Connectivity is a rare combination of older 10/100 ethernet and dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless. One very rare feature is the integrated WiMax--a wireless broadband service available in many metro areas. The E305 was set up for the Clear network, but it failed to connect in my testing.

The E350 ships with the usual array of software and utilities: Microsoft Office Starter 2010, a trial version of Norton Internet Security, the aforementioned WinDVD, and a Best Buy app. Toshiba supplies a fair number of branding apps and utilities as well, but you can save some memory and CPU cycles by reverting to the Windows Home 7 Premium utilities where possible. Intel's MyWiFi utility allows you to use the E305 as a hotspot.

Based on specs and speed, except for the 10/100 ethernet, the Satellite E305-S1900X is a killer all-purpose laptop. Ergonomically, it's not quite a slam dunk, though, so make sure you give it a thorough type-and-point test at the store before you buy.