, which feel fine and give the dell inspiron e1405 battery a unique look. Oddly for Sony, it has no dedicated multimedia controls. As with some other 13-inch systems, save the latitude d630 battery , the touchpad is about 50 percent smaller than it should be. Sony has included the requisite fingerprint reader, Webcam, and Bluetooth 2.0. In the event of a tumble, the system parks the generous 250GB hard drive, protecting your data. You’ll also find TPM circuitry on-board, which adds encryption for business users.

Updated with a Penryn Processor

This Penryn update features an Intel Core 2 Duo T9300 running at 2.5-GHz and 4GB of RAM. Sony’s unique Stamina/Speed switch can flip the notebook between the Mobile Intel X3100 integrated graphics (for better battery life) and the discrete Nvidia GeForce 8400M GS GPU for better performance. Speed mode delivered a whopping 207 on MobileMark 2007. Its PCMark Vanatage score of 2,691 and 3DMark03 score of 4,823 were both above average, though lower than the dell xps m1330 battery.
As a result, applications jump open, and the machine as thinkpad t60 battery has multimedia muscle to spare, completing an iTunes re-encode of 11 tracks to AAC mode in a quick 4 minutes. The Nvidia GPU also delivered a more-than-respectable 58 fps on F.E.A.R. (at 800 x 600 resolution with autodetect settings). Throughput from the Intel 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi radio was on a par with other systems: 17.7 Mbps at 15 feet and 13.6 Mbps at 50 feet. The VGN-SZ791N/X also includes EV-DO Rev. A with service through Sprint, a welcome upgrade from the formerly pokey AT&T Edge radio.

VAIO VGN-SZ791N/X Battery Life

The standard battery as lenovo t60 battery delivered 4.5 hours of typical use in Speed mode (which uses the discrete graphics to offer the best performance) and 5.5 hours in Stamina mode (which uses the integrated graphics to extend battery life). The average for thin-and-lights is about 4.5 hours, so the extra hour is a good deal, and you don’t have to sacrifice performance when you’re plugged in. A9-cell extended battery is availablefor $249, too.

Bundled Multimedia Apps

Useful multimedia software such as the easy-to-use Click to Disc DVD creator and VAIO Movie Story are preinstalled, but for $2,499, Sony should offer more than a 60-day trial and provide dell inspiron 1525 battery instead of Vista Business.

Sony VAIO VGN-SZ791N/X Verdict

The VAIO VGN-SZ791N/X has a lot going for it. It delivers a top-of-the-line processor and plenty of RAM, a wealth of features, and great looks. The nearly $700 premium it costs over the similarly sized, similar-performing XPS M1330 makes the Dell system a better buy, but for the extra money, you get a more business oriented machine with hard drive protection and TPM circuitry

Sony VAIO SR Series Review

Deftly balancing work and play, the 13.3-inch Sony vgp-bps8 offers enough style and power for everyone from home users to students to road warriors. And with a price tag of $1,359 (starting at $1,049), this notebook offers a good combination of graphics power and battery as sony vgp-bps9 life, making it a value-priced alternative to the 13-inch VAIO Z Series (starting at $1,739) for executives. We especially appreciate the versatile Switch mode feature, which lets you customize shortcut buttons based on how you use the notebook. The webcam could be better, and we wish there was less preloaded software, but, overall, the VAIO SR is a great value.

Design

Compared with the pricier VAIO Z series as sony vgp-bps9a/b  —a 3.4-pound notebook that sports an all-aluminum keyboard and carbon fiber housing for its LCD panel—the VAIO SR seems fairly basic, but we generally like this machine’s design given its price point. The SR features a magnesium alloy chassis that weighs a relatively light 4.2 pounds and measures 12.4 x 9.2 x 1.3 inches, making it a good travel companion. In fact, this system is one of the lighter 13-inch notebooks in its price range. Certainly, the SR felt lighter in our hands than the 4.5-pound 13-inch Apple MacBook, although that aluminum unibody machine has a slimmer 1-inch profile. The similarly priced Dell as inspiron 1525 battery has a more luxurious wedge-shape design, complete with leather accents, but is even heavier at 4.8 pounds.

While the lid is smooth, the sides and bottom have a rough, sandpapery feel. The version we tested comes in standard black, but you can opt for Glossy Pink, Platinum Silver, and Titanium Gray in the configure-to-order model.

Multiple Personalities

The seven buttons on the circular hinge area above the keyboard are unique to the SR’s design. The switch mode button (furthest to the left), lets you switch among three desktop environments (Home, Office, or On The Go). Depending on which environment is selected, the five buttons in the center activate various applications, which as sony vgp-bps9/s battery appear as icons in the lower center of the screen.

In Office mode, for example, the icons are Mute, Lock Computer, Computer as sony vgp-bps9/b, Presentation Support, and Windows Meeting Space. Home mode has icons for VAIO MusicBox, Movie Story, ArcSoft Webcam Companion, Burn Disc, and Internet Explorer. All of these buttons can be mapped for different applications using the Setting button on the right.

Keyboard and Touchpad

While other notebook makers have just begun to adopt the island-style keyboard, Sony has been doing it for years—and at this point, the company has it down pat. The keyboard, in a recessed area of the deck, provided good feedback and no flex, and was comfortable to type on for extended periods.

The large touchpad as latitude d630 battery has a gray-and-white spotted pattern that distinguished it from the rest of the deck. Although the pattern looks textured, it’s actually as smooth as the rest of the chassis. It, too, was very comfortable and had low friction. The two mouse buttons, separated by a fingerprint reader, provide strong tactile feedback, but are a bit noisy.

Ports and Webcam

On the left side are VGA, HDMI, and FireWire ports, along with an ExpressCard/34 slot. On the front are an SD Card slot and a Memory Stick Pro slot, which features lenovo/IBM’s(lenovo t61 battery) proprietary MagicGate encryption technology.

The right side houses the 8X DVD+/-RW drive, two USB ports, and Ethernet and modem jacks behind a removable flap. The power button, built into the right side of the hinge, glows green when the system as lenovo r61 battery is powered on.

Although the colors were pleasant, the 1.3-megapixel webcam took dim, not-very-sharp still photos. Our VGA video, too, was dim and soft, but at least all of the movement looked fluid  fujitsu lifebook t4220 battery , and the picture stayed in focus as we moved closer to the lens.

The ArcSoft WebCam Companion software’s white-and-blue interface isn’t the sleekest, but its task-oriented main screen makes it easy to navigate. When you finish snapping or recording a capture, you’ll see a thumbnail as xps m1330 battery in a pane to the left. A separate dashboard allows you to adjust the lighting, contrast, and saturation settings (among others) on a sliding scale, as well as apply fun filters, begin face tracking, and insert 2D frames.

All-Purpose Notebooks

All-purpose notebooks represent the sweet spot for the industry. This category comprises thin-and-light models with 13.3- or 14-inch screens, as well as heavier and sony vgp-bps8 battery systems up to 15.6 inches in size. All-purpose systems generally cost $600 and up, with more expensive models going as high as $2,000.

This category are intended for a broad swath of consumers, ranging from families using them as shared PCs to students, young professionals as sony vgp-bps9, or even seniors. Business notebooks, tablet PCs, gaming systems, and any notebook with 16-inch screens or above fall into other categories.

What Can You Expect From An All-Purpose Notebook?

• Processor: 1.8- to 2.6-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPUs are common, as sony vgp-bps9a/b are dual-core 2.1- to 2.4-GHz AMD Turion X2 CPUs.
  
  
  
  


• RAM: All-purpose notebooks as sony vgp-bps9/s battery generally offer 3 or 4GB of RAM, and many systems feature faster DDR3 RAM (rather than the older DDR2 standard).
  
  
  
  


• Display: Expect sharp, bright displays in sizes ranging from 13.3 to 15.6 inches , most of sony vgp-bps9/b have a glossy treatment. Resolutions are are usually 1280 x 800, 1366 x 768, or 1440 x 900. An LED backlight is often an efficient and environmentally friendly option.
  
  
  
  


• Hard Drive: These systems as latitude d630 battery typically come with 250 to 500GB, 5,400-rpm hard drives. Faster 7,200-rpm hard drives are available as options, as are solid state drives, which are smaller in capacity but increase system performance dramatically.
  
  
  
  


• Optical Drive: Most systems come standard with DVD burners as lenovo t61 battery, but Blu-ray drives are also available.
  
  
  
  


• Wireless: 802.11n wireless cards and Bluetooth should be standard, with additional mobile broadband options inspiron 1525 battery.
  
  
  
  


• Battery as lenovo r60 battery : Expect six-cell batteries that offer anywhere from three to five hours of endurance. Extended batteries or battery slices may also be available.
  
  
  
  

Buying Tips for All-Purpose Notebooks

• Pick the right screen size: If your all-purpose system is going to spend most of its time sitting on your kitchen table, opt for a 15-inch screen, since increased screen real estate will make working on your laptop battery as lenovo r61 battery more enjoyable. These systems tend to weigh around 6 pounds. If you plan to carry the notebook around the house or around the world, go for a 13.3- or 14-inch system, which will generally weigh 5 pounds or less.
  
  
  
  


• Get a powerful processor: Since rock-bottom prices aren’t paramount, insist on a model with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and at least 2.0-GHz of clock speed. This will give you plenty of power (especially when multitasking), while keeping a leash on battery as lenovo t60 battery life.
  
  
  
  


• Shoot for speedy storage: If possible, get a 7,200-rpm hard drive over a 5,400-rpm model, as it will greatly improve your overall system performance. If you can afford an inspiron e1505 battery instead, you can really supercharge your system.
  
  
  
  


• Consider discrete graphics: All-purpose notebooks may have discrete graphics chip options from Nvidia or ATI. If you plan to play games or edit video, you’ll benefit from the increased performance. If not, you’ll save money and improve battery as inspiron 1501 battery life by sticking with integrated graphics.
  
  
  
  


• Blu-ray is not important: A 13- to 15-inch screen is too small to take advantage of full HD content. So unless you plan to attach your notebook to a TV, a Blu-ray drive is not something as xps m1330 battery you need.

Shopping Sony VAIO VGN-FW198U/H

The Sony VAIO VGN-FW198U/H as sony vgp-bps8 strikes a near-perfect balance of portability, multimedia power, and screen real estate. How? One of the big reasons is the display. This notebook is the first to boast a 16.4-inch widescreen (with 16:9 aspect ratio) making this FW model ideal for watching Blu-ray movies or having two applications open side by side. At the same time, it’s considerably lighter than most 17-inch notebooks and only marginally heavier than notebooks with smaller 15.4-inch displays. And with Intel’s new Centrino 2 technology for fast productivity performance, better-than-average battery life, and a strikingly sleek design, there’s no reason why sony vgp-bps9 shouldn’t be at the top of your short list.

Design

Measuring 1.46 inches at its thickest point, the VAIO FW isn’t as svelte as an Apple MacBook Pro; still, the silver-and-black chassis looks sharp, blending angles and curves in a pleasing way. Open the latchless lid and you’ll find an uncluttered keyboard deck, with the comfortable Sony flat-top keyboard set into a plain silver deck. Unlike other “luxury” portables, however, sony vgp-bps9a/b has a decidedly plastic feel, but we are happy to see an oversize touchpad to match the large screen. Alas, the mouse buttons on our early production model were a bit loud and likely to annoy others if you’re in a quiet room.

Above sony vgp-bps9/s battery are Sony’s handy multimedia-control and volume buttons (but oddly, no mute button). We really appreciate the programmable AV Mode button, which lets you register utilities (Windows Media Center, iTunes, the Webcam applet, and so on) whose icons then appear in a quick-launch ribbon menu when you press the button.

All the requisite ports are here, including HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, USB (three of them), and FireWire. Sony has also included a memory card reader supporting Memory Stick and SD/MMC formats, as well as an ExpressCard/34 slot (yes, PC Cards have gone the way of the serial port, at least on consumer portables).

Sound quality from the up-firing stereo speakers was very good, with decent bass. But their top volume, while fine for personal use, might be inadequate for watching a movie from the couch. Considering the latitude d630 battery, some media mavens will find the lack of an integrated TV tuner and a remote disappointing in a desktop replacement model.

Novel Screen

The highlight of this all-new design as lenovo/IBM t61 battery is the unique-to-Sony 16.4-inch LCD. If a 15.4-inch desktop replacement has you wishing for more screen real estate but a 17-inch (or larger) luggable sacrifices too much in the way of portability, the VAIO FW Series is the answer to your prayers. The 16.4-inch screen, which has an aspect ratio of 16:9 instead of 16:10 (as seen on most widescreens) makes it seem squatter compared to other notebooks of its ilk, but in daily use, you’ll hardly notice the difference.Sony vgp-bps9/b gives you an uncramped view while still allowing the system to weigh a reasonably portable 6.7 pounds.

Image quality from the 1600 x 900 panel is stunning. It employs Sony’s Xbrite-HiColor technology, which claims a higher brightness and wider color gamut than run-of-the-mill LCDs, and it shows. Watching the Blu-ray edition of Live Free or Die Hard (via the preloaded InterVideo WinDVD BD player) was a pleasure on this screen, which exhibited natural colors, good details in shadow areas, and very good motion reproduction.

In Windows apps, colors pop, and we found ourselves turning down the screen brightness to work comfortably. So if your viewing environment has a lot of windows or overhead fluorescents, this panel as inspiron e1505 battery has the candle power to overcome it. The screen also boasts wide viewing angles, which makes the VAIO FW a good machine for multiple viewers to gather around.

Centrino 2 and Other Features

The xps m1330 battery combines a 2.53-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 processor, which has a faster front-side bus (FSB) than previous Intel CPUs, with 4GB of 800-MHz DDR2 SDRAM. We’d prefer DDR3 RAM, which is faster and uses less power, but that’s far from a dealbreaker. Rounding out the circuitry are a new chipset (the Mobile Intel 45 Express) and Intel’s next-gen 802.11a/g/n Wi-Fi chip (dubbed WiFi Link 5100), and onboard Gigabit Ethernet.This inspiron 1525 battery trades integrated graphics for an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3470 graphics card. A big but not blazing 5,400-rpm 320GB hard drive rounds out the features.

Sony VAIO NW Series Review

Entertainment seekers in search of a notebook that offers Blu-ray playback, solid performance, and plenty of style will find a lot to like in the Sony VGP-BPS8 Battery. Priced at a reasonable $879 (as low as $799 online), this machine comes packed with a wealth of features, as well as a sharp 15.5-inch display—although you’ll need to use the HDMI port and an external monitor or TV to get the full 1080p experience. Those looking for more graphics oomph will want to opt for a different configuration of this system, but overall sony vgp-bps9 is a satisfying multimedia laptop.

Design

The first thing you’ll notice about the 14.6 x 9.8 x 1.2-inch, Walnut Brown sony vgp-bps9a/b is the cool faux-wood design on the lid, which extends to the base of the system. If you’re not keen on this look, Sony also offers the system in in Birch White and Silver Rattan. Owing to the NW’s “waved body” design, the keyboard resides in a slight depression, but it didn’t negatively impact our typing.

Above and to the right of the keyboard are a row of buttons that let us launch the Splashtop instant-on browser (which allows users access to the Web while avoiding Vista’s lengthy boot times), mute the speakers, and turn the display off (for when you’re using the notebook only to listen to music, for example). We would have liked to see dedicated volume controls, but it’s easy enough to adjust with function keys. At 5.6 pounds, sony vgp-bps9/s battery isn’t a system you’ll want to constantly keep in tow, but it’s certainly light enough to easily move from room to room.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The island-style keyboard on the VAIO NW is roomy and comfortable, which as Sony VGP-BPS9A.htmmade for a pleasurable typing experience. The keys are flat and springy; the layout lacks a full number pad, but that’s far from a dealbreaker on a multimedia notebook.

A 3.3 x 2.5-inch textured touchpad below the keyboard offered just the right amount of resistance; it was neither too slippery nor too friction-heavy. That let us zip the cursor across the screen with ease. We also liked the two raised touchpad buttons, which had a firm feel Sony VGP-BPS2C.

Display and Audio

The glossy, 15.5-inch (1366 x 768-pixel resolution) display uses Sony’s X-Brite Eco technology, which lengthens battery as sony vgp-bps8 life by using one backlight instead of the two in the regular X-Brite displays. The 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio offered plenty of real estate for crafting documents and reading Web pages. The viewing angles were fairly decent; two people can watch a video simultaneously, but as you move farther from the center, you’ll encounter more reflections.

Overall, the sound that emanated from the speakers was quite crisp; we loved the crackle of the gunfire exchanges latitude d630 battery, and the sounds of helicopter blades were nice and chunky. The maximum volume and bass may not be enough for those who like to rattle rooms, but we found the audio sufficiently loud and clear when watching movies or streaming ‘90s alternative music from Slacker.

Blu-ray Playback

The VAIO NW is one of the least expensive notebooks yet that offers an integrated Blu-ray drive. The notebook itself supports only 720p playback, but we like what we saw when we popped in our We Were Soldiers Blu-ray. Night scenes, for example, showed the appropriate amount of black without losing detail.

When we output the video via HDMI to a 32-inch Samsung monitor, lenovo t61 battery was able to deftly handle our flick’s fast-moving action scenes at 1080p resolution. The appeal of Blu-ray on this (or any notebook) will come down to how convenient it is for you to hook the system up to a large TV or monitor that can take full advantage of the format’s capabilities.

Ports and Webcam

Inspiron e1505 battery is packed with a fair number of connectivity options for hooking up accessories and peripherals. Built into the right side of the system is the aforementioned 2X Blu-ray drive (with an 8X DVD+/-RW burner), two USB 2.0 ports, and headphone and microphone jacks; its front features two memory card readers (Memory Stick Pro and SD), and a Wi-Fi switch; the left side contains an additional USB port, VGA, HDMI, FireWire 400, Ethernet, and an ExpressCard/34 slot.

Diving face-first into video chats with friends was simple, thanks to the embedded 0.3 MP Motion Eye camera. While chatting with friends using Skype, we enjoyed smooth frame rates that suffered from very little blur. However, we found the colors as lifebook t5010 battery—be it clothing or skin tones—to be a bit muted.

Report Sony VAIO VGN-FZ Series

It’s the ultimate status symbol—with a price to match. Once again Sony as sony vgp-bps8 is shaking up the very clichéd netbook category, this time with a design that is not only half as light and half as thin other machines in its class, but also includes a battery as sony vgp-bps9 that lasts twice as long as many models. Sony didn’t stop there, adding integrated 3G and GPS for those mobile tycoons who are able to afford its sticker price ($1,299 to start, $1,499 as configured). Yes, this ultraportable is not for everyone, but for those who want to travel really, really light, the VAIO VGN-FZ Series may be worth the splurge.

Design

Sony touts the VAIO X as the world’s lightest notebook, and at 1.4 pounds (with the four-cell battery), it is; even the, which sony vgp-bps9a/b has a similar processor but a smaller 7.0-inch screen, weighs 1.8 pounds. When you put the extended battery of sony vgp-bps9/s battery on the VAIO VGN-FZ, the weight—2.2 pounds—is still more than half a pound lighter than most 10-inch netbooks.



Measuring 11.0 x 7.3 x 0.6 inches (without the extended battery), the VAIO VGN-FZ rivals the latitude d630 battery in terms of thickness; however, its footprint is similar to other netbooks with the same screen size. When the extended battery is attached (by means of two screws that give the underside a quasi-steampunk feel), the back of the system is raised up by about 0.3 inches, and slants towards the user. The battery sony vgp-bps9/b also doesn’t lie flush with the underside of the system; it’s designed with gaps in it to aid in the cooling of the netbook.



So how was Sony able to achieve such a thin and light netbook? VGP-BPS2C Battery is made of a magnesium alloy, and the lid is built from carbon fiber. This material allows the screen to flex, which can be a bit unnerving, but Sony said that it’s designed to bend somewhat. Also, by using an Intel Atom Z-series processor, which uses less power (and creates less heat) than the N-series Atom chips in most netbooks, the company was able to make the netbook incredibly slim without requiring a fan.



The lid of our review unit was matte black, as was the inside, with a bronze underside that felt slightly rough to the touch. sony vgp-bps8 also offers the netbook with a Champagne Gold lid, but only for the model with a 128GB SSD (more on that later).

Keyboard and Touchpad

Like other Sony VGP-BPS9 Battery, the keyboard on the VAIO VGN-FZ Series is island-style, but at 88 percent of full size, it’s a bit smaller than most netbooks with 10- to 12-inch screens. Measuring 9.5 x 3.5 inches, the keyboard is about half an inch smaller in both directions than the lenovo t61 battery, even though the VAIO X has a larger keyboard deck. This is because there’s about half an inch of space on either side of the keyboard.



With the exception of an undersized right Shift key, the keys were decently spaced and sized, but overall, it felt as lenovo t60 battery slightly cramped. Also, as a result of the netbook’s thinness, there’s less travel to the keys than on other systems, so we ended up hitting them harder than we’re accustomed to.



The inspiron e1505 battery touchpad was a decently sized 2.1 x 1.6 inches, and offered little friction. However, like the keyboard, it could have been a smidgen larger, especially considering it’s capable of recognizing multitouch gestures, such as pinch and zoom. Two mouse buttons below are also small but responsive.

Display and Audio

As befitting a netbook that costs $1,500, the VAIO X’s 11.1-inch screen has a higher-than-usual resolution of 1366 x 768; we’ve only seen this standard on the inspiron 1501 battery. This is becoming a more common option, however, such as on the xps m1330 battery . While this resolution tends to make icons too small on 10-inch netbooks, we didn’t mind it as much on an 11-inch screen.



When watching content streamed over the Web or played off inspiron 1525 battery, we were impressed with the crispness and wide viewing angles of the display; we could turn it nearly 90 degrees to either side without seeing image reversal or egregious reflections.



Being as thin as it is, we’re not surprised at the lack of audio quality in the lenovo r61 battery. Songs were thin and tinny; the bass line in Aerosmith’s “Dream On” streamed over Pandora was nonexistent, and the speakers could barely fill a small office with sound.

Ports and Webcam

Despite its small stature, Sony battery manages to cram in most of the connectivity options seen on almost every other netbook. On the left side of the VAIO X are two USB ports and a headphone jack. On the right is a VGA port and Ethernet. Just underneath the front lip is an SD Card reader and a Sony Memory Stick slot. On a system this expensive, we were surprised at the omission of an HDMI port, although since this netbook isn’t designed to output HD content, it’s not a huge loss.



While not overly detailed, video from the lenovo r60 battery webcam was well balanced, and showed accurate skin tones in a call over Skype.