laptop essentials?

[fatman]

hi there. i've recently returned to trucking and plan on getting a laptop for both entertainment and utility purposes. my budget is around 2K. my questions are:

1. is there a particular brand of laptop that has proven itself more sturdy and reliable over others?

2. what components should I get hardware wise? I have a sprint phone and the unlimited data plan now, but no idea of how to interface them. should I bother with a wireless card?

3. what software should I get?

4. how can I best protect my laptop while driving and what about those notebook stands i've seen that attach to the passengers seat? is there something cheaper and/or better? should I get a padded briefcase for carrying the laptop in and out of my truck?

5. what warranties should I consider?

I am a company driver and drive a 2003 columbia freightliner.

thank you in advance for any and all responses.

[Malaki86]

hi there. i've recently returned to trucking and plan on getting a laptop for both entertainment and utility purposes. my budget is around 2K. my questions are:

1. is there a particular brand of laptop that has proven itself more sturdy and reliable over others?

I have an HP Pavilion DV8000 - have had now for about 10 months and it's been great. If you're not going to be doing high-end gaming or something else hardware intensive, you can go with a lower end computer in the 700-800 range at Circuit City/Best Buy.

2. what components should I get hardware wise? I have a sprint phone and the unlimited data plan now, but no idea of how to interface them. should I bother with a wireless card?

I absolutely love my wireless card. I use CoPilot which will let others see where you are and send you messages through it. It uses an internet connection for this. So, keeping the computer on the internet online all the time gives me 24hr connectivity with my friends/family. Also, I download pretty much constantly. Having it connected while driving means I'm normally downloading alllll day long.

3. what software should I get?

Depends on what you're wanting to do with the laptop in the truck. Here's what I use:
Logs: Drivers Daily Log (www.driversdailylog.com)
Routing/mapping: ALK CoPilot (www.alk.com) and Microsoft Streets & Trips 2007

4. how can I best protect my laptop while driving and what about those notebook stands i've seen that attach to the passengers seat? is there something cheaper and/or better? should I get a padded briefcase for carrying the laptop in and out of my truck?

My truck (2007 International) has a small shelf at the foot of the bed. I made a mount for my laptop there. I use a small touchscreen monitor in the front of the truck (pics are posted in the anything/everything forum). I looked at the stand mounts before I bought the touchscreen, and I think they're great. But, having my girlfriend with me most of the time means it'd be in her way. I do use my laptop case anytime I take it out of the truck.

5. what warranties should I consider?

I just went with the standard warranty that came with the computer. Haven't had any problems yet.

I am a company driver and drive a 2003 columbia freightliner.

thank you in advance for any and all responses.

I do want to add a little extra info on the setup I have in my truck, also.

I have my computer as my 'media system' in the truck. I don't have a tv, I don't have a dvd player/vcr. What I do have is a standard laptop (just widescreen) with a DVD drive and a TV tuner. Just with those 2 items I now have saved the money/space of a seperate tv/dvd player, and also can play games, surf the 'net, etc. I also have 2 external hard drives (320gig and 250gig) that I have copied movies & tv shows onto. The last time I counted, I have something like 300 movies and 200-300 tv shows. Mind you, all of this fits in an area less than probably 2sq feet.

The laptop came with Windows XP Media Center Edition, which I 'highly' recommend if you're going to buy a new computer. It's the same as Professional, but includes an incredible media player (which plays dvd's, videos, music, tv, etc). The tv tuner came with a full blown wireless remote (looks like a remote for a normal tv).

So, at the end of my day, I sit here surfing the net. When I'm done, I kick back check what's on tv. Nothing on or can't get any local stations? Oh well, pick a movie out (it's like Video On Demand). Don't want to watch a movie? Pick some music and read a book.

My favorite thing to watch at the end of the day is documentaries. They'll drop me like a boulder. I tried 6 nights in a row to watch a 40 minute show about the Erie Canal.

[fatman]

awesome response thank you!

what brand tv tuner are you using? an ati ?

[Malaki86]

It's a Hauppauge USB2 PVR - I really don't need the PVR part of it, but it's required if I want to use it with the Media Center software.

[fatman]

Ah ok thank you. I have heard of tv tuners bundled with ATI graphics cards, I didn't realize they were sold as a separate component as well. Is the entire tv tuner external, I.e. it just hooks up to your laptop via USB?
Thanks again and happy holidays .

[ct77]

i have a toshiba which i bought for $499 and it has served me well for over a year, question about the tv tuner do you have to run an antennae to the outside of the truck

[Malaki86]

I think ATI has a tv tuner which is true USB (ie no power adapters, but it does use 2 usb slots). The Hauppauge has 1 usb port and a normal power adapter.

Here's the companies product page for it: http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/produ...sb2mcekit.html

Right now I just use the built-in tv antenna. I may add a mirror mount one later on, but that's not an issue with me. Normally I try to be parked and asleep long before 8pm when most show worth watching would be on anyway.

Another option to that would be a satelite dish, but it just seems like too much hassle.

[Justruckin]

HP Lance Armstrong laptop PC here with 1 gig of ram.

Sprint air card, unlimited mileage.

Flying J wireless account.

Microsoft Trips and Streets, or is it Streets and Trips?

Drivers Daily Log, for the logs.

HP printer/copier, fits nicely in tv hole behind 20 inch Dell wide screen monitor with seperate tv tuner in Volvo 780.

I normally just throw the laptop on the floor, or let it ride on the table in the sleeper.

I have no case, as it has no reason to go into the truck stop.

I have GPS set up with another laptop that hides in my closet. There is an 8 inch wide screen monitor mounted to my dash for seeing where I am at. I also have a usb hub mounted in the dash, with a PS2 keyboard and wireless mouse to run that show.

It works for me as an indy o/o.

If I was a company driver, a laptop and an air card would do. Maybe a stand alone GPS to stick on the dash.

[slider64683]

I owna small business selling computers. I can set you up with what you need for about $700 plus shipping. There is a 2 year warranty. All items are new and in factory sealed box. Below are the details of what would come with it.

Operating Systems Microsoft® Windows® XP Media Center


Platform Notebook PC


Expansion Ports 1 - Type I/II PC Card Slot


Processor Brand Intel


Processor Class Celeron M Processor


Processor Speed 1.5GHz


Memory Type DDR2


Memory Size 256MB


Memory Slots (Total) 2


Memory Slots (Available) 1


Capacity 60GB


Optical Drive Type CD-RW / DVD-ROM Combo Drive


Supplemental Drive Type Media Reader


Graphics Description Integrated Graphics


GPU/VPU Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900
TV Tuner Installed.


Video Memory up to 128MB Shared


Communications Description Integrated Modem
Integrated LAN
Integrated Wireless LAN


Interface Type 802.11g Wireless Networking
RJ-11 Phone Connector
RJ-45 Ethernet Connector


Width 14.09"


Height 1.40"


Depth 10.39"


Weight 6.27 lbs


Display Type Widescreen Ultrabright TFT WXGA


Viewable Screen Size 15.4"

Contact me at ccmjinc@icmail.net

Happy Holidays

[doodude]

My advice is simple.
Keep it small. Keep it light.
I bought a refurbished DELL Inspiron 8100 for 1K 5 years ago. It weighs about 10 lbs has a 15" screen & is literally a drag hauling it around. I still have it & its still a good working computer.
Because my 8100 was so old ( 3 years at the time ) I bought a DELL XPS gaming laptop for the new generation games. It has an ATI 250 mb vid card, a 17" screen etc. It also is a monster weighing in at over 15lbs. Its HUGE & a bitch to set up & run whenever I stop. It also runs so hot ( i mean this thing is a muhcheen, man! ) I have to use a fan pad under it. And, its a power HOG!!! A little plug in ac adapter wont run it without overloading. That laptop now resides on my desk at home full time.
But ive learned my lesson. I just bought a Toshiba Ultraportable with a 12" screen that only weighs 4lbs, has a duo core, runs on a spark & its easy to breakout & start using with little effort.
I have built in wireless but I dont have a TV tuner but I dont have the time to watch TV. I do take a few movies if Im shut down for any length of time.
But overall, small & light is so much better...

[slider64683]

The ones I sell only weight 6 1/2lbs. Nothing heavy and they are small. I will even make deals with other drivers on my laptops. Hope I can help someone out

Happy Holidays

[tumbo1]

i also use dell they seem to be very rugged this is the second one i have had and no problems at all and they start around 600 bucks i think i paid nine for mine

[tbaarr]

i use a 700 buck toshiba that i bought from best buy with 0% financing

its satellite ready

connects to all truck stop wi fi inside my truck anywhere in their lots

as well as free internet at all iowa rest areas and the free bosselman/pilot

wi fi hot spots

and for 99 bucks i got a 2 year no hassle warranty

comparing a toshiba to a dell or a compaq or hp is like comparing a

cadillac to a kia sedona

i will pay the extra 100 for the cadillac

my opinion only

but then i used to repar computers before outsourcing became

good for this country not

[flood]

hi there. i've recently returned to trucking and plan on getting a laptop for both entertainment and utility purposes. my budget is around 2K. my questions are:

1. is there a particular brand of laptop that has proven itself more sturdy and reliable over others?

2. what components should I get hardware wise? I have a sprint phone and the unlimited data plan now, but no idea of how to interface them. should I bother with a wireless card?

3. what software should I get?

4. how can I best protect my laptop while driving and what about those notebook stands i've seen that attach to the passengers seat? is there something cheaper and/or better? should I get a padded briefcase for carrying the laptop in and out of my truck?

5. what warranties should I consider?

I am a company driver and drive a 2003 columbia freightliner.

thank you in advance for any and all responses.

i am also a company driver. this is what i have and it works great for us
HP ze4900 with 768mag's ram dvd-cdrw, 40gig hd, verizon air card, built in wyfi. my gps is DeLorme 2007+ i also have streets and trips ( i like DeLorme better), i have a 5 X 7 touch screen monitor on the dash IN-007VG 7 from mp3playerstore.com (anything you can do with a mouse i can do by just touching the screen) also DeLorme has voice command so i can ask it thing or move the display and zoom in and out by voice.

i have a HP all in one and it fits in the overhead so i can make copies as needed of just scan things into the laptop that i MAY need print later.

i also use a chill pad to keep tha laptop cool

i have look at alot of holders to keep my laptop in that will work in a company truck (no drill) i do have a cydertrucker laptop work station (what a pick of junk for $249) the best i have found and is the one i use now is a ram-mount.com thy have mounts for laptop's stand alone gps and more. check out the website then if you can't find retailer near you (this will sound dumb) check ebay a retailer in vegas sells then new on ebay for $177

i have less than $1200 in all of it and btw tech tv did a torture test on laptop's and the only one still working then thy were done was the dell

it realy comes down to this any new laptop will do what you want as long as you make sure that is has the things you need like a pcmcia type 2 for an air card, 2-4 usb ports for printer, gps, extra hd, chill-pad, keyboard lite. wyfi,

[spencerian]

I owned a computer store before I became a trucker.
(thinking heavily about goin back to it because the only other store around got sued by Microsoft and went bankrupt.)

1. is there a particular brand of laptop that has proven itself more sturdy and reliable over others?
Dell. I have repaired too many Toshiba, IBM, Sony, and HP/Compaq laptops. I have a Dell Inspiron 9400 I am typing on right now. It has all I need! And parts are available should I have a malfunction.

2. what components should I get hardware wise? I have a sprint phone and the unlimited data plan now, but no idea of how to interface them. should I bother with a wireless card?
You need a Pentium or AMD grade processor. Celeron processors are too weak. I use GPS software and tried it on a Celeron based laptop. It took too long to draw the maps!
Processor: A good dual core processor will work great
Memory: At least 512mb of memory.
Hard Drive: Any size will do here. BUT if you are a software/MP3/Video nut and need space look for 80-120Gb. Another option is to get an external hard drive. I rip DVD's to mine and watch them while I am on the road.
WIFI: You'll probably get a laptop with integrated wifi. This works great at truckstops, etc. The only problem is that most truckstops have their own service that runs upwards of $20 per month. So if you have a cellphone with data capability, you can use a USB cable to get internet. Or you can buy a data card from Sprint/Cingular that will access the internet.
TV Tuner: Don't want a TV/DVD on the truck? Use the laptop! A laptop with DVD will curb the need for a seperate stand alone unit. I have a Hauppauge USB TV tuner. I pick up all local channels. A good USB tuner will set you back about $60.

3. what software should I get?
GPS: I use Microsoft Streets and Trips 2007. I only use it to reference how far/how much time it will take to do a run.
Other applications: Winamp (video/MP3 playback)
NetStumbler (detects wifi spots)
Avast (virus protection)

4. how can I best protect my laptop while driving and what about those notebook stands i've seen that attach to the passengers seat? is there something cheaper and/or better? should I get a padded briefcase for carrying the laptop in and out of my truck?
The notebook stand is a pretty good idea. They can be had for about $140. As for a breifcase, I would just get a laptop backpack. They're plenty padded, and go over your shoulder.

5. what warranties should I consider?
That's the toughest question for me to answer. I didn't get a warranty. If the laptop quits working and has to be sent in, how long is the turn around to getting it back? How much is the warranty? I have seen HP/Compaq laptops take as long as 3 months to be repaired.

[devildice]

[quote="spencerian"]I have a Hauppauge USB TV tuner. I pick up all local channels. A good USB tuner will set you back about $60.

Spencerian, I have heard that "Hauppauge" mentioned before. Does it require internet access to use it?

[spencerian]

No. The TV Tuner plugs into your USB port. It has software included that acts like a TV. Most even have a PVR like software that will let you record a show to view later.

Say you are a Letterman fan, but have to deliver at 6am. Record the show and watch it later!

Here's a list of them!

[devildice]

Thanks for the link....I'll check it out......can it also be used with a TV or just your laptop?

[Malaki86]

Thanks for the link....I'll check it out......can it also be used with a TV or just your laptop?

It's only for a computer.

This is the one I have:
http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/produ...sb2mcekit.html

If you don't have Windows XP Media Center Edition, this one will work as well:
http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_usb2.html

[devildice]

Thanks for the link....I'll check it out......can it also be used with a TV or just your laptop?

It's only for a computer.

This is the one I have:
http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/produ...sb2mcekit.html

If you don't have Windows XP Media Center Edition, this one will work as well:
http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_usb2.html

I checked out the website and it seams like a pretty cool device. I wish it had the capability to connect to a stand alone TV as well.

What do you use or suggest for an antenna?