12.04 and even slower video :(

Can you give the output of:

sudo lshw -C display; lsb_release -a; uname -a; dpkg -l | egrep 'flash|gnash|swf|spark'

Thanks

Also can't find the terminal in new desktop layout? Your statement.
CTRL+ALT+T will bring up terminal.

[sudo] password for neil:
PCI (sysfs)
  *-display:0
       description: VGA compatible controller
       product: Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller
       vendor: Intel Corporation
       physical id: 2
       bus info: pci@0000:00:02.0
       version: 07
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: msi pm vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom
       configuration: driver=i915 latency=0
       resources: irq:44 memory:d0000000-d03fffff memory:c0000000-cfffffff ioport:4110(size=8)
  *-display:1 UNCLAIMED
       description: Display controller
       product: Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller
       vendor: Intel Corporation
       physical id: 2.1
       bus info: pci@0000:00:02.1
       version: 07
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list
       configuration: latency=0
       resources: memory:d2400000-d24fffff
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
Release: 12.04
Codename: precise
Linux neil-Compaq-Presario-CQ71-Notebook-PC 3.2.0-24-generic-pae #37-Ubuntu SMP Wed Apr 25 10:47:59 UTC 2012 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux
ii flashplugin-installer 11.2.202.235ubuntu0.12.04.1 Adobe Flash Player plugin installer

I've also noticed firefox is slow to load internet pages despite a connection download speed of 2.0 to 4.5Mb

Have you tried other browsers?

I had the same problem with chrome and opera, makes me think it is something to do with the Ubuntu driver and intel graphics. I could load Win 7 and see if that improves it? but really want to stick with Ubuntu/Linux if possible.