Database Develop

Help me replace my laptop with something brand new...

So, right now, I have a desktop PC and a laptop PC that I use on a regular basis. The desktop is my master system and is good for another 2 years definitely. My laptop has been aging and we're on the verge of a revolution in small PCs.
I have a Dell XPS M140 that I upgraded to 2GB RAM. It has 80GB of hard disk space, CD/DVD burner, and Windows 7. It's getting old and I wondered if everyone could chip in some advice for a replacement.
I spent like $600 on it originally, so I'd like to stick with that price or less. I use it to browse the web and watch internet videos on it while I play XBox360 or when I have people over. I use it to feed to my TV when I have a movie to watch (movie file, not a DVD). I also take it with me on any vacations in the hotel room to keep connected to the internet.
For a replacement, I'm looking for the following...
-CD/DVD drive
-video out
-at least 120GB of disk space
-ability to run Windows 7 Ultimate with Aero
-ability to have 2GB of RAM at least
-USB ports
-Wifi (of course)
-A good processor
-HARD keyboard
-multitouch screen
-$600 or less
Preferred but optional
-ethernet port
-webcam
-4 USB ports
There may not be anything out there just yet that meets all the requirements, but if anything's close, let me know.

I have a Dell XPS M140 too. Great system. I loved the battery life -- 7.5 hours when I bought it like 3 or 4 years ago. But now its old and I rarely use it.
I've migrated to a Samsung N120 netbook. The keyboard is great even though its smaller form factor. The portability is excellent. It's so comfortable to use even with the 97% sized keyboard and 10" screen that I am still able to do most of my programming on it. So it can be used every day for hours with no eye strain or me wanting to throw it cause the keyboard is awkward. I love it.
I've run Windows 7 on it and it runs great once I upgraded it to 2GB. I did go thru the Windows Services and set to manual/disable some of those that I don't need (heavy networking ones) that made it a little faster. It can run OSX too as a side benefit. You can pop in a 640GB in here for cheap if you feel comfortable taking it apart.
I know there is going to be complaints about the processor speed...its a slow Atom. For daily browsing use its not that much difference than the M140's 1.73ghz P-Mobile. I do agree that its slow on Youtube videos and having multiple flash animations on the same page. The newer generation of netbooks are faster and will probably do a better job. Also Adobe is releasing a new version of Flash very soon that they have tweaked and stating would allow the Netbook to view Youtube without the jitters.
If you already have a desktop that is powerful enough for the heavy lifting tasks (photoshopping/video editing/filesharing/etc) then if I were you I would look into a netbook for its portability and convenience. It can still photoshopping btw, just going to take a little longer with the filters and handling large image sizes. And of course it is harder on the small screen.
You can get a great netbook in the $300-350 and get an external slim DVD burner for $50. If you do a lot of traveling or working away from home like at a cafe or just like having it on your lap surfing while you are in front of the TV, a 10" netbook is the way to go.

for the touchscreen thing,
i think you should buy additional hardware such as DUO.

Hmm. Very interesting! Thanks for the feedback.
I really appreciate that another M140 user out there has spoken. I haven't found anyone with this "XPS mini"!
When I upgraded to Windows 7, I can't believe how smooth everything ran. It really sold Windows 7 for me. Yeah, my desktop was faster but, wow, it turned by old M140 into a new PC. I haven't done much programming since college and even then, I did more making Counterstrike maps on their CAD-like interface software than anything.
I was really considering netbooks and your advice fits in well. I like the idea of add-on hardware like DUO to make anything touchscreen, but I would like to be ahead of the game with my new purchase. I felt like even my M140 purchase was behind the game. My desktop was nicely fit with a quad-core masterpiece at the time. Now it's commonplace.
I think a netbook fits my needs perfectly, but maybe I'm waiting for the next wave to include multitouch netbooks. The technology is definitely there, and fortunately it shouldn't be that expensive. I was waiting for someone to post the latest Eee multitouch PC, but I know that the processor is child's play.
I guess I see myself owning 3 systems...
Desktop PC - currently fulfilled need
Multitouch PC - for portability and ahead of the game portacomputing
Slate Phone - I know there's phones and then there's slates, but I won't be buying a replacement for my Rhodium until a nice slate phone arrives (with slide out hard keyboard, of course)
These 3 systems will practically make me have a mess in my pants. We're on the verge of #2, but I know I might have to wait 2 years for a good #3.
I'm staying away from virtual keyboards forever. I know how they are and I know what they can do, but I cannot accept 30 wpm slower. Unacceptable.
Great advice guys, and I really do appreciate your input. Tablet PCs are going to erupt soon, to prove that the iPad is garbage. And I just can't wait for the results. I dream of a day when I can just pop out my multitouch netbook in the comfy Hyatt hotel bed and respond to the next great XDA post.

I actually was looking tonight and there really isn't anything out there right now. I really hope this market picks up. The closest thing is the newest Eee PC, with a processor at 1.66 MHz. My M140 is at 1.73, so I can't go lower. Let's hope for a nice push in products...
Dell should hit this up. The only Multitouch tablet they offer is over $2k!!!!

I bought a LOADED HP tx2000z two years ago because I thought that I'd actually use the touchscreen/wacom digitizer. Boy was I wrong. 2000 bucks later, I honestly wish I would have bought a macbook pro over this POS.
Using a mouse or keyboard still is faster. Windows is not designed well for using a touch screen. Plus, that tiny swivel point where the screen connects to the rest of the computer isn't quite as strong as I had once thought, and all the wiring inside of it, over time, starts to get shorts in it. My sound crackles as I swivel the screen. Also, HP doesn't have the best of build quality in general. However, the digitizer does do an excellent job of speeding things up in photoshop.
My advise: Stay away from laptops with touch screens. Unless you spend the majority of your time in photoshop, it won't be worth it.

got the earlier tx1270 little brother of tx2000z
it get too hot to use in tablet mode and it's too fat and it makes too much noise
speedfan say the gpu is 89c in idle
the heat caused the wifi to stop working
but it was good for reading eComics on if I could stand the heat
I'm not put off tablets yet though
what laptop to get is really down to what one use it for
if it's surfing in the sofa netbooks are great and got long batt
but some people like to game on their laptops in which case they end up having to pay
a lot
got 2 dell work laptops both ugly and plastic'ish but better quality then crappy hp
and got a acer very underpowered one but manage with xubuntu
gf got a new macbook pro cost an arm and leg and kidney but the build quality is pretty good
osx remind me of linux really in a closed platform version though
if I were looking to get a laptop now I would look at tablets without combi keyboard option like the hp got
otherwise I would look at asus eebooks or whatever they are called

Hmm, good points. I guess my consideration for getting something with multitouch is basically to make sure that I'm consistent with the market. If that's what people are buying, I want to have my copy, just in case software erupts for it.
But I'm surprised at the story about the shoddy HP hardware.
I could, however, see how I can use a touchscreen with Windows 7. I won't touch Apple products because they don't suit my needs, but I guess that's why I won't spend $2k on a tablet PC. It sounds like it's just not worth that much.

Rudegar said:
got the earlier tx1270 little brother of tx2000z
it get too hot to use in tablet mode and it's too fat and it makes too much noise
speedfan say the gpu is 89c in idle
the heat caused the wifi to stop working
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I've had the SAME exact problems with my tx1219. Too loud, too hot, wifi stops working, and also the touchscreen is horrible.
I've only worked with the tx2000 for 10 minutes, so I can't comment on the problems, but the the touchscreen was really good on it.

yeah tx2000 and up have vacom active digtizer and some got capative with dual touch
but I don't trust their quality so even if they look good on papir I don't want to pay that much with such a high risk of being ripped off

MacBook Pro

What do you guys think? think the new version is worth it? Considering a 15 inch with a 2.4GHz i5. Cheapest
But yeah, if you think its not worth it, post a alternative please.
Also, whats so good about the new intel cores anyways?
Thanks guys

3 "NOOOOOOOS". Any reasons? besides hating apple? I like the look of them too xD

GamerMYJ said:
3 "NOOOOOOOS". Any reasons? besides hating apple? I like the look of them too xD
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I was one of the Apple haters that hit no and then ran, but seriously, you can get a lot more for less money.

yesterday i got my hp elitebook 8540w:
core i7-720: 4x1.6ghz
4gb 1333 ram
nvidia quadro fx 1800m
500gb hdd 7200
full hd 15" screen
elitebook build quality > apple unibody.
-> ~ 1,500 €
ofcourse because of my university... but you wanted an alternative, here you have

If you got the money YEAH, but if not i would get a: Dell 1558 (W7 Home Premium x64)
Specs
I've got:
Windows 7 Home Premium OEM
512 ATI HD Graphics Card
500gb HDD
4096MB DDR3 RAM
15.5 LED screen
SRS Speakers (IDT Audio)
Slip Drive( not the pop oiut eg on desktop)
Edit: ow yeah and an i5 Processer
which is quick as hell

First off, thanks for those. Specs' look pretty darn amazing
I looked at those, but they look just so... sharp? Is there anything that looks as nice as a unibody MBP? Like, all one peice? And another thing is battery. The 15 inch MBP has 9.5 hours. All the other like spec'ed ones have anywhere from 3-6 hours. I will be travelng on a 14 hour flight to china, and need the life I can get. I think apple has me on that. Also, their customer service seems pretty good. Any opinions on that? stories to tell?

get a spare battary lol.
it shouldn't be that expansive...
and some plane (scecific company?) provide power output on your own seat.
or you can go wild and charge in the plane bathroom...
Im not a professional at laptop pricing but it shoundn't be that hard

but no matter what alternate laptop you go for you ain't gonna get mac os on it, and its the main selling point seriously my macbook pro 2.26 dual boots quicker than a 2.26 quad with nearly double ram, and other things such as the screen will be hard to beat with another laptop. so YES YES YES AND ANOTHER YES, now i will just sit here and wait to be called a fan boi

slaming said:
but no matter what alternate laptop you go for you ain't gonna get mac os on it, and its the main selling point seriously my macbook pro 2.26 dual boots quicker than a 2.26 quad with nearly double ram, and other things such as the screen will be hard to beat with another laptop. so YES YES YES AND ANOTHER YES, now i will just sit here and wait to be called a fan boi
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You can run Mac OS as it's i386
The price of Mac's just doesn't cut the mustard since you can spec up a Windows system for about 1/3, there are things Macs are better @ as always has been but for the average user this doesn't come into consideration.

[Q] Zoostorm netbook?

Anyone had experience with zoostorm?
my current PC is a home build, which started its life as a Zoostorm, but now its only really a zoostorm case.
Im after a small laptop that I can do basic word processing on hence needing a low price. I'll be carrying it almost everywhere, hence wanting a netbook.
Do you guys think its worth it?
Ebuyer reviews say its not bad, and they are usually spot on.
(btw, I'd probably slap some flavour of Linux on it/any netbook I buy)
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/193039?utm_source=google&utm_medium=products

lonelykatana said:
Do you guys think its worth it?
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I reckon tht's quite a good deal&netbook

Doesn't look too bad.
I personally have an ASUS 1005HAP and I love it. Loved it and it's battery life so much that I stopped using my quad core desktop for many many months.

Looks good to me, decent price for the hardware.
This may also be an option - has a slightly newer and better revision CPU with an on die GPU.
Comparison
Personally, I would get one of these, but if that is not an option, then fair enough Would probabaly need a bluetooth keyboard to carry around - or even a rollup usb one.

captainstu72 said:
Looks good to me, decent price for the hardware.
This may also be an option - has a slightly newer and better revision CPU with an on die GPU.
Comparison
Personally, I would get one of these, but if that is not an option, then fair enough Would probabaly need a bluetooth keyboard to carry around - or even a rollup usb one.
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Thanks allot man!
Im really liking the look of that tablet type thing! I might think about it. But a stand and keyboard would be a must lol.
But thanks allot!

Recommended Laptop for me -)

Hello Guys ,
I 'd like to buy one laptop. Price should be around 1100 - 1200 $
Hmm I myself very much freak about technology or gadgets.
I'd like to have good processor first of all, Good RAM, Hard drive should be minimum 350/500 GB, Good graphic cards i guess at least 1GB
Dell, Sony , HP are my Choices But i've heard HP battery life is poor Is there any other good brands out there that i don't know .. i need good battery back up
What is the best brand in laptops according to you guys ?
Recommended me some nice laptops out there I will be very thankful .

maheshpatel said:
Dell, Sony , HP are my Choices
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my respect for u was multiplied by zero when i saw this
ud deserve a macbook

What no Sony???????
oh well still dell is nice, what are you looking for it to do? Business? Everyday stuff? Gaming? What about screen size?
Try alienware, its made by dell and it is my personal choice. Definitly not for Business but more for awesome looking design. Check it.
http://www.alienware.com/

why not sony?

I've always heard toshiba makes awesome laptops. That's what I'm going to get when I get my tax return
Sent from my DROID2 using XDA App

souljaboy said:
my respect for u was multiplied by zero when i saw this
ud deserve a macbook
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I like Macbook but Macbook is complicated I can't play blu ray videos n i guess so on I prefer windows though i like Macbook
kevina90 said:
What no Sony???????
oh well still dell is nice, what are you looking for it to do? Business? Everyday stuff? Gaming? What about screen size?
Try alienware, its made by dell and it is my personal choice. Definitly not for Business but more for awesome looking design. Check it.
http://www.alienware.com/
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I like Sony but Sony is also not good in battery life. Which series should i go for if i buy a sony laptop .? I 'm looking for essential use like everyday stuff , bit gaming , Screen size 14 , 15, 17 inch is Okay
htc fan89 said:
why not sony?
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I dont know what model to buy in sony they all making me confuse

@ - orkillakilla
Toshiba is something that i've never try

Whoa... just saw that you are currently in Tianjin... How's the weather there buddy?
Anyway, from the perspective of a laptop sufferer until he finally refused to use a laptop unless under extreme duress: Lenovo Thinkpad T-series. 1,000 to 1,200 USD is not much to splurge, and you can't go wrong with a Thinkpad T-series(note that it must be the Thinkpad T-series models).
Why do I recommend this series?
1. Solid build. The T series was built for business, it is designed rugged. I used to throw my company's T61 around for fun and it never broke.
2. [Insert]-[Delete]-[Home]-[End]-[PgUp]-[PgDown] cluster is very similar to a full-sized keyboard. It's a lifesaver for the spreadsheet users.
3. The red nipple mouse. Often times I've used this to great satisfaction. As a pointing device, that is. It works quite well when surfing for... stuff
4. Industrial design harks back to the IBM days, when the ThinkPad was the gold standard for business laptops.
But as a business level laptop, it is quite pricey, but the build and the ergonomics are superb for a laptop. Also, the eye-candy is nothing to be proud of, but you get a solidly understated machine. So, if you have the cash to splurge a little and you're looking for a Windows laptop that lasts, go for the T-series.
I'd have gone for it if I wasn't so tied down with my desktop. My company's T-61 lasted for 2 years of abuse before I had to give it back. Completely battered, but never broken. Contrast this to my colleagues' HP which had at least 10% failure rate, the T-series was pretty darn good.
GPU might be a problem because the business-minded T-series only has a 512mb GPU from NVidia. But why are you gaming on the laptop anyway

maheshpatel said:
I like Macbook but Macbook is complicated
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MacaronyMax said:
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Well, show me how would you overclock your GPU on a MacBook. Show me! Can it run Crysis? Can it!
^Nerd-rage for the lulz

@ - sakai4eva
Hey , Thanks buddy for replying ye Tianjin weather is not that bad these days , but it got windy few days back and damn freezing
ya my one of my friend is using lenova N series since 4 years and its really working great no problem so far . He also recommended me buy lenova. I just check the site it got three categories essential use, Ideapad, thinkpad which one is best ? I like best configuration
Mm i like lenova. they offer really good configuration But Lenova laptops looks is not that much stylish . i don't know much about lenova laptops

MacaronyMax said:
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yeah buddy , really Mac is complicated i guess i think you using Mac . Can you tell me something about Mac OS I'm a windows user since few years I don't know much about Mac OS

maheshpatel said:
@ - sakai4eva
Hey , Thanks buddy for replying ye Tianjin weather is not that bad these days , but it got windy few days back and damn freezing
ya my one of my friend is using lenova N series since 4 years and its really working great no problem so far . He also recommended me buy lenova. I just check the site it got three categories essential use, Ideapad, thinkpad which one is best ? I like best configuration
Mm i like lenova. they offer really good configuration But Lenova laptops looks is not that much stylish . i don't know much about lenova laptops
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Click to collapse
Girlfriend is freezing in Beijing, which from my understanding is less than an hour from Tianjin... Gosh she's not used to the weather there...
Thing is, I have to agree with you. It isn't flashy, nor does it have chiclet keyboards and LEDs. But the surface is matte (trust me, you'll hate a glossy surface), and the majority of the parts are well built.
To break down the Lenovo into Pros and Cons:
Pros:
1. Better keyboard ergonomics
2. Trackpad (red nipple!)
3. Solid build
Cons:
1. Business laptop not pretty
2. Poor GPU
Remember, I'm only talking about the T-series, and nothing else

@ - sakai4eva
HaHa ya this time winter got out of control
Mm Thanks bro i will consider about it..Actually Chinese new year is coming so most probably i m going to buy on a new year
By the way i show really good GPU on a lenova site. they offering really Good 1Ghz ATI, Nvidia graphics

maheshpatel said:
@ - sakai4eva
HaHa ya this time winter got out of control
Mm Thanks bro i will consider about it..Actually Chinese new year is coming so most probably i m going to buy on a new year
By the way i show really good GPU on a lenova site. they offering really Good 1Ghz ATI, Nvidia graphics
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But methinks you should try waiting... the Sandy Bridges/AMD Fusion series will provide better gaming performance... but it's up to you... if you keep waiting:
1. Wait for new tech
2. Tech gets launched, wait for reviews from early adopters
3. Tech matures, waiting for a good deal
4. New tech announced, repeat from step one.

TOSHIBA FOR EVER!!!
Bought a dell, and although it hasn't been bad as a computer, i've had to get the mobo repaired twice...
My computer wouldn't charge, faulty power input.

urbanengine1 said:
TOSHIBA FOR EVER!!!
Bought a dell, and although it hasn't been bad as a computer, i've had to get the mobo repaired twice...
My computer wouldn't charge, faulty power input.
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Yeah... heard some months ago the Tosh is quite reliable... but I hate smooth surfaces...

Ehats really pissn me off is how fast laptops get outdated, i got my laptop 2 years ago and last week my dad got a toshiba with same specs AND a better gpu for 300 bucks less...
AARRRGGHHH
Im saving up fir a nice new one though...
On a really offtopic note, what's the best STABLE overclock youve gotten on your desktop?

Sony is notoriously horrid when it comes to support. Also the overall build quality (IMO) is less than stellar for VAIO laptops.
I hate to say it but I would go with a Dell - but I'd wait for the new Intel Sandy Bridge one's to come out.
Also I have worked on a TON of Toshiba Satellites in my time. Easy to work on - easy to restore. But the battery life is so-so.
HP's are nice if you pay the extra money for the higher end models - but oh boy do they lay on the bloat ware. First thing you need to do with any HP Laptop is format and install JUST the OS/Drivers when you get the stupid thing.
Also - HP and Sony laptops typically have horrible 3rd party applications that they use as "overlay" applications to run stuff that is already being done by the OS to "make your life easier" (translate: make it even more confusing and take up unnecessary resources)
If your looking for a laptop in your price range I would do some research - tomshardware, pcmag.. or some site that does hardware reviews. I wouldn't settle for anything less then at least a 17" screen, at least 4-6gigs of RAM, and a 500gig hard drive.
And although a Mac Book is awesome... having to run Apple's OS isn't if your a windows guy. Plus your going to spend twice the dough just to have everything you'll need for it.

@ - avgjoegeek
Thanks bro ya new intel sandy bridge is coming. I probably should wait for new one. but its gonna cost me as high as intel i7 series i guess
I won't buy HP For sure because of battery life. Dell is nice but only in some selected models
I like Macbook but Macbook is overpriced. but worth each penny for sure

Combining several phones to try to make a computer

Hello, this might sound like an oddity, but what I want to do is re-purpose my old Panasonic CF-29C by gutting the motherboard and replacing it with something a bit better. Currently I am stuck on Windows XP however, I can't find a motherboard small enough to fit in the spot where it needs to go. The motherboard dimensions measure, 5.5"x5.5"x1" and I have 2 older smartphones that I would also like to re-purpose. So I was wondering if there is/was anyway to connect old phones so they can share processing power/ram and be used like a normal computer. I would just take and use their motherboards (because I need something more powerful than an Intel Pentium M...
Any ideas on how to do this would be nice. Thanks

austinkregel said:
Hello, this might sound like an oddity, but what I want to do is re-purpose my old Panasonic CF-29C by gutting the motherboard and replacing it with something a bit better. Currently I am stuck on Windows XP however, I can't find a motherboard small enough to fit in the spot where it needs to go. The motherboard dimensions measure, 5.5"x5.5"x1" and I have 2 older smartphones that I would also like to re-purpose. So I was wondering if there is/was anyway to connect old phones so they can share processing power/ram and be used like a normal computer. I would just take and use their motherboards (because I need something more powerful than an Intel Pentium M...
Any ideas on how to do this would be nice. Thanks
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You can't connect phones and "share the processing power" .Applications won't be able to use the "shared power" . Plus Android is the only OS for which the phones might be optimized for.
Get a Rasberry Pi instead. . It's small ,powerful and has a fantastic dev community
http://www.raspberrypi.org/products/model-b-plus/
If you want more power you can take look at the intel NUC's and use the motherboard without the casing

+1 for raspberry pi

That would be cool. Connect all the phones, install SNES on them and have 4 player battles!!

I agree with the raspberry pi suggestion. That, or a beaglebone black.

karandpr said:
Get a Rasberry Pi instead. . It's small ,powerful and has a fantastic dev community
If you want more power you can take look at the intel NUC's and use the motherboard without the casing
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I'll probably go with the Intel NUC's, simply because the raspberry pi is less powerful than the toughbook currently.

austinkregel said:
I'll probably go with the Intel NUC's, simply because the raspberry pi is less powerful than the toughbook currently.
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Check this out .
http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=2760
Like NUC but smaller. Official support from Linux Mint !!