I got a new toy!!!

[BookstoreEscapee]

A Dell Studio 1737 laptop in Midnight Blue...Daddy is setting it up right now. Then I get to transfer all my crap from the old computer. (I am posting this from my dad's computer.)

I got it on sale at Staples for over $100 less than I would have paid if I ordered it through Dell with my B&N corporate discount. I also got Office 2007 Home and Student edition for $79.99 because I bought it with the computer ($150 list price, $99.99 regular sale price right now).

Too bad my dad wants the old computer back; I'd prefer to drop it off a bridge or something.

YAY!!!

Edit: Forgot the funny part. The employee got the computer, then went to get the Office package, and brought them both over to the register. He scanned the Office and realized he had grabbed the wrong ($400 pro) version, so he had to go get the right one. He took the computer box with him when he went (I'm sure they're not allowed to just leave them sitting at a register). Then he came back, finished ringing me up (had to call a supervisor to enter a code because of the high-dollar amount on my credit card), then we left. And set off the alarm. Wasn't the $600 computer, which I was carrying; it was the $80 software that my dad was carrying. OK, it's not really that funny but it amused me at the time.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Congrats on the new laptop . . . have you named him or her yet?

Dell seems to be a pretty decent brand . . . I've had Gypsy (my Inspiron 1501 in Artic silver/white) for just over 2 years and she's still going strong.

[BookstoreEscapee]

I've never thought to name a computer before...hmmm...I'll hafta think about it.

My old computer is an Inspiron 1100. It was my uncle's and he got a new computer so he gave his old one to my dad, who got a new one and gave the old one to me when I moved into my apartment. So I don't even know how old it is. It's slow as molasses, though. Drives me nuts. My uncle (different uncle) got a Studio 15 (same machine with a smaller screen and no number keypad) recently and he likes it. My dad saw the sale at Staples and said it was a really good buy and seems like a good machine so I went for it. I've been saving up and had $655 in my computer fund after I cashed in my change jar last week (I had set aside my tax refund and some Christmas money, as well).

My next new toy will be a new iPod but I haven't decided what I want yet. I have a 4G Nano and I have way more music than I can fit on it.

[AdminAssistant]

Dell seems to be a pretty decent brand . . . I've had Gypsy (my Inspiron 1501 in Artic silver/white) for just over 2 years and she's still going strong.

That's what I have! It's a good computer, but I kinda want a netbook to take to class.

My next new toy will be a new iPod but I haven't decided what I want yet. I have a 4G Nano and I have way more music than I can fit on it.

I can't say it enough; I may start shouting it from the rooftop. Sanza Fuze. Sanza Fuze. Sanza Fuze! It's 8G, cheaper than an IPod, and either syncs with WMP or you can drag and drop. I love mine.

[Jack T. Chance]

A Dell Studio 1737 laptop in Midnight Blue...

Good for you, BE! The Dell Studio laptops have been getting great reviews in Laptop Magazine, it should prove to be an excellent choice.

I can't say it enough; I may start shouting it from the rooftop. Sanza Fuze. Sanza Fuze. Sanza Fuze! It's 8G, cheaper than an IPod, and either syncs with WMP or you can drag and drop. I love mine.

Agreed.

I have the earlier Sansa E280 model, and I love mine! I especially like that they have the Micro SD slot, so you can expand the memory!

[BookstoreEscapee]

Good for you, BE! The Dell Studio laptops have been getting great reviews in Laptop Magazine, it should prove to be an excellent choice. Agreed.

Thanks! That's what I've seen. Staples.com has a tab for customer reviews, which had 4 reviews and only one was bad (one didn't really say anything). Their complaint was about the graphics card and not really working for their business needs, but I don't do a lot of graphics-heavy stuff so that's not really a concern for me. They also have a tab with the PC Magazine review. The only "cons" they listed were "Slight bend in the keyboard. Only 802.11g wireless." If there is a bend in the keyboard I'm not seeing it, and I don't even know what the other thing means but my dad said it's not something I need to worry about. So I'm not .

As for iPods...there's a 16gig Nano which is $199. I like my Nano it just doesn't hold all my stuff. But it'll be a bit before I buy one. Maybe for my birthday I'll ask for a donation to the cause.

Oh, and I got a phone call after I got home, which I didn't answer because I didn't recognize the number and my parents' house gets lousy reception, anyway. I listened to the message and it was Discover Card's fraud protection people calling about unusual activity on my card. I haven't called back yet (see "lousy reception" - I couldn't even hear the whole message; among other bits and pieces, half the phone number they were telling me to call dropped out while I was listening).

[BookstoreEscapee]

'K, this is weird.

I just got home and have a chance to play a bit. The keyboard makes cool clicky noises.

The touchpad scrolls if I run my finger down the right edge; if I use the left edge it zooms my screen. I might have to see about turning that one off.... The screen will take some getting used to, too. My old one didn't have the glossy screen; not sure how much I like this but there doesn't seem to be much choice these days. Oh well, guess I'll get used to it.

So I left my parents' house, went to Target, Kohl's, and the grocery store. On my way home my dad calls, a full 2 hours after I had left the house, to ask if I had remembered to put the computer in the trunk instead of the backseat. (yes, I did)

[DGoddessChardonnay]

'K, this is weird.

I just got home and have a chance to play a bit. The keyboard makes cool clicky noises.

The touchpad scrolls if I run my finger down the right edge; if I use the left edge it zooms my screen. I might have to see about turning that one off.... The screen will take some getting used to, too. My old one didn't have the glossy screen; not sure how much I like this but there doesn't seem to be much choice these days. Oh well, guess I'll get used to it.

My keyboard makes those noises too . . . took a little getting used to but now I love it.

As for the touchpad, I think those are standard features for the Dell laptops. I couldn't get used to it and sometimes when I'm trying to scroll down, if the page is still loading, it automatically scrolls back up.

You can always buy one of those notebook mice to use with it. I bought a cool Microsoft wireless USB notebook mouse (in pink) last February on sale and it's cool. Even has a button just under the scroll wheel so you can click back a page on your browser.

[BookstoreEscapee]

You can always buy one of those notebook mice to use with it. I bought a cool Microsoft wireless USB notebook mouse (in pink) last February on sale and it's cool. Even has a button just under the scroll wheel so you can click back a page on your browser.

I have a mouse but if I decide I'm going to use it instead of the touch pad I'm going to get a Logitech V450(?). Instead of a 2inch long USB plug it just has a little short one; it just looks like there's a little cap on the port. Part of the reason I stopped using the mouse in the first place was because the plug got in my way (that and the battery died and I was too lazy to find a new one). Though it's on sale right now at Best Buy so I gotta think about it soon. It doesn't really come in any cool colors, though. There's a blue one but I might actually like the silver better. They have some really cool mice with funky patterns but they don't have the short plug.

[BookstoreEscapee]

I got an accessory to go with my new toy. A Logitech V450 Nano laser mouse (on sale at Best Buy - 40 bucks but I already put over $700 on my credit card for the computer so I'm counting this as part of the package). The USB receiver sticks out only about a quarter of an inch from the computer so it won't get in the way...and the mouse works on pretty much any surface...even my leg!!

[tropicsgoddess]

Grats on the new toy!!! Laptops RAWK (especially the Toshiba Satellite Series) !!!