24 replies to this topic

[Dial Tone]

I'm looking for one with good battery life and a good small size. It doesn't need to be some monster 3.3ghz thing, just something for doing work outside my home.

P.S. How many megabits = a kilobyte?

[planktonitus]

If its just for work like word processing etc. Id say just buy an ole' IBM thinkpad off of ebay.

[GIJoe]

P.S. How many megabits = a kilobyte?

Well 1024 kilobytes in a megabyte, so about 128 kilobytes in a megabit I believe

[droops]

thinkpad, get one, they are great

[neg output]

I think that the Toshiba 2*** series are solid little units.

[kid_e]

12" iBook. Small. Great battery time. And you can get it with 802.11b/g and bluetooth built in. No messing with USB dongles or pcmcia cards.

[logan5]

I second the iBook. Lotsa machine in a small package, and they are tough as nails. I love my PowerBook, but it's not as rugged as my iBook was. Plus you can run lots and lots of *nix apps, as well as OS X and Linux. Stay away from the original clamshell models. Not near as good a machine as the newer ones.

[kid_e]

Are you serious when you say the iBook's more rugged than the powerbook? I was planning to upgrade to the PB as soon as they figure out how to cram a G5 into one.

[pixelFiend]

The iBook seems... i dunno, more solid. We got one for my wife, the 14", and it's great. I still prefer my TiBook, even though I'm seriously jealous of my undeserving boss who just got a brand new aluminum Powerbook. The iBook used to have some nice upsides over the Powerbook. Wifi reception was better due to antenna location and the Titanium's case itself interfering (or so I've read). The location of the ports and such was more convenient on the iBook, depending on who you talk to. A lot of people have had problems with the old TiBook's hinges cracking, and the iBook's hinge is longer and more solid. I've noticed a little flexing of the lower frame on mine if I pick it up with one hand. The new aluminum Powerbooks incorporate the strengths of the iBook design with the greater horsepower of the TiBook.

As for rugged, I can't complain. Mine was run over by a car (in it's laptop bag) and it's chugging along fine over a year later. Don't ask, it's a long story... It didn't come away completely unscathed, I lost function of the right speaker and there's a slight imprint of the keyboard in the screen, but it's only noticeable in large areas of solid dark color. I'd say that's rugged enough for me. I wouldn't suggest running over one to try it, though. I'll definitely buy another one.

Some people like the 12", but I can't go that small. The 17" is big enough to be a dinner tray (too big). I love the backlit keys too. Very cool.

PF

<edit> kid_e, that avatar's got to go.

Edited by pixelFiend, 01 July 2004 - 09:16 PM.

[GIJoe]

The new aluminum Powerbooks incorporate the strengths of the iBook design with the greater horsepower of the TiBook.

My friends friend (yea I know... ) bought a Aluminum Powerbook but they were upset saying the casing dented very easily, which then messed up something internaly. Maybe they were just too rough with it, have you heard of any such accounts?

[EpyonMelee]

JESUS CHRIST LOOK AT THAT AVATAR!!!!!!!!!!

[pixelFiend]

The new aluminum Powerbooks incorporate the strengths of the iBook design with the greater horsepower of the TiBook.

My friends friend (yea I know... ) bought a Aluminum Powerbook but they were upset saying the casing dented very easily, which then messed up something internaly. Maybe they were just too rough with it, have you heard of any such accounts?

Yeah, I have heard that the cases are a little... soft? But hell, don't bash the thing around and it won't get dented up. It is a laptop after all. Some lappys are made of plastic. Hit 'em and they'll crack. Personally I'll take the dent.

PF

[1337]

When you say 'wifi laptop' do you mean a centrino one?

[falloutboy]

Dell Inspiron 600m is really nice and you can get one well-equipped for under $1500.

[1337]

Dell Inspiron 600m is really nice and you can get one well-equipped for under $1500.

That was what I was going to reccomend.

[logan5]

Are you serious when you say the iBook's more rugged than the powerbook? I was planning to upgrade to the PB as soon as they figure out how to cram a G5 into one.

Only from personal experience. 4 weeks after getting my aluminum PowerBook, it was in it's case and it slipped off my shoulder when I was tring to open the trunk of my car. It only fell about a foot or so, cushioned by the laptop case/bag that I have, but enough to put a nice dent in the corner around the optical drive slot. It must have hit the ground just right.

OTOH, my iBook had the same thing happen at least once, with nary a scratch. I think the aluminum casing on the PB's is strong, but the casing of the iBooks is just stronger. Surely not a reason NOT to buy a PowerBook....the power and features are far superior and worth the extra $$$ for the PowerBook.

I think the older Titanium PowerBooks (TiBooks) might have an edge in survivability over the aluminum ones. One of the creative directors at work has an old 500Mhz TiBook that looks like it's gone thorugh hell and back, and has been knocked off a confrerece table more than once. But, it still keeps workin'. Still, I love my aluminum PB....I'm glad I upgraded.

[falloutboy]

Speaking of Mac laptops, www.macofalltrades.com seems to have pretty good deals on refurbished equipment.

[Dial Tone]

I don't feel like learning a new OS.

[planktonitus]

Dell Inspiron 600m is really nice and you can get one well-equipped for under $1500.

I own a dell inspiron and. I would never recoomend buying anything from dell espicallya laptop heres why.
I had to buy a new ac adapter because mine broke for some unknown reason.
If you need support you will talk to 10 differint people all named Abdul and one named Heidi and still go nowhere.
If my laptop is not held a certain my when i have it in my lap the screen goes blank.
Sometimes dell laptops will have a problem where the screen shrinks to about half the size.
in the back right corner of my screen the case is starting to crack.

[falloutboy]

Thats pretty surprising. I've been ordering Dell equipment for my clients for quite some time and have only ever had one defective piece of equipment, and Dell took care of them very nicely.

By the way, I think the quote you were looking for in your sig is "I don't know karate but I know crazy." Its James Brown, and the song is called The Payback or The Big Payback -- I forget which.