Review of the Sony Vaio Pro 11

I've been using my new Sony Vaio Pro 11 for a week now and I wanted to finally write a full review.  I've talked a bit about the things I like, and on the whole I still like those things, but I have some other observations now that I've been using the computer for a week.

Goals check for the week of August 19

Last week was both fun and productive.  Not only did I get my new computer and spend a lot of time playing with it, setting it up, and enjoying the heck out of it, but I also had a very productive week in terms of both writing and horses (my biggest priorities).  I feel like I've been given a great gift, having an extra couple of hours every morning and afternoon before I have to go to work.  Unfortunately I do have to work earlier today (the kids have a half day since it's their first day of school), but overall it feels great to be back to my school-year schedule.

Preliminary review of the Sony Vaio Pro 11

I've been using my new computer pretty steadily over the last couple of days.  I still have a lot to learn about it, especially since it's my first time using any operating system newer than Windows XP, but I have a few observations to make already.

A new writing machine, part 2

The Samsung Series 9, my new writing laptop, arrived Tuesday, and it was a complete failure -- there was clearly something very wrong with it from the get-go.  It took hours to complete setup alone, and then once it even loaded Windows, it couldn't connect to wifi and could barely load the control panel, let alone Internet Explorer.

I probably could have exchanged it for another one from the same seller, but I was worried about the same thing happening all over again -- these were, after all, 2011 models that had probably been sitting in a warehouse for the past two years.  So I opted to just return the computer.  Instead, I decided to get a sleek, sexy Sony Vaio that I had played with at the computer store a couple weeks ago, the biggest advantage being that if something went wrong with it and I didn't like it, I could return it locally.

Goals check for the week of August 12

One more report of disappointing progress, but from there on out I think things will improve dramatically!  Already, two days into this wonderful week, I am getting lots done and having a great week.  I look forward to seeing what the rest of the week will bring.

Last week on the other hand wasn't so great.  It was the last week of my summer schedule, though, so I literally just gritted my teeth and rode it out...

A new writing machine

Well, it looks like I'll be getting a new laptop after all, despite everything I went through recently to get my Averatec back into good working order.  That's okay -- the Averatec will make a fine backup computer for some time still.  It probably would have been a fine main computer for a while still, too, but I can't help it -- I found and fell in love with the looks and light weight of a Samsung Series 9.  The best part is that since it is a slightly older machine (came out in 2011), I get a computer that is still brand new BUT it runs Windows 7, so I won't have to upgrade my software yet.  (I have a lot of old software, such as MS Office 2000 and Photoshop 7.0, as well as an older scanner and printer, but it appears that most everything runs on Windows 7 with the occasional workaround.)

Goals check for the week of August 5

I am now in full countdown mode until the end of my summer schedule -- currently three more days.  Last week and this week have been very busy, though, so not much progress to be expected until the kids go back to school.

Goals check for the week of July 29

I'm in the middle of another busy week, which is why this is again a day late.  I keep reminding myself that there are only two more weeks until I go back to my regular school-year schedule -- it's the only way I'm getting through these last few weeks of the summer.  The family I work for has company and so things have been busier and more hectic than ever.  Once I am only working after school hours again, however, I'll have my mornings and early afternoons to myself again...  I can't wait!

Last week being the first week of their company, I worked some extra hours and didn't have much time for my goals.  I've had worse weeks, but I've also had much better.

Adventures of a long-lived laptop

Long ago, just before I started freelancing full-time in the fall of 2005, I bought myself a brand-new laptop for the first time in my life.  I'd always had used, outdated machines to that point, so I was very proud of my little Averatec 1020.  Not only was it twice as fast as the 500 MHz Dell laptop that I had been using, it was also equally as small and light, despite the fact that it had a CD/DVD drive on the computer (my Dell had a separate one, much like the netbooks do now).

My Averatec survived being knocked off my desk by my cat, being sent back to the manufacturer to have the cooling fan replaced while it was still under warranty, and numerous other adventures.