Reader Reviews: HP Pavilion

Editors note: This HP notebook review was written by Joan Marie Warren

My current laptop is the HP Pavilion dv6; my daughter purchased two of these laptops on Black Friday in 2009, after waiting in line at Staples for hours, one for herself and one for me, as an early Christmas gift. Priced at $199.00, this was a steal for this machine and well worth the long wait in line.

This Pavilion model is top of line and looks classy with a dark bronze finish with the signature HP swirl designs. It has a 15.6 inch screen, and weighs about 6 pounds which makes it easy to take just about anywhere. The keyboard on the lap top is full size so it is very easy to type on, unlike the net book that this little prize replaced. The touchpad is the HP ClickPad with the technology to turn it on and off, which is great, because I prefer my trackball and my daughter prefers the touch pad. This laptop is also equipped with a built in web cam, a DVD drive, wireless LAN card, an onboard card reader that reads most of the external memory cards available today, built in speakers along with an earphone jack and a microphone jack. This model has four USB slots, two located on each side, which is great to connect peripheral hardware, such as my trackball or my iPod cord needed to charge my iPod and sync with iTunes. On the inside it is equipped with an Intel Core i3 processor (2.40GHz) and Windows 7 64-bit operating system, which runs any of my frequently used programs superfast. We are both college students and use Microsoft Office programs often, like Word, Excel and Power Point, along with iTunes. The video quality is great, as a long time desk top user I never knew that a lap top could provide this high quality video. I have watched DVD movies on my laptop along with many episodes of my shows from the internet.

Another plus that came with this laptop is the LightScribe technology that allows you to label a DVD or CD by etching the title you select or create yourself right on to the disc, a special LightScribe disc is required to take advantage of this feature. My only complaint with this laptop is the battery life and the AC adapter. The battery is a standard 6-Cell 55WHr Lithium-Ion Battery but it never lasts for more than two hours tops and the AC adapter connections appear to wear over time, sometimes it takes three or four tries to get the AC Adapter to show that is charging the battery, it appears to be a problem with the connection to the computer itself or between the box that joins the two cords. We are in the process of looking into getting the battery in mine replaced or the AC adapter, whatever the charging problem results to be.

Overall a great machine and well worth the money! I would recommend this to anyone.

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Black Friday Laptop Deals For 2010

As Black Friday approaches , more and more retailers have begun to advertise their Black Friday deals.There are many big sales on laptops. Among them is the popular retailer Best Buy.

Best Buy is offering a Sony Vaio laptop for just $399.99 dollars. If you’re looking for a best laptop brand, at a great price – this is it. The laptop features a 15.5 inch screen. The retailer is anticipating a great deal of interest and will open its doors at 5 am. However , they will be passing out tickets for the laptop beginning at 3 am. This practice has become more commonplace as retailers attempt to prevent a mad rush when they open their doors.The people who receive tickets will be guaranteed to receive a laptop. There will be a limit of one per person , so purchasing multiples will not be possible unless you have someone with you.

Good laptops on sale can also be found at Walmart who will be opening at midnight.Walmart opted to change their opening time to lessen some of the madness that occurs when they open at 5 a.m. This will also allow customers to be at another store for their 5 a.m. opening time. They are offering a HP laptop with a 15.6 inch screen and 250GB for $298. Their ad was leaked by the cable news channel CNN.

The retailer is hoping that offering great deals like this one will jumpstart holiday sales. Many retailers are suffering with the country in such a deep recession. Consumers have pulled their spending back , but are always open to a great deal. Electronics are always a strong seller and Walmart is hoping that this deal will encourage people top spend.

There are also some small laptops for sale , known as netbooks. These smaller laptops are ideal for teenagers. They are lightweight and can be tucked into a backpack or bag very easily. If you are in the market for a laptop, Black Friday is the perfect time to make your purchase. You should take the time to do some legwork and research to determine which of the laptops being offered on sale will meet your needs. For example, if you’re buying a laptop for playing games, read a variety of gaming laptop reviews before you head out shopping.

It is also important that you determine if you will make your purchase in store or online as part of your laptop comparson. If you do opt for an online purchase , you will want to see if the retailer is offering a shipping incentive. Many will give free shipping if your purchase meets a certain threshold. This is a great way to avoid crowds and long lines that are so common on Black Friday.

Also take a look at television shopping channels like HSN and QVC, they also offer great deals on laptops. Each channel allows you to make easy payments, breaking the payments up over several months. The laptops are normally fully loaded with a great deal of programs that you would normally have to purchase separately.

No matter how you choose to make your purchase , there are a number of deals to be had. Do not be afraid to ask for additional discounts or incentives, as retailers are all fighting for your business. It could mean the difference between a good deal on a laptop and a great deal on a laptop !

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Black Friday Online: Shopping For Laptops

This Black Friday guest post is from Jenna who writes about online shopping and getting good deals.

In the past, I’m the person you see starting their Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve. Whether it’s because I was working late, or because I had other commitments, I’ve always been a procrastinator, when it came to shopping for Christmas gifts. And the fact that I’m slightly claustrophobic, keeps me from malls during the holidays.

I’ve always heard the stories about Black Friday; people lining up outside the stores at 5 AM waiting for the doors to open, making a mad rush for the discount items. But because of my phobia, I wouldn’t even consider going to the malls on Black Friday. Now, however, since shopping online is so easy, I have no problems shopping on Black Friday. 

This year, my 13 year old is asking “Santa” for a laptop. He actually saved up about a third of the money himself, but I’m going to surprise him and buy him an HP laptop this year. I read a few gaming laptop reviews and this seems to be the best for his needs. Like I said, I would never, ever, consider going to the mall, especially on Black Friday, looking for laptops. I would not fight parking, nor would I fight the crowds, looking for a big sale on laptops. Online shopping is so easy! Now, I can go online and see the various Dell, HP, and Toshiba laptop that are new to the market. And, I can surf various websites faster than I can travel to any store looking for the cheapest laptops for sale.

The only benefit that I can see by going to the store and shopping there is that there may be an opportunity to barter and try to get a better price for the gift I’m shopping for, in this case, a laptop. But the reality is, if shopping at a Wal-Mart or K-Mart type store is there is NO opportunity to barter. If you were to ask them for a better price, they’d look at you like a puppy dog, with tilted head, with a response similar to that of a 5 year old; uh, nope. And, imagine how much gas (and time) I’d waste driving from store to store looking for the best price on laptops. Now, I can shop online and travel to as many stores as I want to, in as little (or as long) amount of time shopping for the best deal. I can surf from manufacturer’s websites, to store websites, and I can do it at the convenience of my schedule, without spending money on gas, and without wasting time and energy driving from store to store. And, with Internet security being as good as it is now (compard to when I started writing about online shopping), I don’t worry about shopping and having my identity being stolen, as long as I’m going on secured and reputable sites.

The various merchants won’t want you to hear this, but I don’t understand why anyone would shop at the stores on Black Friday. It makes no sense. I can get the same discounts online that are being offered at the retail outlets, but I can get it at my convenience, without the headaches of fighting crowds and parking, and I can do it in luxury of my own home!

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Finding Black Friday Laptop Deals

Continuing with our featured posts on Black Friday 2010, here is a guest post from Nico who tweets about deals and sales.

As Thanksgiving is around the corner, many shoppers are excited about the day where retailers offer items for nearly half off. This day is known as Black Friday and it occurs every year. During most Black Fridays, you will see people camping out of your local Best Buy or department store waiting for the doors to open so that they can rush in and get the item(s) that they’ve been targeting before someone else snatches it.

Most people, like myself, are usually looking for the latest electronics to hit the stores. A lot of people get excited because of the big sales on laptops that are being offered. It’s only once a year that your able to get a laptop for half the price it is usually worth and that is on Black Friday.

However waiting in that long line can be a hassle. Nobody likes to stay awake all night with a bunch of eager people that will be rushing to get the same item you’ve been eyeing the whole night. This is the main reason why I usually shop for laptops for sale online. It is the most convenient way of making a Black Friday purchase without people pushing and shoving you when the doors open. There are many good deals online to look for an affordable laptop that is suitable for you.

 Tigerdirect.com is a website that offers great discounts on laptops every Black Friday. Usually there are deals for online shoppers and deals for store shoppers for finding the best laptop brand for their needs. Finding a laptop shouldn’t be too difficult online since it is easy to see the variety of different computers they have including the specifications. The best way to find a good deal is to sign up for the stores specializing in Black Friday deals. That’s how I found out about a few different models of HP laptops on sale last year and ended up buying one for each of my kids. You can sign up for alerts for your electronic store to remind online subscribers that there is an exclusive offer in place that you may intrigue you.

These are just a few of the ways to find a good laptop on the day after Thanksgiving. As Thanksgiving is almost just a week away, it is a good time for potential laptop buyers to begin looking for the best laptop that is suitable for them. The rise of the use of the internet allows consumers to shop at the comfort of their own home. What better way is there to shop after you get a brand new laptop that you just purchased online at a price that’s a bargain?

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Black Friday Laptop Deals

Black Friday 2010 is just around the corner, and with it the opportunity to find some excellent deals on all sorts of products. There’s no guarantee you’ll find any particular item or that you’ll be able to get the Black Friday pricing — often, the biggest savings are strictly limited in quantity and sell out within moments. But if you have some flexibility in terms of what you’re looking for, and do a little research, Black Friday can be a great time to purchase cheap laptops on sale.

Your first task is to check around on the Internet beforehand to see if any Black Friday deals are leaked. Some chain stores such as Best Buy may intend to offer a big sale on laptops, and this can help you plan which stores to visit to maximize your chances of finding what you want. Also, bear in mind that people are more likely to compete with you for the items if you go to the stores commonly associated with electronics, so remember to check out other locations such as Staples or Office Depot as well.

Another strategy is to look to Internet retailers for specials. Many popular laptops for sale such as Toshiba, Asus, Sony, or Samsung are available through a number of online stores. Again, the most commonly thought of retailers for laptops are also the most likely to be sold out quickly, so build a list of all online stores you can think of that has laptops in their inventory. And don’t forget places like Dell or Sony’s online store — sometimes the manufacturers themselves will offer you great deals on Black Friday and you might be able to score laptops under $300.

What features should you look for in a laptop? You should try to buy a system with at least a dual-core CPU, 250GB hard drive, 4GB memory, a DVD+R/DVD-R/RW drive, 802.11n Wi-Fi built-in, and Windows 7 installed. This combination costs around $650-700 online, but look to buy for $100-150 less on Black Friday (or 15-25% off). Also look for TV-out capability, which will likely either be S-Video or DVI if present on the laptop; this can allow you to use your laptop to stream services like Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon On-Demand to your television set. Blu-Ray drives have also come down in cost lately, so keep an eye out for those as well if that interests you. Lower-end laptops are available for around $500 if you are unconcerned with performance, but you should ensure they come with a better operating system than Windows 7 Starter and more than 2GB of memory.

Before you shop, make a list of the features that are important to you in a laptop, and carefully compare them before you buy. Sometimes Black Friday electronics are stripped-down versions of regular electronics with a minor modification to the model number, so check each feature line-by-line. If in doubt, don’t buy; it’s better to pay a little extra down the road than to regret your purchase for years to come. If you’re planning on playing games, read as many gaming laptop reviews as possible, before you buy.

Hopefully, this will help you work out a plan to find the best deal on the laptop you want on Black Friday. There’s no one place to go or one perfect strategy, but between research of stores in your neighborhood and stores online you can maximize your chances of finding the deals that suit you.

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