what happened to 8000 series?

I've been assuming my next computer would be a dell 8000 series notebook and now i find they have been dropped. The inspiron 6000 is no substitute. The 17" screen machines are too big for my situation. Another problem I notice is the 3 year mail in warranty has been eliminated too.

When I'm ready for a new notebook I'll be looking for a 15-15.2" screen and three year mail in warranty plus mostly higher end features after that. Dell has stopped offering the type of computer I favor, bummer.

Does anyone know if this situation is permanent?

 

The Inspiron 6000 has a 15.4" widescreen.

 

i dont' understand why the 6000 isn't a "replacement"? it's the exact same form factor with upgraded features like more usb ports and a built in card reader. why do you say it's not a "replacement"?

 

May be I was hasty. Turns out there are three configuration starting points on the Dell website and if you start with the wrong one some options are missing.

Never the less, the 3 year mail-in option is gone. The only way to get three years is with "at home" service at significantly higher cost.

My current machine is a 2 1/2 year old Toshiba Satillite S607 with a 15" 1200x1600 screen, and 1.7 Ghz mobil processor. I upgraded ram and HD and if it continues to function mechanically it can probably give me another year of good service.

It's harder for me to be tempted by the new stuff because I don't know how to get performance information about the newest notebooks that is directly comparable with older equipment like mine?

Can anyone here suggest a way to compare performance of the newest Dells with my Toshiba? What test software is used most by people on this website?

Thanks for setting me straight about the 6000 and thanks in advance for any assistance.