New Tech Tool

For those of you who have seen my laptop, you might be tempted to think it's no laptop at all. First, one of the fans in it is broken, so I have to use an external fan pad for cooling. Second, it's got a monster 17" monitor on it along with a full (numeric and all) keyboard, so it is really huge. Third, it weighs a ton. Fourth, I generally set it up with a second monitor running. Fifth, because it is such a huge machine, it has no battery life, so it must always be plugged in. Yes, it is more a portable computer than a laptop.

This week when my sister and I were at Office Depot, I was telling her about how I've been thinking of getting a mini-laptop. When we swung by the display, I saw one that I loved ($1,100) right beside one that really piqued my interest ($349). Interesting. She encouraged me to buy it right then, but I have this "rule" about impulse purchases, so I walked away from it. When I got back to the office, I put in some time researching the machine, finding out what it can and can't do, then I went back and made a purchase.

Yes, I have a brand new $349 computer now, smaller than a standard piece of paper, less than 2.5 lbs., with a minimum of programs loaded on it, but definitely a cool little machine. I am calling it my "meeting machine". It will be the one I grab out of my purse when I'm in a meeting and need to look something up on the internet, fire off a quick email, or take notes. Oh, and after the iPhone incident I definitely worry about cool gadgets, no matter how inexpensive they are; I am learning to walk around with my purse zipped closed!

I'm posting a photo here of my two laptops. The cute little guy on top is a pretty blue color, doesn't have much to it (not even a cd-rom!) but is just the right thing for my "meeting machine". The big boy in back is still my "main man".