Accessories for Compaq R4000 series?

Hi! I just got the Compaq R4025 (AMD 64 3200+, 1gb ram, 128mb ati 200m xpress, 80gb hd), and I'm currently "calibrating" the battery.

i've been looking at the hp/compaq website trying to find some accessories, but i haven't had much luck. i work around children, so one of the my main concerns is a spillproof covering of some sort for the keyboard ... does such a marvel exist?

another one would be to extend the battery life ... does hp/compaq have a plug-in sort of external battery that i could charge elsewhere while my main battery is in the laptop?

the third thing is to hook up my laptop to the internet wirelessly. since i don't have a wireless router, would it be possible to get a USB wireless device on the desktop (which is hooked up by wire to the internet) and share that connection? so my total purchase would be 1x USB wireless device, which i will be able to use with a wireless router should i choose to get one in the future?

thank you all in advance for your time

 

Congrats on your new purchase! I hope you enjoy it. I'll try to answer your questions in order.

1) No spill cover exists that I know of. I'd suggest the accidental damage warranty (different from the extended warranty). This covers anything that happens to the laptop, not just manufacturer's failures. You can get them for up to 3 years.

2) I haven't seen an external charger for the battery. It would make too much sense. [ ]

3) You need a wireless router and to set it up with your desktop connection. Replace your current broadband modem with the wireless router. You can get an 802.11g (as opposed to "b") router (faster) for under $50. Setting it up is another process that would take to much space for here, but it's not that difficult. I'm assuming you bought the laptop with built-in wifi. If not, plan on another $20-$40 for a laptop wifi card.

Good luck with the kids!

Russ

HP ZV5000z
Athlon 64 3000+
768mb RAM
60gb 4200rpm HD
nVidia G0 440 64mb
DVD-RW/CD-RW
1394, 5-in-1 card reader
15.4" wide screen
802.11 b/g w/Speedbooster

 

I would suggest looking elsewhere for some networking items. www.newegg.com has great customer service..tons of other shops around as well as ebay to look into.also look into the tech bargins coupons for some local shops..typically you can find a nice wireless router for cheap.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by rfortson

 

I'm contemplating whether or not I should buy this particular notebook. Do you think you can provide a brief review of your experiences with it? A lot of other people will benefit from it also. Thanks!

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by KrnMackMattsta