I have a dilemma - my computer is not at my place of work - ie. the kitchen. Can anyone suggest a solution. PLEASE bear in mind that I am famously non-techie. Ideally I would like something small (and I really do mean small, like those foldy-up jobs), that I can plug into the phone socket and access the internet. (Cream, peach or pale apple green would be nice (;o)

If it could also access my existing computer - that would be even better. Very soon there will be a bald patch on the carpet running from the kitchen to the computer room!!!(:o)

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2000

Answers

Galaxy - you need a laptop (calm down Gav). That's the tchnical term for "one of those foldy things". If you also want to access your other 'puter you're going to need a network, and that starts to get a bit expensive - unless of course it is only occasionally in which case you can get a simple cable to run between the two of them to transfer files etc.

Wouldn't it be simpler to just give up work?

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2000

Give up work? My family think that I already have!!!!

Are these laptops still in the gazillion £ price bracket? Are is regularly replacing the lounge carpet going to work out cheaper?(:o)

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2000

Are? Or...is what I meant to say. (:o)

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2000

If it's just internet use you need it for, I'm sure you could find a laptop that'll do the job for a relatively reasonable price. As to what's reasonable..well, depends how big your lounge is.

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2000

Hang on a second..........I`m just going to swing a cat!

Yep.....just about that size, apart from the chimney chest, which now has a chip in it.............sorry Bentley...oops!(:o)

Seriously though, all I want to be able to do is send e mails etc., and get on line to you lot without having to interrupt what I`m doing all the time. So do you think that one of the older slightly cheaper laptops would be sufficient? I`m not looking at buying the latest £2,500 type (I could get round and see you all in person for that sort of money!)(:o)

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2000

Not my line, so someone would have better info than me, but I would have thought you could get a new one that'd do the job for about £1,000, and a second hand one for half that.

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2000

Galaxy, I know a man (he's caaled Geordie) who can buy used PCs for a snip. Well, the catch is, there have to be some available. For example, if one was available, you could get a Pentium 100 LapTop for about 170 squid. That would not include modem or software.

And before anybody asks, I'm not offering to get any!

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2000

Okay - I shall be giving this a bit more thought, it will probably take me until after my account has coped with the strain of Christmas. But thanks for the info - you never know, this time next year I may be saying ` My other computer`s a laptop`! (:o)

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2000

OK... I'm on the case. Remind me next week and I'll see what's available. Can't gurantee a pale apple green shade though.

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2000

Galaxy-

if you want to get an idea of what's available in new laptops, www.pcworld.co.uk looks as good as any. If you want a cheapy second hand, there should be loads on www.loot.com. Caveat Emptor and all that.

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2000

One thing you may want to get in the laptop is a 56k modem. Some older ones may have slower modems installed. You'll still get on the net, but it will be slower. And you can just about forget listening to webcasts and emailing at the same time. The good news is, you can buy a modem seperately and have it installed. Other than that, any old laptop should be fine for your purposes. :-)

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2000

Thanks again folks! Especially Geordie. (:o)

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2000

Strange thing is I am updating my Lap top at the moment and I was going to post on here a question

I want the bottom of the range cheapest one I can get my hands onn. It has to be new. There are three machines that are standing out saying buy Me.

All have a 56 k Modem,24 speed Cd rom, Windows 98 and a few bits of software. No1 an Acer 550 mhz intel celeron, 5 gig hd, 32mb ram, 12.1 HPA screen. £799

No 2 Toshiba 600mhz intel celeron, 6 gig hd, 32mb ram, 12.0 dual scan screen.£799

No 3 Sony Vaio 533 mhz AMD k6-2, 6 gig hd, 64mb ram, 12.1 TFT Screen £999

I think I would preferthe Sony but is it worth the extra £200?

As for my old lap top, It's a Pentium 133 and works canny, A bit slow though and when it gets hot I get a few black lines going through the screen, A quick tap normally cures it. It's got a 1 gig HD which is nearly all taken up with bits of badly made web sites, and thousands of Footy pictures. I don't think I'll be selling it but am open to offers. Comes with a 56k external modem which is wuicker than the biult in one.

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2000

Oh and the q key is where the w key is.

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2000

Rik - is the Q key in the wrong place on the keyboard or does it just come out wrong on the screen? If the latter, you have it set for the wrong language. If the key is in the wrong place, try a screwdriver.

As for your choice of Laptop, haven't you seen the ads on TV for the ThinkPad T20? Bliddy marvellous and exactly what a young entrepreneur like you should be using.

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2000

The best way to get a cheap laptop is to become a teacher! I bought mine last May under a clever little government scheme that gave me £500 towards it. Don't know how I ever lived without it. One odd thing at the moment - I can access this board via my laptop but not my desktop - this has only happened this week. Spooky or what?

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2000

Calling all teachers...

Earn 250 pounds in an hour

How? here's how

Get your forms filled in from the Government to get yourself 500 pounds towards a computer. ThenGo down to PC World, buy a Sony Vio for £999. Send it up to Rik who will thn post a cheque off for 750 pounds. Simple, you've just made two hundred and fifty pounds in an hour.

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2000

Screacher

Is this an IBM product by any chance?

How much is it

and how much can you get me a slightly warm one for?

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2000

The way the Aussie dollar is at the moment it may well be a lot cheaper for one of the lads here in OZ checkout prices etc. Current rate is something like 1 pound= $5,000...well...maybe a BIT of exaggeration there...

-- Anonymous, November 18, 2000

You people knocking the Oz dollar. the exchange rate is $1 = 36p.

This is about the same as the 2 - 3 years ago. Now against the US$ that is closer to A$1 = US$5000.

Hiya Wavey, not had a chance to get back to Canberra for a while. May be in Sydney in the New Year though, looks like Feb at this time!

gus

-- Anonymous, November 18, 2000

Any time Gus...we'll have a few swallies....You watching it tonight? I'm off to a club 3 minutes walk away...24 hr license...whe hey!!!

-- Anonymous, November 18, 2000

Thanks for the info Screach, still waiting for one to fall off the back of an Aeroplane though.

-- Anonymous, November 18, 2000