I did a search and found a couple of threads asking about laptops, brands and such, but they were a little bit old. Here’s the thing. We’re looking for a computer to send to college with our daughter, and instead of the PC we got for our son, she wants a laptop. She found a notebook by Toshiba that she really likes, at least in the catalogue, and her dad has been trying to get a look at one in person, but nobody seems to have them in stock. He’s concerned about the swivel connection, especially since the salesman in one store told him that sometimes that area was vulnerable. I’m wondering if the guy was just trying to sell him the extended warranty, but I don’t know. So I’m appealing to all you computer people here. The questions are:
Is that connection area going to be a problem, since everything goes through there and it moves?
She wants to take class notes on it. Is it going to be effective for that, or will it be too slow or require too much back-tracking later, as the computer interprets her handwriting to make words it can recognize?
Please understand, I’m not just talking about Toshiba here, but anything you can tell me about notebooks, or any recommendations will be appreciated. Thanks.
Terminology alert: laptop and notebook are synonyms. It sounds like you’re talking about a tablet, which has a rotating screen that you can fold over the keyboard, and write on it like a sheet of paper.
I can’t say how practical these actually are in everyday use. I’ve tried them in stores and although the concept is nice, the execution leaves a bit to be desired. I think your daughter should find a tablet somewhere and use it extensively to see if she likes it - I’d imagine it’s highly dependent on personal preference. Last time I looked, CompUSA had tablets on display.
I can say that, at MIT, a place where you’d expect to see lots of people adopting new technology, I’ve seen very few people using tablets in the past year. Many people bring computers to class, but tablets just haven’t taken off.
Personally, I would be worried about the durability of the hinge, especially on a Toshiba - I haven’t been especially impressed with their quality. If she absolutely wants a tablet, I’d recommend the IBM model. It’s pricey, but you get what you pay for. A review of it is available here.
In our office we’ve had two Toshiba laptops (out of the 5 total we have) fail. Both are about a year old. I’m not too keen on anything made by Toshiba at the moment.
YMMV.
Before buying anything, check with the school as they may recommend particular brands or models.
As for tablets, they’re still in that “Neat thing, but…” or “executive toy” category. I wouldn’t recommend one for being schlepped around campus in a backpack.
You’re right, tablet is what I meant to say. I tried to tell my husband he should write the post, but he didn’t do it, so he left it to me to mess up. This may turn out to something we don’t want to take a chance on, 'cause we sure can’t afford to replace it, and neither can the kid.
I agree with gotpasswords. Some schools have arrangements to sell certain models to students at a discount, and the university technology department may be able to provide some support for the selected models. Also, make sure to purchase a security cable for the computer and make sure she uses it religiously. It’s very easy for a computer left on a table in the library to be stolen and then you’re out the cost of the computer plus whatever files she has on it. You might also check if an insurance plan is available for the computer, both against theft and damage.
I just want to say that I love my Mac G4 PowerBook. The more I use the Mac, the less I like the PC.
bus kid went to college last summer with her I-Book and will never go back, she loves it. Any Windows applications she needs to run convert easily, and she has no issues with connecting to the school’s network. Her school has discount agreements with Apple, but she got this before she went.
Ditto on the security cable, even in the room, it should be connected all the time.
Look into a wireless router for her, she can enable the security (the school will probably require her anyway to protect their network), and sit on the bed, the floor, or even down the hall in the lounge and be working online, she’ll thank you a million times.
Slight hijack - this is true in consumer parlance. The manufacturers, however, seem to have all switched to using the “notebook” term.
I have to suspect that this has to do with legal liability. The last three “laptops” I bought have all come with a note basically saying: “Due to heat production, don’t use on your lap.”