Laptop Quality Improving
TechDirt has an article up called “Laptop Quality Sucks Just A Bit Less” which says that laptop quality is going up, though it is still not all that great.
When it comes to things like the quality of products or services people can be guilty of having a selective memory. The phrase “They don’t make ‘em like they used to” often seems to apply, though at least in some cases this is a good thing. It seems that according to surveys, laptop quality is getting a lot better. In just the past few years, failure rate has come down, as has the need for getting repairs. Still, 15% of laptops have some kind of problem within the first year, which still seems pretty bad.
I totally agree with them. I think that more and more companies are working on making their laptops better, stronger and faster, but they still have a long ways to go before they can be truely dependable. The fact that 15% of laptops have some kind of problem in the first year does seem a little bit higher than it should be. I would hope that only around 2%-10% would have problems, as that seems a little more reasonable and more inline with other products.
Does WiFi Security Matter?
A great article on c|net News asks an interesting question, does it really matter that many WiFi access points are not secure?
However, security expert Bruce Schneier argued that as long as people’s devices were secure, having a secured network was unnecessary.
“I have a completely open Wi-Fi network,” Schneier told ZDNet UK. “Firstly, I don’t care if my neighbors are using my network. Secondly, I’ve protected my computers. Thirdly, it’s polite. When people come over they can use it.”
I totally agree. With me and my laptop travelling around, I love that so many people keep their access points open so that I can use my laptop to check out maps, and e-mail and other basic internet functions. I also keep my wireless router open so that neighbors in my apartment can have access. I have my computers relatively well protected, and if I have too many problems I will lock it down, but it has not been an issue as of yet.
Leave it open, secure your computers, and you might just be helping out a lost traveller with a notebook computer.
IBM ThinkPad T43 Back from RMA
Well, today I got a fresh new ThinkPad T43 delivered from UPS. I sent my other ThinkPad back almost two weeks ago, due to a stuck pixel.
This new one seems to be working great. I have to say that the Lenovo RMA process was easy, and from my end, totally free. They even sent me new touchpoint replacements and a new RJ-11 cable, both of which I forgot to pack when sending my unit back to them.
The only downside of sending in my unit was the fact that I have a totally fresh and new unit. I had all my software installed nicely on the old one. The good part is that I get to install all kinds of software again, which can be very fun to set up just the way you want it, and I have learned a fair bit about how I want to set things up, that I did not know when I first got my laptop.
I can’t say enough about how happy I am that Lenovo delivered on their promise to provide me with a product I am 100% satisfied with. Hopefully nothing goes wrong with this new unit.
Top 10 Reasons Not To Buy A MacBook Pro
Elliot Back has a funny, but interesting list of the top 10 reasons not to buy a MacBook Pro. He also links to news articles about each fact that he mentions in his top 10 list.
2) The name “Macbook Pro” is considered horrible, and generally not the new status symbol your $2000+ notebook should be.
It is a very interesting read, though I think many people would say its worth the risk.
Life Without a Laptop
Many people get used to having their laptops and would probably feel very hard done by, if you took it away from them. So far, I have actually been able to handle the lack of my laptop pretty well. I guess it is because I hadn’t had it for long, but I still do run into situations where I think “boy, it would be nice if I had my laptop right now…”
I am sure there are many people that will laugh at that statement, but as many laptop users know, once you have a laptop, you can find a myriad of ways to integrate it into your life.
There are many advantages to having a laptop, and the portability is one of the biggest ones. Having the computing power to bring just about anywhere is really nice, and provides a sense of freedom. I was able to take my laptop to a local park, sit under a tree, and type up an article or two for the Bloggy Network, listen to some music, and just generally give myself a change of environment.
We as a society are so used to needing to be at a desk, infront of a monitor, limited to the cubicle, or office at work as well as the computer desk at home, and this view is changing. Now just beyond your computer could be a coffee shop, park, or even an airplane. This sensation can inspire creativity, keep you occupied when you might have otherwise been bored, or allow you to connect to family or friends, even when not at home.
My laptop is currently out being replaced for a new laptop, as I had a stuck pixel that would not go away, and it was bugging me. During the short time I had it, it took over a place on my desk next to my computer, with three monitors set up (two for the computer, and of course the one attached to the laptop), my desk looked very powerful, though it caused many sighs from my fiance who is not a fan of technology.
Another great use of the laptop is to find directions, and other useful information. A friend of mine was in town and wondered what we should do. If I had the laptop, I would have gone to a free wireless access spot, whcih there are many around where I live, and connected to the Internet. I could have then proceeded to find out what events are going on, including maps of where everything is. I have lived in Ottawa for over a year, and still have problems finding places.
Have you been holding off getting a laptop for one reason or another? Is it the price that is stopping you from buying one? They are pretty cheap these days, as you can get a respectable laptop for around the $1000 mark, and a less powerful one for as low as $600. This might still seem like a fair bit, but with Dell and other companies allowing payment plans, it is easier and cheaper than ever to pick up a nice portable machine you can use to transfer pictures, video, and documents on. You can do work while travelling. You can do research anywhere they offer wireless Internet access.
The rewards of having a laptop over a normal computer are a thousand fold, just make sure you get one with a good battery life, and great warranty, or get ready to deal with laptop withdrawl symptoms.
photo thanks to Gregor909 from SXC.hu
Electrovaya Scribbler SC 3100 Review
Laptop Magazine has reviewed a tablet PC from Electrovaya, the Scribbler SC 3100.
The SC 3100’s upgraded 1.6-GHz Centrino CPU is very snappy when working with the 768MB of system RAM. Intel’s accelerated graphics push windows around the screen without lag or shadowing. The 5,200-rpm 60GB hard drive keeps up with the rest of the hardware by loading even weighty graphics programs quickly. Like most tablets, the SC 3100 couldn’t run our MobileMark 2005 benchmark, but in terms of real-world performance this slate proves that the bad old days of sluggish tablet performance are long gone.
As the UMPC tries to position itself as a tablet replacement, I am still unsure about the long term success of either platform. I do find though that the larger screen of the tablet PC would be much nicer for a wide array of uses. Laptop Magazine seems to agree with me, and gives the SC 3100 a four out of five as well as an Editor’s Choice rating.
Apple MacBook Black Review
Incase you are one of the few that think the black MacBook is just better than the white one, Laptop Magazine now has a review up on the black version.
The Apple iBook is gone, but the portable and powerful MacBook is here to take its place. As with the higher-end MacBook Pro, which replaced the 12-inch PowerBook, the new name suggests a new beginning: All of Apple’s notebooks now feature Intel Core Duo processors. This consumer-friendly 5.2-pound system can run Windows (with free Boot Camp software), but it’s Apple’s elegant OS and superb physical design that make the MacBook worth owning.
In the end the MacBook in its sleek black paint job manages to earn a four out of five. One of the cons they list is the fact that having it in black costs extra money, odd but true.
The Laptop: As Personal as a Computer Can Get
A laptop is as personal as a computer can get.
This is why you should carefully consider many factors when purchasing a laptop. There are the size, the weight, the features, the ergonomics. Some carry around their laptops in their bags. Some leave them on desks (taking the computers for a stroll only every so often). Some even prefer laptops that they can keep inside their small bags or large purses–subnotebooks or small tablet PCs often fit inside small bags.
My laptop, an old reliable Thinkpad, is about to give up on me after many years of faithful service. Just recently, the TrackPoint broke, and for me, the TrackPoint is one of the most important features of my laptop, and probably even any laptop for that matter. More importantly, I consider the ThinkPad’s trackpoint to be the most ideal pointing device. Why? Three reasons:
- Ideal positioning. Being a touch typist, I prefer having my fingers on top of the keyboard most of the time. Having to move my hand from keyboard to mouse–or even the touchpad–and back is an inefficiency I hate to contend with.
- Minimal movement. The mouse is meant to be moved around. The touchpad is meant for one’s fingers to glide on. As for the TrackPoint, your finger’s just there. A little pressure to the right direction, and the cursor moves there.
- Good feedback. The ThinkPad has what I consider to be the best clickers around. They’re not thin, small, itty-bitty clickers with shallow feedback. TrackPoint clickers are solid, large, with deep feedback. Just the deep clicking sound is music to my ears!
Brand Matters
So while I’m saving up enough dough and looking for that perfect replacement to my ThinkPad, I got to borrow an extra laptop my dad sometimes uses when he goes on trips to the rural areas. It’s quite small, thin and light. But it’s an ODM (Original Design Manufacturer)-made computer–what laptop afficionadoes would usually call “grey-box” or generic laptops. Yes, they’re branded, but they’re usually from the third-party manufacturers that big-names contract for manufacturing their laptops.
My single biggest gripe: the design.
Mind you, by design I don’t only mean the aesthetics. I consider design to appeal to all aspects of the senses, from sight, to touch, and to the usability of the device. And to put it bluntly, not all laptop brands are built and designed the same. Still, it’s a brand issue, which is usually a subjective matter. Nonetheless, I’d rather go for those brands that espouse elegance in design.
It’s somehow akin to comparing a build-your-own computer to a branded one built by, say, Apple or Alienware. The latter would have the cool factor, and also elegance in design, from the way the machine feels to the way it efficiently uses space, to the way it looks, even!
And being a notebook computer, with everything built-in, you wouldn’t have much of a say as to how the device is designed. One wrong design element and you’ll have to live with it.
Why I don’t like it
This grey-box computer I’m using is quite fast. It’s about ten times faster than my ThinkPad, I would say. But the advantages stop there. In terms of design and ergonomics, even the cheapest ThinkPad would beat the heck out of this one.
Again, brand matters. Because with a good brand usually comes great design. Here are a few reasons why.
- The wow factor. Whip out a shiny new MacBookPro in a cafe and you’d probably hear oohs and aahs–or at least imagine to, but that’s the general feeling. Bring out a sleek, black ThinkPad and its wow, this guy must do serious stuff. Take out an iBook or MacBook, and it’s cute. Somehow, grey-box laptops and some other brands just don’t have that wow factor. Most brands have models that look too plasticky or too drab. Some look like toys.
- Input devices. Have you ever tried using a keyboard with keys not in the position you’re used to? This is just what you would feel using a different laptop brand. ThinkPad keyboards are all made the same, from the oldest model to the latest (well, save for the Windows key, perhaps, which is present in some Acer-made ThinkPads and some newer Lenovos). The positioning’s the same. The tactile response is the same. And I just love how the keys are spaced-out adequately, and how the function and navigation keys are separate from the letter keys. I could work on my ThinkPad keyboard with my eyes closed. And about the touchpad, well, I hate the fact that I can’t turn off touch-clicking. Many a time have I had everything messed up because my palm accidentally touched the pad and clicked the cursor somewhere while I’m typing.
- The heat is on! In terms of heat dissipation, no two models are built alike. Some laptops are just so efficient at it, that you don’t feel any heat at all, whether from the bottom, the sides or top of the unit. With the current one I’m using, though, and some other Celeron M-based models (even by otherwise good brands), the heat escapes through the keyboard and the wrist-rest, whether running off the battery or plugged into the mains.
- The peripherals. One gripe I have with this grey-box is that the USB ports are positioned directly underneath the PC Card slot. And I have to use a PC Card WiFi adaptor to surf wireless (which is 99.9 percent of the time). It’s difficult to access the USB slot, and some of my devices won’t fit–either I remove the PC Card or plug in a USB extender. And only two slots?
- Connectivity. My years-old ThinkPad has infrared. And I use that to sync my SmartPhone with Outlook. This spanking new grey-box (and many others) don’t even have Infrared, nor FireWire. Now how am I supposed to transfer videos from my video camera? Oh wait, I don’t have one. My point is that if you’re buying a laptop, you better make sure it supports all the connectivity needs you have.
It’s all about design
I could go ranting on and on. But I won’t, because at least I have something to use while I search (and drool over) that next great laptop I’ll be buying. Dave’s T43 looks great, and probably is! But isn’t quite within my price range for now. Still, my next laptop purchase would most likely be a ThinkPad.
Dell’s New D420 Ultraportable
Engadget has a few details on a new ultraportable from Dell, and it looks like they are placing it as a competitor to the Gateway NX100X.
Their latest foray into the form factor comes as the D420, a three pound widescreen that appears to fall some place in between the D410 and the X1; expect a 12.1-inch display with Cingular or Verizon support (as expected) in the US and Vodafone overseas, as well as “802.11n ready” status (whatever that means), the Wi-Fi Catcher switch (that turns your shut-down computer into a hotspot finder), SD slot, three USB ports, one FireWire port, a Core Solo ULV processor, seven hour battery, and $1,379 base price tag.
Sounds like it has just about everything someone looking for an ultraportable would want, good battery life, useful anywhere, and reasonably cheap. My biggest worry with Dell machines though has always been the build quality. I look forward to reading reviews about the D420.
Lenovo F20: Coca Cola 2008 Olympic Themed
Do you like Coca Cola? Are you excited about the 2008 Olympics in China? Well, Lenovo has released an Olympics/Coke themed laptop called the F20. What do you get? A Lenovo machine that is a slightly below average laptop, with a red paint job, Coca Cola’s branding and Olympic rings.
The specifications are as follows:
- Intel M778 processor, 1.66GHz
- Intel 915GMS chipset with GMA900 display chip
- 12.1 inch wide screen monitor
- 512MB DDR2 memory
- 80GB hard disk
- External Combo drive
- WiFi, Bluetooh, 56K modem, and 100Mbps ethernet port
- Build in 1.5W stereo speaker
- 3 USB ports, 1 IEEE1394 port
- All-in-one memory card reader
- Dual batteries for 8.5 hours usage
- Weight: 1.4KG
This will set you back around $1700 USD, and should be released sometime before the 2008 Olympics, or it’d be bad marketing, wouldn’t it?
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