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Howdy was wondering if someone could help me with a question regarding purchasing a laptop. my dh and I have a desktop Packard Bell, however I would like to buy a laptop that I can use outside and be on the internet via a wireless connection. Will one of the 1000 buck laptops be enough? how to I arrange the wireless connection? i dont mind if the laptop isp is not the same as the desktop, but this would of course be preferred.. we are currently on 90 bucks a month through bigpond.. any advice will be appreciated.

Yeah all laptops have a slot for Wireless Cards that slot in from whoever your ISP provider is...Ive got wireless with Bigpond, mainly as they were the only ones 12 months ago that had it....I dare say now and in 12 months time when my contract ends there will be more options (i hope)

Ill never get a desktop again, love the portablility of laptops, especially with kids and being able to play DVD's etc on them...also can package laptops under my Salary Package which turned a $1400- laptop in the store into under $1000- out of pocket...worth looking into if your employer does this

There are so many options.. i am really interested in the mobile wireless but my dh says its wayyy overrated.. so reckon we'll go with a new router modem (i think that's what it called) and one of those card thingys my employer also does salary sacrifice so reckon i'll look into that too... thanks again for your advice

Just found out my company salary sacrifices too, just have to bring the reciept and get back apporx a third.

TroyGFC wrote:Just found out my company salary sacrifices too, just have to bring the reciept and get back apporx a third.

Yeah basically whatever your tax rate is, is the amount you save...crazy if you dont do it...only applies to laptops though

Dutchy wrote:

TroyGFC wrote:Just found out my company salary sacrifices too, just have to bring the reciept and get back apporx a third.

Yeah basically whatever your tax rate is, is the amount you save...crazy if you dont do it...only applies to laptops though

how do I find out what the tax rate is? Any websites?

TroyGFC wrote:

Dutchy wrote:

TroyGFC wrote:Just found out my company salary sacrifices too, just have to bring the reciept and get back apporx a third.

Yeah basically whatever your tax rate is, is the amount you save...crazy if you dont do it...only applies to laptops though

how do I find out what the tax rate is? Any websites?

Im going out on a limb here:

http://www.ato.gov.au

http://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/content.asp?doc=/content/12333.htm&mnu=5053&mfp=001

but basically 30 cents in the dollar for under $75k and 40 cents in the dollar for over $75k

do you have to pay up front or can you buy via interest free? (eg. David Jones card)

depends on the employer I think...with mine I paid for the full price upfront $1400- (doesnt matter how you pay for it) then send receipt off to employer who will recredit you with the full amount $1400- and then take the $1400- off your pre-tax salary in your next pay...hope this makes sense

LC:

You don't want wireless broadband. You want wireless access to your current broadband. You'd be mad to get a second account.

Basically, you'd have your modem attached to the phone line (broadband already I assume?) and you would get a wireless access point. This will sit next to your modem (plugged in to it, hopefully) and then your laptop will connect to that - which in turn means you're "online".

D

Dissident wrote:LC:

You don't want wireless broadband. You want wireless access to your current broadband. You'd be mad to get a second account.

Basically, you'd have your modem attached to the phone line (broadband already I assume?) and you would get a wireless access point. This will sit next to your modem (plugged in to it, hopefully) and then your laptop will connect to that - which in turn means you're "online".

D

i think thats what we are going to go with.. but i really was after something truly mobile.. ie could be online when in the car etc... doesnt the above only work in close proximity to our desktop pc... i think my dh has convinced me that what you have suggested will be the way to go.. the truly mobile stuff just seems too restrictive regarding speeds, costs etc...

thanks again for your advice

Lunchcutter wrote:

Dissident wrote:LC:

You don't want wireless broadband. You want wireless access to your current broadband. You'd be mad to get a second account.

Basically, you'd have your modem attached to the phone line (broadband already I assume?) and you would get a wireless access point. This will sit next to your modem (plugged in to it, hopefully) and then your laptop will connect to that - which in turn means you're "online".

D

i think thats what we are going to go with.. but i really was after something truly mobile.. ie could be online when in the car etc... doesnt the above only work in close proximity to our desktop pc... i think my dh has convinced me that what you have suggested will be the way to go.. the truly mobile stuff just seems too restrictive regarding speeds, costs etc...

thanks again for your advice

"truly" mobile.... yes.... $$$$$$$$$

And slow.
And limited range.

Better off getting access from your mobile phone!

You can also depreciate a laptop bought through salary sacrifice. This makes the deal even more tax effective

Hooray!!! Finally got a new laptop yesterday. A Asus Dou Core with 15.4" widesceen. Looks good and finally have got rid of windows 95!! Ended up paying $1440 from JBHifi (computer in Sundaymail). Already put salary sacrifice forms in at work so hopefully it all will be even cheaper. I am going to remain on Dialup a little longer until can afford to go broadband.

TroyGFC wrote:Hooray!!! Finally got a new laptop yesterday. A Asus Dou Core with 15.4" widesceen. Looks good and finally have got rid of windows 95!! Ended up paying $1440 from JBHifi (computer in Sundaymail). Already put salary sacrifice forms in at work so hopefully it all will be even cheaper. I am going to remain on Dialup a little longer until can afford to go broadband.

I hope that they have fixed their problems from 4 years ago. I have one and the hard drive crashed after 2 months Of course it was replaced free of charge after 6 weeks of scratching thier ar*e wondering what was wrong with it.

heater31 wrote:

TroyGFC wrote:Hooray!!! Finally got a new laptop yesterday. A Asus Dou Core with 15.4" widesceen. Looks good and finally have got rid of windows 95!! Ended up paying $1440 from JBHifi (computer in Sundaymail). Already put salary sacrifice forms in at work so hopefully it all will be even cheaper. I am going to remain on Dialup a little longer until can afford to go broadband.

I hope that they have fixed their problems from 4 years ago. I have one and the hard drive crashed after 2 months Of course it was replaced free of charge after 6 weeks of scratching thier ar*e wondering what was wrong with it.

Not really a problem with the ASUS laptop then - they use the same hard drives as most other sellers of laptops.

It's like getting a new Ford with dunlop tyres, and then the tyres blow - and you say you hope ford have fixed their problems.

Dissident wrote:

heater31 wrote:

TroyGFC wrote:Hooray!!! Finally got a new laptop yesterday. A Asus Dou Core with 15.4" widesceen. Looks good and finally have got rid of windows 95!! Ended up paying $1440 from JBHifi (computer in Sundaymail). Already put salary sacrifice forms in at work so hopefully it all will be even cheaper. I am going to remain on Dialup a little longer until can afford to go broadband.

I hope that they have fixed their problems from 4 years ago. I have one and the hard drive crashed after 2 months Of course it was replaced free of charge after 6 weeks of scratching thier ar*e wondering what was wrong with it.

Not really a problem with the ASUS laptop then - they use the same hard drives as most other sellers of laptops.

It's like getting a new Ford with dunlop tyres, and then the tyres blow - and you say you hope ford have fixed their problems.

ok then it must have been a bad batch and the batch run was only one and it happened to mine

Dissident wrote:...It's like getting a new Ford with dunlop tyres, and then the tyres blow - and you say you hope ford have fixed their problems.

I can relate to that I had Dunlop tyres once on a Range Rover - blew a front one at 160Kph. Scarey but no harm done. Beaurepairs replaced it - fortunately I only had two so I put them on the back and kept the older Michelins on the front - interestingly the Diunlops wore out before the Michelins too!

The worst lap top I ever had was a Toshiba. The best has been a HiGrade [UK brand] ASUS have done well in recent reviews.