December 11, 2009 12:47 AM
Advice needed on buying used laptop
Burning the midnight oil here as I have a few appointments tomorrow morning, but so much to catch up on in my email - much of which is stuff to be shared here.
Anyway, I need some advice. I am going away next month for ten days and I will need to take a laptop. I don't have much money, so I'm wondering if anyone can give me some advice about buying a used one.
I want to continue working/blogging while I'm away so will need access to my files. Should I use one of those services like Laura Ingraham advertises - Go To My PC? Or should I get something with enough capacity to keep everything i have on my home capacity.
And how do you know if you buy a used laptop if you are buying a problem?
Comments
Barbara, this info is from "husband" (Dean). He is our resident computer genius (and it "feeds us"--pay check--until 3/31/10).
His suggestions are:
-buy used from a local computer shop
-each used laptop should be individually evaluated
-a new netbook may be just as cheap as a used laptop, especially if you buy on-line; some are available from cell phone providers, inexpensively, if you sign a contract
-assuming that you back up your local data (at home), he suggests using Go To My PC, with either a laptop or a netbook so you don't lose data if something happens (he is a BIG believer in backing up EVERYTHING)
Honestly, this is "Greek" to me. If you have questions, he says you should e-mail me privately and I'm to send you his phone number. Then the two of you can communicate with out me typing in between :-)
Posted by: von | December 11, 2009 1:14 AM
We use a free service that allows you to remotely access your computer. http://www.uvnc.com/ DH said the setup might look daunting, but it isn't difficult to use. Apparently he didn't even look for directions on how to install it. We use this on at least 6 computers for various personal reasons. If you need help you can contact us.
Posted by: JenS | December 11, 2009 8:46 AM
If you decide to buy a new laptop or netbook, a lot of the big office supplies and electronics stores are having some good computer sales for Christmas. You could also check www.retailmenot.com for online coupon codes. I've also seen some laptop deals on the frontpage of www.slickdeals.com. I hope that helps!
Posted by: Karen | December 11, 2009 9:25 AM
Barbara, have you considered a netbook? They are tiny and the keyboard takes a little getting used to but they are ultralight and very nice to travel with. I bought an Acer Aspire One about a year ago and although it is a little underpowered, works great with a lightweight browser like Chrome.
Again, they cannot replace desktop/full blown notebook but for a travel machine, they are very useful. I suggest you go to BestBuy or Fry's Electronics and look at them and try typing on them to see how it works for you. (I bought mine at Amazon - lots of great deals online but try one out before buying.)
Posted by: King of Fools | December 11, 2009 11:16 AM
You may be able to find a good deal on a netbook and pay the same as you would for a used larger laptop. The smaller size makes them ideal for travel. My husband bought me an Acer Aspire One as a special Christmas present last year because I was recovering from major knee surgery and couldn't get up and down the stairs to use our desktop computer for quite a while. I LOVE mine (it's even pink!) and it does everything I need.
Posted by: Amy | December 11, 2009 4:11 PM
What about a Netbook? We just bought one for my husband and it was $280 at Target. It does not have a CD-ROM, but is terrific for using Word or getting online. Personally, I would not buy a used computer. Too much stuff to go wrong.
Posted by: Kristina | December 11, 2009 6:01 PM
My husband also suggests a netbook, if you just need it for the internet and processing Word documents, etc.
Posted by: Elissa | December 11, 2009 9:01 PM
My husband is a big computer lover so I know he would be proud of me for answering this. He loves the HP Mini, a small netbook that can do everything a regular laptop can do but is small, portable and cheap. He also uses a free program called dropbox that syncs all your files in one place that can be accessed on any computer. He loves both of these items and uses them often.
Hope it helps.
Posted by: Jessica Brammer | December 12, 2009 2:09 AM
Barbara,
All the IS (Information services aka computer guys) I know all own Macs. They love them. They are powerful, good for graphics stuff, and rarely have any problems. We bought one used and it has had so few problems. They are so easy to use and logically laid out. I can see why Mac users are so loyal, Macs work better then many PC's I've used and I've never had a virus on this Mac and I've never lost my work.
Posted by: Imajackson | December 12, 2009 11:19 AM
I don't know if this info is still in time, but today we bought a laptop 17" screen, DELL, at Walmart for $400. It was on sale. Original price was $700 and it was marked down to $400. It has 4GB ram, dual core, webcam, HDMI output and windows vista. We bought for our children to use for school and play videos, photos and games online. My husband is a computer geek and he was impressed with the configuration and price of this laptop. He had found a deal online for $415.00 but he wasn't able to get one before they ran out. We were browsing through Walmart this afternoon and found this deal. We will be installing windows 7 on it because we hate Vista. anyway, my suggestion would be to take a look online, or Walmart or any other electronics store you have around... you never know the deal you might find. This laptop was not advertised at all. they were getting rid of it because it is still running on windows vista.
Posted by: tereza crump AKA MyTreasuredCreations | December 13, 2009 9:33 PM
