Please Help My Dad's Business Stay Afloat!
August 30, 2010 11:18 AM Subscribe
Good and cheap laptop rental in Minneapolis/western suburbs?
My older father took a pretty bad fall last week, and he is now in the hospital with a neck brace. It looks like he'll probably end up in a nursing facility for a few weeks while he heals. Problem is, he needs to be connected to the Internet and run his financial services software while he's recuperating so that his business stays afloat--but his computer is a desktop, and obviously a little bulky to transport.
That said, I need to try to rent a laptop for him so that he can maintain the business, but I am coming up with awfully little through Google searches!
Can anybody recommend a good laptop rental place in town!
Much thanks ahead of time.....
My older father took a pretty bad fall last week, and he is now in the hospital with a neck brace. It looks like he'll probably end up in a nursing facility for a few weeks while he heals. Problem is, he needs to be connected to the Internet and run his financial services software while he's recuperating so that his business stays afloat--but his computer is a desktop, and obviously a little bulky to transport.
That said, I need to try to rent a laptop for him so that he can maintain the business, but I am coming up with awfully little through Google searches!
Can anybody recommend a good laptop rental place in town!
Much thanks ahead of time.....
Not to be snarky, but with new full sized laptops going for sub 400s at this point, you may be better off buying him a new laptop, if not getting a 100-200 used laptop off craigslist.
posted by edman at 11:24 AM on August 30, 2010
posted by edman at 11:24 AM on August 30, 2010
I don't mean to be unhelpful, and I realize it isn't an answer to your question, but laptop rental is a very dicey business to be in, as you're lending things that are expensive and fragile. It is also not cheap, you're going to spend at least $100 a week and will have to leave a sizable deposit. This is probably why you aren't coming up with much.
I did a search on "laptop repair minneapolis" and came up with a handful of mom and pop shops, many of whom are selling used laptops. If I was in your shoes I would start by calling them and seeing if they know anyone who rents out laptops, or if they have a cheap used laptop you could buy for less than it will probably cost you to rent one.
posted by micawber at 11:25 AM on August 30, 2010
I did a search on "laptop repair minneapolis" and came up with a handful of mom and pop shops, many of whom are selling used laptops. If I was in your shoes I would start by calling them and seeing if they know anyone who rents out laptops, or if they have a cheap used laptop you could buy for less than it will probably cost you to rent one.
posted by micawber at 11:25 AM on August 30, 2010
Laptops aren't generally things you can rent one at a time. Major corporations may lease them in hundred-lots, but everyone else basically just springs for the $350.
posted by valkyryn at 11:34 AM on August 30, 2010
posted by valkyryn at 11:34 AM on August 30, 2010
I don't know that people would lend their laptops, but its worth a shot trying a site that allows people to lend stuff out, like LendAround, NeighboorGoods, or even the Freecycle group local to your dad's area. I've never tried the first two sites so I don't know how well they work. People on Freecycle are generally nice folk, but I'm not sure that they would loan out laptops.
If that doesn't work, you could just buy your dad a cheap laptop. I imagine that would be a nice get-well-soon gift :)
posted by lovelygirl at 3:51 PM on August 30, 2010
If that doesn't work, you could just buy your dad a cheap laptop. I imagine that would be a nice get-well-soon gift :)
posted by lovelygirl at 3:51 PM on August 30, 2010
I don't know about your financial situation, yet first thing came into my mind was iPad. Reasons, if he is in nursing facility and bed ridden due to neck issues, working on laptop will be difficult. Its relatively easy to use iPad. The cost is almost as a basic laptop.
On the top of that, his head turns complete silver, it will be easier for him to carry relatively lightweight iPad than a laptop.
Not recommending netbooks due to their tiny screen. He may not be comfortable with those. (iPad is not the largest but I liked iPad screen compared to the netbooks)
posted by zaxour at 11:16 AM on September 1, 2010
On the top of that, his head turns complete silver, it will be easier for him to carry relatively lightweight iPad than a laptop.
Not recommending netbooks due to their tiny screen. He may not be comfortable with those. (iPad is not the largest but I liked iPad screen compared to the netbooks)
posted by zaxour at 11:16 AM on September 1, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
That's probably because laptops can be purchased outright so cheaply these days that there's no reason to rent. It's like renting an MP3 player.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 11:23 AM on August 30, 2010