The Nvidia Optimus version of this 14-inch system is an improvement Sony VGP-BPS8 Battery over the original, but battery life is still lacking.

The ASUS N82Jv-X1 is a great system that's short on time. It has an eye-catching lid covering a powerful Core i5 processor and a discrete GPU, plus Nvidia's graphics-switching Optimus technology. Unfortunately, like its non-Optimus sibling, a sony VGP-BPS9/B Battery short battery life hinders its endurance, but if you can find an outlet quick enough this system will make sure you don't regret it.

Design
At 5.2 pounds and 13.8 x 9.7 x 1.4 inches, the N82Jv-X1 ($999) is a little heavier and thicker than competitors Sony VGP-BPS9A/B Battery such as the lighter and slimmer Gateway ID49C08u. Though it's light enough to carry in your bag, the N82Jv-X1's bulk takes up more space than we'd like.

The lid is fitted with an interesting cubed pattern in dark brown that has a metallic VGP-BPS9 effect when the light hits it just right. Similar to the Asus N82JQ-A1, the inside deck is accented with a soft-touch matte finish that helps keep the area fingerprint-free.

The right physical power button (which has a white status VGP-BPS9/S indicator light) and corresponding left instant-on button fit in with the design of the N82Jv-X1, but we would've liked to see shortcut launch keys or dedicated media controls. Having to use a function command to adjust the volume (Function key + F12 to increase or F11 to decrease) during gameplay is slightly annoying.

The ASUS N82Jv's chiclet-style keyboard provided adequate feedback, important when playing first-person shooters, Akku Sony VGP-BPS8 and we have no complaints about the key arrangement. We noticed less flex with the N82Jv-X1 compared to the N82Jq-A1.

The 3.25 x 2-inch touchpad is fairly large and has a textured surface (the same as the cubed pattern on the lid) VGP-BPS8a that prevented our finger from slipping when gaming or navigating through Windows 7. Its single mouse button was a bit stiffer than we'd like, though.

Display and Audio
The glossy 14-inch, 1366 x 768-pixel LED-backlit display Akku HP PB992A produced reasonably bright images and sharp colors, but viewing angles left something to be desired. The screen's high gloss can be a distraction in certain conditions, but the trade-off for deeper colors is worth it. The glare wasn't disruptive even in our well-lit lab, though sunlight was a much larger problem.

When watching videos, playback on the ASUS N82Jv-X1 was smooth and noise-free. Streaming "The Wanda Sykes Show" from Akku HP compaq NX7400 FOX.com was smooth, but picture quality was noticeably pixelated. However, pixelation was absent when watching a 720p trailer of the movie "Takers" streamed in QuickTime.

Despite being positioned below the keyboard, the Altec Lansing speakers were Dell Studio 17 Battery loud and clear while listening to Jay-Z and Tupac via Pandora, and we didn't hear any distortion or tinniness typical of most notebook speakers. Their position on the front lip of the system helps keep the speakers from accidentally being blocked while typing. At maximum volume, the sound isn't overpowering, yet it's loud enough to fill a quiet medium-size room.

Ports and Webcam
The N82Jv-X1 certainly isn't lacking for ports. On the left Dell Studio 1737 Battery side of the system is a VGA connection, headphone and mic inputs, an HDMI port, and a super-fast USB 3.0 port. Hidden behind a small plastic door on the right side is a standard USB 2.0 connector, an eSATA port, and an Ethernet connection. Between the speakers on the front of the system is a 5-in-1 memory card reader.

The 2-megapixel webcam produced clear images when video conferencing through Skype and audio Sony Laptop Battery quality was crystal clear. On the other hand, images were a bit noisy and motion detection lagged a little. The N82Jv-X1 is bundled with ASUS's LifeFrame software that allows you to capture video
and snap pictures, then edit the content and apply special effects. Its facial recognition technology isn't perfect, but the pre-effects in LifeFrame are worth trying out.

Tastatur

Für Vielschreiber muss die Ergonomie stimmen. Dell setzt hier eine sehr angenehme Sony VGP-BPS8 Battery Chiclet-Tastatur ein. Das Design der Tasten kann durch eine abgerundete Tastenform und eine große rechte Shift-Taste überzeugen. Der Druckpunkt der Tasten ist angenehm und der Hub überzeugt. Für anfangs ein wenig Verwirrung sorgen die Fn-Funktionen (hellblau hervorgehoben), da diese nicht über die dazugehörige Fn-Taste aktiviert werden. Diese Zusatzfunktionen sind dauerhaft aktiv und lassen sich nur über die Fn-Taste deaktivieren. Insgesamt hinterlässt die Tastatur aber einen positiven Eindruck, da sie in den wichtigen Punkten überzeugt.

Touchpad

Das Touchpad ist sehr elegant in die sony VGP-BPS9/B Battery Handballenauflage integriert, wobei es leicht vertieft liegt. Die Abmessungen sind leider nicht sehr großzügig ausgefallen, aber die Haptik ist angenehm. Natürlich unterstützt das Gerät diverse Multi-Touch-Gesten, die die Bedienung vereinfachen sollen und auch einwandfrei funktionieren. Unter dem Touchpad befinden sich zwei einzelne Maustasten, deren Druckpunkt sehr weich ist und einen Dell-typischen schwammigen Eindruck vermitteln

Display

Das Dell Inspiron M101z ist mit einem 11,6-HD-Bildschirm ausgestattet, der dank einer Auflösung von 1366 x 768 Pixeln VGP-BPS8 den 720p-Standard voll unterstützt. Auch kostenbewusste Nutzer kommen in den Genuss dieses Panels (Typ: *PNP09FF), da Dell auch das Einsteigermodell (ab 429 Euro) mit diesem ausstattet. Das Bild wird bei dieser Auflösung im 16:9-Format angezeigt, wobei die Oberfläche hochglänzend ist. Eine matte Variante bietet Dell für dieses Gerät leider nicht an.

Durch die moderne LED-Hintergrundbeleuchtung soll das Bild gleichmäßiger beleuchtet Akku HP PB992A werden. In unserem Test wirkt das Bild sehr ausgeglichen und ein Unterschied ist mit freiem Auge nicht zu erkennen. Die Zahlen sprechen eine etwas andere Sprache. Hier liegt die Ausleuchtung des Panels bei nur 67 Prozent und die durchschnittliche Helligkeit bei 206.4 cd/m². Mit diesen Werten und einer maximalen Helligkeit von 240 cd/m² kann sich der Bildschirm des Inspiron nur im breiten Mittelfeld der durchschnittlichen Anzeigen einreihen.

Weitere Wermutstropfen sind der, mit 183:1 Sony VGP-BPS9A/B Battery geringe Kontrast und der erhöhte Schwarzwert (1,22 cd/m2), wodurch der Außengebrauch ein wenig eingeschränkt ist und das angezeigte Schwarz einen leichten Graustich davon trägt. Insgesamt wirkt das Bild im Büro ohne direkte Sonneneinstrahlung aber angenehm. Unser Testbild wird scharf dargestellt und die Farben wirken stimmig.

Das Arbeiten im Freien ist durch die mittelmäßigen Bildschirmwerte und die Glare-Type-Oberfläche eingeschränkt. Direkte Sonneneinstrahlung VGP-BPS9 oder eine starke Lichtquelle machen das Arbeiten nahezu unmöglich, da das Bild unkenntlich wird. Indirekte Beleuchtung ist in diesem Fall weniger problematisch und es lässt sich mit leichten Einschränkungen arbeiten.

Die Blickwinkelstabilität ist im horizontalen Bereich als „Gut“ zu bezeichnen, wobei das Bild bis VGP-BPS9/S 160 Grad scharf und ohne Farbverfälschungen dargstellt wird. Die vertikale Stabilität ist nicht besonders und wenige Grad Abweichung aus der idealen Positionen genügen für Darstellungsprobleme. Das Bild erweckt schnell den Eindruck eines Negativs.

Leistung

Ein leistungsschwacher Intel Atom-Einkerner kommt Dell Studio 17 Battery Dell nicht in die Tüte und so wird ein AMD Athlon II Neo K325 verwendet. Dieser Prozessor bietet zwei Kerne und eine Taktfrequenz von 1,30 GHz. Die Verlustleistung (TDP) des Prozessors liegt bei 12 Watt und ist damit, im Vergleich zum Intel Atom N450 (5.5W), deutlich höher, wobei der N450 die Grafikeinheit bereits integriert. Den stärkeren AMD Turion II Neo K625 mit 1,50 GHz bietet Dell für das Inspiron M101z Subnotebook nicht an.

Zur weiteren Ausstattung des Gerätes gehören bekannte Komponenten. Für die Grafik ist eine dedizierte ATI Radeon HD 4225 verantwortlich. Dieser Dell Studio 1737 Battery Chip soll eine spürbare Mehrleistung im Vergleich zum Intel GMA 3150 bieten. Des Weiteren finden sich in unserem Modell eine 250 GByte große Festplatte und 4 GByte DDR3-10600S-Arbeitsspeicher. Leider ist der Takt des RAMs auf 800 MHz limitiert und die vollen 1333 MHz werden nicht ausgenutzt. Diese Konfiguration verspricht zusammen mit Windows 7 Home Premium (64-Bit) eine gute Office-Leistung.

Um die Leistung des Subnotebooks vergleichen zu können, haben wir diverse Sony Laptop Battery Benchmarks ausgeführt. Bei diesen Tests war das Hochleistungsprofil unter Windows 7 aktiviert und sämtliche Stromsparfunktionen von Dell und Windows deaktiviert. Die Taktfrequenz wird in diesem Leistungsprofil nicht angehoben und bleibt bei 1,30 GHz.

Die Anwendungsleistung des Dell Inspiron M101z haben wir in Form von PCMark Vantage und akku CineBench R10 überprüft. Aufgrund einer ähnlichen Hardwareausstattung liegt unser Testgerät fast gleich auf mit dem Acer Aspire 1551 Subnotebook. Eine leichte Steigerung der Leistung bieten in unserer Datenbank nur Geräte mit Intel GMA 4500MHD-Grafik, die aktuell aber nicht mehr integriert wird. Geräte mit Intel Atom-Prozessor (Bsp.: ASUS Eee PC 1015P) liegen weit zurück und können mit dieser Performance nicht mithalten. Die subjektive Leistung unter Windows 7 kann überzeugen, da lange Ladezeiten und langsamer Fensteraufbau der Vergangenheit angehören.

Congratulations! The netbook revolution is over and you won. Monday, Intel Sony VGP-BPS8 Battery announced the general availability of new systems from most major vendors featuring its dual-core Atom N550 processor. The company also shared that it has shipped over 70 million Atom CPUs since it first launched the low-voltage, low-priced platform back in 2008. Yet with so much success has come massive stagnation—and even declines in sales. The problem isn’t that netbooks have failed. On the contrary, they’ve succeeded so well that they have become irrelevant.

To understand where the revolution sony VGP-BPS9/B Battery went wrong, we must go back to its roots. Like many movements, this one was started by a few idealistic academics. Nicholas Negroponte, formerly of MIT, was the Che of cheap computers, heralding a new era of low-cost, long-lasting laptops that would destroy the digital divide. He started out with a radical agenda, promising sub-$100 laptops to children around the world.

The OLPC laptops would not run a bourgeois operating system like Windows. Instead, they would run Sugar, a special VGP-BPS8 version of Linux, the people’s platform. They would even use Marxist technology like mesh networking, which shares an Internet connection “from each computer according to its ability, to each according to its need.”
However, as with many radical movements, OLPC’s populist ideas didn’t put bread—or in this case, little green computers—on the table. Shortages were commonplace and One Laptop Per Child was often more like half a dozen laptops per VGP-BPS8a village. Worse still, trying to surf the Web or compose an e-mail with the XO laptop’s cryptic Sugar UI and cramped keyboard was more difficult than trudging through twenty miles of Siberian winter for a tiny ration of spoiled borscht.

As the OLPC-kevites struggled to gain power and influence among the people, their Akku HP PB992A core ideals were co-opted by the man. ASUS’s Eee PC 701 gave lip service to Negroponte’s radical agenda: small 7-inch size, long battery life, and a Linux OS, but when you peaked below the hood, you saw capitalist components like a Celeron processor and a licensed, proprietary version of Xandros. Still, the original Eee PC had an ideology; it was designed as a secondary device for surfing the Web and sending e-mail only, not as a smaller laptop.

During this early revolutionary period, Sony VGP-BPS9A/B Battery many interesting ideas were floated. Some companies, like Everex, thought that a gOS-based platform was the future. Others, like Emtec with its Gdium Liberty 1000, wanted to start an anarchist state, so they built a netbook without an operating system or The storage device that holds your OS, programs, and data.
Learn Morehard drive, and invited the people to bring their own flash drives. In its original Mini-Note, HP even tried a VIA processor that ran hot enough to sterilize a Federline.

But despite these unique experiments, the bourgeois class began to demand creature comforts like 10-inch screens, 5,400 rpm VGP-BPS9 hard drives, and familiar operating systems. Intel obliged by developing its Atom platform, which first appeared in late Spring 2008. Suddenly, everyone from Acer to Viewsonic was building netbooks and Microsoft even lowered its prices for the new category, saying “let them have Windows XP.”

Since that time, the entire notebook world has changed, mostly for the better. Netbooks VGP-BPS9/S helped PC manufacturers to focus on low-cost and long battery life. They proved that, for many users, having the fastest processor isn’t nearly as important as having a light-weight system that lasts all day on a charge. So netbooks began to morph from the hippie on the corner shouting “down with optical drives” to the CEO in the boardroom, editing spreadsheets on his HP Mini 5102. They grew as large as 12-inches in size, started carrying huge hard drives, and offering HD screens with Graphics chips are responsible for processing all images sent to your computer?s display.
Learn Morediscrete graphics.

Ultraportable notebooks began to get more affordable too. Where Dell Studio 17 Battery 12- and 13-inch notebooks were once the exclusive province of business executives with over $1,000 to spend, a new generation of ultra-low voltage consumer and small business systems appeared with prices under $600 and battery lives close to those of their netbook counterparts.

So Sony Laptop Battery what are your considerable spoils from this revolution? Cheaper, lighter, longer-lasting portable computers. In other words, a huge win.

However, dual-core processors are just the latest in a long line of improvements to the netbook that make it nothing more than a 10 or 11-inch Dell Studio 1737 Battery ultraportable laptop, a far cry from its radical beginnings as a secondary web-focused device. How long until vendors give up the ghost, stop calling them netbooks, and begin to market them as 10-inch notebooks? Tiny as they are, many people use them for Microsoft Office, photo editing, or even playing World of Warcraft at a low resolution.

Today’s revolutionaries come from the smart phone and tablet worlds. Companies like Apple, Dell Studio 1535 Battery Google, HTC, Motorola, and Samsung are the new radicals pushing a web-connected future of secondary devices with many of the leading netbook vendors (ASUS, Acer, HP, MSI, etc) looking to join the insurgency. Let’s just hope this generation sticks to its ideals.

Online Editorial Director Avram Piltch oversees the production and infrastructure good battery of LAPTOP’s web site. With a reputation as the staff’s biggest geek, he has also helped develop a number of LAPTOP’s custom tests, including the Notebook batteries provide power to the system whenever it’s unplugged.
Learn MoreLAPTOP Battery Test. Catch the Geek’s Geek column here every other week or follow Avram on twitter.

Die rote Zora. Aus dem Hause Dell kommt ein kleines 11,6-Zoll Subnotebook Sony VGP-BPS8 Battery auf AMD-Basis, das Netbooks mit Atom-Prozessor im Regen stehen lässt. Ist das Dell Inspiron M101z Subnotebook die gesuchte Antwort auf schwache Netbooks, oder nur ein weiteres Produkt im Portfolio von Dell?

Ein Mittelweg zwischen günstigen sony VGP-BPS9/B Battery Netbooks und teuren Notebooks mit einigen Kraftreserven ist meist schwer zu finden und die Auswahl ist begrenzt. Dell bietet mit dem Inspiron M101z ein 11,6-Zoll-Subnotebook mit AMD Athlon II Neo K325-Prozessor an, der mit 1,30 GHz (Dual-Core) arbeitet. Mit diesem Gerät möchte Dell eine kostengünstige Alternative zu den teuren Subnotebooks und eine stärkere Variante eines Netbooks bieten. Ein HDMI-Ausgang, HD-Bildschirm VGP-BPS8 und eine gute Akkulaufzeit sollen das Gerät zusätzlich von der Netbook-Masse abheben.

Als Vorgeschmack einige Daten des M101z vorweg: neben dem Prozessor finden Akku HP PB992A sich 4 GByte DDR3-10600S-Arbeitsspeicher, eine 250 GByte große Festplatte, WLAN nach 802.11b/g/n und der aktuelle Bluetooth 3.0 +HS-Standard. Das Subnotebook wird von Dell neben Schwarz in drei weiteren Farbvarianten (Peacock Blue, Lotus Pink und Tomato Red) angeboten, die allerdings aufpreispflichtig sind. Unser Testgerät mit rotem Displaycover kostet im Direktvertrieb von Dell aktuell 549 Euro zuzüglich Versand.

Gehäuse

Dell hat sich beim Inspiron M101z für Akku HP compaq NX7400 ein sehr modernes Design entschieden, das durch schlichte Akzente, aber auch kräftige Farben auf dem Displaydeckel, überzeugen soll. Der „Eye-Catcher“ des Subnotebooks ist das in vier Farben verfügbare Cover. Standardmäßig wird dieses in Schwarz geliefert, aber auch auffälligere Varianten in Pink, Blau und Rot bietet Dell an, wobei diese Varianten aufpreispflichtig (jeweils 29 Euro) sind. Der Displaydeckel ist mit seiner Lackierung anfällig für Kratzer und sichtbare Staubpartikel. Das Design an der Innenseite ist in Schwarz und Silber gehalten. Die Handballenauflage fällt dabei durch eine Aluminium-Optik auf. Insgesamt wirkt das Design sehr stimmig und sony vgp-bps2b akku elegant. Farbige Akzente und die schlichte Farbgebung im Inneren bieten einen netten Kontrast.

Die Verarbeitung respektive Lackierung des Gehäuses können überzeugen und sony vgp-bps2c akku Verarbeitungsfehler bleiben aus. Dank LED-Hintergrundbeleuchtung ist der Displaydeckel sehr schlank, aber nicht zu flexibel. Zwei Displayscharniere halten die Anzeige perfekt in Position und ein Nachwippen fällt uns nicht auf. Leider ist der Öffnungswinkel nach „hinten“ durch eine hochstehende Gehäusekante mit maximal 125 Grad begrenzt. Ein weiterer Nachteil der schlanken Bauweise: die untere Gehäusehälfte muss beim Öffnen fixiert werden.

Unser Testsample des Inspiron VGP-BPS8a M101z bringt bei einer Größe von 29,2 x 20,5 x 2,43 – 3,5 Zentimetern rund 1,56 Kilogramm (mit 6-Zellen-Akku) auf die Waage und ist damit nicht viel schwerer als ein Netbook mit 10-Zoll-Bildschirm. Diese Geräten wiegen im Schnitt 1,2 Kilogramm. Das mitgelieferte Netzteil ist ebenfalls schlank, wiegt aber bereits stolze 350 Gramm.

Ausstattung

Anschlussausstattung

Eine umfangreichere Anschlussausstattung als ein Netbook bietet das Inspiron M101z auf jeden Fall, wobei diese nicht sony vgp-bps13a/s akku mit einem großen Multimedia-Gerät zu vergleichen ist. An der linken Seite befinden ein RJ-45-Netzwerkanschluss (Gigabit-fähig), ein HDMI-Ausgang für hochauflösendes Video- und Tonmaterial, ein USB-2.0-Port und ein 3-in-1-Kartenleser, der SD, SDHC und MMC lesen und beschreiben kann. Des Weiteren befindet sich an dieser Seite ein breiter Luftauslass für warme Abluft.

Gegenüber an der rechten Seite des M101z sind zwei weitere USB-Schnittstellen sony vgp-bps9 akku untergebracht. Einer dieser Ports wird auch im ausgeschaltetem Zustand mit Strom versorgt und ermöglicht das Laden von Peripherie. Neben den USB-Ports finden sich die Audioanschlüsse (Kopfhörerausgang, Mikrofoneingang) und der Stromanschluss für das mitgelieferte Netzteil. Die Front ist frei von Schnittstellen. In diesem Bereich hat Dell lediglich zwei Status-LEDs und die Stereo-Lautsprecher untergebracht. An der Rückseite finden sich ein Kensington Lock Slot und ein VGA-Port über den sich beispielsweise ein Beamer anschließen lässt.

Die Aufteilung der einzelnen Schnittstellen ist sony vgp-bps9/b akku gut gelungen und der Umfang ist mehr als ausreichend. Neben den bekannten Schnittstellen eines Netbooks finden sich Besonderheiten, wie ein Powered-USB-Port oder ein HDMI-Ausgang für eine qualitativ hochwertige Übertragung von Bild und Ton.

Kommunikation

Die Kommunikationsmöglichkeiten eines Subnotebooks sollten sehr umfangreich sein, da Sony Akkus die mobile Nutzung meist im Vordergrund steht. Neben Gigabit-LAN (Atheros AR8132) ist unser Testgerät mit WLAN nach 802.11g/n (Dell Wireless 1501 Wireless-N Half-Mini Card) ausgestattet. Für die mobile Datenübertragung zwischen unserem Testgerät und einem Smartphone oder anderen Geräten bietet das Inspiron zudem Bluetooth 3.0 +HS. Ein weiterer Vorteil ist der Dummy-Schacht für eine SIM-Karte. Mit dem passenden UMTS-Modul (optional) kann man so auch Unterwegs im Internet surfen.

Lieferumfang und Zubehör

Der standardmäßige Lieferumfang ist leider sehr klein. Neben dem Gerät finden sich nur akku das passende Netzteil mit Netzkabel, der 6-Zellen-Akku und ein Setup-Handbuch. Im Vergleich bietet Dell ein breites Zubehörspektrum. Darunter finden sich beispielsweise ein externes USB-DVD-Laufwerk (72 Euro), Taschen (20 – 35 Euro), Mäuse (21 – 58 Euro) und Tastaturen (44 – 76 Euro).

The last time we reviewed BitDefender Total Security, it won our Sony VGP-BPS8 Battery Editors' Choice award, largely on account of its customizable user interface and strong parental controls. While it still has a unique range of user interfaces designed for people with different levels of tech-savviness, along with relatively strong parental controls, other security vendors have caught up in both the ease of use and parental controls departments, and also do a better job of keeping your PC running fast. Still, a few useful settings, including the ability to put off scans while you're gaming or using the PC unplugged, ensures that Total Security is still among our preferred security suites.

Installation
Total Security has a longer installation sony VGP-BPS9/B Battery process than its competitors, but that can be a good thing when you consider that it gives you the chance to configure features such as online backup and parental controls in one fell swoop. There's something to be said for taking a few minutes to activate all these features easily, especially if it means enjoying an easy user experience thereafter.

That the software runs a scan of your computer even before beginning the installation bodes well for its thoroughness in the security Sony VGP-BPS9A/B Batterydepartment. Once it does that, it will look for already installed security software. By default, there are checked boxes giving the software permission to disable Windows Firewall and Windows Defender (we agree that it's best not to have dueling security software programs running concurrently). Then, you'll enter your license key and create an account, providing an e-mail address and choosing a password (you'll have to confirm the account through a link in your e-mail).

This is where the installation takes a uniquely convenient turn. BitDefender lets you choose VGP-BPS9 between one of three interfaces: Basic, Intermediate, and Expert (you can see previews during installation, and change the view after installation if you don't like the experience). Users can also choose what BitDefender calls Tools, essentially icons for features such as parental controls, which will appear in a dashboard in whatever interface you choose.

While we're on the subject of choice, you can elect to VGP-BPS9/S set up parental controls, creating new Windows user accounts for your children if you want. It's also easy to set up home network management; BitDefender does a good job explaining the difference between a server PC and a client. You can even choose to see Internet safety tips on the home screen. The last setup screen gives you a rundown of all the features that will be at your disposal, and includes check boxes for running a scan after the installation has finished and scheduling a weekly scan (oddly, there were no options for more frequent or automatic scans).

User Interface
We appreciate that Total Security's user interface can look more or less simple, depending on how comfortable you are dell Vostro 1710 Battery at tweaking settings. As a general rule, the easier the interface, the larger and fewer the icons. Regardless of the interface you choose, you'll find that it relies on pop-up windows, whereas other programs, such as Norton 360, are all about navigating backward and forward within one box. While we usually prefer self-contained interfaces, these pop-ups didn't annoy us. There's also more clicking here: you'll have to click, not roll over, an icon such as Security to view more options.

Particularly for basic users, we love that in addition to security tips and a search bar toshiba PA3534U-1BRS Battery there are also video tips, helping newbies get oriented with the product.

The basic interface, specifically, has large icons Dell GD761 Battery for Security, Tune-Up, and My Tools, which in this case includes parental controls, quick scan, online backup and restore, and help & support. The tools also include Laptop and Game modes, which delay scans when the computer is unplugged or running a game (other suites don't have these features, particularly the Laptop mode).

The intermediate interface is considerably more complicated, featuring five tabs: Dashboard, File storage, Network, Security, VGP-BPS13/B and Tune-up. In this view, My Tools appears as a carousel of icons, as opposed to a single My Tools icon that hides a lengthier list of features. On the left-hand side is a list of details for the status of every major area, such as security and tune-up. Whereas the basic interface just shows one color-coded symbol, summarizing the state of the system, each major area of security in the intermediate UI has a color-coded icon next to it: a red exclamation point indicates there's something wrong; a green check mark means everything is okay; and a blue exclamation point is for non-urgent things you might want to pay attention to (say, registering the product). We wish BitDefender had stuck to the more intuitive red, green, and yellow color scheme Dell Studio 1535 Battery that other vendors use. In the basic version, you won't see such a list; just a single icon summarizing the state of the system.

The expert interface is somehow more streamlined, although its detailed options will intimidate (or just confuse) the average user. On top, there are just three tabs for finding the main dashboard, a page for adjusting general settings, Dell Studio 1737 Battery and reviewing system info (if "Known DLLs" means anything to you, try out this interface). Otherwise, you'll find all of the usual categories--Encryption, Firewall, and Parental Controls, among others--lining the left side of the screen.

Performance and PC Tuneup
BitDefender's security scanning system works by taking a snapshot of critical areas of your PC, and then processing Dell Studio 17 Battery this information in the cloud. With this version, BitDefender also introduced Search Advisor, which, like McAfee's Site Advisor, displays ratings next to Bing, Google, and Yahoo search results.

(Before we continue, a note: At the time of this writing, BitDefender 2011 dell Latitude E5400 Battery had yet to be tested, so the numbers we're using are for the 2010 version of the software.)

According to third-party tests, BitDefender isn't the best at detecting threats, but neither is it the worst. It picked up 50 percent of the malware thrown at it by Anti-Virus Comparative, giving it an Advanced+ rating. That's not as good as dell Latitude E4300 Battery Kaspersky (59 percent), but it's well above McAfee, which only caught 38 percent. Likewise, Dennis Publishing gave BitDefender a combined protection score of 68, below Norton 360 (80) and Kaspersky (76), but well above McAfee (43). However, in AV-Test.org's benchmarks, McAfee detected 87.2 percent of malware, compared to 84.3 percent for BitDefender.

Total Security wins performance points for offering both a Laptop and Game mode (Kaspersky, also a favorite among dell Latitude E6500 Battery techies, has comparable settings). Even without these modes enabled, though, we found that our Core i3-powered HP G62t ran speedily with Total Security running. For example, prescan, it took 1 second to launch Firefox; with a full scan in progress, launching this browser still took less than 2 seconds.

Total Security's arsenal of tools includes Registry Recover, Registry Cleaner, File Shredder, dell Latitude E5500 Battery Duplicate Finder, Disk Defragmenter, and a tool called PC Clean-Up, which clears the cache in Internet Explorer and Firefox, as well as the Recent Documents list and Temporary Files folder. We wish we could click a button to run all processes at once (we couldn't do this in any of the interfaces). In basic mode, only PC Clean-up and Disk Defragmenter are enabled by default. After running PC optimization tools (more on that in a minute), our bootup time remained the same: 1:17.

Online Backup
Like its competitors, Total Security 2011 comes Lenovo/IBM Thinkpad R60 Battery with 2GB of online storage space (except Webroot Internet Security Complete, which offers 10GB). Configuring automatic backups to a local hard drive is also possible. In deciding which folders you want to back up regularly, you can sift through a Windows folder tree, or jump straight to the ones listed under Common Files & Folders (e.g., Documents, Pictures). A calculator at the bottom of the screen shows how much storage space these files will require. You can set the backups to run hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly (you can also set backups to run manually, but we don't recommend this since studies show too many consumers forget to back up their stuff). If you want to encrypt files, you can also drop them in a file vault, which you'll also find under the file storage section. One thing the interface is missing is a link to Lenovo/IBM Thinkpad R61 Battery the online portal containing these files.

Parental Controls
To its credit, Total Security's parental controls are built into the main user interface, whereas Symantec sends you to a web portal in Norton 360. However, 360 has a slightly richer feature set and a more intuitive interface. Although we praised BitDefender's parental controls when we reviewed Lenovo/IBM Thinkpad T61 Battery Total Security 2010, and still think they're relatively strong, it's also true that other companies, particularly Symantec, have caught up.

For example, both products allow you to specify the age of your child, as well as allow Dell Vostro 1000 Battery or block certain categories of sites (the defaults change depending on the child's age). Whereas Symantec presents these categories as check boxes all on one page, however, BitDefender arranges them in a list that you have to scroll through, clicking on drop-down menus as you go to allow or block these categories. Symantec, too, lets you create an age-based profile for every child in the family.

BitDefender lets parents block children from using Dell Vostro 1400 Battery any desktop application, which is unique, but adding blocked sites is confusing. Also, BitDefender's approach to controlling instant-messaging programs is slightly cruder, simply letting parents block or allow certain IM handles. With Symantec, the options are more sophisticated: parents can block all new friends as a rule, or choose to log conversations.

BitDefender, like every other security vendor offering parental controls, allows good battery parents to allow block specific websites, as well as block access to search results derived from certain keywords. One thing it's missing: a mechanism to prevent children from revealing sensitive information, such as their address or phone number.

Verdict
Staying true to its geeky roots, BitDefender Total Security 2011 does an admirable job of offering advanced settings aplenty, as well as modes that delay scans until after games end or a laptop is plugged in. Still, other products, namely Symantec Norton 360 ($69.99) Sony Laptop Battery and Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 ($79.95), have caught up, offering stronger parental controls and doing a superior job of speeding up users' computers. And although it's more expensive and lacks tune-up tools and online backup, Kaspersky in particular does a better balancing act between keeping the interface simple while also offering options to power users who crave them. But if you're a geek's geek, BitDefender's slightly less straightforward UI won't faze you in the slightest, and you'll appreciate its full feature set.