Advice to help Digitize an older friend.

ZuntarZuntar North Carolina Icrontian
edited May 2009 in Hardware
I was asked by a good friend of my wife's to help bring her into the current century. This lady is older and is has almost no technical savvy what so ever. She has used PCs at work to deal with patients as she is a nurse, but that is the limit to her knowledge. :eek2:

She wants to get a laptop, a printer, a digital camera, and will need a wireless router, as she plans to get hooked up to cable internet. Her budget is max $1,000.00 (tax return).

Now, she will be surfing, emailing, and posting on yahoo groups with the laptop that is it, NO gaming and such. She did say that she is impatient, so she wants is somewhat fast. This is where I want your advice, as I do not own a laptop nor do I know much in that side of PCs.

I told her to go to my favorite local Camera shop to have them help her pick out a camera. She will have to handle that on her own.

The printer doesn't need to be much, just color and easy (suggestions Please!). The router will be a basic Linksys G model or something similar.

She of will need tech support, so I of course told her that the best advice can be found here!!!:respect:

Comments

  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited May 2009
    honestly, I recommend a mac.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited May 2009
    ^ maybe. Depends on how "used" to Windows she is.
  • Insight-DriverInsight-Driver California
    edited May 2009
    I would recommend an inexpensive dual core machine for her. Almost any decent laptop in the $600 range would be more than adequate for her needs. Thing is, she will need some hand-holding as she probably is the kind of person who can learn by being shown. Some folks are not good at self-learning. I don't recommend a brand or configuration because you can look at computer sites for such reviews. The most important thing is to know well what she wants to use a machine for. As far as router, any decent draft N router is fine, routers are commodity hardware at this point.

    If she is used to Windows, then stay with Windows. It is harder to stay under the $1000 mark with a Mac, though.
  • RichDRichD Essex, UK
    edited May 2009
    To be honest I dont think you can really go wrong these days. I would look for a branded PC with good tech support. Sony or Toshiba have been pretty good in my experience. I think the main thing is that she will prob need help setting it all up and configuring it but once that is done then you are laughing.

    Won't your ISP provide the router?

    As for printers I have always gone for HP. Cartriges are a bit pricey but they tend to last a bit longer. Most new printers can just be plugged in and they work. No need for drivers etc.
  • ZuntarZuntar North Carolina Icrontian
    edited May 2009
    OK, definitely can't go Mac she has used windows machines at work/ friends and wants to stay with it. ISP does not provide a router, just the modem.

    Can ANYONE provide more opinions on the laptop, please!!
  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited May 2009
    I have had excellent service from Toshiba lappys.

    HP print cartridges are expensive because you are replacing the print head each time, but that is why they print well.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited May 2009
    Are you sure she's using windows at work? I ask because a lot of the health care business (at least in Canada) has started migrating towards Mac's.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited May 2009
    The US is almost entirely PC anywhere and everywhere for corporate work. You'd pretty much be laughed out of the enterprise with a Mac.
  • Cliff_ForsterCliff_Forster Icrontian
    edited May 2009
    Powerful laptop on sale for $649, not ultra portable, more of a desktop replacement if thats what you had in mind.

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834115546&nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL051909&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL051909-_-LaptopNotebooks-_-LE1A-_-34115546

    If she just wants a simple inexpensive point and shoot digital camera, its impossible to argue with the value of the Cannon A480. Its too simple for my tastes, but if your a digital newbie on a tight budget it might make perfect sense.

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16830120325


    Use promo code EMCLSMX75 for a new HP printer 39.99 free shipping.

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16828104014&nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL051909&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL051909-_-PrinterInkjetPrinters-_-L0B-_-28104014
  • edited May 2009
    Powerful laptop on sale for $649, not ultra portable, more of a desktop replacement if thats what you had in mind.

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834115546&nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL051909&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL051909-_-LaptopNotebooks-_-LE1A-_-34115546

    If she just wants a simple inexpensive point and shoot digital camera, its impossible to argue with the value of the Cannon A480. Its too simple for my tastes, but if your a digital newbie on a tight budget it might make perfect sense.

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16830120325


    Use promo code EMCLSMX75 for a new HP printer 39.99 free shipping.

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16828104014&nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL051909&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL051909-_-PrinterInkjetPrinters-_-L0B-_-28104014


    It doesn't sound like she needs that powerful of a laptop, something in the $400-500 range sounds perfectly acceptable.

    Canon makes good cameras, period. Get one.

    I personally buy almost exclusively Linksys routers for reliability reasons, others may have differing experience. The following wireless router should work excellently.
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124190
  • ledbetterledbetter Chattanooga, TN
    edited May 2009
    Stay away from HP Pavilion as my wife's WIFI quit just weeks after the warranty did. Easy fix, but annoying none the less.

    This is not an isolated incident. Just google "HP Pavilion wifi" and see.
  • ZuntarZuntar North Carolina Icrontian
    edited May 2009
    MachineDog wrote:
    It doesn't sound like she needs that powerful of a laptop, something in the $400-500 range sounds perfectly acceptable.

    Canon makes good cameras, period. Get one.

    I personally buy almost exclusively Linksys routers for reliability reasons, others may have differing experience. The following wireless router should work excellently.
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124190

    That is the exact router that i have, and LOVE it!! The laptop is very nice, but she does not want lots of graphics options, just fast in the processing department.

    THANKS FOR THE ADVICE, KEEP IT COMING!! It has been suggested to me to look at net books also. Opinions?
  • Cliff_ForsterCliff_Forster Icrontian
    edited May 2009
    If you want a powerful computing experience, the last thing you want is a netbook. Netbooks are great for portability, and extended battery life, but they are limited in the processing dept by design.

    I guess the question is, does she want something for home that takes the place of a desktop machine, or does she want something ultra portable? If she wants an ultra portable that has some extra processing clout, the HP DV2 is kinda like the PC version of the macbook air. It sells for about $749 which still leaves her budget for the other things she wants as long as she is thrifty.

    Remember, having a discrete graphics option of some kind isn't only for games, its for all the visual content that your machine handles. In the case of the Acer it adds an extra 1 GB of memory for the graphics sub system so you can be certain your 4 GB of system RAM is always dedicated to processing tasks improving overall performance. Honestly, that machine for $649 is an amazing deal, the only issue I might see someone take with it is the fact that it weighs 7.5 pounds, so its designed more as a home desktop replacement that you can easily move from room to room, rather than a machine you would want to lug around in a backpack all day long. It just depends on her application.
  • fmuellerfmueller Auckland, NZ Icrontian
    edited May 2009
    For somebody just starting out and wanting to net surf and look at photos only, $600 for a laptop seem excessive in my humble opinion. I just ordered myself one of these, and I reckon it will be adequate for the task.

    Regarding the camera, I second the vote for Canon. You can't go wrong with them, but I am into DSLRs and that would be overkill for her. I don't know much about P&S cameras. Most importantly, if she wants to print photos at home, talk her out of it. Printing photos on an ink jet is more trouble than it's worth, and also quite expensive when you ad up the cost for ink cartridges and photo paper. Much easier to upload them to the site of a printing service and let them do the work for you. I have used Walgreens for years, and they are awesome - always ready to pick up within an hour, super quality, and dirt cheap! Once you have her set up with an account it's easier to do than printing the photos yourself.

    Oh - don't buy a router. Most any cable service/ISP will provide you with a router as part of their basic package.
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