Ultra-portable Notebook Computer Recommendation?

[Dave Noble]

And importantly, it has a light grey coloured keyboard. I've had notebooks in the past with black keys - on a dimly-lit plane I struggle to read the lettering on the keys!

All the Thinkpads I have had have a light on them which deals with the issue

I'm happy new T61 arrived today

Dave

 

[moa999]

Never had a problem with the IBM keys, the white writing is pretty clear

[That said the little IBM lcd doesn't do much]

If you need more light, I'd consider a little USB add-on. Something like this:
DealExtreme: $5.12 3-LED USB Light

[fyi that site is absoultely awesome for anyone liking cheap electronic gadgets]

 

[Yada Yada]

Never had a problem with the IBM keys, the white writing is pretty clear

[That said the little IBM lcd doesn't do much]

If you need more light, I'd consider a little USB add-on. Something like this:
DealExtreme: $5.12 3-LED USB Light

[fyi that site is absoultely awesome for anyone liking cheap electronic gadgets]

The problem I had with black keys was using an HP notebook. Not that it was the computer's fault. My eyes just ain't what they used to be.

 

[mainly tailfirst]

There are new macbooks coming which are thinner I think.

Ahh, the fabled "macbook thin". My current weapon of choice is a Powerbook G4 12", which I will not give up until Apple sees sense and brings out a new 'Book in the same form factor. Given recent events, when (if) they do it'll probably be perfect in all respects except only having 8GB of flash memory in place of a hard drive

<On topic> Stay away from Dell and trust the ex-IBMers and their new Chinese masters. I'd gladly swap my Lattitude D610 for a decent ThinkPad (X or R) in a flash.

mt

 

[browski]

Stay away from Dell and trust the ex-IBMers and their new Chinese masters. I'd gladly swap my Lattitude D610 for a decent ThinkPad (X or R) in a flash.

mt

Any reason why?

 

[alxr101]

Sadly I can't access properties in the control - these are severely locked down machines - cant even run disk cleanup... another reason for managing my own IT in the future if at all possible...

Couldn't be that severely locked down if the BIOS was accessible. So you can't get an Admin to change the Mouse settings for you ?

oh,,, remaining on topic, for a budget machine my better half has a very nice Acer Travelmate 3000 series.

I prefer the ACer's 12.1" widescreen 1280x800 pixels to the IBM's. Battery life not as good but junk the IBM/Fujitsu hard disk for a seagate and they are lightweight, good value machines with very good screens.

Def try to view screens before buying.

 

[Frequent_Non_Flyer]

In laboriously scrolling through the replies, I did not see a Hewlett Packard mentioned. The model being the Tx 1000 AU a 12.1" touch / pen to screen tablet notebook, the screen twists around 180 degrees, into and converts itself into A4 page configuration if one so desires.

It has an Athlon Turion 64 X2 processor, 120 GB hard drive, ( new model just out has a 160GB hard drive). It has a Lightscribe dual layer DVD burner, ho hum nVidia 6150 Graphics chip, (it does the job, but nothing spectacular -not for playing high end games anyway). However video DVD playback is great. It is sturdily built,it can take the knocks, and not that heavy for what it is.

Hope this helps.

 

[markis10]

I would caution against statements such as stay away from xx_X brand, simply becuase all the brands have their notebooks made by at least two different manufacturers and design teams.

The largest notebook manufacturer in the world is a name most people would not have heard off yet they make Apple and Sony notebooks to name but a small part of their production.

I have seen huge difference in the design and funtion of two different models of the Toshiba Protege for instance, and you guessed it, made by two different companies!

 

[Rono]

3rd time lucky...I was at a CBD meeting in a swank coffee house a fortnight ago and a guy pulled out his UMPC. Well that was the end of my control of the meeting. People kept coming over and asking questions about it. I am not in the PC industry and so don't flog any gear. I would be curious however to know whether or not this UMPC was worth the disruption it created.

VYE Mini V Ultra S18PA laptop Review - Pocket-lint.co.uk - gadget news and reviews

regards

Paul R Ronis

 

[mainly tailfirst]

Any reason why?

Style (I'm a Powerbook owner after all and a decent keyboard that doesn't flex. Ideally work would give me a MacBook Pro instead of my Dell, but that's not going to happen.

mt

 

[dot]

I realise it may be too late for the OP, but PCWorld have just published a top ten of Ultra Portable Laptops - See PC World - Chart - Top 10 Ultraportable Laptops - Interestingly, the Thinkpad X61 lead the pack followed by the Thinkpad X61 Tablet, so it looks like my desire to have a X61 Tablet is supported by the review...