Laptops question

[NySportsfan]

I wanted to finally be like every other normal person, and add a good laptop in addition to my pc, so I can do some work on the road and check news and things like that. My only criteria for it is that it isn't overly expensive, that it connects to the internet in most places, and has some sort of word processing. Something middle of the road, not too expensive but not the crappiest either, dont care if it's used even, as long as it works and won't give me headaches, im sure tons of you on here have laptops and I really dont know a lot about it, thanks

Mike

 

[ryson]

define expensive - also check ebay

 

[NySportsfan]

ryson, I dont know the price ranges for laptops, what can you get a middle of the road one for, Id guess it would be 1g or more, I wish it was less, maybe Im wrong. ebay I could check, but I dont trust it all the way, I like seeing something and knowing Im getting what they say Im getting, any help is appreciated

Mike

 

[PRO190]

Gateway is Top Gun in my opinion, have had 2 other brands and for the value per performance, service and quality nothing has compared.
As far as price they are competitive , mine was $1200 a year and half
ago ( I know they have ones with the new Intel and more space now for same price), has pentium4, loads of writing,picture, music, etc programs and is fast. I usually have 8-9 task going and it seamlessly transfers:
Service is great, had one problem which was due to my computer ignorance , I brought it in and though they were busy as hell they fixed it in 3hrs for nothing!

They have outlet stores all over which gives easy access for any ?, problems, upgrades etc..

To sum it up , 95% of my friends know computers inside and out and they all said Gateway before I could practically ask them what kind of laptop to buy::

 

[DR STRANGELOVE]

DELL 600M, enuff said!

 

[DR STRANGELOVE]

Hardware: I have a Dell Inspiron 600M. It has a good-sized monitor. I've had no difficulty using it both as a laptop and a desktop home machine. It's relatively light-weight. I'm very glad that I didn't upgrade for the larger monitor; lugging this sucker on my back every day makes me grateful for its size. The base is slender enough that I can type for a long time with no strain to my wrists. I'm persnickety about keyboards; this one is shallow enough to allow me to type quickly, while still having keys that are distinct enough to maintain accuracy.

Peripherals: I have a CD drive that I leave in most of the time. I use it to transfer music and burn data onto CDs for storage. I also have a removable floppy drive, as my school requires one for final exams. I have a mouse and speakers that I use while at home. (While at school, I use the touchpad and mute all noise.) Besides the battery that's in the machine, I also carry an extra battery for emergencies. However, I bring my power cable and data cable everywhere I go. Using the power cable keeps the battery that's in the laptop fully charged, so I have a few hours even if I wander from school to a cafe or bookstore.

Software: I run Windows XP Pro. The OS is stable and simple. I use Office 2002 for productivity needs. Word suits my note-taking needs, Access for my job search database, IE for browsing, Outlook for e-mail, etc. I briefly had a problem with the computer not "waking up" after standby, but Dell and some Windows updates fixed it.

Miscellaneous: I'd strongly recommend a comfy backpack especially if you're a student like me. I have a Booq laptop backpack and it's perfect. Sturdy construction, wide straps, good padding, plenty of room for my books (though admittedly my books are sliced up, so my books are very compact), plenty of zippered compartments, etc.

Here's the URL: http://www.booqbags.com/Detail.bok?no=39


Dell 600M notebook
60 GB
512 MB
Windows XP Professional
Microsoft Small Business
Embedded wireless card (Dell TrueMobile.....b-g something)
1 year of Dell security McAfee virus scan firewall protection
Dell Smarto Photo suite software
Oh and it's the thin and light notebook!

 

[ryson]

Try overstock.com, you can get some pretty good deals there, if you don't trust ebay also check out http://www.gotapex.com/deals.php

You can get a decent laptop for a grand

 

[NySportsfan]

thanks fellas.....hey, dont yell at me for this since Im pretty weak with computer knowledge, I know how to surf the net and use word,excel and powerpoint but not much else.. For a laptop, I looked at the specs and saw some additions like usb cables and things. If I just bought the computer, would I be able to log on to the net from like anywhere, or do you plug it in, or need a service provider for the laptop as a separate charge from a home service provider, maybe that question is poorly worded, but Im not great at articulating things, keep the laptop ideas comin, a grand is my price range or a few hundred more, just not into spending 1500-2k on another computer to use not that often, Gracias

Mike