<p>So are kids ditching spiral paper notebooks and using the notebook laptops? How sturdy are they, can they stand up to being dropped? How popular are they and how practical for the classroom? Thank you.</p>
<p>No - paper and pen is still definitely the way to go - almost no one brings their laptops to class. In fact, most people I know never take their laptops off their desks. I like my desktop thank you :)</p>
<p>My son's had a Mac laptop for a couple of years. I'm sure it's endured quite a lot of rough treatment. He doesn't use it for note taking in class, but does take it to the library to work on papers. Brings it home during holidays. Even took it on vacation so he could use it to process his photos. He would never go back to a desktop.</p>
<p>My S brings his laptop to study group. He does his problem sets on it, so it is very handy to make corrections as a result of help at study group. He also brings it to math and physics classes, twice a week.</p>
<p>My Ds and most of their friends have laptops but none of them take them to classes. That seems to be very rare, and a lot of profs won't allow it. It is handy, though, if they need to get out of their dorm room and can still do their work on the computer at the library, at the park, in the lounge, etc. The biggest benefit, though, is being able to easily bring it home on weekends, holidays, etc. Space considerations in dorm rooms are another issue where a laptop wins out.</p>
<p>Something for young men to be concerned with regarding laptop use!</p>
<p>Thanks for the article alwaysamom. I work on a laptop exclusively and have done so for about 10 years. In my opinion, people who use laptops need to be extra careful about positioning and posture while using to avoid problem like carpel tunnel and muscular issues. Also, laptops shouldn't run on soft surfaces (beds, sofas, etc) as they don't ventilate well and will overheat. </p>
<p>BHG, most laptops can take a certain amount of shock (being dropped), but not much. </p>
<p>If you like the comfort of a desktop (larger screen, large keyboard, external mouse) then you an just buy a docking station for the laptop to slip into while at home (in dorm room). At that point, the laptop functions like a processor. </p>
<p>My son is famous for losing things (can't tell you how many of those $100 scientific calculators I've bought and refuse to buy any more). I hope he outgrows it by the time September comes.</p>
<p>The IBM Titanium series of laptops do provide some shock absorption when dropped.
Some say it is significant.
<a href="http://www.pc.ibm.com/us/thinkpad/xseries/%5B/url%5D">http://www.pc.ibm.com/us/thinkpad/xseries/</a></p>
<p>And I don't think IBM's pc division being sold to a Chinese firm will have an impact (no pun intended) on the quality of the laptops sold.</p>
<p>I just bought my son a backpack with a padded "slot" for his laptop. There's a nice selection at eBags.</p>
<p>Before we bought freshman D a laptop, I read a very helpful thread on the old CC and tried to choose accordingly from the bundled packages that her school offered. Her Toshiba Satellite has been a disaster--it overheats, freezes, looses data, and always when she has a big assignment due. Her friend at a dif school with same laptop has same issues. I know college desks have shrunk since the Stone Age (I typed papers on a manual typewriter placed on a big granite slab), but I think PCs might still be worth considering.</p>
<p>No notebook computer is designed to withstand a drop (esp. outside its carrying case). Some are more rugged, however, such as by having stronger hinges (e.g., IBM), less fragile power supply connections, and so on.</p>
<p>I teach at a university and rarely do students bring laptops to class. One reason for this may be that the typical student computer is just too heavy to lug around, especially when combined with other things in the typical backpack.</p>
<p>However, some programs at some schools require them. For example, my daughter had to buy one and bring it to certain classes -- her studio courses in design.</p>
<p>All students would benefit from having their own desktop or laptop at college, however, and also perhaps their own printer. (The overwhelming majority of students buy laptops rather than desktops these days.) Professors expect their students to go on line to download syllabi and lecture materials, to submit their papers, and to schedule meetings. While there are many available computer labs and the library will also have computers, it helps for students to maintain their own computers and records.</p>
<p>My first desktop computer was an Apple III (that really dates me!), and then I went to a PC and through a succession of desktops with XT, AT, on up through the Pentium seies with various brands -- IBM and Dell mainly. I would still swear by the Dell Optiplex as a highly reliable desktop. But I've decided that the greatest vulnerability of any personal computer these days, whether desktop or laptop, is to software vulnerabilities, viruses, worms, spyware, etc. -- a great deal of which is exacerbated by the Windows operating system.</p>
<p>And when the last straw was added recently through some remote agent that got into my Windows-based office computer despite all kinds of firewalls, virus protections, adware and spyware purges, I sold out.</p>
<p>I am now proud owner of an IMAC --and thus back to Apple, and to Apple OS X rather than Windows OS. That's my desktop now. A joy.</p>
<p>And when I replace my current laptop (an IBM Thinkpad), it will be with an Apple Powerbook. I don't plan on dropping any computers, spilling coffee on them, getting food in the keyboard, etc. But I don't want all that digital vulnerability any more.</p>
<p>According to IBM the titanium casing does give some protection.I haven't used it, so I can't vouch for it.</p>
<p>But BHG, if you are thinking of a laptop, you should visit the Apple store and have your son try out the Powerbooks. Great design, great operating system and less problems with viruses etc..my son loves it. And less hassles setting it up.</p>
<p>we have used laptops for our only computers since the 540c powerbook.
would never go back.</p>
<p>Everyone in my family has an Apple laptop. It does promote family togetherness-- the boys are often in the same room with us as they IM their friends. (And I can IM from the kitchen when dinner's ready; it beats yelling up the stairs.)</p>
<p>It looks like you have wireless in your house, too. That facilitates mobility for sure.</p>
<p>And not only at home, of course. Many bookstores, hotels, coffeehouses, airports, libraries, and classrooms are going wireless.</p>
<p>My daughter is a recent apple convert (has a 12 inch G4 powerbooks) and she LOVES her computer. Its small enough to slip in her bag to take to class, study groups etc.</p>
<p>I think my own conversion was helped along not just by frustration with Windows but by the fact that my daughter, too, adopted a Powerbook (G4-17") as her main work computer a year ago. It hasn't been totally trouble free but it was the best way for her to go in her field (industrial/graphic design).</p>
<p>I love wireless so cool!
I thought it was interesting that in Portland a mid range hotel had free wireless access, whereas an expensive waterfront hotel in Seattle where my husband and I just took a break had $10 a day ethernet.
I like the bigger notebooks but 12 inches are a lot more manageable. But even the large laptops are easier to ship back and forth summers and on breaks than a desktop computer.
( However, you could always get a 60 gb ipod and transfer all your needed files to your computer at home )</p>
<p>EK, is Reed wireless throughout, or in certain buildings -- dorms, library, classrooms? I'll be visiting there next spring (reunion), and would appreciate having that. Also, which hotel did you stay at that had wireless? I think I stayed in the Benson or something like that last time I visited 7 or 8 years ago.</p>