OT - Getting A Portable Computer
 

I find that I am traveling more and more and I am looking to get a
laptop that allows me to use the Internet on the road.

How have others approached this need?

I am talking about using a SMALL portable with dialup/wireless as one
travels.

Any brands and accessories that you would recommend?

And as always cost is a factor since I wish to shed no tears if the
unit suffers loss or damage while traveling. Any used laptops that
work well for this type of usage?

I am currently looking at the Dell Latitude L400 series as a candidate
for this function. Comments?

Thanks

TMT

OT - Getting A Portable Computer
 

"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
ups.com...
I find that I am traveling more and more and I am looking to get a
laptop that allows me to use the Internet on the road.

How have others approached this need?

I am talking about using a SMALL portable with dialup/wireless as one
travels.

Any brands and accessories that you would recommend?

And as always cost is a factor since I wish to shed no tears if the
unit suffers loss or damage while traveling. Any used laptops that
work well for this type of usage?

I am currently looking at the Dell Latitude L400 series as a candidate
for this function. Comments?

Thanks

My son has the larger Latitude at school, for over a year now, and it
appears to be pretty tough. He's had no problems with it at all and he drags
it back and forth to the library, and he takes the train home with it, and
so on. I don't know if the guts are the same for the small one.

--
Ed Huntress

OT - Getting A Portable Computer
 

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
I find that I am traveling more and more and I am looking to get a
laptop that allows me to use the Internet on the road.

How have others approached this need?

I am talking about using a SMALL portable with dialup/wireless as one
travels.

Any brands and accessories that you would recommend?

And as always cost is a factor since I wish to shed no tears if the
unit suffers loss or damage while traveling. Any used laptops that
work well for this type of usage?

I am currently looking at the Dell Latitude L400 series as a candidate
for this function. Comments?

Toshiba laptops are on sale at bestbuy
a couple times a month at well under
$500. I've bought several over the years
and never had a bit of problems with them

OT - Getting A Portable Computer
 

I have been using Thinkpads for my business since 1994 and they are
very resilient. I generally get a two year old design at a reasonable
price although they go at a premium to a Dell. The TP 600X is an
older machine but its a good size and was reliable. I now am using an
X20 series.

My son travels ever week and had good luck with Thinkpads, then his
company switched to Dell laptops and they last about a year. He has
to keep sheets of paper between the screen and keyboard to keep the
screen from being scratched by the keys. The Dells also run very hot
sometimes so hot they aren't comfortable on your lap.

Howard

On Sep 19, 4:14 pm, Too_Many_Tools wrote:
I find that I am traveling more and more and I am looking to get a
laptop that allows me to use the Internet on the road.

How have others approached this need?

I am talking about using a SMALL portable with dialup/wireless as one
travels.

Any brands and accessories that you would recommend?

And as always cost is a factor since I wish to shed no tears if the
unit suffers loss or damage while traveling. Any used laptops that
work well for this type of usage?

I am currently looking at the Dell Latitude L400 series as a candidate
for this function. Comments?

Thanks

TMT

OT - Getting A Portable Computer
 

My two kids and I both have Averatec 3270s, which have been working
fine. I'm the only one to have had any hardware problems (LCD
invertor failed), and replacing it was easy. My wife has one of the
bigger Averatecs, and has also been happy with it.

This is about as small as I'd recommend -- I had a Sony Vaio 505 for
several years, and the 90% size keys drove me nuts...

OT - Getting A Portable Computer
 

Too_Many_Tools wrote:


I am currently looking at the Dell Latitude L400 series as a candidate
for this function. Comments?

Thanks

TMT


Why do you want to buy a 5 year old computer?

Since you obviously don't mind used, get a used 12" Mac Powerbook. And
run OSX n it. You won't be able to run Windows on that machine, because
those did not have the Intel chip yet.

They can be found easily on eBay. Anywher from about $400, and up. Way
up. They seem to sell for as much as new Macbooks, and more. I guess
they are that popular, because of their small handy traveling size. The
new 13" Macbooks are powerful little machines, and on those you can run
Windows also.

My son has one of them. He travels with it everywhere. To and from
school, on vacation, you name it.

--
Abrasha
http://www.abrasha.com

OT - Getting A Portable Computer
 

On Sep 19, 3:14 pm, Too_Many_Tools wrote:
I find that I am traveling more and more and I am looking to get a
laptop that allows me to use the Internet on the road.

How have others approached this need?

I am talking about using a SMALL portable with dialup/wireless as one
travels.

Any brands and accessories that you would recommend?

And as always cost is a factor since I wish to shed no tears if the
unit suffers loss or damage while traveling. Any used laptops that
work well for this type of usage?

I am currently looking at the Dell Latitude L400 series as a candidate
for this function. Comments?

Thanks

TMT

Thanks for the responses so far.

I mention the Dell Latitude L400 because it is SMALL and cheap. This
computer needs to be both...for portability and if it is lost, stolen
or dies from road duty I will not shed a tear.

Today's computers tend to be larger than what I want to haul around.

Today's computers with their larger screens and faster processors also
have dismal runtimes due to high power requirments.

TMT

OT - Getting A Portable Computer
 

"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
ups.com...
I find that I am traveling more and more and I am looking to get a
laptop that allows me to use the Internet on the road.

How have others approached this need?

I am talking about using a SMALL portable with dialup/wireless as one
travels.

Any brands and accessories that you would recommend?

And as always cost is a factor since I wish to shed no tears if the
unit suffers loss or damage while traveling. Any used laptops that
work well for this type of usage?

I am currently looking at the Dell Latitude L400 series as a candidate
for this function. Comments?

Thanks

TMT


What is the budget? Go to the box store and give them that...they will give
you a box.

OT - Getting A Portable Computer
 

Howard wrote:
I have been using Thinkpads for my business since 1994 and they are
very resilient. I generally get a two year old design at a reasonable
price although they go at a premium to a Dell. The TP 600X is an
older machine but its a good size and was reliable. I now am using an
X20 series.

My son travels ever week and had good luck with Thinkpads, then his
company switched to Dell laptops and they last about a year. He has
to keep sheets of paper between the screen and keyboard to keep the
screen from being scratched by the keys. The Dells also run very hot
sometimes so hot they aren't comfortable on your lap.

Howard



Plus one on the Thinkpads. Mine spends a lot of time at the
racetrack, and it's a dirty bumpy environment. No hiccups yet.

You should go to your local 'real' computer store, and ask if they
have any off-lease laptops for sale. They typically are good quality
units, and sell for about a third of new prices , with a warranty.

Pete


--
Pete Snell
Department of Physics
Royal Military College

---------------------------------------------------------------------

You can't have everything. (Where would you put it?)

OT - Getting A Portable Computer
 

Check the Compusa sales. I got a laptop for $350 after rebates (2
month wait). Needed $100 memory. It's a new laptop origionly designed
for xp with vista on it.
Karl


On Sep 19, 10:14 am, Too_Many_Tools wrote:
I find that I am traveling more and more and I am looking to get a
laptop that allows me to use the Internet on the road.

How have others approached this need?

I am talking about using a SMALL portable with dialup/wireless as one
travels.

Any brands and accessories that you would recommend?

And as always cost is a factor since I wish to shed no tears if the
unit suffers loss or damage while traveling. Any used laptops that
work well for this type of usage?

I am currently looking at the Dell Latitude L400 series as a candidate
for this function. Comments?

Thanks

TMT