After the initial state of denial where I kept insisting to myself that my Dell was NOT dead, I came to the state of acceptance and started looking at what I would replace it with.

Since the possibilities were limitless, I considered the coolness of buying a Tablet PC. They went on the top of the list.

I use an IBM Thinkpad to connect with the online job, and it’s pretty nice, if a bit wimpy. Worth considering, so I added it to the list of contenders, too.

Of course, I also added Dell onto the list along with Toshiba, since I had a high satisfaction level with their products in the past.

My requirements were (in no particular order): minimum 80GB hard drive, at least 1GB of RAM, Intel Pentium M processor or equivalent, a DVD burner and a really, really nice, clear bright display. A widescreen profile was desired but not required, and enough USB2.0 ports to connect my external mouse, printer, iPod and camera without a hub, if possible. A Firewire port was also required, since my video camera and external hard drive are Firewire. All of this for less than $1,500.

For all of my disorganization in life, my decision-making matrix for computer purchases is actually fairly well-organized. I start with my minimum requirements and preferred manufacturers and do comparisons until I arrive at the one I think I really want. Then I go try them out (the Dell was the only exception, but I heard so many glowing reviews that I was sold on it sight unseen).

The hitch this time around was the Mac. I confess: When I see those lovely Mac displays on the laps of the Starbucks glitterati, I covet one. I love the design, the brilliance of the display, and the apparent ease of use. Then I read this article where a power Windows user raves about the Mac OS…and I’m thinking real hard about buying one, so I started with that.

First disappointment: Even if I bought it at the Apple store on sale (they had a sale on Black Friday), I’d have to settle for an iBook — the Powerbooks were just completely outside of my price range. Then I started to consider software costs. To switch to MS Office was another $250. All of my Adobe apps are Windows, and I didn’t see a reasonably priced path to switch them to Mac-based apps. Since I have Photoshop and Premiere Elements, Audition, and Acrobat Professional, that could be a really pricey upgrade. I didn’t want to have to switch back and forth on my main computer between applications, and I’m still not clear on cross-platform compatibility of files, etc. Reluctantly, I crossed the Mac off my list, promising myself that if I had a windfall I’d think about getting the little iBook to plug into our Yamaha keyboard and play with someday…just so I could enjoy that pretty display and be one of the Starbucks elite (LOL!).

Dell has changed around their online store a lot. One of the things I don’t like is that if you don’t order the stock configuration you can find yourself waiting a LONG time for system delivery. Nevertheless, I started with the Dell Store. I started with the Inspiron 9300 and couldn’t get one configured for the price that I wanted, so switched to the Inspiron 6000. I was able to put it together for the price I was looking for, but time to ship was waaaaay too long. 3 weeks, minimum, because I was customizing it. I kept them on the list, but sent them to the back figuring that I’d go back to them if I really couldn’t find what I was looking for elsewhere. Bummer, because I’m a pretty loyal customer but couldn’t afford the wait….I do way too much work on this computer to not have it or limp along with the disabled Dell for 3 weeks, and figuring I might find what I wanted on eBay.

My online research yielded four more possibilities to consider. The Sony Vaio, Gateway Tablet PC, Toshiba M65, and Gateway notebook. Since I hadn’t tried any of these, I decided it was time for a fact-finding mission to my local CompUSA. On Black Friday, no less.

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