Buying Guide
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Thread: Buying Guide

  1. #1
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    Buying Guide

    My friend is in the market for a new laptop for her home business. She currently has an older Dell running XP. Her budget is around $1000 and she wants Win 7 to be installed, not Vista-then-upgrade-to-Win 7 like Costco offers. She has Office 2003 on CD so that could be installed on the new machine but if she can get one with Office 2010 that would be nice. I poked around CNET a bit before posting but their prices were $1100 and up. Where is a good place to begin researching?
    “If Ernest Hemingway was going to go big-game hunting in Africa, Hunter S. Thompson wanted to use a submachine gun to hunt wild boar in Big Sur, Calif. He was dangerous, like handling nitroglycerin, and he liked to keep it that way.”

    Douglas Brinkley, executor of the Thompson estate

  2. #2
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    I start at the makers home page for laptops, then google reviews on them.

    Fact is my Toshiba A505D-S6958 with a 16inch screen would do her just fine, but gots to wait for win 7.

    Wal mart is where I grabbed it.
    http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/...sp?poid=443587

  3. #3
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    When will Win 7 be released to mfg. - is it late October? And I think that Office 2010 is due out next summer. I dunno, Costco has some nice machines in the $600-800 range (which is actually closer to what she wants to spend). How much of a hassle is it really to upgrade from Vista to Win 7?
    “If Ernest Hemingway was going to go big-game hunting in Africa, Hunter S. Thompson wanted to use a submachine gun to hunt wild boar in Big Sur, Calif. He was dangerous, like handling nitroglycerin, and he liked to keep it that way.”

    Douglas Brinkley, executor of the Thompson estate

  4. #4
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    CNET calls the Toshiba E105-S1602 one of the "Best 5". It's a Best Buy-specific model and comes with Vista Home Premium for around $900. I don't see it on BestBuy.com though so I wonder if it's been replaced....
    “If Ernest Hemingway was going to go big-game hunting in Africa, Hunter S. Thompson wanted to use a submachine gun to hunt wild boar in Big Sur, Calif. He was dangerous, like handling nitroglycerin, and he liked to keep it that way.”

    Douglas Brinkley, executor of the Thompson estate

  5. #5
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    Oct 2003
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    most any duo core laptop now would be a big step up for her.
    common sense isn't all that common

  6. #6
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    Dell, Toshiba and HP, not the COMPAQ garbage, are fine.

    As stated a Dual cpu is a REAL nice addition which I highly recommend.
    Win 7 is to be released on the 22nd of Oct.

    I do a lot of graqphic work at times and the new laptop is quite speedy for me. Plus the larger display comes in handy when showing the m to folks with poor eyesight.
    Offfice 2000 pro runs just fine and have installed all the updates.
    A real nice upgrade from the older one.
    http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/...sp?poid=443587

    $600 - $700 is where I look for what I get.

  7. #7
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    Thanks for the advice. Do any manufacturers say which models will come with Win 7 yet?
    “If Ernest Hemingway was going to go big-game hunting in Africa, Hunter S. Thompson wanted to use a submachine gun to hunt wild boar in Big Sur, Calif. He was dangerous, like handling nitroglycerin, and he liked to keep it that way.”

    Douglas Brinkley, executor of the Thompson estate

  8. #8
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    ToshibaDirect.com is offering a free upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows 7 with all new Satellite and Qosmio laptops purchased today through January 31, 2010. This offer only applies if you buy your laptop at Toshiba's online store, ToshibaDirect.com.
    “If Ernest Hemingway was going to go big-game hunting in Africa, Hunter S. Thompson wanted to use a submachine gun to hunt wild boar in Big Sur, Calif. He was dangerous, like handling nitroglycerin, and he liked to keep it that way.”

    Douglas Brinkley, executor of the Thompson estate

  9. #9
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    My paperworks says what I have to send it to get the upgrade.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Train View Post
    My paperworks says what I have to send it to get the upgrade.
    That's good to know - and you bought your A505D-S6958 at Wal-Mart? According to this ToshibaDirect.com "Upgrade Qualifying Laptops" window your A505D-S6958 should not be eligible but the info. may not be current - http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/...lifyingLaptops

    Please let us know how your update experience went. Thanks.
    “If Ernest Hemingway was going to go big-game hunting in Africa, Hunter S. Thompson wanted to use a submachine gun to hunt wild boar in Big Sur, Calif. He was dangerous, like handling nitroglycerin, and he liked to keep it that way.”

    Douglas Brinkley, executor of the Thompson estate

  11. #11
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    FWIW ...

    Dell > Windows 7 Easy Upgrade
    http://www.dell.com/content/topics/s...HCZ0I-AFN8J-v1
    WHY UPGRADE TO WINDOWS 7 YOURSELF?

    Buy select systens with Windows Vista and Dell will upgrade you to Windows 7 before your system arrives!**

    Order your Windows Vista Premium PC today and we’ll take the hard work out of the Windows 7 upgrade process by doing it for you! As soon as Windows 7 is generally available, your new PC will arrive with Windows 7 Premium installed and ready to go!

    ** Applies where the estimated delivery date of your Windows Vista Premium PC is expected to be on or after the date that Windows 7 is made generally available, which according to Microsoft will be October 22.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
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    3
    307WRC,

    Windows 7 will be released later this month on October 22nd. When migrating from Windows Vista to Windows 7 you will have the option to select "custom" or "upgrade" install when prompted. By selecting the "upgrade" option, your documents and applications will follow and carry over through the install process. If you select, "custom" however you will be able to perform a clean install and all applications / documents will have to be reinstalled / transferred manually.

    For additional assistance with the migration of Windows Vista to Windows 7, Microsoft does have an official Windows 7 Support Forum located here http://tinyurl.com/9fhdl5 . It is supported by product specialists as well as engineers and support teams. You are welcome to check the threads there and receive additional assistance and feedback.

    Jessica
    Microsoft Windows Client Team

  13. #13
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    Thank you all for the info. My friend is going to wait until Win 7 is actually installed on laptops before buying. She was thinking about waiting until after Thanksgiving Day to get the best price - - -
    “If Ernest Hemingway was going to go big-game hunting in Africa, Hunter S. Thompson wanted to use a submachine gun to hunt wild boar in Big Sur, Calif. He was dangerous, like handling nitroglycerin, and he liked to keep it that way.”

    Douglas Brinkley, executor of the Thompson estate

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