Thoughts on a Thinkpad

Well, I have been giving it some thought and I am part way through to a solution - for now.

The thing about the blogs I like to read, Jkontherun, Marianne's Virtual Salon, Buzznovation, Creating passionate Users, TinyScreenfuls, Chris Pirillo, Scobleizer, amongst others, is that they make me think.

I have lusted after a tablet computer for ages, always putting myself off due to things like not being able to afford one. I did remarkably well until recently, when I discussed it with Cathy, my wife. Work s very supportive but if I just got a little newer machine through work I would not get admin rights.

We decided that if I was going to replace my ancient work laptop I should not put it off any longer. I have covered my debacle already, ending in what do I do next?

This has been an illuminating exercise. where I really sat down and mapped out how I use a computer and when, it included when I am most productive and where. I faced up to the honest fact that for 90% of my time at the family centre where I am based I use a desktop computer. When I am travelling I don't often have the room and power options afforded by Virgin Trains, (which gives me a charging option); I will not have the budget for extras like powerpacks or even an 8-cell battery for quite some time to come. I have my x51v and it has sufficient power for nearly 24 hour without access to a mains supply, it has a a full wordprocessor, SoftMaker Office, and a Stowaway keyboard - that I have quite comfortably used for hours at a stretch.

My use of a tablet at this time would be strictly at home in the evening and at weekends. I do not have a main computer at home, a couple of Windows 98 machines that would be good combined as a Network Storage Device but that's all.

Given all of the above I am leaning strongly towards keeping the Thinkpad x60s as my main computer, when it arrives and if it is in as good a condition as described - I have no reason to think otherwise, but I have not heard from the seller nearly 3 days after the sale. The laptop is second hand and I am hoping that it is not locked by fingerprint still as this will surely stop me getting into it.

So, in brief, keep the Thinkpad and put off the tablet option for this year until I can afford it again, maybe just get an 8-cell Thinkpad battery in a few months.