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I bought my wife a touchscreen laptop

how long before its covered in children's fingerprints

  • Total voters
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Slartibartfast

Slartibartfast

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I wonder how long before its covered in children's fingerprints :doh
 
Thats mighty generous of you.

Ive never bought a girlfriend such an expensive technological gift, the closest Ive come is letting a few play with my joystick.
 
Paul Austin said:
Thats mighty generous of you.

Ive never bought a girlfriend such an expensive technological gift, the closest Ive come is letting a few play with my joystick.
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She is my wife, the money is both of ours. She tends to leave the financial decisions to me though, this includes any large purchases.
 
Paul Austin said:
Thats mighty generous of you.

Ive never bought a girlfriend such an expensive technological gift, the closest Ive come is letting a few play with my joystick.
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:lol:

...
 
Which laptop did you buy?
 
Mycroft said:
Which laptop did you buy?
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Newegg.com - ThinkPad Twist S230u (33472HU) Notebook Intel Core i5 3317U(1.70GHz) 12.5" 4GB Memory DDR3 1333 500GB HDD 7200rpm Intel HD Graphics 4000

It was a good compromise

What she wanted:
something smaller she can fit in her lap
something that didn't weigh much
something with good battery life

What I wanted:
something with complete compatibility with her online masters program
something with a decent price for features
something with decent hardware specs (nongaming)

Neither of us really cares much about the touchpad features, but it was something amusing to play with, a new toy. The price was about $300 less two days ago.

I am going to probably downgrade upgrade to windows 7.
 
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megaprogman said:
Newegg.com - ThinkPad Twist S230u (33472HU) Notebook Intel Core i5 3317U(1.70GHz) 12.5" 4GB Memory DDR3 1333 500GB HDD 7200rpm Intel HD Graphics 4000

It was a good compromise

What she wanted:
something smaller she can fit in her lap
something that didn't weigh much
something with good battery life

What I wanted:
something with complete compatibility with her online masters program
something with a decent price for features
something with decent hardware specs (nongaming)

Neither of us really cares much about the touchpad features, but it was something amusing to play with, a new toy. The price was about $300 less two days ago.

I am going to probably downgrade upgrade to windows 7.
Click to expand...

That's a good machine. I've considered getting it, but I'm holding out for a hybrid tablet/ultrabook...such as the Asus Transformer Book. Asus Transformer Book review | Tablets Reviews | TechRadar

Regarding installing Win7, I suggest you do some research as to whether that machine will work well with Win7. HP has issued a warning about doing so on their machines, but I haven't seen anything from Lenovo.

HP clarifies Windows 8 consumer PC downgrade and warranties | Windows 8 Forums
 
Mycroft said:
That's a good machine. I've considered getting it, but I'm holding out for a hybrid tablet/ultrabook...such as the Asus Transformer Book. Asus Transformer Book review | Tablets Reviews | TechRadar

Regarding installing Win7, I suggest you do some research as to whether that machine will work well with Win7. HP has issued a warning about doing so on their machines, but I haven't seen anything from Lenovo.

HP clarifies Windows 8 consumer PC downgrade and warranties | Windows 8 Forums
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Good point, worst case, I will load her up a virtual xp machine if needed for her schooling.
 
megaprogman said:
Newegg.com - ThinkPad Twist S230u (33472HU) Notebook Intel Core i5 3317U(1.70GHz) 12.5" 4GB Memory DDR3 1333 500GB HDD 7200rpm Intel HD Graphics 4000

It was a good compromise

What she wanted:
something smaller she can fit in her lap
something that didn't weigh much
something with good battery life

What I wanted:
something with complete compatibility with her online masters program
something with a decent price for features
something with decent hardware specs (nongaming)

Neither of us really cares much about the touchpad features, but it was something amusing to play with, a new toy. The price was about $300 less two days ago.

I am going to probably downgrade upgrade to windows 7.
Click to expand...

ive had a touchscreen for a while,and in computing terms its basically useless for anything bigenough to have a real keyboard and mouse.its fun to play with but on my touchscreen destop the only time i used the touchscreen is when i hooked it up to my tv and used my broom to change movies cuz i was too lazy to leave my couch.

but theh again mine was a pressure sensitive touchscreen,whereas most now use infared,which is great until dirt and dust blocks the sensors.
 
beerftw said:
ive had a touchscreen for a while,and in computing terms its basically useless for anything bigenough to have a real keyboard and mouse.its fun to play with but on my touchscreen destop the only time i used the touchscreen is when i hooked it up to my tv and used my broom to change movies cuz i was too lazy to leave my couch.

but theh again mine was a pressure sensitive touchscreen,whereas most now use infared,which is great until dirt and dust blocks the sensors.
Click to expand...

Your pressure sensitive system...and the infrared system...are not really suitable for Win8 touch applications. (this article explains it all very well: Old Hardware or New Hardware? Which One Should You Run Windows 8 on? | Windows 8 Forums ) And, the fact is, Win7 wasn't properly set up for touch screen at all...not like Win8.

Also, infrared isn't what is most used now...capacitive is. At least on touch screens that most people use, like phones, tablets and the new ultrabooks and laptops. Good sized touch screen monitors suitable for desktops are too expensive for most people at the moment. I expect them to come down in price.

As far as touch screen not being useful for anything with a keyboard, I beg to differ. I have an Android Asus tablet with keyboard dock and I am quite comfortable tapping and swiping the screen and dropping to the keyboard when necessary. I also use voice commands whenever I can. Surprisingly, I've found myself ignoring the touch pad on the keyboard and I've never connected a mouse to it. They are really not necessary at all.
 
Mycroft said:
Your pressure sensitive system...and the infrared system...are not really suitable for Win8 touch applications. (this article explains it all very well: Old Hardware or New Hardware? Which One Should You Run Windows 8 on? | Windows 8 Forums ) And, the fact is, Win7 wasn't properly set up for touch screen at all...not like Win8.

Also, infrared isn't what is most used now...capacitive is. At least on touch screens that most people use, like phones, tablets and the new ultrabooks and laptops. Good sized touch screen monitors suitable for desktops are too expensive for most people at the moment. I expect them to come down in price.

As far as touch screen not being useful for anything with a keyboard, I beg to differ. I have an Android Asus tablet with keyboard dock and I am quite comfortable tapping and swiping the screen and dropping to the keyboard when necessary. I also use voice commands whenever I can. Surprisingly, I've found myself ignoring the touch pad on the keyboard and I've never connected a mouse to it. They are really not necessary at all.
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i use my computer for games,and also forwriting documents,dont know about you but ive never found a voice program that properly writes after hearing southern drawl.also 99& of the people i know cant use their computer without a keyboard and amouse,i think windows 8 made great strides in improving touchscreen capability,but failed horribly in making it the primary focus of the os,it should have been a secondary focus,as mst average users require or demand keyboard and mouse for what they do,this is evidnt in the fact companies make mouse and keyboard setups for tablets.

furthermore using touchscreen keyboards is so inneffecient it pisses me off,its retarded in the fact i cant type with efficiency,or play any game thats not touchscreen specific because they require a mouse and multiplekeyboardkeys.im sorry but touchscreen has failed tomeet the average users demandson pc/laptop market,and never will meet them,they are better on tablet and smartphone markets,where a dedicated keyboard and mouse arent possible.
 
beerftw said:
i use my computer for games,and also forwriting documents,dont know about you but ive never found a voice program that properly writes after hearing southern drawl.also 99& of the people i know cant use their computer without a keyboard and amouse,i think windows 8 made great strides in improving touchscreen capability,but failed horribly in making it the primary focus of the os,it should have been a secondary focus,as mst average users require or demand keyboard and mouse for what they do,this is evidnt in the fact companies make mouse and keyboard setups for tablets.

furthermore using touchscreen keyboards is so inneffecient it pisses me off,its retarded in the fact i cant type with efficiency,or play any game thats not touchscreen specific because they require a mouse and multiplekeyboardkeys.im sorry but touchscreen has failed tomeet the average users demandson pc/laptop market,and never will meet them,they are better on tablet and smartphone markets,where a dedicated keyboard and mouse arent possible.
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Oh, I'd be careful if I had the urge to use terms like "and never will meet them". Besides, the demands of average users change over time. Heck, 20 years ago no average user demanded seamless streaming of video content over the Internet. Now, it's commonplace. Ten years ago I wouldn't have dreamed of telling my phone to "call so-and-so", but that's what I do now. When I'm browsing on my phone or tablet, I don't type my search words...I speak them. Oh, and I've lived in the South...I regularly say y'all. My phone interprets that to mean "you all", so I suspect voice recognition has improved a bit and I expect more improvements to come.

I think the big difference between me and you is that I don't resist change...I embrace it...I eagerly look forward to the next changes to come. In fact, I'm looking forward to improvements in motion control. I expect that within the next 10 years or so, the keyboard and mouse will have faded away. We will be using touch, voice and motion to do all the things we do with computers now.
 
Mycroft said:
Oh, I'd be careful if I had the urge to use terms like "and never will meet them". Besides, the demands of average users change over time. Heck, 20 years ago no average user demanded seamless streaming of video content over the Internet. Now, it's commonplace. Ten years ago I wouldn't have dreamed of telling my phone to "call so-and-so", but that's what I do now. When I'm browsing on my phone or tablet, I don't type my search words...I speak them. Oh, and I've lived in the South...I regularly say y'all. My phone interprets that to mean "you all", so I suspect voice recognition has improved a bit and I expect more improvements to come.

I think the big difference between me and you is that I don't resist change...I embrace it...I eagerly look forward to the next changes to come. In fact, I'm looking forward to improvements in motion control. I expect that within the next 10 years or so, the keyboard and mouse will have faded away. We will be using touch, voice and motion to do all the things we do with computers now.
Click to expand...

20 years ago most people never dreamed of using a mouse unless they were super rich and could afford t,shortly after everyone had it and windows stopped catering to people who only used keyboards.but the mouse holds much more use than touchscreen.touchscreen only holds single mouse button function,and the mouse is at the speed where touchscreen holds no cndle,same with keyboards.if keyboards and mouse computers are replaced it wont be by touchscreen,but r users.something that actually exceeds old technology,and not something that holds novelty value but is incapable of meeting the needs of most computer users.
 
beerftw said:
20 years ago most people never dreamed of using a mouse unless they were super rich and could afford t,shortly after everyone had it and windows stopped catering to people who only used keyboards.but the mouse holds much more use than touchscreen.touchscreen only holds single mouse button function,and the mouse is at the speed where touchscreen holds no cndle,same with keyboards.if keyboards and mouse computers are replaced it wont be by touchscreen,but r users.something that actually exceeds old technology,and not something that holds novelty value but is incapable of meeting the needs of most computer users.
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You really need to understand that innovation and improvement comes at an increasingly rapid pace. You'll either keep up...or get left behind. Your choice.
 
I can fix my own problems. I don't need HP Support, knowing full well I'm a better tech than the guy on the phone line, probably Bombay. I know I can speak better English, too.
 
Mycroft said:
You really need to understand that innovation and improvement comes at an increasingly rapid pace. You'll either keep up...or get left behind. Your choice.
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Touchscreens are nothing new. The military had them back in the 70's. They have just been released for public consumption in the last few years.
 
bicycleman said:
Touchscreens are nothing new. The military had them back in the 70's. They have just been released for public consumption in the last few years.
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That has nothing to do with my point...which is, in regard to consumer electronics, touchscreens...as you say...are new and innovative. These innovations and improvements will continue to come.
 
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beerftw said:
ive had a touchscreen for a while,and in computing terms its basically useless for anything bigenough to have a real keyboard and mouse.its fun to play with but on my touchscreen destop the only time i used the touchscreen is when i hooked it up to my tv and used my broom to change movies cuz i was too lazy to leave my couch.

but theh again mine was a pressure sensitive touchscreen,whereas most now use infared,which is great until dirt and dust blocks the sensors.
Click to expand...

Which model was this?
 
Mycroft said:
That has nothing to do with my point...which is, in regard to consumer electronics, touchscreens...as you say...are new and innovative. These innovations and improvements will continue to come.
Click to expand...

Your point was that technology is growing in leaps and bounds, but touch screen is not new. It's an old concept that has been improved upon, once it hit the civilian consumer market.
 
beerftw said:
ive had a touchscreen for a while,and in computing terms its basically useless for anything bigenough to have a real keyboard and mouse.its fun to play with but on my touchscreen destop the only time i used the touchscreen is when i hooked it up to my tv and used my broom to change movies cuz i was too lazy to leave my couch.

but theh again mine was a pressure sensitive touchscreen,whereas most now use infared,which is great until dirt and dust blocks the sensors.
Click to expand...

I often like to eat lunch in front of my PC, but when I'm having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a touch screen is just not going to work for me.
 
bicycleman said:
Your point was that technology is growing in leaps and bounds, but touch screen is not new. It's an old concept that has been improved upon, once it hit the civilian consumer market.
Click to expand...

It is growing in leaps and bounds.

When you were using touch screens back in the 70's, were you also using voice commands and motion control? I use those things regularly right now on my phone and tablet and I expect those control methods to to improve with the desktop as well.
 
bicycleman said:
I often like to eat lunch in front of my PC, but when I'm having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a touch screen is just not going to work for me.
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use a fork and knife.
 
Infinite Chaos said:
Which model was this?
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it was a gateway i bought on discount,the salesman has pressure and infared touchscreens.he said the infared were more expensive and reliable until the sensors got covered in dirt,the pressure sensitive one works with anything that touches it,but he said they wear out after a few years.

its in my closet somewhere,but i got it cheap because it was an old dual core model with 520 gig hd,3 gigs ram,1080i resolution 20 inch screen.
 
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