I always check the Sunday newspaper sale ads from the electronics stores. It’s not that I’m one of those “have to have everything” kind of guys (I’m not), but I like to keep up with what’s available and follow the progress and improvements of digital doo-dads.
That’s what led me to notice an offering from one of the office supply mega-stores for an HP laptop computer that’s being advertised on sale this week. It’s obviously been designed for the extra-wide laps of our increasingly obese population, I guess, because it has a 16-inch screen on it. And that extra width allows them to restore the numeric keypad to the right of the keyboard.
But look what else you get with it: A built-in webcam and microphone; Wi-Fi (they all have that now); 3 GB memory; 320 GB hard drive; and a battery that’s advertised to last 2 hrs., 45 mins. And the price for this machine? Only $500. It weighs 6.5 lbs. though. But we’re talking digital power here!
I don’t see how they can sell them for that little and still keep their R&D and factories going. You’ve got to have a worthwhile markup in it before you can be profitable. And this is retail, includes the retailer’s markup and transportation costs, etc., etc. Amazing.
Of course that includes the free upgrade to Windows 7, but I think I’d rather wait until they come with it already installed.
Hey, we’d better get this equipment checked out. We’ve got all the Monday weekly stuff to do, too. I’ll slide on in to the kitchen and get more coffee started. See you back in the day room.
