Hello and welcome to my website – lgpOnTheMove. Here you will find reviews on all the latest and coolest notebooks on sale today. As a big fan of notebooks myself, and a dedicated notebook user for over 12 years, I’ve come to appreciate the advantages these computers offer for both work and pleasure. I’ve come to expect a certain level of features, quality and performance from notebooks and have been fortunate to work with many different units over the last several years, giving me the opportunity to provide a hands-on, expert opinion, critical reviews and valuable first-impressions.
Why do a notebook review website when so many other “credible” reviews can already be found online?
Simply because those reviews can be seriously tainted, misleading or even downright wrong. And those editors who call themselves experts are no better (sometimes even worse) than the educated consumer or enthusiast. In extreme cases, these reviewers are no more than just at-home bloggers getting paid to write (dare I say sugarcoat) an article, with little to no relevant experience or journalistic credentials.
Case in point – in September 2008 I purchased a Gateway P-7811FX gaming notebook on sale from Best Buy. This was the same unit that a month earlier was reviewed by CNET and given the CNET Editor’s Choice award.
CNET - an established name in the electronics and technology market, staffed by well-paid expert writers, and trusted by consumers for no-nonsense info. I mean, when they put their endorsement on something, it must be pretty good. Can’t go wrong with that, right? WRONG!!!
ALL FIVE of the Gateway P-7811FX notebooks I purchased and returned to the store were lemons. You see what CNET doesn’t tell you was that they got some fancy, cherry-picked “evaluation” unit that was guaranteed by the manufacturer to work for them. They didn’t get the same unit that Best Buy was selling in the stores, units that the great majority of were returned by Best Buy to Gateway in a huge RMA pile due to a hardware defect. This was a problem which many users, not just myself, experienced with this particular unit. Doing further research I was shocked to find countless posts on forums online from dozens of other users experiencing the same issues as I was. These were serious hardware problems that Gateway has failed to acknowledge even to this day, and not even CNET has bothered to follow-up on or withdraw their recommendation of this questionable notebook.
You can in fact read my experience with the Gateway P-7811FX including follow-up posts and comments where I first made my voice heard here.
After going through that excruciating consumer ordeal, I decided once was enough - it was time to put things straight and present the truth on notebooks; what you read in all those hyped reviews and forum posts versus what you end up buying and taking home.
How do I review my notebooks?
This is where I do things differently:
- ALL my review units, every single one, is a brand-new, unopened, RETAIL unit, with full retail packaging, and is pulled randomly from retail inventory.
- Each unit has been purchased retail, and comes with the manufacturer warranty.
- I DO NOT get paid to write these reviews, nor will I ever accept payment for a review.
- Every review you see here is typed and written ON THE UNIT ITSELF.
- I will NEVER review any so-called “evaluation” unit that has been tweaked by the manufacturer, is some fancy cherry-picked sample or contains prototype hardware.
- I will NEVER review any “demo” unit that has been punished and abused by half a dozen people before me.
- I will never review a LOANER unit from a friend or other source.
- Every unit I examine will receive the same unbiased, critical, hands-on, expert evaluation, regardless of brand or outside influence.
- After my review of a unit, I will choose to either keep the unit for my own use or have it returned to the retailer for a refund, as allowed by law.
I will provide relevant benchmarks and performance information, however, since so many other sites are already providing this information with fancy charts and graphs, I'll be mentioning these details in the bulk of my text.
You won't be seeing any video reviews at the moment, as I am not quite set up yet for that. I do have plans to include these in the future, though, so check back in the coming months.
While I will be looking at notebook models that are primarily of interest to me and my work/personal needs, I may from time-to-time look at other popular models as well, depending on availability. My aim is to review in detail at least one notebook per month, with various other articles sprinkled in between. Manufacturers and readers are both welcome to suggest ideas and notebooks for review. I will do my best to fulfill these requests as my time allows.
Advertisers wishing to harness lgpOnTheMove are very welcome. As this is a project I am doing in my free time and do not get paid for, a small contribution would be appreciated in exchange for showcasing your products and services.
Feel free to comment on my articles as well - I read each one. While I do not feel the need to moderate comments, rather promoting freedom of opinion on lgpOnTheMove, I won't hesitate to delete spam and flag your profile if you do so. I also encourage fellow bloggers out there to link to my site, and look forward to the support of the blogging community.
And if you are a reader (or notebook fanatic like myself) and like my reviews or wish to support my work, please sign-up and "follow" the site. Go ahead and forward lgpOnTheMove to your friends/co-workers and spread the word - the more readers, exposure and feedback I get, the better this website will be for everybody!
So sit back, read along, and enjoy your time here at lgpOnTheMove. You may just find the notebook - and information – you’ve been looking for!
Cheers,
Leslie G. Perecz
lgpOnTheMove
Managing Editor
What are the different articles and categories on lgpOnTheMove?
First Impressions - the main-course item here at lgpOnTheMove that presents complete, in-depth, hands-on analysis on many popular notebooks and netbooks.
Quick Look - same as the above, but in a more shortened, condensed format.
Second Take - on occasion I will go back to review a newer/alternative model of the same notebook, highlighting any differences or changes the manufacturer has presented.
The Best of 20xx - summary articles highlighting the best notebooks and mobile gear to hit the market in that year.
Tech Tips - valuable, insightful and relevant information for notebook users covering a variety of topics to help them get the most out of their investment.
Wish List - as the name says, a list of items I would like to see for a particular notebook.
In The News - articles written by me that have been featured by the professional tech journalism elite.
Off the Beaten Track - an off-topic discussion that focuses away from notebooks for a welcome change.
Confessions of an Audiophile - a chance for me to let loose my inner audiophile while reviewing various gadgets designed to handle audio.
Accessory Corner - solid and detailed reviews on various notebook accessories that can enhance your notebook experience tremendously.
Glamor Shots - full-screen, high-res photos and images of popular items coming through lgpOnTheMove.
On Location - coverage from the latest events I happen to be attending, along with the exclusive scoop on hot, new products.
The Shame File - sad but true testimony on dodgy products, questionable services and companies that don't give a damn about their customers.
Big Deal - relevant news items found online that tie into what you see here on lgpOnTheMove, without the sensationalist editorial spin.
Lifestyles of the Mobile Road Warrior - geared specifically for the mobile professional, get a first-hand inside look at working on-the-go... the smart way!
Notable Quotes:
"The history of the [Commodore] Amiga is I think the best example you will ever find of how NOT to run an American company - high-tech product, innovative concept, mass appeal, leagues ahead of the competition...only to get sunk by corporate mismanagement and ignorance." -9/2/2010
"When the emphasis is mobility, two devices beats four. When the emphasis is productivity, netbooks trump slates." -5/5/2010
"$70/month for a stingy 2GB or 5GB plus overage charges is NOT where I see the future of mobile broadband." -10/13/2010
"Windows 7 may not have been designed with slates in mind, but it does a hell of a lot better job interacting with the web, using ANY browser, than purely relying on "apps" to provide content/functionality - such is the Achilles Heel of a smartphone OS." -12/18/2010
"I'm not ashamed to ask for money - corporate America takes it from me every day!" -2/1/2012
"I'd like to meet with Clevo's chief engineer...[and] whack him over the head with one of his own keyboards." -2/1/2012
"People who continue to blast the Post-PC horn obviously don't have traditional computing needs. Either that, or they have been doing such mundane tasks on their laptops that they have lost the definition of what real work is." -2/24/2012
"You know something good is going on at lgpOnTheMove when my F@H PPD goes through the roof." -10/28/2012
"Some bloggers are like goldfish living in an aquarium - they don't have the faintest idea what real life is out in the open sea." -11/10/2012
"Anybody can have a blog, [but] not everybody can write - the difference is those who do write well earn the respect of not only their audience, but their peers." -11/16/2012
"Apple may have invented the tablet, but it has taken Microsoft to bring it out of the stone age and into the industrial era." -2/2/2013
"I'm trying hard to think of a bad joke right now that's worse than this notebook's battery, but I can't." -7/24/2013
"People are shocked when they meet me for the first time because they think I'm this black dude with the crazy blonde hair." -11/1/2014
Last updated: 11/4/2014
