Need a new laptop

[Fleegle]

Hey everyone...

Looking for some advice on a new laptop...currently using a Toshiba ..XP Home with Microsoft Office (also open office)..Centrino Duo..60 GB Hard Drive.(Small I know, but plenty left).

Only really use for business, mail, powerpoint presentations, and a few photos..Could anyone give me feedback on Vista?..files all backed up to a "passport" drive. One thing.. don't have enough USB2 ports, as use an O2 mobile modem when travelling, which commands one of them 100%..Probably could do with four or five, as I use a wee mouse..also USB2-driven..don't like touch-pad, and when I connect printer, they're all gone, as I only have three..leaves no room for a flash drive, which I also find very handy.

Please give me your thoughts...especially re. new developments

Thanks a million..

Fleeg.

[paul2008]

Hey everyone...

100%..Probably could do with four or five, as I use a wee mouse..also USB2-driven..don't like touch-pad, and when I connect printer, they're all gone, as I only have three..leaves no room for a flash drive, which I also find very handy.

Please give me your thoughts...especially re. new developments

Thanks a million..

Fleeg.

External USB hub for example Link to example at amazon

My acer has 4 that's enough for usb wireless keyboard and mouse and everything else I need. All new laptops have vista now so if you want xp will have install it yourself.

[johannes]

Hey everyone...

One thing.. don't have enough USB2 ports, as use an O2 mobile modem when travelling, which commands one of them 100%..Probably could do with four or five, as I use a wee mouse..also USB2-driven..don't like touch-pad, and when I connect printer, they're all gone, as I only have three..leaves no room for a flash drive, which I also find very handy.

Please give me your thoughts...especially re. new developments

Thanks a million..

Fleeg.

What about useing a power supplied USB-Hub? PCMI-Card?

[paul2008]

Hub splits usb so if you plug 4 pen drives in your computer will see 4 pen drives. Only thing is it splits the power so you should not plug usb powered devices (usb modem, usb battery charger, usb powered fan etc) in it or may overload your usb port and can blow it. Usb powered hupb or card another option.

Vista is better now but when I got it, I could not install all XP programs, including bizzarely MS outlook. Had to be quite imaginitive and creative, also could not get drivers for some hardware. These should all be fixed now. So should just be a matter of getting used to vista's quirks and different layouts. I miss XP but am having trouble using the XP machines at work because I am used to some vista features now. Of course you need to make sure you buy the right strenght of vista although i just use the one I got (home premium- I think) and it can be forced to do almost anything I need to do.

[Zoggite]

Fleegs, will you be looking to sell on your present XP laptop? I might be interested...

[Fleegle]

Sorry, Zoggs, but my daughter has already staked her claim..thanks for the offer!...Is XP better than Vista, or is it just a case of getting used to the new system?

[Zoggite]

Sorry, Zoggs, but my daughter has already staked her claim..thanks for the offer!?

Pants! I've been pipped to the post, again!

Is XP better than Vista, or is it just a case of getting used to the new system?

No idea, I think it's just the fear of the unknown for me, plus the idea of giving Bill Gates even more dosh that annoys me...
Apparently, Vista chews up a lot more processing power than XP, and the likes of us really don't need all the bells & whistles that it brings...
Plus you'll have to make sure any software you get later is Vista-compatible, which'll probably mean dearer too...
Why fix it if it ain't broke? I'm quite happy with XP, me!

[Fleegle]

I don't like the look of this Vista thing at all. I don't download music (I have a hi-fi), Movies (I have sky movies, and 4 DVD players) or many photos (I have quite a good memory)...Why force upon us what we clearly don't need?...

XP rules!

[paul2008]

I don't like the look of this Vista thing at all. I don't download music (I have a hi-fi), Movies (I have sky movies, and 4 DVD players) or many photos (I have quite a good memory)...Why force upon us what we clearly don't need?...

XP rules!

Are red cars better than green cars?

But seriously with Vista I have got a little dependent on the calender features, just click to clock and up comes a calender for you to play with which does not change the computers date. It also has a side bar which is quite fun: the early version apparently let people take over your computer or something but is fixed now, mine shows me the weather outside as well as a real clock and has a very handy little notepad, which you can flick through. Apparently you can make it look like XP and I don't use half the multimedia software that came with the machine.


These days you have a choice between Vista and Ubuntu (or another linux system) , which I am told is very user friendly and secure these days. You can even get full support for it including a help line but I don't know how much that costs.

[the old merlin]

There's only one word.


Mac.