Living With My ThinkPad: Part Three

Another installment of living with my ThinkPad is here. It has been over two weeks since the last time I brought up what it is like having a laptop in tow. This time I have some new stories as I have been using my laptop as my primary system for over a month, and let me tell you. The differences between using a laptop and a desktop as your only computer are very noticeable, at least with a laptop like mine.

The first thing I notice is the screen real estate. If I were to buy another laptop, I would try to get a machine that could handle a resolution closer to that of my desktop’s 1600×1200, rather than the tiny 1024×768 that my ThinkPad has. Running at this resolution is not bad for web browsing and whatnot, but it can be a little annoying when dealing with graphics, web design, or trying to do more than one thing at a time.

Another noticeable difference is how much processor speed my laptop will give me. When I am plugged in, it is not too bad, but I noticed in the power settings it was set as adaptive for both when plugged in and when unplugged. I quickly changed this to be maximum when plugged in, as I did not see the reason, other than heat dissipation to have it lower than full speed when I was using the laptop as a workstation.

One thing that constantly annoyed me when using the ThinkPad’s keyboard from day to day was the touch pad and the ThinkPad “nub”. Both of which move the mouse and can be distracting. The touch pad even more so because if you accidentally rest your hands and it taps, you can find yourself writing where the cursor was, rather than at the end of the article. I almost posted a few articles that were ruined in this way before realizing my mistake in re-reading them.

I wish that when an external USB mouse was plugged in that these two devices would ask me if I’d like them disabled, and then automatically re-enabling when I unplugged the mouse. I know it’s a small detail, but when trying to work fast to type as much as possible on a subject, having the touch pad create such mistakes can be more than just a little frustrating.

I have been enjoying my laptop more lately though, and I have been really happy to have it as part of my life. Once setting up my desktop computer, having my laptop has meant that the desktop is basically mine. My wife to be, Sabine, only goes on the main computer now when she wants to check out what I have downloaded. Otherwise, she is on the laptop to check her e-mail or do on-line banking. This makes it easier for me to keep my work open, and allow things to move from day to day, and she does the same on the notebook.

Also, I have recently needed my laptop to work while on a trip, and with an A/C adapter plugged into the port of the car, I was able to stay at one hundred percent battery while writing during the whole trip. Having a laptop can really change work as well as entertainment.

I still need to get more RAM for this machine though. Maybe I will make that an early Christmas present to myself.

November 14th, 2006 Posted by David in Living With at 11:31 am Comment Now! »

Residual Oil Remover For Cleaning Your Laptop

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Living With My ThinkPad: Part Two

October 23rd, 2006 Posted by David in Living With at 3:33 pm Comment Now! »

Living With My ThinkPad: Part One

October 18th, 2006 Posted by David in Living With at 4:59 pm 2 Comments »

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