I ended up with the HP Pavilion dv1000, custom built with XP-Pro, the bigger battery, the faster hard drive, and 512mB ram in a single DIMM. I'll try to post more information on it as I get more familiar, but I might as well start the page on WindowsXpAnnoyances and my WindowsSoftwareInstallationList. ---- In looking at laptops, I had these criteria. If it's a windows machine, it should be XP-Pro, not home. I was also tempted by Linux and OS-X machines. Primary criteria: * durable and reliable * low to medium weight * long battery life (> 4 hours) * ram expandable to 2 gig Secondary criteria * decent performance for light programming * decent keyboard for touch typing * decent display * inexpensive Notes: || '''Model''' || '''Weight''' || '''Battery Life''' || '''max ram''' || '''screen''' || '''Notes''' || || HP Pavilion dv1227us<
>HP Pavilion dv1000 || 5.33/5.9 lbs || 3/6 hrs || 2 Gb || 14" 1280x768 || $1350 [[http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=319314&pfp=BROWSE|CompUSA]]<
> $1325 customized [[http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/cto/computer_customize_components.do#901322|HP Shopping]]<
> $1000 refurb [[http://www.ecost.com/ecost/shop/detail.asp?dpno=591417&store=ecost&source=ECOSTDEAL&srccode=cii_13736960&cpncode=11-916029-2&adcampaign=email,ECOSTDEAL|eCost]]<
> $1000 [[http://www.pcmall.com/pcmall/shop/detail.asp?store=pcmall&dpno=607556&source=ZWB12219&srccode=cii_13736960&cpncode=08-981412-2&adcampaign=email,ZWB12219&wt.mc_id=ZWB12219|PCMall]]<
> specs at [[http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0007TZSUG/002-0213976-7594410?v=glance|Amazon]] [[http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?lc=en&cc=us&docname=c00305175|HP]] || || Dell Latitude X1 || 2.5/2.8 lbs || 3/5 hrs || ? Gb || 12.1" 1280x768 || $2000 || || MPC T''''''ransPort U1000 || 3.4/4.4 lbs || 2/7 hrs || ? Gb || 12.1" ?x? || $1600 [[http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1851788,00.asp|PCMag]] || || T''''''hinkPad X41 || 3.2 lbs || 5.5 hrs || ? Gb || 12.1" ?x? || $1900 [[http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1819039,00.asp|PCMag]] || || A''''''susTek W3V || 5.5 lbs || 3 hrs || ? Gb || 14.1" wide ?x? || $1700 [[http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1840497,00.asp|PCMag]] || || Toshiba Satellite M55-S325 || 5.1 lbs || 3.25 hrs || ? Gb || 14.1" ?x? || $1400 XP-home [[http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1845905,00.asp|PCMag]] || || Gateway M250XL || 5.1 lbs || 3.25/5 hrs || ? Gb || 14.1" ?x? || $1,170.00 [[http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1841081,00.asp|PCMag]] || || Averatec AV4265-EH1 || 4.6 lbs || 3.65 hrs || ? Gb || 13.3" ?x? || ~$1200 XP-home <
>[[http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1830581,00.asp|PCMag]] || || Averatec 4200 || 4.7 lbs || 3.5-4 hrs || 2 Gb || 13.3" 1280x800 || $1200 [[http://www.mobiletechreview.com/notebooks/averatec-4200-notebook.htm|mobiletechreview]] <
>[[http://www.staples.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StaplesProductDisplay?zipCode=21122&jspStoreDir=Staples&catalogId=10051&errorUrl=zipcode&krypto=mfxq1nTSMWh0shUQOLdqejr6zGQ2Y8NL&ts=1125537123271&langId=-1&partNumber=605193&storeId=10001&ddkey=StaplesZipCodeAdd|Staples]] XP-Home || || Toshiba Portege R100 || 2.4/? lbs || 1.5/5 hrs || 1 Gb || 12.1" 1024x768 || ~$2000 [[http://www.mobiletechreview.com/notebooks/Toshiba_Portege_R100.htm|mobiletechreview]] || || Acer T''''''ravelMate TM3002WTCi || 3.1 lbs || 4.5 Hrs || 2 Gb || 12.1" 1280x800 || $1350 [[http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=51465416&pfp=BROWSE|CompUSA]] <
> $1250 [[http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=10404990|Buy.com]] || || W''''''inBook LX 300 || 4.6 lbs || ? hrs || ? Gb || 12.1" ?x? || $699 Linspire [[http://news.com.com/Low-cost+laptops+shedding+weight/2100-1044_3-5643577.html|CNet]] || || Asus W5A || ? lbs || ? hrs || ? Gb || 12.1" ?x? || $1,649 [[http://news.com.com/Smaller+notebooks+offer+ream+of+features/2100-1044_3-5723009.html|CNet]] || || Sharp Actius MP30 || ? lbs || ? hrs || ? Gb || 10.4" ?x? || $1,617 [[http://news.com.com/Smaller+notebooks+offer+ream+of+features+-+page+2/2100-1044_3-5723009-2.html|CNet]] || || Fujitsu L''''''ifeBook P7010 || ? lbs || 4.25(7) hrs || ? Gb || 10.6" ?x? || $1,599 with rebate [[http://news.com.com/Smaller+notebooks+offer+ream+of+features+-+page+2/2100-1044_3-5723009-2.html|CNet]] || || Panasonic T4 || 2.8 lbs || 12 hrs || 1 Gb || 12.1" 1024x768 || $2K up, [[http://www.dynamism.com/t4/specs.shtml|specs]] || || Acer AS5000 (Turion) || 6.5 lbs || 3.25 hrs || || 15.4" 1280x800 || [[http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1786684,00.asp|PCMag]] || || Acer T''''''ravelMate 4000 series || 6.6 lbs || 5-6 hrs || 2 gB || 15" 1024x768 or<
> 15.4" 1280x800 || ~$1000 [[http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/hardware/notebooks/0,39001743,39073841p,00.htm|CNet asia]]<
>[[http://www.compshopper.co.uk/shopper/reviews/65737/acer-travelmate-4501wlmi.html|Computer Shopper 4501WLMi]]<
>[[http://www.linuxformat.co.uk/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&p=4422|linux]] || || Compaq Presario B3813AP || 2.55 kg || 4 hrs || 2 gB || 15" 1024x768 || [[http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/hardware/notebooks/0,39001743,39079380p,00.htm|CNet asia]] || || Compaq Presario V2000 (Turion) || 5.4/6.1 lbs || 2.5/5.5 hrs || || 14.1" wide || 6cell/12cell [[http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1825639,00.asp|PCMag]] || || T''''''hinkPad X40 || 3.2 lbs || 6.25 hrs || ? Gb || 12.1" 1024x768 || $1800~$2000 [[http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1609467,00.asp|PCMag]] || || Alienware Area-51m_7700 || ? || 4 hrs || 2gB || 12.1" 1280x800 || ~$1100-1500 [[http://www.alienware.com/product_detail_pages/sentia/sentia_specs.aspx?SysCode=PC-LT-SENTIA&SubCode=SKU-PERFORMANCE|Alienware]] || || HP Pavilion dv1175us || 5.33 lb || 6 hrs || ? || 14" 1280x768 || $1350 clearance [[http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=317688&pfp=BROWSE|CompUSA]] || || Dell Latitude D510 || 6.1 lb || 4 hrs || 2gB || 14.1" or 15" XGA || ~$950 [[http://reviews.cnet.com/4505-3121_7-31355783.html|CNET review]] [[http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=US&cs=04&dgvcode=ss&l=EN&oc=D510PSAPP|Dell]] || || Fujitsu B6110D || 3.3 lb || ~5 hrs || 2gB || 12.1" 1024x768 || ~$1700 [[http://www.tomshardware.com/mobile/20050804/|Tom's Hardware]] || || Toshiba R200 || 2.84 lb || ~4 hrs || 1.25gB || 12.1" 1024x768 || ~$2000 [[http://www.tomshardware.com/mobile/20050804/|Tom's Hardware]] || || ASUS M''''''3000Np (M3NP) || 5 lb. || 7.4 Hrs. || 1 gB || 14.1" 1024x768 || 5400rpm HD, <
> [[http://www10.shopping.com/xPF-22569070|shopping.com]] || || Averatec AV3270-EE1 || 4.5 lb. || ?? || ?? || 12.1" 1024x768 || [[http://www10.shopping.com/xPF-Averatec_AVERATEC_NOTEBOOK_LINE_SEM_2800_512MB_60GB_DVD_MULTI_XPH_12_1IN|shopping.com]] || || Dell's Inspiron 700m || 3.7-4.1 lb. || ? || 2gB || 12.1" 1280x800 || ~$1100 Pentium M 1.6 GHz, <
>[[http://www.pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,118626,pg,2,00.asp|PC World]]<
>[[http://www.shopping.com/xPR-Dell_Dell_Inspiron_700M_Notebook_Computer_P_M_1_60GHz_256MB_30GB_22547478|shopping.com reviews]] || || T''''''hinkPad T42 || 5.8 pounds || 5.5 hrs || 2gB || 15" 1400x1050 || expensive, [[http://www10.shopping.com/xPR-IBM_IBM_ThinkPad_T42_IBM_Think_Express_Program_IBM_Think_Express_IBM_ThinkPad_T42_models_with_3_year_w_|shopping.com reviews]] || || T''''''hinkPad T40 (237382U) || 4.85 lb || 5.5 hrs || 2gB || 14.1" 1024x768 || $900recon [[http://www10.shopping.com/xPF-IBM_ThinkPad_T40_2373_237382U|shopping.com]] ||