Gee, Think.

Today is the start of my third week commuting with a laptop,
specifically the Dell E1405. When I started this trial I was unsure if
I’d be able to tolerate lugging this 14.1” viewable machine around. It
probably weighs a good 8lbs, so it is a significant extra weight in the
messenger bag. I have to walk a bit more steadily so that I’m not
bouncing the computer off my hips in some kind of abusive stress test.
Actually, my main worry is that the wear and tear of lugging this thing
to and from Manhattan through the train lines is going to shorten its
natural life. The commute lays a lot of vibration on the laptop. With
all of its delicate parts, I’m worried that something may shake loose.
As far as the extra weight in my bag, it’s fine. So far the weight is
reasonable compared with the extra productivity I get from having the
laptop during my New Jersey Transit train ride. I’ve been able to edit
pictures, compose letters, produce project analysis documents, and soon
I’ll be designing my webpages.
The seats on the train are comfortable. So far I have not seen any old
or pregnant ladies standing in the aisles, so I’m able to keep a seat
for a good 30 to 40 mins each day. I’m also not cramped while I’m
typing.
The ergonomics and social aspects of carrying the laptop appear to be in
check. Now it’s just a test of whether the machine will be able to
stand the test of time. I’ll probably sell it in another year to
upgrade to a more current machine, and hopefully it’s got another two or
three years of useful life left.

This entry was posted on Monday, September 11th, 2006 at 9:23 am and is filed under review, technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.