Thread: Technology and Gadgets

I need vevmo's help!

So I've had my laptop for about 2 1/2 years. There is literally nothing wrong with the computer itself, but I have to keep replacing the battery and the charger. I think I have bought about 6 in the past two years. Is that normal for them to just randomly stop charging my computer? I have an HP, and before that I had a Dell desktop for 4 years. My mom says I need to buy a new computer but it has nothing to do with the computer itself, just the battery/charger. Anyone have any ideas? I got so fed up with it that I just haven't bought a new one in six months but its really annoying to always have to use someones computer or go the lab on campus.

Originally Posted by tjhallow

I need vevmo's help!

So I've had my laptop for about 2 1/2 years. There is literally nothing wrong with the computer itself, but I have to keep replacing the battery and the charger. I think I have bought about 6 in the past two years. Is that normal for them to just randomly stop charging my computer? I have an HP, and before that I had a Dell desktop for 4 years. My mom says I need to buy a new computer but it has nothing to do with the computer itself, just the battery/charger. Anyone have any ideas? I got so fed up with it that I just haven't bought a new one in six months but its really annoying to always have to use someones computer or go the lab on campus.

Your Dell lasted four years? Mine lasted about a year and a half...

What do you normally do with the cord? Are you constantly travelling with your laptop, bending your power cord? When the cords on my laptop died out, it was because the attachment right at the computer connection had just been used too much. And I was bending my cords a lot to stuff them in my bag.

I used to use it a lot, especially when I lived in PA. I hardly use it here. I don't know if its from charging it constantly or what but I'm so sick of spending money on them. I never really traveled with it but maybe it was just on the charger too much? But yeah, my dell was a trooper! I was surprised because my mom went through like three of them and now we all have HP's and they have lasted a few years.

Originally Posted by tjhallow

I used to use it a lot, especially when I lived in PA. I hardly use it here. I don't know if its from charging it constantly or what but I'm so sick of spending money on them. I never really traveled with it but maybe it was just on the charger too much? But yeah, my dell was a trooper! I was surprised because my mom went through like three of them and now we all have HP's and they have lasted a few years.

What do you use it for? I hardly used my laptop for my last semester of college. I used my ipad. I will never go back to a laptop. iPads do a great deal more and they are simpler. I heard that the ipad mini is going to be coming out soon. Its is going to be like $250 so maybe you should look into that. I also didn't type any of this I said it and it was typed for me because the ipad has built in dictation :-)

Originally Posted by tjhallow

So I've had my laptop for about 2 1/2 years. There is literally nothing wrong with the computer itself, but I have to keep replacing the battery and the charger. I think I have bought about 6 in the past two years. Is that normal for them to just randomly stop charging my computer? I have an HP, and before that I had a Dell desktop for 4 years.

I have a 5 year old HP and it runs like a champ (although I have upgraded the RAM, added an SSD and moved from the original Vista to Linux Mint.)

I've replaced the battery once as the original was getting down to under an hour of max charge. Keeping a lithium-based battery plugged in all the time is a sure way to ruin the battery. You should be fully discharging it on a regular basis in order to maintain a proper electron flow.

As for replacing your current battery, stay away from the OEM stuff (HP branded) and go straight to Amazon to buy a knockoff. They usually run around $20-$25 shipped.

Concerning the charger, as molds stated, using the laptop and moving it while it is plugged in will destroy a cord as the connector flexs and eventually breaks. After breaking a couple of them, I now have a rule of never moving my laptop when it is plugged in.

You can also buy a cheap knockoff charger from Amazon that works as good as the original. Just do a search for HP model number charger.

Originally Posted by RMD1

I used my ipad. I will never go back to a laptop. iPads do a great deal more and they are simpler.

An iPad with its crippled OS doesn't hold a candle to what can be done on a computer with a a full fledged operating system such as Windows, OSX or Linux.

A device running iOS (or Android for that matter) is good for mindlessly surfing the web, playing Angry Birds and watching movies (content consumption) but I don't think too many grad students are going to be typing their thesis papers (content creation) on such an unwelidy device. I personally have enough trouble typing on a full sized iPad (at least anything of a comprehensive nature) so I can't imagine doing so on a mini unless you have hands of an infant.

As for dictation software, it might be good for saying "LOL!" but as someone who types hundreds of pages of text over the course of a day (every day) and has tried all of them - nothing replaces a real keyboard for actual work.

Originally Posted by Bacchus

As for dictation software, it might be good for saying "LOL!" but as someone who types hundreds of pages of text over the course of a day (every day) and has tried all of them - nothing replaces a real keyboard for actual work.

Agreed. There is no way I'd ever want to have something type up things for me. I've tried it on my phone many times and it just doesn't work so well for me.

I'm all about the keyboard.