Re: [tlug] Advice on a new ThinkPad purchase

[David Smith <davidsmith@example.com>]

"Mark Makdad" <mark@example.com> writes:

> TLUG,
>
> My ThinkPad T30 has seen its better days, and 5+ years is more than anyone could ask.  A dying/dead
> LCD, appoximately 3 minutes of battery life when unplugged.  It's an Ubuntu *desktop* now, and I've
> learned to live with it.  These things are to be expected.
>
> Yet, I have the "buy new hardware" itch.  The gods must be appeased.  I have my eye on a T61
> Thinkpad.  Seems like a few other TLUGgers are using?
>
> My key requirements are:
>
> (1) Clean and easy Ubuntu install, or detailed instructions on how to make things happy,
> (2) VirtualBox running XP connected to the aforementioned EMOBILE PPP connection running under
> Ubuntu, and
> (3) Ability to run multiple heads at home, ideally, one as the XP Vbox and the other as my real
> desktop (any Thinkpad could do this I believe)
>
> The only wildcard here is (2).  I know EMOBILE has a PPP client for XP, but it seems that on Ubuntu,
> this is DIY.
>
> This blog indicates that it's possible on 7.04:
>
> http://wm-eddie.info/?p=123
>  
> And this Japanese entry mentions 8.04 as well.
>
> http://b.hatena.ne.jp/Ubuntu/emobile/?mode=detail
>
> One key concern is getting the PCMCIA card working-- seems like the recent EMOBILE card is actually
> USB-- definitely more portable than PCMCIA, but at the same time, far more likely for me to snap the
> thing off randomly (c.f. any wireless mouse receiver I've ever tried to use).
>
> I'm probably going to run to Akihabara first thing tomorrow morning anyway...  any thoughts from T61
> owners or EMOBILE owners would be greatly appreciated!
>
> Cheers
>
> Mark

I use the emobile card with X60, X61, T60, and T61 models all the
time. It's an easy setup and is detected properly on any kernel from
circa 2.6.8, maybe even earlier. The USB hockey-puck one also works
fine, just as good kernel-level support.

The T61 comes in nvidia and intel graphics variants. Be sure you get the
one you want. All in all, it's quite a good machine. Biggest complaint
is that they changed the keyboard and it has less of the good-old IBM
keyboard feel than even the X61 or T60.

Cheers,
- dds

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