1.work station is just like saying if you have an office with a laptop, a desktop, a notepad, ect. then you call it your workstation. Its not really one thing. A notebook is a laptop, workstation is more general.
2. Bluetooth is completely different then Wi-Fi
3. ?
4. Dell E1505
5. Gaming notebooks will have a better video card, entertainment usually have a good processor and 2 GB Ram, you either decide what it is by the bio, or by the specefications
6. Just look for a DVD copier/writer

Let me take a stab at your screen question because I know that i can be confusing for a new user. Screens have many different differentiating specifications. The basic spec (and the most important IMHO) is resolution. That means how many pixels are on the screen, the more you have, the finer the picture (just like a 1080p HDTV, if you know what that means, is better than a 720p, its all about having more pixels in the same area). There are a few basic resolutions.

XGA: 1024*768 pixels
SXGA 1280*1024 pixels
SXGA+: 1400*1050 pixels
UXGA: 1600X1200 pixels
QXGA: 2048*1536 pixels

There are variations on these, basically they just add a W. That just means that the ratio between width and height is 16 to 9 instead of 3 to 4. It still follows the same ranking though (WXGA<WSXGA<WSXGA... etc. Same for normal res: XGA<SXGA<SXGA+).

The XBrite stuff if marketing crap invented by companies that means their screens have special technology to make everything look better. Some of this is better than others, but usually it means the screen is glossy and the backlight is brighter (good for games and multimedia, not so good for business apps).

LCD and TFT is just the basic technology behind a flat panel (lcd) screen. TFT is the method used to change pixels. It controls individual pixels instead of rows and columns like the old passive matrix stuff. You really don't have to worry about this. EVERY laptop has a TFT screen nowadays and they are all LCD. One thing coming out soon which is nice is that screens will have high brightness low power LED backlights instead of the current technology which is Cathode based, but this is rarely advertised (and extremely hard to find so far). Hope I helped.

great posts... all very informative

Here is my situation. Im going to college next year and will need a notebook. Im thinking it needs to be under $1000(im not paying for it). Probably around $800. The catch is that I really want to play DOD:S on it. So it will need a Vid Card. I went to dells site and customized an E1505. With a $324 off coupon I was able to get it to $844. Here are the specs

Inspiron E1505 Intel® Pentium® dual-core T2060(1MB Cache/1.6GHz/533MHz FSB)

Operating System (Office software not included) Genuine Windows Vista™ Home Premium

CD Panel 15.4 inch Wide Screen XGA Display with TrueLife™(glossy)

Memory 1GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz, 2 Dimm

Video Card 256MB ATI MOBILITY™ RADEON® X1400 HyperMemory™

Hard Drive 120GB 5400rpm SATA Hard Drive

you can play DOD with the x1400, don't plan on playing anything with AA/AF turned up though. it is a low end graphics card.

Get a higher end Nvidia.. that's waht I did

...He is getting a 1505the only other option is a 7300...not exactly an improvement

Actually Ive made some changes. I am getting the laptop for grad in June a nd im geting a 17in

what about Dell 6400???

After almost 6 months I finally uptaded the original post (sorry it took so long!)

shouldn't the geforce 8600 be in the high end graphic card section??? its not even mentioned

Hey guys i need help which one of these 2 should i get?
Want a laptop for school and for personal use, please let me know your opinions between the two. I dont know to much about laptops and they both are on sale at Circuit City.

Was going to get the Toshiba today but ran into another one to decide from, so i need help. I dont know to much about computers and would like to hear your opinion and which is better and why. They are both for sale for $700.



Toshiba has a AMD Turion 64 x2 Dual-Core Mobile Technology TL-56, 2048 MB memory and 160 GB hard drive. Built-in wireless b/g, built in Webcam, Burns DVD and Cds, Windows Vista Home Premium, Graphics card ( think it is a ATI RAIDEon Xpress X1200 graphics)

VS

Acer Intel Centrino Duo processor technolgy Intel Core 2 Duo processor T5500, 2048MB memory, 160 GB hard drive, built in wireless a/b/g, burns and plays Dvds and Cds, Built in Web cam that flips, Windows Vista, Intel graphics media accelerator 950

They both end up being 700 in the end with the Acer having a 100 rebate, so both are 700.

From what i hear, Toshiba is a better company. Acer is "slightly" faster, graphic cards are almost identical. Toshiba is better looking, Acer has a camera that flips to see person in front of u also. Toshiba also has a camera but does not flip both are a lousy 1.3 megapixels. I like the toshiba key board better.

I need help deciding which one to get, whats your opinion and any opinion greatly appreciated

Between those two, I would go with the Toshiba.