JCC ITT we complain about our 1st world problems...

Well, I tried.. .

 

I appreciate it.

Oh, Yoda j/k

 

No PCs. Hit 3 stores in NYC. Nothing felt right (Not keyboards, response time, or those matte screens etc.) If I could find another Asus without the matte screen and decent specs, maybe I’d consider it. And the desktops were monsters (They look like they would eat me and my desk).

Worse d the “help” at these places was awful. I knew more than the staff did at Best Buy about PCs: a Blade was actually a Razer. To be fair, staff sucks at Apple too.

Couldn’t find jeans either.

 

Drivers in front of me who go way below the speed limit.
Drivers behind me who speed so fast that they ride my bumper.

 

@Master_Lok - have you thought about getting a PC made to your specs? Since you're in NYC there must be a ton of places that will do that. Write down what you want in a machine and get a few quotes.

 

I would rather get something small probably laptop (and skip using the trackpad) that I could start with. Shame that Asus Mini ProArt doesn’t have a lower priced model. I can’t order a PC without seeing and testing it.

I’ll check locally tonight and then if nothing there, I may just stick with Apple and buy a build to order model on Wednesday that a local store can get to me overnight. Still waiting on the fix from the conversion software folks (they are promising me it will work).

The urgency is that it looks like Apple will raise prices due to lunatic in charge’s tariffs on China, so if I have to stick with a Mac, I need to buy one ASAP.

It sucks.

 

I will say I've had good luck with my current HP laptop. It's made it past 7 years with only a couple of repairs (motherboard stuff, not drive/screen/keyboard).

 

I have absolutely nothing to do at work today. It's Friday, and I wish I could just go home early. But for some reason my boss wants me to sit here and do nothing... Especially annoying because she knows I need to go to the DMV and could be doing that now. Instead now I'll have to get up early tomorrow to do it.

 

I love their Spectre line. I always am drawn to those machines in the stores. The keyboards are great, as are the screens, but I’ve heard and talked to folks who have had nothing but trouble with HPs. You’re the first person who had such good luck with them.

It would be much easier if I knew Windows enough to be confident to just jump right in.

Thanks, as always.

@solojones argh! Yes our request system has been down all day. So unless people email me directly or stop by, I am sitting pretty too.

My auto correct just suggested Holyfield instead of builds!

 

I've had pretty good luck with my Dell computers. They also offer a pretty good rewards program where you get money back for every dollar you spend. I definitely accumulated enough from buying computers to buy some games, for instance. And sometimes they'll run deals on their site where computers come with $100 gift cards.

 

My last 3 PCs have been HP - two laptops and a netbook (the latter is still going strong though I use it more as a back up to the laptop these days). I'd definitely buy the brand again. Current laptop is a purple HP Pavilion G series one.

 

Thank you both.

I had a nightmare experience with Dell three years ago - so bad I will never deal with them again. Glad they’re doing right by you @solojones

@LAJ_FETT I’ll see what HP Spectres the local Best Buy has tonight. Also circling the Razer Stealth (as bad as their customer service is). I admit Apple has spoiled me with computer design. Beyond the importance of comfort & solid specs, a good looking machine is pretty important here. Some PC OEMs are killing it in the designs and trying to find solutions for cooling etc, so that kind of thought gets massive props from me. They’re actually trying to merge function and form.

 

Spectres are definitely pretty computers.

 

I just found out I have switch to a PC which is fine. I’ve been getting myself used to that thought this weekend. The psychological detach from Apple after 23 years is tough, but the folks who make the conversion software couldn’t find the reason why their software will no longer work in doing what it does. I just requested a refund. Drawing traditionally is a start in my switch because that will help get me more used how Wacom tablets work - you cannot line up the art and software side-by-side on the screen. Thankfully, most of my software is cross platform.

So, I’ll get a laptop and just use a mouse. The biggest issue is can I not spend this money on bills and wait on the OEMs to release their second quarter machines.

Anyhow, now the wait. Here’s hoping something great will be released in the next 3 weeks or so.
And, yes, the Spectres are lovely. A new 15” Spectre is coming out in two weeks. Sadly, it has early 2018 specs and is tariff priced.

I suspect I’ll have to go with an existing model given my financials, the tariffs, the decline of my iMac etc. I would like a much better laptop than the long gone Acer I picked up in 2017 though.

I am so annoyed I am bound by specs.

 

But of course, I flip flopped again. Read so many negative reviews, I’ll just continue as I am: Apple-whipped.

Too many choices -and right now- the less stress in my life the better. I’ll just use the older machine for conversions, and the new one for everything else.

 

Now that my parents went back home after visiting, I have to pay for my groceries.

 

Multiple animal alarms waking me up the last two days. I’ll take the cat over the dog(s).

Now, it’s time to make the donuts...

 

I am at work with nothing to do still because my boss still hasn't assigned anything... meanwhile, she won't even be in until 10. So she made me come in to do nothing but she's not in

And I still haven't gotten to the DMV.

 

@solojones

Buying a computer tomorrow. Have no idea what, given the relentless negative reviews of all the PC laptops I was considering. I may just jump in, as long as I have something that runs a Wacom clone I’ll be fine. I am giving up on the video conversion requirement.

If I buy another iMac, my days with iOS are numbered though. Freaking touch disease on this 8+ now too. The Samsung s10e is looking really nice right now, especially with their security folder option.

 

Good luck. Try to stick with a name brand if you can - less chance of it ending badly.

 

We had meetings yesterday afternoon and this morning, so that gave me something to do... but now we're back to the situation where I'm stuck at work with no assigned work. Soooo I'm just messing around online while I wait for work, which isn't as fun as it sounds.

Meanwhile, I *still* have to go to the DMV. Which means going after work one day and waiting in a large line.... when if I went right now according to online check-in, there's NO line. But I can't go, because instead I have to sit here and do nothing.

 

Can you ask your boss if you can take an early lunch break or something to get to the DMV when it isn't busy?

 

So, I've been waiting for the 3rd book in a trilogy which was originally supposed to come out this past Sept. The book was delayed an entire year due primarily to scheduling conflicts. Then a couple of months ago I see a facebook post by the author showing a pre-order link and OMG a release date of 5/9/2019! Yay! I placed an email to inquire about estimated time of delivery and they happily informed me that they reverse the publishing date, so it's actually 9/5/2019. I have to wait until Sept.

 

I'm growing really, really pissed at getting penalized by state institutions over late payments when they are twice as late over twice the amounts in payments they owe us.