desktop vs notebook for med sch...and questions on Fujitsu notebook

[erasable]

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I need a light laptop. My HP Athlon 64 3400+ desktop replacement laptop is burning itself to the ground, even with just a word processor and an mp3 player. I need a new computer. Should I get a Desktop or Laptop? And when should I buy it?

Desktop: cheapness and power
Laptop: i heard some interesting stuff about tablets, and what a boon they are to notetaking

I was at a time enamoured by the Sony X505, then by the Sharp mm20, and now by the Fujitsu LifeBook P1500.
Reasons why I haven't bought Fujitsu yet:
1. i'm not sure this is the right time to buy
2. the lack of accident warantee
3. the confusing warantee prog. should I get the LCD warantee?
4. my fear that the screen will be too small.
Does anyone here own a Fujitsu?
Could any one tell me a good ultraportable tablet/covertable/hybrid with a good warantee prog?

Thank you 🙂

 

[lord_jeebus]

I have a Fujitsu P7010D (no longer made but the 7000 series are all rather similar)

I don't know much about the 1000 series but it's probably not worth getting. I am happy with what I have but you pay a premium for the small size and crazy battery life. Having a computer this light and small is great for class, and good battery life means you don't have to hunt for an outlet.

I'd rather have a usable keyboard than a touch-screen.

I think the 10-point-something inch screen is the smallest screen that is usable. At home I hook it up to a larger monitor, and a real keyboard.

The P1000 series has an 8.9" screen. This is probably a bit too small -- the keyboard will be awkward as well. The battery life is also not as good as the P7000. Also look into the S7000 series -- it's bigger but almost the same weight.

 

[anon-y-mouse]

I have a T4020D, and it's excellent... there's now a replacement with a core duo processor I think... so maybe get that. It's light, 12.1" screen, and high quality... I found the 1500 too small. Toshiba warranty service is excellent, all overnight service, good customer service, etc. I extended my warranty to 3 years, but there is definitely accidental damage protection, but I wouldn't go for it. If you're decently careful (and I'm fairly lax), the only ever issues you'll notice are increasing hard drive loudness (common for every laptop) and maybe some other hardware stuff. as long as you don't spill on it or drop it on a concrete floor, warranties are fairly lax about helping you out... I'd consider the 4020D or the Thinkpad X41T, but the Thinkpad doesn't have a built in DVD drive... so consider that.

 

[Pewl]

i need a desktop. I hate working on laptops for long periods of time.

 

[twtkid]

i have the s6240 and it is superb. everything about it exudes quality. toting it around every day turned 3 of my labmates and my PI onto them.

pentium m 750 (1.87ghz) modular dvd burner, excellent wireless range, good keyboard, gorgeous screen, and battery life to boot: 3-4 with main, 8+ with modular battery ($155 from fuj website). i got mine from newegg, was onsale plus $100 rebate which only took 4 wks to go through. i know it has integrated vid, but i threw in an extra gig of ram and i can play WOW with no lag (im actually playing it right now, just alt-tabbing back and forth while flying around). plus all this at 4 lbs!

since it is so light, i would recommend it over the ultraportables. it really is tiny, i notice my 4 subject notebook more than the laptop in my backpack. the 13.3" screen is perfectly sized, not too small for everyday things and even some gaming here and there.

also, no spyware/extra crap software like hp, dell, tosh, even sony. i paid $1350 shipped after rebate, but the s2110 is $1100 with the amd proc, which is actually lower voltage for longer batt life.

 

[Firebird]

I think a notebook is the way to go. It just has way more versatility than a PC and they're great for those boring lectures. 😀

I am typing on a tablet right now, actually. It's a Gateway, and I would never buy from them again. Look for other brands if you're going to get a tablet. I am not sure they're all that much better. They are great for photomicrographs, but I don't find much usefulness out of the tablet feature, other than that. I would suggest not buying a slate, unless it can be attached to a keyboard. The handwriting recognition is great, but it takes a LONG time to write something out. They tried to remedy this by adding voice recognition, but that is generally a disaster, even with common words. I can't imagine trying to get it to recognize something like "anisopoikilocytosis."

If I had to do it over, I would get something very portable...something that weighs 4 lbs or less. Watch about the ultra-small notebooks though, they have small keyboards and it makes typing tough.

 

[BAM!]

i have the fujitsu 4020D also. It's pretty sweet, not quite as small as the Dell lattitudes, but it's definitely portable. it does get kinda hot, but that's not too big a deal. I'm just afraid it'll fry the insides. The handwriting recognition is pretty good in the keyboard is full size . Overall it's pretty speedy and I haven't had very many problems with it . If you train the computer to recognize your voice , in the voice recognition software is actually pretty Good. in fact, I'm using it right now to write this e-mail. you just need to be in a quiet place , and the computer only recognizes your voice , meaning it won't recognize other people's voices. also the handwriting recognition isn't very good if someone left handed rights on your notebook.

by the way, Microsoft onenote isn't very good. it has lots of problems in an organization, and it has some silly things that are wrong with it like the selection tool selects big blocks of text instead of being able to use the lasso to select things individually. additionally there is no calendar, that that's OK to causin i use google calendaring
. The only problem with that is that a lot of the programs don't incorporate digital ink into their programs so the whole digital ink thing is somewhat limited . But I plan to use it mostly for writing on PowerPoint slides. plus it's nice to be able to merge your laptop and into a slate and then surf the Internet in slate mode.

of my three recommendations are as follows

if you're going to get a tablet PC get either a fujitsu or an IBM. The IBM is niceBecause it's so light and small however it's not very powerful has no touchpad and no cdrom/dvd drive. the fujitsu is a little bit larger and has a dvd drive but still small enough to be considered portable.

that you're not gonna get the Tablet PC and go for the really small small business Dell laptops, like the lattitude.

good luck

 

[Firebird]

I am really surprised that your voice recognition works well. I tried using it to talk to someone on Instant Messenger, and it sent some REALLY weird messages.

Note that when the above poster says you have to be in a quiet room, that means a really quiet room. The air conditioner can't be on, and certainly not the TV. I have noticed that even a minor background ambience noise (like cars driving by) will confuse the heck out of it. So definitely don't think "Hey, voice recognition would be NEAT...I'm going to get a tablet for sure now!" It's not as cool as you'd think.

And just think about using it in a public place...the last time I saw someone talking to their computer, I was pretty sure they were 1. having a mild psychotic episode or 2. having a bad psychotic episode.

 

[BAM!]

yeah, the voice recognition is far from perfect, and it doesn't recognize things like "CD-ROM." Plus to be fair, I made a few edits to my previous post because the writing didn't come out right.

 

[erasable]

thank you for your replies i learned alot

From what I'm hearing, it sounds like I need a screen bigger than 8.9". Does that mean that I have to throw out my dream of getting a ~2 lb. ultraportable!?! 🙁

I agree that working for long periods of time on a laptop doesn't bug me out, mostly b/c I hook it up to a LCD,keyboard,+mouse once i get home. What worries me is that desktops are more powerful. Do you think that I might need the extra power for med sch? like a comp actually able to handle some 3D rendering for Anatomy and Physiology?

 

[anon-y-mouse]

yeah, the voice recognition is far from perfect, and it doesn't recognize things like "CD-ROM." Plus to be fair, I made a few edits to my previous post because the writing didn't come out right.

what program do you use for voice recognition? i'm not sure how to enable it

 

[Firebird]

thank you for your replies i learned alot

From what I'm hearing, it sounds like I need a screen bigger than 8.9". Does that mean that I have to throw out my dream of getting a ~2 lb. ultraportable!?! 🙁

I agree that working for long periods of time on a laptop doesn't bug me out, mostly b/c I hook it up to a LCD,keyboard,+mouse once i get home. What worries me is that desktops are more powerful. Do you think that I might need the extra power for med sch? like a comp actually able to handle some 3D rendering for Anatomy and Physiology?

Very unlikely. Call your school's admission people and see if they recommend a computer for first year. If they do, ask why...that might tell you if they are going to have you use some big 3d imaging software. But I seriously doubt it. Besides, you can buy powerful laptops for a moderate price. Most people don't realize this, but unless you're going to do video editing or playing high end games, a low end computer will more than suffice for anything you'll be doing.

 

[twtkid]

i play world of warcraft on my fuj laptop, works fine w/ graphics and effects maxed. any teaching tutorial would pale in comparison.

 

[Iwy Em Hotep]

Do you think that I might need the extra power for med sch? like a comp actually able to handle some 3D rendering for Anatomy and Physiology?

No way. People manage just fine on 5-6 year old computers.

 

[BAM!]

what program do you use for voice recognition? i'm not sure how to enable it

On a fujitsu T4020, here's what you do:

click the Tablet PC Input Panel (bottom left by start button)
click the "tools and options" button (grey looks like a gear) and select "Speech"
Then you'll need to take around ten minutes to set it up. You have to read a quick paragraph to your computer so that it recognizes your voice and the way you talk.

 

[erasable]

1. What do you think about bringing a tablet to Anatomy lab?
2. Do laptops absorb smells?

At first it was one of my primary motivations to get a tablet to mark off 'landmarks' as I go, but then I realized that everytime I walk out of a cadaver lab I *reek*...

 

[Firebird]

I got very little out of anatomy lab, because the only way I learn something is to read it. Listening to a professor tell me something is not helpful for me. It would have been helpful for me to have something to write stuff down, but I was always afraid of getting junk on it and then carrying that to my car or home.

But having said that, I wouldn't take a laptop in there, because you just don't want to risk getting stuff on it. I think you're better off with a legal pad and a pen, you can retype the notes and then toss the pen and pad.

 

[MossPoh]

. Besides, you can buy powerful laptops for a moderate price. Most people don't realize this, but unless you're going to do video editing or playing high end games, a low end computer will more than suffice for anything you'll be doing.

Pretty much.........I'd say about 1 percent of the population that would truly get benefits out of a laptop even needs one over 2000 dollars...but they are so pretty we can't help ourselves I guess. I use pretty intensive programs and still don't have TOO much of a problem. If you are really dead set on doing graphic design, video editing, and running whatever new game as the most ridiculous requirements around buy a desktop. If you want convience for notes, writing papers, surfing the net, and just being to take your work anywhere..go with a laptop.. The tablets seem really neat and what not but if you are only going to use it for 2 courses then I hardly see the price being justified considering you could get a computer without tablet functionality that has stats that would allow the computer to last a lot longer for the exact same price as that tablet. (I know you can find discountes ones on ebay but buying retail they are generally more expensive then non-tablet counterparts.) The super ultra mega nano sized computers are really neat but you REALLY need to weigh how much the lack of keyboard space and whether that one or two lbs (which isn't really that much if it is in a backpack) can do for you.....I am shopping for a new one too and am kind of stuck on the size. I have a 7 lbs monster now...it isn't so much the weight for me as it is the bulkiness and I am just thinking that a 13 inch screen or so is a good size...when you get too much smaller than that you have to either squint your eyes, or enlarge text which reduces desktop space in general. Bigger gets into the heavier domain. Experts generally say you should get the biggest display you can pay for..whether it be as an extra one that you can plug into, or on the laptop it self (which keeps it from being portable)...but with hours of reading a nice big bright screen really helps.

 

[Achristo]

I was just curious why no one has mentioned anything about the HP TC1100 tablet pc. does anyone have one and what has been your experience with it? thanx

 

[MD Wiggy]

I'm not sure if this is a dangerous question or not, but what do you all think about Lenovo thinkpads?

 

[erasable]

I'm not sure if this is a dangerous question or not, but what do you all think about Lenovo thinkpads?

I think they are heavy and slightly behind the times in terms of computing power, but they're durable, which means less worries for me. I don't have on though so would a lenovo owner pls answer this? Bump.

 

[vkhalsa]

I think they are heavy and slightly behind the times in terms of computing power, but they're durable, which means less worries for me. I don't have on though so would a lenovo owner pls answer this? Bump.

they're 4 lbs for the tablet which isn't all that heavy 🙂 i think they run a 1.6ghz M processor, upgradable to 1gb ram and peice of **** video card. But overall i say they're one of the best tablets for size, reliability and features.

 

[SoCuteMD]

1. What do you think about bringing a tablet to Anatomy lab?
2. Do laptops absorb smells?

At first it was one of my primary motivations to get a tablet to mark off 'landmarks' as I go, but then I realized that everytime I walk out of a cadaver lab I *reek*...

Yeah, I don't think laptops and anatomy lab will work. Remember, you will need to actually cut and use your hands.

 

[MossPoh]

I'm not sure if this is a dangerous question or not, but what do you all think about Lenovo thinkpads?

Lenovo Thinkpads get fantastic reviews and are built to last. They are generally intended for business and thus are kind of ugly but if you are looking for a slightly expensive laptop that'll last you and that has great security features then shoot. Their tablet, if you don't want a built in optical drive or don't need it gets great reviews and has awesome battery life. Kind of expensive especially when you tag in a dock or optical drive for another 200 dollars.