Confusion concerning notebooks

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

I am trying to help someone purchase a notebook and am mystified by some
things and am begining to discover just how different notebooks are from
desktops. Here are my questions, not in any particular order:


1. Which of the notebooks have bluetooth built-in as an option? (not the
usb-bluetooth thing). For example, I cannot find it when configuring the
Lat-100L, but I can with the Lat-D505.

2. As I asked elsegroup, what the heck is an SWDVD? Some sort of software
driven dvd?

3. Why do they have "wireless router" and a "wireless broadband router" as
two separate sections?

4. Why am I sometimes offered the chance to buy an intel wireless mini-PCI
card and other times only allowed to get Dell branded cards?

5. I'm assuming that mini-PCI cards are buried within the system. There are
is no external access to a mini-PCI bus, is there? (I'm a desktop guy).





--
Framsticks. 3D Artificial Life evolution. You can see the creatures that
evolve and how they interact, hunt, swim, etc. (Unaffiliated with me).
http://www.frams.alife.pl/

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Well, I'll answer what I can.
"Thomas G. Marshall" <tgm2tothe10thpower@replacetextwithnumber.hotmail.com>
wrote in message news:duQVd.59001$W16.27723@trndny07...
>
> I am trying to help someone purchase a notebook and am mystified by some
> things and am begining to discover just how different notebooks are from
> desktops. Here are my questions, not in any particular order:
>
>
> 1. Which of the notebooks have bluetooth built-in as an option? (not the
> usb-bluetooth thing). For example, I cannot find it when configuring the
> Lat-100L, but I can with the Lat-D505.

My thinking is that the entry level machines just aren't offered with it.
Curious why you want it? I have it and can't figure out a use for it.


>
> 2. As I asked elsegroup, what the heck is an SWDVD? Some sort of software
> driven dvd?
>

I believe they mean a Software-based decoder vs. hardware based. These days
the processors are so fast, it doesn't matter. You should be able to
configure a DVD burner if you want one.

> 3. Why do they have "wireless router" and a "wireless broadband router" as
> two separate sections?
>

Don't know.

> 4. Why am I sometimes offered the chance to buy an intel wireless mini-PCI
> card and other times only allowed to get Dell branded cards?
>

Just Dell's curious variations. I wouldn't buy the Intel, personally


> 5. I'm assuming that mini-PCI cards are buried within the system. There
> are is no external access to a mini-PCI bus, is there? (I'm a desktop
> guy).
>
>
Sort if. They're behind a little door, so you can swap them if you want.

>
>
>
> --
> Framsticks. 3D Artificial Life evolution. You can see the creatures that
> evolve and how they interact, hunt, swim, etc. (Unaffiliated with me).
> http://www.frams.alife.pl/
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Questions and comments interlineated...

Tom Scales wrote:
> Well, I'll answer what I can.
> Just Dell's curious variations. I wouldn't buy the Intel, personally
>
What do you have against the Intel? I recently got an Inspiron 600M
with the Intel wireless (offered as a free upgrade). It has it's own
utility to monitor and set up wireless, but when you put the cursor on
it in the sysem tray, it shows that the wireless is being handled by
Windows. I've just left it like that. I went with the Intel so as to
stay away from a Dell-branded version that may or may not have been
changed to suit Dell's whims.
>
>
>>5. I'm assuming that mini-PCI cards are buried within the system. There
>>are is no external access to a mini-PCI bus, is there? (I'm a desktop
>>guy).
>>
>
> Sort if. They're behind a little door, so you can swap them if you want.
>
>
Where on the 600M is this little door? Or am I confusing built-in
wireless with mini-PC cards?


Tom S.
Houston, TX

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

From what I have read, the Intel cards have been a little flaky. It was too
strong for me to say I wouldn't have one, as they are fine cards. I believe
the bad experiences were in the early Centrino days with 802.11b and were
mostly driver related.

As for the internal wireless, they are mini-PCI cards.

Tom
"Tom Simchak" <not.today@thankyou.org> wrote in message
news:CH%Vd.2153$YD4.1059@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com...
> Questions and comments interlineated...
>
> Tom Scales wrote:
>> Well, I'll answer what I can.
> > Just Dell's curious variations. I wouldn't buy the Intel, personally
>>
> What do you have against the Intel? I recently got an Inspiron 600M with
> the Intel wireless (offered as a free upgrade). It has it's own utility
> to monitor and set up wireless, but when you put the cursor on it in the
> sysem tray, it shows that the wireless is being handled by Windows. I've
> just left it like that. I went with the Intel so as to stay away from a
> Dell-branded version that may or may not have been changed to suit Dell's
> whims.
>>
>>
>>>5. I'm assuming that mini-PCI cards are buried within the system. There
>>>are is no external access to a mini-PCI bus, is there? (I'm a desktop
>>>guy).
>>>
>>
>> Sort if. They're behind a little door, so you can swap them if you want.
>>
> Where on the 600M is this little door? Or am I confusing built-in
> wireless with mini-PC cards?
>
>
> Tom S.
> Houston, TX

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Tom Scales" <tomtoo@softhome.net> wrote in message
news:Qu1Wd.143200$JF2.87607@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...
> From what I have read, the Intel cards have been a little flaky. It was
> too strong for me to say I wouldn't have one, as they are fine cards. I
> believe the bad experiences were in the early Centrino days with 802.11b
> and were mostly driver related.
>
> As for the internal wireless, they are mini-PCI cards.

I've read that too about the Intel 2100B card, but the Intel 2200B/G card is
supposed to be much better. I have the 2200 in my Inspiron 700m and have no
complaints. It never drops the signal and gets excellent reception.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Tom Scales wrote:
> "Tom Simchak" <not.today@thankyou.org> wrote in message
> news:CH%Vd.2153$YD4.1059@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com...
>
>>Questions and comments interlineated...
>>
>>Tom Scales wrote:
>>
>>>Well, I'll answer what I can.
>>
>>> Just Dell's curious variations. I wouldn't buy the Intel, personally
>>
>>What do you have against the Intel? I recently got an Inspiron 600M
with
>>the Intel wireless (offered as a free upgrade). It has it's own utility
>>to monitor and set up wireless, but when you put the cursor on it in the
>>sysem tray, it shows that the wireless is being handled by Windows.
I've
>>just left it like that. I went with the Intel so as to stay away from a
>>Dell-branded version that may or may not have been changed to suit
Dell's
>>whims.
>>
> From what I have read, the Intel cards have been a little flaky. It was too
> strong for me to say I wouldn't have one, as they are fine cards. I believe
> the bad experiences were in the early Centrino days with 802.11b and were
> mostly driver related.
>
> As for the internal wireless, they are mini-PCI cards.
>
> Tom


It should be note that the Dell card uses the closed source Broadcom
chipset. Broadcom has no intention of releasing their source, so Linux
support can only be done through an NDIS wrapper (basically use the
Windows binary driver), however this has drawbacks (limited features, no
kernel module, etc.). Intel has released the source for their card
(ipw2200.sf.net), and so far I have no complaints. I went with the
Intel card because I planned to run Linux, and so far I don't have any
complaints. When I get some time I'll try and do some range comparisons
to my good old Orinoco card (from 2001).

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Tom Scales coughed up:
> "Thomas G. Marshall"
> <tgm2tothe10thpower@replacetextwithnumber.hotmail.com> wrote in
> message news:duQVd.59001$W16.27723@trndny07...

....[rip]...

>> 1. Which of the notebooks have bluetooth built-in as an option? (not the
>> usb-bluetooth thing). For example, I cannot find it when
>> configuring the Lat-100L, but I can with the Lat-D505.
>
> My thinking is that the entry level machines just aren't offered with
> it. Curious why you want it? I have it and can't figure out a use for
> it.

My friend wants it, (the one I'm "helping"), I think for her PDA.


>> 2. As I asked elsegroup, what the heck is an SWDVD? Some sort of
>> software driven dvd?
>
> I believe they mean a Software-based decoder vs. hardware based.
> These days the processors are so fast, it doesn't matter. You should
> be able to configure a DVD burner if you want one.

So the SWDVD's are never burners. Ok. Another complaint would be that some
notebooks seem to only offer the +r/rw while others offer the dual mode +-
and now +- dual layer. Confusing as all hell.


>> 3. Why do they have "wireless router" and a "wireless broadband
>> router" as two separate sections?
>
> Don't know.

Thank you. This restores my confidence that I'm not really so stupid that I
don't know the difference. Ah, but on the dell website, such confidence is
fleeting. I remember when I bought my 8300, all the *agonizing* ways in
and out of that site before I decided on the right way to purchase the
thing.


>> 4. Why am I sometimes offered the chance to buy an intel wireless
>> mini-PCI card and other times only allowed to get Dell branded cards?
>
> Just Dell's curious variations. I wouldn't buy the Intel, personally

Dell's curious variations drive me bonkers.


>> 5. I'm assuming that mini-PCI cards are buried within the system. There
>> are is no external access to a mini-PCI bus, is there? (I'm a
>> desktop guy).
>>
> Sort if. They're behind a little door, so you can swap them if you
> want.

Ok, good. So when you see "internal <something>" it is most likely
"mini-PCI <something>", right?


--
Everythinginlifeisrealative.Apingpongballseemssmalluntilsomeoneramsitupyournose.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Internal something = mini-PCI

Bluetooth to PDA makes sense -- I just started using it to my wireless
headset.

SWDVD has nothing to do with burners. It could be SW based DVD decoding and
STILL be a burner.

Tom

"Thomas G. Marshall" <tgm2tothe10thpower@replacetextwithnumber.hotmail.com>
wrote in message news:zYrWd.90747$g16.33418@trndny08...
> Tom Scales coughed up:
>> "Thomas G. Marshall"
>> <tgm2tothe10thpower@replacetextwithnumber.hotmail.com> wrote in
>> message news:duQVd.59001$W16.27723@trndny07...
>
> ...[rip]...
>
>>> 1. Which of the notebooks have bluetooth built-in as an option? (not the
>>> usb-bluetooth thing). For example, I cannot find it when
>>> configuring the Lat-100L, but I can with the Lat-D505.
>>
>> My thinking is that the entry level machines just aren't offered with
>> it. Curious why you want it? I have it and can't figure out a use for
>> it.
>
> My friend wants it, (the one I'm "helping"), I think for her PDA.
>
>
>>> 2. As I asked elsegroup, what the heck is an SWDVD? Some sort of
>>> software driven dvd?
>>
>> I believe they mean a Software-based decoder vs. hardware based.
>> These days the processors are so fast, it doesn't matter. You should
>> be able to configure a DVD burner if you want one.
>
> So the SWDVD's are never burners. Ok. Another complaint would be that
> some notebooks seem to only offer the +r/rw while others offer the dual
> mode +- and now +- dual layer. Confusing as all hell.
>
>
>>> 3. Why do they have "wireless router" and a "wireless broadband
>>> router" as two separate sections?
>>
>> Don't know.
>
> Thank you. This restores my confidence that I'm not really so stupid that
> I don't know the difference. Ah, but on the dell website, such confidence
> is fleeting. I remember when I bought my 8300, all the *agonizing*
> ways in and out of that site before I decided on the right way to purchase
> the thing.
>
>
>>> 4. Why am I sometimes offered the chance to buy an intel wireless
>>> mini-PCI card and other times only allowed to get Dell branded cards?
>>
>> Just Dell's curious variations. I wouldn't buy the Intel, personally
>
> Dell's curious variations drive me bonkers.
>
>
>>> 5. I'm assuming that mini-PCI cards are buried within the system. There
>>> are is no external access to a mini-PCI bus, is there? (I'm a
>>> desktop guy).
>>>
>> Sort if. They're behind a little door, so you can swap them if you
>> want.
>
> Ok, good. So when you see "internal <something>" it is most likely
> "mini-PCI <something>", right?
>
>
> --
> Everythinginlifeisrealative.Apingpongballseemssmalluntilsomeoneramsitupyournose.
>
>