ebook reader review

Hi,

I am looking into getting a portable reading device and I am having a difficult time deciding if it is worth buying Amazon's SOLD OUT Kindle or just going for a couple hundred dollar cheaper Sony 505 model.

The Sony I am looking at seems to be comparable in quality to the Kindle. The only MAIN issue I have with the Sony is that I'm worried about where you can buy the books. Since unlike the Kindles you cannot just buy them on Amazon.com as far as I know.

So do you know where to buy the eBooks for the Sony?

So my main question is, is it worth it to buy a Kindle for about $400 or should I go with the Sony 505?

I will add links to the two as well…

Here is the Sony 505 I am interested in:
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665480092

Here is the Amazon Kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FI73MA/ref=amb_link_6369712_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=16HGKN2ZTHAFPYPAG2SK&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=468030771&pf_rd_i=507846

Oh and I would not be able to wait the 4-6 weeks to buy it from Amazon so I am stuck buying it from somewhere else for more expensive which is why the price of the Kindle would be around $400.

If you have any other eBook readers you like or have used you can suggest them as well.

Thank you in advance!
ADD:
I am re-posting this in Books & Authors since I didn't get any responses in Consumer Electronics. Sorry if it's the wrong category.

Hi, I have the reader you want now and I love it.l I too saw the Kindle on Oprah and wanted one. I never even heard of readers and was going to get one later but I guess my daughter heard me and told my husband and he got me the Sony because we always shop Sony.

The big thing that the Kindle pushes is its wireless technology so you can order your books from anywhere wirelessly at any time. Well the Sony works just like I tunes. You install the program once in minutes. You click on the icon on your desktop, the program opens, then from there you click on the ebookstore and u search by category, author, price, etc. Then you just add to your cart, then checkout, then put in your credit card/debit card/gift card info (it saves this for the next time you shop) and you push download. I downloaded 10 books in 2 minnutes. You just hook the USB to the reader and your computer and you just go to your library in the program and drag the books you bought to the reader. It holds 160 books and there is a memory slot to hold so many more. So if I have 300 books on there I highly doubt I am going to run out during vacation and it would be pretty rare I need a book in an emergency so I dont think I need the wi fi function of the Kindle.

The sony reader comes with a great case and it is very thin. It comes with 100 free classic books. You is also an MP3, great for the gym. The battery lasts 7500 pages and you can charge it by simply connecting the usb to it and your computer. You dont have to go on any program it just charges like that. So when I am surfing the net I will hook it up and not even notice it is charging but you dont have to do that often. It does not come with a book light but most readers wont because they drain the battery. I bought a cheap one for 4 bucks for in the care. It is really easy on the eyes. You bookmark your pages so when you turn it on it saves your place. The directions are downloaded right onto it. It also supports other formatis like PDF.
Also, please note that there are many ebook sites to buy books from, not just sony just make sure they support the format for the reader. Note, look up legal site because there are streamling sites where people share the books they got but this illegal copyright just like stealing songs. I like going on the computer to buy my books anyway because I can look at the whole screen to see what I am doing and read about the books. They have lots of sales at the sony book store and publishes give away free books every once in a while to introduce you to their books and they sell book bundles and many really cheap books. I have read reviews where people say the screen turns black as you turn pages but it is like for a split second, I mean by the time you push the button to turn the page it is done so you dont even notice it it is so fast. There are 3 sizes of font too.

I love mine and it is 150 less than kindle.

I got the silver one as a gift but I love the red one better!

I am thinking of buying an e-book reader and I have narrowed it down to three, I am also planning on using the e-book reader as an mp3 player and all three of the devices have this functionality.

1. The Amazon Kindle - I am a bit hesitant to buy this one because of the high price and because everyone is saying a kindle 2 will come out soon

2. The Sony Digital Book Reader - I have always been a fan of sony and they always deliver pretty high quality products plus it comes with 100 free books so I earn my investment back instantly

3. Foxit eSlick Reader - This is by far the cheapest of the ereaders at a $220 but it lacks an ebook store but I think it has it going for the music department…

Any reccomendations?

Mobileread's "Which one should I buy" forum discusses the pros & cons of various ebook readers: http://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=123

A warning note: none of the ebook readers have *good* MP3 players; it's an additional feature they threw in, maybe for audiobooks. Read reviews carefully to check how they work; I know that on the Sony device, there's no turning off the mp3 without turning off the whole thing–it has a "pause" function, which still eats battery very quickly.

I have a Sony Reader PRS-505, and I like it very much. (I don't use it for mp3s.) I didn't want a Kindle because I like converting ebooks myself; I don't want to email them to Amazon & have them do the conversion for me. Also, I wanted to use the free ebook sites like http://www.manybooks.net and http://www.feedbooks.com and those are much less useful with a Kindle.

The Foxit eSlick is so new, nobody knows how well it works yet. The discussion thread about it at Mobileread is at http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34276

Which reader is best, depends on what kind of ebooks you want to read. The Kindle store has a lot more than the Sony store–but the Sony allows more types of ebooks without the hassle of sending them in to be changed. (Also, I hate DRM and I don't want the manufacturer of my Reader to know every book I read on it. But those may not matter to you.)

The 100 free ebooks from Sony are pretty much worthless–they're all classics in the public domain, available in other places on the web, and the versions for free at Mobileread are better formatted. Don't let that convince you to buy it.

If I were buying today, I'd probably go with the eSlick–but that's partially because I have a full software suite to convert *anything* to PDF, and I can reformat docs so they look nice on the small screen first, if I care to.

A textbook case of piracy
By Alex Beam
Globe Columnist / September 9, 2008
I was heartened to learn that college kids are wielding the same Internet piracy tools they used to bring down the recording industry to download textbooks. Although the textbook oligopolists are fighting back mightily - the Association of American Publishers uses Covington & Burling, a take-no-prisoners law firm in Washington, D.C., to hunt down malefactors - there are at least two sites still around offering books: Textbook Torrents tends to be shut down, and moves around the Web, but the last time I checked, thepiratebay.org was offering such books as - well, you’ll see.

As a writer, how can I support this? I should be an absolutist on copyright protection for all books, magazines, and newspapers. But I’m not. The publishers have disgraced themselves, and they are paying the price. Three-hundred-dollar textbooks in the hard sciences are not unusual, and the companies are selling to a captive audience. Hundred-dollar add-ons, masquerading as digital workbooks, or problem-solving sets, are not uncommon.

Publishers love to put out bogus “new” editions to drive a stake though the heart of the used textbook market, which was gaining its second wind at online auction sites. It’s not as if calculus changed since Newton invented it, is the rallying cry you hear from student activists.

How do I know textbook publishers are nothing but pirates in pin-striped suits? Because when the fast-buck artists take over a company like Houghton Mifflin, they never talk about how proud they are to be publishing Philip Roth and J.R.R. Tolkien. They know they are going to make a killing in the profit-choked textbook division, which gorges on the goodwill of parents who want their children to be properly equipped for college courses.

Now most textbook publishers are going digital, and Amazon is promising a larger-format Kindle reader for the student market. The publishers say that iTexts, which often cost less than $100, save students money. But their opponents, led by a coalition of Student Public Interest Research Groups, point out that the password-protected digi-texts put the sword to the used-book market so despised by the publishers.

Congress has gotten into the act, legislating more “transparency” in textbook pricing in the just-passed Higher Education Opportunity Act. It looks like a jumble of half-measures to me. If it had any teeth, the publishers would be squawking madly.

A young Northeastern University student named Shawn Fanning wrung billions of dollars of excess profits from the record companies when he invented Napster. Yes, it’s true that recording “artists” now gouge young people 10 times more aggressively at the concert turnstiles than they ever did at Tower Records stores, which no longer exist around here. But Steve Jobs found the right price point for music at iTunes. Between the pirates and the publishers, we’ll find our way to the right price point for textbooks, too.

Now it’s time to arbitrage . . . tuition.

Don’t steal this book
Inevitably, a reviewer will call John Hanson Mitchell, author of “The Paradise of All These Parts: A Natural History of Boston,” a latter-day Henry David Thoreau, not necessarily a compliment. Call him what you will - in real life, he edits the Massachusetts Audubon Society magazine Sanctuary - he is a smart guy, walking around, paying attention. I’d name his genre nostalgic realism; Mitchell certainly knows where this city and its many peculiar institutions come from, and he understands modernity as well.

I love that his brother owns a boat named after Richard Henry Dana, and that it doesn’t have an engine - there’s Boston in a nutshell. I think this book will take its place next to Walter Muir Whitehill’s “Boston,” with engravings by Rudolph Ruzicka, as one of the treasured Hub tomes of our time.

Able was I . . .
Ere I saw Alaska? Send in your Sarah Palin-dromes! A palindrome is a phrase that makes sense read forward and backward - e.g., “Madam, I’m Adam.” I think there’s a lot to work with here: Is Levi vile? Close, but no cigar. I’ll buy the winner a used copy of the kind of book that Governor Palin wanted to keep out of her local library - “Huckleberry Finn,” perhaps.

Alex Beam is a Globe columnist. His e-dress is beam@globe.com.
http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/articles/2008/09/09/a_textbook_case_of_piracy/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+–+Living+%2F+Arts+News

Don’t you hate people that spell loses as “looses”

A textbook case of piracy
By Alex Beam
Globe Columnist / September 9, 2008
I was heartened to learn that college kids are wielding the same Internet piracy tools they used to bring down the recording industry to download textbooks. Although the textbook oligopolists are fighting back mightily - the Association of American Publishers uses Covington & Burling, a take-no-prisoners law firm in Washington, D.C., to hunt down malefactors - there are at least two sites still around offering books: Textbook Torrents tends to be shut down, and moves around the Web, but the last time I checked, thepiratebay.org was offering such books as - well, you’ll see.

As a writer, how can I support this? I should be an absolutist on copyright protection for all books, magazines, and newspapers. But I’m not. The publishers have disgraced themselves, and they are paying the price. Three-hundred-dollar textbooks in the hard sciences are not unusual, and the companies are selling to a captive audience. Hundred-dollar add-ons, masquerading as digital workbooks, or problem-solving sets, are not uncommon.

Publishers love to put out bogus “new” editions to drive a stake though the heart of the used textbook market, which was gaining its second wind at online auction sites. It’s not as if calculus changed since Newton invented it, is the rallying cry you hear from student activists.

How do I know textbook publishers are nothing but pirates in pin-striped suits? Because when the fast-buck artists take over a company like Houghton Mifflin, they never talk about how proud they are to be publishing Philip Roth and J.R.R. Tolkien. They know they are going to make a killing in the profit-choked textbook division, which gorges on the goodwill of parents who want their children to be properly equipped for college courses.

Now most textbook publishers are going digital, and Amazon is promising a larger-format Kindle reader for the student market. The publishers say that iTexts, which often cost less than $100, save students money. But their opponents, led by a coalition of Student Public Interest Research Groups, point out that the password-protected digi-texts put the sword to the used-book market so despised by the publishers.

Congress has gotten into the act, legislating more “transparency” in textbook pricing in the just-passed Higher Education Opportunity Act. It looks like a jumble of half-measures to me. If it had any teeth, the publishers would be squawking madly.

A young Northeastern University student named Shawn Fanning wrung billions of dollars of excess profits from the record companies when he invented Napster. Yes, it’s true that recording “artists” now gouge young people 10 times more aggressively at the concert turnstiles than they ever did at Tower Records stores, which no longer exist around here. But Steve Jobs found the right price point for music at iTunes. Between the pirates and the publishers, we’ll find our way to the right price point for textbooks, too.

Now it’s time to arbitrage . . . tuition.

Don’t steal this book
Inevitably, a reviewer will call John Hanson Mitchell, author of “The Paradise of All These Parts: A Natural History of Boston,” a latter-day Henry David Thoreau, not necessarily a compliment. Call him what you will - in real life, he edits the Massachusetts Audubon Society magazine Sanctuary - he is a smart guy, walking around, paying attention. I’d name his genre nostalgic realism; Mitchell certainly knows where this city and its many peculiar institutions come from, and he understands modernity as well.

I love that his brother owns a boat named after Richard Henry Dana, and that it doesn’t have an engine - there’s Boston in a nutshell. I think this book will take its place next to Walter Muir Whitehill’s “Boston,” with engravings by Rudolph Ruzicka, as one of the treasured Hub tomes of our time.

Able was I . . .
Ere I saw Alaska? Send in your Sarah Palin-dromes! A palindrome is a phrase that makes sense read forward and backward - e.g., “Madam, I’m Adam.” I think there’s a lot to work with here: Is Levi vile? Close, but no cigar. I’ll buy the winner a used copy of the kind of book that Governor Palin wanted to keep out of her local library - “Huckleberry Finn,” perhaps.

Alex Beam is a Globe columnist. His e-dress is beam@globe.com.
http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/articles/2008/09/09/a_textbook_case_of_piracy/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+–+Living+%2F+Arts+News

Sure it makes sense. If the price of anything inflates unrealistically high some people will capitalize on it. There’s money to be made.

Until the writer get’s to, “Now it’s time to arbitrage . . . tuition” I didn’t read much after that.

I am thinking about gettinga E-book can any one tell me any thing about them.plzAn e-book (for electronic book
An e-book (for electronic book: also eBook, ecoBook) is the digital media equivalent of a conventional printed book. Such documents aebookre either read on personal computers, or on dedicated hardware devices known as e-book devices or e-book readers.

An e-book is a specialised type of e-text.

You sound like you are an author of an ebook. Not that bad, since I am one, too.

Most people on the internet already know what an ebook is. They also know the best place to buy them is http://www.fictionwise.com.

One of the best known independent publishers of ebooks is Hard Shell Word Factory http://www.hardshell.com. Their books go across the spectrum and one thing you'll notice is the quality. They are not locked into formula novels like NY publishers.

i was thinking of investing some money in a digital reader (amazon kindle, the sony reader,etc.) so that i would have a more portable option for my reading. However, i live in the cayman islands would i still have access to books via download?

The Kindle uses the Sprint cell phone network, so it is very unlikely. I don't know about the Sony, but both can probably be loaded through USB, but you're on your own in finding the books.

Hey guys,
I have got a question. I have a computer, for which I just purchased a new SATA 160 gb hard drive. Now I have 2 hard drive sticking right next to each to each other, since I don't have any other space to put the new hard drive in. Anyways, it is a Western Digital WD1600JS model.
I bought the drive to save it as a backup, so that in case my other master hard drive goes out, I will have the backup of my things.
Anyways, let me get to my point. Ok, I switched on the PC went to Everest and it showed that the new SATA HD is about 68C. I was blown away by that reading, I felt the drive and it was a little warm. I downloaded another temperature reader and it stated the same. I took the drive back and I got another one of the same model. Switched it on and the same, it is getting to 68C although the book says that normal operations are at aroun 55C. I called in for their customer support and they said to do a drive analysis, I did it and it took almost 3 hours, and the analysis showed no problems.
I opened the side of the PC and put my room fan towards it and it cooled the drive back to 40C.
Now my old regular IDE drive is at 40C, while my new SATA drive is at 68C.
So I don't know if you guys could help me out on this, but what I was thinking to do is go and get a hole made on the side panel of the case, buy a new 120mm Fan and let it blow the air in. The Fan that is in the back, I will turn it around so that it would blow the hot air out.

Now my question is that I want to get a professional to make a good looking hole to put the fan on, but I don't know where. Do you have any suggestion about any shops that I could go to and ask them to make the hole.

Other than that, do you guys think that this is OK to have a SATA HD to be at 68C while the other one is at 40C?

Please consider my question about the shop to take it to first and then advice me something on this new HD.

THank you very much!!!

Hi there:
2 comments ,,,, 1/ thank you for providing really great information,
it is very rare to actually get a question that provides all the details.
2/ This is a really good question, and you are not alone, — overheating is so incredibly common that it is surprising that there is not a lot more 'buzz' about it.

My most recent computer that I just threw together has 3 power supplies and 12 fans. There are 2 fans in the bottom front plastic panel, which I took a drill and using a pencil, marked out horizontal and vertical lines about 1/2 inch apart. I then took a 1/8 drill and centered the first holes. Then I stepped up sizes until I had a larger hole pattern - SUCH that , the interior area of each of the holes added equalled the entire size of the two fans. This aspect is important to reduce noise and increase the airflow.
On the interior of the front case was a hole pattern for ONE fan, which was a circular pattern of tiny holes - which does 2 things - it is as noisy as hell, and reduces the airflow to almost nothing.
Another answerer suggested a metal NIBBLER tool that cuts out square bits of metal, one tiny nibble at a time, and I have used these to remove the metal in a circle where the opening of the fan blades travel. A typical nibbler is at any techy outlet like Radio Shack such as:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062765&cp=&origkw=metal+nibbler+tool&kw=metal+nibbler+tool&parentPage=search
It is extremely important to NOT have any projections on the outter rim of the area where the blades travel since this will cause a "beat" percussion each time a blade passes, and make the fan very noisy. If the holes for the 4 screws of the muffin fan are not in the case I either mark them with a pointed scribe, and drill them or, now, I use the yellow-brown high temp hot melt glue, and just glue the fans in– air tight in a few seconds.
I blow air into the case front bottom, and usually out the case top back. I use a foam strip over the front bottom fans between the case and the interior metal to force all air comming in to travel from the OUTSIDE of the case ( not circulating inside the case ).
On my last case, I put in a fan on the motherboard side blowing in as well, since there is a row of bays from the TOP of the front case to the bottom, all filled ( Not everyone has a SCSI Ultra wide card with 15 harddrives, a tape drive, a ZIP drive, a 5 1/4 inch drive, 3 CD/DVD drives, a 3 1/2" floppy drive, 5 Ultra ATA drives,
etc.etc. in a single XP computer ). I needed 3 power supplies.
On the first normal ATX power supply there was a fan on the exhaust, so I added one on the inlet, bottom. The case had a hole on the back for another exhaust fan, so I, again, cut out the entire metal area that the fan blades covered - using a pair of metal cutting shears, typically used by automotive sheet metal repair workers or furnace installers. Wiss or WIESS cutters seem to be okay - you need a good pair to work efficiently… These are at any hardware store. ( there are 3 types - straight, left and right cutters ) They are faster than nibblers, but can leave nasty jagged little slivers that you have to use a large slightly rounded file to remove if the area is exposed on the outside of the case, — inside, I just leave the jagged edges if the case interior is not visible. Typically I do not care what the inside " LOOKS " like - I want 100% reliability - lots of fans, heatsinks, etc. and solid. I have done a couple of 'mods' that are absolutely unique, and these require cooling and mechanical work which is totally ridiculous - I won't mention it here. The outside of my typical case has areas of holes drilled "reasonably" well, - people do not notice, but close inspection shows hand tooling. I don;t care. They "work", well, and for years.
Then, I look at the assembled case with running components.
I use the " finger " test, and put my finger on each chip on every harddrive and card and motherboard component. If the chip, ( sound ship, LAN chips, voltage regulators, frequency controllers,
whatever ) is anything more than warm, such as MANY off-the-shelf cards / harddrives / and motherboards are shipped with, and I would burn my finger if held more than 30 seconds,
then I use heatsink pastes and aluminum heatsinks to cool each chip.
I try to mount the harddrives in the front, bottom in front of the case fan inlets. If a chip is on the motherboard with no heatsink
( typically a north or southbridge ) and running fiercely hot, I sink it. I use heatsinks from other computers, or other electronics from recylers or old power supplies etc., and chop them up to fit with a hacksaw, and file the cut edges smooth. If the motherboard chips ( or card chips ) are sunk, but fiercely hot, I either remove the sink ( unless it is epoxied in place ) ( sometimes they use a gooey double sided scotch tape ) and put in a bigger one, or add a fan or both- typically the same size as the sink - say a 386 or 486 CPU fan, again, recycled.
I put in the heatsinks with heatsink paste on the bottom, and dab hotmelt high temp glue on the corners.
Since I do this a lot, I have laser thermal probes to digitally check the components while they are running, to verify that the heatsinking and fans are working properly. You can usually skip this expense just by holding your finger on the heatsinks.
You can go one step further by getting a night vision scope, and looking at the components to see the heat signatures, which is faster and very accurate.
Sometimes, the PCI and AGP cards make their own power by using monolithic regulators such as 7805's 7808's etc. and these can run ridiculously hot. They are usually just bolted to the PCBs. I lift them up and put in a proper aluminum sink, and sometimes even have to add a tiny 386 type fan to keep them " finger warm ".
Don't forget the tiny IC chips like the frequency controllers - they are so small that you would not think of them as being a problem, but I have run across a few that are deadly hot.
I have had to mark out a cross pattern of holes on the sides of the case and drill exhaust or equalization holes on some cases. again, I use a small drill on the pencil pattern, and them use larger drills to make clean holes.

SO…

Back to your HOT harddrive….

Every component can affect all the other components in the case, and how you mount a harddrive and where, and next to what, makes a big difference. I have sent dozens of harddrives back to the manufacturers under warranty, and have complained to them, repeatedly, that THEY are their own worst enemy, clearly showing in the installation manuals, and on the web, how to install their harddrives in the FRONT, Middle, center, of the computer case, where there is NO ventilation, stacked ONE ON TOP THE OTHER, in the tiniest, most closed-in bays, in the entire computer. The fact that they ship drives, brand new, with chips on them that you can roast a turkey on, is strange - they DO fail, and I have hundreds of failed drives in boxes, all out of warranty. I have taken drives that people have given up on as unreliable, and located the hot chips, heatsunk them, put them in front of case front fans, and used them for years and years - in fact I still am using them. If you take off the heatsinks, the chips will overheat in about 5 minutes, and the drive will fail. PURE HEAT.

I have, in higher end, new, expensive, computers, mounted the harddrives in the 5 /14 inch CD bays at the top front. I get an after market blank front panel with 2 or 3 or 4 fans in it blowing into the case, and mount harddrive cooling kits on the new harddrives. These kits, as someone exlplained above, have either 1 or 2 fans on top with a cover that blows the air over the top, or, a huge aluminum heatsink that fits on the top, sometimes again, with 1 or 2 fans blowing air over the heatsink. Be certain to use heatsink paste, since many kits do not supply it. The irregular shape of the top of the harddrive makes an aluminum heatsink of dubious value in some instances. Lots of air is your best solution.

AND… In the old days, I would mount the harddrives upside down to have the hot Printed Circuit Board (PCB ) on top with the hot chips on top to expell the heat up and AWAY from the harrdive motors and bearings. On some HP, CompaQ, Dell etc, computers the harddrives were mounted sideways, or nose down etc, to cram them in. This is no longer possible, and the EXPLICIT instructions on HOW TO install a harddrive from the manufacturers websites of the past, are now WRONG. ( I have CLEAR instructions from all the manufacturers on how to put them nose down, or on their sides etc. )
You can only install drives flat, upside up. This means that putting heatsinks on the frying chips puts the drive UP HIGHER in the bays, and sometimes means drilling new screw mounting holes, and figuring how to mount them…
I am now scavanging entire 3 1/2 inch bays from old computers,
turning them upside down, and mounting them on the base of the bottom, front of the computers, right in front of the bottom, front, case fans. This situation is ideal, and leaves the original 3 1/4 inch bays for all the junk I want to install. ( ask ANYONE with an XP computer if they have a 5 1/4 black floppy drive !! ! ).
One solution for adding just ONE harddrive, is to make a template with a sheet of paper where the bottom screw holes are ( printed circuit side of drive ) and drill holes in the bottom of the case, front, just beside the front, bottom case, fans. The bottom of the case acts as a heatsink, and there is usually nothing in the way. You usually need a longer IDE/ ATA cable to reach from this
drive to the 3 1/4 inch bay above, where the typical C: drive would
be mounted. Being in front of the case front fans is, of course, great- and- the two harddrives are NOT sitting beside each other, thermally railing each other to heat overload…
You can get used 386 and 486 fans and heatsinks almost free. The heatsinks can be cut to size with any hacksaw. Heatsink paste is available anywhere, and DONT worry about getting the latest and greatest silver CPU paste for PCI and harddrive chips - the old white gunk is fine and cheap. Hotmelt glue is available in any building center.
NOTES. Make certain the aluminum heatsinks do not touch any capacitors or components under or around them !
Use only the dirty brown high temp hot melt glue!

Get creative.

If you have lots of $$ and just want the job done fast, mount the drives in 5 1/4 CD bays with expensive drive coolers and fan plates. (I have seen a huge aluminum harddrive sink kit that cost $150 for one drive… )

If you want to make your ENTIRE comptuer run cooler and longer, and Trouble free, and are "handy", start cutting holes and mounting fans. In ANY computer repair shop are piles of dead motherboards and ATX power supplies… really. Most can be traced back to either overheating ( often plugged power supply fans and heatsinks or CPU plugged fan/heatsinks etc. ) or, by people opening the cases WITH THE POWER 110 Volt cord PLUGGED IN and , mucking around with the motherboard LIVE ( ATX power supplies and motherboards NEVER turn off, unless the power cord is unplugged !!!! ) The power supplies are thrown in the garbage and are an excellect source of heatsinks and … MUFFIN FANS !, and the motherboards are an exellent source of heatsinks and …. small muffin fans on the north and south bridges. You can go to all sorts of shops and get old 386 and 486 heatsinks and fans.
Be aware that if you add a hot harddrive, that extra heat must go somewhere, and just heatsinking or fanning it will add to the heat of all the components ( CPU and power supply ) that are in the exhaust path… You should add extra cooling and airflow to compensate…

As for a " professional " to make a hole, there is one other option. You can make any kind of hole, even rather crude, with either a nibbler and/or shears, and ge an aftermarket fan kit that has a custom plastic grill cover that hides the edges. I have not seen one lately, but they will likely be available if you search the web or local stores. This way, you do not need the expense of heavy, milling machines, and the even more expensive operator! Just mount the fan as per normal, and snap on the plastic grill cover.

(((( Finally, a few comments on the answers above…

Lynden states to just take your computer back - ( give up ? )
not my style…

bk78451 agrees with me that getting professional tradesmen to custom machine your case is prohibitively expensive..

Amy Lynn would like you to take it to the professionals - easy but costly, and you are at their mercy on how LONG they take…

Dennis K agrees with you ( and me ) that some harddrives just run VERY hot - he gives you links to one cooler, and one nibbler.
GOOD STUFF and I agree. As to WHERE to put in new holes, well,,,, you do not give any indication of what case you have, and since I have over 200, I do not assume anything. I have some of the strangest stuff you could imagine, and trying to work with some cases defies all pre-concieved notions and logic. Everything is crammed into strange areas with no room to change anything… You just have to be REALLY inventive. I have had to mount a harddrive in mid air, in the middle of the case, where there were no metal sides or supports at all. It worked well though - there are no " RULES" and if you saw some of the cases I have, you would agree… !

Intereseddude has a really good point in being clever, and looking for a unique place to add cooling ports, : though I have not had much luck in going to machine shops!

ggfire has some good points, but I personally VERY dissagree with the suggestion you use a VACCUUM cleaner… Ouch..
Double ouch… please put in the following in the SEARCH bar to read my answer on how to clean a computer saftely …

_________________________________________________

How do you safely clean dust from inside the computer case?
___________________________________________________

and you will understand why a vaccuum cleaner is DEADLY near a computer…

The idea of taking a computer case or side panel to a machine shop is " INTERESTING" and I have done similar things, getting a skilled tradesman to " LOOK " at the job estimate for $60, and fill out the 6 copy " JOB DESCRIPTION" paperwork for a Union prescribed " WORK ORDER"… Unless you know someone in a machine shop personally as a friend, you would probably be better off spending your money on another solution…

Just putting in a fan the same size with a higher CFM ( cubic Foot per Minute ) is an " OK" idea, and I have replaced the typical cheapo fans with a German made stainless steel ball bearing assembly with a Serial Number stamped on the bearing (( like the ones on your car engine )), and the air flow did increase, along with the AMPERAGE draw on the 12 volt rail. However, you have to consider where the hot air you are blowing is going, and if the added airflow is actually allowed to happen — are the exhaust holes bigger? are the exhaust fans faster? etc. A bigger, more powerful fan can never hurt, but unless you remove the metal baffles that typically cover the fan openings, you WILL vastly increase the noise as well. The added 12 Volt current draw will
increase the heat of the ATX power supply as well, so that has to be factored in… It may work well if you drill extra exhaust vents in some part of the case to allow the hot air to escape without the bottleneck of the existing path thru the power supply. Creativity and ingenuity would be needed…

Purchasing an entire new case and removing and re-mouning everything is possible, but then you may have to go out and buy more fans and parts, and have to buy cooling for the harddrives in any event , and just take longer - I personally would not look forward to having to do it - only you can decide the pros and cons involved. )))

hope this helps !

robin

OPTION 1
Onyx Blue Metallic Finish.
•Includes notebook, AC adapter, 4000mAh lithium-ion battery, case
•1.73GHz Intel Pentium dual-core processor T2370
•Mobile Intel GL960 Express chipset
•15.4" diagonal WXGA widescreen TruBrite TFT LCD display with 1280×800 resolution, native 720p signal support
•1024MB PC5300 DDR2 SDRAM
•160GB SATA hard drive
•DVD SuperMulti +/-R double-layer drive, supports 11 formats
•Atheros 802.11b/g wireless LAN
•Mobile Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 with 8MB to 256MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory
•Built-in stereo speakers
•Modem
•10/100 ethernet
•TouchPad
•5-in-1 bridge media adapter: SD, MS, MS Pro, MMC, xD Picture Card
•Four USB 2.0 ports
•RGB, S-video, headphone outputs
•Microphone input
•RJ-45, RJ-11, IEEE 1394 ports
•ExpressCard slot
•Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium SP1
•MS Works 9
•Adobe Acrobat Reader
•Ulead DVD MovieFactory 5
•Toshiba ConfigFree, Disc Creator
•Measures approximately 14-1/4"W x 10-5/8"H x 1-1/2"D
•UL listed adapter; 1-year Limited Manufacturer's Warranty
•Made in China
OR————————

OPTION 2
Processor: AMD Athlon X2 Mobile Technology TK-57 (1.9GHz)

Memory: 1024MB DDR2 Dual-Channel, expandable to 4GB

Hard Drive: 80GB HD

Optical Drive: 8x Multi-Format Dual Layer DVD+/-RW with DVD-RAM featuring LabelFlash Technology. Write max: 8x DVD+/-R, 6x DVD-RW, 8x DVD+RW, 2x DVD-R DL, 2.4x DVD+R DL, 5x DVD-RAM, 24x CD-R and 16x CD-RW disks. Read max: 8x DVD-R/RW/ROM, 4x DVD+/-R DL, 5x DVD-RAM, 24x CD-R/RW/ROM disks.

Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium with SP1

LCD Monitor: 15.4" Widescreen Ultrabright WXGA TFT (1280×800)

Media Card Reader: 5-in-1 digital media manager - Secure Digital (SD), Memory Stick (MS), Memory Stick Pro, Multimedia Card (MMC) and XD-Picture Card

Other Differentiator: Synaptics touchpad with vertical scroll and metal touch-sensitive multimedia buttons

Additional Features and Specifications:
•System Bus: 256KBx2
•Cache Memory: L2 HyperTransport technology at up to 1600MHz
•Graphics: ATI Radeon X1270
•Video Memory: Up to 256MB of HyperMemory
•Mouse: Synaptics touchpad with vertical scroll
•Speakers: Stereo speakers, Microphone In, Headphone/Audio Out
•Modem: 56K ITU V.92 fax/modem
•Network Interface: 10/100 Mbps built-in Ethernet
•Ports: (1) Expresscard Type 54 Expansion Slot, (3) USB 2.0, (1) VGA connector, (1) RJ11-modem, (1) RJ45-Ethernet, (1) AC adapter connector, (1) Kensington Lock Slot, (1) Microphone, (1) Headphone/SPDIF Audio Out, (1) HDMI connector v1.2
•Wireless Network Adapter: 802.11g
•Measures approx. 10.39"L x 14.09"W x 1.4"H
•Weighs 6.29 lbs.
•Model #M-1412
•ETL listed
•Made in China
•Comes with a manufacturer's 1-year limited warranty
Accessories Include:
•Lithium-ion battery
•3 PC essential software DVDs (not pre-installed)
•3 Tiger Woods 2007 CDs
•User manual
Pre-Installed Software:
•MS Works 9.0
•MS Money Essentials
•MS Office Home and Student 2007 (60-day complimentary trial period)
•Adobe Reader 8
•CyberLink Power2Go for DVD Burning
•Microsoft Windows Media Player 11
•Napster 3.0 (30-day trial)
•Microsoft Internet Explorer
•Google toolbar and Google desktop search
•AOL (90-day complimentary trial)
•Gateway Connect
•NetZero Internet Access
•Windows Live Messenger for Video Conferencing
•LoJack for Laptops BIOS Hardware Persistence Agent (subscription required to activate)
•Kensington Lock Slot (cable lock sold separately)
•Spare Backup
•GatewayShield Comprehensive Security: Norton Internet Security 2008 (60-day complimentary live updates)
•Gateway BigFix - helps identify and solve problems
•Gateway Games Powered by: WildTangent (pre-installed with 10 demo games and 60 minutes of game play)
User-Installed Software:
•DVD 1: World Book Encyclopedia 2008
•DVD 2: Entertainment - Aquazone Desktop Garden, Hoyle Board Games 2007, Hoyle Puzzle Games 2007, Morpheus Photo Animation Suite, Muppet Babies - Thinking and Sorting, My Scrapbook 2, Serif Creativity Suite (Serif Draw Plus 8, Serif Page Plus X2, Serif Panorama Plus 3, Serif Photo Plus 11, Serif Web Plus 10), Sudoku Crunch and Wizard Chess.
•DVD 3: Productivity and Reference - ACT! 2007, Budget Express 3.0, Cook n with Betty Crocker, EMC Retrospect Express HD, Family Tree Heritage 7, Form Tool Deluxe 6, Quicken Willmaker Plus 2008, Stuffit Deluxe 11, Sunbird Calendar, Thunderbird Email, Turbo FloorPlan Landscape and Deck, Turbo FloorPlan Home Designer and Typing Instructor Deluxe.
•CD 1, 2 and 3 - Tiger Woods 2007

Just depends what you will be using it for.

Arm yourself with the mobile know-how to navigate anywhere–the Satellite A205S5831 notebook computer. A 1.73GHz Intel Pentium dual-core processor T2370 and 1024MB PC5300 DDR2 SDRAM allow you to take the office or the entertainment on the road without missing a beat.

The generous 160GB SATA hard drive supports your media and data collections, and the DVD SuperMulti +/-R double-layer drive accommodates 11 disc formats so you can easily add to your library or transfer files. Atheros 802.11b/g wireless LAN puts a cordless connection at your fingertips, and the 15.4" diagonal WXGA widescreen TruBrite TFT LCD display projects everything from word processing to the Web in the utmost clarity.

When you're on the move, the Elite nylon carrying case makes packing and protecting your notebook easier than ever. The lightweight yet durable bag is outfitted with an interior padded laptop sleeve and space for files and magazines; a front flap pocket for pens, CDs, and other essentials; and a smaller zip pocket for your keys or cell phone. From Toshiba.

QVC neither condones nor encourages the use of this, or any similar technology, to acquire unauthorized recordings of copyrighted works; inclusive of, but not limited to, the download of prerecorded media via the Internet.

Wireless capability and use of public wireless locations or hot spots may require a network connection, additional accessories, and a service connection fee.

Access to and use of the Internet may require payment of a separate fee to an Internet Service Provider, DSL line, or more. The download speeds experienced with the modem may be slower due to varying line conditions.

Not all DVD-R/-RW and DVD+R/+RW discs are compatible with all DVD-R/-RW and DVD+R/+RW players. Contact the manufacturer for further information.

Onyx Blue Metallic Finish.
•Includes notebook, AC adapter, 4000mAh lithium-ion battery, case
•1.73GHz Intel Pentium dual-core processor T2370
•Mobile Intel GL960 Express chipset
•15.4" diagonal WXGA widescreen TruBrite TFT LCD display with 1280×800 resolution, native 720p signal support
•1024MB PC5300 DDR2 SDRAM
•160GB SATA hard drive
•DVD SuperMulti +/-R double-layer drive, supports 11 formats
•Atheros 802.11b/g wireless LAN
•Mobile Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 with 8MB to 256MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory
•Built-in stereo speakers
•Modem
•10/100 ethernet
•TouchPad
•5-in-1 bridge media adapter: SD, MS, MS Pro, MMC, xD Picture Card
•Four USB 2.0 ports
•RGB, S-video, headphone outputs
•Microphone input
•RJ-45, RJ-11, IEEE 1394 ports
•ExpressCard slot
•Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium SP1
•MS Works 9
•Adobe Acrobat Reader
•Ulead DVD MovieFactory 5
•Toshiba ConfigFree, Disc Creator
•Measures approximately 14-1/4"W x 10-5/8"H x 1-1/2"D
•UL listed adapter; 1-year Limited Manufacturer's Warranty
•Made in China
OR————————

Effortlessly maneuver through cyber space with the Gateway 15.4 Dual Core, 1GB RAM, 80GB HDD Laptop Computer. Featuring AMD Athlon X2 Mobile Technology that lets you experience revolutionary performance, unbelievable system responsiveness and energy-efficiency second to none. Don't slow down for virus scan, multiple programs, or multimedia downloads - these dual desktop processors are up to 40% faster and awaiting your every command.
Gateway M-1412 Laptop Computer Features:

Processor: AMD Athlon X2 Mobile Technology TK-57 (1.9GHz)

Memory: 1024MB DDR2 Dual-Channel, expandable to 4GB

Hard Drive: 80GB HD

Optical Drive: 8x Multi-Format Dual Layer DVD+/-RW with DVD-RAM featuring LabelFlash Technology. Write max: 8x DVD+/-R, 6x DVD-RW, 8x DVD+RW, 2x DVD-R DL, 2.4x DVD+R DL, 5x DVD-RAM, 24x CD-R and 16x CD-RW disks. Read max: 8x DVD-R/RW/ROM, 4x DVD+/-R DL, 5x DVD-RAM, 24x CD-R/RW/ROM disks.

Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium with SP1

LCD Monitor: 15.4" Widescreen Ultrabright WXGA TFT (1280×800)

Media Card Reader: 5-in-1 digital media manager - Secure Digital (SD), Memory Stick (MS), Memory Stick Pro, Multimedia Card (MMC) and XD-Picture Card

Other Differentiator: Synaptics touchpad with vertical scroll and metal touch-sensitive multimedia buttons

Additional Features and Specifications:
•System Bus: 256KBx2
•Cache Memory: L2 HyperTransport technology at up to 1600MHz
•Graphics: ATI Radeon X1270
•Video Memory: Up to 256MB of HyperMemory
•Mouse: Synaptics touchpad with vertical scroll
•Speakers: Stereo speakers, Microphone In, Headphone/Audio Out
•Modem: 56K ITU V.92 fax/modem
•Network Interface: 10/100 Mbps built-in Ethernet
•Ports: (1) Expresscard Type 54 Expansion Slot, (3) USB 2.0, (1) VGA connector, (1) RJ11-modem, (1) RJ45-Ethernet, (1) AC adapter connector, (1) Kensington Lock Slot, (1) Microphone, (1) Headphone/SPDIF Audio Out, (1) HDMI connector v1.2
•Wireless Network Adapter: 802.11g
•Measures approx. 10.39"L x 14.09"W x 1.4"H
•Weighs 6.29 lbs.
•Model #M-1412
•ETL listed
•Made in China
•Comes with a manufacturer's 1-year limited warranty
Accessories Include:
•Lithium-ion battery
•3 PC essential software DVDs (not pre-installed)
•3 Tiger Woods 2007 CDs
•User manual
Pre-Installed Software:
•MS Works 9.0
•MS Money Essentials
•MS Office Home and Student 2007 (60-day complimentary trial period)
•Adobe Reader 8
•CyberLink Power2Go for DVD Burning
•Microsoft Windows Media Player 11
•Napster 3.0 (30-day trial)
•Microsoft Internet Explorer
•Google toolbar and Google desktop search
•AOL (90-day complimentary trial)
•Gateway Connect
•NetZero Internet Access
•Windows Live Messenger for Video Conferencing
•LoJack for Laptops BIOS Hardware Persistence Agent (subscription required to activate)
•Kensington Lock Slot (cable lock sold separately)
•Spare Backup
•GatewayShield Comprehensive Security: Norton Internet Security 2008 (60-day complimentary live updates)
•Gateway BigFix - helps identify and solve problems
•Gateway Games Powered by: WildTangent (pre-installed with 10 demo games and 60 minutes of game play)
User-Installed Software:
•DVD 1: World Book Encyclopedia 2008
•DVD 2: Entertainment - Aquazone Desktop Garden, Hoyle Board Games 2007, Hoyle Puzzle Games 2007, Morpheus Photo Animation Suite, Muppet Babies - Thinking and Sorting, My Scrapbook 2, Serif Creativity Suite (Serif Draw Plus 8, Serif Page Plus X2, Serif Panorama Plus 3, Serif Photo Plus 11, Serif Web Plus 10), Sudoku Crunch and Wizard Chess.
•DVD 3: Productivity and Reference - ACT! 2007, Budget Express 3.0, Cook n with Betty Crocker, EMC Retrospect Express HD, Family Tree Heritage 7, Form Tool Deluxe 6, Quicken Willmaker Plus 2008, Stuffit Deluxe 11, Sunbird Calendar, Thunderbird Email, Turbo FloorPlan Landscape and Deck, Turbo FloorPlan Home Designer and Typing Instructor Deluxe.
•CD 1, 2 and 3 - Tiger Woods 2007

look it all depends on what u are using this cpu for. (gaming,work,school,internet searching,multimedia entertainment) Tosheiba is one of the best affordable companies, but if you can save the money get an alienware. They are the leading pc designers with hardware like quad processors, terabyte memory, 8 gig ram, up to 4 g/hrz processing…The addition of games and software is a huge waist of space and not something you should take into consideration when looking for a pc. alienware pc's wont go out of style like most cpu's in a few months, they will last years.

Maximize your home computing potential with the Gateway 24" LCD Dual Core, 1GB RAM, 250GB HDD Desktop. You'll love the large 24" LCD monitor for ease of viewing, especially if you like to view multiple windows at once. The 250GB hard drive gives you plenty of processing power and it comes with an 18x DVD +/- RW SuperMulti Drive to make data backups and mix-CD ripping a snap. Plus, it comes with Windows Vista Home Premium, so you get the latest Microsoft operating system technology at your fingertips. There is also a substantial array of pre-installed and user-installed software included to meet all of your home computing needs.

Gateway 24" LCD Dual Core, 1GB RAM, 250GB HDD Desktop Features:

Processor: Intel Pentium Processor E2140 (dual core)

System Memory-RAM: 1024MB DDR 2 (2 x 512MB), 667MHz (PC2- 5300); expandable to 2GB; Total: 2 DDR2 slots/Available: 0 DDR2 slots

Hard Drive: 250GB SATA II Hard Drive (7200 RPM)

Optical Drive: 18x DVD +/- RW SuperMulti Drive featuring LabelFlash technology (Up to 8.5GB with Dual Layer Media). Write max: 18x DVD+/-R, 6x DVD-RW, 8x DVD-RW, 8x DVD+RW, 8x DVD+/-R DL, 12x DVD-RAM, 48x CD-R, 32x CD-RW. Read max: 16x DVD-ROM, 48x CD-ROM.

Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium

Monitor: 24" widescreen TFT LCD

Card Reader: 15-in-1 digital; accepts xD Picture Card, CompactFlash 1CF, CompactFlash II, Secure Digital (SD), Mini Secure Digital (Mini SD), Multi Media Card (MMC), Reduced Size MMC (RS-MMC), MMC Mobile, MMC Plus, Memory Stick (MS), Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Pro Duo, SmartMedia, IBM Microdrive

Additional Features and Specifications:

* System Bus: 677MHz
* Cache Memory: 1MB
* Graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950; up to 224MB shared video memory; PCI-Express (PCI e x 16) slot available for upgrade
* Video Memory: Up to 224MB
* Audio: 5.1 high definition audio
* Speakers: Stereo; 6-channel 5.0 high definition audio
* Modem: 56K ITU V. 92 fax / modem
* Network Interface: 10/100 Mbps built-in Ethernet LAN
* External Ports: 6 USB 2.0 (2 front, 4 rear); VGA, parallel port; serial port; 2 PS/2 ports (keyboard and mouse); RJ-45 Ethernet port; RJ-11 modem port; audio ports: 2 audio (front): microphone, front headphone (stereo); 3 audio (rear)line-in (stereo), speakers/headphone (stereo), microphone
* Keyboard: Elite Multimedia keyboard
* Mouse: USB optical 2-button wheel mouse
* Weight: 23.4 lbs.
* Power Supply: 300 watt (internal to desktop)
* Case: Classic system design with brushed silver faceplate
* Measures approx. 15.50"L x 7.25"W x 16.50"H
* Weighs approx. 23.4 lbs.
* Model #GT5672E
* Comes with a manufacturer's 1-year limited warranty

Software Included:

* Microsoft Works 9.0
* Microsoft Money Essentials
* Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 (60-day complimentary trial period)
* Adobe Reader
* Vista Integrated DVD Playback with 6-Channel Audio
* CyberLink Power2Go
* Napster 3.0 (30-day trial)
* Microsoft Internet Explorer
* AOL (90-day risk-free offer)
* NetZero Internet Access
* Google Toolbar and Google Desktop Search
* Gateway Connect
* Norton Internet Security (60-day live updates)
* BigFix - helps identify and solve problems
* Spare Backup
* Gateway Games Powered by WildTangent (preinstalled with 10 demo games with 60-minutes of game play)

User-Installed Software: PC Essentials

* DVD 1 - World Book DVD Encyclopedia 2008
* DVD 2 (Entertainment) - Aquazone Desktop Garden; Hoyle Board Games 2007; Hoyle Puzzle Games 2007; Morpheus Photo Animation Suite; Muppet Babies - Thinking and Sorting; My Scrapbook 2; Serif Creativity Suite: Serif Draw Plus 8, Serif Page Plus X2, Serif Panorama Plus 3, Serif Photo Plus 11, Serif Web Plus 10; Sudoku Crunch; Wizard Chess
* DVD 3 (Productivity/Reference) - ACT! 2007; Budget Express 3.0; Cook n' with Betty Crocker; EMC Retrospect Express HD; Family Tree Heritage 7; Form Tool Deluxe 6; Professor Teaches Vista; Quicken Willmaker Plus 2008; Stuffit Deluxe 11; Sunbird Calendar; Thunderbird Email; Turbo FloorPlan Home Designer; Turbo FloorPlan Landscape and Deck; Typing Instructor Deluxe
* CD 1, 2 and 3 - Tiger Woods 2006

About Gateway…
Looking for easy computing solutions at amazing prices? Gateway offers powerful computers that are simple to set up and a blast to use. You won’t have to worry about poor customer service thanks to unmatched technical support and friendly service. Each computer is also packaged as a complete system, so your computer is ready to go right out of the box!
For warranty information, please call HSN.com Customer Service at 800.933.2887 (8 am-1 am ET).

Note: This item cannot be shipped to Puerto Rico, Guam or the Virgin Islands. The customer should expect delivery within 12 days from their order date. Due to the size of the item, it cannot be shipped

It's not super amazing, but it's nothing to laugh at. I have a similar computer and it does everything I want it to. If you're a gamer, just upgrade the video card to like a 7600GT and add another gig of RAM and it should handle most modern games with ease, (That's what I did to my computer)