Notebook to use in Iraq

[sdgserv]

Need a little help here. I have been searching the web for info on what the best notebook would be for a soldier. I have read that a single hinge is the strongest..It needs to be light and have WiFi. Proc. speed is not that important. It will be used mainly for E-mail. Pictures, music etc. a good modem or E.card, and a battery that is durable and replaceable.
Most sites and forums say to stay away from Toshiba and that is about all I can find

This is for my Son. He just got his orders and will be stationed in Mozul. They have an Intenet Cafe there, but as you can imagine it gets a little crowded. I am also not sure of what power the Military uses. If I need an adapter?
Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[yezhou]

Not sure about which laptops are really durable, but as for your question about the power voltage used there, you can check out this site. At the bottom there's a link to a table of all the countries' power voltages/cycles used. Hope that helps. Oh, and best wishes to your son in Iraq.

EDIT:
------
Forgot this. Since all laptops are multivoltag capable these days, all you'll need is a plug adapter like this.

 

[BlackBeardThe3rd]

depending on how much you have to spend i'd say in this order

apple iBook G4 -> IBM T43 or X32 -> Panasonic Toughbook 73 or eLite


for the $1000-1500 range
if he can use an apple i'd say go w/ a G4 iBook. single hinge, polycarbonate & magnesium alloy shell, rubber mounted hard drive, slot loading cd-rw/dvd. they can take a beating and keep on ticking.
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2123
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2142

for the $2000+ range
you can check out panasonic's toughbooks.
http://www.panasonic.com/business/toughbook/products.asp

there's a rugged line which costs $3k plus and is damn near indestructable. not sure if you can get a discount if he's in the army. i think they have different pricing, you'd have to call and find out.

the semi-rugged ones are still extremely tough though
some reviews of the W2 eLite
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2288
http://laptopmag.com/Review/Panasonic-ELITE-CF-W2.htm

Y2
http://www.notebookreview.com/price/def...oductFamilyID=427&display=reviewDetail

73
http://www.notebookreview.com/price/def...oductFamilyID=158&display=reviewDetail

51
http://www.notebookreview.com/price/def...oductFamilyID=425&display=reviewDetail


the new eLite looks really really nice. only way this would break is if an abrams tank drove over it.
http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/computer/elite_promotion/index.asp

 

[sdgserv]

Hey guys thanks alot. Got some reading ahead of me. My son is in the 172nd Stryker Brig. Combat Team out of Ft. Richardson, Alaska... Leave it to the Army to train them in the freezing cold for two years and then send them to a blistering hot desert in August.....

Again thanks for the links

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: BlackBeardThe3rd
slot loading cd-rw/dvd

I would consider that a negative. All kinds of crap could get in that thing....
Does it have a flap covering the slot? I hope so

Otherwise BlackBeard is on target. Surprisingly I have to say the iBook is a good budget choice, but I STRONGLY recommend a Thinkpad or ToughBook over it if you've got the $$$.

 

[WackyDan]

Marines are currently deploying ThinkPad T-series in place of the toughbooks they used to field. Found ThinkPads ironically are giving them a longer service life over there......

The moral of the story? When you make something very durable(toughbook), they will treat it as such...... and it becomes less durable.

Ironic ain't it?

 

[BlackBeardThe3rd]

Originally posted by: WackyDan
Marines are currently deploying ThinkPad T-series in place of the toughbooks they used to field. Found ThinkPads ironically are giving them a longer service life over there......

The moral of the story? When you make something very durable(toughbook), they will treat it as such...... and it becomes less durable.

Ironic ain't it?

thinkpads arent weak notebooks at all. they even employ carbon fiber in their shells.

 

[BlackBeardThe3rd]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak

Originally posted by: BlackBeardThe3rd
slot loading cd-rw/dvd

I would consider that a negative. All kinds of crap could get in that thing....
Does it have a flap covering the slot? I hope so

Otherwise BlackBeard is on target. Surprisingly I have to say the iBook is a good budget choice, but I STRONGLY recommend a Thinkpad or ToughBook over it if you've got the $$$.

i considered it a positive because it's one thing less that can become lose or break off. one of the reasons panasonic's new eLite has the dvd drive opening from the palmrest. if ya really want to make sure it's closed could use the solution to all the worlds problems, duct tape!

the ibms and the toughbooks are really great notebooks though and even stronger than the iBook. im just saying for the price of the iBook, nothing is as strong.

 

[BlingBlingArsch]

i wouldnt invest too much into a laptop that will be used in the desert. there are many ruggedized toughbooks sold at ebay, 700Mhz, wifi, 256mb Ram, cd-rom, 400-500$. XP or windows 98 should run just fine on it and when ur son returns u can thro the thing away.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: BlingBlingArsch
i wouldnt invest too much into a laptop that will be used in the desert. there are many ruggedized toughbooks sold at ebay, 700Mhz, wifi, 256mb Ram, cd-rom, 400-500$. XP or windows 98 should run just fine on it and when ur son returns u can thro the thing away.

QFT

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: BlackBeardThe3rd
i considered it a positive because it's one thing less that can become lose or break off. one of the reasons panasonic's new eLite has the dvd drive opening from the palmrest. if ya really want to make sure it's closed could use the solution to all the worlds problems, duct tape!

the ibms and the toughbooks are really great notebooks though and even stronger than the iBook. im just saying for the price of the iBook, nothing is as strong.

I agree completely about one less breakable thing, just concerned about the longevity

 

[BlackBeardThe3rd]

i dont see why it wouldnt last as long as a pc solution. the G4s run very cool. as good as the P-M.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: BlackBeardThe3rd
i dont see why it wouldnt last as long as a pc solution. the G4s run very cool. as good as the P-M.

daily wear & tear, abuse

 

[BlackBeardThe3rd]

the shell's made out of the same stuff they make bulletproof glass w/. that's pretty tough.

 

[ai42]

I work for a company that supplies a lot of electronics and gear to the military overseas.

I know for a fact that most (if not all) of the American bases in Iraq uses American based power systems. Generally the bases are not on the general power grid (too risky to trust somebody else to provide power apparently). So they run their own generators. Of course I'm not entirely sure why he would need his own laptop. I know they have ample opprotunity to use community computers to send emails and do webcam chats on the bases. I have an old buddy in high school who was in Kuwait last I heard and he manages the base's network of somewhere around 200-300 computers for 5,000 stationed there (This is kinda old information so I don't think this is accurate anymore but I'm sure that ratio is about right). Given I bet it does get a bit busy in the labs at times but I'm sure there is opprotunity to get on one. Also considering many officers have their own personal computers and I'm sure many soldiers have thier own laptops as well. And of course it is unlikely everyone is on the computer at the same time when they have Xboxs, and satallite TV to entertain them (I'm not kidding).

 

[BlackBeardThe3rd]

could be he just wants one so he can download alot of emails or family pics and read them in his bunk. the time they have at the community PCs is limited. also have the benefit of using it near internet cafes w/ wifi & it doubles as an mp3/dvd player.

 

[sdgserv]

Originally posted by: BlackBeardThe3rd
could be he just wants one so he can download alot of emails or family pics and read them in his bunk. the time they have at the community PCs is limited. also have the benefit of using it near internet cafes w/ wifi & it doubles as an mp3/dvd player.

That was his complaint. He will be with the 101st and his Brigade in a FOB. 2 Brigades in close quarters. I was wondering about the power also..adapters and such. If this notebook makes it half way thru his tour it will be a miracle. He lands in Kuwait and it is a 4 day ride to his base. "Running the Gauntlet" I can't tell you how happy that makes me feel. I am going to check out everybodys suggestions this weekend and again thanks for all of help

 

[PatboyX]

Originally posted by: sdgfish

Originally posted by: BlackBeardThe3rd
could be he just wants one so he can download alot of emails or family pics and read them in his bunk. the time they have at the community PCs is limited. also have the benefit of using it near internet cafes w/ wifi & it doubles as an mp3/dvd player.

That was his complaint. He will be with the 101st and his Brigade in a FOB. 2 Brigades in close quarters. I was wondering about the power also..adapters and such. If this notebook makes it half way thru his tour it will be a miracle. He lands in Kuwait and it is a 4 day ride to his base. "Running the Gauntlet" I can't tell you how happy that makes me feel. I am going to check out everybodys suggestions this weekend and again thanks for all of help

as for the power, i know there are a few guys over in ATOT and P&N who are/have been in the military. they might be able to help you out as far as what sort of power the military has. if i had to guess i would say that they have their own generators and power, probably our standard just to make things easier. especially in a place like iraq where rebuilding is going on.
for that matter, i know of at least one young man who was over recently and may have advice about laptops that he had experienced overseas.
my advice would be to post in OT about military experience with laptops and see what sort of response you get.

 

[fbrdphreak]

In regards to power, pretty much all notebook adapters support 110V-220V; you just need a plug adapter. have him pick up one of those travel adapter sets just in case

 

[deathwalker]

Might i suggest armor platting for that occasional roadside bomb!!

 

[BlackBeardThe3rd]

the new iBooks came out today (tue)

still the toughest for $1k.

not as tough as a toughbook though.

http://www.macnn.com/articles/05/07/26/apple.revamps.ibook.line/

http://www.apple.com/ibook/

it's nice they added Sudden Motion Sensor technology like IBM & toughbook

"Now every iBook G4 is equipped with Apple?s Sudden Motion Sensor to help protect your most valuable asset: your data. The Sudden Motion Sensor senses change in axis position and accelerated movement. In the event of a drop or fall, the Sudden Motion Sensor instantly parks the hard drive heads so they won?t scratch the disks on impact, lessening the risk of damage and improving your chances of retrieving valuable data. When the Sudden Motion Sensor senses your iBook G4 is once again level, it unlocks the hard drive heads automatically."

 

[Hisma]

Im in the military
we use toughbooks as our work laptops. They are just as their name implies. Tough! They can still break tho... as ours recently took a crap on us. Despite this they are extremely durable. Hell, the LCD had a huge dent in it & it still worked fine, without any real distortion to the LCD itself. If you want a laptop that's military-friendly, toughbook is definately a good choice.

 

[Fox5]

Originally posted by: Hisma
Im in the military
we use toughbooks as our work laptops. They are just as their name implies. Tough! They can still break tho... as ours recently took a crap on us. Despite this they are extremely durable. Hell, the LCD had a huge dent in it & it still worked fine, without any real distortion to the LCD itself. If you want a laptop that's military-friendly, toughbook is definately a good choice.

I heard the military was switching to Thinkpads because the Thinkpads actually proved tougher than the Toughbooks.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: Fox5

Originally posted by: Hisma
Im in the military
we use toughbooks as our work laptops. They are just as their name implies. Tough! They can still break tho... as ours recently took a crap on us. Despite this they are extremely durable. Hell, the LCD had a huge dent in it & it still worked fine, without any real distortion to the LCD itself. If you want a laptop that's military-friendly, toughbook is definately a good choice.

I heard the military was switching to Thinkpads because the Thinkpads actually proved tougher than the Toughbooks.

As WackyDan mentioned, the USMC is switching because soldiers tended to abuse laptops they thought were "tough" more than conventional laptops in a regular bag. Hence, Thinkpad with their top notch build quality (altho less rugged than a Toughbook) are proving to be cheaper and more reliable in that regard.