<p>What are you guys doing for laptops? Specifically are you doing the Carolina CCI program or getting your own?</p>
<p>Advantages to the IBM thinkpad laptops that Carolina offers are mainly the pre-tested compatibility and the great 4-year warranty. However, they seem to be more expensive than other similar models ($1800-$2400).</p>
<p>It's tempting to get a cheaper computer, but I wonder if I'll be wanting the warranty/insurance if my machine malfunctions or is stolen.</p>
<p>i own a CCI laptop, pretty much becuase I got a laptop grant so it was free. I like it, but if you choose to buy your own laptop just remember to bring it to C-Tops so they can hook it up with the unc system.</p>
<p>Have any current UNC students needed/used the warranty provided?
Does anyone have an outside computer? If so, how are they doing with it?
What warranty did any outside computer students get?</p>
<p>I recently read that IBM sold its personal computer division to some company in Japan. I doubt the new company will still be producing IBM thinkpads, they will probalby redesign them and call them something new. If so, will UNC sign a contract with some other company or continue with this one...</p>
<p>The IBM deal with Lenovo I think dealt only with their desktop computer division; I could be wrong though. IBM is known for having very high quality laptops though, and really that's were more of the profits are these days (nowadays sub-$500 desktops seem commonplace).</p>
<p>The contract is still up in the air because Lenovo is a Chinese corporation and the United States regulatory agency is concerned that selling a the home desktop division of IBM could compromise IBM high technoloy.</p>
<p>*"...CFIUS decided last month to began a formal probe into concerns that China's government will use Lenovo-made PCs and the firm's new US facilities for espionage...</p>
<p>...It is understood that this sparked concern among members of the committee from the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department, who demanded that IBM protect any information the Chinese could use to bug or infiltrate computers used by US officials...</p>
<p>...The Justice and Homeland Security departments also raised concerns about an IBM facility in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. They apparently questioned whether Chinese operatives could use the facility, which Beijing-based Lenovo plans to use as its operational headquarters for the PC business, to engage in industrial espionage..."*</p>
<p>wow, juicy info!</p>