Hi Lisa - so you have DELL too? I must admit I would think twice about lugging my acer around with me while travelling. Like you say, I paid dear for the extra-size keyboard - in weight.

Next time, now that I am more used to laptops, I will go for a smaller one.

I probably would take my acer with me on a trip to use while I was there, but not en-route LOL.

I have been asking around about this today, and 5 writer friends gave mixed recommendations. Two good reports on DELL, a girl who loves her Mac but it is broken (she does give it heavy use but it's only 2 yrs old - needs new adaptor). Also a terrible report from a Toshiba-owning writer who admits he didn't spend out!

Most agreed that as writers they value portability over the weight involved with a big screen.

see.. I had no problem with the portability issues associated with a 17 in widescreen. I have a bag for the laptop and have taken it on a few different trips with me (car and train) and no problems. I used it with my presentations at universities and it's only 8 pounds... not bad LOL Of course I have a heavier long life battery (i upgraded). I don't mind the extra pound or so. I use a small font as well and have a great resolution screen so I can fit a lot on the screen and still read it.

In the end it is up to the person.

With DELL though, thats all I owned for the last 7 years. However if you notice I said I got an HP and a CyberPower. I found Dell has gotten worse over the years. The outsourcing of customer service and repair, the problems with getting things fixed if you are in more rural areas, and the fact with the newest one (which was only 4 years old) I had to get it replaced 3 times with new computers because of problems. Of course, they upgraded components each time to appease me so I would shut up buit still.. makes you question having to replace the WHOLE computer 3 times let alone the in between repairs with the in home service guy. I no longer recommend DELL at all.

Just bought some speakers for my laptop! Did anyone else find a need for extra speaker volume? I think it's more to with my ears than my laptop LOL !
Now I can listen to short stories while I clean, or write!

Interesting subject because I almost bought a new HP laptop yesterday. My desktop monitor blew up over the weekend, and my other laptop is also done.

But I opted for just a new monitor for the desktop.
Curious, is Vista working ok?

Absolutely! I can recommend it, especially for writers. Apparently, the initial problems with it were to do with Vista that was not pre-installed on the laptop. Mine is great anyway - it came with the package.

Jase - my previous heavy laptop was a Sony VAIO PCG-K23 -



http://www.amazon.com/Sony-PCG-K23-Laptop-Pentium-Drive/dp/B00029ZV0S

Measuring 14 x 1.6-2.2 x 10.9 inches and weighing 8.04 pounds

Is yours 8 pounds, or less than that? I think mine was actually more than 8 pounds with the extra stuff we had in it.

Here's my full length review of it -

http://lisashea.com/workfromhome/computers/sonyvaio.html

I ended up giving it to a friend of my son's, so he could use it as a "small desktop" at college.

Shame about the screen problem Lisa - you were very patient, but at least everything else is great with it!

Giving in and agreeing about the weight/size issues with the bigger laptops. Might even have to concede and go get a smaller one - aren't the tiniest ones called net Books now?

Will look at Vaio after your tip as I've seen great promotion for them around them lately.

I usually go for the same product again though if I'm really pleased with the brand -

Acer Aspire One AOA150-1672 8.9-Inch Netbook (1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 Processor, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, XP Home, 6 Cell Battery) Pink So Pretty In Pink - Advice Please?

Update for bargain-hunters!

Just heard yesterday that Curry's store (UK) have had a profits warning and will probably be slashing up to one third off laptop prices. (Heard it on the News.)

So,writers, check them out before you spend out! Students too I suppose! Won't be long before the next lot will be getting kitted out and heading off to Uni!

I know I couldn't now work without my laptop, even while travelling!

Here's what I wrote and published on my last trip!

BellaOnline ALERT: Raw URLs are not allowed in these forums for security reasons. Please use UBB code. If you don't know how to do UBB code just post here for help - we will help out!

I use an MSNTV2 on DSL which has very little RAM. You don't use software with it, so it can't crash or get viruses. You can get booted offline a lot because sites keep upgrading their software programs. I tried buying a new MSI Wind Top Touch computer but it stopped working before even a week had passed. It was really a beautiful piece of artwork. I was told that a computer is only as good as the service available to a person, and MSI does not offer that kind of service. I would love to have a laptop, but I don't know which one would give me the best service or financial deal. I don't have a lot of money to spend on one either. I love writing poems and stories and have a lot of pages online, so a new laptop would really help a lot.