Laptops

[Lisa]

I am possibly looking into getting a used laptop. I'm looking at some ads, but I can't even understand alot of what they are saying. All I need is something I can write papers or a novel on, maybe listen to some music, go on the internet and thats about it. I don't need anything fancy or high-tech. Can anyone tell me what I should look for? Size of the RAM or hard drive, things like that? What brands are the best? Which are not so good? That kind of thing.

 

[tifflunn]

I have a toshiba Satellite lap top A70- I like it no problem with storage and stuff- I had to send it in because it kept shutting down turns out- I would lay on the floor working on it and the fan would suck up fibers from the carpet- messed up my power supply- it was covered under warrenty- they suggested I put it on a small T.V. tray then put it on the floor- all is good now. I could not tell what is in it though- it does all my didgitizing and I have a couple of novels stored on it and have only used a 1/16 of the memory- I can look up more about if needed.

Tiffany

 

[Bluerocket]

Don't get a Hewlett Packard -- I had one and had lots of problems with it.

If I were buying one now -- I would get a DELL -- they have great service (at your house too).. that is worth paying for.

JJ

 

[Jill]

I currently have a Toshiba A45, and it's probably the 5th Toshiba laptop I have had. The hard drive crashed a couple months ago, when it was less than one year old, but that is really the only problem I have had out of the Toshiba laptops I have had. I replace them for faster ones to run client proposals, as the technology evolves, not because they have broken.

 

[CAM]

We had the Toshiba Satellite too and liked it alot until it had so many viruses it wouldn't even open email or the internet. Had to have the hard drive erased and reinstalled. We have since gotten smart and gotten better virus software from outside the US (& FREE!). I guess Norton and McAfee (sp) are made in the US and have to abide by our copyright laws which means, due to freedom of speech, etc., they cannot block those pop-ups which is where many of the viruses come from (at least that is what I'm told). We have purchased another now, a Dell, and just love it. Wish I could tell you more about RAMs and GB but I don't know much there. If I were to do it again I would go to a computer repair shop and ask them what they recommend and they see the ones that go bad. Good luck on your search!

 

[Farmhand]

We had the Toshiba Satellite too and liked it alot until it had so many viruses it wouldn't even open email or the internet. Had to have the hard drive erased and reinstalled. We have since gotten smart and gotten better virus software from outside the US (& FREE!). I guess Norton and McAfee (sp) are made in the US and have to abide by our copyright laws which means, due to freedom of speech, etc., they cannot block those pop-ups which is where many of the viruses come from (at least that is what I'm told). We have purchased another now, a Dell, and just love it. Wish I could tell you more about RAMs and GB but I don't know much there. If I were to do it again I would go to a computer repair shop and ask them what they recommend and they see the ones that go bad. Good luck on your search! 

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You can download a free program http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

it will tell you everything about your computer. As for the virus' get spywareblaster, adaware, & spybot. Keep everything up-to-date. These are NOT virus protection programs, they are for "Malware, spyware"

The three links below are for the spyware, malware.

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

As for laptops, check here:

http://www.pcmag.com/products/0,,qn=Laptop...op+Rated,00.asp

And here:

http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,a...b111703x,00.asp

 

[tifflunn]

Sorry- I forgot to add that mine was under warrenty- I was not expecting it back for a couple of weeks- I got it back the next day- no charge- So do not forget the warrenty part- we did have to take it to the next town.

Tiffany

 

[justanothercowgirl]

I have an IBM thinkpad, I bought it from a friend who buys laptops that have been leased by businesses and resells them. I have had it for about three years now and have never had a problem with it!!