New Computer. Hooray.

[Alarsne53]

Plug a mouse in the usb to solve the touch pad problem as you so delicately put it ?

The only bit I miss on a laptop is the num pad, but alas the one above is not for me, but for the parents to use (its got to be better than the dell they were going to buy?)

I use a proper desktop having migrated from a knackered laptop 18 months ago.

[Nick Harvey]

Yes, you've summed it up.

No number pad is very annoying; and having to carry a separate mouse around in the bag is a pain.

Especially when the bag's never QUITE big enough for the mouse, so you have to remember which pocket you stuffed it in before you sit down and crush it.

[Philip Cobbold]

What does everyone think about this laptop then?

http://www.acernotebooks.co.uk/Acer_Asp ... sion-1.asp

It seems reasonable?

I'm on that very laptop at that moment, or at least one very similar, and I've found it to be very reliable so far (touch wood). And considering what you get for the price, you can't really go wrong.

[Nick Harvey]

I'm interested in that comment, Philip.

Like me, you spend quite a bit of time writing, bashing the old keyboard.

Don't you find the tiny keyboard on a laptop difficult, compared with a full sized one?

Or do you just get used to it in time?

[cdd]

I regularly use keyboards far smaller than that, and my typing speed is no slower - but yes, practice is unfortunately required.

[Nick Harvey]

I regularly use keyboards far smaller than that, and my typing speed is no slower.

Yes, but anyone can type crap quickly, Chris!

<wink>

[Pete]

having just got a laptop I find I can type much quicker on it. I'm awaiting my little mouse though. I dislike the touchpad immensely.

[Gavin Scott]

I used to love my "mini keyboard", and then the letter k fell off.



My current and new one is black, and I tend not to have a great deal of focused task light when I'm browsing from my coffee table. It makes it tricky to find the home keys when I touchtype.

I'd love one of those lcd keyboard we saw here some months ago - but I can't find them anywhere.

[Alarsne53]

having just got a laptop I find I can type much quicker on it. I'm awaiting my little mouse though. I dislike the touchpad immensely.

What did you go for laptop wise?

[cdd]

I'd love one of those lcd keyboard we saw here some months ago - but I can't find them anywhere.

THAT WAS MY IDEA, DAMMIT, THEY STOLE IT OUT OF MY BRAIN!

[Rob Del Monte]

I'm on a laptop at the moment, with, . . ., a number-pad.

The main keyboard is very good, not one of those compacted ones, where if you slightly tap the touch-pad, it registers it as a click, and your blinking-cursor 'magics' over to where your arrow-cursor is.

Sadly, no mouse. Why don't they make laptops with rollerballs anymore?

I remember my Dad's old company laptop, with a rollerball on the screen, operating windows 3.1.