One of the subjects this blog will address occasionally is useful pieces of technology I've encountered. I'm not a gadget freak by any means, but am always on the lookout for things which make life a little more enjoyable. Earlier I'd commented on getting a TiVo set up (not that I'm going to have time to watch all those shows that automatically record while I'm out of town). Now I want to mention a great new laptop worth taking a look at.
As soon as I got the consulting position, I knew my 5+ year old Windows 98 Compaq wasn't going to cut it. So I did some research, ran to a few stores, and just before heading out on the road picked up an eMachines M6805. This is (I think) the only 64 bit Windows laptop on the market. After four days of fairly heavy use I can say this is an excellent machine for the price (mine was $1350 after rebate). It's screaming fast, reasonably light, has loads of extras, and thanks to the 64 bit processor I hope to get a good 3-4 years of use before it becomes obsolete. Incidentally, Microsoft has a 64 bit version of Windows XP 2003 you can download for free (you have to register with them, and it's an unsupported product). I haven't installed it yet on this machine (want to get some further information from my MSFT friends before taking the plunge) but apparently it will make the machine even quicker.
One of my favorite aspects of the machine is the excellent keyboard. Usually it's all I can do to tolerate the keyboards on laptops (I'm famous for lugging a full-sized Dell keyboard with me to meetings where I have to take notes) but the eMachines laptop is close enough to full size, and with a soft enough action, that I can use it for long periods without risking RSI.
All in all, this machine is definitely worth a look if you're in the market, and a 64 bit machine is a particularly good investment if, like me, you tend to hold on to machines for more than a year or two.
Disclaimer: I have no connection with eMachines. Just a satisfied customer.