Odd Toshiba Question

Hi all.
I'm new to the forums, and just really found them since I need to purchase a notebook again.
Here is my question....
I have only owned 2 notebooks, and both were several years ago.
The first was an IBM 365XD Thinkpad. When this one died, I purchased a Toshiba. The reason I went with the Toshiba instead of another IBM is that the Toshiba had so much more on it and a larger screen for the same price. BTW, I kept the Toshiba for several years and needed servicing twice, and they were FAST and WONDERFUL to deal with. The reason I stuck with these 2 brands is because they both had the pointing stick rather than the touch pad.
Now I need another notebook and I LOVE the Tru Bright screen on the Toshibas, but IBM still has the nice pointing device on many models, just no Tru Bright option for the screen.
Has anyone went to the touchpad from the stick and regretted it, or do you like it more?
- Dave

 

"Has anyone went to the touchpad from the stick and regretted it, or do you like it more?"

Laptop pointing devices are like laptop soundcards. You just have to deal with the fact they're crap and that you're going to have to go external.

There are so many things to consider when buying a computer that pointing devices should have little or no impact on your decision.


www.terminus1525.ca/studio/view/117

 

hmmm, well, the reason that I was concerned with this is that many times I'm not at a desk while using the machine.
Having this being the case, what do you reccomend as an alternative that isn't "crap"?
- Dave

 

My first notebook was a Toshiba 430CDT. It had a stick pointing device similar to the IBMs. I now have a Toshiba M35x-311 with a touchpad.

What I really liked about the stick was that you could always get the mouse pointer from one side of the screen to the other in one movement. However, the stick can become sensitive if you push it to much.

The touchpad is nice in that my guess is that it's less prone to wear. But, sometimes it's a little annoying when you have to pick up your finger and move it back to where you started because you run out of touchpad space to move the pointer. So, you have to tweak the settings so that the pointer moves at a rate fast enough for the it to travel across the entire screen and at the same time you don't want it so fast that you have trouble controlling the pointer.

I also find that the touchpad can interfere with the keyboard when you accidently tap it while typing, moving the cursor elsewhere.

Anyway, I've gotten used to the downsides. I guess I like that there are fewer parts to wear out when using the touchpad.

 

Me, for example, I have the M40, and I find its touchpad reacts really well. I didn't have any problem of accidentally moving the cursor, even though with my previous laptop it happened all the time, so I can only guess the touchpad's position on this laptop is better.

So, well, if you want my opinion, it works, but it'll never replace a mouse. I'm getting used to it, but man, it's hard doing Photoshop work with that!!! However, the usual click and move stuff is okay.

Toshiba Satellite M40 - Pentium-M Sonoma 1.6ghz - 512mb DDR333 - 60gb 4200rpm - GeForce 6600 128mb - 15.4" BrightView WXGA TFT LCD