Mini Laptop Review

- Which mini laptop should i get? HP or Toshiba...?
I need to get a mini laptop by the time i start school. I already have a laptop but i would like to get a mini so i can take it to class with me. My laptop is an HP and i think it's a great one. I've had for over 5 years and it still works pretty well. I read reviews for both the HP and the Toshiba mini laptop and according to those reviews the Toshiba seems a little bit better but i would like to hear as many opinions as possible. Thanks!

A Smart, smart, smart. You wouldn't believe how many people don't do their research before buying something like a computer. I really like that you are looking into things. Both HP and Toshiba are trusted brands when it comes to computers. From your experience, you know HP is a great, reliable brand, and the same goes for Toshiba. They're both quality companies, but Toshiba generally makes a little bit higher-end products. If the reviews have said that the Toshiba is a little better, I'd probably agree with them, Toshiba is great at leading innovation (geez that sounds familiar... but it's definitely true). They do their jobs very well, and they make great quality products. HP is also a very reliable company. Their products are extraordinary, but they sometimes fall behind Toshiba when it comes to performance. However, you have a firsthand account of how well HP computers can work, and I'd totally understand if you trust your own experience rather than trusting the 17-year old kid on Y! Answers that said Toshiba was better. Either computer you choose, I know you won't be disappointed. Both will serve you well, and you'll enjoy using them. Good luck! --Lucien Briscoe

- I have a Toshiba mini laptop (NB255) I'm having problems connecting accessories?
I have the mini mouse along with a ton of other accessories and I also have the mini dvd player/ burner. When i connect them via USB connector they don't work. I have tried waiting to see if anything loads I have tried searching files to see if I need to activate it somehow but so far I haven't had any luck finding anything. Does anyone know what could possibly be wrong? It is brand new.

A It might be your devices need drivers. Drivers is a word for software from the manufacturer, This software comes on a cd/rom with the device or can often be found at the manufacturer's web site. At the web site look for your device and see if there is a download for drivers available. To load software from a cd/rom you will need an optical drive that can run one. Is you dvd player/burner only for dvd's and maybe CDs? You may need to get one that can run cd/rom, especially if you can't find the drivers online. However it could be a problem with the usb ports on your netbook, being brand new, I would just take it back to the store, see if they will help you or replace it. If you bought it online you will need to contact the store you bought it from for exchange instructions. Some of my devices only work in certain usb ports, have you tried a different port? You probably have one on one side and two on the other. Some USB ports may be powered and others not, some devices need a powered USB port as they don't have their own power supply. Some devices don't need drivers, for instance I have a light that plugs into a usb port, it was inexpensive and perhaps something like that would tell you if your usb ports are working. For more info on USB try this site and watch the rather long and techy video http://www.howstuffworks.com/usb.htm You may also have to get into device manager and find your usb there. Here is a link with information on what to look for; http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310575, this link is for windows xp, try searching for another site if you have a different operating system. Here is a link on how to get to device manager http://pcsupport.about.com/od/windowsxp/f/opendmxp.htm