Recommendations for laptops?

[MaxL221]

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I will be a first year pod student starting in Aug and was wondering what type of laptop you guys would recommend getting? I was going to go with either a Macbook or Macbook Pro? Suggestions? comments?

 

[evander]

I am starting school this year as well, so I don't have any experience to offer on that end. I do, however, own a macbook pro, and highly, highly recommend it. I have always worked with macs, so I'm a bit biased, but the macbook pro is an amazing machine. I know the macbooks are nice too. With the intel chips you can run windows too(though you have buy windows and go through the installation process).

Anyone else using a mac for school?

 

[MaxL221]

I am starting school this year as well, so I don't have any experience to offer on that end. I do, however, own a macbook pro, and highly, highly recommend it. I have always worked with macs, so I'm a bit biased, but the macbook pro is an amazing machine. I know the macbooks are nice too. With the intel chips you can run windows too(though you have buy windows and go through the installation process).

Anyone else using a mac for school?

Awesome, Macbook Pro is what i was leaning towards! This will be my first mac, do you use ms office or iWork on yours? That's my only real concern with them.(don't know too much about iWork)

 

[whiskers]

If you can't live without one.... Maybe buy a cheap used one that costs about 100 bucks.

I always find it helpful to remember that I'm totally unemployed and have absolutely no cash and loans are no fun to pay back regardless of the esoteric reasoning that I bargain with.

Personally, I'd wait a month into the semester and reevaluate your decision as you become more acutely aware of your actual need.

 

[evander]

$100 laptop? Do you have to crank a handle to start it? 😉

 

[cool_vkb]

I will be a first year pod student starting in Aug and was wondering what type of laptop you guys would recommend getting? I was going to go with either a Macbook or Macbook Pro? Suggestions? comments?

Since most of life Science classes need heavy notes taking and rough diagrams and presentations,etc. I would suggest you to go for a Tablet PC. Toshiba's Tablet PC are two in one - i.e keyboard as well as touch screen. So in that way you can write all the notes on it directly with pen and can also when not using it for writing,you can switch back to normal laptop mode and use keyboard for typing. And then can make flash cards or pop quizzzes or etc from the notes using software provided by them. I use a Tablet PC and believe me once you get used to it you cant live without it. You can get a decent toshiba Tablet PC from range of $1200-$1500 . I'am saying Toshbia tablet PC because the other tablet PCs dont have any keyboard in them. They are just touch screen laptops and they are not worth it as you wont be able to type in it when you dont want to write.

 

[PODonny]

I will be a first year pod student starting in Aug and was wondering what type of laptop you guys would recommend getting? I was going to go with either a Macbook or Macbook Pro? Suggestions? comments?

Where are you starting school? At DMU, they "provide" (it goes into tuition) everyone with a new laptop. I don't know if it's like that anywhere else though.

 

[znl343]

Since most of life Science classes need heavy notes taking and rough diagrams and presentations,etc. I would suggest you to go for a Tablet PC. Toshiba's Tablet PC are two in one - i.e keyboard as well as touch screen. So in that way you can write all the notes on it directly with pen and can also when not using it for writing,you can switch back to normal laptop mode and use keyboard for typing. And then can make flash cards or pop quizzzes or etc from the notes using software provided by them. I use a Tablet PC and believe me once you get used to it you cant live without it. You can get a decent toshiba Tablet PC from range of $1200-$1500 . I'am saying Toshbia tablet PC because the other tablet PCs dont have any keyboard in them. They are just touch screen laptops and they are not worth it as you wont be able to type in it when you dont want to write.

I second this. I have a Toshiba Tablet for the last 4 years of uni and I cant live without it now. It is by far the best tool you can buy. Regular laptops dont even compare. I see the pricing has come down on them too. When I got mine I paid $4300cdn

 

[bdaddyjolley]

Since most of life Science classes need heavy notes taking and rough diagrams and presentations,etc. I would suggest you to go for a Tablet PC. Toshiba's Tablet PC are two in one - i.e keyboard as well as touch screen. So in that way you can write all the notes on it directly with pen and can also when not using it for writing,you can switch back to normal laptop mode and use keyboard for typing. And then can make flash cards or pop quizzzes or etc from the notes using software provided by them. I use a Tablet PC and believe me once you get used to it you cant live without it. You can get a decent toshiba Tablet PC from range of $1200-$1500 . I'am saying Toshbia tablet PC because the other tablet PCs dont have any keyboard in them. They are just touch screen laptops and they are not worth it as you wont be able to type in it when you dont want to write.

Not true that only tobisha makes tablets with keyboards. Every tablet I have seen online has a keyboard. Check out the gateway ones which are cheaper than tobisha and seem to do all the same stuff.

 

[evander]

I don't really get the tablet PC's. I think most people can type just as quickly as they can write, if not faster, but it sounds like you guys really like them.

 

[bdaddyjolley]

I don't really get the tablet PC's. I think most people can type just as quickly as they can write, if not faster, but it sounds like you guys really like them.

The advantage of a Tablet is not that you can write in place of typing but that you can do other stuff you can't do with a keyboard easily like write in stuff next to the important parts of an image on a power point or cirlce parts for emphasis or whatever. Its like printing out the power point lecture and writing, drawing or doing whatever with it but not having to actually print it out and therefore keep really organized all in the computer. A pencil or pen does a lot a keyboard doesn't.

 

[cool_vkb]

Not true that only tobisha makes tablets with keyboards. Every tablet I have seen online has a keyboard. Check out the gateway ones which are cheaper than tobisha and seem to do all the same stuff.

My dad uses a gateway tablet pc. It does have keyboard but the screen is small and it doesnt have an s-video output , speaker, dvd recorder or CD-Rom, or other interfaces or high ram etc. Toshiba's tablet PC is like mother of all. Its so awesome. If you compare speficifications of toshiba tablet PC (satellite series or proeteige series) to other tablet pcs. You will see that toshiba's tablet pc is having all the features a regualr expensive laptop will have along with tablet pc feature.

 

[bdaddyjolley]

My dad uses a gateway tablet pc. It does have keyboard but the screen is small and it doesnt have an s-video output , speaker, dvd recorder or CD-Rom, or other interfaces or high ram etc. Toshiba's tablet PC is like mother of all. Its so awesome. If you compare speficifications of toshiba tablet PC (satellite series or proeteige series) to other tablet pcs. You will see that toshiba's tablet pc is having all the features a regualr expensive laptop will have along with tablet pc feature.

When did you get yours? On toshibas website, it shows they only make them with 12.1' screen size for all the different types while gate features one with a 12.1' and a 14' screen. You can get all the same spec on the gateway as tobisha I didnt see anything about an S-video option or it being standard for toshiba's. Just compare what's offered from their websites. Don't get me wrong, I think Toshiba's are great computers. I was just giving one example of a different brand of Tablets that does well too but is cheaper. There are also many other companies that make excellent tablets with a keyboard. My original point was that Toshiba is not the only brand with a keyboard because that's what you stated. For those not knowing much about tablets, I just wanted to make it clear that there are other options.

 

[PODonny]

The advantage of a Tablet is not that you can write in place of typing but that you can do other stuff you can't do with a keyboard easily like write in stuff next to the important parts of an image on a power point or cirlce parts for emphasis or whatever. Its like printing out the power point lecture and writing, drawing or doing whatever with it but not having to actually print it out and therefore keep really organized all in the computer. A pencil or pen does a lot a keyboard doesn't.

I agree with this post. The tablets were used for lecture power points all the time in class this year. As the prof lectured, we were able to write little side notes at will. It is very helpful.

 

[cool_vkb]

Don't get me wrong, I think Toshiba's are great computers. I was just giving one example of a different brand of Tablets that does well too but is cheaper. There are also many other companies that make excellent tablets with a keyboard. My original point was that Toshiba is not the only brand with a keyboard because that's what you stated. For those not knowing much about tablets, I just wanted to make it clear that there are other options.

No problemo brother! God bless you!

 

[znl343]

Without getting into too many details i have to say that I have conducted extensive research into tablet pc's. Now my work is a bit dated (~4 years) so i am basing this on that.

There are many tablet pcs on the market. All of the ones i have seen had keyboards. But i am sure there were models that i never saw/tested. I have extensive knowledge of the hp, compaq, and toshiba models. At the time the toshiba although most expensive was the best value.

Some things to keep in mind when searching for a tablet pc are:
1. does it include microsoft one note: irreplaceable for tablet users
2. the warranty: HP had one year, toshiba had 3 or 4
3. weight
4. battery life
5. some of the tablets had touch sensitive glass when you put your hand on them to write the computer thought it was the pen - pretty stupid
6. the glass - if it was glass it scratched way easier, the toshiba has some sort of glass/plastic variant, I couldnt scratch it when i tried.

just some food for though.

 

[azstdnt]

Before you buy anything contact the school and see if you can download the powerpoints (azpod doesn't). If they don't it makes the tablet kind of worthless. In fact some may argue at midwestern you do not need a computer at all. I have a tablet and although it is a fun toy, I wind up just using excel, powerpoint and word. So in the end I would have gotten a laptop that's 6-700 bucks or maybe even 100 bucks from the thrift store as whiskers said.

 

[Feli]

I've gotten through basic sciences just fine without a laptop (even though they are "required" per the program website). A handful of other students in my class have also. Roughly half of our professors put their PowerPoints on BlackBoard for download, but some professors just provide you with handouts which you take notes on. For the ones who give PowerPoint files online, you can always just print them out on a home desktop or in the library. Pen and paper never crashes, gets stolen, or runs out of batteries, and you can draw whatever diagrams you like...

I guess a laptop is nice if you don't want to print out the notes, but keep in mind that it can turn into a $1500 internet and email tool that just distracts you from listening in class also...

 

[Podman]

i went with a dell in my first year and never had complaints.

 

[TeamSkene's]

Be warned when thinking about Toshiba. I am currently using a Tecra M7 and have found it to be very good for note taking and other things like photoshop. I love my tablet but myself and a friend of mine with the same model have had to deal with Toshibas customer service and IT SUCKS A BIG NUT!!!! I consider myself an inclined computer user (built PCs, put a PC in my car, huge nerd.....) and don't have any trouble addressing 99.9% of the problems I encounter. But the time you do actually have to deal with getting you laptop fixed, Toshiba sucks hard. I would highly recommend a tablet but if you go Toshiba I would make sure you are comfortable with doing fresh windows install and such.

 

[FootFetish]

knowing everything about computers, i feel i am authorized to give you the response you need.

i did my first year of school with a powerbook and my second with a macbook. a macbook pro is definitely overkill. it's great, but overkill. windows sucks, but everything is power point, so you can either 1) run powerpoint for mac 2) run keynote for mac 3)run windows through parallels on a mac or 4)use windows.

ranked, those options are: 2, 3, 1, 4.

tablets are OK, but you have to convert your files for One Note or whatever that program is. just learn to type and you'll be fine.

if you come to scholl, i'll give you parallels for free and you can have either vista or XP.

if you're a long time mac user, notice that the difference between a MacBook and a Macbook Pro is much less than the difference between a Powerbook and iBook was.

 

[FootFetish]

ps...

no matter what kind of apple you get, get APPLE CARE! it's the best thing (aside from ram) to add to your computer. whatever non-neglect problems you have can be fixed instantly for free, just by going to an apple store. for realsies.

 

[txlioness]

knowing everything about computers, i feel i am authorized to give you the response you need.

i did my first year of school with a powerbook and my second with a macbook. a macbook pro is definitely overkill. it's great, but overkill. windows sucks, but everything is power point, so you can either 1) run powerpoint for mac 2) run keynote for mac 3)run windows through parallels on a mac or 4)use windows.

ranked, those options are: 2, 3, 1, 4.

tablets are OK, but you have to convert your files for One Note or whatever that program is. just learn to type and you'll be fine.

if you come to scholl, i'll give you parallels for free and you can have either vista or XP.

if you're a long time mac user, notice that the difference between a MacBook and a Macbook Pro is much less than the difference between a Powerbook and iBook was.

I currently have XP and will be uploading Vista pretty soon. Right now I just have my laptop but I am thinking of getting a tablet. Maybe a Toshiba.

So there are no problems with downloading powerpoints?

 

[azstdnt]

I'm not sure how it is at other schools, but at azpod you cannot download powerpoints (they hand out note packets), but most of the lectures are in a pdf format. Not sure about the onenote conversion. I see a couple people bring in their computers to class, but they aren't tablets. Check the school before you buy the computer. I don't see how it could help you unless you can get the anatomy ppt. with pics and whatever other subjects to be worth it.

 

[Creflo]

I'm going to AZPOD this fall and bought a macbook this summer, mainly because my Dell was old and I've been wanting an apple. I got the office for mac software for it.

 

[evander]

ps...

no matter what kind of apple you get, get APPLE CARE! it's the best thing (aside from ram) to add to your computer. whatever non-neglect problems you have can be fixed instantly for free, just by going to an apple store. for realsies.

Absolutely!!! Applecare is a must.