Re: Laptop recommendations
 

I use Parallels to run both OSX & XP at the same time, but bootcamp is excellent for a pure windows installation it runs so fast.

I used to have trouble with the mouse pad myself and used to use a wireless mouse... then I just go used to the mouse pad and it is excellent... I love the Enlarging/Shrinking of page size with that 2 finger pinching action.. how cool is that.

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Dont overlook the Samsungs.... out of the cheap Windows brands they are right up there for realiability.... check out the feedback on them on Cnet. I'm very happy with ours..... only replaced because my daughters school now requires Apple comps..... It's now the wifes Laptop.


Probably the equal at least of Toshiba and Fujitsus

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Yes, the netbooks look good too, "up to" 12 hrs on battery

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I wouldn't go HP. While they are a well known brand they have a tendency to fall apart. My brother had a couple of HP ones and both within the space of a month had the keys falling off the keyboard. Needed to have keyboard replaced twice and also his HD paked up on him. Overpriced for what they are.

The brand I would go for is Toshiba. My current Toshiba laptop is getting on for 5 years old a not a single problem with it whatsoever. Due to upgrade soon and would get another Tosh.

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They definitely seem durable. You see a lot of old Tosh's about. I loved mine until I got burgled last year.:sneaky:

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Who say's it has to be a Windows based machine? There is an OS called Linux and KDE is very good.

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Mac fans are FANS! Everyone I know that has one raves about it.

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That's not quite right. There was a virus going around on the Macs not too long ago but it's not a problem like it is with Windows.

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After the problems my brother had with his HPs he has now got a Tosh and loves it. :thumbsup:

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The only problems with Macs are that they are made by Apple and Apple has a tendency for locking you into things like iTunes etc. Reason why I would never buy an iPhone or iPod. No different to MS really. I would much prefer a Linux based PC and all the free software that goes with it over Mac OSX.

You would be amazed at how fast PCs actually run on Linux when you are used to Windows. Windows 7 is over rated as well IMO (and processor heavy) although some of the features are good.

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There was some malware around I believe but need to visit a dodgy site or download pirated software to get it. There are proof of concept viruses but but none in the wild(that I am aware of anyway). And if if there were any for Mac they are still quite insignificant compared to the 100,000 for Windows. To install a virus on a Mac you need to give it access to the root of the system. To do this you need to use the administrator password.

I haven't used linux but have heard lots of people like it exactly for the fact that it is open source. Do you need a little more computer knowledge to use it? I am pretty tech savvy but was wondering for the average user.

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I managed to get a softphone working on our Xandros based Linux machine.... it took me 2 days of stuffing around though. Getting a compatible version of VLC to run was a real issue as well, took me a hell of a while. In my defence I was learning linux commands from scratch, I think it's one of those things you need to learn with absolutely no distractions, not as a night shift worker with a fulltime working wife and 2 adolescent kids.

I've forgotten how I did the install now dammit ! :(

Reason I've mentioned this is what is the easiest and most universal form of Linux at present...?. I dont want to go hunting for the correct version of programs. I would use Linux on all my comps if I absolutely knew I was going to be able to find easily installable left of center programs, especially things like ripping and video conversion programs.

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Do we all get to see your wifes pumpkins :):):):)

I get through laptops at an alarming rate. HP get my vote so far. I had a badly designed Toshiba so I wont go back. Same with Compaq.


My advice - pick a model thats been out a while, so they have fixed the bugs, and google the model for problems.

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Ubuntu is one of the easiest and is the most popular at the moment. I used Ubuntu but moved to OpenSuse as I find Suse more professional and KDE is a very nice front end which I also prefer over Gnome (which is what Ubuntu uses). Suse also has Novell backing so it is enterprise quality and very stable.

Moving from Windows to Linux really messes with the brain when you are so used to doing things the Windows way. It's a great learning experience though and you will learn far more about computers than you will from dumbed down Windows.

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Compaq are HP.

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Now they are, not when I bought mine....

I buy on average a laptop every 6 months. At the moment i am alternating between HP and Acer.

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What do you do to them??? :ohmy: Maybe you need to get one of those military spec indestrucible ones...

Acer are quite good.

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I like Toshibas and I refuse to pay for laptops.

I've had 2 IBMs both 7 years old up to about a month ago. One got broken by the kids.

Now I have a 500 buck Compaq. I will just have to look after it that's all. If it breaks I'll buy another.

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Mr PP has an E PC machine and since we have changed to Optus, he cannot get the internet at all - it wont let him connect to wireless - despite several calls to tech support, all we have managed are some shite calls to Netgear and have spoken to people with appalling English, with one woman even yelling down the phone 'I think you take back to shop - it broken'.

I tried to convince her that the E machine was not broken and had worked with Westnet but she kept yelling 'I think broken, its not working'.

So now we are left with an E PC machine that wont connect to the wireless, a totally useless tech support with staff that have a dreadful command of English that appear to read from a script to problem solve and in particular, one lady that sounds as though she has a bit of a penis thing going on with the varying changes in her voice depending on what shit she is spouting.

Optus called me this morning to try and get me to have a mobile with them and I told them they were rubbish, their staff cannot communicate properly and need more English lessons, not to mention customer service training and as soon as it was financially possible, we would be out of the contract.

Be careful with the E machine if you get one, because depending on who your internet provider is, you might struggle to get wireless connection.

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...and the end result was.???



A Toshiba L500/026. $1430 from Domayne with a three year warranty.






* awaits the responses telling me I could have got it for $999 from DodgyBods PC Emporium *

Re: Laptop recommendations
 

Had a very similar model before it was robbed. Great laptop!!:thumbup:

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Once you go Mac, you never go back. Bought myself and the missus a Macbook Pro each last year and they've been superb.

Yikes! Both pretty ropey brands in my experience. If you want a Windows 7 laptop, check out the Acers (they're the world's best selling laptop brand for a reason) or the Dells. Lenovos are good too.

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Too late !!

As for Lenovo... I get them from work. I'm on my fourth in four years and awaiting my fifth. :blink:

Two had the screens die... one hard drive kaput, one motherboard died. The one I have now is two chopped together T43's that powers off if I press the keys too hard. :eek:

Re: Laptop recommendations
 

Currently I have 16 laptops, most under the bed.

It’s partly an obsession, partly because it’s a tool of my trade. Tax deductible anyway.

I lose them (Dell C600 in a BKK bar), stand on them( sony Vio) they catch fire (Toshiba A70), they fry power connectors (Compaq and another Toshiba) they die like flies.

Others just fall behind in the power race – I still have a lovely Dell Latitude that works fine, but cant support SQL Server 2008.

Best laptop I have ever owned is a Compaq Armada v300, indestructible and still works.

I do have a military spec one – an older Amrel Rocky/Warrior – you can drive a car over it. Sadly its CPU is too slow these days, and its under the bed.

http://www.amrel.com/rugged-computer...d-notebook.asp

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Good job on the warranty :thumbup:

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Sods law says that the Tosh will now work absolutely faultlessly for three years :)

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...and therefore keep the pumpkins happy :lol:

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Apparently the chickens on Farmville "look brilliant" on the new screen. :blink:

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lol - we just retired 40 Thinkpads at work - all in perfect working condition, but just not quick enough any more. In fact I got two of 'em myself since they were going free.

Most of the office are on Acers now. Great laptops. Not compared to a Macbook Pro of course - but you know, alright. :D

Re: Laptop recommendations
 

Up until about 3 years ago I worked as the Notebooks Product Manager at a distributor (ie: we supplied nearly all laptops to most retailers and IT companies for resale). We would generally see approx 5,000 laptops of various brands going through our hands every month.

I personally found that the best way to judge a brand on their product is not spec, as most of them are pretty much the same these days, the differences are extremely minimal, but by the after sales service coupled with likeliness of the unit to fail in the first place.

We had Acer, Lenovo (previous to that IBM), HP, Apple, Toshiba, Asus, Sony, Samsung (before they exited the market), LG (also before they exited the market), Fujitsu, Panasonic Toughbooks. So pretty much all of the major channel players bar Dell of course as back then they only went direct.

By far the most amount of returns under the DOA procedure was Acer, followed by Asus, Sony, Samsung and LG. Acer averaged for a few years double digit percentages on DOA returns (which is quite amazing!!!!). Toshiba, HP and Fujitsu had by far the least.
For those that did not classify as DOAs we would receive a lot of complaints (due to manufacturers returns policy) and those were mostly targeted at Acer and Asus. Acer just had really poor customer service while Asus suffered from the fact that they had no Australian based service depts therefore you were sometimes waiting upto 8 weeks as the unit would need to be sent back to Taiwan.

In terms of if something goes wrong with your machine and you somehow need to get it fixed, by far the best brands are HP and Toshiba, they have the best service network set up around the country and have some pretty impressive turn around guarantees if you take out those options.

The other reason I would also go with HP or Toshiba is their proprietry software gadgets that come with their laptops as standard work really well, unlike your Dells, Acers or Asus'. The main reason that Dell and Acer sell more laptops than anyone else around the world is simply down to one thing, price and price alone. You pay for what you get at the end of the day and I think like anything if you want something reliable you need to pay for it.

Re: Laptop recommendations
 

I should add a footnote to my previous post, in that bottom of the range Toshibas and HPs are just as bad as the bottom of the range Acers, Dells and Asus' as most of the time they are actually all made in the same factories and just rebadged. Once you start buying machines from about $1,000 upwards of the Toshibas and HPs you are buying their premium stuff and that's when the differentiators I listed start to kick in

Re: Laptop recommendations
 

Thanks for that. Nice to know I seem to made a reasonable choice.

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I just bought a HP i5 notebook yesterday, and so far ticks all the boxes. I wanted an integrated hd digital tv tuner ( so I can use in my campervan ) , and HP was the only one that came with a remote control..2 actually, 1 for use at home, and 1 that stows in the notebook. Works a treat, although probably does way more than I actually need. This is my 3rd HP, all no problems, also had a Toshiba, ok I suppose, and tried a mac book a while ago, I must be one of the only people that was not impressed

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For anyone considering buying a macbook, be aware that rumour has it that new i5 and i7 processor ones are due out very shortly.

no doubt they'll come at a price but it also means you should be able to get a good deal on a core 2 duo model too.

J

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Theres a big difference between a Macbook & a Macbook Pro

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I work for HP - got a new HP laptop a few months ago. Its already had a new screen. now the network connection is playing up. Always had Dells from work before that and never had a problem with them even when I've been given a 4 year old 3rd hand one to get by with.

Kerry has an Acer that we've never had a problem with. I also have a Sony Vaio but the hard drive packed up (not sony's fault) but sony wanted 300 pounds to fix it as they said I had dropped it - I got a replacement for 40 quid and fixed it myself. The DVD burner packed up on the sony, and the mouse pad is not that good either.

At the end of the day you are paying for a badge, and the internals are made by other people. Intel or AMD make the CPU's. Western Digital, Seagate etc make the hard drives.

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Not wishing to disparage your experience, but that's a long time in I.T and my experiences are the polar opposite of yours.

But you know, pissing contests aside, it doesn't matter what brand of PC you talk about, you'll find someone who's bought a shit one and someone who's never had a problem with them. At the end of the day, if you're sure you're going to get good support, it mostly comes down to the price and operating system. Windows 7 is an improvement on Vista, but that's like saying that gonorrhoea is an improvement on herpes.

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and mac osx is just an expensive version of Linux :p

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with millions of man hours developing the UI and the usability of it.

'Just' :rolleyes:

Its like turning a Ford Model T into a Porsche

JTL

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I don't use the UI so wouldn't know about that....;)

As for the Model T to Porsche analagy - I said Linux and Mac, not Wondoze and Mac.