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(More customer reviews)I got my Toshiba R25 two weeks ago now. I was quite surprised at the lack of reviews on the computer when I was looking to buy, so I now feel compelled to write my impressions of the computer. First, I love most things about this computer. The Centrino Duo processor is fantastic! I had a 2.8 Ghz P4 before this R25, and I can't believe how much more information this R25 can handle. The difference is particularly noticeable when I'm running multiple programs at once. The keyboard is a great size for typing, the screen is nice and bright, and I love the battery life I'm getting. I'm particularly tuned into that because my Sony Vaio was pushing it to hope for 2 hours, and my R25 is 4.5 hours, and that's running a lot of different programs. This R25 feels lighter than the 6 pounds the specs say that it is as well. I'm looking forward to traveling with the R25. I'm also planning on buying an external battery for it that will push the battery life to almost 10 hours, which is going to be great for that San Fran to Beijing route I take three times a year. Secondly, because this is the first Tablet PC I've owned, I'm definitely finding out that making the most of a Tablet PC takes some time. I think in the long run it will be great, and I know that there are features that once I learn them (like OneNote), I will really be able to utilize them. But computing with a pen takes some time, and I think that everyone could benefit from it. I've really enjoyed using the Windows Journal, which is a program that you can use to make hand written notes on the screen, and you can save them as your handwriting, or convert them to text. I've also like the voice recognition software that comes with the R25. I've used it for voice commands to open programs, and in MS Word to type documents. Especially with the price of the R25, it may be an extra $150 over similarly equipped computers to get the Tablet feature, and that was worth it to me to take advantage of the R25.
In terms of things I don't like about the R25, there are two of them, and one is a bigger deal than the other. The biggest problem I have is that the icons and other text on the screen are noticeably smaller and take more effort to read than other laptops. In fact, even though I'm not using this computer any more than my Vaio it's replacing, I've had noticeable eye strain with the R25. I keep saying to myself that it will just take some getting use to..... I sure hope so! I would say that if you already have eye problems, you will definitely want to keep this in mind and go to a CompUSA or Circuit City to test this out for yourself. In fact, after noticing this on my own R25, I went to my local Circuit city to test this out, and sure enough, when you look at the screen of the R25, the text is quite a bit smaller. Of course, on a web browser or word processor, you can zoom in, which is helpful, but as I've tried to adjust the screen resolution, while it makes the icons and text bigger, it also makes it fuzzier. The other thing that I've not liked is that the latch that holds the screen down when it's in Tablet PC mode doesn't grip very well, and the screen comes loose very easily. Of course, I can just re-latch it again, but it would be nice if the latch held a little better.
Overall, the R25 seems like a great `bang for the buck,' and I'm looking forward to using it for years to come!
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Toshiba Satellite R25-S3503 14.1" Laptop (Intel Core Duo Processor T2050, 1024 MB RAM, 100 GB Hard Drive, DVD SuperMulti +/- Dbl Layer Drive)Students and small business professionals alike will appreciate the power and flexibility of the Toshiba Satellite R25-S3503 convertible notebook, which allows you to work with the traditional keyboard or rotate and fold the 14.1-inch screen down for use as a Tablet PC. A digitizer pen enables you to hand-write notes, draw, edit copy or write e-mail or input data while standing, sitting or reclining. And it can convert handwriting to text or just record your own handwriting. It comes with Toshiba's exclusive LifeSmart Technology, a set of features that elevate system performance, durability and security with shock-absorbing technologies to protect the hard drive, a spill-resistant keyboard, and fingerprint security.
The R25-S3503 is the first Toshiba Tablet PC powered by Intel's powerful Core Duo T2050, which provides an optimized, multithreaded architecture for improved gaming and multitasking performance and a more efficient power consumption. The dual execution core T2050 has a 1.60 GHz processor speed, 533 MHz system bus, and 2 MB L2 cache. Other features include a 100 GB hard drive, 1 GB of installed RAM (2 GB maximum), a DVD SuperMulti Double Layer drive that reads and writes in up to 11 formats, tri-mode wi-fi LAN (802.11a/b/g), a multi-format memory card reader, battery life up to 4 hours, and Microsoft XP Tablet edition operating system.
The Basics
Hard Drive: Large and in charge, the 100 GB hard drive (5400 RPM) offers enough to room to hold a digital audio library of over 20,000 songs and still have room left over for movies, games, and a large collection of software. This Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to Firewire and USB 2.0.
Processor: The Intel Core Duo T2050 processor is built with the Mobile Intel 945PM Express chipset, and it has a 1.60 GHz processor speed, fast 533 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and large 2 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)
The Intel Core Duo processor has two computational execution cores in a single processor, providing greater system response when running multi-threaded applications simultaneously with no significant increase in power consumption. It's optimized for multitasking and is ready to support the next version of Microsoft Windows, code-named Vista. It can simultaneously run multiple demanding applications--such as graphics-intensive games or serious number-crunching business productivity applications--while downloading music or running virus-scanning security programs in the background. It's more efficient, thanks to Intel's Power Coordination and Deeper Sleep, which help to transfer power only to those areas of the processor that need it. It also features Intel's Digital Media Boost, which delivers enhanced performance on floating point-intensive applications such as CAD tools, 3D and 2D modeling, video editing, digital music, digital photography and gaming.
Memory: The 1 GB of built-in memory (PC4200, DDR2 SDRAM, 2 x 512 MB) is good start for power users, and it offers excellent 533 MHz speed. It has two memory slots, enabling you to add a maximum of 2 GB to handle immersive 3D video games, video editing, and graphics-intensive presentations. Also, to receive the benefits of the dual-channel DDR2 RAM, any RAM additions require memory modules of same capacity and clockspeed.
CD/DVD Drive: The double-layer DVD drive is compatible with a wide range of formats, including both DVD+RW and DVD-RW discs, CD-RW discs, and dual-layer (DL) DVD+/-R discs, which can hold up to 8.5 GB of data--great for backing up your MP3 collection or your most important documents. It features the following speeds: 2.4x DVD+R DL, 2x DVD-R DL, 8x for both single-layer DVD+R/-R, 4x DVD+RW, 2x DVD-RW, 3x DVD-RAM, and 24x/16x for CD-R/RW. It reads DVD-ROM discs at 8x and CD-ROMs at 24x.
Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a standard 84-key keyboard and electro-static two-button touchpad. It also offers a launch button for the Express CD/DVD media player and control buttons (play, stop, next, previous).
Screen, Graphics and Sound The R25-S3503 has a 14.1-inch TFT display with a resolution of 1440 x 900 pixels. Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, which uses Intel Dynamic Video Memory Technology (DVMT) and provides up to 128 MB of shared video memory. It offers both VGA and S-Video output connections for connecting to monitors and TVs. You'll enjoy crisp sound via the built-in stereo speakers, which can produce immersive SRS TruSurround XT virtual surround sound with SRS WOW sound enhancement.
Connectivity and Expansion Slots This notebook has an integrated tri-mode Intel 3945ABG wireless LAN, which is compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found in home routers and wi-fi hotspots) as well as 802.11a networks (which has a higher throughput, but more limited range--great for closed office environments). You get a good offering of connectivity options:
4 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
1 VGA monitor port
1 S-Video out
1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type II, PCMCIA R2.01, PC Card16, CardBus)
5-in-1 memory card reader (Secure Digital, MultiMedia, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, xD Picture Card)
1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack
It also has an integrated 56K modem (V.90) and an RJ-45 LAN network port (for a 10/100 Ethernet connection to networks and DSL/cable modems).
Preloaded System and Software This system comes with the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 operating system with Service Pack 2 featuring Advanced Security Technologies, which helps to reduce unwanted downloads and pop-ups while surfing the Web. Other pre-loaded software includes Microsoft Works 8.5, Microsoft Office OneNote 2003, Intervideo WinDVD 5 and WinDVD Creator 2, Sonic Solutions RecordNow, and McAfee VirusScan (with 30-day trial).
Dimensions and Weight Perfect for portability, this notebook weighs 6 pounds and measures 13.7 x 10.2 x 1.6 inches (WxDxH).
Power It's powered by a 6-cell rechargeable lithium-ion battery (4000 mAh), which has a battery life of up to 4 hours (depending on usage). It has a recharge time of approximately 3 hours.
What's in the Box This package contains the R25-S3503 convertible notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. It is backed by a one-year limited hardware warranty.
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