Lost laptops. Encourageing sign of backup mentality
02 Jan 07 Filed in:Computers
If you had a spanky brand new laptop, or a company notebook, and you took it on a long journey by plane, wouldn't you be holding onto it for grim death? Incredibly, 120 computer-hauling passengers passing through Heathrow every month just plain forget they ever brought one with them. Not as bad as leaving the baby on the bus, but not far off.
Indulge this road warrior for one moment with a mini rant on the laptop weight issue. I have travelled thousands of miles with a 5lb laptop in a 30lb laptop bag. That is par for the course for any normal person, excluding of course the happy smiling executive on the advert with a laptop under his arm and a bag boy off camera. It soon mounts up, the weight of cables and back-up Operating System CDs and USB hubs and a paper pad for quick notes, digital camera and all that paraphenalia.
I humbly suggest therefore, that when you are next in the market for a new laptop, 4lb, 3lb, 2lb is almost an irrelevant detail, except for the price. So whilst I don't go with the idea of any old weight will do, I wouldn't waste a nano-second debating the advantages of a 3, 4 or 5lb computer. Just go for the 5lb-er and spend the hundreds of dollar savings on a gym membership - or any other method that will workout that right arm three times a week to ease the stress of laptop lugging. But that is just me - probably the only person who ever bought a computer thinking it was a business investment, as opposed to a fashion accessory.
How weird is it that the airport Lost and Found has more laptop products on the shelves than the electronics store in the shopping area?People just abandon the computer, happier to claim on insurance than queue for half an hour getting their precious lightweight computer back. That doesn't make any sense at all, having filled in a few insurance claim forms in my time.
As usual, every cloud has a silver lining. There has been no noticeable trend of lost laptop owners having nervous breakdowns at airports, therefore it can only mean one thing. They all have a fully backed-up copy of their hard drive at home, right? If not, they would surely be freaking out over all that lost data? That must be very reassuring for the on-line community gurus who have been forever chanting "Back-up, back-up, back-up!" at the beginning, middle and end of every post.
And the rumors that tech is going to do well on the stock market next year must therefore be true too, seeing as we have a little proof that companies selling external hard drives are taking orders left, right and center from traveling folks.
Happy New Year and don't forget that traveling list of never-to-be-forgotten items - laptop, baby,.... and thanks to silicon.com for the idea
Light-weight laptops, a waste of money
I humbly suggest therefore, that when you are next in the market for a new laptop, 4lb, 3lb, 2lb is almost an irrelevant detail, except for the price. So whilst I don't go with the idea of any old weight will do, I wouldn't waste a nano-second debating the advantages of a 3, 4 or 5lb computer. Just go for the 5lb-er and spend the hundreds of dollar savings on a gym membership - or any other method that will workout that right arm three times a week to ease the stress of laptop lugging. But that is just me - probably the only person who ever bought a computer thinking it was a business investment, as opposed to a fashion accessory.
Meanwhile, back at the Heathrow Lost Property department.
How weird is it that the airport Lost and Found has more laptop products on the shelves than the electronics store in the shopping area?People just abandon the computer, happier to claim on insurance than queue for half an hour getting their precious lightweight computer back. That doesn't make any sense at all, having filled in a few insurance claim forms in my time.
External hard drives must be selling well.
As usual, every cloud has a silver lining. There has been no noticeable trend of lost laptop owners having nervous breakdowns at airports, therefore it can only mean one thing. They all have a fully backed-up copy of their hard drive at home, right? If not, they would surely be freaking out over all that lost data? That must be very reassuring for the on-line community gurus who have been forever chanting "Back-up, back-up, back-up!" at the beginning, middle and end of every post.
And the rumors that tech is going to do well on the stock market next year must therefore be true too, seeing as we have a little proof that companies selling external hard drives are taking orders left, right and center from traveling folks.
Happy New Year and don't forget that traveling list of never-to-be-forgotten items - laptop, baby,.... and thanks to silicon.com for the idea
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