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Help with a portable computer for Mom.

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My Mother needs a computer that doesn't look like a computer. She has just bought a condo in FL & will be dividing her time between MI & FL. She doesn't want it to sit taking up a lot of space at her condo. She doesn't need much, just email mainly. An occasional web browsing. She's 70. Her current machine is a 450 Celery with 348 sd 100 RAM & Diamond Viper 550 & it does everything she wants to do with it. I built it out of my spare parts years ago. Trouble is right now, I'm out of spare parts, so I'll most likely buy new if I go that way.

Here's my dilemma. I think that a lap top might be the answer, but I don't know a thing about lap tops & they seem expensive. Then if you buy 2 docking stations, you've laid out some $$$. But if there's some good lap tops that aren't expensive, & would do the job, I'd sure like to know about them.

Shuttle is totally out of the question. I've seen what Crashman has posted about the Shuttles for awhile now & I agree. Trouble is Crashman, the Antec case you showed awhile back that looks like a stereo, might be to big to haul back & forth to FL.

I could build her a new low end machine for FL to leave it there & her current box in MI. Myself I'd like to at least get her 1 machine that can get up to XP. I could get her a flat panel for the place in FL then she would just have to bring the CPU back & forth. That might not look quite as big as a normal computer for FL. It feels like a lap top or notebook application to me, but there you go. I've never touched a lap top. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Criteria?
1. Be small enough to haul back & forth, possibly on a plane.
2. Be easy enough to hook up so my Mom could do it. LOL.
3. 56 K modem.
4. Onboard Video. Solitaire is the only game that the vid card will ever see. LOL
5. On board sound.
6. 20 gig HDD would be more than enough.
7. Maybe 512 RAM, but 256 would be enough as long as XP would run on it.

I read the review on the AMD notebook chip & that's way, way over kill for sure, but sounds like an answer albeit expensive. Just want to get her something that kind of meet's the above, put in 2 dial ups for both states for her, & that's about all she needs.

Thanks in advance for the info.

If it ain't broke, take it apart & see why not!

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Bunp. I need something here!

If it ain't broke, take it apart & see why not!

Reply to RCPilot

Get an iBook

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Reply to Spitfire_x86

If your mom doesn't want Laptop, then buy the cheapest iMac

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Reply to Spitfire_x86

She does want a lap top, I'm the one that doesn't know about them. Educate me a tad. She'll take what ever I get her. It's me that is wondering about it. If you have some links to some deals on lap tops I'd happy to look at them & buy one if it's good. Probably $700 to $800 budget.

If it ain't broke, take it apart & see why not!

Reply to RCPilot

With this budget, you can't afford an iBook. You have to go for AMD based laptops. You can't even afford a notebook with Athllon XP-M. You have to buy a laptop with desktop CPU and no software. Don't think about buying softwares, use pirated copies.

Here's some deal for you, notebooks with AXP 1800+, no OS. Don't think a
<A HREF="http://www.pricewatch.com/1/336/5283-1.htm " target="_new">http://www.pricewatch.com/1/336/5283-1.htm </A>

Forget about battery life. Don't expect to have more than 1 hour battery backup

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Reply to Spitfire_x86

A notebook is probably not the best for an older person.
The display is small with a high resolution. Your mom will probably have a hard time reading on it.
I suggest using a system with a microATX motherboard and a microATX form factor case.

This is what I will be building for my parents.

Inwin L545 Micro-atx P4 Baby PC (w/180W power supply, That is continuous power output. It's a good psu.)
Intel 845GV GVAD2L, mATX DDR266, s478 (video,audio,LAN,USB2)(Intel Extreme Graphics)
Celeron - 2.2 GHz 128K 400MHz retail P4-478
512MB PC2100 266MHz APACER (2 X 256MB)
40.0GB Ultra100 7200rpm #WD400BB
Samsung IDE oem 16X DVD & 48x12x48 CDRW
Samsung / NEC Beige (oem) 1.4MB Floppy Drive
Altec Lansing Speakers 220 2-Speaker
Samsung 750S 0.24 1280 X 1024 3 Year 17" monitor
Windows XP Home Ed. (oem version w/CD)
Microsoft Works Suite (Word, Money, Encarta, etc.)
Norton AntiVirus
CyberLink PowerDVD
Nero Burning ROM
Microsoft Internet Keyboard
Microsoft Optical Scroll Mouse
1/4" Foam Mouse Pad
And a Lite ADSL subscription. (512kb/s down 128kb/s up)

All you need to add is a 56k modem.
My parents will love this system and it's cheap for me to build and service. Just as easy to make this an AMD system.

Doctor Hooter <A HREF="http://www.page3.com/" target="_new">(·Y·)</A>

Reply to zpyrd

Quote :

Celeron - 2.2 GHz 128K 400MHz retail P4-478

cough cough cough

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Reply to Spitfire_x86

Quote :

Celeron - 2.2 GHz 128K 400MHz retail P4-478

:eek: Via c3 1Ghz m10000 :eek:

Instead of Rdram, why not just merge 4 Sdram channels...

Reply to Quetzacoatl

Thanks for the link. I guess that I need to do some research on lap tops. If you know of any links that I could study I'd appreciate it.

What would be your recommendation for a budget. Also what would you recommend in the way of a lap top or ibook. I'm totally at a loss here. I've always used & built desk top PC's. Mom can afford what she needs. I'm the frugal one. I put the budget at that figure because I know I could build her a machine for that king of money.

Thanks for the help.

If it ain't broke, take it apart & see why not!

Reply to RCPilot

Thanks for the set up. I'm studying some things out. Mom doesn't have problems with reading & such. She's a retired school teacher. She's more active than I am. It's hard for me to keep up with her sometimes. So I don't think a small screen would bother her at all.

If it ain't broke, take it apart & see why not!

Reply to RCPilot

RC,

1 - I don't think I'd do an iBook. I have an iMac flat panel (g4,800mhz,512mb etc...) -- I like it and it works for what i want it to (testing!) ... but it seems slow compared to a windows machine and for getting e-mail/surfing web etc... I'd want a notebook or desktop on WXP.

2 - Try a couple of these places and see what you can find out --
<A HREF="http://www.powernotebooks.com" target="_new">PowerNotebooks</A>
<A HREF="http://www.powernotebooks.com/Name_Brand.php3" target="_new">PowerNotebook - Name Brand info</A>
<A HREF="http://www.sagernotebook.com" target="_new">Sager</A>

I don't have any experience with these personally -- but I started looking for a notebook a while back for a friend. I think if you could find a low-end model that could be a "knock-off" of a "brand" name then that could be a possibility -- and it *might* save you a little money.

Or dude ... get you a dell!!
<A HREF="http://www.dell.com/us/en/dhs/offers/specials_m_inspn1100.htm " target="_new">Dell notebook</A>

anyway .. might miss your price point on all of these by around $300 or so -- but, it's close! HTH.

Reply to okietex

Yes the P4 Celeron is a disappointment.
Considering the P4's now have 533 and 800MHz FSB and 512 and 1MB of L2 cache I hope Intel will allow the P4 Celeron to have 256kB of L2 cache which will significantly improve performance.

Doctor Hooter <A HREF="http://www.page3.com/" target="_new">(·Y·)</A>

Reply to zpyrd

Quote :

Then it will be an Willamette with "Celeron" label. AXP's will eat them

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Reply to Spitfire_x86

With his very tight budget (~$800), it's very hard to get a decent notebook. No way other than going for "Desknotes"

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Reply to Spitfire_x86

The cheapest you can buy at Sager is priced $1200. But it's a decent one (except battery life)

<A HREF="http://www.sagernotebook.com/pages/web_specials.html" target="_new"> Click to see</A>

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Reply to Spitfire_x86

Spitfire - yeah, I meant to mention that it'd probably blow the $800 budget ... however, DELL does have one they *SAY* comes in @ $749 or $799 ... but, as soon as I try to "configure" it ... it pops up in the $1049 range!! LOL.

Just travelling so much -- and he is the frugal one -- it would probably be more pleasant for his mom to travel with a notebook rather than a "desknote"!

And ... I guess you could go Ebay'ing or the refurbished route.

Reply to okietex

Well Lay it on me. I'm looking at the cheap Dell with the 2.2 Celery (cough, cough). What is a realistic budget? Mom can afford a few things. I just am lost on lap tops, note books or what ever. If I need to spend $1200 so be it. Give me a good deal that will fit her needs, forget the $$$ for the moment.

If it ain't broke, take it apart & see why not!

Reply to RCPilot

ok pal, i've found 2 very good deals for you.

#1) <A HREF="http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,110529,00.asp" target="_new"> Compaq Presario 2100Z</A> ««AXP-M 1800+, $1000, 512 MB RAM, 15" screen, 40 GB HDD, CD/DVD combo drive»»

#2) <A HREF="http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,108944,00.asp" target="_new"> Compaq Evo N1015v</A> ««$849, AXP-M 1400+, 128 MB RAM, 13.3" screen, 20 GB HDD, CD-ROM»»

<A HREF="http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/chart_comparison.asp?aid=110328&prodid=17049&prodid=15717" target="_new"> PCWorld comparison of two notebooks </A>

The Evo N1015v has 50 min. more battery life (3h 50min vs. 3h), but in all other point of views, Compaq Presario 2100Z is better. And it doesn't cost too much. IMO, you should get this for your mom

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Reply to Spitfire_x86

Hey Man, I'm forever in your debt. Thanks a bunch.

I was about to punch the button on a Dell Celery 2.2 & I know that Both of these would easily beat it to death. The low one you showed me is the ticket. Now I'm going looking for it. I'm going to get her a replicator station with it to put at her main place.

Thanks again.

Honey, what's that smell? Don't bother me now I'm working on my computer! OOPS!

Reply to RCPilot

You're going for the cheaper one? try to get the first, it has much better features, and text 15" LCD is easier for eyes than 13.3" LCD.

ATI's IGP-320 chipset doesn't perform great, but enough to compeat with Celerys'

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Reply to Spitfire_x86

Ok I'll look at the top one much deeper. She'll never use the thing hard at all.

Honey, what's that smell? Don't bother me now I'm working on my computer! OOPS!

Reply to RCPilot

Keep in mind that the cheaper one has only 128 MB RAM. You need at least 256 MB

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Reply to Spitfire_x86

Very good points. I just talked to my Mom on the phone. We decided to go with the bigger lap top as you suggested. What I did was gave her the screen size & told her to go to a store & look at a machine with that size screen to see if she feels comfortable with it. I told her change the res. to see if the text was good enough for her. So that is going to make our decision. If she's comfortable with that size screen we're going to get 2100Z as you have so carefully suggested. If she feel like it's to small for her, then that's it for a lap top. To get a larger screen it would be to costly. So I'll build her a desktop & she'll have to live with that.

Sure do thank you for your effort. I'll let you know this weekend how we went.

Honey, what's that smell? Don't bother me now I'm working on my computer! OOPS!

Reply to RCPilot

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