New Laptops for the USIC folks...

**MOJO** · December 11th, 2009, 08:40 PM

Found this while surfing. Looks like you guys are getting, or have gotten, some nice units. Anyone using them yet? If so, how are they performing?

**big boots mcghee** · December 11th, 2009, 10:26 PM

They are rugged and durable, but boy are they heavy compared to other laptops.

**Goldenboy** · December 11th, 2009, 11:30 PM

I've had one for over a year. Seems to be a good computer. I've never had a problem with it and it even has lights on the screen to see the keyboard for them nighttime callouts.

**paintitnow** · December 12th, 2009, 01:52 AM

are they the tough books like the utility companies use?

**cableunderground** · December 12th, 2009, 02:35 AM

nope...they are the bad ones that utilites enforce upon us... here's your sign

**paintitnow** · December 12th, 2009, 03:03 AM

Well I am not in house locator so no utility is enforcing me to use a certain computer. Since each new contract the company hasn't seem to be force a new lap top on us so i pretty sure they have not enforced certian lap top on us. I guess they could be those fine Toshiba machines that fried in the cabs or their screens went out, or maybe the panasonic which didn't have enough memory or ram to operate quickly. I do apologies for not clicking on the link first to see these are different from the ones i have seen the utility companies in my area have used in the past.

**NINJA** · December 12th, 2009, 06:35 PM

What happened to your old ones ................

**Wag** · December 12th, 2009, 07:26 PM

great sounding article. too bad my new dell isn't the one mentioned about 20 times in the article.

**sling'n paint** · December 13th, 2009, 09:08 AM

Didn't know USIC was founded in 1973

Shouldn't it say 2008!!

**paintitnow** · December 13th, 2009, 05:36 PM

The old lap tops will probably be shipped down to Texas. Since that one guy I think was in Texas said he got the old equipment. I just hope they just do not throw them away, rather have them donate them to schools.

I guess since they aquired CLS and SM&P and usic was not a start up company they are allowed to use the company date that is the earliest.

**[HAF]Foxtrot** · December 14th, 2009, 11:50 AM

Good looking laptop. CUS just got new laptops, hoping for Tough Book, but we just got an upgraded version of the same old Toshiba we always used. This machine I got has Intel Centrino, 2 gb ram, decent stock graphics card, and more harddrive space then I will ever use. Windows Vista capable, but comes with XP Pro, which I am thankful for because I can't stand the new Windows OS's coming out.

**MOJO** · December 14th, 2009, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by [HAF]Foxtrot

Good looking laptop. CUS just got new laptops, hoping for Tough Book, but we just got an upgraded version of the same old Toshiba we always used. This machine I got has Intel Centrino, 2 gb ram, decent stock graphics card, and more harddrive space then I will ever use. Windows Vista capable, but comes with XP Pro, which I am thankful for because I can't stand the new Windows OS's coming out.

Windows 7 makes up for Vista...try it out.

**NINJA** · December 14th, 2009, 06:28 PM

man when I was with Utiliquets we had the toughbooks that was the nicest system for what we had to do. I was hoping someone had one they wanted to get rid of but they are like gold no one wants to give them away. i am also thinking about getting old systems referbing them and giving the to the boys and girls club or schools.....................

**[HAF]Foxtrot** · December 15th, 2009, 11:39 AM

Referb is good Ninja, but be wary. I had a nice laptop with a supposed "motherboard" problem. I dropped about 300+ bucks into it before I gave it up. Still has that problem.

As for operating systems, I have heard good things about 7, but I am cautious about going there. You had so much freedom with XP and below systems to do what you wanted how you wanted. When vista showed up, it ruined that. If 7 don't do it for me, I plan on moving to open source Linux.

**wet_boots101** · December 19th, 2009, 12:01 AM

The link to the Dell article is A) a good PR move on USIC's part and B) a good suck-up piece.

I didn't know locators lugged them around out in the elements...