The storage vendor announces it will begin negotiations with HP over its unsolicited bid if Dell can’t produce a more attractive offer in three business days. View full post on CNET News.com
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Dell Inspiron Mini 1011 10.1-Inch Obsidian Black Netbook – Up to 8 Hours 8 Minutes of Battery Life (Windows 7 Starter)
Dell Inspiron Mini 1011 10.1-Inch Obsidian Black Netbook - Up to 8 Hours 8 Minutes of Battery Life (Windows 7 Starter)
I’ve been eyeing netbooks ever since my fiance got one. After working on it for a little while, I learned that certain features are more important for me than others. First, I needed a large keyboard, and second, I needed a long battery life.
In addition, I had a chance to mess around on my friends’ Apple laptops, which are superior to Windows when it comes to operating systems. But since Apple doesn’t make netbooks, I gave Windows 7 a shot and was blown away by a product that felt like it was made right after a decade of messy messy upgrades to Windows 95. Windows 7 became the third important consideration.
This laptop has it all for me. Love the keyboard (great for a touch-typist like me); the battery is long and sticks DOWN (can’t believe it took years for laptop firms to figure out a way to fit a larger battery in while helping cool down the processor); and Windows 7 works like a charm.
I considered upgrading from the starter version, but after some research, I realized that there really is no reason for me. Upgrading provides features I would never use. Plus, the Starter version works faster and seems to really be designed for netbooks. It’s an eye-candy; the battery delivers (feels good to see “75% left (5hr 45m)” or around there); and I did not need to relearn typing.
The drawbacks compared to other netbooks: the larger battery also makes it a bit heavier; some software is incompatible with Windows 7 (still working on getting Fifa 09 to work); and the ac adapter is larger on the end rather than having a hub in the middle of the wire (this might get in the way when plugging it in in class); finally, I dealt with Dell before, and had to talk to rude Indians (nothing against Indians, but you don’t get the same quality of customer service.. I’d much rather talk to folks from Dallas or Columbus).
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Toshiba Mini NB205-N230 10.1-Inch Black Onyx Netbook – 9 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Starter)
Toshiba Mini NB205-N230 10.1-Inch Black Onyx Netbook - 9 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Starter)
I received the Toshiba netbook two weeks ago. Needless to say, I spent some time setting it up for my preferences. This is my first Windows 7 PC. I found that the Windows 7 has some limitations with background settings, etc. I also noticed that the nice Windows Mail program (from Vista) was no longer available. I now use GMAIL. ANOTHER CON:The loudspeakers sound anemic and I needed earphones to really enjoy music.
I especially like the keyboard. I got the hang of it in a very short time and was able to type emails and word documents with almost the same speed as on the full size keyboard on my desktop. After about one day I convinced myself that NB 205 with 1 GB of memory was rather slow. So I ordered the 2 GB extra memory from Amazon. After replacing the 1 GB with the 2GB, I found that the speed and response time picked up remarkably. I achieved even better speed and response times when I inserted a 4 GB high speed SD card into the available slot and activated the Speedbooster function.(Available in Vista and W7) It uses the faster flash memory for paging instead of using the slower, hard disk. By now, this little netbook computer performs just about as well as my 6 GB HP desktop with Vista and a 2.4 MHZ processor. I like its looks, the small size, the keyboard, the speed. Quite a package.
The display is crisp and clear. Battery life – outstanding. I used the NB 205 for 8 hours on batteries only, and never missed a beat. Wireless transmission seems to be working just fine.
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ASUS Eee PC 1005HA-PU1X-BK 10.1-Inch Black Netbook – 10.5 Hour Battery Life
ASUS Eee PC 1005HA-PU1X-BK 10.1-Inch Black Netbook - 10.5 Hour Battery Life
There are three US versions of the Asus 1005HA:
- Best Buy offers the 1005HA-B for $299 (plus tax). It features the N270 (1.6GHz 533FSB) cpu, glossy display, 3-Cell 23Wh Li-ion Battery (4 hrs), and a 1.3MP webcam. Excluded are the Bluetooth module, 10GB online Eee storage, and netbook sleeve. This is obviously the “Basic” model. I was able to demo this unit at Best Buy on June 27th, and IMO you are giving up quite a bit for the ~$60 savings over the ‘P’ model. Not to mention that as of now Asus will not sell you a spare 3 or 6-cell Li-Ion battery.
- The 1005HA-V is in the middle of the bunch and the only one with a matte display. Those that frequently work outdoors or despise reflections will appreciate the matted display. It also features a N270 cpu, 6-cell 48Wh Li-ion Battery (8.5 hrs), 0.3MP webcam (according to Amazon specs, but it may in fact be 1.3MP), no Bluetooth, and absent again is the netbook sleeve.
- So in a nutshell (or would that be seashell?) the 1005HA-P offers the faster N280 cpu, glossy display, 1.3MP webcam, 6-Cell 63Wh Li-ion Battery with a whopping 10.5 hrs run time, Bluetooth v2.1, and a black netbook sleeve. Realistic battery numbers are between 8.5-9hrs. of battery life if you’re using wifi & doing email/word processing/YouTube/web surfing.
The glossy LED display offers excellent color and contrast when used indoors. I was also pleasantly surprised with the excellent horizontal viewing angles. Keep in mind that once you get in a room full of light or step outdoors screen reflections could become annoying. I’ve used mine outside on a sunny day, and the screen is still very much legible. In fact it was much more detailed than the matte screen on my Dell D600.
All three units come with the Digital Array Mic which consists of two powerful microphones. Ambient background noises are eliminated, as well as reduced echoes for clearer voice recording. What’s more, with only direct sound (within 60°) recorded, you’ll obtain better voice capture. I’ve tested the mic with Skype, and it’s loud and clear once you fine tune using the Realtek HD Audio manager. All models also include a WiFi 802.11 b/g/n adapter and 160GB 5400RPM hard drive. My 1005HA-P contains a Hitachi HTS543216L9SA00 hard drive and Atheros AR9285 wifi card. Atheros chipsets are known for excellent range and are typically less prone to connection drops. I’d like to point out that the AR9285 is only capable of 150Mbps.
All three variations of the 1005HA ship with 1GB DDR2 800MHz memory. The good news is that you can remove the memory door on the bottom of the chassis and swap it out for a 2GB DDR2 200-pin SODIMM in under 2 minutes. Anytime you install new memory I’d recommend running a Prime95 “Blend” torture test for 12-24 hrs to make sure your system is stable. The Eee Super Hybrid Engine utility lets users overclock or underclock their Eee PC’s to boost performance or provide better battery life depending on their immediate requirements. In Super Performance mode CPU-Z shows the bus speed to increase up to 169.9MHz which translates into roughly 1.7GHz. One way to quickly change modes is to press Fn + spacebar.
One word of advice is to be really careful about which anti-malware software you install since it will degrade performance both on and off the internet on these netbooks. Whatever you elect to install I would highly recommend you benchmark the performance both before and after. In regards to free anti-viruses that run light I would tip my hat to Antivir (nag screen can be disabled by searching Google) and Panda Cloud. For pay versions Norton 2010 & NOD32 should be considered.
One minor annoyance is that the display will not tilt back as far as some people may like. The glossy chassis is also a fingerprint magnet. A few other things I’d like to point out is that you must push the micro-sized right angle end of the ac adapter until it snaps in place or the battery may not charge. In addition the ac adapter does get quite hot while it is actively charging the battery, which Asus clearly mentions in the user manual, so one should not be alarmed over the heat output. The final quirk is that the hard drive is split into two 80GB (before formatting) partitions. Fortunately this can be resolved by using Easeus Partition Master Home which is a free utility.
Overall I am extremely satisfied with the 1005HA-P, and it is arguably the finest 10″ netbook on the market. Keep in mind that if you want a White or Pink shell you’ll be limited to the ‘B’ or ‘V’ models. Asus has already released the two aforementioned colors in Europe & Asia, so hopefully by the end of 2009 we’ll get them as an option on the ‘P’ model. Be sure to check out the Amazon community forum for this product located towards the bottom of this page if you require additional enlightenment. You’ll find a lot of tips, tricks, and general FAQ’s.
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Dell Inspiron 1545 15.6-Inch Jet Black Laptop – Up to 4 Hours 34 Minutes of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)
Dell Inspiron 1545 15.6-Inch Jet Black Laptop - Up to 4 Hours 34 Minutes of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)
I bought mine from Dell with a little better price but I buy a lot from Amazon and find the reviews helpful. I have a Dell XPS which is a high end Dell and running my benchmarks it is really preforms quite well considering the cost. Like one lady said the sound is better than the xps, maybe the best I have heard on a laptop. The screen is about a 1/2 inch shorter from top to bottom but about 1/2 inch wider. I thought I would be to skinny like the new 16:9 but its fine. The screen is excellent in sharpness and color very good. The intel graphics card is ample for video and is ok for older games. I am not a gamer high end graphics are not a issue.It does have 32mb of its own ram and the rest is shared. Dell has finally installed a app to back up the system for restore like other oems. The roxio is pretty much worthless and you need something else for the normal burning that windows 7 cant do.Mine came with 15 months of mcafee and I uninstalled it as soon as I got it. It is a resource hog and will slow your computer to a crawl at times. Microsoft finally has a free security essentials app instead of having to pay someone else to protect your computer and I use it as well as Avira anti virus (free)from time to time. I am going on 4 hours battery now and the battery says I have 50 minutes left. It only has 1 led for power and low battery, I dont care for this and prefer a full set of leds to let me know whats going on. Software indicators work but or a cost cutting feature.
My only problem is the space bar feels loose at times and hinges for the monitor are quite stiff and hope they don’t break.
I have had my share of problems with Dell and have sent back 2 different computers. To be honest this is the best computer for the money I have had. Only time will tell if it holds up or not but I am quite happy with it. Charging $40.00 for a different color (on there website)lid is a rip off to me, but each to their own. Mine came with 3gb ram and I added a 2gb chip for 4gb I had and it does make a difference. I would keep an eye on the price as they do change. One of the main reasons I bought this is because I despised vista, but I have had no problems with 7. My wifi and networked worked with no problems.
Update: a nice feature that might confuse some people is that the fn key need not be pushed to use the media keys and the sound volume and brightness. There is a bios setting that can change the priority of the fn key to media first or number keys (like f1 f2 f3) first) It is set by default to media first. I have never seen this before but I like this feature.
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Dell Axim X5 400 MHz Pocket PC
Dell Axim X5 400 MHz Pocket PC
To start out, the Dell Axim X 5 is fantastic! 90% of the negative reviews for it have to be from people who shouldn’t have gotten a pocket pc in the first place. I ordered my X5 on a Thursday, and received it the following Tuesday with regular ground shipping. After charging it for the required four hours before turning it on, I had it up and running and synced with my desktop without any problems. I’ve been using it for a week now and am loving it.
The display is bright and easy to read, the battery life is everything it’s supposed to be and I’ve been perfectly happy with the included software. I’m actually writing this review on my X5 using pocket word!
The touchscreen feels sturdy, yet requires only a gentle tap to make an entry. I find the screen easy to look at, and usually keep the brightness level set at 50%. In direct sunlight the colors on the screen do appear washed out though.
I can’t say whether or not Dell customer service is any good or not, but then I don’t know that I’ve ever had a good experience with any companies customer service. I was impressed with how quickly I received my ppc, and how quick and easy it was to start working with it.
I’ve run several high-end multimedia programs on it without any hitches, and highly recommend downloading the free divxmvp program for running videos.
In CNET’s review, they complained about the protector case which comes with it being too large to fit in your pocket. The thing is, it’s not made to be put in your pocket while in the case, it’s a hip case with a sturdy, removable belt clip that holds my Axim securely and protects it from even moderate bumps, as I’m an engineer who has to do a lot of climbing in and around a lot of equipment.
The X5’s shape makes it a pleasure to hold, being slightly tapered at the bottom makes it feel more natural in my hand than a unit which is completely squared off. The rubber grips along the sides of the unit makes it feel very secure while holding it.
On the downside though, I can say that the X5’s navigator button is mushy as others have reported, making it nearly useless for gaming. The sound quality from the single speaker on the face of the unit is only adequate, but what can you expect from a mono speaker? The unit does include a standard 1/4 inch stereo headphone jack which provides excellent sound even with a pair of cheap headphones.
The record button on the left side of the Axim is very tiny, and has to be pushed in with the corner of my thumbnail, which is very hard to do, especially while moving or driving. I suppose on the plus side it does make it virtually impossible to accidentally press the record button.
I’ve found it a little difficult to slip the unit into the syncing/charging cradle, the receptacle on the bottom of the unit doesn’t quite line up as well as it should with it’s male counterpart in the cradle, making me nervous that I could accidentally damage it.
The included documentation, while adequate does seem sparse, mostly consisting of warnings about what not to do with the unit. More tips about what could be done with it would have been nice.
Overall though, the X5 is a great value for the price, which was $269 including shipping and handling direct from Dell. I wouldn’t get rid of it for anything and can’t wait to start getting some of the great accessories available for it. I highly recommend this pocket-pc to anyone in search of powerful windows computing in a compact package.
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Dell Inspiron 545 Piano Black Desktop PC with 22-Inch HD Monitor (Windows 7 Home Premium)
Dell Inspiron 545 Piano Black Desktop PC with 22-Inch HD Monitor (Windows 7 Home Premium)
This computer is a replacement for a relative’s ancient Dell Dimensions system. I bought it and am setting it up for him. I personally have several Windows XP computers myself, 1 Vista, and 1 Snow Leopard (iMac), and I do know a lot about computers and networking, so this review will have those above thoughts in mind as I write it.
Positives:
* Monitor (5/5)
The supplied 22″ has an exceptionally sharp screen, and I have no complaints about it at all. Perfect size, and works very well even at mid-range settings (I like 1920×1200, but lower resolutions are still sharp, unlike experiences I’ve had in the past with other computers & monitors).
* Windows 7 (5/5)
I can’t find anything to complain about with 7. It is intuitive, and does everything I need easily and without having to jump through hoops. I was familiar with the earlier Windows releases, so there was basically no learning curve for me with 7. I am also a big Snow Leopard fan, but now with 7, in my mind they are pretty much equals.
* Box (5/5)
The piano black looks nice. I like that the DVD drive and the card reader slots are covered when not in use to keep dust at bay. It runs quiet, so that is much appreciated. I also prefer the Intel processor VS AMD, and like that it came with 6Mb RAM and a large hard drive.
* Keyboard (4/5)
The supplied keyboard is basic, and is a USB connection (not wireless). It works well, and is no frills. No complaints.
* Speakers (3/5)
The speakers are slimline, and very light. They won’t get real loud, but are fine for basic needs. If you are planning on doing anything like watching movies frequently, you may consider upgrading them. Absolutely fine for everyday use though.
* Performance (5/5)
For my relative’s needs (internet, email, youtube, etc), this is perfect. Video works great, and the speed of 7 is satisfactory. I did some benchmark testing, and the processor and drive score high, with the only downfall being the graphics ability. Nobody will notice that though, unless you are into hard core gaming.
* Amazon (5/5)!!!
The price is terrific, and is actually a much better deal than I could get from Dell directly (at least as of this writing, deals change all the time). Also very much appreciated the $3.99 1-day shipping! I’m a prime member so I could have had free 2-day shipping, but I wanted to make sure it was delivered when someone would be here so the 1-day worked out great.
Negatives:
* Mouse (2/5)
The mouse is also a USB connection (not wireless), and is pretty cheap. It is optical and tracks fine, but just feels real cheap. I’ll probably replace with a nicer wireless mouse.
* Dell supplied software (1/5)
The only real issue I’m having is the Dell supplied software crashes repeatedly. None of it is very useful, so I just disabled it and all is well. Please note that this is NOT a Windows 7 issue, but an issue with the Dell utilities software itself. I suspect they will have updates that will fix it, but for now, it liked to crash, so I just disabled it. I also uninstalled the supplied anti-virus software and installed one I like better that is free, but that is just a personal choice.
Overall:
I am very pleased with this computer! The hardware (except for the mouse) is better than expected, especially the monitor. I would recommend this setup without hesitation, especially for those that are mainly going to do emails & internet. This is a stellar deal as well, and I feel you get a lot for the money.
Thanks for reading.
UPDATE 11/29/09: I did purchase the Logitech Cordless Desktop Wave Pro keyboard and mouse set to replace the supplied Dell ones for this system. This was a fantastic upgrade! I highly recommend the Wave Pro setup. It integrates well with Windows 7, and has dedicated keys on the mouse and keyboard for Aero among other things. With this mouse and keyboard, I like the system even better.
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