laptop recommendations

[ohioboy]

Hey, as current dental students, could you please recommend to us (class of 2011) which laptop you recommend and why. Most all of us will be purchasing a laptop, and we will need to know the criteria that matter the most (eg. lightweight vs durability vs processing speed...) And this is obviously going to have to be done on a very limited budget...so please...if you have any suggestions on laptops, or even just certain things to look for in a laptop...then that would be much appreciated! Thanks for the help!

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[kato999]

not dell

 

[SuperC]

Many people have macbooks in my class, including myself (about 1/3)

If you need some reasons go here
http://www.apple.com/getamac/

-C

 

[ohioboy]

also, does anyone know if there are laptops out now that come with microsoft vista? i wonder if there will be major problems with this operating system, like there was with windows xp!

 

[DrJeff]

I realize that computer evolution occurrs quickly (believe me I keep buying new ones in my practice almost yearly it seems like), but if you're thinking long term with a lap top and considering a Mac, one other thing to contemplate is that out in practice, almost all of the practice mangement software is windows based (yes, the mac with the intel processor helps a bit).

One of my colleagues in the town where I practice is one of the few "diehards" as he calls himself that uses Macs for his practice management software (I believe its called "macdent" or something similar to that). He finds it tougher and tougher to keep his Macs compatible with all the changes that are occurring(even with upgrades from his software folks) and that the software provider(parent company is practiceworks) is providing less and less upgrades, almost encouraging him toswitch to windows based systems. The companies rational is that they have less than 500 Mac offices around the country vs. 1000's of offices around the country using their windows products (practiceworks and softdent), so its a return on investment issue for them.

With the class I help teach at UCONN, all 10 of the students in my group use windows based laptops, and ingeneral over the years I've been involved with that course, 90%+ of the students have used windows based laptops.

 

[SuperC]

I would never argue will Dr. Jeff. He knows his stuff, but I would make the argument that for personal use the mac is a much better computer. I think that you will find that the transition is much easier than you might think.

I will also say that once you start using a mac you will find windows EXTREAMELY inefficient. The interface is by far superior. They run fast, very customizable, they are small, light, the touch pad is MUCH larger than any PC on the market and as they say..... "They just work"

You will also find that vista is essentally OSX. Windows managed to steal almost every function of X they could. I think that this speaks VOLUMES of how well apple designs thier software.

Lastly, you will not get a virus. With a .mac account you can back up your computer online. iphoto RULES. I publish my calender online which my classmates (with apples) subscribe to. When I make changes to the calender (class dates, times , ect) their calenders change automaticlly. Also, almost everyone has a iPod and a little known fact (if you have an apple) you can use your iPod as a planner.

I am a new recuit to the world of apple, nevertheless, they are much better computers.

-C

 

[Dental916]

www.deals2buy.com has great deals on lappys. No mac for me.

 

[cerebelle]

As a female with back problems, I wish I had the option of purchasing a lighter model. Also, because I don't type and like to annotate within Powerpoint lectures, I wish I had a tablet PC. However, I retrofit my enormous laptop with a Wacom Graphire Bluetooth Pen Tablet and am loving it.

 

[dheav005]

ill jump on the macbook train. apple.com had an great article about a practice out in CA that runs on macs. link here:

http://www.apple.com/business/profiles/friedman/

there was, once upon a time, a practice softward called macdent, but i think it is now obsolete. the latest iteration of management software is 'mac practice dds'...i havent seen it in action, but there is not much software written for macs that is subpar. i guess the engineering thought is that the group of people who choose to use macs are going to be more persistent in demanding smooth functioning software than the masses that end up with PCs simply because they are ubiquitous.

aside from that, i really dont know how i would take care of all the photos i have of my seven week old daughter without iPhoto, not to mention the grandparents 6 hours away who can see their granddaughter live because of the built in camera and iChat.

 

[SuperC]

ill jump on the macbook train. apple.com had an great article about a practice out in CA that runs on macs. link here:

http://www.apple.com/business/profiles/friedman/

there was, once upon a time, a practice softward called macdent, but i think it is now obsolete. the latest iteration of management software is 'mac practice dds'...i havent seen it in action, but there is not much software written for macs that is subpar. i guess the engineering thought is that the group of people who choose to use macs are going to be more persistent in demanding smooth functioning software than the masses that end up with PCs simply because they are ubiquitous.

aside from that, i really dont know how i would take care of all the photos i have of my seven week old daughter without iPhoto, not to mention the grandparents 6 hours away who can see their granddaughter live because of the built in camera and iChat.

amen.
-C