• TOSHIBA Satellite A305D-S6835 notebook for $969.99 with promo code “NB4830″ @ Newegg.com (Until April 14th, 2008)

• 19″ widescreen flat-panel LCD monitors starting at $189.99 @ Best Buy (April 13th-19th, 2008)
• Clearance Sale @ Geeks.com (April 9th-13th, 2008)
• Free NEXT-DAY BUSINESS SHIPPING on ink, toner, and paper from HP Home and Home Office Store (April 13th-20th, 2008)
• Save $30 on Mother’s Day portraits over $200 @ Brushstrokes Fine Art. Promo Code: MOTHERSDAY30 (Until April 16th, 2008)

Gnomie Mikey (mxjf in our chat room) writes:

I have been watching your videos for a long time and have been subscribed to your YouTube channel since around October. I have noticed that you and Ponzi have quite a few laptops, and I thought this would be appropriate.

Around February 2008, I decided I wanted a laptop. So I started looking on eBay and other places. Then, my dad told me that my cousin had a used laptop he would be willing to sell to me. Later, I talked to my cousin and he said that he was asking $50 for it, but here was the catch: it had a cracked screen. I was pretty desperate for a laptop at that time, so I accepted his offer. When it arrived, I was happy to see that it booted up and the crack wasn’t that bad, but it was significant enough to make using it a little problematic. So here are my top five tips for using a laptop more efficiently in the event you crack your screen:

1. Resize your windows. It really helps if your screen is cracked in one section but not another. For example: if your screen has a cluster of cracks in the top portion of it, resize and drag your window to fit the bottom section. I found that it really helps the most when you are typing up a text document.

2. Change to a higher screen resolution. It can help you to get more use out of the part of your screen you still have left. Increasing your resolution will make everything smaller. Many people have their screen resolution set to 1024 by 768. If you change your screen resolution to 1280 by 1024, for example, you will be able to fit more icons in your available space on your desktop, and will be able to view more content because everything is smaller. I noticed that when I go went YouTube to look at a video, the top 3/4 of the video was chopped off. When I switched to a higher resolution, the video was a little smaller, but it was not blocked by a crack.
3. Take care of your laptop. If it has black spots around the cracks, do not push on them — it will only make them worse. Don’t move your laptop as much. If you are a person who brings their laptop to school/work every day, or bring your laptop with you almost everywhere you go, don’t shake it while you carry it. If you have a laptop bag and it is big enough, place your laptop crack-side up so the crack won’t get worse. For example: if your screen has a crack on the right side, place your laptop in your bag so that the left side of it is facing the handle/strap of the bag.
4. Use it less frequently. If you are like me, you most likely have a regular desktop computer as well as a laptop. More than likely, your desktop is more powerful, has more drive space, and is more than capable of performing the tasks you would normally do on your laptop, despite the fact that it isn’t as portable. If you need to make a PowerPoint presentation at home and need to present it to your class the next day, do it on your desktop and transfer it to a flash drive. Flash drives will fit in your pocket, and more than likely, there is a computer in your class. Plus, a laptop won’t fit in your pocket, will it?
5. Start looking for a screen. Many times someone will crack their screen, go to a site like eBay or craigslist to buy a new one, and replace it by themselves. Sometimes you will get lucky like me and find an identical model laptop to your broken one for extra cheap, with a working screen, but being stripped clean of the RAM and hard drive. Just put your hard drive and RAM from your broken laptop into the working one, and you are good to go. In some cases, the new laptop might even have a better disc drive or DVD burner. You never know.

Gnomie Ryan Krizan writes:

1. Do not leave your notebook running on a poorly ventilated surface, such as wood or metal for too long. Once the wood or metal heats up from the heat of the laptop, it will retain the heat and not allow your notebook to cool properly. You might as well toss your notebook into a hot furnace.

2. Learn how to manage hard drive spin cycles as pertaining to your operating systems. Most hard drives are only rated for around 50,000
   spin cycles before they wear out, so managing spin cycles can greatly increase the life expectancy of your hard drive.

3. Try not to let heavy power cords, USB cables, or any other cables that are plugged into your notebook hang. Over time, it could damage plugs in your notebook that could result in costly repairs. As is very common with Dell notebooks, the AC power adapter — which is soldered directly to the notebook’s motherboard — can get damaged, and render a motherboard useless if unrepairable.
4. Tap the keyboard and touchpad lightly. Notebook keyboards and touchpads are not built as heavily as desktop keyboards and mice. Keeping the keyboard and touchpad clean and lightly tapping instead of “punching” the keys or touchpad will help increase the notebook’s life expectancy.
5. Try not to fully discharge your notebook battery. Adjust your power management settings to shut down the computer when the battery charge reaches 15 to 20 percent rather than 5 to 10 percent. Rechargeable batteries can become damaged if fully discharged too many times. Battery life is generally determined by charge and discharge cycles around 300 to 500 cycles. Also, if storing a battery, do not store the battery fully charged for more than a couple of days as many notebook batteries are designed to be stored at around 40% charged.

The VAIO FZ Series VGN-FZ180E/B Notebook Computer from Sony is the perfect blend of mobility, style, and performance. This notebook PC will become the center of your digital entertainment universe, whether you’re home, at school, working, or on the road.

Perfect for the digital road warrior, the computer will help you get the most out of your digital devices. You’ll be able to use the noteboook with digital cameras, video cameras, MP3 players, and more. The system is powered by a 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7300 CPU and boasts 2GB of RAM, 200 GB 4200RPM SATA hard drive capacity, a Blu-ray burner, wireless ethernet, and a 15.4″ widescreen display powered by nVIDIA GeForce 8400M GT graphics. Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium is the platform that ties all this hardware and software together, providing a great portable computer for the digital savvy family, backed by the Sony name.

B&H price - $1,499.95 + shipping

Gnomie Eric Jones writes:

Hey, Chris, thought I’d send you another top five regarding laptops.

1. When ordering a notebook computer, make sure you get a warranty that will last for at least three (if not four) years with the accidental protection program. That way, if something tends to break or fail, or you spill your cup of Peet’s onto it, you’ll be protected by it (this especially applies to those who are in college or are planning on going into college in the next year).

2. Don’t think you’re the ultimate person in PC notebook repair. Remember, notebooks are smaller, thinner, and harder to open. If something goes wrong, call tech support! Besides, once you open up that notebook, most likely the warranty will be null and void. So don’t open it unless the warranty has expired and you can afford to be without the notebook if something goes terribly wrong.
3. This tip kind of applies to #2. Don’t blow compressed air into the exhaust fan! I have personally done this and the fan died. Now the only way to keep the notebook cool is with a chill pad. Again, call tech support on ways to get that dust out of the notebook and how to avoid dust invasions in the future!
4. Get the latest graphics card(s) and the best CPU option if you can before you purchase that new notebook! Remember, these two components are irreplaceable by the normal PC user. Memory and hard drives are upgradeable, so keep that in mind if you need more space in those two areas.
5. Unless it’s a desktop replacement computer, don’t run a ridiculous amount of programs on it! This can cause severe overheating (as high as 200 degrees F), BSODs, and possibly damaged parts.

BONUS TIP #1: Get multiple batteries if you will be traveling a lot. It’s always helpful to have a spare battery on hand if you can’t get the other one charged right away.

BONUS TIP #2: Don’t think your notebook has the best hard cover shell in the world. It doesn’t! So don’t try that drop test; 99% of the time you’ll fail. Miserably.

Gnomie Dezmon Reid (Dproductionz1 in our chat room) writes:

Number 5: Laptop Dock

The number 5 laptop accessory to have when you have a laptop is a dock. Most laptops now have docks and can be very useful. They make the laptop comfortable to use while at a desk or for just a stationary laptop. Another reason it is useful because it contains ports that your laptop may not.

Here’s a great Web site for laptop docks.

Number 4: Wireless Keyboard & Mouse

This is a big one! Instead of being slumped up over your laptop, purchase yourself a wireless keyboard and mouse. With a laptop dock, this will make it easy to sit back in a chair and control your laptop when it is stationary.

Number 3: Carrying Case

Another big one when you are out and about and carrying your laptop; have you ever had to carry an extra bag? A useful laptop bag will help to carry around all your accessories, pens, pencils, external hard drives, webcams, etc. all at the same time.

Number 2: Broadband Internet

One thing I hate is when I’m in the car on my laptop and can’t access the Internet. You can get Broadband Internet from Verizon and some other places that will give you access to the Internet wherever the phone service gets a signal. Really useful if you travel a lot and need to access the Internet.

Number 1: Keyboard and Screen Protectors

This can actually be used for a desktop, also. Did you know that dust or crumbs can fry the insides of your laptop? There are a lot of them around; just make sure you get a good branded one because some don’t stick long. They retail for about $20 per pack.

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SWAT sometimes hangs out on Ventrilo with us, and even occasionally streams for me when I’m gone. He was wondering if he should go with the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) program and help another child as well, or spend the same money and get better components for his daughter by buying the ASUS Eeee.

I just spoke with my friend David from EyeJot the other day about this same thing. In the terms of price and what you get, the ASUS would be a better deal. But for the same price, you get a tad bit “lesser” laptop for your child… AND get one sent on your behalf to a needy child in a third world country. We talk all the time about how technology changes lives. We talk about the ways computers enhance our daily life, give us opportunities, and broaden our horizons. How could you not want to give those same opportunities to another child… and not have to pay anything extra?

One learning child. One connected child. One laptop at a time.

The mission of One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) is to empower the children of developing countries to learn by providing one connected laptop to every school-age child. In order to accomplish our goal, we need people who believe in what we’re doing and want to help make education for the world’s children a priority, not a privilege. Between November 12 and November 26, OLPC is offering a Give One Get One program in the United States and Canada. During this time, you can donate the revolutionary XO laptop to a child in a developing nation, and also receive one for the child in your life in recognition of your contribution.

The laptop through the OLPC program is a solid laptop. It’s good, and will work wonderfully for your child. Many years and an infinite amount of sweat equity went into the creation of the XO laptop. Designed collaboratively by experts from academia and industry, the XO is the product of the very best thinking about technology and learning. It was designed with the real world in mind, considering everything from extreme environmental conditions such as high heat and humidity, to technological issues such as local-language support. As a result, the XO laptop is extremely durable, brilliantly functional, energy-efficient, responsive, and fun.

If you’re planning to buy a laptop for your young child, or any young child… this is the one you should buy. It’s an excellent machine, and you’ll be giving the gift of opening the future to a child who otherwise may not ever have that chance.

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