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My wife is starting a Science degree next week at UNSW as a mature age student. She needs a laptop to take to lectures,etc.

Can any of my learned friends here suggest a suitable machine? What she needs is light weight, portability and battery life, high end graphics and CPU grunt are not needed for mostly word processing. CD-R burner and Wi-Fi port are also required but I assume they comes standard on any laptop.

Oh well, looks like the 70-200VR is *bumped*

TIA
John.

johndec wrote:My wife is starting a Science degree next week at UNSW as a mature age student. She needs a laptop to take to lectures,etc.

Can any of my learned friends here suggest a suitable machine? What she needs is light weight, portability and battery life, high end graphics and CPU grunt are not needed for mostly word processing. CD-R burner and Wi-Fi port are also required but I assume they comes standard on any laptop.

Oh well, looks like the 70-200VR is *bumped*

TIA
John.

With all above, your target price should be around 3K with 1.5kg and mostly these lightweight notebook ain't cheap, if she only need one for mostly word processing, she doesn't need that one.
Can I say something? buy her a notebook around 2K, add the 70-200VR and give her the bill for $4400.00 GST Inc. She'll be happy cos she has a nice husby, who's look after her and she can proud of telling her colleagues about you

I forgot to mention that I bought her an Optima laptop from Dickies about 18 months ago and virtually the day after the warranty expired the CD-R stopped working and at last count about 4 of the keyboard keys no longer function without hitting them with a two pound lump hammer

So no name brands will not cut much ice with "She Who Must Be Obeyed"

I'd probably be looking at a low end Centrino, or maybe even a Celeron.

20-30GB, CD Burner, 12" screen.

Go smaller, or go larger, and the cost goes up.

Birddog114 wrote:Can I say something? buy her a notebook around 2K, add the 70-200VR and give her the bill for $4400.00 GST Inc. She'll be happy cos she has a nice husby, who's look after her and she can proud of telling her colleagues about you

Hehehe. Birddog is trying to sell me a $4400 laptop and I'm VERY tempted

johndec wrote:I forgot to mention that I bought her an Optima laptop from Dickies about 18 months ago and virtually the day after the warranty expired the CD-R stopped working and at last count about 4 of the keyboard keys no longer function without hitting them with a two pound lump hammer

So no name brands will not cut much ice with "She Who Must Be Obeyed"

Brand name? What? HP? Toshiba? Sony bugger?
All the same mate, they're the same factories of Hdd, RAM, keyboard, case, mainboard, just difference design and badges. Do you remember the first post you told us: Maybe Tamron 70-300 and nikon 70-300G are the same factory and it's re-badged under Nikon name

HTH

We had for some years a second hand Acer Travelmate, Pentium III 600Mhz, it does the job.
Yes it takes some time to start, but we don't do video editing or so.
It runs XP professional and Office professional and is ok.
Once the application has loaded, typing speed doesn't keep up with the laptop anyway.
You may wan't to have a look at second hand gear or the computer markets.

Cheers
CD

Birddog114 wrote: Do you remember the first post you told us: Maybe Tamron 70-300 and nikon 70-300G are the same factory and it's re-badged under Nikon name

What a memory I'd even forgot that, although I still stand by my claims that the specs are identical

johndec wrote:

Birddog114 wrote: Do you remember the first post you told us: Maybe Tamron 70-300 and nikon 70-300G are the same factory and it's re-badged under Nikon name

What a memory I'd even forgot that, although I still stand by my claims that the specs are identical

Enjoy! It's nice lens Will we do a deal as said earlier?

Johndec, I would take the $4400 option, might even be able to claim it on tax as study expenses or through your work

Birdy,
Just trying to get a 5 year old with too much red cordial to bed, I'll PM you a little later and see what we can work out.

Something like this may tempt you... especially with the $100 discount for students...

Nnnnsic wrote:Something like this may tempt you... especially with the $100 discount for students...

Looking good. Thats Nnnnnnnnnnnnnsic (damm N key)

Even Dad was impressed with this find.

Have a look at the 12" ibook. You even get a student discount, see the apple site. has built in wireless.

The iBook has one very serious flaw... it's a Mac.

More so, it's a handicapped Mac.

I admit I'm biased (only for the last 12 months though) but 12" iBook for around $1600 (plus extra ram) is the way to go - quality is #1, screen is brilliant, battery lasts forever and included software bundle is outstanding, add academic MS office and PSelements and off you go.

Birdie, how about stocking some nice mac stuff for all the nice people in D70 land?

ozimax wrote:I admit I'm biased (only for the last 12 months though) but 12" iBook for around $1600 (plus extra ram) is the way to go - quality is #1, screen is brilliant, battery lasts forever and included software bundle is outstanding, add academic MS office and PSelements and off you go.

Birdie, how about stocking some nice mac stuff for all the nice people in D70 land?

We're MAC reseller as well, don't you know?

I'd still say the Toshiba is a better deal than the iBook.

Different sort of market, mind you, but I'd bet a Tecra against an iBook in quality any day.

John, if you want to spend a little bit more have a look at a Fujitsu lappy

Fujitsu C1211-05E only $2099
http://www.cworld.com.au

shutterbug wrote:John, if you want to spend a little bit more have a look at a Fujitsu lappy

Fujitsu C1211-05E only $2099
http://www.cworld.com.au

Please re-read/ John wants a notebook and a 70-200VR in one bundle

If you're looking at options I'd say get a laptop with a card reader, so much faster and simpler than a cable to transfer images, I havent used my cable since I got this new laptop.

Gordon

Gordon wrote:If you're looking at options I'd say get a laptop with a card reader, so much faster and simpler than a cable to transfer images, I havent used my cable since I got this new laptop.

Good suggestion if one can be found. Most lappies I see have a SD slot, but no CF, which makes it slightly difficult.

Nnnnsic wrote:The iBook has one very serious flaw... it's a Mac. .

Not so much a flaw.

More a birth defect!



Another VI contender, even.

Thanks guys, looks like I've got a bit of homework to do. BTW, the lappie/lens combo might not come off at the same time and Gordon, don't need this for PP work, got my desktop for that (with a built in card reader).

gstark wrote:

Gordon wrote:If you're looking at options I'd say get a laptop with a card reader, ...

Good suggestion if one can be found. Most lappies I see have a SD slot, but no CF, which makes it slightly difficult.

Yes, CF readers arent as common, but mine has a 7 in 1 reader, and I believe you can get the units from some electronics stores and run them via USB now.

Gordon

Gentlemen, gentlemen, we are not comparing apples (pardon the pun) with apples here, Tecra is top of line vs iBook entry level.

For a Rolls Royce experience buy a Powerbook and be a king but like the Tecra, it is very expensive and very good.

That's all, I have to go and catch some more surfers in action...Max

P.S. Birdie, are you serious, do you really stock mac stuff/access ?

Nnnnsic wrote:Something like this may tempt you... especially with the $100 discount for students...

That looks like a good pick Leigh. Cheap, reasonable weight, built in 802.11 and CD/DVD R-W. The fact that it's only a celeron wont slow her down for WP and browsing.

Do you stock Toshiba Birddog

I'd recommend an iBook too. Beautiful little pieces of kit and handle anything that can be thrown at them (within reason).

Birddog, do you really stock macs/accessories?

Matt

rokkstar wrote:I'd recommend an iBook too. Beautiful little pieces of kit and handle anything that can be thrown at them (within reason).

Birddog, do you really stock macs/accessories?

Matt

I don't stock MAC stuff but I can get the "Apple" or its goodies!

The 12" iBook is $1439.00 for students and you can also get a 20 gig iPod at the moment for $248.00 if you buy at the same time. Just go to the Apple website, click on education, and go into the education store to see the promo. You can also get the iPod personalised with free engraving if you are into that sort of thing.

If you are not interested in the iPod, you can sell the iPod off really quickly for at least $400 (they retail for $499) and then you are bringing the cost of the iBook down a further $150.00 so it is like you are only paying $1289.00.

HTH

Cheers
Kristine

I don't think Johndec is happy with iBook or MAC and he doesn't have time to study all same as his wife, help him to source the NON-APPLE stuff.

Kristine,
Haven't seen your D70 yet!

Hi Birddog

I sent it Saturday morning, but I live what is classified as a regional area so I guess you will receive it tomorrow.


Cheers
Kristine

Kristine wrote:Hi Birddog

I sent it Saturday morning, but I live what is classified as a regional area so I guess you will receive it tomorrow.


Cheers
Kristine

I'll keep you posted