Category Archives: Reviews

Laptops, Reviews

Toshiba Satellite C Series C600-P4012 Laptop (With HD LED Display)

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Toshiba-C600-P4012

 

PROS :

The Windows Experience Index (WEI) for this Notebook is given below. The Windows Experience Index is a broad benchmark to check how well Hardware Components run Windows 7 :
*Processor : 5.8 out of 7.9
*RAM : 5.8 out of 7.9 (almost standard on all 4GB configurations)
*Graphics with Aero : 3.6 out of 7.9
*Gaming/3D Graphics : 3.3 out of 7.9
*Disk Transfer Rate : 5.8 out of 7.9 (almost standard on all current HDD configurations)

The Windows Experience Index of this Toshiba Notebook puts to shame the performance of any Netbook on the Market, considering this Unit is priced at a level equivalent to a Netbook with an External DVD Writer. Its Processor Performance WEI is also just 10% lower than that of a Second Generation i3 Processor based Notebook.

Overall performance for day-to-day and office productivity applications is Excellent.

The Battery Run-Time after 3 Charge/Discharge Cycles for DVD Playback is 2.5 Hours. Will be slightly higher for standard non-multimedia applications.

The On-Screen Quick-Launch Keys and Synaptics Touchpad are very convenient.

Storage Capacity is Huge at 500GB.

The Intel GL40 chipset is approx. 4 years old but is very stable.

CONS :

1. The Notebook has only 2 USB Ports which is 1 short of competing models. You have to connect a USB Hub if you need more USB Ports. You also have to pay ~Rs.10,000/- more to get a single USB 3 – Superspeed Port based Notebook.

2. The inbuilt Webcam has a VGA resolution whereas other expensive Competitors offer a 1.3 Mega Pixel Webcam.

3. The onboard LAN Port is 10/100 Mbps, some of the more expensive Notebooks offer a Gigabit 10/100/1000 Mbps Port instead.

4. There is no HDMI output Port for connectivity to LCD TVs.

5. More Expensive Notebooks also come with Windows 7 and Device Drivers pre-installed, which is highly recommended.

CONCLUSION :

A Notebook with Outstanding Value and Performance. Will recommend this Model to anyone wanting to purchase a Notebook/ Netbook in a budget of Rs.20,000/- for running Day-to-Day and Office Productivity Applications.

Also strongly recommend upgrading the System RAM to 4GB from 2GB for faster performance(will cost under Rs.1000/-), purchasing a Genuine Windows 7 Home Basic/Premium 64 Bit Operating System with Media (~Rs.4000/- and ~Rs.5000/- respectively) and an Internet Security Application (Kaspersky Internet Security 2011/2012 ~500/-).

 

Laptops, Reviews

Acer Aspire AS5755 Notebook : Review

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21 Good Reasons to Buy the Acer Aspire AS5755 Notebook and a Quick Review of its 7 Negatives

Highly Recommended Notebook for those looking for a Feature Rich Notebook which Bulldozes Competition.

Highly Recommended Notebook vis-a-vis Competing Notebooks with 15% /- Pricing.

This Notebook is equipped with Latest Features, which CANNOT be upgraded later. Most of these Features are “Not Available” on Competing Notebooks at equivalent Prices from other Brands.

Some Good Reasons to buy this Notebook are:

  1. Inbuilt USB 3.0 (10 times faster than USB 2.0). Very Useful Feature for Super Fast Backups on External USB Hard Disks. Not Available on most competing Notebooks.
  2. HD (1.3 MP) Web Camera vs. VGA Web Camera on most competitive Products. Not Available on most competing Notebooks.
  3. Dolby Advanced Audio (Version 2) with Virtual Surround Sound. Not Available on most competing Notebooks.
  4. Gigabit (10/100/1000 Mbps) LAN Port vs. Megabit (10/100 Mbps) LAN Port on most competitive Products. Useful for Users on Enterprise LANs.
  5. HDMI Port for connectivity to LCD TVs. Not Available on Toshiba Notebooks.
  6. Battery with 30-40% Higher Back-Up vs. Competing Notebooks.
  7. 3 USB Ports (Total) vs. 2 USB Ports (Total) on Toshiba Notebooks.
  8. Combo Audio Jack for connecting Headsets with a Single Connector.
  9. Large and Comfortable 15.6″ Display. (However, it is not Anti-Glare. Most Competing Notebooks also have Displays with Glare/ Reflection).
  10. Full Size well spaced Keyboard with separate Numeric Key Pad (similar to Keyboards on Desktop PCs)
  11. Huge Storage Capacity of 500 GB.
  12. Genuine Windows 7 Home Basic 64Bit OS & MS-Office 2010 Starter Software
  13. Easy-to-Use Factory Recovery DVDs & Driver DVD Creation Software from Acer.
  14. Easy-to-Use Backup Management Software from Acer.
  15. Bluetooth Suite and Basic Games from Acer.
  16. Decent Carry Case/ Backpack
  17. Glossy and Impressive Top Cover and Keyboard and Palm Rest Base
  18. Better and Impressive Build Quality vs. other Acer Models like AS5750 & AS5750G.
  19. Promotional Offer of TATA Photon USB Modem @ Rs.750/- with 1GB/Month Free Data Usage for 5 months (optional).
  20. Windows Experience Index.

Upgraded to 4GB DDR3 RAM. Highly Recommended for All Users for Faster Performance.

The Windows Experience Index (WEI) for this Notebook is given below. The Windows Experience Index is a broad benchmark to check how well Hardware Components run.

Windows 7 :

  • Processor : 6.5 out of 7.9 (This is 12.1% Higher than Toshiba Notebooks with a Pentium Dual Core Processor – 2.3 GHz)
  • RAM : 5.9 out of 7.9 (5.8-5.9 is standard on all 4GB configurations not withstanding the Processor & Motherboard Chipset. The WEI on RAM is lower with 2GB RAM)
  • Graphics with Aero : 3.6 out of 7.9 (63.9% Higher than Notebooks with an Intel GL40 Chipset)
  • Gaming/3D Graphics : 3.3 out of 7.9 (39.4% Higher than Notebooks with an Intel GL40 Chipset)
  • Disk Transfer Rate : 5.9 out of 7.9 (5.8-5.9 is standard on almost all current Hard Disk configurations)

The Overall Performance of this Notebook for Day-to-Day and Office Productivity Applications is Excellent.

This review has been written just after a few Hours of usage and is not a detailed review of the Negatives of the Notebook. However, some of my observations are:

  1. The Keyboard of this Notebook is different from conventional Notebook and Desktop Keyboards and the spaced Keys may take some time for the User to get used to.
  2. The “Enter” Key of this Notebook is smaller and different from Standard Keyboards and will take some time for the User to get used to.
  3. The Touchpad Left & Right Buttons appear to be Fragile. The Touchpad Buttons on Toshiba Satellite C600 series and HP-Compaq Notebooks are much Better.
  4. Since the Display is large enough to watch Videos/ Movies from a distance, the Maximum Speaker Output/Volume could have been Higher.
  5. The Display has to be adjusted by moving it Up/Down (Tilting) to get a good Viewing Angle for watching Pictures/ Videos/ Movies.
  6. The Display does not have a Wide Viewing Angle for multiple people watching Pictures/ Videos/ Movies. Although this can be considered Good for User Privacy in Non-Multimedia Applications.
  7. The Aero Glass Effects of Windows 7 cannot be used on this Notebook because of the Home Basic edition of Windows 7. It would have been better if Acer would have pre-installed Windows 7 Home Premium instead (even if it would have cost marginally higher).

CONCLUSION :

A Notebook with Outstanding Value, Features and Performance. Will recommend this Model to anyone wanting to purchase a Notebook in a budget of Rs.30,000/- for running Day-to-Day and Office Productivity Applications.

Also strongly recommend upgrading the System RAM from 2GB to 4GB for Faster Performance (will cost under Rs.1000/-) and an Internet Security Application (Kaspersky Internet Security 2012-Single User approx. Rs.500/-).

 

Laptops, Reviews

Acer Aspire 5750 Notebook : Review

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16 Good Reasons to Buy the Acer Aspire 5750 Notebook and a Quick Review of its 6 Negatives

Highly Recommended Notebook for those looking for a Feature Rich Notebook which Bulldozes Competition.

Acer Aspire 5750 Laptop is equipped with Latest Features, which CANNOT be upgraded later. Most of these Features are “Not Available” on Competing Notebooks at equivalent Prices from other Brands.

Some Good Reasons to buy this Notebook are:

1.     Inbuilt USB 3.0 (10 times faster than USB 2.0). Very Useful Feature for Super Fast Backups on External USB Hard Disks. Not Available on most competing Notebooks.

2.     HD (1.3 MP) Web Camera vs. VGA Web Camera on most competitive Products. Not Available on most competing Notebooks.

3.     Dolby Advanced Audio (Version 2) with Virtual Surround Sound. Not Available on most competing Notebooks.

4.     Gigabit (10/100/1000 Mbps) LAN Port vs. Megabit (10/100 Mbps) LAN Port on most competitive Products. Useful for Users on Enterprise LANs.

5.     HDMI Port for connectivity to LCD TVs. Not Available on Toshiba Notebooks.

6.     Battery with 30-40% Higher Back-Up vs. Competing Notebooks.

7.     3 USB Ports (Total) vs. 2 USB Ports (Total) on Toshiba Notebooks.

8.     Combo Audio Jack for connecting Headsets with a Single Connector.

9.     Large and Comfortable 15.6″ Display. (However, it is not Anti-Glare. Most Competing Notebooks also have Displays with Glare/ Reflection).

10.  Full Size well spaced Keyboard with separate Numeric Key Pad (similar to Keyboards on Desktop PCs)

11.  Huge Storage Capacity of 500 GB.

12.  Glossy and Impressive Top Cover and Keyboard and Palm Rest Base

13.  Better and Impressive Build Quality vs. other Acer Models like AS5750 & AS5750G.

14.  Decent Carry Case/ Backpack

15.  Promotional Offer of TATA Photon USB Modem @ Rs.750/- with 1GB/Month Free Data Usage for 5 months (optional).

The Overall Performance of this Notebook for Day-to-Day and Office Productivity Applications is Excellent.

Some of my observations on the Negatives of this Notebook are:

1.     The Keyboard of this Notebook is different from conventional Notebook and Desktop Keyboards and the spaced Keys may take some time for the User to get used to.

2.     The “Enter” Key of this Notebook is smaller and different from Standard Keyboards and will take some time for the User to get used to.

3.     The Touchpad Left & Right Buttons appear to be Fragile. The Touchpad Buttons on Toshiba Satellite C600 series and HP-Compaq Notebooks are much Better.

4.     Since the Display is large enough to watch Videos/ Movies from a distance, the Maximum Speaker Output/Volume could have been Higher.

5.     The Display has to be adjusted by moving it Up/Down (Tilting) to get a good Viewing Angle for watching Pictures/ Videos/ Movies.

6.     The Display does not have a Wide Viewing Angle for multiple people watching Pictures/ Videos/ Movies. Although this can be considered Good for User Privacy in Non-Multimedia Applications.

CONCLUSION :

A Notebook with Good Value, Outstanding Features and Good Performance. Will recommend this Model to anyone wanting to purchase a Notebook in a budget of Rs.30,000/- for running Day-to-Day and Office Productivity Applications.

I also strongly recommend :

1.     Upgrading the System RAM from 2GB to 4GB for Faster Performance (will cost under Rs.1000/-)

2.     An Original Windows 7 Home Basic/Premium ’64 Bit’ OS(Depending upon the Edition, will cost Rs.4500/- to Rs.5500/-). Enterprise LAN Users can opt for other Editions or consider Acer Aspire 5755 with Windows 7 Home Basic pre-installed.

3.     An Internet Security Application (Kaspersky Internet Security 2011/2012-Single User. Will cost approx. Rs.500/-).

 

 

 

Android Mobiles, Reviews

Samsung Galaxy Pro B7510

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PROS –

  1. Good Build Quality – SAMSUNG has appreciably improved its build quality on this Handset. Useful Slider on USB cum Charging Port. Convenient 3.5mm Headset Port, Volume & Power Switches.
  2. Convenient Slots for SIM and SD Card. Slots don’t interfere with the Battery.
  3. Large Display, Convenient Keys, Comfortable Touch, Comfortably Large Font Size for easy reading.
  4. Feature Packed Mobile – 10/10 Score on Features other than Camera (have not evaluated it yet).
  5. Good Quality of SAMSUNG Supplied Accessories viz. SANDISK 2GB SD Card, Charger, Wired In-Ear Headset, Carrying Pouch and Data Cable.
  6. Very Easy-to-Use and Personalize for a Proficient Smartphone User.
  7. Very Good Value-for-Money, specially for a Touch and Type Handset. The only Phone which delivers better overall Value, Stability, Ease-of-Use and Performance at equivalent pricing is the Symbian S60 based NOKIA E63 Smartphone in spite of the fact that it has much fewer Features and lower Technical Specifications.
  8. Best Buy Product from Price and Performance points of view for anyone wanting to make a move to Android with Thousands of Applications from Symbian/ Bada/ other Proprietary OS Mobiles; have not evaluated the Camera yet.

CONS –

  1. With most Applications and Features enabled on a 2G Network, the Battery drains out very quickly, within just a few hours even though it is of a Higher Capacity than equivalent Motorola and the closest HTC handsets. The Battery Drain is extensive primarily due to Multiple Tasks being run simultaneously in the Background by the Phone such as Push mail, Gmail, . Carrying an AC/Car Charger/ USB Data Cable is a MUST for fail-safe performance – which is Impractical as well as convenient most of the times. The Nokia E63 has a Killer Battery in comparison.
  2. Display is Large but not with 16 Million Colors and an Owner migrating from Nokia can feel that Difference.
  3. The First Impression to a Non-Owner presents it as a low end Phone since the Phone is extremely Light due to light weight Plastics used in the Phone.
  4. The Back Cover could have had been more easy-to-remove for replacing a Low Battery with a Second One (Spare Bty. to be purchased separately).
  5. The Back Cover could have been a Steel Cover, it would have added a little more weight to the phone, dissipated more Heat and made the Phone look Better.
  6. The WHITE Color Variant should also be available, it looks better than Silver on the Samsung India website.