Technology tablet laptops (also, laptops in trunks in winter)

[Shpamme]

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does anyone have input on whether tablet laptops are good for med classes? apparently most of my lectures will be on powerpoint. i previously liked to take notes by hand on the printed-out presentations, but i hate the process of printing. i figure a tablet pc would allow me to take notes without printing. the added bonus would be that i wouldn't have to carry around 2-3" binders full of printouts, which is especially helpful given that i have to fly most weekends.

are there any downsides i'm not seeing?

also, does anyone know if it's safe to keep a laptop in a locked trunk in the middle of winter? it snows a lot where i'm going..will the laptop get damaged? assuming i decide to ultimately print slides out, i'd want to keep the laptop in the trunk during class, and then go retrieve it when it's time to head to the library to study. i don't feel comfortable storing it in a school locker.
thanks.

 

[shantster]

I never feel comfortable about leaving my computer in something that is not climate controlled for a few hours. I don't know if there's any real basis for this though.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

Check the temperature range given for the laptop. I wouldn't subject it to any extreme temperatures, like less than 0F or more importantly something really hot.

Tablet PCs are great! However, they tend to break more easily/have issues and are more underpowered than they regular laptop cousins. I had a tablet slate (no keyboard) and I loved it for writing notes in class. But the processor was underpowered and not supported by my school, and it stopped working one day (won't turn on). I can't afford to take the chance of fixing it. For the start of medical school, I looked into getting a convertible tablet (one with a keyboard), but it was difficult to find one that was fast enough for what I wanted at the price I wanted. I simply went with a standard laptop.

You can get a "toughbook" that will withstand getting wet, and take most abuse. But you are looking at spending 4-5k$ to get a decent machine with that kind of toughness.

P.S.: OP, prepare to have the MODs move your thread to the technology forum dungeon where it will receive little traffic. 😆

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

Keeping a laptop in a trunk in a very cold climate is probably not such a good idea. As long as it's off, it doesn't matter much if the laptop gets below its allowable operating temperature. However, if you try to pull it out of the trunk and warm it too fast, you could very easily get condensation inside the laptop - and that's bad. If you tried to start it when the hard drive was still too cold, you could conceivably harm the arms and read/write heads. And, lastly, if the battery is still cold when you start it, you'll have very little power and it's not good for them to warm up too fast - either powering the laptop or charging, both of which heat the battery up a lot.

All things considered: bad idea. Think of your laptop as a dog. A faithful companion. If you wouldn't leave your dog in the car, don't leave your laptop.

 

[njbmd]

Moving to Techology forum.

 

[Shpamme]

thanks guys! ok, i think i'll stick with my regular laptop for now especially given lifetimedoc's experience. i'll wait till block 3 to invest in a tablet, if i feel the regular laptop isn't working out.
and, i won't leave the laptop in the car. the condensation thing makes a lot of sense to me.
thanks again!