Laptops Arena

The business laptop range is extremely important in any manufacturer's portfolio. This is a proven fact by the market sales from the last couple of years. Toshiba know everything it need to about laptops and computing. It's probably one of the most respected laptop manufacturers, just below Apple and Dell. By looking and judging its portfolio, Toshiba is better than Sony Vaios laptops. The Tecra line offered by Toshiba brings three distinctive models, all of them offering exactly what business consumers might like. These three models don't just differ in design, but also in functionality and performances.
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The first Tecra model reviewed, the Tecra M10, is the entry level business laptop, offering an average design with good productivity, average display, security features, all offered in an ultraportable design and for only $1.199 starting price. The next reviewed model, R10, brings excellent performances, and an epic set of high performances all packed in a small and light body for a starting price of $1.249. Therefore, what could possibly bring the Tecra A10? Tecra A10 is the business laptop that can easily replace your desktop, offering great durability and built in security features for an asking price of $1.249.

The A10 is a great desktop replacement, not only offering great performances but it also brings portability in a durable design. In terms of design the A10 looks pretty much like the M10, leaving the R10 to be the beauty in the Tecra family. So, A10 looks conventional, very businesslike, offering a titanium silver cover LCD that provides a nice feeling and keeps away the fingerprints and minor scratches.

You will find this titanium silver case inside the Tecra A10 surrounding the keyboard, and that's about it. In the rest you get a matte black plastic. With a height varying from front to rear 1.46 inches to 1.54 inches, wide of 14.2 inches, deep of 10.4 inches, Tecra A10 weights about 6.2 lbs depending on the configuration chosen. Overall, Tecra A10 looks nice and conservative and provides an excellent built quality.

On the front side you get the microphone input port, and headphone output port and also seven LEDs that provide status for different features. On the right side you get the bridge media adapter (compatible with Multi Media Card, xD memory card, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Secure Digital, and SDHC) located just above the Super Multi DVD (+ / - R double layer) that supports about 11 formats (such as DVD - RAM, DVD + R double layer, DVD + R single layer, DVD + RW, DVD - RW, DVD - R double layer, DVD - R single layer, CD - RW, DVD - ROM, CD - ROM, and CD - R).

Also on the right side of the Tecra A10 you can find three 2.0 USB high speed ports, and the Ethernet RJ 45 port. On the left side beside the cooling vent, you get the serial port, the volume scroll control, one eSATA / USB combo port with sleep and charge, the docking connector, and one PCMCIA type II card slot. Because the displays cover doesn't works as a hinge, you can find on the back side of the Tecra A10 the RGB monitor output port, the modem port, and the AC charger slot.

Once opened the laptop, you are going to see the contrast between the titanium silver case and the matte black plastic found on the keyboard and surrounding the display. If you were looking for a full keyboard, then you are looking at the wrong business laptop line. Toshiba doesn't offer for neither of its business laptop, a full keyboard. Even so the keyboard is identical to the one found on the M10, providing good sized keys with no flex when pressed. Also, the keys provide a good feedback and they inspire durability.

Under the good built keyboard you get the exact layout in the Tecra M10, four buttons that center the touch pad, while the lower two buttons also center the fingerprint reader. The control buttons, Toshiba assist button (for Toshiba assist control panel), and windows mobility center button, and the other buttons included around the keyboard work nicely, but the silver coating makes them a little too slippery. The same feedback you get from the touch pad also, but its coating is a little more matte than this buttons.

The overall quality offered by the Tecra A10 is solid. Toshiba included in Tecra A10 a brilliant 15.4 inches diagonal widescreen TFT LCD display with WSXGA+ resolution (1680 x 1050 pixels). This display is brilliant, offering great viewing angles, vibrant colors, and sufficient brightness under direct sunlight. Above the display, Toshiba included an integrated Webcam. The connectivity is ensured by the Intel 82567 LM 10 / 100 / 1000 Ethernet (Gigabit Network Connection with AMT 4.0), integrated Wi-Fi compliant wireless (Intel Wi-Fi Link 5100 AGN 1 x 2 with 802.11 a/g/n), integrated Bluetooth version 2.1 with enhanced data rate, three USB 2.0 ports, one eSATA / USB combo port with sleep and charge. Toshiba offers two basic configuration laptop models.

These two configuration have some identical specs, such as NVIDIA Quadro NVS 150M (256 MB Discrete graphic chipset), fingerprint reader, Bluetooth version 2.1, Mobile Intel PM 45 Express Chipset and security features. However, the first configuration available, A10 S3511 brings an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P8600 (2.4 GHz, 3 MB L2, and 1066 MHz FSB), 2 GB PC2 6400 DDR2 SDRAM (2048 MB x 1), and a hard drive of 160 GB with 7200 rotations per minute.

This configuration is shipped with Windows Vista Business Service Pack 1 (either the 32 bit version, or the 64 bit version) for only $1.249. The second available configuration, A10 S3501 brings an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T9400 (with 2.53 GHz, 6 MB L2, and 1066 MHz FSB), 4 GB PC2 6400 DDR2 SDRAM (2048 MB x 2), and a hard disk drive of 200 GB 7200 rotations per minute serial ATA hard disk drive with a 9.5 mm height. The Tecra A10 S3501 is shipped with Windows Vista Business operating system, with Service Pack 1 (either 32 bit version, or 64 bit version) for an asking price of $1.499.

Toshiba also added some extra safety in its Tecra models offering a shock absorbing design (HDD shock absorber), hard disk drive protection, spill resistant keyboard, Toshiba PC diagnostic Tool, multiple level passwords, fingerprint reader, Infineon TPM Software Professional Package, and many other more. Other software included in the Tecra A10 models, Toshiba Config Free, Toshiba DVD Player, Toshiba Speech System, Sun Java Runtime Environment as a third party application, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Google Desktop, Google Picasa and Google Toolbar. Also included, but as trial versions are the Microsoft Office Professional 2007 and the Norton Internet Security 2008.

Toshiba ships the Tecra A10 with a 5100 mAh Lithium Ion battery pack (six cell battery), which should provide about 3 hours and 10 minutes (bad battery life). Overall, Tecra 10 is a good desktop replacement. The Tecra A10 is not by far as mobile like the rest of the Tecra line, especially because of the bad battery autonomy. Even so, for using it indoors, Toshiba Tecra 10 provides excellent features and performances in an excellent business design, with a great quality build.

All manufacturers provide a business line for laptops. It's essential to offer as many models in this segment for better sales. Nowadays, businesses are various and business consumers need different models, and not only different configurations of the same laptop. Toshiba is one of the best laptop manufacturers and sellers. Their management is quite impressive, acknowledging the market's demands. Therefore, all their laptop lines are well completed and represent. The Tecra business line, features beside the M10 business model laptop (already presented in a previous article), another two laptop models: R10 and A10.
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Today's article is about R10. So, what does R10 brings different than M10? In design matter, R10 doesn't differ very much than M10. However, this is a good thing, because M10 already packed an excellent design and quality build. As a drawback you might find the uncompleted keyboard a minus. But then again this is the same keyboard found on M10. The design is a little changed. Tecra M10 offers great productivity, bright display, and security features all in an ultraportable design for a price starting at $1.199. The Tecra R10 is the most expensive model in the Toshiba business line. The asking price starts from $1.399.

However, you are not going to be scared by some expensive price tags, since R10 is offered in only two configurations. To summarize what R10 has to offer: a full performance package (with better energy efficiency), advanced business graphics, great quality and durability, all in a sleek and light case. Toshiba successfully created a better design for R10, than it did for M10. The LCD cover color is aluminum silver and it looks extraordinary. It not only looks luxurious but it also feels luxurious. The shinny Toshiba logo adds even more good taste to the lid. Not to worry about fingerprints and scratches because R10 rejects them pretty well. Once opened, you will see the same aluminum silver all over the case and keyboard. Even on the back side, you are going to find the same material, and not a black matte plastic.

The only black surface is the one that surrounds the 14.1 inches display. Everything in this model is extraordinary. You get no flex of the lid and no squeaks when you press the lid too much. The back side of the R10 doesn't sport any ports or slots, mainly because this Tecra model has its lid opened like a hinge. Therefore, when opened the display cover denies any access to the back side. This is common for a light weight and thin laptop.

On the left side of the Tescra R10 you can find the RGB monitor output port, the cooling vent, an eSATA / USB combo port with sleep and charge, another USB 2.0 port, a microphone input port, and a headphone output port, and last but not least the volume scroll control. On the other side you get the input charger slot, Wi-Fi switch on and off, Ethernet RJ 45 port, another 2.0 USB port, the DVD Super Multi (+ / - R double layer) drive with up to 11 formats (DVD - RAM, DVD - ROM, CD - ROM, CD - RW, CD - R, DVD - R single layer, DVD - R double layer, DVD - RW, DVD + RW, DVD + R single layer and DVD + R double layer) and an Express Card slot. On the front side you only get the SD card slot, compatible with SDHC, Secure Digital (SD) with SDIO support. Overall, the design is excellent, and features a great quality build just like any other Toshiba laptop.

Once opened the R10, you get to see the very nice looking keyboard. Unfortunately is not a full keyboard. Even so, the keys are nice, good sized and no flex providing. Feedback is in average limit. However, Toshiba had enough space to include a 108 key US keyboard. By not using the provided space, Toshiba included on the left side of the keyboard the Power on and off button, and another two buttons. The same quality you get in the touch pad. Good feedback, nice matte finish for a good grip, and two average sized buttons under the touch pad (Toshiba Assist button to launch Toshiba Assist control panel and Windows Mobility center button). Centered between the two buttons is the fingerprint reader, providing an extra safety measure beside the password lock. Just like other high range business laptops you can find on the R10 the LED indicators for a better view of the whole activated functions.

This Toshiba business laptop has a height of 1.13 inches (front height) to 1.2 inches (rear height), wide of 13.3 inches, deep of 9.9 inches; Tecra R10 weights about 4.45 lbs depending on the configuration chosen. Toshiba included in Tecra R10 a 14.1 inches diagonal widescreen TFT LED backlit display with a WXGA + resolution (1440 x 900 pixels). The screen is a work of art. Or, so Toshiba want us to think. The main idea is that the screen provides an awful viewing angle. Therefore, Toshiba said that it designed the display for more security. Well, if you don't mind the bad viewing display, and accept Toshiba's ludicrous excuse then you will get a nice colorful display with sufficient brightness even under direct sunlight.

The connectivity is ensured by 54 mm Express Card, RGB monitor output port, 10 / 100 / 1000 Ethernet port (Intel 82567 LM Gigabit Network Connection), two 2.0 USB port, one eSATA / USB combo port with sleep and charge, Bluetooth version 2.1 plus enhanced data rate, Intel Wi-Fi Link 5100 AGN. Toshiba offers two configurations for Tecra R10. Both of these models offer some similar tech features, such as the same Intel Core 2 Duo Processor SP9300 with 2.26 GHz, 6 MB L2, 1066 MHz FSB, the same Mobile Intel GS 45 Express Chipset, Integrated Wi-Fi Link compliant wireless LAN (with 802.11 a/g/n profile).


Also, both R10 S4411 and R10 S4401 are shipped with Window Vista Business Service Pack 1 (and you can choose from the 32 bit version and 64 bit version). However, the Tecra R10 S4411 comes with 2 GB PC2 6400 DDR2 800 MHz SDRAM, an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500 MHD, and a 160 GB HDD with 5400 rotations per minute, all for $1.399. The second configuration is offered for $1.549, and comes with 3 GB PC2 6400 DDR2 800 MHz SDRAM, a NVIDIA Quadro NVS 150M graphic chipset, and 160 GB HDD with 7200 rotations per minute. As you can imagine, the first configuration is more likeable, since the R10 is a business laptop and doesn't exactly need the extra power from the NVIDIA graphic chip.

Toshiba included in the Tecra R10 a six cell Lithium Ion battery with a value of 5100 mAh. This battery should provide about 5 hours and 29 minutes battery time. Other software included in the R10, Toshiba DVD player, Toshiba Config Free, Toshiba Speech System, Sun Java Runtime Environment 3^rd party application, Google Desktop, Google Picasa, Google Toolbar, Adobe Acrobat Reader, and some trial versions for the Office Professional 2007 and Norton Internet Security 2008.

As an overall verdict, I must say that Tecra R10 is impressive. It not only brings an excellent design, but also some quality features in a small package. After two Tecra laptops reviewed (M10 and R10) I must say that if the last business laptop on the Tecra line (A10) is as good as the first two, then Toshiba had successfully created one of the powerful business laptops on the market.

With all the wireless means of communication, what would you say if you could charge your devices in the same manner? There are some start-ups developing this technology, allowing you to charge or power your devices only by placing them around the charging device or just on your desk, in its action area.
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One of these great start-ups belong to Powermat, a company which offers a product which is the best current solution to delivering power for more electronics like cell phones, laptops or PDAs/ smartphones. This company was created in 2007 in Israel, and it brings on the market a revolutionary tool which replaces all the chargers needed by someone who uses multiple electronic devices.

Taking into account that wireless Internet is the latest tech nowadays, it is a great idea to adapt wireless connections to other fields where people might need this type of connection, like charging devices is for example. Many people were happy to see this innovation on chargers’ market, and this idea is expected to be implemented also in the Christmas products’ market, like Christmas trees lighting and why not for other markets, for all products which require power.

Powermat charges the devices by sending power wirelessly and this is done by embedding RFID chips into the surface and when a device with the same kind of chip will be placed next to the surface, it will get power without needing any cord. The idea is great, because only the electronic device placed on the “magic” surface will get the power and this way all energy waste is eliminated.

Think about placing a laptop on this kind of surface: you won’t need anymore a cord for charging it, and you can use it wherever you are. The surface will have two main roles: it will be an area to place your laptop, and in the same time it will power it continuously.

With SET (Surface Enhancement Technology), electrical wires become obsolete, and this innovating idea brings energy distribution to the next level. It is a significant progress and this is a real alternative to the traditional powering methods. SET eliminates all the spaghetti wires in your offices and homes and offers you a clean, simple and intelligent way to charge your devices.

Last year, Powermat started, in partnership with Denpeki the leading Japanese company in advanced construction products, a project called “House Without Wires”, which has as main purpose creation of a cleaner, environmental friendly, safe and more efficient alternative to the materials used in constructions nowadays. This project brings in the construction industry SmartWall. SmartWall is a wall which has the ability to transmit power in a wirelessly manner. It sends power and data to receivers in electronic devices. This SmartWall actually enables any surface to become an alternative method for power distribution and it also replaces electrical sockets and dock stations.

Powermat is the wireless charging surface, which also has a magnetic lock feature, so you can be sure that the device you want to charge won’t slip from the mat, and that they stay in their place. The duration of the charging process is the same as in the classic process, but the best thing is that you get rid of the wires. This charging device is also capable of data transfer, so you can transfer audio and video at unspecified rates, but the speed might be pretty good.

Arguing that schools must technically prepare the students for this 21st century is quite hard. Parents want their children to be equipped for a good college, and labor market wants students and grads with best skills and knowledge. The society we are living in is rapidly becoming global, and terms like "digital divide" has put school districts on the defense, in the whole world. None of the schools wants to be classified as an institution which doesn't equally provide technology for students, across all the social and economic groups. One-to-one computing is rapidly spreading and schools are looking for additional ways to positively influence students' learning process and their achievements. There are two main methods to equip the students: offering them laptops for school only or allowing them to take the devices at home for personal use.
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Nowadays, a computer or a laptop is an essential equipment for all students in their studies. While technology is facing a continuous growth process, the references to Internet are also more and more used in the teaching process, so the need of a laptop is rapidly rising. Not all students can afford purchasing a personal laptop, this is clear, because even the cheapest laptop may seem expensive for a poor student. Most students are aiming to get a free laptop as a base of their studies.

Students in all levels of education, colleges, high schools and even middle schools access the Internet for their assignments, and moreover, there might be institutions which have an internal network, accessible to all the teachers in that institution, and more important, to all of their students. Internet is not always the best source of information, but for sure it is the most convenient one, as compared to the school library. Internet is slowly becoming a vast necessity for all students, and let's face it: it is the biggest library ever. You can find anything on Internet. Students love using Internet for the learning process and also they can satisfy their curiosity on particular topics.

This tremendous need for laptops by individuals, and in our case, the students, proves that the need of technology is extreme. Schooling institutions offer laptops to their students, but this matter becomes important for organizations and companies which can also provide laptops for students. The organizations realized that their help is needed by students who don't have the financial resources for buying a laptop, and somehow, this is a great opportunity for companies to be generous and charitable.



Interesting educational philosophies have emerged in the last decades, and the main tendency is to believe that the students don't have to know the facts, but they must know how to access them. The teacher becomes the facilitator who guides the students in this information access process. This interesting philosophy says that the educational process should follow the 20-80 rule, as in teachers teaching 20% and students learning 80%. A leading consultant on laptops in schools, Alan November, considers that the best way for students to learn according to this philosophy is to connect them to the Internet.

There are some problems rising in this virtual classroom system, and the most important one is that students, using a computer at school, will be assaulted by pornography. they already get in touch with it all over the place, at home, at school (but at lower levels), when they are with their friends, at TV, in magazines, and so on. CIPA (Child Internet Protection Act) requires schools to use filters in order to block Internet pornography, but for sure these filters don't stop evil minds to find out ways of coming in the back door. A lot of christian parents and not only them are concerned that schools will be invaded with pornography, and if they allow students taking the laptops home, the invasion is imminent.

If we follow Alan November's solution, then textbooks will be online in this century, but this is not necessarily a good thing: parents will have difficulties in monitoring the sources used by the teacher in the teaching process, and also the results of their children. It is very important for school districts to purchase some e-mail systems or online management systems which allow a flawless communication between students and teachers.

On the surface, laptop initiatives look great, and technology itself is not a bad thing at all, but a balanced classroom, with focus on the curriculum, but enhanced by technology is much better than a virtual classroom. Behind the appearance of a good intention, the dark side of pornography, changes to classroom structure and money pit hide very easily. This virtual classroom, and of course, "a laptop for each student" programs require a strong financial base, taking into account that the expenditures are multiple. A lot of money are required for the laptop itself, which is absolutely necessary, then an infrastructure is required, and upgrades for it too, continual upgrades must be done from time to time, and when the computers become obsolete, they must be replace, and the batteries need replacement too, and you can't actually work only with hardware: software is necessary too, and this includes tutorials and online management systems for teaching.



If you are a student are you have been looking for free laptops you might have come up disappointed several times. These free laptops can't actually be found around every corner, but there are some possibilities to get something like this. Here are some tips to get a better idea of what you have to do to get a free laptop. First, you should pay attention around the campus you live/study in, and you will find a flyer or a bulletin with posts about free laptops. Usually, companies which offer free laptops stick up these things in student centers and near the department offices. You could also apply for an educational grant that includes an allowance for student expenses, and most of the time these expenses will include a laptop too.

Faster laptops tend to be hotter and they tend to make a lot of noise and suck power because the fans are working hard in there to cool down the things. There are some promising new technologies, like steam cooling, but there is also ionic cooling looks interesting. This is a pretty simple concept: an electrode ionizes molecules in the air. A second electrode attracts the molecules and as they move, they take the other molecules with them. The air flow is directioned over a heat pipe which cools it. This ionic system has no moving parts, so it is very silent, it is compact and it uses half of the power used by a traditional fan. It cools up to 30% more effectively than common fans do, but the technology might be on the market only next year. This innovating cooler might have a higher price tag, but I personally consider it's worth the money, because it keeps your computer at the optimum temperature and it is also very silent.
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Celsia has created a heatspreader which uses a hollow plate with water inside. The water transfers the heat through the plate when it gets heated up, and as we know, steam conducts heat better than any substance in this world, which means that this transfer process is efficient. The steam is moved to a colder part of this entire system, and it condensed and goes back into the circuit. This cooler plate is very thin (less than 1mm) and it can be shaped anyhow. This interesting cooling plate costs a little bit more than the traditional fans, but it has no moving parts and there are needed less physical components.

Maintaining the laptop is very important, and occasionally wiping it won't help you too much with caring about the inside. Dust accumulates inside the cooling system after a while, and it might provoke laptop overheating because if the heat transfer is not efficiently done, the laptop can be damaged. The best way to take the heat out is with canned compressed air, which costs aroun $5-$7.

It's very important that, before using any cleaning method, to turn off the laptop, unplug it from the wall and take out the battery. To access the fans you will have to open up the device. You should take a look where the fans are, and it is important to place some soft material under the laptop while you work on it because it might get fingerprints or scratches. When you open up your laptop, take care about the screws, because they hold together all the structure.

After you prepared the laptop for the cooling process, you should use the can with the canned air. When there is nothing else then can coming out of the can, you can easily use it. You should take care to blow on the fan but on heat vents too, not only on the central one. There are packages which offer you a red tube which can be inserted in the nozzle. This process concentrates the airflow, and it can be used very often.

If you would like to use cotton swabs on fan's blades, or even on all the things which have dust on it, then you should do easily the job, clean up all the dust and then use the vacuum cleaner as well, for better cleaning of the device.  You shouldn't touch the laptop with the vacuum and you should also use your lung power to blow the dust. If you would like all the dust to disappear, you should repeat this action at least monthly, because powerful laptops heat easily.