[brochoParticipant]

Hi everyone I just need to pick your brains please My laptop gave up the ghost last week , apparently they are only expected to last between 3 and 5 years.As I am on benefits I cant afford a new one so I looked at sites offering reconditioned ones from as little as £150 Trouble is I am a bit nervous about buying usedelectrical goods as there is no way of knowing if it will be ok , one site does offer a years warranty though Has anyone ever bought a reconditioned laptop or computer , if so where from ? Thankyou for your help I am so desperate to be back online, at the moment I have borrowed one for a few hours Love Bridget x

[MinParticipant]

Cant comment on that but I I bought a 'tablet' recently if all you do is surf the net they are brilliant. But if you plan to do work on it then not much use with word etc.

Look at http://www.ebuyer.co.uk I have bought loads of stuff of them and they are really really well priced with good customer service.
Alternativly suggest you look up FACEBOOK CHEAPSHOP. Usualy local people who want to raise money to buy something better.
Next ask the family to make it a birthday, mothers day, and next christmas pressy:-) In advance
PS are you sure your laptop has given up the ghost and its not just the charger?
love MInx

[brochoParticipant]

Hi Min thankyou for those ideas, I knew there would be someone with good ideas! I have a secret vice though ( I play the Sims on my laptop) which means fairly poerful laptop , mind you perhaps I could look for a support group to cure my Sims addiction , it would be much cheaper!! I got a local firm I trust to make sure my laptop was beyond repair and they told me most laptops only last btween 3 and 5 years, seems crazy.Anyway birthday coming up next week so I have started hinting and in the meantime I can borrow my sister-in-laws for a day or so to catch up The joke is on me really because I was so anti computers when at work and now I am totally lost without one!! How is your DIY coming on? I do wish I was as practical as you are, the most I can do is decorate and thats only painting my wallpapering was a complete disaster love Bridget x

[MinParticipant]

Peter would be proud of me, I have been going mad with the cordless drill.
Fixed a curtain pole that kept falling down. ( Never had curtains when I had my man!) Next put up some metal tie backs to hold said curtains back when open.
Followed by a make up mirror really its a shaving mirror but as I am blind as a bat without my spectacles needed a magnifying one. Once I had mastered that got carried away and put up a hook for the hairdrier and tongs.
Decided to quit whilst ahead with the drill and started rubbing down the paintwork in the hall.
Got sick of it and decided to get some quotes ???whereupon I found out I could have a Caribbean cruise for what they wanted to decorate the hallway. So I think I will have the cruise instead of the painter and decorator.
I will plod away at it and have the cruise when I am finished if I am up to it. Its not like I have anything else to do. !
Now as for the sims on laptop well I played it on my nintendo ds so I know exactly how addictive it is but cant get into much now without losing interest quickly.
Today I cleaned the garage out and finaly tidied it up so I can fill it up again with painting stuff when I get started on the hall. But before I can get started I have to lift the ceramic tiles on the floor so big dirty job which may have to wait till I am in the mood.
I hope you get your birthday pressy, and the sims does not need a massive processor as its not shoot em up. I liked challenges of the sims and if big iff I get the cruise I will take my nintendo and keep myself occupied with it LOL
love Min

[zasrsParticipant]

Whow Min
I wish I had your energy! Sounds amazing what you are doing and planning I keep looking at my bedroom and that is far as I get! Go for the cruise what a good idea we all need good things to look forward to.
Best wishes Sarah

[eveParticipant]

Hi Everyone
I know what your talking about Bridget with computers,hated them when I was at work now I could not survive with out one.my daughters use to give me there old ones,bit slow but worked last year got my own lap top,this year I Pad,Slim uses that more because it,s not heavy and good for games.

I am decorating the bedroom at the moment,it is much harder than a couple of years ago,doing one wall at a time,and resting if I do not feel like it,cannot get back into reading,so decided I would decorate instead.:-P sounds daft,but keeps my mind occupied.
Cruise is a good idea,would advice you try singles cruise,as it means if you want to be alone you can or if you want company there is other people in the same boat.

This is always a horrible time of the year, must say the weather down south,is lovely,we are having sunshine most days,makes a big difference.hate the early dark evenings roll on spring.Eve

[tomParticipant]

Hi Bridget

Sorry to hear your right arm is starting to go haywire lol yep they (laptops) feel like our right arm at time oh and my mobile lol. a good computer repair shop might have some second hand ones for you.

And I am saying nowt on the home painting and wallpapering except my young bride (Elaine) is one top notch decorator 😎 and she can fit a plug 😀
put water in the car washer bottle 😉 and many many a thing that any man can do in and around the house she is a marvel 😎 did she get all that knowledge from me?:-S lol no she didn't

Love Tom xxxx

[brochoParticipant]

Hi Tom thanks I am checking out web sites and local shops too but I am still a bit nervous about buying a second hand one Maybe I will just have to save very hard, trouble is I am not a very patient person and I hate being without a computer !! Tell Elaine I am so impressed with her DIY skills , she puts me to shame Hope you are having a good weekend love Bridget x

[KeithH17Participant]

Hi Bridget,you most likely have got your laptop well before reading this post but if not I would say buying a reconditioned machine should be ok if it's from a reputable out-let and with some kind of warranty attached to it.
I would avoid the highstreet and go to a small shop that specialises in building computors as they will give you better service and won't rip you off.
Have a look in yellow pages if you don't know of any locally.

Hope you are keeping well.

Keith.

[brochoParticipant]

Hi Keith thankyou for the info but I did get a laptop , no patience at all !! In the end I got a decent one in the sale at PC World It was advertised at £520 before the sale and reduced to £310 Whilst I dont believe their pre-sdale price was that high I have seen the same one for over £400 so am quite pleased It does everything I need it to and I can add to the memory if needed .I was going nuts without a laptop which is ironic as before mm I was a total technophobe and moaned like mad about having to write reports for work on a computer!! So myeloma has done me some good Hope you are staying well love Bridget

[KeithH17Participant]

Hi Bridget,I'm pleased you got your laptop and you're back surfing the cyber highway.
I am looking for a new one myself but I'm not sure whether to switch from Windows to an Apple Book Pro.
I do alot of photography and Mac's have very fast Quad core i7 processors plus 2 graphics cards which allows me to edit and post pictures onto my Website much quicker than I can at the moment.
My current laptop is working ok but is very slow and limited.
The drawback to Mac's is the price £1589 for the one I need.
I can get a similar spec with Windows operating system for around £1000 and still be able to use my current software,Mac's have their own photographic software pre-installed so there's my choice.
I'm going to have a look in the Apple store within the next couple of weeks before making up my mind.

Hope you are keeping well Bridget
If it was'nt for the aches and itching I'd be great LOL.

Bye for now…Keith.

[DaiCroParticipant]

Hi Keith,

I trained on the early Macs (very basic computing skills) circa 1990/92 and fell in ove with them but settled for a PC at home.

My big dilemma came in 1998…. when I finally went for a custom built Gateway PC… which was a wonderfully easy to use machine, over a Mac. I finally switched to Macs (desktop and laptop in 2006 and I have never looked back.

So easy to use without hardly any of the crash/burn/hack/worm problems of the PC. I love my Macs. Yes, they are more expensive but my, oh my, are they worth every single penny. IMHO.:-) 😎

Dai.

[Author]

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