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"Blurry and Heavy" on by o0congee0o
Pros: Fast and Powerful
Cons: Blurry screen, Heavy and a Weak battery
Summary: I'm a software programmer and also the guy who creates UML diagrams in meetings. The whiteboard/yellow pad approach doubled my work hours since I have to transcribe all the info back into electronic form. Right now I just draw it out in my diagramming tool and send it off to everybody right before the end of the meeting! I can also run demos and prototypes with close to the same power as my desktop.
That's if the meeting is less than 1.5 hour. Everybody rates the battery at 2+ hours, but if your using it constantly with a few apps up, the unit will burn through its battery really quickly. I went through 90% charge consitenly during the first hour of all my meetings. It takes 13 hours to charge it back to full (from the manual)!!! Yea also read the lead poison warning btw.
Another problem is the screen. Because of its size and weight I can't hold the unit for too long, so I will lay it flat on the desk to continue, but then the screen's mediocre viewing angles prevents me from seeing it at more than 45 degrees from center I find myself resting it on my lap and angeling it with the edge of the table. So your prevented from working the way you are most comfortable and find yourself accomodating the unit.
Did I mention the weight! The unit feels like it will break by its own momentum. I walked down the hall and find myself compensating from it's momentum!
Speaking of momentum. The HD protection feature is very sensitive, it will shut your HD down and you'll find yourself waiting for it to spin up to continue. Lag is less than second, but its definitely a problem. I find myself in a rigid posture so not to disturb the HD software, which translates to fatigue very quickly.
Finally don't be fooled into thinking you need the high resolution, you will find that there's way too much screen space to navigate and you will get tired from hunting around for stuff. Coupled with the bad viewing angle, you'll see only 2/3 of the screen at one time anyways (if your not staring at it straight on that is)
Viewing angle is better in landscape, but once your in portrait, it hinders your work big time!
Stay away if your planning to use it like me. -
"Lightning fast, not too hot or loud" on by pstraus
Pros: FAST, pen is really fun to play with, nice screen
Cons: fan can get annoying,
Summary: I purchased this notebook refurbished from toshibadirect.com, and it FLIES. It is very fast and well worth the money that was paid. The screen has a nasty issue with glare, and a poor viewing angle, but is very crisp and good to look at. The battery life is so-so, heat is not much of an issue, although the fan noise when at full speed may bother some people (it doesn't usually spin up to full speed). Overall, it is a great machine that does everything i need it to!
Updated
i believe that i may gave rated this incorrectly. i meant to give it a 7. -
"Problem in ToshibaTecra M 4 tablet PC" on by ajairenu
Pros: An average tablet pc as compared to other brands.
Cons: Biggest problem is too much screen glare irritetingly pinching to the eyes.
Summary: I want to submit my own experiences after using Toshiba Tecra M 4 for almost two and half years.
I am a dentist and and I wanted to write books related with Dentistry. For this special need, I needed a tablet PC where I can write directly on the screen and don't have to care about typing on key board and its storage.
I did not have any experience about laptop or tablet. This was my first experience for a laptop and tablet, so I checked the rewiews on net, and based on the detailed review by Shawn,(please forgive me if I am hurting anyone's feelings)I decided to buy Toshiba Tecra M 4. Although, the price was beyond my capacity, even I went for it with a view that best things costs a little more.
But in due course of time with regular use I started feeling following problems with this model:
1. The screen glare is so much that I started developing flashes of lights of various colours, I could not see for a while after reading for for a leanthy period of time, as I am used to read all my E book on the screen. It creates so much frontal headach that I needed to sleep for hours and sometimes also needed to take paracetomol- a mild pain killer. This never happened with my desktop with CRT monitor in last 7 years, no matter how many hours I read on screen (and some time I read 8-9 hours on weekeneds). I also used the screen protector that claims to reduce glare, it is also of no benefit. So the end result is that I now use power glasses.
2.The other problem, it is too heavy to carry in anyone's hand and and write simultaneously for even 10 minutes (because of heat generated one can not hold it, though one can carry it if he is strong enough). The thickness in tablet mode is also not conducive for writing by keeping it on the table; as it causes slow back pain because one can not change his/her position while writing comfortably as we do with paper and pen. To change the position, one needs to change the position and orientation of the tablet itself which is difficult because of its weight.
3. It does not has dvd writer where as after 3-4 months ( I can not recollect exactly) the new models came with dvd writer- so the toshiba should have some consideration for those who believed in its brand reputation and should provide it as a compliment.
4.The latest and biggest of problems; the screen becomes full of all colours and initial boot screen does not appear with windows logo. When It happened in August 2007, I showed to athorised service centre in RIYADH, they repaired it only approximately in two weeks(please see the claim of Toshiba warantee as how efficiently they provide services!) as I had an extended warrantee for three years. When asked about the cause(s)/problem(s) they told me that the VGA was malfunctioning/damaged and they have replaced it by a new one. And now there is no need for me to worry about it.
But now today (Nov. 29,2007), I had the same type of problem, the screen went in the multicoloured view and regained its normal appearance only on second re start up. This was the sign I had previously, and within a week(s), I am afraid it will be totally malfunctional/nonfunctional.
I am really worried about it because I had to complete a very important assignment in a different country, if this failure occurs there,I wiil be forced to buy a new computer there or I will loose a chance that come only once in ons's life.
In last, Can anyone (including toshiba technical team) please solve my problem. Is there any way to check it before it become nonfunctional.
Thanks
Dr. Ajai Mohan Singh
email- amsingh22@hotmail.com
RIYADH
date- November 29, 2007 -
"Not a Tablet" on by wilkindw
Pros: Nice Lunch Warmer
Cons: Heat, Preloading Utilities, Size, Weight, Expensive
Summary: This is the worse tablet I have gotten in. It runs so hot you don't need a microwave to heat your lunch. Toshiba is loading a couple of dozen utilities every time the computer boots. The utilities unrelated alpha-numeric names and no descriptions making them hard to tell what they are supposed to do or if they are a virus or spy-ware. They are generically loaded so even if you don't have BlueTooth, it is still loading a stack. If you try to use it as a tablet, say while walking around, be prepared for multiple Hard Drive movement warnings. Of course it is so bulky and heavy that you wouldn't be moving around for long.
Save some money and consider the Fujitsu 4020. Save even more money and get a lot more features by considering the Acer TravelMate C214 -
"Very nice pc for both work and play" on by Dmaez321
Pros: Great for taking notes in class. Also when you dock great for a basic computer as well. I use this tablet all the time at work and then take it home and use it as a normal computer.
Cons: The only thing I don't care for is when your on a trip or something don't expect to watch a movie in the day. Hard to see screen in sunlight.
Summary: I purchased this tablet back about a year and half ago. This tablet is so great one of the better ones I have seen and had to opportunity to play with. The first thing I noticed when I got it was all the crap you can do with it...burn DVDs...taking notes is great and the screen is so nice and big its just like a piece of paper (just heavier). But for something that has never ending paper I would hope so ;o). I haven't touched an actual notepad for work...classes or anything since I got this machine. I bring it to work every day and use it as a note pad. Then I bring it home and hook it up to the port Replicator that you can get through Toshiba directly.
I have a million programs running on it at once and it holds up very well. PS the port Replicator is VERY VERY VERY easy to hook up you just lay the PC down on the port Replicator and push. I have also played halo and half life which seem to work ok haven't had any problems.
But the greatest thing if you are going to get the computer besides all the great features already is get the Toshiba Advanced Port Replicator/Dock III. This has all the connections you would want. I have for example printer, monitor, mouse, keyboard, finger print scanner, game controller etc... just a really great thing to have a both a great tablet and a great home computer. If your thinking about getting this thing get it you won't be sorry...Only con is the screen can get some what glared in the sunlight can't see it at all.
Toshiba Tecra M4 user reviews
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