Computer Stores

Computer stores or computer shops are the registered stores that sell computers and related accessories. More than 10,000 computer stores around the globe are included within the computer stores industry. The computer stores industry is a small one, where 50 companies draw 70% of the total industrial revenue.
Demand is driven personal revenue, business expansion and technological innovation. Effective trading, competitive pricing and consistent service ensure the profitability of the individual companies. Consumer electronics stores and Internet retailers are the primary competitors of the computer stores.
Some of the world's leading Computer Stores are:


• Dell
• Apple
• Comet
• Hewlett Packard
• Lenovo
• Gateway
Several computer stores offer online purchase of computers and are commonly known as online computer stores. Some of the most popular online computer stores are:
• Dabs
• Ebuyer
• Currys
• Pricerunner
• AIPCS
• Armada Computers
• Axion Solutions
There are different types of computer stores where both assembled and custom built PCs as well as branded computers are available. Computer stores provide all sorts of products and equipments related to computer hardware as well as software.
Computer store Products
• Computers & peripherals
• Software
• Audio equipments
• Office Equipments
• Video recorders
• Web Cams
• Electronic games
Other than providing all these product computer stores also offer technical support and installations services.
Computer Store Software with Point of Sale and Integrated Back Office Functions.
Windward System Five is a fully integrated point of sale software package that helps you run your computer store instead of just reporting on it.
Ironically, most computer stores are not computerized, or only have partial systems in place. Windward System Five has the solution.

Windward’s ComputerStorePOS is a flexible, integrated, inventory control, point of sale and accounting package designed in conjunction with our existing Computer store clients.


Work Orders
A Work Order is an Un-Finished Invoice. You can create a work order when a customer orders a computer system. Windward allows you to take a deposit on an open work order.
Inventory Control
Windward System Five is extremely powerful when it comes to inventory control, pricing, and maintenance. It will support regular part numbers, alpha-numeric part numbers and bar code numbers. It will even keep track of the supplier's part number.

The inventory is costed on a first in, first out basis, but the pricing can be based on your standard price, next price, average price, or you can fix the price.
Service History
Windward System Five does an excellent job of keeping track of history. As an added feature, you can keep track of each of the customers computers and track what work or service was done. The invoice is actually tagged against the computer in question, so that at some future date, you could bring up a list and review all work done to that computer.
Prioritizing Repair or Service Orders
You can also create Work Orders for repairs, installation, or preventative maintenance.
Technician Tracking
Windward System Five will allow you to record what work was done, which technician did the work, how long it took, how many hours you billed for, and a detailed comment describing the work done.
Sales are a snap with Windward System Five. We support all the standard Point of Sale equipment including Bar Code Scanners, Pole Displays, Receipt Printers, Cash Drawers, Credit Card Verification and other systems and devices.

Serial Number Tracking
Serial Numbers are a huge concern in the computer industry today. Not only are the computers serialized, but so are the motherboards, hard drives, floppy drives, and RAM. Try Windward's Computer Store Software for Free! Windward System Five - ComputerStorePOS Edition is the perfect point of sale software / inventory control solution to improve the efficiency and profitability of your Computer business.

Check out my other post in Computer Laptop.

HP Pavilion TX2000Z 12.1" Touch Screen TABLET NOTEBOOK LAPTOP PC

HP Pavilion TX2000Z 12.1" Touch Screen TABLET NOTEBOOK LAPTOP PC (AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual-Core TL-64 at 2.2GHz,4GB RAM, 250GB HDD/DVD+/-RW DL/WIRELESS/FINGERPRINT READER/ CAMERA/NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150/Windows Vista Home Premium)
Product Description
PROCESSOR AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual-Core TL-64 at 2.2GHz MEMORY 4.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x2048MB) HARD DRIVE 250GB SATA DISPLAY 12.1" WXGA BrightView Widescreen Display (1280 x 800) w/Integrated Touch-screen MULTIMEDIA DRIVE LightScribe Super Multi 8X DVD+/-RW w/Double Layer VIDEO GRAPHICS NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150 w/ Webcam DIGITAL MEDIA 5-in-1 media card reader COMMUNICATION 802.11b/g WLAN KEYBOARD Full-Size POINTING DEVICE TouchPad with dedicated vertical & horizontal scroll pad DIMENSIONS 8.82" (L) x 12.05" (W) x 1.23" (min H)/1.52" (max H) WEIGHT 3.91 lbs. PC CARD SLOTS ExpressCard/34 slot EXTERNAL PORTS Expansion port 3 connector Integrated Consumer IR (remote control receiver) Three USB 2.0 S-video TV-out Headphones out Microphone in RJ-11 (modem) RJ-45 (LAN) VGA port SOUND Integrated Altec Lansing stereo speakers POWER Standard Lithium-Ion battery OPERATING SYSTEM Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SOFTWARE HP PhotoSmart Premier RealRhapsody Muvee AutoProducer DVD Edition with Burning Adobe Acrobat Reader Microsoft Works Microsoft Money Microsoft Windows Media Player HP Games Powered by Wild Tangent Intuit Quicken New User Edition Sonic Digital Media Plus HP QuickPlay

Customer Review: It is not a REAL tablet. Period.

I bought it directly from HP and received 30% discount to find out a week later that HP stopped producing tx1000 (hence the large discount). What they do not tell you is that this model does not have Wacom digitizer and active display. This model has a passive display,and what that means is that you would be able to write on the screen as successfully as you try to write something in you Blackberry.

When you try to write on the screen you have to apply so much pressure and the hand has to be at a certain angle. Even that did not always help me as a result I got a bunch of dots or some weird looking lines that did not resemble any letters. The pen primarily serves a function of the mouse. And also forget about trying to draw anything, it will not work the same as the writing.

The computer is loaded with HPs bloatware (as usual) and Vista is slower than XP. The comp is unable to play any games (tried Command and Conquer) due to its weak videocard. In addition the screen is very grainy though it was expected.

If you you are looking for a real tablet get yourself their new tx2000 which has Wacon Penable digitizer and an active display. That baby will allow you to write on it like on the real paper with no problems at all.

HP Pavilion DV9720US 17.0" Entertainment Laptop

HP Pavilion DV9720US 17.0" Entertainment Laptop (AMD Athlon 64 X 2 Dual Core TL-60 Processor, 2 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium)
For those who want advanced digital entertainment capability coupled with desktop-replacement performance, the HP Pavilion dv9700 series Entertainment Notebook PC delivers! Dual headphone jacks and Altec Lansing audio allow you to share your entertainment. And AMD mobile dual-core technology enables use of multiple demanding applications, such as photo editing, DVD burning and playing a game, at the same time. Chat face to face or take pictures and video clips using the HP Webcam and Microphone. Listen without disturbing others with the included stereo earbud headphones. And control content from up to 10 feet away with the HP Mobile Remote Control that can be stored in the ExpressCard slot for convenience. This 7.7 lbs notebook delivers desktop-comparable performance with its 17.0" High-Definition BrightView widescreen display and separate numeric keypad. 17.0 diagonal WXGA+ (1440 x 900) BrightView Widescreen display NVIDIA GeForce Go 7150M (UMA) with up to 799MB shared graphics memory Built-in Webcam and microphone LightScribe SuperMulti 8x DVD+-R/RW Drive with Double Layer 802.11B/G Wireless 10/100 Ethernet 5-in-1 Bridge Media Adapter - MMC, SD, MS, MS Pro, xD 1 ExpressCard Slot (34/54 Slot) 4 USB 2.0, 2 Headphone out; 1 Microphone-in, 1 VGA, 1 TV-Out (S-Video), 1 IEEE-1394, 1 RJ-11, 1 RJ-45 Approximate Unit Dimensions - 15.16 (W) x 11.22 (D) x 1.65 (H) Approximate Unit Weight - 7.7lbs

Customer Review: WORTH THE MONEY

i bought this laptop (typing this review on it now) a few months back when it was sold my amazon.com for only $[...] and i must say it is well worth it!

it has a built in blu-ray player which works like a charm, 320 GB hard rive enough to save EVERYTHING you can possibly download. NVIDIA GeForce 8600 clear, vivid picturing and video and gaming!

believe me it is WORTH every penny!!!

HP Laptops

Hi-Capacity Li-Ion Laptop Battery for HP OmniBook XE3 Pavilion XH series

Hi-Capacity Li-Ion Laptop Battery for HP OmniBook XE3 Pavilion XH series(F2024A)
Battery-Biz is a leading manufacturer and distributor of computer batteries and AC adapters. The company's goal is to provide its customer base with a comprehensive source for portable computing power products and solutions. Battery-Biz achieves this goal by delivering consistently superior product quality, an extensive product offering and unmatched customer service. This provides the platform for Battery-Biz to become a leading domestic supplier to all OEMs, master distributors and retailers of portable computing systems and products. This battery is designed for Hewlett-Packard Pavilion N5240, N5250, N3410, N5000, N3400, N3402, N5210, N5200, N5125, N5130, N5190, N5195, N5170, N5100, N5150, N5420L, N5415, N5295, N5300, N5390, N5400, N5425, N5450, N5270, N5290, N5310, N5340, XH555, XH156, XH176, XH226, XH35, XH365.

Customer Review: CHEAP TRICK

DO NOT BUY THIS BATTERY. YOU RATHER SPEND A FEW MORE BUCKS AND YOU BUY TO THE MANUFACTURER.

I BOUGHT MINE, IT WAS GONE AFTER 5 WEEKS, THEN I CONTACTED THE SELLER WHO AGREED TO SEND ME A NEW ONE, (AND I SHOULD PAY FOR S&H ABOUT 10 BUCKS )BUT I NEVER GOT IT.

AVOID YOURSELF A HEADACHE. BUY THE MANUFACTURER, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE CHEAP IS NOT EQUAL TO QUALITY, IT IS EQUAL TO CHEAP TRICK.

I LOST MY MONEY, MY TIME AND ALL I GOT IN RETURN WAS A HEADACHE, NOT EVEN THE HONOR WORD OF A BUSSINESSMAN FROM THE SELLER.

HP Pavilion DV6770SE 15.4" Entertainment Laptop

HP Pavilion DV6770SE 15.4" Entertainment Laptop (AMD Turion 64 X 2 Dual Core TL-62 Processor, 3 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium)
For those who want advanced digital entertainment capability coupled with leading-edge mobile performance and communication features in a distinctive design, the HP Pavilion dv6700 series Special Edition Notebook PC delivers! It features a subtle HP-exclusive Radiance pattern that is a mixture of ripples on a sea of radial lines. And AMD mobile dual-core technology enables use of multiple demanding applications, such as photo editing, DVD burning and playing a game, at the same time. Chat face to face or take pictures and video clips using the HP Webcam and Microphone. Listen without disturbing others with the included stereo earbud headphones. And control content from up to 10 feet away with the HP Mobile Remote Control that can be stored in the ExpressCard slot for convenience. This 6.06lbs light notebook exists at the intersection of computing and entertainment with its 15.4" High-Definition BrightView widescreen display, innovative entertainment features and fresh design. 15.4 diagonal WXGA (1280 x 800) BrightView Widescreen display NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS with up to 1535MB graphics memory with 256MB dedicated Built-in Webcam and microphone SuperMulti 8x DVD+-R/RW Drive with Double Layer 802.11B/G Wireless 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet 5-in-1 Bridge Media Adapter - MMC, SD, MS, MS Pro, xD 1 ExpressCard Slot (34/54 Slot) 3 USB 2.0, 2 Headphone out; 1 Microphone-in, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 TV-Out (S-Video), 1 IEEE-1394, 1 RJ-11, 1 RJ-45 Approximate Unit Dimensions - 14.05 (W) x 10.12 (D) x 1.56 (H) Approximate Unit Weight - 6.06lbs

Customer Review: hp

HP Pavilion DV6725US 15.4" Entertainment Laptop (AMD Turion 64 X 2 Dual Core TL-60 Processor, 2 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium)

Computer Monitor

Computer Monitor : Resolution
Monitors are measured in inches, diagonally from side to side (on the screen). A 14-inch monitor only has a 13.2-inch viewable area, a 15-inch sees only 13.8 inches, and a 20-inch will give you 18.8 inches (viewing 85.7% more than a 15-inch screen).
A computer monitor is made of pixels (short for "picture element"). Monitor resolution is measured in pixels, width by height. A pixel is the smallest element of a video image, but not the smallest element of a monitor's screen. Originally, monitors were fixed at a particular resolution, but most monitors today are capable of changing their displayed resolution under software control. Compare a 15-inch monitor and a 21-inch monitor, both set to 800 x 600 pixels: the 15-inch will have a higher resolution. Larger monitors must contain smaller pixels in order to maintain the same resolution, but when a smaller monitor is set to a high resolution, the images would be much too small to read.
Adjusting Resolution
Color
There are 4 standard color depths used by monitors: 4-bit (Standard VGA), 8-bit (256-Color Mode), 16-bit (High Color),and 24-bit (True Color). Each pixel of the screen image is displayed using a combination of three different color signals: red, green, and blue. The more bits that are used per pixel, the finer the color detail of the image. Bit depth is the number of bits in each pixel. Color depth is the maximum number of colors in an image [...]

and is based on the bit depth of the image and of the displaying monitor. A black and white monitor uses 1-bit color depth (2 to the power of 1): black=light off, and white= light on. Each pixel has a bit depth of one and a color depth of two. One bit produces two possible colors. Color monitors use at least 2-bit color, or 2-to-the-2nd power (2x2=4), meaning that 4 shades of color are available for each of the three primary colors (red, blue, and green). 4-bit color (2x2x2x2=16) means that each of the primaries has 16 shades; the greater the bit depth, the more shades for each color. See the chart below for a comparison of bit depth and color resolution. 256-Color Mode: uses only 8 bits (2 bits for blue, 3 for green, 3 for red). A palette is created containing 256 different colors. Despite the ability to "hand pick" the 256 colors, this mode produces noticeably worse image quality than high color, and most people can tell the difference between high color and 256-color mode.


High color: 16-bit color—uses two bytes of information to store the intensity values for the three colors. True color: 24-bit color—three bytes of information are used, one for each of the red, blue, and green signals that make up each pixel. [TheScreamOnline is best viewed with 24-bit color, or millions of colors, though thousands of colors will suffice. On a Mac, go to Control Panels > Monitors (see graphic above under Adjusting Resolution) and set the color depth to thousands or millions of colors if your video card supports it. Lowering the resolution of your screen display may allow you to achieve a greater color depth.
Monitors vs. Browsers
Macintosh monitors display text at 72 dpi (dots-per-inch) and PC's take 96 pixels to show that same text.

Bigger Computer Monitors = More Productivity
Blame your computer screen. A new study finds that bigger monitors make people more productive.
Researchers at the University of Utah tested how quickly people performed tasks like editing a document and copying numbers between spreadsheets while using different computer configurations: one with an 18-inch monitor, one with a 24-inch monitor and with two 20-inch monitors. Their finding: People using the 24-inch screen completed the tasks 52% faster than people who used the 18-inch monitor; people who used the two 20-inch monitors were 44% faster than those with the 18-inch ones. There is an upper limit, however: Productivity dropped off again when people used a 26-inch screen. (The order of the tasks and the order of computer configurations were assigned randomly.)

Check Out My Other post on Laptop Computers

Battery Technology AC Adapter for Laptop (PS-HP-DV1000)

Battery Technology AC Adapter for Laptop (PS-HP-DV1000)
As a leading manufacturer of portable computer power accessories, Battery Technology is dedicated to providing innovation, reliable and affordable battery technology to generate power and functionality for notebook computers, camcorders, portable peripherals and cellular phones.This product is designed for the following HP systems:Pavilion DV1000;Pavilion DV1100;Pavilion DV1200;Pavilion DV1300;Pavilion DV1400;Pavilion DV1500;Pavilion DV1600;Pavilion DV1700;Pavilion DV5000;Pavilion DV5100;Pavilion DV5200;Pavilion ZE2000;Pavilion ZE2100;Pavilion ZE2200;Pavilion ZE2300;Pavilion ZE2400;Pavilion ZE2500;Special Edition L2000;Special Edition L2100;Special Edition L2200;Special Edition L2300.

Customer Review: It works!

I was a little nervous about ordering an off-brand adapter for my laptop, but it works just fine, and, as far as I can tell, is just as good quality as any other AC adapter. This is the second time I have had to replace the adapter, and the first time, I replaced it with HP's version, which surprisingly didn't fit as well as this one; I should have saved myself $50 and gotten this one the first time.

The only reason I'm not giving this 5 stars is because the adapter is not the one pictured. I chose this one over some cheaper ones because the part you stick into the back of the laptop is bent, which I liked, but the actual adapter is straight.

Computers laptop

Computers laptop : A laptop is a individualized machine which is portable. The exemplary laptop module arrange in coefficient from 1 to 3 kilograms, and module mostly hit an interior shelling as substantially as a noesis adapter. While most laptops are portable, whatever crapper currently correct the noesis of the most pricey desktops, though this module probable modify as profession continues to advance. The word laptop was prototypal introduced in 1983, and was utilised to intend to the Gavilan SC.
Despite the name, most laptops should not be settled in your travel if it is not covered, because they crapper intend hot, and crapper modify defect wound that is held against it for long periods of time. The exemplary laptop crapper be supercharged by digit battery, and the noesis musician crapper noesis the shelling when it is obstructed into a surround outlet. A laptop crapper action whatever of the aforementioned tasks as a PC, but they separate to be limited. They module hit the aforementioned interior devices which are seen in desktops, but they module be such diminutive in size. Most laptops module hit a concealment which uses a liquefied stone display.
Most manufacturers hit fashioned their laptops to impact with a keyboard and mouse, and they module also hit a contact aggrandize that crapper be utilised to advise around the indicator on the screen. Laptops become in threesome varieties, and these are supported on the size. An ultraportable laptop module mostly matter inferior than 1.7 kilograms, patch a anorectic and reddened laptop module matter up to 2.8 kilograms, and a job fourpenny laptop module matter up to 3.5 kilograms. The intent for the laptop existed preceding to the conception of the individualized computer, and was prototypal planned during the 1970s. The rattling prototypal laptop was the playwright 1, and it was free in 1981.
Most laptops today today ingest metal ion batteries. While laptops hit a whatever advantages over their screen counterparts, they hit whatever disadvantages as well. The exclusive parts of most laptops that crapper easily be upgraded are the hornlike intend and RAM. Stolen laptops are a ordinary drive for indistinguishability theft. While the ingest of the USB opening has allowed laptops to be upgraded to whatever degree, it module typically turn their portability. Historically, the action of laptops has ever been baritone when they were compared to desktops in the aforementioned toll range.
Computer and Laptop Repair
If you are fed up of local computer repair shops, you can think about online computer support resources which are fast attracting the attention of computer enthusiasts with their proven expertise and knowledge. They can provide you with every kind of computer services like computer repair, laptop repair, PC maintenance, networking solutions, and several other IT enabled services.

As opposed to these companies are the ones which send their technicians at customer’s premises for in-home computer repair. Take a look: Troubleshooting computer, diagnosing technical problems, virus and spyware removal, slow running PC, and errors like blue screen of death, dead computers, faulty hardware, etc. Subscribing with online technical support companies is like having a personal computer think tank!

The technicians working in these companies are highly qualified and certified and have loads of experience in diagnosing all types of computer problems. Try to search for the keywords such as ‘online computer support’, ‘tech support’, or online computer repair’ on the Internet. It will refine your search and help you to narrow down on the best computer laptop support resources.

HP Pavilion DV6470US 15.4" Laptop

HP Pavilion DV6470US 15.4" Laptop (AMD Turion 64 Processor TL64, 2 GB RAM, 200 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium)
The HP Pavilion dv6470 has been designed to provide you with advanced digital entertainment solutions, as well as fast and reliable mobile computing performance. Enjoy 3D gaming and video editing with the NVIDIA GeForce Go 7200 graphics card. Watch your favorite DVDs, or create one of your own, with the 8x LightScribe Super Multi DVD burner. Movies and games look amazing on the 15.4" WXGA High-Definition Brightview Widescreen LCD. Being a widescreen, its also great for your day-to-day applications. True side-by-side multi-tasking has never been easier. See below for what else the HP Pavilion dv6470 has to offer... 2 RAM Slots NVIDIA GeForce Go 7200 with up to 559MB of shared memory (memory is taken from the main system's RAM) 200GB (4200RPM) HDD 8x Super Multi Double Layer DVD Burner with LightScribe labeling technology 15.4 WXGA High-Definition Brightview Widescreen Native Resolution - 1280 x 800 Ports - 10/100 Ethernet, 3 USB 2.0, 1 Firewire, 2 Headphone Out (1 with SPDIF Digital Audio & 1 Stereo), 1 Microphone In, 1 VGA, & 1 S-Video Out 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi Support Webcam with Integrated Microphone 5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader - supports Secure Digital (SD), MultiMedia Cards (MMC), Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, & xD Picture Cards 56k Fax Modem Altec Lansing Audio 1 ExpressCard/54 Slot (also supports ExpressCard/34) Unit Dimensions - 14.05 (l) x 10.12 (w) x 1.56 (h) Unit Weight - 6.8 lbs.

Customer Review: Arguably The Best Value In A Media Laptop For The Money!

Thumbs Up:

Fast processor, extreme good looks, rugged construction, HP's history of quality, price.
Thumbs Down:

Vista, 5400rpm HD, 1 gig of memory, annoying fan noise due to processor heat, HP's poor record for service.

The Bottom Line:

If you don't mind Vista, or can replace it with XP, and a fan doesn't bother you, this may well be the best value in a media laptop you'll find.
What I Think:
I've used computers for over 25 years. I've owned many laptops and this is by far the best Windows deck I've owned.
First off it's beautiful. Made well and rugged, lighter than most it's size, gorgeous bright screen, 15.4 WXGA, 160g HD. Built in 1.3 mp webcam and mic, Intel pro-wireless, 6 cell bat, and a boatload more included features. Mine also came with a Lightscribe DVD burner, HP's bootless QuickPlay software for playing the DVDs without having to use Windows.
The Hp dv6426us comes with three expansion ports, a Firewire port, three USB 2 ports, a 5-in-1 digital media reader, etc.
The only real drawback I've found on this laptop compared to all the many others I've owned is that it comes loaded with Windows Vista. This is my first Vista machine and I absolutely hate it. It totally fills the 1 gig memory the machine comes with even when idle. When something triggers the processor, it will go over 100%, no matter what the program. And the Vongo and other junk prepackaged with the machine slows it to a crawl. You'll have to rip all of that out to see the true speed this laptop really has.
Since I've had it, I've only used it for email on the road. But I plan this summer when things slow down to dump Vista and load either XP Pro or Vista Lite (an unauthorized stripped down version of Vista) onto the HP. Besides it getting a little warm on the bottom side due to the heat generated by the Intel Core Duo processor and the fans coming on and off the cool it, this is an unbelievable steal at this price.
I first saw this laptop being used by people in my line of work. This machine was showing up everywhere. So I asked each of these folks if they likes the machine and what were the main drawbacks. They all said they loved the machine and that the cons were few, mostly the warm underside and the fan noise. Some of the machines issued produce a high pitched whine, which if it's too troublesome, you can contact HP and exchange the laptop for a new (not refurbished one like Dell gets away with). At that time, it was selling for around $950.00 to $1,000.00. I just happened to see it on deep discount at Circuit City for $650.00. I grabbed the last one they had and after about nine months, I still love the deck.
It comes with the slower 5400 rpm hard drive and I may swap that out for the much faster 7200 rpm drive. And I'm definitely going to add another gig of memory. Unfortunately, this laptop has a limit of 2 gigs of memory.
It's not for gamers so if you are looking for a portable gaming machine, don't buy this one for that. But if you need an outstanding laptop for dirt cheap, this is the one to look at!
What It's Features Are:
Intel Core Duo T2450 2 GHz Processor
15.4 WXGA High-Definition BrightView Widescreen Display (1024 x 768)
160 GB 5400 rpm Hard Disc Drive
1024 mb DDR2 SDRAM memory (2 Dimm)
Intel PRO Wireless 3945 a/b/g 802 11a/b/g integrated Wireless LAN
Lightscribe Super Multi 8x DVD+/-RW Double Layer Supported
6-Cell battery
HP DVD/CD Quick Play
HP Mobile Remote Control
5-in-1 Digital Media Card Slot
ExpressCard/54 PC Expansion Card Slot
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 with shared graphics memory
Windows Vista Home Premium OS
1.3mp Integrated Webcam
Integrated microphone
Mobile Stereo Earbud Headphones
Expansion Port 3
What I Like:
I love the styling. It's smart and professional looking and has lots of sex appeal too. The machine is built rugged and feels like it will take some abuse. It's easy to use. The buttons are well lit and marked and the keyboard feels good to the fingers, though some say it's a bit springy. Though only an XGA, the screen is bright, clear and easy to read with vibrant colors. The integrated sound is good enough for listening to mp3s and web radio on the road. I've not had the bottom panels off yet so I can't comment on easy of using the expansion ports or changing out memory. The DVD burner is easy to use with the enclosed cheapo burning software. I would recommend you replace it with what you are used to using to burn CDs and DVDs. Once you uninstall all of the garbage out of the machine and cheap unnecessary programs that try to load at boot time, this machine flies with speed. Even though it's not a feather weight (around 6 and a half pounds), it's very totable and can even be used on your lap.
What I Don't Like:
VISTA! Sorry but this is a terrible OS. Windows really shot itself in the foot with this. I've not talked to one person since this came out who likes it, even a little. Sure the graphics are cute, but you don't buy a computer for animated Mac style graphics. The new built in high security system is a joke. What it is is merely a series of questions when you click a button. It's like this:
Operator: Clicked a button to do something
Windows Security: Are you sure you wanted to do that?
Operator: Yes, click
Windows Security: Are you REALLY sure you wanted to do that?
Operator: YES! Click
Windows Security: Windows Security thinks this is an unauthorized attempt to access this computer. Access denied
Operator: BUT I'M THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THIS COMPUTER!!!
And this happens for every single thing you try to do in Vista. So you end up turning the High Security system off. Which right there tells you how secure it is. When I got this laptop and started immediately having trouble with Vista, I went online and found numerous blogs and articles saying the same thing. And there are no fixes for just being a big, poorly written, bloated operating system. What these IT experts did was either use Vista Lite, a stripped down version of Vista, or wipe the whole hard drive clean and "upgrade" to Windows XP Pro, which is what I use on my desktop and really love. That's probably what I will do when I get the chance.
Also, the HP Quick Play buttons are very easy to accidently activate and then it's a pain to get out of that program quickly.
And look out for the wireless activation button on the front. Grab the computer wrong and it turns off and you'll forget to check that as the problem.
This computer comes with the Intel Core Duo processor. This is not the same as the Core 2 Duo, which runs a lot cooler than the Core Duo. So what that means is more internal heat which will eventually affect the components and may shorten their lifespan. But the main affect is a very warm bottom on the computer which can get uncomfortable if you sit it for long periods of time on your legs or lap. It won't burn you but it does get warm. The second result is fans. There are several, including a pretty soft one that stays on all the time. When you start running multiple programs, especially graphic intensive ones, or have multiple windows open, the fans come on and at their extreme, they really scream. If there is anything I would label a design flaw with this machine, it would be this heat issue and the fan noise. But for me, it's a minor annoyance for what I use this laptop for.
My Conclusions:
All in all, I love this laptop computer. It's exactly what I was looking for with a cross of the high end media features and the zip of a gaming machine, plus the simplicity of a standard use notebook. If you consider buying this computer, before you load it up with software and programs, give yourself a break-in period to see if you will be happy with Vista. Most folks aren't but most also are not up to the task of replacing their operating system from scratch, and then reloading all the software and programs back into the machine, and then trouble shooting the new installation looking for drivers for the hardware that may not be supported automatically by XP. An option is to have the store where you buy it do that swap out for you. Know this, that they will charge you to reload your computer, AND you will have to pay for the other OS. Most non-professionals just tough out Vista and all of it's problems. If you keep it, you'll definitely need to replace the memory with two new sticks of 1gig high speed RAM. That's around another $200.00 to do that since the 1gig that comes with the machine is really two sticks of 500megs so you won't be able to use it. You could then always sell the 1gig on eBay.
Good luck!