updatery on a tuesday afternoon...

[lagilman]

Alas, it is no longer a laptop. It is an ex-laptop. Motherboard failure, as I suspected. At this point, with all the other problems I've had with it, I said hell with this, and come September I'll start shopping for a new system.

Meanwhile, anyone have use for Dell rechargeable Li-ion batteries? They still hold a 2+ hour charge... gone to a good home.


In happier news, yesterday we celebrated my dad's birthday. He's 58 (for the twentieth time)! My contribution to the meal was roasted herbed red peppers, and a bottle of 1997 Brunello. Le yum. This morning I had to go give the vamps another vial of my blood. More le yum. I hope they enjoy the traces of that Brunello. Then we walked across town (through Central Park) to the west side where I finally found The Perfect Dishes I've been hunting for over two years now and a bunch of other things and arranged to have them delivered, then stopped for a late lunch (do you sense a trend here?), and then came home and am staring at the screen thinking "do I go to work, or do I unload my e-mail box, or do I check my f-list, or do I take a nap...?"

Nap is winning the popular vote, but work reminds me it's what pays the bills.

Meanwhile, keep those contest entries coming!

Comments

[smoemeth.livejournal.com]

What kind of batteries are they? Mine is dying -- I get 20 minutes if I'm lucky, so I'll happily take yours off your hands for however much you want for them. (I have an Inspiron 600m.)

[lagilman]

It's from a Latitude, sadly, and looks like this:

http://www.priorityelectronics.com/dell/1x793-1.htm

[smoemeth.livejournal.com]

Ah, but that page says it's compatible with part number G2053, which is the battery I currently have. :) It sure looks just like mine...

[lagilman]

We shall take this to e-mail to discuss specifics. :-)

[wolfsilveroak.livejournal.com]

Must be the day for electronic devices to die.

My 30gig Zune decided to give up the ghost today. Getting a repair request in through their Customer Service is like trying to force a horse to drink after you've lead it to the water.

Told the hubby it'd be easier to simply buy a new one. He agreed.

[hilleviw.livejournal.com]

FWIW, my Dell gave me nearly three good years, then on New Year's Eve it started to hiss, rapidly followed by a brief flash of flames and mysterious smoke. While in retrospect I can appreciate that it might have been inspired to join in with the local fireworks, it was not a good moment.

Anyway, my immediate replacement was a desktop, but now I need a laptop again so just this morning I checked Consumer Reports. They say the two brands which need fewest repairs are Lenovo and Compaq. The two brands which have the worst service records are Apple and Gateway.

For a 15.4" workhorse they like the HP Pavilion DV67001, with the Sony Vaio VGN F2 4000 as a runner up. At the 17" size they like the Sony Vaio VGN AR 770.

[lagilman]

I've been eyeing the Vaio for a while, yeah. Now I have to decide if I want to upgrade to a higher-end docking station (and retire the current desktop to a server) or just get a basic workhorse laptop....

[autojim.livejournal.com]

Vaios are mutants in a lot of ways. They're slick as hell, but mutants all the same.

Got K a Dell Latitude D420 from the Dell Outlet, with XP Pro, and she loves it. The Inspiron 1525 is now basically mine. She didn't like lugging its 15.4"ness around at ~7 lbs, and the D420's 12.1" screen and <4lbs with the big battery is right up her alley.

I've had good luck with the refurbs from the Dell Outlet. Both of those laptops are outlet refurbs. Miss E's new Inspiron 1520 was one of the last new-with-XP versions (without resorting to the double-secret method), but I wanted the New Dell warranty for her HS graduation present. About a month and a half in on both of the new ones, and they're working well. E only calls me if she needs tech support, and the phone has been quiet. :) That's stepdad Jim's role in her life: Tech Support.

[handlebar605.livejournal.com]

where would one find this Dell Outlet?

[lagilman]

www.dell.com, but then they make you search for the "shop outlet" link.

[autojim.livejournal.com]

Here:

http://www.dell.com/outlet

[redwolfexr.livejournal.com]

The sell the same extended warranty coverage on outlet machines too. I look at them every time but usually end up configuring my own anyway.

That used to be the main issue, back when there was a physical Outlet in Austin.

[julibeth.livejournal.com]

My Dell Insprion is two and a half years old. I've replaced the screen, the touch pad, the hard drive, and just today had the keyboard replaced. My warantee runs out in March, and with my luck, it's gonna crash again directly afterwards.

I'm cursed when it comes to computers.

[lagilman]

Dells seem to either be durable workhorses, or cursed beasts, and very little in-between. So far I've been pretty fortunate with them, but the problems with the power cords on this model just took me to the breaking point (I had to replace three in the course of two years!)

[redwolfexr.livejournal.com]

I use Dells for my work laptops(as a consultant) because of their maintainance network. As far as I can tell from managing other consultants with a wide range of laptops the MTBF averages 18-24 months. I always buy 3-4 year full maintainance contracts and have never really lost money on it. Last machine had 2 keyboards, an optical drive and a hard drive replaced in 3 years. Since most laptop parts are proprietary its definitely an exception to my usual policy on extended warranties.

Seems mostly irrevelant who makes the things, in fact many Sony/Dell/Gateway machines are made in the same factories in China by 2-3 OEMs.

I have a new machine from earlier this year and a still under warranty old laptop to get rid of. :)

---

Desktops I built myself, so the discussions with the manufacturer are.... short. (and people look at me funny)

[difrancis.livejournal.com]

MOurning for the laptop. But I saw on the news today that Dell is releasing today a new laptop. The e-latitude series. They are claiming the batterly life is 19 HOURS long. Which would be awesome. But even if it's only half that long.

Just saying.

Nap.