Acer used to build Thinkpads..

Hi I'm new here. I've not read many of the threads except the one I found via Google about the NEW Acer 4420-5237 Best Buy just bought me in replacement for a dead Toshiba I bought from them.

The reviews on the NEW Acer Extensa were all pretty good, seeming better than reviews of many other new laptops, but it was the small size that caught may attention first.

I'd have prefered a normal versus widescreen too because I don't watch DVDs. That's the only reason I know of for the sorta 'silly' widescreen format.

I must say Best Buy's in-store customer service is very bad & their Geek Squad service deparment is just as bad. In my opinion they're mainly a discount electronics marketer as Circuit City is, so be wary of what you buy. You may get older stock, inferior items, factory refurbs, etc. My broken new Toshiba was probably due to that I suppose, rather than Toshiba having poor quality control.

I posted the following in another thread here:

Thinkpads are the BEST in my experience & opinion.

I voted "good" on the Acer quality. I've not owned mine long, but for what I paid for it, it's pretty good.

A previous Toshiba had bad motherboard from new. I fought best buy 4+ months to get it replaced.

I'm happier with my new cheap Acer versus the Toshiba anyway, as a replacement for my aged Pentium II / Win98 Thinkpad.

By the way, Acer used to build Thinkpads for IBM so that's one reason I wsn't too afraid to go with them. Read this: http://zurich.ai.mit.edu/hypermail/t...9-06/0253.html

I notice parallels between my new inexpensive Extensa & my old Thinkpad in the nice 'clicky' feel of the keyboard (though the Extensa keys are much cheaper quality), the TFT display, the dark, business-like coloring, the display/lid hinges & latches, etc.

I do miss the Thinkpad's Trackpoint(R) mini-joystick control. Though it could make your middle finger tired, it was the most efficient & accurate pointing device I've used with a computer; a mouse is second in accuracy & efficiency & the touchpad is last place in it's performance.

I am becoming more used to a touchpad now & fiddling with the adjustments to get it to respond the way I want. The Thinkpad's Trackpoint (R) quickly became intuitive, an extension of my body & mind.

Using a mouse has never become intuitive in that way, always fighting the durned thing, somewhat, to do what I want.

Using a mouse requires two hands also, where often the Trackpoint only needs one, and you even have to move your hand from it's position on the keyboard.