Bear in mind, these things are not large, as they are able to be powered by the USB port. To ask bass to be booming through this low-powered pair is not realistic.

They are sufficient for light use. If you need more you will need to spend more, on speakers and power.

ok had this thing for a couple weeks now and i take it everywhere. got rid of all the stupid asus software they included. and i traded microsoft word for openoffice because i am cheap.

the metal lid and palm rests are constantly covered in fingerprints, which looks stupid, but i don’t mind.

i set it down next to my dad’s 17.3″ hp and my mom’s 15″ gateway and it is thinner, sexier, and more professional-looking than both of them. so i am still extremely pleased with it.
Rating: 5 / 5

Pros

The build quality is great. The thin profile and weight are very pleasant (though not radically different than the iBook this system is replacing). While very thin, the aluminum shell on the outside of the screen seems very sturdy. Heat output seems to be very focussed in the back left side, which makes it relatively comfortable to use on your lap. On a full charge, and without any power saving modifications, Ubuntu reports the battery life at between 6-7 hours (have not tested that though) which seems more that sufficient. While the screen has some issues (see below) the overall color quality and contrast is very good. I’m on my patio late on a sunny day as I write this, and glare isn’t really an issue (no more than you’d expect).

Cons

The only true disappointment is the webcam. I don’t know if it is a software configuration, or the fact that the notebook screen doesn’t put out enough light, but the camera image appears very dark unless you have very good lighting from elsewhere in the room. It is a low-res camera, but with very good lighting, the quality is sufficient for skype, etc. Incidentally, the webcam image is vertically flipped in Ubuntu, and I have not found any system-level fix for this problem (app-specific solutions are available).

Otherwise, the biggest con of this system is the screen. As others reviewers mention, specifically the limited vertical angle that permits correct viewing. However, when you have it angled correctly, the screen is at the orientation you would likely be using it anyway. In short, while it is a deficiency, it has not detracted from my experience, and poor laptop screens (at this price anyway) are fairly ubiquitous in the market. The keyboard seems to be a tad flimsy. If you are really banging away, you may notice some flex on the keyboard, but again, this has not significantly detracted from my experience. My only design complaint with this keyboard is the trackpad location. The trackpad itself is interesting, in that it is just a textured part of the palmrest. I actually like this: one less place for seam-related issues, and one less place for dirt to collect. The issue is that it is very easy to tap the trackpad while typing; it’s very annoying. This might be a common problem with laptops, but I never noticed it on my 12 inch iBook, which had much less area to work with. This can be remedied by using the trackpad lock function key, which is convenient enough (though I have not gotten that functioning in Ubuntu). The only other gripe, is the speaker location. On your lap, the speakers are considerably muffled. On a flat surface, this is not a problam, and they seem very sufficient. Oh yes, and from a totally aesthetic perspective, the black aluminum seriously collects greasy fingerprints. Pretty minor, but some people care about that sort of thing…

Other thoughts

I can take or leave the ASUS instant-on OS. The interface is kind of awkward, and honestly, the full system boots (in Ubuntu anyway) fast enough to not really make this much of a conveninet alternative. The lack of optical drive will of course mean different things to different users. It is very annoying that Windows pretty much immediately prompts you to make a system image, which you cannot do without extra hardware. Since I don’t use windows, I haven’t worried about that, thought I probably should. I did get an external USB optical drive, FWIW.

I would definitely recommend this system, both in general, and for use with Ubuntu.

UPDATE: After a few more weeks of usage, I have found a build or design-related issue: The right side wrist-rest area creaks while typing. From what I can tell, this is not a seam issue: everything looks flush in that area. From the location, I suspect it is the inside housing of the righthand speaker rubbing against the inside of the wristpad, which is probably just flexing too much. It’s annoying, and definitely detracts from a solid feel (which already suffers due to the keyboard). I had read a review of the ul30 describing this same issue, and had hoped it had been resolved, but apparently not.

Still recommend, just not as happy about it…
Rating: 4 / 5

At first I was worried about limitations and was afraid that the K-M/K2000 would limit my learning ability because it is the most basic DSLR model from Pentax. I soon found out that just because the K2000 is Pentax’s most basic DSLR does not mean that the camera itself is basic. The sensor is very advanced and it is the same one used in the more expensive K200D. I was surprised by the amount of things I had to learn from jumping to a DSLR from point-and-shoot, even with the entry-level DSLR from Pentax. The K2000′s easy to navigate and use interface is helpful for a newbie like me. I was considering about the K20D and K200D but ultimately decided on the K-M/K2000 to save money as well as it being my first DSLR. Sure the K20D might pack more power but the K-M/K2000 still works like any other DSLR and still requires the same knowledge and technique to work like the K20D.

After playing with my new toy for quite awhile, I realized that there is much more to learn than just the camera itself and any DSLR limits itself based on how you limit your learning. Every DSLR works the same as stated, you’ll have to learn F-stops, shutter speed, and ISO. The only true limitation is in the camera body from having less features, but those features have nothing to do with YOU and your knowledge on how to expose and compose the image you want. Every DSLR has the capability to produce a beautiful picture based on your knowledge and your technique. The picture quality also depends heavily on the lenses you use, so it’s wise to spend less on a body and invest more on a lens if you’re on a budget or if this is your first DSLR. After all, the Pentax K2000 will fit any K-mount lenses. It will fit the same lenses the K20D and K200D will.

The Pentax K-M/K2000 is the lightest Pentax DSLR camera and is non noticeably smaller than the Nikon D40. I was questioning it’s size at first because I heard that this is a tiny camera and is smallest in the Pentax line-up. It is small but it’s not “tiny”, it will fit in my hands fine and I have long fingers. The camera is the lightest from Pentax and is one of the lightest DSLRs out there, but it is slightly heavier than the Rebel XS and the Nikon D60. The body of the K-M/K2000 feels very sturdy. The first time I held this camera I first noticed the quality of this DSLR, it is strong and well made.

The picture quality of the camera is good for a entry-level DSLR, the only problem is the noise levels at higher ISO settings, I never use 3200 because of the noise it produces at that ISO. I have my noise reduction set to weak and shoot only in RAW DNG. I try not to go over 800 ISO but sometimes I will have to go to 1600 ISO to keep the shutter speeds higher at night. 1600 ISO is still acceptable for this camera but I question if they should even add 3200 in the first place.

The kit lens that came with this camera is the Pentax SMC DA L 18-55mm AL. L after DA stands for light because it is light due to the plastic mount. The Pentax K-M/K2000 is the only Pentax DSLR at the moment to come with these “light” kit lenses. Yes it is plastic, but it is better than the original more expensive Pentax SMC DA 18-55mm AL that uses a metal mount. It’s better because it uses the same optics as the SMC DA 18-55mm AL II, so it will produce the same image quality as the AL II but without the metal mount. The kit lens also does not come with the lens hood so you would need to buy it if you want some extra glare blocking.

The camera packs a lot of options and has a lot of built-in features so you can post process the image in it, but I never use this so I can’t really review it. I use Adobe Lightroom 2 and Photoshop CS3 to process my pictures. The auto white balance on this camera works flawlessly and there is no need to adjust them, I just shoot in auto white balance mode for all of my pictures. The auto focus of this camera works fast, faster than the K20D and K200D which is a improvement. The auto focusing in low-light is also improved on this Pentax. The K-M/K2000 has a faster continuous shooting than the K200D, it fires at 3.5 compared to 2.8 in the K200D. Although there is some trade-offs such as 5 auto focus points and non-weather sealed body. The DA WR (weather-sealed) lenses from Pentax are expensive so I would buy the regular DA lenses instead. There’s no point of a weather-sealed body if your lenses aren’t weather-sealed with it. There is no need for more auto focus points because I found out the best is set to single point center-weighted. Lastly the K2000 has a in-body built in anti-shake so there won’t be any need to buy a lens with a image stabilization. Although lenses with image stabilization will work better than the body’s anti-shake, it’s still good for using older lenses that do not have image stabilization.
Rating: 5 / 5

Be aware, ther is no Bluetooth inside! You will find the BT driver in ASUS site – as i found before i paid and gote the PC.

But at the end of the day and after the hard try of AMAZON to help me overcome this “malufunction” by replacing the 1st PC with a new one, i found in the 2nd one the same problem: there is not integrated BT unit inside.

I bought a micro BT Dongle and it works well, but be aware about it.

Except this single problem, this a very very handsome and strong enoth for everyone. Light, well finished materials and

strong enoth for mostly every one!!!!
Rating: 5 / 5

This Pentax is user friendly, all important factors to achieve a good shot are easily accessible, it is a big camera in a smaller lighter package (try it first if u have real big hands) construction is very good, a bit more plastik than previous Pentax cameras but still solid and decent.

I shall mention also that though one gets focus confirmation while shooting (a beep and a green dot), there is no indication on which point has achieved focus, to remedy this, I select the center point to focus first then recompose.

Battery reading has only 2 steps, so it is not as accurate as the percentage reading on Sony A200, however, this Pentax uses AA battery so you could always have an extra set available.

For those who require live view, the olympus E520 is available for about the same price, for those who require a weather sealed body try the Pentax K200D, for those who need video capture, check Nikon D5000 or Canon 500d, these cameras however will cost more.

Bottom line, this pentax is a well engineered camera, pleasant to use, better deal than most in its category, would make a nice DSLR for ladies too.
Rating: 4 / 5

I honestly feel that this PC gives a consumer the best of both worlds with regards to portability and performance. The small size (13.3″ screen, 3.74 lbs) make it easy to take from class to class, and with the above mentioned specs it easily outperforms any netbook out there.

The only downside to this PC (for some users) will be the lack of an optical drive, however this is actually a benefit because it allows for the unit to be as light as it is! An external optical drive can be found for under $50, so this was not an issue for me at all and I welcome the lighter load.

So far the graphics appear to be all I could want in a computer. Pages also load fast (although if you are planning on purchasing this PC for heavy-gaming, it may not be for you…try looking at the i5 or i7 processors) and for a user only concerned with performing basic tasks such as word-processing and streaming videos, etc., this PC is hands down a great value!

Oh, and although this has little to do with the PC itself, I think it is important to note that the notebook also comes with the ASUS warranty for parts (3 years I believe) and also the 1 year accidental protection warranty where you can have your laptop replaced for a full year, even if you break it (yes, even if you do DROP it, spill something on it, etc., like many people do). How many companies give a full one year warranty for consumer accidents, and free at that?! I think that is a phenomenal deal.

Finally, if anybody is thinking of ordering the item with one day shipping, I can honestly say that Amazon does get you the item in literally less than 24 hrs! I ordered this PC at 5:30 pm yesterday, and received my item by 10:00 AM this morning! Again, I know this does not really relate to the PC itself, but kudos to Amazon for fulfilling orders so quickly!

In conclusion, this computer is a great buy! For the price you will not be disappointed!
Rating: 5 / 5

I returned this laptop simply because the wireless kept dropping 5-10 times a day, which was quite annoying(It’s not an issue with the router and the router is less than 10 ft away). The touchpad also was very poor, increasing the sensitivity didn’t do much.

Don’t buy this unless ur willing to put up with the wireless connection dropping up to 10x a day.
Rating: 2 / 5

But this one was perfect, and you can’t beat the price.

Rating: 5 / 5