I need a portable computer.Laptop, tablet, even maybe smartphone might do I might be having to go into a hospital for some time, possibly permanently. Fortuantely all of the candidate hospitals have wi fi and I have a service that covers all devices. As I probably don't have to tell you, hospital tv is godawful. 7-10 channels nobody wants to watch. So what I want is a portable computer that will pretty much enable me to watch cable tv and do about as much research, communication and word processing as I do now. Anyone have any recommendations?.
So sorry to read about your health problems. I hope our very smart members can point to a computer that fits your needs and also hope for a recovery from whatever ails you. Hugs Shangrila
I am a big fan of linux and therefore android. However if you see netflix in your future, you will need Windows/Mac. They won't let us have a streaming solution... which is funny, as most embedded devices (tivo etc) are linux based. I think android has a streaming app... I will tell you that if you are in a hospital bed, you might find having to hold a tablet at the right angle to view a show for the duration of several shows very annoying... you might opt for a full fledged laptop you can put on a table next to you, and adjust the view angle. This option will also give you the ability to stream netflix. Hulu, hulu + will play on anything, and there is a nice desktop version available for linux. HOWEVER... if your hospital TV has an HDMI port (you will need to supply the HDMI cable), you might purchase a Roku XD. It will pick up wifi and deliver a TON of content. With just a streaming package from netflix, you can watch a TON of show series (including original content which is brilliant) and it also gives you a great number of other services... kung fu tv... news channels including fox/democracy now... and access to other pay services like hulu + and vodo. Ok... looking now, they have 4 models. My XD came with a wii like remote, and you can play games like angry birds etc. I strongly recommend it... it looks like that 3rd one (Roku 2) is the way to go. It connects to almost anything and that looks like my remote. http://www.roku.com/products/compare And that is pretty cheap. Between HULU + and netflix (both subscriptions would be about 30 bucks a month) you will not run out of entertainment. Of course you will want a laptop, or a tablet with a real keyboard for doing battle here.
That remote also has a headphones jack, so you can listen through headphones attached directly to the remote. Really you just need to make sure the TV has an accessable HDMI port and I think that is your best option. There are also free movie channels avail... but I would get at least a hulu+ account. Hulu+ + netflix is awesome. I do netflix and free hulu at the house (primarily for the daily show) and there is no fear of quiet.
Considering your wants/needs...I would stay away from a Smart phone or tablet....unless you enjoy watching entertainment on a very small screen and find the touchscreen keyboard to be a fun challenge. The new windows OS is rather poor in comparison to windows 7 so I would recommend seeking an older model (as in last year) PC laptop.....the cost benefit ratio does not support purchasing a mac for your needs...hope this helps, and good luck with your health. one place to look: http://www.walmart.com/search/searc...l0=e&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=21957097587&wl4=&veh=sem
I had to laugh because I am in the hunt for a laptop as well and one of the manufacturers I was looking at let you choose W7 or W8 and it actually cost more for W7.
I was originally a skeptic of Google Chromebooks, but I bought one over a year ago. It has been my daily driver ever since, although I do have an iPad for lighter use. Many will tell you about the limitations of a Chromebook, but with web enabled word processing/office suites, the limitations only exist for more hard-core users. I have personally found no restrictions in what web enabled spreadsheet and word processing apps can do for my personal use, but in a business environment it would be a bit limited in terms of needing macros, multi-workbook capabilities, etc. But the positive side now is that they come in prices from $199 to $1600, with sizes from 11.6" screens up to 15". HP now has a couple models, the least expensive having no fan so it's great for true "laptop" use in your lap. There are lots of online reviews about the various Chromebooks. I own a $199 Acer, which is ok but if I had it to do again I'd get one with SSD instead of hard drive. Google Drive gives you 100GB free online storage and that has come in really handy when switching to my work or personal computer and wanting access to my files. I also own Macbook Pros (3), a desktop running Linux and another laptop running Windows 7. I prefer the Chromebook and the Macbooks to any other machines I've ever owned (over 20). Here's a link to show you can even watch Netflix on a Chromebook and the newest one from HP even uses the same charger as many Android phones. And as a side note, I have no interest in any company selling any Chromebooks and I'm just offering my perspective because I do own and use one daily. https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/1401467?hl=en
I am also fond of the chromebooks. I still think a roku player would be best for entertainment... and that is a cheap but broad solution. Chromebook is still a good idea for other stuffs... like here.
I just picked up a HP G6 in the UK for £400. Thought it was a bargain. One terabyte hard drive, i3 processor, 8 gigs of RAM, and the new Intel HD chips are good enough to support most modern PS3 games.
sorry to hear about your health, hope you get better I use amazon prime and netflix on my Android device... they also do have covers that allow you to prop them up for watching movies, ect... Google is supposed to be releasing a new 10 version soon, heard as early as good Friday, but there are many good ones out there if need sooner the google 7 is already released, maybe lighter and easier to use though smaller screen size, the Galaxy also sounds good and already released "Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 vs Google Nexus 10 2: Which 10 to Go for this Holiday?" http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/520473/20131108/google-nexus-10-2-samsung-galaxy-note.htm movies on a cell plan get costly.. hope your hospital wifi is better then ours .
I would get a laptop with a full size keyboard if you plan on using this beyond entertainment purposes, as you mentioned you needed it for word processing. You can pick up a decent laptop with an I5 processsor for the equivalent price of some of these tablets; which I consider toys to begin with in terms of using them for serious business applications. Get a laptop...many are marketed as desktop replacements, and that's what I would look for. For under $600 you can have some fairly serious computing power at your fingertips, beyond just surfing the web. If you're a gamer to any degree, you'll need to spend more, however for business applications and watching movies on the net, you can do this for under $600 and have access to a full keyboard equivalent to a desktop.
