Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q898 18.4-Inch Laptop (Fusion Finish in Omega Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)This product deserves 4.5 stars. It is almost perfect but for the small SSD supplied.
I have used laptops of various sizes, 12" to 15" and now 18.4".
I was looking for a laptop which had a fantastic keyboard (ala "Lenovo") and sufficient GPU power for the latest games. Not that I'm a hardcore gamer but I was looking for a new laptop which could last longer (in terms of obsolescence) as nowadays it is the GPU rather than the CPU which determines whether or not your laptop is capable of running games.
Without further ado, here's the reasons why I bought this unit. No offence to owners of the other brands but I had to eliminate other popular choices due to the reasons below. I actually narrowed down my final choice of a new laptop to either SAGER or TOSHIBA.
PROS
1. Keyboard
A full keyboard (backlit!) is provided along with a full numberpad.
For me, the keyboard design was really important. I have used a Lenovo Thinkpad laptop before and their keyboards were (and still are) really the best for typing.
Yes, even better than this unit.
H/w, this Toshiba unit has the edge over Alienware and SAGER/CLEVO units where the keyboard is concerned. I actually went to a real store to check out the Alienware laptops but just did not like the feel of their keyboards. I also do not like the way SAGER/CLEVO removed some of the keys on their numberpad.
BTW, the MSI GX/GT 660 series deserves honorable mention for their keyboard design. I like the look on it. H/W some reviewers have claimed that there is a certain amount of flex, hence I did not go for the MSI units.
2. Battery Life
Granted, most people would not move a desktop replacement unit around much. H/w, this unit is listed as being able to last 3hr 47mins on battery power.
I have tested this unit, running on battery, it lasted 1hr 35mins with maximum LCD brightness settings. I have no doubt that it could really reach 3 hrs + if I had run on the Toshiba ECO mode with a dimmer lcd setting.
This was also the reason why I rejected the SAGER units as they can only last about 47mins from the online reviews I have read. ok, desktop replacement units are not meant to be moved around, but a laptop, IMHO, should be able to function normally for at least 1.5 hrs on battery and not treat the battery as a "UPS".
3. NVIDIA GTX 460M
This GPU is really fantastic!
I managed to get an average framerate of 31FPS for BATMAN AA GOTY with all the graphics settings maxed out. Yes, even with 16x Anti-aliasing! ha ha :) That's how smooth it is!
And this was running under the 18.4 inch laptop screen at native 1920 x 1080 resolution!
Had the new MSI gaming unit with the 460M been available at the time that I bought this Toshiba, I would not have eliminated such an option from my short-list.
4. Sound system
This unit comes with Harmon Kardon speakers.
Again, SAGER was edged out on this factor.
5. Build Quality
For me, aesthetics are not that important. Hence I was willing to consider either the SAGER line of laptops.
This Toshiba unit is very well made. The keyboard does not have any flex. The handrest portion beneath the keyboard has a special smooth glossy feel to it, and it is akin to marble. Typing on this keyboard really makes you enjoy using the product. :)
The trackpad is also very well made and responsive. The buttons are firm.
The laptop itself is a work of art! The Japanese aesthetics really shows with the black laptop and red trimmings. The Trackpad and media control buttons on the left are also illuminated in red led.
I read many horror stories (motherboard dying and bad servicing) about the ASUS G73 line of laptops, hence I regretfully had to eliminate that from my consideration. To be fair, the G73 series supposedly has less problems with the new 460M Nvidia GPU as compared with the ATI 5870 GPU but I just did not want to take the risk of being subjected to the horrible after-sales service of ASUS. You can google this to find out more.
6. 18.4" FHD screen
Yes, this comes with a blu-ray player which works very well with the Full 1080HD screen.
Given the limited space on my desk, I needed a laptop with the largest screen possible. This fit the bill exactly.
7. SSD Boot Drive
The SSD boot drive really makes a difference.
Imagine being able to boot up in less than 30secs.
Windows 7 shutdown only takes 10s.
BTW, I checked the SSD drive for SSD alignment issues, I am glad to report that the SSD drive supplied by Toshiba fresh from the factory does not have any SSD alignment issues.
8. CPU
The Intel i7 740 seems to be able to handle multi-tasking very well. I can open up many other programs whilst running 64 bit Adobe CS5 Photoshop smoothly.
CONS
1. Weight
This laptop is not as portable as a 15.6 incher. So if portability is really required by you, I'd suggest that you look for a smaller laptop.
2. SSD only 64GB
You will have to install progams into the 500GB secondary HDD.
The 64GB boot drive is really only meant for that purpose.
If only Toshiba used a 128GB SSD, this would have been perfect. Hence my giving the laptop 4 stars.
I have no doubt that I will have to carry out a personal upgrade of the primary SSD to one which is at least 128GB in size very soon.
3. Lack of Customisation
One of the reasons why such a high quality product can be sold so cheaply is due to mass production.
Unfortunately, this means that you, the customer, cannot get a laptop according to your required specs. I had to carry out a personal upgrade of the RAM to 8GB because I needed it for Photoshop CS5 for photo editing.
Likewise for my point about the SSD above. If only Toshiba allowed customers to buy one unit with a 128 or 160 GB SSD.
Final Words
To any SAGER owners out there, please don't take this review the wrong way. I'm not trying to be one of those "my dad is bigger than your dad" type of reviewer.
Despite my misgivings, I really do admire the SAGER line of laptops for their build quality, reputation and latest technology employed at an affordable price. My final shortlisted choices were either a SAGER or this Toshiba unit. If only SAGER/CLEVO keyboard designs were improved, I might have bought one of their units instead of the Toshiba.
Likewise for those ASUS G73 owners. I really do admire the stealth fighter inspired design and basic specs. H/W, I read too many horror stories from G73 online owners' lounges about ASUS products. Hence I decided not to take the risk of buying an ASUS G73 gaming laptop.
[P.S. Edited on 17th March 2011]
1. USB 3.0
For those who are interested, it is possible to add USB 3.0 functionality via the following USB 3.0 expresscard.
"AKE expresscard Express To USB 3.0 FL1000 34mm" with ASIN: B0046Y3INC.
I confirm that this expresscard works with the Toshiba Laptop.
This expresscard does not protrude out of the expresscard slot and so it is highly recommended.
2. Latest NVIDIA drivers
The latest NVIDIA drivers v267.24, despite being a beta driver, can be installed onto this laptop. It is also very stable.
This NVIDIA driver was released during March 2011 and was meant to provide improved performance for the game Dragon Age 2.
I confirm that the graphics under DA2 seem to run slightly better with this driver.
BTW, I finally installed the GPU demanding game, Crysis 1, on my machine. This laptop can handle the maximum graphics settings with no problem whatsoever.
Any laptop which can do so really deserves the moniker of "Gaming laptop"!!!

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Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q898: Hard-Core Gaming, Brilliant Graphics
Amplify your 3D gaming and video editing with incredibly fast frame rates with the Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q898 gaming laptop, which features a stunning 18.4-inch display--with true 1080p high-def resolution--and the Intel Core i7 processor with four cores of intelligent processing power. Additionally, it offers ultra-fast DDR3 system memory and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M graphics with 1.5 GB of GDDR5 video memory. Together, this pairing of high-performance technologies allow you to rip through the latest 3D games at lightning-fast frame-rates or create high-definition video and audio faster and more efficiently with smooth rendering and encoding.
The Toshiba Qosmio X505 features a striking design on the outside and is packed with premium technologies on the inside (see larger image).

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Toshiba Satellite L655-S5156 15.6-Inch LED Laptop (Grey) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a really nice looking laptop. The full size number-pad is awesome. The price is right, and you can't beat Toshiba's laptop quality or durability. Be forewarned, however, that despite what the Toshiba web-page shows, this laptop DOES NOT HAVE an HDMI port! Also: The LAN is only 10/100 - no gigabit! While this isnt the end of the world, these features are included in many other laptops of similar price. For these reasons, I sent this laptop back and purchased an NV55C38u. While not as stylish, the NV55C38u has the missing HDMI port, Gigabit LAN, a larger hard drive, and a few extra USB ports - all for the same price as the Toshiba.

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Toshiba Satellite L655: Fashionable, Affordable and Portable with 15.6-Inch Screen
Offering plenty of mobile computing power plus room to multitask, study, and play, the Toshiba Satellite L655 (model L655-S5156) offers a generous 15.6-inch display that's great for doing more things at once--handling business at home or in the field, watching movies or playing online RPG games. With its a fast dual-core Intel Pentium P6200 processor, this L655 is perfect for handling computing essentials at home, school or work--from surfing the Web and downloading video to managing household finances or studying for finals. And its high-gloss Fusion Finish in Helios Gray will be sure to raise a few eyebrows.
Enjoy added screen real estate with the L655's 15.6-inch screen (see larger image).

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Toshiba Satellite A665D-S6075 15.6-Inch LED Laptop (Fusion X2 Finish in Charcoal) Review

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(More customer reviews)Overall, I was very satisfied with this purchase. It was an extremely competitive computer for the pricepoint, especially with the Christmas deals. The graphics card wasn't everything I hoped for, but it still beats my old desktop, and will be perfect for medium level gaming for years. The triple core processor is rather fast, as is the 4gb of ram. However, the backlit keyboard is basically a lie. They have useful media control buttons on the top that are lit, but the keys themselves are not illuminated. Not too big of an issue though. Don't expect too much reverse compatibility though. Windows 7 64bit plays most games and 64 bit applications fine, but some of my favorites remain nonfunctional. And attempting to install XP for dual booting is not at all easy. But this is just the nature of the operating system, and no fault of the laptop. The power cord could have better placement, as it comes out of the computer on the top right, right next to the DVD tray and alway gets the tray stuck. The power cord is very loose and falls out of the wall and converter easily. Despite all that, it delivers in most of the ways I wanted it to, namely: graphics and processing POWER. Despite quirks, I am satisfied with my purchase.

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Toshiba Satellite A665D: 15.6-Inch Screen for Mobile HD Entertainment
Replace your desktop PC with the Toshiba Satellite A665D-S6075, which features a 15.6-inch diagonal HD TruBrite widescreen LED-backlit display, touchpad with multi-touch control, and a dual-layer DVD±RW drive that burns CDs and offers Labelflash print functionality. The bright 15.6-inch LCD (1366 x 768) offers a true 16:9 aspect ratio and 720p native high-definition resolution, and the A665D is great for using as a media center with the touch-sensitive media keys placed above the keyboard.
Enjoy both style and comfortable ergonomics with the A665's textured palm rest (see larger image).

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DELL LATITUDE D810 INTEL CENTRINO 1600MHZ 1024MB 60GB CDRW/DVD WIFI 15.4" WIDESCREEN LCD XP PRO LAPTOP Review

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(More customer reviews)Great item a little on the large size but sturdy and works great. Well worth the price.

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Toshiba Satellite A505-S6030 TruBrite 16.0-Inch Laptop (Black/Silver) Review

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(More customer reviews)This computer is an absolute great price for what it offers, and it delivers. I am a photographer who needed to upgrade to a computer with a faster processor and one that could handle the workload I put on it with CS4, and this one is great. Compared to my old laptop, this one zips right through loading enormous raw images and and processing in photoshop with ease. I spent a while looking to find a computer that offered everything this one does in a price range I could afford and also had a bigger screen size. My old laptop was a 17", so this one was a little bit of a downgrade in regards to screen size, but its still good enough and an acceptable trade off for the specs of the computer itself. I also do a bit of gaming, WOW particularly, and it runs better than my husband's computer in regards to graphics..which he isn't necessarily too happy with. :)
As for two other reviews about some negative aspects of the laptop:
One reviewer mentioned the DVD drive was extremely noisy. It is a little loud, I will attest to that, but I wouldn't say anywhere near as loud as I took from their review. I did not find it overly disturbing or distracting, and I could certainly hear the sound of the music or movie I was playing over it.
Another reviewer mentioned how he hated the computer because of the keyboard. I think the keyboard is great. I have no trouble feeling which key is which. Its bigger than normal though, or maybe, just the letter/numbers on each key are bigger than normal. I felt like I had ordered something designed for an older person or someone who may not be able to see well at first glance because of the size of the letters. The "L" is approx. 4-5cm long. So that was something I sort of laughed about at first, but now I don't notice it at all. I am picky about how my 'keyboard' feels, and normally would go to store and test out all the laptops, and if the keystroke didn't feel good to me, I would reconsider a purchase of any particular laptop. But I really like this keyboard, and I like the back-lighting, which I didn't have previously.
Overall, I think this computer is a steal what what you are getting.

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Toshiba Satellite A505: 16-Inch Screen for Mobile HD EntertainmentReplace your desktop PC with the Toshiba Satellite A505-S6030, which features a 16-inch diagonal HD TruBrite widescreen LED-backlit display, touchpad with multi-touch control, and a dual-layer DVD±RW drive that burns CDs and offers Labelflash print functionality. The bright 16-inch LCD (1366 x 768) offers a true 16:9 aspect ratio and 720p native high-definition resolution, and the A505 is great for using as a media center with the touch-sensitive media keys placed above the keyboard.And it's sure to stand out in the crowd thanks to the stunning Fusion Finish in Quantum Black.
The A505's brilliant high-gloss Fusion finish in Quantum Black is sure to turn heads.

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Universal Dc Adapter Review

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(More customer reviews)My universal DC adapter worked as advertised. The main issue is that it has a tendency to fall out of the cigarette lighter when barely touched.
The important thing with this and a universal AC is to read the instructions. It is not as simple as finding the 9V adapter piece and putting it into the slot. You must determine the polarity of your product by looking at the (-)---C---(+) on it. This determines which way to connect the adapter together.

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Audiovox Jensen Auto Adapter JEN60 Camera Power Adapters

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Acer Computer Aspire AS5542-5416 15.6" Notebook PC - Gemstone Blue Review

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(More customer reviews)Purchased here (via J&R), great price on a bluray packing 15" laptop. 16:9 screen is great for watching movies. Screen looks great, watched Ratattouie (Pixar) DVD and The Bank Job bluray. Both movies looked great. Sound is Dolby Digital, and sounds great on headphones. Built in speakers sound terrible. Via even a cheap pair of headphones, the sound is superb. I heard sounds on Ratattouie that I never heard before.
Here's some good news: The HDMI port supports both video (duh) and Audio! Yay! When connecting the HDMI to my receiver, the ATI video driver popped up a warning that Audio is not supported. But clicking "help" opened a page basically saying that this is a generic message to warn users that a video card prior to Radeon 2xxx series does not support audio over HDMI, but anything later (including the one on this laptop, the 4200) DOES in fact support Audio. And a quick test (of those two movies) proved that it was Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. The included movie player from Acer sent 1080p and 5.1 sound out the HDMI, and it seems that MS Media player did too. So no additional software is needed to output to 5.1 with both BR and DVD. One final note on movie watching: The Acer movie player worked flawlessly, but when I tried MS Media Player, it stuttered often and was annoying. Figures. So stick with the included (and set as default player) Acer movie player.
Gaming is NOT recommended. I grabbed the first game disc I had lying around that I had both the disc AND the install key (always hard to find both when you need them), and it was Call of Duty World at War. It was awful. At the default 1024x768, it was an unplayable slide show, and at the lowest settings (640x480 and every possible feature set to low) it was still an unplayable 5-10 fps. So that was disappointing, but not a show stopper as we already have two high-end gaming computers in the house, and really what did I expect for under 6 Benjamins?
I purchased this primarily to have a portable Bluray playing laptop and it fits the bill perfectly. As of this writing (2/1/2010), it is the cheapest Bluray playing laptop on Earth (or that I could find anyway, and believe me I spent/wasted a lot of time searching!).
I have another 2-year old Acer Aspire, also a 15" widescreen, that is heavier with a worse keyboard than this model. I really am happy with the fit and finish of this model. The added keypad makes the keyboard sit left-of-center, which takes a little getting used to, as does the multi-touch touchpad, which is sensitive and hitting it accidently with a 2nd finger causes the mouse to jump around. The vertical scrolling feature on the right of the pad isn't very accurate (had the same problem on my older Acer). We use Toshiba laptops at work and their scrolling feature is definitely better.
Some other non-issues: not many stickers. Not much bloatware at all. Comes with MS Works SE, which DOES read and write word and excel files (you just can't set those as the default save/open option). Works SE is advertised based but it gives you the option to purchase the non-ad version. MS Office Student is 60 day trial. The 320GB drive is a single partition (yay!).
That's about it. A great deal on a bluray laptop that works great.

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Enjoy extreme mobile performance with the Acer Aspire AS5542-5416 Notebook featuring a vivid 15.6" high-def widescreen display, AMD Turion II Dual-Core performance, plenty of storage space, media extras and Windows 7 Home Premium allowing your to get creative and accomplish more everyday. Email friends, explore the Internet, create a music library, video chat via webcam, watch movies and more on-the-go.15.6 HD Widescreen CineCrystal LCD Display (1366x768), 16 - 9 aspect ratio ATI Radeon HD 4200 Graphics with up to 1919MB of HyperMemory (256MB dedicated and 1663 shared system memory) Blu-ray Disc / SuperMulti DVD+-R/RW Drive with Double Layer InviLink 802.11b/g/Draft-N Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 Port) 56K ITU V.92 Fax/Modem (RJ-11) Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader SD, MMC, MS, MS PRO, xD-Picture Card High-Definition Audio Support and 3nd Generation Dolby Home Theater Enhancement Two Built-in Stereo Speakers and Built-in Microphone Multi-Gesture Touchpad (Circular-motion scrolling, pinch-action zoom, page flip) Webcam Ports -4 x USB 2.0, Headphone/Speaker/Line-Out Jack, Microphone-in Jack, VGA, HDMI, RJ-45, RJ-11 Approximate Unit Dimensions -15.1 (W) x 9.9 (D) x 1.03/1.5 (H) Approximate Unit Weight -6.16 Pounds

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Dell Inspiron mini 9 - WHITE, Intel? Atom Processor? N270 1.6 Ghz , 1 GB DDR2 at 533MHz, 16GB Solid State Drive, EXTERNAL Portable CD/DVD-RW, Glossy 8.9 inch LED display (1024X600), Integrated 0.3M Pixel Webcam, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 950, Wireless 802.11g Mini Card, Ubuntu Linux Review

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(More customer reviews)When I saw the Eee PC's, I knew I would eventually get one, or some other kind of netbook. This Dell is a dream, and it does the basic stuff I want-- email, web, video playback, iTunes, and word processing. This is not a gaming PC, something for graphics or modeling software, not for any kind of software that takes up a lot of RAM and processing power, and it's probably not suitable as a main PC for most people. It's a glorified PDA for people who want something more than a PDA, but love the portability. That said, if this is making your mouth water and doesn't sound like a step backward in technology, you've come to the right place.
I looked into the Dell Mini 12s, but decided against one because they're simply not as portable. The Mini 12 has a bigger screen, keyboard and hard drive space, but that also makes the PC bigger and less portable. The Mini 9's smaller keyboard will require a bit of adjustment, epecially if you use the F keys very much since they're integrated with the second row of letter keys. I don't have a problem with the size of the screen, but I can see how some might. Try to look at one of these in person before you buy if you think it might be an issue.
The Mini 9 will handle 2GB of RAM, but it can only be shipped with up to 1GB because of the software license with Windows XP. Thank you Miscrosoft for another slap in the face! I mean, anything's better than getting a machine with Vista on it, but REALLY. Dell also put the RAM cap on the Mini9s with Ubuntu, which really makes no sense... Anyway, it's nothing to pop open the cover, put in your extra GB of RAM, close it, and have the zippiest little netbook around. (I think it will handle a 4GB stick, but then you're looking at power and heat issues.) When you turn it on, it's ready to go in no time, even without a memory upgrade! Also, decompress the drive. Compression doesn't save that much space and it runs better. If hard drive space is an issue, add an external drive, thumb drive or SD card.
It doesn't come with a DVD drive, but how often do you really use one? I only use mine to install software and to rip my CDs to iTunes. I don't do either of those things when I'm out and about, and remember, it's all about that portability! Eventually you will need to buy a DVD drive, but you might not need one right away. Also plan on investing in an external mouse if you don't like touchpads. This one is particularly irritating because it's so small. I can't really comment on how this or anything else affects battery life, since I rarely run on the battery. The speakers are really small, so have some headphones on hand if sound is a problem for you.
I got it and immediately covered it with one of those sticker skins later to keep it from getting scratched. It's a glossy finish that you just know is going to get sandpapered if you carry other stuff in your bag. (And who doesn't?) I also got the webcam and bluetooth options, even though I have no use for either of them. That was because hubby will eventually inherit this when I buy something else, so I wanted him to be able to expand this however he would need.
My only other gripe is that when you use this in public, you get a lot of people coming up to interrupt you to talk about it. It's not Dell's fault, but if you need to get something done, don't do it in Starbucks where you'll be interrupted about every 30 seconds. Come on, it's the 21st century! It's difficult to accomplish anything in an environment like that. I had the same problem with my PDA and folding keyboard, and when it started to happen again, I wanted to cry... but my Mini won't let me.
Overall, this is 4 1/2 stars, but the drawbacks are nothing when I can put this in my purse, go to Borders, do my thing, and get out without the achy shoulder. I always wanted a small laptop like this, light enough to carry around, small, with PC power and feel. Now that I have one, the sky is clear, birds are singing and velvet ropes have parted-- well, not really, but this is about as close as I can get.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Dell Inspiron mini 9 - WHITE, Intel? Atom Processor? N270 1.6 Ghz , 1 GB DDR2 at 533MHz, 16GB Solid State Drive, EXTERNAL Portable CD/DVD-RW, Glossy 8.9 inch LED display (1024X600), Integrated 0.3M Pixel Webcam, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 950, Wireless 802.11g Mini Card, Ubuntu Linux

Dell Inspiron mini 9 - White , Intel? Atom Processor? N270 1.6 Ghz , 1 GB DDR2 at 533MHz, 16GB Solid State Drive, EXTERNAL Portable CD/DVD-RW, Integrated 0.3M Pixel Webcam, Glossy 8.9 inch LED display (1024X600), Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 950, Wireless 802.11g Mini Card, Ubuntu Linux

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HP Pavilion DV7-3060US 17.3-Inch Espresso Laptop - Up to 4.5 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium) Review

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(More customer reviews)Wow what can I say about this laptop? I placed my order on 11/7, product was shipped 11/9 and delivered 11/11! The shipping was listed as free super saver shipping but since Amazon had a free 2-day shipping promotion going on shortly after I bought it, I think they may have automatically upgraded it to that.
Anyways back to my review. Since I've only had this computer less than a week, I cannot be too critical or list every single pro/con. However I will attempt to list that which I have experienced (Typing the review on the laptop now!)
1) Computer came securely packaged and arrived on time, much earlier than expected. Package had the computer, battery, user manual, quick-start guide, power adapter + cord, and an HP remote (made for use with HP MediaSmart technology)
2) Initial set up is a breeze for a novice user. I'm not a novice by any means, so it really was a snap to get this computer up and running. Just make sure to plug it in and then let the computer run all the necessary updates and whatnot. Expect to set aside a minimum of 2 hours to get all this done.
3) I have been using Windows XP since...about my 7th or 8th grade year (2nd year sophomore in college, currently), so suffice it to say I didn't want to use Windows 7. Because this is a 64bit computer, and it has 4gigs of RAM and a 2.4GHz processor, I must say that Windows 7 is surprisingly fast and a very refreshing change after the last disaster of Windows Vista. The transparency effects arent too flashy like in Vista, and everything runs very clean, fast, and efficient. It does take a bit of time to get used to all the new options, but that might only be me since I did NOT upgrade to Vista, so I'm really learning for the first time the new layout of Windows.
4) As far as performance and graphics, I have not done any task which is terribly processor or graphics card intensive for me to have any opinion on that. I have installed Unreal Tournament 2004 and Rome: Total War. Both games are pretty graphics heavy and have run very very smooth so far. The settings are automatically calibrated in the game and it is nice to see the game set everything to HIGH quality. Proves this computer really has the punch to deal with games, even in a laptop form. The 17.3" screen is very vivid and bright while gaming, allowing the user to experience the best high-quality and high-def computing experience available.
5) A MAJOR point I want to make is the size of the computer and the search for a laptop case. I read alot about this computer before I bought it, and I did my best to try and shop online for a case to fit a screen this big. Unfortunately, not many case manufacturers have items made for a 17.3" screen, so my advice is to NOT shop online and have it be a hit-and-miss for finding the right size. I initially bought an (overpriced) backpack from Best Buy for damn near $80, and very quickly realized the incredible markup and bloated price they charge. Very soon after I returned it since both Staples and a local computer specialty store (GT Computers) had much cheaper and better quality items. I do want to make a note that some cases say 16", but they CAN fit this computer if they are spacious enough. My personal decision was to buy a laptop backpack rather than a case since this computer weighs in at a hefty 8lbs and is not the easiest thing in the world to carry around. Long story short is the advice to go to a store, rather than rely on a website, when it comes to buying a laptop case that actually fits.
6) Accessories + junk: The computer comes with an Altec Lansing Premium Sound System with Built-in Subwoofer. While this sounds good on paper, its not the best sound in the world in actuality. Perhaps I'm a bit biased since I have a 2.1 system with 40W subwoofer at my desktop, but for a pair of laptop speakers for the average user, they are really good. I was in a loud cafeteria setting, and my friend pulled out his USB powered speakers to hear a video he was playing...just for comparison purposes I turned my speakers up maxed and they not only drowned out HIS speakers (these were seperate, dedicated, USB powered speakers) but they also drowned out some of the cafeteria noise. An audiophile or someone who is really tech-savy will be able to tell the difference between low quality and high quality, but any other user or someone just looking for a casual computing experience will appreciate this laptop. Another fun accessory is the built-in HP MediaSmart remote control. It is slim, stylish, fits easily into the computer, and its alot of fun to show off to friends by turning my music on/off or skipping tracks and changing the volume from across the room. This computer really is aimed to be an entertainment PC, and hooked up correctly with an HDMI cable and a decent sound system, one could stream movies or videos from the internet, watch them on the tv, and control it all from the comfort of your couch! Very nice touch, and very fun to have.
7) Battery life: The product name boasts an "Up to 4.5 hour battery life" and I'm not sure how true this claim is, since I don't get anywhere NEAR 4 hours, but more on the low end of 3. All my settings are set to low, including screen brightness...everything is designed to save power. Don't get me wrong though: for a laptop with a screen this big, and with the processing power it packs, the battery has stunning performance. However, don't expect to get more than 3 hours, maybe 3.5 hours if you do -nothing- but word process and web surf. Windows 7 doesn't show the battery time remaining when you hover over the system tray icon like Windows Vista and XP do, but to circumvent that I downloaded a free program called BatteryBar, and it gives detailed statistics on the battery's time left to charge, full charge capacity (measured in megawatt-hours, or mWh), as well as the charge/discharge rate, full lifetime, and battery wear (Mine is at 3.4% of 73,440 mWh, meaning I can use about 97% of the battery's full capacity. Its current capacity is 70,963 mWh, and this is just due to normal degredation that happens as soon as the battery if manufactured.) On that note, it is really best to USE the battery rather than not to, since either way it is going to degrade. You cannot stop the natrual degredation process, so its better to just use it up. The HP user guides recommend discharging the battery down to 5% before fully recharging, to help the battery retain its charge/discharge cycles.
Anyhow, I think that is more than enough information from someone who has only had this computer 5 days. I'm sure I will write a revision to this review in the future, if I notice any major changes, or decide to upgrade the information for more potential buyers. Thanks for reading, and I hope it helps in your decision! My verdict? Get this computer if your are someone looking to watch lots of movies, view pictures or slideshows, and do alot of music/video based stuff (watching Youtube, movies, etc). I'm not a gamer but in looking for a laptop I wanted something that HAS the performance, if I need it, whether I decide to use it or not. If you are a college student (like I am), its a great laptop with great battery life, but be prepared to carry around a bit of added weight, just due to the sheer size of this thing.
Overall great laptop and I wouldn't change it for the world. Thanks for reading!

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP Pavilion DV7-3060US 17.3-Inch Espresso Laptop - Up to 4.5 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)

For those who want an all-in-one performance notebook with rich multimedia features, the HP Pavilion dv7 Entertainment series delivers desktop-replacement performance that looks as great as it runs. Powered by the latest processor and graphics technologies, it delivers optimal mobile performance to support your lifestyle.Enjoy full-screen viewing of HD TV and movies with the large 16:9 17.3-Inch diagonal display.HP Triple Bass Reflex Subwoofer amplifiers put out 12W total while supporting a full range of treble and bass frequencies.Chat face to face with the HP Webcam and add fun special effects.Enter data quickly with the separate numeric keypad.Create personalized, silkscreen-quality DVD and CD labels with LightScribe.

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Toshiba Satellite L675D-S7022 LED TruBrite 17.3-Inch Laptop (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I did a lot of comparison between this laptop and a comparable Acer that I found on Amazon and a few other retailers. Over all the specs for both were the same. 17.3 screen, 500 gig hard drive, 4 gigs of ram. But the Toshiba had a better video card with more memory and the AMD processor was a true triple core where the Acer had a Intel i3 duel core. And even though the i3 clocked higher I was interested in the AMD chip since it actually has three dedicated chips that clock at 1.8 ghz and the i3 does not. When I received the laptop the first thing I noticed was the keyboard had a "smooshy" feel to it. My last laptop had a satisfying "click" when I pressed a key but after a few days of typing I am pretty happy with it. The keys are not as sloppy as I thought and typing is easy and accurate. I love the screen! My last laptop was a 15.6" screen and I wanted to trade up to a larger screen (I work from home as a graphic and video editing freelancer) The colors are crisp and the is nice and bright. Overall this laptop is very fast for a 17.3" that is under $800 I do plan on upgrading the memory to 8 gigs (which runs about $200 at this time) but for the everyday user the 4 gigs it comes with are more than enough. The 500 gig hard drive was also a must for me since all the programs I use for my work take up almost a 100 gigs just by themselves. So I am all installed and still have almost 400 gigs for storage. I have had this machine on for almost four hours now and it is not hot at all. Overall I am very pleased with my purchase.
Some smaller things -
Web cam - Not the best, it looks like the contrast it turned up way to high. Honestly its not a big deal to me since I'm not a big fan of web cams.
Speakers - Like most laptops the sound is a bit tinny. I have given up on a Windows laptop sounding as good as a Mac.
USB ports - Only three. my last machine had four and a firewire and this came in handy more than once.
Windows 7 - I don't get what all the hoopla is about. Windows 7 feels just like Vista. Maybe I am missing something, but from all the hype I expected it to burp rainbows and cure cancer and so far I am just not seeing it.
Update October 25th, 2010
I am still happy with this laptop. I have upgraded the memory to 8 gigs (Almost $300 at the time of purchases.) this has made things a little more zippy but now think I could have gone with 6 gigs (and half the price) and still been happy. Cooling on this laptop is the best I have ever had. I work on this all day and have never thought to myself "Better give this machine a rest to cool down".

Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba Satellite L675D-S7022 LED TruBrite 17.3-Inch Laptop (Black)


Toshiba Satellite L675D: Fashionable, Affordable and Portable with 17.3-Inch Screen
Offering a redesigned chassis with a sleeker body, the nicely affordable Toshiba Satellite L675D-S7022 notebook PC makes it easy to handle computing essentials at home, school or work--from surfing the web and downloading video to managing household finances or studying for finals. And its high-gloss Fusion Finish in Helios Gray will be sure to raise a few eyebrows while you're on the go.

You'll enjoy maximum screen real estate and excellent movie playback from the stunning 17.3-inch LED-backlit display with 720p native high-definition resolution. You'll also be able to burn through the hottest new digital media, content creation and advanced 3D gaming thanks to the triple-core AMD Phenom II Mobile Processor P820.

Thanks to the built-in webcam and Toshiba Face Recognition software on this machine, you'll enjoy a more convenient way to communicate, log on or share your laptop among the family. Other high-tech features include a power-saving Eco Utility to help reduce power consumption based on your needs and one USB/eSATA combo port.

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



Key Features
17.3-inch widescreen HD+ TruBrite LED-Backlit display not only renders stunning visuals, but it's more environmentally friendly as it uses less power (1600 x 900 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio).


1.8 GHz AMD Phenom II P820 triple-core processor (with AMD M880G Chipset and 1.5 MB L2 cache) lets you enjoy movies, music and games like you never have before, with amazing detail, clarity and color. Plus, you can experience Microsoft Windows 7 the way it was intended. All this with the freedom to do more on the go with long battery life rating.


500 GB SATA hard drive (5400 RPM)


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


ATI Radeon HD 4250 graphics card provides exceptional features, performance and power-efficiencies that enrich what you see and do (256 MB - 1405 MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory).


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


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



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


Included Toshiba Software:
Toshiba Media Controller offers simplified media sharing. Using an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, it lets you share videos, music and pictures from the media library on your laptop with compatible devices in your home entertainment network, or with other compatible laptops and devices, like an Xbox 360 game console. And you can do it all without moving equipment, burning discs or fumbling with cables.
Toshiba Bulletin Board is an easy-to-use organizational and productivity app that lets you build your own personalized space on your desktop. With Toshiba Bulletin Board, you can quickly and easily manage your to-do lists and calendars, plus create your own custom work area by pinning your favorite photos, documents, links and more.
Toshiba ReelTime helps you cut down the time it takes to search for files. The easy-to-use app takes traditional text-based file structures one step further to help you find what you're looking for more quickly. Accessible from your taskbar, it shows you a visual timeline of your recently accessed files--using graphical thumbnails--so you can easily identify and get to your files faster.



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



Up to 3.8 hours of battery life (6-cell battery; 48 Wh)


Dimensions & Weight: 16.3 x 10.6 x 1.49 inches (WxDxH); 6.6 pounds



Pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system (64-bit version), you'll be able to easily create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. Windows 7 is the easiest, fastest, and most engaging version of Windows yet. Better ways to find and manage files, like Jump Lists and improved taskbar previews, help you speed through everyday tasks. Windows 7 is designed for faster and more reliable performance, so your PC just works the way you want it to.

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



Environmental Specifications
Energy Star 5.0 certified
Gold EPEAT designation for meeting standards to help reduce its environmental impact.
RoHS compliant effectively reducing the environmental impact by restricting the use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances

Learn more about Toshiba's environmental commitment.

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25th Anniversary of Toshiba Laptops
This year, Toshiba celebrates its 25th anniversary of innovations and quality in the notebook PC business. Beginning with the launch of the Toshiba T1100, the world's first clamshell-type, fully functional laptop PC, Toshiba has led the with such innovations as the first laptop with a color monitor in 1991 and a laptop with integrated CD-ROM drive in 1995 (followed by the addition of a DVD drive in 1998). And in 2009, Toshiba unveiled the world's first ultraportable laptop with 512GB solid state drive.

Today, Toshiba continues to be a leader in eco-friendly manufacturing, with virtually all of its consumer laptops earning EPEAT Gold status for meeting standards that help reduce overall environmental impact.

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Toshiba Satellite U505-S2010 TruBrite 13.3-Inch Laptop (Black/Brown) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I also have an HP DV4t, half a dozen older Toshiba, Sony and HP notebooks, and a whole gaggle of netbooks. So I'm kind of addicted to cool portable hardware.
Among the myriad laptops & netbooks I've owned and used, this one is not the best, but certainly above-average.
Stylish, Core i3 is quick, memory & HDD are roomy. The screen is bright, color saturation is good but mildly washed out relative to the better panels out there. The 8" 1600x900 panel on Sony Vaio P-series is the worst color I've ever seen; this one is above average, just not the best. Beware that this unit (Amazon's, specifically) does not come with a backlit keyboard, which is part of the standard U505-S2005 build spec on Toshiba's website. I bought & installed the backlit keyboard separately, but it cost another $60. So actually this isn't a great deal, it's a cut-rate edition for a cut-rate price. If the backlit keyboard, bluetooth and slot-loading DVD don't really matter to you, then save yourself maybe $150 and snag one of these. Overall it's a very stylish case wrapped around some respectable hardware. However, if you don't care about the relatively compact 13" LCD or the fashionable presentation of the dark brown case, you might be just as well served with a standard 15.4" unit from HP or Acer, with similar hardware, for a couple hundred bucks less. That's true of any laptop that charges a premium for its design.
If you do care about the style and compactness, U505 is a great option.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba Satellite U505-S2010 TruBrite 13.3-Inch Laptop (Black/Brown)


Toshiba Satellite U505: Travel Light with Exceptional Style and Touchscreen Display CapabilitiesWeighing less than 5 pounds, the ultra-portable Toshiba Satellite U505-S2010 notebook PC packs in an extraordinary amount of power and productivity into its elegant, compact package. The 13.3-inch widescreen display offers TruBrite technology for optimal image clarity and a 1280 x 800 resolution for extra desktop working space and a widescreen aspect ratio for watching letterboxed movies. The display also offers touchscreen capabilities for easy navigation through your digital life (learn more below). And this lightweight chassis is sure to stand out in the crowd thanks to the beautiful, textured finish with a Matrix pattern in Luxe Brown.
Thanks to the built-in webcam and Toshiba Face Recognition software on this machine, you'll enjoy a more convenient way to communicate, log on or share your laptop among the family. Other high-tech features include a touchpad with multi-touch control, power-saving Eco Button to help reduce power consumption based on your needs, USB Sleep-and-Charge port, a hard drive impact sensor that protects your data, and a dual-layer DVD±RW drive that burns CDs and offers Labelflash print functionality.
Pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system (64-bit version), you'll be able to easily create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. Windows 7 is the easiest, fastest, and most engaging version of Windows yet. Better ways to find and manage files, like Jump Lists and improved taskbar previews, help you speed through everyday tasks. Windows 7 is designed for faster and more reliable performance, so your PC just works the way you want it to.

Key Features
13.3-inch touchscreen-enabled, high-definition TruBrite display for amazing color depth and clarity with 1280 x 800 resolution with 16:10 aspect ratio (see more touchscreen details below)

2.26 GHz Intel Core i5-430M dual-core processor for smart performance with a speed boost (2.53 GHz with Turbo Boost Technology; 3 MB L3 cache). Intel's Turbo Boost technology maximizes speed for demanding applications, dynamically accelerating performance to match your workload--providing more performance when you need it the most. It also comes equipped with Intel HD Graphics--an advanced video engine that delivers smooth, high-quality HD video playback, and advanced 3D capabilities, providing an ideal graphics solution for everyday computing.

320 GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 RPM) with an impact sensor that helps safeguard your data by "parking" the hard drive heads in the event of a drop or sudden movement.

4 GB of DDR3 RAM (1066 MHz; upgradeable to 8 GB)

Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD with up to 1696 MB of dynamically shared memory allocated by the system.

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

Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g/n) for greater speed and range.

1.3 megapixel webcam with Face Recognition capabilities for added security. And if you're using one laptop for several users--say for the whole family or for a small business--Toshiba Face Recognition lets you switch profiles with one simple look.
Built-in stereo speakers
Dolby Sound Room combines a suite of technologies to deliver truly stunning virtual surround listening from your two laptop speakers, or on headphones for a more immersive private performance. You'll savor super-realistic dialogue and explosions, along with deeper, fatter bass and brighter treble tones.
Fast Ethernet (10/100)
5-in-1 memory card reader compatible with Secure Digital, Secure Digital High Capacity, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Multi Media Card, xD Picture Card
ExpressCard (34/54) slot lets you take advantage of thinner, faster, and lighter expansion cards for even more advanced wireless, networking, storage, and security features.
Three total USB ports with 1 eSATA/USB combo port that also features Sleep and Charge capabilities, allowing you to charge your mobile phone and other devices even when the notebook is asleep or off.
HDMI-CEC audio/video output lets you control additional media players with just a single remote. A standard analog VGA video output is also included.
Combo headphone S/PDIF digital audio output
Enjoy proactive PC health--without the worry. For your peace mind, this laptop comes with an innovative PC Health Monitor that constantly keeps tabs on things like your machine's power usage, temperature and hard drive--so you won't have to.
Windows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. And you can watch shows for free when and where you want with Internet TV on Windows Media Center. Get the best entertainment experience with Windows 7 Home Premium.
Get more features with Windows Anytime Upgrade. It's the best way to add features to Windows 7, takes as few as ten minutes, requires no software or downloads, and you'll keep your existing programs, files, and settings. Windows will walk you through the simple upgrade process.
Pre-loaded software includes Microsoft Works SE 9.0 for word processing and spreadsheet work. Enjoy a 60-day trial version of Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007.
Up to 3.5 hours of battery life from standard 6-cell battery (4800 mAh).

Weight: 4.75 pounds

Dimensions: 12.5 x 9.08 x 1.5 inches (WxDxH)
Warranty: One-year limited hardware warranty
Energy Star 5.0 certified
Gold EPEAT designation for meeting standards to help reduce its environmental impact.
RoHS compliant effectively reducing the environmental impact by restricting the use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances

What's in the Box This package contains the Toshiba Satellite U505-S2010 notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions.
It also comes with the following software: Norton Internet Security 2009 (30-day trial), Toshiba PC Health Monitor, Microsoft Works, Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 Edition (60-day trial), Windows Media Player, Corel DVD Movie Factory, Google Toolbar, Google Picasa, PowerCinema, WildTangent Orb Game Console
More Details
Touchscreen-Enabled LaptopThis model of the Toshiba Satellite M505 offers a whole new way to navigate your digital world via touchscreen display technology. And with the new touchscreen capabilities of Windows 7, you'll discover easy and exciting new ways to have fun and get things done with your PC.
Browse If you're the type who likes to go digital and read a lot online, you'll love having a laptop with a touch screen. Browse through newspapers and Web pages with ease, or flick through photo albums fast. It makes going paperless a real possibility.
Scroll, Drag and Drop Easily sift through long lists and files with a natural swirling motion. Then point, drag and drop those files wherever you want them. You've never sorted things out quite so quickly.
Rotate Sometimes you want to adjust the onscreen image clockwise or counter-clockwise--for a presentation, a photo album, or simply to enjoy better viewing. The touch screen makes it a cinch--using just the tip of your finger.
Zoom In and Out Study the details of a picture. Read the fine print. Or simply punctuate your latest point. The touchscreen lets you zoom in and out with a simple two-finger motion. You'll save time and keystrokes--and have some fun in the process.

Click here for more information about Toshiba Satellite U505-S2010 TruBrite 13.3-Inch Laptop (Black/Brown)

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Mambate USB External 5.1 Channel Sound Card USB 2.0 to Audio Adapter with Microphone Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)a lemon. a waste of time, even if it were given away for free.
it indeed produces sound, but
- the sound is much too loud and cannot be adjusted.
even with all sound settings on the lowest possible values,
it could be heard loudly through unpowered headphones from across the room.
- the plastic housing falls apart in your hands
- after 2 days of use, it started to work only
when i applied upward pressure against it while in the usb socket.
inspection showed that this was because the soldering on the usb connector
was loose and good contact could only be maintained with pressure.
using pliers, i could bend the metal tabs
that hold the usb connector to the pcb to increase the pressure,
but the tabs are weak and this solution does not work for long.
- the product box is rife with spelling and grammatical errors,
giving me the impression that the manufacturer is unprofessional.
conspiracy theory:
all the cheap usb sound cards sold on amazon
have the same semi transparent blue or gray plastic housing
that says "3D SOUND" on it. and even though their prices
vary from $1 to $7, i think maybe they are all
made by this same manufacturer and are all defective.
i got the $7 one, and it was just as bad as the reviews for the $1 one.
after shipping this cost $12.48.
later, i bought a great sound card from a reputable company
for only $20 (shipping cost $0). so do yourself a favor and
don't try to save money by buying this.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Mambate USB External 5.1 Channel Sound Card USB 2.0 to Audio Adapter with Microphone

Specifications:Hot plug-and-play USB interface ,eliminates the need of traditional sound card. Multi-channels technique, achieve analogy Stereo 5.1-channel sound effects .Dynamic surround background sound effects. Virtual SPEAKER SHIFTER. Freely set and switch the Microphone mode or speaker mode. Available stereo mixed music effects; Karaoke function. Record function by microphone( available from MB-102) .16 rhythm modes for selection .23 environment sound effects for selection .Compatible with USB 1.0 / 1.1 / 2.0 .Product Requirements:PentiumII 300, Celeron AMD Athlon processor, or higher (Pentium III 450, Celeron AMD Athlon processor recommended). 64 MB RAM (or minimum OS requirement whichever is higher). 200 MB free hard drive space .CD-ROM Drive for Install Software .Available USB Port .Package Includes:Usb 5.1ch 3d Ext. Usb Sound .Driver CD .

Get 71% OFF

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USB2.0 External Toshiba TS-L632 8x DVD+/-RW DL Slim Burner/Drive Read/write CD DVD Drive for laptop notebook Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)i bought it for my boyfriend but its slower than i thought it would be for burner but other than that its ok

Click Here to see more reviews about: USB2.0 External Toshiba TS-L632 8x DVD+/-RW DL Slim Burner/Drive Read/write CD DVD Drive for laptop notebook

USB 2.0 External Rewriteable DVD +/- RW Drive is so slim that you can put it into your pocket! No additional AC adapter and software needed, supports plug and play, this portable external DVD burner lets you can instantly watch DVDs and create DVDs, CDs with your notebooks, tablet PCs and desktop PCs.

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Toshiba Satellite A665D-S6076 15.6-Inch LED Laptop (Fusion X2 Finish in Charcoal) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)We've only had this machine for a few days, but it's been great. I am still having trouble getting my head around the fact this machine sells for $579 on Amazon. Wow. This replaces an older Shuttle XPC that has served us well for many years. The Shuttle is now happily residing in the man cave. Only a few minor complaints:
1) Not a big fan of the multi-touch action on the touchpad. It's a bit jumpy and sensitive. It's too easy to "pinch" and you find yourself with really big or really small text on your web pages, even when your hand is just close, not necessarily touching. I have a MacBook Pro for work, and this multi-touch pad isn't even close to working as well, but then this machine cost about a third of what the MacBook did. I can totally live with it. It's mainly my wife's machine anyway, and she prefers a mouse, so it's a non-issue.
2) Web cam is cheesy at .3 MP, but it gets the job done.
3) Screen is really glossy. I wish there was a matte option. You can get quite a bit of glare in a sunny room.
That said, there are also many pros:
1) Very snappy overall. I've always been a fan of AMD due to their architecture and cost/speed ratio. I never thought it made sense to split hairs with performance metrics on a personal machine anyway. As long as you get pretty current technology, you'll be fine. I have been in a technology job for many years dealing with servers and such, and my experience makes me prefer AMD if I have a choice. Your mileage may vary. 4GB RAM and a nice 500GB hard drive are all we'll ever need. Wish the HD was 7200 RPM, but that wasn't a deal breaker by any means.
2) Surprisingly good sound. I streamed an Austin City Limits episode on it and it sounds incredible for a laptop. Headphones also sound much better than other laptops. Even a bit more crisp and clear than my MacBook. Very impressed with the Dolby/Harmon/Kardon combo.
3) Bang for the buck. $579? Ridiculous.
4) Not too much bloatware. I was expecting more. I only had to uninstall a couple of apps and disable a few of the Toshiba software apps that pop up in your grill when you first boot the machine up. I was expecting to spend hours uninstalling junk, but I haven't had to.
Overall, very pleased. I would recommend this to anyone.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba Satellite A665D-S6076 15.6-Inch LED Laptop (Fusion X2 Finish in Charcoal)


Toshiba Satellite A665D: 16-Inch Screen for Mobile HD Entertainment
Replace your desktop PC with the Toshiba Satellite A665D-S6076, which features a 16-inch diagonal HD TruBrite widescreen LED-backlit display, touchpad with multi-touch control, and a dual-layer DVD±RW drive that burns CDs and offers Labelflash print functionality. The bright 16-inch LCD (1366 x 768) offers a true 16:9 aspect ratio and 720p native high-definition resolution, and the A665D is great for using as a media center with the touch-sensitive media keys placed above the keyboard.
Enjoy both style and comfortable ergonomics with the A665's textured palm rest (see larger image).

Get 27% OFF

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Toshiba Satellite T235-S1370 13.3-Inch Laptop ( Fusion Chrome Finish in Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Except for one "feature", you can't beat this laptop for its price in the 13", ultraportable, workhorse class. The LED screen is great and this computer's ergonomics are truly world class....the best anywhere. It's sturdy and the exterior form factor makes it feel and handle even lighter and smaller than its 3.8 pounds and actual dimensions.
The dual core Pentium 1.2GHz processor, a crippled version of the iseries, works much better than expected. I do wish the i3 and/or i5 had been an option as well as a 7200 rpm drive but, no matter, it's quite fast enough as it is. The integrated graphics are also really good for integrated graphics...again, the iseries architecture thing.
So, to the 3 star rating -- This laptop and other late model Toshiba's have a power off battery drain issue, or problem....how you view it depends on how you use your laptop. Left installed, the battery will drain at about 10%/day with the laptop turned off.....not sleep or hibernate, but off! Ten days max without use or charging and the battery's dead unless it's been removed. Turns out this is well known among users. Toshiba says it's normal behavior, which is just nuts, and won't address it further. Speculation is this is a motherboard design flaw possibly linked to to the USB port sleep 'n charge feature. Irrespective, please be aware of this and expect it before you buy. If you use your laptop daily and charge it often, or don't mind pulling the battery when it's not going to be used for a few days, this should not be a problem and the T235 remains an outstanding value...a bargain. If, like me, this is a secondary computer used for business travel that can routinely sit unused for a week or more....then it may well be a deal breaker.
**EDIT**...Going in to Toshiba utilities and unchecking both, on by default, Sleep 'n Charge option blocks will semi-cure the power drain problem. Reduces it to about 2%/day, which is at least manageable. So, my rating increases to four stars but that's pretty much it for this otherwise outstanding product. That there is any parasitic drain at all with the computer completely shut off still constitutes a flaw/defect. And Toshiba's refusal to even acknowledge the problem, let alone help, I consider inexcusable.

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Toshiba Satellite T235: Ultra-Thin Portability with Long Battery Life
Get laptop-class size and performance from the ultrathin Toshiba Satellite T235 notebook PC with 13.3-inch screen (model T235-S1370), which weighs less than 4 pounds and measures less then 1 inch thin. Offering the performance, flexibility and functionality you expect in a standard-sized laptop but in a highly portable and efficient package, this T235 features a power-efficient Intel ultra-low voltage processor with dual-core power.
Weighing just 3.9 pounds, the ultrathin Toshiba Satellite T235 features a 13.3-inch LED backlit screen (see larger image).

Get 13% OFF

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HP Pavilion DV2-1110US 12.1-Inch Entertainment Laptop Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Just one week after I buy this notebook from Amazon, the price falls by $27 and Amazon refuses to match the price drop. Quite disappointing in that regard. I ordered this on a Wed, Amazon shipped on Sunday and it arrived on Tuesday with free shipping. So that was good.
On to the notebook. First the pros:
Build quality is good and it feels expensive compared to most sub $500 note/netbooks.
Large keys on the keyboard while not as spacious as a regular keyboard works better than than those from Acer that use the chicklet size keys. One of the reasons why I chose this over the Acer Timeline series.
Screen is bright and sharp.
Small compact and lightweight since it doesn't have a built-in DVD drive (uses an external drive). Design looks clean and modern with none of that clunky look from the low end Lenovos or Toshibas.
Uses Vista 64 bit edition
Has HDMI port to plug into HDTVs
Dedicated graphics processor and memory.
Now the cons:
Battery life is average 2-3 hours
Uses single core AMD Athlon Neo processor which is underpowered for Vista. There're occasional lags when running basic things like browsers, Word, etc. The CPU is maxed out at 100% most times.
The initial applications and drivers installed seem to make the notebook run really slow. I tried to watch videos on Hulu.com and they were jerky and slow. After installing updated video drivers and IE8 and Firefox, it worked better. Strange for a notebook professing to be an "Entertainment" notebook to be that bad at video until the drivers were updated. Despite the dedicated graphics processor and memory, video performance is just average and can a bit slow at times.
Bloatware. There are several but not too bad.
HP MediaSmart: this is pretty useless since the notebook already has Windows Media Center. The software itself is nothing great and eats up additional memory and CPU cycles.
Bottom line: This notebook is just barely able to run Vista 64 since the CPU is underpowered. It's a compromise between a full blown notebook and netbook since it has a decent size hard drive and screen. To make it perform better, you'll have to remove all the bloatware and unnecessary applications, and download the latest software updates and drivers. I'll be upgrading to Win 7 when it arrives so hopefully, that'll improve the performance further. Also probably look into upgrading the 2gb ram to 4gb.


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EXQUISITELY THIN: Refining the dv series to achieve optimal mobility, the new dv2 wears a magnesium-aluminum alloy case, an LED display and a 92% of full-size keyboard. It offers optional WWAN, runs on breakthrough energy-efficient AMD processors and removes the internal optical drive. The elegant modern lines and metalized finishes that define the dv series remain but with a profile less than 1" thin and starting weight of just 3.81lbs. Lustrous magnesium-aluminum alloy casing on the outside is complemented by color-matched HP Imprint finish on the inside in Moonlight white. External optical drives are available in Espresso black. HPs mobile products have won coveted International Red Dot, iF and CES Innovation design awards and been recognized by other leading design institutions.SURPRISINGLY ENTERTAINING: Carry on your favorite entertainment with the standard, large-capacity hard drive.Burn CDs and watch DVD films with the external optical drive. Providing more choices than ever, HP MediaSmart enables access to DVDs, videos, photos, music, and Internet TV at the touch of a button.Get access to watch the best video clips from Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and MTV. Built-in demos show you how to add music to your slide shows or videos with drag-and-drop functionality and much more. An HDMI port enables you to watch films on an HD TV. Muvee Reveal makes creating films complete with effects and transitions a snap! SRS Premium Sound pours through Altec Lansing speakers delivering great audio.What's in the box: dv2-2110us laptop, 65W AC Adapter, 6-Cell Lithium-Ion battery, Symantec Norton Internet Security 2009 with 60 days complimentary live update, Microsoft Works, HP MediaSmart. Muvee Reveal,Cyberlink DVD Suite, Adobe Acrobat Reader and HP Games Powered by Wild Tangent.

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