laptop recommendation?

Get one with a HDMI port... To handle future "media" needs when they come up...

Just my 2 cents...

Comparison MacBook Air & iMac

I know they are more expensive but....

You may just want to get a netbook with a 6-cell battery - looking at 6-8 hours of battery life with one of these low power-use units. They're great for email, and light Internet/other use. Make sure it's a 6 cell battery though, as not all are supplied with one (many are 3-cell).

They exist in the USD$200-350 range for new and/or refurbished. Used ones aren't selling for much less right now on ebay and craigslist unless they are much older and considerably less useful. Also with used units, the batteries tend to have less life in 'em.

Range-wise, I'd imagine that all of these systems mentioned are bound by the type of antenna they have, and dependent upon if it's internal or external. Essentially they should all be somewhat similar unless they have an external antenna somehow.

Me thinks it's better to get the type of unit you need, and if you need more antenna range, buy something as an add-on that'll get you that. This has been discussed here before in numerous threads.

The netbooks at geeks.com (they're in Oceanside, CA) tend to start at $200, but it doesn't look that way right now. It's an ever-changing lineup of what's available. I don't see any that note 6-cell battery either - but you can keep checking back:
http://www.geeks.com/products_sc.asp?cat=1208

Geeks.com also has this USB adapter:
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=BLK-USB-WLAN-ADA-2&a...

For higher range than this, check out what these suppliers have:
http://www.wifi-link.com
http://www.radiolabs.com

More being discussed here:
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=47214

If you can find a tablet computer that works for you on all counts you're looking for (including budget) it might also be the way to go.

Really styling there Russ... mobile and desktop... nice setup... is that your weather station to the left in the picture...

Oh.. your desk is way to neat....

[Edited on 8-28-2011 by wessongroup]

yea russ...
aren't they supposed to look something like this...

Get a netbook 10-11 in. display

We just bought a new Gateway 17 1/2 in display, its our desktop. also just bought two netbooks, one is ASUS the other is a HP,we can take either to another room, or outdoors so we can both be online at the same time. pay attention to the battery info provided earlier. We are amazed by the battery time of the two mini's. we now use them for our frequent trips NOB. I am partial to the ASUS. I ordered it with XP rather than Windows 7.

Dave

Just remember that if your primary purpose is email - that netbooks are superb for this, cost less than a typical laptop/notebook, and with a 6-cell battery will have longer battery life.

Here's one to look at right now, it's a manufacturer refurbished ASUS from Tiger Direct for $200:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-det...

Save the shipping cost (in 48 states) by ordering from Tiger Direct (at least on this one) via eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Asus-Eee-PC-1005HAB-RBLU005S-Refurbi...

Some great info ... thanks... it all helps...

Another ... buy used or refurbished by mfg. ... one or two years can make difference and you can find out how "good" they are by reviews .. unless you have to have a new what ever... just saying



[Edited on 8-29-2011 by wessongroup]

[Edited on 8-29-2011 by wessongroup]

Have you ever tried to get warranty service?

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaNomad Quote: Originally posted by windgrrl Why not just buy new, reliable and cheap from a good local shop and get warranty? Have you ever tried to get warranty service?

That's something that has really changed... big time..

Had two under extended warranty from apple a G5 tower and a 17" laptop.... the G5 was found by the "genius" at the "Apple Store in once cases to have had a spill, warranty void ... the other an authorized Dealer with repair in San Diego ... we drove up from Baja for that rejection ... small dent on a corner...

Seems Apple has changed it fix it approach under warranty... any scratches, dents... spills ... all void the extended three year warranty...

Thanks Apple ... know you guys are really hurting... to bad you stop servicing anything which you can prevent by external inspection, rather than fixing... what broke...

On my last purchase, of a new 17' Apple laptop this year.. I did not buy the warranty... as I know there we be something which will be found as an "exception" ... I live 24/7 with a computer...

I'm in bed 24/7.. with a mobile tray across my bed... I eat, drink, work if one can call doing your checking work, and live in bed... and sometimes the laptop gets a bid dirty from my use.. and sometimes I even get scratches on things... that's the way I am with tools... they are for work... ya used them... not keeping them in their original containers...

Agree totally on the point about repairs... I do my own now... and if the cost to repair is to high ... I part it out.. on eBay..

I made more parting out the G5 which Apple would not fix selling on ebay to pay for half the cost of my new Apple laptop... from Shanghai China ... where repairs appear to be going too... also have broken down the laptop and found someone in AL that will replace the logic board for $400 dollars .. send in the old and get a new one... Apples costs to replace the logic board ... $1,300 dollars.. hell I bought it used for $1,400 .. 17"/2.4 gHz/250HD.. with 4 gig ram...

Again... I used to know a lot of folks who used to work Apple back in the 80's .... it used to be a great place to work ... and their products have always given me what "I" needed to get my work done .... no matter what I needed... could always find a way with Apple and the applications which used to be out there for the Apple...

Just to ramble... recall a "graphics" program developed by Silicon Software (was bought up by Adobe) ... it was one app... which one could do just about anything with ... Adobe... who snapped up their code and incorporated all into to what we now have with Adobe Creative suites and their rather creative prices for the graphics programs and/or suites'... along with annual updates for at least 100 or so... to keep up with the the "package and stay current"...

That app, from Silicon Software... was ... $115.00 USD with fee upgrades... that's right can you remember that upgrades used to be free... now those were the good old days...

For Adobe ... I still have an old G4 dual 1.25 which I used in the for our security camera, has a couple of old hd for back up ... and for running and old Adobe CS2 and some other software which has not been rewritten for OSX... and this old one run's both platforms OSX and the old OS9 classic.. which allows me to still used software over 10 years old... and which is perfectly still good...

Know they have made improvements in Photoshop, and the rest of the suite ... however, my uses today are not the same as they were 10 years ago... so it all works just fine for me.. the old and the new...

Still find Apples interface more to my liking.. and we also have PC's... A HP 17" laptop and a Gateway 17" laptop ... both work just fine ... but, I always find myself back to my Apple.. been too long with them.. wouldn't like to redo all the software.. for marginal improvements ... as wysiwyg on both platforms pretty much today......

Some really good thoughts from this thread .... thanks to all... again...



[Edited on 8-30-2011 by wessongroup]

[Edited on 8-30-2011 by wessongroup]

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaNomad Quote: Originally posted by windgrrl Why not just buy new, reliable and cheap from a good local shop and get warranty? Have you ever tried to get warranty service?

Yup - tried and succeeded with a Gateway bought at a big box store once (mi esposa spent many hours on hold to find out how to get service). We mailed the laptop away to Texas and it came back better than new. After that, we switched back to buying at an independent locally owned shop. Trying to get warranty on anything these days is a major undertaking, but then, computer stuff does become rapidly obsolete so maybe it's a wash?






[Edited on 9-2-2011 by BajaNomad]

Quote:

Originally posted by windgrrl Yup - tried and succeeded with a Gateway bought at a big box store once (mi esposa spent many hours on hold to find out how to get service). We mailed the laptop away to Texas and it came back better than new. After that, we switched back to buying at an independent locally owned shop. Trying to get warranty on anything these days is a major undertaking, but then, computer stuff does become rapidly obsolete so maybe it's a wash?

Thank you for sharing.

From my own experience, and from what I've heard from others, the experience rarely meets - if even approaches - expectations.

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaNomad From my own experience, and from what I've heard from others, the experience rarely meets - if even approaches - expectations.

Expect the worst and life will be a gratifying ordeal.