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Laptops

RhettRhett (Not even a monkey)
Ok, my dad is finally going to get a laptop (because we are out of town so much and he needs some major tax writeoffs- he is inheriting quite a large sum of money from my uncle).

Now, two separate questions. First, if any of you know anything about taxes, if he writes this off as a bussiness expense, how much canb he write off? Second, I would love to get an Alienware laptop. I don't need that much power (its sad when the laptops more powerful than your pc), but the thing looks so damn nice. So do you know of any good companies that make good looking laptops that might not be as powerful? Thanks.

Comments

  • A buddy of mine has a pretty sweet dell.
  • TycoTyco Ranger Texas
    yeah, I'd check Dell out. They seem to be going the way of Gateway, though. :(

    But for the high-end computers, Falcon and Alienware are your best bet from what I've seen.
  • RhettRhett (Not even a monkey)
    I really hate the look of the dell pcs. I know this shouldnt be such a big deal to me, but hell- if I hate looking at it, no sense spending my dads money on it (plus- if he gets an expensive one, he gets a bigger tax writeoff).


    [b]Another Question[/b]

    Internet: I have a DSL connection, but for when I am out of town I am trying to figure out a way to get internet (would need to be really cheap- or better yet, free- if there is such a thing). Also, for at home, what would I need to network the internet connection? Wireless seems to be very expensive (300 for the whole package, let me know if im wrong).

    Thanks again!
  • IMO, IBM makes the best notebooks around. The Thinkpad T40 is expensive but well worth the cost. I use a T20 on a daily basis, and the keyboard is the best on the market, and the battery life is strong (I usually get about 3 hours of life at full processor use). In short they are the best, but also expensive. A loaded T40 will set you back about $2500US. Plus the warranty service is impressive. I fried the mainboard in it and sent it in for warranty service. From original call for support to receipt of repaired notebook the total turnaround was 3 DAYS!!!!. One more thing, Thinkpads come out of the box with a 3 year warranty unlike most others that only offer 1-2 years.

    Get a Thinkpad T series!!!!
  • mambo_mordenmambo_morden Earthforce Officer
    I used to work at a latop refurb company.. Here's my take on 'em (I've been inside of computers from all of the following manufacturers):

    If you're not looking for alot of power then you won't need an Alienware (they are awsome though) because they are too expensive for what you'll need.

    Dell's new line of laptops, the 5000 series (the blue ones), are, unfortunately, inferior to the 8000 and 4000 lines and I wouldn't recommend them. Their support is also starting to go south and you'll get tech's who have no clue of what they are doing.

    IBM has got a great support staff... I'm not a fan of their laptops as some of their lithium batteries are (In my opinion) inferior to the comperable Dell type.

    Toshiba actually has a good line of notebooks and a decent support staff.

    Sony's are too expensive for the same type of comperable notebook from other manufacturers
  • SanfamSanfam I like clocks.
    I'm really fond of Fujitsu's systems. They've never disappointed me, nor my friends who have them. They're also relatively cheap for what you get. Tech support has also been very willing to help. They get a good deal of brownie points for that.

    And yes, Sony is expensive, but their products are quality.

    And yes, Dell is going down the drain. THey were great back in the day, but now things are just going downhill.

    I've built up a grudge against Toshiba, and would be wary of them. My old Satellite Pro 425 CDS was a pretty good system, but the later models I've seen (including the newer Satellites and such) are just awful. Bad screens, loud fans, loud drives, hot cases...just ick.
  • mambo_mordenmambo_morden Earthforce Officer
    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Sanfam [/i]
    [B]seen (including the newer Satellites and such) are just awful. Bad screens, loud fans, loud drives, hot cases...just ick. [/B][/QUOTE]

    There are some older dell models that've been known to burn people and get in excess of 125 degrees... Ones to stay away from... lol
  • SanfamSanfam I like clocks.
    They aren't actually that old, either. Some of the recent ones are doing that, as well, and Toshiba is ignoring complaints.

    I know my dad's suffered from a melted keyboard, at one point. He left it closed and put a newspaper on it. Found it with a distorted keyboard, wiht a few of the keys melted together.

    What's funny, though, is that my Satellite Pro 425 is actually in use today. :P It's beel sliced and diced, and put back in its case again, but It's been running since 1996. I even tried to make it a car PC at one time, and was almost successful up to the point where I couldn't get it wired up the right distance. Byt I'm going to be trying it again with a newer laptop, one with USB support so that I can give it support for the in-dash control panel I made (I should post pictures of it sometime. :P)

    One of my goals in the future will be to embed the AC Inverter with the dash, giving me two AC outlet. Although I'm probably going to wire up a secondary switch to the fuse outlet so I can turn it on and off to conserve power (but keep the fuse on it, inline, of course).

    Ah, the fun of tinkering with cars...
  • KeyanKeyan Ranger
    I really like my dell.

    Gateway laptops are horrible.

    Make sure you get a decent screen on it - one that goes above 1024x768.
  • RhettRhett (Not even a monkey)
    Sanfam, one day you are going to kill yourself screwing with that damn car :D

    Thank you all for your suggestions, however I think my dad doesn't mind spending the amount of money to get an Alienware (because the more expensive, the bigger the tax break). So now, back to my second question:

    Internet: How hard is it to split my DSL connection, and would it be better to go with wireless or wired (and how expensive would it be)? Would it be best to get the whole connection deal that comes with the alienware (a ~300$ bundle that includes:
    Intel® Wireless Laptop Package

    The Intel® Wireless Gateway combines an access point, router and firewall into one low-cost device. It manages communications from multiple PCs and other networked devices, and helps you save money by sharing one DSL or cable modem among 32 users.
    With Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN PC Cards you can easily and affordably connect existing computers to your wireless (and wired) networks.
    To use this wireless networking system, both of the above items must be used. These items are both included in the Intel® Wireless Laptop Package.

    Thanks for your help all of you!
  • mambo_mordenmambo_morden Earthforce Officer
    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Sanfam [/i]
    [B]They aren't actually that old, either. Some of the recent ones are doing that, as well, and Toshiba is ignoring complaints.
    [/B][/QUOTE]

    Yeah... I've got an Inspiron 3800... same as the Latitude CPx's that have that problem. Have a cooling pad under mine... seems to do the trick for the most part.
  • RhettRhett (Not even a monkey)
    Yeah, I remember the article that was posted here a while ago about someone having some major problems with heating their unit (bad pun intended). :D

    So anyways, please give me some suggestions about the internet/networking thing.
  • SanfamSanfam I like clocks.
    Rhett: Remember, though, that the Alienware system is, pardon my language, fucking huge.

    It weighs in at near 10 lbs (9.6 to be exact). I've had the pleasure of lugging around 6.4 and 7.1 lbs systems, and trust me, they wear you down in no time flat.

    If you wish to use to for anything mobile, seriously consider that before making the purchase.

    I learned from my errors in the past, and decided now that I'm almost best off with a Sony Picturebook, which is only around 2.1 lbs, although the extra life battery'll add an additional .75 lbs. It was a trade-off of features for portability.

    If you really do want a small, but portable computer system, investigate the newer small formfactor system options. My current desktop is a Shuttle SN41G2. It weighs around 16 lbs fully loaded, and is quite the performer. To upgrade is easy, and to it's portable when I need it to be.

    But anyhoo, think about that
  • RhettRhett (Not even a monkey)
    Thanks for the info sanfam. I did not realize that it was so huge. Hmmm... Dont know what I will do.
  • mambo_mordenmambo_morden Earthforce Officer
    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Sanfam [/i]
    [B]Rhett: Remember, though, that the Alienware system is, pardon my language, fucking huge.

    It weighs in at near 10 lbs (9.6 to be exact). I've had the pleasure of lugging around 6.4 and 7.1 lbs systems, and trust me, they wear you down in no time flat.[/B][/QUOTE]

    The Alienware systems are built, essentially upon a regular desktop motherboard. That's why they're so awsome.
  • RhettRhett (Not even a monkey)
    Thinking about it some more- the weight will really not be that much of a problem. I will be using it on car trips (play some turn based stratagy game that doesnt require quick reflexes), when we are out of town (staying at my uncles place), or for my dad to use. So I dont think that I will be carrying it around much, and if I do- I wont have a problem with it. I'm not really worried about weight right now, its the battery life (even with the additional battery, only ~1 to 2 hours). Hmmmm...
  • Rogue TraderRogue Trader Somebody stop him...
    best laptop is the powerbook G4 15 inch from apple.

    im getting one of those in a month :) with a gig of ram too boot hehehe
  • SanfamSanfam I like clocks.
    They are actually *really* nice systems. OS X.2 is almost holy. Really a wonderful work of software engineering!

    And the systems themselves are really nice
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