Computer querstion
 

I am in the market for a new computer and have some questions. I want to get a laptop primarily for surfing the net and e-mailing. The desktop I have now has the wireless router for my work laptop. If I buy a new lap top will I have to still use my Verizon modem and ether net adapter, etc or does the new ones have them built in? What laptop will give you the best bang for the buck?

MAC- IBook or if you have the folding money Powerbook. They both come with airport extreme (wireless).

A "router" is the device that actually shares the intenet connection via wires or wireless. The "wireless adapter" is the device on the receiving end which you plug into your notebook or desktop via PCMCIA, USB, or PCI card.

Do you have a Verizon wireless broadband card or just Verizon as an ISP?

If you just want a notebook with a integrated WiFi card the Acer Travelmate 2423WXCi computers are really cheap. $400 after a $100 rebate through Tigerdirect. The rebate is a pain but the machine is decent. It could use more memory which I did but a well stocked machine for a total of $500 is hard to beat!

go with a mac.. no worries there .. it works ;)

Why a laptop tho? Much harder to upgrade

Mac

FYI, I didn't know this until today. Piggybacking Wifi is legally equvialent to tresspassing in IL, and the law specifically identifiies it. There are a lot of other states too.

Also keep in mind, two type of WiFi, the household a/b/g/n versions. G is plenty fast for almost anything.

And WiMax (still often called WiFi) this is available in several methods also. A number of cities are providing city wide coverage, for very reasonable rates. Many cell companies offer something similiar.
Neither is as fast as Cable, some do approach DSL speeds.
You will have to buy a card specifically for the service you use.

Mac or PC, please let's not argue it get whichever YOU prefer. I'm getting a lot of reports of Virus's attacking Macs(Linux), and they are fixing a lot of holes too.
I don't believe anyone has a good Vscanner for Macs.

Finally, unless you have some very special needs, high end gaming or ??, I agree today get a laptop. The compramizes are minumal.

Get it with the biggest Hard Drive you can afford / Justify etc. HDs are difficult to upgrade in laptops (Not impossible, just difficult). In most you can upgrade the memory fairly easily usually.

I'd also invest in an External USB drive to back it up, AND do Back it up regularly.

That's about the size of it,just make certain your spell-check works.........

Laptops are crap. If something goes wrong with the motherboard (power adapter connection is what I see a lot) outside of the measly standard 1 year warranty then you go ahead and pay 400-800 for a new motherboard. If the optical drive goes fubar you pay 150-200 for a new one. HD's and RAM are easy at least. Battery goes out in 2 or 3 years pay 150-200 for a new one. Power adapter unit stops charging the battery pay $100+ for it.

What im saying is don't get a laptop unless you really need it. If you are going to leave it plugged in all the time at a desk like most people I wouldn't go for it.