irish laptops?

bats

are there any irish companies manufacturing laptops? Do gateway and dell have an effective duopoly in place?

tHE vAGGABOND

Toshiba
IBM
Sony
etc
etc

R. Daneel Olivaw

I don't think Gateway have anything at all in place anymore, if you read today's Register article.

Most of them are built here. Does it really make a difference though?

bats

hold on, i think you misunderstand me-i was referring to any irish companies that actually build *and* brand their own machines rather than a large mnc...

by the way, what's the story with gateway customer service if they're shutting up shop?

R. Daneel Olivaw

Hmmm, that's something I didn't read into, sorry. Still, they would undoubtedly be overpriced and underpowered. I've never heard of any Irish company as a manufacturer.

Maybe ICL, I can't remember. I used to have a 386sx laptop from ICL who I think were Irish, but that was around 1993 so and I think they are shut down now (they made overpriced and underpowered laptops).

Supercell

by the way, what's the story with gateway customer service if they're shutting up shop?

Its all going to be outsourced from the end of November.
At the moment all thats left there are the techs and various management and legal peeps. ( and construction workers dismantling the factory area)

December 1 you will be talking to an outsourced company ( though all the techs have been offered jobs with them- how many take it up is another matter)

Read into that what you will, i cannot comment.

b20uvkft6m5xwg

Can ne1 recommend any Irish Companies that will build a laptop (like the way w/ a PC) for consumers- like say Marx computers w/ custom specs etc.-

Just weighing up the options:)

Supercell

Seriously 80project , givin the way the PC industry is at the moment, i'd go with Dell.

At least that way you are going to buy a PC from a company that more than likely will be around after the slaughter(and as long as your warrenty).

They have a base in Bray that employs Irish workers,which is as good as your going to get i feel .

b20uvkft6m5xwg

I know Longfield.
Its shocking that we're left w/ only 1 viable choice of PC manufacturer.

I inputed a fairly nice spec laptop the other day on the dell site for £2500!!

Better start saving now then!

R. Daneel Olivaw

But you can order from the US or UK shops as well so it makes damn all difference really (except I can't do what I did before and drive over to the Gateway plant and bundle everything into my car........that was really nice ). The only thing you have to watch for is the power charger.

bats

thanks for feedback, folks. But just to follow on from R. Daneel Olivaw, can you get a guarantee for a machine bought in the us or the uk? I know of someone who bought a dell laptop in ireland and had the infamous keyboard problems when in the US, however Dell US wouldn't cover his warranty...

R. Daneel Olivaw

Hmm, I never thought of that, but in all the years of buying computers I have never ever EVER once used a warranty of any kind. Everything has always just worked properly - maybe I am lucky or something.

Only thing that is dodgy is the PSU in my case that starts to rattle a bit if it's on for over a day straight, but a thump on the side of the case usually shuts it up.

Supercell

Thats pretty suprising, Gateway always supported their US customers and vice versa.

The laptop keyboard problems are universal to all manufactures, eg american systems need a bios flash with a /kuk switch (ie uk layout),with Gateways

Would frankly be amazed if Dell don't have such a thing( though i'd check that out in alt.sys.pc-clone.dell newsgroup)

bats

thanks for the info longfield. Mind you i don't know if we're talking about the same keyboard problems ie. where keys just stop working altogether and have to be replaced?

bettyboo

You could maybe try IQon (Romak Computers)

tHE vAGGABOND

IBM emply bag loads of people in Ballycoolin near blanchardstown..

IMHO they make better laptops too..

bats

i'll have a chat with them so...thanks folks