Date: Mon, 07 Jul 2003 15:45:20 -0400 From: Jesse Guardiani <jesse@wingnet.net> To: freebsd-mobile@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Choosing a new laptop Message-ID: <becij7$5e2$1@main.gmane.org> References: <20030703011407.GM29066@wantadilla.lemis.com>
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Greg 'groggy' Lehey wrote: > I've decided it's time for a new laptop. In the past I've been > relatively happy with Dell, but their web site is driving me to > distraction (want info about Latitudes? Tell them you have a home > office and they'll give you Inspiron instead). Questions to you: > > 1. Which brand? IBM, if you can afford it. > 2. Which model? I hear the T series has pretty good battery life. I personally have an A30p. Battery life sucks (1 hr avg), but I've got good power (1.2Ghz PIII), 1600x1200, and an excellent keyboard. I got mine used for $1,350 on ebay. Everything but the winmodem works with FreeBSD, including firewire and 802.11b wireless. > > I use laptops when travelling and for presentations. For the former I > want long battery life and high resolution (preferably 1600x1200). > For the latter I need something that will feed run-of-the-mill data > projectors at 1024x768 and with enough grunt to run an increasingly > lethargic Acrobat Reader without noticeable delay. My A30p has TV out and an external VGA port. Projectors are no problem. Lots of grunt too, but again, crap battery life. T series is good for battery life. However, the larger the screen, the shorter the battery life. > I'm suspicious of > the new wide screen versions because of potential problems with the > data projectors; I'm suspicious because I don't think I'd get the same # of square inches on a wide screen model. I think it's a marketing trick. 17 inches of wide screen isn't the same # of square inches as 17 inches of a normal aspect ratio. > if people can allay these concerns, I'd be quite > happy to have a wide-screen model. I also want a keyboard which I can > remap and a touchpad which works; a third mouse button would, of > course, be a good idea. Thinkpad's trackpoint shows up as a normal PS/2 mouse. Three buttons. Fully working keyboard. Even the sound volume control works as it's hardware based. Mute is slick. :) -- Jesse Guardiani, Systems Administrator WingNET Internet Services, P.O. Box 2605 // Cleveland, TN 37320-2605 423-559-LINK (v) 423-559-5145 (f) http://www.wingnet.net
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