Notebooks!

Over the last two weeks or so, I've been getting a lot of queries from friends who want to buy notebooks. So I've been doing a lot of research.

One of them already ordered his. One of them is still weighing some options. I haven't talked to one more guy.

To be honest, I'm kinda new to this mobile computing thing being the hardcore desktop user that I am. But recently, I've been using my dad's Inspiron 1501 quite a lot. Mainly for pottering about the house, surfing the net while I watch the History channel. Or ESPN. Or downloading drivers and other stuff while doing troubleshooting. Or lounging about at Starbucks.

I must say having a notebook AND a desktop at the same time is very convenient. Even more convenient is the fact that my house has a WiFi access point (protected by a WEP key unlike so many other people's).

The idea of all my friends buying notebooks fills me with joy. If enough people have notebooks then we can have a LAN party at my house without having to lug around our (relatively) gigantic 17" CRT and 19" LCD displays and various casings and mice and keyboards and etc. Plus not all my computer using friends have WiFi ready desktops.

Anyway, I've been doing so much reading on notebooks that I'm actually contemplating getting one myself. Not so soon though, there still stuff that I haven't paid up yet. But a notebook buy is definitely on the cards. That way I won't have to use my dad's notebook anymore.

I'm messing around with the Dell customizers on their website and am playing around with something that costs about RM3500 from 2 base models, the Inspiron 1520 and the Vostro 1500.

I managed to build two equally mouth watering specs costing around RM3490+. 2 Gbs dual channel RAM. Dedicated GeForce 8400M GS graphics card. 160Gb hard drive. DVD combo drive. 15.4 inch display. 9 cell battery. Nearly enough power to rival my desktop.

The Inspiron has a webcam and comes in many different colour kits but the Vostro is more damage resistant.

I can't decide!

Geek excitement aside, I'll probably be able to afford one or the other in December. That means no PSP... Oh well.

Oh yes, why Dell? Why not Sony, Fujitsu, Acer, HP, Lenovo etc etc? Well, I have some really good experience with Dell products. The company I work for uses Dell a lot and I'm very familiar with their local tech rep. Plus, to be honest when it comes to notebook stuff Dell is pretty hard to beat.

Ok then, I'm at the office and don't have much to do at the moment. Time to look for more notebook reviews...