Style Computing

My personal favourite is the IBM Thinkpad T-series of laptops; they are light, extremely sturdy and conservatively styled. You may want to look at the T42 model; it comes with everything you want. However, mind that IBM charges quite a premium for these products, and they are usually in the Rs 85,000 range. IBM allows you to tailor the hardware configuration and hence, depending on the hardware, the version and price increases or decreases. For models from other vendors, refer to the laptop comparison test in this issue. 

I Can’t Find It
Q. I wanted to purchase an Archos Gmini or Samsung Media Centre portable video player, but was unable to find a retailer in India. Could you guide me to where I can get it from? Also, I would like to get a GeForce 6800 Ultra Extreme graphics card.
Satyajit Patnaik

We’re sorry to say this, but the Archos Gmini is not sold in India through authorised channels. However, you might find it in shopping centres selling foreign goods, but after-sales service might be a problem. MSI has apparently introduced a similar product in the Indian market-the MSI MegaView 561. This little device plays MPEG4 video and MP3s; you can store data on it too. It retails for around Rs 27,000. 
You could contact Cyberstar India on 0-9323809599, or Tirupati Enterprises: 0-98310022600. For a GeForce 6800 Ultra card, you could call the same companies and for the MSI MegaView 561, or you can try Rashi Peripherals at 022-56290785 for Asus or XFX cards.

Flipping On Colour
Q. I want to buy a mobile phone that looks great, has good features, is durable and does not cost more than Rs 5,000. Also, if possible, I would like a flip-style mobile phone. Can you suggest somewhere to look for second-hand mobile phones, possibly a Web site? 
Arnav

There are two models I would recommend you look at: the Sony Ericsson Z200 and the Nokia 2650. They are equally good; I would go for the smart looking Z200, though. Of course, if you are a Nokia fan, you would want to look at the 2650. It is pretty much like the other lower-end colour phones from Nokia.

The Right Mix
Q. I want to upgrade my PC and am thinking of buying an AMD-based system. I want you to help me choose the right motherboard and processor combo. The motherboard should have on-board sound and no graphics. Also, it should support a PCIe graphics card.
Shravet

Please refer to the February 2005 issue of Digit for a complete solution regarding AMD processors and motherboards. For a mid-range solution, there are just two chipsets-one from ATi and the other from nVidia-that support PCIe on the AMD platform. Motherboards based on nVidia’s nForce4 chipset are yet to make it to the Indian market. MSI has launched a motherboard based on ATi’s Express 200 chipset, and is available as RS480. These motherboards take 939-pin AMD processors, which are slightly more expensive than their 754-pin counterparts. You can contact Cyberstar India at 0-9323809599 or Tirupati Enterprises at 0-98310022600.

Swearing By Sony Ericsson
Q. I am interested in the Sony Ericsson P910i and S700i cell phones. Can you please tell me how much these phones cost and which one will be best suited to me?
A Reader

Since you have not provided details about your usage patterns, saying which one is best-suited to you is a difficult job. However, I will highlight the general usage profiles of both these phones. The P910i is a PDA-phone-you can use it as a PDA and as a phone as well. The target audience for the P910i is executives who have to juggle between a phone and PDA. The S700i is a media-centric phone where the digital camera, video recording, music playing capabilities, etc. are stressed upon. As you can see, there is a clear demarcation when it comes to the usability of both these phones.

The Sony Ericsson P910 would set you back by around Rs 40,000, whereas the S700i should cost around Rs 30,000.

A  Basic Digicam
Q. I want to buy a digital camera with decent features priced not more than Rs 10,000.
Rajagopalan M R

You can procure a digicam from either the official channels or the grey market-the latter offers the same cameras for much less, but without a warranty. Look for Nikon’s 3100 or 4300 models. Both are good, and should be available in the grey market at a comfortable price. However, if you value warranties and support, then at Rs 10,000, there are few good digicams I can recommend. Even so, have a look at Kodak’s CX-4XXX series: they are priced at around Rs 10,000 and deliver fairly good results.