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The Last PC Laptop

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Re: The Last PC Laptop

#121

Post by TechNewb »

calinet6 wrote: post #99
Derbasti wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Someone needs to stop trying to arrange their life around their tech and try it the other way around. I work on my laptop on my commute on the train. This saves me two hours every day and allows me to live in a beautiful place. Someone does indeed needs to stop trying to arrange their life around their tech and try it the other way around, Mr. IT Manager For a High Tech Company with a ridiculously giant phone, a ne…

Watch your back. I know two people who have been mugged after using a laptop on a train or subway.

What city?

Re: The Last PC Laptop

#122

Post by Derbasti »

linker3000 wrote: post #104
Derbasti wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Someone needs to stop trying to arrange their life around their tech and try it the other way around. I work on my laptop on my commute on the train. This saves me two hours every day and allows me to live in a beautiful place. Someone does indeed needs to stop trying to arrange their life around their tech and try it the other way around, Mr. IT Manager For a High Tech Company with a ridiculously giant phone, a ne…

Not sure I read you right? So your day in the office is shortened by two hours as you can count your commute-work as part of your work day - like, instead of , say, 9-5, you arrive at 10 and leave at 4? Sounds like a fair trade off if you're happy with it. I don't think you get my tech angle - although I have multiple devices at my disposal, the phone is all I need for 90% of the time as I have no obligation to work…

> like, instead of , say, 9-5, you arrive at 10 and leave at 4?

Exactly. But I work on the train. Also, I work from home two days a week.

Re: The Last PC Laptop

#123

Post by Derbasti »

calinet6 wrote: post #99
Derbasti wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Someone needs to stop trying to arrange their life around their tech and try it the other way around. I work on my laptop on my commute on the train. This saves me two hours every day and allows me to live in a beautiful place. Someone does indeed needs to stop trying to arrange their life around their tech and try it the other way around, Mr. IT Manager For a High Tech Company with a ridiculously giant phone, a ne…

Watch your back. I know two people who have been mugged after using a laptop on a train or subway.

Well, I live in rural Germany and the trains I am taking are mostly filled with commuters between small towns. And swiss people. I don't think there is any reason to fear being mugged here.

Re: The Last PC Laptop

#124

Post by graue »

raverbashing wrote: post #98
abecedarius wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are plenty of use cases for a portable computer. Moving to New York for 3 months for Hacker School comes to mind (it starts next week). I want the lightest one that works well. The End.

I'm gonna be that guy and say that you're probably looking for a Mac Book Air But this Asus on the article certainly looks good if you put Linux in it

Funny you mention that. I, a Linux user, was deciding between the 13" Air and this Zenbook Prime, and chose the former, because the Zenbook reportedly has lots of issues and annoyances:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AsusZenbookPrime

Installing on the 2012 Air wasn't exactly a walk in the park either, but that wiped out any Zenbook advantage. Now that it's set up, I absolutely love my Air running Xubuntu — it's the nicest laptop I've used. I'd recommend it to anyone. And as a bonus I can reboot into OS X if I ever want to.

Re: The Last PC Laptop

#125

Post by codinghorror »

edanm wrote: post #79

I wanted to buy a new windows laptop that was light, strong, and looked good. I really, really did. Then, because of work reasons, I ended up getting a MacBook Air instead. Now, I've been dead-set against switching to a Mac for a long time, because I am incredibly invested with Windows, more so than almost anyone I know. I didn't want to have to relearn everything, plus rewrite all the scripts I have on my Windows ma…

At least for the Airs, they are currently all TN displays, and significantly lower res than the Asus model discussed.

Re: The Last PC Laptop

#126

Post by flurpitude »

dvhh wrote: post #31
StavrosK wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would never consider working on a tablet, even if it could perfectly run my development environment. I absolutely need a keyboard, and I might as well take the laptop if I'm going to pack a keyboard with the tablet.

Agreed, it's not only the keyboard but also the blazing fast application switching (at a keyboard shortcut distance), decent code editors. The only thing that come near that for me are the asus transformer series running ubuntu, but I'm still encountering multiple fatal issues (plus the touchpad is sub-par).

Also the storage space. Tablets and ultrabooks still don't give you enough space if you need to install a lot of development software, database servers, etc.

Oh, and if you need to develop in more than one OS, then a tablet isn't going to cut it, and the 128/256GB SSD in an ultrabook is a pretty tight squeeze for dual boot.

Those factors, the RAM and the back pain are the reasons I stick with larger devices for now. I do have my beady eye on the forthcoming Asus U500 though.

Re: The Last PC Laptop

#127

Post by Splines »

kabdib wrote: post #109
edanm wrote: post #79

I wanted to buy a new windows laptop that was light, strong, and looked good. I really, really did. Then, because of work reasons, I ended up getting a MacBook Air instead. Now, I've been dead-set against switching to a Mac for a long time, because I am incredibly invested with Windows, more so than almost anyone I know. I didn't want to have to relearn everything, plus rewrite all the scripts I have on my Windows ma…

There's a Microsoft store three storefronts down from an Apple store in our local mall (Bellevue Square, near Seattle). I looked at the Asus UX31, wrote down its specs and went to the the Apple store. Nearly exactly the same specs for an Air, but the UX31 was about $400 cheaper. (The UX31 didn't come with any crapware, either). I'm somewhat disappointed with the keyboard, but other than that it's a great little machi…

That store moved a little while ago, it's on the top floor now.

I find it a little amusing since it appears that the decision to move was prompted by the near proximity of the much-larger Microsoft store. (I have no idea if it actually was, but on the face of things that's how it looks).

The new Apple location is about the same size as the existing Microsoft store.

Re: The Last PC Laptop

#128

Post by keithpeter »

lttlrck wrote: post #97
dsr_ wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The odds are pretty good that someone on your train works is quite interesting. For example... I happen to know that if I take a commuter line into Boston in the morning, I am likely to encounter one or more of: a senior scientist at an R&D lab, a bunch of Google programmers and engineers, a non-profit fundraising expert, or an IP lawyer. I don't know what the guy with the MongoDB sticker on his laptop does, but even…

Wow. People talk to each on the T? Never seen it.

UK: random conversation breaks out when there is an unusual delay or we get stuck at a signal set to danger. After an initial silence, someone will make a joke, and then it breaks out. Those are good delays.

Re: The Last PC Laptop

#129

Post by keithpeter »

linker3000 wrote: post #23

"Want the smallest most portable device you can get away with? " "Want to be always connected to the Internet? Sure you do;" "Just try opening a laptop on a crowded subway train or bus." Someone needs to stop trying to arrange their life around their tech and try it the other way around. If you are so overloaded with work, or so keen at your work, or so behind in your work, that you need to open your laptop on the tr…

"On the move: Phone for about 95% of the time. Take laptop or netbook if needed."

I use notebooks quite a lot as well (the paper kind). Planning/idea capture.

Re: The Last PC Laptop

#130

Post by keithpeter »

calinet6 wrote: post #99
Derbasti wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Someone needs to stop trying to arrange their life around their tech and try it the other way around. I work on my laptop on my commute on the train. This saves me two hours every day and allows me to live in a beautiful place. Someone does indeed needs to stop trying to arrange their life around their tech and try it the other way around, Mr. IT Manager For a High Tech Company with a ridiculously giant phone, a ne…

Watch your back. I know two people who have been mugged after using a laptop on a train or subway.

Depends. Birmingham UK commuter trains during peak hours tend to be full, and full of fairly middle class people as the fares are much higher than the bus. Late at night, yes, a little more care is needed.

I have about an hour round trip on a train, and I can get a few interactive whiteboard screens or a handout written in that time (I'm a teacher).

I use a refurbished laptop so if any funny stuff starts, I just hand it over.

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