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I want to do all basic things email, brows the net write and print my letters,
only I havent got a clue on how these things work,and how to buy the best for my money with out a salesman ripping me off once he spots Im a novice Help me please with things to look for .Thanks everyone.

2006-12-25 00:09:16 · 18 answers · asked by puzzled 2 in Computers & Internet Hardware Laptops & Notebooks

18 answers

If all you want is email, internet & print capabilities, you won't need a lot of power. HP usually makes a nice laptop for a good price, but everyone has their favorites. I work with a man who is attached to his IBM Thinkpad, a nice laptop that I consider overpriced but very stable. Our company uses Dell -- another nice laptop at a reasonable price. A laptop is basically a PC in a smaller package. You want one that runs Windows XP. If you plan to upgrade to Vista, look for one that has the capacity to run Vista. I would recommend a DVD burner, but that is because that is the way I backup my files. If you have less (from your description, this is likely), you could probably get away with a DVD reader/CD burner -- which will lower the price slightly.

In your case, the most expensive decision is deciding if you want to get Vista capability now or wait a few years and buy a new laptop with Vista already installed on it. There's no reason why you can't buy a laptop with XP now -- and if it isn't Vista-ready, it will probably be cheaper as Vista is the next big thing. XP will not stop running just because Vista is released. Microsoft will eventually (in a few years) stop supporting XP, but that doesn't mean you have to worry -- unless you are adding new programs, it shouldn't break.

Another way to save money is to avoid Microsoft Office, which will cost you about $300+ for MS Word, Powerpoint and Excel. Open Office is free and provides much of the same functionality -- www.openoffice.org. Download and install.

In short, you can go for price -- most new laptops are *not* junk. Get a good antivirus -- Norton, Trend, McAfee, etc. -- and keep it updated. Get a DVD-R/CD-RW (that's DVD- Read/CD Read-Write) so you can burn CDs to backup your data. If all you are doing is Internet and email, 40 Gb is probably big enough for your hard drive. And, as far as Vista is concerned, it's basically "pay me now or pay me later" -- you can spend more money for a laptop that can support Vista and probably even get a free upgrade... or you can buy a cheaper laptop with XP now and buy one with Vista in a few years when it is cheaper. Hardware does eventually break and unless you are comfortable with DIY, repairs -- especially to the screen -- can get expensive. Sometimes it is easier to just replace and that would be when you get Vista. :-)

Key advice -- don't panic. It's only a PC in a smaller box. Good luck!

2006-12-25 00:29:40 · answer #1 · answered by world_gypsy 5 · 1 0

A good idea would be to sign up for a CLAIT course. These are available at your local colledge or as evening classes in many schools. They teach you a lot of basics of using Word, Excel and other MS Office programs. They are usually 1 evening a week for 8 weeks and cost about £40.
The teacher of the class should know a thing or two about PCs and can help you select a lap top that will meet your needs. Teachers are usually exceedingly helpful people.

If you don't fancy the course then I would reccomend looking at http://www.dabs.com as they have some great bargains in the sales and also list all the specifications to allow you to compare the Laptops.
January sales are a good time to buy. A word of advice - Dixons, PC world and similar shops are staffed by a lot 14 year olds and a single target obsessed manager - avoid these shops in favour of locally run stores where the staff rely upon repeat business. Although you may pay a few pounds more the quality of service will be better and you should be able to get good advice.
Also choose the thing you want and take enough money to buy it plus say £100 for extras (spare discs, mouse mat etc) - if you take in a credit card or £500 cash more than you need then you probably will spend a lot more money than you intended to.
ACER is a good laptop brand as is IMAC my family has these brands and we have no problems. A USB mouse is a must-have accessory for any laptop as they are much easier than the built in mouse pads they have.

I hope you get a bargain!

2006-12-25 00:35:16 · answer #2 · answered by monkeymanelvis 7 · 0 1

I don't know your price range but most women love to be spoiled and pampered. Get her a gift certificate for a manicure/pedicure/massage or whatever you can afford. If this is a very special person and you are also female, you might want to go too. Just because she is 70 doesn't mean she is "old" and not interested in female things. I am 62 and would not need a wheelchair, cane, casket or any of the other rude things that were suggested. A very good friend of mine plays golf 3 times a week and is 83. 70 is not old anymore so think young. You know her...think out of the box and be creative. If you are her grandchild, I would suggest going someplace that she may have taken you when you were young that is a good memory for you. My kids used to love doing that with their grandmother and she loved being with them. Whatever you do, have fun and wish her a happy day.

2016-03-13 21:58:49 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Nothing works as well as a Dell~wouldn't have anything else! It is top of the line for a good computer of any kind!

My daughter just bought a Dell E1705 laptop. It has a big 17" screen and would be great for you! Go on-line to Dell.com and look around if you are interested. They will list all amenities and you can custom design your own things if you wish to do that.

2006-12-26 03:15:02 · answer #4 · answered by ♥Sweetmusic ♥ 5 · 0 0

A salesman will rip you off but most laptops are plug and play: you really just have to plug in your printer or Internet connection and follow the instructions on the screen. Your ISP should help you set up the Internet anyway if they have anything that resembles customer service: sadly many do not.

To avoid getting ripped off decide exactly what you want, make and model, before entering the shop. I'd recommend a Toshiba and definitely not a Dell. Make sure it has at least 512 MB RAM, other than that everything should be fine. If the salesman says, "For just £X more you can get ..." walk out without buying anything. I hate that sales technique and he may well just want to get rid of something that another customer has returned.

Good luck.

2006-12-25 00:29:11 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0 1

I see you already have a PC, so I'm not sure how "expert" you are, but monkeyman's suggestion about CLAIT at your local college is a good 'un. You may even get it cheap as one of us more mature students! By the way, it stands for Computer Literacy and Information Technology - it's designed to start right from the beginning.

You don't have to take all of it unless you wish, you may only want to do the word-processing and e-mail bits, though you might find yourself inspired to go on and do the lot and get a certificate to wave at your family/friends/neighbours!

Why not have a chat with the college and discuss your wants with them? When you get to know your trainer you might be able to broach your desire for a laptop with him/her.

Good luck!

2006-12-25 01:19:26 · answer #6 · answered by champer 7 · 0 0

BUY which Magazine or go to the Which website and read up on all current models then go and buy it without listening to bias advice. You don't need top of the range as these are far too powerful for what you want just get one that is current and does what you want.

You should get a current one and not second hand because it will ensure you can use all up-to-date software and web browsers and you will not end up being frustrated with being locked out of certain emails images etc.

You should be able to get one in the range of £350 - £450.00.
Good Luck

2006-12-25 00:20:07 · answer #7 · answered by raybbies 5 · 1 0

I don‘t know what kind of screen you have, but at 70 please
do not change, for your own sake. I have a iMac X (Tiger)
with an LCD screen, and my wife bought herself a good
laptop, also with an LCD screen. There is no way you can
compare colour and contrast on the screens. Frankly, I
can‘t see her screen. I believe I am qualified to give you
a sensible answer, taking in account that I am 69 and will
be 70 in a few months, the photo on the left is actually me
but a few years ago! Good tidings to you and make a wise
decision.

2006-12-25 00:32:39 · answer #8 · answered by Ricky 6 · 0 0

Buy an Acer 5101 AWLMi I am nearly 70 and just got one, and after a few days you realise that it is so good it does everthing for you. Wonderful stuff. And you can't muck it up, because if the worst comes to the worst, you can just reset it all to back the way it was from it's own hard drive. Good luck.

2006-12-25 00:25:10 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

If you don't understand a desktop, you shouldn't want to double or triple your issues with a laptop, laptop are technical sensitive and fickle. I prefer desktops have both. Also laptops burn out faster. Learn what you have first.

2006-12-25 20:11:04 · answer #10 · answered by andrew_zito 2 · 0 0

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