New 1520 for a former Thinkpad user

Just got my new 1520 and set it up (just awaiting new RAM in the mail today - Vista with 1gb RAM is a DOOOOOOG!).

Anyway, some impressions:

• mostly positive - very nice notebook overall
• i am lucky enough to have received an LG WSXGA screen by the looks of it
• the screen is really good - much better than my current T42 - although glossy is a little off putting, I got used to it quickly
• the keyboard is very nice too - I would say almost on par with Thinkpad keyboard
• weight - it's definitely heavier (and thicker) than a Thinkpad - thought the "chassis" feels more solid and less plasticky
• for a little while i thought i had gotten one of those uneven base items as it seemed to rock back and forth on the desk - but either I imagined it or must have been a warped desk - moved it elsewhere and it is sitting very snuggly
• Although I am getting used to the touchpad despite loving the TrackPoint on thinkpads, I do miss the back/forward browse keys, and I am having more trouble with the Dell layout of the Del/End/Home keys - I think the Thinkpad implementation of those keys is mcuh better (or maybe I am an old dog trying to learn new tricks )
• Have some minor issues/new things to get used to for which I am asking questions below

So here are my questions - some of them may span Vista and Dell - I'm not sure which is the issue/cause:

1. Wifi - I cannot for the life of me figure out an easy (or any) way to switch of the WiFi - there doesn't seem to be a hotkey, even clicking on the WiFi button in the taskbar only allows me to disconnect from a network and not switch off the WiFi completely?
2. One of the things I really liked about the Thinkpads were their "forward" and "backward" browse buttons just above the arrow keys - I am really missing them (more so than the TrackPoint) - is there a way I can program some buttons on the keyboard to do the same functions? I know the Backspace key browses back, but I would ideally like something towards the bottom of the keyboard closer to the touchpad.

 

Nice mini review!

1. Use the Wireless Switch or QuickSet application
2. Download the Synaptics TouchPad driver and configure hotspots at four corners.

 

This app seems to just tell me stuff rather than let me set stuff up? Am I missing something?

 

If you wanna shut the wifi off, use the off switch on the side of the laptop

Install the Dell drivers if they aren't installed already, and you 'should' be able to configure them

 

Hey there is a wifi switch on switch off button right infront of your laptop. I have it on my 1420. And for the second question... Download autohotkey and define any keys to your tastes.....

 

I just use backspace and alt-right arrow. Or configure the corners to do back and forward. That's the best solution short of modding buttons on.

 

that's exactly what i needed - ALT-RIGHT/LEFT - thanks

 

if you mean next tot he volume and play/pause buttons - no, not on my 1520

 

Hope you are not sarcastically replying to coolmalayalee's post. If you weren't sarcastic, I wonder if you looked at your notebook properly!

Anways, here is your solution:

It is on the left side of your notebook:



2. Wireless Switch - 3. Wi-Fi Catcher light

Turn the Wireless Switch Off to turn of the Wi-Fi!

Ask me if there is anything else you would like to know.

 

OMG that picture just proved to me how thick the inspiron is and the curves are hiding it (more like angles)

 

No I wasn't being sarcastic - just dumb I guess Front to me meant front where the volume buttons are.

I guess this is what happens when you don't read the manual

Thanks - so now I know the hardware off button. IS there not a software/hotkey on/off method? For bluetooth it was pretty easy - not sure why WiFi is so much harder.

 

Since you offered..... so how do I assign functions/actions to Fn keys or other hotkeys. QuickSet shows me what is set but I don't see anywhere for me to set my own?

 

In Vista , go to Control Panel or right click on the system tray Wireless Icon > Network and sharing center > Manage network connections > Right click on the Wireless adapter > Disable. Not sure about a shorter way of doing it (I don't have quickset installed).

 

Yep thanks. That works, though it is quite cumbersome. I hate to hark back to the thinkpad again, but they had a very simply Fn Fx key combo which toggled the WiFi on/off. That would be nice.

 

You need third party software to do that.

 

Well here is a little update.

As far as backward and forward keys, I decided that since I only need that when using Firefox, I installed the Mouse Gestures extension which allows one to use assign gestures to various tasks.

For WiFi enabling/disabling, I decided to put a shortcut in my AppsLauncher Gadget on my sidebar - not one click but a heck of a lot easier than going through control panel/etc.....

 

I read the user's manual and still couldn't see anywhere - how do I configure the dell to show various things on the screen (eg volume, battery) when I/it changes. When I first got the computer it used to come up when I turned down/up the volume (outside of Vista) but now it doesn't. Also the Fn-F3 to show the battery meter doesn't work either. QuickSet doesn't seem to have anything. Is it in the BIOS?

 

QuickSet is supposed to control that stuff. Is there a settings option in QuickSet where you could adjust whether on screen notifications are on or off?