Perfect Laptop?

Neraida

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 Jun 2003
Messages
1,508
www.neraida.org.uk
I think i've found it.. The ideal laptop.

Panasonic <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.panasonic.com/computer/toughbook/learn_more_tb29.asp>ToughBook 29</A>
Briefly, magnesium case, drop proof, "spill" proof, this proof, that proof, wireless, centrino cpu (only 1.4Ghz, but enough for any nav aid i know) dvd, cdrw, 12.1 low consumption screen, gsm/gprs sim socket, A 9-PIN SERIAL PORT (whoo-hoo!!) and loads of other stuff.

All this comes at a bit of a price, I've seen them for $3,500, but with the dollar so weak against the pound, it's getting cheaper.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.ybw.com/cgi-bin/forums/postlist.pl?Cat=&Board=wanted>Stuff Wanted </A>
 
Used one of these for about three years, would have been an early version as it was about 4 years ago. A bit agricultural, but very reliable, the most important benifit though is the tough construction. I seem to remember Panasionic tried to sell them to the armed services, did a demo driving an amoured car over one. I lost count of the number of times that mine flew off the front passenger seat into the footwell, usually with the lid open, the sort of treatment that regularly destroyed regular notebooks.

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Or, for the same prices, you could buy 10 secondhand notebooks capable of running nav software. Not all at the same time of course, but one on the boat, and one spare.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>
 
Good idea, one flaw though, if you are going to use a lap top for navigating etc on the boat, Sods' law would kick in and the PC would fall off the chart table at a critical piont. How many spares do you carry on board at a time?

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How about one spare, foam wrapped, then shrnk wrapped, in a safeish locker. Mind you, by being clever with velcro, and things, it should be poss to avoid dropping the active one in anything short of a knockdown.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>
 
Still ....

Cheap s/hand sits better on my pocket .....

The BEST nav software package runs on 256 colour screen - refuses to even look at greater res.

So what's the point of wasting money ?? Seasclear, Seanav, Maptech, Maxsea, Raytech ..... etc. etc. all run on bog-standard Celerons etc.


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
So WHAT does the EU really stand for ????/forums/images/icons/cool.gif
 
Try e-bay

Saw a whole bunch of them on e-bay for about £200 each not long ago. Marketed by somebody in Wales who must have got a job lot. Worth keeping an eye out in case more come up.

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