The ULTIMATE laptop protection?

I have downloaded the Pelican pdf, and have ringed the 1490 as a contender.

I will call Pelican, here in Adelaide tomorrow.

I want to see what else people are doing.

Wolfie

Don't modern day HDD heads park when switched off?

So what sort are they Luxoluk? I'm looking for one to take on the rough roads we find.

Chuckle!!

I am assuming, that you mean that the care factor is pretty close to zero!!

Cheers

Wolfie

My work laptop is similarly indestructable.

Must be "special builds" I reckon.

As for the care factor; I care if our IT department can't get it fixed quickly for me.

Cheers,

Jim.

So what make are these "indestructable" laptops - i want to look after mine - but i want it tough enough to take the knocks of the good ozzie outback roads. I don't have an IT department to fix it - I'm IT!

Bit like driving a company car. Or worse - a HIRE car!

Amazing where that Hertz falcon would go that I took for a drive around Tinnaroo Dam outside Cairns when I had a day to kill between flights.

I was really expecting a cleaning charge but never got one. Was metallic green when I picked it up but was just dark brown when I dropped it off. Light rain all day on dirt roads. Great fun.

Muddy

The laptop I had was an IBM Thinkpad PIII 1.3g and that went to Flinders Rangers, Cape York, 2 Pajero Challenges and many other trips. I have since sold it and have a work IBM Thinkpad R51 and I use it like it is my own. It did a Paj challenge last weekend and was covered in dust but I just blow it all off and give it a wipe and it's good as gold. Just because it's a work laptop doesn't men it doesnt get looked after. They are tougher than what people think.

Leroy

Hi Motherhen. I use a Toshiba Laptop which is an old junker from work. After about 3-4 years they are technically redundant and have already endured quite a bit so there's very little that I can subject them to which is going to be a problem. Book value would only be a few hundred dollars so if one fails there are choices from the old stock!!

Thanks Luxoluk. From my research, the Toshiba's have a reputation as good ones - and i notice they are more expensive than Acer, Asus and a few "cheapies". As i'll be paying new price, I think it worth paying a little more to get something strong. Motherhen

Yeah I can relate.... NEC work Laptop with cracked motherboard and wife's company falcon up to the axels in mud. LOL

Cheers Phil.

Missed you yesterday.

I had to endure the wrath from Sharon, Mignon & Jo!!!

Along with my wife, they ALL ganged up against me!

( we bought Sharon's house ).

Wolfie

Wolfie,
What you been drinkin'??
I don't know any Sharon, Mignon and Jo :-)))
Different phil ?????

Cheers
phil

He drinks Bourbon, dunno why when you can get kero for $2 a litre LOL

Ummm......

Gone and buggered that one up, didn't I!!!

Thought you was the same dude who works at Snowy's.

I can always introduce them to you, they are a scream!!

sorry......

...... where's that whip......

Wolfie

hehehehe

Don't work at Snowys, but spent enough there :-))
I messaged you last week about the Anne Beadell Hwy, and Camera C.

Cheers
Phil

You've gotta give up drinking kero Ian

Cheers Ivan.

Got one of these.

Here they go under the name of STM.

They are good, like for keeping scratches & stuff of the laptop.

Cheers

Wolfie

So what are you looking for that this doesn't do for you? - I thought this would do everything you were after..

The case you are talking about wolfie. Did you get it hetre in Adelaide. How much did it cost you

Cheers Patrick

Patrick...

I got it at Next Byte down at Glenelg.

Ivan....

I wanted something that would give a little more rumble & tumble, without too much worry. The STM in my opinion is simply a sleeve, and would not really protect against jarring.

I think I've got it nailed though, I've ordered a Pelican 1490, which should be here in mid April.

Cheers

Wolfie

Brian.

When you sit this on the pillow, is it like laying flat, or standing up?

Another chap in some posts above, has mentioned about how he wants the head to park correctly on the drive..... or something like that .... all a bit above me :(

It is interesting to note, that in a recent 4 x 4 magazine, they mentioned, that they have NEVER, had a problem, with ANY 12 volt fridge, that was simply sitting on the rear seat. Something to be said for cushioning.

Cheers

Wolfie

Wolfie. Just lays flat, had not thought of standing it upright

There is less than a human hair's width between the heads and the disk while running, it won't matter which it's upside down, left right or flying over the moon, if you hit it hard enough it's going to do damage. However as I said above, I'm pretty sure the auto park so it is a non issue.

Robb.

Cheers...

When I bought the laptop, I also bought the big Crumpler bag, but there is a problem.....

My little Japanese Spitz Doggy, sleeps next to it, and he has been molting, and there seems to be more of him IN the bag, than what is supposed to be on the dog!!

Crumpler IS a good bag, and I have used it for around 8 months. Don't know about its dust resistance though. ( maybe Kobi's fur can act like a dust filter........ ).

Wolfie

Ray....

Is this like..... REALLY, REALLY true?

I have often wondered about simply just doing that.

There is no fan, or cooling ports.

A Journo dude in Iraq, takes his Apple iBook, ( same as mine ), up in helicopters, and near front lines & stuff.

Apparently, or so he says..... he just taped up the i/o ports, and the CD slot, and that was ALL he ever done.

In reality, what could go wrong, if I did the same?

Wolfie

As Leroy said above they are pretty tough thngs.

My work laptop has been to Weipa in the back of a tray top ute just in it's normal padded laptop bag. I had it standing up in the bag wedged in between a couple of other boxes. Some people ghave them running in dashboard mounts on dirt roads running moving map applications. That is going to give the HDD a real pounding over corrugated tracks!

The last laptop I had got dropped from 3 feet onto a hard floor. Fractured the case and busted the clip that holds the screen shut. Still worked fine. Compaq engineer came out and replaced the case (which basically meant taking the whole thing to bits and installing all the bits in new case). That took 2 hours and cost the company $500.

My laptops have copped a bit of abuse over the years and I have never had a real problem. Point above is also good about backups - burn your important data to CD every few days if travelling. takes bugger all time to do and CD's in a case are virtually indestructable. You can even mail them home or to a mate so that if the worst happens and the whole car gets flogged then you have not lost all your important documents and digital photos.

Cheers
Muddy

Mad Dog doesn't speak with forked tongue Wolfie. It sits on the front seat running oziexplorer.

I'm thinking about maybe taking it apart and blowing the dust out. I've been on a few trips where the dust was pretty thick in the ute so I suspect it may have a coating inside. When not in the ute it gets used everyday around the property inside and out. Never been in a case and treated roughly since new two years ago and never missed a beat...that's they way I am with my gear and I'm not about to change :)

Sure is true Wolfie I have seen with my own two eyes. I have a Toshiba in its normal laptop case and am seriously thinking of taking it to the Simpson, will be taking the PDA anyway but the lappy has a bigger screen, and DVD's for the kids

Unfortunately John, I will be a no show .... :(

Got 4 trips all before July, and Tracy has JUST LEARNT, that whilst she is overseas, in China, in October, I have been secretly planning another two week trip!

You may have to send me a piccie, and if I'm still alive, then I might be able to make one up, when my broken limbs heal!

Wolfie

it would seem that I am perhaps treating my laptop with kid gloves. Perhaps I am overly worrying?

Wolfie

I reckon the funniest thing is.....

Can you imagine say, around 30 or 40 years ago, when the dudes that packed your typewriter in its case, in the typewriter factory, say, got a visit from you, in a time machine, and you opened the case, and showed them a laptop!

After you went back to your proper time ( 2005 ), the poor buggers would be telling everyone in the lunchroom, about this electronic marvel, but their mates would simply be taking the plss.

One guy however, would be sitting in the corner, a young pimply faced dude, taking notice..........

His name would be Steve. Steve Jobs............

Wolfie

"Just drive like your wife is in the car and you have to keep her happy and not too many bumps, just don't let her know its because of the computer :-) "

Priceless!!!!

Wolfie

When it's in its bag, do you just simply just stow it anywhere? Like whatever space is available at the time?

I am still unsure of this head thingy parking on disc platters, and having to reformat a drive. All sounds rather scary.

Cheers

Wolfie

Yes.....I find a place for it and store it upright. These laptops are prtetty rugged things. Remember the laptop saw its first workout in Rosie which was like living inside a vacuum cleaner......... lol

THERE IS A GOD!!!!

Welcome, fellow apple users!!

As I have outlined in a previous reply, I may be being too over cautious with my iBook.

I still have ordered the Pelican 1490 case, which will work around upgrades as they occur ( ie, not just for the 14" snow iBook ).

Cheers

Wolfie

Isnt it time you washed that Triton? Wombie.......................lol

I'm not game to wash it Willie - then people will able to tell straight away that it's not a Nissan or Toyota and I'd feel quite inferior!!!

Bazza.

Good call, on all counts. I am with you ALL of the way.

Trouble is, when I go away camping, on my own, I like to write. I seem to get in the zone a little easier when sitting down with a keyboard.

It is the only reason I would be taking it. I upload my RAW files into my iPod.

Cheers

Wolfie

Just do it Ian. Why worry about a flamin laptop when you can worry about health and happiness. If it carks it...well...it's carked it. Are you gunna be worried about ya flamin laptop on your death bed cause your laptop wont be worried about you....just do it

Cheers Graham.

There is just something good about things that begin with the letter "i"

iBook
iPod
iMac
iAn.....!!!!

Cheers

Wolfie (Ian).

iDIOT hahahahaa Wolfie you're a classic

John, I really am becoming convinced that I am unduly worrying.

Someone at work pointed out to me that my 40 GB iPod, will have the same moving parts as my iBook, and yet I treat the iPod quite a bit rougher......

I think I will take Mad Dogs advice, and..."just do it..."

Cheers

Wolfie