In my experience, Rob, today's laptops are brilliant and the way of the future, if not already the way of the present. Unless you're a gamer, I personally think most people are better off with a good laptop. Desktops are already a dying breed and will be the minority in the future (there will always be a place for them, naturally, just not as primary systems).
Well.... desktops/tower systems will remain primary rigs for "non-ordinary" people... and especially for business. Laptops tend to have the ability to walk off the job in a workplace environment... if you know what I mean.
Sorry for all the periods.... but I just discovered my comma key on the laptop doesn't work! What do I do now?
Not trying to bash laptops... because I have one and they certainly have their place. In fact several of my friends do indeed use them as their primary system and it serves them well. But I tell them "for gosh sakes... get a mouse!"
As for the "kit-bashing" aspects of modern PC's... I agree with you. Up until I got into the Windows platform... all my previous computer experience has been with almost console-like computers (i.e. TRS-80.. Apple II... Atari 8-bit... Amiga... etc.) with limited parts interchangeability or expandability. Which is why my last excursion into "motherboard hell" last week ended in failure. But I will give it another shot soon since I've already committed myself to that path. And I'm one of those guys who craves the power of quad-core super-GPU megasound all-in-one-boat appliance.
Consoles are a great gaming systems because they are cheap compared to a "gaming rig" PC. Laptops of today are powerful systems that can do everything an "average" PC user wants to do from wherever they are. Desktops have power... cheap upgrade paths... and are easier(?) to configure and repair.
What I want to see is the technology to broadcast computer/laptop video to the HDTV wirelessly! I could kick back in bed or in the living room or in the hotel room and watch my computer video on a big screen when I want to! And want a better solution to the "touchpad" or trackball on a laptop that doesn't require an external mouse. Gesture recognition or something similar might be a boon for laptop users! I would also like a degree of "modularity" with laptops like we see with "kit" PC's. Laptops are convenient... but the current trend is very proprietary to each model/company. The "kit" factor of desktop PC's helped drive down prices to the average consumer.
A few thoughts. Typing this was a nightmare though. :-(
In my experience, Rob, today's laptops are brilliant and the way of the future, if not already the way of the present. Unless you're a gamer, I personally think most people are better off with a good laptop. Desktops are already a dying breed and will be the minority in the future (there will always be a place for them, naturally, just not as primary systems).
Well.... desktops/tower systems will remain primary rigs for "non-ordinary" people... and especially for business. Laptops tend to have the ability to walk off the job in a workplace environment... if you know what I mean.
Sorry for all the periods.... but I just discovered my comma key on the laptop doesn't work! What do I do now?
Not trying to bash laptops... because I have one and they certainly have their place. In fact several of my friends do indeed use them as their primary system and it serves them well. But I tell them "for gosh sakes... get a mouse!"
As for the "kit-bashing" aspects of modern PC's... I agree with you. Up until I got into the Windows platform... all my previous computer experience has been with almost console-like computers (i.e. TRS-80.. Apple II... Atari 8-bit... Amiga... etc.) with limited parts interchangeability or expandability. Which is why my last excursion into "motherboard hell" last week ended in failure. But I will give it another shot soon since I've already committed myself to that path. And I'm one of those guys who craves the power of quad-core super-GPU megasound all-in-one-boat appliance.
Consoles are a great gaming systems because they are cheap compared to a "gaming rig" PC. Laptops of today are powerful systems that can do everything an "average" PC user wants to do from wherever they are. Desktops have power... cheap upgrade paths... and are easier(?) to configure and repair.
What I want to see is the technology to broadcast computer/laptop video to the HDTV wirelessly! I could kick back in bed or in the living room or in the hotel room and watch my computer video on a big screen when I want to! And want a better solution to the "touchpad" or trackball on a laptop that doesn't require an external mouse. Gesture recognition or something similar might be a boon for laptop users! I would also like a degree of "modularity" with laptops like we see with "kit" PC's. Laptops are convenient... but the current trend is very proprietary to each model/company. The "kit" factor of desktop PC's helped drive down prices to the average consumer.
A few thoughts. Typing this was a nightmare though. :-(