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Computer people help !!!1shiftone!1

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Concept_101
Posts: 114 - Karma: 10
Hi, I just started school and I need a laptop. I would only be doing some things like downloading (torrents mainly), surfing the web, listening to music etc.

I found this at my local staples for $ 700. It looks good to me, but is there anything I shuold know? It is a Toshiba.

SPECS:

# 2.0GHz Intel® Core™ Duo Processor T2450 (533MHz FSB, L1 Cache 32KB/32KB, L2 Cache 2MB)

# 1GB (2x 512MB) 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 4GB

# 160GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive

# Built-in 8x DVD Super-Multi Double Layer Drive

# 15.4" Wide XGA TFT with TruBrite™ Native LCD Panel (1280 x 800)

# Mobile Intel® 945GM Express Chipset with up to 256MB shared video memory

# Integrated 1.3MP Web Camera for Video over IP

# Integrated microphone for Voice over IP

# Intel Wireless LAN (802.11a/g)

# 10/100 integrated Ethernet LAN

# V.92 56K Data/Fax Modem

# Ports: 5-in-1 Bridge Media Adaptor (SD Card, xD picture card, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Multi Media Card), 4 USB 2.0, RJ11, RJ45, IEEE 1394, external microphone port, headphone port, RGB, S-Video Out

# Microsoft® Windows® Vista Home Premium, Bilingual

# Software Included: Norton Internet Security™ 2007 (90 day trial version); Microsoft Office 2007 (60 day trial version)

# Dimensions: 362mmW x 267.8mmD x 39.3mmH

# Weight: 2.72kg (6lbs).


Thanks.
Sep 5 2007 7:09PM
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Concept_101
Posts: 114 - Karma: 10
That is $700 Canadian by the way.
Sep 5 2007 7:10PM
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396222687862
Posts: 0 - Karma: 350
thatd be perfect for what your going to do
Sep 5 2007 7:10PM
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SkierX
Posts: 16253 - Karma: 538
If you're just getting something to do school work on and tool around the net on, anything should work.
Sep 5 2007 7:11PM
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Concept_101
Posts: 114 - Karma: 10
Alright, thanks. I may use it for minor gaming, but nothing too demanding.
Sep 5 2007 7:18PM
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EH_DUBS
Posts: 3080 - Karma: 969
if your getting vista you might want a bit more ram after youve filled it up a bit...

but it should be pretty good i think
Sep 5 2007 8:03PM
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Concept_101
Posts: 114 - Karma: 10
I may strip it of vista and install xp instead.
Sep 5 2007 8:09PM
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skijunkiedtm
Posts: 9229 - Karma: 61
def get xp and step it up to profesional not home, home sucks
Sep 5 2007 8:16PM
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Jwenz
Posts: 8893 - Karma: 7,634
yes, fucking vista blows
Sep 5 2007 8:18PM
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SkierX
Posts: 16253 - Karma: 538
I do agree with that. I forgot to mention that earlier. Vista straightup sucks.
Sep 5 2007 8:22PM
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Concept_101
Posts: 114 - Karma: 10
What makes all of you say Vista sucks though, I always hear it, but without an explanation.
Sep 5 2007 8:27PM
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SkierX
Posts: 16253 - Karma: 538
It's an absolute memory hog, with no other solid worthwhile benefits that make it that appealing.
Sep 5 2007 8:28PM
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Itsbackfliptime
Posts: 18901 - Karma: 75
hardly anything works with vista. It uses too many resources for what it does.
Sep 5 2007 8:29PM
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396222687862
Posts: 0 - Karma: 350
DITTO, dont even attempt editing/gaming with vista. it works, but not well
Sep 5 2007 8:30PM
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Concept_101
Posts: 114 - Karma: 10
Thanks, any other input?
Sep 5 2007 9:02PM
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Concept_101
Posts: 114 - Karma: 10
One more thing. I'm a total noob at this. How does wireless internet work. Do I just plug a router into my home comp and then wireless works on the laptop?
Sep 5 2007 9:06PM
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SkierX
Posts: 16253 - Karma: 538
That Laptop has an integrated wireless card, so all you need is a wireless network router attached to your internet connection, and you're all set.
Sep 6 2007 9:13AM
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clrumivier4life
Posts: 2429 - Karma: 9
Yes, Vista uses more resources than XP did, but from my experience, I haven't run into many problems with it. If you have a shitty computer, then vista will run shitty. You need atleast 1GB of ram for vista, which is what my laptop had, and it ran fine. I haven't had any problems with hardware/software not working.

I think vista is fine, there will be updates in the future to fix glitches and such, just like XP had. Don't jump on the "Microsoft sucks" bandwagon until you actually run
Sep 6 2007 9:33AM
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clrumivier4life
Posts: 2429 - Karma: 9
until you actually run it for a considerable amount of time.
Sep 6 2007 9:34AM
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toominator
Posts: 4792 - Karma: 120
yup, just buy a wireless router and connect it to your broadband modem, follow the instructions that come with it and you're all good to go, make sure you put protection on it though, unless you want other people being able to use your internet and access your network. wpa2 is the best encryption to use, dont use wep encryption - its so easy to crack. get yourself a secure password from a site like this http://www.pctools.com/guides/password/ and make a 16 digit password to use for your wpa2 key
Sep 6 2007 9:45AM
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SkierX
Posts: 16253 - Karma: 538
Honestly though, why would you want a simple OS that NEEDS and uses that much memory and system resources just to stay afloat?

The negatives of Vista far outweight the positives.
Sep 6 2007 9:54AM
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Bepo
Posts: 8195 - Karma: 17
i have vista and it truly does blow.  if you're a complete dumbass who doesn't know how to use a comp, get vista.  if you have even the slightest idea of what your doing don't get it.  Some of the changes they made are just retarded, like browsing for files and the start bar.  i'd get XP if i wasn't required to have vista for school
Sep 6 2007 11:13AM
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Caveman.
Posts: 9067 - Karma: 330
just get a macbook from apple.com
Sep 6 2007 1:06PM
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RtC.
Posts: 1156 - Karma: 28
Gonna hijack this thread for a bit hopefully.

Macs? i want to get into the editing side of filming, before i've always had friends around me to do it, but now, i'm off on my own, all those schmucks have gone off to college...

So, which one would you reccommend? Is the basic mac book good enough? Or should i go higher up the range, though i really can't afford to get into the pro range.

Or any reccomendations for good editing stations for not too much dollar would be welcome.
Cheers
Sep 6 2007 2:17PM
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GatoGordo
Posts: 1496 - Karma: 10
they are thinking more for the future, when 1gig of ram is nothing. i think that its the 64 bit version that lets you have 100's of gigs of ram, whereas XP only lets you have 3.2gigs of ram. It also can run Direct X 10, which is a huge improvement. They didn't release Vista because they needed to do something new, they did it so that in the future, when things get faster, have more space, and are cheaper, it will out perform XP. It may not be the best thing now, but as long as you have 2 gigs of ram, you are more than fine.
Sep 6 2007 4:17PM
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SkierX
Posts: 16253 - Karma: 538
For future uses it may be good, but currently, there is no use for it. Computers are outdated and obsolete so quickly that I see no reason for Microsoft to have launched Vista when they did aside from the fact that they have been getting hammered by Apple recently and needed something to hype.

For the now, it's a shitty OS. In the future, it may be good. Time will tell.
Sep 6 2007 4:54PM
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t-roy
Posts: 4041 - Karma: 52
any new laptop you find will be great for doing what you want. i'm on an old hp laptop and it runs everything smoothly with slower components than the one you described. the only problem i could think of would be running into certain games that might not work well, but that wasn't one of your primary needs.
Sep 6 2007 4:59PM
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ninjea
Posts: 2083 - Karma: 28
i'm guessing they put vista out now, so that in a couple of years when 1 gig of Ram is nothing, they will have all the glitches sorted out
Sep 6 2007 5:09PM
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sherpasrock
Posts: 2382 - Karma: 10
if you do get vista, you might want more RAM then 1 gig, specially if you're going to be playing games (minor or not).
Sep 6 2007 5:12PM
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