The Tech Thread (was "Buying tech stuff online")

[Gazoo]

So my 4-year-old Dell PC is almost wheezing its last.  Its hard drive is 98% full, it lets out whirring groans after an hour or two, and the iTunes Genius runs r-e-a-l-l-y slow on it.

But I don't know what to move on to.  I'd hoped this would last another year or two on my home desktop and I'd get a laptop for travel.  I'd still like the latter, but I don't know that I want to run a laptop as my home unit - I run it for hours (for correspondence, writing, and Net radio) and know how they can overheat.  Would probably be inefficient to get a Netbook + a separate hard drive for storage.

Any advice?  I like my Mac at work, but have PC versions of Photoshop and other progs here at home ...

[ggould]

So my 4-year-old Dell PC is almost wheezing its last.  Its hard drive is 98% full, it lets out whirring groans after an hour or two, and the iTunes Genius runs r-e-a-l-l-y slow on it.

But I don't know what to move on to.  I'd hoped this would last another year or two on my home desktop and I'd get a laptop for travel.  I'd still like the latter, but I don't know that I want to run a laptop as my home unit - I run it for hours (for correspondence, writing, and Net radio) and know how they can overheat.  Would probably be inefficient to get a Netbook + a separate hard drive for storage.

Any advice?  I like my Mac at work, but have PC versions of Photoshop and other progs here at home ...

<forrest gump>Well, you know how I feel!</forrest gump>

[RGMike]

So my 4-year-old Dell PC is almost wheezing its last.  Its hard drive is 98% full, it lets out whirring groans after an hour or two, and the iTunes Genius runs r-e-a-l-l-y slow on it.

But I don't know what to move on to.  I'd hoped this would last another year or two on my home desktop and I'd get a laptop for travel.  I'd still like the latter, but I don't know that I want to run a laptop as my home unit - I run it for hours (for correspondence, writing, and Net radio) and know how they can overheat.  Would probably be inefficient to get a Netbook + a separate hard drive for storage.

Any advice?  I like my Mac at work, but have PC versions of Photoshop and other progs here at home ...

as noted previously, I'm in a similar boat: my PC, a Gateway, is 11 years old (!) -- I'm on my 2nd monitor and keyboard -- and I really need to get a new one so that i can (finally) switch from dial-up to high-speed. I'll probably either buy another Gateway or do Dell.

[Gazoo]

So my 4-year-old Dell PC is almost wheezing its last.  Its hard drive is 98% full, it lets out whirring groans after an hour or two, and the iTunes Genius runs r-e-a-l-l-y slow on it.

But I don't know what to move on to.  I'd hoped this would last another year or two on my home desktop and I'd get a laptop for travel.  I'd still like the latter, but I don't know that I want to run a laptop as my home unit - I run it for hours (for correspondence, writing, and Net radio) and know how they can overheat.  Would probably be inefficient to get a Netbook + a separate hard drive for storage.

Any advice?  I like my Mac at work, but have PC versions of Photoshop and other progs here at home ...

as noted previously, I'm in a similar boat: my PC, a Gateway, is 11 years old (!) -- I'm on my 2nd monitor and keyboard -- and I really need to get a new one so that i can (finally) switch from dial-up to high-speed. I'll probably either buy another Gateway or do Dell.

Dell's good on price - is Gateway still in the personal-computer biz? - and as I've said before, high-speed net will change everything for you.  Macs: as Sly once wrote, "the nicer the nice, the higher the price."  I like them but they're out of my range.  Looks like for now my best bet is to replace my Dell PC with another Dell PC while they're cheap, and maybe get one of those dinky Netbooks if I find I need portability in the coming months.

Thanks, all!

[RGMike]

So my 4-year-old Dell PC is almost wheezing its last.  Its hard drive is 98% full, it lets out whirring groans after an hour or two, and the iTunes Genius runs r-e-a-l-l-y slow on it.

But I don't know what to move on to.  I'd hoped this would last another year or two on my home desktop and I'd get a laptop for travel.  I'd still like the latter, but I don't know that I want to run a laptop as my home unit - I run it for hours (for correspondence, writing, and Net radio) and know how they can overheat.  Would probably be inefficient to get a Netbook + a separate hard drive for storage.

Any advice?  I like my Mac at work, but have PC versions of Photoshop and other progs here at home ...

as noted previously, I'm in a similar boat: my PC, a Gateway, is 11 years old (!) -- I'm on my 2nd monitor and keyboard -- and I really need to get a new one so that i can (finally) switch from dial-up to high-speed. I'll probably either buy another Gateway or do Dell.

Dell's good on price - is Gateway still in the personal-computer biz? - and as I've said before, high-speed net will change everything for you.  Macs: as Sly once wrote, "the nicer the nice, the higher the price."  I like them but they're out of my range.  Looks like for now my best bet is to replace my Dell PC with another Dell PC while they're cheap, and maybe get one of those dinky Netbooks if I find I need portability in the coming months.

Thanks, all!

Gateway: http://www.gateway.com/

[Alicat]

So my 4-year-old Dell PC is almost wheezing its last.  Its hard drive is 98% full, it lets out whirring groans after an hour or two, and the iTunes Genius runs r-e-a-l-l-y slow on it.

But I don't know what to move on to.  I'd hoped this would last another year or two on my home desktop and I'd get a laptop for travel.  I'd still like the latter, but I don't know that I want to run a laptop as my home unit - I run it for hours (for correspondence, writing, and Net radio) and know how they can overheat.  Would probably be inefficient to get a Netbook + a separate hard drive for storage.

Any advice?  I like my Mac at work, but have PC versions of Photoshop and other progs here at home ...

as noted previously, I'm in a similar boat: my PC, a Gateway, is 11 years old (!) -- I'm on my 2nd monitor and keyboard -- and I really need to get a new one so that i can (finally) switch from dial-up to high-speed. I'll probably either buy another Gateway or do Dell.

Dell's good on price - is Gateway still in the personal-computer biz? - and as I've said before, high-speed net will change everything for you.  Macs: as Sly once wrote, "the nicer the nice, the higher the price."  I like them but they're out of my range.  Looks like for now my best bet is to replace my Dell PC with another Dell PC while they're cheap, and maybe get one of those dinky Netbooks if I find I need portability in the coming months.

Thanks, all!

Should have conversed here vs. more publicly on FB. Mike, 11years! wtf!? Wow.
My Dell is from Jan 2005 and Quick Time doesn't update meaning now I can't update software versions for iTunes and iTouch. Tried PC doctors about 2 years ago and they could not fix. Have hi speed and everything else works well. Seems wrong to get a new system but I too have been considering.

Geoff: I mentioned this years ago and you said you might be able to use it as a server or something. I have a Power Mac G4. No software, at least I don't think it has the OS loaded. Worth anything? Want it for anything?

[ggould]

So my 4-year-old Dell PC is almost wheezing its last.  Its hard drive is 98% full, it lets out whirring groans after an hour or two, and the iTunes Genius runs r-e-a-l-l-y slow on it.

But I don't know what to move on to.  I'd hoped this would last another year or two on my home desktop and I'd get a laptop for travel.  I'd still like the latter, but I don't know that I want to run a laptop as my home unit - I run it for hours (for correspondence, writing, and Net radio) and know how they can overheat.  Would probably be inefficient to get a Netbook + a separate hard drive for storage.

Any advice?  I like my Mac at work, but have PC versions of Photoshop and other progs here at home ...

as noted previously, I'm in a similar boat: my PC, a Gateway, is 11 years old (!) -- I'm on my 2nd monitor and keyboard -- and I really need to get a new one so that i can (finally) switch from dial-up to high-speed. I'll probably either buy another Gateway or do Dell.

Dell's good on price - is Gateway still in the personal-computer biz? - and as I've said before, high-speed net will change everything for you.  Macs: as Sly once wrote, "the nicer the nice, the higher the price."  I like them but they're out of my range.  Looks like for now my best bet is to replace my Dell PC with another Dell PC while they're cheap, and maybe get one of those dinky Netbooks if I find I need portability in the coming months.

Thanks, all!

Should have conversed here vs. more publicly on FB. Mike, 11years! wtf!? Wow.
My Dell is from Jan 2005 and Quick Time doesn't update meaning now I can't update software versions for iTunes and iTouch. Tried PC doctors about 2 years ago and they could not fix. Have hi speed and everything else works well. Seems wrong to get a new system but I too have been considering.

Geoff: I mentioned this years ago and you said you might be able to use it as a server or something. I have a Power Mac G4. No software, at least I don't think it has the OS loaded. Worth anything? Want it for anything?

I'd put it to work at school as a droid, even though Macs are outcasts there!

[Alicat]

So my 4-year-old Dell PC is almost wheezing its last.  Its hard drive is 98% full, it lets out whirring groans after an hour or two, and the iTunes Genius runs r-e-a-l-l-y slow on it.

But I don't know what to move on to.  I'd hoped this would last another year or two on my home desktop and I'd get a laptop for travel.  I'd still like the latter, but I don't know that I want to run a laptop as my home unit - I run it for hours (for correspondence, writing, and Net radio) and know how they can overheat.  Would probably be inefficient to get a Netbook + a separate hard drive for storage.

Any advice?  I like my Mac at work, but have PC versions of Photoshop and other progs here at home ...

as noted previously, I'm in a similar boat: my PC, a Gateway, is 11 years old (!) -- I'm on my 2nd monitor and keyboard -- and I really need to get a new one so that i can (finally) switch from dial-up to high-speed. I'll probably either buy another Gateway or do Dell.

Dell's good on price - is Gateway still in the personal-computer biz? - and as I've said before, high-speed net will change everything for you.  Macs: as Sly once wrote, "the nicer the nice, the higher the price."  I like them but they're out of my range.  Looks like for now my best bet is to replace my Dell PC with another Dell PC while they're cheap, and maybe get one of those dinky Netbooks if I find I need portability in the coming months.

Thanks, all!

Should have conversed here vs. more publicly on FB. Mike, 11years! wtf!? Wow.
My Dell is from Jan 2005 and Quick Time doesn't update meaning now I can't update software versions for iTunes and iTouch. Tried PC doctors about 2 years ago and they could not fix. Have hi speed and everything else works well. Seems wrong to get a new system but I too have been considering.

Geoff: I mentioned this years ago and you said you might be able to use it as a server or something. I have a Power Mac G4. No software, at least I don't think it has the OS loaded. Worth anything? Want it for anything?

I'd put it to work at school as a droid, even though Macs are outcasts there!

Glad to donate!

[RGMike]

Well, radio must really be dead if Radio Shack is dropping the "radio" part...

http://www.betanews.com/article/RadioShack-calls-itself-The-Shack-in-attempt-to-modernize-image/1249313805

[RGMike]

So, any thoughts from you tech-head types about Snow Leopard?

[ggould]

So, any thoughts from you tech-head types about Snow Leopard?

not much to think about.  Only $30, quicker, less buggy, some cool new features.  If you have an Intel Mac, just do it.  I have had no problems in the 24 hours so far.

Of course, always have a backup if things go south!

[urth]

So, any thoughts from you tech-head types about Snow Leopard?

Being a tad further removed from the belly of the beast these days, I had to go read what my ex-colleagues at CNET had to say (I confess to not even having heard of Snow Leopard until yesterday). The short story is, if you are running a stock, "off the rack" Mac with OS X, go ahead and do the upgrade. If you're more of a geek with a lot of add-ons and customized apps, you might want to hold off until the developers can catch up.

Here's the entire take:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-19882_3-10322624-250.html

[ggould]

So, any thoughts from you tech-head types about Snow Leopard?

Being a tad further removed from the belly of the beast these days, I had to go read what my ex-colleagues at CNET had to say (I confess to not even having heard of Snow Leopard until yesterday). The short story is, if you are running a stock, "off the rack" Mac with OS X, go ahead and do the upgrade. If you're more of a geek with a lot of add-ons and customized apps, you might want to hold off until the developers can catch up.

Here's the entire take:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-19882_3-10322624-250.html

I think that's excellent advice.  People running ProTools or other specialized programs always have to wait until the new systems are 'blessed' by the respective software/hardware vendors.

[RGMike]

The NY Times gives Windows 7 a thumbs-up:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/22/technology/personaltech/22pogue.html?_r=1&hp

[mshray]

Anyone considering a new phone needs to this out:

AT&T iPhone* vs. Sprint Palm Pre vs. T-Mobile My Touch vs. Verizon Droid**

*keep in mind Google CEO Eric Schmidt sits on Apple's Board of Directors because...
**this is the just-released Motorola phone that is the first&only one available right now from any of the Big4 telecoms running Google's Android OS.  Android Market is now a direct competitor to iTunes Apps Store. iTunes apps has close to 100k, but Android already has 10k & will likely increase exponentially now that there's actually a phone & carrier connected to it.

My imho take:  The media hype is immediately geared toward Android/Verizon being an "iPhone Killer" but that's ridiculous.  No 'Disruptive Technology' has ever immediately killed the dominant incumbent, full stop.  It almost certainly kills off the 3rd & 4th players in that market unless they are supremely agile.  But the dominant incumbent (by virtue of their market dominance) only has to be moderately nimble to adjust and survive.  Granted history is filled with such examples, but does anyone think Apple realistically belongs in that category as long as Steve Jobs is alive?  So I think what this really is a Sprint killer, and a marginalizer of Palm (sorry Darryl!) & T-Mobile.  Apple is great, no question, but AT&T sucks compared to Verizon, so Google/Verizon will take a chunk out of Apple?AT&T's market share (but not revenue as that will grow faster than the market share loss).  Palm will never lose their (small) share of the market because of customer loyalty (unless they choke) ((you're wlecome Darryl!)), but any dreams they had of carving out chunks of market share at the expense of Apple can be forgotten. Furthermore, Sprint has made a massive commitment to WiMax becoming the 4G standard, and from what I hear in the tech world it will lose out to LTE. You don't really need to know what all this means, but one can find lots of info on all of this alphabet soup on Wiki.  However, since you are all my friends here, I would say that if you have a Sprint or T-Mobile contract, you should definitely consider swtitching when you can. 

If you hold Sprint stock, I would sell at the soonest possibility.  Same for any stock held in a GPS company, like Garmin or TomTom, which the Google Navigator app has just reduced to the margins of non-tech customers & rental car companies.