Ultraportable

[Guest]

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

Hello,

I am going to buy a laptop soon, because I need it for my job (IT
administrator).

I'd like to know your opinion on ultraportable machines.

I am sure I want an ultraportable.

I can spend up to 600-700$ on it, so it should be a second-hand.


What do I need it for:

It will run Linux-2.6, with software like:
- WindowMaker (desktop environment similar to Windows95 in CPU usage)
- Mozilla Firefox (for web browsing)
- MPlayer (for movie playing, very effective)
- xmms (for music playing, xmms-alike. mainly with headphones)
- psi (for IM)
- various console tools like mutt,vim,gcc,g++,irssi,slrn,latex etc.

For this set, a PentiumIII 500MHz / 128MBram machine should do
(or maybe less could work well too?).


What I need in this baby then (in priority order):
- linux compatiblity
- high quality (durable)
- display 1024x768 or more (not less), bright and crisp
- long battery life (preferably more than 4hrs)
- small case (preferably thinner than 2.5cm/1inch)
- lightweight (preferably less than 2kg/4.5lbs)
- integrated ethernet
- integrated WiFi (it may be not possible in this price range)
- integrated modem
- comfortable keyboard (i don't have 'big' fingers)
- docking station for easy connecting to home network
- IrDA (for mobile phone)
- pcmcia (if wifi/lan/modem not available)
- at least P2 450 CPU (transmeta maybe)
- at least 96MB of RAM
- at least 12GB HDD
- USB port or two for additional stuff

Some less important needs:
- video card with hardware scaling (for video), X compatible
- hardware mixing (4 streams or more) soundcard.
- *BSD compatibility


What I don't need / don't care about:
- optical drive (I hardly use CDs/DVDs anyway)
- floppy drive (same reason)
- touchpad (trackpoint is enough)
- architecture (any linux-compatible is ok)
- display diagonal (i am accustomed to 125dpi displays)

What I don't want and would like to aviod:
- fan (noise)
- noisy HDD
- any dongles for ethernet etc (I keep breaking and loosing them)
- pieces I can break or loose (doors etc)


I've prepared some kind of comparison:
http://www.filip.eu.org/laptop/db.php

If you have any boxen to suggest, or you notice some false data, or
have any comments about already present devices or my criteria,
please let me know.

Some machines there are out of 700$ range, but they are present
for reference.



thanks in advance and bye,
Filip Zyzniewski

PS. These preparations may seem strange, but I just like making best
possible choices .


--
If you want to mail me, please remove '.bezspamu' from my e-mail address

 

[Guest]

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

>I've prepared some kind of comparison:
>http://www.filip.eu.org/laptop/db.php

LOL, you're not buying a condo.

 

[Guest]

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

Filip djMedrzec Zyzniewski <filip.bezspamu@filip.eu.org> wrote in
news:slrncb4gvt.crv.filip.bezspamu@ekatalog.com.pl:

> What I need in this baby then (in priority order):
> - linux compatiblity
> - high quality (durable)
> - display 1024x768 or more (not less), bright and crisp
> - long battery life (preferably more than 4hrs)
> - small case (preferably thinner than 2.5cm/1inch)
> - lightweight (preferably less than 2kg/4.5lbs)


if you think you're finding a computer with these specs for less than
$1000, then enjoy fantasy world.

you seem to want high-end, modern features but don't want to pay a high-
end, modern price. this is not possible in the real world.

your specs indicate that you are looking for a Pentium-M based laptop
(and/or Centrino), which will give you the long battery life, small form
factor...

the Acer's come in with a lot of your specs at a decent price, plus they
all run pretty flawlessly with Linux/Unix.

 

[Guest]

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

On 2004-05-25, Good Man <heyho@letsgo.com> wrote:

>> What I need in this baby then (in priority order):
>> - linux compatiblity
>> - high quality (durable)
>> - display 1024x768 or more (not less), bright and crisp
>> - long battery life (preferably more than 4hrs)
>> - small case (preferably thinner than 2.5cm/1inch)
>> - lightweight (preferably less than 2kg/4.5lbs)
>
>
> if you think you're finding a computer with these specs for less than
> $1000, then enjoy fantasy world.

How about Fujitsu Lifebook P-2110, or P-2040 with wifi
mini pci / pcmcia card?

These are going to cost a bit more, but they meet
almost all my needs (except height).

P-2000's 1280x768 display, long battery life (extendable),
magnesium-alloy cover, are linux compatible (doubts about modem
however), and owners usually love them.

Any opinions?

> you seem to want high-end, modern features but don't want to pay a high-
> end, modern price. this is not possible in the real world.

I'll try to get as close as I can .

> your specs indicate that you are looking for a Pentium-M based laptop
> (and/or Centrino), which will give you the long battery life, small form
> factor...

Centrino is exceeding my peformance needs. Transmeta Crusoe would be fine.

> the Acer's come in with a lot of your specs at a decent price, plus they
> all run pretty flawlessly with Linux/Unix.

I need a closer look .


bye,
Filip Zyzniewski

 

[Guest]

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

Filip djMedrzec Zyzniewski <filip.bezspamu@filip.eu.org> wrote in
news:slrncb8l3c.vp3.filip.bezspamu@ekatalog.com.pl:


>> your specs indicate that you are looking for a Pentium-M based laptop
>> (and/or Centrino), which will give you the long battery life, small
>> form factor...
>
> Centrino is exceeding my peformance needs. Transmeta Crusoe would be
> fine.

Centrino/Pentium-M is the only processor that will run cool (and not kick
in the 'fan noise' you don't want), the only one that will give you 4+
hours of battery life, and the most likely one to be used in a laptop with
a very small, light formfactor which you desire.

 

[Guest]

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

> I'd like to know your opinion on ultraportable machines.
>
> I am sure I want an ultraportable.
>
> I can spend up to 600-700$ on it, so it should be a second-hand.


You are probably going to have to compromise on your feature list or your
price. Some of the things you want (CPU, Memory, HDD) are very realistic at
that price, but I am not sure you will find any ultraportable with 1024x768
display, four hour battery life and WiFi for less than $700.

You could look at a used Panasonic R1 (which I would expect to be worth $800
to $1000). A Panasonic R2, T2 or W2 would suit you better, but are even
more expensive.

They have good Linux compatibility for the basic features, but no support
for some less important features like SD card slot.

Luke

 

[Guest]

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

Downscale your specs a bit and I'd recommend one of the Sony 505
family: original 505T*, N505, Z505 or R505. If you weren't so strict
on display resolution, I'd say a Picturebook, which is 1024x480.
A 505TS/505TR covers all your bases except cpu speed. It's thin,
light, Linux compatible, and with a double-cap battery last 4 hours
easy, even more with a quad battery. It's a Pentium MMX so it's low
power, no fan, and you can find them cheap all over eBay.
Emanuel

 

[Guest]

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

>> Centrino is exceeding my peformance needs. Transmeta Crusoe would be
>> fine.
>
> Centrino/Pentium-M is the only processor that will run cool (and not kick
> in the 'fan noise' you don't want), the only one that will give you 4+
> hours of battery life, and the most likely one to be used in a laptop with
> a very small, light formfactor which you desire.
>

Just to be sure... What do you know about Transmeta Crusoe?

What I mean is... all 3 things you said (running cool, 4+ hrs battery life,
found in small boxen) are true for Crusoe

bye,
Filip Zyzniewski

 

[Guest]

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

On 2004-05-26, E Brown <epbrown01@att.net> wrote:
> Downscale your specs a bit and I'd recommend one of the Sony 505
> family: original 505T*, N505, Z505 or R505. If you weren't so strict
> on display resolution, I'd say a Picturebook, which is 1024x480.

Well, I'm accustomed to 1600x1200 on my desktop (on 17" CRT, so 125dpi).
That is just the way I like it. I hate anything less than 1024x768 (I
don't like it very much too, but well... you won't get more on an
ultraportable).

> A 505TS/505TR covers all your bases except cpu speed. It's thin,
> light, Linux compatible, and with a double-cap battery last 4 hours
> easy, even more with a quad battery. It's a Pentium MMX so it's low
> power, no fan, and you can find them cheap all over eBay.

I had a pentiumI lappy some time ago, and it was just too slow.
I love ACPI interface (APM lacks many features). I'd like to be able
to watch movies (cpu, hardware scaler). Mozilla Firefox isn't very
fast on a classic pentium too. And gcc/g++...
MMX class ultraportable systems probably don't have displays
bigger than SVGA.

For now, sacrificing thinness and a bit money, Fujitsu Lifebook P-2110
seems a way to go for me... I wonder if I can find anything *better*


bye,
Filip Zyzniewski

 

[Guest]

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

I have seen some IBM x21 models with the docking station going for about
$650 CDN on eBay lately.

600-700 MHz - very nice.


"Filip djMedrzec Zyzniewski" <filip.bezspamu@filip.eu.org> wrote in message
news:slrncb4gvt.crv.filip.bezspamu@ekatalog.com.pl...
> Hello,
>
> I am going to buy a laptop soon, because I need it for my job (IT
> administrator).
>
> I'd like to know your opinion on ultraportable machines.
>
> I am sure I want an ultraportable.
>
> I can spend up to 600-700$ on it, so it should be a second-hand.
>
>
> What do I need it for:
>
> It will run Linux-2.6, with software like:
> - WindowMaker (desktop environment similar to Windows95 in CPU usage)
> - Mozilla Firefox (for web browsing)
> - MPlayer (for movie playing, very effective)
> - xmms (for music playing, xmms-alike. mainly with headphones)
> - psi (for IM)
> - various console tools like mutt,vim,gcc,g++,irssi,slrn,latex etc.
>
> For this set, a PentiumIII 500MHz / 128MBram machine should do
> (or maybe less could work well too?).
>
>
> What I need in this baby then (in priority order):
> - linux compatiblity
> - high quality (durable)
> - display 1024x768 or more (not less), bright and crisp
> - long battery life (preferably more than 4hrs)
> - small case (preferably thinner than 2.5cm/1inch)
> - lightweight (preferably less than 2kg/4.5lbs)
> - integrated ethernet
> - integrated WiFi (it may be not possible in this price range)
> - integrated modem
> - comfortable keyboard (i don't have 'big' fingers)
> - docking station for easy connecting to home network
> - IrDA (for mobile phone)
> - pcmcia (if wifi/lan/modem not available)
> - at least P2 450 CPU (transmeta maybe)
> - at least 96MB of RAM
> - at least 12GB HDD
> - USB port or two for additional stuff
>
> Some less important needs:
> - video card with hardware scaling (for video), X compatible
> - hardware mixing (4 streams or more) soundcard.
> - *BSD compatibility
>
>
> What I don't need / don't care about:
> - optical drive (I hardly use CDs/DVDs anyway)
> - floppy drive (same reason)
> - touchpad (trackpoint is enough)
> - architecture (any linux-compatible is ok)
> - display diagonal (i am accustomed to 125dpi displays)
>
> What I don't want and would like to aviod:
> - fan (noise)
> - noisy HDD
> - any dongles for ethernet etc (I keep breaking and loosing them)
> - pieces I can break or loose (doors etc)
>
>
> I've prepared some kind of comparison:
> http://www.filip.eu.org/laptop/db.php
>
> If you have any boxen to suggest, or you notice some false data, or
> have any comments about already present devices or my criteria,
> please let me know.
>
> Some machines there are out of 700$ range, but they are present
> for reference.
>
>
>
> thanks in advance and bye,
> Filip Zyzniewski
>
> PS. These preparations may seem strange, but I just like making best
> possible choices .
>
>
> --
> If you want to mail me, please remove '.bezspamu' from my e-mail address

 

[Guest]

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

You can cook an egg on a z505 after about 30 minutes.

I would skip it.


"E Brown" <epbrown01@att.net> wrote in message
news:9ff8b0p07p0jhos8qpf9t1eggtkp002e2i@4ax.com...
> Downscale your specs a bit and I'd recommend one of the Sony 505
> family: original 505T*, N505, Z505 or R505. If you weren't so strict
> on display resolution, I'd say a Picturebook, which is 1024x480.
> A 505TS/505TR covers all your bases except cpu speed. It's thin,
> light, Linux compatible, and with a double-cap battery last 4 hours
> easy, even more with a quad battery. It's a Pentium MMX so it's low
> power, no fan, and you can find them cheap all over eBay.
> Emanuel