Laptop questions

[infinite monkey]

I'm not seriously looking right now but I do need a new computer eventually and I can't see any reason to get a desktop.

Is there a difference between a laptop and a notebook?

(I remember a student saying she needed a labtop. Probably the same dumb girl who, years and years ago, told me "Mah boyfriend drives him a Trams Am" I think it was supposed to make me think 'wow, he must be AWESOME')

I digress.

This one is fairly cheap: Gateway 15.6" 4GB AMD Dual Core Notebook

What does 4GB mean? Is that good? What is AMD? What is a Dual Core?

320 GB hard drive...is that good?

Modem: No. What does that mean? Could I connect to my wireless?

I'm really dumb about this stuff. I'd like a decent one, if I get one, but I can't spend a ton of money.

[glatt]

I'm not the expert around here, but I think you want to start by deciding what its going to be used for. Then the operating system you want. Then choose a brand or two that are acceptable, then decide new or refurbished or used, then look at price, then the specs just kind of fall into place.

The one you found sounds pretty mediocre. Is it new? What operating system?

I got a Dell laptop that was a few years old. A refurbished business model being resold on eBay. A top of the line model in its day. Well built. But I got it for a very decent price. It's starting to get slow with the software out there now, so I may need to be getting a new one soon. I want to get a Windows 7 machine while they are still in large supply.

[Undertoad]

can't see any reason to get a desktop

Here are a few:
- Generally durable. They run and run.
- Large displays for little money. 23" displays for $130 now, 24" for $160.
- Speedier. Desktops will be a third faster for the price
- Won't force you to bend your spine to see the display at a good angle
- Better keyboards, including after-market
- Better mice, including after-market
- You won't need an expensive briefcase for it

[infinite monkey]

those are good points.

i made a good purchase with my computer all those years ago. when i posted this i was thinking on a whim, and i'm not really ready to make the purchase (my immediate future income-wise being iffy) so i am going to wait and replace my home computer, making the same good choices i did before. i think a laptop should be a secondary.

thanks!

[Undertoad]

A lot of people are doing the desktop at home and office, and a tablet on the road or portable around the house.

[zippyt]

I have a few year old desk top with a semi stompen video card and a 24" hd moniter and digital suround sound ,
A lap top from and for work,
And I got a android Baced Tablet a few weeks ago , Its Cool , and if you use Crome for a browser all your book marks are imported to the tablet when you log on , I have found it to be Uber handy !!!!!!!

[jimhelm]

I have the big gaming beast, but find that I seldom use it. I use the laptop more. But, over all, the nexus 7 gets more uses. This posted from my phone, which I use more than all the rest combined.

[glatt]

I use the desktop at work, and phone at home.

The desktop and two old laptops at home are mostly used by the kids. If I have to do something real at home, I get on the desktop. You know, archive photos or create a document or something like that.

[Clodfobble]

I use a laptop, because portability around the house is critical to me. And even when I don't have to be moving from room to room, I'm more comfortable slumping on the couch with it than sitting in a desk chair. If you're mostly going to be using it on a table/desk, then yeah, a desktop is probably a better choice. If, on the other hand, you want to be able to set it on the kitchen counter so you don't have to print out that recipe you just found, then take it in the living room so you can browse the cellar and watch TV at the same time... laptop livin' is the life for you.

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

A lot of people are doing the desktop at home and office, and a tablet on the road or portable around the house.

We're barely into the second decade of the 21st century, and it seems reasonable that a person should need three computers: the main home desktop, the mini-portable, and a mid-size one for "around the house".

And yes, I can see why, if you have a largish house, but ... wow, you know?

[Clodfobble]

I just counted the number of computer devices currently in use in the house... it's nine, counting smartphones. But we are big nerds.

Originally Posted by glatt

I want to get a Windows 7 machine while they are still in large supply.

For what it's worth, I went ahead and got Win 8 on this laptop when I replaced it, and it's not so horrible. The whole tablet-wannabe "Metro" interface is beyond stupid, but there is still a desktop mode that operates just like Windows 7. I just have a desktop button on my Metro interface, so it's one more click to go through after I boot up and then everything is back to normal.

[limey]

Two residents here:
1 pc and a Mac, a netbook, three ipads, one ipod classic and two ipod touches, an ipod shuffle, three smart phones of varying degrees of smart, a kindle fire. I think. That's what we use, more or less. There's a couple of dead bits, too.
So we beat you there, Clod

[infinite monkey]

I love you nerds, but you nerds must have a lot of disposable income, or debt.

This reminds me of foot asking for advice about getting his shit in one sock. It went from OP to everyone talking about all the devices they have and the ones he should get in, like, 60 seconds flat.

Because, I actually knew that a lot of folks have a home computer AND a laptop, but that wasn't what I was asking.

So I'm glad that all of you, like most of my family, have 500 phones, 60 computers, 3 GPSs, a flat-screen TV with the latest sound system and blu-ray players in every room...but I don't. I also don't have the nerd household members to make everything work and keep it maintained and fix issues.

So, see, it's one or the other for me. Conspicuous consumerism never really fit me, anyway.

Well, so, I'm just feeling sorry for myself today...staff meetings when I'm still in Limbo-land and everyone else is just so damn grand...

Feeling very misfitty today.

[infinite monkey]

Sorry about that.

the expected has happened.I felt the vibe this morning.

on 5 days paid leave to give me time to appeal. Right noI'm going to bedi'm

[limey]

Shit, that's bad, Infi. Good luck. Do you really want to appeal, do you really want to stay? They owe you all that holiday, right?