01 November 2008

Personal Technology: Disposable Laptop

I replaced a laptop this week. After the requisite gnashing of teeth, I appreciated that I have a new guideline for personal technology. Never pay more than $650 for a laptop.

That's because this week's Boomer (I could not resist but I don't have vanity plates on the car, I promise) has all the features of the 13-month-old (now expired) Gazebo (named for the imagery of sitting in a backyard computing even though I do not have a gazebo and the only person I know who ever did was The Sociologist's daughter—for one brief semester—and we only talked about hiding out at her rental house in retreat mode) at roughly one-third the cost. In fact, Boomer even has more memory than Gazebo did.

A crash is never pleasant but I'm your Pollyanna. I am reminded of the importance of daily back-up. I will adopt more web applications (AKA cloud computing) so that my software tools are in cyberspace, not on my hard drive. And I will definitely be one of the non-children using a $100 laptop when the time comes.

There's one more thing. Boomer came with a sticker on its interior announcing that its "finish adds lustrous sophistication." Same sticker displayed some fine print at the bottom, "See disclaimers on product box."

© 2008 Mary Bold, PhD, CFLE. The content of this blog or related web sites created by Mary Bold (www.marybold.com, www.boldproductions.com, College Intern Blog) is not under any circumstances to be regarded as professional, legal, financial, or medical advice. Or education advice. Or marital advice. Or even a tip.

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