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]

Re: Need a new laptop

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]

Re: Need a new laptop

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]

Re: Need a new laptop

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]

Re: Need a new laptop

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

[Fleegle]

Re: Need a new laptop

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]

Re: Need a new laptop

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]

Re: Need a new laptop

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]

Re: Need a new laptop

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]

Re: Need a new laptop

There's only one word.


Mac.

[paul2008]

Re: Need a new laptop

There's only one word.


Mac.

A good word if you can afford it although you still have to lion or leopard taming if you've never played with the big cats before.

[Fleegle]

Re: Need a new laptop

Paul..

That has been some serious advice..thankyou for your trouble, as you've cleared up pretty much all of my concerns about getting the new machine..we both appear to be content with Big Bill's microsoft presentations, and I was glad to hear you prefer the XP format..as you said..if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Merlin..

One of my best friends has a very successful Graphic Design business in Edinburgh. He SWEARS by MacIntosh..and I have to admit, having seen his work, I must agree..It's unbelievably good..
He also thinks microsoft is "so full of glitches it's not worth the effort". I know he's right, but watching him work on his computer is like watching Ali winning a fight..he uses a "speed-mouse"..totally out of my league...think I'll stick with the old Bill just now, and take a course in computing!!

Fleeg.

[Zoggite]

Re: Need a new laptop

My 72-year-old mother is a photographer, and she has just bought herself her first Mac (iBook Pro I think): she has also come to the conclusion that Macs are better for the "Creatively-minded", i.e. Graphics designers, artisticky-people etc...
I don't fall into that category, I'm more yer scientisty-type, like my dad...
Incidentally, you can still find brand new laptops with XP installed, and also quite a few I've seen in the specialised press that come with Vista pre-installed, but supplied with XP on a disk, "Windows XP-downgradeable"! So obviously there must still be some demand for it!

[Web Ferret]

Re: Need a new laptop

Vista is a bit of a nightmare - Took me 2 days to get my new vista laptop to talk to my XP desktop over the wireless link.
I have de-tuned vista to turn off all the fancy graphics that just slow the PC down and now it runs fine.
If getting a vista machine you need at least 2GB of RAM or it will be really slow.

If I had the choice again I would stick with XP.

[Fleegle]

Re: Need a new laptop

I have revived this thread one year on because I need a new laptop again. Still not a fan of vista though. Still using XP as I type. Have now used new office 2007 and think it's just a glammed up version of 2003. I find it harder to operate as well. Sometimes spend ages trying to find a simple task in the toolbars.

Anyway..if vista is the way forward..please post some suggestions re the best machine (I'm anti-Mac) to drive it, and perhaps a website or two which will allow me to operate vista a bit more easily.

Thanks guys,

Fleeg.