Apple laptop or IPad ?

[-alan-]

I would say for Uni, neither Ipad nor Apple Laptop. Unless the study is Music or other arty stuff. If not then lugging an Apple Laptop around is more about 'showing off' than real usage - unless you really really want to argue that a good Apple Laptop can last a long time, which is not case with current keyboards. And most Unis are far better set up to use and support Microsoft.

I kitted both my youngest daughters out with with low power Asus Zenbooks - just as light/portable as Apple things, less flashy and far far less expensive. First term reports back are that they love them. Older daughter preferred a Yoga style laptop so she could watch Youtube in bed - but it is about to die after 4 years of use - will just about get her to the finish line.

The latest Zenbooks have a 14" screen packed into a frame the same size as the 13" Zenbook I use at home.

Yup.
Bit late if the decision's been made mind you, but in those circumstances I'd go for something like a Chromebook. Bought for one myself after being through the same agonising - never looked back

 

[deebster]

Is that one of those toilet-seat models?

No, it's the next model after, late 2001.

 

[JensenHealey]

Yup.
Bit late if the decision's been made mind you, but in those circumstances I'd go for something like a Chromebook. Bought for one myself after being through the same agonising - never looked back

Yes - that was in the frame. But the better Chromebooks are not that cheap actually.. and they still looked a little short on capability for Uni work.

 

[farfromthesun]

I kitted both my youngest daughters out with with low power Asus Zenbooks - just as light/portable as Apple things, less flashy and far far less expensive. First term reports back are that they love them. Older daughter preferred a Yoga style laptop so she could watch Youtube in bed - but it is about to die after 4 years of use - will just about get her to the finish line.

4 years? My 13 year old Macbook Pro is still going strong (upgraded RAM and SSD for < £100).

 

[JensenHealey]

Student life for a laptop is probably pretty hard. Anyway, I spoke too soon about the imminent demise....her boyfriend has been able to update the BIOS recently and it has, apparently, a new lease of life and no longer randomly dies in the middle of writing an essay.

 

[Darth Vader]

I have a black 2009 MacBook with a removable ssd that runs kali. It’s been through two motherboards one keyboard and a couple of batteries. Many MagSafe power supplies. Apple stopped supporting it years ago and it has no trade in value for a new MacBook Pro yet it refuses to be unviable as parts for it are cheap.

This is the same with the older Lenovo Thinkpads. They go on and on and if something fails you can still get new (or cannibalised) parts very cheaply. Best of all in most cases just a small screwdriver required for servicing. I've got a pile here but it seems criminal to chuck them on the tip when they are fully working. I did try giving them away but the younger generation just want the latest gear and for free.

Cheers,

DV

 

[wacko]

This is the same with the older Lenovo Thinkpads. They go on and on and if something fails you can still get new (or cannibalised) parts very cheaply. Best of all in most cases just a small screwdriver required for servicing. I've got a pile here but it seems criminal to chuck them on the tip when they are fully working. I did try giving them away but the younger generation just want the latest gear and for free.

Cheers,

DV

I'm sure there is a charity that would love to have them.

 

[Darth Vader]

I'm sure there is a charity that would love to have them.

You'd be surprised how much stuff we have taken to charity shops that has been declined for one reason or another. Even reference books - oh its out of date! Just dumped a perfectly working beta max recorder for a similar reason.

Perhaps its because we live in the South East?

Cheers,

DV

 

[claire.foxx]

I think it’s because they don’t have staff trained to do the requisite PAT safety tests they don’t have the insurance liability to sell on a machine that might have an exploding battery or a dodgy aftermarket power supply or even cover for data liability: selling on a laptop with porn or official secrets on it even if it’s in a hidden encrypted partition or a deleted but recoverable state. Not everyone zero-wipes and repartitions before selling on plus reselling machines with active software licences can be a great area. I‘ve bought laptops that came with with payroll and porn on them. At least now you can pull out a hard drive and trash it, not as easy these days. Forensically data-wiping gear for resale is also a costly exercise and most companies don’t bother.

Old books I donate to papercraft makers. Papier-mâché and diy pulp-paper crafts, that sort of thing but we really are heading for a Max Headroom dystopia of burned-out discarded tech. I would love a newer super-slim laptop because the Blackbook is killing my shoulder. so it stays on a desk, I think a decade is a good run though.