What laptop are you getting??

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nascardoc said:
I'd throw in the Gateway tablet in this discussion as well. So far, it has been a great computer and I am very happy with it. Here is a link to the best tablet model Gateway makes.

http://www.gateway.com/systems/series/529597319.php
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That is what DCOM currently uses, right? I am actually going to try to write Dr. Leo about switching over to Lenovo for increased durability and portability for the class of 2012. I hear those gateways are ridiculously heavy
 
Syncope82 said:
That is what DCOM currently uses, right? I am actually going to try to write Dr. Leo about switching over to Lenovo for increased durability and portability for the class of 2012. I hear those gateways are ridiculously heavy
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That is the only drawback to the computer is that they are heavy after holding them for awhile. Since we don't have to hold them, I haven't found it to be a huge issue....yet. But overall, they are really nice computers.
 
nascardoc said:
That is the only drawback to the computer is that they are heavy after holding them for awhile. Since we don't have to hold them, I haven't found it to be a huge issue....yet. But overall, they are really nice computers.
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Those are definitely nice computers...but wait till you get your hands on a thinkpad!

It's like once you take a ride in a ferrari, no other sports car will compare
 
RockfordWF said:
You can get windows media player for mac. There is no need to "switch operating systems."
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For whatever reason, you cannot watch our streaming video on a mac operating system. You can't download the videos, they have to be streamed. The people I know who have Macs know a lot about them, and there is no way to stream without putting windows on it and switching back and forth.
 
KateGia said:
For whatever reason, you cannot watch our streaming video on a mac operating system. You can't download the videos, they have to be streamed. The people I know who have Macs know a lot about them, and there is no way to stream without putting windows on it and switching back and forth.
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you may be able to download them via real player 😉
 
i have the toshiba portege m200 tablet that i picked up for undergrad on ebay for a paltry $400, i love it. It came with win XP, i totally hate microsoft, so I installed linux on here and it works really well for what i need. In class i can write notes on the screen but i find i use it as a regular laptop much more often and just type my notes while i am in class as i have handwriting that even i cant read most of the time and, unless you take notes in short hand, typing is much much faster than writing. I do have some compatibility issues with the network at my school, since i am the only person on campus who uses linux but
that is their problem. I dont remember when the last time my computer froze or i had a virus because it has never happened. I do have a mac mini i use in my office at school that i have upgraded to leopard 👎 but the problem i have with macs, and windows, are that they force you to work the way they think you should not the way that is the best for you. with linux my computer only does what i tell it to do, nothing more nothing less.
 
a macbook pro. Worth the extra cash, and resale value is great!
 
Concubine said:
a macbook pro. Worth the extra cash, and resale value is great!
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that extra cash is usually twice or three times the windows price. windows get a bad rap because more people use it. Its very simple. Buy a system from a reliable company and you will be fine. If you use the system for the simple medschool or pre-ms use, you will have no problem.

Do yourself and your wallet a favor. Buy the best value for least. Its so simple as baking a cake.
 
Porco Rosso said:
that extra cash is usually twice or three times the windows price. windows get a bad rap because more people use it. Its very simple. Buy a system from a reliable company and you will be fine. If you use the system for the simple medschool or pre-ms use, you will have no problem.

Do yourself and your wallet a favor. Buy the best value for least. Its so simple as baking a cake.
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I've thought about that, but after switching to an Imac (about a year ago) from my desktop PC, I'll never go back. Plus, you can get one for much cheaper if your me...
 
Has anybody considered Dragon by Nuance?
 
I dont really know which one I'm getting but I know it's included in the tuition and it's covered for all 4 years so I'm good to go.
 
Thought about getting a new one(xps1330 or IBM X61 tablet)... but I decided to opt for memory upgrade on my exsisting DELL...and got the bigger battery pack. I heard they are good for the arms😎 I figure, it'll save me trips to the gym.

couple weeks ago, I was pretty serious about getting a tablet. However, my hand has mind of its own when it writes. plus, typing is faster for me.
 
I've been using a tablet for almost a year, so I'll go ahead and share my opinions and experiences.

I wanted to get a tablet to replace all my notepads, allow me to carry around ALL of my books while carrying only the tablet, and retain all the functionality of a laptop. In practice, my tablet is nearly allowing me to have my books for free. I considered a much cheaper laptop, but I could see it becoming a paperweight if I gave up on trying to write notes on it, which would've made it a complete waste of money. Even though tablets cost much more, so at worst it'd be a really expensive notepad or laptop.

My first accessory was a book scanner. I order all my books early, scan them in, then try to sell them to classmates...and I usually get more than I paid for them. It's also possible to "rent" a used book from the campus bookstore for a day, although the ethics of that practice are borderline at best. With software called PDFAnnotator, my scanned books allow me to write notes directly in my textbooks, search for keywords, and pull the text out to convert into audiobooks.

Long battery life is important, so I bought a tablet that allowed two batteries, and at least 8 hours of battery life. I've been able to get well over 10 hours with plenty of juice leftover. Getting maximum resolution also helps to make the text in scanned books sharp, so while any tablet will be allow a scanned page to be easily legible, I still want higher resolution. A tablet with an active digitizer is the only way to go. It allows you to write with minimal pressure, modulate pressure like a real pen, and even erase.

I bought Office 2007 Ultimate for $60, and it allows me to synchronize my notes and homework between my tablet and desktop, which also acts as a kind of backup for my files. Onenote comes with Office 2007, and allows me to write notes like a regular notepad, but can also allow me to use a notepad with infinite width and length, so I never have to cut off my notes at the end of a page. I can also easily resize, move and delete sections of notes. Word and Powerpoint also allows you to ink in them. I also use art software to do illustrations for a couple of my classes, which saves me even more money on fancy drawing utensils while providing a forgiving way for a non-artist like me to get a drawing done.

One last bonus is that girls seem to like writing and drawing and leaving phone numbers on my tablet. I've only recently discovered this phenomenon, and intend to conduct further research in this area. 😀

If anyone was considering a tablet, I recommend buying the following:
Fujitsu T4250 with a bay battery (~$2000-3000), felt stylus nibs, Plustek Opticbook 3600 scanner ($230), PDFAnnotator ($50), Office 2007 Ultimate ($60). If you use your tablet like me, this setup will pay for itself in less than two years.
 
otldoc said:
Thought about getting a new one(xps1330 or IBM X61 tablet)... but I decided to opt for memory upgrade on my exsisting DELL...and got the bigger battery pack. I heard they are good for the arms😎 I figure, it'll save me trips to the gym.

couple weeks ago, I was pretty serious about getting a tablet. However, my hand has mind of its own when it writes. plus, typing is faster for me.
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I think I'm going to go with the IBM/Lenovo x61 tablet... 👍

Thanks for providing your experience Leaftye.
 
I bought a Lenovo x61 tablet last summer for use in my last year of postbac. Having only used Dells for the last 10 years, it was an adjustment, but I'm very happy with it. It's all black and sleek and light and sexified. I only just started using OneNote to take notes on class PPTs and PDFs, and my life is forever changed. But I'd compare tablet adoption to learning to drive a manual transmission car after driving an automatic for 20 years - it's a big learning curve, and I made a lot of mistakes.

A friend who bought the same Lenovo at about the same time has had a horrible experience, though: it took 2 months to ship his, and about 10 days to ship mine; he's needed warranty repairs that have been a hassle, mine is still pristine, etc. We both bought direct from Lenovo during a sale on the same model.

I worked in software for 15 years so I can jockey Windows, and Vista hasn't been much of a headache for me. However, I don't quite understand how non-engineers make their PCs work without becoming homicidal. Mac and Linux users certainly have a saner situation.

Lastly, I'm very nervous about what the IT department at my (hopeful) future med school is going to want to do to my machine. Bradenton, for example, talked about blocking websites, which says to me that their IT department wants exclusive admin privileges. You must be kidding. I'll be buddying up with the techs to avoid this, and/or partitioning or VMing.
 
DrMidlife said:
I bought a Lenovo x61 tablet last summer...It's all black and sleek and light and sexified.
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agreed...a thinkpad is quite sexy! those steel hinges are lovely too...ok..enough talking about a notebook as if its a lovely woman...😛
 
Syncope82 said:
agreed...a thinkpad is quite sexy! those steel hinges are lovely too...ok..enough talking about a notebook as if its a lovely woman...😛
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I don't know a lot of lovely women with a mouse nubbin in the middle of their face (keyboard) who wouldn't have it surgically removed. Seriously, using this "mouse" is like palpating a cyst. It's functional, and quite convenient, but it's WEIRD.
 
Just some thoughts on what we DMU students are given, which is the Gateway E-295c (the new business class tablet). First, I will say that 95% of our class uses the tablet to it's fullest extent. If you have a tablet, you will fall in love with MS OneNote when you get to med school. MS has done a really nice job integrating OneNote, Powerpoint, Outlook, etc... The E-29c still uses XP too 👍 However, realize that the tablet PCs (whichever brand you go with) are Windows based machines and come with all of the problems associated with Windows and more with the added tablet software. They are very heavy, if this is a concern. The new Internet Explorer is not user friendly at all, but ours came with FireFox installed. The hibernation mode is a joke (takes forever to come out of it) If you foresee yourself as a hardcore lecture-going student, like myself, a tablet is highly recommended.
If you foresee yourself not attending lecture, and thus not needing quick notetaking on the .ppt provided, go with a Macbook. I will say that I also own an old Powerbook G4 that has been upgraded to Leopard (which is awesome). Best computer I've ever had; I've never had a software or hardware issue (except for a battery replacement that was way overdue). No viruses, no spyware, no crashes, etc... The new Macbooks will support Windows natively, as I'm sure you all know. However, the availabilty of MS office on Macs will provide you with all you need for med school. I listen to lectures sometime on my Powerbook with no problems, so integration of Windows formatted media files is not a problem (just may take a few codec downloads to so Quicktime can support .avi or .wmv). Battery life is pretty good, but my Gateway gets way more life out of its battery (at the expense of weight, though)
Whatever you choose, make sure you have at least 1GB of RAM, preferably 2GB.
 
I recently got a MacBook Pro 15-inch, 2.2 GHz with Leopard :-D I can also run windows on it cuz Leopard comes pre-loaded with Boot Camp for Microsoft Windows.

It's fantastic, the best computer I've ever owned. I highly recommend it, or even the MacBook - they're a bit more expensive than other PC's out there, but they are built to last in terms of both, software and hardware. 👍

p.s. I used to use (still have it) an iBook G4, that lasted me 4 years and counting.
 
I 😍 my MacBook!!! Leopard rocks my world, too. 😉
 
prionsRbad said:
I 😍 my MacBook!!! Leopard rocks my world, too. 😉
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hahaha sweet we should videochat using built-in eyesight. lol SDN should have webcam capability.
 
I really like those new slim macbooks they came out with 🙂
 
DadAndPreDOinMO said:
I can get this for $100 more than the lenovo x61, though configured slightly differently. I may go for it.
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The only down side (that I can see) is that it isn't "convertible" like the Lenovo x61. So if you want to actually type something you will have to plug in your own usb keyboard or use a bluetooth one.
 
slim78 said:
The only down side (that I can see) is that it isn't "convertible" like the Lenovo x61. So if you want to actually type something you will have to plug in your own usb keyboard or use a bluetooth one.
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forget it...im sticking with the x61s
 
slim78 said:
The only down side (that I can see) is that it isn't "convertible" like the Lenovo x61. So if you want to actually type something you will have to plug in your own usb keyboard or use a bluetooth one.
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I hadn't even considered that, and was so excited that I just missed it. I think Lenovo is probably the way to go.
 
well, we were required to get a tablet, and I honestly don't think we could do what we're doing without it- being able to write directly on powerpoints is invaluable
 
HrvatskiDoktor said:
I've been looking at this one two, but everyone I know of is going Lenovo...hmm...I still think that I may end up going with the HP if get one.
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Lenovo is the way to go...much lighter..much smaller, much more durable...and sexier 😉
 
I'm a first year at LECOM-B and I've got a Lenovo T61 with a 14.1 inch widescreen. I'm very happy with it, running dual boot to either Vista Business (with no problems) or Linux 7.10. It is under 5lbs, and has a good screen resolution of 1440x900, and is fairly good looking.

I bought mine mainly from input from my dad, a systems administrator at Kodak. He has been using thinkpads for about 12 years now, and hasn't had a problem yet. He has dropped his current one onto the pavement three times on his way into work, and its still going strong. I also like the red nub, screw touchpads. So much more productive and ergonomic than any other laptop I know of.

I'm with gasapple and syncope82 in recommending the X61 tablet. If I had about $300 more at the time, I probably would have got one over my T61.

Thinkpads ftw!
 
fightingirish said:
I'm a first year at LECOM-B and I've got a Lenovo T61 with a 14.1 inch widescreen. I'm very happy with it, running dual boot to either Vista Business (with no problems) or Linux 7.10. It is under 5lbs, and has a good screen resolution of 1440x900, and is fairly good looking.

I bought mine mainly from input from my dad, a systems administrator at Kodak. He has been using thinkpads for about 12 years now, and hasn't had a problem yet. He has dropped his current one onto the pavement three times on his way into work, and its still going strong. I also like the red nub, screw touchpads. So much more productive and ergonomic than any other laptop I know of.

I'm with gasapple and syncope82 in recommending the X61 tablet. If I had about $300 more at the time, I probably would have got one over my T61.

Thinkpads ftw!
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I also have the t61...what a pleasure to use...the NMB keyboard is amazing..almost like typing on air.

Here's a video of a thinkpad crashing into a concrete wall at least 25mph for all of you who are skeptical about thinkpad's durability...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw78gcU713g[/youtube]

the only thing that broke off was the bezel 😱
 
Syncope82 said:
Lenovo is the way to go...much lighter..much smaller, much more durable...and sexier 😉
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Sexier... I think not... Lenovos are pretty ugly. They are not built for looks, but for functionality. They are mainly made for businesses. I checked out a similar notebook to the hp tx2000z, but, I did not like the screen. Do all tablet pcs have blurry looking screens because of the touch screen that they put on there? It totally ruins the looks of the screen! I like bright, sharp screens. I may just get a normal notebook-- like the sony vaio, or something like that.

--what do y'all think of the mac book air? I heard it has no cd drive. You have to plug in an external drive.
 
MDROCKSTAR said:
Sexier... I think not... Lenovos are pretty ugly. They are not built for looks, but for functionality. They are mainly made for businesses. I checked out a similar notebook to the hp tx2000z, but, I did not like the screen. Do all tablet pcs have blurry looking screens because of the touch screen that they put on there? It totally ruins the looks of the screen! I like bright, sharp screens. I may just get a normal notebook-- like the sony vaio, or something like that.

--what do y'all think of the mac book air? I heard it has no cd drive. You have to plug in an external drive.
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I like the look of the macbook air but it seems like my 9 month old son would snap that in half. I hope it is a lot sturdier than it looks. I'll have to check one out in person.
 
MDROCKSTAR said:
Sexier... I think not... Lenovos are pretty ugly. They are not built for looks, but for functionality. They are mainly made for businesses.
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Sexier... I think... they are "classy" sexy versus a "raunchy" sexy like those hps with all the buttons everywhere and cool looking lights. Thinkpads are thing, black and slick. There is no "glossy" screen since that increases glare and is almost unusable in sunlight, unlike the "matte" finish. In addition, they are built like a TANK

Thinkpads are the professional standard in the IT field and all executives use them. It is data integrity they care about, and, I as a student, care about.
 
I also think Lenovo looks good... its like sun dress (Mac) vs little black dress (Thinkpad). Which one remains timeless? There's a reason they haven't changed the look of the thinkpad in years.

And for those thinking about the macbook air, you might reconsider the lenovo x300 that should be coming out in a few months. It has an optical drive (dvd burner), 3 USB (air has 1), a removable battery (so you don't have to send it to apple to fix when it dies), a dual core 2.0ghz intel (apple has dc 1.6ghz), expandable memory, a solid state drive, its 2.5lbs, GPS, higher resolution, biometric scanner, stereo speakers...

http://gizmodo.com/346797/ultralight-lenovo-x300-series-thinkpad-leaked

Then again I don't have much experience with a mac. Just the "hey I can't get this to work on my computer, can I use yours" comments from my roommate.
 
can someone explain why everyone is so adamant about writing directly on the powerpoint slides during lectures? i had ppt in undergrad and i took notes in the "notes" section below each slide on a regular notebook. how is that a disadvantage to having a tablet pc?
 
Eudjinn said:
can someone explain why everyone is so adamant about writing directly on the powerpoint slides during lectures? i had ppt in undergrad and i took notes in the "notes" section below each slide on a regular notebook. how is that a disadvantage to having a tablet pc?
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Yeah but could you circle stuff on the ppt and draw fun pictures??? I didn't think so.

I see your point though.
 
Eudjinn said:
can someone explain why everyone is so adamant about writing directly on the powerpoint slides during lectures? i had ppt in undergrad and i took notes in the "notes" section below each slide on a regular notebook. how is that a disadvantage to having a tablet pc?
Click to expand...

I believe that through onenote you can do searches for info if you can't remember where it is at. You can sync the notes with the audio lecture, so if you don't remember why you wrote something you can just listen back to the lecture again. Also, when others are packing their huge 3 ring binders packed full of notes to study for the final, all you have to carry is a tablet. Not to mention the benefit of only having the tablet (with other study material) to study for comlex---also the search function would seem to be helpful here too.

I don't even have one yet, but I have done lots of research and they seem awesome. Everyone that I have talked to that took paper notes in undergrad and now uses a tablet says that they would NEVER go back.
 
fightingirish said:
I also think Lenovo looks good... its like sun dress (Mac) vs little black dress (Thinkpad). Which one remains timeless? There's a reason they haven't changed the look of the thinkpad in years.

And for those thinking about the macbook air, you might reconsider the lenovo x300 that should be coming out in a few months. It has an optical drive (dvd burner), 3 USB (air has 1), a removable battery (so you don't have to send it to apple to fix when it dies), a dual core 2.0ghz intel (apple has dc 1.6ghz), expandable memory, a solid state drive, its 2.5lbs, GPS, higher resolution, biometric scanner, stereo speakers...

http://gizmodo.com/346797/ultralight-lenovo-x300-series-thinkpad-leaked

Then again I don't have much experience with a mac. Just the "hey I can't get this to work on my computer, can I use yours" comments from my roommate.
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In addition, thinkpads have the best Keyboards, bar none...this is the real plus of thinkpads and something business professionals greatly appreciate.....once you use the kb..you'll never go back to those springy/clicky kb's on dells and HP's ever again

oh yea..did i mention..spill proof keyboard? im sure we have all spilled a drink at some point on a keyboard and ruined it (i did it twice already)

Also a thinklight..a plus when using the notebook in a dark room...there's a little led built into the top of the lid that shines down on the KB illumnating it with a flick of one keystroke. ...the airbag system to protect the HD..i can go on forever =)
 
TexasTriathlete said:
16osb.jpg
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HAHAHA... We used to have one of these... Osborn (Osbern?) "portable". No hard drive, just 2 5-1/4" floppies!
 
Syncope82 said:
In addition, thinkpads have the best Keyboards, bar none...this is the real plus of thinkpads and something business professionals greatly appreciate.....once you use the kb..you'll never go back to those springy/clicky kb's on dells and HP's ever again

oh yea..did i mention..spill proof keyboard? im sure we have all spilled a drink at some point on a keyboard and ruined it (i did it twice already)

Also a thinklight..a plus when using the notebook in a dark room...there's a little led built into the top of the lid that shines down on the KB illumnating it with a flick of one keystroke. ...the airbag system to protect the HD..i can go on forever =)
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Do you work for Lenovo? LOL!:laugh:
 
I actually did spill an entire cup of tea on my keyboard. TWICE. no problems.

Should'a taken a picture of me pulling the computer out of my bag and pouring (literally) tea out of it. I think it was about 14 ounces of hot black tea. It was priceless.
 
ShyRem said:
I actually did spill an entire cup of tea on my keyboard. TWICE. no problems.

Should'a taken a picture of me pulling the computer out of my bag and pouring (literally) tea out of it. I think it was about 14 ounces of hot black tea. It was priceless.
Click to expand...

I guess that's not true of the mac book...


[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy2IMh8TV7A[/YOUTUBE]
 
I either want a mac or a toughbook
 
MDROCKSTAR said:
Do you work for Lenovo? LOL!:laugh:
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nope...I've had horrible experience dealing with compaqs and hp (business) notebooks....problems all over....in the 2 thinkpads i have owned...I have never had so much as even a single freeze.....you can't beat that...I must have reformatted and reinstalled the OS in the compaq and HP at least 5-6 times each due to either hardware or software failure.

ShyRem said:
I actually did spill an entire cup of tea on my keyboard. TWICE. no problems.

Should'a taken a picture of me pulling the computer out of my bag and pouring (literally) tea out of it. I think it was about 14 ounces of hot black tea. It was priceless.
Click to expand...

what kind of notebook?
MDROCKSTAR said:
I guess that's not true of the mac book...
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yikes.....😱....guess not..how cheap



metalmd06 said:
I either want a mac or a toughbook
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are you sure you want a macbook after that video? 😕
 
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