I use a laptop on a daily basis. My only piece of advice for you is DON'T BUY TOSHIBA!!! I recently posted about the trouble I'm having with mine where the screen doesn't work at all (about 2 weeks after the warranty expired). I did some research and found they have a HUGE problem with this throughout most all of the models they offer but once the warranty is up it's $750 out of pocket to fix it. Even if you have the warranty you'll still be without the computer for 6 weeks while they work on it. I wouldn't say all this if it was just mine that had this problem but it's a very common complaint with the Toshiba laptops and they don't seem to want to stand behind their product.

FWIW I used to have a Sony Vaio and was very happy with it.

 

Well, I did it: bought a Compaq Presario. I actually found a kid at Best Buy that listened to what I wanted and made a recommendation based on that. As I don't have it with me, I couldn't tell you the model, but it's got 512 memory, 80 gig of hard memory and the AMD Turion 64 processor. "Double Agent" Heath from Geek Squad will be at my house Sunday to get it running and install the wireless router, so we'll find out then how well it works. It's a little on the small side, but the portability was as important to me as anything else.

One question: I bought a wireless mouse to go with it, and someone told me I better have the touchpad disabled if I want to use the mouse. Is this necessary? What if I lose the mouse or the battery goes dead- wouldn't I want the touchpad as a back-up?

 

like turbotim, i am thinking mac...

i bought my first mac in september of this year...and it is awesome...
the only thing i miss is PAINT, but o well...
you can even get "OpenOffice", which is m$ office compatible and FREE!
i got my ibook, same configuration as the 12" on the apple site right now for $949 with a student discount...

here is a pic of it... http://www.geocities.com/johnstechhelp/S2010038.JPG

 

The touchpad does not have to be disabled.. Years ago that was the case.. Your wireless mouse is probably a USB mouse and you can have multiple devices on that..

Good luck with the New PC..

 

I bought my mom a Toshiba Notebook for Christmas last year, and it works just fine with the wireless mouse without disabling the touchpad.

On a side note, it has been of way more value to me than it has been to her. This was her first computer and I picked it because of her complete lack of space at her house. But I have ended up using it everywhere. On trips, for the tuning software and datalogging for car, and just for a backup. I took it with me to Virginia last month on a vacation. If you are travelling and moving around from day to day, and basically know where you are going to be staying the following night, you kind find the best value on tomorrow's hotel, directions, whether they have high speed, stuff like that. It really is cool. I actually decided last year when I came up to get the truck, the next time I travelled like that, I was going to have one.

 

dude, get a dell

 

my friend bought one of them dell laptops after the warrany ran out the motherboard went out of it. the whole problem with dell is they had to compete with lower priced cheaper computers now there not the big name out there they use to be. I am a computer tech and have my own shop, use to be I never hardly seen a dell, and when I did it was a down O.S that just needed reformated and the software put back on the thing. now there popping up everywhere. one thing about a laptop do not buy one if your not going to be using it as its intended there expensive and parts are high for them. A desktop is a better buy and alot easier to have worked on. I run 3 compaqs computers on a network all hooked into DSl. Compaq computers the old ones were junk these newer models can take what you throw at them , and there not do not break you.. everyone has there brand in computer they like, and I wont go there its like someone telling you a chevy is better than a ford...good luck in your buy

 

plz dont buy mac-n-crap

matt

 

I use my laptop for work and it is a Dell Inspiron 600M. Compact size (14") and good features - good for business use. Easy to carry around and not too small like the traveller version. I network to work and so I use XP pro. I have a desktop with XP home. XP home is good if you are shutting your computer down frequently - it is quicker in booting up. But if you stay on for extended period of time, I would recommend XP pro. My laptop stays on for days together.
If you go do Dell's website, you will see low end, midgrade, and highend laptops. Every category is priced different and will show you what all features are included. The other day I saw a Dell Inspiron 600M for under $1000. It had 80GB HD, 1GB RAM, 1.7GHz processor with wirless, XP home, DVD/CD read write combo and other good stuff. I would not call that bare bones.
I am no sales person of Dell, but speaking from my own experience. I bought extended warranty for $100 more (4 yrs and they pay for anything happening to the laptop - even if it falls accidently and breaks). The warranty paid for itself because they gave me $150 mail in rebate. My dog chewed up the adapter cord just a week after I got the laptop. Dell sent me a replacement cord the next day, no question asked. I was impressed.

 

Get a MAC!!!

 

i am going to get a mac today....another one....

 

Don't get a MAC or Apple, they are pieces of junk. We have em at school and they are the worst thing on the plannet.

 

i would advise getting an ibook but it would be right at your max price range ($999) and only have a 12 inch screen. not good for what you need it for (spreadsheets). ibooks and powerbooks are by far superior than any windows based laptop out there.....

klatt_89 - you dont like your macs at school because you have the outdated stuff that is many years old.... any pc that old you'd hate too.

 

we have iBook G4's that are updated, they are constantly inconsistent, My wolly world special desktop is better.

the fit and quality of the apple iBook G4's isn't there

 

Did ANYONE read that? ^^^^ It was posted on December 8/05...

-Matt