Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with notebook

I'm a PC

jak68 — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:04:58 -0800

mac purchase advice: I'd like to pick up a used mac laptop on ebay for under $400. What specs or models should I look for that will give me the least buyers regret? ie, how fast a processor do i need? Should I choose a g3? g4? intel processors? how much memory do i need? etc.

I dont need usb 2.0, i dont need pc card slot, just wireless and a cdrom drive.

Mainly my concern is to not pick up something that is dog slow. I guess i'd like it to be able to run the latest OS (is that possible on older macs?)

I dont know diddly about macs by the way. I"m a pc guy all the way (and will remains so ;) but I want to experiment with macs a bit to prepare for a school-related project that will involve some macs.

Help me find an affordable gaming laptop

Kudos — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:24:02 -0800

Cheap gaming laptop recommendations Catering more to the cheap side than the gaming. I'd like to be able to run hl2/orange box, spore, and eventually starcraft 2, and maybe some wow. I've been looking at the dell xps m1530s, and the configuration would be around $1,300. Is there something of equal power that i can get for cheaper? I've had little luck. Thanks.

Having the balls to carry around a trackball...

curagea — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:07:14 -0800

Good-sized portable trackballs: do they exist? My supervisor gave me a Logiech Marble Mouse some months ago, knowing that I have wrist problems when working at my computer. I love this thing to pieces, since it's a lot easier to work with than mice when I don't have a lot of desk space, and my wrist has been complaining less these days about carpal pain. Also, it fits my hand perfectly (I have big hands).

Trouble is, fits perfectly = not very portable. I've been shopping around online and some retail stores for portable trackballs to carry with my laptop, but there isn't much love. I've found this, but the trackball seems a bit too miniscule (in contrast with the big red ball on the Marble Mouse, which makes scrolling less of an effort). Then there's the Fellowes trackball, which is made for being held in the hand - and I want something to put on the desk. But then, it's the closest thing to what I'm looking for in the "perfect" portable trackball.

So, trackball users (if any), are there any other portable options? Or should I just lug my Marble Mouse around? Note that I actually don't mind doing that, it's just that the less bulk in my bag, the better.

Is there a Vista equivalent for Office 2004 Mac's "Notebook Layout View"?

zooropa — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:45:38 -0800

A friend of mine is a schoolteacher with the Chicago Public Schools. On his Mac, he uses Office 2004. He was showing me a feature in the Office 2004 version of Word that I really like. It allows you to open up a document in something called "Notebook Layout View" (I think) that simulates a page of ruled notebook paper as if you were writing in a spiral notebook. It even allows you to format a title and heading and other features. Anyone know if there is a Vista equivalent for Office 2007? I tried looking through the templates (both what's included with 2007 and at Microsoft Online) and I can't seem to find anything similar. (and please, no flames or exhortations to "get a Mac!" I'm stuck with I have and there's no changing for the time being) Thanks!

Ultra comfy laptop usage

zaebiz — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 17:46:36 -0800

How can I get a suntan on my back and use my laptop at the same time comfortably? I guess I'm looking for some contraption that lets me comfortably lie on my stomach while having my arms and neck free to type and view. Also interested in indoor options which allow laptop use lying face down. Comfort enabling options for other postures also welcome.

Help me find 'porn' (and decide on a toy) for my female friend.

simplethings — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:57:39 -0800

Can you help me pick a toy and "porn" for my female friend? My best female friend (I'm male, fwiw) recently mentioned that she wanted me to help her find a toy. In the 8 years I've known her she's never masturbated. The furthest she's gone solo is what she calls "squeezing" and it happens randomly about 3 times a year--she'll just wake up in the right position, squeeze and hold her inner thigh muscles for a good 5 minutes. After she does it she'll proudly call me to talk about her accomplishments. Squeezing never gets her an orgasm, it doesn't even get her hot and bothered... it's just mildly pleasurable.
She had a few hang ups on masturbation (e.g. it's scary and unexplored, un-lady-like, doesn't know how, etc.) and she's never taken a mirror down there to even see herself so I'm glad she wants to move in this direction.

Instead of shopping for a toy with her I'd like to surprise her with one. Right now it's a toss up between a Rabbit (a la SATC's Charlotte--my friend is a huge fan) and the oh-so-popular Hitachi Magic Wand. Which do you think would be the best for a first-time masturbator (with a good amount of experience in the intercourse department)?

I'd also like to include visual stimulation to get her in the mood but porn actually turns her off.
The only sure fire video I know of that gets her extremely horny is The Notebook. It's so potent that she regularly uses it with foreplay when with her fiance.
I'm looking for similar movies/tv episodes/video clips that have this same appeal (and are available for purchase or download). I'm not exactly sure what it is about The Notebook that turns on the heat for her so I'm hoping someone here can relate.
It might be the guy in me talking but I feel like it should be short. I personally wouldn't want to be watching TV for 2 hours just to pump one out... but, I could be (and probably am) wrong. Maybe it's the plot and character development that turn her on and a 3 minute clip isn't enough to realize the depth of one's soul?

Any ideas?

Best keyboard skin for Mac Air? Best shell?

jeffmacintyre — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 07:11:59 -0800

Best keyboard skin for Macbook Air? Best shell case (not for carrying)? I've used keyboard skins in the past but gone away from them because I'm lazy and hate whipping them off before closing the unit. When I don't, the covering can smear the monitor of my old Powerbook. (Duh.)

With my new Air, is there a next-gen keyboard skin that avoids this problem? I plan to resell this Air if Apple introduces a Penryn model next month, so I'm invested in keeping this unit in mint condition.

Also, is there a shell case people recommend that doesn't present overheating complications?

What's a light, but not lightweight, laptop?

Newbornstranger — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 14:18:08 -0800

Can you recommend powerful, yet light notebook computer for my injured mother? My mom has carpal tunnel and arthritis in both wrists, and can't use a computer keyboard. She's been using Dragon Naturally Speaking at work for voice recognition, and she loves it. Now she'd like to buy a laptop so she can use it at home.

So basically, we're looking for as light of a laptop as possible, that comes close to these recommended specifications: CPU: Intel Pentium / 2.4 GHz processor (1.6 GHz dual core processor) or equivalent AMD processor; Memory: 1 GB RAM; L2 Cache: 1 MB), Microsoft Windows XP/Vista. Bluetooth ready. DVD-ROM drive.

I'd love it if the EEEPC or one of it's subnotebook cousins could handle it, but I haven't seen any that quite match those stats. Macbook Air is an interesting option, but that's a little above our budget. Any recommendations?

Quality, durable, leather journal?

MrZero — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:23:04 -0800

I am looking for a blank journal, preferably leather-bound, which will survive for many years and many adventures. Suggestions? Two weeks from right now, I'll be in the air on my first real trip, which is also my honeymoon, and I need to get a journal. I want to devote it solely to travelling, and I'd like it to last long enough to refresh my memories when I'm old and gray. I'd like it to be:

leather-bound, or something else classic,

durable,

small enough for travel,

not a Moleskine (I have enough already),

affordable.

I saw these two threads, but all the answers point at really high-end leather goods. I just want a quality journal. Can I find something like this at a Borders or Barnes and Noble? Other than brands, what characteristics should I look for (i.e. sewn binding, acid-free, "archival," etc.)?

Bonus question, what should I use to write in it?

What accessories do I need for a macbook?

donajo — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:52:15 -0800

First-time laptop buyer: What accessories do I need? I'm buying a MacBook in a few months, my very first laptop, and I'm trying to figure out what kind of accessories and peripherals I will need. I know I need a wireless router and a wireless mouse, but what else should I be thinking about/budgeting for? I'll be using it at home 90% of the time, but I'll also be using it occasionally at research libraries and on vacation. I already have a backpack with a built-in laptop sleeve.

Is there anything else a lifetime desktop-user needs to know about owning a laptop?

Trying to find a laptop that doesn't suck

mr. creosote — Tue, 27 May 2008 20:18:55 -0800

Which brands/models of used laptops should I be looking at if I want (A) something that won't easily break, and (B) to avoid proprietary parts and chipsets? I'm planning to buy used since I'm not doing any gaming, Bluetooth, or any of that stuff... just email, writing work, and the occasional old school game like Civ 3. Since many of you own the kinds of laptops I'm shopping for, maybe you can recount your opinion of your own computers or share some shopping wisdom.

To explain further:

A. Something that won't easily break

Are any brands or models known for being fragile? Two of my old laptops fizzled because of video problems: one was a LCD lamp that went out; the other was the internal video connector that eventually broke from all the opening/closing of the lid. Maybe that's common. I'd also like a well-designed power supply connector that won't split or break. My wife is a Mac user and is constantly pissed at her power supplies getting damaged from regular use... I'd prefer to avoid this kind of problem.

B. Avoid proprietary parts

I once had a Fujitsu notebook that would not accept ANY hard drive except the manufacturer's replacement. I also had HP and Dell laptops that had highly proprietary video, sound, modem, and ethernet drivers which could only be obtained by doing a full OS install from the rescue discs, or by going to the HP/Dell website and getting old, poorly documented drivers that often don't work with newer OS releases. With my last computer, a Dell M50, my rescue disc disappeared and after I lost the original OS I was never able to get the dialup modem working again, no matter how hard I tried. I want no more of this.

I'd also like to not get ripped off on accessories... I'd like to pay $40 for a replacement power adapter, not $110, and maybe have a laptop that uses a quasi-universal type of battery that's easy to find and cheap. Maybe I'm asking too much.

So any ideas on what laptops I should be looking at? Is there a review website that looks at things like this and doesn't just spout performance specs and parrot the manufacturer literature? Also models/brands to avoid would be welcome if you can provide some details.

Help Me Rebuild My iTunes Library

grumblebee — Thu, 08 May 2008 07:39:45 -0800

My Macbook Pro was stolen. Just about the only non-shitty thing about it is that I keep my huge iTunes library on an external drive. All the music files are on the drive, but the data files (library.xml) were on the stolen Mac. I have another Macbook. What's the simplest way I can rebuild my library on it? I don't use playlists or ratings. All I want is the ability to see all my music in iTunes.

The music is now in two places: On the external usb drive and on my iPod.

On the new Macbook I'm using, I have an empty iTunes. Should I add all the music? Plug in my iPod and download from there? Something else?

(By the way, my stolen machine was a 17" Macbook Pro. It has a missing S key on the keyboard and is in generally bad condition. It takes forever to boot up. If anyone sees someone selling it online, let them know they can make more selling it to me. No questions asked. The machine isn't worth much. But there are chapters on it of a book I'm writing.)

Optimal OS for my ultramobile PC?

Phred182 — Tue, 06 May 2008 17:28:55 -0800

What operating system should I use for my Fujitsu U1010 UMPC? A gift that I'll need to show I use, but I also like the form factor: it's the size of a paperback book and weighs a pound or two. It came loaded with Vista Business, which is barely functional on 1G Ram. Battery life is short as well--so a couple of Vista boot cycles and it's dead. Considering XP because I have a spare XP dvd and license, but would like to know about other options. It will be used to edit and distribute office docs; for contact management; and to keep up with email and mefi on the road. I'd really like mobile Team Fortress 2, but since that's not going to happen, my preferred applications are:

MS office or OpenOffice
Skype
Opera
Mp3 player
Tablet functions

My priorities are: 1) speed; 2) battery conservation; and 3) matching all of the original functionality. An additional complication: I have no external cd/dvd drive, so ideally I'd be able to do some kind of usb transfer from my desktop or my 4g flash drive. If the best solution is XP, how do I do it? Any and all suggestions appreciated.

Lenovo T61p alternative?

Popcorn — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 17:42:28 -0800

Alternative to T61p? I'm looking for a laptop that is highly reliable, has a good graphics card and lots of storage. I will use this system for 3d cad, gaming, and basic office tasks. I will be traveling with it extensively and it needs to be able to take a beating. I need good battery life and small size. I'd also like to run XP pro as I've finally made peace with XP and I don't want to start all over with Vista. I'd also like bluetooth support.

I would also like it to have 2 hard drives so that I can back stuff up and easily reformat and reload the C drive from an image without needing an external drive. I like to have my computer configured a certain way and when the gremlins start showing up, I like to just nuke them from orbit and start over from an Acronis image

I saw this thread, which made me want a thinkpad, and I was looking at the T-61p 15". This system seems pretty ideal for my purposes, but what turned me off is the poor battery life and the lack of a second drive. Is there somthing else out there that is comperable but with a second drive and longer battery life?

I'm toying with the idea of not having an optical drive, as it seems like I'm asking for too much in such a small package. I figure without an optical drive, I could get more battery or hard drive in a small package. Is this crazy? I don't buy much software and I rarely burn disks. I'd rather rely on flash memory and network for my data transfer needs

Also, is there a website that is like dpreview.com but for laptops? I like the feature search function that they have.
where I can dial in all my wants and search across all brands and models. I'm finding it a real pain in the ass to go to each manufacturer's website and having to first cut through their marketing-speak to figure out which line is the one I'm looking for and then dealing with their customization process. I've got a good 25 firefox tabs open and it's driving me crazy.

Thanks in advance!

Help buying a dirt-cheap notebook computer

GernBlandston — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:55:21 -0800

I'm looking for an inexpensive, used notebook computer for a 10 year old. It needs to be able to run >= Windows XP, but it will be used mostly for word processing and wireless internet access. No games (at least not as a hardware requirement spec). Ideally something around $100-150 My kid asked for a notebook for their birthday the other day, and my initial reaction was 'no way, too expensive'. But I got to thinking that this is something that they will use quite a bit, and I want to encourage their embracing of useful technologies. They are homeschooled, so I can see it being quite useful for projects they are working on.

However, I don't want to break the bank on it.

Are there reputable places online to make such a purchase? Is it better to go to a local shop? What should I be looking for?

Thank you.

Laptop display is suddenly very dark

sotalia — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 06:54:36 -0800

Weird laptop display problem: A second after starting it up, the screen gets very, very dark. I have a Dell Inspiron 8600, and I'm running Windows XP. When I start it up, I can see the Dell splash screen for a second and then the Windows XP splash screen for a second, but then the screen gets very, very dark. If I stare at it really hard, I can just make out the outline of what's there. I hooked up the laptop to an external monitor, and everything works fine on that. Is this a video card problem? If so, is it something that I can probably fix myself?

Other information that may be relevant: I've been using my laptop in hot, humid tropical climate for the last month, and sometimes tiny ants try to get into the machine.

Black Paper Notebook, not Black, Paper Notebook!

headspace — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:48:23 -0800

I need a black paper notebook! Due to a collision of adjectives, I'm having a hell of a time searching the web for a spiral-bound notebook with smooth black paper (not a black cover, although that would be fine.)

I don't want pastels paper, which is textured, nor do I want loose black paper- I want cheap, smooth black paper, bound into a notebook. I would prefer 4X5 or 5X6, but I'll take up to 8 X 11 1/2.

These sorts of notebooks were widely available a few years ago when Gel Pens were all the rage, but I can't find them now. Any help would be appreciated!

Turning off double tap

chips ahoy — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 13:21:43 -0800

Is it possible to turn off "double tap" on my laptop's touchpad under Win XP? I keep accidentally clicking stuff. There's no setting for this in Control Panel > Mouse, and there's no tabletware in the task tray. Maybe there's a registry setting for this?

Additional power source/ adapter for a Dell Vostro 1500?

caveat empress — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:49:22 -0800

Additional power source/ adapter for a Dell Vostro 1500? I recently got my first laptop and would like to buy an extra adapter/power source so that I can have one at home and one at work/school.

Do I have to buy one of the ones that Dell shows on their site ($65-75) for my model or do I have less expensive options?

How can paper be bleached of its text?

fjardt — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 20:51:11 -0800

How can paper be bleached of its text? I had a great idea for notebooks, if only i knew how to perform a necessary step.

That is--i found that the paper in many old books i have is quite æsthetically pleasing, but sometimes the meaning of the text is not :)

So then, i thought, why pay for fancy moleskines, if only the text could vanish from these pages!

But traditional paper recycling cannot be done, for that would require unbinding all of the pages, and turning that into pulp.. and so on. Pointless if i wanted to keep the paper and binding as it is.

The only method i came up with (but have yet to try) for doing this is to soak the pages in a photo emulsion and expose it to white light. Would that work? And then if it does, would the process of purchasing the necessary materials exceed that of just buying some moleskines?

Laptop Shopping Question Oddities

franklen — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 18:23:40 -0800

I am looking to buy my first ever laptop. What I would like to know are the following oddities that I haven't gotten much info on yet: 1) Is there typically a time of year when companies all roll out there new systems? And I might be able to take advantage of sales on new systems, or on year old systems? 2) It doesn't seem like Bluetooth is available on very many midrange systems based on my initial scans, do I really need Bluetooth or just want it (for cell phone interaction now, other components in the future perhaps). 3) Are Intel processors really that much better than AMD, or is the extra money to spend on them not the best value? 4) If all I am concerned about is speed, does Vista really slow a new system down a whole lot to be concerned? (I have been borrowing a friend's from his business after I lost my desktop, but he needs it back for IT to update on yearly schedule, and is 4 states away, so time to bite the bullet and buy my own). I am not here really to ask which is the best laptop for me, I am familiar with specs that I would like to get such as 1.6-2.0 GHz processor, 1 GB ram, 100+GB hard drive, etc (I likely will fluctuate with these based on prices, am looking to spend around $1,000). But these 4 questions have been bugging me.

Seeking compact professional looseleaf binder

alms — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 20:57:21 -0800

Where can I buy an attractive, compact loose-leaf binder that uses standard lined or graphed paper? I want something I can carry around with me that is suitable for business settings, does not contain proprietary personal organizer sheets, is not as thick as the Manhattan Yellow Pages, and is not outrageously overpriced. Something like this would be pretty good, but I can't for the life of me find simple lined or graph paper to put into it.

The Levenger Circa products are ok (they are compact and the sheets of paper can be moved around and replaced), but I'd prefer leather or vinyl to open-backed cardboard and the paper refills are proprietary and outrageously expensive.

This place seems to have small standard loose-leaf binders I could use if I didn't care about looking professional (which I do).

DYI Planner has all sorts of tips if I wanted to make something myself with duct tape, a paper cutter, and a three-hole punch. But I don't. I want to buy something.

What I really want is a simple padfolio, but with a 1/2 inch three-ring binder in place of a pad of paper. Is that such an odd thing to want? I'm amazed that I can't find this anywhere.

Oh, preferred size is on the order of 6 x 9 inches.

BIOS doesn't recognise drive but Windows does!

edbyford — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 14:23:15 -0800

Trying to install a new optical drive in an old laptop. Windows recognises it, but the BIOS does not! Mitac 7321 aka Time Evesham Novatech Pico Packard Bell & many more...

I'm attempting to replace a non-working CD drive with a new DVD-ROM drive. When I reboot, the device is showing up as IDE device number 2 (after the hard drive) and it says it's disabled.

However when I get into Windows, the drive shows up in My Computer and works fine!

Any ideas? I've not tried a BIOS update yet, but can't see it should be necessary.

Non-chinese macbook?

jytsai — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 13:02:13 -0800

Idealogical-consumer-filter: Are there any Apple Macbook/Macbook Pros that are not manufactured in China? And if not, what was the last generation of Mac notebooks that had some non-China assembled versions?

Christmas come late

barrakuda — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:33:27 -0800

What laptop should I buy for $2K? What should it come with? I have $2K to get a new laptop. I want to get something that will last me for 5+ years, that is quick, dependable, easy to use and pretty. I will use it mostly for work, writing, e-mailing, occasional movie watching, as a blogging device and a depository of songs and photos. In the past I had a Compaq (which I loved very much). I understand that Compaqs are out of production now (for the most part). I have been looking at the HP Pavillion dv2700t series - I like the look of it - but is it any good? Do you have any other suggestions for other solid, lasting, pretty laptops?

Also, what should this come with in terms of memory, processor, other add-ons? Is Vista as horrible as they say? Anything I should know/think about before I buy? Thanks.