Laptop for IF and POS

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AWG

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
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Seems like neither of these systems require immense computing power. We're looking to add an on-call service and would like to offer both POS and IF while on-site at a customer's location. Maybe add some sort of cell- or web-based credit card authorization system. Any suggestions out there on a reasonably priced laptop system??

Tony
 
Please let us know if you have success. My plan was the same as yours and I tried getting answers on how this would work before I would invest. Couldn't get it together and got some weird answers. But for the laptop, Sony has an 18.5" laptop now and it has a realy stunning display. I have one. However, they all come with Vista, as most laptops do. That was just one of the difficulties, IF doesn't work with Vista. Dual booting a laptop is possible, but expensive because apparently you have to also buy a whole new version of Vista and reinstall everything cuz it won't let you use an OEM version on that brand. Also, some laptops have hardware that requires Vista so wiping and reinstalling XP won't work.

In the end I just felt I was forcing a square peg into a round hole. No one seemed able or interested in answering my questions and the hardware was problematic. I purchased the first visualization package available in 1996 and ran it for nearly a year in my shop... learned to not rush these things and let the technology come to me. It's far cheaper.
 
The first thing to do is check with the vendors to confirm their requirements. For example, some POS systems may require XP Pro, not XP Home. Because of the camera, you'll need to find a machine that still has XP. They're hard to find, but still out there.

Here's a decent one for $648, including the XP downgrade.

Dell Vostro 1510 3gb Ram, Intel Core 2 Duo processor, DVDR, 250gb HD, wireless

http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/laptop-vostro-a860?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd

Mike

PS: If the POS is LifeSaver, I can confirm that this will be fine.
 
The XP issue shouldn't be a problem - we can install a new version after removing the Vista - seems like Dell is the only company still offering XP "downgrades". Mike - what do you know about the netbooks that are all the rage? I've seen a number with 120G drives, XP, etc. Nice, small, ultra-portable and CHEAP. The SSD versions certainly won't work, but do you think these might be an option?

BTW we're using Specialty and Integrated Framer. We'll chack to see what they want and go from there.

Tony
 
Mike Labbe @ GTP said:
The first thing to do is check with the vendors to confirm their requirements. For example, some POS systems may require XP Pro, not XP Home. Because of the camera, you'll need to find a machine that still has XP. They're hard to find, but still out there.

Here's a decent one for $648, including the XP downgrade.

Dell Vostro 1510 3gb Ram, Intel Core 2 Duo processor, DVDR, 250gb HD, wireless

http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/laptop-vostro-a860?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd

Mike

PS: If the POS is LifeSaver, I can confirm that this will be fine.
Click to expand...



We have the Dell Vostro 1510....works great. We have only used inhouse thus far but plan on taking it on the road with pre-loaded artwork (not to take pictures at customer sites...) Now if I could just get the power to come on the camera without climbing the ladder!!
 
This is just a thought. Doesn't the issue with Visa and cameras effect the remote shooting and not the actual vis software?

If so a mobile rig wouldn't need remote shooting. Most likely you would precapture your mouldings and matboards and store those in a database. Then on location you would grab your camera and snap the shot the old fashioned way (holding it up to your eye and pushing the actual shutter.) Then you could slide in your sd card and your in business.

With a mobile rig there would be no need at all to use remote shoot.
 
One of my computer geeks tells me today that there is some sort of XP emulation (?) setting within Vista, so I can tell it to run certain programs as an Xp machine. Does anyone else know about this? Still waiting to hear back from Specialty and Wiz about this stuff...

I want to be able to make this as seamless and painless as I can for the user - ideally we'll move everything to the laptop, using it both in the shop and on the road. Plug in the big Dell LCD in the shop, use the little screen on the road.
 
AWG said:
One of my computer geeks tells me today that there is some sort of XP emulation (?) setting within Vista, so I can tell it to run certain programs as an Xp machine. Does anyone else know about this? Still waiting to hear back from Specialty and Wiz about this stuff...
Click to expand...

The geek is correct - you can run it in XP compatibility mode, but you need to also make sure that service pack 1 for Vista has been installed.

It's kinda quirky in some areas, which is why we still don't "officially" support it, but it does function correctly.
 
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