Laptop

[Mark #2]

Okay, SO wants a laptop for:
general surfing
Web shows
Webcam
Email
taking training/tests for work, mostly CD based/web
pictures/printing pictures
book reading when traveling?

Any recommendations for brand, processor, quantity and type of ports(USB, card readers, HDMI, etc), software, and specifications?
Size, weight, and battery life not too important

Budget $350-$450

I have some ideas but don't want to influence your inputs. Also, who to purchase from or not to? Bestbuy refurbished an option? Walmart free shipping, etc?

TIA

[Silver_2000]

I dont like any of the retail models

They just dont hold up well
shiny, cheap and heavy describes most of them

Get at least 3 gb ram
Get an Intel processor
for traveling you will want 15" or smaller
the rest of the stuff isnt as important

[Mark #2]

I dont like any of the retail models
Don't understand, I don't want to build one, what do you think about Best Buy refurbished ones?

[dboat]

Don't understand, I don't want to build one, what do you think about Best Buy refurbished ones?


I dont like anything Best Buy.. :flaming:

Dana

[dboat]

Okay, SO wants a laptop for:
general surfing
Web shows
Webcam
Email
taking training/tests for work, mostly CD based/web
pictures/printing pictures
book reading when traveling?

Any recommendations for brand, processor, quantity and type of ports(USB, card readers, HDMI, etc), software, and specifications?
Size, weight, and battery life not too important

Budget $350-$450

I have some ideas but don't want to influence your inputs. Also, who to purchase from or not to? Bestbuy refurbished an option? Walmart free shipping, etc?

TIA

Mark, I have a MSI Wind netbook that I bought a couple of years ago, ASUS sells some that are similar.. 10 inch screen, weighs about 3 pounds, and you can get it in several different configurations.
http://www.msimobile.com/default.aspx
http://usa.asus.com/ProductGroup1.aspx?PG_ID=7dDelmkESu9DXgVB


Also, its hard not to take the Apple MacBook Air into consideration, however, it aint cheap.
http://www.apple.com/macbookair/

That should get you started..

Dana

[Mark #2]

I dont like anything Best Buy.. :flaming:

Dana
Walmart?

[dboat]

Walmart?

I will shop there as a last resort and do buy ammo there because you cant ignore the price difference. Otherwise, not for me.. there are a LOT of places to buy laptops, just go do a little research and let your fingers do the walking on the keyboard.. dont worry, you have plenty of time to get it before Christmas..

Dana

[mustgofaster]

FWIW, I've had the best luck with Toshiba Laptops. They aren't the most expensive by any means & the only ones that have ever failed me were terribly abused & I was amazed that they lasted as long as they did.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/17/laptop-reliability-survey-asus-and-toshiba-win-hp-fails/

[Silver_2000]

Don't understand, I don't want to build one, what do you think about Best Buy refurbished ones?

You really cant "build your own" laptop like you cab a desktop

the VAST majority of the models sold at retail are for home use - shiny, BIG, heavy, loaded with bloatware, and generally cheap. In some cases the cases and frames are so light and lightly constructed that they dont hold together.

They are designed to be opened on the desk at home and left there ...or put in a drawer in case you need to take it on the road.

My preference has always been the business class machines - better designed, sturdier, longer often US based warranty and support - often lighter and better made- usually limited color options and less glossy

HP or Dell or Toshiba all make a retail or home user line and a Business line.
For example Dell sells latitude to businesses and Inspiron to home users
Walmart.com for example only sells inspiron and they come in various colors which are important to home users

[Silver_2000]

Walmart?

danas issue with best buy is the parking lot security
AFAIK

[dboat]

danas issue with best buy is the parking lot security
AFAIK

and there buy it now get 12 months no interest policy crap.

[Moonshine]

I don't know crap about computers except mildly how to use one. With that said, for a couple beers and a dinner Doug spec'ed out a Dell for me a few years ago. Ordered it online, showed up as spec'ed within a week, and it's performed flawlessly ever since. Among the best few beers I ever bought. :tu:

[mikelemoine]

Asus and Toshiba were recently rated the most reliable (PC Windows based) in a Techrepublic survey. HP and Dell consumer models were rated the least reliable. As Doug and others said, the survey writer said to stay away from any of the big box store offerings, they are the least reliable. The article said to go directly to the mfg web sites and pick out a business class model. I'd also avoid refurbs, some are good but with laptops you never know if they will hold up. There are design flaws and questionable batches of various models out there that are dumped on the public as refurbs or seconds. The hassle of poor reliability and having to copy stuff to a new machine when they fail is just not worth the small savings IMHO.

In my personal experience, I'd avoid HP altogether, my wife has had several and all of them died from motherboard/video card failure within a year or two. I googled the issue and discovered that they had an overheating issue with their graphics card, and it desolders the processors over time. They covered it up and did some firmware updates to run the fans more to reduce the problem, but it was a design flaw and they did not stand behind their products well. I also bought one for my Mother and it failed a few days after the warranty expired, and they said too bad. Had I bought it ON her birthday instead of two weeks before, the warranty would have still been in force (that's why I usually procrastinate :twitch:)

I have an MSI Laptop that is about a year old. It works great for the price, and has more features than much more expensive units ($550 after rebates, core 2 duo 2.02 GHZ, 512 MB Radeon video card, 5.1 dolby surround w/ HDMI, 16.4" 720P HD screen, mini-subwoofer, Win 7, 4GB RAM, etc). My only concern with it is that the case flexes too much when you pick it up. I am afraid it will stress the boards inside over time and lead to bad connections. After shopping around, I suspect this is a concern with many 16" and up laptops due to their size and attempt to keep them thin and light. I just pick it up from both sides and not by the corner anymore, this should hopefully prevent stress cracks from developing on the PCB. It also has a 3 year mfg warranty. MSI makes motherboards for other companies so they are an experienced PC manufacturer, just new to the laptop market. MSI was rated middle of the road on the reliability survey so I'm hoping for the best!

I just set up an ASUS Core I7 15.4" loaded laptop for a friend. It was on sale (black Friday week) at Comp USA for $799 and came with a free MS Office Home 2010 key (value is about $90-$110), plus I got a $40 rebate through Ebates. So far, I'm very impressed. I almost bought one for myself but I just couldn't justify it, since my MSI is still pretty new and funds are tight (read: my wife would kick my *ss):bows

I also research any specific model I'm interested in on CNET, or even just look at store web reviews or Amazon customer reviews to get an idea of the reliability. Customer reviews can be unreliable since some will post negatives about a product simply because they couldn't figure out how to use it. Others will say it's great when they first buy it, but won't update the review a month later when it catches fire and burns their house down:rolleyes:. You can still use the reviews to get a rough idea about a model/brand, expecially when there is the occasional well written comment by more saavy consumers that actually detail the good and bad features.

While you only need a basic model for the list of things you want to do, you'd be happier in the long run if you up the budget just a bit and get a more solid machine. Most of the sub $500 models are older stock (IE: single core processors or lower end Celeron stuff) that will eventually get on your nerves. Windows in general is a resource hog and you really want the newer technology powering Windows 7 to get the most out of it. Mine is a Core 2 duo which is middle of the road (top of the line a few years back, heading to the low end as we speak!). I'd avoid going with anything less than that. The newest stuff is the Core I3, I5 and I7 which is all new architecture and the most expensive, although I3 machines are getting pretty cheap.

In closing, be sure to check features carefully as the manufacturers seem to mix and match things on like models to throw you off being able to compare apples to apples. Bluetooth is great if you want to sync your phone or use a headset to Skype, Blu-Ray and/or HDMI outputs if you want to connect it to your home theatre, get a BIG hard drive and remember the advertised space is going to be cut by a 3rd (usable to you) in most cases as the disk is partitioned to store the OS and backup files in a hidden section. LED backlights are nice to extend battery life, as are larger capacity batteries. Most laptops have several USB ports, some have the new higher speed USB 3 ports (not in your price range). Nice to have features are face recognition to log you in using your web cam, memory card reader built in (SD cards usually), some have the ability to play movies/CDs or even access the internet without booting up (faster and great on planes). The 64 bit OS is the newest, but some lower end models are still 32 bit. It'll make little difference for light users (web surfing, etc) but if you have a bunch of old software you want to run on the new machine, it may not work on a 64 bit machine. Just something to keep in mind.

Seems you asked me what time it was and I told you how to build a watch! :beer: Anyway, hope you find the best one for your needs and budget.
Mike

[L8 APEX]

I would spring for an Ibook or maybe she would like an ipad for 499... I am sick of PC and all the virus, misc booting issues they give me...

[Silver_2000]

I don't know crap about computers except mildly how to use one. With that said, for a couple beers and a dinner Doug spec'ed out a Dell for me a few years ago. Ordered it online, showed up as spec'ed within a week, and it's performed flawlessly ever since. Among the best few beers I ever bought. :tu:

Yes im a slut - Ill make PC recommendations for a Beer...

[98Cobra]

I would spring for an Ibook or maybe she would like an ipad for 499... I am sick of PC and all the virus, misc booting issues they give me...

Windows gets viruses from all kinds of places that arent their fault, like Adobe Reader for instance. Plus, you will notice Apple doesnt advertise they are immune to viruses anymore... :)

Plus, he wants a computer. iPad doesnt have a front facing camera yet, cant play flash (so no Hulu, etc)

I would say get a Netbook with an N450 processor, 2GB RAM, and an HD decoder. Then you are set - lightweight, inexpensive, plays HD content, gets excellent battery life...it ticks all the boxes.

[dboat]

Yes im a slut -

hmmm, nothing new here... :evil

Dana

[Silver_2000]

Windows gets viruses from all kinds of places that arent their fault, like Adobe Reader for instance. Plus, you will notice Apple doesnt advertise they are immune to viruses anymore... :)

Plus, he wants a computer. iPad doesnt have a front facing camera yet, cant play flash (so no Hulu, etc)

I would say get a Netbook with an N450 processor, 2GB RAM, and an HD decoder. Then you are set - lightweight, inexpensive, plays HD content, gets excellent battery life...it ticks all the boxes.
The other problem with MACs is almost NOTHING you currently have will work with it ... All the software you have wont. All the software any company issues you to connect - likley WONT. Older hardware ( printer scanner etc ) may or may not have MAC drivers.

I agree about the Ipad - another reason to wait on the Ipad is that V2 is supposed to be less than 90 days away. I bet they fix the flash issue somehow before too long ...

Im NOT a fan of Netbooks for a NUMBER of reasons - Biggest is that mine and many of my friends eyes are more than 40 years old and the screen on a netbook is simply too small. THen there are the low performance issues and the fact that a netbook wont be expected to last more than 24 months... if that

[Mark #2]

Thanks for the input guys, appreciate it very much, looking at some netbooks.
and I agree the retail laptops are cheap compared to a business/professional model. I had never touched one before, only the old rugged Dell latitudes.

[98Cobra]

Doug is right - if your eyes are not the best, or you have giant hands, a netbook may not be for you.

But, properly equpped it will do everything you want, have 6-10 hours battery time, and be pretty affordable.

The netbook I am typing this on right now doesnt have the guts to do HD video playback, but it was $200. If it dies in a couple years, its pretty much disposable. :D

[liteitup]

agreed. I looked at netbooks this summer. My 52 yr old eyes quickly told me it was a bad idea. I ended up w/a giant HP from woot. Don't remember the details, but it was refurbished and reasonably priced. So far it's done all I've asked it to do.

[Silver_2000]

emailed you Dell Outlet discount if you want to go that route ...

The outlet deals sometimes arent enough to convince me to not just get new but it depends on what you are looking for

[dboat]

emailed you latest Microcenter ad. In case you want to go that route. they have a nice selection of machines..

Dana

[In2deep]

Go with a used mac on craigslist..

[Silver_2000]

Go with a stolen mac on craigslist..

One of the requirements is "taking training/tests for work, mostly CD based/web"

I'll bet that some cd based training wont work on a mac ...

Then there is the unstated requirement that the device not be stolen ... :evil

[Beaudee]

Fry's They have some 4 gig mem. and 500 gig. hard drive with windows 7 for that price.Ive been looking for one just for music..The one i was lookin @ was a Gateway??I dont know if its still on sale.

[Sandman]

Unless you have the requirement of it really being mobile.. get a desktop. It will be better in almost every aspect.

Now, if you are stuck on something mobile, I'm not sure how picky you can get with your budget. About 3 years ago I picked up the cheapest laptop I could find. Acer with a dual core AMD processor and 14.1" screen and I paid ~$400. Mainly so I could sit on the couch and surf if I so desired. It does fine. I can surf, edit pictures, play pretty much any video I want to. If I need to really do some heavy lifting, I have my desktop. The biggest down side is the battery. It only lasts ~2 hours brand new and after ~ 1-1.5 years, it really needs to be replaced. Most of the time I just leave it plugged in.

my 2 cents.

[L8 APEX]

The student kits on Walmart website etc are pretty cheap 350 or so...

[Mark DeNeault]

Go Mac, and don't look back. Yes, it is more expensive, but, a better computer. Windows 7 is installed on every major computer maker. Apple makes their computers, and the system is easier to use. Guess what, you can run windows 7 on a Mac.
Mark.

[Mark #2]

Okay, went to bestbuy tonight and thought I was at car dealership, I was attacked by the Geek squad, and I am a geek, and could barely defend myself.

Again, just like talking to the car dealership and questioning all the crap they try to feed the wife, $150 to change a coil, I told them I would be there in 10 min with the 10mm and change it myself in 10 seconds... okay sir no charge.

No purchases, netbooks out for this, but if I ever have a job that requires travel overseas again, sweet compared to the weight I used to lug around...~20 lbs with extra batteries, chargers, etc. just for email.

Only requirements finalized are Pentium or higher, 3Gb, and webcam. Kind of like the Toshiba's and will be raising the budget by ~$100. Still open to opinions.

[dboat]

Okay, went to bestbuy tonight and thought I was at car dealership, I was attacked by the Geek squad, and I am a geek, and could barely defend myself.

Again, just like talking to the car dealership and questioning all the crap they try to feed the wife, $150 to change a coil, I told them I would be there in 10 min with the 10mm and change it myself in 10 seconds... okay sir no charge.

No purchases, netbooks out for this, but if I ever have a job that requires travel overseas again, sweet compared to the weight I used to lug around...~20 lbs with extra batteries, chargers, etc. just for email.

Only requirements finalized are Pentium or higher, 3Gb, and webcam. Kind of like the Toshiba's and will be raising the budget by ~$100. Still open to opinions.

ok, I dont say this often but I will not buy anything Toshiba for the rest of my life. They sold technology to the Russians back in the late 80s that allowed the Russians to detect our subs. This cost us millions of $$ to overcome. The Pres of Toshiba had to step down because of this.. so the DOD cancelled all their contracts, etc etc.. so I dont even look at Toshiba products no matter how good or cheap they are.

Dana

[Mark #2]

ok, I dont say this often but I will not buy anything Toshiba for the rest of my life. They sold technology to the Russians back in the late 80s that allowed the Russians to detect our subs. This cost us millions of $$ to overcome. The Pres of Toshiba had to step down because of this.. so the DOD cancelled all their contracts, etc etc.. so I dont even look at Toshiba products no matter how good or cheap they are.

Dana
Why are we contracting Toshiba for DOD projects in the 80s, were they smarter? and still are?

[dboat]

Why are we contracting Toshiba for DOD projects in the 80s, were they smarter? and still are?

dont know.. but it stopped.. ok, googled it and found this.. I think there is more as well..

Dana

http://articles.latimes.com/1987-09-10/business/fi-6976_1_toshiba-machine

better article..

http://www.japanlaw.info/lawletter/april87/fdf.htm

[In2deep]

Quote:
Originally Posted by In2deep http://www.talonclub.com/forum/images_talon/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.talonclub.com/forum/showthread.php?p=179964#post179964)
Go with a stolen mac on craigslist..
I DID NOT POST THIS THANKS!!


One of the requirements is "taking training/tests for work, mostly CD based/web"

I'll bet that some cd based training wont work on a mac ...

Then there is the unstated requirement that the device not be stolen ... http://www.talonclub.com/forum/images/smilies/devil.gif


I buy have sell on craigslist and have had several great experiences..
Making me look bad by editing my message their Doug!




http://www.talonclub.com/forum/images_talon/buttons/quote.gif (http://www.talonclub.com/forum/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=179965)

[Silver_2000]

Quote:
Originally Posted by In2deep http://www.talonclub.com/forum/images_talon/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.talonclub.com/forum/showthread.php?p=179964#post179964)
Go with a stolen mac on craigslist..
I DID NOT POST THIS THANKS!!


One of the requirements is "taking training/tests for work, mostly CD based/web"

I'll bet that some cd based training wont work on a mac ...

Then there is the unstated requirement that the device not be stolen ... http://www.talonclub.com/forum/images/smilies/devil.gif


I buy have sell on craigslist and have had several great experiences..
Making me look bad by editing my message their Doug!




http://www.talonclub.com/forum/images_talon/buttons/quote.gif (http://www.talonclub.com/forum/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=179965)

I highlighted the change in my post - Its clear to EVERYONE that I did it

The fact is that a great deal of what is sold on Craigslist is stolen
The fact that you have had good experiences doesnt refute that

The reason I know that about Craigslist - as does some of the audience here is that my Lightning was stolen and the parts were discovered for sale on Craigslist and the seller was arrested thanks to the detective work of the members here

here is a guy openly admitting buying stolen stuff from there
http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/02/01/24-craigslist-tips-tricks-and-resources/

there are dozens more stories
http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/local/craigslist-stolen-items-up-for-sale

In the same way that Dana wont buy from best Buy due to his experiences with the parking lot and the 90 day financing - I wont buy anything from Craigslist

the really old story that if it sounds too good to be true it probably is is true here. Yes I know that if you dont know its stolen you dont have anything to worry about. But I just dont operate that way.

[Moonshine]

I buy have sell on craigslist and have had several great experiences..
Making me look bad by editing my message their Doug!




http://www.talonclub.com/forum/images_talon/buttons/quote.gif (http://www.talonclub.com/forum/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=179965)

But many others have found that craigs list is commonly used to sell stolen merchandise.

[Silver_2000]

one more note

In my opinion by frequenting Craigslist you are helping to enable this illegal economy. If there was less of a market for stolen goods less people would steal.

Just my $0.02

Closing your eyes or feigning ignorance doesnt change things

Either you are part of the problem or the solution.

[In2deep]

Well sorry that you had that happen to you, but i sold several old tv's i sold bedroom furniture, lightning parts, parts i'n general and so fourth. I used to sell on eBay but with their fees and paypal fees etc, i turned to a free craigslist. As far as stolen items go if i make a big purchase and i have a tag heuer watch and an iPad i got store receipts on both purchases.

[Mark #2]

Bought a Toshiba, mostly based on the recent reliability reports.

[mikelemoine]

I've bought and sold stuff on CL as well. Some items like used furniture and old TVs are not likely stolen, but laptops, car radios, HDTVs and so forth are definitely red flag items. All of the people I've dealt with so far were nice everyday folks.

The problem is that if the item turns up stolen then the police will take it from you and return it to the owner without any recourse for you. Ebay, pawn shops or any used venue is also used to fence stolen goods, so you have to be on alert when buying big ticket items. There have even been robberies where they pose as a buyer/seller and then rob you of the item or the cash you brought to buy something.

You can protect yourself by asking for the serial number of the item or proof of original purchase. If the seller is a criminal, they will likely stop responding to you as they think you might be the popo. I've also googled their email address or name if I got it and check them out on Facebook. If they look like the guy selling Doug's L parts (gangsta with an AK in his profile pic, if I recall), you might want to pass!

[Silver_2000]

I've bought and sold stuff on CL as well. Some items like used furniture and old TVs are not likely stolen, but laptops, car radios, HDTVs and so forth are definitely red flag items. All of the people I've dealt with so far were nice everyday folks.

The problem is that if the item turns up stolen then the police will take it from you and return it to the owner without any recourse for you. Ebay, pawn shops or any used venue is also used to fence stolen goods, so you have to be on alert when buying big ticket items. There have even been robberies where they pose as a buyer/seller and then rob you of the item or the cash you brought to buy something.

You can protect yourself by asking for the serial number of the item or proof of original purchase. If the seller is a criminal, they will likely stop responding to you as they think you might be the popo. I've also googled their email address or name if I got it and check them out on Facebook. If they look like the guy selling Doug's L parts (gangsta with an AK in his profile pic, if I recall), you might want to pass!

One big difference is that Craigslist is not only free but mostly anonymous ... The other sites mostly require some sort of ID which runs off the smarter dishonest people

And you are right about the Gangsta
But who really googles the guy selling stuff ?

[In2deep]

One big difference is that Craigslist is not only free but mostly anonymous ... The other sites mostly require some sort of ID which runs off the smarter dishonest people

And you are right about the Gangsta
But who really googles the guy selling stuff ?

True its anonymous, i also have an ebay account as well with over 500 transactions with 100% feedback, but shipping a couch is killer :)

Mark#2
Hope the Toshiba works out, Toshiba laptops are good products..

[Silver_2000]

Mark#2
Hope the Toshiba works out, Toshiba laptops are good products..


Yeah its been quite a few years since I had any experience with Toshibas BUT in 1998 and 1999 I used and supported a TON of them - Ill be curious to hear your review

[Mark #2]

Yeah its been quite a few years since I had any experience with Toshibas BUT in 1998 and 1999 I used and supported a TON of them - Ill be curious to hear your review
Will let you know, ship to store next week.
It is a C655-6051, should be fine for what we need.

[Silver_2000]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003MVZ8BK/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&seller=

[mikelemoine]

But who really googles the guy selling stuff ?

Yeah I'm kind of anal that way :D. Actually, the thing that got me started on it was innocently looking up directions to people's houses when I bought something, or occasionally delivered items I sold. I usually just google their name and city, since it brings up white pages listings.

Funny thing is Google also sometimes brings up other information on the results; such as "joe blow vs state of TX for killing Craigslist customers", or joe blow is on facebook "NAMBLABOI69":eek:. If I'm going somewhere I'm not familiar with to meet someone I don't know, or bringing them to my house, I figure it's better to check them out. I can't say I've really ever had anything too scary come up, but it only takes one serial killer to ruin your weekend!

CL definitely has the anonymous thing covered with their voluntary registration policy (only site in the world that has that, I think). One advantage potential Ebay fences have is being able to sell their stuff out of state, where it's less likely that the original owner (or his buddies) will stumble upon them and have the ability to "take a look" at it to verify if it's the item they are missing. Lots of stolen goods databases aren't shared state to state as well, and it's harder for the local police to follow up when other jurisdictions are involved. By time it happens, the item might be shipped off to yet another location. It's also fairly easy to set up a disposable userID in case things get ugly for a seller. The only saving grace is that we can check feedback and limit bids to reputable sellers and of course have some limited buyer protection. You figure if they stole it to begin with, they probably aren't the kind of people with the work ethic to maintain good feedback long term....

I do agree with you that there should be more resources dedicated to catching crooks on these sites. You and I both got lackadaisical responses when our vehicles got stolen, I never even got a call from my assigned detective. The cops who found my truck (5 houses away wrapped around a tree) laughed when I suggested they cut off the bloody spot on the airbag to keep as DNA evidence. I realize they can't spend $3500 to run DNA tests on every theft report, but keep them handy so you'll have evidence to really put the big ones away when you catch them. They told me that the Town East Mall in Mesquite (15 minutes from my old place) loses 2-5 trucks every weekend. I suggested to them that if they spent the money to really investigate a few of them, they'd likely tie them all to one or two individuals who would then likely lead them to a big ring somehwere. They said they aren't CSI Miami and the city can't afford to investigate, and they have higher priorities like murders and rapes (in freaking Mesquite, TX??). So instead they let the citizens lose $100K worth of vehicles a week, which likely finances the gangs who commit higher priority crimes like rape and murder :hammer:. My insurance adjuster said that the few car theft detectives in the DFW area (I forget but it was very few) each handle 70-100 cases at a time and can't really investigate. They mostly only have enough time to file the paperwork.

I suggested the insurance companies get together and hire PIs to catch them and save the money. She said "yeah right". I got the idea would fight over who pays for what and would rather just pay out and raise rates than possibly help a competitor avoid claims. Backwards system, Doug knows that his case would have been in file 13 if he didn't hand them the evidence and demand they act on it....

Anyway, back on topic. Nice laptop!! We had some Tosibas at my company back in 2004 and they all blew hard drives and motherboards around every 6 months. I forget the model but we ditched them all and shortly later saw a class action lawsuit against them. They had a desktop class processor in them with a laptop class cooling fan. They were actually very nice and powerful for the time, and probably ok for some. We were all workaholics and had them on 12 hours a day with 20 windows open for all of our CRM, email, inventory programs, etc. Now, they are #3 in reliability just under Apple and ASUS, so they obviously corrected any cooling issues. Not bashing them, even the best companies make a turd once in a while, and we just happened to order 50 turds.

Dana, I read up on their commy ways back in the 80s. I recall boycotting them back then too. I figure companies are not inherently evil, just the people that run them. They probably don't have any original management left and they were pubicly shamed in Japan for years after this. The Japanese really value honor and to be shamed in public is a big deal. Today, I'd be much more afraid to by Lenovo as they are suspected of being in on the Chinese spy movement. IIRC there was an article when IBM sold out stating the government would no longer use Thinkpads due to data security concerns (factory spyware). Unfortunately, in these times pretty much anything we buy that's made outside the USA benefits our enemies and the money we spend will just be used against us.

TI needs to ride the wave of patriotism and start making laptops here. With the right marketing (we hire Americans, pay US taxes, make a great product, speak English when you call support, serve pork chops in the cafeteria daily!) they should be able to make a go of it even if they are a little pricier (provided value is there, or at least perceived by the masses).

They probably wouldn't bother to, but it would be a nice thought....