Laptops About This Page:

[Pyrite91]

I want to get a laptop for storing digital pictures on. If you could reccomend anything under $500, I would really appreciate it. I have the card reader, ready to plug in. Thank you! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[WillCAD]

The only laptop you'll be able to find under $500 is a used one.

If all you're looking to do with it is store your digital pics, and maybe get on the net a few times while you're at WDW, then you can get away with an older, less powerful machine. My first laptop was a used IBM Thinkpad, Pentium 200mhz with only 64mb ram. It was perfectly adequate when I bought it, but as I began using it more and more I found that I needed something a little beefier and wound up getting a new laptop in less than a year.

Check in some of your local mom-and-pop computer stores to see if any of them carry used equipment. You can also look around to see if there are any computer shows in your area. I found my Thinkpad at a show for $300.

Used equipment is a bit of a gamble. It usually comes with only a 30-day warranty, but if you buy from a local vendor and have trouble you can usually get it serviced without trouble.

You might be able to find a new laptop, with a lot more power, which will not only come with a 1-year warranty but will last you a lot longer, for about $800. Dell currently has the Inspiron 1100 priced at $799, and has a $100 mail-in rebate, bringing the cost down to $699. Gateway has an M305S for $799. Remember that each of these will have additional charges for shipping, and possibly for sales tax, bringing the total up a bit.

[JoanW]

I just ordered the Dell Laptop so I would have something to download my photos to when I am traveling and the ability to check my email, and okay, to check this board! They are running a $799 special on the internet right now that includes no shipping charges, $100 rebate and a free 24X DVD/CD RW drive upgrade. Plus, depending on where you live, there is no sales tax. I live in Maryland, so I paid no sales tax. I already have a desktop at home so I didn't need to buy a $1500 type laptop so this one will be fine for me.

[LuckyPup]

Check also for "open box" and refurbished computers as well. I got an open-box Mac for $800--nothing wrong with it except, well, an open-box! Someone had returned it, and the store couldn't sell it as new. My mother got a HP Jornado mini-computer (sort of a cross between a laptop and a palm pilot) for $50! But do be careful, Willcad is right when he says that buying used stuff can be a gamble. Know who you are buying from, and learn the history of the computer--just like you would for a used car.

Good luck!

[JoanW]

WillCAD, I live just outside of Annapolis. I have a daughter in grad school at Towson. There was a Gateway Store in Annapolis, but I think it closed. I'm limited with just a Best Buy, Office Depot and Staples nearby, which is pretty slim pickings when it comes to computers and supplies. I do most of my shopping online. I did look at the Gateway laptop, but saw that they would charge me sales tax. I looked at Compaq and Sony too, but found Dell had the most for my $$.

It will be so nice to download the photos every afternoon!

My next dream purchase might be a digital camcorder!

Joan W.

[WillCAD]

You'll be enjoying that laptop in no time Joan.

Just a note: if you had gone with Gateway, you would have had to pay sales tax, since they have Gateway COuntry stores in Maryland (one in Glen Burnie and one in Timonium, I think).

What part of Maryland do you live in? I'm in Cockeysville, just north of Baltimore.

[Crackers]

Joan,

I work in Towson myself, but live in PA. Seems like we have several people from the general area here on the boards.

[Flower and Baloo]

WillCAD,

May I ask your opinion on computers regarding buying a brand new system?

I may have a future opportunity that will leave me in the seat for buying some computers.

I'm considering moving over to purchase Mac/Apple. Would you stick with Windows or move on over to the other popular operating system?

And in either case what would you recommend for long term internet cafe type use and business software. And what servers would you recommend?

If I make a mistake, it will be because I chose, not because I took your advice. Just keeping you out of the liability train in writing. [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

Thanks in advance for your help. [img]graemlins/wavin.gif[/img]

[WillCAD]

Angela, I'm a little up in the air right now, because Compaq used to be my favorite brand of PC. However, since Compaq was bought by HP last year and Compaq's service department seems to have merged with HPs, thier service is now at the same level as HPs, which is to say abysmal.

Dell and Gateway are still very reliable brands with reasonable prices.

I couldn't begin to recomend systems for internet cafe use or servers. Internet cafe systems would need to be specially configured and very bulletproof, and I don't know enough about that kind of configuration to make a recomendation. Likewise, I don't know as much about servers as I do about stand-alone PCs.

I stick with the Windows environment. It's not because I love Microsoft (I don't) and it's not because I think it's the best operating system (I don't know, because I've never used Mac OS). I stick with windows because it's running on 98% of all the PCs in the world. Mac and Linux, despite the press they have gotten lately, are still only a tiny fraction of the market, and as such, the software that's available for them is also a tiny fraction of what's available for the Windows environment. Mac hardware also costs substantially more than PC hardware.

Te best advice I can give you is to find an expert locally to consult with on your purchase. Try to find someone who is not a salseman for the company you're buying from (they don't give you what's best for you, they give you what they want to sell). Also ask around at some other internet cafe's and find out what systems they are using, then you will at least have some kind of a baseline to use in your decisions.

[Flower and Baloo]

Thanks Will!

I really appreciate that because you work in the world and I'm only there when I have to be or at home from my puter, playing on the net! [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

I have a partner who's really into Apple and he's driving me past the brink. I keep bringing up the software factor alone and he keeps bringing up compatibility, hacker problems with viruses and the fact that his never crashes and I'm always rebooting. He's even got our banker sold.

I have a couple of local guys I take advice from, but you can never get too much advice. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Thanks for giving me an unbiased opinion.
[img]graemlins/puter.gif[/img]

[cslittle999]

Flower and Baloo,

I would have to go with WillCAD on preferring Windows over Mac for a business that isn't graphic arts/multi-media.

I manage a software development department where we write software for both Mac and Windows. All of my staff have a Mac and Windows computer on their desk. I'm typing this on my PowerBook G4.

While both platforms provide equivalent software solutions for most things what the Windows platform has is more professional support. Many of the software solutions on the Mac these days are open source and the only support available the through online community groups. Not something to bet your business on.

People say that Mac's don't crash as often as Windows computers (and my experience is that they both have an equivalent number of problems usually dependent on the amount freeware/shareware you have installed) but when a Mac has problems you end up going online and trying to solve the problem yourself. With Windows you can have a consultant on retainer for emergencies.

The virus problem is smoke and mirrors. Windows has more viruses becuase there are simply more computers. Most viruses rely on psycological attacks (making someone launch an app) than actual system weakness.

In the end you need to make a solid business decision and not something based on religous aspects on the Mac vs Windows debate.

Feel free to send me a private message if you want to talk about it more.

[DisneyMomma]

Another loyal Mac user chiming in to support the purchase of a PC laptop if for no other reason than you'd have the best of both worlds - PC and Mac. For our trip next year (assuming we end up buying a laptop before then) I will be using the PC to store photos and watch movies. DH would then use the laptop for his work related stuff. (Of course, since I type all of his exams and quizzes, that means I'll be using it, LOL!)

Anyway, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we can afford a laptop before our 2004 trip and I appreciate the advice given as to which one to buy. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Pyrite91]

Thanks, WillCAD! I found a MarketPro show in the area and purchaced a cheap laptop , with some pretty good specs!

[WillCAD]

Congrats Pyrite! I bought my first laptop (an IBM ThinkPad P5) from a vendor I found at a MarketPro show. In fact, I was at the MarketPro show in New Carrolton MD yesterday!

Make sure you keep your vendor's contact info in several places; a copy in your laptop bag, a copy at home, and a copy at work will allow you to call any time you have a problem without having to dig around for the phone number.

Now you'll be looking for laptop accessories. Mini-mouse (not to be confused with Minnie Mouse the Disney character), a locking cable, a network card, and a retractable phone cord were my first purchases.

If your laptop has a good-sized hard drive and a sound system, you'll need some comfortable headphones, and you can listen to music on it. I have ripped every CD I own to MP3 files and have my entire music library on my laptop, allowing me to carry it all with me without lugging dozens of CDs around. Since I take my laptop to work every day, I have a cheap set of speakers on my desk that I plug in so I don't have to wear headphones (I hate wearing headphones). I have (at last count) 193 albums on my laptop, taking over 9gb of hard disk space.

I like having my music at work. It relieves stress.