Ultra light and battery friendly lappie needed

neon_glows

Im planning on doing around the world back packing for as long as possible, with any luck i cud be gone anythnig up to 9 months as ill have all that time of to myself.

Im a big techy nerd and i have a pda that can connect to wifi for browsing etc and sending emails which is great but i wud also like something i can bring a gud few movies with me and to transfer photos to and connect to wifi to browse net properly.

Can you recommend a durable laptop (it will be sitting in my back pack, must be ultra lightwieght, have wifi, huge storage capacity (i wud love 160gigs but it probably aint realistic so 80gigs). Long lasting battery life as i might not be near electricity the whole time and something that i can bring spare batterys for.

At the moment im browsing the dell website, due to the fact ill be travelling and theres the chance my backpack could be swiped in some foreign country i would rather not spend any more that €1500.

As a side note can anyone recommend a decent blogging site to update my traveling information for friends and family to read.

BostonB

neon_glows wrote:

Im planning on doing around the world back packing for as long as possible, with any luck i cud be gone anythnig up to 9 months as ill have all that time of to myself.

Im a big techy nerd and i have a pda that can connect to wifi for browsing etc and sending emails which is great but i wud also like something i can bring a gud few movies with me and to transfer photos to and connect to wifi to browse net properly.

Can you recommend a durable laptop (it will be sitting in my back pack, must be ultra lightwieght, have wifi, huge storage capacity (i wud love 160gigs but it probably aint realistic so 80gigs). Long lasting battery life as i might not be near electricity the whole time and something that i can bring spare batterys for.

At the moment im browsing the dell website, due to the fact ill be travelling and theres the chance my backpack could be swiped in some foreign country i would rather not spend any more that €1500.

As a side note can anyone recommend a decent blogging site to update my traveling information for friends and family to read.

Theres a 640m up on the outlet with a 160GB HD and 9 cell battery at the moment.

copacetic

neon_glows wrote:

Im planning on doing around the world back packing for as long as possible, with any luck i cud be gone anythnig up to 9 months as ill have all that time of to myself.

Im a big techy nerd and i have a pda that can connect to wifi for browsing etc and sending emails which is great but i wud also like something i can bring a gud few movies with me and to transfer photos to and connect to wifi to browse net properly.

Can you recommend a durable laptop (it will be sitting in my back pack, must be ultra lightwieght, have wifi, huge storage capacity (i wud love 160gigs but it probably aint realistic so 80gigs). Long lasting battery life as i might not be near electricity the whole time and something that i can bring spare batterys for.

At the moment im browsing the dell website, due to the fact ill be travelling and theres the chance my backpack could be swiped in some foreign country i would rather not spend any more that €1500.

As a side note can anyone recommend a decent blogging site to update my traveling information for friends and family to read.

i got my mum a Samsung Q35 for using on a course she is doing. It's been great so far and seems to fit your bill:

# Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 - 2.0GHz (x2), 667MHz FSB, 4MB L2 Cache
# RAM: 1.5GB DDR2-667MHz
# Hard Drive: 160GB
# Screen: 12.1" with SuperClear Technology
# Optical Drive: DVD±RW Super Multi Dual Layer
# Graphics: Integrated Graphics supporting 256MB
# Wireless LAN: 802.11b/g - Call for advice on Wireless Networking
# Bluetooth: Bluetooth Enabled
# Warranty: 1 Year - Upgradeable to 3 years!!
# Operating System: Windows XP Professional Edition
# 6-in-1 Flash Memory Card Reader

I got it vat free, but it should be within your budget at about €1500 from laptopsdirect.

majiktripp

I'd recommend a D420, I have the D410 its predecessor and its the bee's knees!
Light,mobile as f*€k! and I bought it for exactly ( well very similar) reasons to you.
Its got a 40GB HDD which it came with (dont poo poo it yet!I bought a 2.5" HDD adapter case off ebay and have a 60GB drive in the for my movies/Mp3's etc)
Centrino 1.7ghz,512mb Ram which could be upped if need be but none yet so I'm happy with it.
I got it off ebay from a chap in England selling it new and I'm well happy with it,whether it fell of the back of a truck or not I dont know or he 'found' it in a hedge row who knows but it works great and for €600 which I paid nearly a year ago it was a bloody bargain for a Latitude laptop!

BostonB

The Dell D420 has a seperate DVD drive though. If thats a factor.

I think if you were travelling a thin and light like a D420 or a IBM X60s is a great idea. With a extended battery you probably get 8 hrs out of one of them.

copacetic

well the samsung isn't as thin and light as the above, but it has everything built in and is about as thin and light as you can get with everything built in. although I needed to get a laptop with xp pro which is what pushed me toward it to begin with, but it has been great for my mum who couldn't carry a heavy one around all day..

neon_glows

good advice lads im googling IBM X60s right now and i looked up the dell, probably be more stuff out after the summer, am i a bit optimistic thinking i cud carry one of these babys around travelling.

jessy

if i was in your position i would look no further than http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/irlstore.woa/6714043/wo/Mu3qFclcusEd3d53lRW17xUvFMb/2.?p=0

jessy

although if money is not a problem this is very small and light (but very expensive) http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/laptops-pcs/sony-vaio-vgnt140pl-reviewed-verdict-small-and-solid-100822.php

Heinrich

This is the bollox!

Played with one a few weeks ago. Sublime and damn the expense. Mine is an Acer Ferrari but I allow myself a little jealousy from time to time:p

BostonB

jessy wrote:

if i was in your position i would look no further than http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/irlstore.woa/6714043/wo/Mu3qFclcusEd3d53lRW17xUvFMb/2.?p=0

Apple are not thin and light, and their battery life isn't great compared to a true thin and light.

jessy wrote:

although if money is not a problem this is very small and light (but very expensive) http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/laptops-pcs/sony-vaio-vgnt140pl-reviewed-verdict-small-and-solid-100822.php

Is that not like 2 yrs old?

jessy

BostonB wrote:

Apple are not thin .

did you even look at the dimentions of the Macbook :eek:

BostonB wrote:

battery life isn't great compared to a true thin and light

6 hour battery life isint great?????

BostonB wrote:

Is that not like 2 yrs old?

So whats your Point?

BostonB

jessy wrote:

did you even look at the dimentions of the Macbook :eek:

Didn't know exactly what model you were linking to as you linked to your session which has expired. I assumed it was MacBook. Its a nice machine but I wouldn't consider a macbook (5.2 lbs) a thin and light in the same way a X60s (3.5 lbs) or a D420 is (3.0 lbs). Of course you need to add in the weight of an extended battery and AC adapter, optical drive (if req).

jessy wrote:

6 hour battery life isint great?????

Its better on the new models, but still 6hrs is the absoute max on min setting, which is unrealistic in the real world. I know on a 640m with an extended battery life Dell claim 8hrs where in real use I got closer to 6 hrs. Users of the X60s and Macbooks have reported similar difference in real life battery usage. Closer to 3.5 hrs.

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook/faq/macbook-battery-life.html

jessy wrote:

So whats your Point?

I wouldn't buy an old model. Thats all.

glynf

neon_glows wrote:

Im planning on doing around the world back packing for as long as possible, with any luck i cud be gone anythnig up to 9 months as ill have all that time of to myself.

Im a big techy nerd and i have a pda that can connect to wifi for browsing etc and sending emails which is great but i wud also like something i can bring a gud few movies with me and to transfer photos to and connect to wifi to browse net properly.

Can you recommend a durable laptop (it will be sitting in my back pack, must be ultra lightwieght, have wifi, huge storage capacity (i wud love 160gigs but it probably aint realistic so 80gigs). Long lasting battery life as i might not be near electricity the whole time and something that i can bring spare batterys for.

At the moment im browsing the dell website, due to the fact ill be travelling and theres the chance my backpack could be swiped in some foreign country i would rather not spend any more that €1500.

As a side note can anyone recommend a decent blogging site to update my traveling information for friends and family to read.

Why not buy abroad? Most manufacturers warrantys are 1 year worlwide anyway.
I picked up a carbon fibre Vaio SZ in the states for €1400-Core Duo/120GB HD/2GB RAM/Nvidia 7400 & about 1.5lbs weight.

BostonB

glynf wrote:

Why not buy abroad? Most manufacturers warrantys are 1 year worlwide anyway.
I picked up a carbon fibre Vaio SZ in the states for €1400-Core Duo/120GB HD/2GB RAM/Nvidia 7400 & about 1.5lbs weight.

Not all are international, can depend on the specific model. So you want to check that.

copacetic

glynf wrote:

Why not buy abroad? Most manufacturers warrantys are 1 year worlwide anyway.
I picked up a carbon fibre Vaio SZ in the states for €1400-Core Duo/120GB HD/2GB RAM/Nvidia 7400 & about 1.5lbs weight.

wouldn't really be any good if he wants to bring all his movies and stuff with him would it?

BostonB

copacetic wrote:

wouldn't really be any good if he wants to bring all his movies and stuff with him would it?

Why not? DivX them. Probably easier on battery life too.

glynf

copacetic wrote:

wouldn't really be any good if he wants to bring all his movies and stuff with him would it?

Uh...external HD? Not exactly expensive-can pick up a 160GB Seagate FreeAgent 2.5" for 120-140 0nline. Still well worth buying abroad if the guy is willin to wait a few days/weeks. 1500 euros will get a far superior laptop in the far east/states than what you get here.
As mentioned before-got an SZ for 1400 NY 'high street' purchase vs. 2699 for a lower spec. model from Sony(Stephens green).

copacetic

glynf wrote:

Uh...external HD? Not exactly expensive-can pick up a 160GB Seagate FreeAgent 2.5" for 120-140 0nline. Still well worth buying abroad if the guy is willin to wait a few days/weeks. 1500 euros will get a far superior laptop in the far east/states than what you get here.
As mentioned before-got an SZ for 1400 NY 'high street' purchase vs. 2699 for a lower spec. model from Sony(Stephens green).

was just assuming that if he wants a thin and light machine he hardly wants to carry an external HD with him..

copacetic

BostonB wrote:

Why not? DivX them. Probably easier on battery life too.

not sure what you mean here? I meant he said he wants to put a lot of stuff on the laptop before he goes so buying it abroad would defeat the purpose.. unless he lugs dvds or an external HD which again defeats the purpose in my opinion.