Laptop Advice

[Andy L]

Im wanting to buy a laptop computer. Any advice as to what to get would be helpful, along with any good prices.

I dont need anything exceptional, no gaming will be going on. Basically, something I can hook to my cell phone to get internet and email service so I can do searches when on the road chasing bad guys and dont have to call in and walk someone through what I need them to do for information.

So, just something listed above, but fast enough that pages wont take all day to download.

Thanks
Andy

[Rocky Raab]

Andy, I bought a laptop for much those same reasons: be able to stay in touch while on the road (gotta have my Hunt Chat fix, ya know!) and I bought a Toshiba at Best Buy. After rebates, it was only $650.

It has a hard drive as big as my desktop, very readable screen, a 56K built-in modem and an 812-something or other wireless card that lets me get high-speed wireless at most hotels, motels and KOAs.

The only drawback I have discovered is that it doesn't have an RS-232 serial port, having three USB ports instead. That means I can't hook my GPS unit to the laptop for map updates or finding geocaches while on the road. But that's the only drawback.

I'd suggest you do check the battery life of any unit you might buy. Mine gives me two hours use if I'm not on wireless or using the CD/DVD drive. But I seldom use it where I can't plug it in.

You might also look at the reconditioned business units on eBay or at some computer shops. Good deals if you don't need the latest gizmos. But insist on Windows XP or the latest MAC system, wireless ability, a modem for hardwire hookup, and good battery life.

[Andy L]

Rocky,
Thanks for the info. How about DC plug in? Can I plug it into my cig lighter? I will be using it in the truck more than any. Thats why I was wanting it for cell phone internet access. Cingular offers it, although I may need a new phone.

Andy

[TreeDoc]

You will need to buy an inverter which will plug into your cigarette lighter and the laptop plugs into that as it delivers 110v. I run a Gateway 350WVN which has a 40 gig HD, 2.8 GHz Pentium 4 with Hyper-Thread technology, 802.11g Wireless, 512k Ram, CD/DVD Burner and a nice color screen. I have had it one year and it has been flawless. I think Gateway has been doing well with their PC's. My only complaint is that they closed ALL of the nationwide retail outlets/service centers 2 weeks after I bought mine. That was part of my reason for buying a Gateway is that they had stores scattered all over and one only 15 minutes from home. Fortunately, service has been a non-issue.

That wireless internet is expensive but maybe your able to absorb the cost in your business. Verizon wanted an additional $70 a month for connectivity and there were additional costs involved but I didn't bother to check further as at least $70 on top of a $250/mos cell service was more than I wanted to tangle with.

Get the computer before you sign on for the wireless cell internet set up and see what's out there. In my area I can't drive a block without picking up someone's unsecured wireless network....dead serious. I am on the 'net all the time while on the road by bootlegging an errant signal. Some cities are even installing them them on street lights so they are available. It depends on how big of a city you're in I suppose.

[Andy L]

TD,
Thanks for the info. Thing is, I never know where Im gonna be. Sometimes cities, sometimes boonies.

The straw that broke the camels back was Friday on a chase and I was 20 miles from the closest town and it had a pop of maybe 200.

Just never know. I would rather pay the extra cell cost. Just $70 less a month our good Uncle is gonna extract from me at the end of the year.

I called Dell today and the cat on the phone started with a $529 unit. I was pretty excited. By the time he got done adding stuff on, it was over $1500. Im going to try and do a bit better than that.

Andy

[denton]

Rocky, I'm pretty sure I have seen serial to USB adapters for sale. They are both serial ports, just different types.

The conventional serial port is going the way of the buffalo.

One other thing: get the extended warranty. Laptops are notorious for keyboard, mousepad, and battery failures. The one and only long term warranty I'll buy is the one on a laptop... if yours bounces around in car trunks and airplanes like mine does, you will have one or more failures in three years.

[Rocky Raab]

Andy, I did find a 12v adapter for mine. It works perfectly in my truck. If you can't then the 12v-120 inverter -back to 12 routine works fine.

Denton, I also found a rs232-USB adapter. Can't make that thing work at all. I tried several drivers and they all crash my laptop repeatedly. Blue screen of death. I can't seem to completely remove some of them, either, which is the worst part. Some little thing somewhere (in the registry, I'd bet) keeps causing a fatal error. Grrrr.

[Dale]

I just got me a new Gateway M680. After having 2 Gateway desktops with no problems I went with their laptop. Two of my brothers have Dell and their big complaint is when they do call tech service 'Bob' in India answers and you spend twice as long on the phone because 'Bob' doesn't speak English. I have never had that problem with Gateway. As you can see I am a Gateway fan. Be sure to get what you need on it from the start. It is going to cost more to upgrade a laptop after the fact. I got mine with a 17 inch screen and I see now that it is not necessary to have one that big. I wouldn't pay the xtra bucks to get one that big for my uses next time. Don't skimp on RAM...512MB MINIMUM with XP. XP really runs great on 1GB of RAM. Wirless networking can be added later but the Intel Centrino chip has it built in which is nice. Makes it easy to network with your desktop and use its internet acess or find a hotspot while on the road.

[Mil Dot]

Andy,
I was checking into laptops a while back and it was expanded to me that the centrino chip will greatly increase your battery life but reduces your graphics performance. So if you're not looking for gaming or movie playback resolution I'd shop the centrino models.

MD

[Rocky Raab]

One thing I like about my Toshiba is that there's a switch on the outside that lets me turn off the Wi-Fi card (as in when I'm on via modem or just working on it alone and not internetting). That saves a lot of battery juice.

You could do the same thing if you don't have internal Wi-Fi and use a slip-in card. Remove it to save battery life.

I agree on the screen size. Big is fine if you're actually using the thing as your main 'pooter. But if you schlep it around, bigger is not only bulky but heavy.

Also agree on the memory. You can buy and install more yourself, but 512 is the bare minimum for any speed at all. That's about the ONLY thing you can do yourself, though. Laptops are non-user-repairable.

[Andy L]

I ordered a Toshiba today. Much better service, as far as salesman not trying to rob you, than Dell. No doubt.

Should have it tomorrow. After all teh goodies I wanted, NOT the SALSESMAN said I wanted, it was a good price. I did add a 3yr to my home service agreement that includes accidents. And, it came with 256 RAM. I added another 512 RAM. So, I guess thats about 3/4 gig.....

Should be a good rig. We shall see.

Andy

[Rocky Raab]

I think you'll like it very much. Report how it goes, huh?

[Andy L]

Should be good Rocky.

I added on the extra RAM. 3yr "come to my house" service agreement, including accidents.

Got a case. Wireless Router for my house, wanted that anyway for my kids computer. Of course the puters got the wireless capabilities. Plug in for cig lighter. DVD,CD,RW.

Its got about everything I could think of that a "work" computer should have. Dont care anything about gaming.

Mainly to do searches and maps when on the road. Emails nice. HC fix when on the road will be cool. And, since I spend hours upon hours sitting watchin houses for people to come home or show up alot of times, I figgered the DVD player would be cool. I have a portable one, but its only a 10" screen. This has a 15". Thats bigger than the TV we had when we first got married.....

Ill keep you posted.

Andy