Notebook for my Dad

[Wyatt]

My Dad's desktop is getting really old (I'm talking Windows ME old), and it's nearing the end of its life. It's been a great computer for him, so he hates that it's going, but he's okay with getting a new one. We're looking into laptops for him. Here's the thing: He's in his mid-50s so he doesn't see really well. He needs a fairly big screen and something that's not too heavy. I think a 17" PowerBook or MacBook Pro would be great for him, but that's probably overkill. He definitely needs a 17" screen, and I'd prefer to keep it to 6 pounds or less. He's a teacher, and he plans to take it back and forth from home to his school. I'm not really asking for Mac advice, as he probably won't want to spend 17" Apple laptop money, so does anybody have any other ideas?

[Windowsrookie]

Well, you could buy the new macbook, or another "smaller" notebook and set the resolution to a lower setting so everything is bigger. Also you can increase the text size.

[LudwigVan]

Or attach it to the old desktop's monitor if it's still functioning. No doubt it's bigger than the notebook's screen.

fcgriz, will your dad be using this notebook on the road or only at school or home?

[Banana]

Ludwig gave me an idea- if he has two decent monitor, he could just use a Mac Mini if it's simply just two places...

[turbulentfurball]

Well, you could buy the new macbook, or another "smaller" notebook and set the resolution to a lower setting so everything is bigger.

I'd advise against that. Using a TFT at anything other than its native resolution is painful. I'd go with an external monitor as the other guys say.

[Kyros]

Personally, I'd find a used 14 inch iBook. Your father most likely won't feel the hit of using a G4 processor rather than a core duo, and it is basically made for people with weak eyesight.

[Banana]

But is resolution enough for what he needs? I was given to understand that 14 inch iBook has worse screen compared to 12 inch iBook...

[Luca]

The 14" has the same resolution as the 12", it just happens to be larger, meaning the pixels are bigger and the screen is easier to read at the cost of sharpness.

Taking a Mac mini from one place to another could get frustrating quickly. You have to have a keyboard, mouse, and monitor set up at both locations, and in order to move it you have to turn it off and unplug the power cord and carry the power supply with you. With a notebook you can just open it up and start using it wherever you happen to be.

[Matsu]

The 14" has the same resolution as the 12", it just happens to be larger, meaning the pixels are bigger and the screen is easier to read at the cost of sharpness.

Not quite true, though I get what you mean. It's important to remember that sharpness, density, and resolution are not all the same thing, related, yes, but all subtly different. The larger display could be 'sharper' despite being of lower density.

[Kyros]

But is resolution enough for what he needs? I was given to understand that 14 inch iBook has worse screen compared to 12 inch iBook...

1024*768 should be more than enough. People didn't like the 14 inch screen because it didn't actually increase the number of pixels over the 12 inch. However, this is perfect for people with weak eyesight.