Definition of "consumer" laptop

[JonathanGennick]

Lenovo's introduction of IdeaPads has got me to thinking: What defines a "consumer" laptop? Following are some of the things that come to my mind when I hear that term:"

* Low-to-moderate cost. Not too much investment in weight reduction, in screen pixel density, etc. built with mainstream components that can be sourced cheaply.

* Entertainment-oriented -- built for the user who surfs the web for entertainment, wants to manage his digital photos, watches a movie now and then, plays the occasional game, sends emails, but who does none of these things in the extreme. Hence we get glossy displays, Dolby speakers, built-in cameras, that sort of thing.

* "Centered" -- good enough for most things, but excels at nothing in particular.

What else? Am I missing anything? Am I off track?

FWIW, I don't really like the word "consumer" in this context. We're all consumers after all (and producers too, most likely). Perhaps a better term might be "Entertainment-oriented Laptop".

[jdhurst]

Most laptops today are becoming excessively consumer oriented for my liking. Lenovo is *installing* stuff that probably a business person doesn't need:

Office 2007 90 day trial: If I wanted it (someday will) I will have a proper license.
Symantec Client Security 90 day trial: Good product but can't be purchased in quantities of 1 for the long term (I have tried).
Picassa: Don't need it on a business machine.
ThinkVantage Update: Not a business tool.

These things should be *installable* but not installed. I am now wasting too much time on T6x machines uninstalling (1) what I don't want and (2) what did *not* come on business T4x machines.

Lenovo and other vendors need to understand that while a consumer may want all this stuff (and will pay the licensing 90 days down the road), businesses that I know want a more basic model (drivers, key productivity applications, updated) that they can prepare as models for distribution with little difficulty. I do *not* want to do clean installs (drivers and everything else) just to eliminate the initial overinstall process.
... JDH

[paOol]

consumer = noob

[beeblebrox]

Most laptops today are becoming excessively consumer oriented for my liking. Lenovo is *installing* stuff that probably a business person doesn't need:

Office 2007 90 day trial: If I wanted it (someday will) I will have a proper license.
Symantec Client Security 90 day trial: Good product but can't be purchased in quantities of 1 for the long term (I have tried).
Picassa: Don't need it on a business machine.
ThinkVantage Update: Not a business tool.

These things should be *installable* but not installed. I am now wasting too much time on T6x machines uninstalling (1) what I don't want and (2) what did *not* come on business T4x machines.

Lenovo and other vendors need to understand that while a consumer may want all this stuff (and will pay the licensing 90 days down the road), businesses that I know want a more basic model (drivers, key productivity applications, updated) that they can prepare as models for distribution with little difficulty. I do *not* want to do clean installs (drivers and everything else) just to eliminate the initial overinstall process.
... JDH

Well, in general, business users don't care about any installed software.
When we get new Thinkpads they are completely factory erased and have a new clean corporate image on it. Our CIO dept. uses the IBM image server tools. There is no uninstalling. Any problems with your software (virus, registry foul up whatever...) and just reimage your whole disk. Your business and personal data is on the server anyway.

BTW. why did you lock my other thread about the U110?
I talked to Lenovo reps and just wrote what they told me.
And yes, many women hate trackpoints because of longer fingernails. That's the result of customer survey and that's why ideaPads have only touchpads (besides costs).

[jdhurst]

<snip>
Well, in general, business users don't care about any installed software.
When we get new Thinkpads they are completely factory erased and have a new clean corporate image on it. Our CIO dept. uses the IBM image server tools. There is no uninstalling. Any problems with your software (virus, registry foul up whatever...) and just reimage your whole disk. Your business and personal data is on the server anyway.

BTW. why did you lock my other thread about the U110?
I talked to Lenovo reps and just wrote what they told me.
And yes, many women hate trackpoints because of longer fingernails. That's the result of customer survey and that's why ideaPads have only touchpads (besides costs).

I set them up for clients for imaging and later correction as well. It is just that I like to start with a Pre-Load if at all possible to waste less time. But now, the over-installs of stuff not needed is wasting too much time, so I may have to consider clean installs.

BTW, Unless I have forgotten, I don't recall locking your thread, so I cannot respond to that. ... JDH

[qviri]

BTW, Unless I have forgotten, I don't recall locking your thread, so I cannot respond to that. ... JDH

This is why it's useful to have the locking moderator sign or PM the thread's author (which, by beeblebrox's reaction, I am assuming hasn't happened here).

[JaneL]

BTW. why did you lock my other thread about the U110?

John didn't lock it. I did. Stay on topic.

[joester]

I'll try to pull this back on track...

To my line of thinking, a CONSUMER laptop would be whatever the CONSUMER wants it to be.
1. Hardware only, no software whatsoever.
2. With Microsoft installed, but barebones with installable options.
3. With whatever open source software I choose from, provide me with a list of the known working programs out there and let me pick.

Naturally, the hardware selections to choose from... RAM, HDD, BlueTooth, WIFI, Optical drive selections, ect...

Yup, could be a logistical nightmare, but hey.. they have computers to manage it, right? Simply assign a serial number on placement of the order, and make sure that the laptop bearing that serial number is what was ordered.

Joe

[awolfe63]

I think that Thinkvantage Update is a great business tool - for a small business. I have 6 thinkpads. No IT staff. Thinkvantage Update works great for me. If you have an IT department - then remove it or don't run it. It uses no CPU cycles and no memory when it is not run.

[ryengineer]

snip....I have 6 thinkpads......snip

I think you would be more than interested in ThinkVantage Update Retriever then.

[awolfe63]

Interesting. I should look at that.

Although, I really have no need to impose IT policies. At my scale, I've had great lush just allowing every update to be installed by System Update as per Lenovo's release.

Some of my machines don't even have server access right now. Mail is provided by an external ISP, backups are done to USB drives. Files sharing is by emailing them back and forth.

Not everybody needs an IT "infrastructure" to run a business. Although - at one time I was CTO of a company with 1300 employees - so I understand the lure of standard image installs and centralized file storage.