I am looking for an inexpensive, portable PC smaller than a T series, but reliable and relatively sturdy. Notebooks in general are fragile, but this usage doesn't warrant the cost/bulk of a ruggedized unit.
For less than $350, which Thinkpad will do the job? If something other than a Tpad is best suited I'll look at that also. Criteria: 0. Small, at least 20% smaller than T series 14". Would be a big plus if the machine can be used in portrait as well as landscape. 1. Servicable (can't use, say, a non-standard hard drive) 2. High pixel density -- all the resolution that will fit in a small screen size 3. Some degree of outdoor readability, using a home-made shade if need be. 4. Sturdy - the case cannot be just plastic, and the HD must have some shock resistance, such as a flexible mounting. The screen should be in a sturdy frame so it can be tossed in a backpack. At this price I don't think a solid state drive is possible 5. Can accept at least 2GB, 4 preferred. 6. Fan can be controlled to run near silently, performance tradeoff (lower cpu speed) is acceptable. 2/3 of usage will have background noise greater than fan racket. Must have some expansion other than a usb port - at least one card slot. Extra I/O is a plus - TV, firewire, but 1-2 card slots are adequate. While I'm skeptical about cost and proprietary parts, any thoughts on an older, thin Toughbook? Those are the "business" or "semi" -rugged models, not the 8 lb briefcase devices. - tx _______________________________________________ Thinkpad mailing list [email protected] http://stderr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/thinkpad
