My brand new laptop restart once in a blue moon, what can it be?
 

this is the 3rd time i have an unexpected reboot, can it be vista?

yep, one of our editing machines restarts whenever it feels like it

i'm clinging on to XP on as many machines as possible

Sometimes it's a drivers conflict. I am not sure but I had the same thing with my brand new comp (on XP Pro) about 3 years ago ...while browsing gfy lol! I had it about 10 times during first 6-8 months. However, I haven't experienced after that no more...

true, it is often a driver issue - or so i was told by my sysadmin

It could be a driver, or it could be overheating.

Throw it out the fucking window. At least I would :Oh crap

With laptops it could be anything.

Is there any pattern to when it reboots, certain program open, certain action, etc.

Probably a stretch with a new machine but as mentioned make sure the fans are all functioning...

got the same problem with you. im using vista in my laptop and desktop but i only encounter it in my laptop. sometimes i forgot to save my work, so i have to do it all over again. grrrr!

Over heating?? Check the clearance off the table.

buy a m.....

forget it.

CPU over heating.. use a air can to get rid of the dust off the heat sink

Especially Acer and Toshiba laptops are prone to overheating in hot and dusty environments.
If this is the problem just buy a $20 fan to put under your laptop and clean out the dust twice a year.

most likely a keylogging virus.

sounds like overheating to me. get temperature monitoring software installed. Also, like Vitasoy said, blow it out

Probably overheating. Don't use your laptop on your lap. Chances are one or both of your legs are blocking one or more of the vents.

Go flog it in the park