College student question about new clie/laptop

[SilverbulletMR2]

Hey whats up guys...
I have a question. I got an SJ33 about 2 months back, and now I am heading to college in september. I get about 2000 for a computer and i want a laptop. My school has full WIFI support. My question to yuou guys is should i get a top-of-the-line computer and use my SJ33? or should I buy a usable 1400 laptop and use the rest of the 2000 towards a UX50, since the computer will prob stay in my dorm most of the time and i can check my email around campus, take pics for the family back home, and record lectures with the voice recorder on the UX50.
SO what do you think and why...SUPERIOR LAPTOP, or USABLE LAPTOP and a UX50?

BTW i wouldnt be getting either until mid/late september

thanks for the input, this one for me is a stickler

[Jezlyn]

You could compromise and buy a cheaper, but still decent laptop from eMachines. They've come out now with a 15" widescreen laptop with built-in WiFi (IIRC). They aren't that expensive at about $1199 + tax/shipping. Here's a link to their info page:

http://store.emachines.com/emachines/storefront/accessorize.do?productId=142&action=new

Then you might have enough money to buy both that and the UX! :) At least if you want to go on campus and write your paper or do some major research and don't feel like doing it all on your UX, you can bring the laptop instead and still have WiFi. Plus, having the widescreen will make it a good option to watch DVDs on, if you're low on space and won't have your own TV in your room or if you're not in your dorm and want to take a break and watch DVDs elsewhere.

The UX would be great to carry around all the time, especially if you're going to have WiFi access just about anywhere. But sometimes you're probably not going to want to do schoolwork stuff on the UX alone, so having a laptop option would be advantageous.

Just my opinion. :) I've been keeping my eye on the eMachines laptop since they came out with a widescreen version (one version older than the one I mentioned above) because they seem well-built and they look pretty decent (saw one at Circuit City). They're pretty cheap for what you get. Good for budgeting students as well as budgeting employed people like me. :) (And no, I don't work for eMachines, nor do I get any commission or perks if you buy one. :) )

[AcuraCL]

It also depends what you'll need the laptop for. If you're going to be a statistics major, and do serious number crunching, or a graphics major and do 3d rendering and such, then a high horsepower computer is going to be important. If you're going to use if for light to medium duty tasks, then it makes more sense to compromise on its power and get the PDA for utility too.

[Reggie]

http://images.bestbuy.com/BestBuy_US/images/products/5602/5602467cv1a.jpg

Or you can get this vprMatrix widescreen laptop (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1055388013694&skuId=5602467&type=product&productCategoryId=cat01174) which is a P4 2.2Ghz with 1280 x 854 resolution and a gForce4 video card at $1050 (after rebates). Just get an extra wireless-g card for your wireless needs. Of course, get a UX50. ;) Damn, I wish I was back in college! :D

[SilverbulletMR2]

sorry i didnt mention the major, it's Mechanical Engineering, so i want a laptop with at least an SXGA screen, but i would type rough drafts and record lectures on the UX, and do CAD work on the laptop in the dorm. I live on campus so oging back to the dorm to use the comp isnt a huge deal.

Basically another consideration is should i get the sub-1500 laptop and then wait a bit for the OS6 UX? i can use the SJ for a while yet, and would that be worth the wait? It would alos prob be cheaper too. So maybe i shoudl get the 1500 or so laptop, and get a WIFI UX when it has oS6?
keep em coming folks :D

[AcuraCL]

Originally posted by SilverbulletMR2
sorry i didnt mention the major, it's Mechanical Engineering, so i want a laptop with at least an SXGA screen, but i would type rough drafts and record lectures on the UX, and do CAD work on the laptop in the dorm. I live on campus so oging back to the dorm to use the comp isnt a huge deal.

Basically another consideration is should i get the sub-1500 laptop and then wait a bit for the OS6 UX? i can use the SJ for a while yet, and would that be worth the wait? It would alos prob be cheaper too. So maybe i shoudl get the 1500 or so laptop, and get a WIFI UX when it has oS6?
keep em coming folks :D

The UX just came out so I wouldn't expect to see an OS6 version out any time soon. Plus the release dates I see for OS6 are jumping around like a mexican bean. There will always be some newer faster upgraded thang just around the corner.

Will you just be using a CAD-like program, or any design tools like IDEAS or PRO-E? They can be very processor-intensive ....

[Alistar]

Well, I carry a laptop around school. Its nothing fancy, its just 3 years old so I mainly use to type up reports because our engineering computer labs are always full and the CS department has limited their labs to CS students only. That leaves about 20 computers for everybody else.
Anyway, back to the point. You don't want to be carrying a laptop around with you all the time or you won't want to be bringing it out all the time. I use it for longer breaks to type up reports or use it with group projects. But overall I find its too much bother if I will only be shutting down within an hour and I just use my NX for those situations.

[SilverbulletMR2]

programs i ould probably use are Autocad, labview, and some 3d modeling program like 3d studio max or the Autocad modeling program.

So ALISTAR you are sayin i prob wont be pulling it out too much huh. Yeah it would prob stay in the dorm most of the time, and i thought the UX50 because of it's easier to type on keyboard. So you recommend the laptop/ux option?

[mvfrancisco]

i say wait for the OS6 UX, but definitely don't get a top of the line laptop... especially if you're just heading into freshman year. Pretty much any laptop on the market now is good enough for autocad, typing up lab reports and downloading mp3s... which together with smallworld and mp3s was pretty much all I did on a computer when i went through engineering school. Just make sure it isn't TOO good. Many potential engineers suffered a dire fate by bringing computers with too much RAM on their video cards and MHz on their CPUs to resist the potent lure of gaming.

As for the Clie, if the OS6 UX comes out before the end of the year I would wait just to let the UX-50 price drop.

[SilverbulletMR2]

nice, thanks for the suggestion, any more engineers out there? im not a big computer gamer (sim city hahah)

[JwY]

i'm in pretty much the same boat
but i'm going into life sciences
so i'm just using a clie (not sure which one) for first year
and prob get a laptop in the second

[SilverbulletMR2]

i figure its a pertinent question, i mean i am not a huge gamer, all i need is something with a cdrw drive and a good screen for CAD. UX50 with OS6 would be sick for carrying around everywhere... I can prob wait for a UX with OS6 (UX60???) haha Seriously this is one of the best forums i have ever seen.

[Nauta]

SilverbulletMR2, I'm in the same boat. I'm a fourth-year Biology major who purchased a Clie SJ-30 back in February and have about $2k to throw around for a portable wireless solution on campus. I was debating between a UX-50/eMac combination, or an iBook/iPod, both of which were within $25 of one another.

I eventually decided on the iBook, and I'll tell you why - Though this is coming from a Macintosh user, of which you obiviously are not, your mileage may differ. I'm uber-happy with my SJ-30. It's a beautiful piece of technology. I snagged it for $219, and I use it for everything when I'm away from my iMac/500.

The iBook is a fourth or fifth generation product; admittedly, the UX-50 is a first-gen machine, the first of its type, and is a pretty penny at $700, not to mention the Memory Sticks you'd have to buy to give it any decent amount of expansion (and those aren't cheap, either).

Given that your decision includes a notebook computer either way, I'd say this: Buy a decent laptop with WiFi that does what you need, and save the rest of your money. Sit and wait on the UX series if you really must have one; though I think you, like myself, are drawn to this thing for the "geek factor". I don't think it's a sound financial investment at this point in time. But that's just my two cents.

You can't regret spending your money if you hold onto it. ;)

[nauta]

Damn, stupid thing. Didn't log me in. x.x

[SilverbulletMR2]

yeah thanks for the info, I odnt plan on buying till around october anyways (entered that contest for the dream PDA...want to see if i win ahaha) so the prices on this UX stuff will be coming down anyways... the sj33 is more than adequate to wait that long if not longer... my opinion on this hwole thing is waivering ...

[OcellNuri]

I'm going into Mechanical Engineering at NC State in a couple weeks. I'm using my Desktop in the dorm (pretty loaded machine) and then using my NX70V+WiFi card+Keyboard for around campus. I figure this will be enough to work on papers and stay on AIM around class. I am VERY attracted to the UX, but I want to wait till near the end of the year if I'm going to do anything.

Regardless of what you do with your PDA situation, I recommend you do not get a top of the line laptop. You pay a lot more money for not much more product. You also need to consider the threat of theft. That's my main reason for doing the desktop/Palm combo. I can secure my desktop to my desk, and keep my Palm in my pocket.

[nauta]

I did a bunch of research when I first heard of the UX-50 two weeks ago. Lusted for it at first, for a good week, learned some things about its battery life and screen size, questioned whether I'd really want to be using something like the Clie everywhere as my only portable. The idea of having an integrated computer/PDA/mp3 player was alluring, but then again something that does so many things does none of them very well. I'll be happier with a full-fledged 5 lb notebook computer. =P

[nickster87]

Also remeber that the UX series CANNOT go into portrait mode. That is the only thing keeping me from getting it. I just can't see myself walking aound school trying to use the Clie in landscape mode ALL of the time.

[SilverbulletMR2]

yeah i can def wait till around holiday season and surprise myself haha. the price is too high, and they will make some improvements so i can wait for that. So would you guys say its a good enough laptop for around 1700, then get a UX-something later when they are cheaper and have some bugs worked out?

[nickster87]

That seems reasonable, just make sure it is what you want and is not more than you need.:)

[SilverbulletMR2]

so how good are the voice recorders on these things, good enough to record a lecture?

[itsBob]

I've tried the NX recorder in lectures, but given it up.

In small classes it got constant sounds of the other kids moving and talking, but in large lectures (where the teachers used a mic) it did work adequately if I held it up a bit. It's kinda awkward.

[newyorktd]

What do you mean awkward?

Just Curious...

;)

[gooer]

If I were you, I wouldn't get a UX. Why not get a relatively quality laptop and an NX70V or NX60V? The UX is going to be so hot that you are going to have to protect it like crazy and pay top dollar for it. I saw a NX60 go on ebay for 160 recently. It's last months hottest technology (It was just christmas when I payed 600 for my NX70), it functions and it's cheap. If you lose something worth $160 it's upsetting but you can live, if you lose something worth 700 bucks it's devastating. In addition, you have to get used to college life, see if you even really need a PDA (which you most likely will) and you can have something to get all beat up and take around with you everywhere. Plus, having a NX70 still impresses the girls for me even if there are newer models around.

My 2 cents.

[n2ifp]

Ah, the real reason... impress the girls ;)

[SilverbulletMR2]

yeah sure, thats it, naw i wanted it because of the integrated WIFI and bluetooth. Does the WIFI card for the NX70 stick very far out the top? I am def going to wait at least till Xmas to see what comes out. I might go back to Palm, but the sony's are nice. I NEED wifi. Its muy importante.

[n2ifp]

Yes, it sticks out at least a half inch, maybe someone else can translate that into millimeters ;)

Metric challenged

[Sneezy]

2.54 cm per inch. 10mm in cm. I can't do math in my head, though.

[nickster87]

Almost 13 millimeters.

[Silverbulletmr2]

what are you guys' thoughts on "reconditioned" pda's from sony. Like maybe around Xmas i could pick up an nx80 for cheap. That make more sense? then get a wifi card?

[nickster87]

It's up to you, but there is just something about getting a reconditioned unit that makes me mad. Like someone else has been touching my baby.;)

[Importluva]

Have you thought about PPC? I believe that there are auto cad programs for it and it is very powerful...just a thought (you can get cheap wifi cards for a nice PPC like the 2215 and spend like 65% of the cost for a comparable clie)

[Raptor]

I don't know about reconditioned PDA's but I recently got a relatively good Dell Laptop refurbed for about $1400. While not the most top of the line specs, it does great for what I need it to (game development and 3D modeling).

I also purchased an 802.11g card for about $50 on sale at a local CompUSA, so I've got my laptop WiFi solution complete.

Out of the $2000 loan I got from Dell (which is why I went with Dell in the first place) I still have enough to buy a UX by the time they carry it (after I pay off about $100 or so, which is easily doable). After that, I'll retire my NR-70v and migrate to the UX.

[SilverbulletMR2]

i think the nx80 sounds niice once i get enough dough. it seems like the product has been through a few cycles to fix the bugs like loose screen swivel and other things (i.e. nr series) so maybe i will see if i can pick one up around xmas for cheap from sony or someone. Unless anyone is upgrading and wants to make a financiially challenged college student very happy! :D

peace!

[kjbad]

You get what you pay for with "refurbished" PDAs. I wouldn't touch a used Clie unless it comes right from Sony with a warranty.

I agree with nickster87 on the used PDA issue. Need a reason why you may not want a used PDA? Look at nickster's avatar...and buy some Lysol.

[SilverbulletMR2]

eww yeah you guys have a point. I think what i will do is use what i got till an OS6 UX next year with wifi. By that time all the hype will be toned down for the ux, and i can make the purchase hopefully with a lower price too! I want that keyboard!!

thanks for all the input you guys are the best

[nickster87]

Hey, boogers DO taste good!!!;)