Laptop juggling

After going through various tablet PC websites, forums, blogs – you name it, I’ve probably been there, I still can’t figure out if I want/need one or if I just need a regular laptop.  But in comparison to a laptop, they can either more or less expensive, based on what kind of specifications you want on it.  I don’t want anything fancy on mine – just the ability to play my music, watch my DVDs and burned anime, and I can take out the optical drive to put in an extra battery.  Mind you that I’m buying this computer with my own money, since I’ll be working during the holidays and my winter break.  I thought the one by Gateway would be cool because of the software and low price, but then I read about how the digitizer pen is battery-powered and needs to be replaced.  There are just so many brands, so many specifications, but many are just too expensive.  I would probably be better off getting a regular laptop, but look at what I’ve been going through in my classes this semester, a tablet PC would save on all the crap I’ve been having to print out for my child development and psychology classes.  Even my psychology professor said that he isn’t going to make anymore handouts for the class; we have to download and print them outselves from the file manager on the psychology website.  Of course, if I had a tablet PC, I would only have to download, not print, and I can take notes directly on the on the handout without having to scribble and erase if I make a mistake in one of my graphs (I tend to be a perfectionist).  As for my child development classes, there are these HUGE files – mostly PowerPoint presentations.  I hate printing those out because there are so many ways you can do that, and they all use a lot of ink.  Not to mention I can have my textbooks in PDF format – I can highlight and write at my own free will, without having to nag the bookstore about why it’s STILL backordered.  Not to mention, PDF textbooks are considerably cheaper, in comparison to my $121 psychology textbook and my math book ($150+); I’m glad I didn’t sell my math book at the end of the semester because it’s still useable.  Thankfully, this is my LAST math class, so this book is FINALLY going back to the bookstore.  My current desktop has like a billion cables, just to have everything set up – the power cables, the printer cable, the monitor cable, the USB hub, the keyboard, the wireless mouse (it’s powering thing is USB), the adapter for the speakers, and whole lot of other crap.  It doesn’t sound like a lot, does it?  It is – there are cables all over the floor over the surge protector, and I’m surprised it hasn’t started a fire yet.  It takes an entire box to hold all these cables, and I have to make sure I don’t lose any or I can’t put my computer together.  Let’s see…if I had a laptop/tablet PC instead, I would only have: a printer cable, a USB hub, a power cable with adapter, wireless/USB mouse (if I get lazy), and my speakers (but I may only use the ones with the laptop).  See?  It’s SO MUCH LESS!  And my room wouldn’t be a fire hazard, and I would definitely have my surge protector with me because I’ll probably find something else to plug in!

Anyway, I’ve looked over these brands, but they are so expensive, except for Gateway.
Toshiba
IBM
Fujitsu
Acer
HP/Compaq
There’s probably more, but the brands are all so generic and I haven’t heard of them before. 

Even if I make enough money, I probably won’t be able to make up my mind because I’m naturally indecisive like that – I have to COMPARE EVERYTHING before making my final decision.  Anyway, I’m going to compare some more brands/prices before I go to bed.

WISH ME LUCK! 

~ by twilightmelfina on October 16, 2005.