- $2,899 (including GST)
- Get it from authorised Toshiba dealers

The Toshiba M500 series, which sports a 12.1-inch LCD screen, is aimed at the business user, who would appreciate its data-protection features.

The review set came installed with 1GB of memory (4GB maximum installable), a 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, a 120GB hard disk, dual-layer DVD burner, and integrated Intel 945GM graphics.

Connectivity options include both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, as well as Ethernet local area network and modem.

There are three USB 2.0 ports, firewire, a memory card reader, a VGA port, a PC card slot, and not forgetting the audio headphone and microphone jacks.

The notebook?s strong point is its suite of security features. Besides a fingerprint biometric sensor, the Trusted Platform Module security chip makes passwords and encrypted information less susceptible to being cracked, locking your data away from prying eyes.

If the notebook gets stolen, an anti-theft protection timer renders it inaccessible after a preset time.

Battery life is average. Running BatteryEater Pro in the Classic mode, which simulates the most resource-intensive computing tasks, the juice lasted slightly more than 1.5 hours. This would translate to around three hours of battery life if you use it for office tasks.

FINAL SAY

It would have been nice if the notebook had a built-in webcam for Skype teleconferences. Still, the M500 is a competent business option given its security and data-protection features.