New X40 owner! How's this deal and how about a good backpack

[Miles2go]

I was planning to buy a X series laptop for my new job and for bicycle touring when I came across this deal. I thought it was too good to be true but the mailman dropped it off today and I'm stoked! Appears to be as knew, as advertised! Any place I can run the ser# to find the machine's history?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 6835573211

Rundown is: 1.2 processor, 40G drive, 512 ram, wireless lan, dual band wi-fi, bluetooth, "new" 9 cell batt, X4 base with CDRW/DVD drive. Supposedly new and appears as such for $1,040 *delivered*, express mail no less. Seller says warranty runs out soon but can buy extension. Is that so?



Now I'm hoping some of you can tell me what backpacks work well with the X40 and 9 cell battery. I also want enough space for a Nikon D70 DSLR and big lens as well as office files and my lunch. What I don't want is a Lowepro photo bag with a computer sleeve. They're too focused on photo for my needs. At most I'd have my camera with one lens on and another lens, my lunch, office stuff and a jacket that. I'm don't think a Boog BP3 is that big but things are hard to tell from web site stats and photos.

I hope I'm cool enough to be allowed to hang out here. Does it help or hurt that my pops did 28 years in Rochester's Information Storage and Retrieval department?

[brainpicker]

I think you got an OK deal, and if I was looking for an X40 I'd be satisfied with it. You seem quite happy and that's a good measure, the ONLY measure that counts in my opinion. If you add in the price of extending the warranty out 3 years it's not spectacular, but fair to the buyer and seller both. For example I recently sold a new 1.5GHz X40 with X4/Combo Drive (but no Bluetooth) like this with 2 years and 9 months warranty remaining for $1300 delivered, so after you extend your warranty you'll be in a similar price range too (and mine was sold at a big loss from what it cost me a few months earlier). You did fine... now enjoy it!

As for backpacks... well that's not my style so I can't offer any direction there. I want to hold my laptop or it's case in my hands and I don't feel safe otherwise. My little Tumi case suits my needs best. I suppose it's a sign of my age and that I'm not a trusting sole! I'd be checking my back every 10-seconds to make sure my $2000 purchase was still there.

Enjoy!

Yak

...Oh, and please change your title to state you've included a picture or a really nice moderator will take your picture out and send you a friendly PM about "Da Rulez"! [ If you have children (or like me, just enjoy watching cartoons anyway) probably know of the cartoon "Fairly Odd Parents" and the rather large Schwarzenegger-like head fairy who enforces "Da Rulez". It's kinda like that! ]

[LtTPfan]

A recent post about a backpack can be found HERE. There are other such threads, just use the search feature at the top of the page.

[ If you have children (or like me, just enjoy watching cartoons anyway) probably know of the cartoon "Fairly Odd Parents" and the rather large Schwarzenegger-like head fairy who enforces "Da Rulez". It's kinda like that! ]

. . . And are apparently ashamed or embarassed of what they do to others posts as they don't always take personal credit, only signing "moderator," if anything at all.

[brainpicker]

. . . And are apparently ashamed or embarassed of what they do to others posts as they don't always take personal credit, only signing "moderator," if anything at all.

I don't think they are ashamed or embarassed at all. It's their job and if they didn't do it they'd be replaced or this place would go to heck like lots of others! The ID of the mods is listed right under each forum section so they can't hide. And I wouldn't want their job. Most wouldn't. I can say that when I've been "corrected" the mod has been kind enough to send me a PM to identify themself and what I did wrong so they don't hide from the "bad guys" even though it may look that way on the post. I didn't always agree with their opinion but they let me know from where they were coming.

I was just pointing out "Da Rulez" to the new poster before he/she got a PM!

Yak

[LtTPfan]

The ID of the mods is listed right under each forum section so they can't hide.

They can hide among their own numbers. Why should they not put their nick to whatever they do? It would certainly make contacting the person responsible easy. As an example, I have no idea who took my posts, including information relevant to the OP's posting, and made a new thread as if I had started that thread myself. It appears they can lurk in the darkness making any changes they care without being held responsible. I can certainly live with that, it just makes me go, "hmmmm, why would they not want to be identified like the rest of us?"

As for the subject of this thread, I too have not used a backpack for my Thinkpad but instead use a carry bag. I feel safer that way but there are those who certainly do seem to like their backbacks as evidenced in the thread I linked to. Apparently carrying cases are at least partially responsible for the rub marks on the screen polarizing film, which causes the bright spots on dark screens. It seems the pressure of a backpack pulling on both sides, putting pressure on the mddle against your back, would exaserbate this problem.

[brainpicker]

...As an example, I have no idea who took my posts, including information relevant to the OP's posting, and made a new thread as if I had started that thread myself...

I agree I wouldn't like that at all!

...Apparently carrying cases are at least partially responsible for the rub marks on the screen polarizing film, which causes the bright spots on dark screens. It seems the pressure of a backpack pulling on both sides, putting pressure on the mddle against your back, would exaserbate this problem.

I can't understand the backpack craze as taking it on and off every time I need to sit (or being afraid to lean back!) would be a PITA to say the least. But I guess if I had to find a way to carry a laptop because I have my phone in one ear, my iPod in the other, and I have both hands busy (when not fiddling with those other darn devices) playing a game on my PS2, well I'd then have no choice but to have my laptop in a backpack! They are very popular with young people for just those reasons. Me, I don't own a cell phone. I never played a video game other than to waste time so they're not something I'd want to take with me. I'd rather listen to the birds sing when I walk, or maybe carry on a conversation with a human. And, I only need one arm free to hold my wife's hand. That leaves one free for the handle of my laptop case!

Yak

[Miles2go]

Hmm. I guess my old age has me shopping on ebay only since at least there I can see someone's last 200 trading partner's thoughts. Did you sell the X40 you speak of there? I was only looking for a week or so but only saw refurb X40s from so-so sellers for anywhere near this price. I'd have to believe there are other good deals to be had though becuase it took a couple of days for the other X40 package to be snagged at the buy-it-now price of $1,000, it was bought though. And for the record, mine has a one year extended warranty according to IBM's data.

As to the backpack question. It isn't a question of backpack or not. Serving in the USAF requires the wear of your hat while outdoors and the removal of it as you are pulling a door open to go inside. Backpacks work out much better here and they were written into the USAF's clothing and appearance regulations. That says that the top leadership thinks they work very well for our needs, otherwise it wouldn't be addressed at all and thus not permitted. On top of that, I wouldn't want to handle a regular brief case like bag big enough to fit the X40, Nikon D70 with 300mm F4 lens, my USAF feild jacket and lunch in it. As it stands I'll be looking at Crumpler backpacks since they seem to have addressed this type of need well. I don't really think Booq makes anyting in the 2500 cu range or beyond but it's hard to tell from the limited info on their site.

Cheers,

I think you got an OK deal, and if I was looking for an X40 I'd be satisfied with it. You seem quite happy and that's a good measure, the ONLY measure that counts in my opinion. If you add in the price of extending the warranty out 3 years it's not spectacular, but fair to the buyer and seller both. For example I recently sold a new 1.5GHz X40 with X4/Combo Drive (but no Bluetooth) like this with 2 years and 9 months warranty remaining for $1300 delivered, so after you extend your warranty you'll be in a similar price range too (and mine was sold at a big loss from what it cost me a few months earlier). You did fine... now enjoy it!

As for backpacks... well that's not my style so I can't offer any direction there. I want to hold my laptop or it's case in my hands and I don't feel safe otherwise. My little Tumi case suits my needs best. I suppose it's a sign of my age and that I'm not a trusting sole! I'd be checking my back every 10-seconds to make sure my $2000 purchase was still there.

Enjoy!

Yak

...Oh, and please change your title to state you've included a picture or a really nice moderator will take your picture out and send you a friendly PM about "Da Rulez"! [ If you have children (or like me, just enjoy watching cartoons anyway) probably know of the cartoon "Fairly Odd Parents" and the rather large Schwarzenegger-like head fairy who enforces "Da Rulez". It's kinda like that! ]

[dorin]

wow, congrats, you got it with an amazing price! us right?! hate you guys, here in eu they're so f*&^ expensive!

abt the backpack the best option for it is the smaller backapacks for 12" laptops. try the gama done for apple! this is how i found about crumpler backpacks! google it, it had diffrent sites for each country.

i hope nobody will kill me for advertising, but for your x40 they have incredible good stuff for subnotebooks!

have a ncie day,

dorin