Laptops Arena

If you want to buy a new HP laptop and you can’t decide which one to get, we strongly recommend you buy the new Mini 1000 Mi. This mini-laptop looks pretty good because is slim and light with a beautiful design.

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The Mini 1000 Mi new HP laptop is similar with the Mini 1000, with a case made of resistant glossy plastic and available only in black. Even if this notebook seems to have a delicate design, the case is very durable against scratches. Like most glossy laptop models, this is a magnet for fingerprints and dust, so you will need to clean it every time. At 10.3 x 6.6 x 1 inches dimensions and 1021 grams in weight, this mini-laptop certainly is a slim and light portable unit.

The keyboard on this laptop is great. The keys are flat, large with a soft finish so you will feel comfortable typing on them. With a positive feedback and a pleasant springy feel, this keyboard is excellent for a fast writer. Because this model is a mini-laptop, the touchpad is a bit small. Covered by a soft finish, this touchpad is very responsive but you will miss the mouse buttons. That can be a negative aspect because these buttons are very useful for scrolling or clicking.

The Mini 1000 Mi new HP laptop has a 10.1 inch display with a native resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. Even if this screen has a glossy finish you will get clear images with great color quality. Powered by an Intel Atom 1.6 GHz  processor, even if it is a little too weak, and  1 GB of RAM memory,  the Mini 1000 Mi new HP laptop can run multi-tasks without problems.



The 60 GB hard disk will be enough for you to store your favorite music or movies. The internal speakers produce a surprisingly loud sound so you will only need external speaker if you want to listen to music at a greatly louder level. In terms of connectivity, this mini-laptop comes with 2 USB ports, a 2-in-1 Multimedia Card Reader, a modem port, an Ethernet port and the indispensable headphones and microphones jacks. The 802.11b/g Wireless Card is the only connection feature which can keep you in touch with other people.

The integrated 0.3 Megapixel Webcam is also a little too weak. The pictures have poor quality but if you want to record some clips you will be even more disappointed. The video quality is also poor and you will see delays even if you record that clip off-line.



The 3-cell battery will keep this unit up for only 2 hours and 39 minutes under stress conditions, half shorter than a regular laptop. This can be another negative aspect, but if you want, you can buy a second battery which will increase the battery life significantly. In conclusion, if you want to buy a mini-laptop which has a great aspect and design, we recommend you choose this model. Because this HP Mini 1000 Mi is not one of the best products from the HP, some people will ask why it has such a high price. Well, at a price of $424 you can’t expect for a stylish mini-laptop like this to have a lot of performance.

In one of our previous articles we spoke about stolen laptops and how dangerous this could be as it is a threat to our identity. People that have their laptops stolen are bound to be victims of identity theft. Corporate companies that have their laptops stolen are risking to lose some important information stored on the unit and if that information falls into the wrong hands it could lead to blackmail or serious prejudice of the company. In this article we are going to see if there are ways of tracking stolen laptop.
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One of the best methods to track down a stolen laptop is installing software that will help you do just that. Adeona, for instance, is a system that helps us track down the stolen laptop with no need of involving any second party. The privacy preserving feature means that the owner is the only one that can track the laptop using Adeona. The best news is that Adeona is available for download and it is free to use. All you have to do is download it and install it on your laptop. The disadvantage is that the stolen laptop has to be connected to the internet in order to send you signal of its location.

Adeona checks the location one every 30 minutes. It has a very simple way of working. It simply collects the laptop’s internal IP address, then it checks the external IP from any third party reporting service, then it tries to see if the wireless network to which the laptop is located has any mane and it will also give you the names of the routers nearby. It could also send a photo using iSight camera if it’s available. This information is encrypted and stored safely and in the future is uploads all this information to the OpenDHT network.

After you download and install Adeona, you have to choose a password and make sure it’s something difficult to figure out (I’m telling you this because most people choose easy passwords like their birth date or the name of some close relative). After installing this software, in will quietly run in the background and send details to the server at a pre-established period of time. On your desktop, a new file will appear. It is named “adeona-retreivecredential.ost”. You must copy this file somewhere else, like make a backup CD or simply send it to your e-mail address. This file is important because it helps you retrieve details of your stolen laptop.

Once these steps have been completed, now you can actually begin tracking the stolen laptop. Adeona Recovery Tools will be installed together with Adeona (so make sure you don’t deselect this feature upon installation of the program). Run the Recovery Tool and now you must enter the location of the .ost file you previously backed up. You most also enter the password you chose during the installation. Now, Adeona will connect to its server and manage to recover the details we mentioned before and put them in a .txt file. After you get the IP address of the stolen laptop, you can use IP2Location which is a program that can give you more details about that IP address. Be careful though, because the thief can stop Adeona and therefore you can no longer get the details.



Another similar application is Prey. It has the same working pattern meaning that it send out reports at a pre-established time period (let’s say 30 minutes). This one can also give you a list of the programs that are running on the stolen laptop and even a desktop screenshot. The cool thing about this application is that if you have a webcam, it can send you a photo of the thief. This program has a remote activation system and this means you choose when you want it to run. In the meantime, it just stays there in absolute silence. Using the Prey web control panel it can send you information about the location of the stolen laptop and if you want, it can be sent directly to our e-mail address.

This program will be useless if the thief formats the hard disk drives after he steals it. However, in most cases, thieves tend to buzz around the laptop a bit searching for valuable information and that gives you enough time to track it down. There have been some successful cases where people actually got a picture of the thief using the integrated webcam of the laptop and that is all the evidence you need to easily find the culprits.



As you can see, tracking down a stolen laptop is easier that finding a stolen cell phone where the thieves usually remove the SIM card right after the theft. In the end, it’s all a matter of luck. If the one who steals your laptop is smart enough to erase all the data stored on the hard disk then it’s going to be pretty hard to find them. Remember that laptop thieves steal notebook so that they can resell them and that is going to make it even more difficult to find the real person responsible for the theft.

Companies and business people will show more interest in protecting the data on the laptop rather than actually getting the notebook back. For these people, there are special programs that encrypt the data in such a manner that it’s extremely difficult for a plain thief to decrypt it. You can encrypt and entire disk or just some important files and folders, depending on the amount of information you want to protect. Such programs can even automatically delete all the data that you wish to remain secret and this is one of the most efficient ways to protect yourself against identity theft.



Remember that it’s always better to prevent that to combat. Try not to store information like your bank account or credit card number, nor any type of valuable information that fallen  into the wrong hands can produce even more harm than a simple stolen laptop.

It is not a hidden fact that AMD has a silent war going on with Intel. AMD is a good manufacturer with several good products with competitive prices, while Intel still successfully grabs the majority of customers, thanks to the power of advertising and marketing. Even more, Intel has one of the best products on the market, with only one main disadvantage, the price levels. The laptop market is certainly containing more Intel products than AMD, processors, chipset, or graphic chipset.
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Just Toshiba for instance, with more than 70% of its laptop configuration (from different lines, such as Tecra, Portege, Satellite Pro, and Satellite) including more Intel hardware than AMD hardware. It is hard to understand way some manufacturers and even final customers rather spend more money for the same quality products, with the only difference being the logo used. Some say, that laptops are better off with Intel technology since it consumes less than AMD. Even so, this disadvantage could easily be diminished by including a 12 cell battery in the AMD powered laptops.

Maybe with time manufacturers will accept more AMD technology, or at least allow potential customers to configure their own laptop model, by choosing either Intel or AMD. Acer is one of the few manufacturers that offer a laptop model with all the available configurations including AMD specs. Even more, Acer successfully understood the necessary laptop model to contain the AMD hardware.

Therefore, Acer launched under the Aspire range (everyday orientated multimedia laptop) the Aspire 6530 model, which can easily be summarized as being the multimedia laptop solution, desktop replacement, for home users. Beside the full AMD hardware, which I am going to present later, the Aspire 6530 sports the same excellent design as the rest of the Aspire laptops, the Gemstone design.


Also, the Aspire 6530 offer six pre-determined configurations, all including AMD techs. The excellent design includes a rather glossy black to blue lid. The rest of the case includes a black matte plastic, which feels nice. Also you get a few stainless steel finishes. The glossy lid is a fingerprint magnet and minor scratches magnet. Even so, the silver "Acer" logo is really complementary with the overall design. The build quality is solid. Therefore, you get a really nice designed laptop, solid built for this price range.


With a varying height from front to rear 1.6 inches to 1.7 inches (or 41 mm to 43.9 mm), wide of 15.2 inches (or 385 mm), deep of 10.9 inches (or 277.5 mm), the Aspire 6530 weights about 7.5 lb (or 3.4 Kg) with the six cell battery, or 7.7 lbs (or 3.5 Kg) with the eight cell battery. Even so, keep in mind that all this dimensions and weight vary depending on the configuration chosen. At a first glance at these values an obvious reaction would be that this laptop is not the most portable. True, since the Aspire 6530 is advertised as the solution for home users. Since the LCD cover of the 6530 works like a hinge it is almost impossible positioning any ports or slots on the back side of this laptop.


However, Acer successfully added all the necessary ports and slots on the rest of the sides. Therefore, on the right side you get two 2.0 USB ports, the modem port, the AC input jack, and the Super Multi DVD drive with several compatible formats in both read and write mode (DVD - RW, DVD + RW, CD - R, DVD - R single layer, DVD - R double layer, DVD + R single layer, DVD + R double layer, and DVD - RAM. On the front side you get the memory card reader, 5 in 1 compatible with several memory cards, such as Secure Digital memory card, Multi Media card, xD Picture Card, Memory Stick PRO, and Memory Stick card.


On the right side Acer included the RGB monitor output, the strategically located cooling vent, RJ 45 LAN, the HDMI with the high bandwidth digital content protection support, microphone input, headphone and speaker output, the 54 mm Express Card slot, and one eSATA / USB combo port with sleep and charge function. Once you open the Aspire 6530 will see the full keyboard with hotkeys controls. The keys from the keyboard are well dimensioned, they are easy to use and will offer the average feedback. You don't really get any flex, not even when you press harder then you should.


You also get easy launch buttons such as web browser, e-mail, WLAN, and Acer Arcade. Also included for a better functionality are the Acer Media Touch controls with the volume up and down functions, play, pause, stop, and other media controls. Under the keyboard you get the touch pad which benefits from the latest multi touch technology improving its feedback and functions. Acer included in the 6530 (and depending on the configuration chosen) a 16 inches WXGA TFT display (1366 x 768 pixels) using the latest available technology, Cine Crystal. This display is capable of rendering up to 16.7 million colors. The colors are vibrant; the brightness is great indoors and pretty bad under direct sunlight. Even so, this laptop is designed for indoors use. Therefore, the potential customers already know that the brightness will not be the best feature onboard the 6530.


The connectivity is ensured by the Ethernet 10 / 100 / 100, the InviLink Nplify 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, the modem, two 2.0 USB, one eSATA / USB combo port with sleep and charge function, HDMI, and Express card slot. Acer provides six different laptop models for the Aspire 6530, 6530 6522, 6530 5143, 6530 5195, 6530 5753, 6530 5514, and the 6530 5341. All the above configurations are shipped with common software and hardware specifications, like Windows Vista Home Premium Service Pack 1 operating system (the 64 bit version), 16 inches WXGA display, and the same connectivity department.


The AS 6530 5195 includes the AMD Athlon X2 Dual Core processor, the QL 60 model with 1 MB L2 cache, 1.9 GHz, the 4 GB DDR2 667 SDRAM (configured as 2048 MB x 2), six cell Lithium Ion battery, ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphic chipset, and the 160 GB hard drive. The next configuration, AS 650 5514 sports the same QL 60 processor like the AS 6530 5195 but includes only 3 GB DDR2 667 SDRAM, six cell Lithium Ion battery, ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics, and the 250 GB hard drive. The AS 6530 5753 is shipped with the AMD Turion X2 Ultra Dual Core Mobile Processor ZM 82 with 2 MB L2 cache and 2.2 GHz, 4 GB DDR2 667 SDRAM, 320 GB hard drive, eight cell battery, and the AMD HD 3650 graphic processor.


The AS 6530 5341 provides a slower processor than the previous configuration, but a better processor than the first two available configurations, AMD Turion X2 Dual Core Mobile Processor RM 70 with 1 MB L2 cache and 2.0 GHz, 3 GB DDR2 667 SDRAM, six cell battery, ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphic chipset, and 250 GB hard disk drive. Acer included in AS 6530 5143 the same processor like in AS 6530 5341, with 4 GB DDR2 667 SDRAM, AMD HD 3650 graphic processor, eight cell batteries, and the 320 GB hard drive.


The last available configuration from the Aspire 6530 is AS 6530 6522, and includes the AMD Athlon Dual Core Processor QL 62 with 1 MB L2 cache, at 2.0 GHz, with 3 GB DDR2 667 SDRAM, ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphic chipset, the basic six cell battery, and the 250 GB hard drive. All above configurations should be enough for any possible demand for the potential customers.

Acer successfully created an excellent product; full AMD powered, and completed the good package with some branded software such as Acer Arcade, Acer Crystal Eye, Acer GridVista, Acer Launch Manager, and a few 3^rd party applications (Adobe Acrobat Reader, McAfee Internet Security Suite, Microsoft Works 8.5, Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007). Overall, the Aspire 6530 is an excellent product which has no direct competitor, providing sufficient features into an excellent design, more than enough for the home users who prefer AMD over Intel.

Although everyone wants to buy the newest possible gadgets on the market, the reality is certainly different. Within these uncertain times, it is best to do an extensive search over a few similar devices before deciding what you want to buy. The latest perspective in the market is the wise customer perspective. The time when someone was buying a certain product just because it included a certain logo or just because they liked the advertising campaign is over.
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Nowadays, in order to keep your finances safe and in check you must search the market for different yet similar products for an extensive overview before summarizing your purchase list. Laptop manufacturers are by far the most uninventive manufacturers in the device universe. It is probably hard to say you own a laptop which is unique in its line by its looks or specs. This is not because of the economic crisis. However, within two years we might see a full rebranding of some manufacturer's portfolio in order to attract more potential customers (such as Dell).

The most important laptop line in every manufacturer portfolio is the everyday multimedia laptop. However, this line implies for certain manufacturers sub lines (Acer). However, this is not the case of Toshiba, but it is the case of Acer. Therefore, if you are curious about Acer's everyday laptop line you should know that overall it features 34 different laptop lines (each of them with different available configurations). As you can imagine these 34 laptops are divided into several sub lines of the everyday multimedia line Aspire. Some are portable for home and work; some are indoors use only, others are only for extreme multimedia features, while others just try to merge every possible features from different categories, multimedia, business, portability and other.


The Aspire family is advertised with "create, explore, relax" slogan, which delivers the merging message to all of potential customers that know a thing or two about laptops. The "amateurs" probably don't explore Acer website for laptop information or even read reviews, but then again not everyone is lives in the "laptop universe". In a past particle I have presented you both Toshiba Satellite A500 and Toshiba Satellite L500. This two laptops included a few (or a lot) configurations for each laptop. These two laptops, A500 and L500, both boasted a large screen with excellent resolution, great design with a flawless build quality, portability (for the configurations that included the 9000 mAh within 12 cell Lithium Ion battery), and the latest available specs for great performances.


The Satellite A500 delivered an overall better package, while the L500 is considered to be the cheaper version of the A500 ("L" lower in cost, while "A" stands for absolute). However, Acer brings a full sub line of laptops to attract as many potential customers from the Toshiba world. The top of the Aspire line, the best from the best, the exclusive power machine, and a true desktop replacement, the Acer Aspire 8930 packs so many features plus an excellent design that it might be overwhelming for laptop fans.


Some of the key features offered by the Aspire 8930 are the full video High Definition experience, completed by the excellent sound surround, and the impressive 18.4 LCD display with a monster resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. However, the portability is somewhat affected since the 8930 sports a not so light weighted design. Also, depending on the configuration you might not get all the possible features available for this sub line. Regarding the design, I must specify that this laptop sports an exquisite design, with a glossy black LCD cover (including a silver Acer logo that improves the overall look) that is covered with a special Gemstone Blue paint, which provides an excellent visual impression under direct sunlight. Also, the Acer logo sports a white backlight, very Apple-ish visual effect from Acer.


As you can imagine, this design implies disadvantages like fingerprint magnet and minor scratches. Even so you get no flex of the lid, and the build quality is impeccable even if the rest of the case is made only out of a matte black plastic (however this plastic has a good quality). Even more in the inside the 8930 sports a patterned plastic that surrounds the black, yet glossy keyboard. Unfortunately, the semi glossy keyboard isn't that attractive with all the fingerprints on it, and it doesn't offer the best grip when you press in a hurry the keys.

With a varying height from front to rear 1.6 inches (or 40.2 mm) to 1.7 inches (or 44.2 mm), wide of 17.4 inches (or 441.4 mm), deep of 11.8 inches (or 300 mm), the Aspire 8930 weights, depending on the configuration chosen, about 9 lbs (or 4.1 Kg). Overall, the design of the Aspire 8930 is not as flawless like the Satellite A500, but you still get an excellent designed product, with portability issues.

On the front side of the Aspire 8930, Acer didn't include any ports or slots, just like the rear side, while the left side sports (depending on the configuration chosen) the microphone in jack, headphone out jack, Line in, one eSATA / USB combo port with sleep and charge function, one USB 2.0, the HDMI port with HDCP support, the VGA monitor output port, the cooling vent, the RJ 11 modem port, and the RJ 45 LAN port.

The right side of the 8930 sports another two 2.0 USB ports, the Express Card slot with 54 mm, and the 6 in 1 card reader (compatible with Memory Stick memory card, Memory Stick Pro memory card, Multi Media Card, MMC memory card, xD Picture Card, and Secure Digital card), and the Super Multi DVD drive, which may differ depending on the chosen configuration.

Therefore, you can either get the integrated variable speed Super Multi drive (compatible with DVD - RAM, DVD - RW, DVD + RW, DVD - R, DVD + R, CD - R, CD - RW, DVD -R dual layer, DVD + R double layer), or the integrated variable speed Blu-ray Disc drive / Super Multi drive combo (compatible with the above formats and BD - ROM, BD - RE, BD - ROM double layer, BD - R double layer, BD - R, and BD - RE double layer).


When you open the Aspire 8930 you can easily see the full 105 keyboard, with excellent sized keys, that offer average feedback, plus the interactive Acer CineDash media console that deviates the keyboard from the center, including functions like volume up and down, menu navigation, media controls, such as play, pause, stop, fast forward and fast rewind, mute key and hold key. Also, you can find easy launch buttons such as web browser, WLAN settings, email, and Bluetooth settings.

Below the keyboard you get the touch pad. This touch pad is excellent in any terms of construction and feedback, mostly because of the pattern surface (which makes it easy to use), and because of the touch features embedded. You can't really expect integrated touch features like MacBook, but with the new Windows 7 you will get some pretty nice functions like zoom in and out, or scroll function. The feedback is excellent much better than the semi glossy keyboard. Depending on the configuration chosen you either get an Acer CineCrystal full HD of 18.4 inches with an WUXGA resolution (also known as 1920 x 1080 pixels) TFT LCD, or the Acer CineCrystal HD+ with 18.4 inches diagonal widescreen EXGA+ resolution (also known as 1680 x 945 pixels) TFT LCD.


Both displays offer excellent quality videos and pictures, vibrant colors, average brightness even under direct sunlight, and good viewing angles for a better user experience. The connectivity is ensured by the Bluetooth 2.0 with the enhanced data rate, the Gigabit 10 / 100 / 1000 Ethernet, the 56 Kb per second modem, Intel Wi-Fi network with 802.11 a/b/g/n profile, Express Card 54 mm slot, VGA monitor output port, HDMI port, three 2.0 USB, and one eSATA / USB combo port with sleep and charge functions.


The Aspire 8930 is offered in nine different configurations. Some of these configurations share some common features, while others completely differ in what they have to offer. The first available model, Aspire 8930 6247 sports an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P7350 with 2.0 GHz, 3 MB L2 cache, 10066 MHz FSB, with 4 GB DDR3 1066 SDRAM (mount in the 2 x 2048 MB configuration), one 320 GB hard drive, 6 in 1 card reader, the 18.4 inches 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution LCD TFT, Wi-Fi with 802.11 a/b/g/n, Ethernet, fingerprint reader, integrated Blu-ray Disc, and Bluetooth.


The Aspire 8930 6247 is shipped with Windows Vista Home Premium, the 64 bit version. The next version offered, Aspire 8930 6951 comes with Windows Vista Ultimate. It also includes the Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P8400 with the 2.26 GHz frequency 3 MB L2 cache, 1066 MHz, the same 320 GB hard drive, the same SDRAM configuration 4 GB DDR3 with 1066 MHz, the 18.4 inches WUXGA resolution TFT LCD, and the graphic chipset, NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT, and Blu-ray disc. Also available are the common features such as 6 in 1 card reader, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, fingerprint reader. Next on the portfolio entries you can find the Aspire 8930 6306 including the Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 processor, the 320 GB hard drive, Super Multi DVD drive, 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM with 1066 MHz, NVIDIA Geforce 9600M GT graphic chipset, and the 18.4 inches 1680 x 945 pixels resolution LCD TFT.


The common connectivity elements are also found in the AS 8930 6309. For this configuration Acer chose Windows Vista Home Premium (the 64 bit version). The AS 8930 6243 packs a slightly smaller processor, Intel Core 2 Duo T5800 with 2.0 GHz, 2 MB L2 cache 800 MHz FSB, with the same hard drive, the same SDRAM configuration, the Blu-ray disc drive, NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT graphic chipset, and the 18.4 inches WXGA+ resolution LCD display. The Vista Home Premium 64 bit version is also included in the AS 8930 6243, and in the AS 8930 6520.

This configuration sports the exact same features like the AS 8930 6243, with the only difference that it packs the Super Multi DVD drive, replacing the Blu-ray drive. The AS 8930 6442 packs a better processor, Intel Core 2 Duo T6400 with 2.0 GHz, 2 MB cache, at 800 MHz FSB, the same SDRAM memory, a 500 GB hard drive, the WXGA+ 18.4 inches TFT LCD, the same graphic chipset, and the Super Multi DVD drive. The offered operating system for this configuration is Windows Vista Home Premium.


The Aspire 8930 6386 includes the Intel Core 2 Duo processor T9400 with a great 6 MB cache, 2.53 GHz at a frequency of 1066 MHz FSB, with the 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 320 GB hard drive, the NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT graphic chipset, Super Multi DVD drive, 18.4 inches WXGA+ 18.4 inches TFT LCD, and the embedded Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit version. The eighth configuration available, packs the same processor, the same SDRAM memory, the same hard drive, and the


Super Multi DVD drive, like the AS 8930 6386, but also brings the 18.4 inches display with the 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution, and the NVIDIA GeForce 9700M GT graphic chipset. The available operating system for this configuration is Windows Vista Ultimate. The last but not least 8930 configuration, AS 8930 7665 ships with the Intel Core 2 Quad processor Q900 2.0 GHz, 6 MB L2 cache, 1066 MHz FSB, 4 GB DDR3 1066 MHz SDRAM, NVIDIA GeForce 9700M GT graphic chipset, Blu-ray drive, 18.4 inches WUXGA resolution TFT LCD, and the 500 GB hard drive. For this configuration Acer installed the Windows Vista Home Premium (the 64 bit version).

However, for all the above configurations, keep in mind that Acer is providing the necessary software drives, for an upgrade to the Windows 7, which is highly recommended since Vista will only diminish your laptop's performances. Overall, the Aspire 8930 is truly a powerful machine. It packs good features for in any of the configurations available. This model is highly recommended for anyone who wants an enormous display and high definition performances. However, the Aspire 8930 is not well positioned.

The Aspire 8930 lack a certain something not just in the design department, but also in the tech department. Therefore, it can't be the most powerful laptop offered in the Aspire family. Toshiba sports better models in the Satellite family. Even so, in 2010 Acer is probably going to release an upgrade to 8930, while at the end of 2010, beginning of 2011 Acer will introduce the Aspire 9xxx sub line laptop models.

Life is short. That is probably what manufacturers think nowadays since so many laptops look the same. Why waste time and money when you can develop a brand new device by starting from a previous launched one. If you were to look at the situation from the manufacturer's side, then you probably would say they are right. However, we the potential customers, we need different looking laptops to say, "Yes, it is certainly different than the previous one".
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Even important manufacturers like Toshiba, use this kind of marketing and management process to develop new products and to expand their portfolio. Anyone who had the pleasure of reviewing a Toshiba Satellite M500 will most definitely have a shock once they will take a look at the Satellite A500. Let's get one thing straight: it is not the same looking laptop with a different name, but it has an extraordinary resemblance with the 14 inches M500.

Therefore, at least five laptop models in the Satellite line look alike. On one hand this is bad in terms of Toshiba's research, but on the other hand good since the M500 spots an excellent design to begin with. Therefore, expect from the A500 important key features (such as great performances, High Definition multimedia, 16 inches display, a full keyboard onboard, and Toshiba Smart Features) and not only a stylish design with a flawless build quality. Therefore, the Satellite A500 is advertised as an ultra portable solution to High Definition multimedia performance. In terms of design you are going to love the Fusion Finish with Sonic Pattern in Black Onyx.


The A500 sure looks amazing and feels at touch incredible. Also, thanks to the pattern use the A500 rejects fingerprints and scratches, and improves the grip factor, making it not slippery. With a height varying front to rear 1.43 inches to 1.61 inches, wide of 15.1 inches, deep of 10.2 inches, the A500 weights about 7.17 lbs depending on the configuration. As you can see the weight and dimension doesn't make the A500 the most ultra portable solution out there. However, do keep in mind that this laptop sports an excellent 16 inches display a full keyboard, meaning that dimensions are not the main concern in the A500.


Even more, depending on the configuration, Toshiba needed the internal space to accommodate not only all the specs but also the huge battery. Also in the design department I can include the surrounding stainless steel frames on both up and bottom lids and the stainless steel hinge of the LCD cover, which doesn't allow any ports or buttons to be placed on the rear side of the A500. Even so, the ports and buttons are similar included to the right, left and front side, like on the M500.

Therefore, on the front side you can find the System Indicator Lights (which offer great status information over the laptops current performances), the Wireless Indicator Light, and the Switch for the Wireless Antenna and the Bridge Media Adapter Slot compatible with xD Picture Card, Secure Digital, Multi Media Card, Secure Digital High Capacity, Memory Stick memory card, and Memory Stick PRO memory card. On the right side you can find two 2.0 USB slots, the security lock slot, the AC input power jack.


Also on the right side you can find (and now a similarity with Satellite U500) the DVD Super Multi drive compatible with 11 formats such as DVD - RAM, DVD - ROM, DVD + RW, DVD + R double layer, DVD + R single layer, DVD - R single layer, DVD - R double layer, CD - RW, CD - ROM, CD - R, and CD - RW. Also the design of this DVD unit differs from configuration to configuration but just like the U500, you can include into your A500 the Toshiba stylish optical drive, without the old plastic lid.

Basically the styled optical drive works just like your cars sound system. On the left side Toshiba included in the A500 besides the cooling vent, another 2.0 USB port, the RGB monitor port, headphone jack, microphone jack, HDMI out port, one eSATA / USB combo port with the sleep and charge function, the Ethernet port, the i.LINK port, the Express Card 34 mm slot and the Express Card 54 mm slot.


Once opened the laptop, you are going to find even more excellent surprises. The full keyboard sports excellent sized keys with great feedback and no flex when pressed. Even the Fn keys are good sized. Even more, the keyboard sports LED backlit, which not only looks extraordinary but is also very useful under any environments conditions, encouraging you to either keep working or just have fun. Above the keyboard you get beside the power on and off buttons, another five media control buttons, such as eco (for the eco friendly mode to save energy), media, CD / DVD control key, volume up and volume down, and also mute button. This entire media buttons are centered by some great news, two Harman Kardon stereo speakers.


Therefore, you not only get excellent high definition performances from your display but also from you in built speakers which deliver powerful audio rendering with excellent bass and great virtual surround sound. Below the keyboard you get the touch pad, which is made out of a pattern material, not at all slippery. The touch pad offers sufficient touch features and great feedback. Even more touch features will be available thanks to the new Windows 7.

Under the touch pad you can find the two grey buttons, which are not at all slippery, nut made out of a matte plastic with a silver color to integrate better within the stainless steel frame. Toshiba included in the A500 a 16 inches diagonal widescreen TruBrite TFT LCD with a maximum resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. This display is excellent, not only by the nice 16 inches diagonal, but also by the brightness offered (enough for any lighting environment conditions), vibrant colors and really good viewing angles.


The connectivity is well ensured by the Intel Wi-Fi Link 5100 AGN with 802.11 a/g/n profile, 10 / 100 Ethernet, Express Card 34 mm slot, Express Card 54 mm slot, memory card reader slot, RGB monitor output port, HDMI CEC, three 2.0 USB ports, one eSATA / USB combo port with sleep and charge feature, RJ 45 port, RJ 11 modem port, and the slot for security lock. In terms of specs, the Satellite A500 is a line on its own, offering nine predetermined configuration plus the term fully customizable configuration. That being said you should now that you can build your very own A500 starting from a price list of $799. All the rest of the offered configuration differ one from another in terms of specs and price.


The first eight configurations sport a common feature, the Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (the 64 bit version), while the ninth configuration already includes Windows 7 Home Premium (the 64 bit version). This being said, the first available configuration of A500, the A505D S6958 has a price tag of $698 and includes an AMD Turion X2 Dual Core Mobile Processor RM 72 with 2.1 GHz, 1 MB L2 cache, the AMD M780V Chipset, 4 GB PC 6400 DDR2 (expandable to 8 GB), a huge 500 GB hard drive with 5400 rotations per minute, and the ATI Radeon 3100 Graphics with 256 MB dedicated and 1918 MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory.

The second available configuration is also the best seller in the A500 class. The A505 S6960 brings an Intel Core 2 Duo processor T6500 with 2.1 GHz, 2 MB L2 cache, 800 MHz FSB, with Mobile Intel GM 45 Express Chipset, 4 GB DDR2 800 MHz, a smaller hard drive of 320 GB with 5400 rotations per minute, and the Intel Media Accelerator 4500 MHD with 128 MB dedicated. The A505 S6960 is offered for $719.99 price tag.


The third available configuration, A500 ST5601 s available for $749 and sports the same processor and chipset like the A505 S6960 (Intel Core 2 Duo T6500 processor and Mobile Intel GM 45 Express Chipset), also 4 GB DDR2 800 MHz, the same hard drive of 320 GB, and the same Intel Media Accelerator 4500 MHD with 128 MB dedicated. However, the A505 S6960 included a 12 cell Lithium Ion battery with 9000 mAh, while the A500 S6960 sport only a six cell Lithium Ion battery with 4000 mAh, enough for about 3 hours of autonomy.

Furthermore we get for only $799.99 the A505D S6968 with several differences than the previous two models, with the AMD Turion X2 Ultra Dual Core Mobile Processor ZM 84, 2.3 GHz, 2 MB L2 cache, the AMD M780G Chipset, 4 GB PC 6400 DDR2, 500 GB serial ATA hard disk drive with 5400 rotations per minute, fixed optical disk drive with slot loading, ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics with 256 MB dedicated and 1918 MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory, and a six cell Lithium Ion battery with 4000 mAh.


With a price tag of $849.99 (with $50 more than the last configuration) the A505 S6970 brings the Mobile Intel GM 45 Express Chipset, the Intel Core 2 Duo processor T6500 with 2.4 GHz, 2 MB L2 cache, 800 MHz FSB, with 4 GB DDR2 800 MHz, 500 GB hard drive with 5400 rotations per minute, fixed optical disk drive with slot loading, a six cell Lithium Ion battery with 4000 mAh, and an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 with 512 MB DDR3 discrete graphics memory, and 1790 MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory using the ATI Hyper Memory 2302 MB.


The sixth available configuration, the A505 S6965 is available for $859.99, and sports the same chipset, the same DDR2 RAM memory, the same hard drive, the same graphic chipset, the same battery like the A505 S6970, but a different processor, Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P7350 with 2.0 GHz, 3 MB L2 cache, 1066 MHz FSB. For $879, the A500 ST5602 packs the Intel Core 2 Duo processor T6500, the Mobile Intel GM 45 Express Chipset, the 4 GB DDR 2 800 MHz, 400 GB hard drive with 5400 rotations per minute, the same ATI Radeon Mobility HD 4570 with 512 MB DDR3, and the 4000 mAh six cell Lithium Ion battery.

At the $1099.99 price tag you get two available configurations, the A505 S6975 and the A505 S6997. The first one sports the Intel Core 2Duo processor P7350 with 2.0 GHz, 3 MB L2 cache, 1066 MHz FSB, Mobile Intel GM 45 Express Chipset, 6 GB DDR2 800 MHz, 500 GB serial ATA hard disk drive with 5400 rotations per minute, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 with 512 MB DDR3 discrete graphics memory and the six cell 4000 mAh Lithium Ion battery.


The second available configuration for this price range includes the Intel Core 2 Duo processor P7450 with 2.13 GHz, 3 MB L2 cache, 1066 MHz FSB, Mobile Intel GM 45 Express Chipset, NVIDIA GeForce GT 230 M with 1 GB GDDR3 discrete graphics with 1790 MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory using NVIDIA Turbo Cache technology, 4 GB DDR3 with 1066 MHz, 500 GB hard drive with 5400 rotations per minute, Blu-ray disc ROM with Super Multi DVD +/* R/RW double layer drive, and the excellent 12 cell Lithium Ion battery with 9000 mAh.

Overall the A500 is a complete line of different laptops that look the same. For only, $1099.99, price tag that will only offer you an entry level MacBook Pro 13 inches, the A505 S6997 will offer you not only a brilliant 16 inches display, but a powerful laptop that can easily compete with the 17 inches MacBook Pro (the Satellite model will probably defeat the MacBook since it boasts the latest Window 7).


Therefore, you can either decide to build your own Satellite A500 model, or choose for nine different configurations. However, the cheapest version has a $698 price tag, while the most expensive sports a $1099.99 price listing. For only $400 difference you really could get the most efficient High Definition laptop.