Your favourite laptop for travel....
Dec 22, 2006, 6:35 am
#16
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Alexandria, VA
Programs: SPG Pref+, Hilton Silver, Hyatt Plat, BA Blue, AA Riff-Raff, UA Unwashed, Travel Anonymous Platinum
Posts: 1,469
I no longer work for Apple, so I'm free to speculate now, as long as it's not based on anything I did before jumping ship. ...And nothing I did (at least in the last couple of years) gave me any clue on upcoming releases.
Anyway, it might be worth waiting until after MacWorld to see what comes out. There have been some rumors on the web about a smaller portable.
Anyway, it might be worth waiting until after MacWorld to see what comes out. There have been some rumors on the web about a smaller portable.
Dec 22, 2006, 7:00 am
#17
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Near an airport
Programs: FB, EB, Delta, AC, PC, HH.
Posts: 1,991
Dec 22, 2006, 9:28 am
#18
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Austin TX
Programs: Mr Swise: AAdvantage LifetimePlt/3MM, HH Dmnd, SPG Plt
Posts: 1,451
And when is the next MacWorld? Got a trip around the world (although not strictly "RTW" trip) next May and thanks to the airline's weight & size limits, I was going to leave home my usual laptop and go without one. But if I can find a real light and small laptop, mostly for checking emails and that sort of thing, it'd be great.
link
Dec 22, 2006, 9:36 am
#19
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: EWR
Programs: UA Gold, UA MM, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,329
Id go with either the Macbook Pro or the Thinkpad x60, both are very small and very convenient for travel, the only disadvantage to the X60 is in order to play dvd's you either need their external usb drive or the ultrabay which is a media slice under the unit. I say its a disadvantage but i find it actually to be a nice option to have. When i travel long distances i rip the dvd to the HD so i don't need to carry the external drive or the dvd's around. Ive seen the Sony and it is an awesome travel machine, its a little too expensive for my taste as well.
Dec 22, 2006, 9:56 am
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: London
Programs: BA bronze, Hertz pres circle, Marriott Platinum, hilton diamond
Posts: 2,537
Id go with either the Macbook Pro or the Thinkpad x60, both are very small and very convenient for travel, the only disadvantage to the X60 is in order to play dvd's you either need their external usb drive or the ultrabay which is a media slice under the unit. I say its a disadvantage but i find it actually to be a nice option to have. When i travel long distances i rip the dvd to the HD so i don't need to carry the external drive or the dvd's around. Ive seen the Sony and it is an awesome travel machine, its a little too expensive for my taste as well.
As an aside, does anyone find those fingerprint readers usefull?
Dec 22, 2006, 10:16 am
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: SPI
Programs: AA Gold, UA LT Plat, Mar LTT
Posts: 18,147
I'd love to be able to upgrade to the version with the built-in DVD burner....Tell you what: I'll sell you my Vaio TR-3A for a good price if you want.
Best, Dave
Dec 22, 2006, 10:46 am
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
Dec 23, 2006, 9:55 pm
#23
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: LAX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SPG Plt, Hyatt Plt
Posts: 318
I love my Vaio VGN-T250 for travel. Pricey but worth it.
Dec 23, 2006, 10:08 pm
#24
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Wellington, Melbourne
Programs: AirNZ Gold Elite, Qantas Bronze, United Mileage Plus, Virgin Blue Velocity, Accor Advantage Plus,
Posts: 503
) has worked out great! Has everything you talked about, plus an SD reader built in. Also, terrific screen.
Dec 23, 2006, 10:46 pm
#25
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
The keyboard went out on my Dell 700m about 2 months back (after about 18 months) and was replaced under warranty. As it only cost $750, it was a good deal, but if I buy another one next year I'll make sure to get the extended warranty again.
Dec 24, 2006, 4:34 am
#26
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FAI
Programs: AS MVP Gold100K, AS 1MM, Maika`i Card, AGR, HH Gold, Hertz PC, Marriott Titanium LTG, CO, 7H, BA, 8E
Posts: 42,953
Smaller is better
I have a 15.4" Tosh, and it worked fine, (a little cramped on the table), until the dude in front of me decided to recline waaay back during the middle of the flight. His seat touched the back of the screen, and now it has a white dot where that happened. So, it is much better to go smaller for portability and precautionary sake.
~beckoa
~beckoa
Dec 24, 2006, 6:20 am
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DCA
Programs: AMC MovieWatcher, Giant BonusCard, Petco PALS Card, Silver Diner Blue Plate Club
Posts: 22,297
I use a ThinkPad X60 (to the question above, I don't bother with the fingerprint reader). Big enough to use as my regular computer at work (docked with the CD/DVD drive) and small enough to travel with. My main preference in devices generally is to minimize the number I need to have/carry/sync/etc (hence I actually use my Blackberry 8700 as my phone). I find the X60 a good, all-around solution. Though not having a track pad took a couple days to get used to.
Dec 24, 2006, 6:54 pm
#28
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: PHX
Programs: AA, DL, US, UA, Starwood
Posts: 69
I just switched from the dell 600m to the Fujitsu p7120 all I can say is what a relief! On my recent trip to LAX I left my laptop (600m) at home between the wait and the bad battery life (which meant that I had to carry a second battery) it just wasn't worth it. Now the p7120 gets a mex 7.25 hours battery life and it weighs in at some 3 lbs.
Instead of purchasing it from the fujitsu website, I purchased it from their ebay store that sells the refurbished laptops for a mere $1,100 (msrp is $2,000) and I bought a 3-year warranty for an additional $200.
Bye bye dell, hello Fujitsu, Sony, HP and all the other companies that make many light-weight and nicely designed laptops!
Instead of purchasing it from the fujitsu website, I purchased it from their ebay store that sells the refurbished laptops for a mere $1,100 (msrp is $2,000) and I bought a 3-year warranty for an additional $200.
Bye bye dell, hello Fujitsu, Sony, HP and all the other companies that make many light-weight and nicely designed laptops!
Dec 24, 2006, 7:37 pm
#29
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: YVR
Programs: UA PP
Posts: 160
I bought the Averatec 1020 ED-2 back in August for 700 CAD +taxes. This came with a free HP all in one and was a great deal as Best Buy Canada was clearing stock.
On initial tests it had a battery life of 3.5 hours with Wireless on and 4 hours with wireless off.
Here is a brief review of it:
http://www.small-laptops.com/averatec-1020/
This was great to carry with me as my only piece of baggage is a backpack most of the time. It's light at 3.6 lbs and a god send to the 9.5 pound Dell Inspiron I used to lug around.
I often sit in lectures next to girl with a Sony Vaio (all decorated pretty with stickers) and she often has to plug it in to charge (about the same size with roughly the same amount of peripherals).
The thing to note about this laptop is that if works better if you smaller fingers and the screen may be shockingly too small for certain people. The hard drive also gets *hot* if on for an extended amount of time.
And Averatec tech support is notorious for being horrible but I would be getting problems fixed on my own anyway.
On initial tests it had a battery life of 3.5 hours with Wireless on and 4 hours with wireless off.
Here is a brief review of it:
http://www.small-laptops.com/averatec-1020/
This was great to carry with me as my only piece of baggage is a backpack most of the time. It's light at 3.6 lbs and a god send to the 9.5 pound Dell Inspiron I used to lug around.
I often sit in lectures next to girl with a Sony Vaio (all decorated pretty with stickers) and she often has to plug it in to charge (about the same size with roughly the same amount of peripherals).
The thing to note about this laptop is that if works better if you smaller fingers and the screen may be shockingly too small for certain people. The hard drive also gets *hot* if on for an extended amount of time.
And Averatec tech support is notorious for being horrible but I would be getting problems fixed on my own anyway.
Dec 24, 2006, 8:24 pm
#30
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: US CP, *wood Gold, Marriott gold, Hilton something
Posts: 1,458
Since I dont have the option to pick my work latop, I'd have to say my fav gadget is probably my iPod.
At home I have (magic) all my fav shows and movies on a huge drive. Before a trip I sync my music (all AAC uncompressed), podcasts and videos. I LOVE the shure ec5s and when I get to the hotel I have a cable to plug into the AV jacks for videos....it makes being gone a little more tolerable.
As sad as this sounds...on more than one occassion Mrs. SpaceBass and I have watched the same show at the same time and chatted on speakerphone...its not the same as being on the couch but it works.
iPod gets my vote!
At home I have (magic) all my fav shows and movies on a huge drive. Before a trip I sync my music (all AAC uncompressed), podcasts and videos. I LOVE the shure ec5s and when I get to the hotel I have a cable to plug into the AV jacks for videos....it makes being gone a little more tolerable.
As sad as this sounds...on more than one occassion Mrs. SpaceBass and I have watched the same show at the same time and chatted on speakerphone...its not the same as being on the couch but it works.
iPod gets my vote!