Calling all computer Wizards...

[Sophiestkated2]

I am shopping for a notebook computer. I want one that I can go wireless with. Any suggestions? Please?
Jeth
PS- ( I'm trying to be safety concious here, cuz' you already know I don't want a bunch of wires around my feet! Heck, I can't seem to make it up an ordinary set of stairs without breaking an arm and some teeth! Those wires could be deadly to me!!)
Thanks in advance, and really, really..., please hepp me here! Nancy and Graeh say I'm computer illiterate, but they lie! They LIE I say! I am COMPLETELY computer illiterate, and THAT'S the truuff!

[Kevin]

What sort of thingsdo you use your computer for, and what kind of needs do you have.... budget? do you useit for general email, msoffice, games, etc ? Once I kinda know what your needs are I can kinda give ya good direction as to some options and what to look for.

[cgrite]

Ive had several notebook computers....and I think my Dell was definately the best.....I'm talking least amt. of problems, etc.....but this is JMO.....i have a compaq now...yuk....i guess its ok but i miss my Dell.....

[Tiki]

I have a Sony Vaio and I love it! It is designed for home users and is very media (pics, videos) friendly. Wifi is not so common in Australia yet, but you can get one that is enabled for that, I would think. Also check out which software is bundled with it-if you get the stuff you woudl have otherwise had to purchase so much the better.

[Graehstone]

Jeth, here's what I have, just scroll down a bit and it's the Inspiron 600m:
http://www1.us.dell.com/content/prod...=19&l=en&s=dhs

And I got it as a "Refurbished" computer, and what all that means is here:
http://www.dfsdirectsales.com/dfsdir..._resources.asp

Here is the current list of computers available if you choose to go this way (this llist changes constantly as they get sold or are added):
http://www.dfsdirectsales.com/dfsdir...egory_id=11946

Or ... lol, you can go this route as well and hope you get the best deal:
http://www.dellauction.com/cgi-bin/n...08269&gallery=

Whatever you decide to do, I hope you get a good deal and have fun getting it. Katrin and I also got the 3 years "Fix at home" deal, where if it's broke, they come to your house and fix it and you don't have to take the darn thing anywhere for days and days.
We also got the 2 day shipping, ordered it on Monday and got it on Wednesday. I am very pleased with what I have now. The rates are a little steep, but we are able to pay whatever amount over the monthly at any time in order to keep it "real".
You then might also want to get a wireless router (that's next on my wish llist) to enable you to connect to the internet from any room in the house without having to schlep cables around or be tied to one location.
Right now I just use it to write when I am not on the internet so it's not that big of a priority for me, but it would be nice though.
Hope this didn't confuse you even more.
Love ya lots
Iggy

[Sophiestkated2]

Thanks guys!
Keev, I'll be using it as a toy. Internet, games, storing pictures...
Iggy, thank you sweets! You know me, I think going with the in home service would pay for itself! Think I'll go do a little shopping now...
Thanks again ya'll!
Jeth

[Tiki]

I looked at Dell when I was in the market for a new laptop last year, the one thing that put me off was the offshore call centre (in India). I hate that people here (Australia) are losing their jobs to these facilities as that can only hurt our economy in the long run and I think it is a dangerous trend. More corporate greed and cost cutting so the big boys get higher bonuses. So I have chosen not to support companies that do that. Sony (so far) has their call centre here in Australia. When you are shopping around, check out where your queries end up and check the quality of the phone help you are likely to get.

[grandma]

My son and I owned a computer business (gave it up when Circuit City and Staples moved into town) The best computers are the custom built with componets straight from manufacturer. But, if you want a laptop, I would suggest a Dell over others they sell in the stores. The best processor for these would be the AMD or true Pentium. Just don't get one that has a Celleron or other inferior processors. For what you need it for, I would buy a mid-priced $800. They pretty much all come with wireless now.

Hope I helped!

[poi_lover]

I think just about any laptop now has wireless capabilities. You can "build your own" on the Dell site. However, when I try to do that I always end up picking all the options and a computer that costs 3k+ because I'm a sucker!!! If you're looking for a good price, you're probably better off checking on the local sales papers in your area for Best Buy, Circuit City, CompUSA, etc.. I've read that it is generally recommended that you get an additional warranty with a laptop, versus a regular desktop, because they can be more prone to problems and are more expensive to fix.

[kvnband]

If you go with Dell, please PLEASE stay away from the 6000 series. We get 2 or 3 of those a week in the shop with a crappy soldering job between the power connector and the MOBO. I've only noticed the trend with the 6000 series....

Also, in terms of laptops, Toshiba is an often overlooked resource. They have great, sturdy, laptops, but aren't as well advertised as the other big players.

The Toshiba Satellite A105-S4001 is a nice computer, especially if you're into music/video (good sound and video size). It has a fairly large keyboard (when talking about laptops), multimedia control center to the left of the keyboard. The only thing I've seen wrong with it is that it has a smaller than average touchpad (I hate those things so much).

Kevin