<p>Hey devils :D</p>
<p>Well, I have a really amazing system right now. </p>
<p>DELL inspiron 9100 -
3.4 Ghz P4
1GB RAM
128 MB ATI 9700
60Gigs HDD
DVD+RW</p>
<p>Just a couple of days back, I read about TAP at Duke. Honestly, I was freaked out by the cost of repairing laptops (the most probable damage, I think would be spills on keyboard & broken screens) Does it really cost upto $1000 for repairing that stuff ??</p>
<p>or should I get a laptop from Duke, just for the sake of TAP?</p>
<p>I didn't get mine from Duke, and it only cost about $200 less, so if you're concerned about spills and broken screens and stuff I'd say it's worth it.</p>
<p>I just plan on being careful with mine, so hopefully I'll avoid all that. For me, the most likely problems were just things screwing up inside...and for that my dad said "You're going to Duke...there will always be a computer geek to figure it out."</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply. </p>
<p>Another thing: Are you using a centrino processor on your laptop? coz the wireless card tht Duke recommends is made for centrino laptops, any idea about compatibility with the wireless network?</p>
<p>Well...I pretty much know nothing about computers (hence no reference to your system stats). I do know that there is a little sticker on the corner that says Centrino Mobile Technology, so I'm assuming the answer to your first question is yes. I'm not sure about the wireless stuff...mine has everything built in, so I just have to configure it when I get there...no card (which is good bc the one on my old computer drove me crazy:))</p>
<p>I know nothing about comps either and Im gonna buy mine through Duke sicne I need a laptop anyways for college. Even tho its a bit more expensive through them, I think its worth it considering all repairs are free of charge.</p>
<p>On ..hehe...didn't answer your question, i wouldnt buy a new one just for the sake of TAP - just be careful with it, I dont think its likely some big repair will be needed often, plus u can just purchase the necessary components (if needed) to configure it once u get there.</p>
<p>I bought a computer from Duke last year and I think it was totally worth it. The repairs are awesome and so efficient... it only takes them three business days. If you didn't buy a computer from Duke and turned it in to OIT to fix, you have to wait up to a MONTH. It's that big a difference.
My computer busted up about two times in the course of the year. And they were both in and out really quickly... you realize it's hard to live without a computer.
But on the other hand, there are definitely computer geeks lurking in the halls ... I had one help me with a couple of things here and there.
But the TAP program is great.</p>
<p>My roommate and I also bought our computers through Duke, and OIT was amazing to us. She had a few problems with hers throughout the year, and she had a desktop, and OIT would come to the room to help her out when she needed it sometime, or if not, she'd drop it off and they'd have it fixed by the end of the week. I bought the Mac Powerbook through Duke and never had a problem with it and Mac has great student summer sales anyway so it wasn't a significant difference in cost one way or the other-- but you get the added convenience of your computer & printer (if you get one) being on East Campus when you arrive which to my family made a difference with the amount of crap we brought down with us, plus, when you pick up your computer, they give you a bag of tech goodies like a free laptop desk lock for security measures and other stuff i think. </p>
<p>On an unrelated note, as a FAC we're supposed to recommend that you also pre-order your books through that Blue Devil Delivery service or whatever it's called... I think it was in the same pamphlet as the computers were in last summer.</p>
<p>is it possible to have the laptop and the goodies shipped to you before you go there?</p>
<p>I have a lot of stuff on the computer I'm on now that would be nice to keep.</p>
<p>Also, how many computers are there to choose from? Is it really only 6 or whatever?</p>
<p>Thanx for your responses everyone :)</p>
<p>Just thought I would share about my recent Dell experience... I decided to go for an Inspiron 6000 when I saw in a magazine that it was $999 for a nicely configured computer. After further configuration to make it the way I wanted it with sufficient features, it came to $1587. I was a little apprehensive because I could get a computer from Duke for about this much. Anyway, I waited until Thursday to look at it again, and the sale changed from "save 360-someodd dollars" to "take 34% off of Dell Inspiron 6000s." I ended up adding a few more features and got this:</p>
<p>1.60 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB
15.4 inch WXGA LCD Panel
512MB DDR2 SDRAM 1 Dimm
128MB DDR ATI's MOBILITY RADEON X300 PCI Express x16 Graphics
80GB Hard Drive
Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem
Adobe Software Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 6.0
Combo/DVD+RW Drives 8x CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer write capability
Intel® PRO/Wireless 2200 Internal Wireless (802.11 b/g, 54Mbps)
Digital Music Musicmatch® Jukebox Basic
FREE 64MB Dell USB Memory Key w/ 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery(80 WHr)
Limited Warranty, 3yr Plus Solution Package</p>
<p>For $1466... and since it's now after one in the morning, since I have been up since four this morning, since I've lost the whole purpose of writing this post, and since I lack the energy to erase the whole thing, I will now close by saying that the 34% off thing ends on the thirtieth. Good luck to all in choosing computers!</p>
<p>you don't get the free fixes by duke though, do you?</p>
<p>According to the website, I get free parts, but have to pay a 60 dollar service fee. If I hadn't gotten an inspiron, there wouldn't be a service fee, but oh well.</p>
<p>hey seahorse</p>
<p>how did you customize the video card?</p>
<p>128MB DDR ATI's MOBILITY RADEON X300 PCI Express x16 Graphics </p>
<p>I tried the dell website but it lists the intergrated video card as the only option.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>*nvm.. i found it</p>
<p>i'm obviously partial, but i picked up a mac laptop before my first year. by using my education discount (which applies to laptops and ipods, mind you) from a local apple store, i shaved a good 300 bucks off the price. just show them your duke card and you get the discount. also, right now they have a deal where you then can get a free ipod mini (or 179 bucks towards a 20 gb one) if you buy a mac with your educational discount. all i can say is no problems, no crashes the entire year - and it worked seamlessly within the network.</p>
<p>regardless of brand, i strongly recommend laptops because you may find, like me, that you're unable to concentrate in your room. working in the library (with BLAZING fast wireless), in the commons rooms, out on the quad, or using it for notes in classes makes it well worth the trade-off.</p>