Azura Technologies

Do your best work ever, with our lightest full-performance ultraportable laptop—the Portégé R835—built on a heritage of world’sfirst innovations and premium craftsmanship for no-compromise performance and freedom. With a long battery life rating and starting weight of around three pounds, it packs a punch with a powerful Intel Core processor for go-anywhere mobility. So you can unleash your prized productivity apps or take in your favorite entertainment whenever and wherever you’d like. Thanks to an impeccably crafted magnesium alloy casing with an ultradurable honeycomb reinforcement, spill-resistant keyboard, plus an advanced AirFlow cooling system. Yet it measures just one inch thin. Factor in a spacious hard drive, plus built-in DVD drive, and students, executives or power users will have the ultimate ultraportable to succeed through an entire work or school day. All in all, the Portégé R835 proves that with Toshiba, 25 years of boundless laptop innovation is now well within reach.

Industrial smell coming from the vent in the first few days of ownership (now gone)
- When closed, the lid depresses a little when you apply pressure to the middle. I suggest keeping the included fabric insert thing to protect the lid from keyboard scratches. (Note that keyboard scratches also occur on other notebooks, including the sturdy Apple Macbooks, so I’m not taking off any points).

Overall:
I’m giving this laptop five stars because it represents a great value. I paid $835 for the system, and replaced the hard drive with an Intel X25-M 120GB SSD ($175). The total cost of my system therefore was $1010, which puts it in entry-level Macbook territory.

(Note that the SSD is very easy to install — you unscrew two panels in the back, swap the drives, and clean-install your operating system).

Why the SSD? With the SSD plus Sandy Bridge processor, performance is superb — startup is fast (15 seconds from button to login screen, plus 8 seconds from login to loaded desktop). Programs launch quickly, and shutdown is quick as well. I’d say the stock system with the hard drive is a bit imbalanced (processor is too fast for the 5400 RPM hard drive) but at least it comes with plenty of room and doesn’t cost much. With this configuration, program launching and startup are slower, and you are stuck with bloatware, but the computer still operates reasonably fast.

Comparisons with other systems:

Compared with the Air, the R835 (with SSD installed) gives you:
- more storage space (120GB SSD on my R835 vs. 64GB for the $999 11″ MBA model)
— with SSD, similar bootup times (23 seconds for R835 vs. 15 seconds *see 6/2/2011 edit* for MBA) and wakeup times (both about 2 seconds)
- a better processor (core i5-2410M vs. a core 2 duo) and more memory
- longer battery life + removable battery
- a DVD drive, USB 3.0 port, eSATA, VGA (no need to carry a dongle around)
- 0.9 or 0.3 pounds more weight (vs. the 11″ and 13″ MBA models, respectively).
- about 0.25″ more thickness

Compared with the Macbook Pro (13″ entry-level model), you get:
- $190 in savings (with SSD in the R835) or $365 savings (with stock HDD)
– With SSD swap, you get performance gains compared to the MB. With the default hard drive, you get twice as much storage (640GB vs. 320GB, both 5400 RPM).
- Removable battery
- Similar metal build quality (Macbook pro feels a little sturdier, but weighs 40% more)
- 1.3 pounds in weight savings (!)

Compared with the plastic Macbook (13″ $999 model), you get:
- Metal build quality
- an SSD (for about the same total cost), or $165 in savings + 390GB more hard drive space
- Better processor (two generations ahead) and RAM (4GB vs. 2GB).
- 1.5 pound weight savings (!)

I have to share my support now with the HP TouchPad. The webOS 3.0 is really pretty amazing. I didn’t think it would make much of a difference in the use of a tablet, but it’s outstanding, and here’s why:

1) The integration of so many mainstream services used today. (they probably have some fancy term for this concept)
2) Flash plays well
3) Services missing on the iPad like Grooveshark and Amazon’s cloud music all work.

Productivity Powerhouse
Receive a snapshot of new messages, email, and events without being totally disrupted.2 Act on what’s important—ignore what’s not.
Work with Microsoft Office files and collaborate with colleagues using Google Docs or Box.net2
Print wirelessly to compatible networked HP printers6

re the upgrade I have seen significant improvements in my work productivity overall. Previously, I was an iPad2 user and that I have the Touchpad, I believe there is absolutely NO WAY I would go back to the iPad2. The Touchpad really outshines the iPad2 when you want to be productive. It’s more than just a good business asset, I find it really enjoyable for entertainment purposes; great sound, watch movies, 3D gaming and YouTube videos directly from YouTube itself.

MY NEW SKILL.
After a over a month of vigorously using the device, I feel like I’ve graduated to “Touchpad Power User.” However, I’m still discovering new good things to improve my daily use. One example is to stack 5 applications together and bounce from one another with two button presses. As a personal trainer that is always on the workout floor, this is a handy skill. I often stack the Calendar, Email, Tracking App, Stop watch, and Notepad all together and it gives me the ability to monster-task during a client’s session.

TIPS FOR THE NEW BUYER
1. During set up be patient. The device is always gathering information in the background and you may think that it’s completed. You may need to create a webOS account, but it’s fairly easy.

2. System Restart: Do it properly by going to Settings/Device Info/Reset Options/Restart Don’t just hold the power button.

3. Update! Go to Settings/System Updates. Prompt to reboot.

4. Apps open up faster the second time and third time around, you will see a significant speed improvement. Sometimes blazing fast.

5. Get the case. No more complaining on finger prints.

6. If you still want your Touchpad to perform even faster, consider installing Homebrew applications. This is a strong community. I’ve attached a video with this review so you can see what an overclocked 1.5GHz Touchpad can do. But with Homebrew and open source there’s more you can do than just this upgrade.

THICKNESS, APPS AND REAR CAMERA?
I thought I’d miss the rear camera of not having the iPad2 anymore, but after some thought I realized that my cell phone camera takes better pictures and video anyway! Apps? I currently have 33 apps installed on my Touchpad and excited with the catalog growth so far. Thickness? With the thin Touchpad case there’s not much significance compared to an iPad2 installed in a thick case (mine was plastic.) So the iPad2′s thin factor is not much of a difference.

NEGATIVE THINGS?
Skype and messaging seems to be under polished. Can’t figure out if I’m signed in to Skype and my old Pre will not work in SMS. Perhaps later on? ONE MORE THING! The Touchpad is very addictive. You want to do more because you can, but you drain the battery as well!

The unprecedented growth of the touch screen PC is attributed to the number of applications specifically designed for the tablet. According to most recent market research, the number of applications for desktop and laptop computers is about to be overtaken by the tablet PC. Also, it has been estimated that that there has been a 40 per cent drop since 2010 in the numbers of those who say they intended to buy a desktop or laptop in 2011.

Leading tablet manufacturers are developing their products to be highly adaptable to multiple working environments as diverse as retail/wholesale distribution, environmental study, architectural planning and medical research.

Handheld computers, like the EasyBook P9, which are purpose-built for both portability and the robust performance of a rugged tablet PC, are fully loaded to be uniquely adapted to most challenging environments. There are few work spaces where fast internet access and rapid data access and sharing are not required by today’s executive decision makers out in the field.

Possessing a high specification design means this Paceblade tablet version easily transfers across multiple work locations. From a routine indoor setting to a variety of demanding outdoor environments where its’ tough touch, IP51 rated screen surface, will be essential to prevent dust and moisture from entering the tablet casing.

Open to the elements and under high sunlight conditions, the LCD TFT 8.9 in screen with a 1024 x 600 resolution range still provides the same colour quality, image precision and unhindered use of the onscreen keyboard outdoors as would be expected within an office environment. The P9 can be operated by both a stylus and direct touch typing onto a screen, which can change from portrait to landscape mode by merely rotating the tablet.

With multi connectivity options to external drives for a monitor or a keyboard means users are no longer bound to their desktops. An EasyBook is capable of being configured to individual requirement through the use of alternative disks, a deskstation, the CMOS Camera module and the 20 channel GPS. Functionality is handled by an atom 270 processor, together with a 160GB SaTa hard disk drive.