Planned obsolescence

[tahnan]

I hate the thought of buying a new computer just because the battery on this one no longer holds a charge. On the other hand, I also hate the thought of buying a new battery only to have the computer in general crash and burn three months from now. And what I really hate is the thought of buying a new battery, only to have the battery stop working three months from now, which seems to be what users on the Dell website suggest will happen. (Well, they say nine months, but I still expect better from a $156 battery.) And really I don't need something that lasts for four hours in any case; I just need something that won't shut off completely if my plug falls out.

Comments

[cazique.livejournal.com]

netbooks can be had pretty economically these days; not much, in the scheme of things, more than that battery. that's the route, I think.

[lorelei-sakai.livejournal.com]

I just bought a new battery for my laptop on account of the old one dying without warning, but it only set me back about $60. Temvald pointed me at a site that has some reasonably cheap replacement batteries, so it may be that you can get a sufficient battery for less than an official brand replacement.

[littleowl.livejournal.com]

Hear, hear. On the up side, my Dell hasn't crashed in 2 almost 3 years while every HP that work gave me just ... didn't make it.

[42itous.livejournal.com]

I feel the same way. That's why my two previous machines were hand-me-downs (from Dad and from grandparents). But I love love love my MacBook, now 1.75 yrs old.

[bookishfellow.livejournal.com]

For what it's worth, http://www.woot.com is selling a "universal" battery pack that's supposed to be good for 6 hours laptop time, for a hunnerd bucks. Today (10/23) only.

[probably-lost.livejournal.com]

For some reason, the phrase, "I just need something that won't shut off completely if my plug falls out," made me snigger. I am aware that the most likely reason is that I am 12 years old.