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Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Lifetime Supporter
My current laptop (Dell Latitude) has served me really well for almost four years! It's a workhorse! I use it all day long at work and at home. I did make some upgrades to it and had to do some repairs over the years, but Dell's warranty support has always been superb!
As my current laptop is starting to show its age, I am getting ready for the next one! I am not in a rush: I would love to have it by Christmas, but don't mind waiting another 2-3 months in order to catch the next wave. And since this will be my main machine for the next 3 or perhaps 4 years, I want to go with a higher end model and make sure it has some room to grow.
Note, I am not looking for any brand or model recommendations here! The model I will end up buying has probably not been announced yet! Instead, I'd like to focus this discussion on features. I'll share my thoughts about what new features I am looking for and you are welcome to share yours. So, let me start:
RAM
Currently I am maxed out at 4GB. For the next laptop I'd like to go with 8GB (so I could run multiple Virtual Machines and work with other memory-intensive applications). However, it would be nice to have a room for future upgrade to 16GB. This is a big problem though: most of laptops available today cannot go beyond 8GB and I don't want to be maxed out right off the bet. Memory is one item I definitly want to be able to upgrade down the road. (Remember, you need 64-bit Windows to take advantage of bigger RAM!)
USB 3.0
USB 3.0, which is 10 times faster than USB 2.0 is finally becoming a reality: hard drives, flash drives and adapter cards are already available. New USB 3.0 products are announced every month. I think in the next year or so USB 3.0 will go mainstream. The main delay right now is actually caused by Intel who still does not offer USB 3.0 on the motherboard. But this will change soon. And according to some rumors, very soon!
SDXC card reader
It is very convenient to have a built-in card reader to transfer photos and videos and also as an external storage. SDHC is limited to 32 GB. The new SDXC spec breaks that limit and supports cards up to 2 TB.
Video
A good video card and dedicated video RAM of 512 MB or 1 GB is an important requirement. I am not into computer gaming, but even with not so graphics-intensive applications, I found the graphics card to often be the performance bottleneck. This is the easiest requiremet to meet though, as most computer manufacturers offer good choices in video.
UPDATE: The new Intel Sandy Bridge architecture is expected to have very good built-in graphics. So, dedicated graphics chip may no longer be needed unless you are into some extreme gaming.
Display
15" is what I am used to. Not looking for extremely high resolution, but I want to make sure the display is bright and sharp.
Hard drive
I am thinking, 500 GB 7200 RPM as a starting point. But I am really intrigued by the SSD technology - just wish it was more affordable. Hybrid drives are starting to appear (that combine a classic HD drive with an SSD buffer) - this might be a good compromise!
UPDATE: Another great option is a dual drive configuration: a small system SSD drive and a bigger hard drive.
SATA III (6.0 Gb/s)
Not so important for HDD, but for the latest SSD drives this faster SATA interface can make a difference. I suspect, some hybrid drives will be able to take advantage of the SATA III as well. I hope the next wave of laptops will have this feature.
CPU
Core i7, probably quad-core. Core i5 may suffice, but the price difference is not that big, so I will go with i7. I don't think I need the Extreme Edition, as it seems way overpriced.
Other common features
These features are pretty standard these days: HDMI output, built-in webcam, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (preferably 3.0), ideally a backlit keyboard.
These are some of the features I am looking for. I will probably expand my list as time goes by.
Which important features have I missed? What are you looking for? Feel free to share your thoughts!
As my current laptop is starting to show its age, I am getting ready for the next one! I am not in a rush: I would love to have it by Christmas, but don't mind waiting another 2-3 months in order to catch the next wave. And since this will be my main machine for the next 3 or perhaps 4 years, I want to go with a higher end model and make sure it has some room to grow.
Note, I am not looking for any brand or model recommendations here! The model I will end up buying has probably not been announced yet! Instead, I'd like to focus this discussion on features. I'll share my thoughts about what new features I am looking for and you are welcome to share yours. So, let me start:
RAM
Currently I am maxed out at 4GB. For the next laptop I'd like to go with 8GB (so I could run multiple Virtual Machines and work with other memory-intensive applications). However, it would be nice to have a room for future upgrade to 16GB. This is a big problem though: most of laptops available today cannot go beyond 8GB and I don't want to be maxed out right off the bet. Memory is one item I definitly want to be able to upgrade down the road. (Remember, you need 64-bit Windows to take advantage of bigger RAM!)
USB 3.0
USB 3.0, which is 10 times faster than USB 2.0 is finally becoming a reality: hard drives, flash drives and adapter cards are already available. New USB 3.0 products are announced every month. I think in the next year or so USB 3.0 will go mainstream. The main delay right now is actually caused by Intel who still does not offer USB 3.0 on the motherboard. But this will change soon. And according to some rumors, very soon!
SDXC card reader
It is very convenient to have a built-in card reader to transfer photos and videos and also as an external storage. SDHC is limited to 32 GB. The new SDXC spec breaks that limit and supports cards up to 2 TB.
Video
A good video card and dedicated video RAM of 512 MB or 1 GB is an important requirement. I am not into computer gaming, but even with not so graphics-intensive applications, I found the graphics card to often be the performance bottleneck. This is the easiest requiremet to meet though, as most computer manufacturers offer good choices in video.
UPDATE: The new Intel Sandy Bridge architecture is expected to have very good built-in graphics. So, dedicated graphics chip may no longer be needed unless you are into some extreme gaming.
Display
15" is what I am used to. Not looking for extremely high resolution, but I want to make sure the display is bright and sharp.
Hard drive
I am thinking, 500 GB 7200 RPM as a starting point. But I am really intrigued by the SSD technology - just wish it was more affordable. Hybrid drives are starting to appear (that combine a classic HD drive with an SSD buffer) - this might be a good compromise!
UPDATE: Another great option is a dual drive configuration: a small system SSD drive and a bigger hard drive.
SATA III (6.0 Gb/s)
Not so important for HDD, but for the latest SSD drives this faster SATA interface can make a difference. I suspect, some hybrid drives will be able to take advantage of the SATA III as well. I hope the next wave of laptops will have this feature.
CPU
Core i7, probably quad-core. Core i5 may suffice, but the price difference is not that big, so I will go with i7. I don't think I need the Extreme Edition, as it seems way overpriced.
Other common features
These features are pretty standard these days: HDMI output, built-in webcam, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (preferably 3.0), ideally a backlit keyboard.
These are some of the features I am looking for. I will probably expand my list as time goes by.
Which important features have I missed? What are you looking for? Feel free to share your thoughts!
96 Replies
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13152 views
A MacBook Pro!
No kidding!
For some development and testing tasks I needed a Mac. So, I went ahead and purchased a MacBook Pro.
But since I only need Mac OS for very few tasks, I installed Windows 7 on it, and kept Mac OS in a smaller dual-boot partition.
Surprisingly, Windows 7 works rather well on it. I didn't expect that. So, for now I am just using the MBP for both Windows and Mac OS. Windows mostly.
This is not a replacement for the powerful Notebook PC that I was looking for. The MacBook Pro is not powerful enough for my needs and is lacking some very important features, like USB3. And the keyboard is not too Windows-friendly. So, I am still planning to get a new notebook, but I think I will wait another year, now since I have this toy to play with.
P.S. It does have Sandy Bridge!
Supporting Founder
Lifetime Supporter
Thanks to Fitch Ratings ( who gives the ratings on Credit and debt, as approved by the SEC, so they have accurate numbers) we have the totals.
DIRECTV's video subscriber base is the third-largest traditional multi-channel video programming distributor (MVPD) in the U.S. with about 8.2 million subscribers at the end of 1Q26.
The last time it was reported, it was 8.8M at the end of 2Q25, so only a 600,000 loss for 3 quarters, which is a major improvement, since for many years before that, it was losing 500,000 a quarter, 2 Million a year.
It is now losing less than Dish/Sling combined, I believe the Genre Packs are helping to retain and get subscribers.
DIRECTV's video subscriber base is the third-largest traditional multi-channel video programming distributor (MVPD) in the U.S. with about 8.2 million subscribers at the end of 1Q26.
The last time it was reported, it was 8.8M at the end of 2Q25, so only a 600,000 loss for 3 quarters, which is a major improvement, since for many years before that, it was losing 500,000 a quarter, 2 Million a year.
It is now losing less than Dish/Sling combined, I believe the Genre Packs are helping to retain and get subscribers.
6 Replies
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354 views
Recently came back to DirectTV Satellite service and have two boxes, Gemini and a main HR54.
DirecTV is charging me two "TV access fees" of $10 each, but can only watch TV on the one without the server. Is there anything I can do to fix this?
DirecTV is charging me two "TV access fees" of $10 each, but can only watch TV on the one without the server. Is there anything I can do to fix this?
24 Replies
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940 views
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Cutting Edge
Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
67110 Replies
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2662369 views
Pub Member / Supporter
Lifetime Supporter
I feel like this was discussed in another thread, but I can't find it. I have T-Mobile and my last iPhone upgrade was in 2020. I want to get a new iPhone, but what is the best way to go about doing it? Should I order the iPhone from T-Mobile directly, or should I buy from the Apple Store? I feel like there are pros/cons to each option.
2 Replies
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33 views
I have a Hopper with Sling. (Don't know exact model.) A couple nights ago, I went into the DVR screen, and noted that it was recording three programs. Yet I was able to view live TV (that was not one of the channels being recorded.) Did something change? In the past, it would only let me watch one of the channels being recorded, or any recording in the DVR menu. Maybe it was streaming, although there was no indication of that?
Apologies if this has been covered; I searched and didn't find anything.
Thanks.
Apologies if this has been covered; I searched and didn't find anything.
Thanks.
9 Replies
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353 views
iJustine
Time for another AWESOME video from iJustine!
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YJjxjYvmQ8s
Direct YouTube Link - Good Bye, Tim! Last WWDC
The official iJustine Website's Website
Buy her book!
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YJjxjYvmQ8s
Direct YouTube Link - Good Bye, Tim! Last WWDC
The official iJustine Website's Website
Buy her book!
0 Replies
·
10 views
Pub Member / Supporter
Cutting Edge
WANTED DirecTV LCC
Anyone have a DirecTV Local Channel Connector that you'd like to get rid of at a reasonable price? DirecTV is currently in a contract dispute with owner of my local ABC affiliate.
12 Replies
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302 views
I did that. The response was that the LCC is not available. Escalated the issue to a tech support person with the same results.
Could be out of them I guess ... I'd keep trying, every 3-4 days.I did that. The response was that the LCC is not available. Escalated the issue to a tech support person with the same results.
If they are not out of them as them WHY you can't get one, seeing Your in a Dispute. Thats what they are for.
I would make them give you a real answer, don't let them off the hook.
I had one, and it worked well, but I believe I gave it to another D* friend (also had a AM21), I know I gave them away ...
According to the tech support guy, they don't have any in stock. He said I should receive an email when and if they have them. I even told him I would accept a refurbished unit.
I'm not sure your going to find any Refurbished ones as D* doesn't ask for them back.According to the tech support guy, they don't have any in stock. He said I should receive an email when and if they have them. I even told him I would accept a refurbished unit.
Pub Member / Supporter
Lifetime Supporter
Did anyone have a price increase today on their equipment? I own my VIP211k's, and they have been $5.00. My bill that I received last week shows the "add-ons" as being $5.00. However, I just logged into my Dish account, and my "add-ons" are now $10.00. Did the additional receivers go up by $5.00 recently?
As I mentioned, my last bill shows $5.00 and under the notes, nothing is mentioned about a price increase.
As I mentioned, my last bill shows $5.00 and under the notes, nothing is mentioned about a price increase.
11 Replies
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200 views
Hello everyone, new guy here. I'm trying to solve problem I'm having with Dish bonus view channels. When I'm watching the bonus view channels then I switch back to regular dish channels, after few minutes the screen flips to black and after 30 seconds flips back to regular channels and continues to flip back and forth until I turn off TV. After I wait 30 minutes and turn back on , I can use regular channels again. So, its after I switch from bonus view channels to regular dish channels the problem starts. Been trying to fix this for a month, but no luck
Here what I've done.
i contacted Dish support and they sent me a new Joey3, but no help. Switched to a different HDMI input on TV, no help. Used different HDMI cable , no help. Used different electrical wall plug, no help.
Finally got a Dish tech to check it. He ran all systems check and was OK. Finally he brought in a small TV and plugged in the HDMI out from the Joey to the small TV. He could not get the problem to occur on his small TV, so the new Joey was working OK. So, then the problem must be myTV. He made some phone calls and came back with the answer that there must be a problem with the analog to digital switch in my TV. Has anyone ever heard of a problem like this, or is it time to be looking for a new TV? My tv LG OLED65C8PUA. TV has been trouble free til now. Thanks
Here what I've done.
i contacted Dish support and they sent me a new Joey3, but no help. Switched to a different HDMI input on TV, no help. Used different HDMI cable , no help. Used different electrical wall plug, no help.
Finally got a Dish tech to check it. He ran all systems check and was OK. Finally he brought in a small TV and plugged in the HDMI out from the Joey to the small TV. He could not get the problem to occur on his small TV, so the new Joey was working OK. So, then the problem must be myTV. He made some phone calls and came back with the answer that there must be a problem with the analog to digital switch in my TV. Has anyone ever heard of a problem like this, or is it time to be looking for a new TV? My tv LG OLED65C8PUA. TV has been trouble free til now. Thanks
6 Replies
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103 views
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
House of the Dragon, the prequel to Game of Thrones, premieres on HBO Max on 8/21. I will be warching
www.syfy.com
View: https://youtu.be/fNwwt25mheo
S~
'Game of Thrones' spinoff 'House of the Dragon' fires up release date at HBO, drops new character pics
The wait’s felt a little like watching for a dragon egg to hatch, but HBO’s hugely anticipated Game of Thrones prequel series finally has a release date. House of the Dragon will debut the first of its initial 10-episode season this summer, the network revealed today in a series of tweets that...
View: https://youtu.be/fNwwt25mheo
S~
39 Replies
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5647 views
