Friday, November 30, 2007

Compaq Presario V3200 Core Duo laptops review

Compaq Presario V3200 Core Duo laptops


Now looking good comes standard with superb performance. The new Compaq Presario V3200 series Notebook PC sports a stylish chassis design with a scratch-resistant glossy coat. Just flip the latch free screen and glide it into position. Designed to thrive in a multi-tasking world, it also delivers excellent wireless networking capabilities on the move. And with 14.1-inch widescreen display, built-in Altec Lansing speakers, and Compaq DVDPlay, you have at a press of a button, a compelling mobile entertainment experience too

Phone orders are welcome, at 888-728-9902 or 954-941-1417
Compaq Presario V3200 Core Duo laptops

Software alternatives and Refurbished Laptops

Refurbished Laptops and Software

If you have purchased a refurbished laptop, and you are tight on the budget, you probably do not want to spend hundreds of dollars more on software, like Microsoft Office, Norton Antivirus or other applications. Do not worry, most of these programs have cheap or even free alternate options. Whether you are looking for word processing or virus killer software, you will be able to find inexpensive and free alternatives. These may not be as sophisticated as their pricey rivals, but they are a useful solution for your basic computing tasks. All of these programs have different system requirements, so check the manufacturer’s FAQ before you start downloading them.

Word processing software:

Open Office from Sun Microsystems is a great office productivity suite. It offers word processing (Writer), spreadsheet (Calc), presentation designing (Impress), illustration (Draw), database (Base) and mathematical equation (Math) applications for completely free. It is also compatible with the major office suites. You can download it, distribute it or use it for free, anytime at: www.openoffice.org .

AbiWord is a convenient , easy-to-use software, similar to Microsoft Word. It is suitable for a wide variety of word processing tasks It is completely free and it can be downloaded at: www.abisource.com anytime.

Jarte is a useful software based on the same word processing engine used by Windows’ WordPad, but it offers far more capabilities than that. It is completely free. You can upgrade it to Jarta plus, for the extra bells and whistles that the upgrade version provides for a small fee. It can be downloaded anytime at : www.jarte.com .

Google Docs is a friendly, free web-based word processor and spreadsheet application, which allows you to share and collaborate online. You have to have a Google Account to use it. You can find it at: http://docs.google.com/ .

Lotus Symphony is an easy-to-use office suite from IBM. It is ideal for working with documents, presentations and spreadsheets. It is completely free and it can be downloaded from : http://symphony.lotus.com/ .

Anti-virus and Anti-spyware software:

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is one of the best free anti-virus software available. It provides high level detection capability for free of charge. It can be upgraded to the Pro version, which will provide technical support, firewall and anti-spam applications.
AVG Anti-Spyware Free Edition is a great choice against malicious spyware. It can also be upgraded to the Pro version, which will give you technical support and other options. You can download both of these products for free at:http://free.grisoft.com/ .

Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic is another good anti-virus solution. It provides complete protection against viruses, worms and Trojans, but it does not defend your computer from spyware or adware. It can be downloaded for free at: www.free-av.com .

Norton AntiVirus 2005 Special Edition is well know anti-virus software, that can be downloaded now as part of the Google Pack Software, which contains a collection of useful Pc applications completely free. It contains anti-virus, anti-spyware and word processing software, as well as many other useful programs. It can be downloaded at : http://pack.google.com/
So if you found a cheap refurbished laptop, and you do not want to spend more money on expensive software, check out these free alternatives.

Laptop buying guide

Which is the best laptop for me?

Lot of people think they require a brand new laptop and want to buy the latest model. In many occasions a refurbished laptop is better, unless you want to use it for games or power demanding applications. Your connection speed is many times more important than the power of the Processor or the amount of Memory.
When thinking about purchasing a used laptop, first of all you have to decide what you want to use it for.

word processing
Requires minimal Processor power.

e-mail
Requires minimal Processor power and minimal amount of Memory. The connection speed is not important, only if you are transfering large sized files (eg. Pictures)

chat
It varies upon which chat program you want to use.
AOL AIM: Pentium II 200MHz Processor, 128 MB Memory, 20MB Hard drive space, Windows 2000, DirectX 9
MSN Live Messenger: Pentium II 233 MHZ Processor, 50MB Hard drive space, Windows XP, 800x600 Screen resolution
Google Talk: Minimum Windows 2000 operating system
Yahoo! Messenger v8: Pentium II 233 MHz, 128MB Memory, 30MB Hard drive space, Windows 98, Windows Media Player 7, DirectX
You have to look at your other Chat softwares for the System Requirements.

surfing the Web
Requires minimal Processor power, at least 64MB Memory. The internet connection speed is more important than the speed of the Processor. It also requires a 56K modem for dial-up, or an ethernet card for DSL or Cable Internet connection.

carrying it along
The majority of the laptops weigh around six pounds. If the weight matters for you, get the manufacturer’s precise information. Small, ultraportable laptops usually weigh under four pounds.

gaming
Simply check the Minimum System Requirements provided by the game’s manufacturer. Most games, especially the new ones, need a powerful Processor, lots of Memory and an advanced Graphics chip. However, many refurbished laptops offer top-notch performance, making them ideal for gaming applications.

music

For music, you don’t need to have powerful computing resources. The amount of your songs, you can store depends on the size of your Hard drive. The average size of a song is around 4-5 megabytes.

photos

The amount of photos you can store depends on your hard drive storage capacity. The size of a photo can vary from a few kilobytes to megabytes. If your store space is not enough you can always get a backup drive or burn your pictures on a CD. Be sure that the system requirements for the software you use to view your pictures don’t exceed your hardware capacity.

streaming video
Streaming is when you are trying view audio or video files directly from a webpage. It does not require top-notch performance. The system requirements are at least a 200 MHz Processor, 32 MB Memory, an internet browser, minimum a 56K modem, although DSL or Cable is recommended for faster connection. Most of the older laptops can support video and audio streaming.

on-line shopping
In the terms of system requirements this is very similar to browsing the internet. You need at least 128 MB Memory. The internet connection speed is more important than the Processor power. You need at least a 56K modem for dial-up, but DSL or Cable are way faster.

database applications
Older, simple database or Point Of Sale softwares do not need top Processor performance or a lot of Memory. Some of the newer programs or POS applications like Quickbooks, may need more powerful computing resources. Always check the System Requirements before purchasing a software or the refurbished laptop you want to run it on.

connecting to the internet
There are different ways you can connect your refurbished laptop to the web. The “old-fashioned” way is the dial-up. It requires a Modem (it is usually built in the computer, but in some older models it has to be purchased separately) and a Modem cable. The newer, broadband methods are DSL or Cable connections. They both require an Ethernet card (network card) and cable. These are usually built in as well, except for some older laptops; in which case you have to buy it separately. You can also connect your notebook to the Web via Wireless connection. For that you need to have a wireless card. (It is built-in in the newer computers, but for the older ones you might have to buy it separately.) Besides the right hardware all connection types require an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Check out the companies that provide service in your area. For around 30-40 dollars you can get a fast broadband service, but it depends completely on your physical location. While you can perform your basic web browsing and email applications with a simple dial-up connection, for some speed-demanding programs, games and downloading files it is highly recommended to go broadband.

operating system
Decide which platform you are comfortable using. Most popular ones are Windows 98, 2000, XP and Vista. Make sure the computer you plan on buying is capable of running the desired operating system. Some of the refurbished laptops do not come with an OS installed. In this case you will have to acquire one and install it yourself. This requires at least average computer skills

budget
You have to determine how much you are willing to spend. If your computing tasks don’t require the latest technology, you can find a good, solid refurbished laptop for even less than $3-400. If you have a higher budget, but still want to buy a refurbished notebook, you can find fast, powerful, (e.g. Core Duo, AMD Turion X2) computers for $6-700.

battery life
Some of the older machines have a shorter (1-2 hours) battery life. If that is not enough for you, you might want to consider buying a newer, refurbished laptop. If that is still not enough, you can always get an extra battery for extended productivity. Most of the serious laptop resellers have their own webpages for accessories.

warranty
While some refurbished laptops (especially the ones bought from private individuals on Ebay, Craigslist or by other methods.) do not have warranty, some used notebook resellers offer technical support and return options on their products.

parts
For most of the laptops, including the older models (especially the main brands) you can find all the necessary parts you might need. Even if some laptops are not being manufactured anymore, many companies still fabricate parts for them. These can be easily purchased on some of the reseller’s webpages.

brands and models
After determining what you want to use your refurbished laptop for, you have to select the actual model you want to purchase. If you want to use it as a desktop replacement, there are machines with larger screens and more comfortable keyboards, although these usually weigh a few pounds more. If you are often on the go, and want to carry your refurbished notebook along, you might want to take a look at the lighter models or even the ultraportables. Try to stick with the brand name manufacturers (IBM, Lenovo, Toshiba, Dell, Compaq, Hp, Sony, Gateway, Acer). They have high product support, manuals and information. They always have a toll free 800 number, where experienced customer service agents will answer all your questions.

where to find good refurbished laptops
Try to look on the search engines for product information. Go to you favorite one, www.google.com , www.yahoo.com , www.msn.com or to any other ones you might prefer, and simply search for these products. While sometimes you can find good deals on www.ebay.com, make sure you check the sellers ratings and customer feedbacks. The easiest way is to find a reliable and well-established laptop reseller, like www.USAnotebook.com , a company that has been in the business since 1988 and has sold tens of thousands of laptops in over 150 countries

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Compaq Presario V3200 Core Duo laptops review

Compaq Presario V3200 Core Duo laptops


Now looking good comes standard with superb performance. The new Compaq Presario V3200 series Notebook PC sports a stylish chassis design with a scratch-resistant glossy coat. Just flip the latch free screen and glide it into position. Designed to thrive in a multi-tasking world, it also delivers excellent wireless networking capabilities on the move. And with 14.1-inch widescreen display, built-in Altec Lansing speakers, and Compaq DVDPlay, you have at a press of a button, a compelling mobile entertainment experience too

Phone orders are welcome, at 888-728-9902 or 954-941-1417
Compaq Presario V3200 Core Duo laptops

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

HP Pavilion DV6500 Intel Core 2 Duo widescreen laptop. review

HP Pavilion DV6500 Intel Core 2 Duo widescreen laptop.


Super Sale on refurbished laptops notebooks.

Wrapped up in the HP Imprint finish, this sleek and shiny notebook will look good at home or on the road. All the power of a desktop, with all the convenience of a notebook PC at a price that's right.

Our notebook computers are fully refurbished and sold with warranty. We ship laptops worldwide.

Phone orders are welcome, at 888-728-9902 or 954-941-1417
HP Pavilion DV6500 Intel Core 2 Duo widescreen laptop.

Monday, November 26, 2007

HP Pavilion TX1200 Review

The HP Pavilion TX1200 Entertainment Notebook PC delivers a new personal mobile computing experience with a 'twist & touch' screen display. The innovative design enables consumers to enjoy the best entertainment and productivity experience.

For multimedia mavens on the go, the HP Pavilion tx1200 tablet PC is light enough to take anywhere and is a great resource for showing presentations thanks to its 180-degree swiveling 12.1-inch touchscreen display. Weighing just 4.2 pounds, the tx1200 delivers the same screen resolution and performance as a 15.4-inch notebook, but weighs over 2 pounds less. This stylish notebook introduces HP Imprint--a durable high gloss finish with an exclusive inlaid design that also incorporates touch-sensitive media controls for easy and quick access.

Protect your system and online accounts with your unique fingerprint for advanced security and peace of mind. The integrated 1.3-megapixel WebCam (and integrated microphone) provides easy video conferencing via VoIP and video IM chats. Optimized for mobile performance, it's powered by a blazing fast AMD Turion 64 X2 dual-core processor, which offers 64-bit computing capability and higher throughput for simultaneous computing tasks. Other features include a 160 GB hard drive, 2 GB of installed RAM (max capacity), built-in quad-band Wi-Fi connectivity (802.11a/b/g/N), multi-format/dual-layer LightScribe DVD+/-RW drive (which also burns CDs), ExpressCard slot, and NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150 video/graphics card.

The Altec Lansing speakers provide exceptional sound, and a pair of stereo earbud headphones with volume controls is included. You'll be able to privately share enjoyment of multimedia with a friend via the dual headphone jacks. One of the headphone jacks is also compatible with SPDIF digital audio output for home theater surround sound.

It comes preinstalled with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, which includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center. In addition to easily playing your DVD movies and managing your digital audio library, you'll be able to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV). Vista also integrates new search tools throughout the operating system, includes new parental control features, and offers new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures.

Check out our amazing prices on the HP Pavilion TX1200 at USAnotebook.com All of our HP Pavilion TX1200 laptops are Factory refurbished, in flawless condition and they all come with 6 months warranty.

Monday, November 05, 2007

Lenovo 3000 N100 refurbished laptop review

Lenovo 3000 N100 laptop


Lenovo 3000 N Series laptop is perfect to help run a small business or just enjoy computing at home, with worry-free functionality and popular widescreen displays. New N100 models are available with Intel® Core Duo processors, and offer great wireless LAN performance with the new Intel® Wireless Wi-Fi network card.

Phone orders are welcome, at 888-728-9902 or 954-941-1417
Lenovo 3000 N100 refurbished laptop