DTMark Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 I think I'm about done with "devices" - phones, tablets etc. My iPad is basically useless following an OS upgrade that I now apparently cannot regress. I looked at the Microsoft Surface things. Even if I could make do with a tiny display, they're, er, £650+. Which gets a nice laptop. So, laptop it is then. So I go to buy a Sony Vaio one and it looks like they've stopped making them. Can this be true.. I'd rather have a lower spec Sony one than the latest no-name crap from Currys with a keyboard that will be broken in less than a year. It was always the keyboards that attracted me to the Sony ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNACR Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Not sure but probably somehow the fault of North Korea. I have had the same problem with apple os upgrades. Been caught previously with things I used regularly no longer working after upgrades so now don't upgrade then gets to the point that apps I do use are upgraded and need the later ios version all very irritating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyres Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Regret updating to iOS 8? You might still have time to downgrade theres a guide here: http://www.idownloadblog.com/2014/09/20/how-to-downgrade-ios-8-to-ios-7-1-2/ also, I think Vaio still make laptop, but without Sony... http://www.engadget.com/2014/07/01/vaio-returns/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 I bought the new Dell 7000 13 inch yoga style laptop before Christmas - got about £150 off it in a deal - and am very pleased with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTMark Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 I think that the cut off date for regression back to iOS7 has passed now. Might be a way to "hack it" I guess. I barely use it, it was a novelty really. About the only thing I did use it for, was browsing this forum, but now it struggles even with that. Opening a web page with more than one Flash video embedded in it just crashes the browser. It has "gone all Android". To be fair I suspect the issues are with Flash more so than iOS, but the Safari browser is poor and just shuts itself down, it does not "handle" the problems. The model that I have is not really up to running iOS8 anyway, it makes the whole thing slow and laggy. There's a reset function but that's not a hard/factory reset, the current OS remains. Its main practical, real use is as a remote desktop tool for when I'm out and about. It does that OK but the lack of a mouse and proper keyboard prevails. Looks like the new Vaio laptops are to be Japan only for now. A nearly new second hand Sony Vaio with a 17" screen would be ideal. I shall go shopping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bear Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Herself bought an Asus I3 laptop with 4 gigs although only a 750 gig drive in Staples last week for a shade under £250. Good screen and keybord and the W8.1 touchscreen actually makes it useable without plugging in a mouse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thombleached Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 HP Probook's are pretty sturdy, have that chunky feel (with the additional numeric keypad). Mine's an ex-work one that I bought off them when I left last year. Probably 3/4 years old now but stays on 24/7 running a PVR server and never misses a beat. I know what you mean about VAIO's though, but they did make some clangers. Towards the end they were competing with the ACER's of this world and I bought my wife one for c£350 one year that I've taken apart twice (once to fix the AC connector to the motherboard which had cracked and the other when the HD fried). On the other hand my parents have got one that's c3/4 years old and it's almost identical in feel to my probook, sturdy as they come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StainlessSteelCat Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Personally, I reckon you've had a lucky escape. I've often found Sony to be unreliable, appalling driver support and blooming expensive. I no longer automatically update older Apple devices as a result of previous failures. I wait for the other beta testers first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecrashingisles Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Can this be true.. I'd rather have a lower spec Sony one than the latest no-name crap from Currys with a keyboard that will be broken in less than a year. It was always the keyboards that attracted me to the Sony ones. Get an Asus or Acer instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longgone Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 I think I'm about done with "devices" - phones, tablets etc. My iPad is basically useless following an OS upgrade that I now apparently cannot regress. I looked at the Microsoft Surface things. Even if I could make do with a tiny display, they're, er, £650+. Which gets a nice laptop. So, laptop it is then. So I go to buy a Sony Vaio one and it looks like they've stopped making them. Can this be true.. I'd rather have a lower spec Sony one than the latest no-name crap from Currys with a keyboard that will be broken in less than a year. It was always the keyboards that attracted me to the Sony ones. There is no branding they are all the same , open up a sony laptop and you will find a system board made by hannstar , which is a sister company of hannspree. a screen made by chi mei or samsung or auo and harddrive manufacture is a lottery. samsung is pretty good since they make pretty much all the components anyway , sony make nothing apart from a few dvd or blu ray drives Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecrashingisles Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 There is no branding they are all the same , open up a sony laptop and you will find a system board made by hannstar , which is a sister company of hannspree. a screen made by chi mei or samsung or auo and harddrive manufacture is a lottery. samsung is pretty good since they make pretty much all the components anyway , sony make nothing apart from a few dvd or blu ray drives Does that really matter? Like them or loathe them, Apple probably have the best build quality and yet you could say exactly the same about them. It's more about quality control in the supply chain than who makes the components. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longgone Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Does that really matter? Like them or loathe them, Apple probably have the best build quality and yet you could say exactly the same about them. It's more about quality control in the supply chain than who makes the components. well if it does not matter why even consider a sony laptop in the first place , surely it should be down to spec and price acer probably the best bang for buck , i wont buy any apple products too proprietary for me i buy broken ones and repair them anyway , bought a samsung core i3 for £35 £3 to repair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GinAndPlatonic Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Get an Asus or Acer instead. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Acer-Aspire-11-6-Inch-Celeron-Windows/dp/B00NWHUXYG/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top Look at the reviews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longgone Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Acer-Aspire-11-6-Inch-Celeron-Windows/dp/B00NWHUXYG/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top Look at the reviews avoid amd powered and celeron too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlyme2 Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Vaios got a bad rep with overheating. They tried to build to quality - at least on the outside but the designs often ended up compromised. Don't quite know where Sony going as a company. Still rate Dell for cost / quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnionTerror Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 For me, its Lenovo, Asus or Toshiba.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longgone Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 For me, its Lenovo, Asus or Toshiba.. yup lenovo are good machines 5yo thinkpad only the keyboard is worn out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libspero Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 I think a lot of manufacturers make models aimed specifically at business folk. All of the work laptop's I've had have been tough as nails ( not like the discount bargain basement ones you get from retail). The only issue with the ones I've used is they all ran like dogs because most corporate IT managers pile on enough security and encryption as to render them practically useless. Since you wouldn't need any of that i think you'd be fine if you can get your hands on one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTMark Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 It was the keyboard specifically that attracted me to the Sony kit. I've had maybe four laptops in the past and the common failure point is always the keyboard, with the most used keys stopping working. The one we have now is like that. Everything else works fine. It's an Asus but then it was quite a cheap one I think (£300 a few years back). The same happened to my Acer one (bit dearer but still quite cheap) though that fared better lasting about a year with daily usage. But then those were at the cheap end of the market, and it doesn't mean to say that everything they make fails like that, Acer did some quite high end ones as I recall. And I'm not planning on using it heavily anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Loo Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 It was the keyboard specifically that attracted me to the Sony kit. I've had maybe four laptops in the past and the common failure point is always the keyboard, with the most used keys stopping working. The one we have now is like that. Everything else works fine. It's an Asus but then it was quite a cheap one I think (£300 a few years back). The same happened to my Acer one (bit dearer but still quite cheap) though that fared better lasting about a year with daily usage. But then those were at the cheap end of the market, and it doesn't mean to say that everything they make fails like that, Acer did some quite high end ones as I recall. And I'm not planning on using it heavily anyway. change the keyboard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Loo Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Vaios got a bad rep with overheating. They tried to build to quality - at least on the outside but the designs often ended up compromised. Don't quite know where Sony going as a company. Still rate Dell for cost / quality. service lets Dell down badly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libspero Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Might be a bit over budget, but it looks like you can get an ultra mobile Dell Latitude 7000 for £769 +VAT and shipping. I'm not very fussy about keyboards, but I've used Latitudes at nearly every company I've worked at and never managed to break a keyboard yet. http://www.dell.com/uk/business/p/latitude-laptops Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libspero Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 service lets Dell down badly. Must admit, I've never had to deal with their service department. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Loo Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Must admit, I've never had to deal with their service department. Yep. I think most PCs are reasonably reliable these days...Ive never bought a Dell, partly because they dont give a toss about the trade, but because of the repairs I have been involved in...whats worrying, was the number that were IN warranty and the support (on site or not) meant a long time on the phone, the client doing rebuilds and data recovery, and in one case, 24 hr on site recovery meaning a couple of broken appointments then a local turning up expecting an entirely different job. I think this was why they lost their number 1 spot some time ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frozen_out Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 I think a lot of manufacturers make models aimed specifically at business folk. All of the work laptop's I've had have been tough as nails ( not like the discount bargain basement ones you get from retail). The only issue with the ones I've used is they all ran like dogs because most corporate IT managers pile on enough security and encryption as to render them practically useless. Since you wouldn't need any of that i think you'd be fine if you can get your hands on one. I use a 7 year old Dell E6400 at home that I errrr.... acquired from work. Popped an SSD in it and put Linux mint on and it flies along, and the build feels bullet proof. Much better than my son's year old Acer that flexes when you open the screen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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