info on Acer TravelMate 8000 series?

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

"Blind Broccoli" <blindbroccoli@yahoo.com> wrote in news:uJdhc.3979
$e4.3897@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net:

> Does anyone have experience with this laptop (TravelMate 8003LMi or LM
is
> what I have seen for sale online in USA, maybe other designations
> elsewhere). I do mean 8003 with two zeros not 803LCi for which I can
find
> lots of information. It has b/g wireless unlike the 8xx series and
faster
> video card, and DVD +- RW, which is great. I don't know what other
> differences there are. Looks interesting to me with these specs. Any
> comments? Also how is Acer service and support these days?

Have been using TM803 since it came out. Never used Acer support. But
laptop is rock-solid and I download BIOS upgrades from acer-euro FTP
regularly (they even added BIOS support for upcoming Dothan processor).

From the looks of it, TM8003 is an awesome laptop (I want one). It seems
to be just a little heavier than TM803. DVI output is a notable
difference (BTW, TM8002 does not have it) as well as the whole ATI MR9700
graphics (top of the line). Card reader is built-in on the front versus
a PCCard in TM803. I don't know if Gigabit Ethernet is of any use unless
you are in corporate environment. I modded my TM803 and have DVD-RW in
it, which to me is a must these days (working with video a lot). So the
fact that TM8003 has it standard is good.

It would be interesting to know what Acer did about internal antenna for
wireless. Hope they put it into display lid instead of case base.
I have wireless b/g in TM803 - mini-PCI card pulled out of Wireless-G
Linksys router. Works with Acer button and led. Don't know how good new
Intel card is. Most likely the same chipset (Broadcom), so should be
similar to what I'm used to.

Unless you worked with Acer (or some Sony for that matter) laptop before,
you may have hard time adjusting to keyboard layout. Those Home and End
keys requiring Fn were driving me nuts initially.

Acer lately seems to set high standards in notebook design.

One more thing. I have not tried it myself but I've heard people were
calling Acer regarding spare parts (there is contact information with e-
mail, contact person name, and phone number on Acer site) and had good
luck with it. Maybe someone will chime in...

Alexei