Special offer

New Toy... I mean Tool...

By
Real Estate Agent with Century 21 Results Realty GA RE Lic # 282060

My Tablet PC is on the ropes... and as much as I wanted to get another, I couldn't... I got a "normal" laptop...  It is still pretty cool. 

I got another Toshiba, the last one was mostly trouble free for the last 5years, I can't really complain.  I did consider a few other machines...

  • HP TouchSmart TM2.  This is a convertible Tablet PC, like my old one, except smaller.  While it was my first choice, it was also around $1000... and so I opted for being able to return home... 
  • Toshiba Satellite T135D-S1325RD.  This borders on the Ultra-Portable range.  It is small, with a 13.3" screen.  It was a hard one for me NOT to get.  It runs about $600, but Office Depot had it on sale for $530.  I might have been able to come home, but it wouldn't have been fun...  
  • Toshiba Satellite T115S-S1120.  I actually bought this one... but then found out that the processor was just a single core, unlike the previously mentioned machines.  IT was on sale for $470 at Office Depot... 
  • Toshiba Satellite L505D-LS5007.  We almost had a winner, but I really wanted a smaller machine with more battery life.  The price was certainly right, $550... on sale for $400 at Office Depot.  The size was the only issue... and if I was dedicated to using it as my only machine, I might have gone for it... 
  • Apple iPad...  Sorry, but it really wasn't seriously in the game.  Aside from not being available yesterday, the performance is sub-par for a real computer.  The price wasn't bad for an Apple... but I need WAY more flexibility. 
  • Toshiba Satellite® L515-S4010...  We have a winner.  A little more battery life than the big machines and a little smaller.  It also has a little bigger screen and built in optical drive compared to the little ones.  The price was marked down from $570 to $500.

So, that is what I looked at and what I ended up with.  I'm still getting used to Windows 7 (Home Premium).  I like it, but it is a big change from where I was.  I have MS Office 2010, FireFox, Thunderbird, Open Office and most of the rest of the stuff I need loaded up... 

The "old" Tablet PC isn't going to go away.  I loved having the ability to write on my screen and a lot of the functionality of the Tablet.  We aren't sure what the problem is, but we are going to play with it and hot rod it some.  It doesn't HAVE to start up on Monday morning to go to work anymore, so there are some things we can try... 

Anyone have a license for Windows Vista or Windows 7 laying around that they aren't using anymore? I've heard that it can be 'mostly' upgraded to run those...  I've already upgraded to a 320GB Hard Drive and 4GB of RAM.  The problem might be an intermittent issue with Windows (we have just completed a fresh install to test) or it could be a motherboard issue... 

 

In with the new...  ;^ )

Posted by

Find YOUR Dream HomeWhat's YOUR Home Worth?How's the Market?

Unless otherwise noted, all content of this blog is the property of Lane Bailey, ©2012 Lane Bailey. 

I'd love to hear from you...

DeliciousDiggRSSOn TwitterFaceBook

Email Me

Randy Ostrander
Lake and Lodge Realty LLC - Big Rapids, MI
Real Estate Broker, Serving Big Rapids and West Central MI

I am a laptop fan too Lane. I always try the fresh and new technology but end up back with a laptop. I have never tried a Toshiba but sounds like it has been fine for you.

Mar 06, 2010 01:01 AM
Emcee M. Arah
Remax Excellence - Silver Spring, MD - Silver Spring, MD
Realtor w/Architectural Dimension, AHWD CRS B-Arch

Congratulations on getting your new toy, Lane!  And may I say, I'm happy you made a choice that allowed you to go back home!

Emcee

Mar 06, 2010 01:08 AM
Ralph Gorgoglione
Metro Life Homes - Palm Springs, CA
California and Hawaii Real Estate (310) 497-9407

I've had a Tablet PC for about a year now.

Ask me how many times I've used it in the field!!

But there is a new one from Lenovo that I almost bought because it is so small and light.  The only reason I didn't buy it was because it has the Windows 7 Starter version on it and I was told that operating system may not run some of my regular programs.

Also, it only holds 1 or 2 GB of memory.

Mar 06, 2010 01:11 AM
Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
REALTOR®, Broker

Lane,

I'm thinking I might be in the market for a new one soon.  Thanks for the information on the Toshiba model.

Mar 06, 2010 01:15 AM
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

I am due to get one this year.  My wife actually got a new one first, as she was pregnant and could not get up the stairs to her desk top machine.

Mar 06, 2010 07:13 AM
Stephen Kappre
KW Hometown - Mantua, NJ
Helping You Home

I has a Toshiba Satellite some years ago ... it was a great machine. I loved it every day until it was stolen out of my truck - AT A SETTLEMENT!

Mar 06, 2010 10:21 AM
Anonymous
thesa chambers

I got so lucky - I have the HP touch smart - and love it - but I bought it just as they pulled all the computers for the vista / windows 7 exchange - and I only paid $759 and had a $300 gift card - so out of pocket $459 - it does get kinda hot - but I love it

Mar 06, 2010 01:55 PM
#7
Sun City Grand Homes; Surprise AZ Real Estate and Homes,Josee Plant Long Realty West Valley
Long Realty West Valley - Surprise, AZ
Arizona Retirement Communities Specialist

Lane-Congrats on your new addition to the family.  Thanks for the rundown on those you considered.  I have an HP Pavillion Entertainment PC and I love it.  Have fun with your new Toshiba.

Mar 07, 2010 07:41 AM
Lane Bailey
Century 21 Results Realty - Suwanee, GA
Realtor & Car Guy

Ralph - There is an upgrade for $80 to take Windows 7 Starter to the Home Premium version...  I didn't like the limitations of Starter, either. 

Thanks for the comments, everyone.

Mar 10, 2010 02:25 AM
Karen Rice Keller Williams Real Est
Keller Williams Real Estate - Hawley, PA
Northeast PA & Lake Wallenpaupack Home Sales

I think my next laptop will be a Toshiba - I am not really all that happy with Dell's.

Mar 10, 2010 02:00 PM
Song San
Coldwell Banker Dynasty - Rosemead, CA
Broker, MBA

  Lane, thanks for the info. I am thinking of adding a tablet PC to my portable office with my Macbook Pro that can boot to any Windows OS. Question that I have is do you put any extra software on your tablet PC in case your tablet get lost or stolen?

Mar 14, 2010 06:00 PM
Team Honeycutt
Allen Tate - Concord, NC

My laptop is really getting some age on it. I will look into Toshiba.

Mar 29, 2010 02:49 AM
Barbara Jenness
Barbara B. Jenness, P.A. - St. Augustine, FL - Saint Augustine, FL
St. Augustine FL Real Estate

I have an Acer TravelMate C310 (convertible tablet) that really needs to retire.  I, too, have rarely had it in the field, but I do like being able to sign letters on it so I can't (?) go back to anything else. I have been looking at the HP Touchsmart TM2, but am concerned about the running hot comment that Thesa made. My Acer runs extremely hot and one of the main reasons I don't take it with me. I have been waiting for months for the new processors to run on the TM2, but, I am concerned about the price point.  Thanks for the review.

Jul 03, 2010 12:07 AM