The other day, I was sitting in my favorite armchair in the living room, toiling away at my accounting homework, when my puppy Max suddenly decided he would enjoy tearing around the house. At warp speed, it seemed, he ran up the stairs, down the stairs, under the table, around the couch, and ultimately landed in my lap, where my laptop unfortunately rest. Apparently, Max thinks the "G" and "H" keys are overrated. As I sit here typing this on my middle-less keyboard, I have to thank him, really. This notebook computer and I have been through a lot together. Two moves, repair of the motherboard (while my urge is to rant, I will simply advise you never to purchase a warranty from Staples), several power cords, a battery that lasts only 15 minutes on a full charge... Well, you get the idea. So, we've come to the end of the road. It's time to demote the old Compaq Presario 2200 to "backup" status.If you've been in the market for a notebook computer recently, you realize just how overwhelming the options can be. At first, I thought I wanted an Apple. I grew up with a Mac, and I love the simplicity of the operating system. However, the only MacBook I could afford would lack most of the software I need, and then what's the point? Much to my dismay, I had to set my sights back on a Windows system. My only criteria was that I didn't want a computer with Windows Vista. (According to my brother (a programmer), Vista demands a great deal of memory, and it has compatibility issues with some older software. Plus, I think almost everyone knows someone with a Windows Vista horror story. ) As it turned out, finding a Vista-less notebook computer proved to be quite a challenge. Nearly all the laptops carried by the big-box retailers come preloaded with Windows Vista. The only units I found that still pack XP are Compaq's V6700TX series and Dell's Inspiron 1520.
Ultimately, I went with the Dell, mainly because I wanted Microsoft Office Small Business, which costs significantly less than retail price when purchased through Dell as part of the bundle. The order process went smoothly, except that I was irritated by the fact that Dell's Web site doesn't provide estimated arrival dates before the consumer completes the transaction (which makes selecting a shipping method difficult). Only when Dell sends the email confirming the order does the company provide an estimated ship date. I ordered my Dell last night, and the estimated ship date is 5/14. Oy vey!
Ultimately, I went with the Dell, mainly because I wanted Microsoft Office Small Business, which costs significantly less than retail price when purchased through Dell as part of the bundle. The order process went smoothly, except that I was irritated by the fact that Dell's Web site doesn't provide estimated arrival dates before the consumer completes the transaction (which makes selecting a shipping method difficult). Only when Dell sends the email confirming the order does the company provide an estimated ship date. I ordered my Dell last night, and the estimated ship date is 5/14. Oy vey!
1 comments:
UPDATE: Apparently Dell believes in underpromising and overdelivering; I received an email that my computer is complete & should arrive late this week. Most excellent! Also, I forgot to mention in my post that Dell does provide a complimentary, postage-paid package for disposing of old computers properly, which I think is kudos-worthy.
Post a Comment